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Your Future Ex<a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/TheOcean" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TheOcean</a>: Anthropocentric<a href="https://album.link/wq79n2mv5mwjs" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://album.link/wq79n2mv5mwjs</a><a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/PostMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/ProgressiveMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ProgressiveMetal</a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Sludge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sludge</a>FFO <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Disillusion" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Disillusion</a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Hippotraktor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Hippotraktor</a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/Vulkan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Vulkan</a><a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/VinylArt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#VinylArt</a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/VinylLuv" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#VinylLuv</a> <a href="https://metalhead.club/tags/VinylPorn" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#VinylPorn</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thus Spoke and Maddog’s Top Ten(ish) of 2024</a>By Steel DruhmThus SpokeMy second AMG End-of-Year piece?! Didn’t I just get here? This is my typical reaction to life’s happenings. I’m blindsided by everything. You’ll probably notice that many of the below list entries ‘snuck up on me’ in how much I liked them, compared to everything else. The fact that we’re now halfway through the 2020s makes me feel a bit nauseous. I keep telling people I ‘just moved’ into the home I bought this year, but I’ve been in it since April. And that huge milestone—for which I feel immensely grateful and privileged to have achieved this side of 30—would have solely dominated my year were it not for two other facts: 1) I was finally diagnosed with and very recently started medication for ADHD; 2) 2024 has got to have been the strongest year of the decade so far for metal. So, time to talk about the music rather than myself.My overoptimistic prediction that Ulcerate would release new music came true,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/#fn-208855-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> and there was, in general, a particular influx of excellent material from the darker, more dissonant, and extreme sides of death and black metal. This was also the year I finally reconnected with my love of doom after a long period of lukewarm engagement. But I wouldn’t have known about half of it were it not for this gig, and the amazing people I share it with. Whether it was Dear Hollow, Kenstrosity, or Mystikus Hugebeard pinging across something they thought I might like, or a particularly potent review penned by a colleague, a commenter chipping in with some gem, or the group buzz around an album I might otherwise never have considered, there’s no better place to find and discuss metal. And speaking of community, if I ever needed a confirmation that this right here is the loveliest place on the internet, the rallying response to Ken‘s plight earlier this year from staff and readers was it.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/#fn-208855-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> I couldn’t ask for better company. I said as much last year, but I’ll probably say it every year: having this opportunity is wild and I feel so blessed. To be able to send my thoughts about music into the world where people read and consider them, that’s mad. Bumping into an AMG fan in the wild was also an affirming and heartwarming experience reminding me that there are actually real people out there who know who we are; and let me say, however enthusiastic and grateful you might be for us, the feeling is mutual. So to everyone reading this, to all the folks at AMG who make it possible for me to continually wax lyrical about stuff I love (and stuff I don’t love so much) and put up with all my overrating, to all of you: thank you. Shout out also to my list buddy Maddog, whose EOY write-up is bound to be more br00tal and much less flowery than mine, and whose in-person company I continue to have the pleasure of enjoying whenever he deigns to visit our little island up here. Oh, and thank you to the original creator and to Kenstrosity for my new avatar! I asked and you delivered. And if you actually read this far down, thank you for indulging me. But now, finally, it’s list time. #ish. Pillar of Light // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pillar-of-light-caldera-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caldera</a> – I unintentionally ended my reviewing year on a high with Pillar of Light. Or perhaps a low, if we consider mood. When a record evokes a genuine emotional response in me,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/#fn-208855-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a> as Caldera does, it deserves more than an Honorable Mention. So here it is. It’s one of those albums you experience that forever afterward remains tied to your particular life situation when you were first immersed, and for that reason, its longevity is increased and its impact amplified. Given how “Leaving” and “Infernal Gaze” leave me in pieces, it’s probably a good thing the misery comes down from 11 at other times. But on the next album, who knows? I’ll be ready at least.#10. Replicant // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/replicant-infinite-mortality-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Infinite Mortality</a> – Much like Kenstrosity, author of the review, I have not historically been Replicant’s hugest fan. For some reason their music never stuck with me; I just didn’t get it. Infinite Mortality has been the enlightenment I needed. It’s undeniably fantastic. Brilliantly technical and ruthlessly efficient in execution, it manages to also be ridiculously groovy in a way that you wouldn’t expect from this flavor of extreme death metal. Suited, evidently, to desk sessions and gym sessions alike, given the range of play it got from me since its release, its balance of skronk and style proved why I should, long ago, have been paying attention to Replicant. Ken himself struggled to find a negative and so do I. Even interlude “SCN9A” is great, especially as it leads into monster “Pain Enduring.” Only the superlative strength of other contenders causes this to fall so low on the list.