the top 10
You know them. You love them. You hate them. Then you love them again. I have not written a good top 10 of the year list in quite some time (and it shows) but I decided to try one again this year. Please note that my top 10 list usually contains at least 15 entries, on top of at least that many honorable mentions.
1. Karnivool - Themata
Although it should probably be rendered ineligible due to the fact that it was released in Australia in 2005, this year was when Karnivool's flawless album was first released in America, and it is completely unparalleled. It has been quite some time since a band has made the impression of being unique yet approachable, dark yet inviting, and heavy yet light, a true amalgam of everything you could want in a rock band with many layers and textures that do nothing but improve as the album spins. I have not had such a favorable first (and lasting) impression of a band since the first time I laid ears on Incubus, and considering I rate all of their albums at 11 out of 10, that is definitely a strong assertion.
The band begins with a few loud guitars that skid into some enticing whispers; for the first minute or so of "Cote" and "Themata", the singer is nearly inaudible, teasing you into turning up the volume which eventually engulfs you. The guitar riffs in "Themata" and the ensuing "Shutterspeed" are positively delicious, the latter containing the simple but intoxicating refrain "I see more than you. I feel more than you." Putting it on screen will not even come close to doing it justice though compared to when you listen to it.
Tricky and complicated rhythms start picking up in "Fear of the Sky", turning quickly into a groove fest with "Roquefort" and a headbangers ball in "Lifelike" and the blistering instrumental track "Scarabs". For the rest of the album, the tone is much more ethereal and dreamy, taking it down a few notches and slowing down the pace a bit in places, but never lacking in musicianship.
Regardless of when and where it was released, it definitely stands out amidst other year-end contenders and should definitely be listened to by more people in the States, and it definitely receives my approval with an 11 out of 10.
1. Karnivool - Themata
Although it should probably be rendered ineligible due to the fact that it was released in Australia in 2005, this year was when Karnivool's flawless album was first released in America, and it is completely unparalleled. It has been quite some time since a band has made the impression of being unique yet approachable, dark yet inviting, and heavy yet light, a true amalgam of everything you could want in a rock band with many layers and textures that do nothing but improve as the album spins. I have not had such a favorable first (and lasting) impression of a band since the first time I laid ears on Incubus, and considering I rate all of their albums at 11 out of 10, that is definitely a strong assertion.
The band begins with a few loud guitars that skid into some enticing whispers; for the first minute or so of "Cote" and "Themata", the singer is nearly inaudible, teasing you into turning up the volume which eventually engulfs you. The guitar riffs in "Themata" and the ensuing "Shutterspeed" are positively delicious, the latter containing the simple but intoxicating refrain "I see more than you. I feel more than you." Putting it on screen will not even come close to doing it justice though compared to when you listen to it.
Tricky and complicated rhythms start picking up in "Fear of the Sky", turning quickly into a groove fest with "Roquefort" and a headbangers ball in "Lifelike" and the blistering instrumental track "Scarabs". For the rest of the album, the tone is much more ethereal and dreamy, taking it down a few notches and slowing down the pace a bit in places, but never lacking in musicianship.
Regardless of when and where it was released, it definitely stands out amidst other year-end contenders and should definitely be listened to by more people in the States, and it definitely receives my approval with an 11 out of 10.