Get it? 15? 2015? Never mind. With that aside it's time for a Buzzfeed style list, because everybody was just begging for another one of those right? This is a couple weeks late because I've had to catch up on some of the albums I intended on reviewing from last year. However, after much time sitting on my ass I have finally compiled my list for you.
HERE ARE ALL OF THE CONTENDERS!
Various Artists - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, A Smashing Soundtrack
Adrenaline Mob - Dearly Departed
Stone Sour - Meanwhile in Burbank...
Various Artists - Welcome to Los Santos
Tech N9ne - Special Effects
Wax Audio - Mashopolos IV: Mashphonic
Meytal - Alchemy
Various Artists - Mario Kart 8 (Original Soundtrack)
Dr. Dre - Compton
Disturbed - Immortalized
Motörhead - Bad Magic
Five Finger Death Punch - Got Your Six
Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls
Metal Allegiance - Metal Allegiance
Shinedown - Threat to Survival
The Winery Dogs - Hot Streak
Sevendust - Kill the Flaw
Clutch - Psychic Warfare
Black Tide - Chasing Shadows
Thomas Newman - 007 Spectre (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
CeeLo Green - Heart Blanche
Devil You Know - They Bleed Red
Toru Minegishi & Shiho Fujii - Splatune (Splatoon Original Soundtrack)
Adele - 25
Tech N9ne - Strangeulation Vol. II
Stone Sour - Straight Outta Burbank
John Williams - Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Greydon Square - Omniverse : Type 3 : Aum niverse
Before we begin, I'd like to point out that if you're interested in purchasing anything from the following list, click on the artist's name or album artwork and you will be taken to a purchasing link.
The challengers have stepped forth. But now... IT'S TIME TO DUAL!
(#15) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, A Smashing Soundtrack by Various Artists
HERE ARE ALL OF THE CONTENDERS!
Various Artists - Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, A Smashing Soundtrack
Adrenaline Mob - Dearly Departed
Stone Sour - Meanwhile in Burbank...
Various Artists - Welcome to Los Santos
Tech N9ne - Special Effects
Wax Audio - Mashopolos IV: Mashphonic
Meytal - Alchemy
Various Artists - Mario Kart 8 (Original Soundtrack)
Dr. Dre - Compton
Disturbed - Immortalized
Motörhead - Bad Magic
Five Finger Death Punch - Got Your Six
Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls
Metal Allegiance - Metal Allegiance
Shinedown - Threat to Survival
The Winery Dogs - Hot Streak
Sevendust - Kill the Flaw
Clutch - Psychic Warfare
Black Tide - Chasing Shadows
Thomas Newman - 007 Spectre (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
CeeLo Green - Heart Blanche
Devil You Know - They Bleed Red
Toru Minegishi & Shiho Fujii - Splatune (Splatoon Original Soundtrack)
Adele - 25
Tech N9ne - Strangeulation Vol. II
Stone Sour - Straight Outta Burbank
John Williams - Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Greydon Square - Omniverse : Type 3 : Aum niverse
Before we begin, I'd like to point out that if you're interested in purchasing anything from the following list, click on the artist's name or album artwork and you will be taken to a purchasing link.
The challengers have stepped forth. But now... IT'S TIME TO DUAL!
(#15) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, A Smashing Soundtrack by Various Artists
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Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U broke the record for number of musicians to collaborate on a videogame score, which was previously held by the last game in the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The soundtrack was released as a special gift for Club Nintendo members who registered both the 3DS and Wii U copies of the game before January 13th, 2015. While the album isn't being sold directly by Nintendo of America in the states, it is relatively cheap to import at the moment. The in-game soundtrack is absolutely spectacular! The only problem is that it's too big to fit on the 2 CDs included, meaning a lot of material is left out, INCLUDING THE MEGA MAN 2 TITLE THEME ARRANGEMENT WTF NINTENDO!?!?!?! The album includes a selection of brand new tracks recorded & arranged for the game, as well as songs & remixes from previous entries that pop up once more in the game. All in all, the end product kind of feels like a Super Smash Bros. "Greatest Hits" album, but with a lack of N64 material. It's unfortunate that we couldn't get the entire soundtrack in an official release, but that's what game rips are for. Right? Who knows, perhaps this very site will tackle the soundtrack in the future...
