As another year draws to a close we look back on an amazing year of music, members of the Bring The Noise UK team reflect on their favourite records of 2022. Let us know your favourite releases by tweeting us @BringTheNoiseUK!
Hannah Gillicker – Editor
1. Alpha Wolf/Holding Absence – The Lost & The Longing EP
I’m a big fan of both Alpha Wolf and Holding Absence, so when I found out about this collab EP I had a feeling it would make it into my Top 10 list – and it’s hit the number one spot. I can’t fault it. A match made it heaven, the EP features two original tracks from both bands, as well as two collaborations. The sheer emotion that oozes from through this EP is sublime – take Aching Longing for example, which grabs every inch of my being from start to finish. Now I’ll wait here patiently and cross all of my limbs for the announcement of a Holding Absence and Alpha Wolf tour.
2. Beyoncé – Renaissance
Okay, so it may not be the most obvious choice for the editor this publication, but I absolutely adore this album. It’s been a staple for me since its release this summer and I imagine it’s one I’ll keep coming back to for many years to come. I love how the tracks blend into each other and I still pick up on things with each listen, which is something that always scores highly in my book. A stunning release from Queen Bey.
3. The Callous Daoboys – Celebrity Therapist
I hadn’t listened to The Callous Daoboys up until this point and Celebrity Therapist took me by surprise. It feels like such a nostalgic listen to me and I love its haphazard nature, which grips me and keeps me on my toes from start to finish. Highly recommended if you’re yet to listen – I’m so glad I did.
4. Dayseeker – Dark Sun
5. BRKN LOVE – Black Box
6. Ithaca – They Fear Us
7. Heriot – Profound Morality EP
8. Kid Kapichi – Here’s What You Could Have Won
9. LostAlone – The Warring Twenties
10. L.S. Dunes – Past Lives
Nicola Craig – Head of Live
1. Lauran Hibberd – Garageband Superstar
When I first heard Lauran’s debut album back in August, I knew it would be making an appearance on this list at the end of the year. It’s a delightful combination of sugary-pop and indie-rock merged in with some super playful lyrics on the likes of Average Joe and Hot Boys. Alongside the release of the album, earlier this year Lauran headed out on a Pub Quiz Instore Tour around the country offering a fun and different take on a signing/live show; even though it made me realise I suck at quizzes it was an incredibly fun way to support the album. Having also had a chance to see her live this year, if you want a night full of fun, laughter and even maybe a mosh-pit then I’d advise heading down to a show in 2023. If you’re looking for somewhere to start your Lauran Hibberd musical journey, check out earworm Still Running (5K) and for some important words of advice on Last Song Ever. Lauran Hibberd is a breath of fresh-air and Garageband Superstar is a perfect insight into her mind and world.
2. Lizzo – Special
Lizzo’s latest album Special is well, special. This emotional rollercoaster of an album feels a bit like a musical hug with empowerment the theme running through the album. Whether it is friend appreciating I Love You Bitch or self-love anthem Naked, this is my go-to album for when I just need a bit of a cheer-up as it leaves me feeling warm with a huge smile on my face. The album features everything you need for a good time including punchy choruses, synth beats and lyrics you’ll be left singing for the rest of the day! Nobody can really deny the greatness of Lizzo‘s latest album.
3. Courting – Guitar Music
After seeing Courting live over the summer, their debut album ended up being one I was really looking forward to and wasn’t let down on. This definitely isn’t just an album of guitar music, instead it’s an eclectic mix which is worthy of everyone’s attention. With indie-punk vibed Famous standing out for all the right reasons and the frantic chorus of Loaded making me want to head to a sweaty packed venue and shout along to it; it’s a joy from start to finish. I reckon we’ll be seeing a lot of Courting in 2023, so I’d recommend getting a head start and checking them out now!
4. The Snuts – Burn The Empire
5. Crawlers – Loud Without Noise
6. Pale Waves – Unwanted
7. Boston Manor – Datura
8. Dylan – The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn
9. L.S. Dunes – Past Lives
10. Taylor Swift – Midnights
Richard Webb – Features Editor
1. Slowbleed – A Blazing Sun, A Fiery Dawn
This album came out of left-field for me and blew me away. It pains me to say that before this album dropped all the way back in January, I had not heard of Slowbleed. However, with a sophomore album this sonically devastating it was hard to ignore and managed to stay in my heavy rotation all year. The band have taken the blueprint of modern death metal and have thrown their own hardcore spin it, creating an album that boasts some seriously impressive musicianship whilst still maintaining that unpolished DIY feel. Songs such as An Ice Odyssey and Hung at Dawn are well worthy of your time if you would like to dip your toes in. Careful though, as this album is just powerful enough to sweep you away.
2. Venom Prison – Erebos
After the rousing success of Samsara stull fresh in many people’s minds, it was safe to say that the UK and European extreme metal scene had its eyes fixed firmly on Venom Prison with the follow-up. Apparently, nobody told the band this, who shrugged off any perceived pressure and delivered Erebos. An album that took everything they had built previously and blew them straight out of the water. This is the sound of a band who have found their sound, settled into their creative rhythm, and are striving to push themselves as songwriters. Yes, the melody has been dialed up, but don’t let that fool you. This is a crushingly heavy, impossibly complex album that will see Venom Prison reaching the upper echelons of the metal scene the world over very soon. Watch this space.
