Free Metals: An Autumn For Crippled Children - portugal EP

The Netherlands' An Autumn For Crippled Children play an interesting mix of Joy Division meets black metal on the two songs that make up the portugal  EP. Listen to first track "portugal," and it will be your instant favorite. Take away the harsh vocals, and you wouldn't even realize that this is metal. "seasons change spirits" is not as immediate as the title track, but by the end of the song, you're going to want to listen again.

The Metallurgian's Top 20 Albums of 2015

2015 was another great year for metal. How could it not be when Iron Maiden put out a new album? (I know, I know:  it could have been trimmed down from a double album to a single one and everyone would have been happy/happier, but these guys have earned the right to do what they want.)  I didn't have a chance to listen to every record that came out (Who does?), and not all of the critically acclaimed ones struck a chord with me. Nonetheless, there was plenty of music that resonated with me, and here are my favorites. These are the ones that were in the heaviest of rotations for me in 2015.

Free Metals: Ellorsith - 1959

In the winter of 1959, nine skiers mysteriously died in the mountains of Russia in what has become known as the Dyatlov Pass incident. Theories abound as to what really happened in those mountains. Was it an avalanche? Paranormal activity? Who knows? Using this tragedy for inspiration, Scotland's Ellorsith mixes death metal with occasional hints of black metal on this five-track EP.

Free Metals: départe - demo [MMXIV]

Post metal with slabs of blackened death make for an interesting debut demo from Australia's départe. On the two tracks that make up demo [MMXIV], this Aussie quintet seamlessly manages to bring a sense of order to the chaos that they stir up over the course of these eighteen minutes.