40. KHANATE, “To Be Cruel” (Sacred Bones): “To Be Cruel,” the first record from Khanate in almost 15 years, was music that arrived under a shroud of secrecy, its presence not even widely known until the music was released suddenly. Its very existence was a shock to the parts of the world that had been impacted by their doom-defacing first three records that sounded like nothing else ever made and whose psychotic treatment hasn’t been matched. Not even fucking close. Khanate is a machine that must be withstood to be understood, and even then, it’s not an easy ride. Alan Dubin’s manic shrieks are as shocking as ever, and the band warps his words with thunderous, glacially torturous doom on these three, devastating tracks that leave incurable mental wounds. (May 19)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/collections/frontpage/products/sbr321-to-be-cruel-khanate

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

39. SPIRIT ADRIFT, “Ghost at the Gallows” (Century Media): On “Ghost at the Gallows,” the tremendous fifth full-length effort from Spirit Adrift, death is around every corner. Having had it as a theme in longtime band leader Nate Garrett’s life, the eight songs that make up this latest creation do bask in the loss but also triumph. The vocalist/guitarist stitched together a world where we’re surrounded by ghosts that bring on trauma and loss, but there’s also strength and glory to be experienced, and these songs can be downright uplifting. “Give Her to the River” has a tempered open, setting the stage for what’s to come, and then the energy delivers. “In the fire we transform,” Garrett howls, “in the water we’re reborn.” “Barn Burner” lets the riffs ignite on a punchier track that also is the album’s first single. “Light your torches, just remember you’ll be the next to burn,” Garrett calls over the sticky chorus. “Siren of the South” and the stunning title track are other gems on another great SA record. (Aug. 18)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://centurymedia.store/dept/spirit-adrift

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

38. ANTI-GOD HAND, “Blight Year” (American Dream): The second full-length from Vancouver-based musician Will Ballantyne “Blight Year” again went criminally underappreciated, but it’s a motherfucker. It was created after a brutal period where Ballantyne worked in the Canadian bush, enduring brutal weather and coming to terms with the toil when it’s done. The record is a slasher, a fiend, yet Ballantyne considers this an optimistic album, and we have no choice but to go along with that journey. From the cosmically warped synth that leads us into opener “Out of the Tunnels, Into the Heavens” that twists itself into an intense black metal force, we know we’re in for another sojourn into something we didn’t expect to face. Yet, here we are, tussling with “Barge of Light,” “Warped and Opalescent Swords” (and its rush of riffs that greet you), and manic closer “Held” that energizes your heart and you realize, oh, this actually does feel like an optimistic record. Wake up to this band, already.  (Aug. 25)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://american-dreams.zone/Anti-God-Hand-Blight-Year

For more on the label, go here: https://american-dreams.zone/

37. BLUT AUS NORD, “Disharmonium – Nahab” (Debemur Morti): We’ve written a ton about Blut Aus Nord during this site’s existence, and every time they arrive with a new record, we face something we never knew was possible. The band’s 16th full-length album is “Disharmonium – Nahab,” and even if you’re well versed in their musical universe, you’ll still find that you’re horrified and surprised. “Nahab” continues on a similar vein as “Undreamable Abysses” and “Lovecraftian Echoes” but feels like a different alien being that originated from the same DNA, only mutated beyond control. Vindsval and his shadowy group are unafraid to search through the cosmic murk, bringing with them unimaginable terrors on tracks including “Mental Paralysis,” “The Crowning Horror,” “The Ultimate Void of Chaos,” and “Forgotten Aeon.” (Aug. 25)

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

To buy the album (U.S.), 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/

36. ULTHAR, “Anthronomicon/Helionomicon” (20 Buck Spin): Oakland death metal smashers Ulthar returned with not one, but two new records, both full-length efforts that fit nicely together but also have some notable differences from each other. “Anthronomicon” is an eight-track, 41-minute bruiser that has the band delving deeply into their brand of death metal and treating that with cooling space haze that plays tricks with your mind. “Helionomicon” has Ulthar trying their hand at longer-form passages as the two-track, 40-minute album digs in with a similar sound but with added room to expand and explore, the alien parts feeling even more immersive. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but it’s clear the band was overflowing with good ideas, and we honestly can’t pick a favorite between the two, so they both go here together. I guess we technically have a top 41 this year. (Feb. 17)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063748920083

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/ulthar

For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/20buckspin

35. CLOSET WITCH, “Chiaroscuro” (Moment of Collapse): “Chiaroscuro,” the new record from Iowa grindcore beasts Closet Witch, reminds me of being blindsided, being unable to protect yourself from a shot that’s going to do certain bodily damage. In a good way, I promise. Over 13 tracks that typically hit you so hard and fast, you can’t even get your footing until the song ends and the next begins suddenly, it’s like being thrown for a loop you can’t hope to anticipate. It’s a breathless yet thrilling attack that the band mounts to overwhelm and shock systems. Vocalist Mollie Piatetsky remains a punishing force out front, and the rest of the band does their best to spread chaos on “Constantly Problematic,” “And Releasing,” “You, Me & My Venus in Decay,” and “To the Cauldon” where Piatetsky howls, “I’ve reached to her, my mother, my crone, I need the nurture, I crave the light, warmth and the knowledge, I need her to tell me I’ll be alright.” (Nov. 3)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.momentofcollapse.com/

