Heavy Metal Yeti's Best Metal Albums of 2019!

*Favourite Album Art*
Mizmor - Cairn

    Well here we are again. Our lizard brains stuck inside our primate bodies have circled the nearest star as our metal hearts keep beating and craving more delicious depravity. I think there will be no argument that 2019 was a landmark year for both mainstream and underground metal music. While the last few years have been blazing with awesome material, the stars aligned this year and we got a flurry of new and exciting bands and a heavy dose of annihilation from old favourites and legends to shake things up. Possessed, Nocturnus, Nile, Devin Townsend, Amon Amarth, Candlemass, Dream Theater, Darkthrone, Baroness, and Bodom all put out albums. We even got a bloody TOOL album!

    A lot happened this year in the realm of metalheads. 2019 was the year of 100 Batushka's, as a seeming endless stream of drama climaxed with Bartushka cancelling the Hospodi tour and Team Panihida landing some heavy blows in response. The excitement didn't end here. Arch Enemy made a bunch of photographers mad,  Dee Snider fought some Australian political asshats, black metal became even more of a cartoon thanks to Belzebubs, Slipknot fired their drummer and got new masks, Tool upset pop fans, Metallica got kinky again, and Chris Barnes is probably still angry about something as you read this. All the while over we are one step closer to the singularity with an AI dubbed Relentless Doppelganger currently streaming self generated technical death metal on youtube that makes Archspire sound like Baby Metal.

The Toronto metal landscape has changed forever with the local gems Coalition and Stained Class closing their doors for good. The global metal landscape will also never be the same with Slayer playing their "final" live show and bringing an entire era to an end. Fuckin' Slayer weren't the only bands to call it quits with Brain Drill also hanging up their instruments, but all in all we gained more bands than we lost this time around the sun. I also want to extend a massive cheers to the metalheads we lost along the way; RIP Timi Hansen, Bruce Corbitt, Karl Bareham, Larry Wallis, Shane Bisnett, and all the rest off to Valhalla. Cheers to the metalheads still fighting the good fight and especially to the ones who need the support of their fans and friends!

    I went to a lot of live shows this year! Every show that caught my attention I made an effort to make it out. Sleep is for the dead. I took my son to his first Iron Maiden concert, I moshed with an alien to Blood Incantation and two thonged menaces at Rivers of Nihil / Nekrogoblikon, and I saw Between the Buried and Me TWICE! There are too many memories to list here but a few of my favourites shows of the year belong to Cryptopsy, Alien Weaponry, Tool, Chainbreaker, & Tomb Mold! It's been a wild ride full of amazing music and some gnarly mosh pits with good friends!

    You will see that most of my list is death metal peppered with a few other genres. It was a tough choice for top spot, but my favourte album of 2019 goes to SMOULDER! Not only do they have some of the most kick ass cover art of the year, the riff from Sword Woman has been stuck in my head for over a year. Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring is not to be missed by any self respecting metalhead! Tomb Mold takes the silver as my favourite death metal release and 1349 the bronze for slowly managing to turn me to the even darker side. Check out all of my favourite releases of the year below and make sure to check out the ones you haven't heard yet! Thank you to anyone that takes the time to read this and I hope you have a metal as hell 2020! Metal Yeti /../;,,;/../

