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Guitarman's Monthly Music Thread

Should I make this a monthly thing, where I discuss relevant releases at the end of each month?

  • Yes

    Votes: 8 72.7%

  • No

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • Total voters
    11
October 2023​
The year is almost over but the music isn't.

  • Gravesend- Gowanus Death Stomp (USA) Death/grind- Gravesend's second record is extremely familiar. The guitar/bass tone is near identical to the first record and a lot of the song structures feel familiar. The only major changes that I noticed were that the vocals were mixed differently and there are less of those ambient interludes then their debut, which I prefer. I'm a listener that doesn't want the break that they provide, hit me with the brutality. I really enjoyed the record, Gravesend comes across as a particularly angry band with very little frills or flaws to their formula. Just straight, riff based brutality.

  • Dead Serenity- When Worlds Turn to Grey (Finland) Melodic death/gothic- A surprisingly good record here, I stumbled across these guys on Spotify about a week before this released. Imagine Ascendancy era Trivium mixed with Icon era Paradise Lost, even some Silverstein-y post hardcore vibes at times. These guys do lean a little more on the gothic side then the melodeath side (hell, I'm even tempted to call it metalcore) but it's a nice mix. The growls are stronger then the clean vocals but aren't used as much. This is their first record, it's a solid start and I'm sure they will refine themselves with time.

  • Year of the Knife- No Love Lost (USA) Metallic hardcore- I didn't expect a record from this crew after the horrible accident which left their vocalist, Madi in terrible condition. She's doing better now and all proceeds from the record go towards her recovery. Regardless, it seems like YOTK recorded this before the accident. This is their heaviest record by far and I can't get over how much I love Madi's vocals. A lot of ferocity packed into 20 minutes with some absolutely brutal slam parts/breakdowns. The guests spots from Devin Swank (Sanguisugabogg) and Dylan Walker (Full of Hell) are perfect too. Wishing for the best for these guys.

  • Worm- Starpath (USA) Symphonic black metal/"Floridian Funeral Doom"- This is technically a split with Dream Unending but I honestly skipped their two songs. Worm's portion of the split is excellent once again. The first song is in the symphonic black metal based style they've been exploring since Bluenothing but the last two songs were particularly doomy. There were more black metal parts then what was showcased on their first two records, sure, but I didn't expect them to go back to this doomy style so soon? I wonder if these songs are just abnormalities, leftover from the past, or if Worm is going to continue to play more doom based music. Either way, I love it. They're my favorite modern extreme metal band. Just listen to it.

  • Vertebra Atlantis- A Dialogue With the Eeriest Sublime (Italy) Blackened death/atmospheric black metal- This is the first I've ever heard of this band and I absolutely loved it. Very discordant black metal with strong, furious death metal vibes. The record feels very... Spacious, huge, and gives me a lot of cold vibes (the artwork doesn't hurt this either). Some surprisingly intricate guitarwork here as well. This is one of those records that I actually sat and actively listened to, I feel like listening to this in passing doesn't do it justice. It's a fun trip.
See ya next month, nerds.
 
November 2023​
Music time!

  • Begotten- To The Dreary End (Canada) Depressive/atmospheric black metal- I somehow didn't realize that we had a new Begotten record coming down the pipe and was thrilled to see it in my feed. Begotten is one of, if not my favorite depressive BM projects and this record hits. It feels very familiar within the Begotten style, driving rhythm section, beautiful melodies and fantastic, tortured vocals. A bit faster with more intricate songs and chord changes then your standard depressive band, par for the course with Begotten. I've been liking this for my autumn, cold weather walks.

  • Dying Wish- Symptoms of Survival (USA) Metalcore- I know, I know, a metalcore record. I strongly dislike most of it but this unit is solid. I caught onto them sometime before their first record when they were still just releasing singles. I liked this record more then I thought I would, it's even a potential top ten for me. Very Howard Jones era Killswitch Engage-y metalcore with melodeath inspired riffs, leaning heavier on screams and growls then cleans. I like the vocals in particular here, even on your more ballad like songs. Just a very listenable, engaging record.

  • Faidra- Militant : Penitent : Triumphant (Sweden) Atmospheric black metal- Remember how I mentioned Begotten as one of my favorite depressive bands? Despite having only one real release before this record, Faidra has been an absolute go to for me in the atmospheric BM world. I'm loving this new record. I found the mix a little weird in my first listen but have come to appreciate it. I really like how the vocals sit in particular, sounding like they're reaching out of the void (and definitely have some kind of distortion on them). It's an addictive record with some masterfully written songs and I found myself especially attracted to the melodic lead work.

  • Swamphead- Pine Box Blues (USA) Sludge metal- I didn't expect these guys to be from Massachusetts because this music sounds like it's straight out of the south. A lot of these new sludge bands go for this almost robotic, heartless, sheer brutality over groove I've found, and Swamphead does the exact opposite. This music swings, you want to bob your head along with the riffs. The vocals are in more of that higher, throat-tearing register then I'd expected but they fit the music well. If you're into bands like Buzzoven, Black Market Ministry, Sofa King Killer, Corrosion of Conformity, Eyehategod... You're gonna like this.

  • Cruciamentum- Obsidian Refractions (UK) Death metal- This is another one of those so called "cavernous" death metal records that owes a lot to the stylings of Incantation. Sure, you have your doomier parts, that's standard for this kind of death metal. But I found it to have some more pace behind it then say a Dead Congregation or a Father Befouled record, bands who play a similar style of death metal. Cruciamentum took a pretty long break between their previous record and this one, and it was worth the wait. A fun listen here.

  • Underdark- Managed Decline (UK) Post black metal- I discovered this band maybe three days ago and literally listened to this record for the first time today. I'm in love. I'll be honest, I'm not sure what makes this post-black? It sounds like more atmospheric BM with a particularly crusty, deathy turn. Varying tempos, love the big chords getting used in the guitar work. Gnarly sewer vocals that my regular readers know I love. I need to dive back into their discography, I've been really vibing with this record.
Shout outs to Racetraitor, Tol Morwen, Suffocation, and Dozethrone for putting out solid releases this month as well. Next time you hear from me, it'll be the best of 2023.
 
