Another year has gone by for music and 2020 is now here. I purchased more than 10 albums for 2019 but I’m only going to give the 10 best albums that I’ve heard this year. These are just my opinion alone.

Here are 10 great albums that I’ve heard in 2019… enjoy the list…

10. Chelsea Wolfe – Birth of Violence
(I’ve discovered the music of Chelsea Wolfe randomly online and I was immediately hooked. She’s very popular in the metal community. I listen to her music and can’t understand why she’s big in the metal industry even though her music isn’t really metal. I hear it as mostly folk music and ambient kind of music but her stuff is really good. Great songwriting and her singing voice sends chills. Loved her latest record “Birth of Violence” and can’t stop listening to it)

9. Trey Anastasio – Ghosts of the Forest
(Trey Anastasio the man known as the leading member of Phish is back with a new solo record known as his band with TAB or better known as the Trey Anastasio band. I loved this freakin’ album. It’s beautiful stuff and I think it’s Trey’s best work outside of Phish. I’ll have to warn you, though that this album is totally different than his other stuff that he did. It’s way different than Phish. It’s still improvisational music but this album is not the usual jam band and dance stuff he’s known for. This album is focused most on songwriting and I love it so much. This album can’t be left out)

8. Rival Sons – Feral Roots
(I’ve been wanting to get into Rival Sons for a while and their latest album “Feral Roots” fuckin’ kicks ass. Yup. Rock n’ roll is still alive and well and these guys prove it. Some great guitar work. The band’s singer Jay Buchanan is one of the best rock singers around. This is one 2019 album that I can’t stop listening to all year so I had to include this one)

7. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – Truth and Lies
(Another band that’s been getting a lot of buzz in the industry… another band that’s been trying to keep rock n’ roll alive. This is a kick ass album all the way through. Tyler Bryant is an amazing guitarist and singer. I love Greta Van Fleet but there are other bands trying to keep rock n’ roll alive and Tyler Bryant and the Shakdown is one of them. This album smokes. Love it)

6. Samantha Fish – Kill or Be Kind
(Thanks to Guitar World magazine, I’ve been wanting to get into Samantha Fish music for a long while so I finally thought, why not I get this album from Itunes so I did. This album blew my fuckin’ mind. Another one I can’t stop listening to. Blues rock is still alive and well. Samantha Fish has the full package. She can shred on guitar, she can write original songs well and she has the hot looks as well. I dig every song on this album and now I’m obsessed with Samantha Fish. This woman is great!)

5. Opeth – In Cauda Venenum
(Opeth did it again. Took me a few listens to really get into this album and it’s a grower but now I fuckin’ love it. It’s an amazing record all the way through. Mikael akerfeldt did it again. I love Opeth music but I think this is their best new album for sure. Way different than their previous ones too. More melodic and the songs are strong. Check it out)

4. Dream Theater – Distance Over Time
(Dream Theater never disappoints and I’m a huge fuckin’ fan of this band. They keep getting better and better every album they do. This is John Petrucci’s best guitar work and has James Labrie’s best vocals too. The whole band is great on this record really. It’s definitely different than their previous record, “The Astonishing”. I would have to say “Distance Over Time” is their best new record)

3. Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
(I’m just getting into Slipknot music. I’ve heard every album they’ve done on Spotify and I think “We Are Not Your Kind” is the best record they’ve ever done in their career. It’s better than their previous record “The Gray Chapter”. A lot of Slipknot albums are pretty tight and heavy but “We are Not Your Kind” is the most heaviest album they’ve ever done. This album is pretty sick. Great guitar playing and Corey’s voice is just out of this world. Very strong album. Love it to death)

2. Black Midi – Schlagenheim
(Another band I’ve recently discovered on the internet not too long ago. They are not too well known but they are more of an indie band than anything. They are a rock band from  the UK, an improvisational rock band. Every song on this record was written out of jamming together. The band’s singer and guitarist, Geordie Greep is one talented young man. Another record I can’t stop listening to so it had to be high on the list)

1. Tool – Fear Inoculum
(Well, Tool finally returned with a new studio album that kicks hella ass. I’ve listened to all Tool albums and this is the best record they’ve ever done. Adam Jones’s guitar work is crazy and Maynard’s vocals, Wow. Everything about this record from start to finish is so damn good. When you do a top 10 list of 2019 and if the new Tool album isn’t pretty high on it then what is wrong with you? This is the best record of 2019 so of course, I had to pick it as my no 1. choice. It’s a beautiful album. Nice work, guys!)

Kev