Best Metal Albums of 2013, by Matt Hinch

1. Clutch - Earth Rocker (Weathermaker)

I'm unashamed of my total bias towards Clutch. Part of the reason for that is they never release the same album twice. Earth Rocker does just that by being one of Clutch's most energetic albums. Their continual evolution keeps listeners coming back for more. Bar none best band on the planet. Ever.

2. Anciients - Heart of Oak (Season of Mist)

Vancouver's Anciients have had a monster year. From the reception of debut Heart of Oak to a number of high profile tours, their name was everywhere. And with good reason. Heart of Oak takes progressive sludge to the next level with an unstoppable torrent of riffs erupting like geysers and incredible dynamics.

3. SubRosa - More Constant Than the Gods (Profound Lore)

This Salt Lake City group sound so unique with their use of electric violins to compliment their brand of emotionally taxing doom/sludge. I'm a tough bearded dude and this album brings me to tears every time. Heavy as a lead balloon musically and lyrically, Subrosa are only getting better with each release.

4. Vhol - Vhol (Profound Lore)

Aesop Dekker, Mike Scheidt, John Cobbett and Sigrid Sheie. Do I really need to say more? Fine. Severely punked up black metal with touches of classic rock and thrash. It's always pushing forward with determined passion and brilliant performances. I've got my fingers crossed this isn't a one-off.

5. Batillus - Concrete Sustain (Seventh Rule)

Batillus are so heavy it's almost not even fair. Concrete Sustain ups the electronic elements from previous album, Furnace. The album worms its way under your skin where it's nice and warm to escape the heartless chill of the urban landscape. It's been on my phone all year and I have no plans to take it off.

6. Jucifer - Beyond the Volga There is No Land (Nomadic Fortress)

Like Clutch, Jucifer never fall into redundancy. Beyond the Volga centers on WWII Russia and the city of Volgograd. Gazelle Amber Valentine and Edgar Livengood capture the pain and anguish of death as well as the pride and fighting spirit of a proud nation, and then flatten you with it.

7. Cloud Rat - Moksha (Halo of Flies)

I'm pretty sure I hurt myself kitchen-moshing to this one. Not a good idea when you're cooking. But it's hard not to do when something grinds this goddamn hard. Vocalist Madison delivers a performance for the ages (especially on "Vigil") and their cover of Neil Young's "Needle and the Damage Done" is beyond words.

8. Noisem - Agony Defined (A389)

Long live thrash! A bunch of kids barely old enough to shave are shaping the face of thrash to come. Agony Defined is 26 minutes of pure aggression and flat out fun. Ripping guitars, blasting drums and energetic vocals are wrapped around an infectious catchiness. The future of thrash is as bright as a brand new pair of white high-tops.

9. Woe - Withdrawal (Candlelight)

The highest ranking black metal release on my list. (VHOL really, defy categorization.) There's something about the level of personal emotion that comes across on Withdrawal that I just can't shake. Not to mention a raft of absolutely killer riffs. Put your troo or kvlt arguments away. This is great stuff.

10. Windhand - Soma (Relapse)

Female vocalists in doom bands has been a common theme on my listening list this year and there has been none better than Dorthia Cottrell. Regardless of gender, the vocals are just one part of this monstrous record. Insanely heavy stoner doom and haunting drone. I'm surprised the Appalachian Mountains are still standing.

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Four years following the release of their second record “The Cancer Empire”, Swedish/American combo Zonaria have returned with another album full of crushing guitar riffs, solid melodies and commanding leads. Now signed to French label Listenable Records, the band have relied on the same formula that made their previous effort such an instant grabber, although this time they’ve thrown an extra dose of brutality into the mix. The striking melodies and orchestral moments are still present and provide such a wonderful contrast to their more brutal side, but for the most part “Arrival Of The Red Sun” doesn’t mess around.
Marching quickly onward, the band goes for the jugular on every song, blending brutal, thick riffs with crushing grooves and pummelling rhythms that reminds us of later, groovier Hypocrisy and to some extent Samael. Both “The Blood That Must Be Paid” and “Face My Justice” display a quasi-industrial, groovy vibe that is reminiscent of the Swiss. 

We can safely say that these guys certainly know what they're doing and it's pretty much impossible to figure out anything worth complaining about on “Arrival Of The Red Sun”. Sure it’s nothing new, but it’s superbly well done, sure to please fans of Swedish bands such as Hypocrisy and Devian. 

