DDM's Best of 2019

Again a year passed.

Picking a list of albums is still hard because of the many good to great releases that came out this year. And it was a lot again that were worth listening.

Over the years I have become more appreciative about other genres. Black metal and more progressive metal gained my interest where brutal slamming death metal disappeared to the background more and more. Still liking some!

It has enriched the variety of music to enjoy but it made it harder to pick a best of list. There is also no time to listen to all thoroughly as I did decades ago.

Some releases just do it for me by the sheer energy they produce with great riffs, like Sammath, Venereal Baptism, Teitanblood, Profane Order, Eggs of Gomorrh.

This same energy level is what I love in grindcore. The love for grindcore goes back to the days of Scum and From Enslavement to Obliteration.

Black metal I really started digging since a couple of years. There are some really good quality black metal bands that know how to pay their gear and know how to write good songs. Typical for black are the vocals, I got used to them and believe they fit the style for what it is. The other typical aspect is the atmosphere they build in the songs. Like clean singing, if it is well done and sparsly used it will add a lot to the experience when listening an album.

The below lists are the ones that stood out after brief scanning of the albums initially and which I remembered to go back to and they were given good amount of attention.

The lists are too long. I can't decide what album is best so I left them all in before deciding who would make the cut.

All albums mentioned below I bought on cd and ripped them to listen when on the road.

Some surprises I found were not in your lists: (Vltimas, Cleric, Reckless Manslaughter, Consumed by Vultures, Ripped to Shreds, Obscure Infinity, Dawn of Disease, Lord Gore, Infernal Conjuration, Festerday, Entrapment, Carnal Tomb, Abnormality)

I hope people like it, pick some from it, buy it and hope to enjoy them as I did.

Best overall:

Musmahhu - Reign of the Odious

Venom Prison - Samsara

Baest - Venenum

Gomorrah - Gomorrah

Orphalis - The Approaching Darkness

Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance

Vitriol - To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice

Unfathomable Ruination - Enraged & Unbound

Vltimas - Something Wicked Marches In

Vanum - Ageless Fire

Wretched Fate - Fleshletting

Deus Mortem - Kosmocide

Deathspell Omega - The Furnaces of Palingenesia

Death Metal:

Dictated - Phobos

Embludgeonment - Barn Burner

Hour of Penance - Misotheism

Prostitute Disfigurement - Prostitute Disfigurement

Hate - Auric Gates of Veles

Bodyfarm - Dreadlord

Gods Forsaken - Smells of Death

Sammath - Across the Rhine Is Only Death

Venereal Baptism - Repugnant Coronation of the Beast

Sinners Bleed - Absolution

Altarage - The Approaching Roar

Obscure Infinity - Into the Vortex of Obscurity

Khnvm - Foretold Monuments of Flesh

Consumed by Vultures - Pseudobiblion

Unaussprechlichen Kulten - Teufelsbücher

Ceremony of Silence - Oútis

Vacivus - Annihilism

Horrific Demise - Excruciating Extermination

Nile - Vile Nilotic Rites

Corpseflesh - Rearranged with a 12 Gauge

Mortuary - The Autophagous Reign

Endseeker - The Harvest

Firespawn - Abominate

Order ov Riven Cathedrals - Thermonuclear Sculptures Blackness

Appalling - Inverted Realm

Repugnance - Shrouds of Deceit

Bleeding Utopia - Where the Light Comes to Die

Misery Index - Rituals of Power

Abnormality - Sociopathic Constructs

Witch Vomit - Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave

Goatburner - Extreme Conditions

Disentomb - The Decaying Light

Ad Patres - A Brief Introduction to Human Experiments

Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race

Hideous Divinity - Simulacrum

Disinfect - Abaddon

Omophagia - 646965

Festerday - Iihtallan

Abyssal - A Beacon in the Husk

Black Flame - Necrogenesis Chants from the Grave

Gatecreeper - Deserted

Sentient Horror - Morbid Realms

Reckless Manslaughter - Caverns of Perdition

Ravenous Death - Chapters of an Evil Transition

Obturate - The Bleeding Mask of Dread

Entrails - Rise of the Reaper

Lord Gore - Scalpels for Blind Surgeons

Electrocution - Psychonolatry

Infernal Conjuration - Infernale Metallum Mortis

Carnal Tomb - Abhorrent Veneration

Black Metal:

Dawn Ray'd - Behold Sedition Plainsong

Funereal Presence - Achatius

Mortem - Ravnsvart

Akasha - Canticles Of The Sepulchral Deity

Sinmara – Hvísl Stjarnanna

False - Portent

Calyx - Vientos arcaicos

Misþyrming - Algleymi

Abduction - All Pain as Penance

1349 - The Infernal Pathway

Svartgren - Divlja vatra

Funeral Storm - Arcane Mysteries

Aoratos - Gods Without Name

Ultra Silvam - The Spearwound Salvation

Shrine of Insanabilis - Vast Vortex Litanies

Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult - Mardom

Qayin Regis - Doctrine

Grafvitnir - Venenum Scorpionis

Mgla - Age of Excuse

Tongue - What Do We Know of Horror

Mayhem - Daemon

Abbath - Outstrider

Ænigmatum - Ænigmatum

Yellow Eyes - Rare Field Ceiling

Det Eviga Leendet - Lenience

Wallfahrer - Rattenritual

Vukari - Aevum

Verheerer - Monolith

Véhémence - Par le sang versé

Perverticon - Wounds of Divinity

Nordjevel - Necrogenesis

Technical Thrash/ Death Metal:

Blackwater Burial - The Prison of Belief

Xoth - Interdimensional Invocations

Essence Of Datum - Spellcrying Machine

Equipoise - Demiurgus

Flub - Flub

Freedom of Fear - Nocturnal Gates

Vale of Pnath - Accursed

Contrarian - Their Worm Never Dies

Allegaeon - Apoptosis

Rings Of Saturn - Gidim

Allegaeon - Apoptosis

Demiurgon - The Oblivious Lure

Cognizance - Malignant Dominion

Hannes Grossmann - Apophenia

Crepuscle - Heavenly Skies

Desecravity - Anathema

Singularity - Place of Chains

Continuum - Designed Obsolescence

Hiss from the Moat - The Harrier

Catalyst - The Great Purpose of the Lords

Inanimate Existence - Clockwork

Controversial - Revelation

Fields of Elysium - In Ancient Contemplation

Eschaton - Death Obsession

Progressive Death/ Black:

Raptvre - Monuments of Bitterness

A Novelist - Folie

Obsequiae - The Palms of Sorrowed Kings

Nucleus - Entity

Immanifest - Macrobial

Phlebotomized - Deformation of Humanity

Vircolac - Masque

The Great Old Ones - Cosmicism

Immortal Bird - Thrive on Neglect

Shabti - Trembling and Shorn

Hath - Of Rot and Ruin

Cattle Decapitation - Death Atlas

Shadow of Intent - Melancholy

Kull - Exile

Haunter - Sacramental Death Qualia

Grindcore:

Exhumed - Horror

Unsu - Darkest in the Sun

Phobia - Generation Coward

Besta - Eterno Rancor

No One Knows What The Dead Think - No One Knows What The Dead Think

Distaste - Deibel

Theories - Vessel

Keitzer - Where The Light Ends

Birdflesh - Extreme Graveyard Tornado

Thrash:

Urn - Iron Will of Power

Legion of the Damned - Slaves of the Shadow Realm

Inculter - Fatal Visions

Overkill - The Wings of War

Sadistic Ritual - Visionaire of Death

Critical Defiance - Misconception

Invicta - Halls of Extinction

Oath of Cruelty - Summary Execution at Dawn

Insanity Alert - 666-Pack

The Bleeding - Morbid Prophecy

Ultra Silvam - The Spearwound Salvation

Barbarian - To No God Shall I Kneel

Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion

FreaKings - Rise of Violence

Bloodthirst - I Am Part of That Power Which Eternally Wills Evil and Eternally Works Wrong

EP:

Rotten Pope - The Aufhocker

Fleshmeadow - Daymares

Man Must Die - Gagging Order

Vader - Thy Messenger

Wormed - Metaportal

Noisem - Cease to Exist

Ogarya - Inclination

Ripper - Sensory Stagnation

Suffering Hour - Dwell

Xantam - Altered State

Ripped to Shreds - 魔經 - Demon Scriptures

Oniricous - La maldición

Eggs Of Gomorrh - Outpregnate

Critic - Éveil de l'esprit

Hate Manifesto - Herald of Triumph

Mother's Tomb - Absent Not Dead

Ingested - Call of the Void

Honorable mentions:

Organectomy - Existential Disconnect

Superstition - The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation

Sun Worship - Emanations of Desolation

Cirith Gorgor - Sovereign

Sorcery - Necessary Excess of Violence

Prolapsed - The Condemned

Concrete Winds - Primitive Force

Iron Flesh - Forged Faith Bleeding

Defecrator - Abortion of Humanity

Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation

Beheaded - Only Death Can Save You

Pathology - Reborn to Kill

Paroxysmal Butchering - Amygdala

Antropomorphia - Merciless Savagery

Parental Advisory - Aetas Anthropophagorum

Oblivion - Oblivion

Nihility - Thus Spoke the Antichrist

Entrapment - Imminent Violent Death

Cosmic Putrefaction - At the Threshold of the Greatest Chasm

CarlG's Best of 2019

Germany had a sensational year but damn, did Sweden kick ass also! 

1) Malevolent Creation (US) - The 13th Beast, best of 2019, no if, buts or maybes about it and as great as Malevolent Creation has been since the beginning this might be their best, in my opinion. I really like the new vocalist so keep it up MC and do not fix what isn't broke. Plus you get 11 songs at 50 minutes and it doesn't get any better!

2) Predatoria (Bel) - Casting Shadows, these guys had a really great 5 song EP come out in 2015 that I picked up back at that time, and loved it. I never really expected to hear anything from them but they snuck out this great release that has gone pretty much unnoticed. Minus a minute of bullshit at the beginning this is 40 minutes of great death!

