Melodeath That Matters: Dark Tranquillity - Trail of Life Decayed Demo (1991)

Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Country: Sweden

Alright so melodeath sucks.  Slaughter of the Soul is At The Gates worst album and In Flames was never good.  However, there are some examples out there of melodeath played right, i.e. death metal with melody not overproduced sappy pop metal.  And before Dark Tranquillity became overproduced sappy pop metal they managed to put out this nice little demo which surprisingly kicks ass.  Sporting Anders Friden of In Flames fame before he was of In Flames fame (and before he sucked) this thing pumps out some sweet riffs and cool harmonies and stuff just like it should be.  If you dig stuff like old At The Gates and Eucharist check this out, it rules.

Melodeath That Matters Pt. 1

Arizmenda - Within The Vacuum of Infinity (2009)

Country: United States
Genre: Black Metal

Before The Black Twilight Circle's lineage got all confusing and convoluted, they had a rost of like six bands with Arizmenda probably standing as one of, if not the best. This is easily one of the best black metal releases to come out in the last 15 years, no doubt thanks to the cacophony of swirling, noisy riffage the band is so apt at creating. It's dissonant, but also kind of melodic and very somber. The songs go on for a long time but they put you in a trance and you can feel every movement the band makes. Really great stuff.

BTC

Coffin Dust - Ancient Rites of Buried Evil (2011)

Genre: Death Metal

Country: United States

This 5-track EP is quickly becoming one of my favorites in recent years. Coffin Dust play a riling form of old school death metal infused with some terrific melodies and creepy undertones. These are accented by a dual vocal attack of a raspy, mid-ranged scream on top and an absolutely sickeningly fetid growl that bumbles along underneath. This is a must have. Oh, and more material (particularly a full length) please.

Raise the Evil

Ill Omen - Divinity Through Un-Creation (2011)

Genre: Black Metal
Country: Australia

Let's just all stop for a minute and take a nice long gander at the album art here. I mean, it is perhaps the most perfect way of visualizing the ritualistic sonic assault that bellows from the depths of the land down under on Divinity Through Un-Creation. As if Australia didn't already have a penchant for fucked up extreme metal bands, we have Ill Omen coming along to add another tally to the ever-growing list. This record is a festering mix of depraved, unorthodox black metal laced with a touch of Scandinavian influence, making the record sound strangely familiar yet entirely different. At times teetering ever so slightly toward death metal a la Portal, but decidedly riff-packed, ravaging black metal, Divinity Through Un-Creation is an unholy treat for the ears.

Invoke

Morgue - Eroded Thoughts (1993)

Country: United States
Genre: Death/Doom

Most people consider this Autopsy worship (which lets be honest still wouldn't be the worst band to rip-off), but really Morgue is a whole lot more than that. The band really took what death and doom could do together to realize its full potential. The songwriting is top-notch with tons of twists and turns to keep you interested and riffwise these guys take a very technical approach to death/doom which makes this infinitely more interesting. I really just love this release and if you're an old-school death metal fan and especially a fan of Autopsy (which lets be honest again, what self respecting old-school death metal fan isnt?) there is no reason why you won't love it too.

Random Decay

Gukurahundi - An Apparition In Nocturnal Splendor (2013)

Genre: Melodic Black/Death Metal
Country: United States

A user submission from the runner of Manicidic Records, this is melodic death metal with balls...balls to the wall...balls of steel...yeah you get the idea. The blackened tinged vocal style accents the riffage very nicely and the commonly galloping pace keeps a flowing throughout. Yeah that was probably a lame description, just check the thing out.

(I'll also note that my lazy ass is way behind on user submissions, I apologize for this and I may end up directing user submissions to another contributor)

Download

Eroded - Demo '92 (1992)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Japan

I honestly don't know many old-school Japanese death metal bands, but I know about Eroded and for as of right now, they are more than enough. Absolutely filthy death metal with touches of grindcore, the band only got to release this and a full-length before they broke up both are definitely worth checking out. In my opinion this slightly edges out the full-length thanks to more succint songwriting and added aggression so don't be an idiot and pass on this.

ERODED

Summoning - Old Morning's Dawn (2013)

Genre: Summoning
Country: Middle Earth

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UPDATE 5/30 - Finally have a 320kbps leak, updated below.



ITS HERE

Antediluvian - Λόγος (2013)

Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Country: Canada

Hey everyone, it's been awhile, yeah? I've decided to return with a vengeance and I bring with the newest from one of Canada's best and brightest, Antediluvian. If you've following this band's career you know just how much they improve with each successive release and Λόγος (however the fuck you say that) is no exception. They have never been a band you can just sit down, listen to once and fully appreciate what's going on; like all their previous efforts Λόγος takes some time, but once it sinks in, you will be hard-pressed to deny how talented this band is. Complex, cavernous, yet still so raw, Antediluvian proves once again why they are one of the best black/death metal bands around today.

I'M BACK BITCHES

Asunder - A Clarion Call (2004)

Genre: Funeral Doom
Country: USA

I'm not really a die hard fan of funeral doom.  I love me some diSEMBOWELMENT and occasionally jam some Worship and Mournful Congregation, but for the most part funeral doom bands get caught up in trying to be as slow and plodding as possible and forget that you can still write compelling tracks that never go above 10 BPM.  Asunder is one of those bands that manage to make a 15 minute song feel like half the time.  Their arrangements and the way the riffs sort of bloom across the span of the track just makes you get lost in the journey, and that is exactly what funeral doom should accomplish.  Not to mention this record just sounds perfect.  It's so cavernous and organic, pretty much the perfect sound for this type of music.  For me this is one of the great funeral doom releases, so if you dig the style and haven't heard this yet, get it now.

shimmering doom

Fell Voices - Regnum Saturni (2013)

Genre: Black Metal
Country: USA

I admittedly don't really like Fell Voices as much as everyone else seems to.  I don't know what it is, but nothing they ever did really caught my fancy, even though it wasn't bad by any means.  Well it seems that has changed, because Regnum Saturni is the best thing this band has ever done.  The production is finally perfect,  the drone tendencies they've had in the past come out full force and somehow manage to compliment the riffs perfectly to make for the most compelling album i've heard from these guys.  It's like a more droney version of a Darkspace album and that's pretty high praise i think.  Not to mention that cover art is so awesome.  I might actually order this on vinyl, and i;m suspecting all of you want to as well, so here is the link and where you can buy it, unless it's sold out already i'm not sure.

moons in orion

Purchase from Gilead Media

Graveyard - The Sea Grave (2013)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Spain

This has taken forever to find it's way onto the internet (thanks to being only available in Europe since it was released) but finally it's here.  Ever since the video they put out a while back i've been stoked to hear this record and i'm hoping the rest is as good as that track.  Graveyard has always been good but this could possibly be the best thing they've ever done. Hopefully a vinyl comes available in the US soon.  For all our European readers i'll link you where you can buy it a the bottom.

dagonrips

War Anthem Purchase

Agonia Records