Another year is coming to an end, and because this became a ‚tradition’ we’ve thought that it might be a good opportunity to talk a little bit about the records which gave us the power to continue this hell of a 2018.
Abigor- The Chronicles of Perdition – A band with multiple faces and styles gives us a short and well-written album. Less is more is the motto of the album since all of the songs are just perfect. It’s theatrical and balanced sending the fans in a journey in the deep darkness.
Acherontas– Faustian ethos – the 7th release from this band’s career. One of the best metal bands Greece is having at this very moment. A band which explores new occult grounds using their trademark sound and giving a new vision about things.
A Forest of stars–Grave Mounds and Grave Mistakes– The band keeps invading the world with more and more amazing albums. This album is Victorian flavored mixed with the modern society when opium is not legal anymore. No need for drugs the songs will take you away is a far away land of overwhelming power.
Afsky – Sorg is a classic depressive black metal album that does not disappoint one’s expectations when in need of a “different atmosphere”.
A Perfect Circle– “eat the Elephant” -With Eat the Elephant, Keenan and Howerdel have gone back to basics once more, though not in the way you might expect.
Adversvm-Aion Sitra Ahra first album of the band Adversvm its full of force,slow brutal and filled with chaotic energy.Very less is known about this band and its member/members but he quality of their sound is magnific.They approach lyrical themes such as Mysticism, Theology, End Time, Blasphemy wich are so
compatible with the atmosphere they create.
Agrypnie- Grenzgænger – too many years to wait until this but finally happened! Agrypnie continues to amaze the worldwide fans with their unique post-black sound & voice done in their typical style that is quite hard to miss, with hints of the depressive black metal style, and some whispers and spoken voice here and there.
Alien Weaponry – Tū – The material that the three musicians from New Zealand have released combines traditional Maori instruments and sounds with a modern thrash metal groove that will get you hooked! My personal recommendation is the song „Kai Tangata”, which also has a clip released and features Maori warriors of old charging at one another, in a classical battlefield scene. Did I mention that most songs are sung in Maori? Well, I did now!
Amorphis – Queen of Time “ All it took was one listen of the song “The Bee”, the first track of the album, and I was sold. Not a lot of singers can pull off clean and growls when singing, but Tomi Joutsen is one of those singers who can.
Anna von Hausswolff “Dead Magic” One of the best vocal performances I’ve heard in a long time. Creativity, outside of any box known to man.
Anaal Nathrakh-A New Kind of Horror – Heavy experimental, it’s a riot. Industrial noises and raw metal, the album brings the powerful madness that this band has to offer. Mixed with haunting sensations the album recreates melancholic, brutal murders in an industrial area, where the terrifying screams are covered by the heavy mechanical sounds.
Behemoth-I Loved You at Your Darkest – The band has embraced a more philosophical approach on music, yet they manage to keep the Satanic worshiping flavor that we all love about Behemoth. They cross genres without fearing that they will lose themselves. The artistic level of this album is done by combining the darkness with sensitive subjects. Every song has a message and is a lesson to be learn.
Blutrina- DiscoBallz– hey there grinders! If you are a fan of this genre you should really check out these guys from Timisoara,Romania. Their first EP is as fun as their previous album. Let’s get this Parteeeh started !
Clouds- Dor – Do you think this band is going to stop releasing awesomeness? `cuz we are not ! Another great album characterized by the `D` so I guess we have to eaggerly wait for the next one while we keep listening this on repeate.
Craft, White Noise and Black Metal– The title describes it perfectly. A sweet and short black metal album that pumps slowly the deep abuse of guitar riffs and unsaddling hash vocals. Repetitive but still manage to capture the attentions with sudden changes of riffs and drum beats.
Crescent-The Order of Amenti– If the ancient Egyptian gods wanted to do metal this will be the album. The songs bring to life the gods tragedies, they rise and fall heavily with dramatic intensity. Guitar riffs that either make you strong or hit your heart until you feel you may drop some tears, conquer the songs. Hash vocals join the powerful drums to form an exceptional, god worthy album.
