#esoteric malacology

[depravednotdeprived]

Slugdge Esoteric Malacology tape

[bizarrobrain]

"Crop Killer" by Slugdge - From "Esoteric Malacology" (2018)

[happymetalgirl]

Albums I Missed in 2018

Alright, already halfway through the year, and the time has come (as I said I would last year) to acknowledge the albums from 2018 that I didn't last year before getting onto the second half of 2019. Yeah, that's it, no need for more intro. Here are my thoughts on some albums from 2018 that I didn't talk about.

Yob - Our Raw Heart

I heard so much hype over this album last year and saw it ending on so many year end lists, yet for some reason I just didn’t have the time or energy to give it a worthy try so it slipped by me. And honestly, after finally hearing it, I can’t say I’m all too heartbroken about missing out on it. It's honestly some of the most derivative modern doom/sludge metal that I've ever heard hyped up to this degree. When the album isn't meandering through the types of thick soundscapes that hearken a bit too much to early Pallbearer, it's "resting" amid cheap drones that sound like unaltered Sunn O))). The band are closer to achieving their goal on the more dirging doom songs on here like the title track, but when they try to get heavier like on the unbelievably annoyingly repetitive "The Screen", they sound very out of their capacity. I don't know what so many saw in this album last year beyond its occasionally convincing imitations of Bell Witch or Pallbearer.

Craft - White Noise and Black Metal

I don't know why I didn't talk about Craft's 2018 album, maybe because it wasn't all that different from the band's previous releases, but either way, the Swedisg crew came through with a strong fifth offering of straight-up modern black metal. That band has always had a knack for the grim and sardonic, and they carry that energy well onto White Noise and Black Metal. Again, it's hardly the most unique black metal I've ever heard and it's really not all to different from Fuck the Universe or Void, but for what the band are doing, there's really not much else to complain about. Sure, it could be a little more varied or come with a few more memorable grooves or something, but for nasty, snarling black metal with nothing else in mind, Craft continue to be on of the genre's steadfast pillars.

Convulsing - Grievous

I stumbled across this album earlier this year because I recognized the visual handiwork of Leviathan's Jef Whitehead gracing the cover art. Convulsing is apparently somewhat of a one-man solo project that seems to have started out pretty recently (around 2016 or so) and the music is as harrowing and demonic as I would expect from a Jef Whitehead endorsement. The low-tuned guitar work on Grievous is pretty in line with the type of playing that made Scar Sighted so powerful, and the bellowing death growls give it a furiously cavernous atmosphere. And it is indeed an atmospheric type of listen despite being so thick in its death metal elements, but the gravitation pull of those elements are well-harness to really suck one into the deep dark it provides.

Hoth - Astral Necromancy

On no other album last year did I hear quite the smooth and well-balanced overlap of technical death metal speed, blackened death metal menace, and thrash. Hoth really has it all and is not afraid to show it; this album really has everything: a variety of melodic guitar leads, sinister growls, and intricately hyperactive drumming. It’s this impressive juggling act that makes Astral Necromancy such a unique listen, and one that I wish I had talked about and dissected more thoroughly the intricacies of last year.

Bad Wolves - Disobey

Despite actually not totally disliking the band’s alt metal power ballad cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie” (which goes over much better than their original balladry), the combination of the band coming up largely by way of a cover song and their close association with Five Finger Death Punch unfortunately kept me at bay from the very label-propped band’s debut album. After having heard the rather familiar djent-influenced groove metal style that the band has to offer, I can't really say the channeling of what Whitechapel and Upon a Burning Body have tended toward into formulas that Shinedown would work with is really all too offensive or inoffensive either. Sure, some of the fence-sitting political commentary, while well-intentioned, is a bit beyond the band's lyrical capacities at best and ham-fisted at worst. But really there isn't really anything the band are doing or saying that's at all new. They're simply one of the newest voices contributing to servicing the Five Finger Death Punch fan demographic, and it really does sound like if Shinedown decided to go djent-groovy in an attempt to bring back their old fans, which I will say does sound better than what Five Finger Death Punch are offering these days.

