Cool topic Foro. On top of listing some albums I love, I'll also say a few words about each (especially focusing on some more recent albums) to hopefully generate some discussion. Apart from Opeth, it seems like not a lot of albums with harsher vocals get much discussion. Some of these might be well known, some maybe not, hopefully there's a good mix and maybe some new discoveries for some people.
A. Mention your favourite 10 albums of 1990-1999
Entombed - Left Hand Path (1990)
The debut album from classic Swedish Death Metal act Entombed. I really love the riffing on this and the brutality. It's a very intense album at times the production has a nice balance between raw and clarity. I can really make out the different instruments and riffs very clearly. The vocals are very brutal but not incomprehensible, and I have to mention the hilariously awesome scream at the end of Revel In Flesh. This album (like a lot of 90s Death Metal) is just a lot of fun to listen to and doesn't seem to take itself seriously.
Dismember - Like an Everflowing Stream (1991)
This is a very short album (at barely a half hour) but some reissues have beefed up the length a bit. But this album is short and sweet and to the point. This is another Swedish Death Metal group, and actually has a member from Entombed on guitar. Not their guitarist though, but their drummer! Just like the Entombed album, this is filled with great riffing and vocals that are a nice blend of brutal and comprehensible. The production isn't quite up to the level of Entombed, but still good. I actually prefer the vocals on this album, they have ore of a grunt to them which I like. I also really like the flow of this album, everything goes together really well and a lot of thought seemed to go into the tracking.
Atheist - Unquestionable Presence (1991)
This album is insane. It's all over the place, it has tech death, jazz fusion, black metal like shrieks mixed with death metal growls, insane rhythms. The production is a bit of a mess but once you get past that this is a very entertaining album. The players on this could really go toe to toe with any prog metal giant out there, the playing here is masterful. The would be jarring transitions are very graceful and the songs are very well put together. I know the topic here is vocals, but really the vocalist is the weak link in all this. I recommend checking this out for the instrumental mastery. Probably the earliest album I can think of in the tech death genre as well.
Darkthrone - A Blaze In the Morning Sky (1992)
What can I say? Black metal classic here. This album gives me chills every time. Right from the opening epic Kathaarian Life Code, it's immediately clear this album isn't for the faint of heart. Something else is clear: the production on this album is
god awful. That's part of the charm though. First of all, it demands your attention to pay more attention to the music, since the production doesn't tell you what to focus on. There isn't a lot going on here, but it all creates a very sinister atmosphere and an evil fucking album. There's a "cold" quality to the music that really set a precedent for black metal to come. I can't recommend this album enough, a metal essential.
Cynic - Focus (1993)
Tech death in the vein of Atheist, this album isn't quite as mindblowing instrumentally, but I'd say the songs are tighter and are catchy as well as sophisticated. The opener in articular, Veil of Maya, is very infectious and stayed with me long after hearing this album for the first time. There's also a mix of clean and rough vocals here, and I feel like the vocals contribute more to the music than in Atheist. This also features two vocalists, one for the clean singing and one for the growls. The contrast is nice and even when the vocals aren't up front, they still add to the textures of the overall sound. There is also some killer chapman stick on this. I'd recommend this as a "gateway" album into more aggressive singing styles for people who are into more technical styles of music. It's a nice crossover and the vocals aren't too abrasive for a newcomer IMO.
Carcass - Heartwork (1993)
This is Carcass with a c. This is a very polished album and a good way to get into death metal I think. Lots of great riffing here, amazing vocals, and some really infectious grooves. There is also a lot of melodic sensibilities that would please a newcomer. The soloing here is really great and I just really love the guitar work in general. This album isn't really intense in the way the Swedish bands are and overall this is just more refined. I think you could really appreciate this even if you're not really into harsh vocals. But don't let that fool you, the vocals aren't any less intense and they really add to the music here. It keeps a very steady pace for the most part and the riffs are very catchy. The vocals give it a welcomed punch. Highly accessible album here.
At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul (1995)
This is another Swedish act and also very short at barely a half hour in length. Out of all the Swedish bands aside from the unbeatable Opeth, this is probably my favorite band/album on the list. I love how clear the production is on this, with every instrument being very audible. This is how a metal album should be produced. I also love how catchy the riffs are and how rhythmic the vocals are to make up for the atonality. This is how harsh vocals should be. And I actually wish some of the more technical outfits such as BTBAM or Periphery would try things like this, as that would sound very cool on top of the musical insanity. The vocals also bleed with intensity and you can really connect with them, even if you can't necessarily understand what is being sung. I also love the interplay between the drums and the guitar here. Take a song like Cold for example, the way the double bass drums finish the guitar's phrase. Some very melancholic and beautiful parts here too.
