It’s that time of year again, when we start preparing for the frenzy of year-end Listmania. As explained in this post last week, our Listmania extravaganza comes in four parts. First, we re-print assorted lists of the year’s best albums, leeched from other web sites and magazines. Second, we collect our readers’ lists of the 2014 albums and shorter releases they enjoyed the most. Third, we post the year-end lists of our own staff and assorted guest writers. And fourth, I’ll roll out my list of the year’s Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs.
And that last list is the subject of this request for help (we’ll be inviting you to give us your lists of the year’s best albums as we get closer to the actual end of the year — so start thinking about that).
In case you’ve become an NCS reader since this time last year, here’s what this is about:
To repeat, this isn’t a list of the best metal albums of the year. It’s not even our list of the best individual extreme metal songs of the year — though some of the songs might actually be among the best of the year. Instead, ours is a list of the most infectious extreme metal songs we’ve heard this year. We’re talking about songs that might produce involuntary physical movement, songs that have got catchy rhythms, memorable melodies, sweet grooves, or anything else that sticks the song in your head and makes you want to keep listening to it.
To be one of the most infectious songs of the year, it’s got to be something that worms its way into your brain to such an extent you can’t get it out (and wouldn’t want to) — you mentally replay it at unexpected times and you go back to the song repeatedly for listening. “Most played” is probably a good synonym.
I’ve already got my own working list of candidates — there are almost 200 songs on there at the moment — and I’m going to collect suggestions from all of our regular writers. But no doubt we will overlook some gems, so, here’s what I want: Please leave comments to this post with your suggestions — or e-mail them to: islander@nocleansinging.com
I’ll then pick what I think are the most infectious tracks of the year and start playing those songs for you in groups of two or three as we get closer to year-end. The first year we did this (2009), I limited the list to 10 songs. In 2010, I expanded it to 30. In 2011 it grew to 39. In 2012 it topped out at 56. And last year I worked really hard and got the list all the way down to.. gulp… 73.
As you can tell, I have a really fuckin’ hard time making lists. I have no idea how many songs we’ll feature this year.
So, reflect on the music you’ve really been enjoying this year and please let us hear from you. By leaving your favorite songs in the comments, this post will also become a way for other metal fans to find good new metal.
76 Responses to “HELP A BROTHER OUT: WE NEED YORE SONGS AGAIN”
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The second and last tracks on the album ‘BabyMetal’, ie, ‘Megitsune’ and ‘Izime, Dame, Zettai’ are pretty damn infectious, as are most of the others.
Take your pick from the album ‘No Mercy for Mayhem’ by Midnight – probably the title track.
‘Kindly Bent to Free Us’ and ‘Moon Heart, Sun Head’ from the album ‘Kindly Bent to Free Us’ by Cynic, and ‘Tabula Rasa’ from ‘Tellurian’ by Soen, were pretty cool too, though not very metal.
Can’t decide on one from ‘Citadel’ by Ne Obliviscaris, though ‘Pyrrhic’ is as good as any of the others for this.
Totally with you on Tabula Rasa. Dammit, I really need to get off my ass and check out the rest of the album.
Pluton is the goddamned highlight on the Soen disc. Trust me.
Ah, earworms.
Opeth – Cusp of Eternity
Devin Townsend Project – War Princess
Cormorant – Daughter of the Void
Darkest Era – Songs of Gods and Men
Infestus – Constant Soul Corrosion
Insomnium – While We Sleep
Mastodon – those first three tracks are total earworms
Monolith – Prisoner of War (among others)
The Morningside – Immersion
Neurotech – The Longest Time
Xerath – I Hunt For the Weak
Those are just the ones that come to mind, of the music I’ve bought and actually had the time to listen to and absorb.
And yeah a couple of those are clean singers, but still metallic, and damn catchy.
Infestus – Constant Soul Corrosion
Thank you. Although you picked the wrong Cormorant song.
Some serious riffing there. Need to check the whole album.
“The Cavern” by Inter Arma. I must have listened to that 15 or 20 times on Spotify in the time it look me to order it and have it arrive. For a 45 minute song, I still end up thinking “over so soon?” every time I listen to it.
“The Echoes of Disharmonic Evensong” by Panopticon. From the opening roar of the vocals, the frantic pace of the strings and drums, the atmospheric breakdown in the middle, then the smash in the face return of the frantic pace, this song makes me want to run bare chested through a snow covered forest swinging my Mjolnir.
Two excellent choices. I have to think about the possibility of a “most infectious song” being 45 minutes long, though I do have a few on my list that are over 10 minutes.
Allegaeon – Elements Of The Infinite – The Phylogenesis Stretch
This album has a lot of catchy tunes, and this wouldn’t be my favorite song on the album (that would go to the excellent 1.618 or the vitriolic Biomech II) but I think the refrain of “within the goldilocks life lies” is easily the most infecting chorus on the album.
Archspire – The Lucid Collective – Fathom Infinite Depth
This is probably a weird pick for an infectious song but I end up poorly growling the opening lines and the chorus every single time I listen to this song, which is a lot. Something is to be said for the staying power of a stupidly fast and groovy track, I suppose.
Benighted – Carnivore Sublime – Experience Your Flesh
BREE BREE EXPERIENCE YOUR FLESH RAVAGE THE SOUL LIKE INSIDIOUS CANCER
Destrage – Are You Kidding Me? No. – My Green Neighbour
As with Allegaeon, this isn’t my favorite song on the album (although it’s damned good), but this album is one of the most solidly catchy metal albums this year anyway so it’s no surprise picking the most infectious off of it is a challenge.
Heisenberg – Zizek (Demo)
May be relatively unknown to most, but I’d strongly encourage you all give it a spin or seventeen. One of my most played songs of 2014, featuring great instrumental work and the phenomenal vocalwork from Adam Stewart (ex-A Million Dead Birds Laughing, ex-Hatchet Dawn) and his usual habit of crafting incredibly creepy yet alluring melodies.
Intervals – A Voice Within – The Self Surrendered
There’s not even a single moment of non-clean-singing on this record, but that doesn’t stop it from ignoring the fuck out of your immune system. Poppy melodies with excellent instrumental work from some of the best rising metal musicians (Anup Sastry, Aaron Marshall.)
Schizoid Lloyd – The Last Note In God’s Magnum Opus – Suicide Penguin
I don’t really have anything to say about this one. It’s just fun, catchy, and I sing it all day after I hear it.
Serdce – Timelessness – Unique Path
These are some of the most unconventional melodies I’ve heard, and they’re incredibly memorable. This would be my pick for the #1 most infectious song of the year.
Vulvodynia – Lord Of Plagues – Drowned In Vomit
Does anybody else get the grunt/growl patterns of slam vocalist stuck in their head? And you just wander around the rest of the day furiously croaking under your breath, not even knowing the words, just going “breeooo grrrooo breooo-ooo” and then occasionally going up to the highs and squawking quietly “waga-kaka-ahhhhhhh”?
Some stuff I’m almost positive there’s an infectious song in but am not familiar enough with: Freak Kitchen – Cooking With Pagans, Bolzer – Soma, Panopticon – Roads To The North, Abigor – Leytmotif Luzifer, Toehider – What Kind Of Creature Am I?, Arsafes – Ratocracy, Made Of Hate – Out Of Hate, Idylls – Prayer For Terrene, Bloodway – Sunstone Voyager And The Clandestine Horizon.
Shit. Schizoid Lloyd is off the charts. Thanks their Garak.
2014’s Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs:
TRIPTYKON: Breathing
1349: Postmortem
ENTHRONED: The Edge of Agony
BEHEMOTH: O Father O Satan O Sun!
SEPTICFLESH: Prometheus
HOUR OF PENANCE: Reedemer of Atrocity
BLACK CROWN INITIATE: The Great Mistake
NIDSANG: Eschatonic Catharsis
BLUT AUS NORD: Paien
FALLUJAH: Carved From Stone
TRAP THEM: Organic Infernal
FRAMEWORK: The Stains of Time
INSOMNIUM: Ephemeral
AT THE GATES: The Book of Sand (The Abomination)
BLOODSHOT DAWN: Smoke and Mirrors
BLOODBATH: Famine of God’s Word
ANAAL NATHRAKH: Idol
NERO DI MARTE: Dite
CANNIBAL CORPSE: The Murderer’s Pact
ABORTED: Cenobites
HIDEOUS DIVINITY: In My Land I Was A Snake
REVOCATION: A Debt Owed to the Grave
PHOBOCOSM: Knives in the Senate House
ÆVANGELIST: Præternigma
TEITANBLOOD: Anteinfierno
SCAMMASCH: Split My Tongue
EMPTINESS: Nothing but the Whole
JOB FOR A COWBOY: The Celestial Antidote
NACHTMYSTIUM: Voyager
WOCCON: Giving up the Ghost
DEAD CONGREGATION: Only Ashes Remain
THANTIFAXATH: Gasping In Darkness
SARGEIST: Snares of Impurity
Dude, you have to have a seriously warped mind to have Teitanblood running through your head for any extended period.
I have a very warped mind mate, sometimes, when I listen to Teitanblood I change my human shape, but seriously I think “Death” is a great album, sick and dark, merciless, a masterpiece of extreme metal!
