2024 – A YEAR IN REVIEW(S): SHORT BUT SWEET

(Andy Synn kicks off “List Week” a little early with a round-up of all the EPs he’s checked out this year)

As is tradition here at NCS we’re going to tee up “List Week” – where I essentially take over the site in order to round-up the “Great”, “Good”, and “Disappointing” albums of the year, concluding with my picks for the “Critical” (i.e. semi-objective) Top Ten and my completely and unapologetically subjective “Personal” Top Ten – with my round-up of all the EPs, splits, and short-form releases from 2024 (including links) which I think are worthy of your time and attention.

Of course, this isn’t a definitive list by any means – anyone who claims any of their lists represent some sort of “definitive” ranking should be treated with rank (pun intended) suspicion, as it’s a literal impossibility for any writer/reviewer to have heard all the great releases from a given year – but it’ll hopefully serve as a useful resource for you to bookmark and come back to whenever you have the time, or inclination, to listen to something more on the “short but sweet” end of the scale.

And, as always, I’m closing the piece with a slightly more in-depth look at my ten favourite – note that I said “favourite”, not “best”, as I’m not trying to make any sort of authoritative claim here – EPs of the year, if only to give you a glimpse into what I’ve liked and listened to the most since January.

(Obviously, this doesn’t include my own band’s EP, which I’d never be so arrogant as to include on my own list, but… maybe you’ll want to give it a listen and include it on yours?)

 

We’ll kick things off by highlighting three cool split-releases which you should definitely check out if you haven’t done already – the neck-wrecking Deadbody/Tribal Gaze split, the nasty-as-hell split from Sunrot and Body Void, and the seething blackened bile of the Antzaat/Ronarg split.

On the Death Metal side of things you had the ultra-brutality of Emasculator and Zaias (whose Deciphering Malevolence EP might just be the first time a band from Guam has been featured here), and the absolutely devastating self-titled debut from Amniostasis, as well as the gnarly, old-school grime of Cavern Womb, the bone-grinding grooves of Ifrit, and the cavernously crushing new EP from Gosudar (whose title-track is easily one of the best, and most monstrous, things the band have ever written).

And then, if your deathly tastes skew a little more towards the more unorthodox and unpredictable, there’s the unexpectedly angular and abrasive return of Sallow Moth, the unpredictable Prog-Death-Core of Krosis, and the latest edition to the legendary legacy of the one and only Hannes Grossmann for you to check out!

On the Black Metal (and adjacent) side of things you should definitely make time for the blast-tastic grandeur of Atavistia‘s new EP, Inane Ducam, as well as the uglier, nastier auditory assault of Persecutory‘s latest, The Glorious Persecution.

Long-time NCS favourites Morokh delivered a heavy, riffy re-recording of some of their earlier material (which should keep us going until their next full-length) while their countrymen in Minuala (who are also regulars here, and even released an additional album this year as well) explored the moodier and more atmospheric side of things even more on З​е​м​л​я​-​м​а​т​е​р​ь.

And then, of course, there was the choking darkness of Hammerfilosofi‘s suffocating Solus and the twisted, avant-garde aggression of Tlön‘s Through Nebulous Scars, both of which you’ll want to listen to if you prefer your Black Metal on the more unorthodox and uncompromising end of the scale.

If you’re a fan of the various ‘cores (Hard-, Death-, Grind-, etc) then 2024 had a lot to offer you too including (but not limited to, as there are doubtless hundreds of cool releases I didn’t get around to hearing) the crushing Nu-Industrial-core crossover of Flipping by Candy and the obnoxiously heavy Death Metal/Hardcore hybrid assault of Lifesick‘s Love and Other Lives and Kruelty‘s Profane Usurpation.

There was also some promisingly punchy Deathcore from Krakathoa, plus the gutsy melodic Goth-Punk of Holy Blade (whose self-title EP only narrowly missed out on making my Top Ten), and the ultra-aggro Powerviolence pummelling of Rest Assured.

And if you really want something that’ll scare the neighbours, you should give a listen to the visceral, Blackened-Screamo-Grind (or whatever you want to call it) of Malevich‘s vile and visceral Trembling and Dowsed (another one which also ranked very highly with me this year).

