1. Bolzer - Aura (EP)
Really impressive occult black/death metal. Can hear a trace of Immolation with some of the harsh and dissonant riffing. The whole EP flows really well with excellent song writing. Really looking forward to a full length.
2. Aevengelist - Omen Ex Simulacra
This is a soundtrack to a horror movie pretty much. Drenched in atmosphere and lots of hellish ambience throughout. This is like some of the more morbid funeral doom projects in terms of atmosphere but more rooted in death metal instead of doom, and they manage to maintain a strong consistency with the song writing.
3. Sacriphyx - The Western Front
Now here is a monster of an album. A concept album that deserves to be listened to in its entirety. Took me a few listens to really begin to appreciate the quality of this and all the little touches they throw throughout. This is very atmospheric, and quite melodic. This feels primarily rooted in traditional metal but more extreme with a lot of black and death metal elements.
4. Obliteration - Black Death Horizon
This album reaks in ominous atmosphere. A lot of Autopsy here with numerous other influences thrown within. A lot of disjointed and meandering riffing, with the songs presenting something different than the last. Certainly an album that deserves to be listened to all the way through.
5. Ulcerate - Vermis
Twisting and churning rhythms that we have come to expect from Ulcerate. This is an album that makes you very uncomfortable when listening to it simply because it is so jarring and dark sounding. The song writing is pretty top notch here, and the production is very good. I found this a step up from The Destroyer of All.
6. Zealotry - The Charnel Expanse
This is something death metal needs more of. Zealotry do not aim to fit in the safe zone that the majority of these old-school revival bands do. They prefer to attempt to forge their own path and separate themselves as something fresh in the scene. This is quite technical and there is a clear Immolation influence with the guitar twanging that helps characterize Immolation but the riffing is a lot more off the wall technical, and there is a lot of tempo changes.
7. Sulphur Aeon - Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide
This is a monster of an album. Quite different than the vast majority of death metal bands that we have come to be familiar with of recent years. This is more upbeat and grandiose in scope than the vast majority of death metal releases that have been popping up, and this doesn't really stray much into melo-death territory which is a good thing while still being fairly melodic. This is lovecraftian concept album that is best listened to all the way through.
8. Decaying - The Last Days of War
They continue the Hail of Bullets worship that they have been doing except they have increased the quality of the song writing. Encirclement was a little long winded and focusing more on atmosphere and less on the pummelling riffs, but they found a better balance here.
9. Tyrant's Blood - Into the Kingdom of Graves
This is very chaotic and like a bestial version of Brain Drill except they don't go overboard with the noodling to the point of losing focus and song writing like the majority of technical brutal death metal. This is more rooted in oldschool death metal as well and not in brutal death metal.
10. Necrowretch - Putrid Death Sorcery
Necrowretch go back to a time when thrash metal was transitioning into death metal. This sounds like it came out around 1989 style wise but with a more modern production, and by modern I don't mean in a negative sense as it is not plastic by any means. Lots of interesting riffs and shouted vocals. They don't aim for the all out aggression like Repugnant or Excorciate but are more along the lines of Carnage.
11. Death Karma - A Life Not Worth Living (EP)
This is some thrashy and murky black/death metal with a thick production. The drummer comes from Lykathea Aflame as well. This is a very nice EP and hopefully more to be heard from these guys in the future.
12. Verminous - The Unholy Communion
Swedish death metal with solos! Has a lot of jumpy riffs and jumpy bass work that is a little uncommon for this style but they don't go into melodic death metal which is nice, and contain the Swedish trademark buzz saw guitar tone. The leads are also good. Imagine a spazzed out Grave.
13. Necroblood - Second Blood (EP)
Bestial black/death metal with a monstrous sound. This one really came out of nowhere and caught be my surprise. Only 2 songs, so I hope they get a full length out soon, but this really wets my appetite for one. If you really like the crudeness of bands like Blasphemy, Beherit, Archgoat, and Profanatica then I strongly urge you to check this out.
