Erik Thomas

As usual, there is a bunch of stuff I purchased, heard or was sent too late to make my year end list, or simply too obscure that I had no idea it existed till suggested to me or a random find. Like those revisit the 2006 NFL draft articles- here are some releases that would have been on my year end list for 2016 and that you need to check out if you have not already:

Epitaph – Sinner Waketh. (Dark Symphonies). Another reactivated, obscure Swedish death metal band from the 90s returning from the grave, Epitaph’s second album since 1992s Seeming Salvation, see a more Autopsy and Nailgun Massacre filth and groove to the tried and tested Stockholm gallop with catchy, killer results.  This would have been a sure fire top 5 for 2016 had i heard it earlier.

Départe – Failure, Subside (Season of Mist). I had lots of folks I know sing the praises of this, and friends recommend it to me, but I seemed to never have time for it. However, eventually the Ulcerate meets a barren post black metal ambiance eventually clicked with me, and when in the right mood, is a bleak,  harrowing experience.

Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Metal Blade Records). The last 2 releases from these German atmospheric crust/black metal guys made my year end lists in 2012 and 2014. However, their third release, with a revamped lineup and little press from Metal Blade, this release completely passed me by. I finally caught up with it in early 2017, and it holds up to the prior 2 album with no problem.

Seeker – Loss (Victory Records). Completely overlooked as they reside on the now laughable Victory Records and come with a dreaded metalcore tag, Seeker remain a savage afterthought in american metal. Their noisy, violent  take on early grind and metalcore (think Black Market Activities) is horribly underrated and give many ‘extreme’ bands a run for their money.

Illdisposed –  Grey Sky Over Black Town. (Massacre Records). Album number 12 from these long running respected Danish got no coverage, press or hype whatsoever. It;s a shame as its a damn fine, chunky, melodic and powerful album that continues the bands underrated legacy.

Frank Rini

2016 was a killer year for Metal.  While these 5 releases did not make it in my best of list, they were awesome in their own right.  I already had my final list sent in and was in no mood to modify it.  Regardless, these releases, are worthy of a mention and need to be in your collection, if they are not already.

Sentient Horror – Ungodly Forms [Testimony Records].  Thanks to Erik “Yes I know Drew Brees is getting a little too long in the tooth” Thomas, he hit the nail on the head when he said I would love Sentient Horror.  Rooted in the classic Swedish HM2 buzzsaw kind of face melting death metal, Ungodly Forms, for me, is one of the best Swedish-inspired death metal albums I have ever heard.  Catchy, fast and fantastically well-crafted songs. The production is perfect and the band hails from New Jersey, not Sweden or Germany.  Outstanding album.

Mortillery– Shapeshifter [Icarus Music].  Canada’s Mortillery return with their third album and Shapeshifter is a beast.  Cara McCutchen’s vocals never sounded so fierce and incredible.  Thrashing along, is what Mortillery does best, but they’re also not afraid to throw in some melody and mid-paced moments.  They continue to spend time crafting excellent thrash metal and spend time their super cool album covers fit their music.  As always, I will recommend the limited edition version, which contains an additional 3 songs.

Possessed Entity – Extermination of Angelic Parasites [Pathos Productions].  At just under 30 minutes, Possessed Entity wastes no time in pummeling the listener with their brutal brand of death metal.  Slams, gutturals, blast beats and an excellent guitar tone, reminiscent of the 90’s American death metal scene,  Extermination of Angelic Parasites is a winner.  Killer stuff.

Voivod – Post Society [Century Media Records].  Voivod did a number on us, a few years ago, with Target Earth.  Recapturing their vintage 80’s sound, the album is one of their best in their discography and is fantastic.  Post Society, at 30 minutes, is still an ep, with a cover tune, and originals to blow you out the door.  Voivod continues to reinvent their original, sci-fi, off-kilter brand of thrash.  Cannot wait until their next full-length.

Brutally Deceased – Satanic Corpse [Doomentia Records].  These Czech’s return with their third brutal offering, Satanic Corpse, and play a Swedish inspired death metal, with tons of blast beats.  Probably the most brutal release from this genre of death metal, for 2016.  Brutally Deceased, still keep things interesting with great riffs, all the while slobberknocking your head clean off your shoulders, with their brutality.  Do not slow down, guys!!!!

Luke Saunders

Another year, another shit hot abundance of quality releases across the broad heavy music spectrum. With 2017 already in full swing, it’s time to reflect on some of the gems that didn’t quite make it onto the Teeth of the Divine pages in 2016 but are certainly worthy of deeper investigation.

Unfathomable Ruination – Finitude (Sevared Records). Brutal death can so often succumb to a brutality for the sake of brutality mindset and cartoonish songwriting that it rarely captures my interest. Sure there are plenty of good bands lurking in the scene; however, sifting through the indecipherable pile of subpar crap to weed out the worthy bands is often a tediously unfulfilling task. Fortunately, UK outfit Unfathomable Ruination lit a stick of dynamite under the brutal death scene in 2016 with their stupendous Finitude record.

Classic and traditional brutal death filtered through a modern lens, Finitude is packed with lean, surgically executed and riff packed brutal death songs that are musically dynamic and suitably punishing while remaining catchy and memorable.  Throw in a stellar production, classy solos and an impressive technical edge and you have one hell of a brutal death feast to sink your teeth into.

Deadspace – Gravity (Independent). Gravity was my first extended exposure with Australian depressive black metal crew Deadspace and what a wonderfully bleak and beautiful introduction it was. Surreal passages of tranquil beauty and unsettling atmospherics bookend savage, anguished and surprisingly melodic bursts of blackened fury. Despite its EP status, the songwriting, emotional heft and sheer intensity and quality easily matches lengthier releases.

Départe – Failure, Subside (Independent). Another exciting Aussie outfit cashed in on their early potential to release a debut LP of serious fucking magnitude. Gripping atmospheric black metal with a crippling emotional core and bleak edge, Failure, Subside was certainly not the most uplifting listening experience of 2016, but it proved one of the most rewarding and powerful albums released, as the twisted artistry and devastating emotional impact of songs like “Ashes in Bloom” strongly attest.

Mistur – In Memoriam (Dark Essence Records). Black metal is a genre I have a great deal of respect for, though certainly wouldn’t claim it to be the top genre pick in my regular listening rotation. However, when black metal hits me, as a couple of the above aforementioned albums have, it generally hits hard. Another case in point was the masterful and long awaited sophomore album from Norway’s Mistur. And pleasingly In Memoriam didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately I didn’t get around to fully absorbing the album until recently, but better late than never right?

Mistur’s ambitious LP was epic in every sense of the word, featuring complex layered arrangements and expertly crafted compositions, chock full of forceful blasts, atmospheric keys and synths, proggy twists and icy riffs, along with an overarching melodic sensibility. Coupled with memorable songwriting and flawless musicianship, In Memoriam was a triumphant and sophisticated work of black metal excellence.

Kristofor Allred

VEKTOR – Terminal Redux (Earache) Wow! Just, wow! What a kick ass album. I’m not sure why I didn’t grab this album when it first came out; I guess there was always something else to throw my cash at, but I sure am glad that I finally did. This album is worth every bit of the hype I heard from critics and friends alike. Technical death-y thrash for every life form across the universe….Wow!

RUINS – Undercurrent (Listenable Records) Those sneaky fucking Aussies. It was around the last week or so of 2016 that I found out a new Ruins album had been released. Had I been privy to this information, I can assure you that Undercurrent would have ended up somewhere on my best of the year list. Is it really that good? Probably not. Admittedly, it’s not my favorite of theirs, but I still love me some Ruins.

ANCIENT – Back to the Land of the Dead (Soulseller Records) I like Ancient, always have. Even with most of their material being pretty mediocre, I’ve always held a affinity for the group that I can’t really explain. Their first album in twelve years is really quite good, and would be damn good if some of the bloat was removed from this hour long plus offering. 

BLOOD RED THRONE – Union of Flesh and Machine (Candlelight Records) Catchier than a call girl’s STD’s. This is fucking death metal!!!

Jordan Itkowitz

Saor – Guardians (Northern Silence Productions). Aura made my year-end list in 2014, so I knew I was making a mistake in 2016 by not including the follow-up. I just didn’t get to hear it in time. Shame, because it’s as stirring, cinematic, and gorgeous as the last two Saor releases, and one of the very best atmospheric black metal releases of the year. Highly recommended to fans of Winterfylleth, Agalloch, and Wodensthrone.

Omophagia – In the Name of Chaos (Unique Leader Records). I had actually given this a listen last year and liked it, but it got buried in the year-end recap to hear everything again one last time. I’ve since gone back to it a lot – it’s solid, catchy death metal with great production and the right balance of groove, melody, and technicality. Fans of Abysmal Dawn and (older) Decapitated will find a lot to like here.

The Surrealist – Naked Awareness (Self-Released). Lurching, bottom-heavy djent typically doesn’t hold my interest, but this is very different. By upending the formula and making it free-flowing and gossamer-light, The Surrealist has created something truly new with this EP. It’s like the synaesthetic metal version of pointillism – intricate, staccato, and colorful.

Hannes Grossmann – The Crypts of Sleep (Self-Released). Man, how did I miss this last year? Best tech-death release of the year from this former drummer from Necrophagist and Obscura. Dense, twisty writing and musicianship, but still entertaining and catchy. This is everything I loved about Obscura‘s Omnivium but found missing in Akróasis, which is why that didn’t make my list in 2016.

Mars Budziszewski

TEMPLE NIGHTSIDE  THE HECATOMB (Iron Bonehead Productions)

This record should have made my year end top 10 submission but I frankly had a brain aneurism.  The Hecatomb might just be the pinnacle of so called “caverncore” style of death/blackened-death metal.  People that once occupied the ancient and now abandoned city featured on the cover succumbed to the otherworldly whispers that didn’t seem to emanate from any particular direction or place.   A slow rotting of their mind and physical transmutation took place as the hum of the guitars joined the voice.  Cruel commands were delivered via the warbling, eternally echoing guitar solos that only gain strength bouncing from one solid rock face to the next until exiting the nearby mountain opening.  When the time was right these wicked disciples of unknown origin entered this dimension and made the maddened city their home using the dead as new building materials.   The production ambiance might be distracting to some but draws me further in.  You do have to cup your ears to decipher the riffs as the music does have a droning effect, even without the production, shifting back and forth between upbeat blackened death metal and doomy parts.  The eerie, wailing solos are what stand out most, reaching out from beyond for any sad soul within hearing range.  I listened to this album quite a bit in the fall of last year and somehow let it slip from mind for end of year.

CRIMSON MOON ONEIRONAUT (Dark Adversary)

I was listening to this one very late last year.  I liked it but just as it goes at the end of the year I didn’t quite have enough time to digest it and give it context amongst what I had already solidified.  Now I would definitely replace my number 10 which was a hasty last minute input.  Crimson Moon have been refining their occult black symphonies since the mid-nineties, having released two demo’s and a debut album which gave them clout as one of the early leaders in US black metal.  With Oneironaut, Crimson Moon completed the construction of a powerful and wildly ornate spell staff like dropping the last shard of crystal into its place that they’ve been searching and slaughtering for the last 20 years.   They created a mystical and dark audio realm that could change your environment right before your eyes.  By the time the final entrancing title track settles in your studio apartment ceiling is covered in black moss and green fog is swirling at knee height.  The couch now a stone altar is darkened by the blood of numerous sacrifices… don’t you remember them?

