I have a theory that Kozelek didn't like all the extremely positive attention the music press was giving him after releasing Benji so he sabotaged his own hype. He seems like a guy who'd be like "You're just NOW getting around to praising me this much? I've been putting out albums for 20 years. **** you."

That's very possible. He's a damned middle-aged curmudgeon. The dissonance between a guy who can write some of the most sensitive, gut wrenching soul searching lyrics also penning "the war on drugs can suck my dick" is pretty entertaining and surely points to something meaningful.

By the way, and I'm sure you listened to this already, but did you listen to Sivyj Yar From the Dead Villages' Darkness?

The Gum best of Metal list turned me on to it when they said that "Distant Haze was Arising" was the best metal song of 2014. I confess that the song does hit me on a lot of different levels.

I haven't heard of it until now, probably because I'm not in the habit of reading metal reviews on the big sites. Looking at the Stereogum metal list, I'm reminded of what's always been neat about the metal scene to me: there's SO MUCH small label stuff that individual recommendations carry a lot more weight than with most other genres. That track was very nice, if a little familar. I'll listen to the whole album.

I see that Stereogum put the new Blut Aus Nord album at #1. Truthfully, when I was ranking my albums I put that one at #28. But I thought I was writing up too many metal albums as is, and wanted to highlight a bit more diversity.

Yeah. That metal list is like an indie metal list (a lot of metal fans I showed it to said they recognized like 3 bands in the list). It's cool though that in a small genre that much breadth and depth exists.

I think AC/DC "Rock or Bust" should be on your list.

I actually think their run of albums from 2000 - 2014 is some of their best material, right behind the Bon Scott years.

Your list is very well put together. I appreciate it and enjoy it. Thanks especially for taking the time to include all of the material.

I'd remove Agalloch and Opeth. Releases were forgettable.
I'd add Dark Fortress, The Contortionist and Pallbearer (seriously) in there.
Ne Obliviscaris should be higher, IMO.

And I love Alcest

You liked Pallbearer's album better than YOB's in the doom category?

Oh! I remember another album that I had on my best of the year that didn't appear here:

This Will Destroy You, Another Language.

So tough!
I wore both of them out.. I'd probably give Pallbearer the edge.

edit: I agree about "year of Doom" -- some great ones this year; Electric Wizard, Sun O)))

Great release. Had The Contortionist not blown it out of the water with Language, Skyharbor would take the progressive metal/djent throne.
I'm glad the singer has gone back to Tesseract -- i missed his harsh vocals.

The Contortionist

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There were some good Post-Rock albums released this year too.
This Will Destroy You, Helios, and Lowercase Noises -- all fantastic releases

Your post reminded me how much I liked the Lantlos album.

ahhh yes, The Contortionist would have been #5 on my list. Forgot about it.

Dan going back to Tesseract is going to be awesome.
He is my vocal instructor. =)

Best singer in rock/metal today imo.

Are you me?
I was listening to Melting Sun driving back from Arkansas yesterday.