Man, oh man, I bought a lot of records this year. Overall,
it was a pretty solid 365 days for loud music releases: new albums from the likes of Torche,
Melvins, Enslaved, Bison B.C. and Deftones were all rather sick, arguably some
of their best work in recent years, but the following five records have gotten
the most love on my turntable, and probably will continue to well into 2011.
So, without further adieu, my favorite heavy records of 2010. Double bass roll
please…
Kylesa – Spiral Shadow
If you read my review, you know how ga-ga I am about this
record and the anomaly known as Kylesa. Over their past three releases (Spiral
Shadow was preceded by 2006’s Time
Will Fuse Its Worth and 2009’s Static
Tensions), these Georgia natives have
carved themselves a nice little nook inside the bitter hearts of hipsters and
metalheads alike, blurring the lines between progressive rock, metal and
pyschedelia. The dual drumming assault, something I normally “pssht” at unless
it’s the Melvins, truly adds to the music, giving it subtle boosts of
polyrhythmic intelligence. Check out the new old Kylesa-sounding “Tired Climb,”
the introspective “Don’t Look Back” and the surprisingly catchy, Foo
Fighters-esque “Back and Forth.”
Dillinger Escape Plan – Option Paralysis
DEP is an acquired taste, like raw oysters: they gross the
shit out of most people, but once you’ve had a chance to try an Olympia, you’ll
never go back. Despite the super thick layer of cheese they tend to lay on in
the choruses and more intimate moments of their last three records (what do you
really expect from Mike Patton nuts?), they’re still one of the hardest-working
hardcore band in the business, maintaining their reputation as road dogs while
consistently putting out great records that further expand on their love for
NIN, blast beats and jazz noodling. Get up on “Good Neighbor,” “Room Full of
Eyes” and “Chinese Whispers.”
Refused – The Shape of Punk to Come (Deluxe Edition)
A superb remaster and deluxe packaging of one of my favorite
records of all time (read my review here), so yeah, why wouldn’t I pick it? The
guitars are crunchier, the already perfect-sounding drums have a little more
pop and weight, the vocals have more snarl, the bonus live cuts shine a light
on just how chaotic their shows must have been right before their implosion,
and, most importantly, the deluxe revisitation hammers home just how
influential this record has been over the past 12 years, and how it tastes
good, every single time, year after year. My money is always on “Worms of the
Senses/Faculties of the Skull,” “Refused Are Fucking Dead” and “The Shape of
Punk to Come.”
The Sword – Warp Riders
The Sword had me at “Slayer of the spider priests,” one of
the more provocative lines from 2006’s Age of Winters. Much like Age and 2008’s Gods of the Earth, Warp Riders exists in
the realm of conceptual mythology and Sabbath-infused stoner rock dalliance.
More polished than their previous works? Certainly. Catchier? You betcha. But
I’ll never fault a band for expanding their sound, especially when the songs
are there to back up the evolutionary steps. Not much needs to be said about
this record, it’s just a good time. Rip a B, check out “Three Wtches,” “Lawless
Lands” and “Night City,” and take a ride into space.
High on Fire – Snakes for the Divine
In terms of artist appreciation, seldom a trait is as
endearing as self-awareness, and it’s evident that Matt Pike and Company are
very aware of their place in the metal community. I think I speak for most
High on Fire fans when I say that 2008’s Death is This Communion left a lot to be desired of the power trio, and luckily,
they delivered some real axe-grinding shit to make up for it. The whole record
is nasty, obviously, but the first three tracks, “Snakes for the Divine,” “Frost
Hammer” and “Bastard Samurai” get played way more often than all the others on
my stereo. If you’re looking to climb into a fiery maze of hell, wield a spiked
shield and hunt minotaurs, turn off all the lights and crank “How Dark We Pray”
(other materials besides the record are required).
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