2012年 Feb 6日 Monday, 13:41

2012 released/listed albums by INROK

…………………

★★★★★ The Best of 2012

#1 (AOTY?)
Anaal Nathrakh − Vanitas 10/10 (black metal / grindcore)

http://www.portaldoheavymetal.org/uploads/posts/2012-10/thumbs/1350220070_anaal-nathrakh-vanitas-2012.jpg
• Another intense display of THE END of this world by this U.K. based duo. The mix of brutal black metal and skull crushing grindcore is very well balanced on this album.
What I've always loved about Anaal Nathrakh is how their furious tracks can, and of then are also melodic (or catchy) at the same time. For example; that melodic ("Satanarchrist") riff of "A Metaphor for the Dead" is a perfect way leave the listener wandering in the wasteland of nothingness, after the storm of chaos and destruction.

Has all the ingredients for my Album of the Year #1 spot!

#2
Blut aus Nord − 777 - Cosmosophy 10/10 (atmospheric/ambient (post-)black metal)

http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/cover/d36/61316_blut_aus_nord_777_cosmosophy.jpg
• Like the two earlier chapters of this trilogy, Blut aus Nord again delivers some groundbreaking waves of atmosphereric metal. This probably even more than the earlier releases, atleast for me the songs stand out even more from the growd here.

Stunning ending for a trilogy that in my eyes(or ears rather) is a true masterpiece.

#3
Black Breath − Sentenced To Life 9½/10 (death n roll / hardcore / crust)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-aAmxKjZpjfQ/T9XukYdh0jI/AAAAAAAAJLM/-EsdH5AQ0dI/Black+Breath320.jpg
• Fucking hell! This band mix things up wel; Hardcore/crust punk band with old school (Swedish) death metal riffs/guitar tone! …Or maybe a death n roll w/ crust punk/hardcore influences, either way this rips some fucking heards off big time!!

Get's better with every spin too!

"Home of the Grave" official video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g74LSUiVyf8

#4
Gojira − L'enfant Sauvage 9½/10 (progressive death/thrash metal)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Gojira_-_L%27Enfant_Sauvage_cover.jpg
• After first and second plays I thought this is pretty good stuff again by these French metal masters, but with more plays I'm just in love with this album. There are some elements from all of their earlier work, but overall this may be more melodic than their previous albums, which in the end is not that bad thing!
Though, I'm not saying this is as good as "From Mars to Sirius", but for me this is another great Gojira album, no doubt!

#5
Horrendous − The Chills 9½/10 (old school death metal)

http://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/horrendous-cover-copy-small-300x300.jpg
• Grim old school death metal from East Coast, US. Ready for some very sexy diverse old school riffs and brutal death growls (à la Martin van Drunen / Chuck Schuldiner)? Get this!!

#6
Hooded Menace − Effigies Of Evil 9/10 (death-doom metal)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MdcJpaJpPoo/UFBhyF--GnI/AAAAAAAANPU/gnd-nl5Azsg/Hooded+Menace.jpg
• Death-doom metal master's from Joensuu, Finland. Third amazing doom opus from this band. Freaking heavy stuff, thats for sure - I recommend you check this if you haven't already!

#7
Asphyx − Deathhammer 9/10 (old school death/death-doom metal)

http://united-metal.ru/uploads/posts/2011-12/1322720487_30982.jpg
• This is beastiality :D • One of my favorite Martin van Drunen albums for sure. Death metal done in pure old school fashion! ( I cannot say which I like more, this or "The Chills" by Horrendous… Both crushing osdm! )

#8
Mgła − With Hearts Toward None 9/10 (black metal)

http://www.metalchesh.com/uploads/posts/2012-03/1330617769_b1a483ac70363583ad42a70006c4373e.jpg
• My first album ever heard by this Polish underground black metal band and I'm totally blown away! Vocals are raw and depressive, and the melodies are just eargasmic. Hail Mgła!

