Nocte's 2021 Halfway Report
List may or may not include metal albums...also no criteria, just music and a few links. |
| 1 |  | Revulsion (Fin)
Revulsion
Despite being released in February this was the first album slated for a 2021 release I heard. Revulsion's brand of death metal is bludgeoning, straight-forward and filled to the brim with grim, groove laden riffs.
https://revulsiondeath.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled-death-metal |
| 2 |  | Abiotic
Ikigai
This was bold for a comeback album, filled to the brim with guest artists and promise. Technical metal that skews somewhere towards the realms of deathcore, Ikigai was a passable if somewhat overhyped record.
https://abiotic.bandcamp.com/ |
| 3 |  | The Scalar Process
Coagulative Matter
Technical death metal with black metal flourishes hailing from France. For fans of Fractal Universe and Archspire that put technical metal on the front foot early in the year.
https://thescalarprocess.bandcamp.com/ |
| 4 |  | Malakhim
Theion
Blackened Death Metal out of Sweden.
https://malakhim.bandcamp.com/ |
| 5 | | Demon King
The Final Tyrrany
From ex-Vital Remains and Inferi members, Demon King continue the year's trajectory for deathly/black metal.
https://demonking.bandcamp.com/ |
| 6 |  | The Lylat Continuum
Ephemeral
Lyrically, the album is about a mobile suit pilot who wakes up to a battlefield of dead enemies and allies. Our pilot has been left stranded and appears to be fatally wounded resulting in hallucinations and introspective thought. During this psychedelic trip, an epiphany occurs and action is taken to right the wrongs of the past before his inevitable demise.
https://thelylatcontinuum.bandcamp.com/releases |
| 7 |  | Sagenland
Oale groond
Black Metal from the Scandinavian region. Ulver die-hards to the core.
https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/oale-groond |
| 8 |  | Stortregn
Impermanence
Rich atmospheres and technical riffs spray from a speaker set, Impermanence should somehow make it onto you "to check list".
https://stortregn.bandcamp.com/ |
| 9 |  | The Ruins of Beverast
The Thule Grimoires
If you were looking for an album of the year contender in the first month of the year you wouldn't need to look past The Thule Grimoires.
https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/the-thule-grimoires |
| 10 |  | Ritualist
An Audience of Desolation
Featuring the occasional djenty-boi riff and deathcore tendencies, Ritualist goes alright.
https://ritualistmi.bandcamp.com/album/an-audience-of-desolation |
| 11 |  | Fugue Tomb
Shattered Identity
Perth based sludge from the sunny shores of Australia
https://fuguetomb.bandcamp.com/ |
| 12 |  | Celestial Swarm
Gateways to the Necroverse
Multi-national musicians make blackened death metal. Oh, and it rips.
https://celestialswarm.bandcamp.com/album/gateways-to-the-necroverse |
| 13 |  | Thundering Hooves
Vestiges
Thundering Hooves are a two-man band based in the South of England. Their sound is built on a backbone forged of blackened metal, with prominent streaks of death and doom, as well as classic metal flourishes, resulting in a potent brew of influences.
https://thunderinghooves.bandcamp.com/releases |
| 14 |  | Gatecreeper
An Unexpected Reality
An EP of two halves: short, frantic grindcore in the vein of ENT followed by one super long, crushing, funereal doom track.
https://gatecreeper.bandcamp.com/ |
| 15 |  | Alkerdeel
Slonk
Alkerdeel spits out black doom metal with blown out live production, grinding guitars, blasting distorted drums, filthy vocals, all very heavy, doomy and even psychedelic. Essential for fans of Darkthrone, Burning Witch, Beherit and Meth Drinker … as well as other practitioners of grim buzz and noise.
https://alkerdeel.bandcamp.com/album/slonk |
| 16 |  | MARASMUS
Necrotic Overlord
It slams, it deaths - fuck it. Necrotic Overlord is a fun time.
