LISTMANIA 2016: LIFE METAL (A YEAR-END LIST FROM AUSTIN WEBER)

 

(This is the first of several year-end lists assembled by Austin Weber that we’ll be posting this week.)

As 2016 comes to an end, I remain quite thankful to Islander for allowing me to contribute here over the last few years. I really believe in this site and our mission of sharing more of what’s out there than most other sites. So with that in mind, if anyone about to intake this hasn’t seen my prior year-end lists here at NCS, I try to do something different than most people.

My goal is to bring you a massive alternative list of my favorite lesser known releases of the year. Which means I won’t post a lot of releases that you see on other lists. Not because I didn’t dig a lot of them, but because you already know about them and will be seeing a lot of the same names being repeated elsewhere.

Undoubtedly some of the releases will be ones you’ll know or heard mentioned in passing, but hopefully you’ll find more new bands and music you were unaware of overall. Quotes that appear below the following releases were pulled from my reviews, multi-band articles, and song premieres from music covered here at NCS and my 2016 posts from Metal-Injection. You’ll also find some new mini write-ups for releases I didn’t get a chance to cover anywhere this year, but loved as well.

Life Metal (death metal)

 

Coma Cluster Void – Mind Cemeteries

“Imagine if you will the chaotic and zany ideas found in mathcore groups like Dillinger Escape Plan and Ion Dissonance mixed with the disturbing dissonance of groups like Gorguts, Ulcerate and Deathspell Omega. Then add a pinch of off-kilter groove influence from groups like Car Bomb and Meshuggah to the above blend. Churn all that volatile shit together and make the resulting blend as spastically choppy and discordant as possible, and you’re somewhere near the fucked up and unhinged sound that Coma Cluster Void play. In addition, the modern classical minded interludes on the album are fantastic and give off an almost horror film score vibe that further enhances the grim and eerie atmosphere present throughout Mind Cemeteries.”

https://comaclustervoid.bandcamp.com/album/mind-cemeteries

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3919360246 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Crator – The Ones Who Create : The Ones Who Destroy

“I understand the eye rolling that occurs when the term supergroup is bandied about, but in Crator’s case, that tag is definitely warranted. The band combines an immense amount of talent, ranging from vocalist Jason Keyser and drummer John Longstreth from Origin, Foaming At The Mouth guitarist Jeff Leifer, and the always brilliant Colin Marston rounding out the line-up on bass. The Ones Who Create : The Ones Who Destroy is an almost impossible to categorize death metal experience, every song on here has something wildly different to offer than the last.”

https://crator-us.bandcamp.com/album/the-ones-who-create-the-ones-who-destroy

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2094738642 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Deviant Process – Paroxysm

“While it’s fairly common knowledge that Canada is the tech-death capital of the world, few 2016 tech-death releases can compare to this year’s full-length Paroxysm from Deviant Process. Paroxysm calls to mind the progressive death metal infused take on the sound that fellow Canadian legends such as Quo Vadis and Augury bring to the table. While at the same time, delivering quite the brain scrambling aggressive experience amidst its proggy ambitions. Above all else, it’s the incredible songwriting on display here that propels Paroxysm above the majority of their peers. While I’ve championed this album all year long, it still hasn’t received its proper dues. So don’t miss out on this one.”

https://deviantprocess.bandcamp.com/album/paroxysm

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=424638880 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Seputus – Man Does Not Give

“Although the almighty Pyrrhon released a killer EP this year called Running Out Of Skin, most of the members of the band were also involved in this year’s Seputus album. As expected given the pedigree of the musicians involved, Man Does Not Give is a tremendous album that blurs multiple metal genre sounds into one magnificent clusterfuck that’s well worth your time. Since Seputus never perfectly fits within the confines of a single style, Man Does Not Give is better listened to than inarticulately explained by the likes of me.”

https://seputus.bandcamp.com/album/man-does-not-give

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2678732200 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Azooma – The Act Of Eye

“Azooma play a somewhat old school inspired take on tech-death that leans more towards progressive death metal overall than sheer face-melting shred at all times. While at the same time, Azooma give off an almost Gorod meets old school Gorguts type vibe as well, to paraphrase how our editor Islander has expertly described them before.”

