Top 10 (11) Metal Albums of 2013

Creating this list was truly a labor for me, more so than in previous years.  2013 produced a lot of albums that were absolutely breathtaking.  Revocation and Fleshgod Apocalypse both released their best albums to date.  And for the love of God, Carcass is back (after nearly two decades since the release of their last album)!  I couldn't narrow it down to just ten.  It was down to a few albums at the end of my list, and I felt like it would be an injustice if I left any of them off.  So here are my top 10 (*cough* eleven) albums of 2013 C. E.

T-10. Persefone - Spiritual Migration

I didn't have it in my heart to leave this album off the list.  Spritual Migration is intricate, exciting, and sticks to the basics of melodic death metal while maintaining some unique ideas of its own.  Hell, it's just epic.  And epic flies well with me.

T-10. Arsis - Unwelcome

Arsis made a big comeback after their failed attempt to sell out with Starve for the Devil.  Sorry Arsis, only Metallica could pull off a proper sell out - and metalheads hate them now anyway.  Stick to the death metal.  It's better for you and us.

Unwelcome is in the vein of their earlier releases like A Celebration of Guilt.  There is lots of tremolo picking and interesting riffs.  This album presses the pedal to the (death) metal and doesn't let up.  Arsis will surely get your adrenaline pumping.  Check out their latest album, which is tied for the tenth spot in my top ten.

9. Kalmah - Seventh Swamphony

I still remember when I got my first taste of Kalmah.  I stumbled upon this band online and was so blown away that I ordered their record, The Black Waltz, from an international seller since I couldn't find it in the U.S. at the time.  Seventh Swamphony didn't have quite the same effect on me but it's still an amazing album and deserves a listen.  Check it out.

8. Gorguts - Colored Sands

Carcass wasn't the only band to make a big comeback in 2013.  Gorguts released their first album since From Wisdom to Hate (2001).  This Montreal death metal act was sorely missed when they broke up in 2005.  And their reformation is celebrated by the release of the intricately brutal Colored Sands.  Also, dig the album artwork.

7. Rivers of Nihil - The Conscious Seed of Light

This up-and-coming band from my home state of Pennsylvania dropped their full-length debut this year.  And it 'twas amazing.  They are starting to build up a reputation in the death metal scene as a result of their extensive touring and promotion, not to mention their amazing brutal sound.  The Conscious Seed of Light is one of the best releases of the year.

6. Suffocation - Pinnacle of Bedlam

Suffocation's former drummer Mike Smith may not be satisfied with the direction this band is headed in, but I am loving it.  They are really embracing a modern technical death metal sound and they are well suited for it.  The genre has changed a lot since Effigy of the Forgotten was released in 1991.  And Suffocation is doing an excellent job of staying relevant with their latest release, Pinnacle of Bedlam.

5. Conducting from the Grave - Conducting from the Grave

This album got bogged down due to financial issues.  But there's nothing Kickstarter can't solve!  Conducting From the Grave raised almost twenty grand to help fund the release of their self-titled album, as well as some promotional materials like t-shirts and whatnot.  And it's a good thing they managed to pull that off, because Conducting From the Grave is easily their best release to date.

4. Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy

Kingdom of Conspiracy left me speechless.  It's easily one of the heaviest albums of 2013 and proves that Immolation is still very relevant after twenty years in the death metal scene.

3. Carcass - Surgical Steel

This album seriously owns your face.  Like Carcass put down a fifteen year mortgage on your face in 1998 and that shit is paid off now, deed in hand.  Now I'm just crossing my fingers for a new At the Gates record... which is honestly unlikely.  But I believe it was the great Justin Bieber who said "never say never."

2. Revocation - Revocation

Boston's best death metal act just keeps getting better.  I knew this album was going to be absolutely kick ass.  The Teratogenesis EP (2012) was a great indicator of the direction Revocation was headed in.  And that direction was towards some of the most balls-to-the-wall technical death metal on the market today.  Revocation is their best album yet, and if it weren't for Fleshgod Apocalypse it would have made it to number one on my list.

1. Fleshgod Apocalypse - Labyrinth

Fleshgod Apocalypse had some tight competition this year with releases from juggernauts like Carcass and Suffocation.  But these Italian virtuosos of a unique brand of symphonic technical brutal death metal produced their best effort yet.  I believe this is exactly the sound they've been trying to achieve for years.  They approached it with Agony, but they perfected it with Labyrinth.  This album is an absolute masterpiece that earns the honor of best metal album of 2013.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order...)