I’m with you on Teitanblood. 🙂 Not sure about most infectious though. Most diseased, definitely. Have to listen to this track again.
Great, you know, I found out “Teitanblood” right here at “NCS” and, as always, I am grateful.
You asked again to your readers to help a brother out, no worries, a pleasure, altough I hope that your list will be not inspired by us, I mean, I like your musical tastes, and about “Anteinferno” maybe I’m just a case report, ha ha! 🙂
Thanks. I always look forward to the lists in these comments because they turn me on to new music and remind me of good songs I’ve heard but just failed to add to my own list as the year rolled on — even if these lists make my own decisions more difficult. 🙂
second that!!!
The metal masterpiece part not the mind part. Probably should have clarified.
Dude, Split my Tongue… argh! so amazing.
Thank you dude, that song is stuck in my head, I love the sound, the way in which was composed, pure dark poetry!
We All Die (Laughing) – Thoughtscanning – holy shit that song is epic. so many memorable riffs and vocal passages. Also one of the best songs of the year IMO
Additional addictions i have had this year:
A Hill to die upon – A Jester Arrayed in Burning Gold
Necros Christos – Va Koram Do Rex Satan
Vesania – Dismay
Vintersorg – Overallt Och Ingenstans
Ne Obliviscaris – Devour Me, Colossus (Part I) Blackholes
Belphegor – Legions of Destruction
Beyond Creation – Earthborn Evolution
Noneuclid – Cult of One
ABAZAGORATH – Mahound
Nightbringer – Et Nox Illumination mea in Deliciis Meis
Vinterbris – Ash Alight
The Deathrip – A foot in each hell
While heaven whept – Icarus And I
Gormathon – Absence Of Trust
Damn that list got long even without checking Last.FM
finally someone mentioned Abazagorath on any of them lists
Aborted – Coffin Upon Coffin
Abysmal Dawn – Inanimate
Agalloch – Dark Matter Gods
Alestorm – Magnetic North
At The Gates – Heroes and Tombs
Autopsy – Parasitic Eye
Behemoth – In The Absense Ov Light
Belphegor – Conjuring the Dead
Blut Aus Nord – Paien
Cannabis Corpse – THC Crystal Mountain
Cannibal Corpse – Icepick Lobotomy
Dark Fortress – I Am the Jigsaw of a Mad God
Dead Congregation – Serpentskin
Decapitated – The Blasphemous Psalm to the Dummy God Creation
Delain – Your Body is a Battleground
Electric Wizard – SadioWitch
Electrocution – Logos
Eluveitie – Celtos
Falconer – Black Moon Rising
Fallujah – Carved From Stone
Goatwhore – FBS
Insomnium – Shadows of the Dying Sun
Iron Reagan – Miserable Failure
Job For a Cowboy – Sun of Nihility
Lord Mantis – Possession Prayer
Mastodon – Aunt Lisa
Mayhem – Corpse of Care
Miasmal – Until the Last
Sanctuary – Arise and Purify
Septicflesh – Prometheus
Soreption – The Nature of Blight
Vader – Triumph of Death
Vallenfyre – Scabs
Wolf – Shark Attack
YOB – In Our Blood
1349 – Godslayer
+1 for Black Moon Rising! I love “There’s A Crow On The Barrow!” There is no voice like Matthias.
Ah that time of the year. and this is the first time I am contributing to infectious song list and i think I have left a lot of listening to to do. Yet still i am going to try and listen to every song that’s mentioned here. As for me i’ve been smitten by these. Infectious indeed.
1. Woccon – Giving up the ghost
2. Nux Vomica – Reeling
3. Vainaja – Kahleiden Kantaja
4. Hour of Penance – Resurgence of the Empire
5. Dread Sovereign – Thirteen Clergy
6. Desecresy – Voracious Mass
7. Bast – Denizens
8. Aenaon – Grau Diva
9. Kampfar – Kujon
10.Trenchrot – Gustav Gun (oh that opening riff)
11.Indian – Directional
12. Read,Set,Fall – Skyscrapers (boring album but oh i am a sucker of these)
13.Corpsessed – Of Desolation
14. Yautja – Denihilist
15. Animals as Leaders – Mind-spun (for that single main riff)
16.Saor – Children of the Mist
17. Woods of Desolation – Unfold
18. Algebra – Survival Nowadays (again the intro)
19. Blut Aus Nord – Hubris
20. Nightfell – I Am Decay
21. Pallbearer – Worlds Apart
22. Solstafir – Otta (simply brilliant)
23. Zom – The Depths ( for the riff after riff after riff)
24. Admirion – Timelapse
25. A Hill to die upon – Satan Speaks (C S Lewis’ poem nails
26. Truckfighters – Mind Control
27. Auroch – Death Canonized (riff from the second half onwards = instant hypnosis)
28. Insomnium – While we sleep
29. Black Crown Initiate – Great Mistake
30. Deceptic – Smorgasbord of Shame
31. Evergrey – Archaic Rage
32. Obey the Brave – I am Winter
33. Kypck – Track 2( I cannot be expected to type Russian)
34. Xerath – Death Defiant
35. Herder – Gods
36. Arctic Sleep – The Staircase
37. Thou – Free Will ( A rare occasion when one of my favorite songs has the most infectious of parts)
Hell yeah on Nux Vomica, Solstafir, and Thou. Would’ve gone with Withering Waves from Black Crown Initiate though.
