2016 is almost over. As that almost insane reality begins to hit me, I’m sure it’s hitting you, the reader, hard as well. That being said, 2016 is one of the best years of music that I can remember. Want to know what albums didn’t make this stacked list? New music from Relient K (seriously, their best record in almost a decade), Anciients, and Jason Richardson’s solo album couldn’t make it here (but you should definitely make it a point to listen to all 4). The sheer quantity and quality of said music is unbelievable.
Onward to part 1 of our list, covering the 100 best albums of 2016. Note that EP’s aren’t included (there will be a separate list for those), and no late December album releases will be covered (unless we receive review copies in the next few days). Catch albums #100-#76 below.
#100: Echoes (Young Guns)
4 albums into their career, and it’s clear the UK’s Young Guns are gunning for the arenas. Really, they always have – thanks to an accessible, anthemic sound. But unlike 2015’s disappointing Ones And Zeros, the band (mostly) discards the more lukewarm material for the more energetic material found on breakout album Bones. But tracks like “Awakening” prove that Young Guns can ace the more atmospheric material as well. Overall, a big improvement.
#99: Laugh Tracks (Knocked Loose)
Hardcore’s new hype band is here with their debut full-length. Laugh Tracks is an exercise in mosh-worthy, occasionally sludgy riffs, and lyrics that are sure to be on Tumblr for the next 5 years. If you listen closely, though, you’ll realize that the music of Knocked Loose is more indebted to 90’s metalcore (Earth Crisis, Disembodied, and the almighty Integrity) than anything else. This gives Laugh Tracks an almost timeless quality, or at least one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
#98: Bad Vibrations (A Day To Remember)
A Day To Remember is still making quality music. It’s a fairly typical ADTR record, but the big highlight is album closer “Forgive And Forget”. The title track is also a big highlight – catch the “Tower Of Snakes” pinch harmonics near the end of the song. Thanks, Eighteen Visions.
#97: All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (Architects)
Architects’ 7th full-length album carries darker vibes, considering the tragic death of band member Tom Searle. Like every Architects album, there’s a tendency for the songs to blend together, but there’s also a few standouts – namely “Gravity”, which pulls the listener in with a sharper focus on atmosphere. Much like David Bowie’s final album Blackstar (which is very high on this list), listening to an album like this, knowing a band member died shortly after its release, hurts to think about – but it makes for an emotionally gripping listen.
#96: True North (Crystal Lake)
Crystal Lake is Japan’s next breakout metalcore band. Watch out. They’re reminiscent of scene stalwarts like Northlane and early Erra, but also adding a sense of renewed energy to a somewhat stale genre. This is Crystal Lake’s True North.
#95: It Tired Me All The Same (Arrows In Her)
At 26 minutes in length, the new Arrows In Her record is over too fast. But it never wears out its welcome, as it’s another solid emo revival record that works a lot better than its peers. Despite the album name, it’s an exercise in brevity and not exhaustion. The title track is the best song here, and both it and “Revoke” veer more towards post-hardcore. Recommended.
#94: Parallel Lives (Gates)
There aren’t as many standouts as there were on 2014’s (and our AOTY) Bloom and Breathe. But there are still some gorgeous melodies here, and some impressive buildups as well (see: “Eyes”, possibly the best track the band has ever written).
#93: You Make Everything Disappear (Trade Wind)
What do you get when you combine members of Stick To Your Guns, Structures, and Stray From The Path? You get Trade Wind, a side project that’s more the sound of a fully realized band. Though a short full-length, Trade Wind manage to pack an emotional wallop in the span of 8 tracks, with a dynamic sound more akin to Deftones/Thrice than anything else. “Lowest Form” is a damn fantastic track (and a sure album highlight) that burns slow, and then simply explodes in the middle. Fans of the aforementioned bands may argue amongst themselves which “side” is better, but the fact remains – Trade Wind will surprise and challenge expectations of what you think they should sound like.
#92: The Serenity Of Suffering (Korn)
On 2013 album The Paradigm Shift, Korn seemed truly revitalized, with some of their best songs in a decade. However, the album (slightly) suffered from a few mediocre tracks, and only a few standout songs. Enter 2016’s The Serenity Of Suffering, which is Korn’s true comeback album. It’s the band’s best in 15 years – really since the Issues/Untouchables era. There’s still the subtle electronic flourishes that made TPS sound fresh, but the choruses are stronger, there’s more melodic hooks (see: “Rotting In Vain”), and despite all being over 40 years of age, the band made an album that will sustain them for quite a while. Not necessarily spectacular stuff, but it stands tall among their best work. A big surprise for (most) people who thought the band’s energy had gone stagnant.
#91: Great Is Our Sin (Revocation)
With their 6th full-length album, Revocation have cemented themselves among the most consistent and prolific bands in metal, with their interesting thrash/death metal hybrid. Great Is Our Sin continues that streak of great work, as while it is clear the band has settled into a comfortable groove, they never quite make the same album twice. Also, they’re a fantastic live act, with the chops to match.
