New York Metal legends All Out War will release their new album Celestial Rot on February 3rd, 2023, via the Translation Loss label. You can pre-order the album here. In the meantime, check out vocalist Mike Score’s Top 10 Albums of 2022!
10. Gaerea – Mirage
Portugal’s mysterious black metal menace returns in 2022 with Mirage. Picking up where the band left off with 2019’s Limbo, Mirage sees the band expand further into desperation and despair. Mirage is a soundtrack of emptiness that weaves a web of eternal suffering. One of 2022’s finest for sure.
9. Black Anvil- Regenesis
Black Anvil continues their evolution with Regenesis. Starting with As Was in 2017 Black Anvil began to refine their sound and bring in new influences while maintaining the filth and grime of earlier releases. Regenesis is another huge leap forward for this NYC Black Metal outfit. Pulling from so many different sources this may be their best release to date.
8. Dark Funeral – We Are the Apocalypse
Sticking with the Black Metal with Sweden’s Dark Funeral. Equal parts brutal and evil, We Are the Apocalypse hits the mark for me. This one brings devastation while also maintaining an all-encompassing darkness. All hail the apocalypse.
7. Terror – Pain Into Power
Switching gears to the hardcore realm, no one does modern hardcore better than Terror. Gang vocals and mosh parts galore this one is non-stop impact. 10 songs in 18 minutes Pain Into Power goes straight for the throat and disappears before the listener knows what hit them. It’s great to see this long-time powerhouse still going strong in 2022.
6. Mindforce – New Lords
Another heavy hitter from the hardcore realm, Mindforce returns with New Lords. Packing in riff after riff in relentless succession this is another one that clocks in under the 20-minute mark. With this release Mindforce proves they are the kings of thrash inspired hardcore. Long may they wear the crown.
5. Wake – Thought Form Descent
Wake is another band I’ve been following for awhile and it as been phenomenal watching them grow and evolve. While beginning as an almost straight grind band they have been consistently adding to their arsenal with each release. Thought Form Descent is their most eclectic release to date. It sounds huge and the album brings so many elements together to form one of 2022’s best.
4. Tzompantli – Tlazcaltiliztli
Tzompantli delivers musical obliteration of epic proportions with Tlazcaltiliztli. One of this year’s heaviest, Tzompantli combines Death and Doom with Mesoamerican folk to bring forth an interesting opus of decimation. Leaving nothing but desolation in its path this one could be the soundtrack to Armageddon. Tlazcaltiliztli is an incredible display of atmospheric brutality and I can’t wait to see where Tzompanttli takes their sound in the future.
3. Hersker – Hudangst
I just recently became aware of this band and they rip. Herkser are blackened punk at its best. Hudangst is vicious and raw black metal with an under layer of punk that helps it stand above the pack. Another one that pulls from different influences while at the same time being a cohesive powerhouse. This one snuck up on me and I’m really glad it did. Great record!!
2. Gehenna – Negative Hardcore
California’s Gehenna returns, spitting straight up aggression with misery and contempt. This one rages from start to finish and reeks of disdain and all that is ugly. It is the unholy trinity of black metal, hardcore, and punk wrapped in a not so nice package of pure filth. This is a bulldozer of annihilation and well worth the wait. A pure sonic killing machine!
1. Immolation – Acts of God
New York’s Immolation ages like fine wine. 31 years since the release of Dawn of Possession and Immolation still brings it. Maintaining their sound without coming off dated Acts of God crushes. This one is another example of technically precise heavy brutality of New York Death Metal. Acts of God is 52 minutes of total destruction.
https://youtu.be/rUToMbmptkY
MIKE SCORE