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| 2014 - Voivod's Random Best Of Pt. I
The first part of the list consists of albums I digged in 2014. The album order follows the official release date. | | 1 |  | Havukruunu
Usvakuningas
3.6 - For those who take great joy in delving into the epic/melodic side of heavy/doom/black metal, Havukruunu from Finland are expected to make quite an impression, even though they are treading on their first steps as a band. Melodies make for an attractive antithesis to the coarser black metal parts, while the clean vocals are just as good as the black metal ones. The arrangements are not reinventing the wheel, yet they are tight and fairly technical at some sites, whereas the duration and diversity of the EP (ranging from pure black metal to heavy/black and doom metal) is optimal. Favorite tracks: Kuun Katkema. Stream/"name your price" download: http://hammerstunde.bandcamp.com/album/usvakuningas | | 2 |  | Prognathe
Revelation Flesh
3.8 - Imagine Converge treading on death metal territory and giving into sludge and industrial-ish grindcore with discrete epic sites, expressed through grandiose keyboards and chorus-like vocals. Stream/"name your price" download: http://prognathe.bandcamp.com/album/revelation-flesh | | 3 |  | Apex Shrine
Home Baked
3.6 - Great album; Even though Apex Shrine merely begin their journey into psychedelic rock, their debut album shows great deal of maturity on all sectors (instrumental, vocals, sound). The excellent lead guitars reminded me of Ten Years After. Favorite track: Out of Time: Stream/"name your price" download: http://apexshrine.bandcamp.com/album/home-baked | | 4 |  | Mortal Strike
For the Loud and the Aggressive
3.6 - Mortal Strike are newcomers to the thrash metal scene, yet on their debut album, they cut it as good as any genre veteran. If they were to be compared to a major outfit, that would definitely be Kreator. However, the album does not feel like a shameless rip-ofo. The Austrians keep a fairly large distance from the Essen behemoth, mainly through the balanced incorporation of heavy/power, death/black and "groove thrash" metal elements. The sound is excellent, the vocals are coarse and up to a degree, not typical for thrash, the drumming is fantastic (killer double bass pounding!), the rhythm guitars rip, in contrast to the leads which somewhat pale in comparison. Favorite tracks: Here comes the Tank, Smash the Tyrants - Storm the Gates. Stream: http://mortalstrike.bandcamp.com/album/for-the-loud-and-the-aggressive | | 5 |  | Doctor Smoke
The Witching Hour
3.6 - On their debut album, Doctor Smoke bring about the groove on retro heavy rock, the latter carrying its fair load of sludge. Vocals remind me of the vocalist in the bands "3" and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. Stream: http://doctorsmoke.bandcamp.com/ | | 6 |  | Primordial
Where Greater Men Have Fallen
3.7 - Primordial escape the relative thinness of the previous album with better songs, excellent sound production (the drums are as physical as they can get these days) and a moderate retrospection of the sound evidenced in their first few releases. Besides the great epic heavy/black metal this Irishmen are known for, there are no real surprises here, but then again they might have not been expected in the first place. Favorite tracks: "Babel's Tower" and "Born to Night". | | 7 |  | Varathron
Untrodden Corridors of Hades
3.5 - Varathron return after a 5-year long absence and deliver a great album decorated with elements from pure heavy, black, doom and (some) goth metal, on par with the style of Greek black metal. The sound production is old fashioned but good overall, and hints back to the early '90s. The current line up seems capable of producing even better music in the future, both instrumentally and in terms of song writing. In here though, the arrangements could be more elaborate with respect to the first few and last few (less) or the middleground tracks (more). Stream: http://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/untrodden-corridors-of-hades | | 8 |  | Fall to November Sky...
A Little Sounds for an Empty World
3.6 - Away from words, minimal and decorated with great atmospheres, the debut album of this Russian one-man project will certainly claim its rightful place among this year's remarkable shoegaze/post-black metal albums of 2014. Favorite tracks: In the Lonely Universe and Night Road. Stream: http://falltonovembersky.bandcamp.com/album/a-little-sounds-for-an-empty-world | | 9 |  | The Deathtrip
Deep Drone Master
3.5 - For all those who saw Norwegian black metal attempting to escape its norms during the end of the '90s, Aldrahn holds a special place in their minds and hearts, hence the end of his prolonged hiatus with the debut The Deathtrip album is warmly heralded. That said, Deep Drone Master is sort of a mixed bag. Tracks like "Flag of Betrayal", "Dynamic Underworld" and "A Foot In Each Hell" live up to the known standards of the second wave Norwegian black metal just before the commencement of its immaculate mutation, but that's not the case for the whole album. Aldrahn is adequate in his vocal duties, but his otherwordly performance in albums like Kronet Til Konge or Thorns is absent, unfortunately. Moreover some not so good lyrics tend to work against certain songs ("Something Growing In The Trees").
