Although this week we started posting the year-end lists of NCS staff and guest writers, we’ve still got a few more lists from other sites to feature. As in previous years, one of them is Pitchfork’s list of the Top 40 Metal Albums of the year, which was unveiled this morning.

Pitchfork is one of the “big platform” sites that cover genres of music well beyond metal — which is sort of true by definition because no metal-only site could ever amass an audience of more than 3.5 million unique visitors each month; that’s what Pitchfork claims for its monthly audience. As in the case of other big platform sites, I’m curious about their year-end metal list because it at least has the potential to expose the bands to so many people.

I usually expect that metal lists from sites such as this one will be watered down to some degree, simply because the audience consists of so many non-metalheads. But in Pitchfork’s case, the list is compiled by Brandon Stosuy, who knows his shit and whose “Show No Mercy” column is a reliable guide to metal that’s worth checking out.

Given that the Pitchfork list is 40 names long, there’s a lot I could discuss by way of preview. But I’ll limit myself to these observations and then get out of the way. First, it’s again gratifying to see so many old-school death and death/doom albums on the list. Bands such as Incantation, Grave, and Asphyx make yet another appearance on a big year-end list, with Deathhammer nailing down the No. 5 spot. Continue reading »

(In this guest post, long-time NCS supporter and student of dark and dirty metal SurgicalBrute provides hits personal list of 2012’s best albums.)

We’re coming into the final days of 2012 and that means only one thing… It’s time for everyone who listens to heavy metal to voice their opinions on which albums they liked best this year. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I rarely find a list that I actually agree with. That doesn’t matter though, everyone knows the real fun comes in seeing where (or if) other people rank your favorites, and possibly finding some new bands that you may have previously skipped.

Putting my list together this year was actually pretty damn hard. I don’t know if I was more aware of the releases that came out or if this was just a particularly heavy year for new albums, but the sheer amount of new music I found this year was overwhelming. Normally I try to get my “Best Of” list down to about 15 albums, but this year I’ve decided to go with an even 20. Anything less, and I’d have to cut some really top-notch albums (hell, I’ve already had to cut some top-notch albums).

As usual, my tastes tend to run more toward the darker and dirtier sides of extreme metal so if that’s not your thing all I can say is…

…what the hell’s wrong with you?

To everyone else, in nor particular order, here’s my Top 20 albums of the year….Enjoy the music \m/ Continue reading »

As I assume everyone knows by now, our philosophy is not to crap on metal bands whose music sucks. Instead, we pretty much just ignore them. About the only exceptions are big, famous, wealthy, arrogant bands who just won’t shut the fuck up (I’m looking at you, Dave Mustaine and Axl Rose). But when it comes to just about everyone else, our philosophy is to stay positive and spend our time talking about music we like and want to recommend.

BUT, since we’re nearing the end of the year, other sites are making lists of the worst metal albums of 2012, and once again we’re featuring one of those lists here, to go along with all the “Best of 2012″ lists we’ve been posting. And once again, to get the conversation-started, we’re turning to Adrien Begrand’s column for MSN Entertainment.

MSN Entertainment is another one of what I’ve been calling “big platform” sites, i.e., websites that have huge amounts of traffic but cover metal as only one of dozens of interests. As in the case of other big-platform sites whose Best of 2012 lists I’ve been featuring, I’d be surprised if any of you visit MSN Entertainment to get guidance about good and bad metal. But Adrien Begrand knows his stuff and is worth reading.

So, after the jump, we’ll take a look at his list of the 10 Worst Metal Albums of 2012, and then we’ll open up the Comments for discussion. This year we don’t have world-class stinkers like Lulu and Illud Divinum Insanus, but I bet there have been some others you’ve been detesting almost as much. And if you thing Adrien was wrong-headed in including some of the albums on his own list, feel free to say so. He’s not here to defend himself. Continue reading »

(This is the second in NCS writer Andy Synn’s week-long series of posts looking back at albums released in 2012.) 

Ok, so there’s a variety of releases on this list. And not just in terms of genre. The albums featured here range from ‘Good’ to ‘Very Good’, some of which teeter on the edge of greatness but which, for reasons I might just explain if you’re all on your best behaviour, didn’t quite make the cut for the list of the year’s Great albums.

Try not to blow a gasket if your favourite album is on the ‘Good’ list, rather than the ‘Great’ list – I’ve simply tried to be as objective and impartial as possible. The albums on this list (to paint a broad picture) simply had a few too many flaws, or were perhaps a tad lacking in ambition, to really reach the pinnacle of greatness.

Similarly don’t worry if there’s an album you don’t see on either of the two lists. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to be on the ‘Disappointing’ list (though try and forgive me if they are). There’s only so much time in the day/week/month/year, so certain albums I either simply haven’t heard yet (Nachtmystium, Antestor, for example) or haven’t listened to enough to form a reasonable opinion.

After the jump… all the ‘Good’ albums from this year of manic metal. Continue reading »