Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates the holiday, and condolences to everyone who feels they have nothing to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving used to be a pivot-point in the year in the U.S. — it marked the end of normal life and the beginning of the Christmas onslaught. Now, however, the onslaught begins before Thanksgiving, though I guess Black Friday will be as black as it ever was. Thanksgiving also sort of begins a countdown to the end of the year, and in the world of metal, we’ll start seeing more and more lists of the year’s best albums.
Back in 2009, when this site was just a few days old, I wrote a post about year-end lists and why people bother with them. The best reason still seems to be this: Reading someone else’s list of the albums they thought were best is a good way to discover music you missed and might like.
We don’t do an “official” NCS year-end “best albums” list. However, we publish the picks of each of both our regular staff writers as well as guest writers (which we’ll start doing in December), and we also publish the year-end lists that major metal publications and “big platform” web sites are compiling; we started doing that yesterday with DECIBEL magazine’s list of 2013’s Top 40 Albums (and you probably forgot, but we also posted MSN Entertainment’s list of the Top 50 metal albums back in September (?!?)).
But the Thanksgiving Day tradition here at NCS is also to invite our readers to share their lists. If YOU have made your own list of the best metal albums or EPs you heard this year, we want to see it. (details about this invitation are after the jump . . .)
In the Comments to this post, give us your own list of the metal albums you’ve heard in 2013 that you thought were the best. It doesn’t have to be a specific number — doesn’t have to be a “Top 10″ or “Top 20″ list, it could be a Top 2 list or a Top 15, or any other number.
And it doesn’t have to be a cross-genre list, i.e., the best of all metal you’ve heard this year. It could be the best hardcore albums you heard, or the best death metal, or the best black metal, or the best grind, or the best folk metal, and on and on — pretty much whatever you want to do and feel comfortable doing, as long as it fits your definition of metal.
Don’t be shy, and don’t worry about being judged — if you haven’t figured it out already, it ain’t our style or the style of our commenters to ridicule what someone else thinks is great metal. If you don’t have a list ready yet, no sweat, because you can come back to this post whenever you like and add your list later — or comment on the lists others have posted. I’ll put a link to this post at the top right side of every page so people can find it quickly — look for the link to 2013 NCS READERS’ YEAR-END LISTS. That will make the comments to this post a collection point for “Best of” readers’ lists.
So start thinking and start commenting (please, and thank you).
156 Responses to “LISTMANIA 2013: AN INVITATION FOR YOUR LISTS”
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Caladan Brood- Echoes of Battle
Encircling Sea- A Forgotten Land
Underling- Breath Deeply
Terror- Live by the Code
Sul Ad Astral/Isle of Skye – The Observant Darkness (split)
Norma Jean – Wrongdoers
Ihsahn – Das Seelenbrechen
Entropia – Vesper
Deafheaven – Sunbather
Counterparts – The Difference Between Hell and Home
Clouds Collide – Until the Wind Stops Blowing….
and absolutely nothing by Amiensus/Oak Pantheon cause they’re psrs
Well, this is what I was talking about in the post concerning the discovery of music that might have been missed — despite how much metal I’ve listened to this year, I’ve only heard two of the albums on your list. But calling Amiensus and Oak Pantheon psrs? I must respectfully disagree!
Agreed with Norma Jean. I had never really given them a chance (I think I have one of their other albums that I found in a clearance section of my local record store for a dollar or two), but Wrongdoers is solid. A cool yin-and-yang mix between short Dillinger-ian mathcore bursts and some more drawn out epics.
Meridional is pretty good, its the disc that precedes Wrongdoers. I also have a fondness for O God, The Aftermath and half of Redeemer as well.
I think I have O God, The Aftermath. Just a minute … … …. … … yup, that’s the one. One of my better bargain bin pickups, though my two best have to be Reign in Blood and BTBAM’s Colors for $2 each.
Haha, I actually don’t own Colors. I have Colors live that came with the DVD, but have never owned the original disc.
It’s still my favorite from them. Parallax II was a close contender (especially with the funk-to-surf-rock oddity that was “Bloom”), but Colors still takes the cake.
2 albums are tied at the top of my list:
Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows Of Nostalgia
Necrowretch – Putrid Death Sorcery
In no particular order:
Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows Of Nostalgia
Necrowretch – Putrid Death Sorcery
Procession – To Reap Heavens Apart
Magic Circle – Magic Circle
Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for The Multiverse
Fleshgod Apocalypse – Labyrinth
Csejthe – Reeminiscence
Regarde Les Hommes Tombre – Regarde Les Hommes Tombre
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Fleshgod shall appear on my list. Carcass almost did.
Oh yes!!! This is what i’ve been waiting for!!! Brilliant.
stay awhile and listen…
Greetings fellow traveler..
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Mammoth Grinder – Underworlds
Inter Arma – Sky Burial
In Solitude – Sister
Swans – Not Here Not Now
Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
Man’s Gin – Rebellion Hymns
Run The Jewels – self titled
Death Grips – Government Plates
that just scratches the surface of my favorites from all genres, but metal, stuff like metal i.e. Swans and Man’s Gin, rap and whatever the Death Grips are. Not sure these are necessarily the best but they all stood out to me. I listened to a *ton* of new music this year so I’m sure I’m forgetting things. I’ve already seen a bunch of stuff people posted I haven’t listened to and some stuff I meant to listen to and haven’t gotten around to yet (i.e. Inquisition).
Mammoth Grinder was absolutely devastating.
Yeah. Great little album. I don’t think it got as much love as it should of, but I guess we should wait for all the year end lists to come out before we can make that judgement call.
The d-beats on that thing are crushing!
I finally listened to the new Gorguts maybe a week or two ago. I feel stupid for putting it off that long. I relistened to Inter Arma just a couple of nights ago too – that record is MASSIVE.
Right? Both of those albums are just so *heavy*. They’re just huge albums.
Run the Jewels was AWESOME. Did you listen to/enjoy R.A.P. Music as well? Best start-to-finish rap album in years, IMHO. Grave Miasma was great too, nailed down the songwriting and atmosphere that made OSDM so good in the first place. Great list!
Yeah, I like R.A.P. Music a lot. El-P has been my favorite rap / hip hop artist for a long time so I check out pretty much anything with his name attached to it. It’s always nice finding fellow rap enthusiasts on metal forums.
I am meaning to check out Ulcerate’s Vermis again. I listened to it once but I thought it was a little too complex for me to figure it out after one listen or assign it to any kind of list like this.
Death Grips are awesome!
in no particular order.
celeste – animale(s)
deafheaven – sunbather
darkthrone – the underground resistance
slugde – born of slime
kvelertak – meir
shining (norway) – one one one
fallujah – nomadic (yes i know its an EP but its so goood)
carcass – surgical steel
finntroll – blodsvept
fen – dustwalker
there are still a shitload of albums i have not listened to yet but so far these are the bands that i listened to the most as far as metal from 2013.
Ah crap – how could I forget about Born of Slime? That album came out of nowhere and took my head off!
Yeah, I’m glad someone mentioned Slugdge. Gimmick or not, that album kicks ass.
Not quite in order, but a bit more heavily weighted towards the top:
Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods
Atlantean Kodex – The White Goddess
Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse
Blood Red Throne – Blood Red Throne
Rivers of Nihil – The Conscious Seed of Light
Revocation – Revocation
Honorable mentions (these could move there way into the top 10 once I’ve had a chance to listen to them more):
Blood Mortized – The Demon, the Angel, the Disease
Deicide – In the Minds of Evil
I was SO lucky to get the new Skeletonwitch free from my work. That Amon Amarth is a serious comeback for them too.
My Top 5:
1. In Vain-Aenigma
2. Leprous-Coal
3. Omnium Gatherum-Beyond
4. Amorphis-Circle
5. Persefone-Spiritual Migration
Honorable Mentions: Fleshgod Apocalypse-Labyrinth, Wolfheart-Winterborn, Soilworki-The Living Infinite, Dark Tranquillity-Construct
I was about to kick Leprous off of my list, but then I listened to it again. My list has now expanded.
Thats a damn good list.
YOU’RE FIRED. NO LISTS ‘TIL AFTER THANKSGIVING.
HA! I’m usually in the camp of no Christmas crap or year-end crap until after Thanksgiving, but I inadvertently crossed that line with the Readers Lists several years ago, and I’m too hide-bound to disrupt the tradition. 🙂
YOU CANT FIRE ME I QUIT
Ah yes, firings and quittings. The Christmas season is indeed upon us!
