Stereogum's 10 Best Metal Albums of 2018

With just six songs spread across 80 minutes, Aussie funeral-doom wizards Mournful Congregation have perfected their majestic sprawl on *The Incubus of Karma*. Slow-motion chord explosions teem with crystalline melodies and lurch toward despondent climaxes on towering epics “Whispering Spiritscapes” and “Scripture of Exaltation & Punishment,” while instrumentals “The Indwelling Ascent” and the acoustically driven title track—both bejeweled with weeping twin guitar harmonies—seem to exalt in some unseen bereavement. This is truly gorgeous and compelling stuff.

More than 6 years have passed since the release of ‘The Book Of Kings’, the regal 4th full length album from Australia’s stone pillar of funereal dirge, Mournful Congregation. Since that time the band made several trips to the U.S. and Europe, and released a mini-album ‘Concrescence Of The Sophia’, increasing their reputation as the pinnacle of Extreme / Funeral Doom and one of the most influential bands in the entire genre. Throughout these intervening years Mournful Congregation set to the task of meticulously crafting a new masterpiece, now presented in the form of the crown jewel titled ‘The Incubus Of Karma’. Everything that has made Mournful Congregation the unchallenged masters of this style since ‘The Monad Of Creation’, is here. The agonizing weight of Extreme Doom riffs, bitterly sombre dissonance, a painterly attention to detail and arrangement and the vocals summoned from the deepest hole. And as with each album before, the band expands upon their unique progressive tendencies, weaving beautifully constructed solos and lengthy virtuoso interludes into a bleak yet intricate tapestry of stately grandeur. An incredible 25 years into their existence, Mournful Congregation persist in refining and perfecting their immortal art on ‘The Incubus Of Karma’. Reaching innovative new heights, within the bounds they have created for themselves, the bounds in which a multitude of newer bands now draw from like a wellspring, Mournful Congregation cast a giant shadow, steadfastly towering over the landscape like a monolithic obelisk. | |--------------------------------------------------------| WANNA PAY CDs, LPs and all MERCH AT LOWER PRICE? BUY all the stuff from this artist ON OUR SHOP! |--------------------------------------------------------| | www.osmoseproductions.com/liste/index.cfm?what=artiste&lng=2&tete=mournful+congregation&exact_value=1&srt=2 | |--------------------------------------------------------| You could also check for merch, vinyls... from your favorite extreme metal bands!! |--------------------------------------------------------| |

Music video for 涂地 / Manifestations of the Divine Root: youtu.be/Qkr-rOWh2fM Their first proper full-length after a series of EPs and singles, Rites of Despair is the resulting vision of two years' worth of tumult, including relocations, lineup changes, life and death. Divided between two Acts, Act I: Depersonalization & Act II: Derealization, Rites of Despair explores themes of isolation, depression, decay, tumultuous self discovery, and abandonment. Tracking and engineering was completed by both Alec Rodriguez at New Alliance in Cambridge, MA, as well as Andrew Oswald at Secret Bathroom in Oakland, CA. Mastering completed by Magnus Lindberg of Cult of Luna. As tradition, Rites of Despair contains artwork from the vision of Bryan Clovenhoov Proteau, who has worked with Fórn on imagery for all of their solo releases to date.

Physical copies here : www.sepulchralproductions.com/collections/sepulchralprod The disciples of The One That Crawls are back with a monumental concept album devoted to Teredinis, a simple leper whose calling it is to become a prophet of Centipèdes as well as an incarnation of the Plague. On De Horea Leprae, Délétère offers 65 minutes of majestic and tortuous Black Metal full of furor, despair and illumination, driven by a powerful production, memorable riffs and an otherworldly vocal performance. A new Québécois Black Metal classic.

Way 003: Unfelled - Beneath Distant Skies Debut demo. Unfelled is a new Atmospheric Black Metal solo-project by D. (Woods of Desolation, Forest Mysticism). Released on gold coloured pro-tape in a limited edition of 100 hand-numbered copies only. Available via the Cold Ways webshop whilst stock lasts.

Metal with horns since 1993! Welcome to a journey into space itself in which its divinity is formed by progressive components and blackened chaos: Sear Bliss’ “Letters From The Edge.” Externally mighty and internally filling, Hungary’s metallic frontrunners once again apply their signature formula of conjoining elegance and evil; two separate worlds that flawlessly connect into one special entity of supreme distinction. A galactic quest in which Sear Bliss rewrites the rules of experimental metal is found within “Letters From The Edge,” and the trip is very exciting, believe us. Though containing common black metal qualities, “Letters From The Edge” shows a neat shape of Sear Bliss’ own originality mixed in with several usual endowments. As expected, Sear Bliss preserves their blackened roots intact with epic tremolo picking sections, firing blastbeats, and András Nagy’s graceful shrieks, yet the use of beautiful clean guitars and majestic keyboards add to the already-mighty picture. But don’t fear for too much soft stuff, because there are some massive head-banging riffs and solos that just shred your eyeballs out of their sockets. The harmony between two separate musical extremes is reached in precise unison, and such a joyous tension is never broken from its state of wonder; this is how black metal and empyrean moods are supposed to wed. During the voyage, Sear Bliss keeps the ride interesting with the band’s hidden weapon that seems a bit odd at first, but ends out working excellently: the trombone. Zoltán Pál‘s strange position in Sear Bliss is not that of a clueless musician hitting symphonic notes, but rather an individual that can intelligently wrap the trombone around the harsh guitars and ethereal surroundings superbly. The thing is, however, that the trombone takes absolute control of Sear Bliss’ music whenever the master permits its freedom: you’ll be enjoying a cool riffing section, and then a blast of brass just explodes like no other instrument. It’s truly a unique experience that needs to be heard to be believed. Overall, we dare to say “Letters From The Edge” is a fantastic album with countless incidents of atypical independence and atmospheric delight. There really isn’t anything potentially negative here at all; everything is solid as a rock, and the consistent display of cosmic instrumentation definitely make this record a capital idol in Sear Bliss’ discography. Those looking for something outside the musical norm will most certainly appreciate “Letters From The Edge” and its metaphysical significance as a black metal recording unlike most of the genre itself.

Portland's deadliest death metal band returns with their long-awaited sophomore album Disinterred Horror. Nearly seven years since their debut full-length Oath of the Abyss and four years since their last recording, Void Manifest EP, RITUAL NECROMANCY have been honing their song-writing skills while showcasing their bludgeoning sounds at live events such as last year's Dark Descent anniversary show and Maryland Death Fest 2018. Evidence of the band's evolution can be heard in the video for album track "Command the Sigil." Check it out at www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3LWKYvKoWc.