I figured it's a good a time as any to get the ball rolling this year.

I've made a concerted effort to seek out more new music this year, as I barely was able to make a top 10 last year.

For January there's only been one album that's stood out to me and that's Imha Tarikat's album Kara Ihlas. I don't know much about them only that they are a Turkish/German based black metal band. It's black metal, but there's something kind of punky about it at times too. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about it, but something keeps drawing me back to it.





Other notable non-album mentions go to:

Necrom - The Light Has Never Been Here (EP - Ukrainin Black metal supergroup do swedish death metal)
Panopticon - The Crescendo Of Dusk (EP - 2 tracks, 1 is a 14 minute epic left of the sessions from the last album, and the second a neo-folk track left of the sessions of the album before)
Makthaverskan - Demands​/​Onkel (Single - Swedish jangly post punk dream pop kind of thing. I love their sound.)

Rome - Le Ceneri di Heliodoro



Also enjoyed Ondfødt - Dödsrikets kallelse


and Master's Call - Morbid Black Trinity ep

January was owned by this:

JAN:

1.


2.


3.

(Altarage - The Approaching Roar)

Honourable mention to Hecate Enthroned's new one and King Diamond's live album (Abigail in its entirety).


The rest...

I see Alice Cooper's old guitarist Kane Roberts is still chucking out the instantly forgettable, too-bland-even-for-radio nonsense.

King 810's sharp decline continues. I like the debut, but it's time to say goodbye now, lads. Seriously. Fuck off.

Thought I'd try the new one by Bring Me the Horizon.
After they hurt my ears forever at Sonisphere years ago, I haven't actually listened to a thing by them.
Wow.
If ever the question pops up: "which band sold out like bitches?" then from now on, your first answer should always be Bring Me the Horizon.

Don't think I've heard anything new this year yet

^^Same. Nothing of interest for me until late Feb when the new Dream Theater, Rotting Christ and Les Claypool/Lennon albums are released. Candlemass too.

I might have this confused but is that a new new Rotting Christ, or a compilation?

It's a new album called The Heretics. I believe it's a concept album of sorts. Reviews are just starting to appear online. I've read 3 of them and they all seem to agree that it's their best in a while. i.e either since Theogonia or since the 90's.

Cool. I must admit I've never bought a RC album in my life. and I'm really not into the buzzsaw black metal of their earlier stuff. However, I have listened to some of their more recent stuff on YT and like that: I'm thinking the slower, doomier stuff.

The only thing I can think of that I'm interested in is the new Nile. Overkill, I suppose

Judiciary : surface noise , very good old school metalcore from Texas.

New pissgrave this month as well.

Quite a few good albums this month but I'd have to go

1. Saor - Forgotten Paths


2. Violet Cold - Kosmik


3. Astroniod - Astronoid


4. Vanum - Ageless Fire

Also enjoyed Candlemass, Zloslut, Blue Hummingbird on the Left & Windswept.

I couldn't quite get into that Drud....I mean Windswept album.

I'm sure I'll get hate here for saying this but I'm really enjoying the new Dream Theater

^^I like it too. It's their best since Portnoy left.

Agreed. I think it proves one thing, if nothing else: Petrucci and Rudess should not be allowed to write an album in isolation (as happened with the last one, apparently). It's clear they write better as a band, with other members probably acting as a check against some of their more tedious prog tendencies.

^^Mangini sounds less robotic too. The album has a great sound really.

The Astonishing is the only DT album I haven't bought since getting into the band 24 years ago. It's just too long, and it came out in an ugly digi too, so that was another reason to avoid it.

This album has put them in my good books again, but they have been really hit and miss since Portnoy left. The first album with Mangini was damn boring imo, and the self titled, while good, was a bit mechanical sounding. The new one just flows better than their last few.