https://marasmusdeath.bandcamp.com |
| 17 |  | Repaid In Blood
Reflective Duality
Repaid In Blood is a CA Bay Area metal band, whose roots are firmly planted in death metal and metalcore. Taking the best of both subgenres.
https://repaidinblood.bandcamp.com/ |
| 18 |  | Slytherin
When the Darkness Comes
Harry Potter Blackened-core
https://slytherin-black.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-darkness-comes |
| 19 |  | Ingested
Stinking Cesspool of Liquified Human Remnants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d3lwNDOLfs |
| 20 |  | Fractal Generator
Macrocosmos
"Macrocosmos tells the story of future humans travelling a distant solar system who discover evidence that the universe is a simulation. The word Macrocosmos refers to the existence of larger "universes" that encompass our tiny known universe.
https://everlastingspewrecords.bandcamp.com/album/macrocosmos |
| 21 |  | Culted
Nous
Released through the infamous Season Of Mist, Nous is a blackened doom masterclass in 2021.
https://culted.bandcamp.com/ |
| 22 |  | Aversed
Impermanent
Death Metal, Black Metal, Strings and Vibes.
https://aversed.bandcamp.com/ |
| 23 |  | Ominous Ruin
Amidst Voices That Echo In Stone
8-string guitars, dynamic 6-string fretted and fretless basses, punishing drums and incredibly dynamic and unique vocals. Yeah, it's got some chomp to go with the chunk.
https://ominousruin.bandcamp.com/album/amidst-voices-that-echo-in-stone |
| 24 |  | Stass
Songs of Flesh and Decay
You guessed it: more death metal.
https://emanzipation.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-flesh-and-decay |
| 25 |  | Felgrave
A Waning Light
Death/Doom in the vein of Evoken. Just don't hype too much and you'll be okay.
https://felgrave.bandcamp.com/releases |
| 26 |  | AUTARKH
Form in Motion
To misquote Allen Ginsburg "the DODECAHEDRON is broken. But with death comes rebirth." AUTARKH takes a radical approach to their musical assault, consuming the listener with dizzying maelstroms of chaos. ‘Form In Motion’ embodies the word “extreme,” putting forth an intrusive battery of blistering guitars, pummeling drums, spastic math metal salvos and cacophonous electronics that culminates in one of the most robust and daring debut records metal has seen yet.
https://autarkh.bandcamp.com/ |
| 27 |  | Omnikinetic
Descensum
Avant-garde death whatchamacallit from Portland.
https://omnikinetic.bandcamp.com |
| 28 | | The Tower
I'm an Astronaut |
| 29 |  | The Design Abstract
Technotheism
Cyber/Spacey Deathcore with orchestral tid-bits. It's out there (haha) but progressive enough to turn a head or two.
https://design.bandcamp.com/album/technotheism |
| 30 |  | Fuath
II
Translated from “hatred” in Gaelic, FUATH is the atmospheric black metal offshoot of SAOR’s Andy Marshall.
Taking inspiration from arguably black metal’s most fertile and explosive period — the early to mid-1990s — the music channels the unrelenting tenor and iciness of forebears DARKTHRONE and MAYHEM, as well as the mystery and atmosphere of bands like WINDIR.
https://fuath.bandcamp.com/ |
| 31 |  | Asphyx
Necroceros
Necroceros is familiar, maybe too familiar - but in a casual setting ticks all the right boxes. |
| 32 |  | Les Chants de Nihil
Le Tyran Et L'esthète
I was originally drawn to the artwork. But maybe there's something about these French black metal artists that just tickle my pickle.
https://leschantsdenihil.bandcamp.com/album/le-tyran-et-lesth-te |
| 33 | | Unflesh
Inhuman
More blackened death metal. Why the fuck not?
https://unflesh.bandcamp.com/album/inhumation |
| 34 |  | Wardruna
Kvitravn
Folk sensibilities fresh from a Scandinavian forest, sung by Vikings with aesir granted voices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhiUacGzIg8 |
| 35 | | Grima
Rotting Garden
Weird masks, atmospheric black metal for the masses.