In terms of the actual music, the sound production (courtesy of Snorre Ruch from Thorns - WE WANT A NEW THORNS ALBUM!!!) is great, the cold Norwegian black metal riffs are ever present, whereas some atmospheric guitar leads tend to make things more interesting. However, the latter are not fully developed nor endorsed by the main body of the songs. The rhythm section consists of a drum machine, which, in turn, decorates the album with a latent (and intended??) industrial vibe. Band is expected to have a full lineup for the follow up album, so a lot of the loose ends evident in here will probably be resolved. Stream: http://svartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/deep-drone-master | | 10 |  | Two Witches
Goodevil
3.4 - When I first checked Goodevil, I wasn't aware that Two Witches go all the way back to the early '90s. As far as electro/goth/post-punk goes, the album is tight, although it's not as memorable as the recent Beastmilk album, for example. Stream: http://gothicmusicrecords.bandcamp.com/album/two-witches-goodevil | | 11 |  | Veil Of Light
Ξ (ksi)
3.6 - If ? (ksi) excels in something, is its icy, industrial-ish goth/post-punk synth atmospheres that will make you wanna hit the dance floor at a goth club near you, if you are eager to resonate with them in the first place. The above said, few (if none) tracks really stay in memory unfortunately, probably because the music is based on the same handful of synth patterns rather than the (very) discrete guitars. Well, we can't have it all sometimes, can we? Favorite track: Martyr. Stream: http://veiloflight.bandcamp.com/album/- | | 12 |  | Supertanker
Songs from the Ashes
3.7 - Fantastic album; First of all, Supertanker have an excellent vocalist resonating between Phil Anselmo and Layne Staley, whereas the track titles ("I Can't Live a Second Life") imply that the band is interesting lyrics-wise. As for the actual music, band is really proficient on every instrument, while genre-wise we have a hybrid made of nu metal, sludge, thrash, metalcore and some doom. Shaken not stirred (sic) and there you have it, an album that more people need to listen/discover. Stream: http://supertanker.bandcamp.com/album/songs-from-the-ashes | | 13 |  | Spiders
Shake Electric
3.5 - The Swedish vintage rock underground never really sleeps and the sophomore Spiders album is yet another proof of the said disposition. Apart from the self-titled single, few (if any) cuts really stand out, however the band doesn't know how to fall below the quality standards of the Swedish scene and wind up delivering a great album as a whole. | | 14 |  | Dead Sea Apes
High Evolutionary
3.6 - This album contains some of the most unpretentious drone/psych/post rock jams I've listened to in quite a while. While the instrumental, calm and "hazy" mood of the album is optimal for "after hours"/meditating listens and grants it a character of its own, none of the individual tracks is particularly memorable, save (maybe) for the more upbeat "Regolith". Stream: http://deadseaapes.bandcamp.com/album/high-evolutionary | | 15 |  | Adimiron
Timelapse
3.8 - Adimiron have taken the best elements from bands such as Gojira, Mastodon, Baroness, Cynic, Meshuggah etc. and have come with an frenetic metal amagalm. Not sure how this sound will turn out in the future, but right now the mix of said elements seems to stand only a few instances away before its transformation to a homogeneous and truly unique sound. Favorite track: Furnace Creek. Stream: http://adimironband.bandcamp.com/album/timelapse | | 16 |  | Morti Viventi
The Day The Dead Returned...
3.8 - Most of the time, one-man metal projects fall short in terms song writing, sound production and overall effectiveness. English thrash metal oufit Morti Viventi does not file under the previous description by any stretch. The instrumental performance is impeccable (drums and vocals included), the songs are surprisingly balanced, whereas the sound rips skulls. This album deserves to be heard by as many thrashers as possible. Favorite track: Thrash Or Die. Stream/"name your price" download: http://mortiviventiuk.bandcamp.com | | 17 |  | Riot V
Unleash The Fire
3.6 - Fortunately for all those who know their US heavy/power metal, Riot have decided to go on for as long as their feet hold them. The album is great and a "definite buy", but some of the strength evident in Immortal Soul, is absent herein. | | 18 |  | Horror Vacui
The Return of Empire
3.6 - This is post-punk from the land of pasta leaning towards the angrier side of the genre, while keeping its shit together with a vampiric twist. On the same page (although a bit inferior) with the recently released Beastmilk album, and it would be great to see both bands doing a tour together. Stream: http://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/return-of-the-empire | | 19 |  | Madred
Supersonic Brainfuck Overdrive
3.5 - On their debut album, Madred from Finland offer a solid piece of speed/thrash metal with twists that go up to hard rock and the blues. Favorite track: Antidote. Stream/"name your price" download: http://imadred.bandcamp.com | | 20 |  | Sterilizer
Sterilizer
3.6 - Certainly among this year's industrial metal albums that deserve credit, Sterilizer's self-titled debut packs the noise, the metal and the industrial elements into one effective piece of work. Favorite tracks: "Sterilizer", "[Dis]content". Stream: http://sterilizer.bandcamp.com/ | | 21 |  | Torrens Conscientium
All Alone with the Thoughts
3.7 - The list of dependable doom/death metal outfits grows more and more and Ukraine's Torrens Conscientium are a definite entry with their debut album. Majestic/gothic atmospheres, stiff arrangements and genuine gloom make for one of the best soundtracks for times of personal introspection. Stream: http://torrensconscientium.bandcamp.com | | 22 |  | Insanity Alert
Insanity Alert
3.7 - Band sounds like the European answer to Municipal Waste and that's saying a lot or nothing, depending on how one feels about bands taking serious loans from other outfits. From where I stand, the album sounds great and fresh. Album closer "Run to the Pit" is a hilariously awesome tribute to Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills". Stream: http://insanityalert.bandcamp.com/album/insanity-alert | | 23 |  | Aeon Sable
Visionaers
4.2 - Germany's Aeon Sable go through the various subtleties that bring together and (at the same time) separate genres such as gothic rock, post-punk and atmospheric metal, and deliver a highly immersive album. The sound production is crystal clear, the arrangements are an excellent ode to minimalism, whereas the vocals tend to reach the level of excellence set by the various forefathers of the styles adopted in this album. Fans of Fields of the Nephilim, Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, The Cure, Theatre of Tragedy, Paradise Lost, Tiamat and Depeche Mode should NOT miss this album. Stream: http://aeonsable.bandcamp.com/album/visionaers-2014 | | 24 |  | At Dusk
Anhedonia
3.4 - Judging by the content of Anhedonia, Ad Dusk are fully aware of the dynamics of "monotonous"/majestic "post"/black metal. Nothing really stays in memory except for the record's overall mood, which is enough to grant it a good replay value. On another note, the sound could be a bit more loud. Stream: http://atdusk.bandcamp.com/ | | 25 |  | Menace Ruine
Venus Armata
3.5 - The ritual noise/drone of these Canadian shamans is as mysterious as it is engaging, especially during the nightly hours... I really should get a hold of their back catalogue. Stream: http://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/venus-armata | | 26 |  | Sanctuary
The Year the Sun Died
3.7 - Past tense to future tense and a new chapter unfolds for Sanctuary and maybe (?) Seattle metal. Apart from the involved heavy/power metal style, Sanctuary develop a stronger penchant for doom and gloom in several songs, whereas their discrete opening to transcendental heavy rock with The Doors cover "Waiting For The Sun" and their own "The Dying Age" is more than welcome. | | 27 |  | Alkoholizer
Free Beer... Surf's Up!!!
