Teeth of the Divine Staff Picks for 2018
The way we do the TOP 2018 list here at Teeth is that we’ve waited until the year was actually over. That way, we’re sure we didn’t miss giving proper credit to that one album that released a minute before midnight on the 31st. So just in case some metal band from Tonga got an idea, we were ready for it. Nonetheless, every year there’s more and more material out there for us to listen to and it’s pretty much impossible to cover it all. Yet, 2018 saw plenty of albums that deserve to be remembered next year — and some being which will stick around longer. Maybe you missed something? Maybe you have your own ideas what ruled in 2018 and what should never have been released in the first place? Check our lists out, see how our picks matched up, and let’s hope 2019 doesn’t prove to be worse.
Frank Rini
Yet another killer year for extreme metal music and wonderful tours. Thank you to all the readers supporting Teeth of the Divine and all the different writing styles from us all. I encourage you all to check out everyone’s best of lists on here, not just mine, and look into some of these great acts. All my reviews are in order of what I feel were the strongest releases for 2018. I streamlined what I felt were the best releases. To make it more competitive, I did a top 20. I added some new categories, so keep on reading and compare to my list last year to see what I added/deleted. Now some may scream-blasphemy, look who Frank put as his #1 album of the year-no surprise there. Yes, I guested on the new album and yes, I was brought back to front IB on the Bloodletting Tour for 2018 and we will see what the future holds with my live appearances/and or touring. (I loved being back on tour with my IB brothers, performing, pit-singing and meeting all our wonderful friends, fans and bands, all over N. America. Some I had never met, others I’ve known for 25 years. You’re all near and dear to me and I say this with Peace and Love- you mean the world to me and I love you all.) Well folks, yes Internal Bleeding will always be my alma mater, but please understand, I had the album wayyyyy before it was released. I had it in demo instrumental format, then rough and then final mixes. So I had it for a good 6 months, prior to its release, so I know it pretty well front to back-plus I sang a bunch of the songs on tour. Honestly I do feel it’s the best album of the year and I’ll put it like this. At the end of the day, lists do have a fair amount of subjectivity-it’s where your proclivities and likes come from. So do your own lists with your friends, social media buddies or sites you write for and enjoy doing it, as I always do with mine. Trust me it takes time putting these suckers together. Looking ahead to 2019 we will see the release (always subject to change) of some killer albums from: TON (with my guest vocal appearance), Megadeth, Embalmer, Damn of Demise, Misery Index, Lantern, Obscure Infinity, Anthrax, Abominable Putridity, Angelmaker, Infernal Majesty, to name a few. I also will be guesting on some other albums, but sworn to secrecy, at the moment. Have a Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year Metal brothers and sisters. \m/
- INTERNAL BLEEDING -Corrupting Influence (Unique Leader Records). Best album cover for 2018, as well.
- KHEMMIS–Desolation (20 Buck Spin)
- CHAPEL OF DISEASE-…And As We Have Seen The Storm, We Have Embraced The Eye (Van Records)
- PESTILENCE–Hadeon (Hammerheart Records)
- SKELETAL REMAINS–Eroded Corridors of Unbeing (Dark Descent Records)
- CONVOCATION–Scars Across (Everlasting Spew Records)
- KILL EVERYTHING–Scorched Earth (Comatose Music)
- SULPHUR AEON–The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos (Van Records)
- VOIVOD–The Wake (Century Media Records)
- ANAAL NATHRAKH–A New Kind of Horror (Metal Blade Records)
- DECEASED–Ghostly White (Hells Headbangers Records)
- HOODED MENACE– Ossuarium Silhouettes (Season of Mist)
- WATAIN–Trident Wolf Eclipse (Century Media Records)
- PYREXIA–Unholy Requiem (Unique Leader Records)
- BURIAL INVOCATION-Abiogenesis (Dark Descent Records)
- SKELETONWITCH–Devouring Radiant Light (Prosthetic Records)
- GALVANIZER–Sanguine Vigil (Everlasting Spew Records)
- GRAVESTONE–Sickening (Raw Skull Recordz)
- TORTUROUS INCEPTION–Arcane Dominion (Amputated Vein Records)
- MERCILESS REIGN–Haunting the Aftermath (Colossal Force Records)
RIP TO ALL THOSE WE LOST: Too many to mention and if I forget to mention some, please forgive me: My heart and prayers go out to Erik Lindmark’s family, the members and families of: Morgoth, Gorephilia and Deceased as well.
