You may have noticed that last week we announced the beginning of our annual LISTMANIA extravaganza. For those of you new to this orgy, our LISTMANIA blockbuster comes in four parts:
First, we re-print assorted lists of the year’s best albums, leeched from other big web sites and magazines, like the one last week from DECIBEL, which always seems to become the starting gun. Second, we will provide a post in which our readers can share their lists of the 2019 albums and shorter releases they enjoyed the most (we’ll be asking for those on December 2nd, so get ready). Third, we post the year-end lists of our own staff and assorted guest writers. And fourth, I’ll roll out my list of the year’s Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs.
And that last list is the subject of this request for help.
In case you’ve become an NCS reader since this time last year, here’s what this Most Infectious Song list is all about:
This is about individual songs, not albums, EPs, demos, etc. It’s also not our list of the best individual extreme metal songs of the year — though some of the songs might actually be among the best of the year. Instead, this is a list of the most infectious extreme metal songs we’ve I’ve heard this year. Yes, it’s my list, but I do take into account ideas from others — and the idea here is to think of songs that might produce involuntary physical movement, songs that have got catchy melodies or irresistible grooves, or anything else that sticks the song in your head and makes you want to keep listening to it.
To be one of the most infectious songs of the year, it should be something that you revisit often, something you put on playlists, something you mentally replay at unexpected times — songs you go back to repeatedly for listening. “Most played” might be a good synonym.
As is true every year, I do already have my own working list of candidates — and as in every other year, there are a ton of songs on there already. I’ll get more ideas from all of our other writers. But I have no doubt we’ll overlook some songs we really liked from earlier in the year, and there are inevitably a lot more that we just never heard at all. And so here’s where I’m asking for your help:
Please leave comments to this post with your own lists of Most Infectious Songs that you think ought to be on our list — or if you’re bashful, you can e-mail your ideas to me at: islander@nocleansinging.com
I’ll then pick what I think are the most infectious tracks of the year and start playing those songs for you in groups of two or three as we get closer to year-end. The first year we did this (2009), I limited the list to 10 songs. In 2010, I expanded it to 30. In 2011 it grew to 39. In 2012 it topped out at 56. In 2013 I worked really hard and got the list all the way down to.. gulp… 73. In 2014, life got in the way and I never finished the complete rollout, though I announced 62 songs before I gave up. In 2015 I stopped at 75. The list for 2016 included 71 tracks, and I included 78 of them in 2017. Last year I stopped at 99 (double-gulp!).
As you can tell, I have a really fuckin’ hard time making lists. Of course, I have no idea how many songs we’ll feature this year, although I’m aiming for something significantly more limited than 99.
So, please reflect on the songs you’ve found most addictive this year and let us hear from you. By leaving your list in the comments, you’ll also help make this post a way for other metalheads to find good music from the year that’s now rushing to an end. Thanks for your help.
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Warforged – “We’ve Been Here Before” is my #1 pick. A truly infectious song that I’ve replayed an absurd number of times. https://warforged.bandcamp.com/track/we-ve-been-here-before
Nile – Long Shadows of Dread
Dawn Ray’d – To All! To All! To All!
Aephanemer – The Sovereign
Car Bomb – Scattered Sprites
A bit of variety here.
White Ward – LOVE EXCHANGE FAILURE
Bewitcher – Hexenkireg. Amazing Satanic Speed Metal from Portland. Fast and furious like the best of early Venom and Bathory.
That whole album slays. “Too Fast for the Flames” and “In the Sign of the Goat” are a couple more I’d enter from that record.
Wachenfeldt – “The Interpreter”
Krater – “Prayer for Demise”
Ashen Horde – “Face of the Enmity
Warcrab – “Blood for the Blood God”
The Offering – “Ultraviolence”
Drottnar – “Subterranean Sun”
Bewitcher – “Too Fast for the Flames”
Witch Vomit – “Fumes of Dying Bodies”
Nightfell – “The Swallowing of Flies”
Mortiferum – “Funereal Hallucinations”
Inculter – “Shepherd of Evil”
High Command – “The Commander’s Code”
Graveyard – “Hurled Unto Damnation”
Misery Index – New Salem
Hath – Usurpation
Hellripper – All Hail the Goat
Cattle Decap – One Day Closer to the End of the World
Vitriol – The Parting of a Neck
Gomorrah – Frailty
Amon Amarth – Shield Wall
Insomnium – Valediction
High Command – Visions from the Blade
Tomb Mold – Infinite Resurrection
Arallu – Guard of Sheol
Calyx – Loarre
Vehemence – La Sorciere du Bois Lunerive
Fleshgod Apocalypse – Sugar
Aephanemer – Unstoppable
Belzebubs – Cathedrals of Mourning
Witch Vomit – Fumes of Dying Bodies
Zuriaake – Evil Spirit
Xoth – Mountain Machines
Necropanther – Doomed City
Ossuary – Lured by Cadence of Wraiths
Blue Hummingbird on the Left – Hail Huitzilopochtli
Warcrab – Halo of Flies
Obsequiae – Palms of Sorrowed Kings
Warforged – We’ve Been Here Before
Green Lung – Let the Devil In
Darkthrone – The Hardship of the Scots
Vanum – Jaws Of Rapture
Misþyrming – Með svipur á lofti
Serpent Column – Amphiclasm
Funereal Presence – Wherein Achatius is Awakened and Called Upon
Sinmara – Crimson Stars
Véheménce – Par Le Sang Versé
ORM – Klippens Lyle Hal
Yellow Eyes – No Dust
Akasha – She Who Runs With Wolves
Hooo boy, ok. Time to backtrack through the reviews archive until I find the first one of 2019 to even remember what the fuck happened during this giant shitfire of a year.