Not a single mention of Ulcerate’s Vermis. I am disappointed.
I keep forgetting to check this album out, their last release was amazing and i read a lot about this one. I’m almost scared thought because of the anticipation it has.
I don’t have a list because I can’t play favorites to save my life, but I have to give some love to Arsis’ “Unwelcome.” Like quite a few people, I wasn’t a huge fan of Starve for the Devil, and Unwelcome felt like a return to form. Plus, the deluxe version came with a sweet redux of Face of my Innocence, and the ever-hysterical cover of Sunglasses at Night.
Tribulation – The Formulas Of Death – hands down, my favorite album of the year. I enjoyed their previous album but was totally unprepared for this epic. A breath of freshly fetid air.
Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
In Vain – Aenigma
Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
Ghost – Infestissumam
Kvelertak – Meir
Watain – The Wild Hunt
Vhol- Vhol
Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower
Denouncement Pyre – Almighty Arcanum
Dude, The Formulas Of Death is fucking BADASS. It’s so atmospheric, yet so straightforward. Definitely one of my favorites. What’s your favorite track off it? If I had to pick mine, it would probably be “Wanderer In The Outer Darkness”. Love this album.
I shouldn’t really have a full list since I didn’t buy a ton of new albums this year… But these stuck out to me this year and I hope some people check these out and see why!
(Artist – Album)
Full of Hell – Rudiments of Mutilation
Seven Sisters of Sleep – Opium Morals
Voivod – Target Earth
Sacrament ov Impurity – Anguishing in Obscurity
Biipiigwan – Something for Everyone; Nothing for Anyone
And some notable releases from local bands in SLC, UT:
Huldra – Monuments, Monoliths
The Obliterate Plague – The Wrath of Cthulhu
I also really enjoyed that Seven Sisters of Sleep album. I checked them out solely because of the awesome band name.
Procession – To Reap Heavens Apart
Verminous – The Unholy Communion
Ataraxie – L’Être et la Nausée
Neige Éternelle – Neige Éternelle
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
Satan – Life Sentence
Craven Idol – Towards Eschaton
Veneror – Percussimus Foedus cum Morte
Vorum – Poisoned Void
Violator – Scenarios of Brutality
Demonic Rage – Venomous Wine from Putrid Bodies
Djevel – Besatt av Maane og Natt
Pentagram Chile – The Malefice
Tribulation – The Formulas of Death
Denouncement Pyre – Almighty Arcanum
I’m actually quite surprised that there’s no mention of:
Nightkin – Nox Aeterna
Freya – Paragon of the Crucible
Fit for an Autopsy – Hellbound
*i haven’t purchased these but I listened to them multiple times online and I figured they would at least make a few lists! Same with the new Voivod!!!
I have been kinda trying to figure out what deathcore is and what it is all about lately (lulz, I know), and I checked out that Fit For An Autopsy album and I thought it was pretty good actually.
hope everyone is having a nice holiday!
Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods
Aosoth – IV: An Arrow in Heart
Arsis – Unwelcome
Battlecross – War of Will
The Black Dahlia Murder – Everblack
Black Fast – Starving Out the Light
Blood Red Throne – Blood Red Throne
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Chimaira – Crown of Phantoms
Dark Tranquility – Construct
Deicide – In the Minds of Evil
Demonical – Darkness Unbound
Exhumed – Necrocracy
Facebreaker – Dedicated to the Flesh
Feared – Vinter
Generation Kill – We’re All Gonna Die
Grave – Morbid Ascent
Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
Havok – Unnatural Selection
Heaven Shall Burn – Veto
Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
Jungle Rot – Terror Regime
Just Before Dawn – Precis innan gryningen
Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent
The Modern Age of Slavery – Requiem for Us All
The Monolith DeathCult – Tetragrammaton
Necronomicon – Rise of the Elder Ones
Obliteration – Black Death Horizon
Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals – Walk Through Exits Only
Portal – Vexovoid
Revocation – Revocation
Rivers of Nihil – The Conscious Seed of Light
Six Feet Under – Unborn
Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
Soilwork – The Living Infinite
Strychnia – Reanimated Monstrosity
Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam
Svart Crown – Profane
Unhuman – Unhuman
For anyone who cares
My top 15 metal releases in no order though are
The Schoenberg Automaton – Vela
Oranssi Pazuzu – Valonielu
Misery Signals – Absent Light
Wormlust – The Feral Wisdom
Portal – Vexovoid
Within The Ruins – Elite
Antigama – Meteor
Ævangelist – Omen Ex Simulacra
Full Of Hell – Rudiments Of Mutilation
Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
Gorguts – Colored Sands / Ulcerate – Vermis (can’t decide which i like more but I like them both equally for similar reasons!)
Cultes des Ghoules – Henbane
Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
Psychofagist – Songs of Faint and Distortion
Altars – Paramnesia
For other honorable mentions from this year here’s a list i’ve been working on. Anything from the chuggy deathcore you’ve heard this year to the grimmest frostbitten black metal from this year in terms of metal.
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/xVictimOfADownx/favorites_of_2013__a_work_in_progress_/
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Nails – Abandon All Life
Russian Circles – Memorial
Obliteration – Black Death Horizon
Iron Lung – White Glove Test
Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy
Coffins – The Fleshland
Portal – Vexovoid
Sacriphyx – The Western Front
Church of Misery – Thy Kingdom Scum
dammit, i totally meant to include Colored Sands on my list!
Top 15 in no order:
Agrimonia- Rites of Separation
Altar of Plagues- Teethed Glory & Injury
October Falls- The Plague of a Coming Age
Primitive Man- Scorn
Atlantean Kodex- The White Goddess
The Ocean- Pelagial
Cult of Luna- Vertikal
Beastwars- Blood Becomes Fire
Rotting Christ- Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
Thrawsunblat- Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings
Vattnet Viskar- Sky Swallower
Batillus- Concrete Sustain
Nails- Abandon All Life
Witherscape- The Inheritance
Ulcerate – “Vermis”
Gorguts – “Colored Sands”
Immolation – “Kingdom of Conspiracy”
Tribulation – “The Formulas of Death”
Watain – “The Wild Hunt”
Vreid – “Welcome Farewell”
Svart Crown – “Profane”
Toxic Holocaust – “Chemistry of Consciousness”
Summoning – “Old Mornings Dawn”
Fleshgod Apocalypse – “Labyrinth”
Hail Of Bullets – “III: The Rommel Chronicles”
Eye Of Solitude – “Canto III”
The Ocean – “Pelagial”
Altar Of Plagues – “Tethed Glory and Injury”
Cult Of Luna “Vertikal”
Portal – “Vexovoid”
Grave Miasma – “Odori Sepulcrorum”
Krypts – “Unending Degradation”
Sulphur Aeon – “Swallowed By The Ocean Tide”
Deafheaven – “Sunbather”
Gigan – ” Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery And Super Science”
Wolvserpent – “Perigaea Antahkarana”
Lithotome – “Lithotome”
In Solitude – “Sister”
Deeds Of Flesh – “Portals To Canaan”
Inter Arma – Sky Burial
Hexvessel – “No Holier Temple”
Feels like I’ve completely missed this year and still catching up with last years releases. There’s so much I haven’t gotten around to yet. I’m actually suprised of the amount of black metal on the list.
Aosoth – IV: Arrow In Heart
Cultes Des Ghoules – Henbane
Gris – À L’âme Enflammée, L’äme Constellée…
Guttural Secrete – Nourishing The Spoil
Gloryhammer – Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife
Hebosagil – Lähto
KEN Mode – Entrench
Inquisition – Obscure Verses For The Multiverse
The Monolithic Deathcult – Tetragrammaton
Nails – Abandon All Life
Noisem – Agony Defined
Pest [SE] – The Crowning Horror
Portal – Vexovoid
Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry Of Consiousness
War Cross – Warcross [DEMO]
Wormed – Exodromos
———————————
Great non-metal releases:
Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain
Dalindèo – Kallio
The Devil Makes Three – I’m A Stranger Here
Gloryhammer is awesome.
Haven’t got those kind of shivers since I listened to Rhapsody at the ripe old age of eight. Total bombast!
The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee.
It seems I’m late to the party !
