Guys, I was going through my collection the other day, and found some really good albums whcih no one ever mentions. I'm putting a list here for you to have a look and remember, or if you've never heard of them, to make the effort and track them down immediately.

So here it is:

Forgotten Gems of Technical Death Metal

1. Visceral Damage (Spain) "Icon of Massive Murder" (2008)
Their 1st album is brutal in-your-face bashkotrias; that's the reason why some may have decided not to bother with their 2nd one. But this is one of the most intelligent sophisticated takes on technical brutal death metal for the past 6-7 years; very highly recommended

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2. Constant Paranoia (Holland) "Spirals II Infinity" (2004)
This is great stuff, a mixture of technical and progressive death metal. Very eventful compositions full of addictive riffs and interesting time and tempo-changes.

Also make sure to check out their new album "Take the Fall" (2013), another excellent piece of technicality. By the way, both their albums and the demo can be downloaded from their website in the form of youtube files.

3. Klast (USA) "Tropean Winds" (2012)
Surreal dissonant riffs played slowly to mid-pace; very depressive, but utterly original stuff: think the last Ulcerate album, but this is better. If Portal were playing much more slowly, this is how they would have sounded.

4. Catarrhal (Belgium) "Putrescence" (2007)
Very inventive original music; the guys change the riff-paterns and the pace the whole time also adding melodic progressive elements ala Theory in Practice. At times too complex, at times simply beautiful.

Their new opus, "Fleshgrave" (2013), is another good work, but clings more towards the progressive and the atmospheric; the technical riffage is missing at times

5. Arkhe (Mexico) "Virtual Landscape" (2005)
This is pretty much Atheist minus the speed. If "Unquestionable Presence" was too brutal for you at times, this is the album you should get immediately. At times it's probably too peaceful bordering on thrash, but it's very stylish music all the way.
Their new album, "Spirals of Life" (2013), is another great album, very similar to this one.

6. Subconscious Terror (Japan) "Invisible" (1996)
This is an old album, that's why it's a shame that it's so largely forgotten. Long compositions where a lot of things happen, probably more on the progressive side, but very interesting music all the way.

7. Exuviate (USA) "Exuviate" (2000)
This is not for everyone: ultra-brutal very fast stuff and extremely technical at the same time. There are slower slamming breaks incorporated as well as dissonant abstract riffs ala Ulcerate and Portal again, including a great schizophrenic instrumental caled "Insanity" which is truly "insanity", one of the highest achievements in the genre. You'll be shocked to find out that the vocalist is a woman...

8. Dichotic "Collapse into Despair" (1998)
This is a must-have for fans of very stylish weird music. Very complex stuff with some of the most original decisions you can come across on the whole scene.
Their 2nd album is too abstract, not very easy to follow, but is another recommended listen.

9. Grotesque (Australia) "Museum of Human Disease"
The Asutralian answer to Necrophagist; short tracks packed with thousands of riffs. There is a certain feeling of a show-off, of course, but this is too good to be ignored.

10. Neuroma (UK) "Extremophile" (2011)
Melodic technical death metal bordering on the progressive; not always very fast, but utterly engaging and very cleverly executed.


And here are a few more bands whose all work can be checked:

Bloody Sign (France)
These guys are viewed as a black metal band, but their style is pretty much technical death metal, and very good one at that. Their last album, "Chaos Echoes", is more on the dissonant abstract side, but is still worth a listen.

Bowel Stew (Italy)
This is one of the fastest playing bands in the world right now. Their music certainly borders on grindcore at times, but it's quite technical which can't be noticed at first since the band play super-fast the whole time.

SikFuk (USA)
This band is quite popular so I believe most of you know it. Still, since it reminds me so much of mid-period Carcass (think "Necrotism...", above all) I can't help but highly recommend each of their three albums which are full of sudden tempo-changes and some really sick twisted riffs.

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I'm still looking through my music, so I'll post some other gems later for your attention.

and I would like to continue by adding the best technical death metal albums of 2012:

yes, I agree that the new Unreal Overflows album "False Welfare" is great stuff; twisted technical metal genius at its best. Some clean vocals have appeared, and there is too much melody here and there, but generally this very good music

Rings of Saturn "Dingir". This is not deathcore, folks, don't read the stupid media comments. This is some of the best death metal to come in recent years. Their first album is also very highly recommended; a really talented act

Replacire "The Human Burden". these guys are more on the technical thrash metal side, but play outstanding music. remind of the great Coroner at times

Disaffected "Rebirth". This Portuguese act had one album in the distant 1995 ("Vast") which was one of the best death metal albums of the 90's. They are back again with an even better album; this one is more atmospheric bordering on the progressive

Spawn of Possession "Incurso".

