20. DUST MOTH, “Scale” (The Mylene Sheath): Much of what we do around here is immersed in absolute heaviness. I got a better idea of that putting together this best-of-2016 list. Damn, we do a lot of doom and black metal and death metal, and it makes sense considering our focus. But brutality isn’t the be all, end all, and it’s not the only thing that makes a band and its music heavy. Seattle’s Dust Moth are one of the bands that might not blow out your hearing, but they’re sure to take you somewhere that will quake your insides.

Dust Moth’s full-length debut “Scale” is a perfect example of a record that might not tangle with the beasts, but it’s got enough power to push you. Their music has its sure bursts of power, and when those moments strike, they’re very effective. But psychedelic dreaming and spacey wonders are at the heart of this thing, and the music is so alluring and catchy, it’ll get stuck in your head for days. Led by expressive singer Irene Barber, the band pushes you through nine expansive tracks that’ll infect your mind, including swirling opener “Space Legs,” amazing and infectious “Corrections,” and drizzling closer “Essex.” This is one of the year’s most pleasant surprises as far as debuts go, and their adventures from here will be devoured wholly by us as soon as they arrive. (July 22)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.mylenesheath.com/pg/preorders

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

19. SUMERLANDS, self-titled (Relapse): Get an old car, wait until a warm evening, and go buy some good beer in order to properly digest Sumerlands’ first record. This feels like a lost album recorded in 1984 that sat on someone’s shelf, foolishly neglected, and only surfaced now. Think Judas Priest, Dio, and mid-1980s Ozzy Osbourne and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect on this band’s first record. My first visit with the album is nearly described above, and I listened with optimal volume during a hot summer day while on vacation in Rehoboth Beach, and it was absolutely perfect.

The band has former Hour of 13 singer Phil Swanson out front—he has some of the best pipes in all heavy metal—and by his side are members of bands such as Magic Circle and War Hungry. Together, they put together a perfectly sized album at eight tracks and 32 minutes, and this thing is packed with great riffs, doom-laced classic heavy metal, and singing that’ll cut to your metallic heart and leave it bleeding silver. Tracks such as “The Seal,” “Guardian,” “Spiral Infinite,” and “Lost My Mind” are modern-day metal gems made by a band that is trying to revive the genre’s golden roots and spread them all over the world again. (Sept. 16)

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

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

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

18. URFAUST, “Empty Space Meditation” (Ván): Transcending is something you cannot get with every heavy metal band. But Dutch duo Urfaust are not like any other metal band, and each of their releases offer something completely different to their audience. No two Urfaust records are the same, or even close for that matter, and their fourth full-length “Empty Space Mediation” continues to push their sound and direction deep into the psyche. This is music you’re not going to put on because you want to punch it full speed down the road and fill yourself with adrenaline. This is music that can help you center yourself and transport to another plane of existence.

These six songs all are called “Meditatum,” with an accompanying Roman numeral, and each track takes you one step further to pushing yourself beyond earthly boundaries, even if that’s only in your mind. There is heaviness involved for sure, which you’ll find with the horrifying screams of “II” and the chants and fire-breathing guitars on “V.” But then there are the chilling, swirling synth passages and the dream-soaked compositions that stretch over opener “I” and the mentally stimulating closer “VI” that’s splashed with Indian-style melodies, a chamber of hypnosis, and melodies floating in and out of your brain. Urfaust never repeat themselves, and “Empty Space Meditation” is a huge mind fuck.  (Oct. 28)

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

To buy the album or for more on the label, go here: https://www.van-records.de/

17. MIZMOR, “Yodh” (Gilead Media): What causes people to get up every day and carry through a life that can be buried in multiple difficulties varies for each person. We all have our own motivation, and we all decide to carry on for one reason or another and forge through yet more challenges. Those circumstances that will our survival is at the heart of “Yodh,” the second record from this A.L.N.-driven project that absolutely crushed our world this year.

Mizmor (also known under the Hebrew spelling מזמור) packs doom, noise, drone, and black metal in heavy layers that are damn-near impenetrable, and the five tracks on here deal a serious bludgeoning from start to finish. Despite the negativity and poisonous surroundings that could mar our everyday lives, Mizmor find a way to steamroll through those barriers and into whatever comes next. This music is corrosive and powerful, and from opener “Woe Regains My Substance” to cataclysmic closer “Bask in the Lingering,” A.L.N. drags you through an abrasive journey that could help find some answers amid your suffering. (Aug. 12)

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

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

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

16. BLOOD CEREMONY, “Lord of Misrule” (Rise Above): For the past decade, Toronto’s occult-based band Blood Ceremony have spent their time sharpening their blades, getting more infectious, and luring in more listeners. They’ve also kept their music varied enough that each of their records stands apart, and that continues on their excellent fourth effort “Lord of Misrule.” This thing is darker and grittier than their more approachable “The Eldritch Dark” but also maintains a lot of that record’s power.

Vocalist/flautist Alia “O’Brien is at her very best on these songs, sounding raspier and more sinister in spots but also soaring like a ritual fire. The rest of the band matches her mastery and intensity, firing hard on tracks such as “The Devil’s Widow,” “The Rogue’s Lot,” the impossibly catchy title track (especially its psyche-friendly chorus), “Half Moon Street,” and “Old Fires.” Witchcraft and magick always feel like they’re flowing heavily on a Blood Ceremony record, and that’s never been more accurate than on “Lord of Misrule.” I’m already excited to find out what dark corners they take us to next. (March 25)

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

To buy the album go here: http://www.riseaboverecords.com/shop/

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

30. FORTERESSE, “Thèmes pour la Rébellion” (Sepulchral Productions): History and progress are made locally, and that’s something fresh on the minds of Quebec-based black metal band Forteresse. Their fifth record “Thèmes pour la Rébellion” is one of the most unique of the year, not only for how it sounds but for its subject matter, that being the Lower Canadian Rebellion that took place in 1837-38. The sense of vengeance and fighting for freedom bleed throughout this record, and amid the band’s devastating sound, you practically can hear forces moving through the villages, setting fire to the enemy, and going on a rampage. It’s a fascinating listen, and it’ll make the blood rush to your head. Violence, history, and chaos swell this thing, and it’s one hell of a monstrous experience. (June 24)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Forteresse-312227428819928

To buy the album, go here: http://www.sepulchralproductions.com/collections/preorders

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

29. WALDGEFLÜSTER, “Ruinen” (Bindrune/Nordvis Produktion): It’s impossible to put on a Waldgeflüster record and not feel a huge tidal wave of genuine passion and emotion. It’s been that way since Winterherz put together this project as his own solo project, and it remains this way as the band has grown into a full unit. “Ruinen” is a great serving of folk-influenced black metal, the stuff you can imagine listening to on a mid-winter jaunt through the forest as you look to either connect with nature or just clear your head. The black metal elements are as heavy as anything in the band’s history, and the quieter moments serve as a perfect counter to the building storm. The band’s heartfelt playing and spirited songwriting are so strong on “Ruinen,” and it’s another powerful entry into Waldgeflüster’s impressive resume. (Oct. 14)

