15. COUCH SLUT, “Take a Chance on Rock ‘n’ Roll” (Gilead Media): Absolutely, 100 percent don’t be fooled by the title of Couch Slut’s third record “Take a Chance on Rock ‘n’ Roll” as some sort of record blasting good time jams you’d want to hear during your big summer BBQs. OK, well, I’d actually play these tracks at mine, but I have no regard for anyone’s feelings, but this shit is dark and scaly and filthy and, at times, really fucking scary. Their blistering mix of noise, metal, punk, and just a little jazz (that sax!) actually is a blast to hear, and it’s infectious as hell. But it has an utterly diseased heart based on the horrible experiences that went toward informing these songs.

“The Mouthwash Years” kicks off with the band’s trademark noise and trudging guitars as things get whipped into a frenzy in a hurry, and Megan O’s vocals start peeling at your skin. The pace pummels as she sneers, ” Now you’re dried out, what do you want for it?” “All the Way Down” charges up with the bass leading the way and the guitars sweating up a nasty swagger. The tale is horrifying, complete with blood in a sink and terrible events going on behind a bathroom door. “In a Pig’s Eye” already is relentless when it starts as hard shrieks pulsate, and the story is one where the woman, having been assaulted, is questioned about her motives. “They wanna know, they asked if I’m a whore,” Meg howls as the cops search her car and basically provide no help, only adding to the vitriol in the song. Closer “Someplace Cheap” that is a true story that happened to Meg and her previous bandmates when they decided to tour and ended up in Ohio. It’s a breathtaking and inexplicably true tale about being drugged and used, having some dude jerk off over you, and ending with a vow by one of the abused to finish it on their terms by inviting the culprits to find them at a LensCrafters where he worked. It’s a mind-spinning finish to a record that will leave you forever scarred mentally. (May 1)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/take-a-chance-on-rock-n-roll

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

14. BLACK CURSE, “Endless Void” (Sepulchral Curse): We spent time yesterday talking about how much great death metal is out there in the world, and black metal has that same quality, though it’s not as easy to find due to the glut of music blocking up this subgenre. Leave it to some metal veterans and members of other acts such as Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, Khemmis, and Primitive Man to do it right on Black Curse’s massive debut record “Endless Void.” The record is dark and blistering but also delves deep into outer space as well as your crumbling psyche.

“Charnel Rift” tears the lid off the thing and immediately sends you into the mouth of hell. Fiery shrieks echo while the pace hammers away relentlessly. “Enraptured By Decay” has a huge open before everything builds into a massive assault, and wild shrieks rain down like shrapnel. Blackened doom blood flows and congeals as hypnotic chugs have their way, and the playing makes your brain swim in its own chemicals. “Seared Eyes” knifes through your guts as demolition is carries out, and death growls gurgle in blood. Deranged wails and strange gasps add to the horror while the playing continues to lay waste to your physical and mental state. “Finality I Behold” closes the album, and it starts by wrecking shit, crushing wills as the fire blast ravages everything in front of it. Growls and shrieks mix, bombarding as eerie doom clouds descend, trudging in mud before the vocals destroy. Absolutely killer stuff. (April 2)

or more on the band, go here: https://blackcurse-svr.bandcamp.com/releases

To buy the album, go here: http://www.sepulchralvoice.de/shop/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.sepulchralvoniric Perversions” ice.de/

13. LAMP OF MURMUUR, “Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism” (Death Kvlt Productions): Olympia, Washington, based project Lamp of Murmuur has had a fairly prolific year with an EP, split, and demo, all preceding enthralling debut LP offering “Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism,” a record that’s gotten a lot of attention as of late, which it absolutely deserves. Helmed by sole musician M, who we know next to nothing about, this band revisits the raw elements of ’90s black metal, the rise of solo black metal artists that came to prominence a decade or so ago, and an onslaught of melody, riffs, and gothic darkness that put this band in a group all its own.

It doesn’t take long into opener “Of Infernal Passion and Aberrations” to understand you’re dealing with something a step above what every highly polished and forgettable black metal band tried to pull off this year by instantly showing its heart and violent ambition that’s just a rush. That continues on “Bathing in Cascades of Caustic Hypnotism” and its riffs that grab you from the start and make you its captive. The raw howls from M and the relentless pace race through this 9:45 monster that is completely impossible to ignore. If black metal can make you move, this song is the epitome of that. “Chalice of Oniric Perversions” keeps piling fuel on the fire as the track completely bludgeons, with a mid section coming to life like an early Immortal track. Just when you think you can’t be surprised more, the record ends with a cover of Dead Can Dance’s “In the Wake of Adversity” that sounds almost like it was a black metal stunner from its inception as M owns every moment and puts his own stamp on it, complete with bellowing clean vocals. Great fucking record. Let the label bidding war for their services begin. (Oct. 2)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.facebook.com/NotKvlt/

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

12. DOØL, “Summerland” (Prophecy Productions): Doøl’s second record definitely is the only one on our list that is fueled by contemplating where we go when we die (the title “Summerland” is a pagan reference to the afterlife), and it also takes inspiration from the Richard Matheson novel “What Dreams May Come” that tackles the Biblical visions of hell. Vocalist/guitarist Ryanne von Dorst, who absolutely exudes charisma on this album, used that to add more emotion and dramatic bombast to these songs that are incredibly infectious with adrenaline gushing despite its dark subject matter.

“Sulphur & Starlight” opens the record with guitars chiming as van Dorst’s velvety voice booms, especially over the chorus when she calls, “When will you stop pouring starlight over me?” before later noting, “I’ve never seen fortune in your flames.” “Wolf Moon” has a tempered start, pushing through with another great chorus that follows mesmerizing verses. Keys drip in later while the singing remains top notch before bowing out on the chorus. The title track follows, running over 8:25, slipping into gothy waters, as van Dorst delivers higher-register singing than usual. “The Well’s Run Dry” bursts in as van Dorst delivers deeper singing before the playing heads off to the sun. A wave of eerie speaking flows into mind-altering soloing as the playing spreads out, intoxicating before fading into chills. “Dust & Shadow” ends the record, pulling from “What Dreams May Come,” shimmering and floating off into the cosmos. “I stand before infinity, it calls to me,” van Dorst wails as the playing continues to gain momentum, the volume floods, and the track disappears into a black hole. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve listened to this record, and its heavy rotation won’t end any time soon. (April 10)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://prophecy.lnk.to/dool-summerland

For more on the label, go here: https://en.prophecy.de/

11. MARE COGNITUM/SPECTRAL LORE, “Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine” (Entropic Recordings/I, Voidhanger): Every year, this one included, we do a feature on the best EPs and split efforts of the previous 12 months because they generally don’t qualify for the album of the year list. But we make exceptions, and Mare Cognitum and Spectral Lore absolutely forced our hand with their incredible joint effort “Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine,” that pays homage to the planets of our home galaxy. The album is a total beast at an hour and 55 minutes (falling five minutes short of the longest album on our list), and every chapter is a master class in atmospheric black metal and spacious power.

