Two of the Greatest Albums of 2008 (& All Time?)

The second half of 2008 has seen a wave of exceptional albums released by both established bands and newcomers alike. Here's a quick review of the two albums to have completely taken my breath away:

Sonic Syndicate returned this year with Love & Other Disasters which builds on what they gave us previously, showing an equal amount of growth and skill. Songs such as "Jack Of Diamonds" and "Encaged" show that the band can still rock like the best of them, while "My Escape" shows a softer side of the band (while not being wimpy or pop). An excellent example of modern metal done right. Easily one of the best albums of the 2000s, let alone this year.

This year, Shinedown have given us The Sound Of Madness. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I'd been a huge fan of their first album, Leave A Whisper (2004), but was slightly underwhelmed by their sophomore effort, Us & Them (2005). When I first put this album in my CD player, though, I was blown away. The band have managed to create a sound that is wholly their own, but firmly within the darker reaches of hard rock. Heavy, super-melodic, with a healthy dose of bombast, I seriously doubt anyone could not like this album. Picking any one track to recommend would be impossible - the first two tracks form a pucnhy beginning with the driving, anthemic "Devour" and the huge title-track. But, even when the band are more introspective, they still create some moving ballads ("Call Me", "The Crow & The Butterfly" and "If You Only Knew"). Perhaps the song that exemplifies everything that the band has become is "Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide": mixing heavy guitars, a melodic hook (guitar and vocal) to die for, and enough power behind it to make anyone jump up and sing along... Truly amazing. Best album of the year, and certainly up there in my top five albums of all time.

If you only buy two rock albums this year, make it these two.