#9. ColdCell // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/coldcell-age-of-unreason-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Age of Unreason</a> – In a rare case of me underrating something, my review of Age of Unreason did not quite do justice to its strength. Not only have I revisited it often, but I have of late been struck ever deeper by its profundity. The honest, vulnerable lamentations on inequality (“Solidarity or Solitude”), hatred (“Discord”), and human selfishness (“Dead to the World”) go far beyond a jaded misanthropy and strike a real chord. In wrapping this up in an insidiously simple package of compelling, devastating black metal with a distinctive voice, ColdCell have made, I now recognize, a true masterpiece. Brutal in its own way, and beautiful in many more, this is a record I hardly realized had made such a strong impact on me until I saw just how many times I’d spun it. This year may have seen black metal that goes harder, or with more powerful atmospheres, but none that are as memorable as Age of Unreason.#8. Spectral Voice // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/spectral-voice-spargamos-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sparagmos </a>– What a behemoth. It’s hard to believe that—just for a little while—Sparagmos slipped my mind many months after its February release. Relistening brought it all back into horrifying clarity. This record throws a veil over the sun, stares at you with unseeing, ecstatic eyes of Dionysian worship, and forces you into terrified awe. I’m still blown away by how crushingly heavy and immersive it is; how it still manages to blindside me with sudden turns from ominous crawling into chaotic, chthonic tremolos and clustered, hideous vocals. A masterclass in patient, predatory ambush. Nothing else this year was like it, which is partially why I’ve had to return so often to its dark embrace. Every nightmarish track was at some point in the runnings for the Song of the Year playlist. In the end, only one could make it, and it is, as I said in my review, “as inexorable as death.”#7. Hamferð // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hamferd-men-guds-hond-er-sterk-review/#fn-195054-7" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Men Guðs hond er sterk</a> – I’m surprised as well. Before Men Guðs hond er sterk, I had never laid ears on Hamferð and I was quite stunned to find how instantly I loved them. It’s not often an album by a band you’d previously never spent time with claims a spot on your year-end list after one listen, but this was one of those rare occasions. Something about the sorrowful, yet also soaring, melodies delivered through the interplays of resonant chords and gentle plucks, and between caustic growls and clear, ardent cleans just transports me. I feel the solemnity, the fear, and the grief in alternately forceful and graceful heaviness thanks to these intricately woven compositions and ardent performances that make the fact the lyrics are all in Faroese completely irrelevant. And Hamferð cover breadth with such ease, the slowly rolling wave of doom rising with tremolos into new intensity; and yet still controlled, still patient. The closer and it’s sample used to bother me, but I’m long past that now. In short, as the Angry Metal Guy himself said, “the record’s flow is impeccable,” and “the writing is subtle but addictive”. He’s not kidding about that last part, I really can’t stop listening to it.#6. Föhn // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fohn-condescending-review/#fnref-201919-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Condescending</a> – I was not prepared for what Condescending would do to me. Like any funeral doom worth its salt, it’s massive, but its presence is not smothering, it does not suffocate. Instead, it dampens the sound of anything else, so that the lugubrious chords, vocals, and fraught, lamenting refrains reverberate inside your mind, alone. This presence is redoubled by the heart-rending devastation of the compositions it centers—lyrically and musically. Bleakly beautiful, crushing doom in all its low, slow, cavernous hell leads you into an almost blissful moroseness, just in time for the veil to tear and your spirit to crumble as haunting melodies spill in from impossibly delicate sources of saxophone, synth, or ringing strings. Condescending will not leave my mind, and as broken and misty-eyed as these songs make me—”A Day After” and “Persona” especially—I’ll keep returning to experience it again and again. Maybe I can only speak for myself; maybe you’re sensing a theme wherein I like albums that make me feel sad. Whatever the case, Föhn took my breath away, and I don’t want it back.#5. Cave Sermon // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/cave-sermon-divine-laughter-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Divine Laughter</a> – It’s pretty irresponsible of me to put this in the list at all, let alone in this position, considering how late in the day I discovered it. But I’m not really known for being ‘responsible’ around these parts, so, what the hell. What some might pigeonhole as just wonky death metal, or blackened post-hardcore—or even post-metal, as Metal Archives confusingly stamp it—is really much more complex, deep, and unique. Gripping and strange, in a way that struck me on my very first listen, Divine Laughter is responsible for me going from never having heard of Cave Sermon to being an ardent fan in one afternoon. Every listen gives me my new favorite part and uncovers more and more of its treasures. Savage and beautiful and with unnervingly easy flow, large parts of it are total perfection (“Liquid Gol, “The Paint of An Invader”). I cannot get enough. It’s so good, actually, that it’s made me feel a bit anxious about how much I’ve still missed this year, though I am very glad that this made it to my ears, even at the 11th hour. Divine Laughter is simply one of the greatest things I’ve heard in 2024, and it’s a crime that more people aren’t talking about it.#4. Devenial Verdict // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devenial-verdict-blessing-of-despair-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blessing of Despair</a> – I was waiting for Blessing of Despair since January, and as it always is with things we have high expectations for, part of me was preparing for disappointment. That preparation proved unnecessary once I finally got my hands on this in the Autumn. Devenial Verdict delivered. This time, they amped up all their unique little idiosyncrasies that made me fall in love with Ash Blind, and added a criminally heavy helping of groove. This thing is atmospheric and punchy, providing soundscapes that are just as haunting and mysterious(TM) as they are stomping and cutthroat. Either way, these riffs will make you shiver. “Garden of Eyes”! “Solus”! Ahhhh! Even “Counting Silence” and “A Curse Made Flesh,” which I initially dismissed as a little understated, have this delicious melancholic presence I just want to be immersed in 24/7. Devenial Verdict’s slick mixture of mournful melody and menacing, barked growls; neck-snapping flicks of cymbal, and those resonant, aggressive chord progressions make for—almost—my favorite take on death metal that exists. The sole reason Blessing of Despair wasn’t my most-played album of 2024 is that I only started in September.