January sure was a month, huh?
Lots happened. A lot of fascists doing fascist things, for instance.
But also, a lot of heavy metal came out. I’ve listened to about twenty releases from January and I thought to myself, you know what would be fun? A goddamn tier list.
Yeah, I know I’m releasing this at the end of February. What of it?
Maybe I’ll do more of these. Who knows! For the moment, I feel the desire to be on top of new releases for my own personal music listening pleasure, but I am a man of whimsy (hard as that may be for some of you to believe) and my whims could change at any time.
It’s worth noting that I’ve listened to some of these albums only once or twice through. My opinion will probably evolve on repeat listens, so consider this a “first impressions” of sorts.
This is the list:
Overall:
Honestly, I’m shocked to see five black(ish) metal albums ranked so high. That’s not really my genre. And yet, these albums really did it for me. Way to go, black metal! Now get rid of the nazis, please.
Very happy surprises from acts I was unfamiliar with and ones I was, although there are a couple of bands whose work I’ve normally enjoyed whose albums were not as fun as I’d have hoped.
On with the rankings!
S-Tier:
Capricorn Wolves — Kultika
The first several new releases I heard weren’t really doing it for me. They had some high points, but I was starting to wonder if embarking on so many new releases was a mistake, if listening to so much new music was making it all run together.
Enter Capricorn Wolves. The album comes down from the heavens, trumpets huzzah-ing, angel wings gently bringing it to rest on a dais encircled in flowers. A leper is healed. Drinking water is no longer contaminated.
I immediately fell in love with this album. It is extremely my shit with very long songs that run the emotional gamut, capable of blending soaringly beautiful passages with gripping riffage. It’s an epic album with overawing walls of sound I can get lost in. I don’t use the word “epic” lightly.
Of course, I showed this album to a few other people and no one else seems to be as into it as I am. Their loss.
Fidelitas — Athar Aghanon
All black metal should incorporate church organs.
As you will see again in this list, I love black metal when it weaves beauty and chaos together. That tonal juxtaposition really does it for me. This album does that and so much more. The songs are perfectly structured, each one culminating in multilayered climaxes that just make me shout “YES!” at the top of my lungs and scare my cats.
A-Tier:
Ultimul Rege — Nansarunai
This solo Indonesian act is lo-fi black metal that Darkthrone wishes they could make. Absolutely harrowing and brimming over with passion. It’s not on streaming services but is absolutely worth the dollar over at Bandcamp.
An Unexpected Reality — Gatecreeper
This just fucking rules. Punishing as hell from start to finish.
I’ve Seen All I Need to See — The Body
Are they technically metal? Probably not. Do they assault my ears with sweet sweet chaos? Yes.
Anyway. Great album! It makes me want to cry in despair. I love it!
The Helm of Sorrow — Emma Ruth Rundle and Thou
Emma’s got a great voice. I really love the way it sounds against the sludgy guitars. Really enjoyable EP. Did I mention they do an awesome cover of “Hollywood” by the Cranberries on here? Well, they do an awesome cover of “Hollywood” by the Cranberries on here.
B-Tier:
We Are Always Alone — Portrayal of Guilt
I appreciate how raw this album sounds.
Perpetual Chaos — Nervosa
Just a solid thrash album from an all-female outfit. THRASH THRASH THRASH THRASH THRASH
Rotten Garden — Grima
How atmospheric! This is a “just let the sounds wash over you” kind of album. I love the way they weave in melodic passages from other instruments.
C-Tier:
Where the Gloom Becomes Sound — Tribulation
I don’t get where all the acclaim is coming from. I must be missing something. It’s fine. It’s just… it’s fine.
Crypt of Ice — Frozen Soul
Not bad for a debut straight death metal record. There are a few bangers in here and I hope the band grows on further releases. They certainly have the chops.
Too Mean to Die — Accept
They’ve been doing basically the same thing since “Blood of the Nations,” an album I really really loved, and while I’m not going to dock a band for consistency, there’s something about every release since that’s a little less enjoyable somehow. They’re stuck in a rut. Still some fun tunes in here though.
Necroceros — Asphyx
Man, I want to love Asphyx because I love the old school death metal style they traffic in, but every album I hear by them has a couple of really amazing tracks and the rest are only okay. Necroceros is no exception. It’s a goddamn shame because they can really, really kick my teeth in like no one else when they want to.
D-Tier:
As the Flame Withers — Yoth Iria
I don’t get the hype around this one. It sounds exactly like a Rotting Christ album to me. We already have a Rotting Christ and they’re… fine.
I seem to be in the minority on this one. Give it a listen for yourself and then yell at me about how wrong I am.
Leviathan — Therion
Therion is a band I like more in theory than in reality. They incorporate a lot of cool progressive elements and despite their prog trappings, manage to write tight songs (read: under eight minutes long) with solid musicianship and yet they’re just kinda… bland. Even with all of that spooky occult shit they’re into.
Welcome to the Absurd Circus — Labyrinth
It’s power metal. I was never going to like this album because I don’t like power metal. That said, some of the riffage in here is really really solid, provided you can deal with all of the usual power metal annoyances of overwrought pseudo-deep lyricism and less-edgy Robert Plant vocals.
IMPERIAL — Soen
This one frustrates me. Every song starts out with a killer riff for the first stretch and then they just drop it when the vocals come in, completely killing the momentum. The guitar is mixed too low so when the riffs finally do come back beneath the vocals, they lack any punch. I’d be more okay with it if the vocal melodies were interesting but they slid right through my brain and never got more than a “neat” out of me.
The real shame of it? I really like Joel’s voice. It’s just utilized in a really bland way.
I could have really liked this, but this is one of the few albums on here I’ve given several repeat listens to and it just… doesn’t work for me.
F-Tier:
The Omen — Kabbalah
What a boring fucking album.
In Somber Dreams — Mother of Graves
It’s clear that Mother of Graves has talent, but the songs on this EP are forgettable.
Phew, that’s done!
I missed a ton of releases in January, obviously. I’m only one man. Any good ones I missed?? I’d love to hear them!