Best newcomers of 2014

[Bear 1817]

No, this isn't a thread just about the bands that formed in 2014, but about all bands who released their first proper release in 2014. Doesn't matter if they formed in 1987 or 2014, as long as 2014 was the year they released their first proper release (album/EP/single).

 

For me it's been four bands/artists who's stood out from the rest of the newcomers in 2014 (as far as I can remember at least), and all these four have made it into my top 10 of 2014 so far.

 

1. Tarot

Tarot formed in 2011 and released their first demo in 2011, but it is not seen as a proper release by main man Will Fried, owner of Heavy Chains and a member of great bands such as The Wizar'd an Dracula. 2014 however saw the band release three EPs, two of them consisting of 3 songs clocking in at 15:10 minutes, while the third consists of four songs clocking in at 21 minutes. I have yet to hear Tarot's two first EPs, called Life and Death and Dying Daze, but the band's third EP, The Watcher's Dream, have gone from being good to become an absolute masterpiece with 50+ listens over the last few days.

 

Tarot plays epic heavy rock with this lovely feeling of some kind of mysticism. Think Uriah Heep ano Demons & Wizards with hints of Dio-era Rainbow, Quartz and Pagan Altar. I made a top 10 meta/rock releases of 2014 early yesterday, and it got the 9th spot. Now,  20 listens later, it's a contender for top 5 releases of the year in all genres. It just keeps growing with each listen. This is how good this is.

 

Listen to the full EP here: https://heavychainsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-watchers-dream

Favourite song: Twilight Fortress. The two last minutes of this song are by far the two best minutes of music release this year. Magnificent!

 

Recommended for fans of Uriah Heep, Rainbow and Pagan Altar

 

2. Cluster Buster

I don't know much about this band beside that the guy behind this is Norwegian, is a fan of 80's exploitaton, horror and action cinema, old school video games and VHS(!!!). Oh, and is a part of the new synth wave/new retro wave that's been growing over the past few years. Cluster Buster is certainly among the best, if not the best, in the genre. Cluster Buster released two albums this year, one being good and one being amazing. Maniac 1980 is my favourite of the two, and it has secured a spot among the top 10 albums of the year.

 

Listen to the full album here: http://future80s.bandcamp.com/album/maniac-1980

Favourite song: Maniac 1980

 

Recommended for fans of Kavinsky, John Carpenter and Perturbator

 

3. Rude

Rude was formed as thrash metal band Forsaker in 2008 by a bunch of guys in their late teens/early 20's, but changed their name to Rude in 2011 after the release of their only demo as Forsaker the same year. When they changed name they also changed genre and started playing death metal in the vein of Pestilence with hints of Autopsy, Death, Morbid Angel, Obituary. The band released a great demo in 2013. But with the release of their debut album Soul Recall, the band took further steps into the death metal realm and released one of the best death meta albums of the 2000's. It's that good.

 

This album is what you'll get if you put 50% Pestilence - Consuming Impulse, 20% Autopsy - Severed Survival, 10% Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness, 10% Obituary - Slowly We Rot and 10% Death - Leposy in a blender and mix it. Yes, there's not a hint of originality to be found anywhere during the album's 44 minutes, but there's lots of character and quality. Crushing death metal of the purest kind.

 

Favourite song: Haunted

 

Recommended for fans of Pestilence, Autopsy and Morbid Angel

 

4. Salem's Pot

Salem's Pot formed in 2011 and released one demo in 2012 and one in 2013, but it wasn't until 2014 that their debut album saw the light of day. ...Lurar ut dig på prärien is three songs and 33:30 minutes of sleazy, filthy and occult doom metal of the purest kind. This album could've been the soundtrack to Vampyros Lesbos, or many of the other erotic horror films of the 70's.

 

Cover of the year as well, take from the already mentioned Vampyros Lesbos. So fitting!

 

Favourite song: Creep Purple

 

Recommended for fans of Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath and Sleep

 

 

 

 

Now it's your turn!

[Pretsy 1343]

Okidoki:

 

1) Sukekiyo

 

A dream band-like collaboration of notable musicians from different corners of the vk-related J-music scene (RES, 9GBO, Dir en grey, Kannivalism) surpassed my expectations with their 2014 debut "IMMORTALIS" - each member succeeded in expressing themselves without causing a literal hodgepodge (most users disagree with me here). A new world of avant-garde-y obscurity/"obscenity" (to quote the band) offered by the boys from sukekiyo definitely won't fail in enthralling people with any kind of taste - convenient or inconvenient...