Cryptopsy - None So Vile (1996)
Here's an intense album. Also very short, but this album stays brutal from start to finish. The vocals here are more in the vein of Cannibal Corpse and are completely incomprehensible. If you want some really dark and unforgiving metal, this is your album. I wouldn't recommend this for beginners, but it's still a great album in its own right. The intensity is consistent and never gets annoying. There's some great stuff happening here with the drums too, some really crazy patterns. In fact, I'd say the drums are the highlight here. I also love the way it interplays with the vocals. Might not be the easiest album to appreciate, but I think it's worth the patience for a pretty great album.
Death - The Sound of Perseverance (1998)
The swan song of a legendary Death Metal band. This album is dark and awesome. There's a lot going on here technically, with some hints to what frontman Chuck Schuldiner would do with Control Denied. There's some really impressive playing from all members of this album and overall it's the perfect sendoff for really one of the genre's finest bands. I also really like Painkiller cover that ends this album. It doesn't surpass the original, but it's very enjoyable and an interesting, but welcomed way of closing out this band's career.
Dark Funeral - Dark Funeral/In the Sign (1994/2004)
Maybe this doesn't count because it's an EP, but fuck it. This thing is great. A bit more polished for a Black Metal release, and actually really melodic. This is a good starter for someone who is already familiar with harsher vocals and is wanting to get into Black Metal. The production shouldn't be a turnoff at all and it's pretty catchy at times. Not to mention heavy. The shrieks on this thing are intense. In the Sign Of the Horns in particular has some very intense moments. Also some really cool breakdowns and riffs that you'd find in the Black Sabbath playbook. Probably the most accessible black metal release in my collection.
B. Mention your favourite 10 albums of 2000-2009
I actually don't have a lot of harsher vocal albums from this era, at least not a large variety of bands. Here are three all time favorites though:
Opeth - Ghost Reveries (2005)
While Blackwater Park is the classic, this to me is Opeth's absolute best. It combines prog and metal in a way that one doesn't over power the other. This is also Opeth's most melodic album in my view, and probably showcases them at their most atmospheric. I've raved about this album countless times on this forum already, and to be honest I'd like to shed focus on some more underexposed albums, so I won't say much more on this besides listen to it if you haven't already!
Strapping Young Lad - The New Black (2006)
The final album by the Devin Townsend fronted extreme metal band. This album is like a forty minute punch in the face. And it's not sorry. With songs like You Suck, Far Beyond Metal, and Fucker, it's pretty clear that this album isn't a bit satirical, but it's still high quality metal. And it gets intensely heavy sometimes. The closing title track is very intense, for example. I also love the big band breakdown in Anti-Product, a song that reminds me of Devin's later projects.
Between the Buried and Me - Colors (2007)
A modern progressive metal classic. While on the surface one might expect this to be like Opeth but it's really a lot different. It's a bit more melodic and also more spastic. There are Jazz breakdowns and moments of guitar virtuosity, even a Bluegrass outro. Lots of shifting time signatures and self indulgent instrumental sections. If you like your death metal filled with unexpected twists and turns as well as major brutality in the vocals, check this out. Some great riffing here too.
C. Mention your favourite 5 albums of 2010-2014
Periphery - Periphery (2010)
The frontrunners of the recent "djent" movement, Periphery really set the standard for the genre. Lots of heavy riffing, mind blowing rhythmic patterns, and of course lots of growling. This is a very angry, yet smooth sounding album. Great production here. Everything sounds crystal clear. There are some moments of clean singing here as well that might be a turn off to some who aren't into the nasally singing style, but once you get used to it it's hard not to appreciate their melodic sensibilities, on top of being able to produce really heavy music as well. I listed their first album, but their second album is just as good. As well as their recent EP, but that doesn't have as much harsh vocals.
Ne Obliviscarus - Portal of I (2012)
I remember the first time I heard this band, I was just getting into Opeth and harsh vocals in general. While I enjoyed it the first time, it was a little too intense for me at the time and I mostly forgot about it until recently when hype surrounding their followup (which is fucking awesome btw) started to generate. If you're into more progressive metal in the vein of Opeth, this is worth checking out. It's not really like Opeth beyond that though, this features a more black metal influence and is less riff oriented. It does feature more acoustic breakdowns and even has a violin player. There's more of a jazz influence here and there's less of a focus on atmosphere than you would find on an Opeth record. However, it makes up for this with its very melodic nature and the large soundscapes mixed with the quieter moments. There's a lot of dynamic contrast here and this is a very relaxing album at times. The songs here are very long, with only one song falling below the 9 minute mark, and most songs over 10 minutes. Even if you're not into harsher vocals, this is still a very easy album to get into and has a lot of stellar instrumental moments to contrast the more aggressive vocal moments. Really great up and coming band, their new album is awesome and I can't wait to see how their career pans out.