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-act-of-eye

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=527449756 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Unfathomable Ruination – Finitude

“While I rarely quote from band, label, or PR company press releases when doing my write-ups, a snippet from the band’s Bandcamp write-up about the album encapsulates what it offers perfectly. A portion of which quite accurately states that Finitude is ‘an atypical Brutal Death Metal record. Each song is an amalgam of different influences from bands such as Ulcerate. Deathspell Omega, Dying Fetus, Monstrosity, Iniquity, Death and Origin. The band has managed to keep the brutal essence of Death Metal while their new album arrangements provides thought-provoking diversity and evokes strong emotions in the listener, all of which combines to set them apart from other bands in the genre.’ Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

https://unfathomableruination.bandcamp.com/album/finitude

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2460217689 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Virvum – Illuminance

“Illuminance is a mercurial blend of ferocious yet ethereal sounds. Overall sounding like a crossbreed between Decrepit Birth, Fallujah, and The Faceless. This back-and-forth duality between complex aggressiveness and epic bliss filled proggy moments becomes the central guiding trait that informs Virvum’s sonic identity throughout Illuminance. It’s a duality that’s on display in different mixtures and measures across the album’s varied depths.”

https://virvum.bandcamp.com/album/illuminance

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=49813255 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Solinaris – Deranged

“It’s pretty tough to compare Solinaris to anyone, but I guess a good way to describe it would be to imagine Unexpect gone more prog/tech death metal focused, and yet still very experimental and proggy throughout in a way that occasionally reminds me of Opeth too. There is a strong emphasis on elegant acoustic guitar playing throughout Deranged, paired with orchestral additions and keys, phenomenal and audible fretless bass playing, great clean singing from bandleader Eric Labrie, as well as a full time sax member lending another layer of plenty of the music. But when it wants to get aggressive and technical, Deranged is just as good or better than most of their peers. I guess you could compare their technical/progressive death metal side to Augury and Erosion Of Sanity era-Gorguts at times, but again, there is so much more going on beyond death metal that makes Deranged its own weird world of fun to take in.”

https://cimmerianshaderecordings.bandcamp.com/album/deranged

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3326272098 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Overcliff – Depiction of Intimacy

Overcliff are a progressive death/black group from Athens, Greece who came out of nowhere this year to impress the fuck out of me. This September the band dropped their debut full-length, Depiction of Intimacy, and I’ve been unable to put it down ever since. I highly suggest you give this a full spin.

https://overcliffofficial.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1573698578 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Dawn of Dementia –  Immolation of Avernis

“Brutal and ruthlessly aggressive technical death metal is still the name of the game here for Dawn of Dementia, but they’ve taken the melodic and progressive death metal parts of their sound to a whole new level on The Immolation of Avernis. The end result often reminds me of Archspire, Spawn Of Possession, and Obscura when things aren’t getting nice and absurdly brutal.”

https://dawnofdementia.bandcamp.com/album/immolation-of-avernis

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3700892503 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Vipassi – Śūnyatā

“Vipassi are an Australian mostly instrumental (with some sparse female singing/male vocals) proggy tech-death supergroup with members who play in groups such as Ne Obliviscaris and Hadal Maw and released their debut album this year called Śūnyatā.”

*Since the band was recently signed, all but two of  the songs were pulled from streaming until it’s re-released next year. But since it dropped this year, it deserves a place here.

https://vipassi.bandcamp.com/album/nyat

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2160120952 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Karmacipher – Necroracle

*Some of you all may have caught Karmacipher here at NCS when we premiered the title track a few weeks back ahead of its release. If not, here’s who it will appeal to:

“As of late, it seems the growing influence of groups such as Gorguts and Ulcerate is bringing about a new wave of death metal fixated on twisted ugliness and immersive sorrow. This year alone, many groups have proven how much room there is to explore beyond (or without) solely copying their influences.”

“Hong Kong-based group Karmacipher is yet another fine new addition to this terrifying modern take on death metal.”

https://karmacipher.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3658792367 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Australis – Spaces Of Hope

“If groups like Irreversible Mechanism and First Fragment have taught us anything as a scene as of late, it’s that it’s possible to utilize the same influences as everyone else, but still create a far more memorable product in the end due to advanced songwriting and an eclectic knowledge of when to mix things up sonically from moment to moment and song to song. In this respect, Spaces of Hope is a phenomenal record that doesn’t need to break new ground in order to blow you away.”

https://australis.bandcamp.com/album/spaces-of-hope

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=133985578 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Intonate – The Swerve

“Intonate are a Montreal, Canada based band with a pretty interesting mix of ideas going on in their sound. On The Swerve, they seem to have a strong Gorguts and Ulcerate influence to their style and songwriting, but pair that with some almost old-school progressive death metal segments in the vein of Cynic and Death, and to me at times, also kind of like Augury!”

