2014 saw a multitude of great music. With it came an impressive playlist worth of songs, several cool new discoveries, and lastly, an abundance of top releases from the year. I found it difficult to narrow down my favorite releases to a condensed list, but after much deliberation and a process a bit more tedious than I’d remembered it being in 2013, I was finally able to pick 20 for my “albums of the year.”

20. Nothing More – Nothing More
Not many bands had a busier year than Texas-based rockers Nothing More. Although their self-titled album was first unleashed in the summer of 2013, Nothing More was reissued after signing a multi-record deal with Eleven Seven Music. The only things keeping this at #20 are that it’s a re-release, and also the fact that it’s missing the songs “Surface Flames” and “Take a Bullet”. But I digress.

19. Chevelle – La Gárgola
Chevelle has crafted yet another phenomenal record in La Gárgola, and while some may consider it too different, I honestly find it to be the perfect blend of experimentation, without departing from the Chicago natives’ classic alternative metal sound.

18. War of Ages – Supreme Chaos
War of Ages may not be newcomers to Christian metal, but Supreme Chaos is by far their strongest work yet. The Erie natives’ sixth effort is just as beautiful as it is heavy.

17. John Mark McMillan – Borderland
John Mark McMillan once again proves that worship music can be authentic and atmospheric, rather than tasteless and over-produced. Borderland is a surreal listening experience, from start to finish.

16. Switchfoot – Fading West
Switchfoot’s full-length from the beginning of the year is undoubtedly my least favorite out of all their albums. That being said, I personally don’t think it’s possible for the San Diego quintet to write a “bad record,” and while Fading West was a little poppy for the Switchfoot I’ve grown to love, I still enjoyed it quite a bit.

15. Steve Taylor & the Perfect Foil – Goliath
Steve Taylor’s tongue-in-cheek persona is matched up with the fast and the loud, resulting in straight-forward rock ‘n’ roll with thought-provoking lyrics. Needless to say, Goliath proves to be one of the strongest rock albums of the year.

14. Linkin Park – The Hunting Party
Linkin Park has been a household name for quite some time, but after several years in the spotlight, the alternative superstars return to their rock roots on The Hunting Party, their best effort since 2003’s Meteora.

13. Wolves at the Gate – VxV
Dayton-based post-hardcore group Wolves at the Gate made a statement with their debut full-length Captors just two years ago, and now its follow-up, VxV, expands upon that sound while stepping it up musically. Sophomore slump? Not for these gentlemen, who are as good as they’ve ever been.

12. ’68 – In Humor and Sadness
Josh Scogin wanted to keep making music after his previous band, The Chariot, called it a day, and that’s precisely what he did with Michael McClellan on their new project ‘68. The duo’s debut is a blend of Southern and garage rock, with hints of grunge and lots of chaos.

11. Jack White – Lazaretto
After a successful solo debut back in 2012, alternative rock frontrunner Jack White has returned with Lazaretto, an effort that is blistering at times and folksy at others.

10. Slipknot – .5: The Gray Chapter
A lot has happened since nu metal titans Slipknot released All Hope Is Gone in 2008, the most tumultuous of which being the death of founder and bassist Paul Gray. Now, over four years after his passing, the Iowa natives have released their fifth full-length in his honor, and it’s their best material in over a decade.

9. Disciple – Attack
Rather than giving up after the departure of his former bandmates, Disciple frontman Kevin Young decided that he wanted to continue the vision he’d started. What resulted was his band’s strongest incarnation yet, a “supergroup” of sorts featuring members of Philmont, I Am Empire, After Edmund, and High Flight Society. Their first album together, Attack, proves to be one of the best Christian rock releases of the year, and the group’s best since 2006’s Scars Remain.

8. Royal Blood – Royal Blood
Royal Blood took the rock and roll world by storm in 2014, and listening to their eponymous debut is indicative of how they did it. A duo consisting solely of bassist (and vocalist) Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher, their gritty garage rock sound with blues undertones was a breath of fresh air for many, including myself.

7. Kings Kaleidoscope – Becoming Who We Are
This 10-piece Seattle-based collective has been making music for years now, but after signing to independent label BC Music and releasing a live EP, Kings Kaleidoscope finally began to gain some of the attention that they very much deserve. Their debut full-length, Becoming Who We Are, is the prime example of why this is the case, full of intricate compositions and heartfelt lyrics.

6. ††† – †††
As a huge fan of Deftones and essentially everything that Chino Moreno touches, it should be no surprise that his project with Shaun Lopez and Chuck Doom is a new favorite of mine. Crosses’ self-titled record features the songs released from their first two EP’s, in addition to five brand new songs originally intended for a third EP. The album, which has been categorized as dream pop, witch house, and trip hop, is nothing short of amazing. Of the 15 tracks on the album, not a single one is skip-worthy.

5. Propaganda – Crimson Cord
Despite my growing love for the genre, at least in the underground, there is only one hip-hop release on this list, and that title belongs to Propaganda. His latest effort, Crimson Cord, is near flawless. The deep lyrical content is extremely complementary of the darker, more ambient musical backdrop, which I hesitate to call “beats.”

4. Islander – Violence & Destruction
Nu metal is back with a vengeance, and while many newcomers fail to capture the spirit of their influences, Islander’s debut full-length is exactly what the genre should have sounded like all along. Meaningful lyrics, thunderous basslines, that classic guitar tone, and of course the mixed vocal delivery, all make up Violence & Destruction. You can read my full review here.

3. Devil You Know – The Beauty of Destruction
Speaking of “destruction,” metal supergroup Devil You Know also released their debut effort in 2014. The album is a tasty blend of melodic metalcore, with a few dashes of groove metal here and there. With one foot firmly planted in beauty and the other rooted heavily in destruction (pun intended), the marriage of the two proves to be quite impressive. Needless to say, Howard Jones’ new band blows his old one out of the water. Sorry Killswitch Engage diehards.

2. Anberlin – Lowborn
There’s not much to say about the final album from the great Anberlin. Their last hurrah Lowborn is nothing short of a masterpiece. And while some listeners may find it a bit lackluster in comparison to their widely-accepted magnum opus, 2007’s Cities, the Florida natives couldn’t have written a better final effort even if they’d tried.

1. Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways
The kings of rock and roll made their triumphant return with their most ambitious record yet. Described as a “love letter to American music,” Sonic Highways is set in 8 different locations that each played an important role in the development of America’s soundscape. The latest from the Foo is their classic sound, but also adds quite a bit of diversity, thanks in part to the vast array of guest musicians.

Honorable Mentions

Artifex Pereo – Time & Place
Fever Fever – Aftermath
Marmozets – The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets
Nonpoint – The Return
Sleepwave – Broken Compass
Wovenwar – Wovenwar

Top 3 EP’s

MacKenzie – Introverted Rebellion
Young Fox – Predecessors
Switchfoot – The Edge of the Earth