The best releases of 2023​
My friends, that time of the year is upon us. 2023 was genuinely a fantastic year and it took me a pretty long time to narrow it down to just ten. The initial list was 36 releases long, which was cut down to 16 with relative ease. Forming a top ten was easy, ordering them was harder. My top two are near inseparable and this choice took me the longest to make. Enough rambling, let's do the thing.
10. Church of Misery- Born Under a Mad Sign (Japan) Doom metal
​
And we kick off our list with one of my favorite doom bands. This is one of my favorite records from them, along their debut and the Early Works Compilation. Tatsu proves once again that he writes a damn good song and is a hell of a bass player. His selection of cohorts for this record was top tier, especially the session work of the masterful Yukito Okazaki (of Eternal Elysium fame). Just a good record about serial killers and mass murderers.

Favorite song: Most Evil (Fritz Harmann)
9. Majesties- Vast Reaches Unclaimed (US) Melodic death metal
​
What a debut. I hadn't heard of this group until the record dropped but knew this would be fantastic, three of the members are in Obsequiae. This record is just plain fun, straight up 90's melodeath worship. I'll go out on a limb and make a bold statement here: this is the best pure melodeath record/band since prime Black Dahlia Murder. Very excited to hear more in the future.

Favorite song: Sidereal Spire
8. Incantation- Unholy Deification (US) Death metal
​
I love Incantation with all of my dark little heart. This record is a true return to form. As much as I like Sect of Vile Divinities it always felt like something was lacking and I never loved the production. This record just sounds good. The mix is fantastic, the guitar tone is dialed in perfectly and I find this to be John McEntee's best vocal performance yet. This is my favorite of the modern Incantation records and I'd rank it up there with classics like Diabolical Conquest and Mortal Throne of Nazarene.
Favorite song: Homunculus (Spirit Made Flesh) IX
7. Flower Language- Thrown Into Air (US) Shoegaze/alternative rock
​
And now for a complete change of pace, we have Flower Language's debut full length. They've got that modern, American, heavier shoegaze/Deftones metal thing down with some noticeable post hardcore/emo leanings. I found the record late, a couple months after it came out but really bonded with it. The whole shoegaze/heavy alt. scene is one I'm still getting into but I can tell these guys are going to be a favorite of mine for a long time.

Favorite song: Consume Your Vision
6. Chrome Waves- The Earth Will Shed Its Skin (US) Atmospheric black metal/blackgaze
​
In an odd way Chrome Waves are actually responsible for my entry into the whole shoegaze/blackgaze thing, being the first band I actually liked that incorporated those elements. TEWSIS is a record I liked right from the start and it grew on me over the year, especially as it began to get cold again. I love, love, love the vocals here, as usual with Chrome Waves. Interesting songs with fun twists and turns, some fantastic climaxes. Easily one of my favorite black metal influenced units.

Favorite song: Under the Weight of a Billion Souls
5. Sanguisugabogg- Homicidal Ecstasy (US) Death metal
​
As the months have went on and I've listened to it more, I've truly realized just how much the Boggy boys grew as a band between their first two records. I like Tortured Whole, don't get me wrong. But Homicidal Ecstasy feels... Different. Like a real, complete record from a real, serious band. The whole Cam Boggs era, looking back, just feels like a memeish haze filled with dick jokes and brutal downtuned riffs. They've gotten so much better after Cam left, I'm sorry to say.

Favorite song: Mortal Admonishment
4. Dying Wish- Symptoms of Survival (US) Metalcore
​
Look at that, another genre that I don't really like! Dying Wish reminds me of what I always wanted metalcore to be as a kid. I find them to be stylistically to Killswitch Engage, especially the Howard era but just... Better. The unclean vocals are stronger then Howard's and the cleans are just as good for me. Melodeath influenced riffing, and my favorite song is actually the slower paced/ballad of the record! Just good, catchy songwriting from solid musicians. These guys will go far.

Favorite song: Paved in Sorrow

3. Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit (Canada) Progressive death metal
​
I feel like a moron for not realizing that Tomb Mold would go in this direction for their latest record. They had their Finnish death record, their doomy, Incantation style record, but their love for more technical, proggy death had never exactly been hidden. I firmly believe that this is a modern classic of the genre. A record that we'll look back on in 20, 30 years the way we look back at classic Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation records. Legit musical virtuosity paired with actual memorable songs and standout riffs? It's to die for.

Favorite song: Will of Whispers
2. None- Inevitable (US) Depressive/atmospheric black metal
​
None's records are just wild to me. A lot of depressive BM bands talk the talk but few walk the walk. You can feel the pain and desperation in their music and Inevitable is a new peak for a band that's already hit some ridiculously high marks. It was really, really hard for me to not make this number one. It's just so visceral. I can't go numb to it, even after repeated listens. It makes me feel something, which is exactly what good depressive BM does.

Favorite song: A Reason to Be
Honorable Mentions​


Underdark- Managed Decline (UK) Post black metal/crust
cursetheknife- There's a Place I Can Rest (US) Shoegaze/alternative rock
Wilt- Huginn (Canada) Atmospheric black metal
Bongzilla- Dab City (US) Stoner metal
Dying Fetus- Make Them Beg for Death (US) Technical/brutal death metal
1. An Autumn for Crippled Children- Closure (Netherlands) Blackgaze/atmospheric black metal
​
And here we are with my personal favorite release of the year. Simply put, it's perfect to my ear. This record is what I hear in my head when someone mentions blackgaze. I like how these guys lean pretty heavy into the black metal side of it. I'm never hungering for more screams, for more of that familiar trem picked BM style riffing. Much like the None record above, it actually makes me feel something, which are some weirdly good vibes from this record. A bit of nostalgia, but like we're closing up the past instead of looking back into it. Closure... I get it.

Favorite song: This Feels Like Dying
There it is! For the first time in my three years of doing this, Worm doesn't get the top spot (but they also didn't put a record out, heeey). Once again, I must thank everyone for reading through my stupid little album reviews and silly rankings. This is just a weird little passion project of mine. I know I don't always write the best little blurbs or give the most technical reviews of things but hey, I enjoy doing this and showing all of you some of my favorite bands, both well known and (mostly) lesser known. I really, really enjoy getting to do this monthly. This is also the first year I've ever received legit feedback from a reader and I have to say, it was really cool to hear from someone who appreciates what I post. So thank you all for reading.