https://intonate.bandcamp.com/album/the-swerve

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=628171360 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Spheron – A Clockwork Universe

“Some of you may be familiar with the band since they made a solid splash in the tech-death scene in 2013 with their debut, Ecstasy Of God. If you’re just learning of them for the first time, Spheron take an almost deconstructionist approach to technical death metal. Stripping and re-assembling facets of many different sounds in order to re-combine them in a way all their own.”

https://spheron.bandcamp.com/album/a-clockwork-universe

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1353576270 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Dischordia – Thanatopsis

“Overall, Thanatopsis does fall into the sphere of progressive death metal, but it’s frequently supplemented by a mix of  technical death metal, maddening dissonance, and rounded out by massive earth shaking groove elements.”

“…. an experimental and eclectic affair that moves through a litany of different sounds and varied song structures as the record unfolds.”

https://dischordia.bandcamp.com/album/thanatopsis-2

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2090964818 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Neurogenic – Ouroboric Stagnation

“Neurogenic’s sonic playground on Ouroboric Stagnation draws strongly from the Suffocation and Deeds Of Flesh school of brutal death metal, but take it to 11 in the spirit of Spinal Tap with an infusion of extreme speed and dexterity in the vein of acts like Brain Drill, Malignancy, and Severed Savior.”

“If you’re familiar with this kind of music, you’ll be able to recognize that Ouroboric Stagnation  is several cuts above what’s average for the sound, from the top-notch riffing from sole guitarist Vlad Melnik (Back Door To Asylum), to the maniacal and near inhuman drumming of Lord Marco (Anomalous, ex-Brain Drill, live for Sleep Terror, etc), to the skillful bass playing of Anton Zhikharev (Back Door To Asylum, FleshBomb, etc) that’s given an audible punch in the mix, and rounded out by the excellent lead guitar playing and multitude of top-notch guest musician appearances littered over top all of that.”

https://neurogenic.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2238836333 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Auroch – Mute Books

When your band shares two members with the almighty Mitochondrion, that’s already a recipe for an excellent musical foundation. Although Auroch isn’t a “new” group, it wasn’t until 2014’s Taman Shud that the band started to pop on more people’s radar. And I’m happy to say that this year’s full-length, Mute Books, is somehow even better than their killer prior record. Mute Books is an exercise in gnarly dissonance spewed through a blackened death metal sound. It’s composed with an unorthodox technical edge to the riffs and songwriting, yet it’s complex without sounding overtly so. Mute Books is a fantastic record that deserves your full attention.

https://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/mute-books

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=258273798 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Polyptych – Defying The Metastasis

When I read Islander’s glowing posts earlier this year about Polyptych and their album Defying The Metastasis, I should have been paying more attention and made sure to check it out. Sadly, I fucked up, but have since rectified that and come to the conclusion that this album is utterly brilliant and powerful stuff. The music sort of reminds me of Hadal Maw with a dash of Immolation and Hate Eternal, amidst some prog death and a multitude of black metal elements.

https://polyptych.bandcamp.com/album/defying-the-metastasis

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3028641150 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Caecus – The Funeral Garden

“Caecus call themselves Holistic Death Metal, and odd as that sounds, it fits, and describes their sound well. While not a clone of either Rivers of Nihil or Fallujah, Caecus could rightly be compared to both bands’ unique takes on atmospheric heavy technical death metal that is highly emotive yet still massively ripping death metal at the same time.”

“In addition to the aforementioned comparisons,  a strong infusion of black metal elements seeps into the songs throughout the album. Likewise the prominent bass guitar presence throughout the album really adds an extra layer and texture to their sound which is often missing in a lot of tech death. There’s a dual nature of mournful and transcendental feeling to much of the more melodic and atmospheric parts on The Funeral Garden that’s quite moving and helps Caecus capture an identity all their own.”

https://caecus.bandcamp.com/album/the-funeral-garden

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3477591209 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Infinite Density – Recollapse of the Universe

“The main musician here is Brendan “Cygnus” Brown (Ne Obliviscaris/Vipassi) who wrote all the music and performed all the instrumentation. Joining him on the record for vocal duty is Ben Boyle, though he is probably better known as a guitar player in his other projects (Hadal Maw/A MIllion Dead Birds Laughing)….”

