Best Songs (and Albums) Of 2013

In 2011 I did a baker's dozen of best albums, for the styles we play on the show. (metal, goth + electronica, rock, folk).  Last year I kept expecting our station manager to put out the call, but it never came..  So this year I am ploughing right ahead on my own!  This time I set no number limits.

It took me a long time to decide this time.. Because I know and can feel the hard work and creativity that went into each one., I categorically refuse to rank order them..  I won't even put them in alphabetical order..  These are the ones I could not help but put on repeat again and again, since they were released this year..  These are the ones that made me notice right away and wouldn't let me go.   

They are all exceptional songs, well played, well orchestrated, amazing lyrically, and although many are hook laden, they resonate with beauty, bone-chilling passion, and real soul.  How rare is that in today's musical landscape?

I am sure I missed some good albums this year but these are the ones that I heard that I couldn't get out from under my skin - in a good way - and I cannot find it in my heart to say quite which is best.   That I leave up to the listener.  

(And to the artists below..: Wow! You guys hit the ball right out of the park! Thanks to every one of you for sharing your amazing musical gifts with the rest of us..  Long may you reign.  \w/ <3 -evie )

best of '13 show

these are e.V.'s picks for the year.

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here they are... kicking musical ass and taking names :)

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Týr - (Faroe Islands) METAL
"Mare Of My Night" + "The Lay Of Our Love" + "Into The Sky"
from "Valkyrja"

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Luis Ullán - (Spain) DARK ACOUSTIC

"Always Be A Poet, Even In Prose" from "How I Murdered Our Love".  Also check his Best of Ullan, 2008-2013 and the song The Mist which is amazing.

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RavenzHeart - (UK) - GOTHIC BALLAD
"Once Upon A Time" Title track EP Available only via Youtube, despite my trying to get him to put it on Bandcamp.. It's the VERY FIRST TRACK on here.

Virtual intelligence (Vi) - (USA)
DARK ELECTRONICA w/ shots of Black Metal.
"Another Sky" from "f AI th" debut LP.
Their debut EP, Interface With God (2012) is also awesome.

HIM - Tears On Tape (Finland)
(erratum:  for the late entry)
Into The Night, I Will Be The End Of You, Hearts At War
 

Raavittu - (Finland) ROCK
"Näillä Ehdoilla" 
from their self-titled demo.

Aunt Ange - (USA) ACOUSTIC ROCK
"Black Funeral Dress" + "Crucify The Blackbird" - from "Olga Walks Away". You may also want to check out there previous release, Apathia.. Google Aunt Ange and Raining Ashes, for a rare visual and auditory treat,

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Hannu Lepisto - (Finland) ROCK / ACOUSTIC
"Abuse Me To Soothe Me"+ title track from "Have A Beautiful Life" debut LP

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Orphaned Land - (Israel) METAL
"Brother" + " All Is One" + "Let The Truce Be Known" from "All Is One"

Scar The Martyr - (USA) METAL
"Cruel Ocean" from "Scar The Martyr" debut LP

Blood Ceremony - (Canada) DOOM ROCK
"Goodbye Gemini" from "The Eldritch Dark"

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A Pale Horse Named Death - (USA) MELODIC DOOM
"Cold Dark Mourning" from "Lay My Soul To Waste"

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Turisas - (Finland) METAL
"Run Bhang Eater, Run!" from Turisas 2013

the wildest ride on the album!

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Cathedral - The Last Spire (UK) METAL
 
This album is Cathedral's swan song after over 2 decades of making music.  This track was the only cool video from this album that I could find for you.. Not my fave track from it but the album is dark & recommended.

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Honourable MentionS

Daggerplay - Urban Campfire Songs.  (Finland) PUNK ROCK
Some down dirty yet uplifting Punk 'n' roll from Helsinki. Just click that first one. What a melody, and what a chorus.! Just ignore the name ;;-)

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Тролль Гнет Ель - Хмельное Сердце aka Troll Bends Fir - Hopheart
Russia's "beer METAL" merchants have an album to folk you up. ;-)

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Hacking The Wave (Italy) is the new INDUSTRIAL solo project, and experiment in open source music of Victor Love of Dope Stars, Inc. Click on the link, above to join Love's artistic experiment. Also check out Mountains of Sand.

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An outstanding ACOUSTIC GOTH band, Abney Park (USA) are arguably the granddaddy of SEPIACHORD/ steampunk music.. They have quite the back catalogue to check out.