Year in Rock 2012 Nominee: Baroness

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 lyrics are among the best on the record, and gain even more power in the context of the bus crash. One can only hope that, when they get back to what they do best, they can become known more for their skill than their luck.