Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.
Let’s have a look at THTH’s Top 5 of 2019!
5: Hate – Auric Gates of Veles
This is the eleventh studio album from modern Polish blackened death metal band Hate, and this outing is by far their strongest. Usually overshadowed by their big-name nationals (Decapitated and Behemoth) and their smaller name nationals (MGLA, who’s 2019 album Age of Excuse is nothing to write home about), Hate have risen to the top this year with a loud, driven and fascinating album complete with all of the evil and sinister tropes you’d expect, but executed with confidence and flair. Auric Gates is an atmospheric journey full of moody, winding riffs throughout along with super-precise drumming. Stand out tracks are ‘Sovereign Sanctity’ and the brilliant opener ‘Seventh Manvantara’.
4: Panzerfaust – The Suns of Perdition Chapter I: War, Horrid War
This is the first chapter of the Canadian black metal band’s tetralogy and it’s a searing, abrasive and at times violent exploration of history’s horrors; such as the nuclear age, mass graves and trench warfare. While The Suns… only just meets the minimum criteria of being album with only 6 songs and a run time of just over half an hour, any longer and the sheer ferocity and pure primal black metal within would become too much to handle at once. The vocals throughout exemplify the horror of the themes within as they not only narrate the tales, but force you to feel the anguish, pain and frustration. This album is devoid of light and shade and it’s a masterpiece of art, of what pure modern black metal can be.
Next issue we’ll count down the rest of THTH’s Top 5 albums of 2019!
In other news
Good Things festival featuring Trivium, Karnivool, Parkway Drive, Enter Shikari, Thy Art Is Murder any many more will be held at Flemington Racecourse on Friday December 6.
Crowbar will be at Melbourne’s Max Watts on Saturday December 7.
Opeth will play the Palais Theatre on Friday December 13.
Obituary will be at Melbourne’s Max Watts in Saturday January 18.
Geoff Tate and his band will play Operation Mindcrime in its entirety, plus more, at Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom on Saturday February 1.
Okilly Dokilly and Dr Colossus will be at the Corner Hotel on Saturday February 15.
Cattle Decapitation will play Melbourne’s Max Watts on Wednesday February 19.
Download Festival featuring Deftones, Carcass, Testament, In Flames, Lacuna Coil, and not much else, will be held at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Friday March 20.
Blacken Open Air festival will be held over Easter weekend, 2020. Easter Sunday will be April 12. Handy to know if you’re looking for cheap flights to NT well in advance.
Iron Maiden will play Rod Laver Arena on Monday May 11.
Check out this edition’s of THTH’s Spotify playlist by searching for playlist: THTH729 or by searching spotify:user:TooHeavyToHug
If you have any news about local metal bands, shows or albums, let THTH know by emailing to [email protected] or get in touch via Twitter at @TooHeavyToHug
Written by Paul Taylor