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

34. PHOBOCOSM, “Foreordained” (Dark Descent): Canadian death metal power Phobocosm remain perfectly aware of the reality of our deaths, of the planet’s end, and that spills into their third album “Foreordained.” This is the final act of a triptych started on their 2014 debut “Deprived” and carried over into 2016’s “Bringer of Drought” that now, seven years later, finally gets its conclusion. The band views the finality of death and the pointlessness of trying to avoid such certainty and uses that to make their brand of death metal uglier, more morose, and even more imaginative at times. This is a powerful record that hopefully doesn’t get lost by listeners due to the December release date because it’s an absolute mauler any death metal fan should devour whole. This band always is a formidable beast with which to be reckoned, and they’ve upped their game so much over the past few years, that they have to be considered when discussing this era’s premier death metal bands. (Dec. 8)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/?orderby=date&paged=1&s=phobocosm&post_type=product

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

33. BIG|BRAVE, “nature morte” (Thrill  Jockey): There’s never been a time when Canadian doom/noise/drone trio Big|Brave hasn’t splashed every ounce of their being and experiences into their music. Their new offering “nature morte” is a French term for “dead nature,” itself an art form showing still-life paintings. The cover art is dark and foreboding, and digging into these six pieces reveals the morbid underpinnings so many of us face from dashed hope to the rage of existence to the continual effort to control women, something a particular ilk of politicians in this country exercise to disgusting levels. The band continues to push the boundaries of sound and what it means to emote musically about the things in life beyond our control because we’re not allowed to control it. It’s beauty wrapped in hell. “carvers, farriers and knaves” jars you awake, Robin Wattie’s alluring, muscular voice luring; “the one who bornes a weary load” runs 9:16 and brings jarring guitars, luring strikes, and thorny impulses that run along the skin; and Closer “the ten of swords” shakes in guitar glaze, feeling like a daydream pulling you into a cavern. (Feb. 24)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://thrilljockey.com/products/nature-morte

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

32. BARONESS, “STONE” (Abraxan Hymns): There are no Baroness records that sound the same or even close. The long-running band started at the throne of sludge and doom and slowly morphed into something different each album, yet always maintained a very recognizable DNA. That’s never been more apparent than on their sixth record “Stone,” the second with their current and arguably best lineup—vocalist/guitarist John Baizley, guitarist/vocalist Gina Gleason, bassist Nick Jost, and drummer Sebastian Thomson. There are some of the band’s heavier moments in some time, but they also continue to stitch back porch aesthetics, add glimmer, and even provide a chance for Gleason to have a bigger role vocally (her guitar work remains dazzling). This is one of my favorite Baroness records to date, and I’ve visited quite often with “Beneath the Rose,” “Last Word,” “Anodyne,” and “Under the Wheel.”   (Sept. 15)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://baroness.lnk.to/STONE

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

31. MIZMOR, “Prosaic” (Profound Lore): A.L.N. has shed god on his new Mizmor record “Prosaic,” and the results of this project definitely feel different from previous work. Instead, A.L.N. turns inward, exposing parts of his life and manner of being, giving you insight into living in the moment, getting satisfaction out of work, and shedding redundancies, and along the way, we get a different sonic beast. Don’t get me wrong: We still get treated to Mizmor epics, but they sound and feel different, so much so that my first few listens were guarded, unsure of how I felt about what I was hearing. I came around, and I often feel the records you earn emotionally are the ones that stay with you, and you can’t deny the passion and fire behind these devastating four tracks (personal favorites are “No Place to Arrive” and closer “Acceptance”). This new era for Mizmor is both tumultuous and triumphant, and I’m super curious to hear what A.L.N. explores next time around. (July 21)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://mizmor.bandcamp.com/album/prosaic-2

Every year when I write the runner up story, I feel kind of bad because I never want any of these records to be seen as anything other than vital additions to metal’s lore. I adore these five albums and listen to them a ton. All are worth your money and time, and each one brings something entirely different to the metallic feasting table.

ICARUS WITCH, “No Devil Lived On” (Cleopatra): Pittsburgh traditional metal power Icarus Witch have the idea in mind of saving the world via witchery on their excellent new record “No Devil Lived On.” It’s a concept piece that imagines a world in total collapse that must be saved by an alliance of wizards, witches, shamans, and other dimensional forces to overthrow the greedy leaders of this world. It’s a reimagining of The Arcadia Witchcraft Mythos created by folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland in 1899, and it sweeps into these nine tracks and dramatic record that’s bursting with power. The band still mines the rich history of heavy metal from the ’70s and ’80s with their own personality and power, making this sixth album one of their most interesting and blazing to date. And most urgent because space witches would be pretty welcome right now. “Heaven’s Ghetto” and “10,000 Light Years From Home” are personal highlights. (Oct. 27)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=Icarus+Witch+No+Devil+Lived+On&post_type=product

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

BLOODSTAR, “First Sighting” (Shadow Kingdom): Salt Lake City-based force Blood Star feel like a band that originated 40 years ago and has the sense of rebellion over the reaction from the general population pointing their accusing fingers and their desire to unite the music’s followers. Yet, it’s 2023, and what they do on their exuberant, goddamn great debut record “First Sighting” is create something that is worth fighting for, music that lights your heart and soul on fire in the name of metal. Singer Madeline Smith is an absolute revelation, and there is so much great, classic heavy metal power here such as “All for Nothing,” infectious “Fearless Priestess,” “Cold Moon,” and “Going Home.” This band and album connect with my desire to revel in metal that is timeless and true.  (April 21)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.shadowkingdomrecords.com/pre-orders.asp

