Regular Maker's wouldn't make the top 10, but that doesn't make it bad by any means.. Four Roses closer to 4 or 5 depending on the specific version. The single barrel is phenomenal for the usual price. Number 1 at the moment is Eagle Rare, but it is hard to find lately. Redemption High Rye is a very close second. 3 would be Knob Creek Single Barrel Select.
Rest of the top 10 from my current stock in no particular order:
Maker's Mark cask strength
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Woodinville
Elijah Craig Single Barrel
Basil Hayden
Jim Beam Black - essential for my favorite whiskey ginger and the wife's Old Fashions.
What makes each one special? Dunno. Just like the best cheeseburger, you just know one is better than the others. And it depends a lot on what else you have been exposed to. I like each one for different reasons. Taste, mood, finish, ability to obtain, and how I plan to drink them all play a part. There are certainly better bourbons out there (Stagg Jr, Pappy Van Winkle, etc), but price and availability make them less desirable for me.
Regular Wild Turkey is ok, but I prefer others for an everyday drink. I've never had any of their special releases.
Everyday - mixed drinks it's Beam Black. Neat it's Redemption at the moment.
Rob Vigna from Immolation comes to mind as does Luc Lemay from Gorguts.
Steffen Kummerer from Obscura/Thulcandra
Ihsahn
Dagon always blows my mind with what he is able to create. Same could be said for the dude from Bolzer.
My time up there in the main has been in the major cities in all honesty. I have stayed in Edinburgh probably 4 or 5 times a year over the last decade in the run up to COVID, usually in The Witchery being a flash bastard.
That having been said should you ever find yourself in Edinburgh the westside is usually my haunt when working and the Water of Leith walkway usually is a pleasant amble first thing in a morning that I stumbled across by accident one morning going to a meeting. There are occasional standing stones built on the really shallow banks of the river which were kinda neat to see.
We had plans for honeymoon (currently on our third planned date thanks to the pandemic) to get up to the Highlands in a remote cabin but had to cancel in the end. Was looking to do a few nights there then get to an airport to fly out to Bergen to do the Bergen to Oslo railway and try and stay out in the remote hotels along the way before flying back from Oslo after a week to then get back to Scotland and do the Glencoe route again but try and stay somewhere this time.
I am an old metalhead and guitar player who has been in tons of bands and recorded a lot of music, but in the end I really just want to hear good new stuff, and with covid and being hurt myself and at home I am disconnected completely from rehearsals, shows, and all the outlets I used to have to get turned on to new music, and new musicians. I also produce and write and make music at home now, as it is insanely easy with DAW's compared to cutting physical tape in a studio for 14 hours a day.
So just looking to get connected with people making, listening to, and loving music.
NAPALM DEATH - From Enslavement To Obliteration
.....still among my favourite ND records....
NACHTMYSTIUM - Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. 2
....I guess I'm in a select club of one for this band....
Enjoyable but the least of their discography. I had high hopes too, but post-Nevermore, neither Dane nor Loomis have done anything that has been able to compete. It came up on random shuffle so I let it roll since it's been awhile. All I really need from them is Refuge Denied and Mirror Black, but the other albums serve to show how good those are from time to time.
Got so busy mucking about with death metal tonight I neglected to notice Ossaert and Desaster both dropped new albums. 4am the Europeans are waking up to poach their eggs fry their sausies and bake their beans, time for this old goat to retire for the evening after this post.
Ossaert - Pelgrimsoord, bm Netherlands
Cirith Gorgor - Onwards to the Spectral Defile, bm Netherlands
Thy Light - Infinite Stars Thereof, atmo depressive bm Brazil
Phreneticum - Der Stille Zerfall, German atmo-black
Old Forest - Mournfall, black/doom UK
Desaster - Learn to Love the Void, from Churches Without Saints, more of the same
I did that with the Mercyful Fate reissues last year and ended up with 2 copies each of DBTO and Melissa.
Have one of the pre-order limited editions (orange and black splatter) myself.
I just pre-ordered the new In the Woods - Heart of the Ages reissue from Holy Roller.
Enjoyable but the least of their discography. I had high hopes too, but post-Nevermore, neither Dane nor Loomis have done anything that has been able to compete. It came up on random shuffle so I let it roll since it's been awhile. All I really need from them is Refuge Denied and Mirror Black, but the other albums serve to show how good those are from time to time.
