DDD's 2021 picks
New clothes! New home!
New job! New god!
joinin a cult |
| 1 |  | Krallice
Demonic Wealth
Swamp Black Metal
Its disturbing, smooth, heavy and I'm completely obsessed with it. |
| 2 |  | Every Time I Die
Radical
Party Math Core
Dude...what do you do when one of your fave bands you already 5d puts out its best release yet? |
| 3 |  | Mastodon
Hushed and Grim
2 LP Prog Sludge Metal
Welcome to the big Don journey. Quality and Quantity are both applicable. |
| 4 |  | Emma Ruth Rundle
Engine of Hell
Indie Folk
As if it was any possible, Rundle's at her most intimate. |
| 5 |  | Wolves in the Throne Room
Primordial Arcana
Black Metal
Trvest bm of the year. |
| 6 |  | Papangu
Holoceno
Prog Zheul Metal
If you dig the murkiest of murky Magma textures, combined with prog&jazz free writing like KC, all complemented with some sick sludge riffing/mix and finished with the most stellar drumming, then this may be what you're looking for in a long time. |
| 7 |  | Atvm
Famine, Putrid and Fucking Endless
Prog/ Exp DM
Atvm in my native language (Portuguese) would be literally translated to Tvna, which would be (I'm sure it isn't) the "perfect" name for the the fun they're all having along this whole thing (insert "tech prog dm rock psy thrash hm" here) |
| 8 |  | Mefitis
Offscourings
Prog Black Death
Cover is as quirky as bold eheh as they are. It's definitely one misunderstood gem going by. I'll make sure it doesn't fall into oblivion. |
| 9 |  | Blindfolded and Led to the Woods
Nightmare Withdrawals
Prog DM
Sick Aussies with a fresh new start. |
| 10 |  | Hooded Menace
The Tritonus Bell
Death Doom
Up tempo" more "accessible" Hooded Menace with hints of heavy metal. Best deathdoom tone in the biz. |
| 11 |  | Mortiferum
Preserved in Torment
Death Doom
Toptier deathdoom, with awesome melodic guitar layers,just the way I like my doom. |
| 12 |  | The Ruins Of Beverast
The Thule Grimoires
Goth Doom Atmo BM
Approaching a more gothic and lushy industrial vibe on this one, not so focused on heaviness, or the maddening fast bm (see Rain Upon the Impure). |
| 13 |  | Dvne
Etemen Ænka
Post Progressive Metal
With their sophomore they definitely entered the post high league, together with bands like CoL or The Ocean. |
| 14 |  | Plebeian Grandstand
Rien ne suffit
Black Metal, Post Hxc
Nothing is enough...still terrified. |
| 15 |  | Yautja
The Lurch
Sludge DM Hxc
"Tethered - Clock Cleaner - Catastrophic - The Weight" combo really gets me going here. Thick and Harsh bros. Sludgecore af sound! |
| 16 |  | Cult of Luna
The Raging River
Post Metal
This EP just ran me over. The dynamics and emotions thrown on last 2 tracks are too immense. Really beautiful ending to an already engaging listen. |
| 17 |  | Zao
The Crimson Corridor
Post Hcx
As a big fan of their previous Well-Intentioned Virus, they seem to take their metalcore brand to new grounds but also next level. |
| 18 |  | Worm
Foreverglade
Death Doom
Damn this came late for me but just in time for closing the 4.5s section on this list. DeathDoom with wrecking solos, yes please. |
| 19 |  | Tribulation
Where the Gloom Becomes Sound
Goth Metal
One of the most solid bands in the site. All albums at 3.7 makes them under-rated af too. |
| 20 |  | Null (USA)
Hiraeth
BM folk
Garas "the grumpy" gave this to sputworld. And boy ain't this a flawless journey? |
| 21 |  | Gojira
Fortitude
(Prog)Metal
Being able to not settle at this point in their career is not only for Mastodon. Songs on this actually stick with time. |
| 22 |  | Leon III
Antlers in Velvet
Country Folk Psy?
A floydish take on country folk. One of the best car ride listens this year. |
| 23 |  | Carcass
Torn Arteries
MeloDeath death&roll
Wasn't I surprised. Rediscovering this band was a treat, tks to this album. |
| 24 |  | Darkthrone
Eternal Hails
BM black&roll
Speaking of oldies not setteling. Their most solid release on their late era. |
| 25 |  | Deafheaven
Infinite Granite
Gaze post rock
I know and I'm sorry but "I feel them all, great mass of color" |
| 26 |  | Khemmis
Deceiver
Doom
This one rules them all Khemmis ones, as good as the others are. Rock solid band. |
| 27 |  | King Woman
Celestial Blues
DoomSludge
Massive album. If you dig ERR with Thou collab this doesn't fall much behind. Curiously sprinkled with Billie Eilish vibe here and there btw, be ready to spot it ahah. |
| 28 |  | Spectral Wound
A Diabolic Thirst
Black Metal
More than scratching an hitch, this surelly killed my thirst. Devillish songwriting. |
| 29 |  | Amenra
De Doorn
Post Sludge
...and the ritual goes on... |
| 30 |  | Fractal Generator
Macrocosmos
Tech Death
Album never got the deserved attention. Loaded album, with a special back half imo. |
| 31 |  | Archspire
Bleed the Future
2x Tech Death
I had to be really in the mood and 3rd spin or so to find them both Archpire's equally good. Got some unexpected AB vibes from this one. Noone is doing this, this tight nor this fast. |
| 32 |  | Moral Collapse
Moral Collapse
Death Metal, Experimental
These guys can be both more experimental and more accessible than Nile. Great debut. Love the tribal vibe. This goes fuckin jazzier as you go. |
| 33 |  | Brii
Sem Propósito
Experimental BM
If you had your share of psytrance and love your lofi bm, I've never listened anything blending the genres so perfectly. The psyrock sections were also delightful, great guitarwork. |
| 34 |  | The Body and Big|Brave
Leaving None But Small Birds
Experimental Folk
The direction is supercool. Deep folklore respect, with a drone vibe all around. |
| 35 |  | BADBADNOTGOOD
Talk Memory
Jazz Fusion
These dudes are wiiild. Grooves with fantastic guitars, drumms and atmosphere. Nailed it. |
| 36 |  | Converge
Bloodmoon: I
and Chelsea Wolfe
Post Metal
Not a Converge album. I've found my way through it though. |
| 37 |  | Aborted
ManiaCult
Melodic Deathgrind
Maybe not as good, still a tight solid follow up to Terrorvision and Retrogore. |
| 38 |  | Cara Neir
Phase Out
Expperimental BM
Really like these nerds and the concept they go for on each release. Also big fun on merging the known screamoBM takes with hip/tripop, punk, jazz and yeap those retro game 8bit samples. |
| 39 |  | 200 Stab Wounds
Slave to the Scalpel
Death Metal
The angriest and heaviest riff fest of the year. Also with a nailed atmosphere. |
| 40 |  | Portrayal of Guilt
We Are Always Alone
BM, Hardcore
They really nailed it here with where I wanted for them to go to. Like a more "accessible" (lol) Full of Hell. This shit is awesome for the 26 insane minutes. |
| 41 |  | Der Weg Einer Freiheit
Noktvrn
Post BM, Ambient
Ambient BM with actuall substance and dynamic. |
| 42 |  | Ad Nauseam
Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
Prog BDM
Best DM production quiçá, ever (?) |
| 43 |  | Full of Hell
Garden of Burning Apparitions
Grindcore, experimental
They do what they want and that s what we want after all. |
| 44 |  | Diskord
Degenerations
DM
Multiple listens worthy. What a treat of riff fest with the most gorgeous and crazy bass licks. So many strong points but maybe Abnegations and Beyond the Grime are my faves. |
| 45 |  | Kayo Dot
Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike
Post Metal
I always struggle hard with every Toby's project. Sometimes I can still make my way through it, as with this one. Cool journey. |
| 46 |  | Sunless
Ylem
DM
More than solid release for the likes of acts like Gorguts and Ulcerate. |
| 47 |  | Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine
A Beginner's Mind
Indie Folk
What can I say? I miss this Sufjan. |
| 48 |  | Jose Gonzalez
Local Valley
Indie Folk
Although a bit all over the place it ended up being my second fave from him, after Veneer. |
