Teeth of the Divine Staff Picks for 2018
The way we do the TOP 2018 list here at Teeth is that we’ve waited until the year was actually over. That way, we’re sure we didn’t miss giving proper credit to that one album that released a minute before midnight on the 31st. So just in case some metal band from Tonga got an idea, we were ready for it. Nonetheless, every year there’s more and more material out there for us to listen to and it’s pretty much impossible to cover it all. Yet, 2018 saw plenty of albums that deserve to be remembered next year — and some being which will stick around longer. Maybe you missed something? Maybe you have your own ideas what ruled in 2018 and what should never have been released in the first place? Check our lists out, see how our picks matched up, and let’s hope 2019 doesn’t prove to be worse.
Nick K
- Hate Eternal – Upon Desolate Sands – Absolute perfection from Erik Rutan, Hannes Grossman and JJ Hrubivcak. Start to finish one of the best death metal albums of the year
- Funeral Mist – Hekatomb– One of the most intense black metal albums of the year. Makes the new Marduk look miniscule in comparison. Daniel Rothsteins vocals are insane.
- Abysmal Torment- Misanthrope – One of the heaviest death metal records of the year. Very surprising from these sickos from Malta
- Mournful Congregation – The Incubus of Karma Best Funeral Doom album of the year. Period. Lush harmonies at a sloth like pace. Gorgeous!
- Yob – Our Raw Heart – First album I have heard by these guys. I get the hype now. In their own realm. Seeing them live is an even more incredible experience. Now have to buy their whole catalog.
- Skeletal Remains – Devouring Mortality – Dark Descent hit the ball out of the park with this album. Perfect mix of Spiritual Healing era Death with Old Pestilence. Every track is a banger!
- Portal – Ion – One of the scariest Black/Death bands on the planet returns with some of the most intense music of 2018
- Order of Apollyon – Moriah – Agonia Records found a real gem in this Black Death group from The United Kingdom. World class song writing. Very strong release towards end of 2018
- Antiverse – Under the Regolith – Amazing songwriting, amazing production definitely a group to keep an eye on in 2019.
- Satan – Cruel Magic – Surprised a NWOBHM band made my top 10 of 2018 but Satan definitely did. They are really really good musicians that write very catchy songs. Another band that I have to buy the whole catalog of.
Filling in the Cavities – Evoken – Hypnogogia – Heard late in the year. Like last week. Another Top 5 Funeral Doom album of 2018
Best New Artist – Xenosis – Off the Wall Technical Death Metal from Connecticut
Best Label – Season of Mist – An insane amount of solid releases in 2018 (Hate Eternal, Alkaloid and Nightmarer amongst top of 2018)
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Some good stuff in here, lots I missed or haven’t got to yet. Checked out the Aepoch and regret not looking into it earlier.
Nice to see the Abysmal Torment mentioned a couple of times, it’s phenomenal for the genre but seems to be getting missed elsewhere.
For me:
Thrash AOTY (by a mile): Sabateur – Vicious Circle. Fun as hell thrash, charismatic vocals, plenty of ’80s twists, fantastic dual-guitar solos, and unlike some other late thrash albums that won’t be named, the songwriting doesn’t involve stretching 3 minute songs to 6+ minutes by spamming the chorus over and over again and re-playing build up sections. Every song is memorable and has its own character. Could be my AOTY as well, but there’s still a few things I need to check out before making that claim.
Proggy tech death AOTY: Exocrine – Molten Giant. This album worked its way into my head and has stuck with me better than the Obscura, Beyond Creation, or Gorod, for whatever reason. Hayato is an awesome track.
Best EP: Teleport – The Expansion. Vektor-twisted Blood Incantation-y death metal. Just got signed up with a label so interested to see what is coming up for them.
How the hell have I not listened to this yet: Deceased – Ghostly White. Loved the rest of their stuff and part of why I’m not ready to call the Sabateur my AOTY.
“I’m not yet sure how much I like this, but it intrigues me and I want more” award: Λ S T R Λ – (some Russian writing stuff, a pair of singles released this year). Weirdo atmospheric/avant/blackened death I guess? Their 2017 release is pretty cool too so I can listen to that while I wait.
Disappointment of the year: Chapel of Disease – ..And As We blah blah blah. Had never listened to them before, but it was an initial AOTY leader for me when I first heard it and after a few more listens while I was working/gaming etc. Then I finally gave it a few dedicated listens where I didn’t have something else distracting me, I fell out of love with it. Too much pointless repetition that left me wishing the song would move on or just end too many times. A disappointment from initial impression, rather than something that failed to deliver on expectations… but that counts.
Best single-musician release: Nott – The Wretched Sounds. Bleak, heavy stuff that I guess is sorta “deathcore” but that doesn’t seem quite fitting. (Honorable mention to Dysmorfectomy as well though, some good slam.)
Most irritating song: Exmortus – Strength and Honor. Obnoxious chorus that for some reason they felt needed to be repeated over and over for a solid minute instead of just ending the song. Irritating because it makes me get up and go to the CD player to skip track every playthrough. Yes, I’m a grouch.
on Jan 13th, 2019 at 07:58