TeethoftheDivine Staff Picks for 2013!!!
It seems like every year is the better than the last and 2013 was no exception. From anticipated reunions like Gorguts and Carcass to the rise of so-called hipster metal in mainstream circles thanks to bands like Deafheaven, to grizzled veterans like Suffocation, every aspect and sub-genre of metal was firing on all cylinders. As usual, the TOTD staff had to be beaten into getting their lists submitted in time, and luckily, the many new staff members understood the imminent threat of physical violence.
This year we have even included a few ‘celebrity’ lists from some of the people responsible for making and releasing 2013’s great material, so be sure to check out the last page to see what folks like Kevin Quiron of Deicide voted as his favorite albums of 2013. As usual, thank you to all of YOU, the readers of this intimate little site, and stay tuned for more great metal in 2014.
Without further ado, we give you the 2013 Teethofthedivine.com staff picks:
FRANK RINI
It truly was an amazing year for music and also marked the first time I began writing for any online publications. I hope you have enjoyed my style regarding my interviews and reviews for Teeth Of The Divine. Between TOTD and All About The Rock UK I have reviewed tons of stuff. My best of is actually in running order. I actually bought all these albums, as well as a ton more this past year, reissues included. If you failed to pick up any of these releases check them out and I want to give a huge thank you to all you fans out there as well as a major shout out to Erik, for welcoming me here with open arms!
1. Defeated Sanity – Passages Into Deformity (Willowtip Records). Yes, I guested on this album, but has nothing to do with being my favorite, this album is death metal perfection! Get the cd/dvd combo!
2. Wormed – Exodromos (Willowtip Records). Stunning album, band and live act and super cool dudes.
3. Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam (Nuclear Blast). Godly album! Get the cd/dvd combo.
4. Ferocity – The Sovereign (Deepsend Records). The new Danish Gods!
5. Pentagram Chile – The Malefice (Cyclone Empire). JFC, such an astonishingly filthy great album. Get the 2cd edition. Just don’t make me wait 25 yrs for the sophomore album; I’ll be collecting social security by then!
6. Astronomikon – Dark Gorgon Rising (Pure Legend Records). Power Metal of the godz!
7. Azure Emote – The Gravity of Impermanence (Selfmadegod Records). Emotive, moving, brutal & brilliant.
8. Humiliation – Turbulence from the Deep (Deepsend Records). Their best album in an already perfect discography.
9. Ghost – Infestissumam (Loma Vista Recordings). Brilliant, catchy and an unreal live act. Get the special edition & new companion piece ep.
10. Gigan – Multi-Dimensional Fractal -Sorcery and Super Science (Willowtip Records). Ferociously off-kilter brilliance.
11. Squash Bowels – Grindalcoholism (Selfmadegod Records). Best and heaviest gore/grind band on the planet!
12. Craven Idol – Towards Eschaton (Dark Descent Records). Killer, ‘nuff said.
13. Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles (Metalblade Records). Catchy and heavy and best lyrics on the planet. Get the cd/dvd combo.
14. Gama Bomb – The Terror Tapes (AFM Records). Thrash does not get much better than this.
15. Aosoth – IV: An Arrow in Heart (Agonia Records). Epic & Brilliant.
16. Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance (Peaceville Records). The band can do no wrong in my eyes.
17. Ministry – From Beer to Eternity (AFM Records). What a send off of an album, heavy! Get the special edition.
18. Onslaught – VI (AFM Records). Best UK Thrash band ever. Get the special edition.
19. Corpus Mortale – Fleshcraft (Deepsend Records). Heavy, chunky & vicious.
20. Pyrexia – Feast of Iniquity (Unique Leader Records). Violently heavy and unrelenting.
21. Revel In Flesh – Manifested Darkness (FDA Rekotz). Best Swedish-inspired album all year. Get the special edition with the killer Autopsy cover tune.
