Hello degenerates,
heathens, weirdos, and deviants. I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to
show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV,
anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and let it all
out.
As some of you may
have noticed, I tend to have that opening slogan in my blogs when I do
something big or based on a series, but I seem to only discuss the first two
(and three after that when the opportunity arises) in my blog overall. As for the others, they end up serving as
times to make references or jokes in my main series. And this is the main reason why I am now
going to try to fit in more anime reviews, news, and countdowns into my blog.
You know what, I’ll
use the extra week I’ve added to my time to make my LET THEM EAT METAL series
bi-weekly to create a series of countdowns.
And they don’t have to be just about anime. I can use this to mention movies, TV shows,
episodes of shows, news, games, and even other musical artists I want to talk
about but aren’t able to usually thanks to my current load. But I’ve set my mind to anime, so we’re
starting there.
Specifically the
series that are premiering this season and may (or may not) have a simple 12-13
episode run, with some going for 24-26 episodes or longer.
If you’re wondering
what I’m talking about, TV seasons in Japan work differently then they do here
in America. In America, a season could
be considered a block of episodes that occur during the year or a part of it,
specifically during the time between September and May, with certain shows
having their run between those months.
In Japan, seasons work more like the actual seasons of the year; certain
shows are run on a weekly basis during a 3-month timeframe, like the Winter season,
which runs from January to March, in this case, and then end. If the show is popular enough or has enough
material, which is where anime comes into the equation, the run will extend
into the next season, which is the Spring season, which runs from April to
June. Same with the Summer season (July
to September) and the Fall season (October to December). As a result, you get a steady stream of
entertainment that comes out throughout the season, but tends to start at the
very beginning of it, and ultimately one or two become massive hits. There are surefire hits that have been
planned to run during multiple seasons, but usually it for one season, and that’s
all the time a show can tell its story or show the lives of its characters.
And that’s where I
come in to decide which series I myself would stream weekly or seriously need
to catch up on, as in right now. With
how online streaming has revolutionized how anime is viewed, it’s possible to
go on a site like Crunchyroll (my main source), Funimation, Daisuki, Hulu, Anime
Network, Amazon, or even Netflix and watch the show as it runs on Japanese
television (not sure about the last one), usually premiering new episodes a
certain time after it came out in Japan (which can lead to wonky subtitles at
the beginning). As a result, American
(and most western) viewers can get to be able to watch a majority of what airs
in Japan every season. This may lead to
oversaturation, but at the same time, it allows for content that might have not
been able to air on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block to have a chance to be
viewed. And with the deal between
Crunchyroll and Funimation, both services can provide the same shows to their
install bases while the former handles most of the subtitle work and the latter
dubs the show as it airs in Japan (or simuldub, as they call it). You noticed that despite me saying how
Funimation is a streaming service, I can verify that they are the same
Funimation that releases anime, a lot of it with good and serviceable dubs, on
disk as well and gets to air it on Toonami.
As a result, I have many options.
The rules for the
first list are as follows:
1. The shows must have premiered this
season.
2. Both Crunchyroll and Funimation are
streaming it (I’ll add Hulu and Amazon in the future).
3. If they are a sequel to an ongoing
series, how far I’m at in the ongoing series might have a factor, and the new
run had to premier this season.
4. I’m going by premise, as there’s a
guarantee that I haven’t started watching it.
It’s in my queue, and it might be bumped up based on this list.
5. I will not discuss huge spoilers that
are not in the show premise.
6. This is based around speculation and
fresh eyes, and I’ve only done basic research from news and previews, not the
actual Wikipedia pages.
As for the second list,
it’s an anything-goes kind of deal with series that I feel that I’ve been
skipping on for reasons that are either reasonable (like time and interest) and
bull (such as if it’s something that’s talked about, and I somehow have access
to it but don’t notice, because I am an imbecile sometimes). Plus, this can be done for shows that are
older but have intriguing premises anyway.
So here’s list Number
1, the Top 5 Winter 2017 Anime I’m interested in checking out:
5. Saga of Tanya the Evil (Crunchyroll and
Funimation have this):
Yes, the
basic premise has been spoiled to me, specifically which the 10-year-old girl
who headlines the series is actually a Japanese middle-aged man. Specifically an office worker. One who suddenly dies, then God decides to
resurrect him as a girl in a war-torn country.
And as a likely result of the experience from her past life, Tanya
becomes Second Lieutenant and uses her abilities to cause mass destruction. And she’s an evil little bitch to boot. Yep, this is definitely something I’d check
out due to the premise and some of the reviews telling me that the war in this
series is based on World War I. So my
interest in history and combination of fantasy and warfare (which got me
through GATE) may definitely lead me into giving this series a shot.
4. Gabriel DropOut (Crunchyroll has this):
The story
sounds hilarious. Essentially, it’s
about an angel who’s the embodiment of holy goodness, to the point where she’s
the top of her class, getting sucked into geeky hobbies and becoming a mess
when she’s sent to our realm. Also, the
demons sent here are actually decent folks.
This flip on the stereotypes of Christian figures of good and evil when
applied to the real world is not just an entertaining pitch, but one that may
reflect on both our best and worst qualities as a species. Plus, the titular angel causing the
apocalypse may be icing to a pretty tasty cake.
3. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (Crunchyroll has
this):
So what
you’re telling me is that this is a series about a dragon that is in love with
a princess (who really isn’t one) and is willing to be her maid. That is a very absurd premise, but I’ll give
this a shot due to the fact that we’re dealing with a dragon maid. That’s already absurd as it is. You know what, I’ll see this series to check
for if it has anything in common humorwise with Monty Python or Mel Brooks (or
maybe Edgar Wright or the Zuckers).
2. Interviews with Monster Girls (Crunchyroll and
Funimation have this):
Before
you ask, I have seen the Monster Musume
anime. Every. Single.
Episode. Of that series. As a
result, you can fancy me as a monster girl fan (even funnier if I revealed that
I’ve seen Rosario+Vampire, and it got
me more interested in watching more anime).