1. Smoulder - Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring

Epic Doom Metal - Cruz del Sur Music

https://smoulder.bandcamp.com/

2. Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance

Death Metal - 20 Buck Spin

https://www.facebook.com/tombmold/

3. 1349 - The Infernal Pathway

Black Metal - Season of Mist

https://1349som.bandcamp.com/

4. Blood Incantation - The Hidden History of the Human Race

Atmospheric Death Metal - Dark Descent Records 

https://www.facebook.com/astralnecrosis/

5. Equipoise - Demiurgus

Technical Death Metal - The Artisan Era 

https://equipoiseofficial.bandcamp.com/

6. Kaleikr - Heart of Lead

Progressive Death Metal - Debemur Morti Productions

https://kaleikr.bandcamp.com/

7. Witch Vomit - Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave

Death Metal - 20 Buck Spin

https://www.facebook.com/WebsOfHorror

8. Flub - Flub

Technical Death Metal - The Artisan Era

https://flub.bandcamp.com/

9. Gatecreeper - Deserted

Death Metal - Relapse Records

https://gatecreeper.bandcamp.com/

10. Chainbreaker - Lethal Desire

Speed Metal - Hells Headbangers Records

https://chainbreaker-canada.bandcamp.com/

11. Iapetus - The Body Cosmic

Progressive Metal - Independent

https://iapetusband.com/

12. Blut aus Nord - Hallucinogen  

Atmospheric Black Metal - Debemur Morti Productions

https://blutausnord.bandcamp.com/album/hallucinogen

13. Desecravity - Anathema

Technical / Brutal Death Metal - Willowtip Records

https://desecravity.bandcamp.com/

14. Cloak - The Burning Dawn 
Black Metal - Season of Mist
https://cloakatlanta.bandcamp.com/

15. Spirit Adrift - Divided by Darkness

Doom Metal - 20 Buck Spin

https://spiritadrift.bandcamp.com/releases

16. Nile - Vile Nilotic Rites

Technical Death Metal - Nuclear Blast

https://www.facebook.com/nilecatacombs

17. Plaugebringer - Diabolos

Technical Death Metal - Independent

https://plaguebringercanada.bandcamp.com/

18. Xoth - Interdimensional Invocations

Death/Black Metal - Independent

https://xoth.bandcamp.com/

19, Revel in Flesh - The Hour of The Avenger

Death Metal - War Anthem Records

https://www.revelinflesh.com/

20. Duskwalker - All They Know Is Fear

Heavy/Death Metal - Independent

https://www.facebook.com/DuskwalkerOfficial

21. Hath - Of Rot and Ruin

Progressive Blackened Death Metal - Willowtip Records

https://hathnj.bandcamp.com/

22. Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion

Death Metal - Nuclear Blast

https://possessedofficial.com/

23. VLTIMAS - Something Wicked Marches In

Blackened Death Metal - Season of Mist

https://www.facebook.com/VLTIMAS/

24. Allegaeon - Apoptosis

Technical Death Metal - Metal Blade Records

https://allegaeon.bandcamp.com/

25. Traveler - Traveler

Heavy Metal - Gates of Hell Records

https://travelermetal.bandcamp.com/album/traveler

26. Musmahhu - Reign of the Odius

Blackened Death Metal - Iron Bonehead Productions

https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/musmahhu-reign-of-the-odious

27. Memoriam - Requiem For Mankind

Death Metal - Nuclear Blast

http://www.memoriam.uk.com/

28. Demiurgon - The Oblivious Lure

Death Metal - Everlasting Spew Records

https://demiurgon.bandcamp.com/

29. Ossuarium - Living Tomb
Death Metal - 20 Buck Spin
https://ossuarium.bandcamp.com/

30. Devin Townsend - Empath

Progressive Metal - HevyDevy Records

https://www.hevydevy.com/

Honourable Mentions:  Cerebral Rot, Venom Prison, Alcest, Tribe of Pazuzu, Shadow of Intent, Veilburner, Runespell. Hannes Grossman, Hammerfall, Entheos, Amon Amarth, Mystifier, Barnoness, Children of Bodom, Mayhem, Idle Hands, Devourment, Cult of Luna, Diabolic Night, Hellripper, Jinjer, Mgla, Haunt, Woorms, Numenorean, Bask, Mgla, Oosing Wound, Fetid, Mizmor, Bewitcher, Death Angel, Cattle Decap, Insomnium, Fuming Mouth, Vastum, False,

If you're looking for even more new music to check out, here are my AOTY lists from previous years!
2018 - https://heavymetalsasquatch.blogspot.com/2018/12/heavy-metal-yetis-best-metal-albums-of_9.html
2017 - https://heavymetalsasquatch.blogspot.com/2018/03/heavy-metal-yetis-best-metal-albums-of.html
2015/2016 - https://heavymetalsasquatch.blogspot.com/2016/12/metal-yetis-best-metal-albums-of-2015.html
2014 - https://heavymetalsasquatch.blogspot.com/2014/12/heavy-metal-sasquatchs-top-fourteen.html

- Metal Yeti /../;,,;/../

Khemmis @ Velvet Underground, Toronto (July 24, 2019)

Khemmis are without a doubt one of my favourite modern doom metal bands. Walking the line between traditional epic doom and the sludgier side of things with a slight dable into darker territory on vocals, they never fail to get the blood pumping and the head banging. So on the eve of my 30th birthday I was elated to journey out for one last night of my 20's and raise some hell. Velvet Underground in Toronto is small intimate venue, perfect for a gathering of like-minded warriors looking to have a good time.

