MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of November 2024

As is the case every year, November delivers the last big offering before the quiet of December. Given that winter is approaching, it is easy to see how the darker stuff fits into this. Neon Nightmare with their Type O Negative invocation, New Skeletal Faces with their deathrock throwback, and the bizarro Goblin-influenced death metal of Bedsore all made for excellent post-Halloween listening. On the even darker side, Sun Worship demonstrate their modern black metal edge while Auriferous Flame adds some thrash extension to that mix. On the more traditional side of the genre, Djevel reign supreme, while Paysage d’Hiver once again exalt the Alpine nature.

Stranger applications once more take a significant share of the lot, with the Body continuing to disfigure all sound, Veilburner twisting their death metal toward avant-garde themes, and Ærkenbrand being completely uncategorizable. That and much more, so dig in! – Spyros Stasis

Ærkenbrand – Hedenfarne Æventyr (I, Voidhanger)

The ethos of the Italian label I, Voidhanger, is more closely related to various experimental and avant-garde outlets such as Hausu Mountain, Editions Mego, and Room40 than any metal counterparts. Aside from their inclination towards the strangest metallic forms, what separates them from the lot is the simple fact that you are guaranteed a good—albeit often uncanny—time even if you venture blindly into their catalog.

While Danish experimentalists Ærkenbrand are a relatively unknown quantity, leave it to I, Voidhanger’s Luciano Gaglio to shine a spotlight on their offbeat mixture of styles, ranging from purple-tinted psychedelia to spiraling black and death metal that threatens to turn the listener’s brain to mush. Hedenfarne Æventyr, their fourth album, in large part, owes its heady sound to Sebastian Mørch’s almost percussive guitar playing and Antonius Lovmand’s loose drumming style and even looser singing.

The two open “Svampens Rotter (Spiritus)” in style, with tapped, surf rock-like guitar licks, shimmering cymbals, and spastic falsetto, before transitioning into firmer, post-rock-cum-motorik sequences, weaving various influences into their base fabric. On “Stasis II: Blodmåne”, the combination of Zeki Jindyl’s soaring saxophone licks and Andreas Thomsen’s plump bass lines makes the music feel borrowed from a Colin Stetson record. Soon after, the ethereal phrases gain mass and become the proper jazz metal scorcher “Kødets Opstandelse”, before diffusing again into the psychedelic voyage that is “Alting Sammen”. – Antonio Poscic

Auriferous Flame –  The Insurrectionists and the Caretakers (True Cult/Stellar Auditorium)

Ayloss can do no wrong. Best known for his avantgarde-inclined atmospheric black metal project Spectral Lore, the past few years have seen the Greek musician spend significant time with the rawer black metal expressions of Auriferous Flame, whose pointed and compact, tremolo and blast beat-driven forms are dictated by the themes of resistance and revolution explored in the lyrics.

Like 2022’s The Great Mist Within or 2023’s Ardor for Black Mastery—both of which come highly recommended—The Insurrectionists and the Caretakers deals with subjects that feel very close to Ayloss’ and many of our hearts, lending the album a fiery and authentic aura. The flow of the narrative strewn through the lyrics again shapes the music, alternating atmospheric moments and mid-tempo grooves that feel like the brewing moments of a firestorm with merciless, blistering attacks that surge as he growls the album’s manifesto: “At least I have revolted!” – Antonio Poscic

Bedsore – Dreaming the Strife for Love (20 Buck Spin)

Expectations are high for Bedsore, following the progressive/psychedelic death metal band’s excellent debut, Hypnagogic Hallucinations. The main question posed was how, or even if, Bedsore would develop their sound, and not get caught as a replica of their influences. The answer being Dreaming the Strife of Love is more than satisfactory, as the Italian act opens up novel pathways, such as the cinematic scope that greets you with the opener “Minerva’s Obelisque”. Here, Bedsore descend into the intricately theatrical world of Goblin, something that becomes obvious in “A Colossus, An Elephant…” and “The Fountain of Venus”, bringing to mind Popol Vuh’s adventure in Nosferatu, The Vampyre. The flavors continue to evolve, at times a folk-ish quality bringing serenity (“Realm of Eleuterillide”) and then a nightmare scenario à la Devil Doll taking form (“Fanfare for a Heartfelt Heart”).

To a certain extent, their death metal feels almost secondary. There are still moments where Bedsore will lash out in angst, as with “Scars of Light”, with a lot of conviction and purpose. It still possesses a progressive-minded quality and, at times, brings Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere to mind. At the same time, the keyboard-driven approach echoes Edge of Sanity’s final opus, Crimson II, in “Minerva’s Obelisque” and “Realm of Eleuterillide”. It is an experiment that should not work, but somehow, Bedsore pull it off. Dreaming the Strife of Love remains an enticing repeat listen with its niche sound. – Spyros Stasis

Biesy – Golem (Pest Productions)

Biesy is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Faustyna IHS Moreau (aka Patryk Rzeszutek), known for their work with Polish experimental black metallers Gruzja. While the music of Gruzja and bands in their orbit (see: Furia and Odraza) often eschew categorization—and I don’t say that lightly, check out 2023’s Koniec wakacji for proof—Golem is a whole new kind of idiosyncratic.