Now that I embarrassed myself in front of sane people, this series has
an interesting premise. Essentially,
it’s about a teacher who’s interested in demi-humans more for how they function
in modern society as well as their biology (Not that kind of biology, you
perverts!). As a result, after hearing
of a succubus becoming a teacher, he gets the opportunity to not just teach but
interview a vampire, a dullahan (think Sleepy Hallow), and a snow woman (like
Mizore from the aforementioned Rosario+Vampire). What catches my eyes about this series is not
the monster girls but the tone. It’s
meant to be more of a slice-of-life series with a monster twist, and it’s more
about learning how demi-humans function in society. As someone who’s familiar with dealing with
the fact that he’s different from most people, I have definitely some strong
interest for this one.
HM1: Fuuka (Crunchyroll and Funimation have this):
So the
premise is about a shy teenager who lives with his sisters, having to move in
with them due to his parents working overseas, and he meets a random girl that
may change his life. Is that a generic
premise? Yes, yes it is. But if there’s one thing that may get me to
watch this, it’s the fact that the protagonist is a Twitter addict, and having
some experience getting sucked in with using it (and dealing with what others
say on it), I kind of relate to the initial premise already. Plus, it has a nice art style that has some
elements of Angel Beats!, Clannad, and other similar slice-of-life shows, so it
has that going for it. As a result, like
how Doug Walker tends to find such stories interesting, the basic life of a
person and getting into their head, I might definitely check this show out.
HM2: BanG Dream! (Crunchyroll has this):
So this
is also part of a mixed-media series, but unlike the other one, this is more
interesting to me in concept. The idea
that a young girl finds that her path may lead down the wild and fancy road of
rock ‘n’ roll, she decides to form a band.
Where I’m optimistic is that the band members are voiced by the actual
band Poppin’ Party, a band of voice actresses that apparently can play their
instruments, so the voice work and music should be good at least. Where I’m cautious is that this might be more
of a commercial to their music than an actual story being told. So call me cautiously optimistic with this.
HM3: Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
(Crunchyroll has this):
I missed
out on Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju due to time constraints, but this being a sequel
might convince me to check the overall series out. Hopefully, its premise dealing with a
Japanese drama style and the people who perform it strikes my fancy. Overall, this is to say that I have interest
in the series.
HM4: Yowamushi Pedal New Generation (Crunchyroll has
this):
So we get
to the other cycling series this season, and it’s the more notable one. While I have interest in checking this one
out, I have not seen enough of this franchise to go in with the experience, but
this might be a way to get into the franchise as a whole. I mean, there are times when I watched one
episode or a sliver of a series and went back to the very beginning. That has happened enough times that I
completely lost count. However, with the
acclaim this series gets, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch to watch this
series first.
HM5: KONOSUBA season 2 (Crunchyroll has this):
I have
not seen the previous series, but from what I’ve heard, I missed out. This might be on my overall radar once I
catch up on the previous series.
1. Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga (Crunchyroll has
this):
Thankfully
I’ve seen the first run of Blue Exorcist,
so I’m familiar with the characters and the premise. It also helps that I’ve seen the first
episode, so I know what we’re going for this time. Specifically that there will be some demon
hunting in Kyoto, and that Rin will have to master his powers and prevent the
will of Satan (who’s his and his brother Yukio’s father, for those who haven’t
heard of this series). As a result, this
is definitely going to be a pulse-pounding shonen action series, with the fun
characters to boot. Thankfully, if
you’re wondering if this show is for you, or if you’ll be able to get this, the
first season is on Crunchyroll with this new season, plus the earlier season
has the English dub to boot, so no reading is required, and you get to hear
Bryce Papenbrook and Johnny Yong Bosch bicker at each other.
And here the other
list, the 5 anime series I need to catch up on:
5. Dragon Ball Super:
The fact that I am a
Dragon Ball fan (with nostalgia for DBZ, knowledge of the characters, and
affection for DBZA), and the fact that I haven’t even started watching this is
a massive screw up in my eyes. Hopefully
soon I’ll remedy that. But while I have
heard that there are good arcs, what probably caused me to skip it was the
criticism of earlier episodes. But now
that the growing pains are over, I’ll give this a shot.
4. Fist Of The North Star:
I have gotten five
episodes in. I like those five episodes. I am fond of the setting. One of my favorite movies of the last few
years was Mad Max: Fury Road. I need to
keep watching this 80s classic.
3. One Piece:
Of the series here,
this is the one I’m the farthest in, but I feel that I could go farther in (and
with at least 700 episodes, it will take a while). The amount of material I need to see is enough
that it’s daunting, and why this is at number three.
2. Gintama:
This comedy series is
one that I just got into, but I haven’t gotten far enough in to enjoy the story
behind the series’ best jokes. Hopefully
I can remedy that, and with a new season, I hope to.
HM1: Re:Zero:
Interesting concept,
though I feel that KONOSUBA may have done it better.
HM2: Drifters:
I am currently giving
this series and the next one a shot, and I feel it deserves it. And now for a way to check out Hellsing
Ultimate without relying on the abridged version.
HM3: Bungo Stray Dogs:
Like Drifters, I
decided to give this series a shot. It
may be due to the literary allusions.
HM4: Keijo!:
A fun, raunchy action
comedy that knows it’s a fun, raunchy action comedy? WHY DID I MISS THIS?!
HM5: One Punch Man:
I may have access to
Hulu for this one, so me being in the dark of this modern classic will
hopefully be over.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood:
I haven’t finished
this modern anime classic, but I’ve seen the original, inferior version, in its
Japanese track. But from what I’ve seen
of this series, both in Japanese and English, this is a great series to watch,
with its themes, characters, humor, setting, and so on, all wrapped around a
story dealing with discovery, adventure, and, yes, brotherhood. This is a show that I’m in desperate need of
finishing, and there are more than enough ways for me to do so. Unlike the other series I need to catch up
on, there is a definitive end, and I’m closer in reach than the others. As a result, I plan on giving this my
attention in the coming weeks (as long as other things don’t get too much in
the way).
So those were my two
countdowns for Anime I’m interested in checking out this season, and series I
need to hurry up on. If you have any
suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments below. If you like any of these series, also feel
free to leave your opinions and praises in the comments below.
Until next time, this
is The Rock Otaku. Love Loud and Play
Hard.
All used references
are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original
creators.
