With 2011 come and gone, it’s now time to look to what the future holds for us in the music scene. January isn’t even over and we’ve seen big reunions (At The Drive In, Refused) and breakups (The Sleeping, A Static Lullaby). If this year continues on at this hectic pace, it could be a great and historical year for music. After the jump are my top five anticipated albums for 2012.
5) Bring Me The Horizon – Title TBA – Release Date TBA
Metalcore juggernauts Bring Me The Horizon definitely widened their music arsenal with their last release, “There Is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It, There Is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret”. While “Suicide Season” was mostly heavy, brutal, in-your-face metalcore, their most recent effort features more diversity, adding in many more softer and less aggressive pieces. With rumors that this next release will be “heavily influenced by post-rock”, it’s going to be very interesting to find out how their new album sounds.
4) Fang Island – Title TBA – Release Date TBA
It’s safe to say it’s been a solid few years for Fang Island. Since their self-titled album was released in February of 2010, they’ve gained a fairly significant underground fanbase. Fans really got their first big taste of Fang Island after touring with bands such as The Flaming Lips and Coheed and Cambria. Their self-titled debut, which was a mostly instrumental with chanted vocals, was a good mix of indie pop and progressive rock. I, for one, can’t wait to see what this new Fang Island album holds in store for us.
3) Tyler, The Creator – Wolf – Release Date TBA
Odd Future member Tyler, the Creator may have had the craziest year of any musician in 2011. He absolutely blew up overnight, going from virtual unknown to a household name embedded in controversy every step of the way. Despite the notoriety caused by his misogynistic and homophobic lyrics, Tyler went on to play prestigious music festivals, appear on late-night talk shows, and do tracks with The Game and Pusha T. In a recent interview, Tyler said he wasn’t interested about rapping about maiming bodies and raping girls anymore. Wolf is definitely an album to look out for in 2012.
2) Say Anything – Anarchy, My Dear – March 13, 2012
Many Say Anything fans were very excited for this new album when a couple of months ago, Max Bemis announced that the band had signed to Equal Vision Records. Bemis noted that signing to EVR allowed them the artistic creativity to create the album they really wanted, which apparently wasn’t an option with their previous label, RCA. To add to the anticipation, when the tracklist was recently revealed, the third track was called “Admit It Again”, a follow-up to “Admit It!!!”, from their “…Is a Real Boy” album. Bemis also recently tweeted the band would be playing “Admit It!!!” and “Admit It Again” back-to-back live. With full artistic creativity finally within reach, this could be the best Say Anything yet.
1) Every Time I Die – Ex Lives – March 6, 2012
Heavy music veterans Every Time I Die are coming back with their newest effort, Ex Lives, on March 6th of this year. The band seems impervious to adversity, shrugging off having a revolving door of bassists and seemingly annual lineup changes. Somehow, Every Time I Die manages to make each one of their albums unique while still maintaining their signature sound, and don’t expect Ex Lives to be any different. Judging by their first single, “Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space”, Keith Buckley’s lyrics may become a bit more politically charged, but in the grand scheme of things, expect another great Every Time I Die album in March.
