METAL ALBUMS POLL 2016 VOTING AND CAMPAIGNING THREAD. [Voting ends Friday December 16 11.59pm GMT]

it's very smooth melodic sludge-doom with almost trip-hop production, from portugal. the opening track also worth hearing

everyone with even a slight interest in psych-metal or doom needs to hear mammoth weed wizard bastard

^^^ seconding that MWWB rec. I've played it for a few people who don't much care for doom and they've enjoyed it, with one guy ordering the album immediately.

plus they really are the nicest people (or at least were when tt and i met them)

Another horse band, that I saw recently who are very promising are Horseburner. Roots in early Mastodon/Baroness but with very youthful rock 'n' roll energy.

https://horseburner.bandcamp.com/album/dead-seeds-barren-soil

A band that deserves more attention is Spirit Adrift. It's actually just one guy, but he may have a band assembled for live gigs.

Spirit Adrift is Arizona based Nate Garrett’s one-man doom band. Like Khemmis, he has a background in sludge, black and death metal (Gatecreeper and Take Over and Destroy). His shift to doom may be surprising to some, as it was part of his healing process to overcome alcoholism. So with a name that invokes uplifting transcendence, Garrett proceeds to dive deep into terror and dread in most of his songs, battling his demons with guitars, possibly atop a desert mountain. While there is a base in the traditional epic doom of the likes of Candlemass, Garrett is also a fan of Waylon Jennings, Neil Young and Thin Lizzy. The result is some really unique chord structures and sounds that even Garrett can’t explain exactly where they came from. The music is just flowing out of him, and we’re lucky to hear it. While his vocals have a soaring, emotional quality that can be compared to Pallbearer’s Brett Campbell (especially when tracked into harmonies), they’re also imperfectly original. On “Form And Force” and “Psychic Tide,” Garrett shows how putting every ounce of his ability into getting a great vocal performance makes a huge difference in setting Spirit Adrift apart from a massive sea of doom bands. The album peaks with the last and longest track, “The Hum Of Our Existence,” packed with attention-grabbing drum and bass parts and memorable riffs. The one thing that could make Spirit Adrift even greater is if Garrett could get a full band together and on the road, and translate it into a more dynamic recording. Whatever Garrett does though, I’m on it. | http://fastnbulbous.com/heavy-metal-rundown-2016/

loving the Virus right now too, although it's really a metal-tinged post-punk album (and a superb one too) - that bassist is brilliant

Clustered together with Mammoth Speed Wizard Bastard on my playlist are these bands, which share compatible vibes FWIW:

11Paranoias – Reliquary For A Dreamed Of World (Ritual)
https://ritualproductions.bandcamp.com/album/reliquary-for-a-dreamed-of-world

Spider Kitten – Ark Of Octofelis (Undergroove)
https://spiderkitten.bandcamp.com/album/ark-of-octofelis

Another band that's been under the radar is Norwegian band Madder Mortem.

Madder Mortem – Red In Tooth And Claw (Dark Essence/Karisma)
https://maddermortem.bandcamp.com/album/red-in-tooth-and-claw
http://fastnbulbous.com/madder-mortem-red-in-tooth-and-claw/

They've been kicking around since 1999, evolving from avant prog and doom metal (plus extra witchy goth) to this album they seemed to have absorbed some influences from Devil’s Blood, Jex Thoth, Blood Ceremony, Jess & The Ancient Ones and Purson.

Keep em coming. Remember you can add albums to the Spotify playlist

Voted! Thanks to everyone involved. I listened to about 60 releases in the past 2 weeks so my list is a bit wonky after the top 20 which were sure shots.

Got it, 8 ballots in now.

Thanks to all organizers, now that the Cohen poll is wrapped I can focus on the next most important thing: metal

I just added a load of albums to the spotify playlist. If everyone could add their noms that arent on it already that would be a great help to everyone.

Please everyone subscribe to it!

ILM Metal Spotify Playlist

Also nominations are open in the big poll. Please nominate there!

ILM's 2016 End of Year Albums & Tracks Poll / NOMINATIONS THREAD

Only 9 ballots so far. Is this the year metal died on ilm?

It's only Tuesday, there's plenty of time to vote left. I plan on getting a ballot in by Friday afternoon, but not much earlier.

I didn't care much for Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard (aside from the amazing band name). The ethereal vocals didn't hold my attention. The whole thing was surprisingly wispy for a stoner doom record.

Only 9 ballots so far. Is this the year metal died on ilm?

― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, December 13, 2016 5:30 PM (forty-nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

tbf, it's been in the mail a long time

I think this Wo Fat record is going to spring into my top 10. Great stoned heavy riffs. "There's something sinister in the wind..."

Only 9 ballots so far. Is this the year metal died on ilm?

― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, December 13, 2016 3:30 PM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

you ask this every year

amon (eman) wrote this on thread My reaction to the TWILIGHT CD on Southern Lord - holy crap! on board I Love Music on Nov 16, 2005

ILM Metal theads R.I.P. 2005

Interment - Scent of the Buried
I guess this kind of meat-and-potatoes OSDM (Old School Death Metal). Well-recorded, nice warm guitar sound, with catchy riffs. Over multiple listens it becomes clear the songs are well thought out. Doesn't get monotonous.
https://interment666.bandcamp.com/album/scent-of-the-buried-cd-lp-2

Absolute Power - Absolute Power
Screamo, but metal-adjacent. Obviously some likeness to grind, but they even slow down and throw in the occasional death metal riff. On the short side for an album, which is just fine with me. Nicely varied.
https://youthattack.bandcamp.com/album/absolute-power

Furia - Księżyc milczy luty
Some kind of sui generis Polish black metal. One of the more creative metal albums I've heard this year. Like last year's Mare Infinitum, it seems to embody its own genre. Great atmosphere.
https://paganrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ksi-yc-milczy-luty

Occult Burial - Hideous Obscure
Sounds like it may have been recorded in someone's garage, but gets the important things right. Kind of thrashy OSDM, with the not unpleasant sensation of being played slightly faster than is completely safe.
https://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/hideous-obscure

Re: Absolute Power: Haha wait, Will Killingsworth is actually IN a band?

o. nate all of those records sound right up my alley (except the furia which is already one of my favorite albums of the year) thank you

Hmmm maybe you arent giving ppl enough time to vote...?

cant be helped. seandalai is on a strict schedule it was now or never

Voted!

got it, thanks!

I am no longer too lazy or depressed to rep.

Sinistro - Semente
Like if Portishead were sludge and scary, but still retaining a magical lightness. The last three tracks are beautiful.
https://projectosinistro.bandcamp.com/album/semente

Wormrot - Voices
Furious grind from Singapore that is nevertheless very fun. Manages to be intense and melodically varied across mere seconds. Great cover art too.
https://wormrot.bandcamp.com/album/voices

this Sinistro album is really fucking cool!

Just voted. I almost reached 50, too, but of course almost half of those were albums I just listened to in the last two weeks.

Voter fraud inquiry: Is it better to vote for more or fewer records if I want my top pics to get the most points?

doesnt matter. the top album will get the most points unless you do unweighted. Always do a ranked ballot.

Also larger ballots help make it a top 100 instead of 50 in roll out as ties are less likely.
the last time someone else ran it there was only a top 50 and ppl moaned that they dont discover anything new in a smaller roll out.

so the larger the ballots the better from that pov

I asked on facebook if people think its been a good or bad year for metal and most have said its been a good year.

For me, it's been great -- however, I have three days to vote, and right now, I'm looking at 15 records I can vote for in good conscience. So, do I knock myself and listen like crazy to fit in 5 or 10 more? Or, do I take care of the baby, safe in the knowledge that my top 5 is probably better served by a smaller ballot anyway?

bung them all in for the good of the poll

cheers, and really, for the good of the baby too

For the good of the baby(metal)

When I vote im not voting to get albums higher in the poll. Its simply a bunch of albums I like in order.

Thats why I rank.

in all-time polls then i may go for a mix weighted poll as its much harder to choose.

but eoy polls is easy. If you have only heard 10 albums you can rank em or listen to more to have a bigger ballot if you want.

if you have heard and liked 50 albums just do that. they dont need to be 50 albums you think are equally as good.

But if you do have a larger ballot it can help bring attention to albums others may have missed which, for me, is the whole point of the poll.

Every year i pick up great albums only a few voted for but because they did it made the poll and was brought to mine (and everyone elses) attention.

and trust me on this, try to listen to more albums before you vote to get a larger ballot because, and I can guarantee this, an album will place and you will go "I wish I had heard that so I couldve voted for it"

happens every year.

Always.

At least four or five off of my ballot are by acts I only heard of through another year's 101-200.

Really enjoyed that Xoth album!

11 ballots in

Going to do mine tonight, hopefully.

Really enjoyed that Xoth album!

high on my ballot fer sure

I'm def. going to give Sinistro and that Madder Mortem album. I heard Madder Mortem in the early 00's and was not into it, glad to hear they have evolved to something more interesting.

give them a listen, I mean.

Let me attempt to drum last minute support for Mutterlein's "Orphans of the Black Sun," which isn't really metal in the traditional sense, but is pretty heavy. Influences from metal, neofolk, gothic rock, Swans, etc. Droning church organs (think Italian horror soundtracks or Antonius Rex or something), pounding drums and rattling percussion, prophetess-of-doom vocals... there's really nothing like it.

http://sundustrecords.bandcamp.com/album/orphans-of-the-black-sun

Sundust is the Blut Aus Nord guy's record label FWIW.

I have voted. From Hell's heart I stab at thee, etc. My top 10 is surprisingly unorthodox, for me.

got it, thanks

http://www.stereogum.com/1914718/the-40-best-metal-albums-of-2016/franchises/2016-in-review/

To get an idea of how decentralized metal became in 2016, you need look no further than Decibel’s list of the year’s 40 best albums. I think it goes without saying at this point that Decibel is the most respected and vital metal-specific publication in the world right now (as it has been for about a decade),

If the world only includes North America.

Europe has it's own magazines and I'm sure other places do too