2019 Metal ’n’ Heavy Rock/Heavy Music Poll: RESULTS - Top 100 Countdown

anyone who likes Scissorgod be sure to check out their Flystrips album too

Is it me or is it a bit. Cardiacs-y (or Panixphere-y) in places (Clevermouth!), though not the vocals obviously. Maybe it's that Lydian / tritone tang.

It being the Reveal album.

Exactly the response tt and I had to that song (which would have stormed into the upper reaches of my main poll tracks ballot)

It also reminds me of the whacked-out psych-gaze of Votaries from a few years ago

And obviously when it comes to Scandi metal-inflected post-punk, there's a clear lineage with Virus and RA as well

there's a clear lineage with Virus and RA as well

<3 RA but I'd be legit shocked if these guys were influenced by them

(of course I myself am convinced that both "Scottish Space Race" & Terminal Cheesecake's "Golden Hare" both are examples of the profound & enormous influence that DMBQ's Keeeenly has had over the British psych scene)

Brace yourselves, we've got a two-way tie coming up…

TIE 97
False - Portent
92 points, 4 votes

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3620678273_10.jpg

https://open.spotify.com/album/7yRphAvRA5fDVi9EcHsoTu

https://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2019/07/10/false-portent/

From the record’s opening frame, a few things become clear. Firstly, this record is a much leaner affair than their debut, minimizing its track count by 1 and runtime by nearly 20 minutes. Portent brings a more focused offering than the release that preceded it, which in this case offers a marked improvement over Untitled’s principal flaw: bloat. Where their debut could have done with a trim or two, Portent blasts out your speakers with the fat shorn away, presenting four tracks of focused aggression that never overstay their welcome (even at 10+ minutes each, minus the instrumental closing track). Opener “A Victual to Our Dead Selves” kicks off the record in glorious fashion, highlighting improved production and mixing as well as a songwriting aesthetic that goes straight for the jugular. False don’t mess around when it comes to shoving listeners directly into riffy mayhem, feeling more akin to Mayhem, Darkthrone, and in general the Norwegian second wave in this regard than some of their contemporaries. Emperor and Immortal should be mentioned here as well, as the band’s sense of melodrama and melody is even more finely tuned here than it was on their debut, featuring memorable and aggressive song structures that are diverse while never losing their innate sense of propulsion. It’s a stunning opening that paved the way for the wonders that await on the remainder of the record.

TIE 97
Russian Circles - Blood Year
92 points, 4 votes

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a2119011724_10.jpg

https://open.spotify.com/album/1LWWmVyhDxFAxBmQe3ecZb

https://www.angrymetalguy.com/russian-circles-blood-year-review/

Several years on, and having released the epic Guidance in between, Russian Circles are back with seventh full-length Blood Year (if you are unfamiliar with their discography and not yet ready to commit to working your way through it album by album, check out our primer playlist). Blood Year is not a record I took to immediately. I’d heard two of its strongest tracks—”Arluck” and “Milano”—before getting the promo and liked them both a lot but on my first couple of spins of the record as a whole, it felt a little disjointed. One of the distinctive things about Circles‘ albums until this point is their expansive, lush feel, with each track flowing pretty seamlessly into the next. Blood Year, however, feels less nuanced and more direct—a sense perhaps presaged by that beautifully simplistic cover artwork—than their last two albums, Memorial and Guidance, with each track standing on its own. It is also more consistently heavy than any of their previous releases, with only intro “Hunter Moon” and interlude “Ghost on High” providing respite.

Two more from my ballot. Russian Circles are really the best at This Sort Of Thing if you're into This Sort Of Thing.

False had the decency to use a Lewandowski cover where Large Sad Man is shown only in barest outline.

Possibly Two Large Sad Men, depending on the beholder's eye.

I think 7 of mine have already turned up! Looking forward to checking out the Reveal album.

I recall vaguely enjoying the False album, but not enough to return to it. As for Russian Circles, I guess it's not my Sort of Thing.

(With my apologies for not recusing myself from commentary as per imago's graceful example during the 00s albums rollout.)

96
Zig Zags - They'll Never Take Us Alive
95 points, 2 votes

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0830932615_10.jpg

https://www.echoesanddust.com/2019/05/zig-zags-theyll-never-take-us-alive/

“Every album we record, every song we write – has to be faster, harder and heavier – than the one before”, so says the press release accompanying the fourth album from L.A.’s Zig-Zags. That quote could virtually be lifted from any band out of the pages of the eighties thrash metal mag Metal Forces. And that’s a little clue as to what the Zig-Zags deliver, a circle back to the time when NWOBHM and the very early stages of thrash intertwined.