“Mercury (The Virtuous)” has Spectral Lore starting off the collection with a storm whipping, which very well could be solar, before the track builds and colors rush. Finally, the playing begins to ravage as Ayloss’ screams destroy, and the pace is relentless. Mare Cognitum deliver “Venus (The Priestess),” a 12:27-long track that greets you with elegant playing and a breath of calm before a huge deluge lands, and Jacob Buczarski’s vocals cut through that. Heat melts into the fog and mist, as a freezing gaze pushes through smashing and smearing, and the playing wells up. He follows that with rousing “Jupiter (The Giant), a 15:05-long cosmic storm, while Spectral Lore have another powerful highlight in “Saturn (The Rebel)” and envelopes you in shadowy darkness. The two units unite at the end of the collection with collaborative cuts “Pluto (The Gatekeeper)” parts 1 and 2, the first an instrumental, the second a full-bore excursion to the galaxy’s edge. This record is a monster, but you should carve out the time to experience it front to back for maximum effect. (March 13)

For more on Spectral Lore, go here: https://www.facebook.com/spectral.lorebm

For more on Mare Cognitum, go here: https://www.facebook.com/MareCognitumMusic/

To buy the album, go here: http://i-voidhanger.com/shop/

Or here: https://marecognitum.bandcamp.com/album/wanderers-astrology-of-the-nine

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

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

20. NECROT, “Mortal” (Tankcrimes): Death metal is in pretty good health despite its name, and the amount of good newer bands help making it that way is plentiful. No doubt Bay Area maulers Necrot are part of that contingent, and their second record “Mortal” is a huge part of why they’re so highly regarded. This record, which is seven tracks over 38 minutes, is an ideally portioned record that’s incredibly impactful on first listen and then keeps gaining muscle every time you visit.

“Your Hell” churns open and begins pounding away heavily, as Luca Indrio’s growl’s open lacerations, and the drums mash your life into pieces. “Dying Life” thrashes away as the growls lean in and start bruising, and the guitar work takes off and leads to rapid-fire dizziness. “Asleep Forever” starts in a vicious spiral as the guitars encircle, and gruff growls up the ante on the sickness. Guitars light up and rip out guts along with the chorus where Indrio howls, “Everything leads to the end when we’ll be asleep forever.” The record ends with the 8:33-long title track that explodes from the gates with riffs menacing and raw growls choking as Indrio howls, “Mortal dies, lost, carried away, mortal dies, everything fades away.” Great, timeless death metal album that’ll be remembered as one of the era’s best. (Aug. 28)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://tankcrimes.merchtable.com/?

For more on the label, go here: http://www.tankcrimes.com/

19. VÖLUR, “Death Cult” (Prophecy Productions): Creativity and imagination certainly are two things not devoid in metal, but some bands have it in greater numbers than others. As for Toronto-based trio Völur, they bring something entirely new to the heavy music world and always have, and that explodes through the roof on their amazing third album “Death Cult.” The record was partially inspired by Germanic tribes near the Baltic Sea in the earliest days of A.D. sacrificing slaves via drowning to their goddess Nertha, and it’s a dramatic, sweeping album that sounds like no others.

“Inviolate Grove” begins with electric violinist Laura Bates’ strings sweltering as the playing begins to pump, and melodies enrapture. Both Bates and bassist Lucas Gadke sing (they trade off throughout the record) as the violin makes inroads into your soul. Dead Moon” simmers in eerie choral circles and a bed of strings. The first portion is rather calming, with the violin quietly shuffling like a ghost before they begin to soar and ache. Bates’ shrieks then strike and tear through flesh as the playing is utterly gut wrenching. “Reverend Queen” is your closer, bathing in feedback before the strings loop in, and a choral section opens its jaws. Things turn ugly as the growls hammer, melodies stir, and Bates’ violin strikes back and blares with agitation. No one sounds like Völur, and no one should really try. They’re that special. (Nov. 13)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://prophecy.lnk.to/voelur-death-cult

For more on the label, go here: https://en.prophecy.de/

18. SVALBARD, “When I Die, Will It Get Better?” (Translation Loss/Church Road): Svalbard’s second record is one of the most necessary listens of the entire year for two reasons, one good and one bad. First, their fresh and enthralling mix of metal and hardcore found another level on “When I Die…” as it just explodes with energy and power. The negative is the album highlights so many societal issues (sexism, abuse, people ignoring others’ mental wounds) we still are battling and apparently always will be that it makes it feel like pure darkness to realize these problems never seem to get proper attention. Hopefully Svalbard’s messages can wake people up, while their raucous music aims to soothe the soul and light fires among those who hurt along with them.

“Clickbait” opens in moodiness as darkness spreads, and then the whole thing explodes as guitarist Serena Cherry’s voice smashes over the verses, leading into the venomous, “We are used as fodder to generate comments, because the presence of a woman is apparently reactive, fuck off!” “Listen to Someone” is one of the most important tracks here lyrically, as it conveys the hurt and confusion of mental illness coupled with people who just won’t absorb their words. “Silent Restraint” quakes the ground as Cherry’s voice blasts holes in the earth, and guitarist Liam Phelan joins in with his melodic, powerful singing, as both trade back and forth. “I’m sick of feeling like a burden, I’m sick of having no control.” “The Currency of Beauty” pours open as Cherry immediately stabs into the scene, calling, “I am not your trophy, I am more than my body,” while the track gears up and crushes everything in front of it. This band is on fire through this entire record both musically and emotionally, and hopefully they can help break into people’s black hearts and give them a much-needed slap to the face. (Sept. 25)

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

To buy the album (US), go here: https://translationloss.com/collections/pre-orders

Or here (UK): https://churchroadrecords.limitedrun.com/categories/pre-order

Or here (Japan): http://store.tokyojupiterrecords.com/#_=_

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

And here: https://churchroadrecords.limitedrun.com/

And here: https://tokyojupiterrecords.com/

17. BEDSORE, “Hypnagogic Hallucinations” (20 Buck Spin): We just got done talking about the embarrassing riches of death metal we have right now, and Italian weirdos Bedsore also are a major reason for that, as their bizarre debut “Hypnagogic Hallucinations” can attest. This was one of those records I liked from the first time I heard it, but the more I took on this seven-track, 40-minute album, the pathways into its psychosis and the bizarre ferocity truly took hold, making it one of my favorites of the year.

