“Picking a top record of the year was more difficult than usual in 2024. Anything in the top 5 (well, 6, actually) easily could have qualified here, and there was much internal debate. What it came down to was which album got the most plays, the most attention, and the most intrigue, and at the end, the choice was unexpected but pretty obvious.
Trelldom is a well-known, well-regarded name in the annals of black metal, having formed in 1992 and released a trilogy of fiery records from 1995 through 2007. Led by the legendary vocalist Kristian Eivind Espedal—Gaahl, if you’re unaware—who has fronted other renowned acts including Gorgoroth, Gaahls Wyrd, and Wardruna, the band returns 17 years after their last record with “…By the Shadows…” a creation that certainly paints outside the rigid sub-genre lines. This band isn’t content to keep making the same thing, and we’ll all luckier for it. This is an inventive foray, one that infected me deeply.
“The Voice of What Whispers” opens with the bass squeezing, tension building and churning, woodwinds adding a chilling breeze. Espedal’s vocals turn to a creak singing, adding a sinister element, the haunting swirling before guitars rip and spellbind. The playing jars as the sax sizzles, zipping into the darkness. “Exit Existence” has guitars jolting and the vocals daring, a propulsive melody ripping veins as the singing aches and bellows. “Between the World” is the highlight for me, and it has guitars bending as the sounds smear and disorient, growled whispers leaving scars. The temperatures drop, making your body shiver relentlessly, the chorus gliding as the title is called back with detached horror, howls repeating as they head into mist and echo. “I Drink out of My Head” is active and fluid, sax cutting through muscle, the singing gliding along with the waves. The power chugs as sounds gust, the sax turning tornadic, and deep, tunneling singing making its impact. Closer “By the Shadows” has charred guitars and a spastic pace, the singing turning dark and moody, then playing bursting open like lava through the earth’s crust.
Trelldom’s first record in 17 years not only is an unexpected and devious treat, but it’s also a much different world from them than what they established on their initial run. Everything on “…By the Shadows…” bleeds darkness and mystery, and the expanded sounds, the inclusion of saxophone, actually makes the music more unsettling, like a dark figure in the night whose intentions are unknown. It’s our favorite record of the year. (Sept. 13)
Yes, there’s a lot of hype and anticipation any time cosmic death metal band Blood Incantation does anything, and for good reason. The arrival of their third full-length album “Absolute Elsewhere” brought with it nervous anticipation of what exactly this thing would be. Last time we had heard from the band was “Timewave Zero,” their ambient EP that wasn’t really a surprise but definitely led some to wonder where death metal stood in their universe. Turns out it’s still right in the fucking center, though there are plenty of passages that prove “Zero” wasn’t a lark, as they combine two worlds and create the most magnificent thing in their catalog.
Photo by Julian Weigand
“The Stargate” is the opening track, running 20:20 and spread over three tablets. The first opens in a whir, a propulsive rush that tears apart and mangles its way to the stars. The playing is vicious and channeled, simmering into a synth haze that feels like it transports you five decades into the past, a heavy Floyd-esque excursion that is a tenet that returns often. “All life is temporary unless its consciousness,” vocalist/guitarist Paul Riedl howls, the leads smearing slow-falling ash that washes into the second tablet that simmers in the great beyond. The rest of the suite continues the morbid journey. “The Message” runs 23:23, also divided into a triad of tablets, entering with catchy guitar work that feels strangely inviting. The fluidity multiplies as the playing grows more forceful, howls battering as a beastly explosion pulls at eyes. The tempo hulks, the leads diving and shimmering, raging into the second portion where sci-fi keys envelop like a sea of galactic matter. Clean singing again adds a different texture, and a welcome one, Weidel calling, “Can’t you hear them? The voices calling your name?” as it feels like the alien grandson of “Dark Side of the Moon.” The keys continue to ice the trails, the vocals continuing a smooth pathway, hypnotic visions taking over your dreams as you head into final third of this piece that rampages and destroys at dawn.
“Absolute Elsewhere” arrived amid a galaxy of expectations as Blood Incantation have become the flag bearers of the cosmic death metal movement, and they could not have been more up to the task of building onto their modern legend. It’s the best heavy metal record, from a pure artistic standpoint, that I’ve heard all year and one of the most impactful and soon-to-be-influential creations in the past decade. (Oct. 4)
Metal listeners seem to be a different animal altogether, and the amount of bands that commit to epic-length songs and marathon records is plentiful. One of those is Jersey-based sludge/doom crushers Cowardice, who have not graced us with a full-length album in eight years. That ends with “Atavist,” an 11-track, 85-minute bruiser that does demand your time and energy and won’t just let you off easily after a track or two. The album is divided into two parts, “Suzerain” and “Sentinel,” that have slightly different personas but work perfectly to create a greater whole. Their magnetic and morose attraction is duly noted.
“To the Hilt of Humanity” opens the record and the “Suzerain” portion, dripping blackness before the heaviness arrives in droves, shrieks gutting amid melodic fog. The playing buzzes as the guitars numb, later soaring and taking on atmospheric sheen, lumbering as it adds bruising. Layers add textures, guitars surge and trudge, and ugliness burns into the ground. “Cloisters” emerges in a guitar cloud, pounding and boiling in melody, a beastly fury swimming into airy passages that cool the flesh. The leads quiver as guest vocalist Kate Parker’s singing adds new colors, elevating the already strong emotion into a tidal wave. “Clairvoyance Anxiety” begins the “Sentinel” portion, a darker beast that brings glowing leads, monstrous growls, and drubbing playing, a vile sentiment wrapped around every moment. Guitars add haze as the punches land harder, the playing tricking your mind, the howls decimating as the pace keeps pounding away. Mammoth closer “Hail of Mages” runs 17:08 and makes the most of its time, developing slowly, thoroughly numbing, the growls ripping away at your muscles. The playing is stormy and battering, hypnotic guitars making your head spin, the drums coming unglued as every inch of this thing bristles.
