The End Time: Best Albums of 2012

duuuuuuuurr. another list. This year I've decided to not look up anything I might've missed, or forced myself to find new things. I'm going with what's come to be, and what I've found. Keep in mind, this is my full length list. An ep/ split/ single/ demo/ whatever list will follow soon. Unknowingly naming this "the end time" last year might be a little too true for you wackos out there in regards to this year.


10.

Revenge - Scum.Collapse.Eradication

A hate crime rolled into an album, Scum. Collapse. Eradication lacks any kind of understanding, compassion, or sympathy. If you've heard a Revenge album before, you've heard 'em all, but don't let that stop you as J. Reed and co-conspirator Vermin have added a nice dose of guitar solos, groove a'la Archgoat, and more vocal pitch shifting than you can shake your spiked leather arm at. A nice (ugly) reprieve from some of the more "arty" black metal.


9.

Sakatat - Bir Devrin Sonu

I was really looking forward to this Turkish trio's full length. Unfortunately, like all the cool bands, they've called a quits following the release of this excellent album. A bit short for my liking, Bir Devrin Sonu is an exceptionally great grind album that's fresh sounding in its varied style, dynamic vocals and impressive riff catalog and great production. P//S Review (Unfortunately my stupid analysis of the album's name is even more stupid as the band's done). Listen here



8.

Knelt Rote - Trespass 


I've been waiting awhile for a good mixture of black metal and grindcore and I think Knelt Rote do it near perfect. Sure, it's a heavier helping of death metal rather than black, but Knelt Rote incorporate the super stale sound of bands like Blasphemy and mix it with harsh noise and elements of grindcore and above all else precision to create a brutal onslaught. Ugly, bestial, and overtly harsh Trespass is solely the product of hate.



7.



Wreck and Reference - Youth

Wreck and Reference craft a dark emotional sound that implements everything from industrial and post-punk to black metal and drone. What I liked most about Youth was its ability to be everything at once; harsh, beautiful, scary, and calm. P//S Review



6.

Column of Heaven - Mission From God

Mission From God doesn't strike me as powerfully as their demo Ecstatically Embracing all that we Habitually Suppress, but it's still pretty fuggin' good. Beyond that Mission from God is a unique effort as every aspect is intriguing and uncomfortable as it's a mash of grindcore, power electronics, bits of death metal and a huge dose of atmosphere. Lyrics, artwork, and of course the music make Mission From God one of the most suffocating things this year. P//S Review



5.



Swans - The Seer

Recently I was redoing my iTunes and was trying to figure out how to categorize all my Swans. I ended up simply tagging their genre as "Swans." I bring it up because what else can I say about this album besides it's Swans? The thing is IMMENSE and absolutely absorbing. Maybe the only band that's been around 30+ years and is running just as strong. Listen here

4.

Cellgraft - 
Cellgraft

Dozer tread like guitars, blazing .30 cal drums and thundering vocals pulsate through Cellgraft's first and final full length Cellgraft. Dangerously infectious and monumental in its beginning, Cellgraft is as heavy as as it is viral. Few grindcore bands understand that perfect mixture of riffage, dynamic vocal delivery and rhythmic manipulation and can wrap it all up with a completely devastatingly low end production like Cellgraft did. P//S Review


3.

Botanist - III: Doom in Bloom

Get it out of your head that one man dulcimer/drum act Botanist is a gimmick; it's not. III: Doom in Bloom is a fitting title as things have slowed down this time and are much more meditative. I like this approach much more and find the harmonies and drum patterns so engrossing. Botanist might be the only metal band I know of to not have guitars and be completely acoustic (and really good too). It comes with a second disc of drum tracks provided by Botanist for other bands to use. Frankly I haven't really bothered with this and pretend it's not part of the release.


2.

Bosse-De-Nage - III

At first I was so-so about III. The first track might be the weakest one, but the second track's 90's alt-rock vibe and build ups really got me going. Much more dynamic than II and really powerful sounding, Bosse-De- Nage continue to expand upon their unique brand of post-black alt rock whatever-whatever black metal. P//S Review



1.

Dephosphorus - 
Night Sky Transform

Whoa baby. While everyone's been oo'ing and ah'ing over last year's Axiom it wasn't until Night Sky Transform that I became absolutely OBSESSED with this band. Grindcore without any boundaries, Night Sky Transform showcases immense songwriting, great lyrics, and an awesome mood. P//S Review





Honorable Mentions

Horders - Fimbulvetr
The Kill - Make 'em Suffer
Nadja - Dagdrøm
Negative Standards - VI-XI
Panopticon - Kentucky
Protestant - Reclamation
Six Brew Bantha - Six Brew Bantha
Violent Restitution - Violent Restitution
Holy Other - Held

Sakatat - Bir Devrin Sonu

Turkey's Sakatat make a strong case with their debut full-length Bir Devrin Sonu which I believe translates to "end of an era." End of an era couldn't be more wrong as Sakatat are heating up and developing into one of the most energetic bands around. After a handful of splits and eps, we finally get to hear the treatment this band has deserved for quite awhile.

Bir Devrin Sonu might not have the length one would expect for an LP, even if it is a grindcore album (8 minutes does  leave a bit to be desired), but the production this time around wholly warrants the title of a full-length. The band still maintains their old school, buzzy style but have a robust production to heighten the punch of the drums and bring to light some great fret work which typically got buried by their Warsore style production. Another giant step are the vocals as vocalist Semih sounds outright crazy. Chang like bat screeches, throaty barks and even gang vocals; the dynamic vocals work wonders for the band's momentum shifting style.

Sakatat are one of a handful of new bands carrying the torch of old school grindcore and not sounding redundant or like a clone. Their production is fresh, yet heavy and powerful and their approach doesn't have a fetid smell to it. The band's at their best with songs like "Adım Adım Elerki" or "Tahammül Etmek Kabul Etmek Demek" which break away from the blasts to heighten the intensity with crashing sheets of cymbals and power chord riffs.

There's not much else to say besides this is what we have been waiting for. Sakatat strike with a lethal dose of speed and energy and beg your repeat button to get some wear.

Gripe Pig Servant

If you've been hankering old school grindcore touched up with the spit and polish of a post-good Napalm Death world then look no further. Gripe's songwriting is highly entertaining, energetic, and bombastic; definitely their strong point as it's something that sets them heads above others in a subset in where cloning yourself 30 times for an album is quite common.

I really can't get over the opening track's title "Ghetto Rapist," whatever the lyrics might be, it seems at odds both with the style of the band, as well as the other song titles (much of which contain the typical grindcore/punk ethos). To be blunt, the vocals need to be toned way down. Beyond that, the band plays a competent style of grindcore that reminds me a lot of my Turkish love affair with Sakatat ( yet is a bit too clean and rhythmically proficient to have that Warsore/E.N.T. vibe). I sound like I'm not too impressed, but I am. When the guitars come through they absolutely crush and even get hummable at times. And while the complaints I make about the vocals could be made about the drums, I like loud as hell drums and this drummer seems to be a machine that's learned how to dream of sheep. The pieces are on the table, and Gripe's just gotta find what clicks.

Check it out for free over at here.