Teeth of the Divine’s STAFF PICKS for 2011
Well, another year. Another late year rush to get staff picks together, which is a lot like herding cats. Another year of rotating staff members. Another year of departed metal icons. But despite of all that, another year of seemingly endless awesome metal. Its seems like each year is always better than the last with a mix of old acts returning, newcomers bringing the thunder and of course the perennials and old reliables. Sit back and feast your eyes on this years cream of the crop according to the staff here at Teethofthedivine.com. And of course feel free discuss, dissect and discredit, but more importantly tell us your picks, good and bad of 2011.
KEVIN ELLIS
1. Vildhjarta – Masstaden: A band that takes Meshuggah’s style and pulls it off phenomenally well and arguably better than the masters themselves? This one was a no-brainer.
2. Ulcerate – Destroyers of All: Absolutely epic, amazing album from top to bottom.
3. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Agony: The classical element is worked in phenomenally well and adds a fresh dimension to death metal.
4. Maveth – Breath of an Abomination: Absolutely killer black/death metal from Finland.
5. Rotten Sound – Cursed: Many try but few can capture the raw fury and energy of grindcore as much as these psychotic Fins.
6. Origin – Entity: After ‘Antithesis’ the bar was set pretty high, but Origin continue to set land-speed records and impress in the crowded tech-death realm.
7. Putridity – Degenerating Anthropophagical Euphoria: They’re rapidly approaching Origin levels with their speed and relentlessly brutal attack. You’ll need a break after listening to this album.
8. Ingested – The Surreption: Crossing more into death metal than core, a crushing album and much better than their first full length.
9. Raven Woods – Enfeebling The Throne: A top notch black/death album with some killer guitar work.
10. Azarath – Diabolic Impious Evil: This album is just pure E-V-I-L, and I can’t get enough of Inerno’s drumming.
11. Abysmal Dawn – Leveling the Plane of Existence: Impressive technical album with one of my favorite songs of the year – “Perpetual Dormancy”
12. Blood Red Throne – Brutalitarian Regime: Similar to Krisiun and Kataklysm, these guys just keep pumping out top quality death metal and are so consistently good they don’t often get the recognition they deserve.
13. Demolisher – Recognition: Truly punishing album if you’re a deathcore fan. If not then this won’t change your mind.
14. Cranial Osteotomy – Victim of Wicked Sickness: You either love or hate slam death. If you’re one of the former then this is required listening. Only downside is they used a drum machine.
15. Justin Bieber – Under the Mistletoe: Easily the most brut… Just kidding.
What Were You Thinking? Album of the Year: Inevitable End – The Oculus. Had very high hopes after loving their first one, but an awful style change made this album almost unlistenable.
Best Comeback Album: Deicide – To Hell With God. ‘Til Death Do Us Part‘ was an atrocity, but this album saw Glen and the Bentonites get back to what they do best, namely hating on Christianity.
Most Surprising Album: Vildhjarta – Masstaden. Was not expecting to be as blown away by this album as I was.
Most Disappointing Album: Decapitated – Carnival is Forever. This album could have been a beast, but it felt so uninspired the more I listened to it.
Best Find: Maveth – Breath of an Abomination. Never heard of these guys but was really stoked when I ran across their full-length.
Best/Funniest Band Name: Severed Crotch. I mean really? The even funnier part is it’s actually a really good album.
Worst Band Name: Weekend Nachos. I don’t care if you’re a band full of virtuosos and you sell more than the Beatles and Led Zeppelin combined, your band name will ALWAYS suck.
Album I Want to Like Because Everyone Else Does: Mastodon – The Hunter. I have tried over and over, and while I respect the hell out of them as musicians, I just can’t get into these guys.
Find more articles with: 2011, Blog, Staff Picks
Apparently there are quite a bit of new staff that I have never heard of. Any of you folks posting in the forum?
on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 13:03Chuck = globox
on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 13:50Fuckin A Jodi! Vintersorg rules
on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 16:09Surprised 40 Watt Sun left so many folks cold. Just picked it up last week & am digging it.
on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 18:3240 watt sun does nothing for me and I am the doom guy. It’s drawn out and whinny to me.
on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 19:12My list: http://abismo666blogzine.blogspot.com/2011/12/lo-mejor-del-2011-sebas.html
on Jan 2nd, 2012 at 20:17(Nº1: 40 Watt Sun)
I can always count on Grim to deliver a list that has little to no overlap with anyone else’s… which is a good thing ’cause otherwise I’d have never heard of gems like Slartibartfass. Weird name, great black metal.
on Jan 3rd, 2012 at 23:31another overlooked 2011 gem: Witheria – thanks Larry! you are 2 for 2 for me this year
on Jan 4th, 2012 at 00:03It’s CRIMINAL you left off Novembers Doom. Aphotic was better then most this year, and not even an honorable mention?
on Jan 10th, 2012 at 00:17I was lucky enough to see 40 Watt Sun in Chicago this last fall and considering I met up with a bunch of the MetalReview staff it was a great time. Superb show.
With that said, I can totally see why many out there aren’t into the album much. It is a tad whiny in spots, and the songs do appear to go nowhere on the surface but for me there’s quite a bit of depth in that fuckin’ record. I personally dig it quite a bit and it cracked my top 5… shit just resonates very, very well with me. I hate to use the ol’ cliche, but I truly feel it’s one of those albums where you’re gonna absolutely fucking hate it, or as has been the case with just about every fan of it out there I’ve run across you hold it in very high regard. Seems there’s no in between on this one.
Lastly, nice lookin’ list, Erik. There are a lot of albums on there I haven’t heard yet and will likely investigate more than a few of them. Also, gonna miss your work over at MR big time, but I look forward to continuing to follow you on Teeth. Cheers!!!
on Jan 12th, 2012 at 16:26