SOUND BITES

Usually, this is the time of year when the reflections on the twelve months that were are complete and this place becomes a ghost town for at least a couple weeks because there's nothing interesting being released until April. In fact, if you noticed during my chronologically ordered nominees rollout, you'll find that only 7/50 came out in the first quarter of the year (with five of those being in March, and none in January). Maybe the labels are panicking to get their properties out there before no one cares about albums anymore, maybe my music addiction's spiraled too far out of control. Whatever the case, the first three months of 2013 are logjammed with potentially and guaranteed awesome albums alike. So, we took a look back, and will remember 2012 fondly; now let's dive into 2013 and start devouring more tasty riffs! After the jump are my 15 most anticipated releases coming in the early part of 2013:

Which one will it be?

I didn't want to call this article the "worst", as that implies that the soulless, mindless drivel some bands have been trying to pass off as music is somehow better than the trio of bands singled out here; that's not the case. If I haven't talked about (insert random shitty synthpop and/or bro-rock band here) in 2012, it's because I simply don't care enough about them to sit through their songs, let alone write about them. This article is a chance to talk about three bands which have qualities I actually admire; it just so happened they, surprisingly or not so much, released albums I had at least moderate expectations for and found myself sad, shocked and/or disgusted at the lack of quality they brought in 2012.

When considering nominees for Year in Rock 2012's Song Of The Year, I tried not to think purely in terms of singles. With so many solid albums this year, and so few rock "hits" that catch my interest, I found myself perhaps more so than usual eschewing the obvious choices, and choosing songs that better represent their albums. In fact, almost half of them weren't released as singles (or hadn't been at the time of nomination). By selecting deep albums tracks over singles, I hoped to convey the message that the album is still a viable, maybe even important, way for artists to express themselves. And then I picked a single as Song Of The Year...

It's a testament to the volume of quality music that's still being produced in 2012 that a mere fifty songs didn't cover all that I wanted to give credit to. While the ten songs contained in this post aren't as mind blowing (to me, anyway) as those that got their own little spotlight, there are nonetheless some definite gems worthy of your attention. When it comes down to it, this post is proof that there were at least sixty artists who released tunes I dug this year, which tells me that either there's still plenty of life in rock music or that I am a total rock music whore. Could be both.

SOUNDGARDEN Non-State Actor From: King Animal Released: November 13 A sixteen year gap between albums makes King Animal virtually impossible to pick up where Soundgarden left off, and the biggest concern raised about the Seattle giants' comeback was whether or not their legacy would be sullied. And, while fans can rest easy knowing that isn't the case, it's also virtually impossible not to be let down ever so slightly with the album; while it's a welcome return, it does tend to veer a bit toward the safe side, particularly on the Chris Cornell penned tracks. That's to be expected thanks to a solo career that's been meandering at best and embarrassing at worst, but thankfully a slight underwhelming is the extent of Cornell's crimes on King Animal . The thing many people have forgotten or never knew about Soundgarden is the songwriting skill of its other members, and this album belongs to bassist Ben Shepherd; his fingerprints are all over this r

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS Ice Age From: An Omen (EP) Released: November 13 An Omen is a very chill affair, one which hints at Trent Reznor's maniacal knack for noisemaking while stifling all his ghosts beneath the surface. It all makes for a listen that's somehow both more soothing and more unsettling. Take the staggeringly gorgeous Ice Age , a track which finds Mariqueen in top form and her sonic surroundings rising from a gentle ditty to a threatening storm of otherworldly discord. It passes without harm, but the listener can't help but wonder exactly what manner of beast this omen warns of. I suppose we'll find out in 2013, when their full-length debut album is unleashed. 

DEFTONES Tempest From: Koi No Yokan Released: November 13 A lot of folks were happy for Deftones when 2010's Diamond Eyes exceeded expectations after a couple of uneven albums saw their stock fall; it was good for the band to move in different directions, but everyone knew that the quality decrease from 2000's White Pony was palpable. With its hard rock edges and smooth pop sheen coming together to form a uniquely digestible metallic whole, Diamond Eyes was seen (though none dared say it) as a pleasantly surprising late-career highlight, a nice one to remember them by when they eventually faded away. Needless to say, I feel like a stone cold fool for thinking that, because Koi No Yokan isn't just better than Diamond Eyes , it's the most fearsome challenger to White Pony as the best record Deftones have ever made. There's more urgency, more passion, more... everything . And, when it comes to singles, even the iconic riff of My Own Summer is trumped

