Articles : Mitch Booth’s Top Albums of 2014 list(s)

Unlike the last couple of years where I’ve struggled to cut these lists down to ten each, flicking through my 2014 releases made me realise it’s just been a year of “good” releases. There have been definite standouts, in the lists below, but outside of these there aren’t too many that will really stick with me.

There are of course a few bands worth mentioning that didn’t quite make it below. Iceland’s Solstafir may have ditched a lot of their metal elements but in return have hit a new level of beauty. Nachtmystium released a great album but one that doesn’t quite top it’s predecessors, likewise with Horseback and Animals As Leaders.

After the letdown that was their last, Machine Head have managed an exciting return to form. Eluveitie also released one of their strongest albums in years, The Atlas Moth are at the top of their game, Ghost Brigade are as consistent as ever. Oh, and of course there’s this. And this.

All in all, the number of truly disappointing albums I can count on one hand. Maybe the reason there’s less stand outs this year is because the overall quality has been higher? But enough of this chit chat, here’s the not-strictly-metal lists split into Aussie and international;

INTERNATIONAL

10. Swans – To Be Kind
For a band that started in the 80’s to now be releasing some of their strongest material (of an already super strong discography) is a true accomplishment. To Be Kind’s patience and repetition is totally absorbing and the two hour runtime flies by every single time. They’re up there with Godspeed You! Black Emperor as one of those bands who just has a knack for soundtrack-esque journeys. Experimental rock at it’s finest.
Listen to “Kirsten Supine”

9. Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen
If there’s one thing you can call Primordial it’s “consistent”. This is no departure from their sound but it does push it in a slightly more emotive direction, and it works, with Nemtheanga’s vocals given the spotlight more than ever.
Listen to “Come the Flood”

8. Jakob – Sines
8 years on and “Solace” still proves itself to be one of the finest post-rock releases out there, but then again look at that scenery in New Zealand, it’s the perfect inspiration for this sort of thing. There was a lot of pressure on Jakob to make the wait worth it, but Sines is yet another phenomenal selection of instrumental bliss.
Listen to “Harmonia”

7. Agalloch – The Serpent and The Sphere
There’s definitely a bit of fanboy bias here but it’s great to hear Agalloch harking back to their early, more natural sound. It’s the audio equivelant of a moss-covered, fog-filled forest, and that’s exactly what I want from them.
Listen to “Vales Beyond Dimension”

6. Mastodon – Once More ‘Round The Sun
“The Hunter” was a total turd, and no better live, and when the first couple of singles for this new one dropped I pretty much gave up on Mastodon. But upon first listen to this as whole it just clicked. Ignore the fact that they may have once been metal, this is just a hard rockin’ album designed to sing along live to with a beer in the air.
Listen to “High Road”

5. Slipknot – .5: The Gray Chapter
Certainly not something I expected to see appear on this list but it seems like everything they have gone through has ignited the fire again. The production is definitely too slick but the songs themselves are simply awesome, with some of the most infectious tunes to date.
Listen to “Skeptic”

4. Crib45 – Marching Through the Borderlines
I’m simply going to quote one of my previous posts here; “Huge melodic, plodding riffs, moments of post-rock bliss, faultless vocals in both harsh and clean territory, and undeniably written to be listened to as a whole, it’s a 75 minute masterpiece. It’s up there rivaling Cult of Luna, Year Of No Light and the other gods of the genre”
Listen to “Borderlines”

3. Rosetta – Flies to Flame
Sure this may only be four tracks long, and apparently is an EP, but it’s also over thirty minutes long so shut up. Accompanied by two stunning instrumental tracks, “Soot” and “Pegasus” are Rosetta back at their spaciest. We never thought we’d see them back writing astronaut metal, as they once called but, but here we have it, and it’s superb. That’s not to say their more hardcore-driven direction of late isn’t great, it’s just that this is the sound I fell in love with when first discovering them.
Listen to “Soot”.

