Believe it or not, the year is half over already. And, there has also been a slew of incredible releases. You may have overlooked some or missed 'em, or you might be right there with us, jamming all the releases.
From the obvious to the obscure, we rounded up some of the Metal Injection writers' top five albums of 2021 (so far) into this super handy list! Each writer picked five albums, unranked. How do their lists compare to yours? Chime in below in the comments.
Dillion Collins
At the Gates – The Nightmare of Being
Confession: I have never disliked, or have even come close to disliking an At the Gates album. Some detractors wax philosophical on how the group hasn’t been the same since the Slaughter of the Soul era, but those folks are joyless anyways.
The Nightmare of Being is everything I want out of At the Gates and melodic death metal in general. Chunky, explosive riffs, Tomas hitting every furious scream like he’s getting paid on an aggression scale, the mix of atmosphere and the lights and darks. It’s those moments between beauty and chaos – that mirrors life ironically well – that make this album a standout. “Spectre of Extinction”, in particular, is a ridiculously good album kickoff. A+.
Cannibal Corpse – Violence Unimagned
The holy fathers of extreme metal continue to do the goddamn thing without peers or equals, bludgeoning us half to death in this pandemic era of metal with Violence Unimagined. I am a Corspsegrinder die-hard, and love every CC record he’s had at the helm, but Violence Unimagined could be my favorite in over a decade.
“Murderous Rampage”, “Inhuman Harvest”, there are just too many standout cuts to name. The guys aren’t reinventing the wheel. You know what you’re getting from the Corpse crew in the year of lord Ronnie James Dio 2021. It’s pulverizing heavy, the perfect pick-me-up for our socio-political poison cloud. Long may they reign.
Gojira – Fortitude
I’ve begun to see the boo-birds come out as it comes to France’s resident heavy metal torchbearers in recent years. In particular, many detractors signaled Magma as the beginning of a downward trend towards commercialism and a move away from the prog/death metal hybrid Gojira championed in their first decade of dominance.
Those folks likely won’t be converted with Fortitude. What you have though, for diehard fans and potential new recruits, is a record that blends the past and present of what could be the heir apparent touring act for arena ‘rock’ globally.
“Amazonia” is easily one of their more eclectic and impactful tracks in years, “Into the Storm” and “Born For One Thing” have massive crossover ability, while “Grind” and “The Sphinx” should more than satisfy fans of Gojira’s earlier sound.
Inhuman Condition – Rat°God
Inhuman Condition are my most pleasant surprise of 2021 so far. Every year there’s this one new entry into the heavy metal genre that checks off all my boxes, and the genre vets of Terry Butler (Obituary, Death, Six Feet Under), Jeramie Kling (Venom Inc, The Absence, Ex Deo), and Taylor Nordberg (The Absence, Massacre, Goregäng) did all that and then some on Rat°God.
These guys are pure death metal. No frills, no bullshit. If you want classic, old school, Florida death metal that gives you nostalgic Death and Obituary deep down in your gut feels, hook this into your veins. Play it front to back and don’t concern yourself with track selections. This entire beast packs a f***ing wallop.
Red Fang – Arrows
Portland’s finest stonery sludgemuffins made us wait for a new record, but f**k was the wait worth it. Arrows is a throwback to “Prehistoric Dog” era Red Fang, full to bursting with chunky riffs, and grimy feedback and distortion that makes us miss those by-gone garage-era bands.
The self-titled single is the type of anthemic earworm that will be tailor-made for tours going forward. And if nothing else, we can toast the return of batshit crazy Red Fang music videos. “Why”, in particular, is a demented fever dream. *Chef’s kiss.*
Daniel Cordova
Fucked Up – Year Of The Horse
With four acts, rather than songs, I figured I was in for a ride (pony pun intended) on Year Of The Horse. The band weave in and out of hardcore, sludge, post-rock, choral pieces, Morricone-esque spaghetti western moments, and somehow even more sounds on this seemingly limitless epic of an album.
Then, there’s a concept to the record that I haven’t even had a chance to dive into because musically this requires multiple listens to catch every twist and turn. This is a DENSE and rewarding listening experience.
Fractal Universe – The Impassable Horizon
Catchy ass melodies, technical guitar-shredding, wonky rhythms, death metal aggression, and some saxophone solos. You really can’t ask for more from a Fractal Universe record. You’re getting it all here, and it’s the bee’s knees start to finish.
