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Well here is the list of best albums of 2009. Hope you like it!

34. Sirenia– The 13th Floor

Some good gothic/symphonic metal here from Morten and co. It is definitely an improvement from Nine Destinies and a Downfall being heavier, but unfortunately not as good as At Sixes and Sevens. Still there are great vocals from Morten as always and it is worth checking out.

33. the aeonic order of vacuity – Nether
This is a demo I heard on Myspace and its absolutely fantastic considering that. It is very good slow heavy, brooding funeral doom metal. If you like funeral doom I command you to give this a try.

32. Absu – Absu
fantastic blackened thrash, and their best album to date. Recommended.

31. Exivious – Exivious instrumental progressive metal, really excellent with lots of changes and styles. Recommended to any prog rockers.

30. Paradise Lost – Drown in Dakrness - the early demos
I hadn’t ever heard anything by them before, but this is excellent! Really good death doom, quite badly produced but excellent quality in the musicianship. If you’re looking for something raw, rather than the very well produced stuff like Swallow the Sun, then look no further than this.

29. Stream of Passion – The Flame Within
This is another very good symphonic metal album from Marcela Bovio and co. but after Arjen Anthony Lucassen left, they were left to make this one on their own. They do an amirable follow up to Embrace the Storm, but the songs are less memorable than the first album.

28. Kreator- Hordes of Chaos
Good melodic thrash metal, Hordes Of Chaos is a catchy song that would be good live. It has nice riffs and solos. Not as good as Enemy of God, but highly recommended.

27. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
The grindcore kings do it again, just as well as on previous releases.

26. Wyrd – Kalivagi
More folky black metal, this time with a few more hard rock elements, this band is just as good as ever!

25. Ashes You Leave – Songs For The Lost
Nearly all doom metal elements are gone; this is solely a gothic metal album, but a very well done one. Their cover of Placebo’s Every You Every Me (which I hate, I can’t stand them) is excellent, and amazingly is the highlight of the album. If you like female fronted gothic metal, then this is for you.

24. Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plague
Not as good as Kill, but still a very good death metal album.

23. Within Temptation – An Acoustic Night At The Theatre
Those waiting for a new album may be slightly annoyed at getting another live album, though it is extremely good. It’s completely different from black symphony, being mainly acoustic, but the vocal performance from Sharon Den Adelis breathtaking as ever. Utopia is a very nice new song, but they are straying further and further from the metal genre with this one.

22. Lethian Dreams – Bleak Silver Streams
Good atmospheric doom metal that sounds a bit like Amederia. Excellent vocals, and very heavy. Recommended

21. Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Not as good as Leviathan, but more of a progression away, this is still a very good album with lots of very good ideas. If you want some metal that’s a bit different then give this a listen.

20. Ahab – The Divinity of Oceans
The most depressing album I have ever heard, this is such a monolithic album, heavy and slow, but excellent. My favourite funeral doom album of all time!

19. Alestorm – Black Sails at Midnight
The most fun album of the year! This is not just a gimmick by some idiots wearing pirate hats, it is actually well written heavy metal, and the keyboardist is just excellent.

18. Fen – The Malediction Fields
Seems that most British black metal these days has elements of post rock in it, and this is no exception. Its very good atmospheric black metal with some clean vocals now and again. If you like Negura Bunget, then give this a try.

17. 3 Inches of Blood – Here Waits Thy Doom
An excellent heavy metal album, taking influence from lots of different places, from Led Zeppelin, to Judas Priest, to Iron Maiden, but still maintaining their excellent vocal style prevalent in previous albums. Their best yet by far!

16. Dream Theater – Black Clouds and Silver Linings
A really good progressive metal album and their best for several years. Listen out for the cover of Queens Tenement Funster/Flick Of The Wrist/Lily Of The Valley on the bonus disc; this is one of the best covers ever!

15. Epica – [album artist=epica]]design your universe[/album]
Their best yet, Simone is at top notch, and it is possibly the heaviest album they have done to date. A real surprise and a very enjoyable listen.

14. My Dying Bride – For Lies I Sire
The violins are back! Every bit as good as the previous releases and the vocals are absolutely to die for!

13. Wolves in the Throne Room – Black Cascade
More of the same, but a bit more atmospheric and experimental, with clean female vocals scattered in it. This, as well as Malevolent Grain are a must hear for any fans of atmospheric black metal.

12. Wodensthrone – Loss
Good organic black metal in the vein of Drudkh. Excellently performed, with a few post rock elements too. Superb atmosphere shows again how good British Black Metal is becoming. If you like Drudkh or Negura Bunget, then you owe it to yourself to give this a try.

11. Leaves Eyes – Njord
Unbelievably this is a step up from the excellent Vinland Saga; both vocalists have improved (although in the case of Alexander Krull it wasn’t hard, he is actually listenable now!). This is a really good symphonic metal album, with the guitaring at top notch, as well as the bassist. There are a lot of folk elements again on this one.

10. Wolves in the Throne Room – Malevolent Grain
This is excellent. It comprises of just two tracks, the first A Looming Resonance is a rather relaxed atmospheric black metal song with clean vocals. It is 13 minutes long, but it’s so good you could listen to it over and over again. Hate Crystal is more of the usual Wolves in the Throne Room we know and love.

9. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars
Even better than Memoria Vetusta I, this album has less of a fuzz and more melodic beauty. Fantastic.

8. Drudkh – Microcosmos
Drudkh do it again, this is another excellent pagan influenced black metal album, with beautiful melodies, but still retaining the harsh vocals from the previous albums. Even better than Estrangement[album], this is one of the best black metal albums of the year.

7. Sunn O))) – [album artist=sunn O)))]Monoliths and Dimensions
Never heard anything by them before, but this is an excellent work. It is unbelievably heavy and icy cold. Attila’s vocals are fantastic, and all the brass instruments on Alice (best track on the album) just make it. If you have any interest in either doom metal or experimental music you need to hear this. Truly a Monolithic Effort!

6. The Gathering – The West Pole
Anneke has left, but you didn’t expect them to stop rocking did you? This is such an amazing album by all accounts, and Silje Wergeland (previously of Octavia Sperati) is just excellent. She is a really dreamy vocalist; her voice is just a joy to listen to. All the instruments are played very well, creating beautiful atmospheres throughout. The first 3 songs make you want to run about in the sunshine, just really happy songs to put you in a good mood, but after this the atmosphere changes to one of a hopeless desperation. It is still quite experimental, but not as much as Home or Souvenirs. A special mention must go to the bassist Marjolein Kooijman who does a fantastic job.

5. Nox Aurea – Via Gnosis
Absolutely mind blowing. I heard a track on Myspace and was instantly hooked. They play gothic doom and are influenced by Draconian, but are a bit more atmospheric than this, at times sounding like Lethian Dreams and Shape of Despair. If you like Draconian you will go crazy for this.

4. Emperor – Live Inferno
This is the best live black metal album ever. Anyone who has ever seen them live (I haven’t :( ) or heard/watched Emperial Live Ceremony knows just how good they are live, its just a fantastic CD with all their best songs played in stunning fashion

3. Heaven and Hell – The Devil You Know
What a surprise this was. I never really expected any new Black Sabbath material under any pseudonym, but this is fantastic. Its unbelievably heavy, Tony Iommi is on form (when is he not) and every riff is heavy. This is the heaviest album that they have made, and Dio is an absolute god on the vocals. He is 69 and this is still the best vocals all year!

2. Slayer – World Painted Blood
A lot of people like to hate on Slayer for God Hates Us All, but I don’t see why at all. I love that album, as well as everything else they have released. World Painted Blood is a step up from the last two though; it’s a solid thrash metal album and heavy as fuck. It’s easily the best since Seasons in the Abyss, although there is one thing I have noticed. It doesn’t sound great through headphones, or low quality speakers, but when I play it through the excellent ones I have in the house it sounds amazing. Hate Worldwide and Psychopathy Red are two of the best tracks I have ever hard, and easily in my top ten Slayer songs. A lot of people (again for reasons I don’t understand) complain about Tom Araya’s vocals, but I think they are excellent, you can hear all the malice, hatred and venom intended to be put forward.

1. Anaal Nathrakh – In the Constellation of the Black Widow
This is such an incredible album. After The Codex Necro, which is the most extreme album I have ever heard in my life, their later releases were somewhat lacklustre, with only 2 or 3 great tracks. But this one brings back the intensity of the The Codex Necro, and combines with it the melodies and clean vocals present on Eschaton and Hell Is Empty, and All the Devils Are Here. This album is fucking heavy, with great riffs and some of the best black metal vocals I have ever heard. The clean vocals are epic, there are piercing screams, amazing shouting, and seriously there are about 15 different vocal styles present here. From start to finish this album kicks serious butt and I am proud to call it my album of the year.

Dissapointing albums, because not everyone can create the best

Xasthur – All Reflections Drained
This is just shitty ambient noise with no good musicianship whatsoever. Malefic just seems to have given up because this is boring as hell. Avoid at all costs, worst album I have heard all year.

Lacuna Coil – Shallow Life
Bland and commercial nonsense, this is just sugary sweet pop music. Shame because I seem to be in the minority who enjoyed Karmacode. Spellbound was a fantastic single and I thought this would be good, but no. It’s just plain awful, avoid completely unless you would like to hear Britney Spears with some poor guitars.

Edenbridge – Live Earth Dream
Good songs performed well but the quality of the recordings is awful and on some of the songs they don’t even record the whole thing. Wild Chase is superb and better than the album, but I was expecting more considering how good A Livetime in Eden is.

Epica – The Classical Conspiracy
Ok, so I don’t have a problem with the performance of their own material, in fact I think it is a rather good performance, and I would have really liked it had it just been their own material. But it’s the "classical" stuff that annoys me. It is so patronising! Instead of real classical music (which several metalheads like) we get Pirates of the carribean, Darth Vaders theme tune, and the one from Spiderman. I actually felt slightly insulted by that, after expecting some real classical music.

Delain – April Rain
Not as commercial and bland as Lacuna Coil’s Shallow Life, but its not that good. On Lucidity they had a lot of guests, and they made it all seem like an excellent album. Now that they are down to their own talents it shows that they aren’t really very good. Charlotte is a decent singer though.

Nightwish – Made In Hong Kong
A very poor live album, and not even a whole concert because of some sort of dispute with record labels regarding being able to play pre-Annette songs. The Escapist is a fantastic bonus song though, but it still feels like a cash grab.

1349 – Revelations of the Black Flame
All the intensity present in Hellfire that made it such a good album has completely gone, replaced with some attempt at making intelligent progressive black metal. Instead we are left with a boring album with hardly any good ideas, and a rasped cover of Pink Floyd’s Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, which is a disgrace to those mighty prog rockers. Avoid, particularly if you liked Hellfire.

Belphegor – Walpurgis rites – hexenwahn
Probably my most highly anticipated album of the year, as Belphegor have been one of my favourite bands for years. Unfortuantely it just sounds bland, as if the well of ideas has dried up, and all that was left was some songs rejected while recording Bondage Goat Zombie. That said Veneratio Diaboli – I am Sin, is among their best songs ever.