Yeah. There is approximately 0% chance that Withering Waves isn’t going to make our final list.
Indeed all those releases were great. Although Withering Waves, i would have considered it to be one of the better songs on it, although it doesn’t make the infectious cut for me.
Glad you gave this a shot this year. I’ve promised myself to listen to all suggestions, too. I did that last year, which is one reason why I didn’t start rolling out the list until late December and it went well into January. 🙂
And i’m guessing there’d be tons of more reader lists this year as well. This year would be the best till date then. Looking forward to it then.
Redeemer of Atrocity was my fave along with Resurgence… What nonsense that stuff is. The live vid of Theogony I found here once blew my mind too.
I did feel their record felt a tad pale with all their past releases though. But those two songs, resurgence and redeemer.. rules nonetheless.
I had to backtrack with this band, but I do agree that the Vile Conception is a few bars above this one.
At the beginning of the year it was at the top of a much smaller list. It has since been knocked down a number of slots by even more ridiculousness.
Centiment – Defenders Of Oasis
Trap Them – Organic Infernal
Architects – Naysayer
Black Crown Initiate – The Human Lie Manifest
Krokodil – Shatter
Exist Immortal – Edge of Infinity
Septic Flesh – Order of Dracul
Currently viciously ensneared by this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQC38QQdSok
I’ll just leave the ten I first thought of.
1. Vinterbris – Ash Alight
2. Cannibal Corpse – Kill or Become
3. Alterbeast – Fleshbound Tome
4. Beyond Creation – Elusive Reverence
5. Furia – Opętaniec
6. Insomnium – Ephemeral
7. Lord Mantis – Negative Birth
8. Decapitated – Blood Mantra
9. IFING – Stream
10. Blut Aus Nord – Paien
Panopticon – The Echoes Of A Disharmonic Evensong
Deathscapes of the Subconscious by Omnihility
The Barren Throne by Beneath
Misery by Disentomb
tought i might share some bands that weren´t already posted here, those are album names cause i can´t pick just one fuckin song!!
so far all the lists in this thread are killers if i say so.I don´t know many of the bands mencioned witch calls for music hunting.
Mastodon – The Motherload
Alright, let’s see what I can come up with.
Morbus Chron – Towards a Dark Sky
Serdce – Loss of Feeling, Feeling of Loss
Sunn O)))/Scott Walker – Bull
Disforia – Lunar Sunrise
Nightbringer – Et Nox Illumination mea in Deliciis Meis
Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen
Solstafir – Otta
Sanctuary – Arise and Purify (saw them play this the other night, and it was awesome)
Behemoth – O Father O Satan O Sun
Crimson Shadows – Freedom and Salvation
Tengger Cavalry – Galloping Towards the Great Land
Bog Oak – The Sea Without Shore
Probably more, but that’s what I got for now!
Just had that moment of, “Oh christ, what even came out this year?!”
So, quick ones.
Mechina – Zoticus
Black Crown Initiate – Withering Waves
Tengger Cavalry – Summon The Warrior
Woccon – This Frozen Soil
Anaal Nathrakh – Desideratum
Scar Symmetry – Limits To Infinity – Not my personal favorite, that award going to Neuromancers and Technopacalyptic Cybergeddon but Limits To Infinity is so catchy.
The Haunted – My Enemy
Portrait – At the Ghost Gate
..in fact Im listening to it right now
Hoth- Serpentine Whispers (this more than any other)
The Wounded Kings- Lost Bride
Rude- Soul Recall
Dark Fortress- The Deep (how cool is this song?!)
I guess most of the metal songs I listened to on repeat this year weren’t very extreme. But those stuck with me.
Inferi – A Betrayal Unfortold
Inferi – Destroyer
Inferi – The Path of Apotheosis
(You might deduce what my album of the year is…)
Insomnium – Revelation
Bloodshot Dawn – Inadequacy
Fallujah – Carved From Stone
Misery Index – Conjuring the Cull
Misery Index – The Harrowing
Pantheon I – Pariah
Starkill – Breaking the Madness
That’s the first ten I could think of. I’m undoubtedly missing many, but that’s what Listmania is for :).
