#13 - Top of 2020

Mekong Delta -  Tales of a Future Past (Butler Records)

The dark Lovecraftian magic of Mekong Delta returns to our bewitchment for a 12th time, in perhaps their most prog-metal infused record yet. Drawing on the style they have created with their latest few albums, Mekong Delta once again produce a great album. The speed is lower this time round, using the patterns they have established throughout their work, creating asymmetrical dark music pieces, with the basslines of their leader Ralph Hubert, featured prominently in the mix. Martin LeMar is by far the most controlled singer to ever have graced the band combining an excellent tone and attitude with a loud and clear voice  "Mental Entropy",  "A Colony of Liar Men", "Mindeater" and "When All Hope is Gone" have certainly a place among to the best compositions by Mekong Delta. The latter, reaching almost  the ten minutes mark will impress the listener with changes in style and a very rich orchestration.  Tales of A Future Past is  a "must" album for all the band's friends and at the same time an excellent and relatively accessible occasion to introduce someone to the mysterious music world of Mr. Hubert and his companions.

94.7/100

Below is the audio track for "A Colony of Liar Men"

#29 - Top of 2020

Warbringer -  Weapons of Tomorrow (Napalm Records)

Although thrash has not really been the bread and butter of our blog, we always have a soft spot for bands that try to spicen-up their thrash with a pinch of more diversity. Such is the case of Warbringer and their latest output Weapons of Tommorow, for very rarely have feelings of such epicness been portrayed through the medium of thrash metal which is usually the medium of choice for portraying either (i) dissent or (ii) partying which results in anthems of "angry partying", "joyous rioting" and oft a mix of the two [and when dangerous ingredients are mixed to songs of "angry rioting", but rarely, if ever, of "joyous partying", reserved for genres of a more "speed" predisposition]. Warbringer however evokes images of war on a grand scale and produce such a unique thrash album that makes them completely distinct from other bands of the so-called new wave of thrash that begun in the late 00s. This album, which ranks surely among the best of the new wave of the genre, is no exception and provides clear proof that the band is among the pioneers of an otherwise stale genre, subverting its aesthetics without changing its core, all the while making heads banging and pits thrashing!

93.2/100

Below is the lyric video for "Glorious End".

#25 - Top of 2016

Anthrax - For all Kings (Megaforce Records)

Anthrax released in 2016 their second album since the return of Joey Belladona, and while 2011's "Worship Music" sounded at times all over the place due to the many changes in the band line-up during its recording, the new album sounds very focused and an excellent piece of craftsmanship, sounding almost as "the album that could have been", instead of "Sound of White Noise", if Belladona had never left. The album's quality is of a similar calibre to "Sound of White Noise" and combines the maturity of musicianship that Anthrax achieved during the Bush era, with the powerful vocals of Belladona, creating an extremely volatile and equally powerful mix.

The album kicks off with an atmospheric intro, straight into "You Gotta Believe" - a straightforward old-school groovy thrash song that serves as a warning - Anthrax are back! "Monster at the end" is on the more melodic end of the Anthrax, with a trademark sing-along chorus and very emotional vocals by Joey. The album continues with "For all Kings", a very fresh song from the band which combines their trademark sound with a very epic atmosphere and frantic riffing. "Breathing Lightning" brings the speed down and is by far the more radio-friendly track of the album with Metallica-sounding riffs and an alt-rock feel, straight out of the 90s. The next two track "Suzerain" and "Evil Twin" are more straightforward and aggressive, without loosing their catchiness. "Blood Eagle Wings" is where we slow down again, in a very alternative-sounding track, straight out of the Bush era, with the emotional strength that only Joey's voice can give. "Defend Avenge", one of the weakest moments of the album, still manages to impress with its groovy intro, even though the track falls a bit short of its initial promise. "All of them thieves" is a heavy as hell, live firestarter, "The Battle Chose Us" is typical Anthrax mosh pit material, while "Zero Tolerance" is a hell of an aggressive piece, which closes the album with the foot on the pedal, the same way the album started. A pleasant surprise from Anthrax, in an era where the other Big 4 have failed to produce anything of real substance, they are  able to record their best album in decades.

92/100

Below are the music videos from "Monster at the End" and "Blood Eagle Wings"

#24 - Top of 2014

Killer be Killed -Killer be killed (Nuclear Blast)

Next album for 2014, is again a self-titled debut, but this time not from an unknown underground band but rather, from a well known collaboration project among some of the most influential artists in extreme metal bands. This project came into being from the collaboration of, mainly 3 artists that have been very influential in the realm of extreme metal since the early 00s and late 90s Max Cavalera (ex-Sepultura, Cavalera's Conspiracy, Soulfly), Troy Sanders (Mastodon) and Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan). The collaboration of these three artists, along with an excellent drummer (Ben Koller - Converge) resulted in the release of one of the best extreme metal products of 2014 that was also capable of appealing beyond the audiences of the usual output of these three bands. All three vocalists take turns singing - howling -growling and spun out tracks that are catchy and energetic while keeping a dark ragefull undertone, in the same vein with early groove metal records. Melodic lines also exist throughout the album, revealing some more rock-oriented influences from Mastodon's legacy.

All in all a must-listen for fans of the above mentioned bands but an excellent choice for an outsider that is not that into the whole scene.

92/100

Below is the music video for the stomping "Wings of Feather and Wax"