Jump to content

Notable Year End Lists - 2021


GoatmasterGeneral

Recommended Posts

Decibel is always the first to publish their year end list each November and this year's time has come. Incredibly there are no less than 8 albums on this year's top 40 list which I would consider to be good enough that I'd want to own. I think this has got to be a record, typically I'd find no more than 3 or 4 at the absolute maximum, usually down in the bottom 25%. I don't normally care about any of the year end lists from these various mainstream internet outlets as for me it tends to be a bit of an apples and oranges kind of thing. But I was so dumbstruck that fully 20% of their list was good and my personal 2021 aoty to date is even on the list this year I believe for the first time ever, (albeit at #34) I was compelled to share.

 

https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2021/11/18/spoiler-here-are-decibels-top-40-albums-of-2021/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now I'm not saying that all 8 of these will be making an appearance on my year end list. I'm thinking maybe just 3 or 4 of these will make the grade because there are so many other albums this year that I liked far better. But for anyone who might be interested or curious these are the 8 Goatmaster approved albums from this year's Decibel list:

4. Apparition - Feel
8. Lamp of Murmuur - Submission and Slavery
16. Cerebral Rot - Excretion of Mortality
19. Worm - Foreverglade
26. Craven Idol - Forked Tongues
29. Dungeon Serpent - World of Sorrows
34. Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst
39. Darkthrone - Eternal Hails
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worm, LoM and Spectral Wound are for sure making my list. So 3/40.... that's fairly par-for-the-course when comparing my own list to Decibel's.

Overall, not the worst Decibel list I've seen. But Carcass at number one is meme-worthy cringe. The 2nd worst Carcass album was the best album of the year?? Sure thing guys.... 🙄

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found 5 albums I'd rank high on my AOTY.

Quote

 

36. Mare Cognitum, Solar Paroxysm, I, Voidhanger

34. Spectral Wound, A Diabolic Thirst, Profound Lore

30. Archspire, Bleed the Future, Season of Mist

23. Stormkeep, Tales of Othertime, Van

8. Lamp of Murmuur, Submission and Slavery, Self-released

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Decibel piss me off royally with this list coming out in fucking November ("end of year lists" happen at the end of the year - the clue is in the title!) because they want to beat other sites "to the punch".  More accurately speaking they just want to place an ad for their January edition which I have no problem with but it sort of defeats the point of the concept.

Rant over.  Although...

Bizarrely there are 9 releases on their list that are in consideration for my top thirty.  That's not a normal ratio for me and makes me wonder if the writers got shook up a bit and some new faces are in with a more extreme listening background.  Although having Carcass sat top of the pile makes me think not!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/20/2021 at 5:50 PM, zackflag said:

Overall, not the worst Decibel list I've seen. But Carcass at number one is meme-worthy cringe. The 2nd worst Carcass album was the best album of the year?? Sure thing guys.... 🙄

Yeah, I just can't get into the new Carcass. Too samey and homogenised and the interesting bits don't gel right.

I only just discovered Khemmis had a new album a few minutes ago (when seeing the Blabbermouth review) which came out the day after the Decibel list was published.

So, of the very few albums I recognise on the top 40 list, none are exceptional.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

Decibel piss me off royally with this list coming out in fucking November ("end of year lists" happen at the end of the year - the clue is in the title!) because they want to beat other sites "to the punch".  More accurately speaking they just want to place an ad for their January edition which I have no problem with but it sort of defeats the point of the concept.

 

Three cheers for that. January is soon enough for a retrospective IMO. Annoyed at how the timing of this stuff drives album releases throughout the year, too. "Metal media" lists like this one are marketing tools masquerading as cultural products anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do keep a running list on my computer that I add to during the year as I find more standout albums. But I usually wait til mid January to start curating my final list. Because it seems like I almost always discover a bunch of really good shit right after Christmas & New Years that I want to make sure I have on my list. Usually I don't even have mine ready to post until some time in February.

Agreed metal media lists are pretty pointless, but this one just caught my eye because it had some good shit on it for a change. They must have some new editors who listen to actual metal or something. We used to have a thread just for metal media lists on the other forum but it was more to make fun of them than anything. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

This list although flawed had me laughing out loud at the category titles: Machine Music Presents: The Best Metal of 2021 | Machine Music - מאשין מיוזיק

For the TL:DR crowd

6. INFERNO - Paradeigma

5. Dola - Czasy

4. Antichrist Siege Machine - Purifying Blade

3. Kaatayra - Inpariquipe

2. Suffering Hour - The Cyclic Reckoning

1. Grey Aura - Zwart vierkant

I can't see any of those in my top 10 for this year although that ASM is badass and would be in the running for an honorable mention.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, navybsn said:

This list although flawed had me laughing out loud at the category titles: Machine Music Presents: The Best Metal of 2021 | Machine Music - מאשין מיוזיק

For the TL:DR crowd

6. INFERNO - Paradeigma

5. Dola - Czasy

4. Antichrist Siege Machine - Purifying Blade

3. Kaatayra - Inpariquipe

2. Suffering Hour - The Cyclic Reckoning

1. Grey Aura - Zwart vierkant

I can't see any of those in my top 10 for this year although that ASM is badass and would be in the running for an honorable mention.

I am struggling to find time to listen to that ASM through in one sitting (life is so hectic at present) and so I keep getting snippets or individual tracks which just don't work on their own.  I am hoping the sum of all parts will be more entertaining.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

I am struggling to find time to listen to that ASM through in one sitting (life is so hectic at present) and so I keep getting snippets or individual tracks which just don't work on their own.  I am hoping the sum of all parts will be more entertaining.

I wasn't crazy about it until I saw them live. 

Looking over my notes, it's likely top 25 rather than just outside the top 10.

