Metal Cock Radio's Best of 2016

I figured I’d resurrect this blog because I have opinions and I like sharing them. I’ll skip the “2016 was a hellish year” stuff because we all know that. Putting that aside, I missed ALOT of albums this year that I need to go back and revisit. I seem to do that every year, so first up is a short list of a few records I’ve jammed the hell out of this year, that came out in 2015 and I just slept on them like a doofus.

3. Humungus - Warband: THRASH! I love Humungus, but when this album came out I kinda glossed over it. I listened to it, and I liked it but it had been so long since they’d put anything out that I wasn’t as excited about it as I would have been years ago. This year I gave it another shot and it stayed in my car for weeks.

2. All Hell - The Red Sect: I knew about this album last year, but I wanted to wait to buy it from the band themselves, so I waited until early this year. And then this year they got signed to Prosthetic records, so I'm sure they'll be on the list for 2017 with a new release.

1. Unrest - Grindcore: Like the rest of this list, I knew about this album and kept putting off buying it. It’s punishing and I’ve listened to it more this year than I’ve ever listened to Nails. The title says it all.

OK! Now that I’ve got that off my chest, here’s THIS year’s list. As always I tend to shy away from the big releases, so no Meshuggah, Gojira, or Metallica (Haha). These albums either hit me hard when I heard them or I listened to a lot. Or both. Mostly both.

10. Violet Cold - Magic Night

I know a lot of people are probably sick of the shoegaze black metal train, but this one man band is amazing. Brilliant blend of spacey post rock, black metal, orchestral/piano arrangements, and even some electronic synth here and there. Listening Violet Cold is like being suspended in space, drifting through the void. You know you’re going to die, everything is over, it’s cold, it’s dark, it’s sad, but goddamn you can’t deny the breathtaking view. For fans of Deafheaven in style alone. In execution it's a different beast altogether. 

Favorite song: Everything You Can Imagine Is Real...

Buy it here!

9.  Enthean - Priests of Annihilation 

I don’t normally get excited about super technical/brutal metal, ESPECIALLY bands with symphonic elements, but Enthean does it just right. Blending symphonic samples and absolutely ridiculous guitar work without being overbearing or boring, these guys write really memorable and impressive blackened death metal. They've been kicking around for years, at first as just 2 guitarists with backing tracks; now as a full band. If they aren't signed this time next year I'll be surprised, because they've not only put in serious work this year, but they have this marvelous record to show for it. For fans of Emperor but more death metal.

Favorite song: Bring Forth the Raven

Buy it here!

8. Suppressive Fire - Bedlam

Suppressive Fire busted ass touring on this album out at the beginning of the year. It’s a ripping follow up to their Hellwraith EP and it delivers more riffs, nastier vocals, and all around faster thrash. A few of the tracks are even rerecorded from the EP and they sound better than ever. And with a new lineup and another new album coming out in a month, I can't wait to see what these guys do next! For fans of Kreator back when they were good. If you ain't fast, you're last.

Favorite song: The Hellwraith

Buy it here!

7. Razormaze - Spawnsong

New. Fucking. Razormaze. This EP seemed to come out of nowhere and since the band is divided around the country it wasn’t promoted too well, so a lot of people missed it. It’s definitely the heaviest thing they’ve put out, blending a lot of death metal elements to their calculated thrash style they developed with their last record. Now if only they’d just tour on it... For fans of Havok but heavier.

Favorite song: Spawnsong
Buy it here!

6. Pale Ritual - Carriers of Nothing

Pale Ritual is the project of the Morris brothers from Marrow of Earth and Divulgence, so of course it’s on this list. This time they’ve embraced the atmospheric black metal that was only barely present in Marrow of Earth’s last release, but they kept the technicality, intense drumming and ALL THE RIFFS. Seriously you don’t hear usually hear the words “atmospheric blackened death metal” and think it’ll be super riff heavy, but they do NOT disappoint. As punishing as ever. For fans of Morbus Chron and (lets be honest) Marrow of Earth.

Favorite song: Artful Death Display

Buy it here!

5. Coagula - Vile Sacrement EP

I’ll be honest, I slept on this one for a little bit, and I’m bummed I did because it SLAYS. Visceral death metal with just the right amount of crust. This EP takes a few tracks from their demo, tosses a few new songs, and ups everything about them. The vocals are gnarlier, the drums sound better, and the guitars are crisp and biting. It hits harder, it goes faster, and it takes no prisoners. For fans of Entombed but ballsier.

Favorite song: The Other

Buy it here!

4. Whores. - Gold

I’ve been waiting so long for this record to come out, and it was worth the wait. Fierce noise/sludge that can’t be beat. I don’t claim to be too knowledgable when it comes to the noise rock genre, but I’ve yet to hear a song by these guys that doesn’t get me pumped. After their punishing EP, Clean, I was instantly ready for more and Gold delivers. For fans of Melvins with less art and more oomph.