HOWLS OF EBB CURSUS IMPASSE: THE PENDLOMIC VOWS (I, Voidhanger)

The Marrow Veil was on my short list of year end favorite e.p.’s for 2015.  I should’ve been paying closer attention to the second full length.  I gave it a few spins but must not have been fully in the mood for their warped take on metal meant for the tentacle alien crowd or perhaps a little disappointed it was missing some of the surf-y, spy movie guitar riffs of the e.p..  Howls Of Ebb has to be commended for making angular, strange metal that reveals to be very listenable in short time.  A large factor as to why their music sounds strange at all is because they simply don’t utilize the production and mixing techniques of most metal albums we are used to hearing would.  Howl Of Ebb records sound like products of Steve Albini engineering.  All of the instruments sound quite natural, are mixed very even, and with plenty of air to breathe between each.   The vocals feature the most blatant effects tinkering so they do at points stand out against the clear, dry production.  In some ways it’s like a more refined Drawing Down The Moon Beherit paying homage to The Jesus Lizard.

UXO S/T (Reptilian Records)

So UXO isn’t precisely a metal band but not outside of the tastes of TOTD readership.  To a certain set, UXO is a wet dream considering it’s a project including Chris Spencer of noise rock gods Unsane, and Steve Austin most infamously of Today Is The Day.  There are two other members but I won’t deny them supergroup status.  UXO deliver exactly what one might assume and it FUCKIN RIPS.  “Everything’s A Mistake” is a bonafide bring-the-house-down anthem of the genre.  A pensive paced song with a killer melodic, bending guitar work that sounds like an unwinding coil of steel wire with a single synth key hitting consistently every two beats like being jabbed with an acupuncture needle keeping the listener attentive, with Chris Spenser’s somewhat squawky, higher pitched yell pleading throughout.  UXO release seven tracks of perfect noise rock.

SINISTRO SEMENTE (Season Of Mist)

I leave out on an album that you might not expect.  The type of album that is lovely.  Romantic in the tragic sense.  Sinistro combine doom with trip-hop, string flourishes, and other instrumentation that lends to any such album receiving with the ‘post-‘ tag.   Topping it off is exotic female singing of Patricia Andrade who’s voice releases like a slow motion swirl of rising cigarette smoke.  The whole album plays like post-doom metal muzak in the waiting room on the way to purgatory.  The entire concoction is rather seductive.  Julie Christmas has some real competition, and if you were a fan of last year’s collaboration between her and Cult Of Luna but weren’t aware of this album then you should be all over this.

Will “Bones” Lee

Omnihility – Dominion of Misery

You take the tech metal of Origin, blend in some Diabolic, a smattering of Morbid Angel with a healthy dose of Monstrosity and you have the Oregon’s Omnihility. The main reason for my not including this was the drum sound, too much like a drum machine but overall still enjoyable nonetheless. Their prior one Deathscapes of the Subconscious is the better.

Nervosa – Agony

If you love thrash, you just gotta love this release. The three piece from Brazil just rip it up old school. Shades of Destruction, Raven, Sepultura come to mind with plenty of modern vitriol and socio-political lyrical anger. Just love that cover artwork also.

Diabolizer – Apokalypse

If you like swedish death, but dipped in the cauldrons of black metal, and with the anger/intensity of say Infernal War from Poland, you have Diabolizer from Turkey. Amazing, intense. Simply put.

Interment – Scent of the Buried

Could be considered a bit too much of glut with plenty of bands doing this same sound but Interment…..they sound a bit more grittier, dirtier and more old school. Close your eyes and this is Left Hand Path pt II . Take it as you may, good or bad.

Urgehal – Aeons In Sodom

Didn’t get to fully absorb this in time for inclusion the first time, but great black metal as only Urgehal can do and a fitting closure for the band ( RIP Trondr Nefas ) The different guest vocalists add a different aspect to the already great sound.

Trees of Eternity – Hour of the Nightingale

Huge fan of Swallow the Sun and when I became aware of this project, I was awestruck. After the passing of Aleah ( another to RIP ) I just HAD to get this release. After some delays in getting the album AND just wanting to sit back and absorb it….I am beyond awestruck. Simply amazing, emotional, evocative, melancholic….I can go on but you get the point.

Dark Funeral – Where Shadows Forever Reign

This was completely my fault for not posting this initially. I will admit to being not too enthusiastic to hear this because the last to Dark Funeral albums although good, were sort of run of the mill to me. Boy was I wrong, I should have realized with vocalist Heljarmadr ( I love is work in Gra ) now part of the band, it would make for a blistering return to form. Not quite up to the godliness that is The Secret of the Black Arts, but this album settles in nicely after Vobiscum Satanas.

Tortorum – Rotten, Dead Forgotten

Maybe it’s just me but this band seems to to live on the sidelines of the metal world’s consciousness, not garnering much attention but much deserving so. Having been pleased with their prior two releases and I thoroughly enjoy their brand of Watain meets Throne Of Katarsis black metal. I missed posting this release, initially for being an EP but also, I just wanted to sit back and absorb it, as should you all.

Jay Snyder

For all of the albums I hear every year, I probably miss just as many that I would dig on.  It’s hard to keep up and we all get nailed to our favorites here and there.  We’re always living in the past yet looking ahead as people and that probably best describes my listening style.  Here’s some bands I’m just hearing as well as an album or two that I put on an undeserved backburner.

