NightAngel Reviews

If you have any cool tunes I've probably never heard of, PMz me bro.

[nightangelreviews]

This was definitely a hard year to organize. So many releases came out that I could easily double the amount of albums on this list and be perfectly fine with it. I had to do real math, yes MATH, just to figure out how my top 5 would be placed. The top 2 were so close at all times that I had to reconfigure my math just to make sure that this was what I wanted. It seems ridiculous, but for me, it helps out tremendously to get my mind in order.

I've been looking at a lot of other people's AOTY lists, and it seems like nobody is putting Until I Wake even in their top 10, which is strangely making myself look like an outlier here. I even gave my original review a B-rank, so I will say it doesn't necessarily help explain my choice. The album definitely brings the least of anything new to the genre, but just like in my review, the band makes the most of what they can out of their sound. Every song just kind of lingers in the back of your mind and keeps sitting there after each repeat listen. I easily could've thought that OAA would have been my AOTY this year, as Disparity is the most I've listened to any one album this year, and Metamorph is easily the most I've listened to 1 song probably ever, but I don't know.... There is something so damn intriguing about Until I Wake's album that it befuddles me, and I honestly wouldn't have it any other way, nor any other place besides on this list at #1.

[nightangelreviews]

It should be obvious that Lorna Shore took over the scene last year. I never knew a 3 track EP could be so almighty in conquering an entire genre, but damn did it do so. Once Lorna was (easily) placed, the rest of this list redo was actually quite hard. I had to stop for a night to think it over and come back the next day to finish it.

Maybe it's recency syndrome, but I honestly feel like I don't know these albums that well, and weirdly enough the rest of my top 5 the most. Trying to listen to 2021 releases in 2022 has actually been pretty hard due to the shear amount of 2022 releases constantly being through at us. Hopefully next year I'll get some extra time to do so.

[nightangelreviews]

The biggest change for this list is my #1 spot. My original #1 is The Used, but I really have not listened to them that much since 2020 ended. But, the Like Moths To Flames album has been on repeat more times than I can recall in these past 2 years. Any time I want to go balls to the wall screaming as soon as I start up my car and drive away to any place, this is the album I turn towards. Outside of LMTF, this is also another year that doesn't show up much in my replays. While I know a lot of this is so good, and I listened to the hell out of all of these in 2020, it makes me sad that I'm finding myself putting other music ahead of practically all of this year. It sounds like I need a priority check on the music I love listening to.

[nightangelreviews]

The only major changes from this year are 2 additions that I didn't add in time for the original lists. In terms of everything I could want in music, this year certainly gave it to me. In fact, my #2 album of all time is my top spot for this year, and it hasn't changed in the 3 years since. I honestly listen to that album more than probably any other album right now. Even at the time of writing this, I am singing one of the tracks by memory, just because. I honestly have no qualms about this year music-wise, which makes this one of the better years to call back to when I want to dig deep into my newer nostalgia points of my brain.

[nightangelreviews]

I think 2018 is the first year where I realized what top-tier level music represents, not just somewhat good music that I listen to a ridiculous amount of times. I can probably get others to corroborate that my top 5 here are definitely some of the best the scene had to offer during this year. My main regret is that I really don't listen to this year that much recently compared to practically all the other years. It might be because I respect much of this year too much to try and get tired of it through repeat listens.

[nightangelreviews]

Oh boy, the infamous 2017 AOTY list that never existed. Back in 2017, when trying to figure out this list, I had an existential crisis trying to pick my #1 spot, as I put too high of standards on my "oh so lucrative #1 spot". I felt the album had to be perfect to take that ranking, and nothing I had was good enough for me. Thank glob, that after 5 years I finally came to my senses and decided to not give af about it, and instead put what I thought would be the closest to that score. I will give credit, the 2017 list is a damn good list too, considering I knew pretty much what albums needed to be on it, with having not wavered on my picks since 2017.