Hello
degenerates, heathens, weirdos, and deviants. I am the Rock Otaku, and
I’m here to show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock,
movies, TV, anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and
let it all out.
Welcome
to my Rockin’ Billboard Chart Watch.
Here, I take a break from reviewing classic heavy metal albums, movies,
TV, anime, games, and so on to review what is popular in the rock scene
according to Billboard. Back in the late
19th century, the magazine started as a news source for the
entertainment industry back in the day (thus, circuses, fairs, and burlesque
shows were covered), then, when music became a big business, it started
covering music. Then they started having
an album chart, then a singles chart, in the mid-20th century, both
of which are still going on to this very day, with changes to accommodate the
changes in the landscape of music distribution.
But for the rock stuff, the first chart, which would be known today as
the Mainstream Rock chart, debuted on March 21, 1981, with the Alternative
Songs chart following suit in 1988, the Adult Alternative chart premiering some
time in 2008, then the all-encompassing Hot Rock Songs chart came to fruition
in 2009. Here, I review them all, in
order of either mainstream importance, date of creation, or which songs have
the most material I can cover each week.
So
this week, I finally deliver my belated Best of Rock list for 2016. As I’ve alluded to with the last two posts in
this “series,” rock music had a great year in 2016. As a result, I was not sure if I should do a
Top 10 with over 20 honorable mentions or a Top 20 with at least 10 honorable
mentions. So ultimately I decided to go
with the latter. Reasons include the
fact that it took this entry so long to materialize, the great amount of rock
songs, released this year, and the fact that of the “big” artists to be hit
makers from rock, a few of them released some amazing, relevant music. And if not, the songs hit hard, rocked out,
and had enough energy to keep 2016 from being the absolute worst year ever (unless
you were a hardcore liberal in the U.K. or the U.S.A., then it was a contender
like 2000). And this is despite some of
the annoying trends in the rock scene continuing to linger like a cockroach
(depending on your tastes, you know what I’m talking about). With the amount of diversity in the rock
scene, this initially made this list hard, but I ultimately found the songs I
felt like discussing about and considering the best.
The
criteria for this list included the following: only songs from the Year End
entries of the Hot Rock Song, Rock Airplay, Rock Digital, Rock Streaming,
Alternative Songs, Adult Alternative Songs, and Mainstream Rock Songs charts
for 2016, so these songs were hits of some kind. Also, I’m also trying to make sure that these
songs were from 2016 and/or a few years back, so there are no genuine classics
here. This should reflect last year
entirely, so that you get a sense of what was going on during 2016 on the rock
side of things. There might be a few
outliers here, but that’s because they were good, and some of these might not
match with your views. This is my
opinion.
Anyway,
let’s rock.
20. Way Down We Go by Kaleo:
Okay
so this is not exactly my favorite song of last year, or even my favorite Kaleo
track (I’ll talk about that later), but this was definitely a grower. What I mean is that it took a while for me to
get why this track was so good or why it meant something to people, and it’s a
fun little track. With its soulful
vocals from JJ Julius Son right at the beginning alongside a subdued piano, it
launches into a dark and heavy ballad that deals with the darker aspects of
depression and oppressive feelings. And
it is one surprisingly tough song to get into, due to the darker aspects, but
it’s great enough to keep things from getting too sad. If there’s one of the many songs that
reflected how much of a crappy year 2016 was that did not suck, this would be
among the better ones. Not bad from indie
blues.
19. You Don’t Get Me High Anymore by
Phantogram:
This
is a song that will definitely grow on me.
With its dark tone and dour lyrical focus, this deals with the
disinterest the singer has in her significant other, wanting to move on. And it shows.
While I’m not the person to talk to when it comes to rap and hip hop
trends, when it’s good, I’ll notice. And
this is pretty good. The trip hop
production gives this song an edge that includes a great bass line, mystic
sound effects, distorted tones, and Sarah Barthel’s subdued, but sexy
vocals. Said edge is very dreamy, like
as if it represents the sense of ecstasy that this relationship was originally
built on, the crumbling feeling that’s current, and how it is like drug use until
you get used to the effects. That is
where I think the song works, using the “love is a drug” metaphor to create an
aggressive breakup song that’s more rock than pop, despite the
instrumentation. Hell, it’s so good that
Three Days Grace covered it, too bad they made it more suitable for the Hot
Topic crowd when it didn’t need to.
18. Electric Love by BORNS:
Now
here’s a song that had to grow on me.
When I first heard it, I thought it was a catchy tune, but not one that
would stay on my radar for long. But
then I heard this song, or a remix of it, over and over until I decided to
listen to this song’s original mix, specifically for lists like this. As a result, I thought that this is a much
better song than what I thought, and that it deserved more credit. Of the songs by BORNS that charted this year,
this is not just the catchiest, but the best sounding one. With good production, a good amount of
guitar, and strong vocals from singer Garrett Borns (aka. BORNS himself), this
song manages to stand up with other poppy rock tunes that came out in the last
few years. All of this managing to set
up a strong song about the feelings he has for the girl he’s into. And yes, I said “he.” I’m sure that you were caught off guard when
you heard his voice, with his high, almost feminine flavor of singing. I was surprised when I first looked that up
when I decided to talk about this song.
And I’m also sure that this is your mental image now that I’ve revealed
BORNS’ gender:
"I’m a guy, and so is the singer."
If
anyone’s upset about this, and would have preferred BORNS being a girl, then
there’s a stall selling torches and pitchforks down the road in alt-right
jackass town.
But
if there’s any issues I have, it’s more of my musical preferences, which equate
loud, shredding guitars and high vocals with epic qualities. But I do like this song, and I can let myself
enter weirder territory. But the next
few songs are more noticeably based on my tastes. Such as the next track…
17. Trip Switch by Nothing But Thieves:
As
for songs with a rawer attitude that definitely caught my ears after the first
listen, this is definitely one of them.
