2022 Releases Ranked
Did not listen to as much new music as the last few years, life's been busy. |
| 1 |  | Arm's Length
Never Before Seen, Never Again Found
Honest, catchy, relatable emo/pop-punk with slight post-hardcore moments. Pretty much every song on here is a banger, great riffs, amazing lyrics.
5/5
Favs: Aries, Family And Friends, Overture (but really, all of them) |
| 2 |  | Saidan
Onryo II: Her Spirit Eternal
The riffs on this god damn, probably the most fun black metal release in a while and somehow still sounding 'trve' whilst doing it.
5
Favs: Queen of the Haunted Dell, I Am The Witch, Kissed by Lunar's Silvery Gleam |
| 3 |  | Kardashev
Liminal Rite
Deathmetal meets Blackgaze, taking you through a personal journey. Great concept all around and flawless execution be it the relentless drums, the melodic riffs or the beautiful and at times haunting vocals.
4.5
Favs: Silvered Shadows, Apparitions in Candlelight, Cellar of Ghosts |
| 4 |  | Fit for an Autopsy
Oh What the Future Holds
Did not enjoy their last record, but this one has so many creative sparks in it whilst addressing serious topics. The breakdowns are nasty and memorable, not your usual down-tempo cavemen stuff
4.5
Favs: Savages, Two Towers, Conditional Healing, Pandora |
| 5 |  | Grumpster
Fever Dream
Whilst I did not enjoy the singles and was rather sceptic about this one the second half of this record is literal perfection. Mirrors and Spiders are hands down one of my favorite songs of the year and speak to me on a personal level intensely.
4.5
Favs: Mirrors, Spiders, I Wouldn't Dream Of It, Enjoy It While It Lasts |
| 6 |  | Oso Oso
Sore Thumb
Kind of a step down from the last, but the choruses are as catchy as ever although the general tone is less serious and the whole thing seems a little unfinished (which it is according to the band).
4
Favs: computer exploder, fly on the wall, describe you |
| 7 |  | Zeal and Ardor
Zeal and Ardor
Combining core-elements with black metal and gospel music makes this into a unique record with many memorable songs. The gospel-parts however get rather repetitive at times.
4
Favs: Götterdämmerung, Emersion, Feed the Machine, I Caught You |
| 8 |  | Electric Callboy
TEKKNO
Combining metalcore with eurodance and doing an incredible job at that. So many bangers - at least for the times the band is less serious. Once they attempt more serious songs it kind of falls apart for me with Mindreader being just douchy and abusive - good job at the 2000s metalcore throwback with that.
4
Favs: We Got the Moves, Pump It, Fuckboi, Arrow of Love |
| 9 |  | White Ward
False Light
Jazz-infused black metal with anti-capitailst vibes and lots of variation, although some songs seem a little long at times.
4
Favs: Leviathan, Phoenix, Cronus |
| 10 |  | Scene Queen
Bimbocore
Stupid and violent mix of hyperpop and deathcore drops done right. Listened to this a lot the last few weeks and still enjoy it very much.
4
Favs: Pink Rover, Pretty in Pink, Pink Bubblegum |
| 11 |  | Norma Jean
Deathrattle Sing for Me
Tried to like this one more but apart from the outstanding lyrics I only fully enjoyed about half of this record musically, the rest being a little boring, noisy or plain forgettable, sorry.
4
Favs: Aria Obscura, 1994, Spearmint Revolt |
| 12 |  | Fleshwater
We're Not Here To Be Loved
Somehow every song on here is great, but the overall record feels repetitive rather fast and I did not come back to it since. Still, discovering and listening to this brought me a lot of joy. Kinda defones-sounding.
4
Favs: Closet, Woohoo, Balpate Driver |
| 13 |  | Static Dress
Rouge Carpet Disaster
The last record I got into this last year. Post-Hardcore-revival is on I guess. Whilst touching very serious issues the band accomplished a solid mix of catchy songs and noisy ones. Still feel like most of the songs are good, but not outstanding tho.
4
Favs: Push rope, fleahouse, such.a.shame |
| 14 |  | Soul Blind
Feel It All Around
Saw them play before Knocked Loose without knowing them and got blown away. Grungy and shoegazy with vocals that I did indeed feel all around. Promising debut.
4
Favs: Bruise the Sore (!), In the In Between, Feel It All Around, All In Time |
| 15 |  | Extra Large Holiday Card
PLAGUE DOCTOR
Best Hot Mulligan release since you'll be fine, change my mind. Emo-vibes with trappy beats, kind of following the lil peep trend in a good way. Also: 'you thought I was better baby, I just put the mask on' hits pretty good.
