15. SLEEP, “The Sciences” (Third Man): It was a surprise and it wasn’t. Legendary weedians Sleep returned with their explosive new record “The Sciences” on, of course, 4/20. It was a nice surprise delivered in a cloud of smoke you always expect from this grisly trio—vocalist/bassist Al Cisneros (also of OM), guitarist Matt Pike (High on Fire), and drummer Jason Roeder (Neurosis)—and just a single visit with this destroyer made it clear not only were Sleep back, they were as good as they’ve ever been. That sentiment remains months later, as this record has lost no steam and, if anything, has become more enjoyable with each thunderous listen. It was 2003 the last time we got a new record from this band, but it was like no time has passed at all when “The Sciences” landed.

Following an instrumental open, a big, bubbling bong hit rips you from your dreams and right into “Marijuanat’s Theme.” Burly riffs and Cisneros’ purposely monotone singing drive you into the song, giving you an instant and prolonged intergalactic high. Smoking soloing releases psychedelic fire, while the back end of the track pummels before ending abruptly. “Sonic Titan” is a 12:26 brawler that opens with a killer riff before pulling back the pace and delivering the pounding in a calculated manner. The track continues to build monoliths to the sky before tearing them down again, as the lead guitars scorch, and the beefy basslines buzz in your ears. “Giza Butler” is, obviously, complete homage to Black Sabbath, the original weedians, and is named after their legendary bassist Geezer Butler. The track is packed with Sabbath references, from signaling the Iommic Pentecost to heralding the Sabbath Day. There are goddamn “Dune” references, as well as the greatest lyric of this year: “The pterodactyl flies again.” Drop out of life and take another fucked up trip with Sleep. (April 20)

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

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

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

14. CHAPEL OF DISEASE, “…And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye” (Van): German metallic machine Chapel of Disease is the type of thing you can’t tell people about. You have to make them listen. It’s impossible to put a label on the band because they explore all kinds of extreme sounds and blend them all together in their brutal, yet fascinating music. The band has been at it for a decade now, initially arriving with an assault of tried-and-true death metal (their name is a blend of two Morbid Angel songs, after all) on their debut “Summoning Black Gods” before branching out their sound on “The Mysterious Ways of Repetitive Art,” as that was a jumping off point to where we are now with the spellbinding “…And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye.”

“Void of Words” opens the record with a glorious riff before the band hits a full gallop, and fiery punishment is unleashed. Classic metal guitar licks charge, while the raw growls open wounds, great soloing smothers, and then atmospheric breezes cool off the scene. “Oblivious – Obnoxious – Defiant” has riffs reigning, beastly growls, and a simple chorus where Laurent wails, “We are oblivious! Obnoxious! Defiant!” The guitars keep rolling, showing a rock n roll-style edge, while the music later explores its surroundings, as ferocious growls topple, and the song steamrolls. “Null” runs 9:21, the second-longest song on the record, and it has a riveting start with a storming pace, grinding growls over the rousing verses, and a bloody sense of melody. Some bluesy guitar work swaggers into the picture before the violence rips back into the song. Closer “The Sound of Shallow Grey” is the longest track, running 9:49, and it wastes no time getting going, with vicious growls, a rupturing pace, and great leads, which should come as no surprise. Weird synth blends in and gives the song a cosmic edge, while the guitars keep stretching into new territory. Chapel of Disease truly made an impact, albeit late in the year, as this is one of the most intellectually challenging death metal records of 2018. (Nov. 23)

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

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

For more on the label, go here: https://www.van-records.de/

13. YOB, “Our Raw Heart” (Relapse): For all intents and purposes, YOB guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt should be dead. After battling diverticulitis and then an infection, he was on death’s door, in pain so severe he had experiences that felt like he was leaving his body. Never mind if YOB would survive, people were worried that Scheidt wasn’t long for the world. But he made it. He fought and clawed, eventually began to write music, and then he and his YOB mates finally got back together, creating “Our Raw Heart,” one of the most triumphant of the band’s career and in metal as a whole. Like, ever. Anyone could excuse it if Scheidt disappeared into darkness and delivered a hellish new record (their eighth), but we should all know better. YOB is love after all, and this album is a celebration of life.

“Ablaze” is the 10:28 opener, and right away you can feel the emotion that permeates this entire record. Scheidt’s raspy singing comes in pretty shortly, feeling different and evolved, though some growls bleed in. Later, the pace ruptures and sludges, as Scheidt’s growls rumble, and even after a brief period of calm, the music explodes again, ending in a heartfelt pyre. “The Screen” couldn’t be more different, as it’s one of the gnarliest, grimiest songs in their catalog. “Beauty in Falling Leaves” is the longest track, weighing in at 16:49, and it’s the indisputable core of the record. It’s a wrenching doom ballad that ultimately has a positive, life-affirming theme, as the music slowly unfurls but builds into the crescendo of a chorus, where Scheidt belts, “Been this way throughout my life, your heart brings me home.” The entire record is a blazing victory for this band, a unit that now looks like it’ll thrive well into the future. (June 8)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://relapse.com/yob-our-raw-heart/

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

12. BURIAL INVOCATION, “Abiogenesis” (Dark Descent): It’s been 10 long years since Turkish death metal force Burial Invocation first formed, and eight years since their first EP and—trivia time!—first-ever Dark Descent offering “Rituals of the Grotesque” that got so many people excited over the future this band appeared to possess. But shit happens. The band split up for a while. Other projects took precedence. Life happened. But about halfway through 2018, and we finally laid our hands on their first full-length record “Abiogenesis,” a journey that’s absolutely worth the wait. This is a fucking perplexing, punishing, pulverizing trip that makes no bones about messing around with death metal’s DNA. They take you into outer space, through hell, into other dimensions.

“Revival” kicks off with melodic thunder, as the song trudges along, and the vocals unleash guttural toxins. The guitars cut over the top and bring a proggy sense, with the song then turning brutal and scraping while it’s blowing your mind. The title cut is a 12:10 mammoth that lurches and stomps, with techy guitar work bringing heat lightning. The song explores from there, with the vocals arriving in sinister growls, and the song heading toward the mud. Fiery guitars get the pace going again, and then shit goes off. “Vision of the Hereafter” is caked in filth as it starts, with growls accompanying the heavy sludging, and grisly playing creating disorienting disorder. The senses are diced, though we get a brief respite of calm, and then a burst brings a burly, mauling end. “Phantasmagoric Transcendence” is one of the best song titles of the year so far, and it brings slicing guitars and a pace that erupts and threatens to swallow humanity whole. The drums send shrapnel flying, splintering the world into hell, and then things manage to find a new level of craziness, as the band gets utterly savage. It took some time to get this bloody, tornadic record from Burial Invocation, and we’ll be enjoying its madness long into the future. (July 6)

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

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

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

11. TOMB MOLD, “Manor of Infinite Forms” (20 Buck Spin): I always get antsy when I put bands way up high on my list that are high on other lists, because I hate the hive mind and try not to participate. But Toronto death squadron Tomb Mold are on everyone’s radar for a damn good reason: “Manor of Infinite Forms” is a fucking awesome, gruesome display. And if you think this record kills, see them live. I have twice this year, and both performances pounded me into submission. One huge boost in the band’s power is the addition of two members who weren’t around for the “Primordial Malignity” days. Joining the original duo of drummer/vocalist Max Klebanoff and guitarist Derrick Vela are guitarist Payson Power and bassist Steve Musgrave. It gives the group a mightier, heftier assault, one that’s dripped all over this record and practically makes it stick to the ground with all the blood and puss that have congealed in the unforgiving sunlight.