“The Gate, Disclosure (Intro)” opens the record with organs sweltering and the drums awakening before a synth fog hovers over the area. Things feel proggy and weird before elegant guitars unfurl, and we float into a psychedelic dream and toward “The Gate, Closure (Sarcoptes Obitus)” where guitars heat up and enter a death spiral. “Deathgazer” has riffs electrifying as the tempo stomps guts, and the playing stymies. Animalistic howls jab into your sides while the pace chews up again, leads boil and moisten your skin, and then things start to rip apart again before ending abruptly. “Disembowelment of the Souls (Tabanidae)” aggravates blues strains again, floating in your head, then guitars burn, and the screams become acidic. The playing feels like a slow-droning crash for a stretch as guitars light up again, and the ground rumbles. Closer “Brains on the Tarmac” then lurches forward as things begin reflectively as cold guitars slowly awaken into a dark noir and things gallop open, as maniacal devastation sets its trap. This is devious and ugly and will leave chills down your spine that refuse to relinquish their grip. (July 24)

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

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

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

16. VILE CREATURE, “Glory, Glory! Apathy Took the Helm!” (Prosthetic): Hamilton, Ontario, duo Vile Creature always have filled their apocalyptic doom with heavy shadows and darkness, something so impenetrable that it weighs you down while destroying you. Yet, on their awesome third record “Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!” they aim for something different, that being lighting the fires of human compassion and refusing to de drubbed into malaise when things seem to be too much. Vic (drums, vocals) and KW (guitars, vocals, percussion) still find darkness, but they work their hardest to make sure they don’t give in.

“Harbinger of Nothing” opens the record in the midst of a crushing storm as doom lands, and burly riffs flex their muscles. The track then settles into a mid-tempo bashing that hints at calm but quivers on its edges as Vic wails, “Tell me who I am, if you’re all knowing, the arbiter of moral purity.” “When the Path Is Unclear” has guitars awakening as things slip into a trippy vibe, and melodies drip into space buzz. Vic speaks the words, “The champions of your past conquered nothing, and neither will you.” A two-headed beast “Glory, Glory!” and “Apathy Took the Helm!” closes off the record with some of the most emotionally heavy playing of the entire year, as they’re joined by Laurel Minnes with her band and choir Miniscule, and they make it feel like the world is beginning again, like drops of sky are falling. On the second half, Vic’s vicious shrieks rain down as they also mutilate behind the kit, thickening the doom waters with blood. Angelic hell rises to the surface and seems to quell the fires before everything kicks back in again. Vile Creature followed this great record with spending 2020 giving their fans fun surprises at every turn, making this terrible time a little more bearable.  (June 19)

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

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

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

30. PAYSAGE D’HIVER, “Im Wald” (Kunsthall Produktionen): Swiss black metal project Paysage D’Hiver has been in existence since 1997, but 2020 finally brought us the band’s first full-length “Im Wald,” a 13-track, TWO-HOUR display of wintry, noise-scuffed black metal that really is quite the handful. Yes, taking on this entire record at once isn’t a wise choice based on the sheer girth of this thing, but however you take it on, you’ll find wondrous, nightmarish, freezing black metal that sole creator Wintherr has been dreaming about for years. (Jan. 25)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://en.kunsthall.spkr.media/

For more on the label, go here: https://kunsthall.ch/

29. DRAINBOW, “The Tower of Flints” (self-released): Nicholas Sarcophagus, why are you trying to destroy us? “The Tower of Flints,” his debut record under the Drainbow moniker, isn’t just one of the most batshit insane metal records of 2020, it’s one of craziest things I ever heard. And it’s a wonder to behold and experience, which you’ll likely do with cocked head the whole time, as tracks including “Funeral for an Imaginary Rabbit,” “The Death Owl in the Tower of Flints,” and “Callipygian Hunger” callously poke you in the eyes and insult your panic attack. (July 7)

For more on the band or to buy the album, go here: https://drainbow1.bandcamp.com/

28. ORANSSI PAZUZU, “Mestarin Kynsi” (Nuclear Blast): Finnish wonders Oranssi Pazuzu brought some maniacal psychedelic trauma into our world with their fifth album “Mestarin Kynsi,” their first for giant Nuclear Blast. Yet, the new, larger label didn’t impact their creativity or Krautrock-fueled weirdness as they continue to push into alien terrain on this six-track, 50-minute record that further solidifies this band as one of the most imaginative and entrancing in all of metal. Oh, and when you can again, see them live and be blow away. (April 17)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.nuclearblast.com/en/shop/index.html

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

27. ULTHAR, “Providence” (20 Buck Spin): These Bay Area brawlers upped the ante on their second album “Providence,” an eight-track, 37-minute piledriver of a display that never relents. The band piles layers of vicious, pointed destruction that digs inside your nerves and chews them up so you can feel the same horrors that punish every corner of the world in which this record inhabits on tracks such as “Undying Spear,” the tumultuous title track, and “Narcissus Drowning.” Just a killer record.  (June 12)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Ulthar-386850314846106/

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

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

26. FORMER WORLDS, “Iterations of Time” (Init): Former Worlds make music that you can get inside of psychologically and take the emotional journey along with the band, as their great debut “Iterations of Time” will make clear right away. Combining vocals from Erin Severson and a session vocalist brought in for the vocal tradeoff, the band creates music that can align with your blood cells and grow in light and dark such “Spectre,” “Variations on a Cave,” and epic closer “Widow Moon” that’s treated with their brand of sludgy doom.  (Jan. 31)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://initrecords.corecommerce.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.initrecords.net/