No modern take on thrash here, nor is it a copycat of any particular-band, but They’ll Never take Us Alive successfully captures the pure rawness, energy, naivety of early eighties hard-core punk, Venom, Show No Mercy era Slayer, and especially Metallica, when they were that little ole’ thrash band. Also, tag in NWOBHM at its most-heaviest and most proto-thrashiest rawest, as in the company of Raven, and Savage.

This album spits and snarls, snapping away at relentless speed and adrenalin fuelled energy like teenagers taking bad, cheap drugs and alcohol. The Zig-Zags captures the sound of this time in metal history so well, I break out in acne every time I put the album on. And is there a better opening title, and indeed, a no-nonsense, thrashing mad, race you ‘till the end belter in ‘Punk Fucking Metal’ to set you on a rollicking collision course of a ride.

Oh, and the Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5lIO4Re1meT6ks5G4vSqBV

(With my apologies for not recusing myself from commentary as per imago's graceful example during the 00s albums rollout.)

Your commentary rules and really helps foster discussion which I know us always a big concern with these polls. This is the most lively the metal poll has been in years..

I hate to just keep commenting on covers but lmao @ that one. The description sounds awesome though, I'll have to check it out.

<3 DAM, with additional apologies for the sheer un-metalness of this post.

Part of the 'problem' with these retro-af albums is that I feel like I need to spend more time with the originals first. I'm slowly getting there.

Never heard of this, but it sounds awesome. Definitely queuing this one up to check out.

yeah the zig zags were party like it's 1989 fun, novelty effect absent ofc. fun, nonetheless

seconding drug's last post

How many of us under-35ers (I've got a few more weeks to go) are heavily into thrash, I wonder?

How many of us over-35s have the energy for thrash.

inculter incoming?

How many of us under-35ers (I've got a few more weeks to go) are heavily into thrash, I wonder?

― romanesque architect (pomenitul), Monday, February 24, 2020 7:33 AM (three minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

it’s the best kind of metal

lol Brad, that's less vmic than usual – I thought you were going to say every kind of metal is the best kind of metal.

Is there a subgenre you actively dislike?

black metal has to be like tremendous or heavily deathened to impress me. a lot of doomish stonery stuff is lost on me

Surprised by the latter tbh. I definitely like it a lot more on paper than I do while it's playing.

Speaking of the former…

95
Drudkh - A Few Lines in Archaic Ukrainian
95 points, 3 votes

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1721612505_10.jpg

https://open.spotify.com/album/3fco2OJoJTmbwzc1yHj3qM

https://distortedsoundmag.com/album-review-a-few-lines-in-archaic-ukrainian-drudkh/

There are few atmospheric black metal bands in Europe as endlessly alluring as DRUDKH; the Ukraine mainstays have spent a career remaining remarkably consistent and replete with fresh and engaging ideas. Despite spending much of their time in relative obscurity, only achieving underground glory for much of their early years, they have managed to gradually and successfully garner a following, and it’s no surprise why; the quartet is responsible for some of the most all-encompassing black metal released this century.

Their debut album, Forgotten Legends, and its ambitious follow-up Autumn Aurora remain upheld as two of the most remarkable atmospheric black metal albums in recent memory – each of them called upon rural/folk influences specific to their region, as well as that of both BURZUM and CELTIC FROST. Throughout their career, they have continually built on this formula, sparing only 2006’s Songs Of Grief And Solitude, which provided an amalgam of both folk and dark ambient; a curiosity within their discography. They’ve continually impressed fans with their orchestral and dynamic take on pagan black metal, almost falling into the camp of ‘taken for granted’. Here, however, on A Few Lines In Archaic Ukrainian, they are on the finest forms they’re experienced in years, and demand a critical renaissance.

DRUDKH’s national identity comes through in their art in a number of ways, separating from a densely-populated pack. Their lyrics, generally, concern Slavic mythology – something that has since and previously been explored in black metal, but never to the standard of DRUDKH. On A Few Lines In Archaic Ukrainian, however, DRUDKH have opted for a new technique. The group have unearthed classical texts from Ukrainian poets and used them as the foundation for their music. For example, the words of Mike Johansen, who arrived in Karkhiv at the end of the 19th century, words are make-up the lyrics for single Autumn In Sepia. This song provides a perfect taster for the rest of the album; showing both that the album possesses a level of scope the band haven’t shown before, as well as being more musically direct than its immediate neighbours. It’s not the artistic highlight, but it is certainly the song one ought to be shown before being introduced to the album in its entirety.

