Dennis' Top 5 Of 2022 So Far
This list was, like every list I have made for this site, difficult to make. This has been a rich year musicwise. I have heard a lot of releases that brought me that something extra. I have had the chance to review some of them, but unfortunately there's only so much time to write those reviews. So yeah, there is some great stuff out there that didn't get reviewed here. I am happy to see that my absolute top 5 so far did get coverage, though! It wasn't easy selecting only five records, but what an awesome ride these albums are! I hope they spark as much joy for you as they do for me!
1
Unsanitary Napkin - All Billionaires Are Bastards
AlwaysNeverFun, Limbless, Slimebag
It is always a guess if you will return to an album after initially being blown away by it. It's been a couple of months since I wrote the review and can confirm this album still haunts me. The anger and rage still impress me as much as it did when I first heard it. This is currently one of my go to albums if I need to blow of some steam.
2
Nobro - Live Your Truth Shred Some Gnar
Big Scary Monsters
This album is so much fun to listen to. It is so high energy and so incredibly catchy. The days I work at home I take a walk before setting a foot in my home office. If the sun is out, there is a big chance this album is playing. There is one downside: I have grown less and less fond of closing track "Life Is A Voyage". I just skip it and think the album is better without it. So if I was to rewrite my review of the album I would just add this advice: skip the closing track to maintain the high energy vibe!
3
Icare - Charogne
Hummus Records
As mentioned in my review this one track album gives you a lot to digest, but if you are in the right mood it is more than worth the effort. I especially appreciate it when dusk sets in and I am in my living room, just chilling with a good drink in my hand. Just sitting there, listening to Icare going through all the motions while they convince me, with the words of Baudelaire, about the beauty of decay.
4
La Fraction - De L’Autre Côté
Crash Disques, Fraction Productions, General Strike, Gestalt, Konstroy, Maloka, Mass Productions, Mescufurus, Stonehenge Rds, Tranzophobia, Trujaca Fala, Twisted Chords
There are a lot of good melodic hardcore and punk bands out there. To set yourself apart you need a little bit extra. For La Fraction this is the incredibly voice of their singer. As stated in my review, she reminds of the great French chanseuses, but put in a punk setting.
5
GGGOLDDD - This Shame Should Not Be Mine
Artoffact
This band has grown so much over time. This Shame Should Not Be Mine is the crown on their career so far. I also really appreciate how outspoken the band is on tough subjects. Yet, while talking about these subjects, the band never forgets it is not cold rationale, but emotion that touches the listeners. The combination is gold (pun intended). Or, as my colleague Spyros Stasis said in his review of this album: "It is a work driven by ambition, but without forgetting the emotive roots of the act. Here, the personal stories of Milena Eva echo with pain and sentiment."
- Dennis