(#14) They Bleed Red by Devil You Know
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I actually just got into Devil You Know this year. Big mistake on my part. I should have been listening to them since their debut from last year, The Beauty of Destruction, which absolutely kicked my ass in the best ways possible! They Bleed Red, while not as strong as their debut is still a halfway decent album. It's not bad by any means, it's just that most of the tone color blends together, something I'm not entirely surprised about considering this comes just a year after their initial release. It's not as repetitive as a Slayer record though by any means. Some of the standouts here include the album's lead single, "The Way We Die", "How the End Shall Be", or the "Eye of the Tiger" cover (exclusive to the deluxe edition). The lyrics are a bit clichéd, but then again Devil You Know is a band you listen to for instrumental precision, not a deeper meaning of life.
(#13) Meanwhile in Burbank... by Stone Sour
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Meanwhile in Burbank... is 1 of 3 cover EPs being released by Stone Sour, with the first 2 being released last year and the finale coming out this year. Why Stone Sour didn't just make 1 cohesive cover album instead of 3 separate EPs (and 1 exclusive iTunes single) is beyond me. While I wasn't feeling so hot about the 2nd EP, this first one I really enjoyed a lot. The cover of "We Die Young" is pretty hit-or-miss, but everything that comes after it sounds great. "Heading Out to the Highway" and "Love Gun" are both awesome, but the real standout here is the GLORIOUS cover of Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave". So much time and effort was taken to re-create the sound of what made the original great, while also infusing that signature Stone Sour flavor to make it unique in the end. Corey Taylor's vocals combined with the band's improvisation adds some much needed dimension to the track, making it in my opinion the definitive version.
(#12) Strangeulation Vol. II by Tech N9ne
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Tech N9ne's Strangeulation was released back in 2014, and I thought it was utter garbage. It was among the worst albums released during that year. So when Aaron Yates announced that he was doing a sequel, I was rightfully worried. My thoughts on the album didn't reflect the majority of critics, so could I really expect a major shift in the formula? Thankfully, Strangeulation Vol. II does a great job trimming the fat off to create a new refined formula; it reflects the freestyle and improvisational approach taken from the last "Collabos" release, but still gives each track the production any other track would regularly receive rather than just treating the content as a mixtape. This is everything I wanted Vol. I to be! Every beat on the album is professionally crafted, not just slapped together with a quick verse thrown on top. There's also something really cool introduced on this album, which are the "Cyphers". There's 5 of them present throughout the record, and they consist of a group of artists signed onto Tech N9ne's label, "Strange Music", and having them freestyle over 1 of his beats that appeared on a prior record. This is such a brilliant idea, especially if you're familiar with the Strange Music library and can instantly recognize which song the beat you're listening to came from. It's like when someone makes a nostalgic reference in a film. It's entirely new, but it has those familiar footsteps that you're already acquainted with. I would love to see this return in a future Collabos release!
(#11) Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by John Williams
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A lot of people have said they were somewhat disappointed in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack. I understand where they're coming from, but I have to disagree. Yeah it doesn't contain any instant-classic pieces such as "Binary Sunset", "Imperial March", "Dual of the Fates", etc. Yeah I also wouldn't rank it as one of the best Star Wars soundtracks in the saga. That all being said though, this is still a REALLY good score! When compared with some of the scores from the other films it pales, but that's because those scores are about as close to perfection as you can get musically. On it's own, it really delivers! Going into the movie, I was worried that the soundtrack would contain too many throwbacks to the old pieces, but to my surprise there was a perfect balance. Most of the score is based in brand new sheet music, with just the right amount of pieces paying homage to the music of before. "Rey's Theme" in particular, which I've linked above, is one of the most memorable pieces from the film. Definitely one of the more unique compositions in the ever growing score of the Star Wars saga. Vevo has blocked it from being played directly on the site, but it can still be played on Youtube itself because... reasons.
