A.J. Chronicles: Top Albums 1995-Present
Aug 16, 2019 12:32:26 GMT -5
punksnotdead, Artie Kendall, and 1 more like this
Post by ✖ AJ on Aug 16, 2019 12:32:26 GMT -5
Welcome to my chronicle of favorite albums by year, 1995-2019.
Since I was born in the year 1995, I decided I'd make a list of albums released since then that topped each year as my personal favorite.
Anybody that knows me should know that (albeit different ranges of) rock and metal will be exclusive to this list.
I'm not going to get enamored in detail over each album, but will list and link my three favorites tracks from each.
1995. "Alice in Chains" by Alice in Chains
Three favorite tracks: "Heaven Beside You", "Again", "Grind"
While I believe "Dirt" and "Facelift" are the better of Alice in Chains' first three studio albums, the self-titled "Alice in Chains" is up there with them. From "Heaven Beside You" and "Grind" featuring Jerry Cantrell as Lead Vocals to "Again" with the late, great Layne Staley leading the way, the self-titled album of Alice in Chains tops the list as my best album of 1995.
1995 Runner Up: "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" by The Smashing Pumpkins
1996. "Ænima" by Tool
Three favorite tracks: "Ænema", "Forty Six & 2", "Eulogy"
Talk about an album, man. It's the second of what will soon be five studio albums for Tool and, while "Fear Inoculum" has yet to be released and judged, after twenty-three years, this still stands as not just the best Tool album for me (10,000 Days is very good, but will not be seen later) but one of the best ever. Even the most casual fan of Tool knows "Ænema", "Forty Six & 2", "Stinkfist" but it goes deeper with "Eulogy", "H.", "Third Eye" and more. Here's hoping the forementioned "Fear Inoculum" can be another great one.
1996 Runner Up: "Load" by Metallica
1997. "Reload" by Metallica
Three favorite tracks: "The Unforgiven II", "Prince Charming", "Devil's Dance"
I think it says a lot about "Ænima" because I actually think that "Load" is better then "Reload". I think it also says a lot about "Reload" when great, well known tracks "Fuel" and "The Memory Remains" aren't listed in my three favorites off of this one. Granted, these two albums get a lock of flack for a complete change in Metallica's style, even further from what "Metallica" (The Black Album) brought after their early thrash days. I actually (hot take incoming) enjoy these two back-to-back albums more than anything out of the legendary band's discography.
1997 Runner Up: "The Colour and the Shape" by Foo Fighters
1998. "Godsmack" by Godsmack
Three favorite tracks: "Voodoo", "Time Bomb", "Keep Away"
A heavy hitter to make your studio album debut with. While I wouldn't call Godsmack a guilty pleasure (I hate that term) they aren't the favorites of many as they come across as a 'tough guy' band. Hold your hats, I've got another one of those coming down the line. Anyway, Godsmack established themselves as a top band in the hard rock and metal industry for the next two decades going forward. Everyone knows "Voodoo", but the album has powerful, in-your-face tracks like "Whatever", "Keep Away", "Time Bomb" and more beyond that.
1998 Runner Up: "Americana" by The Offspring
1999. "The Battle of Los Angeles" by Rage Against the Machine
Three Favorite Tracks: "Calm Like A Bomb", "Sleep Now in the Fire", "Testify"
Not even listing "Guerrilla Radio" speaks to how great this rap/nu metal album is track-by-track. While the 1992 self-titled album and 1996 "Evil Empire" stand as incredibly good Rage Against The Machine albums, I think Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford really bring it with "The Battle of Los Angeles" and think it stands up with the prior two albums. I could go further down the track list with "Born of a Broken Man", "Mic Check" and "Ashes in the Fall" as each member of the band absolutely kills it.
1999 Runner Up: "Californication" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
2000. "Chocolate Star Fish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" by Limp Bizkit
Three Favorite Tracks: "My Way", "Rollin'", "Hold On (ft. Scott Weiland)"
Yup. Limp Bizkit made the list. After "Break Stuff" really put the Fred Durst-led group on the map, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water comes out firing on all cylinders for this genre of music. While "Rollin'" and "My Way" received the most commercial success, you've got "My Generation", "Take a Look Around" and what I consider completely overlooked and a complete change of pace song featuring Stone Temple PIlots' Scott Weiland, "Hold On". Limp Bizkit has never really done anything else to impress me but this will always remain an all time favorite. I will say, this was a tough call as Linkin Park and Disturbed put out incredible debut studio albums as well in this year.
