In the final months of the year, I tend to harp on not letting the records from December vanish into the background because they likely are not going to be included in a lot of year-end lists. We’re lucky not to have a print deadline or anyone to whom we answer so that those records can end up getting the praise they deserve, if warranted.
Bindrune dropped Weft’s amazing debut “The Splintered Oar,” a couple weeks ago, and its power is such that it landed here at 5. This project is helmed by Charlie Anderson, a violinist most people in our audience would know best for his string work with Panopticon and Waldgeflüster, where he adds even more atmosphere and dramatics to those bands’ sprawling black metal. On this record he handles vocals, bass, guitar, strings, electric violin, synth, piano, and additional percussion. The album is a goddamn revelation, an inspiring, mind-swelling collection that is an incredibly bright star in black metal’s crowded sky. Accompanied by Panopticon’s Austin Lunn on drums and other guests, Anderson steps into a world in which previously he only had a smaller, albeit crucial, part.
“Leaves” opens awash in acoustics and strings, and on first listen not knowing what to expect, I figured a whole album of this would be quite stirring. Man, was I pleasantly surprised nonetheless. This one picks up, adding extra layers on top of emotions, sweeping and glazing, mournful melodies falling, piercing the night. Then, things change. “False Kingdoms” begins ominously, strings moving and drums encircling, setting up a Western vibe. Then the blade hits your abdomen, the whole thing opening in full bore, howls crushing, black metal fury enveloping every inch of this song. “The Hull” launches heartfully, violin scarring, the playing feeling like red streaks across an evening sky. The power storms as throaty wails flex, smashing harder as the guitars take off for the clouds, echoes swim in the storm, and acoustics land and add a breezy cool. Closer “Dream of Oaks” is a stunner, basking in folkish melodies as Jordan Day’s singing reminds of a mix of Sturgill Simpson and Lawrence Peters, violin aching in the spacey echo. Andrea Morgan’s voice enters the fray and brings ghostly beauty before the power ruptures, blasts ravaging, everything spiraling into a smoldering fire and back toward dusk. (Dec. 19)
10. LUST HAG, “Irrevocably Drubbed” (Fiadh): Eleanor Harper, the sole force behind black metal force Lust Hag, uses her second full-length “Irrevocably Drubbed” to lash back against an increasingly hostile society toward LGBTQIA+ folks. A trans woman herself, Harper has witnessed and absorbed the hatred and oppression lobbied by what we call a president and the entire right wing, and even a lot of spineless Democrats have shied away from supporting people just trying to live as who they are. Harper uses this record as a means to express the torment of having to contend with political and societal forces aiming to hurt trans people and trying to contend with the hopelessness that has to permeate that thinking.
The title track opens, and it wastes no time spreading carnage, stabbing and vile as guitars storm and Harper’s vocals feel like they washed in acid first. Synth whirs to give a disorienting base, and the virulent pace continues to ravage without mercy. The pace grinds as it takes on soot, the drums damage, and the synth feels wondrous amid the ferocity. “Rancid Manipulations” has the guitars carving and the keys creating a noxious cloud, vicious howls digging deep into your muscle structure. “Feed the Mother Monolith” brings guitars stomping before their intensity rises and falls, growls clutch, and it feels like ashes are being inhaled into your lungs. The pace thickens and things get stormier and speedier, flattening and wrenching before thrashing away. “Humiliation Ritual” is the 8:40-long closer, and it blasts immediately, going for broke as screams ripple, and transcendent melodies leave the windows fogged. The playing then becomes a battering ram, hulking through a haze, trudging as senses are smashed. (May 9)
9. MARES OF THRACE, “The Loss” (Artoffact): Canadian metal duo Mares of Thrace face the scourge and tumult of grief head on with “The Loss,” their nine-track, 50-minute opus that tackles the process of death and its aftermath as we try to cope. Vocalist/guitarist Thérèse Lanz and drummer Casey Rodgers follow up 2022’s “The Exile” with this piece that is unlike anything they’ve released in the past. Yes, their abject heaviness, sludgy power, and Lanz’s angular, knifing guitar riffs are all in place, but they branch out musically and emotionally on this charring collection. Along the way, Lanz’s words pierce the heart, even amid drowning anger, as anyone who has had to bury a loved one or is on that tortuous path, will recognize.
“Anticipatory Grief” tears the lid off this thing, an urgent, black metal-smashed attack that feels like one finally coming to a breaking point. Lanz’s unmistakable riffs wrench around the fury as she levels, “I can’t bear to send another friend off to another journey in the soil.” From there, it’s a battle to survive the trauma, and then we’re off to “The First Stage: Shock” that chugs and brawls right away. Lanz’s vocals are more a hardcore-style shout, the playing stomping and bruising, singing quivering amid the carnage. “The Third Stage: Anger” is less of an assault than expected from this phase, but it’s heavy as hell, and it’s blunt. Burly, muscular riffs thrash as Lanz howls, “I looked into your eyes the day you died, and I didn’t feel nothing.” “The Fifth Stage: Depression” runs 9:19, the longest track on here, and it begins moody and drizzling, piano notes dropping, Lanz speak-singing as the momentum picks up. Guitars get heated as the heaviness swells, smothering you completely under its weight, the screams piercing flesh before the pace grows colder. It’s sobering and titanically destructive at the same time. (May 16)
8. RWAKE, “The Return of Magik” (Relapse): Rwake had been gone a long time. It’s been 14 years since “Rest” roused our metallic souls, and if you put that album on today, it sounds as fresh and vital as the day it was born. The Arkansas-based band, that’s as much a close-knit family as they are a musical outfit, finally returned on sixth record “The Return of Magick,” a brute force dashed with psychedelic colors and an unbreakable bond with the cosmos and nature. This six-track, 54-minute excursion has the band sounding as full of life as ever before, and perhaps that break helped this group—vocalists C.T. and Brittany (also on keys), guitarists Austin and John, bassist Reid, and drummer Jeff.
“You Swore We’d Always Be Together” opens ominously with clean guitars flowing, accordion landing softly, and then the thing rips, growls and shrieks sounding wonderfully scorched, pedal steel adding a syrupy emotional heft, warm leads battling with the sludge. Screams penetrate again, guitars trucking as the playing spills, everything subsiding in an electric haze. The title track wastes no time, trucking with furious cries, the intensity hammering as the guitars wrap like a cord, compromising your blood flow, C.T delivering spoken messages, “To all the witches in the woods, and to the goblins that understood, there is a spirit that walks among us, and it is living proof.” “Distant Constellations and the Psychedelic Incarceration” is the longest track here at 13:56, the opening narrated by Jim “Dandy” Mangrum of the great Black Oak Arkansas. “In After Reverse” warps before it guts, animalistic howls digging in their heels, doomy vibes rippling through the earth. A much welcome and needed return. (Mach 14)
7. TERZIJ DE HORDE, “Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone” (Church Road/Fiadh/Tartarus): Dutch black metal firepower Terzij de Horde are living the same oligarch-powered reality as you and I, and on their thunderous “Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone” (a line drawn from German sociologist Hartmut Rosa), they break through the barriers trying to hold us back. The band—vocalist Joost Vervoort, guitarists Demian Snel and Jelle Agema, bassist Johan van Hattum, drummer Richard Japenga—is on fire from the start, blending black metal and even some hardcore strains, pouring their emotion and determination all over these seven tracks that burst with energy.
“Each Breath Is a Flame” sets the tone early, blazing out of nowhere as guitars fire up and simmer, feedback chokes, and righteous wails blend into “Raise Them Towards the Sun” that is raucous and punishing. Wails scar as black metal-style melodies let lava flow, a snarling force slashing into the side of the earth. Leads blaze and then glaze, bursting open at the seams, channeling a beastly attack that rampages to the end. “The All-Consuming Work of the Soul’s Foreclosing” has strings glazing and howls wrenching, melodic smoke darkening the air, the drums blistering and leaving marks. The pace picks up the speed as the howls destroy, everything coming to a blinding finish. “Justice Is Not Enough to Leave the House of Modernity” starts reflective before the emotion spurts, Vervoort calling, “We must leave this house!” “Discarding All Adornments” brings boiling guitars and a hefty pace, steaming and flattering, the guitars spiraling into oblivion. The pace calms as Amelia Baker of Cinder Well speaks over the fog, the pace then engulfing and spewing a volcano’s worth of ash. (Oct. 10)
6. DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT, “Innern” (Season of Mist): There’s little to quell our worries outside our doors, so perhaps turning inward to address that chaos and pain can begin to help a little bit. German black metal power Der Weg Einer Freiheit focus on those matters on their incredible “Innern,” which is German for “inward.” Here, the band—vocalist/guitarist Nikita Kamprad, guitarist Nicolas Rausch, bassist Alan Noruspur, drummer Tobias Schuler—turns their gears toward taking on what’s going on inside, trying to quiet the madness and finding reflection and renewal.