Psycroptic "The Inherited Repression".

Sanity Obscure "Subterranean Constellation". These guys are from Singapore, and they play great twisted technical music recalling early Atheist. Very complex stuff, not easy to follow

Assessor "Stvanice". This band from the Czech Republic play a mix of thrash and death metal, and are quite technical and fast. They had one effort released back in 1990 ("Invaze") so if you're familiar with this one then the new album should not be a big surprise.

Scenery "Mental Confusion". Another act from the Czech Republic who should be very familiar to most of you. This new opus is a continuation of their unique brand of progressive and technical metal clinging on the border between thrash and death metal.

Will'O Wisp "Kosmo". These Italians played gothic/doom metal in the beginning, but this new album is excellent technical/progressive death. Atmospheric and not fast, but very well done.

Drottnar "Stratum". This band from Norway again are labelled as "technical black metal", but you know that such music does not exist and although they do have black metal elements in their style, this is pretty much technical death metal for most of the time and very well done at that. Their debut "Welterwerk" (2006) is even better, amazing technical stuff. One of the most talented acts on the scene at the moment

the guys move now towards black metal, but preserve their technical death metal genius, and produce another amazing album. Probably the finest Finnish band of all times.

I don't hear anything related to Annihilator actually. This album is so much better than anything Annihilator have come up with recently; it actually wipes the whole Annihilator discography all the way to "Alice in Hell". Simply put, this is the best album of 2012; thrash metal at its absolute best. Thumbs up!

great stuff. very well executed technical death metal. one of the best releases of the year.

Folks, don't forget Dim Mak. Their new album, "The Emergence of Reptilian Altars", is probably the best technical death metal album of 2011.

guy, I don't believe noone has mentioned Dim Mak, one of the finest death metal acts for the past 10 years. Except for their debut, the other 3 albums are high-class technical stuff. Brilliant.

Bolt Thrower
Pestilence
Atheist
Death
Sceptic
Martyr
Gorguts
Illogicist
Sadist
Carcass

Hey, guys, you're forgetting a great band: Lost Century (Germany)- a very talented act with a lot of atmosphere, pretty close to Depressive Age.

Droys (France): a very technical mix of thrash and death metal; very proficient music

Chemical Breath (Belgium): two outstanding albums of thrash/death ala Pestilence's "Testimony of the Ancients"

Valkyria (Russia): the first album is a great Melong Delta tribute

Unleashed Power (Denmark/USA): their 2nd album, "Mindfailure", is a total Coroner worship (think "Mental Vortex")

Horfixion (Canada): their early stuff is very technical, recalling Martyr (also Canada)

Terrahsphere (USA): hectic thrash/death ala Atheist and Hellwitch, very well done

Aftermath (USA): their only album, "Eyes of Tomorrow" (1994), is a great take on 90's Coroner

Mind-Ashes (Germany): their 1st two albums are first-rate progressive/technical thrash

Astharoth (Poland): their only effort is standout technical/progressive thrash with extreme, aggressive riffs; also check out the two demos after the album: very complex, surreal stuff

Katedra (Lithuania): very cool progressive thrash ala Voivod's "Killing Technology", with gruff deathy vocals

Chirurgia (Czech): very stylish progressive thrash with Mekong Delta overtones (the debut); their 2nd album ("Deep Silence", 2002) is more in the modern camp, but is quite wild, too

Thalidomide (France): this is some twisted thrash/death with shades of doom; very good stuff with some of the most puzzling riffs around

Witches (France): the debut, "3.4.1." (1994) is very cool aggressive thrash with progressive shades, and a lot of atmosphere

Last Breath (Canada): dramatic progressive thrash on the atmospheric side; not very technical, but full of emotion

And I will second Psycho Symphony (Romania): very complex, surreal, twisted music, brilliant, but not for everyone!

And finally, probably the greatest progressive thrash metal act of all times: the mighty Anacrusis!

Guys, come on! What doom is that?! have you listened to it at all? This is high-class technical thrash/death metal in the vein of early Atheist, only a bit slower with a touch of doom. This is great stuff, a must-listen.

