We’re now beginning the final month of 2017, and you know what that means: Now begins the final countdown to the end of the year (and the strengthening onslaught of the annual holiday season). In the world of metal, this month we’ll also start seeing more and more lists of the year’s best releases.
Back in 2009, when this site was just a few days old, I wrote a post about year-end lists and why people bother with them. The best reason still seems to be this: Reading someone else’s list of the albums they thought were best is a good way to discover music you missed and might like.
We don’t do an “official” NCS year-end “best albums” list. However, we publish the picks of each of our regular staff writers as well as a large group of guest writers (which we’ll start doing later this month).
Every year we also invite our readers to share their lists and we’re doing that again right here, right now. If you’ve been pondering what you’ve heard this year and have made your own list of the albums, EPs, or splits released in 2017 that you think are the best of what you’ve heard, we invite you to share it with us in the Comments section to this post. And if you haven’t made a list yet but want to, there’s still plenty of time (read below).
We don’t have any hard-and-fast rules about year-end lists. Your list doesn’t have to be a specific number — it doesn’t have to be a “Top 10″ or “Top 20″ list, it could be a Top 2 list or a Top 15, or any other number.
And it doesn’t have to be a cross-genre list, i.e., the best of all metal you’ve heard this year. It could be the best death metal, or the best black metal, or the best grind, or the best folk metal, and on and on — pretty much whatever you want to do and feel comfortable doing, as long as it fits your definition of metal.
Don’t be shy, and don’t worry about being judged — if you haven’t figured it out already, it ain’t our style or the style of our commenters to ridicule what someone else thinks is great metal.
And if you don’t have a list ready yet, no sweat, because you can come back to this post whenever you like and add your list later — or comment on the lists others have posted. I’ll put a link to this post at the top right side of every page so people can find it quickly — look for the link to 2017 NCS READERS’ YEAR-END LISTS. That will make the comments to this post a collection point for “Best of” readers’ lists. And that link will stay on our page from now through this same date in 2018.
So start thinking and start commenting (please, and thank you).
P.S. The Comment section is divided into pages. If you scroll down to the end of the first page of comments you’ll see a link that says “Newer Comments“. Click that to see more lists and to add your own.
136 Responses to “LISTMANIA 2017: AN INVITATION FOR READERS’ LISTS OF THE YEAR’S BEST METAL”
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This was a great year for metal, especially underground speed/thrash metal. These were the records I spun the most:
Antichrist – Sinful Birth
Antisect – The Rising Of The Lights
Condor – Unstoppable Power
Godflesh- Post Self
Heavy Death – Sarcophagus In The Sky
Hellripper – Coagulating Darkness
Hideous Divinity – Adviens
Immolation – Atonement
Integrity – Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Stalker – Shadow Of The Sword
Trenchgrinder – Peace Is Forfeit
Unsane – Sterilize
Vampire – With Primeval Force
Wolfbrigade – Run With The Hunted
1. Spirit Adrift, Curse of Conception
2. Dreadnought, A Wake in Sacred Waves
3. Dvne, Asheran
4. Loss, Horizonless
5. Black Cilice, Banished From Time
6. Burial Oath, Beyond the Vale of Shadowlands
7. Wrvth, S/T
8. Horrified, Allure of the Fallen
9. Becomes Astral, Paleblood Sky
10. Woe, Hope Attrition
11. Finisterre, Der Weg einer Freiheit
12. Wiegedood, De doden hebben het goed II
13. White Ward, Futility Report
14. Cepheide, Saudade
15. Empirine, Eld
16. Inanimate Existence, Underneath a Melting Sky
17. Wormwood, Bloodlands
18. Bell Witch, Mirror Reaper
That Wrvth album came out in 2015. I got all excited for a second thinking you were talking about a brand new one.
I hate being the first (or one of) to post because I know I’m missing things. But these are what really grabbed me and kept bringing me back this year.
Favorite Albums:
Dyscarnate – With All Their Might
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Hideous Divinity – Adviniens
War Crab – Scars of Aeons
The Ominous Circle – Appalling Ascension
Archspire – Relentless Mutation
Havukrunnu – Kelle Surut Soi
Temple of Void – Lords of Death
Flesh Killer – Awaken
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
The Fevered – I Have Seen Death
Incendiary – Thousand Mile Stare
Get the Shot – Infinite Punishment
Order ov Riven Cathedrals – The Discontinuity’s Interlude
Monolord – Rust
Favorite EPs/Splits:
Vitriol – Pain Will Define Their Death
Gatecreeper – Sweltering Madness
Funeral Hearse – The Fist, the Spit, the Sword
Gods – Fear is the Price of Our Instrument
Neverending Winter – Xnyc
Ziggurat –Ritual Miasma
Black Harvest – Attrition
Cruciamentum – Paradise Envenomed
Khemmis/Spirit Adrift – Fraught with Peril
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone else’s posts and what I’ve missed.
In no particular order:
Nightbringer – Terra Damnata
Farsot – Fail-lure
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Finisterre
Au Dessus – End of Chapter
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
Violet Cold – Anomie
Great Old Ones – A tale of dark legacy
Before Nightbringer’s album came out they released the song Serpent Sun, which for some reason didn’t grab me (I loved all of their prior releases). So I didn’t pay too much attention to this release. I really should have given them the benefit of the doubt though, and now that I’ve heard the whole album – holy shit was I wrong to not have paid attention sooner. I think Let Silence be his Name and Inheritor of a Dying World are two of the best black metal songs I’ve heard this year.
I guess that’s a long-winded way of saying thanks for reminding me that Nightbringer doesn’t put out weak albums.
This year I selected 11 full length releases of new material that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend with no reservations. I thought to include Cultes des Ghoules and Bestial Raids, because they’re both fucking awesome, but had them both on my list last year and this year’s list was already long with overly gushing and overwrought reviews. Here they are.
Anima Damnata – Nefarious Seed Grows to Bring Forth Supremacy of the Beast
Brutal. Chaotic. Brilliant.
Below – Upon a Pale Horse
EPIC DOOM, with a capital E.P.I.C. D. O. O. M.
Cardinals Folly – Deranged Pagan Sons
Deranged: check. Pagan: check. Sons: um, well I’m sure they’re in there somewhere. In any case, this album lives up to its name, and is a truly satisfying serving of traditional doom.
<b.Firebreather (Sweden) – s/t
A doom-mazing debut.
Hades Archer – Temple of the Impure
When you want some music to crush your brain with, it doesn’t get any brain-crushier than this. Love it. My favorite of the year so far.
Necrot – Blood Offerings
A delicious slab of rotten death metal.
Occasvs – Nocturnal Majestic Mysteria
Symphonic. Bombastic. Quite good, with many surprising – dare I suggest mysterious – twists and turns throughout the songs that keeps them interesting. The bass is excellent.
Owlcrusher -s/t
This blackened sludge will ooze through you from the opening groans to the bitter end of the soulcrushing finale. Don’t miss it.
Vassafor – Malediction
If Pink Floyd had ever written blackened death metal, perhaps the world might have been ready for Vassafor. But they didn’t, and we’re probably still not. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying the hell out of this album NOW.
Venenum – Trance of Death
This is a perfect album to just get lost in.
Weregoat – Pestilential Rites of Infernal Fornication
Bestial black metal the way god intended. Title track is particularly divine.
In addition, I can’t help but mention two highly anticipated December releases:
Deathcult (Norway) – Cult of the Goat
I’ve only heard one song, but this is almost certainly going to be one of the best black metal releases of the year. Unless the rest of the album is just disco covers of Justin Bieber songs. But that would be a radical departure from their previous releases, and so is probably very unlikely.
Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pacifisticuffs
Again, I’ve only heard one song so far, but as one of my most anticipated albums of the past few years, I’d be surprised if this doesn’t turn out to be my favorite album of this year. In fairness too, DSO has never released anything other than a killer album, and while this might not contain much by way of metal, you can expect it to embody both weirdly brilliant and brilliantly weird songwriiting incorporating many and diverse genres all the way through. They could probably even do disco Bieber and make it good.
Damn, Below are great! Thx for pointing me there.
cool – glad you liked it!
Just an addendum to mention an album I just found out about
Jess and the Ancient Ones – The Horse and Other Weird Tales
Occult psychedelic doom rock. If you’re not generally a fan of this genre, but are willing to give it a listen, maybe start with the song “Anyway the Minds Flow”
Thanks for your effort putting this, a real help; so thank you!
off to listen to Occasvs, as i should;
and cannot wait any longer for the new Aquilus! (if he really unleash it before this year as he said, i have faith it will easily win the year)
My pleasure. Glad you found it useful. And Aquilus has a new album in the works?! That’s great news – thanks for the heads up – I will wait for that one eagerly.
