20. CAINA, “Setter of Unseen Snares” (Broken Limbs/Church of Fuck): An asteroid raging toward Earth for a cataclysmic collision is not a thing that cannot happen. That’s why the storyline that plays out on Caina’s latest album “Setter of Unseen Snares” is so damn unsettling. We seem to have a good idea of objects that threaten our existence, but we never know. That theme comes back again and again with these six songs, and it makes for one of the band’s best efforts both from a musical and thematic standpoint.

Caina, long led by Andrew Curtis-Brignell, smear atmosphere and raw energy over their style of black metal, and this tale of the last remaining family on Earth trying to avoid the destruction threatened by a hurtling asteroid really hits you in the guts. Following the intro cut that’s peppered with Rust Cohle’s dark dialog from “True Detective,” we hit on storming “I Am the Flail of the Lord” and its calls of, “All life is blasphemy!” That assault continues over the rest of the album and sets the stage of the gut-wrenching “Orphan,” a 15:28 song that takes up the entire B side of the vinyl release and is the most dramatic, emotional songs on a record full of high points. I’ve long loved this band, and this record totally pays off that devotion. (Jan. 20)

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

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

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

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

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

19. EYE OF NIX, “Moros” (Belief Mower): Seattle’s Eye of Nix emerged as one of the freshest, most exciting new bands in metal, and “Moros” was a true eye opener. They pile sludge on top of doom on top of prog, and their compositions keep you guessing the entire time. And as great as all of that is, it’s topped off by Joy Von Spain’s unreal vocals that go from operatic to gothically morbid to gutturally brutal, sometimes within the same song.  

The tracks on their killer first record take you all over the place, from “Elysium Elusive” that kicks off the album and lets Von Spain unfurl her powerful operatic tones; through to storyteller “We Perish” where things really start to get ugly for the first time on the record; to “Turned to Ash” that is moody, punchy, and jangling (and, woah, the singing on this one!); to “Optimo Vero” where the shrieks and progressive pounding bruise your senses; to the closer “Rome Burned” that contains battle cries of the SLA and a furious, devastating groove you cannot shake. This band infuses the metal scene with freshness and originality, and I can only imagine how Eye of Nix will sound when record two comes to pass. (Nov. 6)

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

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

Or here: http://eyeofnix.bandcamp.com/album/moros

18. CLOUD RAT, “Qliphoth” (Halo of Flies): There are records that can capture you solely from the emotion and conviction baked into the songs, and the new effort from Cloud Rat was one of those. That’s not exactly a shock. Cloud Rat wear their beliefs and values on their sleeves, and never has that been as apparent as it is on “Qliphoth.” Spread over 17 tracks and 40 minutes, this record finds Cloud Rat as explosive and passionate as ever, and if you can’t get swayed from the tumult and fury of this collection, you literally might be dead.

Madison Marshall’s vocals are one of the main events here, as she brings rage and menace to songs that very obviously mean a ton to her. The rest of the band smothers you with volcanic grindcore and portions where they let the tempo subside a bit in order for you, and I’m sure them, to have a breath. But those gasps are not easy to come by, and they blast through the record track by track with nary a chance for you to get your bearings about you. That’s part of what makes this record so damn fun, too, because while they’re overwhelming you with riffs, and clobbering smashing, and destructive vocals (though Marshall also infuses beauty here and there), you’ll find you’re absolutely hooked. The fact they also have a noble, positive fight to launch lyrically just adds to this record’s worth. This band is just unstoppable. (May 29)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/label-releases/halo81-cloud-rat-qliphoth-lp/

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

17. DREADNOUGHT, “Bridging Realms” (Sailor): It feels like the bulk of the records we’re talking about today have a common theme, that being inventiveness. Dreadnought’s new record “Bridging Realms” made me sit up and take notice right away, from listen one, for what they bring to heavy music and their resume as a band. This record is not brutality through and through. I think people get stuck on that sometimes. But as far as dramatic highs, storytelling, passion, and new ideas, yeah, this band has a ton going on. This record feels more cinematic than anything, with the songs floating into one another, the tempos toying with you, and the overall moods of the songs morphing over and over.

It’s hard to describe the band’s sound and nail it 100 percent, but in our review in August we made a comparison to ISIS hanging out with Eisley, both bands we love insanely. You have some of the traits one would expect from a metal record here, but there is so much more. From Lauren Viera’s great singing, to the fluttering flute work, to the progressive arrangements, to the way they take their time and let these songs develop and breathe, from listen one to listen 80, you can have a completely different experience with this album. This record is like a sci-fi fantasy film wrapped into a metal album, and it remains in constant rotation. (Aug. 11)

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

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

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

16. CRYPT SERMON, “Out of the Garden” (Dark Descent): Lots of bands do classic, throwback heavy metal. Not all of them do it right. Or well. Or competently. But Philly’s Crypt Sermon knock it out of the park, over the stadium wall, and into your windshield. Holy shit, what a fun, awesome record their debut “Out of the Garden” is, and pretty much the entire year this thing has been bleeding out of my speakers. This feels like the music that made me fall in love with metal in the first place. This thing is pretension free, heavy, burning, and true, and if you want something that’ll make you repeatedly grasp the invisible citrus, this is the one for you.

The Biblical elements of the record (it’s not a Christian record, you dorks) give it a Maiden feel, as they’ve often toyed with those texts, and the epic feel of the music brings into mind thoughts of Dio, Sabbath, Candlemass and bands of that ilk. From the great opener “Temple Doors,” you’re on a journey of true heavy metal thunder, and it never relents over this seven-track album. “Heavy Riders” is one of the best, most memorable metal songs of the year, and its chorus is terminally stuck in my head. Actually, same can be said for “Byzantium” and “Into the Holy of Holies,” both strong, blood-and-guts songs on this collection. “The Master’s Bouquet” is creepy as hell (including words from the song’s originator Hank Williams) and is one of the weirdest, most memorable songs on this record. Holy hell, what a great album and band. (Feb. 24)

