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1.
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Rosetta - Sower Of Wind
[Ambient / Drone - USA - Pelagic Records] - This short, 4 track experimental piece by the post-metal band showcases subtle, but cinematic, audio explorations of drone and ambient atmospherics, themed on ideas spawned from four parts of Utopioid, which is a record I still don't think I've listened to. Anyway it's super chill, and definitely music for headphones late at night. Rosetta might be a post-metal band at heart, but their peripheral outputs have always been a bit more interesting to me - http://tiny.cc/k9h61y - [ 7 ] |
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2.
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Decayos - Apterous
[Technical Experimental Grind + Ambient - USA - Hylopathic Productions] - I like a band where my description of its genre is me basically haphazardly ball-parking it because it's pretty impossible to nail down. Apterous is pretty weird; it's a percussive bulldozer, but it's also atmospheric as fuck with floating riffs that come from outside the cosmos. Thankfully it's one of those rare experimental bands that doesn't sound like it was produced in an outside latrine. Everything comes together, if you let it - http://tiny.cc/2rz41y - [ 7 ] |
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3.
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Mz.412 - Svartmyrkr
[Black Ambient / Death Industrial - Sweden - Cold Spring] - The inventors of the so-named "black ambient" genre have finally returned after 12 years, on the 30th year of their first album too. Rather than the ambient-laden black metal people here are more used to, MZ.412 weave elements of black metal into frightening ambient music. Thick, industrialised atmospherics often belies the occasional banshee shriek or ghostly semblance of riff. It's all very cinematic. Nice to see a band this old on form - http://tiny.cc/u1c71y - [ 8 ] |
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4.
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Embrional - Evil Dead
[Death Metal - Poland - Independent] - I think I used to extol the "weirdness" of this band in previous records, but maybe because death metal got pretty weird in recent years they seem patentely normal these days. The best way to appreciate Embrional is to think of them as a very good, very tight tech-death band that don't overdo the tech part of their sound. There's plenty of surprising song flow on the new one, and as such it's a nice middle ground between the old-school and the nu - http://tiny.cc/hrd71y - [ 7 ] |
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5.
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Rashōmon - 病原菌X "Pathogen X"
[Hardcore Punk - Japan - Iron Lung Records] - For a nation built on politeness, punk from Nippon often seems to be really good, even if I don't listen to a whole lot of it. This should keep me going for a while though, even though it's just shy of the 12 minute mark (who wants long punk records anyway). Balls-to-the-anus, super energetic, spot-on production grit and nice anthemic melodies, this is pretty much how I like my old-school hardcore, when I eventually listen to it - http://tiny.cc/kvt81y - [ 7.5 ] |
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6.
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Obed Marsh - Dunwich
[Black / Doom - Australia - Independent] - Pretty safe to say Lovecraft has never been more en vogue than it is these days. Of course nothing is as cool as Bloodborne, but Obed Marsh are pretty damn fine in their own right. Weirdly otherworldly doom, slow doom, with a black metal tentacle wrapping itself around it. The vocals are the most unusual aspect of their sound and need to be heard, but this is atypical doom through and through, both sorrowful and eerily unknowable - http://tiny.cc/1l981y - [ 8 ] |
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7.
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Leśniewski / Nowacki - Ślęża
[Noise / Drone - Poland - Independent] - Absolutely stellar guitar-based droning noise consisting of one nearly-14 minute long track. It's not quite Yellow Swans-level of beautiful noise, but the feedback layering, improvised jams and ad-hoc backdrop drones make this a highly listenable psychedelic soundscape, rather than a challenging harsh noise wall assault. The ritualistic vocals add an extra dimension which helps ground the music into a pleasantly comfortable hallucinatory state - http://tiny.cc/bin91y - [ 8 ] |
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8.
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Uluru - Acrophilia
[Instrumental Psychedelic Rock / Metal - Turkey - Tonzonen Records] - Amazingly full-bodied experimental, psychedelic rock from Istanbul. Often I miss the vocals from psych-rock but Uluru clearly don't need them. Borrowing a fair amount from heavy metal and stoner gives it a sturdy base for their sound, on which they pile on the jams to an obscene degree, with hyperbolic melodies and unabashed soloing. Because of the somewhat metallic base the songwriting remains driving, familiar and satisyfing - http://tiny.cc/dio91y - [ 8 ] |
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9.
