Karnarium - Otapamo Pralaja (2012)

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Sweden

So I'm an idiot for not listening to this beast of an album sooner, especially considering that their self-titled full length in 2008 kicked ass. What can be said here is that this album might outdo that release and is a tasteful and filthy combination of styles that encapsulates Dead Congregation, Autopsy, Obliteration and a host of other excellent bands into an intricately dark and foreboding package (they shy away from the usual Swedish Entombed/Dismember worship), while also adding a flare of their own. Essentially, this is an album that you would imagine playing in the background while you run from the Balrog that Gandalf slayed in The Fellowship of the Ring while attempting to cross the Bridge of Khazad-Dum. There's your little LOTR tidbit for the day, and get this nastiness now.

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Grave Miasma - Odori Sepulcrorum (2013)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: United Kingdom

One of the few metal albums I've actually dug this year.  Brings the crush and the riffs and the vox and production both rule.  It's got this gloomy mournful atmosphere that just kind of reeks Finland so of course I dig it.  And I thought metal was all but over at this point.  Proof the genre still has some tricks up it's sleeve.

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Omega - The Hell Patrol (2013)

 

Genre: Blackened Thrash/Speed Metal

Country: Greece

The Hell Patrol is a venomous mix of blackened thrash metal and more traditional, strongly punk-influenced speed metal (ala Motorhead) that will make you want to drink a lot of whiskey and drive at 200 mph on a motorcycle into the bowels of the deepest, darkest dungeons of the seventh circle of hell. I'll also add that the solos on this album rip faces. Fans of Darkthrone's newer material, Evil Army and other such artists should pick this one up as soon as possible.

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