Meandering between stabs of harsh static, epic black metal, power electronics, and jagged IDM, the ten cuts on the album struggle to stay still, dressing and undressing genre tropes from phrase to phrase. Pick any track, and you’ll find an example of this delicious volatility. “My razem jak dłoń i miecz” sets off with the beats of a syncopated but steady, post-punk evoking rhythm, only to fall apart in the middle and crawl through noisy effects before ultimately reconfiguring itself into a ferocious black metal beast.

On “Fuck no I split”, Chinese avant musician otay:onii bends her voice to sound like Julie Christmas and Björk at once, sprinkling bits of vocal melodies across uncertain, porous textures, only for “ABC” to drop everything into corroded dissonance. Elsewhere, “Działanie” and “Pod innym niebem” close the album with a one-two of extreme noise insanity and screwy, industrial-tinged ambient music. Strange and compelling stuff. – Antonio Poscic

The Body – The Crying Out of Things (Thrill Jockey)

Who other than the Body could release not one but two album-of-the-year contenders back-to-back? Following their enthralling release with DJ and producer Dis Fig earlier this year, The Crying Out of Things see Chip King and Lee Buford revert to their baseline duo form. However, their sound grows ever larger, in part thanks to Seth Manchester’s production and their use of the studio as another instrument.

At certain points, appearing as a synthesis of all their previous works, the nine tracks encompass everything from black metal and industrial to dub and pop, often simultaneously. On “Removal”, they dig into dub and dancehall proper, making industrial clatter bounce around and reverberate in the vein of the Bug’s gnarliest productions while guest vocalist Ben Eberle and King’s voices cut through the tar-thick textures.

Elsewhere, “A Premonition” fashions a makeshift big beat from corroded samples; Dis Fig layers the full range of her vocal delivery over the crawling, creeping noise of “The Building”; and “All Worries” grows from a simple chanted melody into a gorgeous, solemn hymn. Bleak and nasty, but remarkably life-affirming music. – Antonio Poscic

Defeated Sanity – Chronicles of Lunacy (Season of Mist)

This is shaping up to be an insane year for technical brutal death metal. After 20 years, Brodequin returned with Harbinger of Woe, and then Wormed’s eight-year full-length absence finally ended with Omegon. Thankfully, Defeated Sanity do not take long breaks, but it is always exciting when they return because Chronicles of Lunacy is a record that should excite any fans of the genre.

This is a slight throwback for the Lille Gruber-led band. Instead of doubling down on the immense, yet spectacular, complexity of Disposal of the Dead // Dharmata and The Sanguinary Impetus, they go for the jugular. Chronicles of Lunacy sounds more in line with Psalms of the Moribund in that it is a direct and unyielding assault. The bludgeoning essence comes straight in an Effigy of the Forgotten fashion with “Amputationsdrang”, and it never let’s go. This barbaric approach defines “Accelerating the Rot” and “Extrinsically Enraged”, but Defeated Sanity still pack a high technical aptitude.

Tempo switches, impeccable precision, and a discordance that melts the mind define this monster. From the flawless drumming (“The Odour of Sanctity”), the jazz embrace (“Condemned to Vascular Famine”), or full adaptation (“Temporal Disintegration”), all the way to the ridiculous guitar finessing of the closing track, “Hereditary Violations”, Chronicles of Lunacy is exactly what it needs to be. – Spyros Stasis

Djevel – Natt Til Ende (Aftermath Music)

If I were hard-pressed to name only one band that best exemplifies the Norwegian black metal spirit today, it would be difficult not to pick Djevel. While the scene has evolved through the years and newer iterations, such as the Nidrosian scene, have looked to carve out their own identity, Djevel return to the point of origin. Their latest entry in a growing, stellar discography is Natt Til End, a conclusion to a trilogy started with Tanker Som Rir Natten and continued with Naa Skrider Natten Sort, both highly recommended listens.

From the start, the devilish tone of 1990s black metal pierces through in the grand Mayhem tradition. “Bespottelsen” masterfully sets the stage for this eerie descent, further enhanced by the Csihar-ian grand orations in “Jesu Lidelse”. Yet, there are times when Djevel’s approach is more laconic, mirroring Darkthrone’s minimal aspirations in “Ravnehymne” and “Under Nattens Fane I Fanden”. While these are the pillars around Djevel’s sound, they further explore the magical essence that the original black metal visionaries have to offer.

