(For the 9th year in a row, here’s our friend Vonlughlio’s list of the best brutal death metal albums of the year that’s about to end.)
That time of year has arrived again for the year-rnf list and like every year I start by thanking Islander for letting me share my lists since 2012. As some of you might know (duh!!!) one of my favorite genres is BDM, and even though I listen to other genres as well, I want to focus more on BDM for NCS, since the staff does a great job in covering other genres.
I thought that this year would be different and that I would have an easier time doing my top 25 BDM albums for NCS. but no!!! It has been a difficult task like every other time. I have 30 or so releases that I enjoyed and not all of them would make the list. Some will like what I’ve named here, and others may hate it, but that is life.
25) Encystment – “Egregious Treatment of Cloacal Extrophy Malformation”
A new project from Ecuador with members of Infectology and drummer Tyutin (Esophageal, Tortured, ByoNoiseGenerator, Slit your Gods) gave us a wonderful debut that in time will be adored.
24) Incinerate — “Sacrilegivm”
A project that is dear to me. This new album has showed how much the musicians have evolved and it has become my favorite release from them.
23) Decarabion – “Bastard Son of Divinity”
Another project from the great Colombia that released a strong debut album with no filler and great songs that represent why we like the BDM scene from that amazing country.
22) Internal Rot — “Grieving Birth”
My favorite grind band from Australia with members from Contaminated and Faceless Burial (and other favorites as well) released their sophomore effort after 6 years and ohh boy I love every second of it.
21) Bowel Stew – “Putridarium”
One great Italian BDM that for me is so underrated. I wish they would get more recognition for their musical contributions. I am forever a fan of this project.
20) Raw — “Languish”
The second album from this solo project of Mr. Aditya (Brain Damage and Gerogot), it has been in constant play in our household and we love all of his work.
19) Syphilic – “Empty Nest”
The mastermind Brian Forgue showcased his talent through this new album, as always. This is a great release that came along with some controversy due to the cover and subject matter. Nonetheless, the man has a vision and has stuck to it and for that I respect to him.
18) Scatology Secretion – “Submerged in Glacial Ruin”
Another band I love released this great 2020 album that continues with their apocalyptic theme. Great musicians with great talent offering a great listening experience.
17) Pharmacist — “Medical Renditions of Grinding Decomposition”
A new goregrind project that took the scene by storm with their demo and debut album. Some will say it’s an old Carcass tribute, but they are their own entity.
16) Molecular Fragmentation – “Unparalleled Fatal Collapse”
Another international project with great musicians that provided a strong album which I enjoy very much. Can’t wait to see what this band does next.
15) Sufism – “Republik Rakyat Jelata”
An Indonesian band that has been active since 2014 and we finally got their debut album this year. This one took me by surprise, in the sense that I ended up loving it from start to finish.
14) Insalubrity – “Salacious Putrescent Psychopathy”
A band from Ecuador that has existed since 2014 and this year released their debut album. It’s pure nasty from start to finish. Once you start listening you’ll have to put in on repeat, because it’s hard to get enough.
13) Putrescent Seepage – “Dead and Demented”
Another Australian band that I love and have been following since 2012. Finally we have their debut album and it did not disappoint at all. Hoping for more of their music in the future.
12) Arsebreed – “Butoh”
After 15 years we finally have a follow-up to their debut, and it was like they never went away. Strong sophomore release that a lot of people love and with reason. Top-notch heaviness that needs all the love it can get.
11) Defeated Sanity – “Sanguinary Impetus”
One of my favorite BDM bands released this new album, which combines their older and newer sounds, with a new vocalist who brings his top game on this, and it’s a perfect match with the music that never lets down the listener.
10) Ecchymosis – “Ritualistic Intercourse within Abject Surrealism”
My favorite band from Thailand released their sophomore effort, and it’ss a major step up from their debut album (which I also loved). These musicians know what they are doing and deliver top-flight BDM.
09) Edenic Past — “Red Amarcord”
A new project that came out of the blue with musicians who have proven themselves with their other projects (Krallice, Gorguts, Unborn Salivate, Behold… the Arctopus, Encenathrakh, just to name a few). The debut has a perfect mix of tech and BDM elements.
08) Dead and Dripping – “Profane Verses of Murderous Rhetoric”
From Mr. Evan Daniele (vocals and all instruments), this is a project that I’ve been following since the release of the 2016 demo. This album is just so good, and I would like everyone in the scene to give it a listen in the hope it gets more recognition.