| 49 |  | Turnstile
Glow On
PostHxc
I felt like a kid again but with these litlle postish electronic touches to justify why listen to it now, giving it some sort of freshness |
| 50 |  | Wharflurch
Psychedelic Realms ov Hell
Retro DM
You know that Cynic band with them space interludes? Forget about it! Here's some filthy osdm with the most curious space psych mushrooms vibe. |
| 51 |  | Hyperdontia
Hideous Entity
OSDM
A more than solid metal act around teeth m/ |
| 52 |  | The Armed
Ultrapop
PostHXC, Experimental
They are not failing in mixing their harsh noise ID with some of the poppiest hooks in the scene. |
| 53 |  | Between the Buried and Me
Colors II
Prog Metal
Its a statement, they don t care about the fantanos of this world. This feels very themselves and free. It s also very cool how they insert 70s prog worship on this. |
| 54 |  | Hulder
Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry
BM
This brave gal pulls off this title track (Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry), starting with her melodic vocals, so gorgeously! The way she uses the synths gives it a singular vibe . |
| 55 |  | Kekht Arakh
Pale Swordsman
BM , Folk
There's room for romance in Black Metal yk? |
| 56 |  | Ancient Mastery
Chapter One: Across The Mountains Of ...
Ambient, BM
The synths are cheesy af, but also give this sense of retro charm to the songs, that when they riff, they go pretty damn hard. |
| 57 |  | Isgherurd Morth
Hellrduk
Post gaze bdm ahah
This is weirdly unknown on Sput but Mr. Gnocchi interviewed these guys on here. Worth the shot. |
| 58 |  | Black Sheep Wall
Songs for the Enamel Queen
Post HXC, Sludge
Dynamic. Emotional. Mature( yes indeed Simon) and Raw and Honest and Wrecking...and HEAVY AF. Getting the feeling of, whatever went on here, shit got real! |
| 59 |  | Sugar Horse
The Live Long After
Post HXC l, Sludge
"A decidedly average band." as selfdescribed on their own bandcamp page sets the bar right away, so you go for it with no expectations. Kinda simple in riffs, but it's nailed on atmosphere and dynamics. |
| 60 |  | Rhododendron
Protozoan Battle Hymns
Mathy Noise Rock&Metal
Too damn cool. They re surely applying for a vocalist! Lol I love how they go sludgy to shiny seamlessly. Honnestly Zapruder came to mind. |
| 61 |  | Kowloon Walled City
Piecework
Sludge, Noise, Post hxc
How simple it is to make a simple album to make you simply feel. |
| 62 |  | Erdve
Savigaila
Sludge, Post hcx
Lithuanians ballancing their sound between pure savagery and more melodic moments on their sophomore |
| 63 |  | Swallow the Sun
Moonflowers
Doom Metal, Progressive
Smooth, tight, beautiful, professional dooooom metal. |
| 64 |  | Thy Catafalque
Vadak
Progressive Metal
One of a kind project. If you love prog and experimental metal and had your share of psy(bient)trance this is for you. The multiplicity of instruments is also outstanding. |
| 65 |  | Devoid of Thought
Outer World Graves
Cosmic DM
While they share the same view of Cosmic DM from bands like Blood Incantation, the variance shown makes each track a beast of its own! |
| 66 |  | Rothadas
Kopár Hant... Az Alvilág Felé
DeathDoom
Simple yet thickest cavernous deathdoom a la spectral voice. And it thickens with listens. |
| 67 |  | Seputus
Phantom Indigo
Experimental prog bdm
The most of the insane death metal with gazey inserts, fitting unexpectedly like a glove. |
| 68 |  | Logistic Slaughter
Lower Forms of Life
Deathgrind
I fed a little on David Yowi's recs this year, and such as the previous one, here's another. |
| 69 |  | Altarage
Succumb
Black Death Doom
This is all mighty, with plenty room to grow. I love the balance between experimenting, zoning out moments and "orthodox" riffs. It just keeps me constantly hooked. Well done Spain XD |
| 70 |  | Spectral Lore
Ετερόφωτος
BM, Ambient
Their explanation on bandcamp sums up why like this output a little more over III. But that's just personal. |
| 71 |  | Mare Cognitum
Solar Paroxysm
BM, Ambient
When a closer bumps an album. Check Ataraxia Tunnels asap. |
| 72 |  | Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Shyga! The Sunlight Mound
