Top Tens & More

I met Matt quite a few years back at a Roadburn festival.  Considering how many similar bands we like and the sheer number of gigs we both attend it was pretty odd we'd never met at a gig in London.  Matt somehow manages to fit time around being a father, a loving husband, and a fulltime job, to attend more gigs than you've had hot dinners.  He gets labelled a grumpy old git (by me included) as he moans alot about modern metal, but get him talking about anything slow or dark (and usually Finnish) and you'll see his eyes light up as he starts reeling off a ton of bands you need to go and check out.  Whilst I'm busy editing photos Matt and Gary (Lukes) manage to keep me well informed on the cream of the underground.  Massive thanks to Matt for sending over his list.

Matt will be curating the Seven Churches stage at the 2013 edition of Desertfest along with his partner in crime Josh Retallick (from the Black Heart pub in Camden).  Tickets for Desertfest are on sale now priced at £87.50 available from www.leedstickets.com... 

TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2011.

By Gary Lukes

2011 was a deceiving year. I mistakenly assumed constructing a Top 20 would be a chore, but pretty soon it had expanded to 30. Then 40. Even now, I’ve had to reign it in at 50.

While some albums were terrible(hello “Illud Divinum Insanus”), some severely overrated(Liturgy‘s “transcendental“ black metal travesty) and some just plain stupid(“Lulu” anyone?), there was much to be celebrated.

I didn’t include Inquisition’s “Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm” because it was released in the UK during 2010. But for the record, there’s a distinct possibility that would have stole the number one spot if I had. Ascension’s “Consolamentum” and Fell Voices’ new album also saw the light of day on new formats during this year. Once again, they would have made the list, but weren’t strictly 2011 releases.

Without further ado:

50. Maim - Deceased to Exist
Old school death metal that has neither the time nor inclination to fuck around.