Record(s) o’ the Month – June 2013

I’ll admit it: June was better than much of the year before it. I mean that as in: June produced more records I really like than the entire month before it in almost its entirety. It gave us great releases from Amon Amarth, Autopsy, Summoning, Locrian, Author & Punisher, Svart Crown, Queensrÿche, Black Sabbath, White Wizzard (no accounting for taste, as they say), and last (but certainly not least) The Black Dahlia Murder. That’s a list not to be trifled with. So let’s cut through the bullshit and hand out the award for Record o’ the Month!

Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods

Amon Amarth // Deceiver of the Gods — While June was a blowout month, I have to say that the refreshing nature of Amon Amarth’s revival was definitely the highlight of this pretty damned good month. For me, this record easily takes the cake. Not just because the writing and the performances were so good, but because I got to enjoy a new A level release! This is the second Metal Blade record of the year that’s being Record o’ the Month, and they should feel proud that in a year of shitty flops, they’re producing great metal.

Runners Up:

The Black Dahlia Murder - EverblackThe Black Dahlia Murder // Everblack — Also in top contention for the Record o’ the Month, Everblack is a tour de force of melodic death metal. Downfall? No vikings. Upside? Ryan “Motherfucking” Knight. That motherfucker can play the geetar something fierce. This record is one of the few must have records of 2013.

Summoning - Old Mornings DawnSummoning // Old Mornings Dawn — Fans of Tolkien, rejoice! Summoning is back with a record that is being epically loved by nerds and fans of shitty keyboard sound world over! Is it possible that Summoning upped their game? Well, everyone seems to think so!

Women & ChildrenAuthor & Punisher // Women & Children — “Women & Children is an example of music without instruments, of rock without the blues, of electronic music in an analogic nightmare, of substance without form and of pure sounds in a spurious environment. The blood and the grease, the sweat and the lubricant. The soul in the machine.” The quote says it all.

Svart Crown - ProfaneSvart Crown // Profane — Despite the terrible name Svart Crown has managed to worm its way into Madam X’s blackened heart. Their oppressive brand of black metal excites her and the riffs make her foam at the mouth. If there’s something a little dark in you, then you should check it out as well.

QueensrÿcheQueensrÿche // Queensrÿche — Ïn all the hubbub around the Queensrÿche vs Täintrÿche debacle, it was always assümed (by me and others) that both forthcoming albums would be disappointments of the highest order. So it was with genuine surprise that Fisting that Andrew Güy delivered us the gööd news: Queensrÿche sounds great with their new vocalist and, while short, Queensrÿche is a great fücking record. It’s nice when all your reuniön hopes are actually met for once, isn’t it?

White Wizzard - The Devil's CutWhite Wizzard // The Devil’s Cut — I’m going to be honest with you. I hate this record. In fact, to quote myself, “This shit is so tired that my fat ass could outrun it in a footrace.” But I have been pretty much a gigantic meany to Happy Metal Guy since he joined the staff, so I think it’s only fair that one of his favorite shitty albums end up on this list. So here you go, HMG. White Wizzard is a Record o’ the Month, just for you.

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