High On Fire are supposed to be releasing a live album soon. That's gonna be good.

I didn't find anything haunting or evil sounding in this really. It wasn't bad per se, but just didn't have much that would've caught my interest.

I've just seen the list of guests which appear on upcoming Andy Winter's album and it is fucking epic, so many interesting names.

http://krypts.bandcamp.com/
Track from upcoming Krypts, could be nice release too.

A new Armageddon would be sweet! Though I doubt it will happen, seeing as he just released a solo album.
(Assuming we're talking about the same Armageddon, there are 20 Armageddons in the Archive.)

I wonder if we'll see a new Nokturnal Mortum this year. At the same time, I almost don't want them to ever release another album. The Voice of Steel is so goddamn perfect, I fear a follow-up will pale in comparison. However, it seems they're just about due for another full-length, if Knjaz ever gets his shit together and keeps people in the band long enough for them to write one.

I take back what I said earlier. definitely excited for the new Amon Amarth album thats coming out this year

Voivod - "Target Earth", and Metal Grave - "The Eternal Flame Of Deception".

For those who don't know Metal Grave
http://evilconfrontationrecords.bandcam ... -deception
This will be one of the best Heavy Metal records of the recent years.

http://abyssal-home.bandcamp.com/

Seriously you guys listen to this reminds me of Portal/Impetuous Ritual, a little less weird than those bands, and with a bit of black metal in it.

Just pre-ordered the new albums of Helloween and Voivod, two CDs I'm very much excited to receive. Of course, beyond January, 2013 is all about Anacrusis, Holocaust, Anubis Gate, and Phoenix. Been waiting forever for that last one.

Wow, this is really fucking good. Thanks for the tip.

Are physical copies of that Abyssal album available?

They have a Big Cartel page and it looks like both of their albums are available.

Rotting Christ
Hate
Belphegor
Amon Amarth
Children of Bodom
Darkthrone
Autopsy
Carcass
Suffocation
Watain
Hypocrisy
Kataklysm

It's more of a morbid curiosity for me. I'm almost certain that it's going to suck, but it's good to have a little bit of hope, right?

Right?

'fraid not, sir. 'Fraid not...
*sobs*

nothing since Hate Crew Deathroll has been worth listening to, and even that album was mediocre at best. Follow the Reaper was their opus magnum imho.

Interested in how the next Pestilence album, Obsideo, turns out. There's something from the whole catalog to include the most recent ones that are worth repeated listens for me, fully aware that the first two are their best. I've said before that fellow countrymen Sinister have been far more consistent but I've softened on that stance, seeing that how The Carnage Ending is their best album in years - maybe since Hate - and their mid-era albums have become a little more weaker by comparison. Apparently, they're slowly starting to write new songs already as well.

With Stephan Fimmers and David Haley (previously Tim Yeung) now in tow, there will be no shortage of technicality but I don't expect a copy of Doctrine either, as it in turn was a deviance from Resurrection Macabre. Mameli's stated that the jazz influence will be based around the leads and some chords with focus on making "the most brutal album yet"© and that his vocal approach will once again be different, so there's something to be said for changing some elements around without sailing off into unexpected experimentation. The band's also performing older songs live in standard tuning again, thankfully.

My friends Band Beard without a Moustache is releasing a full length so I am excited about that.

But for me, new gorguts, voivod, portal, carcass, Darkthrone, and Autopsy sound great. Excited for some new Weekend Nachos coming out as well.

Bongripper is working on a new album, that may provide some competition for the new Gorguts (does anyone know if they've found a label yet?). The new Devourment teaser for Conceived In Sewage sounds very promising, one hell of a slam in that video. Didn't care for the new Defeated Sanity song all that much honestly. Also looking forward to new Portal and Mitochondrion material.

Well pretty much all of the big names have been thrown out there. But here are a few that I haven't seen mentioned in which I am definitely looking forward to.

Thranenkind - The Elk
This project had me hooked quite a few years ago with their fantastic demo "Eine Momentaufnahme - Der Rest ist nur Einsamkeit." A very lovely release when the whole "post-shoegaze black metal" thing was beginning. The Elk will be their debut album and I can not wait to see how the band has evolved since then. They released a track and it sounds very promising. If it is indicative of the whole then I see this as being one of the best of 2013.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6QBkje1jd4

Encircling Sea - A Forgotten Land
Their first two albums were each one-song full-lengths combining post-rock, sludge, doom and Wolves In The Throne Room like black metal. The second built on the strengths of the first, and it seems their progress is only continuing in the right direction after sampling a few songs from their upcoming album. They've dropped the one-song formula and it appears as though this new release will be four songs. They've released edits of two songs and by the sounds of them, this seems to be an album more grounded in modern atmospheric black metal than the previous two. I love what I have heard so far though. I suspect this will be an extremely strong album.
http://encirclingsea.bandcamp.com/album ... otten-land