The title track starts off the record, with morbidity at every corner, and the growls smearing soot everywhere. The riffs are just killer, as Klebanoff’s drumming decimates the earth, and more cavernous growls and sinister punishment tops us off. “Blood Mirror” has tricky playing to start, leaving you dizzy, while gross growls and an infernal fury combine to make life miserable. “Final Struggle of Selves” trudges and blisters, with the band thrashing away, and the ugliness being served in different forms. The pace changes suddenly, with the death spell boiling and brewing toxins, while the engorged growls bludgeon and send shit toward the void. “Chamber of Sacred Ootheca” is disgusting from its title, and it doesn’t get any more appetizing from there, as the band lets filth well up and the guitars splatter plasma. Closer “Two Worlds Become One” starts acoustically, which isn’t expected, but then the scab is ripped away, and the growls start to chew muscle. The drums send chaos, and the band finds a slow-driving pace to spread their misery. Yeah, the hype is real, as Tomb Mold are one of the deadliest, goriest death metal bands going right now. Be warned. (June 8)

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

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

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

20. CLOSET WITCH, self-titled (Halo of Flies/Sass Bologna/Circus of the Macabre/Don’t Care/React With Protest): Iowa-based grind unit Closet Witch came raging out of the night with the excellent debut full-length effort. This is a molten dose of cathartic anger, fire-breathing emotion, and outright heaviness that hit all the right buttons. Themes of anger, despair, equality, healthcare trauma, gender, race, and other burning issues make up much of the thematic material, making these songs even more galvanizing and bloody important both personally and socially. Vocalist Mollie Piatetsky, guitarist Alex Crist, bassist Cory Peak, and drummer Royce Kurth destroy your body and soul on these 13 songs, splattering their own blood in the process.

“Blood Orange” opens in a total frenzy with wrenching shrieks from Piatetsky, as the cut mangles the senses, leading into “Moonstomp” and its relentless power. “It Doesn’t Feel Free” spits in the face of the idea that people aren’t judged by minority, gender, and societal status, as shocking blasts tear through guts, and Piatetsky’s yells are drowned in a noise bath. “Rule By Bacon” has Piatetsky wailing, “How can a gender make one lesser, and you’ve already got your cabinets filled with money,” as she blasts against pay inequality, as atmosphere mixes into the assault, and slow, pained howls pay the emotional toll. “Daylilies” is fast and blistering, as it feels like the floor is caving in as the band delivers the heavy goods and refuses to give you a chance to breathe; while “Personal Machu Pichu” is emotional and personal, with cries to allow for a life one longs for despite the troubles it may cause others, screaming, “Please don’t condemn me for existing how I need!” It’s an emotional, turbulent, and confident album, and Closet Witch delivered on of the most jarring debuts this year. (June 15)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/label-releases/halo109-closet-witch-st-lp/

Or here: http://sassbologna.org/shop.htm

Or here: http://circusofthemacabre.blogspot.com/

Or here: https://dontcarerecords.bandcamp.com/

Or here: http://www.reactwithprotest.org/store.php

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

And here: http://sassbologna.org/

And here: https://www.facebook.com/Circus-Of-The-Macabre-Records-253232234713762/

And here: http://dontcarerecords.com/

And here: http://www.reactwithprotest.org/

19. ULTHAR, “Cosmovore” (20 Buck Spin): Arriving late in the year come Ulthar with their thunderous debut offering “Cosmovore,” jam packed with supernatural horrors and scathing death metal. The band’s hammering yet surreal brand of death metal mixes the best of brutality and chilling fantasy. Over the course of six tracks and about 40 minutes, Ulthar unleash a heavy, yet mesmerizing onslaught of sound that does an excellent job keeping your ears blistered for its entire run time but also lets your mind wander into planes beyond, where the bloodshed and terror are unlike anything you witness in ordinary life. Let that sink into your brain.

“Solitarian” is an instant explosion, with belchy growls barreling and the riffs slicing away; “Infinite Cold Distance” has chilly, spindling riffs, with the drums thundering away. The growls scrape, feeling like they’re aiming to shred vocal cords, while the guitars speed along and leave you dizzy; and “Asymmetric Warfare” heads into infernal mode right away, as scathing shrieks pound away, and the pace is hammering and relentless. That leads us to the 13:26 closer “Dunwich Whore” that’s strange and takes some time to set up an atmosphere, and once it does, the band hits a doomy boil of disorienting sludge. As it progresses, more black metal power is launched, as shrieks and growls work in tandem again, and the tempo grows volatile. Hoarse growls deliver fury, while the song speeds ahead dangerously, stampeding over everything in front of it. This is a firebreather of a record, yet another scorching debut record in a year full of them. (Nov. 9)

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

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

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

18. BODY VOID, “I Live Inside a Burning House” (Crown and Throne Ltd./Dry Cough/Seeing Red): It’s the end of 2018, and one would think we’d have come much further than we have addressing hatred of others in metal and our society as a whole. But that’s not 100 percent where we’ve come yet, an issue that’s all over “I Live Inside a Burning House,” the monumental second record from sludgy doom machine Body Void, based in San Francisco. This five-track, 68-minute mauler and follow-up to 2016 debut “Ruins,” examines queer identity, issues with mental illness, and the chasm between material and immaterial worlds, giving you plenty of heady content in which to sink your teeth. Guitarist/vocalist Will Ryan came out as queer, non-binary a couple years ago, and the band became a heavy supporter and representative to the LQBTQI* community.

“Intro/A Burning House” gets us started with synth stabs, the doom waves unfurling, and an atmospheric touch that spills into 18:18-long “Haunted” that rings out and takes its time setting up a blistering setting. Ryan’s harsh shrieks, one of the strongest elements of the band’s sound, begins making its mark, as the track delivers slow anguish and morbidity. “Trauma Creature” is a 16:17 mammoth that is calculated and massive. Feedback and feral calls mix, while the doom quivers and makes the room shake. Ryan’s strangled cries lay waste, as the pace simmers and sends off steam before heading into a hardcore-style barrage. Closer “Given” is the longest cut, a 21:30 challenger that lightly chugs at first before noise and Ryan’s tumultuous shrieks enter the fray. The playing is ultra-slow, as it smears itself over everything, with the drums bashing and the song bathing in hell. This record is heavy, delivers an emotional toll, and hopefully will have you fighting alongside them in their corner. (May 11)

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: http://crownandthroneltd.bigcartel.com/

Or here (UK): http://www.drycoughrecords.com/

Or here (CD): https://seeingredrecords.bandcamp.com/album/body-void-i-live-inside-a-burning-house

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

And here: http://www.drycoughrecords.com/products

And here: http://seeingredrecords.com/

17. AILS, self-titled (The Flenser):  I won’t lie: I have badly missed Ludicra’s presence the past several years after the legendary Bay Area black metal band disbanded. Yet four years after Ludicra’s epic final record “The Tenant,” vocalist Laurie Shanaman and former guitarist/vocalist Christy Cather decided they wanted to play music together again, and from that decision, Ails was born. Rounded out by guitarist Sam Abend (Abrupt, Desolation), bassist Jason Miller (Aequorea, 2084, One in the Chamber), and drummer Colby Byrn (Phantom Limbs), the band recorded this magnificent six-track effort that certainly has the Ludicra spirit but definitely stands on its own as something fresh and new. Here we are months later, and the record still delivers in spades.

