‘Celebrity’ favorites of 2013

Here’s a few lists from some of the fine folks responsible for making and releasing the great music we listen to:

 John McEntee (Incantation/Owner Ibex Moon records)

1. AUTOPSY “The Headless Ritual” 2. BLACK SABBATH “13” 3. MASTER “The Witchhunt” 4. IMMOLATION “Kingdom of Conspiracy” 5. HAIL OF BULLETS “III: The Rommel Chronicles”

Rogga Johanssen (Revolting, Megascavenger, Ribspreader, etc) favorite 10 albums of 2013

Torture Killer – Phobia,  Hypocrisy, – End of disclosure,  Darkthone – The underground resistance,  Amorphis – Circle,  Demonical – Darkness unbound, Broken Hope – Omen of disease, Witherscape – The inheritance,  Saxon – Sacrifice, Pro Pain – The final revolution,  Running Wild – Resilient.

Mike Hrubovak (Azure Emote, Monstrosity, Vile) top 10 of 2013. 

1. Negator – Gates to the Pantheon 2. Ghost B.C. – Infestissumam 3. Tribulation – The Formulas Of Death 4. Witherscape – The Inheritance 5. Summoning – Old Mornings Dawn 6. Immolation – Kingdom Of Conspiracy 7. Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows of Nostalgia 8. Hypocrisy – End Of Disclosure 9. Autopsy – The Headless Ritual 10. Vomitous – Empires of Great Enslavement. Top Single: Kartikeya – “Tunnels Of Naraka”

Samuel Hartman (Anagnorisis) Notable albums of 2013: (in no particular order)

Jay Z– Holy Grail, Russian Circles – Memorial, Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower, Carcass – Surgical Steel , Deafheaven – Sunbather,  Regarde Les Hommes Tomber – S/T,  Wormlust – The Feral Wisdom, Amiensus / Oak Pantheon – Gathering split, Depeche Mode – Delta Machine

Anders Biazzi (Blood Mortized, Just Before Dawn)

Smothered – The Inevitable End,  Crypt Creeper – Saving Suicide for Christmas, Paganizer – Cadaver Casket,  Turbocharge – Area 666,  Entrails – Raging Death Carcass – Surgical Steel,  Black Sabbath – 13,  Zombiefication – At the Caves of Eternal, Down  Among the Dead Men – s/t,  Desolator – Unearthly Monument.

Bob Bagchus (Asphyx ) top 5 of 2013

1-Coffins–The Fleshlands, 2-Autopsy-The Headless Ritual, 3-Hail of Bullets–III The Rommel Chronicles, 4-Watain–The Wild Hunt, 5-Sordid Flesh–Torturer.

Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom) Top 10 of 2013

1 – Carcass – Surgical Steel 2 – Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles 3 – Witherscape – The Inheritance 4 – Satyricon – Satyricon 5 – Alice in Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here 6 – Anneke Van Giersbergen – Drive 7 – Entrails – Raging a Death 8 – Heart of Gold – A Tribute to Woods of Ypres 9 – Ihsahn – Das Seelenbrechen 10 – Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods 11 – Black Sabbath – 13 12 – This Will Destroy You – Live in Reykjavik, Iceland 13 – Kraton – World Eater

Sasha Horn (Forbidden/Eliminate/ Ex Novembers Doom) Top 20 of 2013 in alphabetical order

Roman Temin (Zealotry) Top 20 of 2013

20 Gigan – Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery and Super Science 19 Aosoth – IV: Arrow in Heart 18 Vorum – Poisoned Void 17 The Ruins Of Beverast – Blood vaults: The Blazing Gospels of Heinrich Kramer 16 Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum 15 Oranssi pazuzu – Valonielu 14 Inquisition – Obscure Verses For the Multiverse 13 Voivod – Target Earth 12 Lycus – Tempest 11 Hell – Curse & Chapter 10 Ulcerate – Vermis 09 Atlantean Kodex – The White Goddess 08 Castevet – Obsian 07 Beyond -Fatal Power of Death 06 Satan – Life Sentence 05 Lantern – Below 04 Altars – Paramnesia 03 Defeated Sanity – Passages Into Deformity 02 Bölzer – Aura 01 Gorguts – Colored Sands.

Mike Abominator (Gravehill) Top 5 of 2013

1. Machetazo: Ruin, 2. Bone Sickness: Alone in the Grave, 3. Cardiac Arrest/Mutant Supremacy Split, 4. Repuked: Up from the Sewers, 5. Autopsy–The Headless Ritual .

