All About The Music's best of 2009 lists!!

Well folks, seems like 2009 has been a really kickass year for metal, and a bitch to compile the year’s best lists for sure! Filled with plenty of brilliant albums ranging from metal’s most consistent and credible (Hatebreed, Cannibal Corpse, etc.), plenty of young, fresh, and innovative talent to pave the future (Enfold Darkness, Born Of
Osiris, Revocation, etc.), plenty of raw and straight to your face no chase hardcore (Hatebreed, Converge, everything from Deathwish Inc., etc.), plenty of grinding madness (Mumakil, Napalm Death, etc.), plenty of real death metal (Dying Fetus, Hypocrisy, Blood Red Throne, etc.), plenty of killer new booze fueled thrash bands (Evile, Mantic Ritual, etc.), plenty of NWOBHM (Cauldon, etc.) plenty of great instrumental progressive metal albums (Animals As Leaders, Dysrhythmia, etc.), plenty of tr00/kvlt black metal (Behemoth, Marduk, Gorgoroth, everything from the Moribund Cult, Way To End, etc.), plenty of unsung heroes (This Ending, The Few Against Many, etc.) and even plenty of the legends of metal quite coincidentally seemed to comeback (Megadeth, Slayer, Anvil’s epic as fuck documentary, etc.), or attempt to comeback (Kiss), and can’t forget the hotties (Paramore). And trust me, there are plenty of great albums we are leaving out (hence all our etc.’s), so leave a comment with your top 20 list of 2009, and help us point out some treasures that we missed! Here’s to 2010, which I'll also take this opportunity to say I CAN’T WAIT to hear the new Withered!


Alex Gilbert’s Top 20 Albums of 2009


1. BARONESS – Blue Record (Relapse Records)

Simply beautiful, moving, artistic, and yup, perfect.

2. ENFOLD DARKNESS – Our Cursed Rapture (Sumerian Records)

In my eyes, ENFOLD DARKNESS is one of the most exciting new faces in death metal. Their future will be huge.

3. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME – The Great Misdirect (Victory Records)

BTBAM still gives me hope that there is more creativity to be unleashed in metal, by all means of epic.

4. HATEBREED – Hatebreed (E1)

Honestly, still one of the most honest, brutal, and authentic hardcore bands out there. Right next to Converge, HATEBREED’s self-titled is the best hardcore album of the year. Haters, fight me and I will win!

5. BORN OF OSIRIS – A Higher Place (Sumerian Records)

Sumeriancore at its near best. These guys are redefining the future of extreme, and A Higher Place shows BOO at their most progressive, stylistic, and innovative! This is my kind of metal!

6. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Deflorate (Metal Blade)

Adding ex Arsis guitarist Ryan Knight was a big plus, because their shred factor has raised to ten fold.

7. REVOCATION – Existence Is Futile (Relapse Records)

How a three piece creates such great death metal and shredding thrash virtuosity, while delivering the badass in every which way.

8. THE AMENTA – Non (Listenable Records)

Australian extremists THE AMENTA definitely take the award for the most powerful release of the year, and without a doubt is the fucking future of industrial metal.

9. WINDS OF PLAGUE – The Great Stone War (Century Media)

The epic and powerful force of WINDS OF PLAGUE has really taken their game to the next level, while also creating one of the heaviest releases of the year.

10. IT DIES TODAY – Lividity (Trustkill Records)

Soooo catchy, moving and badass. With the addition of new vocalist Jason Wood, metalcore vets IT DIES TODAY remain and shall remain one of the best in the genre.

11. DYING FETUS – Descend Into Depravity (Relapse Records)

Descend Into Depravity marks DYING FETUS’s best to date, and their spot into death metal culture. Being consistent and true to death metal for so long, you wonder why they aren’t as big as Cannibal Corpse?!…

12. EVILE – Infected Nations (Earache Records)

Easily the best thrash album of the year. So fast, skilled, and all in all, metal as fuck!

13. HYPOCRISY – A Taste Of Extreme Divinity (Nuclear Blast)

These death metal legends continue to push the boundaries. A Taste Of Extreme Divinity hands down sounds like a death metal classic.

