Gautham Khandige writes about his favorite releases of 2018.
It’s been a really good year for music. Discovered a lot of new stuff and some old favorites turned in great albums. Here’s my Top 20 favourite metal albums from 2018 in order of preference.
This Swedish band started with a crusty sludgy death metal sound but over the course of 4 albums have transformed into a different beast. This is progressive, heavy, melodic and filled with great songwriting.
2nd album from this american death metal band. Erika Morgengrau sounds like an extreme version of Martin Walkyier and the songs are quite memorable. Solid death metal slightly let down by a muffled production that doesnt really do the riffs justice.
This one blew my head off. More excellent death metal this year.
17 – Revororum Ib Malacht – Im Ra Distare Summum Soveris Seris Vas innoble (Annapurna Prod.)
I don’t know if the whole catholic black metal thing is for real or just a gimmick but Revororum’s music continues to captivate me. Noise, ambient and black metal clash to make some powerful music.
Rohit Chaoji comes up with his favorite releases of 2018.
In this day and age of high speed internet, there exists an abundance of streamable music, such that it makes creating this list a much harder task than it would have been a few years ago – unless you were an avid record collector.
A personal top 10 albums list would have been dominated by extreme metal a few years ago, but I will try to keep this varied so that anyone reading this would get a chance to treat their ears to different sounds.
The Japanese psychedelic rock band, Kikagaku Moyo is relatively new, but has been releasing albums and EPs consistently since 2013. Their latest release has them carry forward their established sound of lush guitar leads with an accompaniment of electric sitar and fairly tight krautrock jams a la Can, as heard in the songs Fluffy Komisch and Majupose. Kikagaku Moyo is among the rare modern psychedelic rock bands that focus on songwriting before drowning them in effects.
A stooping back, coughed up blood, feet that grate and yet death eludes me. A great evil works beneath the surface, ceaselessly, to guarantee me life, sustaining it. I reckon it is that good for nothing, hellhole dweller, Diablo, once again. While the rest of humanity holds vitality dear to their heart, I deny it with vehemence unparalleled. I seek death in the deepest corners of this planet for in eternal silence I might finally rid of my physical burdens. But for now, senility is a curse, while immortality thrust upon you at senility, remains a bane of unfathomable proportions.
What keeps me alive in this howling doldrum, is companionship. My fellow magi, Jayaprakash Satyamurthy(list) and Mohmmad Kabeer(list), of our Ancient Horadrim Order, have once again unraveled scrolls of a nature, hitherto undiscovered. Their great and exotic findings within made for a sumptuous feast of music. And now I present a scroll, hidden away in a SATCHEL deep in Tristam’s boondocks.
Feel free to judge my character, and maybe piss on it…But in the end i humbly request you to…
STAY AWHILE AND LISTEN…
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
1. Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
Omnium Gatherum has always been hinting at their best, but was never fully realized. They showered us with a massive amount of proof with New World Shadows but then again, after finding their sound in Redshift, personally it seemed like it was deprived of some key ingredient. With “Beyond” the band truly realizes themselves carving out one fine slab of melancholic melodic death metal.
2. The Flight of Sleipnir – Saga
Having not heard anything previously from the band this came to as a pleasant surprise, the effect of which only grew with time. Each song draws from the usually complimentary genres such as blackened folk and doom. Although a bit like Agalloch they do put in a few good old stoner doom riffs in there as well. The production and instrumentation are murky enough to keep it raw. A truly sublimely emotive vocal delivery as accompaniment as well.
3. Cortez – Phoebus
With knowledge regarding Noise Rock/Hardcore amounting to naught, I never really knew what to expect from Cortez. In due time i was floored by the furious mix of unadulterated hardcore, alternating between spastic and grandiose, making for great emotive segments. And it all lines up pretty nicely with the production, as against a plethora of bands that have been trying for eons to get this mix that these guys seems to have perfected.
4. Man the Machetes – Idiokrati
Having liked Kvelertak’s debut and then going on to get slightly disappointed with their sophomore effort, I was looking elsewhere for quenching my thirst for fun filled punk. I never had to look farther than into the very same record label. Man the Machetes take the more punkish hardcore segments found in Kvelertak, add in a more fun “go get it!” spin to it and make a whole album out of it. Fun extreme.
5. ASG – Blood Drive
Laid back alternative stoner rock. A better yet crude way of putting it might be to call them a mix of Black Sabbath-esque stoner riffs bathed in Torche’s sense of melody. Coupled with one of the best vocal performances all year and a production that leaves no deep yearning for clarity, gives this great replayability.
6. Katalepsy – Autopsychosis
There’s been a rush of brutal death metal this year from the stalwarts Defeated Sanity, Devourment and Wormed. But this little known Russian band steals the cake. Technicality and heaviness squashed down into a more palpable form. Together with some of the finest grooves laid down in the genre, Autopsychosis brings an insane amount of catchiness to the table.
