Best albums of 2016? Please. Who’s qualified to pick the best albums? What criteria would you even use? Best is subjective. Instead, these are the albums that I either couldn’t get enough of, or they just impressed me enough that I had to put them first.
I will say that there was a mind-boggling amount of good music released in 2016, way more than I could realistically make a single list from. So this year I split my lists into major label favorites and indie favorites.
Part one, my top five major releases of 2016, in no particular order.
For All Kings is the band’s 11th studio album, and their second since bringing singer Joey Belladonna back into the fold after being fronted by John Bush of Armored Saint. While the previous album Worship Music was well-received, it was partly written with then-vocalist Dan Nelson in a period of membership turmoil. For All Kings is a true return to form for the legendary Big Four members, sounding like they picked up right where they left off after their outsanding 1990 opus Persistence of Time.
This is an excellent, solid album, the way albums are meant to sound, ebbing and flowing and chock full of strong cuts like Blood Eagle Wings and Breathing Lightning. It cracked the Billboard top 10 albums, which means you’ve probably bought it already or at least heard it. And if not, what are you waiting for? It’s fucking Anthrax!
Anthrax – “For All Kings (official)”
Metallica Hardwired… To Self-Destruct
I think this one’s on everyone’s list, and I’m not kidding when I say it has barely left the CD player of my car since I bought it. The long-awaited release by a rejuvenated Metallica, this album is their most solid, heavy, and musically sound since the Black Album.
The basic version of Hardwired includes 12 new songs including the dark, relentless, thrashy title track, and other early favorites like Moth Into Flame and Spit out the Bone. The alternately soft and heavy Halo on Fire is a testament to a mature, confident band. I have a feeling that one will grow on a lot of people and get some serious airplay in areas that still have the stones to play hard rock on the radio. The deluxe 3 CD set includes 4 additional new songs plus 10 live classics, most of which were recorded at their killer small show at Rasputin Music in Berkeley in April 2016.
Atlas, Rise!
A7X’s 7th studio album, dropped with no advance notice in October, is incredibly coherent, mature, and brilliant, really a next level for the veteran band from southern California. Producer “Evil” Joe Barresi brought a new humanized, fun feeling back to this band. The ambitious AI-themed album even has a cameo from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. A concept album that doesn’t play like one, it’s simply a super solid outing that hangs together like an album in a way that you might not expect given the subject matter and the new musical direction of the band. I mean, a horn section in heavy metal, and it works (Sunny Disposition). Next level. Check it, it’s a future classic.
The Stage
The latest release from the Bayonne, France, cult favorites Gojira is a relentless assault of mature metal, somewhere in the vein of Mastodon and with its own sludgy-thrashy-melodic sensibility that is like and unlike all kinds of things I can think of. From the opening riff, this album transports you to a place of brutal, yet somehow warm and comforting energy that’s hard to describe. Just wrap yourself in the riffs and trust the experience.
Stranded
‘Oh my God’ indeed. I knew I’d liked all the songs I’ve heard of theirs, but I never really listened listened to one of their albums. And this was like a jaw dropping revelation that made me feel a little embarrassed for not having seriously checked them out sooner. It is good. Like, really damn good. Like, you wish you wrote these songs and your band sounded this good, good. Just go check it out. It’s not metal, it’s dirty yet slick rock & roll, and will appeal to just about anyone who likes everything from Screaming Trees to the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin to Bonnie Raitt. Momsen is a talent.
Wild City
Other notable 2016 releases:
Disturbed – Immortalize
Another solid outing by Distubed, a long time favorite. Standout tracks: The Vengeful One, The Light, and of course the brilliant cover of the Sound of Silence. Disturbed always kill it with covers, and this is maybe their best yet.
Standout track: The Vengeful One
Megadeth – Dystopia
Dave Mustaine takes us back to a ‘golden era’ Megadeth sound, this time with Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler and Brazillian virtuoso guitarist Kiko Loureiro moving into the lineup for this killer album.
Standout track: Death from Within
Russian Circles – Guidance
With Guidance, this Chicago-based instrumental prog-ish metal-ish trio have dropped the epic soundtrack to the apocalyptic dumpster fire that was 2016. Very accessible, highly listenable, in parts like a brutally relentless river of magma and in others like a pleasant trout-filled river. With bears. I wish this was played in supermarkets instead of that canned pop music crap.
Testament – Brotherhood of the Snake
Brilliant album from Bay Area thrash veterans Testament.
Standout track: Brotherhood Of The Snake
Tremonti – Dust
The third solo release from the Creed/Alter Bridge guitar titan, Dust is a heavy album of killer guitar rock that fits right in with the Alter Bridge catalog.
Standout track: Once Dead
RHCP – The Getaway
Mature and sonically pure, with a relaxed 1970s funk soul vibe, this is a treat for your earholes and frankly your soul.
Standout Track: Dark Necessities
Like some of you, I bounce from task to task and project to project, in love with beginnings, not endings. Some part of my brain knows it’s important to finish strong. Or frankly, to finish at all. My heart and the rest of my brain loves the beginnings. The new. The learning. The rush.