This is the kind of list where “first thing you think of” is a pretty good way to make a list, because I’m guessing the most infectious songs are the ones that tend to come to mind first.
I have already made a very strong recommendation for “Pariah” in our private, secretive NCS back-channel discussions.
Good to hear that it has protagonists among the site’s insiders :). There’s just nothing more liberating than shouting out “PARIAH” as loud as you dare.
Have you heard Oubliette? I believe it was posted here once. The guitarist, Mike Low, plays in Inferi also.
Both albums are top level 2014 releases.
And Conjuring the Cull! How could I forget that one?! Song makes me want to karate chop the earth in half.
I hadn’t, but now that I have, I thank you for the pointer. Really good stuff! My tastes have been shifting away from black metal the past few years, in favour of melodic and tech death, but this is definitely a good trigger for its rehabilitation :).
A Pregnant Light – Purple Pain (chorus)
Thou – Free Will (chanting section)
Falls of Rauros – Ancestors of Shadow (intro riff)
Spectral Lore – The Spiral Fountain (riffs)
Thantifaxath – The Bright White Nothing at the End of the Tunnel (intro riff)
american – Ritual Suicide (the riff at 2:53)
Botanist – Stargazer (the chorus)
——–
Honorable mention: Kayo Dot – The Mortality of Doves (not really “infectious”, but I really adore this song.)
* Cannibal Corpse – Kill or Become *
Obituary – Visions in My Head
Exodus – Blood In, Blood Out
Decapitated – The Blasphemous Psalm to the Dummy God Creation
Vader – Go To Hell
Arch Enemy – As The Pages Burn
The Acacia Strain – Cauterizer
: )
I second “Visions In My Head.” I love that freakin’ song!
Aborted – Coffin Upon Coffin
Animals as Leaders – Tooth and Claw
Behemoth – Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
Benighted – Slaughter / Suicide
Cannibal Corpse – Kill or Become (!)
Casualties of Cool – Moon
Decapitated – The Blasphemous Psalm to the Dummy God Creation
The Contortionist – Language I – Intuition (!!!)
Killer Be Killed – Wings of Feather and Wax
(Not metal but damn if this song wasn’t stuck in my head forever) Linkin Park – War
Mastodon – The Motherload
Septicflesh – Order of Dracul (!!)
Whitechapel – The Saw is The Law
Forogt, definitely need to add this:
Lantlos – Melting Sun II: Cherry Quartz
The whole album was mesmerizing, it’s absolutely in my top albums of the year.
Cannibal Corpse – Kill Or Become is the first song by any band or album that immediately came to mind when I read your description of “most infectious”. That song has serious potential to the Call Me Maybe of Death Metal, haha. Icepick Lobotomy or Asphyxiate To Resuscitate (DAT FUCKING RIFF) would also make good candidates.
Aborted – Coffin Upon Coffin is another no-brainer (at least to me). I’ve played that song alone on repeat so much when I’m driving around for work.
Behemoth – Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer is such a goddamn catchy song on an album that is literally brimming with catchy songs. I saw a couple people already mention O Father, O Satan, O Sun but man, this track just sets up shop in my brain in a way that makes me want to demand rent checks from it. Then there’s Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel which is one of my favorite songs.. maybe ever, like an absolute perfect and brilliantly written metal song.
1349 – Cauldron, Godslayer, Mengeles, Chained… really just close your eyes and pick a song at random off this list. One of my favorite records this year.
Yautja – Faith Resigned. Fucking A man, that last section where they lock into that groove and just relentlessly pound it into your head over and over for like 4 minutes… I wish it went on for 10.
Belphegor – In Death So. Fucking. Heavy. So. Fucking. Catchy. Rex Tremendae Majestatis would also be a good pick but doesn’t make me wanna hurt people in a Raining Blood kind of way like In Death does.
Horned Almighty – Diabolical Engines Of Torment has every over-used metal song-writing technique that makes me want to head-bang and air guitar, and damn does it put them to good use. Would kill to see this song live just to watch the crowd wild out.
Horizon Ablaze – Anything of of Dodsverk because duh.
Lord Mantis – Possession Prayer. No band that sounds this absolutely filthy should be able to write a song that is this infectious… maybe its infectious like a staff infection? Shit they did the same thing on Pervertor with The Whip and the Body. Band has mastered the “filth mantra” style of song.
Misery Index – The Harrowing. Or.. yknow, any song off the Killing Gods. Still one of my favorites from this whole year.