3.8 - Italy's Alkoholizer have recorded the crossover thrash album of the year... The intensity is massive, while the sound lies optimally between "old school" and "over-produced". The wheel is not reinvented in any case, yet the song writing hails and kills, while the instrumental performance often flirts with tech thrash. The above said, the album loses some points due the fact that Alkoholizer are merely paying a worthwhile tribute to their heroes (Anthrax, Exodus, Sacred Reich etc.) and some vocal aberrations, albeit the Italian accent grants the band a character of its own (analogously to what applies for Teutonic thrash outfits). Favorite track: "Breathalize and Destroy". Stream: http://alkoholizer.bandcamp.com/album/free-beer-surfs-up | | 28 |  | Spital
Summoning Evil
3.4 - Spital come from Oulu, Finland, yet their death metal is totally "Stockholm, Sweden". The sound seems like it's been engineered at Sunlight Studios, the song structures are fairly elaborate, with greatly recurring, traditional "Swe" death and doom parts, while the overall package is easily up for occasional listens. Listen to this if you like bands like Grave, old Entombed, Asphyx, Vallenfyre etc. Stream/"name your price" download: http://spital.bandcamp.com/ | | 29 |  | Audrey Horne
Pure Heavy
3.4 - Audrey Horne have flooded their hard n' heavy rock with sunshine and optimism and the result is a fun and cheerful album, with good to great songs. Favorite cuts: "Holy Roller" and "Out of the City". | | 31 |  | Seduced (AT)
The Proclamation
3.7 - What's at display here is a band going about the intermediate space between tech grind/death (more) and black metal (less) with class. Now, if I was to link the band to more known outfits then Carcass, Behemoth, Decapitated and Cannibal Corpse would be appropriate examples, but Seduced have the required skills and audacity to look all these outfits right in the eyes. The abundance of tracks - 16 in total - lowers the merit of the album, and if the best song writing ideas and riffs herein were squeezed in, let's say, 8-9 songs, we would be talking about an indisputably excellent album. Stream: Stream: http://seduced666.bandcamp.com/album/the-proclamation | | 32 |  | Doomocracy
The End Is Written
3.4 - Judging from The End Is Written album, Greek newcomers Doomocracy have come to fill part of the void created from the prolonged absence of progressive/doom metal stalwarts Solitude Aeturnus. The vibes of the latter and power/doom metal in general have been convincingly adopted here, first of all by means of the singer, who sounds fantastic on occasion ("Faceless" and the album title track). Along with Heathendom's singer, they are by far the best doom metal vocalists in Greece and among the good singers of the genre worldwide. The arrangements are solid overall with good replay value, although they tend to loose power from a point further, and especially when they tread on more "classic" metal paths. Technically, the sound is great - thick and heavy and "moody" - whereas the band's instrumental proficiency is good overall, but has yet to be improved in the future (especially the lead guitars). Band was invited this year to play at the Hammer of Doom festival, another proof of Doomocracy's promising aspects. | | 33 |  | Vega (USA-WI)
Vega
3.6 - Some really tight (and loose at the same time!) doom/stoner metal at display here, with some great moments like the epic album closer, "Machine", "Highway" and "Behemoth" etc. Vega certainly know how to build tension through short or extended jams. Stream: http://vegawi.bandcamp.com/album/vega | | 34 |  | Decapitated
Blood Mantra
3.5 - Great album, I really like the crossover aesthetic by which Decapitated play extreme metal. The album lacks of truly memorable moments in terms of the actual music, but the thing that really stays in mind here and gives the album a solid replay value, is the previously mentioned crossover aesthetic, found for the most part in hardcore/thrash outfits. | | 35 |  | Hypnos (SWE)
Hypnos
3.6 - Because of the label that brought them to the surface, Hypnos have been directly compared to Horisont due to their mutual affinity for retro heavy rock, however Hypnos tend to lean more towards the hard rocking metal of the early '80s and bands like Judas Priest, Motorhead and Thin Lizzy. Their singer is currently the closest there is to how Rob Halford sounded in British Steel and Killing Machine, and that's a huge plus for both the band and the album. With its turn, the music is tight and follows closely what the aforementioned outfits firstly introduced, so it's inevitable for the album to sound somewhat less interesting towards its end. | | 36 |  | Oado
Life Era
3.7 - Oado have made a wonderful folk album, the atmosphere is overwhelming, however it's that very atmosphere rather than the compositions themselves, that truly remains upon the completion of every listening session. Stream: http://oadobandofficial.bandcamp.com/releases | | 37 |  | The Dead-End Alley Band
Odd Stories
3.4 - Markedly better than its predecessor, Odd Stories has encapsulated different sides of '70s retro rock, namely its doom, psychedelic, boogie and blues ones. The sound comes as "ancient" and "haunted", whereas the minimal arrangements go from short songs ("The Nightmare Goes On") to extended, but essential psychedelic jams ("Lost Again"). On their end, vocals have been improved as well, albeit more work is needed with respect to the eradication of some falsettos and off-key slips. Stream: http://deabperu.bandcamp.com/album/odd-stories | | 38 |  | Abbotoir
Reveal
3.8 - Normally, Irland's Abbotoir could be adequately described as a great funeral doom/death metal band with sudden but welcome black metal outbursts. What brings them, though, to the brink of "awesome" is their know-how in combining the said genres with hellish drone and majestic ambient/goth passages. All three songs exceed the 20 minute mark, yet they are anything but boring, provided that the listener has made the necessary time and patience to digest the album. Apart from the - typical for drone - perpetual repetition of musical themes, Abbotoir's patent in turning the guttural vocals sound to a distant sonic blur works very very well regarding the album's drone character. Despite its gargantuan temporal length, Reveal calls for repeated listens and makes for one of the best drone/doom metal albums released this year. Stream/"name your price" download: http://abbotoir.bandcamp.com/album/reveal | | 39 |  | Iron Reagan
The Tyranny Of Will
3.6 - Get up on your feet
Don't look so obsolete
And crossover thrash like an athlete!
