The end times Mayan calendar all that shit...I've watched enough ancient aliens to know we should be kissing our asses goodbye right about now. But you know what? Not without reviewing this years beast in metal (and other genres)!! Make sure to grab these puppies when the nuclear atomic suck-partay begins.
10. Dreaming Dead - Midnightmares
Thrash-Death-Black bouillabaisse...pretty much anything you can think of thrown into a delightfully tight and well constructed melting pot set to boil over at any moment. The proggy spirit of later Death and epicness of Destroyer 666 are incarnated through this talented LA band.
9. Aluk Todolo - Occult Rock
A daunting monument to all things dark and spaghetti westerny. Has always taken me a bit of time to get into this band's releases, but once things clicked I couldn't stop listening.
8. Diskord - Dystopics
Diskord's surreal technical purely Scandinavian form of death metal returns and once again blows my mind...just like Doomscapes did a few years back. Weird chords, bass HIGH up in the mix and that bizarre doomy/grindcore atmosphere that they seem to have perfected...also, best cover artwork of the year, total win.
7. Weapon - Embers and Revelations
What the fuck Paulus, when are your arms just gonna fall off you gaoddamn maniaac?!! Super catchy songs that sound just plain evil as fuck. The highlight of their rather impressive discography thus far.
6. Bigg Jus - Machines That Make Civilization Fun
Biggie stutter-steps his politically paranoid flow over glitch-dub-chill-beach-minimalist-house-wave whatever...as ugly as it sounds and just about perfect.
5. Ultraista - Ultraista
Smalltalk is the song of the year...and the rest of the album lived up to the hype. Incidentally, seeing them live was prbly my favorite show of the year.
4. Linea Aspera - Linea Aspera
Dark Entries might just be the best label goin' right now. Bewitching gloom pop for your midnight seance... or your midnight romp!
3. MGLA - With Hearts Toward None
This was gonna be my number 1 for most of the year...hands down really...it still could be. MGLAs best material to date, which is indeed saying something considering the masterpiece that was Groza. I will forever and no more make Polish jokes...well maybe a few, just not in MGLA's general direction.
2. Gorod - A Perfect Absolution
These are the most amazing musicians in metal. PERIOD. What that last Atheist disc should've sounded like.
1. Witchcraft - Legend
Riff sublimity empty into despair...a new world opens and I am there
Surprises
The new Rush, the new Van Halen, the new Borknagar...all pretty good guys
Honorable Mentions
Die Antwoord - Ten$ion
Master's Hammer - Vracejte konce na místo
Comus - Out of the Coma
Yurei - Night Vision
Beastmilk - Use Your Deluge
Agmen - Call of Blood
Magma - Félicité Thösz
Linear Sphere - Manvantara
Trust - TRST
Realmbuilder - Fortifications of the Pale Architect
Avenger - Bohemian Dark Metal
Scenery - Mental Confusion
Vesperian Sorrow - Stormwinds of Ages
Occultation - Three & Seven
Blutmond - The Revolution Is Dead!
Starving Weirdos - Land Lines
Qhwertt - He Who Has Known The Gardens
Goat - World Music
Vaura - Selenelion
Violens - True
Self Spiller - Worms In The Keys
Graveland - Pamiêæ i Przeznaczenie
Grimes - Visions
Salamandra Eccentric - Moderato
Lunatic Gods - Vlnobytie
Iblis - Menthell
Dysrhythmia - Test Of Submission
Hellwell - Beyond The Boundaries Of Sin
Kontinuum - Earth Blood Magic
Enthroned - Obsidium
Dodecahedron - Dodecahedron
Forgotten Silence - La Grande Bouffe
Favna Abisal - Rerum Imaginaria
I totally agree with you re: Occult Rock. I listened to that album nonstop last year, I would like study math to it and shit. It was awesome. I just got it on vinyl and listened to it last night and it was pretty effective. Do you have any of their other records you'd be willing to upload? I just ordered Finsternis from Amazon, so I could return the favor once it gets here.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, by the way. One of the best.