25. CANIS DIRUS, “Independence to the Beast” (Bindrune Recordings): Minnesota black metal duo Canis Dirus hadn’t released a new album in eight long years, but “Independence to the Beast” ended that string, and the world is better for it. This six-track crusher feels explosive and raw at the same time, a new blast of fury from two guys (vocalist Rob Hames, multi-instrumentalist Todd Paulson) who take their time and craft their work to their own specifications. This is forestal black metal designed to bring out the wolf that lives within you. (March 6)

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

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

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

24. WAR ON WOMEN, “Wonderful Hell” (Bridge 9): Punk/metal firebreathers War on Women have been battling against injustice, sexism, and abuse for years, and they keep bringing that fight on “Wonderful Hell,” their best record so far. As much as this album revels in the hell the Trump admin created, it also infuses the music with hope and a stuff kick in the ass to keep working and never forget what dragged us here so we can ensure it never happens again, with a blistering vocal performance delivered by the great Shawna Potter. Highlights are opener “Aqua Tofana” “This Stolen Land,” justified punch back “Her?” and dark closer “Demon.” (Oct. 30)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.b9store.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.bridge9.com/

23. EYE OF NIX, “Ligeia” (Prophecy Productions): “Ligeia,” the third full-length from mind-warping progressive metal machine Eye of Nix, is almost like standing in the eye of the storm, trying to figure out which way you’ll be forced. Named after one of the sirens in Greek mythology that lured sailors to their demise, the record has its moments of dark seduction that pull you into devastating waves. Joy Von Spain is spellbinding as always going from beastly to angelic, and the stirring progressive doom the band creates just keeps getting more immersive and wondrous. This is ideal music to take on when you’re in the midst of heavy storming. (June 19)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://prophecy.lnk.to/eye-of-nix-ligeia

For more on the label, go here: https://en.prophecy.de/

22. AARA, “En Ergô Einia” (Debemur Morti): The first thing that really struck me about Swiss black metal duo Aara’s second record is the total wave of melodies that lap up and practically pull you under. “En Ergô Einia” delivers five tracks in about 33 minutes and adds a sense of effusive power into what’s otherwise a sub-genre that revels in utter negativity. Vocalist Fluss and multi-instrumentalist Berg soar on imaginative, crushing tracks such as “Arkanum,” “Stein Auf Stein,” and bursting closer “Telôs,” which brings to an end a record that won’t let you drown in the shadows. (April 3)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Aara-941630312665011/

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/

21. FEMINAZGUL, “No Dawn for Men” (self-released): The incel babies have had a real fit with this record, which we absolutely fucking love, because anything that upsets those weaklings pleases us. But “No Dawn for Men” also packs passionate, destructive moments as trio of lead vocalist Laura Beach, multi-instrumentalist Margaret Killjoy, and violinist/theremin player/vocalist Meredith Yayanos packs savagery, sorrow, and ridiculous amounts of melody into their ashy black metal that refused to let a virus prevent its entry into the world. We just love “Illa, Mother of Death,” “Bury the Antler With the Stag” and “Forgiver, I Am Not Yours,” though every track kills. (March 17)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://feminazgul.bandcamp.com/album/no-dawn-for-men

Or here (vinyl): https://tridroid.bandcamp.com/

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

40. SKELETAL REMAINS, “The Entombment of Chaos” (Century Media): California death metal squad made their full Century Media debut with “The Entombment of Chaos,” a skull splitter of a record that is the most cohesive of the band’s four albums. Everything on here screams true death as they pound out 11 tracks in 48 minutes, one of those an Disincarnate cover. They rip through “Illusive Divinity,” “Tombs of Chaos,” “Enshrined in Agony,” and “Eternal Hatred” on this complete monster of a record that effectively cracks skulls. (Sept. 11)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.cmdistro.com/

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

39. LOTUS THIEF, “Oresteia” (Prophecy Productions): This year has been so long and bizarre that it feels like Lotus Thief’s wondrous “Oresteia” came out five years ago rather than one. That said, the Bezaelith-led band added more male vocals to their mix, bringing multiple perspectives to this progressive and spellbinding music that retells the Greek tragedy of the album’s namesake that tackles issues such as the ethics of killing to the emphasis of gender roles. As always, the music is heavy, stirring, and wonderfully atmospheric, and it deserves another trip if you haven’t been in a while. (Jan. 10)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://prophecy.lnk.to/lotus-thief-oresteia-rervm

or more on the label, go here: https://en.prophecy.de/

38. WAYFARER, “A Romance With Violence” (Profound Lore): Hailing from Denver, cinematic black metal machine Wayfarer dug even deeper into the Old West and cowboy mythos on their great fourth record. The two “Gallows Frontier” sections make up the bulk of the record’s first half and leaves you choking with dust before they round to “Fire and Gold” and the sprawling closer “Vaudeville” that puts a bloody dagger into the record’s soul. Awesome display by a great band. (Oct. 16)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://profoundlorerecords.merchtable.com/?

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

37. PYRRHON, “Abscess Time” (Willowtip): When Clark Griswold demands Tylenol after his raged rant on “Christmas Vacation,” it sort of reminds me of how I felt after tackling Pyrrhon’s insane new album “Abscess Time.” Look, this band isn’t for the faint of heart and never has been, but holy shit do they ever turn up the psychological torture on this 12-track, 58-minute monster that lays waste to you. “Down at Liberty Ashes,” “The Lean Years,” “Cornered Animal” and “Rat King Lifecycle” are absolutely what you need if you’re trying to turn that panic attack up to full blast. (June 26)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.willowtip.com/bands/details/pyrrhon.aspx

For more on the label, go here: https://www.willowtip.com/home.aspx

36. LIE IN RUINS, “Floating in Timeless Streams” (Dark Descent): Finnish death squad Lie in Ruins pulled back from the extra generous serving they offered on “Towards Divine Death” with a slim, trim, utterly devastating new record “Floating in Timeless Streams.” While the record is shorter, they don’t skimp on the brutality as they put you to the test on 10 tracks that run an economical 42 minutes, every second of which is spent battering you. (Nov. 20)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/store/