“Atavist” is a record that demands your time and energy, and you will give up a plethora of both when committing to this journey. Luckily, it’s more than worth it as Cowardice serve a stunning display of sludgy doom that might not rewrite the book on this style but adds a steady and crucial element to this subgenre’s foundation. (June 7)
Black metal force Hulder is one of those rarified bands, a project helmed by its namesake and creator that has been on the cusp of true greatness. That level has arrived with the band’s second full-length “Verses in Oath,” an album that captures the spirits of the style’s formative years three decades ago but also burns and bleeds right now, culling current influences and the power of nature into the project as well. This 10-track, 40-minute opus is a fantastical wonder, fully alive in black metal glory and adding more frigid symphonic elements to the music that give the album an extra level of enchantment.
Photo by Liana Rakijian
“An Elegy” opens with birds cawing and winds whipping, an intro track that pushes into “Boughs Ablaze,” where we get an instant taste of the ferocity of this storm. The riffs are glorious, and Hulder’s vocals register a freal deeper growl. Keys chill bones as acoustics blend into the mix, the fire slowly coming to a close. “Hearken the End” brings a mystical sheen, icy playing, and singing that freezes your flesh. Growls then smother as the playing goes dramatic, a symphonic blaze picking up energy, bringing back memories of the early 1990s. “Vessel of Suffering” is thunderous from the start with vicious growls pounding and drawing blood, keys glistening, and a cavernous display making you feel like you’re trapped in the heart of a mountain. Mystical fires burn as the playing rampages anew, the growls gut, and the final moments drive the last nails. Closer “Veil of Penitence” is glorious from the start, the guitars blinding with force, trudging through tornadic weather fronts. Growls engorge as the brutality batters without mercy, crushing and pressing, ending with an iron fist to the chest.
Hulder as a band is growing in leaps and bounds, and “Verses in Oath” is a record that remembers grim and frostbitten are terms that meant something because they were turned into memes. This is a coming-out celebration of a record, a portrait of a band that held and showed incredible power and promise and have put it all together seamlessly on their amazing second record. (Feb. 9)
Progressive death metal dreamers Vile Rites named their first full-length “Senescence,” the process of physical deterioration that occurs as a person ages. Sure, you can exercise or do other activities to help slow that decline, but it’s gong to catch up with you some day. It’s an odd title for a record that’s so full of exciting new ideas, spacey expansion, and pushing death metal even further into jarring waters that wash over you with chilling fury, the furthest thing from losing power and stopping growth. This is a record that has captured my mind in a way I didn’t expect. Even after absorbing it once I knew I had to go back and bathe in these sci-fi chemicals rising to the surface.
Photo by Hannabal Rosabal
“Only Silence Follows” opens amid cold notes, hypnosis setting in, which is a hint of what’s ahead. The bass bends as the hammering picks up, the soloing erupting as the growls dig into flesh. Cosmic synth wraps you in a coat of stars as speed becomes a greater factor, ripping out into the stars. “Senescent” is tricky and crunchy when it starts, heavy blows landing with force, drubbing and causing dizzying feelings. The playing pulls back and adds a chill to the air, fluid leads take off and create a laser effect, techy melodies flex muscles. “Transcendent Putrefaction” has the bass chewing into muscle, keys wooshing, and heavy body blows aiming to take you down. Growls engorge as the temperatures shift to a deep freeze, the guitars erupting and letting carnage reign, beastly howls and gutting death smearing psychosis. Closer “Banished to Solitude (Adrift on the Infinite Waves)” is the longest track, running 11:11, and the track blasts and contorts, sudden brutality slashing as progressive fires are fed gallons of fuel.
Vile Rites’ progressively minded death metal is a refreshing gust of energy, and while “Senescence” may be named after a process of physical deterioration, it feels like the band is just beginning a life cycle that could begin to rewrite this style’s DNA. Incredible record I cannot possibly recommend enough. (Aug. 16)
10. THOU, “Umbilical” (Sacred Bones): Being a human itself is a daily gamble, a push and pull of influences and decisions that make up just about every second between waking and sleeping. We’re constantly fighting against the power structure. Long-running doom brawlers Thou know this very well, as they are a band that never has participated in digestible art, mainstream opinion, or compromising visions. On their thunderous sixth (and that number is arguable) primary release “Umbilical,” the band unleashes all of their vitriol, their passion, and their fire and plasters that all over 10 tracks and 49 minutes of unforgiving power.
“Narcissist’s Prayer” charges up from the start, Bryan Funck’s acidic howls barreling toward you, grimy heaviness increasing the pressure. The guitars jolt as sludgy power flattens, the ground quaking as the band doubles back and buries you in smoke. “Emotional Terrorist” is thick and heavy, the vocals smearing as a bruising chorus jars your face and jaw. The playing slowly batters as the menace increases, wrenching as the playing punishes slowly, burning off. “I Feel Nothing When You Cry” has a ripping pace, something energetic and colorful, a heavy brawler but something a little different. “The Promise” bathes in feedback, and then a weirdly melodic attack takes place, Funck’s shrieks feeling catchier even as your muscles are bent in unnatural ways. “Siege Perilous” writhes in place, noise buckling, guitars coating with muscular grit. The playing lumbers as the riffs snarl, bringing menace and mud, the howls lacerating limbs as the track rounds into sinewy hell, corroding into a disfigured beast. (May 31)
9. VEMOD, “The Deepening” (Prophecy Productions): “The Deepening,” the first new record from Vemod in more than a decade, is one of those creations that makes one who is a half century into life feel thankful for the continual pursuit of new music. Every subsequent visit has only amplified that feeling. Black metal remains a base, but they go in such thought-provoking, stimulating new areas and enrich what already was a very robust recipe, into a touchstone album. Every moment is captivating and immersive, and I can tell this is music that will stick with me deep into the year and beyond.