2000 Co-Runners Up: "Hybrid Theory" by Linkin Park, "The Sickness" by Disturbed
2001. "Sinner" by Drowning Pool
Three Favorite Tracks: "Tear Away", "Bodies", "Sinner"
What a real shame that Dave Williams passed away unexpectedly in 2002 as Drowning Pool hit the ground running with their debut album. While I loved the run the band had with SOIL's Ryan McCombs in the later years, it's hard not to imagine what Drowning Pool could have done going forward with Williams leading the way as this album keeps going beyond it's three tone-setting top tracks and biggest hits, as "All Over Me", "Follow" and more continue to keep "Sinner" going from beginning to end.
2001 Runner Up: "Toxicity" by System of a Down
2002. "Audioslave" by Audioslave
Three Favorite Tracks: "Show Me How to Live", "Cochise", "Set It Off"
What a collaboration Audioslave was. You took the band from Rage Against the Machine and put them with one of the best voices ever in Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Shout to Rick Rubin for suggesting it to the RATM boys. Anyway, the band is on fire as always but Cornell's singing absolutely knocks it out of the park with "Cochise" featuring his best scream ever. "Show Me How to Live" and "Set It Off" as well as the lighter-toned "Like A Stone" and "I Am The Highway" headline this great album. Rest in Peace, Chris.
2002 Runner Up: "By the Way" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
2003. "Meteora" by Linkin Park
Three Favorite Tracks: "Numb", "Breaking The Habit", "Somewhere I Belong"
While I believe "Hybrid Theory" is the better of Linkin Park's first three, fantastic albums ("Minutes to Midnight" gets a shout out here as it narrowly misses the list later on), "Meteora" is great as well. Yet another incredible vocalist taken from us too soon, Chester Bennington delivers with his powerful singing and Mike Shinoda brings it as always with his great rapping. Beyond my favorite three tracks you've got "Faint", "From The Inside" and everything else on this great album. Chester is and will be missed.
2003 Runner Up: "Faceless" by Godsmack
2004. "American Idiot" by Green Day
Three Favorite Tracks: "Jesus of Suburbia", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "Holiday"
I'll say right now, I've never liked Green Day aside from this album and the title track may be my least favorite track if I had to pick one. However, "American Idiot" the album as a whole is very, very good. As a young kid, I grew up loving this album and have grown to appreciate "Jesus of Suburbia" more. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Holiday" along with "America Idiot" are big hits alongside "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and the album keeps going with the likes of "Homecoming" and "Letterbomb".
2004 Runner Up: "Contraband" by Velvet Revolver
2005. "Ten Thousand Fists" by Disturbed
Three Favorite Tracks: "Stricken", "Land of Confusion", "Just Stop"
Quick mention of Disturbed being my first ever concert alongside Killswitch Engage, Lacuna Coil and Chimaira. Anyway, "The Sickness" is a fantastic album but I've always had a thing for "Ten Thousand Fists" as my favorite Disturbed album. From their great cover of Genesis' "Land of Confusion" to their own heavy songs such as "Stricken", this album holds other great songs like "Just Stop", "Guarded" and the title track "Ten Thousand Fists". Disturbed rarely ever lets me down.
2005 Runner Up: "Lost and Found" by Mudvayne
2006. "The Paramour Sessions" by Papa Roach
Three Favorite Tracks: "Forever", "Crash", "...To Be Loved"
Papa Roach has always been a band that seems to change just a little bit with every album and The Paramour Sessions was, while keeping the spirit of the band, more mature from the days of nu metal to hard rock. "Forever" and "Time Is Running Out" are great slower songs while "Crash" and "Alive" come at you hard along with "...To Be Loved". Jacoby Shaddix also dedicated "Roses On My Grave", the final track on the album, to his grandfather and also the namesake of the band after his suicide. An all around great album that evolved Papa Roach in to a better band, I believe.