(#10) The Book of Souls by Iron Maiden
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Iron Maiden's previous album, The Final Frontier, was a huge let down in my opinion. Aside from it's lead single, "El Dorado", the entire record just felt bland and uninspired. Nothing really got my attention or jumped out at me in terms of progressive musical direction. Now here we are just over 5 years later, and Iron Maiden has released their 16th studio album entitled The Book of Souls. So how does it fare in comparison? Well as you probably guessed since it starts off the second third of this top 15 list, The Book of Souls works! The entire album is a much needed return to the Iron Maiden formula that was sorely missing. Will this album be heralded as one of the band's greatest creations? Absolutely not. Leave that to The Number of the Beast, Somewhere in Time, Powerslave or Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. This album's purpose is simply to get the band back on track. To record material that reminds it's fans of why they stared listening to them in the first place. In fact, I am completely comfortable with calling it the Star Wars: The Force Awakens of the Iron Maiden discography (hey I just talked about that a second ago). "Speed of Light", which I've linked above oozes with early Iron Maiden sound. It's the perfect stepping stone to get into the album, as it's a very easy listen. But for me the stand out on this record is it's title track, "The Book of Souls". WOW! Clocking in at 10 minutes and 28 seconds, it's something you have to sit down and listen to without any outside distractions to really take in all of it's juicy details. Starting with a beautiful acoustic guitar intro, the song turns into an almost marching-like 4/4 demonic anthem, guided by Bruce Dickinson's voice, both angelic and hellish in nature. This is followed by a time signature and tempo change just over halfway through, now going at 3/4. This is the instrumental section that really displays the technicality for the rest of the musicians, particularly Janick Gers (guitar) and Steve Harris (bass). The song is then finished off with the same acoustic guitar heard in the intro. The description doesn't do it justice in the slightest.
(#9) Metal Allegiance by Metal Allegiance
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Juggernaut. That is the simplest way to sum up the debut release by heavy metal super group, Metal Allegiance. Members include David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mike Portnoy (a TON of other groups such as Dream Theater or Avenged Sevenfold, including one more later on in this very list), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and Mark Menghi. On top of this, the record contains tons of guest appearances including Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), Phil Anselmo (ex-Pantera), Chuck Billy (Testament) and Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) just to name a few. This really is the ultimate metal tribute, covering a wide range of sub-genres as well including heavy, thrash, progressive, doom and many others. The album's lead single, "Can't Kill the Devil", is arguably the best track on the album. I've linked it above for you all to listen to. It's a very late 80's/early 90's inspired thrash metal track with Chuck Billy as the featured guest on vocals. I want to see these guys live just so that I can have a chance to get inside the pit when this comes on. Man this shit hits hard! Mike Portnoy, who recorded drums for the album, was clearly influenced by Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer). His technique and flavor is sprinkled throughout the music, especially "Can't Kill the Devil" in particular. If you purchase the special edition of the release, you'll get some behind the scenes extras as well as a bonus Dio cover of "We Rock". It's the perfect way to end any heavy metal tribute album.
(#8) Mashopolos IV: Mashphonic by Wax Audio
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Of all the albums on this list, I would hope you at least give this one a shot. IT'S FREE. Wax Audio is an Australian mashup producer who takes songs, sounds and clips to mash them up together into something completely new. Mashphonic is the 4th entry in his Mashopolos series, which creates new music by cross pollinating different songs together, sometimes of wildly different genres. This comes 3 years after his prior release, Mashups for the People. Mashphonic is the result of ripping apart a bunch of beloved classics, and sewing them back together in some sort of weird Frankenstein experiment, and it's BEAUTIFUL. Have you ever wondered what The Beatles would sound like with Mötley Crüe? Or how about what the Bee Gees would sound like with AC/DC? Or what about Led Zeppelin and Madonna? No of course you haven't, because those all sound like terrible ideas. Well against all odds, Wax Audio turns what should in theory be a terrible mixture, and turns it into something fantastic. It's the bacon doughnut of music! It shouldn't taste good at all together, and yet in opposition to the laws of physics it's just delicious! I've linked "Stayin' in Black" above, a mashup between "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees and "Back in Black" by AC/DC, to give everybody a taste of what they can expect from this release. I highly recommend you check out the other entries in the Mashopolos series as well if you haven't yet.
