LISTMANIA 2014: A YEAR-END LIST FROM JOHAN HULDTGREN (OBITUS)

 

(Continuing with this year’s edition of LISTMANIA, I again invited Johan Huldtgren of the Swedish black metal band Obitus — whose latest release appears on one of the Elemental Nightmares splits (here) — to share with us his year-end list. Once again, he agreed. An expanded version of this list appears on Johan’s blog.)

As in 2013 I’ve had a very busy year outside of listening to music; life and work have kept me on the road a lot, and as a result I know I’ve missed a lot of releases this year. That said, I think this year’s list is quite strong, but I’m fairly certain that in a few months I’ll find a few albums that had I heard them earlier, would have made this year’s list. Alas there is little to be done about that, these lists are after all a snapshot in time. So here is the list of my favourite releases from 2014:

 

10: Woods of Desolation – As The Stars

http://woodsofdesolation.bandcamp.com/album/as-the-stars

Seven mid-paced songs with just enough melody to hook you and keep you interested. Like many bands in this genre it’s great background music for reading or working.

 

 

 

 

 

9: Funereal Presence – The Archer Takes Aim

http://metalhit.bandcamp.com/album/the-archer-takes-aim

A strange little piece of black metal which takes some getting used to, could have benefited from some editing and cutting, but interesting nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

 

8: Krieg – Transient

http://candlelightrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/album/transient

I get a more old black metal with that punk vibe you got on Rise of The Imperial Hordes than in quite a few albums. That makes this old black metal hand happy.

 

 

 

 

 

7: Satanic Warmaster – Fimbulwinter

http://satanicwarmaster.bandcamp.com/album/fimbulwinter

Reminds me of older Norwegian black metal with it’s heavy keyboards passages. Solid release which one has a tendency to keep coming back to.

 

 

 

 

 

6: Blut Aus Nord – Memorial Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry

http://dmp666.bandcamp.com/album/memoria-vetusta-iii-saturnian-poetry

It’s often quite beautiful, sweeping, and a return to an older and less experimental sound. Shortlisted for album art of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

5: Darkspace – III I

http://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/dark-space-iii-i

A mellower listen than III, but by no stretch of the imagination an easy listen; it demands your full attention and you should give it.

 

 

 

 

 

4: Misery Index – The Killing Gods

http://miseryindex.bandcamp.com/album/the-killing-gods

Misery Index have never sounded better, all you want to do is keep turning up the volume, it’s the best sounding album they’ve produced to date. It’s also I think the most even, the whole album flows very nicely and there are really no weak songs on this album.

 

 

 

 

 

3: Thantifaxath – Sacred White Noise

http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sacred-white-noise

Otherworldly, odd, and utterly hard to describe, this album is a rare one. Find it (preferably on vinyl), and just let it wash over you. You’ll be mesmerized and will never want it to end.

 

 

 

 

 

2: Emptiness – Nothing But The Whole

http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-but-the-whole

Dark, brooding, partially ambient, and then a little industrial; it’s nothing short of brilliant. The only flaw I find with this album is that it ends, and that rather abruptly. When you get an album like this, you really don’t want it to end.

 

 

 

 

 

1: Nightbringer – Ego Dominus Tuus

https://nightbringer.bandcamp.com/album/ego-dominus-tuus

Nightbringer just keeps getting better, with an absolutely crushing release of complex black metal that they do best. Immediately, it’s clear what you’re listening to — they’ve got a sound like no other, and there is never mistaking a Nightbringer riff. This is a tour de force which few can match, but if only a few tried, the music scene would be all the richer for it.