Here We Go Again With The Best Music Albums of 2022
2022 has come and gone, a “post pandemic” year that seemed to be fairly active. Being on a lockdown was bad for live music but seemingly kept artists in the studio to get their creativity out. I feel there were an abundance of above average albums making it hard to narrow it down towards the end. But here are the albums that I thought were the best of 2022.
Honorable Mentions
Fallujah – Empyrean
I would also like to give this the “George Costanza” Award. In 2016 this band released Dreamless which I held in pretty high regard. Then the vocalist left the band and the follow up album, Undying Light, was a huge disappointment. They had completely changed their style. But 2022 they brought out Empyrean, brought in another vocalist and the album sounded a lot like Dreamless, almost acting as if the previous album had never happened. They even went a step further and brought back Peter Mohrbacher to do the cover art. A funny situation but I’m glad Fallujah are back on the right track.
Asunojokei – Island
When it comes to black metal these days it’s really hard to define what that actually is. This band is pretty much like that. It’s got the raspy vocals but feels like really upbeat rock music, like Bump of Chicken but with some epic riffs. Overall worth mentioning here because it’s such an interesting album.
TOP TEN
10.
Rammstein – Zeit
Rammstein went ten years before they had released their previous album. What a surprise it was when only three years later they dropped another one. COVID lock-downs seem to be the reasoning behind it but at least something good came out of it. As good as their 2019 album was I think somehow Zeit is better. It’s what you expect from them, some serious songs, a lot of silly songs (songs about big boobs!) and basically something fun to listen to.
09.
Amaia – Cuando no sé quién soy
Amaia is a singer / songwriter from Spain. She has a unique take on pop music. Personal songs and catchy songs that create a dichotomy between the music and the lyrics. It has a nice contemporary sound and beautiful singing so it’s easy to get into.
Amaia – Cuando no sé quién soy
08.
Meshuggah – Immutable
This was an interesting album for me because it kind of got me back into Meshuggah. I had kind of fallen off listening to them after obZen but this album made me revisit all the stuff I had missed including this album of course. It has an almost hypnotic quality, making it addictive to listen to somehow. Like if you enjoy the sound of engines revving and idling or something similar then this album will appeal to you.
07.
White Ward – False Light
I first got into White Ward with their previous album, Love Exchange Failure, but it wasn’t clicking with me at the time. But whatever it was that prevented me from enjoying their music back then changed with False Light. They mix black metal with jazz, but not something like the band Shining does. In any case a great moody album of high quality. Made all the more remarkable because they are from Ukraine. I couldn’t imagine recording something this good while a war rages on outside the studio.
06.
Saor – Origins
I generally hold Saor’s albums in high regard. It’s a more folk oriented black metal style. I can’t really say what made me like this as much or more than their other albums. Perhaps more diversity in the sound. I just think it’s a pretty solid album overall.
05.
Tove Lo – Dirt Femme
Tove Lo is a singer from Sweden and this is kind of a liberated pop album. I thought that Beyonce had one of the more looser albums this year but I feel like this one keeps the constancy but with more variety. One of the best songs about eating pineapple slices you’ll hear this year!
04.
Violet Cold – Səni Uzaq Kainatlarda Axtarıram
Minor controversies aside this album is very strange and experimental. Violet Cold is an experimental black metal band from Azerbaijan. There’s a heavy use of dreamy electronic sounds woven into a black metal sound that sounds indescribable really. It’s an encompassing bath of sound.
Violet Cold – Səni Uzaq Kainatlarda Axtarıram
03.
Devin Townsend – Lightwork
Devin kept us fed during the pandemic, trying to keep himself sane and entertaining us at the same time. Two years later and he created an album for us all to feel good about. It’s self described by himself a reflection of what we all went through, and the album represents a light in the dark. It’s not a comprehensive concept album but more of a feel good collection of songs that will have you overflowing with positivity. Devin rarely misses and, though simplistic, this album hits.
02.
Karg – Resignation
As you may know or may not know, Karg is one half of Harakiri for the Sky, J. J.. It would feel inaccurate to call it his side project because he was involved with Karg before HftS. In any case his output is generally top notch and Resignation is no exception. It’s a bit on the short side, which is kind of silly to say clocking in at 54 minutes but with only 6 tracks (2 bonus tracks on the CD version) there is a high ratio of quality songs.
01.
Sigh – Shiki
I first got into Sigh back into 2001. Imaginary Sonicscape was unlike anything else. They have continued to make music since, solid stuff but nothing that hit with an impact of their newest album, Shiki. The vocalist, Mirai, has a downright sinister voice in this that sounds unlike anything he’s done before. It’s also got an aggression to it that feels amped up more than their previous albums. Perhaps because it’s got the drummer from Fear Factory (Mike Heller) and bassist from Kreator (Frédéric Leclercq) as guest musicians for the majority of the tracks. In any case it’s nice to know that after 32 ongoing years that Sigh still can make one of their best albums ever. Sigh, now 100% more evil sounding!
So that’s the list. Perhaps not the most varied list of genres yet a wide variety of musical styles within them. There were so many albums I would have liked to include but just couldn’t squeeze them into the top ten. Where it stands now I declare this the best music albums of 2022
Of course if you would like to see the list from last year check out the best music albums of 2021
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