38. Devil - Chiodos
37. Disgusting - Beartooth
36. New Bodies - Akissforjersey
35. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Original Soundtrack) - Alexandre Desplat
34. Our God Is Unstoppable - Summit Worship
33. Neon Steeple - Crowder
32. Get Hurt - The Gaslight Anthem
31. Extremist - Demon Hunter
30. ††† - Crosses
29. Young and Courageous - Tides of Man
28. Lowborn - Anberlin
27. Rooms of the House - La Dispute
26. Rest And Let Go - The Overseer
25. Smoke EP - House of Heroes
24. Rise - Trip Lee
21. The Cabin EP - Golden Youth
20. Bloom & Breathe - Gates
19. I'm Almost Happy Here, But I Never Feel At Home - Hotel Books
18. Amour & Attrition - Casey Crescenzo
17. My Favourite Faded Fantasy - Damien Rice
16. Keep You - Pianos Become the Teeth
15. the night god slept - Silent Planet
14. Crimson Cord - Propaganda
13. Cope/Hope - Manchester Orchestra
12. Ghost Stories - Coldplay
11. A Dotted Line - Nickel Creek
10. Fantasize - Kye Kye
Much like Chvrches album last year, this album really surprised me. Unlike Chvrches, I had heard of Kye Kye before as they had worked with Come & Live! on their previous album and I really liked their song "Broke". This album, in my opinion blows away Young Love. It's a very moody album, but the melodies are beautiful. It makes tons of sense that Chad Howat of Paper Route produced this album, as elements of "Fantasize" are very reminiscent of Paper Route's "The Peace of Wild Things." My only complaint with this album is that it's often hard to understand Olga's lyrics of you're not reading along with the song.
Highlights: I Already See It, Honest Affection, People, Scared or Selfish, Dreams (2 AM)
9. Decensus - Circa Survive
I was somewhat disappointed with Circa Survive's previous album, "Violent Waves", with the exception of a handful of songs, it just lacked a lot of what "Blue Sky Noise" had. My excitement for this album was pretty high between seeing them live in August (even though they didn't play any new songs) and their claims that this would be their heaviest album. Then they released the first single, and really began to hope that this album would be a return to form. They definitely made good on their promise of this being their most aggressive album, even though two of the songs are very slow and subdued, they're a lot better than the slower songs on "Violent Waves". Circa Survive also has continued trying new things in terms of composition (almost math rock bridge section on "Child of the Desert", and guitar tones, 80s-esque lead on "Decensus"). I'm really bummed I missed out on seeing them with Pianos Become the Teeth.
Highlights: Schema, Child of the Desert, Only the Sun, Phantom, Decensus
8. Anomaly - Lecrae
Leading up to the release of this album, and before he had put out the single "Nuthin", I wasn't really looking forward to Lecrae's new album. I never got "Church Clothes 2" because I just didn't like anything I heard from it. It wasn't even close to "Church Clothes 1" and it just felt like a pretty weak effort after "Gravity". Once I heard "Nuthin" I felt that this was going to be a different album from Lecrae. I think this is his best album yet.
Highlights: Nuthin, Fear, Timepiece, Dirty Water, All I Need Is You
7. In Humor and Sadness - '68
It's been just over a year since The Chariot called it a day and finished their farewell tour. I was sad to see my favorite hardcore/mathcore (whatever core you want to call them) end, but it wasn't long after that vocalist Josh Scogin announced a new band in the works. It's easy to just say '68 sounds like The Chariot because of Josh's vocals, but his delivery (which features some actual signing in contrast to his signature screaming) is different here along with the fact that he is also playing guitar. Joined by former Becoming the Archetype drummer, Michael McClellan, the duo hit the road hard this year before even releasing this album. They remind me some of the garage rock sound of The Black Keys and The White Stripes, though obviously more aggressive, and even some Nirvana thrown in for good measure.
Highlights: Track - R, Track 2 - e, Track 4 - r, Track 5 - e, Track 9 -
6. Time In Place - Artifex Pereo
Let's be honest, it's been a while since Tooth & Nail signed a new band that a lot of people were excited about. So when I first heard "Hands of Penance" before the release of this album and it reminded me a lot of I the Mighty, I was cautiously excited. Once the full album was unleashed upon the world, it was clear that Artifex Pereo was not just a "good first single" band only. Nor was that first song representative of the diversity found within "Time In Place." This is a band who seeks to push boundaries and try different things, whether it's going from a driving rhythm to a section with a wailing organ in the background ("Laugh & The World Laughs With You") to a song with no repeated chorus ("Apeiron"). Artifex Pereo's sound harkens back to the glory days of the early to mid-2000s of Tooth & Nail, and with that brings anticipation of what is coming next.
