Thursday, December 31, 2009

The 100 Greatest Albums of the Last Decade

Well it's the end of another decade, and I noticed that many influential music pundits have offered up their take on what were the musical highlights of the last ten years. I thought "Why not me?" So here are my picks for the 100 bestest records of the decade. They are listed in order of year of release, NOT merit. I have provided links to the entries that were previously featured on the Hearse. Of course I recommend you buying every record on this list, most are still in print. If you don't see your favorites on here it is because I did not care for them, get used to it. Thank you.

  1. Weakling-Dead As Dreams (2000)
  2. Paysage d’ Hiver- Paysage d’ Hiver (2000)
  3. Einsturzende Neubauten-Silence Is Sexy (2000)
  4. Nunslaughter-Hell’s Unholy Fire (2000)
  5. Slough Feg-Down Among The Dead Men (2000)
  6. Neurosis- A Sun That Never Sets (2001)
  7. Angels of Light-How I loved You (2001)
  8. Thorns-Thorns (2001)
  9. Dornenreich-Her Von Welken Nachten (2001)
  10. Absu-Tara (2001)
  11. Hammers of Misfortune-The Bastard (2001)
  12. Nargaroth-Black Metal Ist Krieg (2001)
  13. The Langley Schools Music Project-Innocence & Despair (2001)
  14. Agalloch-The Mantle (2002)
  15. Xasthur-Nocturnal Poisoning (2002)
  16. Wolf-Black Wings (2002)
  17. Arcturus- The Sham Mirrors (2002)
  18. Woven Hand-Woven Hand (2002)
  19. Leviathan-Verrater (2002)
  20. Kylesa-Kylesa (2002)
  21. Infest-No Man’s Slave (2002)
  22. Inquisition-Invoking The Majestic Throne Of Satan (2002)
  23. Oxbow-An Evil Heat (2002)
  24. Agatus-The Weaving Fates (2002)
  25. The Vanishing-In The Bathaus (2002)
  26. Nigel Pepper Cock-The New Way (2002)
  27. Canaan-A Calling To Weakness (2002)
  28. Celestia-Apparitia Sumptuous Spectre (2002)
  29. Wigrid-Hoffnungstod (2002)
  30. Explosions In The Sky-The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place (2003)
  31. Funeral Mist-Salvation (2003)
  32. Ghoul-Maniaxe (2003)
  33. Hammers of Misfortune-The August Engine (2003)
  34. Killing Joke-Killing Joke (2003)
  35. Burmese-A Mere Shadow and Reminiscence of Humanity (2003)
  36. Destroyer 666-Terror Abraxas (2003)
  37. Hala Strana-Hala Strana (2003)
  38. Dimlaia-Dimlaia (2003)
  39. Virus-Carheart (2003)
  40. Sargeist-Satanic Black Devotion (2003)
  41. Deathspell Omega-Si Monumentum Requires Circumspice (2004)
  42. The Muons-The Well At Land’s End (2004)
  43. Witchcraft-Witchcraft (2004)
  44. Enslaved-Isa (2004)
  45. Pagan Altar-Lords of Hypocrisy (2004)
  1. Dark Tribe-In Jeraspunta (2004)
  2. Cauldron Black Ram-Skulduggery (2004)
  3. Asunder-A Clarion Call (2004)
  4. Yrkoon-Occult Medicine (2004)
  5. Morgion-Cloaked By Ages, Crowned In Earth (2004)
  6. God Is An Astronaut-All Is Violent All Is Bright (2005)
  7. AN-World Minus Population (2005)
  8. Various Artists-Run The Road (2005)
  9. Corrupted-El Mundo Frio (2005)
  10. Urfaust-Verratertischer, Nichtswurdiger Geist (2005)
  11. The Gault-Even As All Before Us (2005)
  12. Vpaahsalbrox-14 Sovereign (2005)
  13. Drudkh-The Swan Road (2005)
  14. Kiss The Anus of a Black Cat-If The Sky Falls, We Shall Catch Larks (2005)
  15. Primordial-The Gathering Wilderness (2005)
  16. Drudkh-Blood In Our Wells (2006)
  17. Desolation Triumphalis-Forever Bound To Nothingness (2006)
  18. Veronica Lipgloss & The Evil Eyes-The Witches Dagger (2006)
  19. Michael Cashmore-Sleep England (2006)
  20. Hammers of Misfortune-The Locust Years (2006)
  21. Asunder-Works Will Come Undone (2006)
  22. Impurity-Necroinfamists of Tumulus Return (2006)
  1. Evil Army-Evil Army (2006)
  2. Marblebog-Csendhajnal (2006)
  3. Ahab-Call of the Wretched Sea (2006)
  4. Warning-Watching From a Distance (2006)
  5. Crippled Black Phoenix-A Love of Shared Disasters (2007)
  6. It’s Casual-The New Los Angeles (2007)
  7. Grayceon-Grayceon (2007)
  8. Hanatarash/Evil Moisture-Fatanarchy On Airtube (2007)
  9. Bone Awl-Meaningless Leaning Mess (2007)
  10. Raate-Sielu, Linna (2007)
  11. Oxbow-The Narcotic Story (2007)
  12. Akitsa-Goetie (2007)
  13. Bee & Flower-Last Sight Of Land (2007)
  14. Dax Riggs- We Sing of Only Blood Or Love (2007)
  15. Alcest-Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde (2007)
  16. Impaled-The Last Gasp (2007)
  17. Primordial-To The Nameless Dead (2007)
  18. Deathevokation-Chalice of the Ages (2007)
  19. Dead Congregation-Graves of the Archangels (2008)
  20. Samothrace-Life’s Trade (2008)
  21. Jex Thoth-Jex Thoth (2008)
  22. Harvey Milk-Life… The Best Game In Town (2008)
  23. Ulaan Khol-I (2008)
  24. Decrepit Birth-Diminishing Between Worlds (2008)
  25. Yob-The Great Cessation (2009)
  26. Master’s Hammer-Mantras (2009)
  27. Various Artists-The Sound of Wonder: The First Wave of Plugged In Pop at The Pakistani Picture House (2009)
  28. Amesouers-Amesouers (2009)
  29. Cross Stitched Eyes-Coronach (2009)
  30. Circle of Ouroborus-Tree of Knowledge (2009)
  31. Giant Squid-The Ichthyologist (2009)
  32. Sixx-Sister Devil (2009)
  33. Peste Noire-Ballade Cuntre Lo Anemi Francor

