And now, finally, the last six. These are all close to the top of the list, and are ranked just about in the order I'd set 'em in at the moment. This could change 15 minutes from now, so grain of salt and all that...
(6) Darkthrone – Circle the Wagons: And now, the latest in the “old school Norwegian Black Metal act” series. Lots of people abandoned Darkthrone since it became obvious that they had no interest in making another Transilvanian Hunger. And especially since they started incorporating more Punk influences. And especially since they released an album helpfully titled to instruct their critics to F.O.A.D. (fuck off and die). Darkthrone don’t care what you think. They only care to record what makes them happy. And what makes them happy these days? Old-school Thrash and Speed Metal, NWOBHM bands, Lemmy, and the classics from Bathory and Venom. The result is a blackened charge of adrenaline shot straight into your jugular. Are you supposed to drive really fast singing Black Metal lyrics at the top of your lungs? No? Then Darkthrone is doing everything wrong and having the time of their lives doing it, because this album is as much fun as you can be allowed to have.
(5) Electric Wizard – Black Masses: Groove is not a word you typically associate with the self-described Heaviest Band on the Planet. Instead, you expect to stand in awe of the colossal riffs looming directly before you before they bury you like an avalanche of boulders descending in slow motion through an ocean of wet concrete. But with leaps forward in songwriting and musicianship, the band locks into a Horror-soaked psychedelic groove that tightens and focuses their riffage to the point that it’s almost…gulp…accessible. While every stylistic shift has shaken off fans while garnering the band new ones, this album is sure to do the same. But for those who’ve followed the band all along, this should be a welcome new wrinkle in the cloak of the Electric Wizard.
(4) Triptykon – Eparistera Daimones: (Note: the above video is from the follow-up EP Shatter, because it's a great video.) I admit that I first approached this album with tentative ears. I mean, who knows what can happen when Celtic Frost’s Thomas Gabriel Fischer/Tom G. Warrior takes on a new project? You run the risk of winding up with another Cold Lake on your hands, and nobody wants that. But when you see the welcome work of H.R. Giger adorning the album cover, it’s with a welcome sigh of relief. Thankfully, this album picks up right where the unexpected return-to-form that was Frost’s 2006 release Monotheist left off. Epic, doom-encrusted and heavy. Tom is obviously really quite upset about Celtic Frost’s demise, and it’s that pent-up anger and boiling hatred that fuels this diabolical collection of songs. Plus, the new lineup that he’s assembled is nothing short of perfectly suited to the material, and by the time the first track is over (after 11 minutes!), you’ll cease mourning the demise of the almighty Celtic Frost and hailing the phoenix-like return of Tom G. Warrior.
(3) Rotting Christ – AEALO: I knew when I first heard this that this would be a contender for album of the year; that was back in February, and it’s held up all year long. Rotting Christ have definitely charted out a course that’s resulted in a sound unique to themselves. And here, they’ve incorporated everything from their past (which has ranged from Grindcore to Black Metal to Gothic Metal) to immaculate effect, while also evoking their Hellenic roots through Mediterranean/Eastern melodic influence. It starts off pounding and emotional with martial beats plowing insistently over a Greek chorus of lamentation, and never lets up throughout; conjuring up images of some alternate version of 300 that doesn’t completely suck. Closing with Diamanda Galas’ “Orders From the Dead” is a brilliant move; getting Galas to perform the vocals is a master stroke. I can’t stress enough how much I love this album.
(2) Ghost – Opus Eponymous: The band’s MySpace page describes them as “powerpop/Black Metal/progressive,” and as unlikely as that may sound, it’s not far off. A recent interview placed them as the missing link between ‘70s Hard Rock and Black Metal, and that’s also pretty close. You’ve got Sabbathian guitar chug running alongside Hammond organ and Moog synth lines while sweet harmonies float over the top delivering pop-laden hymns and hosannas to Our Dark Overlord. In other words, if you ever wondered what would happen if Black Sabbath, Kansas, Angel Witch, Sweet, and Mercyful Fate ever went through one of those teleportation things from The Fly at the same time, this is the unholy beast that would emerge from the other side.The attention that Darkthrone’s Fenriz directed to their MySpace page led to a label bidding war, with Rise Above Records being the lucky ducks to land these guys. I say “lucky” because if there’s any justice in this world, and if Satan truly holds sway over this earthly plane, Ghost will be the Next Big Thing. And this album came damned close to the top of the list, if it weren't for the next item...
