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2016


Check this shit out.

Created by: Neachy | 18.01.2016



1. Ill Omen - Æ.Thy.Rift
(10) (Blackened Doom) Blackened funeral doom has never sounded this good. This is one of my favorite albums of all time.
2. Ustalost - The Spoor Of Vipers
(9.5) (Black) A hell of an album done as a side project by Will Skarstad from Brooklyn's Yellow Eyes. Filthy, icy guitar riffs and tone, excellent fleshed out basslines, haunting keyboards, great drumming or drum programming whatever the case may be. The vocals are perfect. High pitched wretched vocals which truly convey pain, suffering and despair. The grimy production perfectly suits the aesthetic.
3. Skáphe - Skáphe²
(9.5) (Avant-Garde Black) D.G. from Misþyrming has teamed up with Alex Poole aka Esoterica to bring a new level of asphyxiating atmosphere to this project. This is a mind bending experience. Chaotic black metal this is. Melody is sparse. Small slices of tranquility are found here and there as brief ambient sections lull you into a sense that the beatings have stopped only to mercilessly pick right back up. Cavernous production brings their sound to life as it seems almost as if you're hearing this echo off the walls as you fall to your eventual death in a bottomless pit of despair.
4. Suffer Yourself - Ectoplasm
(9.5) (Funeral Doom/Death) Amazing funeral doom out of Sweden via Ukraine.
5. Pogavranjen - Jedva Čekam Da Nikad Ne Umrem
(9) Avant-Garde Black
6. Perturbator - The Uncanny Valley
(9) (Synthwave) Blade Runner meets Akira needed a soundtrack. Top notch stuff.
7. 40 Watt Sun - Wider Than The Sky
(9) (Doom) This can barely be called metal but still solidly melancholic Doom. This is as emotive as Patrick Walker has ever been on vocals.
8. Chthe'ilist - Le Dernier Crépuscule
(9) (Death) Demilichian death metal and sounds near perfect. Excellent song writing and production top this off as one of the best of the year.
9. Gnipahålan - Gnipahålan
(9) (Ambient Black) Amazing lo-fi ambient style black metal. You won't find recycled, generic riffs here.
10. Kyomdarak - 夢の焦土
(9) (Black/Noise/Grind/Ambient) The sound here is about halfway between Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Gnaw Their Tongues. Needless to say, it kicks ass. Google translates title as "Scorched Earth Of Dreams".
11. Vektor - Terminal Redux
(9) (Progressive Technical Thrash) I'm surprised at how much I like this album considering I generally don't like thrash. This is like metal in its purest form. Despite the unruly length of the album there was only one track that I found to be on the boring/repetitive side and that was track 6. But things pick right back up after that and keep my interest piqued and my head banging.
12. Deströyer 666 - Wildfire
(8.5) (Blackened Thrash) Riffs for days. Just vicious and fun as fuck.
13. Arizmenda - Beneath This Reality Of Flesh
(8.5) (Psychedelic Black) The once prolific output of the BTC has inexplicably slowed to a near stand-still. Fortunately the best project of the group has graced us with a new album. While to me not quite as immediately memorable as Stillbirth In The Temple Of Venus, this album puts on full display the continued evolution of Arizmenda's sound. The production and attention to detail are better than ever. The guitar layering continues to be the best of any band I've heard. The fact that sole member Murdunbad managed to follow up one of my all time favorite albums with an album that is just as good in its own way is worthy of the highest level of musical respect.
14. Death Fetishist - Clandestine Sacrament
(8.5) (Psychedelic Black) Fucking malicious album. Not polished in its production but not done in by murk like most of his Ævangelist albums. I love the twists and turns of dissonance and rhythm. The guest appearances weave well into the flow of the album. The first track of just a mildly creepy voice blathering on for 3 minutes is extraneous however.
15. Vanhelgd - Temple Of Phobos
(8.5) (Death/Death Doom) Not quite up to Relics but a solid slab of doomy death metal.
16. Aluk Todolo - Voix
(8.5) (Instrumental Blackened Psychedelic/Krautrock) A trippy journey. This album has more substance to it (imo) than their previous album Occult Rock. Voix is also considerably shorter which makes it more accessible to the casual listener.
17. Glorior Belli - Sundown (The Flock That Welcomes)
(8.5) (Black with some southern Sludge) This is the correct formula. Whatever was going on on their last album was terrible. This is back to the bread and butter of excellent black metal tinged with American southern Sludge elements.
18. Deathspell Omega - The Synarchy Of Molten Bones
(8.5) (Technical Black) They're baaaaack. And it's about time. They're not pushing the envelope with this one however. The sound here is about halfway between Fas and Paracletus.
19. Zhrine - Unortheta
(8.5) (Blackened Death) Highly enjoyable progressive oriented Blackened death metal album. Nice change of pace from the black metal that has come out of Iceland lately.
20. Jassa - Lights In The Howling Wilderness
(8) (Black) Damn. This was unexpectedly badass. It doesn't veer all that far from bog standard shit you hear all over the place but everything just comes together so perfectly across these 6 tracks that it sounds fresh and invigorating.
21. Arizmenda - Despairs Depths Descended
(8) (Psychedelic Black) What a lovely Yuletide gift bestowed upon us by Juan Cabello AKA Murdunbad. The rest of the BTC is MIA this year so Arizmenda has doubled down with a second full length release for 2016. While some artists who release albums in quick succession might suffer from a dearth of ideas, this simply isn't the case here. Murdunbad must have some hellacious inspiration to couple with his immense talent. This album is most akin to Stillbirth In The Temple Of Venus with its squealing layered guitar hooks and instant gratification peppered in amidst the swirling dysphoric cacophony of madness.
