The top 10 albums of 2019
As the closing year of the decade, 2019 delivered a wide range of new music for every kind of listener. From alternative rock to industrial, it was hard to not have a slew of favorite tunes to blare in the car or on the bus. These 10 albums, however, stood out above the rest during the last 12 months. You can also check out our playlist of the best songs from 2019 below.
10. Pop. 1280 - Way Station - Weyrd Son Records
New York City industrial group Pop. 1280 continue their Northeast dominance with Way Station. With the addition of new synth player Matthew Hord, the record brings a more chaotic ambiance from their previous material. The band can flawlessly move from dancefloor offerings ("Boom Operator") to maniacal symphonies ("Monument") in an instant.
9. Ritual Howls - Rendered Armor - Felte Records
With their fourth studio album Rendered Armor, Detroit industrial outfit Ritual Howls bring forth another assemblage of dance tunes for the nearest goth club. Paul Bancell's baritone voice is both haunting and captivating throughout the eight-track release.
8. Lite - Multiple - Topshelf Records
Lite continue their math rock crusade with their sixth studio album Multiple. With a vast discography behind them, the Japanese band can still bring forth a fresh take on the genre. On the standout track "Ring," the group team up with rapper Maco Marets and singer Utena Kobayashi for a buoyant number.
7. Maria Taylor - Maria Taylor - Flower Moon Records
Singer-songwriter Maria Taylor easily has the most family-oriented album of 2019. The Azure Ray member enlisted the help of her son, brother, father, and sister-in-law for a completely honest release. Much like her 2016 studio album In the Next Life, Taylor's self-titled release is filled with songs about the trials and tribulations of life with tracks such as "Beautiful Life," "Spinning Wheel," and "Miley's Song" (which was written and performed by her son Miles).
6. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Infest the Rats' Nest - Flightless/ATO Records
Australian rockers King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard got in touch with their metal side on Infest the Rats' Nest. While metal influences were sprinkled in their previous albums, the group delivered a record that wouldn't feel out of place blaring at a Metallica concert. For 35 minutes, the group merge their metal swagger with a story of rebels doing the best they can while stuck on Venus.
5. Fever 333 - Strength in Numb333rs - Roadrunner Records/333 Wreckords Crew
Political rap metal supergroup Fever 333 unleash hell on their debut album Strength in Numb333rs. The 10-track album is exactly what the music landscape needed amidst all of the chaos on the streets. While the album is filled with raging tracks such as "Burn It" and "One of Us," the album slows it down for a moment with "Inglewood/3," which dives into vocalist Jason Aalon Butler's upbringing.
4. Devin Townsend - Empath - Hevy Devy
With Empath, Devin Townsend pushed himself to the limits in terms of production, and the end result is a 74-minute tidal wave of sound. With a slew of guest appearances on board (this is probably the only album you'll hear both Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Beneath The Massacre's Elliot Desgagnés), Empath shines with tracks such as "Spirits Will Collide" and "Borderlands." The 22-minute finale "Singularity" is easily one of Townsend's most wondrous tracks ever put together.
3. Rammstein - Rammstein - Universal
A decade after their sixth studio album Liebe ist für alle da, beloved metal group Rammstein unveiled their self-titled studio album. Without longtime producer Jacob Hellner behind the boards, the band turned to their live sound engineer Olsen Involtini. The end result is an 11 song voyage through their entire musical landscape with titanic numbers such as “Tattoo” and “Puppe.”
2. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - End of Suffering - International Death Cult
If you don't know Frank Carter can write a good damn tune, let End of Suffering be your introduction to the English rocker. The 12-track release finds the singer baring his soul on personal issues such as suicide ("Angel Wings") and his family ("End of Suffering"). The release also features a guest appearance by Tom Morello on the Godzilla-inspired stomper "Tyrant Lizard King.”
1. Silver Snakes - Death and the Moon - Evil Ink Records
Los Angeles' Silver Snakes pushed their industrial rock vigor further with their fourth studio album Death and the Moon. The 11-track album can entice fans of both Stabbing Westward and Chevelle with cuts such as “Smokedance” and “Wool.” Unfortunately, the band’s breakup announcement at the start of 2020 means Death and the Moon is their final opus.
Our favorite songs of 2019