Jim Dyson, Getty Images / Michael N. Todaro, Getty Images / Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com The year 2012 turned out to be a strong one for rock albums. We saw the highly anticipated return of '90s favorites Soundgarden , the continued brilliance of acts like Deftones and Stone Sour , the emergence of females in hard rock courtesy of Halestorm and Dead Sara , among others, to go along with memorable releases from a number of other rock acts. Unfortunately, all of our favorite albums couldn't make this list, but after much debate among our entire staff, we've come up with our official picks for the best rock albums of the year. If metal is more your speed, don't worry, we've got a separate list for you headbangers. But for now, strap in and turn it up, as we count down the 10 Best Rock Albums of 2012: ? 10 'Dark Adrenaline' Lacuna Coil ? ? Lacuna Coil's 'Dark Adrenaline' album, released early on in 2012, finds the band rediscovering their gothic roots while expanding their sound in the process. 'Trip the Darkness' was a dark sounding gem off the record, and the song got an extra boost when a remix by Dillinger Escape Plan 's Ben Weinman appeared on the 'Underworld: Awakening' soundtrack. 'Fire' showed off a more radio-friendly side, while 'End of Time' served as the band's late year ballad. The disc also included an interesting cover of R.E.M.'s 'Losing My Religion.' Listen to 'Trip the Darkness' ? ? 9 'King Animal' Soundgarden ? ? The promise of Soundgarden's 2009 reunion was finally realized in 2012, as the band released their 'King Animal' album in November. The grunge goliath's first new album since 1996 proves that Soundgarden are still on top of their game. 'Been Away Too Long' became a major hit at radio, while tracks like 'Non-State Actor' and 'Worse Dreams' generated plenty of buzz in advance of the album. Chris Cornell 's voice is as strong as ever, and the full band feels as though they haven't lost a step. Welcome back, Soundgarden, and kudos for delivering one of the 10 best rock albums of 2012. Listen to 'Been Away Too Long' ? ? 8 'Amarylllis' Shinedown ? ? Shinedown had a tough task in matching the success of 2008's 'The Sound of Madness,' but they succeeded in cranking out another hits-filled collection with 'Amaryllis,' certainly showing that there is no slowing down this juggernaut. Both 'Bully' and 'Unity' took the band back to the top of the charts. And the group got great mileage out of 'Enemies' and 'I'll Follow You,' making for a very successful 2012. Look for the output to continue, with the single 'Miracle' lined up to hit radio in early 2013. Listen to 'Bully' ? ? 7 'Born Villain' Marilyn Manson ? ? For longtime fans of Marilyn Manson, 'Born Villain' provided a much welcome creative resurgence. The lead single 'No Reflection' was just the sort of gritty-meets-groovy rocker that the singer built his career upon, and 'Slo-Mo-Tion' and 'Overneath the Path of Mystery' show the true depth of the record. In addition, Manson got some notice for including the bonus cover of 'You're So Vain' with his longtime pal Johnny Depp. Listen to 'No Reflection' ? ? 6 'Harakiri' Serj Tankian ? ? The man of many musical inspirations, System of a Down singer Serj Tankian found his latest solo disc embracing rock, punk and new wave, among other genres. 'Harakiri' earns its spot as one of the 10 best rock albums of 2012 by delivering socially-minded statements through infectious songs. 'Figure It Out' is an in-your-face track that pulls no punches, while 'Cornucopia' showcases Tankian's versatile talents as a musician. But the standout cut just might be the title track, which features a chorus as catchy as any in System of a Down's catalog. Listen to 'Figure It Out' ? ? 5 'The Strange Case of …' Halestorm ? ? Halestorm went from being the “next big rock band” to fulfilling that prophecy with 'The Strange Case Of…' The group rocketed up the charts in early 2012 with the single 'Love Bites … So Do I' and the attitude that Lzzy Hale provided set the tone for the rest of the disc. They enjoyed crossover pop success with 'Here's to Us,' but once again embraced their hard-rock fans with the scorching track 'I Miss the Misery,' which shows off Hale at her belting best. Listen to 'Love Bites (So Do I)' ? ? 4 'Yellow & Green' Baroness ? ? Baroness may not get as much attention as some of the bigger names on this list, but the band delivered one of the best front-to-back efforts of 2012. The two-disc collection 'Yellow & Green' features such standout tracks as 'March to the Sea,' 'Take My Bones Away' and 'Board Up the House.' Unfortunately, the band wasn't able to support the album as much as they has planned, as a terrifying bus crash led to major injuries and kept Baroness off the road for much of the year. Listen to 'Take My Bones Away' ? ? 3 'Dead Sara' Dead Sara ? ? Looking for the next big rock band? It's worth a look at Dead Sara and their self-titled breakout album. The group garnered notice for their single 'Weatherman,' which features Emily Armstrong's powerhouse vocals and some terrific guitar work from Siouxsie Medley, but the disc as a whole is great. Second single 'We Are What You Say' is another notable track, while songs like the chilling ballads 'Dear Love' and 'Sorry for It All' should deserve a longer look in 2013. Listen to 'Weatherman' ? ? 