Probably Smug.

In alphabetical order.

Alcest
Souvenirs d’un autre monde
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Prophecy Productions

1. Printemps Émeraude
2. Souvenirs D’Un Autre Monde
3. Les Iris
4. Ciel Errant
5. Sur L’Autre Rive Je T’Attendrai
6. Tir Nan Og

This was almost nothing like I expected it to be, but it felt EXACTLY like I wanted it to feel, and makes me wonder what Neige will do with his Alcest project next. After the release of “Le Secret”, which may end up being greatly influential down the road to black metal bands who are tired of the clichés, I figured “Souveniers” would have a similar style to it. However, except for the occasional tremolo and blast beat, Souveniers has little to do with black metal. This album more closely resembles something Slowdive would have released at one point during their career. While only 40 minutes in length, this is one of the few albums I can listen to which invokes feelings of nostalgia, and dare I say happiness, while allowing me not to feel completely manipulated into such moods.

Standout tracks: Souvenirs D’Un Autre Monde, Les Iris

Angantyr
Hævn
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Independent

1. Et Varsel Om Død
2. Thulens Ord
3. Baghold
4. Tågefolket
5. Danemordet
6. Fødslen Og Byttet
7. Blod For Blod, Liv For Liv

This is a totally enthralling release that I’m certain will fly under the radar for most people this year. This is partly because Angantyr is not signed, and self-releases all of his albums, but partly because the black metal here is also fairly standard. However, what is written and performed here is absolutely extraordinary in terms of direction, production, and song writing. It has a relentless, cold atmosphere with a great deal of folk melodies and an almost Viking tinge to the melodies, but remains primarily black metal among all else. While this record might not be pivotal on the cluttered landscape of black metal, it’s an important release in Angantyr’s career. Someone sign this man as soon as possible, I want vinyl.

Standout tracks: Blod For Blod, Liv For Liv

Dälek
Abandoned Language
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Ipecac Recordings

1. Abandoned Language
2. Bricks Crumble
3. Paragraphs Relentless
4. Content to Play Villain
5. Lynch
6. Stagnant Waters
7. Starved for the Truth
8. Isolated State
9. Corrupt (Knuckle Up)
10. Tarnished
11. (Subversive Script)

It’s funny, a lot Dälek fans didn’t seem very happy about this release because the music involves a bit less abrasive noise compared to previous releases. Dälek are pretty much known for doing something that nobody else does, and doing it extremely well. This is why they’re on Ipecac Records, who (as far as I know) have no other hip-hop acts on their roster, but is full of experimental projects usually of the metal persuasion. So it’s safe to say that Dälek pretty much defy anything “normal” in the hip-hop world, and with this release they even defy themselves… because of this some fans are certainly liable to dislike it. I’d say that because of this, Abandoned Language is their boldest release yet, simply because they continue to challenge their own standards, as well as the petty standards everyone else has established for them.

Standout tracks: Abandoned Language, Content to Play Villain, Tarnished

Deathspell Omega
Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum
Website: None
Label: Norma Evangelium Diaboli

1. Obombration
2. The Shrine of Mad Laughter
3. Bread of Bitterness
4. The Repellent Scars of Abandon and Election
5. A Chore for the Lost
6. Obombration

How do they do it? Not only that, but how do they continually do it? The old Deathspell Omega was fairly standard Darkthrone-esque black metal, but some time between 2002 and 2004 they said “enough is enough”, made some line up adjustments, and released “Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice”, one of the most respected black metal albums to come out this decade. With the new one, they’ve taken some steps to reinvent their sound again, but not in a way to stray from their focused artistic vision. “Fas” has some of the most suffocating atmosphere I’ve ever experienced, and for good reason considering the metaphysical subject matter. Complaints have arisen about the songs “all sounding the same” which I suppose I can understand, but also intensely disagree with. The layers of melody and brutality seem to be so intricately applied that I doubt anyone outside of the band will ever truly know how wonderfully painful it might have been to compose this album.