“The Echoes Waned” is the opener and has guitars firing up right off the bat, with melodic singing leading into the heart of the track. Wrenching cries emerge, paired with fury and melody, though that later gives way to calm and acoustic passages, providing some breeze. “Dead Metaphors” has guitars stretching their reach and clean calls before the riffs begin to twist into a stormfront. The growls scars while the music thrashes away, and that cuts to bone, where the vocals go from clean to pained cries. “Mare Weighs Down” chugs hard, with the leads drizzling and harsh growls exploding out of that. Then, the band finds another level of devastation, as the shrieks get even harsher, the riffs swelter and burst, and the whole pace is an eruption. Then there’s the 9:36-long closer “Bitter Past.” Wouldn’t you know it, they saved their best riffs for last as this thing rips from its stance and seeks to maim everything in its path. The vocals are even more intimidating and punishing here, with the ambiance of the song getting uglier and your senses completely dominated. The pattern changes a bit, as singing and growling stampede together, and the final moments give the band a last chance to blow off all their fiery emotion. All hail Ails. May they crush for a long time to come. (April 20)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Ails-1480944935537950/

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

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

16. TO END IT ALL, “Scourge of Woman” (Scry Recordings): As a white dude, I’m often kind of embarrassed as the outright lack of struggle I’ve encountered in my life. Compare that to what women face to this day—STILL!—in the form of harassment, violence, ridicule, inequality, and it’s enough to make my own head explode. To End It All is the union of Joy Von Spain and Maasaki Masao, who also work together in the band Eye of Nix, and on their debut “Scourge of Woman,” they put together nine terrifying tracks that sound like Von Spain’s spiritual bloodletting, as her words are delivered with a ferocity and power that’s impossible to avoid. This music is the voice of women abandoned, and she and Masao aren’t going to sit idly by and watch it happen. The intensity and anger that pours from this record is so forceful, you practically can feel it crack through your chest cavity, damaging your heart.

“Lure” opens the record, and it’s immediately a call to action, as Von Spin speaks over the din to “be ablaze, conflagrate, cauterize,” as she coldly calls out these words before riffs strike, and her voice turns to savage growls. “Beast Filth” has sounds buried in war, while death and destruction lurk, noises zap as if from another dimension, and the track takes on the tone of metallic machines at battle for survival, voiced through death growls, rhythmic screams, and absolute horror. “Instinctual Force” is a quicker track with sounds eroding and ringing out, stinging the flesh and leaving bruising. “Cages Bleed Shiver and Shake” is a vinyl-only track that unloads industrial heat, with inhuman machinations, and Von Spain screaming, “You’re just a waste of time!” “In Cases of Rape and Incest” cuts right to the heart, as noise quivers, and Von Spain’s deep singing goes right for the guts. “I sinned, I violated my own mother,” she calls, and she changes out mother for sister and daughter as she repeats the line, each time digging even deeper. Closer “Burning Rapists” literally sounds like a furnace devouring the vilest of humans among them. This band is not fucking around, and anyone who tries to cross them is going to be scorched to a crisp, just like they deserve. (Sept. 28)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.scryrecordings.com/posts/discography/scourge-of-woman/

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

30. PORTAL, “Ion” (Profound Lore): We’ve come to expect twisted, bizarre creations from the cloaked Aussie death metal horrors Portal, and on their astonishing fifth record “ION,” a nine-track, 37-minute document of terror that is astonishing for many reasons. For one, the songs are not baked with noise, nor do they sound like they emanate from a dank basement. Also, it truly gives the listener a view into just how intensely powerful these mysterious beings are as performers. If you’ve ever had the luck to see the band live, you know how great Portal are as players, and more of that shines through on tracks such as “Esp Ion Age,” “Phreqs,” and 9:44 closer “Olde Guarde” that delivers chaos and demolition, a stabbing exclamation point at the end of a mind-mangling album. There have been many pretenders to Portal’s crown, but no one ever will take it form them. (Jan. 26)

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

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

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

29. INSECT ARK, “Marrow Hymns” (Profound Lore): If you’re up for a deep journey into the cosmos and your own psychosis, Insect Ark’s excellent second album “Marrow Hymns” could be just what you need. The duo of guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Dana Schechter and drummer Ashley Spungin pour themselves into nine tracks of instrumental power, as they key in on isolation, loss, and displacement, as both members experienced tumultuous times leading up to this record. The result is a stunning collection that can be as cathartic for you as it was for Schechter and Spungin to create. Here we are, 10 months after this fine record landed, and it’s been one that’s morphed in my mind over and over again, which is the sign is a great piece of work that has layers of meaning you must work to peel back. And we’re still mining to this day. (Feb. 23)

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

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

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

28. AGRIMONIA, “Awaken” (Southern Lord): Many bands change things up over time, because it can get a little trying to keep doing the same things over and over again. Swedish pounders Agrimonia have been a favorite here for years because they’re one of those bands that always add new chemicals to the formula, and they do that again on “Awaken.” The band doesn’t just stay within one path but pushes into multiple lanes, blending rock, post-hardcore, black metal, and doom into the puzzle. It’s an astonishing mixture, and it’s the best Agrimonia ever have sounded. Tracks including “A World Unseen,” “Foreshadowed,” and spacious closer “The Sparrow” demonstrate this expanded sound palette, keeping the band’s heaviness in tact but also including different colors and shades that make them an even more interesting group. (Jan. 26)

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

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

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

27. MARSH DWELLER, “Wanderer” (Eihwaz Recordings): Having a place to call home, be that physical or mental, is something not everyone has a privilege to say they have. Marsh Dweller creator John Owen Kerr explores the idea of continually feeling one’s way through attempting to find a place that can be a true home, even as one travels from town to town, place to place looking for that ultimate warmth. On top of one’s home evolving over time, so has Kerr’s music. This is a much different record from 2016’s “The Weight of Sunlight,” as the songs are much longer, more atmospheric, and even quite beautiful in spots. It’s also a fascinating listen that can swallow you whole as you work through his music that’s thunderous, atmospheric, and emotional, so don’t think you’re alone if you find at the end of this, you’re feeling a wave of chaos within your own soul.  (Oct. 19)

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.eihwazrecordings.com/product/marsh-dweller-wanderer

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

26. GLACIAL TOMB, self-titled (Gilead Media): To put on a record and feel like you’re physically being smashed about the head and torso means you’ve discovered the good stuff, and that’s jam packed into Glacial Tomb’s mighty and conquering debut record. These guys show zero mercy on this seven-track, nearly 35-minute record that’s a nice compact blast that gives you just enough to leave you wanting a shitload more. Their menacing death metal surrounds and destroys, highlighted by cuts including  blistering opener “Monolithos,” trucking “Breath of Pestilence,” dizzying and ugly “Witness,” and misery-inducing closer “Shackled to the Burning Earth” that’s mucky, proggy, and vicious. Every moment of this album is like an MMA beating, with you ground and pounded into the mat. (Oct. 26)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/collections/pre-orders

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

25. UN, “Sentiment” (Black Bow/Translation Loss): No question heavy metal is awash in negativity, which has been the case ever since the beginning of this style of music. But not all bands head down that path, and Seattle funeral doom crushers Un decide to go the other way and embrace the positivity they see in their lives and the world, which is something we all could use right now. Four mammoth tracks spread over about 53 minutes is what greets you on the band’s second album “Sentiment,” and while you’re not going to be dragged through a pit of dark feelings, you’ll definitely be pummeled on your trip. “In Its Absence” is atmospheric but also smothering and skull splitting; “Pools of Reflection” is cagey and bloody, with a Kelly Schilling of Dreadnought adding a sense of beauty to the fury; and “A Garden Where Nothing Grows” ends the record with droning terror, doom smothering, and a rising psyche fog. (Sept. 28)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://translationlossrecords.bigcartel.com/