(1) Enslaved – Axioma Ethica Odini: The more I listen to this, the better it gets. This definitely ups the heavy quotient from their previous album Vertebrae, and still manages to incorporate more progressive elements. The interplay between the blackened rasp of Grutle Kjellson and the clean vocals of Herbrand Larsen has never been better, and this time Herbrand doesn’t sound quite so much like the guy from 311. So it’s got that going for it over Vertebrae, which is nice. It’s album of the year. Easily. And it’s usually REALLY HARD for me to make these kind of calls.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Best Heavy Metal Albums of 2010, Part 2
Continuing on from where we left off, more of some of what I thought was the best.
(12) Twilight – Monument to Time End: I was let down by the first Twilight album. The potential was so huge, though, that it was hard to *not* be let down by whatever resulted. A Black Metal supergroup featuring Blake Judd from Nachtmystium, Imperial from Krieg, Wrest from Leviathan, Malefic from Xasthur, and Hildolf from Draugar? You’re setting yourself up for disappointment no matter what happens. But with this album, they’ve mixed it up a bit. The Black Metal core of Blake, Imperial and Wrest remain, but augmented this time by the mighty Sludge/Stoner/Doom influences of Aaron Turner (Isis), Stavros Giannopolous (The Atlas Moth) and Sanford Parker (producer extraordinaire, Minsk, Buried at Sea). The result is what Nachtmystium’s Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. 2 should have been (and admittedly came close to being). Heavy, throbbing, powerful stuff that’s as adventurous as it is conscious of influence.
(11) Zoroaster – Matador: Two words: Hell. Yeah. They’ve successfully managed to amp up the psychedelia without sacrificing focus, resulting in an album that’s simultaneously spacey and tight, while crushing you under layers of thick, rich, doom-laden guitar tone. It’s not all up to them having one of the best producers in metal (Sanford Parker) on board, either – it’s the stuff that the band brings to the table that ups the ante. These are, simply, some of the best songs they’ve written thus far, and the band’s performances are completely on point throughout the album. The one-two-three punch of opening tracks “D.N.R,” “Ancient Ones” and “Odyssey” just pull you in and keep you furiously nodding along with the music for the rest of the record. Not a weak link to be found here. Yet another album of the year contender.
(10) Danzig – Deth Red Saboath: While this doesn’t really push any boundaries at all, reclaiming ground once lost is often just as worthwhile, if not more so. To get the obvious out of the way, that title is ridiculous. But get past that, and you have what should have basically been Danzig V, instead of the weird shift off the rails that happened between Danzig 4p and now (don’t get me wrong – there are things I like off of every album the guy’s released, but there have been an overabundance of bad ideas and bad production decisions along the way). The production is dry and warm (though this would be better achieved if Glenn and Rick Rubin could get over their differences and collaborate again), and this lineup rocks harder than any band backing Glenn in years. The only problem I have is that the vocals are mixed too high on a few tracks and seem to ride over the instruments rather than seem to be of a piece with them, but other than that, this is a welcome return to form.
(9) Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier: Now this is a change. There are few typical Maiden tracks in the line of “The Trooper” or “Two Minutes to Midnight.” Instead, this is an album of epics. Almost as if they decided to make an album completely of progressive “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”-style songs. As a result, this winds up being their most expansive and exploratory album in years. Some have found this record boring, but I found it a constantly compelling listen (though, admittedly, it did take a few listens to get to that point). I love it when a band pushes itself out of its comfort zone and pulls it off. It’s what makes Maiden a continually relevant band, rather than an entertaining nostalgia act. They still have the chops to challenge themselves and their listeners, and that’s vital to staying relevant in this disposable culture. The album admittedly starts off kind of slow, but it grows as it proceeds, and by the time we hit “The Isle of Avalon” the record is hitting all the peaks it should. Bruce’s voice might lack some of the punch of his earlier recordings, but he suits himself to this material admirably, and the rest of the band turns in solid – as usual! – performances. The production is a little on the soft side, but that’s a small complaint overall.