With its fuzzy opening, subdued verses that explode into an intense
chorus with the sensual energy to match the funky beats, Nothing But Thieves manage
to grab my attention once that kick ass chorus hits. What I like about this song is the fact that
it’s a raw, unfiltered, energetic song with a theme of desire, and I’m not sure
why I’m starting to pay more attention to bass lines. Maybe it’s because I’m becoming a
stereotypical mainstream music critic, who will fawn over a track if it has a
strong beat or bass line. I tend to
prefer rawer music like how a tiger prefers raw meat. Plus I like my music like my weapons, heavy
and metal. But this somehow a song both
a catchy beat and raw energy, and I dig it.
Plus, the lyrics dealing with the uncertainty of when the power goes
down while you’re with another person you’re attracted to include some great
lines and one hell of a catchy chorus.
But if this had a guitar solo, this would have been a contender for the
Top 10, probably the Top 5, due to I liked this song. However, there are other songs that hit me
strongly from last year.
16. Bang Bang by Green Day:
Did
anyone expect Green Day to write a punk rock song, let alone a ferocious one, at their ages and with their track record?
And this question is for if you’ve heard anything from Uno, Dos, and Tré.
I thought so.
What
makes this song even better is the fact that this was written by the band when
they realized that the world was going to hell (especially if you’re a
liberal), and they decided to write songs about their thoughts at a much
faster, more aggressive pace. Hell, I’m
not sure if I’ve ever heard the band be this angry, ever. You can say that they were this aggressive on
American Idiot, but that was a decade ago, when criticizing the right was
taboo. Here, the band plays a song of
revolution so aggressive, so angry, so irritated, and so snide that it could be
part of what could be a revival of real punk in the U.S. after things getting
too wimpy on the charts, including rock (I blame PC culture and meds). But that’s not getting into the music, where
it’s satisfyingly fast, straightforward, and loaded with great moments in the
musical structure. It has excellent
buildup in the beginning that leads to a powerful riff that helps define the
song. The shouts of “Bang Bang” are
excellent as well. And then there’s a
bridge that gives off a slower, more exotic vibe that makes it sound as if it
came out of some jungle or desert region in lands we deemed loaded with vice,
terror, and bad ethics. It helps elevate
the song onto this list. While I’m not a
Green Day fan, I can feel safe in saying that these Southern California punks
are back with a vengeance. Definitely a
hit.
15. America’s Sweetheart by Elle King:
Is
it me, or am I actually a fan of what Elle King is doing. Raw, dirty, sleazy rock, folk, and country
with a roots-based backbone that causes her music to hit hard while allowing
her vocals to shine. All involving
lyrics dealing with her personality, fame, and notoriety thanks to Rob
Schneider being her father instead of…
Obvious
joke is obvious.
As
a result, this folky country song ends up not just being probably my favorite
country song from last year, but one of the most poignant uses of the
style. What I mean is that A) rock n’
roll is as much an attitude and way of life as it is a style of music, and B)
my attention to the country scene last year was minimal due to trying to avoid
any of the final strands of bro country left stinking things up and turning me
into a wimpy SJW (you don’t want that to happen). But this song surprisingly kicks a lot of ass,
and it’s about as much of a gut punch as “Ex’s & Oh’s,” but where that
track was more of a playful track built around a power fantasy, this is Elle
King declaring herself that she’s not someone to idolize. The song is built around her bad side, her
rebellious side, her “daughter of a hated movie star” side, and so on while
telling of her desire of being herself and having fun. All while telling us that she has no plans on
conforming to the stereotype of “America’s Sweetheart.” It’s all playful irony, and it helps give the
song some punch. Plus the bouncy beat
and country instrumentation gives the song a mix of fun and raw that allows for
a show-stealing performance from her. If
there’s one desire I have of Elle, it’s to break from the shadow of Happy Madison
and burn it to the ground before we get another crappy Netflix movie from them.
14. Phantom Bride by Deftones:
So
I’m probably going to get claims of heresy for this, but there are nu metal
bands I like alongside Deftones.
And
so it saying Poison, Winger, and Warrant are good to punk fans.
But
holy crap these guys kick ass. It’s as
if they took metal and drenched it in shoegaze to create some of the most
beautiful but haunting hard rock this side of the globe (anime themes and
j-rock definitely count for the other). And this track alongside “Prayers/Triangles”
definitely prove that. Despite that, I
can see how fans could be disappointed by this track, as it’s nowhere as
aggressive as “My Own Summer” or “Changes” while going entirely for an airy
feel. It’s weird at first, but you’ll
get used to it as time goes on and repeated listens kick in. But what’s weird is that it clicked for me
the first few times I’ve listened to it.
It’s beautiful, strange, and filled with some of Stephen Carpenter’s
best guitar work to date (with help from Jerry Cantrell), and Chino Moreno
manages to showcase his pipes with some of his best melodies to date as
well. Plus the song’s possible meaning
is something that is likely to inspire people to break some serious molds. Gore
might be a weird album thanks to first impressions going for shoegaze rather
than alternative metal, but it’s definitely worth checking out if songs like
this are this good.
13. Stressed Out by twenty one pilots:
I
was about to write off twenty one pilots as a band not for me before this list,
but after a while of thought, and a likelihood that there might be some angry
TOP fans that want to do this to me after bagging “Heathens”:
This is going to be a running joke, isn’t it?
I
decided to give them a shot, and I found this song to speak to me in ways I’ve
never thought. Specifically, this song
deals with returning to a simpler way of life, being unable to return to that,
and realizing that, ultimately, you have to go out there and be a breadwinner
(not the ones you’re thinking of). With its bleak tone, somber delivery, some of
the best vocals I’ve heard from Tyler Joseph, this song is not just a good
song, as it might be one of the most important songs to have come out of the
year. It also is a good song to
introduce the concept of their album Blurryface
as well as the album itself. While I
could go on about the musical performance, the beat is grooving, the synths are
nice-sounding but ominous, the drums are decent sounding, and the vocals have
great effects reflecting the mood of the song.
While I could write this off, I feel that I actually relate to this
song, dealing with the pressures of leaving the simpler life behind and embrace
adulthood, but it’s difficult where I am and how I’m handling things, making
this song somehow feel much more real to me.
I know some people who find “7 Years” more relatable, but I find that
song is ass, and this is one of the true anthems of 2016, sort of. Not “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber, not “Closer”
by The Chainsmokers, and ESPECIALLY NOT “No” by Meghan Traynor. This and a few other songs on this list
represent this crappy year perfectly.
