Extreme Metal Maniac Blog : EXTREME METAL MANIAC'S BEST METAL RELEASES FOR 2021

EXTREME METAL MANIAC'S BEST METAL RELEASES FOR 2021

The obligatory opening lines about our year in Extreme Metal for 2021. So the two most obvious things for me this year were legacy bands all over the place and death metal. As for the latter I said in a review this year that death was my friend in 2021. Basically there was plenty to be pissed off about this year. So luckily I had some new death metal to calm my savageness.

As far as the legacy band releases go yeah there were some cool releases by acts that started out in my younger days. It was also cool to see some older black and death metal bands get their shit together and release new stuff. Now as far as disappointments go yeah I'd say the majority of the so-called most anticipated releases were not so hot. In fact many were just down right boring. Also you had some well known extreme acts who had decent releases but couldn't compare to some of the newer acts out there.

So with all of that said it's time to cry havoc and release my list of the year's best.

TOP 40 FULL LENGTH RELEASES FOR 2021

1. CARCASS – Torn Arteries

(Nuclear Blast)

Their best album since Necroticism. CARCASS took what they do best and tweaked it a bit for modern consumption.

2. VEILBURNER - Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull

(Transcending Obscurity Records)

Blackened Death from Pennsylvania that takes on avant garde Euro black metal touches and plenty of prog elements.

3. STRANGULIATORIUS - Doctor's Orders Do Not Touch

(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

Death Metal and Grind combined to induce banging whether by heads or fists.

4. ZMARLYM - Druga Fala

(Godz Ov War Productions)

Polish Black Metal that incorporates some prog, psych, electronica and hard fuckin rock into their blackened palette.

5. BEWITCHER – Cursed Be Thy Kingdom

(Century Media Records)

Straight up classic 80's metal.

6. CRAVEN IDOL - Forked Tongues

(Dark Descent Records)

More Blackened Thrash by this English act that still strays away from the Teutonic versions as well as the generic American style.

7. DESTRUCTO - Demonic Possession

(Dying Victims Productions)

This is what you call the Devil's Rock n Roll. Modern Dutch Blackened Thrash sounding like it came out of Brazil in the late 80's.

8. TOWER - Shock To The System

(Cruz del Sur Music)

Hailing from New York, this band takes their influences from early metal (late 70's/early 80's) and retrofits it with some modern energy.

9. HOODED MENACE - The Tritonus Bell

(Season of Mist)

Finnish Death Doom icons channeling MY DYING BRIDE, KATATONIA and KING DIAMOND minus the high pitched vocals. While at the same time keeping part of their past death doom destructive pedigree.

10. NEKROMANTHEON – The Visions of Trismegistos

(Indie Recordings)

This Norwegian act takes Blackened Thrash to a higher level, add their own stamp to it and put out one of the most ferocious sounding releases of the year.

11. APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE - Until The Darkness Goes

(Cruz del Sur Music)

Classic US Doom pushing pain and misery to enjoyable levels.

12. CHAINSWORD - Blightmarch

(Godz Ov War Productions)

One of the newer extreme acts vying to be kings of Polish Death Metal.

13. GRAVE MIASMA - Abyss of Wrathful Deities

(Sepulchral Voice Records / Dark Descent Records)

Modern Blackened Death with some thrash touches sounding like a beast willing to tear you to pieces.

14. BESATT - Supreme and True at Night

(Witching Hour Productions)

Poland's Black Metal legends return with one of their best albums in years.

15. THRONE - Pestilent Dawn

(Redefining Darkness Records)

Polish death and blackened extremism meets Floridian tech insanity.

16. ASPHYX – Necroceros

(Century Media)

Not really a comeback for this Dutch Death Metal institution. More like a return to form as being one of the best there ever was.

17. REVULSION - Self Titled

(Transcending Obscurity Records)

Valedictorians of the latest Finnish death metal class.

18. CRYPTS OF DESPAIR - All Light Swallowed

(Transcending Obscurity Records)

A death metal storming from Lithuania

19. IMPALED NAZARENE - Eight Headed Serpent

(Osmose Productions)

Finland's Black Metal veterans return with some blackened punk and speed metal insanity.

20. CHARRED - Prayers Of Malediction

(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

Thrash from Florida that hits you like a blow torch to the face.

21. OXYGEN DESTROYER - Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind

(Redefining Darkness Records)

Blackened Death Metal / Thrash with songs inspired by a bunch of Japanese Kaiju movies.

22. VOMIT SPELL - Self Titled

(F.D.A. Records)

German death grind act who remind ya how it use to be.