Hyperdontia - Nexus of Teeth

This one only really caught my attention because of this dental theme, which I think needs to be a theme more prevalent in metal music. More bands need to create musical horror stories that push for encouraging better dental health. But really, this album isn’t exactly the most ground-breaking of modern death metal releases, but if it’s an itch that needs scratching and the usual helping hands like Morbid Angel, The Black Dahlia Murder, or Bloodbath seem worn out for the time being, Nexus of Teeth will get the spot just fine.

Sarah Longfield - Disparity

Brilliant YouTube-based guitar shredder Sarah Longfield had been putting out albums before this one, but I didn’t hear about Disparity until the year was over, and while it’s certainly not a terrible project, I’m not really all too upset about missing it. Longfield takes the album as an opportunity to dive into smooth, semi-jazzy atmospherics that don’t always highlight her technical talents the way they needed to to make the album more engaging. Again, it’s not awful and it’s not like she’s stuck playing back-up the whole time, but Longfield seems subdued on her own album, and it’s disappointing given how magnificent it could have probably sounded if her guitar playing got more time at center stage, which was quite possibly her intent being that she already makes so much content focused on her guitar technicality.

The Black Queen - Infinite Games

Though not quite as overtly raucous as the now retired The Dillinger Escape Plan, Greg Puciato’s second album with this new electronic rock-focused project does generate its own kind of energy that could arguably bear a thread connected to Puciato’s former band. But the appeal of The Black Queen and Infinite Games is rooted more in the textures that the band bring to the table and the more fully opened expression of this calmer side of Puciato’s voice over new-wave-inspired electronic ambient pieces, which, to be clear, bear no resemblance to anything metallic. What’s clear about this album though is that it’s something that Puciato has wanted to do for a while and has genuine passion for rather than a ploy for the “metal singer doing no-metal project” novelty. I didn’t hear about it until earlier this year, but I will definitely be keeping an ear out now for any upcoming The Black Queen releases.

Violet Cold - Sommermorgen (Parts I, II, & III)

I came upon Violet Cold through a friend of mine turing me onto their Magic Night album around the time Deafheaven's brand of bright, cathartic blackgaze and post-metal was sweeping the black metal landscape. While I had kind of forgotten about the album for awhile, I really liked the main opening song to that album, and I was hoping to maybe hear a little more from the band along those lines with their three-part album. Sommermorgen's three parts, while not offering what I was hoping for, fall nicely in line with the occasionally metallic post-rock ambient music of Hammock, If These Trees Could Talk, and Explosions in the Sky, providing at least a sufficiently soothing atmosphere with enough compositional dynamic to keep it from being a total bore.

Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology

How I missed Slugdge’s fourth album and transformation into a fully fledged performing band last year is beyond me. I promise this has a point and that I’ll get to it, but since its inception, one of the most baffling things about Slugdge is how upset some people seem to get about something about either their theme or their puns or their aesthetic. It baffles me because this is so clearly an innocuous side project (or at least it began that way) for its founders to just put out some death-y sludge metal without the kind of self-imposed rubric that often comes with a main project. Slugdge’s music is also so accessible (free if you choose) that complaints about it kind of bear that whiny quality that often underlies complaining about free content. And for fuck’s sake, it’s music about a celestial slug deity; could there be a more obvious signal to not take this too seriously? Because that’s clearly exactly the point of this project. I bring this up because it has clearly been this apparent liberation from needing to create in a super serious context that has become the compositional strength and the appeal of Slugdge. And sometimes freedom from expectations for a band’s music to fall within a certain framework can really unlock artists’ full potentials, which has definitely been the case for Slugdge. Even to some of the band’s fans, Esoteric Malacology felt like a bit of a loss of this non-serious charm the band had operated under, which I think was just inevitable as the members continued to see such success from Slugdge. But any sense of lost charm hardly comes through in the actual compositional content of the album, so either I’m missing something or others are reading too much into contextual aspects of the bands rise to death metal’s upper echelons and applying them to the enjoyment of this album. Personally, I find Esoteric Malacology to be a fine continuation of the refined combination of sludgy and deathly styles that characterized Gastronomicon and were expanded upon on Dim & Slimeridden Kingdoms and one I wish I hadn’t arrived to so late.

