2017: The Amazing
2017 was an interesting year for rock music. All of the bases were covered this past year, with new releases from the old guard (Danzig, Mr. Big, Neil Young), the usual suspects (the Foos, Queens, Mastodon) and newer emerging powerhouses (Old James, Gygax, Travelin Jack). A very interesting year, indeed.
Now keep in mind, I’m strictly focusing on the only genre of music that really matters — rock and roll. There were some stellar albums this year that aren’t featured on this site. DAMN is ridiculous. Vulfpeck’s new stuff is great. But none of that has a place here. The following nine releases (in alphabetical order) are my personal favorites of 2017 — the LP’s and EP’s that I thought rose above everything else and truly stood out. Enjoy.
Elder—Reflections of a Floating World
Wow. Is this what an acid flashback feels like? Or did I pass out, die, and wake up in a beautifully-hellacious version of heaven where Satan won the war, but it’s actually kind of cool?
What an epic, beast of an album this is.
These kids out of Boston are something special. With each release they put out, there is just so much growth, diversity, originality and sheer creativity that it astounds me. And that’s what this album did—astound me.
Much like Mastodon in that respect, each release has its own decided vibe—on Reflections of a Floating World the lines between rock, metal and prog are nonexistent, a feat that is only really achievable when a band knocks it out of the park.
It’s tough to write about specifics of an album when the songs are all around 10+ minutes long, but I’ll just say this—listening to this album is an experience. If I owned an isolation tank, the first thing I would do with it is put this album in my earbuds and drift into a different dimension. Like most of Elder’s work, the songs are primarily guitar-driven, and the playing on this album is outstanding. There’s so much tone, so many layers, and so much depth to this album.
One of my friends asked me to describe Elder recently, and I came up with this—imagine the Mars Volta traded in their afros for long hair, and their Adderall for bong rips. I think that about sums it up.
If you haven’t heard this album, check it out immediately.
Ghost — Ceremony and Devotion
Ghost is one of the more unique and influential bands to come along in quite awhile. They’ve found a gimmick — a niche, if you will — and are doing it right. And, if you still don’t quite understand what Papa and the Ghouls are all about, this album — an epic double-live album recorded in San Francisco — is a perfect eye opener.
I saw Ghost live in July of 2017. They opened for Iron Maiden, and at the risk of sounding blasphemous, they blew Maiden off the stage (a faulty Bruce Dickinson mic may have contributed to a lackluster performance). Ghost is an absolutely killer live band that puts on a memorable show, love them or hate them. A shortened opening slot prevented me from seeing any rituals, ceremonies or full-fledged shock rock (also, seeing Papa Emeritus in the daylight killed the mood a bit), but it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in awhile.
Ceremony and Devotion dynamically captures the energy, tone and spectacle of a live Ghost show. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, “ah boo hoo, a freaking live album is number two on the Best of 2017 list? Forget this.” Well listen, hotshot: 1. this list is in alphabetical order, and 2. really think about it—there hasn’t been a truly great live album in a helluva long time, at least that I can remember.
All of the necessary components for a great live album are present here: a killer setlist, great production and a rabid audience. Check, check, check. And also, it’s my site and I can do whatever the hell I want. So yeah, there’s an epic double-effing live album on the Best of 2017 list. And it’s a killer.
Gygax — Critical Hits
From the ashes of Gypsyhawk rose two great bands — Gygax and Ironaut. Gypsyhawk will always have a special place on my CD shelf, but all is not lost. The brainchild of ex-GH frontman Eric Harris, Gygax can best be described as a bad ass Dungeons & Dragons-influenced boogie-rock powerhouse out of Ventura, CA.
Gygax also features one of Gypsyhawk’s ex-ax men in Bryant Throckmorton. True story — I auditioned for Gypsyhawk the day before Bryant did. I went in, jammed a couple songs, and killed it. I was pumped, and they were pumped. I thought I was in — and was truly surprised when I got the “thanks but no thanks” call.
Then, I saw GH’s new lineup with Bryant and thought to myself “ohh, I get it… this guy is a million times better than me.”
Bryant shreds, and Armand John Lizzy forms a lethal twin-guitar combo with him on this album (after this album was recorded, Armand would become Armand John Anthony and join up with fellow Ventura rockers Night Demon).
