My favorite albums usually come with a complete aesthetic—the cover art, band logo, songwriting, and sonic atmosphere combine to form a unified front that represents me in a personal way (think To Mega Therion). Maybe that’s why I am so dumbstruck by Mutoid Man’s second studio album, because I don’t feel that way at all about Mutoid Man. I hate their dumbass bubble logo, and I think their merch looks silly, and the cover of the record is cool but not awesome. And yet, every single one of the twelve songs on War Moans rocks me to my core. From the driving blitzkrieg of positivity that is “Melt Your Mind” to the closing melancholy of gut-wrenching heartbreaker “Bandages”, this album has me excited, energized, and entertained in ways I thought were no longer possible. I sing these songs while cooking in my kitchen. I drum my fingers on the subway pole to them.  I post the lyrics on my Twitter, like a jackass. Without the aid of any window dressing, on the wings of musicianship alone, Mutoid Man have won 2017 for me. On War Moans, they have proved that if your music is unbeatable, you can do anything you want. A diamond served in a Big Mac wrapper by your math teacher is still a motherfucking gem.

Full list via Metal Sucks