!!!!!!!! ILX METAL ALBUMS of 2009 POLL RESULTS!!!!!! (FINAL RESULTS NOW IN! LISTENING TO THESE ALBUMS WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER FRAIL INTERNET PERSON!)

Big Business was my #1. Couldn't get over the sludge-prog of The Ayes Have It all year.

lol Dan you wonderful evil bad mang.

#41 , 116 Points , 10 votes

http://www.decoymusic.com/images/album_covers/0001/9201/coalesce_cover_medium.jpg
Coalesce - Ox

Really liking the new Coalesce so far.

― display names have been changed to protect the innocent (jon /via/ chi 2.0),

i've only listened once so far, but the new coalesce is kicking my ass.

― borntohula,

man, the new coalesce is gooooooooooooood.

never liked the vox too much, but like w/meshuggah, I can forgive the angry dude yelling at me in an intense way because the music is so head nodding and SICKK.

― picture me lolin' (Alan N),

coalesce fucking destroyed yesterday. danzig might as well have worn a fucking tutu.

― Nanobots: HOOSTEEND (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver),

100 - 41

100. Municipal Waste - Massive Aggressor
99. Tyr - By the Light of the Northern Star
98. Burnt by the Sun - Heart of Darkness
97. Masters of Reality - Pine/Cross Dover
96. Saviours - Accelerated Living
92. Them Crooked Vultures - S/T
Saros - Acrid Plains
Peste Noire - Ballade Cuntre Lo Anemi Francor
Augury - Fragmentary Evidence
91. Revocation - Existence Is Futile
90. Brutal Truth - Evolution Through Revolution
88. Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague
Glorior Belli - Meet Us at the Southern Sign
87. Anvil - This Is Thirteen
86. Vom - Primitive Arts
85. Altar of Plauges - White Tomb
84. 1349 - Revelations of the Black Flame
83. Obscura - Cosmogenesis
82. Doomriders - Darkness Come Alive
81. Gnaw - This Face
80. Jodis - Secret House
78. Blue Sabbath Black Cheer - Crows Eat the Eyes From the Leviathan's Carcass
Behemoth - Evangelion
76. Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo School of Medicine - The Audacity of Hype
Dethklok - Dethalbum II
75. Black Boned Angel - Verdun
74. Megadeth - Endgame
73. SubArachnoid Space - Eight Bells
72. Magrudergrind - S/T
71. Minsk - With Echoes in the Movement of Stone
70. Eluveitie - Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion
69. Voivod - Infini
68. Skeletonwitch - Breathing the Fire
67. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
66. Melvins - Chicken Switch
65. Hacride - Lazarus
64. Nadja and Black Boned Angel - S/T
63. Keelhaul - Triumphant Return to Obscurity
62. Anaal Nathrakh - In the Constellation of the Black Widow
61. Lifelover - Dekadens
60. Ahab - The Divinity of Oceans
59. Xasthur - All Reflections Drained
58. Bloody Panda - Summon
57. Ancestors - Of Sound Mind
56. Greymachine - Disconnected
55. Jamie Saft - Black Shabbis
54. Wardruna - Runaljod - Gap Var Ginnunga
53. Church of Misery - Houses of the Unholy
52. Jesu - Infinity
51. Dysrhythmia - Psychic Maps
50. Part Chimp - Thriller
49. Pyramids With Nadja - S/T
48. Nadja - When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV
47. Eagle Twin - The Unkindness of Crows
46. Napalm Death - Time Waits for No Slave
45. Madder Mortem - Eight Ways
44. Gnaw Their Tongues - All the Dread Magnificence of Perversity
43. Big Business - Mind the Drift
42. Portal - Swarth
41. Coalesce - Ox

GNAW THEIR TONGUES

There is almost a sublimely awful moment when the psychedelic experience goes wrong. Everything slows to about a hundredth of the speed; all faces and other recognizable objects twist into grotesque parodies of themselves; a perverse confusion of the thoughts occurs like a thousand jabbering voices crying out simultaneously; neural networks become crossed and one ‘sees’ fear and ‘tastes’ insanity. This beastly slump is represented in lysergic clarity by Gnaw Their Tongue’s amazing fourth album ‘All The Dread Magnificence Of Perversity’ which has just been released now on Crucial Blast.

