Blasting Greek black metal at it's finest from Ayloss of Spectral Lore. This album is a full assault channeling the best of the classic Greek sound, yet remains firmly new and fresh. Everything from the cacophonous vocals, full-throttle drums, and excellent riffs creates a no-holds-barred listening experience, which is further improved by the stylistic flourishes of the occasional underlying synths and choral elements.
The album can be purchased from Bandcamp and True Cult Records.
One of my favorite releases this year, a stunning mix of metal, folk, classical, electronica, and whatever else Tamás Kátai felt like, as usual. From bludgeoning death metal to ominous horns to spacey synths to atmospheric, emotionally gripping black metal, this album has it all. If a breadth of style and superbly-blended disparate elements are your thing, this album is worth spinning.
The album can be purchased from Bandcamp and Season of Mist.
One last ride from the Dutch masters of ritualistic ambient black metal oddity. The album manages to mix the sounds of their earliest material with the stylistic growth they've achieved over the years. An excellent send off from a band who truly mastered their craft and consistently forged their own sound.
The album can be purchased digitally on Bandcamp with physical copies available from Van Records.
Bombastic heavy metal channeling all the best energy of the 80s, courtesy of some of the Hail Spirit Noir maniacs. Fueled by excellent guitar riffs, catchy vocals, and superb synths, this album sounds simultaneously like an old friend and a fresh take.