Best of 2023

A problem I run into every year around this time, is realizing that it’s not humanly possible to sample and listen to all the “good” music being released in the heavy metal universe within that calendar year.

2023 is no different.

I’ve probably listened to over a hundred releases and ultimately (and might I say painstakingly) narrowed it down to thirty-five releases which include EPs as well. And then I further split hairs and created a top ten list. 🏆

I’ve been writing these listicles for over a decade now, and on this website of mine for the last eight years (see #AOTY for the past lists). The lists are purely based on how often I’ve listened to particular albums, my bias towards to heavy music subgenres and my inclination towards clamouring support for the proverbial “underground”. The only non-negotiable criteria is that it is deemed “metal” as per metal-archives.com.

Before I go into my top ten, I’d like to call out my favorite non-metal album of the year - Poison Ruïn’s Härvest. Umlauts are back in vogue. This is a concoction of punk, proto black metal and post-punk that blew me away and probably gained maximum spins on my turntable. I hear they’re quite a fierce and fun live band too.

Without further ado, here are my top heavy metal albums of 2023 ✨

I first caught wind of Thanatomass thanks to the inimitable David Glomba. The gorgeous album cover art that he did will drawn you in with all its gradiosity. And having known David’s taste over the years, the band certainly piqued my curiosity. Suffice to say, Thanatomass didn’t disappoint at the slightest. Thanatomass are a Russian primal black/death metal band with a style played in a frenzied, frenetic and chaotic manner. It has some of the “war metal” sensibilities, tons of reverb and echo with the vocals and screaming guitar solos and squeals. But in my opinion, this isn’t bestial enough that it gets incoherent. The riffs are out there and ‘Hades’ definitely hits you very hard!

Stikkersvin, from Denmark, seemed to have flown under the radar for many, which is a darn shame! The band plays black metal heavily influenced by punk. It’s like as if Taake suddenly decided to make a d-beat album. Stikkersvin will surprise you vocally from the traditional black metal screeches to shouty punk vocals to more nordic chants. Where this album wins is that you can feel the raw energy on this record right from the first track and throughout the album. High tempo and lots of headbang-y moments!

Dikasterion, a Belgian black/death band, haven’t had too many releases prior to this EP of theirs. ‘Chaos as a New World’ sounds fantastic as I feel it invokes the ghost of Order from Chaos. There isn’t something mindblowing with Dikasterion BUT they seem to know their (good) influences, acknowledge them well and their output is solid! Death metal riffs for days with an old school production and caustic vocals (very Helmkamp-y) is just what the doctor ordered. I hope this paves the way for Dikasterion to tour more and also have their first full length out in the future.

Isn’t it wild that this year was the first time I ever heard of King Gizzard?! They’re not even a heavy metal band and are often described as alternative/indie adjacent when it comes to their musical style. I listened to a handful of tracks from their catalog prior to this album and it wasn’t my cup of tea. However with PetroDragonic Apocalypse… (the title is a mouthful), these bunch of “non-metalheads” put out a really enjoyable stoner/psychedelic/thrash album. The songs are extremely catchy, groovy, filled with arcane and weird lyrics, and there’s a hook where you’d expect to hear and it doesn’t disappoint. For the archetypical heavy metal fan, King Gizzard will either get your plaudits or they will get your disapproval as a elitist. For me, it’s definitely the former but my love for King Gizzard starts and ends with this album only, and boy what an album this is!

‘Storming the Walls’ is Triumpher’s debut and you’d wonder where have these guys been lurking all this while?! This is an epic heavy/power metal band hailing from Greece. Lots of people have described this as “monumental” and it does live up to the glowingly high reviews. There are many Bathory-esque moments here as well. I’d have rated it higher if I wasn’t a casual fan of the epic heavy/power metal. But purely in terms of masterful muscianship and song composition, Triumpher probably wins album of the year for me!

From epic heavy/power in Triumpher to epic heavy/doom in Smoulder! Smoulder’s latest album, ‘Violent Creed of Vengeance’ is their best work yet. They’ve expanded their sound to explore the thrashier and the more traditional heavy metal side of things and honestly, this is a real treat for fans of the band and heavy metal fans in general! Sarah’s vocals deserve a shoutout here and I feel they’re more unhinged and at times even maniacal compared to the previous releases. This is great, go Sarah! Each song is complete in itself and the album feels like it has no fillers. The guitar melodies and riffs are meticulous but yet don’t go overboard, just arriving at almost perfection. I’m quite stoked to see Smoulder live next year at Hell over Hammaburg, until then I’m spinning this many more times!

The legendary Church of Misery return with ‘Born Under a Mad Sign’, their seventh full length album after a musical career spanning almost three decades. If you are not living under a rock, you’d know that CoM are like the Black Sabbath of Japan and if Sabbath played stoner doom. These guys, whose albums depict serial killers thematically, have produced an album which I’d rate very highly even amidst their illustrious discography. It’s almost a return to superb form with slow, groovy, bass-heavy and thunderous riffs. Kazuhiro, who returns to the band since the ‘Vol. 1’ album, displays a stellar vocal performance with the level of gruff-ness that any true stoner doom fan will enjoy. The album is quite consistent (consistently great) and there isn’t a dull moment at all. Church of Misery are back, baby!

Sentient Ruin are the one of the hottest labels in the underground right now and it is with reason after putting out several good releases across different subgenres. So when I heard of Invultation being on their roster and I saw the album art, it took me a matter of seconds to start listening to this record. Invultation are a one man black/death metal band. ‘Feral Legion’ is absolutely crushing in a bestial, Archgoat-y kind of way. Heck, I love me some caveman riffs played through a severely distorted filter but where Invultation wins me over is how he modulates the pace from slow crushing doomy heavy riffs to incoherent blasty noise. If you’re looking for something novel, Feral Legion isn’t it but if you’re looking for something that pays homage to black/death legends and possibly the Ross Bay Cult bands, then look no further. This is my death metal album of the year, oügh!

Century are possibly one of the most sought after heavy metal bands in the world. After blowing people away with their 2020 demo, these Swedes spent the next three years cooking and now we have the magnificent ‘The Conquest of Time’. Along with Tyrann, they’re holding the flame of 80s Swedish heavy metal high and proud. ‘The Conquest of Time’ is packed to the brim with trad guitar riffs, vocal moments that will get approving nods from any self respecting NWOTHM aficianado and song writing that makes the songs flow so effortlessly. If we were to talk about purely classic heavy metal albums, ‘Conquest of Time’ is my album of the year. If all goes well, then I should be seeing Century live twice next year and you know where I’ll be - right in front screaming out the chorus to ‘The Fighting Eagle’!

I’ve been a huge Malokarpatan fan ever since ‘Nordkapaten’ (the band’s sophomore album) dropped in 2017. Malokarpatan return with their fourth album, ‘Vertumnus Caesar’, their most ambitious work till date. The band hails from Slovakia and they sing in their native tongue Slovak. It’s difficult to put a finger on what Malokarpatan sounds like but I’d say that their foundations are heavy metal and proto-black metal - think of Bathory, Venom, Mercyful Fate and the obvious comparisons with Root or Master’s Hammer. But that’s just the foundational sound, ‘Vertumnus Caesar’ offers listeners so much more. The band explores 70s prog rock, Tangerine Dream-like synth-y moments, an occultish atmosphere and they concoct it all together to create something so unique that it can only be called THE Malokarpatan sound. I’ve been blown away by the record from start to finish and no matter how many listens, the album sounds as fresh as ever. Each listen giving away some of the hidden intricacies in the songs. Vertumnus Caesar is a true masterpiece and will definitely be talked about for years to come!

With that, 2023 comes to a close. Up the irons and may 2024 bring us more heavy metal! ⚔️⛓️

Best of 2022

The year started off rather meekly, with not too many releases catching my attention. But with a blink of an eye, the spring season gave us some amazing death metal from Chile in the form of Rotten Tomb, Inanna and Suppression. Then there was the wave of traditional heavy metal from the Undying Victims and High Roller Records stablehouse. And before I could learn to pronounce Sanguisugabogg correctly, I already had over fifty albums bookmarked to check out. Suffice to say, every year does end up delivering hard if you make the effort to consume an inordinate amount of music!