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

24. WAYFARER, “World’s Blood” (Profound Lore): The Wild West is fairly underrepresented when it comes to black metal, but Denver’s Wayfarer are working to change all of that with their spellbinding art. “World’s Blood” is their first for Profound Lore but third overall, and it’s easily their most interesting and inventive. Here, Wayfarer dig deep into their Denver roots and the suddenly bustling metallic pools that have gathered in that area, and they also pay homage to those whose footsteps once marked their corner of the earth, only to be forgotten by so many. The music here flows like tributaries of oranges and purples poured down darkened mountainsides, and their destructive strikes that rage out of shadowy sections give the music a light/dark feeling. These guys always have been a buried gem, but this record seems to be changing that for this awesome group. (May 25)

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: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/

23. HOREHOUND, “Holocene” (Doom Stew): Pittsburgh’s Horehound has had a hell of a year, capping if off with their powerful second record “Holocene,” a tremendous follow-up to their 2016 debut. Here, the band doesn’t simply stay on the doom path and instead brings in a variety of sounds and styles to make their music even more spellbinding. That gives each a song its own personality, and while they all work together as a total package, each can and does stand on its own quite powerfully. Opener “The Kind” begins quietly and delicately before singer Shy Kennedy unleashes growls and her powerful singing; “L’appel du Vide” has weird guitars effects at first before turning bluesy, as riffs snake, and psychedelic playing causing dizziness; while “Anastatica” delivers a tasty bluesy riff along with echoing vocals, and an assault packed with swagger. Killer record from top to bottom. (Nov. 30)

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

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

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

22. FÓRN, “Rites of Despair” (Gilead Media): Earlier we talked about a doom album awash in positivity. Now, let’s look at the polar opposite. Fórn’s second full-length “Rites of Despair” is ideally named, because that’s exactly what this record is. It’s dour, dark, and depressing from beginning to end, and the band pulls that off in a way that sucks you in and keeps you, no matter how hopeless everything seems. It’s a great record, one of the best doom albums of the year, but even after absorbing such brilliance, you don’t feel any better at the end. There will be no smile on your face; your heart won’t be swelling with love. Everything the band commits to this 11-track, 65-minute torture session is black and devastating, injecting you with the feeling that nothing ever was good, and that will never change. Everything on this thing hurts, and that’s likely just the way Fórn want it. (Sept. 21)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/collections/pre-orders

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

21. DEVOURING STAR, “The Arteries of Heresy” (Dark Descent/Terratur Possessions): Sin is human. Every single person does it, and some people even are obsessed with it and use these deeds to push forward their own agendas. Devouring Star’s sole creator JL equally is as fascinated with this concept and uses it to inform the thunderous second record “The Arteries of Heresy.” “Consummation” opens the album with noise building before the music starts slithering, and the growls hammer at your senses; “Sin Assimilation” has a raucous start, with the drums mauling, and the music carving a destructive path. Total havoc is achieved, with the savagery coming to a boiling point, the madness stirring, and the track coming to a stabbing finish; “Scar Inscriptions” jangles at the start before the melodies get hypnotic and weird. The track clobbers, while raw growls push their way in and open up flesh. It’s hypnotic, dizzying, and savage, and it might make you think about your own role in the worldwide campaign of sin. (Oct. 26)

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

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

Or here: https://www.van-records.de/index.php?language=en&cPath=23

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

And here: https://terraturpossessions.com/

40. WINDHAND, “Eternal Return” (Relapse): If Richmond, Va., doom band Windhand put out a record, chances are it’s going to end up on our year-end roundup. Their third full-length “Eternal Return” is another favorite around here, as their sooty, sultry ways spill onto this third platter that is tried-and-true Windhand but also has some added nuances that makes it a slightly different animal than their work that preceded it. Dorthia Cottrell remains one of the most powerful singers in all of metal, and the rest of the band pummels you with smoky goodness on “Halcyon,” “Grey Garden,” emotional, largely acoustic piece “Pilgrim’s Rest,” and death knell closer “Feather.” Windhand are as reliable as they come, and they’ve yet to disappoint us even the slightest bit. (Oct. 5)

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

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

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

39. PIG DESTROYER, “Head Cage” (Relapse): OK, full admission right up front: When “Army of Cops” came out, I wasn’t super excited about the impending sixth Pig Destroyer record “Head Cage.” Funny thing happened once their album landed in my inbox in that it ripped my face the fuck off. Yeah, the band isn’t exactly ripping out the 90-seconds-and-done grind maulers of their past and have added more thrash, groove, and sludge to their sound, but they remain a vicious, animalistic machine. JR Hayes’ poetic rants are sharp toothed and fierce, while the rest of the band delivers unprotected chair shots to the head on cuts including “Dark Train,” “Circle River,” “Terminal Itch” (featuring former Agoraphobic Nosebleed howled Kat Katz), and “Mt. Skull” that, while a wailer, has some profoundly sad lyrics. Oh, and “Army of Cops” totally grew on me.  (Sept. 7)

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

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

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

38. RUNEMAGICK, “Evoked From Abyssal Sleep” (Aftermath/Parasitic): There are records that come out each year that somehow fly completely under the radar, seemingly only fully appreciated by the cult that anticipates the band’s every move, which basically encapsulates Swedish death/doom maulers Runemagick’s killer 12^th record “Evoked From Abyssal Sleep.” The band has been around and mangling brain wirings for nearly 30 years now, and their new eight track, 45-minute record is a massive triumph, one that hasn’t gotten nearly the recognition it so richly deserves. Well, we see you, Runemagick, and we’ve gotten hours and hours of enjoyment out of bloody tracks such as the title cut, “Runes of the Undead,” “Wisdom Keepers Resurrected,” and “Tomb to Womb.” This band has had a legendary run, and this new record is proof they’re not nearly done yet. (July 20)

For more on the band, go here: http://www.runemagick.se/

To buy the album, go here: https://runemagick.bandcamp.com/album/evoked-from-abysmal-sleep

Or here: http://parasiticrecords.bigcartel.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.aftermath-music.com

And here: https://www.facebook.com/Parasitic666Records/

37. SLAVES BC, “Lo, and I Am Burning” (Fear and the Void Recordings): A lot of the music you’ll read about on this list and on this site every day focuses on darkness. But few have the same stench of morbidity as Pittsburgh black metal crew Slaves BC and their excellent new record “Lo, and I Am Burning.” Questions of faith, the black plague that is society, and personal ills dominate this fiery document, their second overall. If you’re local to Pittsburgh and never saw Slaves BC, I’d guess you’ve never been to a show that wasn’t at PPG Pains Arena, so fix that shit and let this band melt your skull off. This album is dark, heavy, moving and destructive, the perfect element for when you want to put on a record and feel your entire soul disintegrate into dust. That’s Slaves BC in a charred nutshell. (March 16)

