They say that during troubled times it is often good to find escape or comfort in routine. Some people do well at staying on task. Others find too much friction between their emotional state and the mundane. Sometimes there is relief found unexpectedly though when you can get things done and restore small oasis-like moments of order to a chaotic World.
Others believe in the law of attraction and positive manifestation. I think it is a combination of an energy filled Universe, will, karma, inertia and many other often scarcely tangible movements that create the crescendos and decrescendos that compromise our lives. But sometimes we are hit with a lot at once.
This year was often like that for me and I am going to be less active on the blog front than usual for the next few weeks, determined to sort of coast out the rest of the year being very energy mindful and reflecting on love, life, death…all the big stuff.
As we think on the multifaceted Paris tragedy, I have read many people expressing sorrow at the sacred concert space being violated, that communal place of coming together. I totally agree.
The beauty of extreme music or rock n roll or hardcore or even the bat cave gloom of the industrial scene is that you can sometimes morse code , smoke signal or Instagram your messages out to like minded souls, the “Children of the Night” (to quote Dracula and lead in with a Tribulation tie in to transition to my year end list).
The following are some of the records that I found to be the very best this year. It might not be the same for you. I know Iron Maiden had a great double album and my favorite hard rock band Clutch is not on here, but because I am biased and always write about them. Instead I wanted to focus for my best of list on records I think were made by lesser appreciated bands than Lamb Of God , Megadeth, Motorhead or other giants.
Heck, Between the Buried And Me got a 5 star rating from me this year but their record isn’t on this list.
These records struck me the most, however.
That said, Coal Chamber, Failure, Faith No More reunited this year. None of them are on this list but all put out great records. Across the spectrum of tastes. Rock and metal are still pulsing. We can all make a huge and living racket that says we are here and share in that rush of blood , adrenaline, spirit that can never be silenced.
Read the list BELOW.
Add to My Radar 