David Alexandre 

Band info: www.facebook.com/ZonariaOfficial 

Label info: www.listenable.net
 

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Baroness last album, the blue one, was as close to perfect as sludgemetal will ever get, so the pressure is on to see if John Baizley and co. can deliver again. Of course they can, not only this highly anticipated new record eclipses the enthralling majesty of “Blue Record”, it’s also heading straight towards the top of the year-end charts. To rise to the challenge, this time they’re doing a few things differently, their music is still richly textured and intricate, blending influences of straight-up sludge, 70’s rock and prog, yet it’s perfectly clear on the very first listening that “Yellow & Green” takes a couple of interesting turns towards a more streamlined and shall I say mainstream rock genre.
The songs have more space to breathe resulting on some of most memorable pieces Baroness have ever created. Pieces such as “Takes My Bones Away”, which is surely one of the catchiest sing-along tune of this summer. Another noticeable change lies in the vocalizations Baroness frontman. Gone are the howls and growls of Baizley, instead the singer now focus on a clean and soulful performance that will surely put all the singing members of Kylesa and Mastodon to shame. I mean, this guy can truly sing.

People can yammer away all they want about the differences between this new effort and previous ones and how Baroness are slowly moving towards a more commercial sound, but who cares? This is still Baroness and they’ve penned one the year’s best albums regardless of what style or genre it fits in. (9/10)

David Alexandre 

Band info: www.baronessmusic.com 

Label info: www.relapse.com
 

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Surprisingly, one of the most ferocious and hard-hitting releases coming from Norway this year wasn’t created by a band covered with paint, dripping with blood or praising the name of Satan. Please meet Purified In Blood, a group of friends with a shared love of metal’s aggression, punk hardcore attitude and a concern for environmental issues.

Guitarist Sander Sagblad Loe and vocalist Hallgeir S. Enoksen talk about metal, veganism and global freedom.

 

Flight of the Dying Sun, the third album from Norway's Purified in Blood, is one of the most potent and surprising records of the year. Filled with bone-crushing riffs, thunderous rhythms and some blistering solos, this new effort touches a wide variety of styles with astounding results. 

In the press sheet, vocalist Hallgeir S. Enoksen defines the new effort as “… the missing link between «Reaper of Souls» and «Under Black Skies»”, adding that “Flight of the Dying Sun” fuses the rawness and intensity of the first record with the more organic and varied sound of the second album. I take it this was conscious decision of the band, to encompass all the traits of your past efforts into this new work right? 

Sander: No, that was never the idea and I would not put to much weight on what Hallgeir said in the press sheet. We always try to look ahead and try to come up with new stuff that we have never done before. So if anything we try to avoid doing what we have done in the past. I am easily bored and I think it is important to always come up with new and exciting stuff to keep myself interested. We will always keep it hard, aggressive and heavy, but still add new dimensions and flavours to keep pushing the boundaries of what you can and can’t do in metal. The idea is to never stagnate. Development and evolution is key. 

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Two years on from their much lauded second album “Under Black Skies”, Norwegians Purified In Blood are back with a new effort and minus a lead singer following the departure of one of their two vocalists, Mr. Glenn Reaper. Not that this change affects or hinders the impact of their hardcore-fuelled death metal attack as the band sounds fiercer and angrier than ever on “Flight Of A Dying Sun”, plus sole vocalist Hallgeir pulls out an incredibly monstrous performance.

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After the stunning “Songs for Burning Lovers” on Deranged Records, former Cursed vocalist Chris Colohan retakes the offensive once more with Burning Love and offer us their second full-length, “Rotten Thing To Say”, a potent blend of punk roughness, rock n roll sleaziness and hardcore aggression.

While Burning Love are not as incendiary or raucous as Cursed were, these songs still pack some furious punch as their share the same fascination for a piss n’ vinegar, boisterous attitude as songs like “Tremors” and “Pigs City 1” clearly illustrate.

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This 35-minute slab of brutal death metal isn’t a bad start for Portugal’s Annihilation. “Against the Storm” is tailor-made for fans of Malevolent Creation, Dying Fetus and the whole US death metal scene as it sees the band specialize in the kind of death attack that is set to create maximum aural damage and is completely devoid of melody or other fancy tricks. This isn’t to say that Annihilation are merely carbon copying albums from the aforementioned acts.

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Vithr is the first project to emerge from the Demonhood stable, a new label founded by the fellows behind Duplicate Records and Neseblod Records, and just as expected, it doesn’t disappoint. Einar Sjursø always has shown a certain talent in finding new and interesting metal projects from Norway and Vithr, which means ‘tree’ in ancient Norwegian, is another great discovery that truly lives up to the high standards set by other groups originating from Bergen like Immortal, Gorgoroth, Taake and Hades.

