Global Domination

GD's verdicts - Best of 2012: gk

28/12/12  ||  gk

1.Witch Mountain: Cauldron of the wild
This just had everything I want from doom metal. Interesting vocals, great guitar playing, memorable songs and even lyrics about a demonic gunslinger and his daughter. Bluesy, brilliant stoner doom.
Recommended track: Never Know

2: Orange Goblin: A Eulogy for the Damned
Orange Goblin came back with their most streamlined album yet. 12 consistently hard rocking songs that became a constant early morning soundtrack.
Recommended track: Red Tide Rising

3: Wolfbrigade: Damned
The jury’s still out on whether this is the best Wolfbrigade album yet but it is one of the best of 2012. Aggressive d-beat with hints of thrash and black metal.
Recommended track: Ride the Steel

4: Torche: Harmonicraft
Like Dinosaur Jr., Cave In and Radiohead had a child. Torche are a completely unique entity though and Harmonicraft rules.
Recommended track: Kicking

5: The 11th Hour: Lacrima Mortis
In a brilliant year for doom metal, The 11th Hour’s second album stood tall amongst the melancholic misery and mourning. Powerful melodic death doom of the highest caliber.
Recommended track: Bury Me

Close but no cigar:

Incantation: Vanquish in Vengeance
Absolutely brilliant return to form and the band’s best since the glory days of the first 3 albums.
Recommended track: Vanquish in Vengeance

Greenleaf: Nest of Vipers
Boasting of musicians from Dozer, Truckfighters and Spiritual Beggars, this is like a snapshot of Sweden’s heavy rock scene.
Recommended track: Lilith

Pseudogod: Deathwomb Catechesis
Brutal, bestial blackened death metal from Russia. Powerful.
Recommended track: Azazel

Weapon: Embers and Revelations
The band’s most focused and potent attack yet. Addictive blackened death-thrash.
Recommended track: Liber Lilith

Anhedonist: Netherwards
Rumbling, incredibly heavy death doom. This is some massive shit.
Recommended track: Estrangement

Major disappointment of 2012:
Amenra: V
From the minute this Belgian band signed on to Neurot Records, the PR hype machine went into overdrive. Providing a constant stream of information about the upcoming album; from the photo used for the cover art to the recording process to testimonials from Neurosis and Integrity’s Dwid Hellion, it seemed like “V” was going to be an album for the ages. Instead, what the band has delivered is their weakest record to date. 4 boring songs that go nowhere and do nothing except make me feel sleepy every time I play it. They’re still a great band as evinced on the live album, the stunning DVD and everything else they’ve put out so “V” might just be a misstep. Still, this is one real case of “don’t believe the hype”.

Best Splits and EPs of 2012:

Thou/ Hell: Resurrection Bay
Bleak and claustrophobic sludge from both bands. Thou rule and Hell was a damn good discovery.

Doraid/ Birth Ritual/ Parasite: The Savage Beast of Three Head
This is just a relentless thrash/punk/crossover assault on the senses from 3 Japanese bands. Fans of thrash and crossover need to dig this one out.

Undergang/ Funebrarum: The Dead of Winter
Heavy. So fucking heavy. Just claustrophobic, pummeling old school metal of death with 1 song from each band.

Nuclear Death Terror: Blood Fire Chaos Death
Ripping death crust from this Danish band. Absolutely slays for just about 12 minutes.

Ephel Duath: Of Death and Cosmos
A newish line up and one hell of a promising comeback. I would have given my left nut to hear Karen Crisis again but the whole band delivers. These 3 songs promise plenty.

Most promising demos of 2012

Northern Torment: Intoxicated Mythology
Stoner metal with hints of death, doom and sludge from the frozen wastes of Canada. These guys show incredible promise.

High Priest of Saturn: High Priest of Saturn
Sleep with an organ and female vocals. The band keep hitting these unpredictable notes and there’s a smokey, laid back vibe to these 2 songs that made me want more.

Abyss: The Reins of Horror
2nd demo from this Canadian old school death metal band. Short, sharp and vicious.

Momomakh: MMXII
Discordant, ugly death metal. Not for the weak of heart.

Sulphurous: Demo XII
Pounding brutal death metal. Catchy riffs and 2 great songs makes this Danish band one to keep an eye on.