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

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

Or here: http://store.nordvis.com/

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

And here: http://www.nordvis.com/

28. MOONSORROW, “Jumalten aika” (Century Media): Not sure what got into Finnish metal legion Moonsorrow’s blood when they were making their seventh record “Jumalten aika,” but hopefully that continues to infect these guys. This album is vitriolically heavy and brutal, not that past records haven’t been, but it hasn’t been to this extent. Moonsorrow seem to have been extra agitated when they made this record, and good for them, because it’s the best thing they’ve put out in some time. Their Pagan spirits are in full effect on this record, and there are some amazing highlights (I can’t get the opening title track out of my head, as it’s one of my favorite songs of the year). This album is 67 minutes of the best Moonsorrow have to offer, and it’s great that this far into their run that they’re gushing vital, relevant blood with such intensity. (April 1)

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

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

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

27. ABBATH, self-titled ‘’ (Season of Mist): Abbath leaving black metal institution Immortal likely will be a death blow for that band (or at least a debilitating full-body bruise), but it sure didn’t hurt the man who fronted that legendary group for years. Abbath’s solo debut is a fiery steamroller, proof that this experienced warrior still has ice in his veins and winter at his heart. What’s also cool is this isn’t exactly an Immortal album with different players. Those elements are there (they would have to be), but the band also explores all sorts of metallic sounds to make this a record a total crusher. Opener “To War” is a boots-on-the-ground stomper, while “Winterbane” stands as the best song on this record, one that rivals anything on the last Immortal outing. Abbath is alive and well, ready to take your head off. And he’s already making a new album!  (Jan. 22)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://shopusa.season-of-mist.com/

Or here: http://shop.season-of-mist.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.season-of-mist.com/

26. ASHBRINGER, “Yūgen” (Avantgarde Music): Nothing beats a great riff. It makes metal what it is. So how about an entire record filled with killer riffs stitched together and draped over eight tracks and 55 minutes on Ashbringer’s second record “Yūgen”? Put this record on, and see how long it takes to get your heart racing with the band’s energetic, melodic blend of black metal that is powerful and catchy at the same time. This Nick Stanger-led band truly arrives on this record. There are plenty of bands out there that do something similar to Ashbringer, but very few put the pieces together quite as well as this band. From “Solace” and it’s Maiden-like leads to “In Remembrance” and its reflection on loss and pain to amazing closer “Glowing Embers, Dying Fire” (which has some of the record’s best lyrics), Ashbringer deliver something truly special and memorable. (June 3)

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

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

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

25. URZEIT, “Anmoksha” (self-released): So much metal is centered on hate. That’s one of the most obvious statements in the history of the site, eh? But it makes sense to point out in this case because Urzeit’s “Anmoksha” is an album that center on self-hatred and the results of that inner torment (the made-up title essentially means without peace). Combining members of the Vrasubatlat circle, A.L.N. (Mizmor), R.F. (Ash Borer, Triumvir Foul), and M (also of Ash Borer, Triumvir Foul) create chaotic, charred black metal that sound like it oozed out of their bruised souls. Over 10 tracks and 51 minutes, this band delivers painfully heavy punishment and bile-soaked music that will make you know for certain this hatred-filled ritual is real, and that few other bands can match the hellish darkness at the center of this album. (Oct. 10)

For more on the band or for a digital version, go here: https://urzeit.bandcamp.com/

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

Or here: http://mizmor.bigcartel.com/

24. MARE COGNITUM, “Luminiferous Aether” (I, Voidhanger): Examining the human condition from a level of compassion and true exploration for a good answer to what ails us probably seems to go against the black metal ethos of hatred all the time. But Jacob Buczarski isn’t your everyday musician, and his Mare Cogntium project always has set itself apart from the rest of the metallic field. You can hear that all over the band’s fourth full-length “Luminiferous Aether,” a five track, nearly 51-minute excursion that continues Buczarski’s penchant for imaginative music and explosive playing. There is anger and ferocity to this record without question, but Buczarski’s decision to push his music more toward a hopeful perspective is both a bold move and something of which we could use more as we all stare an uncertain future right in the face. (Sept. 16)

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

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

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

23. SAOR, “Guardians” (Northern Silence): Andy Marshall has spent the past several years carving out his own pathway in Celtic-flavored black metal, and “Guardians,” his third record under the Saor banner, keeps things moving toward the atmospheric and lush. These five epics combine for nearly 56 minutes of breath-taking and punishing music that’s good for the psyche and the soul. Getting helping hands from Bryan Hamilton (Cnoc An Tursa) on drums; Meri Tadic (Irij, formerly of Elueviete) on fiddle; John Becker (Austaras) on strings; and Kevin Murphy on bagpipes, Marshall pushes his art into the green, thriving wilderness with a dose of black metal that would be fitting no matter the time of year but probably will sound best once the spring is bursting to life again. Soar is one of those projects that’s been gaining momentum over time, and “Guardians” only should solidify that push. (Nov. 11)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://shop.northern-silence.de/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.northern-silence.de/

22. INTER ARMA, “Paradise Gallows” (Relapse): There’s no questioning the creativity and refusal to adhere to any rules displayed over the past decade, and the band hit its high-water mark on their amazing third full-length “Paradise Gallows.” At nine tracks and 70 minutes, this album is incredibly unpredictable and always volcanic, pushing you to expand your own parameters for what heavy music can be. Simply put, these guys should be the trend setters, the band spawning a new wave of followers who also demand more from themselves and this sound, and Inter Arma achieve that excellence over and over on tracks including “An Archer in the Emptiness,” “Primordial Wound,” insanely penetrating “The Summer Drones,” the great title track, and the total come-down of a finale in the folk-infused “Where the Earth Meets the Sky.” Just an incredible collection of songs. (July 8)

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

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

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

21. HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE, “Dead Revolution” (Metal Blade): Traditional metal has become more plentiful that past several years, and we can point in the direction of San Francisco’s Hammers of Misfortune as one of the seed planters. The band’s sixth record “Dead Revolution,” their first in five years, kept pushing the fiery melodies, gravelly and glorious singing, and incredible drama. John Cobbett continues to write the shit out of great riffs, Sigrid Sheie’s keyboards take an even bigger role, and singer Joe Hutton, who survived a serious motorcycle accident, is in total command. There are so many great moments on this record, including stellar opener “The Velvet Inquisition,” which builds its momentum nicely; my personal favorite track “The Precipice (Waiting for the Crash),” where Hutton’s calls of, “And all you hear is sky!” pastes itself into your head; and amazing curveball finish “Days of ’49,” their heavy take on the traditional folk song based on Joaquin Miller’s poem about the gold rush of 1849 that shows just how outside the box this band thinks. Hammers of Misfortune literally is incapable of disappointing us.  (July 22)