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

35. FUCK THE FACTS, “Pleine Noirceur” (Noise Salvation): Canadian grinders Fuck the Facts never really stayed in their lane when it comes to their sound, and that’s made the band one of the more interesting and inventive in all of heavy music. The band’s 10^th full-length album and first in five years expanded their sound even further, keeping their roots in place but liberally branching out on these 12 tracks and 42 minutes. The trio rips a hole in time, they show ferocious dexterity, and vocalist Mel Mongeon sounds as beastly as ever. (Nov. 20)

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

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

34. SUMOKEM, “Prajnaparadha” (self-released): In Sanskrit, “Prajnaparadha,” means a crime against wisdom, something that prevents us from achieving enlightenment, and it’s the title of and thematic element woven in Sumokem’s excellent third record. The songs here really soar, taking your emotions and spirit along with them as they bring their stoner-friendly doom to new heights on “Nihang,” Sadhu” and closer “Khizer.” This is their best record in an already stellar collection, so get on this if you haven’t and get ready for an adventure. (Sept. 4)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://sumokem.bandcamp.com/

33. ADZES, “No One Wants to Speak About It” (Tridroid): Forest Bohrer is fighting the good battle against issues such as human and environmental issues as well as the thrust of capitalism that has crushed so many, and he’s doing so with his project Adzes, whose debut full-length “No One Wants to Speak About It” dealt a massive offensive. He blends all sorts of sounds here from black metal to noise to punk to doom on this heavily enriching record that’ll fan the flames of frustration in your heart and mind as you battle along with this heavily righteous eight-track, 50-minute mauler. (May 29)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://tridroid.bandcamp.com/

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

32. ETERNAL CHAMPION, “Ravening Iron” (No Remorse): Austin’s Eternal Champion practically are the living embodiment of heavy metal glory, drawing back to the years when this style of music was still bubbling liquid waiting to be poured. On their masterful second record, the band blasts out anthem after anthem from amazing opener “A Face in the Glare,” “War at the Edge of the End,” “The Godblade,” and the smoldering title track. This band has created their own fantastical world, and they’re handing you the sword to battle alongside them. (Nov. 6)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.noremorse.gr/products?searching=eternal%20champion%20ravening

For more on the label, go here: https://www.noremorse.gr/

31. KAATAYRA, “Toda História pela Frente” (self-released): Brazilian musician Caio Lemos has done the unthinkable, which is create a black metal record that can take you away into the world of maximum meditation. But just calling this album, one of two Kaatayra for the year, black metal is selling it too short as he also works in psychedelics, Brazilian folk, and tribal melodies into something that feels more like an excursion into a plane beyond your own on one of the most immersive metal albums of the year. Turn this on, turn off the lights, and get lost in your dreams. (Aug. 18)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://kaatayra.bandcamp.com/album/toda-hist-ria-pela-frente

KHEMMIS, “Doomed Heavy Metal” (20 Buck Spin): You’ve got to be a real son of a bitch to cover Dio’s all-time classic “Rainbow in the Dark” and think you’re going to do it justice, but damnit if Khemmis didn’t pull it off expertly. That’s just the opening track on their Record Store Day release “Doomed Heavy Metal” (which was pushed back due to you know what), and elsewhere they add their own glorious fingertips to “A Conversation With Death” and include their Decibel flexi single “Empty Throne” as well as three great live cuts on their 20 Buck Spin swan song. (April 17)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/doomed-heavy-metal

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

ANHEDONIST/SPECTRAL VOICE, split (Dark Descent): Combining a band we lost too soon with one of the best death metal bands on the planet, this split brought together sinister power and unrelenting darkness. Anhedonist bowed out in 2014 after one record, and sadly, guitarist Kim Harrington passed away this year, but they left us “Abject Darkness” that reminded of their coal-black power. Spectral Voice take you right into the heart of cosmic violence on “Ineffable Winds,” a reminder that they remain one of the sub-genre’s heaviest hitters. (Feb. 12)

For more on Anhedonist, go here: https://anhedonist.blogspot.com/

For more on Spectral Voice, go here:  https://www.facebook.com/Necroticdoom/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/store/

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

VULGARITE, “Fear Not the Dark Nor the Sun’s Return” (self-released): Margaret Killjoy had quite the productive year, first with this pitch-black nightmare “Fear Not the Dark…,” as well as her work with Feminazgul, who we’ll visit again in a few days. But this EP that struck at the turn of the year actually ideally encapsulated the hell we were about to endure with tracks such as ghostly opener “What Curse Comes This Way,” the strange miasma of “His Words Are a Void,” and atmospheric closer “A Decade, a Prophecy” that’ll chill you to the bone. (Jan. 6)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/vulgaarite/ To buy the album, go here: https://vulgarite.bandcamp.com/releases

MORTIFERUM/HYPERDONTIA, split (Carbonized Records/Me Saco Un Ojo): This destroyer is still fresh in our memories as we just talked about this devastating split pitting Washington’s Mortiferum against international destroyers Hyperdontia. The bands bring their best, splattering you with relentless death that simmers in doomy waters as far as Mortiferum is concerned and absolute hell when it comes to Hyperdontia. Two tracks and a little more than 13 minutes are all you need to have your face bruised and your psyche permanently scarred. (Dec. 7)

For more on Hyperdontia, go here: https://www.facebook.com/hyperdontia

For more on Mortiferum, go here: https://mortiferum.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://carbonizedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mortiferum-hyperdontia

Or here: https://mesacounojo.bandcamp.com/album/split-7-3

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

And here: https://www.mesacounojo.com/

LYCHGATE, “Also Sprach Futura” (Debemur Morti): Taking breaks between full-length efforts, the strange and enigmatic Lychgate pulled into Debemur Morti’s shores and delivered this spellbinding four-track EP that’s equal mix black metal horror and organ-driven insanity. Nothing this band does ever comes free of musical drama, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. They chill and splatter on imaginative songs such as deadly opener “Incarnate,” mind-bending “Simulacrum,” and rushing closer “Vanity Ablaze” that might as well soundtrack a real-life haunted house. (March 13)

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

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/

Other EPs and splits we loved: Auroch, “Stolen Angelic Tongues”; Body Void/Keeper split; Carcass, “Despicable”; High Command, “Everlasting Torment”; Old Nick, “Witch of the Northern Vill” and “No Solace in Sunlight”; Putrescine, “Devourer of Gods” and “Reek of Putrescine”; Throane, “Une Balle Dans le Pied”

We’ve said it from the start that though this is a site dedicated to heavy metal, to only immerse yourself in that type of music would be incredibly boring. There’s a lot going on outside of that massive realm, and we wanted to highlight some of the records we really loved this year that deserve praise. There are a few albums I want to mention that we didn’t write up below—Fiona Apple’s “Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” Waxahatchee’s “Saint Cloud,” Phoebe Bridgers’ “Punisher”—that we just adored, but they’ve been written about in pretty much every publications’ lists. So, yes, we love and own them, but let’s look at 10 other records that are absolute must haves as well. These are listed alphabetically.

