50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's (So Far): #23

23.Behemoth-Evangelion (2009)

Poland blackened death metal icons Behemoth made a triumphant comeback earlier this year with The Satanist- their first record to be released since vocalist/guitarist Nergal beat leukemia. However, Evangelion, their last record to come out prior to their multi-year hiatus is an even more savage and fulfilling listen than The Satanist. Evangelion takes Behemoth's pummeling death metal sound and beefs it up with a beautifully contrasting middle-eastern influence. The use of sitars, spoken-word pieces and Arabian-inspired guitar scales make Behemoth's already epic sound even more grandiose. Evangelion has all the ferocity of a typical Behemoth record with an added layer of excitement and experimentation with music from an area of the world that needs more exposure. 

Standout Tracks

1.Daimonos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yLDSFoIU6w

2.Shemhamforash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8hZbHTmLYA

3.Ov Fire and the Void http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plk7cn4wJhs

     

50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's (So Far): #32

32.Cannibal Corpse-Kill (2006)

Death metal pioneers Cannibal Corpse had already been on the scene for 16 years when they released the most savage attack of their career in 2006's Kill. Kill didn't really differ too much from their traditional horror-infused death metal sound, but they got more out of their established formula than ever before. Producer Erik Rutan gave Cannibal Corpse a cleaner edge that made them sound crisper without sacrificing any of the power of their distinctly raw and evil sound. In addition to Rutan's production work, the songwriting on Kill had a level of energy that hadn't been present since their 1994 record The Bleeding. It was honestly incredible to hear a veteran band pour so much life and passion into their 10th (!) studio album; especially given the fact that Cannibal Corpse had been on a huge cold streak since founding vocalist Chris Barnes left the band in 1995. Ironically, Barnes' replacement George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher had nothing to do with the woes Cannibal Corpse faced on the five albums leading up to Kill. The band simply seemed bored with what they we're doing for quite almost a decade until Kill magically changed that-finally giving Fisher the chance to overtake Barnes as the face of Cannibal Corpse. The Bleeding, Tomb of the Mutilated and Butchered at Birth are all iconic death metal releases that are considered to be Cannibal Corpse's best work, but Kill is the record I will always remember them by.

Standout Tracks
1.Make Them Suffer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9nZoPHLgxk
2.Murder Worship http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_tCkW4LUjI
3.Brain Removal Device http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI9oAsVq3YQ   

50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's (So Far): #34

34.Born of Osiris-The Discovery (2011)

Prior to the release of their third LP The Discovery, Born of Osiris had already established themselves as a tight, precise progressive deathcore act with their first two records, The New Reign and A Higher Place. The Discovery was such a monumental improvement for Born of Osiris that it almost seemed like a different band had recorded it. This large jump in quality on The Discovery can be attributed to the addition of guitarist Jason Richardson to the lineup. Richardson was a far superior songwriter and guitarist than anyone the band had had in the past. Richardson took the band in a more progressive and technical direction, replacing much of the chugging monotony of their earlier material with beautiful harmonies and blistering guitar leads.  Richardson's presence was seemingly contagious as everyone else in the band stepped their game up on The Discovery as well. Ronnie Canizaro's vocals were sharper than ever, Joe Buras' keyboard sections became more prominent and experimental, and, drummer Cameron Losch seemed to have doubled the speed of his blast beats from A Higher Place.  Richardson unfortunately quit the band in late 2011 and Born of Osiris has since regressed back to being a solid albeit unremarkable act in the progressive metal realm. The Discovery is a remarkable record that is buried in Born of Osiris' otherwise good, but not particularity noteworthy discography.     

Standout Tracks

1.Devastate/Recreate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd6MmNhE13w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMlwvYuqzQc

2.Singularity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iekx3gCGL6k

3.Automatic Motion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgsZ_vbhoGw 

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #37

         37.A Loss for Words-No Sanctuary (2011)

No Sanctuary, the third full-length album from Massachusetts pop punk act A Loss for Words, is one of those records that just sucks you in right away. When I first discovered No Sanctuary in the summer of 2012, it was dominated my listening rotation for about 3-4 straight weeks. The whole record is so addictive and fun to listen to that I couldn't help but keep coming back to it. Even in a genre like pop punk that is known for the catchy nature of the material, A Loss for Words has a remarkable knack for memorable hooks and riffs. The soulful vocals of Matty Aresenault and guitarwork that doesn't shy away from taking cues from heavier types of music outside of pop punk gives A Loss for Words that unique flair that makes their music so damn infectious. No Sanctuary is sadly a hidden gem in the ever expanding sea of pop-punk revival records.