Darvaza- Darkness in Turmoil
Devathorn/Inferno — “Zos Vel Thagirion”
Dödsrit-Spirit Crusher– Meticulous and technical the album is well-written. A band gets to this perfect arrangement of well- balanced infusion of instruments only after they reached a certain musical maturity. You need to understand what are the influences behind your music and what you want to create. The album is unique and tasteful.
Drudkh-They Often See Dreams About The Spring – Ukrainian black metal at its finest. This album takes as back to old Drudkh, powerful and crazy. This album was made for the old fans of the band, and I am happy to hear something as angry and familiar: alternating guitars, crushing drums and mad vocals. Enjoy!
Ennui-End Of The Circle contains three epic songs, according different canons of genre, and sustaining a mind blowing atmosphere of funeral doom/death metal madness.It’s the most dark, inventive and extreme music written by the band to date. Throughout the dismally lumbering pace prolonged songs, Ennui supremely showcases musical technicality in performance and composition without sacrificing melodic and dynamic proficiency.
Funeral Mist-Hekatomb well if there is any way I can describe the album, it is chaos, perversion and blasphemy and so on. This is an album that crafts devastating effective movements through blackened rawness and expansive creativity. Suitably fettered by a core of hateful blackened extremity, Hekatomb strikes the perfect balance between traditional black metal and a more esoteric, individual strain of the blackened plague.
Genune- Cern Sol -this is a very fresh release of 2018. A smooth sound of atmospheric black metal at its finest. A project we might hear again in 2019.
Grá- “Väsen” – oh boy ! One of the best releases for sure. We hope the band will visit us in the next year
Henzel and Gretyl – Satanik Germanik – if you’re into industrial metal then you’ll definitely enjoy listening to „Satanik Germanik” from Henzel and Gretyl. When it comes to the industrial scene, these two musicians from the U.S. are no newcomers, having already released 9 full length albums, in a career spanning more than two decades. I heartily recommend this piece of industrial goodness to anyone who feels like unleashing their inner „cybergoth kid” in a metal way.
Harakiri for the Sky- Arson
Hooded Menace “Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” – “For me, the highlights are the guitars. They’re so epic and lucid, with a conglomerate of melodic guitar to the core. This one though is like a transformation for the band.” With it’s almost psychedelic atmosphere and tons of metal, this album brings comfort and rage sensations at the same time, a true evidence that fine art is not opposed to violent music.
Ingested – The Level Above Human – interested in brutal death metal and deathcore and you haven’t listened to Ingested yet? Well it’s high time you do so! The Brits are at their 4th full length album and they don’t show signs of stopping any time soon.
In the Woods… Cease the Day-A perfect interpretations of a rainy day, the beauty and gentle embrace of a melancholic spirit. The album is a symphony of extreme break downs and peaceful clean vocals. Progressive and warm the It’s a joy to anyone that enjoys this type of music.
Inquinamentum – 8342 – a pleasant surprise among so many atmospheric black metal band albums that we’ve listened to this year. Inquinamentum released „8342” on the 1st of January and it is their 4th full length release.
Kriegsmaschine-Apocalypticists new album is maintaining the rhythmic propulsions the unholy sound they’ve been creating since 2002.I can say that Darkside is like a demon from the Abyss so if you want some marvelous drumming go listen or why not buy the album.
Kroda – Selbstwelt is dark, ominous and ever building, moving and shaking through, as if in a cacophony of rage and anger. All of the full songs are impressively multifaceted, and richly textured, and all of them are home to memorable, soul-stirring melodies.
Lycia- In flickers – In Flickers is an emotionally charged album of deeply personal darkwave sound specific to them. Lycia might be one of the bands who keep their style unique, yet still pushes at the boundaries experimenting with sound.
Manes-”Slow Motion Death Sequence” “Slow Motion Death Sequence” is definitely one of Manes best and unquestionable artworks. It is also an album that stands alone and is truly unique in its own craft, a record for late nights when you desperately search the true meaning of self.
Manii- Sinnets Irrganger
Marduk, Viktoria– The album is a statement that Marduk are still the kings. Every song has its own unique powerful vibe. We get a beautiful combination of melodic and vicious black metal beats. The songs manage to keep you in a trance while making your pulse go crazy.
