0 LIST MANIA: Nik's Favorite Non-Local Records of 2011

I was able to squeeze these records in amongst all the great local releases. Looking forward to what 2012 will hold. Happy New Year! - Nik

#1 Rabbits - Lower Forms (Relapse): Furious, loud, and intense.

#2 - The Men - Leave Home (Sacred Bones): Blew my mind at Total Fest

#3 - Red Fang - Murder the Mountains (Relapse): Couldn't have asked for a better followup to the debut

#4 - Vaz - Chartruese Bull (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia): This band marches to their own drummer, truly original noise rock

#5 - Cave In - White Silence (Hydra Head): One of my favorite bands is back and badder than ever

#6 - The Blind Shake - Seriousness (Learning Curve): Finally captured their live brilliance

#7 Disma - Towards the Megalith (Profound Lore): Death metal hasn't sounded this fresh since I first heard "Altars of Madness"

#8 - True Widow - As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth (Kemado): A late addition to my list, just finding this to be an original  mixture of psych rock and stoney heaviness.

#9 - Retox - Ugly Animals (Ipecac): Intense and raw hardcore punk

#10 - Gaytheist - Rainbows Have Nothing to Hide (Corflax): Portland band makes a ton of noise. Only in the NW.