Both for me and for everyone else.
12. Hardwired by Metallica:
Was
this song the best song from Hardwired…To
Self Destruct?
Was
this song Metallica’s greatest song ever?
But
was it a good way to tell metalheads that Metallica was going for a thrash
metal direction this time?
But,
because “Moth Into Flame,” “Atlas, Rise!,” and especially “Spit Out The Bone”
did not make the year-end charts for 2016, that it was a great moment for
Metallica in 2016?
That’s
because this song actually kicks ass, especially considering what happened this
year *cough*”Me Too”*cough*. It’s a
complete ball of rage. It has excellent
buildup at the beginning before hell breaks loose. The riffs are great. James Hetfield provides some excellent
vocals, despite the profanity. The drums
are surprisingly good, considering the low standard we collectively set Lars’
drumming skills to. The only true weak
point is the short guitar solo, but the band was trying to go for 3 minutes
here, so it’s a necessary sacrifice to maintain the punk feel. As for the lyrics, it’s surprising how deep
these simple lyrics can go, considering it’s about the fact that we’re designed
to fail at some point, may it be a small failure or something cataclysmic. It’s a dark song with a sense of relatability
in how true the statements made here likely are, and that’s where I feel
Metallica succeeds the best, even though they have written much better songs
for that album. But regardless, it’s a
great song.
11. From The Pinnacle To The Pit
by Ghost
Obvious joke here:
No seriously, this is terrifying. Of all the retro-metal metal bands to become
international superstars, it’s the one that is completely satanic. The worst part is that their style is just so
groovy that it’s almost hard to not get hooked to their music. Is as if the band decided to incorporate
enough elements of pop music into their sound that their devilish jams end up
sticking more in our collective, non-Devil worshiping heads. There’s a saying about that:
(RIP Ernest Borgeoine)
But if there’s some silver lining to this. I’m not a fundamentalist Christian (unlike
those jackasses in Westboro), so I’m more focused on good music. And it’s as if Lucifer inspires more good
music than bad music (insert crappy Christian rock artist here). And Ghost are an excellent band in general,
and this song is no different. With the
opening bassline that introduces a killer guitar lick and drum performance,
this starts strong. And it gets better,
as the song incorporates the melodic vocals of the current Papa Emeritus (the
third, I presume) detailing a tale of a person having a great deal of power,
ultimately falling from grace. While
this could describe Lucifer, this can also relate to the birth of Papa Emeritus
III as the singer of Ghost.
Sorry Ragna.
But don’t let the dark lyrics keep you down. The music continues to kick ass, being the
kind of doomy hard rock that’s only talked about when discussing Black Sabbath,
Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin. Hell,
this evokes those artists better than most mainstream rockers these days. With groovy riffs, killer guitar solos, and
the bass and drums going strong with punches of keyboards at crucial moments
for atmosphere, this song rockets up to among my favorite songs of the New
Tens. Now if “Square Hammer” made the
year-end charts for 2016, then this list would definitely different.
10. The Light by Disturbed:
So here’s a confession that will lead to my doom: I friggin’
love Disturbed. I don’t care that
they’re a product of the nu metal age.
They are a band that started strongly with a distinctive sound to them,
then matured into a great band to listen to in general. A factor in this is how they are able to take
very, very dark subject matter (or even stuff that falls under rule of cool)
and are able to write catchy, melodic and/or rhythmic hard rock anthems about
such elements. It’s as if they look into
darkness to find the light that inspires their ability to hook me in and have
me act all moé like this:
これは私の中のすべてのあいまいな、混乱している、私はそれを助けることはできませんされています。(Kore
wa watashi no naka no subete no aimaina, konran shite iru, watashi wa sore o
tasukeru koto wa dekimasen sa rete imasu.)
So a song like this should feel strange and alien to me, with
its more flowery, optimistic, and uplifting tone, but it actually doesn’t. I actually love this track, and it’s as if
David Draiman and Dan Donegan have been spying on me, learning what I was
getting into when they were writing their comeback album Immortalized, and they decided to write a song with elements of
power metal (a genre I adore too much).
And they manage to keep the happier tone in line with their darker
roots, with lyrics dealing with venturing into moments and attitudes that make
me sad, angry, terrified, worried, and so on and find the positive aspects that
can change my life and make me stronger.
It’s as if they decided to sing songs about the need to improve your
life in ways that don’t suck or sound preachy, but their fanbase can relate
to. And when David sings “Sometimes
darkness can show you the light,” it’s as if he knows how we struggle, and what
causes us pain can lead to the answer that can probably save our lives. Plus the instrumentation is standard
Disturbed, as in it kicks ass, and the mixture of both happier sounds, with the
usage of major keys here, allows for a new flavor of Disturbed that I can feel
influences people’s will to live. Plus
Kevin Churko manages to provide some excellent production, highlighting the
larger than life feel and punch of the band.
While this could have used a guitar solo, there are some great arpeggios
from Dan Donegan that keep things from getting stale. In short, this is a fantastic track with
everything working, but there are other songs that I somehow liked more. Such as…
9. Reapers by Muse:
Muse
above Disturbed? And they’re only at
number 9?
Please don’t tell the space marines about this, please.
Goddammit. And I just got that scroll.
With
a drum beat that kicks this song into overdrive, and a stellar arpeggio at the
beginning, it all builds up Matt Bellamy’s emotional vocal delivery, with
elements that are standard Muse, with jangly verses that pave way for a crunchy
chorus. Plus that bass fuzz, which adds
to the cyberpunk feel of that song is going for. Said cyberpunk focus deals with the use of
drone warfare, and the fear of being spied on by the government before they
decide to gun you down from the sky. With
this, they can rule in fear, the fear that you are likely to be killed by
something that’s been programmed to terminate life if you step out of
line. All of this driving such fear in
the population that it led to an Orange-colored imbecile who spoke in alt-right
rhetoric for attention…
What? I’m speaking about something RATIONAL PEOPLE have realized!
Great, now the space marines are after me.
Et tu, TR-8R?
