'Nothing Burns Like the Cold': The Best of the Year 2020

It's that time of year again, the mince pies are in the oven, the mulled wine is warming on the stove, the Christmas tree is in need of decorating and it's time for me to release my best of the year list, so without further to do here is my list of the best tracks, albums, bands and performances in this bizarre year that has been 2020:  

Best Metal Track: Animals by Architects: Producing one of the best breakdowns in rock history Architect's Drummer/producer Dan Searle was inspired the music of Bring Me the Horizon to produce a song that rumbles and hums with angst and cranks-up the band's moody, politically-charged sound with that unmistakable grungy, warning-siren like synth in the background, a drum sound that is so heavy it sounds like artillery fire, guitars by Ali Dean, Josh Middleton and Adam Christianson that you will be rocking out to every time you hear their opening riffs and a chorus by Sam Carter that is loud, unforgiving and timely in its questioning of the human instinct. This song is unlike anything else I have heard this year, it's unforgettable, utterly cinematic and I just had to recommend it. 

Best Alt Track: Wine on Why Not by Men, by Women: Men, by Women are the definition of alternative music in 2020. Their debut single Wine on Why not manages with just an acoustic guitar, a squealing Hammond organ and some sly, Arctic Monkey's-style lyrics to depict in lurid, cringing detail the shallow side of dating. By the end the song sounds like the soundtrack to a spaghetti western stand-off as the lead singers lament another awful night of lost loves and dirty secrets.

Best Pop Punk Track: That Won't Save Us by Against the Current: New York Pop Punk band Against The Current are the spiritual successors to Paramore and No Doubt with more than a hint of the underappreciated Evanescence. Ditching the toothless pop of 2018's Past Lives for something darker, lead singer Chrissy Constanza has such grace and power in That Won't Save Us, delivering a performance that feels raw and emotional, being backed by some of the best power chords and drums in rock, courtesy of the great Dan Gow and Andrew Ferri, this feels like Against the Current have finally found their voice, and what a voice it is. 

Best International Band: Lost Zone: Italian rockers Lost Zone have made great strides recently with some incredible music that pushes the boundaries of rock. Their latest single Shallow Waters is a beautiful mix of candid lyrics and gorgeous production, similarly 2019's Colour Blind is piano pop-rock that echoes Linkin Park, with so much emotion that it is impossible not to listen. If their is one band that I hope you listen to in 2021 then it would be Lost Zone.

 

Best new-comers: Dead Forms: Dead Forms are 2020's saving grace. made up of 2 multi-talented musicians, genre-bending producer, vocalist, pianist and artist Alice Mills and James Richardson, producer, song-writer and vocalist for self-described 'Part-Time Yacht Rockers' Shtëpi, they are already making waves in the world of British Art Rock. I am so proud of the what they have achieved since I spoke to them in an interview just a month ago. As soon as I heard their first single 'Counting Sheep' I knew that they would be something different, a duo that thinks in a different way about the music it creates and the way it should sound and they have not disappointed, with their new single 'News is Noise' mixing house production with 80's electro-rock. They are, by far, the best new-comers of 2020.

Best Surprise Track:  The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition) by Zob Zombie: Gleeful insanity has always been a key part of Rob Zombie's output, whether it be helping create the Marx brothers referencing, homicidal Fried Chicken and Freak Show owner Captain Spalding in his 3 From Hell horror trilogy or his crazy output with Industrial metal dons White Zombie.  'King Freak...' is the absolute pinnacle of this, a track that powers through with a bizarre mix of Jazz Funk, Dance Rock, Hip Hop and Industrial Doom Metal, with Rob Zombie growling over a taunt, aggressive drum beat, doomy guitar and just the slightest hint of self parody this is by far the craziest record of the year.  

Best Live Performance: Gallon Ship from Nick Cave's gorgeous Idiot Prayer live set:  Nick Cave is a man of many sounds, from the sly schlock of Right Red Hand Man to the trauma of Skeleton Tree he is able to move, surprise and make you laugh in a single song. Gallon Ship is one of those songs, a strange tale where Cave imagines flying with his lover on a ship above the stars. A song originally from his 2019 album Ghosteen, which was written as he processed the tragic death of his teenage son, here it becomes not just a song but a spiritual experience, a way of Nick Cave honoring all those who passed on to their own gallon ships during the pandemic. With this arrangement Nick Cave strips away all the synth drones and guitar of the original and leaves just a grand piano to echo through the empty halls of Alexandra Palace, London in what is the most heart-breaking performance of the year. 

 

Best Album: Mothers Weavers Vultures by Grayceon: This is always the trickiest award to hand out but I have to say that it goes to Grayceon for Mothers Weavers Vultures. I absolutely love these guys, when I first heard about their unique brand of metal I knew that this album would be something special and thankfully the band didn't disappoint. Lead singer/Cellist Jackie Perez Gratz enhances the sound of the band beyond your normal metal sound to something that feels fresh, original and brutal. With this album the band have managed to achieve more in six tracks that most bands do in 6 albums, with highly complex riffs, deep and dark lyrics and some of the finest album cover art I've seen this year, creating a must-have for anybody looking to expand their record collection.  

Honorary award: Biffy Clyro's acoustic sets during lock-down. At the start of the first lock-down one of the finest rock bands in the world was left with an impossible problem. Their latest blockbuster album was about to release but they were unable to tour and all the major rock festivals had been cancelled. They needed a way to connect with their fans. The resulting acoustic sets paved the way for many more bands to come into the living rooms of their fans. Lead singer Simon Neil has a genuine charm, a sense of fun and a passion for his music, which translated perfectly to him live-streaming. He was not afraid to make mistakes and he was not afraid to be very candid with his audience in a way which many streamers shy away from. These sets became the highlight of the week for many, drawing in average live views of 32,000 and so it's a great pleasure to give them my honorary award.