Best Albums of 2016

2016: What a year! Kind of bad personally, pretty good professionally, but spectacular musically. Thank God for that. This is the closest I've been able to compile a top ten in a very long time. (Disclaimer: this list contains only nine.)

Some of these were announced months before release. (Metallica, Neurosis, Death Angel.) Some I had no idea were coming out, (KISS, Rolling Stones.) A few just dropped out of the sky into my disc player and provided some killer thrills, (Discharge, Cough, Kicker.) 

Most of these I bought on or very near the release day- Metallica, Neurosis, Death Angel, Discharge, Descendents, KISS, Rolling Stones. CD was the main purchase, but I scored vinyl on quite a few to add to the collection. (Although Descendents and Discharge were pretty flimsy quality vinyl, so I skipped them.)

More than ever, I needed to lean into music for emotional support, and I drained these records of all the foundation they could provide for me.

NEUROSIS- FIRES WITHIN FIRES- (AUGUST 24th)- When it was announced that this album would contain a scant five songs in forty minutes, it may have caused fears that perhaps this Oakland quintet was running low of ideas. On the contrary, it's obvious that the bludgeoning powerhouse wanted to trim the fat of previous releases and hammer home a condensed, compact document. They succeeded on every level. This is all the best elements of Neurosis, and I wonder how they continue to deliver on such a high level. 

(For an elaboration on some of the songs, check out my breakdown of the recent Portland shows.)

  Metallica- HARDWIRED...TO SELF DESTRUCT- (September 23rd)- This album is the SHOCK of the year!!! I liked 'Death Magnetic,' (2008,) but Hardwired blows it away. Twelve songs spread evenly throughout two discs, (although you should buy the three disc version, which was a STEAL at $9.99 on release day.) 

I am already cranking out the miles on the bike with this album as my soundtrack. Admittedly, disc one weighs in with the strongest cuts: Title track, 'Atlas, Rise!,' 'Moth Into Flame,' 'Halo On Fire,' but there is also some very strong material on the second disc: 'Am I Savage?,' and the astounding 'Spit Out The Bone,' Metallica's answer to 'Damage, Inc.' in 2016. Speed Metal is back!

Either James Hetfield or Lars Ulrich described this album as 'Kill 'Em All' meets 'The Black Album,' and that is not too far from the truth. I have bashed Metallica in the past, but never did I think I would say that I was glad the band was no longer a democracy. (Songwriting and control is firmly back in the iron grip of Hetfield/Ulrich, and it works out tremendously.) Kirk Hammett is kept in a corner to crank out guitar solos and bassist Robert Trujillo lays it down and earns a credit for the intro to 'Man Unkind.' 

Vinyl fiends were scattering for the double black vinyl, double red vinyl, and the triple disc deluxe edition. Record stores were handing out posters and turntable slipmats at the point of purchase, making it feel like the glory days of albums sales are BACK.

Hardwired shot to Number One in 57 countries, and deservedly so.

DEATH ANGEL- THE EVIL DIVIDE- (May 23rd)- Death Angel's fifth studio album since their 2004 'The Art of Dying' return. There is a lot at stake for D.A., so Rob Cavestany and Co. record each album as if their lives depend on it. There is very little weak material (if any) on a Death Angel record, and The Evil Divide is no exception.

Strangely, Death Angel have yet to properly tour this album; they piggybacked on a late summer tour with SLAYER and ANTHRAX. Not sure how those shows went, but hopefully the band was able to flesh out great songs like 'The Moth', 'Lost', and the emphatic screaming of Mark Osegueda on 'Hell To Pay'.

DISCHARGE- END OF DAYS- (May 13th)- When I heard England's Discharge had a new album coming out, I had to laugh. Aren't these guys washed up? I thought that there best years were 1980-1984... (Let's not bring up their 1986 show in San Francisco, where they got heckled right off the stage when the former hardcores attempted to play some poser/glam metal.)

Death Angel- Rob sporting Discharge shirt.

When I saw a photo of Death Angel guitarist Rob Cavestany sporting not only a Discharge shirt, but a shirt of their new album, I thought I might have to check it out. Wow! No regrets. 'End of Days' is a relentless album, easily bringing to mind the classic Discharge era of 'Never Again' and 'Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing.'

I would drive around with this blasting in the car on my way to work, and I would exit the ride rattled. The album is like a jackhammer of rage and ripping riffs. 'Raped And Pillaged,' 'Meet Your Maker,' and 'False Flag Entertainment' are a convincing continuation of the Discharge legacy. If I had to deduct a couple of points, it is that the singer is channeling his predecessor, Cal, who left his mark on those early classics.

DESCENDENTS- (July 29th)- This entry is more for sentimental value. The first Descendents album since 2004's woefully inadequate 'Cool To Be You.' On first listen, this new one is a lot stronger and more focused than the last one, but.... I don't know. These guys used to idolize women and was the soundtrack to my teenage crushes. But now that they're in their fifties, and some of the topics are pretty ugly, it makes it difficult to channel my inner high-schooler. However, I give much thanks that Bill Stevenson is still alive after some serious medical issues, but I am not entirely sold.

ROLLING STONES- BLUE & LONESOME- (December 2nd)- Another shock. Why would I want this album? It's a collection of blues covers, not exactly my favorite kind of music. You can attribute my enthusiasm to the great reviews this was getting and the fact that it was recorded in three days. 

I feel fortunate that I was even able to score a copy, it has been selling out all over. It's got a real fun and loose feel to it, incredible to think about since Mick and Co. have been a band for over FIFTY YEARS. Wow.

'Everybody Knows About My Good Thing,' 'Little Rain,' and 'Hate To See You Go' are standout tracks, and suddenly I find myself a fan of the blues. So cool!

KISS- ROCKS VEGAS- (August 26th)- Hey Hey!!! No regrets here!!! I actually attended the first two shows of the Greasepaint Goblins' 2014 residency at the Hard Rock Casino, and I thought it was awesome. I know they recorded the final night of this run of shows, but I never thought it would see release.

What does this album count as? KISS ALIVE 5? KISS ALIVE 6? I am okay with 'Rocks Vegas.' Not only do you get a CD of genuine live KISS Klassics- 'Detroit Rock City,' 'Parasite,' 'War Machine,' but there is also a DVD/Blu-Ray of the concert which is super high quality. 

Gene, Paul, Tommy, and Eric are a tight live outfit, which is pretty incredible, since there is a barrage of explosions and lasers going on around them. 

I got back into KISS about three years ago, and this has been a fun ride. My childhood heroes still crank it out, and that is very gratifying.

COUGH- STILL THEY PRAY- (June)- Okay, this record was merely a Doom Metal stand-in for me until the new Neurosis album came out. This gave me a Sabbath fix for a couple of months, but once Fires Within Fires hit, I quickly forgot about it. 

Cough kicks ass, though! I don't want to penalize them too harshly. Good album.

KICKER- RENDERED OBSOLETE- (September 9th)- This is probably tied for the most fun album on the list. (With the Rolling Stones.) Kicker is an Oakland punk band featuring Pete The Roadie on vocals, and Neurosis dude Dave Ed on bass. 

This is the kind of music I used to hear on the radio (MAXIMUMROCKNROLL) in 1984/1985. After each song, I expect a DJ's voice to come on and re-cap the punk rock set that preceded it. 

Special shout out to the very nice gatefold vinyl package with the free download that comes with it. I don't know how to further describe this record, except the best sing-along is about that thing old people wore around their neck on the TV commercial when the old lady said "I've fallen and I can't get up!" Who remembers that? And who decides to write a song about it in 2016? 

Very endearing.