By Jack Rafferty
Now that 2017 is over, I can take a breath and return
to some albums from 2016 that I feel or have felt for some time now to be
unfortunately neglected or underrated by my original opinion of them. Credit
was not necessarily given where credit is due by me for these bands and albums.
So, here are some updated thoughts on them.
Infant Annihilator, The Elysian Grandeval Galèriarch
If there is any album I kick myself for not paying more
attention to, it’s this one. Infant Annihilator made some stirs with The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution, with
the insanity of their drummer, and the remarkable vocals of Dan Watson. They
were also one of those bands that made serious (not in all cases) music, but
didn’t take it too seriously, while also being passionately nerdy for their
genre and what they do. Kind of how I think about The Black Dahlia Murder.
After the debut, the guitarist and drummer went on to focus on a ridiculously
down-tuned, sludgier deathcore band, Black Tongue, and Dan Watson departed to
focus on his new band Enterprise Earth (both earth-shatteringly heavy). So,
needless to say, when I heard in 2016 a new Infant Annihilator album was
happening, I was both surprised and skeptical. I believed that no one could
replace Dan, and shouldn’t even try. Then, well, Elysian Grandeval happened. Enter Dickie Allen, who is one of the
more uncompromisingly excellent vocalists I have ever encountered. I seem to
detect some Travis Ryan influence in the highs, which is a very good thing. This
album improves upon the debut in every way possible. Like Palpable Leprosy, only to a greater degree, this album sounds
gruesome. It also seems to have more maturity, experience, direction, and
refinement behind it. Especially notable is the seventeen and a half minute
(unheard-of length for what is essentially technical deathcore) opus, Behold the Kingdom of the Wretched Undying.
Inter Arma, Paradise
Gallows
Aside from the amazing album artwork, Inter Arma left
little impact on me in 2016. This was mainly the result of my lack of patience
with Paradise Gallows, which requires
time and contemplation. This is a cavernous album. It is sonically vast and
immersed in tangible weight. It seems as fluid and tempestuous and heavy as the
sea blackened by night. “Violent Constellations” stands out as the best track
for me, but this is an album that must be experienced as a whole. Inter Arma
weighs you down in the best sense, and I now love this album.
Fallujah, Dreamless
Fallujah made it pretty high on my list, but not
nearly high enough. Dreamless is a
brilliant continuation of The Flesh Prevails
in many ways. It is also a subtle departure in other ways, but overall is
cohesive and seamless. I had been listening to Fallujah when they released Harvest Wombs, and was impressed, but
once The Flesh Prevails was released,
I was completely fucking floored and would not shut up about this band. Dreamless saw Fallujah at a critical
moment of either following up successfully from what is almost universally
considered their opus, or not being able to meet those lofty expectations. I
think Dreamless very much succeeds in
being another beautiful and excellent release from Fallujah, that doesn’t
necessarily surpass Flesh Prevails, but
also provides a sense of not having to do so. Few bands meld technicality,
brutality, and melody as well as Fallujah.
Anciients, Voice
of The Void
This one did not slip beneath my radar in 2016, which
makes my lack of appreciation for it all the more damning toward myself. I
listened to this album multiple times in 2016, and liked it quite a bit. It
even made my list. However, this album deserved mountainous praise, and I let
it down in that regard. I have since recognized this error, and it has become
an album I listen to regularly with ardor. Anciients have crafted a remarkable
album. It is well balanced in its approach regarding melody and heaviness
alike. “Buried in Sand” may be one of my favorite tracks to be released in recent
memory. Excellent and worthy of dense attention.
Plebeian Grandstand, False Highs, True Lows
False
Highs, True Lows is what I was wishing Kwintessens would be. I hear a good bit of Deathspell Omega
influence here (also on this list). Plebeian Grandstand execute what I would
describe as maelstrom of wrath with this album, only the maelstrom is made of
fire. My only criticism would be that it tends to lack variation in the long
haul. However, that should not dissuade anyone from this cacophonous gem.
Ulcerate, Shrines
of Paralysis
Much like Plebeian Grandstand, Ulcerate required a
maturing of my musical tastes to truly enjoy. While I liked Shrines of Paralysis quite a bit in
2016, I never appreciated it to the point I do now. Ulcerate have executed one
of the better experimental, inharmonious death metal albums of all time. Ulcerate
can penetrate into a nihilistic void in a visceral and genuine way. There is a
palpable realness to the density and fear being presented. This is music that
is not so much bleak, rather it seems to convey a grander indifference beyond
life. It oozes despair but also the utter futility of despair. I think this
would have grabbed a top 10 given another go around.
Vektor, Terminal
Redux
I didn’t really get
this album in 2016, mostly because it’s thrash and that never bodes well in my
ears. However, after multiple returns to this album since then, I completely
understand both the hype and praise of this album. It is masterful. I
originally did not like the (apparent) lack of variation in the vocals, but
they have become one of my favorite aspects of it. The slight black metal
influence in them is a very nice touch for me when it comes to listening to
thrash. The more that I was able to listen to Terminal Redux, the more I picked up on the insane amount of
elements and influences being integrated to this 70+ minute monster. It is
almost a staggering listen, but it is one that, if given the proper time and
attention, can be immensely rewarding. Also, on a side note, I dislike Vektor’s
logo and I think it clashes with their cover art. That is all.
Aborted, Retrogore
Aborted was one of those band names I kept hearing in
2016, and have been aware of for years, but I never gave them the time of day.
