My top 5 albums of 2011!

Well the end of the year is pretty much here and while I have been busy lately I have just got to get at the very least a top 5 out. To me this was an all around good year in metal, there were some bands who I expected to release good albums that failed to please, and some underground bands who surprised me. So in no particular order:

Abysmal Dawn - Leveling the Plane of Existence

Borderline technical death metal with a nice groove to it. I still can quit listening to In Service Of Time.

Obscura - Omnivium

I was so looking forward to these guys' album this year and they didn't disappoint at all. While they borrow heavily from Death, Gorguts and a few other progressive/technical death metal bands they also have a sound that is Obscura that no one else plays.

Exhumed - All Guts, No Glory

I never gave these fellas much thought but AGNG was a happy surprise this year. Catchy grinding death metal at its best.

Wormrot - Noise

This very short EP is like an extension of their epic album Dirge released earlier this year. Wormrot are grindcore all stars in my book.

Immolation - Providence

Scion A/V proved they are actually interested in releasing good extreme music and this (and the Wormrot EP) is all the proof you need. Crushing catchy death metal with a nice heavy production, just what the doctor ordered!

Not too bad of a year!

Once the holidays are over I will probably start posting more often once more.

Review: Abysmal Dawn - Leveling the Plane of Existence

Band: Abysmal Dawn
Album: Leveling the Plane of Existence
Year: 2011
Country: USA
Genre: Death Metal

This is one of the better death metal releases in my opinion this year. The guys in Abysmal Dawn play semi technical death metal in the vein of old Morbid Angel. But its also pretty groovy at times as well which in the grand scheme of things works in their favor. Now the album clocks in at just under 40 minutes which is just about the perfect length I think. It isn't too short but doesn't drag on too long either.

On vocals (and guitars) we have Charles Elliot and he does a pretty good job here. Elliot mainly uses a deeper death growl but bassist Mike Casio also chimes in with higher rasps as well from time to time. Just enough to change it up and make sure the vox aren't so one dimensional.

As far as Elliot's skills with the guitar they are pretty good and the riffs are enjoyable. They are technical to a degree without having the listener lose interest in whats going on. I especially enjoy whats going on in In Service of Time which serves as the best cut on the album in my humble opinion. But its not all fast paced death metal there are a few slower numbers which are just as good like Perpetual Dormancy and The Sleeper Awakens. These two tracks break up the speed but flow well with the rest of the more technical tracks. The Sleeper Awakens is especially a nice album closer.

The drumming of Scott Fuller isn't very showy its sort of your run of the mill death metal stuff. Its actually pretty tight and in no way sloppy but not over done which can annoy me with certain drummers. As usual there is quite a bit of blast beats and pretty constant double bass.

Leveling the Plane of Existence gives us some in your face straight to the point death metal. The riffing doesn't get old and continues to be a good listen which is always great. And thankfully the songs are kept short instead of treading into the norms of some death metal bands to write "epic" songs that go off into the double digits for time. There is really nothing I can complain about accept if perhaps the drumming were a little more inventive, but that's about it.

Score: 8/10
Standout Tracks: In Service of Time

What I've Been Listening To Lately

Sooooo i've been on a post-rock/metal trip lately and to mix it up a little a bit of tech death in there as well.I have to give credit where credit is due, my friend Muz over at Of Sound Mind whom ive known for a while has been keeping me busy with post-rock by introducing me to bands like Mogwai, Ef, and Explosions In the Sky.

In the post-metal area i'm really enjoying the band And So I Watch You From Afar. They seem like a blend of post-rock and post-metal and their album Gangs is incredible. Its very similiar to modern Pelican I think.

Technical Death Metal is something I have a little trouble getting into because for the most part I feel it lacks any soul/heart. Being technical for the sake of being technical just does nothing for me. Abysmal Dawn's newest album Leveling The Plane of Existance is a good listen and pretty catchy. I know the main complaint i've heard is that they are a Morbid Angel rip off and if so I gotta check out Morbid Angel's newer stuff!

Obscura is the other band i've been listening to a bit. Their album Omnivium was released not too long ago and while I miss the stronger sound of the bass on this album its all good. If you havent heard them think of a mix between Death, Cynic, and some good ole Death Metal. My biggest complaint is the snare drum sounds like the drummer is hitting on a piece of plastic and it is terrible!

Abysmal Dawn - In Service of Time


And So I Watch You From Afar - 7 Billion People All Alive At Once