MOANING, “Uneasy Laughter” (Sub Pop): The icy, synthy, sometimes claustrophobic music made by this LA-based trio really peaked on “Uneasy Laughter,” their great second record. The music also is driving and impossibly catchy quite often as songs such as “Ego,” “Fall in Love,” and “Connect the Dots” can attest. You get the feeling a lot is going on in their psyches, much of it dark, and it came across brilliantly on this album. (March 20)  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://megamart.subpop.com/

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

MIDWIFE, “Forever” (Flenser Records): Madeline Johnson terms her music as “heaven metal,” and while it’s not particularly loud, it can definitely make you feel like you’re existing on a different plane. This record, her second under the Midwife banner, was written in remembrance of her friend and creative partner Colin Ward, and it’s gripping, emotional, and devastating front to back. (April 10)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Midwife-1544620965823272/

To buy the album, go here: https://nowflensing.com/collections/flenser-releases

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

MRS PISS, “Self-Surgery” (Sargent House): It’s not like Chelsea Wolfe and Jess Gowrie make easy-to-digest music for the most part, but their alliance here on noise-mashed “Self-Surgery” is the most abrasive work of either of their careers. It could have been at home on the metal list, but we felt it belonged better here. It’s a blast that’s over fast, but you pay the price over and over again on “Downer Surrounded by Uppers,” “Knelt,” and the title cut. (May 29)

For more on the band, go here: https://sargenthouse.com/mrs-piss

To buy the album, go here: https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/sargent-house

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

MARGO PRICE, “That’s How Rumors Get Started” (Loma Vista): Whatever the fuck most people call country music is about the worst shit ever, but there are great artists operating away from the influence of the CMA who are making fantastic art. Margo Price is one of them, and her awesome third record is the portrait of a bad-ass woman battling broken heart, pain, assholes, and misunderstandings, coming out of it bruised but tougher than ever. (July 10)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://bodega.lomavistarecordings.com/collections/margo-price

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

PURITY RING, “Womb” (4AD): I admittedly was kind of worried about Canadian electro pop duo Purity Ring after their second record “Another Eternity” fell really flat for me five years ago. “Womb” is more of the alien fog weirdness and psychedelic sugar they introduced on “Shrines” but worlds apart, as they just shine on “rubyinsides,” “peacefall,” “silkspun,” and “stardew,” one of the best album closers of the year. Also, Megan James could sing the back of a cereal box and be absolutely otherworldly. (April 3):

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

To buy the album, go here: https://4ad.com/store

For more on the label, go here: https://4ad.com/

ULVER, “Flowers of Evil” (House of Mythology): It’s still funny putting Ulver on a non-metal list, but the days of their black metal trilogy are way behind us, and we’re solidly entrenched in their synth-driven rock, which again just nails it on “Flowers of Evil.” There is darkness, death, cults, and even a dream into their past on this incredibly infectious record, peaking on “Russian Doll,” “Hour of the Wolf,” “Apocalypse 1993,” and pain-drenched closer “A Thousand Cuts.” (Aug. 28)

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

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

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

US GIRLS, “Heavy Light” (4AD): Meg Remy has that rare gift of being able to put out an entire album of songs that all have distinct personalities and sound nothing like each other, yet they work so perfectly as a whole. This is her finest moment yet, and “4 America Dollars” is in the conversation for one of the best songs of the entire year. But there’s plenty of good stuff here including hot “Overtime,” “Born to Lose,” and “The Quiver to the Bomb” that’ll get you moving and then gut you. (March 6):

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

To buy the album, go here: https://4ad.com/store

For more on the label, go here: https://4ad.com/

KATIE VON SCHLEICHER, “Consummation” (Ba Da Bing): Immersing yourself in Katie Von Schleicher’s world demands a commitment to her psychedelic darkness and allowing yourself to be washed away by her alluring voice and wonderfully dreamy music. “Consummation” is loosely based on an alternative version of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, and it has so many arresting moments including “You Remind Me,” “Loud,” “Brutality,” and “Nowhere,” which is one of my favorite songs of the entire year. (May 22)

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

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

For more on the label, go here: http://www.badabingrecords.com/

WAILING STORMS, “Rattle” (Gilead Media): This band is here to shake your cages, which “Rattle” does over and over again. In fact, if the title track doesn’t grab you and hold you under, then I wonder about your ability to feel emotion because it’s a pounder. The band claims they jammed grunge, doom, rock, and blues into their mix, and you can hear that on every bursting edge of “Rope,” “Grass,” “Teeth,” and “Crow.” This is a record you’re required to play on whatever top volume you can achieve, other people’s feelings be damned. (May 15)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/rattle

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

JESS WILLIAMSON, “Sorceress” (Mexican Summer): Jess Williamson’s great fourth record “Sorceress” was a revelation to me. I didn’t know much about her before this album came out, and I was pulled right in by the woodsy title track, complete with her pantomiming whip sounds and ending with an exhilarated “wooo!” Elsewhere, there are country-flavored folk tracks such as “Wind on Tin,” “How Ya Lonesome,” breezy “As the Birds Are,” and “Smoke,” where she drops, “Every couple months, I like to be bad,” as she saunters off to break you. (May 15)

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://www.mexicansummer.com/

We’ve come to the end of what has been an utterly miserable, terrifying, infuriating, and crushing year, and this is our final review of 2020, as well as the last Pick of the Week for these awful 12 months. May this year rot in disease and filth and be burned in the annals of time. But we still have a bit more business to conduct, so let’s end this shit with one hell of a bizarre record.

