Finally, 2022 is over. Wow, what a year, or something. I don’t know, I’m just tired all the time and it is literally 65 degrees out right now. Let’s stay hot with my 10 favorite songs of the past year. Maybe then I can finally feel something again…
10. “Exile” No/Mas from Consume/Deny/Repent
Back in April these D.C. bad boys released Consume/Deny/Repent, their debut full-length and total masterclass in death/grind evisceration. “Exile” best sums up what the album is about: hellishly vicious stop/start thrashing and blasting attacking the listener at every possible angle.
9. “Run Dry” by Extortion from Seething
After nearly 20 years as a band these Aussie punks just somehow seem to be getting better? ‘Seething’ was easily my favorite powerviolence album of the year and I could have easily picked any number of tracks from it but ‘Run Dry’ really stands out. The opening surf-like groove quickly descends into severe punk madness with the bands trademark powerful vocals glazed on top like rusty screwdrivers on a wedding cake.
8. “Mouth Full of Eyes” by Deliriant Nerve from Uncontrollable Ascension
Uncontrollable Ascension was hands-down the strongest debut of the year as these D.C. freaks essentially came out of nowhere (ok, they were in Needle before, but still) to lay an epic ass-whooping on the entire east coast grind scene. ‘Mouth Full of Eyes’ is the anthemic banger we all needed this year, featuring a tornado of memorable riffs that channel as much Repulsion and Terrorizer as humanly possible in two minutes.
7. “Basking” by Trauma Bond from Winter’s Light
Perhaps no song better captured the righteous anger of being alive in our current hellscape as much as this one. Singer Eloise Chong-Gargette’s aggrieved vocal performance set to the slow churning and relentless guitar chugs and industrialized drums perfectly encapsulate where most of us are mentally right now, namely, pure disgust.
6. “Indurated Juvenescence” by Ground from Habitual Self-Abuse
We’ve reached a pattern now. Every other year Ground release an album, I really dig it, nerd out over it to anyone within earshot and then it winds up on my year-end playlist. Rinse and repeat, forever and ever until Mike Mayo’s fingers finally wear out from playing too many thic-ass riffs.
5. “Styrofoam Caskets” by Triac from Pure Joy-Numb Grief-stricken Animals
It had been six long years since these Baltimore maniacs had released anything and to be quite honest, that is simply six years too long. Pure Joy finds the band has not lost a single step in that time with drummer Jake Cregger laying some of the most razor sharp blasts to tape that you’ll hear in any year ever.
4. “Craving For Dearth” by Whoresnation from Dearth
France’s Whoresnation released an utter masterpiece in 2018 with the epic Mephitism, so any follow up would have a long shadow to live under. Luckily Dearth holds its own in the band’s discography, seeing the group embrace a slightly more death metal sound that only adds intensity to the band’s already potent brew.
3. “Behind Closed Doors” by Wormrot from Hiss
God bless Wormrot. They could have easily just released the same album over and over for the rest of their career and their rabid fanbase would have eaten it up. But no, instead they started experimenting more and more and the results are quite memorable. “Behind Closed Doors” really sums up the essence of Hiss, nutty, madcap Metallica riffs amidst a grindcore kaleidoscope with surprisingly clean guitar tone. Now they just need a real record label.
2. “Aluminum Branches” by Cloud Rat from Threshold
Speaking of bands who push the envelope… I think it’s pretty safe to say that ‘Threshold’ is somehow the best Cloud Rat album yet even in light of the prolific way this band releases music. The drumming is tighter and more metallic and the riffs feel more focused. I mean just the way “Aluminum Branches” unfolds like a classic Tragedy song only to culminate into the meanest fight riff I’ve heard all year says it all.
1. “Flat Lined” by Shitgrinder from Shitgrinder
This was easily my favorite album of 2022 and I could have virtually picked any track from it but I chose album opener ‘Flat Lined’ because it perfectly encapsulates what this album is about: hellacious d-beats, excruciating blasts and some of the most aggressive vocal work I have ever heard. This is a song and album that I will use to punish my unsuspecting friends and family for many years to come.
Honorable mentions:
-’Silence is Enemy’ by Bowelfuck
-’Jazz-monkey Boys’ by Ape Unit
-’Old World’ by Trucido
– ‘Practice Girlfriend’ by Lorelai
-’Dead Society’ by Compulsion to Kill