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

QUIET MAN, “The Starving Lesson” (Riff Merchant/Cursed Monk): Philly sludge doom crushers Quiet Man, who are comprised of anything but quiet people, watch humankind spiraling out into oblivion on their hulking debut record “The Starving Lesson.” Here, the band (formerly known as God Root) refuses to turn an eye away from the existential carnage, going full bore into the chaos, the feeling that everything is coming apart at the seams. They go into terrifying corners thinking of the corrosion of our world, the way many folks treat marginalized people, and our own mental and physical well-being in the face of so much pain and misery. There’s so much to embrace such as “Set to Boil Is the New Standard,” “The Post Abandoned,” and immersive, instrumental closer “All Along, We Were Beautiful Radiant Things,” inspired by Emma Goldman’s autobiography Living My Life where guitars tease and drone, sounds ache, and each angle tricks your thinking. Devastating stuff with a righteous heart. (July 14)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://riffmerchant.bandcamp.com/album/the-starving-lesson

Or here: https://astralands.bandcamp.com/album/the-starving-lesson

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

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

OXBOW, “Love’s Holiday” (Ipecac): Long-running noise/punk/hardcore institution Oxbow never have done things conventionally over their 35 years together, and that continues on “Love’s Holiday,” an album filled front to back with love songs. No, you’re not going to have a candlelit dinner or slow dance to any of these songs (people still do that, right?), and you’re not staring in the face a slew of sappy ballads. Instead, the band gives love all kinds of sonic treatment from stabbing bursts to longing-filled dirges to heated outbursts when the heart is about to bleed its last. Vocalist Eugene S. Robinson is at his charismatic, sinister best here, and this is one of the band’s most approachable records to date, highlighted by “Dead Ahead,” the driving “Icy White & Crystalline,” “Lovely Murk” featuring Kristin Hayter, and “The Second Talk” where Robinson bluntly reminds, “Fucking is a dangerous game.” (July 21)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.blixtmerchandise.com/collections/ipecac-recordings

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

FILTH IS ETERNAL, “Find Out” (MNRK Heavy): Seattle’s Filth Is Eternal are proof that you really can maintain endless momentum over a 14-track record, which they demonstrate on their great new record “Find Out,” a pounder that has absolutely no down time. Punk, grunge, metal, and hardcore all jam themselves into the recipe, and everything here sounds vital and pumping blood, making this a record that will fly by before you know what hit you. There are some strains of their early days as Fucked and Bound, but there’s a different energy, a musical maturity that isn’t stuffy and still takes chances, leaving you guessing what’s coming next in the best way possible. Also, Lis Di Angelo is a charismatic, charged-up singer who reminds me of something in between Joan Jett and Mannequin Pussy’s Missy Dabice, their delivery like no one else’s. This is electrifying, sticky, metallic, brutal, and fun, and every track gets cemented into your brain. (Sept. 29)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://mnrkheavy.com/collections/filth-is-eternal

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

WORM/DREAM UNENDING, “Starpath” (20 Buck Spin): Dream Unending and Worm, two of the most intriguing bands on the 20 Buck Spin roster, continue to take death metal into strange new circles. And on “Starpath,” they combine forces on this mesmerizing split effort. This five-track, 45-minute collection is hardly these two bands dumping a few songs into your lap on the way to their next full-lengths. These are meaty, deadly pieces that feature Dream Unending’s jazzy, dreamier creations along with Worm’s cosmic, brain-freezing demons that drill deep into your psyche. This was a year-end treat for listeners who have had a metallic bounty so far and who can fall over into the bounty of one more death metal harvest. (Oct. 20)

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

And here: https://www.instagram.com/wormgloom/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/starpath

For more on the label, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

UNDULATION, “An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering” (self-released/I, Voidhanger): Taking on “An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering,” the debut EP from black metal force Undulation, is like experiencing an altered version of reality. Yes, you’ve heard sounds like this before, and it should be something that’s somewhat familiar to those who indulge in heavier music. But there’s something mysterious afoot. These six tracks weigh heavily on the psyche, delve into historical and occult horrors, and act like a beast that has mutated from the cells of others only to grow deadlier and more immersive. This is a band that defies description, and once their sounds reach more ears, there’s bound to be a groundswell of interest and a fervor of enthusiasm for this unique machine. Plus, vocalist the Executioner balances piercing shrieks with operatic calls, a chilling and devastating approach she and the band use to dress “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” “Failures of the Demiurge,” and “Dressed for Her Execution.” (June 10)

For more on the band, go here: https://undulationdeath.bandcamp.com/album/an-unhealthy-interest-in-suffering

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/

Or here (international): https://metalodyssey.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://i-voidhanger.com/

IRESS, “Solace” (Dune Altar): Dreamy LA-based doom quartet Iress have faced a lot of the tumult like we all have, including a global pandemic you may have heard about. Undeterred, the band has returned with a new four-track EP “Solace” that starts to bridge a gap from their excellent last full-length album “Flaw” to whatever comes next. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves, and we shouldn’t do that because this is a mesmerizing, emotionally arresting piece that contains some of Iress’ finest work. Vocalist Michelle Malley is a beam of light in the murky darkness, and she and the band navigate through “Blush,” “Ricochet,” and “Soft.” A new full-length would be very welcome. (May 12)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://weareiress.bandcamp.com/album/blush?label=244832377&tab=music