Highlights: No Stranger To Worry, To Listen & Say Nothing, Hands of Penance, Laugh & The World Laughs With You, Liable For Tragedy, Apeiron, Cut Sign
5. Lazaretto - Jack White
Jack White is quite an interesting man. Apparently, much of the lyrical content of this album was written when he was 18. Aside from that, however, the man has a lot of ideas for music and how it's presented that are quite ingenious. Not many artists or bands out there change genres from song to song on a given album. It can be jarring and just feel wrong. However, Jack seems to change it up with ease throughout the course of the track listing of "Lazaretto" going from blues to rock to bluegrass, without skipping a beat. This is easily my favorite vinyl of the year as it has some pretty crazy features: the A side playing from the center of the record to the outside, it also has a 3D image of an angel etched into the inside of the record where there are no grooves, the end of the A side has locking grooves so that once that side is done it loops the last few seconds of the final track, the B side has two different grooves for two different intros (acoustic and electric) to the song "Just One Drink," the whole B side has a matte finish, giving it a more classic look, and it also has locking grooves to loop the last few seconds of the final track. Lastly, there are two hidden tracks (one on each side) underneath the center label, which both play at different speeds. I haven't been able to play these songs, unfortunately, as the arm on my turntable cannot go that close to the center.
Highlights: Lazaretto, Temporary Ground, Would You Fight For My Love?, High Ball Stepper, Just One Drink, That Black Bat Licorice
4. VxV - Wolves at the Gate
To say that this was one of my most anticipated albums of the year would be quite an understatement. Wolves at the Gate has become easily one of my favorite metalcore/post-hardcore bands in recent years, both for their hard hitting, yet melodic tunes and for their theological and Christ-centered lyrics. On "VxV", Wolves has taken all of those elements and cranked them up. The album even starts out with an intro track containing a portion of a John Piper sermon before your eardrums are punched in the face by the song "Wake Up." This album is dominated by lyrics that offer the hope of the gospel.
Highlights: Wake Up, Dust to Dust, Return, Relief, The Bird and the Snake, East to West, Majesty in Misery, The Father's Bargain
3. The Albatross - Foxing
It seems like almost every year I'll discover a band that just instantly "clicks" with me. I was honestly blown away the first time I heard the song "Rory." Obvious comparisons to mewithoutYou came to mind, but after hearing the whole album it became apparent that Foxing was not just a copycat and had much more to offer as a new addition to this recent "emo revival." Foxing exudes so much emotion, not just due to Connor Murphy's often painful sounding yelps. The guitars on this album are absolutely brilliant and beautiful, blending in a solid dose of post-rock from song to song, to also including some post-hardcore and math rock. I'm so beyond bummed that I missed their set with Brand New.
Highlights: Inuit, The Medic, Rory, Bit By a Dead Bee (pts. I and II), Quietus
2. Absent Sounds - From Indian Lakes
From Indian Lakes was my Foxing of 2013, so I was thrilled that they were releasing a new album this year. Initial listens brought to light a change of pace for the band, overall. Gone, for the most part, were some of the overdriven guitars and more Circa Survive sounding rock songs from "Able Bodies." But what is found on "Absent Sounds," I feel, is a more mature and complete form of this young band. Joey Vannucchi's vocals are in top form throughout the album and are perhaps a little more reminiscent of Wes Blaylock of Deas Vail than on the previous FIL album. Though it's not as "rocking" as its predecessor, "Able Bodies" does a great job of creating tension in other ways than just typical power chords through chunky sounding guitars.
Highlights: Label This Love, Breathe Desperately, Ghost, Awful Things, Runner
1. Ixora - Copeland
"Copeland is back!" By the way it's April Fool's Day. Admittedly not the best way to announce their return to being an active band, Copeland has indeed returned after six years from their last album, "You Are My Sunshine." I know there has been some mixed feelings among fans, but I love this album and I think it was well worth the 6 years we had to wait for it, especially when you consider that no one had any clue we'd ever get another Copeland album. I mean, come on, how many of us went to their farewell tour? It's great to see that they picked up right where they left off, even though I know a lot of people want to hear more guitar-driven Copeland, that band doesn't exist anymore, and I think we are all better off for it.
Highlights: Disjointed, I Can Make You Feel Young Again, Erase, Ordinary, Like a Lie, Chiromancer, In Her Arms You Will Never Starve
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