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

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

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

40. TEMPLE NIGHTSIDE, “The Hetacomb” (Iron Bonehead): Iron Bonehead puts a lot of great, sooty black and death metal into the world, and their best contribution this year was this second selection in the history of Aussie beasts Temple Nightside. When we wrote up “The Hetacomb” this summer, we marveled at the terrifying sounds that have come out of Australia, and these guys are helping lead that charge. At nine tracks and nearly 43 minutes, it contains some of the filthiest and scariest death metal heard this year, and it has kept our blood boiling ever since the album first landed in the MMM inbox. If we keep getting death this good from Temple Nightside, their profile will have no choice but to escalate violently. (Aug. 5)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://shop.ironbonehead.de/en/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.ironbonehead.de/

39. ANAGNORISIS, “Peripeteia” (Vendetta): Metal can be a very personal, exploratory art, and nowhere was that more obvious than on Anagnorisis’ latest album “Peripeteia.” This record is a psychological awakening for vocalist Zachary Kerr, as the music explores his childhood and the events that have formed him into who he is, fueled by two tapes he found from his upbringing where he is interviewed. Those clips on their own are chilling enough, and then taking this journey with Kerr through his formative years and into the present is spellbinding, sad, and sobering. Musically, it’s fittingly complex and massive, pulling listeners through a black metal-laced trip that will leave you wholly affected. (Oct. 21)

For more on the band, go here: http://666.anagnorisis.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://vendettarecords.wordpress.com/shop-webstore/

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

38. VLK, “Of Wolves’ Blood” (self-released): We don’t get to review everything every year, and there are records that we don’t really come to know until later on. It was over the summer that, after reading a few tweets from folks I trust when it comes to music, I got onto “Of Wolves’ Blood,” the debut full-length from Chicago’s Vlk. This record was one of my more visited pieces on my Bandcamp account, and it seems to work well no matter what mood I’m in or what time of year it is. The bleak black metal feels morbidly violent but also strangely triumphant, as if it is being played at the tail end of a bloody battle in which troops were lost to the wilderness and wild clashes, but victory ultimately is the result. It’s a brutal album, and it’s so ridiculously good. (March 21)

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

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

37. ZHRINE, “Unortheta” (Season of Mist): The Icelandic metal scene is alive and very well, and Zhrine pummeling us with their mighty debut “Unortheta” made it clear the onslaught is just beginning. It was fitting they toured this year with Ulcerate, a band with whom they share some metallic DNA, though Zhrine is proving to be the more creative of the two right now. The record douses the listener in death metal so bludgeoning, it feels like it was created after years breathing in the filth of a dank coal mine. But they also inject some creative wonder into the music, as if they plan to launch this into space to prove their meddle to anyone who might be listening beyond our planet. This band is damn good, and they’re just getting started with this project. (April 8)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://shopusa.season-of-mist.com/

Or here: http://shop.season-of-mist.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.season-of-mist.com/

36. WOMAN IS THE EARTH, “Torch of Our Final Night” (Init): South Dakota may seem like an odd place for the transformation of USBM’s chemistry to take place, but that’s exactly where Woman Is the Earth are plying their trade and changing what we know heavy music to be. On their excellent fourth record “Torch of Our Final Night,” they expand the boundaries of black metal and their own psyches with six tracks that comprise about 39 minutes of music. Heaviness and brutality are there, but so is compassion, atmospheric energy, and incredible heart, making this an album that could help you transcend. If more black metal bands could be as bold as WITE, the scene would be healthier and a lot more interesting in which to delve. (April 15)

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

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

Or here: http://www.womanistheearthband.com/woman-is-the-earth—store.html

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

35. HIGH PRIEST OF SATURN, “Son of Earth and Sky” (Svart): This is going to be way too much sharing, but on weekends, I like to take long showers at night with the lights out so I can breathe and relax. Typically, I’ll choose music that helps me push through the misery of the week, and High Priest of Saturn’s masterful second record “Son of Earth and Sky” very often is my album of choice. It’s a collection that reaches even higher if your mind is altered, but that’s not even necessary for this music to push you into a psychedelic haze. This band sort of walks the edges of metal and injects a ton of psyche rock, jazz, and some bluesy notes, making it something that could have landed in the ’60s or ’70s and been right at home. Merethe Heggset’s singing in a huge highlight of this collection, as she can soar when the need arises or pull back the intensity when the quiet takes over. This record is intoxicating and immersive, and it’ll keep soothing my mental bruising well into the future. (Feb. 26)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://svartrecords.com/shoppe/

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

34. CROWHURST, “II’ (Broken Limbs/Dullest): Jay Gambit is one prolific dude, and Crowhurst is a project that takes some serious dedication if you want to track every piece of music under that banner. This year, the band’s highpoint was “II,” an effort that mixed industrial smoke and fire with black metal fury perfectly, and six tracks here can get under your skin and increase whatever anxiety you’re feeling naturally. Teaming up with Andy Curtis-Brignell (Caina) and Matron Thron (Ævangelist), Gambit comes up with a record that’s one of the finest in Crowhurst’s massive collection, one that’s soaked in darkness and torment. Every moment of this feels like a psychological bloodletting, and that all culminates on the record’s crushing 13:28 closer “Dried Blood of Old Earth” that take you on a noise-infested metallic fog from which you cannot easily escape. Great work. (Aug. 30)

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

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

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

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

33. PESTIFERE, “Hope Misery Death” (Eihwaz): The earth is fucked. I mean, it’s really fucked. At least with the way the United States is bound to approach natural elements for the next four (holy shit, please only be four) years, it’s a terrifying effort to wonder just how far down the drain we will go. Luckily, we have bands such as Pestifere putting up the good fight, which they do on their excellent second record “Hope Misery Death.” This Minnesota-based band launches a fiery, melodic black metal assault on this record that will get your blood flowing but also touch your conscience when it comes to how we conduct ourselves as humans. We’re not the best stewards of Earth, something Pestifere warn often with these eight tracks, all hitting a crescendo on soul-shaking closer “To Those Who Lost Their Home,” which brings the whole collection to a rustic, rousing finish. If you slept on this one, change that. (July 15)

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

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

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

32. SUMAC, “What One Becomes” (Thrill Jockey): Aaron Turner can make anything he touches feel like an earthquake. Sumac’s thunderous second record “What One Becomes” is proof of that, as he, Brian Cook and Nick Yacyshyn do supreme damage here. But that’s not all they do. Their playing also runs circles around you, as they make the most of their prowess by proving their technical chops match their heaviness. Lyrically, the record hits home for me as it centers on anxiety and the building blocks that lead one to experience this potentially crippling phenomenon. Here, the band focuses on identifying anxiety’s source and mapping out a battle plan to address and balance it. It’s like therapy put to the sounds of planets exploding. It’s Sumac’s best work and hints that they’re only scratching the surface at what this trio can accomplish. (June 10)

