Yesterday we re-posted a lot of year-end lists from “big platform” music sites and print zines, or at least the portions of them that included metal albums (where such portions existed). I’ve come across another one since then, and it’s a list from Exclaim!
For those who may not know, Exclaim! Media Inc., which was established in 1991, describes itself (here) as “Canada’s foremost source of news and information on the best in emerging new music”. In its print format, Exclaim! has “a monthly circulation of over 100,000 copies distributed through more than 3,000 outlets across Canada”. Exclaim.ca is the company’s digital platform, which focuses on streaming music, news, reviews, interviews and original video content across a range of music genres.
Yesterday, Exclaim! published its staff list of The Top 10 Metal and Hardcore Albums of 2016.
Here’s the list — and to read the explanations, go to this location:
http://exclaim.ca/music/article/exclaim_s_top_10_metal_and_hardcore_albums-best_of_2016
10. Deathspell Omega – The Synarchy of Molten Bones
9. Asphyx – Incoming Death
8. Ulcerate – Shrines of Paralysis
7. Deftones – Gore
6. Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us
5. Oranssi Pazuzu – Värähtelijä
4. Gojira – Magma
3. Exalt – The Shape You Took Before the Ache
2. The Body – No One Deserves Happiness
1. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dissociation
From my standpoint, this is one of the better lists we’ve seen from the big, cross-genre web platforms. I’m sure most people seeing the list here wouldn’t put the same 10 albums on their own list, or necessarily arrange them in this order — that’s kind of a given for year-end lists, regardless of who makes them. But I think it’s a respectable list of very good albums, even if your own list might look different from this one.
There are a few more “big platform” lists I’m waiting for before we close out this part of our LISTMANIA series, and they’ll probably surface next week, or maybe even sooner. In the meantime we’re going to start rolling our own year-end lists, from our staff and invited guests — beginning today.
14 Responses to “LISTMANIA 2016: EXCLAIM!’S LIST OF THE YEAR’S BEST METAL AND HARDCORE ALBUMS”
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“Gorguts”? That’s laughable! Metallica put out the best METAL album this year – don’t deny it. Stop trying to be different – you’re only appealing to hipsters. Have fun with that. I thought i’d found a credible metal music site to frequent. Apparently not – laters!
😉
Oh gawd….
I’m really surprised I haven’t more Gorguts in these lists.
First list I enjoyed because every time I see a list with Metallica on 1st rank or any other rank gets my blood boil, as if they hadn’t had enough promotion from all those so called metal sites. Didn’t know Exalt before, so I checked them out, they are okay for a hardcore / metalcore band, but nothing special.
No Gruesome?
Theres actually one here thats probably going to make my list…
…and theres at least two here that shouldnt make anyones list
Asphyx…
…Deftones and Gojira?
It was actually Nails and Gojira, but damn dude, thats uncanny
Deftones above Deathspell Omega ? LOL
Just them being on a list together is surreal,
Damn straight. One of the heights of weirdness I’ve seen so far, but I bet if I paid closer attention there would be at least a few other bizarro couples on some of these lists we’ve been posting.
It’s starting to seem to me that a lot of these ‘big platform’ lists all have mostly the same albums on them, just in a different order. I’ve seen Nails, Oranssi Pazuzu, Gojira and Dillinger Escape Plan on almost all of them.
Thats pretty much par for the course every year. After a couple of lists come out you can start to predict how the rest of them will look
Yeah, as SB says, the big platform sites tend to have to cater to their readership (is “demographic” a dirty word?) a lot more, so their lists tend to reflect the albums that have had the most exposure, and therefore the most relevance, to their readers.
I’m not judging them for that though. In fact I find it oddly hilarious when commenters fly off the handle about the fact that major publications tend to focus on major bands. People are far too quick to go into attack-mode, instead of engaging their critical faculties for two seconds.