Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
2013 Crystal Ball
Did you have
a good Christmas? Yes/No? Sick of your extended family yet? Drink too much yet?
Never mind, you’ve still got the fun and frolics of New Years to look forward to.
For today, I’m continuing another tradition on this blog. It’s been two weeks
or so since those lovely year end lists, which means that it’s time for the
Crystal Ball. Yeah, I’m still calling it that. In case it wasn’t obvious, it’s
a preview of some of the (potentially) great records coming out in the new
year ahead.
Portal |
One of the
first releases of 2013 that’s garnering attention is the long awaited return of
Cult of Luna, who will release their new record Vertikal in January and it’s
already received some promising reviews. The first two months of 2013 will be
jammed with some quality bands releasing records and the list is impressive,
with Iron Lung releasing a new LP and a potentially impressive debut from
Secrets of the Sky around the corner. Death metal horror will come in the shape
of Portal’s Vexovoid in February along with a new EP from Finnish grinders
Rotten Sound that same month.
Light Bearer |
There will
be a slew of records in those two months that I’m personally quite excited
about like Cloud Rat’s Moksha, Fen’s Dustwalker and Skagos’s Anarchic. The
latter released two lengthy new tracks recently and looks set to be the
Cascadian black metallers’ finest, most enthralling moment yet. One of the most
promising things will be Light Bearer’s new album Silver Tongue. As you may
know, I adore the last album Lapsus and the band will begin recording in early
January, with an online release possible later that month and the physicals
coming later in the year.
2012 was a
pretty good year again for Irish releases like Eternal Helcaraxe, Sodb, Fern
Floor and Drainland to mention a few. But 2013 is already looking pretty
enticing with Altar of Plagues (more on them in a paragraph or two) but also,
black metal project Slidhr who released two new tracks earlier this year and will
finally unleash Deluge through Debemur Morti and then there’s Refraction. If
you remember correctly they released my favourite Irish album in 2011 and a new
EP is on the cards. Add to that, one of the country’s finest doom offerings
Mourning Beloveth will unveil Formless in February, which has promised to be a
departure of sorts but still quintessentially Mourning Beloveth. Meanwhile,
Cork’s Rest will release I Hold The Wolf. There are plenty more to mention but
with possible new releases from Zhora, Coalinga, Twisted Mass, and who knows
who else at the moment, around the corner, it should be a decent year on this
island.
Altar of Plagues |
2013 is
slated for a number of other records big and small that still have no official release
dates just yet like Carcass returning with a new album after 18 years, which is
causing equal levels of anticipation and anxiety as to whether the death metal
legends have a great album left in them. Meanwhile, Altar of Plagues are
nearing completion on a new album that’s been promised to be something of a step
into new territory, featuring supposedly ten tracks opposed to the usual four
on the previous albums. The only update offered by the band so far was: "We are nearing the completion of our third album. If
you expect us to repeat ourselves you will be disappointed."
As for labels, it looks like Southern Lord will be continuing their trek into crusty lands, having signed Agrimonia for the release of their next LP in 2013 and what other signings and new records from recent signings they have up their sleeves is anyone’s guess.
As for labels, it looks like Southern Lord will be continuing their trek into crusty lands, having signed Agrimonia for the release of their next LP in 2013 and what other signings and new records from recent signings they have up their sleeves is anyone’s guess.
Thou |
The Flenser were a label that truly impressed me throughout
2012 with the new album from Wreck and Reference, the Kólga demo and the split
cassette between Merkaba and Wheels Within Wheels. Already slated for new
albums from Botanist and Aussie BM outfit Loss of Self as well as Kólga hopefully
releasing a full-length, it’s full steam ahead for the label.