14. Beyond - Fatal Power of Death
Fast and relentless thrashy death metal with an oldschool production job. Big influence from Possessed, and maybe Dark Angel as well. The production is a bit thin as they are going for that 80s sound and so the bass is low in the mix. Looking forward to hearing more from these guys.
15. Crypticus - The Barrens
Not heard much discussion about this band for some reason. I haven't had the pleasure of listening to their other material but this is a very solid album. Quite a range of influences here. There is a fun and campy vibe to this with the upbeat catchy riffing and an Impetigo influence that is very typical of Razorback recordings, except this feels a lot more serious and mature. Big Swedish influence as well with the buzzsaw guitar tone and one reviewer compared to Cemetery which I agree with for the atmosphere and use of guitar leads.
16. Altars - Paramnesia
This is along the lines of those wave of black/death metal bands like Mitochondrion and Ulcerate, and done very well.
17. Grave Miasma - Odori Sepulcrorum
Another band taking the hellish, cavernous approach to death metal. They explored a few styles of the darker death and bestial black metal bands to form their own sound. This is fairly ritualistic and haunting blackened death metal with a very hellish atmosphere, and the song writing is very strong, and much better than a lot of the similar bands.
18. Cerekloth - In the Midst of Life we are in Death
I guess this is a little warmer for the most part than typical other old-school death metal takes. The music is black/death metal that is often fairly doomy. The vocals are very good growls that are slightly choking in style and they include screeches. Halo of Syringes is the best song here and feels a little out of the place in that it is so different with the demented reptilian vocals and doomier riffing. The song structures feel a little progressive and this album was a real grower on me.
19. Lantern - Below
Bit punkish with some death n' roll sensibilities. Nice use of guitar solos, and sounds like a mishmash of Swedish and Finnish death metal.
20. Demonical - Darkness Unbound
Been a very consistent band with the typical Entombed, Dismember, and Grave worship with that buzz saw tone and d-beat catchy riffing. This album is another solid entry into their catalogue.
21. Irkallian Oracle - Grave Ekstasis
Very cavernous and hellish black/death metal along the lines of Antideluvian. The riffs are very repetitive and trance inducing. This release seems to have stayed under the radar this year and I hope it can get a little more exposure as it is well worth listening to.
22. Grave Upheaval - Untitled
Well now. We have a band trying really hard to be as extreme as possible with the cavernous death metal style. There is a complete wall of sound here full of fuzz. The drums are very slow and ritualistic. The vocals are just incomprehensible cavernous growls. The whole setting is fairly trance inducing so if you are drugged up and looking for a dense atmosphere this album would be a excellent choice to listen to.
23. Tribulation - The Formulas of Death
Their debut was an absolute killer and Tribulation has opted for a different approach which was a smart move as the last album was very close to perfection. This is a more mature death metal release which is quite technical, and progressive with influences thrown in from black metal to jazz. It took a few listens to grow on me and is certainly worth it, although I still prefer their debut album.
24. Sorcery - Arrival at Six
Very punkish death metal in the vein of Dismember. Just a solid album.
25. Bodyfarm - The Coming Scourge
Mostly grinding punkish Swedish death metal in the d-beat style even if they are from the Netherlands. Their riffs are very memorable and the vocals are raspy shouts rather than gutturals. Just a solid album.
26. Krypts - Unending Degradation
Doomy death metal in the classic Finnish style. Unfortunately they feel a bit on the long winded style compared to their influences but nevertheless a good release.
27. Imprecation - Satanae Tenebris Infinita
Also heard their compilation of their 90s material and enjoyed a lot so was looking forward to this when I discovered it had been released. While this is some enjoyable bestial black/death metal it isn't as good as their earlier material. The riffs just don't grab me as much and I feel they sound better when they keep things at a face pace instead of when they slow it down into doom territory.
