Even amongst all the great albums that came out this year, there are a few that stand out as being pretty underwhelming and disappointing. Some of you out there might disagree with some on this list. If you think of anymore, please add them in the comments!
Refused- Freedom
Incubus- Trust Fall Side A
Muse- Drones
Slayer- Repentless
Shinedown- Threat To Survive
10 Years- From Birth To Burial
Daniel Johns- Talk
Saint Asonia- Saint Asonia
Fear Factory- Genexus
Danzig- Skeletons
Kurt Cobain- Montage Of Heck Soundtrack
This year has been a great year for music. There have been new albums by bands that have been gone for a long time. New bands have made outstanding debut albums. And then there are the other bands that are pushing forward with great new music and rediscovering themselves. This list encapsulates all of those and then some. It’s with great fondness that I present Audioeclectica’s Top 25 Albums Of 2015
25. A Light Within- Body Matter
24. Papa Roach- F.E.A.R
23. The Bloodline- We Are One
22. Anakin- Celestial Frequency Shifter
21. Kowloon Walled City- Grievances
20. Hidden Amongst Us- Ugly
19. Baroness- Purple
18. Despite The Raven- Hereinafter
17. Wooden Nomad- Pain As A Source Of Light
16. Vision Of Disorder- Razed To The Ground
15. Foo Fighters- Saint Cecilia EP
14. Meg Myers- Sorry
13. Coal Chamber- Rivals
12. Disturbed- Immortalized
11. Faith No More- Sol Invictus
10. Sevendust- Kill The Flaw
9. Sidewave- Glass Giant
8. Smashing Pumpkins- Monuments To An Elegy
7. He Whose Ox Is Gored- The Camel, The Lion, The Child
6. Socionic- Dividing Horizon
5. Lamb Of God- VII: Strum Und Drang
4. Royal Thunder- Crooked Doors
3. Wild Throne- Harvest Of Darkness
1. Marilyn Manson- The Pale Emperor
1. Failure- The Heart Is A Monster
Since the trend started with bands playing albums in their entirety in concert, I’ve really come to enjoy it. Getting to hear the songs you normally wouldn’t hear during a normal set really takes the show up a few notches. Sunday night Blindside returned to Los Angeles for the first time since 2011 and they answered the call with such fire and passion that it was like yesterday they were here.
Opening the evening was Hearts Like Lions. This four piece from Los Angeles reminded me of a heavier Sunny Day Real Estate mixed with Sparta. Their set was electric and the right amount of energy to get the crowd into a frenzy for Blindside. Musically these gents were tight and full of great presence. Hearts Like Lions are one hell of a band live. So much so that the songs sound even better live than on recorded fashion, thus making their live show that much more exciting to watch. Check out these guys!!!
Blindside took the stage about 30 mins after the openers and came out swinging with “Caught A Glimpse.” Next up was “Pitiful,” which really got the crowd going. Throughout the entire night of the band playing their wonderful 2002 album Silence entirely, the crowd was singing along so loud that it really helped push the band to go all out. Even with a bit of a technical problem during “Sleepwalking,” singer Christian Lindskog used the audience participation to keep the flow of music going with chorus sing alongs. one of the highlights for me this evening was when they played “Thought Like Flames.” Blindside really delivered the good with their Silence set. Their encore was 4 classics and one new track entitled “Grave Digger.” Closing out the night was “About A Burning Fire,” and wow did they go out with a bang.
This was definitely a night to celebrate being a fan of Blindside. They played with so much fire and energy that it was like they haven’t left at all. I really can’t wait for what they come up with next and for their next LA show. Not only that but Hearts Like Lions really captivated me to put them on my bands to watch for in 2016.
The music community lost one of the greatest voices last night. Scott Weiland’s voice, presence and words will now forever stand the test of time. Scott’s brilliant melodies could give you chills throughout your body. The way he sang and put himself out there with his words made him something special. His slithering dancing inspired by the likes of David Bowie and Iggy Pop, allowed you to really get in the groove of the music and feel like you were in the song. Through Scott’s career with Stone Temple Pilots, he carved out his place amongst the other bands during his time. He had the ability to reach so many people. Once STP released their classic and in my opinion ultimate masterpiece Purple, you knew that Scott was the real deal. Even his debut solo album 12 Bar Blues was a unique experience and really gave you insight to who Scott was.
I had the pleasure of seeing STP a few times in my life. Any time I saw them, Scott was on his game and delivered great performances. Velvet Revolver was a different story. So I just rather relive my moments with STP to remember Scott by.
When I heard the news of his passing last night, it really caught me off guard. We all knew that this was bound to happen, but the fact that it occurred now, just really bummed me out. It’s truly a beautiful feeling to be inspired and influenced by someone like Scott. Sure he had his demons and other personality traits that might not have been the greatest, but he sure could write great songs. Thankfully there is still the music that will continue on.
Here’s to Scott. Thank you for all the years of great music. May he find the peace he deserves.
I recently heard about Disturbed covering Simon and Garfunkel’s classic “The Sound Of Silence.” At first I was a bit skeptical, but after listening a couple times I actually came to enjoy it. Obviously it’s not the original, but it’s a solid cover and done well. Check it out!
Jerry Cantrell is one of my favorite guitar players of all time. He has such a signature sound that it is engrained in the history of 90’s rock. Here is a bunch of songs Jerry has lent his guitar talents to over the years.
There are some bands out there that really can captivate you with videos allowing the songs to really stick with you. Slipknot has long been able to do that with their videos. Sure they can get a little weird at times, but it’s just an extension of them through the view of a lens. Here are the top 10 videos by Slipknot.
AUDIOECLECTICA 