To be honest, this sounds a ton like Gypsyhawk — a little less metal and a little more classic rock-influenced. And it sounds awesome. This album is full of killer tracks — the Lesser Magik > Worldbreaker > Draw Breath opening trifecta is glorious; Demons and Liliana will fix your Gypsyhawk withdrawals right quick; and, Chain Lightning just may be the finest rock tune of 2017, in this man’s humble opinion.
Everything about Gygax makes me happy. The D&D angle is original and entertaining — seriously, can you think of a better album title than Critical Hits? — but the quality of the tracks and the level of the musicianship make these guys much more than a gimmick.
It’s awesome to see Eric and Bryant picking up where they left off — I’m really excited to see where they take this band, and hope that their various lineup changes and sporadic schedule don’t derail what is undoubtedly one of my favorite bands of 2017.
Also, album cover of the year — amiright?
Ironaut — Sick Stupid Lies
And though Gypsyhawk did perish, two Phoenix’s thereby emerged from the charred embers of their remains…
Erik Kluiber is one of my favorite guitar players. The dude shreds. I personally honed my chops under Erik’s tutelage, and can safely say that my playing improved exponentially the minute I started working with him. His work speaks for itself — Overloaded, White Wizzard, Gypsyhawk, Void Vator — the guy is a goddamn guitar sorcerer.
And here comes Ironaut, the next step in Erik’s legacy of guitar wizadry. Wait, what? Erik’s not playing guitar? Are you sure? He’s playing bass? And singing?! Yup. And it’s great. Erik fronting Ironaut (and playing bass, no less) is kind of like what would happen if Wayne Gretzky decided to take up sprinting.
Ironaut is rifftastic, intense, and a hell of a good time. Sick Stupid Lies is a three-song follow up to the band’s 2016 Iron Vessel EP, which was a follow up to their 2015 self-titled EP. Put em together, what a fine-looking Jew.
This, to me, is what death metal would be if death metal wasn’t so lame. Just heavy, riffy, growly awesomeness. Erik’s vocals lean on the “extreme” side I suppose, but we aren’t in Cookie Monster territory — think more Mustaine-snarl-meets-Anselmo-growl, but without the douchiness. The tracks are excellent, the energy is palpable, and after 17-and-a-quarter minutes, I’m left wanting more.
Here’s hoping 2018 brings us another excellent Ironaut EP. Hell, maybe a full-length album? I wouldn’t be opposed.
Mastodon — Emperor of Sand
Ho hum, another great album from Mastodon. It’s getting boring at this point. Like, put out something shitty — be a little less predictable, you know?
I think it’s safe to say that these guys have officially hit “legendary” status. These guys have been waving the flag for 16 damn years now! They’re one of the only bands that has put out consistent, amazing work throughout the new millennium. And, they did it again on their seventh studio album.
Mastodon picked right back up where Once More Around the Sun left off, with a great balance of awesome riffs, refined songwriting and incredible musicianship. Brann Dailor is one of the finest drummers alive today, and he once again shows off his incredible chops — and constantly improving vocal abilities — throughout this album. Mastodon seems to have found their wheelhouse in terms of writing music that could be interpreted as “accessible”, while not losing their prog metal tendencies — best exemplified in what could be considered their “hit single” Show Yourself.
This album is one of those front-to-back listens that just flows perfectly. These guys are some of the best at sequencing and orchestrating narratives throughout their albums, and Emperor of Sand is no different. For me, the standout tune is Steambreather, featuring a mean, grooving riff that serves as the centerpiece for an instant-classic track. And, the album closer Jaguar God is a gamut-running epic that shows off why Mastodon is one of the most brilliant bands in the world.
This album is a must-have for any rock fan. And, if they weren’t prolific enough, the band released a brooding, ethereal, amazing EP titled Cold Dark Place later in the year. Mastodon is truly an unstoppable force.
Motorpsycho — the Tower
Oh, damn. I was not expecting this.
I’ve never truly “gotten into” Motorpsycho before this album. Motorpsycho, as far as I know, is a prolific band out of Norway that’s been around since the early 90’s and has released over twenty albums. So, forgive me for jumping on the bandwagon decades too late.
