. . .
Evidently I am excited about one black metal record in 2011. My intel is obviously lacking, so help me out, guys. What black metal records should I look forward to this year?
And what metal records in general are you awaiting?
. . .
- 2010’s list -
- 2009’s list -
- 2008’s list -
. . .
- Top 10 most anticipated metal records 2011 -
. . .
Autopsy – Macabre Eternal
It’s all about the feeling. Chris Reifert & co. had it on The Tomb Within EP. Now I want to swim in it. Milky dreams. Dirty monsters. Heavy, heavy sickness. Out in spring on Peaceville.
Dark Castle – ?
Creepy-crawly, low-speed, death metallic murk. Stevie Floyd and Rob Shaffer weave wondrous webs of winding wickedness. Out in spring on Profound Lore.
Dim Mak – ?
Death metal doesn’t always have to fight Drunken Monkey-style. It can enter the temple, sharpen its kung fu, and emerge skilled and deadly. The black belts of Dim Mak bring the intercepting fist once again. Out “soon” on Willowtip.
Gigan – Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes
The title says it all. Put Morbid Angel and Voivod in a room, give them bags of your strongest stuff, then hit “record”. Sanford Parker sound, but no Randy Piro??? Out in spring on Willowtip.
Gorguts – ?
Luc Lemay and some extremely talented whoevers – Kevin Hufnagel, Colin Marston, and John Longstreth – will likely unscrew many heads. Hear the evidence below.
Morbid Angel – Probably begins with “I”
The Chinese Democracy of death metal. My hopes aren’t high, due to the presence of a fill-in drummer and a new guitarist. But even Morbid Angel’s worst records are better than most death metal bands’ best ones. I bet Trey Azagthoth’s still got some nasty riffs in him. Out sometime on Season of Mist.
Negative Plane – Stained Glass Revelations
That taste was tasty. I’ve been waiting years for the follow-up to Et in Saecula Saeculorum. This band is truth in darkness. All those cartoon black metal bands out there, take note: this is walking the walk. Out around January 17 on The AJNA Offensive/Invictus Productions.
Primordial – Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand
Ireland’s finest have never made a bad record. They only get better with age. Music for tattered flags, unspoilt vistas, and unbowed heads – it’s more necessary than ever. Out in spring on Metal Blade.
Tombs – Path of Totality
This is a make-or-break record for Mike Hill & co. Winter Hours was strong, but it didn’t exhibit the band’s full potential. Evidently they’ve honed this material relentlessly. May its depths open up and swallow us whole. Out in spring on Relapse.
Origin – ?
I must be excited for John Longstreth’s playing, since this is his third appearance in this list (see also Dim Mak and Gorguts). But I’m also excited for Paul Ryan’s sweep picking, which I’ve grown to love, even though I’m not a big fan of the technique. He’s turned it into his paint brush. I appreciate how weird and wild that is. Out in spring on Nuclear Blast.
. . .
- Pretty stoked -
. . .
Crowbar – Sever the Wicked Hand
These samples – “Let Me Mourn” and “Cemetery Angels” – sound huge. From March 17 to April 5, they’ll be touring with Saint Vitus and Helmet. Our Kim Kelly will be slinging merch for them. Say hi to her and tip her well! Out February 8 on E1.
Dreaming Dead – Midnightmares
They’ve found a shredding new lead guitarist, Stephanie Pickard. She can play, as this amusingly somber video shows. Within One is one of my favorite records of the past five years. I eagerly await its successor. Label: TBD.
Fuck the Facts – Die Miserable
These guys/gal finally have a stable lineup, and they’re riding a wave of cool, little releases: the Unnamed EP, the Live in Whitby EP, the Disgorge Mexico DVD. Fuck the Facts embody creative freedom and DIY drive. Disgorge Mexico is one of my favorite records of the past five years. I eagerly await its successor. Out in spring on Relapse.
Hammers of Misfortune – ?
In a perfect world, John Cobbett would someday be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Or at least some label would put out a huge Hammers box set with liner notes that lay out all the lineups and lyrics. But the world is not perfect. We will just have to wait for more of Cobbett’s axe-tastic genius. Out sometime on Metal Blade.
Ulcerate – The Destroyers of All
Death metal-gone-post metal is the/a wave of the future. Ulcerate are pushing things forward, rolling over purists one at a time. Full album stream here, out January 25 on Willowtip.
. . .
- Morbidly curious -
. . .
None this year unless Anthrax release their Chinese Democracy of thrash.
. . .
- Hear new Gorguts material -
. . .