The
inhumanly prolific, and one of the very best sludge bands of recent years, Thou
will inevitably release a record or a few in 2013, with luck it may be a new
full-length. Speaking of prolificacy, Fuck the Facts are also working on a new
full-length offering to follow-up 2011’s absolutely storming record Die
Miserable. Then on the more mainstream metal end of the spectrum, Killswitch
Engage will be releasing a new album with Jesse Leach back on vocals. 15 year
old me is stoked beyond belief.
Some of the
death metal albums I’m eagerly anticipating is the new LP from Baring Teeth,
new song HERE, as well as Ulcerate who are now with Relapse Records and last
record The Destroyers of All was just stunning. Ok, time to stop. The word
count of this post will just keep pushing and pushing if I don’t cap this
off now. The moral of the story – there is a lot coming. Keep your ears peeled.
Happy New Year!
Ulcerate |
Monday, December 24, 2012
It's Christmas (already?)
Hello all!
Just a quick post here to say Merry Christmas to you. Yes, just you. I like
you. Cheers for reading the blog over the last year. It’s much appreciated.
Posts will be scant over the next few days but the usual 2013 preview will be
coming up shortly, expect that someday between now and New Year’s Eve. Anyway,
take it easy and have a good Christmas.
P.S. In case you missed the year end lists, just clickity click click HERE
P.S. In case you missed the year end lists, just clickity click click HERE
Friday, December 21, 2012
New Rotting Christ track
Perhaps Greece’s finest metal export, Rotting Christ have released a new song, ‘In
Yumen / Xibalba. The song is taken from their forthcoming album Κατά τον
δαίμονα εαυτού (True His Own Spirit, in English), which is scheduled for
release on March 1st. The band’s most celebrated material is, unsurprisingly,
their early output and the last few records can be divisive, much like 2010’s
Aeolo and while this new song is reasonably solid and well executed it’s
certainly not something to write home about unfortunately. Stream the track
below.
Rotting
Christ will also be at next February’s Redemption Festival in Dublin, playing
an exclusively older material set, taking only from their demos and Thy Mighty
Contract, Non Serviam, and Triarchy of the Lost Lovers albums.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Cloudkicker says Merry Christmas
"Thank you all very much for another really
cool year. I could say a lot but instead I made a song that you can
download for free for Christmas. Don’t even try to pay me for it because
it is a gift. I’ll have it on Bandcamp until early January sometime."
So sayeth
Ben Sharp. Cloudkicker had another great with another great album in Fade and
much like in 2010, the man has written, recorded and posted this new song ‘Signal/Noise’
all for us for free download as a Christmas gift. Isn’t that nice of him?
Stream and download below.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
New Integrity track
Last week,
Indie Recordings in Norway announced the signing of metallic hardcore legends
Integrity, and with it the release of a new 7” Black Heksen Rise in February and
they’re streaming the title track now. Integrity’s last album was Detonate
Worlds Plague in 2011. There’s no word yet if the band has a new full-length
coming up soon, though presumably if there is it’ll be brought to us by Indie
Recordings, at least in Europe. Listen to the new song below.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Momentum - Herbivore
Momentum are back with a new record - Herbivore. The album was recorded, mixed and released in just a few days but alas it will be the band's swansong as they're calling it a day but with this album they're leaving a heap of destruction behind. Click HERE for the review.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Amarok / Pyramido split LP
Two sludge doom bands in Amarok and Pyramido have teamed up for this rather complementary split LP, which was released by Orca Wolf Records earlier this year. Check out the review HERE.
CVLT Nation's Top 6 Irish releases of the year
And just when you thought the lists were over! Yes, I did a Top 6 Irish releases list for the good folks at CVLT Nation. With it only being six releases to work with there may be some glaring omissions. Oh well. Check it out HERE.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Portal release first track from Vexovoid
Portal are
genuinely scary sometimes. The Australian death metal enigma is a band that has
successfully created an air of ghastly mysticism around them in everything they
do, from their presentation to their live shows and to critically, the deathly
music itself. Listen to their album Swarth if you still need convincing.