#9
Igorrr − Hallelujah 9/10 (experimental breakcore)

http://funkysouls.com/img/Igorrr-Hallelujah.jpg
• Igorrr (aka Gautier Serre) is a French composer who mixes genres from electronic and acoustic music to death metal. His music has been truly unique and amazing in every album, but this is the first time the vocal work got my attention so quick. Experi-mental is this French guys ways!

#10
Licht Erlischt... − ...And Below, The Retrograde Disciples 9/10
(funeral doom/black metal)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vthVhMMuuzk/TyaogVqXBLI/AAAAAAAAHMM/o8e9hmWacwI/s300/1327928925_licht-erlischt..-..and-below-the-retrograde-disciples-2012.png
• Wow, out of nowhere (I seriously can't remember where) I found this band/album and I'm really loving it - Vocals are pure gold! • Funeral doom/depressive black metal from Germany.

_________

#11
Laineen Kasperi − Pako-Laine 9/10 (hip-hop / rap)

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/300x300/81949943.jpg
• 4th solo album by this Finnish MC/Producer/DJ/Composer Laineen Kasperi. Not his best album for me, but I still enjoy this and all of his 4 solo albums very much.

#12
Wilds Forlorn − We, the Damned 9/10 (atmospheric black metal)

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/300x300/75489938.jpg
• Yuri Theuns, = the mainman behind this masterpiece. There's so much greatness here;; From depressive vocal parts, to neoclassica interludes, funeral doom stages, into grim spoken tales with ambient undertones.

— Takes you away. —

#13
Furia − Marzannie, Krolowej Polski 9/10 ((post-) black metal)

http://p.playserver1.com/ProductImages/3/4/4/3/7/6/0/3/30673443_300x300_1.jpg
• Great post-black metal from Poland. Language barrier is just about the only reason this isn't even higher in my 2012 list. In love with the riffs of this album! Gotta check out their earlier work aswell.

#14
Pää Kii − Pää Kii 9/10 (punk)

http://www.stupido.fi/img/shop/cover/res/iso-I17999-1351784970.jpg
• Debut album for this Finnish punk 'supergroup'. There's some veterans in their lineup from bands as: Kakkahätä 77, Damn Seagulls, Anal Thunder, Sweatmaster, God Given Ass and Tehosekoitin. Punk album of the year for sure.

#15
A Million Dead Birds Laughing − Xen 9/10 (experimental grindcore / technical death metal)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CpLdQW3bpTE/UBOu1fDa5iI/AAAAAAAALFo/P8rVx16FloI/A%2BMillion%2BDead%2BBirds%2BLaughing.jpg
• Second studio album by this unknown Australian extreme metal group. The unique sound continues that I loved on their debut album (Force Fed Enlightenment, 2011). Fierce grindcore with dark, atmospheric melodies. Highly recommended!

#16
Whourkr − 4247 Snare Drums 9/10 (experimental death metal/grind/breakcore)

http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/cover/d14/59116_whourkr_4247_snare_drums.jpg
• Whourkr is Igorrr's metal alter-ego and this is third release and now with a new line-up: Igorrr + Mulk. Compared to earlier albums, this is hrder, faster, more guitars, more growls. Sick stuff!
(ps. “4247 Snare Drums” is the exact amount of snare drums hits on this release)

#17
My Dying Bride − A Map of All Our Failures 9/10 (doom metal)

http://o.scdn.co/300/84e711c46838ab157b04dc48f0ccafe430bf1d0f
• British doom metal veterans MDB are back with their usual doom style, after the neo-classical compilation album.

#18
Saltillo − Monocyte 910 (trip-hop/idm)

http://pixhost.me/avaxhome/b2/61/002061b2_medium.jpeg
• Experimental trip-hop with all kinds of twists and influences including piano, and this album also has some very cool (movie) samples and breakcoreish structures, àla Stunt Rock, which I love!!

#19
Terrorizer − Hordes Of Zombies 9/10 (death metal / grind)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EdxYzERm7co/T0cIgHpjH6I/AAAAAAAACDg/YzKjTpf9Kgo/s300/Terrorizer%2520-%2520Hordes%2520of%2520Zombies%2520%25282012%2529.jpg
• Saw quite a lot of comments about this album being monotone/boring etc. ..Fuck that shit, I digg this album a lot! Vocal and drum work is perfect.

