Greetings from the depths of an arctic blast that's left most of Texas suffering below freezing temperatures since yesterday. It's brutal, but so far it's not as bad as the great freeze of 2021.
I got a notice yesterday that a post I wrote seventeen fucking years ago about Iron Maiden has been marked "sensitive content" by Google. What the hell is that? Is some bored asshole reporting ancient blog posts for kicks? Did the algorithm have a stroke? Whatever. The internet sucks.
Here are some of the best albums that came out this year, in no particular order.
thisquietarmy x Away, Machine Consciousness, Phase III — The Singularity, Phase I and The Singularity, Phase II have been in constant rotation here since they came out. This offering is a little different, but not that much. Absolutely awesome stuff that I still haven't found a way to write about to my satisfaction.
XweaponX, Weapon X Demo — I heard about this from, I think, Spencer Ackerman's Forever Wars newsletter, or something along those lines. "Weapon X Intro" is killer. The straight edge militancy doesn't do much for me, but it doesn't bother me, either.
Binker and Moses, Feeding the Machine — B&M add interesting electronic elements and tape loops to their absolutely bitchin' free(-ish) jazz. Phenomenonally cool; in some ways this album is the more earthbound, jazz-genetic cousin to the work thisquietarmy and Away are doing together. (Maybe I'll explore that idea in a future entry.)
Dressed in Streams, Vande Mataram — I still think DiS' older material is better, but this trippy black metal reworking of India's national song is a hell of a listening experience.
Megan McDuffee, In A Weary World — You may know her from her work on the River City Girls soundtrack, but Megan McDuffee is a really versatile artist. This reminds me in some ways of Carbon Based Lifeforms. It's a great late night album, and also a great driving album, so you should listen to it while driving at night.
Acid Witch, Rot Among Us — It's a new Acid Witch record, and therefore it rules. That's all you need to know.
Temple of Void, Summoning the Slayer — I've been into this band since I found their first LP at Vinal Edge and bought it because it looked cool. In lesser hands, mid-paced death/doom could get boring, but Temple of Void continually sharpens their sound without sacrificing heaviness.
Carpenter Brut, Leather Terror — Maybe my most-played album this year. I saw them in L.A. in August with my brother, and it was a fantastic show. "The Widow Maker" video is a lesson in the trauma high school can leave behind.
Allagash, Dark Future — This popped up on Youtube a few years ago in demo form; I still have the link bookmarked, though it doesn't work anymore. I've written about Allagash before, so no need to retread that ground. Solid alien thrash, as always.
Cailleach Calling, Dreams of Fragmentation — This is what I would have listened to had I done any driving around Tokyo at night last month. Hypnotic, almost futuristic black metal that's also appropriate for a frigid day like today, since the Cailleach is a Celtic goddess of winter.
Cavurn, Undead in Bellingham — Their 2017 demo was the kind of shit you play in the background of a particularly grim D&D dungeon crawl. This album proves that they can replicate it live. I hope they keep recording.
Boulevards, Electric Cowboy: Born in Carolina Mud — The funk never takes the same shape twice on Boulevards albums, which means every new record is a treat. This one has a distinctly soulful '70s vibe.
Inexorum, Equinox Vigil — You know this will be good if it involves members of Obsequiae. Heartfelt, technically impressive, plenty of good riffs; all around heavy metal at its best.
I hope your Yule/Christmas/etc. treats you well, car@ leitor/a. Stay warm, stay safe, don't cross picket lines, and take care of your fellow sentient beings, human or otherwise.
DAS
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