Tag Archives: albums of the year 2013

Ghost Cult Presents: Albums of The Year 2013- Part III

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And then there were ten! We are slashing our list of 2013 heavy music Albums of the Year down another bunch to albums #10-#6. As voted on by the global staff of Ghost Cult Magazine, these albums represent some of the best releases of last year.

 

 

Philip-H-Anselmo-The-Illegals-Walk-Through-Exits-Only10. Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals – Walk Through Exits Only (Housecore)

Intelligent, difficult, challenging, aggressive, unique extremity from Big Phil.

Issue 10: “If you love the vitriolic harshness of classic middle-era Pantera albums, Superjoint Ritual and his other work, you will be thrilled to hear the sound of the Phil of old rise again. This album will speak to a primal place deep within you, and it will have you speaking in tongues.” Read the full review

 

 

Vista_chino_-_peace_album_cover9. Vista Chino – Peace  (Napalm)

Kyuss (minus Homme) return with a chilled out fuzzy purpose.

Issue 13: “Given that no other band of their ilk has ever come close to bettering the Kyuss sound, this was hardly ever likely to go wrong, and with the likes of Garcia and Bjork at the helm, Vista Chino are a blast from the past that are surely here to stay, and one that any self-respecting rock fan should thank his/her lucky stars for. Welcome back gentlemen!” Read the full review

 

 

 

a2170755765_108. Gorguts – Colored Sands (Season of Mist)

Discordant Death metal masterpiece

Issue 12: “Gorguts are one of the best technical death metal bands out there, and Colored Sands is a very welcome return which easily measures up with other entries in their discography. The best thing about Colored Sands is that they haven’t attempted to recreate any part of their discography, yet it is still resolutely, undeniably, Gorguts.” Read the full review

 

 

kylesa-ultraviolet7. Kylesa – Ultraviolet (Season of Mist)

Psychedelic sludgers bring the rock on their 6th album

Issue 10: “Filtering a psychedelic and shoegaze like warmth and expression through their distinctive sonic mastery, the band has created an album (that) will enslave a new breath of fever fuelled recruits to their continuing artistry and imagination.” Read the full review

 

 

ihsahn-das6. Ihsahn – Das Seelenbrechen (Candlelight)

Progressive, extreme, inventive and avant-garde

Issue 13: OCTOBER ALBUM OF THE MONTH “Das Seelenbrechen translating to “The Soul Breaking” in English, sees Ihsahn pushing further into the realms of Avant-Garde experimentalism. Aided by the fine gents in Leprous, Tveitan has crafted an increasingly bold complex concoction of intricate time changes, free jazz passages and snarling extreme metal.” Read the full review

 

 

AOTY Part I – 50-21

AOTY Par II- 20-11

 

Written and compiled by Steve Tovey


Ghost Cult Presents: Albums of The Year 2013- Part II

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We jump back in to our countdown today with albums 20-11. Check back in over the next few days as we unveil our list until we get to the #1 heavy music album of 2013, as chosen by the staff of Ghost Cult Magazine.

 

leprous-coal20. Leprous – Coal (Inside Out/Century Media)

Melodic, progressive metal that established Leprous as more than just Ihsahn’s backing band.

Issue 9: “These young Norwegian visionaries display purposeful progression. Having set and surmounted daunting bars, serious exploration must be in store”. Read the full review

 

 

 

one-of-us-is-the-killer19. Dillinger Escape Plan – One Of Us Is The Killer (Party Smasher)

Most accessible release to date from mathcore legends.

Issue 8: MAY ALBUM OF THE MONTH “Shall we start by getting the superlatives out of the way first? One Of Us Is The Killer is the finest record that The Dillinger Escape Plan have released. Period. It is a record so good you keep pinching yourself that this isn’t just some kind of weird extreme music dream where everything you love about this type of music arrives all at once and in beautifully realised fashion.” Read the full review

 

Altar-of-Plagues-Teethed-Glory-Injury18. Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory & Injury (Profound Lore)

Much vaunted farewell from acclaimed Irish post-Black metal trio.

Shorter songs led to a greater diversity and focus of intensity in a dense and punishing album that moved away from AoP’s trademark sound to great, claustrophobic effect.  Post-Black metal, but not as we know it.

 

 

 

KsEDTDCover17. Killswitch Engage – Disarm The Descent (Roadrunner)

Vibrant comeback for the metalcore kings

Completely revitalised by the return of Jesse Leach, who turns in his best vocal performance to date, with the energy of a band just starting out rather than a seasoned veteran. Repeated short-sharp-shock treatment of the best order.

 

 

 

91cqip1WhOL._SL1417_16. Soilwork – The Living Infinite (Nuclear Blast)

Double-album of melodeath and pounding metal

Issue 6: “A whopping two album assault on the neural system, the band’s most accomplished and ambitious work to date…Diversity and memorable songs are the two defining elements which make (this) truly captivating”

 

 

 

Album-cover-with-title15. Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (Kscope)

Exquisite, melancholic prog from the mind of Porcupine Tree mainman

Issue 6: MARCH ALBUM OF THE MONTH “Enigmatic, multi-layered and breathtakingly ambitious, unusual soundscapes, there is a brooding darkness in the light, definite grit in the oyster… Wilson is raging very brightly indeed.”

 

 

 

wardruna-runaljodgapvarginnunga14. Wardruna – Runaljod – Yggdrasil (Indie)

Mesmerizing Norwegian ambient folk

“The songs of Wardruna will provide insight into Norse mysticism and a peaceful respite from the pace of urban living. The band’s approach to their beliefs and ideas runs much deeper than the vast majority of other acts that share the same genre and it is because of this that the music holds such mesmerising power.” Read the full review

 

 

CH_LP_COVER_LARGE_HIRES13. Corrections House – Last City Zero (Neurot)

Post-metal “supergroup” create something super

Issue 14: NOVEMBER ALBUM OF THE MONTH Not only are these men masters of their own individual sounds, they have managed to create something together that is bigger than themselves. Like their main bands, there is no relegating this music to the background. It is so insidious, stark and sure of itself that it righteously demands your full attention. Read the full review

 

 

deafheaven-sunbather-137633551212. Deafheaven – Sunbather (Deathwish)

Transcending black metal with unbridled optimistic swells battle blastbeats and beauty

Issue 10: (We may have got this one wrong at the time, but still managed to say…) “Something mystical and transcendent, warm and alluring… upwardly spiralling melodies…. Captivating, intertwining lines weaving a seductive web” Read the full review

 

 

 

a2339922695_1011. Beastmilk – Climax (Svart)

80’s influenced death rock captures the imagination

Climax takes you back to the glory days of Joy Division, Killing Joke, Morrisey et al, with jagged and dreamy guitar lines. And songs. Proper ones, of the apocalyptic post-punk variety with rumbling bass, Danzig-ian vocals.

 

 

See Part I with our list of albums 50-21 here.

Compiled and written by Steve Tovey