Mid 2014 Death Metal Round-Up

Oh, what a year it has been for death metal! With so many awesome death metal records released this year, 2014 is sure to be marked as an epoch in outstanding death metal. Do you know what the best part is?! We are only halfway through the year.

With so much good music put out we are sure you might have missed out on some of the gems. Being the good Samaritans that we are, we at 8eight8 Music have compiled a list of some of the best death metal releases of this year so far. Here it goes:

1. Aborted – “The Necrotic Manifesto”, Century Media Records

When Aborted announced their 8^th studio album we knew it was time to brace ourselves for the pulverizing, skull crushing riffs that the deathgrind masters have subjected us to so often. And boy did they deliver! This has to be one of the best albums in one of the most consistent and illustrious discographies death metal has to offer.

2. Ageless Oblivion – “Penthos”, Siege of Amida Records

The album art is so beautiful that this album deserves a listen solely on its merit. But don’t be mistaken, this album is not all style no substance. This is progressive death metal at its finest. This album gets the atmosphere just right to bring Ageless Oblivion’s sound to the fore. And for prog enthusiasts who get off on track lengths, this album boasts of a crushing 12-minute opus.

3. Alterbeast – “Immortal”, Unique Leader Records

This album has all the prerequisites of a good tech-death album. Noodly sweeps. Check. Jack hammer riffs. Check. Tremolo madness. Check. Insane drums. Check. Add to that a vocal performance eerily similar to that of Trevor Strand of The Black Dahlia Murder and you have this masterpiece.

4. Archspire – “The Lucid Collective”, Season of Mist Records

When you press play as you sit to listen to this album for the first time, be forewarned; shit is about to hit the fan. This is death metal in its most technical and complex form. The music is delivered at such a breakneck pace that your brain might fail to comprehend it. There is just so much going on. But the crystal clear production makes sure that you do not miss any of the pure aural brilliance. Props to vocalist Oli Peters who keeps up with the music throughout. He has to be one of the best death metal vocalists out there.

5. Artificial Brain – “Labyrinth Constellation”, Profound Lore Records

Benefiting from the production virtues of Colin Marston (Gorguts, Behold… The Arctopus) this album is characterized by his signature sound of adding a post metal like atmosphere to technical death metal. The gurgly vocals similar to the ones made famous by Demilich add to the overall demented feel of this album.

6. Autopsy – “Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves”, Peaceville Records

Autopsy dropped “The Headless Ritual” just last year and the announcement of a follow up did come as a surprise, but it was a very pleasant one. Autopsy rarely fail to impress with their brand of doom infused old school death metal which is the epitome of pure evil.

7. Hour of Penance – “Regicide”, Prosthetic Records

This is the Italian tech death band’s 6^th studio album and it shows. This is a record created by seasoned veterans who have tweaked their sound to perfection. They serve their death metal with very balanced doses of speed and groove. Look out for the tireless drum performance.

8. Misery Index – “The Killing Gods”, Season of Mist Records

With “The Killing Gods” Misery Index have concocted a formula for deathgrind that gives the listener the much needed breathing space which bands tend to forget is necessary for a genre that can be a taxing listen. With ambient melodic passages interspersed throughout Misery Index toy with you by giving you moments of reprieve before they resume their assault.

9. Hannes Grossmann – “The Radical Covenant”, Independent Release

Hannes Grossmann of Obscura and Blotted Science is a very talented drummer. There are no two ways about it. What you probably didn’t know was he is a highly skilled songwriter as well as evidenced on this solo album he released this year. progressive death metal of the highest quality is what you will find here. Be sure to check out the final track ‘Euclidean Elements’ for some keyboard wizardry.

10. Soreption – “Engineering The Void”, Unique Leader Records

This is tech death at its brutal best. There is no sign of melody and all you get is dynamic shifts in rhythmic patterns in what has to be one of the heaviest records of 2014. Soreption’s no frills approach to songwriting ensures that this is a very tight record and there is no part of it that can leave the listener bored.

So, these were 10 of the best records that have come out till now. As we pointed out we are only halfway through the year. As a proof of our kindness we’ll let you in on some of the upcoming potentially great releases as well. Enjoy!

Inanimate Existence – “A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement”, Unique Leader Records

Release Date: 24/6/14