2018

Convocation – Scars Across [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Ferrous Beuller on December 18, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Everlasting Spew Records, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Death Doom, Death Metal, 28 comments

“In November of 2017, Finland’s Desolate Shrine released Deliverance From the Godless Void, an album so full of death and depth it would have been my AotY had it not released so late. While this year has furnished us with a selection of stirring doom albums, it still falls to Desolate Shrine mastermind L.L to concoct the most immersive and crushing of them all. Convocation is a project that balances L.L’s multi-instrumental talents with the vocals of M. Neuman of fellow Finns Dark Buddha Rising. The resulting debut, Scars Across, is a remorseless trek through tortured terrain that never departs from its impending pace.” Doom to the world.

Sulphur Aeon – The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 17, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, German Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 157 comments

“Every reviewer asks the question of why great bands would put out anticipated records right at the end of the year. I’ve done that too, especially because that was my first reaction to the announcement of Sulphur Aeon’s The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos, the follow-up to Gateway to the Antisphere (also known as “the Best Record ov 2015”).” Tentacle Metal II: The Rebirthening.

Venom – Storm the Gates Review

By Ferrous Beuller on December 17, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, British Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Spinefarm, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 44 comments

“It’s always sad when a band has an internal branding dispute of such magnitude that it gives rise to two separate, but identical, entities. In this case, UK legends Venom are now forced to share a moniker with Venom Inc. and it may not be such a bad thing. Last year I reviewed the corporate crusher’s debut, Avé, where I waxed pompous over its unremarkable, but undeniably decent, content. Now, the black metal originals have returned with no less than their fifteenth studio album Storm the Gates.” Sounds of a poison fading.

Silent Stream of Godless Elegy – Smutnice [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Kenstrosity on December 16, 2018 in 2018, Czech Metal, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, Redblack Productions, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, 33 comments

“Those of you who have been following Angry Metal Guy’s Emporium of Curiosities since its inception may recognize this folk-doom metal band: Silent Stream of Godless Elegy. If you remember, His Overlordiness’ criticisms of their 2011 record, Návaz, regarded in no small part its lack of x-factor. While I only just discovered Silent Stream of Godless Elegy this year, I went back to hear their older records and I would agree; they lacked that intangible quality. Smutnice, however, resonates with me so completely I fear for the structural integrity of my bones.” Everflowing Silent Streams.

Order ov Riven Cathedrals – Göbekli Tepe [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Grymm on December 16, 2018 in 2018, Italian Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Technical Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 49 comments

“Göbekli Tepe, located in the southeastern part of Turkey, is believed to be the world’s oldest temple, predating the pyramids by roughly 6,500 years. With recent diggings finding three-dimensional figures of animals and humanoids in a period where many believed hunter-gatherers couldn’t possibly achieve such architecture, Göbekli Tepe continues to amaze historians just over twenty years after its excavation. It’s fitting that a mysterious Italian duo, Order ov Riven Cathedrals, would use this phenomenon as the title for their second album of utterly crazy technical death metal.” Olden worship.

Hopesfall – Arbiter [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Mark Z. on December 15, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Equal Vision Records, Hardcore, Non-Metal Metal Things, Rock, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Hardcore, Non-metal Metal Things, Rock, 48 comments

“In many ways, Arbiter feels like the culmination of everything Hopesfall are. Much like their former swansong Magnetic North, the album takes influence from all the band’s eras while harboring their characteristic sense of longing and distance. Arbiter is the rare comeback album that doesn’t recapture the spirit of early works, it makes it sound like that spirit never left in the first place.” Hopesfall springs eternal.

Wytch Hazel – II: Sojourn [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Steel Druhm on December 15, 2018 in 2018, Bad Omen Records, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Heavy Metal, 53 comments

“2018 was the year Steel Druhm paid way more attention to what was going on with Bandcamp. I monitored what writers and readers were buying and recommending and found a few gems along the way. My favorite was II: Sojourn, the sophomore outing by U.K. retro rockers, Wytch Hazel.” Rub it on.

Record(s) o’ the Month – November 2018

By Angry Metal Guy on December 14, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 185 comments

“By almost any measure, 2018 has been a pretty solid year for music. November has once again left us with a list of excellent candidates for the best of the month. But while this month, we had some pretty big names put out some pretty big albums that, frankly, lived up to their reputations, I think we need to go a different direction. So damn the plebs and the lowest common denominators, here’s your Record o’ the Month!” Trench feet.

Black Oath – Behold the Abyss Review

By Angry Metal Guy on December 13, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, High Roller Records, Italian Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 21 comments

“From their formation in 2006, it’s been clear that the oath the chaps in Black Oath have taken is to keep traditional doom/occult metal in the style of Candlemass and Black Sabbath alive and kicking. Their first full length, The Third Aeon was an unsurprising but competent slab of 60-BPM epic doom dirges. On subsequent releases Ov Qliphoth and Darkness and To Below and Beyond, the band evolved their style somewhat to incorporate Gothic rock and mild progressive elements into a more distinctive brew which frontman, bassist and vocalist A. Th (not a typo) has christened “Cursed Rock Musick” (also not a typo).” Diabolus in Musick.

Paara – Riitti [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Kenstrosity on December 13, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, ViciSolum Productions, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 77 comments

“I have a bone to pick with one of you fvckers (you know exactly who you are). One dastardly individual introduced Paara’s Riitti to me this summer, and ever since it has wreaked havoc upon my once untroubled year end list. It also broke me, finally winning me over to the black metal camp to sing its praises until the day I ascend to the higher plane.” Sound of a list shredding.