“Mot oss, en ild” opens gently, as if ensconced in a fog, the moodiness building and trickling into “Der guder dør” that is dramatic and clashing as it greets you. Howls creep in as the playing grows more adventurous, melodies swelling and warming your bones, the atmosphere suddenly wrenching. “True North Beckons” stirs and quakes, the growls overwhelming, melodies glowing and then gushing. The howls penetrate as warm guitars glimmer, eventually mashing and causing bruising, the leads simmering and pulling into dusk. The closing title track is the longest piece at 16:14, and it’s a wonderful use of time, surging with clean singing that turns into acidic growls, spacious textures transforming into gnarly speed. The vocals grow harsh and foreboding, creaking with moodiness, gushing with dark energy, crushing with spacey atmosphere. For those also immersed in transformation and growth, this is a record that can live alongside you on that journey, injecting your spirit with much-needed inspiration. (Jan. 19)
8. KRALLICE, “Inorganic Rites” (self-released): Getting a new Krallice record during a given calendar year no longer is a surprise. And that’s a good thing because this prolific band never seems to run out of creative energy or ideas. “Inorganic Rites” dropped over the summer with no prior warning, and it turned out to be one of their more memorable records out of their last handful, all of which were stunning. This carries over a lot of the space synth we got on “Porous Resonance Abyss” and pushed that to its limits, making this record jar your cosmic nerves to the limit.
Opener “Parataxis” spends the bulk of its lengthy run time building an atmosphere, once that boils in the primordial ooze of black metal it keeps exploring every fold of the universe. It can take you apart if you allow it. “Flatlines Encircled Residue” basks in the alien environment from which it spawned, basking in keys and jolting chaos that erupts and joins hands with black metal gnosis; “Here Forever” is a science experiment gone awry, the compounds blasting and smashing boundaries, the possibilities of heaviness showing you realms you never expected to see; “Universe Ancestral Talisman” is a buzz of science lab keys and smoke that eventually meet volcanic residue; and “Fatestorm Sanctuary” folds your mind, keys layering, the storm eventually landing as experimental hazes gather, your existence hovers, and the unimaginable becomes tangible, the science fiction urges turning into your new reality. (July 5)
7. OPETH, “The Last Will and Testament” (Reigning Phoenix Music): “The Last Will and Testament” is the 14th record from legendary Swedish progressive death metal warriors Opeth, and this is a concept piece based in post-World War I where a family learns the hidden truths of its freshly deceased patriarch. Yes, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Mikael Åkerfeldt is growling again after having spent the past four releases singing purely in his honey-rich clean voice. But growls do not make a record. The music has to be there too, and there’s a ferocity and mystery back that the band uses to plaster their sound with electricity.
“§1” opens with footsteps across as room, the opening riff tangling and looping, Åkerfeldt’s clean singing morphing into death roar. “Alas, my time is at an end, I have wallowed in self-pity, and I confess to you as part of my final plight,” Åkerfeldt roars, moving into a weaving, warped section of smeared synths, haunting singing rousing apparition, children chattering as oblivion calls. “§2” enters in funereal keys, the growls battering with the call of, “A dreadful daughter of wretched martyr, sick to marrow and to bone,” some clues slipping out. “§4” has the bass slinking low, growls bursting through the crust, light and dark entangling. The track gets chambery and elegant, the legendary Ian Anderson’s flute piping, the guitars then exploding with lava. “§7” begins with guitars cutting, organs spilling, Anderson reading the matriarch’s will, growls crunching and wrenching as keys flood in a tornado of grays. The heartbreaking closer “A Story Never Told” blows the entire storyline and record into oblivion. (Nov. 22)
6. CRYPT SERMON, “The Stygian Rose” (Dark Descent): “The Stygian Rose,” the third record by Philly-based epic doom creators Crypt Sermon, is one of those that felt destined to sit above most, a collection that has a comet-into-earth impact on first listen. It just ripples even harder each subsequent visit, and if you’re like me, there will be many of those. Here, the band creates a story about an unnamed character inspired by Paschal Beverly Randolf, an American spiritualist and sex magician whose views on gender identity were well before his time. Here, the character longs to find his possibly dead/definitely lost female equal, who is believed to be waiting for him beyond in the hollow.
“Glimmers in the Underworld” emerges from beyond, tearing open with sprawling doom and Brooks Wilson’s dramatic singing at an apex, calling, “I’ll die with my eyes open just to get a good look at hell.” “Down in the Hollow” is misty as it charges up, Wilson’s singing feeling both muscular and scathing, dark and ominous melodies working up your spine. The playing charges up as the fluid assault pulls you under, Wilson lashing, “They know my name, she knows my name,” as chugging punches leave deep wounds. “Scrying Orb” is a standout track, much like “Christ Is Dead” from “The Ruins of Fading Light” or “Heavy Riders” from “Out of the Garden,” that one track that stands out above the rest and makes a case for one of the modern era’s best metal songs. The 11:10-long closing title track opens with piano dripping, the cosmos opening its jaws, dark guitars mixing with keys that leave an ominous glaze. “The black bloom will be restored,” Wilson insists, the guitars picking up and jarring anew, the melodies mixing with eerie fogginess. `(June 14)
15. JULIE CHRISTMAS, “Ridiculous and Full of Blood” (Red Crk): There’s a maniacal charm to everything Julie Christmas does, whether she’s working alongside Cult of Luna or plying us with the wildness she conjures in her own brain. “Ridiculous and Full of Blood” not only is one of the great record titles of the year, but it also nicely sums up what’s going on with these stunning 10 tracks. This was her first solo record since 2010’s “The Bad Wife,” and the long layoff hasn’t robbed her of an ounce of her charisma or fire. Every moment of this record keeps you on high alert, blood pumping through your veins as the chaos grows deeper into your cells.
