20. DREAMLESS VEIL, “Every Limb of the Flood” (Relapse): The birth of Dreamless Veil came out of the dreaded pandemic years, a musical project that started as a sort of solo project for Psycroptic drummer Dave Haley as he endured the same dismal times as we all did without his normal creative outlet. He recruited Inter Arma/Artificial Brain vocalist Mike Paparo to write lyrics and lay down his unmistakable pipes and brought in Dan Gargiulo, also of Artificial Brain and late of Revocation, to contribute guitars, bass, synth, and vocals to what turned into a thunder-storming project. The result is “Every Limb of the Flood,” a concept piece that centers on a character named Grief who takes an existential journey only to discover he’s poisonous to himself and other people.

“Dim Golden Rave” starts wonderfully off kilter, guitars spiraling as anguished cries emerge, the heat giving off a late-summer vibe, which is fitting. Leads swirl as the vocals echo, a melodic gust and spacious melodies churning into space. “A Generation of Eyes” stirs in black metal heat, punishing as the reverbed vocals spin in your head, lush, yet speedy dashes making blood race. “Cyanide Mine” has guitars carving and melodies gusting, shrieks aching before a mammoth riff sends you for a loop. The vocals continue to retch, charging with vicious intent, suddenly halting and letting guitars drip like a psychedelic syrup. “Glossolalia” is ominous, Paparo’s cries wrenching, eerie streams making your flesh crawl. Closer “Dreamless” arrives amid crashing drums, progressive black metal prowess, and growls ripping at exposed wounds. Howls gurgle as the room begins to spin, the warmth increasing and growing increasingly volatile, sizzling and boiling, the guitars rushing off the edges. (Sept. 20)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/dreamlessveil

To buy the album, go here: https://www.relapse.com/collections/dreamless-veil-every-limb-of-the-flood

For more on the label, go here: https://www.relapse.com/

19. ULCERATE, “Cutting the Throat of God” (Debemur Morti): When creating their seventh record “Cutting the Throat of God,” New Zealand-based death/black metal trio Ulcerate examined the idea of what happens when and put to the test the idea of people hitting their limits and having little chance of turning around mentally. These seven tracks, while not a concept record, do combine to examine the idea of morality and when and why someone crosses the line into darkness. The band delivers dense, cement-thick punishment over nearly 58 minutes. Pushing beyond reason, past one’s moral compass generally takes a pretty extreme circumstance for that to happen, and once we’re there, how do we pull back, if that’s even possible?

“To Flow Through Ashen Hearts” opens with guitars melting, dripping liquid steel, the roars crushing as the beastly flow gains muscle. Cagey and furious, the strength leaves ash, the atmosphere thickening as the playing gets tougher, wailing into colder waters, churning savagery, and railing to an abrupt finish. “The Dawn Is Hollow” emerges from steam, unloading with ferocity, tearing at flesh, the guitars making frayed nerves tingle. Alien sounds land as beastly heat rises, roars loosening bricks, the playing blasting away at everything, the gargantuan strength landing the final blows. “Transfiguration In and Out of Worlds” is eerie and chilling, cold trickling and making your body shake uncontrollably, sooty howls echoing as the guitars sting and become even more aggressive. “Undying as an Apparition” is melodic but mean, glazing as the roars crunch, weirdness thickening as the savagery comes to life. The playing is fluid but morbid, getting enthralling and immersive as you’re pulled into hell, the battering having its way and leaving you prone to further attacks. The title track closes the affair, emerging as a blunt force that snarls, stoking at the flames and ripping as the melodies curdle. The playing hits even harder, stabbing into the muck, blistering as the inhumane force weighs down violently. (June 14)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Ulcerate/

To buy the album (North America), go here: https://debemurmorti.aisamerch.com/

Or here (Europe): https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/12-eshop

For more on the label, go here: https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

18. UMBRA VITAE, “Light of Death” (Deathwish Inc.): Taking on a record from Umbra Vitae often feels like being locked in the octagon as blow after vicious blow come flying at your head and body. Their malicious second full-length “Light of Death” is another dose of toxic death metal mixed with strains of hardcore, and over these 11 tracks and nearly 46 minutes, the band—vocalist Jacob Bannon, guitarists/vocalists Sean Martin and Mike Mckenzie, bassist/guitarist/vocalist Greg Weeks, drummer Jon Rice—turns the screws and makes the heat get to insurmountable levels.