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Fans of the sadly defunct Usurper will be thrilled to know that the former vocalist/guitarist of the Chicago-based band Rick Scythe is back with a new group and more vintage, crushing metal. 

Unsurprisingly, the band’s debut album “Beware the Scythe” picks up where Usurper last left off with “Criptobeast” and that’s no-frills, death-thrash metal with an old-school bent. Once “The Iron Witch” bursts from the speakers it becomes immediately clear that Rick Scythe still doesn’t give two shits about trends and remains true to his old-school influences, delivering a sleek, heavy and intense metal monster that pummel the ears with the same intensity of Usurper, Impiety and Warhammer.

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On their second full-length effort, Los-Angels based thrashers continue to churn out a memorable, aggressive and no-frills thrash metal onslaught that will appeal to fans of Testament, old Megadeth and Exodus. “Being and Nothingness” really sounds like a record that some of these bands could have made during the height of their early years, offering nine crushing tunes that masterfully recapture the whole spirit and energy of the glory days of speed and thrash. 

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Over the past fifteen years France’s Gorod has been busy as heck establishing themselves as one of most consistent and challenging technical death metal acts. The five-piece recently released their fourth full-length work entitled “A Perfect Absolution” via Listenable Records and Unique Leader and I caught up with guitarist Mat to discuss the details behind this remarkable new effort. 

You guys just got back from a tour with Obscura and Spawn of Possession. How did that go? Were the crowds receptive to your new songs?

“This was the best tour we ever did! Everyone in the crew was nice, friendly and professional, the shows were ridiculously crazy, every band was appreciated and it was like a party every night! Our new songs were expected, and many people came to us to tell us how killer these new songs sound live! We played “Birds of Sulphur”, “The Axe of God” and “Carved in the Wind”. This last one was the most appreciated by the crowd, despite of its duration and its rather cool tempo.”

Any memorable moments happen for you guys on this tour?

“Oh, I think about our show in Vienna, where nobody seemed to know about us. At the door opening, everybody charged the merch booth of Obscura and Spawn, we felt alone behind our merch table. We did the show, and the crowd started to headbang, shake the hands, coming into the pit, and when the show was over, it looked like everybody rushed to the merch booth to have a talk, buy cds and take silly pictures with us! It's really rewarding for us when we can conquer new people, in new places. The welcoming in France was also wonderful, especially in Toulouse and Paris, but we didn't expect less from the crowd here, it's always good to come back in these cities!”

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Two years on from the release of their critically acclaimed EP “The Moulting”, Mares of Thrace are back with a new album that essentially refines some aspects and potentiates the rawer and harsher elements of its predecessor. 
Don’t be fooled by the charming and attractive looks of these two Canadian ladies for they have penned a highly intimidating and raucous record that eschews all that is commercially accessible and aurally pleasing. The aggression in their primal riffs and feral, piercing screams is palpable as the duo comprised by guitarist Thérèse Lanz and drummer Stef MacKichan sound utterly fierce and nasty throughout most of these 43 minutes.

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Drawing inspiration from some of the ugliest bashers in the sludge and doom scene like Sourvein, Rwake and Black Cobra, Biipiigwan’s new EP “Nibaak” is as dangerous and barbaric as the massive bear that adorns its cover.

This EP feels like a natural follow-up to their debut LP “God’s Hooks”, released two years ago as the songs seem to be cut from the same musical cloth. And that means more filthy, abrasive and sludgy doom metal.

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It is curious to note that the best and most feral examples of the classic Swedish d-beat infused death-metal sound comes not from its place of origin, but from the United States. Currently there are no better recreations of a formula that was created by bands like Entombed, Dismember, Driller Killer and Disfear than Trap Them and these five guys called Black Breath.

Merely a year following the release of their explosive and abrasive debut album “Heavy Breathing”, the Seattle group is back with a new album that successfully surpasses all the expectations created by its predecessor.

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Don’t be fooled by the sweet name of Love Sex Machine for this French group offers nothing but filthy and caustic sludge without a single ounce of love or benevolence.

From the abrasive opener “Anal on Deceased Virgin” (they’re not subtle on the lyrical department either) to the asphyxiating final “Warstrike Takes the Piss” this is venomous, corrosive stuff, just as dangerous as shoving some rusty, degraded nails down your throat.

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Santiago Alquimista - Lisbon 

19/01/2012

  

Although tonight’s show isn’t exactly crowded, the excitement surrounding these shows is clear to see on the faces of the few ones that decided to go down to Santiago Alquimista and watch psychedelic rockers Kylesa in action. After all, not only this is the band’s first time in Lisbon, they’ve also brought with them two enthralling and distinct groups, Ken Mode and Circle Takes the Square, as support acts.

