 | Blog author: Xavier Cattarinich And so the page has turned on another year. As I review my top 10 list for 2017, I find it interesting to compare those entries with my top 10 of 1987. If anything, the comparisons show just how much the boundaries of metal have expanded over the past three decades, and how my own tastes have changed. Yet as I first sat down to work on my list late last autumn, I felt like I was wringing blood from a stone. |
At first glance, I didn't think there was enough quality material out there from which to create a decent top 10 list. Silly me.
A friendly virtual nudge from Altars Of Grief vocalist Damian Smith pointed me towards releases I had overlooked during the year, some of which were mind-blowingly awesome (thanks, Damian!). Missing them would've been an embarrassment. But that's what happens when you spend too much isolating yourself under a rock, as I sometimes do. Each new discovery led me to another, and soon I had to acknowledge that yeah, 2017 actually was a pretty impressive year for metal.
In spite of my best efforts, I have only listened to a small fraction of the metal albums released in 2017. Even then, I expect that several of my entries might generate controversy of the "that's not real metal!" or "how could you not have included the new album by (insert artist name here)" variety, and that's fine. Some of the artists in my list probably don't even consider themselves "metal". I've honed in on quite a bit of experimental, alternative, folk-influenced and post-metal stuff, and all that really does is provide a snapshot of where my head and heart were in 2017 (i.e., largely trying to ignore and escape the world). Atmosphere and the sense of being taken on a dark journey matter more to me these days than exhibitions of pure aggression and technical proficiency for their own sake.
A friendly virtual nudge from Altars Of Grief vocalist Damian Smith pointed me towards releases I had overlooked during the year, some of which were mind-blowingly awesome (thanks, Damian!). Missing them would've been an embarrassment. But that's what happens when you spend too much isolating yourself under a rock, as I sometimes do. Each new discovery led me to another, and soon I had to acknowledge that yeah, 2017 actually was a pretty impressive year for metal.
In spite of my best efforts, I have only listened to a small fraction of the metal albums released in 2017. Even then, I expect that several of my entries might generate controversy of the "that's not real metal!" or "how could you not have included the new album by (insert artist name here)" variety, and that's fine. Some of the artists in my list probably don't even consider themselves "metal". I've honed in on quite a bit of experimental, alternative, folk-influenced and post-metal stuff, and all that really does is provide a snapshot of where my head and heart were in 2017 (i.e., largely trying to ignore and escape the world). Atmosphere and the sense of being taken on a dark journey matter more to me these days than exhibitions of pure aggression and technical proficiency for their own sake.
10. PILLORIAN - Obsidian Arc
I was so disappointed when Agalloch called it quits in 2016 after generating some of the best and ever evolving pagan neo-folk meets blackened doom metal known on this planet over the past two decades. The disappointment was short-lived when frontman John Haughm arose from the ashes with his new band, Pillorian, which released their debut album in 2017. Obsidian Arc picks up where Agalloch left off on The Serpent & The Sphere. The sound is familiar yet more feral, sinister and violent. Haughm's rasping voice seethes with a rage subdued in his previous works, and the dynamic compositions keep this journey interesting and unpredictable. Step aboard Pillorian's barge and absorb their dark poetry if you will, but heed the warning of the final song: "Dark Is The River Of Man".
I was so disappointed when Agalloch called it quits in 2016 after generating some of the best and ever evolving pagan neo-folk meets blackened doom metal known on this planet over the past two decades. The disappointment was short-lived when frontman John Haughm arose from the ashes with his new band, Pillorian, which released their debut album in 2017. Obsidian Arc picks up where Agalloch left off on The Serpent & The Sphere. The sound is familiar yet more feral, sinister and violent. Haughm's rasping voice seethes with a rage subdued in his previous works, and the dynamic compositions keep this journey interesting and unpredictable. Step aboard Pillorian's barge and absorb their dark poetry if you will, but heed the warning of the final song: "Dark Is The River Of Man".
09. MASTODON - Emperor Of Sand
Ah yes, I can already hear the snorts of derision. People tend to love or hate Mastodon, and those who hate them are pretty outspoken about their feelings. Regardless, Emperor Of Sand is a solid album that blends the best elements of Blood Mountain, Crack The Skye and The Hunter. Annoying and pedestrian poppy hit single "Show Yourself" notwithstanding, Mastodon continue to craft powerful songs set apart by the interplay of the three distinct vocal styles exhibited by Hinds, Dailor and Sanders. As with more recent releases, the band weaves lumbering riffs, proggy thrash, blues-tinged psychedelic rock, punk and grunge into their sound. While I would not say that Emperor Of Sand is better than Skye or Hunter, the underlying lyrical inspiration found in the struggles of family members and friends of the band battling cancer -- recast as the story of a lone wanderer sentenced to death in a desert waste -- really speaks to me. The chemistry between band members on Emperor really rivals that of Rush at their peak.
Ah yes, I can already hear the snorts of derision. People tend to love or hate Mastodon, and those who hate them are pretty outspoken about their feelings. Regardless, Emperor Of Sand is a solid album that blends the best elements of Blood Mountain, Crack The Skye and The Hunter. Annoying and pedestrian poppy hit single "Show Yourself" notwithstanding, Mastodon continue to craft powerful songs set apart by the interplay of the three distinct vocal styles exhibited by Hinds, Dailor and Sanders. As with more recent releases, the band weaves lumbering riffs, proggy thrash, blues-tinged psychedelic rock, punk and grunge into their sound. While I would not say that Emperor Of Sand is better than Skye or Hunter, the underlying lyrical inspiration found in the struggles of family members and friends of the band battling cancer -- recast as the story of a lone wanderer sentenced to death in a desert waste -- really speaks to me. The chemistry between band members on Emperor really rivals that of Rush at their peak.
08. CHELSEA WOLFE - Hiss Spun
I love Hiss Spun because it makes me feel to an extent few other albums do, bar none. I hate Hiss Spun because it scares the shit out of me. Hiss Spun may not be what most people think of when they think of metal, but it is among the heaviest and most depressively doom-laden albums in existence. It would rank higher on my list if I could only bring myself to listen to it more frequently (if emotion was the only criterion, Hiss Spun would take first place hands down). Take PJ Harvey, Portishead, Miranda Sex Garden, early Sabbath, Bleach-era Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails, grind them in a blender with top removed, watch the contents splatter... and you're still a ways off. Chelsea Wolfe is the forlorn voice of despair. If you are not prepared to listen, then walk away.
I love Hiss Spun because it makes me feel to an extent few other albums do, bar none. I hate Hiss Spun because it scares the shit out of me. Hiss Spun may not be what most people think of when they think of metal, but it is among the heaviest and most depressively doom-laden albums in existence. It would rank higher on my list if I could only bring myself to listen to it more frequently (if emotion was the only criterion, Hiss Spun would take first place hands down). Take PJ Harvey, Portishead, Miranda Sex Garden, early Sabbath, Bleach-era Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails, grind them in a blender with top removed, watch the contents splatter... and you're still a ways off. Chelsea Wolfe is the forlorn voice of despair. If you are not prepared to listen, then walk away.
07. MASTODON - Cold Dark Place
Just so the naysayers could moan even more, Mastodon released an EP only months after they released Emperor Of Sand. The four tracks on Cold Dark Place consist of material that didn't make the final cut on either Emperor Of Sand or Once More 'Round The Sun; surprisingly so, since the songs in this collection are among the band's very best — focused, gripping and heartfelt, if somewhat softer psychedelic prog rock with southern influences. Most of the songs would have been right at home on Crack The Skye. I for one would like to see the lads carry on in this direction.
Just so the naysayers could moan even more, Mastodon released an EP only months after they released Emperor Of Sand. The four tracks on Cold Dark Place consist of material that didn't make the final cut on either Emperor Of Sand or Once More 'Round The Sun; surprisingly so, since the songs in this collection are among the band's very best — focused, gripping and heartfelt, if somewhat softer psychedelic prog rock with southern influences. Most of the songs would have been right at home on Crack The Skye. I for one would like to see the lads carry on in this direction.
06. NISHAIAR - Universum
Enigmatic newcomers Nishaiar unveiled two EPs in 2017, Era I in February and its follow-up Universum, in October. The Encyclopedia Metallum archives suggest that the unnamed members of the quarter hail from Gondar, Ethiopia, which has generated a fair bit of discussion in some YouTube comments section, with some doubting the veracity of the claim. If the band truly is from Ethiopia, then I think that's super cool. If not, I don't care, because the music is awesome regardless of who is behind it (I strongly suspect that Valkus Valkiria–see entry #5 on this list–is involved in the project, since at the time of writing, the only non-YouTube and non-Bandcamp site to host anything about Nishaiar is Valkiria's website.) Universum is to describe (transcendental cosmic post-black metal world music with hints of Delirium and Midnight Odyssey?) but who cares about inadequate labels. When I listen to Universum, I'm witnessing the beautifully chaotic birth and death of the universe from the heart of a maelstrom. It's one hell of an auditory journey that's got to be heard to be believed.
Enigmatic newcomers Nishaiar unveiled two EPs in 2017, Era I in February and its follow-up Universum, in October. The Encyclopedia Metallum archives suggest that the unnamed members of the quarter hail from Gondar, Ethiopia, which has generated a fair bit of discussion in some YouTube comments section, with some doubting the veracity of the claim. If the band truly is from Ethiopia, then I think that's super cool. If not, I don't care, because the music is awesome regardless of who is behind it (I strongly suspect that Valkus Valkiria–see entry #5 on this list–is involved in the project, since at the time of writing, the only non-YouTube and non-Bandcamp site to host anything about Nishaiar is Valkiria's website.) Universum is to describe (transcendental cosmic post-black metal world music with hints of Delirium and Midnight Odyssey?) but who cares about inadequate labels. When I listen to Universum, I'm witnessing the beautifully chaotic birth and death of the universe from the heart of a maelstrom. It's one hell of an auditory journey that's got to be heard to be believed.
05. VALKIRIA - Visions Of Lost Souls / Kelthanir
In celebration of his project's 20th anniversary, Italian one-man-band Valkus Valkiria simultaneously released the stunning twin albums Visions Of Lost Souls and Kelthanir in 2017. I can't help but lose myself in the majesty of these masterpieces of gothic metal. While Valkiria sounds nothing like Opeth, a comparison between the Visions / Kelthanir pairing and Opeth's Damnation and Deliverance dual offering is apt. Visions is a more gentle (dare I say impressionistic?) and predominantly instrumental album. The music on that recording and vocal delivery on "No More Air To Breathe" strongly suggest Katatonia among Valkiria's influence. Someone that sounds remarkably like Kirsty Thirsk of the long-disbanded Rose Chronicles assumes the ethereal female lead on "I Am Here", and elsewhere the female vocals are reminiscent of Liesje Sadonius of Sterophonic-era Hooverphonic. Kelthanir continues the odyssey begun in Visions and leads it through more conventional but nevertheless awesome atmospheric black metal territory. Needless to say, Valkiria deserves broader recognition than he has received thus far.
In celebration of his project's 20th anniversary, Italian one-man-band Valkus Valkiria simultaneously released the stunning twin albums Visions Of Lost Souls and Kelthanir in 2017. I can't help but lose myself in the majesty of these masterpieces of gothic metal. While Valkiria sounds nothing like Opeth, a comparison between the Visions / Kelthanir pairing and Opeth's Damnation and Deliverance dual offering is apt. Visions is a more gentle (dare I say impressionistic?) and predominantly instrumental album. The music on that recording and vocal delivery on "No More Air To Breathe" strongly suggest Katatonia among Valkiria's influence. Someone that sounds remarkably like Kirsty Thirsk of the long-disbanded Rose Chronicles assumes the ethereal female lead on "I Am Here", and elsewhere the female vocals are reminiscent of Liesje Sadonius of Sterophonic-era Hooverphonic. Kelthanir continues the odyssey begun in Visions and leads it through more conventional but nevertheless awesome atmospheric black metal territory. Needless to say, Valkiria deserves broader recognition than he has received thus far.
