List | The Albums of 2021 (EOTY)

So here we are. At the tail end of yet another year full wild and unforeseen circumstances that challenged us in more ways than one. And, as we cap off yet another year of music that excelled in so many ways, none was more prominent than the album release. So, without further a deux here is a list of the best albums of 2021.

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

25: Eidola - "The Architect"

"Eclectic, immersive, and overwhelmingly impactful. Swan-core's Eidola shines through with some of the heaviest and creative post-hardcore that the year was shown. Soaring with technical and beautiful hooks, exquisite guitar structures, and an incredibly poignant narrative that you can sink yourself into. "The Architect" is a beautiful experience that you can immerse yourself into time and time again." - Samuel Cook

24: The Armed - "Ultrapop"

"Panic inducing and nervously constructed. The Armed channel everything that is sacred with noise rock and punk rock and created a single burst of noise rock perfection destined to hit your eardrums. Whether it be the upbeat post-punk stylings, or the more manic and all over the place stylings of noise rock and the occasional math rock flare. The Armed struck gold with "Ultrapop", as it should be considered to be one of the genre's best releases." - Samuel Cook

23: Bullet for My Valentine - "S/T"

"Don't call it a comeback for nothing. This heavy metal/metalcore hybrid act has been around for well over 15 years, but this is without a doubt their most impressive release to date. Harkening back to their early, grittier, and heavier sound, Bullet for My Valentine delivers on every level with explosive riffs, insane heaviness, and a song of no cleans (!) are just a few of the many reasons why this should be on your radar if it isn't already." - Dylan Stearman

22: Indie Tribe - "Upperhand"

"Hip-hop at max speed. Christian Hip-hop is a space that's still trying to capture modern art and "Upperhand" is pretty close to what perfectly written, crafted, and produced Christian hip-hop can be. Crafted by the minds of Nobigdyl, Mogli the Iceburg, Jon Keith, and DJ Mykael V, Indie Tribe scores with the off the wall and no holds bar "Upperhand", a record that instantly hits you with well-crafted rhymes and beats that outshine most in the rap game today. Indie Tribe most certainly hit it right out of the ballpark." - Samuel Cook

21: Whitechapel - "Kin"

"A groove metal/deathcore masterpiece. Whitechapel takes the same formula from previous works and runs laps around them with "Kin", delivering some of the most beautiful metal ever heard on record. The deathcore titans prove once again that they aren't afraid to change and innovate with the times, as they experiment with the formula and do wonders with it. "Kin" is truly something to behold." - Dylan Stearman 

20: Frontierer - "Oxidized"

"Post-Metal in distortion and chaos. Deathcore has never sounded this menacing and Frontierer makes sure that you know that with "Oxidized", a record built from the ground up in the depths of quarantine to create a menacing, distorted, and chaotic noisecore record that both enthralls and intoxicates with panic riffs and all the plentiful alien noises that your heart could ever want. "Oxidized" is a dark and engaging listen that should be on every metal fan's radar." - Samuel Cook

19: Love and Death - "Perfectly Preserved"

"The long-awaited return of Brian 'Head' Welch's side project Love and Death was more than worth the wait. Combining punchy riffs with groovy bass, amazing strings and production, along with the combo of Head and JR Bareis's incredible vocals and harmonies, Love and Death puts all their chips on the table and delivers tenfold, showcasing one of the most fun and enjoyable rock and metal records to listen to." - Dylan Stearman 

18: Five Iron Frenzy - "Until This Shakes Apart"

"This is the best ska release in a very long time. The ska and "rock with horns" titans Five Iron Frenzy truly outdid themselves with "Until This Shakes Apart", a very timely release that tackles pretty much everything that happened in 2020 and then some with some of the catchiest and poignant ska punk that we haven't seen in quite some time. With driving ska laced hooks, the signature witty and off brand sense of humor, and even some heavier surprises hidden in there for good measure. This is without a doubt one of the strongest punk releases of the year and definitely the best punk release to come out of the year." - Samuel Cook

17: Beartooth - "Below"

"A sludge metal joyride. Beartooth's triumphant metal monolith "Below" is just that, a metal monolith crafted from the depths of hell itself with so much going for it. "Below" brings on absolute destruction with some of the most vicious, sludgy, and menacing riffs on an album of this caliber, a destructive range of low, mid, and high screams with an actual amount of powerful and rocking clean hooks from Caleb Shomo and company. "Below" has it all, and it's still one of the heaviest and most menacing releases of the year." - Samuel Cook

16: Slaughter to Prevail - "Kostolom"

"Innovation knows no bounds. Enter Slaughter to Prevail, who have carved their way into the metal scene with their own style of deathcore infused with nu-metal, memes, Russian stereotypes, and brutal growls and breakdowns. This "made in russia" heaviness comes in hard and fierce. "Kostolom" is nothing to laugh at and it deserves all the recognition that it does." - Dylan Stearman

