Your favorites of 2019 so far?

We're in the second half of 2019 now. Anything come out in the first six months you dig?

Here's my ranking for everything I've listened to so far this year from favorite to least favorite (I listen to extreme metal pretty exclusively). I'm grouping multiple releases by the same artist into a single item.

Full-lengths
- Skald in Veum - Stridslysten
- Implement - Bleeding Alone
- Triuwint - Uber Trummertalem
- Opprobrium - The Fallen Entities
- Irgalom - Like a Breath / Meditate (Volume 1)
- Anima Mortuum - Goat Destruction
- Since the Death - A Gift to My God
- Aceldama - Desbridamiento de la miseria
- The Arbiter - Water from the River of Life
- Abadoned Mortuary - It Is Finished / A Smoldering Wick
- Their Throats Are Open Graves - Of Psalms and Snakes
- Nattesorg - Resist the Devil
- Hazarmaveth - Ain Soph Ohr / Requiem ov the Eternal Death

Demos/EPs/singles/splits
- Proclamus - Death Thoughts
- Intristare - Vestiges I
- Elephant Watchtower - The Church Is at Fault
- Timoratus / Symphony of Heaven / Bismoth - Body of Christ
- Be Not Betrayed - Void
- Hilastherion - Psalm 59
- Temple of Perdition - Homage to the Dead
- I.N.R.I. - Religion
- Cryptic Rising - The Fear Unknown / H o m e B u r i a l / T h r o n e s
- Fear Incineration - Incinerating Ignorance Vol. I
- Slaves BC - 300 Dead Rapist Priests Floating at the Bottom of the...
- Nuclear Blaze - Toxic People
- Pozar - Awakening/Progromca
- The Last Weapon - Summer (Single)
- Goatblood - Blut der Baphomet
- Unblack Metal Fist - Unepoch

Diviner - Realms of Time
Unknown Servant - For the Lost
GloryHammer - Legends from Beyond the Galactic TerrorVortex
Holy Tide - Aquila
Narrow Gate - Message from the Land of Noah
Neal Morse - Jesus Christ the Exorcist
Majestica - Above the Sky

Also add

Iron Savior - Kill or Get Killed
Astral Doors - Worship or Die
Arch/Matheos - Winter Ethereal

Never heard of 95% of these bands. Must be nice to find that many projects enjoyable. I’m lucky if I find one or two moderately enjoyable every other year these days.

I have found different years are harder depending on your style preferences. Im on a big Power/Prog/Symphonic kick and its been a good year for that.

Also I guess Ritual Servant - Metallum Evangelii is "kinda" a 2019 release even though most songs were a year prior

At the moment, my list for 2019 would look as follows.

1) Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure
2) Avantasia - Moonglow
3) Beast in Black - From Hell With Love
4) Warrior Path - Warrior Path
5) Rhapsody of Fire - The Eighth Mountain

I must add that there's been coming out a LOT of albums that have the potential to knock down all but number 1, especially the past two months.

That Avantasia is best they've done since Wicked Symphony imo.

Diviner is my favourite so far!

Just about every 2019 release that came out this year that I purchased has been reissues / remasters of 80's material.

My lone "new" music purchase was Fear Not's "For The Wounded Heart (EP)"...so it is my winner 

Bought4Life wrote:Just about every 2019 release that came out this year that I purchased has been reissues / remasters of 80's material.

My lone "new" music purchase was Fear Not's "For The Wounded Heart (EP)"...so it is my winner 

Me almost exactly.

Add Demon Hunter - War and Peace to the Fear Not EP and that's it.

Godman - Hypostatic Union
Mawcore - Mudman
Teramaze - We Are Soldiers
Neal Morse - Jesus Christ The Exorcist
20 Lb. Sledge - Electric Exodus
Seventh Day Slumber - Closer To Chaos
Diviner - Realms Of Time
Awaken - Identity
Lordchain - Civil War
All Things Fallen - S/T
Sunroad - Heatstrokes
Sacrificium - The Avowal Of The Centurion
Death Therapy - Voices
Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh - Oh, The Horror!
XIII Minutes - Obsessed
Ritual Servant - Metallum Evangelii
Outside The Shadows - Division
Faith Head - Genesys
Relent - Heart Attack
Lovewar - Lovewar
The Persuaded - Dawn Of Destruction
What They Dies For - Can't Stop Us Now
Rainforce - Rock And Roll (EP)
S91 - Along The Sacred Path
Waxpanel - For Those Left Standing
Darkwater - Human
DaysEye - Victory
N.O.G. - Take It By Storm
Adelaide - Strong + Brave
We Are Vessel - Lift Your Voice

Just to name a few...

Ritual Servant—Metallum Evangelii
Neal Morse—Jesus Christ The Exorcist 
N.O.G.—Take it by Storm
Diviner—Realms of Time
Lordchain—Civil War

I'm going to agree with Bought4Life and eatbugs….this year has been almost all reissues! 

Got the Fear Not EP but it didn't connect with me. Right now, I'm leaning toward these as my top three so far:

Diviner - Realms of Time
Demon Hunter - War/Peace
Darkwater - Human

Diviner - Realms Of Time
GFM - Oh, The Horror
Death Therapy - Voices
My Epic - Violence
Demon Hunter - War/Peace

My favorites so far are:


Lordchain - Civil War
Fear Not - For The Wonded Heart
Lovewar - Lovewar
N.O.G. - Take It By Storm
Diviner - Realms of Time
Whiteray - The Collected Works
Shining Force - Out For Blood


I didn't know that GSM and Faithhead even had new projects out!  I am behind!!!

MadKraken wrote:- Skald in Veum - Stridslysten
- Triuwint - Uber Trummertalem

I'm really jazzed for the new Triuwint album but am waiting for the CD.    How would you compare it to their debut?

Do you know if the lyrics to the Skald in veum album are available anywhere?  I'd really like to read 'em before I buy it.

Hmm, OK, I gotta check out this new Diviner disc now.

It's euro power metal with an edge. I know that isn't your thing usually but it's good.

There hasn't been a whole lot released this year that I've got, though I have been really enjoying these (in alphabetical order):

Full Lengths:
The Arbiter - Water From The River Of Life
Death Therapy - Voices
Irgalom - Meditate (Volume 1)
Ritual Servant - Metallum Evangelii

EPs/Singles:
Irgalom - Like A Breath
Joshua's Creed - You Are I Am
Llafineve - Shelter
Melech - Agnus Dei
Theocracy - Time (Angra cover)

Black Rider wrote:It's euro power metal with an edge. I know that isn't your thing usually but it's good.

Yeah, it's not for me but kudos to them.

alldatndensum wrote:Shining Force - Out For Blood

How is this and where did you get it?

I enjoyed their first album.

Temple of Blood wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:Shining Force - Out For Blood

How is this and where did you get it?

I enjoyed their first album.

If you liked their first, then this continues right where they left off.

I ordered from Billy Vaughn on Facebook.  He is part of the band.

I like that, hope they get bigger.

Black Rider wrote:I like that, hope they get bigger.

That they sound like where they left off, or me ordering from the band?  Or, is it both?  LOL

I ordered from Billy as that was the only place to get it.  I don't know why, but I feel like there should have been an album in between these and I have it somewhere.  But, they are only showing two on their website which I have now.

Surprised none of you kids have mentioned Monolith by Drottnar yet. That album wins hands down for me. The Frosthardr full length is also worthy of mention, but I guess that was released December 2018, but I didn't get it until 2019. The new Vials of Wrath I am looking forward to.

 CMF