ONE-ALBUM WONDERS

This is a list of acts who have only released one solitary album, before disappearing without (or with just a little) trace. Almost each of those releases could be topping an eternal top ten of any fan. So here it is:

Droys (France) "And If..." (1998) (this is quite thrashy at times as well, but is a masterpiece on all counts)
Experiment Fear (USA) "Assuming the Godform" (1995)
Absorbed (Spain) "Reverie" (1999)
An Infinite Dream Sequence (Sweden) "The Series of Reveries Subsides" (2010) (yes, the guys have already split-up; shortly after this album's release)
Catharsis (Poland) "Bitter Disdain" (1995)
Crutch (USA) "...Hope Prevails" (2001) (they changed their name to Aletheian, where the style is quite similar, being great technical/progressive death metal)
Vuvr (Czech) "Pilgrimage" (2001)
Disincarnate (USA) "Dreams of the Carrion Kind" (1993)
Demilich (Finland) "Nespithe" (1993)
Taine (Romania) "Cealata Parte" (1999)
Saunter (Brazil) "The Darkest Voice of the Soul" (2004)
Dominion (Sweden) "Born God and Aware" (2006)
Vortex (Japan) "Colours Out From the Emptiness" (2001)
Strangulation (Brazil) "Between Nothing and Eternity" (1995)
Crypt of Kerberos (Sweden) "World of Myths" (1993)
Crystal Age (Sweden) "Far Beyond Divine Horizons" (1995)
Dark Wing (Thailand) "Xenoginesis" (2005)
Vivid X (Russia) "V.Xtremal Progress" (2004)
Shadowseeds (Sweden) "Dream of Lilith" (1995)
Deflected Sense (Ukraine) "Commentaries at the Edge of the Abyss" (1999)
Rest in Pain (Russia) "Leprosy of Subconscious" (2006)
Eterna Nocturna (USA" "Solstice of the Arc" (2008) (this is an EP, but is awesome!)
Dissonance (Slovakia) "Look to Forget" (1994)
Ingenium (Poland) "2nd Sun in the Eclipse" (2007)
Kaothic (Spain) "Order to Chaos" (2005)

Some of these bands are still active, according to metal archives, but the majority are no more. Feel free to add more one-album wonders to the list. Cheers.

Folks, I suggest you give this album a listen before you write something misleading based on the man's reputation as a guitar wizard, and cheat the others. There is very little shred, as a matter of fact, and most of the tracks actually feature vocals. The music is excellent speed/thrash/proto-death, with only one track ("Wicked") a disappointment being bland hard'n heavy, not really as great as Knapp's furious technical thrash/death debut, but not too far behind. There are plenty of pure riff-sections with no leads at all for the headbangers. Fans of technical speed/thrash will be quite happy with this album!

Hi again, folks. I would like to make some amendments on my 2009 top ten list. First, i will remove Believer; after a certain discussion with friends, we decided that Believer can not be classified as death metal, at least not based on their last album. I will replace it with Led Astray's "In Ways Unforeseen". These guys are from Holland, and their music is more on the brutal technical death metal side, played fast and tight, with generally not very long songs. Their demo from 2005 "Denying the Inevitable" was more promising, though, more technical and interesting, but staying closer to thrash.

Second: I don't know what I was doing when I was making this list last night, but I forgot a great album: Beheaded Zombie's "Schastie Dlia Vseh" (Happiness for All). These Russians have evolved from a brutal death/grind act into one of the most impressive technical/progressive metal acts of recent times. On this album they excel in technical surreal beauty, mostly in mid-pace, with very sparce fast outbreaks. The Morbid Angel backward play now is stretched into whole songs, and is just a wonder to listen to; very highly recommended. So here is how my updated top ten list for 2009 looks like:

1. Pestilence "Resurrection Macabre"
2. The Chasm "Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm"
3. Beheaded Zombie "Schastie dlia Vseh"
4. Nile "Those Whom the Gods Detest"
5. Gorod "Process of a New Decline"
6. Led Astray "In Ways Unforeseen"
7. Gnostic "Engineering the Rule"
8. Angel of Disease "Hypercube"
9. Mindwork "Into the Swirl"
10. Hellwitch "Omnipotent Convocation"

I would also like to express my admiration from the Russian (and former Russian: Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Georgia, etc.) technical metal scene which quickly takes over from Canada and Italy as the leading technical metal scene in the world. There are so many amazing bands there that i don't want to start listing them; you all know them very well, by the way. Merry Christmas to you all! Cheers!