Standout Tracks

1.Pray for Rain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CM4IyHKbQU

2.Honeymoon Eyes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOnPpdEmrfc

3.Raining Excuses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad7CYIfawck   

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #39

39.Lamb of God-Resolution (2012)

Lamb of God has been one of my favorite bands since I was 15 or 16 years old. One of the many reasons they've earned that distinction is their ability to put out consistently excellent records over the course of their almost 20-year career. Their most recent record, Resolution, not only continued the trend, but is also one of the strongest releases they've ever produced. Resolution is the work of a band that knows what they're good at, but also adds a little variance to keep things fresh. The Crowbar-esque sludge riffing on "Straight From the Sun" and the classical-inspired strings that drive "King Me" are nice little detours from Lamb of God's trademark groovy sound. On top of the bursts of experimentation, Resolution also sees another stellar vocal performance from Randy Blythe, the best constructed solos that Mark Morton and Willie Adler have ever written and of course, an ample amount of punishing riffs. Resolution doesn't stray much from the sound we've grown accustomed to hearing from Lamb of God, but their ability to still be at the top of their game and still sound fresh at this stage of their career is a remarkable accomplishment.

Standout Tracks

1.Desolation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlrxfORUapU

2.King Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLeqJmNgeKs

3.Insurrection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxacM166KiU  

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #41

41.Fleshgod Apocalypse-Agony (2011)

Agony marked the start of a new chapter for Italian death metal act Fleshgod Apocalypse. The symphonic elements that played a secondary role on their first two releases (the 2009 LP Oracles and 2010 EP Mafia) got moved to the forefront of their music on Agony. Keyboardist Fransisco Ferinni- who became a full-time member of the band on Mafia- really leaves his stamp on the album with a plethora of triumphant orchestral arrangements and beautiful piano pieces that sets an epic tone for the entire record. The more symphonic sound established on Agony really gave Fleshgod Apocalypse a unique edge over a majority of their peers in the European extreme metal realm at the time of its release. The classical instrumentation is made that much more powerful with the support of the rest of the band. Drummer Fransisco Paoli-who remarkably had only been only playing drums for under two years when Agony was recorded- lays down some of the most astonishingly fast blast beats I've ever heard and Tomasso Ricardi shows vast improvement vocally from Mafia with pitch-perfect death vocals here. Agony saw Fleshgod Apocalypse reach the next level as a band and put a fresh spin on the technical death metal genre.

Standout Tracks

1.The Oppression http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACuX2c9w8s

2.The Hypocrisy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM9PNOJgCio

3.The Violation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JLjOfoQIwo   

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #43

43.Municipal Waste-The Art of Partying (2007)

Virgina metal act Municipal Waste had already become a fixture in the underground scene when they released The Art of Partying in 2007. Their 2005 release, Hazardous Mutation, was met with acclaim from critics and audiences alike thanks to their punk-influenced take on the traditional thrash sound. Hazardous Mutation deserved all the praise that was bestowed upon it, but I felt like The Art of Partying was where Municipal Waste really hit their peak. The Art of Partying took all the chaotic energy from Hazardous Mutation and applied it to a concept record about you guessed it... partying. The result is a ridiculously catchy and intense record that's just an absolute blast to listen to. Its been seven years since The Art of Partying was released and it still manages to bring a big smile to my face every time I put it on.

Standout Tracks

1.Sadistic Magician http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdAAF1JcmXI

2.A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Destroyer) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21UKaokV6oA

3.The Inebriator http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZGcreodvxw   

50 Most Underrated Albums of the Decade: #45

45. Son of Aurelius-The Farthest Reaches (2010)

Some bands in the realm of extreme metal just get lost in the shuffle for no particular reason despite making music that perfectly fits in with the trends of the times; Son of Aurelius is unfortunately one of those bands. The California progressive/technical death metal act made some of the most savage music in recent metal history on their debut (and sadly only) full-length, The Farthest Reaches. The Farthest Reaches had all the progressive beauty and technical prowess of a band like Between the Buried and Me combined with the punishing brutality of a band like The Black Dahlia Murder behind unique lyrics that focused on Greek mythology. From the melodic opener "Mercy for Today" to the absolute ripper of a closer in "The First, The Serpent", The Farthest Reaches remained an absorbing, genre-bending listen with amazing replay value. How these guys never caught on in the scene after the release of The Farthest Reaches -especially in a weak for metal like 2010- is an absolute mystery to me. Given the fact that Son of Aurelius have technically not broken up, I hope another release from them sees the light of the day eventually so they get another shot of making a bigger impact in the metal world.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Facing the Gorgon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mmhtd_vUcg

2.The First, The Serpent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgbn7A8SqMM

3. Mercy for Today  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7jtGOLYUUI 

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #46

46.3 Inches of Blood-Fire Up the Blades (2007)

Canadian defenders of traditional heavy metal, 3 Inches of Blood, go so far into their vintage-inspired sound that a lot of people don't take they're music seriously. The cheesy lyrics and unrivaled enthusiasm for all things metal may be ridiculous, but that doesn't mean that their music isn't absolutely killer. Their 2007 record, Fire Up the Blades,saw 3 Inches of Blood incorporating more thrash elements into their music- which gave their sound more of an edge- and lead to some of the best riffs of their career on tracks like "Forest King", "The Goatrider's Horde", "Trial of Champions" and "God of the Cold White Silence". 3 Inches of Blood is a fun band with a ton of memorable riffs so naturally their most fun and riff-based record is also their best.