I’ve been writing these listicles for over a decade now, and on this website of mine for the last seven years (see #AOTY for the past lists). The lists are purely based on how often I’ve listened to particular albums, my bias towards to heavy music subgenres and my inclination towards clamouring support for the “underground”. There are many albums that didn’t make the cut unfortunately like the new Misþyrming, the native-american themed bands like Blackbraid and Vital Spirit or the new Autopsy. I wish I had more time to listen to them to place them in the list below. But, here are my top ten albums of 2022!

Dusk are legends from the South Asian and Asian scene in general. Almost touching their third decade in existence, the band fronted by Babar Sheikh (ex-Impiety), released Imaginary Dead earlier this year. There are moments of death/doom, modern-era Rotting Christ, death/thrash bits with some great guitar solos and also not to mention experimental electronic synth-y sections. What shines through this album is the songwriting and the vocal performance. Dusk hail from Pakistan and it feels like the band makes a concerted effort to infuse influences from Sufi poetry and those singing/recital styles. I enjoy the spoken word sections as well as soaring melocholic screams. I rate Imaginary Dead highly and if Dusk weren’t already on the world map, this definitely puts them there!

Never judge a book (or album) by its cover but in the case of Baazlvaat, if the cover doesn’t pique your curiosity, I’m not sure what will. This can be either so bad or eccentricly genius. After a couple of spins of An Old Forgotten Text, I’m definitely leaning towards the latter. This was my first introduction to Baazlvaat, a rather peculiar black/folk and weirdly experimental band from USA (Michigan). I saw some comment which described this album as “What if Zappa grew up listening to Bathory and Celtic Frost”. It couldn’t more truer. I’ll go as far to say that this isn’t even a black metal album. Sure the vocals and some sections can indicate so, but the band goes on a musical trip exploring different directions, sometimes within the confines of a single song too. It’s brilliant! If I spent more time with Baazlvaat, I’d have rated this higher!

Negative Plane make their eleven year return with The Pact, their third studio album. I’ve heard of Negative Plane prior to this album but it was only a name I associated with something shrouded in mystery. Let it be stated that the Pact is not an easy listen (at least for me). It’s dense. It meanders through odd riff structures, weird time signatures and moments which pay tribute to the first-wave of black metal. The riffs almost feel like they could belong on a Mercyful Fate album too. They’re that good! With most of the tracks clocking over eight minutes, you will feel like you’re being taken on a mesmerizing journey. I love the production here especially with how the ambience is accentuated with church bells and chamber choir vocals. The Pact is a beautiful album and a masterpiece!

Pharmacist have released the best Carcass (Necrotism-era) sounding album ever, after Necrotism naturally. My comparisons albeit inevitable are merely meant flatter this Japanese death/grind band. Flourishing Extremities on Unspoiled Mental Grounds, boy that was a mouthful, is unique in itself wherein on one hand you can see the clear Carcass influence but at the same time they make it their own. The album comprises of grind-y songs over seven minutes long rife with some stellar guitar work. The songs have extremely catchy melodies, pummeling drums, snarly gurgly vocals and guitar solos (wait what?) to top it all off. You will not come across death/grind with guitar solos as exceptional as these. Fun fact, Andrew Lee from Ripped to Shreds, did most of the guitar leads on this album. I hope Pharmacist get the recognition they deserve because FEOUMG is a great record!

Sumerlands needs no introduction if you operate in the heavy metal realm of things. Dreamkiller is the band’s follow up to their wildly popular self-titled debut from six years ago. I would say that expectations were high for the band and with the change in vocal duties from Phil Swanson (Hour of 13 fame and many more) to Brendan Radigan (ex-Magic Circle), all eyes were on the band to see what they could deliver. Sumerlands didn’t disappoint to say the least. Dreamkiller flows so effortlessly from track to track. It’s a wonderful slab of heavy metal with AOR leanings. It’s massive sounding, the vocals are brilliant and the riffs are memorable for days! Dreamkiller cements Sumerlands’ credentials in heavy metal and although they have only two albums to their name, they’re easily one of the best heavy metal bands of the last two decades!

Elder’s album may not appear on many AOTY lists but they are on mine for several reasons, chiefly that I am a massive Elder fanboy since their magnificent Lore album from seven years ago. But I’ll also stick out my neck to say that Innate Passage has so much to offer. Elder is no longer the same band since their inception in the 2000s and they’ve transromed into this overtly proggy and (almost) instrumental ambient heavy rock band. Innate Passage takes Elder to greater heights from Omens. There’s just more (and better) of the long winding proggy/psychedelic sections with some exquisite guitar work, tremendous basslines and hooks that you expect to hear but still get blown away every time you hear them. Elder are the epitome of modern proggy heavy rock and Innate Passage is yet another great album from these extremely talented musicians.

It’s been quite a year for Wormrot with losing their second original member in Arif (their inimitable vocalist), while at the same time Hiss, their fourth full-length, being heralded as one of the best grindcore albums in recent years. Tumultuous but yet Rasyid has held the fort for so long as their guitarist and songwriter. Nonetheless, I’m glad that Arif was able to contribute to Hiss with his incredible vocal lines. It’s almost an instrument in itself lending itself to create the Wormrot sound - from the gang vocal shouts to screeches to growls. This will be his best work with Wormrot. While Arif’s vocals is one of the highlights of Hiss, I’d say the way the songs are structured and varied is yet another reason why Hiss stands out so spectacularly. There are influences from hardcore punk to Discordance Axis / Gridlink-esque grindcore to Wormrot’s earlier work (Dirge and Abuse). It’s a melting pot of styles, while still retaining Wormrot’s stamp. Hiss is not just a grindcore album, which can tend to be very one dimensional, it’s just so much more!

Luzifer are not a new band. The band members’ other band is the more well known Vulture, who are a speed/thrash demon. But we’re talking about this other avatar of theirs called Luzifer. Although having existed for over a decade, Iron Shackles is the band’s debut album. The band’s sound can be described as being influenced heavily by Mercyful Fate. It has anthemic choruses, guitar work that will make Denner and Shermann very proud, very catchy grooves and to mix it up a bit of very well chosen synths and post-punk (like in Der Golden Reiter) moments. Iron Shackles closes with a galloping Attila and often I’d put this album back on repeat. There’s not a single dull moment from start to finish and with the amount of re-play value it has, this was easily my favorite heavy metal album of the year!

Ares Kingdom are the Bolt Thrower of death/thrash. They’re unfortunately severely underrated and every few years, they deliver pulverizing and relentless albums consistently. I’d rank this album highly for that reason itself, that this is so consistent in terms of what it offers listeners. Born from the legendary “cult” band Order from Chaos in the 1990s, Ares Kingdom’s latest effort In Darkness At Last is probably one of their most brutal releases. You can feel the venom seething through the record. I can’t imagine how this would sound live. Chuck, Alex and Mike go all out with their muscianship and songwriting. Each track has something to give and the whole is greater than the sum of the individual tracks. Another highlight of this album is its production. It’s caustic and raw, almost fooling you as if you’re hearing the album live. Ares Kingdom are masters of the underground and In Darkness At Last is a great release!

Phobophilic’s Enveloping Absurdity is my death metal album of the year. These relatively lesser known young upstarts have taken the strong Demilich influence and made death metal that is heavy, groovy and also 10x more accessible to discerning ears. Heck, you can see Demilich’s Nespithe influence on the album cover too with the face drawings. But if Nespithe is the master then Enveloping Absurdity is the most promising apprentice. That’s high praise and it earns the number one spot in my list. I’ll stop with the comparisons now. Enveloping Absurdity has those “stop-start” guitar sections which are so catchy and headbang worthy, the caveronous growls, all round such great riff and seamless transitions and tempo changes. The production is very well balanced. It could’ve been murkier and that would’ve been my preference but that would’ve drowned out some of the beautiful guitar work which surfaces during the doomy/slower sections. The album title track is my favorite track which showcases everything that the album extends into. This band deserves more recognition!

With that, that’s a wrap. Until next year!

Best of 2021

As the world ravaged on from the pandemic for yet another year, live music has virtually come to standstill. The very few shows that managed to take place have only been fleeting in nature. It’s almost as if there’s a cosmic game of whack-a-mole wherein the virus whacks our existence back into solitude and isolation. Things get better and then they don’t. For the ones who have fortunately had the means to create new music, have soldiered on! And boy, has there been shit-tons of new music out there!

