BEST OF 2021 – THE BEST RELEASES OF THE YEAR

Here’s the result of our BEST OF 2021 readers poll (thanks to everyone who sent in their lists).

01. SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
02. ASPHYX – Necroceros
03. HOODED MENACE – The Tritonous Bell
04. DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
05. CEREBRAL ROT – Excretion Of Mortality
06. CARCASS – Torn Arteries
07. CONCRETE WINDS – Nerve Butcherer
08. HEXORCIST – Evil Reaping Death
09. APOSTASY – Death Return
10. FORCE OF DARKNESS – Twilight Of Dark Illumination

And, as usual, here’s what the VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE staff and a couple of label owners and musicians enjoyed the most in 2021 (in alphabetical order)…

Alfonso Perez

  • ALTERED DEAD – Returned To Life
  • CONCRETE WINDS – Nerve Butcherer
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • KILLING ADDICTION – Mind Of A New God
  • METAPHOBIC – Demo 2021
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • SOCIOCLAST – Sociaclast
  • SPHINX – Deathstroke
  • UNANIMATED – Victory In Blood
  • YOTH IRIA – As the Flame Withers

Anders Peter Jørgensen

  • CLANDESTINE BLAZE – Secrets Of Laceration
  • FERRITERIUM – Calvaire
  • HOODED MENACE – The Tritonus Bell
  • MAZE OF TERROR – Offer To The Fucking Beasts
  • MORTIFERUM – Preserved In Torment
  • NUCLEAR REVENGE – Dawn Of The Primitive Age
  • OFERMOD – Mysterium Iniquitatis
  • STARGAZER – Psychic Secretions
  • TITAN – Palengesia
  • TYRANNIC – Mortuus Decadence

David Simonton

  • ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE – Purifying Blade
  • ARCHGOAT – Worship The Eternal Darkness
  • CRYPTA – Echoes Of The Soul
  • DARKTHRONE – Eternal Hails…
  • GATECREEPER – An Unexpected Reality
  • HULDER – Godslastering: Hymns Of A Forlorn Peasantry
  • INVULTATION – Unconquerable Death
  • NERVOSA – Perpetual Chaos
  • SPECTRAL WOUND – A Diabolic Thirst
  • WORMWITCH – Wolf Hex

Frank Stöver

  • ALTERED DEAD – Returned To Life
  • ANCIENT CRYPTS – Between The Mortuary Remains
  • APOSTASY – Death Return
  • CONCRETE WINDS – Nerve Butcherer
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • MORBID MESSIAH – Disgorged In The Coffin
  • RAPTURE – Malevolent Demise Incarnation
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • THE TROOPS OF DOOM – The Absence Of Light
  • UNDER THE CHURCH – Total Burial

Jaime Perez

  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • BEWITCHER – Cursed Be Thy Kingdom
  • BUNKER 66 – Beyond The Help Of Prayers
  • DESASTER – Churches Without Saints
  • DRUADAN FOREST / OLD SORCERY – Split
  • FROZEN SOUL – Crypt Of Ice
  • INOCULATION – Celestial Putridity
  • MALUM – Devil’s Creation
  • MOON – Pandimensional Gnosis
  • PAN-AMERIKAN NATIVE FRONT – Little Turtle’s War

Jarne Brauns

  • APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE – Until The Darkness Goes
  • COLD EARTH – Your Misery, My Triumph
  • FORNHEM – Stämman Fran Berget
  • MASTODON – Hushed And Grim
  • NEGURA BUNGET – Zau
  • OFERMOD – Mysterium Iniquitatis
  • THE LIMIT – Caveman Logic
  • THE RUINS OF BEVERAST – The Thule Grimoires
  • ULVER – Flowers Of Evil
  • WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM – Primordial Arcana

Julián Núñez

  • BALMOG – Eve
  • CRAVEN IDOL – Forged Tongues
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • FORCE OF DARKNESS – Twilight Of Dark Illumination
  • MAGGOTS – Legion De Gusanos
  • NEKROMANTHEON – Visions Of Trimegistos
  • SUFFERING HOUR – The Cyclic Reckoning
  • TRANSILVANIA – Of Sleep And Death
  • UNTO OTHERS – Strength
  • YOTH IRÍA – As The Flame Withers

Kat “Shevil” Gillham

  • ABYSMAL GRIEF – Funeral Cult Of Personality
  • ANGUISH – Doomkvädet
  • APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE – Until The Darkness Goes
  • AT THE GATES – The Nightmare Of Being
  • HOODED MENACE – The Tritonous Bell
  • LUNAR SHADOW – Wish To Leave
  • OFERMOD – Mysterium Iniquitatis
  • THE NIGHT ETERNAL – Moonlit Cross
  • WHEEL – Preserved In Time
  • YOTH IRIA – As The Flame Withers