“Marter” is the 9:24-long opener and begins in a haze before ramping up, the drums bustling, howls tearing as a melodic fury engulfs everything. We then go from atmospheric right to the acidic belly of the beast, the pace shifting as guitars surge, the emotion calming for a brief respite as doom gusts into the picture. “Eos” is a real centerpiece gem, a song that starts off feeling progressive and wondrous, a hulking riff moving in and making the song its own, sticking in your brain. Vocals buzz as the playing mangles, beastly blistering leaving festering wounds, melodies swirling as clean singing arrives, increasing the drama and fading in calculated manner. “Fragment” wooshes in and brings more delicate strains, cleaner singing swirling in the surrounding air, the fires eventually erupting and aiming to consume. “Forlorn” has plucked guitars sting before eeriness spreads generously, clean singing bringing a pillowy nature, softer bass plodding as things feel oddly New Wave to a degree. Guitars then scuff as shrieks hammer, colorful playing heads into a pit of moodiness, and the calls of, “Please don’t let me go,” add to the introspection. (Sept. 12)
15. AGRICULTURE, “The Spiritual Sound” (The Flenser): It is completely impossible to hear a piece of music from LA-based black metal power Agriculture and not be moved in some way. Maybe it’s even aversion, but at least you’re reacting. They call their style ecstatic black metal, and their swarming, neck-jerking album “The Spiritual Sound” delivers that and so much more. The band—vocalist/guitarist Dan Meyer, vocalist/bassist Leah B. Levinson, guitarist Richard Chowenhill, drummer Kern Haug—sounds as channeled and confident as ever, and this 10-track, 44-minute excursion challenges you mind and body, dashing through boundaries, mixing your brain chemicals, and sometimes even leaning toward delicacy.
“My Garden” is an explosive opener, and it is all over the fucking map in the best possible way. Bass chugs before the pace incinerates, mauling as shrieks kill, and the band even leans into hardcore terrain that powders bone. The chorus is unexpectedly clean, but then a stir crazy burst re-opens, attacking until everything spirals out. “Flea” charges up, speaking murmuring over the first verse, shrieks peeling away flesh with glass. Singing lulls as the pace slows down, and then screams sit alone, in a vacuum, warping. “Bodhidharma” (which features the fucking riff of the year) centers on the founder of Zen Buddhism and his successor Huike, guitars mangling from the gate before things go instantly silent, desperate screaming ringing out in desolation. The nitro bursts out of quiet are jarring, even on subsequent listens, and the transformation from agony to peace lands firmly. Singing lulls before turning dreamy, and then electrified soloing causes your blood to boil, incredible energy surging as shrieks rip, blending into “Hallelujah.” Acoustics scrape as clean singing goes high, the call of, “My head is on fire,” reminding of Huike. There is no more human and emotionally naked experience than an Agriculture record. (Oct. 3)
14. ANCIENT DEATH, “Ego Dissolution” (Profound Lore): Those unaware of death metal’s true powers, the ones who think this is just noise and vocals that are devoid of any talent, have been laughed off for a while now. Anyone still in the camp can take on “Ego Dissolution,” the debut from death ghouls Ancient Death, and once again be put to shame. This force, helmed by vocalist/guitarist Jerry Witunsky (whose presence in Atheist bleeds over here), bassist/vocalist Jasmine Alexander, guitarist Ray Brouwer, drummer Derek Moniz, spills all of their ambitions into this record, one that should stand as a starting point for one of this sub-genre’s most important contributors the next decade and beyond.
The title track opens, rumbling and trudging, the leads exploring the outer regions, preparing for launch beyond this world. “Breaking the Barriers of Hope” ignites, the speed mashing, a haze hanging over the middle of this beast, the final movement exploding with guitar work that should rewire your brain. “Breathe (Transcend Into the Glowing Streams of Forever)” features Alexander’s ethereal singing, a complement to Witunsky’s animalistic growls, the song basking in a creativity that should destroy boundaries. “Echoing Chambers With the Dismal Mind” again features Alexander plying haunting vocals to a blistering display that dislodges joints. Closer “Violet Light Decays” is strange and spiraling, stretching the psychosis and punishment to extremes that are mentally stimulating. Great fucking band, and I can’t wait to see where this goes. (April 18)
13. BLUT AUS NORD, “Ethereal Horizons” (Debemur Morti): Blut Aus Nord’s music always seems to come from somewhere not of this plane or maybe even this universe, and their intergalactic ambitions never have been a secret. On their 16th record “Ethereal Horizons,” the band—vocalist/guitarist Vindsval, bassist GhÖst, drummer/keyboard player/electronics master W.D. Feld—continues to dip into the great unknown and create another adventure that can be absorbed mentally and psychologically. It’s an album that fits nicely alongside their last couple but also branches deeper into other elements, not all of them metallic in nature.
“Shadows Breathe First” starts rather gently, serenely almost, and it takes a few moments before the storm situates itself, the familiar detached snarls echoing in the background of a star system. Clean singing wafts, reminding a bit of Robert Smith, while the power zaps through with illuminated edges, the playing growing progressive, growls gurgling before the energy swoops away. “Seclusion” is dark and cold at the outset, a spellbinding display pulling you to the center of the vortex. “The Fall Opens the Sky” explodes with melodic gust, stomping through wiry guitars and elegant, angelic keys that dash constellations across the night canopy. The playing takes on a fantasy vibe, the guitars blasting new holes into reality, the whole animal gushing new blood, drums smashing as all the elements crash to the ground. Closer “The End Becomes Grace” runs 12:23 and instantly stirs, shrieks attacking, the playing dissolving into weird, rubbery noises that lend a deeper alien feel. How do they keep fucking doing this?! (Nov. 28)
12. CLAIRVOYANCE, “Chasm of Immurement” (Carbonized): Polish death crushers Clairvoyance’s debut full-length “Chasm of Immurement” doesn’t address the crumbling state of the world, but the dread and hell and misery that’s attached? Yeah, they serve that up in abundance with devastating, doom-infested death metal that feels like it collects all its disgust to hurl back at whatever target it choose. The band—vocalist Maciej Cesarczyk, guitarist/vocalist Denis Didenko, guitarist Kacper Pawluk, bassist Vlad Levchenko, drummer Adrian Szczepański—piles pressure and madness into six tracks and 34 minutes that ravage fully and make a case for them being hailed as one of the next new death metal bands to help carry the banner.
“Eternal Blaze” opens in buried growls and then begins to trudge with force, guitars punishing as the burly attack gets under way. The fury mounts as growls corrode, speeding up as the carnage ravages in full, leaving ash behind. “Hymn of the Befouled” has guitars tangling and battering, cavernous growls reaching into your guts, spacious leads taking off from there, infusing atmosphere. “Reign of Silence” is doomy as hell, growls turning things more vicious, the playing blistering and pulling you through the mud. Closer “Monument to Dread” enters amid violent drumming, mashing growls, and a monstrous push into daggers and cragged rocks. The bass drives as the pace mauls slower, the guitars tearing through flesh walls, sinking in their teeth. (July 18)
11. RANAGA/DROWSE, “Ash Souvenir” (The Flenser): “Ash Souvenir” is a collaborative album combining black metal power Ragana (Maria and Noel, who both handle vocals and all instrumentation, often switching roles) and drone artist Drowse (Kyle Bate). The piece originally was developed as a commission piece for Roadburn in 2024, and now we have a recorded version that is wrenching emotionally. It’s a dark, reflective, often explosive dive into the pain and torment that comes with helping suffering loved ones and mourning those who have left this plane.
“In Eternal Woods Pts. 1-3” is an immersive 13:45-long opener, a track that lets everything breathe from the clean guitars to the rustic edges to the easy-flowing strings that create a fog. Voices warble behind a wall of sound before guitars cut through, and shrieks finally jostle about six minutes in, peeling paint from walls. The pace jolts as the cries grow more desperate, gazey leads bask in energy pockets as feedback wails, battering before softer singing soothes wounds. “After Image” is chilly too, Bate’s vocals taking over, the only time he is on lead on the record. The playing and words lead you through the misty forests as the verses bring calm, the choruses delivering the tumult. The title track closes the record, images of the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens permeate as everything is coated in soot. Guitars are delicate as the soft singing pays the homage, the repeat calls of, “There is nothing to lose,” imprinting on your heart. This is an emotional wrecker. (Nov. 14)
20. TOWER, Let There Be Dark” (Cruz del Sur): I’m guessing that Tower fans, when they got through their great record “Let There Be Dark,” their third, felt like this is where things really got started for this power. This feels like the band—vocalist Sarabeth Linden, guitarists James Danzo and Zak Penley, bassist Philippe Arman, drummer Keith Mikus—truly hitting on all cylinders, adding more heaviness but also richer melody. From the first listen, I was hooked, and I’ve been a fan of the band since their 2016 self-titled debut and really enjoyed 2021’s “Shock to the System.”
“Under the Chapel” starts off the record and immediately thrusts you into a darker version of the band, guitars flowing as Linden’s call wraps everything in fire. Her voice is in full command, and the band gets more aggressive behind her, the guitars blazing, and the tempo daring you to step in its way. “Let There Be Dark” has guitars thickening, driving and drilling, gang voices helping give the chorus more thrust, Linden’s shriek of the word “dark” blackening eyes. “Book of the Hidden” crushes open, Linden’s voice taking control, burning into a strange haze. “So it is written, so it is sealed,” she wails, the guitars adding more menace, driving hard through flooding melodies and surging moodiness. Closer “The Hammer” gets your blood racing right away, a melodic chorus taking hold as Linden warns, “Here comes the hammer!” Consider our faces smashed. (March 21)
19. OROMET, “The Sinking Isle” (Hypaethal): Sacramento-based funeral doom duo Oromet stand in the middle of a crumbling and hopeful existence on their second record “The Sinking Isle,” an album that shows the darker side of their creativity that serves as a counterbalance to their 2023 self-titled debut. Again drawing inspiration from fantasy artist Ted Nasmith, whose breathtaking artwork again adorns their cover, the band—vocalist/guitarist Dan Aguilar, drummer/bassist/synth player/backing vocalist Patrick Hills—reaches deep into the surrounding darkness and create something darkly melodic and richly layered.
“Hollow Dominion” opens and is the longest track, running 20:49 and taking its time to unfurl the dreaded majesty. The first couple minutes are serene, calm even, a thread of sorrow pulled through the middle. The growls enter and corrode as the glacial pace drags its way across the surface. The playing is thunderous, guitars glimmering, the emotion gushing as bells chime, the lower end of the surface rumbling with power. “Marathon” crashes, growls scarring, a spacey atmosphere stretching over everything, howls smashing as boiling interference stretches its grasp. Closer “Forsaken Tarn” mashes, growls burning even as clean, elegant waters spill over cliffs. The leads weep as gargantuan pounding combines with snarling growls and a sound burst that feels like a storm exploding. (Nov. 7)
18. WEALD + WOE, “Far From the Light of Heaven” (Fiadh): Boise, Idaho, crushers Weald & Woe fascinate perfectly on their thunderous third record “Far From the Light of Heaven,” an eight-track, 37-minute opus that spills you into a devastating fantasy land. Dubbed “castle metal,” a tag that also applies to other like-minded artists such as Obsequiae or even Morke, the music on here takes you away to swords clashing, horses galloping, chainmail shredding. The band—vocalist/guitarist Jeff Young, vocalist/guitarist Brent Ruddy, bassist Zak Darbin—goes full bore, plying melodic black metal and a twinge of power to make for a rousing, devastating adventure.
“This Vale of Tears” opens warmly, strong melodies flowing, shrieks raining down and aggravating fires. The pace keeps you plugged in, wild wails punishing, drums blasting before the pace shifts, and the power wrenches its last drops. “Warchild” gallops like early Maiden, blistering as the vocals go for broke, cooling down as castle-storming riffs gain strength. The playing bursts and bleeds colors, the drums gut, and shrieks peel back flesh as the final elements deliver majestic force. “The Skyless World” is a little moodier to start, guitars spreading out, numbing your senses before all hell breaks loose, and raucous fire and NWOBHM-flavored strikes jar your brain. Closer “Stars That Guide the Slain” is elegant and mighty, screams scraping, fluid melodies making your heart race. (July 4)
17. PHOBOCOSM, “Gateway” (Dark Descent): The plight to extend life, no matter the means and cost to others, splashes all over “Gateway,” the latest album from Montreal death metal punishers Phobocosm. Building off themes from their last record “Foreordained,” the band—vocalist/bassist E.B., guitarists S.D. and R.M., drummer J.S.G.—digs into the rot of trying to topple expiration, especially those with desires beyond living forever. Those people only have the worst of ideas in mind, and even they will fall victim to the scythe eventually. This record, by the way, was recorded alongside “Foreordained,” thus giving it similar vibe.
“Deathless” opens in a surge, feeling whirry and weird, disorienting as the sounds hover over ominously. Then your digits are crushed, growls smearing and scraping over a din of smoke, ugly and sooty power corroding, the intensity spiking before whirring away. “Unbound” has the drums openly destroying, beastly growls slithering beneath the carnage, molten guitars boiling over and threatening. Growls gurgle as the morbid pace sweeps you under the floor, blackness permeating your senses and making a grim exit. “Sempiternal Penance” blasts through, growls crushing, an infernal force making the temperatures unmanageable. “Beyond the Threshold of Flesh” has guitars simmering and growls retching, a rhyme scheme feeling somewhat bouncy even as it digs in the blade. Skies darken as the playing decimates, calculated power combusting and sending shrapnel, growls lashing as the bass coils. (Nov. 28)
16. MESSA, “The Spin” (Metal Blade): I don’t want to necessarily suggest Italian doom dreamers Messa were not ready for the major leagues before their excellent fourth record “The Spin.” They were always ready, from their 2016 debut “Belfry” right up to 2022’s “Close.” They always proved they had what it takes, creating emotionally ripe, smoking power that they dubbed “scarlet doom.” But “The Spin” is their first for the legendary Metal Blade, and this move up to wider recognition is something long deserved by the band—vocalist Sara, guitarist/bassist Marco, guitarist Alberto, drummer Rocco. Here, they deliver a record that maintains their might but also trims down the run time on many of the tracks, with only two going past eight minutes.