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

SPECTRAL LORE, “11 Days” (I, Voidhanger): Metal has been a strong base for protest music since the start (again, reference Sabbath, Black), and Spectral Lore and its sole creator Ayloss never have been shy about their mission to support social justice and progressive goals. The project’s latest is an EP called “11 Days,” named that for the length it time it takes people to travel the refugee sea route to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea. That trek has resulted in the deaths of about 26,000 people between 2014 and 2022 (according to the Missing Migrants Project), an incomprehensible toll for people just trying to find a better life. Musically, it’s some of the most daring and spacious music Ayloss has created yet, and it’s an incredible piece that hopefully can help do some good in the world. (March 21)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://spectrallore.bandcamp.com/album/11-days

REZN/VINNUM SABBATHI, “Silent Future” (Blue Funeral Recordings): “Silent Future” can be that means of flexing into the stars without having to be a giant rich idiot in order to do it. It’s the product of a collaboration between Chicago-based psyche power Rezn and Mexico City galactic wanderers Vinnum Sabbathi, and together this force creates something riveting that can take you beyond the earth’s crust.  “Born Into Catatonia” is a brief instrumental that slowly tears open this collaborative world as spoken messages swim in the murk, feeling like a strange transmission from beyond that slips into “Unknown Ancestor” where guitars spill, and new sounds slowly surface. “Hypersurreal” is muddy and doomy when it starts, the speaking making your blood chill as it continues to tell its alien story. Closer “Obliterating Mists” mesmerizes and rumbles and the singing hypnotizes, pulling you into mystery. Exceptional late-night listening for staring into the void of stars. (Aug. 11)

For more on Rezn, go here: https://www.facebook.com/reznband

For more on Vinnum Sabbathi, go here: https://www.facebook.com/VinnumSabbathi/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.bluesfuneral.com/collections/releases

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

We spend all year talking about metal and reviewing albums that come at us like a non-stop storm that’s impossible to weather. But in our downtime, we listen to plenty of other things. These are presented in alphabetical order, and it’s not quite the daring list I’d like it to be. But it’s been a hard, unforgiving year, and these are the records that gave me sense, placated my anger, warmed my agitation, and brought needed comfort.

BIG GARDEN, “To the Rind” (Gilead Media): It’s a non-metal list, and these are metal guys on a mostly metal label paying homage to the grunge heyday of the 1990s with absolute exuberance. Thou’s Mitch Wells is the driving force behind Big Garden, and his Thou bandmate Matthew Thudium provides vocals, taking us back to when Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Hum, and Pearl Jam were driving forces behind popular music. This record is a joy to experience, and you can tell how much they loved making this throwback beast. (June 30)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/products/big-garden-to-the-rind-lp

For more on the label, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/

INDIGO DE SOUZA, “All of This Will End” (Saddle Creek): “Younger and Dumber,” the final track on Indigo DeSouza’s excellent “All of This Will End,” is one of the best songs of the entire year, a letter to her less-experienced self from a place of more knowledge, acknowledging pain she let others exact. It’s a great reminder to be kind to our younger versions. “You Can Be Mean,” “Wasting Your Time,” and “Smog” are other highlights of this indie rock artist’s emotional and vulnerable collection, her third and best yet. (April 28)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://saddle-creek.com/collections/new-releases/products/all-of-this-will-end

For more on the label, go here: https://saddle-creek.com/

MEGA BOG, “End of Everything” (Mexican Summer): This project helmed by Erin Birgy feels like something that leaked out of wormhole from the 1970s late nights, feeling like it holds lounge smoke, poppy sentiment, and experimental weirdness that’s disarmingly charming. “The Clown” is an earworm that tunnels well within your brain, and other high points are “Cactus People,” “Don’t Doom Me,” and the closing title track. Its NSFW cover art actually gives you a good idea about what you’re about to experience as it pays off the naked strangeness. (May 19)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.mexicansummer.com/

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

MITSKI, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We” (Dead Oceans): Honestly, any year Mitski releases a record, it’ll most likely end up on my list. If you’ve been on TikTok, there’s no way you haven’t heard her breakout hit “My Love Mine All Mine,” and that’s a  pretty good representative of this warm, folkish, approachable record that dials back the experimentation just a bit. “Heaven,” “I Don’t Like My Mind,” and “Bug Like an Angel” are personal favorites, though there’s not a bad song on here. (Sept. 15)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.secretlystore.com/dead-oceans

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

PILE, “All Fiction” (Exploding in Sound): Rick Maguire’s long-running Pile can be earnest, menacing, and emotionally pulsating all in the same track, and the band’s eighth record “All Fiction” more than capably follows up 2019’s great “Green and Gray.” The record starts off unassuming with the quiet and echo-rich “It Comes Closer” before we’re into snarling and snaking “Loops,” with Maguire jabbing, “Tell me are you being honest? I would never lie to you.” You can practically taste the deceit. It keeps pushing and pulling from there, keeping your undivided attention all the way. (Feb. 17)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.explodinginsoundrecords.com/store

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

SLOWDIVE, “Everything Is Alive” (Dead Oceans): Slowdive’s demise in 1995 (their Mojave 3 days aside) and sudden reunion a decade ago capped off a dead space for the hyper-influential English band, and “Everything Is Alive” is their second record since reforming. It’s also one of their best, an album that easily grows on you and continues to work into your bloodstream. Their shoegaze tendencies remain, but these songs feel a little more human, containing tracks that might feel like they relate a little more to your life. Maybe that’s aging or experience or the grief that they were wrestling, but this band is still a dream come true, and the best parts are “Andalucia Plays,” “Kisses,” and “Prayer Remembered.” (Sept. 1)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.secretlystore.com/dead-oceans

