Quick roundup of best albums of 2004 thus far

[JayKeeley]

In no order...

Orphaned Land - Mabool
Drudkh - Autumn Aurora
Into Eternity - Buried in Oblivion
Blut Aus Nord - Work which Transforms God
Runemagick - On Funeral Winds (why didn't anyone tell me about these guys?)
Morgion - Cloaked by Ages, Crowned in Earth
Void of Silence - Human Antithesis (the jury is still out on this one because I've only heard bits of it, but so far it's fantastic)

What else has pushed the envelope this year?

What else is still to come? Are Novembers Doom releasing a new album this year out of interest?

 

[JayKeeley]

Man, that thread is from October 2003. Anyway, the promo showed up and I do like your description. They kinda remind me of old Aeternus meets Black Sabbath circa 1970. Songs like Emperor of the Underworld, Ocean Demon, and Dragon of Doom are pretty memorable on first listen.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

top 5 until now
Orphaned Land - Mabool
Lamented Souls - The Origin Of Misery
Witchcraft - s/t
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Skyclad - A Semblace Of Normality
anticipated releases to come : new Fates Warning and new Shadow Gallery album

 

[ScottG]

Orphaned Land - Mabool
Into Eternity - Buried In Oblivion
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Insomnium - Since The Day It All Came Down
Evergrey - The Inner Circle

 

[NAD]

Grip Inc. - Incorporated
Drudkh - Autumn Aurora
Into Eternity - Buried in Oblivion
Blut Aus Nord - The Work Which Transforms God
Morgion - Cloaked by Ages, Crowned in Earth

These are the exceptional releases so far, but there have been other really good ones as well.

 

[spaffe]

in no particular order:

finntroll - nattfödd/trollhammaren
deathspell omega - si monumetum

hm... since i've only heard one or two more records apart from those from 2004, i think the nasheim demo would make it to third, i actually like that one more than autmun aurora which i found pretty dull

 

[NAD]

Oh yeah, that Finntroll is in my list.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Drudkh
Neurosis
Deathspell Omega
Blut Aus Nord
Witchcraft
Into Eternity
Void of Silence
Reverend Bizarre/Orodruin split
Arsis
Decapitated
Winds

...have all released excellent albums this year. Let's hope for more.


Looking forward to Today is The Day and Solitude Aeternus' new releases. Also, some more which I cannot remember right now that are due out this year.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Oh ya, I just heard the new Finntroll and I agree, it is excellent. I like it better than their last two which were good.

 

[speed]

Well these are all excellent lists so far, Id like to add Eyes of Fire, and Ministry.

 

[Lutz]

Nehëmah, Deathspell Omega, Pest, Xasthur/Angra Mainyu Split, Blodulv, Sigrblot (maybe it was 2003?), Drudkh (if it counts.. it was released in 2003 on tape I think..).

 

[SonOfNun]

2004 albums I own:

Anata-Under a Stone With No Inscription
Vintersorg-The Focusing Blur
Vehemence-Helping the World to See
Winds-The Imaginary Direction of Time
Suffocation-Souls to Deny
Black Label Society-Hangover Music Vol. VI
Lamented Souls-The Origins of Misery
Decapitated-The Negation

and I think that's it.

Eagerly awaiting Borknagar and I'd like to check out Drudkh, Deathspell Omega, Ayreon (possibly, I have no clue what they sound like) and Arsis. Still haven't heard Cannibal Corpse, Deicide or Kataklysm's releases either.

Right now Vintersorg stands at number one followed extremely closely by Anata and Lamented Souls.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Shit, I forgot about Anata and Vehemence.

The Suffocation was a letdown for me.

 

[speed]

I forgot vehmence- damn good.

 

[J.]

Drudkh - Autumn Aurora
Fear Factory - Archetype
Void of Silence - Human Antithesis
Bergthron - Faust Fur Faust
Woodtemple - The Call of the Pagan Woods

Looking forward to the new Neurosis, Today is the Day, Graveland, Cruachan, Megiddo, Obtest, Forefather, etc.

And I should have the new Hate Forest next week.

 

[Black Winter Day]

Drudkh
Blut Aus Nord
Nasheim
Void of Silence

need to hear the new Bergthron and Neurosis, since they give me a big hardon nowadays.

 

[Caelum Adustum]

Pest (Swe) - Desecration (I'm pretty sure it came out this year...)
Arsis - A Celebration of Guilt
Insision - Revealed and Worshipped (It's not out until July, so what?)
Deathspell Omega - Si Monumentum Requires, Curcumspice
Decapitated - The Negation
Azrael - Into Shadows Act 2: Through Horned Shadows Glimpse (although mine says "2003" on it, everywhere else I've looked says 2004 including Moribund)
Krieg/Azaghal Split 10"
Dawn - Slaughtersun Re-Issue 2CD
Vintersorg - The Focusing Blur
Pain of Salvation - 12:5
Ragnarok - Blackdoor Miracle
Grand Belial's Key - Mocking The Philanthropist Moribund Re-Issue
Finntroll - Nattfödd
Drudkh - Autumn Aurora
Krieg - The Black House
Xasthur - Telepathic with the Deceased
Leviathan - The Tentacles of Whorror

Looking forward to:
Sargeist - Disciples of the Heinous Path
Merrimack - Obsecration of the Horned
and many others...

And still some people say I'm narrow minded about music...

EDIT: I listed some re-issues becuase they're so god damn good.

 

[lurch70]

EXODUS - tempo
ARSIS - celebration
BLUT AUS NORD
SUFFOCATION

 

[NAD]

The Great Deceiver - Terra Incognito
Machine Head - Through the Ashes of Empires
Fantomas - Delirivm Cordia (if I get my head around this, could make the top spot)

I think every CD I've purchased this year has been an 8/10 or better album. Can't say the same about promos.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Pest's Desecration came out in 2003, but Daudafaerd (sp) did come out this year, and thats definetly on my list. I would put Xasthur's "A Gate.." on there too even though its a re-release, the material is remastered/re-recorded in some instances. I think everything else on my list has been mentioned.