My favorite albums of the year, in no particular order :
Cryptic Forest – Ystyr
Black Sabbath – 13
Woe – Withdrawal
Frigoris – Wind
Vreid – Welcome Farewell
Watain – The Wild Hunt
Thrawsunblat – Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings
Tyr – Valkyrja
October Tide – Tunnel of No Light
Wędrujący Wiatr – Tam, Gdzie Miesiąc Opłakuje świt
Persefone – Spiritual Migration
Mephistopheles – Sounds of the End
Okular – Sexforce
Ctulu – Seelenspiegelsplitter
Arsaidh – Roots
Orpheus Omega – Resillusion
Dichotomy – Paradigms
Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
Unbreath – My Faith Against Me
Officium Triste – Mors Viri
Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows of Nostalgia
Seth – The Howling Spirit
Anciients – Heart of Oak
Mourning Beloveth – Formless
Ataraxie – L’être et la Nausée
Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
Bodyfarm – The Coming Scourge
Chthonic – Bu-Tik
Howl – Bloodlines
Norhod – The Blazing Lily
Hanging Garden – At Every Door
Seeds of Iblis – Anti Quran Rituals
Vorna – Ajastaika
Why wasn’t I informed of the new ataraxie album?
I can’t tell, mate, but you may want to lay a hand on it. It’s a pure wonder.
Where can I get it? I’m hoping to avoid iTunes and international shipping.
Ugr, tough question. I’m French, so it was no problem for me to get the album: I only had to go to one of their shows. But I’m afraid the album isn’t available on downloading platforms, and that you have to buy it from here: http://www.weirdtruth.jp/releases/wt040.html
Based on the albums i know on this list, im gonna love checking out the others. Already enjoying Cryptic Forest. Love the Immortal vibe im getting from the riffing.
Always a pleasure to help a brother out there 😉
I’ve been kinda broke for the latter part of the year, so there’s still a bunch of albums I’d like to get my hands on. But so far I’d say:
Mechina – Empyrean. Holy shit they really took things to the next level.
Byzantine – S/T. I have to admit this is the first album of theirs I own, sad I didn’t hear of them earlier.
Rotting Christ – Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
Nothnegal EP
Dreaming Dead – Midnightmares. This album’s probably about half instrumental, some really good musicianship on show in a stripped-down setting.
Summoning – Old Morning’s Dawn
Hope For The Dying – Aletheia.
Eye of Solitude – Canto III.
And a few worthy mentions:
Adora Vivos – Toward the Empyrean. For fans of Amiensus (features some of the same musos)
Ancient Vvisdom – Deathlike
Ryan Amon – Elysium soundtrack
In Vain – Aenigma. The latter half of the album didn’t really hold me as much as the start, otherwise I’d put it higher.
December could still hold a few surprises. Lorelei should drop their album soon.
Adora Vivos hit the spot. Thank you for that.
Sweet, always good to find new stuff from a random blog comment. There’s alot of stuff mentioned here I’m obviously going to have to check out. I’m gonna need a whole week of pure music listening judging by these lists.
Woe – Withdrawal
Saprogenic – Expanding Toward Collapsed Lungs
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Portail – Vexovoid
3 Parts Demon – Eden, Post Exodus
Scorned Deity – Adventum
All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature
Additionally, I’d like to place the new releases from Deicide and Watain in the disappointment category
Because I’m curious, and because I’m a hopeless dork, I made a list of all the titles listed so far in these comments and sorted it alphabetically, so see what was getting the most votes. The lists are so diverse that the majority of releases were mentioned only once or twice. Here are the ones that have appeared more than twice so far:
Gorguts (6)
Portal (6)
Carcass (5)
Inquisition (5)
Altar of Plagues (3)
Caladan Brood (3)
Deafheaven (3)
Grave Miasma (3)
Hail of Bullets (3)
Immolation (3)
Nails (3)
Skeletonwitch (3)
Watain (3)
I’ll keep the list running as more comments appear.
Wow, I haven’t heard any of these frontrunners… so much metal, so little time…
My favorites this year, alphabetically.
Abyssal – Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius
Byzantine – s/t
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Clutch – Earth Rocker
Ghost – Infestissumam
Haapoja – s/t
Incarnator – Caeca Superstitio
Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent
Of Wolves – Evolve
Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals – Walk Through Exits Only
Revocation – s/t
Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
The Sons of Perdition – Merciless Metal of Perdition
Tsar Bomba – Silent Queen
Vampire Squid – Sea’s Control
Watain – The Wild Hunt
Earth Rocker is absolutely fantastic. It works fantastic live too. Almost had the chance to interview the band when they rolled through San Diego, but it wasn’t organized quick enough.
I caught Clutch in Chattanooga, Tn a few weeks ago. Third time seeing them live and they’re always killer.
I was a first timer. Though I had heard tales of their live wizardy, I was unprepared.
Clutch is so good live, was happy as hell when they rolled through town recently.
The Abyssal album is genius.
Could still change but this is where I’m at right now:
1. The Ocean – Pelagial
2. Caligula’s Horse – The Tide, the Thief & River’s End
3. The Safety Fire – Mouth of Swords
4. The Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us Is the Killer
5. In Vain – Ænigma
6. Steak Number Eight – The Hutch
7. Leprous – Coal
8. Protest the Hero – Volition
9. East of the Wall – Redaction Artifacts
10. Misery Signals – Absent Light
This list is the correct one. I say that solely because it’s the first one I’ve seen that correctly puts Pelagial at number one.
Yay, someone else that has Caligula’s Horse on their list! It quickly went straight into number 1 on my end of the year list. Such a perfect album.
No particular order, includes non-metal release. My 9
Touche Amore – Is Survived By
City & Colour – The Hurry & The Harm
Cult of Luna – Vertikal
Palms- Self-titled(Palms)
August Burns Red – Rescue & Restore
Deafheaven – Sunbather
Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing
Pearl Jam – Lightning Bolt
Fallujah – Nomadic
My list is subject to change in the upcoming month but for now:
1.Gorguts – Colored Sands
2.Carcass – Surgical Steel
3.Kvelertak – Meir
4.Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
5.Clutch – Earthrocker
6.Revocation – Revocation
7.Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
8.Black Crown Initiate – Song of the Crippled Bull
9.Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
10.Fallujah – Nomadic
11.ASG – Blood Drive
12.Thy Art is Murder – Hate
13.Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam
14.Hanging Garden – At Every Door
15.Ghost B.C. – Infestissumam
Also…
Seizures – The Sanity Universal
Shit.. I have forgotten about alot of these records already, thinking they came out last year. i mean Rotting Christ? feels like that came out forever ago, and i still havent givenit the time it deserves.. same goes for almost everyhing else this year.. gonna have to go through my buys and downloads, listen through most of it, THEN maybe almost make a list.
Truer words have never been spoken.
I was thinking the same thing as I saw Rotting Christ pop up on a few of these lists. I really liked that album a lot, but it came out so long ago that I just about forgot it was a 2013 album. I also think it hasn’t gotten nearly the love and attention it deserves.
It’s really hard to pick a few albums, as this year (in my opinion) was a great one. Anyway, here goes:
15. Broken Hope – Omen of Disease
14. Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
13. Deicide – In the Minds of Evil
12. Magister Dixit – Maze of a Thousand Ways
11. Gorguts – Colored Sands
10. Aeons of Eclipse – The Parasite
9. Kataklysm – Waiting for the End to Come
8. Among Gods – Among Gods
7. Rottrevore – Hung by the Eyesockets
6. Avulsed – Ritual Zombi
5. Watain – The Wild Hunt
4. Exhumed – Necrocracy
3. Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
2. Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
1. Carcass – Surgical Steel
Most of my own stuff has been corwed out with newer albums, so far I’ve gotten “81” 2013 releases, not to mention stuff that has come out last year or even in the preceeding 10 years. So I’ve gotten a lot this year alone. Now as to a list, that I can’t do, but I can layer it (to a degree), as in certain albums are the best I’ve heard, others are excellent, and then the honorable mentions. So lets start:
Best of the Best:
Shining – One One One
Progenie Terrestra Pura – U.M.A.
Entropia – Vesper
Vow of Thorns – Forest Dweller
Throat – Manhole
Excellent Releases:
American Head Charge – Shoot
Antinomian – Hihilum Infandum
Blood Tsunami – For Faen!
Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
Dread Soverign – Pray to the Devil in Man
Ellende – Ellende
Filter – The Sun Comes out Tonight
Luctus – Stotis
Manzer – Light of the Wrecker
N.D.C.I.C. (None Dare Call It Conspiracy) – Tales of the Lost
Red Eleven – Idiot Factory
Rotting Christ – Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού
Sacriphyx – The Western Front
Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
Sons of Aeon – Sons of Aeon
Thy Light – No Morrow Shall Dawn
Turisas – Turisas2013
Twilight of the Gods – Fire on the Mountain
Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower
Chthonic – Bú-Tik
Honorable mentions and one’s that I haven’t had time to Listen to properly
– Augur NoxBeneath the Storm – Tempels of Doom
Bliss of Flesh – Beati Pauperes Spiritu
Bobmus – The Poet and the Parrot
Clandestine Blaze – Harmony of Struggle
Dark Tranquillity – Construct
Dunkelnacht – Revelatio
Eternium – Repelling a Solar Giant
Evergreen Refuge – As the Fires Burn / Weminuchia
geÄst – Wanderer
Plus many many more
Dam, it seams like you can’t use the “less than” or “great than” signs. The first one should read:
Code – Augur Nox
That time of the year again ehh? Boy oh boy oh boy, I can’t wait to see all the lists that will be posted on this site during this and the upcoming month 🙂 It sure makes up for the fact that December is typically a bit lackluster in terms of quality releases. So I’ve compiled a list – of which some releases might be considered from the realm of ‘un-metal’, but fuck it – and I tried and put them in an actual order. I have even gone and explained why I liked the albums I put in the list. So yeah, this is gonna be a very, very long fucking post – apologies in advance.
1. The Ocean – Pelagial
At the very moment this bomb was dropped unto the world of metal I was pretty sure this would be my personal favourite of the year. The album has everything – soft gentle melodies, crushing heavy headbanging moments, deep and meaningful lyrics and an awesome overarching theme that connects all the dots and makes the album not only feel like a whole; it feels like a journey. I would like to share that I am SO glad that Robin Staps invited Loïc Rossetti – who was recovering from a voice-related injury I believe – in the end to do vocals for the album. I mean, the instrumental version is really good too but if I’m honest the stellar vocals Loïc produced are essential to making the album what it is. Personal favorites in this album are “Signals of Anxiety” and “Let them Believe”.
2. In Vain – Aenigma
I’ve been familiar with In Vain for a while and have been enjoying The Latter Rain and Mantra thoroughly, but seriously, Aenigma lifted these guys to a whole new level of songwriting. From the first notes of “Against the Grain” the album grabs my attention and does not let go until the dying moments of “Floating on the Murmuring Tide”. Especially the latter of the two songs I mentioned is the best example of how much In Vain has evolved over the years; there’s so much variation, emotion and almost musical-like drama to that song.. “Culmination of the Enigma” is a really good one too, with one of the most infectious choruses of this year (and I did not post it in that thread, shame on me).
3. Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
I was not acquainted with these Finns before, but Omega Arcane is one hell of an introduction. This band takes elements from Septicflesh and Dimmu Borgir and crafts something new and fresh and obviously Finnish, which is a good thing of course. I refrain from using the word epic, but that’s what this album is – fucking epic. “Ruins”, “Dawnless Days” and “Nomad” are the brightest moments of this album (in a very dark manner).
4. Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
Despite the intensive use of electronics this album feels very organic – in a decaying or rotting kind of way. Teethed Glory and Injury is haunting and beautiful at the same time, and is Altar of Plagues’ best release thus far. I can’t stress enough what a severe loss for our metally world it is to have lost these guys recently; one can only hope they get back at some point and pick it up from here.
5. Persefone – Spiritual Migration
I never got into Shin-Ken so I was actually surprised just how much I dug Spiritual Migration when I did give it a shot after seeing all the love this record was getting on the interwebs. That may have to do that this album is both more melodic and proggy than their former releases, with the end-result that they resemble Uneven Structure and Stealing Axxion on this release, which are certainly my thing. Top tracks: “Mind as Universe” and “Inner Fullness”.
6. Hanging Garden – At Every Door
I am a sucker for the Finnish doom/death scene, and combined with hints of ‘80s goth it is pure joy for me. Being the third excellent album in a row I really hope these guys will get some more attention because they really deserve it. “Ten Thousand Cranes” and “Ash and Dust” are the best two tracks on this album to me.
7. Ataraxie – L’Être et La Nausée
Holy fuck shit this album is dark and depressing, in a very hypnotizing and good kind of way. Even though the songs get as long as 15 minutes the album never bores for a moment. I am very happy I discovered these sick French bastards, and should actually look into earlier releases (if they have those).
8. The Fall of Every Season – Amends
Amends is a very literal title for me, because to me they make amends for a not all that impressing debut album, which was atmospheric doom which copied elements from other bands that so many before have done better before. But this album sounds almost like a completely different band; it’s lighter, diverse and much more interesting than their former self. Oh and the album cover is awesome, and somehow reflects the music really well.
9. Eye of Solitude – Canto III
Death/doom with funeral elements at its best. The album is slow and dragging for the largest part, but the fact that it sometimes kicks you in the shins unexpectedly with fury makes it as good as it is to me.
10. Wolfheart – Winterborn
Good to see Tuomas Saukkonen hasn’t lost his touch after all the changes he’s gotten himself through last year by disbanding both Before the Dawn and Black Sun Aeon. I think in the end it’s for the best that he focuses his creativity on just one band, because to me it seemed that his records from the last two years (Blacklight Deliverance, Deathstar Rising, Rise of the Phoenix, Pimeys) all contained some really good songs but never quite felt complete. Winterborn does feel complete, and even though I think that Tuomas’ style had always been complemented by a clean singer and that it would be a finishing touch to Wolfheart, it contains some of the best songs Tuomas has written in his career (“Routa pt. 2”, “Ghosts of Karelia”, “Breathe”). I do hope he keeps releasing albums at the unrelenting pace he’s known for, but the fact that he stated to be working on the follow-up of ‘Winterborn’ already comforts me that he does.
11. Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
I initially thought this would be my personal contender for the #1 spot of album of the year, based upon the perfect 2011 release ‘New World Shadows’. Beyond, however, does not meet the innovativeness and the songwriting its predecessor had, but rather builds upon its foundation and gives us more songs to enjoy from that style. At first I hated the fact that Omnium Gatherum seemed to have stopped evolving, but as I listened to this album more and more (admittedly, it is quite easy on the ears) I recognized just how mature this album sounds and I started caring less and less that it didn’t surprise me as much as New World Shadows did. “Formidable”, “The Unknowing” and “White Palace” are my personal favorites.
12. Steven Wilson – The Raven that Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)
So this is the first of a few un-metal releases I included in this list, but I feel like most will forgive me for this one more than for some of the others since Steven Wilson always had close ties with the genre of metal. On “The Raven..” he takes a little from Blackfield, Porcupine Tree and ‘70s rock and does what he always does: live up to the sky-high expectations each Steven Wilson release has amongst fans.
13. Heaven Shall Burn – Veto
I never really was a big fan of Heaven Shall Burn in their metalcore-former-self. Seemingly after the Iconoclast albums ended in 2010 Heaven Shall Burn wanted to change things up a little, which resulted in Veto; an album that still sounds like Heaven Shall Burn but replaces almost all metalcore elements for melodic death metal. A really, really ambitious and enjoyable release that hopefully marks a new path for Heaven Shall Burn, because I really like the way things are going with Veto. Oh and respect for them covering “Valhalla” from Blind Guardian and making the song actually work.
14. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Labyrinth
The intertubes-hype that went with this album was not a surprise – 2011’s ‘Agony’ was a release that seemed to come out of nowhere and that sounded like Septicflesh with ADHD; goddamn that album was full-speed ball-kicking death metal with only one breather on the whole thing (“The Forsaking”). ‘Labyrinth’ meets most of the expectations that existed for ‘Agony’s successor but suffers from one significant flaw – the production. The album is LOUD all the friggin’ time! There can be no question that the songwriting on this album is excellent and the orchestration elements are once more used with taste, but a bit more balanced production would have given the album a bigger impact. Still, a very enjoyable release, especially at times like “Minotaur (Wrath of Poseidon)” and “Epilogue”.
15. Korn – The Paradigm Shift
Korn never was very popular amongst metalheads – mainly because they are very popular on the mainstreams and wrongfully classified as metal to the frustration of kvltists (post-grunge, nu-metal and alternative all work better). However, they were one of the first ‘heavy’ bands I got into as a teenager during the 1999-Issues and 2002-Untouchables period, and different from most others I still enjoy their albums quite a lot when I listen to them. However, since 2005’s See You on the Other Side – which marks the first album after the departure of guitarist and songwriter Brian ‘Head’ Welch – every album left a bad taste in my mouth, and felt like they’ve lost their way. I wouldn’t go as far to say that ‘The Paradigm Shift’ is among the best of their releases, but the return of ‘Head’ is certainly noticeable and results in this release sounding more like a follow-up to 2003’s excellent Take a Look in the Mirror than any other release since then did. And most importantly, they seem to be enjoying themselves more than ever, which is reflected in the songs – albeit formulaic, they are catchy, heavy and a blast to listen to. Now go and hate me because I put nu-metal in my list.
