Note: Posting this later than usual. I was working a lot of overtime hours last year, and fell much further behind in new album search.
1. “The Crying Game” Metal Guard Pacifica (Progressive Power Metal)
This is a really unique and outstanding album. But it’s strange as it appears it was released in 2018 according to the bands twitter page that hasn’t been updated since then and all the links are broken. Now suddenly the album resurfaced on bandcamp in 2021. I don’t know if it’s a weird strategy to try and get people talking about the band, a legal dispute between people involved, or if the band is even still active. I hope to see more from the band as this is one of the most haunting and unusual albums I have heard. But sadly, projects this ambitious tend not to make it. I sent the Metal Guard Pacifica a message on bandcamp but have not received a reply, so right now all I can do is wait.
2. “9 Mile Square” Crawl Below (Post Doom Metal)
This album was a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of “The Inside Room” by 40 Watt Sun which is one of my favorite albums, and since that band has changed directions musically it’s nice to have a band releasing similar post doom metal. “Feed the Towers Above the Trees” and “Monument” were probably the songs I listen to most this year. But Crawl Below’s earlier material sounds different, so I hope that this is the direction they continue to go in as its currently a rare style.
3. "Shadow of a Fallen Star Pt.1" Seven Sisters (Progressive Power Metal)
An album I keep coming back to a lot because of all the great melodies. The songs are all diverse but unified and make up a really strong album. Really looking forward to Pt.2 of this collection.
4. "Shock to the System" Tower
It’s Sarabeth Linden’s vocal performance that really makes this album shine. Her delivery sort of sounds like a mix of Blackie Lawless from W.A.S.P. and Daniel John Miller from Apollo Ra.
5. “Legacy of Atlantean Kings” Cauldron Born (Power Metal)
A big improvement over the original recordings on “...and Rome Shall Fall”.
6. “Har” Dordeduh (Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal)
A better album then I probably give it credit for. “Dar de duh” is one of my favorite albums so its almost impossible for a band to live up to that hype with a release 9 years later.
7. “Helloween” Helloween
It’s inspiring to see a reunion album so late in a bands career that holds up to their classic material. The Keeper’s albums are a mixed bag and have some songs I really like and some duds. This album is very similar with some really killer tracks and others that are just meh. But when comparing them together I honestly think I like this new album better.
8. "苦楽"(Kuraku) 人間椅子(Ningen-Isu) (Progressive Hard Rock/Doom Metal)
9. Compilation "Dead Lady Gloves" Fathom Nagg (Progressive Thrash/Power Metal)
Really great stuff, it’s a shame the band didn’t make it. You can hear influence from some of Manilla Road’s more thrashy songs.
10. “As Strangers We Depart” Cross Vault (Doom Metal)
Cross Vault have a fairly unique approach to doom metal. It kind of sits in a middle ground not quite traditional doom, or atmospheric. It sort of teeters on what I would call cathedral doom metal, in that it sounds like it would be playing over a bunch of monks during a funeral procession.
11. “Watcher of Skies” Lynx (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
I was surprised by this album. Bands that try really hard to get that classic sound from the 70’s/80’s tend to fall short in actually writing really good songs that stand out when compared to stuff from that time period. Lynx nailed the sound but then managed to put together a really solid album. I found it to be back loaded with the second half of the album having some of the best tracks on the album.
12. "Suffer, Then We're Gone" Mourn the Light (Heavy/Doom Metal)
This album didn’t really jump out at first but it grew on me more with repeat listens.
13. “Certain Death Austerities” Palsied (Death Metal)
This is the only death metal album I found this year that really stood out. The frenzied music is awesome, this is what you would expect to play behind a swarm of humanoid insects in a movie.
14. “Beautiful Distraction” Haunt (Heavy Metal)
Haunts sound quality continues to improve. I don’t think I like the material itself as much as “Flashback” but its still a really good album.
15. "Neon Nights" Küenring (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
16. “Dealin' Death” Vulture (Speed/Thrash Metal)
A good album but there weren’t any really outstanding tracks or any thing new to distinguish itself from the last to albums. Vulture is at their best when they are playing really fast and intense and this album felt slower and more reserved.
17. “Glimt” Glimt (Atmospheric Post-Black Metal)
Reminds me of some of Deafheaven’s material.
18. “Aether” Stellar Descent (Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal)
This style that Stellar Descent and Starless Domain play is starting to grow on me. It can come off as boring, but when I’m in the right mood its very contemplative.
19. "Frozen Bloom" (Olhava Atmospheric Black Metal)
Solid atmospheric black metal album but I didn’t care for the instrumental tracks.
20. “Game Over” U.D.O. (Heavy Metal)
A good album but none of the songs stood out like on the last couple U.D.O. albums.
21. "Black Carpet" Crimson (Heavy Metal)
22. “...and Again into the Light” Panopticon Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal
Very solid album but sounds a bit muddier then the last few Panopticon albums.
23. "A Dismal Repertoire" Choria (Atmospheric Black Metal)
24. "My Nostalgia" Colotyphus (Atmospheric Black Metal)
25. "Tombstone" Swamplord (Stoner Metal)
26. EP “Sisters of the Moon” Trial(Swe) (Heavy Metal)
It’s a good EP, but different sounding then past Trial albums. I don’t know if this is just because these are cover songs, or if this EP marks a new direction they are taking their music in with their new vocalist.
27. “Creatures” Creatures (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
This album is getting mentioned because I really liked the song “Children of the Moon”, which ad a super smooth production and great energy, the rest of the album just didn’t hold up.