3) In Pain (Swe) - The Sound Of Death, this band started back in 93 with some demos then came back 20+ years later with some EPs and I still never knew of them. Well, along comes this great release and wow! If you want straight up, no frills great Swedish death don't miss out on this one! Also, only 3 seconds of an army tank in front of song The Warmachine thus 10 songs in 44 minutes of pure no bullshit DFM!

4) Sentient Horror - Morbid Realms, 10 songs = 41:37 and it doesn't get much better! Very fast becoming my favorite band from Stockholm....yep, Stockholm New Jersey! With new band Hate Force plus a new Gatecreeper release maybe the US is trying to keep up with the original Stockholm. Now all we need is some new Necrot.

5) Reincarnage (Swe) - Reap, another debut release from a promising new band, lead by vocalist Bjorte from Cut Up and Fetus Stench fame! You can hear some Cut Up in these guys due to above mentioned Bjorte but otherwise this is very solid heavy death metal! Someone needs to wake up and get these guys a Metal Archives page!

6) Bodyfarm (Nth) - Dreadlord, this band has been a huge favorite of mine since I first heard them 6 or 7 years ago. If you asked me which of their handful of releases is the best I'd have a hard time choosing, and this one follows suit and is great DFM! R.I.P. to vocalist/guitarist Thomas Wouters who passed away not long after making this great album and he was a superb talent!

7) Deathswarm (Swe) - Shadowlands Of Darkness, isn't it amazing how Germany and Sweden continue to come out with awesome new bands every year! Another band that does it perfect by me with 9 songs = 42 minutes and no bullshit! Keep it up Sweden as this is one excellent death fooking metal release!

8) Nekrosity (Swe) - Void Gazer, guess what!! Another great surprise from the land of the Swedes! Another debut full length from a band with a couple demos, starting in 2013 that I never knew about. Perfect with 8 songs and guess what, no intros or outros so 42 minutes of pure enjoyment! A review of this release states it has "influences from Asphyx, Bolt Thrower and Vomitory". No wonder I like it so much!

9) Bastard Grave (Swe) - Diorama Of Human Suffering, just have to start off by saying these guys are a great band! They have only one previous release from back in 2015 but it is very good and this follows right behind it. If you have not listened to these guys I highly encourage it.

10) Mortals Path (Ger) - Feast Of Maggots, well..if a band was going to slow down Sweden I'd guess they'd be from Germany. Here we have another great new band with maybe a bit of Swedish edge to them and just as I like it, 11 songs = 41:21! Damn do I love my German death!

11) Mementory (Ger) - Declaration Of War, These guys do nothing new, exciting, progressive but just.... straight up heavy ass death! In the last few years the mighty Germany has given me some favorite bands with Zombie Riot, Damage Source, Scalpture, Time To Bleed, Rogash, Dehuman Reign, Misanthrope Monarch, Wilt, Slaughterday and maybe the best of the bunch Incremate, now we get Mementory!

12) Burial Remains (Nth) - Trinity Of Deception, emmm Burial Remains, I know these guys right! Nope! A great new Swede band right..emmm nope! They have that great Swedish guitar sound going on so they must be from Stockholm right...emmm nope! Fleshcrawl vocalist so must be German right...emmm nope! What we have is a great new Dutch band with the only negative is 7 songs = 25:11. Dutch band with German vocalist, an awesome cover song of the great Kreator, no wonder I love these Swedes...errr Germans....errr Dutch guys!

13) Gatecreeper (US) - Deserted, these guys along with Necrot and Sentient Horror are becoming U.S. favorites of mine. Again, nothing exciting, nothing special, no different sound and just as I like, not trying to fix what isn't broke > AND DEATH METAL ISN'T BROKE!

14) Disowning (Fra/Can) - Human Cattle, These guys had a 2018 EP that I wasn't even aware of so when this came out it was a good surprise. Another that fits my description of perfect with 10 songs = 39:48 with no intros, no bullshit and nothing but pure death metal! No surprise I like it so much as the vocalist was in one of my favorite French bands of the past, Offending.

15) Creeping Flesh (Swe) - Into The Meat Grinder, is Sweden having one heck of a year or what! This fits the criteria, 10 songs = 45:02 and other than a couple short intros this is more solid straight up death metal and with reviews mentioning them as Bolt Thrower / Vomitory clones why wouldn't I like it!

16) Hate Force (US) - Hate Force, WOW....great intro to start off this outstanding release! You also get 8 songs, ranging from 3:19 to 5:55 in length totaling 38 minutes with great groove, solid vocals and again, no bullshit. I love this plain, ordinary, old school death metal and hope they continue without trying to fix what ain't broke. Not many newer US bands attract me but these guys do it just as I like it.

17) Ribspreader (Swe) - Crawl and Slither, well Rogga is at it again, and just like Revolting, Grisly, Severed Limbs & Paganizer this is damn good! I don't know how Rogga does it but he continues to put out great death metal and I love about 75% of his stuff, with this being high on the list.