However, come February they will release a new record Vexovoid (through Profound Lore). Pitchfork are currently streaming a new song now entitled ‘Curtain’, a harrowing, unfathomably heavy and dark track that merely suggests Portal aren’t stepping out of the shadows anytime soon. Listen HERE or below.
However, come February they will release a new record Vexovoid (through Profound Lore). Pitchfork are currently streaming a new song now entitled ‘Curtain’, a harrowing, unfathomably heavy and dark track that merely suggests Portal aren’t stepping out of the shadows anytime soon. Listen HERE or below.
Mourning Beloveth unveil new artwork
Mourning Beloveth
have revealed the artwork for the forthcoming double album, Formless, along
with the following update, confirming its release on February 15th.
The new Mourning Beloveth album, Formless, will be released on DCD and vinyl on February 15th 2013. An album like no other MB album yet bearing the trademarks we have scraped into the ether over the last 4 releases. It is a journey from the cold sweating centre of the skull to the scratching edges of reality.
The new Mourning Beloveth album, Formless, will be released on DCD and vinyl on February 15th 2013. An album like no other MB album yet bearing the trademarks we have scraped into the ether over the last 4 releases. It is a journey from the cold sweating centre of the skull to the scratching edges of reality.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Momentum post new album online
Momentum have released their new album Herbivore online. The band swiftly recorded,
mixed and posted the record tonight in impressive fashion after only recording on
Sunday. The scathing hail of politically charged melodic hardcore, featuring
members of Light Bearer, Fall of Efrafa and Black Mass, is the follow-up to
last year’s incredible Whetting Occam’s Razor album. Herbivore features eight
tracks and includes some guest vocals from Protestant vocalist/Halo of Flies
head honcho Cory. This will be the band’s final release, check it out HERE. The
full, proper review is coming soon.
New track from Cork's Rest
Cork's Rest
will release a new LP entitled I Hold The Wolf through Out On A Limb Records in
February and the instrumentalists are streaming a new track today called
‘Descent With Modification’, which is total rapid fire from the band that we’ve
come to expect at this stage. Have a listen below and keep an eye out for the
LP when it drops.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
New Iron Lung tunes
Big thanks
to Operation Grindcore for the heads up on this. Yes, Iron Lung have a new LP called
White Glove Test coming out in January and are streaming a brand new song – ‘Plasma
Separatist’, which is the short caustic slab of grinding powerviolence that is
exactly what you would expect from the duo by now. It’s been five years since
Iron Lung has released an LP so needless to say White Glove Test is quite anticipated.
Listen to ‘Plasma Separatist’ below, as well as a second new track from the
forthcoming compilation, Iron Lung Mixtape II.
Baring Teeth play new song at Violitionist session
You remember Baring Teeth, right? They released their first album in 2011 called Atrophy and
it was pretty amazing. If meshing Ulcerate and Flourishing with small tasteful
levels of mathcore is at all your thing then Baring Teeth are the band for you.
Unfortunately, the trio has been quiet for the last while until this week where
they posted a live session with Violitionist, playing two tracks from the album
and most importantly – a new song entitled ‘Mountain’, which alludes to
promising new things from the band, especially in that opening riff, and Andrew
Hawkin’s vocals are growing leaps and bounds.
The band also explains that they are working on a new album a called Ghost Chorus Among Old Ruins. “We have two songs completed and several more in the offing, so hopefully we can finish writing by the summer and release it in the winter. Once that comes out, we plan on doing some extensive touring”, according to the interview accompanying the session. View the full interview and session HERE, or watch the video of the live performance of ‘Mountain’ below
The band also explains that they are working on a new album a called Ghost Chorus Among Old Ruins. “We have two songs completed and several more in the offing, so hopefully we can finish writing by the summer and release it in the winter. Once that comes out, we plan on doing some extensive touring”, according to the interview accompanying the session. View the full interview and session HERE, or watch the video of the live performance of ‘Mountain’ below
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
New Rotten Sound song
Rotten Sound
have posted a new tune from their forthcoming EP Species At War, which is being
released through Season of Mist in Europe and remaining with Relapse for North
America. The Finnish grinders are one of the most consistent grind bands of
recent years and this EP marks their first release with the label and this song,
‘Salvation’, suggests that their consistency is only to continue. Have a listen
to the track below. Rotten Sound also confirmed a European tour last week with Martyrdöd
and Enabler, which is stopping by in Dublin on March 1st.
