Top 10 Metal Albums of 2020

 

 We have needed  heavy music more than ever this year. This is the culmination of all the other metal lists. Yes I have done other metal lists for other blogs and I seem them as being a refining process for when I make this list. So while result may have varied , this is the final word.  I know many of you are ready for 2020 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. At the very fact these bands made it on the list means they are the cream of the crop so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No I do not care what you think about it. I  do hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 Metal albums  of 2020

10-Fange- "  Pudeur"

This awesome French band brought their nasty vision of chaotic sludge in the most hyper aggressive way possible. No Neurosis worship here . They are doing their own thing. This is the heaviest album on the list, but heavy does not equate the best so it is at the number 10 spot. 

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Fange -"Pudeur"

9- Wayfarer- "A Romance With Violence" 

Their newest album goes in two directions, one of them is more towards the Western sounds that was a subtle under current, the other is more traditional black metal. No one can say they made the same album twice. The melodic nature of what they are doing does not shift the intensity. 

Abysmal Hymns: Wayfarer : " A Romance With Violence"

2- Umbra Vitae-Shadow of Life" 

Jacob from Converge loves Entombed. He also likes other classic death metal. He created a band to pay tribute to this and it is as awesome or perhaps even more so than we could have hoped for. It was a tough call between this and the number one album , but the scope of what the top spot does beat this out. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/umbra-vitae-shadow-of-life.html

7- Igorrr- "Spirituality & Distortion" 

These guys out Bungled Mr. Bungle this year. At times their sound has more in common with Dead Can Dance or Beats Antique, but wit ha more metallic touch. This was even given a push in a more metal direction with a guest spot from Cannibal Corpse's singer. A band that continues to amaze as their legend grows with each album, any questions why this takes the number one spot ? 

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/igorr-spirituality-and-distortion.html

  6- Pallbearer - " Forgotten Days"  

Yeah I know it is surprising they did not take the number one spot. It was a tough call and a great year for doom. I have listened and will continue to listen to this album a helluva lot. It stacks up against their already impressive body of work and in some ways is a return to the more metal sound of their first album.

  https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/pallbearer-forgotten-days.html

 

5-Chrome Waves - "Where We Live" 

This is the least black metal album of the 3 , but it is the best . They ride the line between shoe gazing and black metal so hard that I has to listen through the entire album and compare it song by song  to see where it fell, it was a 60/ 40 mix. Making it still more black metal than most Deafheaven albums. Not just the best black metal albums of the year but in the top 10 best albums over all. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/09/chrome-waves-where-we-live.html 

 

4 -Pulchra Morte - " Ex Rosa Ceremonia"

This is the first year and artist took the top death metal spot 2 years in a row. This speaks to how awesome these guys are. Even with a change of sound and new line up they still manage to earn this all on their own . It is an album that gets better with every listen. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/pulchra-morte-ex-rosa-ceremonia.html

3-(16) - "Dream Squasher " 

They stepped it up in terms of songwriting and the overall direction of their sound. Is this their heaviest album? But it is in your face and pounds the point home as you bang your head more than enough. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/16-dream-squasher.html

 2- Code Orange-"Underneath" 

The Orange Kids have pretty much evolved beyond their hard core past into an angry industrial machine that writes fucking catchy songs. Their vocals continue to improve , and this album captures the mood of 2020.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/code-orange-underneath.html 2-Code Orange

1- Witnesses - "Doom II"

The question many, myself included, might ask regarding how these guys took the top spot over  Code Orange is best answered  by saying.. they took more chances. It would have been easy to put out a typical funeral doom album with low growled vocals. They got a guy who is not even a metal singer. This breathed new life into the genre as the melodies and approach are way different on an emotional level as to what is refreshing and new about their sound. More than just melancholy or morning their is a desperation that is real and with little pageantry.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/witnesses-doom-ii.html

the Top 10 Death Metal Albums of 2020

Given the state of 2020 we need death metal more than ever. Death is something to be celebrated not feared and these albums help provide a sound track for that celebration. I do not like death metal that is too technical or only heavy so these bands all went above and beyond. Ok now that that is out of the way , much like in years past sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. I know many of you are ready for 2020 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. As far as 2020 goes there is only a couple new bands on this list. 