16. Silver Tongue – Light bearer
‘Light Bearer’ is an excellent debut album from a band I hope to be hearing more from in the future. Anyone who likes the long and doomy kind of metal should really give this a go; especially “Beautiful is this Burden”.
17. Hanging Garden – I Was a Soldier (EP)
I am happy that I have an excuse to include Hanging Garden two times in my list, but the quality of “Summer to Winter Adverse”, “I Was a Soldier” and “Will You Share this Ending with Me?” give me no other choice than to put this EP here. Stylistically the songs resemble ‘At Every Door’, and everyone who enjoyed that release in January will not be disappointed by this one.
18. Amorphis – Circle
In theory Amorphis has all the elements that make me want to like them – they are from Finland, they combine death metal with folk influences, and their vocalist utilizes both grunts and cleanly sung vocals very well. Somehow though I never became a real fan (of their newer shell I should note), and that probably has to do with a combination of songwriting and production – I felt too ‘clean’ or ‘bland’, and no album never really made me a big fan. Circle, however, is a different kind of animal. I think it has to do with the fact that it was produced/mixed by Peter Tätgren, since the album sounds more ‘beautiful’ when it’s soft, and more ‘venomous’ when it’s loud. Listen to the opening riff of “Hopeless Days” and you’ll know what I mean.
19. Pearl Jam – Lightning Bolt
I am quite the fanboy of Eddie Vedder, and I pretty much auto-like everything he releases. In the case of ‘Lightning Bolt’ I rightfully do so I think, since it shows a group of musicians with nothing to prove that produce a fun and enjoyable album. It is by no means innovative or challenging, but that’s not the point.
20. Dark Tranquillity – Construct
Even though this album was one of the biggest disappointments of 2013 it still somehow ended up in my list. I anticipated this release for so long and was teased by the two really nice preview songs ‘Uniformity’ and ‘For Broken Words’, and statements such as ‘cleanest and most variable album since Projector’, that my expectations were sky-high. When I got my hands on this album I so badly wanted it to be as good and diverse as Projector (as promised) that at first it could do nothing but feel disappointed, since it really isn’t Projector 2.0. It’s actually more a logical follow-up on We Are the Void (arguably their least impressive release before this one) with more clean vocals, and more tracks that feel like they should be B-sides. However, after my initial response I started appreciating the album more for what it is; a still very enjoyable Dark Tranquillity release with some decent but forgettable, some good and one very, very good track. The latter track I mentione is “None Becoming”, easily among their best tracks ever made, and is the main reason why I included Construct in my top 25. Dark Tranquillity is a band for who I have the greatest respect and that has to prove nothing to no one, but I really hope the maturity of song-writing on their latest two albums will be complimented with the creativity of ‘Character’ and ‘Projector’ on their next release.
21. October Falls – The Plague of a Coming Age
An excellent atmospheric black metal release that reminds me of Agalloch on many occasions. Especially inviting the lead singer of Amorphis on two of the tracks was a good move – the combination of his clean vocals and October Falls’ melancholic style really complement one another. It makes me wonder why they don’t this thing more often.
22. Fractal Gates – Beyond the Self
I really hated the fact that Inborn Suffering quit after releasing a truly fucking good album last year. However, luckily part of that band can still be found and enjoyed in Fractal Gates – of which ‘Beyond the Self’ is their second release of space themed atmospheric melodic death metal, or something like that. None of the songs really jump out but the album’s really accessible and quite fun, and highly recommended to anyone who likes the lighter spectrum of death metal.
23. Revocation – Revocation
Thrashy death metal is thrashy death metal. I’m glad I picked this album up after streaming it for a bit, because there is so much to enjoy here. However, I have to admit I picked this album up only recently so probably it has to grow on me some more, but after a few spins I already recognized its potential and therefore it’s in this list.
24. Bruce Soord with Jonas Renkse – Wisdom of Crowds
The leadsingers of both the Pineapple Thief and Katatonia collaborating on a singer-songwriter proggy kind of rock album is an interesting thing. Not all songs work as well, but both singers’ performances are consistently superb, and the album has its brilliant moments.
25. Vattner Viskar – Sky Swallower
A very solid melodic death/doom release which I find myself returning to quite often, even though arguably nothing really innovative happens on this album. The singing reminds me of Mikael Stanne though, which is a good thing.
So for everyone who managed to get through this post of neverending rambling; thanks! 🙂
Oh fucking thank you for Shade Empire – Omega Arcane. I’d never heard of these guys. Any description that reads ‘a Finnish Septic Flesh’ will perk my ears anyday. I’m going to have to check out some more of these too.
Yeah these guys are awesome. I’ve looked into their older releases as well – which are decent – but they seem to have found ‘their’ unique sound now on this release.
Thanks for reading! 🙂 It’s good to know someone managed to uncipher my hidiously long post!
I haven’t heard anything previous to Omega Arcane. A track like ‘Embodiment’ simply goes to show the capability of the band.
Also its a good thing that The Fall of Every Season gets a mention, i bought the mp3 version of the album earlier this year. It is that good, and i was feeling that it was not getting the appreciation that it so rightly deserves..
That’s right I feel like that one has gone under the radar a bit. I hope more people’ll give them a shot
Finally someone has seen the light! It only took till Bathyalpelagic I for me to decide that this would undeniably be the best album of the year. They have that prize by a long shot, and haven’t come close to relinquishing it.
I’m really hoping it’ll take the album of the year in many lists as well 🙂 But the quality of fhe album is undeniable, I’m sure they will.
I came here solely to list that The Fall of Every Season album, certainly a top 5 for me and one I think many people missed out on, highly recommended.
It’s really good indeed 🙂 I’m glad more people have noticed it this year 🙂
I am discovering alot of new albums and bands here. Gonna have to completely rewrite my nonexistant list now..
I’m so helpless at making lists, mostly because it takes me, as the old fart I am, a loooooong time to “process” and finally “get” a new album. I’m starting NOW to make head or tails to RUSH’s “Clockwork Angels” that came out in 2012!
Anyway, not wanting to sound like a whining pussy, I’ll put at the top of my non-list BYZANTINE, which I discovered through this site and ranks as my favourite metal album of 2013.
GORGUTS is high-quality music but, ultimately, not my cup of tea.
I’ll have to go back and re-listen to INTER ARMA, it’s been on my computer forever and still didn’t get a chance to listen to it properly.
AYREON is a huge thing for me, so it’s certainly in my non-list, and also you guys reviewed it, so here it is.
The big thing this year seems to be DEAFHAVEN, right? Well, I’ll admit that aside a couple of listens on YT I never ventured into their album. Too hipster. Yeah, I’m that kind of prejudiced. ^___^
Actually, one of the best songs I’ve heard this year was the preview of the Entombed album you put on some days ago. I’m eagerly awaiting that release.
Kvelertak – Meir
Brutality – Ruins of Humans EP
Kylesa – Ultraviolet
Noisem – Agony Defined
Tyrant Goatgaldrakona – Horns in the Dark
Hellcannon – Soothsayer EP
Birth A.D. – I blame you
Black Dahlia Murder – Into The Ever black
Leprous – Coal
Hail of Bullets – III the Rommel Chronicles
Black Fast – Starving out the light
Verminous – The Unholy Communion
Power Trip – Manifest Decimation
Revocation – Revocation
Inter Arma – Sky Burial
Soilwork – The living infinite
Lamb of God – As the Palaces Burn [Re-master]
TesseracT – Altered State
Left for Dead – Devoid Of Everything
Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark
Cloudkicker – Subsume
Vildhjarta – Thousands of Evils [EP]
Ghost – Infestissumam
Dreamshade – The Gift of Life
Tribulation – The Formulas of Death
Satan (UK) – Life Sentence
Pretty widespread, a little something for everyone.
1. Magic Circle – Magic Circle
2. Sacriphyx – The Western Front
3. Torture Chain – Mutilating Astral Entities
4. Enforcer – Death By Fire
5. Magister Templii – Lucifer Leviathan Logos
6. Devil – Gather The Sinners
7. Noctum – Final Sacrifice
8. Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry of Consciousness
9. Autopsy – The Headless Ritual
10. Pest – The Crowning Horror
11. Joel Grind – The Yellowgoat Sessions
12. Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance
13. Cultes des Ghoules – Henbane,…Or Sonic Compendium of The Black Arts
14. Beyond – Fatal Power of Death
15. Lycus – Tempest
16. Vastum – Patricidal Lust
17. Katechon – Man, God, Giant
18. Bone Sickness – Alone In The Grave
19. Wulkanaz – Paurpura Fraeovibokos
20. Procession – To Reap Heaven’s Apart
I just relistened to that Lycus album yesterday. I didn’t get it the first time, but I’m positively loving that album now.