Horseburner – These psycho Virginians caught my ear with 2016’s Dead Seeds, Barren Soil which I’m just hearing in 2017.  I’m digging on everything they’ve done, though the latest album is my favorite and a great place to start.  They mess with blues, psyche-y guitar textures, hardcore aggression, guitar harmonies and multiple vocal styles.  Folks are saying Mastodon/Baroness vibes abound but there’s something more delta-blues based and even kind of crusty punk-rockin’ going down.  Whatever you want to call Horseburner they sure are heavy and worth a look.

The Space Lords – Last year’s Liquid Sun was my first foray into German crazies, The Space Lords, acid drenched world.  By looking at the band name these cats are obviously into Hawkwind while the songwriting falls in the lengthy tradition of heavy, kraut-birthed psychedelic visionaries such as Birth Control, Ash Ra Tempel’s Timothy Leary fronted years (see Seven Up if you haven’t), Neu! and a little bit of The Space Lords’ own trip-out sauce.

Descarado – The Swedish stoner punk n’ roll days spawned everything from the ultra-catchy, riff centric punk of The Hellacopters to Dozer’s sprawlin’ for days desert groove.  It felt like the movement was dying since I wasn’t hearing too much new that caught my ears.  Along comes Descarado with Odd and I feel like I’m back in high school ordering Man’s Ruin records again thanks to my lunch money.  I ended up listening to this a lot more than I expected as the textures shift like mescaline, the riffs explode into thick clouds of dust and the vocals howl into a whiskey bottle.  This stuff is hard hitting but melodic.  I’m certainly down for more.

The Whorehouse Massacre – Though I’m a big fan of this band and have worked with their mastermind Wilhelm Princeton on music, I’ve let some of the recent Whorehouse material slip into the cracks of hell.  I’m not including this as a pat on the back, or a plug for my own material…I’ve been a big Whorehouse fan from the beginning and I’m pissed that I missed the latest platter The Reckoning last year.  Nasty, unrelenting sludge at a morphine drip pace corroded by Darkthrone’s blackened hatred is the order of the day and this evil stuff deserves a physical release.  Gary needs to bring back Shifty Records so we can hold onto a copy of this evil motherfucker.

Deathstorm – Austrian thrashers Deathstorm have been on my desk forever to review.  Since I’m slower than a two weeks’ pay and have really enjoyed their most recent album, the band is going to get its due.  On their 2016 disc Blood Beneath the Crypts, these maniacs go full bore into the 80s old school ethic and snub-nosed crust breaks while chopping up and stirring in some touches of death/black tremolo speed and even a little grind.  Killer riffing and diamond sharp solos abound, yielding the material plenty of shred factor without sounding pretentious.

Midnight – I’m a till death Midnight fan.  I’ve seen them several times (thankfully) as well as had a chance to collect a good chunk of their material.  Literally 2 weeks ago I found out that they released a brand new EP Shox of Violence with 4 new serial slasher songs on it near the end of last year.  Athenar is one of the few that can pull off infectious Lemmy/Venom worship without sounding contrived while somehow lending the debauchery its own flavor (pretty tough to do…honestly!).  These songs don’t disappoint if you’ve liked the more produced yet just as sleazy progression of the last couple of albums.

Buzzard Canyon – Members of When the Deadbolt Breaks, No December, Minus and friends gathered to record Hellfire and Whiskey.  Released in 2016, I’ve still not got around to finishing off the review for it.  Purveyors of road-burnt, anxiety stricken hard rock, the band slams on riffs and churns out rhythmic grooves like an unmanned streetsweeper.  Amber Leigh’s resonant, roughhewn vocal power duets with Aaron Lewis’ throaty baritone for some cool change-ups while the songwriting covers a good chunk of the riff map.

Abyssus –  Into the Abyss – Old school death metal that did everything as well as the more ballyhooed Gruesome did last year, but from Greece and with more of an Obituary/Benediction/Asphyx vibe.

Fractal Generator – Apotheosynthesis. This suffered from being a self-released digital-only release, so I overlooked it. But picture Fear Factory‘s beeping, whirring cyber-metal on steroids, laden with typically Canadian tech death skill and complexity.

Rosetta – Quintessential Ephemera. It’s been awhile since I’ve enjoyed a great post-rock record. And I had no idea genre darlings Rosetta were still around after the captivating dual CD debut The Galilean Satellites and 2007’s Wake/Lift. They returned in 2015 with a pretty much perfect album in the style. The track “Untitled V” is one of the best songs in the style of the last few years.

Even though I still reviewed quite a bit of it, I missed a TON of great Swedish death metal in 2015. I mean, it’s my favorite genre, and frigging Morbid Vomit snuck in a proper debut album, Doctrine of Violence, on a tiny Finnish label! There were kickass compilations like Goddified and Festerday, and then there were a TON of kickass releases in the style by  Infected Chaos, Mass Burial, Anarchos, Carnation, Disrupted, Austerynm, Moondark, Bastard Grave, Torture Pulse, Overtorture, Hereza, Amputory, Ash Cloud, and Under the Church. I only heard these towards the end of the year due to various distro sales early this year, or heard them too late last year to review. Some certainly would have appeared on my year-end list had I heard them earlier, but all are solid additions to my favorite genre. Check them all out!

Also a shout out to a couple of releases that were covered by some of my esteemed colleagues. These would have also made my year end list had I heeded their reviews sooner and listened earlier: Nailgun Massacre‘s Boned Boxed and Buried, and Sickening Horror‘s Overflow. Cheers to Frank Rini and Jerry Hauppa respectively.

Frank Rini

2015 was a killer year for Metal.  While these 5 releases did not make it in my best of list, they were awesome in their own right, and if I would have increased my list to 35, they would have been on there.