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

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

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

36. WITCH MOUNTAIN, self-titled (Svart): It’s probably not accurate to call Witch Mountain a comeback story, because they never really went away. When Uta Plotkin stepped down from her role as vocalist, the band forged on, hired supremely talented Kayla Dixon, and a couple years later delivered their smoking fifth record, a self-titled affair. Anyone who was worried the band couldn’t survive losing Plotkin surely had their fears washed away just moments into opener “Midnight,” where the band hammers home the fact that they’re practically indestructible and always getting better. That carries on into “Burn You Down” and mammoth closer “Nighthawk,” and sandwiched in there is a disarming take on 1968 Spirit classic “Mechanical World” that they give utterly dour treatment. Killer band that can’t be deterred by a little bit of chaos. (May 25)

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

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

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

35. KHEMMIS, “Desolation” (20 Buck Spin): Before getting into traditional metal force Khemmis’ third album “Desolation,” I finally got to see the band live when they played the Friday night slot at Migration Fest. I watched from a balcony seat in awe. They’re the real fucking deal. But onto “Desolation,” another platter of doom-washed metal that’s delivered with power, majesty, and force. If this record had dropped 30 years ago, this platter would be legendary, and these songs would be part of metal’s canon. That’s how strong this band and this album are, and as they go on, they keep refining their machine and growing deadlier and stronger. “Bloodletting,” “Isolation,” and “The Sear” are particular high spots on a record filled with ambushing material, and it shouldn’t be long until this album is revered in metal lore by the generation of listeners to come. (June 22)

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

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

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

34. HISSING, “Permanent Destitution” (Profound Lore): Hey, look, we all fuck up. We’re not perfect. There’s a ton of records that come out each year, and we’re bound to miss some, even if they’re released by the mighty Profound Lore. Seattle death unit Hissing put out their lacerating, aggravated debut full-length album “Permanent Destitution” on a day when a slew of other notable records came out, yet here it is, slipping onto our list after it crept into our ears the past few weeks. This is sinewy, creative, yet ultimately violent stuff, an album that seems to have slipped under other radars as well. Yet, this Seattle-based band likely gives zero fucks about that, as they set to demolish you on noise-infested cuts such as “Backwards Descent,” “Pablum Abundance,” and “Cascading Failures.” It’s a record that’ll grind your flesh into bloody hamburger and let you out to stink and rot in the blinding sun.  (Oct. 26)

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

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

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

33. SVALBARD, “It’s Hard to Have Hope” (Holy Roar/Translation Loss): I have it pretty easy and a white dude. Really nothing to worry about over here. That can be a recipe for complacency for some, but for me, I see what happens to other people, and it drives me mad. Like, how hard do we have to make life for women? That fight is painted in blood all over Svalbard’s great new record “It’s Hard to Have Hope,” a title that tells you everything you need to know about the plight. Mixing metal and melodic hardcore, this UK band explodes on their second record with songs that will further solidify the might of those who support them and hopefully aggravate the hell out of their detractors on cuts including “Unpaid Intern,” “Revenge Porn,” “For the Sake of the Breed” that lashes back at heartless animal breeders, and “Pro-Life,” where Serena Cherry wails over a rising crescendo, “Is it pro-life to have no rights?” Dagger to the chest. More people need to hear and absorb this. (May 25)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://translationlossrecords.bigcartel.com/

Or here (UK): http://www.holyroarrecords.com/store

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

And here: http://www.holyroarrecords.com/

32. ICARUS WITCH, “Goodbye Cruel World” (Cleopatra): The second Pittsburgh band on this list already, classic metal veterans Icarus Witch roared back into the world with a banshee new singer in Andrew D’Cagna (Coldfells, Nechochwen, Ironflame). That resulted in energetic new life for the band on their killer fifth record “Goodbye Cruel World,” their first in six years and one that barnstorms out of the gate by the great title cut, one of their best songs ever. The intensity and majesty continue from there, bursting with power on “Misfortune Teller,” “Lightning Strikes,” “Anti-Venom,” and “Until the Bitter End,” the ripping closing track that reminds a bit of heyday Dokken. It’s great to hear a band like Icarus Witch staying strong, keeping the fires of true metal burning brightly, and putting out music that really matters in 2018, when we all could use an injection of hope. (Oct. 26)

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

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

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

31. ÆVANGELIST, “Matricide in the Temple of Omega” (I, Voidhanger): Few could argue if I called Ævangelist the most fucked-up band on earth, as their records are often ridiculously challenging and practically an alien pathogen to anyone unaware of what they’re walking into with their music. That continues on their amazing fifth full-length offering “Matricide in the Temple of Omega,” a warping collection that, despite all of what I said, might be their most approachable work. But “approachable” for an Ævangelist album means something else entirely, and it’ll still fry the wiring of anyone not prepared for their psychotic display of madness that they spill out into “Omen of the Barren Womb,” “The Sonance of Eternal Discord,” and monstrous 18:31-long closer “Ascending Into the Pantheon” that’s sets to capture you in their weird vortex and tear you apart limb from limb. Every Ævangelist record is like entering a new portal into another dimension, with you having no clue what beasts and terrors you will encounter. That’s what makes this band so savage. (Nov. 16)

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

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

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

UNIFORM, “The Long Walk” (Sacred Bones): New York-based noise/punk/hardcore thrashers Uniform put out perhaps the most tumultuous-sounding record in 2018 that revolves around finding a sense of one’s faith again. Vocalist Michael Berdan detailed his pulling away from his Catholic upbringing based on the things that have turned most people off from that faith but later finding his way back to church and prayer as a form of meditation and to find peace. What we’re left with is a chaotic record that may not calm listeners’ nerves or bring about serenity, but perhaps pouring yourself into the record and letting the punishment wash over you can be a form of cleansing. This record also finds the band expanding from a duo to a trio, with drummer Greg Fox of Liturgy and Zs joining Berdan and multi-instrumentalist Ben Greenburg, making for a beastlier lineup and sound. (Aug. 17)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/collections/releases/products/sbr204-uniform-the-long-walk

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

VOIVOD, “The Wake” (Century Media): 35 years into their careers, Canadian sci-fi thrashers Voivod still are putting out compelling, interesting material, and “The Wake” is arguably their best record since they were fully revived under Jason Newsted’s watch. This, their 14^th album, isn’t some regurgitation of the past either. The band whips out eight stellar tracks in 56 minutes, along the way showing creativity, fire, weirdness and the sharp-toothed tenacity that’s kept them one of metal’s finest bands for years now. Singer Snake sneers and croons like a man half his age over wiry drama, Chewy’s bizarre guitar work (he’s certainly admirably filled in for the fallen Piggy) charges up these tracks and gives them alien life, and the entire package is one that’ll keep you enthralled for many, many visits. (Sept. 21)

For more on the band, go here: http://voivod.net/

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

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

JUDAS PRIEST, “Firepower” (Epic): Speaking of bands with a resume and reputation so solidified, they basically never have to do another thing, British metal legends Judas Priest refuse to lie down and tour on the hits. Instead, they released a devastating, thunderous 18^th record “Firepower” that’s unquestionably their best material since “Painkiller.” For a band that’s moving toward 50 years together, they sound spry and energetic on these 14 tracks that might seem to be too many on the surface, but they really fly by. The title track, “Lightning Strike,” “Evil Never Dies,” “Never the Heroes,” “Children of the Sun,” and closer “Seas of Red” are packed with pure, classic Priest, and it’s a joy to behold. Sadly, right before the record was released, longtime guitarist Glenn Tipton announced he has Parkinson’s, so if this is his musical swan song, it’s one that’ll burn brightly forever. (March 9)