The band is actually one musician, a jovial looking Dutchman who goes by the name of Mories. He is the primary member of the already fairly far out electronic Black Metal outfit Aderlating but little will prepare even the most dedicated follower of all that is fucked up and foul sonically for the bitter tide of GTT – what he describes as “a stinking pile of nightmare”. Most comparison points are only vaguely helpful. At most points it has the sheer visceral impact of Wolf Eyes but nothing here is improvised or even collage. This is scored music that uses complex time signatures, which you can feel at work under all the chaos so perhaps Stockhausen would be a more apposite comparison; except even the most hardy of avant classical fans would shit bassoon shaped bricks if they heard this fucking atrocity. There is a similarity to Clay Ruby the boss of Aurora Borealis’ Horrortronix project Burial Hex except his is a purely electronic project. Astoundingly, nearly all the instruments here were played live by Mories and then painstakingly positioned into the mix. So that’s drop tuned guitars, tubas, trombones, cellos, French horns, bass, timpani and lots and lots and lots of feedback, drone and screeching death summoning noise.

On other tracks such as ‘Broken Fingers Point Upwards In Vain’ the ghosts of hallowed composers such as Ligeti and Ravel struggle out of the miasma of disturbing racket as do lolloping rhythms that glue the chaos together. Mories agrees. Kind of: “Yes. But on the other hand, I’m not sure that I want it to hold together. If it’s on the edge of falling apart, it’s much more interesting. Tension is what I like.”

And trust us. That’s the understatement of the year.

I don't really understand all the Coalesce fuss. The vocals bore me.

Did I read that GTT piece in Metal Hammer, John? I read it somewhere.

Yeah, everything that I've posted here is just excerpts of longer pieces that I've written for Hammer, Stool Pigeon, Quietus or Classic Rock.

I've lost everything that I've written about Broadrick and Nadja this year for some reason. I must have left the gate open to the metalgaze pen in my hard drive so all the words could escape.

"I don't really understand all the Coalesce fuss. The vocals bore me."

^This x 1000.

Btw, sorry for not voting and thanks for doing this thread guys. I am reading and enjoying when I'm not stuck in the studio. :)

#40 , 119 , 5 votes , One #1 vote

http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/mount-eerie-winds-poem-cover-300x300.jpg
Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem

Inspired in equal measures by the moody TV series Twin Peaks and the dark drones of black metal, Phil Elverum’s third album is yet another epic journey into the mindset of this singular performer and artist. In keeping with the title of the disc, the songs vary between slow synth-driven pushes to brash distorted tree-topplers. Occasionally, he and his cohorts will settle somewhere in the middle, as on the shuffling, haunting “Between Two Mysteries”, a track anchored by a sample from Angelo Badalamenti’s Peaks soundtrack. But within those two extremes that Elverum and band are able to strike the deepest chord, one that haunts, mesmerizes and deliciously chills one’s spirit.

The Microphones dude? Is this really a BM thing?

No not 'really', this is firmly in the 'wuss' department ;) Like it plenty, but I'm not voting for it in a metal poll.

Don't know anything about it. No mentions on the rolling metal thread but noone said anything when it was nominated, it got plenty of votes and it sounds interesting. I guess our metal voters are an open-minded lot.

Really enjoying the Masters of Reality album, it reminds me a bit of Wire believe it or not. I'm listening to it on the ILM metal albums playlist, which I'll try to fully update this evening:
http://open.spotify.com/user/nstewart/playlist/0bPofQLVRFL7VoiAHYaRim

Masters of Reality = Wire + ZZ Top

#39 , 121 Points , 8 votes

http://atlmetal.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Immortal-All-Shall-Fall-300x300.jpg
Immortal - All Shall Fall

Speaking of Immortal, new album sounds great (out in Europe tomorrow, hah!). It's got a definite classic thrash / Ride the Lightning-vibe going in tracks like "Norden on Fire" and with the Tägtgren 'empty warehouse decked in ice'-production. Favorite track thusfar is definitely "Hordes to War", with its main riff going back and forth underneath the drums and that huge galloping fast polka bit at the end.

― Thijs,

I liked that Immortal album pretty well on first listen last night, too.