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

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

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

30. KHEMMIS, “Absolution” (20 Buck Spin): “Absolution” landed in the middle of the summer, and it was the ideal time for Khemmis to surface with their killer debut record. A mix of traditional doom and newer strains (like St. Vitus meeting up with Pallbearer), this band quickly made a name for themselves with underground audiences with these six cuts. There is an epic element to these tracks, and when they get into more guttural territory, they come out the other side with glimmering, melodic passages. This is one that’s bound to unite those who grew up with Sabbath and younger audiences who cut their teeth on newer bands. That should be one peaceful, smoke-filled, beer-soaked ritual. (July 5)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://20buckspinshop.com/

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

29. BISMUTH, “Unavailing” (Dry Cough): If slow is your tempo, you’re bound to love the hell out of UK-based doom duo Bismuth. This wrenching, four-track, 56-minute beast pounds, simmers, and broods, really grounding your face into the gravel and making you taste each bit. Bassist/vocalist Tanya Byrne reaches deep within her guts to deliver her growls, while the riffs pile on top of riffs, the mud gets thicker and more deliberate, and it feels like planets are colliding. Through the massive opener “Tethys,” into the guts of “Of the Weak Willed,” and through the finisher “Solitude and Emptiness,” the band takes its bloody time, paces out its devastating blows, and puts on a dark, morbid, smothering show from beginning to end. (Nov. 25)

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

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

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

28. KRALLICE, “Ygg Huur” (self-released): We all know the story, but like an asteroid barreling to Earth unannounced, Krallice’s awesome fifth record “Ygg Huur” landed unexpectedly on a late July day to the surprise of everyone except the band and those close to them. And what a release it was! We know the score when it comes to this band, in that we’re getting bendy, rubbery, space-smashed black metal that sounds like no one else’s creations. What was different for the band on this record is the songs are shorter and more immediate, and the album feels like a blast that goes flying past before you know what hit you. It’s another twist of innovation from a band that has changed US black metal and continues to do so to this day. (July 30)

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

To buy the album digitally or on CD, go here: https://krallice.bandcamp.com/album/ygg-huur

To buy the album on vinyl, go here: www.erodingwinds.com

27. VHOL, “Deeper Than Sky” (Profound Lore): Combining four major forces from the underground metal world into one band isn’t a guarantee of success or quality, but Vhöl’s debut record indicated the future was bright. We get that payoff on their amazing, mind-blowing second record “Deeper Than Sky,” a collection of heavy metal force so great that it’s sometimes overwhelming. From the explosive opener “The Desolate Damned,” the assault is on and blazes out of control. There’s no telling where they’re going to go from there either as they delve into punk and hardcore on scornful “3 a.m.”; deliver a riveting epic on the tremendous 12-minute title track; dream up the craziest instrumental you will hear on a metal album this year (or any!) with “Paino”; and even visit graveyards planted by King Diamond on the horrific closer “The Tomb.” This record kills, and Vhöl’s creative insanity knows no bounds. (Oct. 23)

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

To buy the album, go here (CD): https://www.profoundlorerecords.com/

Or here (vinyl): http://www.erodingwinds.com/

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

26. PROTOLITH, “Dark” (self-released): I am assuming winter eventually will arrive here on the East Coast. And when it does, Protolith’s excellent second album “Dark” will be a perfect soundtrack to play when heavy snows lightly pad the ground. This underrated, not-talked-about-enough release is thought-provoking and visceral, bringing with it elements of black metal, sludge, post-metal, you name it. This is a collection of epic tracks (eight in all) that perfectly unfurl before you including dark and lapping “The Construct”; “The Oath” that has some dreamy, jazzy melodies intertwined into the murk; and amazing closer “Swansong” that has lines from “The Silver Swan” worked into its DNA. This is a cold, frosty adventure you’re bound to take over and over again. (Oct. 1)

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

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

25. PINKISH BLACK, “Bottom of the Morning” (Relapse): Everything about Pinkish Black is disturbing, from the origin of their name to their chilling synth-driven sound to the personal tragedy and misfortune that dresses their great third record “Bottom of the Morning.” These eight cuts feel like they belong to a velvety bygone era. Or maybe from a post-Apocalyptic one yet to come. Daron Beck’s rich baritone singing and whirring, alien synth could make you feel like you’re suffering in freezing isolation, and their songs crawl up your spine and into your bloodstream. “Brown Rainbow” has the repeated, almost defeated wail of, “The end is here to stay,” while “Burn My Body” is disorienting and claustrophobic, and the title cut starts cooly jazzy before deteriorating into complete panic. If you’re a fairly anxious person, this thing won’t help. (Oct. 30)

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

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

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

24. KOWLOON WALLED CITY, “Grievances” (Gilead Media): Work can be shitty and weird. That’s just kind of how it is. It also can become the most important part of our existence, a place that becomes something of a second home for many people, as much as that may make you want to shudder. On their third record “Grievances,” Kowloon Walled City bring their noisy, agitated sound to the woes of the workplace, poking at the ways we all act and work and what that does to us as people. When Scott Evans barks, “Count off the days, write on the walls, who wants to live this way?” from punchy opener “Your Best Years,” the angst sticks into your belly. That continues over to drubbing “Backlit,” scathing “The Grift,” and blistering and angry “True Believer.” Kowloon Walled City keep getting better and more cynical, and that’s great for all of us who live vicariously through them.  (Oct. 9)

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

To buy the album (CD), go here: https://neurotrecordings.merchtable.com

Or here (vinyl): http://www.erodingwinds.com/

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

And here: http://www.gileadmedia.net/

23. AMBER ASYLUM, “Sin Eater” (Prophecy): Typically it’s a given that records are dropped in December for a reason, in that they’re the ones you want to have slip under the radar. Well, forget that nonsense, because Amber Asylum’s unreal seventh record “Sin Eater” arrived mere days into the final month of the year, and it’s an earthquaker. This band, long led by Kris T. Force, brings together doom, neo-folk, and classical elements on this, their darkest, most morbid album to date. The music is centered around the concept of a sin-eating ritual, and the gorgeous, jarring, haunting music, including a show-stopping cover of the Candlemass classic “TOT” that very much plays into the foundation. This may not be the heaviest record of the year from a sonic standpoint, but it will crush you under its thematic weight. (Dec. 4)

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: http://www.theconnextion.com/prophecy/prophecy_index.cfm?

