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1.
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Hwwauoch - Hwwauoch
(9.5) (Black) Read my review. |
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2.
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Evoken - Hypnagogia
(9.5) (Funeral Doom/Death) This is the most 'mature' sounding release from Evoken. Reminds me quite a bit of My Dying Bride at times. Excellent stuff. |
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3.
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Ars Magna Umbrae - Lunar Ascension
(9) (Black) Ars Magna Umbrae is a one man band out of Poland. A debut EP was released just last year. I remember hearing it and thinking it was pretty ok but I never came back to it. Upon hearing the project's first LP I was blown away. This is the type of black metal album I've been searching for all year. Hits all the right notes for my taste. Dissonant, mid paced, cacophonous, a hint of progressive undertones and fantastic black metal vocals. The album art is pictured above. Fantastic all around. |
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4.
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Dirge - Lost Empyrean
(9) (Post-Metal) Threw this album on in my work truck on a long drive home. Reminded me of why I used to favor post metal. Crank it up loud and let your thoughts swim among the infinite layers of guitar. The production here is perfect. This is probably their best album and without a doubt the best post metal I've heard in years. |
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5.
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1914 - The Blind Leading The Blind
(9) (Black/Death) Hot damn. Had this album bouncing around in my "Need To Listen" queue for a while. Finally threw it on on a whim. This is top notch. An auditory ode to the barbaric bloodbath that is now referred to as World War I. The sample use really adds to the forlorn atmosphere and makes the album gel in a fulfilling way that sticks with the listener. |
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6.
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Carpe Noctem - Vitrun
(9) (Black/Blackened Doom) After hearing the first track released from this album I was worried this would be a bore. Worries alleviated. Carpe Noctem is back with an abrasive, apocalyptic vengeance. |
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7.
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Portal - ION
(9) (Avant-Garde Death) The production here is stripped down in a way that can be quite striking in a negative way upon first listen, particularly if the listener is familiar with Portal's previous releases. However, for me, over time, the genius of this album bled through. |
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8.
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Horrendous - Idol
(8.5) (Progressive Death) This doesn't grip me quite as intensely as their previous two albums but this is no slouch. More overtly technical than previous releases. |
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9.
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Délirant - Délirant
(8.5) (Psychedelic Black) Whoa. December has seen the release of more than it's fair share of awesome records. This one, which I think can be counted among Fallen Empire's swan song of releases is the best of the bunch. Muddy (in the best possible way), ominous, twisted and trippy. Délirant is the work of the guy who also does Negativa and seems to be a member of Mytiskaos. So look out for more from this up-and-comer in the near future. |
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10.
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Esoctrilihum - Pandaemorthium (Forbidden Formulas To Awaken The Blind Sovereigns Of Nothingness)
(8.5) (Black/Death) Was not expecting these sounds to come from this band. His last album from less than a year ago was fairly standard atmospheric black metal. This is fully in the realm of twisted avant-gardeish blackened death metal. |
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11.
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Morne - To The Night Unknown
(8.5) Post-Sludge/Crust |
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12.
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Imperial Triumphant - Vile Luxury
(8.5) (Avant-Garde/Technical Black/Death) Imperial Triumphant takes their sound to the next level incorporating more Avant-Garde, Progressive and most importantly, Jazz elements. Simply decadent. |
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13.
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Negativa - 03
(8) (Black) Black metal + audible bass is such a winning combo to my ears. This Spanish act has added H.V. of Wormlust fame on vocals which is pretty fucking rad but srsly get back to putting the finishing touches on that sophomore album you announced like 5 years ago now. This album is a slab of dank black metal on it's own merits. 03 has quickly become one of my favorite records of the year due to its versatility. Good walking music, working music, driving music and also great for a listen at home on quality head phones. |
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14.
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Muyubyosha - 一期一会
(8) (Black/Krautrock/Noise) Their 2016 record was great, this is fan-fucking-tastic. Overall, the album is a little on the short side but better to leave them wanting more than to bore. You haven't heard anything like this before. Give it a try. |
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15.
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Convulsing - Grievous
(8) (Blackened Death) DIY one man 4 appeals to me artistically in a way a full band cannot. This is not your standard blackened death. This is a piece of art. |
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16.
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Eosphoros - Eosphoros
(8) (Black/Post/Atmospheric) Between the cover art and the band being from Portland, I avoided this album for a while assuming it was bog standard cascadian black metal. It is not. There is a bit of that present, sure. But the riffs are often crunchy and the vibe is darker than the cover art lets on. |
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17.
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Ghost - Prequelle
(8) (Heavy/Occult Pop) Ghost gets even lighter/poppier but somehow it still works. A few dud tracks in here but the gems like "Dance Macabre" and "Rats" hold it together. |
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18.
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P.H.O.B.O.S. - Phlogiston Catharsis
(8) (Industrial Doom) What a change in sound. Much less dense, suffocating and Blut Aus Nordian than previous releases. The vocals can be off putting but it's a damn fine record if you can endure them. |
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19.
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Burial Invocation - Abiogenesis
(8) Death |
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20.
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Funeral Mist - Hekatomb
(8) Orthodox Black |
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21.
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Judas Priest - Firepower
(8) (NWOBHM) Unreal that these guys can still put out a legitimate banger like this after all these years. |
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22.
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Innumerable Forms - Punishment In Flesh
(8) Death Doom |
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23.
