Top 10 Albums of 2022

At the end of every year, just about every music publication starts off their annual compilations by saying something along the lines of "this year has been a great year for music," and I've never understood that statement. There are so many bands and artists out there today that there's enough of a variety on a consistent basis that allows EVERY year to be a good year for music.

This year alone, we saw the returns of legends like Ozzy Osbourne and Slipknot, the debuts of promising prospects like The Warning, and impressive follow-ups from the likes of Senses Fail and I Prevail. It was just about impossible to narrow all the great albums of this year down to just 10 of them, and even more difficult to rank them, but here's my attempt — though the rankings may fluctuate a bit over time (like they have already), here are my top 10 albums of 2022:

10. Magnolia Park - Baku's Revenge (Nov. 4)

After the releases of several singles and EPs along with gaining notoriety through TikTok and Instagram, Florida's new breed of pop-punk proved they're more than just a social media fad with their debut LP Baku's Revenge. With 11 tracks and clocking in just past the 20-minute mark, Magnolia Park cover a lot of lyrical ground, from the modern straight-edge anthem "Drugs" to the upbeat and fun-loving track "Addison Rae." If you're looking for more pop-punk in your life, look no further than Magnolia Park.

Standout Tracks: “Misfits,” “Radio Reject,” “Drugs”

To buy the album, click here

9. Fit for a King - The Hell We Create (Oct. 28)

Fit for a King’s seventh studio album, The Hell We Create, showcases the band at their brutal best — the production is on another level, along with Brandon Saller's ferocious vocals, both harsh and clean. This album exhibits everything a metalcore fan could ask for in an album — heavy riffs, big choruses, and crushing breakdowns.

Standout Tracks: “The Hell We Create,” “End (The Other Side),” “Eyes Roll Back”

To buy the album, click here

8. Post Profit - When You Think It's Right, It's Always Wrong (Feb. 25) 

The 3-4 year journey towards the release of Longview, Texas-based alternative hard rock band Post Profit's debut album, When You Think It's Right, It's Always Wrong, culminated in a hard-hitting full-length, embodying a wide array of sonic and lyrical concepts and emotions. For an independent release, the sound quality is excellent and the presence of the bass (particularly in the song "Haunt Me") is something that's greatly appreciated. This album is a strong representation of the band's energy, spirit, and skill, and it's nice to know that this is still just the beginning for them. If you've been sleeping on this band, it's time to WAKE UP!

Standout Tracks: “Same Sad Song,” “Seven,” “Haunt Me”

To buy the album, click here

7. Rain City Drive - Rain City Drive (July 15)

Rain City Drive's previous album, 2020's To Better Days, was the band's first studio release with their current vocalist, Matt McAndrew — it was a great effort and marked an overall reinvention for the band, but their newly-released self-titled album takes their newfound sound to an elevated extent. Leaning more into their pop-centric influences on songs like "Psycho" and "Dreams," , the record also seems to take inspiration from funk ("Waiting on You") and straightforward modern rock ("Blood Runs Cold"). It's fitting that this album is self-titled, because it's the band's most confident and ambitious album to date.

Standout Tracks: “Gardens of Misery,” “Nothing Left,” “Eternity”

To buy the album, click here

6. Palisades - Reaching Hypercritical (July 22)

Much like the previous entry, Reaching Hypercritical was Palisades' first (and only) album with vocalist Brandon Elgar, who stepped up as the lead singer in 2019 after serving as their bassist before that time and the departure of previous singer Lou Miceli, Jr. While the cover art depicts a bleak tone, there's actually a broad range of emotions on display throughout this album. The lyrical content is very introspective and deals with subject matter such as mental illness, grief, and rage, and the record sonically reflects those feelings in more ways than one.

No two Palisades albums sound the same, but I feel confident in saying this is the band's most focused and cohesive album yet, both musically and lyrically. With the recent departure of Brandon Elgar, it'll be very interesting to see what direction Palisades takes with their next effort, and hopefully there will be some news on that front soon.