2006 Runner Up: "As Daylight Dies" by Killswitch Engage
2007. "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" by Atreyu
Three Favorite Tracks: "Blow", "Falling Down", "Doomsday"
I remember watching television one night toward the end of summer vacation in 2007 when I saw a commercial for this album. Yeah, they had a commercial. I had never heard of Atreyu before then but they sampled a few tracks and I was interested, so I gave it a try and man, oh, man, do I love Lead Sails Paper Anchor. You've got the three tracks mentioned above and then there's "Becoming The Bull", "Honor" and more with a great cover of the hit Faith No More "Epic" at the end of the re-release, too.
2007 Runner Up: "Avenged Sevenfold" by Avenged Sevenfold
2008. "The Sound of Madness" by Shinedown
Three Favorite Tracks: "Sound of Madness", "If You Only Knew", "What A Shame"
Shinedown has always put out great music, but I think "The Sound of Madness" still stands to this day as their absolute best. They, per usual, give a great mix of song types. For the heavier, faster, more powerful there's the likes of "Sound of Madness", "Devour" and "Cry For Help" and for the opposite end of the spectrum you have "If You Only Knew", "What A Shame" and "Call Me". Every song on this album rules, though, honestly, and is one of my absolute all time favorites.
2008 Runner Up: "Death Magnetic" by Metallica
2009. "War Is the Answer" by Five Finger Death Punch
Three Favorite Tracks: "Far From Home", "Hard To See", "War Is the Answer"
I made reference to these guys earlier when I was talking about Godsmack. There's no real in between with Five Finger Death Punch, people either love them or hate them. Say what you will, but these guys know how to give you the angry, in-your-face headbangers while throwing in curveballs of slower, emotional tunes. If you want the prior, you've got "War Is the Answer", "Burn It Down" and for the latter you have something like "Far From Home". Plus, the popular "Bad Company" cover concludes the second album for Five Finger.
2009 Runner Up: "Awake" by Skillet
2010. "Asylum" by Disturbed
Three Favorite Tracks: "ISHWILF", "The Animal", "Warrior"
As I said before, Disturbed rarely ever lets me down and Asylum is no exception. The group would go on hiatus a year after this album and while it doesn't reach the level of "The Sickness" or "Ten Thousand Fists", I believe it is just as good as "Indestructible" and "Believe". Aside from the three favorite tracks, you've got the title track, "Another Way To Die" and "Never Again". Also, everybody knows the fantastic "Sound of Silence" cover now but don't sleep on the awesome hidden track covering U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (ISHWILF).
2010 Runner-Up: "Slash" by Slash
2011. "American Capitalist" by Five Finger Death Punch"
Three Favorite Tracks: "Coming Down", "Remember Everything", "If I Fall"
They're back on the list again with their absolute best album to date. I could say a lot of what I said before of Five Finger having it's lovers and haters as well as giving the great blend of heavy and light. "Coming Down" is a perfect blend between the two, giving some powerful vocals with a powerful message. "Remember Everything" is similar in the blend while you've got the powerhouse title track, "Under and Over It", "If I Fall" and a more nu metal influenced "The Pride". I love this album top to bottom, front to back. Great tracks 1-11.
2011 Runner Up: Wasting Light by Foo Fighters
2012. "Amaryllis" by Shinedown
Three Favorite Tracks: "Miracle", "I'll Follow You", "For My Sake"
I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled with this album when it first came out but over the years, I've come to love it more and more, especially after I got past the initial "Bully" single which, while not bad, never grabbed me. However, the further you go through this album, the more good tracks you have like the three listed above, "Adrenaline", "Enemies" and "My Name". I've always loved Shinedown and I'm glad I went back to this album over recent years because if I had to rank them, this is right behind "Sound of Madness" and narrowly above "Threat To Survival".
