We racked our collective brains to pluck out a top album list for 2014 and couldn’t pick less than what you are about to read. 2014 has been an exceptional year for new music and many fan funded efforts have crept in ahead of general commercial release. Treat this as the basis for your wishlists and thank us later …
Contributions from: Nix Cooper (NC), Tom Mimnagh (TM), Steve Brixey (SB), Dan Stent (DS), Andy Close (AC), Mark Granger (MG) and Karl Eisenhauer (KA).
40. Sworn To Oath – “Pillars”
Sworn To Oath have always dabbled in the hard and heavy but “Pillars” is an album that has gone to the next level. If you’re familiar with S2O from their “Don’t F*ck About” / “Leave You For Dead” EP and not heard their latest stuff – expect a completely different band. “Pillars” is their debut album and also their first release on rock and metal mammoths, Transcend Records. They’ve naturally evolved into a more intense, heavier version which could be borderline doomy in places which is no bad thing. Standout tracks are the brutal “Outcast”, the chugging assault of “Let The Rain Pour” and the intense “Gave In To God”. There’s a lot of different stuff on here but it works. “Pillars” is the start of something big for the Stoke trio. (NC)
39. Death From Above 1979 – “The Physical World”
In 2004 Toronto’s Death From Above 1979 released the seminal album, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. However, after a long hiatus, they returned this year with their long awaited follow up The Physical World, and it did not disappoint. While DFA 1979 have retained their trademark sound, there is a certain maturity to this album which marks it out as a completely different animal to their debut. In particular on the tracks Right on, Frankenstein, and White is Red, there seems to be a renewed focus and a more refined approach when compared to their more anarchic sound on You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, and it really helps make this an excellent listen. Big riffs, catchy hooks, and a distinctive style make this a landmark record in 2014. (TM)
38. Royal Blood – “Royal Blood”
With the release of their eponymous debut album, Royal Blood have managed to do something that has become increasingly rare in this day and age – namely, create an album that has both achieved mainstream popularity and is really bloody good. There have been White Stripes comparisons, but they really fail to do justice to the majestic noise on Royal Blood. There are elements of blues and grunge here, but the key to Royal Blood’s success is their appreciation and understanding of the almighty RIFF. And that’s something we can never get enough of here at Pure Rawk. Long may they reign. (SB)
37. Ooozing Wound – “Earth Suck”
Following up their debut record after just one year Oozing Wound aren’t ones to mess about, something that’s all the more evident when you learn that ‘Earth Suck’ was recorded in just three days. Taking the thrash riffs and rock and roll abandon of their debut and piling on a whole heap of weird, the bands second album is a seven track onslaught of heavy. ‘Bury Me With Money’ crashes in out of your ears in just over one minute thirty all tremolo riffs and speed fuelled drums, and ‘When The Walls Fell’ conjures up eerie sounds that wouldn’t be out of place on a black metal record before pulling some downtuned and downright grungey riffs out of it’s arse. Challenging, fun, and just plain wierd, Oozing Wound are one of the most unique bands around right now. Accept them into your lives. (MG)
36. Limb – “Limb”
If you’re a doom band with a penchant for Slade and a comedian for a singer, surely your opening yourselves up for ridicule? Well, as Limb’s self titled debut shows, the answers no, actually. Full of bludgeonly heavy riffs, powerful grooves and dark lyrics delivered in frontman Rob Hoey’s powerful roar and you have a band that are far from being anything near a joke. The hooks of ‘Eternal Psalm Pt I’ and its brother ‘Eternal Psalm Part II’ certainly reveal that their glam influences are more than just passive ones but they are also swathed in dirty guitars and screams. Not afraid to get a bit progressive Limb stretch their songwriting wings on album closer ‘Vathek’ pointing towards what should be a interesting future for the London doom merchants. (MG)
35. The Dollyrots – “Barefoot and Pregnant”
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign for their self-titled fourth album in 2012, Los Angeles pop punkers The Dollyrots joined the hordes of musicians who went the PledgeMusic route for album number five. ‘Barefoot and Pregnant’ – while not exactly full of surprises – is 13 tracks of pure, smile from ear to ear, spring in your step pop punk. The band seem to be unable to write anything but catchy tunes as proved by such gems as ‘Get Weird’, ‘Puppy Dog Eyes’ and ‘Come Get It’, each full to bursting with a hooks and earworms. Brighten up your life and get you some Dollyrots. (MG)
34. Moral Dilemma – “Is Anyone Alive Out There?”
Punk as fuck and mad as hell. That seven word sentence pretty much sums up ‘Is Anyone Alive Out There?’, the third album from the now sadly defunct Moral Dilemma. From the hundred miles and hour opener ‘Scare Tactics’ to the rumbling bass and industrial doom sounds of closing track ‘Plague Pits’ the band don’t waste a second of their swansong with filler. ‘Spare The Vote, Spoil The Ballot’ gallops along on a country beat and ‘Building Gallows’ sees them take the folk-punk route travelled most famously by kings of the genre Rancid. Exhilarating from start to finish ‘Is Anyone Alive Out There?’ shows a band that had reached the kind of songwriting maturity that could have taken them anywhere. Here’s hoping for a reunion in 2015. (MG)
33. Kory Clarke – “Payback’s A Bitch”
Quite simply, no-one was expecting this. Although lyrically “Payback’s A Bitch” was just as sharp as anything Kory’s done with Warrior Soul, musically it saw him turning his hand to every genre from lonesome country rock through Quireboys style bar room blues to the epic closer “Meet Me In Las Vegas” and carry it all off with style and panache. You really need to add this one to your CD/mp3 collection now if you’ve not done so already. (AC)
32. The Len Price 3 – “Nobody Knows”
The best kept secret in Britrock today? Quite possibly. Now on their fourth album, “Nobody Knows” saw the LP3 remind us all exactly why they’re such a damn good band. Tight and focused garage rock (with the odd ’60s psychedelic moment thrown in) this is retro rock with power, enthusiasm and some damn fine tunes and riffs. The anti-Black Stone Cherry if you like and, really, what more a recommendation do you need? (AC)
31. Deadcuts – “Dark Is The Night”
Take various reprobates from the Senseless Things, the Wonder Stuff and the Skuzzies and put them together and you’d maybe be expecting some spit ‘n’ sawdust indie punk, right? Wrong. “Dark Is The Night” was a throwback to when goth rock really was majestic, swooping and fascinating by equal turns instead of the horrible whining of emo. Credit to the Deadcuts for pulling off such an accomplished record at the first time of asking. (AC)