15: Chevelle - "Niratias"

"And now onto prog rock. Chevelle's renowned career has led them to this, and to say that this record is not incredible would be doing this record a disservice. "Niratias" is something that you can get lost in, it's a record that shines with prog rock bliss while still keeping it both heavy and melodic. Chevelle's flare for nu-metal is still here but now with a shot of pure prog rock glory, and it is magical. "Niratias" is yet another fantastic release from the well-established band, as it should regarded as one of the best rock releases of the year." - Samuel Cook

14: Andy Mineo - "Never Land II"

"A childlike return to the world of Never Land. Andy Mineo's sequel to the "Never Land" project is something of childlike wonder as he reflects on his past and focuses on his future. The production is superb, the rhymes are fluent and carry so much weight and punch to them, the lyrical content is that signature Andy Mineo style with an extra added layer of relevancy, and the story book style perfectly encapsulates the vision of "Never Land II" and does it perfectly. Andy Mineo has once again outshined himself and continues to push boundaries without sounding stale. There's a reason why he's a force to be reckon with in Christian Hip-hop and "Never Land II" is just another example of how he's still at the top of the game." - Samuel Cook

13: Fallstar - "Sunbreather"

"A return for the ages. Fallstar came back strong with "Sunbreather", a record that took five years to craft and hone to making it "the greatest record ever made" and it succeeds with that optimism so beautifully. The fun metalcore style is still here present and accounted for with a heaping dose of deathcore, alt-rock, and crabcore (yes there is crabcore on this record) to keep this record fresh while also just being fun and exciting. Fallstar truly outdid themselves with "Sunbreather" as it is surely one of the best metal releases of the year." - Samuel Cook

12: KennyHoopla - "Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape"

"And the best pop-punk release of the year goes to nonother than a mixtape. While technically not an album per se, it doesn't matter because KennyHoopla is a force to be reckon with in the scene and with "Survivors Guilt" we get one of the strongest pop-punk releases of the year while getting one of the greatest and genre defining albums for the pop-punk genre. KennyHoopla's soaring soulful vocals over the fun and unique pop-punk structure made for an album that should be held as a classic, and with the help of Travis Barker, they crafted one of the best records of the year and arguably one of the most important records for the genre and the scene as a whole. "Survivors Guilt" helped bring pop-punk back, and it did it beautifully." - Samuel Cook

11: The Undertaking! - "Funerals Psalms"

"Southcore's back. Solid State's very own The Undertaking! created the best "southcore" record in a very long time. Taking cues out of the Maylene, He Is Legend, and Every Time I Die playbooks, The Undertaking! paved their own lane with "Funeral Psalms", a fierce and fiery southern hardcore release with an added punch of punk and rock'n'roll to keep those rolling hooks coming for days. This is an album that is meant for repeats and long overdue spins. "Funeral Psalms" is pit worthy in all the most beautiful and poignant ways possible." - Samuel Cook

10: Gojira - "Fortitude"

"Hitting the top 10 we have fortitude. Arguably one of the highest anticipated records of the year. Gojira storms back with "Fortitude", their first release in five years and also one of the band's best records of their career. These legends of prog metal don't disappoint, as their knack for writing heavy and punishing metal music returns in all its genre defining glory, while also showing off their more melodic and "radio friendly" side with chant along worthy choruses and hooks that last for days. "Fortitude" is something should be on all metal fans radar." - Dylan Stearman

9: NF - "Clouds: The Mixtape"

"Poetic perfection. Another mixtape has landed on this list and in the top 10. NF is a gift to the world of hip-hop, showing time and time again that not only is he just a force to be reckon with in the Christian hip-hop circuit, but in the entire genre of hip-hop as a whole. And with "Clouds", we see NF at his most vulnerable, angry, and vicious as he tears through 2020 like it was an afterthought and pushes his limits to the point of having a mental breakdown. "Clouds" is the heaviest hip-hop release of the year based off the soul fact that the emotional weight behind it is staggering, and with some clever and thoughtfully planned out guest features from Tech N9ne and Hopsin. NF shows us once again how real hip-hop can be and "Clouds" is exactly that. Real and honest hip-hop." - Samuel Cook

8: Ice Nine Kills - "Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream II"

"The Halloween fun is back for a killing spree unlike any other. Ice Nine Kills has become a well-established act not just for the metal scene but also for the entire horror genre as a whole, and with the sequel to the well acclaimed "The Silver Scream", we see Spencer Charnas and company let that imagination flow as the horror icons tear through more and more victims that would make even the worst horror baddies squirm. "Welcome to Horrorwood" is a fun and extremely heavy record that shows how creative and innovative you can be with the metal genre and combining that with the creative story telling of that of other mediums. The Halloween spirit lives in "Welcome to Horrorwood" as it slashes its way into the hearts of metal and horror fans alike." - Samuel Cook