Anyone looking for something on the moodier or doomier side of things would be well advised to spend some time with the gloom-shrouded weight of Besra‘s Equilibrium or SolNegre‘s atmosphere-heavy (and just plain heavy) Annihilation of the Self, and to also keep a keen eye and ear out for more from Tides of Accretion (whose debut EP certainly caught my attention) and blackened Post-Metal prodigies Ba’al.

On the other hand, if you’re after something proggier and/or more melodic you should definitely make time for the gleaming Prog-Pop-Metal of Artificial Language and the re-worked/re-imagined Panspermia EP from Omnerod, as well as Persefone‘s striking Lingua Ignota: Part 1.

Last, but by no means least, Progressive Doom duo Ixion released a series of three EPs – Extinction, Restriction, Regeneration – this year, which collectively form a single album (what a good idea, if only some other band were doing the same thing…) that pushes their artfully ambient, electronic-infused sound even further. Check it out!

ANDY SYNN’S TOP TEN EPs OF 2024

Once you’re done listening to all the EPs listed above (you are going to listen to all of them, right?) you can then turn your attention to the ten EPs I’ve loved and listened to the most during 2024, beginning with…

10. LYNCHPIN – …THIS MORTAL COIL

Caribbean crushers Lynchpin (possibly the first band we’ve covered from Trinidad and Tobago) caught my ear with their punishing brand of Cryptopsy-inspired Brutal/Technical Death Metal (going so far as to recruit the latter band’s Matt McGachy to add an extra dose of guttural rage to the EP’s opening track “Asphyxiation”) and have remained in rotation pretty heavily over the past six months.

Sure, they don’t have the most original sound yet – as well as Cryptopsy there’s also some Despised Icon and Cattle Decapitation in the DNA of tracks like “Omnipotent” and “Chloroform & Morphine”, and definitely a fair bit of Aborted/Benighted in the gut-wrenching riffs and ominous overtones of “Hallowed Halls” and “Flatline” – but the execution is absolutely on point, and the potential to make a major impact is definitely there.

And, hopefully, a bit of exposure here will do them a world of good!

09. MAMMOTH GRINDER – UNDYING SPECTRAL RESONANCE

Mammoth Grinder absolutely blindsided me with their new one this year, as I’d somewhat lost touch with the band after the release of 2018’s Cosmic Crypt.

That being said, this has always been my favourite of Chris Ulsh’s musical projects (that’s right, above Power Trip, Innumerable Forms, Devil Master, etc) so it’s maybe not too surprising to see Undying Spectral Resonance stomping its way into my top ten.

Maintaining the gnarlier, occasionally grindier, vibe of Cosmic Crypt, but somehow finding a way to be both heavier and hookier – opener “Corpse of Divinant”, for example, goes straight to the throat with reckless, hyper-aggressive abandon, while the crushing crawl of the title-track grounds and pounds you with its gargantuan Death Metal grooves, after which the grimy riffs and grim, morbidly infectious melodies of “Decrease the Peace” and the helter-skelter hell-ride of “Obsessed With Death” (a short but savage, d-beat driven rollercoaster of down ‘n’ dirty Punk Death) – it’s a perfect jumping on point for both new and lapsed fans alike!

08. DRAGONCORPSE – THE FALL OF HOUSE ABBARATH

The debut EP from Dragoncorpse – perhaps the one and only purveyors of what they’ve chosen to dub “Powercore” – took the #1 slot on my EP list last year… and here they are again, once more making my Top Ten.

Picking up where last year’s The Drakketh Saga left off, these six tracks offer much the same mix of bombastic riffs and brutish breakdowns, interspersed with moments of shed-tastic technicality and passages of soaring melody, all topped off with a healthy helping of vivacious, shamelessly ostentatious, vocal melodies and gritty, glass-chewing growls.

Yet it’s clear the group have also spent a fair bit of time (and a not insignificant amount of effort) refining and streamlining their rather unique formula, such that the high-velocity heroics and hooky heaviness of songs like “Welcome Home”, the crushing-yet-catchy “I Live… AGAIN!” (which in places reminds me of long-defunct shred-core upstarts Woe of Tyrants), the pseudo-symphonic, staccato-meets-falsetto hybrid that is “A Quest for Truth”, and surprisingly brutal closer “Fear and Hunger”, all just seem that little tighter, the juxtaposition of styles and genres that little bit neater, and that little bit more polished overall.

Sure, they won’t be for everyone, but if you like what you’ve just read (taken from my review of the EP earlier this year) then give ’em a listen!

