I don’t know how in the fuck Cannibal Corpse are so consistent.   A lot of people will argue that these dudes are only able to still make music because they just put out the same album over and over again, and while there is a grain of truth to that, I challenge any death metal band to release records like this that are as consistently catchy, well-produced, and FUN as pretty much anything Cannibal Corpse has ever released.   Of course, this album is no exception to the rule, with all the trademark bone-crunching riffs, skull-smashing stomps, all complimented by Corpsegrinder’s throat-shredding vokillz.   I have absolutely no idea how he can still sound as good as he does, let alone have a voice at all!!   Another fine edition to the Cannibal Corpse discography.

8.   “Svn Eater” – Lvcifyre

Although the first track kind of sounds like early 2000s melodic death/metalcore for some reason (think As I Lay Dying), overall this album is great!  I remember a long time ago I was talking with my buddy Brad (see Accursed Wound) about folk metal, and he was curious as to if there were any folk metal bands out there that only incorporated American folk (as opposed to 99% of the rest of the folk metal bands out there which are pretty European folk-based, even the ones from the United States!).   At the time the only thing I could really think of were bands like Agalloch (eh…not really), Across Tundras (not really metal), and maybe some others that didn’t really fit the bill.   Little did I know that sure enough, there was an up-and-coming black metal band that would be exactly what we were looking for!
Panopticon seems to have come out of nowhere, exploding onto the USBM scene with their killer breakthrough album “Kentucky” in 2012 (really should have been on my “Best of 2012” list, but for whatever reason it wasn’t).   Anyway, I can’t believe it took Austin Lunn only 2 years to come out with this album as well, given that he’s the only member (handling like 9 instruments on this record, organizing the guest appearances, recording, writing lyrics, artwork, etc.), PLUS also being involved in like 3 or 4 other bands as well.   Incredibly impressive, especially considering that this album is really good!
Anyway, if you’re interested in listening to some bluegrass/Americana-infused melodic death/black metal, then by all means check this record out!  Some tracks are even just straight up bluegrass!   Perfect for drinking beer or whiskey with some friends, warming up around a wood burning stove on a bleak winter evening!   You can even listen to it for free here!

4.   “Engineering the Void” – Soreption

As a general rule, I think tech-death is pretty fucking boring.   Guitars endlessly noodling around, wimpy drums clicking around and being clever, bland vocals, I hate all that shit.   So why am I into Soreption, with a boring metal band name, cheesy art that looks like it was selected from a stock power metal album cover generator, and has a lot of the characteristics that I just said I hated?

Did you check out the video?!   See what I mean?!   It’s so catchy!  They’ve got that sort of ultra-crisp, twisting staccato of old school Decapitated going on, which I love and don’t think enough bands are doing right now.   Just compare it to, say, Guttural Secrete (R.I,P.), or some classic Origin, for example and you’ll see what I mean.   Sure, the shit is ludicrously complex, insane, and more brutal, but for my money tech death is all about the crunch and the delivery.   To take it to the next level, let’s compare it in terms of character classes in a generic fantasy RPG.   If I want to play a tech-death-style character, I want my dude to be more of a monk/rogue/assassin type…he’s all about the finesse, the precision, the critical hit from a sneak attack.    So many other tech-death bands go for the more “brutal” approach (Barbarian), and it’s obvious that so many people are into that style.   For me, it’s just too much, and if we’re going to listen to “barbarian” death metal no one fits the bill more than brutal slam bands like Devourment.

Anyway, there’s nothing really much else to say other than I was really surprised that I enjoyed this album so much!  It’s chock full of solid, crunchy riffs, and is a lot of fun!