07) Strangulation — “Display of Escalated Perversion”
From Japan with love, a first album that is pure bliss to the listener. I became a fan with their 2019 EP release, Violence In Degraded Mindset, and based on this newer album that will not change any time soon. I hope they continue the path they have created since their EP.
06) Encenathrakh — “Thraakethraaeate Thraithraake”
This band captivated the BDM scene in 2015 with the complexity of the song structures on their first album. I never thought they could out-do themselves and was I wrong. The proof is in their second album, which is a pure definition of complexity.
05) Molested Divinity – “Unearthing the Void”
One of the best bands from Turkey, led by Legend Batu grace. They brought us their second album, which is an enormous force to be reckoned with. This is a great release that deserves all the attention that it can get.
04) Miasmatic Necrosis – “Apex Profane”
This is another release that came out of the blue to captivate us, a goregrind project armed with one of the sickest releases in the genre. It has been in my playlist since its release. No one knows who is behind this but we do hope they continue.
03) The Heretics Fork – “Opacis Doloris”
Another secretive group whose membership is anonymous. Their debut album back in 2018 with an ancient torture theme was one of our favorite BDM albums of that year. The sophomore effort continues the same path with songs that sure keep you on the edge of your seat.
02) Ominous Scriptures – “The Fall of the Celestial Throne”
I became a fan of Ominous Scriptures in 2015 with their album Incarnation of the Unheavenly, which was filled with songs (and a raw production) that became dear to a lot of people in the scene. Five years later they have given us a second offering that is by far their best work to date and has been praised around the globe.
01) Twitch of the Death Nerve — “A Resting Place for the Wrathful”
They won me over back in 2014 with the release of A New Code of Morality and I have been waiting forever for a follow-up. We received that in 2020 and it filled up my heart. Since the release it has never left my thoughts, even with all the other BDM releases we have witnessed. Some who know me might be surprised by this choice, but I am not. I love this project, without a care in the world.
Honorable Mentions:
- Depression “Ara der Finsternis”
- Chancroid “Bestial Perverse of the Anomalies Psychoneurotic”
- Architectural Genocide “Cordyceptic Anthropomorph”
- Dismembered Flesh Mutilation “Necrophiliac Decomposition”
- Perpetual Gestation “Excremental Uremic Fragance”
- Carnal Abhorrence “The Crowded Apocalypse”
- Naegleria Fowleri “Odes to the Adorable Essence of Putrefaction”
4 Responses to “LISTMANIA 2020: A BRUTAL YEAR-END LIST FROM VONLUGHLIO”
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hey, sorry for a little rant here, I really appreciate lists like this, I get introduced to so much new stuff. So hats off to the time you took to prepare this and share what shook your boat in the BDM world this year. As usual with the really genuine and thoughtful lists that NCS publish, there’s a lot of stuff here that I would like to check out. And I really want to get back into BDM…
… but what is it with brutal death metal and misogyny?
I loved the Scatology Secretion and Pharmacist CDs (I agree, they are more than a Carcass throw-back), have been listening to both since they were released. A few others here I’ve dipped into.
But brutal death metal doesn’t have a future if it keeps trading off crass attempts to shock through violence against women and rape culture themes.
If Devourment can take a stand against this shit (as they have from Obscene Majesty), then surely BDM can move on from pretending that it can put out CD covers like this and not contribute to rape culture at the same time. It’s the impact that counts, even if the intention isn’t to cause any harm, or the intention is to try to portray how ridiculous this stuff is. It comes across as trying to out-shock each other, at women’s expense.
Sorry for being so negative, it’s 2020, not Cannibal Corpse circa 1990’s. There’s likely to be some absolutely fab releases here that I can’t bring myself to try to work out what I feel comfortable listening to.
Much appreciation for keeping your BDM end of year list going each year, maybe next year the scene will be a bit different.
Cheers Vonlughlio!
You seriously made a list that I only know two names from. Not just two albums I heard, but the only two fucking bands I have ever heard of from the list. Lol!!
Well, I should probably remove my nice clothes and put the rubber mats down before I listen to anything from this list.
Thanks for the all the gore and viscera!
So don’t listen. I mean, are Devourment going to stop playing their back catalog because you’re upset? You’re basically admitting that you’re too lazy to sort releases out according to what off ends you. Sounds like a “You” problem.