Picks of 2020
This past year, more specifically the last 9 months have been easily the toughest for me. During the initial months of isolation, Music became my main solace along with exercise. I think I have listened to more music this year compared to past couple years. Hence it was not an easy task putting together this list.
Non metal picks (in no particular order)
Impulsive Voices is another impressive release from the guitar prodigy from Down Under. This album is darker and is a huge step in all aspects. Just listen to the track Pan which features a saxophone is a stand out track on Impulsive Voices.
Rock the Highway is a great throwback to the 80’s rock sound. There are a couple of progressive tracks on the album like Identity Crisis. Wonder if their future material will be like that.
The Earth below is the solo project from Deepak Raghu from Shepherd. Nothing Works Vol. 2- Hymns For Useless Gods was my soundtrack during times of melancholy. Big step ahead in terms of production.
Bayaan is a Pop rock from Pakistan. Suno is a very catchy album that reminds me of the Pakistani Pop rock releases from the mid 2000’s
Karakoram are another good rock band from Pakistan featuring Zain Peerzada from Takatak on guitars. Ibtida is a promising release and their upcoming album will be one to looks out for in 2021.
Metal picks
#10 On Solitude, Cloudkicker turned heavy again and was totally what I needed this year. Thank you Ben Sharp for this album.
#9 ‘When I Die, Will I Get Better?’ is a seemless meld of hardcore and black metal. The album took me on a journey through the album. I especially enjoyed the lyrics and topics it covers, things we face both in real life and online.
#8 The World that was is a potent mix of Death and doom metal. Temple of Void keep getting better with each album like a fine wine or whiskey.
#7 Stare Into Death And Be Still is Extreme metal with a menacing atmosphere. A phenomenal release. I don’t think any other album has captured better the sound of the shitshow that this year has been.
#6 Mortal has a mix of all my favourite elements of death metal, Low growls and crunchy guitar riffs. Alseep Forever is a track that I will be listening to for years to come. One of the best death metal albums I’ve heard this year.
#5 Habits is one of the albums I have listened to the most this year. It’s meditative riffs and doomy vocals left me in a trance.
#4 The first time I heard Chatta, I was blown away by what I heard. Each time I listen to this album, I find a new element. This album has pushed the levels of grindcore. This album is Chatta!
#3 Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic is a Post metal masterpiece. This album made me trip/transcend to another level.
#2 The Sanguinary Impetus is a strange mix of Technical and brutal death metal. On their previous album, they did a split of sorts with Disposal of the Dead and Dharmata. This album is a marriage of both albums and pummels you into submission. An All A’s album.
#1 Yes for the 2nd year in a row, my pick is Spirit Adrift. Enlightened In Eternity was my pick me up album for this year. An album that gave me hope that there is a light at the end of this.
Revolting album premiere
I’ve been writing for The Metal Wanderlust more recently. After the Wombbath premiere, I wrote about the album premiere for that latest Revolting album The Shadow at the World’s end.
Check out the album on The Metal Wanderlust
Tribute to Nitin Rajan
Friend and fellow metalhead Nitin Rajan passed away on 17th November.
A short tribute I wrote for him for Horns Up podcast
Vocalist, festival promoter, digital head, he played many roles in the Indian music scene.
A Metal lifer, Nitin started the earliest know death metal band, Morticide and then was one of the founders of Domination the Deathfest. I remember reading about the festival in the Metal India zine and being amazed that there was an extreme metal festival in India.
I met Nitin a decade ago at the first edition of the Rolling Stone Metal Awards where he was a judge and we became friends then. I still remember how excited he was to bring back the Domination the Deathfest in 2013.
“I prefer performing live” Nitin used to tell me. Anyone who had watched him at a gig with Primitiv or even Killibrium in recent years would agree that he was a powerhouse on stage and commanded the audience.
Everyone who met him even if it was once I am sure has a great story to tell about Nitin.
Thank you for the music and also your friendship. The Bombay Death Metal Legion forever.
Here is a video of an unreleased Primtiv track that I took a couple years ago.
Nitin Rajan Photo by Tushar Dhanawade
Wombbath track premiere
Wombbath are an Old School Death Metal act from Sweden that completes 30 years of magnificence this year in their chosen field. No easy task for a band that plays Metal let alone Death Metal. To mark this milestone Wombbath are releasing an album consisting of re-recorded songs from their older material as well as some brand new material, “Tales of Madness” via Transcending Obscurity Records.
Listen to Unholy Madness here
Inferi
This year has been a rough one for everyone, even more so for Metal bands used to being road warriors. Some of them have embraced being indoors and have made productive use of their time. A few have done live stream virtual concerts and others have worked on new music. American Death Metal act Inferi fall in the latter camp. They wrote and recorded their latest EP, “Of Sunless Realms” that released earlier this month. Vocalist Stevie Boiser shared with us a few things about the experience and also their plans for the coming months.
Read the interview on The Metal Wanderlust
Fistful of Metal 20
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Riley Gale, the front man of American metal act Power Trip.
Track list
Power Trip – Executioner’s Tax
Capra – Torture Ship
Allfather – Poison Soil
Grid – Disinformation = Facts
Grid – Insatiable
Skeletal Remains – Illusive Divinity
Necrot – Asleep Forever
Cloudkicker – Code Language
Hinayana – In Sacred Delusion (Ft. Toni Toivonen)
Foretoken – Bewildering Duress/Retribution
Jupiterian – Mere Humans
Cynic – How Could I
