2013 Year’s End List Pt1 w/ Huata, Electricjezus, Hollow Leg, ITCOS, Napalm Christ, Spiral Shades, Tombstones...

Hi folks ! here's the 2013 edition of our special Year's End List... as always, we've got here people who took part in one way or another in the dynamic actuality of this year; including a couple of new categories, this reveals again a ton of worthy informations and potencial discoveries that hopefully will keep you busy for a while... and to make your read even more comfortable  I attached a video  to everyone's best-of  with several classics and some more obscure stuff that I've already discovered thanx to you hellhounds !!! 

If you intended to answer but forgot about the deadline or were too busy with Mrs Claus, don't worry... 2nd Part will be coming in about a week or so, but don't waste too much time now !!! 

BEN (Huata)

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013

- CHROME HOOF - Chrome Black Gold

- GORGUTS - Colored Sands

- GUAPO - History Of The Visitation

- YEAR OF NO LIGHT - Tocsin

- GRAVE MIASMA - Odori Sepulcrorum

- SETNA - Guérison
- MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE - Far West

- THE KNIFE - Shaking The Inhabitual

- VORUM - Poisoned Void
- DEAD IN THE DIRT - The Blind Hole

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013

- BONE SICKNESS - Alone In The Grave 

- BÖLZER - Aura

- HARK - Mythopoeia

- ACID DEATH TRIP - s/t

- MESHUGGAH - Pitch Black

3) BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013

- CULT OF LUNA (Hellfest)

- Red Fang (Hellfest)

- Grime (Heavy Days In Doomtown)

- The Swans (Hellfest)

- Belzebong (Heavy Days In Doomtown)  

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013

- YEAR OF NO LIGHT - Tocsin

- WATAIN - The Wild Hunt

- VORUM - Poisoned Void

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013

- MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE - "Cave of Light: The Prima Materia" (Far West)

- SWAHILI - "Soma" (Swahili)

- THE KNIFE - "Without You My Life Would Be Boring" (Shaking The Inhabitual)

- DARKTHRONE - Leave No Cross Unturned

- GRAND GENERAL "The Fall Of Troy" (Grand General)

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

- CORIMA – Quetzalcoatl

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014 

- MAGMA - tba

- SUNN O))) & ULVER - Terrestrials

- ENTOMBED - Back To The Front

8) On a more personal point of view, please give us your own appreciations about this year and - if there’s any particular - your expectations for 2014 ?

- CATHEDRAL has splited up and BLACK SABBATH's reformation album "13" is disappointing as we suspected..so we don't have any reason to live anymore! 

- Expectation for 2014 ? Like every year, hope to finally have an encounter of the third kind !

Ruslan (Electricjezus)

Top albums of 2013

1) Terra Tenebrosa - The Purging
2) Windhand - Soma

3) Grave Upheaval - Untitled
4) Big Business - Battlefields Forever

5) Subrosa - More Constant Than The Gods
6) Ambersmoke - Une femme est une femme
7) Jucifer - за волгой для нас земли нет
8) Altaar - S\T
9)  Sea of Bones - The Earth Wants Us Dead
10) Nomadic Rituals - Holy Giants

Top EP's, singles & demos 2013
1) Fuck The Facts - Amer  

2) Melvins - Gaylord

Best Live Perfomances of 2013
1) Jucifer\Godflesh - Moscow Hall, Moscow
2) Melvins - Le Trabendo, Paris

Top album covers of 2013
1) Jex Thoth - Blood Moon Rise
2) Howl - Bloodlines

3) Mirthless - A Dirge For Your Suicide
4)  Of course, our album - Mud of Generations.

Best Songs of 2013
The Blood on Satan's Claw from Seal of Beleth

Best Overlooked Album of 2012
Ishmael - Hell Is Empty And All The Devils Are Here

Most Anticipated Albums of 2014
Godflesh and Sunn O)))& Ulver

TIM (Hollow Leg)

ALBUMS

Clutch- Earth Rocker

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats- Mind Control

Vista Chino- Peace

Red Fang- Whales and Leeches

Black Sabbath- 13

Clamfight- I Versus the Glacier

Orbweaver- Strange Transmissions from the Nuerualnomicon

EPS

Shroud Eater- Dead Ends

Junior Bruce- The Burden

Porter/Yama- split EP

SONGS

"Devil's Work" by Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats

"Tempest" by Shroud Eater

"Earth Rocker" by Clutch

LIVE PERFORMANCES:

Black Sabbath

Alice Cooper

Whores

GWAR

Clutch

Napalm Death

Order of the Owl

OVERLOOKED ALBUM:

Destroyer of Light- S/T

AWESOME band from Austin, Texas, that rocked my hometown one night this summer.  Had no idea who they were but they drenched the audience in warm Orange amp goodness of heavy riffs and ended with a Pentagram cover.  Nice dudes as well.  Seek them out.

PERSONAL VIEWS:

Still here, still rocking.  More deaths in the underground metal community again this year, but we keep moving forward.  Friends, Love, and Rock and Roll are still the true path in this existence.

ULLA (T.o.P / The Wicked Lady Show)

BEST ALBUMS OF 2013 : It was really hard to pick just 10 albums.I easily could have chosen 20, but never ever would I break the rules. As you can see below I managed it to confine myself to just 10.

