This year has been filled to the brim with amazing songs, debuts and, of course, albums. This year saw the surging popularity in metal-core and death-core bands, see Lorna Shore and Spiritbox. And has opened many doors to bands that were scratching at the mainstream success they either were searching for or happened into due to a spike in TikTok engagements.
This year has made for an insanely difficult task of picking my own top five favorite’s of the year of our lord 2022. I know full well there are about 200 albums that didn’t make this list and deserve every right to be but this is a top five, maybe someday I’ll give you a top 100. But until then enjoy my top five albums of 2022!
Dayseeker: Dark Sun
This band caught my ear with the first single ‘Neon Grave’ and when the album came out I was left slack jawed with the beauty, power and emotional music that was delivered. Rory Rodriguez wrote a tweet just after the release saying the album was how he coped with the loss of his father, a pain I know all too well. Look for big things from these guys in the near future!
I Prevail: True Power
Not often can bands go from relative obscurity, to releasing the best album of the year, to releasing another album of the year, and do it without alienating their core fanbase that got them there. I Prevail looked Tramua right in the face and said, “Watch this shit!” Hoping ’23 brings them back through town on a headlining tour! Check out my chat with Eric here!
Ghost: Impera
If I’m being real with you, my dear friend, I didn’t have this in my top five until two weeks ago when I spun it on my record player and listened front to back again. And thank god I did because this is an absolute masterclass in catchy, secular, heavy, poppy music that I have so much fun listening to! Having them here in September was one of the highlights of ’22!
Motionless in White: Scoring The End Of The World
What more can be said that hasn’t already been screamed by the over 200,000 people that took part in the Trinity of Terror Tour. They made two stops in Wisconsin and I got to talk to Chris twice, which basically makes us pals so nbd but kbd. This album was the true break through album for MIW, acheiving their first number one song, Masterpiece. Highlights include Cyberhex and Slaughterhouse, so much heavy, so much gnarly. They’ll be in Europe next year with Beartooth, so we will wait for a little while for them to return.
Bad Omens: The Death Of Peace Of Mind
In February this album came out and Big Jake and I spoke with Noah about the album. I remember ending the call and telling Jake, “There’s going to be some heavy work done by some big bands to top that album.” And sure enough, though many tried, none reached the heights the enigmatic quartet Bad Omens soared. An album so meticulously pieced together that even the font used in the track listing plays a part in it’s listening experience.
The opening track CONCRETE JUNGLE lulls you into a false sense of chill then pummels your brains until any form of peace you may have conjured has been vanquished. Radio single Like a Villain and Just Pretend pushed forward a genre of music the active rock scene had scantly believed in. A perfect album front to back. When they played at Oshkosh Arena with A Day To Remember and I Prevail Big Jake and I were backstage drinking beers with ADTR. When they started Like a Villain Jeremy McKinnon leaned over to me and said, “These guys are so fucking good, they’re gonna be the next Breaking Benjamin.” I absolutely cannot wait to see what the future holds for this band.