Besides putting out my favorite metal music video of the year (see below), I was completely blown away by these dudes when I saw them open for Dark Tranquillity in Seoul early in 2014.   Similar to Pestilential Shadows (see below), this is another Australian metal supergroup comprised of Perth underground death/black metal scene vets that came together to obliterate us with their potent blend of death/grind with a healthy dose of black metal and sludge/groove.   Sounds kind of weird eh?   They honestly remind me of a more black metal influenced Blood Duster for some reason… great riffs that make you want to get really fucking drunk and headbang (at least, that’s what I did when I saw them live), plus an obvious sense of humor underlying it all.   Just kind of depends on the song, as the band’s mood definitely changes a lot over the course of the record (just compare “Black Tears” with “Stares of Semipiternity”).   This is a killer band, a really fun album, and I’m honestly still surprised they aren’t signed yet (unless that’s what they’re going for)!!  If you’re into death metal, black metal, or grindcore check these dudes out!!   You can listen to the whole album for free here.

I don’t really know what else can be said about this album that hasn’t been said already… it’s brutal, evil as FUCK cavernous death metal, “cavernous” being a big buzzword in the metal underground right now for this style that’s been becoming more popular recently.   You’re essentially taking the mysticism and aesthetics of black metal. but realizing that yeah, black metal is honestly pretty goofy when it comes down to it and death metal is a bit more respectful…at least, in the metal scene.   If you really zoom out and look at the big picture, pretty much ALL of metal, regardless of genre, is really silly and there’s no way around it (which is maybe the biggest reason why I love metal in the first place).   Anyway, this album fucking rules and will kick your ass and blah blah… one of the best metal albums of the 2010s for sure!   You can listen to the album for free here.

Ahhh, good ol’ Pestilential Shadows!  I seem to have caught Australian black metal fever ever since I lived in Sydney for most of 2012 because by now you’ve probably noticed that this is the third Australian entry on my list.   To be fair, I actually never listened to Woods of Desolation until this year, and Earth Rot weren’t even a band until last year.  That being said, I am perhaps somewhat biased towards these filthy cunts (that’s how they talk in ‘Straya mate!) because:  A.   They’re (or at least they kind of used to be, most of the dudes on this album are relatively new to the band) a Sydney black metal supergroup, comprised of some of the city’s most talented BM artists and are a pretty big deal there.  B.   They put on a killer show when I saw them at The Devil’s Arcana, ending with the bassist literally destroying his bass on stage at the end.   C.   The album is really fucking good and speaks for itself!   This album’s pretty much got it all in terms of what I like in black metal- a dark, brooding atmosphere, haunting, beautiful melodies, and a sense of urgency, intensity, and mysticism all thematically tied together with concepts such as the occult and death anxiety.   While they certainly have their own sound and style, I feel like their sound can be described as combining the best of Deathspell Omega’s grandiosity, the darkness and bleakness of Secrets of the Moon, the violence of Watain, and even at times random stuff like the sorrow of Agalloch, the black ‘n’ roll of mid-era Darkthrone, and the sad beauty of post-black metal like Woods of Desolation.

Are you guys familiar with George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire Series” (or the “Game of Thrones” TV show if you’re a poser)?  Well I bet you never would have imagined, but I’m a huge fan (FINALLY almost finished with “Dance With Dragons”, took me long enough)!!  Anyway, I have absolutely no idea why, but for whatever reason this album makes me feel like I’m on some sort of hallucinogens while in one of the those really exotic cities in Essos like Qarth, Meereen, or maybe even Vaes Dothrak.   I thought this album was really cool!  Psychedelic, fairly bizarre, experimental, cinematic…my kind of stuff!   You can check out the whole album for free here.

I’m usually not a fan of this type of music, but I enjoyed this album!   Also, you don’t have to feel like a wimp when you listen to this because one of the dudes was in jail for awhile (maybe a clue to the title of the record?).   I really like the song “Get Well” a lot.   Enjoy the whole album for free here.

I don’t care what anyone says, I don’t care if they’re a gimmick, I don’t care if they’re considered metal or not, I think Babymetal are fucking great!  Their music is a blast (I’m sure it’s really fun live!), the songs are catchy, and their music videos are awesome!!  Fukk tha haterz!!