“Void Meridian” starts with unexpected synth pulses (you won’t be shocked for long), and Sara lets loose her spellbinding voice. “All the bones you can find at crossroads, the ones that push you down, can you hear the call in the distance? How far can you go now?” she wails, the guitars blazing with color, the chorus flushing back and zapping away. “At Races” opens with surging guitars and plunging verses, Sara calling, “Waiting for me to run.” “The Dress” runs 8:15, one of the two tracks here with longer run times. The playing slowly flows and the synth glimmers, Sara singing, “I’m trapped inside a nice velvet, blue dress, don’t even love myself anymore.” “Thicker Blood” closes, a 8:45-minute saga that enters in a magical, cosmic synth storm, Sara’s sultry singing stinging with, “Decapitated sun on this forest bed, dismay’s returning so clear and so bright.” The tempo continues to increase, guitars flooding with emotion, Sara wailing, “Mother hear me, I’ll go further, I’m so ready to be my fate.” This band has arrived in their full form. (April 11)
30. STARER, “Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness” (Fiadh/Snow Wolf): Josh Hines, the artist behind black metal beast Starer, choose to express his frustration in a productive way through his art. The project’s new full-length “Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness” is one of his most obviously agitated to date on the surface and deep in its guts. “I Cry Your Mother’s Blood” rushes at you, leads gushing as Hines’ shrieks separate flesh from ribs, the storming force only gathering in strength. The title is shrieked over a verse, and its intent darkens you, the savagery crushing before a glimmering end. “So, You Traitor” starts with the bass coiling, darker guitars dripping ashy moisture, and then a black metal gust dislodging the foundation. The fury bellows as guitars sting, mangling relentlessness rushing before mesmerizing. Closer “Lie Around My Neck” runs 10:37 and makes good use of every moment, guitars echoing as the shrieks rain, drama accumulating and making your heart race. You can feel the tension in every moment. (Oct. 10)
29. MORKE, “To Carry On” (True Cult): Escapism is one of the strong points for Morke, a one-person project helmed by Eric Wing, and the latest album under that banner, “To Carry On,” keeps the castle metal focus strong as ever. Over nine tracks, Wing (joined by session drummer CJ Yacoub) blasts into Medieval times, making it feel like you should be leaping on a horse with a goddamn sword looking to defend the village folk. “Sublymed Respair” has guitars washing in, echoing as howls pierce, the speed taking control quickly. Shrieks fire as the guitars soar and float, the melodies flooding the senses, loons calling out at the end. “Ashes of Feudalism” has leads liquifying rock, vicious howls rippling, the drums picking up and carrying the swarm. The tension continues to spread, howls stinging as the leads glow, swimming in and out of a rushing stream. “Viola Odorata” rouses with guitars mangling, the drums rattling, and melodies gusting, devastating the ground. The energy jars as spirits rise and run amongst us, ending this instrumental piece on a jarring note. The closing title track fires up right away, the vocals wrestling you to the dirt, the riffs encircling and causing dizziness. (Oct. 10)
28. WRYMOON, “Wyrmoon II” (Fiadh): Maine-based black metal phantoms Wyrmoon wrap a ton of icy devastation into their initial full-length “Wyrmoon II” that rouses you from the start. They’re not trying to be Immortal or anything, though there are some connections, but they find ways to overpower with an intensity that is absolutely frigid and dynamic. You hear it right away on opener “I Saw Her Face,” where the drums crash right through the gates, and the speed and electricity bury you in total ferocity. “Sickle Knife Devotion” keeps things storming, blazing melodically and with a bloodlust that grabs you and refuses to let go. “Chrysalis” punishes, Guinevere Sylvain’s howls feeling feral, the bass plodding and snapping, your flesh bruised and torn. “Chasm of the Reaping Moon” is the perfect wrecker to end this record, piling on from the start with a pace that rampages, wails and distant clean calls channeling fire, and guitars work melting through inches of ice. Fucking fantastic debut album that lands in the heart of an unforgiving winter. (Dec. 5)
27. GRAYCEON, “Then the Darkness” (Translation Loss): Grayceon’s amazing sixth record “Then the Darkness” feels like you’re diving right into the middle of a sea of madness, trying to figure out a way to carry on in the midst of a life-changing event that shakes you to your core. Over 11 tracks and nearly 70 minutes, the band pours its progressive darkness in generous amounts, leaving hearts exposed, blood flowing from ravaged veins. “Thousand Year Storm” opens warbling and spacey before things detonate, Jackie Perez Gratz’s shrieks peeling back bone, her singing floating along with the carnage. The cello ices as the playing grows more progressive, Perez Gratz wailing, “Tell them I am not well at all.” “Mahsa” is the 20:02 centerpiece, a track that starts sorrowfully, Perez Gratz repeating, “I … I will kill … whoever killed my sister.” The playing plods as darkness falls and the tempo bruises, cello bringing an elegance and a power surge. Closer “Come to the End” blasts in, immediately grabbing your attention. There are easier moments and others where the force bustles anew, shrieks tearing, the elements giving off thick smoke. (July 25)
26. PELICAN, “Flickering Resonance” (Run for Cover): Pelican’s triumphant “Flickering Resonance” is their first to include their original members—guitarists Laurent Schroeder-Lebec and Trevor de Brauw, bassist Bryan Herweg, and drummer Larry Herweg—in more than a decade. It feels right, and you can hear that in the music that bristles with energy. “Gulch” gets things going in active fashion, the guitars kicking in and punches landing, the melodies snaking through your brain. “Evergreen” feels like classic Pelican, streams moving forward, sweeping you up as the sounds swell, and then the guitars get warmer. “Pining For Ever” dawns with lathering guitars and a dusky aura, making it feel like the earlier evening hours of the summer. Closer “Wandering Mind” starts ominously with bass chugging, the darkness heading into the shadows, a chilling, numbing feeling sending shivers. Everything in its right place. (May 16)
25. HOODED MENACE, “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” (Season of Mist): About a decade ago, Hooded Menace veered away from dank, guttural doom metal to embrace the electricity of the forces we had in the 1980s. It certainly was a choice, and so far, it’s worked out pretty fucking great. “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” stays in the direction they’ve been on, but never abandoning their doom roots nor pulling back on the murkiness. “Pale Masquerade” punches and roars right off the bat. Leads smoke and glimmer as the growls pay homage to the darkness, and the pace continually grows more aggressive. “Portrait Without a Face” starts clean before the bass starts chugging, growls coat, and warm guitars let blood coat flesh. Closer “Into Haunted Oblivion” runs 9:46, fading in from the dark, guitars unloading, speed coming and going, the growls crawling through cracks. Plus there’s a great, unexpected cover of Duran Duran’s “Save a Prayer” that will sneak up on you. (Oct. 3)
24. WITHERER, “Shadow Without a Horizon” (Hypaethral): Canadian black metal force Witherer pack trauma and catharsis into “Shadow Without a Horizon,” their debut full-length. Black metal remains their base, but there is a lot of slow-burning doom cooked into this thing, and if you feel like the music is making you dizzy and disoriented, you’re not alone. “Fiat Umbra (Burial Beneath the Stalactites)” opens basking in darkness, a long introspection melting into warped heat, growls mauling as the guitars boil. “Devourer of All Graveyards” attacks, howls snarling, guitars angling and cutting into your muscles. “Solar Collapse Mandala” has cries pulling at flesh and a hammering pace, guitars gripping as the growls crush, the playing veering toward hypnosis. Closer “Praises (Gliding Through the Lightless Sea)” runs 15:30, and the echoey slurriness permeates, the vocals doing damage, the bass slinking into the unknown. Growls sicken as the mesmerizing playing angles toward chaos, the heat rising as the band slowly batters, the bass again flexing hard. (June 20)
23. CASTRATOR, “Coronation of the Grotesque” (Dark Descent): Death metal crushers Castrator make gory, traditionally bloody death metal on a sonic level, but digging deeper, there are revelations about unspeakable ugliness going on in our history and modern society that are scarier than a skeleton pulling out his guts in a graveyard. Their molten second album “Coronation of the Grotesque,” shines a light on injustices, human suffering, state-sponsored brutality, and sexual predators. “I Am Eunuch” gushes with soaring leads, a dizzying attack, and then a charged-up bruising that teams with Clarissa Badini’s vocals that utterly slay. Things get humid before guitars light up, the thrashing guts, and everything ends viciously. “Covenant of Deceit” is eerie when it dawns, and then ugliness ensues as the growls dig deep into guts. “Discordant Rumination” opens with shrieks raining down, a death charge aiming for your ribs, and raw hell unleashing new forms of pain. A cover of Exodus’ classic “Metal Command” rounds out this savage beast, which they manage to make even more violent. (June 20)
22. CASTLE RAT, “The Bestiary” (King Volume/Blues Funeral): They’re not playing arenas quite yet, but Castle Rat belong in the category of bands that deserve to do their thing on a bigger stage, and perhaps their great second record “The Bestiary” will help get them there. “Phoenix I” opens with a slurry synth blanket, whispers spreading as the guitars rise, twin leads chewing into dreams, slowly merging into “Wolf I” that explodes with powerful leads and vocals to match. “Siren” arrives amid rousing drums, more killer riffs, and the singing sweltering, guitars chugging before Riley Pinkerton gruffs, “Ooh!” a la Tom Warrior. “Dragon” has smoking guitars and a spirit that stomps through the room, the singing flexing its muscles as the humidity spills. “Sun Song” pulls you in with Pinkerton’s voice, the playing buzzing and going grungy, the force gutting and chugging. The guitars electrify as the attitude catapults, the drums pummeling through wiry riffs. (Sept. 19)
21. HELL, “Submersus” (Sentient Ruin): Hell, a one-man project helmed by M.S.W., long has travelled through a world of existential suffering. “Submersus,” the project’s fifth full-length, and first in eight years, pours more of that into five tracks that batter with doom, sludge, and pain. “Hevy” opens in a hail of feedback before the tempo begins pummeling, M.S.W. wailing, “What have I become?” We head directly into grime and pain, drubbing as the screams fry, the playing shifting heavier into sludge, guitars building a swelling atmosphere. “Gravis” chugs, slowly bathing in the increasing pressure. Agonizing screams ripple down your spine as the playing drags through madness. “Mortem” feels swampy and thick, shrieks maiming as sounds spread deeper into the darkness. Closer “Bog” emerges from the shadows, developing a cosmic bend, hellish screams choking you in the void, wrenching as the bruising continues. Utter doom misery. (July 11)