07. VÖGEL – KALLIÐ

To explain why this one is here, allow me to refer you to my previous review for Icelandic Prog-Death quartet Vögel‘s new EP:

The band’s new EP presents an even more compact and refined version of their sound which – ignoring the obvious and overt influence of the likes of Opeth and Edge of Sanity – feels like the product of a band not only firing on all cylinders but also fully locked-in and laser-focussed on defining their own identity.

They’re not quite there yet, of course, but there’s no denying the impressive impact and eloquent instrumentation at work here, from the electrifying leads and organic flow of “Söngur Raddanna” and the gorgeously gloomy, clean/harsh interplay of “Flæðisker” to the captivating contrast of calm and catharsis that makes up “Móðir Jörð”.

It’s the shapeshifting title-track, however, which really gives you an indication of the as-yet untapped potential of the band’s sound, and makes me eager to hear even more from these guys going forwards!

06. REJECTER – A METHOD FOR WITHDRAWING

Landing just outside the top five, the uncompromising new EP from anti-fascist Black Metal duo Rejecter finds the pair adding even more intensity and aggression to their sound (just wait until you get to the frenzied finale of “Disarticulate”) while also making more space for the moodily melodic Post-Punk influences they’ve previously only flirted with (“Disobey”, for example, makes great use of contrasting negative space and positively-charged power).

“Disbelieve” is a punky Black Metal anthem that hits hard and doesn’t pull any punches, even as it throws lashings of seething melody at the listener, and is thus guaranteed to leave a lasting impression, while the brooding bass-lines, shimmering synths, and sinister riffs of Nachtmystium-esque closer “Discipline” slowly but surely build to a towering finale which practically (and hopefully) guarantees you’re going to want to spin this one again right away.

05. NO CURE – I HOPE I DIE HERE

I was a little late to the party with No Cure‘s last EP and swore I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

This time, however, it was No Cure themselves who were a little late (I Hope I Die Here only officially comes out today)… but, thankfully, these seven songs are so fucking monstrous that it still cracked my Top Five.

Hell, the opening triptych of “Hang Me From the Bible Belt” (easily one of the best tracks of the band’s career, combining the stomping heaviness of Hatebreed and the spiteful savagery of The Famine into an apoplectically aggressive assault on the suffocating weight of religious fundamentalism), the triple-tongued, Dying Fetus-esque churn ‘n’ burn of “Don’t Need Your Help”, and the relentless rhythmic attack of “Forced Coagulation” (which I could see going down a storm on tour with either Spiritworld or Employed to Serve, if such a line-up were ever to materialise) is pretty much worth the price of admission alone.

That doesn’t mean you should ignore the rest of the record, by any means – both the devastating Death-Grind of “The Basement Beneath the Fountain” and the stunning stomp and groove of “Your Children Will Drown in the Burning River” both hit just as hard vocally/lyrically as they do musically (and it’s always nice to hear a band unapologetically standing by their beliefs and ideals) – and at just under twenty minutes you should have no issues listening to the whole thing all in one go (even if you’ll probably have a few fresh scars afterwards).

04. DISENTOMB – NOTHING ABOVE

Sticking with the “goddamn, this is heavy” vibe we come to the new EP from the almighty Disentomb, which I reviewed back in October, saying:

“Drear Prophecies” picks up pretty much where The Decaying Light left off, melding the band’s increasingly Disso-Death influenced approach with an almost unrelenting assault of technical brutality/brutal technicality, while still finding space midst all the discordant density and in-your-face intensity to add a splash of doom-laden atmospherics and moody melody when and where it’s needed.

“When the Black Begins…” then adds an even heavier dose of stomping, Suffocation-esque groove, all wrapped up in some suitably finger-flensing, fretboard-warping bass and guitar work, after which the churning riffs and charred hooks of “No God Unconquered” (featuring a suitably monstrous guest appearance from Job For A Cowboy frontman Jonny Davy) manage, somehow, to feel both frenetically fast and suffocatingly slow, while also pushing the envelope in terms of eerie ambience and groaning, doom-laden dissonance.

Not only is it a bit of a monster in its own right, but it also has me hungry… ravenous, even… for whatever the band do next!