Michael Kujawska

  • 1914 – Where Fear And Weapons Meet
  • ABLAZE MY SORROW – Among Ashes And Monoliths
  • AT THE GATES – The Nightmare Of Being
  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Violence Unimagined
  • CARCASS – Torn Arteries
  • DUSKMOURN – Fallen Kings And Rusted Crowns
  • NINKHARSAG – The Dread March Of Solemn Gods
  • STORMKEEP – Tales Of Othertime
  • THE CROWN – Royal Destroyer
  • THULCANDRA – A Dying Wish

Miguel Negrón

  • APOSTASY – Death Return
  • CEREBRAL ROT – Excretion Of Mortality
  • DISKORD – Degenerations
  • EXANIMATVM – Sollvm Ipsa Mor
  • GRAVE MIASMA – Abyss Of Wrathful Deities
  • OUTRE-TOMBE – Abysse Mortifère
  • PHRENELITH – Chimaera
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • SNET – Mokvání V Okovech
  • SUFFERING SIGHTS – When Sanity Becomes Insanity

Mindaugas “Plix” Lapinskas

  • ACCEPT – Too Mean To Die
  • CARCASS – Torn Arteries
  • INFIDEL REICH – New World Outrage
  • MASSACRE – Resurgence
  • MEMORIAM – To The End
  • NUNSLAUGHTER – Red Is The Color Of Ripping Death
  • OUTRE-TOMBE – Abysse Mortifère
  • PHRENETIX – Exuviae
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • STINKER – Doomed Earth

Mirco Szymyslik

  • ALCHEMY OF FLESH – Ageless Abominations
  • ALTERED DEAD – Returned To Life
  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • CADAVERIC INCUBATOR – Nightmare Necropolis
  • CONJURETH – Majestic Dissolve
  • DIABOLIZER – Khalkedonian Death
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • HEXORCIST – Evil Reaping Death
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • TEMPLE OF DREAD – Hades Unleashed

Randolph Whateley

  • BASTARÐUR – Satan’s Loss Of Son
  • DESASTER – Churches Without Saints
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • E-FORCE – Mindbender
  • INCARCERATION – Empiricism
  • KHNVM – Portals To Oblivion
  • LOCK UP – The Dregs Of Hades
  • NECRONOMICON – The Final Chapter
  • RUNNING WILD – Blood On Blood
  • TENTATION – Le Berceau Des Dieux

Ricardo Campos

  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • BLACK SOUL HORDE – Horrors From The Void
  • CIRITH UNGOL – Half Past Human
  • HEAVY SENTENCE – Bang To Rights
  • HITTEN – Triumph & Tragedy
  • HOODED MENACE – The Tritonus Bell
  • NEKROMANTHEON – Visions Of Trismegistos
  • SIGNIFICANT POINT – Into The Storm
  • TALES OF MEDUSA – Antiquity
  • WORKS OF THE FLESH – Works Of The Flesh

Riccardo Berti

  • ABORTOFACIENT – In The Crypt Of Gore
  • ANTEDILUVIAN – The Divine Punishment
  • ARCHGOAT – Worship The Eternal Darkness
  • ASKE / CABRA INFERNAL – Split
  • AZAZEL – Aegrum Satanas Tecum
  • CAVEMAN CULT – Blood And Extinction
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • HEPATOMANCY – De Tyrannide Daemonum
  • NÄCHTLICH – Satanas Solum Initium Est
  • NADSVEST / NECROBODE – Split

Steven Willems

  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • CARCASS – Torn Arteries
  • DESASTER – Churches Without Saints
  • HEXORCIST – Evil Reaping Death
  • HOODED MENACE – The Tritonus Bell
  • KAELAN MIKLA – Undir Köldum Norðurljósum
  • LANA DEL REY – Blue Banisters
  • LANA DEL REY – Chemtrails Over The Country Club
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • SYLVIE KREUSCH – Montbray

Thomas Meyer

  • ANGRRSTH – Donikad
  • APOSTASY – Death Return
  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • COUNT RAVEN – The Sixth Storm
  • ENDSEEKER – Mount Carcass
  • GOATH – III – Shaped By The Unlight
  • HEADS FOR THE DEAD – Into The Red
  • RAPTURE – Malevolent Demise Incarnation
  • TENTATION – Le Berceau Des Dieux
  • THRONEHAMMER – Incantation Rites

