For this episode we go all in with most of the staff for our best of 2020 picks. We hit the high notes of what tickled our fancies for the year that was a shitstorm and even welcomed in a new member to the family. So, buckle up for an epic episode that has a wealth of stuff you may have missed and be sure to take notes, artists we mention need your support so open up those wallets and purses.
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Best of 2020: Ian’s List
Ah, the big one. I’ve been looking forward to writing this for a while, but I also can’t help but feel like there’s no way I could possibly put everything I loved about music in 2020 into enough words to satisfy myself. If I had enough time or gumption to make a list that was twenty or thirty albums long, I still don’t think that would be enough. So much great music happened amid the Unpleasantness, and I think more than ever it was worth paying attention to all of it, whether for excitement or escape or transcendentalism or catharsis. For me, losing a twice-daily commute meant that I had to be an active listener to the music I chose to put on, and I think that made the releases that stood out to me stand out all the more. Plus, being a part of the team here has been a literal dream come true, and I had more access than ever to quality releases. Without further ado, here are the ones I’ve fallen for the hardest.
Continue readingBest of 2020: Chris’s List
If you’re reading this there are two possibilities at play, either of which warrant a hearty congratulations:
- It’s the end of the year, and you found the strength, courage and forbearance to get through the infested muck that was 2020. Congratulations! I don’t know what 2021 will bring, but let’s put the future aside for a moment and just revel in survival, and talk about some great music.
- It’s an indeterminate time in the future, after the apocalypse, and the collective hive mind has integrated into the data streams and come across this post in a random search string query to ascertain various data points about the distant past. Congratulations! I’m not alive to know what the Time Lords have in mind for the future, but let’s put that aside for a moment and just revel in whatever constitutes life in your existence, and talk about some great music.
Either way, it’s list time… Continue reading
CANTO: Morne, Imperial Triumphant, Comatose, and More
Now the challenging task of re-listening to like 60 albums in the next couple of weeks.
- Morne is streaming their Live at Roadburn album, and you should probably go check it out. Hard to find a better way to spend a bleak, cold day in late November.
- Atmospheric rock crew Comatose, which features members of Chrome Waves, Amiensus, and Fail To Decay, are releasing their debut on January 22nd. That will be out through Transcending Records, and you can listen to a new track called “Inside” right now.
- Imperial Triumphant dropped a new video for “Excelsior”, which premiered over on Heavy Consequence. Alphaville dropped back in the summer, and I’m sure we’ll see it pop up on some EOY lists now that 2020 is almost a wrap.
- Finally, a new lyric video from Ruff Majik for “Gregory”. The Devils Cattle is out now through Mongrel Records. Let’s end our day with a little fuzz, yeah?
“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb
CANTO: Carcass, Behemoth, Armored Saint, and More
I spent all day hiking. As a result, I don’t know why I’m writing this.
- Carcass is releasing a new EP on October 30th through Nuclear Blast, titled Despicable. Better yet, you can listen to a new song called “The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue” right now.
- Armored Saint has announced a live record release performance, which will take place on October 10th. Their new album, Punching The Sky, drops on October 23rd through Metal Blade.
- Behemoth have also announced In Absentia Dei, an immersive live stream event that will take place on September 5th. The performance will be held at a secret church in Poland and feature special guests Imperial Triumphant… but they’ll be in NYC.
- I appreciate music videos that call out to horror movies, so let’s check out the new one from The Bloody Hell for “Last Word”. Their self-tiled debut album is out now.
“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb