Top 10 for 2022

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

3rd Secret
3rd Secret

Grunge Rock | Album | 11 April 2022

The term 'supergroup' is often overused in music, but often when a bunch of big name musicians get together it is hard to describe them as anything less. Throwing Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Soundgarden / Pearl Jam's Matt Cameron, Nirvana's Kurt Novaselic together with a few other lesser knowns promised an interesting experiment, and the first album doesn't fail to intrigue. Most of the music is actually pretty mellow, and the twin harmonised female voices are not what is expected, but the songs are consistently catchy. The album opens acoustically with 'Rhythm Of The Ride', setting the scene for the sprinkling of acoustic tunes throughout, with 'Winter Solstice' being a stand out. Moments of Soundgarden shine through on the louder tracks, with Thayil's distinct guitar tone and playing style evident, especially on tracks like 'I Choose Me'. The pop sensibilities on many of the songs leave the listener with a feeling of 'do I know this song?', and overall this is really pleasant and easy listen. You won't hear any Nirvana or Soundgarden heaviness here, but there are flashes of the grunge noise that made all these guys famous.

Def Leppard
Diamond Star Halos

Hard Rock | Album | 27 May 2022

Midnight Oil
Resist

Rock | Album | 18 February 2022

Porcupine Tree
Closure/Continuation

Progressive Rock | Album | 24 June 2022

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators
4

Hard Rock | Album | 11 February 2022

Limp Bizkit
Still Sucks

Nu Metal | Album | 31 October 2021

Eddie Vedder
Earthling

Grunge Rock | Album | 11 February 2022

Considering he has fronted one of the biggest rock bands in the world for over 30 years Eddie Vedder's track record with solo recordings hasn't been particularly good. With his only real solo releases being a movie soundtrack (littered with musical interludes rather than songs) and an album of songs played exclusively on ukulele, a proper solo album of real songs was long overdue. When Earthling finally appeared, produced by in-demand pop producer Andrew Watt, fans were a little concerned what direction Vedder would take things in. Turns out they didn't need to be worried, as the album is chock full of the sort of songs he has written for Pearl Jam over the last couple of decades - with a few surprises also thrown in. The album opens with the uplifting 'Invincible', an ode to the power of humanity, and swells into a great sing-along fist pumper. 'Power Of Right' grinds out the speakers with a little bit of grit between its teeth, allowing fans to smile as Vedder returns to his more alternative rock roots. Things get even louder still later in the album with 'Good And Evil', sounding like a punk song of Vedder's youth. 'Long Way', the album's first single, sounds like a great lost Tom Petty song - but that seems like the point. It's a tribute rather than a rip off, although it is one of the lower spots on the album. Alternatively, yet another single 'Brother The Cloud' is one of the highlights, building from a quiet start and then punching out the speakers at just the right moment. Vedder's vocals shine here, and he knows how to carry a chorus to the masses with just enough bait to hook them in. There are quieter moments like the tender 'The Haves', but these do tend to outstay their welcome a little as they come across a little too soppy to sit nicely side by side with the other material. 'Try' is a chaotic zydeco shuffle, that features Stevie Wonder playing harmonica like a deranged mad man. Elton John sings in everyone's favourite drunk uncle voice on 'Picture' and even Ringo Starr drops by to tap the skins on 'Mrs. Mills' proving Vedder has now truly transcended to being in the upper halls of the rock elite. The album closes with the moody, but short, 'On My Way' and leaves the listener satisfied with what they have heard. By all means, it isn't a perfect album - for one thing the production is flat and lifeless, and some songs are just a tad too. commercial - but all in all it is still a great listen, and a great 'first' solo album.

TheBigBlack's Rock Honourable Mentions

The Beatles
Get Back (The Rooftop Performance)

Classic Rock | Album | 28 January 2022

The Beatles
Revolver [50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition]

Classic Rock | Album | 28 October 2022

Pink Floyd
Animals (2018 Remix)

Classic Rock | Album | 22 September 2022

Guns n' Roses
Use Your Illusions [Super Deluxe Edition]