40. CONAN, “Violence Dimension” (Heavy Psych Sounds): Longtime doom battering ram Conan are as fitting as any band to take on our barbaric nature, and it’s splattered all over “Violence Dimension.” On this, their seventh record, they smear their bludgeoning energy over these seven (or eight depending which version you have) tracks that are weighty and hammering. “Foeman’s Flesh” opens with chugging guitars and a bruising pace, Jon Davis’ unmistakable howl stretching out over eons. The playing scorches while a rechanneled path pummels you, barbarian-like blows blasting air from lungs. “Total Bicep” is the song title of the year, and it flattens, howls strangling as a clobbering force makes its way across the earth. “Ocean of Boiling Skin” runs 10:03 and leads in with the guitars teasing, the pace flattening, and Davis’ wails bruising ribs. Riffs lap at the tempo beats you down, folding into weird cosmic winds, washing into eeriness as the drums explore the stratosphere. Another great Conan album. (April 25)
39. LIGHTLESS, “A foreseen loss” (Fading Light Studio): Being staunchly anti-fascist isn’t a prerequisite for winding up on this list or for us liking a band’s music, but it’s a really good starting point to pique interest. Another is to play earth-scraping sludge and doom that lasts a long time and leaves you mentally devastated. That’s the case with German beasts Lightless, whose debut “A foreseen loss” packs 80 minutes of power into four tracks that can leave the ground around you melted. The shortest track here is the 18:11-long opener “Social pestilence” that drives you to spacious, menacing sounds that bask in cavernous power, vocalist/guitarist Dr. Christian Engelmann howling, “Your ideas are egoism, your faith is intolerance, your propulsions aren’t honest.” That blunt fury and long-form thunder spreads over “Alternating preeminence,” that pulls back on the pressure just a bit and floats overhead; and finale “Humanity’s closing chapter,” a track that laments the damage we’ve done to our own planet as money-sucking leadership scum fucks lie to keep their oppression in hand. “Evilness, severity, emptiness, darkness,” Engelmann concludes, the hammers dropping with fire. (April 30)
38. LADY BEAST, “The Inner Alchemist” (Dying Victims): Distractions are nice about now, and putting on a heavy metal record that reminds you about your heart and fight could be the perfect antidote, at least for a while. That’s where Pittsburgh trad metal warriors Lady Beast come in with their fifth record “The Inner Alchemist.” “The Oracles Omen” rips out of the gates, Deborah Levine’s expressive singing in full command as always, the playing driving colorfully. “Through the Eyes of War” has a vintage Maiden feel at the start, I’m talking pre-Dickinson. “Starborn” starts slower and shimmers, channeling Rainbow, but it isn’t long until the guitars melt, and the beast tears through your chest, smoking like a chimney. “From the stars we’re born, and to the stars we return,” Levine belts. “Witch Light” is an urgent basher, twin guitars ruling, rocky melodies carrying the way. Closer “Off With Her Head” is a barnstormer, the vocals flexing, a fast, blunt chorus digging into your nervous system. Every one of their records kills. (March 28)
37. ZEICRYDEUS, “Le grande hérésie” (Productions TSO): There are not many bands like Zeicrydeus operating fresh out there, and their debut “Le grande hérésie” is one you won’t soon forget if you take on this seven-track crusher. Helmed solely by Phil Tougas, who you’ll know from Atramentus and Chthe’ilist and Funebrarum among many other, the approach is more bass-powered than guitar (though they’re definitely present), and the record might take you back to metal’s true formative years when styles didn’t matter but heart and tenacity did. Think Running Wild, Manowar, early Rotting Christ in a blender. “Ten Thousand Spears Atop the Bleeding Mountains” has a huge open with the playing brawling, keeping an exciting pace as the bass bubbles and lathers, boiling and warping. “Profane Spells & Naked Swords in the Emerald Meadows of Nhaath” chugs as guitars contort, speedy leads ripple, and Tougas’ creaking speaking and swarming hells boil in echo. “Godsteel (Blood of the Third Son)” is murky before guitar and bass beam through the clouds, eeriness clouds, and the pace rampages, breaking out the dreams of the mid-1980s to present day, heaving glory and fire across the sky. It’s like a time capsule of menace and ferocity, a record you don’t get many of these days. So indulge. Heavily. (June 30)
36. RETURNING, “Numinous” (Bindrune Recordings): Olympia, Wash., black metal power Returning fall firmly into the camp of those defending our planet, and on their great second record “Numinous,” they unload three epic journeys on a collection that feels like your center point is reestablishing its ties to the earth. “Sacred Decay” opens immersed in atmosphere, the singing wafting as guitars drift, shrieks then knifing in as the pace combusts. A fury whips into a frenzy, howls calling, “Smoke rises skyward, a symbol of ruin,” as the ignition continues to get hotter. “Ancestral Shadow Portal” is a quieter, more mid-paced piece that feels like a spiritual experience. “Offerings to the Great Circle” runs 19:18, the longest of these three lengthy pieces, and it rushes in, howls already scarring, blistering before a wave of calm enters, and this push and pull is something we keep revisiting. It’s a stunning experience. (June 20)
35. GAAHLS WYRD, “Braiding the Stories” (Season of Mist): Gaahls WYRD, ever since its formation almost a decade ago, felt like one that didn’t seem to adhere to genre expectations, nor would it care to. Helmed by black metal legend Kristian Espedal, known also as Gaahl, this project through much different waters while keeping blackness in its heart. “The Dream” is aptly titled as the opening intro cut is clean and trickling, Gaahl’s speaking bubbling underneath the surface, soothing and fading into the title track that opens adventurously and stays that way. “Voices in My Head,” another short one packed with fluid psychedelics, soft singing, disarming warbling, and strange synth zapping into the beyond. “Time and Timeless Timeline” is menacing, a black metal burst that feels like all the energy palmed into a fist. “Root the Will” brings a steady riff assault, a boisterous attack, and the singing gliding as the momentum continues to build. This is a miasma. And a trip to another plane. (June 6)
34. RITUAL MASS, “Cascading Misery” (20 Buck Spin): Pittsburgh death horde Ritual Mass have the brutality down to a science, but their aspirations lie beyond that, which they prove on their mesmerizing debut full-length “Cascading Misery.” “Obsidian Mirror” starts with synth beams that feel like they’re invading from another realm, and then the leads stir and the vocals scar, driving a wedge between realities. A furious pace erupts that amplifies the brutality, the pace eventually slowing some before a smearing, blurring finish. “Immeasurable Hell” has guitars snarling and blazing, howls menacing, and smoke rising dangerously. The title track attacks, raw growls digging under fingernails, gargantuan riffs flexing and making things uncomfortable. “Frozen Marrow,” which is a nice treat on a warm day, is mucky as hell, guitars mangling, the speed hulking as the bass chews. Closer “Disquiet” runs 14:32, and it starts in doomy waters, disorienting and landing relentless blows, the roars crushing as the playing turns maniacal. (Sept. 5)
33. CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, “Children of the Earth” (Cruz del Sur): Ten years ago also was the last time we got a full-length from traditional metal power Christian Mistress, that being 2015’s “To Your Death.” This year, we finally had our friends return with the triumphant “Children of the Earth,” an eight-track, 33-minute bruiser. “City of Gold” opens shrouded in guitar smoke, Christine Davis’ leathery singing voice reminding us just why we fell in love with this band in the first place. “Voiceless” has strong leads and a defiance, showing a drive to stand up for those who cannot. “Use your voice, it’s what you got,” Davis pushes to those who have the ability, the guitars churning. Leads then blaze even harder, the spirit taking up arms, Davis asking, “What would the voiceless say?” “Mythmaker” is a killer, a righteous metal battle gem that reminds of Dio’s classics, and it starts with guitars chewing and Davis weaving through, commanding, “They say come see if it’s right for you, dance to death on the other side,” before declaring, “You are the mythmaker!” Closer “Shadow” is an end-of-record standout that should fire up every metallic cell in your body. Thrilled this band is back. (Feb. 28)
32. KAYO DOT, “Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason” (Prophecy Productions): Kayo Dot is a project long helmed by Toby Driver that hasn’t even come close to making the same record twice. 11th album “Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason” is no exception. Driver had AI on his mind when creating these songs, attempting to conjure something so bizarrely human that no machine could hope to duplicate it. Mission fucking accomplished. “Mental Shed” runs 10:53, and it starts with strange howls and keys slithering, ringing out in a strange aura that exists beyond this plane. “Closet Door in the Room Where She Died” has sounds swelling and manic screams, strings lathering as the feeling grows more deranged, unhinged moments weighing on you. “Automatic Writing” is the longest track here, running 23:06, and it really pushes you to the brink, dreamy lasers cutting through thick afternoon clouds. The guitars surge as the singing balances emotion, the sentiment feeling ashen and moody, the horns sweltering, the ghosts leaning into the misery. Closer “Blind Creature of Slime” is punchy and active, growls and snarls flexing, jarring as the playing jangles, and the sax bustles. Fuck off, Altman. (Aug. 1)
31. CORONER, “Dissonance Theory” (Century Media): Swiss thrashers Coroner helped formulate thrash’s brain, adding more technical and frostier notes to the art form, and on their comeback album “Dissonance Theory,” they put to rest whether this arm of metal remains relevant. Their first record in 32 years (the last was 1993’s “Grin”) is an open mouth into hell, a volatile, devastating, and much-needed reminder of what thrash can be and just how sharp its teeth are. “Consequence” gives you a real taste of what’s ahead, which is brutality. Riffs encircle as the pace properly mashes, feeling like they’ve purposely upped the ante. Ron Royce’s howls snarl, feeling animalistic, while the chorus wraps around you. “Sacrificial Lamb” starts in the shadows before trudging forward, lambasting religious fervor with tongue in cheek. “The Law” starts cleaner before the thrust pushes you back, though the pressure is a little less harsh, though just as heated. Nasty howls tangle with gray melodies, the leads pulling into the edge of the fog. “Trinity” drips in with wiry riffs, the playing pummeling as guitars rip, and even a darkening cloud coverage can’t obscure the anger. Incredible comeback. (Oct. 17)
The part that sucks most about doing these lists each year is that I have to leave out records I really liked. These are the main runners up to the top 40, and all of them are killer pieces that are varied and more than worthy. If you missed any of these, change that as fast as you can.
