I decided to put together a day-by-day list of 30 albums than have been good to me. You can go back and read/listen to the first eight, or skip on ahead to the latest group.

I am now reaching a point of indecision over which albums are going to make this list and struggling to not write ahead on days I feel particularly generous. This exercise is proving to be an excellent excuse to listen to bands and albums I haven't listened to in a while, too, which is great. Hopefully the greatness shall continue as I find which albums I'm going to have to drop.

Arbitrary list of albums that have been good to me (9 to 14)

#9: Ladytron - Witching Hour. Early on I was better readied for plodding heavy doom through dance and electronic than I was through my metal history. While I've all but abandoned Ladytron and their familiars now, for a while they were the perfect low mood music that I could turn on and leave on. They also gave me one of my funniest concert moments: watching a little fat guy dance to "Fighting In Built Up Areas" like he was forced farting out of each side of his ass with every "bass" hit. Dude just didn't care. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPZoaGqLGpQ

#10: Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley. If it's a hot day, such as today, "100 Degrees" is stuck in my head. This album is indisputably great. Among my musical associates it's passé in comparison to the other awesomeness happening out there, but it's a fucking crime that the general public is not aware of it, or them. Kyuss, and especially this album, was my bridge between hyper-favoritism & extreme musical elitism and the shovel-it-all-in approach I've taken since: they helped me realize that there were quality bands out there besides Tool, and without a hint of pretension. In short, 1994 Kyuss is untouchable. In shorter, KYUSS!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9bWsc2UOo

#11: Pearl Jam - Ten. I haaaaated Pearl Jam growing up. Then I became a sensitive little flower for a couple of years and I could suddenly understand the appeal. At this point it's 20 years of brainwashing working against me. It's like a voice in my head... saying seize the day, pull the trigger, drop the blade, and watch the rolling heads. Wait, what? Anyway, this album flows well, and the last song so well matches the first that it begs to be listened to twice. And then you kill yourself after the second play of "Black" because you're like that. I'LL NEVER LOVE AGAIN! *sob* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvHsm46uVqU

#12: Mastodon - Leviathan. Mastodon was an excellent investment. I wanted to go to more concerts, but the kinds of music I was intent on, I was never really sure I could put up with their crowds, nor traveling and insomnia and after-the-fact social isolation, and usually wouldn't go. Then I saw Mastodon. I came home covered in bruises and other people's sweat, and it was so god damn awesome that I have since gone metal stupid. Mastodon has changed a lot since Leviathan and I don't care for said changes, but for lighting a fire under my ass to get me to pursue more metal and attend concerts on my own, I still love them. Also, stockholm syndrome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSCBArT3TT4

#13: Le Tigre - Le Tigre. Ten years ago, Le Tigre broke me out of a radio metal/prog/grunge rut on the long road to variety. For as much as I listened to it then, and as much as I've listened to, quoted, or lip synched "Deceptacon" since, its lyrics still regularly get stuck in my head at the worst possible moments. This album is another example of how rawness, honest sharing, and making the most of what you've got is more important in the grand scheme than being technically gifted... but now that I mention it, I haven't listened to Behold The Actopus in a while. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHOZwyNilZs

#14: Sheavy - The Electric Sleep. I gave Black Sabbath a proper chance because of Sheavy and my ignorance of the 'joke', so there's that. They became irritating as I got into "heavy", but there was a year where I had Sheavy on repeat, and this album is great (read: a classic) if you can overlook the hyena. The lyrics just might be the best part, and are especially effective if you've ever discovered you're a robot, had a crush on a porn star, and/or had an internet relationshit. Me: all three! Also, username? It comes from this album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WpHRbMsmKM

For my birthday, I decided to put together a day-by-day list of albums than have been good to me, and it has proven more than enough musical written thought for me most days since I started - hence the lack of posting. Since posting all 30 at once would be too much, nevermind that I haven't written 22 of them yet, here are the first eight.