 The fact these artists made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No I do not care what you think about it .I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top death metal albums of 2020

 10- Marche Funebre -"Einderlicht"

Overall everything that goes down in the first song is what I want from metal. It's heavy but catchy and melodic. They do not over due the guitar harmonies as many European death metal bands do. It more like a more ballsy version of Amorphis.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/marche-funebre-einderlicht.html 

9- Pyrrhon - "Abscess Time" 

The guys took the term progressive death metal in a new direction and progressed into a death metal version of the Jesus Lizard.  Plenty of crazed angular ugliness to wipe your face in. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/08/pyrrhon-abscess-time.html

 

8-Goat Necropsy- "Bloody and Fresh" 

The more death grind gore side of the genre is not normally something I am into but these guys, gave the blood shed more charm through their ear for riffage.  

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/goat-necropsy-bloody-and-fresh.html

 

7-Phobetor- "When Life Falls Silent" 

I like how they use dissonance and keep their melodies ugly. Yes there is also some degree of black metal influence particularly when it comes to the darker side of their ugly sound , but they are not blackened death metal. Branded as just extreme metal, I find most of this he this is used they are just a death metal band, and that is the case here. They have a more organic sound than many of the more modern death metal bands doing similar

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/death-is-june-phobetor-when-life-falls.html

6- Abysmal Dawn _ "Phylogenesis" 

While on paper this might not come across as something I would be into. These guys prove a point.. It doesn't matter how heavy or technical you are, you can still give a shit and write good songs. These songs are what wins me over against all odds. Yes the labyrinth of riffs might be a lot when they first hit you with it, but they prove to be catchy. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/death-is-june-abysmal-dawn-phylogenesis.html

5-White Stones - "Kuarahy" 

Do you miss the days when Opeth was death metal ? Well so does their bass player . So much so he started another band to recapture that sound. 

  https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/death-is-june-white-stones-kuarahy.html

4-Temple of the Void - "the World That Was" 

 Tired of the death doom band wagon every one was jumping on so I dis regarded this one when it showed up in my in-box. I regret doing that as holy shit this album is good. It is dark as fuck and darkness is what I listen for. At times they pull influence from bands like Alice in Chains and Ride as much as they were Morbid Angel, so how can you  not check it out.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/temple-of-void-world-that-was.html

3- Kruelty"- "Dying Truth" 

I do not always do brutal death metal. But when I do I like for it to sound like Kruelty. With some hard core influence to it. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/death-is-june-kruelty-dying-truth.html

2- Umbra Vitae-Shadow of Life" 

Jacob from Converge loves Entombed. He also likes other classic death metal. He created a band to pay tribute to this and it is as awesome or perhaps even more so than we could have hoped for. It was a tough call between this and the number one album , but the scope of what the top spot does beat this out. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/umbra-vitae-shadow-of-life.html

 

1-Pulchra Morte - " Ex Rosa Ceremonia"

This is the first time an artist has taken the top spot two years in a row. This speaks to how awesome these guys are. Even with a change of sound and new line up they still manage to earn this all on their own . It is not because I am a fan as I am an even bigger fan of Converge, but here we are tis album speaks for itself.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/pulchra-morte-ex-rosa-ceremonia.html

Pulchra Morte : "Ex Rosa Ceremonia'

This band's first album was one of my favorite death metal albums to come out in some time. The stakes are high and new a new bassist and vocalists things have changed in their over all sound. We are not going to get into the choir of various singers helping with back up that pulls from every corner of extreme music. The vocals sit differently in the mix this time around. The same can be said for every instrument actually. The bass is a little more buried to give a more blackened sound , rather than the punchy old school trahs influenced death metal sound of the first album. The riffs to the first song still have melody , though the atmosphere is thick and not as hooky. 

The second song finds the atmosphere created by the wall of vocals overpowering the guitars. They come back with more groove on "Knife of the Will" which was an early single released. It features sung vocals for what sounds to be the chorus. "In the Mourning Light' works off a different kind of aggression that what was felt on the first album. There are also more Swedish tinged guitar melodies. I think some of it might be that I have to get use to what they are doing here and it might have to grow on me. "Prince Among Shadows" Metallica like guitar solos over a more melancholy doomy riff before speeding up into more effective punchy grooves that recall their more Morbid Angel side. The more cavernous sound they have on this album works better on this song. The sung vocals give it more of a Paradise Lost feel for sure. They do experimenta more with sounds on this album. 