The Great Old Ones- The Omniscient
Yellow Eyes- No Dust
Aara- Aare
Deafheaven- Black Brick
Latitudes- Moorland Is the Sea
Serpent Column- Ausweg
Adrift- Mist
Abigail Williams- Ever So Bold
Spirit Adrift – Angel and Abyss
Mastiff – Quarantine
Ares Kingdom – Talis Chimera Est
Second to Sun – Pages from a Manuscript
Rimfrost – At the Blessing of the Dammed
Oh yeah, also Dream Tröll – Chrome Skull Viper
Asagraum – They crawl from the broken circle
Atlantean kodex – People of the moon
Atlantean kodex – Lion of Chaldea
Atlantean kodex – Chariots (yes, I really love this album)
The Hu – Wolf totem
Malakhim – In the rays of a new sun
Mephorash – 777 The third woe
Mephorash – King of kings, lord of lords
Misthyrming – Og er haustið líður undir lok
Nordligblåst – Black wings
Our survival depends on us – Gold and silver
The Watcher – Diva of divinity
Ultra silvam – Birth of a mountain
Батюшка – Песнь 4 (The real Batushka)
Lifvsleda – II
Daymares – Anti
Blut aus Nord – Nomos nebuleam
Mgla – Age of excuse III
Ibex moon – 暗霧翻湧 Dark Fogs Billow
Deus mortem – The soul of the worlds
Damn I missed that Mephorash release, how the hell did I let that happen… off to bandcamp to rectify this!
Good on ya! It’s not the most varied album but it feels like a long musical ritual so I guess that’s the point!
Aegrus – Ascending Shadows
Downcross – Reviving The Ancient Darkness
Krater- Zwischen den Worten & Stellar Sparks
Martelo Perpetuo – Sob O Fioda Espoda
Naer Mataron – Le Martin des Magiciens
Noctem – The Black Consecration
Vukari – Abrasive Hallucinations
The Great Old Ones – Nyarlathotep
Funeral Storm – The Origin Of Utter Evil
Idle Hands – Give Me To The Night
High Command – Visions From The Blade
Plateau Sigma – A Parody Of Medea
Darkened – The Offering
In Mourning – Black Storm
Nightbearer – Lycanthropic Death Squad
The Drowning – Prometheus Blinded
Sidious – Serpent King
Hate – Sobereign Sanctity
Blood Incantation – Slave Species Of Gods
Black Beast – Your Cold Grave
Arkona – Age Of Capricorn
Ungoliantha – Ghost Wanderer and
Warcrab – Kraken Arise
Volahn – El tigre del sur. Boom! Done.
That’s also What’s 2019s best ep answered!
Okay.
Borknagar – Up North (the track, obv) is massively infectious as well!
I find this such a tall order, as metal’s enjoyment, especially the extremer variations, is often best experienced by listening to an entire album, rather than to just one song….
Malignant Altar – Retribution of Jealous Gods
Bölzer – A Shepherd in Wolven Skin
Infectious as hell for me, not sure why it was not covered here yet
Acheronian Scar – Darkness Prevails
Sacred Reich – Awakening
Deadspace – As Time. Moves Backwards
Premature Burial – Back To Zero
Panzerfaust – The Men Of Noman’s Land
Sovereign – Transmission From Kingdom
Khnum – Invocato Deo Plaga
Finsterforst – Ecce Homo (Single Version)
Crypt Sermon – The Snake Handler
Tomb Mold – Infinity Resurrection
Spirit Adrift – Hear Her
Vastum – Reveries In Autophagia
Nova – Noi Mai Vinti
Cadaver Soiree – Aeon Of Lies
Structural – Turn On The Lights
Nocturnus A. D. – Procession Of Equinoxes
Black Royal – Pagan Saviour
Horror Chamber – The Edge Of Existence
Fellahin Fall – Of Fallen Words
Obriz – Beyond Horizon
1349- Dodskamp and many more
Such a great year for extreme metal kudos to ncs for its extensive coverage of em on this planet earth
First time poster, long time lurker. Here’s 5 tracks I really love:
“The Shamanic Vision” – Waste of Space Orchestra
“Echoes Emanate Forms” – Krypts
“Leprous Fire” – Teitanblood
“A7V Mephisto” – 1914
“Casting the Sigil” – Xoth
And while this song didn’t come out this year you know what’s a great track that should never be forgotten? 1985’s “Things Can Only Get Better” by Howard Jones. Definitely better than anything he did with Killswitch Engage.
