Here is a list of my top albums for 2016. If something isn't on this list, it's because I really didn't listen to a great deal of music that came out this year. Hopefully in 2017 I'll expand a little more. All that is present is incredible work by solid musicians.
10
Ulcerate - Shrines of Paralysis
Ulcerate is the embodiment of a sledgehammer coming down on someone's cranium. Slow it down by tenfold, the anticipation of that rough surface cracking bone. It's coming, you can see it, and you start cringing, knowing it will be the most gruesome, grueling experience of your life. That oppressive atmospheric slowburn to disintegration is what Shrines of Paralysis beckons forth with songs such as Abrogation. Gurgling vocals that match perfectly with the brutality of the guitar work, percussion set to completely paralyze. This is an album that calls forth damnation, total annihilation of will, all thoughts perverted by death, by malice. Favorite tracks -- Abrogation, There Are No Saviours, Shrines of Paralysis
9
Inter Arma - Paradise Gallows
The Cavern felt like it set the bar so high that who the fucks knew if Inter Arma could ever top it. You know who knew they could top it? They did, because they're fucking Inter Arma. Paradise Gallows is what you get when you explore the far reaches of space, it's what you'll find if you go deep enough into the water, the pressure crushing your body to pulp. This band is the epitome of atmospheric, cavernous design. Maddening howls and dire shrieks explode forth on An Archer in the Emptiness, "Oh, how I long for a solitude so pure, free from the uproar of man's loathsome song." Let run wild with the strands of existence, they craft the most ruinous, diligent, sounds of all time. In a sense, they've completely created a universe all their own. Favorite tracks -- An Archer in the Emptiness, Transfiguration, Summer Drones
8
S U R V I V E - RR7349
If not for Stranger Things I know that I personally would have no clue who this band is. Which would be a complete shame. Copter is the song that made me a fan of the band, that music video tho. The high whining synths that come out halfway through the song, the pulsing beats, it feels like a dark alley undercover manhunt, and we all knows things won't end pretty for the gritty offbeat detective. I dare you, walk outside in the fog at six am listening to this album, going to school or to work, and it'll for sure heighten the experience. Do anything while listening to this album and you'll feel like you just stepped into 1983. Vintage gear, vintage sound, put some respeck on S U R VI V E's name. Favorite tracks -- Copter, Cutthroat, A.H.B.
7
True Widow - AVVOLGERE
True Widow is the auditory equivalent to spinning completely out of control into a vortex of dreariness, loneliness, melancholy, and some lovely melodies. O.O.T.P.V. comes across like a traditional True Widow song, crooning vocals, crunchy guitar, chugging bass, and slow churning drums. "We're drowning in our wake," the hazy vocals chant, entrancing the listener in this wake of misery, "we cannot see the sun." This is a band that knows they belong in the musical pantheon, and aren't afraid to mark their place at the table with witchcraft and heresy. Favorite tracks-- Theurgist, O.O.T.P.V., To All He Elong
6
Cough - Still They Pray
This can at times be totally abrasive, an endless gut punch with an iron gauntlet. The pitched tortured screams compliment the chugging bass and thunderous drums. The echoing howls streamed across this record are on point, resonating against every minute with sheer devastation. The keys heighten the pervasive sense of melancholy. This is some beat a motherfucker down without spilling bong water music. The almost whiny highs work perfectly here, the lows are guttural, beckoning forth demons and sacrilege. Bluesy, catchy, stoner rock for the initiated. When the vocals take a breather and the instrumentals are let rip in Shadow of the Torturer, in what is reminiscent to an acid trip into Dante Alighieri's inferno. It's the soundtrack of eternal damnation. Favorite tracks -- Haunter of the Dark, Let it Bleed, Shadow of the Torturer
5
Nothing - Tired of Tomorrow
This gorgeous record is such a worthy follow up to their Relapse Records debut Guilty of Everything. The fuzz on the vocals is used accordingly, the guitars sound louder where applicable, the drums pummeling the speakers. When it wants to be soft, it can be, tuned to just the right frequency to channel the 90s spirit that died with Kurt Cobain. This feels a little more mature, continuing on down the road with a sound all their own, fuzzy vocals, crestfallen harmonies. The guitar work is excellent, the muffled breathy words compliment the atmosphere built around it. The tension builds and erupts in some of the catchiest and most beautifully sculpted songs this band has created thus far. Vertigo Flowers, Abcessive Compulsive Disorder, and Eaten by Worms are my favorite songs on the album.