There are some powerful chugs on " the Archer & the Noose" but composition is not as focused. I do like the darker throb that moves "To Suffer". It is moody death metal, but straight up death metal all the same. There is more of the melo-death sound going into "Locust Humanity" . They dig into more typical death metal sounds here. The title track closes the album. It is ok but doesn't resonate as strongly with me as some of the other songs. I will give this one a 9. Not as catchy as the first album, but I am going to give more listens , as of this wrting I listened to it three times. Something can be said for me leaving an album on and letting it play so far from a sophomore slump. I think fans of the first album will find plenty to enjoy here as it is darker and heavier.

Ex Rosa Ceremonia by Pulchra Morte

Death is June - the Top 50 Death Metal Albums of All Time : 20 to 11

 Normally I try to limit it to one album per artist. With death metal it tends to unify around certain works, so you might have hundreds of bands trying to be Morbid Angel. This means that some artists are more impactful. They made an impact because of the quality of their work so if they have released abums that are so dominating to the genre that they deserve multiple slots, only two bands got three slot, four other bands took two slots. There is a wide array of sub genre's represented here, granted this is my list so darker more satanic death metal and progressive death metal might out number tech death or grind core. Not al ofthe bands remained death metal bands , but they made a death metal album deserving of this list. If I have reviewed said album then I will include the link to the review.  Ok, it's death metal not quantum mechanics , so here we go .


20-Pulchra Morte- "Divina Autem et Aniles" 2019


 This was the number one death metal album here for 2019



 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/pulchra-morte-divina-autem-et-aniles.html


 



19-Daath - "the Hinderers" 2006


Balanced shredding with tasteful song writing and hooky riffs.



 




18-Unleashed- "Where No Life Dwells" 1991 


 When this came out it felt like the darkest juggernaut of death metal I had heard. It might not be the case now, but the songs have held up over time, which is more than you can say for many bands from this era.



 




17-Edge of Sanity- "Crimson" 1996 



Another album that was way ahead of it's time. Dan Swano is a genius.



 


15-Tribulation- 'Children of the Night" 2015



Not only the best death metal album of 2015, but the best metal album of 2015.



   https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/03/tribulation-children-of-night.html



 




14-Fear Factory-"Soul of a New Machine" 1992


 They went in a more industrial groove direction , but let us not forget their death metal beginnings.


 


13- Cannibal Corpse-"the Bleeding"


Once upon a time death metal was mean spirited and did not give a fuck. I miss those days, this album embodies them.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/death-is-june-looking-back-in-anger-at_18.html



 




12- Meshuggah- "Nothing" 2002 


 These guys at one time where even more death metal. The vocals shifted into more of a bark that you hear here and their music went to a galaxy far away. This album was them at the threshold of stepping away from death metal, but still rooted in death metal aggression, they became so progressive that evolved into the infinate.




 



11- Morbid Angel- " Altars of Madness"


 This is without a doubt a justified classic. But did the band grow beyond this? I think so .


 

the Top Ten Death Metal Albums of the Decade

The decade began before this blog was started , I can not just rely on sorting through previous reviews. I am just embedding video clips to support the reasoning for these albums to be listed as such, since I already did a best of the year list for each sub-genre.I am not going for what is the most crushing death metal albums, but the ones with songs worth listening to again and again. There is nothing really tech about these albums as wanking around doesn't make for listening that stands the test of time.  Maybe these are not the hippest albums of the decade when it comes to this genre, but what matters more is the fact these are the albums I listened to the most when it came to this sort of thing. ; Any ways here are the Top 10 Death Metal  albums of the decade.



10-Disma -"Towards the Megalith"- 2011









9-Necros Christos - "Doom of  the Occult -  2011









8-Incantation -  "Dirges of Elysium" 2014














7-Goatwhore- "Constricting Rage of the Merciless"- 2014 












6-Vader  "Return to the Morbid Reich" 2011













5- Acid Witch- "Evil Sound Screamers" 2017













4-Pulchra Morte- "Divina Autem Et Aniles" - 2019 













3-Tribulation- "Children of the Night" - 2015 










< br />The decade began before this blog was started , I can not just rely on sorting through previous reviews. This is not something I can just thumb back through reviews for , I am just embedding video clips to support the reasoning for these albums to be listed as such, since I already did a best of the year list for each sub-genre. Stoner rock in past years was often lumped in with sludge and doom, but this year I seperated everything out. Maybe these are not the hippest albums of the decade when it comes to this genre, btu what matters more is the fact these are the albums I listened to the most when it came to this sort of thing. ; Any ways here are the Top 10 Stoner rock albums of the decade.