(8) Ihsahn – After: Just one from the lineup of Norwegian Black Metal veterans on parade this year, the former Emperor frontman has unleashed his most progressive album yet. Like Enslaved further up the list, Ihsahn has transcended the Black Metal genre to become something completely his own, following a logical path from Emperor’s last album Prometheus – The Discipline of Fire & Demise and its boundary-pushing explorations. The new weapon in Ihsahn’s arsenal is his utilization of 8-string guitars, beefing up the bottom end of his playing with the addition of essentially two bass guitar strings. It largely foregoes the obvious Opeth influence of his previous album angL (while still keeping some of that album’s Pink Floydisms) in favor of incorporating elements of Jazz with the addition of saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby from Norway’s “BlackJazz” ensemble Shining. As always, Ihsahn has created a work of art that’s both eye-opening and compulsively listenable. The performances – in particular Ihsahn’s strikingly melodic guitar leads – are astoundingly accomplished, and the production is polished, but not glossy enough to smooth over the more abrasive aspects of the music. Make no mistake: this is a more extreme album than angL, and Ihsahn comes across as angrier and more aggressive than he has in years past. It’s not a return to Wrath of the Tyrant levels of pissed-offness, but it’s a “harder” record than you’d expect from Ihsahn at this point in his life and career.
(7) Burzum – Belus: Okay, I’m not going to even try to justify this. I could go on and on for paragraphs about how I’m trying to separate the art from the artist, and how Varg Vikernes (the sole individual behind Burzum) is a murderous, racist sociopath, and that the ultimate quality of Belus the album makes me want to forget about Varg the person, but I won’t waste your time. Look up Burzum, and if you think you can isolate this man’s recorded work from the things he’s done and said elsewhere, steal the album.
(12) Twilight – Monument to Time End: I was let down by the first Twilight album. The potential was so huge, though, that it was hard to *not* be let down by whatever resulted. A Black Metal supergroup featuring Blake Judd from Nachtmystium, Imperial from Krieg, Wrest from Leviathan, Malefic from Xasthur, and Hildolf from Draugar? You’re setting yourself up for disappointment no matter what happens. But with this album, they’ve mixed it up a bit. The Black Metal core of Blake, Imperial and Wrest remain, but augmented this time by the mighty Sludge/Stoner/Doom influences of Aaron Turner (Isis), Stavros Giannopolous (The Atlas Moth) and Sanford Parker (producer extraordinaire, Minsk, Buried at Sea). The result is what Nachtmystium’s Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. 2 should have been (and admittedly came close to being). Heavy, throbbing, powerful stuff that’s as adventurous as it is conscious of influence.
(11) Zoroaster – Matador: Two words: Hell. Yeah. They’ve successfully managed to amp up the psychedelia without sacrificing focus, resulting in an album that’s simultaneously spacey and tight, while crushing you under layers of thick, rich, doom-laden guitar tone. It’s not all up to them having one of the best producers in metal (Sanford Parker) on board, either – it’s the stuff that the band brings to the table that ups the ante. These are, simply, some of the best songs they’ve written thus far, and the band’s performances are completely on point throughout the album. The one-two-three punch of opening tracks “D.N.R,” “Ancient Ones” and “Odyssey” just pull you in and keep you furiously nodding along with the music for the rest of the record. Not a weak link to be found here. Yet another album of the year contender.