“Devotionals” is the fourth record from Oakland-based doom story weavers Cardinal Wyrm, and this collection might be their most mind-numbing yet. You’re never going to get conventional from this band, and we’re forever thankful for that, but this one took me a few trips before I fully wrapped my arms around it. But it finally sunk in, something that matches the effects of their previous albums, and I was completely engulfed in the madness they create on this eight-track, 50-minute opus. The band—vocalist/drummer Pranjal Tiwari, guitarist/vocalist Nathan A. Verrill, bassist/vocalist Leila Abdul-Rauf—takes each track and sets up an entirely different world for each, feeling like they’re drawing from stories and lessons of ages past that remains applicable in today’s fragile society. Yet it all works together as a whole, as wonderfully maddening as it can be at times.

“Gannet” starts the record on a zany path, making you question your decisions, as Tiwari howls, “Something else is here with me, in the dark I feel its weight,” as the track wrenches. Cool soloing lights up the horizons and makes you wonder if you’re about to be swallowed by a beast before gnarly vocals strike, and everything comes to a fittingly weird end. “Mrityunjaya” strikes with trudging power, chanted yells, and warm soloing that hovers in the air. “Hex upon the weakened!” Tiwari repeats with deranged power as the bass thickens, and the psychedelic clouds get so close, you can taste them. The vocals then sprawl, the pace slurs, and we brawl to a finish. “Imposter” starts clean with higher-register vocals and an uncomfortable vibe that’s both dizzying and violent. The drunken playing melts away and gets kind of jazzy, with the bass slithering dangerously before a strong solo burns brightly. The track bustles as clean calls spark, and everything crawls to an eerie end. “Selimesh” is just a mind fuck in the best way with riffs confounding and the playing scrambling your brains. The wild yelps of, “In gog magog!” are impossible to get out of your head and revel in Biblical barbarism while Abdul-Rauf’s vocals add more texture and keep the song sweltering. Things pile up, the guitars scorch flesh, and the track ends in a trail of its own ash.

“Canticle” brings churning guitars and an essence of coolness that shows a different side to this madness. The chorus is another killer with Tiwari calling, “And when you are lost, I’ll be the star you see, so many have found their way to the grave with me.” The guitars then explore before unleashing devastating soloing, leaving one more strike for the chorus before mauling to the end. “Abbess” is another standout, crunching and spiraling into weirdness as the verses warble. “And when she’s dancing on our graves, drunk upon the world she’s made, we’ll know this game was rigged to lose,” Tiwari warns as weird bellowing strikes, and burly power pushes through. The leads lather as the verses add to the intrigue, and Abdul-Rauf viciously growling the track’s title as the song rushes out. “Nightmarchers” cuts in with a classic power metal-style riff that darkens with the barked words. Weighty sludge and speak-like vocals mix with the heavy crunch, adding muscle and glimmering wonder before the door is slammed shut. “Do We Have Another Battle Left in Us” is your closer, and it melts in with chilling bass and a psychological edge, merging into Pink Floyd-style flesh crawling. “But do we have another round? Do we have, our spirits getting thinner, do we have, this fading town, do we have, a place among the sinners?” Tiwari wonders with anxiety as harder punches are thrown, and things continue barreling out of control. The lyrics are lengthy and involved and too much to fully cover here, but at the end, Tiwari calls, “So damn them all, we’ll find escape, with clouds of green and walls of ice, a final place beyond this world, for this we’ll make our sacrifice,” hoping for some kind of salvation as the track ends in illuminated, heated embers.  

It’s fitting we end a tumultuous, chaotic year with this record, Cardinal Wyrm’s deliriously bizarre, dramatic doom throwback “Devotionals,” the most aggressive and ambitious of their four albums. This record won’t be for everyone, and I’m sure they know that, but for those who connect, they likely will hard and with force. This is a captivating, peculiar record that injects some fun back into metal but also leaves you psychologically flattened, which you might find yourself deviously enjoying.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Cardinal-Wyrm-157603967620024/

To buy the album, go here: https://cardinalwyrm.bandcamp.com/album/devotionals,

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

The element of mystery is something that’s largely gone in the world of heavy metal as social media has stripped away a lot of the puzzle (remember when we didn’t know who was in Ghost?), and therefore we get to know more about the individuals behind the music and what makes them tick. It’s a nice quality, but it’s also alluring when we can’t see behind the curtain.

Australian black metal force EOS are like phantoms in the night, albeit really loud and terrifying ones, and their debut record “The Great Ascension” is horrifying and nightmarish. In fact, if you look at the band photo, they kind of look like they’re about to drop a rap album, but don’t let that fool you. These three masked figures have been working on their great opus for several years now, and it is a savage, yet thought-provoking work, something that mars your psyche and drags you on a strange journey through the excesses, tragedies, and evils of humankind that have their hooks in all of us.

The title track hammers open, splattering the walls with blood as the vocals gurgle, and grisly playing increases the pressure. The playing allows trickles of melody into the DNA as maniacal howls devastate, and group wails sicken as the song blazes out. “Valkyrie” has gruff vocals and the drums utterly pummeling as melody spills into the darkness. Vicious howls destroy while guitars flood the senses with gigantic ruffs, wrenching hell heats up dangerously, and everything ends in brute force. “Amour Propre” opens in grinding chaos as insane howls spit shrapnel, and black metal-level melodies darken the skies. Detached calls open a trance as shadows thicken, and everything burns to ash.

“Draugar” simmers in its juices as the vocals tears open flesh, and the relentless pace puts you in imminent danger. Heavy and slurry, the track turns you inside out, leaving battered limbs behind as the roars push and the leads heat up, stabbing toward an abrupt end. “Memento Mori” heats up as glorious riffs glimmer, and then shit just rams open the castle walls. Drums hammer as the vocals are delivered through gritted teeth, and then the playing loses its mind and swings sharpened blades. Leads spiral, making the room spin, while everything barrels toward a vicious end. “Black Winter Bloodbath” brings choked riffs and drums drubbing hard while the growls creak out as if from a dusty crypt. The ferocity then multiplies as the melody rushes in waves, the playing stampedes, and everything ends in a pile of muscle and sinew. “Illumination and Will” ends the record and delivers a sprawling assault that causes disorientation. The vocals unleash hell while the black metal streaks smear grease, bringing a grittier pace as throaty vocal snarls poke wounds. The heat continues to increase while the pace takes apart skeletal structures, ripping out its own guts and blasting to the end.