Muse – The Resistance
Ok, so until about October when I discovered The Gathering I thought that Muse were the only good rock band left on the planet. Rock to me is just dead, with hardly any good bands, but Muse seemed to be the only one I really liked, even loved. But [a;bum artist=muse]the Resistance[/album] fell far short of expectations. They have always had a lot of influence from romantic era classical music, but on this album they actually just become a clone of their influences rather than using them to create something unique. United States of Eurasia just sounds exactly like a Queen Song, with no originality, and on the end they just use a piece from Chopin. Laziness much? Overall it isn’t an awful album, but there is no originality, and instead of using influences they just steal from them.

Anyway thats just my take on the years music. There is a lot of dtuff I haven't gotten round to hearing yet, so it won't have everything. If anyone wants to comment and suggest bands or albums that I may like judging from this journal that would be appreciated!

In alphabetical order:

Ahab - The Divinity of Oceans
Altar Of Oblivion - Sinews Of Anguish
Altar of Plagues - White Tomb
Arcana Coelestia - Le Mirage de L'Idéal
Arckanum - ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ
Artillery - When Death Comes
Asphyx - Death... The Brutal Way
Augury - Fragmentary Evidence
Autumnia - O'Funeralia
Avenger - Feast of Anger - Joy of Despair
Azarath - Diabolic Impious Evil
Behemoth - Evangelion
Blood Red Throne - Souls of Damnation
Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars
Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
Carcariass - E-xtinction
ChthoniC - Mirror of Retribution
Code - Resplendent Grotesque
Count Raven - Mammons War
Crystal Viper - Metal Nation
Denial - Catacombs of the Grotesque
Deströyer 666 - Defiance
Doomenicus - Sacred
Drudkh - Microcosmos
Ea - Ea ll
Eternal Tears of Sorrow - Children Of The Dark Waters
Excoriate - On Pestilent Winds...
Exivious - Exivious
Fatum Elisum - Fatum Elisum
Fen - The Malediction Fields
Fjoergyn - Jahreszeiten
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Oracles
Fool's Game - Reality Divine
Forsaken - After the Fall
Funebrarum - The Sleep of Morbid Dreams
Geïst - Galeere
God Dethroned - Passiondale
Gorod - Process of a New Decline
Grave Miasma - Exalted Emanation
Graveyard - One With The Dead
Griftegård - Solemn.Sacred.Severe
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know
Iron Man - I Have Returned
Isole - Silent Ruins
Kalisia - Cybion
Kathaarsys - Anonymous Ballad
Klabautamann - Merkur
Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough
Lethian Dreams - Bleak Silver Streams
Lost Soul - Immerse In Infinity
Mantic Ritual - Executioner
maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
Megadeth - Endgame
Miseration - The Mirroring Shadow
Miserere Luminis - Miserere Luminis
Mournful Congregation - The June Frost
Mourning Dawn - For the Fallen
My Dying Bride - The Lies I Sire
My Lament - Broken Leaf
Nahemah - A New Constellation
Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest
Njiqahdda - Yrg Alms
Obscura - Cosmogenesis
Oranssi Pazuzu - Muukalainen Puhuu
Persefone - Shin-Ken
Portal - Swarth
Process of Guilt - Erosion
Procession - The Cult Of Disease
Razor of Occam - Homage to Martyrs
Redemption - Snowfall On Judgment Day
Revelation - For the Sake of No One
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
Rudra - Brahmavidya: Transcendental I
Secrets of the Moon - Privilegivm
Semlah - Semlah
Shadow Gallery - Digital Ghosts
Shining - VI - Klagopsalmer
Silent Lapse - Birthright
Skagos - Ást
Skeletonwitch - Breathing The Fire
Spiritus Mortis - The God Behind the God
Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions
Swallow the Sun - New Moon
Teitanblood - Seven Chalices
The Chasm - Farseeing The Paranormal Abysm
The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Ape Uprising!
The Prophecy - Into The Light
The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite
Thunderstone - Dirt Metal
Time's Forgotten - Dandelion
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle
Tribulation - The Horror
Ulcerate - Everything Is Fire
Unanimated- In the Light of Darkness
Urna - Iter ad Lucem
Vader - Necropolis
W.A.S.P. - Babylon
Weapon - Drakonian Paradigm
While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose
Wodensthrone - Loss
Wolves in the Throne Room - Black Cascade

2009 in Music

Tim Hecker – An Imaginary Country
Wolves in the Throne Room – Black Cascade
Zu – Carboniferous
Khanate – Clean Hands go foul
Nisennenmondai– FAN
Boris/ Torche - chapter ahead being fake
Dalek – Gutter Tactics
Pissed Jeans– King of Jeans
Animal Collective– Merriweather Post Pavillion
Sunn O)))– Monoliths & Dimensions
THE NOVEMBERS – Paraphilia
maudlin of the Well – Part the Second
Crystal Antlers – Tentacles
Monotonix– where were you when it happened?
Cymbals Eat Guitar– why there are mountains
A Place to Bury Strangers – Exploding Head
Kid606– Shout at the Doner
Nero's Day At Disneyland – from rotting fantasylands
A Forest of Stars– The Corpse of Rebirth
Castrovalva – Self titled EP
Black Moth Super Rainbow– Eating Us
Dan Deacon – Bromst
Japandroids – Post Nothing
Rise & Fall– Our Circle is Vicious
Bats – Red in Tooth & Claw
The Horrors – Primary Colours
Doomriders– Darkness comes alive
Jesu – Opiate Sun
Apse– Climb Up
The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
The Mars Volta – Octahedron
OOIOO– Armonico Hewa
Baroness – Blue Record
Do Make Say Think– Other truths
Enablers – Tundra
Converge – Axe to fall
Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport
Burnt by the Sun – Heart of Darkness
William Elliot Whitmore– Animals in the Dark
Six Organs of Admittance– Luminous Night
HEALTH – Get Color
Lovvers – OCD Go Go Go Girls
Lightning Bolt – Earthly Delights
Why? – Eskimo Snow
Part Chimp – Thriller
Shit & Shine – 229 – 2299 Girls against shit
Kong – Snake Magnet
Sabertooth Zombie - ... and your fathers are dead...
Tortoise – Beacons of Ancestorship
mewithoutYou – It’s all crazy! It’s all false! It’s all a dream! It’s alright
Eels – Hombre Lobo
Blut aus Nord – Dialogue with the Stars
Future of the Left – Travels with myself and another
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Agorapocalypse
The Paper Chase – Someday this could all be yours, vol. 1
Crippled Black Phoenix – The Resurrectionists & the night raider
Big Business – Mind the Drift
Crippled Black Phoenix – 200 tons of bad luck
Dananananaykroyd – Hey everyone
Kylesa – Static Tensions
Buried Inside – Spoils of failure
Mono – hymn to the immortal wind
Zombi – Spirit Animal
Ars Dada - Assaualt Machine
Anaal Nathrakh - In the constellation of the ....


However if I was going to pick a top 5 it would be this:
1. Tim Hecker
2. Health
3. Zu
4. Pissed Jeans
5. I couldnt pick a fifth. So lets just leave is as top 4.

These are the 60 odd releases of my year. Some dont really deserve to be in this end of the year best of lists (see Khanate, oh god, that was awful), but they have a place here as this list doubles up as snapshot of the year.

I imagine there are some that werent actually released this year (and if there is I dont care, just keep it to yourself, ok, this isnt an excercise in the anal its a celebration of 2009 in music). Anyway this list is dictated by british release dates not the relase dates of whatever country you live in.

What I do care about, however, is bands/releases that I have missed out on and bands I should check out on the basis on whats included in this list. So by all means I'm happy to listen to what people have to say. Like Zola Jesus, I might check her stuff out for example, thats just to get the ball rolling.

New discovery of the year award (thats for the band that I didnt know about before this year, whether the band is new or old) goes to Corrupted. That performance at Supersonic alone was enough to make me a massive fan, its just a shame that finding their releases isnt as easy.

Heres hoping 2010 can be as good

Notice how I said my favorites?

20. Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity // The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate
19. Glorior Belli - Meet Us At The Southern Sign
18. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
17. Revocation - Existence Is Futile
16. Narrows - New Distances
15. maudlin of the Well - Part The Second
14. Gorod - Process Of A New Decline
13. Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
12. Diocletian - Doom Cult
11. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II
10. Immortal - All Shall Fall
09. Suffocation - Blood Oath
08. Iskra - Bureval
07. Cobalt - Gin
06. Goreaphobia - Mortal Repulsion

05. Funebrarum - The Sleep of Morbid Dreams
04. Magrudergrind - Magrudergrind
03. Augury - Fragmentary Evidence
02. Ulcerate - Everything Is Fire
01. Converge - Axe To Fall

The stuff that would make my list way too long: (No particular order)
Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic
Mono - Hymn To The Immortal Wind
Absu - Absu
Panopticon - Collapse
Poison the Well - The Tropic Rot
Tombs - Winter Hours
Burnt by the Sun - Heart of Darkness
Animals as Leaders - Animals As Leaders
Cattle Decapitation - The Harvest Floor
Beherit - Engram

Disappointments:
The Red Chord - Fed Through The Teeth Machine
Pestilence - Resurrection Macabre
Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect

Laugh. Bitch. Have fun!

Some albums, eps and demos I've listened so far this year.

Favourites

Ahab - The Divinity Of The Oceans [Funeral Doom Metal]
Aorlhac - Aorlhac [Black Metal]
Arckanum - þþþþþþþþþþþ [Black Metal]
Asphyx - Death... The Brutal Way [Death Metal]
Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II [Black Metal]
Claws - Absorbed In The Nethervoid [Death Metal]
Drudkh - Microcosmos [Black Metal]
Excoriate - On Pestilent Winds... [Death Metal]
Funebrarum - The Sleep Of Morbid Dreams [Death Metal]
Goatmoon - Goatmoon (EP) [Black Metal]
Ignivomous - Death Transmutation [Death Metal]
Impetuous Ritual - Relentless Execution Of Ceremonial Excrescence [Death Metal]
Infected Disarray - Disseminating Obscenity [Technical Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Isis - Wavering Radiant [Post-Rock/Sludge]
Jesu - Infinity [Drone/Ambient Post-Rock]
Katharsis - Fourth Reich [Black Metal]
Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough [Atmospheric/Progressive Black Metal]
Krypts - Open The Krypt (DEMO) [Death Metal]
Lifelover - Dekadenz (EP) - [Black Metal/Depressive Rock]
Månegarm - Nattvasen [Folk/Viking Metal]
Monarque - Ad Nauseam [Black Metal]
Lie In Ruins - Swallowed By The Void [Death Metal]
Peste Noire - Ballade Cuntre Lo Anemi Francor [Black Metal]
Skagos - Ást [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Slugathor - Echoes From Beneath [Death Metal]
Sólstafir - Kold [Post-Black Metal/Psychedelic Rock]
Teitanblood - Seven Chalices [Black Death Metal]
The Austrasian Goat - Witch (EP) [Funeral Doom/Black Metal]
The Chasm - Farseeing The Paranormal Abysm [Death Metal]
The Devil’s Blood - The Time Of No Time Evermore [Psychedelic Rock]
The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Todeskult - Apathy [Depressive Black Metal]
Tribulation - The Horror [Death Metal/Thrash Metal]
Trist - Ve Snech Nekrvácím (DEMO) [Depressive Black Metal]
Urfaust - Einsiedler (EP) [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Wolves in the Throne Room - Black Cascade [Black Metal]
Wormlust - Seven Paths (DEMO) [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Yoga - Megafauna [Dark Ambient/Psychedelic Black Metal]


