Best/Worst Music of 2013

Listening to the whole album, my enthusiasm has tempered a bit because some of their songs sound quite the same. Especially the tempos, but also the vocal lines.

Also I hear a lot from Bathory. Basically, this is Bathory without Quorthon. ;-)
Quorthon was a bad singer but he really created some of these atmospherical elements (especially these hoooahh hoooahhh backing vocals) and I feel this band copies too literally without making them their own. I hope this band will get more of their own sound on the next album.
But who am I, the reviews are indeed raving.

edit:
I looked it up and the band talks indeed of Bathory's influence. And it's done intentionally, so it's good to have their own explanation with it:

http://www.metal-sound.net/interviews.php?read=atlanteankodex
"Atlantean Kodex was formed in 2005 by Kreuzer and myself. The goal was to create epic metal in the vein of older Manowar and Viking-era Bathory. We felt that music like that was missing in the metal scene, after Quorthon had died and Manowar went plastic. So we tried ourselves to fill that void. ..."
...
"Our biggest influence are the first four albums by Manowar and „Twilight of the Gods“ and „Hammerheart“ by Bathory. Besides that you can hear a lot of NWOBHM-influences, especially in the harmonic lead guitars, obscure US Metal, like Warlord and Manilla Road, and tons of folk music."
 
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The following leads to my "album of the year". Prog from the UK, with the impressive Beck Sian on vocals. Beck has a large vocal range. The band already exists since 1988 but she joined for this album. The following songs are from their latest album Spirit.

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Opening track "Leap of Faith", shows that this band can make complex songs with captivating riffs and melodies. The strength and diversity of the singer also comes forward. What an expression:

"Crossing of the Ways", melancholic ballad, in which Beck sings more in the higher registers, includes nice guitar solo:

The album reached as high as the number 2 spot in the Amazon UK Hard Rock & Metal download chart.

From their site: LEGEND’s diversity of sound and influences has encouraged comparisons to many artists... Jethro Tull, Curved Air, Rush, Clannad, Jefferson Airplane, Nightwish, Loreena McKennitt, Marillion, and Steeleye Span, not to mention, myriad others. In the words of Prog Archives;

LEGEND transcends such genre categorisations such as Neo Prog, Prog-Folk, Heavy Metal etc. They have a unique sound of their own.

Excellent Reviews:
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=41185
 
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I've been sampling a bunch of albums found on various "best of 2013" lists, and my favorite so far (that I hadn't heard before) is called "Night Time My Time" by Sky Ferreira. It's not metal--pop with a punk/alt edge, with some great melodies and hooks. I'm digging it. Somewhat provocative album cover too.

Since Foro turned me on to The Gathering, I'll definitely check out LEGEND.
 
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The Leap of Faith had some pretty cool stuff, interested in hearing the entire album.
 
I think it t is about an hour long but features only 5 songs. Wish I could share the 5th here but I am afraid it isn't out in the open (yet).
 
Cool. The 2nd and 3rd tracks are more difficult I think. The 3rd is huge (very lengthy) and the 2nd doesn't have the greatest melodies. But maybe you like them as well.
 
Sounds like an interesting band - at least, they have good taste in influences. Not really in a prog phase right now but I'll give them a listen.
 
Another contender. This time from The Hague (Holland):

Monomyth
monomyth-album.jpg


monomyth-live.jpg


Monomyth, unleashed from The Netherlands, is the journey . . . the five who explore and expand the boundaries of their own musical universe. Firmly rooted in Space, Trance and Krautrock, the band leans heavily on a solid foundation of drums and bass guitar, while adding guitar, keyboards and textures layer upon layer. Monomyth will drag you inside their cosmic playground. Enter an arena where there is no more time or space, simply the vacuum in which communication is operated on a higher level. You can enter in two ways . . . simply by closing your eyes and letting the instrumental music transport you, or with eyes wide open as you descend into the mind staggering light show.

Check these songs:
 
Momomyth sounds nice. Could dig them a lot I think when I'm in my space rock/instrumental corner.

Here is another really good band from The Netherlands as well, that was out with a phenomenal album this year. Think a modern day Syd Barrett, psychedelic proggish.. baroque pop music! Very good! Don't know if it's the best I've heard this year but I certainly enjoyed it and still listen to it. It just gets better and better.

Full album if you go to you tube, worth giving at least a fair amount of tracks a chance before discarding:


 
Also, the new MGMT album was, excuse language, fucking fantastic! And they made one of the better music videos I've seen this year too:

Here, Alien Days:

 
Also, a band that needs a mention! Great, fun listen from start to finish, powerpop psychedelica, just great tunes through and through...The GO with the album Fiesta


Midlake also put out a great album this year:


And the new David Bowie album was also fantastic!!
 
There's probably more from this year if I go back and check everything I've listened too but these are the albums Ive listened to the most last few months. Been a pretty good year I think.
 
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