Class Of '07: 10 timeless albums from 2007 that are still worth listening to

There’s many variations of this saying, but an old adage goes something like this: you have to know where you’ve come from to know where you’re headed next. If you look at the music trends of a decade ago, many of the “it” bands and albums back then directly or indirectly correlate to the popular music we have now. This goes for almost every genre of music, whether pop, hardcore, pop-punk, or metalcore.

We’re taking a look at 10 albums from 2007 that you likely grew up listening to in high school, college, or maybe even elementary school. We start off with a really influential one that defies categorization…

The Number Twelve Looks Like You (Mongrel)

Mongrel has so many left turns and detours that, even for a TNTLLY album, is still jarring even 10 years later. It’s also a masterpiece.

Fightstar (One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours)

Long underrated by the music scene at large, Fightstar’s 2nd full-length is a good example of alternative rock songwriting that is mostly melodic in nature, but goes for post-hardcore’s throat on tracks like “Deathcar” and “Tanhauser Gate” in ferocious fashion – something their peers simply were not as skilled at. Penultimate tracks “Our Last Common Ancestor” would make for a good album closer, but “Unfamiliar Ceilings” is just as good. A post-hardcore album that ebbs and flows with no filler tracks is a rarity, but that’s just what Fightstar is good at.

Evergreen Terrace (Wolfbiker)

Hardcore? Maybe. Punk? Possibly. Metal? Kind of. Regardless of what you label the Jacksonville, FL band, though, the fact remains that Wolfbiker is full of high-energy songs that merge the aforementioned genres together into something infectious. This is not an album that overstays itself at all (the brevity of it is a strongpoint), and the strong sing-a-long choruses and well-placed breakdowns make for a fun album that you’ll want to revisit again and again.

We are the wicked that walk these city streets by your light house, by the riverside.

Rosetta (Wake/Lift)

Following up 2005’s astounding debut album The Galilean Satellites was always going to be a difficult task, but clearly Rosetta have cemented themselves as one of the most forward-thinking post-metal bands of the last decade. 2007’s sophomore effort Wake/Lift was central to that evolution, positioning Rosetta as a band that could be crushingly heavy one moment and calming the next, without being phony. On a personal note, this is an album I discovered in high school when I was going through my “listen to anyone who sounds like Isis and/or Neurosis” phase, and they’ve stuck with me ever since.

Anberlin (Cities)

Like I said earlier this year, Cities remains an ambitious alternative rock classic that has your requisite heavy song (“Godspeed”), synth-heavy experimental tracks (“Alexithymia”), and a soul-crushing finale (“Fin”). A true crown jewel in a great discography.

A Day To Remember (For Those Who Have Heart)

Pop-punk and metalcore collide on A Day To Remember’s sophomore effort (notice a theme here?), For Those Who Have Heart. That combination of genres was thought not to work at all, but the album somehow does. And it singlehandedly created a sea of bands in its wake, and influenced dozens more. If you’re not moshing during the last 45 seconds of “A Shot In The Dark”, you are doing it wrong.

“My friends come first, that’s the bottom line.”

Moving Mountains (Pneuma)

Post-rock and indie with genuine emotion that lasts long after the final note of “Ode We Will Bury Ourselves” rings out. Also, the album cover is worth the price of admission alone.

Mayday Parade (A Lesson In Romantics)

Packed full of catchy hooks and memorable songwriting, Mayday Parade’s debut album is also their best. Even a track like “Black Cat”, which is a fairly typical pop-punk song, is elevated by fantastic choruses that stay stuck in your head – much like any good pop-punk band.

Alter Bridge (Blackbird)

Over the past decade, Alter Bridge have cemented themselves as one of rock and roll’s leading lights. More than just a “supergroup”, Myles Kennedy’s outstanding vocal range is highlighted on Blackbird, but so too is the improved songwriting on tracks like “Come To Life” and the hard rocking “One By One” – just one of many stadium-worthy moments. Alter Bridge’s sophomore effort is full of explosive choruses and musical proficiency.

Parkway Drive (Horizons)