2016 Your Favorite Albums Of This Year

Ok well I changed the topic so lets, list our favorite albums this year!

Top 5, Top 10, Top 3, etc.


I got a really solid Top 5

1. Fit For A King - Deathgrip
2. Norma Jean - Polar Similar
3. Blood Of The Martyrs - Endgame
4. Darkness Divided - Self Titled
5. Disciple - Long Live The Rebels

I have the rest to make a Top 10, but I have no clue what order they are in

Forevermore - Integral
Silent Planet - Everything Was Sound
Destroy The Runner - Void
Wovenwar - Honor Is Dead
Wolves At The Gate - Types & Shadows

Just one? Or giving top lists?

Andreas89 wrote:Just one? Or giving top lists?

No last year their was a huge poll put together that quite a few people voted on, I was just asking if we are doing it again

Here's my list for the year!

1.  Dogs Of Peace - Heel
2.  Michael Sweet - One Sided War
3.  The Union Of Sinners and Saints
4.  Disciple - Long Live The Rebels
5.  Stairway - Power & Glory
6.  Skillet - Unleashed
7.  Crowder - American Prodigal
8.  Big Chris & D'Bare Bones Band - When Your Time Comes
9.  The Crimson Bridge Ministry - Remnant Rock
10.  Apologetix - Minor League
11.  Apologetix - Only A Glorified Covered Band
12.  Joshua's Creed
13. Narnia - Narnia
14.  Lacey Sturm - Life Screams
15.  Thousand Foot Krutch - Exhale

alldatndensum wrote:Here's my list for the year!

1.  Dogs Of Peace - Heel
2.  Michael Sweet - One Sided War
3.  The Union Of Sinners and Saints
4.  Disciple - Long Live The Rebels
5.  Stairway - Power & Glory
6.  Skillet - Unleashed
7.  Crowder - American Prodigal
8.  Big Chris & D'Bare Bones Band - When Your Time Comes
9.  The Crimson Bridge Ministry - Remnant Rock
10.  Apologetix - Minor League
11.  Apologetix - Only A Glorified Covered Band
12.  Joshua's Creed
13. Narnia - Narnia
14.  Lacey Sturm - Life Screams
15.  Thousand Foot Krutch - Exhale

Lacey's album was phenomenal!!!

I loved Skillet and Crowder's albums
Michael Sweet's was a great release

and of course Disciple

I liked Lacey's album but the songs are a bit forgetable.  I had forgotten I even had it!  I have played my top 10 way more.  I try to do my list as a "favorites" list.  What my personal favorites were will score higher on the list.

Theocracy and Wovenhand are the only "christian" albums I bought this year.

This was a lean year for Christian releases for me. I had a hard time finding releases that really grabbed me. The ones that did...

1. Theocracy - Ghost Ship 
2. InnerWish - S/T
3. Monolith - Nexus 
4. Narnia - S/T

Black Rider wrote:Theocracy and Wovenhand are the only "christian" albums I bought this year.

But both are mighty good.    The Christian albums I bought this year were from:

Crimson Moonlight
Departe (eh, not a "Christian band" but the singer is Christian and the lyrics reflect it)
Hesychast
Joshua's Creed
Orationem
Theocracy
Wovenhand

And demos, singles, etc.:

Melech
Pantokrator
Sawol
The Slave Eye

But yeah, as Metaldude said, overall it seemed like a pretty lean year for Christian music indeed.  There were some good releases though and I think 2017 is going to be pretty good. 

Kerrick wrote:

Hesychast

Who is this?

eatbugs wrote:

Kerrick wrote:

Hesychast

Who is this?

https://hesychast.bandcamp.com/

It's a two-man black metal project from the US.  Fun trivia: I'm thanked in their liner notes haha.    I've known the guys for years from the old Becoming The Archetype forums (where they met too actually).  Ethan posts here on CMR occasionally.

Thanks.  I'll check them out.