Or here (Europe): http://en.prophecy.de/shop/

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

22. IRON MAIDEN, “The Book of Souls” (Universal): There are legends of heavy metal, and there is Iron Maiden. We’re a little (OK, a lot) biased here, seeing as we hail Maiden as the greatest metal band of all time, but it’s not like they haven’t been without faults. Also, hearing the band had a mega double album (triple if you snag vinyl) seemed a little much, especially with Bruce Dickinson battling mouth cancer. Yet, when that 90-minute, 11-track beast arrived, all fears dissipated as the band sounded alive, well, relevant, and powerful, showing the rest of the world how to age gracefully and do whatever the hell you want to do. There are smashers such as “If Eternity Should Fail,” “Speed of Light,” and “Death or Glory” to keep the blood rushing, while epics “The Red and the Black” and 18-minute album closer “Empire of the Clouds” show their ambition and creativity never have been stronger. Up and hail the Irons! (Sept. 4)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.ironmaiden.com/shop-landing-page.html

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

21. PALE CHALICE, “Negate the Infamous and Miraculous” (Gilead Media): Pale Chalice is one of those bands that made a massive impact on my brain years ago and then seemed to vanish into thin air. I still visit “Afflicting the Dichotomy of Trepid Creation” EP that came out in 2011, but the arrival of debut full-length “Negate the Infamous and Miraculous” reminded me how awesome these guys are and how much they have to contribute to modern black metal. This record is a beast! Chilling, heavy, full of massive riffs, and downright dark, the band rips your world apart on these seven tracks. From sweltering opener “Through Vexed Veil” into “Bound Intransigent Flight” and through “Bent by Carapace Chain” (where the riffs flood), the band reminds the world why they are so deadly and that their brand of black metal easily can set the entire sub-genre ablaze. (June 16)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.erodingwinds.com/product-category/music/gilead-media-releases/

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

40. DALLA NEBBIA, “Felix Culpa” (Razed Soul): South Carolina’s adventurous black metal band Dalla Nebbia registered way under the radar with their excellent second record “Felix Culpa,” a progressive, riveting collection that really needs to be on the tip of more tongues. From smearing the warped death cries of Jim Jones before he and his cult died at their own hands (“Paradise in Flames”) to a song about Japan’s Suicide Forest (“Lament of Aokigahara”), this band examined and unearthed some of the darkest subject matter on Earth. Yet, they did in a way that gets your brain cells moving and your secret terrors nearly bubbling to the surface. If you haven’t heard this, change that now. (Sept. 18)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://razedsoul.ipower.com/rzd/095.htm

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

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

39. PYRAMIDS, “A Northern Meadow” (Profound Lore): Of all the records on this entire list, this may be the dreamiest. Pyramids’ amazing second record mixes black metal and doom tendencies along with gothic rock and shoegaze so seamlessly, it practically has carved out its own section of the world. Joined on the album by notable guests such as Vindsval (Blut Aus Nord) and Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts), these eight songs put your mind into some kind of trance state as the guitars cut deep, the melodies flood the senses, and the vocals swelter in sky-high register, lathering you with intense melody. You’re left guessing over song titles such as “The Earth Melts Into Red Gashes Like the Mouths of Whales” and “I Have Four Sons, All Named for Men We Lost to War,” but you’ll be too busy trancing out to mind. (March 17)

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

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

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

38. LOCRIAN, “Infinite Dissolution” (Relapse): The spacey transmissions of Chicago’s Locrian never cease to amaze, and on their tremendous new album “Infinite Dissolution” (follow-up to 2013’s “Return to Annihilation”), they push their universe even further and continue to morph into a completely different beast. Their synth-stewed, black metal-leaning style takes deeper bends toward the cosmos, while the harsh shrieks and otherworldly adventures entrance on tracks such as “Dark Shales”; the cold sparks of “The Future of Death” (I hear a nice wave of 1980s Rush here); psyche storm “Heavy Water”; and murky “The Great Dying.” This record signaled that Locrian’s journeys could go anywhere, and “Infinite Dissolution” is the stuff of fever dream. (July 24)

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

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

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

37. MAGIC CIRCLE, “Journey Blind” (20 Buck Spin): So many bands try to take stabs at the classic heavy metal route, but few get it as right as Boston’s Magic Circle. Comprised of members of hardcore bands from that region, this group churns out fiery songs that could make one pine for the days of old Candlemass, Dio-era Sabbath, and others of that ilk. Their playing is so natural and full of life, and each second of this record is a joy to behold, from the awesome, fantasy-filled title cut (just gaze at the album cover and you can imagine the imagery you’ll dream here); “A Ballad of Vultures,” which takes a heavy breath of doom winds; “Lightning Cage” that rips a hole in anything that gets in its way; and “Grand Deceivers” that trudges and has some electric guitar work. This might sound cliched, but this record’s going to sound even better late spring, early summer with 75 strong beers.  (Nov. 20)

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

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

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

36. MGLA, “Exercises in Futility” (Northern Heritage/No Solace): Polish black metal power MGLA did something practically unheard of these days. They made a highly anticipated album that wasn’t sent to the press and first got play when the band finally relented and posted the whole thing to YouTube. It was worth the wait, as this riff-packed, monstrous affair blazes by over six cuts, all named “Exercises in Futility” and given a Roman numeral to keep them sequenced. Just a few visits with this album makes it easy to see why this band is so heavily discussed and admired, as they keep smashing and crushing over these 42 minutes. There practically is no room to breathe or catch your footing, so you might as well give into this all-out assault. (Sept. 4)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.cfprod.com/nh/index6.php

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

35. PISSGRAVE, “Suicide Euphoria” (Profound Lore): There are few album covers as gross as Pissgrave’s “Suicide Euphoria,” what with its thick brown goop sitting in a bathtub of bones. It looks just how the record from these Philly maniacs sounds, which is disgusting and relentless and full of terror. This infernally vile death metal gurgles and bubbles under the surface, almost as if the songs are trying to choke through whatever it is in that tub, and over cuts including “Impaled Vibration”; vicious and blunt “Pain Enchantment”; caustic and violent “Prevail in Hell”; and horribly evil “Blood Fog.” This is one of those things that is not for everyone, but those who get it are going to love rolling in this pig shit. (Aug. 7)