 

Standout Tracks

1.The Goatrider's Horde

2.Trial of Champions

3.God of the Cold White Silence   

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #47

47.Animals as Leaders-Weightless (2011)

 

Weightless- the second full-length from instrumental prog metal act Animals as Leaders- lives in the shadow of their self-titled debut and I'm not quite sure why. Weightless saw the addition of live drums and a second guitarist to back up Tosin Abasi's virtuoso guitar playing, not to mention better songwriting and cleaner production. Abasi's playing on this record is also improved; focusing less on solely showing off his technical ability and more on song structure and memorable melodies to balance out his awe-inspiring leads. Weightless was the album where Animals as Leaders really came into their own as the go-to name in instrumental metal.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Cylindrical Sea

2.An Infinite Regression

3.Earth Departure

 

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #48

48.Dropkick Murphys-The Warrior's Code (2005)

The Dropkick Murphys' 2005 breakout album The Warrior's Code was really the last consistently great album the Dropkick Murphys released. Of course, everyone knows singles "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" from The Departed and "Tessie" from its attachment to the Boston Red Sox; but the lesser known tracks is where the album really shined. "Citizen C.I.A." is the most savage and furious punk song in their discography, "Captain Kelly's Kitchen" is the most rousing cover of a traditional Irish song they've ever made and "Your Spirit's Alive" is the perfect blend of their emotional, punk and anthematic sides on the same track. More than any of their earlier albums, the Dropkick Murphys really went out and made a diverse record that was evenly split between ballads, Gaelic folk songs and straight punk tracks.  The Warrior's Code packs exactly the type of a punch you would expect from an album that features boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward on the cover.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Your Spirit's Alive

2.Citizen C.I.A.

3.Captain Kelly's Kitchen

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #49

49. Big K.R.I.T.-K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (2010)

When Outkast went on hiatus in 2006, southern hip-hop lost the leading voice and real spokesmen for the scene. After years of lacking a true leader, Mississippi MC Big K.R.I.T. (King Remembered in Time) filled the void that Outkast left in southern hip-hop when they stopped making music with his breakout 2010 mixtape K.R.I.T Wuz Here. K.R.I.T.'s music embodies everything that southern hip-hop is supposed to- catchy hooks, infectious confidence from the artist and beats that will shake the living shit out of any subwoofer. K.R.I.T. spends the entire 73-minute duration of the tape not only coming out as the new voice of the dirty south scene, but showing his incredible versatility as an artist. K.R.I.T. Wuz Here features everything from anthematic odes to all things southern (the infectious "Country Shit") to brags about his rapping ability ("See Me on Top") to heartfelt and insightful looks at growing up poor and how that environment effects the people who live in it ("Children of the World"). In an age where trap rap has taken over the south, it's refreshing to see a guy like K.R.I.T. not giving in to the trends and sticking to the roots of old-school southern hip-hop.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Country Shit

2.Children of the World

3.Viktorious    

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #50

50. All Shall Perish-This is Where it Ends (2011)

(Note: This list is my picks for the 50 most underrated albums of the '2000s. These aren't exactly in order of how much I enjoy them, but instead how much they are overlooked overall by the music community and general public. The list kicks off with All Shall Perish's most recent album, This is Where it Ends, below. Hope everyone enjoys and I encourage any and all comments whether you agree with my opinion or not.)

This is Where it Ends was the record where All Shall Perish really started to break their mold as a deathcore-based act. Eddie Hermida stepped up his vocal game with a more sinister edge to his screams, new guitarist Francesco Artusato was a better fit and somehow an even stronger musician than previous guitarist Jason Richardson and above all, the band start experimenting with melody and employing the use of piano and strings to accompany certain tracks. The experimentation and melodic edge being brought into the fold without sacrificing any of the brutality or technicality they had become known for on their first three albums made this record the most satisfying and polished effort of their career. Unfortunately, this will be the last All Shall Perish record to feature Hermida and founding member/primary songwriter Ben Orum. Hermida left to join Suicide Silence while Orum left to spend more time with his family. At least this incarnation of All Shall Perish went out on top with This is Where it Ends.

Standout Tracks
1. In this Life of Pain
2.Procession of Ashes
3.The Past Will Haunt Us Both