1.0) Lords of Bukkake - Desagravio

1.5) Nightslug - Dismal Fucker

2.0) Eibon - II

2.5) Tentacle - Ingot Eye

2.5.1) The Disease Concept -Your Destroyer

3.0) Cultura Tres - Rezando al Miedo

3.5) Fyrnask - Eldir Nótt

4.0) Cult of Occult - Hic Est Domus Diaboli

4.0.1) Dopethrone - III

4.5) Deep - Vol 1

5.0) When The Deadbolt Breaks - Drifting Towards the Edge of the Earth

5.0.1) Year Of No Light - Tocsin

5.5) In The Company Of Serpents - Of the Flock

6.0) Obelyskkh - Hymn To Pan

6.5) Uzala - Tales of Blood and Fire

7.0) UR - S/T

7.5) Buioingola - Dopo l'Apnea

8.0) Curse The Son – Psychache

8.0.1) Oranssi Pazuzu - Valonielu

8.5) Electricjezus - Грязь поколений'(Mud of Generations)

8.5.1) La Chinga – La Chinga

9.0) Iron Man - South of the Earth

9.5) Boneworm - s/t

10.0) Tumbleweed Dealer - S/T

10.5) Black Capricorn - Born Under the Capricorn

BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013

…and even with the huge amount of excellent demos and EP’s, you see I contained myself and picked just 5

1.0) Napalm Christ - 2013 Demo

1.5) Shroud Eater - Dead Ends

2.0) Opium Lord - The Calendrical Cycle - Prologue: The Healer

2.5) Blood Red Water - All the Ills of Mankind

3.0) Young Hunter - Embers at the Foot of Dark Mountain

3.5) Plague Mask - The Frailty Of Human Existence

4.0) Palm Desert - Adayoff

4.5) Barbarian Fist - Demo

5.0) Coltsblood - Beyond The Lake Of Madness/Demo 2013

5.5) Massive Thunderfuck - Demo 1213

BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013

1) Cultura Tres,  March 22nd @MTC Cologne/Germany

They turned a simple music club into a magical place.

2) The Sword, Jan.14th @Underground Cologne/Germany

They put the night on fire.

3) Meth Drinker, Graves At Sea,May, 17th @Nightslug’s rehearsal room/Germany

They created an intense, electric atmosphere

4) Nightslug, July 19th @somebody else’s rehearsal room/Germany

The epitome of Sludge on stage … nuff said.

5) Pilgrim, Nov.2nd @Perron 55 (Mudfest) Venlo/Holland

The Wizard throws bananas at the audience (and hits my husband), but he may be forgiven, because it clearly was part of the magic ritual.

BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013 

Cultura Tres - Rezando al Miedo

Eibon - II

Obelyskkh - Hymn To Pan

BEST SONGS OF 2013

I can’t tell, there are too many.

BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012
Drug Honkey - Ghost in the Fire

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014

I don’t know at all.

8) - This year made me happy with so many stunningly good second albums. The promises the debuts made, were kept or even more than that by their successors… Nightslug, Eibon, Tentacle, Cult of Occult, In the Company of Serpents, Uzala, buioingola, Curse the Son, Shroud Eater, Blood Red Water… nearly every album I mentioned in my lists above.

- I am happy that I was able to see many live shows and meet a lot of cool people this way.

I expect nothing and, so I’m always surprised how many things actually happen!

KARI (Solothus)

1) ALBUMS

Purtenance - Awaken from Slumber

Coffins - The Fleshland

Autopsy - The Headless Ritual

Krypts - Unending Degradation

Procession - To Reap the Heavens Apart

Civil War - The Killer Angels

Sulphur Aeon - Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide

Decaying - The Last Days of War

Concrete Icon - Perennial Anguish

Torture Killer - Phobia

 2) DEMOS/EPS

Slaughterday - Cosmic Horror

Crippler - Threshing Sledge

Urgamla - Minun Tahdostani, Sinun Nimeesi

Mold - Cremated Alive

Into Darkness - Cosmic Chaos

 3) LIVE

Candlemass at Hammer Open Air, Lieto

Bolt Thrower at Tuska Open Air, Helsinki

Maveth, Corpsessed, Gorephilia at Semifinal, Helsinki

Orange Goblin, Archgoat, Tankard at Jalometalli, Oulu

Archgoat at Klubi, Turku

 4) ALBUM COVERS

Coffins - The Fleshland

Horna - Askel Lähempänä Saatanaa

Torture Killer - Phobia

5) SONGS

Civil War - Rome Is Falling

Coffins - No Saviour

Purtenance - Hour of the Cannibal

Krypts - Blessed Entwinement

Procession - Death & Judgement

6) MOST ANTICIPATED 2014

Corpsessed - Abysmal Thresholds

Hooded Menace

Druid Lord

7) Year 2013 was overall an awesome year! Solothus released their first full-length album and we did a bunch of gigs too. Great gigs and albums too! Started writing for Enslain zine and joined in a new band. New band, Pyuria, well release their fouth album next year, so will be busy with that. Solothus will go to studio probably late next year too. Also, there is a band me and couple of friends are going to put up. Few songs already finished. Some old and putrid death metal! Just you all wait...

