Top 10 albums of 2020- by Lamar Ramos

No intros needed, you all know what this is about. Let's go!

Greg Puciato - Child Soldier: Creator of God

The day I was finishing up making this list I heard this album later that night. Holy hell I’m glad I waited! Ex singer of the legendary metal outfits Dillinger Escape Plan (my 3rd all-time favorite band) goes solo after his project with the more 80’s darkwave collaboration as Black Queen and it’s a perfect mix of both worlds. It's got hints of Marilyn Manson, Nine inch nails to at times even Prince! Creepy, twisted, scary, sexy? It works great on slasher horror movie soundtrack.

Listen to: Evacuation

Tricot - 10

Apparently my top listened band on Spotify this year based on stats, but truth be told, it’s probably cause they’re my new version of “Lofi beats” to study and relax to. I’d put them on the background when I’m writing or focused on something else. Not to say it isn’t a wonderful listen with full attention because it packed with sweet licks, drumming, and improved vocals from this Japanese ¾ female group! Plus this is just 1 of the 2 studio albums they dropped in 2020.

listen to : 「サマーナイトタウン」 歌詞

21 Savage- Savage Mode II

I listened to the least hip hop this year in term of albums, it was either Amine’s or this one making the list. While Amine has the better overall rap album, Savage Mode 2 was just too much fun for me to whip obnoxiously and play NBA2k to. It’s got that datpiff platinum mixtape days swagger with just bangers after bangers. Added skits with Morgan freeman are hilarious! Just in your face dirty raps with metro boomin beasting on the production is just what this doctor ordered for such a touchy year.

Listen to: No Opp left behind

Make them suffer - How to survive a funeral

I was split for top metal album being this one, August burns red or Code Orange’s latest. While I enjoyed those just as much, I got addicted to Make them suffer’s whole discography cause of how I’m impressed I was since my first listen of this. Super heavy, breakdowns are punchy. There’s some grind & deathcore flavors in the mix with some hauntingly beautiful keys which I haven’t heard executed to perfection this well since the band bleeding through. No, I don’t need to get into how attractive Booka Nile (keyboard/vocals) is to validate this selection.

Listen to: Erase Me

Dance Gavin Dance- Afterburner

First off, I’ve been making these lists since I believe 2010. This is the 4th one Dance Gavin Dance is in with their 2016’s Mothership claiming my number #1 album back when I ranked them. At this point I have to claim them as my favorite band after a decade of fan-boying over everything they’ve put out! I would put this almost flawless effort as their second best record after Mothership.. Look, I can’t describe the music in one paragraph so there my rant instead, please just go listen to it.

Listen to: Nothing Shameful (feat. Andrew Wells)

Childish Gambino - 3.15.20

It’s actually absurd to me that not everyone is talking about this project. His previous efforts Because the internet and Awake was such a big deal for the scene and this one is even better! I get it, COVID. Had only this had the right push with music videos, Jimmy Kimmel type performances and tour this would’ve been game changing. I love how experimental he is mixing both his rapper Donald with the more soulful moments, all while keeping songs lengthy and unpredictable. The production is innovative always switching styles and collaborations all hit the ball out of the park. This was my main jam during the first lockdown for sure.

Listen to: 53.49

Deftones - OHMS

OHMS my god. Can we just talk about how good this was instead of trying to compare them to their endless classics like it’s the new White Pony? After a very mildly disappointing last outing in 2016’s Gore they picked the energy back up reminiscent last heard on their 2010’s Diamond Eyes (pardon the history lesson). The band is at the very top of their game here. They just sound more alive and inspired! Brooding, destructive and all over alluring in the production. There is no bad Deftones album, but only time can tell if this actually is their very best yet!

Listen to: The link is dead

Bilmuri - Eggy Pocket

This wins best album cover. The art itself clearly hints what one can expect from this project, and that is to have no idea what to expect. It has all the post-hardcore feels from the scene's best days thrown in with rap features, autotune, 808’s, crab core breakdowns to sitar or saxophone solos. That may sound like a mess but it’s actually all done very tastefully, at times humorous but never feeling like a reach. The hooks are so catchy I can easily see every song belonging in the top 40’s or the Grammys if any of those had any proper justice and worked the way we want them to.

Listen to: POSTALMONDCLARITY

The Weeknd

Speaking of the Grammy’s, Abel is clearly pissed and he has the right to be having 0 nominations after dropping a project such as this but let's not focus on the negatives. After Hours is my clear favorite project from him thus far. I’m extremely attached to Starboy which ranked #2 in my 2016 list, as well as the trilogy mixtapes and “After Hours” blends all those styles together intricately . From the 80’s inspired synthpop to the darker, melancholic stylings of his mixtape days this is absolutely setting new heights for the Pop/R&B genre. I’m finding that the theme of this year’s list is about the collision of every artist’s old to new sound no?

Listen to: In your eyes

Bring me the Horizon - Post human: Survival horror

Speaking of blending the old with the new, no one did it better than these boys going above and beyond dropping what technically is a 9 song EP! Their older material falls under deathcore/metalcore, while their later stuff can be fit for an EDC main stage act or a something off the upcoming Wrestling PPV and somehow they make it work. Almost every track shows them going back to their heavier roots returning the familiar screams and breakdowns while captivating on their new found skills writing pop melodies. With the help of a new producer who specializes in soundtracks for horror video games, it added a lot of atmosphere to this post-apocalyptic vibe they created from synths and sampling. With the extremely charismatic front man in Oli and the band’s forward thinking they are always 2 steps ahead of their peers who are still trying to cash in on the sound Bring me the horizon already did back 2015.

Listen to: Parasite Eve

Notable Mentions: Ty Dolla $ign - Featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now

Silverstein - A beautiful place to drown

Marilyn Manson - WE ARE CHAOS

Amine - Limbo

What did you think of these albums and What did I miss?

Have a read at my 2019 version of this list on my blog!

-L.Ramos