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

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

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

34. DENDRITIC ARBOR, “Romantic Love” (Grimoire): Pittsburgh’s Dendritic Arbor don’t do things the conventional way, whether that’s in a live setting or on their recorded material. On their tornadic, warped debut record “Romantic Love,” this band unleashes a wave of confusing terror that’s a wave of black metal fury and dramatic flourishes. The music stymies and dizzies, while the vocals sometimes have a caustic low to them, sometimes a Brian Johnson-style screech. As the record flows over its seven tracks and nearly 33 minutes, it gets more confounding and punishing, smashing into “Blooming Amygdala” and its noise squalls; through to blinding burst “Giallo”; and on into doomy and thrashy “Ceremony of Dust.” This band is only starting to realize their terrible power, and whatever they do in the future is sure to be full of terrors.  (May 5)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com/album/romantic-love

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

33. HORRENDOUS, “Anareta” (Dark Descent): Apparently Horrendous went out to record their latest record “Anareta” with an absolutely insane idea in their heads: make a fun death metal album. Imagine that! OK, yeah, it’s plenty heavy and aggressive and dwells in darkness, but it’s impossible not to listen to this thing and be overcome with just how explosive and dynamic it is. As an old guy, I totally remember buying old Megadeth, Anthrax, and Testament records and just getting lost in the power of metal. These eight tracks spread over 44 minutes are packed with power, death metal glory, and guitars that will rule your life. There’s nothing wrong with grim and dark (and Horrendous deliver that, too), but a good jolt down the spine can do wonders as well. (Oct. 30)

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

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

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

32. ÆVANGELIST “Enthrall to the Void of Bliss” (20 Buck Spin): Every time I take on a new Ævangelist record, I feel like I’m in the midst of a massive temp elevation. Walls squirm like jello, my head goes numb, and pain jolts through every region as I take on some of the most inventive, bizarre black metal anywhere in the world. You can just read song titles such as “Cloisters of the Temple of Death,” “Gatekeeper’s Scroll,” “Levitating Souls,” and “Meditation of Transcendental Evil” and know you’re in for it, but then the band’s hypnotic, swelling noises hit you. The riffs quake and disorient, the vocals sound like they originated in hell, and the heavy presence of the harps ensure you’re taking on a journey you never intended to make but are in the midst of nonetheless. Easily, Ævangelist are one of the most creative bands in the world, and “Enthrall to the Void of Bliss” provides all the evidence you need. (Oct. 9)

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

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

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

31. WINDHAND, “Grief’s Infernal Flower” (Relapse): Rising like a wounded spirit from their Virginia home, Windhand returned with another slowly delivered, sultry, fiery dose of doom metal on their third record “Grief’s Infernal Flower.” All the tenets from the band you’ve come to expect–swarming guitars, calculated rhythms, skull-blasting power, and Dorthia Cottrell’s thick, rich vocals–are here and served plentifully. The record doesn’t head too far off the path they established on “Soma,” with the exception being some slimmer songs and a more straightforward sound, and there are a ton of highlights on this thing, from the awesome “Two Urns”: to smoldering “Forest Clouds” (good luck scraping the chorus from your brain); to blistering “Tanngrisnir”; to Cottrell’s two haunting acoustic pieces “Sparrow” and “Aition.” This band keeps adding to their power, and “Grief’s Infernal Flower” has their cauldrons still blazing.  (Sept. 18)

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

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

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

Compiling a best-of list at the end of a calendar year is something seemingly any doofus with a blog does these days. We’re no different, and for the fourth year in a row, we are getting ready to reveal the 40 albums we enjoyed the most in 2015. But before we get there, we want to shine a light on a few albums that didn’t quite make the cut but that are tremendous releases nonetheless that we visit all the time.

BOSSE-DE-NAGE, “All Fours” (Profound Lore): Warped, avant-garde, darkly poetic, and damaging, San Francisco’s terrifying Bosse-de-Nage continued their furious campaign into some of the more morbid, unexplored elements of metal. Part black metal, part unhinged indie rock, there is nothing safe and conventional about this band, and as bizarre and confrontational as they can be, there also have a subtlety to them that can dump you on your neck. The challenging playing that mixes with terrifying shrieks and cold recitations help make this band, and their great fourth record, forces to behold. (April 14)

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

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

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

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, “To Your Death” (Relapse): Christian Mistress have gone from occult-style traditional metal to more of a rock n roll style, and all the while, they’re maintained their intensity and sense of bravado. Their third record “To Your Death” sounds like it was custom-made for the mid-1980s, when bands of this type were prevalent on MTV and large music halls. But Christian Mistress seem more suited for the smaller venues, where their dual-guitar assault and Christine Davis’ husky vocals can pound you with cuts such as “Stronger Than Blood,” killer opener “Neon,” and powerful “Lone Wild,” which might be my favorite track on here. Another great, fun record from this band.  (Sept. 18)

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

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

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

DEAFHEAVEN, “New Bermuda” (Anti): Oh, the hand wringing. One of the most controversial (for the silliest reasons) bands in metal returned on a new label and with the most metallic release of their run, the powerful “New Bermuda.” There are different nuances on this record, George Clarke’s vocals show more range than the harsh, ugly shrieks of Sunbather,” and the full-band template seems to be working fine for these guys.From the eye-opening curtain-raiser “Brought to the Water” to the vicious yet chilled-out “Come Back” to the head-rushing “Baby Blue,” Deafheaven once again blaze their own path with zero concerns paid to the doubters. (Oct. 2)

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

To buy the album, go here: http://kingsroadmerch.com/deafheaven/region/

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

NACHTLIEDER, “The Female of the Species” (I, Voidhanger): In the midst of myriad black metal releases that arrived this past year, this one stood out as much for its story as its straight-up serving of this devastating style. Imagining Eve exacting revenge on Eden after her ouster, Dagny Susanne unleashes her own savagery into this plotline, continuously pounding away and charring your skin with razor-sharp riffs and her thunderous vocals. Over these eight tracks, Susanne practically embodies Eve and exacts her revenge over tracks such as “Nightfall,” “Lonely Mortal,” and the 8:24 closing title cut that is volcanic, passionate, and full of smoldering ash that comes from our protagonist, who has had enough of the world’s scorn. (Dec. 7)

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

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

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

SUNN 0))), “Kannon” (Southern Lord): There is no band more revered in the area of doom drone that Sunn 0))), and the past few years, the have become a chameleon, blending in with co-conspirators such as Ulver and Scott Walker to see how their styles mix with others. Much of that trickles into three-track new album “Kannon,” a very different style of record for this band and one that takes a little time to absorb. Joined by vocalist Attila Csihar and other musicians including Steve Moore, the duo of Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley duel and meld over these dark, churning, and often shimmering tracks that pay homage to the Buddhist goddess of mercy and prov the band’s thick blankets of hell are more diverse and flexible than anyone ever realized before. This is a grower you’ll be glad you earned. (Dec. 4)

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

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

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

We have a lot of great albums to cover over the remaining weeks of 2015, but let’s not forget the smaller releases that came out. EPs and splits we generally don’t include in the top 40, just because they aren’t traditional full-length releases. But plenty of stuff came out this year that was a ton of fun and deserves to be revisited and praised.