03. ASPHALT GRIEVING – TRANSGRESSION OF THE QUANTUM SELF: TERTIARY MAGNITUDE

Chilean Black/Death duo Asphalt Grieving actually released two EPs this year, with Lack of Certainty dropping in January and Tertiary Magnitude then following in September.

And while the former was made up of seven rapid-fire bursts of Black/Death savagery – heavy in both spiteful aggression and visceral intensity, with just a few moments of doom and gloom to accentuate the dark mood of the music – the latter (which I’m choosing to focuson here, though this entry could easily be for both releases) puts a greater emphasis on atmospheric weight which, combined with the vicious, visceral nature of the EP’s scalding, dissonance-drenched guitars and scything, dervish-like drumming, conjures an oppressive (and overarching) aura of discordant dread and anti-melodic menace across the entire EP.

Fans of the likes of Ulcerate/Verberis and Blut Aus Nord/Deathspell Omega are definitely going to find a lot to love here (I sure did) but what’s even more impressive is that, even at this early stage, Asphalt Grieving have already begun to establish a distinct musical voice and identity of their own, and I can’t wait to hear whatever they do next.

02. WALKING WOUNDED – BESTIAL CONDEMNATION

If there’s one thing I can say for certain about Walking Wounded and the “righteous brutality” of their latest EP, Bestial Condemnation, it’s that their sound is just as animalistically aggressive and unforgivingly intense as the title suggests.

To quote from my own review:

Just listen to the absolutely massive guitars that chug and stomp your eardrums into the dirt during “Battle Worn”, for example, or the tortured tremolo and grinding grooves of “Unholy Bargain”, which clearly take a hefty amount of influence from Death Metal and combine it with Hardcore’s primal brutality to enhance the music’s impact even more.

The band also aren’t afraid to thrash it up or pick up the pace during tracks like “Food for the Crows” or “Depravity”, or slow things down to really ground ‘n’ pound their listener (“Anguished Solitude” in particular could go toe-to-toe with Obituary at their ugliest and most in-your-face), so that by the time the absolutely punishing title-track (whose occasional moments of moody menace just make the rest of the track hit ten times harder) is done you might just need medical attention for all your metaphorical (or literal) bruises and broken bones.

01. GLASSBONE – DEAF TO SUFFERING

You may have noticed, if you’ve been paying attention, that I’ve shown a lot of love towards bands who straddle the Death Metal/Hardcore divide over the course of this article… and that’s going to continue with my #1 pick, the absolutely devastating debut EP from French fivesome Glassbone.

Originally released in October, but not reviewed here (by yours truly, naturally) until November it quickly established the band as one of my favourite new discoveries of the year, and so I’m going to quote liberally from my own review to explain just why it ended up taking the top spot in this year’s list:

Over the course of these tracks – collectively clocking in at just over sixteen-and-a-half minutes, with none of the songs ever breaking the four minute mark, such is the band’s commitment to keeping things as lean, and as mean, as possible – the French fivesome combine their darkest Death Metal aspirations and their heaviest Hardcore inspirations in a way which easily puts them on a par with some of the very best of the current crop of Death + ‘core hybrids (think Tribal Gaze, Embrace Your Punishment, and Fuming Mouth).

Opener “Post Mortem Declaration”, for example, opens with the sound of abject despair… and then proceeds to beat you down, mentally and physically, with some of the year’s chunkiest, chuggiest riffs (think Obituary if they spent more time in the gym), after which the gruesomely-titled “In Your Guts” marries a merciless, Merauder-ish sense of aggression to some subtly Morbid Angel-ish touches (most notably in the song’s frequent use of venomous leads and ugly, lurching rhythms).

“Sanctified By the Blade” has an almost Immolation-esque feel to it, grinding and groaning and stomping after the listener like some massive, bowel-loosening monstrosity (and the addition of some moody, morbid melody near the end only furthers the comparison), while the utterly gargantuan grooves of the title-track could easily go toe-to-toe with Cannibal Corpse at their heaviest.

And then there’s closer “Power Through Decay” which combines an ugly, punky, Terminal Nation style stomp to some unexpectedly frenetic bursts of deathly frenzy (all topped off with a ruggedly simple, yet raggedly effective, repeated vocal refrain which find the band barking/growling the track title over some crushingly climactic heaviness that sits somewhere between the aforementioned Immolation and Incendiary).

If you haven’t given it a listen yet, then please do so, as in my opinion these guys have a very bright (and brutal) future ahead of them!