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. Albums #6-10 here. Check out this Spotify playlist...
Albums #6-10 here. Albums #11-15 here. Check out this Spotify playlist for the full list, honourable mentions, singles and a few not-metal releases. 5 – EQUINOX VIGIL – INEXORUM (USA) June 17, 2022 The most death metal band on this list, it’s whiplash inducing fast with just the right amount...
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...
With the explosive return of live music this year, it was nice to have a slightly smaller selection of albums to sift over, and the opportunity to see a few pandemic discoveries live. I rounded up some of the albums I enjoyed and present them to you as my annual recommendations....
5 – Trisagion – ETHEREAL SHROUD (UK) December 10, 2021 A depressive cloud of black metal with doom elements, “TRISAGION” is thoughtful, miserable and frigid. From the clean melodic vocals to the anguished screaming it surrounds the listener with layers of complexity. Thundering drums, and funeral riffs are highlighted with...
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,...
This week I bought a handful of new releases based solely on their album art. I have not heard of any of these bands before and had no idea what to expect, so here’s the results of my expectations colliding with reality. Band: Hermóðr Title: Two Ravens Label: None Release...