22. Sulphur Aeon – Swallowed By the Ocean’s Tide (FDA Rekotz). Chaotic & Nasty.
23. Entrails – Raging Death (Metalblade Records). No major label slow down here-album f’in slays. Get the 2cd edition.
24. Bile – Built to Fuck, Born to Kill (Self Released). Heavy, violent & creative.
25. Facebreaker – Dedicated to the Flesh (Cyclone Empire). Can’t stop headbanging to this mutha!
26. Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse (Century Media). So catchy and fun. Get the cd/dvd combo.
27. Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum (Sepulchral Voice Records). Dark, heavy and brooding.
28. Serocs – The Next (Comatose Music). This album collapsed my chest.
29. Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed (Prosthetic Records). Catchy & brutal with no signs of slowing down. NICE!
30. Devourment – Conceived in Sewage (Relapse Records). Their best & heaviest album yet.
Honorable Mentions
1. Oblivion – Called to Rise
2. Pathology – Lords of Rephaim
3. Atheos – The Human Burden
4. Condition Critical – Operational Hazard
5. Autopsy – The Headless Ritual
Best EP: Coldsteel– America Idle
Best Reissue: Forté– Invictus
Worst Release of 2013: Bullet for My Valentine – Temper Temper. The fact that I listened to this is not only a sin, but I had to go to the doctor afterwards to get bionic ears attached that will prevent my brain from ever listening to this type of ‘music’ again. AVOID.
Best Reunion: Afterbirth
Time to Hang It Up: Sepultura
Best New Act: Necrowretch
Best Album Cover: Lantern– Below
Most Disturbing Album Cover: Necrotic Disgorgement– Documentaries of Dementia
Best Song: Cerekloth-” The Reapers Instant Is Our Eternity”
Biggest Letdowns: Devourment dropping off the Dying Fetus U.S. tour, Oceano, Sepultura, Sodom, Soulfly
Best Concert: Ghost with support from Skeletonwitch
Best Record Label: Deepsend Records. Damn, a real close one with Willowtip Records, Dark Descent Records, Comatose Music and FDA Rekotz coming close, but my vote goes to Deepsend. Graham and I have also became friends over the last 2 yrs. However I also took into account not only his signed bands but what he recommends to me, customer service which includes free shipping, CD specials, large distro, ultra-fast shipping & his willingness to get hard to find items from other distros for loyal customers. This is what encompasses an elite label and that’s why Deepsend Records is #1 for me this yr. Keep it up Graham!
2014 Killer Releases to Look For: Deceased – Ghostly White, Gravehill – Death Curse, Behemoth – The Satanist, Corpsessed – Abysmal Thresholds, Cynic – Kindly Bent to Free Us, Lucifyre – Sun Eater, Nausea – Condemned to the System, Aborted Fetus – Private Judgement Day. Also new unnamed albums from my former band, Internal Bleeding and Soils of Fate – I will have guest appearances on both.
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Satan are from England, not Germany (hence being a part of the NWOBHM). Killer album,either way! Check out their debut, “Court in the Act”… Life Sentence is basically part two of that album. Same lineup, 30 years later too.
on Jan 2nd, 2014 at 10:55Thanks again buddy! Well appreciated!
on Jan 2nd, 2014 at 19:13My bad. Thanks for the heads-up Biff. Not sure where i got the German connection from. Although, hypothetically a band could be a part of the NWOBHM scene and have relocated to England. Court in the Act rules as well.
on Jan 2nd, 2014 at 21:56I agree with Erik, Sunbather is the best album this year.
on Jan 3rd, 2014 at 09:05new Pestilence and Carcass were awesome , too
on Jan 3rd, 2014 at 21:04and…despite the critics…i enjoyed the new Broken Hope and Deicide , too …can’t wait for the new Deceased album
on Jan 3rd, 2014 at 21:06I would add Hideous Divinity and Antropofagus for exciting 2014 releases coming up!
on Jan 4th, 2014 at 12:05yo Giovanni-my interview with Hideous Divinity will be posted in a few weeks on here!!
on Jan 9th, 2014 at 15:01