Finally I can post my top 30 albums for 2009. After all the other lists in various genres I can fully concentrate on my favourite styles such as power metal and anything which puts melody at the forefront.
30. Saint Deamon - Pandeamonium
Melodic power metal gem. Trust me it's not easy to gain a place in the top 30 and Saint Deamon deserve their place.
29. Coldspell - Infinite Stargaze
A new melodic metal band with great songs and vocals. Typical stuff that I like but when it's done this well who can resist?
28. Hammerfall - No Scarifice, No Victory
A really good album from the Hammers. They know the book of heavy metal from A-Z.
27. Wizard - Thor
A great effort after being in the doldrums a bit. Every time any band sings about Vikings it normally ends up being good. Almost anyway!
26. Free Spirit - Pale Sister of Light
Another new melodic rock band with a great debut. Sumptuous catchy melodic rock with melodies to enjoy over and over again.
25. Dark Moor - Autumnal
Perennial Spanish symphonic power metal stalwarts with many great albums under their belt, deliver yet another highlight. Possibly the best Spanish band in this style ever.
24. Wolf - Ravenous
A very consistent band and Ravenous continues their trad metal legacy in great style.
23. While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose
Melodic doom power masterpiece. They used to be more doom but now the power metal quotient has been increased which is no bad thing. Epic!
22. Cain's Offering - Gather The Faithful
The real Sonata Arctica disk! And Timo sings much better than he does in his day job.
21. DGM - FrAme
Amazing prog power band with huge production values. The singer from the last album is gone but the new chap is acceptable indeed. Musically as ambitious as it gets.
20. Vindictiv - Ground Zero
The second Vindictiv album is even better than the first. Featuring in the main the amazing vocals of Swedish legend Goran Edman. The music is the usual melodic, neo-classical riff and solo heaven that Swedes deliver with their eyes closed.
19. Crash The System - The Crowning
Another new band which reads like the who's who of Swedish melodic rock and AOR. Once again the vocals of Thomas Vikstrom are amazing on the songs that he sings.
18. Voyager - I am the reVolution
One of the best hybrid bands in modern times, mixing elements of prog/power to perfection. The gentle melodic vocals can often be hypnotic and the patterns weaved by the music are completely enchanting.
17. Cage - Science Of Annihilation
Pure power speed metal from the American kings of heavy power metal. Planet Crusher!!!
16. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
Epic and melodic prog metal doesn't really get much better than this. Great songs and vocals with top class instrumentation and production.
15. Bloodbound - Tabula Rasa
With Urban back and a whole new sound, Bloodbound took the bull by the horns in this release. Consistently melodic, streamlined and catchy.
14. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
The kings of doom hit their stride in this release with added power metal elements as well as the usual melodic doom. Great memorable song writing is what wins them many accolades from the metal hordes in the end.
13. Megadeth - Endgame
Well I'm a Mega fanboy so it's a no brainer. Much more intense than United Abominations but perhaps lacking some of the catchier melodies of the predecessor. Still it's Megadeth so it must fucking rule!
12. Jorn - Spirit Black
Usual story from workaholic Jorn. Kick ass heavy as lead melodic rock with Jorn's customary amazing vocals. Can't wait for Masterplan's new disk with Jorn back on the mic where he belongs.
11. Kings Of Modesty - Hell Or Highwater
Yet another new Finnish comes out of the blue with a sparkling melodic metal gem with some progressive tendencies. However it's the melodies that win me over.
10. Fairyland - A Score to a New Beginning
As good as it gets symphonic power metal. The rightful heir to Rhapsody's vacated throne as the kings of the style. We await Rhapsody's return with bated breath though!
9. On The Rise - Dream Zone
AOR killer rises from the depths once again. This is the band's second album after 6-7 years and boy what a great album it is. Perfect marriage between classic Survivor with a modern edge.
8. Praying Mantis - Sanctuary
The oldest band in the list delivers a fantastically fresh and exciting melodic rock album with a brilliant new singer. Great old band and album still rocking hard.
7. Creed - Full Circle
My favourite modern rock album of 2009 by miles. The Alter Bridge guys got back with Scott Stapp and really delivered the goods with huge soaring choruses and full bodied rock. A big surprise and personally speaking, a brilliant record from start to finish.
6. Impellitteri - Wicked Maiden
After waiting an age finally the new Impellitteri album hit the shelves early last year with Rob Rock once again back in tandem with the shredmaster himself. Yngwie who?
5. Leverage - Circus Colossus
You can't go wrong with these guys. Finnish kings of melodic metal deliver a seriously addictive set of songs once again.
4. Danger Danger - Revolve
A huge and colossal come back from Danger Danger with Ted Poley singing better than he ever has. The songs are mainly pure gold with hardly a filler in sight with a few orgasmic efforts. Melodic rock doesn't get too much better than this!
3. W.E.T. - st
Well OK, Danger Danger was good but there were two better melodic rock AOR disk this year and the debut W.E.T. was one of 'em. The trio of members deliver melodic rock anthems that will fill your head and heart with pure melodic joy. Can't wait for the follow up!
2. Place Vendome - Streets of Fire
And the second disk better than Danger Danger in the melodic rock field was of course this gem of an album. With songs like these and Michael Kiske's amazing vocals you just can't go wrong. The good thing is that even though there are many different song writers the standard remains consistently amazing. Let's hope there's a 3rd PV disk pretty soon!
1. Powerwolf - Bible of the Beast
Finally we reach my top disk of the year! Powerwolf are a slightly tongue in cheek type of band with a lupine fixation to say the least, but when your songs are this outrageously, over the top catchy, who friggin cares! The vocals from Attila Dorn are something to be hold with melodies which stick like superglue lending the songs a somewhat operatic symphonic edge. An amazing album and I thought they couldn't top their previous album. I was plain wrong. Bravo for the 'wolf!
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Friday, 22 January 2010
First gig of the year!
First post and first gig of the year. Generally things have got off to a poor start in 2010. My computer is still knackered and now the charger has died. I have ordered a new one but unfortunately it's coming from bloody Hong Kong and taking an eternity. If I had any sense I would have waited and ordered from ebay and got it a bit cheaper but I jumped in again and for soem damn reason the company is taking an eternity to send it.
Anyway I had a ticket for Stratovarius and Mystic Prophecy but didn't go as I really really couldn't be arsed that night. It was dead cold as well. Funnily enough the previous Thursday I had a ticket for the Ignominious Incarceration gig and I wouldn't have gone to that either, but thankfully it was cancelled and put back to the 21st which was just last night.
So off I sauntered to that one at the Underworld. A five band bill all in all and plenty of value for the very cheap £7 entrance fee. The bill included 3 bands I hadn't heard of and 2 that I had.
First up was some melodic deathcore band called Into Exile. They were not bad but did not do much for me. The vocals were as usual hardcore barking and not my cuppa but the band had decent riffage with the customary hardcore breakdowns and posturing.
Next up were a typical metalcore band called Reasonable Doubt. I liked them a bit better than the first band but still there wasn't much love from me.
Next up were a four piece band called Snakebite. Again I've never heard of them, but they easily received the best reaction of the night from the 150-200 or so punters who turned up. I must admit I was completely won over by these guys especially the guitarist. That dude is fucking super talented. His riffs and solos were ultra fucking groovy and catchy and seemed almost out of place on a metalcore type band. For Metalcore is what Snakebite are in the end but I must admit that they completely won me over as I said. The frontman was a charismatic crazy loon as well and kept going on about something or other. The sound for their set was amazing as well. Perfect balance and crystal clear between guitars, bass and drums. At the end of their set I quickly went and bought their EP from the merch stand for a fiver. I haven't played it yet but I hope they live up to the live show they gave which was absolutely incendiary.
Next up were UK's number one melodic death band, Denounce. I had bought their cracking debut album last year and didn't want to miss this opportunity of catching them live and boy did they not disappoint! These guys should be huge stars in the melodic death underground believe me. The only thing that spoiled the set was a slightly too loud mix which was previously perfect for Snakebite. It seems they turned it up loads for this. It was still clear but almost jarring. These guys were just super hot, blistering riff after blistering riff they crushed the first few rows and got a super reaction. The only thing they might need to work on is a little more in the way of dynamics, cause songs tended to blur into one another but what a fucking song to have in you arsenal. Hyper aggressive melodic death mastery from Denounce!