I unfortunately missed Cloak but Khemmis took the stage with conviction, absolutely annihilated us with their thick as hell riffage and powerful and equally devastating vocals. They played a great set list spanning their 3 albums. They started with one of my favourites, Above The Water, and proceeded to crush with Candlelight, Bloodletting, and Hunted amongst others. They closed with Maw of Time which got all the beer cans and battle jackets whipped to the fury. I couldn't think of a better way to end off my 2nd decade on earth. Cheers to the band and all the crazy metalheads at the show!

Khemmis

Tomorrow I am 30.
Tonight I am at Khemmis! 🤘💀 pic.twitter.com/K8f2KQsZb5

— Heavy Metal Yeti (@HeavyMetalYetii) July 25, 2019

-Metal Yeti /../;,,;/../

Children of Bodom, Swallow the Sun, & Wolfheart @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto (March 16, 2019).

     2019 is shaping up to be a great year of live shows for the Yeti. With a few smaller shows already under my belt, the first larger bill rolled through town with Wolfheart, Summoner's Circle, and Swallow the Sun supporting the gods of melodic death metal Children of Bodom! It has been almost a decade since I've seen Bodom live, the last time with buds at the tail end of high school. But hot on the heels of the release of their latest album Hexed, I could not pass up this opportunity. Wolfheart and Swallow the Sun were another huge pull for me, wanting to knockboth bands off my must see live list. /,,/

     I arrived just in time to catch the last song of Summoner's Circle's set, with the crowd already massing for the oncoming storm. After a few beers, I was more than ready for Wolfheart to take the the stage and I was off to the pit. While it took a few songs to get the everybody fully going, the energy exerted by the band was too much to resist and after a few minutes the bodies were flying. One of my favourite moments of the set (and the night) was a special "metal faced head nod of approval" from Lauri Silvonen on bass after going ballistic in the pit and throwing him the horns during Breakwater. After the chaos of Wolfheart, metalheads enjoyed a bit of a change of pace with Swallow the Sun set to take the stage. I just recently became a fan of this band, checking out their latest album and bunch of their back catalogue after that. I really enjoyed Swallow the Sun's set with their mix of slow doomy chugs and cutting guitars working well with their mysterious hooded stage presence. "New Moon" leading into "Stone Wings" was a highlight of this set for me, with the ominous guitar tones slicing deep and delivered perfectly by the band. 

     Swallow the Sun are a bit difficult to mosh to, but it was probably for the best as Children of Bodom's imminent presence had completely packed the Phoenix as the Hatecrew deathrolled in. Bodom opened up with "Are you Dead Yet?", which set the crowd off on a furious stupor that lasted the duration of the set. I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to see Bodom again; the energy that Alexi and the gang give off during their set is top notch and you can see how much they enjoy enticing the crowd with their melodic madness. I was pleasantly surprised with the diverse set list. With their latest album just a month old, they still played a wicked mix of old classics like "Sixpounder", "Angel's Don't Kill", and "Bodom Beach Terror" amongst my favourite new songs like "This Road", and "I Worship Chaos". But the best was saved for last with the band closing with a killer encore of two of my favourite songs from the early days playing "Hate Me!" leading into "Downfall". Check out some photos and videos from the night below! As always cheers to the bands and all the crazy metalheads I clashed with in the pit! Metal Yeti

That was good fun, I haven’t been to a Bodom show in years! /,,/ #Metal 🤘💀🔥 pic.twitter.com/zuhq7Ny0A5

— Heavy Metal Yeti (@HeavyMetalYetii) March 17, 2019

Children of Bodom

Swallow the Sun

Wolfheart