Thanks to a very busy year, it was hard to stay on top of all the releases, and write detailed reviews but I managed to gather 15 of my most liked in a succinct list. More albums and singles are on this Spotify playlist. 15. ACOD – VERSETS NOIRS (France)...
There were a huge amount of good releases this year, especially among the lesser known, more underground bands. In an effort not to have these smaller acts fall to the wayside, I figured it would be appropriate to highlight them on their own list. Check out this Spotify playlist for the full list,...
Nice to see that life has basically returned to normal and so many quality releases came across my desk this year. Out of the few hundred I got a chance to listen to, the following 10 were the ones played the most. Check out this Spotify playlist for the full...
Albums #11-15 Check out this Spotify playlist for the full list, honourable mentions, singles and a few not-metal releases. 10 – CATHARSIS – HIGH FELLS (USA) November 25, 2022 A completely outstanding debut release from this Texan quartet; who knew something so cold and icy could come out of The Lone Star...
10 – Bellum I – AQUILUS (Australia) December 3, 2021 Gentle classical piano paired with tragic, rasping black metal vocals. The caress of soothing choral-laden instrumentals soften the clamour of crashing symbols and resolute drumming. An album that is expressive, relaxing, intense and mysterious all at the same time. A...
15 – The Zornheim Sleep Experiment – ZORNHEYM (Sweden) October 22, 2021 The single “Slumber Comes In Time” was my most played new track of the year. I absolutely loved the chipper chorus, and upbeat rhythms that complimented the dark themes of being in a mental institution. The rest of...
20 – Hädanefter – JORDFÄST (Sweden) May 7, 2021 The two man black metal project of JORDFÄST has been around since 2017 but this is their first release. Two tracks total just over half an hour, and vary between mournful guitar work, frantic drumming and harsh vocals. Delivering varying tempos,...
2021 started out as a slow year for releases, it seemed many bands were still holding on to ideas of touring, which were inevitably dashed as shit got worse than the year before. Even still, after sifting through close to 400 new albums, I managed to boil them down to...
Swedish black metallers Ov Shadows are back with their second full length album “I Djävulens Avbild” their first release on Hypnotic Dirge records. Their first full length ”The Darkness Between Stars” (2018) was a relentless assault of chaotic black metal, proving that the experience and fluidity the members gained in Gothenburg’s Waning, in which they all played...
The famed DEATHFESTS have been around for years ever since the inaugural Maryland Deathfest in 2003. Blossoming into North America’s biggest extreme metal festival, the organizers have brought the DEATHFEST brand to Nederlands, Canada and for the first time in 2019, Sweden. It’s highly suitable that the fest was situated...