7. Crown – Psychurgy
Exploring the aural alternatives of the word “Crushing”. This French duo take the atmosphere heavy, post- sludge to greater heights. There is ample industrial experimentation on work here as well which makes it all the more interesting.
8. Deafheaven – Sunbather
Hipsters black metal… as your average ludicrous kvltist might put it. Do not be fooled my friends, for this is truly a piece of beautiful music, extricating black metal from its inherent conservativeness and spreading it with truly ingenious sense of melody. The lyrics are deeply introspective and further accentuates the music at hand.
9. Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
Law abiding citizens of planet “Obey the Riff”, are Beastwars. Having been enamored by their debut just the last year, Blood Becomes Fire makes swift escape from the jaws of the sophomore slum abyss. Imagine if High on Fire attempted a return to being Sleep and maybe added a dash of melody more than usual.
10. Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
Named after one of the most powerful warriors in the epic fantasy novel series “The Book of Malazan”( which i coincidentally took to reading earlier this year) makes this album and band all the more special. Imagine the Tolkien worshipers in the band Summoning, changing their lyrical influence and accordingly the music as well. Epic folky black metal. Do not look here for an instrumental wank off, rather come here for atmosphere.
Other Notable Mentions
1. Benea Reach – Possession
With their innate knack to pen down some of the catchiest riffs with a great ear for melody , they ride far from the madding crowd of djent fanatics. If one can see past their cringe worthy lyricism, then this will go down as one of the better modern metal albums off late.
2. The Fall of Every Second – Amends
Imagine Insomnium being further slowed down and choosing to tread over a more doomier path.
3. Hate – Solarflesh
Clearly a case of the band outdoing and outmaneuvering their influences (Behemoth in this case). Makes for a much better listen than any of Behemoth’s albums.
4. Regarde Les Hommes Tomber – Regarde Les Homme Tomber
Probably the best debut all year. Might as well call it sludgy/post-metal/black metal/doom. There are so many genres at play here, yet it all seem as a single entity.
5. Universe217 – Harm
Some of the best vocal performances in a long time, thoroughly haunting and captivating. The doomy instrumentation fine packages the sublime vocal performance.
6. Moth – Endlessly in Motion
Strapping Young Lad-ish and at times Decapitated-ish. Catchy nonetheless.
7. Scale the Summit – The Migration
Once again a case of top notch instrumental wizardry at par with stellar songwriting.
8. Krownn – Hyborian Age
Conan, gives all hideous monsters a rest, smokes a reefer and tries a hand at composing music. “Hmm… Not that bad… Good infact.. Real Good.”
9. Vuyvr – Heiskalt
The best release from the already impressive Throatruiner records roster. Scathing and unrelenting black metal, unfolding and bathing in its most primeval form.
10. Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
Septic Flesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse have a new rival in the making. Although being their 4th full length, this is a strong release which will establish their relevance in the symphonic death metal milieu.
With the rest of the (active)writers on board, we’ve decided to put up our own little mid year best-of lists. Hopeful to the fact, that you guys might stumble on something new in the process as well. We had Mohammad Kabeer’s list posted last week, check that if you haven’t already. Today we have our own doomlord Jayaprakash Satyamurthy, talking about his favorite ones.
I greatly prefer this album to the last Pentagram offering; the best bits on it were Griffin’s solos, anyway. A soulful, heavy and integral collection of excellent tunes by a consummate songwriter and guitar player.
What some of the latter-day trad doom bands forget is that their influences always turned in albums that were as diverse as they were definitive. Goatess understands this, and each song has its own character while maintaining a consistent feel. Chritus, of course, is in fine form.
Just four songs, but each one is a sprawling epic of heavy, sludgy guitars, mesmerizing, almost post-metallic textures and a great mix of gruff and melodic vocals that don’t sound gimmicky at all.
4. Primitive Man – Scorn
Abrasive, grimy, downtempo and heavy as heck, the Colorado sludgers’ debut album is one of the finest slabs of dissonant, pissed off riff abuse in a while. A fantastic production job abets songs that emerge and fade in squalls of noise while providing a surprisingly healthy quota of genuine hooks in between.
5. Endless Boogie – Long Island
This is blues rock the way it’s rarely heard – not an effervescent virtuoso showcase, but a series of strung-out, stoned jams that reverberate with washes of glorious fuzz, oddball storylines and eccentric but very authentically bluesy ritualism.
6. Abyssal – Novit Enim Dominus Qui Sunt Eius
Imagine a slowed-down Portal. That begins to describe this UK black/doom band’s sluggish, weighty sound. The ambience is nightmarishly oppressive and the structures are more abstract and free-form than on their debut, ‘Denouement’, which only works in favour of the uncanny atmosphere conjured up by this band.