Favorite song: I See You Are Also Wearing a Black Shirt
Buy it here!

3. Axattack - Axattack

I know I know, I debated on putting it on here, ESPECIALLY so far up on the list, but if I’m being honest, I’ve listened to this record more than (almost) any record on this list. That’s what happens when you put an album out. So I won’t rant about how good it is or what’s good about it, because I’ve listened to it so many times I know every flaw and mistake on the record. I’ll just say that I’m super proud of it and have listened as it’s creator and as its fan. I don’t care if it makes me seem pretentious. For fans of Toxic Holocaust.

Favorite song: Ugh how do you pick your favorite kid? I don't know.
Buy it here (if you want I guess)

2. Oathbreaker - Rheia

This album really caught me by surprise. I like Oathbreaker and their last album was great, but I wasn’t prepared for the chaotic experience of listening to Rheia all the way through for the first time (let alone seeing it live). Oathbreaker took the ripping dbeat crust from their first record, upped the atmosphere and melody, and encorporated WAY more clean singing to the point where most of the record is sung instead of screamed. And it works SO WELL. A friend described it as Bjork in a black metal band, and that’s been my favorite description of this album. It starts heavy and jarring with an intense vocal performance and great guitar hooks, but as the record goes on it slows to a somber trudge that never breaks your attention. I was captivated and mesmerized through the whole experience and it covered a wide spectrum of intense, at times not even being loud and heavy. I have trouble doing a “for fans of” section here because they’ve been compared to Deafheaven and bands of that nature, but I really don’t think that does them justice. This album is unique and I urge you to listen to it.

Favorite song: Second Son of R

Buy it here!

1. Moon Tooth - Chromaparagon

This record was on repeat for months in my car. Then I put it down for a few months, popped it back in on a whim and then it didn’t stop spinning for a few more months. I knew when this album came out that it would be on this list, and after the second monthly rotation I knew it would be at the very top. It’s catchy, it has riffs and hooks for days, it’s melodic, it’s interesting, and it’s HEAVY. And all the while it’s unique and different while remaining accessible. Hell, their vocal melodies at times are riffs of their own, singing blues scales and solos that at first glance are a little odd, but then they seem to make more and more sense as you listen until it’s its own instrument. This is another band that I’ve tried describing to people and I hate doing it because it never does the band justice. They have sludgy elements akin to Torche and Mastodon, but they don’t sound like either of those bands. If you haven’t heard this record you need to, no matter what genre of music (NOT JUST METAL) you listen to. There’s something here for everyone and it’s so rare to find an album like this.

Favorite song: Offered Blood

Buy it here!

Metal Cock Radio's Best of 2013 List

Now here's a little disclaimer: This is my personal top 10 list of 2013. These are the releases that I've been excited about, listening to, and just enjoyed the most this year. I'm also avoiding obvious big name releases (Carcass' new album will not be on this list) because every online publication will have virtually the same list, and that gets boring. So here, I'll go ahead and tell you what every other list will say:


1. Black Sabbath - 13
2. Deafheaven - Sunbather
3. Gorguts - Colored Sands
4. Carcass - Surgical Steel
5. Dillinger Escape Plan - One of Us Is the Killer
6. Watain - Wild Hunt
7. Kylesa - Ultraviolet
8. Skeletonwitch - Serpents Unleashed
9. Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance
10. Revocation - Revocation

There ya go. Granted each list may have some discrepancies in the order of the list (some will put Killswitch Engage or Bring Me the Horizon), but they all tend to be similar. So now that I've made my point, here's MY top 10 metal releases of 2013:

10.) Sein Zum Tode - Beeep.

 

Listening to Sein Zum Tode will cause your brain to boil out of your ears and make you throw up food you haven't eaten yet. It's pure fucking insanity. Think Mike Patton and John Zorn styled avant-garde nonsense thrown in a blender with Saturday morning cartoons from the 80s and you've got the grotesque mutated monster that is Beeep.



Favorite track: ManSteam

9.) Black Mass - The Second Coming

Massachusetts has some awesome thrash bands right now, and Black Mass is no exception. I stumbled upon their debut album The Second Coming and thought to myself, "How the hell did I not already know about this?" As much as I love thrash metal, I've always hated reviewing it, because I feel like I can't get my point across though words, so just listen to it. It's well worth it!



Favorite track: Infernal Worship

8.) Burnt Books - Burnt Books

 Burnt fucking Books. Something that always stands out to me is a band that I can't pin a sub-genre on. These guys bring influence from hardcore, sludge, and noise rock to make something that I've never heard anywhere else. And I LOVE it! It's so damn good. Crazy rhythmic time changes, hauntingly unique vocals, and a relentless drive in every song; this album is fantastic.