Almyrkvi – Umbra
Anatomia – Cranial Obsession
Antiversum – Cosmos Comedenti
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper
Funeral Mourning – Left Seething Yet Unspoken & Veneration of Broken Worlds
Imperceptum – Aeons of Saturnine Desolation
Kriegszittern – Minenfeld (Split)
Ophiuchi – Bifurcaria Bifurcata
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
Skáphe – VII
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors Of Unbeing
The Clockwork Deity – An Anthology Of Human Sickness
Vrångbild – A Psyche Engaged To The Vortex
Top 10 albums in order of most listens (estimated), not meant to be a critical ranking:
1. Hällas – Excerpts from a Future Past
2. Kauan – Kaiho
3. Solstafir – Berdreyminn
4. Elder – Reflections of a Floating Void
5. Au-Dessus – End of Chapter
6. Enslaved – E
7. Ne Obliviscaris – Urn
8. Falls of Rauros – Vigilance Perennial
9. Leprous – Malina
10. Dreadnought – A Wake in Sacred Waves
Other albums that I really liked (alphabetical):
Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness
Cormorant – Diaspora
Draugsól – Volaða Land
DVNE – Asheran
Grift – Arvet
Horn – Turm am Hang
Katla – Móðurástin
Klabautamann – Smaragd
Lorn – Arrayed Claws
Pillorian – s/t
Sannhet – So Numb
Violet Cold – Anomie
When Bitter Spring Sleeps – Star Thrown
White Ward – Futility Report
Wolves in the Throne Room – Thrice Woven
Edit:
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
1: Ende- Emen Etan
2: Midnight- Sweet Death and Ecstasy
3: Necronautical- The Endurance at Night
4: Hellripper- Coagulating Darkness
5: Taake- Kong Vinter
6: Trenchgrinder- Peace is Forfeit
7: Sielunvihollinen- Ruhonkantaja
8: Abigor- Höllenzwang
9: Witherfall- Nocturnes and Requiems
10: Pillorian- Obsidian Arc
Honorable Mentions (Didn’t make the list
but strongly recommended):
1: Mountanier- As Righteous, As Flawed: Volume I
2: Switchblade Cheetah- Temple of the Bitch
3: Vamacara- Mantras for the Manifold
4: Affliktor- S/T
5: Inquisitor- Stigmata Me, I’m in Misery
6: Wucan- Reap the Storm
7: Firebreather- S/T
8: White Death- S/T
9: Hell- Hell
10: Morvigor- Tyrant
Song(s) O’ the Year:
1: Crypt Sermon- De Mysteriis Doom Sathanas
2: Rimfrost- A Clash Under the Northern Wind
3: Ende- Das Hexenhaus
happy to see Taake’s up there; shamefully overlooked this year, same for Djevel’s Norske Ritualer
Really don’t care about ranking albums. But, rest assured, a lot of thought did go into this. I’ll just say that the albums that are higher on the list are generally the ones I liked better with Venenum being my absolute favourite
Venenum – Trance of Death
Cloak – To Venomous Depths
Temple of Void – Lords of Death
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Suffering Hour – In Passing Ascension
Martyrdoom – Grievous Psychosis
Winds Of Leng – Horrid Dominion
Bestia Arcana – Holokauston
Immolation – Atonement
Highland – Loyal to the Night Sky
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
The Black Dahlia Murder – Nightbringers
Beneath – Ephemeris
Gorephilia – Severed Monolith
Selbst – Selbst
Dawn Ray’d – The Unlawful Assembly
Hideous Divinity – Adveniens
Dying Fetus – Wrong One to Fuck With
Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
Rienaus – Saatanalle
Killer list!
Great list. Shares a lot with mine that I have yet to compile and post lol.
I’ll go with top ten.
1. Krallice – Go Be Forgotten
2. Woe – Hope Attrition
3. Coma Cluster Void – Thoughts From A Stone
4. Bufihimat – I
5. Ingurgitating Oblivion – Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light
6. Serpent Column – Ornuthi Thalassa
7. Obitus – Slaves of the Vast Machine
8. Jute Gyte – Oviri
9. John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos
10. Pyrrhon – What Passes For Survival
Honorable mentions:
Hell- Hell
Black Harvest – Attrition
Good to see both Ingurgitating Oblivion and John Frum on your list. Neither seem to be showing up quite as often as they deserve.
Pagan Altar – The Room of Shadows
Stalker – Shadow of the Sword
Vulture – The Guillotine
Portrait – Burn the World
Hällas – Excerpts From a Future Past
Legionnaire – Dawn of Genesis
Lunar Shadow – Far From Light
Satan’s Hallow – s/t
Dead Head – Swine Plague
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
1. Wode – Servants Of The Countercosmos
2. Dvne – Asheran
3. Old Iron – Lupus Metallorum
4. Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
5. Dawn Ray’d – The Unlawful Assembly
6. Unearthly Trance – Stalking The Ghost
7. Cloak – To Venomous Depths
8. Sorxe – Matter & Void
9. Sumokem – The Guardian Of Yosemite
10. Celephaïs – Monad
Wode; aye sire!
1. Pallbearer – Heartless
2. Aeternam – Ruins of Empires
3. Igorrr – Savage Sinusoid
4. Enslaved – E
5. November’s Doom – Hamartia
6. Nallatar – No Stars Upon the Bridge
7. Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him
8. Incancation – Profane Nexus
9. Replacire – Do Not Deviate
10. Hideous Divinity – Adveniens
Song of the Year: “Opus Brain” – Igorrr
Disappointment of the Year: Voyager – Ghost Mile
Der Weg einer Freiheit-Finisterre
Whoredom Rife-Dommedagskvad
Rebirth of Nefast-Tabernaculum
Selbst-Selbst
Anomalie-Visions
Nyss-Princesse Terre (Three Studies Of Silence And Death)
Somnium Nox-Terra Inanis
Ophiuchi-Bifurcaria Bifurcata
Antiversum-Cosmos Comedenti
Beltez-Exiled, Punished…Rejected
I’m paying special attention to lists that include Selbst, and it’s a good thing, because that Anomalie rules. Thanks!
Aetheric – Serpents Beneath the Shrine
Anomalie – Visions
Archspire – Relentless Mutation
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizaon
Beyond Grace – Seekers
Dark Matter Secret – Perfect World Creation
Dawn Ray’d – The Unlawful Assembly
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Enfold Darkness – Adversary Omnipotent
Ensnared – Dysangelium
In Twilight’s Embrace – Vanitas
Lantern – II: Morphosis
Loss – Horizonless
Orm – Orm
Pyrrhon – What Passes for Survival
Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum
Replacire – Do Not Deviate
Unbeheld – Dust
Vassafor – Malediction
Venenum – Trance of Death
Violet Cold – Anomie
White Ward – Futility Report
Woe – Hope Attrition
This is a good list. Some might say, the best list.
Because it includes Beyond Grace?
How dare you suggest such a thing…
Also, yes.
You guys did make a pretty bad ass album.
Well, thank you dude. I really appreciate it.
Hopefully album #2 (out next year) will be even better!
Preliminary list, still not sure about the exact ordering. The top 2 in particular are tough to pick between for me.
1. Yellow Eyes – Immersion Trench Reverie
2. Aosoth – V: The Inside Scriptures
3. Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum
4. Wolves in the Throne Room – Thrice Woven
5. Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
6. Incantation – Profane Nexus
7. Amenra – Mass VI
8. Kafirun – Eschaton
9. Archspire – Relentless Mutation
10. Throane – Plus une Main à Mordre
Runners up:
Converge – The Dusk in Us
Trivium – The Sin and the Sentence
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Chaos Moon – Eschaton mémoire
Myrkur – Mareridt
Best song: Amenra – “A Solitary Reign”
Best demo: Void Terror – Soul Harvest
Best EP: Sinmara – Within the Weaves of Infinity
Krallice- go be forgotten
Amenra- Mass VI
Yellow Eyes- Immersion Trench Reverie
Wolves in the Throne Room- Thrice Woven
Wiegedood- Dr Doden Hebben Het Goes II
Well, my top five at least. All I could think of off the top of my head. Obviously, I had the check the spelling in that last one.
1) Demonomantic “Blessed in Eternal Cruelty”
2) Obskuritatem – U Kraljevstvo Mrtvih
3) Haive – Iaton
4) Beltez – “Exiled, Punished…Rejected”
5) Mullspellzheimr – “Nidhoggr”
6) II/Lihhamon split – “Miasmal Coronation”
7) Yellow Eyes – “Immersion Trench Reverie”
8)Cormorant “Diaspora”
9) Acephalix – “Decreation”
10) Rienaus – “Saatanalle”
11) Ende – “Emen Etan”
12) Temple of Void – “Lords of Death”
13) Nocturnal Triumph – “Into Lights Graven Womb”
14) Womb – “Devotion to the Sea”
15) Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition – “Raping Angels in Hell” – Death n roll + Grind!
16) Chaos Moon – “Eschaton Memoire”
17)Abhordium – “Omega Prayer”
18) Ovnev – “Incalescence”
19) Asagraum ” Potestas Magicum Diaboli”
20) Low Flying Hawks – “Genkaku”
2017 – Great releases from these bands.
1. Nightbringer
2. Au-Dessus
3. Der Weg Einer Freiheit
4. Dumal
5. Bestia Arcana
6. Selbst
7. The Great Old Ones
8. Throane
9. Violet Cold
10. Vassafor
Good call on Selbst. Way too many people sleeping on that one
Thanks man. I agree, It has a great flow from beginning to end.
Here we go:
1. Sunless – Urraca
2. Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum
3. Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
4. Tchornobog – Tchornobog
5. Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
6. Rosetta – Utoipoid
7. Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
8. Ulsect – Ulsect
9. Au-Dessus – End of Chapter
10. Pyrrhon – What Passes For Survival
Here we go:
1. Sunless – Urraca
2. Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum
3. Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
4. Tchornobog – Tchornobog
5. Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
6. Rosetta – Utoipoid
7. Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
8. Ulsect – Ulsect
9. Au-Dessus – End of Chapter
10. Pyrrhon – What Passes For Survival
1. Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar
2. Hallas – Excerpts from a Future Past
3. Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
4. Atragon – I, Necromancer
5. Hell – Hell (Salem doom band, not the NWOBHM band)
6. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
7. Blut Aus Nord – Deus Salutis Meae
8. Venenum – Trance of Death
9. Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
10. Night – Fire Across The Sky
Honourable Mentions: Jordablod, Ex Eye, Godflesh, Occvlta, The Obsessed, Owlcrusher, Tchornobog, Triumvir Foul, Woe, Wode, Bell Witch, Destroyer of Light, Amenra, Arckanum, Dread Sovereign, Pagan Altar, Boris, Alastor, Coltsblood, Noothgrush/Corrupted split (its old but whatever, its the shit), anything Urfaust did
Dishonourable Mentions: Electric Wizard – what the fuck was that pish?
Not listened to loads of new stuff this year and some of what I have listened to hasn’t lived up to expectation.
But what has blown my mind
Atomck- Every Room In Britain
Violet Cold-Anomie
Employed To Serve- Warmth of a Dying Sun.