Psy Rock
This stuff is energised as fuck! Return to form. |
| 73 |  | King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
L. W.
Psy Rock
L. W. > K. G. |
| 74 |  | Motorpsycho
Kingdom of Oblivion
Progressive Rock
This band is unstoppable. This time with a touch of Sabbath flirt. |
| 75 |  | Failure
Wild Type Droid
Rock, Post Grunge
Not so nailed on atmosphere as In the Future... but these guys do no wrong. |
| 76 |  | Shame (UK)
Drunk Tank Pink
Post Punk
Vocals are pretty standard for these new postpunk bands a la IDLES. There's def a Protomartyr vibe too.. The drumming is really good actually. So, not really innovative, but it did it with me! |
| 77 |  | Enforced
Kill Grid
Crossover Hxc - Thrash
Yeah well...fuck it, give us one of these relentless hardcore thrash 4s every 2 years. TKS! They come, they fuck and they go. |
| 78 |  | Suffering Hour
The Cyclic Reckoning
Dissonant BM
The cool thing about this, and what makes this unique tbf, are the absense of the usual chugs and the way they use dissonance to reach some really catchy and melodic hooks, giving it a subliminal rock vibe. |
| 79 |  | Paysage d'Hiver
Geister
BM, Ambient
Dude just got evil! |
| 80 |  | Mork
Katedralen
BM
Mork is a black metal band from Norway. And I like it. MorkMorkMorkMorkMorkMorkMorkMorkMorkMork |
| 81 |  | Archgoat
Worship the Eternal Darkness
Black Metal, Death Metal
Satan - check! |
| 82 |  | Dread Sovereign
Alchemical Warfare
Doom Metal, Hard Rock
It's doomy but very hard rock one, with very interesting prog developments through tracks. Mounts and hills t9 explore. |
| 83 |  | Gatecreeper
An Unexpected Reality
DeathDoom EP
Gatecreeper going doom on last track was really something, keeping that vicious HM-2 mix of theirs. Straight out for lovers of Pallbearer or Bell Witch. Certainly doom knowledge acquired from their previous shared act Spirit Adrift. How I started 2021! |
| 84 |  | Turris Eburnea
Turris Eburnea
Prog BDM EP
Short&solid ep for the likes of Ad Nuaseam. Well done, and albeit intricate and complex it manages to be very dynamic. |
| 85 |  | Thou
Hightower
DoomSludge Compilation
It wouldn't be a year without a Thou compilation. |
| 86 |  | Emma Ruth Rundle and Thou
The Helm of Sorrow
DoomSludge EP
Guitar tone on Crone Dance should be illegal [2]. |
| 87 |  | Full of Hell
Auditory Trauma: Full of Hell Isolation Sessions
Grindcore Live Album
Who would've thought these guys are also tigh af live? |
| 88 |  | Kaatayra
Inpariquipê
Atmospheric BM Folk
This time slightly minimal electronic. Less guitar driven than the previous masterpiece. Still hella solid and keep on innovating. |
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