Stream: http://ironreagan.bandcamp.com/album/the-tyranny-of-will | | 40 |  | Cannibal Corpse
A Skeletal Domain
3.7 - Since 2006, Cannibal Corpse have been making a conscious effort in escaping the old school death metal "bulkiness" that characterized their previous releases. A Skeletal Domain sees the band diversifying its core characteristics through technical playing, the adoption of thrash metal and finally, the relative modernization of the sound production. The album works well as a whole, as relatively few tracks ("High Velocity Impact Spatter", "Sadistic Embodiment", "Funeral Cremation") kind of stand out from the lot. | | 41 |  | Lago
Tyranny
3.7 - On their first album, Lago prove that they really feel the vibes of East Coast US death metal, especially Morbid Angel (Gates of Annihilation/Formulas Fatal To The Flesh-era) and Immolation. Indeed, the melodic guitar leads and some passages throughout each song hint at old Opeth and European death/black metal in general. Favorite track: "The Tyranny Of Men". Album stream: http://lagometal.bandcamp.com/album/tyranny | | 42 |  | Somali Yacht Club
The Sun
4.0 - By blending the psychedelic, the post- and the stoner ends of rock plus some unexpected surprises (the reggae passage in "Sightwaster"), Ukraine's Somali Yacht Club have crafted an exciting album that more people into the said genres need to discover. The jams flow unpretentiously, the sound production treats the heavier and the mellower parts accordingly, whereas the sparse male vocals heard in the rear, come to complete the mesmerizing experience. Stream: http://somaliyachtclub.bandcamp.com/album/the-sun | | 43 |  | Funereus
......Return Of The Old Goat
4.0 - On their sophomore album, Mexico's Funereus give out an awesome crossover between the "second wave" and the "Motorhead/thrash" ends of black metal. Excellent sound production and frantic performance make for an album that easily files under black metal's best releases for this year. Stream: http://fpr666.bandcamp.com/album/funereus-return-of-the-old-goat | | 44 |  | Raven Throne
Доктрина Ненависти
3.7 - This band and album come as strong evidence that great metal music is lurking in the shadows of the former iron curtain countries, waiting to be discovered. The ingredients this album relies on is black metal, industrial and noise, and if Rave Throne appear reluctant in fully capitalizing their potential on the first three tracks, their talent in combining the aforementioned styles is readily evident during the second half of the album. Highlights: the Depeche Mode worship track 4, and track 6. Stream: http://raventhrone.bandcamp.com/album/doctrine-of-hatred | | 45 |  | Kam Kama
Shift
3.5 - Kam Kama's debut album is a solid piece of post-punk, in the vein of the acclaimed forefathers of the genre. With the exception of the last two songs, where a discrete affinity for post rock is revealed, the rest come as slight variations of the same song writing recipe. Stream: http://kamkama.bandcamp.com/album/shift | | 46 |  | YOB
Clearing The Path To Ascend
4.0 - Normally, it would be fair to write about YOB's going anew through their motions in this album and rate accordingly, but the importance of the Clearing The Path To Ascend album is that in "In Our Blood" and "Unmasking The Spectre", YOB deliver and rendition of the bluesy/drone-y doom metal first evidenced in Catharsis, the first major and sparsely mentioned (unfortunately) YOB album. On another note, the drone vibes revel in the album also due to the natural emergence of subtle guitar leads near the end of the album opener and "Nothing To Win", the tribal succession of riffs in the same tune (which brings in mind YOB's mid '00s sludgier behemoths) and of course the simple but utterly majestic, recurring guitar theme of the album closer "Marrow", which goes on and on for about 19 minutes, but does not wear off for one split moment. It goes without writing, but the band is (as always) stiff instrumentally, and Scheidt's clean vocals are wonderful. | | 47 |  | Horizon (ESP)
The Last Man In Terminus
3.5 - Spanish rock/metal scene is on the rise and this cool stoner rock album does not say otherwise. The songs are simple in design, yet effective, whereas the singer really fits the genre's prerequisites. I wish there was more psychedelic stuff like "Vostok 1" and "Space Argonauts", but in general, the band needs to be looked upon by fans and fellow bands alike. Favorites: "Sub-Atomic Eye" and "Vostok 1". Stream: http://horizonrockband.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-man-in-terminus | | 48 |  | Lunarsapian (USA-AL)
Fade Into Oblivion
3.5 - Most of the drone/doom metal albums I come across these days are not worth the effort, but Lunarsapian and their debut album are certainly an exception. The arrangements are well thought and realized, as the recurring musical themes convey the listener deep into that claustrophobic vibe drone is known for. Band cites Khanate and Trees (from Oregon) as references, I would add Halo too. Stream: http://lunarsapian.bandcamp.com | | 49 |  | Hessian (USA-ME)
Bachelor of Black Arts
3.6 - On their debut album, Hessian deliver an energetic, old fashioned, boogie hard rocking metal which extends to doom rock and progressive rock. The arrangements are tight and maze-like on occasion, the entertainingly eccentric male vocals blend nicely with coarse/shouting female ones, while the sound production fully endorses the adopted style of music. For fans of first period Judas Priest, Slough Feg, Christian Mistress, Thin Lizzy, Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats and so on. Stream: http://hessian-music.bandcamp.com/releases | | 50 |  | Rabbit Junk
Pop That Pretty Thirty
4.0 - Rubbit Junk have delved into more extreme deliberations in the past (especially in the first two albums), but Pop That Pretty Thirty sees the band's industrial/blackened dancecore going mainstream on its own terms. In a fair world, "Precipice" should become an instant hit within out-of-the-norm dance floors around the world. Stream: http://glitchmoderecordings.bandcamp.com/album/pop-that-pretty-thirty | | 51 |  | Hinayana
Endless (demo)
3.5 - Austin TX citizen Casey Hurd, the sole person behind Hinayana, gives out a solid piece of melodic doom/death metal and it's legitimate to wonder why he tagged Endless as "demo", as it lacks nothing - the production, the music, the cover - compared to label-level, "professional" releases. Let's hope that Hinayama will eventually turn into a full band, as there's enough going on for the outfit to persist through time and space. Stream: http://hinayana.bandcamp.com/releases | | 52 |  | Troldhaugen
Obzkure Anekdotez For Maniakal Massez
4.5 - A bunch of Australian dudes (plus guests) flew over the cuckoo's nest and crafted an astonishing genre hopping album that draws inspiration from an abundant list of musical references, namely extreme metal, electronic music, prog rock, classical music, folk music from all over the world, and Broadway musicals. Fantastic sound production, top notch/tech metal instrumental performance and a vast spectrum of aptly sung vocal melodies by all singers, male and female. Dinosaur prog/avant-garde metal bands need to listen to this album so as to take their intended pun and possibly remember how essentially adventurous music is done these days. Stream: http://troldhaugen.net/album/obzkure-anekdotez-for-maniakal-massez | | 53 |  | Cosm