(#7) Splatune (Splatoon Original Soundtrack) by Toru Minegishi & Shiho Fujii
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The 90's called, and they want their Saturday morning cartoon themes back. Well guess what? They're not getting shit, because Splatoon used all of them up to make it's fun-filled "too cool for school" throwback soundtrack when it released back in May of last year. On October 20th, 2015, Nintendo released the soundtrack in Japan under the amazing name of Splatune. While not released in America yet, you can import it right now for about the same price an album of this size is worth. This soundtrack is so catchy! It covers a few different genres from 90's Alternative Rock to Heavy EDM and just plain weirdness that I can't even think of a genre description for. I've linked "Splattack!" above by the fictitious in-game band, Squid Squad. It's one of the songs played in multiplayer, with a variant used in the game's tutorial. It has basically become the main theme as it's one of the more commonly used themes in promo material for the software. It's also great to use as the main theme because it embodies everything that Splatoon is; A colorful videogame with the tone, edge and spirit of a 90's cartoon. The game won an award for "best multiplayer shooter" at the Game Awards, and I wholeheartedly believe this soundtrack contributed heavily to that win.
(#6) Welcome to Los Santos by Various Artists
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Welcome to Los Santos is an extension of the Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack, which was originally released in late 2013. The PC version of the game, which released earlier last year debuted with a brand new radio station entitled "The Lab" that included 14 brand new recordings (which was later patched into the other platforms via an update). This album is the official soundtrack release of these new songs, and it's really well produced and diverse! The album definitely leans more towards Rap, but it includes other genres as well such as Pop, Indie, Horror Core, Alternative Rock, and Electronic. There's something in here for everybody, regardless of what genre you tend to prefer. But if you're somebody like me who listens to a wide variety of different genres, you're in for a very special treat. The songs that appear on the album are a compilation by multiple artists with plenty of special guest features. The entire work was produced by both "The Alchemist" and "Oh No", 2 of the artists who worked on the Grand Theft Auto V original score back in 2013. This is especially apparent as some of the game's music is used as beats for a couple of the songs, or referenced in others. One such song is the album's title track, "Welcome to Los Santos", which I've linked above. This take's the Oh No instrumental track of the same name from the original score, remixed and re-sampled with original lyrics by MC Eiht and Freddie Gibbs, with a guest appearance by Kokane. The song embodies the California mythos, the state where the fictional city of Los Santos is based. It suits the mood and view of reality, as well as the in-game events which is pretty neat. My personal favorite track on the album though is definitely "Lock & Load" by MNDR, with a special guest appearance by one of my favorite rappers, Killer Mike. Again, Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack material is used as the beat while original lyrics are laid down on top, and it works so well! You have the soothing, yet desperate vocals spoken by MNDR, followed up by the absolute firestorm of Killer Mike in the 2nd verse! It's also a shining example of how to use repetition the right way. That is hammering the song further along like a locomotive instead of draining the life and soul out of the track itself like a disposable battery.