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The Body - Whitehorse & The Body [Collaboration]
[Industrial Sludge / Doom / Drone / Noise - Australia / USA - Independent] - I like Whitehorse a lot more than The Body, but thank Ebrietas the banshee shrieks on this collaborative effort are faily well placed: i.e. safely tucked away in the back and gruff growls take much of the limelight. You might be not very surprised to know that this 2 track EP is a pretty fucking hellish nightmare of unrepentant, crushing and dismal music, but there's still "music" hidden in there somewhere - http://tiny.cc/5lqa2y - [ 7 ] |
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10.
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Mo'ynoq - Dreaming In A Dead Language
[Black Metal - USA - Independent] - Mo'ynoq are undoubtedly the first killer black metal band release of 2019. I was already impressed by the released single but the full thing is even more than I anticipated. Hyper-dynamic, frenetically paced modern black metal with savvy melody that draws on death metal, most notably much of the extraordinary vocal flair. The true star though is probably the drums; they drive and shape this record to its highs and are absolutely unrelenting - http://tiny.cc/0vya2y - [ 8 ] |
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11.
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Soilwork - Verkligheten
[Melodic Death Metal - Sweden - Nuclear Blast] - Soilwork are the only melodeath band that still matter. Pretty much every other legacy band of the genre have fallen foul of tired songwriting or ill-advised genre changes, but somehow Soilwork are aging like wine. This one is a fair bit more melodic and laid-back than the previous record, but to their credit they sound like they're having a fuck ton of fun on it. Speed's vocals remain the defining factor of the sound. An anachronistic pleasure for me - http://tiny.cc/8mdb2y - [ 8 ] |
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12.
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Musmahhu - Reign Of The Odious
[Black / Death - Sweden - Iron Bonehead] - It's a Swartadauþuz project which means it's going to be great and probably a wee bit psychedelic (check out Gnipahålan in the mean time). Turns out it is indeed great, and maybe a very tiny bit psychedelic if you feel for it. The occasional use of cyber effects is interesting and works surprisingly well given the tone. Absolutely first rate written, produced and played blackened death metal that's going to be hard to match this year - http://tiny.cc/uvfc2y - [ 8.5 ] |
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13.
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RAIC - Multiplicity
[Free Jazz / Black Metal - International - Thirsty Leaves Music] - Lengthy, highly experimental musical exploration featuring an absolute multitude of artists from all over the world. While it predominantly focuses on experimenting with jazz tapestries, it also veers into black metal on a couple of tracks. An interesting dichotomy, and one that works well. Often whimsical, occasionally challenging, it's an all round fascinating experience that's a lot more easily enjoyed than I initially expected - http://tiny.cc/4ime2y - [ 8 ] |
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14.
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Defacement - Deviant
[Atmospheric Blackened Death Metal - Netherlands - Independent] - Ludicrously frantic, tight black / death metal with a penchant for both dissonance as well as suffocating atmospheric production and sounds. This feels like another record that's really driven by its percussion, which is breathless to a fault. While it may employ atonal musicianship, its atmospheric, murky nature balances that out nicely, and it doesn't feel like one of those pointless, songless excercises - http://tiny.cc/hrme2y - [ 7.5 ] |
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15.
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Barshasketh - Barshasketh
[Black Metal - Scotland - W.T.C. Productions / Blut & Eisen Prod.] - While this is lacking some of the oomph and melodic dynamism of Ophidian Henosis, it's hard to really knock Barshasketh as they do the modern black metal sound really quite well, even if undiscovered countries remain thoroughly undiscovered. The self-tltled release is perhaps thinner and dryer in approach. but competent familiarity and adherance to convention can go quite a long way in crafting a solid piece of music - http://tiny.cc/7bne2y - [ 6.5 ] |
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16.
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Noctambulist - Atmospheres Of Desolation
[Post-Death Metal - USA - Blood Harvest] - Noctambulist are a pretty serious band. This only ended up being like 25 minutes long but it's very serious stuff. Super atmospheric, post-death metal in a very similar vein to Ulcerate's brand. Actually their album title is one of the most fitting I've heard of and does exactly what it says on the tin. Highly technical, fevered songmanship and cutting gruff vocals find a superb balance between the realms of two distinct genres - http://tiny.cc/hegh2y - [ 8 ] |
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17.