LizZard – Eroded
This French trio dropped their first record about a decade ago, but this, their fourth since then, served as my introduction to a wild and wildly unique band. They rock with the swagger of a Royal Blood with the guitar theatrics of classic CKY and a love of atypical rhythms like Gojira. Prog, stoner, alt, metal, hard rock, whatever. Shit’s rad.
Pupil Slicer – Mirrors
On paper, I shouldn’t like this album with my track record. I’m a melodic prog wimp and this is intense grindy chaos that shifts between unrelenting heaviness, dissonance, and atmospheric unease. Couple that with a name that makes me real uncomfortable, because eye stuff, and I should be out.
However, these three blend all this into a very intriguing album that grabbed me by the throat (and ears, I guess) and refused to let go. On the first go around I had to keep listening to hear what came next, then I had to hear it all again, and again, and again.
Thy Catafalque – Vadak
The prolific mastermind of Thy Catafalque Tamás Kátai does it again on Vadak. Just a year after the stellar Naiv, he, and a bunch of friends, are back with ten tracks that run the gamut of folk metal, black metal, electronica, groove metal, thrash, and some straight-up heavy metal.
Horn sections, synthesizers, cellos, redpipes (whatever those are), this album has it all! Vadak sounds like Sigh if they leaned into more of an Opeth prog or European folk music thing.
Jordan Blum
Danny Elfman – Big Mess
As I wrote in my review, Big Mess marks a triumphant return for Elfman. Essentially, it mixes his distinctive orchestral weirdness and captivating songwriting with startlingly abrasive industrial/progressive metal leanings.
Specifically, tunes like "Sorry," "In Time," and "Native Intelligence" conjure Devin Townsend, Meshuggah, King Crimson, and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum amidst delivering everything fans could want from an Elfman expedition. It’s truly a tour de force of complex nuttiness.
White Moth Black Butterfly – The Cost of Dreaming
This third LP under the WMBB moniker sees mastermind Daniel Tompkins once again teaming up with Skyharbor guitarist Keshav Dhar, singer/lyricist Jordan Bethany, keyboardist/orchestrator Randy Slaugh (Devin Townsend, Periphery, Architects), and drummer Mac Christensen.
Unsurprisingly, it’s an elegantly atmospheric and affective journey as only the TesseracT frontman could deliver. From the electropop splendor of “Prayer for Rain” to the symphonic ballad “Under the Stars”, The Cost of Dreaming is thoroughly beautiful and inventive.
The Vintage Caravan – Monuments
Monuments is easily the best record from the Icelandic trio thus far, as it represents their best fusion of blues rock, heavy progressive rock, and psychedelic rock to date. It manages to evoke both contemporaries (like Mastodon and Baroness) and retro icons (like the Allman Brothers Band, Cream, and Deep Purple) while never feeling unoriginal or lazy.
Rather, each tune—such as the trippy “Crystallized” and the gentler and more soothing “Clarity”—stands out in its own way while definitively proving why the band are amongst the best at what they do.
Cosmograf – Rattrapante
Robin Armstrong’s Cosmograf project has always provided top-notch progressive rock concept albums bursting with meaningful melodies, engaging sci-fi introspection, and colorfully sophisticated music. Luckily, Rattrapante is no exception; in fact, it’s the best Cosmograf record in quite some time.
Centering on humanity’s relationship with time, it offers acoustic odes (“I Stick to You”), spacey transcendence (“In 1985”), and full-on psychedelic eruptions (“Time Will Flow”). It’s a remarkable release that any fan of the genre should check out.
Anneke van Giersbergen – The Darkest Skies are the Brightest
Although she’s well-known for her collaborations with Arjen Lucassen, Devin Townsend, The Gathering, VUUR, and Anathema, Dutch songstress Anneke van Giersbergen has done plenty to solidify herself as not only one of today’s most distinguished singers, but also as a strong songwriter and solo artist.
This year’s deeply personal The Darkest Skies are the Brightest is a stunning testament to that. Specifically, opener “Agape” is utterly gorgeous, “My Promise” is warmly folksy, and “Survive” is quite vibrant and accessible. Here’s hoping she releases a proper follow-up ASAP.