#20
Catuvolcus − Gergovia 9/10 (epic folk metal / black metal)

http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/cover/d56/55990_catuvolcus_gergovia.jpg
• Ready for some epic tales of Gaulish civilisations? Check this blackened folk metal band from Canada!

★★★★☆ Great.

Aborted − Global Flatline 8/10 (brutal death/grind)
• Fast technical riffage, short/sweet solos, few samples, deep growls/gutturals, heavy slams…This album delivers! Overall very nice mix of death metal and grind.

Abyssal − Denouement 8/10 (blackened/techical death metal)
• Dark, atmospheric and techical death metal from UK. I clearly need to give this some more spins, but already after first listen this sounds pretty damn evil!

Acephalix − Deathless Master 8½/10 (old school death metal)
• Old school death with influences from all over the extreme metal to crust punk. They definately have their own unique sound, so I'm loving this!

Ash Borer − Cold Of Ages 8/10 (atmospheric black metal)
• (Cascadian) black metal. Long, atmospheric songs. Perhaps not quite at the same level as their self titled debut, but I need to give this more spins.

Be'lakor − Of Breath and Bone 7½/10 (melodic/progressive death metal)
• I was expecting something monstrous from this album, but it seems I was expecting too much. Good album, but not as strong as i hoped for, atleast for now - Time will tell if this grows on me after more plays.

Burzum − Umskiptar 8/10 (atmospheric pagan/black metal)
• Varg does his own thing and usually it works - Just like this time. To me the evolution of Burzum is sounding good so far. Will surely be spinning this album many times in future.

Conan − Monnos 8/10 (stoner doom metal)
• Slow and damn heavy doom. "Stoner" vocal style works great as a contrast for the heaviness of this band. I did like their debut: "Horseback Battle Hammer" more than this, but still this is awesome stuff.

Decaying − Encirclement 8/10 (old school death metal)
• Second full lenght by this young Finnish death metal tank. Obvious Asphyx/Martin van Drunen influences here with very nice success; Brutal vocals and long fatal tracks. (Also highly recommend the previous album: "Devastate" released 2011).

Drudkh − Eternal Turn of the Wheel 7½/10 (atmospheric pagan black metal)
• "Atmosphere" is the word here. The few cinematics and acoustic folky touches also enforce the chilling atmosphere very well. It's hard (for me) to describe this any better - If you're into atmospheric black metal give this Ukranian band a change.

Fukpig − 3 8/10 (crust punk/black metal)
• Crusty as hell! Aggressive crust/grind with strong black metal influences. Alcohol and Necropunk!!

Förgjord − Sielunvihollinen 8/10 (raw black metal)
• Raw Finnish black metal, grim as fuck! Yet I like the variety on this album and it's songs/song structures - Due that the replay value increase a lot. (Note: Finnish vocals/lyrics).

Herra Huu − Ei toivottuja lastenlauluja 8½/10 (underground hip-hop/rap)
• Finnish hip-hop producer/mc, a.k.a. Huge L. This guy stays busy and with this new alias he again produced quality album. Great instrumentals and lyrics.

Herra Huu − 2012 8½/10 (underground/psychedelic hip-hop/rap)
• (Two albums in three months so far - Like I said this guy keeps busy). A follow up album for "Herra Huu - Ei toivottuja lastenlauluja". Clearly more psychedelic album with a lot of electronic touches mixed with these dark/gloomy beats. Impossible to choose between these two, both a very good with different styles.

In Mourning − The Weight Of Oceans
7½/10 (progressive/melodic death metal)
• Intro/interlude parts are not very enthusiastic on this album, but overall solid album by this Swedish group. Atleast at this point I like this more than Be'lakor's "Of Breath and Bone". Very hard to say if this tops "Emerald Forest And The Blackbird" by Swallow the Sun though. Anyhows, very good album.

Krallice − Years Past Matter 8/10 (technical/progressive black metal)
• Krallice is a New York-based black metal project featuring the guitar work of notorious progressive/experimental metal musicians Colin Marston. Black metal, with long, dynamic songs containing some distinctive progressive metal influences.

Lana Del Rey − Born To Die 7/10 (pop)
• Pop music done right. There's not much more to say. Love her voice.

Lapko − ΓΟΛΕ 7½/10 (alternative rock)
• Finnish alternative rock group with unique atmospheric sound. ΓΟΛΕ rocks!

Marduk − Serpent Sermon 8½/10 (black metal)
• Did not expect this melodic album especially after Iron Dawn EP, but I must say I'm positively suprised. Very good, cold, melodic, black metal from Sweden.
"Coram Satanae" - What a bonus track! :O

Martyrdöd − Paranoia 8/10 (crust punk / black metal)
• Crusty… black… from Sweden… What can you expect!.

Mokoma − 180 astetta 8½/10 (melodic/thrash metal / schlager)
• My favorite band, atlest as far as playcount goes. Mokoma still making great albums.
Can't call this to be album of the year or even in my top list, but there are still some very, very nice songs even though this is their 9th studio album already!!
We want more! We want more! We want more!

Napalm Death − Utilitarian 8/10 (grindcore / death metal)
• Grinding death from England. Really diggin' the more groovy/melodic songs and even the clean vocal-parts a lot. There's some sick tempo changes through the album too. Grinds!

Paradise Lost − Tragic Idol 7/10 (doom/melodic metal)
• To be honest I was not expecting much from this, but after the first listen I'm really pleasently suprised! Comeback of THE Paradise Lost?

Six Feet Under − Undead 8½/10 (brutal death metal)
• Groovy and brutal death metal from USA. Barnes = Undead! One of my favorite SFU releases.

Soulfly − Enslaved 7½/10 (groove/death/thrash -metal)
• Heaviest Soulfly album to date and this fucking slays! Nice features too and David Kinkade is a beast on drums. Soulfly, fuck shit up!

Swallow The Sun − Emerald Forest And The Blackbird 8/10 (melodic death/doom)
• These Finns produce some amazing melodic death/doom with black metal influences. It's impossible for me to choose their best album, but this is one of their top releases for me - "Hate, Lead The Way!" ps. Live gig @ Kerubi was awesome!

Wintersun − Time I 8/10 (epic folk/melodic death metal)
• Eight (8) fucking years people have waited for this! That is a looong TIME. Obviously the hype on this release was immense. This album is like Finnish metal vs. movie soundtrack for the most epic melanholic war movie ever made :DD

Worth 8 years of waiting? I don't think so, but this is still a piece of Finnish metal every metal fan should hear.

Wolfbrigade − Damned 8½/10 (crust / d-beat / hardcore punk)
• Very good d-beat crust from Sweden. Kinda sounds like Motörhead gone very crusty, in a nice way. Also loving those melodic passages in few of their longer tracks. "From Beyond" !

★★★☆☆ Good / Decent effort.

Absolutist − Ave 5/10 (crust/hardcore/punk)
• Pretty good crusty / sludgy hardcore from Ireland. Nothing groundbreaking, but nice listen and solid album overall.

Altar Of Betelgeuze − At The Shrine Of Light 6/10 (death-doom metal)
• Slow and heavy death-doom from Finland - Not bad first EP.

Eluveitie − Helvetios 6½/10 (celtic folk/melodic death metal)
• Eluveitie keeps making very nice albums. Usually I prefer "Slania"/"Spirit" albums when I feel like listening to this great band, but there are few outstanding tracks in this one!

Fungus Inc. − Gettin' Drunk & Spreadin' Spunk 6/10 (death n roll / grind)
• Groovy grind/death metal mix with drunken tales. Rott n Roll baby!

Horse Latitudes − Decline of the Ages 5½/10 (doooooooom metal)
• HEAVY doom metal from Finland. Crushing bass, traditional doom vocals, definately worth listening.

