altered states

Episode 118: The End of the End (of the Year)

It’s that time! Time for Brian and Nick to share their top albums for 2013!  And this year, there are more than ever!  After individually making lists of more than 20 albums (beyond 20 was largely undecided when they worked on the collective list), the combined lists brought a Top 25!! There were so many great albums this year, it was hard not make a list this long.  Realistically, it should be even longer because there are even more great albums that didn’t make the cut because of math, but there was just not enough time (and energy) to go further.

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So, without further delay, here is The Sideshow Podcast’s Top 25 Albums of 2013!  Feel free to discuss and debate (and leave your own lists) in the comments.

  1. Nails – Abandon All Life (Southern Lord)
  2. Byzantine – Byzantine (independent)
  3. Norma Jean – Wrongdoers (Razor & Tie)
  4. Nero Di Marte – Nero Di Marte (Prosthetic)
  5. Amorphis – Circle (Nuclear Blast)
  6. Dead Letter Circus – The Catalyst Fire (The End)
  7. The Ocean – Pelagial (Metal Blade)
  8. Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed (Prosthetic)
  9. Carcass – Surgical Steel (Nuclear Blast)
  10. TesseracT – Altered State (Century Media)
  11. Dark Tranquility – Construct (Century Media)
  12. Protest The Hero – Volition (Razor & Tie)
  13. Disperse – Living Mirrors (Season of Mist)
  14. Bring Me the Horizon – Sempiternal (Epitaph)
  15. Unhuman – Unhuman (independent)
  16. Soilwork – The Living Infinite (Nuclear Blast)
  17. Anciients – Heart of Oak (Season of Mist)
  18. Audrey Horne – Youngblood (Napalm)
  19. The Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us is the Killer (Party Smasher/Sumerian)
  20. Lunarsea – Hundred Light Years (Punishment 18)
  21. Enshine – Origin (Rain Without End)
  22. Man Must Die – Peace Was Never an Option (Lifeforce)
  23. Weekend Nachos – Still (Relapse)
  24. DevilDriver – Winter Kills (Napalm)
  25. Old Gods – Stylized Violence (Forge Again)

Episode 87: Kyle, Sit in a Corner and Think About the Jokes You Make

For those of you who have been listening to this show for a long time (THANKS!), you may recall in earlier episodes, Kyle and Brian would all-out verbal brawls over reviews of albums when they had striking differences in opinion.  While you may have noticed that those fights have not happened for some time (you’re welcome), the opening review of this episode demonstrates one of the more more constructive ways those differing opinions can be used to create an interesting review (similar in fashion to the Killswitch review, some episodes back). That’s not to say jabs aren’t made through the rest of the episode, but things are certainly better than they were.

Also this week, we have a (Side)Showcase, which we haven’t done since the episode with the aforementioned Killswitch review.  There’s also some more fun ball-busting, metal reviewing, and pop culture references Nick will not give Kyle the satisfaction of having.  And we promise this show is shorter than last week’s!

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Reviews: ASG – Blood Drive (Relapse); Dark Tranquillity – Construct (Century Media); The Resistance – Scars (earMusic); TesseracT – Altered States (Century Media)

(Side)Showcase: Oblivious Signal

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