Primengender
3.5 - At first, the doom/stoner metal of this Florida based outfit is adventurous, energetic and tense, it even hints latently to thrash metal (EP opener). From the third track onwards though, groove and melody tends to prevail, but the arrangements remain adventurous. The female vocals are melodic for the most part, although they do tread on more extreme paths from time to time,whereas the sound is excellent. Stream: http://cosmdoom.bandcamp.com/ | | 54 |  | Orphans of Dusk
Revenant
3.5 - New Zealanders Orphans of Dusk deliver an elaborate piece of gothic/doom/death metal in the vein of Tiamat, Paradise Lost and Type O Negative. Song structures are moderately convoluted, hence progressively comprehensive. As for the vocals, the guttural once have the expected impact, while the clean ones seem to have drawn inspiration from Nick Holmes, Peter Steele, even Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory). Stream: http://orphansofdusk.bandcamp.com/ | | 55 |  | Sumerlands
The Guardian (demo)
3.5 - The only reason this doesn't get a (much) higher rating is because it's merely a three-song demo EP. The material herein revolves around awesome US heavy/power metal complemented with excellent/energetic musicianship and addictive grooves. Band certainly deserves a record deal. EP stream: http://sumerlands.bandcamp.com/releases | | 56 |  | ANCST
In Turmoil
3.8 - This band seems to undergo through tectonic style shifts between releases; Taima was a soothing ambient/drone listen, whereas this compilation of remastered rare material sees the band delving into black metal with hardcore vocals. That being said, the band hails and kills instrumentally, and that technical proficiency strives for an even more engaging musical experience. Stream: http://angstnoise.bandcamp.com/album/in-turmoil | | 57 |  | Funerary
Starless Aeon
3.6 - I saw Willie's soundoff and decided to give it a go, and I'm glad I did. Funerary have come up with some profoundly solid trip-y funeral doom metal on their debut album. While the rhythm section is merely crawling like a snail, the guitars balance between crushing doom parts and subtle yet psychedelic lead melodies, while the vocals range from totally ripped out shrieks to chorus-like chants placed in the rear. Favorite tracks: "Atonement", "Beneath The Black Veil". Stream: http://funerarydoom.bandcamp.com/album/starless-aeon | | 58 |  | Altars Of Grief
This Shameful Burden
3.5 - Judging by the album title and art, one expects to listen to solid doom/death metal and that's what Canada's Altars of Grief bring on the table, as they tread on the footsteps of old British doom/death metal. The sound is excellent, the arrangements create the tension the genre demands by default, be it due to the grandiose synths, the rhythm section which is pounding hard, and last but not least, the ripped out vocals, which lean towards black metal and make for the album's real catch. That being said, band needs to work on making the arrangements more interesting in terms of the guitar melodies and riffs. Overall though, the core attributes of the sound adopted herein, seem to have been fully figured out. Favorite track: The Plague that Haunts the Darkness. Stream: http://altarsofgrief.bandcamp.com/album/this-shameful-burden | | 59 |  | Bolzer
Soma
4.0 - Bolzer build on the acclaimed merit of the Aura EP with two tracks of groovy, transcendental and mazed death metal that clock at almost 20 minutes of time. Although the element of surprise is absent and Soma merely picks up from where Aura ended, band is still far from saturation and sets the bar higher for a future full length album, although the string of EPs has worked well so far. | | 60 |  | Integral
Sercosa
4.0 - Major kudos to Zettel and his review that brought this album to my attention. I have been always searching for this kind of essential subtlety in electronic music (to little success) and this album fits the profile perfectly. Stream: http://tympanikaudio.bandcamp.com/album/sercosa | | 61 |  | Tetragrammaton
Descendere
4.0 - Coated with an excellent sound production, the Descendere EP is Tetragrammaton's (led by multi-instrumentalist Christian Bale) emphatic take on how ambient and black, doom, and sludge metal should be blended to excellent effect. If I was to describe the music merely by band name dropping I would be sure to mention Bolzer, YOB, Ved Buens Ende, Skaphe, Deathspell Omega, legit ambient/black metal outfits (put your favorite band here) and so on. Stream: http://tetragrammaton777.bandcamp.com/album/descendere | | 62 |  | Mortified Mortician
The Dearly Disgusted
3.5 - With Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie pumping out new material every once in (quite) a while, these newcomers from Portland OR and their modern, fairly industrialized "nu" rock/metal are a welcome addition to the fold. Do yourself a favor, crank the volume and blast your stereo with tracks like "Ghoulish Fuckdoll". Album stream: http://mortifiedmortician.bandcamp.com | | 63 |  | Bolesno Grinje
Chronicles from the Tomb
3.8 - Bolesno Grinje come from Croatia and while most of their lyrics can be perceived exclusively by their fellow country men, their music should be appreciated by every fan who wants his/her grindcore devastating, technical and most importantly; fun. Don't look for memorable tracks here, just allow yourself to get caught in the mosh. Stream: http://bolesnogrinje.bandcamp.com/album/chronicles-from-the-tomb | | 64 |  | Blues Pills
Blues Pills
Great album and a major breakthrough for vintage rock this year, Blues Pills deserve all the success that has come down for them. I just wish the band would have new material in place of the songs previously featured in the EPs, that's just me though. For everyone else into retro rock, the album is a blast, anyway you stretch it. | | 65 |  | Blind Thorns
Blind Thorns
3.5 - Most of the time, albums like the self-titled Blind Thorns debut wind up as monumental disasters. However, Blind Thorns is an exception, as the band knows how to preserve both the chaos and the order in the arrangements, with smooth transitions between different styles. In effect, the album is worth the listens, when someone is in an "experimental" mood, albeit the magnitude of its replay value is extremely arbitrary. Stream: http://blindthorns.bandcamp.com/album/blind-thorns | | 66 |  | Dying Out Flame
Shiva Rudrastakam
3.5 - The debut album of Nepalese(!) death metal outfit Dying Out Flame is a token of solid (but not particularly original) technical brutal death metal, mixed with traditional music and vocals from their native land. The said mix is original, the atmospheric folk parts are well blended with the metal mayhem, however the blending appears to have a big margin for improvement. Dying Out Flame are certainly a band to look upon in time to come. Stream: http://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/shiva-rudrastakam | | 67 |  | Electric Moon
Innside Outside
A sublime trip to the cosmic unknown residing within and around us...