THE BODY/KRIEG, split (Thrill Jockey): This record was a weird one, but in a really good way. You put long-running black metal project Krieg and apocalyptic doom duo The Body into a room, and do you get the sum of both parts? One would think, but that’s anything but we got on this one. I say that in a good way. More industrial elements work their way into the record, as each entity melds together and creates something insanely dark and warped. So it’s dark, it’s disturbing, and it’ll burn your face off as you writhe in pain and confusion along with both bands.

For more on The Body go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/the-body/334047229514

For more on Krieg, go here: https://www.facebook.com/officialkrieg

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

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

FOEHAMMER, self-titled (Grimoire): Ugly and swaggering doom? Yeah, we’re into that a lot. Foehammer’s debut EP is a smothering, crushing affair that swims in the horrid seas of funeral doom but also puts some attitude and fun into that equation. The trio crushes you under the weight of their woe, with down-tuned ugliness, some proper Iommi worship, and dark, muddy violence that never fails to hit the spot. They feel raw and unhinged on this record, do Foehammer, and they deserve to be in the conversation of the unsung, promising newer doom bands bubbling under the surface. These guys have what it takes to eat you alive.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com/album/foehammer

Or here: http://www.australopithecusrecords.com/products/546357-foehammer-foehammer-12

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

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

IMPLODES, “Reverser” (Gilead Media): Labels that don’t lean on expectation and do their own things are the ones that make me the happiest. We heap a lot of praise on Gilead Media, and for good reason. They don’t smother us with 15 releases a month just to make a buck. They do what makes them happy, and in turn, it makes us full of joy. One release that stood out amid a really strong year for them was Implodes’ 12” “Reverser” that is something that immediately swelled my head and made me embrace different kinds of darkness. The band’s music (it’s not exactly metal but certainly can leap that boundary), and this release, is a psychedelic haze and a dark, imposing force that makes me feel like I’ve done a table-full of mind-altering substances and launched myself into pace. From listen one I was hooked, and as the year progressed, each visit with “Reverser” has been a brain worm.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.gileadmedia.net/store/

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

AD NAUSEUM, self-titled (Broken Limbs): Ugliness in metal? Expected. Heaviness? It’s in the damn name. So any time I feel the need to describe a band as ugly and/or heavy, I feel like an idiot. Nonetheless, Florida’s Ad Nauseum fit that bill, and it makes sense to point out the very obvious. Their self-titled EP is furious and angry, and it feels like a million tons of mud being dumped on your puny chest. The band is sinewy and muscular, and their four-track EP mixes doom with Godflesh-style industrial hell, with every moment a murderous one.

For more on the band go here:  https://www.facebook.com/Nauseous.Noise

To buy the album, go here: http://www.brokenlimbsrecordings.net/#!store/azhdm/collections/new-releases/1

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

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT/GNAW THEIR TONGUES, “N.V.” (Prosthetic): Those cute little dolls at Pitchfork got all up in arms over the murderous clips in the Dragged Into Sunlight/Gnaw Their Tongues collaborative effort “N.V.” Look, these two bands do not mince words that they immerse themselves in the ugliest, most violent sects of society. One may argue it’s celebratory, but I’ve always taken it as cautionary, the type of thing that warns you not to trust and smile through life, for the worst of existence will get you and choke you. These bands never have been for the weak of heart and mind, and if you care to confront the darkest elements of existence, this collaborative effort is what you need. It’s heavy, dark, terrifying, and dank, and you’ll have to scrape the scum off your arms when it’s over.

For more on Dragged Into Sunlight, go here: https://www.facebook.com/draggedintosunlight

For more on Gnaw Their Tongues, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gnaw-Their-Tongues/128655237208690nd

To buy the album, go here: http://prostheticrecords.limitedrun.com/

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

Other EPs and splits we liked a lot: Spectral Lore’s “Traveler” and “Gnosis” EPs; Forn’s “Weltschmerz”;  Pelican’s “The Cliff”; Funerary/Ooze split; Mortals/Repellers split; Pyrrhon’s “The Growth Without End.”

We’re nearing the end of the calendar year, hard as that is to believe here in sunny, balmy Pennsylvania. But we solider on, and just before we start our annual look back at the year that was 2015, there are a couple releases just unleashed or still imminent we want to cover quickly before the year-end stupidity and inanity gets going.

We’ll start off in my hometown of Pittsburgh and one of the more exciting, artistically perplexing bands anywhere, that being avant-garde black metal beasts Dendritic Arbor. They already put out a killer full-length “Romantic Love” in May, but apparently that wasn’t enough for this band. Two days before this year expires, Dendritic Arbor will drop a smothering, delirious EP “Sentient Village/Obsolescent Garden” that builds on what the band did on their debut but pushes it a million miles further. Nothing this band does is conventional, and they all-over-the-map shit as well as any group out there. There is no map showing you the twists and turns ahead, so you just kind of have to brace yourself and battle the tension. Taking them on live? Get ready to be flattened and stymied.

