Wayback Machine: Best of the 2010s (2016-17)
Featuring Elder, The Afghan Whigs, Trophy Eyes, Every Time I Die, and more.
Well, here’s a bunch of records from one of the best and one of the worst years of my life. Glorious stuff. I’ve had highs and lows with every album in this list, but they all got me through to today, so there’s always a silver lining, folks. Dig in.
2016:
Trophy Eyes – Chemical Miracle
“Not ones to completely abandon their roots or lose their edge, Trophy Eyes keep their tempos in check with the avalanche of drums and bottom-end that open “Rain On Me” and the fantastic guitar interplay on “Counting Sheep”. Standout “Breathe You In” is the best song Basement never wrote and delivers on everything Promise Everything well… promised. “Suicide Pact” finds the group returning to the catchy melodic punk of their back catalogue, while the soaring chorus in “Home Is” is destined to become a youth anthem with its catchy refrain of “I’m so poetic when I’ve been drinking.” Chemical Miracle is a phenomenal, gold medal effort from Trophy Eyes, and the one they will be remembered for.” (Hysteria)
Choice Cuts: “Heaven Sent” and “Home Is”
The Midnight – Endless Summer
Pulling together retro synthesizers, cascading guitar arpeggios, and pulsing electronic drums, synthwave duo and online sensation The Midnight brought together the haunts and hopes of neon dreams on their debut LP, Endless Summer. Backed by an instrumental soundscape crafted by British/Dutch producer Tim McEwan, American singer/lyricist/guitarist Tyler Lyle’s warm croon recalls the best of rocking 80s balladry, bringing to life stories of love, loss, and living in a twilight age.
Choice Cuts: “Jason (feat. Nikki Flores)” and “Vampires”
We Set Sail – Feel Nothing
“Feel Nothing is a great album among a slew of terrific Australian releases this year, and one that pays homage to iconic Mid-west emo like Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is The Reason, whilst also confidently navigating the same space as influential modern acts like Brand New and Balance & Composure. Yes, sad bastard music it may be, but you’re guaranteed to feel something here.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Reminders Written On Maps” and “Snails”
The Black Queen – Fever Daydream
“Puciato’s smooth and sultry croon has always been one of Dillinger’s artistic hallmarks, and on Fever Daydream the true breadth of his talents as a performer are laid bare over the top of seedy nightclub bangers, luscious soundscapes and pulsing 80s rhythms. It’s a far cry from the sheer ferocity of Dillinger. Still, with help from Joshua Eustis (Nine Inch Nails, Puscifer) and stage tech Steven Alexander (Nine Inch Nails, Ke$ha), The Black Queen delivered some of the most interesting and addictive synth/electronic music this year.” (Hysteria)
Choice Cuts: “Ice To Never” and “Secret Scream”
Revocation – Great Is Our Sin
“If you were to construct a Venn diagram for an accurate description of Revocation, you would find the band occupying a space in the exact centre of circles representing precision, efficacy and talent. Revocation are the definitive no-frills metal band, capable of appealing to the long-hair diehards, but also the transient, occasional headbanger. Great Is Our Sin stands as the band’s finest achievement, with great songwriting and plenty of progressive flirtations, with just the right mix of technical proficiency and thrash urgency. If you didn’t already have that battle jacket ready for war, now would be a perfect time.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Monolithic Ignorance” and “Arbiters of the Apocalypse”
Fjørt – Kontakt
“On their second full-length LP, Kontakt, the group fuses the best elements of melodic hardcore with your catch-all, ‘post-whatever’ styles. Across 11 blistering and engaging tracks, an attentive listener might find shades of post-rock, or noise, or even screamo—but nonetheless, it’s a fusion that stands out as potent and thoroughly vital to Fjørt’s sound, something that’s sure to resonate with fans of Birds In Row, Pianos Become The Teeth, KEN mode or anything in between.” (Punknews)
Choice Cuts: “Anthrazit” and “Lichterloh”
Every Time I Die – Low Teens
“It’s vocalist and lyrical wordsmith Keith Buckley who steals the show once again, delivering a tortured, sardonically dark performance with his trademark croon, soaring melodies and razor-edged screams. Themes of love, death and destruction ultimately dominate the conversation, as Buckley’s insightful reflections reach a veritable fever pitch on the existential battering-ram “Petal” and its haunting refrain: ‘Untimely ripped into this world/ I was born again as a girl.’ Functioning as the sonic hangover for lurid tales of daring, despair and debauchery, Low Teens is yet another masterful effort from ETID and a true contender for AOTY.” (Hysteria)
Choice Cuts: “Petal” and “Map Change”
Planes Mistaken For Stars – Prey
“To say that this album was highly anticipated is a grand understatement; fans absolutely fucking craved it. To say that this album is a good record is also a form of understatement; Prey is fucking incredible… In short, there simply isn’t another band putting out heavy music in 2016, that sounds as fresh, as creative, or as distinct as Planes Mistaken For Stars. Do not miss them this time around, or you will deeply regret it. Trust me.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Fucking Tenderness” and “Riot Season”
Gatecreeper – Sonoran Depravation
“Hailing from the mesas and blistering heat of Arizona, this five-piece outfit do old-school, meat-and-potatoes death metal that sounds like it was bootlegged straight from a 90s Florida basement show… It’s 30 minutes of savage vocals, HM-2 riffs, and plenty of hooks, with a level of intensity that feels like a dishevelled longhair grabbed your puny little neck and stamped their fucking boot on it from start to finish. Sometimes, the gutter just tastes so good.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Desperation” and “Stronghold”
YG – Still Brazy
Shedding DJ Mustard production, in favour of a well-rounded and versatile G-Funk throwback sound, YG’s Still Brazy was exactly what the rap world needed: insightful, fun, and thoughtful lyricism; self-critical analysis, banger beats, and a true sense of style and purpose. And perhaps most importantly, YG wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty either, with the last three tracks out of the chamber (“FDT”; “Blacks & Browns”; and “Police Get Away wit Murder”) tackling political upheaval, race relations and police brutality. Damn.