Really Good

A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head [Shoegaze/Noise/Post-Punk]
Abhordium - Declaration Of Perdition (EP) [Death Metal]
Abigail - Sweet Baby Metal Slut [Blackened Thrash Metal]
Absu - Absu [Black/Thrash Metal]
Acrimonious - Purulence [Black Metal]
Aggression - Moshpirit [Thrash Metal]
Ahamoth Aeternus - Great Darkness Ahamoth [Black Metal]
Austere - To Lay Like Old Ashes [Depressive Black Metal]
Aldrlag - Aldrlag (DEMO) [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs [Post-Punk/Black Metal]
Amorphis - Skyforger [Melodic Death Metal/Rock]
Andacht - Chapter I [Black Metal]
Angmar - Zurück In Die Unterwelt [Black Metal]
Arizmenda - Within The Vacuum Of Infinity... [Depressive Black Metal]
Asaru - Dead Eyes Still See [Black Metal]
Ascended - Temple Of Dark Offerings [Death Metal]
Asenblut - Aufbruch [Blackened Thrash Metal]
Asphyxiate - Anatomy Of Perfect Bestiality [Brutal Death Metal]
Axegressor - Command [Thrash Metal]
Balnasar - Ein Kalter Natchgedanke [Ambient/Depressive Black Metal]
Baroness - Blue Record [Progressive Sludge Metal]
Bergraven - Till Makabert Väsen [Experimental Black Metal]
Black Wreath - A Pyre Of Lost Dreams [Death/Funeral Doom Metal]
Bleeding Fist - Bestial Krucifix666ion [Black/Thrash Metal]
Bliss Of Flesh - Emaciated Deity [Blackened Death Metal]
Bloody Panda - Summon [Experimental/Sludge/Doom Metal]
BLUT - This Burden (DEMO) [Drone/Noise]
Bone Gnawer - Feast Of Flesh [Brutal Death Metal]
Bornholm - March For Glory And Revenge [Black Metal]
Burial Ritual - Tower Of Silence [Death Metal]
Candlemass - Death Magic Doom [Doom Metal]
CANIS DIRUS - A Somber Wind From A Distant Shore [Depressive Black Metal]
Capitis Damnare - Ex Regnum Spiritus In Manifestus [Black Metal]
Carrion Wraith - Carrion Wraith [Depressive Black Metal]
Chaos Inception - Collision With Oblivion [Brutal Death Metal]
Cobalt - Gin [Black Metal]
Code - Resplendent Grotesque [Avant-Garde Black Metal]
Claustrofobia - I See Red [Death/Thrash Metal]
Claws - The Funeral Barge (EP) [Death Metal]
Crucifier - Trampler Under Cloven Hooves (EP) [Black/Doom/Death Metal]
Cry of Silence - Wandering Through Pagan Times [Black Metal]
Dead - Hanging Illusions (DEMO) [Depressive Black Metal]
Deströyer 666 - Defiance [Death Black Thrash Metal]
Depressive Years - Failing To Confront Suicidal Toughts [Depressive Black Metal]
Devourment - Unleash The Carnivore [Slam Death Metal]
Disgorgement - Chamber Of Depravity [Death Metal]
Dreams of the Drowned - Thanatotropic Principle [Post-Black Metal]
Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity [Brutal Death Metal]
Eagle Twin - The Unkidness Of Crows [Drone/Stoner/Sludge Doom Metal]
Embryonic Depravity - Contrained By The Miscarriage Of Conquest [Brutal Death Metal]
EndName - Dreams Of A Cyclops [Instrumental Post-Rock/Sludge]
Entrails - Entrails (DEMO) [Death Metal]
Ensiferum - From Afar [Epic Folk Metal]
Ex Dementia - The Red Mass [Grind/Death Metal]
Faceless and Descending - Endless Reign Of Suffering [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Feral - Welcome To The Graveyard (DEMO) [Death 'N' Roll]
Fjoergyn - Jahreszeiten [Experimental/Epic Melodic Black Metal]
Flagellant - Morbus Nefastus (EP) [Black Metal]
Formaldehyde - God's Will [Death Metal]
Fornicatus - Omnium Animalis Terminus [Depressive Black Metal]
Furia - Grudzién Za Grudniem [Black Metal]
General Surgery - Corpus In Extremis [Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Gorgoroth - Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt [Black Metal]
Gnaw Their Tongues - All The Dread Magnificence Of Perversity [Black Metal/Noise/Industrial]
Grave Miasma - Exalted Emanation [Black Death Metal]
Gravehill - Rites Of The Pentagram [Death/Thrhas Metal]
Gravenloch - Gravenloch [Death/Thrash Metal]
Graveyard - One With The Dead [Death Metal]
Grigori - Principivm Et Finis [Black Metal]
HAT - The Demise Of Mankind [Black Metal]
Helcaraxë - Broadsword [Melodic Death Metal]
Illdisposed - To Those Who Walk Behind Us [Melodic Death Metal]
Immortal - All Shall Fall [Black Metal]
Infested - 1000 Doors [Brutal Death Metal]
Inanition - Eternal Beauty Of The End (EP) [Ambient/Drone/Funeral Doom Metal]
Irepress - Sol Eye Sea I [Instrumental Post-Rock/Metal/Sludge]
Isole - Silent Ruins [Epic Doom Metal]
IXXI - Elect Darkness [Black/Thrash Metal]
Karlahan - A Portrait Of Life [Folk/Melodic Death Metal]
Katatonia - Night Is The New Day [Depressive Rock]
Keeper of Dreams - Taste Smashed To Pieces [Technical Death/Thrash Metal]
Khanate - Clean Hands Go Foul [Sludge/Drone/Doom Metal]
Kladovest - Escape In Melancholy [Depressive Black Metal]
Kulde - Heart Of The Northern Depression (DEMO) [Atmospheric/Depressive Black Metal]
M8L8TH - Nepokolebimaja Vera [Black Metal]
Managarm - Poems Of The Shadows Disappointment [Depressive Black Metal]
Masske - Masske [Shoegaze/Instrumental/Post-Rock]
maudlin of the Well - Part The Second [Avant-Garde/Progressive Metal]
Methadrone - Better Living (Through Chemistry) [Industrial/Drone Doom Metal]
Mindwork - Into The Swirl [Progressive Death Metal/Fusion]
Moss - Tomb Of The Blind Drugged (EP) [Drone Doom Metal/Sludge]
Mourning Dawn - For The Fallen [Black/Doom Metal]
Muldjord - Hate Breeds Hate (EP) [Death Metal]
Murder Therapy - Symmetry Of Delirium [Technical Brutal Death Metal]
Nadja - Belles Betes [Ambient/Drone Doom]
Nahar - La Fascination Du Pire [Black Metal]
Naumachia - Black Sun Rising [Melodic Death Metal]
Nazxul - Iconoclast [Melodic Black Metal]
Necrophobic - Death To All [Melodic Black Death Metal]
Nidhogg - Siegeszug Der Götter [Viking Metal]
Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest [Technical/Brutal Death Metal]
Nomans Land - Farnord [Black Metal/Folk]
Obitus - The March Of The Drones [Black Metal]
Oblomov - Communitas (Deconstructing The Order) [Avant-Garde/Melodic Blackened Death Metal/Folk]
Old Forest - The Kingdom Of Darkness (DEMO) [Ambient Black Metal]
Pale Mist - From A Cruel Obscurity (DEMO) [Depressive Black Metal]
Pelican - Ephemeral (Ep) [Post-Rock/Sludge Drone]
Pelican - What We All Come To Need [Post-Rock/Sludge Drone]
Pyramids with Nadja - Selt Titled [Ambient/Drone Doom]
Portal - Swarth [Post Death Metal]
Prejudice - Megalomanic Infest [Technical Brutal Death Metal]
Process of Guilt - Erosion [Death Metal/Doom]
Putrefy - One Nation Under Gore [Slam Death Metal]
Putrid - Morbid Awakening (DEMO) [Death Metal]
Quintessence - Le Fleau De Ton Existence [Black Metal]
Lathspell - Reborn In Retaliation [Black Metal]
Laudanum - The Coronation [Noise Drone Doom Metal]
Locrian - Drenched Lands (EP) [Noise/Psychedelic]
Los Sin Nombre - Blind Leading Blind [Melodic Death/Thrash Metal]
Lividity[artist/] - To Desecrate And Defile [Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Lustmord - [B E Y O N D] [Dark Ambient]
Obscura - Cosmogenesis [Technical Death Metal/Jazz Influences]
Ravens Creed - Albion Thunder [Death Metal]
Revocation - Existence Is Futile [Technical Death/Thrash Metal]
Ribspreader - Opus Ribcage [Death Metal]
Rimfrost - Veraldar Nagli [Black Metal]
Russian Circles - Geneva [Instrumental Post-Rock/Metal]
Sarsekim - Fathom The Spheres [Technical Death Metal/Black Metal]
Self-Inflicted Violence - A Perception Of Matter And Energy [Shoegaze/Depressive Black Metal]
Seven - Cymatics [Ambient/Math/Progressive Rock/Metal]
Skady - Eyn Raunen Im Tannicht [Viking Black Metal]
Skeletal Spectre - Tomb Coven [Doom/Death Metal]
Skogen - Vittra [Black Metal]
Skullflower - Malediction [Drone Doom/Noise]
Smashed Ruins - Silence [Instrumental Black Metal]
Slavland - Lechita [Pagan Black Metal]
Stench Of Decay - Where Death And Decay Reign (Demo) [Death Metal]
Strandhogg - Ritualistic Plague (Evangelical Death Apotheosis) [Black Metal]
Stworz - Po Szasu Kres [Black Metal]
Spiculum Iratus - Summa Anti-Theologica [Black Metal]
Sun of the Blind - Skullreader [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions [Drone Doom Metal]
Survivors Zero - Cmxcix [Death/Thrash Metal]
Templestowe - Cimmerian [Progressive/Melodic Death Metal]
Thanatos - Justified Genocide [Death Metal]
The Beast Of The Apocalypse - A Voice From The Four Horns Of The Golden Altar [Black Metal]
The Project Hate MCMXCIX - The Lustrate Process [Industrial Death Metal]
These Are They - Who Linger [Death Metal]
Trist - Za Hranicí Skutecnosti (EP) [Depressive Black Metal]
Thy Flesh Consumed - Unrepentant [Death Metal]
Ulcerate - Everything Is Fire [Death Metal]
Ulvhedner - For I Tida [Black Metal]
Vader - Necropolis [Death Metal]
Velvet Cacoon - P Aa Opal Poere Pr. 33 [Ambient Black Metal]
Vesano - Sangue Seco (DEMO) [Depressive Black Metal]
vindicator - Outbreak (EP) [Thrash Metal]
Viscera Trail - Humiliation - Riden Evisceration [Brutal Death Metal/Grind]
Vomepotro - Liturgy Of Dissection [Brutal Death Metal]
Vomitory - Carnage Euphoria [Death Metal]
Waldgeflüster - Herbstklagen [Black Metal]
Wardruna - Runaljod - Gap Var Ginnunga [Ambient Folk]
Warmarch - Pactum Cum Diabolicus [Black Metal]
West Wall - Conquest Or Death [Death Metal]
White Mice - Ganjahovahdose [Experimental/Sludge/Noise Rock]
Witching Hour - Rise Of The Desecrated [Black Metal/Thrash Metal]
Wodensthrone - Loss [Black Metal]
Wolves in the Throne Room - Malevolent Grain (EP) [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Woods of Desolation - Sorh (EP) [Depressive Black Metal]
Xasthur - All Reflections Drained [Depressive Ambient Black Metal]
Yogth Sothoth - The Dark Waters Are Shaken (EP) [Death Metal]
Zamak - Hate Dominion Revenge [Melodic Death/Thrash Metal]
Аркона - Гой, Роде, Гой! [Folk/Pagan Metal]

