Sanakan’s 2012 Year End List

Late as fuck.

Before I get to my top 20 for 2012 I’m starting with an unnumbered underrated records list that accompanies my overall honorable mentions; an idea I lifted from Haxan over at Forever Cursed. A few of the records I would consider fitting for this list end up on my top 20 and as such I’ve just left them off this one.

I’m also closing this whole shitpile with a best live shows list which I thought could be fun. Since I’ve been to quite a few this past year. I'm only listing six since they stuck out the most. I would split this into two posts but why not cram it all into one wall of text.

If you don’t give a shit and want the main list scroll waaay down.

The Great Old Ones - Al Azif (2012)

Atmospheric Black Metal
Full length, Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Prodcutions
France
320

You guys know how I'm a sucker for lovecraftian shit, so it's quite obvious this album appealed to me. Also posted on Forever Cursed, I present you The Great Old Ones. A lovecraft inspired band from Bordeaux, France. And this is their debut album Al Azif, and let me tell you that this album is one of fucking hell of a debut.

When listening to Al Azif, I didn't get what I was expecting. So many bands who take Lovecraft often incorporate him with dark, desolate, depressing, petrifying soundscapes, which is correct since a lot of his stories are just that. However Lovecraft as a whole isn't just that, Lovecraft can be epic even when surrounded by the all hopelessness, Cosmic gods, monsters that can control winds, ancient wars and rebellions etc. Al Azif provides a good emphasis on these subjects whether it was band's intention or not.

The Great Old Ones are in the end a black metal band. Raw, fast drumming, shrieking vocals, and lots of tremolo, but album is also rich with harmony and melodies that are pleasing to the ears. The doomy rhythm and atmosphere almost puts this in sort of a "Post" genre as Forever Cursed put it. If you enjoy bands like Altar of Plagues and Wodensthrone I am pretty sure you're going to enjoy this so why not give it a spin?

LISTEN (Bandcamp)
DOWNLOAD (mediafire) Dead