Nicholas Kulczycki

1349 – The Infernal Pathway – Season of Mist – My favorite since Beyond the Apocalypse.    Absolutely relentless

Ad Patres – A brief introduction into human experiments – Xenocorp – Best French death metal album of the year.  Harmonies and grooves that would make Cerrito and Hobbs blush.

Arkona – Age of Capricorn – Debemur Morti keeps knocking out of the park with this awesome Polish Black Metal release.

Blood Incantation – Hidden History of The Human Race Dark Descent Records – Mind boggling effort and awesome follow up to Starspawn.

Darkthrone Old Star Peaceville Records – One of the catchiest Darkthrone albums in many years.  Fenris and Nocturno Culto are at it again.

Deathspell Omega The Furnaces of Palingenesia Noedvia –   Probably their most off centered album. Incredibly bizarre and controversial as always.

Deivos Casus Belli Selfmadegodrecords – One of my favorite Polish death metal bands.  Continuing to evolve sound from their last release.  Casus belli features all of the stomp parts and cow bell parts you could want in a Deivos Album.

Demiurgon the Oblivious Lure Everlasting Spew Records- Awesome brutal tech death release.  Reminds me of early Cryptopsy or Internal Suffering.

Despised Icon – Purgatory – Nuclear Blast – The Kings of Deathcore return with their first album in three years.  Complete Canadian crusher.

Disemtomb – the Decaying Light Unique Leader Records – if immolation and disgorge merged sounds.  Best one from these guys.

Esoteric a Pyhrric Existence Season of Mist Records – Best Funeral Doom album of the year.

Exhumed Horror Relapse Records – Best one I have heard from Exhumed. Incredibly catchy and to the point.

Flotsam and Jetsam the End of The Chaos AFM records- The first album I have ever heard from F & J that I like.  Modern production.  Killer arrangements and vocal performance from Erik A.K

Goatess – Blood and Wine Svart Records Best Stoner Doom Rock album of the year.   Awesome release from Svart Records.

Grand Demise of Civilization Below the Foot of Kings Self released –  Favorite Minnesota black death album of 2019. In its own league.  Highly recommended.

Hath Of Rot and Ruin Willowtip Records

Hideous Divinity Simulacrum Century Media Records – One of the best Italian Death Bands in the world.  Another amazing effort.  Writing and production are as good as they have ever been.

Mayhem Daemon Century Media Records- Very much a Death Metal rooted Mayhem album. Atilla’s vocals are on point and there are a plethora of catchy tunes.      

Murder Made God – Endless Return – Unique leader Records – Like Older Decapitated with Eight Strings.  Ferocious album from these Greek Monsters

Nile Vile Narcotic Rites – Nuclear Blast – Tata Dallas Toler Wade, hello Brian Kingsland.  As ferocious and varied of a Nile album in quite some time

No One Knows What The Dead Think Self Titled Willowtip Records – Amazing closure to the greatness of Discordance Axis. 

Nordjevel Necrogenesis Osmose Productions – Awesome Black/Death featuring Dominator on drums and Destructhor Ex Morbid Angel/ Myrkskog.  Infernally relentless.

Paladin – Ascension – Prosthetic –   The only Power/Thrash band to make the best of list this year.  Outstanding debut.  Looking forward to watching these youngsters mature.

Teeth – The Curse of Entropy – Translation Loss Records – California Dissonant doom death metal.  Guest vox from Luc Lemay.  Don’t miss this.

White Ward – Love, Exchange, Failure – Debemur morti –  Probably a top 3 release this year for me.  Best Avant Garde black metal album of the year for sure.