2019

Dauþuz – Monvmentvm [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Dauþuz – Monvmentvm [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“Oh God, not you guys again. It’s fucking December, don’t y’all have halls to deck and neighborhoods to ruin with your festive warbling? I’m a busy Muppet, yo, I don’t have time to babble about the great shit you couldn’t be bothered to find on your own. Nope, I’m putting my foot down; I don’t care how much you goons look forward to TYMHM season, I’m not even a little bit interested in sharing a single one my Bandcamp riches with you bastards/bastardettes and that’s that.” Dig that hole.

Ars Moriendi – La solitude du pieux scélérat [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Ars Moriendi – La solitude du pieux scélérat [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“I may drive like a twenty-year-old, dad-joke like a forty-year-old, but I’m as fit as a flabby sixty-year-old and as spry as a seventy-year-old. I have two cups of coffee and have diarrhea for the rest of the day and, two beers later, I’m drunk. Yet, with Angry Metal Age comes Angry Metal Wisdom. As well as a lot of annual visits from old friends to the old-people home. This year, visits came from Darkthrone, Kampfar, Rimfrost, Sorxe, Stormhammer, Via Vengeance, War Curse, Reign of Fury, Second to Sun, and others. One visit I was most excited about was from Ars Moriendi.” Olde habits.

Véhémence – Par le Sang Versé [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Véhémence – Par le Sang Versé [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“Medieval black metal. I barely know what the phrase means, but the concept is absolutely drenched in potential, and not the kind I can easily resist. For today’s thing you may (or may not) have missed, the conceptual and instrumental depth of Apocalypse Orchestra meets the sweeping, majestic anger wielded by Obsequiae, with bits of extra influence here and there from the French black metal scene. Joining said scene, Véhémence’s sophomore effort, Par le Sang Versé seeks to bring the past to vivid life in a powerful display of⁠—what was it again?⁠—Medieval. Black. Metal.” Ye olde blackness.

Nachtterror – Judgement [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Nachtterror – Judgement [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“Earlier this year, I channeled all the might that my status as an exalted AMG writer imbues me with and demanded the promo Maeskyyrn’s Interlude from Hypnotic Dirge (read: I sent a politely-worded email). They obliged and sent not only Maeskyyrn but also Nachtterror. Reviewing schedules being what they are, we couldn’t get to symphonic black metal six-piece Nachtterror’s record in time for its release. And that is a damn shame because Judgement is a seriously good and incredibly varied slab of metal.” Metal cup runeth over.

Sun Worship – Emanations of Desolation [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Sun Worship – Emanations of Desolation [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“Too much music is released and there is not enough time nor space to cover it all. Some publicists game the system and generate artificial hype for their artists. A certain uniformity in year-end lists plagues major publications. An echo chamber of taste ensnares the metal community. Some of these reasons and a plethora of others may be why bands like the Berlin-based (deathened) black metal duo Sun Worship fly under the radar.” Sun and black winter.

Horrific Demise – Excruciating Extermination [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Horrific Demise – Excruciating Extermination [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“It’s winter again, and Ulver’s first three records express the beauty and wonder of the season that left us when we grew up and got annoyed at clearing a foot of snow off our cars so we can dutifully trudge to work. Horrific Demise’s debut record Excruciating Extermination conjures a world where Harambe comes back and decides to use your scrotum as a speedbag. That’s right, it’s one of these again.” Ouch.

Gorgon – Elegy [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Gorgon – Elegy [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“Unlike the other Gorgon from France that released a 43-minute album in January, this Gorgon plays an opulent brand of symphonic death metal—a personal favorite subgenre of mine. That their second full-length Elegy released two weeks into the year and is still kicking my posterior like the absolute badass it is should tell you all you need to know.” Gorgon will eat you.

Angry Metal Guy’s Top Ten(ish) o’ 2019

Angry Metal Guy’s Top Ten(ish) o’ 2019

I’m a big fan of the D&D-themed webcomic Order of the Stick. As the comic became a true phenomenon a decade ago and its author Rich Burlew became increasingly in demand, he began drawing himself looking more disheveled with every self-portrait. In the introduction to the most recently released book, his self-portrait is wearing sweatpants, has unkempt hair and looks about ready to fall over. That is a feeling I viscerally share. Or, as the kids say in 2019: IT ME!