Decapitated – Veins. Before I got a chance to hear this album a friend of mine told me “pfft they have songs that sound like Slipknot” and meant it as a diss. Then I heard this song and I thought “shit.. they DO kinda sound like Slipknot, but I love it!”. Plus there’s so much catchy shit the drummer is doing during the repetitive parts. Exiled In Flesh also deserves a shoutout for starting the album off with an IMMEDIATE decapitated boner (weird mental image).
King Parrot – Cold Steel Probe. Can’t remember if this album came out this year or last since I couldn’t get a hold of it for many months. But fuck you, you damn Aussies. Thanks to you I’ve walked around at work just repeatedly singing “cold steel probe” to myself many many times.
Miasmal – Until The Last. Another album that’s sitting pretty high on my favorites of the year. This one has a particularly sharp hook/solo though.
Coffinworm – Sympathectomy. Probably my #1 album of the year and my #1 favorite song TITLE as well. What a fucking way to start an album.
That’s all I could think of off the top of my head. Definitely forgetting a ton, but I’ve already completely fucked up my initial plan of “well I’ll just pop in for a word or two”, sorry for the novel.
PS I’ve not had nearly enough time to spend with Elddop by Martyrdod but from the little bit I’ve heard I can already tell it’s an album chock full of ridiculous hooks. Anyone wanna confirm for this lazy metalhead?
Lots of good stuff in here, and I’m leaving this response mainly to confirm that yes, Elddop by Martyrdod is indeed loaded with ridiculous hooks. Definitely worth having in its entirety.
The Yautja album is unsung masterpiece.
Also features a guy in Alraune, who also put out a good record this year.
Auroch-Death Canonized
Any song on the new Bloodbath, they are all great and I cant choose, possibly “Anne” but I don’t know.
Decapitated-Instinct
Falls of Rauros-Unavailing
Falls of Rauros-The Purity of Isolation
Mare Cognitum-Weaving The Thread Of Transcendence
Monumentomb-Ritual Exhumation
Mortals-View from a Tower
Nasheim-Jag fyller min bagare med tomhet
Oruga-Ghosts of Anneliese
Panopticon-The Long Road Part 2 Capricious Miles
Phobocosm-27 Days of Darkness
Serpentrance-Obeisance To The Antiquity Of Sin
Sólstafir-Ótta
Teitanblood-Anteinfierno
Unaussprechlichen Kulten-Spirals of Acrid Smoke
Vanhelgd-Cure Us From Life
Vassafor-Son of the Moon
Wolvhammer-Clawing into Black Sun
Probably didn’t get to all the songs I love but it is what it is… 🙂
I need to respond to many more comments, but since this is the one I’ve seen most recently, I have to say that you’ve tapped into a very large number of my personal favorite albums of this year. Great list, and an excellent reminder of some songs I stupidly overlooked in preparing my own list of candidates.
Thanks man! It’s an impossible task you have and one I don’t envy! Can’t wait to see the final list!
That Auroch song is hypnotizing.
Amazingly so…
Agalloch- The Astral Dialogue, Celestial Effigy
Behemoth- Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
Beyond Creation- Earthborn Evolution
Black Crown Initiate- The Great Mistake, Withering Waves
Conan- Total Conquest
Cormorant- The Pythia
Darkest Era- The Serpent and the Shadow, Beyond the Grey Veil
Decapitated- Nest, Blindness
Emptiness- Nothing But the Whole
Godflesh- Dogbite, Playing With FIre, New Dark Ages, Shut Me Down
Insomnium- Black Heart Rebellion
Lord Mantis- Body Choke
Mammoth Storm- Rite of Ascension
Mastodon- The Motherload, High Road
Nightfell- I Am Decay, The Hollowing
Nod Nod- Lullaby
P.H.O.B.O.S- Transfixed at Golgotha
Sacrocurse- Unholier Master
Slomatics- Troglorite
Solstafir- Pick a song 😉
Soreption- I Am You
Tengger Cavalry- First 4 tracks
Triptykon- Boleskin House, Aurorae
Vainaja- Valon lapset, Verinen lähde, Risti kädessäni
Woods of Desolation- Unfold
Wovoka- Sleep Eater
Yob- Nothing to Win, Marrow
-whew-
damn… Tombs- Portraits
Diocletian – Beast Atop The Trapezoid
Blut Aus Nord – Hùbris
Bölzer – Steppes
These three infected me more than any other releases. Their bloated play counts in itunes is proof enough for me.
Sinmara – Verminous
Falls of Rauros – Waxen Voices
Mare Cognitum – Weaving the Thread of Transendence
Machine Head – Now We Die
The symphonic elements in this song are a great dynamic with Machine Head’s usual sound. While it’s not the first time for metal as a whole, it is for MH. I like the pace and tempo of this song, it proves that you don’t have to play 300 bpm with constant double-kicking to be “heavy.”
