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Benea Reach - Alleviat
Singer Ilkka Volume sings in more styles than I can count (well, maybe it's three), they're melodic, heavy, and distorted, and there are several female vocal parts, which will get me every time. Check out "New Waters" and "Reason," two of my favourite tracks. I consider this the hidden gem of 2008.
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Candiria's John LaMacchia, Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Pucciato, Made Out of Babies' Julie Christmas, and Jeff Caxide from Isis. Total schizophrenia and totally stellar set of five tracks. Greg and Julie bring it home vocally on "Bloodletting."
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Cruiserweight - Big Bold Letters
This is definitely a throwback to my days of listening to ovary rock at the exclusion of everything else. Still, the entire band is tight, singer Stella Maxwell hits her cues like a well-tuned tom, and there is little better lyrical writing in this genre today. "Balboa," and "We Totally Still Love Each Other" are two of the best tracks on here.
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Gargantua and Pentagruel - Rollin' with Bitches
The only Rabelais-influenced, Enlightenment-rapping duo from Anacostia, D.C. of which I'm aware, MC Left Bank and Q-aker spit and flow like John Dryden if he had nightly threesomes while smoking blunts in frilly shirts. Classy and deep, man, classy and deep.
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Septic Flesh - Communion
I'd say I'd annoy my neighbours with this one, but one night I put it on and my neighbour knocked on my door. Expecting the worst, she had a six pack in hand and wanted to listen to the album with me. How cool is that? Septic Flesh brings neighbours together!
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Mourdella - This Kill Is Mine
The fact that lead singer Jessica Juggz can shoot fire out of her nether regions doesn't qualify this album for one of my favourites of the year, but nine caustic punk tracks do. I destroyed an entire bookcase while listening to this in November.
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The Trucker Hat Banjo Five - Lost In My Own Backyard (reissue)
The Trucker Hat Banjo Five electrified the Columbus music scene with their unique mix of bluegrass, hiphop, funk, punk, oi, jazz, and Bavarian chamber music in 1997. Unfortunately their first and only album was a limited 12,000 unit release. I'm pleased that Creamed Corn Records has reissued this classic album with all-remastered tracks and three bonus live tracks: "Hemmingway Did Not Die Here," "That's right, I'm WASTED," and "Solilo...I Don't Know How You Spell It."
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Flight of the Conchords
See Jon's Top Ten below. After getting the recommendation, I have to agree that this is one of the best of the year. These songs aren't even parodies, they just capture a mood and are hilarious. Personal favourites include "Inner City Pressure," "Boom," and "Ladies of the World." Get your sexy bits out!
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Nachtmystium - Assassins
If you bike to work in a big city, try singing along to this while doing so. No one will stay in your path, believe me. Favourite tracks include "Ghosts of Grace," and "Code Negative."
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Yes, I know it's a web site and not an album, but I have never laughed more reading an intelligent metal web site. Period. Maybe it's because I'm a fellow Jew, but from the nebbish pseudonyms to the Intronaut blog, to the regular piss-my-pants funny posts every day, it's top quality.