Opener “Not Enough” is the ideal reintroduction piece, music prodding, Christmas’ manic, sometimes childlike wail warning, “I’ll shut down your streets, no rest for the wicked,” as if she’s warning the future state of what the consequences might be. “Supernatural” basks in more mid-tempo melodies as her singing rains down, chilling at first before the chorus explodes around you, spitting colors and sparks; “End of the World” feels psychedelic and warm, Christmas’ singing pulling you into the center, calling, “I just wanted to see you again, like a kid in a candy store, seeing the end of it all, in a big, bad caterwaul,” before Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna) lands with throat-ripping howls; “Kids” is weird and dreamy, an electrified fever dream; and “Seven Days” ends it all, soft but foreboding, the playing numbing, Christmas insisting, “There’s just no man upstairs, there’s no god or heaven.” Grim tidings as we settler into an uncertain future.(June 14)
14. AMAROK, “Resilience” (Vendetta): “Resilience” is the second full-length from California-based doom metal power Amarok, and it’s a concept piece that revels in the agony of violently changing climates, loss, and existential dread, all of which can be rolled into one ongoing overserving of anxiety. Over five tracks and almost 65 minutes, the band digs deep into the ground from where they’ve mined before and have refined their sound and made their songs even more gut wrenching. This is a passionate, darkly mournful record that also packs a burst of anger and resentment that is palpable and perfectly served.
“Charred (X)” is the 17:51-long opener that enters in flames, battering as howls scathe, and a funereal pace sets the duor mood. The playing corrodes as fires crackle, the guitars going cold and entering into moody territory. The track picks up the pace as emotional guitars whip up a lather, the howls boil harder, and the playing buckles, sending off thunderous aftershocks. “Ascension (XI)” is the longest track at 18:10, and it’s dark and mournful at the start, howls scraping as the synth glows, the playing storming and creating a flood of power. Closer “Legacy (XIII)” starts with soft acoustics and a burgeoning atmosphere, the leads feeling gazey and warm, a heartfelt push making the blood pump through your veins. Howls scar as the gutting sadness increases its hold, feeling overwhelming as the screams batter, pushing your heart to the limit. All hope is not yet lost, and there’s still time to fight, but we’re running out of space, and the funeral for our species is bound to be something we have earned outright. (June 28)
13. ORANSSI PAZUZU, “Muuntautuja” (Nuclear Blast): Oranssi Pazuzu, the Finnish experimental black metal band, is one that barely fits into the subgenre designation assigned to them. It’s sometimes hard to conceive that they’re from the same world as we are. Every album, it feels like a new form of the band and the artists involved bubbles to the surface, and it seems like they assembled their masterful sixth record “Muuntautuja” (translates to shapeshifter, which is a perfect title for these songs and this unit) from galactic materials mere mortals could not handle without life-altering effects. This collection of tracks veers deeper toward electronics, bathing you in digital chaos, threading in krautrock and black metal to make for one immersive adventure beyond.
“Bioalkemisti” dawns amid electronic pulses that threaten to flood, a haze spreading as Vanhanen’s howls become intertwined with psychological impulses. The pace gets more aggressive as the keys blend, the shrieks tearing from crevices, a strange aura filling your senses and solidifying into ice. “Voitelu” is burly and like an extraterrestrial signal, pounding away while remaining thought provoking, a fiery gust striking and making the earth move. “Hautatuuli” whirs as the drums pace, breezy keys make your hair shuffle, and whispers surround and push messaging through your mind. “Ikikäärme” leaks into the room, moody strangeness causing psychological detachment, cosmic rays swimming in a sea of stars. The track unfurls into a surreal dream, mechanical waves lapping, howls crying out from a frozen reality and then turning into something late night and urban. This record is ideal for stargazing, for it feels like that’s what willed these songs into existence. (Oct. 11)
12. COUCH SLUT, “You Could Do It Tonight” (Brutal Panda): Far be it for anyone to doubt the authenticity of vocalist Megan Osztrosits’ stories, because this is real shit, stuff she’s seen, experienced, survived, and that somehow made her one of the most engaging vocalists in all of heavy music. Couch Slut’s soul-bruising fourth record “You Could Do It Tonight” is another chapter in psychosis, substance-fueled madness, and stories that could make your skin crawl. The music has grown a bit more experimental and daring, the vocals still grabbing you by the throat, inviting you to digest a series of stories and events that could break most people. At the same time, it’s fun as fuck, a record that’ll terrify 9 out of 10 people completely.
