So last year on my account I started a new 'tradition'. Since I'm an old school kind of guy it was interesting to make a top list of the best releases of 1997 which was a brilliant year. Especially in Black Metal the scene.Also the fact I didn't make a list in 2017 because it wasn't a strong year for Black or Death Metal. Sure there were a couple of amazing and even excellent records but not enough for me to do a list of 9-12 albums.As a comparison I can say that 2018 is actually even better then 1998 that's hard to imagine but it's true at least in my book.Many of the photos on each individual release have already been published and I'm too lazy to take new ones so some are quite crappy with my old iPhone 6S camera (a newer is on the way).There are some rules though. No live, compilation, re-recorded, demo reissues or any other releases with very old material.It's always hard to number albums in a particular order. But I would probably rank them as following and it's not life of death. Anyway let's move on with my favorites of 1998!Funeral Mist - Devilry.
As a huge fan of Otyg at the time I of course had to get this Vintersorg album on CD and it didn't disappoint. Here on the digipack CD version not sure if this or the standard jewel case release was released at different times.Notably more Swedish releases (8) then Norwegian (2) among these ones. I probably fucked up some release date or forgot someone (probably Napalm or Necropolis.).Some of these bands were considered for the 12 best releases Death, Cannibal Corpse, Gorgoroth, Limbonic Art, Ulver, Dark Funeral, Trelldom, Enslaved etc. So they weren't forgotten Death were closest I do like The Sound Of Perseverance but it's the record I listened least to in their discography.And that was 1998 see you in a year for 1999 traditions are to be repeated. Have to say that 2018 has been the best year in the Black & Death Metal genres since the glory days of the 90's. I'm a 38 year old Swedish guy that have been listening to extreme Metal music since 1991 and bought my first Death Metal CD in the summer of 1992. The amazing Left Hand Path (1990) by Entombed so I've experienced many years within Thrash/Death but especially Black Metal.During the years 2000-2017 there's been MANY brilliant albums released.
But I cannot remember a year with such an incredible amount of amazing releases since like I said the glorious 90's. 2009 had many brilliant albums by Funeral Mist, Wardruna, Marduk, Unanimated, Arckanum etc.If there's an official YouTube video I've included one, non-official ones absolutely not.
Anyway enough babbling about the past, videos and on with the 2018 list.1. Funeral Mist - Hekatomb. Djevel feels stronger and better. They should be one of the biggest bands in the entire Black Metal scene nowadays in my opinion.
The fact Djevel doesn't play live that often I think is a huge reason for that because all possibilities are there for them being at the top.Their music has a 90's Norwegian Black Metal feeling to it without it being like they're trying to do what's already been recorded before. I cannot recommend Blant Svarte Graner enough probably the most underrated album on this entire list.Read my post on the album. One quarter of a century Summoning have been a band. They have released 8 albums with this one included plus the two EP's I think that they are all amazing releases.
The 2 previous albums before saw a little decline in terms of quality, still great records that I enjoy very much though. But with this one With Doom We Come they released their best album in 17 years. Since Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame (2001) and that's very impressive.Like I wrote in my post about With Doom We Come it's not like Silenius and Protector invented the wheel or progressed musically for that matter.
They just wrote the best songs they could and the result was astonishingly great. There's too MANY honorable mentions! But none mentioned none forgotten! However.I just ordered the new Voodus album Into The Wild that was recently released on LP by Shadow Records. So haven't heard that one enough to include it among the top-12.
Might just have to update this post once I have listened too it a couple of times. Because what I heard so far sounds fucking amazing.There's 2 other bands I'm probably am going to buy albums of that could potentially chance the list even more. But we'll see.Anyway remember this isn't about life and death. Could've done a longer list but a top-12 list looks best symmetrically over at my Instagram page.Also to place them all in a order that I'm satisfied with was already tough enough already. Some choices could probably change depending on mood of the day.I wrote this list about a month ago and still feel confident with my list for the best albums of 2018. Ask me in a year and we'll see if it's still the same?Some might see this as too many personal preferences because of how high I regard Funeral Mist, Marduk and Wardruna / Einar Selvik.
But they were the best 4 albums of the year according to me despite the killer competition.That was 2018 summarized a vast improvement from 2017. Will 2019 be as good as this year? Who knows but it would take a lot of brilliant albums released with such high standard that this year set. All except for Unanimated I don't think any of the other bands have a new record in store.Anyway thanks for your visit and time.
Although there's not often comments on my posts here like on my Instagram page, please feel free to leave a comment with your best of 2018 list. This crown jewel of an album had its 15th anniversary earlier this year and here's my complete vinyl collection of them all. Included the Salvation from the Trisagion (2013) vinyl boxset that also consists of Devilry and Maranatha.Have already posted a similar complete vinyl collection of Devilry (1998) earlier this year check it out if you're interested. Don't own nearly as many CD's of Salvation as Devilry only have the original Norma Evangelium Diaboli CD from 2003. The ones I'm looking out for most are the one on The Ajna Offensive from 2006 & the Season Of Mist from 2012.
Will have more with time but I'm not in any hurry.First out one of my biggest gems in my entire collection and it’s never about fucking monetary value in these cases. Salvation means something for me, something much more then money can buy.Salvation (2 x LP) 2003 Norma Evangelium Diaboli.