Dalek-Endangered Philosophies
Full of Hell- Trumpeting Esctasy
Fuck yeah I was not expecting to see Atomck on any list, them being such an underappreciated band even here in the UK. My favorite grindcore album of the year for sure, and I’m seeing them live for the first time this Sunday!!
My number one was Foreseen – Grave Danger, defo check it out if you haven’t man 🙂
Acrimonious – Eleven Dragons
Ende – Emën Etan
Aosoth – V: The Inside Scriptures
One Master – Lycanthropic Burrowing
Enslaved – E
Immolation – Atonement
Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum
Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness
Venenum – Trance of Death
Sun of the Sleepless – To the Elements
Temple of Void – Lords of Death
Primitive Man – Caustic
Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis
Impetuous Ritual – Blight Upon Martyred Sentience
just scratching the surface here…
In no particular order:
Coldfells (actually that would be my AOTY if any)
Phrenelith
Shaarimoth
Undergang
Cormorant
Laster
Ende
Converge
Aosoth
Artificial Brain
Necrot
Rope Sect
Lluvia
Father Befouled
Krallice (Go Be Forgotten)
Arkhon Infaustus
Spectral Voice
Profundis Tenebrarum
Ingurgitating Oblivion
Orm
Power Trip
… and so many more. It’s been another great year.
Awesome bunch there!
In no particular order:
Coldfells (actually that would be my AOTY if any)
Phrenelith
Shaarimoth
Undergang
Cormorant
Laster
Ende
Converge
Aosoth
Artificial Brain
Necrot
Rope Sect
Lluvia
Father Befouled
Krallice (Go Be Forgotten)
Arkhon Infaustus
Spectral Voice
Profundis Tenebrarum
Ingurgitating Oblivion
Orm
Power Trip
… and so many more. It’s been another great year.
Can’t see this changing so:
1. Temple of Void – Lords of Death
2. Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper
3. Coltsblood- Ascending into Shimmering Darkness
4. Gloson – Grimen
5. Obituary – S/T
6. Vallenfyre – Fear Those who Fear Him
7. Ne Obliviscaris – Urn
8. All Hell – The Grave Alchemist
9. Septicflesh – Codex Omega
10. Hellripper – Coagulating Darkness
Bell Witch – MR, Flysch – OK, Krallice – GBF, Owlcrusher – s/t, Pharmakon – C, Skin Graft – C, Spectral Voice – ECoU, Ulver – TAoJC, Vanum – BA, Wolves in the Throne Room – TW, Yellow Eyes – ITR
(just a brain-dump of super memorable metal-related records this year)
Pyrrhon–What Passes For Survival
Asofy–Nessun Luogo
Violet Cold–Anomie
Falls of Rauros–Vigilance Perennial
Akercocke–Renaissance in Extremis
Virvum–Illuminance
With the Dead–Love from With the Dead
Integrity–Howling, for the Nightmare Shall Consume
Gigan–Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence
Sorrow Plagues–Homecoming
Darkflight–The Hereafter
Deity–Deity
Chaos Moon–Eschaton Memoire
and by some distance my favorite metal album of the year:
SELBST–SELBST
I’m sure I’ll add to this soon–after all, I always find new favorites on other folks’ year-end lists.
Holy shit that Selbst is good~! Why am i just hearing it!?
I read about it on NCS!
And I forgot to add Endon to my list. I love that fucked up record. Also got to see them live recently, and they did NOT disappoint.
After spending some time with other year-end picks, I’m wholly buying into Archspire, Rebirth of Nefast, Lluvia, and Anomolie. \m/
DVNE – Asheran
Bestia Arcana – Holokauston
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Immolation – Atonement
Heretoir – The Circle
John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos
Lantern – II: Morphosis
Moonloop – Devocean
Suffering Hour – In Passing Ascension
Tetrafusion – Dreaming of Sleep
Venenum – Trance of Death
Lor – In Forgotten Sleep
Hypergiant – Father Sky
Hell – Hell
Phrenelith – Desolate Endscape
Coldfells – Coldfells
Shaarimoth – Temple of the Adversarial Fire
Winds of Leng – Horrid Dominion
The Obsessed – Sacred
Wode – Servants of the Countercosmos
EPs
Atavismo – Inerte
Enbilulugugal – Kardiak Attakk
Aversio Humanitatus – Longing for the Untold
Milco – Nerima
Trespasser – Suffer Alone, Suffer Together
Goatschlager – Welcome to Hog Valley
Non-Metal
Deadstar – Baby Teeth
Zola Blood – Infinite Games
Ghost Toast – Out of this World
Expanded to top 50 (and purchasing some late stuff, mostly black metal i missed)
Analepsy – Atrocities from Beyond
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness
Cannabis Corpse – Left Hand Pass
Chaos Moon – Eschaton Memoire
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Epoch – Sacrosanct
Farsot – Fail’ure
Gigan – Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence
Gloson – Grimen
Godflesh – Post Self
Inanimate Existence – Underneath a Melting Sky
Jupiterian – Terraforming
Necrot -Blood Offerings
Nightbringer – Terra Damnata
Pallbearer – Heartless
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Scale the Summit – In a World of Fear
Selbst – Selbst
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Spirit Adrift – Curse of Conception
Sunless – Urraca
Temple of Void – Lords of Death
The Ominous Circle – Appalling Ascension
The Thirteenth Sun – Stardust
Vampire – With Primeval Force
Violet Cold – Anomie
vvilderness – Devour the Sun
Woe – Hope Attrition
Immolation – Atonement
Wolves In The Throne Room – Thrice Woven
Taake – Kong Vinter
Desolate Shrine – Deliverance from the Godless Void
Tetragrammacide – Primal Incinerators of Moral Matrix
Audn – Farvegir Fyrndar
Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper
Coldcell – Those
Altarage – Endinghent
Dawn Ray’d – The Unlawful Assembly
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Grave Pleasures – Motherblood
Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun
Usnea – Portals Into Futility
Paradise Lost – Medusa
Septicflesh – Codex Omega
Limbonic Art – Spectre Abysm
Temple Of Void – Lords of Death
Tau Cross – Pillar Of Fire
Heresiarch – Death Ordinance
Rebirth Of Nefast – Tabernaculum
The Monolith Deathcult – Versus 1
Loss – Horizonless
Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him
Antropofagus – Methods of Resurrection Through Evisceration
Venenum – Trance of Death
Hideous Divinity – Adveniens
Firespawn – The Reprobate
Vampire – With Primeval Force
Acrimonious – Eleven Dragons
Azarath – In Extremis
Pallbearer – Heartless
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Bathsheba – Servus
Svart Crown – Abcreation
Wiegedood – De Doden Hebben Het Goed II
The Ominous Circle – Appaling Ascension
Hour Of Penance – Cast the First Stone
Emptiness – Not For Music
Shaarimoth – Temple Of The Adversarial Fire
Degial – Predator Reign
Asagraum – Potestas Magicum Diaboli
Runespell – Unhallowed Bllod Oath
Vassafor – Malediction
Blut Aus Nord – Deus Salutis Meæ
Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
Blaze Of Perdition – Conscious Darkness
Arckanum – Den Förstfödde
Throane – Plus Une Main A Mordre
Antiversum – Cosomos Comedenti
Primitive Man – Caustic
Horrified – Allure of the Fallen
Necrovorous – Plains of Decay
Belphegor – Totenritual
Suffering Hour – In Passing Ascension
Sheidim – Infamata
Dying Fetus – Wrong One To Fuck With
Incantation – Profane Nexus
Atriarch – Dead As Truth
The Lurking Fear – Out Of The Voiceless Grave
Acherontas – Amarta (Formulas of Reptilian Unification Part II)
Impetuous Ritual – Blight Upon Martyred Sentience
Farsot – Fail-Lure
Scammasch – The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite
Svartsyin – In Death
Necrot – Blood Offerings
Ulsect – Ulsect
Dødsengel – Interequinox
Possession – Exorkizein
Full Of Hell – Trumpeting Ecstasy
God Dethroned – The World Ablaze
Mantar – The Spell
All Hell – The Grave Alchemist
Lantern – II: Morphosis
Death Worship – Extermination Mass
Malefic Levitation – The Ancient Plague
Infernal Blast – Wolves Etilism Speech
Ascended Dead – Abhorrent Manifestation
Engulfed – Engulfed in Obscurity
Light Of The Morning Star – Nocta
White Death – White Death
Rebel Wizad – Triumph Of Gloom
Gloson – Grimen
Tomb Mold – Primordial Malignity
Daemoniac – Spawn of The Fallen
Gnaw Their Tongues – Hymns For The Broken, Swollen And Silent
Selbst – Selbst
Theurgia – Transformation
Sacrocurse – Gnostic Holocaust
Sinmara/Misþyrming – Split
Sinmara – Within the Weaves of Infinity
Almyrkvi – Umbra
Whoredom Rife – Dommedagskvad
Kadaverdisciplin – Death Supremacy
Eldamar – A Dark Forgotten Past
Aegrus – Thy Nominous Darkness
Nattverd – Vi vet gud er en løgner
Hak-Ed Damm – Holocaust Over Dresden
Havukruunu – Kellet surut soi
Biesy – Noc Lekkich Obyzcajow
Devil’s Emissary – Demiurge Asceticism
Ziggurat – Ritual Miasma
this year was absolutely loaded with top notch releases. Considering that I listen to a lot of music, picking my top albums was fairly difficult. The one album that I literally listened to daily was the new Havukruunu. They can do no wrong. Something about Finnish vocals really draws me in.