Before
I start exposing political rhetoric that’s likely going to get this blog
blacklisted by idiots, let’s get to the angry music. Alongside the jangly and crunchy riffs, there
are enough guitar solos here alongside the arpeggio to make me realize that
Matt Bellamy is one of our current guitar heroes. And as I’ve mentioned, the rhythm section is
tight, savage, and punchy, delivering the goods. As you may have figured out, I’m a fan of
progressive rock, and this is quite the standout from what could be a great
album, and I can consider myself someone who finds that Muse are back to being
great (“Dead Inside” kind of sucked, and you know it).
But
before heresy claims get out of hand, let’s get to the next entry.
8. Death of a Bachelor by Panic!
At The Disco:
Okay, I’m sure you want to do this to me for putting a
Panic! Song here after bashing their cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody”:
As for the anime reference this time, it ain’t Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.
But as far as I can tell, that’s because Brendan Urie is no
Freddie Mercury, and that cover shows.
However, from their earlier work, channeling the Rat Pack was something
that he’s better off doing. What I mean
is that despite this song having modern pop production, the song’s feel and
focus is slightly closer to the works of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing
Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., and so on; that sort of mix of jazz and pop that
defined the era of crooners with the sophistication to boot. For why this is on the list, it’s because I
have a massive appreciation for that era, specifically from the artists to boot
(and why Rod Stewart is completely out of his element in his “Great American
Songbook” albums), while preferring artists who manage to do that well. But this is Panic! At the Disco we’re talking
about, and Brendan Urie’s vocal performance is great here on the title track of
their new album, both sticking to his familiar range while incorporating the
jazzy, swing feel of the Rat Pack era of music to his tone and approach. But if there’s a bright side here, it’s weird
how the pop production, while usually sounding like ass, fits here, as it’s a
modern update of classic swing, so it’s not surprising that this song sounds
better than most pop music. Overall,
great song with a lot of flair, and definitely better than any of Rod Stewart’s
Great American Songbook compilations.
No seriously, if between the choices of Death of a Bachelor and any Great American Songbook volume, pick Death of a Bachelor. It’s a better value anyway.
7. No Good by Kaleo
It’s weird how my introduction to these Icelanders was “Way
Down We Go,” which took a while to grow on me.
However, for this bluesy rocker, it took even less time for me to show
massive levels of enjoyment for this track.
With its intense sound, punchy beats, and energetic guitars with licks
and solos to boot, bass and drums, we get one hell of a rocker that shows us
Americans how it’s done. Plus with its
searing vocals, you get some strong rock n’ roll mastery that helped me realize
that “alternative” and “indie” did not necessarily mean hipster-campfire music. It could mean music with the punch and grit
that pop music and even radio rock seems to ignore thanks to the desires of
record companies to keep things safe and formulaic for quick returns. And while this song is nowhere near my
favorites of all time, it’s definitely one of my favorite songs that I know to have
hit the charts last year. Overall, this
is a fun track that deserves more attention.
More so than anyone else that considers themselves rock when they’re
wimpy acoustic campfire music.
6. Emotionless by Red Sun Rising
We can all agree that post-grunge is done, and any attempts
at resuscitating it are completely feeble.
As a result, it’s a lost cause when any of the early millennial butt
rock acts try to make a comeback. But if
there’s a silver lining, there are bands like Red Sun Rising to take up the
mantle and do what they forgot to do: make socially relevant music with dirt,
grit, and catchy melodies all at once.
This is a pure pop grunge tune with themes of isolation, desperation,
and stoicism, probably due to the effects of being ostracized from society and
becoming destitute. As a result, you
become significantly hardened and have a much darker outlook on life. That or it’s about dealing with a woman who’s
laying down lifeless, and this was all a dream that the singer had. Here's the link to what I'm talking about:
But for the music, it’s punchy, it’s intense, and starts
with acoustics, then it gets progressively heavier and more distorted before
the big chorus. Then it leads into a
stellar guitar solo. But what hooks me
in are the strong melodies that definitely stir my emotions. For a song about the lifeless, emotionless
body of the woman of the singer’s dreams, this song is quite emotional. And before you sling the emo tag at this, let
me point out that the biggest rock of this year has a style that is VERY
emo. There’s the difference between
Twenty One Pilots and Red Sun Rising. In
short, this is a modern classic, which I hopefully hope is not treated as a
“Why didn’t we understand it better?” moment in the long run.
5. The Devil’s Bleeding Crown by Volbeat:
Whereas
“Seal The Deal” rocked earlier entries of this blog, I can safely say that this
song is one hell of a ride. With its
rockabilly elements, macho feel, and intense Danish bravado, Volbeat have one
hell of a song that manages to evoke “A Warrior’s Call” and “Still Counting”
while continuing to provide something fresh and exciting to the rock
scene. The fact that this made the Top 5
based on its execution alone is nothing short of awesome. Plus, with its mythic lyrics, dealing with concepts
of hell, sin, and stealing crowns from good old Beezlebub, it gives the song a
sort of dark punch that would also not feel out of place in 70s and 80s metal,
even if it’s what would happen if you mixed The Stray Cats and Slayer. The latter being more apparent as former Anthrax
guitarist Rob Caggiano continues his trek with this band, providing a
shredding, thrash metal approach to the band’s rockabilly take on heavy metal
and hard rock, giving the band more punch than they ever had, and that’s saying
something considering how awesome they were beforehand. Plus the vocals, bass, and drums from Michael
Poulsen, Kaspar Boye Larsen, and Jon Larsen are all excellent, top shelf musical
ecstasy. This is just an excellent song,
and it deserves the airplay it gets.
4. Here’s To The Heartache by
Nothing More
I’m pretty sure that their anthem-based approach to
alternative metal and Luke’s opinion of them are why they’re here alone. But that’s two reasons why they’re here. The other reasons include: strong vocals,
passionate delivery, stellar instrumentation, pounding drums, a soaring chorus,
and some interesting lyrics. Let me
explain.
Whereas most modern alt-metal would rather stick for either
masculinity or Hot Topic emo, this fits both categories and provides some
interesting music and lyrics. It’s
mid-tempo alternative metal, but it’s played with punch, passion, and intensity
that the better bands that play the style have.
