Robert “Meddlefan” Darling is a man of few words, unless he is interviewing you, and then he doesn’t shut up, and this is why we love him ha-ha. Here below is his top ten for last year, along with a few honourable mentions. Why is The Great Mackintosh writing this instead of Meddlefan you ask? Mind your own business is the answer! Nah, in all actuality the sheer stress of having to put together a top ten this year has had a remarkable effect on us all. I was already insane so I came through relatively unscathed, and the damage done to others was really not too bad, but Meddlefan suffered the worst unfortunately. He is currently living on a small iceberg floating in his swimming pool and believes that he is indeed now a penguin, and a penguin named Dennis at that. We are feeding him kippers on the hour, and can only hope the effects wear off soon, as we are fast running out of fish!
Anyway, enough dribble – let the show begin!
1. Torture Rack – Malefic Humiliation (20 Buck Spin)
Pure American Death Metal, all about, well Death and Torture and stuff. No need to overthink it, just kick back and take the beating being served!
2. Sulphur Aeon – The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos (Van Records)
Cthulhu anyone? Yes please! Let the greatest of the Gods drape his tentacles all over your mind on this killer release, gaze upon it’s excellence, and say goodbye to your mind as you know it! Heavy, otherworldly, and just plain astounding! No skipping here, just let the madness wash over you like the blackest of waves as Our Lord and Saviour rises from the depths to destroy all you hold dear!
3. Skeletal Remains – Devouring Mortality (Dark Descent Records)
Expectations where high with this one, and boy did they not just live up to them, they shat all over them from a lofty height! Absolute rip tearing goodness from these Californian purveyors of Death. An utter must have without a doubt!
4. Nattravnen – Kult of the Raven (Transcending Obscurity Records)
Jonny Pettersson, yes that man that apparently never sleeps, combined with the always awesome Godfather of Growl, the one and only Kam Lee? What more do you need to know – just fucking get into it!!
5. Druid Lord – Grotesque Offerings (Hells Headbangers)
Heavy, with a touch more heavy, and a dose of insanely crushingly heavy, this album is, for want of a better word or two – FUCKING HEAVY! The perfect Death/Doom combination really, and in a year full of fantastic releases of the same ilk, it’s no mean feat to get this high!
6. Portal – Ion (Profound Lore Records)
It’s Portal, you’ll either get it or you won’t. Probably a little more accessible than their previous stuff, but only by a bee’s dick. Great stuff.
7. Lecherous Nocturne – Occultaclysmic (Willowtip Records)
If I had to think of one word to describe this album, then VICIOUS would spring to mind first. Yes, our Lecherous friends here don’t fuck around at all with a mix of both Death, Black, and whatever the god damn hell they also feel like throwing in! Extreme music for that nasty side we all harbour deep deep down, fuck yes to that!
8. Heads for the Dead – Serpent’s Curse (Transcending Obscurity Records)
Jonny Pettersson, that name again, and friend Ralf Hauber (Revel in Flesh) put together a mighty fine bunch of tunes on this one, some of the slower stuff is just epic in it’s heaviness! Heck, the whole thing is! So good!
9. Tomb Mold – Manor of Infinite Forms (20 Buck Spin)
An amazing album that only gets better as it goes along. This one will grow on you like the finest of corpse fuzz. Death Metal excellence. Nuff said really.
10. Blasphemer – Lust of the Goat (Grind Scene Records)
Old School U.K. Death Metal done right. These guy’s can do no wrong as far as myself, and lots of others are concerned! Yes, with all the experience these fine lads have gathered between them over the years, and then the release of 2017’s self titled “Blasphemer”, that this one was gonna be killer was a no brainer!
Honourable Mentions
1914 – The Blind Leading the Blind (Archaic Sound)
https://archaic-sound.bandcamp.com/album/the-blind-leading-the-blind
Acts of Swine – Sadistically Speaking (Independent)
https://actsofswine.bandcamp.com/album/sadistically-speaking
Depravity – Evil Upheaval (Transcending Obscurity Records)
https://depravityaustralia.bandcamp.com/album/evil-upheaval-death-metal
The Grotesquery – The Lupine Anathema (Xtreem Music)
https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-lupine-anathema
Obsidian Shrine – Anno Domini Satanas (Negative Earth Records)
https://obsidianshrine.bandcamp.com/album/anno-domini-satanas
Cancer – Shadow Gripped (Peaceville Records)
http://peaceville.com/bands/cancer/
Monstrosity – The Passage of Existence (Conquest Music/Metal Blade)
https://monstrosityofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-passage-of-existence
Revocation – The Outer Ones (Metal Blade Records)
https://revocationband.bandcamp.com/album/the-outer-ones
The Metal Wanderlust 