Descriptions will probably be added/edited a few times as I always write this stuff pretty quickly and sometimes can't find the right words to describe somehting so abstract as music. A lot of my taste just boils down to "sounds interesting" or "catchy". So yeah. Most of this will have overlaps with other lists I made because I have very narrow taste.

Sorted chronologically by release date, this is not a ranking.

This list does not only include metal but also what I find to be adjacent music projects.

Not all of these records got a lot of spinnin' in the last decade, but they all got quite a bit of it. I have the worst memory ever though so I probably forgot a bunch of stuff.

Artwork is by Suzzan Blac

Created by:

Desha | 10.02.2020

	1.	Gnaw Their Tongues - L'Arrivée De La Terne Mort Triomphante (2010, industrial, dark ambient) Picking a favourite Gnaw Their Tongues record is an endeavour for madmen. Mories may very well be the most prolific musician alive I actually care about and while not all of his music is top notch, a lot of it is high quality. "The arrival of the triumphant dull death" falls on the more spooky, ghostly and less abrasive side of his output and remains one of my favourites partly because of that making it so listenable. Strings alter the atmosphere to a more mellow sadness at times, while we still have the clanking and screaming GTT does best.
	2.	Murmuüre - Murmuüre (2010, noise, ambient, avantgarde black) Murmuüre is a weird album, whose appeal I always had trouble describing. It's... intriguing? The opening notes make it sound more like a fun "Danse Macabre" type of deal, then it immediately jumps into horrendous cacophony which gives way to some somber ambient. And it keeps mixing between all of this, even shoving some black metal into here at times. This is an album that even though I don't listen to it much, has greatly impacted my interests and doesn't leave my mind. And then I find that one sample that's also on Souls at Zero and now you can be sure that it'll haunt my dreams...
	3.	The Meads Of Asphodel - The Murder Of Jesus The Jew (2010, black) One of those albums where every once in a while I go "hey I really should listen to this more". It's incredibly dense, full of interesting quirks and fun passages, while - usually - being not too pretentious about it or making it an unlistenable mess. It's very edgy however. So be warned. This is not a nsbm band, but members have collaborated with nsbm band members and they are generally not too politically correct. So avoid if that's a concern.
	4.	Sigh - Scenes From Hell (2010, symphonic black) I'm not a fan of Sigh. Not because I dislike them, I just never really bothered with them much and when I do I often get bored quickly. Scenes from Hell however is such a joy. This is what a symphonic record should be in my opinion. Catchy as hell (haha) with fun melodies and not too overblown. We're trying to have fun here, and this is the most fun I think I've had with hell so far. Basically during every song here I find myself swinging from side to side or humming along. Like what Italian opera really does best in my opinion (ok, one aspect that italian opera does best, among the others), realized in metal form with harsh vocals.
	5.	Neoandertals - Ebu Gogo Gutting The Child (2011, brutal death) If you had asked me in 2010 what my best of the decade list would look like for the 2010s, I would very certainly have not included any brutal death metal. Especially some that sounds like... this. But for some reason the clicky drums and clicky bass and guttural vocals have hypnotized me enough to do so. Give this a fair chance, leave it on in the background while doing something else and then freeze in shock at the fact that you start headbanging to very un-heavy riffs and feel very silly.
	6.	Terra Tenebrosa - The Tunnels (2011, post, drone, ambient) Similar to Murmuüre (though much more listenable), this record is incredibly intriguing. You have a very hypnotic flow to the whole record, the lyrics are incredibly buried and hard to understand, the whole visual design of the band is great (at least their covers... we don't talk about music videos) and overall this will not only make you go "wait let me go back did I hear this correctly", but also make you repeat the songs constantly anyways due to just how catchy they manage to be. This more drone-like approach to post metal is very much needed more of. It's also just got one of my favourite productions ever. Listen to this with headphones on in a dark room.
	7.	Virus - The Agent That Shapes The Desert (2011, Avantgarde) Virus' other wordly music is very interesting to me, in particular the smooth bass over the dissonant guitar riffs. And then those vocals. It's as if Ved Buens Ende had a less crazy cousin, who just went onto a big trip and can't wait to tell you all about it. It's less bouncy fun than the decade's later Memento Collider, which also has its charmes, but the steady atmosphere of this one somehow gets me.
	8.	Ebonylake - In Swathes Of Brooding Light (2011, avant-garde symphonic black) A very cacophonous, very avant-garde record that is surprisingly listenable and dynamic and full of beautiful atmospheres. Imagine a more symphonic Axis of Perdition that swallowed a goth pianist. The cover art of mannequins shooting light beams from their faces may look a bit generic but for some reason I find it very fitting. This has a kind of metachaos "weird world full of faceless human bodies" atmosphere. Very good. But let's take a break from all this avant-garde stuff for now, phew.
