(Earlier this week we asked NCS readers to share with us their lists of the best 2013 albums they’ve heard so far — and man did we get lists! More than 60 at last count, plus a bunch of interesting discussion. Our long-time supporter and occasional contributor SurgicalBrute decided to save his list for a post, and this is it, with sample music from each of his 25 picks.)
Anyone who’s ever made one of these lists knows how difficult they are to come up with. The truth is, for every one band that makes it onto a list, there’s probably another fifteen that are every bit as impressive and could have easily been chosen (which explains why some of you listed every band you could think of…seriously guys, save some albums for the rest of us ☺).
Personally, I’ve found the first half of 2013 to be extremely strong…new releases by metal stalwarts like Horna, Autopsy, and Amon Amarth…long awaited debuts by Lantern, Krypts, Vorum, and Sacriphyx. Hell, if things were to somehow totally tank from this point forward, I think we’d still come out ahead. Fortunately, we know that’s not going to happen, and it makes me eager to find out what’s in store for the rest of the year.
So, here’s my top 25 albums so far…Tell me what else you think I need to grab.
Shroud of the Heretic – Revelations in Alchemy (Death)
Witchgrave – Witchgrave (traditional)
Symptom – Opulent Atrocity (death)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6rlvZ3U4EE
Eternal Khan – A Primitive History EP (Black/Doom)
Cnoc An Tursa – The Giants of Auld (folk/black)
Lantern – Below (black/death)
Satan – Life Sentence (NWoBHM)
Katechon – Man, God, Giant (Death)
Old Skin – Old Skin demo (Black/Death)
Orator – Kapalgnosis (Death/Thrash)
Slidhr – Deluge (Black)
Sawhill Sacrifice – Deus Humana Satanas (Black/Thrash)
Bölzer – Aura EP (Black/Death)
Torture Chain – Mutilating Astral Entities (Black)
Sacriphyx – The Western Front (Death/black/thrash)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDTNPxUP7cY
Mold – Cremated Alive demo (Death)
Veneror – Percussimus Foedus cum Morte (Black)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT5t6hml_i0
Situs Magus – Le grand oeuvre (Black)
Flagellant (Swe) – Maledictum (Black)
Manzer – Light of the Wreckers (Black/Thrash)
Ruin Lust – Ruin Lust (Black/Death)
Necrocurse – Grip of the Dead (Death)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmaxKVHwziM
Cultes Des Ghoules – Henbane (Black)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMW5qxpbqWc
Black Oath – Ov Qliphoth And Darkness (Doom)
Ogdru Jahad – I (Black/Death)
24 Responses to “UNDERGROUND METAL FOR THE TRVE CURMUDGEON (BEST OF 2013 . . . SO FAR)”
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I’m not sure if I am happy or sad that there’s another curmudgeon.
Maybe if I “poo poo’d” this list I would still retain the title of King Curmudgeon.
Your thoughts?
I think one of us just had a list with 25 awesome bands posted, and the other one is a johnny-come-lately who probably likes Metallica’s black album 🙂
Lots of good stuff for me to track down here! I loved Black Oath’s previous albums, but haven’t had a chance to listen to this one in full yet. Lantern is another one that I’m excited for but haven’t tracked down yet.. and now my list of albums to check out is quite a bit longer.
That was actually a last minute substitution for me…bumped out Imprecation’s new one after hearing how awesome it was
That Bolzer is a beast of an EP. Pretty sure that will end up on the end of year list. Well great, now I have a ton more to track down. Thanks for the list!
I like what I’ve heard of Bolzer–do you know if it’s buyable in any form other than vinyl?
This post appeared on the band’s Facebook page on June 24: “Our EP ‘Aura’ is receiving more attention than we could ever have expected, for that we are extremely grateful! Both CD & Cassette versions will be released soon for those of you unwilling or unable to play vinyl. Vae Victis!”
https://www.facebook.com/pages/BÖLZER/108657105834227
I usually don’t go for EPs, but this is great news and worthy of an exception.
Several of these were releases I wanted to check out but didn’t because there was no legal means of streaming them online. But of the ones I have heard, I super agree with Lantern. Slidhr is really good, as is the Bolzer ep.
Which ones were you trying to check out…some of these have full album uploads on Youtube now. Theres definitely a couple that only have one or two tracks available, and Shroud of the Heretic dosnt have any from the new one, but you can stream their whole 2012 Ep which is just as good in my opinion
Yeah Shroud of the Heretic was one. Symptom, Flagellant and Black Oath were the others. Either way, I’ll make an extra note of them and keep an eye out for streams that might pop up. And I’ll look into the ones I missed as well; I’m just streaming the Witchgrave song you posted and it’s pretty awesome.
Symptom has a bandcamp stream for their album here….http://churchofdaggers.bandcamp.com/album/opulent-atrocity-2
Flagellant has a stream at Grooveshark for their album here….http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/Maledictum/8830175
Black Oath dosnt appear to have one that I can find
Sweet. Thanks a lot for those.
Bandcamp for Black Oath’s new album is here, with two songs available to listen to:
http://ihate.bandcamp.com/album/ov-qliphoth-and-darkness
the new christicide and chaos invocation. diffently worth additions to this list
Cool..will definitely check those out
Underground? Bah. Not only have I heard OF several of these, I’ve even ACTUALLY heard some of them.
Grade: Must Try Harder.
I like to throw out a few bones for those of you who are not so fortunate to fell included
Awww, shucks.
No Tribulation? You should also check out Tyrant Goatgaldrakona, and if you dig Cnoc An Tursa, you might like Fir Bolg.
Tyrant Goatgaldrakona…nice
Ive eyeballed that Fir Bolg but havent gotten around to checking it out yet….if its anything like Cnoc An Tursa I’ll definitely give it a listen
I know a lot of people really dig it, but Im just not a big fan of the direction Tribulation took with the new album…Its cool that they want to experiment with their sound, but it wasnt my thing. Just my personal feelings on it
From the looks of it you aren’t much of a Doom fan but I’d say at least check out Magic Circle if you haven’t. My top record of the year so far. I’ve got Katechon, Eternal Khan, Bolzer, Lantern, Torture Chain, Sacriphyx and Cultes Des Ghoules on my list as well. I’d say check out Magister Templi – Lucifer Leviathon Logos and Wulkanaz – Paurpura Fraeovibokos if you haven’t. As far as demo’s go check out Ranger, Eternal Champion, Infant Death, Scavenger Brats and Black Magick SS which I believe are all on Bandcamp.
I enjoy funeral doom…death/doom…blackened doom..some sludge. I can be VERY picky about metal that uses clean vocals, so when I listen to traditional doom and traditional heavy metal I like for it to sound a certain way (one of those, “I know it when I hear it” type things)
I’ll definitely check out your reco’s though…thanks man
Give Supuration – CU3E a listen. Only their third album in 20 years. Sounds like Voivod gone Swedeath.