This post is my annual reflection on the albums that piqued my interest. It’s usually a numbered list but all albums are worth checking out if you dwell in the realms of heavy music. The previous years’ lists are all categorized under the tag - #AOTY.

I’m personally not too satisfied with this list as I feel there are quite a few albums which almost made it to the top 10 but didn’t by very fine margins. Additionally, making an (dis)honorables mentions list would make this blog post much longer. I’ve also been torn to not include late entrants like Phrenelith and Funeral Mist who released new albums in the 2-3 weeks. They’re top-notch but alas without more listens, I cannot justifiably stack them up against the albums that made the cut. Despite my unhappiness with the list, I’m very certain about my top three albums though. So if you share the same musical tastebuds as me, then you might nod in agreement. Without further ado, here is my best of 2021! 🏆

These Texans play a superior brand of deathly thrash metal. It’s raw, fast-paced and seething with venom. Steel Bearing Hand has been categorized as death/thrash on Metallum but the tag doesn’t do the band’s music justice as they’re much more than that! While the foundations of Slay in Hell is thrash metal, the band builds layers over that like the harsh vocals which adds the heaviness and the doomy sections on ‘Tombspawn’ and the epic twelve minute track ‘Ensanguined’. Much like the title, this album slays!

Spider who? Exactly! Spider God is a relatively unknown entity (not uncommon in black metal) and their work on ‘Shadowless Light’ is utterly commendable. They play melodic black metal and the riffs and melodies are so memorable. On one hand they’re simple yet very emotive and on the other they make you headbang furiously! ‘Shadowless Light’ is not a full length but an EP that clocks under 20 minutes. Thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to future releases by them!

Continuing in the trend of mentioning bands with off-kilter names, I too had a quizzical expression on hearing that this band was called ‘Stress Angel’. The reason I checked out the band was because ‘Bursting Church’ was co-released by the Dying Victims label which is known for putting out high quality releases. ‘Bursting Church’ is a slab of thrashy death metal. It’s rooted in late 80s death metal but also has an equal measure of blackened thrash. I would regard Morbid Angel, Possessed and Autopsy to be big influences. Stress Angel have put out something very catchy and hard-hitting in ‘Bursting Church’ and it’s one of my favorite death metal releases on 2021!

Bonehunter are a Finnish band who have a penchant for all things punk, speed and black metal. They’re also a band who don’t take themselves too seriously. Take a gander at their song titles and album covers and you’ll understand. Musically, they can be mentioned in the same breath as Toxic Holocaust or Midnight. What makes ‘Dark Blood Reincarnation System’ a winner is that each song is crafted beautifully - whether it’s the riffs, the galloping breakneck speed of most songs, the Iron Maiden-esque melodies or the gravelly vocals. A clear warning though for production purists - expect a grimey raw (can be perceived as muddled) production. I feel it only elevates the album but others can disagree. Overall, I believe all these elements come together very nicely to make this album very enjoyable!

I am usually drawn to bands that push the envelope. Call it innovative or “gimmicky”, it is definitely challenging to sound “original” in this day and age. Mefitis does this with their unique blend of progressive death metal and black metal. ‘Offscourings‘ is not technical enough to make you dizzy with notes but there is enough to appreciate the stellar musicianship on the record. While the band showcases their technical skillz, they don’t compromise on carefully structured songs with a ton of great riffs and melodies. The vocals are another highlight wherein they are as varied as the music. There’s a lot of digest in ‘Offscourings’ and it’s not an easy listen. But with patience and repeated listens, the album, as they say, grows on you! If you’re a fan of the early eccentric years of At The Gates or the likes of the Chasm or Demilich, then this is right up your alley.

Mystic Storm hail from St. Petersburg, Russia and they play thrash metal with hints of epic power metal elements. The band plays a version of thrash very reminiscent of 80s bay area thrash like Dark Angel but what sets Mystic Storm apart are Anya’s ungodly vocals. The entirety of the album’s lyrics are in Russian but it only adds to allure and mysticism of the band (as someone who has no clue what they’re singing about). Mystic Storm’s overall musical output is very rough around the edges - whether it’s the production or the vocals. It’s coarse and in-your-face. The epic imagery and the music go hand in hand and often make you go “UGH!”, which is an indication of a great thrash band which can get that out of you. ‘From the Ancient Chaos‘ is a job well done!

Dungeon Serpent took me quite by surprise! They’re categorized as “melodic death metal” but this sub-genre has been bastardized by modern metal that I am always suspicious of this tag being a misnomer. The brand of melodeath that Dungeon Serpent plays is in the vein of Intestine Baalism or the infamous Arghoslent. You can even hear a Swedeath influence too. The guitar leads are very catchy and melodic, and they sit perfectly meshed well and harmonized over the background of tremolo guitar riffs and power chords. ‘World of Sorrows’ culminates in an epic 11 minute instrumental, the album title track. The production is raw on ‘World of Sorrows’ with a very thick and heavily distorted guitar tone. It hits the sweet spot for me though. But the biggest surprise to me was when I learnt that Dungeon Serpent is a one-man band and it’s founded by Arawn who is only 20 years old. The amount of quality in this record is stupendous and it’s quite a a feat to achieve!

Lamp of Murmuur’s 2020 EP ranked ninth on my last year’s AOTY list. It’s not surprising that I eagerly awaited ‘Submission and Slavery‘. Suffice to say, it did not disappoint but it has also elevated my expectations from this band (one-man band) for future releases. Lamp of Murmuur continues with his brand of catchy, melodic and rompy “lo-fi” black metal that he is very known for but the album also incorporates post-punk and goth rock elements. The atmosphere created by this blend is perfect and iti does not feel for once that the band is straying in another musical direction. It sounds like Lamp of Murmuur even if I am listening to the heavily delayed and echo-y post-punk guitar lines or the Christian Death cover. ‘Submission and Slavery‘ takes Lamp of Murmuur to greater heights and they ought to be a more recognized name in the underground!

Let me caveat this blurb with the fact that I’m not a fan of symphonic black metal. For a band to win me over in this sub-genre has to produce something unworldly. Stormkeep is fronted by Isaac (drummer of Blood Incantation) and the other band members are also part of Wayfarer (folk/black metal band). At times I’m in awe when I think of the insane musical talent oozing from the Blood Incantation camp that has spawned such stellar projects. But let’s talk about Stormkeep. ‘Tales of Othertime’ is a magical and majestic symphonic black metal masterpiece with Dissection influenced guitar work and a bit of dungeon-synth to liven (or darken) up the atmosphere. It does sound a lot like the soundtrack to any of the epic fantasy tales like LOTR or Wheel of Time. Overall, Stormkeep have released a great album and watch out for the stellar album art as well. I’ll be sure to get it on a poster when I can!

Herzel are a French band that play traditional heavy metal with epic themes. ‘Le Dernier Rempart’, which translates to ‘the final bastion’, is replete with intricate guitar melodies, very catchy hooks and anthemic singing in French. Whether it’s a pacy song or a slowed down section, the excellent vocals cut right through. You can feel the emotion in every syllable and every word (despite me lacking any knowledge of French). How does Le Dernier Rempart top my list of AOTY for the year? Well, it’s the most complete album I’ve come across this year whether it’s the musicianship, the song-writing, the production or the emotion/atmosphere. With every listen, I notice something new while the rest continue to cement my appreciation for the band. Heavy metal reigns supreme in ‘Le Dernier Rempart‘ and I can easily say that Herzel have put out of the finest heavy metal albums in the past decade! Allez, Herzel!

With that…c'est la fin de la liste. Until next year!

Best of 2020

If there’s one consistent habit I’ve developed over the past ten or so years, it’s that I publish a listicle of my top ten albums every year. Previous year’s lists can be found here #AOTY.

2020 has been quite an unflushable turd of a year and the end doesn’t seem nigh. One can say that the heavy music released this year has been a saving grace of sorts, but to be honest, it’s only the privileged few who can afford these distractions. The albums that end up on my lists are solely governed by my tastes in underground heavy music whereas the order is a reflection of what got more air-play than the rest. I do have a natural inclination towards checking out lesser known bands/artists so maybe this will help you discover cool new music?