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

SPRAIN, “The Lamb as Effigy” (The Flenser): Sprain sadly is no more, but their “The Lamb as Effigy” (it has a much, much longer actual title) was like an electrical stab to the brain. If you’re easily rattled by music that’s bluntly honest and exposed, you might want to consider your surroundings before tackling this. Trauma is front and center, the words can pierce your flesh, and the music feels like a living, breathing organism that was made up on the spot, which makes it feel so damn spontaneous. The run time is almost two hours, and there are times where you feel like you’re witness to a mental meltdown in real time. But it’s so jarring and memorable and indescribable and weird and warped that maybe I understand why Sprain exists no more. (Sept. 1)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://nowflensing.com/collections/sprain

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

YVES TUMOR, “Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)” (Warp): Sean Lee Bowie’s reign as Yves Tumor has been a riveting and revelatory one, and their fifth record is a mix of electronic power, pop, rock, punk, R&B and a ton more, but it’s their charisma that really makes these pieces and this album work so well. From the first time I heard this album, I couldn’t get multiple songs out of my head such as “Lovely Sewer,” his duet with Kida; killer opener “God Is a Circle”; “Operator” that totally reminds of Prince; and “Fear Evil Like Fire.”  (March 17)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://warp.net/shop

For more on the label, go here: https://warp.net/

WEDNESDAY, “Rat Saw God” (Dead Oceans): If I had to pick a favorite non-metal record, this fifth album from North Carolina’s Wednesday might be the one. It took me a few listens to get used to the band’s frayed and warped rock that tends to be wonderfully all over the map. The band is noisy and punchy, and their southern roots show quite a bit, which is a wonder to behold, especially taking on the many gems hidden here including “Chosen to Deserve,” which is one of my favorite songs of the year, “Bath County” “Turkey Vultures,” and electric epic “Bull Believer.” (April 7)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.secretlystore.com/dead-oceans

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

JESS WILLIAMSON, “Time Ain’t Accidental” (Mexican Summer): Austin singer-songwriter Jess Williamson made her mark with me on her last album “Sorceress,” and her new record “Time Ain’t Accidental” continues that momentum. There’s a sense to Williamson’s music that is relatable, like the tales she tells in her country-rich songs are things you’ve experienced as well, and she’s giving you a piece of her heart that’s battered like yours. “Hunter” and “Chasing Spirits” get the record off the ground early, and along the way we visit “Something’s in the Way,” “Stampede,” and “Roads,” and at the end of it, you feel like you know the artist a little more personally, which only helps her achieve peak engagement. (June 9)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.mexicansummer.com/

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

Imagine, if you will, a warped reality where you recognize the landscape, but the colors just aren’t right. You’ve never seen a sky that color before, and even the people and animals with which you interact don’t seem like they’re from the same plane as you. Maybe it’s a dream. But perhaps it’s reality, and you have to figure out how to get a grip on this altogether bizarre page of existence.

Taking on “An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering,” the debut EP from black metal force Undulation, is that same type of experience. Yes, you’ve heard sounds like this before, and it should be something that’s somewhat familiar to those who indulge in heavier music. These six tracks weigh heavily on the psyche, delve into historical and occult horrors, and act like a beast that has mutated from the cells of others only to grow deadlier and more immersive. The band—vocalist the Executioner, guitarist Nelson Payne, bassist Seth Death, drummer Zach Purtell—released this strange beast in June, but I, Voidhanger is getting it out to a wider audience, which finds a perfect home on the label’s eclectic roster. This is a band that defies description, and once their sounds reach more ears, there’s bound to be a groundswell of interest and a fervor of enthusiasm for this unique machine.

“Amethyst Necropolis (Une Charogne)” bleeds in, the Executioner’s poetry bleeding through guitar steam, feeling haunting and unnerving, ending with, “Then, O my beauty! say to the worms who will
devour you with kisses, that I have kept the form and the divine essence of my decomposed love!” “Judith Beheading Holofernes” (named after the Artemisia Gentileschi painting) leaks in with eerie tones as the shrieks strangle, tornadic playing emerging from a maniacal storm front. “Flagellation, urinate on the body, stigmata still fresh,” the Executioner wails. Daring charges splatter, filling you with excitement and dread, destroying and combusting, turning guts inside out. “Undulator” brings guitars that well up quickly, shrieks curdling as the intensity spikes quickly. The playing hits a panicked turn, going for more speed and aggression, the growls retching as the room spins dangerously out of control.

“Failures of the Demiurge” starts clean and cold, the Executioner singing wordless calls, the guitars darkening as the psychological madness swells. “I am death riding a horse pale, skin brown like barren soil, glistens beneath angry stars,” the Executioner wails as wicked riffs trample, future hope being snuffed out forever. The howls get more frantic, guitars lather in pools of blood, and the tempo hits the gas pedal as everything ends bluntly. “Acid, Vinegar” is sinewy as morbid growls explode, tortuous playing weighing down on your chest and nearly causing blackout. The shrieks slash as the guitars follow suit, washing in psychological heat, the singing causing hypnosis. “I saw the shadow of an angel standing behind me, but when I turned to face him, he looked back in horror,” the Executioner stabs, thrashy fire scorching faces, simmering and fading in broken darkness. “Dressed for Her Execution” is the closer, beginning with strange clean calls, then scorching its way open and torching paths. The rage combusts as the soloing catches fire, shrieks and operatic calls mix, demonstrating the Executioner’s impressive range, and then fluid assaults tease madness. “Crucifix in hand, she calls his holy name, pleads for retribution, but he never came,” the Executioner howls, sticky blood pulling at your footsteps, the guitars slowly trickling, and an uncomfortable aura spilling into space.