LABELS

Memento Mori

Xtreem Records

Dark Descent

QUENTIN (Marble Chariot)

1) My fave Doom albums of 2013 are:

Ataraxie – l’être et la nausée

Magic circle – Magic Circle

The Gates of Slumber - Stormcrow

Cathedral – The last spire

Procession – To reap heavens apart

Nomad Son – The Darkening   

2) Silver Machine - demo

3) best live : Pilgrim@heretic club - Bordeaux

4) Best cover/artwork : Year of no Light - Tocsin

5) Best song : 'Death and judgement' – Procession

6) best overlooked album of 2012 : Paradise lost – Tragic Idol

7) Most anticipated of 2014 : Pilgrim’s new one

GRANT (In The Company Of Serpents)

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013  

Primitive Man, Scorn; Ladybird, Tombstoned & Spliff & Wesson; Windhand, Soma; Gravecode Nebula, Sempiternal Void; Fister,Gemini;  Hivelords, Cavern Apothecary;  Sadgiqacea, False Prism.   

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013  

Whilt, Whilt;  Corrections House, Hoax the System;  Low Gravity/Mega Blue Stallion, Mega Low Blue Gravity Stallion;  Ides of Gemini, Hexagram;The Body, Master, We Perish.

3) BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013 

With the exception of Corrections House & Fister, we've been lucky enough to play with all of the bands I've listed above in the last year, but a few performances really stood out.  Gravecode Nebula absolutely floored me at this year's Denver Doomfest.  I'd heard of them from friends in Stoic Dissention, but I hadn't actually heard them until they played right after us.  It was definitely one of the more menacing & visceral performances I've caught to this date.  When bands try to be scary it typically comes off as juvenile hocus pocus, but these folks are the real deal.  Nothing but pure, raw, cathartic funeral doom delivered with the utmost conviction.  If you have the opportunity to catch them live jump on it.      

We played with both Hivelords & Sadgiqacea on the same bill when their tour rolled through, and both of those bands slay it live.  I'd recommend each highly.  

Ladybird is another huge favorite of mine.  Their live sound is nothing short of punishingly heavy, and their songwriting approach is phenomenal as well.  We've discussed doing a possible split with them next year, and I really hope to see that come to fruition here in the next few months. 

The Body is another one of these insanely cathartic live bands.  We scrambled to get a last-minute show together with them when they were rolling through on tour earlier this year, and the lineup ended up being us, The Body, and two bands that were completely incompatible with either of our sounds.  To be fair, we had jumped on an existing bill with these two other bands with less than a week to spare prior to the show, and it was cool of them to split the bill, but, goddamn, that had to be extremely jarring for any doom/sludge fans who turned up prior to us taking the stage.  I can only imagine we scared the shit out of any fans those other bands brought.  In any case, despite this, the Body still put on a fantastic show, and I'm stoked we had the opportunity to play with such a punishing band.  

Samothrace is the last one I'll throw on here.  We've been fortunate enough to play with them twice this year, and their ability to hit the full spectrum of anything heavy is impressive.  Their sound is incredibly dynamic, and I hope to hear more from them in the very near future.

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013 

Primitive Man, Scorn. Ethan's artwork style is perfectly suited to his music.  That record cover looks like it wants to rip your soul out of your chest and shit on it, and that's what their music sounds like.  Sheer menace.

Whilt, Whilt.  This is our drummer Joe's other doomy project, and the art was done by a killer local Denver artist by the name of Josh Finley.  He's done several flyers for ITCOS, and his work is always solid.  On top of everything always coming out looking amazing, Josh is able to churn out awesome shit like this in a fraction of the time it would take many other talented artists.  The man has skills.

In the Company of Serpents, Of the Flock.  It's probably a cop-out for me to list our own record here, but Mike Lawrence did an amazing job with our latest record, and I want to recognize him for it.  The final product looks gorgeous, and I'm thrilled our first slab of wax came together so well.   

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013

Fister's Antitheist is an absolutely crushing way to lead off a record.  They've obviously pushed themselves here, and I won't be shocked if that record makes virtually every other 'best of' list for doom this year. 

 I really love Windhand's side of their split with Cough.  Don't get me wrong-  the Cough side rips, too.  But Windhand seems to really be on their game at the moment.  

Primitive Man's Antietam gets stuck in my head all the fucking time.  So damned heavy...

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

It pains me to say Ladybird's demo.  That band destroys on so many levels, yet they're virtually unknown.  I'm of the opinion that they should be a household name for anyone who is into this form of music.    

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014 

I'm stoked to see what will come from Primitive Man now that they've got Relapse backing them.  

Ice Dragon had a remarkably slow year by Ice Dragon's standards.  Does that mean we'll get 5+ full-lengths next year?  One can dream...

I have to break out of the 3 band limit (Sorry, Steph!), but I look forward to hearing more from our friends in Stoic Dissention, Dreadnought, Call of the Void, Low Gravity, Buzzkiller, Dead Temple, Speedwolf, Space in Time, Whilt and all our other Denver metal brethren.  Lastly, keep an eye out for a new band called Khemmis- they've been around for barely more than a few months, but I've seen them crush on some very heavy-hitting bills! 