“Couch Slut Lewis” screams with feedback as the bass drives, Osztrosits’ snarling howls feeling like jagged glass across your chest. The vibe feels ominous and dark, which judging by the track’s story is fitting. “Ode to Jimbo,” a tribute to Brooklyn bar Jimbo Slim’s, swirls and dizzies, the sinister, yet joyful intent delivered on the menace of Osztrosits’ singing. The playing pounds and gasps, guitars turning on added heat, smoking and obscuring, Osztrosits howling, “Buried! Goodnight, spilled my beer in the backseat of the car,” as the track comes to a scathing end. ” The Donkey” opens with sounds whirring, Osztrosits narrating a story about her and her friends getting fired from a haunted waterpark. Would you believe blood was involved? “Energy Crystals for Healing” goes hard, the bass clobbering, the guitars making you grasp the wall for balance. The howls gut as the trudging leans into scathing heat, the guitars burning like a tire fire. Closer “The Weaversville Home for Boys” is another record-ending gem, one where Osztrosits howls most of the story, a tale of three boys who escaped said home for boys and went on a violent reign of terror throughout the area. The ending will warp you and your sanity forever. So will every moment of this album. (April 19)
11. VICIOUS BLADE, “Relentless Force” (Redefining Darkness): Thrash metal lives, motherfuckers, and that’s proven in violent doses on Vicious Blade’s debut LP “Relentless Force.” The Pittsburgh-based crushers teamed up with Relentless Force for a greater audience reach and responded with nine tracks and 28 minutes of power that could have lived alongside the more noteworthy classics from the 1980s and not seemed out of place. The band is razor sharp and channeled, while vocalist Clarissa Badini (also of Castrator) takes command out front with an iron fist.
The title track opens and burns its way in, the band setting up shop early with Badini’s wild howls ripping down your spine. The playing bruises hard, the guitars charging, a commanding storm collecting and blasting with defiance. “Lunacy” cuts open and moves forward with commanding speed and beasty calls, Badini wailing, “Lunacy is in control!” “Forged Steel” fires up with yelled vocals and guitars matching that venom, shrieks later adding a sharp edge to the proceedings. There’s a bit of a punk feel injected into the mix, scathing and melting as Badini declares, “We are forged steel.” “Nocturnal Slaughter” explodes out of the gates, throaty howls from Badini driving through your chest, fluid playing combining with audio violence that promises no mercy. Closer “Death Blow” actually opens with cleaner guitars, letting the humidity become a factor, eventually ripping through guts as the madness comes to life. Throaty howls blacken eyes, airy melodies add new texture to the thrash brutality, darkness enveloping as everything comes to a morbid end. (Sept. 27)
20. DREAMLESS VEIL, “Every Limb of the Flood” (Relapse): The birth of Dreamless Veil came out of the dreaded pandemic years, a musical project that started as a sort of solo project for Psycroptic drummer Dave Haley as he endured the same dismal times as we all did without his normal creative outlet. He recruited Inter Arma/Artificial Brain vocalist Mike Paparo to write lyrics and lay down his unmistakable pipes and brought in Dan Gargiulo, also of Artificial Brain and late of Revocation, to contribute guitars, bass, synth, and vocals to what turned into a thunder-storming project. The result is “Every Limb of the Flood,” a concept piece that centers on a character named Grief who takes an existential journey only to discover he’s poisonous to himself and other people.
“Dim Golden Rave” starts wonderfully off kilter, guitars spiraling as anguished cries emerge, the heat giving off a late-summer vibe, which is fitting. Leads swirl as the vocals echo, a melodic gust and spacious melodies churning into space. “A Generation of Eyes” stirs in black metal heat, punishing as the reverbed vocals spin in your head, lush, yet speedy dashes making blood race. “Cyanide Mine” has guitars carving and melodies gusting, shrieks aching before a mammoth riff sends you for a loop. The vocals continue to retch, charging with vicious intent, suddenly halting and letting guitars drip like a psychedelic syrup. “Glossolalia” is ominous, Paparo’s cries wrenching, eerie streams making your flesh crawl. Closer “Dreamless” arrives amid crashing drums, progressive black metal prowess, and growls ripping at exposed wounds. Howls gurgle as the room begins to spin, the warmth increasing and growing increasingly volatile, sizzling and boiling, the guitars rushing off the edges. (Sept. 20)
19. ULCERATE, “Cutting the Throat of God” (Debemur Morti): When creating their seventh record “Cutting the Throat of God,” New Zealand-based death/black metal trio Ulcerate examined the idea of what happens when and put to the test the idea of people hitting their limits and having little chance of turning around mentally. These seven tracks, while not a concept record, do combine to examine the idea of morality and when and why someone crosses the line into darkness. The band delivers dense, cement-thick punishment over nearly 58 minutes. Pushing beyond reason, past one’s moral compass generally takes a pretty extreme circumstance for that to happen, and once we’re there, how do we pull back, if that’s even possible?
“To Flow Through Ashen Hearts” opens with guitars melting, dripping liquid steel, the roars crushing as the beastly flow gains muscle. Cagey and furious, the strength leaves ash, the atmosphere thickening as the playing gets tougher, wailing into colder waters, churning savagery, and railing to an abrupt finish. “The Dawn Is Hollow” emerges from steam, unloading with ferocity, tearing at flesh, the guitars making frayed nerves tingle. Alien sounds land as beastly heat rises, roars loosening bricks, the playing blasting away at everything, the gargantuan strength landing the final blows. “Transfiguration In and Out of Worlds” is eerie and chilling, cold trickling and making your body shake uncontrollably, sooty howls echoing as the guitars sting and become even more aggressive. “Undying as an Apparition” is melodic but mean, glazing as the roars crunch, weirdness thickening as the savagery comes to life. The playing is fluid but morbid, getting enthralling and immersive as you’re pulled into hell, the battering having its way and leaving you prone to further attacks. The title track closes the affair, emerging as a blunt force that snarls, stoking at the flames and ripping as the melodies curdle. The playing hits even harder, stabbing into the muck, blistering as the inhumane force weighs down violently. (June 14)
18. UMBRA VITAE, “Light of Death” (Deathwish Inc.): Taking on a record from Umbra Vitae often feels like being locked in the octagon as blow after vicious blow come flying at your head and body. Their malicious second full-length “Light of Death” is another dose of toxic death metal mixed with strains of hardcore, and over these 11 tracks and nearly 46 minutes, the band—vocalist Jacob Bannon, guitarists/vocalists Sean Martin and Mike Mckenzie, bassist/guitarist/vocalist Greg Weeks, drummer Jon Rice—turns the screws and makes the heat get to insurmountable levels.
