It’s not easy for a record to stick with you from the starting pole of the year to the end, but that’s just what Eight Bells’ amazing “Landless” did. I had the music right around the turn of 2016, and from the first listen, I was utterly enraptured and remain so to this day. Getting to see them perform some of these songs live was incredible icing on an already delicious cake.

Sadly, the momentum didn’t last for Eight Bells. Guitarist/vocalist Melynda Jackson suffered a serious leg injury on tour due to some shit bags running into her from behind, and as time went on, the lineup dissolved in front of her. But not to be deterred, Jackson worked through her injury, picked herself up, and started to reassemble Eight Bells from the ground up. The band has started playing some shows again toward the end of the year, and now Jackson and Eight Bells are beginning to think about new music. Jackson was kind enough to our questions about “Landless,” its incredible music and story, how she’s recovering, and the state of the band. Thanks so much to her, and we wish her all the best moving forward. The metal world needs her creativity and heart.

Meat Mead Metal: We’re naming “Landless” one of our top 5 metal albums of the year. For us, the music has had amazing staying power, considering it’s been out almost a year, and we’re still enthralled by it. How do you feel about the music now that you’ve lived it and played it live?

Melynda Jackson: The songs on “Landless” are important to me as there are a couple of milestones on the album. One of those is lyric writing. I wrote the lyrics and melodies for “Hating,” “Landless,” “Touch Me,” and part of “Hold My Breath.” I have never shown my writings to anyone, or thought of them as lyrics. The lyrical content of those songs is an honest representation of a time in my life. There is no pretension there.

The other is recording my voice. I suppose there is a third thing—(producer) Billy Anderson. Over the last two EB recordings, (he) has taught me to enjoy the studio. I always hated it, hating hearing myself, hated the process except for the final mix. That has changed and it is pretty cool.

Recording and writing “Landless” was great, but performing those songs live presents difficulties. The major one having to do with getting a mix where we can actually hear the vocals—flying blind is brutal. Another issue was the loss of Chris VanHuffel as the drummer. This put the band in a situation of trying to use a long-distance drummer (Rae ‘tiny ninja’ Amitay) and it was totally amazing for recording but not good for me in terms of writing or getting enough actual band practice to be able to perform well on a consistent basis. I am just not that kind of musician. Still, I thought it was worth trying since I have such a fond affection for Rae both the human and the drummer. I am always learning.

MMM: The story behind the record started on “The Captain’s Daughter” and now reaches over to this record, where the girl lost at sea has returned to find things desolate and lonely. Tell me how you came up with this story and what it means to you? Is the tale over?

MJ: I don’t think the story ends until the character dies. I kind of feel like I live a parallel life with this character, and we are living it day to day. I am obsessed with the idea of vastness and loneliness. I grew up in a rural and desolate part of Texas. Like the ocean, it had its sounds and smells, and it is both beautiful and cruel. I am an only child and grew up alone. It can be loneliness or it can be solitude. I am comfortable with both. The idea being “the captain’s daughter” rather than an individual in her own right is not an unfamiliar concept. A woman is always someone’s daughter, someone child, someone’s wife, someone’s lover, someone’s ex. How do you find something that is always changing hands? She is looking for herself outside of what she is to someone else. I think that all people are doing this regardless of gender. Feeling lost doesn’t mean a person doesn’t know where they are. It can mean they don’t know WHO they are. Looking for something with your eyes closed.

MMM: Musically the record is a really exciting, dramatic one. The guitar work might be my favorite part other than the story, as there are so many lines and riffs that get jammed in my head. I get the idea from hearing how well the music flows that it might have come very naturally to you, these songs. Is that the case?

MJ: Thank you. All in all, I would say the music itself came naturally, and if you listen to previous music I have made, you can hear a natural progression there, but you can always tell the guitar is me. Getting the record finished and out was not easy or natural, as we were working under an impossible deadline with various issues going on. We worked really hard through quite a bit of adversity to get these songs done. In the beginning of the process, our drummer Chris VanHuffel became ill and was unable to commit to the band because of ongoing health issues. We found another drummer who helped us to remain active during this time, as we were being considered for a tour. He learned what material we had from “The Captain’s Daughter.” but we were unable to write with him, so Chris came back to help us complete “Landless.” We recorded a demo around that time with Billy Anderson and started sending it around. Battleground Records became interested in putting the album out, and at the same time, it became apparent that Chris would not be able to record the record as he was undergoing some pretty intense medical treatments.

