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1.
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Deadly Remains - Severing Humanity [Brutal Technical Death Metal] Crunchy precision, strong musicianship, and overall just hits the mark perfectly for the entire album. Strong material start to finish, good song structures, and plenty of interesting brutality. Even the lyrical themes and song titles are interesting, which I usually don't pay much attention to. More good songs on this album than any other on my list and the quality is excellent. Production is also excellent. |
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2.
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Aeon - Aeons Black [Brutal Death Metal] Well-composed, excellent sounding, crunchy guitar-based songs that put it all together like a well-oiled machine. I love the production - probably my favorite this year in that department. Many good songs across the entire disc and not a dud among them. I keep playing this one as much as any other. It has 'it', whatever that is. Again falls short in the lyrical/song theme department but I can easily get past that here. Simple, powerful and well-done. |
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3.
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Abominable Putridity - Anomalies Of Artificial Origin [Slam/Brutal Death Metal] Unrelenting pounding of drums, tight guitars and top-flight cohesion make this one stand out. They do slam as well as anyone, and this album delivers it in spades. There are clever breaks but not big dumb breakdowns like other bands might use (and can be used with success, but I digress). This band is a machine of Russian slam and the production, song structures and delivery is outstanding. Vocals by Matti Way: excellent. That said, the drumming here is the start of the show. Amazing work on the skins. |
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4.
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Malignancy - Eugenics [Brutal Technical Death Metal] Patented riff-after-riff songs with squeals. Everything is interesting and energetic. Production a bit lacking for this high on my list but it's not poor. Keeps returning to my playlist. |
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5.
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Unfathomable Ruination - Misshapen Congenital Entropy [Brutal Technical Death Metal] Intense, creative, complex riffing and musicianship sets this one apart. Blisteringly brutal and detailed. Not Spawn of Possession detailed, but stand-out riffing, changes everywhere. |
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6.
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Coprocephalic - Gluttonous Chunks [Slam/Brutal Death Metal] Sick, thick, bludgeoning riffs and blast-beats. Slams, squeals, and gutturals. All one needs to know about this. Similar to Pathology's work in many ways, but a lower, sometimes slower, more twisted sound. More diverse that this year's release. |
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7.
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7 H. Target - Fast-Slow Demolition [Slam/Technical Brutal Death Metal] Innovative, creative, complex and brutal that always manages to thrill and surprise and still bring the slams. Very unique within its genre(s). |
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8.
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Begging For Incest - Orgasmic Selfmutilation [Slam] Twisted, fun and sick. Huge slams and great guitar riffing. Sometimes slightly undone by too many loud pig squeals. That by no means wrecks this fantastic release. |
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9.
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Pathology - The Time Of Great Purification [Brutal Death Metal/Slam] Crunchy, head-banging riffs; pounding tight-knit drums; and low gutturals. Win. Good album start to finish and plus production. |
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10.
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Omnihility - Biogenesis [Brutal Technical Death Metal] Unimaginably fast riffs/songs that push the boundaries of what is humanly possible on guitar. Powerfully brutal songs with crunch, structure, and crazy-intense guitar. Guitars just scream. One hell of a debut album with several truly stand-out tracks with some groove and catchiness to them. |
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11.
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Ataraxy - Revelations Of The Ethereal [Death Metal] The range and near-perfectness of this album is great. It's massive, intense, and memorable. |
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12.
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Kraanium - Post Coital Fixation [Slam] Powerful, with twisted riff after riff. Songs that deliver some of the top slam material released to date. Meaty. |
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13.
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Binah - Hallucinating Ressurecture [Death Metal] That classic HM-2 sound but bolstered by great vocals and developed songwriting and structures. Sound rules the day here with massive power and riffing, but also provides some enjoyable hooks. Feels like an endless maze of fear and battle. |
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14.
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Grand Supreme Blood Court - Bow Down Before The Blood Court [Death/Doom Metal] Sounds like Hail Of Bullets (a lesser version) and Asphyx (a comparable version). This formula is familiar to everyone. I enjoy the hell out of it. |
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15.
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Visceral Throne - Omnipotent Asperity [Brutal Technical Death Metal] Creative riffing and patterns highlight this fantastic debut album. Energy and pounding drums with great sound and production. |
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16.
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Just Missed: Hideous Divinity - Obeisance Rising, Asphyx - Deathhammer, Cannibal Corpse - Torture, Puteraeon - Cult Cthulu, Incantation - Vanquished In Vengeance. |