Max Heilman
Humanity's Last Breath – Välde
It's wildly reductive to lump in Humanity's Last Breath with the downtempo and blackened deathcore trends, as this Swedish band's sense of terrifying scope this, frankly, incomparable to most bands in the genre. Heavier than heavy, darker than dark, Välde is what happens when a technical metal band puts all of their musical chops into creating a disturbingly intense experience.
In the midst of monstrous vocals, apocalyptic breakdowns and unpredictable transitions, there's actually a lot of melody and atmosphere to be found in this incredible synthesis of doom, 'core and black metal.
Harakiri For The Sky – Mær
It says a lot about these Austrian post-black metallers that their strongest record is also their longest. We're talking almost 90 minutes of sweeping crescendos, triumphant melodies, exhilarating drumming, and seriously emotive vocals. While the despondent screams and vulnerable lyrics often hark to the depressive black metal underground, the instrumentation remains lethally tight and consistent.
It'd need to be dialed into the max, as the only song under six minutes long is "Song To Say Goodbye." This song also happens to be a cover of the legendary alt-rock band Placebo—a testament to the broad sonic spectrum this band implements in this mammoth of a record.
Black Sheep Wall – Songs for the Enamel Queen
Instead of trying to out-heavy their earlier material, these sludgecore warriors imbue their newest record with kaleidoscopic songwriting to counterbalance the primitive aggression. Mind you, the record still goes for the jugular when it counts most, but the more haunting passages leave a much more enduring impact.
The band's music isn't just angry… it hurts, it bleeds and it weeps with rage. This is why trumpet accompaniment sounds as natural to this album's progression as the one-note riffs Black Sheep Wall built their foundation on. It's not often a band branches off from their roots without compromising what long-time listeners have grown to love them for.
Amenra – De Doorn
In a genre full of bands that use "ambiance" as an excuse to do very little with their music, Amenra packs their seventh album with resonant ideas. Amenra's balance between pure drone music and crushing doom is every bit as challenging, but the riffs are much more singable than before.
De Doorn also benefits from spellbinding guest vocals from Caro Tanghe, vocalist of Oathbreaker, who bolsters the band's melodic side and opens more stylistic doors. Amenra tends toward going from very soft to very loud, but on this album, they flesh out their approach with smoother, more thoughtful dynamics. It's great to hear such an underrated and prolific band going strong and making big moves in 2021.
Zao – The Crimson Corridor
After 12 albums, countless line-up changes and a few notable style switches have brought Zao to the most incredible late-career resurgence. Good luck finding a metal band bringing the kind of heat on The Crimson Corridor this late in their career. In fact, there's a good argument for this being the best Zao album in the band's entire discography, regardless of how much people love classic albums like Blood and Fire.
The amount of detail and passion put into every song on this record speaks volumes to how much Zao is loving this stage of their lives. Chocked full of unforgettable riffs, moody explorations, and grooves for days, The Crimson Corridor is an album only a band of Zao's experience, talent, and work ethic could pull off.
Max Morin
Kid Kapichi – This Time Next Year
Sometimes art is worth more than the sum of its parts. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about This Time Next Year. But Kid Kapichi’s debut is a masterpiece, a punchy piece of modern gutter punk rock that will be stuck in your head for the next two months if you let it. Everything fits perfectly, from the hooks to the guitar tones to Jack Wilson’s built-in British sneer.
Lyrically, it’s working-class England, the kind of attitude that spurred Sex Pistols and The Clash over 40 years ago. Producer Tom Dalgety deserves special credit for what he does on This Time Next Year. He turns simple descending riffs into some of the nastiest guitar sounds put to record this year. Let’s hope Kid Kapichi are picked up to tour with a much bigger band. They’re way too good to be in the underground for long.
Gojira – Fortitude
Unpredictable, wildly creative, and somehow appealing to purists and newbies at the same time, Gojira have delivered again on Fortitude. Brain melters like “Another World” and “Born For One Thing” fit nicely beside more expansive numbers like “New Found”.
The band avoids accusations of losing their edge with crushing tracks “Grind” and “Sphinx”. “Amazonia”, the Sepultura worship track, makes great use of the jaw harp and throat singing while drawing attention to a very real-world issue. It’s all unmistakably Gojira. The Duplantier brothers remain some of the best musicians in metal and they still sound unique and inspired. If anyone needed more proof that Gojira is one of the most important metal bands in the world right now, Fortitude is it. These guys just can’t go wrong.