The Black Dahlia Murder - Everblack

Megadeth - Super Collider

Children of Bodom - Halo of Blood

Hypocrisy - End of Disclosure

Defeated Sanity - Passages into Deformity

Blood Red Throne - Blood Red Throne

Dark Tranquillity - Construct

Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods

Man Must Die - Peace Was Never an Option

Finntroll - Blodsvept

Dream Theater - Dream Theater

Ulcerate - Vermis

Soilwork - The Living Infinite

Six Feet Under - Unborn

Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy

Autopsy - The Headless Ritual

Exhumed - Necrocracy

Born of Osiris - Tomorrow We Die Alive

Within Temptation - Paradise (What About Us?)

Deicide - In the Minds of Evil

Top 10 Metal Albums of 2011

I know I'm a few months behind on revealing my top 10 metal albums of 2011, but here it is - better late than never.  It was difficult to compile this list because there were a ton of great releases this past year.  Many great albums are not represented on this list and I'm sure some of you will dispute that.  Nonetheless, these are the albums that I believe were the best overall in 2011.  I apologize in advance for the lack of black metal (which is a sub-genre of metal that I don't listen to much or keep up on).


10. Monumental Torment - Elements of Chaos

This band has one of the more interesting back stories I've heard recently.  Monumental Torment was formed in Russia in 2009.  While working on the project, the Russian duo added vocalist Lloyd Moore Jr., who was living in Phoenix, Arizona.  Since then, the two Russian guys have split and so has the original vocalist, leaving Monumental Torment with an entirely new cast of members (none of whom are featured on Elements of Chaos).  

Fortunately, Monumental Torment didn't make all their lineup changes before dropping this brilliant album.  Elements of Chaos is one of the most technical and brutal albums to hit the market in 2011.  The ultra-fast and cleanly picked guitar work of Artem Gultaev are complimented well by punishing vocals of Lloyd Moore Jr.  Iaonn Komkov's bass play also adds to the grinding sound.  The only downside to the album is that the drums are computer generated.  They don't sound bad, but the double bass and blast beats are so fast that I'll be shocked if they have actually found a drummer that can play these parts live (I really hope I'm proven wrong on this point).  Electronic drums aside, this was one of my favorite releases of the year.  

9. Obscura - Omnivium

Obscura returns with the release of their third full length album, Omnivium.  What I love about this band (and this album) is the way they seamlessly blend melodic and technical death metal.  The lasting influence of Cynic, Atheist, and Death bleeds through on this album.  But Obscura is forging ahead on their own path, building on these foundations.  They toured the US in 2011 in support of this release with melodic death metal legends, Children of Bodom.

8. Machine Head - Unto the Locust

After four years, Machine Head's much anticipated follow up to their masterpiece album The Blackening (2007) has been unleashed on the world.  Unto the Locust is fashioned in the same musical style as their last album and, while not quite as impressive, the result is fantastic.  Some of the highlights on the album are "Locust", "Be Still and Know", and "Darkness Within".

7. Scorned Deity - The Monarchy Memoirs

Michigan natives, Scorned Deity, took the melodic death metal scene by storm with the release of their debut album, The Monarchy Memoirs.  Melodic death metal is flooded with tons of similar-sounding bands, so it's a tough genre to stand out in.  Scorned Deity is one of the bands that not only stands out, but shines brightly.  They've really taken the Gothenburg Sound and made it their own.  Keep your ears on this band.

6. Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony

Fleshgod Apocalypse are back and better than ever with the release of their second full length album, Agony.  FA have definitely upped the ante on this record - faster drumming (Francesco Paoli is one of the best drummers in the world in my opinion, and he's the main reason I listen to this band), interesting orchestral elements (they now have a full time keyboardist), and an overall brutal sound that is well... apocalyptic.   Behold... Agony.

5. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

Following the unexpected departure of drummer Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater had a lot to prove.  Everyone really stepped up their game to make this album and the result is absolute brilliance.  Some of the most technical stuff I've ever heard from DT can be found on A Dramatic Turn of Events.  Dream Theater has shown they are capable of churning out amazing music, with or without Portnoy.

4. Revocation - Chaos of Forms

With guitarist David Davidson being named the best guitarist in modern metal by Metal Sucks and the release of their third full length album, 2011 was a good year for Revocation.  Their music continues to change from album to album (from the standpoint of overall sound and atmosphere, not style), with pleasing results each time.  Definitely check out Chaos of Forms!

3. Visceral Disgorge - Ingesting Putridity

The debut album from Visceral Disgorge is arguably the most disgustingly heavy album to come out in 2011 (or hell, even in the past five years).  Grotesque lyrics, blast beats, indistinguishable guttural vocals, and grinding riffs abound on this 44 minute LP.  Ingesting Putridity blasts through my speakers on a regular basis and should be emitting from your stereo as well (given that you're a fan of brutal death metal...).

2. Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst the Ashes

Hate Eternal has proven once again that they are still one of the best in the game.  Phoenix Amongst the Ashes is arguably the best release yet from these veterans of death metal.  Eric Rutan's compositions pay heed to not only heavy riffs and technicality (which is present in all good death metal music) but also to creating an ominous audio atmosphere capable of enthralling the listener.  I'm sure I'll be listening to this record for years to come.

1. Vale of Pnath - The Prodigal Empire

In my opinion, Vale of Pnath's The Prodigal Empire was unquestionably the best metal album to come out in 2011.  There is no shortage of memorable riffs, blazingly technical passages, and excellent instrumental work all around.  Vale of Pnath has really raised the musical bar in technical death metal with this record.  I am really looking forward to hearing what they put out in the coming years.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)...

Pathology - Awaken to the Suffering

Cerebral Bore - Maniacal Miscreation

Origin - Entity

Krisiun - The Great Execution

All Shall Perish - This is Where it Ends (yes, I know it's deathcore)

The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual

Neuraxis - Asylon

As Blood Runs Black - Instinct (yes, I know it's deathcore)

Insomnium - One for Sorrow

Symphony X - Iconoclast

Beyond Creation - The Aura

Mastodon - The Hunter

Decapitated - Carnal is Forever

Unexpect - Fables of the Sleepless Empire

Revocation - Chaos of Forms (2011)

Genre: Death Metal/Thrash Metal/Extreme Metal

Release Date: August 16, 2011

1. Cretin (3:03)

2. Cradle Robber (4:25)

3. Harlot (2:51)

4. Dissolution Ritual (4:37)

5. Conjuring the Cataclysm (4:34)

6. No Funeral (3:55)

7. Fractal Entity (1:43)

8. Chaos of Forms (4:30)

9. The Watchers (4:12)

10. Beloved Horrifier (4:09)

11. Dethroned (4:57)

12. Reprogrammed (4:03)

Last year, the website Metal Sucks named Revocation guitarist/frontman David Davidson the best guitarist in modern metal.  With the advent of technical death metal, there is some stiff competition out there.  Thus, to be called the best modern metal guitarist isn't an easily earned title or something to be taken lightly.  Usually I am skeptical of top guitarist lists because, in my opinion, they're usually way off.  But in this case, if Davidson doesn't deserve to called the best guitarist in modern metal, he is at least worthy of the top 5.  This guy has some mad skills and they are displayed to the fullest on Revocation's latest release.

Chaos of Forms is the third album from the Boston extreme metal act.  Revocation blends elements of death metal, thrash metal, speed metal, and everything in between to create a brutal audio assault that is nothing short of brilliant.  Davidson employs every guitar technique in the book in a varied and exciting way that never gets boring or repetitive.

Cretin

It's difficult to parallel Revocation with other bands in the genre simply because they have a rather unique sound.  Much of this has to do with Davidson's guitar work.  In one passage he can blend dissonant riffs, switch up to melodic leads, and then employ a blazing thrash metal style tremolo picking.  His riffs are constantly changing between styles, which makes it very enthralling to listen to.  One song that provides a great example of how he combines all these elements is the eleventh track on Chaos of Forms, "Dethroned".

Dethroned

Cradle Robber

While delivering up some menacing guitar riffs, Davidson also handles the vocals and offers up a stellar performance on the microphone on this album.  Davidson's vocals are arguably just as unique as his guitar playing and really give Revocation a bludgeoning sound that all metal fans should appreciate.

While the bass and drums on this record are by no means groundbreaking, they provide the perfect backdrop to Davidson's top notch guitar work and guttural vocals.  Phil Dubois-Coyne (drums) and Anthony Buda (bass) have proven their skills on previous Revocation releases in any case, so it's not all that disappointing to see the bass and drums recede into a background role on Chaos of Forms.

Revocation builds on their previous releases, Empire of the Obscene (2008) and Existence is Futile (2009), and develops their song writing and structure to new heights on this record.  Personally, Empire of the Obscene is still my favorite Revocation album, but Chaos of Forms is an amazing record and one of the best releases to come out in 2011.  I look forward to their continued contributions to the metal scene.

Final Rating: 9/10

3 Favorite Songs from the Album: Cretin, Cradle Robber, Conjuring the Cataclysm