18) Paganizer - The Tower Of The Morbid, another awesome release from that death metal machine Rogga! If you put this on with the above Ribspreader and rotated the songs I wouldn't know which band it was and hope he doesn't alter the style of these two great bands in the future.

19) Krenak (Bra) - Under Hatred, these guys had a cd released 7 years ago that is one of my favorites of South American death metal and this release is a big surprise! It may not be as good as that previous but that is not a negative as this is a very solid slab of death. The only negative here is just 26:32 of really good music.

20) Carry The Torch (Swe) - Obsession, real under the radar release here as I heard no one mention it, no one rush to grab it upon release and me just ignoring it for about 3 months. Well damn, what a really great release of Swedish death metal with only a slight negative of some melo-ness at times.

21) Evoked (Ger) - Ravenous Compulsion, some more solid unique German death metal here and when I first heard these guys mentioned I thought Evoke, the good UK band from around the turn of Y2K! Anyway, really decent death metal with members from two of my favorite bands, Scalpture and Wilt and a vocalist somewhat like Martin van Drunnen these guys cannot fail.

22) Day Of Execution (Bgr) - Inevitable End, this is another that was supposedly released in mid 2018 but I'm not believing it. This was spread around the download world in late January 2019 so I have to give it some praise. If you want pure, straight up, no bullshit, none exciting, typical sounding death give this a listen. If you want something new, something progressive or exciting go somewhere else. But death metal ain't broke, so don't try to fix it and this is a VERY good death metal release to prove just that.

23) Tales Of Blood (Fra) - Stuffing The Graveyard, what we have here is a debut release from a band that has been around for over 25 years! Again, nothing exciting or inventive but just as I like it, pure old solid death metal and France has quietly done a great job this year. 

24) Melektaus (Chl) - Self Knowledge, not a lot of time to give this many listens as it wasn't released until mid December but these guys have been a big favorite of mine in the past and so glad to have this one come out to us. With time this may have been higher up the list as it is some great death metal.

25) Nocturnal Hollow (Ven) - A Whisper Of An Horrendous Soul, these guys have been around a short while and have a whopping 5 full lengths and 2 EPs....but I've never given them much attention! This is not a great release, not going to grab those that want excitement in their death metal, but if like me, you like it straight up, with no bullshit, give this a listen as it is damn good.

26) Prostitute Disfigurement (Hol) - Prostitute Disfigurement, I have really loved these guys last two releases and still listen to them regularly. I found this one very good, but still not as good as their previous which was #4 on my 2014 list. They also cut off 10 minutes, having this a bit short at 32 minutes compared to past releases.

27) Convictors (Ger) - Atrocious Perdition, a band with only 1 previous full length and that I wasn't really a fan of has come out with a winner here! Awesome great listen, good vocals, good guitar and pure death. I love it but damn, the Germans and their "C" bands. We have Commander, Combustion, Corrosive & now Convictors all with recent releases and tough on my short...memory!

28) Dark Colony (Che) - Dark Colony, another new band and premiere release with a solid 12 songs at just under 43:00 and good. Again, nothing exciting for you guys looking for different kinds of death metal but a real hidden gem to me.

29) Cruel Fate (Can) - A Quaternary of Decrepit Night Mares, a late in the year release and only here since the 19th of December so not much time but this is some really solid good death metal. We have 8 songs at 36 minutes from a newer band with a first release and great vocals from a guy that performs in another good Canadian band Mortor! If this had arrived earlier it definitely would be higher.

30) Bruusk (Nth) - Bruusk, if you want the definition of pure, nothing new, straight up, no frills, non progressive death metal give these guys a chance. If you are one that wants different, progressive or change in this great style of music don't even bother. Only negative to my taste is it gets a little slow at times but otherwise a good solid listen and when is someone going to get these guys a Metal Archives page! Oh, and do not confuse them with another Dutch band called Bruut!

31) Deiquisitor (Dnk) - Towards Our Impending Doom, another very solid slab of pure death, with nothing exciting, nothing new but very solid death fucking metal and one that I cannot differentiate from their previous as these guys just keep on doing it.

32)  Undead Prophecies (Fra) - Sempiternal Void, surprise here as these guys had a 2015 release that I had on my list at #39, had them listed as "Undead" and that they were a US band! Anyway, more info has been gathered, they are French and some good, unheralded plain old death metal here that I really like.

33) Desolation (Swe) - Screams Of The Undead, more very good Swedish death metal and just what I like with 10 songs at 40 minutes! Surprisingly these guys had a 2017 release that didn't make it anywhere on my end of year list. The only small negative to this is a few songs with silly intros but otherwise very solid death metal with a unique sounding but good vocalist.

34) Of Fire (Swe) - Draparen, I have said before that I am not good at this genre thing and this is another example. This is labeled on Metal Archives as Death Metal/Death'n'Roll so who knows but it is still really good death metal to me. Nice Swedish guitar sound too.

35) Warcode (Grc) - Post-Modern Delusions, another genre mix up for me here as these guys are labeled "thrash / death" but I love it. Good solid 38:00 of whatever it is and from a band that I completely ignored on a previous first release back in 2014! The vocalist is from a pretty good 1 hit wonder band Deacidified, who had a good release out back in 2016.

