Intronaut – The Direction of Last Things (Century Media) Deafheaven proved with New Bermuda not only that they’re capable of hanging with the metal big boys, but that they’re still evolving and finding themselves the album takes the black metal foundation they laid with their past work and introduces new influences from across the metal spectrum for a cohesive whole that’s varied and dynamic throughout.ħ. I was soundly shoved right onto my ass and made to look a fool. I went into New Bermuda not wanting to believe the hype, thinking that much was ado about nothing with the alleged kings of “hipster metal” (whatever that is). Definitely go back and listen all the way through if you slept on this one. Armageddon’s re-tooled lineup after a decade-plus hiatus offers a completely different musical stew the songs on this record have a bizarre, twisted sense of melody and they’re insanely memorable, all the more impressive given how OOC the guitar work is throughout. If there’s any doubt left as to which of the very talented Amott brothers is still pushing the envelope, look no further than Armageddon’s Captivity & Devourment, Chris’s first post-Arch Enemy (the second time) release. One gets the impressions that home did indeed have a whole lot of hatred when Primitive Man were growing up.ĩ. Armageddon – Captivity & Devourment (Listenable) Of course it’s not just “is vv heavy!” that makes this album year-end-list-worthy, though it’s the tortured, twisted, gut-wrenchingly painful way in which Primitive Man do heavy that really makes this album hit so viscerally.
Primitive Man – Home Is Where the Hatred Is (Relapse) Painless hits the spot now, sure, but it’s the promise of what could come later that truly excites me (starting with the recently released Heavy Over the Home, streamable here).ġ0. Besides, this is exactly the kind of band that, given a little investment and space to grow, will evolve into something completely their own. But given the dearth of bands these days doing exactly that - and how fucking good at it Sanzu are - we give these Aussies a pass. It didn’t seem possible that they’d top Monolith of Inhumanity (2012), and yet they did: The Anthropocene Extinction showcases their best songwriting and most impressive performance to date.Ĭomplete Domination-era Morbid Angel worship? OK, perhaps. Remember when Cattle Decapitation had the prefix “vegan death metal band” attached to their name in every single press piece? Those days are long gone, not just because it was a misnomer in the first place but because they’ve grown into a death metal beast all their own, getting better with each successive album. 14. Cattle Decapitation – The Anthropocene Extinction (Metal Blade)