Inverted Umlaut // Inverted Umlaut Podcast, No. 13: The Best Metal Of 2010

Dec 28 1:13 pm

Inverted Umlaut Podcast, No. 13: The Best Metal Of 2010

(Click “Read More” below to see the Top 25 Metal Albums of 2010)

In 2010, more metal bands sounded like seafood plates: Blackened death, blackened post-hardcore, blackened crust. Not that I’m complaining. The more smart cross-pollination, the better, as far as I’m concerned. The key word here is “smart,” though. When Woe pummels a melodic progression like a Hum-ming Black Wizard, it’s a thoughtful, yet still ass-kicking moment.

But it’s all metal, dammit. It’s the one genre besides opera that can exist in two planes of culture: borderline pretentious, yet beautiful high-art (your Opeths and Deathspell Omegas) and party-hard, dead brain cells low-art (your Municipal Wastes and Kvelertaks). And then there are the brilliant ones that straddle both (your Nachtmystiums). And it’s still hated anyway.

2010 was a great year for metal. Hell, any year is great for metal. What are you doing? Living under a rock?

The podcast above only features audio from the top 15 metal albums of 2010 (forgive the first two minutes of blown-out audio — I cleaned it up the best I could in post-production), but after the jump, I’ve included my top 25 metal albums of the year. DON’T MISS ‘EM.

25. Cauchemar, La Vierge Noire [Nuclear War Now!]

24. Celeste, Morte(s) Nee(s) [Denovali]

23. Bastard Priest, Under The Hammer of Destruction [Blood Harvest]

22. Julie Christmas, The Bad Wife [Rising Pulse]

21. Blood Cult, We are the Cult of the Plains [Moribund Cult]

20. Undergang, Indhentet af Døden [Me Saco Un Ojo]

19. Wrnlrd, Death Drive EP [FSS]

18. Christian Mistress, Agony & Opium [20 Buck Spin]

17. Coffinworm, When All Became None [Profound Lore]

16. Ehnahre, Taming the Cannibals [Crucial Blast]

15. Slough Feg, The Animal Spirits [Profound Lore]

14. Wormrot, Abuse [Earache]

13. Triptykon, Eparistera Daimones [Century Media]

12. Sailors With Wax Wings, Sailors With Wax Wings [Angel Oven]

11. Salome, Terminal [Profound Lore]

10. Ihsahn, After [Candlelight]

9. Woe, Quietly, Undramatically [Candlelight]

8. Locrian, The Crystal World [Utech] and Territories [Small Doses]

7. Thou, Summit [Gilead Media]

6. Drunkdriver, Self Titled LP [self-released]

5. Ludicra, The Tenant [Profound Lore]

4. Deathspell Omega, Paracletus [Season of Mist]

3. The Body, All the Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood [At A Loss]

2. Harvey Milk, A Small Turn of Human Kindness [Hydrahead]

1. Agalloch, Marrow of the Spirit [Profound Lore]

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Podcast Playlist

SLOUGH FEG “Free Market Barbarian,” The Animal Spirits [Profound Lore]
WORMROT “Freedom to Act,” Abuse [Earache]
TRIPTYKON “A Thousand Lies,” Eparistera Daimones [Century Media]
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SAILORS WITH WAX WINGS “If I Should Cast Off This Tattered Coat,” Sailors With Wax Wings [Angel Oven]
SALOME “The Witness,” Terminal [Profound Lore]
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IHSAHN “Frozen Lakes on Mars,” After [Century Media]
WOE “Quietly, Undramatically,” Quietly, Undramatically [Century Media]
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LOCRIAN “Elevations and Depths,” The Crystal World [Utech]
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THOU “By Endurance We Conquer,” Summit [Gilead Media]
DRUNKDRIVER “Half Mast,” Self Titled LP [self-released]
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LUDICRA “The Tenant,” The Tenant [Profound Lore]
DEATHSPELL OMEGA “Phosphene,” Paracletus [Season of Mist]
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THE BODY “A Curse,” All the Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood [At A Loss]
HARVEY MILK “I Just Want to Go Home,” A Small Turn of Human Kindness [Hydrahead]
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AGALLOCH “Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires,” Marrow of the Spirit [Profound Lore]

(Incidental music)
JEFRE CANTU-LEDESMA, Love is a Stream [Type]