4
Favs: Plague Doctor, Dreams, Bloodletter |
| 16 |  | Sylvaine
Nova
Relaxing and beautiful black metal similar to Alcest. Some bangers, some good songs and some forgettable ones.
3.5
Favs: Mono No Aware, I Close My Eyes |
| 17 |  | Banshee
FAIRY METAL
This is exactly what I needed in my life: haunting screeching banshee-vocals over some trap beats and hate against predators and the patriarchy. I'd say Fairy Metal and Chamber are one of my favorite songs of the year, but there are also a lot of forgettable tracks on here. Still, very promising!
3.5
Favs: Chamber, Fairy Metal, Fantasy |
| 18 |  | Wiegedood
There's Always Blood at the End of the Road
Did not enjoy this fully because of the parts where they tried to channel their inner Anaal Nathrakh which did not work for me. The other songs are great tho.
3.5
Favs: Now Will Always Be, Until It Is Not, Noblesse Oblige Richesse Oblige |
| 19 |  | Tiny Moving Parts
Tiny Moving Parts
Yeah well, self-titled album should not be an excuse to just revisit your last 3 records and do a lackluster attempt at reproducing them without plagiarism. Don't get me wrong, some songs on here are great and what I love them for, but they just can't do the same record over and over again :(
3.5
Favs: North Shore, Tangled Up, Demons Are Taking Over, Downhill Spiral |
| 20 |  | Stand Atlantic
F.E.A.R.
Mixed feelings about this one: while pity party and nails from the back are some of my most-played songs this year and absolutely astonishing, half of the record is just utter nonsense, annoying or boring. This could be a high-quality EP if half of the songs were scraped I guess.
3
Favs: pity party, nails from the back, bloodclot |
| 21 |  | Rejoice! The Light Has Come
Untitled EP II
Kinda progressive Black Metal, similar to Ulcerate or Suffering Hour and some songs on here are great, but this did not do much for me overall sadly.
3
Favs: The Circle Is Open |
| 22 |  | Saor
Origins
Not nearly as interesting as the last, mostly forgettable tracks with some sparks here and there. Oh and it did not help that I found out about their NSBMy-lyrics in their past band :^)
3
Favs: Aurora |
| 23 |  | Malthusian/Suffering Hour
Time's Withering Shadow (split)
Just heard the Suffering Hour part (as the RABM-subreddit suggests that Multhusian is sus) and did not like it as much as I'd assumed I would. Seemed like the B-Sides of their last full length or something.
3
Favs: Temporal Lapse |
| 24 |  | Shadow Of Intent
Elegy
Uh, can we not go full symphonic? Was disgusted by most of this record (vocals still sick tho).
3
Favs: Intensified Genocide, Farewell, Blood in the Sands of Time |
| 25 |  | Motionless in White
Scoring the End of the World
Thanks for reminding me again why I did not listen to this band for most of my life. Their last record was actually great, but this is full of edgy and cringy werewolve-lyrics and seems to aim at a 15year-old (at most) fanbase again. Still, some songs on here are good and the track with Brian from Knocked Loose fucking slaps.
3
Favs: Slaughterhouse, Burned at Both Ends II, Cause of Death |
| 26 |  | Scene Queen
BIMBOCORE VOL. 2
Not sure what happened after the first EP. This one just seems forced, way too over the top and annoying most of the time. Hopefully the next one is not trying to be stupid but focuses more at societal issues again (in a way).
2.5 |
| 27 |  | Happy Accidents
Everything But The Here And Now
Actual record is: 'cgwarmth' and I did like parts of it but mostly meh. Their pop-punk/emo-stuff was great in the past, this is more indie now and I do not dig it.
2.5 |
| 28 |  | As It Is
I WENT TO HELL AND BACK
Some good songs, a looot of boring or outright annoying songs on here. Good job hopping the whole trap-influence train, flawless execution.
Favs: I Miss 2003, I'm Gone
2 |
| 29 |  | Architects
The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit
Just stop, don't hurt me like that. At least we got a blegh or something.
2
Favs: doomscrolling |
| 30 |  | Machine Gun Kelly
Mainstream Sellout
Romanticizing toxic relationships whilst assuming being the savior of pop-punk is just a combination that should at least be backed by some incredible musicianship. This is not the case here. At least maybe is a solid song.
Favs: maybe, ay!, 5150
2 |
| 31 |  | Knuckle Puck
Disposable Life
I don't know what happened here, this is easily the most generic, forgettable and uninspired piece of work on this list. Hope they can bounce back from that.
1.5 |
| 32 |  | Sueco the Child
MISCREANT
Album is: 'It Was Fun While It Lasted'. You thought Machine Gun Kelly was the bad version of Machine Gun Kelly? Well, no. This is almost plagiarism but with even more toxic bullshit lyrics.
1 |
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