The Ocean to release new album in April
The Ocean have confirmed they will release a new album on April 29th, as yet untitled.
The band posted an update on Facebook today explaining in more detail that the
record will be a single release unlike the dual album affair of Heliocentric
and Anthropocentric in 2010, but will be available in two formats – instrumental
and with vocals. The band has plans to play both versions live and have also
confirmed a number of European dates with Cult of Luna along with an appearance
at Roadburn. The record will be mixed by none other than Jens Bogren. Read the
full update HERE.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Cult of Luna - Vertikal
All this talk of new releases for 2013 last week, and now we have the first review of arguably one of 2013's most anticipated records, Cult of Luna's long awaited new album Vertikal. Click HERE for the review of what is one of their career bests, along with a track to stream.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Light Bearer post Silver Tongue teaser
Light Bearer
who are working on their new record Silver Tongue have posted a brief four
minute snippet of music with the following blurb below giving us the lowdown on
what’s happening. Click HERE to listen on their Facebook. Silver Tongue is
without doubt one of my most anticipated records for 2013. If you’ve read any
previous posts on this blog about Light Bearer then you’ll get why.
Hey guys,
A few weeks
back some people were asking for a little snippet from the new album.
Unfortunately we can't give away any more than we already have. Some people may
remember the video we posted a few months back of one of the melodies but I
thought it would be a nice idea to post a recorded version for people to listen
to and get a feel for Silver Tongue. Much like Lucifer's monody, this alludes
to the sound of the Mitochondrial Eve on our next record. Please bare in mind
that this was recorded very primitively and when it appears on the record it
will be a completely different beast! (Lots of Strings, Piano and even Trumpet,
Trombone and French horns!) We're really excited and anxious to record the next
chapter of the story.
Matthew.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Issue three of Ghost Cult online now
Issue three
of Ghost Cult Magazine is online now. It features some great interviews but on
the review front you can read words I flung together on Car Bomb’s new album
and the reissue of Death’s Spiritual Healing. Get reading HERE as there are
already cool things brewing for issue four.
More new music: Burnt Books
It’s around this time of year, between the haze of EOY lists that we start to look towards new music on the horizon for 2013. Already this week we’ve had new snippets of music from Cult of Luna and Kongh. South Carolina’s Burnt Books are another hot prospect for 2013 as they ready the release of their debut full-length through At A Loss Recordings. Their Facebook page lists their genre as avantgardecore, so clearly they’re a bit tongue in cheek when it comes to genre classifications but boiling them down to their essence, Burnt Books are a hardcore band that have tinkered with the template with some noise rock and judicial doses of melody. It’s nothing new by any means but still promising. Decibel are streaming the track ‘Selfish Friend’ now. Check it out HERE.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
New Kongh track
You can chalk Kongh down for another exciting album due for release in 2013. Sole Creation will be the Swedish sludge band’s third album, and their first in four years. Due for release in February, the band is now streaming a new cut in the form of the album’s title track, albeit an edited version. The clip is near seven minutes, which gives us a taster of what the band has been working on, songs are typically in the 10-15 minute range from this band so who knows what else is up their sleeves? Have a listen below.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
End of year report 2012 Part 3: Top 25 albums of the year
The third
and final instalment – Top 25 Albums of the Year. Thanks for sticking with me
through these lists and actually reading them (PART ONE and PART TWO in case
you missed them). As always compiling this list was difficult (yes, woe is me)
and some albums unfortunately didn’t make it. Honourable mentions go out to
Converge, Baroness, Knelt Rote, Idylls and Kayo Dot. Sorry, guys. The top spot was
hotly contested too; photo finish one might say. Anyway, cheers again and keep
an eye out for the Irish releases post on CVLT Nation soon. Read on!
