#rockfile
Here are my favorite 50 albums of 2014. Looking back it was a great year for music, anyone who says rock is dead is just not listening.
This is a good time to put in my two cents on the resurgence of vinyl.
If you have the stereo setup for it, nothing sounds better than vinyl. Period.
That being said, most of us do not have a system that will do vinyl justice. Albums are heavy, break down over time and are inherently imperfect. But, sound great on the right equipment.
I sold off all but a select few when I made the switch to CD in the 80's. Being in radio, CDs became the easiest way to listen and much easier to move. I still buy/get CDs and rip them to a lossless format for portable listening, I am not a fan of MP3s. And I, too, miss the glory days of vinyl but I don't think they are coming back. The cost is too high for new albums and the same issues of storage and wear come in to play.
I am loving the higher resolution sounds on Blu-Ray and DVD audio, FLAC and others. Surround sound mixes, when done right are something else you do not get with vinyl.
But, if you love vinyl, go crazy, buy all you can get. CD, digital, whatever... however you listen...keep listening. Some incredible music came out in 2014 and I have no doubt 2015 will be great. Rock on!
Opeth - Pale Communion
One of my favorite bands made their first fully prog rock album since 2003's Damnation and it is awesome from start to finish.
Soen - Tellurian
From out of nowhere at the end of the year, this is tied for my favorite listen of the year.
Anubis Gate - Horizons
Been a fan and they took everything up a notch.
Evergrey - Hymns For The Broken
The most passionate album I heard this year. Yes, that Evergrey. You have to hear it to understand. Epic.
Voyager - V
Fairly ne to the band, the new album impresses in it's diversity.
Enchant - The Great Divide
Glad to have one of my favorite bands back in action!
Haken - Restoration
It's only an EP but has more amazing music on it than most longer albums.
Twelve Foot Ninja - Silent Machine
Yes, I know this came out before but I finally got a copy and saw them live in 2014.
The Third Ending - Three Word Title
Their debut is one of my all time favorites. It took almost eight years to follow it up but the wait was worth it.
Anathema - Distant Satellites
Although similar to their last two efforts, this is still a beautiful and powerful album
Cynic - Kindly Bent To Free Us
Pink Floyd - The Endless River
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase I - Neohumanity)
Gazpacho - Demon
Lunatic Soul - Walking On A Flashlight Beam
Teramaze - Esoteric Symbolism
Aeon Zen - Ephemera
Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun
No Brain Cell - Monuments
Slash - World On Fire
Gus G. - I Am The Fire
Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways
Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie
Flying Colors - Second Nature
The Wild Beyond - The Wild Beyond
Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope
Bigelf - Into The Malestrom
21 Octayne - Into The Open
Godsmack - 1000hp
3 Years Hollow - The Cracks
Lesser Key - Lesser Key
Devin Townsend Project - Z2
In Search Of Sun - The World Is Yours
Mr. Big - ...The Stories We Could Tell
Slipknot - .5 The Gray Chapter
Iced Earth - Plagues Of Babylon
Lacuna Coil - Broken Crown Halo
Dragonforce - Maximum Overload
Cage The Gods - Badlands
The Pineapple Thief - Magnolia
Kyng - Burn The Serum
Emperors And Elephants - Devil In The Lake
Devour The Day - Time & Pressure
Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls
Sanctuary - The Year The Sun Died
Baby Metal - Baby Metal
Ume - Monuments
Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope
Islander - Violence & Destruction
Nonpoint - The Return
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