Nine Circles

2018 has been quite the year. It was a roller coaster personally, nationally, globally, and in the realm of metal. There are people that I loved that are gone now. There are people who are gone that I should have loved more. I failed a lot of people. I’ve struggled in so many ways. If you are curious about that, just listen to the last Slaves BC record or read any interviews I did during that release cycle. I got fatter, fitter, quit smoking, joined five or six more bands, did artwork for some bands, did PR for some others, and spent a lot (but never enough) of time with my wonderful wife and animals.

Anyway, I listened to a ton of music again in 2018. I didn’t get a chance to talk about any of it very much, but I listened to a ton. 2018 was another fantastic year for metal/hardcore/whatever. I’ve been altering this list for months and I had a real hard time narrowing it down as much as I did. Just like last year, I have compiled my favorite 50 full length metal/hardcore records, favorite 10 non-metal records, and my top 10 favorite EP’s/singles/etc.

I made this playlist with one track from each of the records that are on Spotify for you to listen to a sampling of everything below. Thank you for checking this out and here’s to a better 2019!

---

Top 10 Favorite Non-Metal Records of 2018

#10 – #1. Black Panther Soundtrack feat: Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, SZA, Vince Staples, 2 Chainz, and more

I listened to this record so much in 2018. No other non-metal release came even close to this one for me. I listened to at least one track from this soundtrack every single day. If you haven’t listened, go watch Black Panther and then listen to the soundtrack.

#WakandaForever

---

Top 10 Favorite EP/Single/7″/etc of 2018

#10. Fawn Limbs – Towering Heads

Independent

—

#9. Snorlax – Splintering demo

Caligari Records

—

#8. Oryx – Born into Madness EP

Graven Earth Records

—

#7. Kostnatění – Konec je vsude

Fallen Empire

—

#6. Inverser – Demo

Caligari Records

—

#5. Fluisteraars & Turia – De Oord Split 12”

Eisenwald

—

#4. Chthe’ilist – Passage into the Xexanotth 7”

Profound Lore

—

#3. Vastum / Spectral Voice Split EP

Dark Descent Records

—

#2. Zao/Yashira – Hide from the Light / Led to Ache Split 7”

Mind Over Matter Records

—

#1. The Secret – Lux Tenebris

Southern Lord

---

Top 50 Favorite Full Length Records of 2018

#50. LLNN – Deads

Pelagic Records

—

#49. Innumerable Forms – Punishment in Flesh

Profound Lore

     —

#48. Author & Punisher – Beastland

Relapse Records

—

#47. Gaerea – Unsettling Whispers

Transcending Obscurity

—

#46. Forn – Rites of Despair

Gilead Media

—

#45. Ghastly – Death Velour

20 Buck Spin

—

#44. Arkhtinn – VI

Fallen Empire

—

#43. AFSKY – Sorg

Vendetta Records

—

#42. Frontierer – Unloved

Independent

—

#41. Azusa – Heavy Yoke

Solid State Records

—

#40. Vile Creature – Cast of Static & Smoke

Halo of Flies

—

#39. Hell to Pay – Bliss

Get This Right Records

—

#38. Infernal Coil – Within a World Forgotten

Profound Lore

—

#37. Our Place of Worship is Silence – With Inexorable Suffering

Translation Loss Records

—

#36. Panegyrist – Hierurgy

I, Voidhanger

—

#35. Urfaust – The Constellatory Practice

Ván Records

—

#34. Secret Cutter – Quantum Eraser

Holy Roar Records

—

#33. Abstracter – Cinerous Incarnate

Sentient Ruin Laboratories

—

#32. Sylvaine – Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone

Season of Mist

—

#31. Portrayal of Guilt – Let Pain Be Your Guide

Gilead Media

—

#30. HIDE – Castration Anxiety

Dais Records

—

#29. Great Falls – A Sense of Rest

Corpse Flower Records

—

#28. Antlers – Beneath.Below.Behold

Totenmusik

—

#27. Devouring Star – The Arteries of Heresy

Dark Descent Records

—

#26. Bufihimat – I

Willowtip Records

—

#25. Gevurah – Sulphur Soul

Profound Lore

—

#24. Outre – Hollow Earth

Debemur Morti Productions

—

#23. Malthusian – Across Deaths

Invictus Productions

—

#22. Psicosfera – Beta

Independent

—

#21. Depths Above – Ex Nihilo

Independent

—

#20. Radien – Syvyys

Black Bow Records

—

#19. Solar Temple – Fertile Descent

Eisenwald

—

#18. Churchburn – None Shall Live… The Hymns of Misery

Armageddon Shop

—

#17. W.A.I.L. – Wisdom Through Agony into Illumination and Lunacy Vol. II

Triumphant Transgressions

—

#16. Adzalaan – Into Vermilion Mirrors

Vrasubatlat

—

#15. Det Eviga Leendet – Lenience

Fallen Empire

—

#14. Utzalu – Idiot Hell

Vrasubatlat

—

#13. Convocation – Scars Across

Everlasting Spew Records

—

#12. Noise Trail Immersion – Symbology of Shelter

Moment of Collapse Records

—

#11. Cult Leader – A Patient Man

Deathwish Inc

—

#10. Svartidauði – Revelations of the Red Sword

Ván Records

—

#9. HWWAUOCH – HWWAUOCH

Fallen Empire

—

#8. Dakhma – Atonement

Iron Bonehead Productions

—

#7. Vanhelgd – Deimos Sanktuarium

Dark Descent Records

—

#6. Guðveiki – Vængför

Fallen Empire

—

#5. Daughters – You Won’t Get What You Want

Ipecac

—

#4. Hissing – Permanent Destitution

Profound Lore

—

#3. Mylingar – Döda Drömmar

Amor Fati Prodcutions

—

#2. Messa – Feast for Water

Aural Music

—

#1. Imperial Triumphant – Vile Luxury

Gilead Media

---

And if anyone cares, here are some of the releases I was involved with in 2018…

Slaves BC – Lo, and I Am Burning

Vocals, drums, art

Twilight Fauna – Where Birds Sing My Name

Drums

Arête – Hymnal

Drums

Mevrimna – Neùrodny duse

Vocals, drums, art

Anchorhold – From a Father’s Son

Drums

CVRSDBRTH multiple singles

Vocals, guitar, drums, noise, samples, recording, art

---