The Tower is my first impression of Motorpsycho — I had heard about it multiple times over the course of a couple of months, and decided to check it out one day with little-to-no expectations. And… holy… shit… you guys. This album blew me right away.
Is it rock? Metal? Prog rock? Prog metal? I don’t know — The Tower is probably all of the above. It sounds like King’s X, Yes and King Crimson had a beautiful, cacophonous orgy and The Tower was the result.
Sit back, relax and enjoy. This is an epic, expansive, diverse and brilliant double album.
From the opening riff of The Tower to the prodigious fourteen-minute closer Ship of Fools, this is a journey in every sense of the word. Bartok of the Universe is an ethereal metal powerhouse, while Stardust showcases an acoustic-driven side of the band that reminded me of King’s X’s The Difference. By the time I got to In Every Dream Home, I was literally bouncing up and down and playing some legit air drums. A killer groove converges with a killer riff, leading into a beautiful jam and then — holy moly — A DAMN FLUTE SOLO. YES. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR IN THIS EXACT MOMENT. This tune almost feels like something that could have been on Opeth’s most recent (and masterful) album, and really is a microcosm of the album itself — a work that is just bursting with creativity and originality at every twist and turn.
It’s safe to say, this album might be the most impressive offering of 2017. I, for one, will absolutely be diving into Motorpsycho’s back catalog on the heels of this masterpiece.
Night Demon — Darkness Remains
Night Demon — what a fucking band. This Ventura, CA power trio put out an absolute ripper two years ago (and one of my favorite albums of 2015) in Curse of the Damned, and I instantly became a fan. The quality of songs, the sheer awesomeness of the riffs, the soaring, full-of-piss-and-vinegar vocals — that bitchin’ Riot cover — made that album a staple of my Apple Music library for the past two years.
So it was with much excitement that one day, I opened up iTunes and tapped on “Night Demon” only to see “Darkness Remains: Deluxe Edition” staring back at me. What… is…. this?! How did I not know these guys put out a new album??
I kid you not when I say that I IMMEDIATELY stopped what I was doing, threw on a pair of headphones and tapped on the first song, Welcome to the Night.
As the intro kicked in, I thought to myself — “I’m sure this album can’t compare to how awesome the first one was, but it’ll still be fun.” I don’t know why I thought this. I know that they went through a slight lineup change — their former lead guitar player had been replaced by Armand John Anthony (formerly Armand John Lizzy of Ventura CA rockers Gygax — making him the only guy to appear TWICE on this list!). I loved the playing on the first album, and really dug the original guitarist from the live clips I’ve seen and heard.
About a minute and twenty seconds into the track, as the main riff kicked in, all of my skepticism was blown right away — Night Demon did it again.
To be honest, this is probably the album I’ve spent the most time with in 2017. It’s just so damn fun. And good. While these guys might scream Iron Maiden to most people (the track Maiden Hell is a riff monster with lyrics made up entirely of Maiden song references), I’ve always got more of an Armored Saint vibe from them. Regardless, this is NWOBHM alive and well in 2017, with no effing frills and no effing filler.
This album is chock-full of killer riffs from front to back. Lead singer/bassist Jarvis Leatherby is flawless — the emotive vocals and killer harmonies that made me fall in love with this band on the first album are all back. Armand John Anthony is absolutely filthy, fitting right in with his fellow Venturians. And Dusty Squires holds down the rhythm per usual with a Chuck Biscuits-esque presence.
And, the songs are excellent. There are burners (Hallowed Ground, Life on the Run, On Your Own, Flight of the Manticore), and songs that showcase diversity and depth, much like Save Me Now from the first album (Stranger in the Room and the excellent title track), along with another killer cover that makes me want to drink five hundred domestic beers (Turn Up the Night).
Night Demon has clearly found a formula that works, and I can’t get enough. Something is in the water out there in Ventura.
Old James — Speak Volumes
Do you like power trios? Do you think Ugly Kid Joe was super underrated? Do you wish Winery Dogs were a little heavier?
If you wish all — or even just one — of these things, then you need to check out Old James. Right now.
Speak Volumes was easily one of my favorite albums of 2017. Old James came out of literally nowhere, and knocked me on my ass. I honestly don’t even remember how I heard about these guys, but I do remember checking out their Words A Weapons video for a first impression. My initial thoughts are as follows:
- Holy shit, this guy’s bass tone is perfection
- Holy shit, is that Ritchie Kotzen on guitar?