For more on the band, go here: http://judaspriest.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.shopjudaspriest.com/collections/firepower

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

EXTREMITY, “Coffin Birth” (20 Buck Spin): There are tons of different ways to play death metal, and like every other slivers of sub-genres, its sound has expanded greatly ever since its birth in the mucky swamps. As cool as it is to see the horizons expand, it’s also satisfying as hell to hear a band delve back into the blood and guts and ladle that shit all over the place. What better band than Extremity, whose “Coffin Birth” was a refreshing yet vile throwback to when things were gross and sticky, and bodies found themselves stuck to the floor on long-dried blood. Ew, gross. This band combining guitarist/vocalist Marissa Martinez-Hoadley (Cretin), bassist/guitarist/vocalist Shelby Lermo (Vastum, Ulthar), and drummer Aesop Dekker (Khôrada, Vhöl) rip through eight tracks that dig right for your veins and seek to tear them out handfuls at a time. This band is deadly serious about their approach and their art, but I doubt they’ll mind if you have a smile on your face as they drag you through the guts and grime. (July 20)

To buy the album, go here: https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/coffin-birth

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

SOJOURNER, “The Shadowed Road” (Avantgarde Music/Folkvangr): Metal still has its corners of escapist enjoyment where the music gets inside of you, and blood surges through your body. Sojourner, whose members hail from New Zealand, Switzerland, and Italy, sound like one of those young bands Iron Maiden should pluck as an opener to expose to their audiences, because chances are people would eat this up. Pouring power metal, black metal, and folk into an infectious, energizing puzzle, “The Shadowed Road,” the band’s second and best LP, has been a lightning rod of energy all year long. This is fantastical, heart-rushing stuff, peaking on “Winter’s Slumber” that reminds of Amorphis; “Titan,” that is jam-packed with Maiden-style drama; and “Our Bones Among the Ruins” that delivers a brutal blast along with an adventurous burst. Great band; riveting album. (March 15)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-shadowed-road

Or here: http://www.folkvangrrecords.com/products/616667-sojourner-the-shadowed-road

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

And here: http://www.folkvangrrecords.com/

THOU/RAGANA, “Let Our Names Be Forgotten” (An Out Recordings): There are plenty of awesome split releases that come out each year, with 2018 being no different, but few pair bands that are socially and philosophically aligned as Thou and Ragana. Yet, their sounds are pretty different from each other, which listeners can hear on this five-track release. Ragana attack with noisy vitriol, often bursting out of delicate sounds that disarm you before the bludgeoning. “The Void” especially stands out for its bluesy returns and utter savagery. Thou, for all the releases they’ve put out this year, saved two massive, tremendous songs for this split that stand up against anything else they put out in 2018. (Sept. 23)

Buy the album here: https://anout.bandcamp.com/album/aor030-ragana-thou-let-our-names-be-forgotten-split-lp

THOU, “Rhea Sylvia” (Deathwish Inc.): OK, yes, another Thou release, but holy shit, is this one a great one. The band took guitarist Matthew Thudium’s solo works and transformed them into a grunge fest that might make some pine for Alice in Chains’ between-records mostly acoustic EPs. Thudium gets more of a chance to sing on these tracks, though Bryan Funck’s acid howl is here as well. “Restless River” is the song with which they tore open their Migration Fest set, and their cover of Crowbar’s “The Lasting Dose” is the nasty icing on this burning cake. (July 27)

Buy the album here: https://thou.bandcamp.com/album/rhea-sylvia

REDBAIT, “Red Tape” (self-released): Redbait consider their music Midwestern proletariat crust, and goddamn if that’s not what we get on this smothering EP release that’s a defiant punch to the face. The songs are heavy as all hell, as this band unleashes their justified anger and frustration over four cuts (including a live take on “Dick Punch” that pulls no … um, punches). The title track is an assault on the mind and body as they fight back ferociously against the societal and political forces that seek to keep them and others down, while “I’ll Be Fine” and “Smoke in Your Eyes” blow past, but not before they’ve done ample damage. (April 19)

Buy the album here: https://redbait.bandcamp.com/album/red-tape

JUTE GYTE/SPECTRAL LORE, “Helian” (I, Voidhanger): U.S.-based band Jute Gyte and Greek artist Spectral Lore took a particularly interesting approach to this split effort, each taking on “Helian,” the 1913 poem written by Austrian expressionist Georg Trakl, and that 93-line poem stood as one of the most painful pieces its creator ever brought into the world. Themes of death, societal collapse, and spirituality are in the mix for this release, and each band’s interpretation is quite different. Wildly prolific Jute Gyte’s is weird, hypnotic, droning, and mournful, while Spectral Lore’s track mixes classic metal, doom, and even a sense of nostalgia as their creation is unfurled. (Jan. 19)

Buy the album here: https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/helian

INTEGRITY/KRIEG, split (Relapse): Putting together two bands that have seen their share of shit and have helped carve out paths in their own styles of extreme music come together on this piledriving effort that’s as fun to hear as it is brutal to experience. Over these seven selections, Integrity offer up four new tracks, while Krieg deliver their first new song written since 2014’s “Transient,” an older track unearthed, and a live clip. It’s a pretty nice mix. It’s also essentially a home run that when you put together these two bands, you’re going to get something well worth your money.  (Aug. 3)

Buy the album here: https://integrity.bandcamp.com/album/split-with-krieg

THE SECRET, “Lux Tenebris” (Southern Lord): It has been nearly six years since we’d heard from Italian beasts the Secret, and during that stretch, the band members even went a few years without talking to each other. So, when they came storming back with the “Lux Tenebris” EP, a fire-breathing release that made it feel like this band never went away in the first place, everything seemed right. This effort keeps intact their blackened hardcore sound and injects it with more atmosphere, texture, and outright violence. That should keep longtime fans satisfied that the time away did nothing to dull their teeth. If anything, they’re bloodier and sharper than ever. (Aug. 31)

Buy the album here: https://thesecretsl.bandcamp.com/album/lux-tenebris

The insane amount of good music we’ve gotten this past year really reveals itself when you try to narrow down 50 songs from January to December you want to feature in a year-end playlist. This thing took a while to put together, but it was fun revisiting a ton of great shit from the year, with every corner of extreme music covered in these 50 tracks and five hours of content. These also aren’t necessarily the 50 best songs of the year, but we wanted to pick one per artist that we wanted to feature, so some stuff got left behind. But this list is 50 bands, 50 songs, and all of them killers.

Every year right about this time, we rattle off the worst shit that happened in metal throughout the year. There’s always stuff that chews on our asses and makes us furious that we even put up with that shit. But you know what? We’re changing that this year. Let’s talk about the non-worst moments of metal this year, because there were tons of them.

Just so we get this out of the way, it still sucks we have to deal with racism and sexism in metal, and fuck the fuck out of NSBM. If you’re in the league of people who are like, “Hey, it’s metal, it’s supposed to be dark!” you can go fuck yourself, too. You think this site will shut down without you? No. It won’t. Fuck you, and fuck NSBM. It’s cowardly music made by cowards FOR cowards. If that’s you, then enjoy your cowardice, you loser.

OK, so instead of giving losers more air time, let’s instead go over some of the stuff that made metal an amazing place to be in 2018. I know some people hate when we say this, but I can’t remember a year when it felt like metal was more of a positive community with great bands coming together, their followers checking out their shows and making friendships, and the creativity reaching an all-time high. Fuck you if you don’t like that. So, let’s talk about some cool shit.

