You can blame my sickness for all these lists! Although this has been done a long time now I didn't post here, but now I'm thinking what the hell, for my death metal brethren out there, here are my 20 fave death metal records from last year.
20. Nightrage - Insidious
Didn't really expect to like this melodeath band's album but I was completely won over by the guitar melodies and playing in general. Very catchy riffs flowed freely from the guitar players fingers making this album a joy to listen to. The odd part was a little bit slower or mundane but that was easily forgivable when the majority was of such beautiful melodic quality.
19. Neuraxis - Asylon
Canadian tech death merchants returned with an excellent album and by far their best in my eyes. The songs were well crafted and showed off their playing abilities to the full. A slightly more relaxed affair at times as well allowing the songs to breathe a little more rather being frenetic technicality 100% of the time. Great production also helped the album to easily be worthy of a top 20 spot in my list.
18. Alarum - Natural Causes
A really cool and quirky tech death metal release. The clean vocals are a bit difficult but in the main the music more than makes up for it. Very much like a more metal version of Cynic. A really positive and enjoyable come back disk.
17. Abraxas - Damnation
The true Morbid Angel album of 2011! If this album said Morbid Angel on the cover no one would have batted an eyelid it's that close to 'ancient ones'. The riffing is totally Morbid Angelish in style as are the vocals. A very strong release of classic death metal with room for improvement in production maybe. I was surprised I enjoyed this unknown band so much but you can never be sure when a band turns up with an album that far super cedes their main influence.
16. Illogicist - The Unconsciousness of Living
The Italian Death worshippers came back with a very strong effort indeed. It took a couple of plays to convince but it got there in the end. I am not 100% convinced by the vocals which are a bit harsh but I'll get over it. The riffing is pure Chuck to the bone but on a slightly less focused or song based level. The only thing that holds the album back slightly for me is the lack of memorability in the song writing. Everything else is top class Death worship. Better than their last album and a fine effort overall.
15. Nervecell - Psycogenocide
It can't be easy being a death metal band in Dubai but Nervecell show such immense quality that you can easily forget the struggles they have in their homeland living out the life of a death metal band. You'd expect the band to be struggling to deliver quality music and production, but not a bit of it. This is high quality ,precise, chunky death metal with catchy songs galore. The production is nice and fat allowing all instruments to be heard clearly. Their influences lie on both classic and more modern death metal bands but it's the song writing abilities that shine through most. Just an enjoyable slab of catchy, groovy death metal with no little technical ability.
14. Anterior - Echoes of the Fallen
Amazingly an English melodeathcore band makes my list and in a quite high position. Anterior really stepped it up many notches on this release. I don't like the vocals of course but I can tolerate them. The guitars are completely wonderful in this release though. The riffs are melodic as hell but it's the solos that really showcase their talent. Along with the solos in the new Vader album, these guys made my heart leap the most with their wonderfully fluid and anthemic solos. Top job!
13. Brought By Pain - The Dreamer's Will
Side project by Beyond Creation people showcasing a slightly less technical version of their main band. It's still pretty tech at times though with some brilliant passages of music. The harsh black rasping vocals annoys me somewhat and holds me back from placing this higher still cause the music is surely up there with the best. Some nice audible bass lines in this band too. Might go up in my estimation given a few more plays.
12. Vomitory - Opus Mortis VIII
A very surprise high entry by the long running Swedish death metal merchants. Their previous albums have been ok but fairly average affairs for me but their 8th album as neatly indicated by the title, is an amazing slab of punishing heavy death metal. The production is really something and easily one of the best I've heard this year on a death metal album. It's crisp and clean but heavy as lead to boot. The songs are fast to mid paced affairs with plenty of change up groove riffs along with the blast beats. The vocals are perfect for the band as well, being deep growls in a catchy rhythmic style. Their best album after so many years bashing away at this death metal game.
11. The Soulless - Isolated
The Ignominious Incarceration boys stripped away all the technicality of their previous incarnation and went to straight ahead melodeathcore on this release. The riffing on this album is just stupendous I must say. I love the way the guy can manage to pull out killer riff after killer as if it's a piece of cake. Only the deathcore vocals stop me from loving this more as the music is such brilliance to listen to.
