Album of the Month – December, 2020

Every month we collect our favorite albums of the month. Here’s the playlist with our favorite songs:

And here are our favorite albums of December:

Sean:

This is raw and nasty black metal played just perfectly. The way this band mixes aggression with ambient dissonance is unparalleled. Don’t miss this one.

Leon:

The genius of Naas Alcameth has been reiterated many times before, so I’ll just reaffirm that he once again created a black masterpiece through his unique style that manage to be essentially black metal yet fully idiosyncratic. I haven’t heard many copycats yet but I’m sure it’s a matter of time.

Nathan:

Slimy, oozing, stomping liquid death metal. Undergang sounds like zombie roadkill.

Rutger:

After five years, Akhlys have released a follow-up to the notorious The Dreaming I. Their nightmare-themed atmospheric black metal saga continues with Melinoë, a chthonic nymph invoked in one of the Orphic Hymns. Energy-wise, it’s even more intense than its predecessor, making it a record to go down into history.

Matthew:

With season 2 of The Mandalorian finished, some of you may be looking for another place to satisfy your Star Wars itch. Bantha Rider is an instrumental stoner/sludge band that’s more than familiar with Twi’leks, Jabba’s Palace, and Jawas. Binary Sunset Massacre is Bantha Rider’s debut full-length album, and if you want to experience a jam that’s hotter than the Great Pit of Carkoon, I heard that the Max Rebo Band has some new competition in town.

Rick:

A product of the New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal, Chalice’s debut work features an amazingly robust rhythmic department upon which the whole album is built. A long and moving power ballad, ever-present if you’re going for a true revival, is the final touch to an excellent first step.