2012 Runner Up: "House of Gold & Bones – Part 1" by Stone Sour
2013. "Hail to the King" by Avenged Sevenfold
Three Favorite Tracks: "Hail to the King", "Shepherd of Fire", "This Means War"
While I think Avenged Sevenfold set the bar high with "City of Evil" and "Avenged Sevenfold", they came out strong with "Hail to the King". The three singles remain the best off the album and, honestly, I'd say "Hail to the King" and "Shepherd of Fire" are top ten songs of theirs all time. While not their strongest album, aside from the three previous mentioned tracks you've got good ones like "Heretic" and "Doing Time", enough to make the sixth studio album of A7X reach number one in the year 2013.
2013 Runner Up: "The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2" by Five Finger Death Punch
2014. "Isolate and Medicate" by Seether
Three Favorite Tracks: "Same Damn Life", "Words as Weapons", "Nobody Praying For Me"
Although Seether disappointed me when I saw them live, they've always been a band I've enjoyed ever since I first heard 2005's "Karma and Effect", which I think is easily their best album. 2014's "Isolate and Medicate" is very good in it's own right, however, featuring hits like "Same Damn Life" and "Words as Weapons", the album delves even deeper with the likes of "Nobody Praying For Me", "Save Today" and "Watch Me Drown" as well as much more, giving Seether a very well rounded, good album.
2014 Runner Up: "1000hp" by Godsmack
2015. "That's The Spirit" by Bring Me The Horizon
Three Favorite Tracks: "Follow You", "True Friends", "Happy Song"
Alright, I'm just going to say it: This is the best. It took me a while to come around to listening to the full album as I was never a big Bring Me The Horizon fan as their old style just isn't me. But the maturing of the band helped to create this masterpiece. I had a hard time picking three favorite tracks as it's almost interchangeable. I mean, if I had to finish out the list after the three it'd probably be "Doomed", "Throne", "What You Need", "Avalanche", "Blasphemy", "Oh No", "Run", "Drown" but that's not a knock on "Drown" as it's nearly just as good as the rest.
2015 Runner Up: "Threat To Survival" by Shinedown
2016. "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct" by Metallica
Three Favorite Tracks: "Moth In To Flame", "Hardwired", "Atlas, Rise!"
From very new school to very old school, Metallica made a big return with "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct". While I also liked "Death Magnetic" back in 2008, "St. Anger" was no good in 2003. It may have taken nearly twenty years, but I think Metallica really got it's fans back on it's good side. I feel like the group gave a good feel of their old thrash style while keeping it modern, which gave us great tracks aside from the three mentioned previously like "Now That We're Dead", "Halo on Fire" and "Spit Out The Bone". Metallica still rocks in their mid-50s.
2016 Runner Up: "Memento Mori" by Gemini Syndrome
2017. "Asking Alexandria" by Asking Alexandria
Three Favorite Tracks: "Into The Fire", "Where Did It Go?", "Vultures"
Similar to Bring Me The Horizon, I wasn't in on Asking Alexandria before but the change of style produced this great piece of work. I had become a fan of Danny Worsnop's other group We Are Harlots, so him returning to Asking Alexandria got me curious and I'm glad I gave this album the time of day. Coming out guns blazing with the initial single "Into The Fire", Asking Alexandria proceeded to release further great tracks like "Where Did It Go?", "Alone in a Room", "Vultures" and "Hopelessly Hopeful" among others.
2017 Runner Up: "Hydrograd" by Stone Sour
2018. "Reverence" by Parkway Drive
Three Favorite Tracks: "The Void", "Shadow Boxing", "Prey"
Keeping with the theme of bands I wasn't really in to earlier on in their careers, Parkway Drive changed the game with 2015's "Ire" and brought it to a whole new level with "Reverence". From the first moment I heard "The Void", I was hooked. The rest of the album didn't disappoint as while "Wishing Wells" harkens back to their older style, it still has a new feel to go along with other slamming tracks like "Shadow Boxing", "Prey" and "Absolute Power". The album also caps off it's greatness with quite an incredible spoken word type track in "The Colour of Leaving".
2018 Runner Up: "Defy" by Of Mice & Men
So there's the list. If you're curious, 2019 as of right now is a two horse race between "amo" by Bring Me The Horizon and "Disguise" by Motionless in White. We've still got four months of music to still come out, however, so I won't declare anything just yet. That will wait at the end of the year along with my top songs list, although I might produce an active list soon.