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Desolate Shrine – Deliverance from the Godless Void
Cold Insight – Further Nowehere
Auon – Farvegir Fyrndar
Wormwood – Ghostlands
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
Phrenelith – Desolate Endscape
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Arckanum – Forstfodde
Hallatar – No Stars Upon the Bridge
Veneum – Trance of Death
Fen – Winter
Wolfheart – Tyhjyys
Loss – Horizonless
Ajattara – Lupaus
Sun of the Sleepless – To the Elements
Rur – Rur
Lying Figures – The Abstract Escape
Der Weg einer Freiheit – Finisterre
Burial Oath – Beyond the Vale of Shadowlands
Archspire – Relentless Mutation
Wode – Servants of the Countercosmos
Below the Sun – Alien World
Death Fortress – Triumph of the Undying
Necrot – Blood Offerings
Khazzadum – Plagues Upon Arda
The Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
Incantation – Profane Nexus
Gloson – Grimen
Woe – Hope Attrition
Nightbringer – Terra Damnata
Lantern – Morphosis
Oceanwake – Earthern
Nailed to Obscurity – King Delusion
Immolation – Atonement
The Ominous Circle – Appalling Ascension
This has been a weaker year for me. Still plenty of stuff I’ve loved, but maybe only 1 or 2 of this year’s favorites would have cracked last year’s top 5.
Archspire – Relentless Mutation
Code Orange – Forever
Converge – The Dusk In Us
Dodecahedron – Kwintessence
Fleshkiller – Awaken
He Is Legend – Few
Hideous Divinity – Adveniens
Hyborian – Hyborian, Vol. 1
Hypergiant – Father Sky
John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos (AOTY)
Kardashev – The Almanac EP
Mastodon – Emperor of Sand
Ne Obliviscaris – Urn
Opium Eater – ENNUI
Persefone – Aathma
Sentient Ignition – Enthroned in Gray
Sutrah – Dunes
Ulsect – Ulsect
Without Waves – Lunar
Honestly I think I’ve enjoyed the rock, prog-rock and otherwise non-metal releases I’ve gotten into this year more:
Anathema – The Optimist
Brand New – Science Fiction
Caligula’s Horse – In Contact
Eidola – To Speak, To Listen
I the Mighty – Where the Mind Wants to Go, Where You Let It Go
Queens of the Stone Age – Villains
Steven Wilson – To The Bone
Vattnett – Vattnett
Wode – Servants Of The Countercosmos
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Uhtcearu – For Darkness To Subside
Lek – Shadows of Black Souls
I haven’t even heard it yet, but I assume if the new Desolate Shrine is as good as their last disc, it should be all over these lists. Someone enlighten me.
Alphabetical 50 Favorites
Acephalix: Decreation
Alison Crutchfield: Tourist in This Town
All Pigs Must Die: Hostage Animal
Ambersmoke: Lay My Bones Beneath the Valley Oak
Anatomia: Cranial Obsession
Artificial Brain: Infrared Horizon
Aseethe: Hopes of Failure
Au Champ Des Morts: Dans la joie
Bardo Pond: Under the Pines
Bardo Pond: Curanderos
Belphegor: Totenritual
Black Anvil: As Was
Der Blutharsch and the Infinite Church of the Leading Hand: What Makes You Pray
Dødsengel: Interequinox
Drug Honkey: Cloak of Skies
Exploded View: Summer Came Early
Extremity: Extremely Fucking Dead
Faust: Fresh Air
Flowers Must Die: Kompost
Gnod: Just Say No to the Psycho Right-Wing Capitalist Fascist Industrial Death Machine
Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Luciferian Towers
Gorephilia: Severed Monolith
Immolation: Atonement
Incantation: Profane Nexus
Ingurgitating Oblivion: Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light
Jane Weaver: Modern Kosmology
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma: On the Echoing Green
Julie’s Haircut: Invocation and Ritual Dance of My Demon Twin
Kikagaku Moyo: Stone Garden
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Murder of the Universe
Knife in the Water: Reproduction
Las Robertas: Waves of the New
Lurking Fear, The: Out of the Voiceless Grave
Morbid Angel: Kingdoms Disdained
Myrrors, The: Hasta La Victoria
Necks, The: Unfold
Necrot: Blood Offerings
New Pornographers, The: Whiteout Conditions
No Faith: Forced Subservience
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Feed the Rats
Power Trip: Nightmare Logic
RAKTA: Oculto Pelos Seres – 7″
Skullflower: The Spirals of Great Harm
Slowdive: Slowdive
Space Witch: Arcanum
Temple of BBV: Temple of BBV
Träd, Gräs och Stenar: Tack För Kaffet / So Long
Undergang: Misantropologi
Wiegedood: De Doden Hebben Het Goed II
Wolf Eyes: Undertow
Celesterre – The Wild
Old Night – Pale Cold Irrelevance
Samsara – When the Soul Leaves the Body
Hallatar – No Stars Upon the Bridge
Bloody Tyrant – Solitary Eagle
Beyond Grace – Seekers
Sons of Crom – The Black Tower
Pagan Altar – The Room of Shadows
The Obsessed – Sacred
Tethra – Like Crows for the Earth
Gorephilia – Severed Monolith
Kreator – Gods of Violence
Tombs – The Grand Annihilation
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Odradek Room – A Man of Silt
Avatarium – Hurricanes and Halos
Havok – Comformicide
Black Kirin – Nanking Massacre
Acid Witch – Evil Sound Screamers
These are my personal favorites from this year. They are a mix of albums and eps, metal and not metal.
Acid Witch – Evil Sound Screamers
Arcadea – Arcadea
Beyond Grace – Seekers
Bill & Phil – Songs Of Darkness And Despair (odd collaboration and a fun listen)
Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
Condone – World Of Human Wreckage
Death Fortress – Triumph Of The Undying
Devilish Art – Temple Of Desintegration
Dödsrit – Dödsrit
Glacial Tomb – Cognitive Erosion
Goatwhore – Vengeful Ascension (GOATWHORE!!!)
Gone Is Gone – Echolocation
Mastodon – Cold Dark Place
Mastodon – Emperor Of Sand
Marilyn Manson – Heavens Upside Down ( sue me)
Mother Moon – Bathed In False Light
Mavradoxa – Lethean Lament
Pallbearer – Heartless
Scour – Red EP
Venomous Maximus – No Warning
Wode – Servants Of The Countercosmos
Wormkvlt – Wormkvlt
With a big bunch of albums still in the “to listend” list, this is is for my right now:
Woe – Hope Attrition
White Ward – Futility Report
Madrost – The Essence Of Time Matches No Flesh
Nattverd – Vi Vet Gud Er En Løgner
Ognemöt – Vol.1
Khmer – Larga Sombra
Sektor – Allegory
Succumb
Converge – The Dusk In Us
Celeste – Infidele(s)
Ex Deo – The Immortal Wars
Auðn – Farvegir Fyrndar
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Finisterre
Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
Necrot – Blood Offerings
Droid – Terrestrial Mutations
Psykup – Ctl + Alt + Fuck
Satyricon – Deep Calleth Upon Deep
Paradise Lost – Medusa
Tired Minds – Loom
Ulsect
Pain of Salvation – In the Passing Light of Day
Junius – Eternal Rituals For The Accretion Of Light
Kairon, IRSE! – Ruination
IDLES – Brutalism
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Flying Microtonal Banana
Avec Le Soleil Sortant De Sa Bouche – Pas Pire Pop, I Love You So Much
Exquirla – Para Quienes Aun Viven
Best EPs:
Oranssi Pazuzu – Farmakologinen
Street Sects – Rat Jacket
Best non Metal/Rock related:
A Projection – Framework
Mammal Hands – Shadow Work
Protomartyr – Relatives in Descent
METZ – Strange Peace
Alfa Mist – Antiphon
Bardspec – Hydrogen
Sophie Hutchings – Yonder
Blanck Mass – World Eater
As requested, I deleted your previous list. 🙂
Thanks.
That Kairon is really good.
Sure it is. I get to like it even more than their previous one, what I didn’t think it would be possible, it was my favorite album of that year.
Hi! Could please someone delete this comment? I can not find how to do it myself. I publised this list by mistake, the next one is the good one.
Thanks.
LPs
1-The Ruins of Beverast, Exuvia
2-Jordablod, Upon My Cremation Pyre
3-Ufomammut, 8
4-Tchornobog, Tchornobog
5-Malokarpatan, Nordkarpatenland
6-Ex Eye, Ex Eye
7-Vulture Industries, Stranger Times
8-Blaze of Perdition, Conscious Darkness
9-Battle Dagorath, II, Frozen Light of Eternal Darkness
10-Falls of Rauros, Vigilance Perennial
11-Bestia Arcana, Holókauston
12-Aosoth, V: The Inside Scriptures
13-Enslaved, E
14-Vassafor, Malediction
15- Wolves in the Throne Room, Thrice Woven
16-Spectral Voice, Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Eps/Splits
1-Drudkh / Paysage d’Hiver, Somewhere Sadness Wanders / Schnee (IV)
2-Schammasch, The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite
3-Vanum, Burning Arrow
Insect – I Ett Bottenlöst Mörker
Barrowlands – Tyndir
Venenum – Trance of Death
Maggot Heart – City Girls
What a great album this one of Barrowlands ! ” Light of a dead star ” is a real contender for 2017’s most infectious extreme metal song !
So far: In order of votes by readers –
Venenum
Artificial Brain
Woe
Spectral Voice
Immolation
Bell Witch
Dodecahedron
Havukruunu
Hideous Divinity
Incantation
Necrot
Pillorian
Power Trip
Rebirth of Nefast
Violet Cold
Wolves in the Throne Room
Archspire
Der Weg Einer Freheit
Elder
Selbst
Temple of Void
Vassafor
Aosoth
Au-Dessus
Bestia Arcana
Blaze of Perdition
Cannibal Corpse
Converge
Dawn Ray’d
DVNE
Ende
Enslaved
Krallice
Lantern
Loss
Pyrrhon
Ulsect
White Ward
Wiegedood
Yellow Eyes.
4 or more votes, Venenum has 9.
Top ten “in no order” are must listens for 2017 IMO, but the the rest are killer also.