Finally at the reasonably late hour of 10.30 Ignominious Incarceration finally took to the stage and they perhaps played to the smallest crowd of the night which was a shame but I guess it was late and the crowd was a bit tired. Anyway these guys were the main reason I was there as I love Of Winter Born their debut album and damn though they only played for half an hour, they did not disappoint me at all. They are just super tight as a band. The vocals are slightly metalcore but I will forgive them this as the frontman is quite engaging with his torturous face pulls. The guitarist with the fucking tattoos is absolutely sick! He nailed the amazing riffs from the debut and they also played a new track which seems to carry on from where OWB left off. Like I said they only played 30 minutes but they ruled. I love their melodic and technical sound and they played it to perfection live. I look forward to their new album. These guys fucking rule!
Overall an enjoyable night for a bargain price. Can't be bad can it!
Anyway I had a ticket for Stratovarius and Mystic Prophecy but didn't go as I really really couldn't be arsed that night. It was dead cold as well. Funnily enough the previous Thursday I had a ticket for the Ignominious Incarceration gig and I wouldn't have gone to that either, but thankfully it was cancelled and put back to the 21st which was just last night.
So off I sauntered to that one at the Underworld. A five band bill all in all and plenty of value for the very cheap £7 entrance fee. The bill included 3 bands I hadn't heard of and 2 that I had.
First up was some melodic deathcore band called Into Exile. They were not bad but did not do much for me. The vocals were as usual hardcore barking and not my cuppa but the band had decent riffage with the customary hardcore breakdowns and posturing.
Next up were a typical metalcore band called Reasonable Doubt. I liked them a bit better than the first band but still there wasn't much love from me.
Next up were a four piece band called Snakebite. Again I've never heard of them, but they easily received the best reaction of the night from the 150-200 or so punters who turned up. I must admit I was completely won over by these guys especially the guitarist. That dude is fucking super talented. His riffs and solos were ultra fucking groovy and catchy and seemed almost out of place on a metalcore type band. For Metalcore is what Snakebite are in the end but I must admit that they completely won me over as I said. The frontman was a charismatic crazy loon as well and kept going on about something or other. The sound for their set was amazing as well. Perfect balance and crystal clear between guitars, bass and drums. At the end of their set I quickly went and bought their EP from the merch stand for a fiver. I haven't played it yet but I hope they live up to the live show they gave which was absolutely incendiary.
Next up were UK's number one melodic death band, Denounce. I had bought their cracking debut album last year and didn't want to miss this opportunity of catching them live and boy did they not disappoint! These guys should be huge stars in the melodic death underground believe me. The only thing that spoiled the set was a slightly too loud mix which was previously perfect for Snakebite. It seems they turned it up loads for this. It was still clear but almost jarring. These guys were just super hot, blistering riff after blistering riff they crushed the first few rows and got a super reaction. The only thing they might need to work on is a little more in the way of dynamics, cause songs tended to blur into one another but what a fucking song to have in you arsenal. Hyper aggressive melodic death mastery from Denounce!
Finally at the reasonably late hour of 10.30 Ignominious Incarceration finally took to the stage and they perhaps played to the smallest crowd of the night which was a shame but I guess it was late and the crowd was a bit tired. Anyway these guys were the main reason I was there as I love Of Winter Born their debut album and damn though they only played for half an hour, they did not disappoint me at all. They are just super tight as a band. The vocals are slightly metalcore but I will forgive them this as the frontman is quite engaging with his torturous face pulls. The guitarist with the fucking tattoos is absolutely sick! He nailed the amazing riffs from the debut and they also played a new track which seems to carry on from where OWB left off. Like I said they only played 30 minutes but they ruled. I love their melodic and technical sound and they played it to perfection live. I look forward to their new album. These guys fucking rule!
Overall an enjoyable night for a bargain price. Can't be bad can it!
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Top 30 Thrash Metal Albums of 2009
30. Hammered - Gut Rot. Cool thrash.
29. Seregon - Disposable Suffering. UK aggressive thrash ep. Really tight and heavy.
28. Gwar - Lust in Space. Quite fun craziness not to be taken totally seriously.
27. Havok - Burn. Cool thrash what else can I say.
26. Sinocence - Scar Obscura. Northern Irish Metallica fanciers. Enjoyable and melodic.
25. Prayers of Sanity. Religion Blindness. Cool regular heavy thrash.
24. Believer - Gabriel. Comeback merchants. Not loving it as much as most but it's good - production not great for me.
23. Sacrifice - The Ones I Condemn. Another comebackee. Solid not in love with it.
22. Incite - The Slaughter. Surprisingly good solid modern thrash from the young Cavalera family.
21. Aggression - MoshPirit. Yep nice aggressive thrash with sleek sound.
20. Revocation - Existence Is Futile. This seems to be both death and thrash. Could and should have been far better but still good.
19. Vektor - Black Future. If this had proper vocals instead of the most annoying scream in all of hades, then it would be in my top ten somewhere!
18. Paradox - Riot Squad. Yep much better than Electrify. Yes Mr Frank 'tis true! Vocals still suck a bit though but riffs are off the hook.
17. Gama Bomb - Tales From the Grave in Space. Somewhat comical Northern Irish thrash. Miles better than their previous cd. FUN!
16. Tribulation - The Horror. This one hit hard when I first heard it. It's got black metal vox but the music is raging thrash and heavy as hell.
15. Elimination - Destroyed by Creation. UK melodic thrash aping Metallica and Annihilator. Vocals little bit average but songs rule.
14. Hellwitch - Omnipotent Convocation. Most craziest thrash release of the year. Millions upon trillions of riffs equal absolute chaos. Somehow pretty cool!
13. Rumpelstiltskin Grinder - Living for Death, Destroying the Rest. I like this band. liked their previous as well. They are very catchy.
12. Fuelblooded - Off The Face Of The Earth. Really chunky, heavy thrash, not speed infested. Good solid headbang!
11. Kreator - Hordes of Chaos. It's Kreator - it has the stamp of quality. This time sounds more retro than the more modern previous disks.
10. Savage Messiah - Insurrection Rising. UK heavy thrash/power mix. Great riffs.
09. Blood Tsunami - Grand Feast for Vultures. Thrash with some black elements but very catchy headbangy riffage all round.
08. Urto - Upside Down. Somewhat technical thrash. Very heavy and crunchy with plenty of grooves.
07. Mutant - Laserdrome EP. Only an EP and still easily makes the top ten. Amazing futuristic thrash with super clean sound. 4 songs that stick like superglue!
06. Artillery - When Death Comes. Heavy as hell power/thrash mix. Great new singer and slamming riffage.
05. Mantic Ritual - Executioner. Reminds or old Metallica. Love the sleek sound which is actually like the old 80s thrash, just updated.
04. Megadeth - Endgame. Not as many hooks as United Abominations but the guitar playing is all round amazing and the production is truly massive. Songs grew on me as well the more I listened.
03. Pitch Black - Hate Division. Liked the band's previous but Hate Division took it to another level. Very aggressive band all round and a monstrous production. Bang your head or die!
02. Evile - Infected Nations. The best UK thrash band! OK Enter the Grave was so so but had potential and this album proves that they really are a top class heavy melodic thrash band. Perfect mix between Metallica and Megadeth and Testament
01. Suicidal Angels - Sanctify the Darkness. I was a big fan of Eternal Domination their previous album but this new one knocked it out of the park! The aggression, playing and massive sound is as good as thrash can ever be in my book. The riffs plain level mountains that's all I can say!
29. Seregon - Disposable Suffering. UK aggressive thrash ep. Really tight and heavy.
28. Gwar - Lust in Space. Quite fun craziness not to be taken totally seriously.
27. Havok - Burn. Cool thrash what else can I say.
26. Sinocence - Scar Obscura. Northern Irish Metallica fanciers. Enjoyable and melodic.
25. Prayers of Sanity. Religion Blindness. Cool regular heavy thrash.
24. Believer - Gabriel. Comeback merchants. Not loving it as much as most but it's good - production not great for me.
23. Sacrifice - The Ones I Condemn. Another comebackee. Solid not in love with it.
22. Incite - The Slaughter. Surprisingly good solid modern thrash from the young Cavalera family.
21. Aggression - MoshPirit. Yep nice aggressive thrash with sleek sound.
20. Revocation - Existence Is Futile. This seems to be both death and thrash. Could and should have been far better but still good.