04. SÓLSTAFIR - Berdreyminn
Regardless of genre, it seems that many Icelandic bands share qualities that give them a distinctively Icelandic sound, and that is true of Sólstafir as well. Initially formed as a black metal outfit in 1995, Sólstafir began its transition to a post-metal sound with the release of its third full-length album, Köld in 2009. Berdreyminn arguably is the most psychedelic and accessible of the group's albums to date–a recording for which the metal label is much too limiting. I had the good fortune of spending an entire month in Iceland in 2011, and this collection of songs that takes me right back there. The sense of naked isolation in a wild, wind-swept land shrouded in darkness half of the year is palpable in every composition. Imagine a harder edged Sigur Rós with a sprinkling of Pink Floyd and War-era U2, and you'll begin to picture the start magnificence captured Berdreyminn. As with all of Sólstafir's past recordings, the songs are sung entirely in Icelandic, leaving those who don't understand the language with an intensely emotional journey conveyed via the expressiveness of founder and lead singer Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason's fragile, mournful howls. This is great music.
Regardless of genre, it seems that many Icelandic bands share qualities that give them a distinctively Icelandic sound, and that is true of Sólstafir as well. Initially formed as a black metal outfit in 1995, Sólstafir began its transition to a post-metal sound with the release of its third full-length album, Köld in 2009. Berdreyminn arguably is the most psychedelic and accessible of the group's albums to date–a recording for which the metal label is much too limiting. I had the good fortune of spending an entire month in Iceland in 2011, and this collection of songs that takes me right back there. The sense of naked isolation in a wild, wind-swept land shrouded in darkness half of the year is palpable in every composition. Imagine a harder edged Sigur Rós with a sprinkling of Pink Floyd and War-era U2, and you'll begin to picture the start magnificence captured Berdreyminn. As with all of Sólstafir's past recordings, the songs are sung entirely in Icelandic, leaving those who don't understand the language with an intensely emotional journey conveyed via the expressiveness of founder and lead singer Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason's fragile, mournful howls. This is great music.
03. ENSLAVED - E
Norway's Enslaved remain one of the most ambitiously experimental bands out there, and 2017's E is a standout in this regard. From meandering dreamy passages suggestive of Radiohead or Porcupine Tree to epic soundscapes featuring double-kick assaults, gutteral vocals alternating with clean harmonies, monstrous guitar riffs, psychedelic synth arrangements, Middle Eastern influences, and saxophones, this one has it all. More importantly, everything reinforces the album's thematic consistency. The deeply metaphysical lyrics explore the ties that bind humans to each other, and those that connect humans with their environment. Comparison to Opeth's late works are inevitable, but I would suggest that E is more ambitious in scope than anything Akerfeldt and company have released, while still showcasing Enslaved's extreme metal roots. Try telling me that you can listen to "The River's Mouth" without foot stomping and headbanging. Oh, and the Depeche Mode-esque closing track "What Else Is There" is sublime. What else is there, indeed.
Norway's Enslaved remain one of the most ambitiously experimental bands out there, and 2017's E is a standout in this regard. From meandering dreamy passages suggestive of Radiohead or Porcupine Tree to epic soundscapes featuring double-kick assaults, gutteral vocals alternating with clean harmonies, monstrous guitar riffs, psychedelic synth arrangements, Middle Eastern influences, and saxophones, this one has it all. More importantly, everything reinforces the album's thematic consistency. The deeply metaphysical lyrics explore the ties that bind humans to each other, and those that connect humans with their environment. Comparison to Opeth's late works are inevitable, but I would suggest that E is more ambitious in scope than anything Akerfeldt and company have released, while still showcasing Enslaved's extreme metal roots. Try telling me that you can listen to "The River's Mouth" without foot stomping and headbanging. Oh, and the Depeche Mode-esque closing track "What Else Is There" is sublime. What else is there, indeed.