36) Horror Chamber (Bra) - Thoughts: The Slow Decay, these guys made #14 on my 2016 year end list and this one is not far off from that, with the only negative of too much competition. If there wasn't so much great death fooking metal I'd really enjoy these guys more.

37) Entrails (Swe) - Rise Of The Reaper, like two of my favorites Malevolent Creation and Obscenity, these guys are on a third different vocalist for a third straight release and do it with success. I really liked their previous a lot and not that this isn't good, it just doesn't appeal to me as much as that great 2017 release but still a good solid death metal release that I will listen to often. Only thing I don't understand is song number 12, as it is 7:38 in length and just does not fit. Whoever reads this give me an opinion!

38) Godagainst (Chl) - Summoning Chaotic Annihilation, a mild surprise here as I've known about these guys from their previous first release back in 2011 but must admit I never gave it a lot of listens. This is another of those solid pure death releases with nothing special, exceptional, or progressive but just straight up DFM and coming from my favorite South American death metal country.

39) Firespawn (Swe) - Abominate, our buddy DDM turned me onto these guys a few years back and I really came to love their stuff. This one has gotten plenty of listens from me but sort of got lost in the plethora of stuff that hit not long after this. Got to say LG Petrov is always great on vocals and I love Victor Brandt's guitars going back to his band Dominion.

40) Memoriam (UK) - Requiem For Mankind, despite having Bolt Thrower vocalist Karl Willetts behind the mic this band's past stuff just didn't grab me. This one has gotten quite a few plays from me and is their best in my opinion and more pure straight up death metal.

41) Baest (Dnk) - Venenum, very interesting band here, at least to me. They are good, very good with great vocals but for some reason I seem to neglect them, as I have their past stuff. Having only given this 10 listens I need more and don't forget, they gave an awesome cover of a great Bolt Thrower song on here, so check it.

42) Wretched Fate (Swe) - Fleshletting, another new Swedish band here with a different and unique kind of sound. I really don't know how to describe it but a very good solid listen and wow 57:17 minutes of death so some hope for the future as I'll be looking for these guys.

43) Incinerator (Hol) - Concept Of Cruelty, this one says Nov 30 2018 as a release date but it was not available to us until early 2019 so I have to add it. I really like their previous from 2017 and this one is better, so don't sleep on these guys with John Tardy sounding vocals and give them a chance.

44) The Malice (Int) - The Unholy Communion, new band to me with only a couple EPs in the last 3 years. But, International with Germany & Sweden combination! Not great, not different but pretty good pure death metal with some techy moments in it.

45) Ancestral (Chl) - Novus Ordo Seclorum, why do I get these guys confused with the above Godagainst? They both have 2 releases, both those releases are 2011 & 2019, both do straight up DFM and both are from my favorite South American death metal country, Chile!

46) Surface (Ger) - River Of Souls, really good solid death metal (or, is it thrash metal, or thrash/death metal or death/thrash metal???) from my favorite death metal country but just so much great stuff to compete against this year! Not a complaint against this but just don't have the time to be fair to it.

47) Sorcery (Swe) - Necessary Excess Of Violence, ironically a Swede band that I've never been a big fan of, but occasionally listen to them and this release is more of the same. Nothing wrong with it, just something that isn't kicking and screaming to be played.

48) Nihility (Prt) - Thus Spoke The Antichrist, damn! Another new band with a first release! Well Portugal gave me a couple great releases in 2018 with Infraktor and Ashes Reborn so now comes another good one from these guys. Maybe they can catch up with Skinning and Annihilation as my Portuguese favorites.

49) Ad Patres (Fra) - A Brief Introduction To Human Experiments, well first, the title of this release is too long! Second, their previous release back in 2012 was a big favorite of mine but I just didn't find this one as good. It might be me and my changing in old age as this is good but just not special.

50) Prion (Arg) - Aberrant Calamity, another band that I have respected for a long time, enjoyed their previous stuff occasionally but do not give them the listens or credit they deserve! Just another example of how much great death metal we have coming out every year when a band this good gets neglected.

51) Nightbearer (Ger) - Tales Of Sorcery And Death, here we go....another good new German band with a solid first release. Another one too late in the year to have higher but will get lots of future plays from me as I have only 3 full listens to them at this point.

52) Vishurddha (Pol) - Addiction To Death and Anguish, this is some damn good Polish death and deserves to be higher but there is just so much great death metal. Only negative to this is 7 songs at about 27:00 with a 3:35 outro of sounds that make no sense. Are the mighty Poles making a comeback with Vishurddha, Uerberos & my favorite Eteritus!

53) Oath Div.666 (Can) - Apocalypse Division, with only a 2015 EP these guys are pretty much just out of the womb! I'm not good at comparing bands but I hear a little bit of Danes Deiquisitor in this. Solid stuff, good heavy groove makes this a solid release!

54) Ectoplasma (Grc) - White Eyed Trance, really should be higher as this is some good stuff! Just so much competition and if Greece has a death metal machine it is these guys as they keep doing it.