1. 1476-Our Season Draws Near
2. A Pale December-The Shrine of Primal Fire
3. Dumal-The Lesser God
4. Enisum-Seasons of Desolation
5. Ungfell-Tôtbringære
6. Absinthropy-Vigilante’s Doctrine
7. Isfet-Shards from a formless Past
8. Irgalom-Autumn Psalms
9. Al-Namrood-Enkar
10. Sarkrista-Summoners of the Serpents Wrath
Vvilderness-Devour The Sun
N¦O-Adrestia
Barrowlands-Tyndir
Auon-Farvegir Fyrndar
Athame-Hódító
Gray Souvenirs-The First Sight
Mascharat-Mascharat
Dawn Ray’d-The Unlawful Assembly
Falaise-My Endless Immensity
Hell is Other People-Embrace
None-None
Burial Oath-Beyond The Vale Of Shadowlands
Black Faith-Nightscapes
Xternity-From Endless Depravity
Violet Cold-Anomie
Dethroned-Bluotrunst
Noctem Aeternus-Winter Spells
My list, in no particular order, although I’m saving my favorite for last:
Aosoth- the inside scriptures
Blaze of Perdition- conscious darkness
Cloak- to venomous depths
Havukruunu- kelle surut soi
The Infernal Sea- agents of Satan. Only a single, but this is where I discovered the band
Kadaverdisciplib- death supremacy
Merrimack- omegaphilia
Nargaroth- era of threnody (top 5)
Nightbringer- terra damnata (top 5)
Orm- orm (top 5)
Sarkrista- the Acheronian worship
Satyricon- deep calleth upon deep
Sun of the sleepless- to the elements
Svartsyn- in death ( top 5)
Vanum- burning arrow (single)
Dodecahedron- kwintessens
My album of the year is:
Totenritual by Belphegor. I listened to this album for days on end. the devils son is my favorite track.
I put the wrong sarkrista album on here, thanks to my phone.
Atrexial – Souverain (2017)
Justin Hate – Marrow (2017)
Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Keziah Lilith Medea (Chapter X) (2017)
Madrost – The Essence of Time Matches No Flesh (2017)
Hideous Divinity – Adveniens (2017)
Gorod – Kiss the Freak (2017)
Beyond Grace – Seekers (2017)
Avatarium – Hurricanes and Halos (2017)
Hellripper – Coagulating Darkness (2017)
Synaptik – Justify & Reason (2017)
Heretoir – The Circle (2017)
The Ominous Circle – Appalling Ascension (2017)
Witherfall – Nocturnes and Requiems (2017)
Horn – Turm am Hang (2017)
Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun (2017)
Lor – In Forgotten Sleep (2017)
Nazghor – Infernal Aphorism (2017)
Archspire – Relentless Mutation (2017)
+ Kreator – Gods of Violence (2017)
It’s been kind of a weak year for me, at least compared to the last two. I was really hoping for the Panopticon double album and the new Ifing this year. Here’s a rough draft in somewhat of an order.
Grima- Tales of the Enchanted Woods
Falls of Rauros- Vigilance Perennial
Wolves in the Throne Room- Thrice Woven
Sun of the Sleepless- To The Elements
Celephais- Monad
Cover of Night- The Depths
Ovnev- Incalescence
Arkheron Thodol- Thaw
Fen- Winter
Kauan- Kaiho
Burial Oath- Beyond the Vale of Shadow
Pillorian- Obsidian Arc
Barrowlands- Tyndir
Aerial Ruin- Nameless Sun
Splits and EPs:
Eneferens- Eventide
The Hill You Die On- Morningstar
Ah Ciliz/Chiral- Origins
Chiral- The Twilight Songs- Part I
Deafest- A Shadow Upon the Lake
I agree with the disappointment – but dont get me wrong, the overall quality was really good, but it was hard to find my top10 this year. But what I actually wanted to say – props for putting Grima on the list!
Since you like Black Metal, try the Almyrkvi,
Dawn Ray’d, Bestia Arcana, and Farsot.
AOTY for me:
Ulvegr: Titahion – Kaos Manifest. What would you call this – black metal interspersed with rituals and ceremonies for calling up the underworld? The alternating full-on track/mellow ambient ritual track might not suit everyone, but it hits all the right buttons for me.
Other cuts I’ve enjoyed:
Dawn Of Ashes: Daemonolatry Gnosis
Order ov Riven Cathedrals: The Discontinuity’s Interlude
Shade Empire: Poetry of the ill-minded (didn’t match Omega Arcane for me, but then again, could anything?)
Septic Flesh: Codex Omega
Wolfkan: Cyber Necro Spirituals (sometimes you just want to hear weird, and you can thank Islander for serving up weird since 2009 😉 )
Myrkur: Mareridt (also good to see it was released in hi-res, need more of this going on in metal)
Sad to say I still haven’t found the time to listen through Kartikeya’s new album (dammit I must do that this weekend!). But no doubt it will be on my list given my love of the early tracks Tunnels of Naraka and The Golden Blades.
Gigan: Undulating Waves Of Rainbiotic Iridescence
Decrepit Birth: Icum Sixd
Artificial Brain: Infrared Horizon
Belphegor: Totenritual
Obsolete Nova: Malfunction In Sensory Illusion
Vesicant: Shadows of Cleansing Iron
Master: Command Your Fate demo collection
Still waiting for Deeds Of Flesh…
Decrepit!
Decrepit Birth: Axis Mundi.
Could have been that 1/2 liter of vodka.
spun Totenritual once…got bored. Havent’t revisited but loved the older stuff. Do I need to give it another spin?
It’s my number 1 for 2017. I want to hear it most often.
Phrenelith – Desolate Endscape
Tomb Mold – Primordial Malignity
Septicflesh – Codex Omega
Bestia Arcana – Holokauston
Ascended Dead – Abhorrent Manifestation
Tchornobog – Tchornobog
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Archspire – Relentless Mutation
Celeste – Infidèle(s)
Hell – Hell
Elder – Reflections Of A Floating World
Vassafor – Malediction
The Ominous Circle – Appalling Ascension
One more list, because why not. My favorite records released by NYC-based bands in 2017:
Artificial Brain
Krallice (GBF)
Immolation
Mutoid Man
Woe
Pyrrhon
Yellow Eyes
Couch Slut
Suffocation
Tombs
Luminous Vault
Pyrolatrous
Demos:
Horns & Hooves
Funeral Leech
Ordeals
I haven’t listened to the new Quicksand and Unsane records yet, but I suspect they’re good.
You posted twice the same list. Now you want to post another. I also like lists and have a certain quandary when i see all these great records i haven’t heard of or seen but cmon man! I have the entire thing in Excel so we can know what the readers really like. We can compare against some of the monthly winners by the reviewers, we can mix it up! Really, what it is about is the very best extreme metal we can find, that can feel good about spending our small Metal contributions and get the bang.
I will post as many lists as I please, accidentally or not. Also have to add Afterbirth to the above list.
Now excuse me while I go back to working on my top 100 Icelandic releases list.
You’re obviously an elitist. Should clearly be a Top 200 list.
Hexis – Tando Ashanti
Celeste – Infidele(s)
Pyrrhon – What Passes for Survival
One Master – Lycanthropic Burrowing
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Aosoth – V: The Inside Scriptures
Dodecahedron – kwintessens
Chaos Moon – Eschaton Memoire
Bestia Arcana – Holokauston
Hell’s newest full length
Kafirun – Eschaton
Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
Listened to so many good albums this year, but these got the most play time.
So far, 51 Readers. Not meant to persuade new listers but those that want to check out the best metal.
11 votes – Artificial Brain
9 votes – Venenum
8 votes
Dodecahedron
Immolation
Spectral Voice
Woe
7 votes
Archspire
Havukruunu
Hideous Divinity
Pillorian
Violet Cold
Wolves in the Throne Room
6 Votes
Aosoth
Bell Witch
Bestia Arcana
Elder
Incantation
Necrot
Power Trip
Pyrrhon
Rebirth of Nefast
Vassafor
5 Votes
Blaze of Perdition
Der Weg Einer Freheit
Hell
Krallice
Selbst
Temple of Void
The Ominous Circle
Wode
Yellow Eyes
That is enough for now. There are 447 bands that received votes. The top 5 votes and above are probably must listen to or get NOW!
No order just the ones I’ve gone back to more than others:
Death Fortress – Triumph of the Undying
Venenum – Trance of Death
Archspire – Relentless Mutation
Abhorrent Decimation – The Pardoner
Pyrrhon – What Passes for Survival
God’s Forsaken – In a Pitch Black Grave
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soon
Unleash the Archers – Apex
Beyond Grace – Seeker
John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos
Ingurgitating Oblivion- Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light
Night flight Orchestra – Amber Galactic
Highland – Loyal to the Nightsky
Vampire – With Peimeval Force
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Desolate Shrine – Deliverance from the Godless Void
Demonic Resurrection – Dashavatar
Forgot Replacire – Do not Deviate
Here is my list (and also happy new year to all and thanks to NCS for their awesome dedication and killer site):
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Finisterre
Arduini/Balich – Dawn of Ages (i never heard such EPIC metal, fuckin A!)
Venenum – Trance of Death
Aeternam – Ruins of Empires
Nazghor – Infernal Aphorism
Throne of Heresy – Decameron
Selbst – Selbst
Wiegedood – De doden hebben het goed II
Void Ritual – Heretical Wisdom
Immolation – Atonement
Beneath – Ephemeris
Havukruunu – Kelle surut soi
Tombs – The Grand Annihilation
Beyond Grace – Seekers
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Unleash the Archers – Apex
Havok – Conformicide
For what ever reason, I didn’t listen to much black metal this year, though I would like to check out the new ones from Der Weg einer Freiheit and Woman is the Earth, oh and Havukruunu. I did listen to much more thrash, a lot of the more recent, but not 2017 stuff, like Dust Bolt, Terrifier, Pessimist, No Amnesty, Vioblast, Pripjat. In the DM world, just learned of Bufihimat, which I need to spend some more time with.