2 'House of Gold & Bones, Pt. 1' Stone Sour ? ? You can't have a Best Rock Albums of 2012 list without Stone Sour's ambitious record 'House of Gold & Bones, Part 1.' Singer Corey Taylor got things rolling with the double-single 'Gone Sovereign' and 'Absolute Zero,' both of which set a hard-driving tone for the disc. Meanwhile, 'Taciturn' shows that the band can hit hard even when not rocking out at 11, providing one of the more moving songs on the record. We have no doubt that 'House of Gold & Bones,' with the second half of the double album coming next year, will play a major role in 2013. Listen to 'Gone Sovereign' ? ? 1 'Koi No Yokan' Deftones ? ? Deftones have found their creative rebound in recent years, and they're making sure to pounce while it's going good. Fresh off the critically acclaimed 'Diamond Eyes' album, the band continues to rock at the top of their game. 'Koi No Yokan' hits on all cylinders with cuts like the single 'Tempest,' and standout tracks 'Leathers,' 'Poltergeist' and 'Rosemary.' With the disc just arriving in mid-November, it looks as though Deftones will have plenty to celebrate over the next year – starting with being named Loudwire's Best Rock Album of 2012. Listen to 'Tempest' ? ? What's Your Favorite Rock Album of 2012? There you have it — the 10 Best Rock Albums of 2012 — at least in our opinion. But that's why we have a comments section. You can let us know if we hit it right on the head, if there's any glaring omissions, or if there's an album you think has no right even making the cut. Let us know what you think in the comments section below. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-metal-albums-of-2012/” title=”Next: 10 Best Metal Albums of 2012″ align=”center”] ?
Posts Tagged ‘disc’
10 Best Rock Albums of 2012
November 28th, 2012 
Metalkult 
Posted in News 
Tags: actor, career, charts, darkness, disc, green, lists!, original features, record, rock, single, Stone Sour, villain 
No Comments »Adler, ‘Back From the Dead’ – Album Review
November 27th, 2012 Metalkult New Ocean Media In the past few years, Steven Adler has made more headlines for his wacky one-liners and past substance abuse than he has from his musical endeavors, but all that’s about to change with the release of his new disc ‘Back From the Dead.’ With a title that’s as literal as it is figurative, it delivers one of the purest, straight-up rock albums of the year — chock full of the grit and grime that only comes with experience. Adler , who finally saw his future beyond the looming shadow of Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose, formed his own band of talented gunslingers to create his new eponymous outfit Adler. The rocky past that led him here from being booted out of Guns N’ Roses for drug addiction so many years ago to his subsequent stints in rehab and reality TV, certainly wasn’t an easy road, but in retrospect it’s made him who he is today, and that is someone who’s hard not to root for. He’s a real rock star in the truest sense, having experienced the rise and fall of it all, only to pick up all the pieces and do it all again with reckless abandon. Arguably, one of Adler’s best decisions this time around was recruiting his current band. Tapping singer and, most importantly, songwriter Jacob Bunton from Lynam, Lonny Paul on guitar and bassist Johnny Martin, the collective known simply as Adler are not resting on the talent of Adler alone, functioning as a band in the truest sense with all parts equal, and that is felt throughout from start to finish. Oh, and while we’re on the topic of the finished product, the disc was produced by Jeff Pilson, who also played bass on the recording before Martin became a permanent fixture. ‘Back From the Dead’ starts off with the title track, a swanky little number that invites the listener in with a soothing bluesy vibe before exploding into the general theme of the disc: “ I’m back from the dead / I’ve got no regrets / I may forgive but I won’t forget .” With a Stone Temple Pilots feel throughout, the song makes a serious statement and that statement is a simple ‘f— you’ to anyone that stands in their way. It’s that common sentiment that plays throughout, as Adler finally finds his footing, unhinged from his past and forging on with his future. And what’s a great rock disc without a few special appearances, especially when those appearances come from two of the best guitarists of the modern era. Adler’s old bandmate and friend Slash joins the fun on the track ‘Just Don’t Ask.’ A song that starts out with a beautiful instrumental courtesy of the aforementioned top-hatted one before morphing into a ballady love song with a huge chorus and a signature Slash solo mid-song. Overall, it’s a beautifully executed spot of vulnerability in an otherwise rough around the edges collection of songs. But that’s not where the guest spots end. Rob Zombie ace John 5 lends his talents on ‘Good To Be Bad’ and his signature fretwork helps mold the song into one of the most dynamic the disc has to offer. Without so much as a stumble along the way, it was hard to make it through the 11 tracks without wanting to hear them all again. From the sexy vibe of ‘Your Diamonds’ to the harrowing lyrics of ‘Habit,’ and the straight up ass-kicking delivered courtesy of ‘Blown Away – ‘Back From the Dead’ delivers on all facets. Perhaps the proverbial nail in the coffin on closing out the past, the disc ends with the prophetic anthem ‘Dead Wrong,’ “ You’re dead wrong / I was right to let you go / Cuz I’m better off on my own / I’m alright and I’m moving on / You were dead wrong ,” Bunton screams out over a punishing bass line. A song about overcoming the odds, moving on, and conquering the rock world, something that Adler has truly accomplished with ‘Back From the Dead,’ we can only hope they stick around for awhile and enjoy the ride.