Njiqahdda - Serpents In the Sky
It is very odd to go through an entire year without at least one Njiqahdda full length. Hopefully it was worth the wait for the follow up to what I see as their crowning achievement (2011's The Path of Liberation...). From the two rough mixes released on youtube it appears as though they have maintained much of the technicality that made The Path... the beast that was, while entirely switching directions for what seems like the millionth time in the bands career. This time around I hear a lot of sludge influences, and Neurosis undertones, but even that doesn't fully describe the sound. Serpents In The Sky also seems to be employing the vocals of their last few EPs/splits which implemented non-distorted harsh vocals. The album will be available as a free download on January 8th. Only a few days away, but I am more excited for this than any other upcoming album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruELSArlGsU

Progenie Terrestre Pura
Releasing their debut album pretty soon. Apparently the recording is done but no date has been given yet. I absolutely loved their 2011 demo which featured two extraordinary progressive black metal songs covered in outer-space themed atmosphere. If the full length even comes close to what was offered on the demo, this is destined to be my favorite of the year. One of the two guys involved does lurk these forums so perhaps he could shed a little bit more detail

I wasn't even aware of a new Pestilence album. Doctrine was not so great, to be honest, but I didn't mind Resurrection Macabre, so I'll be interested to see how this one will turn out. Thanks for the heads up.

Not likely as both Andy and Nick left the band after "Beneath...". I think most of the writing credits so far go to Phil so it's possible but I didn't think "Beneath..." was even close to "The Weeding" and "Tube..." was far better than both.

Actually, they started tracking a new album last fall and Phil is indeed doing lead vocals for the time being. Haven't seen any other details since but perhaps something will be announced by the time of their tour with Ghoul later this month.

Dying to get my hands on the new Defeated Sanity. New Pyrexia and Severe Torture are also on my mind right now.

There are some upcoming albums I am curious about. October Tide "Tunnel of no Light", Wintersun "Time II", new Månegarm stuff, maybe some Trollfest and Korpiklaani (heard that they have already recorded some tracks).

Does this apply for reissues too? If yes, then I'm really looking forward for re-releasing Phantasma by Medebor (really love their old work, and would love to have this CD in collection).

I didn't know a new October Tide was coming out... Will definitely be checking that one out as well.

As of now, Summoning's Old Mornings Dawn is the album I'm looking foreword to the most, I've been checking their page for updates almost daily now.

Glad to see more people getting into this; I've been trying to spread the word, too - everyone who hears this is blown away by the sound. I can hear Deathspell Omega in this, though I much prefer Abyssal.

Mayhem and Watain immediately come to mind. Behemoth are also working on a new album. Whether it'll be out this year or not hasn't been said yet but it's still something to be excited about.

Slough Feg have a new album "in the works," in their own words. Not sure whether this means they're currently recording or still writing songs, but they're due for another one by now. I'm good with them taking their sweet time for the sake of living up to the high standards they've established in their career.

Metal Blade's reissuing Twilight of the Idols, Down Among the Dead Men, and Traveller next month, so hopefully those are a precursor to something forthcoming this year.

They've shown a preview of the album already. The song is called "Of Wounds To Come".
Cheers!

Their last few albums were released in quick succession, so I'm expecting something really great now that they're taking a little longer.

Sick love Bongripper! I will have to check out the teaser for Devourment since I love me some slams. Unleash the Carnivore was a great album.

Probably going to pre-order the new Voivod on my lunch.

Suidakra are in the studio as well. Book of Dowth was a bit underwhelming compared to Crógacht, but it was still decent enough. Hopefully they can outdo themselves again.

Carcass
Asesino
Oceano
Divine Heresy
Black Sabbath
Mastodon
Rob Zombie
Possessed(?) apparently working on new material

None of the original members are in that band though so who cares. If Larry LaLonde joined back then I would be excited but he isn't.

So what would you call Jeff Becerra? Because he is in the band!

Well my mistake. My point being that all the other members are not original so who really cares? I mean Possessed had a great vocalist but he's old now and isn't playing bass on this album. I don't expect much from this.

I would also prefer if Mike and Larry were in the band but that won't happen in this lifetime again I reckon. I'm with you on the scepticism boat though. As much as I like Possessed I don't know how they're going to sound good or even relevant today. Same thing could be said for the new Carcass album though. I tend to approach these albums on a case by case scenario once they're out, but I agree that expectations aren't usually the best.

Expect the worst but hope for the best is how I feel. If its mediocre at least I won't be disappointed.

There are 100's if not 1000's of bands that have but one original member left. That doesn't mean a band can't produce quality material in the future. Something about 'the past isn't an indicator of future success' or something like that. When it comes to Possessed it's the vocals that would be the hardest to replace (see: impossible). While one can never be sure a project like this will come together and ultimately give us good results, at the very least it's closed-minded to just dismiss it entirely.

Anyone want to throw down their best 'one original member' examples?