10. Volturyon - Coordinated Mutilation
Their previous disk was excellent and I think they even managed to step it up a notch. This is the definition of great standard death metal beautiful fat chunky riffage and heavy vocals. The riffs pound you into dust and the songs are catchy to boot. Not too much more I can ask for as a regular death metal fan.
09. Obscura - Omnivium
The Necrophagist spin off band delivers on all accounts on this occasion. I am not sure their songwriting capabilities are still quite up to Muhammed's but everything else is. What more can I say other than if you like tech death then you like Obscura.
08. Entrails - The Tomb Awaits
I went nuts when I first heard this album let me tell ya! It was one of the best old school albums I'd heard in years. Their first album was good but everything had been turned up a notch on this release especially the production. The sawblade guitars were especially rabid and cut through the mix like vicious shards of cut glass whilst the singer gurgled away like a maniac and the drummer pounded like his life depended on it. Over a little more playing time, some of the novelty and brilliance of this classic old school death metal release was dampened a touch with the realisation that not all the songs were as fantastic as some, and hence the drop down the table. However this is still my fave classic death metal release of 2011 and boy does that guitar sound rule!
07. Ouroboros - Glorification of a Myth
An Aussie troop that came out of nowhere with this superb thrashy tech death release. Once again the sound is not heavy or crunchy but features a huge load of whirling, killing riffs that zip round your head like a swarm of angry bees. These boys are already at the top level and can improve further with a slightly fatter production in the future. A great release in any case.
06. Beyond Creation - The Aura
Fantastic Necrophagist worship from Canada. Since the real thing seems to have gone comatose, we have to see what the necro-worship bands can do and Beyond Creation fill that void nicely. The production is not heavy, but clean and warm as you would expect. The playing is just perfect. The catchiness of the songs is good but not amazing. A great start for this band and hopefully the follow up will be even better when they tighten up the songs a little more.
05. Blood Red Throne - Brutalitarian Regime
I have liked the last two BRT releases but they have improved even further since the last album. The production is comletely savage, being heavy as lead and yet with great sharpness and bite to the guitars. The songwriting is very catchy and succinct. They still have the odd black metal blast which is accepted with the roots of the band being in Emperor of course with Tchort. In the main they play chunky brutal death metal with great vocals and memorable riffing bouncing off the walls like a crackerjack! Love it!
04. Vale of Pnath - The Prodigal Empire
These boys have delivered a masterpiece of tech death on this album though this is about as frenetic as I can take, any more and it starts to grate on me. These chaps know how to shred like maniacs but still deliver catchiness or grooves to make the songs acessible and memorable. The production is also amazingly super clean allowing for all instruments to be heard to the minute detail. Probably one of my best full on tech death release of all time.
03. Sectu - Inundate
Another new comer Swedish thrashy death metal band with absolutely monstrous production and chunky crunchy riffing. This held the number one spot for a long before dropping slightly due to the other two having more plays overall. This is still a phenomenal debut release by this band. I am sure they can improve even further on the next album and deliver more of this fantastic death metal mastery that they willfully display on Inundate.
02. I Chaos - The Human Repellent
I loved this one and almost put it at the top cause it was very close. I often reach for this if I want to play something with class and a heavy production. The riff attack on this album is just very cool indeed. The riffs are full of chunky fatness and yet have a great groove to them. The album is a little samey sounding but this bothers me little as each song is blessed with countless killer riffs to enjoy. A very pleasant surprise and I hope they continue to develop and make a great follow up.
01. Anatomy of I - Substratum
I had this album placed a little lower in the top 10 a while back but then every time I had the urge to listen to some death metal I found myself wanting another dose of Anatomy of I. When I first heard the album the vocals were what pained me most. I felt they were far too blackened for the music and I still feel that way to a degree but I have become far more accustomed to them. However the music which I was initially pleased about has completely won me over now. There are so many wondrous riffs on this album. Chunky, technical and melodic with great flow from one section to another. The lovely, thick and fuzzy production also helps no end. The album doesn't sound too clinical or mechanical like in most tech death bands which is another plus in my book. It sounds less like a machine and more like actual humans playing the music. The main influence of the band is Death of course and Chuck's riffing style can be heard here there and everywhere. Mr. DiGiorgio's bass is also something special to behold. His lines give the music added warmth and propel this album to the top of my list for 2011. I do hope there is another album from these guys in the future although this could possibly be just a project, we shall see. For now Substratum is a joyous listening experience for any fan of melodic and technical death.