Arbitrary list of albums that have been good to me (1 to 8)

#1: Electric Wizard - We Live. This one is very easy to turn on and leave on til the end, something I'm not good at doing. Electric Wizard is great for gradual hearing damage, calming hate, pretending to be an endarkened weed wizard, apocalyptic visions, and dying one's hair black. In short, I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NKdM2ZWtL8

#2: Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar. This album has aged surprisingly well considering its teenage goth rebel connotations. It's packed with great lyrics of the hateful, culturally rebellious kind and carries meaning beyond for the performance inclined. "I am the idiot who will not be himself" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nXCZhqTIps

#3: !!! - Myth Takes. This album has proven itself wonderful for space-the-fuck-out situations, including but not limited to repetitive activities like cleaning. It's comfortably warm while still being rock, intellectually stimulating, and heavy on the bass. The ridiculous electronic sounds work really well as presented without being distracting, and the vocals are amazing... despite him sounding like a jerk and a spazz. I suspect he doesn't give a fuck about that motherfucking shit... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysCORaPAPq4

#4: Akimbo - Jersey Shores. 2008 was an amazing year for music for me, and the discovery of Akimbo contributed heavily to that. Jersey Shores may take a while to click if you're not already into a spacious, psychedelic sludge sound, but the whole-album-listen payoff is well worth repeat tries (I recommend the cherry pick method until you're ready for 47 minutes of HOLY SHIT WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO ME). Witnessing this album live was, in short, life changing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Dr2r4b-bI

#5: Staind - Tormented. You might coil back in horror, but this album is a thousand times more honest and raw than subsequent radio Staind. The album's about a guy's extremely angsty, hateful, sometimes unintentionally comedic journey to suicide, ending with a dramatic gunshot. It goes great with terrible, people-hating moods: "I don't give a fuck about all of your problems / I could give a rat's ass how you're feeling today / Take your worldly advice and shove it straight up your ass / Thanks for coming around to fuck up my day" was my mantra at 17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJL9rjnZD8Y

#6: Gojira - From Mars to Sirius. Gojira: progressive death metal with a hippie environmentalist, love thyself & thy neighbor, thoughtful lyrical tone, making them great for dumbass society rebellion in addition to the obvious musical challenge. Their latest two releases are both standards-raising, but From Mars to Sirius wins me over with immediacy and aggression (and an occasional snicker), with "The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe" easily living up to its name. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWivRmSoxs0

#7: Black Elk - Black Elk. Much hate had been filling my soul at the time I heard Black Elk, but that didn't alter the fact that my evil smirk turned into hysterical laughter by the third song of this album. It's "full on" to say the least. Between erratic but wholly effective noise metal and Tom Glose's whacked out nonsense vocals and morbid lyrics apparently about a pet getting brutalized by mother nature, I became an insta-fan. While the laughing has subsided, "How do you feel about natural selection?" and "TA YA TA DAH WAH" are still two of the greatest lines, ever, and "Eyebone" remains one of my favorite songs of all time. Their early internet presence sucks, so I leave you with an event link. https://www.facebook.com/events/391858710841708/

#8: Monster Magnet - Powertrip. Yeah, I fucking said it. I also said this years ago: "[Some guy] posted a photo of his tattoo. spine of god artwork, ON HIS SPINE. i think he has more dedication than i do. it would be ridiculously cool if it wasn't for the fact that the bullgod artwork is mediocre. i'm nothing if i'm not a heretic. let's root for the underdog and then fuck it!! okay! let me get my coat!" This album is responsible for how I got into stoner rock. I owe it a six hundred page letter describing how it ruined my life, but instead I'll just say thanks, Dave! Here's $43 more dollars for you to burn! lol debt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ERMy2wPKQ

I'm going through old links. Here's a cover of "Eyes in Disguise" by a nice Australian named Dinky.

I am an asshole.

I may have posted this before. Perhaps you've seen it elsewhere. Doesn't matter, too bad, you're seeing it again.

I have felt this.

If you haven't heard it yet now is as good a time as any; you're only three or four days behind the rest of the metal internet. I heart Gojira and I'm really looking forward to the release date of this album.