Metal 2016

[Pitiless Wanderer]

In any case, top 10 of the year at this point is:

Cobalt
Mare Cognitum
Moonsorrow
Oranssi Pazuzu
Sunnata
Urfaust
Vektor

The last 3 spots require more listens. Contenders are Audon, Zhrine, Forteresse, Fyrnask, Zaum, Uada, Kvalvaag, Death Fortress, Howls of Ebb, Destroyer 666, Spaceslug, Hyperion, Irkallian Oracle, Grand Magus, and Kalmankantaja.

Not a bad list. May I recommend the following: Mithras, Schammasch, Deathspell Omega, Chthe'ilist, Oak Pantheon, Obscura, Sheidim, Stortregn, Vanhelga, Grave Miasma..

 

[CiG]

I don't trust your opinions on production, but I'm yet to hear this Sumerlands properly so I'll keep that in mind.

 

[no country for old wainds]

the production is not the problem with that album. might even be the best thing about it.

edit: i like the guitar tone and the meaty drums, anyway. not sure about how the vocals are mixed.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

Yes the bass drums are too far back with much too much emphasis on the guitars. I mean just listen to it at a high volume. It sounds awful.

 

[no country for old wainds]

i guess to me if there's one instrument that's allowed to dominate it's the guitars, especially when they're clearly going for that vast stadium-filling kind of sound. maybe if i heard a better recorded version i'd appreciate what i was missing but, like, my production threshold is way lower than this, i do have a black metal background after all.

i still don't particularly care about this album aside from one song though so i'm with you on that.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Arthur was going for that 80s arena-rock style with the drums. Heavy on the snare and high hat and shit. I fucking love it.

My top 5 so far

1) Wytch Hazel - Prelude
2) Sumerlands - Sumerlands
3) Eternal Champion - The Armour of Ire
4) High Spirits - Motivator
5) Antaeus - Condemnation

 

[CiG]

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

 

[SweptbackFlame]

3rd Halestorm covers EP. There is a Ride the Lightning cover on this EP and I can't wait to hear that. And this Whitesnake cover is badass, Lzzy is fucking amazing.

 

[nizzon]

My top 10 right now but it migh change..

1. Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts
   
2. pg.lost - Versus
   
3. TID – Fix Idé
   
4. Megadeth – Dystopia
   
5. Dark Tranquillity – Atoma
   
6. Diabolical – Umbra (EP)
   
7. Insomnium – Winters Gate
   
8. Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason
   
9. If These Trees Could Talk – The Bones of a Dying World
   
10. Cauldron – In Ruin

 

[The Ozzman]

I need to make an effort to relisten to everything I bought this year. ~40 releases will take a while and I may buy a few more before EOY.

This would probably be mine right now in no particular order:

Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Opeth - Sorceress
Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence (this surprised the fuck out of me)
Shed the Skin - Harrowing Faith
Revocation - Great Is Our Sin
Abnormality - Mechanisms of Omniscience
Obscura - Akroasis
Megadeth - Dystopia
Metal Church - XI
Striker - Stand in the Fire

I want to put the Defeated Sanity in Top 10 but unsure because it's a split EP with themselves. The new Katatonia was really disappointing given how strong Dead End Kings was.

 

[no country for old wainds]

i was planning to make a top 10 of 2016 thread toward the end of december. might even add up peoples entries and see what our consensus list is, if enough people actually post one.

 

[Draehl]

Not familiar with most of those y'all posted. I guess I'm significantly more in tune with pagan, atmoblack, and stoner/sludge than the rest. Vektor transcends genre though. AOTY for sure.

 

[The Ozzman]

Vektor is nowhere near AOTY

 

[EspaDa]

Great album. Sad you guys didnt mention Cobalt - Slow Forever.

 

[Baroque]

 

[Draehl]

Great album. Sad you guys didnt mention Cobalt - Slow Forever.

I mentioned it. Scroll up yo.

Vektor is nowhere near AOTY

I don't even like thrash and AOTY.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

@The Ozzman I forgot about Transcendence. What a killer record....some of those songs, while not up to par with Devin's early material, are still seriously impressive. I had "Secret Sciences" in my head for like 3 months not long ago. That album is definitely in my top 10 or 12.

 

[The Ozzman]

@The Ozzman I forgot about Transcendence. What a killer record....some of those songs, while not up to par with Devin's early material, are still seriously impressive. I had "Secret Sciences" in my head for like 3 months not long ago. That album is definitely in my top 10 or 12.

Half of that record is better than any of the in crowd shit mentioned this year by far

 

[CiG]

Somehow I highly doubt that shit.