The mid-tempo parts of the opener ooze with this mystical quality, the ominous tone only enhanced through “En Vinter Efter Kommer”. It naturally opens up pathways that reminisce the grand spirit of the early days of Ulver and even some of the desolation depicted in works like Hvis Lyset Tar Oss. The monumental closer to Natt Til Ende conjures all this magic and mayhem, capitalizing a nocturnal opus as Djevel continue to howl at the moon. – Spyros Stasis

DreamLongDead – Derelict (Independent)

DreamLongDead’s last record, Umbra saw the Greek underground extreme metal act contort their doom/death pedigree and put it through the death metal grinder. The result was a direct and brutal work, driving their Lovecraftian aspirations. Their follow-up, Derelict, sees them take a more holistic approach while also diving into an experimental abyss. The Celtic Frost influence is front and center as “Mortuary” kicks in, the heavy riffs and deep growls echoing through the vast space. But, it is the groove that does it. This unearthly, monstrous manifestation relishes both the proto-death metal sound while also winking toward more recent representations, with “Carnage” reminiscent of Necros Christos and Lucifer Rising-era Kaamos.

Yet, this is only scratching the surface. The Autopsy-ian stench gives way to something more sinister. At times, it can be a slight blackened touch. The eerie lead parts and traditional black metal riffing take steps toward the great unknown. But, it is the slower form that completes this transformation. The title track collapses over a drone/doom motif, with certain funereal elements coming to light. It is a Khanate-like nihilistic outing, causing rubble to fall through its sluggish procession. But, there is another side to this tale, one that opens up to the strangeness of the cosmos.

In that mode, DreamLongDead expand the psychedelic themes that tracks like “You Gotta Be F….n’ Kidding” from Umbra introduced. “Erebus” sees them take on a krautrock form, something that turns into a John Carpenter-infused soundtrack in “Terror”. It further infects “Anark”, a highlight of this record, which masterfully combines the “trip gone bad” vibes with the decadent doom/death. An excellent record to listen to while on the beach… if that beach happens to be in Innsmouth (phrase lovingly picked up and translated from another writer). – Spyros Stasis

The Gates of Slumber – The Gates of Slumber (Svart)

An unlikely but very welcomed return. In the intersection between heavy metal and doom metal, fuelled by a sword and sorcery narrative, The Gates of Slumber released a series of excellent works through the 2000s and early 2010s. Thirteen years after The Wretch, mainman Karl Simon reforms the band with drummer Chuck Brown and Apostle of Solitude guitarist/vocalist Steve Janiak on bass, for their self-titled release.

There are no surprises here, from the start of “Embrace the Lie” the echoes of US doom are clear as day, becoming particularly prominent in the two final tracks, “The Fog” with its heavy repetition and fuzz, and “The Plague” with its torturous pacing. The Black Sabbath-ian backbone still protrudes in “We Are Perdition”, giving way to a 1970s rock influence in “Full Moon Fever” as the guitar wah comes through. There is still an epic aesthetic running through this work, as it did for every Gates of Slumber record (just look at the cover artwork of Hymns of Blood and Thunder or Conqueror). To that end, there is the Saint Vitus and Pentagram influence, but also a touch of Celtic Frost. So, despite the 13-year wait, it is business as usual for the Gates of Slumber. – Spyros Stasis

Mefitis – The Skorian / The Greyleer (Profound Lore)

With their 2019 debut record, Emberdawn, Mefitis not only released a stellar work of extreme metal but one whose overarching nature nearly defied categorization. Returning with their third full-length, the California duo featuring Fabricant member Jake Dawson (aka Pendath) continues to walk this line. The kickoff for The Skorian/The Greyleer is reminiscent of Scandinavia’s early melodic death metal scene, the twisted Iron Maiden-esque melodies coalescing in “Vire’s Arc” and unleashing a Dawn-like fury in “Watcher Over His Own”. Further experimentations ensue, at times the progression twisting to Morgoth-level instability (“The Untwined One”) or Nocturnus-esque grandiosity (“..And the Mason Wept”).

Mefitis’s understanding of this multidimensional space of extreme metal is uncanny. The black metal applications are subtle, the intricate change in “Vire’s Arc” toward the genre’s characteristic timbre is an early sign. There is an ease with which Mefitis interact with this sound, crafting an atmospheric scenery with quasi-symphonic aspirations that even reminisce the early Emperor spirit. Clean vocals join, enhancing the experience and naturally leading toward gothic-esque applications. “In Halfsight, the Dustplanes” sees Mefitis embrace a doom, mid-era Peaceville Three manifestation where moving melodies thrive.

They further embrace this motif with “In Gloom’s Gorge” and “The Greyleer” as they open up to an early-day Sentenced type of sinister darkness. Mefitis covers such a vast territory, and they do so with astounding depth and grace. The result is not only a record that, while having many familiar treats, almost defies pigeonholing but one that has tremendous flow and momentum. – Spyros Stasis