19. Vektor - Black Future. If this had proper vocals instead of the most annoying scream in all of hades, then it would be in my top ten somewhere!
18. Paradox - Riot Squad. Yep much better than Electrify. Yes Mr Frank 'tis true! Vocals still suck a bit though but riffs are off the hook.
17. Gama Bomb - Tales From the Grave in Space. Somewhat comical Northern Irish thrash. Miles better than their previous cd. FUN!
16. Tribulation - The Horror. This one hit hard when I first heard it. It's got black metal vox but the music is raging thrash and heavy as hell.
15. Elimination - Destroyed by Creation. UK melodic thrash aping Metallica and Annihilator. Vocals little bit average but songs rule.
14. Hellwitch - Omnipotent Convocation. Most craziest thrash release of the year. Millions upon trillions of riffs equal absolute chaos. Somehow pretty cool!
13. Rumpelstiltskin Grinder - Living for Death, Destroying the Rest. I like this band. liked their previous as well. They are very catchy.
12. Fuelblooded - Off The Face Of The Earth. Really chunky, heavy thrash, not speed infested. Good solid headbang!
11. Kreator - Hordes of Chaos. It's Kreator - it has the stamp of quality. This time sounds more retro than the more modern previous disks.
10. Savage Messiah - Insurrection Rising. UK heavy thrash/power mix. Great riffs.
09. Blood Tsunami - Grand Feast for Vultures. Thrash with some black elements but very catchy headbangy riffage all round.
08. Urto - Upside Down. Somewhat technical thrash. Very heavy and crunchy with plenty of grooves.
07. Mutant - Laserdrome EP. Only an EP and still easily makes the top ten. Amazing futuristic thrash with super clean sound. 4 songs that stick like superglue!
06. Artillery - When Death Comes. Heavy as hell power/thrash mix. Great new singer and slamming riffage.
05. Mantic Ritual - Executioner. Reminds or old Metallica. Love the sleek sound which is actually like the old 80s thrash, just updated.
04. Megadeth - Endgame. Not as many hooks as United Abominations but the guitar playing is all round amazing and the production is truly massive. Songs grew on me as well the more I listened.
03. Pitch Black - Hate Division. Liked the band's previous but Hate Division took it to another level. Very aggressive band all round and a monstrous production. Bang your head or die!
02. Evile - Infected Nations. The best UK thrash band! OK Enter the Grave was so so but had potential and this album proves that they really are a top class heavy melodic thrash band. Perfect mix between Metallica and Megadeth and Testament
01. Suicidal Angels - Sanctify the Darkness. I was a big fan of Eternal Domination their previous album but this new one knocked it out of the park! The aggression, playing and massive sound is as good as thrash can ever be in my book. The riffs plain level mountains that's all I can say!
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Top 60 death metal albums of the decade
Well I had a good think and looked at a few sources and a few previous lists and came up with my 60 favourite death metal related albums from the noughties. It wasn't easy and I probably might have missed some albums but I tried to look at many albums. Sorry about the lack of Nile albums!!!
60. The Black Dahlia Murder - Unhallowed (2003) - Vicious and rabid melodic death/thrash core.
59. Severe Torture - Misanthropic Carnage (2002) - Europe's answer to da Corpse. Catchy and groovy with some melody.
58. Arch Enemy - Rise of the Tyrant (2007) - My fave of all the AE disks in the last decade.
57. Kalmah - Swampsong (2003) - Top quality keyboard laden melodeath.
56. Eluveitie - Slania (2008) - Top quality Dark Tranquillity worship and even better than the real thing at times.
55. Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side (2006) - Love the Vikings.
54. Soilwork - Stabbing the Drama (2005) - I looked at the relevant Soilwork albums and decided I like Stabbing best.
53. Bone Gnawer - Feast of Flesh (2009) - Classic old school death from 09.
52. Redemptor - None Pointless Balance (2005) - Heavy version of Death from Poland. Totally underground and unknown but a great album.
51. Arsis - We are the Nightmare (2008) - Back to form after United in Regret.
50. Callenish Circle - Flesh_Power_Dominion (2002) - Very groovy heavy death/thrash with tons of catchy riffage.
49. Posthumous Blasphemer - Fracture the Worship (2008)- Brutal technical death from Russia. Great sound, great playing.
48. Trepalium - Alchemik Clockwork of Disorder (2006) - Snappy and groovy tech death from France. This year's album was huge disappointing to say the least. Alchemik rules!
47. Deathbringer - Homo Divisus (2007) - Great Death worship from Russia I believe or it could be Ukraine. One of teh best Death worship bands going IMO.
46. Anata - The Conductor's Departure (2006) - Thinking man's tech death with a very intriguing story. You don't get many conceptual death metal albums now do you.
45. Martyr - Feeding the Abscess (2006) - Perhaps my least fave Martyr disk but still worthy of a place in this list.
44. Napalm Death - Enemy Of The Music Business (2000) - Turn of the century and the Grind kings returned to their roots on this album whilst maintaining some of the catchiness that makes Inside the Torn Apart my fave ND album. The Code is Red could also have made the list to be honest.
43. Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done (2002) - I looked at the relevant DT albums and decided Damage Done was the most worthy as I recall.
42. Obscura - Cosmogenesis (2009) - Necrophagist spin off band delivered the goods this year.
41. God Dethroned - Ravenous (2001) - Love the simplicity and evil catchiness on display although this year's Passiondale is not far behind.
40. Revocation - Empire of the Obscene (2008) - Aggressive technical death/thrash with a wicked production. This year's record was inferior.
39. Skyfire - Spectral (2004) - Said a few times that I love Skyfire and Spectral is great.
38. The Faceless - Akeldama (2007) - Akeldama is really good stuff from such a precocious young band. The second album lost some of the warmth and melody of Akeldama but was still good but Akeldama is better for me.
37. Dismal Lapse - Eon Fragmentation (2009) - This year's top death metal disk deserves it's place in the list.
36. Deadborn - Stigma Eternal (2007) - A lot of people were disappointed but I loved this.
35. Vile - Depopulate (2002) - Brutal and groovy standard with a huge thick sound.
34. Devilyn - XI (2005) - This band made huge strides on this record and promptly disappeared again. I love the fat riffs and grooves.
33. Inveracity - Extermination of Millions (2007) - Brutal technical death metal from Greece with a million and one riff style. Intense and catchy!
32. Odious Mortem - Cryptic Implosion (2007) - Again huge strides were made although I liked the previous one as well. This album is top notch tech death with a punishing production. 2010 might see a return who knows.
31. Deeds of Flesh - Of What's to Come (2008) - I like Deeds a lot and was toying with the idea of including the Reduced to Ashes album as well as this but in the end two Deeds albums would be too much. This record was head and shoulders above any of their other releases. Catchy and technical death metal and I love the vocal style as they give great thought with how to fit vocals to the music.
30. Pavor - Furioso (2003) - Underground German death metal mob who quickly disappeared from the radar after this very interesting death metal record which features some of the most amazing bass playing ever heard on a death metal record.
29. Scrambled Defuncts - Hackled in Gore (2005) - Russian tech death with a slightly futuristic twist. Tons of fast riffage and a pinpoint heavy production make this a vast improvement on their previous output. I have just acquired their new album but I doubt it can reach Hackled.
28. The Shattering - The Shattering Begins (2005) - Another of those one and done bands but what a way to come and god. Blisteringly fast whirling tech death. Shame they never made it.
27. Cannibal Corpse - The Wretched Spawn (2004) - Been loving da new Corpse since Corpsegrinder took over vocal duties. TWS is one of their catchiest albums and perhaps utilises the most melody they have ever used.