Mournful Congregation “The Incubus of Karma” Immortality and mortality; future, present, and past. It is a permanent struggle between the inner world and the shallow society and for those who are searching more than earthly delights, Mournful Congregation crafted this album. And I think they have outdone themselves.
Necrophobic “Mark of the Necrogram”– “Mark of the necrogram” is a perfect circle of death, violence, nihilism and destruction. Beautiful album!
Nocturn- Thrones of Deception old school black metal, pure and simple! This album definitely takes you back to the 90’s scene of black metal with clear inspiration taken from bands such as Old Man’s Child, Dissection and many more. All in all, this discographic material deserves a listen from all us „old farts” who grew up with the „sound of the 90s”, if you know what I mean.
Ordinul Negru – Fausthian nights -is one of few Romanian bands of which our underground metal scene can be proud of even beyond our borders.
Orkid- Suruaika (ep) – if you don’t know these guys you should quickly google for them. These bunch of shoegazers have some amazing tunes. And guess what? They are from Romania too.
Portal- ION
Pyreficativm–संसार का पथ is a trip through the space.The tracks are perfect for a meditation and for the lovers of occultism and spirituality this will fit just great.The album focuse on Sitra Ahra, Necrosophia themes that give the album a dark chaotic vibe.
Raventale- Planetarium
Sadaayah- Apopheny of Life
Shining– X Varg Utan Flock – one the most controversial bands around, yet consists of great musicians, Shining released their 10th full lenght. One of the most visible aspects of this release is Kvarforth’s vocals. You will hear a lot of pieces on this album that starts with a stream of melancholy and suddenly explodes into a painfully fast piece of existential trauma.
Shylmagoghnar- Transience
Spectral- Nihilist
SPIRITUAL FRONT – Amour Braque-
some sensual voice and clasical riffs compose all this ambiental, neofolk album released this spring.
Svartdaudi, Revelations of The Red Sword– Icelandic Black Metal, setting new standards for the world. Intensive chaos, the guitar riffs are in a continue battle with the drums, leaving the world of black metal visible shaking. Strong and profound dark this band has made a master piece.
The Black Sorcery-…And the Beast Spake Death from Above is a savage, despotic wall of bestial black/death hellfire crafted from the frozen tundra of Canada. While carrying the cursed torch of ultra-violent black/death metal (AKA war metal), THE BLACK SORCERY does not necessarily mimeograph the exact same artefacts spawned by the overlords of this subgenre; unlike the other vocalists of this subgenre who attempt to offer cavernous, filthy death metal vocals, THE BLACK SORCERY walks in a slightly different pathway by offering glass shattering, piercing, ghastly black metal rooted vocals.
Tribulation- Down Below – this band manages to take you far away from the monotony of a usual show through their music as well as through their image. A purest form of art is expressed through this album.
Valerinne/Mytrip- Ahead Is a Barren Land
Virgin Black- Requiem –pianissimo
Vomitile-Pure Eternal Hate – once again, they capture the true essence of death metal with their new album entitled “Pure Eternal Hate”, which consists of 10 tracks full of punishing riffs, fearsome blasting, sickening low end and growls from hell, so prepare yourselves for a dose of fast, punishing, uncompromising and menacing death fucking metal. With their third album, they return with another killer recording of total annihilation and pure mayhem.
WATAIN– Trident Wolf Eclipse
Wiegedood “De doden hebben het goed III” A rarity in this day and age – an album that demands to be listened to in full. Admirably crafted – an example of how black metal can still sound fresh when played so well.
Wolvennest “Void” With “VOID”, WOLVENNEST will bring you into mysterious emotions and intense musical feelings.
YOB “Our Raw Heart” As is the case with all classic albums, this exceeds being merely a collection of songs. Alternating atmosphere but only from fear to hope, madness to melancholy; this feels like a concept album, one that comes with a warning: this music is highly addictive; use it with caution!
I want to thank my team for being part of this project; this “Best released albums of 2018 ” has been created with their help and support, to which I am very greateful. I would also like to thank our readers and followers who kept an eye open towards our work during the year! See you in 2019 !
~ Din Intunerec team
