2020… The Year So Far – We Name Our Top 7 Albums/EPs
Ok, so this year hasn’t exactly been the best (and that’s an understatement and a half) but the one thing that’s kept us all with our heads screwed on is music, right? And we haven’t been lacking in that department at all! Since the start of 2020, the gates opened and we have been flooded with a plethora of new tunes to get us through COVID-19 and the best thing about that is, we’re only just at the halfway mark!
Things should start getting better as we head into the second half of the year, but before we get to that point, let’s reflect on what’s happened so far and the releases we couldn’t get enough of since first laying out ears on them. Here’s Wall of Sound’s 2020 Mid-Year Review…
Paul ‘Browny’ Brown (aka @brownypaul)
Owner/Editorial Manager/Podcast Host/Amateur Merch Model (Bris)
1. Polaris – The Death Of Me
2. Make Them Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral
3. The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside
4. The Amity Affliction – Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them
5. Slowly Slowly – Race Car Blues
6. Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK
7. Enter Shikari – Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
That forthcoming Angels & Airwaves album is so close I can almost taste it. I’m frothing at the mouth to hear In Hearts Wake, The Veronicas, Amy Shark, Reliqa and Alpha Wolf’s latest too. I’ve recently got into Machine Gun Kelly and his pop punk/rock stuff so I’m keen to see what he’s been working on with Travis Barker, Bring Me The Horizon’s collection of releases they have for us all and maybe we’ll get a new Beartooth song or two in the second half of the year, that’ll make up for everything so far I reckon… Oh yeah and launching Wall of Sound’s Winter Merch on Friday!!!
Recent Contributions
Andrew Tkaczyk – The Ghost Inside (Podcast)
The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside (Album Review)
Wall of Sound – First Merch Line News
Tamara May (aka @citylightstam)
Assistant Editor/Head of Album Reviews/Writer (Bris)
1. All Time Low – Wake Up, Sunshine
2. The Amity Affliction – Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them
3. Make Them Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral
4. Ocean Grove – Flip Phone Fantasy
5. Belmont – Reflections EP
6. Dune Rats – Hurry Up And Wait
7. Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
New albums/EP’s from Neck Deep, State Champs, Stand Atlantic, Paperweight and… Simple Plan’s forthcoming sixth album (which will probably come in 2021 now). I’m also keen for new albums from We Set Signals and Knuckle Puck (it’s been a long time coming, but the guys have FINALLY won me over with RSVP…song absolutely slaps!) as well as new music from Hot Milk, Yours Truly, Grenade Jumper and Stateside. Have I missed anything? Oh yeah… it’d be cool if A Day To Remember dropped their new record this year too!
Recent Contributions
Palaye Royale – The Bastards (Album Review)
Rian Dawson – All Time Low (Interview)
All Time Low – Wake Up Sunshine (Album Review)
15 Bands To Listen To If You’re Missing Fall Out Boy’s Younger Years
Ebony Story (aka @EbonyStory04)
Interview Co-Ordinator/Writer (Bris)
1. Slowly Slowly – Race Car Blues
2. Polaris – The Death Of Me
3. Boston Manor – GLUE
4. Ebonivory – The Long Dream 1
5. Dance Gavin Dance – Afterburner
6. Dream On Dreamer – What If I Told You It Doesn’t Get Better
7. Enter Shikari – Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Having a life. Ha. But I’m really hoping all the tours that rescheduled for later this year still go ahead. Especially Slowly Slowly’s tour.
Recent Contributions
Sean Dowell – Grey Daze (Interview)
Ebonivory – The Long Dream 1 (Album Review)
Rou Reynolds – Enter Shikari (Interview)
Ricky Aarons (aka @rickysaul90)
Senior Writer/Deathcore Tragic (Melb)
1. Make Them Suffer – How to Survive a Funeral
2. Currents – The Way it Ends
3. Polaris – The Death of Me
4. Emmure – Hindsight
5. Aversions Crown – Hell Will Come For Us All
6. Suicide Silence – Become The Hunter
7. Trivium – What the Dead Men Say
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Attending a single live gig in the second-half of 2020 – hopeful, yet possibly unlikely.
Recent Contributions
Emmure – Hindsight (Album Review)
Mick Jeffery – Aversions Crown (Interview)
Currents – The Way It Ends (Album Review)
Gareth Williams (aka @notgareth)
Senior Writer/Ranga (Perth)
1. Caligula’s Horse – Rise Radiant
2. Devilskin – Red
3. Lamb Of God – Lamb Of God
4. Testament – Titans Of Creation
5. Body Count – Carnivore
6. Nightwish – Human. :II: Nature
7. Ilium – Carcinogeist
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Is a fucking live gig too much to ask?!
But seriously, I’d like to see some actual support for The Arts sector from this government. With the whole industry shutdown overnight tens of thousands of people are still without work or income. With literally billions of dollars getting handed out to builders, brickies, boilermakers and bishops surely (if they gave a shit) this government could find a few dollars to support the people who work tirelessly week in and week out to entertain us… Rant over.
