Beast of 2012

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