Once again the site gets resurrected for the annual list season! Below are the metal releases I have heard this year that have had me returning again and again.
I have to doff my cap to @meatbrk on twitter without whose tweets and columns on DrownedinSound.com I would not have heard half these albums!
20. Dragged Into Sunlight/Gnaw Their Tongues – N.V.
Horrific yet compelling collaboration from these two monstrous entities. Nihilistic and brutal, yet exhilarating like a primal roar, it’s not one for casual easy listening that’s for sure!
19. Elder – Lore
Long epic riff driven, groove filled jams of proggy, sludgy, stoner rock.
18. Sallow – I: The Great Work / II: Corpses & Ruins
Debut 2 EP release of atmospheric black metal from Albany NY.
17. Caïna – Setter of Unseen Snares
Intense album from the one man British black metal outfit.
16. Deafheaven – New Bermuda
2nd album of epic post/black metal, still needs more listens, it’s been a bit crowded out this year, but it definitely seems a more varied listen than the debut which stuck rigidly to a structure.
15. Nechochwen – Heart of Akamon
Native American themed Black/Folk metal.
14. Myrkur – M
Debut from solo one-woman Danish black metal project aka Amalie Bruun
13. Ypres – Genus Vitiosum
Excellent post metal EP from Russia, if you’re missing Isis since their split then this is the album for you.
12. Pyramids – A Northern Meadow
Hugely complex album of cascading riffs and intricate time signatures, took me a while to get my head around this!
11. Drudkh – A Furrow Cut Short
Cracking stuff from the Ukrainian black metal veterans.
10. Downfall of Nur – Umbras de Borbagia
Huge sounding Argentinian black metal that’s like a force of nature!
9. Sannhet – Revisionist
Excellent instrumental black/post metal.
8. Addaura – and the lamps expire
Superb new EP of WITTR-esque atmospheric black metal
7. Pale Chalice – Negate The Infinite & Miraculous
Excellent album of USBM.
6. MAKE – The Golden Veil
A welcome 2nd album of post-metal/doom/ambience, crushing heaviness combined with beautiful delicate passages.
5. Vanum – Realm of Sacrifice
Powerful release from members of black metal stalwarts Ash Borer and Fell Voices, combining the best of both bands.
4. Murg – Varg & Björn
Amazing frost caked black metal from Sweden, I listened to this while walking through woods on a grey blustery day recently and it was bloody incredible!
3. C.R.O.W.N. – Natron
This was love at 1st listen for me! Huge sounding post metal/doom with bits of black metal & shoegaze thrown in, fans of Cult of Luna will love it!
2. Au-Dessus – Au-Dessus
It may only be 30 mins long but it’s such an adrenaline filled, utterly thrilling 30 minutes, with more than one genuine fist in the air moment, it’s more than satisfying!
1. FLUISTERAARS – Luwte
Wow. That was my immediate reaction when first hearing this bloody fantastic second album by Holland’s FLUISTERAARS, The hypnotic brilliance of their debut Dromers has been married to some of the most spine tingling riffs that ebb and flow beautifully. Just jaw-droppingly brilliant.
"I Prefer Their Old Stuff" 