Recent Contributions
Sam Vallen – Caligula’s Horse Interview
Caligula’s Horse – Rise Radiant (Album Review)
Wall Of Sound Presents: 50 Heavy Songs To Get You Through Lockdown
Jerika Makela (aka @jmakela.jpg)
Photographer/Merch Designer/Winston Sweater (Perth)
1. Enter Shikari – Nothing is True & Everything is Possible
2. Code Orange – Underneath
3. Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK
4. Make Them Suffer – How To Survive a Funeral
5. Lamb of God – Lamb of God
6. The Smith Street Band – Don’t Waste Your Anger
7. AJJ – Goodluck Everybody
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Being able to shoot live shows again AND launching Wall of Sound’s Winter Range on Friday!
Recent Contributions
Wall of Sound’s Winter Merch… Out Friday July 3rd!
Wall of Sound – First Merch Line
Adam Rice (aka @adamrice1994)
Writer/Best.Intern.Ever. (Melb)
1. Saviour – A Lunar Rose
2. The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside
3. Make Them Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral
4. Justice For The Damned – Pain Is Power
5. Invent Animate – Greyview
6. August Burns Red – Guardians
7. LUNE – Ghost EP
Most Looking forward to in the second half of 2020?
To be able to go to a gig already! I don’t know what to do with my weekends without them! Other than that, new music from In Hearts Wake, Alpha Wolf, The Acacia Strain and Misery Signals is bound to be delightful. Also, I am keeping my hopes up that Good Things Festival will still go ahead in December, it’s looking doubtful but my fingers are crossed!
Recent Contributions
Make Them Suffer – Sean Harmanis Interview
Make Them Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral (Album Review)
Nathaniel Smith – LUNE ‘Not Sticking To The Metalcore Template’ (Interview)
Caitlin MacDonald (aka @cait_2tone)
Writer/Gig Enthusiast (Bris)
1. Polaris – The Death Of Me
2. Make The Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral
3. alt. – dysfunctional EP
4. Ocean Grove – Flip Phone Fantasy
5. Inertia – Connexion EP
6. LOSER – Mindless Joy
7. Poppy – I Disagree
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Guys, I am sorry, but I think I jinxed us into lockdown. From the beginning of the year coming into March, I had been to at least one gig almost every weekend, which was super rad, and I was having a fantastic time. But after having a HUGE night at the Polaris gig, I was feeling a little tired. I kept saying that after Download (which of course never happened), I was going to have a short rest- this is not at all what I meant though! I only meant a couple of weeks maybe, not music being cancelled altogether for months! So I apologise for jinxing us.
Long story short and what I think of us Wall of Sounders (and the wider music community) would say, I want to get back into seeing bands live. I don’t care in what capacity, except a drive-in concert- definitely not my thing, but I just want to stand in a venue and see a band. I hope that by the time August comes around, we will be allowed back into the world properly and I am hoping the WoS birthday will happen so I can party with my friends. I also hope BIGSOUND will go ahead in some form this year as working at it last year changed my life. I will also be coming up to 12 months with WoS in October, so I super keen to celebrate that milestone!
Recent Contributions
Monique Pym – Reliqa (Interview)
Inertia – Connexion (EP Review)
The Amity Affliction (Gig Review)
Rhiannon Porter (aka @rrhiannonporter)
Writer/Youngblood (Melb)
1. Code Orange – Underneath
2. The Amity Affliction – Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them
3. Boston Manor – GLUE
4. Polaris – The Death Of Me
5. Banks Arcade – Fever Dreams
6. Silverstein – A Beautiful Place To Drown
7. Gleemer – Down Through
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
New music from Holding Abscence, Hundredth, Bring Me The Horizon, new albums from In Hearts Wake, Alpha Wolf, Neck Deep. Also looking forward to when My Chemical Romance finally announce their rescheduled Australian Tour (the suspense is killing me)!
Recent Contributions
Held In Secret EP Review
Sydney Fate EP Review
Emanuel Rudnicki (aka @emanuelrudnicki)
Photographer/Black Metal Frother (Perth)
1. Ihsahn – Telemark
2. Burzum – Thulêan Mysteries
3. Conception – State of Deception
4. Demons & Wizards – III
5. Body Count – Carnivore
6. Katatonia City – Burials
7. My Dying Bride – The Ghost Of Orion
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
There’s a couple of things I’m looking forward to coming up in the year, but the new Rome album The Lone Furrow probably most of all. Jerome Reuter is a master at what he does.