       

8) Thanks to everyone who has come out to our shows or supported us in any way!  We're humbled by the response we've received for Of the Flock so far, and we hope to have another handful of releases available for you next year!  Extra thanks go to Steph & TOP for the continued support of our band!

-BEST REISSUES OF 2013   : Sunn0))), Black One is a gorgeous reissue.  Very happy to finally have a copy of that record on wax.

Bongzilla's Methods for Attaining Extreme Altitudes reissue has some of the greatest packaging I've ever seen.  Twist one up!

TONY (Black Insect Laughter)

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013 

In no order:

Kvelertak – Meir

Cultura Tres – Rezando Al Meido

A Storm Of Light – Nation To Flames

American Sharks – S/T

Whores – Clean

Cult Of Occult – Hic Est Domus

Windhand – Soma

Phantom Glue – A War Of Light Cones

Primitive Man – Scorn

Humanfly – Awesome Science 

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013 

Druid – The Cosmic Serpent

DoctoR Doom - DoomO

3) BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013 

Cough and The Shrine at Dessertfest – London 

Arabrot at The Old Blue - London 

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013  

Curse The Son -  Psychache

Old Wounds – From Where We Came Is Where We’ll Rest

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013

Freeks -  Big Black Chunk (Full On album)

Tombstone – Born Of a Jackal (Where The Dead Belong album)

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012 

Void Of Sleep – Tales Between Reality and Madness

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014 

Alcest
Opeth
Mastodon – of course, all the above will be dumped if Electric Wizard releases something!

8) Hey, I am glad that people still read my ramblings and also having so many like-minded people to interact with on other blogs. There has been some excellent music released this year and I hope more of the same for 2014.

KHUSHAL, with the contribution of Filip Petersen
(Spiral Shades)

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013 

Black Sabbath - 13

Goatess - Goatess
Orchid - The Mouths Of Madness
Serpent Throne - Brother Lucifer
Blood Ceremony - The Eldritch Dark
Magic Circle - Magic Circle
Wolf People - Fain
Iron Hearse - Get In The Hearse
Victor Griffin's In-Graved - In-Graved
Mountain Witch - Cold River
Uzala - Tales Of Blood & Fire

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013 The Gates Of Slumber - Stormcrow
Demon Eye - EP
Ice Dragon - Steel Veins b/w Queen of the Black Harvest
Lord Montague - Lord Montague
Mist - Demo 2013

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013

Orchid - The Mouths Of Madness
Iron Hearse - Get In The Hearse
Sons of Huns - Banishment Ritual

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013

- Black Sabbath – End of the beginning

Demon Eye - Fires Of Abalam
Orchid - Marching Dogs Of War
Blood Ceremony - Ballad Of The Weird Sisters
Wolf People - Hesperus
Goatess - Alpha Omega (of course)

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

Zodiac - Zodiac (Demo) or The Heavy Eyes - Maera or Diagonal - The Second Mechanism

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014

Serpent Venom - Of Things Seen and Unseen

Pilgrim - II: Void Worship

Any new Ice Dragon material

STONEBIRDS

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013 (in no particular order)
- Kylesa - Ultraviolet
- Cult of Luna - Vertikal
- Russian Circles - Memorial
- Toner low - III
- Spider Kittens - Cougar club
- Pelican - Forever becoming
- Blaak Heat Shujaa - The Edge of an Era
- Gnaw - This Chamber
- Primitive Man - Scorn
- Sofy Major - Idolize

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013 
- Netra - Dreading Consciousness
- DoctoR DooM - DoomO
- Death Engine - Amen
- The Melvins + Scott Kelly - Venom Tribute
- Cult Of Luna - Vertikal 2

3) BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013 
- Northwinds at Anthems of doom (Bressuire)
- Stangala at Gwernandour (Brasparts)
- EyeHateGod / Verdun at Raymond Bar (Clermont-Ferrand)
- Graveyard at Hellfestt (Clisson)
- Cult of Luna at Echonova (Saint-Avé)

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013 
- Whatever comes out of The Melvins... let's see... this time will be the Venom tribute 7", cover by Tom Hazelmyer and Buzz's wife Mackie

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013 
- Chelsea Wolfe - "House of Metal" from Pain is Beauty
- True Widow - "Trollstigen" from Circumambulation
- Hangman's Chair - "A Scar To Remember" from Hope Dope Rope
- Prurient - "You Show Great Spirit" from Through The Window
- Black Rainbows - "Chakra Temple" from Holy Moon

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012
- The Midnight Ghost Train - Buffalo

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014 
- Tool (?)
- well... ours !