Lingua Ignota - All Bitches Die

This did technically come out in 2017, but I will take it's re-release through Profound Lore last year as an excuse to talk about it here because goddamn! Along with her visceral live performances that truly earn that descriptor, Kristen Hayter has seen quite the outpouring of deserved support and respect for her work on Lingua Ignota's Let the Evil of His Lips Cover Him and All Bitches Die. On both these albums (both released in 2017 orginally) Hayter channels her personal experiences as a survivor of domestic and sexual abuse into both classically sung, mournfully gorgeous lamentations and venomous shrieks of anguish, rage, and vengeance. It's hard to say I enjoy this album in the traditional sense, and knowing how real it all is to its creator and performer, I honestly don't feel right just putting either of these albums on in the background while I do other things without giving them my attentiveness. But what Hayter does so powerfully through Lingua Ignota absolutely deserves to be appreciated not just for her musical capacity and artistic uniqueness, but for how it expresses the voice and emotions of the victims of such abuse that aren't heard too much in this field.

[doomanddead]

THROWBACK THURSDAY: SLUGDGE STILL NASTY

4 years ago this month the infamous slug-themed blackened death act Slugdge released their 4th studio album, Esoteric Malacology. Join me as I dive back into the goo and see how this offering from our cosmic mollusc overlords holds up in 2022. (Apparently only us Americans spell mollusk with a ‘k.’)

Esoteric Malacology by Slugdge

The first song, War Squids comes ripping out of the hellmouth like an invading force. Matt Moss’ growled vocals welcome the blackness. The drumming is sometimes like a war march, sometimes tribal, sometimes downright deranged, but always driving and dynamic. 

Crop Killer is a prog gem, featuring unexpected rhythms, complex guitar work, and mathematical drumming. The blackened vocals are unrelenting. Nandor would be proud. The manic, soaring guitar solo is like snorting a line of weed killer and slapping a billionaire.

The Spectral Burrows is an ominous track with more clean singing than its neighbors. It spotlights a filthy riff I could gobble up like a terrestrial mollusc devouring slime mold. The lyrics explore the “hideous depravity” that lurks behind a mask of civility. Chef’s kiss.

The drummer shows off his speed and skill on the ferocious Slave World Goo. The words feel even more appropriate now than they did in 2018. After all, a “psychic virus from the vast outer reaches marks the grand unification of science and religion.”

Sludgy and umbral, Transylvanian Fungus features some of my favorite vocals on this album. The nightmarish guitar solo climbs and plummets through its scales. Yet again, the slimy subject matter remains relevant. “This world was never yours to begin with and nor will it be in the end” sums up the prophetic tone of the song. The track is punctuated with the acknowledgement that “we prosper from their ruin.”

Putrid Fairytale is a wild, energetic ride into battle. If you’re a fan of scorching guitar solos and all-too timely lyrics, this song leaves nothing to want. 

Salt Thrower is brutal and beautiful— a personal favorite. Haunting vocals and hypnotically technical riffs abound. The bridge explores stillness with guitar strings plucked over paired-back instrumentation. Things build with a growl, and this track that started slow ends in a flurry of ferocity.

The album closes on Limo Vincit Omnia, and true to its name this track “conquers all with filth.” Grumbling vocals, maniacal guitar work, and blistering drumming spew forth cosmic carnage all over the listener.

I’m getting tired of talking about how TIMELY this album still feels. The whole thing is ridiculously quotable. I have an irresistible urge to sew phrases like "feel the blessed touch of the unmaker” onto a battle jacket. If it’s been a while since you visited this album, then put it in your ear holes. And shit, buy a teeshirt or something.