25: Lento –
Anxiety Despair Languish
Italians
Lento just about make this list with an album released in late October –
Anxiety Despair Languish. The instrumental sludge band have a string of solid
and impressive albums under their belt already, namely last year’s Icon record
so it’s rather heartening to hear them effortlessly top it with Anxiety Despair
Languish. Heavily layered with very busy compositions, each of these songs is
methodical but still manages to be relentless and even aggressive when needs
be.
24: Column
of Heaven – Mission From God
Mission From
God is arguably 2012’s best powerviolence/grind record and for good reason. Not
only is it a ruthlessly aggressive record, it’s one soaked in despair and
horror. A concept album of sorts based on Peter Sutcliffe, aka The Yorkshire
Ripper, and his reign of terror over northern England during the late 1970s and
early 1980s, the aggression of Column of Heaven’s music and the severity of the
themes couldn’t be more complementary, and the fact that Andrew Nolan grew up
in the area, experiencing the tension first hand makes it all the more
affecting; and the sample of an interview Sutcliffe gave in prison, which is
used to close the album, is one of the most unnerving things you’ll hear on an
album this year.
23:
Tempestuous Fall – The Stars Would Not Awake You
Tempestuous
Fall is Australian Dis Pater’s foray into the world of funeral doom (a man more
associated with black metal, primarily his Midnight Odyssey project and to a
lesser extent, The Crevices Below). The Stars Would Not Awake You is definitely
a good move in the doom direction as it’s head and shoulders above many other
doom metal records released this year and can stand proudly next to Ahab and
Evoken. A staggeringly long listen, Tempestuous Fall effortlessly glides
through the 63 minute running time of this debut with heart wrenching
melancholy in every towering riff, guttural vocal and discomforting clean
croon.
22: Blut Aus
Nord – 777 Cosmosophy
The
mysterious French black metal entity, Blut Aus Nord conclude their tense and
thrilling 777 trilogy with Cosmosophy, a totally hypnotic and even beautiful
listen. Cosmosophy isn’t so much a black metal record, in fact it rather defies
much of the genre boundaries we occupy our time debating. Still undeniably
intense though, the record is heavily layered and emotionally charged, dripping
with melancholy in the brooding clean vocals and meandering lead guitars that
mostly characterise the album. With this trilogy triumphantly at a close, it
begs the question just what is next for Blut Aus Nord?
21: Eternal
Helcaraxe – Against All Odds
Hands down,
the best black metal record to ever come out of Cavan. Eternal Helcaraxe are a
supremely underrated band in this country and the quality of this album speaks
to that. Meshing orthodox black metal and shades of paganism, unabashed melody
and clean vocals and a few Primordialisms for good measure, Against All Odds is
battle ravaged and ready to take on more. The running theme of war and battle
throughout the album truly comes alive in the battle cries of tracks like ‘We
Assist Death’ and ‘Invictus’ and not to mention the grandiose closer that is
the title track.
Let’s be
honest for a moment, South Africa isn’t exactly one of the first places we look
to when we’re in search of new, compelling black metal; shame on us really,
because we could very well have missed The Writing of Gods in the Sand. It’s
the first release from Cape Town’s Wildernessking, the band formerly known as
Heathens. Deciding to start fresh, the band changed their name and found a new
purpose under the guise of Wildernessking and thank them for it, as The Writing
of Gods in the Sand is a superbly impressive effort for any band, never mind
your first.