[u]Not Bad...[/u]

Abraxas - Promo 2009 (Demo) [Death Metal]
Abysmal Torment - Omnicide [Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Aeternam - Disciples Of The Unseen [Melodic Death Metal]
Anaal Nathrakh - In The Constelation Of The Black Widow [Black Metal/Grindcore]
Altar of Plagues - White Tomb [Experimental Black Metal]
Archgoat - The Light-Devouring Darkness [Black Death Metal]
Augury - Fragmentary Evidence [Progressive Death Metal]
Auspicium - Dawnland [Atmospheric Black Metal/Neo-Folk]
Autopsy - Horrific Obsession (EP) [Death Metal]
Avulsed - Nullo [Brutal Death Metal]
Axis Powers - Marching Towards Destruction [Death Metal]
Azaghal - Teraphim [Black Metal]
Azarath - Praise The Beast [Blackened Death Metal]
Be'lakor - Stone's Reach [Melodic Death Metal]
Behemoth - Evangelion [Blackened Death Metal]
Beherit - Engram [Black Metal]
Belphegor - Walpurgis Rites - Hexenwahn [Blackened Death Metal]
Benighted In Sodom - In Hora Maledictus - Part 2 [Depressive Black Metal]
Black Boned Angel - Verdun [Drone Doom/Noise]
Black Vomit - Jungle Death [Psychedelic/Noise Black Metal]
Blodkalt - Demo 2009 (DEMO) [Black Metal]
Blood Red Throne - Souls Of Damnation [Melodic Death Metal]
Brooding - Shower Of Ageless Light [Black Metal]
Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague [Death Metal]
Carcharoth - Antiversum [Black Metal]
Carnal - Re-Creation [Doom/Death Metal]
Circle of Ouroborus - Tree Of Knoweldge [Experimental Black Metal]
Circle of Ouroborus - Islands [Experimental Black Metal]
Coffinworm - Great Bringer Of Night (DEMO) [Sludge/Doom/Black Metal]
Craniotomy - Catharsis [Death Metal]
CSSABA - Toxic Cssaba [Industrial Black Metal]
Cultes Des Goules - The Story Of Dagon [Ambient/Gothic Rock]
Dark Funeral - Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus [Black Metal]
Dark Paranoia - Dark Paranoia (DEMO) [Ambient/Depressive Black Metal]
Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult - Saldorian Spell [Black Metal]
Decrepidemic - The Void Of Un-Existence [Brutal Death Metal]
Denial - Catacombs Of The Grotesque [Death Metal]
Demonium - Nothing Is Truth Everything Is Allowed [Death Metal]
Depravity - Litanies For The World To Suffer [Death Metal]
Devastator - Underground 'N' Roll [Crossover Thrash Metal]
Diablo Swing Orchestra - Sing Along Songs For The Damned & Delirious [Avant-Garde/Operatic Metal]
Diamatregon - Crossroad [Black Metal]
Die Hard - Nihilistic Vision [Death/Thrash Metal]
Ditchcreeper - Rotting Repugnancy [Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Drained - Solutions [Depressive Black Metal]
Drapsnatt - I Denna Skog [Folk/Black Metal]
Drowning the Light - A Pact With Madness [Depressive Black Metal]
Dodsengel - Visioner [Black Metal]
Dysperium - Dysperium [Black/Doom Metal]
Ea - Ea II [Funeral Doom Metal]
Elysium - Nine Ways To Leave [Thrash Metal]
Engaged in Mutilating - Population: Zero [Technical Death Metal]
Enoid - Ataraxiis [Black Metal]
Embedded - Beyond The Flesh [Brutal Death Metal]
Evile - Infected Nations [Thrash Metal]
Eyecult - Morituri Te Salutamus [Black Metal]
Faceless Hulk - ...It Was The Wettest Thing I Had Ever Felt (EP) [Technical Death Metal/Sludge/Grindcore]
Fatum Elisum - Fatum Elisum [Doom/Death Metal]
Fen - The Malediction Fields [Black Metal/Post-Rock]
Festered - Flesh Perversion [Death Metal]
Flame Of War - Transcendence [Black Metal]
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Oracles [Technical Death Metal]
Fleshworks - The Deadventure [Death Metal]
Fondlecorpse - Creaturegore [Death Metal]
Folkearth - Rulers Of The Sea [Epic Folk/Viking Metal]
Folkstorm - De Stemmen Van Het Woud [Black Metal]
Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport [Post-Rock/Drone/Electronica]
Fukpig - Spewings From A Selfish Nation [Grindcore/Black Metal]
Funeraille - Dis Pater [Black Metal]
Funeral Feast - Genocide Ad Nauseam [Death Metal]
Funeral Goat - Mass Ov Perversion [Black Metal]
Funeral Mist - Maranatha [Black Metal]
Gama Bomb - Tales From The Grave In Space [Speed/Thrash Metal]
Garden Of Sadness - Travesty Of A Human Being [Depressive Black Metal]
Giant Squid - Ichthyologist [Ambient Progressive Post-Rock/Metal]
Goatwhore - Carving Out The Eyes Of God [Blackened Death Metal]
God Dethroned - Passiondale [Melodic Death Metal]
GOG - Mist From The Random More [Drone Doom Metal]
Goreaphobia - Mortal Repulsion [Death Metal]
Gnostic - Engineering The Rule [Technical Death Metal]
Glorior Belli - Meet Us At The Southern Sign [Black Metal]
Gorod - Process Of A New Decline [Technical Death Metal]
GRAJ - Полынь трава [Pagan/Folk Metal]
Graveland - Spears Of Heaven [Black Metal]
Hackneyed - Burn After Reaping [Brutal Death Metal]
Hail of Bullets - Warsaw Rising (EP) [Death Metal]
Hellwitch - Omnipotent Convocation [Death/Thrash Metal]
Hetzer - Fall Of The Holy Cult [Black/Death Metal]
Hinsidig - Bak Og Forbi... (DEMO) [Black Metal]
Hirax - El Rostro De La Muerte [Crossover/Thrash Metal]
Horncrowned - Casus Belli Anticristianus [Black Metal]
Horseback - The Invisible Mountain [Ambient/Drone/Psychedelic]
Human Rejection - Decrepit To Insanity [Brutal Death Metal]
Hypocrisy - A Taste Of Extreme Divinity [Melodic Death Metal]
Hypomanie - Hypomanie (EP) [Post-Rock/Black Metal]
Impious - Death Domination [Melodic Death/Thrash Metal]
Infernal Revulsion - Dead But Breathing [Brutal Death Metal]
Infidel - Ejaculating Chaos [Black Metal]
Instinct of Survival - North Of Nowhere [Death Metal/Crust]
Iskra - Bureval [Crust/Black Metal]
Kinit Her - Glyms Or Beame Of Radicall Truthes [Psychedelic Neo-Folk]
Kreator - Hordes Of Chaos [Thrash Metal]
Kult Ofensivy - Radikální Ateismus [Black Metal]
Laconist - Adveniat Infernus (EP) [Death Metal]
Liturgy - Renihilation [Experimental Black Metal]
Livsnekad - Den Sociala Vanforheten [Doom/Black Metal]
Lordamor - Lordamor [Funeral Doom/Black Metal]
Marduk - Wormwood [Black Metal]
Martyrdöd - Sekt [Blackened Crust]
Massachist - Death Fury March [Death Metal]
Master's Hammer - Mantras [Experimental Black Metal]
Mastodon - Crack The Skye [Progressive/Technical Groove Metal]
Maim - From The Tomb To The Womb [Death Metal]
Maithungh - Lust In The Kingdom Of God [Death Metal]
Man Must Die - No Tolerance For Imperfection [Technical Death Metal]
Mass Infection - The Age Of Recreation [Death Metal]
method - Spiritual Reinforcement [Melodic Thrash Metal]
Miseration - The Mirroring Shadow [Death Metal]
Misere Luminis - Misere Luminis [Ambient/Depressive Black Metal]
Mono - Hmn To The Immortal Wind [Instrumental Post-Rock]
Morrah - Sense Of Brutality [Brutal Death Metal]
Morte Lune - Into The Depths Of The Mind [Depressive Black Metal]
Mournful Congregation - The June Frost [Funeral Doom Metal]
Mr. Death - Detached From Life [Death Metal]
My Cat Is an Alien - Mort Aux Vaches [Experimental/Drone/Noise]
Nadja - Clinging To The Edge Of The Sky (EP) [Ambient/Drone Doom Metal]
nailed god - Glorification Of The Unborn [Black Metal]
Nargaroth - Jahreszeiten [Black Metal]
Nachtvorst - Stills [Depressive Black Metal]
Nebelkorona - Des Nachts In Tristen Nebeln (EP) [Dark Ambien/Neo-Classical]
Oak - Oak [Death/Doom Metal]
Of Raven & Ruins - Bound To Prophecy [Melodic Death Metal]
One Master - The Quiet Eye Of Eternity [Black Metal]
Orcustus - Orcustus [Black Metal]
Ordo Templi Orientis - Dysphory Part 1 [Depressive Black Metal]
Ossadogva - Born From A Tomb [Depressive Black Metal]
Osoka - Caustic Smoke [Ambient/Sludge/Drone Doom Metal]
Otargos - Fuck God-Disease Process [Black Metal]
Pandemia - Feet Of Anger [Death Metal]
Panopticon - Panopticon [Black Metal]
Pathology - Age Of Onset [Brutal Death Metal]
Planning for Burial - Leaving [Shoegaze/Drone/Post-Metal]
Pus Vomit - Degrade The Worthless [Slam Death Metal]
Putrid Pile - House Of Dementia [Brutal Death Metal]
Randir - Kampfes Lohn (DEMO) [Folk/Black Metal]
Repulsive Dissection - Cut Open The Aberration [Technical/Brutal Death Metal]
Reverence - Inactive Theocracy [Industrial Black Metal]
[artist]Ritualmord[artist] - Booze Up [Punkish Black Metal]
Rome - Flowers From Exile [Apocalyptic Neo-Folk]
Sacrarium - March To An Inviolable Death [Black Metal]
Sanctification - Black Reign [Death Metal]
Saprophagous - Dimensions Of Diverse Brutality (EP) [Death Metal/Grind]
Savage Messiah - Insurrection Rising [Thrash Metal]
Scourged Flesh - Welcome To The End Of The World [Death/Thrash Metal]
Scythian - To Those Who Stand Against Us... [Death/Thrash Metal]
Sejtane - The Burning Cold [Black Metal]
Sepsism - Distorting The Mortal Visage [Brutal Death Metal]
Sjenovik - Zephaniah [Industrial/Folk/Black Metal]
Skeletonwitch - Breathing The Fire [Blackened Thrash Metal]
Skogen - Todesrune (DEMO) [Black Metal]
Slayer - World Painted Blood [Thrash Metal]
Sorgeldom - Innerlig Formorkelse [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Sound Asleep - Sound Asleep [Sludge Doom Metal]
Spawn - The Wicked Reincarnation [Death Metal]
Splatter Whore - City Of The Sleazehounds [Death Metal/Grind & Roll]
Storhet av Morke - Grandeur Of Eternal Cold [Black Metal]
Suffocation - Blood Oath [Death Metal]
Supreme Pain - Nemesis Enforcer [Brutal Death Metal]
Swallow the Sun - New Moon [Melodic Death/Doom Metal]
Switchblade - Switchblade 2009 [Sludge/Drone Doom Metal]
Temple Of Baal - Lightslaying Rituals [Black Metal]
Tenet - Sovereign [Death Metal/Thrash Metal]
Teloch - Morbid Prayer [Black Metal]
The Accüsed - The Curse Of Martha Splatterhead [Crossover Thrash Metal]
The Cumshots - A Life Less Necessary [Death Metal/Hard Rock]
The Faceless - Planetary Duality [Technical Death Metal/Deathcore]
The Grotesquery - Tales Of The Coffin Born [Death Metal]
The Nihilistic Front - Total Disgust For Mankind [Doom/Death Metal]
The Red Chord - Fed Through The Teeth Machine [Technical Deathcore]
The Ordher - Kill The Betrayers [Brutal Death Metal]
Thronum Vrondor - Vrondor II [Black Metal]
The Cleansing - Poisoned Legacy [Death Metal]
Through the Pain - Time Heals Nothing [Depressive Black Metal]
TIRAN - Demonia [Thrash Metal]
Tormented - Rotten Death [Death Metal]
Total Negation - Zeitenwende [Depressive Black Metal]
Treha Sektori - Sorieh [Industrial/Dark Ambient]
Unanimated - In The Light Of Darkness [Melodic Death Metal]
Undivine - Into Dust [Blackened Death Metal]
Urgehal - Ikonoklast [Black Metal]
Urheimat - The Gates To An Elder Constellation [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Urna - Iter Ad Lucem [Black Metal/Funeral Doom]
Valborg - Glorification Of Pain [Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal]
Vahrzaw - Defiant [Blackened Death Metal]
Varathron - Stygian Forces Of Scorn [Melodic Black Metal]
Veér - The Measure Of Waste [Black Metal]
Vemoth - The Upcoming End [Black Metal]
Vengeful - The Omnipresent Curse [Death Metal]
Vinland - Ancestors' Age (EP) [Viking Metal]
Vociferian - Glorificia Bestials [Black Metal]
Vomit The Soul - Apostles Of Inexpression [Slam Death Metal]
Vorgus - Hellfueled Satanic Action [Blackened Thrash Metal]
We Are Legion - The Institution Of Disharmony [Death Metal]
Witchmaster - Trücizna [Black Metal/Thrash Metal]
Wrnlrd - Myrmidom [Experimental Black Metal]
Zimierzch - Wicher (DEMO) [Ambient/Depressive Black Metal]


