Curtiss' Top 25 Albums of 2013: 25-21

25. - The Goo Goo Dolls - Magnetic

This is far from the best Goo album, but it's still pretty good. I wanted to rank this higher than 25, but it just doesn't have the punch or energy of the Goo Goo Dolls stuff I've come to love. There are still a few gems on the album that remind me of the classic "radio" version of the Goo Goo Dolls, but there aren't nearly as many of the harder, edgier songs that filled out most of the rest of their albums. Aside from "Come To Me", which is a great song, most of the rest of the tracks on this album sound more like Everclear songs than classic Goo Goo Dolls. It's still not bad stuff, which is why it made my list in the first place, but it's just not what I want from these guys.

24. - Within the Ruins - Elite

This is a great, brutal, metal album. It incorporates a handful of electronic elements and a hell of a lot of technical virtuosity, which is part of why it made my list this year. It's not just your typical death metal album, it's more like death industrial, which makes it somewhat unique.

23. - How to Destroy Angels - Welcome Oblivion

This is an interesting effort. This is the sophomore release from Trent Reznor's latest side project. It's good, and it's very similar to their freshman effort. Musically, it's not terribly different from the Quake soundtrack that Reznor put together years ago, but it's a little less creepy and even a little bit bouncy at points.

22. - They Might Be Giants - Nanobots

Not quite as enjoyable as some of their older stuff, but still a great album. This definitely wouldn't be the album I'd use to introduce someone to TMBG, but it's still a solid release.

21. - Five Finger Death Punch - The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell (Volumes 1 & 2)

This is actually two separate albums that were released about 3-6 months apart from each other. Because they're two "volumes" of the same album, though (kind of like GNR's Use Your Illusion), I decided to put them together on my list. These are great collections of unique covers and new songs from 5FDP. Both albums include some fantastic guest artists, and the music is intense. The albums are basically what you'd expect from the band. For me, 5FDP is one of those rare groups where the music and the vocals are able to connect with my emotions on a base level, which makes it that much more intriguing to listen.