Albums of the month: September

As we close in on the end of 2020 the album of the year list is slowly starting to come to mind more and more. 2020 being a very strange year due to the pandemic, bands calling it quits, no live shows (or at least hardly any) it has brought some good with it in terms of incredible music being put out that might have had to wait due to less time to write albums. Almost every month have had at least one album that I could see as an album of the year contender and it’s going to be hard to nail that top 50 down later on that’s for sure. September was a big death metal month for me personally where especially Proscription and Scordatura stood out. Note that I might have missed quite a few albums this time around, if so please comment, as I’ve been swarmed with work so not done my usual playlists to dig through all the new music like I usually do. As always, check out the playlist and be sure to follow it as well as look into all the bands you like!

Album of the month

Proscription – Conduit

What can I say, Maveth is one of the best death metal bands to have existed and Proscription continues that legacy with greatness. It doesn’t get much better than this. Read the review here.

Proscription – Conduit was released September 24th via Dark Descent Records.

Runners-up

Scordatura – Mass Failure

Mass Failure is Scordautra’s best work to date and one of the best brutal death metal albums of the year. Read the review here.

Scordatura – Mass Failure was released September 25th via Gore House Productions.

Human Barbecue – Bloodstained Altars

When Feyen and Lambert does slam/brutal death together the stars align. Human Barbecue is one of the best bands going to mix said genres into a pot of gore.

Human Barbecue – Bloodstained Altars was released September 13th via Realityfade Records.

Desolator – Sermon of Apathy

Sermon of Apathy is, by a mile, Desolator’s best album so far and while there is still some finishing touches to be done songs like “The Great Law of the Dead” and “Creatures of Habit” will be on every death metal fans playlist this year. Read the review here.

Desolator – Sermon of Apathy was released September 4th via Black Lion Records.

Second to Sun – Leviathan

When it comes to post-black metal not many bands do it better than Russian act Second to Sun. Outstanding how they can release so many great albums in such a short time (four albums in three years) without losing any quality.

Second to Sun – Leviathan was released September 27th as an independent release.

More great music of September

Hvrt – The Grief That Feeds the Night
Dynfari – Myrkurs er þörf
Uada – Djinn
Mysthicon – Silvia – Oculis – Corvi
Dwarrowdelf – Evenstar
Morta Skuld – Suffer For Nothing
Theotoxin – Fragment: Erhabenheit
Ossuary Anex – Obscurantism Apogee
Vous Autres – Sel de Pierre
Void Rot – Descending Pillars
Fumigation – R0 5.7
Across the Swarm – Projections
Madrost – Charring the Rotting Earth
Hiidenhauta – Riivin
Slit Your Gots – Dogmatic Convictions of Human Decrepitude
Contagium – Chronicles of Carnage
Just Before Dawn – An Army at Dawn
Vaginal Anomalies – Violent Devotion to Kill
Soulwound – The Suffering
Angelic Desolation – Quorum of Unspeakable Curses
Eshtadur – From the Abyss
Thorn – The Encompassing Nothing
Noumena – Anima
Sadistic Embodiment – Blood Spell
Fires in the Distance – Echoes From Deep November
Jupiterian – Protosapien
Vacant Eyes – A Somber Preclusion of Being
Spectrum of Delusion – Neoconception
The Last Reign – Evolution
Eerie – End of an Era
Aborted Fetus – Pyramids Of Damnation
Horde of Hel – Döden Nalkas
Hanger Abortion – Population Decay
Evaporated Sores – Ulcerous Dimensions
Finsternis – The Old Tongue

Albums of the month: August

After a slow July comes a massive August month. Filled with quality releases from all genres it was really hard to pick a top 5 this time around. Also have to note that my own record label Grind to Death Records released its very first album this month, the debut from Swedish grindcore band Helvetes Jävla Skit titled Satans Jävla Helvete. Hoping grindcore lovers will have a great time with that madness! The highlights for the this month came from Krallice, Ars Magna Umbrae, Ominous Scriptures, Culture Profano, Angel Morgue, Chestcrush, Incantation, Havukruunu, Nug, Necrot, Gutrectomy, Svederna, Panzerfaust and Atramentus. As you can see very hard to pick a top 5, could easily have done a top 10!

Album of the month

Havukruunu – Uinuos Syömein Sota

One of the best bands in Finnish extreme metal Havukruunu has released their third full-length. A band which I personally see as one of the best black metal bands going just keeps improving and soon everyone shall know their name. Another album of the year contender.

Havukruunu – Uinuos Syömein Sota was release August 14th via Naturmacht Productions.

Runners-up

Svederna – Härd

Three albums in and Svederna keeps going from strength to strength! I thought Svedjeland was a great album (even more so live where Svederna kills it) but Härd is even better and Svederna is quickly becoming one of my favorite black metal acts. You can read the review here.

Svederna – Härd was released August 28th via Carnal Records.

Incantation – Sect of Vile Divinities

While the production might just have been a bit too clean there is no denying Incantation is one of the best death metal bands to ever existed. Sect of Vile Divinities is death metal gold that no one should miss.

Incantation – Sect of Vile Divinities was released August 21st via Relapse Records.