Vastum is easily one of the best OSDM/doom releases all year.
In no order:
Vried- welcome Farewell
Inquisition- obscure Verses For The Multiverse
Amon Amarth- Deceiver of the Gods
Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
Arsis- unwelcome
The Black Dahlia Murder- Everblack
Kataklysm- Waiting for the End to Come
Satan- Life Sentence
Satan’s Host- Virgin Sails
Carcass- Surgical Steel
Shit what I done liked:
The Ocean
Carcass
Leprous
Clutch
Ohio Sky
Protest the Hero
Grandfather
Revocation
Mandroid Echostar
Butch Walker
Pelican
Anciients
Alice in Chains
Daft Punk
Iron Tongue
Ihsahn
Melvins
Svart Crown
WHORES.
Byzantine
had you not just used this, I think Shit What I Done Liked This Year would’ve been an excellent list title to use.
OK, here’s an updated list of the bands whose albums have appeared more than twice on the lists posted so far in the preceding Comments:
Carcass (10)
Gorguts (8)
Inquisition (7)
Revocation (7)
Portal (6)
Skeletonwitch (6)
Hail of Bullets (5)
The Ocean (5)
Watain (5)
Altar of Plagues (4)
Byzantine (4)
Caladan Brood (4)
Deafheaven (4)
Ghost B.C. (4)
Grave Miasma (4)
In Vain (4)
Kvelertak (4)
Leprous (4)
Omnium Gatherum (4)
Vattnet Viskar (4)
Amon Amarth (3)
Arsis (3)
Ataraxie (3)
Clutch (3)
Cult of Luna (3)
Cultes Des Ghoules (3)
Eye of Solitude (3)
Fallujah (3)
Fleshgod Apocalypse (3)
Hanging Garden (“At Every Door”) (3)
Immolation (3)
Inter Arma (3)
Nails (3)
Persefone (3)
Procession (3)
Rotting Christ (3)
Sacriphyx (3)
Satan (3)
Shade Empire (3)
Svart Crown (3)
The Black Dahlia Murder (3)
Toxic Holocaust (3)
Tribulation (3)
Vreid (3)
For now, this will just be a top 20 of bands that need more love on this post.
A.M.S.G
Beyond
Cerekloth
Gris
Haken
Helcaraxe
Lantern
Man’s Gin
Oranssi Pazuzu
Pensees Nocturnes
Progenie Terrestre Pura
Quest of Aidance
Slidhr
Spektr
Sulphur Aeon
Thou Art Lord
Twilight of the Gods
VHOL
Witherscape
Wormed
The fact that so many of these are being overlooked shows what a strong crop of metal 2013 has yielded.
I like the Slidhr release. I have no idea how to pronounce their name.
According to the Metal Archives entry for the band: “In Norse mythology, Slid(h)r is a river in Hel, the land of the dead.” “dh” seems to be one of the Latin replacements for an old Norse character, and seems to be pronounced as either “d” or “th”. But given the quote from MA, I’m guessing it’s pronounced like “Slidr”.
Or Slither…
I really enjoyed Rebellion Hymns but I’ll be honest I enjoyed their first album more, I’m in favor of the more stripped down sound on it.
Cerekloth!
Fuck yeah on Quest Of Aidance, that disc was so weird. It was nothing like Anyx hinted at but it had so many different things interweaving through it.
I am not ready to present my list yet, but I will name one album that will be on it. No one has mentioned it yet, and that surprises me.
Extol – Extol
Kind of stunning to me that this is the first mention of Extol so far.
1. Caligula’s Horse – The Tide, The Thief and River’s End
2. TesseracT – Altered State
3. Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
4. Earthtone9 – IV
5. Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower
6. Karnivool – Asymmetry
7. Benea Reach – Possession
8. Boysetsfire – While A Nation Sleeps
9. The Amenta – Flesh Is Heir
10. Soilwork – The Living Infinite
11. The Sun Explodes – We Build Mountains
12. Circles – Infinitas
13. Mechina – Empyrean
14. Deafheaven – Sunbather
15. Crimson Dawn – In Strange Aeons…
16. Moth – Endlessly In Motion
17. Gorguts – Colored Sands
18. Hacride – Back To Where You’ve Never Been
19. Author and Punisher – Women & Children
20. Disperse – Living Mirrors
21. Dark Tranquillity – Construct
22. Bear – Noumenon
23. Castevet – Obsian
24. Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
25. Cyclamen – Ashura
Nice to see Earthtone9 and Benea Reach getting a mention, they were further down my list. Same goes for Boysetsfire but I must admit to finding the new album disappointing
Wolfheart – Winterborn
Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
Kuolemanlaakso – Uljas uusi maailma
Kuolemanlaakso – Musta aurinko nousee EP
Hanging Garden – At every door
And no, i’m not favouring the Finns, atleast consciouscly!
Yes, I knew that was pure coincidence. 🙂
In hindsight, Nicole’s ‘Hävityksen huoneet’ belongs to my top list aswell.
Due to my listening habits I can’t really make out my favourites yet since I haven’t even listened to most albums this year three times. But the following ones are the more outstanding that came into my mind in no specific order. Well, at least Haken and Shade Empire are at the top for good reason 😉
Haken – The Mountain
Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
ForTiorI – Chronicles
Sphere – Primordial
TesseracT – Altered State
Chamber of Solace – Immortal
Persefone – Spiritual Migration
Dreamshade – The Gift of Life
Jolly – The Audio Guide to Happiness (Part 2)
Blutmond – The Revolution Is Dead!
Above the Earth – Above the Earth
Animations – Private Ghetto
GERM – Grief
Heavy Metal Ninjas – Interstellar Abduction
Humanity’s Last Breath – Humanity’s Last Breath
Ramage Inc. – Feel the Waves
Here’s what is on my 2013 year end list (in no particular order):
Soilwork – The Living Infinite
Extol – Extol
Finntroll – Blodsvept
Dark Tranquility – Construct
Burning Shadows – The Last One To Fall (EP, power metal)
War of Will – Battlecross
Amon Amarth – Deceiver Of The Gods
Honorable Mention:
Cannibal Corpse 25th Anniversary Box set – granted, it’s mostly older material but it’s a great place to start if by some strange reason you’re not familiar with them.
Loved War of Will. And Battlecross might be the happiest dudes ever on stage.
I almost forgot to mention Pelagial from The Ocean as well, really solid album. I’m tempted to go back and buy their discography off of Amazon or something. And yeah Leperkahn, Battlecross are some really happy guys on stage!
Here’s one more updated count of the bands whose albums were named more than twice in the lists posted so far in this comment thread:
Carcass (10)
Gorguts (9)
Inquisition (7)
Revocation (7)
Skeletonwitch (7)
Portal (6)
The Ocean (6)
Altar of Plagues (5)
Deafheaven (5)
Hail of Bullets (5)
Omnium Gatherum (5)
Vattnet Viskar (5)
Watain (5)
Amon Amarth (4)
Byzantine (4)
Caladan Brood (4)
Dark Tranquillity (4)
Ghost B.C. (4)
Grave Miasma (4)
Hanging Garden (“At Every Door”) (4)
In Vain (4)
Kvelertak (4)
Leprous (4)
Shade Empire (4)
Soilwork (4)
Arsis (3)
Ataraxie (3)
Clutch (3)
Cult of Luna (3)
Cultes Des Ghoules (3)
Eye of Solitude (3)
Fallujah (3)
Fleshgod Apocalypse (3)
Immolation (3)
Inter Arma (3)
Nails (3)
Persefone (3)
Procession (3)
Rotting Christ (3)
Sacriphyx (3)
Satan (3)
Svart Crown (3)
The Black Dahlia Murder (3)
Toxic Holocaust (3)
Tribulation (3)
Vreid (3)
thanks for updating the count! Ha that’s probably the most “objective” way to determine what’s actually the best.
Hum, I respectfully disagree, sir. Carcass may well be the first in this list, I still don’t like it. I don’t think there’s any objectivity in the way we appreciate music 🙂 but lists are fun.
I suppose, plus think of all the really popular stuff that is actually crap. Well played sir. I wouldn’t say Carcass is the best album of this year either but I did include it on my list of albums for the year!