BEST COMEBACK ALBUM: INQUISITOR-Stigmata Me, I’m in Misery (Hammerheart Records)
MOST VIOLENT SOUNDING ALBUM: VOIDHANGER–Dark Days of The Soul (Agonia Records)
BEST EP: VORACIOUS SCOURGE-My Demise (Immortal Souls Productions)
BEST SPLIT: SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER–The Hate Divide (HPGD Productions)
BEST COMPILATION: REVEL IN FLESH–Relics of the Deathkult (War Anthem Records)
BEST REISSUES: KREATOR- Coma of Souls/Renewal/Cause for Conflict/Outcast (Noise/BMG)
SLEEPER HIT ALBUM: INFERNAL COIL- Within A World Forgotten (Profound Lore Records)
MOST ORGANIC SOUNDING DEATH METAL ALBUM: FOAMING AT THE MOUTH– Writhing (Self-Released)
BEST ALBUM PACKAGING: METALLICA– …And Justice For All, deluxe reissue (Blackened Recordings)
ALBUM I’VE YET TO HEAR, BUT MUST OWN: COGNITIVE– Matricide (Unique Leader Records)
SINGLE OF THE YEAR: MISERY INDEX-I Disavow (Vitriol Records)
BEST TECH-DEATH METAL ALBUM: GOROD–Aethra (Overpowered Records)
BEST CONCERT: DEMILICH/ARTIFICIAL BRAIN/BLOOD INCANTATION TOUR, in Baltimore, MD.
BEST RECORD LABEL: Dark Descent Records. Matt Calvert’s label is once again my top label. The customer service and items for 2018 were once again top-shelf. Several of their releases were in my best of, but many others were still amazing and had to be nixed, with me doing a 20 best of, rather than my usual 30 best of. These other releases stuck with me as also purchase worthy: Gravehill, Lie In Ruins, Corpsessed, Hyperdontia, Ritual Necromancy and the monstrous and obscure reissue of the Crimson Relic debut album. The Dark Descent Record label continues to obliterate all in its path.
Find more articles with: 2018, Staff Picks
Some good stuff in here, lots I missed or haven’t got to yet. Checked out the Aepoch and regret not looking into it earlier.
Nice to see the Abysmal Torment mentioned a couple of times, it’s phenomenal for the genre but seems to be getting missed elsewhere.
For me:
Thrash AOTY (by a mile): Sabateur – Vicious Circle. Fun as hell thrash, charismatic vocals, plenty of ’80s twists, fantastic dual-guitar solos, and unlike some other late thrash albums that won’t be named, the songwriting doesn’t involve stretching 3 minute songs to 6+ minutes by spamming the chorus over and over again and re-playing build up sections. Every song is memorable and has its own character. Could be my AOTY as well, but there’s still a few things I need to check out before making that claim.
Proggy tech death AOTY: Exocrine – Molten Giant. This album worked its way into my head and has stuck with me better than the Obscura, Beyond Creation, or Gorod, for whatever reason. Hayato is an awesome track.
Best EP: Teleport – The Expansion. Vektor-twisted Blood Incantation-y death metal. Just got signed up with a label so interested to see what is coming up for them.
How the hell have I not listened to this yet: Deceased – Ghostly White. Loved the rest of their stuff and part of why I’m not ready to call the Sabateur my AOTY.
“I’m not yet sure how much I like this, but it intrigues me and I want more” award: Λ S T R Λ – (some Russian writing stuff, a pair of singles released this year). Weirdo atmospheric/avant/blackened death I guess? Their 2017 release is pretty cool too so I can listen to that while I wait.
Disappointment of the year: Chapel of Disease – ..And As We blah blah blah. Had never listened to them before, but it was an initial AOTY leader for me when I first heard it and after a few more listens while I was working/gaming etc. Then I finally gave it a few dedicated listens where I didn’t have something else distracting me, I fell out of love with it. Too much pointless repetition that left me wishing the song would move on or just end too many times. A disappointment from initial impression, rather than something that failed to deliver on expectations… but that counts.
Best single-musician release: Nott – The Wretched Sounds. Bleak, heavy stuff that I guess is sorta “deathcore” but that doesn’t seem quite fitting. (Honorable mention to Dysmorfectomy as well though, some good slam.)
Most irritating song: Exmortus – Strength and Honor. Obnoxious chorus that for some reason they felt needed to be repeated over and over for a solid minute instead of just ending the song. Irritating because it makes me get up and go to the CD player to skip track every playthrough. Yes, I’m a grouch.
on Jan 13th, 2019 at 07:58