Yeah I was expecting something more along the lines of HTC. It's cool though, I'll check out the rest of the list later, maybe one of these bands will do it for me. And that's great news re: Altar of Plagues.
I know Marrow is like #1 on every single list ever made this year so I guess I'm gonna get shit for that, but I think Ashes is miles ahead. I've just played it again today and it just never fails to blow me away. Objectively, I'd say it depends on whether you prefer the slow, sort of doomy atmospheres (in this case, it's Ashes all the way) or if you want a little more fast-paced, frenzier album.
Obviously I don't agree with everthing (like, Ausserwelt and Immolation so looooow???), but that's still a hell of a list.
Some stuff that I think might/should have made it or at least got an honorable mention
Celeste - Morte(s) Née(s)
Ufomammut - Eve
The Sword - Warp Riders
Shining - Blackjazz
Imperium Dekadenz - Procella Vadens
Maniac Butcher - Masakr
Blasphemophagher - For Chaos, Obscurity and Desolation
Black September - The Forbidden Gates Beyond
I know it's a cliché for people to say "this is not even metal!", but seriously, Torche? SWWW? Deftones? Other than that, not too bad a list, I guess, despite the omission of Negura Bunget, Altar of Plagues and Year of no Light.
I never thought I would say that, but I'm not excited about this song. I don't know if it's the stream quality or the production but I don't hear the sonic awesomeness that usually grabs me by the balls when I listen to this band. It kind of sounds all muddy, but not in what can be a good way. Obviously I'm gonna get this and won't really judge it until I hear the real thing, but damn, I really hope it will sound better.
I hate you so much right now. Any chance you can tell us about the direction they're taking with this one? Is it inspired by Bela Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies as the first song's title suggests?
I guess it's just the right match for the music, at least that's how it should be IMO. Nasty music calls for nasty vocals. Contrast can work too of course, sometimes. I don't know how much metal listeners focus on the vocals anyway, I'd bet at the end of the day for most people it's just another instrument in the mix. You have to get used to it, I didn't like that at all either at first.
So far Belus is still my favorite album released this year, followed by Watain's Lawless Darkness, Year of no Light's Ausserwelt and Immolation's Majesty and Decay. But I know that the new Agalloch is going to end up first, there's just no way around it.
I listened to that new Drudkh album today, it was alright. Maybe it will grow on me.
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