Once I finally did, I realized I had been missing out. Retrogore’s album cover art is so fantastic on so many levels, and
the songs peel your face off. I do think that there is a bit of tonal
inconsistency with Retrogore, but not
overwhelmingly so. “Divine Impediment” is my favorite track, obviously because
it features Travis Ryan, but also the title track, “Bit by Bit,” and “Cadaverous
Banquet” stand out as favorites on the album. I still need to sit down some day
and give their discography a go.
Sumerlands, Sumerlands
Sumerlands always had the strange reaction from me
that consisted of me going, “Wow, this is great,” and then not having it
proceed beyond that. I can’t imagine why this was the case in 2016, but I
should not have dismissed this album so easily. The vocalist clearly has the
Ozzy-vibe that everyone pointed out, but goes far beyond a simple comparison,
as he has some very unique and rich depth. The riffs are nostalgic as all sorts
of hell, but not in a way that comes off as though it is attempting to be, and
the songwriting still brings an intensely fresh aura to it. This is music to
listen to as one traverses plains under foggy indigo skies.
Be’lakor, Vessels
I painfully underrated this band in 2016. Vessels is
one of the best melodic death metal albums released in recent memory. It took
listening to this album while trying to sleep in my car during a lightning
storm/flash flood in a parking lot in Kanab, Utah, to truly understand and
appreciate it. As the power went out, the absence of streetlights amplified the
darkness all around me, and each intermittent strike of lightning lit up the
entire sky and the waters swelling around me. One of the more powerful musical
experiences that I have ever had. However, that experience aside, this album on
its own is magnificent.
First Fragment, Dasein
Holy shit the fucking speed and technicality and riffs
here are too much to handle. How they don’t become redundant is the sign of the
songwriting skill First Fragment have. This was one of the better tech death
albums of 2016 that I mostly slept on, which is entirely inexcusable, for Dasein is exceptional. The guitar work
is particularly mind-twistingly good. Everything about this is amazing. If
you’re a tech death fan, this is a must listen. If you aren’t, it is still
worth checking out, if merely for the instrumentation alone.
Imperium, Titanomachy
I didn’t discover Imperium until after my list was
complete, to my woe. This fucking band is heavy to an incinerating degree. From
the eerie battle-atmosphere intro transitioning into “Castrate the Father of
the Sky” (excellent song title), the listener is shown that this band doesn’t
fuck around one bit. It is blisteringly fast, and sounds like a fiery
cataclysm. While I don’t think this would have broken top twenty on the list,
it is still very much worth the listen.
Silent Planet, Everything
Was Sound
Another instance where I became aware of this band far
too late for it to matter on my list. This recurring theme is one reason I
really tried to amp up how many albums I listened to and reviewed in 2017. The resulting nauseatingly gargantuan list is
testament to that. Silent Planet is one of, if not the most interesting and
powerful metalcore bands currently operating. I put them alongside Norma Jean
in my personal preferences, for different reasons. This album improves upon The Night God Slept in every way. Silent
Planet is absolutely raw. “Panic Room” is certainly in contention for my
favorite song of 2016.
Toothgrinder, Nocturnal
Masquerade
After what I considered to be an overall underwhelming
2017 release, I decided to backtrack in an attempt to discover what gave me
such high expectations for Phantom Amour
to begin with. After re-listening to Nocturnal
Masquerade, I was able to say “Oh, right.” Toothgrinder delivers some
groovy hardcore goodness. I do have problems with the production that linger,
especially in certain moments that feel like they should hit harder than they
do. The softer, melodic moments are also a glaring weakness to me. This album
conjures mixed feelings from me, but when it is good, it really is good.
Sumac, What One
Becomes
I have grown to enjoy the almost improvisational
feeling that What One Becomes conveys
at times. Sumac achieves wonderful moments of both complete derangement and
melodic hooks boring their way into your skull. There certainly seems to be
somewhat of a minimalist approach taking place here, and it works well with
what Sumac are trying to accomplish sound-wise. It also must be noted how rich
and thundering the tone is. The recording quality probably has something to do
with the fact that this was recorded in an old, abandoned church. The
spaciousness can be felt. This dissonant and meandering album is a massive
achievement for this new project, and I look forward to hearing more from them.
Fans of more experimental sludge/doom/drone shouldn’t miss this.
Deathspell Omega, The
Synarchy of Molten Bones
Some truly horrific experimental black metal that I
did not discover until 2017. The atmosphere that Deathspell constructs is
oppressing and spastic, and is done so with no time wasted, with the album
roughly clocking in around thirty minutes. This is a listen that is indeed
visceral and abysmal. It is mortal terror personified. The style that
Deathspell are attempting to construct is very much aided by a Gorguts-esque
atonality. This is recommended to anyone who is a fan of dissonant,
experimental extreme metal. Speaking of Gorguts…
Gorguts, Pleiades’
Dust
Gorguts is one of the most important metal bands
today, and their influence becomes increasingly clear each year. I cannot
properly express how monumental Colored
Sands is. However, I let that infatuation get in the way of truly delving
into Pleiades’ Dust and appreciating
it to the degree that I should have. It is difficult for me to write any sort
of review that can encapsulate the brilliance this band conjures from what must
be Stygian mires of another dimension. Gorguts constructs sonic narratives in
ways seemingly unique to them. Pleiades’
Dust is saturated with atmosphere, forbidding and spectral, immersed in
isolation, in tombs of desert sand. A single, thirty-three minute song that
must be experienced in its entirety without interruption or distraction.
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