I would like to update my list to include EVERY SONG on the new Blood Incantation album that just dropped today. Pardon my language, but holy fudging shucks. This album is INCREDIBLE.
Still waiting to hear the new Lord Mantis, but the title track from Witch Vomit’s Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave has got a great hummable riff.
Owl Woods Graves – Citizenship of the Abyss
Sedimentum – L’océan Encéphalique
Ultra Silvam – Birth of a Mountain
Darkthrone – I Muffle Your Inner Choir
Green Lung – The Ritual Tree
Flesh of the Stars – Mercy
Csejthe – Lycanthropie Misanthropie
Suffering Hour – Dwell
Heretical Sect – Visceral Divination
My apologies for the repeats, but goddamn even I nearly forgot about Mr. Nekrasov’s wizardry on Hark!Hark!Hark!
White Ward – Love exchange failure
Blut Aus Nord – Sibelius
Alcest – Sapphire
Nocturnal Departure – Dismal existence
Abigail Williams – I will depart
Blue hummingbird on the left – Sun/Warclub
Asagraum – They crawl from the broken circle
Rebel Wizard – hair, wet soil, metallic taste
Lifvsleda – II
https://open.spotify.com/album/04HIl9LnrIVQbtHuzOD1kw?si=9K8VWLPLRwe7VQH7k_p5SQ
In no particular order:
Lost in Grey – Far Beyond and Further
Swallow the Sun – Firelights
Sulphur Aeon – Thou Shalt Not Speak His Name
Soen – Covenant
Янтарные Слезы – Там, Где Нет Весны
Rammstein – Puppe
Thenighttimeproject – Rotting Eden
An Isolated Mind – Afraid of Dissonance
Ashbringer – Dreamscape
Eternal Storm – Embracing Waves
The Fifth Alliance – Aleister
Cult of Luna – The Silent Man
Insomnium – Heart Like a Grave
In Mourning – Yields of Sand
Borknagar – Voices
The Great Old Ones – The Omniscient
Hanging Garden – Into That Good Night
Bewailer – Thorngates
Slipknot – Solway Firth
Ah, good catch with Soen, forgot about them. But I’d put Rival as my choice instead.
Also an excellent song. I could’ve picked most songs on that album and they’d be pretty infectious, honestly.
Mayhem – Agenda Ignis
Waste of Space Orchestra – Wake up the Possessor
Wolvennest – The Storm
Blood Incantation – Awakening from the Dream…(Mirror of the Soul)
Oozing Wound – Tween Shitbag
Dyphtê – Lame noire
Serpent Column – Apophenia
Sinmara – Crimson Stars
Gjendød – Når sårene er renset
Kostnatění – Hrůza zvítězí
Deathspell Omega – Renegade Ashes
Abyssal – Khyphotic Suzerains
Aeon Winds – Beyond All Empty Places
Alcest – Protection
Altarage – Knowledge
Car Bomb – Scattered Sprites
Ceremony of Silence – Ceremony of a Thousand Stars
Cognizance – Strychnine Shift
Dawn of Nil – Our Crusade
Devourment – Cognitive Sedation Butchery
Dissentient – Blood Digital
Elephant Watchtower – Psalm of Indoctrine
Hath – Usurpation
Haunter – Dispossessed Phrenic Antiquity
Infant Annihilator – The Kingdom Sitteth Lonely Beneath Thine Hollowed Heavens
Midnight Odyssey – When Titans Fall
Mo’ynoq – These Once Tranquil Grounds
Noctambulist – Atmospheres of Desolation
Singularity – Ritual of Regret
Sorathian Dawn – Adversarial Iconoclast
Warforged – Cellar
Wretched Fate – Heading for Beheading
Cattle Decapitation – Bring Back The Plague
Tool – Pneuma
Leprous – The Sky Is Red
Devin Townsend – Sprite
Lo-Pan – Everything Burns
The Odious – Arbiter of Taste (this whole album rules)
Cult of Luna – The Silent Man
Some exceptions to the rule here, but…
Arctos – The Ancestor’s Path
Chrome Waves – Past the Lights
Esogenesi – Decadimento Astrale
Eternal Storm – The Scarlet Lake
Fvneral Fvkk – The Hallowed Leech
Idle Hands – Give Me to the Night
Judiciary – Social Crusade
Netherbird – Mercury Skies
Obscure Infinity – Grotesque Face
Pallbearer – Atlantis
Sanhedrin – In from the Outside
Solstrom – Eklips
Tomb Mold – Infinite Resurrection
Venom Prison – Sadistic Rituals
Vukari – Disparity (The Great Works)
Also: Immortal Bird – Avolition
False – A Victual For Our Dead Selves
I’m just going to drop this one that premiered here back in April: HLX1 – Taaar Jurkhaath Miykht
Cult of Luna – The Fall
I really Like metal songs but sometimes I like rock bands! nice your article
foogle