MIKE SCHIEDT IS ALIVE, AND YOB STILL RULE:  Mike Scheidt almost died. He survived diverticulitis, a massive infection, and a ton of shit that would dominate most people. But he still stands. YOB still stand. This year, they released “Our Raw Heart,” an incredible comeback record that is overflowing with love and positivity. You think death is going to darken Mike Scheidt?! Think again. Even the biggest jerks among us all can’t possibly put on this album and not smile from temple to temple. Oh, and if you doubt me, see them live. Try to defy their energy. You can’t. This band is one of the most amazing in metal and always has been, and the fact that their emotional/creative center point still lives and is making music that matters as much as anyone’s is a triumph and a reason to realize sometimes the universe is kind.

I MISS ALL MY MIGRATION FEST FRIENDS: I spent four days this summer with people I have known and loved for a long time and people I only knew online and finally got to see in person. Oh, and there were four incredible days of music. I can’t explain how important these three days were to me. I’ve never had a lot of friends. I am socially anxious. But when this amazing fest closed down, and I was heavily emotional during Panopticon’s amazing, fest-closing performance, I realized I had experienced a time that was one of the most important to me as a human. I hope Adam and Dave know this, not because I’m important. But because they were able to give this experience to people. Some of this contains inside references, but I will always treasure sneaking beers into Smalls; seeing Thou; meeting a slew of folks I knew online who have become very important friends to me; seeing FALSE; finally seeing Spirit Adrift live, which was a total rush; Dark Man Duck; experiencing Deadbird; the series of We Are 138 photos; Couch Slut’s blunt, aggressive set; spending like $400 on merch; the Uber ride home with Nate and Matt from Immortal Bird who thought I played a great trick on them; hugging a million people; the late afternoon at Strange Roots; the opening set with Cloud Rat; and goddamn, so much more. Can’t wait to do this again in two years.

WE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF CROM: Descendants of Crom is a wholly Pittsburgh festival, and reasonably so. The first two installments have been comprised some of the best times I’ve had as a person, and this year’s (it grew to two days) just compounded that. Heavy Temple, a band I love, just outright ruled. Like, few bands who played our fine town this year could top them. They were otherworldly. But it wasn’t just them! Doctor Smoke ruled. The Long Hunt dominated. Horehound crushed again. Come to Grief were masters. And that was just day 1! I couldn’t go to day 2 because of a family wedding, but everyone I know and trust said it was a tremendous day, and I don’t doubt it at all. I also spent a lot of money, which is the sign of a killer fest, which this is. It’s such a fun time, the show just blows by, and I got to see a lot of bands that weren’t really on my radar before but are now. There’s another one in 2019. Go. You’ll feel insanely at home and will love it. Thanks, Shy Kennedy for an amazing weekend. Can’t wait for the third installment!

CLASSIC METAL BANDS STILL MATTER: I always laugh when people crush Ghost, like they took metal to some new, filthy world. Metal USED to be a show, and it wasn’t until recently when that changed. But classic metal never died, and this year is a gigantic reason why. So many classic metal bands dug in and put out amazing records including Voivod, Judas Priest, Deceased, Sleep, and At the Gates. While it’s great that the underground is so powerful and we have so many styles of metal and amazing bands playing the music, we always need the ones who started it all, and to have them putting out vital, strong music is priceless. It’s been a great year for bands that seen and done it all, and we need to enjoy them while they’re still in our grasps.

CHAOS WILL NOT DESTROY THE STRONG: If we’ve learned anything about metal, it’s that things never stay peaceful for very long. Bands break up, members leave, problems arise, and that puts the artists to the test to determine if their future will bear fruit. This year, we saw many musicians and bands return to the scene after surviving turmoil. The band Ails debuted, rising from the ashes of Ludicra’s dissolution several years ago, debuting with their excellent first record; Witch Mountain made a switch at singer a few years back when Uta Plotkin decided to move on, but they brought in powerhouse vocalist Kayla Dixon and put out a tremendous self-titled fifth album; Skeletonwitch probably should have imploded following the removal of former singer Chance Garnette after his arrest, but they carried on, brought in singer Adam Clemans, and released easily their best album ever in “Devouring Radiant Light”; and Khorada’s members rose from the ashes of unnecessarily torched Agalloch and put-on-hold Giant Squid to form an animal unlike their previous bands and a fascinating, sweltering debut record “Salt.” No one decides these bands’ futures but the artists themselves, and all of them put out great music this year.vc

OK, yes, this is a metal site, but anyone who reads this with any regularity knows we veer off course a lot. I listen to way more than just metal, as I’m sure most of our readers do as well, and my year-end Spotify report was basically bereft of heavy stuff.

So, with us getting ready to cover our favorite 40 metal records of 2018, now’s also a great time to look back on records that are not in the metal category that we enjoyed the hell out of. There are a few records here that have some definite crossover appeal to metal listeners, but many of them definitely do not. Oh, these are in alphabetical order.

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS, “May Your Kindness Remain” (Fat Possum): At just 28, Andrews already has six records on her resume, and “May Your Kindness Remain” is by far her best to date. This has the feel of a classic country record with stories of love, loss, family, and the rigors of the road, as her downhome voice makes you feel like you’re hearing from an old friend who has seen some shit. The title track has an amazing swelling moment toward the end that will gut you. (March 23)

Buy the album here: https://courtneymarieandrews.bandcamp.com/album/may-your-kindness-remain

BLISS SIGNAL, self-titled (Profound Lore/True Panther): This is the return to harsher music for James Kelly, who works under the WIFE banner but who also used to be in Altar of Plagues. This team with DJ Jack Adams is far more guitar-centric than WIFE’s material, and it’s both dreamy and abrasive, sending you into one hell of a scary fever dream. Really strange and explosive stuff. (Sept. 28)

Buy the album here: https://blisssignal.bandcamp.com/album/bliss-signal

JACKIE COHEN, “Tacoma Night Terror Parts 1 and 2” (Spacebomb): For all the tastemaker sites out there trying to find a bunch of new artists for people to pine over, how the fuck did they miss out on Jackie Cohen’s great two EPs? Ever since her song “Darlin’” showed up on my new release mix on Spotify, I’ve been infatuated with her bizarre style of folk, psychedelics, old-style rock and roll, and … well, stuff I can’t even describe. Her voice could take some getting used to for some, but once you’re in, you’re fully infected by her zany, unquestionably amazing set of characters. Go listen to her! (June 29/Oct. 12)

Buy the albums here: https://jackiecohen.bandcamp.com/

CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, “Great Escape” (Season of Mist): Anytime UK progressive rockers Crippled Black Phoenix put out anything, we’re willing to listen, and “Great Escape” is no exception. This band knows how to mine this scar-ridden world for dark tales and warning, always with a note of hope etched in just in case we all survive. From “You’ve Brought It Upon Yourselves” that, through sound clips, praises the role of the outcast, to the sweeping and rushing “To You I Give,” the band puts together an 11-track tour de force that might have you taking up arms to defend all the forces in life and society out for true justice and good. (Sept. 14)

Buy the album here: https://crippledblackphoenixsom.bandcamp.com/album/great-escape

THE HOLD STEADY, trio of mini releases (self-released): So, this is a confusing entry. OK, so the Hold Steady didn’t put out a new full-length this year (they did drop a killer live record as a name your price offering last week), but they did put out three two-track releases throughout the year that sounds like this great rock band finding their legs again. Part of that could be the return of keyboard player Franz Nicolay to the outfit, as his departure a few records ago had a bigger impact than anyone ever realized. They’re on fire, they’ve rediscovered what made them so awesome, and even singer/guitarist Craig Finn is sounding like his old self again. Great having these guys truly back. (March 5/July 17/Sept. 5)

