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Articles : Patrick Emmett’s Top 10 Australian Releases of 2012

By on December 5, 2012

It’s that time of the year where you can’t really expect anything new to be released, and you think to yourself… “What have the best releases of 2012 been?”
I have listened to as much as I can this year, although there is plenty of stuff I never got around to hearing even though I wanted to. I have been amazed with most new releases, and mildly disappointed with a few. But, although I hate making lists of these things and putting them into order (it can be bloody hard), I have listed 10 of the Australian releases that I really enjoyed this year. So kick back, listen to some of the songs, and then tell me how wrong I am because you think that x release is better than y release.
This list is only for Australian bands. I will make a list of my favourite international releases whenever I can be bothered…

10. EMPIRES FALL – The Tyrants Genocide (EP)

Certainly one of the better bands of the deathcore genre. The songs on this EP are well-structured, the wild lead guitar and drum work being a major highlight.
Best track: Dreaming of Eradication

9. INTERNAL NIGHTMARE – War of Silence (EP)

This might be a promotional EP to give people a taste of what to expect on their upcoming album ‘Chaos Reborn’, but it was so damn good, it had to go somewhere in this list.
Best track: War of Silence

8. WHORETOPSY – Isn’t She Lovely (EP)

Whoretopsy also had a debut album released this year which was awesome, but this recently released EP blew it away. Better lyrics short stories, heavier slams and a massive improvement on vocals.
Best track: High School Sweetheart

7. HELLBRINGER – Dominion of Darkness

I first heard this album no longer than a week ago, and it’s already made its way into this list. Killer blackened thrash/speed metal that reminded me of Destroyer 666, Slayer and some of Toxic Holocaust‘s earlier material.
Best track: Satanic Destructor (which unfortunately isn’t on YouTube, so the song below is Dominion of Darkness)

6. TERAMAZE – Anhedonia

The long awaited album by this progressive thrash metal band was certainly something special and different. Brilliant musicianship, unique sound, and unfortunately the last album to feature Julian Percy (R.I.P.) on drums.
Best track: Through the Madness

5. NE OBLIVISCARIS – Portal of I

I’m sure this album will be on a lot of music critics “Top __” lists, but maybe a bit better than #5. This album is a fine example of musical genius, a progressive/extreme metal masterpiece.
Best track: And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope

4. DAMNATIONS DAY – Invisible, The Dead

The talent of this band is extraordinary. Mark Kennedy is one of the best vocalists in Australia, hands down. And this debut release from Damnations Day was outstanding, it has a great sense of melody and ferocity.
Best track: I Am

3. KING PARROT – Bite Your Head Off

Chaotic, low-tuned extreme thrash/punk riffage with relentless grind vocals on top of it. This debut album did exactly what the title suggests… Bit my head off!
Best track: Bozo

2. PSYCHONAUT – Shock ‘Em Dead!

Randomly discovering this band in a magazine and buying this album was one of the best things I did this year. Very imaginative lyric writing and a perfect blend of power, speed, death, thrash, rock and metal.
Best track: Lemmy Von Frankenstein

1. PARTY VIBEZ – Legends of Gnarlia

Perfectly self-described as the soundtrack to the greatest party ever thrown, these Melbourne thrashers created an album consisting of 23 minutes of metal thrashing fun.
Best track: Indiana Cones & The Temple of Goon

So that is my Victorian-dominated Top 10 list of Australian releases from this year. Of course, there were plenty of other great releases and a fair bit of stuff I didn’t get the chance to listen to, but I could only pick ten. Feel free to talk about some of your favourite releases of 2012 in the comments section.

Here are some of the Australian releases I’m looking forward to in 2013…
TABERAH – MMXII
LORD – Digital Lies
DE LA CRUZ – Street Level
METALSTORM – Fully Loaded Nightmare (EP)
ATHENAS WAKE – Welcome to the Woodlands (EP)
INVOLUNTARY CONVULSION – Ineffable (EP)
INTERNAL NIGHTMARE – Chaos Reborn
… and many more!

About

Patrick has been a dedicated contributor to Metal Obsession since 2011. He believes that you can put Lars Ulrich's face on just about anything. Add Patrick on Facebook.