Hi, guys. Here are my top tens for the last 4 years; those are, of course, works which are relevant to the genre discussed in this forum: technical/progressive death, that is . There are certainly albums/bands which many of you have already mentioned, but there are also a few which you might want to check out:

[more="content:"]2006

1. Electro Quarterstaff "Gretzky" (Canadians; this is purely instrumental stuff, quite technical and aggressive, with thrash and death metal serving as a base. At times the music gets pretty wild and chaotic, in a way not too dissimiliar from Toby Knapp's first solo effort, but for fans of aggressive instrumental metal this guys are a must.)
2. Architecture of Aggression "Democracy- Consent of Domination" (South Africans; most of the time the music is mid-late period Death-worship, but the guys insert the odd super technical passage ala Coroner here and there. Great energetic stuff)
3. Anata "The Conductor's Departure"
4. Trepalium "Alchemic Clockwork of Disorder"
5. Spawn of Possession "Noctambulant"
6. Sadus "Out for Blood"
7. Dominion "Born God and Aware"
8. Martyr "Feeding the Abscess"
9. Unreal Overflows "Architecture of Incomprehension"
10. Beheaded Zombie "Life Line" (excellent technical/progressive death; Suffocation-esque brutality meets complex vortex-like song structures, with the surreal backward play ala Morbid Angel here taking a much bigger and more complete form; brilliant)


2007

1. Sadist "Sadist"
2. Illogicist "The Insight Eye"
3. Pica Fierce "Pica Fierce" (Norwegians; a mixture of thrash and death metal mostly coutring Death and Pestilence, but this combination works just perfect)
4. Nile "Ithyphallic"
5. Cadaveryne "Fathering the Apocalypse" (these guys from the US pull out really good music, part brutal technical death, part more complex almost progressive stuff; a lot of dynamics with numerous tempo and time changes)
6. Gross Misconduct "The Process of Indoctrination" (Canadians; Death-worship mixed with faster more brutal technical death metal passages; fast and relentless music)
7. Sickening Horror "When Landscapes Bled Backwards" (Greeks; technical death of the more laid-back slower type; short songs (3.5-4min maximum) with interesting twisted riffs)
8. Tholus "Constant"
9. Ulcerate "Of Fracture and Failure"
10. Sphere "Damned Souls Ritual"


2008

1. Hieronymus Bosch "Equivoke"
2. Gigan "The Order of the False Eye" (I'm surprised no one mentioned these guys from the US so far: this is brilliant twisted technical death at its most complex and surreal best; there are sparce grindcore elements to be heard, but the musical prowess here is top-notch; a must have)
3. Terminal Function "Measuring the Abstract"
4. Revocation "Empire of the Obscene" (the same guys who earlier made an album under the name Cryptic Warning; technical thrash/death with Death a major influence, with the Carcass nods gone from the Cryptic Warning album)
5. Stigmatized "Becoming Unique" (another very cool thrash/death mixture with Death a prime influence; fast complex music in a predominant up-tempo)
6. Subconscious "All Things are Equal in Death" (of all the Death clones and imitators, these guys come the CLOSEST. The problem is that they don't really offer anything outside mere Death-worship. For fans of the Chuck Schuldiner's (R.I.P.) band this act will be pure delight)
7. Outcast "Self-Injected Reality" (bombastic technical death, an encyclopaedia of complex fast shred, quite frantic and brutal as well)
8. Carnophage "Deformed Future/Genetic Night"
9. Myndsnare "Conditioned: Human"
10. Quinta Essentia "Archetypal Transformation"


2009

1. Pestilence "Resurrection Macabre" (I can't help it; the masters are back with a vengeance: it certainly is not "Testimony of the Ancients" (this album can not be beaten, not by them , not by anyone), but is a great slab of the good old school technical death)
2. The Chasm "Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm" (these guys from Mexico have always been an original and very proficient act, but here they simply hit the top; technical and progressive death metal have seldom been so well blended; magnificent)
3. Nile "Those Whom the Gods Detest"
4. Hellwitch "Omnipotent Convocation"
5. Gorod "Process of a New Decline"
6. Believer "Gabriel"
7. Gnostic "Engineering the Rule"
8. Angel of Disease "Hypercube" (this act hails from Georgia, and offers first-rate technical/progressive death close to Hieronymus Bosch)
9. Mindwork "Into the Swirl" (The Pessimist guys have another band, pulling out similar complex progressive death metal)
10. Divinity "The Singularity" (a talented new act from Canada who mix traditional old school technical death ala Death with the more modern Meshuggah-esque elements)

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Hi, guys! I recently discovered your website, and I have to say it's a great source for metal music! I have a website myself: http://www.thethrashmetalguide.com/ I'm curious to see if the Russian thrash metal fans will find it useful. It's in English. But you can leave your comments here in Russian; I speak Russian fluently (I'm from Bulgaria). It's just that my computer doesn't have the Cyrillic script; that's why I write in English. Thank you in advance for all your suggestions, criticism and shared opinion!