Panzerfaust – The Suns of Perdition – Chapter II: Render Unto Eden

A band I’d never even heard of until I got the chance to review last years The Suns of Perdition – Chapter I: War, Horrid War is Panzerfaust. It blew me away and got awarded album of the month. Chapter II: Render Unto Eden is already here and while I don’t think it’s as memorable as Chapter I it is still a fantastic piece of black metal from a band that deserves a lot of praise.

Panzerfaust – The Suns of Perdition – Chapter II: Render Unto Eden was released August 28th via Eisenwald.

Atramentus – Stygian

Funeral doom is a very small genre but once in a while there is a colossal release that makes you remember its existence. Atramentus debut album is one of those and it makes you wonder why you don’t listen to more of it (maybe you do though). It will be very hard to choose between Atramentus and Convocation for the best funeral doom album of the year that’s for sure.

Atramentus – Stygian was released August 21st via 20 Buck Spin.

More great music of August

Selbst – Relatos De Angustia
Ars Magna Umbrae – Apotheosis
Vassafor – To the Death
Monumental Discharge – Unfathomable Defecation
Krallice – Mass Cathexis
Mesarthim – The Degenerate Era
Orbit Culture – Nija
Winterhearth – Riverbed Empire
Helvetes Jävla Skit – Satans Jävla Helvete.
Ominous Scriptures – The Fall of the Celestial Throne
Atræ Bilis – Divinihility
Poema Arcanvs – Stardust Solitude
Narcissistic Necrosis – The Art of Deformity
Nigh Ungodly – Mimic Prophecy
Cultus Profano – Accursed Possession
Jesus Wept – Apartheid Redux
Angel Morgue – In the Morgue of Angels
Sensory Amusia – Bereavement
Chestcrush – Demo
Alter Idem – Fragments Of Consciousness
Ingested – Where Only Gods May Tread
Ov Shadows – I Djävulens Avbild
Nyktophobia – What Lasts Forever
Gutrectomy – Slaughter the Innocent
Texas Murder Crew – Everyone’s Last Breath
Bear Mace – Charred Field of Slaughter
Repulsive Vision – Necrovictology
Recorruptor – The Funeral Corridor
Necrot – Mortal
Brotthogg – The Die is Cast
NUG – Alter Ego
Venomous Concept – Politics versus the Erection

The Metal Gamer songs of the month Spotify playlist

Albums of the month: June

After a couple of extremely good months with releases it seemed it slowed down for June. Obviously there were still good music to be heard but after having had quite a few albums that could compete for album of the year in such a short time you start to get used by it. I have to note two comebacks that for me were two bands I’d completely stopped caring about, namely Lamb of God and Make Them Suffer. It’s been many many years since I heard those bands put out something that interested me but they both did so this month. The biggest surprise this month is by far Visions of Disfigurement, I didn’t even like their debut that much but Aeons of Misery is one of the heaviest albums of the year! What a killer release. One of Finland’s first death metal bands Purtenance is still alive and kicking with yet another great album. Serocs just keeps on giving and are solidifying themselves as one of my favorite bands within the technical brutal death metal genre. As always check out the bands on this list, support the ones you like and give The Metal Gamer playlist a go for an easy way to dig through the bands with two hand-picked songs by me. Stay safe metal gamers!

Album of the month

Visions of Disfigurement – Aeons of Misery

Going into this month I would of never have thought Visions of Disfigurement would even be on the albums of the month list. They completely changed my view on them as Aeons of Misery kicks some serious ass. This is one of the heaviest albums you will hear all year, don’t miss it! Read the review here.

Visions of Disfigurement – Aeons of Misery was released June 8th via Realityfade Records.

Runners-up

Purtenance – Buried Incarnation

When one of the very first death metal bands from Finland puts out a new album I for one am there on the front row to dig into it instantly. Buried Incarnation might not be the bands best work but it’s still a great slab of Finnish death metal that many of us crave for.

Purtenance – Buried Incarnation was released 23rd via Xtreem Music.

Sinira – The Everlorn

Funny enough Sinira was recommended to me by a member of The Metal Gamer community and I can’t thank her enough for it! This debut screams Dissection, hell I even had to check at times if it wasn’t them playing some unreleased tracks or something. If you love melodic death/black metal then you will love this, simple as that.

Sinira – The Everlorn was released June 26th as an independent release.

Firelink – Firelink

Firelink released a stunning debut last year in The Inveterate Fire. I didn’t think they would drop their follow-up, and self-titled album, just a year later. It’s lyrical themes comes from Dark Souls which any gamer should know about and this is yet another wicked release by the band. Dark Souls has a rich universe so I’m sure Firelink will keep on giving the metal world great music for years to come.

Firelink – Firelink was released June 16th as an independent release.

Insatanity – Hymns of the Gods Before

I’d honestly not heard of Insatanity before this release but a quick google search and I noticed they’ve been going since 1992! Crazy good bands such as this can miss ones radar. Either way Hymns of the Gods Before is a superb example of American satanic death metal that hits the right spots.

Insatanity – Hymns of the Gods Before was released June 19th via CDN Records.