https://grima.bandcamp.com/album/rotten-garden |
| 36 |  | Ellende
Triebe
Skeletons with swords and shit. Oh, there's some black metal and some post metal and a little doom influence too. Not a bad little EP.
https://ellende.bandcamp.com/album/triebe |
| 37 |  | YOTH IRIA
As The Flame Withers
Thrash-y pagan black metal
https://paganrecords.bandcamp.com/track/yoth-iria |
| 38 |  | CRYPTS OF DESPAIR
All Light Swallowed
The music is at once ferocious, rife with unearthly and dissonant sounds, punctuated by hair-raising, eerie ambience. It embodies the perfect combination of face-melting aggression and electrifying atmosphere, with song structures remaining unpredictable and yet strangely coherent. The sound is absolutely pristine, able to express the band's penchant for playing fast, devastating music as well as doing justice to the myriad variations that they incorporate. This is the perfect death metal album of the times, without any dilution of the raw appeal of the genre.
https://cryptsofdespairdeath.bandcamp.com/ |
| 39 |  | Soen
Imperial |
| 40 |  | Spire
Temple of Khronos |
| 41 |  | Pantokrator
Marching out of Babylon
Pantokrator have developed from an amorphous, pre-mature fledgling of heavy music to a full-blossomed beacon to the mastery of melodic death metal.
https://officialpantokrator.bandcamp.com/album/marching-out-of-babylon-3 |
| 42 |  | And Now The Owls Are Smiling
Dirges
8 tracks telling a chronological story through escalating depression to death to a final journey to the afterlife.
https://andnowtheowlsaresmiling.bandcamp.com/album/dirges |
| 43 |  | Deiquisitor
Humanoid
Old school death metal vibes from Denmark.
https://deiquisitor.bandcamp.com/album/humanoid |
| 44 |  | Ad Nauseam
Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
Did anyone ask for an album of the year? Forget the contender bit.
https://adnauseam-official.bandcamp.com/album/imperative-imperceptible-impulse-full-dynamic-range-dr11 |
| 45 |  | Szary Wilk
Wrath
Black metal from Poland
https://szarywilk.bandcamp.com/ |
| 46 |  | SCUT
Chronicles of Human Abyss
Non Stop Brutal Tech Driven Death Metal - A viciously aggressive, unrelenting sonic assault.
https://scut.bandcamp.com/ |
| 47 |  | SEPULCROS
Vazio
Emerging from the underground, Sepulcros spew forth a powerful, majestic form of death/doom metal that is awe-inspiring and captivating. The music wafts effortlessly through the air, like a shape-shifting, amorphous, strangely luminous creature, bearing characteristics of death, doom and even black metal, and leaving behind a trail of destruction in its wake. Everything about it is hypnotic, this dark subterranean creature having emerged from depths unfathomed, exuding raw power as well as iridescent radiance in the way it carries about wreaking destruction. Nothing seems forced or out of place, as the music assumes its natural form and alternates between pummelling blasts and sonic ambience depending on the circumstances. Shrouded in absolute mystery, Sepulcros deliver a masterpiece with Vazio, an album that will stay with you long after it's over, haunting you perpetually. For fans of: Disembowelment, The Drowning, Hex, Atramentus, Coffins, Esoter
https://sepulcrosdoom.bandcamp.com |
| 48 |  | Feculent
The Grotesque Arena
Brisbane, Australia. featuring current members of Shackles, Snorlax, Resin Tomb, Descent, Siberian Hell Sounds and Idle Ruin. A blended infection of rotten amygdalic death doom and perverted blasts of vacuumus void, “The Grotesque Arena” is an unyielding hammer of cavernous hate cast upon an already butchered mind.
https://feculentdeath.bandcamp.com/album/the-grotesque-arena |
| 49 |  | Korpiklaani
Jylhä
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3QpXhEnjuQ |
| 50 |  | Cult Of Luna
The Raging River
An organic-sounding album of atmo-sludge that feels forged by the laws of Einsteinian physics and possesses a planet-killing potential energy.
