Just like last year, it was really hard to decide which would be number 2, number 3 etc... I always know what the best album of the year is. Or the live show of the year for that matter. But how the hell can I decide what to put 5th or 6th? So, on with the list!
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Albums of the year
(click on cover to read the review)
 No Joy - More Faithful |  Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh |
No Joy - More Faithful
This one was quite easy to be honest. Because the most anticipated album for me turned out to be the album of the year. Which is always a relief because there is nothing worse than having great expectations only to be let down. Not with this one. Not only did they make an album that delivers everything I want from an album, they backed it up with some killer live shows as well. On top of that, they are a bunch of really nice people so this one was a no-brainer.
Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh
Benjamin John Power is very prominent in the 'best of' lists of a lot of big magazines and publications, and who am I to argue with that? He delivered one of the best electronic albums of the last decade with Dumb Flesh, a stellar homage to electronic giants like Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis and John Carpenter without ever sounding like a deliberate tribute or purposely retro.
'But Björn', I hear you say 'I've met you once or twice and I've read some of your reviews and you come across as more of black metal kind of guy, yet your albums of the year are decidedly non-metal. What's up with that?'
First of all, it has been an amazing year for black metal. We've been treated to some amazing quality stuff. Some of it local even, which is always a nice thing. There were the amazing debuts from Wiegedood, Drawn Into Descent and Terzij De Horde. There were the Schönesende and Ghost Bath albums. All truly brilliant stuff. But this year they've been surpassed by albums that cater to my love for shoegaze/dreampop and ambient. So be it.
This one was quite easy to be honest. Because the most anticipated album for me turned out to be the album of the year. Which is always a relief because there is nothing worse than having great expectations only to be let down. Not with this one. Not only did they make an album that delivers everything I want from an album, they backed it up with some killer live shows as well. On top of that, they are a bunch of really nice people so this one was a no-brainer.
Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh
Benjamin John Power is very prominent in the 'best of' lists of a lot of big magazines and publications, and who am I to argue with that? He delivered one of the best electronic albums of the last decade with Dumb Flesh, a stellar homage to electronic giants like Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis and John Carpenter without ever sounding like a deliberate tribute or purposely retro.
'But Björn', I hear you say 'I've met you once or twice and I've read some of your reviews and you come across as more of black metal kind of guy, yet your albums of the year are decidedly non-metal. What's up with that?'
First of all, it has been an amazing year for black metal. We've been treated to some amazing quality stuff. Some of it local even, which is always a nice thing. There were the amazing debuts from Wiegedood, Drawn Into Descent and Terzij De Horde. There were the Schönesende and Ghost Bath albums. All truly brilliant stuff. But this year they've been surpassed by albums that cater to my love for shoegaze/dreampop and ambient. So be it.
Live show of the year
 | Devin Townsend Project - Live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, April 13th. Another easy one. I think I can safely say that it was the best show I have ever witnessed in my life. The stellar show, combined with the atmosphere of the truly amazing venue was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for which I was very fortunate to have been a part of. |
Crap thing of the year:
The passing of our cats Roosje and Lotje in January.
Nice thing of the year:
Driving to Paris to pick up our new cat Knäuli, a stray kitten rescued by German friends on their holiday in the south of France.
Obligatory best wishes for the next year:
Be kind to animals, worship Satan, burn churches and remember that life is too short to listen to crap music. Be sure to follow us in 2016 and keep an eye out for some very big news.
Björn
The passing of our cats Roosje and Lotje in January.
Nice thing of the year:
Driving to Paris to pick up our new cat Knäuli, a stray kitten rescued by German friends on their holiday in the south of France.
Obligatory best wishes for the next year:
Be kind to animals, worship Satan, burn churches and remember that life is too short to listen to crap music. Be sure to follow us in 2016 and keep an eye out for some very big news.
Björn
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