More great music of June

Goreworm – Prodigy of the Grotesque
Nemesium – Continua
Lamb of God – Lamb of God
Carnifloor – Engulfed in Gold
Vampire – Rex
Acherontas – Psychic Death – The Shattering of Perceptions
Pyrrhon – Abscess Time
Cryfemal – Eterna Oscuridad
Carach Angren – Franckensteina Strataemontanus
Varus – A New Dawn
The Hallowed Catharsis – Killowner
Al-Namrood – Wala’at
Re-Armed – Ignis Aeternum
Serocs – Vore (best EP)
Lune – Ghost
Foetal Juice – Gluttony
Obscene – The Inhabitable Dark
Exocrine – Maelstrom
Visceral Abnormality – Humanity Lost
Make Them Suffer – How to Survive a Funeral
Dismalimerence – Tome: 1
Shemhamforash – Entropy
Devorate the Universe – A Dark Essence of Mankind
Carrion Vael – God Killer
A Light in the Dark – Insomnia
Voidceremony – Entropic Reflections Continuum: Dimensional Unravel
Dekira – Ominous Prophecies
Nexion – Seven Oracles
Xazraug – Unsympathetic Empyrean
Instigate – Echoes of a Dying World

The Metal Gamer songs of the month Spotify playlist

Albums of the month: May

Oh May God did this month deliver on all fronts. Be it death or black metal with their different sub genres May had you covered. Or what about new releases from the mighty Vader, Forgotten Tomb, Winterfylleth, Devangelic or one of my personal favorite bands of all time Naglfar? That’s just part of the months releases too as it had a bunch of surprises to boot with Burial and Cosmovore coming from no where knocking me out! If that doesn’t make you happy I’m not sure you will honestly. Anyways get following The Metal Gamer monthly playlist to get a quick listen on all these awesome bands then just dig into the full albums if you like what you hear. Easy yeah? So lets go!

Album of the month

Burial – Satanic Upheaval

I stumbled upon this band only due to getting the latest promo from Foetal Juice and saw a member was also in this band. Decided to check them out as Burial had a new album out and actually been active since 2005. Glad I did because Satanic Upheaval knocked me out completely! No nonsense, just satanic metal with wicked riffs to boot. The song “Decayed by Time” might just become my most played song of the year as I can’t stop listening to it.

Burial – Satanic Upheaval was released May 8th via Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings.

Runners-up

Naglfar – Cerecloth

Are you surprised to see one of my absolute favorite bands of all time being in the album of the month section? I’m sure you’re not but I for one am glad Naglfar still has it in them even after such a long time between the albums. Cerecloth will be one of my favorite albums of the year and a wicked comeback for one of the kings of melodic black metal.

Naglfar – Cerecloth was released May 8th via Century Media Records.

Afsky – Ofte jeg drømmer mig død

Denmark knows a thing or two about creating superb underground black metal. Afsky is definitely on the forefront for the Danish black metal force together with bands like Solbrud and Orm. This is the bands best work to date and an album you simply can’t miss.

Afsky – Ofte jeg drømmer mig død was released May 12th via Vendetta Records.

Cosmovore – Into the Necrosphere

This release caught me completely by surprise. Randomly found it, thought the album cover looked pure awesome and instantly got sucked into the music from the very first notes. Been on constant rotation since. A fine debut!

Cosmovore – Into the Necrosphere was released May 24th as an independent release.

Cosmic Putrefaction – The Horizons Towards Which Splendour Withers

I’ve been waiting for this album since their very strong 2019 debut and it didn’t disappoint. Cosmic Putrefaction is death metal gold!

Cosmic Putrefaction – The Horizons Towards Which Splendour Withers was released May 22nd via I, Voidhanger Records.

More great albums of May

Winterfylleth – The Reckoning Dawn
Vader – Solitude in Madness
Thrawsunblat – Insula
Sojourner – Premonitions
..and Oceans – Cosmic World Mother
Forgotten Tomb – Nihilistic Estrangement
Green Carnation – Leaves of Yesteryear
KŁY – Wyrzyny
Omniarch – Omniarch
Esophagus – Defeated By Their Inferiority
Paradise Lost – Obsidian
Deathing – All Hail the Decay
Killitorous – The Afterparty
Armagedda – Svindeldjup Ättestup
Henry Kane – Age of the Idiot
Féleth – Depravity
Pile of Priests – Pile of Priests
Noctu – Gelidae Mortis Imago
Devangelic – Ersetu
Ara – Jurisprudence
Sinister – Deformation of the Holy Realm
Revenge – Strike.Smother.Dehumanize
Centinex – Death in Pieces
Protosequence – A Blunt Description of Something Obscene
Brendanfraserectomy – Brendan’s Brutally Brutal bRevenge
Bašmu – The Encircling
Cauldron Black Ram – Slave
Exgenesis – Solve et Coagula
Cryptic Shift – Visitations from Enceladus
Iku-Turso – Pakana
Bloodred – The Raven’s Shadow
Ruadh – The Rock of the Clyde
Acârash – Descend to Purity
Árstíðir Lífsins – Saga á tveim tungum II: Eigi fjǫll né firðir
Father – Inferno
Wastewalker – Lowborn
Sielunvihollinen – Veren Äänet
Kryptamok – Verisaarna
Shadow in the Darkness – Erstwhile Befell
Nygmalion – Deluminate
Atavistia – The Winter Way
Bitterness – Dead World Order
Rannoch – Reflections upon Darkness
Hatchets For Hands – Cabaret of Decay

The Metal Gamer Songs of the Month Spotify playlist

Albums of the month: April

With 1/3 of 2020 having come to an end the year has shown a lot of promise. April have had new strong albums from heavy hitters like Ulcerate, Benighted, Testament, Unmerciful, The Black Dahlia Murder and Abysmal Dawn to name a few. That alone has probably got a lot of metalheads having an empty wallet but then you can add newcomers such as Skam, Symbolik, Nyrst and Akurion to the mix which will make you have to take a loan! Meaning April was a great month for metal and you should just go straight to the monthly playlist to start listening to all these awesome albums.

