Favourite albums of 2022 – Part 1

This year I thought I’d do something different, before releasing my list of favourite albums of the year, I asked my friends what their favourite albums of the year were. 

Here are the albums (in order of appearance on the episode)

Anurag Tagat + Seth Werkheiser – Ithaca – They Fear Us

Adnan M – Machine Head  Of Kingdom and Crown

Andy Dowling – Idle Ruin – Valley Inferno.

Gautam K – Sigh – Shiki

Deepak aka Chuck – Playgrounded – The Death of Death

Joel – Kardashev – Liminal Rite

Alex from Undeath – Sedimentum – Suppuration Morphogénésiaque 

Abbas Rizvi – Psycroptic – Divine Council 

Aditya Rao – Gaerea – Mirage

Peter K – Wormrot – Hiss

Part 2 coming up soon!

Top albums of 2018

The past year has been a great year for metal. These are my favourite albums that I listened to in the past year in alphabetic order.

Dirge – Au Puch
Espionage – Digital Dystopia
Gaerea – Unsettling Whispers
Irreversible Mechanism – Immersion
Ken Mode – Loved
Khemmis – Desolation
Møl – Jord
Pig Destroyer – Head Cage
Sojourner – The Shadowed Road
The Armed – Only Love

Read the complete article on The Metal Wanderlust

Now Playing – May + June 2018

The column is back after a break last month due to me being on holiday. I’ve added the albums that I was listening to in May too. Check it out.

May releases

I am shocked at the lack of buzz online about this album. The second album from the band is a prog masterpiece and will feature on the “best of” lists of many at the end of the year. Just listen to the album closer “Rise of the Cephalopods” if in doubt.

The debut release from the Portuguese grind act featuring members of The Ominous Circle, Holocausto Canibal, Heavenwood and Colosso caught me by surprise. I was really impressed with their blistering sound and bleak outlook. Cannot wait till hear more music from them in the future.

The 11th album from the long standing experimental metal act sees them taking further the avant garde sound of recent albums. Deeper Underground prominently features elements of d-beat and reggae/dub rhythms.Download the digital copy of the album from bandcamp for the ebook Exploring The Depths Of The Underground, a reflective essay that complements the album.

Enjoy the metal and potatoes death metal? This is the album for you, Just click on play below. Else check out the next album

Only Love is not your average metal/hardcore album. The first listen of the album left me gobsmacked and hitting repeat for more. Recommended for those who enjoy listening to bands that push the envelope.

 

June releases

Disappointed with the recent Morbid Angel album? Exiler will make up for it with it’s dissonant death metal sound. A recent discovery courtesy Everlasting Spew Records.

And You Will Obey Me.. is the latest release from Down among the Dead men featuring death metal masters David Ingram & Rogga Johansson. If those names do not convince you to grab a copy of the album, not else will.

The only non extreme metal release featured this month. The debut full length from the Australian act is well executed power/heavy metal devoid of the any cheesiness. Guitarists Denis Sudzuka and Matt Carroll put on an impressive showcase. I am surprised that the band are still unsigned.

I’ve listened to this album the most the past month. This could be due to the gloomy rainy days in Mumbai but mainly because this is the best black metal release I have heard recently. The hooded Portuguese act have produced a truly unsettling listening experience.

Manor of Infinite Forms is a vicious album further enhanced by it’s raw production. Listening to it, I was reminded of my favorite death metal records from the 90’s. A slamming debut full length from the Canadian act. A must listen for death metal fans.