	9.	Circle Of Ouroborus - Eleven Fingers (2011, black) This album wouldn't be half of what it is without its gorgeous production. But thankfully it has the production it does, and we can enjoy both the feeling of a shitty garage band and a mystical otherworldly underwater landscape. Very melodic and melancholic and very low-fi.
	10.	Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument (2011, psychedelic black) Psychedelic black metal is one of those trends that emerged in the mid 2000s and has become one of my favourites for general listening. And Kosmonument with it's at times bouncy, at times spaced out riffs makes for what I find to be the best experience of the genre. While most psychedelic black usually goes for an overall feel of what I can only assume is a bad trip through a whole album, this one also offers a bunch of catchy riffs and some of the best bass in all of black metal on TOP of that. Legends say that when you walk home alone at night, after fun a night out with the lads, and you wonder into the wrong alley ways, you can see a shadowy figure with sick dance moves listening to Komeetta. I'd like to publicly state that that's not me and that video is totally fake, Josh, so get out.
	11.	Blut Aus Nord - 777 - The Desanctification (2011, industrial black) BaN's best record after 2006's MoRT capitalizes on their more drone-like qualities: repetitive riffs at a steady pace, dense sound, building up throughout the whole song and the godly industrial drum programming. Ditching some of the darker and scary aspects of BaN's dissonant industrial music, the whole album has a real "ascending" feeling to it - fitting what I assume is the theme of the 777 trilogy. It's definitely their most psychedelic record and a direction in which I wish they had gone more frequently. As per usual with BaN's industrial music: if you have childhood trauma of beehives, stay away from this one.
	12.	Aluk Todolo - Occult Rock (2012, black, krautrock) An album that has a very hypnotic quality again. Once it settles into its various grooves, you won't be able to stay still. Basically everything you could get out of this sound and incredibly memorable. The first track is a very acquired taste and doesn't fit the rest of the album much, but after that it goes into maximum overdrive.
	13.	Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage (2012, progressive) I include this album to what I assume are a bunch of skeptically raised eyebrows, but it is rather enjoyable and at times very emotional. And it just got a lot of spinning early in the decade, which alone should make it worthy of inclusion. It definitely is one of their weaker records (and apparently a scary sign of things to come), but still has a bunch of impact and even a lesser Gojira record is a really good record. Not counting Magma of course.
	14.	Igorrr - Hallelujah (2012, breakcore, classical, grindcore) It's just, really fun.
	15.	Seirom - 1973 (2012, ambient, black metal) Once in a while you just need a warm blanket, a hot cup of tea and have a good, comfy cry. Preferably listening to a Seirom album. Mories focusing on the beautiful things of life rather than its worst aspects for a change really hits hard. You get this warm fuzzy feeling, sometimes also with a bit of melancholy full of chirping birds and warm words in your ears. To think a master of the macabre can produce such beauty as well.
	16.	A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays (2012, black) Another goth-y one, just more cheesy fun with it this time. This is kind of the perfect album for my tastes, complex compositions, yet still undeniably catchy and not afraid to be simple every so often, thick sound with tons of stuff going on rather than rabid technicality, great sing-alongs, great vocals, good bass. All around an amazing record that everyone should find something to enjoy about.
	17.	Between The Buried And Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012, progressive metalcore) A weird choice for this list, but it's kind of something I got into accidentally. Prog is usually not my cup of tea, but every once in a while I latch onto a prog band and like their stuff. For the past few years, Between The Buried And Me has been that band. And to be perfectly honest, I can't tell you why I like them as much as I do. They have fun passages, good textures, nice sing-alongs again. You know the drill by now. Maybe cause they manage to make this circus-style that prog seems to love not obnoxious but actually fun?
	18.	Nocte Obducta - Umbriel (Das Schweigen Zwischen Den Sternen) (2013, black) This goth-y, ballad filled black metal album is full of great compositions, build ups and some amazing lyricism. One of those you only really get when you're German, but the language fits the deeply melancholic tone throughout. "Kerkerwelten - Teil 1" is one of my favourite openings to an album and Songs like "Dinner auf Uranos" and "Leere" are melancholic masterpieces, while songs like "Mehr Hass" always put a smile on my face.
	19.	Tribulation - The Formulas Of Death (2013, death) Just like, a bunch of fun riffs dude. There's nothing much else to say honestly.
