7) Between The Buried And Me, The Parallax II: Future Sequence (Metal Blade)
Fun fact: metal albums that contain songs exceeding ten minutes in length make me slightly giddy. So it makes sense that BTBAM’s latest effort should end up on this list in addition to it being a sumptuous prog fest. The album has such a diverse range of sounds that manage to form a cohesive effort of progressive metal delight. The complex rhythms and riffs are all there, and Blake Richardson’s exemplary drumming has plenty of time to shine. Two words: “Melting City”. Anyone who is a fan of progressive metal owes it to his or herself to listen to this album.
6) High On Fire, De Vermis Mysteriis (eOne)
I must admit that I am a relatively new High On Fire fan, mostly because I hadn’t taken the time to get into them before. And then De Vermis Mysteriis happened. This is complete stoner, doomy, sludgy goodness with a concept that only the highest of the high can fully comprehend. The whole album is one giant avalanche of heavy and reaches its zenith at “King Of Days”, which is without a doubt one of the heaviest tracks of the year. If Matt Pike’s thick guitar tone doesn’t blow you away, I don’t know what will. Now, excuse me while I go buy the rest of High On Fire’s discography.
5) Periphery, Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal (Sumerian)
In addition to having one of the best album titles of 2012, Periphery’s second full-length is a great and ridiculously fun album. The band’s technical ability is still top notch mostly due to the guitar trio of Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen, and Mark Holcomb. The band has really demonstrated their songwriting prowess on this one and the lyrical motifs found throughout make this effort stand out. The highest point of this album is during “Ragnarok” where Spencer Sotelo hits notes so high that you can’t help but think “Holy shit” every time you hear them. Also, when your band has guest guitar solos from the likes of John Petrucci (Dream Theater), you’re definitely doing it right.
4) Deftones, Koi No Yokan (Reprise)
I knew this album was going to be one of my favorites from the moment I heard the first single “Leathers”. Because 2010’s Diamond Eyes was so critically acclaimed, you would hope for Koi No Yokan to be just as good. And it very much is. Start to finish, this album has all the sounds you’d expect from the band, but it’s always unique and fresh. In my opinion, “Tempest” is one of the best songs Deftones has ever written, largely in part due to Chino Moreno’s vocals, which lead a gorgeous melody that rises to an ultimate explosion around the 3:40 mark. Also, Koi No Yokan totally sounds like a move from Street Fighter. Which is awesome.
