Rock:.'Eat The Elephant' by A Perfect Circle. American rock band's fourth studio album was worth its 14-year wait. This record is more of an atmospheric art rock record and lacks the band's previous heavier alternative metal sound. But nonetheless, it's a great piece.
Rock: 'Prequelle' by Ghost. While definitely not a straight-up pop rock album as it does contain plenty of heavy elements, this is far removed from metal, though it does have a lot going on: Hard rock, pop rock, some prog and for the first time arena rock. Most songs have the element of catchiness due to the openly pop influences here such as ABBA.
Rock:'Stone Temple Pilots' by Stone Temple Pilots. The self-titled album of the San Diego legends brings their trademark sound of distortion-filled heavy hard rock riffs, marked by a psychedelic but also grooving melodic atmosphere. New lead singer Jeff Gutt does a splendid job.
Rock: 'Still Cyco Punk After All These Years' by Suicidal Tendencies. While essentially a near complete re-recording of frontman Mike Muir's '96 solo album 'Lost My Brain', it is still fully energetic, raw, fast, hard and fun.
6. Metal:'Rainier Fog' by Alice in Chains. The band is renowned for their dark and heavy sound and bleak subject matter. 'Rainier' sounds a bit closer to their older stuff while nonetheless having the sensibilities of their newer sound. Another truly brilliant record by AIC.
Rock: 'Living the Dream' by Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and Conspirators. When making a rock'n roll record with heaviness and attitude one can never truly go wrong with the guitar legend Slash and vocalist Myles Kennedy. Bluesy hard rock riffs and passionate soaring vocals, grooving drums and strong bass make this record yet another strong hard rock piece.
Rock: 'Time and Space' by Turnstile. American punk band's second album is an instant classic for the hardcore scene. It has pretty much everything you want: raw, loud, aggressive, heavy, short and does not mess around with any experimental tendencies.
Rock: 'Ember' by Breaking Benjamin. Rarely has a band sounded so consistent and yet not managed to grow dull. It has hard heavy metallic riffs, melodic choruses with clean singing and raw screams packed with a dark emotional atmosphere. Nothing different and yet everything sounds fresh and original.
Rock: 'Book of Bad Decisions' by Clutch. Full of hard, raw gritty engaging songs, with southern rock and blues influences. And it packs a punch.
Rock: 'Vaxis Act 1: The Unheavenly Creatures' by Coheed And Cambria. Having influences in hard rock, alternative rock, progressive rock, metal and punk, 'Vaxis' is a continuation of the concept based on frontman Claudio Sanchez's comic book series 'The Armory Wars'. Engaging to say the least.
Rock:'Lost on the Road to Eternity' by Magnum. What is astounding about the British progressive rock veterans is how inspired Bob Catlin and Tom Clarkin, the creative core of Magnum, manage to sound in their 70s. 'Lost' is all you can want -- melodic, catchy, progressive and full of pomp.
Rock:'Vicious' by Halestorm; 'Resistance Is Futile' by Manic Street Preachers and 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance' by Idles.