28. Vorum - Poisoned Void
I enjoyed their EP a few years ago (you can read my review under my old moniker) so was looking forward to this one. The music is quite Incantation inspired as well as the Finnish scene through the eerie leads. A lot of reverb is used here to give a cavernous vibe and the vocals have some echo to them. The atmosphere they are going for is a very ominous and hypnotic one, which is pretty standard of the Finnish scene of the early 90s and quite a few of the recent bands. A chunk of the songs work really well such as Thriving Darkness (A monster of a song), but others just fall flat for me. Overall, a bit inconsistent but certainly some good material here that makes it all worth it.
29. Kingdom - Morbid Priest of Supreme Blasphemy
Mix of the Swedish and Finnish scenes for the most part. Slightly ominous riffing, at a midpaced with a bit of the catchy swedish riffing. The vocals are fairly varied including some whispers, croaking, and growls. Pretty decent songwriting.
30. Hail of Bullets - III: The Rommel Chronicles
If you are familiar with other Hail of Bullets albums or even modern Asphyx you should know what to expect here as this is pretty much the same as before. Another nice addition to the catalogue but not quite up to the standard of their other two albums.
31. Oniricous - Ritos Diabolicos
Lovecraftian death metal in Spanish, with lyrics that are easy to understand. Their formula of death metal is quite chugging and catchy, with a thick sound to it, and not too morbid.
32. Revel in Flesh - Manifested Darkness
Their debut was pretty much Grave, Entombed and Dismember worship. While I really enjoy that style they failed to really grab me. The songs are certainly an improvement here, and the production job is really excellent, although I think they can still do better f they make the songwriting more interesting as the songs do feel like they drag a bit.
33. Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy
Pretty typical Immolation sounding album. Unfortunately the song writing isn't quite up to their usual standard and so it is a bit boring. They got a pretty strong catalogue so when I am in the mood for Immolation I most likely will just stick with one of their other albums.
34. Gorguts - Colored Sands
They really went for the dissonant, off the wall twanging with discordant chords that bands like Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord helped popularize with their 2003 or 2004 releases. They also added in a lot of atmospheric touches to give the album some much needed flow and focus. Not my thing as much but I can appreciate it for what it is. For those that enjoy this style more, this could be a real banger of an album to your ears.
35. Bone Sickness - Alone in the Grave (EP)
Pretty putrid sounding Swedish styled death metal. Has a bit of a punkish vibe, and the guitars grind away pretty well with some thrashy riffs at times. The song writing is a bit weak and the snare drum certainly doesn't help, but it has some good moments.
36. Morbosidad - Muerte de Cristo en Golgota
If I didn't know I would have expected them to hail from Mexico, or Chile as it sounds like it came right out of their scene of bestial black/death metal. The lyrics are also in Spanish and it sounds like one can easily understand them if they are familiar with Spanish. Unfortunately the riffs fail to really grab my attention and get a bit repetitive. If you understand Spanish then you just may enjoy this a lot more than me.
37. שְׁאוֹל - Sepulchral Ruins Below the Temple (EP)
They are going for the Incantation worship and Finnish worship here like quite a few other bands. While they got a good sound down, their song writing isn't too exciting, and not a whole lot is memorable.
38. Coffins - The Fleshland
Not as good as Buried Dead. An enjoyable release but the song writing gets a bit boring at times. Maintains that crushing doomy groove that this band has come to be known for.
39. Jungle Rot - Terror Regime
Jungle Rot is liked dumbed down death metal without going into slam. While I usually enjoy the groove on their albums, I found this one to be quite boring.
40. Torture Killer - Phobia
Known about them for a long time but never checked them out because of the Six Feet Under connection. Well I decided to give them a listen and found it to be better than expected but that isn't saying a great deal. This is quite dumbed down with the SFU groove and has a few pop sensibilities to it and not a fan of the vocals much which are along the lines of Barnes.
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