TITUS ANDRONICUS Still Life With Hot Deuce And Silver Platter From: Local Business Released: October 23 When you're faced with the task of following up a critically lauded concept album drawing loose parallels between the band and the Civil War (complete with a long list of guests playing historic characters), you might as well not even try to match its epic scope. Titus Andronicus were smart to scale it all back with Local Business , an album that capitalizes on the band's scrappiness and intelligence while resisting any urges to do anything bigger than they have before. Although a couple of its tracks flirt with the ten-minute mark, there's nothing on Local Business that feels overblown, forced or contrived; it's the sound of a band playing to their strengths and not relying on grandiosity to carry them. Just listen to Still Life With Hot Deuce On Silver Platter (easily this year's Best Song Title winner); like The Clash in tweed with elbow patches,

THE SWORD Apocryphon From: Apocryphon Released: October 23 You can always depend on The Sword for tasty riffs and lyrics that sound like they were lifted from the flavour text of a Magic The Gathering card. On Apocryphon , they come back to earth (previous album Warp Riders was full on sci-fi rock) with such force that there's a new crater somewhere in Texas. It's expected that most bands have worked out any growing pains and have found a comfortable place by their fourth album, and The Sword prove no exception, sometimes to a fault; some of Apocryphon 's songs don't hit with as much urgency as past gems or, in some cases, strike as a little too close to past gems. But the album closing title track's synth intro jars any sleepyheads back to life, then shakes the shit out of them for five minutes to make sure they stay awake through one of the year's most badass grooves.

STONE SOUR Taciturn From: House Of Gold & Bones Part 1 Released: October 23 It's ironic that Taciturn is my favourite song from the first half of Stone Sour's double album opus; after all, my biggest concern with Audio Secrecy was its over dependance on balladry. House Of Gold & Bones Part 1 , for the most part, rocks much harder than Stone Sour's last couple of albums; some of its songs approach Slipknot levels of heavy. With Part 2 due in spring, it's too early to tell if House Of Gold & Bones will become my favourite Stone Sour album, but the consistency in quality of the first half is very encouraging. Which brings me to Tactiturn ; an outright ballad that should have drawn my exasperation finds another gear at the four-minute mark, its wheels leave tarmac and the song soars. Go figure: I scoff at ballads, they give me their heaviest album, I like the ballad best. I'm so fickle sometimes.

PIG DESTROYER The Diplomat From: Book Burner Released: October 23 Where many metal bands can't resist the temptation to slow their tempos down, record a few more radio singles or (God forbid) try an acoustic number as they get older, Pig Destroyer just might be a metal anomaly because they seem to only get heavier . The grindcore giants' fifth album Book Burner came after a brutally long five year wait, and hit the scene like a nuke wrapped in barbed wire. The Diplomat showcases a smorgasbord of riffs and headbanger-approved velocity... and it's Enter Sandman compared to the majority of Book Burner , such is its grievous intent and cathartic carnage.

...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD Catatonic From: Lost Songs Released: October 23 ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead sometimes don't take it easy on their fans. Those of us who have stuck through them over the years have had to endure lots of ups and downs, and the music took a noted downturn in quality as the band grew more and more dissatisfied with their record label. Lost Songs marks the third album released on their own label, and it forgoes the tentative steps away from overblown prog-infused noise rock that marked The Century Of Self , and also puts the more explicitly melodic tendencies that actually somewhat worked to their advantage on Tao Of The Dead . Instead, Lost Songs brings the noise pillar to post, urgently and consistently. It's lazy to compare it to their now decade-old critically revered masterpiece Source Tags And Codes , and that's also unfair to Lost Songs. The album very well may be Trail Of Dead's first album

CONVERGE Sadness Comes Home From: All We Love We Leave Behind Released: October 9 When it comes to sheer force and brutality, there isn't much out there that competes with Converge's All We Love We Leave Behind (the main competition in that department will be covered in two days). Roping you in with a lazy, doomy lick, Sadness Comes Home soon explodes into a cacophony of fleet-fingered riffing and unhinged howling. That it's one of this relentlessly violent album's most accessible moments should tell you everything you need to know.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA Key Entity Extraction I: Domino The Destitute From: The Afterman: Ascension Released: October 9 When it comes to concept albums, it's hard to come close to Coheed And Cambria. After all, they didn't stop at just one album; Their Armory Wars Saga, which began on their very first album and supposedly ended with 2010's Year Of The Black Rainbow , continued in the form of side-story Afterman this year. Of course, just another album wouldn't do, so instead we got the first half of the story with the second half to follow in February. The good news for fans of the band is that they've somewhat reached back to their prog roots on this album; look no further than the eight-minute juggernaut Domino The Destitute for proof. The rest of the album doesn't exactly compare to that level of greatness, but it's pretty solid all the way through, which has me excited to see how this tale ends. It sucks we have to wait for it but, as has been