Masaki Murashita (Hemoptysis) top 10 of 2013

1. Carcass – Surgical Steel. This was the album that I was waiting for so long time and they didn’t disappoint me. It’s a perfect mix of the Heartwork and Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious. 2.Chthonic – BÚ-TIK There are so many good guitar works in this album. I can’t wait to see them playing live again! 3. Battlecross– War Of Will .One of my favorite new thrash bands out there. These guys are a killer live band as well. 4. Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse. This album was a big surprise and I liked the fact they tried to do the different things than what they’ve already done on the past 3 albums they released. 5. Revocation – Revocation. What can I say about this band. This is my favorite album of Revocation! Absolute shred fest! If you haven’t heard it, you are missing out. 6. Azure Emote – The Gravity of Impermanence. There are some great musicianship in this album and I highly recommend you all to check it out. 7. Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed. I enjoyed this album. They definitely got a killer drummer. 8. Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods Catchy melodies and riffs and it sounds heavy! I was definitely not disappointed. 9. Arsis – Unwelcome .These guys are totally underrated and deserve more attention. 10. The Black Dahlia Murder – Everblack. Big kudos for putting out great albums consistently. Can’t wait to hear next album.

Charles Elliott (Abysmal Dawn) Top 10 of 2013 

1. Carcass – Surgical Steel. Definitely one of my most anticipated records of all time and it did not disappoint. They may not have reinvented the wheel like they used to with every release, but I don’t really want them to at this point anyway. They combined all my favorite elements from their past records i.e. lyrical content, tasteful leads, awesome riffs, and THAT guitar tone, and made and album I couldn’t stop listening to all year. And that’s harder to do the older and more jaded I get. 2. Death Angel – The Dream Calls for Blood. They have a great back catalog but I have to say this one actually does it for me better than any other. The riffs are killer and Mark is one impressive thrash vocalist with a ton of range. That cover of “Heaven and Hell” is goose bump inducing as well. 3. Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse. I like these guys a lot. While everyone seems to be into the sort of ambient artsy black metal sound these days these guys do it right. Sorry, I like my black metal evil and aggressive and Inquisition delivers that old-school feeling. 4. Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy. Always loved the unique feel of this band. The twisted dissonant riffs, dark vibe and oddly-technical-yet-catchy drum parts are what makes the band for me. It’s safe to say if they put a record out I’m into it. 5. Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam. Maybe their best record since the reunion, although I like the s/t record a lot. Killer riffs and production and Dave Culross kills it on the drums. 6. Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks. Loved this band since I was a kid. I know they’ve changed over the years to include next to no heavy guitars but the music still remains heart felt, creative and catchy. It’s not as cohesive as “Year Zero” maybe as a whole, but maybe even better songs in my opinion overall. 7. Amorphis – Circle. This band is extremely underrated in the U.S. I feel, but this record is terrific. Really great melodic death metal with folk and progressive elements. Probably their heaviest record since “Elegy”. 8. Arsis – Unwelcome. So much shred. So many technical riffs. So many octopus-arm drum parts. Their best in while and a welcome return to form. 9. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Labyrinth. A cool mix of death metal and symphonic elements. I liked “Agony” but I think they blend a bit better with the orchestra on this one. Some really catchy and epic stuff. 10. Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing. Amazing musicianship (of course, it’s prig) that’s emotive and sticks in your head as well. It’s like a modern day “Darkside of the Moon” practically. Entire album is themed around some interesting ghost stories and has some great lyrical moments. One of the most incredible guitar solos ever in the tune “Drive Home” by Gutherie Govan as well. Love his playing. In my opinion this is Steven Wilson’s best record.

Rae Amitay (Thrawsunblat/Immortal Bird) Top Albums of 2013

Gorguts – Colored Sands , Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us is the Killer,  Shining – One One One, Russian Circles – Memorial,  Summoning – Old Mornings Dawn, Ulcerate – Vermis,  Inter Arma – Sky Burial,  Pinkish Black – Razed to the Ground,  Leprous – Coal, Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed.

James Genenz  (Jungle Rot) Top albums of 2013

Ulcerate “Vermis”, Exhumed “Necrocracy”, Voivod “Target Earth”, Gruesome Stuff Relish “, Sempiternal Death Grind”, Lantern “Below”, Nails “Abandon All Life” , Toxic Holocaust “Chemistry Of Consciousness”, Locrian “Return To Annihilation, “Suffocation “Pinnacle Of Bedlam, “Grave Miasma “Odori Sepulcrorum” , Tim Hecker “Virgins”, Portal “Vexovoid”, Weekend Nachos “Still”, Autopsy “The Headless Ritual”,  Gnaw Their Tongues “Sulfur”Honorable Mentions:Summoning “Old Mornings Dawn”, Broken Hope ,“Omen Of Disease, Immortal Bird “Akrasia”, Vastum “Patricidal Lust” , Noisem “Agony Defined” , The Body “Christs, Redeemers”

Konni Gnirhül (Defeated Sanity) Top 4 of 2013

Gorguts–Colored Sands , Brutality–Ruins of Humans ep , Vomitous–Empires of Great Enslavement , Centurian–Contra Rationem , Melektaus–Nexus for Continual Genesis.

Graham Landers (Owner Deepsend Records).Top 10 of 2013 

Aosoth – IV: Arrow in Heart, Russian Circles – Memorial, Kvelertak – Meir, Deafheaven –  Sunbather, Entrails –  Raging Death, Altar of Plagues –  Teethed  Glory and Injury, Celeste – Animale(s), Abyssal – Novit Enim Dominus Qui Sunt Eius, Modern Life is War – Fever Hunting, Portal – Vexovoid, Best EP. My Dying Bride –  The Manuscript, Best non metal album. The National – Trouble Will Find me.

Roel van Reijmersdal (Owner Vic Records) top 11 albums of 2013 in no order

Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles, Bodyfarm – The Coming Scourge, Sordid Flesh – Torturer,  Johansson & Speckmann – Sulphur Skies, Autopsy – The Headless Ritual , Watain – The Wild Hunt, Coffins – The Fleshlands,  Zemial – Nykta,  Master – The Witchhunt,  Necrowretch – Putrid Death Sorcery, Thou Art Lord – The Regal Pulse of Lucifer.

Paul Shaw (Owner Blast Head Records). Top 20 of 2013

1. Amorphis – Circle 2. Ade – Spartacus 3. Kataklysm – Waiting for the End to Come 4. Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam 5. Eternium – Repelling A Solar Giant 6. Man Must Die – Peace was Never an Option 7. Wolfheart – Winterborn 8. Exhumed – Necrocracy 9. Ghost BC – Infestissumam 10. Sulphur Aeon – Swallowed by the Ocean’s Tide 11. Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods 12. Carcass – Surgical Steel 13. Hypocrisy – End of Disclosure 14. Omnium Gatherum – Beyond 15. Zombiefication – At the Caves of Eternal 16. Demonical – Darkness Unbound 17. Powerwolf – Preachers of the Night 18. Avulsed – Ritual Zombi 19. Entrails – Raging Death 20. Thrawsunblat – Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings

John T Dywer (Owner Pathos Productions) Top 5 of 2013

1. AUTOPSY – The Headless Ritual, 2. CARCASS  – Surgical Steel, 3. DEFEATED SANITY –Passages into Deformity,  4. SEROCS – The Next 5. WORMED– Exodromos.

Christopher White (Chaos Inception).

1. Shining– Redefining Darkness 2. Code– Augur Nox 3. Amorphis– Circle 4.Gorguts– Colored Sands 5. Satyricon– Self Titled 6.Carcass– Surgical Steel 7. Immolation– Kingdom of Conspiracy.

Ben Orum (Oblivion/Ex All Shall Perish) Top 5 of 2013.

1. Intronaut – Habitual Levitations, 2.. Gorguts – Colored Sands, 3. Deicide – In The Minds of Evil, 4. Fallujah – Nomadic, 5. Russian Circles – Memorial.

Reno Ramos (Karnak Seti) Favorite albums of 2013 in no order

Porcupine Tree – Octane Twisted, Dark Tranquillity – Construct, Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent, Megadeth – Countdown to Extinction 20th Anniversary, Amon Amarth – Deceiver of Gods, Soilwork – The Living Infinite, Mors Principium Est – … And Death Said Live, Omnium Gatherum – Beyond.

Chris Pervelis (Internal Bleeding) Top 5 of 2013

1. Mortal Decay: Blueprint for Bloodspatter, 2. Suffocation: Pinnacle of Bedlam, 3. Pyrexia: Feast of Iniquity, 4. Defeated Sanity: Passages into Deformity, 5. Vomitus: Empires of Great Enslavement

Rob Wharton (Cognitive) top 5 of 2013

1. Rivers of Nihil – Conscious Seed of Light, 2.The Black Dahlia Murder – Everblack, 3. Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam, 4. Fallujah– Nomadic, 5. Infernal Revulsion – Infernally Revulsed.

Ben Deskins (Necrotic Disgorgement) top 5 of 2013

Euphoric Defilement– Ascending To The Worms, Broken Hope– Omen Of Disease, Mortal Decay– Blueprint For Bloodspatter, Immolation– Kingdom Of Conspiracy, Defeated Sanity–Passages into Deformity.

Martin Hellion (Sulphur Aeon) Top 5 of 2013 in no order

1 Antediluvian – λόγος. 2 Portal – Vexovoid. 3 Abysmal Grief – Feretri. 4 Imprecation – Satanae Tenebris Infinita. 5 Slaughtbbath – Hail to Fire..

 Magnuss Lindvall (Soils of Fate). Top 5 of 2013.

1. Defeated Sanity – Passage to Deformity 2. Vomitous – Empires of great enslavement 3. Carcass – surgical steel 4. Mortal decay – Blueprint for bloodspatter 5. Deeds of Flesh- Portals to Canaan.

Reader Submission by Chad Larsen

In Solitude- Sister 
Cultes Des Ghoules – Henbane
Satan – Life Sentence
Sacriphyx – The Western Front
Thou Art Lord – The Regal Pulse of Lucifer