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/#fn-208855-4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a>#3. Selbst // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/selbst-despondency-chord-progressions-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Despondency Chord Progressions</a> – Back in 2017 or so, I was struck by what at the time I considered the most gorgeous opening guitar on any song ever. It was “…Of Solitary Ramblings,” the first track on Selbst’s self-titled debut.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/#fn-208855-5" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">5</a> From that day forward I was enamoured. The undercurrents of lamenting melodrama and a black metal interwoven with a distinctive style of flowing, weeping strums continue to make Selbst very special. But if I had thought that their depths of emotional poignancy and stirring, multi-layered compositions had been reached, Despondency Chord Progressions showed they had not. Cleans that some wrote off as unsavory, rather bring—in my opinion—a new vulnerability, and their rawness compounds the pathos of already intensely cathartic compositions. The album’s title is, as I noted, an apt descriptor for the musical themes, but really undersells the cry of grief and despair that erupts from the music with every shuddering, tremolo-shaken, surge and every plaintive, somber quietude. I stand by what I said back in April, that “[t]his is black metal at its most stirring, entrancingly beautiful, and existentially affecting.” The sheer magnitude of its impassioned peaks (“Third World Wretchedness,” “Between Seclusion and Obsession”) and the sting of its humanity (“When true Loneliness is Experienced,” “Chant of Self Confrontation”) are like nothing else in the genre.#2. Amiensus // Reclamation [Parts <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amiensus-reclamation-part-1-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> & <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amiensus-reclamation-pt-ii-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a>] – Take it up in the comments if you think this is cheating; Reclamation is one work in my eyes. And what a masterpiece. Each part a gorgeous, immersive side of one breathtaking journey that is best experienced together. I remain stunned by Amiensus’ mastery of musical storytelling through a flowing, intricate soundscape—at turns triumphant (“Vermillion Fog of War,” “Sólfarið”), sorrowful (“Reverie,” “Leprosarium”), and always stirring. Everything about Reclamation is graceful, which is another part of its magic because it’s not as though Amiensus left the black metal behind. Rather they seem to have found the deepest essence of the genre’s unique propensity for raw emotional expression, and moulded its elements into what is hands-down the most beautiful thing I’ve heard at least this year. It is, as I noted in my write-up of Part 1, a distillation of pure joy, and uplifting no matter how wistful (“Sun and Moon”), or suffused with bittersweet longing (“A Consciousness Throughout Time,” “Acquiescence”). And with so much of it—albeit, a time that flashes by with thrilling speed—it’s impossible not to get lost in. “Sun and Moon” was so close to being my favorite song of 2024, and in another year, it would have been. For that matter, in another year Reclamation itself would have claimed the top spot on this list.#1. Ulcerate //<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/ulcerate-cutting-the-throat-of-god-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Cutting the Throat of God</a> – What else could it have been? I worry that by this point I may have used up all of the words that are possible to describe this pinnacle of excellence. In reality, though, I’m not sure I even have the words to express it in the first place, not for lack of trying. Ulcerate have long been a behemoth in their realm within the larger world of death metal, but while distinctive, they have never settled, continually carving up the template of dissonance with varyingly-sized blades of atmosphere and melody, moving between their most barbed and chaotic (Everything is Fire) to their most somber and moody (The Destroyers of All) in just one album. Later Shrines of Paralysis—my former favorite—saw a turn back towards the urgency and aggression, but with this new harmonic undercurrent in place. With hindsight, I can see now that the deeply atmospheric, disquieting Stare into Death and Be Still marked a turning point, paving the ground for what could be their magnum opus. Distilling the tension and the turmoil, into tidal forces of incredible rhythm, and dark, brilliant melody, with Cutting the Throat of God, Ulcerate reach transcendence. Dire (“The Dawn is Hollow”), deadly (“Transfiguration in and Out of Worlds”), devastating (“To See Death Just Once,” “Cutting the Throat of God”). Its intricacies only continue to reveal themselves to me; helped, no doubt, by a phenomenal live performance that bewitched me anew this October. I had to upgrade this album’s score to Iconic, because it is. This is atmospheric death metal perfected, and if genre-mates weren’t already looking in Ulcerate’s direction, there’s hardly any choice now. Cutting the Throat of God represents, in the greatest form, “the savagery, authenticity, and more recently, beauty that makes this icon of the dissonant death metal world who they are.”Honorable Mentions:Gaerea // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/gaerea-coma-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Coma</a> – Despite having calmed down considerably from my previous Gaerea overhype, there’s no denying that they’ve really got something. With a new vocalist, they retain their distinctively melodramatic and intense style, while incorporating a little more vulnerability via some genuinely really lovely cleans. A great record that just wasn’t great enough for the ridiculously high standard set by this year’s fare. Eye Eater // Alienate – I am immensely grateful for Dolphin Whisperer for bringing this to my attention. Much of this album feels like it was written specifically for me, because it uses pretty much all of my favorite things in metal. It’s atmospheric and dissonant, like Ulcerate and others in that vein; it’s kind of post-death-y, and replete with minor melodies, and a particular kind of urgency my brain associates with specific kinds of ‘-core’. I just didn’t get quite enough time with it.Songs of the Year“To See Death Just Once” – Ulcerate“Sun and Moon” – Amiensus“Solus” – Devenial Verdict“Terminal” – Vorga“Third World Wretchedness” – Selbst“The Paint of an Invader” – Cave Sermon“A Day After” – Föhn“Ábær” – Hamferð“Inversion” – Endonomos“Death’s Knell Rings in Eternity” – Spectral Voice“Leaving” – Pillar of Light MaddogIt’s been a weird year, and this is a weird list. Last December, I <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2023/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lamented</a> the emotional hollowness of 2023’s metal output. If anything, 2024 fell even flatter. My most anticipated heavyweights were competent but inconsistent (<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/alcest-les-chants-de-laurore-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alcest</a>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/julie-christmas-ridiculous-and-full-of-blood-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Julie Christmas</a>), and few albums moved me. Unfazed, death metal picked up the slack and made this year a pleasure. Led by a flurry of excellent releases from genre titans, 2024 helped rekindle my love for cantankerous death metal.Even so, the brutality of 2024’s output shocked me. Despite my worship of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amg-goes-ranking-suffocation/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Suffocation</a> and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amg-goes-ranking-dying-fetus/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dying Fetus</a>, most brutal death metal releases of the last decade haven’t gripped me. But 2024 pulled me onto the brutal train with creativity and pizzazz. Both the techy and the knuckle-dragging corners of that subgenre thrived, including several artists that didn’t make my list (like <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/gigan-anomalous-abstractigate-infinitessimus-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gigan</a>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/iniquitous-savagery-edifice-of-vicissitudes-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iniquitous Savagery</a>, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/nile-the-underworld-awaits-us-all-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nile</a>). After tending toward more emotive music and other poseur nonsense in recent years, I took a long jump back in 2024.As if that wasn’t enough, this was a banner year for dissonance. That’s a sentence I never expected to type; even dissonant death metal’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-gorguts-obscura/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">classics</a> tend to be hit-or-miss with me. In 2024, the skronk finally broke through, aided by many avant-garde bands drifting toward a more accessible sound. This year’s screechy screeds were cogent enough to grab my arm and unhinged enough to rip it out of its socket. It’s been a jarring but eye-opening year.This <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/brodequin-harbinger-of-woe-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/?commentID=70936772-2621-4afe-abf4-bcd63d62e146" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">comment</a> from the Brodequin review doubles as a summary of my 2024 music picks:<blockquote>I wonder if I, we, they or all of us have a screw loose.</blockquote>Heading into 2024, I craved immersive soundscapes and misty eyes. Instead, I was met with discordant gurgling. I didn’t expect it, but I don’t regret it. #ish. Hypoxia // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hypoxia-defiance-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Defiance</a> – Defiance never gets old. This old-school death metal behemoth has been around for ten months and hails from a subgenre that’s infamous for monotony. And yet, like Monstrosity’s best work, it blossoms on every spin. Defiance sports 2024’s fiercest harsh vocal performance, and riffwork so potent that it could revive the Selbst baby. I don’t have anything fancy to add, so I won’t try. Defiance is a rare death metal record that’s simple, thrilling, and well-written.#10. Dawn Treader // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dawn-treader-bloom-decay-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloom & Decay</a> – The thought sometimes crosses my mind: Why does atmospheric black metal even exist? The musical possibilities abound; who would pay $8 for tremolo scales recorded in a rest stop bathroom? Records like Bloom & Decay jolt me out of my pretension. Dawn Treader’s underground gem is both a product and a peddler of overpowering emotion. Ross Connell unleashes a tirade against violence and oppression using grief-stricken guitar melodies. On the flip side, Bloom & Decay’s heavy use of major keys—my second biggest fear—blurs the line between despair and tentative hope. Most impressive is the album’s flow, which Itchymenace described better than I ever could: “The majority of Bloom & Decay is instrumental, but you hardly notice because the music has such a storytelling quality.” Bloom & Decay’s 53-minute chokehold on my heart is ineffable but unyielding.#9. Kanonenfieber // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-die-urkatastrophe-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Die Urkatastrophe</a> – Germany’s nameless Noise has built up a remarkable CV – 7 years, 3 bands, 8 albums. While I’ve often enjoyed his music, I never fell under his spell. Die Urkatastrophe was the last straw. A pacifist tirade told through first-person WWI vignettes, Die Urkatastrophe depicts nationalist violence and its aftermath. Armed with a sharp-edged blackened death foundation and surging chorus melodies, Kanonenfieber provides rewarding fodder even for unfeeling riff addicts. However, its excellence lies in its raw emotion. Both Noise’s lyrics and his songwriting embrace a “show, don’t tell” approach that brings the album to life. As the narrator’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Halen" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cavalry offensive</a> meets with a hilltop ambush in “Gott mit der Kavallerie,” Kanonenfieber’s upbeat riffs transform into a sudden dirge followed by frantic black metal. The epic “Waffenbrüder” evokes the wide-eyed optimism of childhood friends, the pride of enlisting, the tragedy of losing a companion, and the regrets of a life wasted. Die Urkatastrophe is both a transformative album and exemplary storytelling.#8. Defeated Sanity // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/defeated-sanity-chronicles-of-lunacy-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chronicles of Lunacy</a> – Chronicles of Lunacy is essential listening for any fans of extreme metal. Its greatest triumph is its fine mix of Defeated Sanity’s signature ingredients. Chronicles excels as pure brutal death metal through punishing caveman riffs and a tasteful dose of slam. Vaughn Stoffey’s guitars elevate this to an art form using wily fretboard acrobatics and seamless jazzy breaks. Led by kit-meister Lille Gruber, Defeated Sanity’s off-kilter rhythms and heavy syncopation miraculously aid the album’s staying power rather than hindering it. Put simply, Chronicles of Lunacy is 2024’s most vivid reminder of why I love death metal. I love its unforgiving brutality; I love its dazzling technicality; I love its groove; I love its genre-bending creative expression; I love its rhythmic feats of strength; I love its intellect; I love its idiocy. In other words, I love Defeated Sanity.#7. Ulcerate // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/ulcerate-cutting-the-throat-of-god-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cutting the Throat of God</a> – It’s a match made in heaven: Cutting the Throat of God is Ulcerate for dummies, and I’m a dummy. Ulcerate continues to march toward more accessible ground, leaving behind the merciless dissonance of Everything is Fire. Powerful melodic themes peek through the chaos and take time to shine, offering both souvenirs and footholds. Despite Cutting’s lowbrow appeal, Ulcerate’s inimitable signature remains. Unease pervades the record, and Ulcerate’s cohesive songwriting transforms it from a concept to an emotion. In Thus Spoke’s words, Jamie Saint Merat’s drums are “more body than skeleton,” using their distinctive start-stop style to guide the mood. The album’s climaxes alone justify a purchase, as hypnotic melodies and frenzied dissonance coalesce into a tsunami. In short, Cutting the Throat of God captured both my brain and my heart.#6. Hippotraktor // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hippotraktor-stasis-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stasis</a> – I first heard about Belgium’s Hippotraktor from an insistent coworker, long before I discovered GardensTale’s well-worded underrating. Psychonaut meets Karnivool meets The Ocean meets Meshuggah in this pounding, beautiful prog/post adventure. Stasis’ hard-won achievement is that it navigates through disparate ideas with fluidity and flair. Psychonaut-drenched sludge forms a jagged backbone that sways between meditative and explosive. Meanwhile, Hippotraktor’s mastery of melody catapults them into genre royalty. “Stasis” uses this superpower for peaceful guitar jams, “Echoes” uses it for soaring As I Lay Dying vocal lines, and “The Reckoning” uses it for haunting continuity across its eight minutes. The djenty interdjections are well-written and screwed in tight, packing a punch even for listeners with severe djent allerdjies. Stasis is a bold statement from a new band, and it’s jostled up my list posthaste.#5. Hell:on // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hellon-shaman-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shaman</a> – Hell:on’s folk-infused take on death metal stands apart. Shaman’s diverse influences complement each other and flourish in isolation. Phrygian themes, throat singing, and driving sitars steer the album. But despite Shaman’s folk roots, it’s an excellent slab of death metal. Hell:on’s riffs recall the threatening leviathans of Nile’s Annihilation of the Wicked, while the narrative song structures feel like a roided-out Aeternam. Even among such storied company, Shaman’s melodies stand out. Over the record’s runtime, Hell:on’s guitars shred, soar, flail, and wallop, evolving smoothly and dragging the listener along. As icing on the cake, Holdeneye’s review of Shaman features the most sobering and most badass introductory story of 2024. Hell:on demanded my attention and earned it.#4. Pyrrhon // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pyrrhon-exhaust-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Exhaust</a> – I started warming up to Exhaust on my first listen, but it took a while to diagnose why. Pyrrhon’s earlier releases didn’t click with me, but Exhaust is a trailblazer and a paradox. Pyrrhon rewrites the textbook on riffs, displaying a mastery of groove even in their wildest moments. And the noisier cuts, which remind me most of Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and The Velvet Underground, are evocative narratives rather than lifeless technical exercises. The longer pieces intersperse hypnotic buildups with furious cacophony (“Out of Gas”), while the shorter tracks are simultaneously caustic and infectious. With a thick leading bass performance and a master that highlights every detail of the drums, Exhaust grows on me with every spin. Pyrrhon’s off-the-deep-end brand of experimental death metal isn’t my usual fare, but I can’t avert my ears this time. Both mellifluous and disgusting, both rifftastic and immersive, Exhaust is singular.#3. Selbst // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/selbst-despondency-chord-progressions-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Despondency Chord Progressions</a> – My first toe dip into Selbst made a lasting impression. Shortly after Despondency Chord Progressions came out, I spun it at the office. In the final minute of the opener “La Encarnación de Todos los Miedos,” I felt the involuntary tears start to flow, and I had to nuke the music and run to the bathroom to avoid worrying my desk neighbor. This embarrassing first encounter perfectly encapsulates the album. While it’s “merely” black metal, its gorgeous melodies and shrilling tremolos showcase the genre at its finest. Alternating between meditative dirges and howling chords, Selbst conveys both muffled sobs and hysterical bawling. Selbst’s fluid compositions captivated me at once and dug their claws even deeper over the ensuing months. The most heart-rending record of 2024, Despondency Chord Progressions showcases the paralyzing power of music.#2. Noxis // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/noxis-violence-inherent-in-the-system-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Violence Inherent in the System</a> – Noxis’ debut is a remarkable blend of old and new. The album’s stomping riffs and popping snare drum root it in 1990s brutal death metal. Conversely, its exuberantly grimy bass tone, its proggy rhythms, and its surprise woodwind extravaganza feel unabashedly modern. Much like last year’s Ohio death metal <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/faithxtractor-contempt-for-a-failed-dimension-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">highlight</a>, Violence Inherent in the System succeeds by ripping throughout, whether with a vile Dying Fetus riff or with an adventurous bass melody. Although this is the longest record in my top five, its 46 minutes fly by. Boasting momentum that would make Newton blush, Noxis keeps the energy high from the barnburner “Skullcrushing Defilement” to the proggy old-school “Emanations of the Sick.” After six months of scrutinizing and adoring Violence, I still can’t fathom that this is a debut album.#1. Wormed // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wormed-omegon-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Omegon</a> – I’ve already said my piece on this, and nothing has changed. Omegon feels as thrilling, as alien, as robotic, and as human as it did in July. In a year where brutality and dissonance thrived, Wormed maxed out both dimensions. Omegon is at once a painstakingly crafted work of art, an all-consuming atmosphere, and 2024’s punchiest death metal record.Honorable Mentions:<ul><li>Oxygen Destroyer // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/oxygen-destroyer-guardian-of-the-universe-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guardian of the Universe</a> – <a href="https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Redefining Darkness</a> strikes again. Oxygen Destroyer’s latest death-thrash opus is a concise half hour of exhilarating riffs. The album sounds one track, but I don’t care; it gains steam as it progresses, and it lodges deeper on every listen. There’s no excuse for missing this.</li><li>Brodequin // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/brodequin-harbinger-of-woe-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harbinger of Woe</a> – Despite its morose title, Harbinger of Woe is straightforward and riotous. Brodequin has honed a sleek archetype of brutal death metal, far from the likes of Wormed. It doesn’t aim to innovate; it just aims for high impact. It succeeds.</li><li>Kryptos // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kryptos-decimator-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Decimator</a> – India’s heavy metal kings dealt me an irreplaceable shot of adrenaline. Decimator is Kryptos’ most melodically inspired work to date, an absolute scorcher, and the most viscerally satisfying production job of 2024.</li><li>Necrowretch // <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/necrowretch-swords-of-dajjal-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Swords of Dajjal</a> – Somehow, despite competition from <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-aphelion-reaperdawn-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">In Aphelion</a> and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/necrophobic-in-the-twilight-grey-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Necrophobic</a> themselves, Necrowretch churned out the best Necrophobic album of 2024.</li></ul> Songs o’ the Year:<ol><li>Julie Christmas – “The Lighthouse”</li><li>Hippotraktor – “The Reckoning”</li><li>Kanonenfieber – “Waffenbrüder”</li><li>Hypoxia – “Scorched and Skinned”</li><li>Kryptos – “Fall to the Spectre’s Gaze”</li><li>Wormed – “Protogod”</li><li>Alcest – “Améthyste”</li><li>Defeated Sanity – “Heredity Violated”</li><li>Andy Gillion – “Acceptance”</li><li>Selbst – “La Encarnación de Todos los Miedos”</li><li>Pyrrhon – “Out of Gas”</li><li>Ulcerate – “Cutting the Throat of God”</li><li>Noxis – “Abstemious, Pious Writ of Life”</li><li>Keygen Church – “La Chiave del mio Amor”</li></ol> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amiensus/" target="_blank">#Amiensus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blog-post/" target="_blank">#BlogPost</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/brodequin/" target="_blank">#Brodequin</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cave-sermon/" target="_blank">#CaveSermon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/coldcell/" target="_blank">#ColdCell</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dawn-treader/" target="_blank">#DawnTreader</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/defeated-sanity/" target="_blank">#DefeatedSanity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/devenial-verdict/" target="_blank">#DevenialVerdict</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/eye-eater/" target="_blank">#EyeEater</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fohn/" target="_blank">#Föhn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gaerea/" target="_blank">#Gaerea</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hamferd/" target="_blank">#Hamferð</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hellon/" target="_blank">#HellOn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hippotraktor/" target="_blank">#Hippotraktor</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hypoxia/" target="_blank">#Hypoxia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kanonenfeiber/" target="_blank">#Kanonenfeiber</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kryptos/" target="_blank">#Kryptos</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/necrowretch/" target="_blank">#Necrowretch</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/noxis/" target="_blank">#Noxis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/oxygen-destroyer/" target="_blank">#OxygenDestroyer</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pillar-of-light/" target="_blank">#PillarOfLight</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pyrrhon/" target="_blank">#Pyrrhon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/replicant/" target="_blank">#Replicant</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/selbst/" target="_blank">#Selbst</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/spectral-voice/" target="_blank">#SpectralVoice</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/thus-spoke-and-maddogs-top-tenish-of-2024/" target="_blank">#ThusSpokeAndMaddogSTopTenIshOf2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ulcerate/" target="_blank">#Ulcerate</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/wormed/" target="_blank">#Wormed</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lizzard-mesh-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lizzard – Mesh Review</a>By Dolphin WhispererBack when 2020 was turning the page to hopefully a better year, I caught a podcast of a little-spread act, Lizzard, and their freshly forthcoming album <a href="https://lizzardband.bandcamp.com/album/eroded" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eroded</a>. They chatted with a nervous excitement about their fairly organic and elegant approach to producing a lush and layered form of prog-minded sounds influenced by memories of 90s radio rock. Memory can be fickle. I have plenty of memories of alternative radio from that time and the early 00s, most not particularly fond. If you wander through a neighborhood grocery store you can still relive these recordings, a gentle drop of an infectious yet placid Train chorus or forlorn, funky croon of Incubus or Radiohead. And though the predictable structure of this music—that is Mesh or some of its distant inspirations—may not seem readily appealing, the precise twists of tone or delicate experimentations that these aged tunes possess hold a certain charm that can often be missing in the resonance of today’s rock music scene.That’s not to say that Lizzard shares nothing in common with the sounds of modern progressive acts. The material off prior releases 2014’s <a href="https://lizzardband.bandcamp.com/album/majestic" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Majestic</a> or 2018’s <a href="https://lizzardband.bandcamp.com/album/shift" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shift</a> reveal the same kind of Tool-ish <a href="https://lizzardband.bandcamp.com/track/the-roots-within-majestic" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">syncopations</a> and gazey, post-leaning Deftones <a href="https://lizzardband.bandcamp.com/track/open-view" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grooves</a> that smatter about contemporaries like Wheel or Hippotraktor. But Lizzard arrives loaded instead with warm, vibrant guitar tones; well-framed, shifting rhythms; and crushing, sing-song bass rattling that comes together against hypnotizing and emotive refrains. Despite pushing an audible gloom, guitarist and vocalist Mathieu Ricou doesn’t possess a powerhouse sadboi voice,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lizzard-mesh-review/#fn-203468-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> falling into the Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) school of growth by iterative force, pushing the bounds of a crinkling pathos against glistening and glowing melodies (“Home Seek,” “Minim,” “The Beholder”). Mesh wears in plain sight the cracked color vocal palette of its inspirations—the fragile skip of Thom Yorke (Radiohead), the fluttering falsetto of Ian Kenny (Karnivool, Birds of Tokyo). Though, importantly, with that same lyrical atmosphere Lizzard rides the waves of their reverberating melancholy to brighter pastures with practiced aplomb (“Elevate,” “Home Seek,” “The Beholder”).The captivating strength of Lizzard’s lead drives gives Mesh the power to hook no matter the manner of attack. Whether amp-blowing riff (“Unity”), nasally bass warble (“New Page,” “Home Seek”), or united rocking thrust (“Black Sheep”), each successive passage builds in subtle ways on the last. It’s simple—Lizzard wears the verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus tried and trusted pattern well. This adherence to The Beatles method of elegant accentuations within the box of the AABA allows Ricou to step back and use looped or steady patterns to let Will Knox’s wide bass slips and slides be a voice that flitters about in near harmony to Ricou’s poetic recitals (“New Page,” “Mad Hatters”). And elsewhere, Knox and drummer Katy Elwell maintain a thundering pulse to allow Ricou’s tension-loaded scale explorations evolve into post-rock-inspired bright chord crescendos, with “The Unseen” even featuring a gaze-drenched-yet-snappy solo.The consistency that runs through Mesh allows each song’s peaks and flairs to weave the experience into a cohesive whole. At first blush, it’s easy to parse Mesh as a collection of great songs. But in the presence of its individually structure nature, the cyclical flow of bursting intro to playful melodies to sweeping codas spills over into the atmosphere between each number. Hard-hitting, riff-loaded jams have full-brake resolutions (“Unity,” “Black Sheep,” “The Unseen”). Other songs that steer with crystalline arpeggio hooks and cymbal-splashed ceilings segue with a shimmered reverb harmonic that maintains the somber mood. And the closing trio functions as one extended thought, with “The Beholder” intentionally starting with hard-panned bass and guitar to mimic the division of it all until the first chorus unites the duo.Predicting that which will deeply resonate within our listening hearts stands as an effort futile, misguided by the things we want rather than need. I never could have predicted that 2021 would deliver me Lizzard’s Eroded, a modern classic in my head canon. And though Lizzard’s back catalog remains loaded with smart tune after smart tune, Mesh still had no guarantee of landing as a success. Mesh is not the definitive and downcast cry that drilled Eroded deep into my listening heart. But it is steady, lush, and hopeful. Mesh is not an album that revels in virtuosic spectacle or deeply layered narrative. But it is so finely woven in execution—exacting and exuberant—that Mesh too has embedded itself as necessary progressive listening. Rating: 4.0/5.0 DR: 7<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lizzard-mesh-review/#fn-203468-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://pelagic-records.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pelagic Records</a> | <a href="https://pelagicrecords.bandcamp.com/music" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> Websites: <a href="https://lizzardband.bandcamp.com/music" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lizzardband.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lizzardmusic" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/lizzardmusic</a> Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/4-0-2024/" target="_blank">#402024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/alternative-rock/" target="_blank">#AlternativeRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/art-rock/" target="_blank">#ArtRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/birds-of-tokyo/" target="_blank">#BirdsOfTokyo</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/deftones/" target="_blank">#Deftones</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/eroded/" target="_blank">#Eroded</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/french-metal/" target="_blank">#FrenchMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hippotraktor/" target="_blank">#Hippotraktor</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/incubus/" target="_blank">#Incubus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/karnivool/" target="_blank">#Karnivool</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/katatonia/" target="_blank">#Katatonia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lizzard/" target="_blank">#Lizzard</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mesh/" target="_blank">#Mesh</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pelagic-records/" target="_blank">#PelagicRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-rock/" target="_blank">#PostRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-metal/" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-rock/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/radiohead/" target="_blank">#Radiohead</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sep24/" target="_blank">#Sep24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-beatles/" target="_blank">#TheBeatles</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/train/" target="_blank">#Train</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/wheel/" target="_blank">#Wheel</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hippotraktor-stasis-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hippotraktor – Stasis Review</a>By GardensTaleWhen your introduction to a band is a live performance, it can sometimes be misleading regarding their studio sound. Such was my experience with Stasis, the second album from Belgian up-and-comers Hippotraktor. Funky name aside, Hippotraktor’s already bowled me over twice in live settings on two different festivals. What stuck the most from those shows, aside from the fact that they were fucking excellent, was the band’s progressive sludge side, an aggressive ripping and tearing shark to Mastodon’s bigger and blunter white whale. What escaped from my impressions, but became abundantly clear as soon as Stasis began, is the hefty helping of djent that stumps and stutters its way into the band’s core sound. Does Hippotraktor impress on record as well, or should it be a live-only