Top 10 Albums of 2013

10. The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1-Five Finger Death Punch
The metal titan's fourth album is their best by far. With guest appearances by Maria Brink of In This Moment, Rob Halford from Judas Priest, Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed, Max Cavalera from Soulfly and Tech N9ne, the band experimented and released some of their most aggressive music to date. The album's sequel which came out later in the year is also phenomenal. The album's best song is "Anywhere but Here" the duet version with Maria Brink.
Key Tracks: "Lift Me Up" freaturing Rob Halford, "Watch You Bleed," "You," "Wrong Side of Heaven," Burn MF," I.M. Sin," "Anywhere but Here," duet with Maria Brink, "Dot Your Eyes," and "Mama Said Knock You Out" featuring Tech N9ne.
9. The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2- Justin Timberlake
The pop star shocked us with his come back this year with not one, but two amazing albums. The second part of his opus was better though, however check out part 1 as well. This album had a more urban sound than part 1's neo soul vibes. The songs dealt with breakups or love and sex. Timberlake showed us that he can still be a viable musical force after all these years. The best song is the opening track "Gimmie What I Don't Know (I Want)."
Key Tracks: "Gimmie What I Don't Know (I Want)," "TKO," "Murder" featuring Jay-Z, "Drink You Away," "Amnesia," "Only When I Walk Away," "Not a Bad Thing" the bonus track "Pair of Wings.
8. Side Effects of You-Fantasia
Fantasia really outdid herself on her fourth record. The soul singer incorporated rock elements into her music and discovered explicit language. The singer also wrote a lot of the songs where she didn't do that so much in the past. The album's best songs are "Without Me" featuring Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland and the title track.
Key Tracks: "Supernatural Love" featuring Big K.R.I.T., "Without Me" featuring Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland, "Side Effects of You," Get it Right," "So Much to Prove," "Change Your Mind," "Lighthouse," "Lose to Win," "End of Me," "In Deep" and the bonus track "To the Heavens."
7. Gravel & Wine-Gin Wigmore
Gin Wigmore's sophomore album was released in 2011 but it was only released in the United States in 2013. Wigmore's music mixes pop, rock, blues and folk to make a soulful, sassy blend of music. The best song is the second American single "Black Sheep."
Key Tracks: "Black Sheep," "Man Like That," "Poison," "Kill of the Night," " Devil in Me," "If Only," "Dirty Love," "Happy Ever After," "Saturday Smile," "Sweet Hell" featuring Butch Walker and the bonus tracks "Don't Stop" and "Kick This Love."
6. Save Rock and Roll-Fall Out Boy
Pop punk kings Fall Out Boy returned this year with an album that is more pop than rock. The album was a loud return for the band who hadn't released an album since 2008. The album mixes elements of dance, hip hop and punk into the tunes. The best songs are "The Phoenix" and "Just One Yesterday" featuring Foxes.
Key Tracks: "The Phoenix," My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)," "Alone Together," "Where Did the Party Go," "Just One Yesterday" featuring Foxes, "Miss Missing You," "Death Valley," "Rat a Tat" featuring Courtney Love, and "Save Rock and Roll" featuring Elton John.
5. True Romance-Charli XCX
The singer behind Icona Pop's epic single "I Love It" released her own debut album this year and it's very unique. The album mixes in synthpop with indie, new wave, R&B and house music. The lyrics are all about different sides of love. The best songs are "You (Ha Ha Ha)," "Stay Away" and "Black Roses."
Key Tracks: All of them.
4. Mosquito-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The art rock band went indie rock on their fourth album which isn't as phenomenal as their debut but is better than their third album and that improvement is aplenty on this record. The album's best songs are "Sacrilege," "Mosquito" and 'Under the Earth," "Despair" and Wedding Song."
Key Tracks: "Sacrilege," Mosquito," "Under the Earth," "These Paths," Area 52," "Buried Alive" featuring Dr. Octagon, "Despair" and "Wedding Song."
3. Trouble-Natalia Kills
Pop singer Natalia Kills doesn't get the credit she's due. The singer who's sophomore album is like Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey somehow had a baby who made pop music with guitars, it'd be Natalia Kills. On this album, Kills tackles personal issues like her family life, childhood and relationships gone wrong. The album's best tracks are "Television," "Devils Don't Fly" and "Marlboro Lights."
Key Tracks: "Television," "Problem," "Boys Don't Cry," "Daddy's Girl," "Saturday Night," "Devils Don't Fly," "Controversy," "Rabbit Hole," and "Marlboro Lights."
2. Artpop-Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga needs no introduction. While this album isn't her best, it also isn't her worst either. It shows a lot of experimentation. The album mixes in EDM, rock, R&B and hip hop elements into her music. The album's best song is "Dope."
Key Tracks: "Aura," Venus," "Jewels n Drugs" featuring T.I., Too Short and Twista, "MANiCURE," "Do What You Want" featuring R. Kelly, "Swine" "Mary Jane Holland," "Dope," Gypsy," "Applause."
1. Paramore-Paramore
The band prove on this album that they can do fine without what's their names? The lyrics talk about looking forward and just wanting to have fun and dealing with inner demons, as well as usual love songs. The album's best songs are "Fast in My Car," "Grow Up," "Part II," "Ain't It Fun," and "Still Into You."
Key Tracks: "Fast in My Car, "Now," "Grow Up," "Interlude: Moving On," "Ain't it Fun," "Part II," "Still Into You," "Anklebiters," "Interlude: Holiday," "Proof," "Hate to See Your Heart Break," "Interlude: I'm Not Angry Anymore," and "Be Alone."