Hard Rock | Album | 11 November 2022

1987's 'Appetite For Destruction' set the rock world on fire, and reminded as us that rock 'n' roll could still be dangerous, long after The Rolling Stones had been measured up for wheel chairs. It was a fierce, in your face musical assault - but if one (very small) complaint can be made, it would be the lack of variation. It must be one of the most famous rock albums in history - and yet doesn't contain the diversity of any ballads or acoustic moments. We now know that was by design, and a few months later they showed us another side with the 'GNR Lies' E.P., but it still in no way prepared us for the epic size of the 'Use Your Illusion' albums 3 years later. These albums didn't reinvent rock, but they certainly reinvented Guns n' Roses, allowing them the room to produce 2 albums worth (4 album in the old school vinyl days) of every variety of rock ever performed - and with a massive budget to allow them to stretch their wings in new and different ways. The hard hitting songs were still here, some of them written pre Appetite even, but alongside them were sprawly ballads bigger than anyone had ever attempted before. The 30th anniversary remaster is crisp and clear, but to honest - did the original need any tweaking? A new mix has been made of November Rain (introducing a real orchestra rather than synth), but that didn't mean anything to me - as it is the only song I never really cared for. There are two entire live concerts included, and they are a great listen. Axl is firing on all cylinders, and Duff and Slash play pretty loose (as they were probably quite drunk.). The shows still aren't the band in the absolute late 80s prime before the bloat of fame and insane mind of Axl had started to corrode them from within, but they still show the greatness of the band just before they came unstack and headed into autopilot. Is it a shame this was the last original material the classic line-up ever released, or was there no better way to drop the mic and walk away?

TheBigBlack's Rock Dishonourable Mentions

Smashing Pumpkins
ATUM, A Rock Opera In Three Parts (Act I)

Alternative Rock | Album | 15 November 2022

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Hath
All That Was Promised

Death Metal (Progressive) | Album | 4 March 2022

Kirk Hammett
Portals

Thrash Metal | E.P. | 23 April 2022

An Abstract Illusion
Woe

Death Metal (Progressive) | Album | 9 September 2022

With 30+ years of history behind it death metal rarely offers anything new these days, but somehow An Abstract Illusion has given it a facelift. The album is full of brutal unrelenting machine-like drumming and guitar artistry alongside beautiful passages of orchestration, piano, and voice. 'The Behemoth That Lies Asleep' opens the album sleepily, before exploding into a cacophony of violent sound with 'Slaves'. The progressive elements are the key to holding the listeners attention, and tracks like 'Prosperity' move seamlessly through various tempos. There are some quieter moments, and the haunting 'Blomsterkrans' would be out of place on any other death metal album, but on this one - it works. The last two tracks close the album in epic style with 'In The Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster' clocking in at almost 15 minutes in length, and 'This Torment Has No End, Only New Beginnings' at almost 10. The musicianship on offer is unmatched. For some this may be stretching the definition of death metal too far in some places, but the genre needs bands like this to push the style in new directions - it just won't be for everyone.

Kreator
Hate Uber Alles

Thrash Metal | Album | 10 June 2022

Absent In Body
Plague God

Post-Metal | Album | 25 March 2022

Darkthrone
Astral Fortress

Black Metal | Album | 28 October 2022

Abbath
Dread Reaver

Black Metal | Album | 25 March 2022

Blackbraid
Blackbraid I

Black Metal | Album | 26 August 2022

There isn't a broad range of things you can do within the context of traditional black metal, yet some musicians are still able to do something quite amazing with a style that has seemingly close guardrails. Blackbraid (actually just one man named Sgah'gahsowah) is a native American influenced black metal project that has taken the template to places fresh and new. Not only does it feature lush acoustic passages played with traditional native American instruments spread throughout the otherwise raw black metal chaos, but the lyrical themes follow historical events relative to the history of the native American people. Many modern black metal albums whisk by, not really enveloping the listener from start to finish, but instead grabbing attention with circular riffs amongst the over-produced wall of sound. This album on the other hand is one of the rare breed that captivates from start to finish.

Ozzy Osbourne
Patient Number 9

Heavy Metal | Album | 9 September 2022

Megadeth
The Sick, The Dying. And The Dead!

Thrash Metal | Album | 2 September 2022

Continuing on their winning streak from Dystopia (2016), Megadeth proved once again they still have what it takes on The Sick, The Dying. And The Dead. Loaded with plenty of old-school style thrashing (keeping the Droogies happy), the album bristles with energy, aided by the perfect production. The album starts slow on the title track, but quickly finds its feet with the lightning fast 'Life In Hell'. Frontman Dave Mustaine's voice is in fine form (although the snarl of old seems to be all but a memory these days), and the solos from him and guitar lead Kiko Loureiro are amazing with standouts like 'Dogs Of Chernobyl' exploding with trade-off shredding. It isn't all smiles, as there are more than a couple of cringy-worthy lyrics ('Mission To Mars' is a great example), but for the most part the album is packed with excellent songs, with tracks like 'Soldier On!' and 'Night Stalkers' smashing out vintage-sounding Megadeth riffs. Album closer 'We'll Be Back' is one of the best Megadeth songs of the last 20 years, and Dave's way of making it clear that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon.