SCUMFEAST METAL's FAVORITE RELEASES OF 2019

SCUMFEAST METAL's FAVORITE RELEASES OF 2019


Well it's the beginning of 2020 which means I give you MY list of favorite releases and things from the year before. Now for a while I would switch up the style of the list year after year. I use to do things by genre simply because I listened to so much great material. But, especially in 2019, I'm not reviewing 300 plus releases anymore. Basically I'm concentrating on the good stuff that comes in for review or what I purchase. 


Now as always I use the term FAVORITES because that's what these releases are. As for the term BEST well these releases are all great to ME equally. So these listings are not really in order of best to not so best. Although I will say the first twenty in my top forty are close to an order. I had over forty chosen as favorites so three had to get left off the list.


If you're wondering why YOUR favorites are not on this list well maybe I didn't hear them this year. Then again I did and heard something better. Something else I considered this year was that this is SCUMFEAST METAL and if you read my stuff you know I like the sick twisted extreme metal out there. Also I like bands who remind me of the past. Nothing against new stuff but I am who I am.


Either way here you go. 


SCUMFEAST METAL 666 FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2019 

1) MAYHEM - Daemon 
(Century Media Records)

Finally MAYHEM took strong influences from their past and retrofitted them to modern audiences.

  
2) CANDLEMASS - The Door to Doom
(Napalm Records)

The return of Johan Langquist on vocals. The return to Doom done to perfection from these Swedes.


3) KAMPFAR - Ofidians Manifest 
(Indie Recordings)

One of my favorite Norwegian black metal bands over the past fuckin twenty years comes forth with an astonishing release that pushes boundaries for them and yet keeps things within the temple.


4) CRYPT SERMON - The Ruins of Fading Light 
(Dark Descent Records)

Epic Doom from Philly, PA that honors the past as well as looks toward the future. 


5) CURSE OF DENIAL - Coming For Your Soul 
(Redefining Darkness Records)

Blackened Death from Middle America but with so much more extreme metal influences it's gonna break your neck.


6) SMOULDER - Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring 
(Cruz del Sur Music)

Huge surprise act of the year. This Canadian band created a debut full length that captures the old epic fantasy metal style with gutsy female vocals.


7) SAINT VITUS - Self Titled 
(Season of Mist)

Another long time band brings back an old singer and magic commences. On this their ninth album it's the return of Scott Reagers.


8) DEIVOS - Casus Belli 
(Selfmadegod Records)

Brutal Polish Death Metal done right. DEIVOS has always been overshadowed by the fellow DM peers in their nation's scene. Not this time around.


9) PAGANIZER - The Tower of the Morbid 
(Transcending Obscurity Records)

Rogga Johansson has been carrying the battle flag of Swedish Death Metal for decades now in various musical projects. It's about time his longstanding band, PAGANIZER, got their do. I like my old school death metal and this album is just so damm good.


10) TWISTED TOWER DIRE - Wars in the Unknown
(No Remorse Records)
If you're a fan of true metal, US power metal or whatever you want to call it jerky then Wars in the Unknown is going to be one of the greatest albums you'll hear in 2019. 


11) MIDNIGHT PRIEST - Aggressive Hauntings
(Metal on Metal Records)

Imagine KING DIAMOND with a little Painkiller era PRIEST thrown in. Well that's what this Portuguese band does with the amazing  Lex Thunder on vocals.


12) NILE - Vile Nilotic Rites
(Nuclear Blast)

New vocalist, a few changes within direction and their best album in years.


13) THE END A.D. - Badlands 
(Fastball Music)

Female fronted punk metal veteran four piece out of Philadelphia, PA who bring the goods.


14) POSSESSED - Revelations of Oblivion
(Nuclear Blast)

Three decades was worth the wait to get it right. POSSESSED's comeback release is old school DM with a fresh modern attack.


15) RIBSPREADER - Crawl And Slither
(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

Another great Rogga Johansson Swedish Death Metal act. If you still crave Like an Ever Flowing Stream, Into the Grave or Left Hand Path then here you go.


16) 1349 - The Infernal Pathway 
(Season of Mist)

Another Norwegian Black Metal legend returns to prominence. Not another Hellfire but still way better than their experimental stuff over the past few years.


17) WRAITH - Absolute Power 
(Redefining Darkness Records)

As the saying goes "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". In this Indiana band's case it's their blackened speed metal style which reminds ya of MIDNIGHT and TOXIC HOLOCAUST. Great stuff.


18) EXUMER - Hostile Defiance 
(Metal Blade Records)

Germany's SLAYER wannabees have put out the best thrash album you'll blast in 2019.