4
Red Fang - Only Ghosts
The beer chugging mayhem absolutely doesn't end when in the presence of seasoned vets Red Fang. These guys could drink a family of vikings under the table while simultaneously ripping D&D nerds a new asshole. Their brand of destructiveness is as fun as it is grueling. Guttural screams mash perfectly with raspy cleans on songs like Flies. Aaron Beam sings, "You know that I can't sleep, I've been awake for weeks!" With this song opening, one already knows they're in for a bad fucking time.
Favorite tracks -- Flies, Cut it Short, No Air
3
Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch
I'd never heard of Jenny Hval until recently. I saw this album cover pop up on my amazon feed--albums to check out. At first I was confused as to what in the fuck I was listening to, but it slowly grew on me. Right about the time when Jenny replies to her friend's question, "What's this album about, Jenny?" she blissfully admits, "It's about vampires," That is when I knew I was going to love this record. That very sentiment did in fact come to fruition, as I've listened to this album pretty religiously for the past couple months or so since I bought it. This is a clusterfuck of noise, pop, electronics, spoken word, and it all works so well. This record deals with blood in many forms throughout, including a part about finding period blood in her bed, and admitting to taking her birth control pills with Rosé . This, whatever the hell it is, shouldn't work, but it does. Favorite songs-- Female Vampire, Conceptual Romance, Untamed Region
2
Angel Olsen - My Woman
This woman can do absolutely no wrong in my book. What she creates here is separate from what she did on Burn Your Fire for No Witness. I'll admit, that sophomore record is my favorite of her work, but My Woman totally stands on its own and feels like a complete record. This thing goes through the motions, a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Sister is epic at nine minutes, but it doesn't feel like it's that long because it's so good. Shut up, Kiss Me is my favorite track on the album--Sister is also good, and so is Not Gonna Kill You. Fussy rock to soft melodies to synths--she makes it all work. She took a chance, put an incredible amount of hard work into this record and it paid off. I really look forward to what she'll create in the future.
1
Marissa Nadler - Strangers
This album feels closer to Little Hells than it does to July. And that totally works for me because I love Little Hells. There was something a little more electric about Little Hells, that seemed to be missing from July. Don't get me wrong, I also love July. Janie in Love, off of Strangers, reminds me of The Whole is Wide from Little Hells. Using women's names to tell little intricate stories about love lost, suffering, coming to terms with loneliness. Marissa Nadler is everything that is right with music. She is my number one pick for 2016. Long Live Marissa Nadler. Long live freedom. Besides Janie in Love, Katie I know, Nothing Feels the Same, and All the Colors of the Dark are my favorite songs on the album.
Honorable mentions because I was too lazy to write anymore long summaries--
Perturbator - The Uncanny Valley
Electronics be so loud. I don't listen to this sort of music regularly, but this cat, this guy knows how to utilize some catchy synths, pulsing drums, worthy guest vocals. It also comes across pretty aggressive, which is probably why I enjoy it so much. There is absolutely nothing wrong with variety, listening to music outside of metal and punk. Listen to what you want. Fuck what anyone else thinks.
Gatecreeper - Sonoran Depravation
This is a solid record by an extremely heavy band. The quality is on point, the growls are fucking ruthless. The album artwork paints a picture of desert dehydration, man against the elements, and the elements kicking man's ass. It really does work in favor of the music contained within. The guitar work and drumming make this a definite plus for 2016 death metal. I am very much looking forward to more from them in the future.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my list!