Haha, yes, award-winning pop singers aren’t my cup of tea either 🙂 What I was pointing out earlier was that it’s the process of making lists itself which is interesting. The result may be funny to see, and will certainly give insights about the average taste on this forum, but it’s not the #1 matter, I think 🙂
It makes me happy to see Sacriphyx on the “short list”. Also, after hearing it again, I’m a little surprised that Azure Emote was completely snubbed. Granted, a lot of the individual riffs and effects are familiar on their own, but the way they’ve been put together is unlike anything else. Any band that tries to push the boundaries and (mostly) succeed this well should at least get a mention.
Ah yes, i wonder how a track like Puppet Deities missed everyone’s radar. That was an interesting listen along with Supuration’s Cube 3
In no particular order-
Mephistopheles-Sounds Of the End
A Million Dead Birds Laughing-Bloom
Carcass-Surgical Steel
Code-Augur Nox
Vex-Memorious
Cerekloth-In the Midst of Life We Are In Death
Leprous-Coal
Nero Di Marte-S/T
Castevet-Obsian
Oranssi Pazuzu-Valonielu
Tribulation-Formulas of Death
Adora Vivos-Toward the Empyrean
Light Bearer-Silver Tongue
Poney-Rorschach
Way To End-Various Shades of Black
Not all metal, but here’s my top 10 of 2013:
1.Bill Callahan – Deam River
2. Merzbow and Nordvagr – Partikel III
3. Fuck Buttons – Soft Focus
4. Laura Marling – Once I Was Eagle
5. Cloud Rat – Moksha
6. Blister Unit – Christ Ape
7. Blister Unit – The Dengar Demo
8. Islam85 – S/T
9. Kanye West – Yeezus
10. Besta – Herege
I need to add Avatarium to my list. The cursed luck of publishing a record in december!! Anyway, it’s great.
Again i find myself arriving very late to the party…anyways (in no particular order):
Ash Borer-Bloodlands
Carcass-Surgical Steel
Falls Of Raurus-The Light That Dwells In Rotten Woods
Fanisk-Insularum
Deafheaven-Sunbather
Galaktik Cancer Squad-Ghost Light
Gorguts-Colored Sands
Infernal Poetry-Paraphiliac
Ingenium-Ingenium
Man Must Die-Man Must Die
Mechina-Empyrean
Orassi Pazuzu-Valonielu
Progenie Terrestre Pura-U.M.A.
Saor-Roots
Skagos-Anarchic
The Meads Of Asphodel-Sonderkommando
The Monolith Deathcult-Tetragrammaton
Vhöl-Vhöl
Amorphis-Circle
Anciients-Hearts Of Oak
Chthonic-Bu-Tik
Cult Of Luna-Vertikal
Encircling Sea-A Forgotten Land
Enshine-Origin
Extol-Extol
Falkenbach-Asa
Harsk-Engineering Armageddon
Humanfly-Awesome Science
Intronaut-Habitual Levitations
In Vain-Aenigma
Kvelertak-Meir
Kylesa-Ultraviolet
Leprous-Coal
Light Bearer-Silver Tongue
Mercenary-Through Our Darkest Days
Monsterworks-Earth
New Keepers Of The Water Towers-Cosmic Child
Redwood Hill-Descender
Shining-One One One
The Ocean-Pelagial
Týr-Valkyrja
Cloudkicker-Subsume
Queens Of The Stone Age-…Like Clockwork
Russian Circles-Memorial
Scale The Summit-The Migration
Steven Wilson-The Raven Who Refused To Sing
Tides From Nebula-Eternal Movement
If i had to choose just 10?
Fanisk-Insularum
Gorguts-Colored Sands
Saor-Roots
The Monolith Deathcult-Tetragrammaton
Anciients-Hearts Of Oak
Cult Of Luna-Vertikal
Extol-Extol
Humanfly-Awesome Science
Leprous-Coal
The Ocean-Pelagial
Cloudkicker-Subsume
Steven Wilson-The Raven Who Refused To Sing
OK, OK, 12…but the last two aren’t metal so we’re even.
Kayo Dot – Hubardo
Pryapisme – Hyperblast Super Collider
Birushanah – HINIMISHIGORONAYAKOKORONOTOMOSHIBI
Oranssi Pazuzu – Valonielu
Psychofagist -Songs of Faint and Distortion
:Tremor – Chantera Pas
Mutation – Error 500
Hybrid – Angst
Azure Emote – The Gravity of Impertenance
Haken – The Mountain
Secret Chiefs 3 – Book of Souls: Folio A
Blutomd – The Revolution is Dead!.
Totally forgot that came out this year
*Blutmond
As the genre director for my radio station, I was asked by the local underground paper to provide a Best Metal of 2013 list. Just like last year, they limited it to a TOP 5. Can you believe that shit? Five! WTF! Well, my top five is below, followed by the next 25, in alphabetical order.
Abyssal – Novit Enim Dominus Qui Sunt Eius
Aosoth – IV: An Arrow in Heart
Church of Misery – Thy Kingdom Scum
Nails – Abandon All Life
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Acherontas – Amenti – Ψαλμοί Αίματος και Αστρικά Οράματα
Agrypnie – Aetas Cineris
Anciients – Heart of Oak
Ash Borer – Bloodlands
Batillus – Concrete Sustain
Blut Aus Nord – What Once Was… Liber III
Cult of Occult – Hic Est Domus Diaboli
Demonical – Darkness Unbound
Eibon – II
Esoterica – Aseity
Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
Hate – Solarflesh
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
Ithuriel – The Touch Of Ithuriel’s Spear
Jucifer – за волгой для нас земли нет
Lightning Swords of Death – Baphometic Chaosism
Lychgate – s/t
Mumakil – Flies Will Starve
Northless – World Keeps Sinking
Skeletal Spectre – Voodoo Dawn
Stomach Earth – s/t
Svart Crown – Profane
Ulcerate – Vermis
Woe – Withdrawal
Yellow Eyes – Hammer of Night
Hello all! My first post, been lurking for about two years. I love NoCLeanSinging for its positive attitude and the fact that the contributors and commenters all display a marked sense of maturity which is sadly lacking elsewhere. (I wanted to immolate myself after spending half an hour on “MetalSucks” the other day) Also, that your tastes seem to run concurrent to mine in many ways and the discoveries you bring me lead to such an enhancement in my life, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and contribute my Year End list
May I start by saying WHAT NO RUINS OF BEVERAST?! NO-ONE? Not even an honourable mention? Wow. I loved it.
Anyway. Top Ten yeah, NPO
Ruins Of Beverast – Blood Vaults
Deafheaven – Sunbather (obligatory? or just awesome?)
The Ocean – Pelagial
Clutch – Earth Rocker
Gorguts – Colored Sands (The missing letter “u” here pains me)
Nails – Abandon All Life
All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature
Man Must Die – Peace Was Never An Option
Ataraxie – L’Etre Et La Nausee
The Lions Daughter & Indian Blanket – Black Sea (Bought on the strength of the track Wolves as recommended here, only listened to the album 3 or 4 times but GODDAMN its going on my list)
Thanks for taking the plunge with your first comment! And may I say, that’s a mighty fine list.
Can’t believe I forgot Voices From A Human Forest….
Kvelertak- Meir
Killswitch Engage- Disarm the Descent
Voivod- Target Earth
Immolation- Kingdom of Conspiracy
Tribulation- The Formulas of Death
In Solitude- Sister
Iron Reagan- Worse Than Dead
Witherscape- The Inheritance
ASG- Blood Drive
Doomsday- S\T
Dark Tranquillity- Construct
Stomach Earth- S\T
Demonical- Darkness Unbound
Svart Crown- Profane
Almost forgot: Noisem- Agony Defined.
Hells yes on Noisem.
Agony Defined completely blew me away. It brings so much ferocity back into the thrash genre, and the album is just so energetic and fresh. Love it.
Definitely. I’m normally not one for such orthodox worship of an established genre, but when you do it with the kind of energy they summon, it’s absolutely captivating.
Here are some albums that stood out to me this year, in no particular order.
