1. CONVERGEYou Fail Me (Epitaph)
"Roommates have complained about the volume at which I play the noisy stuff, but with this I don't even need to turn it up. The passion and sincerity of Converge push it deeper than sheer volume. Every new record is the best of their career, and every one shows the world exactly why the rest of the pack are just followers. Absolutely great." Jon Paiero, Prince George ON
"Ear-blistering, yet musically progressive at the same time." Neil Keown, Airdrie AB
"Converge continue to create a catalogue of the most emotionally passionate music I've heard." Jenson Kurien, Mississauga ON
"This album just tears everybody apart. Simple as that." Jay Olsen, Sarnia ON
"I don't like 99 percent of metal. It's boring, shitty and sub par. That's why I love this so fuckin' much!" Joe Smiglicki, Toronto ON
"Because they were so cute on your cover." Andre Goulet, Montreal QC
"I'm jaded enough that I never expect anyone's album to be as good as their last. Converge set the standard for hardcore every time they put out a record. Now for the next three years, we'll hear 150 other bands trying to sound like this." Josh Lindley, Vancouver BC
"Quite possibly the best release of any genre this year. The band returns to their roots, but at the same time are evolving." Jesse Lantsman, Thornhill ON
2. THE BLOOD BROTHERS
Crimes (V2)
"While all the hipster indie-kids are making a big fuss over Arcade Fire and the latest Modest Mouse, the genre that really did the most to push musical concepts this year was hardcore. Whereas the whole dance-punk phenomenon had mostly been played out only months after its inception (with the notable exception of a few bands like !!! and LCD Soundsystem), hardcore was busy paving the way for a new musical gestalt entirely based of distressingly discordant harmonies in complex polyphonies that have not been arranged so intelligently since the passing of JS Bach. I kid you not. What makes the Blood Brothers' latest album so innovative is their obvious ability to mutilate the concept of standard Westernised scales. Let's face it, North America has become culturally stagnant in the wake of chromatic progressions. In 2004, the Blood Brothers were but the best example of a handful of bands that are actually attempting to reinvent music as we know it. This can only mean good things." Taylor Schaerer, Edmonton AB
"A lot of this stuff is pretty derivative nowadays. Blood Brothers are tight and loud while not sounding like shit (i.e., Alexisonfire)." Andrew Iliadis, Richmond Hill ON
"Amazing liner art to match the spine-tingling tracks on this album." Kevin Lionais, Sydney NS
"They mean business. After last year's amazing Burn Piano Island, Burn, they come back with more reasons why hardcore isn't just for the hardcore's anymore." Ryan Pollard, Saskatoon SK
"A band that's so easy to hate and so hard to love. Like any good relationship when finally realise you love them, it's so much more interesting." Kevin O'Brien, Kitchener ON
"It's too Yes to be Negative Trend, but too punk to be anything else. It's too fuckin' good! Screamy seesaw vocals, guitars clicking, buzzing and whirring in between drums and God knows what else is going on in the background. The Brothers are always a frustrating listen, but a satisfying result like having to eat that whole damn cookie to get to the red jam centre." Jon Paiero
3. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
Miss Machine (Relapse)
"Sheer awesomeness. Everyone has said that this album was worth the wait, indeed it was. The new vocal stylings of Ben Weimen are such a wonderful addition to a band that keeps pushing the limits." Samantha Everts, Campbell's Bay QC
"What can I say that hasn't been said. Dillinger have taken the expectations set upon them and kicked them into the sky. One of the greatest albums ever conceived, to put it bluntly." Cole Benoit, Vancouver BC
"Fast and complex. I'm looking forward to many more awesome albums in the years to come." Alfred Holmes, Leduc AB
4. MASTODON
Leviathan (Relapse)
"Fresh sounds from the megalith metal monsters that is Mastodon. With chops that would leave many of their peers standing with jaws dropped, they crack out a record showing both musical and personal growth. Furthermore they push the boundary of metal by incorporating actual singing into the mix, while avoiding the nu-metal cheese. Slick artwork and packaging are the icing on the cake." Matt Carson, London ON
"This album is amazing. It is probably the reason I haven't listened to many other genres lately. Innovative yet undeniably and classically catchy." Tyson Ward, Toronto ON
"Such depth and nods to yesteryear's metal in a fresh and primal sounding record, these guys know we're there going 'cause they know where their music comes from. Outstanding!" J.F. Allard, Brossard QC
"Just awesome. I'm gonna have to start listening to them at home because I'll be getting a lot of speeding tickets if it stays in the car." Bruce Headley, Toronto ON
5. ISIS
Panopticon (Ipecac)
"When I bought this album I thought it would be one of two things; a great album but not as good as their masterpiece Oceanic, or if they miraculously repeated brilliance with an album just as good. I never expected they would surpass Oceanic. Isis blends searing guitars and beautiful melodies like no one else can. While Oceanic set the bar high, Panopticon took a valiant leap over it." Adam Bradley, Toronto ON
"The next stage of evolution for this amazing band, seamlessly melding together many different dynamic aspects of many different areas of music. Varied and sparse vocals with a new emphasis on harsh singing interject the long drawn out and meticulously crafted instrumental passages of the album. The songs have very clear beginnings and endings but when listening as a whole it all melds into one large composition without ever losing track or attention. Every listen peels back a new layer and further sonic depths and highs are revealed. Isis has created something that is sure to be looked back on in future years as a true testament to underground and independent music." Bryan Bray, Montreal QC
"This album made me soil myself." Shawn Despres, Ancaster ON