Posted in News Tags: a-ballady-love, a-huge-chorus, adler, disc, from-the-dead, ocean, rock, signature, Zombie No Comments »Steve Harris Says Solo Record Isn’t ‘Throwaway Iron Maiden Stuff’
October 7th, 2012 Metalkult Karl Walter, Getty Images Iron Maiden guitarist Steve Harris is working in a solo album between his regular band duties, and Harris assures the quality of the disc will be up to par as these songs were not leftover Iron Maiden tracks. In the November edition of Decibel magazine (excerpted by Blabbermouth ), Harris explains, “This is not throwaway Maiden stuff. These are not riffs that I could’ve used in Maiden because, like I said, it was done with other people. As soon as that happens, it’s not gonna be used in Maiden.” The guitar great adds, “I’ve got ridiculous amount of ideas that I’m probably never gonna get out the door in my lifetime. There’s no shortage of ideas for Maiden. And this stuff is different, anyway. It’s more heavy rock than heavy metal, but to me the influences are all from the well.” Harris, who is using the title ‘ British Lion ‘ for his disc, says the effort has been in the works since 1993, but because of his extended involvement in Iron Maiden, he’s never really had much time between discs to work on it. He laughs, “It’s been so long, it’s ridiculous. I’m just so relieved to get this thing out, really, because it’s finally there. I’m really pleased with the results, but it’s taken a long while.” The guitarist says that when Iron Maiden hasn’t been touring and recording, he’s often taken the lead on things like video editing that help fill the time between records, so his time left over to record his own music has always taken a back seat. “I get a lot less downtime than the others,” says Harris. “That’s why it’s taken so long, really. I was just trying to fit bits in here and there when the other people were available to work on stuff while I was back in the U.K., which over the last few years has not been very often.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/iron-maiden-the-talisman-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”Next: Iron Maiden – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: a-back-seat-, a-long-while-, british-lion-, disc, getty-images, iron maiden, MAIDEN, news, people, says-the-effort, taken-the-lead, time, using-the-title No Comments »Three Days Grace, ‘Transit of Venus’ – Album Review
October 1st, 2012 Metalkult RCA Records In astrological terms, the transit of Venus is when the planet passes between the Sun and the Earth, displaying as a black disc moving across the sun for a period of several hours to stargazers around the globe. The occurrence happens approximately every 240 years or so and is not entirely predictable making it a very rare phenomena. In musical lingo, ‘Transit of Venus’ marks the return of Canadian rockers Three Days Grace and the follow up to their 2009 disc ‘Life Starts Now.’ While the connection between the two transits may not be completely transparent, the anticipation and excitement surrounding both mixed with the unpredictable nature of the two seem to pull them together, or at least into the same galaxy. Three Days Grace went into the making of ‘Transit of Venus’ with a very focused goal of digging a little deeper, pushing a little further, and allowing themselves to experiment with new instrumentation and layers without completely diverting from the Three Days Grace brand that they have cultivated throughout their career. ‘Transit of Venus’ definitely marks a new direction for the band infusing electronic elements over textured sonic landscapes while maintaining their love for catchy hooks served up courtesy of guitarist Barry Stock and drummer Neil Sanderson, pounding bass lines provided by Brad Walst, and the signature raspy rock vocals of Adam Gontier. The celestial disc begins with ‘Sign of the Times,’ an out of this world, ethereal, slow-moving opus that starts things off with a moody, sullen vibe before it kicks into high gear, reminding music fans of why they fell in love with Three Days Grace in the first place. The rest of the disc tends to follow that same path, new progressive elements hitting the Three Days Grace of old head on, melding into well-rounded tunes that sound meticulously crafted and built from the ground up, layer by layer, brick by brick. The first single, ‘Chalk Outline’ is a chugging, dark, anti-love song of good times gone bad allowing guitarist Barry Stock to shine throughout. Most of the disc’s 13 songs cater to an angrier, darker place but then up from the ashes comes ‘Unbreakable Heart,’ one of the most ambitious songs on the album. The tune blends acoustic melodies with orchestral hues hugging the inspirational lyrics being sprung from Gontier’s soul, “ You want to fight back / It’s building inside you / Holding you up / Taking you hostage / It’s worth fighting for .” 3DG also give a nod to Michael Jackson on the disc with their version of the King of Pop’s ‘Give in to Me,’ speeding the song up a bit but staying pretty true to the overall vibe of the song. Overall, Three Days Grace accomplished what they set out to do with ‘Transit of Venus,’ they’ve stepped out of their comfort zone, ditched the formula, and went all in, holding nothing back in the true spirit of rock. The reward clearly outweighed the risk on this one and the additional elements enhance the songs without taking them hostage and the identity that Three Days Grace has forged for the past 20 years is clearly better for it. Here’s to 20 more.