Favorite track: Dig a Little Deeper

7.) Possessor - Make Them Eat Metal

Surprise, another thrash EP! Because you didn't see that coming. Possessor brings a more classic Slayer style thrash to the table and their newest EP, Make Them Eat Metal is aggressive. Even the album art screams "You're going to listen to this whether you like it or not!" From furious yelling to over the top falsetto screeching, the vocals compliment the blistering riffs and pummeling drums. And hell, they even cover Nasty Savage!

Favorite track: Make Them Eat Metal

6. Recreant - Recreant

This album almost didn't make my list because it was digitally released last year, BUT I was informed that the official release didn't happen until March, so TECHNICALLY I can put it on this list. And I'm so glad, because it deserves to be on here! Recreant is one of the most unique crust bands I've ever heard, mixing post metal with hardcore crust, complete with haunting violin, intricate bass lines, and passionate lyrics/vocals.

Favorite track: VI - Burn (The United States' Economic and Academic Systems Are Systems Of Elitism, Corruption, and Falsehood)

5.) Whores. - Clean

 

I won't bore you with much of a review because you've heard it before, but I'll just reiterate how unapologetically heavy this release is. It punches you in the face, spits on you while you're down, puts out a cigarette in your eye and then asks "Was it good for you?" and you whimper "Hell yes."



Favorite track: I Am An Amateur at Everything

4.) Moon Tooth - Freaks EP

 

Once again, you've heard the review before, so I won't go into too much detail. I'll just remind you that this is for free on band camp and if you don't already own it, then you're living an empty life.





Favorite track: Silver Gallows

3.) Abacus - Abacus

 
Abacus is the band that taught me that hardcore isn't a dirty word (well to be fair, their vocalist Alex Strickland taught me that). Their self titled (untitled?) EP is phenomenal. If you're a fan of Converge, Trap Them, or Young and In The Way, then Abacus is right up your alley.



Favorite track: Grey Matters

2.) Razormaze - Annihilatia

This was clearly going to be on my list. I'm an unabashedly huge Razormaze fan and I had been waiting for their new album for years. I won't go into too much detail, you can go read my review for yourself.




Favorite track: Terminal Escape

1.) Cryptodira - Recursions

 

Cryptodira is one of the most unique progressive metal bands I've ever heard. Imagine this: a progressive metal band with the influence of Cynic and Between the Buried and me, with the attitude of Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan, the post metal interludes of Isis, and a healthy love for Death. These guys are my favorite progressive metal band, and Recursions is available on bandcamp for whatever you feel like giving them (give them a lot.)

Favorite track: Either Fly or Fall Faster

NOTE: Sein Zum Tode and Abacus were both featured on Metal Cock Radio's free compilation which you can get HERE.

For those of you who may be interested, here are a few non-metal releases that came out this year that are worth your time:

3. Trees on Mars - S/T EP

2. Valley Maker - Yes I Know I've Loved the World

1. Les Racquet - Whale Hail

Razormaze - Annihilatia

Tracklisting:

1. Something Like A War

2. The Slowest Death

3. Worshipping the Void

4. Sink Below

5. Demagogue

6. Electric Deception

7. Terminal Escape

8. Without Words

Band Members:

Alex Citrone - Guitar, Vocals

Sam Nevin - Bass, Vocals

Joe Gettler - Guitar

Nick Lazzaro - Drums

This album was actually released a while back but I'm late to the reviewing party so here we go!

Thrash metal is making a comeback; that's a fact. Whether you're one of those people who think it's a tired and dated genre (fuck you) or you're like me who can't get enough of the shit, you can't deny that there are gems among the new wave of thrash metal that stand above the rest in terms of unique and impressive musicianship and songwriting. Bands like Havok, Lich King, and Revocation come to mind quickly to most, but for me there's one band that has a special place in my heart, and that's Boston's thrash heroes Razormaze.

The long awaited Annihilatia is finally out and it's amazing! Released on Slaney Records it's a lot heavier than their previous releases. Razormaze brings a lot more complexity to their songwriting this go around, and it definitely shows in both song structure and riffs.The production has been kicked up, the riffs are more plentiful and more intricate, the lyrics are deeper then before, and the vocals have more of a Chuck Billy feel to them instead of the almost cheesy vocals from True Speed of Steel (although I must say, I'm a big fan of cheese.) This album is also the first to feature new guitarist Joe Gettler, who, in scientific terms, fucking brings it. The solos are phenomenal and the guitar tone used for them is perfect.

My favorite song on the album is, without a doubt, Terminal Escape. From the bouncy intro riff to the circle pit inducing verses and gang vocal inspiring choruses. I mean, lets be real, its thrash metal, describing it won't do it justice, it'll just make it seem like every other thrash band, but if you hear it for yourself you'll feel differently. Buy this album and become another slave to the maze! (I don't give a fuck about how cheesy that sounds.)

Buy the album HERE

Follow the band on FACEBOOK