Tribulation-The Formulas of Death
SubRosa- More Constant Than The Gods
Bolzer- Aura
Inquisition- Obscure Verses For The Multiverse
Yellow Eyes- Hammer Of Night
Vastum- Patricidal Lust
Atlantean Kodex- The White Goddess
Windhand- Soma
Anciients- Heart Of Oak
Bone Sickness- Alone In The Grave
Dark Tranquillity- Construct
Broken Hope- Omen of Disease
Blodsgard- Monument
Ruins Of Beverast- Blood Vaults…
Suffocation- Pinnacle of Bedlam
Kylesa- Ultraviolet
Seidr- Ginunngagap
In Solitude- Sister
Caladan Brood- Echoes of Battle
Craven Idol- Towards Eschaton
Aosoth- Arrow In Heart
Portal- Vexovoid
(I’m gonna look back and realize how many I forgot)
And here are my top 3 albums of 2013.
3. Noisem- Agony Defined
2. Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
1. CARCASS- SURGICAL STEEL!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading this, metalheads!
First post, but long time lurker. I’ve discovered so much amazing music here – thank you all. My list for 2013:
First, honorable mention to:
Ruins of Beverast- Blood Vaults
Year of No Light- Tocsin
Obsidian Tongue- A Nest of Ravens in the Throat of Time
Burzum- Sol Austan, Mani Vestan
Top 10:
10. C R O W N- Psychurgy
9. Botanist- IV: Mandragora
8. When Woods Make Graves- Whispers from the Black Lake
7. Grave Upheaval-
6. Inquisition- Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
5. Hamferd- Evst
4. Lustmord- The Word as Power
3. Caladan Brood- Echoes of Battle
2. Vallendusk- Black Clouds Gathering
1. Summoning- Old Mornings Dawn
Thanks for weighing in with your first comment — and great list too.
This collection of lists wasn’t intended as a poll, but seeing which albums are appearing most frequently might still be interesting. So, here’s an updated count of the bands whose albums were named more than three times in the lists posted in the comments so far:
Carcass (13)
Gorguts (12)
Inquisition (10)
Skeletonwitch (8)
The Ocean (8)
Deafheaven (7)
Portal (7)
Revocation (7)
Caladan Brood (6)
Dark Tranquillity (6)
Kvelertak (6)
Tribulation (6)
Altar of Plagues (5)
Anciients (5)
Grave Miasma (5)
Hail of Bullets (5)
Leprous (5)
Omnium Gatherum (5)
Oranssi Pazuzu (5)
Svart Crown (5)
Vattnet Viskar (5)
Watain (5)
Amon Amarth (4)
Aosoth (4)
Ataraxie (4)
Byzantine (4)
Clutch (4)
Cult of Luna (4)
Ghost B.C. (4)
Hanging Garden (“At Every Door”) (4)
Immolation (4)
In Solitude (4)
In Vain (4)
Nails (4)
Noisem (4)
Shade Empire (4)
Soilwork (4)
1. dillinger escape plan – one of us is the killer
2. agrimonia – rites of separation
3. carcass – surgical steel
4. windhand – soma
5. twitching tongues – in love there is no law
6. darkthrone – the underground resistance
7. arsis – unwelcome
8. deafheaven – sunbather
9. vhol -vhol
10. all pigs must die – nothing violates this nature
Altar or Plagues’ Teethed Glory and Injury was the top metal release for me… other fantastic LPs were:
Night Heir (sublime, just check it!)
Ruined Families (best blackened punk I’ve ever heard)
Skagos (atmospheric bm/ambient)
Deafheaven (pink metal)
Vattnet Viskar (fast post/atmospheric bm, with doom influences)
Fell Voices (ritual drone/atmospheric bm)
Wolvserpent (doom/drone, folk)
Rorcal (sludge/bm)
Entropia (post bm)
Circle of Ouroborus (avante garde bm)
Aosoth (blackened death – deathened black?)
Cultes Des Ghoules (filthy bm)
Oranssi pazuzu (krautrock/bm/what even…)
Dispirit (black/death/doom/the sound of the crypt)
Castevet (post bm/mathcore)
Ellende (post bm)
Regarde Les Hommes Tomber (sludge/bm)
Vuyvr (furious 2nd wave bm)
Yellow Eyes (atmospheric bm ala Krallice)
Fyrnask (atmospheric bm)
Gris (neoclassical/dsbm)
Sombre Forets (dsbm)
kvelertak (black n’ roll)
Csjthe (folky atmospheric bm)
Stillborn Faun (raw bm demo)
Loss of Self (if you dug Sunbather…)
Clouds Collide (blackgaze)
Sannhet (instrumental post bm)
Chaos Moon (raw atmospheric bm demos)
Echtra (folk/drone/bm)
Finnr’s Cane (atmospheric/folk bm)
Fen (atmospheric/folk bm)
Ash Borer (two-song demo…)
Thy Light (dsbm)
Surachai (atmospheric bm/electronic/…)
Progenie Terrestre Pura (electronic/bm)
Inter Arma (southern bm)
…(and we’re firmly planted in average territory now, I’ll stop here with the bm)…
non bm:
Russian Circles (post metal)
Ulcerate (dm)
Portal (brutal dm)
Anciients (prog metal)
Raspberry Bulbs (raw punk)
Voices (??)
non-metal:
vali (neofolk)
the haxan cloak (dark ambient/electronic)
ulver (modern classical/electronic/gods)
jon hopkins (electronic)
Nick Cave (folk/ambient/rock/pop)
Wardruna (folk)
Man’s Gin (folk rock)
Forest Swords (electronic)
Tim Hecker (ambient)
Yo La Tengo (indie rock)
The Knife (electronic/pop)
Julia Holter (crazy singer)
Halo Manash (folk/dark ambient)
MBV (shoegaze)
Sigur Ros (post rock/pop)
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (African “world”, folk)
…and loads more I’ve found over the festive season and yet to sample!
(I’m tired, forgive me all the typos)
eurgh, and Grave Miasma!!!
I always look forward to the lists. I will put the 10 albums I truly listened to the most.
Best EP – Adora Vivos – Toward The Empyrean
Almost made it – Bruce Soord & Jonas Renske – Wisdom of Crowds
10. Ashes of Ares
9. Pretty Maids – Motherland
8. Ecnephias – Necrogod
7. Avatarium
6. Monster Magnet – Last Patrol
5. The Ocean – Pelagial
4. End of Green – The Painstream
3. Falkenbach – Asa
2. Tyr – Valkyrja
1. Rotting Christ – Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
In no particular order:
Generation Kill – We’re All Gonna Die
Orphaned Land – All Is One
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Death Angel – The Dream Calls For Blood
Annihilator – Feast
Sodom – Epitome Of Torture
Helloween – Straight Out Of Hell
Suffocation – Pinnacle Of Bedlam
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Jungle Rot – Terror Regime
Tyr – Valkyrja
Saxon – Sacrifice
Havok – Unnatural Selection
The Dillinger Escape Plan – One Of Us Is The Killer
Voivod – Target Earth
Revocation – Revocation
Hail Of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
TesseranT – Altered State
Extol – Extol
Soilwork – The Living Infinite
Overall I thought 2012 and preceding years in my opinion had some better music than what came out this year. My taste is spread out across a range of different things. There was nothing that stood out in particular as a masterpiece but if I could pick one, it would most certainly be Extol’s self titled for its dynamic appeal and catchiness. They cannot better this album. To me, it is a far more enjoyable album than Carcass’s Surgical Steel, and they were grossly overlooked I think, because they are a Christian band (please note that I am not).
Nick Cave’s Push the Sky Away felt like a great, personal eclectic listen for times when I could appreciate prose, poetry and musicianship of a more ‘normal’ variety. Atoms for Peace was nicely crafted and has kept Tom Yorke relevant for me. As a mainstream rock album, the Arctic Monkey’s couldn’t go wrong with AM, it is that catchy and well written.
For an underground punk band, I think Siberian Meat Grinder is worth trying out. For progressive metal, Riverside outshone the latest albums from both Katatonia and Anathema. There wasn’t much this year I liked in terms of Electronica but Autechre put out something different and challenging. Lastly, it was nice to see new albums from mainstays like Filter, NIN, Sepultura and Alice in Chains. Hope this list helps some of you.
Extol – Extol
Arctic Monkeys – AM
Atoms for Peace – Amok
Nick Cave and the Badseeds – Push the Sky Away
Riverside – Shrine of New Generation Slaves
Batillus – Concrete Sustain
Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
Black Sabbath – 13
Portal – Vexovoid
Sepultura – Mediator
Siberian Meat Grinder – Versus the World
Windhand – Soma
Autechre – Exai
Pet Shop Boys – Electric
Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks
Alice in Chains – Devil
Filter – The Sun Comes Out Tonight
Immolation – Kingdoms of Conspiracy
Age of Taurus – Desperate Souls of Tortured Times
Avatarium – Avatarium