10
Ulcerate - Shrines of Paralysis
Ulcerate is the embodiment of a sledgehammer coming down on someone's cranium. Slow it down by tenfold, the anticipation of that rough surface cracking bone. It's coming, you can see it, and you start cringing, knowing it will be the most gruesome, grueling experience of your life. That oppressive atmospheric slowburn to disintegration is what Shrines of Paralysis beckons forth with songs such as Abrogation. Gurgling vocals that match perfectly with the brutality of the guitar work, percussion set to completely paralyze. This is an album that calls forth damnation, total annihilation of will, all thoughts perverted by death, by malice. Favorite tracks -- Abrogation, There Are No Saviours, Shrines of Paralysis
9
Inter Arma - Paradise Gallows
The Cavern felt like it set the bar so high that who the fucks knew if Inter Arma could ever top it. You know who knew they could top it? They did, because they're fucking Inter Arma. Paradise Gallows is what you get when you explore the far reaches of space, it's what you'll find if you go deep enough into the water, the pressure crushing your body to pulp. This band is the epitome of atmospheric, cavernous design. Maddening howls and dire shrieks explode forth on An Archer in the Emptiness, "Oh, how I long for a solitude so pure, free from the uproar of man's loathsome song." Let run wild with the strands of existence, they craft the most ruinous, diligent, sounds of all time. In a sense, they've completely created a universe all their own. Favorite tracks -- An Archer in the Emptiness, Transfiguration, Summer Drones
8
S U R V I V E - RR7349
If not for Stranger Things I know that I personally would have no clue who this band is. Which would be a complete shame. Copter is the song that made me a fan of the band, that music video tho. The high whining synths that come out halfway through the song, the pulsing beats, it feels like a dark alley undercover manhunt, and we all knows things won't end pretty for the gritty offbeat detective. I dare you, walk outside in the fog at six am listening to this album, going to school or to work, and it'll for sure heighten the experience. Do anything while listening to this album and you'll feel like you just stepped into 1983. Vintage gear, vintage sound, put some respeck on S U R VI V E's name. Favorite tracks -- Copter, Cutthroat, A.H.B.
7
True Widow - AVVOLGERE
True Widow is the auditory equivalent to spinning completely out of control into a vortex of dreariness, loneliness, melancholy, and some lovely melodies. O.O.T.P.V. comes across like a traditional True Widow song, crooning vocals, crunchy guitar, chugging bass, and slow churning drums. "We're drowning in our wake," the hazy vocals chant, entrancing the listener in this wake of misery, "we cannot see the sun." This is a band that knows they belong in the musical pantheon, and aren't afraid to mark their place at the table with witchcraft and heresy. Favorite tracks-- Theurgist, O.O.T.P.V., To All He Elong
6
Cough - Still They Pray
This can at times be totally abrasive, an endless gut punch with an iron gauntlet. The pitched tortured screams compliment the chugging bass and thunderous drums. The echoing howls streamed across this record are on point, resonating against every minute with sheer devastation. The keys heighten the pervasive sense of melancholy. This is some beat a motherfucker down without spilling bong water music. The almost whiny highs work perfectly here, the lows are guttural, beckoning forth demons and sacrilege. Bluesy, catchy, stoner rock for the initiated. When the vocals take a breather and the instrumentals are let rip in Shadow of the Torturer, in what is reminiscent to an acid trip into Dante Alighieri's inferno. It's the soundtrack of eternal damnation. Favorite tracks -- Haunter of the Dark, Let it Bleed, Shadow of the Torturer
5
Nothing - Tired of Tomorrow
This gorgeous record is such a worthy follow up to their Relapse Records debut Guilty of Everything. The fuzz on the vocals is used accordingly, the guitars sound louder where applicable, the drums pummeling the speakers. When it wants to be soft, it can be, tuned to just the right frequency to channel the 90s spirit that died with Kurt Cobain. This feels a little more mature, continuing on down the road with a sound all their own, fuzzy vocals, crestfallen harmonies. The guitar work is excellent, the muffled breathy words compliment the atmosphere built around it. The tension builds and erupts in some of the catchiest and most beautifully sculpted songs this band has created thus far. Vertigo Flowers, Abcessive Compulsive Disorder, and Eaten by Worms are my favorite songs on the album.