Without further ado, it’s AOTY time! 🏆🎶

Vengeful Spectre hail from China and their self-titled debut features some tasty melodic-black metal infused with the sounds of traditional Chinese folk instruments. I’m always sceptical of bands including “traditional folk” instruments because more often than not, they end up sounding really gimmicky to me. Can we blame hummpa folk for it? But luckily Vengeful Sceptre doesn’t succumb to that trope. The beautiful atmopsheric passages, the choruses laden with those folky sounds and the huge production they achieved on this debut makes Vengeful Spectre absolutely enjoyable!

Lamp of Murmuur is a one-man black metal project. While Burning Spears of Crimson Agony, a four track demo, was released this year, Lamp also released a full-length titled Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism. However, I do believe the demo edges over the full length ever so slightly. There’s more bang for the buck, so to speak. As a side note, contrary to what people have said, I don’t think Lamp qualifies as lo-fi in the truest black metal sense. I was expecting instruments recorded shoddily through a practice mini-amp with muffled programmed drums, making it all sound indiscernible but retaining that aggression and “rawness”. However, I found Burning Spears to be played to perfection. It’s catchy, rompy but also melancholic at times. Yes, the production is “raw”-ish but either way the demo has been put together really well. Also, the dude has a penchant for coming up with amazing song titles!

Undeath pay homage to 90s death metal in the vein of Cannibal Corpse. It’s CC-worship done right while making it sound fresh at the same time. Heck, if CC released anything as good as ‘Lesions of a Different Kind’ in the last 20 years, it would’ve been a total banger and in line with their classic 90s albums! The production wins on all fronts as well - it finds that perfect balance of sounding gnarly AF yet discernible. Undeath also don’t take themselves too seriously with over the top song titles (for example, Kicked in the Protruding Guts) and that intentionally hilarious attempt of a gore-y album cover.

Without a doubt, Dark Descent Records is my favorite underground label and over the past decade, they’ve been consistently putting out great releases. So when I heard of this lesser known Aussie death metal band called ‘Faceless Burial’ on their roster, it immediately piqued my interest. The opening track, ‘Worship’ has one of the punishing blast-beating drum intros and that just sets the tone for the rest of the album. If you’re looking for chuggy riffs, blast-beats and death/doomy passages, Speciation won’t disappoint.

Cénotaphe are a two-man black metal band comprising of veterans from the French black metal scene. Monte Verità, the band’s first full-legnth, was released early in the year and I often had it on repeat playing in the background, all the while having those catchy tremolo picked melodies etched into my brain. The melodies remind me of the classic Finnish black metal sound of Sargeist and Horna. Khaosgott’s vocals on this record alternate between screeches and the shouty-chanting-sermons kind which removes any monotony in the vocal delivery. Monte Verità is a beautiful black metal record - it’s melancholic but also can sound uplifting in parts.

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5. Lantern - Dimensions

Full album stream - https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dimensions

Here’s another win from the Dark Descent Records roster this year! Lantern made a huge wave in the underground with their 2011 demo titled Subterranean Effulgence and then followed that up with the debut full length titled Below in 2013. Lantern started off as a seething black/death outfit and they weren’t messing around with the uncompromising nature of their brand of music. Seven years hence, the band has been evolving for the better in my opinion. With Dimensions, their third full-length, Lantern has taken their evolution to newer heights. The album features more progressive and experimental death metal. Don’t worry, they still retain their pummeling riffs and blast-beats but it’s definitely more varied. I absolutely love the vocals on the record. They remind me of David Vincent’s style from early/mid-era Morbid Angel. In terms of production, it sounds way more accessible than anything the band has put out in the past. Again, I reckon it’s a good decision given the band’s new direction into more progressive/technical spaces. Overall, I feel Dimensions is a well constructed and well thought out album. For lack of a better word, it showcases the band’s maturity in great light!

Endless Wound is the best death metal album of 2020. There I said it! Black Curse is a group/project comprising of members from Spectral Voice, Primitive Man, Khemmis and Blood Incantation. When I laid my ears on Endless Wound for the first time, I was blown out of the park by its utter heaviness and crushing nature. If there was a death metal checklist, this album would tick all the boxes - heavy chuggy riffs, blastbeats, reverbed growling vocals, slow doomy passages and an all-round filthy production to package it all together. Take for example, Charnel Rift, the album opener, perfectly encapsulates all these elements. This is death metal supremacy from start to finish!

I remember catching Havukruunu live in early 2019 and they came across as an above average Finnish pagan/folk black metal band. In that regard, I had very little expectations before listening to Uinuos Syömein Sota. Clearly since I’ve ranked this at number three now so there’s something going for the band. The album is so expansive and majestic not just in terms of production but also the song-writing. The riffs and melodies hit you so smoothly and effortlessly like waves hitting the shore. Cheesy, amirite? But that feels the best way I can describe Havukruunu’s latest album. Black metal purists will not enjoy this though as it might be a bit too “happy sounding”. Given how shite 2020 has been, we could do with some optimisim and “happy sounds” in black metal!

Wytch Hazel’s III: Pentecost is a musical masterpiece that finds a balance between 70s styled hard-rock and NWOBHM. It’s as if Wytch Hazel are the love child of Thin Lizzy (or early Priest) and the English folk rock eccentricities of Jethro Tull. What wins it for III: Pentecost are the infectious singalongs in the song choruses. Take Spirit and Fire’s chorus for instance. You’ll be singing “Spirit and Fire…Show me the way” in no time. Oh and yes, they do sing about Jesus. Wytch Hazel’s devout (hah, see what I did there) following in the underground heavy metal community is just another testament that when there’s musical quality to back the talk, even hordes of atheists will sing along to Jesus lyrics! To be honest, Wytch Hazel’s III: Pentecost would’ve easily been my album of the year if not for…

…me being a total Lord Fist fanboy!

Lord who? Lord Fist are one the lesser known Finnish heavy metal upstarts active in the last decade. After having released a demo, an EP and a debut album, the band returns with their sophomore effort titled Wilderness of Hearts. I was quite impressed with their debut, Green Eyleen, but on just a couple of listens, the sophomore proves to surpass all previous releases. It’s galloping heavy metal (NWOBHMish) which sounds fun, frolicky and oozing with passion. The guitar melodies are on point in each song and there’s not a single dull moment. Of course, this is my positive bias creeping in and can’t find anything wrong with the record. I do know that people find the vocals…an acquired taste. While the vocals aren’t perfect, I believe for Lord Fist’s brand of heavy metal, it fits in just right. It’s not perfectly delivered with precision in terms of pitch or finesse but I don’t want pin-point perfection in my heavy metal. I want to feel the passion out of the my speakers transporting me to another planet. Lord Fist does exactly that and hence they take the numero uno spot in my year end list.

Until next year!

Best of 2019

AHOY! It’s AOTY time! 🎶🏆

It’s the last year of the decade. Ever since I started this blog of mine (circa 2015), I’ve been doing a ‘Best of’ list of my favorite heavy music albums released in the calendar year. If you’re curious to see the last years’ lists, then why don’t you take a gander here. Thanks to the digital proliferation of music, more so underground music, it’s never been easier to consume music. Almost all underground labels have released music on Bandcamp and it is, to date, my preferred destination for music discovery.

2019 has been an excellent year for music listening. For me, personally, romping heavy metal from Canada has ruled the roost. Bands like Riot City, Traveler and Smoulder started 2019 strong with their debut albums. On the more extreme side of the spectrum, Dark Descent records has had an exceptionally stellar year with its releases. My criteria for making these lists is replay-value and my own inclination to certain sub-genres. Without further ado, here they are!

Oath of Cruelty’s debut album (even though the band has existed since 2010) was released earlier this month on Dark Descent and it snuck into my AOTY list last minute. Summary Execution at Dawn is a hard hitting death/thrash album. If the mighty Angelcorpse did death/thrash, it would sound like Oath of Cruelty. Or another way of describing them would be if Demolition Hammer had a “war metal” vocalist, then Oath of Cruelty would be it. This influence can be also derived from the fact that most of the members are also part of Blaspherian, a black/death metal band. If I had more time with this record, it would’ve probably been featured higher up the ranking.

