The year in Noisy 2022

Noisy and obnoxious heavy music isn’t for everyone, but I’ve loved it almost as long as I’ve loved music. I might say it’s an acquired taste, but I’m not even sure. Bob Dylan and Kendrick Lamar are acquired tastes, but I’m not sure that I could teach you to like metal.

There are days when the concentration music I cultivate doesn’t do it for me, and I need to just pound out some aggression. These days there’s an endless array of great heavy music that lets me do that.

A small sampling

Emperyan - Fallujah

There’s more top-notch death metal than anyone reasonably knows what to do with the last few years, but you’d best make room for these guys.

All That Was Promised - Hath

Another solid slab of blackened death

Hellfire - Black Midi

This thing is just amazing, no matter how many times I listen to it. It really creates its own world and makes you deal with it.

False Light - White Ward

Nothing quite like them. Incredible dynamics and constantly surprising textures.

Shiki - Sigh

Japanese black metal that does not disappoint.

Blackbraid I - Blackbraid

Badass black metal with Indigenous American flavor and imagery

Diaspora Problems - Soul Glo

Some of the best hardcore of the year. No offense to Chat Pile and Callous Daoboys, who are also on this list but didn’t kick my head in quite as much.