(10) Danzig – Deth Red Saboath: While this doesn’t really push any boundaries at all, reclaiming ground once lost is often just as worthwhile, if not more so. To get the obvious out of the way, that title is ridiculous. But get past that, and you have what should have basically been Danzig V, instead of the weird shift off the rails that happened between Danzig 4p and now (don’t get me wrong – there are things I like off of every album the guy’s released, but there have been an overabundance of bad ideas and bad production decisions along the way). The production is dry and warm (though this would be better achieved if Glenn and Rick Rubin could get over their differences and collaborate again), and this lineup rocks harder than any band backing Glenn in years. The only problem I have is that the vocals are mixed too high on a few tracks and seem to ride over the instruments rather than seem to be of a piece with them, but other than that, this is a welcome return to form.
(9) Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier: Now this is a change. There are few typical Maiden tracks in the line of “The Trooper” or “Two Minutes to Midnight.” Instead, this is an album of epics. Almost as if they decided to make an album completely of progressive “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”-style songs. As a result, this winds up being their most expansive and exploratory album in years. Some have found this record boring, but I found it a constantly compelling listen (though, admittedly, it did take a few listens to get to that point). I love it when a band pushes itself out of its comfort zone and pulls it off. It’s what makes Maiden a continually relevant band, rather than an entertaining nostalgia act. They still have the chops to challenge themselves and their listeners, and that’s vital to staying relevant in this disposable culture. The album admittedly starts off kind of slow, but it grows as it proceeds, and by the time we hit “The Isle of Avalon” the record is hitting all the peaks it should. Bruce’s voice might lack some of the punch of his earlier recordings, but he suits himself to this material admirably, and the rest of the band turns in solid – as usual! – performances. The production is a little on the soft side, but that’s a small complaint overall.
(8) Ihsahn – After: Just one from the lineup of Norwegian Black Metal veterans on parade this year, the former Emperor frontman has unleashed his most progressive album yet. Like Enslaved further up the list, Ihsahn has transcended the Black Metal genre to become something completely his own, following a logical path from Emperor’s last album Prometheus – The Discipline of Fire & Demise and its boundary-pushing explorations. The new weapon in Ihsahn’s arsenal is his utilization of 8-string guitars, beefing up the bottom end of his playing with the addition of essentially two bass guitar strings. It largely foregoes the obvious Opeth influence of his previous album angL (while still keeping some of that album’s Pink Floydisms) in favor of incorporating elements of Jazz with the addition of saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby from Norway’s “BlackJazz” ensemble Shining. As always, Ihsahn has created a work of art that’s both eye-opening and compulsively listenable. The performances – in particular Ihsahn’s strikingly melodic guitar leads – are astoundingly accomplished, and the production is polished, but not glossy enough to smooth over the more abrasive aspects of the music. Make no mistake: this is a more extreme album than angL, and Ihsahn comes across as angrier and more aggressive than he has in years past. It’s not a return to Wrath of the Tyrant levels of pissed-offness, but it’s a “harder” record than you’d expect from Ihsahn at this point in his life and career.
(7) Burzum – Belus: Okay, I’m not going to even try to justify this. I could go on and on for paragraphs about how I’m trying to separate the art from the artist, and how Varg Vikernes (the sole individual behind Burzum) is a murderous, racist sociopath, and that the ultimate quality of Belus the album makes me want to forget about Varg the person, but I won’t waste your time. Look up Burzum, and if you think you can isolate this man’s recorded work from the things he’s done and said elsewhere, steal the album.