Standout tracks: Bread of Bitterness

Moonsorrow
V: Hävitetty
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Spinefarm Records

1. Jäästä Syntynyt / Varjojen Virta
2. Tuleen Ajettu Maa

This is completely epic. The album is a mere two tracks in length, but both exceed 25 minutes, with not a single moment that feels drawn out or pretentious. In fact it could be a pivotal album in Moonsorrow’s already illustrious career. While many long time fans feel this isn’t quite up to par compared to older material, it is my opinion that Hävitetty makes all of their imitators completely obsolete. The greatest problem about this album is that it’s only an effective experience if you have a full hour to listen to it without interruption. As wonderful as the experience withheld here is, it’s always an hour well spent. A full review is here.

Standout tracks: both

Rosetta
Wake/Lift
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Translation Loss Records

1. Red in Tooth and Claw
2. Lift (part 1)
3. Lift (part 2)
4. Lift (part 3)
5. Wake
6. Temet Nosce
7. Monument

Few bands stir my emotions and invigorate my imagination like Rosetta does. With tongue planted in cheek, they are self-described as “space metal” and their last album, The Galilean Satellites, is still a staple in my listening rotation. This release will surely continue this practice with immediate continuity in both lyrical themes and sweeping soundscapes that ever-so-subtly wash over your ears with a calming sense of solitude. You’ll also find a hearty dose of moments so dense and heavy that they could likely crumble small buildings. Drumming that never ceases to be uninteresting, bass guitar looming with atmosphere, lead guitar continually ringing like an encore at a bell-choir concert and roaring vocals that ache with conviction and exigency — Wake/Lift is anything but disappointing. Listening to this could be described as the aural equivalent of the most intense viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey you’ll ever have.

Standout tracks: Lift (parts 1, 2, 3), Monument

Rotting Christ
Theogonia
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Season of Mist

1. Χαος Γενετο (The Sign Of Prime Creation)
2. Keravnos Kivernitos
3. Enuma Elish
4. Nemecic
5. Phobos’ Synagogue
6. Gaia Tellus
7. Rege Diabolicus
8. He, The Aethyr
9. Helios Hyperion
10. Threnody

The Greek masters have an amazing release on their hands here. In fact, I think it’s probably my new favorite Rotting Christ album. For a while, I didn’t think that this one compared very well to their previous album, “Sanctus Diavolos”, but now I’m pretty sure it blows it out of the water. Something about the atmosphere they capture, despite having extremely excellent production, is absolutely perfect. With black metal roots a subtle “gothic” angle to their melodies, and some very catchy hooks, I can’t find a single flaw when listening to this. Sakis Tolis (guitar, vocals) not only wrote all the songs on this album, but produced it as well. As far as bands that have been around for 15+ years, Rotting Christ certainly hasn’t lost any momentum, and have absolutely no reason to “quit while they’re ahead”.

Standout tracks: Nemecic, Gaia Tellus, He, The Aethyr

Turisas
The Varangian Way
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Century Media Records, Album site

1. To Holmgard And Beyond
2. A Portage To The Unknown
3. Cursed Be Iron
4. Fields Of Gold
5. In The Court Of Jarisleif
6. Five Hundred And One
7. The Dnieper Rapids
8. Miklagard Overture

This is probably my favorite surprise of the year. I absolutely loved Turisas’s last album, Battle Metal, because it teetered on the edge of epic viking metal and cheesy power metal so blatantly that it was always a fun, triumphant listen. Artistically it was good, but nothing to write home about, and I fully expected 2007’s The Varangian Way to be more of the same. Boy was I wrong. What we have here is something that feels like a ridiculous grandiose score to an over the top stage musical about Vikings and grand battles, which I would pay to see over and over. Not only does the album contain vast epic qualities, but the musicianship has improved a great deal since their past album, and I’m almost certain that Mathias “Warlord” Nygård (vocals) has taken some voice lessons between the two releases. Because of this album, Turisas has been moved from bands I have fun listening to, to bands I take seriously - and because of this direction, I’m excited to see what they do next. “Five Hundred And One” is one of my picks for “most epic songs of 2007″, and for good reason.

