jared's 2009 Top Ten
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1.
Conducting From the Grave - When Legends Become Dust
There's just something about really intricate guitar playing that grabs me. That's what I love most about Conducting From the Grave. They're heavy as hell and they just shred. The sheer amount of musicianship on display in When Legends Become Dust is overwhelming. This relatively new band has a bright future on their horizon if they can continue down the path they've started.
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2.
August Burns Red - Constellations
Some claim August Burns Red are boring and unoriginal. They do however manage to keep things fresh and most certainly heavy with each album they put out. The few experimentations, such as Tommy from Between the Buried and Me guesting on Indonesia, work out in the band's favor.
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3.
For The Fallen Dreams - Relentless
For the Fallen Dreams hit me over the head like a ton of bricks a little over a year ago and I honestly can't get enough of them. Changes was a hell of an album and the momentum continues with Relentless. It does sport a little bit slicker and more polished sound, but it's still got that hardcore crunch.
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4.
Set Your Goals - This Will Be the Death of Us
Summertime is prime for cruising around with your windows down and the music turned up. I was anxious to get my hands on Set Your Goals latest effort for most of the first half of the year. I was hitting their MySpace page daily. When it finally dropped, there was little to be disappointed about. Ironically, for an overall summertime favorite, I wish the song Summer Time was a B-side.
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5.
The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below
Though I'm not of a fan of the band's overtly Christian lyrics, I couldn't stop spinning With Roots Above and Branches Below once I got ahold of it. It's taken the band 3 albums to fully mature their sound, but with this album, they finally found the right mix of electronics and metal.
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6.
The Kris Norris Projekt - Icons of the Illogical
When Kris Norris left Darkest Hour, I felt very betrayed. Having become quite a fan of Norris' talented guitar playing, I hoped that wouldn't be the last we'd heard of him. Not long after, Norris put out his solo album, Icons of the Illogical. Though I was put off by the fact that the album is mostly instrumental at first, I've come to enjoy it for what it's supposed to be about it; the guitar playing. Kris Norris is one amazing guitar player and we can only hope he winds up in another band some day.
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7.
Confession - Cancer
Having been a fan of Crafter since his I Killed the Prom Queen days, it was virtually a no-brainer that I come to like his new venture, Confession. Compared to IKTPQ, Confession features much more clean vocals. Really, much of the album is standard metalcore chugging with breakdowns, but the clean vocals add a catchiness to the tunes. That mix reaches perfection in 'That's Not The Goose'. Which, by the way, must be some Aussie saying.
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8.
Bury Tomorrow - Portraits
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Bury Tomorrow is Atreyu. The bands have an admittedly similar sound, though with the transformations Atreyu has gone through in recent years, you could argue Bury Tomorrow are what they should have come to sound like. Just as I noted with Confession's Cancer, the combination of clean vocals and driving metalcore riffs just works. After one listen ,you'll find yourself humming the melodies and headbanging along.
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9.
Evergreen Terrace - Almost Home
If one thing can be said about Evergreen Terrace is that they are consistent. You can always count on them to put together a solid album. Almost Home firmly cements that fact. Initially, I was put off by the shift in sound from Wolfbiker. I happened to be quite fond of that album and the direction the band took it. However, it didn't take long before Almost Home found it's way into my playlist daily. There's not anything bad to say about it.
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10.
It Prevails - Capture And Embrace
It looked like It Prevails was going to fall apart with all their member changes. I believe The Inspiration lineup and the Capture and Embrace lineup only share two members and that there have been changes since C&E was released. It's a good thing this band stuck with it and made a second album because it's every bit as good as the first.
Honorable Mentions
A Day To Remember - Homesick
It's surprising Homesick didn't make it in my top 10 after how many listens I gave it. Musically it lacks, there were many other albums that merited a higher slot on my list.
Catherine - Inside Out
If you're a sucker for vocal melodies Catherine will draw you in with this album.
Darkest Hour - The Eternal Return
The Eternal Return is the first Darkest Hour album in a long while not to feature Kris Norris. Mike Carrigan is a more than satisfactory replacement.
A Plea for Purging - Depravity
A Plea For Purging are always good for some noodley guitars. Depravity is no exception.
Killswitch Engage - Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage can be depended on for a solid metalcore album every time they step into the studio. They just haven't managed to make much of a progression in the past 3 albums.