3. Malevolence -Malicious Intent When a band pick up traction and get hyped up a lot of people think they are just a fad and roll their eyes. If this has been the case with you when it comes to Malevolence then you really need to give your head a wobble. Malicious Intent is an album that ticks every box that you could possibly want from a metalcore album. The riffs? Undeniable. The choruses? Irrefutable. The breakdowns? Untouchable. This is the sound of band playing the kind of music that they love. The members wear their influences on their sleeves, paying homage to the greats whilst never re-treading old ground and the breakdown at the end of Life Sentence is possibly the finest you will hear all year. Trust me. If you’re not already on board with Malevolence, then you may want to check back in with this album because you’ll be seeing a lot more from these Yorkshire lads in the very near future.
4. Wormrot -Hiss
5. Undeath – It’s Time to Rise… From the Grave
6. Fit For an Autopsy – Oh What the Future Holds
7. Tuskar – Matriarch
8. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains
9. The Wonder Years – The Hum Goes on Forever
10. Gridiron – No Good at Goodbyes
Florin Petrut – Contributing Writer
1. Electric Callboy – TEKKNO
As they did back in 2020 when they released their MMXX EP, the band now known as Electric Callboy have once again found its way in my year-end round-up, this time topping it, no less! TEKKNO was an eagerly awaited album for me, and the wait turned out to be well worth it, with songs such as Spaceman, We Got the Moves or Tekkno Train all making it into my Spotify Wrapped playlist for this year. The sheer amount of fun and good times exuded by the band is at an all time high (they literally made a whole breakdown out of train noises, and it WORKS), and it’ll definitely be one of my goals for 2023 to make it to one of their concerts – from what I’ve seen online, they’re too good to miss!
2. Mothica – Nocturnal
When a friend of mine showed me Mothica’s Buzzkill about a year ago, I instantly became a fan and, while I did end up having increasingly high expectations for this record, I couldn’t have imagined that Nocturnal would wind up being *just that good*. With songs such as Nocturnal, Sensitive, The Reckoning or Casualty, Mothica’s third album ended up becoming a (subjectively) 10/10 combination of alt-pop and alt-rock. I can’t wait to see what she’ll cook up in the future, and I hope it won’t be long before one of her shows will make its way across the Atlantic!
3. Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9
It was astonishing to see the Prince of Darkness himself pump out a (still great) solo album two years ago, his first in almost a decade, and it’s equally as astonishing to see him do it all over again this year with Patient Number 9. Though he’s been among us for well over 70 years and has survived more mishaps than most people do within their lifetime, Ozzy Osbourne still sounds great, regardless of how much vocal effects and processing might have been added in the studio. His host of A-list musicians featured the likes of Zakk Wylde, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton or Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi, all of whom helped in making this record a star-studded affair, and songs such as the title track, Immortal, Parasite, or One of Those Days certified it as a top-tier studio effort. Ozzy is set to return to performing on a regular basis next year and I don’t know about you all, but I’d love to finally see the man in concert, as I haven’t had any chances to do so in my almost 23 years in this world. Here’s hoping 2023 will see that come to pass!
4. Editors – EBM
5. Maggie Lindemann – SUCKERPUNCH
6. Silverstein – Misery Made Me
7. Vukovi – NULA
8. Ghost – Impera
9. Madrugada – Chimes at Midnight
10. Coheed and Cambria – Vaxis Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind
Louis Tsangarides – Contributing Writer
1. Ithaca – They Fear Us
The glow up of the year, They Fear Us was everything I could have possibly wanted from Ithaca! The title track on its own is worthy of the top spot. I knew within one listen that this was my album of the year, and nothing went within a thousand miles of it after its release. Power, beauty and genuine goddamn rage are what you get here from first moments to the last embers. This band served excellence and then stole everyone else’s lunch. This year hasn’t been a vintage one, but this is a vintage, lean machine of a record that everyone else that hasn’t already needs to take note of. Hold, Be Held is the song of the year for me too, and if it doesn’t have you in bits hugging something or someone you love, then I feel sad for you, and wish you healing. This is truly vital and empowering listening in a year filled with endless generic “blokes in black t-shirts” bands and profound societal disappointment, and its mere existence will annoy homophobes and misogynists, which I see as an absolute win.
2. Ghost – Impera
Papa’s got a brand new album, and Tobias Forge’s satanic songs have once again sauntered there way into my soul. The man manages to make an album that Def Leppard and Kiss couldn’t make if they tried, and unlike almost every other big band, this album didn’t disappoint massively. The audacious and ridiculous Twenties is a Disney villain song that goes toe to toe with that elite band, and Spillways is the best ABBA song since they originally split and if Green Day had disregarded their own marketing and brought in some Swedish songwriters, they might just make an album a tenth as good as this.
3. Astronoid – Radiant Bloom
Soaring and beautiful yet again. Astronoid go from strength to strength on their third full-length. It’s really hard to describe their sound, but ive always likened it to the most exuberant, warm and dare I say, kind sounding metal on the planet. Lots of metal is obviously harsh and brutal, but there are so many moments on this album, especially Sedative, that are just so fantastically fun and full of positive warm feelings that I just want to go and purchase all of the baked goods in my local area and distribute them directly to my mouth. A truly unique band who’s creative limit reaches far beyond the sky and reaches at the very least Neptune. That’s quite far.
4. Working Men’s Club – Fear Fear
5.Carpenter Brut – Leather Terror
6. Devin Townsend – Lightwork
7. Vein.fm – This World Is Going To Ruin You
8. Kid Kapichi – Here’s What You Could Have Won
9. Drug Church – Hygiene
10. Blood Command – Praise Armageddonism
