North Carolina post-hardcore vets Hopesfall greeted 2020 with the release of an epic nine-minute single, "Hall of the Sky," and Hopesfall member Ryan Parrish also stayed busy this year with the release of the Fashioner EP by his band In Parallel.

To round out the year, the band compiled a list of their top ten favorite releases of the past twelve months, including the comeback album by Hum, whose frontman Matt Talbott collaborated with Hopesfall on their classic 2002 album, The Satellite Years (which we looked back on in our recent lists of eessential heavy shoegaze songs and 2000s post-hardcore albums). the list also includes Shiner, Deftones, Run The Jewels, IDLES, and more. Check out the full list, with commentary from Hopesfall on each pick, below.

1. Var – The Never-Ending Year

A brilliant post-rock band from Iceland full of dark, melodic, beautifully crafted songs.

RIYL: Kent, Mew, Sigur Rós

Highlight track: "Where To Find You"

2. Shiner – Schadenfreude

Just a perfectly crafted space/math rock band with an incredibly organic HUGE sounding new album, 19 years after their previous record.

RIYL: Hum, Burning Airlines, Failure

Highlight track: "Life As A Mannequin"

3. The Chain Gang of 1974 – Honey Moon Drips

HF are big fans Kamtin's work in his former band Teenage Wrist. This album leans into an '80s vibe, yet retains a really modern feel. It's a great night time album with a driving pulse.

Highlight tracks: "Giving It Up," "Bends," "Such a Shame"

4. Two People – Second Body

We got into Melbourne, Australia's Two People through their previous band Snakadaktal – The singer Phoebe is a top-notch vocalist. Their music is ethereal and dreamy – it's something that you can get lost in.

Highlight tracks: "Someone to Serve," "Been a Little While"

5. Bill Frisell – Valentine

Much anticipated instrumental jazz trio album that exemplifies the beauty and strengths of a seasoned trio in stride.

Highlight track: "What the World Needs Now is Love"

6. Kurt Rosenwinkel – Angels Around

Lovely instrumental jazz guitar album bridging traditional jazz vibes with modern arrangements and guitar tones.

Highlight track: "Angels Around"

7. Run the Jewels – RTJ4

A perfect album to place in the 2020 time capsule. Right on schedule.

Highlight track: "walking in the snow"

8. IDLES – Ultra Mono

Jagged and atonal. It's a Monty Python bar fight scored by zombie marching band madness.

Highlight track: "Carcinogenic"

9. Hum – Inlet

Grand in scale, punishing and delicate, the perfect addition to an already monolithic catalog of sonic masterpieces. Listen to it as a whole.

10. Deftones – Ohms

An endless series of counter rotations spiraling in and out of darkness and light. The Deftones balance between tension and grace continues.

Highlight tracks: "Genesis," "Pompeji"

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Browse our Best of 2020 tag for more year-end lists.

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Listen and/or subscribe to our playlist of all 28 songs (with MBV's "Feed Me With Your Kiss" replacing "You Made Me Realise" because the latter isn't on Spotify):