I almost can't believe that I haven't stumbled across this thread yet until just this past weekend. Being a black metal maniac who generally prefers the more modern 21st century stuff over the old 20th century "classics" and also being the ultimate list making fool this thread was made for me. Anyone who thinks all the best black metal has already been made in the 90's doesn't know what the fuck they're talking about. Reading over the previous lists I can see that I have a distinctly different take on modern black metal from everyone who has posted a list here before me, so that makes it all the more compelling to take a stab at this. I'm not even gonna try to rank these in any kind of order and I won't bother trying to limit myself to just 10 because that's just a stupid random meaningless number. I'm just gonna start listing my most cherished 21st century black metal favorites off the top of my head and see where it goes until I get to 13 or 17 or 22 or 36 or however many I come up with, and then I suppose when I'm done I'll stop. There will be no black/death, no black/thrash, no blackened derivatives of any kind, I'm gonna keep this to just straight up no frills black metal.
Inquisition - Nefarious Dismal Orations 2007
This is not only my favorite black metal album, but it's also pretty much what I consider to be the absolute greatest metal album of all time right here, it just doesn't get any better than this for me. Doesn't strictly adhere to the classic early 90's Darkthrone template that many of my bm favorites will, but Dagon blazed his own sound and this 2007 album was where he reached the absolute pinnacle afaic. I could list several Inquisition albums here because honestly imo no one does black metal better than they do. Certainly Ominous Doctrines is deserving and really everything else they've put out since 2002 deserves to make my list on its own as well but for the sake of having an interesting and varied list I'll keep it to one album per band.
Murg - Varg & Björn 2015
Wolf & Bear. This debut album took me by complete surprise in 2015. Probably my most played album of the last decade. I couldn't get enough of this one when it was new and it is still in heavy regular rotation along with their other two albums to this day. Since we flipped the calendar to 2020 I have often thought about making a greatest metal albums of the 2010's list. And although I have yet to make said list, unquestionably this would be my #1.
Ordinance - In Purge There Is no Remission 2020
This was such an awesome gift last year, from a band who put out an incredible debut in 2014 that flew under most people's radar. Nice to see them bring the heat and manage to top it in 2020. I'd be happy to wait 6 years for any band's 2nd album if this is what they'll deliver. I loved their debut and it would have easily made this list on its own merits, but the follow-up is an absolute riff monster, this album slays from top to bottom.
Archgoat - Whore of Bethlehem 2006
I guess we can call this goat metal, bestial black or black/death...whatever you wanna call the Archgoat sound, the fact is no one does what they do better. Saw them live only once at some little shithole bar in Denver, the evil power trio in the flesh and they laid waste. Would have seen them a second time a year ago at MDF but they cancelled that shit and then went ahead and cancelled it again this past weekend so who knows if I'll ever get the chance to see them again. This is by far their best album although nothing of theirs could ever be called bad.
Cultes des Ghoules - Henbane, ...or Sonic Compendium of the Black Arts 2013
Not your typical blast beat happy tremolo picked affair, they're slower more deliberate and they give me very theatrical feeling, like everyday is Halloween. And they have a thick crunchy nasty guitar tone to die for. Definitely one of a kind, no one sounds quite like these Poles and this is their pinnacle. My buddy says he likes 2016's Coven a little more I think but it's like 2 hours long I either have to go do something else or I'll fall asleep before it's over. This was their masterpiece, the one that put them on the map.
Martwa Aura - Morbus Animus 2020
Not sure why nobody talks about these Polish black metal badasses. Lot of cool Poilish black metal has come out since the turn of the century, they have become a black metal hotspot and these dudes are deffo one of the better ones. Better than Mgla, better than Deus Mortem, better than Batushka and better than most of the rest as well imo.
Megiddo - The Devil and the Whore 2000
This 2000 debut album just makes the millennial cutoff, one of those one man band deals by a raspy voiced Canadian who goes by Chorazaim. All his stuff is very good, just 3 full lengths and a few splits and demos in over 20 years, but this is the best one. Nothing fancy going on here, not a challenging listen or anything, just straightforward mostly mid-paced stripped down black metal with the guitar tone from hell. Works for me.
Armagedda - Only True Believers 2003
I tend to like my black metal angry, caustic, melodic, riffy and headbanging. These Swedes deliver here on all counts in spades and this has been a long time favorite album of mine. This is the only album of theirs that I can say I truly love but at least we got this one.
Blodsrit - Helveteshymner 2004
Another Swedish band, this is an absolute bm classic every black metaller should own. As the story goes the album was written by the dude Yxmander after he was fired from a teaching posiition (for being in this band ironically) and understandably in the aftermath he was pissed off at the world, felt life was hell and he was near suicidal. Glad he decided to keep on living and write this album and then 4 more.