MMM: You suffered a pretty bad injury when the band was on the Voivod tour. How’s your leg healing? And how were you able to finish those last few days on the tour?

MJ: Ugh. My leg. Yes, I was injured at the show in Atlanta (was not in the pit at all) by three dudes who slammed into me side stage as I was taking video of Voivod. I dislocated my kneecap, tore my meniscus, damaged my articular cartilage, had torn ligaments, had bone bruising, and my knee filled up with blood. I should have gone to the hospital that night but thought/hoped maybe it could be a sprain or something and would be better in the morning. I could not weight bear at all.

It was worse in the morning, so we went to urgent care then were sent to an orthopedic doctor at the hospital. The doctor scheduled me for an MRI the next day. He told me squatting low would probably not be a thing I should ever do again and fitted me with a brace. He said I should try to do simple exercises to avoid a blood clot. I thought about going home, and then I thought about how that would be to buy plane tickets for three people on the tour then another person to help Haley (Westeiner, bassist) drive home on top of missing all those shows, so we drove to Indiana to drop off our merch person/driver at home and then drove through a blizzard to get to Chicago and finished the tour.

I was in a lot of pain and had pills but didn’t take them too much because I didn’t want to be wasted. I played sitting and could not move any gear. I have to shout out to Frank (Chin) and Blake(Anderson) from Vektor for setting me up and breaking me down for that last few shows. Holy shit they are the best.

Anyway, I got home in a wheelchair and started physical therapy. There was some improvement, but in July I had knee surgery and am still in physical therapy. I lost a lot of muscle mass in that leg from the injury. I can squat to 90 degrees and do stairs with less pain. I seem to be at standstill on the improvement though. I hope it keeps getting better. I did find out that I will likely develop knee arthritis and be disabled in old age. Something to look forward to. That said, I need to do as much as I can before that happens, and then I shall rule the world from my recliner.

MMM: It seems like as “Landless” was gaining momentum, things came to a halt. You had a major lineup shakeup that I know was very hard on you. How are you doing after everything that went down, and how is the new lineup of the band coming along?

MJ: Yes, it has been really hard. We didn’t do a bunch after getting back for a few reasons. I was out of commission due to my injury, and that is one reason you didn’t hear from me for a bit. I also parted ways with our bass player in March about a month after getting back. That wasn’t an amicable parting but I felt it was best for the band as an entity and better for me personally. Having an out-of-town drummer also put a damper on playing shows very often because it was a situation that required time not working for Rae, and plane tickets, things the band couldn’t really afford.

Very recently we started playing with THEE SLAYER HIPPY (Steve Hanford) from IT and Poison Idea on drums, and that is going really well. He also produces music, so that is another plus. Most of all, I love having play arguments with him and the yelling. We have already mostly written a song arrangement in just three sessions, writing pretty much on the spot using a riff I have been carrying around for years. Melynda (Amann, keyboards/vocals) and I came up with vocal parts together on the spot as well. I feel inspired for the first time since before the tour, and that is a relief. After everything, I felt like maybe I don’t even like music anymore. That feeling caused me to feel utterly depressed and exasperated. I have been there before and it passed those times, so I wait.

MMM: Battleground Records included test presses of “Landless” as one of the items being sold to help raise money for Planned Parenthood. What are your thoughts on that effort? Were you happy to have “Landless” involved?

MJ: It was not even something that I would feel like David (Rodgers) would need to ask me about. I am honored to help Planned Parenthood, the only source of medical care I had in my 20s, and I am sure it is the same for many people. David’s idea about the test pressings made me feel proud to be in association with Battleground Records.

MMM: The band finally got back to playing some shows toward the end of the year. How did it feel to get back out there?

MJ: Kinda terrifying honestly. It was an honor to play with and hang out with the SubRosa crew, but the shows put a lot of pressure on a new lineup, and we had three practices with Rae before the first show. We had practiced with a recording of the raw drum tracks before she arrived, but that doesn’t really do it for me. I felt great about being able to walk well enough to play shows though. Haha! Ultimately it is clear that writing is in order, and moving past “Landless” as well. We will likely play a couple of “Landless” tunes in the future, but for now we are focusing on new music.