14. LEWD ACTS – Black Eye Blues (Deathwish Inc.)

A concept punk/hardcore album that keeps its sound and ethics? (not American Idiot) Count me in!

15. CHIMAIRA – The Infection (Ferret)

These Ohio lads continue to take big steps from album to album.

16. DEVILDRIVER – Pray For Villians (Roadrunner Records)

Fast and furious, yet melodic and very moving American metal. These guys are starting to push the boundaries, and Dez is at the top of his game!

17. THE FUNERAL PYRE – December (Creator Destructor)

Here’s some real true black/death metal. They combine influences from some of metal’s truest, and I thoroughly enjoy how they create such a colossal sound from start to finish. Plus they love the LA Lakers, but not as much as me!

18. WAY TO END – (Debemur Morti Productions)

I love France, especially for their metal and their women. On the metal side, WAY TO END shows that black metal has an extremely creative presence in France. Their execution is near flawless, and to me they define a whole new heaviness in black metal.

19. OBSCURA – Cosmogenesis (Relapse Records)

Frickin’ genius death metal with incredible technicality, virtuosity, and futuristic calculations. It’s soooo good!

20. SKELETONWITCH – Breathing The Fire (Prosthetic Records)

SKELETONWITCH has taken their blackened thrash formula and have seriously made it as solid as can be! Like I’ve said before, worship the witch, bitch!


Matt Haines’s Top 20 Albums of 2009


1. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Deflorate (Metal Blade)

Without a doubt the best album that Black Dahlia Murder has ever released. Crushing guitars and brutal lyrics.

2. SET YOUR GOALS - This Will Be The Death Of Us (Epitaph Records)

Such great influences that they expanded on more than Mutiny. Perfect mix of pop punk and hardcore.

3. THE CRIMSON ARMADA – Guardian (Metal Blade)

Break-through Metal Blade artist of the year. Definitely surprised me with how the instrumentals were and how the lyrics reminded me of Black Dahlia Murder.

4. FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS – Relentless (Rise Records)

Harder melodic hardcore that hits home with catchy melodies that just make you want to mosh.

5. SUICIDE SILENCE - No Time To Bleed (Century Media)

Amazing balance from heavy breakdowns to simple yet metal guitars. Best release yet from Suicide Silence.

6. WIZ KHALIFA - Flight School (Rostrum Records)

Best hip-hop album of the year by far. Real lyrics and catchy beats that everyone can jam too.

7. WITHIN THE RUINS – Creature (Victory Records)

Best progressive band on the face of the planet. "Tractor Pull" says it all.

8. REVOCATION - Existence Is Futile (Relapse Records)

Best three piece metal band that should be classified as battle metal. Amazing work for only three members.

9. THE EYES OF A TRAITOR - A Clear Perception (Listenable Records)

Best UK band ever! A different sound and more in depth songs from the heart. Perfect album.

10. EVERGREEN TERRACE - Almost Home (Metal Blade)

I really liked the fact that they went back to their punk sound but still keeping the metal/hardcore influences.

11. JOB FOR A COWBOY – Ruination (Metal Blade)

Best album from this band by far. They have came a long way since "Entombment Of A Machine."

12. ME VS HERO – This One’s For Our Friend (Unsigned)

My new favorite pop punk band that has vicious breakdowns and bright upbeat pop involved. Like Four Year Strong but more hyped up.

13. OCEANO – Depths (Earache Records)

True death metal that has the most power by far in this list. Just raw power that can't be matched.

14. AMARNA REIGN – Atonement (Unsigned)

WHY ISN'T THIS BAND SIGNED?! Amazing guitar work along with drums to keep the album interesting.

15. xREPRESENTx – The New Inquisition (Seventh Dagger)

Best straight edge band current to date. True songs about brotherhood that everybody can relate to.

16. PROTEST THE HERO – Gallop Meets The Earth (Underground Operations/Vagrant)

How can Protest The Hero get even more inventive and crazy? Just release a live album with new songs and a DVD.. that works.

17. JOHN MAYER – Battle Studies (Aware/Columbia Records)

Best acoustic album to date that I've ever listened too. A good mix of acoustic and blues along with some funny songs that everybody will like.

