Surachai

The past year was incredible for music and here is a list of my favorite releases.

Deathspell Omega – Paracletus
One of the most musically confusing and complex releases in recent memory. Like other bands that do complexity and confusion correctly, there are moments that bring you to a ‘holy shit’ realization that Deathspell Omega is controlling your every breath and all you can do it try to keep up. The production is clean but not polished which works perfectly. Paracletus is one of the most beautiful and engaging albums I’ve come across and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
http://www.myspace.com/deathspellomega

Nails – Unsilent Death
A grind monstrosity from LA recorded by Kurt Ballou. A dream come true. Colossal walls of guitars, Kurt behind the production and catchy arrangements make Unsilent Death one of my favorite albums from a band I had no idea that existed a few months ago.

Enabler – Eden Sank to Grief
This one came from left field. I was browsing Halo of Flies Records and randomly found this band which turns out to be one of the most aggressive and energetic bands I’ve come across this year. Recorded by Shane Hochstetler at Howl Street Recordings in Milwaukee and it sounds great!
http://www.myspace.com/enablermilwaukee

The Secret – Solve Et Coagula
Another album engineered by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios and another one on this list. Great sounding record that has incredible energy and intensity that carves into your brain. Don’t listen to it.
http://www.myspace.com/thesecret

Sonoio – Sonoio
I usually don’t listen to friends’ music but I got over that quick when I caught myself singing along to this album. Honestly, I’m surprised this album even exists given the tools that were made to create it. Creating melodic music on a Buchla is no easy task and I’m glad that someone not only accomplished it but ran with it.
http://sonoio.com

Twilight – Monument to Time End
One of the few bands that incorporates modestly used drones and electronics to compliment their appropriate black metal production. Catchy as hell and one of my favorite releases from Southern Lord this year.

Trap Them – Filth Rations
Ok, so the genre description for this band is spot on: Death Punk. It has the brutality and tone of Death Metal and the wordiness, agility and energy of Punk. Like Marston, anything Kurt Ballou touches is going to sound amazing and this is no exception.
http://www.myspace.com/trapthem

Rotten Sound – Napalm
Just a taste of their full length coming out on Relapse in 2011 and I’m salivating. One of the few bands that gets better as time goes and anything they put out I will buy. Pick up ‘Cycles’ if you want to see some monstrous production and the best sounding grind guitars.
http://www.myspace.com/rottensound

Castevet – Mounds of Ash
All of the genre mashing that reviewers put on this album confuse the hell out of me and while it probably has merit its not the sound of Castevet. This, as with many, band simply do their thing while people try to categorize them. Mounds of Ash is usually listened to in its entirety and then repeats until it’s time for Black Ops.
http://www.myspace.com/castevet

Black Swan – In 8 Movements
If I had to pick one drone album this year, it’d end up being In 8 Movements. Using degenerative repetition while introducing melodic elements keeps it interesting, beautiful and something you always want to come back to.
http://blackswan.bandcamp.com/album/black-swan-in-8-movements

1349 – Demonoir
I stumbled onto the entire discography of 1349 this year and kept coming back to a couple albums, Demonoir and Hellfire. Since Hellfire was released in 2005, I’ll just go with Demonoir for this list. It’s probably a combination of clarity of the high production and the infectious songwriting. I’m not sure what they’re trying to accomplish with their Tunnel interludes but they should probably call me up to get that taken care of.
http://www.myspace.com/1349official

Big Black Delta – BBDEP1
Catchy pop electronics that can’t be forgotten once you listen. The grimy and dirty production works to Big Black Delta’s full advantage with this EP.
http://bigblackdelta.com/

Haus Arafna – You
Scott Jaeger introduced me to these guys and I feel like their albums should be included with his modules or you should at least listen to them before meeting the guy. One of the few electronic bands that make me uncomfortable with their sounds and I love it.
http://www.myspace.com/hausarafna

Daughters – Daughters
Haters gonna hate. Call it “something”-core or whatever reduces a bands work into a couple words but the production on the album stands out as well as their vast array of sounds they use.
http://www.myspace.com/daughters1

Liturgy – Renihilation (2009)
New to me but not new. I’ll listen to anything Colin Marston touches either musically or production-wise as I feel he really understands the bands’ sonic image. Colin has seen out really great sounding records but with Liturgy he took a minimalistic approach in the spirit of early Black Metal recordings which works well with this album.
http://www.myspace.com/liturgynybm