Anyway, thanks to anybody that checks this out. I've been working on doing this for months now and have finally gotten it out. Maybe you found something new to check out and maybe you hate all of it. But, regardless, I once again thank any of you that did take the time to look through this.
Anybody that knows me should know that (albeit different ranges of) rock and metal will be exclusive to this list.
I'm not going to get enamored in detail over each album, but will list and link my three favorites tracks from each.
1995. "Alice in Chains" by Alice in Chains
Three favorite tracks: "Heaven Beside You", "Again", "Grind"
While I believe "Dirt" and "Facelift" are the better of Alice in Chains' first three studio albums, the self-titled "Alice in Chains" is up there with them. From "Heaven Beside You" and "Grind" featuring Jerry Cantrell as Lead Vocals to "Again" with the late, great Layne Staley leading the way, the self-titled album of Alice in Chains tops the list as my best album of 1995.
1995 Runner Up: "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" by The Smashing Pumpkins
1996. "Ænima" by Tool
Three favorite tracks: "Ænema", "Forty Six & 2", "Eulogy"
Talk about an album, man. It's the second of what will soon be five studio albums for Tool and, while "Fear Inoculum" has yet to be released and judged, after twenty-three years, this still stands as not just the best Tool album for me (10,000 Days is very good, but will not be seen later) but one of the best ever. Even the most casual fan of Tool knows "Ænema", "Forty Six & 2", "Stinkfist" but it goes deeper with "Eulogy", "H.", "Third Eye" and more. Here's hoping the forementioned "Fear Inoculum" can be another great one.
1996 Runner Up: "Load" by Metallica
1997. "Reload" by Metallica
Three favorite tracks: "The Unforgiven II", "Prince Charming", "Devil's Dance"
I think it says a lot about "Ænima" because I actually think that "Load" is better then "Reload". I think it also says a lot about "Reload" when great, well known tracks "Fuel" and "The Memory Remains" aren't listed in my three favorites off of this one. Granted, these two albums get a lock of flack for a complete change in Metallica's style, even further from what "Metallica" (The Black Album) brought after their early thrash days. I actually (hot take incoming) enjoy these two back-to-back albums more than anything out of the legendary band's discography.
1997 Runner Up: "The Colour and the Shape" by Foo Fighters
1998. "Godsmack" by Godsmack
Three favorite tracks: "Voodoo", "Time Bomb", "Keep Away"
A heavy hitter to make your studio album debut with. While I wouldn't call Godsmack a guilty pleasure (I hate that term) they aren't the favorites of many as they come across as a 'tough guy' band. Hold your hats, I've got another one of those coming down the line. Anyway, Godsmack established themselves as a top band in the hard rock and metal industry for the next two decades going forward. Everyone knows "Voodoo", but the album has powerful, in-your-face tracks like "Whatever", "Keep Away", "Time Bomb" and more beyond that.
1998 Runner Up: "Americana" by The Offspring
1999. "The Battle of Los Angeles" by Rage Against the Machine
Three Favorite Tracks: "Calm Like A Bomb", "Sleep Now in the Fire", "Testify"
Not even listing "Guerrilla Radio" speaks to how great this rap/nu metal album is track-by-track. While the 1992 self-titled album and 1996 "Evil Empire" stand as incredibly good Rage Against The Machine albums, I think Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford really bring it with "The Battle of Los Angeles" and think it stands up with the prior two albums. I could go further down the track list with "Born of a Broken Man", "Mic Check" and "Ashes in the Fall" as each member of the band absolutely kills it.
1999 Runner Up: "Californication" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
2000. "Chocolate Star Fish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" by Limp Bizkit
Three Favorite Tracks: "My Way", "Rollin'", "Hold On (ft. Scott Weiland)"
Yup. Limp Bizkit made the list. After "Break Stuff" really put the Fred Durst-led group on the map, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water comes out firing on all cylinders for this genre of music. While "Rollin'" and "My Way" received the most commercial success, you've got "My Generation", "Take a Look Around" and what I consider completely overlooked and a complete change of pace song featuring Stone Temple PIlots' Scott Weiland, "Hold On". Limp Bizkit has never really done anything else to impress me but this will always remain an all time favorite. I will say, this was a tough call as Linkin Park and Disturbed put out incredible debut studio albums as well in this year.