(#5) Hot Streak by The Winery Dogs
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On July 23rd, 2013, The Winery Dogs released their debut self-titled album worldwide. While the record was getting mostly positive criticism, I personally thought it was a generic Rock album. A bland and uninspired mess to be quite frank. If you were to tell me back then that the Winery Dogs' followup would not only be a good album in my opinion, but earn a spot in my top 15 list, I would have said you were insane. Well... In the year where Donald Trump is a leading US presidential candidate, perhaps my admiration for Hot Streak isn't that insane in hindsight. Back in the #9 slot for this list, Metal Allegiance, I hinted that drummer Mike Portnoy would pop up again later. Well here he is to my surprise joined by Billy Sheehan (bass) and Richie Kotzen (guitar and vocals). For real, this record was by far the biggest surprise to come out of 2015! It still contains the same heavy Blues and Rock influences from the first album, but it's utilized in far more creative ways, with all sorts of different time signatures to accommodate. I've linked the lead single, "Oblivion", above. It's a great track on it's own, but it's hardly the best the album has to offer. The title track, "Hot Streak", oozes so much Jazz influence with it's improvisation and off-beat nature. It's just so damn groovy! "Empire", a track that almost didn't make it on to the album, is a 6-minute powerhouse with fantastic production that clearly distinguishes each instrument. "The Bridge" is a Fusion Funk inspired track in 3/4 time with some of Mike Portnoy's best laid back drumming, as well as some fantastic harmonies from the backup vocals. Again, I can't stress enough how pleasantly surprised I was listening to this album. If this is what we can expect from future Winery Dogs releases, then sign me up right now for round 3!
(#4) Compton by Dr. Dre
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Everybody was losing their collective minds when Adele announced her "comeback" record, 25. The thing is, her prior album was only 4 years old. I mean yeah that's a little longer than the standard 2-3 year album production cycle, but by no means would I label that as a comeback. Especially when just a few months prior, Dr. Dre dropped his first album in 16 years. Before we even start talking about this album, we have to discuss it's history. Back in 1999 shortly after Dr. Dre's prior album, 2001, planning immediately began for a followup record. However, work on the album was a slow startup because Dr. Dre was more focused on producing and entrepreneurship. Fast forward to 2007. The album was revealed to be called Detox, but would face another 3 years of delays before any material was released. On November 18th, 2010, the first single from Detox, entitled "Kush", was finally released. This was followed shortly with another single entitled "I Need a Doctor", released on February 1st, 2011. After these singles were released though, news regarding the album slowed down to a trickle, resulting in many to speculate that the album would never be released. On August 1st, 2015, Dr. Dre announced that his third and final album, entitled Compton, would be released the following week on August 7th, 2015. During the announcement, he confirmed the cancellation of Detox, and that this was a brand new project started from scratch. The album is based off the N.W.A biopic, Straight Outta Compton, that was released just shortly beforehand. Now the album has been out for a while, giving me more than enough time to listen to it and soak up every track. So does it live up to the 16 years worth of hype surrounding it? ABSOLUTELY. Compton is not only the #4 album of the year on my list, it's also in my opinion Dr. Dre's best solo release to date! It truly feels like the culmination of Dr. Dre's career. It has material such as "Just Another Day", that feel like they just got played off the vinyl of a 90's Gangsta Rap record. It also has songs such as the opening track, "Talk About It", which utilize more modern production techniques, making the record feel quite evolutionary in Dr. Dre's discography. The record also abandons many of the sexist thematic elements present in the first 2 albums, but if you're worried that the album is soft as a result, fear not. There's still plenty of swearing, gang related issues, Suge Knight drama, and not-so-subtle jabs at the Compton Police Department for your listening pleasure. One of my favorite tracks on the album is "Genocide", which features Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius and Candice Pillay as guests. The track has such a unique disjunct beat to it. About 3/4 of the way through, the beat stops completely and goes on with all of the guests beatboxing, each utilizing their strengths to compose each layer of the track. Another song I like, "Talking to My Diary", which has been linked above is the finale and the only track without any guest appearances. This track is the perfect swan song for Dr. Dre, as it's him reflecting on his career, what he misses, how the industry has changed, and how he has changed as a person. In short, the album as a whole is Dr. Dre's most thematically meaningful record yet, and some of his best produced beats. The lack of any singles will likely keep all of these songs from reaching the mass appeal of his earlier stuff, but that doesn't make the material something to skip out on. Not by a long shot.