	20.	Arizmenda - Stillbirth In The Temple Of Venus (2014, psychedelic black) Arizmenda has some of the best lyricism and song/album titles there is. And this is his peak both musically and with lyrical expression. The swirling, shrill guitars with their anxious atmosphere and his shrieks define his sound and it's hard to say why this one uses them the best. But like... it does. Trust me on that. Feels like being stung by a bullet ant and having a psychedelic trip through the rain forest due to the pain. Also kids remember: sex is disgusting and never have it.
	21.	Noneuclid - Metatheosis (2014, death, thrash) Oh what a treat for my old weary ears. Thrash in general is not the most... versatile genre but the amount of technicality and compositional prowess at show here is immense. There's a variety of super memorable tunes, the flamenco songs/passages are super unique and they even managed to uplift one of Lovecraft's more cheesy stories. My favourite "Morean & Friends" record, of which there have been a bunch in the 2010s. It's a bit edgy and a bit cheesy at times, but that comes with the subgenre I'd say.
	22.	Japanische Kampfhörspiele - Welt Ohne Werbung (2014, grindcore) I like my grindcore with more medium length songs, more moderate aggression and trying to have a bit of fun. And of course with good lyrics. This is one of my favourite German records and the lyrics are a blast, raging against conformists, people who take themselves too seriously, animal cruelty, consumer culture, capitalism, cults of personality, parasocial relationships, etc. On top of that the music is a blast and extremely varied for a grindcore record.
	23.	Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestite (2014, ambient) Oh how the populus raged when this came out. WITTR have long been masters of vast, rich atmospheres in their music, as the first two records undeniably proved. And they set out to do the same with their ambient music and succeeded. If there ever was one black metal band that should make an ambient record, then it's beherit. And then WITTR of course. These tracks sparkle like crystal caves, bubble like a spring, have monumental moments with horns and droning guitars, moody synths and very "pretty" ambient chords. WITTR have always been obsessed with nature and in particular the stars. And this sounds like a journey through space, one where you can admire the beauty. And this is also what it's kind of about: admiring nature's beauty. At least for WITTR.
	24.	Emptiness - Nothing But The Whole (2014, black, death) Emptiness has this weird, really unique atmosphere to their music. And due to that, it's also hard to describe. Just listen to it. You're... welcome?
	25.	Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare (2014, black) The genius idea of going from actual hellfire to atomic hellfire as a theme cannot be understated. A lot of this record sounds really evil, some of it really intriguing, songs like "Vi.Sec." even show some surprisingly deep lyricism. Good stuff all around if one is not put off by Mayhem members being shady at best with their politics.
	26.	Skepticism - Ordeal (2015, funeral doom) It takes a real master to have a similar sound since the early 1990s and still not only release great music but also some of the best in the field. Skepticism are just the kings of funeral doom, from sound to their stage presence, to the tiny changes to their sound, to their whole aesthetic on album. Ordeal is a weird one, it almost seems uplifting. And I think that's something that really encapsulates a lot of people's ideas of the 2010s, probably unwillingly. An upliftingly positive melancholy. It's just brilliant and you should listen to it right now.
	27.	Porta Nigra - Kaiserschnitt (2015, black) Porta Nigra have kind of proven themselves as the masters of "shit eating grinned asshole" black metal. As in, they take the biggest arrogant pieces of shit and make music from their perspective. And here it really works. The Great War's megalomania (especially from Germany's imperialist perspective) is an amazing fit for that. This is still a black metal band dealing with the topic of war and proto-fascism though, so expect little subtlety and a definitely problematic approach. There's no evidence that they're nsbm, but they don't openly and clearly oppose it much either (other than making fun of them sometimes). So be warned.
	28.	Remmirath - Shambhala Vril Saucers (2015, ?) I have no idea how to describe this and that may be for the better? A bunch of whacky ideas in every song, but not in this obnoxious or pretentious way.
	29.	Alkaloid - The Malkuth Grimoire (2015, progressive death) Another "Morian & Friends"- record, this time more subdued and more focused on the progressive death metal side of things. A few of the songs here sound like they could be Obscura material (no surprise, the band contains a few former and current members of Obscura), while at other times we get some juicy Morian compositions (especially the Dyson sphere saga is amazing and its continuation on the follow-up record is too). Given that this was both crowdfunded and is essentially a super group, it's a miracle that the songs came out this good, at times even really emotional ("Funeral for a Continent"). The follow-up is decent and has a few more interesting quirks to it (this one is more safe), but I still prefer just how solid this one is. Seriously, not one filler song here.