Standout tracks: Five Hundred And One, Miklagard Overture

Ulver
Shadows of the Sun
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Jester Records

1. Eos
2. All the Love
3. Like Music
4. Vigil
5. Shadows of the Sun
6. Let the Children Go
7. Solitude (Black Sabbath cover)
8. Funebre
9. What Happened?

By now, anyone who has heard of Ulver knows that whatever they do will be unexpected and most likely wonderful. “Shadows of the Sun” is by no means an exception, with a dark neo-jazz feel that is every bit as, and I quote, “Low-key, dark, and tragic. As we are”. Shadows of the sun is a bleak and lovely listen that is obviously constructed with a great deal of attention toward the delicacy of delivery and atmosphere. Ulver never ceases to impress me, and as always, I’m practically gawking at what ever it is they dare to do next.

Standout tracks: Vigil, Let the Children Go

Walknut
Graveforests and Their Shadows
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Stellar Winter Records

1. Hrimfaxi
2. Motherland Ostenvegr
3. Come, Dreadful Ygg
4. The Midnightforest of The Runes
5. Grim Woods
6. Skinfaxi

I may have to wait another 3 years for a new Negura Bunget album, and becase of this, Walknut is my saviour. That’s not to say they rip off the enigmatic Romanian trio, but I definitely hear a bit of influence when listening to this. Walknut really seemed to come out of nowhere, forming merely a year before putting out one of the better atmospheric black metal albums I’ve heard this year. “Graveforests” is simple in nature, but it has a stunning quality of integrity and direction applied to it. Among what seems to be a growing interest in pagan-infused metal that focuses more upon the trees and mountain peaks, rather than inverted crosses and lamb’s blood, Walknut could potentially be one of the revered leaders in this pack.

Standout tracks: Motherland Ostenvegr, Grim Woods

Wolves in the Throne Room
Two Hunters
Website: Official, Myspace
Label: Southern Lord Records

1. Dea Artio
2. Vastness and Sorrow
3. Cleansing
4. I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots

It’s pretty difficult to describe how much I’ve fallen in love with this album. If blues are the true roots of metal, then this album could be one of the few that brings that relationship to a full circle. Wolves in the Throne Room have taken their Weakling influenced style of song structures and simplified it, without dumbing it down. Each song has its own distinct feel and emotion to it, and there’s almost a cinematic polish thanks to some minimalistic keyboard programming and a subtle layer of female vocals. While they still use black metal as their medium for delivery of their craft, they’ve taken some very bold steps to defy everything that most black metal has come to represent these days. From their first album, this new direction they’ve taken is refreshing, and I firmly believe that Two Hunters is something I’ll still be listening to ten years from now.

Standout tracks: Dea Artio, I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots

_____________________
Honorable mentions:

Alatyr - Alatyr
The Austrasian Goat - The Austrasian Goat
Drudkh - Estrangement
Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
Om - Pilgrimage
Wormtongue - The Solstice Funeral

It’s been nothing short of a fantastic year for music, and compiling a list of merely ten of the hundreds of awesome albums that dropped thus far was a Herculean task, but here we are. Thanks to Mr. Smug himself for kindly allowing subpar writers to ride his coattails on his website; hatemail/fierce love —> sunwalker@gmail.com.

The following are my favorite albums of the year, in no particular order (save that of Burial’s Untrue taking the number one slot):

Burial
Untrue (Hyperdub)

01.
02. Archangel
03. Near Dark
04. Ghost Hardware
05. Endorphin
06. Etched Headplate
07. In McDonalds
08. Untrue
09. Shell Of Light
10. Dog Shelter
11. Homeless
12. UK
13. Raver

My undisputed personal favorite album of 2007, Burial’s Untrue not only shatters the myth of the “sophomore slump”, it makes me wonder why I ever thought he’d have trouble living up to the incredible promise of his debut. A hypnotic mix of impossibly plaintive vocals, woodblock rhythms and of course the skittery dubstep framework from which he hails, Burial has succeeded in conjuring exactly what he said he would: an atmosphere of nostalgia and “dismal euphoria.”

