Friday, December 27, 2019

Beast of 2019

Grate year fo Grate Metal

10.  Wędrowcy~Tułacze~Zbiegi  Marynistyka Suchego Lądu



The big surprise for me was this enigmatic curiosity out of Poland, whose translation means Wandered Exiles Fugitives…post-punk/black-ish/jazznoir-experimental….expertly assembled by Sars from that other hot Polish band Furia ( who happened to put out my fav release of 2016-17). A reviewer on band camp described it as the “In the court of the Crimson King of Post-punk…and really could you think of anything more perfect than that??! 

9. Dreams of the Drowned I


It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything out of the Dreams of the Drowned camp, thankfully the weird metal gods have answered the collective prayers of dozens if not hundreds of avant-garde enthusiasts and delivered a beayootiful Voivodian blastbeat crooning meisterpeace. Complete with a Dodheimsgard cover….the pedigree comes full circle!


8. Laetitia in Holocaust - Fauci Tra Fauci


Italian black metal that is self -described as an odd mix of Ved Buens Ende and Spite Extreme Wing, jagged and melodic compositions that are constantly engaging you with their twists and turns …plus great use of fretless bass…really neat.

7. Departure Chandelier - Antichrist Rise to Power


Akista + Dom Fenrow + French Legion + haphazard playing = absolute genius…way better than it ought to be and tastier than a trunk full of boston baked beans.


6. Howling Sycamore - Seven Pathways to Annihilation



I think this second from the avant garde supergroup (Watchtower, Ephel Duath, Alkaloid) has slipped under a lot of people's radar…for shame, because if anything this is a jump forward from their already impressive debut.

5. LuZi - LuZi



An absolute masterpiece of outsider Italian one-man black metal bands…dissonant leads, Folkish melodies, flutes, recorders, tin cans, groans, drones, babbling brooks and twinkling keys…A raw Pagan experiment in madness that is an absolute delight!
 LuZi


4. Arch/Matheos - Winter Ethereal



Back after 8 years and the dynamic duo are sounding better than ever. I dare say that Winter Ethereal is on par with some of the early Fates Warning material.


3. Laster - Het wassen oog



Absolutely dreamy smoky Dutch post-black metal…the sound Enslaved really should have morphed into post-Ruun.

2. Coral Cross - 002



Jorge Elbrecht continues to be one of my favorite musical artists … he’s been scratching my psychedelic metal itch for quite a few years now and Coral Cross’s enchantingly psychotropic take on black metal is giving me more relief than a squirt of gold bond extra medicated.



1. Rainer Landfermann Mein Wort in deiner Dunkelheit



Short, and oh so sweet. Mean and Lean as a 2 dollar steak. A stunning mix of his work in Pavor, Bethlehem and beyond Mr. Landfermann is the wild child auteur that metal doesn’t deserve but absolutely needs!


Most Honorable Mentions



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