Choice Cuts: “Twist My Fingaz” and “Why You Always Hatin?”
2017:
The Menzingers – After The Party
“After The Party is a perfect example of maturation without gross experimentation, where every little detail—from the rich instrumentation to the earnest lyricism—feels natural and wholesome like you’ve already listened to and thoroughly enjoyed this record for your entire life. Just like Barnett said, ‘We’re still breathing and the party ain’t over.’” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “After The Party” and “Lookers”
Deafcult – Auras
“On Auras, their much-anticipated, full-length album, the sextet ease into the album format with noticeable restraint, and it’s this awareness of the limiting factors of ‘loud-for-the-sake-of-being-loud’ dynamics that make Auras feel like a god-damn revelation. Ostensibly a record about dreams, Auras guides the listener through twelve haunting and hallucinatory tracks, with lofty melodies and super-massive fuzzed-out riffs that will reverberate through your skull cavity.” (Hysteria)
Choice Cuts: “Rubix” and “Judy”
Spirit Adrift – Curse of Conception
Finally, the answer to that age-old question has arrived: what if post-‘84 Metallica had decided to turn Master of Puppets into a full-blown doom record? Intriguing, you say? Unlikely, you scoff? Despite critics gushing all over the second full-length album from Phoenix, Arizona outfit Spirit Adrift, and name-checking comparisons to genre contemporaries like Khemmis, Curse of Conception is so much more than a standard doom album—and all the better for it.
Choice Cuts: “Graveside Invocation” and “Earthbound”
Pallbearer – Heartless
“Have Pallbearer sold-out, thereby diluting their intrinsic heaviness and streamlining their creativity for a better approach at perceived airwave domination? Nope! Not in the slightest. Self-produced by the band in a hometown studio and engineered by Jason Weinheimer, Heartless is Pallbearer’s most adventurous, complex, and daring record yet. From a pure production standpoint, the band has never sounded as raw, as organic, and as unfathomably expansive as they do right here.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Cruel Road” and “Lie of Survival”
The Afghan Whigs – In Spades
“No one tells honest tales of sin and redemption with the same menacing, evocative and transcendent grace that Greg Dulli wields. It’s no surprise then that In Spades—the band’s eighth studio album, and second after returning from the hiatal abyss in 2011—finds the group mid-revelation, seemingly re-energised by their resurgence, eager to tackle a whole new decade’s worth of torment and middle-aged introspection. Dulli’s dark genius lies in his ability to make rock music feel cinematic in scope.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Arabian Heights” and “Demon In Profile”
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Modern Ruin
“It’s hard to summarise an album like Modern Ruin. While not as explosive as Blossom, it’s a record that burns bright with anger, frustration, and self-loathing. It’s darker and more dynamic than its predecessor, yet also has some of the best hooks and rock’n’roll melodies the band has ever written. Carter’s voice has improved by leaps and bounds, showing no sign of wear and tear. At the same time, the performances from his brothers in The Rattlesnakes are top-notch, providing the perfect vehicle for Carter’s charisma and earnest lyricism.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Thunder” and “Lullaby”
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
“Nightmare Logic is by far Power Trip’s most bankable effort to date. It’s a record which will solidify their place among the veterans and legends of thrash, with catchy grooves, outstanding songwriting, stellar riffs and a level of urgency and intensity that’s simply unrivalled by their peers. If you only listen to one thrash record in 2017, do not sleep on Nightmare Logic.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Executioner’s Tax” and “Crucifixation”
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
“Taking this penchant for daring and innovation to its logical conclusion, Reflections… features flowing, labyrinthian compositions, versatile riffs, warm vocal melodies and some of Elder’s strongest hooks—all compacted to six mammoth tracks, enmeshed over the album’s hour-long runtime. In this sense, “Sanctuary” makes for the perfect introduction and encapsulation of Elder’s musical ethos here, featuring all of the aforementioned structural elements, rendered across three distinct movements.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Sanctuary” and “The Falling Veil”
Mindsnare – Unholy Rush
“Frontman Matt Maunder’s vocal hysterics once again play centre stage, with his dynamic range sounding as indomitable as ever, effortlessly switching between a hardcore bark, mid-range yell and a downright devilish shriek... Unholy Rush is a punishing throwback to Mindsnare’s greatest era, and the record fans have been anxiously and desperately salivating for. Do not sleep on this shit, as it will no doubt be one of the best Australian hardcore releases of 2017.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “Escape The Fallout” and “Gateway To Madness”
Oso Oso – The Yunahon Mixtape
“A mixtape should grab the listener by the hand and lead them on a musical journey, wandering effortlessly through hopes and dreams, highs and lows — and ultimately forge a lasting connection with its intended recipient. Luckily, on his second full-length under the Oso Oso moniker, Long Island multi-instrumentalist Jade Lilitri understands this concept better than most, and he’s not afraid to push the format in new and exciting directions. The Yunahon Mixtape runs the gamut of early 2000’s indie, emo and pop-punk flavours, with infectious melodies and purposeful instrumentation.” (Killyourstereo)
Choice Cuts: “reindeer games” and “shoes (the sneaker song)”
You can find all these tracks on the TPD Best of the 2010s playlist.