Huge L − Rapinkulta 6/10 (hip-hop / underground rap)
• I've lost count on how many albums Huge L has released this year :D.
This is pretty nice album, but not as good as two earlier albums released as "Herra Huu". Nice samples in this one though.

Ihsahn − Eremita 5½/10 (progressive metal with black metal and jazz influences)
• Some very sweet moments, but also few moments made me want to actually skip songs (atleast at first listen). "After" was an album that hooked me right away, for this I must give time and more spins to see if it'll grow on me.

Lamb of God − Resolution 6/10 (groove metal)
• Very groovy LoG album and that's good news, imo. Seriously haven't enjoyed hearing Lamb of God this much in a long time. Hopefully this album still sounds as good after few more plays though, I'm not too sure about the endurance of this one.

Liberteer − Better To Die On Your Feet Than Live On Your Knees 6/10 (grindcore)
• Grindcore with some more or less experimental overtunes/twists. Not bad at all, thumbs up.

Sadistik Forest − Death, Doom, Radiation 6/10 (death metal)
• Finnish death metal that stands out by using elemenst from different eras and even genres. Vocals varies from deep gutturals to more aggressive (thrashy) screaming which makes this album even more diverse. Nice stuff!

Stam1na − Nocebo 6/10 (progressive/thrash metal)
• Good progressive thrash metal from Finland. I just don't believe Stam1na will ever release anything as great as their first three albums, they're all superb with their own way. This is not bad, but just not at the same level (in my opinion). Still great live band and some of these new songs worked really well live.

Viikate − Petäjäveräjät 6½/10 (melancholic rock / folk / schlager )
• Viikate can't really do a bad song or album (it seems), but this ain't my favorite from them, atleast after few listens. Gotta listen more, maybe it's a grower.

Witchrist − The Grand Tormentor 6½/10 (death metal)
• Primitive death metal from New Zealand with a bit of blackness in their sound. Deep growls and heavy/sludgy sound. Yet It left me waiting for something after listening this through couple of times. Few songs stand out and shows the potential they possess,but overall can't call this more than a good/decent effort. Looking forward for more.

★★☆☆☆ Below avarage / Forgettable.

Alcest − Les Voyages De L'Âme 4/10 (post-metal/shoegaze)
• There is a lot of hype about this band, but I personally find this guite forgettable. Gotta give this band a change every now and then though, maybe I change my mind over time. Amesoeurs (associated act) is where my love is.

Baroness − Yellow & Green 4/10 (progressive metal / post- rock)
• A lot more 'pop'ular sound compared to earlier releases. I loved their hardcore/sludgy edge in their songs. New songs are not bad, but not really for me.

Cannibal Corpse − Torture 4/10 (death metal)
• There are few songs that stand out in a good way, but overall the album is rather forgettable. I've never been huge CC fan anyways and I'm pretty sure if i listen to CC I will choose "Tomb Of The Mutilated" or "Kill" over this.

Dødsengel − Imperator 4/10 (black metal)
• Contemporary black metal from Norway. Really gotta see if this grows on me after more plays. 2h30mins is a lot to comprehend at once and due the lenght of this release the replay value may not be very high for me either, so this may be forgotten.

Gorod − A Perfect Absolution 4/10 (technical/progressive death metal)
• Had to listen this after reading some great reviews about it. No doubt this is very well made tech death, but I can't get much out of this, atleast after first listen. Maybe I'll come back to this one later. If you are a fan of/want to check some technical riffage assault, this is The album.

Meshuggah − Koloss 3/10 (progressive/math metal)
• Never been a fan of this band, but I gave it a listen anyways. Yet this is another Meshuggah album that didn't do the trick for me. Feels stupid to try to force myself to like it when I just don't. Maybe some variety on vocals could do it, but right now their music simply ain't my pint of beer. No disrespect to the band.

★☆☆☆☆ Crap.

Anal Grind − Chronic Pornoholic 2/10 (goregrind/porngrind)
• This is shit (few tracks quite literally)…All this gave me was few smiles during my workday, but nothing else. Musically this just did not impress me at all, there are many better gore bands out there and those porn-samples did not help one bit.

