The Best Of 2020
I’m not going to go into detail about what 2020 was like for me, primarily because everybody basically experienced the same thing during the pandemic, and because nobody would be interested.
But in general, I didn’t purchase much in the way of new music, hence the list being shorter than usual. As noted in the past, this is a personal list of my favourite releases, and is listed in no particular order of preference.
Pure Revolution Reason – Eupnea (Inside Out Music/Sony Music)
Around the same time I discovered British outfit Pure Revolution Reason was around the time they started to wind up as a band, which was disappointing. But after a decade away, the band is back, and it’s a welcomed return. Taking musical cues from the likes of Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree in a progressive/pop direction, “Eupnea” is worthy addition to the Pure Reason Revolution catalogue, and sees the band picking up where they last left things. Featuring a mix of short and long songs, it’s the long songs that really stand out here, with the epic “Silent Genesis” and the title track “Eupnea” stealing the limelight with their beautifully crafted dual vocals, masterful creation of varying musical movements and immaculate production. In short, this is a great comeback for the band, and hopefully the first of many to come.
Testament – Titans Of Creation (Nuclear Blast)
I’m usually railing against acts that steadfastly refusing to move beyond the proven formula, but on this occasion, I’ll make an exception purely because I really enjoy this album for what it is. Testament is hardly breaking new ground here, but it’s a solid release from start to finish, and the band is playing to their obvious strengths. In terms of modern day straight forward thrash, Testament delivers in spades on “Children Of The Next Level”, the fast paced “WWIII” and the hammering “Code Of Hammurabi”, while on “Curse Of Osiris”, Chuck Billy adds variation on the vocal front with some black metal lines. Elsewhere, the Eastern influences on “Ishtar’s Gate” and the bass dominance within “City Of Angels” are worthy additions. “Titans Of Creation” is typical latter era Testament album, but my expectations have been met.
Mr. Bungle - The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo (Ipecac Recordings/Liberator Music)
Speaking of another band making a return to the scene after a lengthy twenty years away is Mr. Bungle. Strangely enough, the band roped in a couple of newcomers (Guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Dave Lombardo), and the band set about re-recording their 1986 demo “The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny”. Given its Mr. Bungle, maybe this wasn’t all that strange. Either way, this album is something quite different to what most listeners would associate with the band, and that’s in itself is a positive. As a thrash/crossover album, it’s hardly cutting edge or breaking new ground, but it is a fun listen, and a worthy update on the original demo. In terms of the album’s high moments, “Raping Your Mind”, “Bungle Grind” and “Glutton For Punishment” are worthy of singling out. If history has proven anything, re-recording old albums is a recipe for disaster. “The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo” isn’t a classic, but it’s a fun listen, and easier to listen to than the original.
The Night Flight Orchestra – Aeromantic (Nuclear Blast)
I believe an entry for a new album from The Night Flight Orchestra into my top ten is somewhat predictable since almost all of their albums have made it in there. But to date, the band hasn’t had a weak release to date. The opening track “Servants Of The Air” is a huge opening statement of classic ‘80’s rock delivered with a distinctly modern edge, and boasts plenty of great musicianship and melodies to get the album off to a great start. From there, there’s plenty of catchy hard rock numbers in “Divinyls”, the title track “Aeromantic”, “Taurus” and “Sister Mercurial”, while “Golden Swansdown”, “Transmissions” and “Carmencita Seven” embrace all the cheesiness of 80’s pop, but without sounding terrible. Finishing out the album is “Dead Of Winter”, which like the opener, is a lengthy number, but another stand out. Although it’s not their strongest album (That honour belongs to “Skyline Whispers”), it’s stacks up against the band’s back catalogue as a great album.
Sepultura - Quadra (Nuclear Blast)
Sepultura are certainly riding on a wave of creativity, with the band releasing yet another stunning album in “Quadra”. Concept based, and divided into four sections, “Quadra” showcases the all facets of the band’s broad sound, with barely a track sounding out of place throughout. The opening trio of tracks (“Isolation”, “Means To An End” and “Last Time”) are crushingly heavy, and prove beyond any doubt that there’s still plenty of fire left in the band. The heavily grooved “Captial Enslavement” and “Raging Void” have some innovative guitar work to add some depth to the song structures, while the progressive leanings on “Guardians Of Earth” and “Autem” are true highlights of the album, and show how far the band has moved on beyond the sound of “Against” more than twenty years ago. Closing out the album is the powerful “Agony Of Defeat” and the epic “Fear • Pain • Chaos • Suffering”. Opinions are divisive on modern day Sepultura, but as far as I’m concerned, this is another classic from the Derrick Green fronted version of the band.
Deep Purple - Whoosh! (Ear Music/Sony Music)
In an era of older acts milking their past with nostalgia shows, you have to hand it to Deep Purple for still producing albums of new music. Granted, they’re not as prolific as they once were, or as experimental as their early days, but they’re output is still solid classic hard rock. “Throw My Bones” is provides a rocking start to the album, while “We’re All The Same In The Dark”, “No Need To Shout”, “The Long Way Round” and “Dancing In My Sleep” maintain the momentum with plenty of guitar riffs and shredding from Steve Morse. In terms of stepping outside the hard rock formula, Deep Purple slow things down on the keyboard heavy “Nothing At All” and stretch out to add some atmospherics on the progressive “The Power Of The Moon”, “Man Alive” and the instrumental piece “Remission Possible”. At this stage of their career, “Whossh!” is all-round solid album, and a worthy listen.