2000 Co-Runners Up: "Hybrid Theory" by Linkin Park, "The Sickness" by Disturbed
2001. "Sinner" by Drowning Pool
Three Favorite Tracks: "Tear Away", "Bodies", "Sinner"
What a real shame that Dave Williams passed away unexpectedly in 2002 as Drowning Pool hit the ground running with their debut album. While I loved the run the band had with SOIL's Ryan McCombs in the later years, it's hard not to imagine what Drowning Pool could have done going forward with Williams leading the way as this album keeps going beyond it's three tone-setting top tracks and biggest hits, as "All Over Me", "Follow" and more continue to keep "Sinner" going from beginning to end.
2001 Runner Up: "Toxicity" by System of a Down
2002. "Audioslave" by Audioslave
Three Favorite Tracks: "Show Me How to Live", "Cochise", "Set It Off"
What a collaboration Audioslave was. You took the band from Rage Against the Machine and put them with one of the best voices ever in Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Shout to Rick Rubin for suggesting it to the RATM boys. Anyway, the band is on fire as always but Cornell's singing absolutely knocks it out of the park with "Cochise" featuring his best scream ever. "Show Me How to Live" and "Set It Off" as well as the lighter-toned "Like A Stone" and "I Am The Highway" headline this great album. Rest in Peace, Chris.
2002 Runner Up: "By the Way" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
2003. "Meteora" by Linkin Park
Three Favorite Tracks: "Numb", "Breaking The Habit", "Somewhere I Belong"
While I believe "Hybrid Theory" is the better of Linkin Park's first three, fantastic albums ("Minutes to Midnight" gets a shout out here as it narrowly misses the list later on), "Meteora" is great as well. Yet another incredible vocalist taken from us too soon, Chester Bennington delivers with his powerful singing and Mike Shinoda brings it as always with his great rapping. Beyond my favorite three tracks you've got "Faint", "From The Inside" and everything else on this great album. Chester is and will be missed.
2003 Runner Up: "Faceless" by Godsmack
2004. "American Idiot" by Green Day
Three Favorite Tracks: "Jesus of Suburbia", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "Holiday"
I'll say right now, I've never liked Green Day aside from this album and the title track may be my least favorite track if I had to pick one. However, "American Idiot" the album as a whole is very, very good. As a young kid, I grew up loving this album and have grown to appreciate "Jesus of Suburbia" more. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Holiday" along with "America Idiot" are big hits alongside "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and the album keeps going with the likes of "Homecoming" and "Letterbomb".
2004 Runner Up: "Contraband" by Velvet Revolver
2005. "Ten Thousand Fists" by Disturbed
Three Favorite Tracks: "Stricken", "Land of Confusion", "Just Stop"
Quick mention of Disturbed being my first ever concert alongside Killswitch Engage, Lacuna Coil and Chimaira. Anyway, "The Sickness" is a fantastic album but I've always had a thing for "Ten Thousand Fists" as my favorite Disturbed album. From their great cover of Genesis' "Land of Confusion" to their own heavy songs such as "Stricken", this album holds other great songs like "Just Stop", "Guarded" and the title track "Ten Thousand Fists". Disturbed rarely ever lets me down.
2005 Runner Up: "Lost and Found" by Mudvayne
2006. "The Paramour Sessions" by Papa Roach
Three Favorite Tracks: "Forever", "Crash", "...To Be Loved"
Papa Roach has always been a band that seems to change just a little bit with every album and The Paramour Sessions was, while keeping the spirit of the band, more mature from the days of nu metal to hard rock. "Forever" and "Time Is Running Out" are great slower songs while "Crash" and "Alive" come at you hard along with "...To Be Loved". Jacoby Shaddix also dedicated "Roses On My Grave", the final track on the album, to his grandfather and also the namesake of the band after his suicide. An all around great album that evolved Papa Roach in to a better band, I believe.