The guitars crunch with passion, the bass is thick with passion, and the
drums hit hard with passion. That’s not
including some of the most passionate vocals I’ve heard from a band since
probably Three Days Grace or Shinedown at their best (two of the better
post-grunge bands in my mind). And the
lyrics deal with how relatable heartache can be for all of us, and making a
toast to if you’ve ever dealt with a broken heart and lots of tears, which I
know would be EVERYONE at some point.
Everything about this song fits that mold, with dark melodies that can
be uplifting, and the pained, but powerful vocals from Jonny Hawkins, who is a rock
star in the making. And there’s also a
great guitar solo with the right mix of grit, taste, and technique. This is probably my favorite radio rock song
of the year, but three songs top it for this list.
3. When We Were Young by Adele:
Adele? Here on a list of the best ROCK song?
I wonder if there are any groups that teach you how to play Warhammer 40k.
But
don’t let any heresy accusations fool you into thinking that this song doesn’t
deserve to be on here. One, it made the
rock charts due to what’s defined as rock by Billboard (which, at this point,
is pretty freaking weird). Two, it’s
about a surge of nostalgia that you feel when a certain someone reenters your
life after a long time apart. Where “Stressed
Out” was about trying to cling to nostalgia while dealing with the jump to
adulthood, this deals with experiencing nostalgia during your adult life due to
certain circumstances, and it brings out a flurry of emotions that range from
happy to sad. But what gives this song
the bronze prize is just how beautiful this ballad is, and how Adele sings this
song. She’s arguably at her best here,
and she captures how the memories of this person she suddenly sees come in
cause her to be happy, sad, scared, and concerned that he might not even
remember her when she does. It’s
something that I’m sure can people to outright cry when they put themselves in
Adele’s perspective, and it’s a mix of heartwarming, heartbreaking, and just
unnerving to deal with what’s going on here.
The production is also flawless, with clarity in the music, excellent
use of piano, strings, upright bass, and drums.
Plus Adele sounds great here, giving what probably might he her
career-best vocal performance. It’s a
fantastic song through and through, and it deserves the accolades it gets. But what can top the work of who is arguably
the best mainstream performer alive?
The next two entries are closer to true rock, but as beautiful in its delivery.
2. The Sound of Silence by Disturbed:
Before
we get into the nitty gritty about this song, let me remind you that this is a
cover. Specifically the Simon &
Garfunkel classic of the same name, aka that song we recognize from The
Graduate. It was a haunting song about
the effects of depression on people, a bleak outlook created from the political
upheaval, the conflicts, social injustice, and so on in the 60s that resulted
in the hippy movement. It was a dark
moment full of uncertainty that probably ended with Woodstock and the Apollo 11
moon landing, and the original song reflected that well with its somber tone
and folky style. But now that we were in
a similar time to 1966, we ended up giving Disturbed their biggest hit of their
career, a dark, almost operatic take on the classic hit.
Where
there was a folk rock sound to the original to match the sounds of the 60s,
Disturbed do not even attempt to give their version their usual musical
approach (crunching guitars, monkey chants, tribal drums, and so on), instead
going having the song driven by Dan Donegan’s prowess with electronics,
symphonic elements, and acoustic guitars to create a symphonic feel. While there was a sort of depressive “I give
up and things are too hard” feel to the original, especially with the vocals,
David Draiman decides to increase the intensity in his vocals as the song goes
on, starting with a more somber, lower-key croon, then adding more intensity
and fire to his vocals, as if he’s trying to break the sadness of the original
while ultimately realizing that even he’s too weakened by all the crap in the
world today to fight. This song is
driven entirely by David’s performance, and he’s actually a better singer than
we give him credit for, with this song proving that in spades. Plus, I never got the sense that he ever used
Auto Tune here, where any other artist would rely on it to be able to sing the
melodies of the original, let alone embody the rage 2016 has given us. This was released on an album from 2015, but
it probably predicted how frustrating last year was in a way that’s both
beautiful, frustrating, and outright bewildering. It’s a testament to how timeless the original
was that a lower-key, symphonic version would become a smash hit. And a hit it was. But if there’s a few minor issues here, it’s
probably that David might have over sung this song to maintain his hard rock
card, but that’s not a major issue when this song EMBODIES 2016 completely,
from its taking of half-century old ideas, a morose worldview, and a desire to
rise up and fight all combining into a meaningful cover that allows for us to
think about how we ultimately survived such a year while prepping for whatever
2017 brings our way.
But
it isn’t Number 1, despite its significance, because this is my list, and
social relevance is not how I judge quality.
But
before I discuss Number 1, here’s some honorable mentions, without any order:
HM1: Cirice by Ghost
Yes,
I know this song won a Grammy, and it deserves its spot on year-end lists, but
the bassline of “From The Pinnacle to the Pit” won me over. That doesn’t mean this song isn’t great, it
really is. I just didn’t have enough
room to put this on here, and I’m sure that most people have already talked
about it.
HM2: Ex’s & Oh’s by Elle King:
I
could have put this song on here, but it also was a massive hit in 2015, so it
would feel redundant. Despite that, this
song is an outright blast, with great production, a killer guitar performance,
and proof that we should pay attention to Elle King for her talent, charisma,
and prescience rather than her family.
As for the lyrics, that might be where the song may stumble, but music
matter more to me, so I can listen to this song with no guilt, and I find the
conceit fun. Don’t judge me.
HM3: Hello by Adele:
This
song, I’m sure, made a lot of Best of 2015 lists, so that’s why it’s an
honorable mention here. Just because
this song is said to be great doesn’t mean it truly great. But for me, it’s a moving, powerful song
about the effects of thinking about a former loved one, and trying to call him
from where you are, trying to tell them that you genuinely miss him (that’s
from Adele’s perspective, but it might be different for you). The power of it is why it’s an honorable
mention, as well as an excellent cover from Leo Moracchioli here:
HM4: Lazarus by David Bowie:
Until
I made this list I did not actively listen to or seek out this swan song from
the late musical icon. Shame really, as
this is a great song to end a career on, with its reflective tone and somber
attitude, one that’s as if it comes from a man who knows his life is going to
end. A haunting song that will make you
reflect on how strong David Bowie was as a musician, and if I ever redid this
list, it’ll make the list definitely, possibly in the Top 5. Sorry for waiting until a year after his
death for discovering Bowie’s final swan song, and I hope to make it up to you
all at some point.