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Starless Domain - EOS
[Black Metal - USA - Indepedent] - I suppose the plebby way to describe this would be to compare it to Darkspace, but really it doesn't sound much like them, even if it exists in the slightly ambient-oriented black metal subgenre. This isn't necessarily the most exciting record this year, but I appreciate cosmic black metal bands that don't go in for the saccharine "cosmic" sound that's everywhere. Their approach is far stronger and more immediate, even if the songwriting is somewhat slow-burning - http://tiny.cc/wsih2y - [ 7.5 ] |
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18.
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Helium Horse Fly - Hollowed
[Avant-Garde Metal / Art Rock - Belgium - Independent] - If Virus were an art rock band, this is what they would probably sound like. Compositionally spacious, dark and bleak, it weaves together angular avant-garde metal, indicative of the known greats, with moments of noise rock discord, far-distant brass and quieter, eerie bass-driven lulls. Overseeing all this are near-serene female vocals that are mostly ever so slightly off-kilter, but inviting all the same. Something for the discerning listener - http://tiny.cc/h3zh2y - [ 8.5 ] |
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19.
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Ühtceare - El Genocidio Primordial Llevará El Nombre Infinito De La Empatía
[Black Metal / Ambient - Argentina - Death Kvlt Productions] - What I thought was an album from last year, (but apparently not), is something that absolutely excels in atmosphere, at times even conjuring something not too far from Lurker of Chalice's sound with airy, muted black metal and vocals. I don't think the songwriting has quite reached its full maturity, and track 3 is nothing but a misstep in an attempt at Blut Aus Nord-ian TEoAM ambient-industrial, but it's not bad in all and worth a go - http://tiny.cc/9k9k2y - [ 7 ] |
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20.
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Hante. - Fierce
[Darkwave / Synthwave / Synthpop - France - Metropolis Records] - A record that could only be described as "haunting." Featuring various guest vocalists, this combines the dreary downtrodden emotions of darkwave with hints of the dark futuristic sounds of synthwave whilst thankfully avoiding its overdone foibles. Mournful melodies echo the depressive familiarity of old Depeche Mode built inside of a far more subtle and gentle shell, with every singer giving perfectly moody performances - http://tiny.cc/cvrn2y - [ 8 ] |
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21.
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Cénotaphe - Empyrée
[Black Metal - France - Nuclear War Now! Productions] - For a record label that tends to pedal primitive filth, Cénotaphe feel like a bit of an aberration for them. They exude a distintly warm and inviting tone, sometimes even traces of pagan melodies can be heard, and although the vocals are typically tortured they sit in an entirely different way as a result. As a long, 33 minute EP, I wasn't sure I'd like it all that much from the one song I heard but on hearing the whole affair I find it very well done - http://tiny.cc/to4n2y - [ 7 ] |
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22.
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Retina - Entropy
[Progressive / Post-Metal / Experimental Metalcore - Russia - Indepedent] - Russia is a hotbed of sleeper hits, if not so much outright killer ones very often. Retina however already seem to be absolute masters of the sound they've cultivated. Absolutely exquisite experimental post-something the likes I've not heard before. Somewhat abstract, with a focus on instrumental textures, it becomes a shapeless form of percussion and sound, whilst still just about holding on to that metalcore vibe - http://tiny.cc/9kgr2y - [ 8.5 ] |
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23.
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Five The Hierophant - Magnetic Sleep Tapes - Vol I
[Dark Jazz / Ambient - United Kingdom - Astral Noize Records] - UK-based jazz-doom band Five the Hierophant temporarily abandon their avant-garde metallic side on this lengthy EP to explore dark ambient-based jazz experimentations. It's naturally a very weird and unsettling foray into eerie sounds and textures, and one that seems perfectly suited to their overall aesthetic, comprised of 3 tracks, all with different approaches to minimalism and subtle skin crawling tendencies - http://tiny.cc/0lhr2y - [ 7 ] |
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24.