“An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering” is a record that might not have its impact in the year of its birth, but it’s sure to reverberate through black and death metal circles in the years ahead. Undulation is a band that defies accurate explanation as you can describe the sounds, but to really comprehend the spirit requires you to take the stomach-churning trip with them. This is an EP, and a unit, that is starting something special, planting their own seeds in subgenres that are ripe for reimagination, with Undulation only too happy to warp its features beyond recognition.

For more on the band, go here: https://undulationdeath.bandcamp.com/album/an-unhealthy-interest-in-suffering

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/

Or here (international): https://metalodyssey.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://i-voidhanger.com/

We live in terrifying times that could prove to be far worse in about a year’s time. Not that the United States has any great choices in next year’s presidential race, but we could glue the tyranny on if things go a certain way. We may never climb out. And it’s not like we don’t already have a maw of disheartening problems that have been there all along. It’s a good thing we have people willing to fight.

Columbus-based black metal band Yfel prove to be a force for justice on their great debut record “Beneath the Mountain’s Vigil.” This five-track collection is a devastating call to action to battle back against forces of oppression and mount an uprising against those who stand to hold us down. The band—vocalist Nik Pröebstl, guitarists/vocalists Ryan Atkins and Drew Staggs, bassist/vocalist Ryan Caskey, drummer Chaz Frazer—is a firebreather of force, not only delivering atmospheric black metal that makes your heart swell, but it’s a mission statement, a means of standing one’s ground with refusal to budge.

“All Fleas Carry the Souls of Men” dawns with guitars flooding, driving and gushing, splattering with power as Pröebstl’s shrieks rattle cages. A huge melodic push makes blood rush, electrifying and moving with a fire and emotion that are impossible to shake. Guitars blaze as everything dissolves into acoustics, ending with a serenity after a scorching. “Battle of Blair Mountain” recounts the largest labor battle in American history when coal miners in West Virginia took up arms during their attempt to unionize in 1921. That rage and struggle is paid off well on this thunderous 10-minute track, storming with vile howls and slashing playing, blistering as spirits hang in the air. The bass swells as the atmospheric launch gets more intense, rousing group calls feeling like forces united, combusting as the shrieks rain down. The earth quakes underneath you as the battle rages on, igniting as the assault moves forward, blasting all the way to its devastating end.

“Protectors of the Tomb” pounds away as fluid playing swells, shrieks scar, and the emotions spill over the edge. The vocals blister while energy explodes, harsh playing and spacious powers fill your chest, and group singing and gazey fury make for a formidable team that leaves bruising. “The Father’s Path” is numbing and bursting with air, hissed growls carving at flesh, and the playing feeling a little dirtier than what preceded it. Group singing picks up and carries the song to its next ebbs and flows, turning into a complete onslaught that balances melody with ferocity. Riffs spiral and flood, ravaging fury continues, and the fires blaze to a solemn end. Closer “Eyes of the Moon” brings ominous riffs that crash through the fog cover, rushing and storming, making adrenaline spike. The chorus swells, and then wordless calls increase your blood pressure, ravaging and bringing and energetic assault that fills your pores. The great force blisters, bringing vile terror and great melody, slowly drilling its way into the heart of the earth.

Yfel’s black metal not only is thunderous and devastating, but it’s filled with righteous power to keeping fighting the battles that benefit those under the thumb of the power structure. “Beneath the Mountain’s Vigil” is an incredible debut opus, adding a new force into the atmospheric black metal kingdom that has the chops and fortitude to make a true difference. This is a sign of great hope, not just for a black metal world that needs new blood, but for the people who also are fighting back against oppressive forces and will refuse to stop until the war is won.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-the-mountains-vigil

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

The ocean terrifies me, and I take a trip each year to go spend time at one very much on purpose. But I rarely go into the water. Some of the strangest creatures you’ll ever see exist in that space, and I can only imagine what lurks in the depths where there is no light at all. Plus, it’s a force of nature you cannot battle and hope to come out unscathed. It’s undefeated.

Long-running Belgian funeral doom duo SLOW (the name is an acronym for Silence Lives Out/Over Whirlpool) stare that very force in the proverbial face on “Abîmes I,” their stunning new record that’s either their eighth or ninth, depending on whether you consider their recreation of 2015’s “IV: Mythologiæ” a separate entry. On this four-track, 44-minute pounder, the band—vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Déhà, bassist/backing vocalist Lore—lay thick the sorrowful melodies and the doom heaviness that feels like the weight of a planet. The title itself translates to “abysses,” and a massive, mysterious body of water certainly qualifies as such. If you leave this journey not shaken to your core, you might have done it wrong. It’s that massive and alluring.

“Implode” lands slowly, spaciously, almost at an intimidating level like you’re witnessing a natural disaster about to swallow you whole. The playing lurches as the keys shimmer, the growls wrench, and the storm expands elegantly. Horror engulfs just as misery takes hold, spreading grief as icy guitars plink, and the black loneliness becomes an even greater force, basking in freezing agony, cascading to the gutting end. “Barren” runs 11:36 and unveils steely guitars, beaming keys, and growls that wear away at you. The atmosphere rumbles as the anguish multiplies, the guitars give off glacial energy, and cavernous howls bellow as the playing tingles and burns, the synth chilling wounds. From the murk comes soaring guitars, heavy moodiness, and howls echoing as they’re scorched into oblivion.