Scanner – The Judgement [Massacre Records].  2015 was a killer year for long time German Power/Metal band, Scanner.  Both Mental Reservation; ’95 and Ball of the Damned; ’96 received stunning remasters, and the band released The Judgement, their 6th album.  Putting more speed and power into their tunes, while retaining their incredible knack for creating epic, catchy and fantastic songs.

Hooded Menace – Darkness Drips Forth [Relapse Records].  Only 4 songs, but clocking in at over 40 minutes total playing time, Finland’s Hooded Menace released one of their most devastatingly depressing albums ever.  Heavy, brooding, dark, evil, doom/death metal.  Crushing!

Rivers of Nihil – Monarchy [Metal blade Records].  Rivers of Nihil returned with their second album and showed that they can play with the big boys.  I loved their debut, but Monarchy destroyed it by a landslide.  Some Fallujah influences this time around, more brutality, and an even stronger production.  Killer stuff.

Dr. Shrinker – Contorted Dioramic Palette [Dread Records].  Long time gore/death band Dr. Shrinker finally released their debut album.  A combination of Autopsy/Nailgun Massacre/Impetigo/Lord Gore-stylized brutality and awesome outer and inner artwork makes this a no-brainer purchase.  Incredible.

Putridity – Ignominious Atonement [Willowtip Records].  The highlight release from Willowtip for 2015, and it was a real slow year for that label – not many releases at all.  Italy’s most brutal band, Putridity, returned with their 3rd album. Ignominious Atonement is so over the top brutal, it will make your head explode.

Adam Palm

Soijl – Endless Elysian Fields (Solitude Productions)
Saturnus are one of the best at what they do, but they aren’t the most prolific, only releasing albums every 4 to 6 years. Thankfully, their former guitarist, Mattias Svensson, who worked with them on their 2012 full-length, Saturn in Ascension, has taken it upon himself to craft this masterful piece of melodic death/doom of comparable style and quality. However, an early Katatonia/October Tide influence combined with a more deathly bite keeps this project from being a total carbon copy.

Khthoniik Cerviiks – SeroLogiikal Scars (Vertex of Dementiia) (Iron Bonehead Productions)
Voivod has certainly been a huge influence on underground metal, but I’ve never heard their signature gritty, futuristic sound integrated so faithfully and seamlessly into barbaric black/death metal as it has been here.

Pyramaze – Disciples of the Sun (Inner Wound Recordings)
My newfound appreciation for the less cheesy side of power metal led me to Pyramaze and this release from last year, which finds them at their very best, while sounding a lot like the progressive/power metal side of Scar Symmetry.

Anatomy – Twisting Depths of Horror + Demos (Dark Symphonies)
This whole collection is great, but the first two proper tracks alone are worth the price of admission. This is some of the most palpably evil death metal ever committed to tape. It’s a shame that they didn’t record more material in this vein before switching to black metal.

The Wanderer… – Aura Nocturnal & Mysterium (Tour de Garde)
When I submitted my staff picks for 2015, I hadn’t heard a single demo worth including. That was before I got my hands on this compilation of the 2014 and 2015 demos from this mysterious one-man project from Australia. Each one is a single lengthy track of entrancing atmospheric black metal that is one of the best recordings of any type from their respective years.

Luke Sanders

I think only the most fickle of metalheads would proclaim 2015 as a disappointing year, regardless of genre preferences. I’m still playing catch-up into 2016 and discovering numerous albums that could have easily threatened my year end list. Here’s a small handful of bands that are too damn good to ignore and come highly recommended.

Predatoria – Unmarked Graves… Tell No Tales (Self-Released). This very recent discovery has captured my interest and begun receiving heavy rotation, establishing this unsigned Belgian war machine as a band on the rise. Predatoria lend a modern edge to the classic formula perfected by the legendary Bolt Thrower. Throw in the triumphant melodic hooks and energy of Amon Amarth and you’re left with a powerhouse debut statement, delivered in perfectly concise EP form.

Batushka – Litourgiya (Witching Hour Productions). Allegedly featuring notable members of the Polish black metal scene, the mysterious folks behind Batushka crafted an intriguing, unsettling and grandiose album steeped in dark, brooding atmosphere. Spooky ritualistic chants, majestic melodies and doomy overtones are masterfully coupled with fiery bursts of blackened fury and expert songcraft. This exceptional album should not be overlooked by black metal fans.

Acrania – Fearless (Self-released). Now this is some seriously weird, batshit crazy stuff with a most fitting album title. The Mexican homies comprising Acrania should be too far leftfield to appeal to the average metalhead, but somehow their crazed fusion of Latin flavours, prog, death, thrash, and everything bar the kitchen sink somehow works. Fearless is simply heaps of fun, an unconventional blast of feel-good festival flair, loose jam band groove, seriously impressive technical chops and innovative, catchy songwriting. Out of this world and a must hear for the more adventurous listener.

Alustrium – A Tunnel to Eden (Self-Released). I highlighted this album in my honourable mentions list, and had intentions to review it, but unfortunately the opportunity passed. However, this is an album not to be missed by fans of technical and progressive death metal. I can imagine, with the benefit of hindsight, regretting not including this on my end of year list. A Tunnel to Eden is a blistering shred-fest bolstered by epic, memorable songwriting, coming across like a fresh and modern update of 90s heroes Death and Atheist. Tightly performed, razor sharp and addictive fun.

