Music: My Top Fifteen of 2008

Here’s a list of my top 15 albums (in my opinion) thusfar in 2008. Perhaps it will extend to top 20 before the year concludes:

TOP 15 RELEASES:

Aidan Baker & Tim Hecker - “Fantasma Parastasie”

  Style: Abstract, Drone, Noise, Experimental
  Label: Alien8 Recordings
  Link: www.myspace.com/aidanbakermusic
  Favorite Track: “Gallery of the Invisible Woman”

AmenRa - “Mass IIII”

  Style: Stoner Rock, Hardcore, Doom Metal
  Label: Hypertension Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/amenra
  Favorite Track: “Aorte. Nous Sommes Du Même Sang”

Belong - “Colorless Record”

  Style: Shoegaze, Drone, Ambient
  Label: St. Ives Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/belongmusic
  Favorite Track: “My Clown”

Final - “Fade Away”

  Style: Experimental, Ambient
  Label: Avalanche Recordings
  Link: www.myspace.com/officialfinal
  Favorite Track: “Old Soldiers”

Jesu - “Why Are We Not Perfect?”

  Style: Art Rock, Drone, Post Rock, Shoegaze
  Label: Daymare Recordings
  Link: www.myspace.com/officialjesu
  Favorite Track: “Blind and Faithless (Alternative Version)”

Krallice - “Krallice”

  Style: Black Metal, Experimental
  Label: Profound Lore Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/krallice
  Favorite Track: “Forgiveness in Rot”

Lifelover - “Konkurs”

  Style: Alternative Rock, Black Metal, Goth Rock, Avantgarde
  Label: Avantgarde Music
  Link: www.myspace.com/lifeloverband
  Favorite Track: “Brand”

Lull - “Like a Slow River”

  Style: Dark Ambient, Drone
  Label: Glacial Movements Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/officiallull
  Favorite Track: “Illusion of Unbroken Surface”

Lurker of Chalice - “Lurker of Chalice (Reissue)”

  Style: Black Metal, Doom Metal, Experimental
  Label: Total Holocaust Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/lurkerofchalice
  Favorite Track: “Piercing Where They Might”

Lustmord - “[Other]”

  Style: Dark Ambient, Experimental
  Label: Hydra Head Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/lustmord
  Favorite Track: “Godeater”

Nadja - “Desire In Uneasiness”

  Style: Doom Metal, Ambient
  Label: Crucial Blast
  Link: www.myspace.com/nadjaluv
  Favorite Track: “Sign-Expressions”

Nadja - “Thaumoradiance”

  Style: Doom Metal, Ambient
  Label: aRCHIVE
  Link: www.myspace.com/nadjaluv
  Favorite Track: “Radiance of Shadows”

Russian Circles - “Station”

  Style: Math Rock, Post Rock
  Label: Suicide Squeeze
  Link: www.myspace.com/russiancircles
  Favorite Track: “Harper Lewis”

Wolves in the Throne Room - “Two Hunters (LP)”

  Style: Black Metal
  Label: Southern Lord
  Link: www.myspace.com/wolvesinthethroneroom
  Favorite Track: “Vastness and Sorrow”

Wrath of the Weak - “Alogon”

  Style: Black Metal, Shoegazer, Ambient
  Label: Profound Lore Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/wotw666
  Favorite Track: “Epilogue”

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Fear Falls Burning - “Frenzy of the Absolute”

  Style: Drone, Minimal, Ambient
  Label: Conspiracy Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/fearfallsburning
  Favorite Track: “We Took the Deafening Murmer Down”

Jesu/Envy - “Split”

  Style: Hardcore, Shoegaze
  Label: Daymare Recordings
  Link: www.myspace.com/officialjesu
  Favorite Track: “Hard To Reach”

Leviathan - “A Silhouette in Splinters”

  Style: Experimental, Ambient, Black Metal
  Label: Profound Lore Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/leviathanx666x
  Favorite Track: “It Comes in Whispers Part 2”

Nordvargr - “Helvete”

  Style: Dark Ambient, Industrial, Experimenta
  Label: Eternal Pride Productions
  Link: www.myspace.com/nordvargr
  Favorite Track: “Dronevessel Part III”

Nortt - “Galgenfrist”

  Style: Doom Metal, Funeral Doom
  Label: Avantgarde Music
  Link: www.myspace.com/norttdk
  Favorite Track: “Havet Hinsides Havet”

Wedard - “Wo die Ewigkeit die Zeit Berührt”

  Style: Depressive/Atmospheric Black Metal
  Label: Ewiges Eis Records
  Link: www.myspace.com/wedardband
  Favorite Track: “Black Hole Sagittarius Alpha”