Five Finger Death Punch Shine On Second Album Of 2013

Metal titans Five Finger Death Punch released their phenomenal fourth record,  The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1only four months ago and they're already back for more with the band's fifth record Volume 2. The album's both featured the band's signature heavy mix of groove metal and hard rock.
The album opens with three best songs on the record. "Here to Die" is a heavy and aggressive song that features the band on their signature sound of hard music with angry lyrics. "Weight Beneath My Sin" continues along the same route as the first track. "Wrecking Ball" continues along with the same intensity and aggression that is found on Five Finger Death Punch songs.
"I'm a motherfucking wrecking ball," singer Ivan Moody screams during the chorus.
The album then slows it down with the first single "Battleborn." This is a power ballad about the band's life on the road. The song shows a softer side of the band while still maintaining their edge. The album then picks back up with the next song "Cradle to the Grave." This is heavy and contains lots of fury and epic double bass drumming. The album keeps things going with "Matter of Time." This song may be the heaviest song on the album, but when most of the songs are so heavy it's hard to tell.
The album changes things up again on the next track "The Agony of Regret." This song starts out with a human heartbeat and then changes into an acoustic beat which gives the listener a small reprieve from the assault of the faster songs. This instrumental song is barely even two minutes and then segues nicely into the next track "Cold." This song starts out with pianos and Moody singing sadly. This song is a remake of a song by Moody's old band Black Blood Orchestra. The song soon picks up the pace and becomes a rocker.
Next up is "Let this Go" which keeps up the band's fast pace and is sure to start many a mosh pit. The chorus of this song is one of the best hooks on the album. It's so catchy and soulfully sang by Moody. "My Heart Lied" is an emotional cut about realizing that a relationship has come to an end and realizing that it wasn't really love. The song features Moody singing predominantly in clean vocals on this track. Next up is "A Day in My Life." The song is a good song but it sounds too similar to the band's other songs and this song has been done better by the band so many times.
The album closes with a cover of the folk song "The House of the Rising Sun." The band start it out as a slow ballad but then it becomes a rocker. Moody's vocals shine on this song, as well as all of the others.
While this album isn't as good as Volume 1, it is still a great record. Five Finger Death Punch always know how to write great songs and make killer albums. Hopefully they never quit or get lame like Otep, All That Remains or In This Moment did.

Five Finger Death Punch Release Their Best Album

It's been a while but I'm finally back to posting! Five Finger Death Punch released their fourth record ,The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1, last month and it's their best album.
The metal titans have always made good albums filled with aggressive, fast-paced metal songs. However, on their fourth offering, Five Finger Death Punch take that to a new level. From angry anthems like "Watch You Bleed," Burn MF" and lead single "Lift Me Up" which features Rob Halford from Judas Priest to the albums lone slower song "Wrong Side of Heaven," the band tackle these songs with prowess.
From the aggressive screams and beautifully sung cleans of front man Ivan Moody to the harsh guitars and banging drums of the rest of the band, the sound is perfect on this record.
The two best songs on the album would have to be "Anywhere But Here," the duet version with In This Moment singer Maria Brink and "Mama Said Knock You Out," a bad ass, hard rocking cover of LL Cool J's hit which features Tech N9ne.
While songs like "I.M. Sin" and "Dot Your Eyes" are perfect anthems for an angry rampage, the lone bad song is "Diary of a Deadman," a strange spoken word, hot mess of a song.
The disc features three bonus songs which are versions of album cuts with guest vocalists. There is the duet version of "Anywhere But Here" which far surpasses the original and "I.M. Sin" which features Max Cavalera, vocalist for Soulfly. The latter doesn't do anything differently for the song. However the third bonus track "Dot Your Eyes" with Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed is gives the song a new spunk.
As if this record wasn't good enough, Five Finger Death Punch plan to release The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2 later this year.