02. BODY COUNT - Bloodlust
I never cared much for rap and hip-hop, so never really paid much attention to Body Count. Until now. While every other album on this top 10 list is apolitical, leans towards psycho-emotional introspection or cosmic exploration, and pulls me away from our messed up world, Bloodlust, yanks me by the hair and pushes my face against the TV screen for a close-up, in-your-face reminder of the ugly street level socio-political reality south of the border. Thought an 18-year (and counting) main cast run as a cop on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit would make Ice-T mellow out? Think again. This is the most angry, intense and real album I've listened to in years. Ice-T tells it like it is ("No Lives Matter"). Devil worship and imaginary evils ain't got nothing on the horror of America's present day urban civil war. Dave Mustaine, Max Cavalera and Randy Blythe make guest appearances on the album, and yes, I'll go out and say it, Body Count's cover of Slayer's "Raining Blood" (renamed "Raining In Blood" on Bloodlust) is better than the original.
I never cared much for rap and hip-hop, so never really paid much attention to Body Count. Until now. While every other album on this top 10 list is apolitical, leans towards psycho-emotional introspection or cosmic exploration, and pulls me away from our messed up world, Bloodlust, yanks me by the hair and pushes my face against the TV screen for a close-up, in-your-face reminder of the ugly street level socio-political reality south of the border. Thought an 18-year (and counting) main cast run as a cop on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit would make Ice-T mellow out? Think again. This is the most angry, intense and real album I've listened to in years. Ice-T tells it like it is ("No Lives Matter"). Devil worship and imaginary evils ain't got nothing on the horror of America's present day urban civil war. Dave Mustaine, Max Cavalera and Randy Blythe make guest appearances on the album, and yes, I'll go out and say it, Body Count's cover of Slayer's "Raining Blood" (renamed "Raining In Blood" on Bloodlust) is better than the original.
01. MYRKUR - Mareridt
Myrkur's second full-length studio album, Mareridt ("nightmare" in Danish) might just be the darkest Nordic folk-influence metal album ever recorded. It is also hands down one of the most achingly beautiful recordings I have ever listened to, and an atmospheric masterpiece that could easily sub in as the soundtrack for The History Channel's series Vikings. The primarily Danish lyrics (a few tracks are in English) only enhance the mystique of the album. Songstress and multi-instrumentalist Amalie Bruun skillfully balances light with dark majesty, authentic traditional melodies and instrumentation with sinister modern arrangements, and black metal brutality with delicate, haunting femininity. While Sólstafir's Berdreyminn takes me to another place, Mareridt also takes me spellbound to another time. Chelsea Wolfe makes a welcome guest appearance on the track titled "Funeral" (as well as on "Kvindelil", if you pick up the deluxe edition of Mareridt). When I die, I want Amalie to sing at my funeral. Mareridt takes the crown as my favourite album of 2017.
Myrkur's second full-length studio album, Mareridt ("nightmare" in Danish) might just be the darkest Nordic folk-influence metal album ever recorded. It is also hands down one of the most achingly beautiful recordings I have ever listened to, and an atmospheric masterpiece that could easily sub in as the soundtrack for The History Channel's series Vikings. The primarily Danish lyrics (a few tracks are in English) only enhance the mystique of the album. Songstress and multi-instrumentalist Amalie Bruun skillfully balances light with dark majesty, authentic traditional melodies and instrumentation with sinister modern arrangements, and black metal brutality with delicate, haunting femininity. While Sólstafir's Berdreyminn takes me to another place, Mareridt also takes me spellbound to another time. Chelsea Wolfe makes a welcome guest appearance on the track titled "Funeral" (as well as on "Kvindelil", if you pick up the deluxe edition of Mareridt). When I die, I want Amalie to sing at my funeral. Mareridt takes the crown as my favourite album of 2017.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
| Arch Enemy Will To Power  | At Dawn's Edge Through Glass Eyes  | Cavalera Conspiracy Psychosis  |
| Elder Relections Of A Floating World  | Forsaken Rite The Northern Saga  |
| Juliet Ruin EP  | Pallbearer Heartless  |
RSS Feed