- Holy shit, did Ugly Kid Joe become a power trio?
Only number one is true. Richie Kotzen is not in this band, and they are also not Ugly Kid Joe. What they are is a breath of fresh air — a perfect combination of heaviness, riffiness and songwriting — something that I desperately needed to hear in 2017. Old James is coming in hot with pure, full-fledged rock and roll bad assery straight outta Canada, and I can’t get enough.
This album is dripping with memorable riffs and sing-able tunes. The second I pressed play on this thing, Old James dives right into Don’t Put It On Me — a tune that made me think of the Black Crowes, Crobot and Winery Dogs all at once. And it just keeps going — Lemons, and the aforementioned Words As Weapons are burners, followed by the cerebral-yet-rifftastic So Real.
It just keeps going, too. Song after song, showcasing more versatility, dexterity and sheer chops. “Salutations should be on the radio”, I think to myself. Lead singer/bass player Brian Stephenson just floors me with his Phil Lynott/Paul McCartney-esque combo of super chops and unbelievable vocals. Master Imploder features all three guys locked in on a righteous riff, while Hello Eugene is captivating in its composition and quirkiness. What a cool, interesting, unconventional song. Who’s Eugene? Who the hell is Leslie? What is going on here?
Old James is a band that I really, truly hope finds enough success to keep the train rolling, and the albums coming. I can’t wait to see — and hear — what the future unfolds for these guys.
Quicksand — Interiors
Twenty-two years is a long damn time. The last time Quicksand put out an album, I was ten. Alanis Morrisette was dominating the airwaves, Michael Jordan returned to the NBA, and Power Rangers was wrapping up an epic three-season run.
It was worth the wait.
Quicksand is a seminal American rock band. I guess you would call them “post-hardcore”, but that sounds lame. Together with bands like Helmet and the recently-reunited Failure, they helped defined a sub-alt-rock scene that was a welcome escape from the label-frenzied mid 90’s landscape, even for little ten-year-old me.
Interiors is a damn pleasure. It’s like these guys never missed a beat. Stoney, heavy, shoegazey riffs intertwine with killer vocals and amazing songs. Quicksand forcefully announces their comeback the second you hit the play button with the amazing Illuminant — a song that encapsulates all that is glorious and holy about this band.
Songs like Warm and Low, Cosmonauts and Interiors sound fresh and new, but exactly like how Quicksand should sound. It’s an amazing feat really — twenty-two years out of the game, and these guys managed to come back with something that sounds classic yet new at the same time. It’s fresh, yet familiar. It sounds like an evolved version of an aesthetic that the band themselves helped define decades earlier. Which, I suppose, is exactly what any Quicksand fan would hope for twenty-two years after the fact.
Interiors is a triumph for a band that went away for far, far too long. Here’s hoping for a slightly shorter gap before we get its follow-up.
Troubled Horse — Revolution on Repeat
When I first heard Troubled Horse, I had a theory — the souls of the dearly-departed Graveyard had reincarnated and formed a new band. My theory was disproved when Graveyard (thankfully) reformed earlier this year, but I won’t let a debunked theory get in the way of a glowing album review.
Troubled Horse, if you didn’t already gather by a. the previous paragraph, or b. listening to them for ten seconds, is Swedish. That’s a good thing. Featuring former members of Witchcraft, they’ve got the Swedish psych-rock sound down pat, but this band is so much more than that. It’s…heavier… meatier… rawer… Swedish-ier.
The bottom line with Troubled Horse — this shit is a fun listen. Great riffs, excellent vocals, awesome tunes — what more do you need?
The Filthy Ones is one of those songs that conjures up a million different bands — Graveyard, Blitzen Trapper, Kvelertak, the MC5 — but it also something completely it’s own. Every track on this album is a pleasure to listen to, but my personal favorite might be The Haunted — a dark, vamping, rocker that will surely be added to my Halloween playlist next October. One of my favorite parts of this album is drummer Jonas Arnesen. Jonas has this awesome, funky, Brian Downey-esque backbeat feel that I just love.
The bottom line — this album is a joyous 38-minute good time, and worth well worth yours.