#90: Headspace (Issues)
On the 2nd full-length album from Georgia-based metalcore band Issues, you can forget about calling them a metalcore band anymore. Merging elements of post-hardcore, hip-hop, EDM, funk (seriously, how prevalent is that bass guitar?), and more, Issues essentially throws everything at the wall here, and most of it sticks well enough. This could be the album that crosses over to the mainstream. It’s a major improvement on their self-titled debut album, and album closer “Slow Me Down” is probably the best track the band has written yet.
#89: Dangerous Woman (Ariana Grande)
One of the very best pop albums of the year, Ariana Grande’s 3rd full length album suffers slightly from an excess number of filler tracks that drag it down slightly. If you filter that (and lyrical inconsistencies) out of the picture, you’re left with one of the strongest mainstream pop vocalists of the last decade or so. Good luck finding a pop album that genre-hops this well – there’s upbeat dance tracks, hip-hop numbers, and soulful pop gems that recall a young Mariah Carey. If Ariana trims the fat and excess from her next release, it could be a monster – clearly she has the vocal range and talent. But for now, this will have to do.
#88: Learn To Leave (My Iron Lung)
Sadly, My Iron Lung recently broke up. But the post-hardcore band had nothing to be ashamed of, especially not with their final album, Learn To Leave. A passionate album that recalls influences like the obvious (Touche Amore) and the subtle (Deftones), Learn To Leave is a consistently energetic album that never really slows down.
#87: Deathgrip (Fit For A King)
Deathgrip is Fit For A King’s best album to date, and it’s not particularly close. It’s not a game-changing metalcore album or anything, but what it is, is an always competent, occasionally great album. Vocalist Ryan Kirby puts on the most ferocious performance of his career, highlighted by the intense vocal trade off between him and Jake Luhrs (August Burns Red) on the album standout, “Dead Memory”.
#86: Death Touches Us, From The Moment We Begin To Love (Departures)
Mid-paced melodic hardcore with elements of emo, alternative rock, and classic post-hardcore, delivered with unwavering passion. Its 33 minute runtime ensures the album doesn’t get stale, and “Broken” will make you truly feel again. If you like this, check out their previous two full-lengths (especially Teenage Haze).
#85: Atrocity Exhibition (Danny Brown)
Danny Brown is now 4-4 with his darkest work yet, Atrocity Exhibition. Seriously, this is one of the best hip-hop albums of the year. Listen up.
#84: The Emptiness Of… (Eternal Sleep)
A little Alice In Chains-esque grunge influence, a lot of classic metalcore riffs (Integrity, Disembodied), and the energy and vitriol to spare. Listen to the ending of “Flesh/Blood”. It will knock you on your tail, but the chorus is strangely melodic, hinting that big things are yet to come from Eternal Sleep.
#83: Mothership (Dance Gavin Dance)
Post-hardcore veterans Dance Gavin Dance have released 7 full-length albums and an EP since 2006, proving themselves as both diverse and prolific. Mothership is one of their best albums, period.
#82: Repeating History (Amarionette)
Circa Survive/Coheed & Cambria-influenced post-hardcore, with the ambition to match. There’s even a track with hip-hop influences (“All I Have”), which adds a unique flavor into the mix. Expand on some of these influences in future material, and you’re looking at band that could release genre-defying albums. For now, this is a great listen, while also pointing towards a bright future.
#81: Modern Earth (Landscapes)
Dark, passionate, occasionally melodic hardcore in the vein of More Than Life, and the raw emotion behind it is not done in a melodramatic manner of any sort. “Heaven Ascended” is a killer album closer that builds from an almost ambient post-rock sound, to what can only be described as emotional release at the end of the song. All this in a song that clock in at not even 3:30. Impressive.
#80: RR7349 (Survive)
If RR7349 sounds like the soundtrack to a lost 80’s movie, that’s because the masterminds mehind it, Survive, also did the Stranger Things soundtrack.
#79: Ataxico (Joliette)
Chaotic post-hardcore from Mexico. Almost as good as their 2013 debut, Principia. It’ll probably remind you of about a dozen bands (ranging from letlive to Converge, ETID to TDEP), but contains its own frantic pacing, and some strangely melodic moments. Also, it never really lets up. You just wish it was more than 7 tracks long.
#78: Dreamless (Fallujah)
Progressive death metal done with impeccable attention to detail, bright melodies, but also not sacrifcing ferocity or technical ability. Maybe not as good as 2014 breakout album The Flesh Prevails, but that being said, anyone who’s a fan of progressive metal needs to listen to this. Now.
#77: A Reintroduction: The Essence Of All That Surrounds Me (Capsize)
California’s Capsize successfully shift from a melodic hardcore sound, to a style that might remind listeners of The Used, mid-period Underoath, or even Armor For Sleep. Compared to 2013’s EP Live A Burden, Die A Curse, it’s a massive change, but one that never feels void of emotion. It’s also a sound that 2015 single “You Can’t Come Home The Same” hinted at.
#76: Fever Daydream (The Black Queen)
Greg Puciato (of Dillinger Escape Plan fame) fronts an 80’s-influenced retro synthwave group. Clearly, everything he touches turns to gold, but if you listened closely to tracks like “Unretrofied” and “Black Bubblegum”, something like The Black Queen could have been expected. Essentially, this is god-tier synthpop that’s equal parts icy and dark. Recommended.
Part 2 is coming up in a few days. Don’t miss out.