2006 Runner Up: "As Daylight Dies" by Killswitch Engage
2007. "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" by Atreyu
Three Favorite Tracks: "Blow", "Falling Down", "Doomsday"
I remember watching television one night toward the end of summer vacation in 2007 when I saw a commercial for this album. Yeah, they had a commercial. I had never heard of Atreyu before then but they sampled a few tracks and I was interested, so I gave it a try and man, oh, man, do I love Lead Sails Paper Anchor. You've got the three tracks mentioned above and then there's "Becoming The Bull", "Honor" and more with a great cover of the hit Faith No More "Epic" at the end of the re-release, too.
2007 Runner Up: "Avenged Sevenfold" by Avenged Sevenfold
2008. "The Sound of Madness" by Shinedown
Three Favorite Tracks: "Sound of Madness", "If You Only Knew", "What A Shame"
Shinedown has always put out great music, but I think "The Sound of Madness" still stands to this day as their absolute best. They, per usual, give a great mix of song types. For the heavier, faster, more powerful there's the likes of "Sound of Madness", "Devour" and "Cry For Help" and for the opposite end of the spectrum you have "If You Only Knew", "What A Shame" and "Call Me". Every song on this album rules, though, honestly, and is one of my absolute all time favorites.
2008 Runner Up: "Death Magnetic" by Metallica
2009. "War Is the Answer" by Five Finger Death Punch
Three Favorite Tracks: "Far From Home", "Hard To See", "War Is the Answer"
I made reference to these guys earlier when I was talking about Godsmack. There's no real in between with Five Finger Death Punch, people either love them or hate them. Say what you will, but these guys know how to give you the angry, in-your-face headbangers while throwing in curveballs of slower, emotional tunes. If you want the prior, you've got "War Is the Answer", "Burn It Down" and for the latter you have something like "Far From Home". Plus, the popular "Bad Company" cover concludes the second album for Five Finger.
2009 Runner Up: "Awake" by Skillet
2010. "Asylum" by Disturbed
Three Favorite Tracks: "ISHWILF", "The Animal", "Warrior"
As I said before, Disturbed rarely ever lets me down and Asylum is no exception. The group would go on hiatus a year after this album and while it doesn't reach the level of "The Sickness" or "Ten Thousand Fists", I believe it is just as good as "Indestructible" and "Believe". Aside from the three favorite tracks, you've got the title track, "Another Way To Die" and "Never Again". Also, everybody knows the fantastic "Sound of Silence" cover now but don't sleep on the awesome hidden track covering U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (ISHWILF).
2010 Runner-Up: "Slash" by Slash
2011. "American Capitalist" by Five Finger Death Punch"
Three Favorite Tracks: "Coming Down", "Remember Everything", "If I Fall"
They're back on the list again with their absolute best album to date. I could say a lot of what I said before of Five Finger having it's lovers and haters as well as giving the great blend of heavy and light. "Coming Down" is a perfect blend between the two, giving some powerful vocals with a powerful message. "Remember Everything" is similar in the blend while you've got the powerhouse title track, "Under and Over It", "If I Fall" and a more nu metal influenced "The Pride". I love this album top to bottom, front to back. Great tracks 1-11.
2011 Runner Up: Wasting Light by Foo Fighters
2012. "Amaryllis" by Shinedown
Three Favorite Tracks: "Miracle", "I'll Follow You", "For My Sake"
I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled with this album when it first came out but over the years, I've come to love it more and more, especially after I got past the initial "Bully" single which, while not bad, never grabbed me. However, the further you go through this album, the more good tracks you have like the three listed above, "Adrenaline", "Enemies" and "My Name". I've always loved Shinedown and I'm glad I went back to this album over recent years because if I had to rank them, this is right behind "Sound of Madness" and narrowly above "Threat To Survival".
2012 Runner Up: "House of Gold & Bones – Part 1" by Stone Sour
2013. "Hail to the King" by Avenged Sevenfold
Three Favorite Tracks: "Hail to the King", "Shepherd of Fire", "This Means War"
While I think Avenged Sevenfold set the bar high with "City of Evil" and "Avenged Sevenfold", they came out strong with "Hail to the King". The three singles remain the best off the album and, honestly, I'd say "Hail to the King" and "Shepherd of Fire" are top ten songs of theirs all time. While not their strongest album, aside from the three previous mentioned tracks you've got good ones like "Heretic" and "Doing Time", enough to make the sixth studio album of A7X reach number one in the year 2013.