― glenn mcdonald,

#38 , 122 Points , 8 votes

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/reviewpics/marduk_cd.jpg
Marduk - Wormwood

Judging by the new album Wormwood, Mortuus now has total creative control over Marduk. It's nothing short of Maranatha pt. 2, really. Which off course is a good thing.

― Thijs,

Marduk is not bad, but is not that good, either.

― Carl,

The bass outro of 'Into Utter Madness' on the new Marduk is kinda cool. But off course bm is basically all about the treble, right?

― Thijs,

Picked up the Immortal late, I like it well enough but I'm not sure it would have made my ballot. Marduk is still on my "to hear" list.

I was a bit disappointed Marduk didn't do any of the more experimental midtempo stuff when I saw them a couple of months ago. They're touring Holland again right now, I might go and see them on Monday, they'll probably play a different set (plus, yeah, I'm a total Mortuus fanboy). Nice to see this didn't place above the more difficult but superior Maranatha :)

coalesce vox ARE boring. and too loud in the mix.

but I think the music totally makes up for it.

I've always meant to check out a marduk album but have never gotten around to it. any suggestions on where to start?

If you like nonstop blastbeat fury Panzer Division Marduk, for a little more variety and compelling vocal performance definitely Wormwood. Opus Nocturne is a good one from the old days, though I haven't heard it in ages.

I am into nonstop blastbeat fury (sometimes), so it sounds like I'll be starting with PDM. thanks!

#37 , 123 Points , 8 votes

http://www.bigshinyrobot.com/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/pelicancover.jpg
Pelican - What We All Come to Need

I quite like the new Pelican. Not as catchy as the last one, if one could call it catchy, but it's nice to nap on the couch to. Also, instrumental band with vocals on one track shocker LOL

― wronger than 100 geir posts (MacDara),

I'm probably one of the few other people in this thread that is actually curious to hear that Pelican. Seems like they bear the brunt of a lot of the NeurIsis overload.

― & other try hard shitfests (jon /via/ chi 2.0),

Feel like Pelican still have it in them to make good music by the simple expedient of chancing on a strong riff and rinsing the fuck out of it avec good clear production. Also feel, on initial listens, like this doesn't really happen on the new one

― Vladislav Delap (DJ Mencap),

All their haters moan like fuck about the drummer

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname),

I know, and it's pure parroting. There's nothing wrong with it, and it's certainly not bad enough to completely ruin the band. Like I said, I think his simple style actually benefits Pelicans music.

― Thijs,

the drumming on their stuff always seemed to me like an obvious stylistic decision--never understood the "he can't play" crowd.

― call all destroyer,

I like that Pelican album. Pretty much the only Pelican I like, but still. Not that I'd put it on this sort of list either.

― & other try hard shitfests (jon /via/ chi 2.0),

Pelican can be nice in tiny doses, but it always feels as bland as those paintings of sunbeams poking through clouds (I forget the name of the guy who's famous for making those). And yikes, could the drumming get any clunkier?

― A. Begrand,

Forgot to vote for Marduk :(

Thijs' suggestions are good ^

I might go and see them with Anaal Nathrakh next week...

Awesome. We're getting no-name melodeath opening acts over here I think :( I did see Anaal Nathrakh once already, at one of their first gigs ever; 2006, 2007? Good stuff, though still a bit chaotic and nervous at the time.

Pelican was also in my top ten. I don't just condone Larry Helwegs style of drumming, I'm a big fan (and a drummer myself). I just love it when drummers do very little and still make it work (see also Brad "EZB" Morgan of Drive-By Truckers for instance). The gentle midtempo grooves and the interplay of two guitars have a mesmerizing quality that even reminds me of Sun Kil Moon sometimes. Maybe it's because they're both big Priest fans, I don't know.

I generally don't like postrock or NeurIsis type bands btw, Neurosis and Pelican being the two main exceptions.

#36 , 124 Points, 7 votes

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8CN0D81QZ4E/Suy5ooQbOLI/AAAAAAAAAEc/dY0CtRL6oOg/s400/3858.jpg
Orthodox - Sentencia

one of the best albums this year for sure. Orthodox just keep getting better and better , progressing with each album. Even LJ would approve

-pfunkboy

Looking forward to Orthodox.

