Carcass is the winner! Out of 220 albums voted on by the Global Staff of Ghost Cult, Surgical Steel is #1!
5. The Ocean – Pelagial (Metal Blade)
Increasingly dark and claustrophobic Post-metal broodings
“It’s far too often these days that albums are referred to as ‘a journey’, but in the case of Pelagial, it’s an epithet that’s more than justified. Featuring more twists and turns than a F1 racing track, and an abundance of melodic intuition and stellar songwriting chops, this is a more than worthy follow-up to previous material and a record that deserves to be explored and cherished.” Read the full review
4. Clutch – Earth Rocker (Weathermaker)
Quirky rock anthems are evident throughout Clutch’s tenth, and perhaps best, release
Focusing on delivering a leaner, rockier album, while retaining their idiosyncracies, Clutch have hit the jackpot. Full of bravado, swagger, and high-octane charges, Maryland’s finest trim the fat and turn in a belter.
3. Ghost – Infestissuman (Loma Vista)
Surf-rock meets Hammer Horror, creating Simple Satanic lullabyes with hooks literally to die for
“A graceful and grandiose affair which pushes their esoteric agenda together with sweeping and timeless melodies. A deliciously tuneful black-hearted affair, this sophomore effort shall see Ghost welcome many new parishioners to join their faithful congregation.” Read the full review
2. Cult of Luna – Vertikal (Indie)
New leaders of the post-metal field show their class
Issue 4: JANUARY ALBUM OF THE MONTH “Classic dystopian monstrosity… Records like Vertikal are why musicians continue to create – to grab the brass ring of meaningful art that endures like a scene from a memory. Cult of Luna have finally created a masterpiece.”
1. Carcass – Surgical Steel (Nuclear Blast)
British greats return after 17 years without skipping a beat with an amalgamation of all the best bits of their past. Kicking off with ‘Hellion’ tribute ‘1985’, ‘Surgical Steel’ then delves into the kind of grinding riffs that made Carcass one of the best groups to vomit forth from the UK. As the album progresses, it mirrors their career, moving from faster, sinewy, grind material at the outset to breathing, muscular riffage and quality melodic death metal songs, sitting somewhere between ‘Necroticism’ and ‘Heartwork’ this a truly special selection of pure, unadulterated Carcass, with a slew of new riffs, grooves and grinds to assuage even the most sceptical of beasts.
Issue 11: “They’re not the young, angry band they were back in early days, but this album proves they’ve still got what it takes to produce an organ crushingly heavy record. Choosing not to copy their original sound is a bold move for the band, and Surgical Steel still packs the same aggressive force they always have. The bodies may have changed but the instrumentation is just as damaging.” Read the full review
As voted by the global staff of Ghost Cult
Written and Compiled by Steve Tovey