First (and perhaps only) compilation to have placed so far, if I'm not mistaken? Either way, Drudkh's discography is nothing if not consistent.

That is very true. I like a brisk walk through a murky forest as much as the next person and whilst I don’t often choose to listen to Drudkh, I always enjoy it when I do.

94
Inculter - Fatal Visions
95 points, 5 votes

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3113339614_10.jpg

https://open.spotify.com/album/0fPF9DdzCHBQll0xNNSRnF

https://www.angrymetalguy.com/inculter-fatal-visions-review/

What is an Inculter? Is it the person sitting behind the registration table at your local religious cult convention? You know, the one who greets you, helps you select the appropriate cult, provides the correct forms for you to fill out, and introduces you to the last family you’ll ever have? Or could it be that all-important person involved in the metal production process who is directly responsible for injecting the proper amount of cvltness into the music? Could it have something to do with yogurt and gut health? After pondering this riddle for some time, I continued to draw a blank and decided to listen to Fatal Visions, the sophomore full-length from this simple yet mysteriously named Norwegian band. Perhaps the music holds the answer.

After many spins, I’m convinced that Inculter is the Norwegian word for “producer of righteous thrash.” Holy smokes, this rips from front to back. Imagine an insanely tight and fast Slayer fronted by Sepultura‘s Max Cavalera, and you have a decent picture of the blistering ride that is Fatal Visions. Lead off track “Open the Tombs” begins with three-quarters of a minute of relative calm as classic power chords herald the coming storm. Use those seconds wisely, as the rest stops are few and far between after this. When the thrash riffing begins, a smile works its way onto my face and doesn’t leave for the next 33 minutes (or 67 if I play the record twice, which is almost required).

Thrash so sizzlingly good even I voted for it.

yay!

It made mine too! This rips.

I can’t get into a lot of thrash, but if it’s sizzlingly good then maybe! There’s one I voted for that I’m looking forward to placing later.

Also many xposts to Noel - Clevermouth specifically reminded me of Horse Head!

the drumming on this record is a beauty

Nothing against Daniel Tveit, I love the guy, but imagine someone with true jazz chops on those extended instrumentals on Fatal Visions.

haha

this looks dope

I'm narrowly under 35 and it takes a lot of wonky art nonsense for me to start liking thrash. I'm not even completely sold on Voivod yet. Still, if you all claim it's sizzling...

update: two tracks in, it's very dope

Coming right up: yet another ludicrously named band – far older than onomastic rivals Fvneral Fvkk, however.

93
Terminal Cheesecake - Le sacre du lièvre
96 points, 2 votes, 1 #1 vote

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0283117011_10.jpg

https://open.spotify.com/album/6PaLSRWO37qT6yKoinhryx

https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/terminal-cheesecake-le-sacre-du-lievre

Terminal Cheesecake operate at a crazed pitch not dissimilar to Butthole Surfers, albeit by varying means, in that an underlying mischievousness underscores everything they produce. And if Le Sacre Du Liévre takes yet another twist in a career full of them, one thing it retains is that sense of fee spirited waywardness.

From their formation in 1988, Terminal Cheesecake blazed a swampy trail through the UK’s underground until they ceased activity in 1995. Having returned into the fold in 2013, the band committed their first new material in 22 years to wax in 2016 with the excellent Dandelion Sauce Of The Ancients via Newcastle’s Box Records.

Happily, their reformation continues with this latest collection of ungovernable noise. If Saddle Shower sounds like it was cooked up in a raging furnace, its plodding pace lending the track a very particular kind of menace, South Sea Wall creeps in at a quieter, softer canter with vocal loops, eerie guitars, and an ominous twinkle of a triangle here and there. Rest assured, it’s no less intimidating for it.

Not familiar with these guys at all. Will the #1 voter please stand up?

He's probably asleep tbh

I voted for this! Sets up a convincing old ruckus

Its a-me!

He's awake!

I'm going to have to sample this a bit later, unfortunately. Currently juggling between this and proofreading something for work.