Just like last year, no post for December records. Not much is coming out by the end of the month and I wouldn't have enough time to really rank anything anyway. Would like to shout out Japanese stoner/doom crew Hebi Katana who dropped a solid record today, III. I shall return sometime before the end of January with some kind of post just to tide myself over, keep the thread active.

I will add this at the end, though. If anyone has any questions about... Anything related to the thread, even tangentially? Shoot me a PM. Could be fun to answer any potential questions in our next, between reviews post.
 
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Obviously I'll be putting out my regular post at the end of the month, just wanted to keep things active over here, share a few of the things/bands I'm currently jamming. Less of a formal post.

  • Balmora- With Thorns of Glass and Petals of Grief (US) Metalcore- This is a throwback to real metalcore. Big Prayer for Cleansing/Undying vibes from these guys. Melodic, a touch of black metal, chunky breakdowns, solid unclean vocals. Makes me happy, makes me want to dive back in to some records and bands I haven't listened to in years.

  • Witch- Witch (US) Stoner/doom metal- I seriously envy this guitar tone (I think it's just a Big Muff stacked with some kind of gainy overdrive though). Some of the songs meander on a little too long but overall a very good, catchy stoner record. And J. Mascis is a solid drummer!

  • Dead and Dripping- Blackened Cerebral Rifts (US) Technical/brutal death metal- This is a straight up weird record. A lot of people won't like this one. First of all, it's pretty long for this style of music at 45 minutes. It's very discordant with a lot of moving parts. Tin can snare. Stupid low vocals. Drenched in reverb (some modulation too, I think chorus is on the guitar), it reminds me of wackier technical bands like Demilich and Cryptopsy the most, without really sounding like either of them. And I love the purple artwork.

  • Soundgarden- Badmotorfinger (USA) Grunge/alternative metal- I always thought Superunknown was my favorite record from these guys but I don't know man, this one's been on repeat for a few weeks now. That opening run of the first few songs is bananas. No one talks about how fucking heavy Soundgarden is. They could've been a stoner/doom band if they wanted. Thayil's guitar playing is just... Stupid. So good. Check out this record if you haven't. And the song Fourth of July from Superunknown.

  • Blush- Supercrush (Singapore) Shoegaze/indie rock- I found out about this project after my boy Nick Wong (not that I know him, just like the projects he's in) from the Caulfield Cult, Blood Pact, and Marijanah started drumming for them. Very emotional record. Not every song is as 'heavy' as I like them to be usually, but the whole thing flows really well. They use the quiet/loud dynamic really well too.

  • Narrow Head- Satisfaction (US) Shoegaze/alternative metal- I know it's not a genre but I tend to call this kind of music "Deftones metal". That's not a rip on them at all, Deftones are my favorite band of all time. It kind of does NH a disservice too because they're not mindless Deftones clones. But I'm not sure this exists without songs like Be Quiet and Drive, you know? Love, love, love the big thick guitars and the modulated leads that come in from time to time. One of my most listened to records of the last few months. Near perfect.

  • Heavytrip- Death Dreams (US) Shoegaze/alternative- Another moody bunch of songs here. More morose then Narrow Head. The intro for the opening track hits me in all the right places. Melancholic clean guitar, almost sounds the the intro to a DSBM song.

And that's a little snippet of what I've been listening to lately. See, it's not all death and doom metal for me!
 
January 2024​
I forgot to do this on Friday. Sorry not sorry. I'm a busy guy. We'll have a couple new records and another brief 'what I've been listening to' section.

New
​
  • Resin Tomb- Cerebral Purgatory (Australia) Death metal- This is absolutely wild, discordant, chaotic death metal here with some influences from the noisier, more brutal side of sludge. Dissonant guitars dominate the landscape, held down by an absolutely massive, churning, ever-present wall of bass. This record is super oppressive, suffocating, uncomfortable even. You're plunged directly into a hostile environment with no reprieve until the record ends. It's exactly what I want out of this kind of record, just pure, unadulterated brutality with no forgiveness.​

  • Vitriol- Suffer & Become (US) (Technical) death metal- This record is controlled chaos right here. Kyle and the guys wear their influences on their sleeve here, I get a lot of Nile and Hate Eternal vibes from this record, which is a great thing. The musicality here is nuts, I want to take a moment to talk about Kyle's guitar playing though. Dude's a monster, we learned that on their first record. My guy elevated his playing even further on this record. Some of the solos on this record are absolutely bonkers, amongst the best new ones I've heard in years. Serious props to the Vitriol crew.

What I've been listening to
​
  • Ceremonium- Into the Autumn Shade (US) Death/doom metal- A forgotten gem of one of my favorite genres. Definitely in the vein of deathier My Dying Bride, Mourning Beloveth, even a bit of Mournful Congregation at times? Slow, trudging doomy sections with some blistering death moments. A big focus on melodic guitar lines which I am a complete sucker for. Wish these guys released more music then this, they clearly have some great ideas and execution.​

  • Melvins- Houdini (US) Grunge/sludge metal- I haven't listened to the Melvins in a long time and goddamn, I forgot about how much I liked them. There was a period in my life where Bullhead/Houdini were on constant rotation, guess I had to take a few years break to really appreciate them again. Houdini? It's a damn near perfect record. Buzz's guitar tone is beautiful. Some of the nastiest riffs that've ever been recorded. The Honey Bucket verse riff? Night Goat's main riff? All of Hag Me? Fuck.

  • Acid Bath- Paegan Terrorism Tactics (US) Sludge metal- I'll preface this with the fact that Acid Bath is one of my all time favorite bands. Top four or five easily. And they only have two records! Everyone talks about WTKSP, their first record, and for good reason. It's a legitimate classic. I feel like PTT is super underrated, unappreciated. It's still heavy but they play around with more of an alternative rock, grungy vibe where I feel like WTKSP leans heavier towards the extreme metal (death and doom mainly) vibe. This makes PTT feel a bit more moody, gothy then the straight up anger I get from WTKSP. Bleed Me an Ocean, Graveflower, Diab Soule, Venus Blue are all amongst my favorite Acid Bath songs.
Alright hooligans, see you next month. Hopefully with some more new releases.
 