https://cultofluna.bandcamp.com/album/the-raging-river |
| 51 |  | Keys of Orthanc
Of the Lineage of Kings
Name your price on Bandcamp: A Last Alliance between the Kingdom of Men and the Kingdom of the elves will be forged and an Oath sworn before the all High to face the ever-growing forces of evil.The sword that was once will be forged again and the prophecy of a coming king will be fulfilled and so shall the rightful king be known.
https://keysoforthanc.bandcamp.com/album/of-the-lineage-of-kings |
| 52 |  | DSKNT
Vacuum γ-Noise Transition
DSKNT are back with their immense sophomore LP "Vacuum γ-Noise Transition", a devouring nightmare of omnipotent sonic annihilation conceived at the most liminal edges of sanity. The reality-destroying album takes shape as a dark and multidimensional hallucination deep into reality's most cryptic and terrifying truths, a place where entropy and chaos assume near-corporeal and hyper-realist forms, becoming empirical laws and axioms of all manifestations therein, with the music serving as the abhorrent mathematical key that allows the listener to unlock this realm beyond and "see" the horrors that populate reality beyond the reach of the five senses and of the terrestrial dimension. Harrowingly evocative and devastating beyond comprehension, "Vacuum γ-Noise Transition" assumes its hideous form through a ravaging maze of managed guitar fractals, eviscerating compositional deconstructionism and an inhuman event horizon of decaying soundscapes and oppressive atmos
https://dsknt.bandcamp.com/ |
| 53 |  | Blurr Thrower
Les Voûtes
No, not Bolt Thrower
https://ladlo.bandcamp.com/album/les-vo-tes |
| 54 |  | PLASMODIUM
Towers of Silence
The sum of Plasmodium’s parts are realized one way or another in the form of the band’s sophomore. Yes, they set out to make an expressive listen, warped by its sense of avant death meets black metal. For all its kinks, Towers Of Silence is the cosmic listen that encapsulates a direct niche of atmosphere and brutal cosmism.
https://plasmodiumdeath.bandcamp.com/ |
| 55 | | Midnartiis
Embers
Folk-y pagan based black metal that ticks some boxes and not much else.
https://midnartiis.bandcamp.com |
| 56 |  | MARE COGNITUM
Solar Paroxysm
From the depths of the outer rim to solid footing of green earth, Solar Paroxysm, cosmic black metal entity Mare Cognitum's fifth album proper, finds itself moving from the impossible to the familiar. Now occupying himself with the failures of humankind over the past epoch, Jacob Buczarski's frustrations with humankind and politics find a new voice through five aggressive, metallic songs.
https://marecognitum.bandcamp.com/album/solar-paroxysm |
| 57 |  | Silenus
The Garden Is Burning
Experimental hardcore, weird artwork.
https://silenusny.bandcamp.com/ |
| 58 |  | Intonate
Severed Within
the new album presents the band’s personal catharsis and reflections on life’s dual offerings constantly struggled with. Musically, the band delivers a more uncompromisingly aggressive and honest sound, while keeping true to its roots.
https://intonate.bandcamp.com/ |
| 59 |  | Svn.Seeker
Means to an End
a blend of sophisticated, almost technical, melodic death metal and furiously fast blackened thrash, enriched with unexpected breaks and acoustic interludes, and refined with a large chunk of catchy melodies and great solos, all spiced up with a pinch of neo-classical arrangements.
https://svnseeker.bandcamp.com/ |
| 60 | | MIDNIGHT ODYSSEY
Biolume Part 2: The Golden Orb
“The Golden Orb” tells the story of being exposed to the majestic and searing power of starlight, a burning and unbearable heat, like being chained in a desert.
https://midnightodyssey.bandcamp.com/album/biolume-part-2-the-golden-orb |
| 61 |  | Dead World Reclamation
Aura of Iniquity
"Like some demonic hybrid spawn of TBDM, Shadow of Intent, and Inferi."
https://deadworldreclamation.bandcamp.com/album/aura-of-iniquity |
| 62 | | Eximperitus...