Warbringer – Weapons Of Tomorrow (Napalm Records)
The Californian thrashers are back with album number six, and it’s a killer. Warbringer haven’t really altered the sound they presented on 2017’s “Woe To The Vanquished”, but they have refined it, and in some ways this has given the album an edge the predecessor didn’t have. John Kevill absolutely reigns on the opener speeding number “Firepower Kills”, while similar passages of face melting shred heard on “Outer Reaches”, “Crushed Beneath The Tracks” and “Notre Dame (King Of Fools)”, albeit in smaller doses as the band stretch out the arrangements to allow for some tempo changes and alternate passages to break up the formula. As for the mid paced thrashers, the more memorable tracks come in the form of “The Black Hand Reaches Out”, "Defiance Of Fate" and "Heart Of Darkness", while the closer “Glorious End” is a fitting epic for the album with its themes of war without meaning or glory. Warbringer maintain their title of thrash kings once again on “Weapons Of Tomorrow”.
Chaos Divine – Legacies (Chaos Divine Self-Released)
It’s been a long five years between releases for Perth based progressive rock outfit Chaos Divine, but with the release of their fourth full length album, the wait has proven to be worth it. Building on the foundation of their former releases, “Legacies” still retains the incredibly melodic and catchy vocals of David Anderton on the hook laden choruses, but musically the band have brought forward a heavier sound to the fore, and the underlying use of growls on the vocal from add another dimension to the band’s sound. The perfect example of this new sound can be heard on the opener “Instincts”, which is incredibly melodic, and yet technical and heavy in parts. Similar in style are “Guarding Gravity”, “Colours Of War”, “Beacon”, the stunning “False Flags” and the lengthy closer “Into The Now”. “No Saviour (Rise & Fall)” is favourite with its heavier vocals and technical musical backdrop, while “Only Son” and “Dead Rivers” are slower and allow for Anderton to open up on the vocal/lyrical front. There’s a lot to taken in on the album with its thirteen tracks, and the album does taken time to absorb. But the time put in will reap its rewards.
Stone Temple Pilots – Perdida (Rhino Records)
When Stone Temple Pilots re-emerged in 2018 with their self-titled release with Jeff Gutt on vocals, my faith in the band was restored, and the album was my favourite of that year. Two years on, and I quickly picked up their new album, only to discover it’s an acoustic album. It’s a strange move, but one that’s worked incredibly well. Gutt again proves his appointment to front man of the band was the right move with his performance on tracks such as “Fare Thee Well”, “Three Wishes”, “You Found Yourself While Losing Your Heart” and the dreamy “Sunburst”. Robert DeLeo puts in fairly solid performance vocally on the bare boned “Years”, while the Spanish feel of the title track “Perdida” presents a different side to the band. “Perdida” doesn’t outshine 2018’s “Stone Temple Pilots”, but it does at least prove that Gutt is capable of replacing Scott Weiland’s big shoes.
Biffy Clyro – A Celebration Of Endings (14th Floor Records/Warner Records)
Biffy Clyro are one of those bands that I find hard to pin down. I guess what makes it even more difficult is how I like some of their material, but these other things that I just can’t get into. But with “A Celebration Of Endings” I have found an album of theirs that I have enjoyed from start to finish. In terms of sound, Biffy Clyro seem to cover almost every base, and yet never stray too far outside the boundaries at the same time. In short, the band sound energised, exciting, melodic, rocking and innovative. There’s barely a fault to be found on the album, but at a push, tracks such as the “North Of No South”, the angular “Tiny Indoor Fireworks”, “Instant History” and the stunning “Space” really take centre stage. There’s really isn’t a band that quite sounds like Biffy Clyro.
Best Book Of 2020
Rob Halford With Ian Gittins – Confess: The Autobiography (Hachette Books)
With so many autobiographies on the market these days, you really do have to have a story to tell in order to stand out from the pack. And while I had my doubts, Rob Halford does have a story to tell, both within and outside of his work in Judas Priest. The premise is quite different from most, as it focuses more on Halford’s life as a gay man, and having to hide that side of his life for most of his life while fronting on of heavy metal’s greatest band. Of course, hiding his sexuality took a toll on Halford on a personal front, as the story told on the pages reveal. The book is a little thin in terms of musical side of things, it does provide enough detail on the making of Judas Priest’s albums to make it worthy of a read. The really interesting part of the book is where the details of Halford’s split from Judas priest is talked about, the formation and demise of Fight, the short lived 2wo project, and Halford’s eventual coming out as a gay man. The book is a good read, and the premise is certainly a unique one, and that’s not an easy thing to come up with these days. For Halford fans, this is certainly a worthy read.
© Justin Donnelly.