(#3) Mario Kart 8 (Original Soundtrack) by Various Artists
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While Mario Kart 8 may have been released in May of 2014, the official soundtrack wasn't released until Summer 2015, making it eligible for a well deserved spot on the top 15 list! Like many of Nintendo's other official soundtrack releases, this is currently only available in Japan, however it's not hard to find some good import deals. Also, you can download the complete in-game soundtrack right here courtesy of Ruff Audio for FREE. When I first booted up Mario Kart 8 well over a year ago, do you know what the first thing I did was? No I didn't play the Grand Prix mode. No I didn't do Time Trials. No I didn't play any online matches. I'll tell you exactly what I did. I sat and listened to the "Title Theme" for about 15 minutes straight, completely mesmerized with what I was hearing. Mario Kart 8 marks the first time in the history of the franchise where live instruments are used to record the soundtrack. I've been loving Nintendo's push to live instruments in recent years, and Mario Kart 8 is no exception. This is hands down the BEST MARIO KART SOUNDTRACK YET. For one, this is the most genre diverse album on this list. Jazz, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Orchestral, Classical, Blues, Electronic, EDM/House, etc. You name it and it's probably found somewhere on here. On top of all the awesome original material, the game also features re-recorded material for it's retro tracks. "Royal Raceway" was my favorite theme from Mario Kart 64, but Mario Kart 8's live instrument version completely blows the original MIDI recording out of the water. The game features a wide variety of composers, some new to the Mario Kart series, and some veterans as well such as Mario Kart 64 composer Kenta Nagata. I can't say enough about this score. From the beautiful saxophone solos in "Dolphin Shoals", the thunderous techno rave of "Electrodrome", and the epic Symphonic Metal that backs "Mute City", the music of Mario Kart 8 is truly the pinnacle of what the series has to offer thus far. It's an expertly crafted compilation of fantastic performances, compositions, and virtuosic talent.
(#2) Bad Magic by Motörhead
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It's really hard to review this album without being biased following the death of Motörhead's vocalist and bassist, Lemmy Kilmister. The fact is, this is the last Motörhead studio record that will ever be produced, and it being so damn good almost feels like icing on the cake, rather than the main purpose of the album. At least that's how it's evolved since Lemmy's death. The opening track for instance, "Victory or Die", is great on it's own, but one can't help finding a greater, likely unintended meaning from the track regarding that death and the end of Motörhead as a whole. As a result, my own personal bias puts more meaningfulness into the track, making it seem that much better. And that goes on for just about the entire album. At the end of the day though, it is my list. So whether or not my bias is affecting the placement of the album, I'm still comfortable in keeping it in the #2 spot. Following the opening track is "Thunder & Lightning", a high tempo track in the vein of "Ace of Spades" or "Overkill". "The Devil" features a special guest appearance by Queen guitarist Brian May for the bridge and solo. "Till the End" is a refreshingly slow paced soft track compared to what Motörhead usually does. I would go as far as to classify it as a power ballad, which I know sounds terrible for the band, but it actually works quite well. The album's finale is a wonderful cover of "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones. Motörhead totally owns this track, invigorating the staple with their raw energy and "dirtiness". It's sad knowing this is the last material we're going to hear coming from the band, but if this is where the journey ends, it ended on one hell of a high note. Don't forget about the joker \m/
We've gone through 14 tremendous fighters in this battle royale, spanning all kinds of genres and musical styles. All of the contestants put forth every ounce of their energy into their work to bring you what you see on this list today. But in the end, there can only be ONE.
With that being said, the best album of 2015 is...
With that being said, the best album of 2015 is...
(#1) Special Effects by Tech N9ne
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"Wait a minute, hold up! Tech N9ne already appeared in this list, so why is he popping up again? It's not like he can just release 2 albums in a single year!?!?!" Maybe for a mortal being, a task like that seems impossible against all odds. However, Tech N9ne has shown us time and time again that he is not a mere mortal, but an unstoppable force releasing at least 1, and sometimes multiple albums within a year. This year he came bearing 2 gifts, each ending up on my top 15 list. We already talked about Strangeulation Vol. II, now let's talk about the real gem, Special Effects. I own Tech N9ne's entire discography, including bonus tracks and rarities/B-sides. I've heard everything that the Kansas City King has to offer. My personal favorite album to come out of Tecca Nina is 2013's Something Else. All of that being said however, while I get greater enjoyment out of Something Else, I truly believe that Special Effects is Tech N9ne's best and most ambitious album to date. This record took so many creative risks, even for somebody like Tech N9ne who is known for incorporate different genres into his works, and it could have all easily backfired... But it didn't! The album is actually surprisingly dark. Thematically it's very reminiscent of K.O.D. or Boiling Point. As a result, if you prefer Tech N9ne's more partyish albums, then you're likely going to be disappointed. There's exactly 1 party song on the album, "Hood Go Crazy", featuring 2 Chainz and B.o.B. The rest of the album is a twisted journey through the mind of Aaron Yates as he raps about the loss of his mother, the supernatural, psychotic stalkers, his fanbase, and many other topics of that nature. That last one I just mentioned plays a huge role in the song I linked above, "Dyin' Flyin'". This song is an operatic piece about people who've accused Tech N9ne of selling out as he got more mainstream. The title refers to those fans dyin' off as he keeps flyin'. It's one of the more emotional pieces recorded for the album when compared against everything else (maybe "Lacrimosa" being the exception). Of course, we can't review this record without talking about the biggest collaboration of the year. Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, and the real Slim Shady himself, Eminem on "Speedom (WWC2)". The parenthetic initials stand for "Worldwide Choppers 2", as it's a sequel to a previous song that appeared on Tech N9ne's 2011 record, All 6's and 7's. It's also the 4th song in the entirety of both the "Midwest" and "Worldwide Choppers" series. Enough with the history lesson though, let's talk about the music. I already enjoyed "Speedom (WWC2)" the first time I listened to it, but since then it keeps growing on me even more with each play. A lot of internet comments like to debate on whether or not Eminem was keeping up with Tech's speed, but I say who cares? Just because he might not be as fast as him doesn't disqualify his verses. They're damn good, and most importantly of all THEY FIT THE SONG. You can rap fast all you want, but if you can't keep a consistent tempo with the beat, it's going to sound like crap. The track is fine and I personally think everybody else is overreacting, but that's just my opinion. Deviating from Eminem's contributions, I love the use of acoustic instruments and choirs in this song. It really makes it stand apart from the rest of the entries. I also love the transitions between each verse. Even though they were clearly all recorded separately, they feel completely natural, as if they were really being spat out one after the other in real time. Other highlights on the album include "Give it All", a mellow Stoner Rock track with guest appearances by Audio Push and Krizz Kaliko; "A Certain Comfort", a track that perfectly exemplifies Tech N9ne's ability to seamlessly mix multiple genres together with a guest appearance by Kate Rose; and "Roadkill", a Dubstep collaboration between Tech N9ne and Excision with a guest appearance by Krizz Kaliko. The iTunes download of the album includes 2 exclusive bonus tracks, but if you're like me and prefer owning higher quality physical copies, you can easily find downloads of these tracks online.
Congratulations, you made it to the end! That concludes my top 15 albums of 2015 list. Some of the first contenders for the next top 15 list are just about to be released. Will it live up to the standard of last year's musical products? Anybody's guess, but the bar was raised, meaning it's going to take a lot of raw talent to reach those heights, let alone surpass them. I hope you all enjoyed reading this list. It took quite a while to put everything together, from the reviews to the format I decided to use. With that being said, I bid farewell.
Stay tuned for the Mario Kart Wii soundtrack coming to Ruff Audio very soon!
Stay tuned for the Mario Kart Wii soundtrack coming to Ruff Audio very soon!