That linked list reminded me of quite a few releases I've forgotten about. I have the Suffering Hour queued up for tomorrow as one of those that had slipped my mind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/19/2021 at 9:06 PM, GoatmasterGeneral said:

Now I'm not saying that all 8 of these will be making an appearance on my year end list. I'm thinking maybe just 3 or 4 of these will make the grade because there are so many other albums this year that I liked far better. But for anyone who might be interested or curious these are the 8 Goatmaster approved albums from this year's Decibel list:

4. Apparition - Feel
8. Lamp of Murmuur - Submission and Slavery
16. Cerebral Rot - Excretion of Mortality
19. Worm - Foreverglade
26. Craven Idol - Forked Tongues
29. Dungeon Serpent - World of Sorrows
34. Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst
39. Darkthrone - Eternal Hails
 

TBH I had forgotten about that Ruins of Beverast until I saw it on here. Not that it isn't great stuff, but more subdued and underwhelming from what I remember of it. Surprised it made the cut. Maybe a 'credibility' pick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Most of the Metal-Fi crew will remember Surge, or to use his full handle SurgicalBrute. He's a friend of mine from another forum we were on together back in the oughts and a bunch of us have been friends now for over a decade, 12 or 13 years. He happens to live in the Baltimore area so we use his house as the staging area for our MDF adventures every year, usually having a BBQ there on that first Thursday when everyone flies in. (except me I'm close enough to drive in so I bring lots of craft beer with me) We'll end up hanging out and getting drunk and then not bothering to drive into the city to see the Thursday night lineup. Or one year we ended up going back really late just to catch the last two bands, Broken Hope and Immolation, because we had to go back to check into our hotels anyway just a few blocks away and I'm sure his wife was happy to see the party break up.

But anyway...he has started a tradition of posting his year end list on the NCS site every year, he's been doing it for 11 years now since 2010 and it's gone to his head a little bit. I think he fancies himself a low level internet celebrity of sorts and that's cool. But regardless I still like the dude and will happily eat his food and drink his beer come May when supposedly MDF operations are scheduled to resume. I got him to come join the Metal-Fi forum for a bit back in 2020 I guess it was, and he would mostly just drop by and post stuff in the WAYLTN thread every couple of days. But he is a full time college student now in his mid 40's and he's very very busy with that as well as running his full time commercial carpet cleaning business which he does mostly in the evenings when offices are closed. So between school, work, his wife, his menagerie and the never ending hunt for new metal he has not found the time to make the transition over here to metalforum.com, even though he told me twice that he was intending to come by to sign up.

I'm thinking he must have used his winter break between semesters to work on his year end list though because as usual he has made one which I have located this morning and I've decided to post a link to it here because I know a few of you will remember Surge and would enjoy seeing the list of his top 25 metal albums with an additional 12 honorable mentions.  There's some good stuff on there, but obviously you'll only agree with that if you like black & death metal. Last year his list had a whole lot of fuzzy lo-fi black metal on it which was wonderful in my eyes I found a few things I had missed. And there's still some of that on there but this year it seems he has branched out a bit more into some other different stuff as well, have a look for yourselves.

 

 

https://www.nocleansinging.com/2022/01/03/underground-metal-for-the-trve-curmudgeon-surgicalbrutes-best-of-2021-edition/#more-205567

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, so here is a rhetorical ? most of us prolly  have  hashed out many times, is there really an underground in the information age?

I'd say no, not really, as underground implies, to me at least, that the music is hard to find...debatable and as Hungus pointed out, my tastes have somewhat changed but I note a couple of bands-most notably-Worm- found on Surge, GG and just about 80% of any list you can find online. If you follow metal even casually (see me virtually standing up for my bow), and you haven't heard of Worm, ya you really are a casual fan. How is Worm underground? 

Surge has Demiser on his list, a very good album indeed which I first came across on Nine Circles staff list and purchased and would certainly grace my top albums of 21. Link on "Metal Bandcamp"-done. Underground?

Now these are few and far between in terms of the sheer volume of stuff guys like GG, Hungus and Navy listen to and post about, but even AMG will oft highlight a few such offerings and sometimes you'll see them on their year-end lists. 

All of which I posit are good things for fans of dark, heavy music, but it seems the net has broken through the fortress and light now shines through the cracks of the crypt for anyone online with will and interest to find....

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NCS gives Surge some nice press and attention by highlighting his list-so I say let him have his moment. The goats have spoken on a few albums I clearly need to add to my roster-will have to check out Cerebral Rot today. I was sure the Venn diagram crossed circles on at least one band title with Vomit that I was looking forward to add. Alas, there are too many bands with the word vomit for me to keep track.  I myself own Vomitor and Witch Vomit from previous years. Here, we've got Vomit Ritual from GG list, Vomit Spell from Navy's list, and Vomit Forth (demo) from Hungarino. It seems the M-F crew are taken with a variety of forms of vomit that seem to be proprietary but no real cross over. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, markm said:

NCS gives Surge some nice press and attention by highlighting his list-so I say let him have his moment. The goats have spoken on a few albums I clearly need to add to my roster-will have to check out Cerebral Rot today. I was sure the Venn diagram crossed circles on at least one band title with Vomit that I was looking forward to add. Alas, there are too many bands with the word vomit for me to keep track.  I myself own Vomitor and Witch Vomit from previous years. Here, we've got Vomit Ritual from GG list, Vomit Spell from Navy's list, and Vomit Forth (demo) from Hungarino. It seems the M-F crew are taken with a variety of forms of vomit that seem to be proprietary but no real cross over. 

Band names including the word vomit, necro/nekro, goat and/or void make up about 90% of what I listen to! :D 

Speaking of which, NP Nekrovault, one that crushes and I missed from @GoatmasterGeneral's DM list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...