"Outside" stream: http://soundcloud.com/electricmoon/outside | | 68 |  | Mr. Kitty
TIME
3.7 - Great album, the fusion of goth, post punk and electronic music really works. The only "negative" thing is that the most memorable tracks are diluted by the less memorable ones, but still this is worth checking out. Stream: http://mrkittydm.bandcamp.com/album/time | | 69 |  | Electric Citizen
Sateen
3.6 - The fire of '70s occult rock is burning strong, and Electric Citizen are among its most relevant keepers. Stream: http://www.roadburn.com/2014/06/hear-electric-citizens-debut-album-sateen-premiere/ | | 70 |  | Corrosion of Conformity
IX
3.5 - On their 9th album, Corrosion of Conformity deliver yet another solid observation of "southern" blues/heavy rock, save for a couple of punk-ish rock numbers. Band's performance is exceptional, but the material at display here tends to go through the motions of the genre COC file under. Stream: http://candlelightrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/album/ix | | 71 |  | Septicflesh
Titan
3.5 - Titan's biggest flaw is that it succeeds an album, in which everything that is Septicflesh was almost perfected. Leaving aside the increased complexity in song structures which does not impose a positive or negative effect overall, the album follows the same recipe used to make The Great Mass, yet it pales in comparison. The above being said and contrary to the overly negative impact of the singles posted prior to the album's release, Titan is an album of merit, but my fellow countrymen need to reshuffle the deck in albums to come. Stream: http://www.terrorizer.com/news/streams/stream-septicfleshs-new-album-titan-full-terrorizer | | 72 |  | Mastodon
Once More 'Round the Sun
3.7 - Mastodon make one more spin around the sun and decorate the simple, yet effective classic rock/metal that was introduced in the previous album with traces of sludge metal that hint back to their debut album. In general the songs are good, yet the element of surprise is absent, whereas truly filler songs are kept down to a minimum. "Motherload" is by far the song of the year for me, music/lyrics-wise, along with "Ember City" and "Diamonds In The Witch House". | | 73 |  | Vicious Rumors
Live You to Death 2 - American Punishment
4.0 - This live album is not just for the die-hard fans of the band, but also for every fan of quality heavy/power metal. | | 74 |  | Essence Beyond
Carnivalism
3.5 - As far as brutal tech death metal goes, this EP is nothing new under the sun, but if you cherish albums like Deicide's Once Upon The Cross and Suffocation's Pierced From Within, this Greek-Athenian outfit is a welcome surprise. Excellent flow per song and as a whole, and excellent instrumental performance. Sound production is not as heavy as it should be, but it grants the audibility of every instrument, the free-form bass included. Stream: http://essencebeyond.bandcamp.com/album/carnivalism | | 75 |  | Boris
Noise
4.0 - A pair of ears heavily exposed to the abundant production of Boris music will find it hard to deny that the band has not gone through the motions in Noise. Despite being derivative (think of what the band tried from Pink up to Attention Please, with the addition of Heavy Rocks and Boris At Last -Feedbacker-), the new songs sound fresh every time they are reproduced. Stream: http://boris.bandcamp.com/album/noise | | 76 |  | Crosswind
Vicious Dominion
3.5 - [i]Vicious Dominion[/i] is one of this year's great tokens of European heavy/power metal, the latter played with grit and conviction. Greek-Thessalonikians Crosswind have been preparing their debut album for many years and that's evident in the elaborate strong structures, the dynamic vocals and the excellent instrumental work, especially in the lead guitars. The above said, there aren't any songs that stand out of the rest of the lot or the genre's classic releases, whereas the sound production could sound heavier/thrashier, especially since there are relevant parts in Crosswind's music. Stream: http://crosswind.bandcamp.com/album/vicious-
dominion | | 77 |  | Mayhem
Esoteric Warfare
3.7 - Mayhem go through the motions of intelligent black metal, yet their craft remains unmatched. Stream: http://seasonofmist.bandcamp.com/album/esoteric-warfare | | 78 |  | Anathema
Distant Satellites
3.7 - Anathema go back to the sweet gloom of their late-'90s-early-00s era, take a small loan from their current indentity, and wind up with their most interesting album since 2003. | | 79 |  | Falconer
Black Moon Rising
3.7 - I'm not aware of the band's previous albums, but this one rocked the hell out of me, albeit it's does not reinvent the wheel in a marked way. Falconer adopted a sound production suitable for tech power/thrash metal outfits, because they do sound like one most of the time. Ultra-heavy/aggressive rhythm guitars, frantic leads, fantastic/technical (on the brink of tech thrash) rhythm section, are combined with the uplifting power metal cheese, folk melodies and the melodic, down-to-earth vocals of band's mastermind Mathias Blad. The latter is distanced from the high pitch practices commonly found in power metal. Stream: http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/falconer-entire-black-moon-rising-album-available-for-streaming/ | | 80 |  | Skaphe
Skáphe
4.0 - Amidst the off-beat ambient/doom passages and the chaotic black metal outbursts, Skaphe from Los Angeles CA have transformed their oneiric nightmares to music in the most prominent of ways. Skaphe can be described as an amalgam of mid '90s avant-garde black metal (Ved Buens Ende come in mind) and transcendental death/doom metal, in the vein of Switzerland's Bolzer. Stream: http://bandcamp.fallenempirerecords.com/album/sk-phe | | 81 |  | Luna (UA)
Ashes To Ashes
3.5 - Ukraine's Luna adopt the funeral end of doom metal, and further decorate it with "gothic" keyboards/piano. The recursive sequence of a handful of rhythms and melodies, combined with the absence of vocals throughout the 57 minutes of the one-song album, make for an engaging listen, even though there's nothing new under the moon (sic) here. Stream: http://lunametal.bandcamp.com | | 82 |  | Rude
Soul Recall
3.7 - San Francisco's Rude revisit the times when Pestilence, Morbid Angel, Death, Suffocation and Autopsy took the teachings of Slayer to the next level and shaped the face of old school tech death metal. What's at display in Soul Recall is maze-like death/thrash metal with top notch "Morbid Angel level" instrumentation, vocals that pay a huge tribute to Leprocy-era Chuck Schuldiner, and a fantastic analog, yet heavy as hell sound production.