Not an album as much as a ritual, a trance-inducing, terrifying, alluring song-cycle that takes you through a stunning diversity of musical textures. Their best album yet.
8. Dragonauta – Omega Pentagram
The band with the Sleep-worshipping name delivers a doom/sludge album that doesn’t wear any of the expected influences on its sleeve, choosing instead to revel in some of the most original and distinctive riffs and melodies I’ve head being carved out in this genre in a while.
9. Fragarak – Crypts of Dissimulation
Intelligent, questing and melodic progressive extreme metal with an introspective bent. One of the best debuts of the year and certainly the best Indian metal release of the year so far.
10. Reino Ermitano – Veneracion Del Fuego ( Review )
This Peruvian doom band has fallen beneath the radar for me in past years, but this platter of seasoned, immersive music ensures that I’ll pay them a lot more attention henceforth. Dark, mystical music with great tone and songs that stretch out to great effect.
Notable albums:
Cathedral – The Last Spire
Not their finest hour, but a wonderfully doomy set of songs.
Sacred Gate- Tides Of War
Proof that the battle of Thermopylae and Iron Maiden still have the power to inspire some really good metal music
Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark
Their most assured and original album yet
Hexvesselc – Iron Marsh EP
This EP shows the gains this band has reaped from bringing heavier textures into their musical mix
Timo Tolkk’s Avalon – The Land Of New Hope
Great melodies, dramatic over-the-top vocals and some brilliant soloing make this Tolkki’s best album since the demise of Renaissance Revolution
Anvil – Hope In Hell
A catchy, likable album that underscores the real reason you should listen to this band – their incredible consistency
Krypts – Unending Degradation
Delivers on the promise of their self-titled EP with one of the most idiomatic and well-conceived old school DM sets this year
Asgard – Outworld
Metalheads who swear by Helloween’s ‘Walls Of Jericho’ simply must check out this album by a band that puts the power back in power metal
Abysmal Grief – Feretr
This band occupies the common ground between goth and trad doom, and does a fine job of it
Cauchemar – Tenbrario
The trad doomers take it up a notch or two from their debut EP, delivering a very strong follow-up
Ramlord – Crippled Minds, Sundered Wisdom
Crusty sludge with shades of d-beat and black metal. Another supremely abrasive, scalding album
Two months into 2013 i was absolutely gutted. I was dumbfounded by the sheer lack of good metal this year. Probably so because i did not do the required amount of digging and unearthing that i usually do. Yet again i was plain upset compared to the spate of brilliant releases that dotted (quite frequently) the previous year, and nothing of the like this time around. All said and done, the fact remains that metal will come through come what may. And that is precisely what happened. It was time for a second session of dumbfoundedness, only this time, spurred on by the sheer quality of good releases, i seem to have ignored all long.
Well with that in mind, along with the rest of the (active)writers on board, we’ve decided to put up our own little mid year best-of lists. Also hopeful are we, to the fact, that you guys might stumble on something new in the process as well.
Mohammad Kabeer, the man of Grind has just sent me through, this little list. He’s a lazy half ass, but yet still one of the best men in the country for all the latest grind and hardcore. A genre that is still really to catch on around here. Read on!
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All right here goes!
1. Disciples of Christ/TRIAC split
Great DOC owns this split right here creating some really fast grind that is pure aural destruction. It is unstoppable. TRIAC is not far behind, although much more predictable but still raw and brutal
2. Nails – Abandon all Hope
A pretty decent follow up to their last album not as epic but still a lot of fun!
3. Sex prisoner – State property (EP)
Sex Prisoner make a triumphant return after a pretty dismal split with Magnum Force and ACxDC sounding a lot heavier, almost falling into the category of Entombedcore.
4. Inter Arma – Sky Burial
Fantastic album which refuses to fall into any category, if you haven’t heard it HEAR IT NOW!
5. Seven sisters of Sleep – Opium Morals
Just really thick and punishing Sludge/hardcore that just makes me bang my head without fail, every single time!
6. Full of Hell – Rudiments of Mutilation
Full of Hell make their mark this year with a really experimental hardcore album that refuses to play to the gallery
7. Fuck the facts – Amer (EP)
As always these guys know their grind and do what they know best! To shock and awe!! Do what no one else can. Definitely a must listen!
8. Rotten Sound – Species at War
Rotten Sound still sounding heavy and a letting go of their robot like precision which makes this record sound much more raw in terms of playing.
9. NVRD – Coma
Some great catchy hardcore in the vein of converge.
10. All Pigs must Die – Nothing Violates this Nature
Another great hardcore/sludge album. A lot faster and kinda like fusing High on Fire or Black Tusk with hardcore.
11.Call of the Void – Dragged Down a Dead End Path
Awesome old school grind mixed with a slight touch of technicality!
The Slumbering Ent 