Album of the month

Ulcerate – Stare Into Death and Be Still

What can I say, Ulcerate lives up to the hype! One of the best death metal bands in the world who seem to do no wrong and keeps on pushing the boundaries.

Ulcerate – Stare Into Death and Be Still was released April 24th via Debemur Morti Productions.

Runners-up

Benighted – Obscene Repressed

The French masters of mixing brutal death metal with grindcore Benighted are back with yet another superb album. While I think Necrobreed was a better album (I honestly think it’s their best release ever) Obscene Repressed still showcase a band on form who got their own style that I love.

Benighted – Obscene Repressed was released April 10th via Season of Mist.

Abysmal Dawn – Phylogenesis

After six years Abysmal Dawn returns with what I think is their best album to date. Which says a lot since they have released some killer material in the past too. A new lineup with some new ideas seems to have done the trick and this is one of the best technical death metal albums you’ll hear all year.

Abysmal Dawn – Phylogenesis was released April 17th via Season of Mist.

Unmerciful – Wrath Encompassed

The American titans of brutal death metal Unmerciful really goes full-throttle at all times, showing you they fit their band name well. Wrath Encompassed is even more technical and refined than their older work as the band has matured even more. Great stuff! You can read the review here.

Unmerciful – Wrath Encompassed was released April 24th via Willowtip Records.

Malist – To Mantle the Rising Sun

Oh Malist what a band! The debut came from nowhere and just sucker punched me with how good it was. To Mantle the Rising Sun is even better! If you haven’t heard of Malist before now is the time, don’t miss this. One of the best black metal albums of the year.

Malist – To Mantle the Rising Sun was released April 24th via Northern Silence Productions.

More great albums of April:

Aborted – La Grande Mascarade (best EP!)
Skam – The Sound of Disease
Symbolik – Emergence
The Black Dahlia Murder – Verminous
Trivium – What the Dead Men Say
Live Burial – Unending Futility
Helfró – Helfró
Barishi – Old Smoke
Book of the Dead – Bound in Flesh, Inked in Blood
Forndom – Faþir
Testament – Titans of Creation
Warbringer – Weapons of Tomorrow
Venemous Skeleton – Drowning In Circles
Two Face Sinner – Spiritual Nemesis
The Projectionist – The Stench of Amalthia
Reptilium – Adrenochromacy
Khôra – Timaeus
Aspidium – Harmagedon
Vanir – 10 Years of Mead and Metal
Monolith – The Lord Conspirator
Shards of Humanity – Cold Logic
Cemetery Filth – Dominion
Myth of I – Myth of I
Abrupt Demise – The Pleasure to Kill and Grind
Akurion – Come Forth to Me
Wayward Dawn – Haven of Lies
Divine Chaos – The Way to Oblivion
Babylonfall – Collapse
Nyrst – Orsök
Xpus – In Umbra Mortis Sedent
Mental Disaster – The Repulsive Abomination
Oranssi Pazuzu – Mestarin Kynsi
Endless Forms Most Gruesome – Endless Forms Most Gruesome
Illvilja – In Winters Cold
Eternal Armageddon – In Light In Dark In Hate

The Metal Gamer songs of the month Spotify playlist

Albums of the month: March

When writing this April is soon coming to an end but life has been in the way to get this out, I will try to be better for the April edition! March was yet another great month with a varied mix of metal offerings. The death metal releases really stood out for me this month and there was a lot of wicked music to be heard once again with Sutrah, Vredehammer, Earth Rot, Temple of Void and Afterbirth leading the charge in March.

Album of the month:

Temple of Void – The World That Was

Temple of Void is one of the best, if not the best, death/doom metal bands going. The World That Was is yet another amazing album by the Americans who can rumble with even the best Finnish bands in the same genre.

Temple of Void – The World That Was was released March 27th via Shadow Kingdom Records.

Runners-up:

Vredehammer – Viperous

One of Norway’s best bands these past years have been Vredehammer in my book. Back in 2016 they blew me away with Violater and now they follow it up perfectly with Viperous. Don’t miss out on this one!

Vredehammer – Viperous was released March 6th via Indie Recordings.

Afterbirth – Four Dimensional Flesh

Afterbirth is one of those brutal death metal bands which you can basically from the very first note tell it’s them. They got their own thing going and they do it with style. While I personally liked their debut from 2017 The Time Traveler’s Dilemma more this is some of the most innovating music you will hear in the genre this year.

Afterbirth – Four Dimensional Flesh was released March 13th via Unique Leader Records.