[u]Meh[/u]

... - Somebody Save Me (EP) [Depressive Black Metal]
1349 - Revelation Of The Black Flame [Black Metal]
Abaddon Incarnate - Cascade [Black/Grind/Death Metal]
Ad Hominem - Dictator - A Monument Of Glory [Black Metal]
Aluk Todolo - Finsternis [Ambient/Noise/Instrumental Rock]
Amputated Genitals - Family Bloodbath [Slam Death Metal]
Ancient Plague - Demo (DEMO) [Ambient/Drone]
Arallu - Desert Battles [Black Death Thrash Metal]
Arckanum - Pyrmir (EP) [Black Metal]
Astral Luminous - Lunaric Tide [Atmospheric Black Metal]
Au Sacre des Nuit - Anti-Humain [Funeral Doom/Black Metal]
Blood Mortized - Blood Mortized [Death Metal]
Burial Ground - The Horror Has Just Begun [Black/Death Metal]
BRIGHT OPHIDIA - Set Your Madness Free [Avant-Garde/Progressive Metal]
Cannabis Corpse - Weeding (EP) [Death Metal]
Cerebral Incubation - Asphxiating In Exrement [Slam Death Metal]
Cristalys - Surémincence [Black Metal]
Crucifist - Demon Haunted World [Blackened Thrash Metal]
Cumulo Nimbus - Totensonntag [Folk Metal]
Dark lay still - Through Hell [Symphonic Un-Black Metal]
Defiance - The Prophecy [Thrash Metal]
Despondency - Revelation IV (Rise Of The Nemesis) [Slam Death Metal]
Drowning the Light - The Fading Rays of the Sun (EP) [Black Metal]
Echoes Of Yul - Echoes Of Yul [Drone/Sludge/Post-Rock]
Egemony - Baptism Of The Unborn [Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Embrace Damnation - Glory Of A New Darkness [Black/Death Metal]
empty - The House Of Funerary Hymns [Black Metal]
Endstille - Verführer [Black Metal]
Epitome - Superotic Experience [Grindcore/Death Metal]
Eternal Grave - Arquitectura Del Horror [Brutal Death Metal]
Eternity (Arg) - In The Corner Of Your Silent Soul (EP) [Black/Doom Metal]
Feeble Minded - Pernicious Intergrowth [Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore]
Fields of Elysium - Unraveling Arcane Dynamics [Technical Death Metal/Grindcore]
Forest Stream - The Crown Of Winter [Doom Metal/Black]
Fuelblooded - Off The Face Of The Earth [Melodic Death/Thrash Metal]
Genocide of Prescription - Corporal Violence (EP) [Technical Deathcore]
Genocide Winter - Monastica Holocaust [Depressive Black Metal]
Glittertind - Landkjenning [Viking Folk Metal]
Gravewürm - Funeral Empire [Blackened Thrash Metal/Doom]
Gravsorg - Visions Of Depression [Depressive Black Metal]
Happy Days - Happiness Stops Here... [Depressive Black Metal]
Havohej - Kembatinan Premaster [Experimental Black Metal]
Havok - Burn [Thrash Metal]
[artist]Hollow[artist] - Hollow [Raw Black Metal]
Hyadningar - The Weak Creation [Black Metal]
Hugin Munin - Viking Brothers [Viking/Black Metal]
ID:VISION - X-Ray Sun (EP) [Industrial Black/Death Metal]
Incursus - Eternal Funeral Trance [Black Metal]
Ingested - Surpassing The Boundaries Of Human Suffering [Slam Death Metal]
Insidious Decrepancy - Extirpating Omniscient Certitude [Brutal Death Metal]
Ilkim Oulanem - Iblisbilim (EP) [Black Metal]
Kalisia - Cybion [Progressive Metal]
Korpiklaani - Karkelo [Folk Metal]
Kraanium - The Art Of Female Sodomy [Slam Death Metal]
Kult ov Azazel - Destroying The Sacred [Black Metal]
Kuturlat - Where The Crows Reign [Black Metal]
Lamia Culta - Patre Satane [Symphonic Black Metal]
Leichengott - Cyrograf [Black Metal]
Livimorket - Dark Totally (DEMO) [Ambient/Depressive Black Metal]
Moroghor - ...And Space As Chaos [Instrumental/Ambient Black Metal]
Myrkr - Black Illumination [Black Metal]
Nazarene Decomposing - Demonic Inquisition [Black Metal]
Nebukadnezza - There Is No Revolution [Thrash Metal]
Nefandus - Death Holy Death [Black Metal]
Negativity - Life Is A Dead End [Black Metal]
Nocturnes Mist - Southern Storms (DEMO) [Black Metal]
Obituary - Left To Die [Death Metal]
Oranssi Pazuzu - Muukalainen Puhuu [Experimental Black Metal]
Pensées Nocturnes - Vacuum [Depressive Black Metal/Neo-Classical]
Pestilence - Resurection Macabre [Death Metal]
Pigsty - Planet Of The Pigs [Death Metal/Grindcore]
ProRok - Satanisticka Krv [Black Metal]
Psilocybe - Psilosophy [Death Metal]
Sadomator - Infinity Goatsower (EP) [Black Death Metal]
Savaoth - Whispers Often Bleat [Industrial Symphonic Black Metal]
Scar Symmetry - Dark Matter Dimensions [Melodic Death Metal]
Schrei aus Stein - Talus [Ambient Black Metal]
Scolopendragon - Minden Elet Hanyagolva (DEMO) [Noise/Experimental Black Metal]
Sepultura - A-Lex [Thrash Metal/Groove/Hardcore]
Shining - Klagopsalmer [Experimental Depressive Black Metal]
Sickening Horror - The Dead End Experiment [Experimental Death Metal]
Skitliv - Skandinavisk Misantropi [Experimental Doom/Black Metal]
Slagmaur - Von Rov Shelter [Psychedelic Black Metal]
Slartibartfass - Funkenfeuer [Viking/Folk Metal]
Solarward - As The Sky Stares Down [Melodic Black Metal]
Sombre Présage - Seul... (EP) [Drone/Dark Ambient/Black Metal]
Striborg - Perceiving The World With Hate [Ambient Black Metal]
Tenebrae in Perpetuum - L'eterno Maligno Silenzio [Black Metal]
The Axis of Perdition - Urfe [Industrial/Noise/Black Metal]
Thesyre - Résistance [Black Metal/Thrash Metal]
Tracedawn - Ego Anthem [Melodic Death Metal/Power Metal]
Trismegisto - Eerie Black Path [Black Metal]
Týr - By The Light Of The Northern Star [Viking Folk Metal]
Sarke - Sarke [Black Metal/Thrash Metal]
Veirg - Ragnarok [Depressive Black Metal]
Velvet Cacoon - Atropine [Dark Ambient]
Vociferous - Vociferous [Black Metal]
Voqkrre - Palans In Pestilens [Black Metal]
Way to end - Desecrated Internal Journey [Experimental Black Metal]
Won - La Nebbia Dell'antica Religione (EP) [Black Metal]
Wolfdusk - Down Of Christianity [Black/Thrash Metal]
Whiplash - Unborn Again [Thrash Metal]
White Static Demon - Decayed [Ambient/Noise]
Whorethorn - Under The Veil Of Darkness [Black Metal]
Zebadiah Crowe - The Many Deaths Of The Great Beast [Black Metal]



Feel free to recommend me some music.

1. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars.
Blut Aus Nord seem to change their musical direction with each album release without losing their signature sound. The biggest change on this album is the melodic touch, which was absent on previous albums such as MoRT or Odonist – The Destruction of Reason by Illumination. The use clean guitar in some of the interludes is a great addition to their sound. I’m sure this album will be on a lot of ‘best of 2009’ lists.



2. El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Cryptomnesia.
Fans of the Mars Volta should enjoy this release… and rightly so, because half of the members are shared with El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Apparently the other half are members of Hella; a band that I’ve never heard of before, but will probably check out in the future. All of the instruments are played with a high degree of proficiency, as you would expect on any Omar release - just listen to the drums on ‘Shake is for 8th Graders’ and you’ll see what I mean. The thing I like about all Omar Rodriguez-Lopez releases is that the separate instruments have this improvisational quality, but integrate well with one another. The album is a great fusion of progressive/psychedelic rock with Latin and jazz influences. The only thing which might put off people this release is Cedric’s high pitched vocals, which are an acquired taste.

3. Njiqahdda - Taegnuub - Ishnji Angma.
For those who haven’t heard of Njiqahdda before, they produce a strange mixture of black metal, ambient and psychedelic music. Njiqahdda have a knack for writing good riffs, repeating them and then simply adding layers to the mix. It's hard to believe that Njiqahdda and their side projects, Oaks of Bethel and Funeral Eclipse, have recorded 18 or so releases this year. So far I’ve only been able to get my hands on ‘Taegnuub –Ishnji Angma’, ‘Yrg Alms’ and Oaks of Bethel - The Folk and the Ground. If the back catalogue is anything to go by, I’m sure the 15 other releases of 2009 will be of a high quality. The only reason this doesn’t get a higher position is that the transition between the black metal and ambient based tracks doesn’t feel very fluent. If you haven’t heard Njiqahdda before, check out this release or Njimajikal Arts.

4. Njiqahdda - Yrg Alms.
I wasn’t really sure what order to put Taegnuub – Ishnji Angma and Yrg Alms. My only (minor) problem with Taegnuub was that the album didn’t flow as well as it could have. Yrg Alms actually has much smoother transitions between the songs. It’s also a bit more progressive and has slightly better production than some previous releases. However, I still think that the individual songs on Taegnuub were marginally better.

5. Deepspace - World Ocean Atlas.
I only discovered Deepspace about 6 months ago and since then I’ve been listening to his music almost constantly. The music is a type of drone based ambient; no beats, pretty minimal. This album is good to listen to on walks, during study, or if you just want to relax. According to Mirko (the man behind Deepspace) “this album works on the idea of obscure desolate places created by your imagination, and the idea of an atlas comprised purely of maps of oceans”. That statement sums up the album pretty well. On a side note, half of music (including this entire album) is available for free download on last.fm.

6. Atlas Sound - Logos.
Atlas Sound is the solo project of Bradford Cox of Deerhunter. I have only been able to play this record a couple of times because I only got it recently. Despite this, it’s pretty easy to recognize that this album kicks ass. If you like shoegaze or dream pop then this is probably up your alley. If you want to check out Deerhunter, listen to Weird Era Cont.

7. Moby - Wait For Me (Deluxe Edition).
If you’re thinking of getting this album, make sure you get the deluxe edition. The bonus CD contains ambient reinterpretations of the 1st CD, which are great for a night in. I’m not usually a huge fan of Moby’s radio-friendly songs (ie. bodyrock etc.), but he is really good at making downtempo electronic music, which makes up the majority of this album. I still haven’t listened to this album heaps because it only came out in November, but it grows on me each time. However, Moby’s best album is still Hotel: Ambient, which also happens to be a bonus CD.

8. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Phoenix play some very catchy ‘indie rock’ (I think it’s called post-punk revival but don’t quote me on that) type music with a strong electronic presence. It’s pretty poppy, but don’t let that put you off. It’s good backing music for summer evenings or parties.

9. Midnight Odyssey - Firmament.
I’m impressed with this release because a) it’s Australian b) black metal and c) really good. This album has a strong Burzum influence, with atmospheric keyboards overlaying simple guitar riffs. Most of the songs are mid-paced, with no blast-beats. The guitar work is quite melodic and catchy, without sounding cheesy - to a degree reminiscent of ColdWorld. It’s also worth checking out their demo, The Forest Mourners.

10. Sybreed - The Pulse of Awakening.
Sybreed are quite possibly the best Industrial Metal band going round. They have managed to make an album that is both heavier and poppier than Slave Design and Antares. The production on this album is about as clean as it gets. For example, check the blastbeats at the start of ‘I am Ultraviolence’. The vocalist, Ben, sounds kind of like Gary Numan when he’s singing, and has a distinctive high pitched growl which works well. The guitars and base have a heavy groove going on and you can expect a lot of machinegun-esuqe riffs (similar to Fear Factory… but better). The heavy use of spacey keyboards and electronics also add a nice touch to the album.

11. Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest.
I haven’t listened to a whole lot of death metal this year, but this album stands out because it is brutal as fuck and has some great vocals. After hearing this album I’m considering checking them out live in May. One of my favorites off the album is 4th Arra of Dagon (ARRA ARRA ARRA DAGON DAGON DAGON – check the shoutbox for the song), which I reckon will go off live. If you like the Egyptian influenced interludes you should check out Karl Sanders solo material, which is equally impressive.

12.Porcupine Tree - The Incident.
Porcupine Tree always deliver solid releases, and The Incident is no different. It’s good modern progressive rock with a touch of metal here and there, particularly towards the end of the album. From reading the Porcupine Tree shoutbox, there seems to be differing views on the album, particularly because of the song ‘Drawing the line’ which has a very poppy chorus. I personally think it’s the best song of the album.

13. Panopticon - Collapse.
This band has one of the worst tags I have ever seen – Red and Anarchist Black Metal. Probably the only worse tag is Wooden metal (self proclaimed by Varghkoghargasmal). Imagine what black metal would sound like if it was played by John Butler… I guess that’s kind of this album sounds like. The interludes are pretty much bluegrass, which is a good change. My only problem with this album is that the drums are a bit high in the mix.

14. Anaal Nathrakh - In the Constellation of the Black Widow.
Anaal Nathrakh play a mix of black metal and grind, which is insanely heavy. At the start of their career they were strongly influenced by bands such as Mayhem, but over the last four albums they have steadily improved their production. This is probably their weakest album, mainly because I’m not a huge fan of the slight metalcore influences. However, it’s still heavier than 99% of releases and shits over most other bands. I would recommend Eschanton or Hell is Empty, and all the Devils are here over this.

15. The Temper Trap - Conditions.
Conditions is a collection of very catchy rock/pop songs. It kind of sounds like Eskimo Joe with the Beegees singing over it (yes some of the vocals are falsetto). My personal favorites off the album are love lost and fader.

16. Old Man's Child - Slaves Of The World.
- Why doesn’t Galder just quit Dimmu Borgir and just focus on Old Man’s Child? The albums are consistently better than Dimmu Borgir. If you liked Vermin then you will also enjoy Slaves of the World.

17. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion.

18. The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite.
- Alexander von Meilenwald gets bonus points for the great album title. The funeral doom influences have been bumped up a notch and the production is significantly improved.

19. Drudkh - Microcosmos.
- One of the better Drudkh releases in recent times. I would still recommend checking out Autumn Aurora first which I personally think is one of the best black metal albums out there.

20. Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of..
- Faunts have a nice mixture of Dream pop, post rock and shoegaze going on. This is their weakest album, but still quite good. Do yourself a favour and check out High Expectations/Low Results.

21. Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings.
- One of the weaker Dream Theater releases. Wither is a terrible ballad, which has to be one of the worst songs they have made (and I like many of their previous ballads – ie. the spirit carries on). On the up side, they have also made one of their best songs, The Count of Tuscany. This album would probably be rated higher, but I have high expectations for Dream Theater releases. On a side note, I saw them live (only $59!), and they did a great show with an impressive set-list.

22. Hellveto - Od Poludnia na Pólnoc....
- This is a good album, but Hellveto have released nearly 20 albums which sounds pretty much the same. L.O.N. needs to try something new.

23. Nazxul - Iconoclast.
- I had been waiting for this album for quite some time. After hearing the Black Seed EP a couple of years ago I was hooked on Nazxul. Iconoclast sounds a bit like Emperor at times, because of the epic/atmospheric keyboards. A good introduction to the album would be Oath (Fides Resurrectio).

24. Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez - Megaritual.
- Pretty similar to most Omar albums. I would have included his other albums in this list, but I thought it might get a bit boring.

25. Gigantic Brain - World.
- This album is a bit different. I didn’t realize that ambient music could be mixed with grind. Somehow, this works quite well, despite some awkward transitions between the songs.

26. Shining - VI - Klagopsalmer.
- Fullständigt Jävla Död Inuti is a great song; a lot heavier and more technical than previous work.

27. Hellveto - Kry.
- Sounds exactly the same as Od Poludnia na Pólnoc... but runs for 30 minutes.

28. Muse - The Resistance.
- Their weakest album, but some good songs in there. I like the exogenesis symphony and MK Ultra.

29. Yusuf (ie. Cat Stevens) - Roadsinger (To Warm You Through the Night.
- Good folky songs, but doesn’t have those classic songs which were typically of his ‘Cat Stevens’ era.

30. The Mars Volta - Octahedron.
- The Mars Volta have slowed down the tempo a bit, which is an interesting experiment, but I think they are best when they play the faster style improv-esque songs. Cotopaxi is my pick of the album.

Albums I never got around to listening to / Special mentions:

Gorgoroth – Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt

¡M.G.R. y Destructo Swarmbots! – Amigos de la Guitarra

Hypocrisy – A Taste of Extreme Divinity

Isis – Wavering Radiant: I never got round to listening to this, but I hear that it is very good)

Elysian Blaze – Blood Geometry: This album will surely get released soon. I predicted that this would be one of the better albums of 2009, but it looks as though it will have to wait until 2010.

Transatlantic – The Whirlwind: Word is that this album is very good.

Tim Hecker – An Imaginary Country: A good ambient/glitch artist. Didn’t get round to this album.

Alice in Chains – Black gives way to blue

Magma - Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê

Music prior to 2009 that I got into this year:
- Prog rock: A lot of great music was made during the 70’s. Check out bands such as Camel, Aphrodites Child, Goblin and King Crimson.
- Shoegaze: Working for a Nuclear Free City, Deerhunter, Phaser, SIANspheric.