Kristofor Allred

WHAT?!?! Rogga Johansson and Dave Ingram released not only one new album in 2015, but two new albums?!?! Where the fuck was I? Seriously, I must have had my head firmly planted in the ground, because had I gotten to hear Down Among the Dead Men’s new album, Exterminate! Annihilate! Destroy!, or Echelon’s latest, Indulgence Over Abstinence Behind the Obsidian Veil, my list of favorite albums would have been much different. Whether it’s the short, crusty, sludge-slathered, D-beat punk-tinged death of DAtDM, or Echelon’s more refined, sharp groove laden attack, one can’t go wrong with Rogga’s infectious riffing, driven by the bestial roars of Ingram. Pummeling in the greatest of ways, these two albums might have been latecomers in 2015, but are so worth your time, before they get lost in the plethora of great releases that 2016 holds in store.

Gorelust – We Are the Undead. 20 years after their debut album, Canada’s Gorelust return to throw their hat into the technical/brutal death metal ring with their sophomore album, and I’ll be damned if they didn’t do a fantastic job. Comprised of songs both newly written, as well as material written damn near two decades ago, you’d never suspect that these guys haven’t been consistently cranking out albums. Definitely good stuff; if you like pre-Obscura Gorguts, then you will like Gorelust.

I’d also like to address the fact that I was a complete bonehead for letting Sarpanitum’s Blessed Be My Brothers Sarpanitum’s and Keep of Kalessin’s Epistemology somehow slip by me. I was well aware of both of their releases early in 2015, they were even both reviewed here by Mr. Thomas himself, but somehow I just never got around to picking them up. To say “my bad” is a massive understatement, as they are both so good, that saying “my absolute failure” would be more appropriate.

Here’s to a metal filled 2016. Hopefully, I won’t miss out on too much good shit..

Jordan Itkowitz

Armageddon – Captivity and Devourment (Listenable Records). There’s a good reason this melodic death album caught my attention – it’s a Christopher Amott project. It started back in 1999 as a side-gig between Arch Enemy albums, but since leaving the band in 2012, he’s dusted it off for this superb new release. Features strong melodies and satisfying songwriting, scorching leads, excellent guttural vocals, a few well-placed cleans, and just a touch of heavy metal bravado.

Steak Number Eight – Kosmokrator (Indie Recordings). A diverse, progressive, and unusually nimble take on the normally stodgy and lumbering sludge/post-metal sound. Mastodon is a good reference – these Belgians aren’t afraid to stretch and play around with different pacing, influences, and song structures either. Vocal harmonies and playful groove add unexpected brightness. Well worth checking out if you still miss Burst.

Judicator – At the Expense of Humanity (Divebomb Records). I’m very picky with my power metal, so something about this band hasn’t clicked for me before – until this album, which is fantastic. The melodies bridge the typical heroic power metal sound with a touch of melancholy and plenty of aggression, there are galloping riffs and catchy hooks galore, and the vocals (smooth, but on the higher-pitched Blind Guardian end of the spectrum) sit much better in the mix than on previous releases. A very entertaining grower that I’ve been spinning quite a lot lately.

Mechina – Acheron (Independent). Not sure if Xerath and Nightwish share a lot of fans, but if you enjoy swirling, symphonic atmosphere and synths, stuttery djent, cavernous death vocals, and female Middle Eastern-inspired vocals, you’ll enjoy this impressive futuristic epic. They have a new one out too, maybe it will make this year’s list?

RAM – Svbversvm (Metal Blade Records). Great traditional/heavy metal releases are easy to find these days, but this one slipped under the radar last year. Too bad – it’s an excellent album that clearly prays in the church of Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate, with snarling, vibrato vocals, ripping melodies, and NWOBHM swagger. Would pair well with Defenders of the Faith and a 6-pack of your favorite brew.

Devin Townsend – Epicloud (Inside Out Music)
I’ve only recently gotten into Strapping Young Lad, so I’m pretty late to the Devin Townsend party, but after one listen of “Liberation,” the soaring, big, brash, rollicking metal opera track from Epicloud, I was hooked. Both Epic and Loud, this was the feel-good release of 2012 and gave way to many happy, headbanging sessions in the car with my daughter. Addictive, catchy and uplifting – Epicloud was a welcome change to my usual fare and shows that Hevy Devy isn’t so heavy all of the time.

Beyond All Recognition – Drop=Dead (Napalm Records)
2012’s guilty pleasure for me was a dubcore album from a Swedish band released on Napalm Records. Full of huge bass drops and massive breakdowns while delivering competent, heavy-ass deathcore – but without the silly dance parts, clean vocals or annoying elements that bands like Skip the Foreplay or Eskimo Callboy have – Beyond All Recognition tested the limits of my car stereo and garnered themselves a new fan, despite the image and label the band function under.

Before the Dawn – Rise of the Phoenix (eOne)
Before they split up, Finland’s Before the Dawn delivered their finest effort. Dropping the clean vocals and upping the heaviness and melody, Rise of the Phoenix was an album that could give Insomnium and Be’lakor a run for their money in the realms of somber, melodic death metal. Supine but heavy harmonies, blastbeats and some simply killer riffs made this a really solid album that should have cemented the band on the Finnish metal map, but instead ended up being a damn fine swan song.

The HAARP Machine – Disclosure (Sumerian)
Between the Buried and Me‘s 2012 opus was a let-down for me. Luckily, the UK’s The HAARP Machine stepped up and delivered their own version of progressive, experimental and challenging metal that washed away The Parallax II. With less self-indulgence and more actual metal as well as a heavy Middle Eastern vibe by way of Al Mu’min’s sitar, The HAARP Machine, despite the Sumerian label sound, delivered one of 2012’s most interesting releases.