February 2024​
Somewhat eclectic list, at least for my standards.

  • Hulder- Verses in Oath (Belgium/US) Atmospheric black metal- Maybe the best US based black metal act these days, at least in the top three. Verses owes a lot more to those original second wave of BM bands then Hulder's previous releases and has a really nice sound, definitely a bit more raw then I'd expect of a modern atmospheric black metal record. I love her vocals and I find the synth work here to be really compelling. It doesn't dominate the mix/song like it can in this genre, weaving in and out of the instrumentation pretty deftly. Sometimes its your standout instrument, most of the time it's just sitting beneath, creating a nice foundation to build off of. Hulder hasn't missed yet, I greatly enjoyed her latest record.

  • Dremm- S/T (US) Sludge metal, noise rock, alternative- This is a really hard record to classify for me. Dremm has always had a very sludgy element to them but usually weaves that with a pretty heavy shoegaze influence, but that is more or less dropped on this release. A lot more focus on the sludge, big heavy riffs with vocals that aren't quite screams, but not quite hardcore yells either? They make a lot of noise for a two member band. I think this pairs really well with a band like Whores, especially their earlier work.

  • Contaminated- Celebratory Beheading (Australia) Death metal- Contaminated took a seven year break between their first record, Final Man and this. The changes are apparent right off the bat. No more of the HM-2 chainsaw tone that dominated Final Man but a more standard death metal tone that hearkens back to a tighter Father Befouled or Mortiferum with a bit more high end. This is a pretty fast, unrelenting record with stupid low, sewer vocals. Not a ton of technical flashes, just a lot of speed and brutality. I get some semi-war metal vibes at points. A fun listen.

  • Departure Chandelier- Satan Soldier of Fortune (Canada/US) Black metal- This is another Departure Chandelier record to put it plainly. It sounds exactly how you'd expect it to if you've ever heard them before. Raw, straightfordward, sometimes punky black metal with heavy doses of synth at times, about Napoleon and general revolutionary French history. It sounds like a knock on them but it's not. Very few bands can write music like this that remains interesting, especially after dropping a couple releases in the same style. They just write damn good music and the vibes are fantastic.

  • Job for a Cowboy- Moon Healer (US) Technical/progressive death metal- The complete opposite of Departure Chandelier, JFAC seems to always be changing, adding new twists and turns to their sound. Damn near ten years from their last record, JFAC deals with a much more progressive sound then I first expected, but still enjoyed. I found it pretty cool how the songs are still pretty tight and concise despite their prog leanings, in my experience prog metal tends to meander and wander around for a while. And of course, Jonny Davy's vocals are insane. I hope we don't have to wait another ten years for new music from these guys.
That's it for February, see you in March.
 
March 2024​
Oh boy, here we go again.

  • Civerous- Maze Envy (US) Death metal- I wasn't sure how to classify this record. I went with death metal because it's definitely the most prevalent component of this release. It fits in with the rest of the 20 Buck Spin catalogue pretty well. There's doomy moments. Some black metal adjacent parts. I've seen it called deathcore too, I think that's because of the vocals. There's a lot of things going on here, lots of twists and turns, some interesting instrumentation. Atmospheric at times, caveman brutal at others. I'm still not really sure what to think of it yet? I don't dislike it, and I'm fascinated enough to have given it a few listens.

  • Brodequin- Harbinger of Woe (US) Brutal death/slam- Holy fucking fuck. These guys are my favorite in this genre, one of my big four of brutal death (with Devourment, Defeated Sanity, Putridity) and this is their first record in 20 years. The production is incredible. The drums sound great and the guitars are stupidly tight. This is a whole new level of songwriting from these guys though. We get some atmospheric moments. Not as reliant on the slams as some of their earlier work. It's not Defeated Sanity level of technical complexity but this isn't easy stuff to play. It hits me exactly in the right spot. Maybe my favorite Brodequin record.

  • Coffins- Sinister Oath (Japan) Death/doom- If you've listened to Coffins before you know what you're getting out of them. Some fun, hardcore influenced death metal with glacial, heavy doom chunks mixed in. I found the doom parts to be a bit more abundant on this record which obviously, I'm a big fan of. Felt more of a d-beat influence too, especially on the drums. I found the first song (Spontaneous Rot) to be boring and derivative but enjoyed the rest of the record. My only gripe is that the vocals sit a little low in the mix... With gutturals that low you need to put them just a little higher.

  • Cancervo- III (Italy) Stoner/doom metal- The vocals took some getting used to for me. I don't love them but they fit the vibe well. Particularly hypnotic, riffy stoner doom here. Kind of slides into that Electric Wizard niche for me. We get some psychedelicish moments and the second song has some quite unexpected black metal breaks, nice little change from the monotony that can emerge in this genre.

  • Bongzilla- Dabbing Rosin in Europe (Live) Stoner/sludge metal- Nothing new here, just some live selections from Bongzilla's recent European dates. Mostly cuts from their two newest records but we still get some classics mixed in. On point vocals from Muleboy, locked in drumming, possibly the heaviest guitar tone I've ever heard from Spanky. That intro on Hippie Stick is stupid, I aspire for that tone. Just a fun listen, I love a good live record.
See you next month. Should be a fun one, I believe.
 
April 2024​
Sorry for the late post, life happened. Onto our records.

  • Darkthrone- It Beckons Us All....... (Norway) It's a Darkthrone record- Darkthrone for me is like Celtic Frost. You can't really pin them down to one specific genre. Of course they have their black metal classics but the duo has messed around with so many genres in their years together. Doom, thrashy, psychedelic moments, there's a bit of everything. The strength here is from the riffs. There aren't any crazy vocal parts, no wild guitar solos, solid drumming and bass playing to lay a foundation, and just a ton of sick riffs. Might end up being my favorite modern record from them.

  • Witch Vomit- Funeral Sanctum (USA) Death metal- Witch Vomit's generally seen as an old school death metal band and that trend continues on this record with a bit of a twist. They went more melodic with a bit of a black metal twist. I read someone describing it as death metal meets Dissection which made a lot of sense to me. Vocals are ridiculously good but what else did you expect from Tony? A good, fun, death metal time. Top ten of the year contender.

