TEETH OF THE DIVINE STAFF PICKS FOR 2017
Another year on the books, another year packed with excellent metal in every style. And while we didn’t see any significant trends emerge this year, you will notice if you look at our collective lists that there’s very little overlap in our picks. The new releases from the old guard, the standard bearers, and the heavy hitters of death, black, doom and beyond only make up a fraction of what’s offered here – everything else is new arrivals and recent rising stars. No matter where you find it, metal has never been so prolific or diverse, and that is great news for all you out there who are black of heart and hard of hearing. So get ready to dig in and get lost in the deepest bowels of the metal underground – when you come up for air, it’ll be 2018.
FRANK RINI
Yet another killer year for extreme metal music and wonderful tours. Thank you to all the readers supporting Teeth of the Divine and all the different writing styles from us all. I encourage you all to check out everyone’s best of lists on here, not just mine, and look into some of these great acts. All my reviews are in order of what I feel were the strongest releases for 2017. I added some new categories, so keep on reading and compare to my list last year to see what I added. Looking ahead to 2018 we will see the release of some killer albums from: Internal Bleeding (with my guest vocal appearance), Megadeth, Deceased, Pestilence, Exodus, Anthrax, Ataraxy, Voivod, Ritual Necromancy, Pyrexia, Abominable Putridity, Hooded Menace, to name a few. Have a Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year Metalheads. \m/
- AFTERBIRTH–The Time Traveler’s Dilemma (Unique Leader Records)
- GIGAN–Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence (Willowtip Records)
- UNDERGANG–Misantropologi (Dark Descent Records)
- CONDEMNED–His Divine Shadow (Unique Leader Records)
- ANASARCA–Survival Mode (Sevared Records)
- PHRENELITH-Desolate Endscape (Dark Descent Records)
- AOSOTH-V:The Inside Scriptures (Agonia Records)
- ERUPTION–Cloaks of Oblivion (Xtreem Music)
- SPECTRAL VOICE-Eroded Corridors of Unbeing (Dark Descent Records)
- VOMIT REMNANTS–Hyper Groove Brutality (Unique Leader Records)
- KREATOR-Gods of Violence (Nuclear Blast)
- SINISTER–Syncretism (Massacre Records)
- SUFFOCATION-…Of The Dark Light (Nuclear Blast)
- NECROWRETCH– Satanic Slavery (Season of Mist)
- DESOLATE SHRINE–Deliverance from the Godless Void (Dark Descent Records)
- CRAVEN IDOL–The Shackles of Mammon (Dark Descent Records)
- NECROT–Blood Offerings (Tankcrimes Records)
- DYING FETUS–Wrong One To Fuck With (Relapse Records)
- RINGS OF SATURN-Ultu Ulla (Nuclear Blast)
- HIDEOUS DIVINITY–Adveniens (Unique Leader Records)
- POWER TRIP–Nightmare Logic (Southern Lord Recordings)
- OBLIVION-The Path Towards… (Unique Leader Records)
- ENTRAILS-World Inferno (Metal Blade Records)
- BROKEN HOPE-Mutilated and Assimilated (Century Media Records)
- DESULTORY-Through Aching Aeons (Pulverized Records)
- SARCASM-Within the Sphere of Ethereal Minds (Dark Descent Records)
- GOREPHILIA–Severed Monolith (Dark Descent Records)
- ARTIFICIAL BRAIN–Infrared Horizon (Profound Lore Records)
- CUT UP–Wherever They May Rot (Metal Blade Records)
- LANTERN–II: Morphosis (Dark Descent Records)
BEST COMEBACK ALBUM: WARBRINGER–Woe to the Vanquished (Napalm Records)
BEST EP: DISMA-The Graveless Remains (Profound Lore Records)
BEST REISSUES: VOIVOD- Rrröööaaarrr/Killing Technology/Dimension Hatröss (Noise/BMG)
SLEEPER HIT ALBUM: WITCH OF 1692- Impious Mysterial Hymn (Self-Released)
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: SUICIDE SILENCE-S/T (Nuclear Blast)
MOST ORGANIC SOUNDING DEATH METAL ALBUM: Day of Doom- Descent of Humanity (3 Demons Records)
BEST FULL-LENGTH ALBUM PACKAGING: Goatwhore- Vengeful Ascension [Spell Book Edition] (Metal Blade Records)
SONG OF THE YEAR: ERUPTION “Seven Archons” from Cloaks of Oblivion (Xtreem Music)
BEST ALBUM COVER: BELL WITCH- Mirror Reaper (Profound Lore Records)
SINGLE OF THE YEAR: INTERNAL BLEEDING–Final Justice
BEST TECH-DEATH METAL ALBUM: DECREPIT BIRTH-Axis Mundi (Nuclear Blast)
VALOR AWARD: William “Bill” Tolley drummer from INTERNAL BLEEDING (R.I.P. IB Brother)
BEST CONCERT: I’ll have to go with the IRON MAIDEN & GHOST Tour. This was the final leg of The Book of Souls tour, for Maiden. Once again they put on a helluva show and remain solidified as my favorite metal band.
BEST RECORD LABEL: Dark Descent Records. Unique Leader Records was close to usurping the throne, held by Dark Descent Records, who have held the crown, in my book, for the last three years. But now it’s four years in a row for Dark Descent Records. They came out swinging, at the beginning of 2017 and Matt Calvert kept shoving awesome releases down our throats. Let’s not forget the awesome merchandise they released this year, as well. Excellent varieties of long and short sleeves from: Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, Undergang, Desolate Shrine, Timeghoul and others. The distro shop was constantly updated and Matt had multiple sales throughout the year to clear-out inventory, as well as bring in new customers. Customer Service was spot-on and I received a personal note, in an order, from one of the workers who also is in Blood Incantation/Spectral Voice, regarding the passing of Bill, from IB. This meant quite a lot to me, more than mere words can say. For their passion, customer service, quality and quantity of releases, merchandise and true support of the underground death metal scene, Dark Descent Records are the true kings of Record Labels for 2017.
Find more articles with: 2017, Staff Picks
Killer list, although i don’t get Bell Witch at all.
on Jan 1st, 2018 at 04:32amped to see Tetragrammacide and Godflesh getting some love here.
on Jan 1st, 2018 at 10:05The Godflesh is great
on Jan 1st, 2018 at 13:18you didn’t like the albums from Immolation, Incantation or Cannibal Corpse ?
on Jan 1st, 2018 at 14:02Thanks for the Oblivion love!
on Jan 3rd, 2018 at 20:10Spectral Voice and Dying Fetus would’ve been my
on Jan 4th, 2018 at 15:1811 and 12 but I didn’t really have a solid 13-15. I’d rather agonize over a limited 10.
Didn’t finally listen to the Dying Fetus until last
month but haven’t been on a brutal death metal kick since earlier in the year.
Don’t understand the love for a band as mundane as spectral voice… You mongos be sure to check out azarath, ascended dead, tomb mold, Acrimonious, degial, lluvia (for fans of Swedish DAWN)
on Jan 10th, 2018 at 21:28The Spectral Voice is interesting, not quite Bestial Blackened Death, not Funeral Doom, not quite OSDM…just a huge atmospheric sound world.
on Jan 21st, 2018 at 17:45