“Leave of Absence” starts with dissonant horns as guitars begin to char, the pace blistering as Bannon’s unmistakable howl leaves bruises. Speed is a factor as it mixes with hardcore-style stomps, ripping as guitars let lava flow, and the strings strike out. “Belief Is Obsolete” has riffs boiling, punchy and jarring playing lashing away, eventually trudging as the stiff wails draw blood. “Anti-Spirit Machine” brawls as Bannon’s raspy voice lacerates, swelling with hardcore brutality, steadily driving as the soloing spits fire. “Past Tense” unloads with nasty howls, guitars traversing the scenery, a trickier display that spits nails and screws, coming to a blistering end. “Velvet Black” opens with clean singing, Bannon’s deep croon searching, the playing burning as it comes slower but just as heavy, hypnotic sounds dissolving and going silent. “Twenty-Twenty Vision” is a savage attack, storming and rattling, ripping through a fiery thrash assault. The vocals circle and split lips, the blazing terror driving to a fiery finish. “Fatal Flaw” is blinding, vocals crushing, guitars mounting a burning attack. The drums blister as the shouts open veins, the start/stop viciousness disappearing into a sea of skronking sax. What a glorious battering. (June 7)
17. GLYPH, “Odes of Wailing, Hymns of Mourning” (Shape of Storms/Fiadh Productions/WereGnome): Glyph is a one-man black metal force helmed by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Keeper of the Glyph, and the project’s excellent new record “Odes of Wailing, Hymns of Mourning” tells you a lot upfront about what the music contains. But even amidst so much darkness and sadness, triumph still can be present by trying to fight back against the chaos. Without knowing what informed the album, the music gives clear access to all of those areas, the dark and the light, and the melodies and driving emotions contained within the record easily can set one’s heart and mind ablaze.
Of the Caverns” opens with sounds gushing, shrieks hammering away as the tornadic gust keeps gaining steam. The playing blisters as other colors blend into the mix, howls echoing as if in a cavern, effusive melodies picking up and spiraling into oblivion. “All Anger and Hatred Manifesting” is humid to start, hypnosis stretching its pull, the screams crushing, a brief halt leading to all elements bleeding out and back in and fully mesmerizing. “A Most Unwholesome Interaction” serves up frothy melodies and crushing growls, the blood feeling like it is retreating from your extremities. Shrieks ripple as the bass playing quakes the earth, a gush of infectious power getting into your bloodstream, battering at the same time until the lights go out. “The Unfortunate Gentleman in Question” opens as icy black metal, guitars jabbing as the howls cause brush burns, the slippery bass work icing mental wounds. Closer “Between Ghost and Gloom” arrives with sorrowful riffs and an eruption that spits rock through the air, mauling and glimmering. It’s impossible to experience this album and not feel it in every cell of your being. (June 7)
16. MOTHER OF GRAVES, “The Periapt of Absence” (Profound Lore): We live in a time of misery that only promises to get worse. The things in life that bring us solace are fleeting, and it’s easy to let hope slide down the drain, never to be heard from again. Mother of Graves capture that essence on their excellent second record “The Periapt of Absence,” but they also weave in a few glimmers of hope for good measure. Their mix of crushing doom and death metal really finds its sweep spot here, making for an album that easily digs into your chest cavity and takes up residence there.