“Solo albums, especially in the technical death metal realm, rarely sound as good as a full band, but somehow this record is indeed the rare exception to that overall trend. Recollapse of the Universe is not only an inspired and immersive album, but an eclectic one that seems to have no end to its twists, turns, and surprises. Simply put, there is no way to easily peg this as being indebted sound-wise to any one kind of tech-death, nor one era of tech-death for that matter. Recollapse of the Universe resembles a  patchwork synthesis of so many different sounds and ideas, yet somehow it never feels unfocused or disjointed in the process of doing so.”

https://infinitedensityband.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1248968307 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Archaic Decapitator – Light of a Different Sun

“Light of a Different Sun is multifaceted melodic death metal release that definitely stands out from the more genre-by-numbers melodic death that’s a dime-a-dozen and bland. In choosing to go with a five-song EP format this time just like last year, Archaic Decapitator have found a winning formula for delivering quality death metal that never dips in quality.”

https://archaicdecapitator.bandcamp.com/album/light-of-a-different-sun

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2208519570 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Wormhole – Genesis

“Genesis is constantly surprising you with the depth it has; every time you think a song is merely a brutal slamfest with some shredding, they switch it up and go prog death or full tech death on a whim. The frequent switching between styles is a large part of what makes Genesis so sick.”

https://laceratedenemyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wormhole-genesis

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2710139819 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Burial In The Sky – Persistence of Thought

“Burial In The Sky have succeeded in crafting their own unique vision of what proggy atmospheric-minded technical death metal can be. Hell, it even gets quasi-ambient and psychedelic at points in an almost Pink Floyd type way.”

https://burialintheskytheband.bandcamp.com/album/persistence-of-thought

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=125732206 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Proliferation – Rebirth: The Journey Through Soil

“For such a new and young group, Proliferation really bring a mature and inspired take on the sonic intersection and possibilities between progressive death metal and technical death metal. In the process, further adding to this mercurial mix with hefty doses of eerily phrased dissonant guitar work akin to more modern black metal….”

https://proliferationmetal.bandcamp.com/album/rebirth-the-journey-through-soil

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=4097656937 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Mephistopheles – In Reverence Of Forever

“If you’ve heard the band before, you’ll know what to expect: Heavily black metal and prog influenced tech-death with a rawer than genre norm production melded to dizzily complex and off-the-wall songwriting that, like the production, defies the genre norms and continues the band’s path as superior outliers style-wise within the technical death metal sphere.”

https://willowtip.bandcamp.com/album/in-reverence-of-forever

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=657645349 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Nightmarer – Chasm

“…Chasm is very much rooted in deathly dissonance and eerie soundscapes, yet just as often locked into a blistering blast heavy intensity. Metalheads who are into bands like Deathspell Omega, Portal, Artificial Brain, Gorguts, and Ulcerate would be wise to check this out.”

*Also, the band recently got signed to Season Of Mist so watch out for them to do big things next year.

https://nightmarer.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1207601947 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Brain Drill – Boundless Obscenity

“Love them or hate them, Brain Drill have had a big impact on many of today’s bands and players, and with their newest album, Boundless Obscenity, they bring their absolute A game on their first release in six long years. Which isn’t to say the band were slouches on prior releases, more that Boundless Obscenity showcases a group who’ve considerably evolved from both a rhythm-riffing and a song-writing angle than in their past works.”

https://braindrill666.bandcamp.com/

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2541026295 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Malignancy – Malignant Future

“Malignant Future is a three-song journey into the disgustingly brutal, spastically technical, and hyper-blasting focused realms of sonic madness the group is known for cranking out with a near clinical consistency.”

https://malignancy.bandcamp.com/album/malignant-future

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3300999925 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Unflesh – Transcendence To Eternal Obscurity

“…threaded into the band’s sometimes Arsis-esque technical melodic death metal core is a hefty influence from black metal in the vein of groups that Unflesh mentions enjoying such as Dissection, Angel Corpse, Dark Fortress, and others. This element within the Unflesh sound alone greatly helps Transcendence To Eternal Obscurity have an identity all its own. It could just be the fact that Hannes Grossman is drumming on this, but I also detect a subtle influence from Obscura and Necrophagist at times as well.”

https://unflesh.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=570787568 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Brought By Pain – Crafted By Society

“In the five years since their full-length and now, the band has undergone some line-up shifts and on Crafted By Society they now contain two current members from Beyond Creation plus the band’s former drummer who played on 2011’s The Aura.”

