Yearlist 2021:

Eighties //Nineties //90919293949596979899 //Nihils //00010203040506070809 //TwentyTens //10111213141516171819 //Twenties //20[2021]222324 //All_Time
 
①Paradise Lost - Gothic Live At Roadburn 2016 (digital)
Score: 10/10
There are many reasons why this album should not be in this yearlist: 1) It's a live album that 2) is from a concert from 5 years ago where they 3) play a (by now) 30 year-old album. 4) The label doesnt seem to care much for this release either since 5) it's a digital-only release that they didn't promote much and 6) didn't even bother to cut up in separate songs. 7) Instead they are promoting their live album 'Into the Mill' that you may find way WAY down this yearlist. 8) And from the band interaction between the songs I got the idea that even the band seems less into playing old songs. 9) Finally putting this in my yearlist might expose me as a grumpy senior metalhead who only likes old stuff. There's actually only one single reason why this album is topping my yearlist, and that's because it's the best fucking thing I heard all year.
 
Graveyard Of Souls - Infinity Equal Zero
Score: 10/10
While sunny Spain is certainly not known for producing famous doom-metal bands, Graveyard Of Souls has been releasing solid doom/death albums for the last decade, slowly improving each time leading to "Infinity Equal Zero" which is their best album yet, hitting that sweet spot with a very old-school feel, sometimes reminding of early Tiamat, some old Moonspell. Definitely worth to be known outside of Spain!		②
 
③The Ruins Of Beverast - The Thule Grimoires
Score: 10/10
I have to start by saying that "The Thule Grimoires" is a great album. It's a excellent example of The Ruins Of Beverast's typical mix of faster black/death metal with atmospheric slower parts. Having said that, I'm afraid it just doesn't live up to their two last albums Exuvia and Blood Vaults. The songs sound more simple somehow, more straightforward and less layered, whereas in earlier works you somehow always discovered something new on repeat listens. Still some excellent work here, and perhaps a more comfortable listen than earlier releases.
 
Anomalie - Tranceformation
Score: 10/10
It is so difficult to sound innovative as a metalband in 2021. Most releases are sticking to a certain style and try to do very well what has been done before, so it's quite refreshing to hear an album like Tranceformation from Austria's Anomalie which goes for its own sound and excels at it on top of that. Stylistically perhaps it's closest to viking metal, yet somehow not that at all. Hard to describe, but easy to enjoy!		④
 
⑤Harakiri For The Sky - Mære
Score: 10/10
Another Austrian release here is Harakiri For The Sky's latest effort. While their style may be no surprise to fans of the band, it's an excellent continuation of what they're good at. Also serving as an example that sometimes quality and quantity go hand in hand, Mære spans over two cds without losing my interest, and it helps to end with the excellent Placebo cover, which is one of my favourite bands outside of the metal genre.
 
Ophis - Spew Forth Odium
Score: 9.5/10
If your ears are in need of a bass-fed massage then Ophis' latest "Spew Forth Odium" is an outstanding choice. They could even be mistaken for funeral doom this time since they wait until the third song to pick up speed and remind us of the death in their doomdeath style, which is almost a pity because that's where they really shine. Otherwise another great release for the German doomers.		⑥
 
⑦Cradle Of Filth - Existence Is Futile
Score: 9.5/10
Writing a Cradle Of Filth review is almost a waste of time, since the band is so polarizing. People who hate them will not listen to this album no matter how good the review, and the fans will buy their latest release blindly. So what is left to say, except that if you're in the second group you will not be disappointed. Over-the-top theatrics, bombastic symphonies and supporting choirs, this is Cradle showing off that they're still in top form after 30 years.
 
Irrlycht - Wolfish Grandeur
Score: 9.5/10
Germany's Irrlycht came out of hiding one decade after their last album to deliver us an outstanding raw black metal album with a very old-school feel to it. For sure I hear some Nagelfar and Farsot in their music, but also some throwbacks to the old Norwegian black metal classics. They're delivering some grandeur indeed.		⑧
 
⑨Djevel - Tanker som rir natten
Score: 9.5/10
Djevel is band that has been around in the Norwegian black metal scene for a decade or so, and while releasing many albums that were always decent efforts, they never stood out that much, except maybe for the crazy long song titles which I'll try to avoid quoting in this review. Their latest "Tanker som rir natten" is the first album that really speaks to me, with a highlight in their slower-tempo last track "Vinger som tok oss over en brennende himmel, vinger som tok oss hjem". Dammit!
 
Thy Light - Thy Light
Score: 9.5/10
Originally I got to know Thy Light on the Summoning tribute album "In Mordor Where The Shadows Are" - in hindsight this compilation introduced me to so many exceptional bands. Officially this Thy Light release is an EP, but with two long atmospheric black metal tracks clocking in well over 30 minutes it's absolutely worthy of a position in the yearlist.		⑩
 
⑪Panopticon
...And Again into the Light
Score: 9.5/10
 
Wyrd
Vandraren
Score: 9.5/10		⑫
 
⑬Winterfylleth
Live at Bloodstock 2021
Score: 9.5/10
 
Shadecrown
Solitarian
Score: 9.5/10		⑭
 
⑮Ex Deo
The Thirteen Years of Nero
Score: 9.5/10
 
Midnight Odyssey
Biolume Part 2 - The Golden Orb
Score: 9.5/10		⑯
 
⑰Havukruunu
Kuu Erkylän Yllä
Score: 9.5/10
 
Helheim
Woduridar
Score: 9.5/10		⑱
 
⑲Evilfeast / Gnipahålan
Split
Score: 9.5/10
 
Spell Of Dark
Ghost from the Past
Score: 9.5/10		⑳
 
21Ancient Wisdom
A Celebration in Honor of Death
Score: 9.5/10
 
Dr. Death
Reincarnation
Score: 9.5/10		22
 
23Graveland
Hour of Ragnarok
Score: 9.5/10
 
Anti
Anti (digital)
Score: 9.5/10		24
 
25Thyrfing
Vanagandr
Score: 9/10
 
Borgne
Temps Morts
Score: 9/10		26
 
27Agrypnie
Metamorphosis
Score: 9/10
 
Skratte
Akt I - Ein Feuer Entfacht
Score: 9/10		28
 
29Yoth Iria
As the Flame Withers
Score: 9/10
 
Grima
Rotten Garden
Score: 9/10		30
 
31Old Forest
Mournfall
Score: 9/10
 
Grima
The Mighty Spirit (Live in Moscow)
Score: 9/10		32
 
33Seth
La Morsure du Christ
Score: 9/10
 
Ellende
Triebe
Score: 9/10		34
 
35Rift
To Quench the Thirst of Wolves
Score: 9/10
 
Tribulation
Where the Gloom Becomes Sound
Score: 9/10		36
 
37Cân Bardd
Devoured By The Oak
Score: 9/10
 
Worm
Foreverglade
Score: 9/10		38
 
39Fear Factory
Aggression Continuum
Score: 9/10
 
Obscurity
Skogarmaors
Score: 9/10		40
 
41Commander Agares
Legions of Descending Twilight
Score: 9/10
 
Avenger
Cern a Smrt (as Bohemyst)
Score: 9/10		42
 
43Be'lakor
Coherence
Score: 8.5/10
 
Hermóðr
Tidens tand
Score: 8.5/10		44
 
45Suicide Forest
Reluctantly
Score: 8.5/10
 
Golgotha
Locked Down but Alive in 2021 (digital)
Score: 8.5/10		46
 
47Omnium Gatherum
Origin
Score: 8.5/10
 
Necromantia
To the Depths We Descend...
Score: 8.5/10		48
 
49Ice Ages
Vibe of Scorn
Score: 8.5/10
 
At The Gates
The Nightmare of Being
Score: 8.5/10		50
 
51A Thousand Sufferings
Stilte
Score: 8.5/10
 
Sunwheel
Iron Age of Strife
Score: 8.5/10		52
 
53Various
Krąg Kryvi
Score: 8.5/10
 
The Flight Of Sleipnir
Eventide
Score: 8.5/10		54
 
55Igric
Svet svetlom stvorený
Score: 8.5/10
 
The Project Hate MCMXCIX
Spewing VenΩm into the Eyes of Deities
Score: 8.5/10		56
 
57Darkthrone
Eternal Hails...
Score: 8.5/10
 
Daius
Ascuns
Score: 8.5/10		58
 
59Spectral Wound
A Diabolic Thirst
Score: 8.5/10
 
Negură Bunget
Zău
Score: 8.5/10		60
 
61Helleruin
War upon Man
Score: 8.5/10
 
Wolves In The Throne Room
Primordial Arcana
Score: 8.5/10		62
 
63Swallow The Sun
Moonflowers
Score: 8.5/10
 
Crescent (EGY)
Carving the Fires of Akhet
Score: 8.5/10		64
 
65Behemoth
In Absentia Dei
Score: 8/10
 
Avathar
Ja Niin Sakenee Pimeys
Score: 8/10		66
 
67Arde
Ancestral Cult
Score: 8/10
 
Zgard
Place of Power
Score: 8/10		68
 
69Clouds
Despărțire
Score: 8/10
 
Gojira
Fortitude
Score: 8/10		70
 
71Memoriam
To the End
Score: 8/10
 
Hypocrisy
Worship
Score: 8/10		72
 
731914
Where Fear and Weapons Meet
Score: 8/10
 
Netherbird
Arete
Score: 8/10		74
 
75Der Weg Einer Freiheit
Noktvrn
Score: 8/10
 
An Autumn For Crippled Children
As the Morning Dawns We Close Our Eyes
Score: 8/10		76
 
77Malist
Karst Relict
Score: 8/10
 
Saille
V
Score: 8/10		78
 
79Hooded Menace
The Tritonus Bell
Score: 8/10
 
Agonoize
Revelation Six Six Sick
Score: 8/10		80
 
81Thulcandra
A Dying Wish
Score: 8/10
 
De Arma
Strayed in Shadows
Score: 8/10		82
 
83Dordeduh
Har
Score: 7.5/10
 
Moonspell
Hermitage
Score: 7.5/10		84
 
85Møl
Diorama
Score: 7.5/10
 
Kalmankantaja
For the Glory of Death
Score: 7.5/10		86
 
87Grave Miasma
Abyss of Wrathful Deities
Score: 7.5/10
 
Swallow The Sun
20 Years of Gloom, Beauty and Despair: Live in Helsinki
Score: 7.5/10		88
 
89Mesarthim
CLG J02182–05102
Score: 7.5/10
 
Kalmankantaja
Nostalgia III: Surun syntysija
Score: 7.5/10		90
 
91Arkhtinn
Futatabime no Saigai
Score: 7.5/10
 
Deafheaven
Infinite Granite
Score: 7.5/10		92
 
93Aphonic Threnody
The All Consuming Void
Score: 7.5/10
 
Golgotha
Remembering the Past - Writing the Future
Score: 7.5/10		94
 
95Stormkeep
Tales of Othertime
Score: 7.5/10
 
Ossaert
Pelgrimsoord
Score: 7.5/10		96
 
97Minas Morgul
Heimkehr
Score: 7/10
 
Midnattsvrede
You Call Me Death
Score: 7/10		98
 
99Mannveira
Vítahringur
Score: 7/10
 
Dark The Suns
Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä
Score: 7/10		100


Stats generated at: 09/03/24

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