The Best Heavy Metal Albums of 2010, Part 1
Once again, sorry for deviating from the subject at hand, but I needed a spot to host this, and to me, Heavy Metal and Horror go together like peanut butter and chocolate. So, in no particular order (except for maybe the top 2 or so spots), let's take a look back at what I consider the best heavy metal offerings of this year:
(18) Watain – Lawless Darkness: This is a controversial release amongst the Black Metal faithful. Some see Watain as having diluted and simplified their music to gain mainstream acceptance. Some see them as always having been posturing clowns playing up an Orthodox Satanism angle to come across as more Eeeeeevillllll, and thus, more marketable. Some are not me. This is a more melodic, yet more serious in tone, extension of their previous album, Sworn to the Dark. Alternating between “chunky, mid-paced” and “pummeling” in the tempo department, and mixing it up with a strong sense of craft in structure and technical ability, there’s a better sense of dymanics on display here than previous. E.’s vocals have evolved from the typical Black Metal shriek to a more raspy shout, still abrasive but more distinguishable from the din than before. And any album that finds a place for Fields of the Nephilim mastermind Carl McCoy (his first guest vocal appearance anywhere outside of the Nephilim universe) is okay in my book. The production is more professional-sounding and modern than many Black Metal purists will find comfortable, and its epic length (75 minutes) may put some off, but it’s like being come at with a polished chrome sledge hammer in slow motion. You can take the time to admire its sleek beauty before it proceeds to bash your skull in.
(17) Accept – Blood of the Nations: The bands that have managed to successfully replace their established frontmen are few and far between. Then there’s Accept. Who could have thought that they could replace Udo Dirkschneider, possessor of the Most Metal Name of All Time? Mention Accept to your garden variety metalhead, and the tiny Teuton is the first thing they’ll think of. But damn it all if Accept didn’t manage to do it, and manage to get it right after a 14-year absence. Blood of the Nations is instantly classic Accept, and classic Heavy Metal. Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank consistently deliver on mighty riffage, the rhythm section of Stefan Schwarzmann and Peter Baltes drive the band like a finely-tuned V-8, and new vocalist Mark Tornillo steps gamely into Udo’s shoes. He’s somewhat similar in style to Udo, keeping his delivery in the same range, but brings his own personality and energy to the mix. It’s a passionate and lively performance that sends this album over whatever expectations I had going in. It’s not the album of the year, but it’s the comeback of the year, hands down.
(16) Finntroll – Nifelvind: The darkness and seriousness of previous album Ur Jordens Djup has been abandoned – with great thanks. That album tried far too hard to scream “hey, we’re not a joke band, people!” and wound up as an accomplished record in purely technical terms, but lacked much of the joyful spirit that has always fueled their best works. It was a necessary move on their part, it seems, because now that they’ve established themselves as a serious force, they’ve regained their confidence. And for a band that’s basically performing songs about trolls, that lighter touch is certainly needed. It might not be as tankard-hoisting anthemic as Nattfodd or Jaktens Tid, but it’s damned fine ale-drinking music nonetheless.
(15) High on Fire – Snakes for the Divine: Stomping, brusing, crushing, rasping, thrashing, screaming, punishing, raging, heavy, heavy, heavy. HoF’s best album to date. No more need be said, because if you dig HoF, what more do you need to know? And if you don’t, I don’t want to hear about it. ‘Nuff said! Excelsior!
(14) Kvelertak – Kvelertak: Black Metal plus Punk plus the hooky melodicism of Turbonegro (minus the blatant Alice Cooper rip-offs of Turbonegro) equals this collection of shout-along (if you can shout along in Norwegian) anthems. Reminiscent at times of later Immortal (or in particular the Immortal sideband I), Kvelertak confidently blend high-octane rock and roll with Black Metal’s intensity with more success on this debut than many bands working this side of the street (I’m looking at you, Satyricon) have managed on any of their most recent albums. If their US label had any sense, they’d have had this out in the States this summer, and would have been pushing “Mjød” as the summer anthem of the year. In a just world, you’d be sick to death of these guys by now.
(13) Grand Magus – Hammer of the North: With no shortage of heavy riffing, wailing leads, and powerful vocals, GM keeps getting better and better with every album, and how they manage to break the law of diminishing returns is an inspiring thing to witness. They continue on their run of winningly combining Stoner/Doom elements with NWOBHM/Judas Priest-style energy and melody into an unrelenting and constantly driving battering ram of catchy, headbanging fury. Why these guys aren’t one of the biggest things going is a mystery to me.
