We invited artists, labels and publicists to tell us which records or artists they’ve personally enjoyed over the last twelve months. Paul Bearer‘s picks below. Funeral Horse’s latest full-length album Divinity for the Wicked is out now via Artificial Head Records.
TisDass – Yamedan
“Tuareg guitar playing is something I’ve loved for quite some time… and this new offering from the group TisDass contains all that I enjoy about the style: a simple, raw love of music. Sahara blues at its finest… perfect for long drives out in the hot sun… or just chillin at home with some damn fine curry!”
With the Dead – With the Dead
“This album is one of those guilty pleasures of mine… big, noisy, loud… exactly the kind of stuff you want blasting from your Camaro when you’re picking up the kids from school. The album is a great mix of nasty, sludgy riffs mixed with fantastic vocals and lyrics that only Lee Dorrian can deliver.”
Kadavar – Berlin
“Besides having one of the best covers for 2015, the music and vocals absolutely rocks out too! We’re looking at that throwback sound from the 70s but done SO MUCH BETTER than most contemporaries in this genre. Kadavar get their riffs across but don’t dwell on them – but they also do not try to cram too many riffs into one song. I like their songmanship and we need more music like this!!!”
Elder – Lore
“Another super 70s musical journey – but down a darker road. Kind of like early Judas Priest. I love how this album is heavy without being HEAVY. The songwriting is deft with lots of twists and turns that do not lose the groove. The production is great too… I wish our album sounded more like this!”
Acid King – Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere
“Another one of those guilty pleasure albums. This record just screams excess like no other: over the top loud, heavy riffs, and lots of big jams. If you’re stoned and cruising along the highway, this is a great album to play on the road.”
Jody Seabody & The Whirls – Holographic Slammer
“Shameless plug #1. I love this band and this album perfectly captures their wide style of rock! It goes from mellow folk to super heavy and loud to punk and then arena rock. Imagine Cheap Trick going back to their garage days or if Zeppelin had jammed with The Damned… that’s this band!”
Terminal Cheesecake – Cheese Brain Fondue: Live In Marseille
“Shameless plug #2. I have loved this band since their second album hit the street back in the 90s. The minds behind Terminal Cheeecake have a talent for taking obscure sounds and mixing them with heavy experimental rock to craft albums that are more like a journey than a collection of songs. So when they announced a live album, I was more than curious as to hear the results. And wow… they somehow take that weirdness from the studio and make things just as bizarre and heavy on the stage. I wish I could see these guys live as it sounds like they are a blast!”
SUNN O))) – Kannon
“Kannon by SUNN O))) is Earth 2 Lite. Once I came to that realization, I started enjoying this album much more. They balance heavy drone with melody like no other band today and I respect that immensely.”
Locean – I
“What if early Sonic Youth and Pussy Galore could come back and scare the shit out of you again? Well, they have… and it’s called Locean. This “album” came out in 2014 and it’s still on top of my regular listening rotation. They have released new music on Tesla Tapes this year, but “I” remains my favorite damaged piece of threatening noise punk. ”
William Csorba – The Bear Creek Child Cemetery
“Again with the 2014 release date… but discovered in 2015. William’s style is similar to John Fahey as he creates beautiful sonic landscapes with just the acoustic guitar. I had a chance to catch William Csorba perform here in Houston and it was mesmerizing. His playing style is full and lush but not pretentious or flashy. Just damn good guitar playing. This album has so much promise with all the pieces of music fitting together cohesively. Recommended for rainy days and Mondays.”