Sutrah – Aletheia

What started of with me almost giving this album a miss after its first spin eventually turned into one of my favorite albums this month. What a grower! It just keeps on giving and I like it more with each spin. Big surprise to me and Sutrah has become one of my latest bands to follow closely. You can read my review of Aletheia here.

Sutrah – Aletheia was released March 13th via The Artisan Era.

Earth Rot – Black Tides of Obscurity

Earth Rot’s death and black metal mix has been something that’s been a homerun in my book since the debut album Follow the Black Smoke from 2014. With their latest offering Black Tides of Obscurity the band showcase themselves at their best and the band seems to only go from strength to strength.

Earth Rot – Black Tides of Obscurity was released March 6th via Season of Mist.

More great albums of March:

Violet Cold – Noir Kid
Deadspace – A Portrait of Sacrificial Scars
Disembowel – Echoes of Terror
My Dying Bride – The Ghost of Orion
Medium – Medium
Svengahli – Nightmares of Our Own Design
Rotting Kingdom – A Deeper Shade of Sorrow
Putrid – Antichrist Above
Aronious – Perspicacity
Klysma – Mental
Wardaemonic – Acts of Repentance
Graceless – Where Vultures Know Your Name
Angerot – The Divine Apostate
Tribe of Pazuzu – King of All Demons
Heaven Shall Burn – Of Truth and Sacrifice
Wombbath – Choirs of the Fallen
Æra – The Source of Ruin
Unholy Desecration – Unholy Horde
Deranged – Deeds of Ruthless Violence
Raider – Guardian of the Fire
Ergodic – Ergodic
Nox Formulae – Drakon – Darshan – Satan
Aodon – 11069
Tethra – Empire Of The Void
Torn in Half – Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth
Hangatyr – Kalt
Chronicle – Demonology
Molested Divinity – Unearthing the Void
Vulcano – Eye in Hell
Brain Stem – Symptoms of Annihilation – Stage 2
Hemotoxin – Restructure the Molded Mind
Nexorum – Death Unchained
Hyperconvolutor – Hyper Convolution
Here and Beyond – Eternal Recurrence
Hyborian – Volume II
Borgne – Y
Aeternam – Al Qassam
Svartkonst – Black Waves

The Metal Gamer songs of the month Spotify playlist

Albums of the month: February

What a start of the year we’ve had! This years January has probably been the strongest start of a year since I started this blog with loads of great albums coming out and February is just as strong, if not stronger. One band even dropped two great albums on the same day, Cult of Fire with Nirvana and Moksha. While January was a bit short on the black metal front February had that in masses, or what about Faustian Pact, Kvaen, Faidra, YGG, Tombs, Necrowretch, Svart Crown and Cénotaphe (just to name a few even) all dropping albums you need to dig into right now if you haven’t already! Another thing worth noting is that Beneath the Massacre has come back in style with Fearmonger being some of their best material yet, welcome back! Two months in 2020 and we’ve already been offered loads of superb metal, this year is looking very bright.

Album of the month:

Kvaen – The Funeral Pyre

On one of the last days of the month it was unleashed, The Funeral Pyre! Oh does it shine bright as this is some of the best black metal I’ve heard in months. Incredible debut album and has everything I’m looking for, a contender for album of the year in my opinion. You can read the review here.

Kvaen – The Funeral Pyre was released February 28th via Black Lion Records.
Bandcamp – https://kvaen.bandcamp.com/album/the-funeral-pyre
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/1RXqAO2dPkKQGip9qU45pg?si=BjEd_IIpQ8WGwXCq5oj3oA

Runners-up:

Beneath the Massacre – Fearmonger

What a comeback by Beneath the Massacre! Eight years after Incongruous came out they release what I think is their best album yet in Fearmonger. This hits hard!

Beneath the Massacre – Fearmonger was released February 28th via Century Media Records.
Bandcamp – N/A
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/1q7U1NxOyWTzoS3cpqtQpS?si=2e90Jez_Qpu2Xgu3n6zw_A

Plague – Portraits of Mind

I generally don’t see Greece as a death metal country but more into black metal. However Plague has shown there is a lot of life (or death) in the scene there too as Portraits of Mind had me on the hook straight from the start. One of the best death metal albums released so far this year! You can read the review here.

Plague – Portraits of Mind was released February 14th via Redefining Darkness Records (NA) and Nuclear Winter Records (EU).
Bandcamp – https://plague-gr.bandcamp.com/album/portraits-of-mind
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/0u934ElljYYWNif8V6ysuz?si=kwVdxSnKStCxpo5LCNbOIA

The Spirit – Cosmic Terror

The Spirit is one of those bands I feel is underrated because I feel both their debut Sounds from the Vortex and follow-up EP Pillars of Doom were very high quality black/death metal in the veins of Dissection, Sacramentum and Thulcandra. However maybe a bit too close in the sound. With Cosmic Terror though they’ve really come a long way and while the influences are still there they’re finding their own sound more this time around.

The Spirit – Cosmic Terror was released February 7th via Art of Propaganda.
Bandcamp – https://thespiritmetal.bandcamp.com/album/cosmic-terror
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/00TpgegQ8rs1WK0hqZDyjd?si=UOuBpr86S5OtHaKaw3LvUg

Night Crowned – Impius Viam

Their EP Humanity Will Echo Out showed a lot of promise and when I reviewed it back in 2018 I thought this band could be the next big melodic black/death export from Sweden. That seems to be the case still as their debut full-length is another step in the right direction and Night Crowned is on the path towards greatness with their apocalyptic heavy style that leaves no prisoners.