album stream: http://portal.xtreemmusic.com/streaming-en-exclusiva-del-album-completo-de-rude-soul-recall/ | | 83 |  | Marty Friedman
Inferno
3.7 - I haven't been faithfully tracking Friedman's work outside of Megadeth - guilty as charged! - but Inferno sounds like his most diverse album yet. I really like how he embraces some of the numerous aspects of extreme metal and rock n' roll and filters it through his insane guitar shredding. The album has a good replay value overall and the only objection lies in the sound of the guitars which could be less polished and closer to what Blotted Science have respectively done. Last but not least, major kudos are due to Jason Becker for defying Gehrig's disease all these years by writing music constantly, and for contributing some of his wonderful guitar wizardry on "Horrors". | | 84 |  | Veni Domine
Light
4.0 - Veni Domine have taken many left turns since their first two highly acclaimed albums in the early '90s and for better or for worse, most of them were not fully embraced by fans of adventurous doom metal. This year's Light album however, is the exception that justifies the rule. The Swedes have brought the lyricism of progressive doom metal with the (often) void existence of melodic (some call it adult oriented) rock in holy matrimony. In that light, the lack of guitar distortion is balanced by the simple, yet adequately elaborate arrangements and the divine vocals of Fredrik Fredrik Sjoholm, who sounds as if he's releasing the burdens of his soul to his confessor. The success of the album is also reflected in the superb rendition of the 1991 song "Oh Great City" (from the debut Fall Babylon Fall album), which sounds even better than the original version. | | 85 |  | Three Seasons
Grow
3.5 - Swedes Three Seasons are a band for only four years, yet Grow is their third album already, in which the band continues to adopt the vintage/blues rock ethics with the expected attention and enthusiasm. The calling cardof Three Seasons lies in Sartez Faraj's vocals and the subtle (yet adventurous on occasion) arrangements. On another note, the production is old fashioned as expected, but some may think it borders into lo-fi as well, and not in a good way. Not a huge step forward with respect to previous releases, but not a regression either, the third Three Seasons album still delivers. | | 86 |  | HORNSS
No Blood, No Sympathy
3.5 - California's HORNSS throw equal dosages of old fashioned hard rock and stoner rock into their cauldron, and come up with a great album that's beefed up with energy and amplifier feedback. Band could easily go on tour with Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats. Stream: http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=102509 | | 87 |  | Seprevation
Consumed
3.7 - On their debut album, England's Seprevation give out good-replay-value death/thrash metal. 2 extra tenths of a point go to the absolutely fantastic sound production, the band's frenetic, semi-technical (that free-form bass is quite something!) performance and last but not least, the fact that good death/thrash is kind of rare nowadays. Stream: http://seprevation.bandcamp.com/album/consumed | | 88 |  | Dead Congregation
Promulgation of the Fall
4.0 - Album after album, the Greek death metal scene is getting stronger and stronger. On their long awaited sophomore effort, Dead Congregation deliver nothing but crushing old school death metal that sounds even fiercer when performed live. Stream: http://deadcongregation.bandcamp.com/album/promulgation-of-the-fall | | 89 |  | Abramis Brama
Enkel Biljett
3.8 - Enkel Biljett is literally a one-way ticket to '70s heavy rock bliss, further decorated with traces of stoner rock. Abramis Brama stand on the same level of quality with more known Swedish outfits like Graveyard and although the lyrics are written in Swedish, the album makes for an ideal point of entry to this great band. Favorite song: "Vaggar Mig Till Ro" | | 90 |  | Spectral Lore
III
4.0 - In a supposed list with the best black metal albums of 2014, the 4th album of Greece's Spectral Lore would be included therein, no questions asked. In III, "total"/post/ethereal black metal gives way to majestic/gloomy folk passages and back, in temporally prolonged/labyrinth-like compositions that need the listener's undivided immersion to be fully appreciated. The above being said, the album's merit is totally worth of any investment placed upon it. Stream: http://spectrallore.bandcamp.com/album/iii | | 91 |  | Salem's Pot
...Lurar Ut Dig Pa Prarien
3.6 - On their debut album, Salem's Pot are paying their dues to the blues based doom rock of the debut Black Sabbath, albeit with a solid psychedelic/stoner vibe. The album may be too monolithic for its own good, but its warm and misty atmosphere grant it the merit of a casual soundtrack for times of retrospection. Stream: http://www.terrorizer.com/news/streams/stream-new-salems-pot-lp-exclusively-terrorizer/ | | 92 |  | Mekong Delta
In a Mirror Darkly
4.0 - Mekong Delta are cracking the whip again, as their 10th observation is a custom/seamless blend of classical music, progressive rock and tech-thrash. | | 93 |  | Psycrence
A Frail Deception
3.5 - Greek prog metal outfit Psycrence make a great start for themselves with their debut album. Band does not reinvent the wheel, but manages nevertheless to keep things interesting by mixing all the interesting elements from the major prog metal schools (US and European) with a latent djent vibe. The vocals are very good (they could be better with more practice and better sound mixing in future albums), rhythm section is "tech" but rather restrained at that, the 7-string guitars/sound production are/is skull ripping, and the keyboards build tense atmospheres in the rear. First few and last few tracks are what makes the album work, but the less interesting parts of the album are also worth checking out. Stream: http://psycrence.bandcamp.com/ | | 94 |  | Helstar
This Wicked Nest