DEADGUY, “Near-Death Travel Services” (Relapse): Three full decades after releasing their debut (and until recently only) full-length record “Fixation on a Co-Worker,” Deadguy have returned to doing what they do best with “Near-Death Travel Services,” an absolute beast of an album that was worth the lengthy wait. It’s a triumph of an album, and it beats your ass from front to back with the power of a band half their age. “Kill Fee” tears open, Singer howling, “We are the freaks, and we dare to believe there’s a place for us in this world.” New Best Friend” has the drums driving, the guitars encircling, battering with a blinding force. Yelled vocals bruise as metallic riffs cut through steel, adding pressure to a mangling finish. “Knife Sharpener” waylays, howls smashing, guitars tangling, and a violent pace destroying as the thing goes by in a flash. “All Stick & No Carrot” wastes little time getting going, the vocals pasting, sounds smearing and adding a level of purposeful confusion. One of the triumphs of the year. (June 27)
ESSES, “Pain at the Altar of Jest” (Seeing Red): Portland post-goth/doom band Esses very well could claim that their records, the latest of which is “Pain at the Altar of Jest,” can be called ritualistic. I haven’t seen their live show, but if it’s anything like their recorded output, they can give credence to that word. “Three Sisters” pounds spiritually, hushed singing haunting, gushing open, guitars churning in the dark. The singing continues to glide and reflect, melting away into dusk. “Mirage Artist” starts with a didgeridoo echoing, which is just as startling on record as it is in real life. Riffs carve as the singing lulls, mesmerizing as a hypnotic pace chills you to the bone. “Cavern of Souls” enters with the bass driving, guitars scuffing, and the singing soaring, the emotion crackling with electricity. Closer “Crackedlands” flows warmly as Western echoes illuminate mysteries, syrupy guitar slowly blending with the horizon. (Sept. 26)
LYCHGATE, “Precipice” (Debemur Morti): Lychgate returned late in the year with “Precipice,” their winding, dramatic, and dark record that ponders a future with total dependence on machines. The music and words are inspired by E.M. Forster’s 1909 sci-fi short story The Machine Stops, which was terrifyingly ahead of its time, as well as works by H.G. Wells and T.S. Eliot. It’s black metal dripping with psychosis nightmare state. “Mausoleum of Steel” chokes in soot, then growls spit as the synth strikes a frosty note, stirring and unleashing deep reds hues. Howls retch as the pace lurches, fascinating as the playing chugs into oblivion. “The Meeting of Orion and Scorpio” is elegant as it dawns, deep speaking prodding veins, a jazzy ambiance adding extra shadow. “Anagnorisis” has the pace crumbling and the calls blackening, the keys making the ambiance feel like a snow-covered landscape with unforgiving winds. Closer “Pangaea” opens with keys sweltering and the guitars equaling the intensity, the vocals boiling in the mix. (Dec. 12)
PLAGUE OF CARCOSA, “In the Dreamless Deep” (Fiadh Productions): Chicago-based sludge/doom instrumental trio Plague of Carcosa long have found inspiration in Cthulhu and other Lovecraftian lore, and to do that with mostly no vocals is a tall order for a lesser band. Yet, they capture the essence in drubbing fashion, and on their second full-length “In the Dreamless Deep,” they pummel during six songs that maul over 44 minutes. “Over Innsmouth” is melodic and mournful when it dawns, then it turns quickly to skull bashing, the leads glimmering amid a pit of destruction. “Sepulchre of the Dead Gods” flows gently before the power lurches, turning into a full doom fury, the filth caking your veins. “Awakened Sentinel” is the longest track, running 15:01 and working instantly into psyche guitars and a lathering dose of sludge that you can chew. (Aug. 12)
SPECIES, “Changelings” (20 Buck Spin): Polish maulers Species spark tech thrash nostalgia on their second record “Changelings,” a catchy, mangling dose of progressive thrash metal that hits all the right spots. Over seven tracks and 40 perfectly portioned minutes, the band dazzles with their ability, no doubt, but they always remember to tell a story along the way. “Inspirit Creation” immediately clues you in on what’s ahead, that being mind-bending thrash and shrieky vocals. “Waves of Time” is smooth, with creaky vocals carving, and then clean singing giving off a psychedelic aura. The pace detonates as the screams buckle, leading to a very techy buildup, speeding and clubbing, melodic soloing filling you to the brim. “Voyager” is a cosmic-fueled instrumental piece, whirring keys taking you deep into your imagination. Closer “Biological Masterpiece” runs a healthy 10:17, beginning with a choppy start/stop that feels like someone hitting the gas and then slamming on the brakes before turning into dream-inducing madness. (Sept. 19)
A lot of time when a year wraps and people make lists of full-length records they love, EPs and split releases sometimes get lost in the dust. And there were a ton of them this year! These are some of the ones we liked a lot.