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Khanus - Flammarion
(8) (Occult Death) The genre tag tells you everything you need to know before diving into this record. Undoubtedly one of the best of the year. |
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24.
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Atavisma - The Chthonic Rituals
(8) Death Doom |
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25.
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Det Eviga Leendet - Lenience
(8) Black |
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26.
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Teleport - The Expansion
(8) (Progressive Death) Next level death metal out of Slovenia on this EP. Need more of this. Thrashy with modern sensibilities. Sort of comparable to Horrendous but with vocals I enjoy a lot more. |
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27.
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Wayfarer - World's Blood
(8) (Western Black) This is like a more straightforward black metal version of of Horseback's The Invisible Mountain. Considering I love that album and the black metal here is well done, this gets a major thumbs up from me. |
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28.
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Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit
(8) (Avant-Garde/Black) I liked Z&A's first album as much as the next guy. But the hipster love spewed all over this album made me want to hate it. It's simply too damn good to hate. |
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29.
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Khemmis - Desolation
(8) (Heavy/Doom) Fun head banging riffs, plain and simple. Solid smattering of various styles of doom metal throughout the record. |
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30.
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Ingrina - Etter Lys
(8) Post Metal |
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31.
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Progenie Terrestre Pura - starCross
(8) (Industrial Black/Ambient) For whatever reason this EP hits me in a more satisfying way than their last full length. Retains the heaviness of the Oltre Luna but its brevity works in its favor as I'm left wanting more. |
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32.
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Satan - Cruel Magic
(8) NWOBHM |
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33.
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Lubbert Das - De Plagen
(8) Black |
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34.
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Master Boot Record - Direct Memory Access
(8) (Electronic Metal) I believe this is the first MBR album to feature vocals. The vocals do a good job of blending seamlessly with the music however. |
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35.
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Borgne - [∞]
(8) (Ambient Black) Really nice use of keyboards while still maintaining a dark atmosphere. |
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36.
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Acathexis - Acathexis
(8) (Black) I guess this project features the guy from Mare Cognitum in some fashion. This is far more interesting to me than anything Mare Cognitum has done. Abrasive yet contemplative. |
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37.
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Chaos Ech-s - Mouvement
(8) (Avant-Garde Death) This isnt as interesting or adventurous as Transient but it is more listenable and easily digestible. |
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38.
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Guðveiki - Vængför
(7.5) (Blackened Death) Guðveiki combines the powers of H.V. of Wormlust, Alex Poole of Chaos Moon/Skaphe and the Blackburn brothers of Entheogen to create a blackened death metal tour de force. The release of this album is bittersweet as it signals the demise of one of my favorite record labels of the last few years, Fallen Empire. |
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39.
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Death Karma - The History Of Death & Burial Rituals Part II
(7.5) (Black/Death) This is stronger than I recall the first album of this project being. Very melodic and bouncy much like CoF. There's a few noticable nods to the various cultures in a few of the songs but for the most part sticks to the main overall aesthetic throughout. |
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40.
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Tomb Mold - Manor Of Infinite Forms
(7.5) (Death) A solid blend of old school and modern death metal. Not too murky or cavernous. Lets the riffing shine. Headbanging encouraged. |
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41.
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Barús - Drowned
(7.5) (Progressive Death) These guys kicked major ass on their debut EP a few years ago. Lo and behold; they still have it. Strong blend of technical and progressive death elements without getting too far up their own asses about it. |
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42.
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Svartmálm - Svartmálm
(7.5) (Black/Doom) It seems this band hails from the Faroe Islands, a small volcanic archipelago located between Iceland and mainland Europe. This album is a little difficult to pin down, genre-wise but what isn't these days? Just a damn fine record mixing black, death, doom, progressive and ambient tendencies into finely tuned final product. |
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43.
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Death. Void. Terror. - To The Great Monolith
(7.5) Black |
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44.
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Whoredom Rife - Nid: Hymner Av Hat
(7.5) Orthodox Black |
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45.
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Haunter - Haunter/Crawl MMXVIII
(7.5) (Black/Crust) Haunter kinda nails the "runs with the DsO sound" thing better than most of their contemporaries. Where DsO weaves their way up their own asses with technicality at times (looking at you Fas), Haunter mixes in a crusty, punkish vibe that adds much needed levity to the sound. Crawl is pretty okay too. |
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46.
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Vanhelgd - Deimos Sanktuarium
(7.5) (Death) As is so often the case, production and mixing is the difference between what may have been a great album but is instead very forgettable and smothered by overbearing vocals. |
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47.
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Spite - Antimoshiach
(7.5) (Black) Brooklyn + improvisational black metal + satanic themes screams an ironically concocted, half assed, hipster creation you could find all over bandcamp's top sellers these days. But in this case, this is actually very listenable stuff, mildly reminiscent of Volahn and some other BTC projects. |
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48.
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Night Verses - From The Gallery Of Sleep
(7.5) (Progressive/Technical/Instrumental) Really nice slab of highly proficient instrumental metal. A little too technical and djent-y to be something I listen to regularly but a highly enjoyable excursion. |
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49.
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Ab Imo Pectore - Heaven, Hell, Earth, Chaos, All
(7.5) (Black) Raw, modern black metal out of Portugal. Mid-paced but slows down to a crawl at times to induce an ominous ritualistic vibe. |
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50.
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Amnutseba - Demo II
(7.5) Black |