22. Yith - Dread
(8) (Black/Doom) I have only discovered this band and album in 2018. This is best kind of atmospheric black metal with the heaviness and melancholy of doom metal. This guy has a real knack for riffs and passages never linger too long as much doom is wont to do.
23. Urfaust - Empty Space Meditation
(8) (Black/Doom/Ambient) Probably the most relaxing black metal you'll hear all year. Managed to not put me to sleep despite this.
24. Blood Incantation - Starspawn
(8) Death
25. Muyubyosha - 5772
(8) (Avant-Garde/Post-Black/Noise) That's my best attempt at pigeonholing this schizophrenic album into genre definitions. The bands name translates to Sleepwalker, which screams post-black metal in the vein of deafheaven. But don't be fooled. Despite some beautiful shimmering moments on a couple tracks, the majority of the 22 minute runtime conveys a nihilistic tone, ripping and bludgeoning its way into your psyche.
26. Ljáin - Klofnar Tungur
(8) (Black) The second of two EPs released within 2 months of each other by this mysterious project out of Iceland. Based on the fact that this album was shared on the Facebooks of both Wormlust and Mannveira, I'm going to guess that some members are from those two bands. This album is dense, chaotic black metal at its best.
27. The Wakedead Gathering - Fuscus: Strings Of The Black Lyre
(8) (Blackened Death/Doom) Murky production serves this album's swampy premise well. Catchy, diverse riffs are all over this thing.
28. Death Fortress - Deathless March Of The Unyielding
(8) (Black) Very well done straight up black metal. I enjoy coming across bands/albums like this. Too much black metal these days is just post rock with shrieked vcals.
29. Crowhurst - II
(8) (Black/Noise) Very nice noisey black metal.
30. Serpent Ascending - Aṇaṅku
(8) (Death) Punchy, well done death metal.
31. Haunter - Thrinodίa
(8) (Black) Thrashy, crusty badass black metal from Texas.
32. Spire (AUS) - Entropy
(8) (Black)
33. Almyrkvi - Pupil Of The Searing Maelstrom
(8) (Ambient/Industrial Black) Once again we have Iceland to thank for being home to the best black metal scene going right now. This one is a nice slice of space themed Industrial black metal clocking in at 26 minutes and change. Industrial black metal is one of the few subgenres of BM that isn't being done to death these days so it's refreshing to come across very well done stuff like this.
34. Furia - Księżyc Milczy Luty
(8) (Avant-Garde Black) This is a far cry from your standard fare black metal. This is slowed down to a sludgy pace and has a good deal of rock sensibility to it.
35. Hipoxia - Si Devs Esset Occidendvs Erit - Monvmentvm Ab Khaos I -
(8) (Extreme Doom) Love stumbling across doom that's this aggressive. Album is only comprised of three tracks. The first two are excellent and clock in at 22 minutes and 16 minutes respectively. The last track is comparatively boring and aimless but only 6 minutes long.
36. Nox Formulae - The Hidden Paths To Black Ecstasy
(8) (Black) Very melodic and catchy but retains enough filth to avoid the sugary sweetness put forth by many melodic black metal bands.
37. Krypts - Remnants Of Expansion
(8) (Death/Doom)
38. Ulcerate - Shrines Of Paralysis
(8) (Brutal Tech Death) Ulcerate doing Ulcerate things as well as they have ever done them.
39. Prosternatur - Abyssus Abyssum Invocat
(8) (Black) Furious, unrelenting barrage of occult black metal.
40. Iskandr - Heilig Land
(8) (Black) This bass heavy gem is the debut album from this project out of The Netherlands. Mid-paced tempo but hits like a ton of bricks.
41. Death Fetishist - Lucifer Descending
(8) (Psychedelic Black) As has become common with Matron Thorn's works, the production here takes away from the excellence of this single track EP. The actual song is good enough that I can forgive him this time around.
42. Plebeian Grandstand - False Highs, True Lows
(8) (Blackened Hardcore) A nice step forward in diversifying their sound from their previous record. This one hits just as hard but is slightly more satisfying.
43. Blackwood - As The World Rots Away
(8) (Drone Doom) The ominous tone of this record is paranoia inducing. I don't listen to this style very often so the shine may wear off if I listen to it a couple more times.
44. Crown Of Twilight - Thousand Wounds - Structures Of Paradox
(7.5) (Black/Dark Ambient) A poor man's Wormlust is what comes to mind to most accurately describe the sound here. The black metal falls far short of this standard. However I would go so far as to say the dark ambient parts are more engaging than the more overtly intense parts of this album.
45. Tardigrada - Emotionale Ödnis
(7.5) (Melodic Depressive Black) Post-Punk melodies all over this album. Really enjoy the vocals. Very expressive shrieks.
46. Ljáin - Endasálmar
(7.5) (Black) The debut album of this ritualistic entity out of Iceland. More evidence (it's really piling up) that Iceland is home to the best black metal scene around at the moment.
47. Grave Miasma - Endless Pilgrimage
(7.5) (Death) Not quite as cavernous as their 2013 full length Odori Sepulcrorum, but just as fulfilling. Great listen and leaves me hungry for more.
48. Forteresse - Thèmes Pour La Rébellion
(7.5) (Black) Pretty standard Forteresse. This means punchy melodic tremolo riffs and kick ass drumming. Not disappointed.
49. Howls Of Ebb - Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows
(7.5) (Avant-Garde Death) This album took a few listens to grow on me. Not your run of the mill death metal sound.
50. Love Sex Machine - Asexual Anger
(7.5) (Sludge/Stoner Doom) Angry and heavy as hell. What more could you ask for?



Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by Neachy ]



Comments

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Comments: 12   Visited by: 114 users
19.01.2016 - 04:36
Diverge

Looking forward to following this, as usual.
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21.01.2016 - 20:39
Zreenco

Yey!
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25.02.2016 - 18:34
Zreenco

Give this a go!
https://pogavranjenband.bandcamp.com/album/jedva-ekam-da-nikad-ne-umrem
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25.02.2016 - 18:53
Neachy

Written by Zreenco on 25.02.2016 at 18:34

Give this a go!
https://pogavranjenband.bandcamp.com/album/jedva-ekam-da-nikad-ne-umrem


I've listened to that 3 or 4 times now. It's definitely good and I see what others like about it but it's just not my cup of tea.
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02.03.2016 - 18:02
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
Lol I like the name change haha, I take it the latest Skaphe blew you away?
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03.03.2016 - 01:57
Neachy

Written by Alex F on 02.03.2016 at 18:02

Lol I like the name change haha, I take it the latest Skaphe blew you away?


Yeah, it's the latest album I've chosen to listen to obsessively. I changed it on a whim. Not sure how long I'll leave it that way.
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20.06.2016 - 00:43
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
This Hyperion album is pretty good Dissection worship. Might be worth checking out if that's something your into. Seraphical Euphony
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20.06.2016 - 01:00
Neachy

Written by Alex F on 20.06.2016 at 00:43

This Hyperion album is pretty good Dissection worship. Might be worth checking out if that's something your into. Seraphical Euphony

Never really cared for Dissection. But I'll give that album a go now. I just added an album to the list. The band is called Hipoxia. You might dig the album.
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20.06.2016 - 01:02
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
Written by Neachy on 20.06.2016 at 01:00

Never really cared for Dissection. But I'll give that album a go now. I just added an album to the list. The band is called Hipoxia. You might dig the album.

Sweet I'll check it out! Sounds interesting
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13.10.2016 - 01:18
mz

Check out the debut album of Departe if you have not already.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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14.10.2016 - 02:38
Neachy

Written by mz on 13.10.2016 at 01:18

Check out the debut album of Departe if you have not already.

I heard one track from it and was pretty intrigued. I have a bunch of albums to add to this list, I've just been lazy lately.
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26.01.2017 - 22:03
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
You should definitely check out this Plasmodium album (discovery props go to Apothecary. It's some of the best stuff I've heard in a long long time. Psyched out black/death metal that pretty much resembles nothing I've ever heard before.

Plasmodium - Entheognosis
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