― Doran,

I'm listening to the new Orthodox now. I loved Gran Poder but was bored by Amanecer en Puerta Oscura, so I guess my expectations are low. Although it's having some weird Spanish effect on me, because I swear I just looked out my window and for a moment the sight of a construction crane next to the turret of Harvard's Memorial Hall threw me back to looking at the perpetual construction of Sagrada Familia on the skyline of Barcelona.

― glenn mcdonald,

Listened to the new Orthodox last night. It's amazing. They get better every album; Gran Poder bored the shit out of me, but Amanecer showed big improvement, and the new one isn't even a metal record. The first track sounds like an ultra-creepy alternate soundtrack to Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia.

― neither good nor bad, just a kid like you (unperson),

Here's the opening track from the Mount Eerie record, for those curious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtuCP1ExC_I

So, any thoughts about big hitters (as in mainstream-ish or long-term popular acts) yet to place? Slayer? Lamb Of God? Pearl Jam? Mastodon? We've already had Megadeth, of course...

^NB above post is 33rd new answer, or half the number of the beast, lets see if we can make it to 666 this week!

sorry 333rd!

hoping to see pearl jam not place

Big hitters still to come

thinking mastodon will make top ten
lamb of god and slayer in top twenty

infact one up next..

I think PJ are pretty certain to place...

#35 , 126 Points , 7 votes

http://rockandrollchildren.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/heaven-hell-the-devil-you-know-2009.jpg
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know

I'm more than ready for an "all-doom" Heaven & Hell record. Children of the Sea and After All and Sign of the Southern Cross are exactly what I like about that band...

― Nate Carson,

holy crap! i am, like, totally digging the hell outta the new Sabba...er Heaven & Hell album! riffs galore; production dark & densely packed; Dio's voice aging well and far more than bearable; Bill Ward, alas, missing. my top two metal albums of the year locked in place already. next?

― \m/ metal oaf \m/ (Ioannis),

Not me:

http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/27386930/review/27534978/the_devil_you_know

― xhuxk,

Heaven & Hell was so fantastic and inspirational. They're all in great form, Dio sounded fantastic (reaching for extra notes and nailing all of them). Vinnie's drum solo was a blast, Iommi's solo was moving, and the new material sounded great. Big shout out to the light and stage crew as the gargoyles and lights were top notch.

It was so great to see these guys be classy and excellent. It's always a bit embarrassing when Ozzy is in the house, flubbing notes. None of that with H&H.

― Nate Carson,

Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know : Surprisingly good, but not sure how well it'll age

― Kindjal,

Anyone think Alice in Chains will chart, then?

How does the Heaven & Hell it hold up now?
xp

it?
How does the Heaven & Hell hold up now?

I've never been into non ozzy sabbath so i never checked it out. Maybe i should play the classic dio sabbath stuff on spotify.
Funny how in the last few years older bands have managed to come back with really good albums. Celtic Frost & Unsane I thought were as great comebacks as ive ever heard. But lots of older bands (maiden,priest,ac/dc etc) seem to be getting rave reviews now. Wonder if its a Classic Rock Magazine effect of these bands being covered and new fans finding the band and the bands just raising their game rather than coasting it. The AiC album was really well received, which I was surprised with because i thought more would agree with me that AiC without Layne could not be AiC, but the music seemed to be so well received that ppl forgot about it and loved it.

Colonel Poo told me that Napalm Death have been on a roll with their last 3 albums too

oh and the already placed Megadeth and the will it/wont it place Slayer albums are seen as their best albums in eons.

How does the Heaven & Hell hold up now?

Still play it to death, almost on a daily basis. There really are so many nice touches in the arrangements that it never fails to move me in a big way.

And another big hitter up next..

I cooled on the Heaven & Hell album so much that I ended up dissing it in the process of praising something else on my list. The Megadeth album didn't last long in my rotation, either. It's a good Megadeth album, and I find that that isn't worth a whole lot to me anymore.

I really like the Heaven & Hell album. It's Old Testament doom.

Based on that one track up there and the other stuff that's already charted on here I have no problem w/ the Mount Eerie album being waved through - if it was some no-promo-photos dude on Southern Lord/Aurora Bourealis/blah no-one would bat an eyelid