EP 53 Setting The Tone‘s top 20 albums of 2020

Setting The Tone top 20 albums of 2020

 

 

#1Grey Daze Amends, okay so this is Setting The Tone number one album and there’s been a lot of emotion behind my call whilst this year has truly sucked for many for so many reasons, the one thing that has been amazing is this year we have had some stunning albums from so many different artists, we have had singles, and eps and albums that have all been great to distract us from the true reality of 2020.

so I have chosen Grey Daze and their album Amends, why you ask well simply I’m a huge fan of the 90’s Rock sound, but what this comes down to is that this is an album that is made up of original songs and re worked, sadly in 2017 the world lost an incredible artist in Chester Bennington, Grey Daze was the band  he was in before Linkin Park prior to his death plans where in motion to play an anniversary show in Arizona at the famous club tattoo, and even re-recording some of the original tracks from the bands earlier albums, however as well know Chester lost his battle with depression. Some time had passed and Sean Dodwell one of the bands original foundering members reached out to Chester’s; family about finishing what he and Chester had discussed in 2017. With the families wishes he and Mace Beyers, Cristin Davies along with some amazing producers set to work on breathing new life into these songs. Using the original tapes from 20 years ago. And the results are breath taking. I was lucky enough to interview Mace about the album and Chester.

Honestly this album is an emotional roller-coaster but the work and dedication that went into this album is incredible everyone has poured their heart and soul into it. And this is why it’s my number 1 album of 2020

 

#2 Deftones Ohms I don’t know really what to say that has not been said about this album, it’s the follow up to 2016 Gore in in my opinion this is miles ahead of gore, it feels the guys went back to an earlier sound that of white pony, it’s just amazing and one to put on and just sit back relax and hear the amazing sounds that only Deftones can offer.

 

#3 Trivium what the dead men say in all honesty it’s hard for me not to put this in my top 2, it’s so strong and I feel that Trivium have really found something with this I loved their previous two albums Silence in the snow and The sin and the sentence, but they in reality those albums where the ground work to what was being for this album, its heavy, its fast and brutal and see’s Trivium in my opinion hit their best form to date.

 

#4 Lamb of God -Lamb of God this is LOG first album without Chris Adler who had this unique sound, and I took me a couple of listens with this album to truly apricate Art cruiz the new mam behind the kits style, and in all honesty as much as I miss Chris Adler this is log BEST ALBUM in a long time.

 

#5 Killer be killed Reluctant hero ,KILLER BE KILLED is Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Black Queen), Troy Sanders (Mastodon, Gone Is Gone), Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, ex-Sepultura) and Ben Koller (Converge, Mutoid Man, All Pigs Must Die)

This album is just amazing, you don’t get time with this album to breath as each track rolls perfectly into the next, this has a bit of black sabbthy style riffs to punk to hardcore to thrash just awesome

 

#6 Creeper Sex death and the infinite void, this album was a great follow up from Creeper, offers to perfect bland of Rock with Emotional tones achieving the band a top 5 in 2020,

 

#7 Biffy Clyro A celebration of endings, this caught me off guard as I did not think this album was going to be so good, I have not enjoyed a Biffy album since only revolutions as that was so strong every song on that album felt like it could be a single, Biffy were album to secure a number 1 album with this and for me it just shows why Andy Copping and Download Festival are right to put their faith in them to headliner the main stage at next year’s Download festival for only their second time.

 

#8 Ozzy Osbourne no ordinary man, this perhaps is the album I have heard from Ozzy in recent years where I get to sit back and go Ozzy you have delivered, I know many are torn over it as there are a host of amazing musicians that appear on the album from Slash, Duff. But for me it’s so good and it feels that if this is to be to prince of darkness last album then it’s a perfect one to end on.

 

 

#9 LOATHE `I let it in and it took everything, believe me when I say this, I wish I could put this album higher up the list but it’s been that dam good of a year for music, however this debut album is out of this world a slight Deftones feel to this album amazing.

 

#10 All time Low wake up sunshine this is a band that when they announced they was going to release their 9th Album I was a bit on the fence I felt they had lost their way with their later albums. However, wake up sunshine is a great return to form and I feel they have really found the perfect balance between earlier material and now.

 

 

#11 Green Day Farther of All MotherFuckers what I loved about this album is yet again Green Day are not afraid to change the game with their sound, this album is completely different to anything before it, it has this vibe of like a 50’s Rock n roll feel love it

 

#12 Five finger death punch F8 sees a great return to form for Five fingers death punch for their 8th album packed with the sound of five finger death punch but this an album that feels. More personal

 

#13 Phoxjaw Royal swan, is Phoxjaw debut album an album that takes so many different paths, and I really enjoyed that it does not stick to just one path

 

#14 Pearl Jam Gigaton Pearl Jam return with their 10th Album and the follow up to 2013 Lighting Bolt, there are moments of excitement but this is more of a slower paced album than lightning bolt.

 

#15 Machine Gun Kelly tickets to my downfall so MGK has gone down a different path, the joke is Eminem Kill shot in response to MGK rap devil made MGK go into to the pop punk game with this

album he has teamed up with Travis Barker from Blink 182, and the results of this album are surprising go

 

#16 Enter shikari nothing is true & everything is, I know this may not please many but Enter shikari is a band I have never really gotten into but this album had me hooked just so good and its one that takes so many twists and turns was one that caught me off guard at how good it is

 

#17 Bush The kingdom I will admit I have heard the name of this band for many years but never really took the time to listen to what they had to offer, well what a mistake the kingdom is stanning packed with Rif and

 

#18 Seether Si Vis Pacem, para Bellum, the album title stands for if you want peace prepare for war. Seether are a band I have loved since 2005, their grunge rock sound with heavy tones is something I just really love to hear them, this album is their best in a while, its heavy in your face and angry

 

 

#19 Kill The Lights the sinner , so this was a last minute changed around and honestly its been so hard to rank this albums this year, it has been such a strong year, however this album reminded me so much of Bullet for my valentine debut album and I’m trying not say it’s because of Moose their ex drummer but this album has the hunger, the fire that that debut album from Bullet had this is such an amazing debut album

 

#20 Anchor Lane Casino Anchor lane is a band who starting to make some really big noise in the scene they’re about to make their second appearance at next year’s Download Festival and that takes me doing when you’re still finding your way as a band, their debut album is just so much fun to listen to, check out Setting The Tone’s Interview with https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9csjvq/Conor_Gaffney_Anchor_Lane_interview_final_mix60ngp.mp3

 

Some that despite their sheer brilliance did not quite get into the top 20 list

#21 The Used Heart work a good album from the used for me it went a bit strange in the middle of the album

#22 Orbital junction Egos and Instincts I love this genre so much the riffs are sludgy and it’s just a great album to chill out too

#23 Alpha wolf a quiet place to die is a great follow up to their debut album mono, its heavy and one that will go over very well live

#24 Haken virus Haken Virus is just incredible within the first few tracks I was hooked and wanted to add the rest of this awesome bands back catalogue, I admit it took a Facebook advert for me to try this out I knew very little of this band. I’m just happy I tried

#25 Boston Manor Glue Boston Manor is a band I got into a few years back and have never looked back, Glue is a great alternative it’s a great rock album.

I picked this has I’ve liked this bands previous work, there is great energy from this album and is different from everything else on this list

 

 

 

 

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