“Gallows” is the perfect opener, a slowly battering gem that feels mournful, yet powerful as it builds its husk, Brandon Howe’s growls tearing at your flesh, the pace pushing and pulling through the cold; “Shatter the Visage” feels like it’s sneaking up on you, black hood in hands ready to pull over your face. The death stomp crushes, wrenching over melody and carnage that battle for your attention; “Apparition” basks in sorrow, lushly, yet forcefully cutting a pathway to your psyche, Howe calling, “Drowning to hold onto what’s real, to find what cannot be found.” “As Earth Fell Silent” is ominous and pummeling, the voices echoing, the playing eventually drilling you into oblivion, the growls lacerating, everything disappearing into a gothic halo of pain. Absolutely crushing record. (Oct. 18)
30. CHAT PILE, “Cool World” (The Flenser): Oklahoma City-based bruisers Chat Pile already have made a name for themselves for their down-tuned, sludgy sound, and on their second record “Cool World” (yes, it shares a name with the 1992 film starring human shit pile Brad Pitt), they add more filth and grit to the mix on these 10 tracks. You won’t be surprised to learn things have not gotten rosier since their great debut “God’s Country” as the band digs into the increasing nightmare that has enveloped this country and the world from our environment actively sold for parts and fascist assholes being a little too horny for power. It’s horror that we’ve seen before our eyes, the band violently reminding us that the dark skies are permanent, and trying to find silver linings is a fool’s mission. “I Am Dog Now” bathes in synth, and then things turn chunky and blunt, Busch wailing the title over and over before yelling, “And you see nothing!” “Funny Man” bruises, and the guitars get warped though remain strangely melodic; “Tape” bathes in clean guitars before howls and dreary singing mix, an overcast feeling creating unease; and closer “No Way Out” has the bass thumping, unhinged cries loosening joints, the guitars glazing and blurring eyes. “Feed them lies!” Busch demands before warning, “No escape.” (Oct. 11)
29. VÖLVA, “Desires Profane” (Fiadh Productions): There’s a fundamental misunderstanding by some brainless men that they’re the dominant sex when, meanwhile, the forces of absolute evil and the female spirits are carving their blades and fully preparing to fight back with blood and fire. This brings us to Swedish black metal force Völva, who offered up their debut full-length “Desires Profane” on an increasingly sickened public. The band expresses their satanic feminism and support for freedom for women’s body, actions, and dark spiritual connections, promising only their metallic blade. “The Tower” is sooty, bass unfurling as vicious howls snarl over infernal melodies. The chaos continues to fester, speed and blood uniting and spattering, the playing folding into black. “Walk With Me” storms as the guitars dizzy, throaty howls having impact, a vivid blaze making breathing a chore. “The Serpent” begins with guitars torpedoing, the vibe feeling both violent and catchy, gushing with maximum power. “Salvation” hangs in the air, stinging the senses before racing recklessly, the howls blowtorching as the pace explodes further. The playing turns bodies to dust, heated leads convert metal to liquid, and monstrous roars fold spines. (Nov. 28)
28. BEDSORE, “Dreaming the Strife for Love” (20 Buck Spin): Italian death metal dreamers Bedsore brought the typically untouched subject of love into the mix artfully and brutally on their second full-length record “Dreaming the Strife for Love.” This follow-up to 2020’s “Hypnagogic Hallucinations” is a departure, but if you really explored their debut, it kind of isn’t. They take a hard turn toward 1970s-style greens and browns, even more progressive ambition, and psychedelic death that take you under immediately. The band takes inspiration from the Renaissance novel Hypnerotomachia Poliphil that recounts desperate love, layers of dreams, and ultimate devastation, not typically fodder for the most extreme form of art. “Minerva’s Obelisque” unfurls with dark guitars and organs gliding, the ambiance feeling velvety and ’70s, maroons and golds spilling over the carpet; “A Colossus, an Elephant, a Winged Horse; the Dragon Rendezvous” is the longest track, running 11:46, rattling into existence in an eerie cloud. Punches land as the playing gets faster, sax melting into a golden river, the synth and organs taking off and settling into a groove; and Closer “Fountain of Venus” runs 9:57, icy keys dripping into a slick puddle, a thaw finally arriving as the synth sends beams of light, wild howls breaking through the surface. Synth strings pulse as sounds zap, the guitars beginning to work into the inches of freezing terrain. (Nov. 29)
27. HEAVY TEMPLE, “Garden of Heathens” (Magnetic Eye): Doom crushers Heavy Temple see the chaos and misery surround us on a daily basis as we navigate through health scares, political turmoil, and society at large being comprised of just enough assholes to make interacting with people not that worth it. People are trying to make ends meet, marginalized people want a chance to be able to live in comfort, and we balance relationships that often can be impacted by all of the above circumstances. “Garden of Heathens,” a firebreather of a record, leans heavily toward the struggles that impact us and do so with their already heavy shadow growing more fiery and psychedelic. “Extreme Indifference to Life” rips open with guitars reigning, sweltering, High Priestess Nighthawk’s sultry howl rippling down your spine as she jabs, “I’m wasting my precious time.” The playing is gnarly and smoking, the guitars getting burlier, the soloing scorching and leaving your flesh charred. “Divine Indiscretion” brings heavy swagger that bubbles with attitude, the guitars taking off and making your blood boil, sprawling into a dry heat; “Snake Oil (and Other Remedies)” slowly drips, the temperature rising in calculated fashion, slinking through the steam as the keys mesmerize; and closer “Psychomanteum” is a thunderous instrumental, a song that would be great as a set opener for the rest of their run, that’s how volcanic it is. (April 12)
26. SPECTRAL WOUND, “Songs of Blood and Mire” (Profound Lore): Spectral Wound’s fire-breathing fourth full-length “Songs of Blood and Mire” is the sign of a band boldly stepping forward, sharpening their sound, adding heaps of black melodies, and creating a black metal statement that can reach deep underground but still impact those living above the earth’s crust. Over seven songs and an ideally paced 44 minutes, the band goes for broke, laying out all of their bloodied tools to see who they can capture along the way. “Fevers and Suffering” is the perfect opener, a track that pulls you deep into the furnace and makes your blood boil; “At Wine-Dark Midnight in the Mouldering Halls” is one of the most impactful metal tracks of the year, a tornado of melody and brutality that takes you by storm. “The Horn Marauding” has more rock n roll elements buried in with their sinister recipe; and “Twelve Moons in Hell” is a total force, a track that will keep you ravaged yet oddly satisfied once the record comes to an end. This is a beast that won’t stop. (Aug. 23)