“While that might make one think the direction here would sound even more like Beyond Creation, the opposite is true overall. As Brought By Pain have retained their own progressive death metal focused take on tech-death that is quite different than the way that Beyond Creation explore the intersection between progressive death metal and tech-death.”

https://broughtbypain.bandcamp.com/album/crafted-by-society-ep

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=137901591 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Singularity – Void Walker

“Void Walker showcases a further tilt in their split duality between tech-death and black metal, not quite always tipping the scales more towards black metal. But frequently doing so, and in increasingly varied and different ways than they’ve done so in the past.”

https://singularityaz.bandcamp.com/album/void-walker

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=641017649 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Sunless – Demo 2016

“Sunless are a new Minneapolis based act who seem to draw from a mix of influences such as Gorguts, Deathspell Omega, and Ulcerate. Yet they’ve started out doing so in a chaotic fashion all their own. The closest thing I can compare this to is the fantastic guys in Baring Teeth.”

https://sunlessband.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2016

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=510256823 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Koronal – Flicker Away

“Koronal are a Polish group who craft aggressive bio-death mechanical music on Flicker Away that knows only cold hatred and loathing. Formed from the ashes of Meshuggah’s grooves and a penchant for layering them with mind-blowing solos, Koronal have an immensity to their sound that also combines aspects of Decapitated’s style as well as down-tempo groove-oriented modern death metal in general.”

https://koronal.bandcamp.com/album/flicker-away-2

 

 

 

Equipoise – Birthing Homunculi

“As far as the kind of tech-death Equipoise deal in, it tends to jump around and span a range of styles comparable to many of the tech-death scene’s best bands from Obscura to Gorod to Vale of Pnath to Necrophagist and plenty more. With the fantastic keyboard and synth layers Jimmy Pitts added into the music, Birthing Homunculi seems to have found a starting point for where the band can take things next time through further incorporating him into the compositions on next year’s planned full-length.”

https://equipoiseofficial.bandcamp.com/

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=725983206 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Cognizance – Illusory

“Sure, Cognizance still play a first-rate blend of tech-death and brutal minded death metal, but this time there seems to more of a progressive and atmospheric gravitas supplementing the music on Illusory that wasn’t as prevalent on prior releases from the group.”

https://cognizance.bandcamp.com/album/illusory

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2128098959 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Divinity – The Immortalist Pt. 2 – Momentum

Divinity are a Canadian Technical Melodic Death Metal band who I feel have never really gotten their proper respect for the ambitious and eclectic material they put out.

“Divinity as they sound on their new release have taken on a more proggy and thrash-y direction, yet the material is still densely technical and loaded with many memorable technical death metal moments in each track. The Immortalist, Pt. 2 – Momentum comes across like a heady mix of Extol and Revocation spiced up with an extra technical flair.”

https://divinitymetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-immortalist-pt-2-momentum

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1870364659 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

The Noumenon – Terminus

“On Terminus, The Noumenon have more progressive metal in its technical death metal blood than before, and in a way, the presentation of this mixture of ideas brings to mind Black Crown Initiate’s occasional integration of clean singing as well as their prog infused take on the sound. But The Noumenon are hardly imitative of them, that’s just a sonic point of reference to give you a ballpark for the kind of sound they play. I also enjoy the presence of keyboard/piano synth-work from vocalist Kyle Cusiac throughout Terminus that adds another interesting layer to their music.”

https://thenoumenon.bandcamp.com/album/terminus

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=4089749064 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Enigma – Stars Misaligned

“For a band that started only two years ago back in 2014, the music on Stars Misaligned speaks of a group with a sophisticated and sublimely progressive bend to their technical death metal wizardry.”

“…a band already at this high a level so early is hopefully a omen of even better things to come in the future.”

http://enigmametal.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2800354644 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Slave One – Disclosed Dioptric Principles

“…Disclosed Dioptric Principles by talented Frenchmen Slave One is one hell of a complex mixture of old school and new school tech/prog. death styles all melded into one fresh experience. Ranging from groups like Death, Cynic, Atheist, and Pestilence spiked with more modern influences from groups like Nile and Necrophagist.”

https://doloremrecords.bandcamp.com/album/disclosed-dioptric-principles-album

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=4146035683 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

 

 

Conflux Collective – The Inception

“Each song on The Inception features a rotating cast of different vocalists and bassists on each song, with the only members on all three being guitarist/composer Chase Frasier (Continuum, ex-Decrepit Birth, ex-Son Of Aurelius, ex- Animosity, etc) and highly skilled drummer Tommy McKinnon (Akurion/Neuraxis) as the only constants in this maddening musical force comprised of  many of today’s best death metal musicians. All three songs on The Inception sound and unfold differently from each other, which bodes well for the group’s future moving forwards!”

https://confluxcollective.bandcamp.com/releases

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3595531389 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]