The SCUMFEAST METAL FAVORITES OF 2018

The SCUMFEAST METAL FAVORITES OF 2018

Well here we are at what we now call obligatory. Yes it's the end of year favorites. I've always called these things "favorites" because you really don't know what the best is. It's always based on being a fan, a friend or advertising dollars. Thankfully that latter part does not apply to SFM666. So what we have here are a bunch of releases which I separate by genre or other reasons. Look if it was a shit year or I worked for a publication, then yeah I could just kick out 40 or more best releases of the year. As long as the advertisers were happy, right. But no not here at SFM666 because I get exposed to a lot of stuff and I get excited by most of it but I decide which ones which will stick with me for years to come.


Secondly while others (publications, websites, dipshits) make their lists of faves early, I wait till the last minute. Now unfortunately I don't hear every release out their. Some of you reading this list will say "well where's (insert band name here)? Yeah well all I can say is that it was not sent in for review or I didn't buy it. But trust me because a week from now I will be at the music store piling up on the January close-out sales. Now as for you snot nosed hipster types who'll say "well I never heard of these bands". My answer to you is simple, then check em out! 


SFM666 is about sharing information on cool extreme music. You have to understand I was that kid in the early 1970's who listened to BLACK SABBATH for the first time and heard the words "My Name is Lucifer, Please Take My Hand" and I was like OK! Some years later I was at a party doing plenty of drinking and drugs. I was talking music with the guy who's apartment it was and we liked the same music. So he reaches into his stack of albums and pulls out IRON MAIDEN's first LP and asks "have you heard these guys yet?" And that is what I, Mr. Wolf, do here at Scumfeast Metal 666. So here are SFM666 favorites of 2018. Have you heard these bands yet?


BLACK METAL 

Black Fuckin Metal, yes it's been a good year for this genre. Whether it's artists keeping true to the old ways, others stretching boundaries or old favorites making tremendous comebacks. There's also a few that might make you re-think your prejudices. With that said here are ten so here you go.


FUNERAL WINDS - Sinister Creed (Avantgarde Music)

LABYRINTH ENTRANCE - Monumental Bitterness (Godz Ov War Productions)

THE CLEARING PATH - Watershed Between Firmament and the Realm of Hyperborea (I, Voidhanger Records)

FUNERAL MIST - Hekatomb (Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

CULTUS PROFANO - Sacramentum Obscurus (Debemur Morti Productions)

IMMORTAL - Northern Chaos Gods (Nuclear Blast)

MINNERIKET - Anima Sola (Akslen Black Art Records)

OV SHADOWS - The Darkness Between Stars (Black Market Metal Label)

INHIBITIONS - La Danse Macabre (Satanath Records)

MISANTHROPIC RAGE - Igne Natura Renovatur Integra (Godz ov War Productions)



DEATH METAL

Yes Death Fuckin Metal in 2018 was.......OK. A few years ago the whole old school sound coming back was cool as fuck for an old fuck like me. But in 2018 it has become a genre in itself. Then you had the usual suspects churning out lackluster releases which only a jaded hiptard would appreciate. If it wasn't for small labels discovering obscure acts from around the world and a few comebacks then DM 2018 would've sucked. Here's ten favorites for ya.


LIVIDITY - Perverseverance (Metal Age Productions)

ATARAXY - Where All Hope Fades (Dark Descent Records)

FERVENT HATE - Tales of Hate, Lust and Chaos (Satanath Records)

DE PROFUNDIS - The Blinding Light Of Faith (Transcending Obscurity Records)

RITUAL NECROMANCY - Disinterred Horror (Dark Descent Records)

SHED THE SKIN - We of Scorn (Hells Headbangers Records)

FERVENT HATE - Tales of Hate, Lust and Chaos (Satanath Records)

DEIQUISITOR - Downfall of the Apostate (Dark Descent Records)

DEICIDE - Overtures of Blasphemy (Century Media Records)

SKELETAL REMAINS - Devouring Mortality (Dark Descent Records)



DOOM, SLUDGE METAL & STONER ROCK

Whether you were sad, angry or high as fuck then 2018 had plenty of releases within the Doom genre to suit your mood. As far as the heavy hitters go well I don't give sympathy points. But a couple past greats returned to show they're more than their catalogs have given us. Still it's the new acts which ruled 2018. Here are ten releases which fit the mode for 2018.