(18) Watain – Lawless Darkness: This is a controversial release amongst the Black Metal faithful. Some see Watain as having diluted and simplified their music to gain mainstream acceptance. Some see them as always having been posturing clowns playing up an Orthodox Satanism angle to come across as more Eeeeeevillllll, and thus, more marketable. Some are not me. This is a more melodic, yet more serious in tone, extension of their previous album, Sworn to the Dark. Alternating between “chunky, mid-paced” and “pummeling” in the tempo department, and mixing it up with a strong sense of craft in structure and technical ability, there’s a better sense of dymanics on display here than previous. E.’s vocals have evolved from the typical Black Metal shriek to a more raspy shout, still abrasive but more distinguishable from the din than before. And any album that finds a place for Fields of the Nephilim mastermind Carl McCoy (his first guest vocal appearance anywhere outside of the Nephilim universe) is okay in my book. The production is more professional-sounding and modern than many Black Metal purists will find comfortable, and its epic length (75 minutes) may put some off, but it’s like being come at with a polished chrome sledge hammer in slow motion. You can take the time to admire its sleek beauty before it proceeds to bash your skull in.
(17) Accept – Blood of the Nations: The bands that have managed to successfully replace their established frontmen are few and far between. Then there’s Accept. Who could have thought that they could replace Udo Dirkschneider, possessor of the Most Metal Name of All Time? Mention Accept to your garden variety metalhead, and the tiny Teuton is the first thing they’ll think of. But damn it all if Accept didn’t manage to do it, and manage to get it right after a 14-year absence. Blood of the Nations is instantly classic Accept, and classic Heavy Metal. Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank consistently deliver on mighty riffage, the rhythm section of Stefan Schwarzmann and Peter Baltes drive the band like a finely-tuned V-8, and new vocalist Mark Tornillo steps gamely into Udo’s shoes. He’s somewhat similar in style to Udo, keeping his delivery in the same range, but brings his own personality and energy to the mix. It’s a passionate and lively performance that sends this album over whatever expectations I had going in. It’s not the album of the year, but it’s the comeback of the year, hands down.
(16) Finntroll – Nifelvind: The darkness and seriousness of previous album Ur Jordens Djup has been abandoned – with great thanks. That album tried far too hard to scream “hey, we’re not a joke band, people!” and wound up as an accomplished record in purely technical terms, but lacked much of the joyful spirit that has always fueled their best works. It was a necessary move on their part, it seems, because now that they’ve established themselves as a serious force, they’ve regained their confidence. And for a band that’s basically performing songs about trolls, that lighter touch is certainly needed. It might not be as tankard-hoisting anthemic as Nattfodd or Jaktens Tid, but it’s damned fine ale-drinking music nonetheless.
(15) High on Fire – Snakes for the Divine: Stomping, brusing, crushing, rasping, thrashing, screaming, punishing, raging, heavy, heavy, heavy. HoF’s best album to date. No more need be said, because if you dig HoF, what more do you need to know? And if you don’t, I don’t want to hear about it. ‘Nuff said! Excelsior!
(14) Kvelertak – Kvelertak: Black Metal plus Punk plus the hooky melodicism of Turbonegro (minus the blatant Alice Cooper rip-offs of Turbonegro) equals this collection of shout-along (if you can shout along in Norwegian) anthems. Reminiscent at times of later Immortal (or in particular the Immortal sideband I), Kvelertak confidently blend high-octane rock and roll with Black Metal’s intensity with more success on this debut than many bands working this side of the street (I’m looking at you, Satyricon) have managed on any of their most recent albums. If their US label had any sense, they’d have had this out in the States this summer, and would have been pushing “Mjød” as the summer anthem of the year. In a just world, you’d be sick to death of these guys by now.
(13) Grand Magus – Hammer of the North: With no shortage of heavy riffing, wailing leads, and powerful vocals, GM keeps getting better and better with every album, and how they manage to break the law of diminishing returns is an inspiring thing to witness. They continue on their run of winningly combining Stoner/Doom elements with NWOBHM/Judas Priest-style energy and melody into an unrelenting and constantly driving battering ram of catchy, headbanging fury. Why these guys aren’t one of the biggest things going is a mystery to me.
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