“If I’m being truly honest, I have a difficult time with death metal. It feels unfair, as these acts rear their guttural heads on my AOTY’s yearly, but they’re often adjacent strains: black/death, dissonant tech-death, Lovecraftian, or other pretentiously experimental concoctions. But old school and Swedeath? Gimme somethin’ else, because I overthink the hell out of it: at the risk of sounding like my parents, it all sounds the same to me. However, a new weird death metal release from the label behind groups like Prometheus and Thecodontion? Acausal Intrusion, sign me the fuck up.” Ruptured Nulitas.
Ulcerate
Fractal Generator – Macrocosmos Review
“Fractal Generator is an Sudbury, Ontario trio with a demo and a full-length under their belt. Boasting a range of experimental enactments incorporated into their death metal foundation, including black, grind, and warped melody, it’s a dense listen full of dynamics and movements.” Just the fracts, Jack.
AngryMetalGuy.com’s Aggregated Top 10 of 2020: Thus Spake the Plebeians
Heavy metal. Lists. Math. These are three of my favorite things. It’s for this reason that the AngryMetalGuy.com Meta List is the article for which I feel the most excitement every year.
Kronos’ and Grymm’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
Kronos and Grymm prove their mettle as their Top Ten(ish) of 2020 hit the interwebz.
El Cuervo’s and Diabolus in Muzaka’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
El Cuervo and Diabolus in Muzaka want in on this whole Top Ten(ish) thing that’s going around. Let them have a turn.
GardensTale’s and Ferrous Beuller’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
GardensTale and Ferrous Beuller uncork their best spirits of 2020 and share iron libations with everyone. Cheers!
Holdeneye and Cherd of Doom’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
Holdeneye and Cherd of Doom made these long-winded lists and now they’re your problem. No trade backsies!
TheKenWord’s and Carcharodon’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
TheKenWord and Carcharodon join the fray with tastes ranging from good, bad, and unfathomable.
Doom_et_Al’s and Dear Hollow’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
Doom_et_Al and Dear Hollow have their big boy lists. Did they use that great power responsibly?
Temple Nightside – Pillars of Damnation Review
“Readers of this site will not find it surprising when I say that I love blackened death metal of the chaotic and brutal variety, with groups like Impiety, Archgoat, and Angelcorpse being some of my favorites. In the last decade, however, a new strain of blackened death metal came to prominence that seemed to prioritize atmosphere and uneasiness above all else. Some of the more notable bands in this category are Portal, Abyssal, and Teitanblood—groups whose work I respect, even if it doesn’t resonate with me as deeply. When I grabbed Pillars of Damnation, the fourth album by Australia’s Temple Nightside, I had no idea what strain of blackened death metal it would be.” Cavern kegger.