The four-track effort rips open with “Cotard Delusion,” as strange noises flow out of the gate, and then the bone crushing gets started in earnest. There are crazed cries, dissonant fury that floods your head, guitars blasting out everywhere and causing further disorientation, and the insanity finally bleeding out. “Failed Manifestation” has a riotous pace, with creaky growls, trippy spells spilling over, and a bizarre progginess to it all. Later, static kicks up and bubbles, with the violence spreading out and dissolving into air. “Keratoconus” is fiery and unhinged, with the vocals doing massive damage, and heavy atmosphere mixed in with the horrors. At times the band is mauling you, at others they are trying to make you dizzy and sick, and all in all, it’s a total mindfuck that mixes beatings with oddness. “Latex” is the 7:27 closer that starts with weird snarls, off-kilter melodies spiraling, and a really mesmerizing trip into hell. Death growls are unleashed and bruise, while the band gets thrashy, noise rises, and space zaps and cosmic morbidity extend over the final three minutes and off into the void.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://dendriticarbors.bandcamp.com/album/sentient-village-obsolescent-garden

Split releases can be interesting if you pair up the right types of bands and artists. Too often, you get a couple bands (or more) that employ the same exact style and don’t really make for an interesting pairing. But when you find something like the new split release pairing atmospheric black metal project Twilight Fauna (the creation of Paul Ravenwood) and multi-instrumentalist Jennifer Christensen (of the great Disemballerina and her solo project Møllehøj) you have reason to really sit up and pay attention. Sonically, their respective songs make a lot of sense together, as their respective sounds are of the same plane of existence. But both are different enough from each other and have their own nuances that the result is a really rewarding, substantive 7” split effort.

Christensen’s side “Sickness Unto Death” lets strings quiver and lap over the land, with eerie and dark passages growing, her playing thrashing and chugging, and, as lovely as these sounds are, you can’t help but feel the thick presence of doom. The piece jars and rivets as it continues onward, with panic setting in later in the track, only to be washed away by calm waters, layers of atmosphere piling on top of each other, and the piece melting into the dark. Ravenwood gets the fires churning on “Crossing the Threshold” as he injects the piece with ringing guitars, thick drone, and melodies setting up a rustic, woodsy sense. A fog settles over, as it threatens a downpour, yet a warm glow pokes through that and lets embers churn. Melting growls emerge and drip behind the stormfront, providing a few thorny areas of the journey, while serenity spreads over the terrain and mixes in with the hard charges before this great cut, and substance-rich collection, subsides. Definitely check this one out, as it’ll sound even better when real winter actually arrives.

For more on the Twilight Fauna, go here: https://www.facebook.com/twilightfauna

For more on Jennifer Christensen, go here: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferchristensenmusic

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

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

It’s the end of the year, we are on our final pick of the week for 2015, and we’re capping things off with an exciting, head-swarming album that has been one of the most anticipated releases of the fall for this site from a band that we are not afraid to say is one of our favorites going right now. Look, we may be writers, but we’re human. We know what we like, and we love Jess and the Ancient Ones.

Seeing the band tear through an enthralling opening set before King Diamond played last autumn in Pittsburgh was a huge 2014 highlight, but now having the band’s brand new full-length album “Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes” in hand is yet a step above that. You can learn a lot just from paying attention to the record’s title. “Psychedelic” is a descriptor they’re not just throwing out there; this record is trippy as hell and feels like a hippie cult dancing riotously around a blaze in the middle of the wilderness, paying homage to whatever dark gods, goddesses, and spirits they care to praise. This album is a portrait of change, though not radically, and is an enthralling, invigorating collection that keeps their occult leanings very much in the forefront but also pays huge when it comes to taking on a record that’s just a really damn good time.

“Second Psychedelic Coming” is the band’s second full-length effort and their follow-up to their great, self-titled 2012 debut. Along the way, they’ve offered up some smaller releases as well (a couple of singles, a split, and the great “Astral Sabbat” EP), but you can hear on these nine songs they truly are coming into their own. Obviously Jess is up front as this band’s singer, and she’s a total force. She has passion, energy, and alluring power that makes her the perfect face of the band, and her performance here has to put her in the conversations when it comes to the best vocalists in rock and metal. But she can’t do this alone, as with her are guitarists Thomas Corpse (the band’s primary songwriter), and Fiend; bassist Fast Jake; drummer Yussuf; and keyboard/synth/organ player Abraham, and they put together a rousing, excellent collection with this record.

The album gets off to a spirited start on “Samhain,” with drums rumbling, an old radio clip about a witches Sabbath issuing a stark warning, and then the song bursting with life. The tempo rolls along, with keys brimming, the melodies growing delirious, and Jess warning of “Samhain falling!” and later vowing, “Take your life away, return it if we may,” over the killer chorus. Great opening, and that rolls into “The Flying Man.” There, organs pump, psyche guitars roil and get lathered up, and yet another stellar chorus rolls out, with Jess inviting, “Come with me, we’ll walk together.” This track easily should be a live staple. “In Levitating Secret Dreams” (an ode to scientist and LSD explorer Albert Hoffman) has the whole band singing the refrain to open the song, feeling like a hippie coven in the height of ritual, calling, “Every night they dream themselves to be!” It’s becoming a running theme on this album, but this song could be a crowd uniter, with Jess holding court during the verses and the congregation howling back the chorus. “The Equinox Death Trip” unleashes a burly bassline, guitars screech out of that, and the band takes on a calculated tempo, driven with energetic bursts and Jess’ commanding singing. This was a grower for me, but now that I’ve listened to it 80 times, it is etched in my brain. “Wolves Inside My Head” brings Charlie Manson into the scene, with him rambling about sneaking to find the truth over the opening, and from there the psychedelic fires roar. Jess wails, “The face I wear is not my own,” as the band keeps pushing the pace right up to the smoldering finish with Jess pleading, “Charlie, darling, what have you done?”