26. Criterion - The Dominant (2005) - Another band that came out of the blue with a great standard death metal record and has promptly disappeared off the death metal radar. This album has loads going for it not least having some amazingly catchy and memorable death metal songwriting rather just blasting away.
25. Decrepit Birth - Diminishing Between Worlds (2008) - Another of those bands that saw the light with a totally unbelievable amount of improvement from the previous record. This record had it all. Technicality, groove and some melody.
24. Omnium Gatherum - Spirits and August Light (2003) - One of the best ever melodic death metal debuts ever. I was bowled over when I first heard this. Shame the band has never been able to reach this standard since.
23. Skyfire - Mind Revolution (2003) - Already said above that I love the band. Love their production and amazing use of melody on this release.
22. Mithras - Behind the Shadows Lie Madness (2007) - Ok I must be the only fan of this band in the whole world. Something about this album just hits the spot with me. Expansive, mind bending death metal with very interesting, conceptual lyrical ideas.
21. Severed Savior - Servile Insurrection (2008) - I liked Brutality is Law a lot but that had no finesse, it was just a case of bash your head in. On Servile Insurrection these guys upped the ante like many on this list and delivered slicker production and a high tech level.
20. Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal (2005) - I have a feeling this is the final Bolties album and if that is indeed the case then it's a great way to go out. It's not the best in their career but Those Once Loyal had the trademarked Bolt Thrower stamp on it and pleased their rather large underground fanbase no end.
19. The Unchallenged - Sceneries (2001) - A great Death worship album and sadly they have never made a follow up disk. Somehow i doubt it can better Sceneries as this was a great record.
18. Quo Vadis - Day Into Night (2000) - The most catchiest of their catalogue and therefore the most worthy of being in the list.
17. Spawn of Possession - Noctambulant (2006) - A great album of technical death metal with a more polished and solo filled sound than than their masterpiece Cabinet album. Another candidate for a 2010 comeback?
16. Anata - Under a Stone With No Inscription (2004) - I remember when this came out I played it to death literally. A death metal album with catchy riffs and enough technicality to keep the listener busy.
15. Sceptic - Pathetic Being (2001) - Easily the best Sceptic album by a mile but Mr. Frank will disagree of course but he's nuts! The only problem with this brilliant technical and melodic death metal record are the vocals which are annoying as hell to my ears.
14. Decapitated - Winds of Creation (2000) - Incendiary debut from these kids from Poland. Tight as hell technical death with groovy parts galore.
13. Capharnaum - Fractured (2004) - One off tech death album which featured Matt Heafy (Trivium) of all people. People moaned about the hardcore vocals but it wasn't that annoying for me as I recall which is a miracle in itself as I normally detest hardcore vocals. Musically a great whirling and wild tech death machine.
12. Gory Blister - Art Bleeds (2003) - One of the best Death worship albums ever, right down to the vocals as well. Chuck would have sued if he was alive!
11. Throne of Chaos - Menace And Prayer (2000) - One of my fave melodeath albums ever. Really enjoyable for me this Bodom clone.
10. Arsis - A Celebration of Guilt (2004) - Melodic death metal extravaganza which they haven't quite been able to match. Although the melodic aspect of the band is more or less been completely abandoned for more thrashy and technical waters. On this album the energy and the blazing riffs are worth the admission alone.
9. Martyr - Warp Zone (2000) - I think I am alone in liking Hopeless Hopes more than this but that was the previous decade. This album was blessed with a superb and clinical sound and huge, wow factor riff work which make it an easy top tenner.
8. Cannibal Corpse - Kill (2006) - Kill really hit the spot in terms of catchiness and brutality. Some of these songs could be Top 40 hits! Ok maybe not...
7. Gorod - Leading Vision (2006) - France's number one tech death band with a brilliant tech death release. Neurotripsicks was also good and was very close to being on my list also but Leading Vision is the better record in my opinion.
6. Kalmah - They Will Return (2002) - This album from the Kalmah catalogue particularly hit the spot for me. The production was more polished than the debut and the songs were insanely catchy.
5. Amon Amarth - Versus the World (2002) - My fave AA album. Pure and simple chest beating odes to crushing your enemies!
4. Spawn of Possession - Cabinet (2003) - A brilliant record as I recall. I haven't played in an age but these guys are true tech death metal masters.
3. Psycroptic - The Scepter of the Ancients (2003) - The later Psycroptic albums cannot even come close to how good this disk is. This is a bona fide classic of slamming groovy tech death.
2. Necrophagist - Epitaph (2004) - The kings of tech death do deliver what they are the best in the world at. If they release in 2010 people will be salivating at the mouth for it which normally leads to disappointment. However given the talent of Muhammed and co, I think we can rest assured that if by some miracle this record sees the light of day, it will kick all kinds of ass!
1. Decapitated - Nihility (2002) - And finally the number one death metal disk of the decade from the young Polish death dealers. This album went to a whole new level after the great debut. This release had it all as far as I was concerned. It wasn't a massive technical feast, but it was the perfect marriage between the catchy riff and the technical aspect which kept the songs so vibrant. The production was immense as well. It's a shame that the following albums moved further and further away from this sound and finally a tragic accident stopped the band in their tracks. Though they are apparently now back in action and let's hope that one day they can recapture the vibes on Nihility. All in all a perfect death metal record. Like a gleaming, sleek death metal song machine!
60. The Black Dahlia Murder - Unhallowed (2003) - Vicious and rabid melodic death/thrash core.
59. Severe Torture - Misanthropic Carnage (2002) - Europe's answer to da Corpse. Catchy and groovy with some melody.
58. Arch Enemy - Rise of the Tyrant (2007) - My fave of all the AE disks in the last decade.
57. Kalmah - Swampsong (2003) - Top quality keyboard laden melodeath.
56. Eluveitie - Slania (2008) - Top quality Dark Tranquillity worship and even better than the real thing at times.
55. Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side (2006) - Love the Vikings.
54. Soilwork - Stabbing the Drama (2005) - I looked at the relevant Soilwork albums and decided I like Stabbing best.
53. Bone Gnawer - Feast of Flesh (2009) - Classic old school death from 09.
52. Redemptor - None Pointless Balance (2005) - Heavy version of Death from Poland. Totally underground and unknown but a great album.
51. Arsis - We are the Nightmare (2008) - Back to form after United in Regret.
50. Callenish Circle - Flesh_Power_Dominion (2002) - Very groovy heavy death/thrash with tons of catchy riffage.
49. Posthumous Blasphemer - Fracture the Worship (2008)- Brutal technical death from Russia. Great sound, great playing.
48. Trepalium - Alchemik Clockwork of Disorder (2006) - Snappy and groovy tech death from France. This year's album was huge disappointing to say the least. Alchemik rules!
47. Deathbringer - Homo Divisus (2007) - Great Death worship from Russia I believe or it could be Ukraine. One of teh best Death worship bands going IMO.
46. Anata - The Conductor's Departure (2006) - Thinking man's tech death with a very intriguing story. You don't get many conceptual death metal albums now do you.
45. Martyr - Feeding the Abscess (2006) - Perhaps my least fave Martyr disk but still worthy of a place in this list.
44. Napalm Death - Enemy Of The Music Business (2000) - Turn of the century and the Grind kings returned to their roots on this album whilst maintaining some of the catchiness that makes Inside the Torn Apart my fave ND album. The Code is Red could also have made the list to be honest.
43. Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done (2002) - I looked at the relevant DT albums and decided Damage Done was the most worthy as I recall.
42. Obscura - Cosmogenesis (2009) - Necrophagist spin off band delivered the goods this year.
41. God Dethroned - Ravenous (2001) - Love the simplicity and evil catchiness on display although this year's Passiondale is not far behind.
40. Revocation - Empire of the Obscene (2008) - Aggressive technical death/thrash with a wicked production. This year's record was inferior.
39. Skyfire - Spectral (2004) - Said a few times that I love Skyfire and Spectral is great.
38. The Faceless - Akeldama (2007) - Akeldama is really good stuff from such a precocious young band. The second album lost some of the warmth and melody of Akeldama but was still good but Akeldama is better for me.