23. ETERITUS - Rotten Transition

(Godz Ov War Productions)

Polish band that runs the gambit of Swedish melodic death (minus the MAIDEN influences), thrash and some doom. Better yet they're making it their own sound.

24. THYRFING - Vanagandr

(Despotz Records)

One of the greats in Viking influenced Black Metal from Sweden returns.

25. COUNT RAVEN – The Sixth Storm

(I Hate Records)

Another cool SABBATH worshiping good time from these Swedish Doom vets.

26. UNLEASHED - No Sign of Life

(Napalm Records)

These Swedish Vikings are not ready for Valhalla as long as there are battles to be won.

27.HELLOWEEN - Self Titled

(Victor)

They're still the greatest power metal band of all time.

28. MASK OF SATAN - Underneath the Mire

(Iron, Blood and Death Corporation)

Competitors to the throne of Finnish Death Metal greatness.

29. CUTTERRED FLESH - Sharing is Caring

(Transcending Obscurity Records)

Death Metal from Czechia that comes across sounding like something inbetween VADER and IMMOLATION.

30. EXODUS – Persona Non Grata

(Nuclear Blast)

Their best album in over a decade.

31. HELL-BORN - Natas Liah

(Odium Records)

Perfection in blackened death has been made by these Polish veterans of extreme metal.

32. NERVOSA - Perpetual Chaos

(Napalm Records)

All female thrash with an international cast.

33. VHS - I Heard They Suck... Blood

(Wise Blood Records)

Gore obsessed death grind punk with humor set in.

34. PARANORM - Empyrean

(Redefining Darkness Records)

Good thrash from Sweden, of all places, with some tech and prog moments tossed in.

35. ACCEPT - Too Mean to Die

(Nuclear Blast)

They're still good.

36. ANETTE OLZON - Strong

(Frontiers Records)

Her second solo album. She's much better as the star instead of a front woman replacement.

37. DREAD SOVEREIGN - Alchemical Warfare

(Metal Blade Records)

It's basically PRIMORDIAL gone doom which ain't bad.

38. AEONBLACK - The Time Will Come

(Black Sunset / MDD)

It's a German PRIEST for 2021 and it's pure fucking heavy metal.

39. WITCHTIT - Intoxicating Lethargy

(Self-Released)

Classic doom with female vocals from North Carolina.

40. AEON - God Ends Here

(Metal Blade Records)

Death Metal comeback album of the year.

BEST EPs of 2021

1. CURSE OF DENIAL - The Reckoning EP

(Redefining Darkness Records)

Punishing Death Metal from Ohio with a sound enjoyable to the old school crowd and tweaks which will easily spark interest to those of modern DM appreciation.

2. DEIQUISITOR - Humanoid EP

(Dark Descent Records)

Dannish Death Metal which is a secret military weapon and will destroy you.

3. HAVUKRUUNU - Kuu erkylan ylla EP

(Naturmacht Productions)

Part of Finland's new school of Black Metal. Their full lengths are great and this EP follows suit.

4. LADY BEAST - OMENS EP

(Reaper Metal Productions)

Pittsburgh's True Metal connection keeps on rolling and they toss in a RAINBOW cover.

5. EVULSE - Pustulant Spawn EP

(Godz Ov War Productions)

Brand new USDM act outta California.

BEST SPLIT RELEASE OF 2021

SEROTONIN LEAKAGE / CHARCUTERIE - Split EP

(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

I believe this is the most disgusting release I've ever heard in my life. By the way yeah that makes it great.

BEST COMPILATIONS of 2021

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Death Metal Power From Beyond compilation

(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

COFFINS - Defilements 2xCD Compilation

(Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

BEST LIVE ALBUM

PARADISE LOST – Gothic Live At Roadburn 2016

(Nuclear Blast)

BEST REISSUES OF 2021

DEIVOS - Emanation From Below 2xCD

(Selfmadegod Records)

DAMNABLE - Inperdition

(Godz Ov War Productions)

WEHRMACHT - Shark Attack

(Hammerheart Records)

MOST OFFENSIVE ALBUM COVER OF THE YEAR THAT I LIKE

OFFENCE - You'll Never Rest In Peace

(Witching Hour Productions)

FAVORITE LABELS OF 2021

(based on number of releases in the favorites listings)

1. Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

The little o'l label out of Hostile City, USA and that's Philadelphia, PA to all of you. Whenever HPGD sends something in for review I know it's going to push the limits on extreme. Whether it's death metal, grind, hardcore or punk insanity, HPGD has it.

2. Godz Ov War Productions

3. Transcending Obscurity Records

4. Redefining Darkness Records

5. Nuclear Blast

HOTTEST THING IN METAL FOR 2021