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

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

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

31. VEKTOR, “Terminal Redux” (Earache): Did you see “Rogue One”? It ruled. Seriously, such a fun night at the movies that pays off some long-wondered questions. Nothing’s better than a good space opera, and that’s something thrash demons Vektor deliver on their aggressive, ambitious concept album “Terminal Redux.” It gives Earache one of metal’s most forward-thinking bands, something for which they’ve been searching for a long time since their glory days, and metal audience a fun, ferocious group that can keep their brain cells charged. The record has moments that are so goddamn cheeky that you can’t help but smile and a serving of technical wonder that could inform other musicians that they can play it heavy and purposely geeky at the same time. Oh, and they fucking deliver live. This record is 10 tracks and 73 action-packed minutes that feels like a thriller you can imagine in your mind as the music blows you away. This shit’s made for the big screen, and this record will help you remember than metal can be incredibly fun. We seem to forget that too often.  (May 6)

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: http://uswebstore.earache.com/vektor

Or here (Europe) http://webstore.earache.com/vektor

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

While it might seem like a fitting number to wrap up the best music of the year, 40 really isn’t a lot. There always are really great records that don’t end up in that list that still are unreal recordings. Here are five that ended up outside the top 40 but still remain some of our favorites from 2016.

ALCEST, “Kodama” (Prophecy): It’s not totally proper to consider “Kodama” Alcest’s comeback record. It’s not like they went anywhere or took a gigantic break from recording music. “Shelter” has just come out two years previously. Instead, “Kodama” is the band, led by Neige and backed by drummer Winterhalter, reaching back into their roots and bringing some heaviness and fierce vocals back to mix into their dreamy, intoxicating post-metal. I feel kind of stupid not putting this is the top 40, to be honest, it’s that good, but that’s how strong the field was. Six songs spread over 42 minutes are atmospheric, blistering, and imaginative, running through the title track, “Eclosion,” and “Oiseaux de prioe” that stand up there with some of the strongest material Alcest released to date. (Sept. 30)

For more on the band, go here: http://www.alcest-music.com/

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: http://us.prophecy.de/oxid-oxid-5/

Or here (internationally): http://en.prophecy.de/pre-order-bundles/

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

GATECREEPER, “Sonoran Deprivation” (Relapse): Gnarly, nasty death metal always goes down right, and when you throw in stellar riffs and cool melodies, you have Gatecreeper’s debut record that pays homage to their rugged desert home. Ripping out over 33 minutes, a perfectly dosed album, the Arizona-based band chugs and blasts you over nine songs, often smearing gore over everything. From the opener “Craving Flesh” through “Rotting As One” into “Patriarchal Grip” to closer “Grotesque Operations,” this quintet launches into a stampede of blood and fury, one that marks this band as one of the more promising new death metal groups going. (Oct. 7)

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

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

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

SAVAGE MASTER, “With Whips and Chains” (High Roller): It used to be OK for metal to be fun and full of debauchery. It’s not that Savage Master are, like, Poison or something, but they definitely bring the 1980s vibe where danger is afoot, leather is strapped to everyone, and you might get to see something catch on fire. Savage Master’s great second record “With Whips and Chains,” a 10-track, 35-minute affair, also is aptly titled, because that’s what will be on your mind the entire time you listen to the music. Uh, but that’ll be drenched in blood, sweat, and piss, with Stacy Savage out front in total command of this metallic army. “Dark Light of the Moon,” “Vengeance Is Steel,” “Burned at the Stake,” and the pummeling title track should keep your adrenaline flowing and you willing to battle long after your body has succumbed to exhaustion. (April 22)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/savagemaster666

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

For more on the label, go here: http://www.hrrecords.de/

VEX, “Sky Exile” (Eihwaz Recordings): A drought might not seem like the most metal topic in the world, but that subject matter hit home hard for Texas death metal unit Vex. So, on their latest record “Sky Exile,” they revisit the 2011 drought that ravaged West Texas, an event that ravaged the people of that area. The result is some of the most inspired work of Vex’s run, which started way back in 1998, and the music here is marked by heaviness, texture, fury, and compassion. The material spreads over 11 songs and 58 minutes, with riveting epics (“Antithetical Age,” “Nowhere Near,” “Dark Skies Painted”) mixing with stirring instrumentals (“Dry River Days,” “Empyrean”) on an album that really deserves to have gotten more traction than it did. If you missed out on this one, definitely go back and check out one of death metal’s best-kept secrets of 2016. (June 2)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://eihwazrecordings.com/distro/

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

PHOBOCOSM, “Bringer of Drought” (Dark Descent): Weirdness and innovation are two elements that have made Phobocosm one of the most enthralling bands in the underground scene. Their dark death metal bubbled to the surface again this year on their second effort “Bringer of Drought,” a four-cut, 35-minute excursion into morbid mysteries. Thick, mucky playing mixes with sections where things get surprisingly atmospheric and proggy, pummeling you over and over again on tracks including “Engulfing Dust” and the massive closer “Fallen.” Boiling fury and sci-fi-laced twists and turns not only will keep you sustaining body bruises, but it also will remind you that you don’t have to accept run-of-the-mill returns when it comes to brutal death metal. You always have Phobocosm. (May 13)

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

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

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

 

There are those record that, when you hear them the first time, you know your perspective is going to change. The music becomes a part of you, grows on you, shifts its meaning for you, and ultimately stays with you like an added body part.

Emma Ruth Rundle’s amazing third album “Marked for Death” was that for me this year. I already was a big fan of hers from her work with Red Sparowes and Marriages, as well as her solo albums, but this album went above and beyond. The tales of love, loss, struggle, and death are very real, and each song on here reached out and impacted me. Rundle was kind enough to answer some questions for us about the record, her experience recording it, the personal nature of the songs, and what she has coming up. This is the first year we’ve ever done a non-metal record of the year, and I can’t think of a better album or artist to kick off this feature than this one. Thank you again, Emma, not only for taking time to give us your insight, but also for your music.

Meat Meat Metal: We’re primarily a metal site, but our love of music goes beyond that. “Marked for Death” was my favorite non-metal record of the year and I found it an incredibly raw, emotional experience. I know you went through a lot making this album. How is the music sitting with you now that you’ve had some time to reflect on it?

Emma Ruth Rundle: Hi Brian, thank you for the kind words. It’s good to know that the emotional content translates. I recorded MFD last December after spending some time alone post-tour, writing at the Sargent House Farm in the freezing high desert of California. It’s been a year since then, and while I’m not one who really listens to their own recordings, I have had to go out and perform some of these songs this year. To be completely honest, getting back into these songs it psychologically difficult in that I feel it seems to cause an emotional backslide for me. I believe some music can be therapeutic to perform, but not so much this project. It motivates me to try and live a happier life in the hopes that the songs that come out aren’t rooted in some of the twisted themes of MFD. So far, I have yet to write a happy song, but I won’t stop trying.