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Ossuarium - Living Tomb
[Death Metal - USA - 20 Buck Spin] - The world of metal continues year after year scraping as much as it can from the old school death barrel. Ossuarium are the new boys on the block doing it old. At this point OSDM's quality is more or less gauged by how close they get to a specific sound and Ossuarium come pretty close to the ideals perfected years ago. Aside from an occasional clean lull they stick hard and fast to gritty, doomy death in a way that's designed purely to please purists - http://tiny.cc/wzrx2y - [ 7.5 ] |
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25.
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Fange - Punir
[Sludge / Hardcore / Death - France - Throatruiner Records] - Fange found a pretty solid balance between an almost industrialised, angular form of sludge, superficial death metal aesthetics and scorched Earth metallic hardcore grittiness. They litter Punir with artificial feedback and effects to the point where this feels more like an aggrotech record at times, and sometimes lose their way as a result, but they still push on with heavy hitting sludge death. Just not as often as they should - http://tiny.cc/v6rx2y - [ 7.5 ] |
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26.
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Meszaroth - Caro Data Vermibus
[Black Metal - Spain - Independent] - Slowspell Omega, to a degree. There's lots of post-second wave convention in Meszaroth, but they slow things down a little to a mostly mid-pace and focus on creating more of an atmosphere rather than blitzing the listener with dissonance. The vocalist deserves a lot of credit here for the creation of that atmosphere; he's highly varied and talented, emulating a good Attila impression, more classic mid-rasps and some good clean / spoken performances - http://tiny.cc/f2sx2y - [ 7.5 ] |
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27.
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Yerû?elem - The Sublime
[Industrial - France - Debemur Morti] - That guy from Blut Aus Nord released an album that's not Blut Aus Nord. As I kind of expected from the songs that have been trickled out, this turned out to be an album I appreciate rather than fully enjoy. It's an interesting album full of experimental Godflesh-ian, electronic delights, filled with BaN's idiosyncratic weirdness, but like many BaN albums the ultra sterile production stands as a barrier between me and fully absorbing this as an experience - http://tiny.cc/ky041y - [ 7 ] |
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28.
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Pensées Nocturnes - Grand Guignol Orchestra
[Avant-Garde Black Metal - France - Independent] - Here's a bit of controversy for you: this album is better than Sigh's last record. It's more consistent, has better sound and ramps up the fun-factor more than it does. It's still very silly music that takes circus metal to a literal extreme, but you can't knock them for going all out with the wacky. I do find an album's worth a bit taxing at points, as it's music that just won't sit still, but I applaud the devotion to their art. It's-a-good-show - http://tiny.cc/oco02y - [ 7 ] |
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29.
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Jorge Elbrecht - Coral Cross - 002
[Experimental Black Metal - USA - Independent] - I don't know who Jorge Elbrecht is, but he seems quite good at what he does. This record also features the drummer from Krallice (putting him to good work then for a change). This is an absolute tapestry of sounds that all eventually link back up to black metal, and do so in a way that is inventive and enjoyable. Drenched in ambient synth and bombarded with off-kilter musicianship, this feels like a new standard in unique black metal - http://tiny.cc/sif42y - [ 8 ] |
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30.
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Blue Hummingbird On The Left - Atl Tlachinolli
[BTC Black Metal - USA - Nuclear War Now] - Somewhat disappointing, but inclusion worthy. What makes the Black Twilight Circle so good is their adherence to freeform, psychedelic, even improv-like approach to style and sound. Atl Tlachinolli on the other hand feels a little different from the usual output from the scene. It's better produced, far more direct and punchy, but as a result lacking in any kind of real psychedelic magic, and more than a little dry. Hopefully it's not a sign of the future of the BTC - http://tiny.cc/ai041y - [ 6 ] |
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31.
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Sordide - Hier Déjà Mort
[Black Metal - Norway - Throatruiner Records] - Sordide are definitely a Throatruiner black metal band. The post-hardcore influences can be felt throughout, most notably in the vocals. In a way it reminds me of a more chaotic and challenging Castevet, as it imparts proggy and avant-garde structures and methods of playing while never abandoning a very singular aesthetic. Hard hitting, winding and earthy, and mads props to the highly audible bass throughout. More bands need to do that - http://tiny.cc/p84n2y - [ 8.5 ] |
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32.