Posted in News Tags: band, disc, earth, michael-jackson, new-albums, signature, song, songs, three No Comments »Daily Reload: Stone Sour, Motorhead, Green Day + More
September 26th, 2012 Metalkult Mary Oullette, SheWillShootYou.com Here’s a look at the top stories of the day on Loudwire and around the Web: – After having Skid Row’s Rachel Bolan record bass for their upcoming album, Stone Sour have recruited new touring bassist Johnny Chow from Cavalera Conspiracy. [ Loudwire ] – Motorhead may be readying another live compilation, but singer Lemmy Kilmister already has some ideas about the band’s next studio album and whom he’d like as a guest on the disc. [ Loudwire ] – Green Day returned to stores today with ‘¡Uno!,’ the first album of the band’s trilogy. How does it rate? Check out a review of the disc. [ Loudwire ] – While we remember late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham this week on the anniversary of his death , Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi reminisces about some rather hazardous driving incidents with his pal. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Congrats to Mastodon ‘s recording pal Feist , who received the Polaris Prize Award honoring her for Canada’s best album, ‘Metals.’ [ Diffuser.fm ] – Blind Melon’s frontman Travis T. Warren is stepping away to release his debut solo album, ‘Beneath These Borrowed Skies,’ this week. [ Rock Music Report ]
Posted in News Tags: black-sabbath, blind-melon, disc, hazardous, johnny-chow, kilmister, live, music-report, polaris, rachel-bolan, Stone Sour, week No Comments »Ill Nino Reveal ‘Epidemia’ Track Listing + Offer Sample of Song ‘The Depression’
September 20th, 2012 Metalkult Facebook: Ill Nino Things are starting to fall into place for Ill Nino ‘s new album, ‘Epidemia.’ Having already announced the title and Oct. 22 release date of the disc, the band has now revealed the full track listing while offering a song sample. Ill Nino continue their musical growth with their sixth full-length record. The Latin rockers have expanded upon their bilingual vocals and hard-hitting tracks with more tribal rhythms and powerful melodies taking hold on this record. Fans can take a listen to a little bit of the new record courtesy of an album trailer that recently surfaced. The used the album’s opener, ‘The Depression,’ to soundtrack the clip, which is featured below. The group spent plenty of time traveling before finishing the disc, with sessions in Hoboken, N.J., Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colo., before wrapping up the album. Having enjoyed a bit of a break between the studio and the recording, they recently picked up near where they left off as their recent tour started in Fort Collins, Colo. The group is currently out on the road through mid-October with Static-X and Emmure . In related news, upstarts Shogun have joined the trek as well. Ill Nino’s drummer Dave Charvarri manages the group and has been in the studio producing the band’s debut disc. Listen to a Sample of Ill Nino’s ‘The Depression’ Ill Nino’s ‘Epidemia’ Track Listing: 1. ‘The Depression’ 2. ‘Only the Unloved’ 3. ‘La Epidemia’ 4. ‘Eva’ 5. ‘Demi-God’ 6. ‘Death Wants More’ 7. ‘Escape’ 8. ‘Time Won’t Save You’ 9. ‘Forgive Me Father…’ 10. ‘Invisible People’
Posted in News Tags: a-break-between, a-song-sample-, album, band, before-wrapping, bilingual, death-wants, disc, featured-below-, news, record-courtesy, recording, texas, videos No Comments »Green Day Streaming ‘¡Uno!’ Album in Its Entirety
September 18th, 2012 Metalkult As promised, Green Day are sharing their ‘¡Uno!’ album ahead of its release via the band’s new deal with Nokia Music / AT&T. Fans can listen to the disc in full at the group’s Facebook page under the ‘Hear ¡Uno! Now’ tab. Thanks to a number of club dates over the past few months, fans are already familiar with a number of tracks from the first album in the band’s
Posted in News Tags: a-the-band, album-ahead, club-dates, disc, green, group, its-release, over-the-past, page-under, the-group No Comments »
