Top 10 albums of 2013

It's been a while since I've been here. Let's just say the last 5 months weren't good for me. Probably some of the worst times of my life. But I'm eager to put them behind me so let's run down my top ten albums from 2013.

10. Sacriphyx - The Western Front

Aussie death metal with a war theme.

Samples: Fatal Fromelles, Without a Trace, Food for the Front

Buy it: http://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-western-front

9. Spiritual Beggars - Earth Blues

Pure 70s tribute. If you like Uriah Heep, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc, get this album.

Samples: Dreamer, Turn the Tide, Legends Collapse

Buy it: http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Blues-Spiritual-Beggars/dp/B00C7APVU0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1388445736&sr=8-2&keywords=earth+blues

8. Church of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum

Black Sabbath worship from Japan. If you like riffs, you'll like this.

Samples: B.T.K, Brother Bishop, Düsseldorf Monster

Buy it: http://www.riseaboverecords.com/store/church-of-misery-thy-kingdom-scum/

7. Gotsu Totsu Kotsu - Legend of Shadow

Round 2 from Japan, this time some really good death metal. Well the band calls themselves "samurai metal" but we all know that's just silly.

Samples: Harakiri, 203, Saigo no Rakujitsu, Marishiten

Buy it: You have to import. Amazon Japan will ship to international addresses.

6. Lychgate - Lychgate

Creepy black metal with some great organ usage.

Samples: Sceptre to Control the World, Against the Paradoxical Guild, Dust of a Gun Barrel

Buy it: http://mordgrimm.bandcamp.com/album/lychgate

5. Chthonic - Bú-Tik

Asian invasion continues with this melodic black/death offering from Taiwan.

Samples: Sail Into the Sunset's Fire, Defenders of Bú-Tik Palace, Next Republic, Rage of My Sword

Buy it: https://itunes.apple.com/fi/album/bu-tik/id644487492?l=en

4. Obliteration - Black Death Horizon

If you like old Autopsy or Asphyx, you'll love this.

Samples: Black Death Horizon, The Distant Sun (They Are the Key)

Buy it: http://blackdeathhorizon.bandcamp.com/releases

3. Satan's Host - Virgin Sails

Power metal with an attitude.

Samples: Infinite Impossibilities, Island of the Giant Ants

Buy it: Moribund Store

2. Warlord - The HolyEmpire

Manowar, Manilla Road, Fates Warning. If those names put a smile on your face, you owe it to yourself to get this.

Samples: 70,000 Sorrows, Thy Kingdom Come, Glory, The Holy Empire

Buy it: Warlord's Store

1. Ningen-Isu - Mandoro

And so ends my list with yet another Japanese album. I stumbled across this band a few months ago, just in time to get their discography imported for Christmas. It's a hefty price but oh so worth it. This latest album is their seventeenth release and it continues their unprecedented run of awesome records. Seriously, not one of their records is a skunk, they're all great. I have no idea how these guys aren't metal legends by now or how they don't have some kind of western distribution deal. Do whatever it takes to get your hands on this and all their albums.

Only one song on Youtube but it's great: Kuroyuri Nikki

Buy it: Same as GTK, you have to import. But please, please, please don't let that stop you.

There you have it. See you around.

My problem with Spiritual Beggars is I just end up playing Sedated on repeat. Good problem to have.

For a metal tinged list, surprised there's no Gorguts. That's a powerful album.

Fun fact: My first band was called Chthonic!

@bwast: some good recommendations there, some i hadn't heard before. one of these days i'm gonna get into that Warlord type stuff and my friends will be all all like wtf dude?

@csl316: i got that Gorguts lp recently, i'd have to say it's great, but at the moment it's more admiration than love i have for it, will probably change over time, but there are some other albums that came out this year i prefer...

so if i could piggyback the thread, and continue with some recent obscure metal which you may or may not be aware of and/or keen on...

Harmony of Struggle by Clandestine Blaze, black metal side project by dude from Deathspell Omega, wings of the archangel

Concrete Sustain by Batillus, industrial tinged with a strong groove and a nice fuzz guitar sound, concrete

Blood Drive by ASG, heavy bright rock'n'roll, a solid album from end to end, scrappy's trip

Knights of Darkness by Ranger, Finnish speed metal with an ace frontman, steel dawn

rock on motherfuckers

Toxic Smile -7

Steven Wilson - Raven that Refused to Sing

Flower Kings - Desolation Rose