MMM: I always try to end these by asking what’s coming next. But for Eight Bells, that question is even bigger considering what happened this year. Is new music in the works? More shows? What does the future of the band look like right now?

MJ: New music. New music. New music. Less trials and tribulations.

(Released Feb. 12, 2016)

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

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

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

10. KHEMMIS, “Hunted” (20 Buck Spin): In just four years, Denver’s Khemmis already have accomplished enough to make them one of the most exciting younger bands in metal. Their 2014 debut “Absolution” put them on the map, but it was this autumn’s great “Hunted” that pushed them into special territory. It took no time at all for people to catch onto the album (Decibel recently named it its No. 1 album of the year), and the music packed into this album sounds like that of a band just coming to realize their true powers and are willing to spread their energy across the world.

At five songs and nearly 44 minutes, you’d probably be led to believe you are going to encounter a handful of dense epics. The songs definitely are meaty and heavily packed, but it’s amazing how much life and energy pulsate from these songs. The tracks are heavy and smothered with killer riffs, but they also have great melodies and cool hooks that keep you coming back for more. They also can get punishing and grisly (the harshness of “Three Gates”) in case you need a bit of brutality, but this one mostly shines on its blistering catchiness. Khemmis have made a record that should start pushing them further into people’s awareness, and it won’t be long until they’re one of metal’s unquestioned forces. If they aren’t that already. (Oct. 21)

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

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

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

9. BLOOD INCANTATION, “Starspawn” (Dark Descent): It’s not terribly common or easy for a band to generate the amount of pre-release excitement that Blood Incantation drummed up for their debut album “Starspawn,” but these guys certainly did just that. Much of that comes from their amazing EP “Interdimensional Extinction” that arrived a year earlier and generated a serious fervor, and the promise displayed by that collection had death metal feasters frothing at the mouth for what was to come on their full-length release.

It was clear mere moments into tackling “Starspawn’s” mammoth opening track, the 13:38-long “Vitrification of Blood Part I,” as it starts to stretch its grip across the universe, that something is different and special here. Yes, you’re getting a huge dose of violently played classic death metal, but mixed into that are murky, crushing forays into the cosmos toward things humankind only could dream of experiencing before. The band, comprised of guitarist/vocalist Paul Riedel (Spectral Voice, Abysmal Dimensions), guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky (Spectral Voice, Stillborn Fawn), bassist Jeff Barrett (Spectral Voice, ex-Velnias), and drummer Isaac Faulk (Wayfarer, Abysmal Dimensions) can devastate you physically and put a toll on your body, but you’ll also be stretched intellectually. That forces you away from physical experience and into something that’s above and beyond where we can go with our bodies alone. This band may have set the entire death metal world on an entirely new course. (Aug. 18)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Blood-incantation-508899805936788

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

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

8. PALACE OF WORMS, “The Ladder” (Broken Limbs): Balan has done some immense, dramatic things with his Palace of Worms project, and “The Ladder” is his most fascinating effort so far. PoW always has been black metal at its base, but from there, he always has branched out in other directions and brought different elements to his sound’s chemistry. That continues on this record, an out-of-the-ordinary experience, even for someone familiar with Balan’s decade of work. This is the third Palace of Worms record, and the first since 2010, with the wait being well worth it since this knocked us, and I’m sure most of its listeners, for a loop.

While this is Balan’s project, he’s joined by other notable musicians such as fellow members of the Bay Area music scene, with Bezaelith (Lotus Thief) adding backing vocals on two tracks; Ephemeral Domignostika (Mastery, Pale Chalice) offering soloing on two cuts; and Mattia Alagna (Abstracter, Atrament) providing vocals/lyrics on the track “Wreathe.” You are met with the unpredictability on opening cut “In the Twilight Divide,” where flourishes of classical music clash with metallic fury; “Nightworld” has a doomy atmosphere and a moody pace, with Balan lamenting, “Cannot escape you, cannot reason with you,”; and “Strange Constellations,” where Balan howls, “The stage is set for annihilation!” is pure fire. This is another wondrous experience with Palace of Worms, a record that still reveals itself even after a million listens. (April 8)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.brokenlimbsrecordings.net/#!store/azhdm/products/blr076-palace-of-worms-the-ladder-lp

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

7. AUROCH “Mute Books” (Profound Lore): There’s plenty of good death metal out there, but not all of it leaves you feeling like you’ve been burned in a furnace and smeared all over the ground. Auroch’s records, especially their new one “Mute Books,” are like a physical degradation, as their technically insane playing pulls you through pits of damage and spits out your chewed-up body. It’s weird that this record hasn’t gotten more attention this year, and its release date cannot be blamed, so are people just sound asleep? This is some great work. Get with this.