MMM: How do you view this record emotionally? Was this sort of a bloodletting for you? Cathartic? Was it simply just necessary to get all of these things out of you? Something else?

ERR: All of the above. Writing is sort of a calling out, naming the creature, and then putting it in a glass jar for examination. If I had my druthers, I would probably shelf each one right away and just keep pulling them out until I feel clean. Ha.

MMM: There are so many high points on this record, but the closer “Real Big Sky” crushed me on first listen and has every time I’ve visited since. It feels like the beginning and end of something, a point where acceptance comes in. And it’s particularly well placed at the end of the record. Tell me more about this song.

ERR: Thanks. I feel attached to “Real Big Sky.” It came to me after a few “dry” days in the desert during which I was bereft of feeling. Totally numb. I had a conversation on the phone with my sister that touched on some memories and family stuff. Without getting too specific, the song describes the degradation of the body, the knowledge of eminent dusk, but the hopefulness of a possibility that there is something beyond—free from the pain, suffering, and loss that affect us all in our human experience. The finished version of the song is almost exactly like the original demo. There were some deviations in the studio, other attempts, none of which were appropriate. There is a little film Brandon Kapelow made about and for the song (below). I’m very happy with how this piece turned out, and it talks a little bit more about the record with a particular focus on this song.

MMM: There also is, as the title of the record makes clear, the pall of death. From some of your words in “Hand of God,” the title track, and even “Heaven,” why was death so present in these songs?

ERR: It’s hard not to feel self-indulgent or like I’m dwelling on dark times and Death. I acknowledge that there are different forms of loss and suffering, and that mine is surely trivial compared to that of others. It is not my intention to perpetuate the sad girl stereotype, and sometimes I feel disappointed in myself when it appears to me as though this work did the opposite. I am interested in an exploration of transformation. “Heaven” describes the ideas of simple life-type happiness slipping away, returning to the church of the earth, and into the fire of revelation. The sublimation of the common or physical form. A lot of my work has been focused on death. Without talking too specifically, it’s coming from my personal life and history. “Hand of God” is really a song about shame particularly around sex, relationships, and my own twisted nature. Or at least that’s the interpretation today.

MMM: All three of your solo albums have been so different from each other, yet mistakably Emma Ruth Rundle. Did you know going in that “Marked for Death” would head down this path musically, or did it come about as your creative process went on?

ERR: The record really came together in the studio. There were a lot of songs, but I discarded many ideas after writing newer stuff during the time at The Farm. The bulk of the record was written there or at least completed there. We actually recoded MFD there as well. I had wanted to make a more “folk” album at one point and really struggled with the decision to either have drums on the record or not. I knew by adding instrumentation I might be setting myself up for logistical/financial problems when the time for touring came, but as the songs developed, it was clear that the record needed to be as it is now. Perhaps the next one will be more stripped down. Sonny DePerri was very helpful throughout the process, and I felt safe sending him my demos and in making choices about which songs to include vs abandon.

MMM: You’re no stranger to heaviness with your work in Red Sparowes and Marriages. Could we ever hear any heavier sounds in your solo work, or does this hold a different purpose for you?

ERR: I feel that MFD was a step in the heavy direction, and I certainly don’t want to limit the future. Right now I want to do something a little more restrained and sparse as well as finish up “Electric Guitar 2,” but touring this record might change my mind. All the touring Marriages did in 2015 certainly influenced the more drum-heavy direction MFD seems to have gone in.

MMM: You’ve got some dates coming up with Deafheaven. What else are you planning to do in 2017?

ERR: Yes, I love Deafheaven and am very pleased to be joining them as well as This Will Destroy You for the Feb/March dates (see dates below). I will be returning to Europe in April for Roadburn as well as some touring surrounding. As I said before, I would like to finish up “Electric Guitar 2,” complete some of the visual art I’ve been chipping away at. Maybe more Marriages, definitely aiming to record another solo record and improve my skills as a guitarist. Always working, while I am lucky enough to be doing so.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/emma-ruth-rundle/products/marked-for-death-bundles

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

Our other favorite non-metal releases, in no particular order:

STURGILL SIMPSON, “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth” (Atlantic): Tremendous third album by this true country artist, whose nine-song collection acts as an open letter to his son. It’s a more full-bodied effort complete with a great horn section and stellar songwriting.

ANGEL OLSEN, “My Woman” (Jagjaguwar): The best record Olsen has put out to date, highlighted by highly energetic “Shut Up Kiss Me” and “Sister,” an amazing eight-minute song that starts soft and ends up a face melter.

BIG THIEF, “Masterpiece” (Saddle Creek): Perhaps the best new band of the year. Their debut record is rugged and emotional, at times playing things delicately (“Paul,” “Lorraine”) and at others tearing the roof off things (the rousing title cut, “True Love”).

MITSKI, “Puberty 2” (Dead Oceans): At just 26, “Puberty 2” is already Mitski Miyawaki’s fourth record and the one that should rip open ears. “Your Best American Girl” is a barnburner and has one of the best choruses (both for sounds and words) of the year, while “I Bet on Losing Dogs” and “Thursday Girl” unleashes her vulnerability.

SAVAGES, “Adore Life” (Matador): This English four-piece managed to eclipse their excellent debut with “Adore Life,” where the band really comes into their own. Noisy and alluring, the Jehnny Beth-led band splinter your ears and your hearts on “The Answer,” “Sad Person,” and “Adore,” which builds to a crescendo that could end you.

BLACK MOUNTAIN, “IV” (Jagjaguwar): This psychedelic space rock band finally returned after six years with one of their most expansive works yet, as they also level some trippy doom into the mix. The zapping synth of “Florian Saucer Attack” and the morbid funeral love of “Cemetery Bleeding” are so good, you’ll listen over and over.

ESBEN AND THE WITCH, “Older Terrors” (Season of Mist): This great post-rock band found a new home on typically metal label Season of Mist and made a compelling record as unsettling as anyone else on that roster. Four epics dot this album that’ll make the woods seem scarier than ever before.

CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, “Bronze” (Season of Mist): This UK psychedelic rock band never hid their love of Pink Floyd, and that runneth over on “Bronze,” perhaps the best-timed record of the past decade (especially if you’re an American). Feeling lousy about the state of the world? Immerse yourself in “Bronze” and come out psychologically charged and devastated.

WARPAINT, “Heads Up” (Rough Trade): This record didn’t get nearly the amount of attention it deserved. Following their self-titled 2014 breakthrough effort, the band responded by turning down the lights, chilling out, and putting together an effort that pulsates your darker inhibitions and constantly keeps you stimulated.