55) Witch Vomit (US) - Buried Deep In A Bottomless Grave, another new band to me although they had a debut full length in 2016 that I missed. Decent but raw sounding pure death that I sort of like but just didn't have the time or took the effort to give much attention.

56) Gods Forsaken (Int) - Smells Of Death, damn have the guys in this band been around! The drummer is a Rogga partner, so you know he has some experience. Other bands involved here are Wombbath, Blood Mortized, Ashpyx, Grand Supreme Blood Court, Grave, Just Before Dawn and many more. Not as good as their previous but still solid Swedish death metal.

57) Graveyard (Esp) - Hold Back The Dawn, an interesting band here! In 11 years they have 8 pretty solid pure death metal releases. This is one I definitely overlooked for most of the year and maybe a little too "old school" for many but seems I am growing into this style. A negative is it gets a little slow for me at times and two very long 8:00+ songs.

58) Armagenda (Ger) - Seelentyrann, some unique, or different sounding stuff here and a band I have never heard of before. Labeled thrash/death at Metal Archives but really good and a kind of techy edge to it and 11 songs at 38 minutes!

59) Demorphed (Ger) - Creation Of A War Machine, decent stuff, unique vocals, at least to me and good instrumentation and some technicality to it. Ironic also that Metal Archives review mentions Vomitory, Bolt Thrower, Malevolent Creation and Immolation. Well, I don't get that because all those bands sound different to me, but anyway, no wonder I like this.

60) Hatred Inherit (Ger) - Hatred Inherit, good solid death from another new German band with only a previous EP. I guess with this it is time to end 2019, but...who did I miss!

MORE GOOD STUFF...BUT AS WE SAY, NOT ENOUGH LIFE FOR SO MUCH DEATH!

Insidius (Pol) - Infamia                                                                                                               
Towering (Fra) - Obscuring Manifestation
Deserted Fear (Ger) - Drowned By Humanity
Daemoniac (Ita) - Dwellers of Apocalypse
Endseeker (Ger) - The Harvest
Lethal Prophecy (Rus) - Blind Creator's Plague
Konkhra (Dnk) - Alpha And The Omega
Infamous Glory (Bra) - An Ancient Sect Of Darkness
Lunatic Dictator (Ger) - Out For A Kill
Profanation (Ger) - Into Cascades of Blood and Burning Soil
Assatur (Fin) - Where Chaos Reigned
Remains (Mex) - Chaos & Light
Inert (Int) - Vermin
Body Harvest (UK) - Parasitic Slavery
Entombed AD (Swe) - Bowels Of Earth
Tomb Mold (Can) - Planetary Clairvoyance
Breathe Your Last (Ger) - Karma Bitch
Revel In Flesh (Ger) - The Hour Of The Avenger
Soiled By Blood (Can) - Erit Sanguis
KHNVM (Ger) - Foretold Monuments Of Flesh
Eternal Rest (Aus) - The Picture Of Hatred
Spiteborn (Fin) - Bone Trails
Vultur (Grc) - Drowned In Gangrenous Blood
Antropomorphia (Hol) - Merciless Savagery
Mortuary (Fra) - The Autophagous Reign
Disinfect (Ger) - Abaddon
Legacy Of Brutality (Esp) - Realm Of The Banished Gods
Point 17 (Aus) - Embrace The Suffering
Pentacle (Nth) - Spectre Of The Eight Ropes
Skullpture (Chl) - Reborn In Decay
Ulfedharr (Ita) - World Of Chaos
Depressed (Bra) - Beyond The Putrid Fiction
Possessed (US) - Revelations of Oblivion
Patricide (Pol) - Capitis Capri Sancti
Wrath Of Fate (Tur) - Blood Congress
Verthebral (Pry) - Abysmal Decay
Misery Index (US) - Rituals Of Power
Winterwolf (Fin) - Lycanthropic Metal Of Death
Oshiego (Sgp) - The Book Of Wonders
Warhead (Hrv) - Monuments Of Fallacy
Hellsodomy (Tur) - Morbid Cult
Hate (Pol) - Auric Gates of Veles
Deivos (Pol) - Casus Belli 

EPs, Splits, Demos & Comps

Darkened (Swe/Int) - Into Blackness [ep]
Lik (Swe) - Sthlm Death Metal [ep]
Grond (Rus) - Endless Spiral Of Terror [split]
Graceless (Nth) - Endless Spiral Of Terror [split]
Vader (Pol) - Thy Messenger [ep]
Skelethal (Fra) - Antropomorphia [demo]
Tales Of The Tomb (Can) - Mendacium, Vol 2 [ep]
Vomit Coffin (UK) - Vomit Coffin [ep]
Warpit (Can) - Reborn [ep]
Sepulcration (Esp) - Undead Rising [ep]
Remains (Mex) - Far Beyond The Light [comp]
Regicide (Ind) - As Skin Turns To Flesh [ep]
Pnakotic Manuscript (Rus) - Providence [demo]
Plague Throat (Ind) - Evolutionary Impasse [ep]
Necrosphere (Can) - Blasphemous Dominions [ep]
Icons Of Brutality (Nth) - Doctrines of Deceit [ep]
Grave Superior (Isl) - Maniacal Viral Infestation [ep]
Grandharvest (Swe) - Fatehammer [ep]
Fire For Effect (US) - Artillery Unleashed [ep] Brett Hoffmann's last stand!
Deceitome (Est) - Flux of Ruin [ep]
Dawn of Obliteration (Ger) - Ruins [demo]
Daemonicus (Swe) - Shepherd of the Flock [ep]
Blood Eagle (Dnk) - To Ride in Blood & Bathe in Greed II [ep]

