The folks at Cruz Del Sur and ClawHammer PR are good people. So good, in fact, that they gave us some great albums to give one lucky reader, which makes us good people by proxy. Or something like that. Anyway, we’re stoked to be able to provide three brand new Cruz Del Sur CDs to one of you, and we’re going to make it pretty easy to throw your hat into the ring. First things first, this is what’s being tossed into the cauldron:
1. The new record from Last Rites favorite, Argus, which Dan discusses here.
Argus – From Fields of Fire
2. The latest release from Finland’s Mausoleum Gate, which Manny reviewed here.
Mausoleum Gate – Into a Dark Divinity
3. And finally, the new split from doomsters Hands of Orlac and The Wandering Midget, which flew right underneath the LR radar.
Hands of Orlac / The Wandering Midget (Split)
Nice, right? To enter, just leave a comment below, naming your current album of the year. You’re welcome (encouraged, in fact) to defend and debate your pick with us and other readers, but each commenter will receive a single entry to the contest, and a winner will be selected at random using a highly sophisticated algorithm created exclusively for Last Rites by an aimless gnome we found wandering around our garden. We’ll announce the winner on Halloween.
Good luck!
EDIT: We have a winner. Congrats to Rob St. Amant. Enjoy, Rob.
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Satan’s Hallow – Self Titled
Nothing this year has worked its way in quite as much (although Walpyrgus comes close)
Excellent choice (on both)!
I’ll definitely have to check this out ASAP.
Cormorant – Diaspora
Isenordal – Shores of Mourning (a very close 2nd)
At this point, I’m still waiting for that album that knocks my socks off but these are the best of the best thus far.
Damn this is a tough one – but I had to pick one at this moment it would be “Infrared Horizon” by Artificial Brain.
“Caustic” – Primitive Man. Nastiest thing I’ve listened to in years.
Satan’s Hallow is fantastic and everybody reading this should check them out on Bandcamp. However, the album of the year for so far is Below’s “Upon a Pale Horse.” They take the best parts of Black Sabbath and Candlemass and release an album full of epic songs full of crushing riffs and air-guitar-worthy solos. The album is very consistent too. Each song has its own identity, yet each one is high quality. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and there is no filler to be found. For these reasons, it is album of the year for 2017 for me!
Mirror Morionis, “Our Bereavement Season”. Russians keep on making proper doom metal
It’s a tough call this year. Falls of Rauros, Loss, Witherfall are all top contenders.
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon. Even better than the last, amazingly! Still waiting for something to really blow me away
So far, it’s probably Arduini/Balich- Dawn of Ages.
Killer epic doom/prog blend. Amazing guitar work and powerful vocals.
Selbst – Self Titled
Immolation: Atonement
or
Satyricon: Deep Calleth Upon Deep
Elder Reflections of a Floating World
i normally don’t like stoner doom but this blew me away. top notch stuff here
Night-Raft of the World
So far my favorite after 2 good albums they have finally found their sound.. this album is filled with magical melodies, rockin vocals, and an oldschool vibe that is unique at the same time, no other album this has gave me that impact.. simply amazing
Hallas – Excerpts from a Future Past. Just released today and definitely leaving an impression on me.
The Great Old Ones – EOD: A Tale Of Dark Legacy is probably my top pick. I want to say Enslaved, but E didn’t grab me immediately and needs more time to marinate in my earholes.
TGOO is a great pick. Terrible release time for such a good album.
Dephosphorus – Impossible Orbits. Less immediate than last few albums but absolutely ferocious. Not for the faint of heart
Succumb s/t
Hard to defend something you don’t fully understand. Hella infectious.
Walpyrgus: Walpyrgus Nights.
The new albums from Hellwell & The Chasm are monumental but my favorite so far has got to be Pagan Altar’s swan song, for a lot of different reasons. Perfect discography – not many bands can claim that.
Livid(MN)-Beneath This Shroud, The Earth Erodes
IRON FLAME- Lightning Strikes the Crown
Squalus – The Great Fish
Gotta go with Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Distartica – In Flames We Rise
Accept – The Rise of Chaos
Jag Panzer “The Deviant Chord”
Congrats, Rob! I’ve emailed you about your haul.
I cannot thank you enough! Cheers!
Currently a toss up between Pallbearer Heartless and Unlesh The Archers – Apex. Haven’t delved too much into 2017 as of yet
Devil Electric – self-titled
Ex Deo – The Immortal Wars
This is hard.
I guess John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos
Mainly because it’s been stuck in my head for months
Enslaved – E
Only one day after it’s release it’s already easily the best music I’ve heard this year.
Iced Earth-Incorruptible so far.
End of Green-Void Estate is a close second.
Havukruunu – Kelle surut soi
Closely followed by Chevalier.
Igorrr – Savage Sinusoid
An avant garde band that can sound fresh and accomplished while writing great songs.
Oooh. I wanna win. C’mon, gnome, pick me!
My current top contender of 2017:
Fleurety ”Inquietum” on Aesthetic Death
It’s a collection of previously released eps, but the band considers it their new album, so I think it counts, and it’s quite a comeback, their best since classic teenage 1995 debut “Min Tid Skal Komme.” Chock full of surprises, maintaining a deliberately ugly sounding Nordic black metal aesthetic that shreds. Brilliant WTF? stuff without getting too avant-circusy sounding, ever.
Kauan- Kaiho
Heavy Tiger – Glitter
Flesh Killer – Awaken
This is a weird choice for me, it’s either Pyrrhon or Unleash the Archers. It’s like saying I don’t know where I want to go for dinner – the innovative place with the 8 course molecular gastronomy prix frixe menu or Taco Bell. I absolutely love them both, and they’re both extremely satisfying in their own way, despite being vastly different meals.
Although… E has made a hell of an impression in the last few days.
Voyager- The Ghost Mile
Black Dahlia’s Nightbringers is pretty awesome! But I also like the new one from Myrkur.
Pallbearer – Heartless
Tchornobog – Tchornobog
Even the cover is awesome!
Ex Eye – Ex Eye
Carach Angren- Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten
\m/
Destroyer of Light’s “Chamber of Horrors” is a top shelf doom release thick with dark, cavernous atmosphere.
I’m a big sucker for anything Wino… so it’s The Obsessed – Sacred. I also really enjoyed the Arduini/Balich Dawn of Ages album
Arduini-Balich ‘Dawn Of Ages’
There’s no debate needed: Victor Arduini & Brian ‘Butch’ Balich says it all!
Drug Honkey – Cloak of Skies: a very cinematic album that could easily fit as part of the soundtrack of a dystopian anime. This is the most challenging album of 2017
Argus – From Fields of Fire!
The album that I keep coming back to is Execration – Return to the Void.
Pagan Altar – The Room of Shadows.
(Close second: Satyricon – Deep Calleth Upon Deep)
Cradle Of Filth – Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay
Totally unexpected, can’t stop listening to it!
Ungfell – Tôtbringære