. . .
Most anticipated:
that Primordial for sure
Altar of Plagues – Mammal (April) (+ a split with Year of no Light)
Amon Amarth – Surtur Rising (March)
Coffins!!!!!
Fen – Epoch (February)
Krallice
Ne Obliviscaris (provided their guitarist can get a visa…)
I’ll be sure to check out the new ones from Dornenreich and Grayceon as well.
I’d say the new Shining record is pretty anticipated. I wonder who’ll release first? Them or Anthrax?
You forgot Dream Theater’s new one.
…wait, no you didn’t.
Graveyard,Saint Vitus,Yob,Valkyrie,Pulling Teeth,Windhand,Lord Vicar,Weedeater, Moss, Today Is The Day (recorded by Kurt B.)
Tombs is my number one. Also curious how Today is the Day will sound with Kurt B. recording.
* Altar of Plagues
* Coffins
* Amebix
Pig Destroyer. Period.
Great selection so far! Stoked for Krallice and Amebix. I’ll also want to check out:
Craft – Void
40 Watt Sun – The Inside Room
Gridlink – Orphan
Cave In – White Silence
KEN mode – Venerable
Oxbow – The Thin Black Duke
Vomitory – Opus Mortis VIII
Cynic – ?
Hate Eternal – ?
Totimoshi – ?
Vektor – ?
Helms Alee – ?
Also, possibly new albums from:
Eyehategod
Sanctuary
Thorns
Necrophagist
Exhorder
Mastery
Fredrik Thordendal
Dead Congregation
I’m very excited about the upcoming releases from these bands: Primordial, Devin Townsend (two double albums AND Ziltoid2?!), Death Breath, Secrets of the Moon, Krallice, Morbid Angel, Tombs and, of course, the mighty Opeth.
No love for Trap Them’s new album?!
I’m actually not stoked with the new Morbid Angel. I’m just not into Tim Yeung’s over-compressed drumming.
Stoked for the new Destroyer 666 and Sodom albums.
Plague Bringer should also be putting out a new album sometime this year.
How could Goatwhore not be on this list??
I am not particularly excited about anyone’s new record this year, but since someone mentioned Totimoshi, I’ll go with that. Their last one was a bit too clean for my taste, but regardless, that’s still one underrated band.
Aside from many of the records already named (KRALLICEKRALLICEKRALLICE), I’m looking forward to new Indian and Lord Mantis material, anticipating Grayceon (should be another stellar year for Profound Lore), and curious about a Deafheaven full length. I’m not sure whether albums have actually been announced, but I’m sort of expecting material from Ensorcelor, Horseback, and Thou (nothing “sort of” about expecting new Thou material).
Probably not anything new from Leviathan.
I’m always left baffled when people attest to the fact that no good music comes out “anymore”. Music as a whole seems to produce more content each year, filling traditional niches of taste while continuing to carve out new ones; so what sort of music are you (not) listening to?
Krallice even though I wasn’t expecting it.
Gridlink
Macabre, out already but new to me.
Wormrot
Agathocles(lol)
Phobia
Bane
I’d dig new Necrophagist and Hate Eternal as well considering I’m not a death metal fan.
Can’t think of any others right now.
I haven’t given it much thought until I poked through my list (because who can keep all of this straight in their head) but it looks like 2011 will yield quite the harvest of great metal, Satan willing.
Adorior – TBA 3rd album
Agatus – Of Magic and Fire…
Antediluvian / Adversarial – split album
Apocalypse Command – Damnation Scythes Of Invincible Abomination
Ascended / Helcaraxë – split 7″
Assaulter – Boundless
Bastard Sapling – TBA debut album
Burial Invocation – TBA debut album
Cruciamentum – TBA MLP
Deceased – Surreal Overdose
Gospel of the Horns – TBA mCD
Helcaraxë – Red Dragon
Horrendous – TBA debut album
Katharsis / Teitanblood – split
Kerasphorus – TBA 7″
Macabre – Grim Scary Tales
Martire – Brutal Legions of the Apocalypse
Morbid Angel – TBA “I” album
Necros Christos – Doom of the Occult
Open Grave – Fear
Order From Chaos – boxset reissue
Pentacle – TBA
Portrait – Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae
Rammer – Siege of Madness (finally??? probably not…)
Repugnant – TBA second album
Revenge – Scum.Collapse.Eradication
Revenge / Black Witchery – TBA split
Sabbat – Sabbatrinity
Sacriphyx – TBA debut album
Sanguis Imperem – TBA debut album
Scythian / Kawir – split 7″
SET – TBA debut album
Spearhead – TBA third album
Speedwolf – TBA debut album
Vassafor – TBA
Witchrist – 10″ MLP
Zemial – Nykta
Did I see new Lord Mantis? Hellyeah
@vugelnox
Macabre’s Grim Scary Tales is technically a late 2010 release. The European release was done by Hammerheart Recordings, while Willowtip is going to do the US release in early 2011. I was actually at the record release show last December.
The new Moonsorrow album, Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa, is due out in February, and to say I’m excited is an understatement.
New Altar of Plagues is also very much anticipated.
@Jonas, new Secrets of the Moon? That’s excellent news!
Fen
Gorguts
Voivod
Les Discrets
Tombs
Blood Ceremony
Cave In – White Silence
KEN mode – Venerable
Trap Them – Darker Handcraft
Krallice
@Stephen Hawkwind – I really dug Mastery’s ‘Lethal Legacy’ when it came out. Metal Hammer very briefly pushed them when ‘Thrash 2.0′ kicked in, but then heard nothing about them as all the other new thrashers surged ahead. Last I heard they were after a vocalist – I had to double take when I saw Billy Milano had been enlisted?! That could be interesting to say the least.
Anyways, I’m highly anticipating:
Goatwhore
Eyehategod
Tombs
Morbid Angel
Evile
Wormrot
Weedeater
Crowbar
I forgot to mention Royal Thunder. I’m digging them right now.
Cosmo, you forgot Limp Bizkit’s “Gold Cobra”
Ulcerate – Destroyers Of All, which just leaked and is quite good.
Jesus Christ how is there only one person that said Pig Destroyer? Pig Destroyer Pig Destroyer Pig Destroyer
Holy shit, I didn’t even know any of these albums were coming out. P.S. How the fuck did you guys forget Opeth?
…opeth…
Mitochondrion – Parasignosis was not listed. It’s incredible.
New Septic Flesh album in April..nuff said
Weedeater
Indian
Coffins
Goatwhore
Hate Eternal
Amon Amarth
Olde Growth
Wino’s Adrift
…Saint Vitus…(fingers crossed)…
SHIT! Roadsaw too.
Damn! Also…
Deicide
Black Pyramid
Batillus
Primate
Pig Destroyer
Batillus
Dark Castle
Altar of Plagues
Royal Thunder
Wormrot
Weedeater
Agoraphobic Nosebleed?
Yob
Oh, forgot about Krallice as well.
Also morbidly curious about new Baroness and WITTR
I vaaaaaaaaaaguely remember that the title of the new Morbid Angel would be Iblis the Great. HOWEVER, it has been at least two years since I heard that, and I don’t remember where I heard it so, ya know.
Oops, sorry to double post, but I’m super stoked for the Sikfuk/Cemetery Rapist split, although I’m sure it’s pretty much just Sergeant D and me that are waiting on what will surely be this years wigger slam masterpiece, haha.
Rory – I assume you mean Shining (Swe)? Shining (Nor) is dead to me.
Sadus – Wow, Kurt Ballou! It’s surprising (and perhaps better) that Steve Austin isn’t recording Today Is the Day.
Stephen Hawking – Good call on the Craft. That record has been imminent forever. I’m also looking forward to Hate Eternal’s new one.
Jonas – I’m hoping Secrets of the Moon’s new one won’t sound as slick as the last one.
Carm – Tim Yeung just plays drums. He doesn’t control whether or not they are over-compressed on recordings. That’s the producer/mastering engineer’s job. But he does tend to play for projects that are over-compressed.
Zach – I agree. The problem is too much good music and not enough time.
vugelnox – New Deceased! [Smacks forehead] Of course! Spearhead is long overdue for a new record. I thought Kerasophorus was done?
Aaron Braunstein – New Lord Mantis!!! Thanks for the tip.
Asa – Voivod is recording a new album?
Watt Par – I’m pretty sure you’re right about that split.
If the new Tombs album is good, I think it will be the first great meal album of the decade. Looking forward to that, negative plane and pig destroyer
In no particular order:
1. Arson Anthem
2. Godflesh?
3. Triptykon (even though Tom G. said it will be out until 2012)
4. Alice in Chains?
5. Pig Destroyer
6. Napalm Death
7. Morbid Angel
8. (in a perfect world) another Type O Negative live DVD
9. Corrosion of Conformity?
10. OM
11. Shrinebuilder
12. The Melvins
Really looking forward to the new Pig Destroyer and the new records from Heavy Devy. I’m curious about the new Anthrax, as the songs they played live sounded pretty good to me, but I would honestly rather hear the Dan Nelson version. Belledonna doesn’t really thrill me as a vocalist.