THE TRAGICALLY HIP At Transformation From: Now For Plan A Released: October 2 With over twenty-five years in the business under their belts and their legacy cemented, it would be all too easy for The Tragically Hip to ride off into the sunset or, worse, become the band that rehashes the past, resisting any urge to create and collecting cheques while doing a show at the local casino every couple of years and playing the same set every night for the rest of their lives. Thankfully, The Hip aren't about to stop contributing just yet. Now For Plan A is yet another evolution for the band, incorporating new elements to their sound and tweaking their art/bar band aesthetic for a new generation of fans. It is not the sound of a band growing weary, nor a band being comfortable. Now For Plan A may not go down as an overly essential Hip album but, by showcasing a band that continues to challenge themselves and refuses to sink into the creative quicksand that traps bands half th

MUMFORD & SONS Hopeless Wanderer From: Babel Released: September 25 If it feels like Mumford & Sons reached critical mass before the promotional cycle for their debut album was over, it's because they very much did. Expectations for a follow-up were high, and it was unclear whether or not the band could maintain the roll they were on. Babel saw a few haters emerge (especially the ones who claim because members have higher education they're poseurs and have no business playing folk music), but for the most part they're still rolling. The album doesn't quite match the fiery intensity or aching sadness of Sigh No More , but makes up for it in execution. The album's standout is Hopeless Wanderer , a beautiful and blistering tune that burrows into your head and won't leave willingly. APOLOGY: The video I had previously embedded was removed. Here's a live version from last year's Glastonbury:

GREEN DAY Let Yourself Go From: ¡Uno! Released: September 25 Who knew 2012 would be such a tumultous year for Green Day? What started as a relatively harmless gimmick (release three distinctly different albums) turned into a Grade A shit show. A promotional gauntlet leading up to the release of the first album in the trilogy culminated in scores of fans pleading overexposure and frontman Billie Joe Armstrong admitting overdrinking (his entry into rehab stemmed from a gloriously unhinged rant at a web-broadcasted concert event). And yet, under all the layers of attention, the albums are best taken at face value. The problem is, taken at face value what should have been accepted as a bold and ambitious event was shrugged off as more than a little underwhelming. Perhaps it's the scattershot consistency of the tracks; for every song that earns a place alongside some of the band's best work, there's a song that's woefully similar to a song they've already do

THE STANFIELDS Death & Taxes From: Death & Taxes Released: September 18 Given a couple years of relentless touring, it was a safe bet that The Stanfields would exhibit improved chops on their sophomore album. On Death & Taxes , they have chops in spades; everything is tighter, louder and more muscular. It's a raw album, and one that has dark energy flowing through it. There's nothing like the happy-go-lucky (and, occasionally, hilarious) moments on their debut, but that's not a bad thing. No one wants to be known as a novelty band, and The Stanfields have proven that when it comes to their craft they should be taken seriously. Added bonus: the interactive video for the title track (found at pleaseclickagree.com) is very cool and very frightening.

LOCAL H Sad History From: Hallelujah! I'm A Bum Released: September 18 Remembered by many as the self-deprecating, humourous slackers who unleashed the semi-hits Eddie Vedder and High Fiving MF back in '96, Local H has been all but forgotten by most of the folks who giggled and/or moshed to their tunes back in their post-grunge heyday. This is especially true outside of the U.S.; unfortunately, their latest album was never really in a position to change that. A sprawling double album of songs that reflect the band's hometown of Chicago and the American political climate of 2012, Hallelujah! I'm A Bum isn't an album with enduring relevance on its mind. Its tone and subject matter will no doubt come as a surprise to those who haven't been paying attention for a while. This is especially true of the sombre, frustrated Sad History , a tune that demands your attention, literally.

DOWN Misfortune Teller From: Down IV Part I – The Purple EP Released: September 18 If it still doesn't feel like Down is a top priority for its members, that's because it isn't; Philip Anselmo alone has his own label and some six hundred projects in the works as we speak (okay, it's not really six hundred, but the dude is incredibly busy). In fact, it's a miracle that only five years has passed since their third album, the crushingly awesome Over The Under . What's more amazing is the fact that, rather than throw us one little bone and vanish for years on end again, there's a commitment to releasing four EP's over the coming months/years. And, most impressive of all is that, even with all of the other commitments this band has, they recorded something as cohesive and effortlessly badass as Misfortune Teller .

BAND OF HORSES Knock Knock From: Mirage Rock Released: September 18 It's all too easy for hipsters to turn their backs on indie buzz bands; after all, their entire system revolves around trumping up a band to the point of said band garnering widespread attention, then bailing on them for the next big thing and scoffing about all that widespread attention. So when Band of Horses signed with a major label and branched out as musicians, they were hung out to dry. Never mind that they showed ambition and willingness to throw a few new ingredients into the stew; people were no longer in a position to shout “first!” Now on their fourth album (and second on a major), Band of Horses have paddled out from the shallow waters the blogosphere pushed them into when they became recognizable and found themselves in the breakers. Most bands would become exasperated and let the tide wash them up on shores of apathy, but on Mirage Rock we find a band has not only learned to swim but al

ALT-J Fitzpleasure From: An Awesome Wave Released: September 18 As odd and occasionally pretentious as Alt-J's debut album can be, there's something to be said for its stubborn accessibility. Take standout track Fitzpleasure ; it takes elements of folk, rock and damn-near dubstep, smashes them together and dares you not to nod your head. An Awesome Wave is full of weird and wonderful moments like this; as they hash out some of their more indulgent moments and hone their songwriting chops, they should be a band to watch out for... which is saying something considering they just won the 2012 Mercury Prize for the UK's best album.

BILLY TALENT Surprise Surprise From: Dead Silence Released: September 11 Billy Talent's debut album was as exciting as it was successful, but it was also an album very much of its time; the years haven't elevated it to classic status for most but hardcore fans, and the band has struggled with diminishing returns at home (while seeing their popularity rise overseas, particularly in Germany). It reached the artistic tipping point with their third album, one that was painfully mediocre given the phenomenal quality of its first two songs ( Devil On My Shoulder and Rusted From The Rain ). Dead Silence sustains the quality longer, and makes strides in finding a balance between artistic merit and commercial viability. Their subject matter hasn't changed dramatically from their recent albums, but the sound has branched out; this is a band that's not scared to try a few new things, even at the risk of embarrassment. Fortunately, the risks are largely rewarded, esp

BOB MOULD Star Machine From: Silver Age Released: September 4 Some thirty years removed from his most revered material in Husker Du, Bob Mould's love of loud rock was rekindled largely due to writing his autobiography and an appearance on Foo Fighters' excellent Wasting Light album (that's him singing the bridge on Rosemary ). His tenth solo album Silver Age wastes no light at all; its leadoff track is the fiery Star Machine , a song that sees Mould pulled out of whatever funk the years have cast upon him and rocking with the power and the purpose of men half his age.   

MATT MAYS Take It On Faith From: Coyote Released: September 4 Matt Mays' fifth album sees him explore some of the adventurous spirit inside of him that yielded a gonzo soundtrack to a movie that never got made; Coyote has touches of synth-pop, sweat-drenched blues, psych-rock and folk balladry. It makes for an album that doesn't flow particularly well, but one must tip their hat to an artist as unafraid and unapologetic in his willingness to experiment as Mays. Plus, he knows what brought him to the show, and hasn't ignored it; his knack for crafting a radio-ready stomper is as sharp as ever on lead single Take It On Faith .   

MINUS THE BEAR Diamond Lightning From: Infinity Overhead Released: August 28 After turning some longtime fans off with the overly electronic offerings on 2010's Omni , Minus The Bear's fifth album sees the band return somewhat to their quirky rock past. I say “somewhat” because Infinity Overhead is not so much quirky as it is a refinement of their strengths, a maturing sense of songcraft and a focused pop-rock platter. The results may not win them admirers in droves or the unconditional forgiveness of scorned fans, but it does make them worthy of a listen, particularly when it all comes together as beautifully as it does on album standout Diamond Lightning .