Here’s another Dark Descent release! Krypts are Finnish death/doomsters who have gained prominence in the past decade. They are known for their extremely consistent brand of doom-laden death metal. Cadaver Circulation proves just why Krypts are one of the best in this sub-genre. The album creates a suffocating atmosphere while surprisingly maintaining a fairly clear production. The album achieves a really good balance between the slow dreary sections and the more fast paced death-metal sections, all while keeping the listener interested during the 37+ minutes. The album also houses one of my favorite songs of recent time - The Reek of Loss.

Russ Tippins, the axewielder of Satan the cult NWOBHM band, is the primary force behind Tanith. If you aren’t aware of Satan’s glorious work, then you should leave the hall and educate yourself. Being a huge fan of Satan, I naturally had high expectations before listening to In Another Time. Suffice to say, I wasn’t disappointed to say the least. Tanith can be categorized as flirting the fence between traditional heavy metal and hard rock. Each song sounds like a journey. The song writing coupled with excellent guitar work make for quite a listening experience. The dual female and male vocals of Cindy and Russ also make it all the more interesting, as it is not that common in heavy metal music.

From the ashes of the defunct band Vorum, rises a phoenix in the form of Concrete Winds. Vorum burst onto the death metal scene in the 2010s and carved a name for themselves. The band members return with another moniker called Concrete Winds and Primitive Force is their debut album. It’s aggressive, lo-fi, dissonant, mind-numbing and it’s the equivalent of you running into a wall of spikes. I enjoyed listening to Primitive Force many a time this year when I’ve wanted to block myself out from the world. It does the job satisfyingly well. If you fancy extreme subgenres like “war metal” or black/death, then Primitive Force is highly recommended.

We all knew that epic doom was in good hands when Crypt Sermon released their debut in 2013. The Ruins of Fading Light is the band’s sophomore effort. This is yet another Dark Descent release and the album’s announcement was met with great expectations from around the world. I can see why this album has already been featured in several AOTY listicles. The band carries on from where they left off. I do feel they’ve added more melody to their songs though. The choruses are catchier, the vocals seems to have improved even further and the riffs are well…rifftastic. The thematic elements of the biblical times shine right through with the song titles, lyrics and album art. Crypt Sermon have released a complete album for lack of a better word. Any fan of heavy or doom metal will latch onto this release easily!

Smoulder are a new traditional heavy/doom metal outfit from Canada and its fronted by Sarah from BangerTV. I strongly believe that if you listen to “good” music and acknowledge the pioneers of traditional heavy metal, the output as a musician/artist will yield great results. Smoulder is just that. They wear their influences on their sleeves. There is a strong fantasy element in the lyrical themes and the musicianship on the record is exemplary. Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring is a perfect homage to 80s traditional heavy metal and epic doom. This isn’t a rehash of the subgenre though. The band is original in its sound and Sarah’s soaring vocals fit perfectly in the mix. The album only gets better every time you re-listen to it and that’s a super commendable quality of the song writing!

After their debut release, Starspawn, Blood Incantation have become the poster child of death metal in the underground. Seamlessly mixing OSDM and technical death metal (not the modern kind), Blood Incantation were strong contenders to make it to AOTY list even before the release of this year’s Hidden History of the Human Race. The band meets the hype with ease though. It’s astounding how this quartet from Denver, Colorado, have achieved with this album. They love aliens, conspiracy theories and anything related to the cosmos. To accompany that theme, the album manages to create an atmosphere which is dark and psychedelic, and through it, complex yet catchy riffs pierce right through! The album makes Blood Incantation arguably the most sought after death metal band on the planet.

When I first came across Vultures Vengeance, my first thought was “Where’s the comma, man?!”. But that pet-peeve aside, The Knightlore is a heavy/progressive metal masterpiece. The band hails from Italy and they draw influences from the early USPM scene and bands like Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol and Dark Quarterer. The songs are winding and are wonderfully composed. Critics may feel that the slightly drowned out production takes away from songs but I strongly feel it enhances the listening experience. It makes it seem like the album was in a time capsule from 1983 and was dug up recently. I rate this album really highly as the replayability is extremely high, the moment it clicks with you. The band is definitely going places if they continue in this manner!

Traveler are another young heavy metal upstart from the burgeoning Canadian scene. Their debut album came out in February this year and it has been one of my most played albums back-to-front. I was more familiar with Jean-Pierre’s (the vocalist) other band, Gatekeeper, which is another accomplished heavy metal band. What Traveler brings to the table is no-frills heavy metal. The quality on each of the songs is top-notch and can be heralded as heavy metal anthems in their own right. While there may be more technically proficient heavy metal records out there, Traveler gets the balance right. Another attribute of the album is Jean-Pierre’s vocals. He has terrific range which makes the album all the more enjoyable. Traveler’s debut is easily my favorite heavy metal album in recent years. Get in!

The numero uno album for me this year is by this fairly new black metal outfit from Germany called Imha Tarikat. I was initially drawn to the beautiful artwork and took my chances with the seemingly lesser known band. If one was to describe Kara Ihlas, I would say that it sounds like a ballsy-er Mgła with lesser predicatability while retaining that black metal atmospheric sound. The sweeping guitars and the tremolo riffing are characteristics of the album. What I love about this album is that it’s melodic and fierce in equal measure. The vocals will remind you of Okoi’s from Bölzer and by that I mean they are angry, shouty and the echo effects, although used minimally, are tastefully done. The two man band deliver on all fronts and they make Kara Ihlas such a memorable listen for 2019 and beyond! At the risk of starting a controversy, in my humble opinion, this record truly blows Mgła out of the park and this is me making a statement as a huge Mgła fan.

Best of 2018

Ahoy!

*insert tumbleweed gif*

This space has been awfully quiet. My listening habits have also taken a slight backseat but nonetheless, heavy music über alles! As it has been in the past four years, I’ve managed to conjure up a list of my favorite (aka most played) albums that were released this year. The criteria for choosing these albums has always been replay value and how memorable the music is. I must confess though, my consumption of new music is now a fraction of what it used to be - primarily due to the fact that I barely visit the blogs, forums, discord channels et al. So if I do not mention a popular album, it’s because I probably missed it. Spoiler alert - there’s a lot of black metal.

Without further ado, here are the ten.

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10. Black Viper - Hellions of Fire

Full album stream: https://blackvipermetal.bandcamp.com/album/hellions-of-fire

Norway is increasingly garnering attention for the flock of bands who play old school heavy and thrash metal. Bands like Nekromantheon, Deathhammer and Condor have cemented Norwegian thrash metal on the world map. Black Viper’s debut Hellions of Fire is a noteworthy addition to that list. Their musical style is very reminiscent of 80s speed metal with a production to match. Prepare to have your head bobbing continuously as you meander through the more traditional heavy metal passages in Quest For Power to the blistering guitar solos in Suspiria. The album isn’t a gimmicky nostalgia driven effort, it’s legit and honest for what it is. Much like their peers, Black Viper wear their influences on their sleeves. Hellions of Fire pays tribute to the bygone era of traditional heavy/speed metal of the 1980s and is a must-listen for any fan of this sub-genre.

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9. Kriegsmaschine - Apocalypticists

Full album stream - https://ksmpl.bandcamp.com/album/apocalypticists


Kriegsmaschine is the lesser known project of the two key members of Mgła, who are arguably a very established black metal band in the underground circuit. It is, thus, inevitable to compare the two. The moment you tune into Apocalypticists, you’ll instantly notice how prominent and hard-hitting the drums are. This is a feature throughout the album where an atmosphere created by atonal riffs is pierced by pulsating (utterly progressive sounding) drum sounds. It’s as if Darkside (drummer of Mgła & Kriegsmaschine) unleashes his pent up fury on record. I also feel that Kriegsmaschine’s take on black metal is that of a less traditional path by relying less on blast-beats and tremolo riffing. The music is definitely hypnotic. While we wait for Mgła’s next magnum opus, Kriegsmaschine’s Apocalypticists will satiate your palate quite well.