Buy the EPs here: https://holdsteady.bandcamp.com/

THE LONG HUNT, “All Paths Lead to Here” (self-released): I’ve spoken of the riches of bands we have here in Pittsburgh, and another great example of that are doom instrumental pounders The Long Hunt. There isn’t a desert anywhere near here, but you wouldn’t know it when this band is melting your face off (they’re even better live, by the way) with these Earth-y gems. These six tracks are lengthy and immersive, as you will find yourself working your way into the tunnel on “Ground of Being” and you’re off on a mind-altering journey that brings you back to the surface gasping once the record ends with “Cantiga 166 (Tower of Set).” Excellent band and record. (June 1)

Buy the album here: https://thelonghunt.bandcamp.com/

MISERABLE, “Loverboy/Dog Days” (Sargent House): Four new songs and four songs Kristina Esfandiari wrote in the past make up this really great collection that shows the poppier, yet even darker side than she shows fronting King Woman. Esfandiari pulls zero punches on the four new tracks, taking to task bad lovers, failing relationships, and toxic masculinity and objectifying women’s bodies. The “Dog Days” part is a little less scarred lyrically, and it gives an interesting glimpse into this project’s early days, where the music was a little glossier. Really strong effort. (Oct. 26)

Buy the album here: https://miserablegrl.bandcamp.com/

MITSKI, “Be the Cowboy” (Dead Oceans): Mitski Miyawaki is a goddamn genius, and her fifth record “Be the Cowboy” is more proof of that statement. At 14 songs, the record seems overstuffed at first glance. Then you hear it, and the songs seem too short (what is this, a grindcore album?!). But let the record grow, and if you do, you’ll find a brilliant document woven together with short stories, dashes of all different styles of music, and some of the rawest, most honest lyrics anywhere in music. It’s truly a record that gets better and more involved with each listen that by the time you finish with heart-crushing closer “Two Slow Dancers,” you’ll wonder what the hell hit you. It was Mitski, and she just might be the best songwriter of this era. (Aug. 17)

Buy the album here: https://mitski.bandcamp.com/

MARISSA NADLER, “For My Crimes” (Sacred Bones): Marissa Nadler is one of my favorite songwriters ever, and it’s because she releases records the quality of “For My Crimes,” one of her darkest and most daring. She has a base sound for sure, which is rooted in folk music, but she pushes further past that than ever with these excellent 10 songs. Each one is its own story and stands out from the rest of the pack yet also works as living, breathing cell of the overall whole. She starts with the title track, where her character takes the long walk toward death row, which she uses to mirror a failed relationship, works to the intoxicating “Blue Vapor,” and concludes the album with “Said Goodbye to That Car,” where she says farewell to an old vehicle and an expired love. Our love for Nadler never will expire. (Sept. 28)

Buy the album here: https://marissanadler.bandcamp.com/album/for-my-crimes

EMMA RUTH RUNDLE, “On Dark Horses” (Sargent House): Emma Ruth Rundle’s greatness knows no bounds, and on her fourth record “On Dark Horses,” she keeps her amazing string of great albums flowing with force. This is her loudest, grimiest effort to date, and it’s also her moodiest, which is saying something. Getting some assists from guitarist Evan Patterson and the rest of Jaye Jayle (her backing band now, who really flesh out her sound), Rundle makes the most of having some strong supporting players by turning out some of the best guitar work of her run as a solo artist. The songs here are unforgettable from “Fever Dreams,” “Darkhorse” (best chorus on the record), “Light Song,” and sad closer “You Don’t Have to Cry.” She’s also a beast with which to be reckoned live, where these songs live on a totally different level. (Sept. 14)

Buy the album here: https://emmaruthrundle.bandcamp.com/album/on-dark-horses

The progressive death metal tag always makes me a little jittery inside. I always think of heavy instrumental wanking, shit that feels like it was made by a robot, and a lack of a true heart. Not that it isn’t fun to hear. But that isn’t always the case as progressive death sometimes just means a band is taking things above and beyond the rest of the pack.

Boston-based crushers Zealotry definitely won’t leave you numb with senseless noodling and aren’t super interested in wowing you with how good they are as musicians. Their music, especially what they etched to record on their third platter “At the Nexus of All Stillborn Worlds,” is an absolute blast to hear. It’s flat-out entertaining as fuck, but I don’t want that to come off as whimsical. The record will knock you on your ass, and the band devastates your senses with their brutality and creativity that work hand in hand. I listen to every record I write about multiple times because you really have to if you’re going to get to know a collection of songs. For this new Zealotry album, I had to keep going back to examine all the twists and turns that this band—vocalist/guitarist R. Temin, guitarist/backing vocalist P. Tougas, guitarist Jake Himelfarb, drummer Alex Zalatan—packs into this challenging album. By the way, their promo photo looks like a Rock Card. If you don’t know what that is, I’m embarrassed. For you.

The title track kicks off the record with a crushing assault and the growls drilling into your chest. Weirdness is abounding as the basslines twist and sprawl, and we’re off into the jaws of sci-fi death, powered by exploratory lead lines and weird group chants compounding the strange aura. “Accursed” is a quick instrumental build by foggy synth and alien inhibitions, which takes us toward “Lethe’s Shroud” and its odd growls and splattering fury. Classic leads arrive, giving off a vintage heavy metal vibe, as the track spills drama and revels in it. The track chews and thrashes, with Temin wailing, “Tell me what it is that I’ve lost,” as the track blasts away. “Primus Venatoris” is adventurous and awash in proggy notions, with the vocals punishing and the guitars going off. There’s an old death metal feel to the track, and then jazzy playing emerges before the crunch returns. From there, the band unleashes a mangling assault, gurgling out in blood at the end.

“The Hole” has a bluesy feel out front, which feels bizarre at first but eventually makes sense. Throaty growls grind, while the pace chews bone and flesh, floating into a thick mist of keys. The track gets proggy and disorienting, with the guitars going on a new high and everything ending in a fiery burst and deep groans. “Universal Deceit” sprawls in from the void as beastly growls make their presence known, and fast, numbing guitars feel like they’re achieving time travel. The growls get thicker and more monstrous, with the soloing blinding you, and interplanetary energies splashing colors. “The Sky Bleeds Nightmares” starts with calls like they originate from a twisted movie, growls storming, and then a weird, dream-like state landing. The guitar work adds to that and confuses you, as demonic growls slither, and the drums punch holes in everything. “Irredeemable” is the 10:56 closer, basking in a guitar haze while the song gets off to a calculated pace. The fires are aggravated while the thrashy madness erupts, with growls crushing before the tempo slows. The heaviness never subsides, as growls gurgle, the intensity builds, and a weird choral section makes heads tilt before a soaring solo grabs your attention. The final minutes re-engage with insanity, as the growls mash, the band clobbers the senses, and adventurous guitars bring this to a rushing finish.

Zealotry have a fresh, weird approach to death metal, which is part of what makes “At the Nexus of All Stillborn Worlds” such a stunning album. They’re obviously incredible musicians and can play circles around most bands, but they’re more interested in making albums that are dramatic, compelling, and interesting. Yeah, call this band progressive all you want, but there’s way more substance behind that descriptor, and they’ll make you pay if you sell them short.

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

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

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