  • Antichrist Siege Machine- Vengeance of Eternal Fire (USA) War metal- You know how sometimes a record will sound exactly how you envisioned it would? That's one of these cases. I don't hear too much evolution in their sound but I don't think I really needed to? It's perfectly unrelenting war metal. Not too many thrills, not too many breaks, just fury. The album is on the shorter side but then again... It's war metal.

  • My Dying Bride- A Mortal Binding (UK) Death/doom metal- I generally like MDB's modern output (not as much as the classics but I digress). I wasn't enthralled by the first three songs but the back half of the record is where it's at. The songwriting gets more interesting, they pull out more of those famous MDB dual guitar leads. Just hope that the band can pull through after the recent news about them.

  • Maere- ...and the Universe Keeps Silent (Germany) Death metal- Wild, discordant death metal with some blackened flourishes. This record was a wild ride. Maere's debut, I genuinely had no clue where some of these songs would go. Played with some panic chords, unhinged vocals, probably not for everyone but I liked it. A very nice debut.
See you all at the end of May.
 
May 2024​
A little more diverse then usual.

  • Mdou Moctar- Funeral for Justice (Niger) Desert blues/psych- I've tried to get into the desert rock scene but none of these guys do it for me like Mdou Moctar does. His latest record feels a lot more guitar focused then some of his previous efforts which is the key for me. I love his phrasing, I love his tone. The songs seem a little bit tighter too, which is nice. Easily my favorite record from Mdou and his band so far.

  • Softcult- Heaven (Canada)- Shoegaze, alternative, grunge- It's not an album but I'll definitely give a spot to a 22 minute EP. The Arn-Horns make some damn good music that is the standard bearer for modern grungegaze in my opinion. Their expertise is using the soft/loud dynamics to their highest potential and they do a fantastic job of that on the EP. The vocals are really nice too, a change of pace from the usual reverb-drenched shoegaze singing.

  • Tzompantli- Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force (US) Death/doom metal- Holy. Fuck. I've been a fan of Tzompantli since their first little EP came out and a fan of Big O's since I discovered Xibalba back in the day. This record is everything I've ever really wanted really doomy death to be. The doom sections in particular are absolutely immaculate to me, their strength is when they slow down and let those nasty guitars plod along. Love the usage of native Prehispanic instruments and just the general theme of recognizing the people indigenous to this area of Central America.

  • Primitive Warfare- Extinction Protocol (US) War metal- I nearly forgot about Primitive Warfare and didn't recognize that this was actually their debut full length until after it dropped, they hadn't put anything out for about four years. This is gnarly, blasphemous war metal at its finest. Savage, stripped down instrumentation, unrelentingly heavy songs with just guitar, drums, and vocals. Very much in that Abysmal Lord vein.

  • Crawl- Altar of Disgust (Sweden) Death metal- In terms of HM-2 dripping Swedish death, everyone wants to talk about the (rather unimpressive) Gatecreeper record. Crawl's latest is just so much better. It feels like a little more then just another Grave or Entombed rip off. Sure, we have the d-beat drums, the HM-2, and general crusty vibes. But we get some melody, some clean guitar work, very solid production (listen to that bass!). A much, much better alternative for your traditional Swedish death fix.
There we are! On time this month too. See you in June.
 
June 2024​
Yeah, I know it's late. But your boy's tired.

  • Primordial Serpent- Triumphant Son of Darkness (US) Black metal- Second wave inspired black metal here with a bit of a raw aesthetic/production. This project started off with some lyrics focused on Dark Souls lore but this record here is pretty much all about embracing/being embraced by Satan. We get some solid melodic guitar leads, surprisngly understandable vocals, an interesting piano interlude to start the record off. It's just a nice listen. It doesn't really challenge the listener or break any molds but it just sounds nice, you know? Doesn't feel like the 40 minute run time.

  • Sabbat- Sabbaticult (Japan) Black metal- I know this record didn't drop this month, but it dropped this month on Spotify, good enough for me. Very thrashy, old school black metal with big, melodic guitar leads reminiscent of old school heavy metal. Gezol's unhinged vocals are a highlight for me. Sabbat hasn't really changed their formula for a while but they don't need to. They play a very visceral form of music that doesn't need to be tampered with much.

  • Robin Trower- Bridge of Sighs (Remastered) (UK) Blues rock- One of the essential guitar albums. Trower's my favorite of all those 60's-70's bluesy, rock guitarists that went off and did their own thing. Obviously very inspired by Hendrix but Trower is a much more methodical, atmospheric player. It's not all about speed with him, he loves to settle into a vibe. I mean... Listen to the song Bridge of Sighs. It's just one massive vibe.

  • Abyssal- Glacial (Mexico) Funeral doom- It's a 43 minute song. Long, clean intro with tortured vocals before we get into the main part of the song. Very droney until we his this black metal-esque peak, settles down for a bit until we get that one final burst of energy. Abyssal handles tempo and tempo changes very well and the title reflects the tone of the music here. Not an easy listen for most but I feel like that applies to all funeral doom.

  • Fecundation- Moribund (South Korea/Japan) Brutal/technical death metal- This is the kind of tech death I like. The technicality is there but it just happens to be a part of the song. They're not just writing crazy riffs and leads just to show how good they are at their instruments. And we get some of those caveman chugs that I love so desperately. Nice little mix of different varieties of death metal.
There we are friends, see you next month.
 
July 2024​
On time this month.

  • Eremit- Rise of the Ruan~angh (Germany) Doom/sludge metal- A nice little (33 minute) EP from these guys. First song's pretty interesting, starts off quicker then Eremit's typical material but suits the vibe nicely, some march/battle vibes. The second song is one of the shorter ones in Eremit's catalogue, a brief eleven minutes or so. Eremit's a band that has fully realized their style and what they want to do at this point, which is crushing, droney, doomy sludge with occasional hints of black metalish ferocity. Each new release is just further refining themselves.

  • Magmakammer- Before I Burn (Norway) Stoner/doom metal- Finally! Magmakammer's first record is one of my all time favorite stoner/doom adjacent releases ever, took them six years to put out a follow up. I find this release to be a bit more straightforward then Mindtripper, less of the psych elements and more of a focus on straightforward, old school doom. I really like where the vocals sit in the mix here, they're not in your face. They pull you in, force you to actively listen if you want to understand. Generally creepy, spooky vibes. I dig it.

