• Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Frozen Soul - Crypt of Ice (2021)

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Unleashing a barrage of crushing riffs and a very dense atmosphere, today we have Death Metal newcomers Frozen Soul and their debut release “Crypt of Ice”. Hailing from Texas, this outfit perfectly combines old-school North American DM elements with influences from old-school European Death Metal, creating a very unique amalgamation of sounds that feels like Centinex had a bastard child with Incantation.

Opening with the chugging riffs of “Crypt of Ice”, the band creates a very effective and crushing mood with excellent headbanging passages. Setting that sluggish mid-tempo approach, tracks like “Arctic Stranglehold”, “Hand of Vengeance”, “Wraith of Death” further develop the band’s immersive atmosphere with crafty drumming and hellish vocals. The band’s lyrical themes are also quite refreshing as they don’t just focus on blood and guts like most others.

  • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Mons Veneris - Mons Veneris (2021)

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So far this 2021 has started with a good amount of aurally abusive releases and this self-titled EP from Mons Veneris fits that category perfectly. Unleashing over 20 minutes of music in this two song release, this experienced Portuguese band creates a very punishing and chaotic sound that is superbly effective in completely disturbing the listener.

Warming up with the hectic “Ritual of a Neverending Doom” we instantly get a completely crushing and dissonant atmosphere created by the buzzsaw-like guitars and lo-fi production. With plenty of different and yet creepy vocal styles, this track sets a very dark and chilling mood. “A Scythe Infested with Plagues…” blasts away with a more traditional BM structure with hellish drumming and incisive guitars. The track feels a bit more ‘normal’, but the intense vocals still give out that eerie goosebump-inducing sinister vibe.

  • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Wømb - Here, The World Falls… (2020)

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As one of the few stragglers from 2020, today we have Portugal’s Wømb and their massively dissonant demo “Here, The World Falls…”. Featuring a completely crushing and cavernous sound, this demo release showcases four tracks filled with intensity and brutality. While the band has never released a full-length album, they probably should due to the sheer level of chaos unleashed by this release

Opening with the vicious “Abraxas in Ecstasy”, we get a blistering onslaught of crafty drums and buzz-saw like guitars. The vocals are as visceral as you can imagine, drawing comparisons to Vanum and Fell Voices. However, the best feature of this release has to be the superb lo-fi sound, making songs like “ Great Mother of Destruction, Time and Death” be just ravaging and vicious.

  • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Accept - Too Mean to Die (2021)

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Starting 2021 strong, today we have the legendary Accept and their latest opus “Too Mean to Die”. Delivering over 50 minutes of high-octane Heavy Metal, this outfit keeps the momentum going on their ‘revival’ with hard hitting and superbly catchy songs. If you are a fan of Heavy Metal, this release won’t disappoint.

The band’s new signature vocalist, Mark Tornillo, quickly leads tracks like “Zombie Apocalypse”, “Too Mean to Die”, and “Overnight Sensation” with his soaring vocals and playful style. Perfectly paired with Wolf Hoffmann’s incisive guitars, this release sets a very furious and catchy pace right off the gate. The band thrives by unleashing superbly engaging tracks that are both melodic and epic, such as the killer “No Ones Master” and its blistering twin guitar onslaughts.

  • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Top Atmospheric / Experimental / Post Black Metal albums of 2020

Black Metal has evolved in very interesting ways adding highly atmospheric and experimental features to its raw roots. In this list, we aim to highlight the best releases that continue to expand the genre’s horizons and create unique atmospheric/emotional experiences for listeners.

10. Aethyrick - Gnosis (2020)

  • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Top out of the box / otherworldly releases of 2020

After writing about music for over 15 years, releases rarely surprise us with their take on Metal music. However, every year there are a handful of albums/bands that are just ahead of their time or just bored with the status quo. This year’s selection includes some very weird and cool stuff as well as otherworldly albums that transport the listener with their unique craftiness.

  • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Top Melodic Death Metal releases of 2020

As one of our favorite genres, Melodic Death Metal had some killer releases in 2020. This list represents some of the best ones we thoroughly enjoyed. Not that you might see some obvious ones missing, and this is due to them being on our main best albums of the year list. However, all these bands deserve recognition for their amazing releases.

Honorable Mention Hinayana - Death Of The Cosmic (2020)

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