EOS’s mysterious guise and relentless black metal make “The Great Ascension” a perplexing but rewarding listen. It took me a few visits to really explore the peaks and valleys these Aussie freaks have woven into this creation, and ultimately that amplified my enjoyment level. Black metal has been at oversaturation for quite some time now, but EOS prove that it’s still possible to make morbid waves in this subgenre and create something creepy and memorable.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/eos.black.metal

To buy the album, go here: https://brilliantemperor.bigcartel.com/product/eos-the-great-ascension-lp

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

Forgive the brutal assault on the dead horse, but December is not a dead zone for music, and a major reason why I don’t rush my final top 40 of the year is I wait until I have properly processed everything I need to hear. I’m lucky in that way in that this is a site and not a print publication with a long lead time on getting lists done, so I can fully appreciate everything that comes deep in the year.

One of those records that definitely should not be allowed to fly under the radar is “Radiant Abyss,” the debut from New Orleans-based maulers Kavyk who pile doom, death, and strange atmospherics into their five-track, 42-minute assault. Formed with members of Barghest, the band—vocalist/guitarist Troy Bennett, guitarist Max Kimmons, bassist Brian Eiermann, drummer AJ Martinez—combines similar elements of filth and chaos you find with that project, but there’s such a heavy cosmic vibe to all of this that it manages to capture the imagination while also delivering heavy bludgeoning. That makes this crusher a pretty damn great time, and a smothering one at that.

“Radiant Abyss” opens with a drubbing rumble and vicious death growls ripping from Bennett’s bowels. The track then adds a heavy dose of space dust, one of the factors that makes this record as fun as it is vicious, as a huge charge comes from the stars. The drums crumble wills as the vocals ramp up, and melody combines with a feral surge to add an exclamation point at the end. “Cathartic Voices” runs a healthy 9:40 and starts with warmth before the tempo is torn to shreds, and chaos begins to reign. Vicious growls and a trucking pace lead into muck pockets and then a psychedelic fog, and out of that, things heat up in a hurry, the playing trudges, and everything hurtles toward a hungry black hole.  

“Civilized” is a beefy 8:58, and it rips through the atmosphere, bringing menace and trudging haymakers. The playing pounds away and promises bruising while that washes over planetary force, jarring you awake with the drums clobbering. Bennett’s shrieks mar time, leveling into atmospheric pressure, sweltering guitars, and a mangling finish. “For Those Who Long to Die” combines doom and progressive winds at the start, and that slowly loosens rock and sediment as the growls gut you. Both mystifying and troubling, the track adds intensity as it weaves its way toward a sound vortex. Closer “Comatose Simplicity” is the longest track here, running 10:41, and it totally explodes, blasting into calculated heaviness. The vocals rip through rocky paths as the storming envelopes, and the playing plasters. Proggy weirdness works its way in before things are surrounded by alien strangeness that surges and finally finishes off with trance-inducing violence.

It’s great that the end of the year no longer is a burying grounds for records that didn’t cut it, and Kavyk’s monstrous debut “Radiant Abyss” is an album on which you definitely should not sleep. Cosmic death and doom are all over this five-track beast, and every single inch of this thing will leave you bruised and battered. This is a titanic debut that brings brute force and entrancing creativity in equal, twisted doses.     

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

To buy the album, go here: https://caustichollowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/radiant-abyss

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

I’ve never been to Hawaii before, and I’m just going to guess I never will be because I don’t want to fly, and that sounds like a long time to be in the air. Oh well! But I’d imagine it’s amazing there, a place that just takes your breath away, surrounded by thousands of miles of ocean that makes it hard to get there and difficult to leave.

Yet, there’s a darkness in what seems like paradise, and that bubbles to the surface on “II,” the first full-length release from Verlust. Helmed by single musician J, the music on this effort does pay homage to the artist’s home in these isolated islands, including the rich nature surrounding everything there. There also is a history of religious persecution and violence done over the ages by missionaries (a topic we also broached last week with Heretical Sect), so J’s anger and violent lash back against Christianity based on that history also is woven in with blood into the music. This release is filled with second-wave black metal power, with a nice dash of melody for good measure, and the fury and ill intent that fuels the music is apparent and striking from the moment the initial sparks feed the fire.    

“Introduction” starts with birds chirping and nature unfurling as guitars slowly awaken, and the world comes alive as it heads toward “Vision of a Mighty Serpent” that rushes to life with as flood of melody. The drums crush as J’s savage growls eviscerate, while the pace stomps guts before settling into calm. The music trickles along before a new gust bursts and delivers rage and power, with J wailing, “The serpent crept forth, transformed to a new entity, androgynous and baphometic, goat and serpent, man and woman.” “Mountains” gasps open as great riffs encircle, and vile cries go hand in hand with the raucous blasting. The playing tumbles violently toward earth as the track turns relentless, jarring to the very end. “Promethean Fate” has raw melody jolting and growls tearing away. The drums rumble out of a brief respite with an explosive burst and J howling, “The mountains echo our insignificance, silent monoliths of eternity,” as the track comes to a fiery end.

“A Sword Turned Towards Heaven” punches in and crushes right away, drilling through rock and unleashing spellbinding guitars that leave you dizzy. That enrapturing tempo keeps building as the war is raged with great gusto, with J declaring, “Spew forth blasphemy! Ye are the true traitors! We destroy your sacred spaces, desecrating the remains, as we build monuments to your demise.” The force is storming and driven while assault continues its push until it crushes through the front gates. “Deep Dark Waters” wrenches with raw menace and a hammering approach that keeps wielding violent tools. The track slows a bit but remains impossibly heavy, though speed is a factor again later, the drums power the ship, and gears continues to spin until the smoke collects and chokes out everything. “A Door into Emptiness” tears open as guitars stir and the vocals scrape, while black metal majesty spirals into a volcanic attack. The pace is sweltering as the guitars play tricks with your mind, and the fury is complete madness, dismantling systems and heading into monster riffs. The track eventually begins to relent but only after earth and flesh are scorched, leading toward closing track “Outro (Farewell).” The instrumental piece has waters rushing, guitars trickling, and the force of nature at the forefront again.

J packs a lot of emotion, disgust, and homage into the eight tracks on “II,” an album that sharpens its blades and heads right into the heart of war. For a first record under the Verlust banner, this establishes them as another strong foot solider in the battle against oppressive faith and those who seek to continue harming the earth. Verlust see you as the enemy, and the only acceptable outcome is your total and unquestioned demise.   

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

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

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