Night Crowned – Impius Viam was released February 28th via Noble Demon.
Bandcamp – https://nightcrowned.bandcamp.com/album/impius-viam
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/0xbLmjAA1qgYnm7phVTPUS?si=msBbLB07SDWiun9Yu9G4bg

More great albums of February:

Faustian Pact – Outojen Tornien Varjoissa
Schizogen – Spawn Of Almighty Essence
Slaughter Messiah – Cursed To The Pyre
Shandrazel – Le Paysage De Mes Pensées
Faidra – Six Voices Inside
Hæresis – To Drown​.​.​.
Cénotaphe – Monte Veritá
Abated Mass of Flesh – Not Burned
Necrowretch – The Ones from Hell
Horresque – Chasms Pt. I – Avarice and Retribution
Serpent Noir – Death Clan OD
Svart Crown – Wolves Among the Ashes
God Dethroned – Illuminati
Sepultura – Quadra
Sylosis – Cycle of Suffering
Conjureth – Foul Formations
Neptunus – Planetary Annihilation
Skyforest – A New Dawn
Sentient Divide – Haunted by Cruelty
Artach – Chronicles of a Black Winter
Xenobiotic – Mordrake
Cult of Fire – Nirvana
Cult of Fire – Moksha (yes they released two albums!)
Blåådpalt – Sliced to Perfection
Thokkian Vortex – Thy Throne is Mine
Tombs – Monarchy of Shadows
Infirmum – Walls of Sorrow
Regarde Les Hommes Tomber – Ascension
Innards – Back From The Grave, Straight In Your Face
Ossaert – Bedehuis
Izthmi – The Arrows of Our Ways
Akiavel – V
Deprived Of Salvation – Destination : Decay
YGG – The Last Scald
Ars Veneficium – Usurpation of the Seven
Black Royal – Firebride

The Metal Gamer Songs of the Month Spotify playlist:

Albums of the month: January

The first month of the year has come to pass and with that the first albums of the month article of 2020 is now live. I did mention I could be a bit late on my articles due to recently becoming a dad and this is one of those cases as I simply didn’t have the time to sit down with this. I’ve had a long list of bands but it was tough to get through it all, not only time wise but this was actually a very strong field of albums to kickstart 2020 in style! January is usually a slow month (was in 2019 for example) but not this time around. We got bands such as Lorna Shore, Wormhole and Svarttjern releasing their best material yet while we also got wicked full-length debut albums that packs a punch in Berzerker Legion and Sallow Moth just to name a few examples. Here is me hoping 2020 will be another strong year for metal and that this incredible start pushes the rest of the bands to release their best material yet.

Album of the month:

Lorna Shore – Immortal

All drama aside Lorna Shore has lived up to the hype and released their by far strongest album to date. Not only that I think it’s one of the best deathcore albums in years! Together with bands such as Shadow of Intent and AngelMaker they are pushing the genre forward to reach new grounds.

Lorna Shore – Immortal was released January 31st via Century Media Records.

Runners-up:

Svarttjern – Shame is Just a Word

I liked Dødsskrik a lot but with Shame is Just a Word Svarttjern has become even darker and evolved their sound to new levels. We already got a contender for the best black metal album of the year. This is fantastic and the best album so far by Svarttjern where they’ve truly managed to capture the essence of old black metal with the more modern touches. You can read the review here.

Svarttjern – Shame is Just a Word was released January 17th via Soulseller Records.

Sallow Moth – The Larval Hope

This is just a wicked full-length debut album from Sallow Moth. The Larval Hope is the best old school death metal album I’ve heard so far this year. It packs a punch and is varied enough, with high quality, to keep you wanting to spin this again and again. You can read the review here.

Sallow Moth – The Larval Hope was released January 15th via Dead Red Queen Records.

Berzerker Legion – Obliterate the Weak

What can I say I’m a sucker for catchy death metal! Berzerker Legion is something as rare as a supergroup (with members from Vader, Dark Funeral, Hypocrisy, Asphyx and Wombbath) that works and delivers a superb album.

Berzerker Legion – Obliterate the Weak was released January 29th via Listenable Records.

Wormhole – The Weakest Among Us

While Genesis was solid it might have lacked some bits to make it stand out and be a long lasting album in my playlists I find The Weakest Among Us bringing all the right stuff. You can read the review here.

Wormhole – The Weakest Among Us was released January 14th via Lacerated Enemy Records.