[symmetricalscar]

Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology

Cannot wait for this to come out!

[blacksatellites]

Early 2018 has been fucking incredible as far as new releases so excuse me while I link to shit that maybe two of my followers will enjoy Anyways, this album is imparting new tidbits of cosmic understanding to me with each listen

[metal-patches-vinyl]

ALBUMS OF THE WEEK! I had so many good albums on repeat here that I’m posting a bonus row and column. The winner was #IronMaiden’s Killers. @nightwalk_merch recommended Firtan - Marter to me, and I loved it (German black metal). The new drops from #Ashes and #Aethyrick are excellent (atmo BM). #Eallic’s Karens is a super fun ride (Utah DM). The #BlackSabbath album I thought I’d never like (Seventh Star) somehow earwormed its way into my rotation, and I’m upgrading it to “not half bad” (from “all bad”). Lots of angry black metal here to get me ready for the holidays. ☠️ 1. Iron Maiden - Killers 2. Metallica - Ride The Lightning 3. Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes 4. Firtan - Marter (2022) 5. Iron Maiden - Beast Over Hammersmith 6. Black Sabbath - Past Lives 7. Black Sabbath - Seventh Star 8. Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain (2022) 9. Ashes - Gloom, Ash and Emptiness to the Horizon (2022) 10. Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology 11. Eallic - Karens (2022) 12. Grima - Frostbitten (2022) 13. Aethyrick - The Seventh (2022) 14. Slayer - Divine Intervention 15. Ettinskjalf - Depraved and Deceived 16. Hath - All That Was Promised (2022) ☠️ What did you heathens listen to this week?

[musical-veebs]

Leftist slug metal? Leftist slug metal!

Well, leftist may be a little bit of a stretch. They're not as overtly leftist as something like Neckbeard Deathcamp, but judging by this commentary from one of the band members at the very least he is, and it's influenced his writing. Unlike Neckbeard Deathcamp, however, I actually like their music. Crop Killer is as good a place to start as any. That intro won me over right away.

[bizarrobrain]

"Limo Vincit Omnia" by Slugdge - From "Esoteric Malacology" (2018)

[formulas-fatal-to-your-mom]

[ashcindersmoke]

Slugdge-Esoteric Malacology

Black and Orange merge

[elytrid]

song of the day for 6/15/18: Slugdge- The Spectral Burrows

[heavymetaleardestroyer]

New Album of the Day

Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology

Release Date: March 2, 2018

Genre: Sludge Metal

Listen - Buy - Spotify

[hermitologist]

My 20 Favorite Records Of 2018

Hi. I made a list of my favorite records of the year again. People seem to enjoy these things, and I definitely enjoy tearing my hair out trying to figure out what I liked best, so here we are again.

 This years list is chock full of heavy/sludgy bummer jams, post-rock epics, and super aggressive metal and hardcore, with a few poppier and more adventurous indie records scattered about. The honorable mentions list gets a bit more eclectic if you’re looking for stuff that sounds a little less like it was birthed from the loins of the late-90s/early-00s Hydrahead and Relapse discography.

As always, I welcome your suggestions for records and podcasts I might’ve missed the boat on, no matter the genre. There’s way too much good stuff out there to keep up with, so help me out.

Also: When my aging corpse is not being pissy about being used for something other than child-wrangling, eating, or sleeping, I try to run a few days a week and will listen to/briefly review a record on each run. Almost every record on this list has been a part of one of those posts, so if you’re interested in such a thing, please check out my Instagram. 

BONUS: I put together playlists of my favorite song from each of my top 20 records, so if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, just throw it on and see if anything grabs you.

Hermitology’s Favorite 20 Records of 2018 - Spotify Playlist

Hermitology’s Favorite 20 Records of 2018 - Apple Music Playlist

20) Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology

This record is ridiculous in the best ways possible -- insane amounts of shredding, light-speed double bass and blast beats, and lyrics about slugs and other assorted beasts. It’s been ages since I went through my Swedish & Norwegian Metal phase, but this awakened those long-dormant receptors that used to hum when I listened to At The Gates, Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Soilwork, et al.