Deafheaven - Sunbather (2013)
If we're not counting Dream Theater and Haken (which I tend to lump in with progressive rock rather than metal), this would be my favorite metal album of 2013 by far. This is a very unique album, featuring a very unexpected combination of post rock, shoegaze, and black metal. A combination that shouldn't work, but somehow it does and the results are fantastic. The vocals here are mixed very low and are really treated as another instrument both production wise and in the context of the songs. Each shriek acts as a rhythmic accent bringing forth a burst of intensity. Lots of drumming characteristic of black metal, with lots of blast beats and heavy breakdowns. The guitars on the other hand provide lush textures and chords, no riffing here and not really a lot in the way of melodies either. However whenever a melody does pop up, it's always sublime. This is a very atmospheric strain of Black Metal which is melancholic as it is uplifting. It's also very cleanly tracked, with 4 main "epics" and 3 interludes in between stringing them all together. A very unique and amazing album that could easily work its way into one of my all time favorites. Very pleasant to listen to. It has lots of crossover appeal to, very easy to get into if you're not a Metal fan even.
Saor - Aura (2014)
As you can probably tell from the number of albums on this list from this year, 2014 has been a very great year for Metal I think. Especially Metal with harsher vocals, lots of great extreme metal albums here that offer a unique twist on the style as well. This particular album offers up a cool blend of Atmospheric Black Metal and folk metal. It's very heavy and very melodic at the same time. The folk influence isn't too out of place and it provides an atmosphere that you might not necessarily associate with Black Metal. Despite this, the vocals are extremely intense and have more of a death metal tinge to them. Lots of great riffing here and lots of dynamic contrast in the songs. It's a very dense album, with each song - with exception of one 8 minute track- being over ten minutes in length, but it's not too hard to get into. It's a cool album to leave on in the background and occasionally things will come up that demand your attention. There are some really epic folk tinged melodies here that provide a nice contrast to the heavy riffing and relentless drumming. You can also stream this album for free on
bandcamp.
Thantifaxath - Sacred White Noise (2014)
Here's a relentless album. I'm not sure what a Thantifaxath is but it sounds metal. These guys are a Candaian Black Metal band and this is their debut. The opening song, The Bright White Nothing at the End of the Tunnel, is one of my favorite tracks of this year, of any genre. The descending riffs are like the soundtrack of someone falling into of pit of fire. As the song progresses the riffing gets more intense and the tension increases. It's a very unsettling song and really stands out among other Black Metal songs. The rest of this album is no slouch either. It's very abrasive and very dissident at times. It's a very uncomfortable album and is definitely great for parties.
Behemoth - The Satanist (2014)
This album has raised quite a stir in the metal community this year, and for good reason. While this band started out as a black metal band, this album is like a full dive into death metal. I'm not familiar with their whole discography or when this change took place, but it's quite new to me and the shift is much welcomed. They really do the style justice and have created a very special album. This thing is very accessible and has lots of twists and turns and epic climaxes. It's very exciting to listen to and stays unpredictable for its entirety. Not only one of the best metal releases of the year, but really up there with the best in this decade so far.
Septicflesh - Titan (2014)
This thing is in the running for my favorite album (of any genre) of 2014. I love symphonic tinged metal, especially when the symphonic stuff is juxtaposed with unrelenting brutality. This album captures that sound perfectly. Featuring the Prague philharmonic and childrens choir, this album is epic. Huge riffing mixed with sinister orchestration makes for one heavy album. The orchestrations are really impressive for a metal album too. The orchestra isn't here to double the band or add textures, it plays a leading role at times and is very nuanced. In fact, there are orchestra only versions of some of these songs and they hold up excellently. There are some really chilling moments and overall this is a very dark album. If I only could use one word to describe it, it'd be epic. This album is as epic as it gets. If you like symphonic metal of any kind, this album can't be mixed. Possibly the best use of an orchestra on a metal album I've ever heard.
D. If you know any: mention 1 til 3 pre-1990 albums
Was going to mention a Bathory album here but I'm way too exhausted after writing about all these other albums. Maybe I'll get to it later, unless someone else does before me.
