Best Albums of 2017

Around December, I started to really think about what has gotten a lot of play on all devices I listen to music on.  There was a lot of great music released locally and nationally in 2017.  Now I did cheat a little bit.  I included EP albums.  A lot of bands are doing EP’s now so I figure why not?  Here we go!

 

10. Triad Eternal – Eternal Engines – After a much hyped lead up, Triad Eternal released Eternal Engines in January of 2017. This album is a narrative about machines invading the planet, fueled with grungy guitars and a sound both old and new. You can read my full review of the album here.

 

 

9. Hello Luna – Ghost of You EP – I fell in love with Kenzie Coyne’s voice the first time I heard it live. It reminds me of Kira Leyden Andrea of The Strange Familiar. That clear as a bell, smooth sound mixed with the amazing talents of Diego Villasmil, Eric Morgan and drummer Michael Neumaier. This EP is seriously candy for your earholes and a nice break for me when I’m wanting a break from the hard stuff.

 

 

8. Pale Grey Lore – Limited Edition Orange Vinyl LP – I missed their release for this vinyl but after it was out, I had to have it! The album was originally released in 2016 via iTunes and other outlets but how can I NOT mention an ORANGE VINYL!!!! It’s cool looking! See it in person! Musically, Pale Grey Lore goes hard with an old school twist and killer lyrics. It’s all got a mystique to it that is hard to describe. Just go listen to it now! My mom even liked it and for those of you that know my mom, you know she hates most of the stuff I listen to or cover here.

 

7. The Worn Flints – Clementine – I was sleeping on The Worn Flints big time! That’s the thing about the Columbus scene, it’s so big that you can miss really awesome bands until someone points them out to you. Wild is one way to describe this Psych trio. Songs on their album Clementine can go from slow and lounge like to fast and energetic and it is really seamless! I need to catch a show in 2018. This album spent a lot of time in my player since I found out about it in fall of 2017.

 

6. Hittamane Yates – Hittamane – This rap powerhouse from St. Louis brought his crew and totally destroyed at Club VooDoos. If you weren’t there, you missed it. Hittamane has fire and it reflects not only in his music but in his stage show! The album is high energy with catchy lyrics and a lot of WWE references! I caught a few comic book references too. Hittamane focuses on a lot of topics we can relate to, from trying to make it in the world to dealing with haters. It’s a really fun album to listen to and it really has gotten heavy rotation on my iTunes list for the last three months.

 

5. Night Argent – The Fear EP – I was originally introduced to Night Argent near the end of 2016 by their publicist and I’ve been thanking her ever since! This Alternative / Pop group isn’t bublegum at all. They’re all heart! I first saw it in their Night Argent EP, which has my favorite song, “Widowmaker”. The thing that drew me to this band is their crushing drums and the fire in their music. I’ve been listening to them on repeat since 2016.

 

4. Corroded – Defcon Zero – On release day, I made a post welcoming everyone here at the magazine to defcon zero! Finally I could share the Corroded with my friends! I originally heard about them with the release of State of Disgrace and I fell in love with the song “I am the God”. I was begging my Swedish friends to get me albums because you couldn’t get them here! Defcon Zero is everything I’ve loved about any Corroded album I’ve been able to get my hands on. Killer guitars, clean vocals and lyrics that grab you by the throat. This album has BITE!

 

3. Gothminister – The Other Side – From Swedish metal to Norwegian metal! Gothminister is a bit darker. How can you not get behind Bjørn Alexander Brem’s booming vocals singing “Ich will alles” which means I want it all. I feel this is their best album. It’s dark, melodic and powerful. It motivates me big time when I need a kick in the butt.

 

 

2. Zoo Trippin’ – Purple – Zoo Trippin’ has some of the wildest shows. They clearly love what they do and their energy shines brightly in Purple. Tony Casa’s vocals remind me of a man against the world. He comes at you full force in this album with his band backing him up. Purple is a really interesting mix of rock, blues and funk. This is another band that can slow it down and speed it up. This is usually the vinyl that’s in my record player if the first one on our list isn’t.

 

1. Soraia – Dead Reckoning – The minute I heard “Quicksand”, I immediately thought of Joan Jett. With face melting guitar solos from Mike Reisman, this high energy garage rock band stole my heart and my audio devices. I have Dead Reckoning on vinyl and iTunes and they both have gotten a lot of play.

 

 

All of these albums are available on Amazon!  What’s your top 10 for 2017?  Let us know on Facebook or in the comments below!

Post Author: Misty Rayburn

Misty has been doing photography since she was 18 years old and most of it has been concert / band related. In 2005, she was forced to quit due to chronic spine issues. Now she's back behind a camera and couldn't be happier!

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