Cannibal Corpse – Violence Unimagined
They say always know what you’re going to get with a new Cannibal Corpse record. What few people saw coming was one of the greatest albums of their career. Hate Eternal frontman Erik Rutan slaughters his role as the new guitarist for death metal’s most consistent crew, bringing a fresh level of frenzy to the murder anthems “Inhuman Harvest”, “Surround, Kill, Devour” and “Slowly Sawn”.
If that wasn’t enough, Erik manages to write the best song on the album, the truly savage “Ritual Annihilation”. Cannibal Corpse have never sounded more energetic than they do on Violence Unimagined, a major feat for a band thirty years into their career. They may be as predictable as AC/DC, but these veteran psychos know their audience. This is the most exciting thing they’ve released in the last ten years.
Brand of Sacrifice – Lifeblood
Deathcore continues to be the genre that just won’t die. Despite constant mocking from the metal scene’s old guard, the kids have grown up and taken over the underground. Brand of Sacrifice rose to success on the basis of their sheer brutality and unwillingness to be ashamed of their sound. This is as close to ‘classic’ as deathcore gets. It’s full of breakdowns, blast beats, pig squeals, electronics, and more.
“Animal” introduces a symphonic side to Lifeblood, while cameos from members of Shadow of Intent, I Prevail, Emmure and Sylosis show how big Brand of Sacrifice have become. Kyle Anderson channels the early work of Job For A Cowboy to deliver the performance of his life on “Demon King”, “Foe Of The Inhuman” and the title track. Lifeblood confirms that Brand of Sacrifice are leading the pack for the new generation of hardcore death metal. Stay out of their way.
Dead Poet Society – -!-
Like the forgotten child of Alice In Chains and Queens of the Stone Age, hard rockers Dead Poet Society shine on their debut album -!-. What seems like an alternative rock album at first quickly morphs to blend doom, blues, industrial and grunge into something that defies classification. Opener “.futureofwar.” sounds like Melvins after a particularly good batch of green stuff.
More personal tracks like “.intoodeep.” and “.getawayfortheweekend.” hide angsty lyrics under explosive guitar sounds and hard-hitting drums. The song “.CoDa.” manages to sound like four separate decades at the same time. It’s amazing to hear DPS jumping from style to style with ease. “.SALT.” is the album’s heaviest track, a slogging grind with a riff many other bands will wish they had written. An exciting first album from a band that is sure to release many more.
Necrosexual
Blitz – Demo 1
This one-woman army of speed-obsessed black metal blisters like the second coming of Quorthon. The mysterious, Virginia-based Evil Eye rapidly establishes herself as a Valkyrie of velocity in this five-song assault.
Blitz commands the turbocharged mayhem with rumbling double-bass rhythms, and enough chugga-chugga guitar parts to keep that crazy train rolling all night long! Definitely, a band to look out for in the future, if they don't leave your ass in the dust.
Obsolete – Animate//Isolate
The debut album from this Minneapolis trio is a master class in technical thrash and death metal. Obsolete sizzles with the same inventive fire as Coroner, Atheist and Obliveon, yet remain drastically different from their progressive forebears. Animate//Isolate offers an abundance of funky riffs interspersed through its existential meditations.
However, pacing might be Obsolete's greatest tool. Each song clocks in at around three-minutes. It's just the right dose for a distinct substance and surprise. Animate//Isolate is like the technical death metal version of sampling all the flavors at a gelato shop, and maybe the gelato is laced with acid.
Dangerous Thing – Dangerous Thing
Disciples of brutal, yet brainy death metal, rejoice! Dangerous Thing concoct an intricate and abstract equation, which seems inspired by the likes of Demilich, Artificial Brain and Afterbirth. Parts of this EP sound like the gurgling death yells of a Neanderthal bludgeoned to death with a big rock by a mortal adversary. Other sections blast the listener beyond the stars, with sweep arpeggios and synthesizer accents.
One might wonder if this album was even penned on this planet, or if it's the last remnants of a long-forgotten species of extraterrestrial shredders. In fact, this is the latest conspiracy from a few of the guys behind the Heavy Hole Podcast, one of the most knowledgeable extreme metal dispatches out there.
Also, Dangerous Thing own the merch game with their self-titled cassettes offered in hand-made wooden caskets, for an added touch of style with savagery.