I’ve got an ‘albums to get’ list at home, but off the top of my head I’m looking forward to Primordial, Altar of Plagues (go ireland!), Helrunar, Dornenreich, Devin Townsend, Tool, Absu, Anata (its been WAY too long for this one..), and Cult of Luna.
@ Zach
probably nothing from Leviathan HAHAHA, what a douche eh!
@Cosmo
Is there a particular reason Shinging (NOR) is dead to you? (just curious).
Metal Hammer DE has a general overview of some of the year’s upcoming releases here:
http://www.metal-hammer.de/Neuerscheinungen.html
Rush has a new album coming out!
dunkelheit – Yes, I detest their music. And to dare to share the name with a superior band in a neighboring country is wrong.
The Helrunar record is pretty solid.
@Rufus Johnson Brown: Melvins have a new album coming out? I guess that shouldn’t surprise me, as they tend to average at least a release a year.
Also, if Sandoval is still a member of the band and recovering from his surgery, why didn’t Morbid Angel wait for him before recording a new album? It’s not like it already hasn’t been several years since album “H.”
As usual, I’m more excited about the past than I am the future. However, I’m glad to get the news about Yob, Morbid Angel, Wormrot, Pig Destroyer, Autopsy, Coffins, Fuckin’ Deceased!, & Gridlink. Are Death Breath really putting out another one this year? Awesome!
So, Encyclopedia Metallum doesn’t list Shining(Nor). I noticed that Blackjazz album was on many year end lists. Are there any Shining albums worth checking out?
Primordial is the only one of the mentioned that gets me REALLY excited, I still got another month or two to digest what I got last year – new Agalloch sits unopened next to the stereo daring me to give it the attention it deserves…
@dunkelheit – New Tool? Now that’s something I would be VERY interested in.
Altar Of Plagues and Deafheaven. Touche Amore FOR SURE.
Touche Amore, you are joking..right…right?
Yeah, how is Pig Destroyer not on there. Also I’m assuming converge will come through with the new every two plan they’ve been on since You Fail Me.
Oh and I heard about new 324 this year. OMG
Winter’s Into Darkness finally getting a proper US reissue will be the best thing to come out this year.
Second best…new Yob!
Hopefully the new Amebix will be out this year as well.
Virus and Ulver are the biggest omissions from the lists and myriad comments, as far as I’m concerned, though Primordial and Devin Townsend share my most-disturbingly-excited-for award.
I’ve said it elsewhere and I’ll repeat here: Give me experimental and sonically interesting Shining (Swe) over weepy-weep snoozers Shining (Nor) any day of the damn week.
Spinal Tapdance – Heh, judging by your description, I think you’ve switched Shining (Swe) and (Nor) around. But I prefer the weepy-weep snoozers over the “experimental” and “sonically interesting” Shining any day of the damn week.
Miskatonic – I actually like Shining (Nor)’s first two records, when they were a jazz band, with no pretensions of metal or whatever.
Ugh, that’s…that’s exactly what I’ve done. I guess we’ll both have to go weepy-weep ourselves to sleep over our poor life choices.
Averse Sefira.
Moonsorrow.
So apparently there’s a new Burzum album coming up March 7 and it’s called “Fallen”, add this to my list
New Burzum album “info”!
http://www.plastichead.com/catalogue.asp?ex=fitem&verb=F&target=BYE008CD
If true, Burzum arouses my morbid curiosity for the second year in a row!
trap them
morbid angel
dark castle
crowbar
deafheaven
and kurt handling production duties on today is the day sounds interesting
No one’s mentioned Disfear yet – one of the first bands I discovered through IO, thanks! etc – Lindberg said it was his main concern (apart from the teaching, natch) these days, so a new album would be HOTLY anticipated in these quarters…
@steve57: Very good call! (I can’t believe I forgot Disfear. Especially not since they originate from my hometown and all…)
@Jo: Agreed! 8=)
@Invisible Oranges: I kind of liked the way “Privilegium” sounded…
pig destroyer, ANb, Brutal Truth, Today is the Day, Bastard Noise, sulaco, total fucking destruction
TOMBS!!!
And I second the morbid curiosity about the Anthrax record.
I THINK THE NEXT MORBID ANGEL ALBUM WILL BE A BIG THINGH TOUGH PETE SANDOVAL ISNT IN THE LINE UP. TREY AND DAVID ALONG WITH TIM WILL BRING SOME COOL STUFF!!!
