Unsung Songs of 2021
Where do all the killer tracks from non-AOTY contender albums go to get their participation trophies? Why, to the Firesideometer A.D. Unsung Songs of 2021 list, of course! Some of these songs come from albums that juuuuuust missed making our 2021 best-of lists. Others… well, let's just say some of these bands weren't able to consistently hit the highs these songs hit. Either way, this list is all about celebrating the bangers of 2021 that deserve your attention whether they were on a great album or not. Let's go!
Planet Of The Dead - ‘Gom Jabbar’
As I frequently point out on this site, I am not a huge fan of doom metal, sludge metal, or stoner metal. But every now and again, a band breaks through the constraints of those genres with a song that slays no matter what type of metal you like. ‘Gom Jabbar’ is definitely one of those songs, and might just be my favorite song of 2021, full stop. From the creepy, sci-fi static intro to the sexy, groovy, fuzzed-out bass/guitar line snaking through the track’s verses, ‘Gom Jabbar’ delivers the goods. But it’s the contrast of the Captain Caveman vocals with the highly disturbing alien “clean” vocals that take the song to the next level. The whole thing perfectly captures the otherworldly sense of impending doom that permeates its subject matter, Frank Herbert’s Dune. In fact, it might just be the best song about Dune ever recorded (a larger field of contenders than one might expect).
Teramaze - ‘Jackie Seth’
‘Jackie Seth’ is a fascinating example of just how far metal music has evolved over just the past 10-15 years. If I had to pick a genre that’s the polar opposite of metal, it would be mass market pop. And make no mistake, ‘Jackie Seth’ sounds exactly like what might happen if Justin Timberlake started a prog metal band. The combination is surprisingly effective, with arguably the catchiest verse/chorus combo of the year (across any genre), and a second half that leaves no question about Dean Wells’ continued interest in shredding. At this point, Teramaze has gone so far afield of what I ever thought I wanted to hear from them that they may have ripped a hole in the fabric of space and time and paradoxically ended up delivering exactly what I was craving.
Dee Snider - ‘Silent Battles’
I didn't make it around to this album until late in 2021, and that makes it the biggest miss of the year for me, because it is positively brimming with top tier metal tracks. While I enjoyed 2018's For The Love of Metal, I wasn't quite sold on Dee Snider as a straight up metal singer. It was fun to hear him giving it his all, but it felt like Dee was stuck giving voice to songs better suited to producer/collaborator Jamey Jasta. Not so on Leave a Scar, where Dee sounds completely confident belting out on one hit after another, each one tailor-made for his voice. There are five or six songs on the album that could have made this list, but ‘Silent Battles’ really hits home.
Wednesday - ‘Twin Plagues’
Having only recently come across Wednesday, the Asheville five-piece completely slipped past me in 2021. Had I caught this album earlier in the year I’m pretty sure they would have made my EOTY list. Fronted by the amazing Karla Hartzman, Wednesday play a big, heavy, and loud shoegaze sound with some serious slacker vibes (Not quite Dry Cleaning slacker, but not far off!) and it's truly impressive. The title track is the first song on the album and also its heaviest. The song kicks off with some serious feedback before diving into a super heavy, sludgy riff before Karla’s vocals kick in around the 1:12 mark, where the song really shows its dynamics. If you are a fan of the genre, this album is not to be missed.
Deafheaven - ‘Other Language’
This was one of my favorite albums of the year, but the team vetoed it as a “metal” record, simultaneously depriving me of my 1st Amendment right to free speech AND my freedom. Well, if Chris gets a blues track on this list, then I’m absolutely including a shoegaze track. Deafheaven never really worked for me as a blackgaze band (I’m #TeamAlcest), but their latest eschews the harsh vocals nearly entirely and it works brilliantly to this old shoegazer’s ears. If the outro here doesn’t get you, then your heartstrings are truly black indeed.
Cynic - ‘Diamond Light Body’
After Sean Reinert’s death and Paul Masvidal embarking on a prolific solo career, my hopes for this record were fairly limited. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually feels like a Cynic record and fits in nicely with the band’s post-Focus output. Honestly, it probably should have ended up on my year-end list, but I just wasn’t able to give it the time it needed.