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★ EP's / SPLIT's★

#1
Torture Killer − I Chose Death 9½/10 (groovy death metal)

http://s.levykauppax.fi/cover/normal/3/30/301362.jpg?cd
• Torture Killers new EP featuring & introducing their new vocalist Pessi Haltsonen. I must say I was worried when I heard they are searching for a new vocalist, but Pessi does exellent job! Can't wait for more new stuff!

#2
Year of No Light & Altar of Plagues − Split 9/10 (post-metal / post-black metal)

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/images/albums/100106.jpg
• Two amazing bands - one amazing split album. Both tracks are unique yet work together very well. One of the best splits I've heard in a long time!

#3
Tormented − Graveyard Lust 9/10 (old school death metal)

http://s.levykauppax.fi/cover/normal/3/30/306008.jpg?cd
• Crusty Swedish death, with old school sound. Enough said.

#4
Converge & Napalm Death − Converge / Napalm Death 9/10 (mathcore / grindcore / death metal)

http://www.teufelstomb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/converge-napalm-death-split-200x200.jpg
• Cool Split! Converge with one track from latest album + very nice Entombed cover featuring Tomas motherfucking Lindberg! And Napalm Death delivers one explosive grindplosion and a bit longer/slower track, both very good tracks.

#5
Agalloch − Faustian Echoes 8/10 (atmosperic black/folk/doom metal)

http://sputnikmusic.com/images/albums/104876.jpg
• 21minutes and 35seconds of darkness and sorrow…Very good EP. Love the sample at the end!

#6
Blut aus Nord − What Once Was... Liber II 8/10 (post-black metal)

http://s.levykauppax.fi/cover/normal/3/31/318371.jpg?mlp
• Welcome to my nightmares BaN…

#7
Venetian Snares − Fool The Detector 5/10 (idm / acid / breakcore)
• Another EP from Mr. Aaron Funk. Left me pretty much the same feeling as "Affectionate" EP; Pretty good EP, but far from his best work. This one being maybe a bit more experimental than the previous and a bit more to my taste. Not bad.

#8
Venetian Snares − Affectionate 4½/10 (idm / acid)
• New EP from the evil genius; Mr. Aaron Funk. As an idm/acid release in general i'd say this is not bad at all, but in Venetians Snares scale this goes to the 'below avarage' box. So, not my favorite vsnares release that's for sure.

(yet)unrated….

2econd Class Citizen - The Small Minority
A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays
Afgrund - The Age Of Dumb
Ahab - The Giant
Anathema - Weather Systems
Barren Earth − The Devil's Resolve
Cancer Bats − Dead Set On Living
Celldweller - Soundtrack For The Voices In My Head Vol. 02
Death Grips - The Money Store
Djevel - EP
Ektomorf - Black Flag
Ensiferum - Unsung Heroes
Enthroned − Obsidium
Every Time I Die − Ex Lives
Evoken - Atra Mors
Ex Deo - Caligvla
Helltrain - Death Is Ñoming
Hour Of Penance − Sedition
Huge L & Mode - Fatta Platta
Job For A Cowboy − Demonocracy
Katatonia - Dead end kings
Killing Joke - MMXII
Korpiklaani - Manala
Lethian Dreams - Season of Raven Words
Lunar Aurora − Hoagascht
Marilyn Manson − Born Villain
Master's Hammer − Vracejte konve na místo
Municipal Waste − The Fatal Feast'
Mono - For My Parents
Ne Obliviscaris − Portal Of I
Overkill − The Electric Age
Psykoanalyysi - Julistus (EP)
Pulled Apart By Horses - Tough Love
Rob Zombie - Mondo Sex Head
Secrets of the Moon - Seven Bells
Testament - The Dark Roots Of Earth
The 11th Hour - Lacrima Mortis
The Gathering - Disclosure
The Gathering - Afterlights
The Faceless - Autotheism
Turbonegro - Sexual Harassment
Ufomammut − Oro - Opus Primum
Yppah - Eighty One
Vintersorg - Orkan

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