18. THE RED SHORE – Lost Verses (Rise Records)

Better than Parkway Drive and I Killed The Prom Queen mixed. That's right I said it.

19. FIREWORKS – All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion (Triple Crown Records)

There will always be a soft spot in my heart for my home state pop punk bands. Fireworks did a beautiful job that reinventing their sound to please all their fans.

20. FLESHGOD APOCLAPYSE – Oracles (Candlelight Records)

True metal. Best Italian band that keeps true to the roots of metal. No breakdowns, melodies, or high singing, just amazing metal.


Tanner Fisher’s Top 20 Albums of 2009


1. THE RED CHORD - Fed Through the Teeth Machine (Metal Blade)

Without a doubt, this is The Red Chord’s finest release to date. This is everything you previously loved about The Red Chord, only leagues better.

2. ANIMALS AS LEADERS - S/T (Prosthetic Records)

Have you heard this? Tosin Abasi’s guitarwork is simply amazing, and this is definitely the best unheard album of the year.

3. BARONESS - The Blue Album (Relapse Records)

Just like on The Red Album, Baroness is able to make another gorgeous album. This album has the ability to really suck you in.

4. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Deflorate (Metal Blade)

Oh Black Dahlia Murder. With the addition of Brian Knight, BDM somehow managed to make their music faster and more extreme. This is also their musically tightest album, and no fan of the band will be disappointed.

5. MASTODON - Crack the Skye (Warner Brothers)

This is Mastodon at their most progressive, and it truly is great. If you dug Blood Mountain at its strangest, then you will love this album.

6. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - The Great Misdirect (Victory Records)

While not quite the opus that is Colors, The Great Misdirect still is quite the album.

7. REVOCATION - Existence is Futile (Relapse Records)

It’s amazing that a three piece can create such a colossal sound. Any fan of thrash and death metal should pick this up.

8. CONVERGE - Axe to Fall (Epitaph/Deathwish Inc.)

While not No Heroes and certainly not Jane Doe, this release what you’d want from a Converge album: fast, heavy, and absolutely crazy.

9. BEHEMOTH – Evangelion (Metal Blade)

With this release, the band continue with their blackened death metal sound, but this time, they come out with an album that is refined and incredibly focused. If you don’t own this, pick it up.

10. BORN OF OSIRIS - A Higher Place (Sumerian Records)

These “Bow Down” kids took some extra time on this release, and you can definitely see the maturity they went through on this record. This is much more progressive, and extremely less “-core”. Our boys grew up so fast…

11. WRETCHED - The Exodus of Autonomy (Victory Records)

Modern death metal from young kids that can play the shit out of their instruments.

12. AFTER THE BURIAL - Rareform (Re-Release) (Sumerian Records)

Re-recording with the new vocalist and live drums made the world of difference to this 2008 gem.

13. ENFOLD DARKNESS - Our Cursed Rapture (Sumerian Records)

Sumeriancore meets blackened death metal? Count me in.

14. SUNN O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions (Southern Lord)

Their most expansive and musical, Monoliths & Dimensions is quite the album,

15. AUGUST BURNS RED – Constellations (Solid State)

On this album they took their Messengers sound, and expanded it. Pepper in some BTBAM flavor, establishing more variety to their mix, and now you have the ingredients for a great record.

16. BURNT FROM THE SUN - Heart of Darkness (Relapse Records)

Fucking ferocious from start to finish.

17. VIATROPHY - S/T (Candlelight Records/SOAR)

These British imports could put on seminars on how to successfully experiment with the death metal sound. Melody in death metal never sounded so right.

18. WOE OF TYRANTS - Kingdom of Might (Metal Blade)

Death metal with Dragonforce-style solos. Where’s my six sided dice?

19. REIGN SUPREME - Testing the Limits of Infinite (Deathwish Inc.)

No bullshit hardcore, and it kills.

20. GRAVES OF VALOR - Salarian Gate (Relapse Records)

Dropping the “From” at the beginning of their name was a good idea. Along with the “From” with the “-core” from their sound, with benefitted them greatly.



The label that kicked the most ass in 2009 award goes to…
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