19: Samothrace
– Reverence To Stone
With just
two tracks, though expansive and lengthy ones mind you, Samothrace effortlessly
crafted one of the year’s finest stoner doom records. Of course the influence
of Sleep can be heard on this record, but Samothrace still make a conscious
effort to make something a little more them
and the sublime gentle melodies that wash over the dense walls of entrancing
riffs on the 14 minute ‘When We Emerge’ lays as proof that what we have here is
a band capable of the captivating. Meanwhile, ‘A Horse of Our Own’ descends
into some wretched depths, displaying a gripping dichotomy at the same time.
18: Wreck
and Reference – No Youth
No Youth
came out of nowhere. This duo makes some of the most enthralling noise you’ll
hear for some time, sans guitar but laden with myriad electronics, frenetic
drumming and disturbing vocals. Dipped in misanthropy, there is disdain and scorn
oozing from every pore of this record, whether it’s the haunting intro of ‘Spectrum’
or the uneasy volatility of tracks like ‘Inverted Soul’ and ‘Winter’. When No
Youth isn’t exploding in caustic rage, it’s seething in hostility once again,
anxiously and agonisingly getting closer to falling over the edge once more.
17: Assembly
of Light – Assembly of Light
Assembly of
Light’s self-titled album is one of the year’s pleasant surprises. The all-female
choir, based in Rhode Island, first started to become known somewhat thanks to
their collaboration with The Body on their All the Waters of the Earth Turn to
Blood album. Assembly of Light is simply power, the collective of voices
creates a staggering atmosphere and is complemented by the fragile addition of
other instrumentation and vocals courtesy of members of The Body and
Braveyoung, as well as a guest appearance by Daughters vocalist Alexis Marshall.
However, this album is centred on the captivating voices of these women, whose
vocal presence is just astounding.
16:
Martyrdöd – Paranoia
Along with
Wolfbrigade, Southern Lord continued their crust signing spree with fellow
Swedish punks Martyrdöd and their latest LP Paranoia, and it’s an album
effortlessly jammed full of adrenalized fury. The opening riff of ‘Nog Är Nog’
is completely unforgettable, and in fact this is an album loaded with hooky
riffs that don’t come at the expense of ferocity, as evidence by ‘Köttberg’,
and it all comes to a head with the closer, the utterly uncompromising ‘Varje
Val Har Sitt Pris’.
15: Wodensthrone
– Curse
2012 has
been chock full of black metal records of the highest quality, from all angles,
and unfortunately so many are omitted from this list, heartbreakingly so. Wodensthrone’s
second album Curse was nearly guaranteed a spot though. Released back in April,
it marked a massive leap in ability and ambition from Loss. At nearly 70
minutes, Curse is a sprawling epic in every sense of the word, conjuring images
of vast forests and devastatingly cold winters but all the while still ridden
with a sense of melody that ties everything together. An impressive record to
say the very least.
14: The
Great Old Ones – Al Azif
Exploring
the works of HP Lovecraft is certainly nothing new and plenty of times
throughout 2012 you’d find a press release shamelessly describing x band or x
album as “Lovecraftian”. The Great Old Ones, from Paris, are one such band but
thankfully the near-pastiche ends there, as their debut Al Azif is one of the
year’s very best black metal records. Taking in a little bit of that "post-"
element, TGOO have been easily compared to Altar of Plagues and Wolves in the
Throne Room, perhaps unfairly so, but there’s certainly a similarity in
intensity to be heard, particularly with the former. More importantly though,
The Great Old Ones still sound fresh and invigorated and where they go next
could be something very special.
13: Absolutist
– Ave
This one
sort of came out of nowhere too. The Aberdeen, by way of Northern Ireland, trio
released their reasonably solid demo in 2011 but the jump from that to this LP,
Ave, is quite the feat. Effortlessly blowing it out of the water, Ave is a
savagely belligerent crust record that’s terse and concise in its
ferocity. Each of the seven tracks is a
caustic tale of cathartic fury that keeps augmenting in intensity with each
song, eventually coming to a boiling point with album highlight ‘Tectonics’ and
the subsequent short closer of ‘Vile Communion’.