Emma Ruth Rundle on tour this Spring with Deafheaven and This Will Destroy You:

February 23 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (Noise Pop)

February 26 Las Vegas, NV @ The Bunkhouse Saloon

February 28 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister

March 2 Austin, TX @ The Mohawk

March 3 Dallas, TX @ Trees

March 4 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio

March 5 New Orleans, LA @ The Republic NOLA

March 7 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

March 8 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge

March 10 Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

March 11 Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry

March 12 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage

March 13 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

March 14 Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw

March 15 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

March 17 Detroit, MI @ Shelter at St. Andrew’s Hall

March 18 Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theater

March 19 Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater

March 20 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line

March 21 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room

March 23 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall

March 24 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

March 26 Seattle, WA @ Neumos

March 27 Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall

April 23  Tilburg, Netherlands @ Roadburn Festival *

* Emma Ruth Rundle only

With the year winding down, everyone everywhere is taking a look back on the music of 2016. The best albums list always is the biggest feature for most people, but we’re careful in these parts not to forget about the smaller releases that populate the year’s music output.

We have a nice bit of EPs and split releases that occurred during the year, which we didn’t include in our top 40, because we kept that specifically to full-length records. But these releases are worth your time for sure, as they are some of the better non-full-length efforts of the past year. Make sure you give them some love, respect, and even better, your money.

DAWNBRINGER, ‘XX” (Ektro/Full Contact): The final act from this Chris Black project was released digitally in February and got physical versions later in the year via Ektro and Full Contact. It’s a slim, trim 20-minute collection that rules from front to back. With half-ballad “Why Would You Leave Me” starting off the EP, the music then hammers into tried-and-true metal glory with “Into the Maze” and “North By North,” which are crushers, and the whole thing ends with instrumental “The End of the Beginning.” Black has moved onto making more of High Spirits and some solo work, but he left Dawnbringer on a real high note on an EP that stands up with the rest of the band’s catalog.

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

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

For more on the label, go here: http://www.ektrorecords.com/ektro.php

GRAVE MIASMA, “Endless Pilgrimage” (Profound Lore): Guttural death metal that feels like it is chewing away at your innards yet also pummels you with instrumental prowess is not something every band can pull off. But UK death monsters Grave Miasma are not your run-of-the-mill offenders, which they prove on their new EP “Endless Pilgrimage.” While a smaller release, the 33-minute run time still is longer than other bands’ full-lengths, and it’s as meaty and massive as any other death metal release this year. The group clobbers you over and over on mesmerizing opener “Yama Transforms to the Afterlife”; infernally damaging “Utterance of the Foulest Spirit”; and devastating closer “Full Moon Dawn” that lets the charnel winds coat your lungs with soot as you crawl to your certain doom.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.profoundlorerecords.com/products-page/

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

VILE CREATURE, “A Pessimistic Doomsayer” (self-released): This Canadian doom duo ruffles feathers among metal’s narrow-minded war bros with their support for vegan and LGBTQ issues and their distaste for oppression and abuse. But that’s never stood in this band’s way—if anything, it likely galvanizes them—and their awesome one-track, 17:50 EP is a massive, emotional journey that is heavy as it gets. The band buries itself in works of fiction, records, TV shows, you name it, in which they find solace when the outside world gets to be too much. It’s their self-made preservation zone, which is a healthy way to combat what ails you, and along with singer Laura Minnes lending her powerful vocals, the core band members Vik (drums, vocals) and K.W. (guitars/vocals) pummel you with smothering sludge and devastating doom that’s weighty and delivered right from their bruises souls. When the howl, “This world has no safe space for me!” it’s as much a desperate cry as anger-lathered battle cry that it’s clear that, despite barriers in their way, lets you know they’ll stop at nothing to have their voices heard and make metal their damn way.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://vilecreature.bandcamp.com/album/a-pessimistic-doomsayer

MARE COGNITUM/AUREOLE, “Resonance: Crimson Void” (Fallen Empire): Often split releases contain a collection of songs by two bands or more that are in no way connected. They’re just packaged together. But Mare Cognitum and Aureole had different ideas on “Resonance: Crimson Void,” making it one of the most noteworthy split releases of the year. The two bands come together to create a black metal-smeared space opera that centers around the Citadel Alunar, its bell tower, and a civilization that is in collapse as its inhabitants reach to the stars for answers. The citadel eventually encounters and is engulfed by the Rosette Nebula (see the amazing cover art), causing chaos, a great struggle, and the suffocation of life by hands emerging from the bell, until the bell tower finally collapses. Yet, the citadel lives, and from this, it emerges with newfound knowledge and must rebuild itself. It’s a story that’ll totally mesmerize you and your desire for cosmic sagas, and the music will envelop you whole when it’s all said and done.

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

For more on Aureole, go here: https://www.facebook.com/AureoleBM

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

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

BOTANIST/OSKOREIEN, “EP3: Green Metal/Deterministic Chaos” (Avantgarde Music): Two one-man projects unite here for a traditional split, and a damn fine one at that. Botanist continues his foray into the Verdant Realm, where the good and green of nature continue to plot their revenge on destructive humanity. The project’s hammered-dulcimer-and-drums sound has continued to morph, and this is more compelling stuff from one of this site’s favorite acts. Oskoreien got their active year going with “Deterministic Chaos,” two tracks of industrially sooty black metal force that’s the work of Jay Valena. He offers up one twisted track of his own and then does a transformative number on Placebo’s “Without You, I’m Nothing,” a track you likely won’t even recognize right away. Or even when it’s done. These are two of the most interesting bands in underground metal, and their every turn is worth your attention.

For more on Botanist, go here: http://www.botanist.nu/

For more on Oskoreien, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Oskoreienband/

To buy the album, go here: https://verdant-realm-botanist.bandcamp.com/album/botanist-oskoreien-ep3-green-metal-deterministic-chaos-botanist-version-saprophyte-yellow-gold-splatter-colored-vinyl-backpatch-pre-order-bonus

Or here: http://oskoreien.com/

Other noteworthy EPs: Krallice, “Hyperion”; Paroxsihzem, “Abyss of Excruciating Vexes”; Tombs, “All Empires Fall”; Mesarthim, “Pillars,” “Spires,” and “The Great Filter”; Candlemass, “Death Thy Lover”

Splits: Palace of Worms/Thaobath; Waldgeflüster/Panopticon; Blut Aus Nord/Ævangelist; Spectral Voice/Phrenelith

2016 has been a year of pure shit.

No matter where you stand, you can’t deny it. We’ve lost a ton of great artists to death. The United States somehow elected a race-baiting orange goblin as its Commander in Chief. Fake news is more impactful on people than facts and evidence. It’s been a goddamn blast, let me tell you. Over the next two weeks, we’re going to celebrate what’s been great about metal this past year because, as bad as things have been otherwise, we’ve had a lot of excellent heavy metal to distract us from the shit comet that slammed into us over and over again. It’s the right thing to do.