After dropping out for a while, I listened to more metal this year than the last couple combined, and yet I haven’t changed. It’s still all about the riff.
1. Hideous Dvinity
2. Wrath of Belial
3. Mors Principium Est
4. Havukruunu
5. Woe
6. Kartikeya
7. Septicflesh
8. Taake
9. Cormorant
10. Ingurgitating Oblivion
EP mention: Mendacium – ‘Decimating Titans’
I basically only come to NCS for my metal, hence some pretty familiar names!
And the new Fit For An Autopsy!
I put alot of time and thought into my Top Master 21 albums:
(I am very partial to these themes: cosmic,occult,dissonance,depressive)
1. Almyrkvi-Umbra
2. Kauan-Kaiho
3. Bell Witch-Mirror Reaper
4. Ruins of Beverast-Exuvia
5. Inferno-Gnosis Kardias
6. Rebirth of Nefast-Tabernaculum
7. Dodecahedron-Kwintessence
8. Bestia Arcana-Holokauston
9. Aosoth-V:The Inside Scriptures
10. Nightbringer-Terra Damnata
11. Throane- Plus une main a mordre
12. Vassafor-Malediction
13. Emptiness-Not for music
14. Striborg-Procession of lost souls
15. Antiversum-Cosmos Comendenti
16. Spectral Voice-Eroded corridors of being
17. Acrimonious-Eleven Dragons
19. Blaze of Perdition-Consious Darkness
20. Godflesh-Post Self
21. Ariel Ruin-Nameless Sun
My Top Master EP picks:
1. Svartidaudi-Untitled
2. Devouring Star-Antihedron
3. Oranssi Pazuz-Farmakologinen
4. Drudkh/Paysage d’Hiver
5. Schammacsh-The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite
Just picked up Almyrkvi and …wow.
My 40 Favorites (by date of release) :
1. Alluvial – The Deep Longing For Annihilation
2. Scáth Na Déithe – Pledge Nothing But Flesh
3. Lorn – Arrayed Claws
4. Helheim – LandawarijaR
5. Au Champ des Morts – Dans La Joie
6. The Great Old Ones – A Tale of Dark Legacy
7. Gloson – Grimen
8. Pure Wrath – Ascetic Eventide
9. Greywoods – Hellgazer
10. Trepid Elucidation – Upcoming Reality
11. Siberian – Through Ages of Sleep
12. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
13. Violet Cold – Anomie
14. Fen – Winter
15. Grand Old Wrath – Total Devotion
16. Ghash – Goat
17. Heretoir – The Circle
18. Moonloop – Devocean
19. Fractal Universe – Engram of Decline
20. Enisum – Seasons of Desolation
21. Fin – Arrows of a Dying Age
22. White Ward – Futility Report
23. Progenie Terrestre Pura – oltreLuna
24. Dark Matter Secret – Perfect World Creation
25. Tombs – Grand Annihilation
26. Igorrr – Savage Sinusoid
27. Liverum – Discover Your Land
28. Sun of the Sleepless – To the Elements
29. Abhorrent Decimation – The Pardoner
30. Dvne – Asheran
31. Cormorant – Diaspora
32. Inanimate Existence – Underneath a Melting Sky
33. Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis
34. Nyss – Princesse Terre
35. Womb – Devotion to the Sea
36. Archspire – Relentless Mutation
37. Arkaik – Nemethia
38. Crackhouse – Be No One Be Nothing (maybe my AOTY)
39. Dreadnought – A Wake In Sacred Waves
40. Fragarak – A Spectral Oblivion
…among many more greats… and why not A Ghost Story for my favorite OST of 2017… and Logan for MOTY!
1 Elder “Reflections Of A Floating World”
2 Black Anvil “As Was”
3 The Ruins of Beverast “Takitum Tootem!”
4 Blut Aus Nord – “Deus Salutis Meae”
5 Sannhet “Pure”
6 Ulver “The Assasination of Julius Caesar”
7 Pallbearer “Heartless”
8 Lo-Pan “In Tensions”
9 Converge “The Dusk In Us”
10 White Ward “Futility Report”
11 The Ruins of Beverast “Exuvia”
12 Paradise Lost “Medusa”
13 Immolation “Atonement”
14 Cannibal Corpse “Red Before Black”
15 Gruesome “Fragments Of Psyche”
16 Sinister “Syncretism”
17 Mastodon “Emperor Of Sand”
18 Tombs “The Grand Annhilation”
19 Azarath “In Extremis”
20 Mutoid Man “War Moans”
I’m always highly appreciative of the opportunity for the readers of NoCleanSinging to post their subjective selections of the best metal albums of the perspective year–it always gives me a systematic, but rewarding task of individually sifting through each individual’s list, checking out groups I missed or releases I didn’t spend much time with.
My list consists of 101 entries–a high number, but a rational amount considering the number of albums I’ve checked out this year (I’d easily estimate 350 or a little more). This was, unfortunately, a very rough year for me, packed full of unforseen circumstances, struggles, bouts of depressing outcomes, etc. So, without further adue:
1. Dying Fetus – Wrong One to Fuck With
2. Archspire – Relentless Mutation
3. Gigan – Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence
4. Suffocation – …Of The Dark Light
5. Belphegor – Totenritual
6. Akercocke – Renaissance In Extremis
7. Samsara – When The Soul Leaves The Body
8. The Ominous Circle – Appalling Ascension
9. Hideous Divinity – Adveniens
10. Ne Obliviscaris – Urn
11. Origin – Unparalleled Universe
12. Immolation – Atonement
13. Brutal Unrest – Trinitas
14. Incantation – Profane Nexus
15. Nightbringer – Terra Damnata
16. Empyrean Throne – Chaosborne
17. Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
18. Sunless – Urraca
19. Virulent Depravity – Fruit of The Poison Tree
20. Maat – Monuments Will Enslave
21. Dawn Ray’d – The Unlawful Assembly
22. Fractal Universe – Engram Of Decline
23. Pyrrhon – What Passes For Survival
24. Enfold Darkness – Adversary Omnipotent
25. Hate – Tremendum
26. John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos
27. Cytotoxin – Gammageddon
28. Through The Eyes of The Dead – Disomus
29. Cradle of Filth – Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness Of Decay
30. Kreator – Gods of Violence
31. Pure Wrath – Ascetic Eventide
32. Der Weg einer Freiheit – Finisterre
33. Chepang – Dadhelo: A Tale of Wildfire
34. Demonic Resurrection – Dashavatar
35. Narcotic Wasteland – Delirium Tremens
36. Morbid Angel – Kingdoms Disdained
37. Acherontas – Amarta (Formulas of Reptilian Unification Part II)
38. A Flourishing Scourge – A Flourishing Scourge
39. Inanimate Existence – Underneath a Melting Sky
40. Regurgitate Life – Obliteration Of The Self
41. Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
42. Transcend the Realm – Perennial Discoveries
43. God Dethroned – The World Ablaze
44. Ghost Bath – Starmourner
45. Arch Enemy – Will to Power
46. Nailed to Obscurity – King Delusion
47. Exhumed – Death Revenge
48. The Furor – Cavalries Of The Occult
49. Dawn Of Ashes – Daemonolatry Gnosis
50. Morta Skuld – Wounds Deeper Than Time
51. Arkaik – Nemethia
52. Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness
53. Woe – Hope Attrition
54. Phobia – Lifeless God
55. Nightrage – The Venomous
56. Lorna Shore – Flesh Coffin
57. Procession – Doom Decimation
58. The Black Dahlia Murder – Nightbringers
59. Warbringer – Woe to the Vanquished
60. Paradise Lost – Medusa
61. Firespawn – The Reprobate
62. Beneath – Ephemeris
63. Kadaverdisciplin – Death Supremacy
64. Hour of Penance – Cast the First Stone
65. Besatt – Anticross
66. Enslaved – E
67. Trollech – Každý strom má svůj stín
68. Gloom – Solaris
69. Svart Crown – Abreaction
70. Septicflesh – Codex Omega
71. Iron Monkey – 9-13
72. Varmia – Z Mar Twych
73. Begerith – A.D.A.M.
74. Merrimack – Omegaphilia
75. Voltumna – Dodecapoli
76. Bufihimat – I
77. Rings of Saturn – Ultu Ulla
78. White Ward – Futility Report
79. Kâhld – No Fertile Ground for Seeds
80. Oceans Ate Alaska – Hikari
81. Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
82. Replacire – Do Not Deviate
83. Wormwood – Ghostlands: Wounds From A Bleeding Earth
84. Ignis Haereticum – Autocognition of Light
85. Sorcerer – The Crowning Of The Fire King
86. The Modern Age Slavery – Stygian
87. Ingurgitating Oblivion – Vision Wallows In Symphonies Of Light
88. Primitive Man – Caustic
89. So This Is Suffering – Palace Of The Pessimist
90. Scaphist – Sunset Acquisition
91. Resurgency – No Worlds… Nor Gods Beyond
92. Decrepit Birth – Axis Mundi
93. Cut Up – Wherever They May Rot
94. Decapitated – Anticult
95. Obituary – Obituary
96. Persefone – Aathma
97. Expain – Pinching Nerves
98. Slaughter to Prevail – Misery Sermon
99. Ex Deo – The Immortal Wars
100. Incendiary – Thousand Mile Stare
101. First Blood – Rules
Thanks for the list. Gives me a lot of work to do to catch up and find those tasty morsels! \m/
Well, I was initially attempting to reply to my comment with my year’s selections, but it’s not currently displaying my own comment, so I shall post it here.
I chose only fifteen EP’s to share, since I didn’t pay as much attention to them as full-length albums. I am open to check out any EP’s that anyone deems magnificent, though.