2. Blueneck – King Nine
WARNING: You will find zero metal in my top two. In the case of Blueneck though, you’ll find tears. Buckets and buckets of them. Everything about this band is hauntingly beautiful; the piano lines, the strings, those vocals, and the fact they take their time just letting it all sink in. It’s music that, while being emotion driven, seems very carefully worked out for the strongest impact possible.
Listen to “Broken Fingers”

1. Have A Nice Life – The Unnatural World
I once had somebody ask me to describe Have A Nice Life to them and I couldn’t do it. And I still can’t. I guess it’s shoegazey, noisy, ambient post-punk stuff? Regardless, there’s something authentically raw and pained about whatever Dan Barrett seems to be involved in that just really strikes a cord. This is one of those bands that people arguing on whether music is art or entertainment could use to prove the former.
Listen to “Burial Society”

AUSTRALIAN

10. Hadal Maw – Senium
Hadal may just be one of the best death metal bands in this country right now. Despite how technically impressive this album is (oh boy, it is!), they haven’t let it get in the way of it being groovy, dense and dark. The perfect balance.
Listen to “Dissent”

9. Magic Mountain Band – Wilderman
Instrumental, wandering desert music with a hammond organ. Australia’s answer to (later) Earth. And I don’t mean that in a rip-off way; it’s exciting to see a local band nailing that same vibe, while still sounding like their own band.
Listen to “Into the Wild”

8. Tangled Thoughts of Leaving – Downbeat
This Perth band has never been one to do things by halves and if any of their releases proves that, it’s Downbeat. Two tracks nearing 20 minutes each; the first a wall of ear-bursting noise and the latter a more brooding, building piece. It’s a noisier sound for these guys, but still has that signature TTOL jazz tinge.
Listen to “Downbeat”

7. sleepmakeswaves – Love of Cartography
With the new album came their second ARIA nomination, a Triple J Album of the Year Nomination, and tours with both Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus this year. Love of Cartography is a more upbeat version of their brand of post-rock but yet again they’ve just nailed it, and it’s cool to see an instrumental band get such recognition.
Listen to “Great Northern”

6. Troldhaugen – Obzkure Anekdotez For Maniakal Masses
The most ridiculous band in the country, and I mean that in the best way possible. There’s so much packed into this swingin’ circus metal album that it’s overwhelming; the ridiculous dubstep at the end of “Viva Loa Vegas”, the banjo solo in “The Good, The Bad and The Gristle” or simply how maniacal the overall vocal performance is. See them live.
Listen to “Dia del Chupacabra”

5. Toehider – What Kind Of Creature Am I
Anybody following Toehider will know just how talented mainman Michael Mills is across a wide range of styles, and this new album showcases exactly that. There’s a pop song, a heavy rock song, a jazz song, a 12 minute bazouki song about a sloth, and it all as that Toehider quirkiness that makes them so much fun. Oh and they team up with Troldhaugen (above) on the closing track “Geese Lycan”.
Listen to “Whatever Makes You Feel Superior”

4. Separatist – Closure
An album that was lost years ago thanks to hardware failure finally, unexpectedly re-recorded in the form of a studio-only solo project by one of the members. It’s an intense listen but sections of atmospheric post-metal guitar work and some great clean vocals break up the tech-death onslaught brilliantly. The best death metal album of ’14.
Listen to “Monuments”

3. The Matador – Destroyer
That this album is under half an hour long is cruel but at the same time it leaves you wanting more when it’s over, which is better than the myriad of albums that drag on too long. Sludgy post-metal from the sunny Gold Coast of all places, of the shorter-and-angrier variety.
Listen to “Destroyer”

2. Vaiya – Remnant Light
Encircling Sea topped my list last year so it’s no surprise to see Vaiya, a solo project of guitarist/vocals Rob Allen. Three thirteen minute pieces of nature-inspired atmospheric black metal; the kind that’s beautiful in a sombre way. Some of the quieter moments are absolutely enthralling.
Listen to “Transformation”

1. départe – Demo [MMXIV]
I had an inner-argument over whether to include this considering it’s a two-track, sub-20 minute demo, but the fact that départe are one of the most exciting metal bands in the country right now trumped that. It’s a style that isn’t well represented in Australia so to have a band doing this well is fantastic. Dark and dissonant ala Deathspell Omega, Celeste, etc. There’s no wonder these guys scored a 30+ date tour throughout Europe alongside Ulcerate and Wormed before this debut recording was even announced.
Listen to “II”

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