8) 2013 was a good year for us, first tour with Stangala across France and UK, discovered and met a lot of good bands and peoples, Northwinds, Bigelow bighorns, Steph... Then the creation of L'Amicale du Fuzz association, built to meet more cool people and bands. We are now focused on 2014 and our first album, a lot of work have been made but a lot more is to come, we're also to tour extensively and plan to make a serious french tour in June, hope to meet you all there !
BEST LABELS OF 2013 
- Deathwish
- Debemur Morti
- Head Records

OLE (Tombstones)

1)    BEST ALBUMS OF 2013

The Old Wind – Feast on your Gone

Cough/Windhand – Reflection of the Negative (Split)

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Mind Control

Elder - Live @ Roadburn

Lumbar – The First and Last Days of Unwelcome

Spelljammer – Volume II

Wo-Fat/Egypt – Cyclopean Riffs (Split)

Windhand - SOMA

Beelzefuzz – S/T

SubRosa – More constant than the Gods

2)    BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013 

Belzebong – Dungeon Vultures

3)    BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Parkteatret Oslo

Elder, Hep Patronaat, Roadburn

OM, Kägelbanan, Stockholm

Acid King, Underworld, London

Cough, Green Room, Roadburn

4)    BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013

Zozobra – Savage Masters

 5)    BEST SONGS OF 2013

 Cough – Athame

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012 

Spelljammer - Volume II

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014  

New Acid King, if it finds its release, and probably the next Melvins-album.

Norwegian two-piece Hymn will probably enter the studio to record some killer grooves as well. Gonna slay!

8) Being a part of Desertfest in London was the absolute highlight of 2013. Wish for 2014 to top that in some way.

STEVE (Temple of Perdition) 

2013 Year’s End List

Full-lengths:

1. CURSE THE SON – ‘Psychache’  *Damn, this album grabbed me by the throat at the beginning of the year and it never let go. Great tunes complemented by some great sequencing.

2. TENTACLE – ‘Ingot Eye’ *The follow-up to ‘Void Abyss’ was everything I hoped for…and more. Trippy, menacing, and utterly evil sounding.

3. UZALA – ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’ *I still maintain that Uzala is one of the most unique doom bands going today. Super cool people and they destroy live.

4. SUBROSA – ‘More Constant Than the Gods’ *The depth to this album is simply mind-blowing.  Dark, often surreal atmospheres dominate every tune.

5. THE FLIGHT OF SLEIPNIR – ‘Saga’ *This band just gets better with every release. ‘Saga’ is the band’s trippiest and most varied release to date.

6. LUMBAR – ‘The First and Last Days of Unwelcome’ *I had high hopes for this release and I wasn’t disappointed. Pure rage is off-set by obscured moments of hope. My only complaint is that it’s too short.

7. IN THE COMPANY OF SERPENTS – ‘Of the Flock’ *Similar to Uzala, In the Company of Serpents have released an album that does an amazing job of capturing their live sound. The duo has progressed and the results are amazing.

8. ICE DRAGON – ‘Born a Heavy Morning’ *Seemingly content to move even further from their doom roots, Ice Dragon is still churning out amazing tunes. Is it weird that my favorite track is “(I Will) Watch My Hair Grow”? 

9. WINDHAND – ‘Soma’ *Not quite as magical as their debut…nonetheless ‘Soma’ is a narcotizing wave of doom.

10. WOLVSERPENT – ‘Perigaea Antahkarana’ * ‘Perigaea Antahkarana’ is a sprawling trip that is as dark as it is invigorating. Not for everyday listening, but it fills a niche that few other bands can come close to touching.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order): GOATESS - ‘Goatess’, SUMMONER - ‘Atlantian’, GRAVECODE NEBULA - ‘Sempiternal Void’, TORTUGA - ‘Tortuga’, SHALLOW GRAVE - ‘Shallow Grave’, ROTE MARE – ‘The Invocation’ & ‘The Kingdom’, BEELZEFUZZ – ‘Beelzefuzz’

  

EPs/Demos/Singles/Splits:

1. BÖLZER – ‘Aura’ *I have to thank Chad Remains for turning me on to these guys. Blackened death metal isn’t usually my thing, but this EP is otherworldly and it flat-out slays. Looking forward to the follow-up, ‘Soma’.

2. COUGH/WINDHAND – ‘Reflection of the Negative’ *Despite the differences in tone and style, this team-up totally works. Two killer tunes from Windhand nicely complements the dark and twisted direction that Cough has taken with “Athame”, their strongest tune to date.

3. DIRE FATE/ROTE MARE split *I’ll admit that I initially bought this split for the Rote Mare tunes and I ended up being blown away by Dire Fate. Both bands deliver some excellent slabs of traditional doom.

4. THE GATES OF SLUMBER – ‘Stormcrow’ *Probably the most disappointing story of 2013…the demise of venerable doomlords—The Gates of Slumber. But the band couldn’t have gone out with a stronger recording. Here’s looking forward to new creative endeavors from Simon and McCash…

5.  ICE DRAGON – ‘Steel Veins b/w Queen of the Black Harvest’ *Ice Dragon still has it—a killer way to close out the year.

BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES

1. DENVER DOOM FEST III

2. SNOWBOARD ON THE BLOCK highlights: PENTAGRAM, KADAVAR, IN THE COMPANY OF SERPENTS, BLACK ACID DEVIL, DEAD TEMPLE

3. UZALA w/ MIKE SCHEIDT, SPACE IN TIME, & MUNIMULA

4. GOBLIN

BEST ALBUM COVERS:

1. LUMBAR – ‘The First & Last Days of Unwelcome’

2. TENTACLE – ‘Void Abyss’

3. BEELZEFUZZ – ‘Beelzefuzz’

OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

1. BEHOLD! THE MONOLITH – ‘Defender, Redeemist’ *I was a huge fan of the band’s self-titled debut, but somehow ‘Defender, Redeemist’ escaped me. The band was scheduled to play in Denver with support from In the Company of Serpents and I was stoked for this killer lineup. I began spinning ‘Defender, Redeemist’ and I was blown away. Unfortunately the band never made it to Denver as it was announced that Kevin McDade had passed away. The sky was the limit for this unique band and though things won’t be the same I’m glad that the other members have decided to press on…

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014

1. YOB – Untitled 7th full-length

2. THE WOUNDED KINGS – ‘Consolamentum’

3. NORTHWINDS – ‘Eternal Winter’

Other highly anticipated albums: SERPENT VENOM - 'Of Things Seen and Unseen', SLOMATICS – ‘Estron’, TRIPTYKON – ‘Melana Chasmata’, BÖLZER – ‘Soma’,  STOIC DISSENTION, BURNING SAVIOURS, and hopefully a demo from Karl Simon’s WRETCH…

BEST REISSUES

1. YOB – ‘Catharsis’

2. SAINT VITUS – ‘C.O.D.’

3. INTERNAL VOID – ‘Standing on the Sun’

4. DARK – ‘Dark Round the Edges’

2013: To be honest 2013 was a blur and it went by way too fast. Hopefully, in the long run, everything that I’m working so hard for will come together and pay-off without any disillusionment or too many dashed expectations. It was cool getting to know a handful of writers/bloggers and even some of the bands that have released music that really made an impression on me or caught my ear. Of course, I also can’t underestimate or take for granted the support that I get from my girl. 

2014: I’m hoping for things to slow down mid-way through the year giving me the time to really pursue my interests and allow more time for writing and other creative endeavors. Hopefully 2014 will be just as good musically as it has been the previous few years. 

NAPALM CHRIST 

Here's NC's 2013 list.  None of these are in any particular order.  

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013

Gorguts - Colored Sands

Hail of Bullets - III The Rommel Chronicles

Black Sabbath - 13

Greyon - self titled

Noisem - Agony Defined

The Disease Concept - Your Destroyer

Weekend Nachos - Still

Power Trip - Manifest Decimation

Grouper - The Man Who Died in his Boat

IRON REAGAN - Worse than Dead

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013

Disfortune - Disanthropy

SICK/TIRED - manufractured 7"

Austerymn - In Death...We Speak

Sumokem - The Doctor

Blut Aus Nord - What Once Was...Liber III

3) BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013

Neurosis @Emo's Austin, Tx 2-17-2013

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013 

Carcass - Surgical Steel

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013

Immolation - "All That Awaits Us"

Jex Thoth - "The Places You Walk"

Power Trip - "Crossbreaker"

Voivod - "Target Earth"

Carcass - "A Congealed Clot Of Blood"

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

Jungle Juice - Involuntary Convulsions 7"

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014

Seahag - upcoming, as of yet untitled album

-BEST REISSUES OF 2013 

Besieged - Victims Beyond All Help

-BEST LABELS OF 2013 

aka shameless plug for three labels we've worked with in 2013

Goatprayer Records

A389 Recordings

Goat Skull Records

Reno))) Aka Krokodil (SlowEnd)  

1) BEST ALBUMS OF 2013 (in no particular order)

- Pharmakon - Abandon (Sacred Bones Records)

- Aevangelist - Omen Ex Simulacra (Debemur Morti)

- The Body - Christs, Redeemers (Thrill Jockey)

- Bottom Feeder - Grinding Teeth (Raw Birth Records)

- Author & Punisher - Women & Children (Seventh Rule Recordings)

- Benchpress - Controlled By Death (Autoproduction)

- Aosoth - IV : Arrow In Heart (Agonia Records)

- Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks (Columbia Records)

- SubRosa - More Constant Than The Gods (Profound Lore Records)

- The Icarus Line - Slave Vows (Agitated Records)

2) BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013 

- Flourishing - Intersubjectivity (The Pathless Traveled Records)

3) BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013 

- Pharmakon / MAMCS

4) BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013  

- Oozing Wound - Retrash (Thrill Jockey)

- Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks digipack edition (Columbia Records)

- Wormlust - The Feral Wisdom (Demonhood Prod)

5) BEST SONGS OF 2013  

- 'This Horrible Chamber" / Gnaw - Horrible Chamber (freak of the year)

- "She Found Now" / My Bloody Valentine - MBV (fuzz of the year)

- "D" / Rorcal - Vilagvége (blizzard of the year)

- "Astro-Mancy" / MGMT - MGMT (sirocco of the year)

- "Can You Feel My Heart" / Bring Me The Horizon - Sempiternal (blockbuster of the year)

6) BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012  

- Neurosis - Honor Found In Decay (Neurot Recordings)

7) MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014 

 - That's a secret.

8) Don't really know if it's just me or not, but damn mates, once again, what a fucking great year, especially for us doomsters and sludge worshippers (I mean I should add in my top 10 the latest releases of Cathedral, Kylesa, Obelyskkh, Nightslug, Grime, Yidhra, 11 Paranoias, Palehorse, and many more, but I do respect T.O.P's rules !) Just wish 2014 to be even louder, lower and slower.