Sahrartu
The conceptual constituent, it is an representing a side analysis of Existence phenomenology as well as a gradual cycle of Birth – Death...
https://eximperitus.bandcamp.com/album/ahrartu |
| 63 |  | Manifesting Obscenity
Mahapralaya
Russia representing
https://manifestingobscenity.bandcamp.com/album/mahapralaya |
| 64 |  | ALTARAGE
Succumb
some of the grimiest, sludgiest extreme metal to ever exist. These guys are immensely gifted at creating a devastating and absolutely pummeling atmosphere.
https://altarage.bandcamp.com/ |
| 65 |  | Humanity's Last Breath
Välde
Välde unleashes it’s everything on their 2021 record, but there’s still the occasional misstep and genre back-peddling that even the group’s better uses of atmosphere can’t fasten to the band’s larger soundscape.
https://humanityslastbreathofficial.bandcamp.com/ |
| 66 |  | Swampbeast
Seven Evils Spawned of Seven Heads
Wouldn’t say this is groundbreaking, but it breaks absolutely everything else and then pummels it into a fine powder. Snarling death metal done very, very well.
https://swampbeastca.bandcamp.com/releases |
| 67 |  | The Dark Alamorte
Lunacrium Thepsis
atmospheric black metal black metal death metal deathcore
https://thedarkalamorte.bandcamp.com/album/lunacrium-thepsis |
| 68 |  | The Beast of Nod
Multiversal
The Beast of Nod is a multimedia project whose primary arm is a technical/progressive death metal group. The band is currently split between Boston, MA and the SF Bay Area.
https://thebeastofnod.bandcamp.com/album/multiversal |
| 69 | | Vril
The Coming Race
A summary of modern technical death metal. The good and the not so
https://vriltechdeath.bandcamp.com/album/the-coming-race |
| 70 |  | Stone Healer
Conquistador
Conquistador is a cathartic retelling of my own spiritual extortion, in which the themes of allowance, forgiveness, letting go, and mistaken divinity play central roles. The Conquistador, as depicted by artist Leo Ulfelder, is a representation of egotistical arrogance, the illusion of invincibility, and self-appointed divinity in the same way that conquistadors during the Age Of Discovery believed themselves to be ordained by God throughout their terrorization of newfound worlds.
https://stonehealer.bandcamp.com/ |
| 71 |  | The Amenta
Revelator
"Revelator" sees a band always dead-set on boundary-pushing revelling in a fresh sense of renewal as they combine harrowing conceptuals, inventively virtuosic musicianship and immediate songcraft into the landmark record of a lauded career.
https://theamenta1.bandcamp.com/album/revelator |
| 72 |  | In Tormentata Quiete
Krononota
Avant-garde blackened doom
https://intormentataquiete.bandcamp.com/ |
| 73 |  | Suffering Hour
The Cyclic Reckoning
“The Cyclic Reckoning” showcases the band firing on all cylinders. The music on this album is more representative of SUFFERING HOUR as a whole than it ever was on past material, with every member making their presence more known than ever. This record also features the band sacrificing some of their technicality and chaos in favor of more atmospheric passages, as the band envisioned this record to be an unhindered display of negative emotion, seething or sombre.
https://sufferinghour.bandcamp.com/album/the-cyclic-reckoning |
| 74 |  | Iotunn
Access All Worlds |
| 75 | | The Plague
Within Death |
| 76 |  | Solbrud
Levende I Brønshøj Vandtårn |
| 77 |  | Moonspell
Hermitage |
| 78 |  | Forhist
Forhist |
| 79 |  | Klexos
Apocryphal Parabolam |
| 80 |  | Madison Beer
Life Support |
| 81 |  | Empyrium
Über den Sternen |
| 82 |  | Kurushimi
Chaos Remains
https://viakurushimi.bandcamp.com |
| 83 |  | Beleriand
February |
| 84 |  | Project Mishram
Meso |
| 85 |  | Abominable Putridity
Parasitic Metamorphosis Manifestation |
| 86 |  | Perennial Isolation
Portraits |
| 87 |  | Wode
Burn in Many Mirrors |
| 88 |  | Karmanjakah
A Book About Itself
A gem, come for the hooks, stay for the groove.