19) USURPER - Lords of the Permafrost
(Soulseller Records)

One of America's greatest metal acts is back, just as good as ever and what the young kids don't know us older folks understand. Wooooooooooo! 


20) SAVAGE MASTER - Myth, Magic and Steel 
(Shadow Kingdom Records)

Well for starters this is the album cover of the year. Secondly the band proves they're not a one trick pony on this their third full length.


21) DETHEROUS - Hacked to Death 
(Redefining Darkness Records)

This is what death thrash is supposed to be.


22) SLOMATICS - Canyons 
(Black Bow Records)

Ireland's premiere sludgey doom act (who I've always considered to be an Irish version of YOB) puts out a progressive yet sludge driven masterpiece.


23) MEAN MACHINE - Rock 'n' Roll Up Your Ass 
(Fighter Records)

A throwback to the 1990's. This Spanish three piece invokes memories of MOTORHEAD and the HELLACOPTERS. This is fuckin great.


24) PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT - Self Titled
(Rising Nemesis Records)

Yeah this one is up here to piss off the hipsters. But still this Dutch brutal death metal act's sixth full length is damm good.


25) OVERKILL - The Wings of War 
(Nuclear Blast)

This is a better than just being a great release by New Jersey's best metal band. But then of course it is because (WARNING BIAS OPINION AHEAD) OVERKILL is the Greatest Thrash band from the East Coast. They blew away their contemporaries from across the Hudson River back in the day. Presently OVERKILL are still, STILL putting out great fuckin thrash and those other guys are on That Metal Show or appearing in VH1 metal memories documentaries. I'll still take this over that other shit any day.


26) KRYPTS - Cadaver Circulation 
(Dark Descent Records)

Modern Finnish Death Doom with hints of the past.


27) ROGGA JOHANSSON - Entrance to the Otherwhere 
(Transcending Obscurity Records)

This is one release which sat on the fence for being included in my year's favorites. It's the third Rogga Johansson release in my favorites because it's just so infectious. Plenty of Swede Death, hardcore influence and death doom.


28) VHS - We're Gonna Need Some Bigger Riffs 
(Horror Pain Gore Death Records)

VHS make babies cry and hipsters puke. Basically the band play gore obsessed punk/grind with some death metal influence. What's not to love about that.


29) GORGON - Elegy
(Dusktone)

A symphonic death metal act from France that draws you in excitement and atmosphere galore.


30) CULT OF SORROW - Invocation of the Lucifer
(Black Doomba Records)

SAB-4 worship done right with some look toward the future.


31) ELBOW DEEP - Bodily Fluids
(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

This release is just offensive enough and yet funny to keep the average non-politically correct type interested. This is pure Scumfeast worthy.


32) CANNABIS CORPSE - Nug So Vile
(Season of Mist)

Another dose of dope death metal. Still they can do no wrong and have not become borring.


33) SKULLSMASHER - Rocket Hammer Brian Surgery 
(Selfmadegod Records)

Andrew Lee of RIPPED TO SHREDS channels early NAPALM DEATH and REPULSION to perfection.


34) SARKE - Gastwerso
(Indie Recordings)

Gastwerso is the culmination of everything great that this act has done previously.


35) ILLIMITABLE DOLOR - Leaden Light 
(Transcending Obscurity Records)

This Australian band has put out some of the most beautiful sounding and engaging death doom that their peers have lost sight off. 


36) WINDSWEPT - The Onlooker 
(Season of Mist)

Another side project by DRUDKH 's main man, Roman Sayenko, who continues to produce great Ukrainian black metal.


37) VIRCOLAC - Masque 
(Dark Descent Records)

This release proves that Ireland is known for damm good death metal.


38) TAR PIT - Tomb Of Doom
(Sludgelord Records)

Sludgey doom with a love for 70's hard fuckin rock. 


39) FRENZY - Blind Justice
Underground Power Records

One of those huge surprises of the year. Full on 80's metal worship with an amazing vocalist.


40) GRAVE VIOLATOR - Back To The Cult 
(Reaper Metal Productions)

Non generic blackened thrash from Finland, hell yeah you won't be bored.




SCUMFEAST METAL 666 FAVORITE COMPILATIONS OF 2019

OK I had a lot of compilations to check out in 2019, a dozen at least. And for me these four are my absolute favorites. If you're into the extreme then you really need to check out these comps.


VESICATION - Total Fecall 
(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

Canadian filth mongers who worship at the altar of IMPETIGO as well as a few other less then glorious brutal death metal acts.


SKUZ - Death Mince Discography Compilation
(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

This compilation is a MUST HAVE for sick fucks who crave CIANIDE and MORTICIAN kinda stuff.