2-Mortuary Drape -"Spiritual Independence"- 2014










1-Morbid Angel -" Kingdoms Disdained"2017

The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2019

After sorting the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I compiled them to make the top 10 albums of the year. Later in the month I am making the top 10 lists for the decade, though to be blunt this is the decade's weakest year for music; although here half the artists  are newer , the rest have been round the block   brief explanation as to why these albums stand over their peers in lower positions on the list. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it.;I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list. There are links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2019.

10-Creeping Death- "Wretched Illusions"


 They care about writing songs and are steeped in old school death metal. They also give me some fucking grooves that keep my head moving. If I was going to compare them to any old school death metal band it would be Obituary. They have the same nasty slime coming off their riffs. The sheer weight and aggression they attack these songs puts this album here.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/creeping-death-wretched-illusions.html

9-Death Angel -"Humanicide"

<10- -death="" angel-="" b="" nbsp="" umanicide="">

It was the fact that their 1988 album "Frolic Through the Park" found the band diverting from the thrash sound every open  else had already latched onto, that made me drawn to them. Since reforming I do not hear as much of that coming from them. Instead they are straight up thrash. Like death metal the genre can become one dimensional, but as the album progresses the add the other shades I grew up loving. It's this signature that puts them over Creeping Death. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/death-angel-humanicide.html

8-Exhorder<- br="" ourn="" skies="" southern="" the=""> -Mourn the Southern Skies" 
<- br="" ourn="" skies="" southern="" the="">
<- br="" ourn="" skies="" southern="" the="">If you are a fan of Pantera, then you need to know these guys. Having formed in 1985, this New Orleans band played a big part in why Pantera went from power metal and hair spray to the Cowboys from Hell that they became. They start off the album with gritty thrash that gives you the middle finger. They kill trend of Southern grooves with "Asunder" and write Slayer caliber riffs. The vocals are mean yet hold melody like another singer we know. They are relentless and continue to hit you with sharp riffs and barbed melodies. They are a step ahead of every other band on this list, though it was a tough call between this and Death Angel.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/exhorder-mourn-southern-skies.html

7-Vous Autres - "Champ Du Sang"

This album grew on me. The top four album did some shuffling, but the more I listened to this album the more clarity I gained as to where it belongs. The heaviness comes from dealing in darkness more than blast beats. They o prove themselves capable of deviating from pulverizing you to incorporate dynamics with atmosphere, this gives a creep glaze to the monolithic stomp of the heavy riffs, we have darkness ,depression and creepy . The feelings are made sounds and sonic in a way no other band tapped into like this.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/04/vous-autres-champ-du-sang.html

6- Coffins-- "Beyond the Circular Demise"


 This band's sound is it is organic, yet dark and dense. When they lock into a mid paced chug , it is probably their best quality. They do not do it every song , or even every other song, but when you hear it there is no denying this fact. It is heavy as fuck. Not to the point they have thrown the song out the window either. The tighter riffing is what beats out  Vous Autres.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/coffins-beyond-circular-demise.html

5- Hippie Death Cult" -"111"  




 The key selling point of this band to me is their singer,This guy is fucking outstanding as  he encompasses a great deal of dynamic range while retaining a bluesy sound.ere plenty of things like guitar solos to keep most metal heads happy. There is more proto metal to the riffing, the singer is what really sets these guys apart . Sure there is a little Ian Gillan to his voice at times, but that is better than another half ass Ozzy imitator. They are where they are because they have the best vocals which in turns gives them a more defined identity .

