jonathan miller ’ s Album of the Year
jonathan miller ’ s Album of the Year
1 . Ignite - A War Against You
For me , Ignite ’ s A War Against You is by far my favourite of the year . There ’ s no other new album constantly in my ears . Whereas previous album , Our Darkest Days , felt a little lackluster with the odd great song , A War Against You is hit after hit . From the gloriously harmonious a cappella intro of the aptly titled Begin Again ( - my ringtone ) through to the Hungarian sung secret track , Falu , there ’ s barely a dull moment . Although not as hardcore as their earlier records , frontman Zoli ’ s vocals are as powerful as ever and the overall musicianship is tight , intense and moving . There ’ s groove and straight up punk in equal measures , with the exhilarating This Is A War , the gentle Work and the sing-along sensation Alive ( - my morning alarm ) being stand out tracks . This is the kind of album that will satisfy fans both old and new .
2 . Knuckledust - Songs of Sacrifice
Knuckledust have pretty much lead the London hardcore scene for a little under 2 decades and I have grown up listening to them and going to their shows . Songs of Sacrifice heads in a more Wisdom In Chains direction than previous records , with a little more vocal melody from guitarist Wema , such as on the fabulously crafted Life ’ s Struggle . Wema also adds more classic rock style solos and even thrash shredding among their signature hardcore beatdowns which is refreshing . The leading vocals by Pierre are sharp and intense as always , making Knuckledust really stand out from their peers . With songs like Humanity ’ s Nightmare , Legacy Destroyed and the anthemic Family Ties , Songs of Sacrifice was a pleasant surprise , proving that they deserve more recognition .
3 . Descendents - Hypercaffium Spazzinate
Over the last few years , I ’ ve met many a Descendents fanatic . I was never that massively into them despite knowing their relevance in the hardcore punk scene . Alongside the last album by 7 Seconds , Hypercaffium Spazzinate resonated with me more than any previous record . The songs felt as though they had more structure and more thought put into them . In most part , they ’ re also the most catchiest and melodic that I ’ ve heard from the Descendents . Without Love and On Paper are specific highlights that pop into my head on a weekly basis .
4 . Hed PE - Forever !
Although only getting around to hearing this recently , Forever ! is the 10th studio album from rap metallers Hed PE . Like the others , it delivers with surprising variety . Pay Me has a riff and groove reminiscent hardcore band Pro-Pain , You Know shifts from relaxing reggae to explosive bouncy metal and Waste is a straight up hardcore punk number . With other tracks also mixing things up , Forever ! is an eclectic mix while still managing to be typically Hed PE . They may be considered by some as a joke band , but I have a soft spot for them which this album secures .
5 . Useless ID - State Is Burning
The wait for the new album from Israel ’ s most well known pop punk band , Useless ID , was quite a long and exciting one , especially in their homeland . Although the first single , We Don ’ t Want The Airwaves , didn ’ t impress me that much , the preview of the album ’ s opening track , Land of Idiocracy , confirmed that the wait was worth it . With other great songs like Night Shift , Borrowed Time and Stopwatch , State Is Burning is a welcome return from Useless ID , who manage to mix old with the new to create a genuinely enjoyable record .
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