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A Million Dead Birds Laughing - To The Ether
[Tech-Death - Australia - Independent] - I'm not sure I find A Million Dead Birds Laughing quite as fun as I did many years ago, but their weird brand of sort-of tech-death still ranks higher than the majority of the players. This one is heavily mixed up with cosmic ambience (perhaps too much toward the end) which is an interesting, and welcome, addition to such a sterile genre. Even when deathing it up though they're far from clinical, and host a variety of interesting songwriting practices - http://tiny.cc/d6m42y - [ 7 ] |
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33.
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Kaleikr - Heart Of Lead
[Prog Black / Death - Iceland - Debemur Morti] - A highly anticipated, Icelandic band that bucks the typical trend from that scene. Progtastic blackened death metal that has the odd Opeth vibe, super songwriting and is another band that likes to show off the bass. Interestingly, I'm not sure any of the other tracks quite live up to the debut track, but at the same time they're all great. The best thing is this has the potential to grow given its proggy nature so I suspect this will be an end of year favourite - http://tiny.cc/fiv42y - [ 8 ] |
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34.
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Funereal Presence - Achatius
[Black Metal / Heavy Metal - USA - The Ajna Offensive] - Project of a Negative Plane member so instant pedigree and influence here. Achatius sounds like it went back in time and made sure black metal came right out of the heavy metal genre. Perfect retro production that remains beefy and sick, angry vocals, this is a swirling miasma of primitive black metal wrapped up in shameless, almost freeform heavy metal masturbation. Hugely fun, and packed into 4 very lengthy songs - http://tiny.cc/s8b52y - [ 8.5 ] |
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35.
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Oldd Wvrms - Codex Tenebris
[Avant-Garde Doom - Belgium - Cursed Monk Records] - This band has a sick sound. My guess is some kind of Tool-ish doom, but mired in dark effects, clean guitar and heavily bassy, possibly even slightly avant-garde. Because it's fully instrumental too it adds to the sense of bleak emptiness that permeates it. Given their choice of sound I almost expect Czral-like vocals to kick in at times. I can't see many people finding this too enticing, but for me this is how doom should sound - http://tiny.cc/sej62y - [ 8 ] |
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36.
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Cosey Fanni Tutti - Tutti
[Post-Industrial - England- Conspiracy International] - The arguable joint originator of the industrial genre, legend Cosey Fanni Tutti, continues to forge ahead outside of Throbbing Gristle (has it really been 10 years since their last album?) with her own work. Subdued, alien post-industrial rumblings, the minimalist, often beat driven approach here is far more approachable than anything Throbbing Gristle has put out, but still fascinating and atmospheric music in its own right - http://tiny.cc/h6j62y - [ 7.5 ] |
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37.
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Morphinist - Thousand Souls Unleashed
[Black Metal - Germany - Independent] - I don't know what it is about Morphinist. They're a total sleeper band, and everything they do seems to be good, be it doom, black metal or whatever. Heroes. Thousand Souls Unleashed is a fairly back to basics black metal record with production that you would expect. Where it excels though is those totally on point melodies. One of those albums that would be a cheese-fest if someone else did it, but with Morphinist you can stay trve kvlt - http://tiny.cc/ax192y - [ 7.5 ] |
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38.
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Primitive Man - Primitive Man / Hell (USA) [Split]
[Ultra Sludge - USA - Translation Loss Records] - Well, Primitive Man have more or less moved the goal post in what could be considered heaviness and intensity. It's pretty mind boggling how bludgeoning this is, almost bordering on noise even though that's just a logical result of the distortion. Sadly listening to Hell's track right after it is a bit of an anticlimax. The vocals are good and the quieter lull is pretty decent, but it's a bit like when the drugs wear off and you come out of your stupor - http://tiny.cc/km4e3y - [ 7.5 ] |
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39.
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Body Void - You Will Know The Fear You Forced Upon Us
[Sludge - USA - Crown and Throne Ltd.] - Yet another super-heavy sludge record slithers out this week (for preview listening anyway). Body Void carry on the Burning Witch-emulation of ultra slow, ultra heavy sludge, with typically tortured vocals. Their sound is fine, but for a band as heavy as they are they need to dip themselves in the murk a bit more as they somehow come out sounding too clean and a little one dimensional. Get dirty and nasty, it's why sludge exists - http://tiny.cc/rvxg3y - [ 7 ] |
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40.
