Stereogum Thinks These Are the Top 40 Metal Albums of 2012
Stereogum has published their Top 40 Metal Albums of 2012. Be happy! Get angry! Argue! However you react, by no means should you disregard this list as “simply someone else’s opinion,” because we all know quite well that the quality of music can be measured objectively with scientific precision. For realz!
Stereogum’s list consists mostly (read: not entirely) of albums in metal sub-genres that you’d expect to see on a Stereogum list: death, black, grind and Vest Metal releases. Nothing really technical (except for Dodecahedron), nothing fusiony and nothing instrumental, but hey, I get it, different strokes / different folks. Some items I am somewhat surprised but happy to see make an appearance: the newest releases by Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah and Kreator. I also like: no inclusion of Converge, because Converge are a hardcore band! Ballsy. Props!
Speaking of Vest Metal: almost of more import than the list itself is the War & Peace-length intro accompanying the list that discusses the term “Vest Metal” in detail. Yes, indeed, Stereogum’s list does have several Vest Metal albums on it! These are the important matters of our times, people, way more important than any stinkin’ list. But while I’d say the author’s characterization of Dawnbringer as Vest Metal is probably accurate, I beg to differ on Stereogum’s #1 pick: Pallbearer are NOT a vest metal band (even though fans of Vest Metal in general do seem to like Pallbearer), but they certainly might be a power metal band. Perhaps a follow-up post in which I further clarify and classify the various micro-genres of Vest Metal is in order for early 2013.
Anyhoo, here’s the list, conveniently transcribed into easy copy-and-paste format by No Clean Singing:
40. Witch In Her Tomb: S/T
39. Horseback: Half Blood
38. Kowloon Walled City: Container Ships
37. Cannibal Corpse: Torture
36. Kreator: Phantom Antichrist
35. Horrendous: The Chills
34. Wylve: S/T
33. Agalloch: Faustian Echoes
32. Lord Mantis: Pervertor
31. Rhinocervs: RH 12
30. Neurosis: Honor Found In Decay
29. Hooded Menace: Effigies of Evil
28. A Pregnant Light: Live To Tell (split)
27. Vattnet Viskar: S/T EP
26. Secrets of the Moon: Seven Bells
25. Incantation: Vanquish In Vengeance
24. Circle of Ouroboros: The Lost Entrance of the Just
23. Deathspell Omega: Drought EP
22. Pig Destroyer: Book Burner
21. Mutilation Rites: Empyrean
20. Bosse-de-Nage: III
19. Unsane: Wreck
18. Black Breath: Sentenced To Life
17. Pinkish Black: Pinkish Black
16. Grave: Endless Procession of Souls
15. Krallice: Years Past Matter
14. Meshuggah: Koloss
13. Indesinence: Vessels of Light and Decay
12. Atriarch: Ritual of Passing
11. Dodecahedron: S/T
10. Evoken: Atra Mors
09. Blut Aus Nord: 777-Cosmosophy
08. Martyrdod: Paranoia
07. Asphyx: Deathhammer
06. Ash Borer: Cold of Ages
05. Samothrace: Reverence To Stone
04. Winterfylleth: The Threnody of Triumph
03. High On Fire: De Vermis Mysteriis
02. Dawnbringer: Into the Lair of the Sun God
01. Pallbearer: Sorrow and Extinction