What to look out for in 2010:
- Varg Vikernes (Burzum) has finally been released from jail and will be releasing Belus around March/April.
- Working for a Nuclear Free City are releasing Jojo Burger Tempest
- Radiohead - TBA
- Oceansize - New album in March

Ono sto sam pokusao da uradim sa ovim malim tekstovima ispod prvih 10 albuma, je da na sto kraci nachin pokusam da objasnim kakvu atmosferu nosi album i da ubacim ako je to moguce poredjenje sa nekim grupama, da privuchem i zainteresujem fanove tih grupa da poslusaju taj album, jel postoji verovatnoca da bi vam se taj album dopao:

1.Cobalt - Gin



RIFFLAND, prva stvar sto mi pada na pamet kada se setim ovog albuma. Sam album je prepun fenomenalnih i ono sto je najvaznije svezih i originalnih rifova. Ali to ne bi bilo to, barem ne da album stavim ovako visoko, da nije do te post-ratne i okultne atmosfere, genijalno sklopljenih tekstova i pesama, nekih super ideja uzetih iz raznih prgoressive metal uticaja, odlicnog shizofrenichnog pevanja..... Inspirisani pisicam i psiholozima koji su rat doziveli svojim ocima album nam docarava jednu individuu bez lica i imena, u mraku unistene svesti posle odredjenih ratnih okolnosti koja trazi svoju svrhu u zivotu. Atmosfera , teksotvi, riofvi nas vode na putovanje sa tom individuom njegovom degradacijom, bezanjem iz stvarnosti odredjenim drogama, alkoholom i lucidima sve do konachnog spasenja - samoubistvom. Album kolko god bio ekstreman nije tolko naporan za slusanje, vecinom to je zasluga krajnje kreativnin nachinom sastavljanje pesama, npr. imate Dry Body koja pochetak podseca kao nesto sto bi Dead Can Dance uradili, imate Pregnant Insect, sa atmosferom skoro pa ritualnom sa vristanjem u ekstazi, i naravno onaj momenat od 3:16 do 3:54 na Arsonery koji je black metal trenutak godine i sve to propraceno divnim rifovima, super aranzmanima i josh boljim pevanjem, prosto jednom rechju med za usi. Gin ce vas sa svakom pesmom iznenaditi i oduseviti, ali isto i naterati da se zapitate i razmislite o svojoj smrtnosti i postojanju. Cobalt zovu i Toolom(bend) black metala, sto je po mom misljenju veoma korektno, jel kao i Tool, Cobalt sa odredjenom dozom crnog humora pokusava da pokaze na maloumnost, povodljivost i zavisnost ljudi u moderno doba. Dal je Gin ,balck metalov Ænima, vreme ce pokazati.

"When you go to war as a boy you have a great illusion of immortality. Other people get killed; not you. . . .Then when you are badly wounded the first time you lose that illusion and you know it can happen to you." Ernest Hemingway

2.Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue with the Stars



Svako koga interesuje religiozni black metal, zna za jedan od prvih remek-dela ovog zanra The Work Which Transforms God, jednim od najvecih uzora gigantu koji je izbacio jedan od najboljih BM albuma 21og veka Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice. Taj album je nesto ko filmovi od David Lyncha(Straight Story disincluded), bizaran, lud ,kompleksan, abstraktan i kolko god se trudili nikad ga necete u potpunosti shvatiti. Ali BAN kao entitet za sebe i buntovnici zanra uvek su birali da budu sto enigmatichniji i nepredvidljiviji, izbacivshi posle dva krajnje eksperimentalna i avangardna albuma daleko od njihovih korena.Ali, sto i ime kaze novi album je nastavak njihovog predjashnjeg albuma, pa i vracanje black metalu, ali ko i uvek u skroz drugom maniru. Od prve sekunde album nas dize daleko u svemir, omogucavajuci nam dialog sa zvezdama- astralna projekcija. Sam album ima realtivno sanjarsku atmosferu(kolko to moze biti ipak je ovo isto i black metal) zashta su odgovorna dva cinioca, prvo fenomenalno dobro iskoriscene ambijentalne klavijature i lead gitara(procesovana kroz mnostvo pedala) koja se uvek nalazi negde pozadi ali ima taj ritam koji vas prosto vuche vash pospani um kroz svemir(nesto poput gitara u psihodleichnom rocku ili space rocku), i sve to sa predivnim klin gitarskim delovima. Kada se album zavrshim, probudicete se iz hipnoze i biti zapanjeni putovanjem kroz koje ste prosli. Neverovatna trip.

3.Secrets of the Moon - Privilegivm



Neverovatni prog black metal sastav iz Nemachke, mada ja sam bio skoro pa uveren kada sam ih cuo da su iz Francuske, iznenadivshi ceo svet svojim predhodnim izdanjem ostavili su mnoge slusaoce sa velikim ocekivanjem za sledecim albumom. Mada niko nije ni mogao da sluti kako ce zvuchati Privilegivm. Dobijamo album nashiroko inspirisan stoner metalom, doom metalom, progresivnim rockom,magichnim pechurkama pa chak i grungeom. Za razliku od proslog ovaj je ceo odsviran u mid-tempu gde se moze pronaci mozda i jedina mana albuma,jel posle par slusanja prizeljkujete ipak neki malo brzi deo slichan onome sa Antithesis,mada ceo album ima neki neverovatan vibe i odlichan tok. Ako volite bilo koj od ovih navedenih uticaja bicete blazeni albumom, ali ako oni navedeni zanrovi nisu vash fah imacete problema sa monotonoscu albuma. Recept ovog albuma je dva/tri rifa koji se ponavljaju, ali chim budete osetili jedan trachak dosadnosti desice se neki genijalan trenutak u pesmi bilo to neki refren, prog. rock solo ili fenomenalno iskombiovan deo. Moze se reci da se ovaj album najbolje slusa u celini, od uvodnog instrumentala pa do poslednje pesme na albumu Shepard ,svaka pesma lagano ulazi u drugu i svi oni trenuci o kojima sam vam prichao prve jednu tamnu atmosferu koja ima svoj kraj i pocetak i svaka pesma je vazna u izgradnji tog kruga. Inache Shepard je najbolji outro u 2009oj, lagana pesmica(skoro pa balada), sa fenomenalnim solom ko da ga je David Gilmour lichno odsvirao, zatvaraju ovaj grandiozan album i zatvara krug koji nas vraca na pocetak i dati nam zelju da ponovo obrnemo josh jednom album(ilti krug).

4.Skagos - Ást



Ja veoma volim nature inspired black metal bendove,imaju tu unikalnu sposobnost da vas svojom muzikom odvuku duboko u sumu i stvoriti osecaj smirenosti, stalozenosti i spokojnosti. Mislim da cascadian BM bendovi pogadjaju u srz toga, a Kanada je dom mnogo takvih bendova medju kojima su Gris,Miserere Luminis,Sombres Forêts i sada Skagos. "Ako drvo padne u sumi, i nema nikog u blizini da to cuje, da li je uopste napravilo zvuk?", moze vaziti i za ovakve bendove, posto njihova zemlja porekla baca senku na njihove radove i ovakvi dragulji ostaju ne primeceni. Stvar je u mentalitetu black metalca koji ne mogu da shvate da se odlichan BM moze praviti i van Svedske/Norveske. No dosta vishe o tome, ocigledno inspirisani Wolves in the Throne Roomom, momci odaju pochast sumi sa dugachkim rifovima prepletenim raznim uticajima poput dron-a, folka, ambijentalnim zvukom gitra sa prepuno efekata. Dok u trenucima mislite da slusate nesto novo od Burzuma, stvari se menjaju kako krene neki progresivni ambijentalni prizvuk koji moze podsetiti na daleki post-metal uticaj,pa sve do fenomenalnih folk delova koji dosta podsecaju na raniji Ulver . Sve je ovo sklopljeno u jednu celinu, a pesme su veoma dobro napisane i osmisljene da ce vas svakim novim preslusavanjem iznenaditi sa nechim novim sto niste ranije primetili i ova sarenolikost vam nikako nece dozovliti ni posle velikog preslusavanja da kazete da je dosadan album. Celokupno album je jedno odlichno odavanje pocasti sumi, zivotu i pravim vrednostima sto polako moderna civilizacija gubi. Opustite se i izgubite vashe misli u najmirnijem i ljudskom rukom netaknute delove sume.

5.Anaal Nathrakh - In the Constellation of the Black Widow



O ovom bendu nema sta puno da se pricha. Najekstremnija varijanta spajanja grindecorea i black metala sa pevljivim melodichnim Bruce Dickinson like refrenima. A i to ne bi ih cinilo jednim od najboljih ekstremnih bneodva danas, da to sve nije uradjeno krajnje ukusno sa less is more filozofijom. Kao sto rekoh less is more, nije AN bend koji voli da komplikuje, da menja ili da nadogradjuje svoju tehniku, ali ono sto oni rade, rade vrhunski i zasto bi menjali, vec zvuce bolje, vece , originalnije od 99% svojih suparnika. Sve je tu, ako ste voleli jedan AN volecete i bilo koj drugi, josh uvek je tu V.I.T.R.I.O.L koji peva ko da je na ivici ludila i Irrumator koji svojim arsenalom pravi zid zvuka koji kolko god bio ekstreman i brz , u pravim trenucima zvuchi melodichno i grandiozno i naravno refreni koji su mozda i najgenijalniji deo ove grupe i kolko god ne konvencionalno oni zvuchali njihova svrha je da posle tolke agresije na vahse ushi, daju vam malo odushka,raznloikosti i opustaju i pripremaju vas da uzivate u daljoj agresiji koja sledi. To bi bilo to odlichan album, ova grupa treba biti role model kako treba praviti moderan ekstremni metal u 21om veku.

Inache citiracu jednu odlichnu recenicu, koja mozda i najbolje opisuje osecaj dok slusate ovaj bend. "In the constellation... je album koji je toliko ovde i sada da u poređenju sa njim većina savremenog metala zvuči kao igranje malo tamnije ofarbanim Lego kockicama. Njegov najveći nedostatak je što nakon slušanja gotovo ni jedna druga ploča u vama ne može da proizvede jednak nivo uzbuđenja i osećaja da ste zaista živi."