“Abyss” emerges from parting clouds, slowly pounding as the synth sheens, growls gut, and deep punishment pierces your soul. The guitars build as the fog becomes impenetrable, vicious growls lay waste, and we slip into a wave of dripping piano notes as the sounds hang. The power wrenches anew as the playing goes mournful and melodic, crushing as it bleeds away. Closer “Collapse” is the longest track, running 14:26 and heading into gazey, rainy weather, the growls corroding as the guitars burn and then add significant weight. The playing takes its agonizing time building the atmosphere and luring you into its center, crushing amid melodic layers, slipping into calm as the keys liquify. The playing then gushes all over, howls mangle with force, and layers land on top of each other, sweeping as the emotion expands. Forceful cries eat into your mind, keys fall, and everything swirls into dark imagination.

“Abîmes I” continues SLOW’s descent into the darker regions of the ocean, a slab of funeral doom that feels like it has its own barometric force. This band always has been one whose music is as much an excursion as it is a collection of songs, a sojourn into the bleakest reaches of existence that can take you over completely. This record manages to capture you from the start and pull you along under the water, scraping against icy surfaces, and letting you see a glimmer of light at the end that hints at hope.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.auralwebstore.com/shop/index.php

For more on the label, go here: https://www.code666.net/

It’s late in the evening, and your stomach has seen better days. Maybe it’s something you ate. Actually, it’s almost definitely that, and you’re writhing and wriggling as you try to find some position where the gaseous discomfort won’t feel as gross. It’s all for naught, and you’re going to have to wait for this bodily pressure to pass before you feel like yourself again.

That’s kind of what it’s like to tackle the grimy death metal from Cryptworm, and that is painfully evident on their second record “Oozing Radioactive Vomition.” Of course, this is death metal, so feeling ample amounts of disgust is a good thing, and this follow-up to last year’s “Spewing Mephitic Putridity” builds on that record and pushes even deeper into the seamy underbelly of life’s most foul pockets. The band—vocalist/guitarist Tibor Hanyi, bassist Joss Farrington, drummer Jamie Wintle—also sells this perfectly with an attitude and full serving of madness that could replicate those late-night stomach horrors.

“Oozing Radioactive Vomition” opens in a death swagger, acidic riffs eating through flesh, the growls retching and giving off nauseous vibes. Doomy hell is unleashed as the band pounds away, pummeling through a charred assault, the growls engorging as everything is buried in a shroud of smoke. “Organ Snatcher” lays waste as the growls bubble, the pace strangling as the drums go off. Guitars catch fire as the growls turn belchy, sinewy riffs pull you in and add pressure, and the doom-infected charge demolishes everything in its path, ending in a bludgeoning. “Miasmatic Foetid Odour” brings melting guitars, a driving pace that turns ugly, and growls delivering punishment. Speed becomes a factor as the guitars twist nerves, beastly howls land hard, and the last moments drown in total decimation.

“Necrophagous (Postmortal Devourment)” brings knifing riffs that snake through the body, brutal growls digging into ribcages and exposing vital organs. The playing is thrashy and ripping as the drums trample, and filthy, harrowing chaos grows more oppressive, destroying the senses. The growls sound like they’re choking on blood and bile, while the guitars raise the humidity and suffocate. “Engulfed by Gurgling Purge Fluids” emerges with strong riffs and stomping brutality, getting blistering and mucky along the way. The vocals hiss and heave as the playing reaches full combustion, the guitars warping and smashing, unloading with a force that buries with lurching strength. “Submerged Into Vile Repugnance” is the closer, the riffs steaming and then speeding up, bringing total demolition, complete with the growls peeling back flesh. The pace then destroys, smoking with power as the growls dig deep into the guts for inspiration, trudging to an unforgiving finish.

“Oozing Radioactive Vomition” arrives as people begin to celebrate year-end holidays, but there’s no glad tidings when Cryptworm are slithering through your psyche. This is a gross, doom-infested, mangling record that feels heavy in fetid horrors and always finds a way to make your stomach feel like it’s digesting something awful. This is brutal and uncompromising grime sure to make the end of your year a little more disgusting than usual.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.mesacounojo.com/shop/cryptworm-oozing-radioactive-vomition-lp/

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

There is a fear and, with some, an outright refusal to address the evils people in this country have exacted on others in the past and continue to do so to this day. There are systems in place to keep people where they are, and only a select few get to rise to a position of power and comfort. It’s always been this way, it’s still this way, and those in power wonder why the downtrodden fight back with such ferocity and violence when injustice strikes yet again.

Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze have been upfront from the start about their identity as an occult ritualistic black metal band that fights in the face of injustice and abhors the capitalistic society in which we’re entrenched. On their devastating second full-length “The Fractal Ouroboros,” the band—vocalist/synth player Achaierai, guitarist/bassist/synth player Athshean, drummer Yaeth—exposes the ugly roots of colonialism, the oppression of capitalism, the violence enacted against indigenous people, and the hard truths we must face in order to make real changes in the world in which we live. They do this over seven crushing tracks that stretch over 75 minutes that are thrilling, violent, and dripping with anger. They act as a vessel to help create a place that’s more equitable for all humans and help bridge the gap separating us so hopelessly.