But before we get there, let’s take one last bloody spit of the bad stuff from the metal world this year. There have been some not-so-great records, some embarrassing garbage that continued to bog down this great style of music, and some things we’d sooner forget. So here we go, one last trip through the bullshit from metal before we get to the stuff that was really good.

Opeth’s “Sorceress”: I get that Opeth isn’t a death metal band anymore. It’s a stupid idea. But I get it. This band that created some seminal classics such as “Morningrise” and “Blackwater Park” has been on this prog rock thing for far too long now, and the new record, while well played, is a boring disaster. Just because you like prog rock doesn’t necessarily mean you should re-program the band to play only that. And holy shit, can we dial back the organs just a little bit? If they weren’t one of the great and more forward-thinking death metal bands in the world, that would be one thing. Them not being a particularly strong prog band is something else. This record is grating from front to back, and as much as I’d like to honor them for following their dusty muse, this just isn’t working anymore.

Naming “Hardwired … to Self-Destruct” metal album of the year: So, this is a new one, and that’s because this just keeps happening. I like the new Metallica record. In fact, if you took LP 1, lopped off track three and added “Spit Out the Bone” to the back end, you might have an argument. This is as inspired as Metallica has sounded in ages. But in a year when we’ve had some really great pieces of metal bombard us, this is the equivalent of awarding some washed-up legacy band a Grammy just because they made a record where they didn’t fall ass backward into their own shit. The second record/CD of this album? Not very good at all. Metallica isn’t washed up, but they also didn’t make the best metal record of the year. They made a good one, and part of the excitement is over these guys creating baffling garbage for two decades and finally doing something right. Celebrate that they’re playing well again, but don’t choke on hyperbole.

Acting like an adult still not kvlt: Accidental rhyme, but I’ll let it stand. Another year, another embarrassing experience interacting with the metal community. I know, people hardened in the black metal movement seem to think that people want a cozy place to stay and music that isn’t dangerous. Yeah, no one fucking wants that. People got into many forms of metal because it was dangerous. That makes it fun and cathartic. What sucks is people being shit on for wanting LGBTQ and minority folks to be able to enjoy the music and go to shows without being harassed. Or exist online and discuss the music they love without being threatened. You can toss the SJW “insult” all you want, but it comes off like people ill-equipped for a political debate using the derogatory terms for liberal and conservative. And yeah, the Antifa shit may have good intentions, but the threats of violence and terror undoes any of that and makes the right that much more galvanized. It would be nice if we could enjoy metal, get our negativity out of our systems with it, and leave people the fuck alone already.

That Bolzer album: The less said about “Hero” the better.

Nails put out decent album, act like babies: “You Will Never Be One of Us” is a pretty difficult album title to misconstrue. Split verbs, guys! You’re not their friends, and you never will be. Based on the way their leader Todd Jones acted this year, I’m cool with that. As a member of the media, I’ve been subject to attacks from subjects I’ve written about. Shit, I wrote a piece two years ago that still results in me being called every name in the book. Good thing people get over things! Jones losing his mind over stories written about his band (including one that contained a positive review of the band’s third record, which is pretty rad, by the way) reeked of someone with thin skin not being confident enough in his own abilities and band to let things go. Well, come to think of it, we just hired a president who does the same thing. It was so bad, as were the people who wished misfortune and bad luck for the band, and it put a slimy feel on what should have been a pretty cool year for Nails.

Nuclear Blast sign, push Ghost Bath: You know, the band that claimed to be Chinese when their “Funeral” and follow-up “Moonlover” was released getting signed by one of the biggest labels in metal is a joke. Not that the North Dakota-based band is bad or anything. But shit, you pull off a dumb thing like claiming you’re from China instead of a seemingly boring state in the Midwest, that should leave you desolate as a band. Nope! Wide distribution and seemingly everyone forgetting all about this.

Metal also has shitty deaths: Fuck off, universe, for taking away: Bill Bumgardner (Indian, Lord Mantis), Caesar Cole (Dawnbringer, Superchrist), Nick Menza (Megadeth), Adrian Guerra (Bell Witch), Karl Pendragon Weiss (Atlantean Kodex), and even though they aren’t metal, David Bowie and Greg Lake. Leave and never come back, 2016.

Today is a monumental day, as it means we have come to the end. Not of the site. Stop celebrating. No, we’ve come to the end of the review year here at Meat Mead Metal, and we have one final Pick of the Week for you to sink your teeth into before we overdose in year-end coverage starting next week. So why not talk about something jointly released by two labels we like a whole lot?

Bindrune Recordings and Nordvis Produktion have become reliable partners, releasing exciting new underground music that sounds as good in a forest as it does over your headphones. Hell, there’s a T-shirt celebrating the labels’ relationship, and they cap off 2016 with another good one, “Gudatall,” the second effort from Swedish black metal duo Murg. This is a guess that this is a duo, as they don’t publicly release their identities. But their promo shots contain shadowy images of two figures, so we’ll go with that. They debuted last year with their interestingly titled concept album “Varg & Bjorn,” and now, a year and a half later, they’ve offered up this eight-track, 45-minute opus of traditional black metal that pays homage to the sub-genre’s roots but doesn’t paint by numbers. The album is crushing and exciting, a stampeding fury that comes for your head but also is very enthralling.

The title track gets things started with morbid tones and guitars slowly awakening before it rips open with a fury. The music is spacious, though it walks hand-in-hand with punishment, while the vocals pierce the flesh as things end in fiery chaos. “Sorgeblot i gångarna” has pained, wrenching vocals that pull the song into a pool of blackness. The song itself is raspy and melodic, with riffs churning, the pace pummeling, and everything swirling in a tornado. “Djupt ner, där frosten inte biter” has a clean beginning, but darkness is looming on the horizon. The guitars are dusty for a stretch before the song bursts into flames, and the riffs are spirited. The guitars spill down, while the thick fog rises, and that misty atmosphere piles up and barrels into a crashing ending that lets smoke pour. “Den siste i brödraskapet” has strong melodies lapping and an understated ambiance. Savage shrieks arrive as the cut builds momentum then takes a weird turn in the opposite direction. Some clean tones bring serenity, but it’s not long before the cut stampedes toward the finish line.

“Mästarens resa i mörkret” is full of guitar madness and epic riffs, with the full load unleashing violence and harsh shrieks cutting at your flesh. Jarring shifts keep your bones crunching together, while the music later takes on the feel of a rain shower, soaking the ground beneath you and leaving you struggling in the mud. “Vargens ständiga vakan” is the longest song at 7:28, starting with waters rushing and guitars chiming and entrancing. As the band comes to life, meaty thrashing is unleashed, while wild howls slash away at you like a cold wind. Pace changes keep things unpredictable, with the skies darkening and melodies looping to leave you in a pall of confusion. “Midnattsmässan” is a shorter blast, with the guitars leading the charge and sounds rupturing, then cascading. The song smothers with dramatics before crushing the way toward closer “Törstens kval.” There, guitars drizzle while riffs gush blood, pushing the pace as hard as possible, with vicious snarls adding insult to injury. But as the song builds toward its finish, the elements sprint into the stratosphere, filling your lungs with cold air. From there, riffs trudge, and the music feels like water flowing into a larger, massive body of water.

