1. Call Me No One, Last Parade (7Brothers/ILG)
Sometimes when you listen to an album for the first time, you know right away that it’s going to be one of your favorites. Other times, multiple listens cause an album to grow on you and gradually become a favorite. For me, Last Parade was one of those unique albums that embodied both of those descriptions. The first time I listened to it, I was instantly pulled in by the fantastic compositions and the high caliber of musicianship that we’ve all come to expect from Clint Lowery and Morgan Rose. But further listens revealed the more subtle elements within each song, enhancing their appeal even more. It may be a side project of Sevendust, but Call Me No One stands apart from Sevendust in so many ways. This record easily surpasses every other hard rock and melodic/alternative metal album released this year, rightfully earning its place as my Album of the Year.
Honorable Mentions:
Kreator, Phantom Antichrist (Nuclear Blast)
Testament, Dark Roots of Earth (Nuclear Blast)
The Devin Townsend Project, Epicloud (Hevy Devy/Century Media)
Lacuna Coil, Dark Adrenaline (Century Media)
As I Lay Dying, Awakened (Metal Blade)
Stone Sour, House of Gold & Bones Part 1 (Roadrunner)
God Forbid, Equilibrium (Victory)
Becoming the Archetype, I Am (Solid State)
The Agonist, Prisoners (Century Media)
Sybreed, God is an Automaton (Listenable)
Parkway Drive, Atlas (Epitaph)
Bleeding Through, The Great Fire (Rise)
Gojira, L’Enfant Sauvage (Roadrunner)
Thank you all for an amazing 2012! Here’s to hoping that we get tons more great music in 2013! Please feel free to share your biggest pieces of anticipation down in the comments so that we know what to get excited for as well!