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Drastus - La Croix De Sang
[Black Metal - France - Norma Evangelium Diaboli] - I don't think Drastus are doing anything especially original here, but they more than make up for that with their convinction. Pretty much a perfect fit for NoEvDia, they exemplify modern, hyper aggressive black metal that doesn't forgo the atmosphere. Production has a pleasing edge to it whilst having more than enough clarity to showcase their showmanship. The songwriting is consistent, rarely slows down but displays enough variety to stand out - http://tiny.cc/y8rj3y - [ 7.5 ] |
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41.
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Mastiff - Plague
[Hardcore / Sludge - United Kingdom - ATF Records] - Mastiff have really gone all out in delivering a truly nasty piece of music. While I guess musically it's a dirty as fuck mixture of hardcore and sludge, the ostensibly downtuned vocals give this a slightly slammy / brutal death vibe. I can see that putting some people off, but for me it works like a charm and adds to the vileness. Some of the more rhythmic moments are truly pit-inducing and satisying. Hope to see these guys live at some point - http://tiny.cc/uosj3y - [ 8 ] |
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42.
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Crabskull - Tarantula Frequency
[Instrumental Hip-Hop / Ambient - Canada - Independent] - Crabskull are good before you even listen to them, because of their Carcass-appropriated logo, but musically they kick ass too. Hip Hop beats overlay an amalgam of deep, B-movie-esque horror, ambient instrumentation and samples (someone list me all the samples, please). I'm used to having to turn my speakers up for black metal, but never for Hip Hop. It's pretty lo-fi, and perfectly so. Great atmosphere to fall into - http://tiny.cc/letj3y - [ 8 ] |
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43.
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Ni - Pantophobie
[Avant-Garde Metal - France - Dur et Doux] - Ni, probably not the knights who say that, are French, and very avant-garde. Fortunately it's the fun kind of avant-garde. Maybe a tad Patton-ish at times. Big, bassy, swooping metallic riffs that bounce like a beach ball, supplemented by frequent off-kilter moments of esoteric weirdness, and often bolstered by spurts of twisted aggression like a punch in dream. There's a lot to sink your teeth into with this record, but I found it engaging and intriguing - http://tiny.cc/0kwm3y - [ 8 ] |
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44.
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Ataraxie - Résignés
[Death Doom / Death Metal - France - Deadlight Records] - Ataraxie get it right. So right in fact it could become one of those albums you only need one of for the year. Funeral-doom length songs vary up lashings of the most ardent of old school death metal with highly atmospheric death doom that forever remains firmly in the gritty, evil camp, rarely giving any credence to the watered down niceties of its lamer contemporaries. Production-wise it simply shows how this kind of music should be done - http://tiny.cc/zjns3y - [ 8.5 ] |
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45.
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Vous Autres - Champ Du Sang
[Black / Sludge / Post - France - Sludgelord Records - March 1] - Vous Autres have found a great realm between swirling, atmospheric sludge and black metal, teetering on the brink between dreamy and harsh. Production-wise it dials back the potential heaviness in order to foreground much of its eerie, post-laden instrumentation, but thankfully doesn't neglect it altogether and the doomy riffs and distant tortured vocals sit perfectly in balance. France is doing well lately - http://tiny.cc/uym02y - [ 8 ] |
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46.
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Ringarë - Under Pale Moon
[Synth Black Metal - USA - Iron Bonehead Productions] - Ringarë (or Ringar as they were known) was the band that would become Chaos Moon, but now it's not. In The Nightside Eclipse for a more civilised age? It's very synthy, and has a definite throwback to early 90s bands, but the songwriting is certainly more gentle. It's quite good and chill, but the synths are laid on a bit thick and need more aggression in the songs to balance it out. Not as good as the last Chaos Moon, but good anyway - http://tiny.cc/35os3y - [ 7 ] |
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47.
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Ruins Of The Past - Alchemy of Sorrow - Gold
[Melodic Death Doom - Germany - Independent] - What if a melodic death doom band had really good songwriting? Ruins Of The Past aren't far from that ideal. Their approach is almost proggy in nature, with interesting changes and directions, whilst -just about- hanging on to that genre feel. For me the letdown is in the vocals. They're purely functional, to give this album a distinct feel for its genre, but they're exceptionally dry in their delivery and feel almost pre-production-like - http://tiny.cc/zgps3y - [ 7 ] |
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48.