6.Altar of Plagues - White Tomb



Chudo iz Irske ,a nije Primordial. Bash sam se prijatno iznenadio kada sam prvi put cuo ovaj bend, zvuk koji bi najbolje opisao ovaj bend bi bio kada bi Cult of Luna uzela da svira black metal. Ovo je zapravo neki Doom/black sa ogromnim post-metal uticajem, ali chak i u tim trenucima gde je post-metal uticaj vishe nego ocigledan, bend ne gubi svoj identitet kao black metal bend, vec ostaje podjednako taman i prljav. Ocigledno se dosta truda ulozilo u stvaranju ovog dela, zato sto je album veoma konceptualno nastrojen, teksture su prebogate i imate taj osecaj dok slusate da svaki instrument je genijalno iskoriscen i ima svoju svrhu. Kao sto rekoh album je dosta konceptualan pa svaka pesma(a ima ih dve) imace svoj pocetak, kulminaciju i zakljucak,a dok stignete do tog zakljucka bicete prezadovoljni pricom u kome su svaki instrument i vokal odredjeni karkater i grade prichu posle koje ce te biti prezadovoljni sto ste otkrili ovaj bend. Bukvalno su od svakog zanra uzeli sve najbolje, tako su i od post-metala uzeli gradjenje pesme, ono polako gradjenje na pocetku,pa kako pesma teche sve vishe stvari se pojavljuje dok stigne do kulminaciji i tada vas zid zvuka prosto zbaci sa stolice. Tako je i ovde rifovi su odlichno odsvirani i smisljeni, i sve to dok ih prati fenomenalno bubnjar i prebogate teksture bilo to od gitare sa puno efekata ili klavijature upotpunjuje pesmu i prosto pravi jednu grandioznu kompoziciu koja podseca na klasichne kompozicje nastale u 18om i 19om veku. Jedno neverovatno i veoma nagradjujuce putovanje za sve ljubitelje koji vole post-metal podjednako ko i black metal.
7.Immortal - All Shall Fall



Od svih bendova iz drugog talasa black metala , koji su nachinili ovaj zanr onim sto jeste, pored meni najvaznijihAnthems to the Welkin at Dusk i Storm of the Light's Bane, Immortal je igrao veliku ulogu. Pored ovih vec pomenutih,Pure Holocaust i Battles in the North su mi bili ta prekretnica ka prljavijem zvuku(iako me je De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas uvukao u BM, ali trebalo mi je dosta vremena da skapiram ovaj album), i uvek su mi bili prilichno ozbiljan bend(zaboravite na internet zajebancije sa slikama chlanova) i znao tachno sta da ocekujem od njih. Proslo je 7 godina od Sons of Northern Darkness i sa poprilichno velikim iscekivanjem se ocekivao All Shall Fall. I ono sto sam dobio, je bash ono sto sam i ocekivao, josh bolji Sons. Ako volite muziku koju pravi ovaj bend od 1999 , ne postoji sansa da ce ovaj album da vas razochara, jer sve je dovedeno na josh veci nivo, josh bolji rifovi, fantastichni Slayer like soloi, interesantnija struktura pesama i chak Abbathovo pevanje zvuchi ponekad slusljivo (mada ko i uvek to je najveca mana Immortala, ko neki naduvani Popaj), sve do odlichne produkcije koja je miljama daleko od one sa Battles. Dosta ima melodicnijeg rifovanja koji su jedna od stavi koji je sa I presla na ovu grupu, i chini pesme dosta melodichnim, ali da vas ne zavaram josh uvek su tu nemilosrdni rifovi i konstanto aktivna dupla pedala i naravno prepoznatljivi akustihni i klin gitarski prelazi da docharaju mirnocu ledene pustinje i poneki atmosferichni delovi cisto da bolje docaraju momenat u pesmi(slichni onom iz At the Heart of Winter). A i album taman kada pocinje da se oseca monotonim zavrsava svoju pricu, jel duzina od 40 min je vishe nego dovoljna za ovo. Ako niste nostagichar pa vam nedostaje ladna atmosfera i prodkucija starih albuma, uzivacete u odlichnom kratkom opusu ovih kraljeva ledenih dolina.

8.Fen - The Malediction Fields



Chlanovi Fena su odrasli u jednom malom regionu u Engleskoj pod imenu Fens. Fens se odlikuje veoma ravnom povrshinom sa dosta mochvara i sam bend kaze da inspiraciju za svoju muziku vuche iz ovog regiona, ali ono sto najvishe inspirishe ovaj bend je gledanje zalaska sunca sa ove ravnice. Kazu da je to jedna od perioda kada vreme stane i u tih nekoliko trenutaka sunce na horizontu baa predivan spekatr boja chineci vash svet nestvarno prihvatljivim i interesantnim mesto za zivot, pre nego sto sunce zadje i tama zavlada. Bash taj zalazak sunca je post-rock momenat u Fenovim pesmama, i kao mitoloshka borba izmedju bogova Horusa i Seta u njihovoj muzici je konstanti duel izmedju laganih,melodichnih delova i mrachnih black metal delova. Tu i lezi maestralnost ovog albuma jel su te dve stvari uklopljene do tih granica ko da su stvorene jedna za drugu. Kad god album bude bio brz ekstreman zid zvuka, ubrzo ce utonuti u usporenu prepuno teksturama prelepu atmosferu post-rocka, kada god vokal bude vristao iz petinih zila, utisace se i postati lagani sanjarski klin slichan onim iz dream popa(Slowdive, Lush etc.)..... Ovaj kontrast je naravni upotpunjen i odlichnim sviranjem, rifovi su interesantni i efikasni, pevanje kako scream tako klin isto super, a dok je atmosfera koju nam klavijaturista daje nesto prelepo i unikatno za ovaj album(npr. neke melodije su me dosta podsetile na HEart of the Ages). Uvek sam voleo eksperimentisanje unutar ovog zanra, pa chak i ako ono izrodilo kranjim neuspehom(ali kako Samjuel Beket kaze"Fail. Try again. Fail again. Fail better"), ali sve jedno radije bih to slusao nego milionita losha kopija Darkthronea, i nadam se da u buducnosti u ovom zanru bude sto vishe ljudi poput Fena koji su spremni pored svih zatvorenosti ovog zanra da svojom kreativnom energijom stvaraju nesto novo interesanto i ranije nevidjeno.

Inache cela ona prica na pocetku o zalasku sunca me je podsetila na jedna deo iz Lucifera koji ide ovako."Vi omladinci pojma nemate....dolazio sma ovamo sa zenom i sa bliznacima. Daren je poginuo u Vijetnamu. Shon i ja smo teshko podnelu tu vest. On je slupao kola i samo ja sam uspeo da ispuzim iz olupine. A kada sam izasao iz bolnice, zena i ja smo nastavili da dolazimo ovamo.Onda se njoj pojavila guka u dojci... kako god... sada sam ostao samo ja. I dolazim i dalje ovamo da gledam kako sunce zalazi. Znash. skoro svake veceri je neverovatno lepo i drukcije. Pa pomislim, pa, zivot mi je usran i kada se sve uzme u obzir, nimalo fer. Koga god da sam voleo sad je mrtav, a noga me neprekidno boli.... Ali mislim, svaki bog koji moze da stvori ovakve sutone , da svake veceri bude drugacije, pa morash zbog toga da cenish gada matorog, zar ne?" (deo kada Lucifer posmatra zalzak sunca, i prilazi mu stranac sa prichom, i pogodite sta je Lucifer na to odgovorio?) :)


9.Absu - Absu



Opste je poznato pravilo medju vec ranije pomenutim BM krugovima, da svaki black metal koji izadje iz Amerike nije vredan slusanja, ali postojali su odredjeni bnedovi u prvom talasu Americhkog black metala koji su imali odredjeno postovanje poput Profanatica,Demoncy,Von,Judas Iscariot.... i naranvo Absu. Mada vreme ih je pregazilo sve i neki su jendostavno nestali sa scene, drugi umrli u moru klishea itd., ali meni je Absu uvek bio daleko iznad pomenutih grupa i vest o novom albumu posle 8 godina je bila krajnje ne ocekivana super vest(nesto slichno ko sa Immortalom iznad). Kao i njihovi sugradjani Nile, bend voli da kroz svoje pesme daje intepretaciju istorije pomesanu sa okultnim(Aleister Crowleyev uticaj je ovde vishe nego ocigledan). Pesme su dosta lyric-oriented i kada Proscriptor pobednichki growluje o kapetanu koji jurisha u pobede, pesma postane grandiozna i furiozna ili kada je okultno chantovanje pesme su jezive i misteriozne. Produkcija je daleko kompleksnija i cistija nego ona na Tara(ja mislim da ce ovo odbiti mnoge fanove Absua), ali to nikako ne umanjuje destruktivnu moc koju smo upoznali ranije. Chak stavishe nekako su mi na ovom albumu pesme bolje struktuirane, i chak oni mali uticajchici sto imaju poput one 6e pesme gde se pojavljuju psihodelichni sintisajzer solo i ambijentlani nojz, sve do veoma pamtivih okultnih refrena poput one na Amy, dodaju jednu dozu interesantnosti ekstremnoj furiji na albumu. Ali sve to josh uvek zvuchi prilichno Absuovski, josh su tu odlichni rifovi i soloi inspirisani deathom i thrashom, i zvuk poseban samo za njih da cim cujete pesmu znate da slusate Absu. Svi koji vole blackheanded death metal bi trebali da uzivaju u ovom odlichnom albumu, i fanovi Absua su dobili odlichnu poslasticu da konzumiraju dok se ne pojavi nesto novo od ovih velikana.

10.Oranssi Pazuzu - Muukalainen Puhuu



Posto sam bio odusevljen proslogodisnjim izdanjem Nachtmystiuma, uputio sam se u tu avanturu da nadjem neki bend koji bi imao slichan zvuk, i od takvih bendova Oranssi mi je privukao najvise paznje. Zapravo zvuk na ovom albumu nije nalik Assassins: Black Meddle, Pt 1, vec neki mnoog vishe psihodelichniji i avangardniji Instinct: Decay. I to psihodelichnost sa velikim p, jel sama atmosfera i klavi ovde igraju neverovatnu ulogu, chak mozda daleko vecu nego bilo koji drugi instrument na albumu. Dok slusate album imate osecaj da slusate svemirski cirkus na drogama, mada ni avangarda i surealizam ne bi bile ne tachna poredjenja jel struktura pesama i samo gradjenje moglo bi lako da podseti na bendovi tipa Ved Buens Ende/Dødheimsgard, pa chak bi mogla da se povuche i paralela sa chisto avangardnim grupama poput Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Ta rotirajuca melodija, koja prati ceo ovaj album bice uvek uz vas chak i u delovima kada distrozija kida i bubanj kida zvuchnike ona ce biti tu negde u dubini mozda chak i podsvesno, kada idu klin spacy like delovi ona ce biti tu da napravi jezivu i tamnu atmosferu svemira. Od svih uticaja pochevshi od Pink Floyda , Electric Wizarda pa do Darkthronea su odlichno uklopljeni u ovo delo, i chineci ovaj album prava poslastica za sve fanove psihodelichnog black metal zvuka. Ali album u celini je jedno kompleksno surealno delo pa ce te morati malo da se odaljite od dela i dati mu vremena da sve kockice padnu na svoje mesto, i on kao i radovi od Ernsta,Masona, Man raya, Dalia kroz svoju haotichnost i nekonvencionalnost zele da pokazu neko vece znacenje i skrivene poruke kroz svet vidjen njihovim ocima.

Top 25 Black metal izdanja u 2009oj 11-25. > http://www.last.fm/user/Ninja-Viking/journal/2009/12/12/38jgf7_top_25_black_metal_izdanja_u_2009oj_11-25


Najbolji albumi u 2009oj. >