The Death Chamber's Best of 2019

The end of 2019 is upon us and we are ready to begin a new decade, another taste of the roaring '20s. What should we expect in the coming years? If we can draw any inference from the past decade it is that death metal is alive and well and seemingly getting stronger with each passing year. I look forward to what treasures the future holds for our metalhead tribe.

In regards to the treasures of this past year, I have to say it was a bit of a sleeper from my perspective. I remember thinking 3 - 5 months into the year that 2019 was kind of slow and not much was grabbing me. So much so, that I was spending a fair bit of my listening time looking into the past back to my '80s metal roots and enjoying old favorites from my power, speed and thrash metal days. However, as I was looking to the past I was continuing to search out and collect a lot of the new stuff that was coming out (378 2019 releases added to my collection) and I began to realize that 2019 was actually another very good year for the music that I love so much.

When I began working to put this list together, I had more than 100 releases in my outline and as I always try to do I amputated it down to my favorite 30 LPs and another 10 - 15 EP's. To do this I had to leave a lot of good meat on the cutting room floor. With no disrespect intended established bands such as Orphalis, Hideous Divinity, Desecravity, Malevolent Creation, Unfathomable Ruination and Misery Index were left out of the mix. I also had to leave out many lesser-known bands who created some excellent metal this year such as Ancestral, Oath Div. 666, Horrific Demise, Horror Chamber, Implodead, Apocryphus, and Charred just to name a few.

I could go on name dropping bands that I left off of my list for quite a while but I would rather get on to the bands that made the list and gave me the most pleasure from my listening experience in 2019. For your consideration:

Sentient Horror - Morbid Realms

Band: Sentient Horror
Genre: Death Metal
Country: United States (Stockholm, New Jersey)
Purchase: https://sentienthorror.bandcamp.com/album/morbid-realms
Preview: TDC Link

Demorphed - Creation of a War Machine

Band: Demorphed

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Germany (Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg)

Purchase: https://demorphed.bandcamp.com/album/creation-of-a-war-machine

Preview: TDC Link

Embrional - Evil Dead

Band: Embrional

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Poland (Gliwice, Silesia)

Purchase: https://embrional.com/?v=7516fd43adaa / Bandcamp
Preview: https://youtu.be/ZwJBC7oI4P8 / -[*]-

Amoklauf - Paths of Shattered Thoughts

Band: Amoklauf

Genre: Technical Brutal Death Metal

Country: Argentina (Buenos Aires)

Purchase: https://amoklauf.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/RFCqbqyXTOQ

Nocturnal Hollow - A Whisper of an Horrendous Soul

Band: Nocturnal Hollow

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Venezuela (Punto Fijo, Falcón)

Purchase: https://nocturnalhollow.bandcamp.com/

Preview: https://youtu.be/GQABLeaXHvE

Konkhra - Alpha and the Omega

Band: Konkhra

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Denmark (Køge, Sjælland / Copenhagen, Hovedstaden)

Purchase: https://konkhra.com/veryfuckingmetal/ / https://konkhra.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link

Corpseflesh - Rearranged with a 12 Gauge

Band: Corpseflesh

Genre: Brutal Death Metal

Country: Australia (Mandurah, Western Australia)

Purchase: Comatose Music / https://corpseflesh.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/qFK3iFXEUXA

Wretched Fate - Fleshletting

Band: Wretched Fate

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Sweden (Orsa, Dalarna)

Purchase: https://wretchedfate.com/music.html / Bandcamp

Preview: TDC Link 

Angmaer - Victoria Aut Mors

Band: Angmaer

Genre: Black Metal / Thrash Metal

Country: United Kingdom (Wolverhampton, England)

Purchase: https://angmaer.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/4sndVGi7Eps

Convictors - Atrocious Perdition

Band: Convictors

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Germany (Wehr, Baden-Württemberg)

Purchase: https://www.convictors.de/ / Bandcamp

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/CELDWNlJaL8

Mors Verum - Deranged

Band: Mors Verum

Genre: Death Metal

Country: International (Canada, India, United States)

Purchase: https://morsverum.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/KfduhUJpJJ8

Ares Kingdom - By the Light of Their Destruction

Band: Ares Kingdom

Genre: Thrash Metal / Death Metal

Country: United States (Kansas City, Missouri)

Purchase: http://www.areskingdom.com/ / https://areskingdom.bandcamp.com/

Preview: https://youtu.be/GlcSDuZ8M-o

Sinners Bleed - Absolution

Band: Sinners Bleed

Genre: Technical Death Metal

Country: Germany (Berlin)