  • Cell- Shattering the Rapture of the Primordial Abyss (Canada) Black metal- I went with black metal because the sound is rooted in it but Cell is a very eclectic band. Even within songs they slide in and out of genres, it's quite interesting to hear how they pull it off. Touches of thrash, doom, death, even a bit of HM-2 Swedish style riffage. It's an off-kilter listen, you're never quite sure where they're going to go with things. I think that speaks to the strength of these guys as songwriters, being able to keep the listener guessing while still making coherent music.

  • Cryptic Hatred- Internal Torment (Finland) Death metal- These Finns were labelled as being another Cannibal Corpse clone after this debut, this record pushes away from that opinion. Their sound is still firmly rooted in old school death metal, it's just a bit more diverse this time. I hear some Suffocation style slam parts, a bit of melody, really solid, low growls. It doesn't break any molds but it's a very satisfying listen, one of those modern old school death metal releases that feels like it actually could've existed back in the 90's.

  • Laceration- I Erode (USA) Death metal- I never listened to Laceration until I heard this record. We got some thrashy, old school death metal here. I get those groovy, old school Sepultura vibes at point, based in riffing and really solid drumming. The vocals don't shift much from a standard low growl but we know how I feel about that by now. But my favorite part? How fucking loud and audible the bass is in the recording. It's beautiful.
And I'll see you next month.
 
August 2024​
Not on time this month. Sorry.

  • Heavytrip- Where They Can't See (US) Shoegaze/alternative metal- A thirteen minute EP? My thread, my rules. One of my favorite modern heavy alt. bands. These guys owe a heavy debt to the likes of Deftones and Linkin Park (especially in terms of guitar tone, holy shit). Love the big, thumpy bass and they play around with some modulated clean vocals, a pretty interesting, fun listen.

  • Blind Monarch- The Dead Replenish the Earth (UK) Sludge/doom- Blind Monarch released their first record, dropped out for five years, and then dropped this monumental slab of a record on us. Like their first record, the music moves at a glacial pace and focuses on big riffs with some gnarly vocals, alternating between this vitriolic snarl and lower growls. It feels like you're listening to a giant slowly marching along to it's destination. Just ridiculously heavy.

  • Malodorous- The Carrion Recoil (US) Slam- I just thought this record was plain fun. Which might be an odd way to describe a slam record? Musically it sounds like a pretty standard modern slam record with some technical flourishes. We have some fun guest vocalists, some sampling, some electronics to enhance the vibes. Nothing groundbreaking here, but it is nice and heavy.

  • Oceano- Living Chaos (US) Deathcore- I've always had a soft spot for Oceano and am stoked to see them back. Adam Warren's always seemed like a cool guy to me and it's awesome to see him back making music for this project again. It fits in with the standard Oceano sound, chug and breakdown heavy deathcore. There are a few melodic flourishes this time around (not something I really recall in their discography?), even playing around with some electronics. It scratches that itch that only some quality, old school deathcore can.

  • Fulci- Duck Face Killings (Italy) Brutal death- I think I like this album more then most people did. I really appreciate that these guys were trying to be experimental, play around with samples and electronics to give the album those 80's gore flick vibes, which it achieves. The actual death metal is solid too, not overly complex, old school brutal death. The rap part was weird though, I'll admit that. Still, I'd rather them try to innovate then be stagnant.
There was at least five more albums I considered but didn't post about for various reasons. Concrete Winds, Nile, Bellweather, Nails, Swampgrave... But I felt these were the strongest. Onto next month.
 
September 2024​
Lots of good stuff.

  • Daedric Chamber- The Bleak Vale Endures (US) Black metal, dungeon synth- Elder Scrolls themed black metal. I like how the synth elements aren't just used for interludes here and there but are an actual element of the black metal part, playing a melody over the top of the thicker, riffier sections. Vocals are solid, pretty clear and understandable too. Very raw recording, I don't love how the drums sound but it doesn't detract from anything here. Good stuff, just really hits a vibe.

  • Bleed This Earth- The Shapes that Stood in Silence (New Zealand) Death/doom, funeral doom- This really hits those My Dying Bride, Towards Atlantis Lights vibes for me. Deathy, slow paced doom built around a ton of melodic guitar work, leads. Interesting, twisting song structures. Very clear, understandable vocals too. Very depressing subject matter but this is doom metal we're talking about here. Struck me in a way that new releases in this style haven't in a long time, have to commend these guys.

  • Swamp Coffin- Drowning Glory (UK) Sludge metal- I've seen some people describe this is a stonery, doomy type of sludge record, nope. I got a lot more of a pronounced hardcore influence from this then anything else. The vocal delivery (some gang vocals too), breakdowns, the riffing. We definitely hit some doomy vibes, some interesting dissonant stuff but stonery, doomy this is not. Kinda reminds me of Iron Monkey with modern production and that mentioned hardcore edge.

  • Ripped to Shreds- Sanshi (US) Death metal- Love, love, love this project. Their previous record was my second favorite of 2022. Sanshi is a much more focused effort, with the focus being a very melodeath, Swedish inspired flavor of death metal. Trademark HM-2 tone from Andrew Lee here which we know I love. I heard more of an emphasis on the melodic parts (a very pronounced Intestine Baalism influence I might add) which I love and shows Andrew's strengths as an absolute top level guitarist. Dude's a ridiculously talented musician, deserves to be talked about much more.

  • Hematoid- Liminal Atrophy (US) Death metal- Raw, brutal, old school death metal. Hits that caveman part of my brain/ear with just blunt brutality. Another release with really solid vocals although they aren't too clear this time (who cares, it's death metal). Love the snare sound, how present the bass is. It's another one of those releases that sounds like it was ripped straight from the 90's. Mad, mad props to Iron Fortress records who have been releasing absolute fucking bangers this year, seemingly week after week.