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/11/november-doom-hippie-death-cult-111.html

4- Life of Agony- 'the Sound of the Scars"

The sound of the scars tells me this is the album that should have come after “Ugly” . Not as dense and hard core influenced as the classic “River Runs Red” ,. Caputo’s voice is back where it needs to be to restore uphold the band’s legacy. These songs have warranted hours of repeat listens., more l;listens than I gave Hippie Death Cult.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/life-of-agony-sound-of-scars.html

3- Lord Mantis - Universal Death Cult"
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This wildly feral sludge band often chugs it's way towards making raw and nasty death metal. Sanford Parker who produced the album made some interesting choice on what he choose to to with the vocals. The sonic darkness of the throb these songs take on is just the kind of heavy I look for in music. More powerful than Life of Agony.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/11/november-doom-hippie-death-cult-111.html
<3- -="" b="" church="" death="" lord="" mantis="" niversal="">

2-Brume -"Rabbits"

 This album was not what I expected going into it. After a few listens it proves early on this is an album I can just let play as it flows with smooth dynamics that do not tire. The drumming is almost as impressive as the soaring vocals. More hypnotic than crushing, the gray melancholy is often more than enough to solidify their place as doom, though their sound tends to be fragile in it's moodiness. It is this level of songwriting that makes me listen to this more than the bigger symphony of despair Lord Mantis created.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/11/november-doom-brume-rabbits.html

 

1- Pulchra Morte : "Divina Autem et Aniles" t


This album is focused and doesn't get carried away with atmosphere. The vocals seem very intentional and not just an after thought as does the addition of strings that seems to increase the deeper into the album you get .. You would think it would be common sense for the focus to be on the songs rather than just beating you into submission. This album came out earlier in the year so it makes sense, I listened to it more since I had the time to simmer on it. Listened to it more since and there was time to simmer on it.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/pulchra-morte-divina-autem-et-aniles.html

the Top 10 Death Metal Albums of 2019

It's that time of year again, to sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, then use them, to compile the top 10 albums of the year. Later in the month I am making  the top 10 lists for the decade, though to be blunt  this is the decade's weakest year for music.  Especially when it comes to new artists,  7 of the 10 bands are veterans.  You had to search much harder to find ten albums that rose above, yet that is what I did. As in  past years I am  giving a brief explanation as to why these albums stand over their peers in lower positions on the list. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However  I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No,  I do not care what you think about it.   I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list  and  have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 Death metal   albums of 2019 .

1

10- Cold Colours -" Northernmost" 


 Despite a Swedish tinge to the sound of this Minnesota band, at the end of the day they are more death n roll. his album is really well produced and these guys have a big guitar sound that plays to their strength as a band. Sure there is a large dose of melo-death to what they do , but it's not all guitar harmonies. They throw a few different shades of death metal at you and they all work well together.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/01/cold-colours-northernmost.html

9- Nightfell- "A Sanity Deranged" 

 There is no shortage of grim atmosphere on his album, sometimes they are closer to death doom at other's they are flirting with black metal, but aggression is their stock and trade. The guitars are so mean it's sick and despite all the other shades they throw at you at the bleeding heart of this album it is death metal. They beat out Cold Colours for this spot because these guys are darker.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/nightfell-sanity-deranged.html

8-Cloak-"the Burning Dawn"

 This time they are less haunted by Swedish influence and coming int more of their own sound thanks to matured song writing. The guitar tone is more dialed in and some of the chugged riffs are heavier and cooler. This album grew on me and even the vocals became more accepted to my ears. These guys beat out Nightfell due to their melodic nuance.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-cloak-burning-dawn.html

7- Nocturnus Ad- "Paradox" 


 Drummer Mike Browning was one of the founding members of Morbid Angel. Is he as good as Pete? No, but he is pretty solid and he sings ..ok, growls on top of playing. "the Key" was one of the best albums of the early days of death metal, while there is not the same level of feral chaos here it has been replaced with more technical savvy , like a death metal version of Coroner. I normally do not like technical death metal, but Browning's matured song writing skills sell it. It is this prowess that puts them over the younger Cloak.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/04/nocturnus-ad-paradox.html

6- October Tide - "In Splendor Below"


 This Swedish band features two members of Katatonia, the Norrman brothers holding down a twin guitar attack for the band's 6th album. It starts off as melodic death metal not far removed from say Bloodbath, sometimes having more in common with earlier Katatonia This album grew on me due to , it's catchy song writing which is more than the bulk of death metal you hear these days. This sense of inherent groove vaulted it over Nocturnus.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/october-tide-in-splendor-below.html