More great albums of January:

Frogg – A Reptilian Dystopia
Aseptic – Cascading Fluids
Unbounded Terror – Faith in Chaos
Blighted – Silhouette of the Sun
Diabology – Nobody Believes Me
Waldhexen – Ego Canus Lunam Cano
Vvilderness – Dark Waters
Svrm – Занепад
Vengeful Spectre – 殞煞 Vengeful Spectre
Kataphraktoi – Ursinne
Unreqvited – Mosaic II: La déteste et la détresse
Empire of the Moon – Εκλειψις
Erdling – Yggdrasil
Kaoteon – Kaoteon
Horned Almighty – To Fathom the Master’s Grand Design
Blasphemer – The Sixth Hour
Impiety – Versus All Goods
Annihilator – Ballistic, Sadistic
Necropsy – Exitus
Dead End Finland – Inter Vivos
Kawir – Αδράστεια
Slave One – Omega Disciples
Defiled – Infinite Regress
Despondent – The Cosmic Horror
Frigoris – ….in Stille
Reincarnage – Reap
Child of Waste – Hunger Made Man
Aethyrick – Gnosis
Coffin Curse – Ceased To Be
Invictus – The Catacombs Of Fear
Dawn of Solace – Waves
Into Pandemonium – Darkest Rise
Nattverd – Styggdom
The Absolution Sequence – Silent King
One Vote For Violence – Desolation
Dark Usurper – Mortal Dissonance
I, Delusionist – Catharsis
Jordablod – The Cabinet of Numinous Song
Vananidr – Damnation
Macabre Demise – Awakening
Obsidian Tongue – Volume III

Albums of the month: November

The year is soon over and with that we only got one last albums of the month article to go after this one and of course the album of the year list. The competition is fierce yet another month with heavy weights such as Nile, Ragnarok, Cattle Decapitation and Despised Icon releasing killer albums. However they got bands like Iapetus, Sentient Horror, Avslut, Immanifest and Unfathomable Ruination breathing down their necks. We’ve been blessed with a very good year for metal, with the album of the year list going to be really hard to finalize but that’s a good problem…. Don’t forget to give the bands a like and check out the labels too. The Spotify playlist is updated with music from November so get following, discover all the best new extreme metal music! New for this month is that The Metal Gamer Community has also been voting for the best albums in November and the poll has been running for a week. At the end of this segment you can see who got voted into the top 5. Don’t forget to join the growing community which is now close to 300 metal gamers! Thanks for your support!

Album of the month:

Unfathomable Ruination – Enraged and Unbound

What can I say when a band release the best brutal death metal album since Defeated Sanity put out Passages into Deformity in 2013 then I’m totally spellbound. Any fan of the heavy meaty sounds will love this. You can read the review here.

Unfathomable Ruination – Enraged and Unbound was released November 22nd via Willowtip Records.

Runners-up:

Nile – Vile Nilotic Rites

Nile is definitely a band I consider one of the best ever created for extreme metal. Their discography is vast and full of groundbreaking music. Vile Nilotic Rites is a great follow-up to What Should Not Be Unearthed and possibly their best album since Annihilation of the Wicked. Pure gold.

Nile – Vile Nilotic Rites was released November 1st via Nuclear Blast.

Ragnarok – Non Debellicata

I know there are a few doubters out there when it comes to Ragnarok since Jontho switched his drumkit to a microphone. I for one see it as a new era and I still have a lot of love for a band who I see being in my personal “the great four” of Norwegian black metal (along with Tsjuder, Emperor and Immortal). Non Debellicata is an album I spin regularly, its fury and speed might be something some see as one-sided but I see it as hellfire fuel that gets me up in the mornings.

Ragnarok – Non Debellicata was released November 15th via Agonia Records.

Schammasch – Hearts of No Light

I enjoy myself some Schammasch but I honestly didn’t think they would release one of the best black metal albums of the year and what possibly might be their crown jewel when they look back at their career. Hearts of No Light blew me away on the very first spin and it’s a big positive surprise.

Schammasch – Hearts of No Light was released November 8th via Prosthetic Records.

Sentient Horror – Morbid Realms

Sentient Horror is a very young band but they prove they are here to stay with yet another killer death metal album heavy influences in the Swedish school. Morbid Realms is one of my most listened albums during November with catchy hooks that will grab a hold of you, never to let go. A rather complete swe-death experience for modern times. You can read the review here.

Sentient Horror – Morbid Realms was released November 29th via Testimony Records (Europe) & Redefining Darkness Records (North America).

More great albums of November:

Abigail Williams – Walk Beyond the Dark
Cattle Decapitation – Death Atlas
Iapetus – The Body Cosmic
Paganizer – The Tower of the Morbid
Blood Incantation – Hidden History of the Human Race
Mara – RÖK
Immanifest – Macrobial
Krater – Venenare
Mesmur – Terrene
Midnight Odyssey – Biolume Part 1 – In Tartarean Chains
Sarke – Gastwerso
Aeons Abyss – Impenitent
Blind Guardian – Twilight Orchestra: Legacy of the Dark Lands
Second To Sun – Legacy
Esoteric – A Pyrrhic Existence
Cannabis Corpse – Nug So Vile
Kaamos Warriors – Shadows of Northern Chaos
Obscure – Darkness Must Prevail
Ganondorf – Ancient Ruins
Guru of Darkness – Ararat
Nordic Frost – Ov Blasphemy and Other Rites
Depressed – Into the Putrid Fiction
Ashen Crown – Obsolescence
Mourned – Devoured Humanity
The Drowning – The Radiant Dark
Third Chamber – Harvesting Our Decay
Despised Icon – Purgatory
Cryptic Brood – Outcome Of Obnoxious Science
Bednja – Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas
Zarraza – Rotten Remains
Crusadist – The Unholy Grail
Nerbrus – Dark Forces Reign
Obsequiae – The Palms of Sorrowed Kings
Celtefog – Outlands
Avslut – Tyranni
Hideous Divinity- Simulacrum

The Metal Gamer Community albums of the month: November

Album of the month:

Cattle Decapitation – Death Atlas

Cattle Decapitation took the first place in style and there was no doubt who The Metal Gamer Community saw as their favorite of the month. Personally I’ve never really fallen in love with their sound which is why you don’t see it in my top 5 but I can’t deny their impact on the scene and that they got no fear of doing their own thing.