Chose to include this one also. Because it's worth buying the CD copy just for the 16-page booklet alone. It got even more artwork then the vinyl releases and esthetics that really pleases my eyes.This is one of my favorite Black Metal albums of all time. If I ever did a list of my best records 2000-18 Salvation would be in 2nd place. Don’t expect such list from me though it's too hard. Actually tried once but gave up. I can say that lots of Funeral Mist, Marduk, Wardruna etc. At the top but also some newer bands.
But never say never.A bit off-topic but I do prefer Maranatha just a little bit more over Salvation but it's like choosing between Storm Of The Light's Bane and The Somberlain by Dissection and that's EXTREMELY difficult.Any which way you own Salvation is the right way (not a download one or burnt CD-copy though). When you got it in your hands you will feel the magic within this masterpiece. Hammerheart & Twilight Of The Gods were the 5th & 6th Bathory albums. Hammerheart being the first release in their 'viking era'.
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Sure there were hints of it with songs like Odens Ride Over Nordland; A Fine Day To Die and also the title track from their previous Blood Fire Death (1988) record.Other bands had released viking themed songs long before. But here Bathory go all into full Viking Metal mode and the Hammerheart album was the first of its kind.Believe I bought both these albums on CD back in 1996 it could maybe even been in 1997 at the same time.
Because the Jubileum I & II compilations had many of the best songs and being 16 years old one had to prioritize albums to buy.Hammerheart didn't quite blow me away like the albums Blood Fire Death; Under The Sign Of The Black Mark; The Return and the debut Bathory had done. I appreciated the songs that appeared on the compilations especially Shores In Flames and Song To Hall Up High.But it didn't take long before I realized just how excellent the album really is.
It starts perfectly with the already mentioned Shores In Flames and it's 11 min of pure amazing Scandinavian Viking/Black Metal at its finest. Then another excellent song Valhalla also a long one 9,5 min.Already 2 songs into Hammerheart one can hear especially where especially the early Viking/Pagan Metal bands from the Norwegian Black Metal scene found their inspiration. Bathory were truly the godfathers of the Scandinavian scene. Baptised In Fire And Ice and Father To Son are both amazing songs and just like almost all the other songs on the album quite long but feels way shorter. Actually the shortest song on the album is the 2,5 min long Song To Hall Up High.I'm not sure when Home Of The Once Brave was written. But it sounds more like something like a less refined song from the follow-up Twilight Of The Gods rather then a Hammerheart song.
Still one of my favorites on the record though.Now for a long and maybe controversial topic. I really like One Rode To Asa Bay but I got to be in the right mood to fully appreciate it. Still one of their most overrated songs in my opinion.
It wouldn't be my choice to make a promo video for that one from Hammerheart. The video they did was really impressive and spectacular though.Don't know but I have this love/hate relation to One Rode To Asa Bay. Love and hate are very strong words that I wouldn't use for it but those describes my feelings for the song best.The 10,5 min feels very long sometimes when I listen to it.
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Also I wouldn't have it as late on the record either. That's my opinion on One Rode To Asa Bay let's move on.
Altogether Hammerheart is an amazing album and my 2nd favorite of the viking records and that's definitely a great rating for it. The highs might be a little better on Hammerheart but I think that Twilight Of The Gods is a much more even record and the best one of all the viking albums Bathory did.Starting with the 14 min title track Prologue - Twilight of the Gods - Epilogue the sound and production is more refined on this album and it already shows in the opening song. Even if it's a great opener I can hear why it was the ending song of the compilation Jubileum II.Also I think that Quorthon's vocals has evolved so much for the better on Twilight Of The Gods.Through Blood By Thunder is another song that appeared on one of the Jubileum albums and is a personal favorite on the album. The 10,5 min Blood And Iron is another one that I really enjoy.I know that it sounds like I'm repeating myself I'll try and mix it up the text a bit. Under The Runes is a top-3 song on this album amazing guitars on that one.
To Enter Your Mountain begins with this Folk music feeling to it and guess what? I think it's a great song even if I know some don't like that particular one.Bond Of Blood has a very interesting story behind it. That one was recorded as In Nomine Satanas in 1987 and that version wasn't released until Jubileum Volume III (1998).
The lyrics are of course way different from each other. Both versions are great but I do prefer Bond Of Blood slightly more maybe because I heard it for so long before on Jubileum II in 1995. It's in my- top 3 songs on this record. The song Hammerheart that confusingly appears on Twilight Of The Gods does really stand out on the record because it's so different from the other material.
It took me many listens before I learned to like that one but when I did it's a really great song.That's my opinions on Hammerheart and Twilight Of The Gods two brilliant records that should belong in any serious collection. I don't know many who prefer Twilight Of The Gods over Hammerheart but if you're one of them feel free to leave me a comment.I'll do post II about Blood On Ice (1996); Nordland I (2002) and Nordland II (2003) soon. Usually don't do the same band two times in a row so we'll what I post next. On a gatefold vinyl released on Century Media that also comes with a double sided poster. One horizontal and one vertical a really nice addition to this release.Next year Necrophobic will have their 30th anniversary but these guys show no sign of slowing down. In fact I think that Mark Of The Necrogram is better then both their two previous albums Womb Of Lilithu (2013) and Death To All (2009). And those two are really great.The release of the EP Pesta (2017) with the title track of that 2-song EP was a clear indication that the album was going to be great.
But I really didn’t think it would be as excellent as it final product proved to be.