#vamachara for dummies

[coreygoestoconcerts]

The Best Albums of 2018

Obviously as an avid concert goer, I listen to a great deal of music in my free time too. Here’s a rough list of my favorite albums this year.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Vein - Errorzone

Holy hell, what an album. I feel like Vein has tapped into everything I loved growing up and created a really mind-bending, genre-shaping post hardcore album that is going to lead the charge of this brand of music for a while. They just really took my world by storm with this album. Growing up binging on post hardcore, I hadn’t really heard anything this exciting in a long time. Vein took the best elements of bands like Converge and old school Norma Jean and Poison the Well and brought it into the future. I also love their whole aesthetic. The fucked up futuristic surgical imagery and the vaguely post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk lyrics with just enough twisting metaphors to keep you guessing at their true meaning (see: my undying love of At the Drive-In). This thing was just perfect, and it skyrocketed Vein to being one of my favorite bands. Doesn’t hurt that they’re absolutely incredible live too.

OTHER REALLY GREAT ALBUMS

Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys

I loved Post Malone’s debut album so much, but I really had my doubts that he could overcome the perils of fame and fortune to create something equally as great on his second outing. At first, I admit, I was disappointed because Beerbongs & Bentleys does reflect Post’s new lifestyle. He’s not struggling anymore. He is still heartbroken though. After several listens, this one really grew on me. The sound is different than his first album. It’s warmer and less isolated feeling. That being said, almost every track here is a winner and Post really shines as an artist. He successfully dodged the sophomore slump. I hope he keeps it up in the future. I think he’s got a bright one.

Fall Out Boy - MANIA

Like with Post’s album, I had a lot of fears about this one. I’ve been a longtime, diehard Fall Out Boy fan, but after they released what I believe is their best album, American Beauty / American Psycho, and put out some weak lead singles to this one, I felt like their well had run dry. I was openly critical after hearing “Young and Menace.” Yet, that song works much better in the context of the album, and they ended up hitting another home run with MANIA. It isn’t as consistent as American Beauty / American Psycho, and it rarely hits the same highs, but it’s a nice, late career effort from a surprisingly solid band. I do think they should dial it back a bit on the production, maybe go with a more organic sound like their older material or their newest single “Lake Effect Kid,” but MANIA mostly ended up being a great album to me.

Vamachara - Despondent

I wasn’t a huge fan of Vamachara’s earlier EPs, but their debut album was just a relentlessly heavy, crushing metal/hardcore album. These guys came to play with Despondent. This ended up being one of my favorite heavy albums of the year and got a ton of plays. I also got my face busted in their pit when I saw them live, so there’s that. Great stuff here. Some of my favorite gym music too.

Cult Leader - A Patient Man

Another heavy album here, but what surprised me was that the quiet moments really make this album. When Cult Leader is crazy fast and heavy, they are great, but when they show their softer side, that’s where they really shine. It makes the heavier moments stand out so much more, and their lilting melodies just carry me off in a trance sometimes. These guys have been awesome for a long time, but I really think this might be their best effort yet.

Screaming Females - All At Once

After a run of albums I didn’t really love, I never expected Screaming Females to put out their best album ever in 2018, but it really is the peak of their career as of yet. They just managed to take everything that has ever made them great and pack it into one exceedingly awesome record. I jammed the hell out of this one, and I think it really is their most consistent and rewarding one to date. It also features their most solid songwriting and catchiest choruses.

Harm’s Way - Posthuman

Like with Screaming Females, I’m surprised to say that I think Posthuman is probably the best Harm’s Way album yet. Though they alienated a lot of earlier fans with their shift away from pure hardcore and into metal and industrial, I think it’s just a perfect sound for them. I loved this album and I feel like it’s far more unique and enjoyable than their older stuff. Though their older material is great, this one puts them in a category of their own and separates them from the pack. They definitely became one of my favorite bands with this record.

Kanye West - Ye

God, say what you want about Kanye and his insanity, but he is a musical genius. I was mixed going into this one because of his public persona and because of his singles (I did end up loving “Lift Yourself” in all its stupidity though). But it ended up being yet another hit for a rapper who I think has never made a less than stellar record. My only complaint with Ye is that it’s so short, but that seems to be the direction most rappers are going in nowadays, so, whatever.

SOME OTHER COOL ALBUMS

Portrayal of Guilt - Let Pain Be Your Guide

Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy

6ix9ine - DUMMY BOY

Candy - Good to Feel

Jesus Piece - Only Self

Year of the Knife - First State Aggression

Converge - Beautiful Ruin

Sanction - The Infringement of God’s Plan

Sentenced to Burn - The Seven Layers of Skin

Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog

Various Artists - Black Panther The Album

Slaves - Beautiful Death