	30.	Bell Witch - Four Phantoms (2015, funeral doom) Many times have I talked about Bell Witch and how good this record is. For some reason people tend to prefer the other two LPs, but this one is the special one to me. It's hard to not have filler on a funeral doom record. And it's hard to be varied with funeral doom or to break the mold. Bell Witch's general sound already is fairly unique and standard at the same time, but on this record they showcase a variety of different moods. The theme is perfectly portrayed and especially "Suffocation, A Drowning: II" is a song that I think will dominate my taste for a long long while.
	31.	Volahn - Aq'Ab'Al (2015, black) The whole aesthetic of the Black Twighlight Circle plays a huge role for me in the enjoyment of their music and while their best band (Arizmenda) doesn't really utilize it as much, Volahn lives and breathes it. The Aztec themed black metal just feels like a big breath of fresh air, while still being fairly traditional sounding. A shame they take ages to release stuff.
	32.	Spectral Lore - Gnosis (2015, ambient black, EP) The swirling guitars with their middle eastern flair mix together into this amazing, droning atmosphere. It's very rare that I'm really blown away by a really guitar driven record, I'm more into overall compositions and catchiness. But this is the record for guitar work that I find really intriguing and amazing. While it's usually the typical atmospheric black metal vast atmospheres, here and there it gets really fun and catchy, sometimes really heavy. The last track in turn is incredibly sad and haunting. Especially in combination with the title and the events in syria.
	33.	Leviathan - Scar Sighted (2015, black) Wrest is a master of twisted ambience in black metal and this might very well be the best under the Leviathan name. Holds no water to Lurker of Chalice, but it's great.
	34.	The Body - No One Deserves Happiness (2016, sludge, noise) Bold of The Body to just cancel the entire concept of Happiness altogether, but to each their own I guess. Good that I heard this record in late 2016 for the first time, so I was still able to enjoy some fun music before being locked out of that for the rest of my life. I will never get why people hate the vocals so much, the depressive funeral marches, haunting female vocals and sad themes will grip you like little else and not ever really let you go. Listening to music with that "I'm sad, let's listen to things that will make me more sad" approach might be dumb as hell, but it's just so tempting. And if it's music like The Body's, then I feel it's kind of worth it. If that is morally justifiable. If no one deserves happiness, then maybe that makes me feel better about not being happy myself? I don't know. Listen to it, and don't you dare hate the vocals.
	35.	Abske Fides - O Sol Fulmina A Terra (2016, funeral doom) One of the few albums that aren't that well known or talked about on here. It's just really really solid death/funeral doom.
	36.	Suffer Yourself - Ectoplasm (2016, funeral doom) A slightly more popular one, much darker in tone and more crushing however. Detracted points cause I always misinterpret that cover art until I look again.
	37.	Hail Spirit Noir - Mayhem In Blue (2016, black) What a genuine treat. Just all around fun. Sometimes it's really great to find albums like this to got me out of a rut. I can't understate how important this album was for me in 2016 and it's by far my favourite of that year because of that. So goddamn catchy, doesn't take itself seriously at all but and is musically really interesting too. Bravo. I don't think they can even follow this up but 2020s still don't have a theme for me, so maybe they will.
	38.	Howls Of Ebb - Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows (2016, death) Speaking of fun records, this is another one. It's somewhat hard to describe why I like this record, but simultaneously easy? The bouncy feeling of the riffs, the great bass and drums, somehow still dense production and some great transitions between riffs create a really unique feeling that only this band really did before. Think a more complex, less heavy Gojira during The Link maybe. If they hadn't broken up, this would be my favourite death metal band right now.
	39.	Slow (USA) - Mother Cetacean (2017, funeral doom, EP) Well back then this was released and then later removed, to be part of a 2020 EP. But it was my favourite doom of 2017, which is surprising. The 20 minute song basically builds on the previous album's strengths (the wailing melodies, buried vocals and and overall floaty underwater feeling) while improving production a lot. Same guy as Tchornobog and if he would release new stuff anytime soon, then I'm tempted to call him one of my favourite musicians rn.
	40.	Pylar - A Ella Te Conduce La Sagrada Espyral (2017, drone) It's just a great drone record, hypnotic as it needs to be.
	41.	Amenra - Mass VI (2017, post) Amenra is as if Neurosis decided to be inspired by dsbm and I love it. One of my favourite vocalists and Mass VI is another sad, but strangely also uplifting offering. More sad and mellow than the previous ones, but the poems in between really round out this album.