act?The more I listened to Stasis, the more my misinterpretation of Hippotraktor’s sound and genre baffled me. I know where I went wrong, however. At a live show, I don’t analyze these qualities like I do when holding a promo, thus it was easy to mistake the big, harsh roar that represents almost half the vocals as a sludge element, rather than a result of the band’s post-metal inclinations. No big surprise, as vocalist Stefan de Graef also sings for labelmates Psychonaut. How I didn’t pick up on the djent sooner, though, I’ll never know. Usually it’s a bit of a warning sign for me, you see. Djent is easy to overuse, which many bands do, often resulting in a homogenized mess of near-identical riffs. Thankfully, Hippotraktor stays on the right side of the line, using the post-metal buildups, good variety in vocals, and dynamic, progressive songwriting to keep Stasis an engaging entry in modern metal.The Belgians are deft hands at writing a well-varied collection of songs. The front half contains more direct material, with the compact “Silver Tongue” hitting like a bag of mathematical bricks. But it’s the back half where the strongest tracks lie, particularly the back-to-back bangers of “The Indifferent Human Eye” and “Stasis.” The former starts off exceedingly gentle, but delivers its energy in sudden pulses, winding through quietude and grandeur towards a satisfying finale. The title track, on the other hand, simply bludgeons with a collection of thick and heavy riffs and demands your attention with a big refrain, its subtler sections rather more like breathing pauses.The performances are strong across the board. De Graef has a great voice, warm yet commanding, and he harmonizes well with guitarist Sander Rom. The rhythm and lead guitar play off each other perfectly, such as the dreamy tones clanging off the staccato chords across “Renegade.” Though the drums aren’t flashy, they’re more than solid and add a few personal touches where they fit. My only issue with Stasis is a personal and rather nebulous one, that I must nevertheless address. Though I enjoy the album a great deal, it’s not engaging me on an emotional level. It’s intelligent, intricate music, performed by excellent musicians, but the pleasure thus derived remains rather platonic for me. Perhaps my context lets Hippotraktor down here; this is one of the best months of music in years, in my opinion, and the impressive live shows certainly raised my expectations.Despite this personal reservation, Stasis is a gem of modern metal. Its intelligent blend of progressive songwriting, post-metal textures, and djent riffs is executed perfectly, and the production follows suit with a clear master and infallible mix. It doesn’t demand your attention constantly, but when you give it, it is rewarded with great transitions and sweet harmonies every single time. Hippotraktor is an absolute must for Psychonaut fans, but all except the most die-hard ‘old school or drool’ listeners should give Stasis a whirl. And if you have the chance to see them live, grab it with both hands. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://pelagic-records.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pelagic Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://hippotraktor.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hippotraktor.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/hippotraktorband" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/hippotraktorband</a> Releases Worldwide: June 7th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/belgian-metal/" target="_blank">#BelgianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/djent/" target="_blank">#Djent</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hippotraktor/" target="_blank">#Hippotraktor</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jun24/" target="_blank">#Jun24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mastodon/" target="_blank">#Mastodon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pelagic-records/" target="_blank">#PelagicRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-metal/" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/psychonaut/" target="_blank">#Psychonaut</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/stasis/" target="_blank">#Stasis</a>

🤘 The Metal Dog 🤘<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TheMetalDogArticleList" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TheMetalDogArticleList</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MetalInjection" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MetalInjection</a> The Weekly Injection: New Releases From UMBRA VITAE, APOCALYPTICA & More Out Today 6/7 Plus releases from Dysrhythmia, Evergrey, Hippotraktor, and Huntsmen.<a href="https://metalinjection.net/upcoming-releases/heavy-new-releases/the-weekly-injection-new-releases-from-umbra-vitae-apocalyptica-and-more-out-today-6-7" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://metalinjection.net/upcoming-releases/heavy-new-releases/the-weekly-injection-new-releases-from-umbra-vitae-apocalyptica-and-more-out-today-6-7</a><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Apocalyptica" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Apocalyptica</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Dysrhythmia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Dysrhythmia</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Evergrey" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Evergrey</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Hippotraktor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Hippotraktor</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Huntsmen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Huntsmen</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/UmbraVitae" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#UmbraVitae</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Metallica" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Metallica</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CelloMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CelloMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/ProgressiveMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ProgressiveMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/DeathMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Sludge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sludge</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Doom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Doom</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/PostMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HeavyMetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#HeavyMetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/NewReleases" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NewReleases</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/WeeklyInjection" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WeeklyInjection</a>

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