Obituary – Visions In My Head
When the band first released this song, I must have listened to it at work close to 30 times. It’s so bouncy and groovy! It’s “catchy” for death metal and doesn’t try to bludgeon the listener to death.
Below – Portal
One of my first journeys into doom metal. Excellent mix and production quality for a virtually unknown band. Creepy, haunting, lumbering riffage. Drums and bass sound organic and low. The instrumentation makes the band really feel like a unit, instead of just a bunch of guys backing up the frontman.
Aceldama – Tortured
I forget exactly how I found this band. They’re from Costa Rica and they play old school death that defies a lot of the ‘core of the modern era. Simple, straightforward, brutal.
Sleep – The Clarity
Until we get more sludgy thrash from High On Fire, this will definitely do. At 9:51, this song is an epic and ambitious return to form for Pike & Co. Very reminiscent of “ Sleep’s Holy Mountain,” but with modern recording quality. New drummer Jason Roeder has no problem filling Chris Hakius’ shoes. If you’re looking for a heavy, slow, laid back tune with loud low end, this is for you.
Falconer – There’s A Crow On The Barrow
I just found this band within the last year or so. Why I hadn’t heard of them before, I have no idea. Those looking for a classical vocalist, look no further. Plus, drummer Karsten Larsson can hold his own easily against any modern death metal drummer. Superb folk metal from Sweden.
Abysmal Dawn – Inanimate
This tune works so well because of its midtempo groove that begs one’s head to bang. It sticks out from the rest of the tracks on the album for that reason. Back to back listens are a must.
Unearth – The Swarm
This song was a breath of fresh air for metalcore. With AILD falling by the wayside and ATR having an identity crisis, Unearth have made breakdowns exciting again. Trevor Phipps’ vocals seem extra fiery on this release.
Metallica – Lords Of Summer
Hate if you want, I love this tune. One of Lars’ best drum performances in recent years, especially live.
Witch Mountain – Your Corrupt Ways (Sour The Hymn)
This song needs to be in the soundtrack for a horror film. It’s eerie and epic doom with raspy female vocals. Think Janis Joplin meets Black Sabbath.
Dust Bolt – Soul Erazor
Along with Evile, these guys are one of the more promising thrash bands in recent years. A lot of the new thrash bands get hate because they sound “too much” like older bands. I’m ok with that, because I love thrash metal and hate that it fizzled out in the 90’s. If you’re a thrash fan, give this one a spin.
Opeth – Eternal Rains Will Come
Proggy, jazzy, goodness like only Opeth can deliver. Sure, it’s not “The Leper Affinity,” but if I wanted that I’d listen to that song. ‘Nuff said.
Massacre – As We Wait To Die
This one was a darkhorse for me. I listened to it on a whim and really dug it. Dumb, meatheaded, and old school Florida DM. Too bad the rest of the album wasn’t as good as this song.
Seprevation – In Torment They Burn
Speedy, grating, shrill deathrash in the vein of Pestilence, Possessed, and old Sepultura. Bass enthusiasts should really dig this band. If you need your metal to push the bpms, check this band out.
Saving Grace – +0
Along with the Unearth release, this band did something new for metalcore and made it exciting again. Harsh and vitriolic vocals spewing forth venom and rage. This song would make a great alarm for waking up in the morning. Listen to the first 15 seconds and you’ll see what I mean.
Demon Hunter – Artificial Light
I know this band gets a lot of flack for their theological worldview, but we’re talking about infections songs. And this one definitely is. I’ll admit, I’m a fan.I love this band and everything they do. But I can’t get this song’s chorus out of my head.
Dragonforce – The Game
New(er) frontman Marc Hudson really came into his own on the new DF album, and this song proves it. If meth was music, it would be Dragonforce. Had this in my head for days.
Black Label Society – Fields Of Unforgiveness
I heard the new BLS on Spotify and bought it. I love this whole album, and this song in particular. It’s somber and heavy. Zakk Wylde’s one of the few that really understands that you don’t have to play faster or brutal-er to be “heavy.”
Sabaton – Night Witches
Another random one. Checked this out on a whim and this song blew me away. Their music should be used in war films.
Alestorm – Walk The Plank
How a pirate-themed metal band waited until their fourth record to include a song about “walking the plank” is beyond me. But it works really well. The death vocals in the chorus are something new for Alestorm, and this one is sure to be a fan favorite at shows.
Accept – Stampede
I liked the last 2 records with Tornillo. And I loved this song. It’s great for a workout playlist.
Hammerfall – Live Life Loud
This riff is something straight out of an 80’s sports montage. Cheesy? Perhaps. But it’s power metal and that’s ok.