The evening starts with the Canadians Ken Mode, who delve straight into the belligerent and compelling sounds of “Obeying The Iron Will...” from their latest effort “Venerable”. The three-piece play their entire set with the lights out, which helps create a dark and mysterious ambience that totally complements their intense and emotional charged performance. It’s a great shame that a large portion of tonight’s crowd is acting with indifference towards this talented bunch.

Second up are Circle Takes the Square, who are a guitarist short tonight, but play a fierce and highly convincing show nonetheless. At times bordering Today is the Day levels of frenzied volume, the band engages in an experimental melange of raucous punk, abrasive noise and rapid-fire blasts of grind throughout nearly 40-minutes. Their set is divided between rabid numbers like “Crowquill” and “In the Nervous Light of Sunday” from their debut album “As the Roots Undo” and schizophrenic and plain puzzling songs like “Way Of Ever-Branching Paths” from their recent EP “Decompositions - Vol I”.

Next is Kylesa, and the crowd goes loud when the band walks into the stage to perform “Said and Done” from their mind-blowing album “Static Tensions”. Despite a few problems in the vocal department, the five-piece are on glorious form tonight playing all the crowd-pleasing tunes like “Tired Climb”, “To Forget” and “Unknown Awareness”. Phillip Cope and Co. doesn’t do much in the way of audience interaction, but that doesn’t seem to irk the crowd, who shows their appreciation for every song very loudly.



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On their previous releases, Canada’s 3 Inches of Blood always walk a fine line between goofy, over-the-top heavy-metal and an infectious blend of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden that tries to pass out the impression they’ve learned all the traits of genuine heavy metal made before them.

With songs like “Metal Woman”, “Leather Lord” and their ridiculously choice for album title, I guess 3 Inches of Blood aren’t the least bit concerned with what their detractors think of them as long as they keep doing what they love to do, and that’s traditional heavy metal.

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Following a lacklustre release “Strychnine.213” released in 2008 (by their own admission, I though it was pretty good) Belgium’s Aborted are back with new album and a revamped line-up, something that shouldn’t surprise us anymore as their career was always agitated with departures and entrances.

Headmaster and sole original member left Sven De Caluwe pulls together another new line up for the band, and emerges on top with an updated and revitalized sound that doesn’t deviate too far from the their standard death/grind rumble.

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While The County Medical Examiners is laying dormant and Cretin is waiting for frontwoman Marissa Martinez to fully attain her womanhood (Marissa was actually born Dan, but that’s a different story) in order to complete the writing of their new album, Matt Widener spent the last two years piecing together some new songs that were meant to be featured in his new solo adventure called Liberteer.

“Better to Day on Your Feet than Die on Your Knees” sees Widener merging the relentless and maniacal grind that both The County Medical Examiners and Cretin are renowned for with some weird ass experimentalisms that includes wind instruments, banjos and epic melodies.

We had the chance to ask Widener the inspirations and drive behind Liberteer and why he’s doing this. Read the answers below.

What was it that made you decide to venture off on your own and release a solo project, rather than once again teaming up with another group?

“I tend to like to work alone. Not for every project, but for many of them. Liberteer is very political and rather than find bandmates with identical views, I thought it easier to charge ahead on my own.”

Did you find it easier to be able to work within your own parameters and schedule, as opposed to work with a group of guys?

“It was much easier on my own. Schedule is most of it. When I work on my own I can utilize a spare hour to make progress on a song. Sometimes my recording opportunities hinge on other people leaving the house, my neighbours, time of day, and so on. If it was a full band with a full band's input, that would become another force in my life, another obligation that would crowd my schedule and weigh me down. It is much more enjoyable to keep this project pure and my own, something I can think about and be excited about, a nice change from my responsibilities. I am in a band called Cretin that has two other members, and I've been in bands before, like Exhumed, so I know what it takes to keep a bunch of guys in playing shape. And if I'm to have multiple bands, I simply don't have the energy or time to juggle them all in that way.”

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If 2010’s effort “In the Absence of Light” saw Abigail Williams straying from their symphonic black metal roots towards a rawer, fiercer and some might say purer take on black metal, with this new album, there are signs that they’re still struggling to find their own identity, now introducing some post-rock, lo-fi and shoegaze elements into their sound.

Fortunately, it seems like that with this new approach in style, Abigail Williams are finally striking a chord with the listeners, favouring substance and depth over those rather dubious clichés that have prevented the band from being taken seriously in the past.

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