Gnocchi
Robert Garland
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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70

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 Lists
07.07.21 Nocte's 2021 Halfway Report 03.31.21 Nocte's Q1 2021
12.03.20 A Very Nocte 202011.25.20 2020 Is Not Quite Over Yet
07.07.20 Nocte's 2020 Halfway Report 05.11.20 Recs For Daniel #1
04.03.20 Nocte's 2020 Quarter No. 112.03.19 Nocte's Top 50 of 2019
05.13.19 Nocte's 2019 So Far 12.23.18 Nocte's Best Albums Of 2018
03.29.18 March Madness 2018 Final 03.25.18 March Madness: The Fantastical Four
03.22.18 Nocte's Q1 2018 03.21.18 March Madness: Round 4: Crazy Eights!
03.18.18 March Madness Sweet 16: Round 303.15.18 Sputnik's March Madness Round 2: Final
03.13.18 Sputnik's March Madness Round 1: Divisi03.11.18 Sputnikmusic's March Madness: Round 1,
More »

Nocte's 2020 Halfway Report

You guys know the deal. There's some music, some 'rona, and some ratings. Here's what's notable on my end so far this year:
1Paysage d'Hiver
Im Wald


Black metal album of the year and the same of the decade. If you're sleeping on this two hour icy behemoth, it's time to dive in head first.
2Ulcerate
Stare Into Death and Be Still


It's probably fair to say that this is metal's 'most anticipated' album of the year. Ulcerate didn't disappoint with their most accessible record of their career - without forgetting the very essence that made them so interesting and relevant in modern extreme music.
3Psychonaut
Unfold the God Man


The release date on this one's a bit iffy. Likely it's been picked up by a label and the process has started again. Still, this album is massive blending death metal, progressive and Gojira vibes in a wholesome, enjoyable way.
4Bonny Light Horseman
Bonny Light Horseman


This pick is a little random lined up next to the likes of Ulcerate, Defeated Sanity and Ulthar - but smooth tones, lo-fi, and catchy hooks dominate this folk record.
5Defeated Sanity
The Sanguinary Impetus


Imagine not liking this? I wonder what it's like to have an I.Q. count lower than 30 points. Defeated Sanity is a powerhouse in the brutal death scene and the production on The Sanguinary Impetus is masterful.
6Ulthar
Providence


Death/Black Hybrid with Crust sounds. Extreme metal off to a good start early in the decade.
7Thou
Blessings of the Highest Order


Nirvana worship dressed up as Thou. Need I say more?
8Caligula's Horse
Rise Radiant


Aussie prog rock with some sweet instrumental grasp and intelligent vocal hooks. Rise Radiant is a must have of 2020.
9Esoctrilihum
Eternity Of Shaog


At the rate this guy puts music out we're looking at an easy Eternity of Esoctrilihum. Easy some of the best black metal of the last few years has come from this guy.
10Unreqvited
Empathica


You'll see these guys featured twice on this list. The description below works for both.
11Paradise Lost
Obsidian


Gothic/Doom royalty doing things that royalty do.
12Winterfylleth
The Reckoning Dawn


Infusing parts and pieces of The Harrowing of Heirdom into a wall of Winterfylleth black metal compositions gave life to this successful melding of scenes. The Reckoning Dawn is an excellent return to a black-er metal aesthetic after the band's full folksy offerings.
13Cosmic Putrefaction
The Horizons Towards Which Splendour Withers


Italian death metal. Old school, technical vibes.
14Black Curse
Endless Wound


Death metal featuring all your favourite artists a la Blood Incantation, Khemmis and Primitive Man.
15Allelic
À Contre Vent


Atmospheric, folky black metal with conceptual undertones. Also a project from a resident Sput-user.
16Igorrr
Spirituality and Distortion


feat. Corpsegrinder
17Sweven (SWE)
The Eternal Resonance


Morbus Chron worship disguised as progressive death metal.
18Heaven Shall Burn
Of Truth and Sacrifice


Heaven Shall Burn bounce back from their rather flat Veto. The album itself is also a double disc effort with a lot of material to digest.
19Myrkur
Folkesange


Black metal goes folk tunes in one of the year's best transitional albums. More akin to the likes of a Scandinavian back drop and heritage infused jaunt, Folkesange's climes are more than worth a repeat.
20Ovid's Withering
Terraphage


Technical deathcore. It's thick and it slaps and for a casual adventure into deathcore this is more than okay.
21Feminazgul
No Dawn for Men


Titles are bait, music probably is too. Still, no looking back now.
22Shabaka and the Ancestors
We Are Sent Here By History


Review a random album game yields fruit. Worldly jazz.
23Dwaal
Gospel Of The Vile
24Regarde Les Hommes Tomber
Ascension


One of black metal's more consistent discographys.
25Fluisteraars
Bloem


Black Metal
26Agnes Obel
Myopia
27Polaris (AUS)
The Death of Me


Metalcore. And on a Nocte list. Your eyes have not deceived you.
28Trvth
Process of Adaptation


Also a project from a resident Sput-user.
29Mourir
Animal Bouffe Animal
30Skyforest
A New Dawn


Atmospheric Black metal in the vein of Falls Of Rauros, Fen and others.
31Envy
The Fallen Crimson
32Svart Crown
Wolves Among The Ashes
33Thy Catafalque
Naiv
34Frigoris
...in Stille


Black metal, under the radar.
35Kristian Harting
The Fumes
36Novelists FR
C'est La Vie
37Caspian
On Circles
38Sivyj Yar
Горе


Russian post metal is also quite nice sometimes. With only 20 (current) votes on the site it's a no brainer 'under the radar' release to sink your teeth into.
39Karfagen
Birds of Passage


Long winded progressive rock. The reward comes from multiple spins as layers unravel.
40Porta Nigra
Schöpfungswut


Underrated black metal, pretty artwork.
41Sallow Moth
The Larval Hope


Death metal for moth enthusiasts. The concept is a bit vague, fortunately the music itself does well without it.
42Unreqvited
Mosaic II: la déteste et la détresse


The term 'blackgaze' gets thrown around a fair bit on Sput. Often it's held in some disdain - still Unreqvited continue their consistent trajectory.
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