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8. Deceased - Ghostly White

Full album stream - https://the-true-deceased.bandcamp.com/album/ghostly-white

Deceased are the grand-daddies of death/thrash/heavy metal who have a particular penchant for all things horror. It’s in their lyrical themes and of course, in their artwork. Deceased have been around for 35 years and are still going strong in the underground. Ghostly White proves just that and with this album, you will hear more of the same Deceased sound. The album’s got dollops of traditional heavy metal passages with twin guitar solos, King Fowley’s signature howls and a truckload of galloping goodness. Up the tombstones!

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7. Gaerea - Unsettling Whispers

Full album stream - https://gaerea.bandcamp.com/album/unsettling-whispers-black-metal

Unsettling Whispers is Gaerea’s debut album. Hailing from Portugal, Gaerea play a style of black metal which bands like Mgła and Uada are known for. Considering this is only their debut, Gaerea have managed to present listeners with some stellar atmospheric and melodic black metal. What sets this band apart though is that they don’t seem to be afraid to go with a cleaner and more polished sound. It’s not overproduced in any way but it does have this ‘modern’ sound, which many in this sub-genre shy away from. The musical spectrum ranges from dreary melancholic soundscapes to tremolo riffing over blast-beats. Personally, I’ve had this album on rotation for quite a long time since its release and it’s very enjoyable to say the least.

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6. Sargeist - Unbound

Full album stream - https://wtcproductions.bandcamp.com/album/unbound

Shatraug, the musical genius behind Sargeist (and Horna among many), has recruited new members into Sargeist and they present a new face of the band with their latest release Unbound. Let it be known that I’m a sucker for Finnish black metal - it’s the melodies that get me good! Unbound is no different in that regard. But what makes this album more memorable are the vocal patterns employed by new vocalist, Profundis. They range from seething angry rasps to almost Alan Averill (legendary vocalist of Primordial) like shouts. That said, Sargeist seem to have also grown in their sound. For lack of a better word, it’s more dynamic. Yes, we still hear all the Sargeist elements - the melodic riffing, the underlying rock n’ roll sensibilities and the overarching evil atmosphere. But, it somehow feels more expansive, you know. It’s beautiful and it’s worth a listen.

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5. Sacral Rage - Beyond Celestial Echoes

Full album stream - https://sacralrage.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-celestial-echoes

Beyond Celestial Echoes is the band’s sophomore album. Back in 2015, Sacral Rage caused massive waves with their debut and unsurprisingly they also featured on my AOTY list. I touted them as the Helstar of this generation. Suffice to say, expectations were quite high when I learnt of this release. The band returns with their own brand of technical/proggy power and thrash metal. Beyond Celestial Echoes takes you further into dizzying technical musicianship. It paces itself quite well with welcome breaks consisting of interludes and grand buildups. Take for example, the epic 13 minute track called ‘The Glass’ which feels like a journey into space. It does takes a few listens for the album to soak in. While it’s definitely denser than their debut ‘Illusions In Infinite Void’, this album does establish Sacral Rage as a technical power/thrash metal juggernaut. Personally, I really hope to catch this band live one day!

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4. Visigoth - Conqueror’s Oath

Full album stream - https://visigothofficial.bandcamp.com/album/conquerors-oath

From the get-go, Visigoth waste no time in diving straight into what Conqueror’s Oath is all about. From the album opener ‘Steel and Silver’ to the more epic ‘Traitor’s Gate’, Visigoth deliver a slab of 80s traditional heavy metal which will make Mark Shelton smile wherever he is (RIP you legend you!). It’s straightforward heavy metal without any fillers. You get what you expect to listen when you pick up this album - it has epic singalong choruses, loads of riffs and a few softer ballad-like interludes thrown in. Before you know it, you’ll have your fist held high chanting in unison with the tunes. If you like bands like Manilla Road, Omen, Grand Magus and their kind, you’ll surely dig Visigoth.

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3. Tomb Mold - Manor Of Infinite Forms

Full album stream - https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/manor-of-infinite-forms

Tomb Mold’s debut album slipped under my radar in 2017 and when I heard about their second album being released this year, I jumped on it promptly. Manor of Infinite Forms makes you wonder how prolific a death metal band truly is after putting out releases in two consecutive years without compromising on quality. Tomb Mold’s sound harkens back to the late 80s early 90s era of death metal. It’s murky, disgusting and envelopes you with shroud of a suffocatingly dense atmosphere. You’ll give in to making a stink face while nodding violently to the barrage of riffs the band throws at you. The caveman vocals are supremely guttural and fit this style perfectly. Above all what I love most about this record is that it’s very well produced - just the right amount of rawness to bring out the best in Tomb Mold.

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2. Craft - White Noise and Black Metal

Full album stream - https://craftofficial.bandcamp.com/album/white-noise-and-black-metal

I won’t pretend that I’ve been a big Craft fan for many years. I only started listening to these legendary Swedish black metallers in 2017. In that regard, I approached White Noise and Black Metal with an open mind, unsure of what to expect since the band hadn’t put out something in a while. By the time, I got to the second track ‘Again’, I was sure as hell that I was listening to the riff of the decade. Through the imagery and lyrical themes, you can easily tell that Craft are proud misanthropes and nihilists. This is, of course, reflected in the music they put out. But what’s the point if this hateful music lacks the catchiness that would make you want to listen to it again and again? The album draws you in with plenty of grooves that is often lacking in black metal these days. To sum up, I’d say this is one of the best black metal albums in the past decade - it’s something any avid fan of the genre would look for.

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1. Chapel of Disease - .​.​.​And As We Have Seen The Storm, We Have Embraced The Eye

Full album stream - https://chapelofdisease.bandcamp.com/album/and-as-we-have-seen-the-storm-we-have-embraced-the-eye

To me, Chapel of Disease were among the many death metal bands who were influenced by the Swedeath sound - buzzsaw guitars et al. Nothing too memorable and not much to write home about. However, things have changed for this German death metal band after releasing .​.​.​And As We Have Seen The Storm, We Have Embraced The Eye last month. Yes, the title is quite a mouthful. But I honestly don’t know where to begin. The band has stripped away their generic Swedeath death metal sound and introduced more progressive, punky and melodic elements. It’s as if they suddenly became fans of early Kverletak. The entire album feels free-flowing, effortless and at the same time flirts with the boundaries of not getting too progressive or adventurous with their new found sound. The band does retain its heaviness. No doubt about that. The vocals are reminiscent of a less gurgly version of Martin Van Drunen (of Asphyx fame). The album is great to listen to in its entirety, this isn’t a “song’s album” if you catch my drift. The main reason why I rate this as my numero uno album of 2018 is because every time I listen to it, I hear something new, something fresh. I hope this is the start of something new for the band. Onwards and upwards!

Best of 2017

It's listicle time! ♫ 

For the last 3 years, I've been making Albums Of The Year (#AOTY) lists, so 2017 won't be different in any way. These lists consist of albums which have caught my fancy, have high repeat-spins, are "unique" and bring something fresh to the world where most music is shite. While, it's impossible to listen to all the popular and critical releases of 2017, I reckon I would've sampled at least 100 odd full lengths. My personal taste lean towards heavy music, hence these lists comprise mostly of metal music. 

This year had a string of stellar releases popping up towards the end of the year. I've luckily managed to come across such albums this month and have promptly added to my AOTY list. So here goes nothing, in descending order. 

