megarust's Top Albums of 2022

1. An Abstract Illusion - Woe
   1. Genre: Atmospheric/Progressive Death Metal
   2. Review: This album taken as a whole is incredibly cohesive, and full of incredible instrumentation all around. I didn't expect it to end up as my AOTY, but I continue to listen to it front to back. I usually listen to music in a large playlist with occasional full album listens, but this album I've listened to end to end a ton. It is something else. The album climaxes on "In The Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster", with a 14 minute beast of a track featuring some of the most pained vocals and haunting melodies. I will need to visit their prior work.
   3. Sample: An Abstract Illusion - Woe (Full Album)
2. White Ward - False Light
   1. Genre: Post-Black Metal
   2. Review: Nobody does blasty black sax metal like this band does. This album is even better than Love Exchange Failure (2019) which is a pleasant surprise. They are more diverse but not in a way that betrays what they were as a band.  I enjoy the soundscapes their songs present, and the samples they use here and on their prior album add a huge amount of atmosphere. Spooky music sometimes. I still get chills at the end of Love Exchange Failure.
   3. Sample: White Ward - Phoenix
3. The Dear Hunter - Antimai
   1. Genre: Progressive Rock
   2. Review: This album is a concept album and continuation of stories started with The Indigo Child, and tells a story of a dystopian city. Beyond that this album has very catchy and jazzy music. It is enjoyable with individual tracks, but also is nice to enjoy consecutively for the story.
   3. Sample: The Dear Hunter - Antimai (Full Album)
4. Bad Omens - The Death of Peace of Mind
   1. Genre: Alternative Metal / Metalcore
   2. Review: This album has spent a lot of time on my playlists since it came out in the spring I think it was. The production on this album is fantastic. The tracks are all killer as well. Undeniable album.
   3. Sample: BAD OMENS - IDWT$
5. Northlane - Obsidian
   1. Genre: Progressive/Industrial Metalcore
   2. Review: I have turned into quite a Northlane fan in the last year or two. Their last album Alien was a banger, and their live album made me recognize just how top tier they are. Prior to this album coming out they discussed how it was a different direction, delving further into the industrial synths than they did on Alien. I think that was slightly overblown, and this album is pretty great. I don't think it is quite as good as Alien, it isn't as consistently good front to back as that album. But the best tracks are really great Northlane. Marcus is one of the best metal vocalists.
   3. Sample: Northlane - Cypher
6. Kardashev - Liminal Rite
   1. Genre: Progressive/Atmospheric Deathcore/Post-Metal
   2. Review: I was pretty excited for this album after my introduction to the band with the track linked below. The album is really great, the only detractor for me is the spoken interlude tracks. They definitely take away from listening to the album in full for me at least. This band vibes and gels as a unit here elsewhere, and the album is really good.
   3. Sample: Kardashev - Glass Phantoms
7. Monuments - In Stasis
   1. Genre: Progressive Metalcore / Djent
   2. Review: This is another album I have put a ton of time into and hasn't really left my playlists since it came out. I think they sound better than they ever have before. I love watching the John Browne (guitarist) playthroughs for their tracks, I think he has an interesting style.
   3. Sample: MONUMENTS - Cardinal Red
8. Nechochwen - Kanawha Black 
   1. Genre: Folk/Black Metal
   2. Review: Any time a track would come on from this album, with its folky death/black vibes, I got the feeling like I had just been served something delicious that I haven't had in a long, long time. I'm sure this is just like something I've heard before, but I cannot even tell you what that would be. It's all well written and diverse, and sounds classic. If you listen to it and know what I mean, let me know! 
   3. Sample: Nechochwen - A Cure for the Winter Plagues
9. Fallujah - Empyrean
   1. Genre: Tech Death / Progressive Metal
   2. Review: Fallujah was a band I started getting into around Dreamless, a classic album now. A lot of people didn't like Undying Light as much, I didn't either but it still had some good stuff on it. This album I think brings a lot of the style of melodic progressive leads enjoyed on Dreamless. I always like hearing what these guys are up to, it is always impressive and aggressive.
   3. Sample: FALLUJAH — Radiant Ascension
10. Decapitated - Cancer Culture
    1. Genre: Tech Death / Groove Metal
    2. Review:  It's been quite a few years since I heard an album from these guys that caught my attention. The rhythm is so tight, thrashy, occasionally melodic and groovy here. Good talent and writing on display.
    3. Sample: DECAPITATED - Hello Death
11. Parius - The Signal Heard Throughout Space
    1. Genre: Progressive Metal/Rock
    2. Review: A space themed prog metal album?  Awesome. I am still digesting this a little (there is a lot here and I've been listening for a few months now), but I know by now this is a great album. Something like BTBAM but proggier, and cleaner. I will be listening to this one for a while.
    3. Sample: Parius - The Acid Lakes of Ganymede
12. Meshuggah - Immutable
    1. Genre: Djent
    2. Review: This is the first Meshuggah album I've gotten into. I've liked tracks of theirs here and there before, but this is the first time one of their albums has clicked. I like Djent, so it was only a matter of time. Hard to say much about it, their music is good for zoning out to, vibing.
    3. Sample: MESHUGGAH - They Move Below
13. Toehider - I Have Little To No Memory of These Memories
    1. Genre: Progressive Rock
    2. FFO: Dio, Mario Kart
    3. Review: I would probably like this album even more if it came up more in my playlists - it is one long 45 min track. The vocalist is channeling Dio big time. There are some real Mario Kart synth moments in here that are funny and good. A lot to absorb with this album, still working on it.
    4. Sample: Toehider - I Have Little To No Memory of These Memories (Full Album)
14. Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory
    1. Genre: Post-Hardcore
    2. Review: For me, they are at their best for me when they are aggressive. The screams are really unique, I like them a lot. The purely clean tracks are a little bit boring for me. Killer guitar and bass tone on this album.
    3. Sample: Rolo Tomassi - Prescience
15. Windwaker - Love Language
    1. Genre: Metalcore