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

merde alors
et moi qui pensait qu'il était un agent vietnamien

. said...

Hell of a list... Ashes Against The Grain needs to be there somewhere though.

Anonymous said...

You forgot Ludicra. Another Great Love Song is #1 in my book.

DiNo said...

It's nice to see Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat in the list, didn't know you knew/liked 'em. Brilliant album indeed...

chrisdc said...

Kylesa, Life... The Best Game In Town, The Great Cessation, The New Los Angeles, Meaningless Leaning Mess and Coronach definitely all on my hypothetical list. Aesop, thanks for an entertaining and educational year while I've been sitting here having chemotherapy and going out of my fucking mind with boredom. Happy new decade from Australia.

Daniel said...

"It's the end of a fucked up year,there's another one coming."- Embrace.
Happy New Year and all that jazz,once again thanks for a killer site.

Anonymous said...

First time commenting on someone's blog (ever!)--fantastic list. Lots of stuff I know and love, and plenty of stuff I need to hear. Thanks, Aesop! Great stuff, as always.

Unknown said...

Out of the entire list, I've only heard three of these bands. What a square!

NO BEAST SO FIERCE said...

brilliant idea. brilliant list. happy new year!!

Peter said...

Glad to see Slough Feg standing strong in the top ten, although my preference is for either Traveller or Hardworlder.

jabladav said...

Great list.

Can't disagree with most of the list. Mine would have:
Bass Communion's "Ghosts on Magnetic Tape" SunnO))) "Black One"
Solstice "Lamentations"
Spiral Architect " A Sceptic's Universe"
Sun Kil Moon "April"

But It's not my fucking list right?

Thank you as always! I was looking at your list and totally forgot about An's " World Minus Population" and found it on evil-bay for five bucks.

2010 I will start with my own Blog thanks to CH. hope you all will check it out. It will explore Black Metal bands from the Carolinas.