  • The Black Dahlia Murder- Servitude (US) Melodic death metal- Losing Trevor was insanely rough even as someone who was just a fan of him and the band. Brian has gone above and beyond in continuing the band's legacy. His vocals are ridiculously good. Effortlessly floating between the highs and lows, gives me the same energy of their debut record. The songs, the band just sound... Alive. Like they found a spark again. The guitar work is obviously ridiculous with Brandon Ellis and Ryan Knight forming one of the greatest guitar duos in modern music. I just... Love this. And I know Trevor would too which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I love these guys.
See you next month.
 
October 2024​
Later posts might be the new standard. Anyway, to the music.

  • Blood Pact- Angel Fire (Singapore) Post-punk/shoegaze- A different vibe and vocal style from their original EP but I like this more. It's less repetitive, they explore more ideas, and I feel a stronger shoegaze style influence on this one (exemplified by Slit Tongue in particular). The vocals work really well for me and I love that present bass. Not a style of music I'd usually go for (well, the post-punk side at least) but I've learned to trust Nick Wong and just let him do his thing.

  • trauma ray- Chameleon (USA) Shoegaze/grungegaze- Been listening to them for years, it's a little weird to say that this is actually their debut record. They're on the heavier side of the gaze scale, leaning more on those alt. metal, Detones/Linkin Park vibes. Ethereal, dreamy vocals that contrast the heavier guitar parts well, a really good use of the famous quiet/loud dynamic that grunge popularized. Just a nice listen, you know? Very pleasing to the ear.

  • Undeath- More Insane (USA) Death metal- I've historically been very picky with these guys whilst respecting their craft and ethos. Maybe it's because they have a new guitarist/songwriter but this is their first complete record that really clicked with me. It's not too flashy or technical but it's not brain rot, caveman death either. Very understandable, well enunciated vocals. The mix is really nice, I love the guitar tone and how the drums sound in particular. Dependable, kick ass death metal.

  • Greenwitch- Forced Out of Existence (USA) Death metal- This is more on the brutal side of things. More hardcore influenced, a lot of percussive, palm muted riffs and parts here, a couple breakdowns thrown in for good measure. I've always loved Galaxy Eater's vocals and she puts on a hell of a show here, absolutely gnarly snarls and growls. Some flashier guitar parts (squeals and divebombs mainly) to accent/add some flair to the brutality. Very fun listen.

  • Maul- In the Jaws of Bereavement (USA) Death metal- Another band that offers a more modern, polished take on old school death metal. A bit more melodic and flashy then Undeath, for example. Some slower/doomy elements too which pair well with the faster parts, give us some contrast. Varied vocal styles too, give the songs a bit more depth and texture. Drums sound really good here too, love how present and snappy that snare is.
See you next month for November's list.
 
November 2024​
Better then I'd initially expected. A lot of Germans?

  • Nekus- Death Apophenia (Germany) Death metal- Atmospherically unmatched. One of the absolute darkest death metal records I've ever listened to, the definition of a big, cavernous sound. This is the sound of being dragged into a void. Low gutturals drenched in reverb, a heavy foundation of thick bass and drums while the guitars serve to drive the music. I love the various tempo changes, this type of music can get a little monotonous but Nekus switches things up to keep the listener attentive on their personal journey into the blackness. I love the slow, doomy parts personally, but that's just how I am.

  • Defeated Sanity- Chronicles of Lunacy (Germany) Brutal death- More or less the exact opposite of Nekus' record, showing how far the sonic territory of death metal can stretch. Defeated Sanity is one of those bands that just hits every time. They write some crazy songs and the musicianship is super technical, especially the drumming. But it's never shoved in your face, it's all in service of the song. I just plainly like this record more then the last couple they've put out. I feel like there were more tempo changes, a bit more of their jazzy, almost classical influences coming out, a lot of messing around with time signatures. The production's on point too, the drums sound great and the guitars/bass are super chunky and work amazingly for the slam parts. I don't mind the odd sample here and there but they don't really add anything for the record for me.

  • Maat- From Origin to Decay (Germany) Death metal- I found these guys when I was looking for bands in the vein of Nile, especially the slower parts that they tend to play. They definitely have that Middle Eastern-ish flair (especially in the guitar work) but play an almost... Atmospheric style of death metal. Some definite technical competency here, some complex guitar melodies. I love how present the bass is in the sound too. The only thing I don't love here are the vocals. Very much a standard deathcore style growl which I don't love, but it doesn't really take away from anything either.

  • Ritual Fog- But Merely Flesh (USA) Death metal- Very much an old school, more traditional death metal record then the ones I've talked about above. Some gnarly vocals, pretty clear for death metal standards. The guitar tone is kind of ugly in my opinion but it works well for the vibe these guys are trying to achieve and it makes the chugs really stand out. I'll be honest, Ritual Fog isn't really doing anything new on this record but it's a really solid showcase of death metal. There's nothing bad about it, no low points. Just beefy, old school death metal. A nice, dependable listen.

  • Cryptorium- Descent into Lunacy (Sweden) Death metal- This one is really interesting to me. It's a Swedish, HM-2 record that doesn't really sound like one. It feels more influenced by the classic American DM bands then anything from Sweden at times. There are some moments (A Distant Dream sounds like a lost Grave song in particular) but this isn't your typical Swedeath record here. The production here is pretty uneven, varying from song to song. The first song sounds straight up ugly. But for better or worse, it always sounds raw and completely unhinged, like a band steamrolling off the rails. I really vibed with this, especially the second half of the record. I can't wait to hear what they do after this.

  • Leaving Time- Angel in the Sand (USA) Shoegaze/alternative- I couldn't focus solely on death metal. This is another one of those grungegaze records but without as much of that metallic edge. I find the drums to border more on the hardcore/punk edge then anything else and the production isn't nearly as compressed as something by a band like Bleed or Heavytrip. Love the whirly guitar leads here and the vocals sit really nicely in the mix here, a little bit below the guitars but still come in over the drums. This one satisfied an itch that I'd been looking to scratch for a while.
Soon I shall return with the top ten of 2024. Until then, my friends.
 