[nightangelreviews]

The first AOTY list where my original #1 has been dethroned and it isn't even on this list anymore. Instead, my favorite EDM album of all time jumps to the top spot. It's a shame Gemini never put out any more music after this album, but they left off by literally giving the world a perfect album, so I am not upset. I did not have Gemini in my original top list, but this was one album that easily gets better with each consecutive listen, 'tis why it reigns on this list.

2016 is kind of a coasting year, only enhancing it by furthering my music palette by adding an extra amount of new bands and albums I thought I would never get into, with my original #1 spot cementing my point.

[nightangelreviews]

This was the first year for (even though differently named) Nightangel Reviews. This year also has many albums that mean more to me in ways I do not know how to verbalize outside my mind. 2015 was a year that saw me at some of my lowest points, enough to where I look back at disgust on, but this year's albums seriously got me through it and also gave me some of my fondest memories. This might have not been my favorite year, but it's easily one of my favorite years of music.

[nightangelreviews]

Upon the announcement of the album, I was almost for sure Chiodos would have been my #1 for the entire year, as at the time they were pretty much everything to me, and they still are to a great extent. This year just came in like a hardball with other music I did, and still, listen to over and over at a much higher extent than expected.

[nightangelreviews]

This was a rocky year for me. I had a big location move in the middle of the year that set the stone for how I would consume music, especially since this was the year I found and became apart of KingdomLeaks. This also didn't help keep my memories sorted into one yearly section in my mind, as I have very specific thoughts about some of these albums and very different specific thoughts about the others due to being in a different environment and mindset, separated by both halves of the year. This was also my first year where I knew I even had a #1 AOTY spot.

[nightangelreviews]

10 Years of AOTY (Updated Editions)

I wanted to go back to update, and add, some AOTY lists as I knew my opinions on each of the years has changed, including last year. I decided to go a full 10 years of AOTY lists, capping off with 2022, just to make it a nice solid number. Some of the lists are drastically different, some are only mildly changed, and others have had their #1 spot dethroned.

Things to note: 1. EP's are included in the lists as many of them 100% deserve a spot in my limelight. 2. They are capped at 10 albums/eps, which was honestly very hard to do for the recent years. 3. The long, forgotten about, never posted 2017 AOTY list will finally make an appearance after 5 years of much debate in my mind. 4. A "small" blurb about my thoughts of each year will be posted with each list.

The first list, 2013, will be posted on December 1, with each consecutive year being posted daily afterword.

[nightangelreviews]

The end is here.

This will be my last normal blog post.

I started this fun project 7 years ago at the very beginning of 2015. Seeing those 7 years fly by is an interesting topic for me to think about, but seeing those years compartmentalized all into one space is not something I expected myself to see. I always love looking back and seeing how much I kept constantly adjusting my review format to more constantly compete with my expectations of how I wanted my reviews to be perceived. It's like when I look at my reviews I can see a portion of my life and history laid out in front of my eyes. But like most things in life, all things must eventually come to an end.

The very best part about this is that I am going out on no better terms than I could ask for. Nobody is swaying my decision about ending, or how to end, I picked a great number to go out on, and out of all the albums that were releasing this year, I was able to pick final ones that would complement myself and artists that had such an impact on me over these past 7 years. The timing just feels right.

With 399 reviews, I know I have enough to look back on fondly. It will always amaze me that I actually put this much effort into one project for this long. There won't be anymore reviews right now, but I will eventually get to that final 400 spot, sometime after the upcoming year-end lists. I have an album in mind, it just needs to be announced and released, but so far I know it is coming. And if it never does, I guess I will perpetually keep this blog always zombified until I find that final album that I feel will fit as the one last goodbye to cap off this era.

I'm not much for writing extra long blurbs about these types of things, or really anything at all, so I'll wrap things up here. I'll also still be around if you know where to look, just less, and not here.

I'll miss this place, but it's time for new beginnings.