WINDHAND - Eternal Return (Relapse Records)

COFFIN TORTURE - Dismal Planet (Sludgelord Records)

BAST - Nanoangstrom (Black Bow Records)

KIELKROPF - Ignorance Is Bliss (Sludgelord Records)

ABSENT - Towards The Void (World War Now Records)

ET MORIEMUR - Epigrammata (Transcending Obscurity Records)

DRUGLORD - New Day Dying (Sludgelord Records)

HOODED MENACE - Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed (Season of Mist)

GRAVECOVEN - Coughing Blood EP (Godz ov War Productions)

TOWARDS ATLANTIS LIGHTS -  Dust of Aeons (Transcending Obscurity Records)




THRASH, SPEED METAL & HARDCORE

Ever since the rise and face plant of the Thrash Revival a decade ago this genre has lost much of it's punch. Since then I've heard bands tweaking their thrash sounds into knots in order to appeal to listeners looking for something decent. Then there's the fucking formulated crap being produced by the same people who brought you formulated crap a year before. And less we not forget the overly political or goofy (or both) types of thrash which induces gag reactions from yours truly. Ugh! Yeah to find something great within the confines of this genre was tough. So that's why I include it with Speed Metal which technically predates the term Thrash by ah maybe a year. I also toss in Hardcore because I know it will piss off the punks. So anyway here's five excellent releases that keep the whole thing evil.


VOMITOR - Pestilent Death (Hells Headbangers Records)

SATHANAS - Necrohymns  (Transcending Obscurity Records)

WHIPSTRIKER - Merciless Artillery (Hells Headbangers Records)

ANCESTOR - Lords of Destiny (Awakening Records)

NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST - Grinding Bombing Thrashing (Selfmadegod Records)



GRINDCORE

Honestly I don't know why I get a ton of grindcore releases in for review. Seriously I've made it perfectly clear that as far as those bands go I like it old school, fast, furious and not progressive or avant. That's basically the ugly sound that first emanated out of the Hardcore scene in the late 80's. I like bands that have one foot in the Metal scene and the other firmly planted in that chaotic adolescent hardcore style. Here's five fantastic grind releases which will rip you a new one.


HUMAN COMPOST - Exhumations Of Death And Horror (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

FETO IN FETUS - From Blessing to Violence (Selfmadegod Records)

HUMAN CULL - Revenant (WOOAAARGH)

MY MINDS MINE - Passengers Of The Void (Selfmadegod Records)

TREASONIST - Self Titled (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)



METAL

Hey little dude do you like Metal, then kiss the boot. Yeah True Metal or Traditional Metal, NWOBHM, Hard Fuckin Rock, etc. It's releases that keep the spirit of old yet are not involved in revivalism. 


DECEASED - Ghostly White (Hells Headbangers Records)

JUDAS PRIEST - Firepower (Columbia Records)

TOXIKULL - The Nightraiser (Mosher Records)

IRON LAMB - Blue Haze (The Sign Records)

HYPNOS - The GBG Sessions (The Sign Records)


FOLK METAL / VIKING METAL 

I use to get plenty of releases under this genre banner years ago. Now that the fad has ended it's slim pickings. Well if there was one release that kept the spirit alive it was this one.

GWYDION - Thirteen (Ultraje)



REISSUES

Tired of laying down huge chunks of cash for collector scum treasures? Then get a reissue. Here's four top reissued gems that are for people who love the music and not the novelty.

ILDRA - Eoelland (Heidens Hart Records)

CRIMSON RELIC - Purgatory's Reign (Dark Descent Records)

SKRAECKOEDLAN - Appeltradet (The Sign Records)

DEATH VOMIT - Gutted by Horrors (Hells Headbangers Records)



SPLIT RELEASES 

Most of the time when you pick up a split release it's for the one band you know and the second one is an extra treat. At least you hope that's the case. Here's three favorites for ya.

TERRANAUT / CHAOSOPHY (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

COATHANGER ABORTION / SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER / ROTTENNESS - The Hate Divide (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

WARFIST / EXCIDIUM - Laws of Perversion & Filth (Godz Ov War Productions)



SELF RELEASED FAVORITES


I decided this year to spotlight self releases separately. Years ago a band's self release was looked upon as a demo. But these days with better recording and more ways to self promote a band can produce something just as good without a label backing them. Still they can get lost in the shuffle. Any of these releases would easily sit in the above genre categories. 


GOLGOTHAN REMAINS - Perverse Offerings to the Void

Death Metal from Australia

https://golgothanremains.bandcamp.com/


MY DEATHBED - My Deathbed

One Man Black Metal project from Greece

https://mydeathbed.bandcamp.com/


AGATHOS - Nihil Est

Black Metal from Spain

https://agathos.bandcamp.com/


DEGRAVE - Self Titled

Thrash from America's Heartland

https://degrave.bandcamp.com/


TROLLWAR - Oath of The Storm

Troll Metal from Quebec

https://trollwar.bandcamp.com/




FAVORITE LABELS OF 2018

Dark Descent Records
http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/


Hells Headbangers Records
https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/


Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/


Godz Ov War Productions
http://godzovwar.com/shop/en/


Transcending Obscurity Records
https://transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/




Hottest Thing in Metal 2018

This chick right here.





Worst Thing in Metal 2018

Obviously the worst thing happening in Metal in 2018 were these Social Justice COWARDS who got shows and tours shut down. 

That's it, I'm taking a week off.