IT'S BEEN 2 YEARS SINCE I'VE STOPPED USING SPOTIFY AND THE ONLY THING I MISS IS THE SPOTIFY WRAPS. So since I don't have that I'm just going to make a blog talking about all my fav music of the year.
I'm also keeping these posts simple in html bc I will never write them otherwise...I'll add a container eventually.
This year my genre hyperfixation is: metal! I dabbled with a lot of metal genres but I discovered that I liked power metal because it is extremely camp and cringe. Blind Guardian is great though, I love most of their work. Their lyrics is very retro fantasy. Their rendition of To France isn't very metal but it led me to finding Mike Oldfield's original version which I loved! But ultimately my favourite song by them had to be Punishment Divine.
Punishment Divine // Blind Guardian
While not a metal band, Lord of the Lost was also instrumental into this deep spiral into metal. Their Eurovision entry was so bad but the camp energy endeared me and also sent me into a spiral into metal that did not stop until November. I was really frustrated with my work so metal music became my one solace. I have to put their cover of Cha Cha Cha because ngl it's...a lot better than their actual music. That being said my fav songs from their discography were A Splintered Mind and The 13th.
Cha Cha Cha (Käärijä) // Cover by Lord of the Lost
I also loved Wilderun's Veil of Imagination album so much that I bought it. It fits the intersection of my brain that was thinking about metal and fiction really wel although it's hard to listen to the tracks separately; it's best appreciated as a full album! Other metal bands I just have to mention because I had so much fun listening to them: Tengger Cavalry (Mongolian metal!!), Power Wolf, and Beast in Black. I don't like the rest of Black Crown Initiate's music but I LOVE Song of the Crippled Bull.
Far From Where Dreams Unfurl // Wilderun
My band of the year!!!! I love Ghost. I don't have anything to say except Ghost is so good and fun and I would put down their whole discog here. My favourite has to be Darkness at the Heart of my Love because it sounds like you are rowing a boat. But Dance Macabre and Cirico have the best music videos! Their cover of Stay is so good as well.
Dance Macabre // Ghost
This is horrible for me to admit but I got into Vtubers this year and I blame my partner. I actually do not like jrock/jpop that much but then ofc there gotta be a lil metal vtuber that I got into. I love Banzoin Hakka and his musical journey is so heartwarming to watch. I also personally think his music covers are a lot more interesting than a lot of popular vtuber music out there!
Idol (YOASOBI) // Covered by Banzoin Hakka
Asides from him the only other cover I listen to on the reg is by a vtuber who DROPPED ONE BANGER DESPITE HAVING NO MUSICAL TALENT N THEN HE RESIGNED.
Shinigami (Kenshi Yonezu) // Covered by Vesper Noir
My favourite music is songs made with a story or for a character. I think the lyrics are always a lot more fun, experimental, and bolder than songs that are more personal. One artist that I thought is a really fun example of this is Arjen Anthony Lucassen and his opera project, Ayreon.
Revel in Time // Ayreon
There is also The Protomen's album Act II: The Father of Death, which I LOVED because it feels very much like a musical. The State v. Thomas Light is the song that won me over but I think The Hounds is so exciting!
The Hounds // The Protomen
Not albums but standalone songs that are just beautiful are Hildegard von Blingin's cover of by NIN and White Flag by Delta Heavy. Hildegard von Blingin' had been my covid artist and White Flag's video just makes me very emotional!
Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) // Covered by Hildegard von Blingin'
White Flag // Delta Heavy
I'm putting in Helluva boss songs please watch this show and suffer with me (it only updates once every few months). BUT OK LISTEN: U GET TO SEE THOMAS JEFFERSON (HAMILTON) AND BEETLEJUICE (BEETLEJUICE) BE EXTREMELY CUTE GAYS TOGETHER.
2-Minute Notice (Helluva Boss) // Sam Haft & Andrew Underberg
Character songs but easier to listen to in the background than Ayreon My go to work bg OST to play is Outer Wilds -- it always feels like you're on a little adventure! It has enough variation as well that it doesn't drive me stir crazy. The titular Outer Wilds is a great walking song.
Outer Wilds (Outer Wilds) // Andrew Prahlow
Disco Elysium's OST is absolutely beautiful and it makes me sad listening to it, I think it's the best OST for appreciatin the cities that you are stuck in.It's messy, it's ugly, but it makes you appreciate living. Whirling-in-Rags, 8am hits me with nostalgia for a game I've completed months ago.
Whirling-in-Rags, 8am (Disco Elysium) // British Sea Power
Signalis is incredibly haunting and it scares me a little but it fits its story beautifully. Do you wanna feel sadness for the inevitability of life? Then Die Toteninsel is FOR YOU.
Die Toteninsel (Emptiness) (Signalis) // 1000 Eyes and Tom Schley
I also relistened to Night in the Woods (for their small town nostalgia) and Marielda from Friends at the Table -- The latter is very near and dear to my heart because it's what got me down the path of ttrpgs and building better worlds for my stories.
Snow (Night in the Woods) // Alec Holowka
I Have Seen the Stars (Friends at the Table: Marielda) // Jack de Quidt
I'm just going to lump these all together because they're just bangers but probably because of my pre-existing tastes. I like old songs with the crackling static as an asmr thing which is why I really liked The Strawbs. I like music that makes good amvs (begrudingly I like the vibe of those tiktoks of a gal putting on a gown n running away from idk what w ceilings playing in the bg). I like anything camp (Chappel Roan). Family Tree, both the full song and the intro, has to be one of my favourite songs of the year. It's so depressing and I love the story behind the album even if I don't really like the album. I'm also adding Be Sooye To because I've been in love with the lyrics since I heard it years ago and I finally decided to check out the full song. In addition to this Hildegard von Blingin' is my COVID artist and her cover of Hurt makes me so sad.
Witchwood // The Strawbs
ceilings // Lizzy McAlpine
Pink Pony Club // Chappell Roan
Family Tree (Intro) // Ethel Cain
(Be Sooye To) by Dariush Rafiee