RIP 2015-2022

[nightangelreviews]

Dayseeker “Dark Sun” Label: Spinefarm Genre: Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock, Synth Rock Release Date: November 4, 2022

Vocal Style: 10 Vocal Composition: 5.5 Vocal Production: 10 Instrument Composition: 4.5 Instrument Production: 8.5 Originality: 4 Flow: 9 Variation: 7.5 Euphony: 10 Lasting Value (x2): 6

Tracklist: 1. Dreamstate - 7.5 2. Neon Grave - 10 3. Without Me - 9 4. Homesick - 8.5 5. Midnight Eternal - 6.5 6. Dark Sun - 6 7. Quicksand - 5.5 8. Paper Heart - 5 9. Crying While You're Dancing - 8 10. Parallel - 5 11. Afterglow (Hazel's Song) - 8

Tracks Kept: 6 out of 11

Standout Tracks: Neon Grave; Without Me

Avoid These At All Cost: Quicksand; Paper Heart; Parallel

Final Score: 68/100% | Grade: C Do I Recommend?: Maybe.

Criticism?: This album is a DRASTIC departure from anything the band has done before. There is no more metalcore sound at all. Most songs are quite soft, and can even put people to sleep if relaxed enough. Rory's vocals are still on point, but he rarely uses them enough in a way to warrant the amazing vocals he has been gifted with. This album is going to be very polarizing to practically all their fans, and I can see this easily dividing their fanbase, in the worse way possible, if they continue to stick with this sound from here forward.

#399

[nightangelreviews]

Fit For A King “The Hell We Create” Label: Solid State Genre: Metalcore Release Date: October 28. 2022

Primary Vocal Style: 10 Secondary Vocal Style: 7.5 Vocal Composition: 8 Vocal Production: 9 Instrument Composition: 8 Instrument Production: 8 Originality: 6 Flow: 8.5 Variation: 8.5 Euphony: 9 Lasting Value (x2): 8

Tracks Kept: 9 out of 10

Songs to Give a Try: End (The Other Side); Eyes Roll Back; What You Left Behind

Final Score: 85/100% | Grade: A Do I Recommend?: Yes.

#398

[nightangelreviews]

Architects “The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit” Label: Epitaph Genre: Alternative Metal, Post-Hardcore Release Date: October 21, 2022

Vocal Style: 8.5 Vocal Composition: 6 Vocal Production: 10 Instrument Composition: 6 Instrument Production: 8 Originality: 3 Flow: 9 Variation: 4 Euphony: 8 Lasting Value (x2): 2

Tracks Kept: 2 out of 11

Songs to Give a Try: When We Were Young; A New Moral Low Ground

Songs to Avoid: The rest of the album.

Final Score: 45/100% | Grade: F Do I Recommend?: No.

#397

[nightangelreviews]

Bilmuri “Goblin Hours” Label: Self-Released Genre: Electronic, Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore Release Date: October 14, 2022

Vocal Styles: 9.5 Vocal Composition: 9 Vocal Production: 9 Instrument Composition: 8.5 Instrument Production: 8 Originality: 8.5 Flow: 9 Variation: 7 Euphony: 9 Lasting Value (x2): 8

Tracks Kept: 6 out of 9

Songs to Give a Try: The Void Approacheth; A Hogman's Delight

Songs to Avoid: Vascular Demi-Goth

Final Score: 81/100% | Grade: A Do I Recommend?: Yes.

Criticism?: As the album progresses, it slowly starts to bleed into VERY traditional electronic music.

#396

[nightangelreviews]

Outline In Color “Coast Is Clear” Label: Thriller Genre: Post-Hardcore Release Date: October 14, 2022

Primary Vocal Style: 8 Secondary Vocal Style: 6.5 Vocal Composition: 8 Vocal Production: 7 Instrument Composition: 8 Instrument Production: 8.5 Originality: 6.5 Flow: 8 Variation: 7.5 Euphony: 7 Lasting Value (x2): 7

Tracks Kept: 7 out of 13

Songs to Give a Try: Tear Me Down; Quicksand; Stay Away; Ghost of You

Songs to Avoid: Get Free; Toss The Match

Final Score: 67/100% | Grade: C Do I Recommend?: Maybe.

Criticism?: Usually OIC tend to take a generic sound and mix it up into something a little bit more unique, but this album tends to lean more into it's generic quality.

#395