20. Nightrage - Insidious
Didn't really expect to like this melodeath band's album but I was completely won over by the guitar melodies and playing in general. Very catchy riffs flowed freely from the guitar players fingers making this album a joy to listen to. The odd part was a little bit slower or mundane but that was easily forgivable when the majority was of such beautiful melodic quality.
19. Neuraxis - Asylon
Canadian tech death merchants returned with an excellent album and by far their best in my eyes. The songs were well crafted and showed off their playing abilities to the full. A slightly more relaxed affair at times as well allowing the songs to breathe a little more rather being frenetic technicality 100% of the time. Great production also helped the album to easily be worthy of a top 20 spot in my list.
18. Alarum - Natural Causes
A really cool and quirky tech death metal release. The clean vocals are a bit difficult but in the main the music more than makes up for it. Very much like a more metal version of Cynic. A really positive and enjoyable come back disk.
17. Abraxas - Damnation
The true Morbid Angel album of 2011! If this album said Morbid Angel on the cover no one would have batted an eyelid it's that close to 'ancient ones'. The riffing is totally Morbid Angelish in style as are the vocals. A very strong release of classic death metal with room for improvement in production maybe. I was surprised I enjoyed this unknown band so much but you can never be sure when a band turns up with an album that far super cedes their main influence.
16. Illogicist - The Unconsciousness of Living
The Italian Death worshippers came back with a very strong effort indeed. It took a couple of plays to convince but it got there in the end. I am not 100% convinced by the vocals which are a bit harsh but I'll get over it. The riffing is pure Chuck to the bone but on a slightly less focused or song based level. The only thing that holds the album back slightly for me is the lack of memorability in the song writing. Everything else is top class Death worship. Better than their last album and a fine effort overall.
15. Nervecell - Psycogenocide
It can't be easy being a death metal band in Dubai but Nervecell show such immense quality that you can easily forget the struggles they have in their homeland living out the life of a death metal band. You'd expect the band to be struggling to deliver quality music and production, but not a bit of it. This is high quality ,precise, chunky death metal with catchy songs galore. The production is nice and fat allowing all instruments to be heard clearly. Their influences lie on both classic and more modern death metal bands but it's the song writing abilities that shine through most. Just an enjoyable slab of catchy, groovy death metal with no little technical ability.
14. Anterior - Echoes of the Fallen
Amazingly an English melodeathcore band makes my list and in a quite high position. Anterior really stepped it up many notches on this release. I don't like the vocals of course but I can tolerate them. The guitars are completely wonderful in this release though. The riffs are melodic as hell but it's the solos that really showcase their talent. Along with the solos in the new Vader album, these guys made my heart leap the most with their wonderfully fluid and anthemic solos. Top job!
13. Brought By Pain - The Dreamer's Will
Side project by Beyond Creation people showcasing a slightly less technical version of their main band. It's still pretty tech at times though with some brilliant passages of music. The harsh black rasping vocals annoys me somewhat and holds me back from placing this higher still cause the music is surely up there with the best. Some nice audible bass lines in this band too. Might go up in my estimation given a few more plays.
12. Vomitory - Opus Mortis VIII
A very surprise high entry by the long running Swedish death metal merchants. Their previous albums have been ok but fairly average affairs for me but their 8th album as neatly indicated by the title, is an amazing slab of punishing heavy death metal. The production is really something and easily one of the best I've heard this year on a death metal album. It's crisp and clean but heavy as lead to boot. The songs are fast to mid paced affairs with plenty of change up groove riffs along with the blast beats. The vocals are perfect for the band as well, being deep growls in a catchy rhythmic style. Their best album after so many years bashing away at this death metal game.
11. The Soulless - Isolated
The Ignominious Incarceration boys stripped away all the technicality of their previous incarnation and went to straight ahead melodeathcore on this release. The riffing on this album is just stupendous I must say. I love the way the guy can manage to pull out killer riff after killer as if it's a piece of cake. Only the deathcore vocals stop me from loving this more as the music is such brilliance to listen to.
10. Volturyon - Coordinated Mutilation
Their previous disk was excellent and I think they even managed to step it up a notch. This is the definition of great standard death metal beautiful fat chunky riffage and heavy vocals. The riffs pound you into dust and the songs are catchy to boot. Not too much more I can ask for as a regular death metal fan.
