I'll second Altars of Grief, but that's actually the old album, which is also killer so no complaints here.
Iris is this year's offering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1ytpcwkDW4

On the melancholic front, I've also been enjoying Coldbound's The Gale. Doomy melodic death, with a fair dose of Insomnium worship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2Tc6RITns8

Loving the new Mournful Congregation!

I'll check out Iris but I'm counting the other one as well because it was reissued this year with a proper physical release. Seems they were signed to their first real label recently!

The new Alice In Chains album is great. Doomy, Sabbath-y, atmospheric, dark and moody. Really worth a listen!

I love the new Primal Fear (Apocalypse). If you like Painkiller worship, check it out. Way better than Rulebreaker. It's second best to Delivering the Black imo (their debut being third best).

My current 2018 favorites:

Mantar - The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze
Imperial Triumphant - Vile Luxury
Khemmis - Desolation
Vein - Errorzone

And, on the metal fringe, I love the new Nothing album 'Dance on the Blacktop' that just came out...

Man, I just can't get into that Imperial Triumphant record.

Me neither. I was really exceited about it but it's pretty uneventful and I get tired of it after a couple of songs. It has none of the catchiness of the bands they are influenced by (DsO, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, etc).

The new Mantar is fucking killer.

This... All day, this...



That's interesting! I agree that it has none of the catchiness but I love the dissonance. It's really chaotic in a way that I've been pretty taken aback by. Understand where you're coming from but like the record for the same reason you dislike.

I think the production isn't helping, it's a bit dull and muddy. It has a mechanical and cold vibe I don't think is good for the music. I appreciate Colin Marston work but I don't think it's working this time. This album with a warmer sound and a bit more emphasis on the most catchy parts would have worked a lot better imo. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Unexpect always manage to keep an interesting sound while at the same time delivering sonic madness.

Nice to see the latest Varathron being praised. Unless I overlooked them on this thread, I didn't see these recommended:



Ascension - Under Ether: https://wtcproductions.bandcamp.com/album/under-ether




Vomitor - Pestilent Death: https://vomitor-australia.bandcamp.com/ ... lent-death

I've been jamming the new Bongripper, 'Terminal,' and it's great... I don't have a ton of instrumental bands that are "essential" but they are a really good band.

Mob Rules' Beast Reborn is alright but not as good as their previous one. They seem to be in a kind of 'every other album is weaker' pattern. Klaus Dirks sounds killer but the music is simplified and not as rich or complex with riffs as the previous album, and the choruses are a bit simpler and more repetitive. It's a very stadium-ish sound, focused on big anthem-type stuff, but it lacks the kind of richness and soul I'd hoped for. Pretty decent, still, but it should've been better.

Never could get into them. Too happy for me I think.

A few obscure - but really good - releases, for your consideration:

Storrsson - Celtic Legends Volume 1
Crazy Bull - The Past Is Today
Alms - Act One

I haven't liked anything of theirs since their 2nd album, the one with the Mayan temple on the cover. That album rocked.

Even that one was a little too flowery for me. But I will give this band another shot because I may be misremembering things.

You probably wouldn't like it that much if you're not into Euro PM.

Radical Peace is super dramatic and epic and Tales from Beyond is sweet and chock full of heavy trad metal-style riffs though. The debut is still my favorite one they did, but these recent ones are probably their best ones.

Anyone else in love with the new Cemetery Urn album, Barbaric Retribution? This was a blind buy for me as I've never heard these guys before (any album with the word "barbaric" in the title deserves my attention) and it's excellent death metal.

The new Mob Rules didn't touch a single string in my heart, sounds like a lets-try-to-go-back-to-roots thing but they failed at every point of it. The previous was a progressive something which I didn't understand. Cannibal Nation and Radical Peace were both somehow nice.

Basically. I was surprisingly bored by the more epic tracks at the end.

Dagger Lust, Craft, St. Marine des Loupes, Slavehouse

It's already been mentioned but I want to once again praise this Slugdge record from earlier in the year. What an ass kicking piece of extreme metal.

Also this new Gaerea album Unsettling Whispers is pretty bad ass.

I was(mildly) disappointed with the Watain : routine performances of bland songs. The last track is actually boring. IMO, as always.
Cool CD box, though. It now resides in my permanent collection, right alongside the metal box of Mayhem Order Ad Chao

Mare - Ebony Tower

I didnt like it very much at first, but the more listens I give it, the more interesting details are popping up, and the more captivating it is.

Dol Ammad - Cosmic Gods: Episode II - Astroatlas

I know many people will dismiss this band for those bombastic synths and a choir, but I think the way they mix those elements with metal is quite singular, and I cant really think of any other band giving me the same "monumental" feeling.

I liked the new Watain and Abigor albums. The last, long song on the Watain one (which I believe is a bonus track?) was not too great though.

The new Black Crucifixion album is some good gothic metal/rock-influenced black metal with some pretty epic-sounding (vaguely like Havukruunu) riffs here and there. I'm surprised that I've hardly seen anything about it on the Internet. I mean, it's not mind-blowing or anything, but it's very well put-together and I wouldn't expect a release this melodic and quality to go completely unnoticed.

If you really wanted to be left alone, why make that post? You posted something and he said it sounds like Bolzer, and you thought, great chance to explain my weird philosophy on life! But hey more power to you for purposefully avoiding bands that sound similar to ones you recommend.

The Varathron is one of the best albums of the year.

Yes it is decent. They are leaving for Europe today from memory.

This is really good, solid black, I like it. Goes well with the new Ende who also released a great album earlier this year.

The new Helion Prime is really solid euro-style power metal, and a good maturation of their sound from the debut. I was initially disappointed they switched to a male singer, but he's great and Brittney from BTA makes so many appearances that it doesn't really make a difference.

Don't give a fuck.

Infuriate released their self-titled debut album on August 31st and it's a damn fine dose of death metal. Punishing yet catchy.

Symphony of Symbols - Historiocriticism



Pretty intense black/death metal with little room for breathing space. Some semi-subtle industrial sections to break it up, too. Not bad.

https://metalscraprecords.bandcamp.com/ ... ocriticism

Sagor Som Leder Mot Slutet – II



I've managed to miss this album completely. It's a Swedish post metal/rock band who made this album and released it in January this year. Fans of uuhhh ... let's say Isis, Cult of Luna and such most definitely should check them out!

Endarken - Tvoj je hram u srcu mom
https://endarken.bandcamp.com/releases

Excellent BM from Serbia.

Amazing!

Glad you liked it!
Even the band name is great, it's Swedish for "Fairy tales that leads toward the end".