Too Soon? Sammy O’Hagar’s Best of 2013… So Far

As if Axl Rosenberg’s reminder of which albums are already a decade old weren’t enough, Buzzfeed started off the year by reminding us which albums have been around for two decades. If you’re in your mid-twenties or early thirties (like me), this list immediately makes you feel fucking weird. Older people talked about the ’70s when I was a kid and teenager in the ’90s with this reverence, and while I could appreciate it, it was basically hearsay to me, as all of it took place before I was born. Now talking about the breakthroughs of Smashing Pumpkins, the Cranberries, or Sheryl fucking Crow mean the same sort of thing to kids, teenagers, or LEGAL FUCKING ADULTS right now. Some of the albums on that list are ones I have a very personal relationship with (notable metal albums that are now twenty years old: The Sound of White Noise, Focus, Chaos AD, and Heartwork), and perhaps more importantly, distinctly remember being released. I’m an old man now. Irrelevant. Basically my own personal Dorothy Zbornak.

…my very labored point would be 1993’s parade of important albums came after 1992, one of the most important years in popular music. 1993 was a strong year even if it existed in the shadow of the year before it. 2012 was a great year for music as well, but an even better year for metal. And so far, 2013 has enough albums I could feel comfortable making a year-end list with right now: you may be aware that I like that new Altar of Plagues, ASG have released what’s probably already the album of the summer, and Clutch and Queens of the Stone Age have put out the best stuff they’ve done in years. I’m eager to see what the second half of the year brings, but what’s already come about has been pretty incredible. Maybe we’re stepping into a brave new metallic world where years of stagnant growth will yield to years of progress not seen since True Black Metal was the only black metal there was. Or maybe we’re on the verge of the 2010’s answer to The Burning Red. Right now, however, we’re fine. Or at least so far.

Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
ASG – Blood Drive
Clutch – Earth Rocker
Cult of Luna – Vertikal
Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance
Deafheaven – Sunbather
D.I.S. – Becoming Wrath
Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy
Intronaut – Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words with Tones)
Kylesa – Ultraviolet
Portal –Vexovoid
Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork
Revocation – Revocation
Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam
Wormed – Exodromos