EP’s:
1. Coma Cluster Void – Thoughts From a Stone
2. Antigama – Depressant
3. Poolside At The Flamingo – The Sound Below
4. Blurring – Cloud Burner
5. Promethean – Aloades
6. Protosequence – Biophagous
7. Amiensus – All Paths Lead To Death
8. Claret Ash – The Great Adjudication- Fragment One
9. Scour – Red
10. Nordjevel – Krigsmakt
11. Arkhon Infaustus – Passing The Nekromanteion
12. Towering Abomination – Pits of Malebolge
13. Terminal Function – Krakstören
14. Rebaelliun – Bringer of War (The Last Stand)
15. Marsh of Swans – From Ashes Beneath
Ah, now it is showing up. Anyhow, there you have it. There were many more albums I listened to or at least glimpsed into, but these were the releases that greedily demanded my listening attention. I have, written down, a list of “honorable recognitions/mentions” as well, but I’ve posted enough content as it is. Lol. If anyone’s interested, then I can copy/paste it in here, too.
Immolation
Carach Angren
Body Count
Ereb Altor
Enslaved
Novembers Doom
I’m late posting my list because I’m Kansas born and raised, but here it is! 🙂
(no particular order, but Red Before Black would be my #1 if they were)
Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
Chris Stapleton – From a Room, Volumes One and Two
Morbid Angel – Kingdoms Disdained
Little Big Town – The Breaker
Midland – On The Rocks
Luke Combs – This One’s For You
Arch Enemy – Will to Power
Chris Young – Losing Sleep
Six Feet Under – Torment
Chris Janson – Everybody
Zac Brown Band – Welcome Home
Sepultura – Machine Messiah
Marty Stuart – Way Out West
Blake Shelton – Texoma Shore
Kip Moore – Slowheart
Josh Turner – Deep South
Immolation – Atonement
Sinister – Syncretism
Natalie Hemby – Puxico
Gretchen Wilson – Ready to Get Rowdy
Obituary – Obituary
Toby Keith – The Bus Songs
The Cadillac Three – Legacy
Brad Paisley – Love and War
Brantely Gilbert – The Devil Don’t Sleep
Body Count – Bloodlust
Brett Eldredge – Brett Eldredge
Luke Bryan – What Makes You Country
Wretched Spawn – Wretched Spawn
Danzig – Black Laden Crown
Tyler Childers – Purgatory
Trace Adkins – Something’s Going On
Suffocation – Of the Dark Light
Godless Angel – They Lurk
Darius Rucker – When Was The Last Time
Colter Wall – Colter Wall
Lady Antebellum – Heart Break
Cannabis Corpse – Left Hand Pass
Exhumed – Death Revenge
WTF!?
I know, there’s a LOT of very non-metal stuff on my list. I experienced a reconnection with the music of my childhood, this year, and i decided to just post an honest list of what I’ve been listening to over the last twelve months. I’m still a death metal fanatic, but I’m also a small town redneck. Life happens 🙂
I entered all these in Excel. I think it’s fun to see what readers are really listening to and liking. There are 548 groups voted for by readers. All below got at least 4 votes.
15 votes – Artificial Brain
13 votes – Immolation
11 votes – Dodecahedron
Venenum
Woe
10 votes – Archspire
Havukruunu
Spectral Voice
9 votes – Hideous Divinity
Power Trip
Violet Cold
8 votes – Blaze of Perdition
Elder
Pillorian
Pyrrhon
7 votes – Aosoth
Bell Witch
Bestia Arcana
Cannibal Corpse
Der Weg Einer Freheit
Incantation
Necrot
Nightbringer
Selbst
The Ominous Circle
Vassafor
White Ward
Wolves in the Throne Room
6 votes – Beyond Grace
Dawn Ray’d
Enslaved
Ingurgitating Oblivion
Rebirth of Nefast
Septicflesh
Temple of the Void
The Ruins of Beverast
5 votes – Belphegor
Chaos Moon
Converge
Cormorant
DVNE
Gloson
Hell
John Frum
Krallice
Pallbearer
Tombs
Wiegedood
Wode
Yellow Eyes
4 votes – Akercocke
Antiversum
Au Dessus (!)
Burial Oath
Ende
Fall of Rauros
Gigan (!)
Godflesh (!)
Hellripper
Inanimate Existence
Kadaverdisciplin
Lantern (!)
Loss
Ne Obliviscaris
Paradise Lost
Phrenelith
Sun of the Sleepless
Tchornobog
Throane
Ulsect
Vampire
Lots of great metal releases got 3 votes. Take what you will. This is how the Readers voted/listened in 2017. It’s a pretty amazing list of extreme metal!
WOW! Thank you so much for doing this. It’s something I was thinking of doing myself out of curiosity, but I’m sure I never would have made time to pull it off.
You’re welcome!
If it’s okay with you, I’d like to include your analysis in a post I’m planning about “Lists of Lists”.
yeah
My take is readers of this blog have very good taste in metal, even if some writers do not.
Acephalix- Decreation
A Hill to Die Upon- Via Artis Via Mortis
All Pigs Must Die- Hostage Animal
Altar of Betelgeuze- Among the Ruins
Apostate Viaticum- Before the Gates of Gomorrah
Argus- From Fields of Fire
Arvas- Black Path
Asagraum- Potestas Magicum Diaboli
Avatarium- Hurricanes and Halos
Beneath- Ephemeris
Bestia Arcana- Holókauston
Black Vul Destruktor- The Inner Vul
Blaze of Perdition- Conscious Darkness
Byzantine- The Cicada Tree
Craven Idol- The Shackles of Mammon
Desolate Shrine- Deliverance from the Godless Void
Disharmony- Goddamn the Sun
Dodcahedron- Kwintessens
Dodsengel- Interequinox
Empyrean Throne- Chaosborne
Exhumed- Death Revenge
Firespawn- The Reprobate
Hellripper- Coagulating Darkness
Immolation- Atonement
Inconcessus Lux Lucis- The Crowning Quietus
Jordablod- Upon My Cremation
King of Asgard- Taudr
Lantern- II- Morphosis
Light of the Morning Star- Nocta
Merrimack- Omegaphilia
Midnight- Sweet Death and Ecstasy
Monolord- Rust
Moral Void- Deprive
Necrot- Blood Offering
Nidingr- The High Heat Licks Against Heaven
Nightbringer- Terra Damnata
Ofermod- Sol Nox
Phrenelith- Desolate Landscape
Portrait- Burn the World
Possession- Exorkizein
Pure- J’aurais dû
Pyrrhon- What Passes For Survival
Sarkrista- Summoners of the Serpents Wrath
Septicflesh- Codex Omega
Soul Remnants- Ouroboros
Spirit Adrift- Curse of Conception
Succumb- Succumb
Svart Crown- Abreaction
Svartsyn- In Death
Telekinetic Yeti- Abominable
The Committee- Memorandum Occultus
The Great Old Ones- EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy
The King is Blind- We Are the Parasites, We Are the Cancer
The Necromancers- Servants of the Salem Girl
Tombs- The Grand Annihilation
Triumvir Foul- Spiritual Bloodshed
Vallenfyre- Fear Those Who Fear Him
Vampire- With Primeval Force
Vassafor- Malediction
Vaultwraith- Death is Proof of Satan’s Power
Venom Inc.- Ave
Vulture- The Guillotine
Druid Lord- Grotesque Offerings for a 2018 sneak peek, also has amazing cover art.
Anticult- Decapitated
Memoriam-Memoriam
With all their might – Dyscarnate
Obituary-Obituary
Dead shores rising-Deserted Fear
Devil is fine -Zeal Ardor
Wrong one to fuck with -Dying Fetus
War moans-Mutoid Man
Blood Offerings – Necrot
Eternal Rituals for the Accretion of Light – Junius
No worlds … nor Gods Beyond – Resurgency
Burst – Brutus
Incorruptible – Iced Earth
Zero Days – Prong
Emperor of Sands – Mastodon
Old scars , new wounds – Act of Defiance
With no particular order, an excellent year all around
Latest update on Reader’s List – Additions to the 4 votes section:
Beneath
Desolate Shrine
Dying Fetus
Mastodon
Obituary
Vallenfyre
The 4 vote cutoff is pretty sharp. For those who may be curious, here are the groups/records as of today that received 3 votes:
Cloak
Death Fortress
Dreadnought
Exhumed
Farsot (!)
Fen
Firespawn
Gorephilia
Hallas
Heretoir (!)
Impetuous Ritual
Jordablod
Kauan
Merrimack
Morbid Angel
Mutoid Man
Orm
Owlcrusher
Pagan Altar
Primitive Man
Replacire
Sarkrista
Shaarimoth
Spirit Adrift
Suffering Hour (!)
Suffocation
Sunless
Svart Crown
Svartsyn
Taake
The Obsessed
Ulver
Wormwood
My Impressions from this project –
It was a tremendous year for releases and quality
It amazes me how many folks play and listen to Extreme Metal. As a cultish niche, it is gigantic, which leads me to…
Bandcamp. Has it changed the way we listen, find, and purchase metal? I think so, in a huge way.
One of my reasons for this is to find things i don’t know and get the best bang for my limited dollars. I spent a couple of thousand on music, something like 150 metal purchase total and approx. 100 were 2017 releases and i am still wonderfully energized listening to almost all of them.
Some releases i have really listened to that didn’t get the attention/votes/mention i think they should have in 2017
Succumb
Suffering Hour (some of the most original riffing i have heard!)
Almyrkvi (Late to this one best fuuuck!)
Chaos Moon
vvilderness
The Thirteenth Sun
Winds of Leng
Epoch
Tetrafusion (Good Bye Scale the Summit HELLO Vocals and a brilliant album!)
Scale the Summit
Shaarimoth (what a load of fun this bellowing beast is!)
Moonloop (phenomenal listen!)
Kairon IRSE!
Jupiterian
Inanimate Existence
Hypergiant
Heretoir (This is Top Ten in my head!)
