Demilich - 20th Adversary Of Emptiness (2014)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Finland

A compilation of everything Demilich has ever recorded, including a remaster of Nespithe based off a 24-bit mix instead of an inferior 16-bit mix. Oh, and there are also three new tracks. And they slay for many, many, many days.

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М8Л8ТХ - Сага о чёрном марше (2013)

Genre: NSBM
Country: Russia

М8Л8ТХ, or M8L8TH as many know them, have been one of my favorite Russian bands for a while now. They blend riff-packed black metal and uplifting clean vocals together to create a really unique mix, one that is expanded on their latest effort Сага о чёрном марше. There is impressive guitar work, depraved shrieks, and soaring Russian singing that is sure to fill your heart with pride. It's a bit more epic than their previous releases, but also filled with more twisting guitar licks and great bass. Yes, it is NSBM, but look past all that (you can't understand the lyrics unless you know Russian so that may help) and you'll see that these guys have some serious talent.

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Innsmouth - Consumed By Elder Sign (2014)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Australia

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

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Drudkh - Eastern Frontier In Flames (2014)

Genre: Black Metal
Country: Ukraine

And Drudkh bestow upon us some awesome covers of Eastern-European bm bands as well as two tracks taken from Anti-Urban. Today is a good day.

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Vuyvr - Eiskalt (2013)

Genre: Black Metal
Country: Switzerland

This fine black metal record is the debut release from the Swiss band Vuyvr, who play a no-frills style of black metal that can be both ferocious and thoughtful at the same time. There are times when the riffs are oozing emotion and run in a way that is most certainly that of atmospheric black metal, but then again there are other times where the intensity knob is turned to the breaking point, giving this record a sense of movement and dimension that is hard to come by in the cut-and-dry confines of black metal. I'll be the first to admit it's nothing new and not necessarily anything truly marvelous, but it's solid as hell and get this: the label has it up for all you to download for FREE. I can't argue with that.

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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.

evilmosphere