Lou’s Best of 2014 List

The year is quickly drawing to a close, so it seemed only fitting that I should put together one of these lists. An impressive amount of decent metal has been released this year, so whittling it down to a comfortably sized list was difficult.

Note #1:I’d like to point out that I still have not received the new Foscor album – but I do imagine that it would feature in this list if I had (afterall, I’m rather partial to Foscor’s music and those guys are ridiculously talented). So, this list will feature no Foscor. I may edit the list when my album arrives. If I remember!

Note #2: I am also awaiting “Constricting Rage of the Merciless” by Goatwhore… I hear I am getting for my birthday. It’s all very exciting!

Note #3: This list contains some EPs as well as albums. Why? Because it’s my list and I can do what I like

Note #4: This list is alphabetical. I tried to put them into some kind of chart order, but I just couldn’t do it. So, basically, here’s a list of 50 albums/EPs that I enjoyed immensely this year…

1. Abgott – “Masters of Illusions” – A bit of a late entry (I got it last week), but it is seriously good. I won’t say too much here (as I’m trying to keep this short and sweet), but I will be writing a full review in due course. You need this album.
2. Adamus Exul – “Arsenic Idols” – Adamus Exul are one of those bands that I found by searching through Bandcamp. Fantastic black metal.
3. Agalloch – “The Serpent & the Sphere” – The kind of album that you can put on and lose yourself in… which is great… except when you’re walking somewhere and forget how you got there.
4. Behemoth – “The Satanist – Now, I know I said that it was impossible to order all of these albums into some kind of chart order, but there are a few that have really stood out… and, unsurprisingly, this album is one of them. On the first listen I wasn’t blown away (in fact, I was even a little disappointed), but something kept drawing me back to it. Now I love it. Absolutely fantastic. Behemoth can do no wrong!
5. Belphegor – “Conjuring the Dead” – This is Belphegor doing what Belphegor do best: creating blackened death metal that makes you want to bang your head.
6. Blut Aus Nord – Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry – Stunning. Just stunning.
7. Burial Hordes – “Incendium” – Black metal again. I found out about this band thanks to the split they did with Enshadowed. Since then I have collected their discography and developed a bit of an obsession with their new album.
8. Colosus – “Blestem” – This album is bleak and hopeless… in the best way possible. Mesmerising from start to finish and beautiful.
9. Cultfinder – “Hell’s Teeth” – Short, sharp and to the point. Blackened Thrash Metal done with skill.
10. Dark Fortress – “Venereal Dawn” – Melodic Black Metal performed to an extremely high standard.
11. Darkenhöld – “Castellum” – Another late entry as I only picked the album up recently, but it’s damn good. Black Metal with a medieval edge.
12. De Profundis – “Frequencies” – One of a few EPs on this list. This sees De Profundis take on a more aggressive approach in comparison to their previous work.
13. Deathrow – “The Eerie Sound Of The Slow Awakening” – A dark and foreboding taste of hell.
14. Den Saakaldte – “Kapittel II: Faen i helvete” – Yet more black metal. This album hits the spot for me. Like the albums from Behemoth, Frostwork / Cruelty’s Heart, Vesania and Kampfar (more about these in a moment), it’s one of my ABSOLUTE favourites from 2014.
15. Devilish Impressions – “Adventvs” – It’s great to see these guys back so soon after “Simulacra”.
16. Devilment – “The Great and Secret Show” – I was surprised at how much I liked this album given the hard time I have with Dani Filth’s vocals generally. However, this is bloody good!
17. Eastern Front – “Descent Into Genocide” – More wartorn black metal from Eastern Front… and they do it marvellously well!
18. Eosphorus – “Winds of Apep” – There’s definitely a strong Watain influence on this one, but it’s worth a listen in its own right.
19. Erebus Enthroned – “Temple Under Hell” – Evil Black Metal from the southern hemisphere.
20. Fen – “Carrion Skies” – I don’t think Fen have it in them to make a poor record. More stunning soundscapes.
21. Frostwork / Cruelty’s Heart – “Beyond Bloodied Banners Far and Haunted Winters Graven” – This was released towards the beginning of the year (if I remember correctly) and it’s been constantly on my playlist since then. Both sides of the split are PERFECT. Another of my absolute favourites from 2014.
22. Garden of Grief – “Endstation” – On this album Garden of Grief have demonstrated just how impressive they are. It has everything.
23. Graveborne – “Through the Window of the Night” – Straight up black metal.
24. The Great Old Ones – “Tekeli-li” – An impressive and exciting trip into the world of TGOO.
25. Hellish Outcast – “Stay of Execution” – Brutal, yet finely crafted death metal.
26. Hoth – “Oathbreaker” – Another one from the start of the year, but an incredibly impressive album.
27. Infestus – “The Reflecting Void” – Beautiful, savage and mesmerising Black Metal. The kind of stuff that deserves repeated listens.
28. Insomnium – “Shadows of the Dying Sun” – Insomnium have continued to do what they do best – write astoundingly good melodeath.
29. Kampfar – “Djevelmakt” – Another of my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITES of 2014. Kampfar at their most captivating.
30. Lvcifyre – “Sun Eater” – EVIL
31. Midnattsvrede – “Ripe Fruit on the Gallows Tree” – Midnattsvrede give a doomy take on Black Metal.
32. Necronautical – “Black Sea Misanthropy” – Tasty, melodic black metal. Nom nom nom nom…
33. Northern Oak – “Of Roots and Flesh” – Beautiful folk metal.
34. Obituary – “Inked in Blood” – Obituary are back!!!! And it’s fantastic! No frills death metal. What more could you want?
35. Panopticon – “Roads to the North” – Another fantastic release from Panopticon. While it hasn’t grabbed me as quickly as “Kentucky” it is still ridiculously good.
36. Primordial – “Where Greater Men Have Fallen” – Yet another band that can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. This album is pure genius.
37. Profane Omen – “Reset” – While this is definitely a different take on metal from the majority of my list, it’s still worth a listen. Not only is this a fantastic and energetic album to listen to, but the tracks sound EVEN BETTER LIVE.
38. Saille – “Eldritch” – This is possibly Saille’s most impressive album to date as far as I’m concerned… which is a big thing to say since all of their work prior to this release has been amazing.
39. Sammath – “Godless Arrogance” – Savage, no nonsense Black Metal. Brilliant.
40. Saor – “Aura” – Impressive stuff, carefully crafted and expertly executed. Along the same lines as the Agalloch and Fen albums… but, at the same time, it’s completely different. This is possibly the least helpful thing I’ve ever written. Go listen to it and you should understand.
41. Septicflesh – “Titan” – Some have said that the orchestral / metal balance on this album has been a little off. While it does lean towards the orchestral side more than expected, “Titan” is still a fantastically strong album.
42. Slash – “World on Fire” – The only Rock album in my list. It’s absolutely fantastic!
43. Slaughter Throne – “Wrath of an Ancient Darkness” – This EP shows that Slaughter Throne are a band to keep an eye on. Black Metal seasoned with Death Metal and Thrash. Bloody brilliant.
44. Sidious – “Revealed in Profane Splendour” – I won’t go into this one too much here, as I pretty much said all that I could say in my review. Sidious just keep getting better and better.
45. Taake – “Stridens hus” – This didn’t grab me as quickly as “Noregs Vaapen”, but it’s still a killer album.
46. Vader – “Tibi Et Igni” – Vader being Vader. If you like Vader, you’ll enjoy this.
47. Vesania – “Deus ex Machina” – Another of my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITES. Odd, yet intoxicating.
48. Wormreich – “Wormcult Revelations” – I’ve fallen in love with this band. Terrific black metal – evil and catchy as hell!
49. Wrong – Pessimistic Outcomes – Bleak and hypnotising black metal from Spain
50. 1349 – “Massive Cauldron of Chaos” – Evil and impressive. Pretty much what I was expecting from these guys.

I’ve already started to get excited for next year as we’re going to be getting new goodies from the likes of Enslaved, Marduk, Ethereal, Keep of Kalessin, Ensiferum and Sathamel.