Kerrick wrote:But yeah, as Metaldude said, overall it seemed like a pretty lean year for Christian music indeed.

hahahahahaha sorry at least on my end, Christian metal has released so much I dont have enough money to buy it all

I tried to make a list of all the new releases I was gonna try and get

I only ended up getting about 10 of these



Forevermore – Integral
Silent Planet – Everything Was Sound
Norma Jean – Polar Similar
Blood Of The Martyrs – Endgame
Fit For A King – Deathgrip
Slice The Cake – Odyssey To The West
Hope For The Dying – Legacy
Darkness Divided – S/T
Wovenwar – Honor Is Dead
Memphis May Fire – This Light I Hold
Disciple – Long Live The Rebels
Destroy The Runner – Void
My Heart To Fear – The Draft
Wolves At The Gate – Types And Shadows
To Speak Of Wolves – New Bones
Comrades – Lone/Grey
The Devil Wears Prada – Transit Blues
Saving Grace – Recidivist
Rival Choirs – I Believe, Help My Unbelief
Those Who Fear – State Of Mind
Theocracy – Ghost Ship
Slechtvalk - Where Wandering Shadows and Mists Collide
Safe-Mode – Colorblind
Zao – The Well Intentioned Virus

May wait till I hear Slechtvalk before I list my favourites. Five obvious ones are Michael Sweet, Narnia (marvellous album IMO), Theocracy, Stairway and Oblivion Myth.  Musically for extreme metal, it has been limited although Malchus and INDOMINUS released very good records.

Only 1 album for me this year:

Neal Morse Band - Similitude Of A Dream

Nyx74 wrote:Only 1 album for me this year:

Neal Morse Band - Similitude Of A Dream

I have to say, this is easily at the top of my list. It comes close to a masterpiece imo. I love the Theocracy, InnerWish and Michael Sweet albums, but Neal just hit it out of the park with Similitude. Songwriting top notch. Lyrics top notch. Performances top notch. Production top notch. Any who are Christians and remotely into progressive rock have an obligation to pick this one up ASAP. I promise you will not be disappointed. I've been listening to it almost non-stop since it came out in NOV. I love hearing all the influences in the music too ... Kansas, ELO, Genesis, etc.

Check out Andrew's review over at Angelic Warlord ... http://www.angelicwarlord.com/reviews/m/thenealmorseband16.html

1) Disciple “Long Live The Rebels” - didn't expect this at all. I'm not sure it's anything terribly special but I can't stop listening to it.


2) Theocracy “Ghost Ship” - more plain than The World Lies Bleeding but more solid. Love these guys


3) Comrades “Lone/Grey” - absolutely amazing progressive post-hardcore. Aggressive yet open and reflective, emotional and theological weighty. Surprise of the year!


4) My Epic - not a fan of their decision to just make Ep's from here on out. I don't like Ep's. There is no journey or feel. Some fantastic songs never the less. Lyrically the band best going in my opinion. Only Attalus and Beautiful Eulogy reach the heart of my spiritual life like these guys.



5) Minor “Sovereign God” - from the Hardcore band Reformers come generic worship music? Kind of. The melodies and the spiritually striking lyrics nail me.


6) Eshon Burgundy “The Passover” - sorry for the rap entry here. Eshon's lyrics amaze even if this is nowhere near as good as "Fear of God" was. Solid album. I hoped for more but I worship to this.


7) Narnia “Narnia” - so ordinary but so well done. I buy what Christian Liljegren does.


Hope For The Dying “Legacy” - their best. Not a fan of Ditto's vocals but his best and most diverse performance yet. Musically a progressive metal masterpiece.


9) Wytch Hazel “Prelude” - amazed by this! Told my wife to pretend it was Thin Lizzy (it really isn't close but that was "our band" until I moved from secular music. She still asks me to play their stuff.). Love the 70's vibe here. Such a well done album! This will rise with more listens. Just got this one recently.



10) Future of Forestry “Awakened To The Sound” - world music, classical meets indie rock. Not sure why I've always loved what this "band" does (it's one man) but I do. Spiritually speaking his best.
 
11) Crimson Moonlight “Divine Darkness” - disappointing in not being memorable. Too much blasting, too much chaos and too claustrophobic on the production end. Still great but I wished for so much more. They sound like more like Drottnar with this than old CM. It's so mechanical sounding. They're good enough at what they do this still makes it here despite my complaints. I hoped this would be album of the year before it was released. Every time I listen to it I wish that was the case.

12) Exhortation “Ashland Messiah” - this will rise as I listen more. Just got this. So different in so many ways. Very enjoyable. Still curious about lyrics when the physical copy comes in.