Evergrey - ‘The Beholder’
There were lots of big hits on Evergray’s Escape of the Phoenix album, but no song topped the epic build to James Labrie’s dramatic contribution on ‘The Beholder’. The whole song has a beautiful Katatonia-esque melancholy to it that makes it striking all on its own. But then at the 2:50 mark when James Labrie comes in? Pure butter. It doesn’t seem like things could possibly get any better—until Tom Englund starts crooning, Michael Bolton-style, and this amazing duet between two amazing vocalists thoroughly burns your heart on a stick!
Duran Duran - ‘Beautiful Lies’
There were a lot of truly great Duran Duran songs on FUTURE PAST—’Invisible’, ‘Anniversary’, and ‘Wing’ all rocked my world in 2021, but ‘Beautiful Lies’ might just be the best of the bunch. The song is an unadulterated blast of synth pop that sounds as relevant in 2021 as it would have in 1982. Simon Le Bon’s voice still sounds amazing, and John Taylor’s bass line on this song is absolutely SLAMMING! And man, the way those synths and drums come pounding in during the chorus? Absolute perfection.
Danko Jones - ‘Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit’
Danko Jones lives and breathes rock n roll, and 10 albums in Power Trio may very well be his best one yet. It took me a while to single out a song from the album, as they are all absolute barnstormers ,but ‘Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit’ stands out due to its tongue in cheek lyrics and fun vocal delivery. I kept coming back to the song more than I expected, and on reflection the album could quite easily have made my EOTY list. Let your hair down, grab that air guitar and rock out!
KK’s Priest - ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’
As a long-time Priest fan, the rift between K.K. Downing and Rob Halford and Ian Hill feels a bit like Dad and Dads (?) are fighting and makes me feel weird inside. Still with something more to say musically, Downing put out a set of tracks that feels derivative except that he’s partly responsible for the sound he’s aping… this is all very strange. Nevertheless, it’s a solid set that just missed the cut for me. This ripper - featuring Ripper Owens on vocals, also previously of Priest? - delivers the goods, as it were.
The Crown - 'Scandinavian Satan’
The latest album from The Crown didn’t quite manage to make my year-end list, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t spend a good portion of 2021 ripping my face off. ‘Scandinavian Satan’ is a hard-charging blackened death thrash ripper with just the right balance of axes, swords, Satan, and cowbell.
Fear Factory - ‘Recode’
Burton C. Bell finally rage quit Fear Factory for good, and fortunately his swansong is one of the better albums since his return. The keyboards are a little too overdone in places, putting it just outside of my top 15. We’ll see what Dino does with the band left to his own devices, but outside of Mechanize, which I think is their best record, this is probably the record I’d reach for in the post-Wolbers and -Herrera era.
TORRES - ‘Hug from a Dinosaur’
‘Hug from a Dinosaur’ is a great song and a great example of the mid 90s alt-rock sound that seems to be having a huge renaissance right now! Reminiscent of Weezer, Snug and other power pop contemporaries, the song feels like a bit of an outlier on Thirstier which is a heavily dramatic album. The song features a huge riff, a Moog keyboard and handclaps which add an extra dimension to the pre-chorus and take the listener right back to 1996. TORRES has an amazing voice that compliments the music she creates and makes it sound all the more powerful. This year I was subconsciously craving this sound and TORRES was one of the handful of artists that truly delivered it.
Drott - ‘The Marauder’
This project of Arve Isdal from Enslaved, Ivar Thormodsæter from Ulver, and Mathias Monsen is a strange amalgam of dark cinematic ambience, Nordic folk music, and rock that isn’t really metal, but is about as grim as it gets. Definitely worth a listen for the adventurous.
Gabriels - ‘Blame’
Definitely not rock or metal. Gabriels play a dark, glitchy, brooding and incredibly thrilling contemporary version of the delta blues and gospel of the 60s. ‘Blame’ is taken from the 2021 EP Bloodline. Vocalist Jacob Lusk is a powerhouse of emotion in his vocal delivery and uses multiple styles to convey his message. But it’s Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope’s production techniques that give the songs their darkness, grit and elements of despair. Based on the Bloodline and Love & Hate in a Different Time EP’s Gabriels are going to be massive when they release their full length album in 2022.