37. Dismal Lapse - Eon Fragmentation (2009) - This year's top death metal disk deserves it's place in the list.
36. Deadborn - Stigma Eternal (2007) - A lot of people were disappointed but I loved this.
35. Vile - Depopulate (2002) - Brutal and groovy standard with a huge thick sound.
34. Devilyn - XI (2005) - This band made huge strides on this record and promptly disappeared again. I love the fat riffs and grooves.
33. Inveracity - Extermination of Millions (2007) - Brutal technical death metal from Greece with a million and one riff style. Intense and catchy!
32. Odious Mortem - Cryptic Implosion (2007) - Again huge strides were made although I liked the previous one as well. This album is top notch tech death with a punishing production. 2010 might see a return who knows.
31. Deeds of Flesh - Of What's to Come (2008) - I like Deeds a lot and was toying with the idea of including the Reduced to Ashes album as well as this but in the end two Deeds albums would be too much. This record was head and shoulders above any of their other releases. Catchy and technical death metal and I love the vocal style as they give great thought with how to fit vocals to the music.
30. Pavor - Furioso (2003) - Underground German death metal mob who quickly disappeared from the radar after this very interesting death metal record which features some of the most amazing bass playing ever heard on a death metal record.
29. Scrambled Defuncts - Hackled in Gore (2005) - Russian tech death with a slightly futuristic twist. Tons of fast riffage and a pinpoint heavy production make this a vast improvement on their previous output. I have just acquired their new album but I doubt it can reach Hackled.
28. The Shattering - The Shattering Begins (2005) - Another of those one and done bands but what a way to come and god. Blisteringly fast whirling tech death. Shame they never made it.
27. Cannibal Corpse - The Wretched Spawn (2004) - Been loving da new Corpse since Corpsegrinder took over vocal duties. TWS is one of their catchiest albums and perhaps utilises the most melody they have ever used.
26. Criterion - The Dominant (2005) - Another band that came out of the blue with a great standard death metal record and has promptly disappeared off the death metal radar. This album has loads going for it not least having some amazingly catchy and memorable death metal songwriting rather just blasting away.
25. Decrepit Birth - Diminishing Between Worlds (2008) - Another of those bands that saw the light with a totally unbelievable amount of improvement from the previous record. This record had it all. Technicality, groove and some melody.
24. Omnium Gatherum - Spirits and August Light (2003) - One of the best ever melodic death metal debuts ever. I was bowled over when I first heard this. Shame the band has never been able to reach this standard since.
23. Skyfire - Mind Revolution (2003) - Already said above that I love the band. Love their production and amazing use of melody on this release.
22. Mithras - Behind the Shadows Lie Madness (2007) - Ok I must be the only fan of this band in the whole world. Something about this album just hits the spot with me. Expansive, mind bending death metal with very interesting, conceptual lyrical ideas.
21. Severed Savior - Servile Insurrection (2008) - I liked Brutality is Law a lot but that had no finesse, it was just a case of bash your head in. On Servile Insurrection these guys upped the ante like many on this list and delivered slicker production and a high tech level.
20. Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal (2005) - I have a feeling this is the final Bolties album and if that is indeed the case then it's a great way to go out. It's not the best in their career but Those Once Loyal had the trademarked Bolt Thrower stamp on it and pleased their rather large underground fanbase no end.
19. The Unchallenged - Sceneries (2001) - A great Death worship album and sadly they have never made a follow up disk. Somehow i doubt it can better Sceneries as this was a great record.
18. Quo Vadis - Day Into Night (2000) - The most catchiest of their catalogue and therefore the most worthy of being in the list.
17. Spawn of Possession - Noctambulant (2006) - A great album of technical death metal with a more polished and solo filled sound than than their masterpiece Cabinet album. Another candidate for a 2010 comeback?
16. Anata - Under a Stone With No Inscription (2004) - I remember when this came out I played it to death literally. A death metal album with catchy riffs and enough technicality to keep the listener busy.
15. Sceptic - Pathetic Being (2001) - Easily the best Sceptic album by a mile but Mr. Frank will disagree of course but he's nuts! The only problem with this brilliant technical and melodic death metal record are the vocals which are annoying as hell to my ears.
14. Decapitated - Winds of Creation (2000) - Incendiary debut from these kids from Poland. Tight as hell technical death with groovy parts galore.
13. Capharnaum - Fractured (2004) - One off tech death album which featured Matt Heafy (Trivium) of all people. People moaned about the hardcore vocals but it wasn't that annoying for me as I recall which is a miracle in itself as I normally detest hardcore vocals. Musically a great whirling and wild tech death machine.
12. Gory Blister - Art Bleeds (2003) - One of the best Death worship albums ever, right down to the vocals as well. Chuck would have sued if he was alive!
11. Throne of Chaos - Menace And Prayer (2000) - One of my fave melodeath albums ever. Really enjoyable for me this Bodom clone.
10. Arsis - A Celebration of Guilt (2004) - Melodic death metal extravaganza which they haven't quite been able to match. Although the melodic aspect of the band is more or less been completely abandoned for more thrashy and technical waters. On this album the energy and the blazing riffs are worth the admission alone.
9. Martyr - Warp Zone (2000) - I think I am alone in liking Hopeless Hopes more than this but that was the previous decade. This album was blessed with a superb and clinical sound and huge, wow factor riff work which make it an easy top tenner.
8. Cannibal Corpse - Kill (2006) - Kill really hit the spot in terms of catchiness and brutality. Some of these songs could be Top 40 hits! Ok maybe not...
7. Gorod - Leading Vision (2006) - France's number one tech death band with a brilliant tech death release. Neurotripsicks was also good and was very close to being on my list also but Leading Vision is the better record in my opinion.
6. Kalmah - They Will Return (2002) - This album from the Kalmah catalogue particularly hit the spot for me. The production was more polished than the debut and the songs were insanely catchy.
5. Amon Amarth - Versus the World (2002) - My fave AA album. Pure and simple chest beating odes to crushing your enemies!
4. Spawn of Possession - Cabinet (2003) - A brilliant record as I recall. I haven't played in an age but these guys are true tech death metal masters.
3. Psycroptic - The Scepter of the Ancients (2003) - The later Psycroptic albums cannot even come close to how good this disk is. This is a bona fide classic of slamming groovy tech death.
2. Necrophagist - Epitaph (2004) - The kings of tech death do deliver what they are the best in the world at. If they release in 2010 people will be salivating at the mouth for it which normally leads to disappointment. However given the talent of Muhammed and co, I think we can rest assured that if by some miracle this record sees the light of day, it will kick all kinds of ass!
1. Decapitated - Nihility (2002) - And finally the number one death metal disk of the decade from the young Polish death dealers. This album went to a whole new level after the great debut. This release had it all as far as I was concerned. It wasn't a massive technical feast, but it was the perfect marriage between the catchy riff and the technical aspect which kept the songs so vibrant. The production was immense as well. It's a shame that the following albums moved further and further away from this sound and finally a tragic accident stopped the band in their tracks. Though they are apparently now back in action and let's hope that one day they can recapture the vibes on Nihility. All in all a perfect death metal record. Like a gleaming, sleek death metal song machine!
Monday, 28 December 2009
Top 50 death metal albums of 2009
I have to admit that this year's death metal list is not quite as good as previous years. I still enjoy many of the releases this year but I'd be hard pushed to say that many of the albums here will get many plays from me in the future. The only thing I will say that old school death metal definitely came to the fore again even more so than last year. The thing with death metal is that bands keep going doing their thing whilst mostly ignoring any prevailing trends. Anyway here is my top 50 list in reverse order.
50. Chaos Inception - Collision With Oblivion
A regular death metal album of the type that I like but don't love. It's clean death metal and not too brutal and pretty catchy.
49. Gory Blister - Graveyard of Angels
Clean technical death metal merchants return but once again they've dumbed down the technicality which is not a good move in my opinion. Makes the list almost by default but I really expected more from this band.
48. Necrocest - Prenatal Massacre
UK brutal goredeath troop aping Cannibal Corpse. Decent and very sick.
47. Paganizer - Scandinavian Warmachine
One of the first batch of old school death metal machines. Good stuff but there are better.
46. Demonical - Hellsworn
This one is demonic indeed. Another old school death troop this time with extremely killer guitar sound. Songs not that special but that production is wicked as hell.