10. Jordablod - Upon My Cremation Pyre
Jordablod's debut was picked up by the (in)famous Iron Bonehead records and that in itself is a reason why it deserves at least a listen. Hailing from Sweden, this one-man band plays black metal swathed in luscious and grand atmospheric/psychedelic vibes. What stood out for me is the guitar work, especially the solos which isn't something that one talks much about in black metal music. I look forward to his future releases. 
Full album stream: https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/jordablod-upon-my-cremation-pyre

9. Contaminated - Final Man
This is another full length debut to make my list. Contaminated are a death metal band from Australia and they love their tunes crunchy, buzz-saw like (Swedeath influenced), played through a filthy and raw filter with an additional dose of doomy sections. I feel this album borrows the best bits of the Incantation/Immolation sound and marries it beautifully with what death metal bands from Sweden are best known for. It packs quite a punch! 
Full album stream: https://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/final-man-12lp-cd

8. Nokturnal Mortum - Verity
While many die-hard fans would've expected this band to recreate another Voice of Steel (their magnum opus), I honestly feel Nokturnal Mortum did quite a stellar job with Verity. It's more of the same ol' grand and symphonic folk black metal that you'd expect from the band. Verity has an abundance of melodic riffs which will get your head bobbing in no time. For any of you unfamiliar with the band, you can expect a lot of folky sounds played on traditional Ukrainian instruments.
Full album stream: https://nokturnalmortum1.bandcamp.com/album/verity

7. Wiegedood - De Doden Hebben Het Goed II
Wiegedood are a black metal band from Belgium, somewhat born out of an older band called Oathbreaker who play post-hardcore/metal (or some such abomination). I've never been a fan of Oathbreaker so my apprehension to listen to album was justified. Much to the fanfare surrounding this release, I'm glad I checked this album out. It's beautiful if intense tremolo riffing over blast-beats is your thing. The album is also atmospheric in the modern/contemporary black metal way. While this may not appeal much to purists, I feel Wiegedood have produced a great black metal record. I'll definitely revisit this in the years to come.
Full album stream: https://wiegedood.bandcamp.com/album/de-doden-hebben-het-goed-ii

6. Malokarpatan - Nordkarpatenland
Malokarpatan were a last minute addition to my AOTY list as I started listening to this album only two weeks ago. I feel with a couple more full listens, this album could be bumped up to a higher rank. They play a primal form of black metal which essentially is heavy metal with harsh/screechy vocals. Fans of early Venom, Master's Hammer, Bathory or Mortuary Drape will really enjoy this sophomore album by Malokarpatan. As an added bonus, the band also experiments with folky sounds, making it quite an interesting listen. Funnily, the band calls their music - "Old school rural Slovak black metal". A very apt descriptor. 
Full album stream: https://malokarpatan.bandcamp.com/album/nordkarpatenland

5. Hällas - Excerpts From a Future Past
Given this list, I reckon this album will be most accessible for "non-metal" listeners. Hällas play 70s influenced rock, almost progressive too. You'll hear instrumental passages where guitar solos harmonize perfectly with Deep Purple-esque keys. Even if you're overly tired with the retro bandwagon that many bands keep jumping onto, you should still give Hällas a listen because the lovely instrumentation and the song composition are top-notch. It's only their second release and you can hear the maturity in their songs. One of the main reasons I really enjoy Excerpts is because on a deep personal level, I feel the songs/music put me in a self-reflective mood. Not sure what I mean? Listen to the album. 
Full album stream: https://thesignrecords.bandcamp.com/album/h-llas-excerpts-from-a-future-past

4. Perturbator - New Model
James Kent aka Perturbator breathes in new life into his project with New Model. While the foundation of New Model is still built on the retro-synth wave sound, the songs are way more darker and grittier than the previous releases. I've been an ardent follower of Perturbator since 2012, I've also been lucky to see him live (plugging the live video I took in 2015). In that regard, you could call me a big Perturbator fan so my expectations were quite high. Synth-wave as a genre can get very insipid and boring very fast, and hence experimentation is key. Perturbator does just that with different vocal delivery on songs, by slowing down sections and playing around with various industrial elements. New Model makes it difficult to pigeonhole Perturbator as just another retro-synth wave artist, which is great in my opinion. 
Full album stream: https://perturbator.bandcamp.com/album/new-model

3. Shaarimoth - Temple Of The Adversarial Fire
This was the first release of 2017 that caught my attention. Very early on I proclaimed it to be AOTY material and it's survived a whole year retained in my top 10 list. Shaarimoth are from Norway, a place where underrated death metal bands are ready to burst into the scene. Temple of Adversarial Fire is an album which would appeal to black metal fans too, as it rubs off heavily with that characteristic atmospheric sound. While still being very riff-heavy, the band experiments with lots of vacant instrumental doomy passages, tremolo riffing and fast thrashy sections. The production is perfect for my liking where it's finely balanced between murky-sounding and "good clean discernible" sounding. I wish more metalheads listened to Shaarimoth because the album quality retains its consistency from start to finish, making it a truly memorable record.
Full album stream: https://wtcproductions.bandcamp.com/album/temple-of-the-adversarial-fire

2. The Ruins of Beverast - Exuvia
Exuvia is the remains of an insect's exoskeleton when it has shed it off. Is it a metaphor for the new album by Alexander von Meilenwald (the genius behind TRoB)? It could be. TRoB have an extensive discography spanning close to 14 years and Exuvia, in my opinion, gives the early albums a run for their money as TRoB's best work. Exuvia is like a journey into shamanic rituals (look at the album art as well). It is psychedelic, doomy, atmospheric and retains TRoB's characteristic black metal sound. Similar to TRoB's older material, Exuvia's songs meander long and winding, almost merging into one another and they're best consumed from album start to finish. I can't think of a better album in 2017 if a listener wants to immerse herself into a meditative state. Truly hypnotic and highly recommended! 
Full album stream: https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/exuvia

1. Elder - Reflections of a Floating World
Well well well, here's my favorite release of the year. Elder's 2015 album was highly rated, which I'll admit I missed out on and hereby regret not including it in my list. I'm making amends this year because Reflections of a Floating World is if not better but as good as their previous album. The album is primarily an instrumental stoner/doom masterpiece. It crests with beautiful guitar melodies and then troughs (in a good way) with heavy pounding guitars and drums. I think what makes this album a masterpiece is its wide-appeal. Fans of rock (heavy rock, progressive, rock n' roll), doom metal, psychedelic/stoner music and anyone who appreciates great musicianship will dig this album quite a lot. I see myself still revisiting this album many more times in the future. How will Elder top two successively brilliant releases? One can hope. Until then, enjoy the full album stream below! 
Full album stream: https://beholdtheelder.bandcamp.com/album/reflections-of-a-floating-world

 

Best of 2016

It's that time of the year again where I list down my favorite metal albums of 2016. This is a practice that I've been following over the past two years (Czech out the 2015 and 2014 lists). 2016 started off weak with very few releases catching my fancy. But fortunately, the latter part of the year dazzled me with some stellar releases. Traditional heavy metal ruled the roost for me and newcomer bands like Eternal Champion and Sumerlands got multiple plays. There were also some off-kilter releases from Khonsu and Mithras. Overall, the list below is representative of the different genres in metal. Without further ado, I'll dive into them one by one. 

 

10. Khonsu - The Xun Protectorate
Khonsu's sophomore album might fly under the radar for many but let's give them the attention they deserve. The band hails from Bergen (Norway) and their sound can be best described as industrial/progressive metal with a healthy dose of black metal injected in it, making it sound fairly evil. Khonsu is very accessible and for all I know, they may appeal to the Gojira/Ministry fan as well. The sci-fi theme, really detailed artwork, blast beats overlaying industrial sounds and stomping choruses, all make it a grandiose record.

9. Ripper - Experiment of Existence
Ripper from Chile play death/thrash in the vein of early Sepultura and Possessed. The production on the album does justice to the 80s sound and I'm most pleased about that. The second most satisfying thing to hear on the album is the bass. Ripper have paid adequate attention to the bass, as if they are the garnishing atop the onslaught of riffs. This young band will go far! 

8. Blood Incantation - Starspawn
Starspawn is the only pure death metal styled album that caught my fancy this year. Blood Incantation do riffs excellently and by Jove, will the riffs hit you hard! The band primarily lies in the intersection of old school death metal and tech-death sound. On a side note, the more you listen to this album, the more you will appreciate the song arrangements and the good use of atmospheric passages (which build up to full fledged songs). 

7. Mithras - On Strange Loops
Mithras make a triumphant return with an album after 9 years and it did not disappoint at all. Sure, I could rank it higher but I was severely biased towards other sub-genres. Attempting to classify On Strange Loops would be a task carried out in vain but nonetheless here goes nothing. While the foundation of the album is laid in tech-death, Mithras have also created modern-sounding atmsopheric and progressive elements in their songs. It took a while to appreciate the album but when I was able to, it was very satisfying. 