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Near Dark”, “Etched Headplate”, “Untrue”, “Homeless”, “Raver”

Burial MySpace

Abigor
Fractal Possession (End All Life)

01. Warning
02. Project: Shadow
03. Cold Void Choir
04. Lair Of Infinite Desperation
05. 3D Blasphemy
06. The Fire Syndrome
07. Injection Satan
08. Liberty Rises A Diagonal Flame
09. Vapourized Tears
10. Heaven Unveiled

Abigor has always been one of those difficult bands that I felt was not much more than the sum of their parts, despite their potential for excellence, but with their latest offering they’ve managed to create something truly amazing. Leaps and bounds ahead of their previous material, Fractal Possession sees longtime drummer TT returning to the fold to devastating effect. The album sounds like it was run through a computer with all the knobs cranked to “evil”; strange electronic flourishes abound, vying for space between the surgical storms of guitar riffs, inhuman drum fills, and strangely uplifting Satanic poetry. It’s an album that raises the bar of technicality while still retaining an eminent listenability with its triumphant melodies and soaring leads.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Lair Of Infinite Desperation”, “Injection Satan”, “Liberty Rises A Diagonal Flame”

Abigor MySpace
Abigor Official Site

Akercocke
Antichrist (Earache)

01. Black Messiah
02. Summon The Antichrist
03. Axiom
04. The Promise
05. My Apterous Angel
06. Distant Fires Reflect In The Eyes Of Satan
07. Man Without Faith Or Trust
08. The Dark Inside
09. Footsteps Resound In An Empty Chapel
10. Epode

My favorite group of pretentious British wankers return with their best album to date in Antichrist. Largely shedding their penchant for epic song structures that revealed itself in Choronzon and Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone, the lads have kept it short and sweet this time around, preferring to riff and solo at ever-increasing speeds, and leaning ever more toward death (rather than black) metal. Never a band to play by the rules, however, they pleasantly surprise with the track “The Dark Inside”, with a chorus sounding like something barely removed from Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation (an album cited by the band itself as a favorite). And who could forgot the *ahem* orally-fixated lyrics of “Man Without Faith Or Trust”? Minus points for the god-awful album artwork (what is this, a Cold Meat release?) and for reusing lyrics for a song title (”Footsteps Resound In An Empty Chapel” is suspiciously similar to the lyrics “…hooves upon the flagstones/Resound in the darkness” from Goat Of Mendes), but overall an extremely solid album from a technically flawless band, certain to get the head banging.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Summon The Antichrist”, “My Apterous Angel”, “The Dark Inside”

Akercocke MySpace
Akercocke Official Site

Bergraven
Dödsvisioner (Hydra Head)

01. Döende
02. Av Saknad Släcker Jag Ljuset
03. Ondkall
04. Känsla Av Livets Nästa Skede
05. Den Svarta Angstens Essens
06. Det Man Med Själen…
07. Ekot Av Bikt
08. Döende (En Avslutning)

An extremely surprising album from Swedish (relative) newcomer Bergraven, Dödsvisioner blends doomy atmospheres, black metal attitude and a feeling of general gloom and murk to redefine the term “avant-garde”. Described by mainman Pår Gustafsson as a conceptual journey through death, from the instants just after demise to the journey beyond, this album is certainly a difficult one to accurately describe, recalling as it does everything from Shining to Azrael to late-period Armagedda. Bass is very prominent in the mix, as are the ubiquitous serpentine, mid-tempo guitar riffs and huge sounding drums. My first couple of times through this album were marked every few minutes by shock as a slinky clean solo would creep in, or a post-rock jam would flare up in the most bizarre of place. One of the most “chill” (post-?)doom albums I’ve ever heard.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Ekot Av Bikt”, “Döende (En Avslutning)”

Bergraven MySpace

Dälek
Abandoned Language (Ipecac)