45. Graveyard - One With the Dead
Yep it's old school death. Again not that memorable song wise but the whole thing has a fair deal going for it.
44. Jungle Rot - What Horrors Await.
Massive sounding old school death rock very much in the Six Feet Under vein. Huge production on this beast. Catchy too!
43. Suffocation - Blood Oath
Actually a touch disappointing to be perfectly honest but it still has a lot of quality from this seminal and much loved death metal pioneer. Solid but not earth shattering.
42. Mass Infection - The Age of Recreation
Catchy standard death metal with hints of melody here and there. Just a cool death metal album.
41. Derelict - Unspoken Words
Somewhat melodic thrashy death with some influence from Death in the riffs. Reasonably enjoyable stuff.
40. Daath - The Concealers
Heavy as hell death metal with punishing aggro production. I tire a touch of the songs as I recall but still the band is very brutal and yet groovy.
39. Punish - Raptus
Clean heavy death/black mix. Lots and lots of riffs in this band so it never gets too boring.
38. Rise - Pentagramnation
Great standard death metal release. Very catchy and groovy with some melody as well.
37. Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity
Brutal technical death metal from scene stalwarts. Fast as a bullet and pretty sick stuff. Could do with a little more memorability but these guys know what death metal is all about.
36. Murder Therapy - Symmetry of Delirium
A new band mixing fast technical death metal with Meshuggah styled chugging. The Mesh parts are not my cup of tea but the main riff sections are outstandingly aggressive and brutal with a monstrous production.
35. Arterial Pressure - Shadow's Embrace
Imagine a thrashy version of Death's Leprosy album and you have Arterial Pressure. Pretty cool though imperfect.
34. Tardy Brothers - Bloodline
This sounds like a masterpiece compared to Obituary's disk from this year. I prefer this by miles. Cooler tunes, great roars and killer solos.
33. Revolting - Dreadful Pleasures
Yet another old school death machine. Good production and catchy riffs.
32. Revocation - Existence Is Futile
Technical death/trash with pristine sound. I was actually hoping for a lot more from this release and even at position 32 I am slightly disappointed. When it's good though it reaches excellence but something is not quite right with this release.
31. The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate
I'm no deathcore fan but TBDM is more thrashy melodic death on this release. The guitar riffs are great and have lots of melody and the vocals don't annoy that much.
30. Reciprocal - st
Pretty brutal technical death metal with a savage production. Unrelenting badness.
29. Centaurus A - Side Effects Expected
Long awaited technical death album finally surfaces and while it is very good it's still not as spectacular as I was hoping. These guys are great players though no doubt.
28. Skyfire - Esoteric
I think I love everything Skyfire have ever done. They are my favourite melodic death band of recent times so I was anticipating this release impatiently. So finally I am a little bit disappointed in this release. A band like Skyfire would expect to place higher than 28 in my list knowing my love for them. This is a good solid melodic death album with cool riffs but not something to get over excited about in the end.
27. Dark Age - Acedia
This is a slight surprise. A very good melodic death release with clean vocals as well and a stellar production.
26. Septycal Gorge - Erase The Insignificant
Italian brutal, slammy tech death. Production is a touch murky for my taste but the riffs rule. Twisted and mental and very much for the deranged death metal fan.
25. Vader - Necropolis
Deserves it's place on production alone almost. Sounds like a ton of bricks slamming on your head. Steamrollering riffage and the great vokills of Piotr. The Polish deliver the ultimate deathkill.
24. Disinfect - Screams of Pleasure
Regular brutal death but very well played and executed. Solid beating is what these guys deliver in a pinpoint crisp production.
23. Pathology - Age of Onset
Pathological and clinical death metal. Well played and very clinical execution. A touch monotonous but still a very brutal album and decent production as well.
22. Ignominious Incarceration - Of Winter Born
UK melodic tech death with some breakdowns but mainly a top class melodic tech death band. Great production too and very tight riffing to sink your teeth into.
21. Debauchery - Rockers and War
Part death and part rock but still with death metal vocals but just a whole lot of fun in my eyes. I enjoy both dimensions of the band.
20. Blood Red Throne - Souls Of Damnation
Mostly top class death metal with the odd black metal blast. The band is very professional sounding with a pristine production. Chunky and fast riffage with memorable tunes.
19. Fleshgod Apocalypse - Oracles
Symphonic technical brutal death from Italy. It reminds me of last year's Posthumous Blasphemer album in scope. The sound is think and very crisp with layer upon layer of music. Interesting expansive epic death metal.
18. Never - Back to the Front
Thrashy melodic death metal very much aping Arch Enemy with a few Death riffs mixed in. The solos and production are also very epic. There is not much difference between this and the Decadence album. If you like one you'll like the other.
17. Man Must Die - No Tolerance For Imperfection
A huge leap in quality for this Scottish band this time. The drum work on this album is the best I've heard all year. The riffing ain't shabby either!
16. Decadence - Chargepoint
Only recently heard this but it deserves it's position and could be higher with further plays. Melodic thrashy death somewhere between Arch Enemy and Death. The guitar work and solos are so polished and melodic that on that basis alone they make the list.
15. God Dethroned - Passiondale
After a couple of mediocre releases they returned to form in a big way this time with this concept album about World War One. Very interesting musical passages in this album.
14. Cerebrum - Spectrum Extravagance
One of the year's best tech death releases. Nice production and ever changing riffs. Good stuff.
13. Parallaxis - Psychotronic Poetry
A Death influenced band that never speeds up at all. The riffing and grooving is very impressive. The dual vocal style is ok but the guttural cricket churps are a bit lame in my opinion.
12. Gorod - Process of a New Decline
A step down from the brilliant leading Vision but still one of the best tech death bands in the world today.
11. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
Raging hard like they were at the start of their career. The songs are as vicious as ever and the older they get the angrier they get. Napalm are also the only band who mixes punk and hardcore within the death metal framework and makes it sound damn good. Long live Napalm Death!
10. Scar Symmetry - Dark Matter Dimensions
This band is very loosely termed death metal but heck they still make it in as this is hands down a great record. The melodic vocals are top class and very catchy whilst the music stays true to their previous efforts. Great band and a great album after the loss of their charismatic singer.
9. Angel of Disease - Hypercube
Death worship band delivers a great effort here. Melodic riffs ala Chuck aplenty. Production could have been better and the vocals are a touch annoying but it can be overlooked.
8. Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague
The Corpse continues delivering the killing death metal. Perhaps featuring a slightly less catchy style than the Kill album. Still a great production as always and Corpsegrinder does the business on the mic.
7. Requiem - Infiltrate Obliterate Dominate
A big surprise with this band delivering a great death metal album. The playing is top notch as is the production. The music is simple but executed with great precision. Top class death metal!
6. Pestilence - Resurrection Macabre
I wasn't sure about the Pestilence at first. Like many people, I was expecting more technical music but having put those expectations aside, I found a top notch death metal album with a massive sound. A number of the songs are very catchy indeed in their repetition of simple pounding riffs and bestial roars from Mameli. This album grew on me loads and hence it's high placing in the top ten.
5. Insidious Decrepancy - Extirpating Omniscient Certitude
A one man slamming tech death machine that goes by the name of Insidious Decrepancy! The riffs on this beast of a record are very damn groovy and catchy indeed. Even though a drum machine is utilised, the sound is very acceptable and real drums are not missed. The production has room for improvement but the mix between mosh slams and tech blasts is perfect on this record.
4. Obscura - Cosmogenesis
The Necrophagist spin off band finally released their slab of crazy technical death metal and it wasn't disappointing in the least. It had a whole host of crazy riffage and a polished sound. In the absence of the kings of tech death, Necrophagist, Obscura took the bull by the horns and delivered the goods.
3. Bone Gnawer - Feast of Flesh
The year's best old school death metal album by a mile and it had stiff competition! Rogga Jonnson and Massacre Legend Kam Lee really outdid themselves on this release. Rogga is the king of old scool death and he really pulled out all the stops this time. The songs are simplistic as hell but both the production and catchiness is through the roof. I hope they make another Bone Gnawer record although I know they have already made The Grotesquery album which I haven't heard yet.