Anonymous said...

you forgot the best band of album of all LUDICRA "ANOTHER GREAT LOVE SONG"

Nate Christy said...

For some reason I thought Dead as Dreams was released in 1998. I think if there was one album that summarized the 2000s, it'd be that fucking masterpiece.

Aesop said...

Recorded 98/99 released in 2000

Sloth the Happy Mutant said...

Panzerchrist-Soul Collector
Craft-Total Soul Rape
Electric Wizard-Dopethrone
Azaghal-Of Beasts and Vultures
Urn-666 Megatons
Armagedda-The Final War Approaching
Barathrum-Venomous
Abyssic Hate-A Decade of Hate
Black Cobra-Bestial

e normous said...

Out of the little I've heard, I'd pick "To the Nameless Dead" as the best.

Actually this list is slightly surprising given the stuff that you post...just slightly. Not much hc/punk/pv/grind there, for instance... maybe just because nothing very worthwhile has come out in this time, I dunno. Also the post-rock presence was a bit unexpected.

Anonymous said...

The Sixx album shouldn't count. that was recorded and originally came out more than ten years ago.

Anonymous said...

Orthrelm's album 'OV' should be in there its unique.

Aesop said...

E normous, yeah not many great punk albums in the last decade but a few (Cross STitched Eyes, It's Casual...)

The Sixx album counts because it was not previously released to the public, if it was a reissue of something that was pressed widely and distributed it would have not been included. This is a list about releases not recordings.

Dkoy said...

WEAKLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still epic and in constant rotation at my house.

Anonymous said...

Where is lady gaga? Chug a dick aesop.

Anonymous said...

Good to see Works Will Come Undone in the list, that album was so epic.

Tyler Lunch said...

Cool list for sure. Think we'll ever see your favorite albums of all time?

oops put that on the wrong post at first

Dan said...

Did not care for the latest Ahab album?

Erik Butler said...

Fabulous blog. Many thanks for the rarities and commentary.

e normous said...

mein gott, I just realized - no Arghoslent!

Anonymous said...

Sixx is terrible. Really.

Zanadar said...

Aesop-
Undying thanks for the blog and your dedication the best of music.
I'm loving the new finds and relistening to some old favorites.

MG said...

Great list, happy to see Weakling as much as Circle of Ouroborus, which is my fave for 2009.

Oxbow, Woven Hand, Asunder... yeah man.

Sixx? It's a fucking awesome album.

kktz said...

hey Aesop, just wanted to say thanx for It's Casual album, i checked it after seeing the name in your top list. it's amazing, very addictive stuff. it seems cloning late Black Flag is quite a trend lately but this is a real stuff, i will tell few more people about them, they deserve it.

DarkRadu said...

Great list, but kinda screwed up near the end by adding Decrepit Birth, Amesoeurs, Peste Noire - and regarding Circle of Ouroborus - Adding Tree of Knowledge instead of Shores? Surely you jest. Also, has no Ruins of Beverast album seemed worthy enough for the list?

Aesop said...

Shores is great, but I really went for Tree of Knowledge. I am not familiar enough with Wuins of Beverast. As for the others you mentioned, I stand by them 100%. Come on, that Decrepit Birth album is just mind boggling for the musicianship alone.

Hi Denny!! said...

I don't know how I missed out in Infest until now. 'No Man's Slave' is can'tfuckwit-ability to the max. Thanks, Aesop!

DarkRadu said...

Oh well, different strokes for different folks, I guess. I agree that Decrepit Birth know how to play their instruments, but practicing masturbation for a considerable amount of time does not make you an expert sex guru, if you catch my drift.
Looking forward to seeing Agalloch live on the 20th and 21st of March!

jjthemick said...

Voyager from Boston. The band you thought Isis was going to be listening to the 9 minutes of soul-crushing beauty of Celestial(the tower), but then realized they were another bunch of douchetard art-school dropouts who listened to waay too much Tool. Voyager is not like that, they are like this: http:www.myspace.com/voyageralpha

BTW i'm in no way affiliated, just found them on the inter-webs.

Joe Dillingham said...

Yes, good to see Dax on there. That record has not left heavy rotation for me since it came out. Fucking awesome. Super psyched for his new one to drop tomorrow, too.