Listen here.

19) Ingrina - Etter Lys

Excellent French doomgaze/post-rock that sounds like it could very easily be the soundtrack to the apocalypse. Etter Lys has a familiar sound/vibe, but a refreshing energy and captivating sense of dark melody that really makes them stand out to me. Highly recommended for fans of This Will Destroy You, Rosetta, God Is An Astronaut, et al.

Listen here.

18) Beach House - 7

This record was the perfect foil to all heavy stuff I listened to this year, and my go-to in-flight record of 2018. It’s a damn near perfect collection hazy, airy, dreamy, downtempo indie pop. I’d never been a huge Beach House fan, but 7 hooked me and pulled me in. Throw this your headphones on, press play, and melt into your chair or couch.

Listen here.

17) Culture Abuse - Bay Dream

This record was not what I was expecting, but it ended up being exactly what I needed. (If that makes any sense.) Instead of a grimy, high-energy punk record, I got a fuzzy, bouncy, catchy-as-hell soundtrack to my entire summer. A perfect blend of The Ramones and peak-Weezer, with a vibe all its own.

Listen here.

16) Deads - LLNN

Roughly forty minutes of insanely heavy and furious drop-tuned, down-tempo, doom-inspired crushers offset by eerie, cinematic synth parts. If you’re a fan of early-Cult of Luna and/or Isis, this record should be a new staple in your diet. There’s also enough atmosphere here to appeal to post-rock fans who might desire a little aggression boost.

Listen here.

15) Heads. - Collider

Beautifully written sludgy rock that falls somewhere between the heaviness and spookiness of Young Widows and the heroin-soaked atmosphere and melody of Failure. For what it’s worth, I dig Collider more than either of the aforementioned bands’ most recent output. It’s a perfect marriage of influences, killer songwriting, an excellent recording, and a flat out fantastic record from front to back.

Listen here.

14) mewithoutYou - [untitled]

I’ve been a mewithoutYou fan for ages and love everything they’ve done (so I’m a little biased), but this record is just on a completely different level as far as I’m concerned. It’s the peak of their creativity, songwriting, mood, dynamics, lyrics, production, etc. It’s got the atmosphere and moodiness of post-rock, the angular quirkiness of Fugazi, the energy of Refused (at times), and the all the character of a classic mwY record. It’s phenomenal, and doubly impressive because they made it 18 years deep into an already impressive career.

Listen here.

13) Foxing - Nearer My God

I was familiar with Foxing before this record came out because they’d toured with many former tourmates, and while I appreciated what I’d heard from them, they never really clicked with me. And then I heard this record and it totally floored me. It’s incredibly ambitious without coming across as super scatterbrained or pretentious and it’s executed flawlessly (production included). This band should be massive, and I’m stunned that I’m not seeing this record on more year-end lists

Listen here.

12) This Will Destroy You - New Others Part 1 & 2

Somehow TDWY managed drop two incredible full lengths a month apart, and I honestly cannot choose between the two (so I’m combining them into one). These LPs are arguably their best work as a band, the addition of Robi Gonzalez on drums has given their sound new energy, dynamics, and pocket, and there aren’t many bands in post-rock doing it as well as these dudes do. Incredibly impressive to be able to put out this much music all at once and have it be this consistent. 

Listen here.

11) The Armed - Only Love

Somehow this record manages to be chaotic, energetic, beautiful, delicate, catchy-as-hell, abrasive, and atmospheric all at once. Sometimes it sounds like you accidentally have five different songs playing at the same time. Somehow modular synth-soaked punk/metal works. Clearly I cannot explain exactly what in the everliving hell is happening here, but I can tell you that it’s a wholly arresting record that blew my mind on first listen, and has gotten better with every listen since.  

Listen here.