Purchase: https://war-anthem-records.bandcamp.com/album/absolution

Preview: -[*]-

Murdery - The Art of Killing

Band: Murdery

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Spain (N/A)

Purchase: https://murdery.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/6GTueJwjNWA

Sadistic Ritual - Visionaire of Death

Band: Sadistic Ritual

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: United States (Atlanta, Georgia)

Purchase: https://sadisticritualatl.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/7Mc554jekQk

Disowning - Human Cattle

Band: Disowning
Genre: Death Metal
Country: International (Canada, France)
Purchase: https://xenokorp.bandcamp.com/album/human-cattle
Preview: https://youtu.be/aNdO2RW2d-A

Hour Of Penance - Misotheism

Band: Hour Of Penance

Genre: Technical Brutal Death Metal

Country: Italy (Rome, Lazio)

Purchase: http://www.hourofpenance.net/ / Comatose Music / Bandcamp
Preview: -[*]-

Bodyfarm - Dreadlord

Band: Bodyfarm

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Netherlands (Amersfoort, Utrecht)

Purchase: https://www.bodyfarmdeathmetal.com/ / https://bodyfarm.bigcartel.com/

Preview: Link / https://youtu.be/3I2Xxw5i--Q

Evoked - Ravenous Compulsion

Band: Evoked

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia)

Purchase: https://fda-records.bandcamp.com/album/ravenous-compulsion

Preview: Link / https://youtu.be/qggeV_E3aOc

Dorylus - Without Sin

Band: Dorylus

Genre: Death Metal / Thrash Metal

Country: United Kingdom (Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England)

Purchase: https://dorylusband.bigcartel.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/qsmN9hgu1e8

Prostitute Disfigurement - Prostitute Disfigurement

Band: Prostitute Disfigurement

Genre: Brutal Death Metal

Country: Netherlands (Veldhoven, North Brabant)

Purchase: https://risingnemesisrecords.bandcamp.com/album/prostitute-disfigurement

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/XraZlJ68e4Q

Nihility - Thus Spoke the Antichrist

Band: Nihility

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Portugal (Porto, Porto)

Purchase: https://nihilityblacklion.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link

Hatred Inherit - Hatred Inherit

Band: Hatred Inherit

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Germany (Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia)

Purchase: https://hatredinherit.bandcamp.com/releases

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/jPpnEEZsXbs

Splattered - Carnivortex

Band: Splattered
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Country: United States (Fremont / Pleasanton, California)
Purchase: https://splattered.bandcamp.com/
Preview: TDC Link

Crusadist - The Unholy Grail

Band: Crusadist

Genre: Death Metal / Thrash Metal

Country: United States (Chicago, Illinois)

Purchase: https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/Crusadist / https://crusadist.bandcamp.com/releases

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/jfZiRbypZw8

Continuum - Designed Obsolescence

Band: Continuum

Genre: Technical Death Metal

Country: United States (Santa Cruz, California)

Purchase: https://www.indiemerch.com/uniqueleader/band/continuum / Bandcamp

Preview: TDC Link

Devil Within - Dark Supremacy

Band: Devil Within

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Country: Japan (Tokyo)

Purchase: https://www.discogs.com/Devil-Within-Dark-Supremacy/release/14137018

Preview: TDC Link

Devilcross - Human Crops

Band: Devilcross

Genre: Death Metal / Thrash Metal

Country: Argentina (Pehuajó)

Purchase: Amazon Music

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/7qPx5gOtXx4

Parental Advisory - Aetas Anthropophagorum

Band: Parental Advisory

Genre: Death Metal / Grindcore

Country: Austria (Vienna)

Purchase: https://parental-advisory.bandcamp.com/

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/Z3G8fN_uWWE

Breeding Ignorance - Image and Likeness

Band: Breeding Ignorance

Genre: Brutal Death Metal

Country: Belarus (Barysaw, Minsk Region)

Purchase: https://coyoterecords.bandcamp.com/album/image-and-likeness

Preview: TDC Link / https://youtu.be/6d14186CJOU

My Favorite EP's from 2019:

Warpit - Reborn

Hideous Monarch - The God's Extinction

Malediction - Monstrosity

Corrupted Saint - Burning In A Rotting World

Psyclosarin - Archive of Chaos

Burial Ruthless - Human's Death Pathology

Grave Superior - Maniacal Viral Infestation

Carnal Ruin - Gnosis of the Dead  -[*]-

Skelethal - Antropomorphia (demo)  -[*]-

Blood Eagle - To Ride in Blood & Bathe in Greed II  -[*]-

Tribe Of Pazuzu - Heretical Uprising  -[*]-

As has been the case over the past several years I could keep going on and on knowing that I have left so many quality releases off of the record but I will stop now. I hope you find something here that you may have overlooked and grow to enjoy it as much as I do. We are blessed with so much metal to indulge in but please remember to support the bands that you love, so they can keep creating their art and keep the Underground strong for decades to come \m/\m/