Top Metal Albums of 2014: Part 1

I realise it may well come off as a little self important to make the opening post here a "best of" post. But fuck it! It's that time of year, and everybody with a keyboard are posting their opinions on the internet to be gawked at by your very peppers! So without further ado, I give you my list of this years best 20 albums, starting from 20 and on to 1.

20. Gazpacho-Demon

Ok, Im gonna have to be honest here, and say that strictly speaking these guys aren't quite “metal” but more of a “prog rock/alt rock” bent. However, the album is great, in fact only scoring so low because…well this is a metal list. But, I loved it enough and reasoned that with other melodic releases being here, and the latest offering from Opeth, also not quite hitting the “metal” mark-they deserved to be listed.

So with that out of the way, what can we expect? Well like the name, Gazpacho take a host of sounds and styles, and mix them forming a veritable “soup” of prog rock, and moody notions, essentially, if 90s Radiohead, hooked up with a prog band, and sang about fantastical themes, with a depressive nature.....erm....Yeah, thats Demon. 

The album contains 4 tracks. Although, some of those are separated into parts, so numerically there are more. The album manages to make the complex musical themes and song structures seem easily accessible to the listener, every time I listen to this album, I find something new to marvel at.

19. Animals as Leaders-Joy of Motion

Progressive-death metalists and technical musician masters, released their third offering of jazz fused death metal, in March with Sumarian Records- The Joy of Motion. For those who don’t know, Animals As Leaders, are a 3 piece instrumental band. They operate as a tight trio, creating complex rhythmical music that transcends genres.

However, I will concede that you may have to “get” music, or be a little bit of an audiophile (music nerd) to fully appreciate the album and what is going on here. At times it does seem that songs may be missing hooks that would go a long way to make the album much more accessible to the casual listener. But, it still could be consdiered one of the better metal albums of the year and I would heartily recommend it to any fan of music, metal-head or not.

18.  Opeth-Pale Communion    

             

Opeth are a divisive band, who spark much debate these days, about who they are and what their music is. Personally, while they still play their more heavier back catalogue live, thus proving they are still capable metal musicians, they are still a metal band. But, there are those who would disagree, thus for sake argument and a lack of metal songs on the album, this release scores lower than it might.  

Essentially, Opeth are two bands; there is the black metal Opeth, with crushing black metal riffs, and technical death metal drumming, brutal death metal growls, and a pace that can verge from blistering blast beats to slow down trudging doom metal riffs that wallow on every note. Or, there is the other Opeth, a progressive Opeth, that would not go amiss in a golden-era record collection, evoking the early days of prog, with King Crimson, Yes, or Genesis. This melting pot of music is always pulled off with a jazzy flair, that has a lounge quality to it. Yes it is fair to say that Opeth are as diverse, as they are divisive, but you cannot dispute the musicianship that this band has within its midst, and so on the weight of that alone, it is perhaps no surprise that they find their way into this list.

17. Hail Spirit Noir –Oi Magoi

I only just discovered Hail Spirit Noir this year. Hailing from Greece, they have a very interesting take on the black metal. The band takes the usual expectation of frosty, desolate and dark black metal and instead delivers the message of Lord Satan in warm toasted buns, and classy on the rock spirits….laced with LSD.

Melting black metal with avant garde psychedelic -rock and jazzy/lounge styling’s creates an interesting enough mix. But, add into that the eclectic and off the wall vocal styling’s that differ from song to song and you have a sunny Satanic journey you just cannot help but enjoy. Don't worry, if you are still scratching your head and wondering if you should spend your hard cash on this album (and you should) then perhaps it would help if I gave a point of reference. To put it simply, this band sounds like the love-child of hey-day progressive, trippy Pink Floyd and Pop/Rock black metal theatrical studs Ghost.

16. Novembers Doom –Bled White

Doom metal merchants Novembers Doom (plus points for creative naming), offer up their latest album Bled White. I find this to be a fairly solid album, nothing too grand, nothing lacking. What I do like in this album, is the dramatic flair the melodic touches, the clean vocals and personalised lyrics that are dealt with. The album still  has touches, and moments that show the death metal side of this band. Though, the melodic side of the album does not compare to Insomnium, or Opeth, and the death metal side does not compare to Machine Head, or Job For A Cowboy it is the sense of drama that keeps this album alive and on the list,well worth the listen.

15. Speticflesh-Titan

Atmospheric Greek death metal act Speticflesh, give us Titan. Again I admit this is the first time I have come across this band, though I can happily say it will not be the last. This is death metal with all the zazzr of symphonic gothy broodiness, safe to say that some of the riffs here would not be out of place in a horror soundtrack. This album indeed lives up to its titanic name, with intricate orchestral arrangements, and a bone shattering drum pace, that is held throughout, the vocal delivery is truly dark and otherworldly, a solid addition to any Metal collection. Although, like The Satanist I feel this is a grower, I am a fan already. But, I look forward to being able to give this more time. 

14. Behemoth-The Satanist

Polish blackened death metal giants Behemoth got this year off to an evil start with their immense album The Satanist. The Satanist was released on February 3^rd and has received much critical acclaim, universally being considered one their better albums in recent times. For me, this album was a grower, one I have come to appreciate more in the last half of the year, than I did in the beginning and it only seems to get better with every listen.

13. Decapitated-Blood Mantra

Another fine release from a band who have struggled with tragedy. I admit to never actually knowing the band in their “hey-day” only really latching on to them at the back of “The Carnival is Forever.” However, reviews, and critical opinion tells me (us) that these fine Polish folk were awash with potential and talent in their earlier times, before an auto-mobile accident that injured 2 members of the band, Drummer Witold "Vitek" Kiełtyka and vocalist Adrian "Covan" Kowanek. Vitek was tragically killed by his injuries, leaving many wondering where the band would go. The band came back triumphantly with the already mentioned, and perhaps aptly named “The Carnival is Forever” which has a "the show must go on" feel about it. Decapitated go from strength to strength now though, and have built on that with their latest offering Blood Mantra.

12. Eyehategod-Eyehategod

Quintessential NOLA sludge rockers are back with their first album in 14 years. Released in Europe in May through Century Media. The album keeps that typical punk-metal fusion, with all the swing groove of the blues and soul based music found in New Orleans, creating what frontman Mike Williams simply terms “heavy blues”

During the time between albums, the band has been hit with an astonishing amount of ill fortune. Battered and buried beneath hurricane Katrina, crippled by addiction, and made to serve jail time, then of course there was the passing of their drummer Joe LaCaze in 2013, LaCaze recorded the album, but has since been replaced by Aaron Hill. When you mix these elements together, it is perhaps no surprise that the album crafts its influences and styles into a spear point of raw emotion.

11. Trap Them-Blissfucker

I think if an album were to win a “crustiest/grimiest album of the year” it would be this one. Trap Them were apparently once a prolific band, though I admit to only stumbling across them this year. If I had to nut-shell their work, it would be that they are a sludge band with a grindcore bent. As such their work is wall-to-wall distortion, and has the aggression of crusty hardccore punk. Yet, do not let that fool you, this album still holds the mood, and off-kilter riffs one might expect from a solid sludge release. Great album.

So, there you have it, my hastily edited, booze soaked opinions. If you agree, hurrah, we can be friends (but no touching) if you don't please at least stick it out for the whole 20 before sending me death threats. Speaking of which, the next 5 will be following in a couple of days. 

Part 2 can now be found here and part 3 in this sexy spot

Keep rocking! 

Gary (@thewheelbear)

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