3.7 - First of all, huge props are in order for Helstar, as along with bands such as Vicious Rumors and Sanctuary, they keep US tech power/thrash metal alive, to the utmost joy of genre fanboys like yours truly. Now about the new album; Twisted Wicked Nest starts ideally with three tracks of expertly executed and insanely aggressive tech power/thrash. Along with the said genres, some progressive metal passages have been slipstreamed here and there, hinting at the '80s Helstar classic Nosferatu minus its sub-par sound. About the latter, This Wicked Nest is nothing but superb. The album is a joy to jam, however it looses some merit because there are no real surprises musically, whereas the use of the prog metal elements is not so thoughtful given the band's great potential. On the other hand, the huge plus of the album is that the pure power metal - and borderline uninteresting - parts of Glory of Chaos, are completely gone here. On another note, the vocals of James Rivera sound fantastic, although he does struggle at times in delivering his trademark high pitch whenever and wherever is necessary. | | 95 |  | Spidergawd
Spidergawd
3.7 - The self titled Spidergawd album will be hands down one of the slow burners of this year with respect to retro boogie/hard rock. Their singer is excellent (like really excellent), their song writing is effective whether it's short lived hard rock dynamites (the album's first two cuts) or progressive rock elegies ("Empty Rooms") and there's this fuzz (on the brink of noise rock) which gives another degree of freedom to the album. The above being said, the arrangements could be tighter, but hey guess what; band has been signed by Nuclear Blast Records (really no wonder about that.-) and the release of the sophomore album II has been slated for January 15 2015. | | 97 |  | Spell (CAN)
The Full Moon Sessions
3.5 - What's at display here is some solid old school heavy metal with a really warm sound and the occassional hard rock edge. The wheel is not reinvented by the Canadians, but The Full Moon Sessions is an excellent reminiscent of the times where '80s metal revelled in the world. Stream: http://spellofficial.bandcamp.com/album/full-moon-sessions | | 98 |  | Edguy
Space Police - Defenders of the Crown
3.6 - Despite the abundant positive energy (the kind of energy we all need from time to time...) that this album transmits, few parts of it really remain in memory. Technicalities aside, Space Police... is as good as Teutonic power metal gets these days. | | 99 |  | The Oath (DE)
The Oath
3.6 - To describe the term "turmoil", Chinese have an ideogram depicting two women under the same roof. However, it's unknown whether the aforementioned ideogram is fitting the dissolution of the female duo of artists responsible for The Oath. What can be said with certainty though, is that The Oath includes 9 songs of really good, old fashioned heavy/doom rock with no redundancies in terms of melodies and arrangements. That said, it's hard to tell one song from the other, as the same song writing formula is used throughout, give or take. Of late, Linnea Olson has joined Beastmilk and Johanna Sadonis formed a new band called Lucifer, so in view of the album's solid (but not truly excellent) values, the disbandment of The Oath seems like the best solution for both parties. | | 100 |  | Thantifaxath
Sacred White Noise
3.7 - Canada's Thantifaxath have emerged to the surface with an album that does a little more than encapsulating the essential traits of adventurous black metal... The arrangements are ferociously executed, some really demented atmospheres and melodies intervene within the traditional black metal patterns, while the sound production has granted the album the transcendental aura every black metal album of this sort needs. The above being said, it's merely a matter of time for Thantifaxath to find that extra "something" in order to further separate themselves from their peers in the future. Stream: http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sacred-white-noise | |
YUJOS
01.01.15 | Judging from your list, can't say that you didn't enjoy metal in 2014 a loooooooooooot! | Voivod
01.01.15 | Yep, it was a very good year for metal indeed. | Totengott
01.01.15 | Just amazing and I agree, 2014 was a good year for metal. | ComeToDaddy
01.01.15 | Phenomenal couple of lists here. Those name drops in the Aeon Sable description have me hot and bothered, going to check that one out first, but there's a huge number of these I haven't heard that sound worth checking out | Voivod
01.01.15 | That Aeon Sable album is very good and a grower. | manosg
01.01.15 | Amazing list. I need to read the descriptions and check a few of those. | JamieTwort
01.02.15 | Wow, this is huge. Will have to read some of this later. | TheNotrap
01.02.15 | Pretty cool list. Nice to see #41 among your '14 favourites. | Deez
01.02.15 | good stuff man. | Jethro42
01.02.15 | Impressive list, vod! | DrGonzo1937
01.03.15 | You're normally very on the mark Voivod, so I'm defo going to check out Aeon Sable.
Awesome list. | Voivod
01.03.15 | ^^The album didn't tell me much at first, pretty much because if its minimal touch, but, as I said earlier, it turned out to be a grower. | DrGonzo1937
01.03.15 | I'm spinning it now, I'm quite enjoying it so far.
I'm going to give Rabbit Junk's album a spin next, because that sounds very interesting. | Voivod
01.03.15 | The Rabbit Junk EP is a blast, do it. | DrGonzo1937
01.03.15 | Oh, it's an EP. ha | scissorlocked
01.04.15 | crazy list man! | Voivod
01.04.15 | @Jom
There's a part II of the list at the following address:
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/list.php?memberid=308183&listid=154550
You should check out:
Aeon Sable
Troldhaugen
Veni Domine
Somali Yacht Club
Prognathe
Alkoholizer
Khonsu
TrenchRot
Skeptor
Burial Hordes
This Is Nowhere | Wizard
01.06.15 | Surprised you have Rude on here, I thought no one liked that album. Great old school dm. Prognathe is another you showed me and I'm loving that album (probably will add that into my honourable mentions). Just bookmarked this list, it will act as reminder to get on some of these I missed. |
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