Cattle Decapitation – Death Atlas was released November 29th via Metal Blade Records.

Runners-up:

2/3. Unfathomable Ruination – Enraged and Unbound & Nile – Vile Nilotic Rites

A two-way tie with Nile and Unfathomable Ruination proving to be high on everyones lists just like mine. Brutality prevails!

4. Abigail Williams – Walk Beyond the Dark

This was an album that went in and out of my top 5 all month. Prior Walk Beyond the Dark I wasn’t that big of a Abigail Williams fan but this is by far their best release yet and absolute killer. Who knows, given time, it might be higher up my end of the year list than some of the albums that were above it this month.

Abigail Williams – Walk Beyond the Dark was released November 15th via Blood Music.

5. Schammasch – Hearts of No Light / Ragnarok – Non Debellicata / Avslut – Tyranni / Obsequiae – The Palms of Sorrowed Kings

Here there was a bundle of bands with two of them finding their way into my top 5 as well. Other than that I can say that Obsequiae were actually recommended to me by a member of The Metal Gamer Community and it’s one of the best atmospheric black metal albums of the year. Avslut I know has a lot of fans, especially in Sweden, but again it’s a band that I’ve never really connected to and I even personally think their full-length debut from last year was slightly better.

Avslut – Tyranni was released November 29th via Osmose Productions.
Obsequiae – The Palms of Sorrowed Kings was released November 22nd via 20 Buck Spin.

The Metal Gamer songs of the month playlist

Albums of the month: August

If August hasn’t been the best month of metal so far this year it’s damn near close. Because wow has this month brought us a bunch of great albums and album of the year contenders. In my top 5 I actually went back and forth between 12 albums, that’s how hard it was to choose and how good this month has been! Also you will notice most of these albums came out on the very same date, August 16th. I’ve never in my life witnessed so many quality albums dropping on the same day, madness! The Metal Gamer playlist is of course now updated to feature songs from all these albums mentioned.

Album of the month

Finsterforst – Zerfall

One of my favorite bands of all time Moonsorrow hasn’t released an album since 2016 but what does that even matter when Finsterforst release their best album to date and in all honest one of the best albums in the genre ever! Big album of the year contender for me. Released August 2nd via Napalm Records.

Runners-up

Shadow of Intent – Melancholy

I’ve always had a soft spot for Shadow of Intent and their debut was one of the earliest albums I ever reviewed. Melancholy is the most complete album in a band that’s looking to become a legacy within deathcore. Released August 16th as an independent release.

Hammerfall – Dominion

Talking about soft spots, Hammerfall has been my guilty pleasure for a long time. Being one of the first metal bands I ever heard (I would imagine many did start with power metal just like I did) they’ve had their ups and downs. Dominion also suffers from some ups and downs but when you release the best single the genre has seen in years with “(We Made) Sweden Rock” that alone is enough to grant the album a spot here. Not only that, for the most part Dominion features some of the best songwriting the band has ever had. The hammer is still solid steel! Released August 16th via Napalm Records.

Devourment – Obscene Majesty

The kings of slam are back and they are taking no prisoners! Such a filthy and brutal album it should come with a big warning label on how hard this hits. Released August 16th via Relapse Records.

Eternal Storm – Come the Tide

Eternal Storm surprises me big time with what’s one of the best melodic death metal albums you will hear all year! What a way to make a debut album with a big splash. Released August 23rd via Transcending Obscurity Records.

Honorable mentions

Facelift Deformation – Cybernetic Organism Atrocities
Illdisposed – Reveal Your Soul For the Dead
Carnifex – World War X
Freedom of Fear – Nocturnal Gates
Humanity’s Last Breath – Abyssal
Earth Eater – Immortal
Destruction – Born to Perish
Lord Gore – Scalpels for Blind Surgeons
Phobia – Generation Coward
Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
Dayum – Ghost of Sparta
Reptilium – Conspiranoic
Killswitch Engage – Atonement
Bastard Grave – Diorama of Human Suffering
Twilight Force – Dawn of the Dragonstar
Cerebral Rot – Odious Descent into Decay
Gamma Sector – Sanctum of Vivisection
Bound in Fear – The Hand of Violence
Detherous – Hacked to Death
Wraith – Absolute Power
Cemetery Gates – Through the Shadows of Fear
Pandemonium – Monuments Of Tragedy
Isole – Dystopia
Trench Warfare – Hatred Prayer
Abyss Above – Doombound
Orm – Ir
Imperium Dekadenz – When We Are Forgotten
WarCrab​ – Damned In Endless Night
Stillbirth – Back to the Stoned Age
Mutilatred – Ingested Filth
Entombed A.D. – Bowels of Earth
Obsidian Tide – Pillars of Creation
Sorcery – Necessary Excess of Violence