Samothrace – Reverence to Stone (20 Buck Spin)
I’m still upset at myself for not getting around to reviewing this in 2012. After absolutely loving 2008’s Life Trade, the 4-year wait and massive 2 track release never initially hooked me like the debut did. And based on the lack of coverage and press for the release, I wasn’t the only one. After a few dedicated listens, the album truly sunk in and revealed itself to be a real grower, despite being initially intimidating. The 2 songs really unfurl and develop, and while lacking the immediacy of say, “Awkward Hearts” from the debut, Samothrace appear to be a real heavy hitter in the US doom scene – if they can just hone their sound a smidge.

Sylosis – Monolith (Nuclear Blast Records)
I know metalcore is a dirty word in metal, but these Brits knocked it out of the park with their aptly titled and massive third release. I remember reviewing their 2008 debut, Conclusion of an Age, for Metal Maniacs and hearing a dull Unearth clone. With Monolith, a line-up change and a fiercer thrash-based sound has resulted in an album that blows the likes of All That Remains out of the water and and shows these guys to be a real contender in the US-dominated metalcore scene.

JORDAN ITKOWITZ

Ancient Ascendant – Into the Dark EP (Forepoint Records)
I just heard about these guys recently ’cause Enslaved is touring with them in the UK. What a show that’s gonna be. These guys mix chunky melodic death riffing with Swedish melodic black metal for an At the Gates-meets-Dissection assault which kicks all kinds of unholy ass. Tons of groove, smartly written songs, great guitar tone and snarling vocals, plus the occasional moody interlude (shades of early Opeth). Expect big things when these guys drop their debut, but for now, seek this out immediately. This would have been my EP of the year had I heard it in time.

Psilocybe Larvae – The Labyrinth of Penumbra (Buil2kill Records)
Finland may be the world’s melodic death/doom capital, but head further east and you’ll find that Russia has its share of excellent acts as well. Venture into this labyrinth to find slow lurching segments chased by faster gallops, ragged growls and screams cresting to soaring cleans, and an overall exceptional sense of pacing and dynamics. Had I given this one more listens last month, it would have made my year-end list, no question. (Credit to Shane for posting this in the Now Playing thread).

Threshold – March of Progress (Nuclear Blast)
I was very sad to hear that Threshold vocalist Andrew “Mac” McDermott passed away in 2011. He was one of my favorite prog-metal vocalists, with a smooth and soaring delivery that meshed perfectly with the band’s chunky guitars and hook-filled songwriting. The band returned to their original vocalist, Damian Wilson, who has a slightly more operatic style (no surprise, the guy played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables for awhile), but I think I was so thrown by not hearing Mac again that I only gave this new album a few spins. After returning to it, it’s another really strong Threshold album. It’s not as infused with smooth 80’s AOR hooks as Subsurface was, but it’s still packed with lovely melodies and intricate proggy fireworks.

In Mourning – The Weight of Oceans (Spinefarm Records)
Lots of love for B’elakor this year, but no one paid much mind to the third effort from Finland’s In Mourning. Too bad, as they’re another strong voice in the melodic death/doom arena, with clear and keening melodies, gruff vocals and elegant atmosphere. Great stuff for fans of Insomnium, Opeth or old Katatonia.

Kälter – Ubuntu (Maple Metal Records)
This Canadian melodic/progressive death act may have started as a Children of Bodom cover band, but they’ve sinced grown into their own unique beast – and it’s a weird one. Judging from the artwork and title here, you might expect a prog-metal take on Sepultura’s Roots. Instead, you get thrashy melodeath, lots of burbling, symphonic and vaguely Eastern synths and the odd 70’s Genesis prog freakout. Oh and some tribal drums. Perhaps the confusion comes from the fact that Ubuntu is a South African term, but this artwork depicts a Central American (Maya? Aztec?) warrior. Whatever the intent, the end result is still an exuberant and unpredictable entry to the melodeath scene.

KEVIN  E.

ADAM PALM

After Death/Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Dwellers of the Deep/The Madness from the Sea (Proselytism)
This elaborate split includes a disc for each band and a huge fold-out poster/lyric sheet housed in a giant double gatefold digipack with cover art for each half and extensive liner notes on the concepts behind each song. And, the music is more than deserving of its packaging. After Death is led by Nocturnus mastermind Mike Browning, and carries the atmospheric, technical death/thrash sound of classics The Key and Thresholds into more mystical realms. Unaussprechlichen Kulten hails from Chile and sounds like a raw, Lovecraftian Immolation. It may seem like an unlikely pairing, but their shared themes, attitude, and masterful songcraft make this one of 2012’s most all-around unfuckwithable releases.

Weapons to Hunt – Blessed In Sin (Vic Records)
Despite the facts that Sinister never completely broke up and this band existed as Infinited Hate until recently, this feels like a Sinister comeback album. The band is now comprised entirely of former and current Sinister members and the music resurrects the vigor and twisted guitar work of Cross the Styx more than any other album since, except with a hint of early Comecon.

Leukemia – Love (Vic Records)
This eccentric, varied Swedish death/thrash album was recorded in ’94, but didn’t see the light of day until just last year. Swedeath with this much character is hard to come by nowadays.

Darkified – Cthulhu Riseth – The Complete Works of Darkified (Vic Records)
A long-overdue reissue of everything ever recorded by this tragically short-lived Swedish band from the early ‘90s who specialized in uniquely deranged, atmospheric death metal. The remastering job by the mighty Dan Swano makes it all sound better than ever.

Evadne – The Shortest Way (Solitude Productions)
These despondent Spaniards take full advantage of every past development in melodic death/doom, painting a bleak picture with shades of Rapture, My Dying Bride, Slumber, Revelations of Rain, Swallow the Sun and Funeral. It won’t win any awards for originality, but its flawless execution more than makes up for that.”