	42.	Tchornobog - Tchornobog (2017, black/death) I remember coming across the second song that was pre-released and spinning that constantly. Until half a year later the actual full length got released. And it was somehow even better than anticipated. I rarely get hyped and this is a rare occasion were I was really interested and it blew me away after. Non-Existence's Warmth has kind of a reputation of being amazing but the rest of the songs are almost just as good. I don't care much for the themes (or understand them rather), but sonically alone this album is phenomenal
	43.	Selvans - Faunalia (2018, folk/black) I have no idea why I like Selvans so much. I tried tons of times to write reviews but it's just kind of the case. They're great at atmosphere and I like fauns. One of the best folk black metal acts. Incredibly thick sound (almost like power metal at times?) and great buildups.
	44.	The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic (2018, prog/post) I've long debated whether I should put this on here but really it's so catchy it deserves it. By far my favourite of theirs since Precambrian (which this one literally picks up on, shivers down my spine with that opening). I constantly rotate what my favourite song on this one is. I still hate the vocalists heavy vocals, but the clean ones are as good as ever and very common. Really there's very few misses on here.
	45.	Elysian Blaze - The Virtue Of Suffering (2018, atmospheric black, EP) That's right I didn't choose 2012's Blood Geometry. That is because I mostly think Blood Geometry has (while still being amazing) filler in it. And tbh any piece of music longer than like 40min has a big chance to contain some filler. The Virtue Of Suffering however, does not. And a new listen does not take years and doesn't feel like work. What's interesting about The Virtue Of Suffering, is that it feels weirdly uplifting.
	46.	Sunn O))) - Life Metal (2019, drone) It should be obvious now that I like myself some "pretty" or "wholesome" drone. And Life metal is just that. By the masters of drone themselves. This also goes far above the other drone so far on this list in it's stripped back (in terms of variation/speed) and mediative qualities. Countless records already proved their mastery in this particular style of drone and Life Metal is no different. Now they've only proven, that they can also do it in a life-affirming instead of dark way.
	47.	The Sombre - Into The Beckoning Wilderness (2019, death doom) This is a weird record for me. I feel nostalgic for 90s death doom, a period that I neither really witnessed nor I ever much paid attention to afterward. But living that vicariously through Mories, which feels... weird. I definitely have to listen to more death doom.
	48.	...
	49.	Stuff I want to get into more but didn't yet for whatever reason
	50.	blackgaze - (Both as a general concept and also its fusion with dsbm) Particularly Les Discrets and Coldworld's latest offering. I feel like blackgaze could be the big thing of the 2010s and I kind of want to be part of that or at least like it. It's new and not annoying, so there has to be a few gems.
	51.	more death metal seriously I think I need to make a bigger effort to enjoy more death metal, maybe try to change my perspective a bit. Most of the death metal I like is somewhat special and I want to find out why and how to get into more typical death metal.
	52.	death doom as mentioned. I've always seen it as the lesser important older brother to funeral doom, but I think I've taken it from the wrong angle.
	53.	...
	54.	Stuff that disappointed me greatly
	55.	Gojira - Magma oof this was sad, cause before this I think Gojira did not release a bad record. They've been stumbling since The Way Of All Flesh, but there were always at least a bunch of killer songs. The Best song on here would really be one of the downers on the other albums.
	56.	Terra Tenebrosa - The Reverses released on the same day as Gojira's Magma, oh boy was I happy the day before that. And let down when I finally got to listen to both albums. Much like Magma, this offers some great stuff, but falls flat and seems shallow. The post metal here is definitely more typical, the vocals are horribly produced (neither as buried as on The Tunnels, nor as fun as on The Purging) and overall it's really meh in terms of songs. Why get Vindsval on your song and then make him do... vocals??
	57.	Tribulation - Down Below fun riffs have died and now we have just goth whatever and that makes me sad
	58.	Urfaust - The Constellatory Practice There's just a lot to be bored by on this record. Feels like Gojira's Magma, where the second record of a new direction just feels empty and lame. "Trail Of The Conscience Of The Dead" is good, forget the rest.
	59.	Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen It's basically just another MV, just with a good cover this time and that makes me sad cause I was hoping for that "bold new direction" Vindsval keeps talking about all the time. Also didn't get it with Yeruselem, so I'll just stop listening to the guy tbh. This is more a general falling out with new BaN stuff maybe.
	60.	Tool - Fear Inoculum I feel almost bad admitting that I like Tool. The biggest problem I always thought tool had, is that they write these catchy rock songs (that are maybe a bit dumb and annoying in terms of lyrics), but then half the record is lame filler. Fear Inoculum does not have one song on it that doesn't bore me to death. Everything here is overly long and it seems like their fans were right. Tool *is* a pretentious prog band, just like their fans want it.