“Crossroad Lightning” is the second-longest cut on the album and starts like a dusty spiritual, with the band singing wordless harmonies and the track heading down dirty, bluesy roads. You almost can imagine the band confronting a haunted spirit on a desolate path, with the guitars heating up, Jess’ vocals belting, and cold pianos bleeding in. “I am leaving before dawn, so hold me for so long,” Jess cries, as this great mid-tempo cut spreads out, ending in the same group chant that started the song. “The Lovers” is a faster one, and one of the shorter cuts, a quick rock song to charge up the pace again. Keys bounce off the walls, and their forceful tendencies return. “Goetia of Love” has pulsating rhythms and mind-bending guitars spilling in, with the organs giving off a Doors-y vibe. Later on, brass pumps, the synth traipses as if a carnival show, and the cuts fades out into the darkest corner it can find. Then comes the 22:35 closer “Goodbye to Virgin Grounds Forever,” a track that spends its first half as a soulful, emotional piano ballad. Flutes flutter in, the music lets the mournful yet ultimately celebratory tale unfold, and Jess is just unreal, painting every scene. About 10 minutes in, the song starts to change up, with the tempo bristling, and the brass coming to life, with Jess speaking, “Deliver me to the gods beyond.” From there, the fireworks erupt, and as the song reaches its final quarter, the spirits come to life. Every element is on fire, as Jess vows victoriously, “To all my friends, death is not the end!” The group joins her in singing back, reminding me a little of the Decemberists’ adventurous storytellers, and the track ends in celebration, with them prevailing over darkness and the services leaving a halo of fire.

Jess and the Ancient Ones just may have made their coming-out record on “Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes,” and if this gets the attention it deserves, they could find themselves playing larger halls on their own. The band sounds tremendous, and they seem to be getting a better understanding of themselves as a unit and as creators. This record is a dynamic display of psyche wonder, and it’s one of the best things you’re going to hear in what’s been an unusually strong December.

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

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

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

All of us are going to die one day, and all of us are going to take sins along with us. We don’t have to go the religious level when talking about sins (that’s another argument we don’t care to make on this site), and instead we can look at things we do wrong in our lives, be that in general, to ourselves, or to other people. Or all of those things combined.

The concept of a sin eater is one that has spanned the ages. There are many different ways this has played out over the centuries, and the practice still exists today, with the idea being extinguishing the dead of his or her sins. A common practice is the sin eater will consume a meal or death cake that is placed on the dead person’s chest, thus devouring the person’s sins and setting them free. That is a major element behind the songs on the incredible new Amber Asylum record, fittingly called “Sin Eater,” and the music they make on these dramatic, sweltering songs can arrest you and take you underneath the darkness that envelops this collection. This seventh record in their catalog puts a gigantic exclamation point at the end of the band’s two decades together, and it’s one hell of a mesmerizing step into their future.

“Sin Eater” is the first record Amber Asylum has registered since 2009’s excellent “Bitter River.” The band, led by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Kris T. Force, is one that has helped weave a strong tie between heavy metal, folk, and classical music. None of what the band does is particularly heavy in the traditional sense. But their music has a weight you cannot deny, and its power registers as hard as ever on “Sin Eater,” which is one of the best things they’ve ever released. Amber Asylum have had myriad great artists play with the band over their run, but on this record the players along with Force are Fern Lee Alberts on bass; Sarah Rosalena Brady on viola; Becky Hawk on drums and voice; and long-time member Jackie Perez Gratz (Grayceon, Giant Squid), who is featured throughout the record on cello. They combine for a great effort that I’ve listened to repeatedly since getting the album a month or so ago, and I don’t see those visits ceasing.

The record opens with the 11:35 “Perfect Calm” that has strings stretching and quivering, with each element of the song joining as it goes along. The bass churns below, with Force’s singing blending in at the 4:35 point, her high-register calls causing the hair on your arms to stand. The song slowly bleeds, with the strings later getting louder and more boisterous, and undeniably doomy melodies barrel in, unleashing black curtains, and pushin on until the track fades. “Beast Star” has an ominous vibe, as it feels like the end slowly is creeping up on you, which, of course, it is. The vocals are enrapturing, while the strings keep cutting tributaries in the skin to let the blood flow. Then, the huge surprise of the record drops in the form of a cover of Candlemass’ “TOT.” This version is daunting and beautiful, an incredible reimagination of the classic cut that fits right into the narrative perfectly and is one of the most breath-taking moments of the entire musical calendar. In fact, as the song reaches its final stretch, the band lets loose, the drums rollick, and the strings charge up and hammer home the song’s punishing riffs. “Harvester” runs 9:12 and opens in a field of drone, with wordless melodies swirling in the air. The high and low voices mix together and sting, while the intensity builds as the song moves on. The pace gets pushier, the drums start to leave welts, and the singing drizzles a glaze over the track as it slowly fades into the night.

“Paean” is a shorter one, a passage setting you up for the final two epics. Here, strings strike a murky note, while the bass plods along through thick waters, melodies slide over top, and the feeling of chilling beauty is impossible to shake. “Executioner” runs a healthy 12:59 with guitars ringing, sounds blistering like industrial engines, and the bass buzzing and gushing. The pace simmers and gives off steam, while the signing blends in and gives the track a disorienting feel and leaves you dizzy. The high and low vocals tangle once again, while the track opens up more and lets guitars scorch the terrain. A psychedelic haze rises up and shrouds the final moments of the song in a cloud of smoke. The closing title track is the strangest, most mystifying of the bunch, as it works to stymie over its 12:42. Strings slice and melt into a psyche synth haze, while a trippy, out-of-body essence takes over the song, almost as if you’re watching the ritual in spirit form from the ceiling. Key zap and twist, making the song feel even more otherworldly, while strings are thrashed and agitated, cosmic sounds blurt out, and the ceremony finally draws to a conclusion, with the sins devoured, and your journey at its end.

Amber Asylum always find a way to tell darker tales and make alluring music that no one else in the world is creating. “Sin Eater” not only visits the process of a death ritual and prods thinking of our inevitable ends, but it unfurls in a way that makes that concept more mysterious and engaging. There are so many reason to love and continually visit with this record, and it’s going to be a perfect companion as days coming grow darker and colder.

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

To buy the album, go here (U.S.): http://www.theconnextion.com/prophecy/prophecy_index.cfm?

Or here (Europe): http://en.prophecy.de/shop/

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

Some of the most grating and often least interesting people in the world are the ones who think they know everything and that another’s unique worldview could not possibly have any merit. I know a few people like this, and they never disappoint in the frustration department. Some of these folks can’t comprehend opposing opinions in their tiny little speck of the world, and their branching beyond that likely would make their blood vessels burst.

