Monday 31 December 2012

Aaron Pickford's Top 25 Records of 2012

Well 2012 has been an interesting year for me, trying to balance my own life commitments, i.e. having a young family and taking care of them, work commitments.  In addition, making plans for the future in terms of moving onto bigger and better things, houses etc etc.  So how then, when taking all that into consideration, do I manage to find the time to write for this here blog.  Answer, very difficult indeed. 

I often feel that there isn't a minute that goes by when I am not thinking about either of the things I have mentioned, however writing for the blog stems from my love and passion to share my thoughts about the music I love.  Therefore, I make time when I can.  Hell, I listen to music at every opportunity, that is if I am not with my wife and kid haha.  (They both hate the shrill screams and discordant doom of the the loud guitars btw).  What my son doesn't know, is that he will like this music, he just doesn't know it yet. 

Anyhow, I digress.  I became involved with the blog, in March I think, after I recommended a band called Horn of the Rhino to Steve.  HOTR are one of my favourite underground bands and I find it bloody annoying when you love a band and you don't think enough people have heard of them.  Therefore I emailed Steve and the rest as they say is history.  Steve reviewed their record and I became involved with the blog, reviewing (16) as my first introduction to the blog.

It has been a great year for music in the sludge/doom/stoner genre and certainly this blog has opened my eyes to bands I would never have heard of.  I am just grateful to be a part of it.  I have particularly enjoyed interviewing the bands I have done and too my surprise, just about every bands has been super cool.  So thank you to them. 

So enough B.S., I am supposed to be presenting a Top 25 list of records.  So without further ado, he is my list of some of the records I have enjoyed.  Thanks to you guys for reading.  Also thanks to all the bands, labels and pr guys that have been cool to us.  We do this for fun.  See you in 2013.  Cheers to you all and a happy new year.  Aaron.  Click on the highlighted links for more info on the bands. 

25) = Blckwvs - 0150


25) = Bastard of the Skies  - Tarnation


24) Love Sex Machine - S/T


23) Enabler - All Hail The Void


22) Pallbearer - Sorrow + Extinction


21) Ishmael - Hell Is Empty and All The Devils Are Here


20) Ravens Creed - The Power


19) Stoneburner - Sickness Will Pass


18) Generation of Vipers - Howl & Filth


17) Natur - Head of Death


16) At Devil Dirt - Chapter II 'Vulgo gratissimus auctor'


15) Slabdragger/Meadows 12" Split


14) Carbomb  - w^w^^w^w
Car Bomb - w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w

13) Serious Beak - Huxwhukw


12) Fistula - Northern Aggression


11) Serpentine Path - S/T

10) = Horn of the Rhino - Grengus


10) = Kowloon Walled City - Container Ships


9) The Disease Concept  - Liquor Bottles and Broken Steel


8) Torche - Harmonicraft


7) Hell Comes Home Vol. 1 7" Series Feat. Fistula/Coffinworm/KWC/Thou


6) Slomatics - A Hocht


5) = Wizard Rifle - Speak Loud Say Nothing


5) = Coilguns - Stadia Rods


4) Abrahma - Through The Dusty Paths Of Our Lives


3) Hangman's Chair - Hope/Dope//Rope


2) = Conan - Monnos


2) = Tigon - Infinite Teeth


1) Neurosis - Honor Found In Decay



There you go guys and gals.  Just some of the records I loved this year.  Not an exhaustive list by any means and you may think it is bollocks.  haha.  This is the list of the records I have listened too the most and this is how I judged the records.  Quite obvious really.  There are too many records to mention in all honesty, the list could have been over a hundred. 

My hope is that you will check out all of the bands we review or interview and that you might even dig some of the them.  So check out the highlighted links and give these bands a listen.  Some of them you have heard, others you may not.  It is all killer in my humble opinion.  Thanks again to you guys for reading and hope the bands get a kick out of being part of this list.  My opinion counts for shit really, but I'd like to think I have contributed or helped them in some minuscule way.  I'm diluted I know.  Finally thanks to all of you, who have turned me onto vinyl.  Can't believe I neglected this format for so long. 

Hails and Horns.  Look forward to reviewing and interviewing more killer bands/music in 2013.

Cheers

Aaron