Sonic Bandwagon – Andy B Albums of the Year 2014
YOB – Clearing the Path to Ascend
YOB return with yet another Doom classic, belligerently powerful whilst maintaining a low end melodic beauty throughout. ‘Clearing the Path to Ascend’ may be a bruising encounter on occasion, but within closing track ‘Marrow’ YOB create an ethereal serenity around huge riffage. Truly masters of their dark art.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HdnaDuRwok
Agalloch – The Serpent and the Sphere
Agalloch transcend sub genres, moving slowly away from more Black / Pagan aspects, towards more Post Metal leanings without sacrificing atmospherics, density and ultimately power. Whiplash vocals can still shred skin at twenty paces, although quickly followed by subliminal healing properties.
http://agalloch.bandcamp.com/album/the-serpent-the-sphere
Transmaniacon – The Darkening Plain
John Lydon fronts Black Sabbath with Keith Emerson on Hammond Organ within a sci-fi concept album. Totally barmy, but also totally brilliant, fusing seemingly conflicting elements together with even a touch of Shakespeare thrown in for good measure.
‘The Darkening Plain’ appeared without fanfare, its bonkers virtues should now be projected around the galaxy for millennia to come.
https://soundcloud.com/new-heavy-sounds/city-of-chaos
Jon Brooks - The Smiling and Beautiful Countryside
The title of Jon Brooks’ fourth album is a complete misnomer, ostensibly a collection of sick and twisted murder ballads unveiling the darkest aspects of the human psyche. Don’t be fooled by some jaunty melody either, a vicious underbelly of lyrical genius lies below the surface of a shallow grave.
http://www.reverbnation.com/jonbrooks
Opeth – Pale Communion
Although the Death growls may be a thing of the past, the proggier aspects of ‘Pale Communion’ still highlight Opeth as one of the great bands of the last twenty years. Complex constructions abound, revealing more melodic tendencies which bring their outstanding musicianship even further to the fore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHq9yMXw3iA
Spires – The Whisperer
Four years since debut album ‘Spiral to Ascension’ Spires growth into a world-wide Progressive Death Metal force, surely enhanced via ‘The Whisperer.’ This is an epic collection, culminating with a 21 minute meandering title track worthy of a classic Opeth album. In fact, if this were the Swedish giants return to more metallic elements, it would be hailed a classic. The fact its four guys from Manchester shouldn’t detract from its relevance and sheer brilliance.
http://spiresband.bandcamp.com/album/the-whisperer
Earth - Primitive and Deadly
The virtuosos of slo-mo with perhaps their most accessible album to date. Incorporating vocals for the first time, including the legendary Mark Lanegan, Primitive and Deadly a master class in Stoner based rock, grabbing and holding the attention from first distorted tuned down note to last.
http://earthsl.bandcamp.com/album/primitive-and-deadly
Robby Hecht – Robby Hecht
Exquisite quavering vocals deliver profoundly personal lyrical themes. The self-titled album from Robby Hecht guaranteed to tug extensively at the heartstrings as the Nashvillian produces unarguably one of the most gorgeously sublime albums of the year.
http://youtu.be/H4METqer-Gk?list=UUgSmlu5h6uX3Ci5YfunibQw
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown – Zim Zam Zim
It’s easy to disregard Brown as an increasingly eccentric septuagenarian, with little to back up his musical unconventionality. Delving further into the life of ‘Zim Zam Zim’ however reveals an intriguing and inventive collection of songs, which on occasion transgress incredibly tender areas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXYgLPBfF_w
Wang Wen - Eight Horses
Intricate Chinese Post Rock, designed to envelop the listener in an ever expanding and surging musical vortex culminating in crushing aural climaxes. An exhilarating blend as East and West collide in majestic fusion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIYTxcEolqc
About the Author
Andy Barnes An avid music fan for far more years than he cares remember, and an avid gig goer since the age of fifteen. Of the three Sonic Bandwagon presenters, Andy exhibits the most varied taste. It’s certainly not uncommon for a diabolically dark piece of Black Metal to be swiftly followed by minimalist electro pop, a laid back piece of ambient jazz or even a full scale hoedown.
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