Recent Contributions
The Darkness – Photo Gallery
The Amity Affliction – Photo Gallery
Miles Knox
Writer/Bass-Man (Syd)
1. Enter Shikari – Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
2. Poppy – I Disagree
3. Make Them Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral
4. Code Orange – Underneath
5. Lamb of God – Lamb of God
6. Lorna Shore – Immortal
7. Eminem – Music To Be Murdered By
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
We have upcoming releases from Bring Me The Horizon, Tallah, King 810, and In Hearts Wake that I am highly anticipating, and there’s been some movement from Plini – whether we’ll get an album this year, we can only hope. The unexpected return of both Slice the Cake AND Eidola have me ecstatic for the prog scene. And of course, the triumphant (but mindful!) return of live music.
Recent Contributions
Mushroomhead – A Wonderful Life (Album Review)
Lamb of God – Lamb of God (Album Review)
Simon Valentine (aka @SimonValentine1)
Writer/J-Rock Enthusiast (Central Coast)
Albums/Singles So Far…
1. Scandal – Kiss From The Darkness
2. MxPx – ‘Worries’
3. Less Than Jake – ‘Just Like Andy’
4. Lamb Of God – Lamb Of God
5. Polaris – The Death Of Me
6. Trivium – What The Dead Men Say
7. Bad Cop/Bad Cop – The Ride
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
We’re already seeing a gradual return to live music, so I’m looking forward to eventually getting out a live show again, although the ability to catch some of the amazing live streams has made the isolation-blues seem a little less dire. I’m looking forward to seeing some more artists embrace the online platform and deliver some awesome experiences.
In terms of releases – Rumors of a new album from the Less Than Jake camp is something to look forward to, and I also have the feeling MxPx have something in the works. However, with all the sudden downtime everyone has been having, I’m tipping we may get a few surprise releases towards the end of the year.
Recent Contributions
Bad Cop/Bad Cop – The Ride (Album Review)
Crossfaith – Species (EP Review)
Wall Of Sound Presents: Kampai! A Guide To The World Of J-Rock
Will Oakeshott (aka @TeenWolfWill)
Writer/Keith Buckley Lover (Adel)
No particular order…
Myrkur – Folkesange
END – Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face
Earth Rot – Black Tides Of Obscurity
Rotzak – Step Back, Gushing Eggheads
Danheim – Skapanir
Kvelertak – Splid
Umbra Vitae – Shadow Of Life
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Every Time I Die’s new album. Misery Signals’ new album. Idles’ new album. The Cure’s new album. Greg Puciato’s album. Live shows in general, festivals, movies, the last of season 6 of Vikings – really just life as we knew it pre-COVID 19.
Recent Contributions
Scatter Brain – Focal Piece
Kvelertak – Splid (Album Review)
Parkway Drive – Viva The Underdogs (Film Review)
Den Rad (aka @denocide)
Photographer/Writer/Screamer (Perth)
1. Xenobiotic – Mordrake
2. Kvelertak – Splid
3. Run The Jewels – RTJ4
4. END – Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face
5. Wardeamonic – Acts Of Repentance
6. R U N – For You Will Never Find Peace Within Your Quiet (EP)
7. Umbra Vitae – Shadow of Life
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
New releases from TEETH (US), The Acacia Strain and Venom Prison are top of my list!
Recent Contributions
Pennywise – Photo Gallery
Kelsey Trevan (aka @kelsey_139)
Writer/Fangirl (Melb)
1. Asking Alexandria – Like A House On Fire
2. Wolf & Chain – An Honest Mistake EP
3. Ice Nine Kills – Undead & Unplugged: Live From The Overlook Hotel
4. Grey Daze – Amends
5. The Used – Heartwork
6. All Time Low – Wake Up Sunshine
7. Polaris – The Death Of Me
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Static-X – Project Regeneration Volume 1. I was absolutely devastated when Wayne Static passed away in 2014 after growing up listening to Static-X after my brother introduced me to them. Can’t wait to hear Wayne’s vocals on the record as I’ve missed hearing his distinctive drawl in music.
Recent Contributions
Wolf & Chain – An Honest Mistake (EP Review)
Asking Alexandria – Like A House On Fire (Album Review)
The Used – Heartwork (Album Review)
Bec O’Reilly (aka @bec.belles)
Writer/Photographer/Hippie (Gold Coast)
1. Violent Soho – Everything is A-OK
2. Dune Rats – Hurry Up and Wait
3. Five Finger Death Punch – F8
4. LOSER – Mindless Joy
5. JAB Band – Just My Enemy (EP)
6. Caligula’s Horse – Rise Radiant
7. Mushroomhead – A Wonderful Life
Most Looking Forward to in the Second Half of 2020?
Like most, totally hanging for live shows to kick off again – You could throw a puppet on a pallet stage in a garage somewhere and if it was loud, had lights and a smoke machine I’d still be a happy camper! Looking forward to a few local band releases and whatever heavy treats might be thrown our way. These last few months of lockdown has inspired a bunch of musicians to write, record and make videos, after getting a taste with a number of single releases – I anticipate a rather awesome summer of new music and it will be rather exciting to see what this lockdown has produced.