7: Meadows - "In Those Days & Also After"

"One of the most emotionally beautiful records to ever come into fruition. Meadows utilizes their style of melodic-hardcore to perfection, mixing beautiful lyrics with pure and unfiltered aggression, telling an impactful story of grief, joy, loss and life, all the while giving all the glory to their shared faith in Jesus Christ, while also not pulling any punches whatsoever. "In Those Days & Also After" is a beautifully tragic listen that will tug on the heart strings time and time again." - Dylan Stearman

6: Sleep Token - "This Place Will Become Your Tomb"

"Tragic and beautiful. Sleep Token, one of the most elusive and secretive bands in the scene strike absolute gold with "This Place Will Become Your Tomb", a record that combines sure raw aggression and heaviness with some of the saddest, deeply relatable lyrics that make you want to bawl your eyes out. Sleep Token created something beautiful and depressing with "This Place Will Become Your Tomb", and it should ring true as the loneliness of the past continues to define our future. "This Place Will Become Your Tomb" is truly something unlike any other." - Samuel Cook

5: Turnstile - "Glow On"

"An 80's hardcore dance party. The top 5 is graced by Turnstile's 80's infused dance-punk/hardcore hybrid "Glow On". A fantastic display of pure punk rock angst and energy with an added dose of the fun, glitz, and summery vibes of that of the 80's dance-pop, synthwave, and arena rock that made the 80's music scene. The hardcore act shows how fun and exciting hardcore music can be without it sounding stale and shallow. "Glow On" is a dance party record, perfect for chilling out with friends or getting down and dirty in the pit. Turnstile single handedly made the best hardcore record that the genre has seen in a long time, as it's making its way to new fans of the genre as a gateway drug to the world of hardcore and rock music in general." - Samuel Cook

4: Silent Planet - "Iridescent"

"Melodic, destructive, and iridescent. The loved and well-respected Silent Planet decided to switch gears for album four, which sees them going in a heavier direction while also not losing sight of what made them so unique in the first place. What we got is an absolute masterclass of metalcore perfection. From amazing guitar and bass riffs, to incredible vocals and vocal harmonies from Garrett Russell and company, to amazing and impeccable drumming, beautiful and haunting lyrics, and a weight that pulls and tugs hard at the heart strings. This is a release that feels like home while also surprising you at the same. "Iridescent" is pure perfection through and through." - Dylan Stearman

3: Phinehas - *"The Fire Itself"* (Dylan's album of the year pick)

"This top 3 pick became the fire itself. While we all knew that a new Phinehas outing was on the horizon, it was whenever we'd get to hear that new album was still the question... until this year, and oh boy did it not disappoint. The four-piece metalcore outfit managed to outdo themselves in every way with "The Fire Itself", combining the best of everything that they have done throughout their career and completely blows everything out of the water. From the insane breakdowns, to the beautiful solos and heart-wrenching lyrics, telling a story of pain, loss, and what it means to overcome fear and doubt. Phinehas truly became "the fire itself" with this release, and continue to set the bar for what perfection in metalcore can be." - Dylan Stearman

2: Idle Threat - *"Blurred Visions"* (Samuel's album of the year pick)

"Post-hardcore captured in a blurred vision. Newcomers Idle Threat are showing that they are becoming a force to be reckon with in the rock scene, with their unique brand of indie rock, post-hardcore, emo rock, impactful lyrics, soaring hooks, and dealing out the occasional breakdown. The band are showing some great steam for such a small act, and with "Blurred Visions" we the band score on every level with one of the darkest, beautiful, mind melting, and lyrically poignant releases of the year that tells a story of death, loss, searching, and relief by searching for faith and relief in a higher being, with in this case that higher being being nonother than Jesus Christ. This record is for the ones that feel lost and alone, and "Blurred Visions" is truly one of those releases that holds so much power in the lyrics and the story telling. Idle Threat are genuinely pushing the boundaries of a post-hardcore band, and showing that they are not backing down." - Samuel Cook

1: Spiritbox - "Eternal Blue"

"Seriously though did you think that it would be anything else? Considered by many to be the metalcore staple of 2021, Spiritbox delivers an adventure full of wonder, bone-crushing heaviness, sweet melodies and technicality, mixed in with amazing guitar riffs, impeccable vocals and soaring hooks from nonother than Courtney LaPlante, sweet synthesizing, and oh so much more. This is an album that will be talked about in the scene and in the musical sphere for a very, very long time. As its success and bringing in new fans to the metal genre is staggering and mind blowing, and for a new band like this, success like that doesn't just come to anyone, and that success shows that it's finally paying for them and continues to show that they are not backing down, and not letting this newfound success go to their head. "Eternal Blue" is destined to become a future classic for the genre, as they take the metal crown and wear it proudly, as "Eternal Blue" is our album of the year for 2021." - Samuel Cook, Dylan Stearman