The Metal Gamer Top 20 Albums of 2016

Just in time for Christmas I’ve made my choice of 2016’s best albums. The only rule I have to be in this list is that the album has to have been reviewed this year by me. Meaning, even if I love the album, no Jomsviking by Amon Amarth, Magma by Gojira or no King by Fleshgod Apocalypse for example. Reason I started this blog was initially because I wanted to use my English more and I have friends asking me for new bands quite often, hence I stick to the lesser known bands out there and will continue to do so. They are by no means any worse though, as a matter of fact all these bands should be known by every metalhead out there! Anyways without further ado here you have my top 20 albums for 2016 (in no order).

Krepitus – The Eyes of the Soulless
Wastewalker – Funeral Winds
Nordjevel – Nordjevel
Gatecreeper – Sonoran Depravation
Fimbultyr – Niddikter
I Shall Devour – The Misanthropist
Wayfarer – Old Souls
Netherbird – The Grander Voyage
Saor – Guardians
Uada – Devoid of Light
Ereb Altor – Blot – Ilt – Taut
Volturyon – Cleansed by Carnage
Centinex – Doomsday Rituals
Shokran – Exodus
Dawn of Demise – The Suffering
Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony
Illdisposed – Grey Sky over Black Town
October Tide – Winged Waltz
Be’lakor – Vessels
Whispered – Songs of the Void

Last of all I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you next year and stay metal!

Wastewalker – Funeral Winds (Technical Death Metal)

Having one of the most brutal album covers I’ve seen this year (lets face it a great album cover means a lot) I instantly got the feeling that Wastewalker – Funeral Winds would be something special. How glad I was that I decided to make Funeral Winds one of my final reviews of the year! Starting of with Hazmat Birth, this is a great introduction on what is to come. The high and low growls, guitar solos, melodical teachnical death performs a sweet symphony of death and it’s not a surprise that I see the band featuring ex members of Conducting From The Grave and Alterbeast. You can tell Wastewalker consists of veterans within the metal community.

The way Wastewalker can switch from death, tech death to progressive in one song is a feat not many bands can pull off. Take Fleshwounds as an example, to me that song is near the complete package of showing different genres, without it feeling forced, in less than 5 minutes. Great stuff from the Americans.

This has been a truely great year for technical death metal. So many new bands making great debut albums and veterans releasing new material where they still showcase greatness. Wastewalker – Funeral Winds is a sick album and even though you might think you’ve had your fill of tech death for a year you would do good not to miss this one as it’s one the best albums coming out this year.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wastewalkermetal
For fans of: The Ritual Aura and Alterbeast
Favorite song: Fleshwounds