Morrigan - Celts 2003
I LOVE this German band, everything they've ever done has been from fucking great to motherfucking monumental...right up until their final full length in 2013 which totally sucked ass so I pretend t doesn't exist. Unfortunate for a band to go out on a bum note like that but at least we have the first 6 stellar full lengths. Formed out of the ashes of Mayhemic Truth (which is an album worth tracking down) This is the best Bathory worship I have ever heard, they mix the early black metal period with the later viking period and it just works so fucking well, absolutely incredible, I like these dudes even more than Bathory hands down.
Schrat - Schattenwahn 2011
Discovered these guys a few years ago in 2018 when their latest Alptraumgänger came out, and that album is great. But I did some digging and it turned out this one from 2011 might be even better. I do like the German take on black metal, vicious, riffy and infectious. Patiently waiting for their next album.
Magoth - Anti Terrestrial Black Metal 2017
This album is just as good to me now as it was in 2017. Sadly their 2018 follow up was not as good. But they're young yet so I have faith they can bounce back and give me another Ani Terrestrial.
Totenwache - Der Schwarze Hort 2019
Another younger German band, this their debut was immensely good, the EP last year not as good, but still I remain hopeful for what might come next.
Eternity - Funeral Mass 2007
Another largely unknown German band, these guys have been "on hold" since 2012 but this the second of their 3 full lengths from '07 is stunning. A must have for any black metal collection.
Graven - Perished And Forgotten 2002
Guess I might as well just get all of the Germans out of the way in one shot here. This band is listed as "active" but they put out two full lengths in '02 & '05, this being the former and better of the two, and then they were never heard from again. Perished and Forgotten indeed.
Rienaus - Saatanalle 2017
Finland strikes again. Rienaus is Finnish for Blasphemy. If someone were to ask me what is the sound I look for in my black metal I might refer them to this record as a good example. Riffy, melodic and harsh as fuck as only the Finns can do it. Mavrofos' vocals are perfect here. This is only their second full length, I hope there will be many more.
Kludde - In de Kwelm 2019
Funny how with a little distance and a little perspective the albums that end up sticking with you from a given year can be very different from what you might've thought they'd be at the time. This is one of those albums that's grown on me quite a bit over the last 2 years. They released an album in 2008 and then the follow up was 2019. A strange blend of black metal and stoner sludge that somehow works. But don't let that description fool you, they're most definitely a black metal band.
Blut aus Nord - Hallucinogen 2019
I probably would have gone with The Work Which Transforms God to represent BAN, but then in 2019 they dropped this gem. This has been a real grower for me. It wasn't even in my top 10 when I made my best of 2019 black metal list, in fact it came in at #24. But if I were to make that list over again now it would be top 3. Love the trippy lead work and it's catchy as fuck, nothing else sounds quite like this album in their catalog, I probably still play it a couple times a month at least.
Forteresse - Thèmes Pour la Rébellion 2016
What can I say about these French Canadians? Nothing else they've done prior to this has hit me in quite the same way but this 2016 album was absolutely breathtaking. Majestic as fuck, this album kills. It's been 5 years now, patiently waiting for these Quebecois to put out a follow-up.
Spectral Wound - Infernal Decadence 2018
Could have chosen the new one as it's still my frontrunner for album of the year this year but their last one is just as good and I'm more familiar with it. Solid Quebecois Noir.
Monarque - Ad Nauseam 2009
Another one of my favorite Quebecois Noir bands. They can have a bit of a melancholy lilt to them at times but they still bring the heat. This is their best album but all their stuff is good.
Aegrus - Devotion for the Devil 2015
Yeah, we're back to Finland again, can't help it they just have too many killer bands. This is so damn good, better than anything they've done since. Every band can't be heavyweight sluggers like Darkthrone or Inquisition and hit a home run every time at bat. But if every band has at least one really special album in them well this is theirs.
Havukruunu - Havulinnaan 2015
If you haven't heard this debut album yet you've been missing out. Came blowing into town like a chilly Finnish breath of fresh air in 2015, nothing else sounds quite like it and nothing else they've ever done has been up to the standard they set with this one. So OK looks like we won't get an actual part 2 but god damn this record smokes.
Odious Devotion - Odious Devotion 2018
Masterpiece of Finnish black metal. Can't get enough of this one since the first time I heard it. Has an atmospheric track in the middle which I think adds to it, if only they could have shit canned the pointelss 2:45 minutes of static they used as an intro track and just started right in with the metal this album could have been 100/100.
Diaboli - Wiking Division 2015
Love this band, which is really just one lone Finn ex-con named Pete, I find it nearly impossible to pick a definitive favorite Diaboli release as they're all so damn good. I think this one is probably my favorite more often than it's not, although ask me tomorrow or next week and I'll probably have a different title for you, maybe The Antichrist or Kirous. Doesn't matter, any way you look at it you'll need to get them all anyway.