Farsot (this one gets better with each listen, a creeper)
Dyscarnate (whatever the reason…more votes…)
Empyrean Throne
Coldfells (Not even my genre but one of the most enjoyable grungey metal fests this year)
Cannabis Corpse (I’m guessing folks think it is a joke. The music isn’t)
Brutus (also not my favorite genre but really enjoyed the energy and attitude)
Aversio Humanitatis
An little Hispanic band called Atavismo and an EP Inerte!
Analepsy (Why isn’t this one mentioned, fans of DEATH metal!?)
Aeternam (once again not getting much attention, sadly)
My vote for Extreme Metal record of 2017 is… IMMOLATION!
What a completely badass dominating slab of Death Metal…it continues to amaze me!
Find of the year HAVUKRUUNU! An epic heroic massive Folk/Black masterpiece!
Appreciate ya, NCS!!!
Thanks again for doing this work. I’ve included it here:
https://www.nocleansinging.com/2018/01/01/lists-of-lists/
A total of 579 bands received votes from the readers.
1.Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper
2.Ascended Dead – Abhorrent Manifestation
3.Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
4.Phrenelith – Desolate Endscape
5.Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black
6.Hallatar – No Stars Upon the Bridge
7.Red Moon Architect – Return of the Black Butterflies
8.Incantattion – Profane Nexus
9.Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
10.Analepsy – Atrocities from Beyond
11.Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him
12.Cenotaph – Perverse Demumanized Dysfunction
13.Solstafir – Berdreyminn
14.Dying Fetus – Wrong One to Fuck With
15.Gorephilia – Severed Monolith
Aether Realm – Tarot
Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis
Antichrist – Sinful Birth
Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun
Cormorant – Diaspora
Dead Cross – Dead Cross
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Lantern – II: Morphosis
Lo-Ruhamah – Anointing
Progenie Terrestre Pura – OltreLuna
Satan’s Hallow – Satan’s Hallow
Schammasch – The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Thantifaxath – Void Masquerading as Matter
The Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
Tomb Mold – Primordial Malignity
Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Venenum – Trance of Death
20 albums I enjoyed this year:
Aether Realm – Tarot
Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis
Antichrist – Sinful Birth
Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun
Cormorant – Diaspora
Dead Cross – Dead Cross
Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Lantern – II: Morphosis
Lo-Ruhamah – Anointing
Progenie Terrestre Pura – OltreLuna
Satan’s Hallow – Satan’s Hallow
Schammasch – The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing
Thantifaxath – Void Masquerading as Matter
The Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
Tomb Mold – Primordial Malignity
Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Venenum – Trance of Death
My top 30 of all genres: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Draehl/top-30-albums-of-2017-metal-space-rock-and-ritual_dark-ambient/
Top 10 Metal
The Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
Dvne – Asheran
Wolves in the Throne Room – Thrice Woven
Progenie Terrestre Pura – oltreLuna
Nokturnal Mortum – Verity
Venenum – Trance of Death
Desolate Shrine – Deliverance from the Godless Void
Scáth na Déithe – Pledge Nothing But Flesh
Malokarpatan – Nordkarpatenland
Fellwarden – Oathbearer
Albums that I have spun a lot this year, in no particular order:
Empirine – Eld
Throne Of Heresy – Decameron
Suffering Hour – In Passing Ascension
Unleash The Archers – Apex
Cult Of Erinyes – Tiberius
Heretoir – The Circle
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
Venenum – Trance Of Death
Temple Of Void – Lords Of Death
Orm – Orm
Earth Rot – Renescentia
Selbst – Selbst
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
Undrask – Battle Through Time
Pallbearer – Heartless
Highland – Loyal To The Nightsky
Duskmourne – Of Shadow And Flame
Phrenelith – Desolate Endscape
Dyscarnate – With All Their Might
The King Is Blind – We Are The Parasite, We Are The Cancer
Odradek Room – A Man Of Silt
Sorcerer – The Crowning Of The Fire King
Wolves In The Throne Room – Thrice Woven
Almyrkvi – Umbra
Albums that I’ve found recently on year-end lists that have made me sit up and pay attention:
Lorn – Arrayed Claws
Decapitated – Anticult
Best thing I missed in 2016:
Lunatic Affliction – Im Bannkreis Der Gotter
Latest Update to Reader’s List:
(17) – Artificial Brain
(14) – Immolation
Venenum
(13) – Dodecahedron
(12) – Spectral Voice
(11) – Havukruunu
Woe
(10) – Archspire
(9) – Blaze of Perdition
Elder
Hideous Divinity
Necrot
Pillorian
Power Trip
Pyrrhon
Violet Cold
Wolves in the Throne Room
(8) – Bell Witch
Bestia Arcana
Cannibal Corpse
Incantation
Nightbringer
Phrenelith
Selbst
The Ruins of Beverast
Vassafor
(7) – Aosoth
Der Weg Einer Freheit
Septicflesh
Temple of the Void
The Ominous Circle
White Ward
(6) – Beyond Grace
Cormorant
Dawn Ray’d
DVNE
Enslaved
Ingurgitating Oblivion
Lantern (!)
Pallbearer
Rebirth of Nefast
Tombs
(5)– Akercocke
Belphegor
Chaos Moon
Converge
Desolate Shrine
Dying Fetus
Gloson
Hell
Hellripper
John Frum
Krallice
Vallenfyre
Vampire
Wiegedood
Wode
Yellow Eyes
(4) – Almyrkvi (!)
Antiversum
Au Dessus (!)
Beneath
Burial Oath
Chelsea Wolfe
Ende
Fall of Rauros
Gigan
Godflesh
Gorephilia
Heretoir (!)
Inanimate Existence
Kadaverdisciplin
Loss
Mastodon
Ne Obliviscaris
Obituary
Orm
Paradise Lost
Suffering Hour (!)
Sun of the Sleepless (!)
Tchornobog
The Great Old Ones
Throane
Ulsect
(3) – Acephalix
Acrimonious
Amenra
Arkanum
Asagraum
Ascended Dead
Auon
Avatarium
Barrowlands
Blut Aus Nord
Celeste
Cloak
Death Fortress
Decapitated
Dreadnought
Dyscarnate
Farsot (?)
Fen
Firespawn
Hallas
Hallator
Highland
Impetuous Ritual
Jordablod
Kauan
Lorn
Merrimack
Morbid Angel
Mutoid Man
Owlcrusher
Pagan Altar
Primitive Man
Progenie Terrestre Pura
Replacire (!!)
Sarkrista
Shaarimoth
Spirit Adrift
Suffocation
Sunless
Svart Crown
Svartsyn
Taake
The Obsessed
Tomb Mold
Unleash the Archers
Wormwood
Recent 2017 finds that astonish and i recommend highly-
Redemptor, Arallu, Drug Honkey, Sutrah, Sun of the Sleepless, Entheogen, Replacire, Daemogog, Theory in Practice, Coma Cluster Void. (Bandcamp)
591 Bands, from A Flourishing Scourge to Ziggurat
I’m late. But needed my 2017 platter to cool a bit before digging in. I haven’t tried as hard to keep up this year. It’s been a doozy for me IRL, as it has for many. But an off-the-top-of-my-head list can be quite revealing. I must say, like many that are dubbed “elitist” by radio normies (a laughable generalization for not being an A7X fan)…I am liking the backward-thinking the “scene” is exhibiting. (Maybe I’ll elaborate and drone on/review more when I choose to resurrect my metal blog/site/zine.) This is in no particular order, and again – quite momentary.
1 – Purple Hill Witch – Celestial Cemetery
2 – Vampire – With Primeval Force
3 – Portrait – Burn The World
4 – Pagan Altar – The Room Of Shadows
5 – Beastiality – Worshipers Of Unearthly Perversions
6 – Cloak – To Venomous Depths
7 – Exhumed – Death Revenge
8 – Hooded Menace – Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed
9 – Neocaesar – 11^11
10 – Ur – Black Vortex
I’ll stop there. There’s quite a few that I’m still skimming and getting into, but not enough to pop up in a quick list-off like I’ve done here.
I’m not a regular around this site and am from Texas, but I will try to find time to keep up….the content is great. My tastes center around technical brutal death though, so I expect most if not all to scoff at my top ten (listed in order). Hoping that some on this thread can recommend some similar albums I may have missed…Cheers!
Honorable Mention: Birth of Depravity – From Obscure Domains
1. Devangelic – Phlegethon
2. Hideous Divinity – Adveniens
3. Cytotoxin – Gammagedon
4. Gigan – Undulating Waves Of Rainbiotic Iridescence
5. Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
6. Purefilth – Unhuman Forms Prevail
7. Human Excoriation – Celestial Devourment
8. Septic Flesh – Codex Omega
9. Desecrate the Faith – Unholy Infestation
10. Bigot – Interrupted Pregnancy
20) Lorn “Arrayed Claws”
19) Dodsengel “Interequinox”
18) Almyrkvi “Umbra”
17) Dodecahedron “Kwintessens”
16) Sun Of The Sleepless “To The Elements”
15) Krallice with Dave Edwardson “Loum”
14) Wolves in The Throne Room “Thrice Woven”
13) Sinmara “Within The Waves Of Infinity” EP
12) White Ward “Futility Report”
11) Enslaved “E”
10) Bell Witch “Mirror Reaper”
09) Slagmaur “Thill Smitts Terror”
08) Tchornobog “Tchornobog”
07) The Great Old Ones “EOD (A Tale Of Dark Legacy)”
06) Spectral Voice “Eroded Corridors Of Unbeing”
05) Locust Leaves “A Subtler Kind Of Light” EP
04) Aosoth “V: The Inside Scriptures”
03) Cormorant “Diaspora”
02) Coma Cluster Void “Thoughts From A Stone” EP
01) Svartsyn “In Death”
1. Sunless – Urraca
2. Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum
3. Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon
4. Tchornobog – Tchornobog
5. Dodecahedron – Kwintessens
6. Rosetta – Utoipoid
7. Elder – Reflections of a Floating World