Written by: The Administrator
Each year, I inevitably spend a whole lot o' time with EPs. Is this due to my bafflingly short attention span? Yes. Is it also because EPs often feel like the perfect vehicle for a band to flaunt their strengths in a concise and well-trimmed manner? Also yes. Listening to a well-constructed EP is perhaps my favorite way to spend time with music, and so here I am, an eclectic collection of favorites gripped in outstretched grubby fingers. But first, some housekeeping! There are, assuming I counted correctly, 30 entries. I was planning on 20, but have no real interest in trimming a list of untrimmable favorites. In that spirit, hopefully you find something here that worms its way into your favorites as well. This list is not sorted by genre despite featuring a lot of different genres. I apologize for the whiplash, but sorting feels antithetical to the overall notion that listening habits should not be confined for the sake of convenient lists. And lastly, this is utterly unranked--if something appears here, please know that it comes highly, highly recommended! Anyways. Let's get into it.
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 Greetings, dear reader. It is once again listmas 'round these humble halls. Time, then, to look back the music that has defined our collective year. The non-exhaustive AOTY smorgasbord hath begun.
My personal EP and album lists shall follow in (less-than) good time, but before we get to that, the community speaks. This list is a collaborative effort, with ten distinct music writers, musicians, and fans lending a few words. Hopefully the variety of perspectives results in a list containing at least one or two releases that speak to you! This, of course, is far from exhaustive--indeed, every single one of ye could undoubtedly highlight a vast number of deserving albums not appearing here. A massive thank you is in order to everyone who contributed words and energy to this lil' project. As always, we couldn't have done it without ye! Please check out the writer's respective projects and links. This list constitutes the first five entries, with another five to follow. Read on! 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
More often than not, I find it difficult to unearth heavy metal crossed with AOR in recent years that doesn’t reek of old men overproducing something generic that sounds like a cover of an ‘80s song. In the rare instances where this isn’t the case, expectations go beyond being met. Sumerlands nails this latter description. Being on their second album, these Philadelphia heavy metallers have taken what their debut longed to be and made it a reality. This isn’t to say the self-titled record was bad, but Dreamkiller is where the full potential is realized. Given what we know, you can expect lot’s of metal-oriented riffing that doesn’t really utilize dense distortions or minor keys, but holds onto the rhythmic progressions firmly enough. Shrieking solos, synth-backings, and some of the cleanest singing adds a spacey atmosphere, invoking the feeling of shedding old skin for new enlightenment. Musically, things are ultimately rather light, but the amount of layers allows it to feel full for such a short album. Being only eight tracks, every bit of space is filled to the brim, either taking a steadier approach or a galloping one. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
These days, thrash and traditional metal revival bands are all over the place, Sweden being a country that boasts a fair amount of each. Seldom do people like to go for that core speed metal sound without leaning towards something else, so when that’s placed before me, it gets immediate attention. Armory has been around for roughly a decade now, and their second full-length Mercurion is what got my attention with that very aspect. Being a genre that’s tough to screw up, but also tough to make an impression, I can confidently say that this is the latter. Despite incorporating breakneck riffing under an umbrella of an untampered atmosphere, Armory has a strong ear for hooks. Melody isn’t usually the focal point, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t everywhere. Perhaps the lead guitars are meant to make up for the vocals, as those carry a coarse identity with little focus on being concise. Instead, there’s a whinier element that blends with harsher attitudes, which can admittedly be tough to get behind sometimes. It isn’t a dealbreaker, though. The way they flow with the music itself more than makes up for it. 
Written by: The Administrator
The holiday season fast approaches here at Ye Olde Sleeping Village, and, a such, our slumbering and ink-splattered populace has begrudgingly begun to prepare for the inevitable. A healthy stock of young evergreens have been sacrificed. Stockings have been hung by the chimneys in, erm, a haphazard and disorderly fashion. Our resident confectioner has nailed down a recipe for sugar plums, which we have elected to feed to the numerous resident mice. And, with the arrival of one Rick Massie, our soundtrack is set. Let the festivities begin. Rick Massie has made quite the habit of releasing holiday-themed singles--the more observant members of our dear readership might remember a premiere of the Halloween inspired "The Dance (of the Dead and Alive)," and those of you who follow Rick's output in general may recall his cover of "We Three Kings" that dropped around this time last year. The tradition continues with a new reimagined version of a well known Christmas tune: today's premiere in question is a cover of the classic "O Come, All Ye Faithful." Give it a listen below, and, as always, we'll catch ye on the other side! 
Written by: The Administrator
Despite bolstering a catalog that is notably minimal in scope, Scotland's Order Of The Wolf is one of my very favorite black metal bands. I was initially quite impressed with 2020's split with Pessimista, and my admiration of Order Of The Wolf's half has only grown of the past few years--when looking for a little blackened fury, these tracks are first on the menu every damn time. As such, word of a new track was cause for much excitement. Originally released on the excellent Black Metal Rainbows charity compilation, this single--"A Plague On Conservative Houses"--was most certainly worth the wait. Over the past few days I've listened to this song fairly incessantly, and I don't anticipate slowing down anytime soon.  Written by: Blackie Skulless
Ah yes, we’ve once more come around to one of those album covers where looking at it tells you exactly what you’re in for. If you guessed throwback traditional heavy metal, you’d be correct. Midnight Rider are a German-based group that have been around for nearly two decades, but only got around to a full length five years ago. Their follow-up titled Beyond The Blood Red Horizon dropped very recently, giving off vibes as warm as the colors on the cover. Strangely enough, Midnight Rider avoids the speed metal trope that likes to be used in many variants of this type of project. Instead, the focus leans closer to the blusier end of things, channeling classic rock vibes under just enough metal riffing to qualify it as Judas Priest inspired. If their first album met with the debut Rainbow album, and topped things off with some thicker distortions, you’d basically get Beyond The Blood Red Horizon. |
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