12: Alcest –Les
Voyages De L'Âme
Alcest’s
continued growth continues to astound and the conscious steps away from black
metal with every release has actually worked wonders for the band who are now
much more in tune with a shoegaze and post metal vibe. Les Voyages De L'Âme is
Alcest’s most affectingly beautiful and equally dramatic album yet and one
that’s completely enthralling. Work has already begun on a new record, one
where Neige says any kinds of harsh vocals will be scrapped entirely and the
band are working in Sigur Rós’ studio, perhaps suggesting a path even more
ghostly and ethereal than before.
11: Oak
Pantheon – From A Whisper
Following
the impressive EP effort, The Void from last year, with their debut full-length,
From A Whisper, is folk-tinged atmospheric metallers Oak Pantheon. Obvious
comparisons to Agalloch aside, From A Whisper is another beautifully crafted
record on this list. Flourishes of black metal are more than prevalent at times
but it’s the lush post rock sensibilities and the gentle acoustic folk moments
at play too that make this an album you can fearlessly lose yourself in.
10: Downfall
of Gaia – Suffocating in the Swarm of Cranes
Listen to
Suffocating in the Swarm of Cranes, then listen to Epos. It almost sounds like
a different band. Epos was below average, unfocused on a main aim and a little
too ambitious given the band’s ability at the time. Two years, and an amazing
split record with In The Hearts of Emperors, later and the German band is on
Metal Blade and have released one of the best postwhatchamaycallit records of
2012, but
still espousing much of their hardcore sensibilities. Raw and energetic but still poised with melody and cerebral atmosphere,
Suffocating in the Swarm of Cranes’ ambition is, this time, met perfectly by
the band’s honed ability.
09:
Cloudkicker – Fade
Ben Sharp
cannot be stopped. Under the guise of Cloudkicker, he’s been releasing at least
one record a year. 2011’s subdued Let Yourself Be Huge and 2010’s animated and
edgy Beacons were two of his finest, and newest effort Fade sees the
instrumentalist strike a wondrous balance between the two. Still creeping more
towards his heavier tendencies with riffs galore (‘Our Crazy Night’ is easily
one of the year’s very best riffs) and equally, intense and sombre moments like
the mid passages of ‘Seattle’, there really doesn’t appear to be any end in
sight for Sharp’s abilities.
08: Ne
Obliviscaris – Portal of I
It was far
too long coming. Australia’s Ne Obliviscaris released their hugely impressive
demo The Aurora Veil in 2007 and a series of stop/starts hindered the album,
whether it be line-up shifts and even guitarists being deported. Finally, in
2012, Portal of I has arrived and it’s everything the BM turned prog metallers
needed to make to justify the waiting, meshing lush melodies of latter Opeth
and Enslaved with several violin lines and the to and fro of clean and coarse
vocals. It’s grandiose and sprawling in every aspect, all aided by the polished
and roomy production. A definite triumph, top to bottom.
07: Scott
Kelly and The Road Home – The Forgiven Ghost In Me
If you ever
have a chance to see Neurosis’ Scott Kelly play a solo live show, you should
take it. His previous solo records are emotionally heavy to say the very least,
for just a coarse voice and an acoustic guitar, and that emotion blooms into something else entirely in a live setting. After a few years, Kelly has
put out a new solo record under a new name – Scott Kelly and The Road Home,
entitled The Forgiven Ghost In Me. Bringing in select few guest musicians,
Kelly has churned out a heart achingly beautiful acoustic record, once again
paying homage to the folk elders that informed his craft but also reflecting on
his own expansive musical career.