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Suffering Hour - Dwell
[Black / Death Metal - USA - Blood Harvest] - http://tiny.cc/hj4t4y - [ 8.5 ] |
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49.
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50.
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/---------------------------------\\ ??? Worth Getting Excited For ??? //---------------------------------\ |
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51.
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52.
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Chimp Spanner - Title TBC
[Ambidjent - UK - TBC] - I dearly love Chimp Spanner, and even though this album was meant to be out years ago I'm holding on to hope it'll see a release this year, as Ortiz has reworked this demo track - http://tiny.cc/ha041y |
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53.
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Varego - I, Prophetic
[Psych-Sludge - Italy - Argonauta Records - February 15] - I was pretty dead set on them after this one song. Very catchy, anthemic writing, vocals that do it for me and nice trudging sense of psychedelia - http://tiny.cc/ke041y |
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54.
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0N0 - Cloaked Climax Concealed
[Jesu Funeral Doom - Slovakia - Transcending Obscurity - March 3] - Super dense, kind of uncomfortable atmospheric funeral doom with elements of Jesu and the like. Pretty original - http://tiny.cc/to041y |
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55.
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Khaotic - The Antithesis
[Black Metal - Brazil - TBA] - One-woman black metal band whose previous recordings gave me some Blut Aus Nord-ian vibes with the epic melodies. Hopefully this will follow suit - http://tiny.cc/vq041y |
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56.
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Feral Light - Fear Rides A Shadow
[Black Metal - USA - Init Records - February] - Excellent sounding rough 'n' tumble black metal out this year from Feral Light. Great sound and nice bouncy, interesting riff style. Can't say much more than that - http://tiny.cc/wt041y |
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57.
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Jubal - Through Flesh and Bone
[Black Metal / Old School Melodeath - Netherlands - Clandestine Faith - 2019] - I dunno, I just like the sound of this. It's black metal, but it's also kinda Terminal Spirit Disease with its subdued melodies, which is nice - http://tiny.cc/l2j51y |
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58.
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Tunic - Complexion
[Noise-Punk / Rock - Canada - Self Sabotage Records - February 8] - Sort of blurring the lines between hardcore and noise-rock, Tunic have a nice sound. Gritty, sort of psychedelic and very DIY - http://tiny.cc/0k541y |
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59.
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Vukari - TBA
[Black Metal - USA - Bindrune Recordings - TBA] - New demo track showcases a much less post-black affair than the previous outing, foregrounding a more direct and aggressive sound whilst keeping the sweeping melodies - http://tiny.cc/1xh61y |
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60.
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Y I Y - Dkvdnt
[Instrumental Prog Black - France - Egregor Records - February 15] - New project of one of the Dysylumn band members. Instrumental, pretty technical prog black. Should be good given Dysylumn's inimitable quality - http://tiny.cc/sys81y |
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61.
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Devil Master - Satan Spits On Children Of Light
[Punky Black Metal - USA - Relapse - March 1] - Riotously fun old-school punk / heavy laden black metal. Digging that beefy but slightly wobbly production and guitar tone as well - http://tiny.cc/0zpa2y |
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62.
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Deaf Center - Low Distance
Modern Classical / Ambient - Norway - Sonic Pieces - March] - Owl Splinters is easily one of my most played records of all time so Deaf Center announcing a new album is also going to excite the fuck out of me - http://tiny.cc/jjec2y |
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63.
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Akrotheism - Law Of Seven Deaths
[Black Metal - Greece - Osmose Productions - March 29] - It's another big, murky and dissonant sounding black metal release. Does sounds pretty good though and could have the chops to stand out against others - http://tiny.cc/e5mg2y |
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64.
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Makthaverskan - Demands/Onkel
[Post-Punk - Sweden - Run For Cover Records - January 25] - Angelic, poppy post-punk with delightful, almost child-like vocals. This should be a nice panacea to all the swirling grimness of 2019, musically and otherwise - http://tiny.cc/gt4n2y |
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65.
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Triumvir Foul - Urine Of Abomination
[Death Metal - USA - Vrasubatlat - March 29] - Ash Borer members continue their foray into uncharacteristically sickened death metal, this time with extra piss-themes! This sounds like they haven't lost their touch - http://tiny.cc/xx4n2y |
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66.