FUNERAL WINDS - The Unheavenly Saviour
(Necromanteion)

Consider this one of the best Dutch BM releases from the early nineties coming out today. Nuff Said.


SLASHING DEATH - Off compilation
(Selfmadegod Records)

Polish grindcore from the late 80's up to 1990. Oh yeah you know it's good.



SCUMFEAST METAL 666 FAVORITE REISSUES OF 2019

I picked up a bunch of reissues in 2019. Most of em are 70's hard rock or punk stuff. A bunch of metal related stuff came in for review but most was of mainstream metal. The releases I'm showcasing here are more obscure and worthy of your attention.


BURIAL - Relinquished Souls Reissue
(Redefining Darkness Records)

This one right here is a Dutch death metal masterpiece from 1993 and that's not a boast. 


EFFIGY - MCMXCII  Darkest Day reissue
(Redefining Darkness Records)

As far as EFFIGY goes, they were a death metal band from Kentucky who had two members who later were part of ABOMINANT and put out this demo in 1992.


TORPEDO - Rocking Hard Compilation
(Dying Victims Productions)

80's style speed metal from a few years back as a side project of demos.



SCUMFEAST METAL 666 FAVORITE EPS OF 2019

Normally I don't focus much on EPs or any short form releases. But 2019 was a year where I got inundated by these short form releases which blew me the fuck away. Here's a bunch which are my favorites from 2019.



1) FATHER BEFOULED - Holy Rotten Blood EP
(Dark Descent Records)

They sit upon an old school death metal throne built with their own muscle. Hell fuckin yeah this is great.


2) WALKING CORPSE - Self Titled EP 
(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

Yes Gothenburg, your latest non-mellow extreme act is a death grind powerhouse.


3) CEPALUSS - Death Fantasies Rise EP
(Self Released)

One man band from Finland with a release that slices, dices, saute's, grills and damm well grinds it up for every DM listener to enjoy.


4) BAT - Axestasy EP
(Hells Headbangers Records)

Over the years I've become a bigger fan of the side projects by the members of MUNICIPAL WASTE than their day job band. Case in point here, Ryan Waste's BAT is speed metal, NWOBHM and classic 80's metal all in one.


5) HELLRIPPER - Black Arts & Alchemy EP 
(Reaper Metal Productions)

Scottish a one man blackened thrash/speed metal act that just kicks ass.


6) LVCIFYRE - Sacrament  EP
(Dark Descent Records)

LVCIFYRE are one of many bands out there who've taken the whole atmospheric / experimental side of blackened death metal to the hilt of their own creative inspiration.


7) HATE THEM ALL - Goat Tormentor  EP
(Old Temple)

Polish fuckin Black Metal, nuff said.


8) AXIS OF DESPAIR - And The Machine Rolls On 7" EP
(Selfmadegod Records)

Ya gotta love eight minutes of face rippin metal.


9) MOULIN BANAL - Le Rythme Du Maréchal Ferrant EP
(Grey Matter Productions)

Beautiful black metal from Quebec.


10) UNGRAVEN - Language of Longing EP
(Self Released)

Jon Davis of English sludge heavyweights CONAN gets his ya ya's out with a solo project.


SCUMFEAST METAL 666 FAVORITE LIVE ALBUM OF 2019


ANTISEEN - Live in Japan 
(Mystery School Records)

Granted nothing beats seeing ANTISEEN live in person but there's been so many great live in Japan albums over the decades. So they now have one too.



SCUMFEAST METAL 666 FAVORITE LABELS IN 2019

A favorite label to me is one where most of my favorite releases come from during the year. I pretty much had a three was tie. So I just looked back on some other things and here you go.


1) Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

2) Redifining Darkness Records

3) Dark Descent Records


HOTTEST THING IN METAL 2019

This was easy, SAVAGE MASTER.

Saw them in May for the first time. I missed a previous show a year or two before. Now I was at some great shows in 2019 but SAVAGE MASTER was the band I was so stoked to see. Also it's great to finally see them being recognized by others in the Metal media. Bout damm time after being snubbed for the past few years. Looking forward to seeing them (hopefully) again in 2020.


WORST THING IN METAL 2019

Cancer Culture slithering into Metal

Whether it's by groups or certain individuals carrying their water for them in the media. It's these people who are against freedom of choice, freedom of speech and freedom of thought. Look if you don't like a band for whatever reason than fine don't go see em, don't buy their releases. That is your right and you can have your opinion. What you can't have is your own way and cancel out everything you don't like. Thankfully there are more fans of metal that have common sense who don't give a flying fuck about you pussies.


Lets go 2020 in METAL.