Best of 2022 AB

When it comes to music, I can honestly say that at least for me, 2022 has been quite a good year. While suffering from a slight form of nostalgia, throughout this year I focused my listening habits mainly on old school bands, like stuff I grew up with or listened a lot during my youth/teenage years. But I also kept an eye out for what was going on in the actual extreme scene, if I can call it like that, cause several interesting bands and albums have emerged from the ever hungry underground.

Below is a random list of the albums that have moved me the most in 2022. While some of them have been reviewed in these pages, the others haven’t, but they are there, engraved in my memory and heart.

I did not include here 2 albums which came out in the very last days of the dying year, Kringa‘s “All Stillborn Fires Lick my Heart” and Satanic Warmaster‘s “Aamongandr“, but I will try to discuss them later on in a separate review on this blog/webzine, whatever the hell this is.

So, here you have it, ScrollsOfDarmoth‘s “best of” list:

BRAN – “Odcházení” (Signal Rex) – This new band comes from the Czech Republic and this is their debut album. Check out my review for more details about this record, but this is a fucking good start, I really enjoyed the music and the company. Black metal with some Central European (folk) influences, a strong debut if you ask me.

DENEVÉR – “Vámpír” (Metal ör Die Records) – A one man band from Hungary which has released this very interesting album focused mainly on vampirism and Elisabeth Bathory. This is raw black metal with a nice atmosphere, some melody and cold riffs, highly enjoyable. Very promising debut album for sure, a great surprise from the Hungarian scene.

GHOST – “Impera“(Loma Vista Recordings) – Ghost needs no introduction but Impera is an album that really moved me a lot. Of course they have changed a lot from the “Opus Eponymous” era, but their music is still very good. There are a lot of ’80s influences on this record which I like a lot. Great record, one of their best in a long time.

KRVNA – “For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh“ (Ancient Dead/Third Eye Temple) – The sophomore album from this Aussie maniac, a highly addictive album centered on religion and vampirism. I have written an in-depth review for this record, so check it out for more details. Truly a shining gem in the underground, I am very curious to see how this band will evolve. Cheers mate!

LIFVSLEDA – “Sepulkral Dedikation” (NoEvDia) – Sweden’s Lifvlseda have already established themselves as a no fun/no core/no mosh/no trends band, having proved with their previous releases the total dedication to the black metal cult. As its name implies, this second album is a true manifest of what black metal should be about, with more focus on music and message, instead of shallow imagery and vanity. In my opinion this is one the best black metal albums in years. Hail LIFVSLEDA!

MISTCAVERN – “Into Twilight“ (Iron Bonehead Prod) – Haunting black metal, with an atmosphere which perfectly evokes the golden age of the mid ’90s. The 4 tracks on this EP are the perfect soundtrack for a walk in the woods, in solitude and darkness. More details in my review.

MORTUUS – “Diablerie” (W.T.C) – Mortuus should be well known to those into black metal, so a new album from them is always a reason to celebrate. Released 8 years after “Grape of the Vine“, “Diablerie” is a monument of eclectic black metal, with a suffocating atmosphere. The 4 songs are long, mostly mid-paced and murky. There is no joy here, only smoke, darkness and death. A bleak album for bleak souls.

OS – “Tehom” ( Iron Bonehead Prod) – The 2nd album of this Hungarian death metal horde, “Tehom” is cavernous manifestation of savagery built in 7 chapters. Possessed growls, monolithic riffs and pounding drums create a frightening atmosphere imbued in morbid fumes and occult rituals. This record is a voyage down the path of insanity, so be careful what you expose yourselves to. A must listen for all the extreme metal freaks out there, totally recommended!!

UNFYROS – “Alpha Hunt“ (Empyrean Editions / Aural Hypnos) – From the deep forests of Finland comes Unfyros, a relatively new project fully dedicated to the true hidden practices. Read more about this excellent debut record in the review I posted a while ago.

WATAIN – “The Agony and Ecstasy of Watain” (Nuclear Blast) – Watain: A name born in darkness to create controversies, instill hate or total fucking dedication. But either way, a name that just cannot leave you indifferent.

2022 has been the year when Watain have reinvented themselves. For the first time in many years, the holy trinity of E, P and H has been altered by the inclusion of other members in its ranks. The new additions (H. Eriksson on guitars, E. Forcas on drums and A.Lillo on bass) have perfectly integrated in the Watain mechanism and the final result of their contribution can be heard on “The Agony and Ecstasy of Watain“, the 7th album in the band’s career.

With this record Watain has created a dual album which cleverly mixes primitive aggression and savagery (“Ecstasies In Night Infinite“, “The Howling“, “Leper’s Grace“) with melancholy and wicked melodies (“We Remain“, “No Sun Nor Man No God“, “Before the Cataclysm“, “Septentrion“), keeping you hooked until the very end. A majestic piece of black art and one the best highlights of the year. TTD…FTW