Antestor - Martyrium (1994)

Genre: Death/Black Metal
Country: Norway

Antestor are best known as probably the only Christian black metal band that's even remotely decent, but I think that later-era sound doesn't even hold a candle to this record. Martyrium is their debut, and rather than the progressive/melodic black metal of their later era we are instead met with a slow, doomy blend of black and death metal that is on point in all regards. I'm pleased that the album chooses to riff for what seems like forever, because there are swirling melodies like those on "Depressed" or OSDM homage like those on "Materialistic Lie" or even some mournful dirges on the instrumental title track. It's got this raw production that somehow brings out a lot of the drumming in a very natural way, especially in regards to to the cymbals and bass kicks. The only real downside are some clean vocals that come off as pretty lame. This basically mourns harder than any record I've heard in the past several months and deserves a listen even if you hate their newer stuff. This is way, way more raw and had I not told you it was Antestor you'd have no fucking idea this is Jesus-praising extreme metal.

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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

Symptom - Opulent Atrocity (2013)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal

Country: United States

Fucking awesome, crushing death/doom from Portland, Oregon's thriving underground metal scene. Take one look at the album cover, it pretty much describes what this band will sound like. Devastating, vile riffage with a monstrous lower end and cavernous, Incantation/Incrust-esque vocals (with occasional haunting keyboard work crooning overtop) dominate the sound with a nasty production job that basically encapsulates the sound as perfectly (or imperfectly if you prefer) as you could possibly imagine. Highly, very highly recommended, this is going to be well up there on my end of the year list.

oh my satan fucking get this now

Dark Millennium - The Apocryphal Wisdom (1991)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal

Country: Germany

For Hyperion (more specifically why didn't you post this here...). Rugged, eerie death/doom from 19motherfuckin91 with some rather deranged vocals that basically come across as if Martin Van Drunen and Chuck Schuldiner's spirits entwined, got munched on by a bunch of zombies and then made some sort of demented offspring...yeah.

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Mold - Cremated Alive (2013)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Denmark

Imagine if Antedeluvian and Portal sounded less like themselves and more like Incantation and you might be able to imagine what Mold's second demo sounds like.  Cremated Alive is a twisting, cavernous (see: caverncore), murky, filthy 4 tracks of pure vile Incantation worship sprinkled with just enough new riffs and little enticing nuances to make even the most seasoned old school death metaller a little wet in the pant seat.  Definitely worth you're time considering how 2013 kind of died as far as death metal goes recently.

CAVERNCORE 2013

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

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