Standout Tracks: “Invincible (Die Down),” “Your Misery,” “Fray”

To read my first-impression thoughts on Reaching Hypercritical, click here

To buy the album, click here

5. Fame on Fire - Welcome to the Chaos (July 22)

The Florida-based genre-bending quartet Fame on Fire had as solid a debut as anyone with their 2020 LP Levels, and their 2022 follow-up, Welcome to the Chaos, was even more magnificent — the compositions were more complex, the production made the songs sound bigger, and the sonic experimentation was more adventurous. While the outside contributions from Spencer Charnas and Kody Lavigne on the title track and "Emo Shit" bring an appreciated additional layer to the tracks, the band does a fine job on their own. Each song has a distinct feel as an individual selection, yet they still meld together as a collective unit extremely well.

Standout Tracks: “Welcome to the Chaos,” “Signs,” “Rotting Away”

To read my first-impression thoughts on Welcome to the Chaos, click here

To buy the album, click here

4. Dayseeker - Dark Sun (Nov. 4)

Three years after the success of their Sleeptalk album, Dayseeker made a triumphant return with the ethereal Dark Sun. While some might complain that the album isn't "heavy" from a musical standpoint, more attention should be paid to the lyrics — the album is centered on vocalist Rory Rodriguez's grief and overall processing of the unfortunate passing of his father, making for an immensely emotional and meaningful final product. What the album may lack in riffs and breakdowns, it more than makes up for it with genuine emotion behind the music, and more listeners should be receptive to that.

Standout Tracks: “Dreamstate,” “Quicksand,” “Parallel”

To buy the album, click here

3. Bad Omens - The Death of Peace of Mind (Feb. 25)

Virginia's premier alternative metal band Bad Omens hit a home run beyond belief with their third studio album, The Death of Peace of Mind — their most experimental and ambitious yet, the album finds the band deviating from the musical norm of the scene while still retaining the adoration of their core fanbase, along with making legions of new fans in the process. The songs are much more layered and multi-dimensional than those on previous works, and it makes for an immersive roller-coaster of a listening experience. 

Standout Tracks: “Concrete Jungle,” “Take Me First,” “Just Pretend”

To buy the album, click here

2. Stand Atlantic - f.e.a.r. (May 6)

In the pop-punk scene, Stand Atlantic have proved to be one of the best of their craft — even though they're still relatively early in their career, their constant musical evolution and experimentation without totally abandoning their core sound is what sets them apart from their contemporaries. Their third album, f.e.a.r., is no exception — this is Stand Atlantic at their musical best and most relatable lyrically. The band pulls no punches here, whether it's in regards to taking shots at critics or throwing musical curveballs from track to track. The only way to truly understand it is to listen through it, thank me later.

Standout Tracks: “doomsday,” “van gogh,” “bloodclot”

To buy the album, click here

1. Motionless in White - Scoring the End of the World (June 10)

Motionless in White historically displays an exponential growth from album to album, but I don't think anyone could've predicted just how epic their latest release, Scoring the End of the World, would be.

This might be the quintessential Motionless album, the one you show someone who's never listened to them. The album hits all the musical marks, touching on all the styles they've dabbled in over the years, from metalcore to industrial to synthwave. There's also a heavy influence in the form of video game soundtracks that had an audible impact on the instrumentation and implementation of sound effects, as well as the processing on some of the vocals, such as the screams in "Slaughterhouse." Additionally, the production team deserves a ton of praise because the album sounds absolutely massive thanks to them.

Lyrically, the themes of personal duality and introspection not only hit close to home for listeners, but they're impressively executed and the concept is emphasized by having songs connected together, such as "Werewolf" and "Porcelain," as well as "Sign of Life" and "Cause of Death." Chris Motionless' vocals are at an all-time high on this album as well, and the improvements to his range and versatility over the years to get to this point cannot be overstated.

Standout Tracks: “Meltdown,” “Porcelain,” “Cause of Death”

To read my first impression thoughts on Scoring the End of the World, click here

To buy the album, click here

To restate the obvious, 2022 has been an amazing music year, and the prospects look bright for 2023. If you haven't listened to these albums, I highly recommend doing so. There's something for everyone on this list, which just goes to show how diverse the rock genre has become.

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