09. Obscura - Omnivium
The Necrophagist spin off band delivers on all accounts on this occasion. I am not sure their songwriting capabilities are still quite up to Muhammed's but everything else is. What more can I say other than if you like tech death then you like Obscura.
08. Entrails - The Tomb Awaits
I went nuts when I first heard this album let me tell ya! It was one of the best old school albums I'd heard in years. Their first album was good but everything had been turned up a notch on this release especially the production. The sawblade guitars were especially rabid and cut through the mix like vicious shards of cut glass whilst the singer gurgled away like a maniac and the drummer pounded like his life depended on it. Over a little more playing time, some of the novelty and brilliance of this classic old school death metal release was dampened a touch with the realisation that not all the songs were as fantastic as some, and hence the drop down the table. However this is still my fave classic death metal release of 2011 and boy does that guitar sound rule!
07. Ouroboros - Glorification of a Myth
An Aussie troop that came out of nowhere with this superb thrashy tech death release. Once again the sound is not heavy or crunchy but features a huge load of whirling, killing riffs that zip round your head like a swarm of angry bees. These boys are already at the top level and can improve further with a slightly fatter production in the future. A great release in any case.
06. Beyond Creation - The Aura
Fantastic Necrophagist worship from Canada. Since the real thing seems to have gone comatose, we have to see what the necro-worship bands can do and Beyond Creation fill that void nicely. The production is not heavy, but clean and warm as you would expect. The playing is just perfect. The catchiness of the songs is good but not amazing. A great start for this band and hopefully the follow up will be even better when they tighten up the songs a little more.
05. Blood Red Throne - Brutalitarian Regime
I have liked the last two BRT releases but they have improved even further since the last album. The production is comletely savage, being heavy as lead and yet with great sharpness and bite to the guitars. The songwriting is very catchy and succinct. They still have the odd black metal blast which is accepted with the roots of the band being in Emperor of course with Tchort. In the main they play chunky brutal death metal with great vocals and memorable riffing bouncing off the walls like a crackerjack! Love it!
04. Vale of Pnath - The Prodigal Empire
These boys have delivered a masterpiece of tech death on this album though this is about as frenetic as I can take, any more and it starts to grate on me. These chaps know how to shred like maniacs but still deliver catchiness or grooves to make the songs acessible and memorable. The production is also amazingly super clean allowing for all instruments to be heard to the minute detail. Probably one of my best full on tech death release of all time.
03. Sectu - Inundate
Another new comer Swedish thrashy death metal band with absolutely monstrous production and chunky crunchy riffing. This held the number one spot for a long before dropping slightly due to the other two having more plays overall. This is still a phenomenal debut release by this band. I am sure they can improve even further on the next album and deliver more of this fantastic death metal mastery that they willfully display on Inundate.
02. I Chaos - The Human Repellent
I loved this one and almost put it at the top cause it was very close. I often reach for this if I want to play something with class and a heavy production. The riff attack on this album is just very cool indeed. The riffs are full of chunky fatness and yet have a great groove to them. The album is a little samey sounding but this bothers me little as each song is blessed with countless killer riffs to enjoy. A very pleasant surprise and I hope they continue to develop and make a great follow up.
01. Anatomy of I - Substratum
I had this album placed a little lower in the top 10 a while back but then every time I had the urge to listen to some death metal I found myself wanting another dose of Anatomy of I. When I first heard the album the vocals were what pained me most. I felt they were far too blackened for the music and I still feel that way to a degree but I have become far more accustomed to them. However the music which I was initially pleased about has completely won me over now. There are so many wondrous riffs on this album. Chunky, technical and melodic with great flow from one section to another. The lovely, thick and fuzzy production also helps no end. The album doesn't sound too clinical or mechanical like in most tech death bands which is another plus in my book. It sounds less like a machine and more like actual humans playing the music. The main influence of the band is Death of course and Chuck's riffing style can be heard here there and everywhere. Mr. DiGiorgio's bass is also something special to behold. His lines give the music added warmth and propel this album to the top of my list for 2011. I do hope there is another album from these guys in the future although this could possibly be just a project, we shall see. For now Substratum is a joyous listening experience for any fan of melodic and technical death.