Trenchrot – Death By Trenchrot
Sexcrement – Salt Peter (after being turned on to this by this site, I can’t stop listening to this song)
Nunslaughter – Blood Drinker
Vader – The Eye Of The Abyss
Fistula – Smoke Cat Hair And Toe Nails
Hyelish – Enferma Humanidad
Hyelish – Sabor A Muerte
DIckless Tracy – Remnants
Jute Gyte – Mansions Of Fear, Mansions Of Pain
I haven’t seen these mentioned yet.
I feel sure we will continue to get more lists/comments, so I’m not trying to cut that off — just wanted to say thank-you to everyone who has contributed so far. There’s an amazing amount of fantastic metal in these lists, and so many discoveries for me — which really is the whole point (not just to point me in new directions, but to point anyone who comes here in the direction of wonderful music they haven’t heard yet)..
Sorry to be tardy to the party. I am sure some of these have been mentioned, but I figured I would throw in my two cents.
Abysmal Dawn-“Inanimate”
Black Crown Initiate-“Purge”
Cannibal Corpse-“Kill or Become”
Dark Fortress-“I Am The Jigsaw of a Mad God”
A Hill To Die Upon-“O Death”
Machine Head-“Night of Long Knives”
Revocation-“Deathless”
Schammasch-“Jhwh”
Aborted-“Coffin Upon Coffin”
At The Gates-“Order From Chaos”
Archspire-“Lucid Collective Somnambulation”
Insomnium-“The River”
Mechina – Terrae
“Only titans remain!!”. The chorus is great, and then the song morphs into an entirely different beast towards the end.
Aversions Crown – Hollow Planet.
When I first saw this video I thought ‘okay, another deathcore band’. Somehow they just end up sounding so ‘samey’ to me most of the time. But then this strangely paradoxical ‘melodic chorus that’s not a melodic chorus’ kicked in and I was hooked. Hell there’s even crabcore in that video and I love. Those dudes can seriously play too. Throw in some sci fi concepts and it’s all I need.
Machine Head – Now We Die
Trepalium – Voodoo Moonshine.
It makes me want to drink, pull out the cards with the boys and start gambling. Which is bad.
Signs – United in Tragedy
Xerath – Bleed This Body Clean & Veil Pt 1.
Although I was lukewarm on this album at first, over the last few weeks I’ve come to love it. ‘Bleed This Body Clean’ has a great combo of being one of the heaviest tracks and a great catchy chorus. ‘Veil Pt 1’ is such a fascinating track – high pitched high vocals, not what I expected out of Xerath, but it works. And the spoken/whispered 2nd half ‘When I’m dead….’ makes me want to sing along… which kind of means whispering along 😉
Allegaeon – Biomech II
Septic Flesh – Order Of Dracul.
Sorry Andy, I love this album 🙂
Babymetal – Megitsune
I would rate this as the strongest track on the album. It has everything Babymetal all in one song.
Siegewyrm – Devil’s Dance
A great mix of heavy, esoteric sounding chorus and mellow interludes
.. and there’s probably a bunch I can’t remember and will kick myself later for not thinking of them.
Hello. IDK will it be helpful (interesting) or not but here is my list of best albums of 2014:
Akrotheism – Behold the Son of Plagues (2014)
Dead Congregation – Promulgation of the Fall (2014)
Destructive Explosion of Anal Garland – Tour de Anal (2014)
Enabler – La Fin Absolue Du Monde (2014)
Exordium Mors – The Apotheosis of Death (2014)
Fossils – Flesh Hammer (2014)
Horrid – Sacrilegious Fornication (2014)
Khroma – Collapse (2014)
Malhkebre – Revelation (2014)
Mysticum – Planet Satan (2014)
Nausea – Condemned to the System (2014)
Skinfather – None Will Mourn (2014)
Plebeian Grandstand – Lowgazers (2014)
Ne Obliviscaris – Citadel (2014)
Nocturnal Breed – Napalm Nights (2014)
Picked 15 that have grown on me over the year:
Agalloch – Celestial Effigy
Allegaeon – 1.618
Behemoth – Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
Bloodbath – Famine Of God’s Word
Cannibal Corpse – Kill Or Become
Crowbar – Symmetry in White
Down – We Knew Him Well
Entombed A.D. – Bedlam Attack
Equilibrium – Wirthaus Gaudi
Mastodon – The Motherload
Misery Index – Conjuring The Cull
Opeth – Cusp of Eternity
Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen
Triptykon – Boleskine House
Vallenfyre – Scabs
Nasheim has gotten too few listing across the metal blogosphere this year. The song I can’t get away from is Tragedie des ombres by Grimoire.
PRIMORDIAL – Wield Lightning To Split The Sun