HM5: Mayhem by Halestorm:
It’s
obvious by now that Halestorm is here to stay.
With their approach of sexy, sleazy hard rock from the point of view of
Lzzy Hale, who’s come out as bi in the past, this band hits hard, provides the
thunder that even men can’t seem to reach, and eschews the pointless crap
polluting rock radio in favor of lean, mean rock n’ roll. This is no exception, but the production
here, done by someone from the country scene, may be glossy enough to keep this
song from making the list. But still, it’s
as furious as Furiosa.
HM6: Open Your Eyes by Disturbed:
Wait
a second, a song that was produced by Kevin Churko, who’s infamous for
producing for 5FDP, and that’s about how crap the world is, and it is sung to
us directly, as if we’ve been blinded by hypocrisy rather than angry at it with
no sense of direction? Automatically, it
washes out the stink of “Wash It All Away” with aplomb. Plus, the instrumentation, David Draiman’s
vocals, and production allows for one savage song with actual direction and a
solution to the listener rather than “Look at me be relevant!”
HM7: Prayers/Triangles by Deftones:
While
“Phantom Bride” ultimately made the list, this song is definitely still a
standout as well. This gets the same
praises as that song, and it’s definitely worth checking out.
HM8: Prophets of Rage by Prophets of Rage:
A
blast from the past that evokes the best aspects of 90s music and is a
provoking and prevalent today as the song’s it evokes from Public Enemy and
Rage Against The Machine. Even better
when they got members of both acts teaming up for this rock monster. Too bad their political views were ignored in
favor of You Know Who’s rhetoric. Shame,
really, but that might mean more of this great collaboration.
HM9: Somebody Else by The 1975:
Is
it me, or is this band’s neo-80s approach appealing to me? Does anyone know if this is an issue? I sure don’t.
HM10: Take Me Down by The Pretty Reckless:
While
this is nowhere near as aggressive and gritty as their previous songs, it’s
still a sleazy affair from the former child star and her band. At this point, I’ll remember Taylor Momsen
for her ability to play kickass rock ‘n’ roll rather than here role as Cindy
Lou Who. Plus, going for an early-70s
classic rock sound was an interesting direction for the band, and it showed
their ability to reach across directions and sounds in their sonic attack. Good work, girl.
HM11: Until the World Goes Cold by Trivium:
I’ll
have to admit that this is different from what Trivium usually does, but that
isn’t a bad thing here. It’s well
played, the guitars crunch well as they do showcase Matt and Corey’s melodic
side, the guitar solo is savage, the bass and drums keep the beat steady, and
Matt sounds amazing here. If there’s a
reason for this not making the list, it’s nowhere near as good as their
Ascendency and Shogun work.
HM12: Victorious by Panic! At the Disco:
Yes,
Panic! At The Disco is capable of catchy pop-tinged rock. And this song is ultimate proof of that. With its tone and sound reflecting both a
sense of gothic fun and victory, Panic! At The Disco (or Brendan Urie, since
it’s pretty much a solo project now) come off as, well, victorious on this
track. Well, I seem to have preferred
their new pop sound better than Fall Out Boy because at least Brendan is honest
about his pop leanings.
1. Kiss This by The Struts:
Ultimately, when it came to coming up with the list, number
1 came down to one important fact: Why was the rock scene doing so well in
2016? Was it because of a lack of care
in making the pop charts? Was it due to
the political events that occurred this year?
Was it a result of a sense of power and desire to bring change? And most importantly, what song helped me
SURVIVE this stupid year? The answer was
not a dour, depressing song about life being bad, it was a fun, retro
throwback, and its intro is a sampled horn line.
When I was hearing this on the radio at first, I thought it
was fine, but after learning that this band was considered hard rock (and glam
rock), I decided to give this song a few more shots. The result?
I don’t like this song. I LOVE
IT! It’s both a new track by itself as
well as a strong throwback to the early days of rock when it was more about the
punch and sex appeal of the singers, even when they wore drag, than it was
about preaching politically correct, social justice nonsense that got so tiring
that enough people in key swing states elected an egotistical Oompa Loompa (unfortunately this is
true). If The Struts become superstars,
I can see people realizing that rock music can actually be fun and exciting
rather than preachy and tiring. The
latter being a thing is why we had so many Christian-leaning butt rock bands
coming out, even today, and why it’s as if the rock charts are loaded with PC
WGWAGs rather than potential sex gods or charismatic revolutionaries. This is pure, unfiltered rock ‘n’ roll for a
new generation, one that celebrates the past, living in the present, and
telling people to make up their damn minds already. The riffs are tasty, the usage of synths does
not detract from the energy, the drums are rollicking, the bass is bouncy, and
Luke Spiller is probably the next Justin Hawkins or Eric Nally, a bona fide
rock star. Plus there’s a great guitar
solo at the end that works with the final chorus. If we can’t have Foxy Shazam or The Darkness
anymore, then I hope The Struts take the rock crown and hit the top. I want my diatribe against 5FDP two weeks ago
to have more weight. And hopefully we’ll
strut to whatever these British glam rockers come up with next.
So that was my list of the best songs in rock from 2016 with
honorable mentions. If you disagree with
ANYTHING I said, feel free to leave in the comments what songs you
preferred. I’d also like to point out
that after this, I am dead focused on 2017 for this series, and that I’d focus
on 5 charts: Hot Rock Songs, Alternative Songs, Mainstream Rock Songs, and the
American and Japanese Hot 100 (yes, I’m planning on doing a “true” hit songs
best and worst of for this year). Sorry
this was so late, but I had some things come up over the last few weeks that
kept me away, and I’m trying to perfect my schedule. So keep that in mind. Plus, I’ll set up how this series will truly
work next year. But don’t let that scare
you, things will rock hard here.
Until Next Time, This is The Rock Otaku. Live Loud, Play Hard, and Let’s Hope for a
Rockin’ 2017.
All used references are done under the rules of fair use and are
owned by their original creators.
P.S. If this comes before Todd’s best of list, I’ll point that
out after I publish this entry.