Vulture – Dealin' Death
I challenge anyone to listen to the new Vulture album and NOT break into air guitar. Germany's Vulture swoop in with a speed metal feast, straight out of Metal Blade's 1985 catalog. If you dig dueling guitar riffs and gang vocals with thick German accents, this record will make you “Count Your Blessings.”
Groovy melodies, thick attitude and shrieking vocals akin to Destruction and Nasty Savage transport the listener on a righteous, dungeon-smashing quest. No surprise this was recorded by the Alex Stöcker from Stallion, whose record Slaves Of Time made my album of the year list for 2020.
Krallice – Demonic Wealth
The aptly named Demonic Wealth is a treasure chest of creativity. Krallice capture that same lo-fidelity magic of those early Darkthrone and Mayhem records, with their own signature sauce of dizzying, dastardly dissonance. It only took the pandemic to inspire these virtuosos to record this album in isolation, to comedic extremes. The drums were recorded on an iPhone.
The vocals were recorded in a car by a swamp. The keyboards sound like grandmother's portable Casio from 1996. The arrangements here are meticulous, complex, maddening. The guitar rarely repeats a single riff, but lush synthesizers add a new wave pop sensibility to temper its tumultuous passages. Demonic Wealth is the perfect whirlwind of evil basement atmosphere and cerebral compositions. Audiences will be all the richer to suckle on the fruits of this labor, a fitting timestamp from “unprecedented times.”
Riley Rowe
Erra – Erra
I always assumed Erra's magnum opus would be their 2016 record Drift, however, this new self-titled LP has rightfully taken the throne. Every track shows off the group's unique characteristics on full display. The melodic hooks sink deeper, the heavy moments impact harder, and the songwriting is even more cohesive, yet experimental than before. Admittedly, it takes a few listens to fully connect with the impressive dynamics here, but if you're a progcore fan, I infinitely recommend this new LP.
Wolf King – The Path of Wrath
I'm always bewildered by how niche the blackened hardcore fusion subgenre is considering how perfectly the raw energy of both black metal and hardcore mesh together. Wolf King has become by far the most enigmatic representation of this style with their no-BS barrage of sinister riffs, occasional blast beat, and war cry shrieks.
Each release by the Bay Area-based act has shown their growing strength, yet The Path of Wrath depicts their mature peak as each track delivers a truly satisfying blend of intensity and allure. Although moments of death and doom metal also creep in, this LP and band supremely satisfy that blackened hardcore itch.
Esa Holopainen – Silver Lake
Honestly, I've never really given Amorphis a chance, but after recently checking out founding guitarist Esa Holopainen's new solo debut album, I'm seriously reconsidering my whole life. This man has some legit compositional chops displayed on Silver Lake, so I'm near certain that I'm missing out on the… (checks Wikipedia) …thirteen albums of folk/power/melodeath/prog metal from Amorphis.
This record appears to definitely be a calmer temperament than Esa's usual heavier output, focusing on acoustic guitar melodies, chilly atmospheres, and a vastly diverse collection of guest vocalists. Each singer knocks it out of the park from the gorgeous cleans of Jonas Renske (Katatonia) and uplifting range from Einar Solberg (Leprous) to the low, deep spoken word by actor/musician Vesa-Matti Loiri. Sure, this might not be an overtly metal album per se, but all involved carry the metal torch and there are a handful of heavy surprises.
Gojira – Fortitude
Let's just get this sentiment out of the way; yes, this new Gojira album isn't on the level of From Mars to Sirius or The Way of All Flesh. While those releases are untouchable, I'm so abundantly happy that these French progressive death metallers continue to push the boundaries of their songwriting abilities.
The occasional folksy instrumentation was a nice touch on top of their groovy headbangers and the grungy slow-burners here were far more enjoyable than the doom-laden dirges on the previous record Magma. There's a solid chunk of these tracks that I'm ecstatic to see added to their always dynamic live setlist.
Termina – Dysphoria
It's no secret that the progressive metalcore subgenre is an increasingly over-saturated scene. With modern acts like Loathe, Spiritbox, and Make Them Suffer blowing up, hundreds of local acts followed with their run-of-the-mill fusion of djent, nu-metal, deathcore, and metalcore.
Seldom do these emerging projects hold my attention, however, Termina actually broke through the noise. Vocalist Andy Cizek (Monuments) and guitarist Nik Nocturnal (YouTube sensation) joined together to create some catchy hooks, filthy riffs, and an array of styles to inject into their notably top-notch progcore.