01. Abandoned Language
02. Bricks Crumble
03. Paragraphs Relentless
04. Content To Play Villain
05. Lynch
06. Stagnant Waters
07. Starved For Truth
08. Isolated Stare
09. Corrupt (Knuckle Up)
10. Tarnished
11. (Subversive Script)

Let me be the first to admit that I know next to nothing about hip-hop, but if I’m missing acts like Dälek as a result of that, it’s something that I need to brush up on. Something comes over me when I listen to Abandoned Language, a feeling of isolation, of leaving the rest of the world outside while the beats and lyrics take over. It feels like I am indeed listening to an abandoned language of sorts: both the socially & racially conscious lyrics of hip-hop and the language of language itself, the pure, undadulterated pleasure (and importance) of words and their delivery. There is a refusal to back down inherent in Dälek, a marriage of messege and method that’s impossible to downplay. Their beats are quite unorthodox in the way they make use of noise textures, instead of rhythm (although there’s plenty of that) to drive their songs. And the bass, holy hell, the BASS… definitely an album to convert open-minded metalheads to hip-hop.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Bricks Crumble”, “Paragraphs Relentless”, “(Subversive Script)”

Dälek MySpace
Dälek Official Site

PJ Harvey
White Chalk (Island)

01. The Devil
02. Dear Darkness
03. Grow Grow Grow
04. When Under Ether
05. White Chalk
06. Broken Harp
07. Silence
08. To Talk To You
09. The Piano
10. Before Departure
11. The Mountain

Premier ubran völva PJ Harvey returns with her best and bleakest album yet, White Chalk. Everything she sings about speaks of often bitter world experience and, like others on this list, a denial of limitations, especially those placed arbitrarily on women. She is simultaneously mother, lover, friend and judge, and in my eyes is perhaps the best example of Woman in music today (with her only competition being Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde): self-possessed, defiant, emotional, strong. Proving that this reputation is well-deserved, White Chalk is rife with extremely personal, dark songs — although many of them are short enough to qualify as vignettes — and fantastic, quiet instrumentation. The use of zither and piano bring the sounds close to the listener, and the whole ensemble is wrapped in a beautifully understated production that evokes the silence of memory rather than the punchy artificiality of the studio. File under Life: Soundtrack.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “When Under Ether”, “White Chalk”, “Silence”, “The Piano” (check out the Cannibal Corpse-esque lyrics on this one!)

PJ Harvey MySpace
PJ Harvey Official Site

Mayhem
Ordo Ad Chao (Season Of Mist)

01. A Wise Birthgiver
02. Wall Of Water
03. Great Work Of Ages
04. Deconsecrate
05. Illuminate/Eliminate
06. Psychic Horns
07. Key To The Storms
08. Anti

Black metal drama-mamas Mayhem finally release a worthy followup to De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas after the abysmal (no pun intended) Wolf’s Lair Abyss, Grand Declaration Of War and Chimera. Proving that he’s the best throat in black metal, Atilla Csihar marks his triumphant return with Ordo Ad Chao, a twisted piece of work that is exactly the album Mayhem needed to release to remain relevent. Csihar has said that most of the vocal lines were recorded in one take, which, if true, is beyond impressive (as his minute-long inhaled growl on “Anti” and weird, sucking shrieks on “Deconsecrate” would suggest). He’s not the only one working overtime, however; Hellhammer blasts his way through a bunch of weird time signatures (and shows his love of the dome ride) and Blasphemer displays his creative guitar skills on almost every track. Mayhem have finally released a “true” black metal album: one that’s scary, intelligent, and unknowable in equal measure.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Wall Of Water”, “Great Work Of Ages”, “Illuminate/Eliminate”, “Anti”

Mayhem MySpace
Mayhem Official Site

Nine Inch Nails
Year Zero (Interscope)

01. HYPERPOWER!
02. The Beginning Of The End
03. Survivalism (feat. Saul Williams)
04. The Good Soldier
05. Vessel
06. Me, I’m Not
07. Capital G
08. My Violent Heart
09. The Warning
10. God Given
11. Meet Your Master
12. The Greater Good
13. The Great Destroyer
14. Another Version Of The Truth
15. In This Twilight
16. Zero-Sum

Nine Inch Nails has forever been my favorite band, but lately Trent Reznor has been making it hard for me to stick by him with the abortion that was With Teeth (not to mention his live butcherings of old staples). However, after reading a very eloquent interview with the man himself in Terrorizer, I decided to give his latest another shot, and I’m glad I did. Rarely does a “pop” album actually embrace the opportunity and responsibility that comes with such wide exposure, but that’s exactly what Year Zero does, by couching a message of individuality and protest in a story of apocalypse and invasion that’s chillingly close to the USA’s current political climate. The record is full of carefully-cheoreographed flecks of noise and electronics (the machine-jam at the end of “Vessel” springs to mind) tucked amidst the incredibly hooky songs themselves. Mention must also be made of the ingenious, even visionary advertising campaign that went along with the release of this album, including viral marketing and strategic placement of “lost” flash drives in the bathrooms of Nine Inch Nails concerts (to facilitate online debate, distribution and discussion). Trent Reznor is on top of his game on this, his best album since The Downward Spiral.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “The Beginning Of The End”, “Vessel”, “Me, I’m Not”, “God Given”, “The Great Destroyer”

Nine Inch Nails MySpace
Nine Inch Nails Official Site

Murcof
Cosmos (Leaf)

01. Cuerpo Celeste
02. Cielo
03. Cosmos I
04. Cometa
05. Cosmos II
06. Oort

It’s impossible to understate the impact Murcof made on me the first time I heard his work. It was literally an explosion of new sound for me, the discovery of a new genre of music: the melding of classical instrumentation and minimal electronic glitch. Cosmos is a dark journey into sparse beats and precisely placed squelches and pops that recall the visceral heft of Pan Sonic as much as they do the deliberateness of Richie Hawtin or Pole. Huge, fat swells of strings will fade into murky soundscapes of bleeps, static and fuzz that evoke nothing so much as a journey into the supreme, crushing darkness of the deep sea. Rhythms are carefully constructed around negative space while 303 lines, twisted almost beyond recognition, bob and bounce like baby squid around the kelpy strings and piano, sharing space with the whalesong of the brass & woodwinds. The cover of Cosmos depicts a dark, abandoned lab that could very well be lost beneath the waves; perhaps the last refuge of the scientists who studied this strange, otherworldly pulse, at once so fragile and yet so robust.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Cielo”, “Cometa”, “Oort”

Murcof MySpace
Murcof Official Site

Rotting Christ
Theogonia (Season Of Mist)

01. Χαος Γενετο (The Sign Of Prime Creation)
02. Keravnos Kivernitos
03. Nemecic
04. Enuma Elish
05. Phobos’ Synagogue
06. Gaia Tellus
07. Rege Diabolicus
08. He, The Aethyr
09. Helios Hyperion
10. Threnody

It’s taken Rotting Christ ten albums to finally get the formula right, but when they’re on, they’re on. Theogonia is a celebration of all that is Greek, and Sakis‘ decision to include folk instruments in his compositions was inspired. Each and every song on this album is simply stellar, and they’re all linked together by the same slightly slower than tremolo riffing that’s crystal clear and unmistakably powerful (so much so that Krohm lifted it for his latest album, as well). The solos are what really set this one apart, however. Sakis reveals himself and his emotions far more clearly through his solos on this album than he ever could in words. Each time he places fingers to strings, it’s like little falling stars cascading onto the fretboard, or birds alighting there. Emotion is the name of the game here, and Rotting Christ prove that Greece doesn’t have a reputation for creativity and theatricality in metal for nothing.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Enuma Elish”, “He, The Aethyr”, “Helios Hyperion”, “Threnody”

Rotting Christ MySpace
Rotting Christ Official Site

There were many, many albums that I wanted to include on this list but didn’t due to space constraints. Honorable mention to the following:

