ITP: BEST AND WORST OF EXTREME METAL 2007

I'm sorry, I'm quite a bit late with this journal entry, but better late than never. This is MY top pics for 2007
Sowee, but listening to Australia's PORTAL, really blew my mind.

1.-PORTAL-OUTRE-(Profound Lore Records)-Australia's PORTAL caught my attention with their previous release SEEPIA. Dark, atmospheric, down tuned as if you're sucked into a vortex of a vacuum cleaner. CURATORS (vocalist) creepy growls hide underneath your bed as the soundtrack to your nightmare. PORTAL's unconventional musical approach aim at a dark atmosphere, vs. unconventional riffing. Think GORGUTS (CANADA) vs. MAYHEM (Norway) in a dark cave. With OUTRES low fi production, grim death and black metal genre bending, PORTAL are everything death metal should be, non melodic,atmospheric and terrifying. Best release, and personal fave of 2007.
2.WORSHIP- DOOOM-(Solitude Productions)-Germany's WORSHIP offer their first release in seven years. DOOOM is a miserable masterpiece of mournful, painfully depressive funeral doom from the depths of troo despair. Dedicated to the late Mad Man Max Varnier, and much hailed for it's emotional impact.
3.MAYHEM-ORDO AD CHAO-(Season of The Mist)- Return to form, and as raw and grim as MAYHEM can be. An opus of black metal chaos from the pioneers of the second wave of Norwegian black metal.
4.SIGH-HANGMAN'S HYMN-(The End)-Tokyo, Japan's SIGH are veterans of the post black metal or black metal avante garde scene. Sigh were signed by Euronymous (Mayhem) to his label Deathlike Silence Records and have progressed from traditional thrash black metal to this opus. Hangman's Hymn incorporate orchestral, and experimental (without sounding like Cradle Of Filth or Dimmu Borgir) elements that would make John Zorn proud. SIGH= Wagner vs. Quorthon and SIGH are well worth seeing live.
5-IMMOLATION-SHADOWS OF THE LIGHT-(Century Media)-NYDM legends IMMOLATION deliver on another punishing, brutal release. Perhaps a controversial choice, because of lame production on previous releases, but Bob Vigna brings a unique style of riffing, and the utter brutality and speed of the the rhythm section just can't be denied.
6-NOVEMBERS DOOM-(The End)-THE NOVELLA RESERVOIR-The Troo doomsters already know of this band, when Chicago, Illinois's NOVEMBERS DOOM crawled at a snails pace, ala MY DYING BRIDE. THE NOVELLA RESERVOIR speeds up the best elements of previous NOVEMBERS DOOM (The Pale Haunt Departure) into melodic death metal territory. Think what thou will, but the NOVELLA RESERVOIR incorporates the best aspects of Dark Tranquility and Opeth in a doom/melodic death metal slug out. Vocalist Paul Kurh's outstanding vocal performance brings a brutal punch to NOVEMBERS DOOM on this underrated release.
7-DEATHSPELL OMEGA-FAS ITE, MALEDICTI IN IGNEM AETERNUM-(Norma Evangelium Diaboli)
The French have an awesome, influential black and death metal scene. Death Spell Omega take black metal to another level. With elements of classical, free form jazz, disharmonic, brutal riffs, and brutal, fast, blast beat drumming. There are no imitators, no posers.
8-WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM-TWO HUNTERS-(Southern Lord)Eco conscious,transformative post black metal from the Pacific North west of the USA,(Olympia, Washington) and damn good.
9-FUNERAL-FROM THESE WOUNDS-(Candlelight)Come back release of sorts from these funeral doom masters in memorial of band mates Christian Loos and Einar Andre Fredriksen. Progressive, snails pace funeral doom, and a cathartic release of symphonic, depressive beauty. Don't forget to pick up FUNERALS 2008 release "As the Light Does the Shadow" on Tabu Recordings recorded with a symphony.
10-ENISUFERUM-VICTORY SONGS-(SpikeFarm-FI)-Finnish folk pagan/ black metal with brutal (ala WINTERSUN) vocals. Tastefully, mixing melodic black metal with viking folk with great songwriting. Grab an ale, and hails to the Vikings.
11-VIRGIN BLACK-REQUIEM FORTE-(THE END RECORDS)-The second Aussie act to have an impact on ITP top pics of 2007, Australia's classical doom ensemble VIRGIN BLACK released a requiem trilogy. 2007's Requiem-Mezzo Forte and 2008's Requiem Mezzo Fortissimo. Fortissimo is breathtaking, and I'll go on a limb here on behalf of both Mezzo, and Fortissimo: Mezzo is the more symphonic of the two, Fortissimo is the more raw, death doom of the two. Grayh (VIRGIN BLACK vocalist) is awesome with her classical trained pipes, as there is yes, a death choir on this release. YES, I'm awestruck by the beauty of these releases.
12-VINTERSORG-SOLENS ROTTER-(Napalm Records)- Swedish Viking, folk black metal, and amazing, with some good clean vocals too.
13-ANAAL NATHRAKH- HELL IS EMPTY AND THE DEVILS ARE HERE-(Feto Records)-UK black metal duo summon the apocalypse with a brutal masterwork of sonic extremity.
14-SUNN 0)))-ORACLE EP-(SOUTHERN LORD)- SUNN O))) are a noise/drone doom duo from LA, California. Two guitars and bass players and guest vocals (live) from WREST of Leviathan, Malefic of Xasthur, and Attila Csihar (EX Mayhem). Flight of The Behemoth being a personal fave release from this awesome drone doom heroes. Is it music? SUNN 0))) are a very polarizing band, either you love them or hate them. However, the Earth rumbles as SUNN 0))) summon the apocalypse.
2007 "WISH YOU WERE HERE"- (R.I.P.) -Hilly Kristal (CBGB's owner), Andy (Red Shore), Wayne Knupp (EX Devourment), STALLAGH (anonymous vocalist), Linda Stein (Ramones Ex manager),Paul Raven (Ex Ministry),Jabbar (Saratoga Winners owner), Max Roach (jazz drummer), Thorstein Abby (Pagans Mind), Vitek (Decapitated drummer).
RIP in New York/Hudson Valley Region- Spakyle the Metal KVLT Cat, Jason D. La Valle, Donald Kingsley, Don Hart.
You all will be missed. WINTER SPRING 2008 EXTREME METAL TOURS: April/May-MINISTRY/MESHUGGAH (last tour for MINISTRY) April: TESTAMENT/DEATH ANGEL  May-CANDLEMASS/DAYLIGHT DIES
April/May/June-OPETH, DREAM THEATRE, BTBAM, 3  April: DIMMU BORGIR, BEHEMOTH, KEEP OF KALESSIN April: GIGANTOUR: MEGADETH, IN FLAMES, HIGH ON FIRE, CHILDREN OF BODOM, JOB FOR A COWBOY     April/May:KALMAH, ect.                                                                                                                                           April/May-ENISEFERUM, TYR, ELVIETTE, TURISAS
April/May-CHICAGO POWERFEST, MARYLAND DEATH FEST (3 days), NEW ENGLAND METAL AND HC FEST, MAYHEM IN MAY FEST ( Kentucky)
For the winter of 2008, some more extreme metal tours to warm your bones:

Jan/Feb:  DOWN
Jan-: NEUROSIS/ MASTODON,ect. (NYC) FEB.:  NEUROSIS/CONVERGE ect. (Seattle)                       Jan: DARKEST HOUR, CEPHALIC CARNAGE ect. Jan./Feb.-HATE ETERNAL, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, DECREPIT BIRTH
Feb-: ROTTING CHRIST, IMMOLATION, BELPHEGOR, AVERSE SEFIRA
Feb-:EXODUS, ARSIS, GOATWHORE, WARBRINGER   March: -NILE,UNEXPECT, SUICIDE SILENCE, THE FACELESS (Nile tour is complete with guitar lessons from Karl Sanders, guestlist for $100)  March: NAPALM DEATH ect.                                                                                                                                                                             KING DIAMONDS North American ( Spring 2008 tour with KREATOR) is canceled (KD-slipped disc in his back)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Led Zeppilin, Carcass, At The Gates, Usurper,Vehemence,Forbidden, Pessimist (original lineup), Atheist, Van Halen (will play more shows), Carnivore (new CD), Cynic (new CD), Biohazard, Triumph re unions as well.    
....and so much more, with rumors of MARDUK touring the states in 2008, maybe even NEGURA BUNGET..
Support these bands, see them on the road, buy some merch ect. I'm too hung over to write anymore, maybe more later.

Fuck 2006/07
Stay Metal, Stay Brutal, Stay Warm, Hails  to 2008 -l- \m/

Metal heads like me wear anti per spirant/deodorant NOT just deodorant you dumb douche, hippies, and low lives.