2. Mindwork - Into The Swirl
Out of the Czech Republic comes the world's best Cynic worship band. They really deliver a great sounding record. There are also some Death riffs but a lot of Cynic vibe by and large. The underground in death metal is where some of the best music resides and this proves it.
1. Dismal Lapse - Eon Fragmentation
This is a major surprise for me. My favourite death metal album of the year is by Dismal Lapse and I sure as hell wasn't expecting something this good that's for sure. The technical aspect has increased tremendously since their reasonable EP from 2008 and the production values have shot through the roof. Everything about this release is awesome. I love the aggression on the vocals and the superbly sharp clinical guitar riffs. A juggernaut of a record in a slightly pedestrian year for death metal.
50. Chaos Inception - Collision With Oblivion
A regular death metal album of the type that I like but don't love. It's clean death metal and not too brutal and pretty catchy.
49. Gory Blister - Graveyard of Angels
Clean technical death metal merchants return but once again they've dumbed down the technicality which is not a good move in my opinion. Makes the list almost by default but I really expected more from this band.
48. Necrocest - Prenatal Massacre
UK brutal goredeath troop aping Cannibal Corpse. Decent and very sick.
47. Paganizer - Scandinavian Warmachine
One of the first batch of old school death metal machines. Good stuff but there are better.
46. Demonical - Hellsworn
This one is demonic indeed. Another old school death troop this time with extremely killer guitar sound. Songs not that special but that production is wicked as hell.
45. Graveyard - One With the Dead
Yep it's old school death. Again not that memorable song wise but the whole thing has a fair deal going for it.
44. Jungle Rot - What Horrors Await.
Massive sounding old school death rock very much in the Six Feet Under vein. Huge production on this beast. Catchy too!
43. Suffocation - Blood Oath
Actually a touch disappointing to be perfectly honest but it still has a lot of quality from this seminal and much loved death metal pioneer. Solid but not earth shattering.
42. Mass Infection - The Age of Recreation
Catchy standard death metal with hints of melody here and there. Just a cool death metal album.
41. Derelict - Unspoken Words
Somewhat melodic thrashy death with some influence from Death in the riffs. Reasonably enjoyable stuff.
40. Daath - The Concealers
Heavy as hell death metal with punishing aggro production. I tire a touch of the songs as I recall but still the band is very brutal and yet groovy.
39. Punish - Raptus
Clean heavy death/black mix. Lots and lots of riffs in this band so it never gets too boring.
38. Rise - Pentagramnation
Great standard death metal release. Very catchy and groovy with some melody as well.
37. Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity
Brutal technical death metal from scene stalwarts. Fast as a bullet and pretty sick stuff. Could do with a little more memorability but these guys know what death metal is all about.
36. Murder Therapy - Symmetry of Delirium
A new band mixing fast technical death metal with Meshuggah styled chugging. The Mesh parts are not my cup of tea but the main riff sections are outstandingly aggressive and brutal with a monstrous production.
35. Arterial Pressure - Shadow's Embrace
Imagine a thrashy version of Death's Leprosy album and you have Arterial Pressure. Pretty cool though imperfect.
34. Tardy Brothers - Bloodline
This sounds like a masterpiece compared to Obituary's disk from this year. I prefer this by miles. Cooler tunes, great roars and killer solos.
33. Revolting - Dreadful Pleasures
Yet another old school death machine. Good production and catchy riffs.
32. Revocation - Existence Is Futile
Technical death/trash with pristine sound. I was actually hoping for a lot more from this release and even at position 32 I am slightly disappointed. When it's good though it reaches excellence but something is not quite right with this release.
31. The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate
I'm no deathcore fan but TBDM is more thrashy melodic death on this release. The guitar riffs are great and have lots of melody and the vocals don't annoy that much.
30. Reciprocal - st
Pretty brutal technical death metal with a savage production. Unrelenting badness.
29. Centaurus A - Side Effects Expected
Long awaited technical death album finally surfaces and while it is very good it's still not as spectacular as I was hoping. These guys are great players though no doubt.
28. Skyfire - Esoteric
I think I love everything Skyfire have ever done. They are my favourite melodic death band of recent times so I was anticipating this release impatiently. So finally I am a little bit disappointed in this release. A band like Skyfire would expect to place higher than 28 in my list knowing my love for them. This is a good solid melodic death album with cool riffs but not something to get over excited about in the end.
27. Dark Age - Acedia
This is a slight surprise. A very good melodic death release with clean vocals as well and a stellar production.
26. Septycal Gorge - Erase The Insignificant
Italian brutal, slammy tech death. Production is a touch murky for my taste but the riffs rule. Twisted and mental and very much for the deranged death metal fan.
25. Vader - Necropolis
Deserves it's place on production alone almost. Sounds like a ton of bricks slamming on your head. Steamrollering riffage and the great vokills of Piotr. The Polish deliver the ultimate deathkill.
24. Disinfect - Screams of Pleasure
Regular brutal death but very well played and executed. Solid beating is what these guys deliver in a pinpoint crisp production.
23. Pathology - Age of Onset
Pathological and clinical death metal. Well played and very clinical execution. A touch monotonous but still a very brutal album and decent production as well.
22. Ignominious Incarceration - Of Winter Born
UK melodic tech death with some breakdowns but mainly a top class melodic tech death band. Great production too and very tight riffing to sink your teeth into.
21. Debauchery - Rockers and War
Part death and part rock but still with death metal vocals but just a whole lot of fun in my eyes. I enjoy both dimensions of the band.
20. Blood Red Throne - Souls Of Damnation
Mostly top class death metal with the odd black metal blast. The band is very professional sounding with a pristine production. Chunky and fast riffage with memorable tunes.
19. Fleshgod Apocalypse - Oracles
Symphonic technical brutal death from Italy. It reminds me of last year's Posthumous Blasphemer album in scope. The sound is think and very crisp with layer upon layer of music. Interesting expansive epic death metal.
18. Never - Back to the Front
Thrashy melodic death metal very much aping Arch Enemy with a few Death riffs mixed in. The solos and production are also very epic. There is not much difference between this and the Decadence album. If you like one you'll like the other.
17. Man Must Die - No Tolerance For Imperfection
A huge leap in quality for this Scottish band this time. The drum work on this album is the best I've heard all year. The riffing ain't shabby either!
16. Decadence - Chargepoint
Only recently heard this but it deserves it's position and could be higher with further plays. Melodic thrashy death somewhere between Arch Enemy and Death. The guitar work and solos are so polished and melodic that on that basis alone they make the list.
15. God Dethroned - Passiondale
After a couple of mediocre releases they returned to form in a big way this time with this concept album about World War One. Very interesting musical passages in this album.
14. Cerebrum - Spectrum Extravagance
One of the year's best tech death releases. Nice production and ever changing riffs. Good stuff.
13. Parallaxis - Psychotronic Poetry
A Death influenced band that never speeds up at all. The riffing and grooving is very impressive. The dual vocal style is ok but the guttural cricket churps are a bit lame in my opinion.
12. Gorod - Process of a New Decline
A step down from the brilliant leading Vision but still one of the best tech death bands in the world today.
11. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
Raging hard like they were at the start of their career. The songs are as vicious as ever and the older they get the angrier they get. Napalm are also the only band who mixes punk and hardcore within the death metal framework and makes it sound damn good. Long live Napalm Death!
10. Scar Symmetry - Dark Matter Dimensions
This band is very loosely termed death metal but heck they still make it in as this is hands down a great record. The melodic vocals are top class and very catchy whilst the music stays true to their previous efforts. Great band and a great album after the loss of their charismatic singer.
9. Angel of Disease - Hypercube
Death worship band delivers a great effort here. Melodic riffs ala Chuck aplenty. Production could have been better and the vocals are a touch annoying but it can be overlooked.
8. Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague
The Corpse continues delivering the killing death metal. Perhaps featuring a slightly less catchy style than the Kill album. Still a great production as always and Corpsegrinder does the business on the mic.
7. Requiem - Infiltrate Obliterate Dominate
A big surprise with this band delivering a great death metal album. The playing is top notch as is the production. The music is simple but executed with great precision. Top class death metal!