10) Hemwick - Junkie (EP)

Normally, I wouldn’t include an EP on this list, but this is one just too good to ignore. It’s 30 minutes of insane riffage and heaviness that sounds like it spawned from the same gene pool that produced Converge, Cult Leader, and Intronaut. It’s got the spazziness and brutality of the former, blended perfectly with the occasional post-rock/metal shift into the epic melody of the latter. Super excited to hear what comes next for these guys (hopefully an LP recorded with Scott Evans or Kurt Ballou?), because this is an incredibly promising “debut”. 

Listen here.

9) Architects - Holy Hell

As a standalone record, Holy Hell slays. As a follow-up to losing a family/band member to cancer (guitarist, Tom Searle), it’s a fucking triumph. Somehow Architects managed to push through the grief and heartache, and pushed the boundaries of their musical creativity and emotive lyrics to create what is arguably their best record. Holy Hell is packed to the gills with with massive, arena-sized riffs and moshworthy breakdowns, sprinkled with just enough melody and dynamic to keep things fresh without losing its edge. An amazing accomplishment in the face of such adversity.

 Listen here.

8) Slow Mass - On Watch

An outstanding fusion of mellow(er) post-hardcore, bummer jams, Unwound-inspired post-punk, and shimmery shoegazey goodness. “Suburban Yellow” (see playlist) is one of my favorite songs of the year, falling somewhere between the crushing gloominess of a Kowloon Walled City song, and the somber plod of a classic Pedro The Lion track. I tend to shy away from music with dual lead vocals (because I often prefer one of the voices to the point that I’d rather just hear it all the time), but Dave Collis and Mercedes Webb’s voices are so complimentary and perfectly balanced that they take these songs to another level. Bonus: I’d highly recommend watching their frigid Audiotree session. 

Listen here.

7) Hot Snakes - Jericho Sirens

One of my favorite bands of all-time put out its first record in 14 years, and it was well worth the wait. It’s Hot Snakes doing what they do best --  ripping 30 minutes of high-energy post-punk jams fueled by the brilliantly weird guitar wizardry of John Reis, and propelled by the dual drummer attack of Mario Rubalcaba and Jason Kourkounis. I’m not entirely sure where I’d rank it in their discography, but having fresh Hot Snakes tracks makes the world a better place. 

Listen here.

6) Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning

What did we do to deserve two Cloud Nothings LPs in two years? I was a little worried about whether the band could churn out a record as fantastic as Life Without Sound (which landed at #7 on last year’s list), but they absolutely did. Last Building Burning builds on the catchiness and energy of LWS’s bummer jams, but adds a little extra grit, fury, and urgency. The result is a record that’s damn near peak Cloud Nothings. It’s got hooks for days, an energy that’ll make you want to bounce off the walls, and a nasty edge that brings to mind 80′s Wipers or early Hot Snakes jams.

Listen here.

5) Cult Leader - A Patient Man

Cult Leader’s Lightless Walk was a Top 5 record for me in 2015, Gaza’s No Absolutes In Human Suffering was in my Top 5 in 2012, so it should be no surprise that they’ve cracked the Top 5 again. I’d be hard pressed to name another HEAVY band who has done it for me the way these guys have over the past six years. A Patient Man hits all the notes -- pure chaos, expansive and melancholic post-rock sections, and the most headbang-worthy breakdowns on the planet. It’d take a miracle to get this 43-year-old geriatric with a bad back to come out of mosh retirement, but the breakdown in “Aurum Reclusa” is seriously making me think about a comeback.

Listen here.

4) Low - Double Negative

I don’t think I’ve had a record screw with my brain as hard as Double Negative did since I heard Kid A for the first time. It’s a spooky, brain-liquifying journey through sonic textures and ambience, arranged and mixed in a manner that is absolutely enthralling (and a bit unnerving and “wtf are my headphones broken?”at times). If you’re gearing up for a first listen, I’d highly recommend clearing an hour on your schedule, throwing on a good pair of headphones, and letting this have its way with you. If you’ve already heard it, you should listen to it again. It gets better and weirder and more captivating every time. It’s a trip, and a great one at that. 

Listen here.