25. SPECTRAL VOICE, “Sparagmos” (Dark Descent): “Sparagmos,” the powerful second full-length from death/doom warriors Spectral Voice, examines the issues of the constant struggles of existence, the futility of relief, and levels with the painful realization that lack of existence might be the only way for one to be truly free. The title of the record is a Greek term that means physically being torn apart, and that ritualistic turn is what colors these barbaric four tracks. This is deeply scarring, often cosmic torture, a span of creativity that sounds mentally warped but also is stimulating and devastating in a manner that leaves you morbidly fulfilled. “Be Cadaver” begins eerily and spacey, the doom stretching into deep, mysterious darkness, settling in just as the growls begin to bubble. The tone is mesmerizing as the guitars begin to agitate, ripping out and ushering in a punishing pace with warped cries and a darkened crunch. “Sinew Censer” drips cleanly, making your flesh crawl before everything detonates, the ground rumbles, and the growls smear the senses. The guitars begin to slur as the ambiance gets more hypnotic, the fog thickening amid the growls engorging. Closer “Death’s Knell Rings in Eternity” opens as a muddy assault, blackness seeping and confounding, the terror devastating and fronting a flattening pace. Growls tear through guts as a glacial pace grinds your face into the dirt, pummeling and slowly adding heat, echoed cries reverberating in your mind. (Feb. 9)
24. UNHOLY ALTAR, “Veil of Death! Shroud of Nite” (Liminal Dread Productions): Philly’s Unholy Altar remain committed to the raw, harsh power of black metal, and they deliver just that on their scathing first full-length “Veil of Death! Shroud of Nite.” Examining the dualities of the natural world, they add some new textures and tones from what we heard on their 2022 demo. But the unforgiving darkness remains, and while they intend to smear some light into the music, this is pitch black, infernal, and so goddamn mighty. “Intro” leads you into the carnage with plucked strings and a dark angelic haze, sounds swirling in the air toward “Abaddon,” which I wish was about the pro wrestler of the same name. Vile shrieks explode from the start, the playing destroying with fiery pressure, the viciousness and sense of evil flooding to the surface. “Infernal Flesh” explodes with blistering riffs, the assault trampling and destroying, the scars burned into your bones. “Sin Eater” totally destroys, the shrieks scalding as the guitars jam the gas pedal through the floor. Pestilence” dawns in the midst of insanity, ripping guts, forcing poison into your veins as the shrieks mangle. The leads take off as the assault grinds you under their wheels, attacking and leading trails of blood and flesh behind. This record more than paid off the promise of their demo. (July 5)
23. SOLBRUD, “IIII” (Vendetta): Sadly, Danish black metal force called it quits during 2024, but not until releasing their thunderous and atmospheric fourth record “IIII,” an ambitious 11-track, 94-minute opus that is a force of nature to withstand. For the uninitiated, imagine smashing together Wolves in the Throne’s foggy majesty with Panopticon’s rugged folk-influenced black metal, and you can get a pretty good idea of what to expect. It’s enthralling, and it doesn’t feel half as long as its runtime, filling your heart and mind with adventure and the fiery gust of nature. Ole Luk’s vocals are scorching and punishing, enhancing what this band did so well, and there are abundant highlights including spellbinding “Tåge”; the four “Når solen brydes Del” tracks that take up the bulk of the first LP; moody and echoey “Sjæleskrig”; and ground-quaking “Aske.” Yes, it’s a sound that’s been done a lot lately, but very few bands pulled it off as well as Solbrud. Sad to see them go.(Feb. 2)
22. DÖDSRIT, “Nocturnal Will” (Wolf of Hades/Shape of Storms): “Nocturnal Will” is the fourth record from Swedish crushers Dödsrit, and as good as their music was before, this collection takes them into a new place altogether. This six-track effort explodes with life even in its bleakest moments, and for a record that ends with the line, “Will death still bring me relief, even when it’s by my own hand?” it leaves you feeling surprisingly energized. “Irjala” rips open with hyper-melodic riffs, rushing as shrieks crush, vocalist/guitarist Christoffer Oster howling, “Dangling on a knife’s blade, blinded by hope, dreams disappearing down a pitch black hole.” “Nocturnal Fire” also dawns with amazing riffs, the playing splattering as the howls pierce, the pace igniting and taking on a bit of a hardcore edge. “As Death Comes Reaping” blasts out of guitars dawning and hanging, atmospheric energy cascading. “Written by my sorrows, carved into my flesh, tales of lost battles, this eulogy to the end,” Oster barks as the pace pulsates. Closer “Celestial Will” hammers with riffs, shrieks raining down as a melodic fury takes hold. Guitars light up as the pace ignites, speedy riffs toppling, the fluid and colorful pace consuming everything, the final moments acting like a blast to your ribcage. (March 22)
21. BLACK CURSE, “Burning With Celestial Poison” (Sepulchral Voice): Fun story: The first time I ever heard Black Curse I was on my way to a root canal appointment way out of town at the beginning of the lockdown because it was the only dentist office that would see me. I absorbed their 2020 debut “Endless Wound” on that trip and during the procedure, and it fried my brains. No nitrous oxide either! The band returned this year with “Burning With Celestial Poison,” a five-track, 45-minute destroyer that is heavier and hungrier than their debut and overflowing with torturous madness that will eat away at your brain. Seriously. “Spleen Girt With Serpent” opens the record and runs a healthy 10:51, firing up and ripping right through your mid-section. Molten chaos unfurls as a cacophony of chaos emerges, making it feel like your brain is oozing black goo. “Trodden Flesh” is the longest track, weighing in at 11:47, and it’s eerie at first before guts are stomped, shrieks scarring as the pace pulls back just a bit to let the bruising sink in. “Ruinous Paths…” stampedes, the drums rampaging, guitars racing and keeping pace expertly. That all combusts into violence, glorious savagery having its way with your psyche, howls battering along the way. “Flowers of Gethsemane” closes this monster, an 11:09-long demon that ramps up the anxiety before a blazing front devours serenity whole, bursting and brutalizing with no hopes of a breath. The vocals engorge as the tempo swallows you whole, gutting as the gas pedal is jammed through the floor. (Oct. 25)
Meat Mead Metal 