Murg’s second record may be arriving very late in the year, but it’s perfect fodder for when the days are darker longer, and the weather chills your bones. “Gudatall” is a great follow-up effort for this mysterious duo, and it fills the gap in our hearts for true, honest black metal. We always want to end the year on a strong note, and Murg’s music hammers an exclamation point at the end of 2016.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Murg/3540394429

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

Or here: http://bindrunerecordings.com/

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

And here: https://thecollectivedistro.com/

The age-old argument of how black metal is supposed to sound like will burn on until the end of time. Or until the style of music burns itself to the ground once and for all. For many, only a rough, crude sound that seems barely produced will work. But we’ve progressed, and a smoother, cleaner sound has become more accepted.

For Nachtzeit, he tends to stretch in each direction, depending on his project. For his dreamier Lustre, you get a flush of sound, a rush of textures that surround you and carry you into space. But on his self-named band, we’re into basement aesthetics, the grimiest of the grime, where you must struggle and claw to hear all the elements mixed into each other. On his great new EP “Sagor I Natten,” he mashes all kinds of madness into four tracks that last about 16 minutes combined. It sounds like utter chaos if you simply put in on in the background and don’t pay attention. Don’t make that mistake. There is a lot of melody and nuance hidden within the mire, and while it might not be an easy listen first time around, the layers open each time you go in.

“Ett Fjärran Minne” gets the EP off to gruff, brutal start, as wild, animalistic howls can be heard penetrating the thick noise cloud, and those get more feral as they go on. The aforementioned strong melodies are there, lying beneath a ton of muck as they loop away and spiral a hole to the bottom of this thing. “De Färdas Genom Natten” tears right open and gushes colors everywhere. Even amid the soot and dirt, various shades help thin lasers of hues push into the picture, while a death haze arrives and takes over. Melodies lap underneath, sinking into infectious noises that warm your blood, even if the rest of you is freezing, and the back end storms heavily right up to its conclusion. “Över Myr Och Mark” is a quick interlude of dungeon synth, as visions of sharpened swords and shields being prepared to hunt dragons spill into the mind. At least it did into mine. Closer “Där Allting Har Sin Början” is the longest song at 6:48, and it gets off to a raucous start, charging hard and bringing with it harsh noises and creaky growls. Melodies drive and coat the skin like a spring storm, while the track continues to unload, with weird, monstrous fires blazing, the vocals sounding like they originate from a creature in a lost cavern, and the remnants of the track washing away.

Nachtzeit has only given us two EPs under his solo moniker, and both have been sooty, smothering affairs. Whatever his reason for choosing this approach must be a good one, because he sure isn’t trying to hide a lack of skill or fascinating ideas on “Sagor I Natten.” This is an EP that might sound best amid a total whiteout snow storm, where your senses already are heightened trying to figure out what’s around you.

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

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

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

Sometimes if you want something done right, you have to go to the experts. We’ve heard the kids piddling around with death metal, and truth be told, many of them are pretty damn good at it. But you want something war-torn, bloodied, and true, it never hurts to gather together a group of well-traveled veterans to let them have their way with the stuff.

That takes us to international superpower Echelon and their clobbering second record “The Brimstone Aggrandizement.” OK, look, it’s a mouthful to say. We’ll admit it right off the bat. But beyond that you uncover death metal the way it was meant to made, that being right off the battlefield with body parts still burning and the blood flowing fresh. In this unit, we find a slew of hardened dudes who have been around and seen some shit making this thunderous eight-track record, the follow-up to last year’s word soupy “Indulgence Over Abstinence Behind the Obsidian Veil,” itself a fucking crusher. This lineup, and get ready for this, consisting of vocalist Dave Ingram (current Hail of Bullets frontman, who also headed Benediction and Bolt Thrower), guitarists Kjetl Lynghaug (Mordenial, Paganizer) and Rogga Johansson (Down Among the Dead Men, Johansson & Speckmann, his duo with Master vocalist Paul Speckmann, and formerly of Soulburn, Foreboding, Bloodgut, and like a zillion other bands), bassist Johan Berglund (Demiurg, The Grotesquery), and drummer Travis Ruvo (Among the Decayed, Cropsy Maniac, Wormfood) has insane resumes, in case the past 90 lines were unclear, and bring all of their violence and power to this killer band.

“Plague of the Altruistic” kicks off the record heavily, and from the title alone, you should not expect anywhere to run and hide. The track is instant death, as Ingram unleashes his growls, and furious leads cut through the track. The bass bubbles, as Ingram wails about “a sacrifice to your unforgiving god,” feeling punishing and threatening all at once. “The Forbidden Industry” has a tempered start before it rips open. The chorus is a mauler that’ll stick with you, while weird robotic speaking strikes near the end, and the cut comes to a destructive finish. “Lex Talionis” starts with Ingram howling, “Let the punishment fit the crime!” before a thrashy assault starts, further growls gurgle, and the soloing scorches. The back end has a classic death metal flavor, finishing with Ingram vowing “a tooth for a tooth.” “Of Warlocks and Wolves” has hounds snarling and an Amon Amarth-style approach, striking a nice balance between melodic and murderous. The playing is strong and channeled, with the guitars ruling and a nice dose of crunch landing.

The title cut has a flurry of guitars, as the lead work surges, and a fast, crushing pace begins breaking bones. “Weld the power of autonomy!” Ingram howls, delivering his battle cry to rally the troops, and the song keeps punching on all cylinders before it races toward the finish line. “Vital Existence” greets you with strange voices before the song erupts and heads your way. A grindy, fiery tempo brings pain, while creaky growls and all guns blazing come to an abrupt, breath-robbing end. “The Feared Religion” heads down the left-hand path, with thrashy playing and things heading toward the fires. The soloing spirals out of control, dragging you on an unpredictable trip, while the band stands tall, chugging and giving off chest-caving smoke. Closer “Monsters in the Gene Pool/Sonic Vortex” starts with a Vincent Price cackle and the song taking a different road than the ones before. The pace is more rock-oriented, though Ingram howls like a beast, and the guitars are allowed to smear and show off a little more here. About halfway through, the song fades out, and in its place are whimsical sounds and dialog clips that bring this to a really strange conclusion.

There’s no doubting Echelon’s heart and bloodied hands on “The Brimstone Aggrandizement,” as they’ve been there, conquered, and still are telling their filthy war tales. This record is a punishing, yet fun reminder of death metal’s hungry early days when fires were freshly burning, and a whole new world was out there to discover. The history has been written, the scars have hardened, but we’re lucky to still have veteran musicians such as the ones from Echelon to remind us of what death metal means in the first place.

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

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

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