DIVINE FITS Would That Not Be Nice? From: A Thing Called Divine Fits Released: August 28 As a “supergroup”, even of the indie variety, Divine Fits are a little off-kilter. With their debut being a bit of a scattershot affair that rarely combines the powers of its talented members to form a sum greater than its parts, there's nonetheless some killer tunes to be found. If you're familiar with Britt Daniel's work with Spoon, you know the man can really do no wrong; his strongest contribution to A Thing Called Divine Fits is no exception. Would That Not Be Nice has so much swagger that even the synth struts.

BLOC PARTY Coliseum From: Four Released: August 21 With the world expecting another step away from their angular rock roots, Bloc Party pulled a big time swerve in 2012 by not only going back to their roots, but going back even further. Four mostly ignores the jangly guitars that fell out of favour not long after their lauded debut Silent Alarm , opting to turn up the distortion and rock out. It's more subtle on some songs than others, but Coliseum is the whole amusement park in one quick ride; starting off as a swampy toe-tapper, it soon mutates into a menacing, paranoid chugger, a rollercoaster that stops using those pesky rails as a guideline at the one minute mark and drags you along helplessly through a minefield.

TESTAMENT Dark Roots Of Earth From: Dark Roots of Earth Released: July 31 All the talk about “The Big Four” of metal focuses on the failures and shortcomings of what many metalheads consider the last of the old guard; Metallica's downward spiral into self-parody, Megadeth's detours into lunacy, Slayer's constant rehash and Anthrax's personnel troubles. Not to say that these bands are all bad or anything; indeed, they're all still very successful bands with devoted fans. But, what of Testament, the band that was always just there? They made great records, but never caught the public's attention like The Big Four; maybe that's why they were never really taken all that seriously when it came down to who sucked and who was awesome. Now, with all four of those other bands distracted with their various issues, Testament just up and released another indisputable beast of an album in Dark Roots Of Earth . While the other four were seemingly fighting over

THE COMPANY BAND El Dorado From: Pros And Cons (EP) Released: July 31 While readying the next Clutch album (due for release in March), mainman Neil Fallon got together with his side-project mates in The Company Band and released their second EP Pros And Cons quietly this summer. While it doesn't exactly show a progression of sorts from their first album (side projects rarely do), it's still a good time; particularly tasty is closer El Dorado , a tune that plays like the son of AC/DC's Ride On , graduated from the school of rock and trading in his schoolboy uniform for a business suit.

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Biloxi Parish From: Handwritten Released: July 24 In 2012, The Gaslight Anthem took a long-overdue leap to the big time; Handwritten is their first album on a major label, produced by rock powerhouse producer Brendan O'Brien. And its first single, the raucous and heartfelt “45” , was a fitting introduction to the masses. It packs in the workmanlike chops the band has become known for alongside what is arguably the biggest, earworm-worthy chorus they've ever penned. It's also a great way to start off Handwritten , an album that encapsulates their overall sound and then transcends it thanks to O'Brien's masterful production. The album's prime example is Biloxi Parish , a song that starts off unassuming enough, then piles on hook after hook after hook until you have no choice but to tap out to its force.

FANG ISLAND Asunder From: Major Released: July 24 Like Andrew WK cheerleading a party at a library, Fang Island's Major bursts from the speakers with crackling bliss and life-affirming riffage without falling into self-parody or repetitive bro-rock singalongs. It's the kind of racket that's usually reserved for pessimistic, vitriolic and/or depressing diatribes, but it instead juxtaposes this cacophony with hope and fun. I've used the phrase to describe other records in the past, but Fang Island are the band that has indubitably earned the description “joyful noise”.

BARONESS Eula From: Yellow & Green Released: July 17 You have to feel bad for Baroness. After years of slugging it out under the radar in sweaty clubs while releasing some of the most satisfying hard rock/metal albums of the century, they'd just released their best. Yellow & Green is the payoff, the apex after a gruelling climb through the ranks, along the way perfecting their chemistry and songwriting chops. Ignore the metal purists who snubbed them for slowing down a few tempos and daring to incorporate an adventurous, experimental spirit to the album; Yellow & Green is what Baroness had been working so hard for all these years. Of course, just as they were about to reap some real rewards, their tour bus crashed in England, injuring three members badly and postponing their entire lives. Eula is and was the crown jewel on Yellow & Green ; it's a fuse burning ever so slowly toward imminent explosion. When it does, it's huge and cathartic. Its

SERJ TANKIAN Harakiri From: Harakiri Released: July 10 Seven years removed from his last album with them, Serj Tankian is still known by most as “the guy from System of a Down”. Over these last seven years, he's tried to distance himself somewhat from SOAD and prove that he's a formidable songwriter and performer outside the manic metal attack of the band that made him famous. Results have been mixed until this year's Harakiri . On it, the songs that sound most like System are also perhaps the weakest; lead single Figure It Out was obviously penned with SOAD fans in mind, but its profanity-laden Ministry-esque delivery, while potent on its own, detracts from the rest of the album. The real highlight on Harakiri is its title track, a soaring gem that doesn't let its riffs get in the way of a well-written song. 

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS The Celestials From: Oceania Released: June 19 What rock star gets bullied more than Billy Corgan? Despite being the principal (and, on much of the classic material, only) songwriter for The Smashing Pumpkins, he's been berated time and time again for having the audacity to carry on using the band's name without the members that happened to be in the band while the Pumpkins exploded in popularity twenty odd years ago. Much of Corgan's output over the last ten years or so admittedly hasn't done him any favours with critics and fans but, when an album that's good enough to hang with Gish and Siamese Dream is released, don't devalue its impact by shrugging and saying “it's not Smashing Pumpkins”. The combination of Corgan's vision for his music and capable, contributing bandmates makes Oceania arguably more of a Smashing Pumpkins record than anything Corgan's released previously.

LINKIN PARK In My Remains From: Living Things Released: June 19 By scaling back the heavy handedness of A Thousand Suns and economizing their presentation, the 37-minute Living Things finds Linkin Park intensely focused on their strengths; big hooks, big melodies, and the uncanny dynamic between singers Chester Benington and Mike Shinoda. In My Remains is about as solid a choice as any to start with for anyone who's never heard this band, because it very neatly encapsulates everything this band does right.

WINTERSLEEP In Came The Flood From: Hello Hum Released: June 12 After a couple of albums to build momentum, Wintersleep broke through in 2007 with the utterly brilliant Welcome To The Night Sky , an album that everyone knew was going to be difficult to top. So, some slack was given for the less focused, less satisfying New Inheritors , an album that had all the hallmarks of a great Wintersleep album but just didn't stick for some reason. Now, two years later, Hello Hum showcases the band's seemingly effortless knack for writing stadium-ready anthems and hearkens back ever so slightly to the nervous energy that permeated their first three albums. In Came The Flood , with its nimble rhythms and soaring chorus, is one of the most feel-good songs about the rapture I've heard in recent years.

WHITE LUNG Take The Mirror From: Sorry Released: May 29 While making my usual web-rounds one day this spring, I came across a stream from a band I'd never heard called White Lung. The entire album was over in under 20 minutes, but it was as satisfying a listen as most albums twice, thrice or four times its length. With its refreshing combination of unbridled punk fury and indie aesthetic, Sorry is the kind of album that isn't over too quickly; it's over just in time for you to listen to it again.

JAPANDROIDS The House That Heaven Built From: Celebration Rock Released: May 29 Like any band trumped up by the blogosphere, Japandroids were suddenly cast into the spotlight (although one far dimmer than that of the mainstream). And, like any band trumped up by the blogosphere, Japandroids were going to face heavy doses of scrutiny upon the release of their sophomore album. However, unlike most bands trumped up by the blogosphere, Japandroids didn't aim higher or go bigger. They crafted an album of, well, celebration rock. The album soars and roars, the power duo of Brian King and David Prowse creating a joyful racket, none more massive than The House That Heaven Built . Enjoy them now; after all, like any band trumped by the blogosphere, they'll be cast aside by the likes of Pitchfork by the time their next album drops.

THE CULT Honey From A Knife From: Choice Of Weapon Released: May 22 When you think of embattled bands from long ago that survived everything the world threw at them, you don't immediately think of The Cult. In a way, I suppose, that could have something to do with the fact that they didn't exactly survive so much as stubbornly refuse to stop. Most who remember them would claim they'd gone on a long losing streak after 1988's Sonic Temple , with a string of disappointing albums and half-assed comeback attempts (personally, I believe their 1994 self-titled release still holds some merit). 2007's Born Into This landed with all the excitement of the 40 year old who shows up uninvited at a high school party. Five years removed, here they come again with Choice Of Weapon . But this time, it feels different; no longer trying to fit in with the style of the times, The Cult have gone back to their strengths. After two decades or so of testing genres (from the hip

THE CRIBS Come On, Be A No-One From: In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull Released: May 15 After recording and touring 2009's Ignore The Ignorant with Johnny Marr, In The Belly Of the Brazen Bull finds The Cribs scaled back to a three-piece and strapping TNT to the refined tone and sound of that previous album. Dripping with a thick sauce of '90s nostalgia and mostly devoid of the more angular and dance-oriented slant of their early work, the album packs lots of thrills for fans of crunchy power pop. Look no further than Come On, Be A No-One , a gloriously noisy pop song the likes of which Rivers Cuomo would sell a nut or two to be able to write these days.

SILVERSUN PICKUPS Mean Spirits From: Neck Of The Woods Released: May 8 When a band is shovelled enough cynicism, they're bound to react. After years of Smashing Pumpkins comparisons via pissy journalists or over-analyzing listeners, Silversun Pickups crawled out of that unwanted shadow with third album Neck Of The Woods . Incorporating gothic electronics into their sound (think less Smashing Pumpkins' Adore and more New Order) slowed the Pumpkins comparisons (except for those comparing this record to Adore ), but it also made for a more startling listen, with less payoff. A glaring exception is Mean Spirits , a driving monster-rocker that is as bold with its fuzzed-out base layer as it is with its acoustic tinged frosting. It's an ice cold beer floating in a lake of muddy water.

JACK WHITE Sixteen Saltines From: Blunderbuss Released: April 24 Few artists have ever, or will ever, have their solo debut as hotly anticipated or as closely inspected as Jack White. Fans of The White Stripes, Raconteurs and Dead Weather alike had to be wondering just where he would go; what sort of musical statement was worthy, after all this time, of brandishing his own name? As it turns out, Blunderbuss wasn't so much a statement as it was a love letter, to all of Mr. White's influences. Soul, the blues, old-time country, garage rock, all are given their due on Blunderbuss . And yet, as wide a range of sounds inhabit the album, it flows remarkably well. Its novelty may have worn off somewhat, but it's definitely one of the year's most interesting and engaging listens.

TORCHE Reverse Inverted From: Harmonicraft Released: April 24 Still skittering along the underground, Torche dropped Harmonicraft this year with those who had the scoop on them well prepared for a pummelling. That Torche managed to release one of the year's most pummelling albums isn't all that surprising for those of us why loved their last full-length, 2008's Meanderthal . The surprise is in its sugary surroundings; even as the tunes gurgle and roar, there's a thick sugar coating that helps it all go down a little easier. And, when they do scale back the sweetness and replace it with an extra jolt of grime (as they do on standout Reverse Inverted ), its effect is all the more devastating.

ORGAN THIEVES Phoebe From: Somewhere Between Slaves And Free Men Released: April 24 With a set of songs in tow that straddle the gap between radio anthems and barroom ragers with the greatest of ease, Organ Thieves created one of the year's most exciting debuts with Somewhere Between Slaves And Free Men . With its dark subject matter and drunken swagger, you'd be forgiven for assuming that it's a depressing album. But, try telling yourself that when you're singing along to Phoebe 's soaring chorus. It may be a hard luck tale, but it can't help but make you feel just a little hopeful.

CANCER BATS Bricks & Mortar From: Dead Set On Living Released: April 17 When it comes to making a new album, some bands like to reach for the stars. Some paint expansive soundscapes, some attempt to transcend the album itself with lofty concepts and grand messages. Cancer Bats aren't concerned with any of that; they simply bring their lunchpails to work, bleeding and sweating until the job is done. With Dead Set On Living , their probationary period is officially over, as they exert command over their riffs and screams like seasoned foremen.

Stream Deftones' Koi No Yokan here, courtesy Antiquiet. Having been a fan of Deftones since the riff for My Own Summer made me tap out in '97, and a longtime believer in their 2000 opus White Pony , you can take my next sentence to heart and know that I am completely serious when I say this. Koi No Yokan is Deftones' masterpiece. So many emotions arise when you listen to this album. And, make no mistake, this is an album . In a generation where it seems you either get a couple of hot singles and a pile of filler or a bloated, heavy-handed narrative that's cohesive to a fault, Koi No Yokan reminds us that it's still possible to use the format as a means of expressive flow. These 11 songs run the gamut, from the driving powerhouse Swerve City to the soaring Romantic Dreams to the soul-baring Tempest to the ethereal Rosemary . It's an album that doesn't have peaks and valleys, only varied levels of success; every song has a purpose, a valuable con