That very idea must make Greek musician Ayloss want to ball up in a corner and shake. Not only did he dip into his own musical influences around him as of late, but he branched out beyond his comfort zone to a place many people in his shoes might not find relatable. For his latest Spectral Lore release “Gnosis,” Ayloss immersed himself with Far Eastern music and styles and used those to influence what he did from his standpoint as a metal musician. It’s not a regurgitation of things he heard; rather it’s his way of reflecting what got into his bloodstream and drove his creativity. All the while, the balance between the Eastern and Western worlds came into play, how each half acts, and how there are incredible opposites at work. I often shudder when I hear people talk of those in other parts of the world and question their behaviors or their rituals (especially when it comes to religion or spirituality). Well, right back at you. What you do and think probably seems really strange to someone a world away from you. Who is right? No one. It just is what it is, and it does not need justification. It definitely could use a heavy dose of understanding.

“Gnosis,” which means knowledge but goes past that basic idea into themes of enlightenment, is a pretty fitting choice for the title to this EP. Oh, it’s deemed an EP even though the thing runs 49:30. See, not everyone’s concept of a single thing like an EP computes everywhere. On this record (the second part of an EP project Ayloss released this year, the first being all-instrumental “Voyager” in May), there is doom, black metal, ambience, and plenty of atmosphere. If you go into this with no knowledge of what’s going on here, you’d think this, too, was an instrumental release. Instead, the vocals blend into the background almost like a ghost’s whisper. The words are there, and if you open yourself up enough to absorb what’s going on, you will be able to hear them.

The record opens with 8:53 “Dualism” that emerges slowly like a quiet rain shower, with guitars charging and sounds swirling. Doomy riffs arrive and darken the scene, while cosmic keys bleed out, the pace sprawls, and the vocals mix right into the background colors. The song continues to progress until it fades into space hiss, and then it’s on to 9:15 “Gnosis’ Journey Through the Ages” and its abrasive, chilling start. The melodies cascade and even churn, with a definite Far Eastern feel to the music and the voices feeling tornadic and strange tearing in and out of the piece. Later on, the guitars create a thrashy crunch while the emotions bleed over and eventually fade out. “Averroes’ Search” follows, opening with clean playing and then heading into what feels like a dusty desert. The guitars are plucked with great passion, while shakers give off a peaceful vibe, and the melodies seem to explore the world. The back end takes a dirty trail, with hand drums pulsating and darkness swallowing everything whole.

“A God Made of Flesh and Consciousness” is the longest cut at 14:06, and it begins with foreboding, sinister-sounding riffs that bubble to the surface. The vocals hiss underneath, while the melodies chug and stymie as layer upon layer is applied to the foundation. The pace later calms for a bit, letting the guitars trickle, while the intensity builds back up over time. Black riffs spills woe, the path hits the thick tar pits, and the playing stomps away through a black metal-stoked blaze. Closer “For Aleppo” (I assume this is inspired by the Syrian city) floats on a bed of synth and atmosphere, with light surges stinging and a trance-inducing haze enveloping. Acoustics trickle their way into the picture before they become more aggressive and punchy. The melodies snake their way through the murk, as the mind-altering passages continue, flutes flutter, and the senses are numbed slowly. The bulk of this track feels like one that’s setting you into a dream state, allowing you to reach out, understand, and find some final rays of enlightenment before the trip comes to an end.

Spectral Lore certainly has been one of the more interesting bands in metal and extreme music over the past decade. With four full-lengths and a slew of smaller releases such as “Gnosis,” Ayloss has become a go-to musician when you seek an unpredictable journey packed with meaning and substance. Each time out, he takes you somewhere completely different both creatively and spiritually, and “Gnosis” once again pushes the listener to take a trip that could reinvent how you think of music and the world.

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

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

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

Waking up in the morning and finding out what’s going on in the world is a task anymore. It’s not so much a matter of depression, though that can be a factor, but more of being tired of what the world has to offer. It can be disheartening just paying attention a little bit, and then having to deal with certain people on top of that can make it all feel like it’s too much to take.

Certainly Boston-based doom smashers Fórn feel the same way and transfer those frustrations to their furious music. Ever since their formation a scant three years ago, the band has made some of the more punishing and also emotional music in underground metal. We got a heavy dose of the band’s work with last year’s debut full-length “The Departure of Consciousness” (reissued on CD this year by Gilead Media), and now they’ve returned with a new EP “Weltschmerz” that adds another muddy layer to the group’s canon. That tiring of what’s going on around us, that’s basically at the heart of this two-movement four-track effort, as the title translates to a feeling of world weariness. You’ll feel that with each step of this journey, and it will bleed frustration all over you.

The construction of these songs are interesting. Each passage begins with a first section that brings all elements to play to create chaos, and the second portion stays an instrumental route, allowing you time to reflect. There is much darkness to be had here from the band—Chris Pinto on vocals, Joey Gonzalez and Brandon Terzakis on guitar, Brian Barbaruolo on bass, and Chris Donaldson on drums—but each track also has light woven into it, and slight feel that although the weight of the world on one’s chest can be a lot to handle, there are ways to overcome that from the inside.

“Saudade Part 1” begins with a clean stream that flows into a pocket of muddy fury. Pinto’s infernal growls burst through the doors, with sorrowful guitar melodies mixing in with the anger and a slow-trudging pace being set. Some calm emerges momentarily before the heat rises again, the song swelters, and it all bleeds into “Part 2” that feels watery and serene. The track flows gently, with a gazey atmosphere established, and that emotion bubbles and bleeds all the way to the finish. “Dolor Part 1” has a cavernous funeral doom sense to it, mauling and pounding, offering nothing but sadness. The growls scrape while the guitars swirl in the air, giving a mesmerizing sheen to it all. Hellish bursts come out of the earth’s crust and threaten to swallow you whole, with the guttural howls leave bruises on your chest and the swaggering riffing that concludes the cut shows a bit of an attitude. The second part unloads boiling drone that spreads itself, while the guitars moan and smoking doom flourishes. The music has a disorienting fee to it, with the noise overflowing, the sounds sizzling, and rapturous crackling fading into deep outer space.

Fórn’s formation has been a lot of fun to follow, and they’re slowly carving out a reputation as a band that leaves it all out there, never holding back an ounce of emotion. “Weltschmerz” is a strong resume builder for the band and a perfect companion to have with you when it all feels like there is too much to handle. The songs might not give you the answers you need, but it at least will assure you that you’re not struggling alone.

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

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

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