Corinne Westbrook
Nemorous – Nemorous
Nemorous is a stellar example of black metal conjured from the old forests. Layered with texture, the gruff vocals, melancholy, folk-inspired guitar, and a fine balance of atmospheric and aggressive, the album is a more mature offering from the band than their previous works. It is clear that Nemorous is looking to build into the future and create intricate song work that goes beyond basic black metal.
Harakiri For The Sky – Mære
The melodies in this album are just chef’s kiss. Intricate without being overly complicated and carried through each track, the melodious guitar work is perfectly offset by the hysteric screams and the bludgeoning rhythm support of the death metal-infused drums. Clocking in at around 90 minutes, this album may seem daunting, but it is worth sitting down and appreciating. Consistently varied without losing their core sound, Harakiri For The Sky keeps the listener engaged for every second.
Haunt – Beautiful Distraction
Haunt is one of California’s best-kept secrets and, seriously, they should not be anymore. Beautiful Distraction is easily one of the most fun albums to come out this year so far. Blistering, but also melodic, this classic metal record has heavy influences from the British heavy metal scene of the late 70s and early 80s. It is both accessible and full of energy and passion that shines through in the music. A future classic in the making.
Empyrium – Über den Sternen
Seven years was well worth the wait for this album! Über den Sternen is a seamless fusion of Empyrium’s classic and more modern sound. This is the kind of metal you listen to in the woods. It is a bold, grand, meditative, and atmospheric odyssey that carries the listener through both the natural world and the sense of mysticism underneath. This is easily one of Empyrium's best albums to date.
Seth – La Morsure du Christ
La Morsure du Christ is one of the most hauntingly beautiful examples of black metal that has been released recently. Incorporating pure blasphemy in true black metal style, the album’s artwork depicts the infamous burning of Notre Dame (likely one of the most elating experiences for the black metal genre). While each song is captivating in its own right, the album as a whole is both violent and hypnotic, creating an overwhelming sense of emotion as you listen to it in full. This is an album worth taking the time to soak in from beginning to end.
Christopher Luedtke
Fluids – Not Dark Yet
I knew this record was going to be ugly. But Fluids still exceeded expectations. One of the sickest, heaviest records that has come out so far, Not Dark Yet shows Fluids exploring territory beyond the goregrind/death metal sound they started out with. The snuff clips remain real and bring a darker mood to the sound, but Fluids also steps into some doom territory and even use some real drums.
Regional Justice Center – Crime and Punishment
Since their inception Regional Justice Center has been one of the hardest bands in hardcore since their inception in 2017. And their latest release Crime and Punishment only keeps the momentum going. Tracks are traditionally short, blasting, and in-your-face. It verges on being a grind record but sticks to the hardcore side of things. The whole thing only hits thirteen-minutes, but it is one of the best thrashings so far.
Knoll – Interstice
If you only listen to one record on my recommendation list, make it this one. Interstice is an incredible achievement for a band’s first record. Throwing together deathgrind, noise, and dissonance, Knoll might remind you of other bands like Unyielding Love and Full of Hell and drawing those comparisons are fair, but Knoll plays on a different level, embracing something a little more…raw and moody for lack of a better term. The album is huge, and Knoll takes time to explore the nooks and crannies they blast into the walls of their sound. If they keep it up, these guys are going to level some mountains.
Old Nick – A New Generation of Vampiric Conspiracies
Old Nick is the most entertaining black metal has been in a long time. While the diehards will continue to spew overly serious sentiments about how the genre is not for weaklings and should only be played through a blown-out amp and recorded in a sewer tunnel, Old Nick is laughing it ass off at that. The songs are like wild, grim adventures but remain raw as hell. At times it almost feels like the band is going to do a black metal sea shanty. This album is amazing and creative as hell. Old Nick is the kick in the ass that black metal has needed for a long time.
Last Days of Humanity – Horrific Compositions of Decomposition
I would like to welcome back to the ring Last Days of Humanity and holy shit have they gone to town on this record. Goregrinders know this band, and plenty worship at their feet. As they should, they are one of the best bands in that genre. However, they have cleaned up their act and turned out one of my most listened to records of the year. Maintaining the disgusting toilet vocals, the rest of the band’s sound has been cleaned up and become a massive slice of goregrind. The cleaner production is basically throwing a urinal cake on it all though because this record is still nasty.
That's our picks so far, what are yours? Comment below!