5-Nailed to Obscurity- "Black Frost " 


 If you are going to be a death metal band that upon occasion employs cleanly sung vocals do it like these guys as it doesn't sound contrived. It's death metal for a cold rainy day. The mood is what beats out the somewhat similar October Tide.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/01/nailed-to-obscurity-black-frost.html

4- Blood Incantation- "Hidden History of the Human Race"


 At first I thought ok this is another band that wants to be Morbid Angel, and then things began to take some twists and turns. For all it's technical and progressive leanings , the groove is seldom compromised. Rooted in a classic sound while being ambitious enough to strive for more. This willingness to pla y with the formula is what puts them ahead of Nailed to Obscurity.



 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/blood-incantation-hidden-history-of.html

3-Creeping Death- "Wretched Illusions"


 They care about writing songs and are steeped in old school death metal. They also give me some fucking grooves that keep my head moving. If I was going to compare them to any old school death metal band it would be Obituary. They have the same nasty slime coming off their riffs. The sheer weight and aggression they attack these songs with gives them the edge over Blood incantation.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/creeping-death-wretched-illusions.html

2- Coffins-- "Beyond the Circular Demise"


 This band's sound is it is organic, yet dark and dense. When they lock into a mid paced chug , it is probably their best quality. They do not do it every song , or even every other song, but when you hear it there is no denying this fact. It is heavy as fuck. Not to the point they have thrown the song out the window either. The tighter riffing is what beats out Creeping Death.



 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/coffins-beyond-circular-demise.html

1- Pulchra Morte : "Divina Autem et Aniles" t


This album is focused and doesn't get carried away with atmosphere. The vocals seem very intentional and not just an after thought as does the addition of strings that seems to increase the deeper into the album you get .. You would think it would be common sense for the focus to be on the songs rather than just beating you into submission. This album came out earlier in the year so it makes sense, I listened to it more since I had the time to simmer on it. Listened to it more since and there was time to simmer on it.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/pulchra-morte-divina-autem-et-aniles.html

Pulchra Morte : "Divina Autem et Aniles"

By the end of the year I will be sick of the death doom feel, despite it just being more of label for marketing purposes. These guys a pretty much just a death metal. Though not the kind of death metal that blasts you in the face. Comprised of former members of  the bands Withered , Harkonin, and Ex Mortis, they have a more technical winding to their riffs than anything doom. The vocals are a low death growl that is fairly articulated. Guitar melodies creep out over the steady flow of double bass. "Black Ritual" finds the guitars more melodic than this brand of death metal typically is and flowing out of a more classic metal gallop. It's on "Soul Stench" where the melodic qualities shift and broaden their range. I would not refer to them as melo-death, as they are all about the super harmonized Dark Tranquility thing that borders on Myspace metal. Female vocals chime in for a few bars, to get more of a My Dying Bride, feel though less melancholy and more uptempo.

There are a few interludes , but the album is generally focused and doesn't get carried away with atmosphere. The vocals seem very intentional and not just an after thought as does the addition of strings that seems to increase the deeper into the album you get . They continue to return to heavy, but not aggressive as most death. The focus is on the songs rather than beating you into submission. The focused approach to  song writing keeps the songs from only venturing over the minute mark a couple of times. More sung vocals surface , but are more buried in the mix on "Thrown to the Wolves". When they lean into the groove it creates more of an Entombed like feel.  "Reflection of a Dying Sun" seems to just play off of the same formula the rest of this album was spun from , just without the x-factor that kept those songs sounding fresh.

They use some doomy intervals in "Shadows From the Cross", but it's still just death metal. Being deliberate and being doom are two different things , mainly based upon the mood it invokes. Once I recognized the Entombed influence hiding under the surface then I can't stop hearing it. Not that they are a Entombed cover band, but if you don't like Entombed chances are you might not be into these guys. The main difference being they are a little more melodic than Entombed, and Entombed is more pissed off than these guys. Anger is typically the prime driving force behind death metal and these guys don't sound angry to me. "When Legends Die" proves that if you care about the songs enough you can get away without being angry. The songs are catchy enough for me to round this up to a 9 as it's an easy enough listen for me to just leave this album playing.