BURIAL GIFT, “MMXXV” (Bindrune Recordings/self-released): New Orleans-based Burial Gift aren’t rewriting code or anything with black metal, but they are finding ways to keep this style more fertile and open. They released their “MMXXV” earlier this year on their own, but Eihwaz rose from the ashes in the final month of the year to give this a proper physical release on cassette. “Sear” blasts open, furious melodies spewing forth, guitars surging as the vocals are mean but also kind of catchy. The murmur boils into a gazey flow, guitars cascading downward before things rip open again. “Elegy Azure” has with the drums blasting, blood rushing through veins, and a surging pace that loosens screws. The tempo gets thrashier as each element fills your mind, melodies washing over you. “Hollow Bloom” ends things, guitars echoing as vile howls ripple, a cold front gathering before jarring you where you stand. (July 25)
CRYPT SERMON, “Saturnian Appendices” (Dark Descent): EPs have a varying range of serving sizes, typically depending on what style of songs that band in question makes. Crypt Sermon’s new EP “Saturnian Appendices,” a four-track affair that still clocks in at nearly a half hour, is on the beefier end, and we’re better off for it. This is EP is leftovers from the sessions that produced their excellent third album “The Stygian Rose,” and that is presented here as three new songs and a very intriguing cover of a Mayhem’s classic “De Mysteriis Doom Sathanas,” “Only Ash and Dust” fittingly has a fantasy vibe, the track trickling in before bursting in full. The playing is driving and dark, the chorus soars, guitars charge up as the pace blisters, “oh-oh” calls power, and a galvanizing spirit brings everything to a raucous end. “A Fool to Believe” is powerful, classic-style riffs taking off, the playing chugging and bruising bones. Even a smaller serving of this band can fill you up. (Aug. 8)
HELL/MIZMOR, “Alluvion” (Gilead Media): “Alluvion” combines Mizmor’s A.L.N. (guitars, vocals, drums) and Hell’s M.S.W. (guitars, vocals, bass) on a four-track beast that might not deviate terribly from their main projects but lets their talents and forces meld into a collection that allows their metallic personalities to breathe different air. “Begging to be Lost” opens slowly, flowing ominously and perilously before the gates break, and we’re swimming in sludgy doom and powerful shrieks. Noise sizzles as a battering tempo leaves ample bruising, the riffs entangling as the power simmers, slowing some but remaining potently heavy. “Pandemonium’s Throat” slowly emerges like an apparition from the mist, doom drubbing as a sooty balance smears blackness. Shrieks belt as howls burn, strangling as guitars flow generously, blistering as the fury multiplies, screams battering over craggy rocks. The two “Vision” tracks provides mesmerizing ambiance that lets you breathe between the two beastly attacks as well as gain your bearings. (April 4)
LUST HANG/GENITAL SHAME, split (Fiadh Productions): This crushing 4-track split is from Lust Hag and Genital Shame, two single-creator black metal outfits that are coming off well-received, impactful full-length albums (both made our top 40 last year) and are looking to build on that momentum. Here, they more than succeed with a split effort highlighting each’s strengths. Genital Shame’s portion opens with “Notes Are My Friends” which is spacious and airy when it opens later turning into heavy hypnosis as keys shimmer, a cosmic push envelops, and the final hellish vocals mix with a delicate haze. “War on Cars” is madness, the leads scaling as the growls retch, the pace numbing, and everything washing away into freezing cold waters. For Lust Hag, “Everything Ends” dawns in an ominous atmosphere, a spacey coldness digesting, the feeling of isolation spreading, and then the drums exploding. Fiery chaos ignites, shrieks attack, and the leads slay, pushing you to the limits mentally as echo smears over a vicious finish. “Another Loss” brings unfurling riffs, fast and blinding motion, and howls buried underneath the carnage that still have full impact. Devastating entries from both. (March 7)
SUNROT, “Passages” (Prosthetic): “Passages,” a five-track EP by sludge doom warriors Sunrot, acts as a pathway from where they were on “The Unfailing Rope” (the session that also bore these songs) to wherever they’re headed next. And no matter where that is, it’s likely to be a decidedly darker place, one where greed is the real god. “Death Knell” opens with sounds buzzing, darkness eroding comfort, voices pushing through the confusion, strange transmissions ending with a clanging doom bell. “The First Wound” rips open with guitars taunting, vocalist Lex Santiago’s howls destroying, and sounds warping and challenging madness. “Sleep” brings noises ricocheting, the atmosphere squeezing, aching rhythmic pounding making your breathing accelerate, everything bleeding into chaos. “Untethered” brings lathering guitars, Jack Carino’s cello mixing in with the spirits, the track turning into a shadowy figure that lurks mysteriously. “Ra” closes, and it has sounds penetrating, a recording of late musician Sun Ra speaking of the positivity of music and its ability to create new worlds and dreams. (Jan. 24)
TUMULTUOUS RUIN, “Never a Night So Dark” (Fiadh Productions): LA-based one-man black metal power Tumultuous Ruin has been one of the reliable ones the last few years as our world has grown more toxic, and his unflinching opposition to fascism and oppression is noteworthy and honorable. If you’re new to the band helmed by RH, his EP “Never a Night So Dark” (the title is lifted from a John Brown quote) is the perfect entrance point. “Undead Corpse of Empire” drills open, sooty growls clogging veins, screams by guest vocalist Stone Crow rippling down spines. “Toward Their Chains” starts in clean eeriness, a slow-driving pace making you sustain every blow, mournful melodies dripping into a lapse of time. “Climate Chaos Manifest” ravages, a blistering force ripping at you, a brief gasp of calm lingering before incineration. A hammering force emerges and chews through rock, rushing and rampaging, a melodic black metal wave enveloping, leaving the carnage sizzling in gazey fervor. (June 27)
UNHOLY ALTAR, “A Sullen Dark Sky” (Fiadh Productions/Liminal Dread Productions): Philly black metal heathens Unholy Altar have conjured some of the rawest, bloodiest black metal we’ve heard the past few years, but on “A Sullen Dark Sky,” we get something altogether new from them. To be clear, there still is plenty of black metal bludgeoning here, but also infused is extra atmosphere and more delicate parts that provide a streak of beauty through the blood. “Judas Iscariot” begins reflectively before howls begin to maim. Shrieks corrode as a melodic gush floods, the ambiance feeling strangely infectious. Growls then bruise as the power reaches into your guts, mesmerizing before bleeding into “Heathen” that is mauling and mashing from the start. Vicious screams hammer as feral speed takes hold, leading to a sickening fury that strangles with malice. “Descent” has melodic riffs and a punchiness that blackens eyes, hypnotic guitars layering psychosis as if from some illicit syrup. A new wrenching twist from an otherwise hellish entity. (Aug. 22)
WE LISTEN TO OTHER THINGS! Yeah, it’s a metal site. We all know this. But clearly we have interests outside the metal realm, and I believe most of our readers do as well. This wasn’t as adventurous a year as we’d hope to have, but that happens. We live in hell. But there were plenty of good records out there that became a part of our musical DNA, and here are 10 of them.
CIRCUIT DES YEUX, “Halo on the Inside” (Matador): A bit of a different, darker, noisier, abrasive record from this project long helmed by Haley Fohr. There are more electronic elements, and the feel is,not necessarily morbid, but certainly dripping with darker, foreboding colors. “I can make a radio break,” she insists on “Canopy of Eden,” one of the standout tracks here, and it sounds like a threat. “Megaloner” zaps through the shadow with synth and Fohr’s husky voice; “Skeleton Key” basks in nighttime skies and fog, feeling earthy; “Truth” is disruptive and terminally dancey, if you can find room amongst the ghouls, especially when she jabs, “Truth is just imagination of the mind.” (March 14)
ETHEL CAIN, “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You” (Daughter of Cain): Hayden Silas Anhedönia insists that “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You” is the final for her Ethel Cain persona, and if so, it’s one hell of a document with which to end this saga. This record, a prequel to her debut “Preacher’s Daughter,” covers Cain’s teenage years, and the sprawling 74-minute record runs the gamut of emotions as well as composition styles, mixing folk pop with ambiance. “I know she’s your girl now, but she was my girl first,” Cain sings heartbreakingly on opener “Janie,” a total dagger. “Fuck Me Eyes” pulses with synth and lust and frustration and it’s magic. “Dust Bowl” feels like a rustic dream, with the edges feeling misty and strange. What a final chapter this is. (Aug. 8)
DIE SPITZ, “Something to Consume” (Third Man): I have seen this record on some metal lists, and that’s fine. This Austin power has more punk and grunge in their sound, with “Throw Yourself to the Sword” really the only truly metallic track here (and it is a fucking slayer). The rest? Absolute earworms that bring back thoughts of Hole, just with way less baggage. “Pop Punk Anthem (Sorry for the Delay)” is a great, energy-inducing opener that gets the blood flowing. “American Porn” is catchy as all fuck, with breezier choruses and a blade, especially vocally over the chorus. “RIDING WITH MY GIRLS” (caps on purpose) is a cruncher that leaves you in the dust. All the weirdos keep saying rock is dead? Die Spitz beg to differ. With a sword! (Sept. 12)