@pseudonymous: I’m not really sure about a new Melvins album, but knowing them…
Can’t believe no one’s mentioned Falkenbach yet! I’m stoked about Fen’s new one also, it’s going to rule.
Others: Gorguts, Ulcerate, Burzum’s new one, maybe Axis of Perdition if it doesn’t suck like their last one…
Gorguts
Gridlink
Gorgasm
Ulcerate
Maruta
Mehkago NT
I’m excited for the new Toxic Holocaust in June. Guess that makes me lame.
Wow, a new Anata album? I thought they broke up…
Yob
Tombs
Today is the Day
Lord Mantis (Yay! Yay!)
Possibly Converge???
Weedeater
Thorns
Primordial
Morbid Angel
Gorguts
Cosmo, yes, Voivod is writing a new album now. Blacky is back and involved seriously for the first time since Nothingface. The brilliant Dan Mongrain of Martyr fame will be handling guitar duties for Piggy who I’m sure will be there in spirit.
A bunch already mentioned here (Negative Plane, Krallice, Gorguts, Ulcerate, Maruta, Wormrot, Secrets of the Moon, Gorgasm, Craft, etc etc),
though there are still a few not yet mentioned. Disma has a new EP and/or full-length coming out. The mighty MITHRAS, who don’t have any specific news about an album but they have been working on new songs. And lastly, Villains Road to Ruin out sometime in the spring(?) on Nuclear War Now.
Is someone other than Pig Destroyer planning a release this year? Why bother?
Anticipated:
Primordial
Morbid Angel – I remain skeptical.
Gorguts
Desaster – I heard a rumor.
Averse Sefira
Altar Of Plagues
Wolves in the Throne Room
Shining
Moonsorrow
Amon Amarth – No more guest musicians please!
Autopsy
Destruction
Gorgoroth – Yes, I know. They’re still a good band (leave them be!)
Control Denied
Ulver
Waylander
Taake
Absu – Before the end of the year? We’ll see…
Vreid
Toxic Holocaust
Burzum – Again? Really? Ok.
Pentagram
Summoning
Exumer
@Cosmo – will you be doing Most Anticipated Shows of 2011 too? This is just as if not more important to me as releases…
Also will there be an IO representative at the Manowar show in March?
steve57 – Shows are harder than anticipate, since they’re more subject to fickle industry forces (cancellations, dropouts, injuries, etc.), and they’re not announced as far in advance as albums.
We don’t have any staff in the cities of the Manowar tour, but perhaps some fan/reader would like to step up to cover a show!
Morbid Angel
Autopsy
Gorguts
Yob
Voivod…really?
I forgot Crowbar and Weedeater too. Whatever I heard off the new Crowbar sounded killer.
I honestly not excited about anything new, though I will more than likely check out Autopsy, Amebix, Averse Sefira, Sabbat, for damn sure
BLOOD FREAK is yet another Razorback Records band that has turned their back on the label (probably due to shit distribution), thrashing punk/death fun with kick ass riffs
Pentagram, ha! Sorry but their sorry ass last release Show Em How with a bunch of sessions musicians shows for a fucking fact that Bobby Liebling is NOT Pentagram, sorry, he is NOT PENTAGRAM, if Victor Griffin and Joe Hasselvandar are not on the new album then who gives a fuck?
eyehategod, ahhh man, I think after a lot of bands get a certain age if they’re not lifting weights or keeping their testosterone levels up they just turn into a cardboard version of themselves, Tom Fischer has maintained due to a life of constant agony n battl n blarb blarb blarb
Cruciamentum and Dead Congregation are awesome, I dunno i’m not pumped about anything though, my band will record a demo, I’m pumped about that
Samael
Moonspell
Ajattara
Heavenwood
Vreid
Septicflesh
Absu
Hecate Enthroned
Amaseffer
Ulver
Ram-Zet
Aeternus
“Invisible Oranges
Posted January 12, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Rory – I assume you mean Shining (Swe)? Shining (Nor) is dead to me.”
I knew the metal listener in general was ignorant, but I never quite imagined the extent…
And you consider yourselves music critics? You should obtain a set of ears first.
Amon Amarth at the top the list !!!
If you want to check my list of metal albums 2011, I share it here: metal albums 2011
1. Avenged sevenfold
2. Bullet for my valentine
3. Slipknot
4. Lamb Of God
5. Three Days Grace
There are the best out there…
Wow, great article post.Really thank you!