The band—vocalist/guitarist Sebastian Montesi, vocalist/bassist Shawn Haché, and drummer Zack Chandler—certainly jumps into the weirdest sections of hell on this record, a seven-track, 30-minute burst that is perfectly timed and explosively effective. From the opener “Billowing Vervain” that starts in an eerie fog before the Earth is gorged, through to “Say Nothing” that has swirling choral parts before unleashing war-torn damage before a sci-fi-splashed ending, and into closer “Cup of Hemlock” that fucks up your mind just like the title hints that it might, you’re left gripping for safety. You never feel quite the same after an Auroch record, and this third album of theirs “Mute Books” will incinerate your soul to a crisp.  (Oct. 21)

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

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

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

6. USTALOST, “The Spoor of Vipers” (Sibir): There are those bands that come out of nowhere every year, rendering you useless until you can get the music out of your bloodstream. Ustalost, the project of Yellow Eyes member Will Skarstad, is one of those forces, and “The Spoor of Vipers,” the debut record under that banner, is one that had a serious impact. Funny enough, we didn’t write up this record on the site this year, and here it is this high on the list. But that happens. You discover something way later than you should have, and it ends up devouring a shit ton of your time. Then again, we might have time to give this full treatment early next year. More on that at the end.

Like his work in Yellow Eyes, much of what is on this record is grounded in black metal. But it pushes further than that an injects melodies that cause your blood cells to freeze up and the parts of your mind that allows you to break beyond your cranium and reach onto new things. Here, six tracks that run over 43 minutes all get simple Roman numeral names. That’s a nice touch, and it prevents preconceived notions from entering your thinking and just lets you absorb the music. “I” has a murky entrance before it opens its doors to delirium and dreamy haze; “II” follows in a similar path and is bathed in sinewy riffs and thick basslines, with the shrieks piercing the flesh; “IV’ feels like an out-of-body experience with its synth wash and echoed screams; and “VI” flexes its prog muscles while bloodying your lip with black metal creativity. Oh, as hinted, it’s also not too late to get on board with this thing. Gilead Media has the vinyl version up for pre-order, with records set to arrive in late winter. (April 5)

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

To buy the album on vinyl pre-order: https://www.erodingwinds.com/

15. ASTRONOID, “Air” (Blood Music): The (silly) sentiment that metal only can be played one way and must be inherently evil came to an annoying head again when Astronoid’s superb “Air” was released this summer. It’s everything that cult black metal is not, in that it’s bright, fiercely catchy, and will etch itself into your psyche forever. This isn’t brutal music, but it’s damn heavy, and the band’s way with melody is something to behold and absolutely respect. It’s safe to say no other metal record sounded like “Air” this year and probably never will.

“Air” is the first full-length record on Astronoid’s resume, and they can act as a burst of euphoric energy to your system. How can that be bad? Yeah, it might not fill you with the devil’s horrors, but these nine songs that stretch over 50 minutes can rocket you into outer space, with you finding a way to fill your lungs despite science insisting that’s impossible. There are a ton of killer songs on here from “Up and Atom,” one of the best metal cuts of the year and 6:17 of pure power; the black metal-infused insanity of “Resin”; and “Tin Foil Hats” that has a chorus that’s nearly jubilant. Astronoid is one hell of a revelation, and this record is jammed with glory. (June 10)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.blood-music.com/store/store.html

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

14. LOTUS THIEF, “Gramarye” (Prophecy): Bay Area metal band Lotus Thief doesn’t rely on the normal trappings of metal in which to find their influence. Instead, they’ve been known to tear backward through literature to motivate their music, and perhaps that’s what makes them stand apart so successfully. On their excellent second album “Gramarye,” their first for Prophecy, they conjure Homer’s Odyssey, the Merseburg Incantations, The Book of the Dead, and Crowley’s The Book of Lies to spread their darkness and wonder over these five songs.

Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/composer Bezaelith, drummer Otrebor (Botanist), and synth player/vocalist Iva Toric (the lineup since has been reconfigured) still situated themselves in space for a lot of this record, but they also blend in black metal and doom to bruise tracks such as “The Book of the Dead,” “Circe,” and gazey, post-punk-flavored “Salem.” The record has a mystical, magical feel to it, and like so many of the records we chose for this year’s list, it easily can transport you to other places in your mind. On top of that, the music very well may cause its listeners to dig deeper into the texts that inspired these songs, which should enrich your mind and soul. (Sept. 16)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://en.prophecy.de/pre-order-bundles/

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

13. MARSH DWELLER, “The Weight of Sunlight” (Eihwaz): Just a few months ago, John Kerr joined up with us to create the drunkest interview in the history of this site, a feat that has not been, and may never will be, repeated since. All of that was to shine light on his Marsh Dweller project’s excellent new record “The Weight of Sunlight,” an eight-track, 42-minute debut offering that should make friends with anyone into atmospheric black metal and those who still devour the glory days of Swedish death metal.

The album is both a very personal journey for Kerr as well as an homage to naturalistic pantheism, immersing himself in the journey he’s been on the past few years while also remembering to respect the surroundings that have become a part of his DNA. Amid three instrumentals that work as gateways during the record, Kerr brings fluid riffs, punishing playing, and grisly vocals to tracks such as “The Dull Earth” that has a sword-sharpening medieval sound to it; “Monumental Collapse” that brings the melodic death metal fire; and tremendous “Forks on the River,” where it feels like the glorious guitar work laps over you like a cold body of water, enveloping you and pulling you toward a new home. This is a really promising debut from an artist who is bound to keep surprising us. (Aug. 15)

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

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

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

12. ASH BORER, “The Irrepassable Gate” (Profound Lore): The weight of an Ash Borer can feel like gravity going heel and pushing all its weight down on you. Their drone-glazed black metal keeps morphing just a bit on every record, and we hear that again on “The Irrepassable Gate,” an album that barely made it under the deadline for 2016 releases. We may have had to wait until the waning days of autumn, but having this six-track, 53-minute album in our grasp means we ended this dreadful year with another excursion into this band’s warped chaos.

The three members of Ash Borer—K on guitars and vocals, A on guitars, R on bass and vocals, M on drums—also create terror in bands including Triumvir Foul, Predatory Light, Urzeit, Vanum, and Serug Dreg, but they make their deadliest magic on this project. They prove that time and again on “The Irrepassable Gate” by unloading tracks such as the doomy, wrenching title cut that opens the album; “Lacerated Spirit” that haunts and pummels at the same time, making you feel out-of-body chills; and “Rotten Firmament,” the album’s beefiest track at 12:37 that boils, confounds, and erodes over its run time. Ash Borer’s level is not attainable, which they make painful clear on this smothering album. (Dec 2)

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

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

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

11. PREDATORY LIGHT, self-titled (Invictus/Psychic Violence): Not to suggest that Predatory Light isn’t a diverse bunch, but the point of their volcanic, self-titled record appears to be outright violence for its sake. It’s a doom-filled expression of black metal that goes right for the throat. Sure, the music can set off into unexpected terrain now and again, but for the most part, you realize you’re in for a savage beating that’s going to last the bulk of these six track and 41 minutes of torment. If you feel like you’ve visited the mouth of hell when this is all over, you’re not alone.

This band—guitarist/vocalist L.S., guitarist K, bassist D.F., drummer N.M.—is built with parts of several other notable band including Triumvir Foul, Vanum, Ash Borer, Anhedonist, and Drought, and they bring their collective fire together for an astonishing first act that will keep your head spinning. From the total mind-fuck first minutes of “Laughing Wound,” it feels like they’re headed into the galaxy, yet they instead level you with sooty doom and feral power that acts as a blazing assault. “Lurid Hand” spirals all over with a mighty blaze and adds dizziness to their fury; “Dark Membrance” simmers in horrific psychosis; and “Born of the Wrong Blood” feels like black metal panic that whips up tornadic winds and nausea. This album is dangerous, smoking, and skull crushing, and it’s terrifying to think that this is Predatory Light’s first full shot fired. (Sept. 23)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.invictusproductions.net/shop/

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

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

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

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.