EXWIFE, “BLOW” (self-released): It was a hard year for me, for some reason, to find new music I liked outside of metal, and it feels largely like a failure. But not totally. Say what you wish about TikTok, but I’ve found some good music there, the latest of which is Oregon’s ExWife, whose “BLOW” is a lot of vintage grunge fun, strong guitar work, and Alexandria Bonanno’s expressive voice that can bristle and soothe in the same line, nailing with acerbic wit. “Shadows” is their calling card, the first track on the record and the stickiest, though what follows is more than worthy. “Meditating” zaps around with power, melodic fuzz spilling from the seams as Bonanno wonders, “Are you listening on the other side of the screen?” The title track is packed with innuendo, punching at you alluringly. “Wild West” is smoky with guitar buzz, feeling like vintage ’90s indie rock, Bonanno demanding, “Tell me I’m funny!” I JUST DID! (March 7)
MARISSA NADLER, “New Radiations” (Sacred Bones): “New Radiations” is Marissa Nadler’s 10th record, and it’s another immersive trip into her mind. While a little more folkish than her last couple albums, these 11 tracks will prove she’s right where she usually is, telling tales as old as time that seem to come from somewhere time doesn’t even exist. It’s a warm, haunting, rousing adventure, and every ounce of this goes down easily. “It Hits Harder” opens with stark acoustics, Nadler’s unmistakable voice calling, “Everything dies, it’s just the way.” “You Called Her Camelia” is soft and black, pedal steel glistening; the title track is warm and galactic; “To Be the Moon King” is a sad tale told in sepia tones; and “Sad Satellite” keeps us in space, acoustics dripping as memories from winter days shake you. Everything Nadler does feels both timeless and from the void. (Aug. 15)
PILE, “Sunshine and Balance Beams” (Sooper): Pretty much if a Pile record comes out during the calendar year, it’s going to make my list of favorite non-metal records. Or records in general. “Sunshine” is a little more in the band’s tradition of blunt, bloody rock that can agitate as much as soothe, which took a slight break on 2023’s “All Fiction,” which still was a great record. From opener “An Opening” to the aggressive and propulsive “Deep Clay” to the synth-rich and eventually volcanic “Bouncing in Blue,” which is one of my favorite tracks here, Rick Maguire and the band drive hard and earnestly, charring your ears and senses with an album that eschews perfection for heart. (Aug. 15)
MARGO PRICE, “Hard Headed Woman” (Loma Vista): Margo Price has let all of herself spill out before her audiences, and her latest “Hard Headed Woman” has her going headfirst back into straight-up country. The good stuff. That isn’t tainted by major corporations or fucking AI. Starting with opener “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down,” inspired by a Kris Kristofferson line, she burns the idea of selling one’s heart to a businessman because “he’ll sell it back next time around.” “Don’t Wake Me Up” swaggers and steams, with tasty slide guitar burning; “Close to You” is a softer ballad that weeps with pedal steel; and “I Just Don’t Give a Damn” (a George Jones song) actually reminds a bit of 1980s Dolly, which you should know is a huge compliment, and has some goddamn great guitar work. (Aug. 29)
ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF, “ICONOCLASTS” (YEAR0001): Anna Von Hausswolff, on her sixth record “ICONOCLASTS,” sees the struggle of taking on too many burdens as well as the drive to salvage our lives and power as we see the world crumbling before us. She took the example of Atlas, with the world on his shoulders, and drove into these 12 songs and 72 minutes. “Facing Atlas” has sax swirls and organs, Von Hausswolff’s singing unfurling as the emotion spills alongside her. “The Whole Woman” features Iggy Pop, sounding more weathered but as charismatic and vulnerable as ever. The song emerges from a dream, two distant lovers pining yet smarting over the wounds. It’s incredible. “Stardust” rouses and reverberates. “Aging Young Women” features Ethel Cain on vocals alongside Von Hausswolff, and their voices meld like honey and heartache. “Unconditional Love,” featuring Anna’s sister Maria, feels like a declaration, the emotion cresting and fading. This is modern day Kate Bush shit. (Oct. 31)
WEDNESDAY, “Bleeds” (Secretly Canadian): Let’s get this out of the way: “Bleeds” has some of the worst cover art of the year. Sorry. But the music? Another stellar album from this North Carolina band reeling from the breakup of band leader Karly Hartman and MJ Lenderman, and while you might think that leads to some Fleetwood Mac drama, it honestly doesn’t. It’s a great record, a surprising one, and the one likely to paste them to the map. It has a strong 1-2 punch opener of “Reality TV Argument Bleeds” that goes from drunken slurry to rock that tries to navigate the room under the influence, and “Townies,” a folk rocker that is infectious and sticky. “Elderberry Wine” simmers in the aforementioned heartbreak; “Pick Up That Knife” feels like a hot summer afternoon; and “Wasp” is 86 seconds of fuzz, distortion, screaming, and aggression like you’ve never heard or expected from Wednesday. (Sept. 19)
WET LEG, “Moisturizer” (Domino Recording Co.): Some people probably thought English pop rock band Wet Leg only had one trick up their sleeves with their debut and songs such as “Chaise Longue” and “Wet Dream,” a foolish thought to begin with. “Moisturizer” should shut those people up. Rhian Teasdale (as charismatic and bitingly funny a singer/lyricist as there is) and Hester Chambers pulled together their touring band and made them permanent and punched out a great record that, yes, still can make you smirk but also proves the chops they possess. Opener “CPR” flexes and slinks, feeling like they’re setting you up for something, especially with the loopy chorus. Yeah, we’ve all heard “catch these fists,” and it never loses its ridiculous appeal. The best cut here is “mangetout,” a goddamn cut-down of a track that contains some of Teasdale’s best lyrics, not the least of which is, “You think I’m pretty, you think I’m pretty cool, you want to fuck me, I know most people do.” Go listen to it and have fun for once. (July 11)
The amount of people using (even if blindly) and putting all their eggs into the AI basket is fucking astonishing and terrifying to me at the same time. Slavery to machines might not be as far off as we’d like to think, but considering the billionaire class and many world economies are going all in makes you wonder if everything is going to crash or if we all will become obsolete.
Lychgate have returned late in the year with “Precipice,” their winding, dramatic, and dark new record that ponders a future with total dependence on machines. The music and words are inspired by E.M. Forster’s 1909 sci-fi short story The Machine Stops, which was terrifyingly ahead of its time, as well as works by H.G. Wells and T.S. Eliot, layering dystopian fiction into their black metal that refuses to adhere to subgenre structure. The band—vocalist Greg Chandler (also of Esoteric), guitarist/organ player/piano player J.C. “Vortigern” Young, guitarist S.D. Lindsley, bassist Tom McLean, drummer T. J. F. Vallely—infuses elements of industrial and jazz into this nine-track album that reveals horrors going on right now that very well may determine our futures. If we have one at all.
“Introduction – The Sleeper Awakes” opens in orchestral waves, feeling like the opening credits for a dark film, drums marching and howls gathering, spilling into “Mausoleum of Steel” that chokes in soot as it opens. Growls spit as the synth strikes a frosty note, stirring and unleashing deep reds hues. Howls retch as the pace lurches, fascinating as the playing chugs into oblivion. “Renunciation” has synth sweeps and mashing tension, the leads glowing as they take on speed, creating an unavoidable storm. Howls slash as the pace tears into progressive sparks, the keys cascading into oblivion. “The Meeting of Orion and Scorpio” is elegant as it dawns, deep speaking prodding veins, a jazzy ambiance adding extra shadow. The pace smokes and slinks as the guitars turn of the temperature, keys rain down, and smooth vibes settle into the night. “Hive of Parasites” starts amid mesmerizing keys and moves toward ravaging punishment, cries wrenching as the pressure continues to build. Prog-style keys simmer as the pace opens again, growls choking, the guitars chugging and fire spitting from loose corners. Calmer guitars then float above, keys drizzle, and an explosion of shrieks smother.
“Death’s Twilight Kingdom” has keys dancing and guitars darting, the growls rumbling as every element tangles for control before an unexpected silence. Keys tumble out of that as the tempo guts, the guitars engulf the surroundings in flames, and the growls trudge before an ending awash in dramatics. “Terror Silence” has the riffs carving and the vocals beat in more of a recitation mode, feeling like they’re conjuring spirits. Wintry keys coat with a sheet of ice as the vocals overpower and deliver pointed blows, the final blasts knocking you back a ways. “Anagnorisis” has the pace crumbling and the calls blackening, the keys making the ambiance feel like a snow-covered landscape with unforgiving winds. Speaking creaks as the sounds rise, the harshness grows in leaps and bounds, and the playing barrels ahead, cut perilously by zany guitar lines that challenge psyches. Closer “Pangaea” opens with keys sweltering and the guitars equaling the intensity, the vocals boiling in the mix. Melodies linger as the keys rush, jarring adrenaline before quietly fading.
Lychgate saved a dark, emotional gem for damn near the end of the year with “Precipice,” an album that proves the band’s ambition knows no satisfaction. Digging into humanity’s subservience to technology, especially that not fully realized yet, sends chills as you take on this dystopian nightmare the band colors so well with black metal that feels suffocating and imaginative at the same time. The slope (hilariously I misspelled this as slop at first) is slippery, and we’re flying the fuck down it. Perhaps this blast furnace of chaos can help some of us wake up from the horror.
Meat Mead Metal 