Nile - Ithyphallic (songs about dongs)
Tulus - Biography Obscene (ex-Khold members go heavy on experimentation & pay tribute to Swedish DM in the process)
Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum (causing my brain to implode one album at a time)
Various Artists - Box Of Dub II: Dubstep & Future Dub (want to “get” dubstep? check this great collection out)
Acrimonious - Perdition Gospel (Greeks fuse heavy & black metal, lay waste to listeners)
Armin Van Buuren - A State Of Trance 2007 (pure vocal trance bliss)
Drudkh - Estrangement (toiling plows and soaring spirits put to music)
Forgotten Woods - Race Of Cain (BM weirdos keep it simple & hypnotize with repetition)
Boxcutter - Glyphic (woodwind IDM/dubstep)
Deadbeat - Journeyman’s Annual (runner-up for hip-hop album of the year)
The Tuss - Rushup Edge (Richard D. James has some fun with acid lines and Drukqs B-sides)
Wolves In The Throne Room - Two Hunters (continuing Weakling’s legacy, twenty minutes at a time)
Pinch - Underwater Dancehall (Yolanda!)

That’s it! Here’s hoping next year is as good as this one for music.

Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain

What can you say about an American underground metal band that has the respect of most countries, genre specific fans and elitists alike? Once again Agalloch has taken what made them great in the past two albums, and spun those things into yet another dimension. The first track begins with a rather triumphant feel, and Agalloch continues to play the rest of the album as if they knew having to wait four years between albums would be worth it. Trust me, it was.

Amesoeurs - Ruines Humaines EP

I don’t know what I’m more excited for, the fact that Neige has another project, or the fact that I love this EP so much that it probably has more play time than some of the other albums in this list… and it’s only three tracks long. Easily some of the most engaging black metal of the year for the simple reason that it crosses so many boundaries that we’re used to. The first two tracks keep more of a black metal feel, with the use of some post-rock and even indie-rock elements. With the last track, which isn’t even metal, has some riffs that The Cure wished they had wrote and some female vocals that are more empowered and passionate than anything that will ever play at the Lilith Fair. This EP is a fucking must for anyone who loves music and has an open mind.

Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway

Bleak, epic and heavy, I didn’t think Cult of Luna could out do their 2004 album “Salvation”, but after several listens, I knew it to be true. I think the only other band that can write a crescendo like the one at the end of this album would be Godspeed You Black Emperor. This album is truly something I’m fortunate to have, and it feels like only the beginning of something even greater.

Eluveitie - Spirit

Pagan folk metal with a Celtic twist, this album is absolutely enthralling. The backbone of the instrumentation sticks with the drums, guitar and bass, however most of the songs include others as well such as the fiddle, tin and low whistles, uilleann pipes and a bodhrán. Once the introduction track ends, the album does not stop pummeling the listener with aggressive beats and intertwining melodies for a single minute. This is probably one of the more exciting (and one of the more rocking) albums of this year, and the contrast between this album and their EP is nothing short of night and day. I can’t wait to see what this young band does next.

Elysian Blaze - Levitating The Carnal

Creepy and haunting, this one man black metal project from Australia certainly has my attention. While the production might have a tad too much echo for my taste, layered underneath is some solid songs that have repeatedly left me hungry for more. With some of the more experimental doom-ish black metal that I’ve heard, the future should be interesting for anything released under this project name.

Envy - Insomniac Doze

Envy’s last album, “A Dead Sinking Story” is easily my favorite in their discography but Insomniac Doze might have just taken that crown. After repeated listens, it still invokes the same emotions and feelings from when I first put it on and shows an intense and obvious passion for making music that is both loud and beautiful at the same time. Lyrically, this album also plays tricks on me, as I do not speak Japanese. But while I do not know what the words translate to literally, I can certainly feel what they’re trying to convey.

Giant Squid - Metridium Fields

I still have an impossible time describing this album. It’s as if they took various Neurosis albums and decided to add a bit of a doom atmosphere about sinking ships and raging ocean storms. Yet that still does nothing to describe the sound. This is only the band’s first album (and recorded effort as far as I know), so it could be a fluke, but it is an absolutely fantastic listen. The dropped guitar tuning and nearly hypnotic song progressions drone and sludge on as many subtle nuances proceed to drop in and out almost with an unnoticeable grace. Certainly something to speak of for both the metal head, and the progressive rock listener to enjoy without feeling like they’re compromising any type of standard or opinion they may have set up for themselves.

