2015 was an interesting year in music. I spent time with many releases, across a spectrum of sounds, and I enjoyed every minute of the adventure. That being said, when I tried to define my favorite albums, I found myself in a difficult position. How does someone rank Jason Isbell in association to Grimes? How does Chris Stapleton’s obliteration of the pop country… Read more →
2014 was a very good year in music. I wouldn’t say it was great, but it was very good. There were only a few perfect albums, but there were countless attempts that came close to hitting the mark. It was the year of introspection. It was the year of the singer-songwriter. It was the year of stories (as is evident from my… Read more →
As with the past few years, the image above is slightly deceiving. It is not a true representation of my favorite metal albums of 2014. What it does represent is another impressive run by Profound Lore Records — the one man operation from Canada that continues to ship outstanding releases year-round. I didn’t think I’d have much to say when… Read more →
2013 was a great year in music. I’d argue it was among the best in the past 10 years. The diversity among the overachievers was remarkable. Representative artists from hip-hop, pop, rock, metal, hardcore and electronic music all brought their best to the table, but it was those albums that obliterated genre definitions that really stood out. Those undefinable sounds… Read more →
As with last year, the image above is slightly deceiving. It is not a true representation of my favorite metal albums of 2013. What it does represent is another impressive run by Profound Lore Records — the one man operation from Canada that continues to ship outstanding releases year-round. Many of the CDs pictured above are worthy of mention, but… Read more →
I bought tickets to see Arcade Fire perform at the Pepsi Center today. I did this with a heavy heart, not quite sure if I wanted to see them perform in such a large arena. But then I decided that it would still be a great experience, especially since I am going with someone who has never seen them before.… Read more →
The image above might be slightly deceiving, as it is not a true representation of my favorite extreme albums of 2012. What it does represent is another impressive run for Profound Lore — the one man operation from Canada that continues to make all other extreme labels look bad by comparison. The list that follows includes the best from that… Read more →
This could have been a long-winded intro. I could have explained why I chose the following albums over countless other releases that came out over the past 12 months. I could have talked about the many artists who have stepped up to stoke an intense flame from the smoldering remains of traditional “indie rock”. I could have said a lot… Read more →
If you are the type of person who prefers your music shroud in an air of mystery, it might disturb you to learn that the most exciting, innovative label in the extreme scene exists not in some secret lair, but amidst a peaceful piece of land outside of Toronto, Canada. Yes, you read that right – peaceful Canada. No need to worry though, let’s just use our imaginations for a moment here – picture a land covered in ice and snow year-round; a pack of hungry gray wolves stalk the perimeter; there is a dark path that leads to a river flowing red with the blood of those who have dared cross into this forsaken realm, and the sole inhabitant sits upon his throne, gold chalice in hand, surrounded by his most prized spoils of war (vinyl), all while The Gault’s Even as All Before Us rings out across the horizon as the sun sets for the last time. Read more →
There were countless releases in 2011 and ILSUDH2 got through over 600 of them. Although it was very hard to decide what would make the list in this uneven year of music, these are the albums that defined 2011 for this blog. In order to give a clear picture of the past year, this list includes 40 albums — rock,… Read more →
Metal, in all of its forms, played a huge part in the 2011 musical landscape. In fact, it wouldn’t be going too far to say that extreme music in general made up a majority of the highlights in a year that provided too few. Extreme music brings with it an extreme (and extremely opinionated and protective) fanbase — a base… Read more →