13) Rival Choir “I Believe, Help My Unbelief” - great, simple, aggressive posthardcore. Much better than when they were Mouth of the South.


14) Needtobreathe “Hard Love” - my wife and my new band. She likes them a lot more than I. This album is spiritually really light weight. That bothers me. Second, it's too pop. Well done. Playing arenas isn't far away with this type of album but it's not as much my thing.


15) Sho Baraka “The Narrative” - incredibly diverse album from the best Christian Rap/Hip Hop label Humble Beast. Spiritually doesn't speak to me. Love the soul influences. A weighty album socially.


16) Golgota “Return To The Old Path” - Just got this on Christmas Eve. Sounds good thus far. Will probably rise from here.


17) Agonal “Death Defeated” - I have a hard time digging to albums when I don't have a physical copy. This album sounds amazing but without lyrics and a physical CD it keeps slipping my mind. Wish they could get picked up by someone. Vision of God? That'd be sweet! Doom death was always a favorite style of mine back in the day. These guys do it well
 
18) Christon Gray “The Glory Album” - Gospel, Soul, Hip hop and rap. Solid album but not as big on it as I hoped.


19) Kings Kaleidoscope “Beyond Control” - controversy marred this one and spiritually it was a big let down. The songs just aren't as solid either.



20) Poured Out “To The Point Of Death” - pretty disappointed by this album. Very generic after a great Ep. 


Still want the One Bad Pig record. I'll get it eventually.


I may pick up the Those Who Fear on a Facedown sale at some point. Not this year though. 


Slechtvalk will be on next year's list. Just came out too late. I preodered it from Metal Helm but it's going to be awhile till they come in I think.


I have a hard time listening to Neal Morse. Sounds stupid because I guarantee I have some major theological differences with a million artists but his non-trinitarian views are so confusing. If Jesus isn't God then worshipping Him is highest form of idolatry. Yet, Neal has undoubtedly seen a major change in his life, has dedicated his life to God and Pilgrim's Progress is one of the best books I've ever read and will be a legacy book for my kids as we read it together as they grow up. I may pick it up. It'll be my first Neal Morse album in 6yrs if I do though. As a big Yes, Rush, Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, Threshold, etc. fan back in the day Neal does what he does so well. I need to just get over myself. 

Pretty solid year for new music overall. Financially things will slow down in the new year. Lots of decisions we've made that will change things next year.

I was going to make a list, but I think I'd better give that Neal Morse album a few listens first.  I've heard great things about, here and elsewhere.

As of now though, my pick for album of the year is Michael Sweet's One-Sided War, followed very closely by Theocracy's Ghost Ship.

If anyone is on the fence about the latest Neal Morse Band disc ... before you buy, listen through the whole thing with Mike Portnoy. Hear how he feels about it.

One thing to note ... it is truly a band effort, and it shows. I believe the lyrics are all from Neal, but from what Mike says it was a true collaboration of all the musicians.

Also ... it gets better with each listen.

9) Wytch Hazel “Prelude” - amazed by this! Told my wife to pretend it was Thin Lizzy (it really isn't close but that was "our band" until I moved from secular music. She still asks me to play their stuff.). Love the 70's vibe here. Such a well done album! This will rise with more listens. Just got this one recently.


Just picked this up, WOW......this is great!!!

I bought a few albums this year but only 2 of them were released this year:

Michael Sweet One Sided War

Theocracy - Ghost Ship - I got this for Christmas.

Nobody mentioned the new Renascent?

I've seen Wovenhand mentioned but all I can find on them is some "alternative country" band with goth undertones called Wovenhand. Is there another wovenhand? And are they a Christianband? It seems some are not sure

Blake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgg0S5scDcs               Down in yon forest there stands a hall
Bells of paradise I hear them ring
It's gilded all over with purple and pall
And I love my lord Jesus above anything

Down in that hall there lay a bed
Voices of heaven here in my head
All scarlet the cover that over it spread
And I love my lord Jesus above anything

Down under that bed there runs a flood
Bells of heaven I hear them ring
Half run in water
Half run in blood
And I love my lord Jesus above anything

Down at the bed feet there grows a thorn
Voices of heaven I hear them sing
It blooms its white blossoms the day he was born
And I love my lord Jesus above anything

They've labeled alt country and they have some of that in their sound but they are so much more then that. Listen to Refractory Obdurate for their hardest sound.