“Trophy” opens in a thick drone, spiritual drumming reverberating, then the track igniting as wild shrieks hammer like baseball-sized hail. The playing is tornadic, which is something that is a sonic blueprint that’s built into most of the songs on here. Melodic fire and devastation meet, and then the pace calms, drums tapping, colder winds chilling. Just as the tingling sets in, the stormfront engulfs anew, and everything begins to race time, gutting explosions firing, a daring, frothy finish leaving your heart throbbing. “A History of Cages and Broken Bones” lands in cosmic noise, guitars taking imaginative turns, everything slowly catching fire and then gushing. The pressure is there in force, as is an atmospheric heaviness, shrieks shaking guts before the music melts into a foggy dream. The playing trickles down rock, pooling beneath, flowing into split and shattered dreams. “Suffocate o Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash” explodes with ripping guitars and shrieks ablaze, decimating the senses, lowering into wrenching hell. A storming tempo ignites as the howls scathe, turning madness into a freezing front, spitting electricity as the playing swirls around your head, robbing you of breath. The shrieks do ample damage before the pressure begins to pull back, gently flowing over the land, only to be absorbed by the earth.

“Annihilation” basks in eerie sounds, astral notes falling from the sky, slowly coming to life as whispers intensify, the strangeness looping through eons. The burst we expect comes as the playing wrenches, and while some of what’s going on can chill your brain, there’s brutality at every turn. The playing blasts hard as the shrieks maim, lashing and torching, sinking in sharp teeth before the intensity finally relents and fades. “Liberation Ritual” echoes with crackling fires, drums vibrating in your brain, spoken chants adding a spiritual element. Throat calls send chills and get into your blood, increasing the hypnosis as Achaierai calls, “As light, our chains fall away.” “Our Overt Apocalypse” is the second-longest track at a beefy 13:31, slipping into drone and disorienting sounds, continuing to add to the mental fog that’s pierced with crazed shrieks. From there, it’s a fiery assault, guitars driving, the playing slipping into miasma, blistering and creating immersive atmosphere. Spellbinding leads corkscrew, and noise filters as we enter an extended descension, bleeding out into an infectious haze. The record ends with the longest cut, the 15:57-long “Ekstasis, Enstasis, and the Fractal Ouroboros” that scrapes with a giant gust of energy. The playing is sudden and forceful, wrecking with soaring chaos, the speaking making your flesh crawl. Darkness falls as the anger bursts, leading to a volcanic pace that wrecks everything in its path, managing to make you feel feverish while withstanding the attack. There are gasps of calm as the drums patter, noise hovers, and the spirit makes a strange exit into hypnosis.

Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze create experiences more than mere records, which they do again on “The Fractal Ouroboros,” a stunning display that will leave you fulfilled and exhausted. The band makes a brutal, blunt excursion through some of the pure evils of this world, and this country especially, though they leave open that window for change where people need to recognize what’s wrong and make meaningful adjustments. That’s one of the areas where this record defies simply being a collection of songs; it’s a reminder of our past, a damnation of our present, and a call to action to make the future one in which the power structure dies for the good of us all.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/the-fractal-ouroboros

Or here: https://vitadetestabilisrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-fractal-ouroboros

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

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

We all face the inevitability of the end, where we cease to exist, never to draw breath again. Look, I complain about this world and the insanity of our everyday existence, but I’m not in any hurry to join the dark void, even though I know it’s coming eventually. That also applies to this planet, which we may be accelerating toward uninhabitability at a clip that could doom generations.

Canadian death metal power Phobocosm remain perfectly aware of the reality of our deaths, of the planet’s end, and that spills into their third album “Foreordained.” This is the final act of a triptych started on their 2014 debut “Deprived” and carried over into 2016’s “Bringer of Drought” that now, seven years later, finally gets its conclusion. The band—vocalist/bassist E.B., guitarist S.D., drummer J.S.G.—views the finality of death and the pointlessness of trying to avoid such certainty and uses that to make their brand of death metal uglier, more morose, and even more imaginative at times. This is a powerful record that hopefully doesn’t get lost due to the December release date because it’s an absolute mauler any death metal fan should devour whole.

“Premonition” opens in noise and a death haze, the growls rumbling in the Earth’s belly, slowly burning and pounding, The darkness retches while foreboding chaos brews and heads into 10:12-long brawler “Primal Dread” that is blistering and beastly as it dawns. The playing is cavernous and crushing, mauling its way along dark, muddy paths, grinding its gears in ugly fury. The growls mar as the pace lurches, guitars hang in the air, and a noxious fog gets thicker and more penetrative, laying waste to everything and disorienting with thousands of pounds of muck. “Everlasting Void” tears into flesh, animalistic growls pull apart muscles, and the drumming comes unglued. The playing is chunky and mashes even harder, the leads scorch, and the hammers drive more aggressively, turning everything to dust.

“Infomorph” stabs its way in, showing aggression and anger, the growls mauling as the track turns into a total slaughter. The drums blast as bloody hell is reached, causing confusion as the pace turns to a slow burn before breaking out and burying with power. The tempo pulverizes, torching without mercy, and blazing into “Revival” that opens with guitars destroying. Growls smear as the pressure builds, vile playing making the skies grow darker, driving with inescapable horrors. The guitars then incinerate while the growls clobber harder, melting minds and crumbling away. “For an Aeon” is the 7:21-long closer, beginning with daring riffs that go for broke, death carving into cranial cavities, and complete decimation being achieved. The track explodes as demolition and melodic surging unite, creating something both disgusting and glorious. The band burns the rest of the way, sweltering with power and noises that sting and hover, leaving burnt paths behind.

We all know where we’re headed in the end, and Phobocosm send a stark reminder in the most brutal fashion possible on “Foreordained,” the final piece of this trilogy. This band always is a formidable beast with which to be reckoned, and they’ve upped their game so much over the past few years, that they have to be considered when discussing this era’s premier death metal bands. This is a late-year dose of destruction that’s swarming with chaos and throws that jab to the psyche that our time here is short.  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/?orderby=date&paged=1&s=phobocosm&post_type=product

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