TOO SOON? LEYLA’S BEST OF 2012 … SO FAR!

In 2012 I’m favoring the punk fringe of metal. That happens every few years; I return to my roots. Of course there’s that saying: If you “used to be” punk, you never were to begin with. Um sure? You don’t ever forget the music that first knocked the wind out of you. But you don’t then eschew all other music you discover. Anyway, last year, most of my half-year’s best albums got booted by late-year classics. So for what it’s worth, I present 2012’s best so far:

• Burning Love Rotten Thing to Say (Southern Lord)
• Crazy Lixx Riot Avenue (Frontiers)
• Gaza No Absolutes in Human Suffering (Black Market Activities)
• Kreator Phantom Antichrist (Nuclear Blast)
• Pallbearer Sorrow And Extinction (Profound Lore)
• Primitive Weapons The Shadow Gallery (Prosthetic)
• Royal Thunder CVI (Relapse)
• Sigh In Somniphobia (Candlelight)
• Torche Harmonicraft (Volcom)
• Turbonegro Sexual Harassment (Universal)
• Van Halen A Different Kind Of Truth (Interscope)

-LF