This was a really interesting album. There were a lot of really good ideas throughout, but despite that, I have quite a few critiques. I like the vocalist's normal voice a lot, which is showcased on the last song especially, but when they do their super growly voice it has this tone in it that I don't like too much, almost like a gargle, but it did grow on me slightly as the album went on. There were also a few moments where I think the mixing could've been improved, as even ... read more

One of the corniest thrash metal albums I've ever heard, but honestly this was a really fun listen! Despite how on-the-nose everything is here, nothing sounds bad really, and if you let it be itself and ride out it's actually pretty enjoyable. There were a lot of samey tracks on this, especially at the beginning, but there were definitely some that stood out from the rest, with some more interesting variation popping up on a select few tracks. This is pretty reminiscent of Iron Maiden ... read more

Probably my favorite shoegaze track of this decade so far. All of the cool and weird experimentation on here helps it stand out a lot, but it's also is hauntingly beautiful even without those things. The way everything moves from one step to the next also just works extremely well, and all the miniscule parts feel so deliberately intentional. The amateur-ish vocals really help add a lot to the environment, but really just everything here adds together to be a masterpiece. The cover is also ... read more

This is SOOO HARD! Paris Texas' most recent ep's are some of my favorite releases from this year, but it seems like they've always been this hype. The same voice that follows though TLMW(TS/AG) is here, and it really helps tie the group together to have that presence here. The production throughout this project is really great; the guitar tones never sound off or bad in the slightest, and the actual beats are really well put together. Felix and Louie are really skilled rappers ... read more

This is my favorite metal release so far this year. As much as I love thrash/speed, this type of slower, more atmospheric metal is what I tend to enjoy the most. I really like the way that these different sounds are used throughout, and the vocal range shown is really impressive; the variation from some melodic parts to more death-esque screaming is really well done, and the dynamicness of the vocalist helps make the tone and environment of this project as appealing as it is. Speaking of tone, ... read more

Finally took the time to listen to this, and for the first time in a long time, i listened without trying to think of what to rate it or what to say about it. i loved this project, and i'll be moving on from rating in the forseeable future. peace out

What a perfect name for this album. This feels like pure joy and hope distilled into one project; I literally could not stop smiling the entire time I was listening. The lyrics are so good and address so many important topics, and Stevie Wonder's voice is genuinely probably one of the best sounding things ever. Despite this album's age, it still holds up so extremely well. There are so many different sounds and types of songs on here while all still fitting into the album and making ... read more

This EP feels like it takes a lot of inspiration from some really old music, and it uses that really well. There's some sounds and effects here that are fairly "new", but are being used in tandem with these other older sounds, and they blend in really well. The lyrics are really well put together and depressive with this happy sound, and the juxtaposition of that is really cool. Even though this type of music isn't really for me, I can definitely see the ideas and effort put ... read more

This album is the most important piece of art I've ever experienced in my life. From start to finish, there is almost no part of this album that hasn't brought tears to my eyes. Without this album, I wouldn't be who I am today, and I feel like I owe so much to it.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is an album going through Kendrick's life and recounting his emotions and history, and using talking about them to grow up and leave them behind. He uses each track here to talk ... read more

This is Peggy's most underrated and underappreciated project. The sounds he brings in throughout are something never really replicated in any other music I've ever heard even by JPEG himself, and honestly just in general this project contains some of his best production ever. Although some of the lyrics don't fully hold up to the test of time, the energy and confidence in which he is talking really gets across and makes it not feel all too off or fake; his delivery on here also ... read more

Although release-wise this isn't Mastodon's first project, all the music was from before they had come out with anything. Considering the fact that these are all remastered tracks from a demo tape they made, this is honestly pretty good. Although the mixing still feels pretty off, I think this does a great job of showing what they were capable of at the time, and is a really cool release for people who were really into them. There are some really interesting ideas on here, like the ... read more

As much as I dislike Phil Anselmo as a person, he really is one of the best metal vocalists ever. I really love the sound of southern metal, and this project delivers almost everything you could ask for in the genre. It has some really great instrumentals, and each track sounds so distinctly like the south because of both the rhythms and the actual sequences of notes. There's a few moments where the guitar tone can get wonky in a good way, with some really interesting sounds that boost my ... read more

This album is filled with some of the best rock/metal middleground music ever. There is quite a bit of experimental sounds and effects on here that I didn't really remember, and they really help add to the enjoyment and uniqueness of the project. Although Plastic Plan is def a lowpoint, it's pretty hard to mark a specific "high point" with the really consistient quality throughout the rest of the tracks. The riffs throughout are really well-made, which is always something ... read more

A beautiful couple of tracks. All the instruments come together in some incredible ways, and the layering is incredibly well done. Everything here sounds so intentional and well-performed, and is really innovative for it's time. This evokes some really intense emotions and feelings that most jazz doesn't, and my respect for it is very high because of that. Great project, and definitely something deserving of it's acclaim.

This project really gives a glimpse into where SKOTSKR started, and it's really interesting. He really wears his influences on his sleeve when it comes to voice and delivery, but his production is still insanely weird and experimental, even though it isn't quite as crazy as his more recent stuff; despite it being turned down slightly, it's still really intense and noisy, which I love. I do find a lot of his vocal performances fairly annoying on here unfortunately, and you can ... read more

What an insane listen. When I had first heard this album, I had basically no knowledge of metal at all and was only just hearing snippets, so I had nothing to really compare it to. This is honestly a baffling project, and really showcases the best that Megadeth has to offer. The restricted use of vocals is great, as although I don't find Dave Mustaine's voice to be as bad as some others do, I think restricting it to certain parts here really helped it stand out and get across the ... read more

This is such an interesting EP. The way it takes some relatively simple sounds and parts and make them sound so complex and strange here is really cool; it manages to evoke the sounds of math rock without the mindblowing complexity. It also carries some really visceral emotions and feelings with this sound, and the way each song flows into the next really keeps the weird disconnected sound of everything together. I do feel like theres a lot of room for improvement, but this is a great demo EP, ... read more

This is one of the best metal covers ever. It's so unique and represents the album incredibly well, while still just looking absolutely beautiful. The music within is also almost beautiful in a sense; there's some genuinely really pretty sounding parts littered here and there throughout this record despite it's heaviness. The way the album is able to pull you into this world and feel like you are seeing and experiencing the story firsthand is also really cool, and super well ... read more

This is such a fun record. The constant energy and joy it carries is infectious and you can get really into it. It's also extremely well produced and the vocalist sounds great on top of all the instruments. I do think it ends up being a little samey throughout, but a few songs set themselves apart and stand out; namely Do You Want It All, with its 7/4 time signature that I only really started to notice towards the end of the song. Really great debut with a lot to like about it!

Simultaneously an experimental and old-school style album, this project is really fun. JVB is a great duo who are clearly both talented as artists, and not many people are similar to them in the slightest; their uniqueness in the hip-hop scene right now is needed and welcomed. The range on this project is pretty cool to see, and their branching out/growth on here as artists is awesome. Unfortunately, theres some songs where their delivery sounds off/out of place to me, and quite a few tracks ... read more