Tsjuder - Desert Northern Hell 2004
Big, slick, mainstreamy, riffy and OTT but I love this album. The fact that their drummer looks a bit like Krusty the Clown doesn't even deter me from loving this. This album always sounds quintessentially Swedish to me but they're actually Norweigian. DNH never falls too far out of rotation either, hard to believe this record's 17 years old now.
Darkthrone - Sardonic Wrath 2004
Couldn't not have a Darkthrone album on my list, that'd be unthinkable. Even though I probably like their newer stuff just a wee little better the problem is I really don't really consider what they do to be black metal anymore since about 2006's awesome The Cult is Alive. I do love Darkthrone's much maligned and sadly unappreciated "middle period" as much as any of their phases though. I'd say the middle period consists of everything from '96 Total Death up to this one in 2004. Hard to pick a clear favorite, I do like Ravishing Grimness and Plaguewielder quite a bit too but for my money this is probably the best one from that era.
Owl's Blood - Cold Night of Meditation 2014
A sleeper from out of nowhere, sounds like it's straight from the icy fjords of...Basque Country? You don't hear much about these Spaniards they seemed to have fallen off the map but this album is fucking awesome and I play it a lot still. Sounds so Nordic, I often wonder if they squint real hard if they can almost see the aurora borealis from Bilbao?
Oath - Saatanan Myrsky Yllä Pyhän Maan 2014
Both of these dudes were in multiple Finnblack projects and they've since disbanded back in '16 after their 2nd album. But this one, their first album, is fire. Love how they get that fuzzy distant production. I know a lot of people like to complain about the intentional fuzzy production a lot of black metal bands employ, but I say fuck 'em if they don't get it.
Azaghal - Omega 2008
These Finns have a ton of albums out, one of my most listened to bm bands over the years. This is probably their best effort, I go back and forth between this one and the following one from '09 Teraphim. Finnish black metal is the sweet spot for me in case you haven't noticed, no other country balances melodicism with causticity and brutality better than the Finns.
Horna - Sanojesi Äärelle 2009
Another legendary favorite Finnish band, formed in '94 they have a shit ton of records out too. Not gonna count up all the splits n shit but altogether probably more than Azaghal. Hard to pick a single favorite as they have so many really good ones. Gun to head I'll pick this one as it's 14 tracks, 85 minutes of catchy badassery, every track a headbanger it just never quits.
Baptism - Grim Arts of Melancholy 2008
Yeah it probably seems like this list is becoming a virtual who's who of Finnish black metal but I can't help it that the Finns are so fucking good at black metal. This band is one of the best to hail from that vodka swilling, sauna sweating, church burning, goat humping land (I'm sure the Laplanders hump their fair share of reindeer too) and this record is fucking sick. The first 3 full lengths really and the Wisdom & Hate EP are all fucking sick, just do yourself a favor, bite the bullet and collect the whole damn set.
Urgehal - Goatcraft Torment 2006
Always forget that these guys were Norwegian, for some reason I always wanna think they were German. I've always loved this album's opening battle cry: This is Satanic black metal! before they lay waste to my earholes. As previously mentioned here on the board a few weeks ago it all fell apart when Trondr Nefas (guitar vox) died tragically in his sleep in 2012 just two weeks shy of his 35th birthday. Much too young to be taken from us but we still have his music.
Krypt - Preludes to Death 2008
One and done classic black metal album from these Norwegians. M-A has them listed as active still, but 13 years later we haven't heard another peep from them.
Hovmod - Doedsformasjon 2019
A younger Norwegian band this is their first and only release so far, and they fucking killed it. Shows me there is still hope that young black metal bands can pick up the torch and keep the black arts going strong for the next generation.
Nattefrost - Blood & Vomit 2004
Only just dicovered this one a few years ago but holy shit does it fucking rip. This is not progressive or complex or innovative in any way like I'm sure lots of you are probably looking for in your music. It's pretty simple and basic really but it makes my list for pure unbridled fury alone. The unrestrained hateful aggression is a big part of why I love black metal so much, I find it very cathartic. Good for my mental health.
Hate Forest - Purity 2003
Right from the opening track Domination this one lays it down. These Ukrainians sound like they're pissed off and they mean business. Main man Roman Saenko also went on to form some other Ukranian bands you might have heard of, Drudkh, Rattenfanger, Blood of Kingu...but none of them could ever top Hate Forest.
Alright I reckon that's enough for now, I could easily list another 25 albums but I bet no one's even still reading this anymore all the way down here. But I had fun compiling this list and that's all that matters to me.
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