6. Thrawsunblat - Metachthonia
I can't recall many melodic/folk black metal albums that have made an impact on me in the past couple of years. Well, Thrawsunblat have certainly done so with Metachthonia. The album meets all the expectations one might have before listening to songs in this genre. There is never a dull moment while listening to this, which only exemplifies the excellent songwriting. Vocals alternate appropriately between clean and harsh. There are acoustic-foresty snippets which add fresh and new dimensions to the songs. The catchy melodies will get your head bobbing in no time. The album clocks in close to an hour and at the end of it, you'll probably tell yourself that this band needs to keep going to make many more such albums!

5. Mare Cognitum - Luminiferous Aether
Mare Cognitum is the brainchild of Jacob Buczarski, who has been unrelenting with his project's releases year after year. While Luminiferous Aether may not be his best work, this album does carry on in the same vein as his previous albums; Dripping in cosmic themes, lots of tremolo-picked riffery while at the same time creating that warm characteristic black metal atmosphere. The album serves as excellent background music as well as one to be discerned with scrutiny. 

4. Eternal Champion - The Armor of Ire
We're moving into traditional heavy metal territory now. This piqued my interest because of a Manowar-like album cover. Eternal Champion is a name taken from an epic fantasy Multiverse novel series by Michael Moorcock. Naturally, the lyrical themes do justice to that. As far as the musicality is concerned, the band plays traditional heavy metal with some first wave traditional doom-laden parts too. It's a great debut full length release for the band, although I would've liked to hear more anthemic memorable choruses in this. 

3. Vektor - Terminal Redux
Enter the mad scientists of who thrash as much as they prog! This has probably been one of my most anticipated albums of 2016 and they delivered an album which sounds as fresh today as it will many years down the line. The songs, much a characteristic to Vektor's style of writing, are long and winding. This needs repeat listens to gain an appreciation of the intricate layering put forth in this record. Terminal Redux is easily the best thrash album of the year. 

2. Khemmis - Hunted
Khemmis is the only doom band on my list. But it rightfully earns this position because of a stellar sophomore album. While I did say 'doom', many of the songs delve into heavy metal and stoner rock territories. I think what won me over is the vocals - clean, soaring and somewhat reminiscent of Solstice (UK band). Another aspect of Khemmis that I really liked was the variation. Doom bands can get caught in the rut with monotonous songs but not Khemmis. They switched it up a bit with galloping tunes like Three Gates. Almost sounded like the band High On Fire and before you know it, they were back to their epic doom parts. The guitar work (riffs and solos) is top-notch on Hunted.  

1. Sumerlands - Sumerlands
So it came as a massive surprise to me that the two guitarists from Eternal Champion play for Sumerlands too. The other surprise was seeing Phil Swanson, of Hour of 13 fame, do vocals here. For lack of a better word, Sumerlands' debut is a very complete album. This is heavy metal at its finest and I think Phil's voice suits this kind of music brilliantly. I can liken his vocals to early Black Sabbath. With each of the 8 songs averaging at around the 4 minute mark, it's fairly easy to get through the album in no time. There's no fluff. Sumerlands packs as much as they can into those minutes, while giving each song a different treatment. The quality of music spreads across all songs evenly (if there's such a thing like that) and that's my main criteria for ranking Sumerlands numero uno. So give this album a spin and enjoy riding its glorious riffs!

Best of 2015

'tis the season for year-end listicles fa la la la ♬

I'll make this quick. Compared to my 'best of 2014' list, 2015 seemed to have way more quality black metal releases. It would also appear that three Greek bands made it to my list. No surprise there because I am a sucker for the Hellenic scene. Most of the bands listed below are relatively new, which in my opinion is way more exciting (fresh sound and all that rot). The only criteria that I used while choosing these albums is replay value. Of course, it'll be subjective. Without further ado, here are my top 10 metal albums of 2015:

10. Shepherd - Stereolithic Riffalocalypse
Bangalore's sludge-y stoner band make their debut with Stereolithic. Heavy fuzzy guitars, gruff vocals and some really memorable riffs make this one of the best releases from India. Ever. Shepherd are still severely underrated in international circles and I hope this changes with time. 
Favorite track: Bog Slime
Full album stream: Bandcamp

9. Abyssal - Antikatastaseis
After two crushing albums, Abyssal, UK's mystery black/death metal band, return with Antikatastaseis. This album is definitely more riff-y compared to their second album (which was very Portal-esque) and bears more resemblance stylistically to their debut. If you enjoy black/death metal with a largely space-y atmosphere, you'll dig this for sure. Also, watch out for the gorgeous artwork on this.
Favorite track: I am the Alpha and the Omega
Full album stream: Bandcamp

8. Scythian - Repurgation
This album hit me like a bolt from the blue. This relatively new death/thrash band from UK play a style which is neither old nor re-thrash. The band employs organs and Gregorian chants in interludes and during song build ups, which only makes the entire album more enjoyable. Listen to this song for instance and wait for the tempo-shift at 1:36. 
Favorite track: Beyond the dust
Full album stream: Bandcamp

7. Sacral Rage - Illusions in Infinite Void
If you're a massive Helstar fanboy, I suggest you start listening to this right now! This debut album by these Greeks is a fantastic slab of thrash-y power metal. The soaring air-raid siren vocals and the gazillion riffs that showcase the tremendous musicianship make Sacral Rage a band to watch out for. 
Favorite track: Lost Chapter E-Sutratma
Full album stream: Bandcamp

6. Batushka - Litourgiya
This album was released this month by Witching Hour Productions and it has already caused quite a stir in the underground. Shrouded in mystery, Batushka play an orthodox style of black metal. The entire album sounds like a ritual. Think Cult of Fire but more grandiose in the black metal sense of things. If I had more time to listen to this album, I might've definitely ranked it higher. 
Favorite track(s): Entire album
Full album stream: Bandcamp

5. Katavasia - Sacrilegious Testament
Katavasia is a super-group of sorts with members hailing from notable Greek bands like Varathron and Hail Spirit Noir. As a Varathron fan, it was hard to control my excitement when I got to know of this project. Suffice to say, this album didn't disappoint at all. The sound on this record hearkens back to the early Varathron albums like Walpurgisnacht and His Majesty ie. epic melodic black metal. The production on this is slightly modern but let it not take away any of the quality on this record. It only makes the sound crisper and more discernible, which is great.  
Favorite track: Symphony Des Gravens
Full album stream: Bandcamp

4. Mgła - Exercises in Futility
It is impossible for this Polish band to release an album which doesn't feature in any of the AOTY lists. Exercises in Futility comes after a three year gap from their previous magnum opus. These guys are, without a doubt, one of the best song writers in the genre. This latest album cements those very credentials. To paraphrase a fellow forum-member's comment - "Nihilism never sounded this good". 
Favorite track(s): Entire album
Full album stream: Bandcamp

3. Lord Fist - Green Eyleen
I've been a long-time follower of Lord Fist. These young Finnish upstarts play some of the catchiest heavy/traditional metal I've ever heard. While their early material (one demo and EP) was impressive, they've stepped it up several notches with this debut album. Detractors might point out that the vocals aren't coherent enough but I say when you have everything sounding so passionate and energetic, that minor flaw can be overlooked. 
Favorite track: Green Eyleen
Full album stream: Bandcamp

2. Macabre Omen - Gods of War - At War
This Greek band returns after ten years since their last full length album. I'll be honest here. I didn't know of Macabre Omen until I heard about this release. Don't worry, I've kicked myself enough for not coming across them earlier. There's only one word that can describe this album perfectly and it's 'majestic'. This is black metal at its finest. Stylistically, this is essentially a Hellenic black metal album. If this doesn't conjure up images of epic battles in your head, I don't know what will. 
Favorite track: Gods of War - At War
Full album stream: Bandcamp

1. Reverie - Bliss
Reverie's Bliss is yet another debut album and this closes my 2015 list. They hail from Denmark and play a blackened style of death metal. There are two major reasons why this is my favorite album of the year. Firstly, Dust and Dirt has the best intros I've ever heard in the recent past. It packs quite an aural punch (like the rest of the album). And secondly, the entire album is replete with memorable guitar riffs from start to finish. If I used a riff-counter, this album would have OVER 9000! (Sorry). But besides that, they still manage to have tempo changes, slower sections, an instrumental, which I feel fit in quite perfectly. 
Favorite track: Dust and Dirt
Full album stream: Bandcamp