 

Listen to the full album here

Favourite song: vandal

 

2) Schizoid Lloyd

 

Formed in 2007, progressive/avant-garde metal act Schizoid Lloyd went down with a few EPs until their full-length debut on 2014, called "The Last Note in God's Magnum Opus". If you are a huge friend of Unexpect or even California-era Mr. Bungle, and don't really mind slight Dream Theater-y influences, try to find yourself an hour for a soundscape of pure schizoid madness and clusterfucks!!

 

Listen to the full album

Favourite song:

 

3) Wagakki Band

 

Traditional Japanesque (note: folky instruments too) folk rock/pop/hard rock act (you name it!), consisting of popular niconico musicians and some underground vk names, never failed in impressing newcomers very positively (as we can already witness it in MH ). Albeit their 2014 full-length debut, "Vocalo Zanmai", being a vocaloid cover album, Wagakki's unique ability of transcending convenient, but highly interesting ideas related to "Japanesque" genre overcame the lowest expectations and managed to mark one of the strongest debuts in this decade. A friend of Kagrra's or Onmyoza's sound? MUST-TRY 4 YOU!

 

Favourite song:

[Visutox 188]

In my opinion, these three are probably the best newcomers in their respective genres and have the potential to become really great bands.

 

1 - Schammasch, "Contradiction"

 

This swiss band formed in 2009. They released their first album in 2010, titled "Sic Lvceat Lvx" which made of Schammasch a very promising band. Well, four years later they confirm their status of "very promising band" to become a serious matter, delivering to us a totally mesmerizing and magical album. Having a few Behemoth influences here and there, their music remains full of creativity and power. "Contradiction" from SCHAMMASCH is a pearl. You guys should definitely give it a listen if you're into extreme metal stuff. This is certainly the most overlooked album of 2014. And by the way, probably the longest album I listened to in 2014 with 85 minutes of pure eargasm.

 

Sadly there's no link to listen to the full album, but you can find all the songs on YouTube.

And I'm not going to chose a favorite song since it'd be a disrespect towards the other tracks on the album, which are all awesome.

 

Just going to drop two links, a music video and an official stream track : Golden Light & Split My Tongue.

 

2 - Whispered, "Shogunate Macabre"

 

I don't know if it is appropriate to call this band a newcomer since they released an amazing album in 2010, and that was when they only proved they deserve to be taken seriously. But they released "Shogunate Macabre" in 2014 and that was like saying "Hey guys, count on us to make some noise in the coming years". This finnish band was formed in 2001 but they only proved to be promising in 2007 by releasing a demo titled "Wrath of Heaven". "Shogunate Macabre" is an epic album, definitely the best mdm newcomer band in 2014. An awesome samurai metal band.

 

Here's a link if you wanna listen to the Full album

Favourite song : Jikininki

 

3 - Azrael Rising, "Anti-Gravity"

 

Don't know much what to say about this band since I only listened to their album a few times (however, enough times to say it's a good album). This finnish black metal band released a demo in 2005, a self-titled EP in 2008 and an album titled "Anti-gravity" in 2014. I listened to the album and it left me some good sensations. Good raw stuff and a promising newcomer, let's see what they'll do in the next few years.

 

Again, no direct link to the full album available but you can listen to all the songs in YouTube.

Favourite song : Acute Occult Hepatitis

[Furik 832]

Issues - Issues

Issues is a band composed of members from post hardcore band Woe is Me (notably the clean vocalist Tyler Carter).

Despite forming in 2012 and releasing an EP in 2012 (months after their formation), they released their debut self tited LP in February 2014 - after fans upset over their EP.

They don't consider their EP a proper release after the backlash of negative reviews that the EP wasn't up to their full potential.

The LP, after its release, gained a lot of positive reviews and charted well. They are gaining popularity due to being linked to a resurgence in a "nu metal" revival. With all members being extremely talented (their DJ/turntablist, harsh and clean vocalists and their drummer and guitarists).

While I don't care much for a nu metal revival, they are a great band due to their emo/post hardcore roots which not only brings in fans of 90's nu metal but also late emo/scene fans.