Dan’s top ten of 2011- part 1

10. Believer- Transhuman; When I initially heard that Believer were releasing a new album this year, I approached the news with trepidation. Sure, I had enjoyed 2009′s Gabriel, but it still wasn’t the Believer that I had come to know who wrote the awesome Dimensions. However, the moment I heard the premiere of “G.U.T.” I knew this album was going to be special. The production is pristine, but that doesn’t take away from the songs. Believer have morphed into a thrash influenced blend of Tool and Cynic, with the aesthetic sensibilities of both. This is a cerebral and heavy album in all sorts of ways, and has appeared on several lists. Count mine with them.

Why it’s number 10; Excellent songwriting, strong production, and challenging, thoughtful lyrics. Some riffs do get a bit repetitive and I personally miss some of the shred. Middle of the album is not as memorable as the beginning and end.

9. Surachai- To No Avail; I reviewed this release pretty recently, so I’m not going to elaborate too much. I’ll just say that To No Avail has solidified myself as a major Surachai fan. These songs are great, and I can’t really find anything wrong with them as a grouping of songs. It’s just a solid release that pushes some boundaries and evolves Surachai as an artist. The artwork is simply killer and fits the music perfectly, which you don’t see enough of anymore.

Why it’s number 9; The only reason this isn’t higher is because it’s only two songs. While this criteria will no doubt change as the music industry continues to, in 2011, this only wet’s your appetite for more.

8. The Famine- Architects of Guilt; Were there “better” death metal albums released this year? Probably. This one fell right through the cracks though and I can only assume it’s because the band broke up only a few months after the release. However, this doesn’t take from the sheer intensity of this release. Whereas other death metal bands may be the perennial favorites of the blogosphere, The Famine’s second release was soaked in passion and urgency. Lyrics that cut like a knife and songs that were groovy and punishing, there wasn’t a straight forward heavy album that I listened to more this year than this one. For my money, this is how death metal should be done, and I could have only seen the band getting better and better.

Why it’s number 8; Not the most innovative release of the year, what it lacks in creative genius, it makes up for in passion and solid songs. The album feels a little to front loaded as well, which does cause it to drag just a bit, though this may be due to the sheer intensity of the material.

7. Protest the Hero- Scurrilous; What is there to say that hasn’t been said? This release was fun, consistent, and met that delicate balance between shred and song. It’s not overloaded in any single department and everything gels together perfectly, creating a worthy successor to Fortress. It might not have quite the same immediacy that Fortress had, but just as much oddball-ness and likability. There isn’t a band that sounds like Protest the Hero out there, and for that, Scurrilous deserves it’s spot on the list. Oh, and these songs are fantastic live! One of the best live acts out there.

Why it’s number 7; While I love this album, I think I enjoy Fortress more. While that shouldn’t take away from Scurrilous, it does, because Fortress felt like such a breath of fresh air. Scurrilous is great, but it’s Protest the Hero and if you’ve heard them before and didn’t like them, this won’t change your mind.

6. The Human Abstract- Digital Veil; What I love about this album, quite honestly, is that it satisfies my need to listen to classical music and heavy music. This is a result of the compositional style and not like say, Septic Flesh, who meld classical instruments into the music. This pushes The Human Abstract above their peers and made me take a second look at a band that I had written off as “good, but not for me.” It’s a short album, but it feels complete, once again like a classical composition. It’s too bad the band have had so many member issues this year, because this album has shot them to the upper echelons of modern metal, creatively speaking. Quality, quality, quality.

Why it’s number 6; While I love the compositional style, it does border on being almost too composed. I like my metal with a bit of a rough edge, and while this could be described as nearly perfect, for me that’s too close to “cold and calculated.” Plus, the breakdowns do nothing for me and they pop up in most of the songs, dragging the majesty down ever so slightly.