4
Red Fang - Only Ghosts
The beer chugging mayhem absolutely doesn't end when in the presence of seasoned vets Red Fang. These guys could drink a family of vikings under the table while simultaneously ripping D&D nerds a new asshole. Their brand of destructiveness is as fun as it is grueling. Guttural screams mash perfectly with raspy cleans on songs like Flies. Aaron Beam sings, "You know that I can't sleep, I've been awake for weeks!" With this song opening, one already knows they're in for a bad fucking time.
Favorite tracks -- Flies, Cut it Short, No Air
3
Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch
I'd never heard of Jenny Hval until recently. I saw this album cover pop up on my amazon feed--albums to check out. At first I was confused as to what in the fuck I was listening to, but it slowly grew on me. Right about the time when Jenny replies to her friend's question, "What's this album about, Jenny?" she blissfully admits, "It's about vampires," That is when I knew I was going to love this record. That very sentiment did in fact come to fruition, as I've listened to this album pretty religiously for the past couple months or so since I bought it. This is a clusterfuck of noise, pop, electronics, spoken word, and it all works so well. This record deals with blood in many forms throughout, including a part about finding period blood in her bed, and admitting to taking her birth control pills with Rosé . This, whatever the hell it is, shouldn't work, but it does. Favorite songs-- Female Vampire, Conceptual Romance, Untamed Region
2
Angel Olsen - My Woman
This woman can do absolutely no wrong in my book. What she creates here is separate from what she did on Burn Your Fire for No Witness. I'll admit, that sophomore record is my favorite of her work, but My Woman totally stands on its own and feels like a complete record. This thing goes through the motions, a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Sister is epic at nine minutes, but it doesn't feel like it's that long because it's so good. Shut up, Kiss Me is my favorite track on the album--Sister is also good, and so is Not Gonna Kill You. Fussy rock to soft melodies to synths--she makes it all work. She took a chance, put an incredible amount of hard work into this record and it paid off. I really look forward to what she'll create in the future.
1
Marissa Nadler - Strangers
This album feels closer to Little Hells than it does to July. And that totally works for me because I love Little Hells. There was something a little more electric about Little Hells, that seemed to be missing from July. Don't get me wrong, I also love July. Janie in Love, off of Strangers, reminds me of The Whole is Wide from Little Hells. Using women's names to tell little intricate stories about love lost, suffering, coming to terms with loneliness. Marissa Nadler is everything that is right with music. She is my number one pick for 2016. Long Live Marissa Nadler. Long live freedom. Besides Janie in Love, Katie I know, Nothing Feels the Same, and All the Colors of the Dark are my favorite songs on the album.
Honorable mentions because I was too lazy to write anymore long summaries--
Perturbator - The Uncanny Valley
Electronics be so loud. I don't listen to this sort of music regularly, but this cat, this guy knows how to utilize some catchy synths, pulsing drums, worthy guest vocals. It also comes across pretty aggressive, which is probably why I enjoy it so much. There is absolutely nothing wrong with variety, listening to music outside of metal and punk. Listen to what you want. Fuck what anyone else thinks.
Gatecreeper - Sonoran Depravation
This is a solid record by an extremely heavy band. The quality is on point, the growls are fucking ruthless. The album artwork paints a picture of desert dehydration, man against the elements, and the elements kicking man's ass. It really does work in favor of the music contained within. The guitar work and drumming make this a definite plus for 2016 death metal. I am very much looking forward to more from them in the future.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my list!
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