Wall of Sound presents “2015 YEAR IN REVIEW” – by Wall of Sound's Editor/Writer James 'Plugga' Birkin
It's been a killer year for Wall of Sound, re-energising the website with Browny and from there hitting up some great shows over the year including Kiss, Def Leppard, Pennywise and Black Label Society. We're picking up more and more writers and photgraphers as the time goes by, so if interested, apply within!
Personally a really hard choice to narrow a Top 5 album range this year, so with website privilege - fuck the Top 5 - here's my Top 20's!
** apologies to Baroness and Sanzu - just haven't had the time to catch up with these 2 impressive albums from these bands as yet but no doubt would be worthy contenders from what I've heard so far
TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2015?
1 CLUTCH – Psychic Warfare
You know you’re listening to a great album when you change your mind about your favourite track every second day.
2 VISION OF DISORDER – Razed to the Ground
Getting better with age. The hardcore element still there but it's so much more now. Killer.
3 MARILYN MANSON - The Pale Emperor
Industrial rock blues, Manson created a whole new genre on 1 album. The songwriting here is icredible.
4 THE WONDER YEARS – No Closer to Heaven
Just a beautifully crafted album
5 MILLENCOLIN - True Brew
Pop punk goodness. Imo their best album ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8cmbmwFAl8
6 LAMB OF GOD - VII: Sturm Und Drang
Lamb of God challenged themselves, their sound and their fans. Awesome.
7 SYLOSIS - Dormant Heart
Almost a dead heat with LOG for best metal album of the year.
8 GHOST - Meliora
The Satanist have delivered unto evil their most heaviest riff ready album.
9 FEAR FACTORY - Genexus
This album is a 'grower', the more you listen the more you appreciate the Bell/Cazares combo.
10 FAITH NO MORE - Sol Invictus
Great comeback, some Patton magic amongst the usual FNM bizarro world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dulxbKkj9Wg
11 METAL ALLEGIANCE - Metal Allegiance
Old school metal/thrash combining some prodigious talent.
12 SLAYER - Repentless
Hallmark Slayer minus Hanneman. The machine rolls on.
13 HIGH ON FIRE - Luminiferous
Brutal Matt Pike riffage. Glorious.
14 DEAD LETTER CIRCUS - Aesthesis
More vocally featured DLC album, moulded around Kim Benzie's vocal dexterity.
15 DEVIL YOU KNOW - They Bleed Red
Punchier, angrier, and more aggressive, Howard Jones goes full beast mode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgFGODoXXbY
16 HIGH TENSION - Bully
Tight, wound up bundle of frenetic punk-rock-metal fusion.
17 CLOWNS - Bad Blood
Dirtier, grungier yet still containing all that manic hardcore punk that these guys thrive on
18 CALIGULA's HORSE - Bloom
Just a beautiful album, great guitarwork.
19 SOULFLY - Archangel
Fast, brutal but also melodic. Max Cavalera is one angry man with a guitar in his hand
20 CHAINSAW HOOKERS - We Want Your Blood
Perth legends. Garage punk rock with horror movie lyrics. What more could you want?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XWdh0JXtVE
TOP 10 SONGS OF 2015?
1 Disturbed - 'The Vengeful One' ** ps - not a fan of Disturbed's new album but this song is just a banger!
2 Clutch -'X Ray Visions'
3 High Tension - 'Bully'
4 Lamb Of God - '512'
5 Clowns – 'Euthanise Me'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nW-IPrzM1g
6 Cancer Bats - 'True Zero'
7 Metal Allegiance - 'Dying Song'
8 Refused - 'Dawkins Christ'
9 Scalphunter - 'Keepers of the Night'
10 Marilyn Manson - 'Warship My Wreck'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS4mE4UrOAM
BEST 5 MUSIC VIDEO'S OF 2015?
1. LO! - 'Orca'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hSSwAyosUc
2. SLAYER - 'Repentless'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjb0j9l1sz4
3. KING PARROT - 'Home Is Where the Gutter Is'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWt_Eh_JGM4
4. TWLEVE FOOT NINJA - 'One Hand Killing'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-v9Aeb7Pr0
5. CLOWNS - 'Euthanise Me'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TvFq9Rtdec
BEST 5 GIGS YOU’VE SEEN 2015?
1. Lamb of God/Killer Be Killed at 170 Russell Street, Melbourne (Soundwave Sidewave)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wY5jYK2Avs
2. Machine Head at Astor Theatre, Perth
3. Slash/Steel Panther @ Festival Hall, Melbourne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxQRQNcZ60o
4. Def Leppard/Live/Baby Animals @ Red Hill Auditorium, Perth
5. Black Label Society at Fremantle Metropolis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DRy7hYr9nE
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2016?
Hopefully seeing Max Cavalera play a show in Perth again – whatever band, I don’t care just need some Cavalera!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5gIkeFc_B8
NEXT BIG BAND IN AUSTRALIA?
SANZU
This Perth band will shatter souls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KIbSW-ewxo
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