Posted by Hello, well that was an eventful year. Keir Starmer is Prime Minister, Trump is going to be president again, French politics is in disarray and farmers don’t like tax. Putin is still being horrible and large parts of the middle east are still at war, but hey at least Man City are losing. On Spotify Taylor Swift may have been the world’s most streamed artist, notching up 26.6 billion listens, and ‘Espresso’ by Sabrina Carpenter (me neither) the most listened to song worldwide – but here is the list that matters! A list of my favourite albums of the year, no tortured poets but plenty of prog, rock n roll and metal, click the links to read more. Here is my list from last year.
5. Royal Republic – Lovecop.
Those irrepressible Swedes are back with Lovecop – another dose of camp and catchy rock, this time with funk and 80s cock rock added to the cheesy mix. The pulsating, disco rock of the title track and the energetic ‘Ain’t Got Time’ are just two of many earworms.
4. Gatecreeper – Dark Superstition.
Death metal quintet Gatecreeper third album Dark Superstition is a perfect mix of their brutal, heavy metal sound and harsh, guttural vocals wedded to hard rock and trad metal riffs. ‘Superstitious Visions’ and ‘Flesh Habit’ pack an almighty punch and have infectious and hummable melodies.
3. Blackberry Smoke – Be Right Here.
From death metal loud enough to startle your ancestors to countrified Southern Rock, Blackberry Smoke’s latest record Be Right Here is their best one to date and has been on heavy rotation in my house. Tracks like ‘Little Bit Crazy’ aren’t new, but they are damn good.
2. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Flight b741.
This is the madcap Australians 26th album in 12 years, and the snappily titled Flight b741 sees them go from the prog metal and electronica of their previous two efforts to ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock, with a satisfyingly warm sound and some joyous hooks. All together now “I’m a silly, I’m a silly billy!”
1. Massive Wagons – Earth To Grace.
They have knocked another one out the park. Earth To Grace is the Lancastrian Quintet’s seventh offering and it serves up more top notch rock – but this time with tighter songs, bigger riffs and even more sizable choruses. The anthemic ‘Missing On TV’ and the crunchy chords of ‘All We Got’ are two of many highlights.
And taking up places six to ten are High on Fire – Cometh The Storm (brutal stoner metal), VOLA – Friend of a Phantom (dynamic prog metal), Von Hertzen Brothers – In Murmuration (upbeat prog rock), Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere (bonkers proggy death metal) and Exhorder – Defectum Omnium (tasty thrash).
Lofty Music and Film 