06: Between
the Buried and Me – The Parallax II: Future Sequence
You can’t
help but be impressed by how one band can manage to reinvent themselves with
every release and that’s exactly what Between the Buried and Me have done over
the last ten years, reaching another zenith with this, their most ambitious
effort to date. Beginning last year with the EP release The Parallax:
Hypersleep Dialogues, the band commenced the introduction to this sprawling
concept record that clocks in at a staggering 72 minutes, and it coalesces the
myriad components that make BTBAM such an unrivalled force in progressive
metal into one impressive feat. And while not exhibiting the same awe as, say,
Colors, The Parallax II: Future Sequence is still utterly monumental.
05: Pig
Destroyer – Book Burner
It’s hard to
think that anyone was expecting anything else than this. Book Burner may not be
of the same visceral quality of Terrifyer or Prowler in the Yard, but the long
awaited new Pig Destroyer album is every bit as fierce and vigorous that it needed to be; and
granted, with it comes some changes. New drummer Adam Jarvis (Misery Index) has
been subject to some scrutiny in filling the (rather large) shoes of one Brian
Harvey, but his clinical performance speaks for itself. Meanwhile, Scott Hull’s
riffs are untouchable and JR Hayes’ vocals sound more pissed off than ever and
the lyrics are just as unnervingly stirring too.
04: Enabler
– All Hail The Void
Talk about a
band that sounds invigorated. If there’s only one way to describe All Hail The
Void, it’s adrenaline burst. Enabler’s metallic hardcore, as clichéd as it
sounds, gets in your face but it doesn’t sacrifice any hooks either, as the
totally unforgettable ‘True Love’ will attest in spades or the searing lead
riff on ‘Speechless’. There isn’t a bad track to found on this record, it’s
start to finish unrelenting and while the album is still confrontational, the
cathartic release in each song is an altogether affirmative one. Hands down,
the best hardcore full-length of 2012.
03: Anathema
– Weather Systems
Anathema
couldn’t release a bad album if they tried. Following up 2010’s We’re Here
Because We’re Here was never going to be easy and the debate still stands on
whether or not Weather Systems tops it but it certainly matches it anyway. Once
again ridden with an overwhelming emotional depth and poise, Anathema have
completed their transfiguration from purveyors of gloom to a staggeringly
life-affirming, and simply beautiful, collective. The wondrous two part opener ‘Untouchable’
lays as evidence with Vincent Cavanagh and Lee Douglas proving why they’re the
most captivating vocal duo of recent years and when the final moments of album
closer ‘Internal Landscapes’ plays out and the hypnotic haze you were immersed
in for 55 minutes ends, you’ll find yourself lunging for that play button again
and again.
02: Dragged
Into Sunlight – Widowmaker
Also from Liverpool
but totally on the other end of the world to Anathema is Dragged Into Sunlight.
Furious, caustic and unhealthy are just some of the words that best describe
this band and their general ethos, as portrayed by 2009’s album, Hatred for
Mankind. Widowmaker marks an important stylistic shift for the band,
fraternising with more doom elements. A single piece of 41 minutes, Widowmaker
sees the band move through a myriad
moods and tones (all negative, mind you) and while still dripping with bile,
the album is actually totally invigorating as the band has, whether
intentionally or unintentionally, crafted a seismic and fiery record that is
utterly astonishing and unavoidably absorbing.
01: Neurosis
– Honor Found in Decay
Is anyone
surprised by this? Probably not, but the top spot was actually a very close
call. However, trying to put into words why Neurosis have the album of the year in the end is more or
less pointing out the obvious. After five years since Given to the
Rising, the band have mustered up a record that is one of their best, if not
the best, album since Times of Grace. Honor Found in Decay is every bit as
intense and emotionally wrought as anything they’ve done through the years,
from the pacey meanderings of ‘We All Rage In Gold’ to the soul and head
crushingly beautiful ‘My Heart for Deliverance’ straight through to ‘Raise The
Dawn’s sublime and hypnotic close – Neurosis simply just doing what they do
better than everyone else.
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