2013 Runner Up: "The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2" by Five Finger Death Punch
2014. "Isolate and Medicate" by Seether
Three Favorite Tracks: "Same Damn Life", "Words as Weapons", "Nobody Praying For Me"
Although Seether disappointed me when I saw them live, they've always been a band I've enjoyed ever since I first heard 2005's "Karma and Effect", which I think is easily their best album. 2014's "Isolate and Medicate" is very good in it's own right, however, featuring hits like "Same Damn Life" and "Words as Weapons", the album delves even deeper with the likes of "Nobody Praying For Me", "Save Today" and "Watch Me Drown" as well as much more, giving Seether a very well rounded, good album.
2014 Runner Up: "1000hp" by Godsmack
2015. "That's The Spirit" by Bring Me The Horizon
Three Favorite Tracks: "Follow You", "True Friends", "Happy Song"
Alright, I'm just going to say it: This is the best. It took me a while to come around to listening to the full album as I was never a big Bring Me The Horizon fan as their old style just isn't me. But the maturing of the band helped to create this masterpiece. I had a hard time picking three favorite tracks as it's almost interchangeable. I mean, if I had to finish out the list after the three it'd probably be "Doomed", "Throne", "What You Need", "Avalanche", "Blasphemy", "Oh No", "Run", "Drown" but that's not a knock on "Drown" as it's nearly just as good as the rest.
2015 Runner Up: "Threat To Survival" by Shinedown
2016. "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct" by Metallica
Three Favorite Tracks: "Moth In To Flame", "Hardwired", "Atlas, Rise!"
From very new school to very old school, Metallica made a big return with "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct". While I also liked "Death Magnetic" back in 2008, "St. Anger" was no good in 2003. It may have taken nearly twenty years, but I think Metallica really got it's fans back on it's good side. I feel like the group gave a good feel of their old thrash style while keeping it modern, which gave us great tracks aside from the three mentioned previously like "Now That We're Dead", "Halo on Fire" and "Spit Out The Bone". Metallica still rocks in their mid-50s.
2016 Runner Up: "Memento Mori" by Gemini Syndrome
2017. "Asking Alexandria" by Asking Alexandria
Three Favorite Tracks: "Into The Fire", "Where Did It Go?", "Vultures"
Similar to Bring Me The Horizon, I wasn't in on Asking Alexandria before but the change of style produced this great piece of work. I had become a fan of Danny Worsnop's other group We Are Harlots, so him returning to Asking Alexandria got me curious and I'm glad I gave this album the time of day. Coming out guns blazing with the initial single "Into The Fire", Asking Alexandria proceeded to release further great tracks like "Where Did It Go?", "Alone in a Room", "Vultures" and "Hopelessly Hopeful" among others.
2017 Runner Up: "Hydrograd" by Stone Sour
2018. "Reverence" by Parkway Drive
Three Favorite Tracks: "The Void", "Shadow Boxing", "Prey"
Keeping with the theme of bands I wasn't really in to earlier on in their careers, Parkway Drive changed the game with 2015's "Ire" and brought it to a whole new level with "Reverence". From the first moment I heard "The Void", I was hooked. The rest of the album didn't disappoint as while "Wishing Wells" harkens back to their older style, it still has a new feel to go along with other slamming tracks like "Shadow Boxing", "Prey" and "Absolute Power". The album also caps off it's greatness with quite an incredible spoken word type track in "The Colour of Leaving".
2018 Runner Up: "Defy" by Of Mice & Men
So there's the list. If you're curious, 2019 as of right now is a two horse race between "amo" by Bring Me The Horizon and "Disguise" by Motionless in White. We've still got four months of music to still come out, however, so I won't declare anything just yet. That will wait at the end of the year along with my top songs list, although I might produce an active list soon.
Anyway, thanks to anybody that checks this out. I've been working on doing this for months now and have finally gotten it out. Maybe you found something new to check out and maybe you hate all of it. But, regardless, I once again thank any of you that did take the time to look through this.