CHUCK (Second Grave)

1)
BEST 
ALBUMS 
OF 
2013  (in
 no
 particular
 order)


“The
 Eldritch 
Dark”
 by
 Blood 
Ceremony


“Soma” 
by 
Windhand


“Adversarial” 
by 
Black 
Pyramid


“Mouths
 of 
Madness” 
by 
Orchid


“Spiritual
 Relics”
 by
 Bloody 
Hammers


“Desperate 
Souls 
of 
Tortured 
Times” 
by 
Age 
of 
Taurus


“Atlantian”
 by
 Summoner


“Infestissuman” 
by 
Ghost 
(B.C.)


“Become 
the 
Sun”
 by
 Egypt


“The
 Hundredth 
Name” 
by 
Demon 
Lung


2)
BEST
 EPs/DEMOS
 OF 
2013

“Demon
 Eye”
 by 
Demon
 Eye


“Belladonna” 
by 
Aleph 
Null


“Of
 Gods 
and
 Flesh”
 by
 Rozamov


 “Seasons
 of 
Might” 
by 
Black 
Thai


“Reflection
 of 
the 
Negative” 
split 
by 
Windhand/Cough


3)
BEST 
LIVE 
PERFORMANCES
 OF 
2013

Elder
 at 
Great 
Scott, 
Boston
 MA


Blood
 Ceremony
 at
 The
 Middle
 East,
 Boston
 MA


Ghost
 at 
The 
Webster, 
Hartford 
CT


Ides
 of 
Gemini 
at
 The
 Roxy,
 Boston
 MA


The
 Scimitar 
at 
Ralph’s,
 Worcester
MA


4)
BEST
 ALBUM
 COVERS
 OF 
2013

“Atlantian”
 by 
Summoner


“The
 Hundredth 
Name”
 by 
Demon 
Lung


“Spiritual
Relics”
 by 
Bloody
 Hammers


5)
BEST 
SONGS 
OF 
2013

“Satan’s
Country”
 by 
Black 
Prism


“Orb
 of 
the 
Wizard
 King” 
by 
Egypt


“Hecate”
 by 
Demon 
Eye


“Swing
 the
 Scimitar” 
by 
Black 
Pyramid


“The
 Magician”
 by
 Blood 
Ceremony


6)
BEST 
OVERLOOKED 
ALBUM 
OF 
2012

 “Tales
 of 
Blood 
and
 Fire” 
by 
Uzala 


7)
MOST
 ANTICIPATED 
ALBUMS 
OF 
2014

“Leave
 the
Light”
by
 Demon
 Eye


“Valley 
of 
the 
Stone” 
by 
SET


8)
 2013 was 
a 
great 
year 
for 
Second
 Grave,
 and
 I
 think 
the 
doom/ stoner 
scene, 
in 
 general.
 We 
were 
able 
to 
share 
the 
stage 
with
  the  
likes  
of 
Castle, Elder, 
Pilgrim, 
 Gozu, 
Black
 Thai, 
 Lo‐Pan,  
and 
Summoner,  
to  
name  
just 
a 
few, 
and
 we 
were
 fortunate
 enough 
to 
head 
down 
to 
Richmond,
VA 
to
 play 
our 
first 
Stoner 
Hands
 of
 Doom 
festival 
in 
early 
November. 

Later 
in
 the 
month,
we 
released
 our
 “Antithesis” 
EP 
on
 10” 
vinyl 
and
 it’s 
been 
receiving 
a 
lot 
of 
positive 
reviews. Overall, 
we’re 
humbled 
by
 the
 outpouring  
of  
positive  
feedback   
and  
support 
for the
 band, 
and 
we 
look 
forward 
to 
a 
busy 
2014 
which 
will 
see 
us
 release 
our 
first
 full 
length 
record
 and
 hopefully 
hook 
up 
with 
a 
label. 

Doom
 on!


‐BEST
 LABELS 
OF 
2013

Hydro‐Phonic
Records


Soulseller
Records


Profound
Lore
Records


KAT (Uncoffined / Winds of Genocide)

BEST ALBUMS OF 2013

AUTOPSY - THE HEADLESS RITUAL
BLACK OATH - OV QLIPHOTH AND DARKNESS (check spelling!)
BEASTMILK - CLIMAX
PROCESSION - TO REAP HEAVENS APART
COFFINS - THE FLESHLAND
ABYSMAL GRIEF - FERETRI
DARKTHRONE - THE UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE
SOLOTHUS - SUMMONED FROM THE VOID
WITCHGRAVE - S/T
SATANS SATYRS – WILD BEYOND BELIEF

BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013

LIVE BURIAL - CD DEMO
HOODED MENACE - EP
HELLKRUSHER - SPLIT EPS
UNDER THE CHURCH - DEMO
OBNOXIOUS YOUTH - SUCK ON THE CROSS

BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013

WATAIN - ELECTRIC BALLROOM LONDON
HELLSHOCK - LEEDS
EXTINCTION OF MANKIND - LEEDS
BONESAW - EDINBURGH
DOOM - MIDDLESBROUGH

 BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013
AUTOPSY -THE HEADLESS RITUAL
DARKTHRONE - THE UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE
ABYSMAL GRIEF - FERETRI
COFFINS - THE FLESHLAND

BEST SONGS OF 2013

TOO MANY to mention!

BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

Can't think of one right now

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014

NEW AUTOPSY!
NEW SKITSYSTEM?!
WINDS OF GENOCIDE - USURPING THE THRONE OF DISEASE!

BEST LABELS OF 2013

MEMENTO MORI

HORROR RECORDS
PEACEVILLE

2013 has been a great year for Uncoffined, we went into the studio to do our debut studio recording in Feburary and were going to release it as a promo demo and then we got a deal with a label and it was made into a full length album with proper mastering, an unexpected but great turn of events!! We are very happy with what has happened to the band this year, couldn't have been better for us really!

STEPH (Temple of Perdition)

BEST ALBUMS OF 2013 

When the Deadbolt Breaks - ‘Drifting Towards the Edge Complete’ * this largely underrated band released here a masterful double album of atmospheric Sludge, blending almost all possible HEAVY genres you can imagine… Alternatively heavy as fuck, droning, roaring, brutal, mesmerizing, experimental, somber and mystical, this band crafted here incredible moods encompassing brilliantly everything I'm looking for in music ! I go rarely for lengthy stuff but this double album is a serious exception, an overwhelming journey into sonic grace...

Beelzefuzz ‘s/t’

Archon ‘Ouroboros Collapsing’

 Kadavar “Abra Kadavar’

High Priest of Saturn ‘s/t’

Hollow Leg ‘Abysmal’

Funeral Circle ‘s/t’

Curse the Son ‘Psychache’

Autopsy ‘the Headless Ritual’

Uzala ‘Tales of Blood and Fire’

Fister ‘Gemini’

Tombstones ‘Red Skies and Dead Eyes’

Ataraxie ‘L’être et la Nausée’

Nomad Son ‘The Darkening’

In The Company of Serpents ‘of the Flock’

Special mention for STONE MAGNUM ’From Time… To Eternity’ special European edition with 1^st album as bonus, awesome release !!!

BEST EPs/DEMOS OF 2013 

- Spiral Shades ‘Hypnosis Sessions’

- Shroud Eater ‘Dead Ends’

- Bölzer ‘Aura’

- Napalm Christ ‘demo 2013’

- Doctor Doom ‘Doomo’ 

 BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2013 
. WO FAT – Les Combustibles, Paris

(grooviest band I’ve ever seen on stage ! can’t wait for the next coming -and album!- of those very very nice guys)

. NORTHWINDS – Anthems of Doom, Bressuire

. PROCESSION – HDDT, Copenhagen

. PILGRIM – Le Klub, Paris

. SAMOTHRACE –  HDDT, Copenhagen

Special mention for SLEEP at Hellfest, I’m definitely reconciled with Pike and Cisneros after the chaotic set at Roadburn one year before.

BEST ALBUM COVERS OF 2013  
FUNERAL CIRCLE ‘s/t’

BEELZEFUZZ ‘s/t’

THE FLIGHT OF SLEIPNIR ‘Saga’

BEST SONGS OF 2013 

ROTE MARE ‘The Hour of Doom’

BEELZEFUZZ ‘Hypnotize”

SPACE GOD RITUAL ‘The Mad Alhazred’

GOATESS ‘Alpha Omega’

UNCOFFINED 'Ritual Death and Funeral Rites'

BEST OVERLOOKED ALBUM OF 2012

SEREMONIA ‘s/t’ : seing them Live in Copenhagen was an incredible surprise; utterly haunting, raw, wild and bewitching… this one instantly became a necessary purchase !

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2014 

SERPENT VENOM ‘Of Things Seen and Unseen’

SIGIRIYA ‘Darkness died Today’

SHEAVY ‘Moons in Penumbra’ (released this week but shall be attached to 2014, will get it for Christmas, thanx to Jason Williams!)

Can’t forget regular thoughts going to new LORD VICAR, NORTHWINDS, THE WOUNDED KINGS  and YOB… debuts from ORDER OF THE SOLAR TEMPLE and  HEAVY TEMPLE + new BLOOD FARMERS, THE BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND and BARABBAS if they ever happen to see the light of day !!!

8) Year has been contrasted and to say the least I’m happy it soon ends.

Sure and luckily there has been lots of personal enjoyment with the blog, gigs, tons of awesome music accompanying my safe and lonely moments, nice people I’ve met, spoken and chated with; kids amazingly growing, wife loving me madly (she's very deserving!)... but on the other hand, 2013 has been very tiring with the tragic loss of Pit (my dog/best friend over the 13 last years) and unexpected issues at work, where I wasted huge amounts of energy - which in the end seriously affected my diabetes… stress and insomnia are bad for everyone but things get multipIied with this fucking disease !

My only serious expectations for next year go for safe health of family and myself, great times related to music... 

THANX to you ALL for making T.o.P. what it is now, a respected blog made by humble fans for supportive fans of great UNDERGROUND bands!!!

I wish you ALL the best for 2014 - cheers 

-BEST REISSUES OF 2013 

SAINT VITUS ‘C.o.D.’

-BEST LABELS OF 2013 

Svart records

Totem Cat records

STB rds

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Check out PtII HERE with WO FAT, BEELZEFUZZ, ATARAXIE, ICE DRAGON, MOURNING DAWN, etc...