https://karmanjakah.bandcamp.com/album/a-book-about-itself |
| 89 |  | Dreamshade
A Pale Blue Dot
These guys In Flames better than In Flames in a modern era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Te9YJV9ow |
| 90 |  | Baest
Necro Sapiens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S-n1Kw4HQU |
| 91 |  | Brand Of Sacrifice
Lifeblood
Some of the best deathcore this year.
https://brandofsacrifice.bandcamp.com/releases |
| 92 |  | Mork
Katedralen
I want to Mork. Read my review, Mork some more.
https://peaceville.bandcamp.com/album/katedralen |
| 93 |  | Bonecarver
Evil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt7UtBzj4QU |
| 94 |  | Sol Draconi Septem
Hyperion
Blackened metal with industrial undertones, Hyperion is a rewarding and somewhat progressive take on black metal.
https://soldraconiseptem.bandcamp.com/releases |
| 95 |  | Blindfolded And Led To The Woods
Nightmare Withdrawals
Nightmare Withdrawals is dizzying, but it’s also contrastingly calm, pensive and explorative. With all the great music being released this year, it’s almost stupefying that BALTTW’s third offering can stand amongst such prolific records and still hold their own.
https://balttw.bandcamp.com/album/nightmare-withdrawals |
| 96 |  | FOSSILIZATION
He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten
Ritualistic, Primeval Death Metal from Brazil. Featuring members of Jupiterian. For fans of Dead Congregation & Portal
https://transylvaniantapes.bandcamp.com |
| 97 |  | SPECTRAL LORE
Ετερόφωτος
If SPECTRAL LORE themselves originally described “Sentinel” as epic and transcendental black metal, music to inspire the warrior spirit and through it achieve spiritual transcendence, “Ετερόφωτος” walks similar emotional paths with greater maturity and awareness, and can be seen as a comment on its predecessor's youthful enthusiasm, a kind of re-alignment that does not point towards a peaceful settlement, but on the strengthening of the need for rebellious, promethean praxis. In this respect, it is both a black metal and an anti-black metal record at the same time. Graced with a mystical and thoughtful cover painting by the Italian master Alessandro “Sicioldr” Bianchi, “Ετερόφωτος” is SPECTRAL LORE's call for a revolt through radical self-examination; it desires to fight back with the past while claiming what has been rightfully ours in the first place. And to finally see beyond the Self: to where our light comes from.
https://spectrallore.bandcamp.com/album/- |
| 98 |  | NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM
Solar Drone Ceremony
NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM embarks on a new cosmic trip through the lands of drone doom metal, free jazz and psychedelic music...
https://neptunianmaximalism.bandcamp.com/album/solar-drone-ceremony |
| 99 |  | Sielunvihollinen
Teloituskäsky
Atmospheric black metal with melodic folk influences.
https://forgjord.bandcamp.com/album/sielunvihollinen |
| 100 |  | Unfathomable Ruination
Decennium Ruinae
These guys have been on a roll for a few years now. No frills, modern death metal with riffs, blasts and some snare nonsense.
https://unfathomableruination.bandcamp.com/album/decennium-ruinae |
| 101 |  | Ildaruni
Beyond Unseen Gateways
Pagan black metal vibes and vague thisness:
The opus consists of eight arcane chants, illumined by the unworldly torch of Shivini. Each composition unearths a mesmeric path to the past and provenance, reveals the grace of perpetual wisdom, disseminated by sanctimonious hierophants across the hallowed lands. The fiery gaze of the Urartian Winged God awakens the dormant origins of apothanatismos.
https://ildaruniblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-unseen-gateways |
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