ISIS & Aereogramme - In the Fishtank 14

Not an actual “album” but instead a project where two bands meet, write, and record three songs in two days. This gets a mention here because track 1, “Low Tide” is easily one of the best songs I’ve heard all year. Nine and a half minutes of semi shoe-gazing rock that turns into a percussive wave of head bobbing excellence. But that’s just the first track, the other two still most certainly hold their weight. This isn’t a must for only ISIS and/or Aereogramme fans, but anyone who might be looking for a quick escape from reality.

Nachtmystium - Instinct: Decay

Black Metal from Illinois, styled in the old ways and given some creative new twists. Lead member Azentrius obviously isn’t afraid to try new things and defy any naysayer that might dare to speak up. While this band, nor this album is perfect… it certainly has been something I’ve been coming back to over and over for a while now. These guys prove that you don’t always have to have many layers of sound or complex and lengthy song structures to write good black metal, or music for that matter.

Negurã Bunget - Om

Imagine music that literally sounds as if it’s been carved out of wood, or has been hidden underneath pine cone and forest underbrush for many years. This is exactly what Om sounds like to me. I really didn’t think I’d ever experience something like the first time I listened to their previous album “‘n Crugu Bradului”, but I certainly did with this. However the journey was magnified so much greater, I can’t possibly fathom what they’re going to do next but I am most certainly on the edge of my seat.

Summoning - Oath Bound

Droney, sludgy metal but…. not. This band tends to build all of their themes war-drummed around Lord of the Rings and other fantasy authors, but don’t let that set you off. It’s not a Tolkien worship album, but more like a Tolkien soundtrack; yet an entirely original journey of their own. With a duration of 79 minutes the journey is something that will take several listens to fully digest, but oh is it ever worth it. Once the mighty and triumphant choir finishes repeating the chorus verses at the very end, my hand usually moves to start the album over again for consecutive listens. Absolutely essential.

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

I really liked the previous album “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes” for the rich and unique vision they seem to have. Not only does the band use old school 1950’s Doo-Wop vocal stylings and chain-gang melodies, but has found a way to fuse them with electronic and indie rock instrumentation. This puts TV on the Radio in a league of their own, and proves that mixing generes can be much more interesting than rap-metal. “Return to Cookie Mountain” however takes it up several notches, easily and obviously avoiding any type of fabled sophomore slump. Like many of the critics and articles out there, I will also name drop the song “Wolf Like Me” and declare it one of the best track 1 songs on an album in a long, long time. In a way, it’s almost a shame they started the album with this song because the rest of the ride almost feels like a gradual downhill slope at times. That’s not to say there’s no other great songs on here however, but instead says that like the album, “Wolf Like Me” is one incredible peice of music.

Wolves in the Throne Room - Diadem of 12 Stars

Possibly one of the most beautiful black metal albums I’ve ever heard. The style of this album plays with the conviction of mid-nineties black metal, yet has a soul all its own. An hour in length and only four tracks in size, the album packs a punch that you might not even notice, but that’s not a bad thing. The album can immediately entrance the listener into the passion that was so obviously spent creating it. Not many albums I’ve heard can convey so many emotions at once like this one can and with the elements this band uses to create their music, I can see this one standing the test of time.

Zao - The Fear is What Keeps Us Here

Holy shit Zao still has it. This album is easily their most abrasive and unpalatable albums yet. Not from a snobby “nobody else can possibly like it” point of view, but more from the perspective that they’ve done something to scare off the weak hearted, and it is wonderful. Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana, Neurosis) took the helm of the production and it probably would have been pooched by anyone else. While this album is fairly short in length, it certainly will be on my playlist for a great while and it’s excellent to see an album like this come from a band that has once been ‘dead’ more than once or twice.