BravePicks 2020 - NAGLFAR's Cerecloth #26
December 6, 2020, 4 years ago
If there was any year that music was a true saviour, it was 2020. The ultimate diversion, as the world sits in virtual stagnation waiting anxiously for a fix. We will keep it brief here with the COVID commentary. Let’s let the music speak for itself. It is time to unveil our annual BravePicks countdown, where the devout scribes at BraveWords cast their votes at the hits and misses of the year! So who will be our #1? You’ll find out as we count down the BravePick Of 2020 each day in December!
Everybody has an opinion and it’s time for ours! And stay tuned in January for the writers’ individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), What/Who Needs To Stop In 2021? and Metal Predictions For 2021. Sadly no concerts. But all will be showcased come the New Year!
This virus can go to hell! Let’s let the Top 30 releases of 2020 rock your world!
BravePicks 2020
26) NAGLFAR - Cerecloth (Century Media)
After an 8 year slumber, Naglfar raised its flag again with monolithic black metal. Another album shrouded in despair, Cerecloth reminds listeners that they are still amongst the best that black metal has to offer and lands at #26 on our countdown.
Like any slumbering beast, Naglfar have returned from their respite ferocious and hungry with their seventh full length album, Cerecloth, which is due for a worldwide release on May 8. Recorded and mixed by Naglfar guitarist Marcus Norman at Wolf’s Lair Studio, and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound, the underlying musical and lyrical themes of Cerecloth were succinctly and confidently described by guitarist Andreas Nilsson: “The usual death and destruction.”
Naglfar also has the means to reign in their fury and provide fans with a slower sound on a few tracks. Songs like “Cry Of The Serafim” lurches and lumbers like some grotesque, ethereal H.P. Lovecraft creature, and “Necronaut” has a crawling, yet triumphant dirge. Altogether, fast or slow, Cerecloth’s black metal barrage takes zero prisoners.
BravePicks 2020 Top 30
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25)
26) NAGLFAR - Cerecloth (Century Media)
27) RAVEN - Metal City (SPV/Steamhammer)
28) KIRK WINDSTEIN - Dream In Motion (Entertainment One)
29) VANDEN PLAS - The Ghost Xperiment: Illumination (Frontiers)
30) GREEN CARNATION - Leaves of Yesteryear (Season of Mist)