    2. Review: I've followed this band since their Empire EP, which I had trouble putting down. This album is quite a stylistic diversion from that without a doubt. I still love it. Will (vocalist) has unfortunately left the band, he is downright incredible on this album, one of the best vocal performances I've heard recently. Check out the Trenches track to witness his range.
    3. Sample: Windwaker - The Rain
16. Ghost - Impera
    1. Genre: Progressive Rock
    2. Review: I've liked Ghost before, though I'm not sure I've liked an album of theirs as much as this one since Opus Eponymous. I thought it was pretty good front to back, and I liked listening to the tracks any time they came up.
    3. Sample: Ghost - Spillways
17. Moontooth - Phototrop
    1. Genre: Progressive Metal
    2. Review: This is my second Moontooth album. Their last was good, but memory tells me this is probably a more accessible and catchy album than that one was. Great band, hope their guitarist recovers from his injury.
    3. Sample: Moon Tooth - Carry Me Home
18. Underoath - Voyeurist
    1. Genre: Post-Hardcore/Metalcore
    2. Review: This one has spent a lot of time on my playlists this year. It has a great sound, and a lot of good tracks.
    3. Sample: Underoath - Thorn
19. The Devils of Loudun - Escaping Eternity
    1. Genre: Melodic Death Metal
    2. Review: I wish I'd given this album more listens this year. It is ear candy.
    3. Sample: The Devils of Loudun - Incarnate
20. Greg Puciato - Mirrorcell
    1. Genre: Alternative
    2. Review: This album is like 90s alternative and I like it. I loved his Black Queen work, this isn't  exactly that but has a lot of similar moments to love anyway. I love the finale to the album linked below, which has a great vocal performance. He put out a live performance of the album on bandcamp and the live sound is incredible.  11/11/22: Los Angeles | Greg Puciato (bandcamp.com)
    3. Sample: Greg Puciato - All Waves to Nothing
21. Ithaca - They Fear Us
    1. Genre: Metalcore
    2. Review: New band for me as of this album. Killer vocals, really nice largely aggressive tracks. Better than a lot of the rest of metalcore.
    3. Sample: Ithaca - They Fear Us
22. Cult of Luna - The Long Road North
    1. Genre: Post-Metal
    2. Review: This is a really good Cult of Luna album. I haven't enjoyed them much since Mariner, I think they were just something else with Julie Christmas. Very big sound here.
    3. Sample: Cult of Luna - Cold Burn
23. Bloodbath - Survival of the Sickest
    1. Genre: Death Metal
    2. FFO: Classic Death Metal
    3. Review: I haven't enjoyed Bloodbath as much as this album since Unblessing the Purity!  The riffs and writing here are better than they've been since then I think. Shit eating grin listening to some of this.
    4. Sample: BLOODBATH - Putrefying Corpse
24. Obsidious - Iconic
    1. Genre: Tech/Progressive Death Metal
    2. FFO: Obscura
    3. Review: I listen to this and I hear a lot of things I love about Obscura. Prominent bass, techy guitar bits. That is because I think some of the same members left that band for this one or something. I'm still digesting this album and will be giving it more time.
    4. Sample: OBSIDIOUS - Sense of Lust
25. The Halo Effect - Days of the Lost
    1. Genre: Melodic Death Metal
    2. FFO: In Flames, Dark Tranquillity
    3. Review: You have to applaud these band members getting together and making it happen. There are some moments that caught my ear, and there was also a good amount of derivative bits. They're already working on new material, so of course I'm looking forward to that as well. A lot of what I hear here is happy in flames, but what I long for is colony and older era In Flames. Maybe some day.
    4. Sample: The Halo Effect - Conditional
26. SIKASA - Matter Earth
    1. Genre: Progressive/Post Metal
    2. FFO: Opeth
    3. Review: This album has some really good opethy riffage, and also some weird moments. It is a really neat album.
    4. Sample: SIKASA - Matter Earth
27. Thornhill - Heroine
    1. Genre: Alternative
    2. Review: For me at least, this is not was I was hoping for from this band. But there are still some great moments on this album, like the linked track. Still love it, just a bit of heartache given how much I loved The Dark Pool and prior.
    3. Sample: Thornhill - Raw
28. Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die
    1. Genre: Progressive Rock
    2. Review: Quite a few guest features on this album, pretty much guest features the album. I liked their prior stuff without the features, but there are some really cool things on this album, like Bloodbath featuring Chino Moreno (Deftones vocalist) linked below. Then ABC Feat. Sophia Black is pretty wild and catchy, or Ego Death with Steve Vai. Neat album, and they're always interesting to listen to for me.
    3. Sample: Polyphia - Bloodbath
29. Psycroptic - Divine Council
    1. Genre: Tech Death Metal
    2. Review:  I love the guitar tone these guys have. Everything sounds like a harmonic. Solid album all around.
    3. Sample: PSYCROPTIC - ENSLAVEMENT
30. Grayhaven - This Bright and Beautiful World
    1. Genre: Post-Hardcore
    2. Review: This album has a nice punky (?) sound.
    3. Sample: Greyhaven - All Candy
31. Charlie Griffiths - Tiktaalika
    1. Genre: Progressive Metal
    2. FFO: Haken
    3. Review: We're pretty lucky to have both this guy and Richard Henshall in Haken as well as putting out their own solo albums. This was an album that somehow felt less than the sum of its parts for me. The riffs are all well written and interesting, but the songs don't come together into something as interesting as I'd hoped. Still there is some pretty great riffage on this album.
    4. Sample: Charlie Griffiths - Crawl Walk Run
32. Novelists FR - Déjà Vu
    1. Genre: Progressive Metalcore
    2. Review: This band is pretty different than it used to be. But I like this too, much of it anyway. Pretty short album.
    3. Sample: Novelists FR - Smoke Signals
33. Playgrounded - The Death of Death
    1. Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal
    2. FFO: Katatonia
    3. Review: Very moody and sludgy, bass heavy. Good stuff that I will keep spinning.
    4. Sample: Playgrounded - Tomorrow's Rainbow
34. Astronoid - Radiant Bloom
    1. Genre: Post-Metal
    2. Review: This album is both a solid Astronoid album and also somehow disappointing in that there are no real highs here in my memory.
    3. Sample: Astronoid - Eyes
35. Cold Night for Alligators - The Hindsight Notes
    1. Genre: Alternative Metal
    2. Review: Pretty chill album that I'm still discovering and enjoying.
    3. Sample: COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS - Behind Curtains

