The new year is upon us, and every time I encounter one, I can't help but feel that age has turned the process into a wormhole, where each look to the future is also a look backwards. Nostalgia is as much about putting today into context as it is remembering better(?) times. The adage says those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, but there's truth in the inverse as well. When we remember the past, we may be doomed to find the present failing to measure up. That could be especially true in 2019, where I am inundated with anniversaries for albums that have meant to much to me over the year. I may take some time during the year to revisit these albums for retrospective analysis, but for right now I'm going to briefly list the eight albums nostalgia is going to have ruling my year.
10 Years Ago:
Killswitch Engage - S/T
This record gets overlooked and written off by a lot of fans, but it shouldn't be. Yes, it showed a different side of Killswitch, ditching some of their heavier tendencies, but it revealed a sound that could expand further, connect more directly, and even touch on the mainstream. It also came full circle in 2018 with Light The Torch, where Howard Jones picked up that sound and showed its power to an audience more willing to hear it.
Bloodbound - Tabula Rasa
I trace the bloodline of modern, heavy power metal straight back to this record. It was the first time I recall hearing Soilwork-esque melodic death metal guitars without harsh vocals limiting the appeal. It burned an impression in my mind as soon as I heard it, and ten years later it still sounds fresh and current. A record truly ahead of its time.
Dilana - InsideOut
I can distinctly remember the wait for this album. There were promises of release, then label issues, and a feeling it may never see the light of day. When it finally did, I scooped it up as quickly as I could, and that officially began the love affair I have with Dilana's voice. It has deepened with time, and her other record, but that does not diminish my affection for this one, which introduced me to my favorite song of all time.
15 Years Ago:
Killswitch Engage - The End Of Heartache
As I started to embrace music heavier than my early experiences, this album was a catalyst. It had just been released, and I had friends who were devoted to it, which explosed me to a form of music I would never have heard otherwise. Metalcore doesn't have the greatest reputation, but it does here. This record is the pinnacle of the style, the moment in time where the formula was crystallized. I'm not sure what I would be writing about if not for this record.
Jimmy Eat World - Futures
A record no one talks about, which is a true shame. "Bleed American" got all the attention, but this darker follow-up is the one that they should be remembered for. A thrilling and moving record, "Futures" is the burnt caramel left at the bottom of the pan after melting down some sugar. It may be dark, but that is where the flavor concentrates. "Futures" should have been the "Pinkerton" for the next generation.
Graham Colton Band - Drive
After the heyday of guitar pop/rock, Graham Colton's band had a shining moment in the sun before they imploded. This record picked up the threads of bands like The Wallflowers, mixed them with some Tom Petty, and gave us a real gift. "Dashboard Confessional" was the big thing at the time, but Graham Colton was making far better music, which makes his meandering into bland pop all the harder to stomach. This is a case of what could have been.
Dio - Master Of The Moon
I was handed a burned copy of this album by a friend, and little did I know what it would start. This was my first exposure to Dio, and it turned me into a fan. While I hold his time in Rainbow and Sabbath ahead of his solo band, I continue to defend this record as the best of his later career. Even now, this slower, more deliberate album fit his voice like a glove, and Dio was as subtly melodic as he had been in ages. It's an overlooked gem.
20 Years Ago:
Tonic - Sugar
Though it's hard for me to remember, there was a time before Tonic was my favorite band. That time ended twenty years ago, when I heard "Sugar" for the first time. Here, for the first time, I was handed the sound that I have spent every day since chasing; guitar-driven rock with beautiful pop hooks. "Sugar" isn't Tonic's best album, but it is still one of my all-time favorites, and it initiated me as a fan. It's influence on my life is immense.
25 Years Ago:
Blues Traveler - Four
The first CD I ever owned (I had "Bat Out Of Hell II" on cassette - which makes me feel so old) was this one, which helped me become a music fan at all. I got the record for the singles, which remain subversively delicious, but it was being able to dig deeper that showed me the importance of albums as a format. This one perhaps has aged a bit more than the others I have mentioned, but its importance cannot be overstated. Every path is one step followed by another. As the second step I took down the road as a music fan, I could have ben lead in dangerous directions. "Four" steered me right.
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