“Leave of Absence” starts with dissonant horns as guitars begin to char, the pace blistering as Bannon’s unmistakable howl leaves bruises. Speed is a factor as it mixes with hardcore-style stomps, ripping as guitars let lava flow, and the strings strike out. “Belief Is Obsolete” has riffs boiling, punchy and jarring playing lashing away, eventually trudging as the stiff wails draw blood. “Anti-Spirit Machine” brawls as Bannon’s raspy voice lacerates, swelling with hardcore brutality, steadily driving as the soloing spits fire. “Past Tense” unloads with nasty howls, guitars traversing the scenery, a trickier display that spits nails and screws, coming to a blistering end. “Velvet Black” opens with clean singing, Bannon’s deep croon searching, the playing burning as it comes slower but just as heavy, hypnotic sounds dissolving and going silent. “Twenty-Twenty Vision” is a savage attack, storming and rattling, ripping through a fiery thrash assault. The vocals circle and split lips, the blazing terror driving to a fiery finish. “Fatal Flaw” is blinding, vocals crushing, guitars mounting a burning attack. The drums blister as the shouts open veins, the start/stop viciousness disappearing into a sea of skronking sax. What a glorious battering. (June 7)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/umbravitaeofficial/

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://deathwishinc.com/collections/umbra-vitae

Or here (Europe): https://deathwishinc.eu/collections/umbra-vitae

For more on the label, go here: https://deathwishinc.com/

17. GLYPH, “Odes of Wailing, Hymns of Mourning” (Shape of Storms/Fiadh Productions/WereGnome): Glyph is a one-man black metal force helmed by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Keeper of the Glyph, and the project’s excellent new record “Odes of Wailing, Hymns of Mourning” tells you a lot upfront about what the music contains. But even amidst so much darkness and sadness, triumph still can be present by trying to fight back against the chaos. Without knowing what informed the album, the music gives clear access to all of those areas, the dark and the light, and the melodies and driving emotions contained within the record easily can set one’s heart and mind ablaze.

Of the Caverns” opens with sounds gushing, shrieks hammering away as the tornadic gust keeps gaining steam. The playing blisters as other colors blend into the mix, howls echoing as if in a cavern, effusive melodies picking up and spiraling into oblivion. “All Anger and Hatred Manifesting” is humid to start, hypnosis stretching its pull, the screams crushing, a brief halt leading to all elements bleeding out and back in and fully mesmerizing. “A Most Unwholesome Interaction” serves up frothy melodies and crushing growls, the blood feeling like it is retreating from your extremities. Shrieks ripple as the bass playing quakes the earth, a gush of infectious power getting into your bloodstream, battering at the same time until the lights go out. “The Unfortunate Gentleman in Question” opens as icy black metal, guitars jabbing as the howls cause brush burns, the slippery bass work icing mental wounds. Closer “Between Ghost and Gloom” arrives with sorrowful riffs and an eruption that spits rock through the air, mauling and glimmering. It’s impossible to experience this album and not feel it in every cell of your being. (June 7)

For more on the band, go here: https://keeperoftheglyph.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album (vinyl), go here: https://shapeofstormsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/glyph-odes-of-wailing-hymns-of-mourning

Or here (CD): https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/

Or here (cassette): https://weregnomerecords.bandcamp.com/album/odes-of-wailing-hymns-of-mourning

For more on the label, go here: https://shapeofstormsrecords.bandcamp.com/

And here: https://www.facebook.com/fiadhproductions

And here: https://weregnomerecords.bandcamp.com/

16. MOTHER OF GRAVES, “The Periapt of Absence” (Profound Lore): We live in a time of misery that only promises to get worse. The things in life that bring us solace are fleeting, and it’s easy to let hope slide down the drain, never to be heard from again. Mother of Graves capture that essence on their excellent second record “The Periapt of Absence,” but they also weave in a few glimmers of hope for good measure. Their mix of crushing doom and death metal really finds its sweep spot here, making for an album that easily digs into your chest cavity and takes up residence there.

“Gallows” is the perfect opener, a slowly battering gem that feels mournful, yet powerful as it builds its husk, Brandon Howe’s growls tearing at your flesh, the pace pushing and pulling through the cold; “Shatter the Visage” feels like it’s sneaking up on you, black hood in hands ready to pull over your face. The death stomp crushes, wrenching over melody and carnage that battle for your attention; “Apparition” basks in sorrow, lushly, yet forcefully cutting a pathway to your psyche, Howe calling, “Drowning to hold onto what’s real, to find what cannot be found.”  “As Earth Fell Silent” is ominous and pummeling, the voices echoing, the playing eventually drilling you into oblivion, the growls lacerating, everything disappearing into a gothic halo of pain. Absolutely crushing record. (Oct. 18)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/motherofgravesband

To buy the album, go here: https://motherofgraves.bandcamp.com/album/the-periapt-of-absence