EPS:

1. Inertia - Memoria
   1. Genre: Metalcore
   2. FFO: Northlane, Windwaker
   3. Review: Hell of an intro by these guys. Australian metalcore is fire. The vocalist here is a real talent.
   4. Sample: Inertia - Memoria (Full EP)
2. Tribulation - The Dhampir
   1. Genre: Gothic/Groove Metal
   2. Review: I just had a great tribulation album and they gave me an ep!  Love this band's vibe.
   3. Sample: TRIBULATION - The Dhampir (full ep)
3. Mother of Millions - Orbit
   1. Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal
   2. Review: Part voyager, part VOLA?  Catchy stuff.
   3. Sample: Mother of Millions - Orbit (Full EP)
4. SENNA - A Moment of Quiet
   1. Genre: ?
   2. Review: Catchy band.
   3. Sample:  SENNA - Jade

Single of the year:

• Destrage - Everything Sucks and I Think I'm a Big Part of It
  • Genre: Progressive Metalcore
  • Review: Song is good, I mostly just enjoy the sentiment.
  • Sample:DESTRAGE - Everything Sucks And I Think I Am A Big Part Of It

Top Albums of 2022 Samples (youtube playlist)

megarust's Late Hits of 2021 | Shacknews

megarust's Top Albums of 2021 | Shacknews