3) Daughters - You Won’t Get What You Want

As a standalone record, this is groundbreaking. As a “comeback record” it’s a fucking triumph. Their S/T record (2010) is one of my favorite heavy/noise rock records of all-time, and somehow YWGWYW surpassed my lofty expectations for a follow-up. It’s a dizzying journey for sure. It’s moody as hell. It’s coherent. It’s adventurous without being overly weird. And it’s all of the best things about their previous work distilled into a perfect chunk of musical madness. The best records are the ones that make your brain matter spill out of your ears upon first listen, but it’s the all-time classics that do that and get better with every subsequent listen. Sure, it’s a record for “when the mood is right”, but when I’m in the mood, this hits all the notes for me. It’s a masterpiece. 

Listen here.

2) Holy Fawn - Death Spells

This record came out of nowhere and absolutely knocked me on my ass. I’m not sure I’ve had a record do that to me since I first heard Cloudkicker in 2009 -- knew nothing of it, had zero idea what to expect and literally had goosebumps for a majority of my first listen. Tempe’s Holy Fawn have created a unique blend of dense, dynamic, and cathartic post-rock, doom, and shoegaze with airy vocals that remind me a bit of Jonsi from Sigur Ros. It’ll be a daunting task to follow up this masterpiece, but I’m incredibly excited to see and hear what the future holds for these guys.

Listen here.

1) Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love

This was one of my most anticipated records of the year, and it not only lived up to my lofty expectations, but exceeded them. “Bitter Red” was far and away my most played song of the year, and I must’ve listened to Wait For Love 50 times during the month of February alone. It’s no surprise that I found myself going back to it throughout the year, and in revisiting for this list, it gave me chills just like it did 10 months ago. These dudes are doing melancholic and cathartic post-hardcore better than just about anyone these days, and I cannot wait to hear what’s next for them.

Listen here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Roughly 80% of these records could/should have very easily landed on the Top 20 list (and probably would if I obsessed over this list any further and gave everything a super dedicated re-listen). They’re all absolutely worth checking out.

I know this list might be a little daunting, so I put together a Spotify Playlist of my favorite songs from each record, so you can just throw it on and see if anything grabs you. 

Thanks to my man Zack Hite for helping me out and putting together an Apple Music version of the playlist. 

Hermitology’s 2018 Honorable Mentions Spotify Playlist

Hermitology’s 2018 Honorable Mentions Apple Music Playlist

Baptists - Beacon of Faith

Birds In Row - We Already Lost The World

Boygenius - S/T EP

Candy - Good to Feel

Coastlands - The Further Still

Conjurer - Mire

Death Engine - Place Noire

Drug Church - Cheer

Emma Ruth Rundle - Dark Horses

Failure - In the Future Your Body Will Be ... 

Fiddlehead - Springtime and Blind

Hammock - Universalis

IDLES - Joy As An Act Of Resistance

Jay Jayle - No Trail & Other Unholy Paths

Jesus Piece - Only Self

KEN Mode - Loved

Man Mountain - Infinity Mirror

Mogwai - KIN

Nate Smith - Pocket Change

OHHMS - Exist

Ólafur Aarnalds - re:member

Polyphia - New Levels, New Devils

Portrayal of Guilt - Let Pain Be Your Guide

Prefuse 73 - Sacrifices

Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die … 

Sectioned - Annihilated

Slow Crush - Aurora

Snail Mail - Lush

SUMAC - Love In Shadow

Svalbard - It’s Hard To Have Hope

Taken - With Regards To (EP)

The Story So Far - Proper Dose

Tides of Man - Every Nothing

Vein - Errorzone

Yashira - Shrine

PODCAST QUEUE

The Deadcast (humor, sports, politics)

Chapo Trap House (politics, humor)

Hang Up & Listen (sports, culture, nerdy)

Effectively Wild (baseball)

The Frotcast (movies, humor)

The Trap Set (drums, psychology)

The Gist (current events, politics)

Song Exploder (songwriting, production)

The Modern Drummer Podcast (drums)