CHUCK KUCHER

Nadja – Dagdrøm (Broken Spine Productions, Daymare Recordings)
The prolific drone/doom duo returned for another sublime slice of their patented buzzing magic. Dagdrøm may be familiar territory for the band, with a sound so lustrously thick and warm you could wear it like a parka, but the execution is as good as ever. Dagdrøm is a fine entry point to newcomers and a welcome return to form long time fans.

The Catalyst – Voyager (Forcefield Records)
A bad acid hardcore/noise rock trainwreck. Scalding vocals, face shredding blasts of bad trip psychedelia, and angular Unsane-by-way-of-Converge riffs mark Voyager as one of the most caustic and belligerent releases of 2012. It’s the perfect album for the end of a shitty day, or the beginning of an even worse night.

Ehnahre – Old Earth (Crucial Blast)
Old Earth is to doom what Obscura was to death metal. Ehnahre dragged Khanate through a jazz-infused death metal blender and produced a challenging, disjointed and atmospheric journey through the earth’s blackest soil. Old Earth is even more discordant, more abrasive, more immersive and ambient, and altogether more impressive than their excellent debut.

Kowloon Walled City – Container Ships (Brutal Panda Records)
San Francisco’s Kowloon Walled City took a bit of the noise out of their sound for their newest album, but that doesn’t mean Container Ships is any less heavy. The cleaner tone is coupled with slower, sludgier, and more emotive songwriting that calls to mind Pelican and Disappearer. This additional emotional heaviness adds depth to their sound and magnifies the heft of their bursts of discordant noise rock.

LUKE SAUNDERS

Bell Witch – Longing (Profound Lore)
The Seattle duo may not have shared the acclaim of some of their more experienced contemporaries in the funeral doom field, but fans of the style would be wise to check out this monstrous slab of painful, crawling extremity. Comprised of a mere six tracks but clocking in over an hour’s worth of despair and funereal melody; Longing is the perfect companion piece to Loss’ Despond album. Like that particular album, Longing plumbs the darkest depths of the human psyche, and although it’s not quite as compelling or razor-to-the-wrist inducing as Despond, Bell Witch has crafted a sparse yet weighty debut that is a powerful, emotional piece of extreme artistry.

Ne Obliviscaris – Portal of I (Aural music)
This Australian band’s stunning debut escaped my radar upon its mid-year release. In the catch-up period of late 2012/early 2013 I came across a track on a sampler and the full-length has since proceeded to amaze and mesmerize. Floating around in the Aussie metal underground for several years, Portal of I is the culmination of relentless hard work and craftsmanship in sculpting this monster (and at times bloated) 71-minute epic. Ne Obliviscaris’ highly inventive progressive metal has shades of Opeth and Focus-era Cynic, but their sound transcends easy classification. Portal of I is further embellished by a blackened, classical edge and their ambitious formula avoids sounding derivative or awkward in delivery. The jazz inflections, clean vocals and use of violin are not overdone, instead adding a rich and complex new dimension to their intricate progressive metal arrangements. Capped off with a stellar production job, this fucker oozes class and comes highly recommended.

The Levitation Hex – The Levitation Hex (Quadrum Records)
Another Aussie release that didn’t get the attention it deserved. Essentially a supergroup of sorts, The Levitation Hex are comprised of ex and current members of Alchemist, Alarum and Aeon of Horus. The brainchild of vocalist/guitarist Adam Agius (ex-Alchemist), The Levitation Hex is a natural extension of his vastly underrated former band, but with a different enough vibe and angle to sound like a fresh new adventure. The progressive and psychedelic elements are balanced by a taut and muscular groove-based approach, while the mildly experimental song-writing threads hypnotic passages and tribal rhythms into the mix. In short, The Levitation Hex crafted an intriguing debut, well-worth checking out.

Windhand – Windhand (Force Field Records)
This is another low-key gem that got plenty of airplay during the earlier part of the year. Without any strong label backing and long delays in the pressing of this release, it appears destined to fall through the cracks. It’s a shame too as this is an excellent piece of earthy stoner-doom, shrouded in a druggy haze and bookended by the chilled-out, ethereal vocals of Dorthia Cottrell.

Goatwhore – Blood for the Master (Metal Blade)
Yeah I know, Goatwhore aren’t exactly in need of extra promotion with the Metal Blade juggernaut behind them; but another solid album from the band, released in early 2012, was buried under a slew of top-notch releases. Goatwhore are the kind of band required in every metal collection. Their lack of musical and emotional depth is counteracted by a no-frills, unpretentious dedication to metal, and the gift of creating a skull-crushing black/death/thrash hybrid that is undeniably heavy, catchy, and above all, fun to listen to. Complete with another robust Erik Rutan production, Blood for the Master is not their finest hour (that honor goes to A Haunting Curse), but is another consistently solid and enjoyable album that rocks hard and pulls no punches. Let’s hope Ben Falgoust finds the time to crank out a new Soilent Green album in 2013.

Electrocution – Inside the Unreal (Aural Music/Goregorecords)
Originally released in 1993, this old-school death metal gem from the sub-genres golden period was resurrected for the reissue treatment in 2012. Having missed it the first time I was stoked to become acquainted with this excellent effort from the Floridian-influenced Italian unit. Although I can’t provide a comparison with its original recording, the stout (and remastered) production is respectable for its era, offering ample punch and clarity. The addictive songs follow a basic blueprint and are fast, catchy and brutal old-school DM workouts.

King Parrot – Bite Your Head Off (Third Verse)
A recent discovery, the young Australian band dropped this high-energy, maniacal slab of punk/thrash/grind madness during the latter stages of 2012. In the process they emerged as a band to keep a close eye on.