Best releases of 2024
​
My friends, the time has come for my yearly top ten. The initial grouping of artists was quite diverse yet smaller then last year's but my list is admittedly going to be dominated by various stylings of death metal. Onto our list.
10. Coffins- Sinister Oath (Japan) Doom/death metal​

Coffins never really deviates much from their formula but it always works really, really well. The thing that stood out the most to me with Sinister Oath is that Uchino's guitar playing felt a lot more confident on this record, at least to my ear. I'm particularly talking about the leads here. They've never had virtuosic solos or anything, some of his leads live have sounded shaky. These felt like they were more prepared for, maybe planned out a bit more. Tempo changes to keep you engaged, the typical grooviness of Coffins, vocals that are low enough to be in the sewer. I can't get enough of it.

Favorite song: Sinister Oath
9. Defeated Sanity- Chronicles of Lunacy (Germany) Technical/brutal death
​
It happens every year where I get one record that I love but it comes out pretty late and I don't really have a lot of time with it and it ends up getting ranked relatively low. This is that record this year. If this came out a few months ago I bet this cracks my top five at the very least, might even go higher. But what else is there to say about Defeated Sanity? The musicianship is top tier but it's never thrown in your face. It's brutal music that just so happens to be technically and rhythmically complex, no pretentiousness. The production is super tight too which you need with this much muting on the guitars. Audible bass too!

Favorite song: Temporal Disintegration
8. trauma ray- Chameleon (US) Alternative/shoegaze
​
And here it is, the lone exception to the year's dominance of death metal. I know I harp on guitar stuff a lot and tend to focus on it, but this is the heavy guitar tone I'm looking for in the grungegaze scene. It's still heavy but is nice and clear for those big chords. I love where the vocals sit in the mix here and the little guitar leads/melodies to contrast with the big, heavy chords setting the vibe beneath them. Vibe is the word I'd use to really describe this record. It has a ton of personality, character.

Favorite song: Elegy
7. Greenwitch- FORCED OUT OF EXISTENCE (US) Death metal
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Greenwitch's debut record here. Nasty, hardcore influenced death metal here. Super chuggy and crunchy with gnarly, throaty vocals. It's unrelenting, doesn't give the listener a break once you start listening which I absolutely adore. This is death metal after all, we shouldn't need little weird interludes and clean sequences to give us a break. I want to be punished for every single second of a record and this doesn't disappoint. One of those bands where I'm super eager to see where they'll go, this is ridiculously good for a first record.

Favorite song: The Cyberneticist
6. Masticated Cadaver- Progression Towards Total Maceration... (Canada) Death metal
​
Another debut, this time a solo project. Objectively one of the nastiest death metal records I've ever heard. The vocals are super low with a ton of reverb on them. The guitar tone/tuning is super low as well and lends well for the Suffocation-style slam parts that are abundant on the record. The drums are tasty with a nice, high tuned snare. Not quite tin can territory but still has a nice clang to it. It's a really interesting record, a sound/vibe that I'd expect from a simpler, more caveman style record but has some fun solos, complex lead parts. A lot of cool things going on here. It also introduced me to the amazing Iron Fortress Records/distro.

Favorite song: GURGLING HUMAN REMNANTS
5. Brodequin- Harbinger of Woe (US) Brutal death metal
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Long one of my favorite brutal death metal bands, Brodequin returned after 20 years with a killer record. They're just as tight as ever and remain super competent songwriters. The production here is super tight and the guitars sound really good to me, I like the almost oversaturated sound it gets when they let a note or chord sustain for a little bit. It's the most diverse Brodequin record I'd say, some clean parts, some less traditional brutal death elements. Lyrics about historical torture again, right up my alley.

Favorite song: Suffocation in Ash
4. Witch Vomit- Funeral Sanctum (US) Death metal
​
I was so beyond hyped for this one before it dropped and it lived up to every expectation I had for it. This more melodic, blackened take on death metal was unexpected but it worked really, really well for this crew. It's super dark and creepy. One of those cases where the album artwork/name matches perfectly with the vibe. Love the lead guitar work here in particular , the melodic bits work well with the heavier riffs. Love how the two guitars do a lot of dancing and snaking around each other too, a little bit of harmonizing at times too.

Favorite song: Endless Fall
3. Ripped to Shreds- Sanshi (US) Melodic/death metal
​
At least in terms of genre/styling this is Ripped to Shreds most focused record to date. Melodeath worship with the old HM-2 pedal. I hear a lot of Intestine Baalism inspiration here which I expect/understand completely, they are the greatest melodeath band to have ever done it. What really stands out are the solos on this record. Andrew Lee is a stupidly talented musician all around but his composition for those solos is wild. They could be legit classical pieces. Super tasteful, super technical. I think the band stabilizing around him has helped that, let him focus on it a bit more.

Favorite song: Horrendous Corpse Resurrection
2. Tzompantli- Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force (US) Death/doom metal
​
One of the heaviest records I've ever heard. I love the touches of the traditional Aztec/Mexican instruments (the death whistle hits so hard). The vocals contribute to this particularly ritualistic vibe as the guitar and drums plod along. Speaking of the guitars, another example of me loving the tone. It's everything your death metal sound should be, but I've always thought highly of Bigg O)))'s tone since the early Xibalba days. It feels massive, monumental, just like the Pyramids the Aztecs constructed.

Favorite song: Otlica Mictlan
Honorable mentions:​

Blackgroove- Low End Scum (UK) Sludge metal
Bleed This Earth- The Shapes That Stood in Silence (New Zealand) Funeral Doom metal
The Black Dahlia Murder- Servitude (US) Melodic death metal
Darkthrone- It Beckons Us All (Norway) Crusty, doomy, modern Darkthrone
Civerous- Maze Envy (US) Death metal
Theurgy- Emanations of Unconscious Luminescence (US/Italy/Thailand) Brutal/technical death
1. Contaminated- Celebratory Beheading (Australia) Death metal
​
I didn't even expect this one to be my number one when it dropped, even when I was compiling the list. But I listened to this more then I listened to any of the other new albums. It's ferocious. All gas, no brakes. Sure, there are a few slower moments here but the record is focused on speed and ferociousness. In more of the grindy sense then a technical one. I don't want to call this an atmospheric necessarily but I've found that this is focused on creating just the ugliest, gnarliest sensation at all times and I absolutely love it. Throat shredding vocals, quite the change from their first record that came out seven years beforehand.
Another year has come and gone, thanks to everyone who reads this for keeping up with the thread, with my weird opinions on unsettling, brutal music. 2025 should be a lot of fun.
 
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