Black (Metal) Mixmas IV

In a year where extreme metal sub-genres coalesced into a homogenized pile of badass, black metal stood its ground like a bleak beacon, giving us some of the truest & weirdest records the genre has seen in a while. This mix takes tracks from my favorite black metal records that came out this year (two, Mare & Dressed In Streams, compiled tracks from previous now-unavailable releases). Last year’s Volume III was a 3 parter, so it only made sense to make Volume IV a 4 parter, each the appropriate length of a mix to burn onto a CD if you so desire.

Each part has been vaguely divided into traditional raw (parts 1 & 2), post (part 3), and experimental (part 4). And I thought that since there’s a ton of songs here (54!) and that one of my favorite records didn’t make this mix because the tracks were too long, I’d give you an actual Top Black Metal list. I wrote about most, but not all of these records. I linked to the reviews when applicable.

So here’s my favorite 2013 black metal records and a 4 hour 22 minute mix of the raddest heaviness you’ll hear this year. It should keep you company during this overly joyful season. I’ll see you next year.

Top 15 Black Metal Records Of 2013
15. Aosoth – IV: Arrow In Heart (Agonia)
14. Mord’A’Stigmata – Ansia (Pagan Records)
13. Gris – À L’Âme Enflammée, L’Äme Constellée (Sepulchral Productions)
12. Leucosis – Leucosis (self released)
11. Ruin Lust – Ruin Lust (Psychic Violence)
10. Loss Of Self – Twelve Minutes (The Flenser)
9. Mare – Spheres Like Death / Throne Of The Thirteenth Witch (Terratur Possessions)
8. Fell Voices – Regnum Saturni (Gilead Media)
7. Charnel House – Black Blood (Sygil)
6. Spektr – Cypher (Agonia)
5. Hope Drone – Hope Drone (OSCL)
4. Surachai – Embraced (self released)
3. Rorcal – Világvége (Cal Of Ror / SickManGettingSick / Lost Pilgrims / Wolves & Vibrancy)
2. Cultes Des Ghoules – Henbane (Hells Headbangers)
1. Paysage D’Hiver – Das Tor (Kunsthall)

Download Black (Metal) Mixmas IV

Part 1
Blut Der Nacht – No Hope To See The Light Of A New Day (from Sargnagel)
Sun Worship – Castle High (from Surpass Eclipse)
Wulkanaz – Paraskaiwe Paúrpurôn (from Paúrpura Fræovíbôkôs)
Galdr – Oath Of Blood (from Ancient Light Of The Stars)
Ruin Lust – Primal Vision (from Ruin Lust)
Arckanum – Spell (from Fenris Kindir)
Wild’s Reprisal – The Broken Circle (from Defiance Enthroned)
Black Cilice – Astral Cipher (from Summoning The Night)
Tukaaria – Chasms In Creation (from Raw To The Rapine)
Nightrite – Black Moon Rituals (from Black Moon Rituals)
Atvm – 8,000,000,000 Years And Counting (from Natura Naturata)
Frozen Ocean – Vanviddsang II (from Vanviddsanger)
Mord’A’Stigmata – Praefatio Pro Defunctis (from Ansia)

Part 2
Hexer – I:III (from Hexer)
Stilla – Tidlösa Vindar (from Till Stilla Falla)
Cara Neir – Closing Doors (from Portals To A Better, Dead World)
Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult – The Eviscerator (from Necrovision)
Mare – Nachmahrwalzer – Invocation Of The Succubus (from Spheres Like Death / Throne Of The Thirteenth Witch)
Shadows Of The Fallen – Monotheist (from Monotheist)
Aosoth – Temple Of Knowledge (from IV: Arrow In Heart)
Lonesummer – The Destruction Of Words (from Planning For Burial / Lonesummer Split)
Smorg – Moonlight Eternity (from A Morbid Chapter)
Nuclear Corpse – Infernal Legions (from Infernal Legions)
Naaghan – Bloodlust (from Demo)
Manii – Liv-Øydar (from Kollaps)
Leucosis – Aponea (from Leucosis)

Part 3
Hope Drone – Advent (from Hope Drone)
Dressed In Streams – Deep Saffron (from Dressed In Streams)
Redwood Hill – September (from Descender)
Misery – II (from Melancolie)
Clouds Collide – Deathless (from Until The Wind Stops Blowing…)
So Hideous – Rhapsody (from Last Poem/First Light)
Loss Of Self – Paradise Overgrown (from Twelve Minutes)
Panopticon – Eulogy (from Vestiges / Panopticon Split)
L’Homme Éléphant – Mist (from L’Homme Éléphant II)
Ov Hollowness – Grey (from The World Ends)
Súl Ad Astral (The Clenching Void (from Súl Ad Astral)
Life Has No Meaning – Faced With My Own Demise (from Demo)
Ragana – Curved Grass (from Unbecoming)
Cosmic Church – Näkyjä Indigolähteeltä (from Ylistys)

Part 4
Earthenwomb – Miser’s Blade (from Ninjas For Hire / Earthenwomb Split)
Peste Noire – La Blonde (from Peste Noire)
Botanist – Arboreal Gallows (Mandragora I) (from IV: Mandragora)
Gris – Dil (from À L’Âme Enflammée, L’Äme Constellée)
Spektr – Antimatter (from Cypher)
Charnel House – Once Upon A Dream (from Black Blood)
Servile Sect – Evoke (from Glowing)
Cultes Des Ghoules – Festival Of Devotion (from Henbane)
Ihsahn – Tacit 2 (from Das Seelenbrechen)
Oranssi Pazuzu – Tyhjä Temppeli (from Valonielu)
Rorcal – II (from Vilagvege)
Trist – Květy Snových Dálek (from Večerní Samoty)
Sutekh Hexen – …Of Emanation (from Monument Of Decay)
Surachai – Surrender (from Embraced)