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Neoandertals - Neanderthal Parallax
[Avant-Garde Death - Estonia - Indepedent - April 13] - They're back! Crazy weird neanderthal death metal. The available song sounds a bit more grounded than their usual stuff but I suspect the rest of the album will dial it up - http://tiny.cc/734n2y |
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67.
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Phobonoid - La Caduta Di Phobos
[Industrial Black Metal - Italy - Avant-Garde Music - February 28] - Nice to see them back. While their full length didn't quite hit the peak of their debut EP I'm still looking forward to seeing how their sophomore album shapes up - http://tiny.cc/zsjr2y |
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68.
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Crowhurst - III
[Avant-Black Metal - USA - Prophecy Productions - April 5] - One of the best preview songs I've heard this year, this album is going to be immense and probably a killer hit in weird black metal. April now feels so very far away - http://tiny.cc/lsm02y |
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69.
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The Haunting Green - Natural Extinctions
[Post-Metal - Italy - Hypnotic Dirge Records - March 5] - Post-metal isn't the most exciting genre but something about their first track has enamoured me. Just seems to do a lot of things spot on - http://tiny.cc/fvm02y |
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70.
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Ceremony Of Silence - Oútis
[Black / Death Metal - Slovakia - Willowtip Records - April 5] - Dynamic black / death metal that feels a little like one of those post-death bands but keeps it slightly in the proggy / tech realm despite sounding organic - http://tiny.cc/40m02y |
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71.
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Sunn O))) - Life Metal
[Drone Doom - USA - Southern Lord - April] - We're getting a bunch of Sunn O))) albums this year. After a few misfires I'm hoping they can get back on form. The stripped back nature of Life Metal sounds good so far - http://tiny.cc/sgn02y |
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72.
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Piotr Kurek - Polygome
[Avant-Garde / Progressive Electronic - Poland - Hands In The Dark - March 29] - From the two songs available I already love it. Abstract, retro-futuristic electronic music that contorts inside my belly - http://tiny.cc/fvn02y |
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73.
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Triste Terre - Grand Oeuvre
[Black / Doom Metal - France - Les Acteurs de l'ombre Productions - March 15] - Pretty huge, epic black / doom thing that appears to have that sound that make people go bananas. This should be good - http://tiny.cc/yr402y |
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74.
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Deafkids - Metaprogramação
[Psychedelic D-Beat - Brazil - Neurot Recordings - March 15] - These guys have a fucking sick sound. Almost tribal, definitely psychedelic d-beat-esque music that has me very excited for the full thing - http://tiny.cc/mof42y |
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75.
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Laster - Het Wassen Oog
[Black Metal - Netherlands - Prophecy Productions - April 5] - So called "Obscure Dance Music" trio are back already with super bassy, moderately avant-garde black metal that fills a distinct niche. Should be good - http://tiny.cc/9fb52y |
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76.
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Inter Arma - Sulphur English
[Post-Sludge / Death - USA - Relapse - April 12] - Never really checked out Inter Arma before, but this sounds like Gojira gone massive deathy, post / sludge doom. Great sound, super percussive and all out great - http://tiny.cc/unt82y |
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77.
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Venom Prison - Samsara
[Death Metal / Hardcore - Wales - Prosthetic Records - March 15] - New Venom Prison track is predictably vicious. Sick, female fronted hardcore driven death metal. Her vocals sound much better than I remember - http://tiny.cc/j2192y |
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78.
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Waste Of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis
[Psychedelic Metal - Finland - Svart Records - April 5] - An unholy union between the lauded Oranssi Pazuzu and Dark Buddha Rising, this song has all the hallmarks of a worthy collaboration - http://tiny.cc/x7qj3y |
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79.
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Abyssal Vacuum - MMXVIII
[Psych Black Death - France - Solar Asceticists Productions - April 10] - Abyssal Vacuum's EP last year was an absolute highlight, so pretty happy we're getting a second part in a few months time - http://tiny.cc/9m5k3y |
Hope you make it to Brutal Assault and more.
I actually haven't used Instagram in a long time and didn't get round to following many people. I think it's mostly tattoo artists I follow on there atm...