6. Pestilence - Resurrection Macabre
I wasn't sure about the Pestilence at first. Like many people, I was expecting more technical music but having put those expectations aside, I found a top notch death metal album with a massive sound. A number of the songs are very catchy indeed in their repetition of simple pounding riffs and bestial roars from Mameli. This album grew on me loads and hence it's high placing in the top ten.
5. Insidious Decrepancy - Extirpating Omniscient Certitude
A one man slamming tech death machine that goes by the name of Insidious Decrepancy! The riffs on this beast of a record are very damn groovy and catchy indeed. Even though a drum machine is utilised, the sound is very acceptable and real drums are not missed. The production has room for improvement but the mix between mosh slams and tech blasts is perfect on this record.
4. Obscura - Cosmogenesis
The Necrophagist spin off band finally released their slab of crazy technical death metal and it wasn't disappointing in the least. It had a whole host of crazy riffage and a polished sound. In the absence of the kings of tech death, Necrophagist, Obscura took the bull by the horns and delivered the goods.
3. Bone Gnawer - Feast of Flesh
The year's best old school death metal album by a mile and it had stiff competition! Rogga Jonnson and Massacre Legend Kam Lee really outdid themselves on this release. Rogga is the king of old scool death and he really pulled out all the stops this time. The songs are simplistic as hell but both the production and catchiness is through the roof. I hope they make another Bone Gnawer record although I know they have already made The Grotesquery album which I haven't heard yet.
2. Mindwork - Into The Swirl
Out of the Czech Republic comes the world's best Cynic worship band. They really deliver a great sounding record. There are also some Death riffs but a lot of Cynic vibe by and large. The underground in death metal is where some of the best music resides and this proves it.
1. Dismal Lapse - Eon Fragmentation
This is a major surprise for me. My favourite death metal album of the year is by Dismal Lapse and I sure as hell wasn't expecting something this good that's for sure. The technical aspect has increased tremendously since their reasonable EP from 2008 and the production values have shot through the roof. Everything about this release is awesome. I love the aggression on the vocals and the superbly sharp clinical guitar riffs. A juggernaut of a record in a slightly pedestrian year for death metal.
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Disaster! Catastrophe! Tragedy!!
My friggin' laptop decided to take a massive crap the other night and I have been computer-less since. Now me without access to the net at any moment is liking going cold turkey from the baddest heroin and crack cocaine snowball you can imagine! I don't know what the fuck happened but it was damn serious and my attempts to fix it have not been fruitful at all as yet. I have lost all my files at the moment.
Google has revealed what the problem is and the solutions but alas even with that knowledge in hand I have not been able to fix out this nightmare as yet. There are still avenues open and all may not be totally lost but at the moment it looks bleak. Really lame time to be without a computer as well as it's damn cold and I don't want to go out and being without the net is not great at all! Oh well I have to suck it up at the mo, got no choice. Maybe get a new laptop but a friggin' shitty stoke of luck. My laptop was working fine and dandy and then death...
Google has revealed what the problem is and the solutions but alas even with that knowledge in hand I have not been able to fix out this nightmare as yet. There are still avenues open and all may not be totally lost but at the moment it looks bleak. Really lame time to be without a computer as well as it's damn cold and I don't want to go out and being without the net is not great at all! Oh well I have to suck it up at the mo, got no choice. Maybe get a new laptop but a friggin' shitty stoke of luck. My laptop was working fine and dandy and then death...
Monday, 14 December 2009
Sabaton Live Report
My 16th and final gig of the year last night and what a way to end! I would guess the attendance was around 400 or so maybe a little bit more which is pretty great for the Sabs. First time they came which I missed, there were apparently barely 50 people at the show, but things have improved tremendously for them and they have a pretty much solid fan base here in the uk now. Last night was a round off gig for a 19 date UK tour as support for Dragonforce. A tour which I actually missed but apparently they've been going down a storm throughout and often outplaying the Dragons.
First we had two support bands. Malefice is a melodic deathcore band. Not bad but not what Saba fans are after. What was funny was the singer realised this and made some funny comments from the stage about all of us not turning up to see them obviously. Second band was Panic Cell who are a melodic vocal led Brit straight heavy metal troop. A sort of modern take on NWOBHM if you will. Not bad stuff and they got quite a few people going. They also have quite an amiable frontman. They have a new album coming out and I will check it out.
Finally at 9.20 the Swedish war machine came on and after the Sun Tzu Says intro and then straight into Ghost Division with full force. The sound was much cleaner and crisper than for the other bands and even though the band was on the last night of a long UK trek, they still were fully energised. Joacim was wearing his usual shades and metal plated vest and the others were headbanging with complete abandon. The bass player always makes me smile. That dude just seems like the happiest guy to ever walk the earth. He just never ever stops smiling which is somehow very infectious when you look at his face.
Joacim said that last night was the best crowd of the whole tour and that when we sang The Art of War chorus we were louder than the monitors and he couldn't hear the actual band playing! The crowd just can't get enough of the Sabaton boys it seems these days. The crowd was almost rabid for them with fists and Joacim himself was going absolutely mental. He actually mentioned that he was slightly losing his voice with over belting it out. back in Control was dedicated to all of us as it's about our little island regaining the Falklands and having promised to play it at Bloodstock they ballsed it up and now they made amends with a searing ultra fast version. My fave song of the night almost but all of them are so good. I missed Union and Talvisota from Art of War which I absolutely love but I don't think they ever play that live and also Counterstrike was missed from Primo Victoria plus an old tune Hail to The King which is one of my faves, but I don't have too much complaint about the setlist. They played for roughly 70 minutes which was not bad at all. Great night from the greatest power metal band in the world. Setlist was as follows but not exactly in that order.
Sun Tzu Says
Ghost Division
The Art Of War
40:1
Cliffs of Gallipoli
Attero Dominatus
The Price of a Mile
Panzerkampf
Nuclear Attack
Back in Control
A Light in the Black
Primo Victoria
Panzer Battalion
Wolfpack
Into the Fire
Metal Machine / Metal Crüe
First we had two support bands. Malefice is a melodic deathcore band. Not bad but not what Saba fans are after. What was funny was the singer realised this and made some funny comments from the stage about all of us not turning up to see them obviously. Second band was Panic Cell who are a melodic vocal led Brit straight heavy metal troop. A sort of modern take on NWOBHM if you will. Not bad stuff and they got quite a few people going. They also have quite an amiable frontman. They have a new album coming out and I will check it out.
Finally at 9.20 the Swedish war machine came on and after the Sun Tzu Says intro and then straight into Ghost Division with full force. The sound was much cleaner and crisper than for the other bands and even though the band was on the last night of a long UK trek, they still were fully energised. Joacim was wearing his usual shades and metal plated vest and the others were headbanging with complete abandon. The bass player always makes me smile. That dude just seems like the happiest guy to ever walk the earth. He just never ever stops smiling which is somehow very infectious when you look at his face.
Joacim said that last night was the best crowd of the whole tour and that when we sang The Art of War chorus we were louder than the monitors and he couldn't hear the actual band playing! The crowd just can't get enough of the Sabaton boys it seems these days. The crowd was almost rabid for them with fists and Joacim himself was going absolutely mental. He actually mentioned that he was slightly losing his voice with over belting it out. back in Control was dedicated to all of us as it's about our little island regaining the Falklands and having promised to play it at Bloodstock they ballsed it up and now they made amends with a searing ultra fast version. My fave song of the night almost but all of them are so good. I missed Union and Talvisota from Art of War which I absolutely love but I don't think they ever play that live and also Counterstrike was missed from Primo Victoria plus an old tune Hail to The King which is one of my faves, but I don't have too much complaint about the setlist. They played for roughly 70 minutes which was not bad at all. Great night from the greatest power metal band in the world. Setlist was as follows but not exactly in that order.
Sun Tzu Says
Ghost Division
The Art Of War
40:1
Cliffs of Gallipoli
Attero Dominatus
The Price of a Mile
Panzerkampf
Nuclear Attack
Back in Control
A Light in the Black
Primo Victoria
Panzer Battalion
Wolfpack
Into the Fire
Metal Machine / Metal Crüe
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