Tim Klöcker

  • AVA BONAM – Dreams
  • EMMA RUTH RUNDLE – Engine Of Hell
  • EYEHATEGOD – A History Of Nomadic Behavior
  • IMMOLATION – Apostle (track)
  • IMPALED NAZARENE – Eight Headed Serpent
  • MAYHEM – Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando
  • OBSCENITY – Perversion Mankind Re-Release
  • REVEREE – Severance
  • SUNN O))) – Benevolence
  • WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM – Primordial Arcana

Vamsi Kanagovi

  • ÂGE ⱡ TOTAL – Âge ⱡ Total
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • MISOTHEIST – For The Glory Of Your Redeemer
  • PORTAL – Avow
  • SIDEREAN – Lost On Void’s Horizon
  • SKEPTICISM – Companion
  • SLIMELORD – Moss Contamination
  • TURRIS EBURNEA – Turris Eburnea
  • WHARFLURCH – Psychedelic Realms Ov Hell
  • WORM – Foreverglade

Gene Palubicki (PERDITION TEMPLE / MALEFIC THRONE / ANGELCORPSE)

  • ABHORRATION – After Winter Comes War
  • APOSTASY – Death Return
  • ASCENDED DEAD / ATOMICIDE – Split
  • CAMBION – Conflagrate the Celestial Refugium
  • CIRITH UNGOL – Half Past Human
  • CONCRETE WINDS – Nerve Butcherer
  • FORCE OF DARKNESS – Twilight Of Dark Illumination
  • FRIGHTFUL – Spectral Creator
  • HEXORCIST – Evil Reaping Death
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises

Wannes Gubbels (PENTACLE)

  • ANATOMIA – CORPOREAL TORMENT
  • APOSTASY – Death Return
  • CONCRETE WINDS – Nerve Butcherer
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Congregation Pestilence
  • FORCE OF DARKNESS – Twilight Of Dark Illumination
  • HELL TREPANNER – Unholy Proclamations Of Death And Darkness
  • HEXORCIST – Evil Reaping Death
  • NECROMANTIA – To The Depths We Descend
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • WITCHES HAMMER – Devourer Of The Dead

Anastasis Valtsanis (NUCLEAR WINTER RECORDS)

  • APOSTASY – Death Return
  • CAMBION – Conflagrate The Celestial Refugium
  • FRIGHTFUL – Spectral Creator
  • HOODED MENACE – The Tritonus Bell
  • HYPERDONTIA – Hideous Entity
  • NEKROMANTHEON – Visions Of Trismegistos
  • PHRENELITH – Chimaera
  • QRIXKUOR – Poison Palinopsia
  • SULPHUROUS – The Black Mouth Of Sepulchre
  • WHARFLURCH – Psychedelic Realms Ov Hell

Andy Tan (KONQUEROR RECORDS)

  • CEREBRAL ROT – Excretion Of Mortality
  • DARKTHRONE – Eternal Hails
  • GENOCIDE PACT – Genocide Pact
  • GOSUDAR – Morbid Despotic Ritual
  • HEXORCIST – Evil Reaping Death
  • MORBIFIC – Ominous Seep Of Putridity
  • OUTRE-TOMBE – Abysse Mortifere
  • ROTPIT – Into The Rotpit
  • VENEFIXION – A Sigh From Below
  • WITCHVOMIT – Abhorrent Rapture

Dawid Witeszczak (FALLEN TEMPLE)

  • BAXAXAXA – Catacomb Cult
  • BOHEMYST ‎- Čerň A Smrt
  • CAVERNE – La Fin De Tous Les Chants
  • CLANDESTINE BLAZE – Secrets Of Laceration
  • DARKTHRONE – Eternal Hails…
  • DESASTER – Churches Without Saints
  • EVIL – Possessed By Evil
  • MYSTERIES – In The Dark And Sodomy / Promo ’94
  • NECROMANTICAL INVOCATION – Dogme Et Rituel De La Haute Magie
  • WARTODD – Pagan Pride

Giorgio M. Spevo (EVERLASTING SPEW RECORDS)

  • ÆNIGMATUM – Deconsecrate
  • ALTERED DEAD – Returned To Life
  • CAMBION – Conflagrate The Celestial Refugium
  • GRAVESEND – Methods of Human Disposal
  • HYPERDONTIA – Hideous Entity
  • MALIGNANT ALTAR – Realms Of Exquisite Morbidity
  • MORTIFERUM – Preserved In Torment
  • SIJJIN – Sumerian Promises
  • THE RUINS OF BEVERAST – The Thule Grimoires
  • WHARFLURCH – Psychedelic Realms Ov Hell

Georgios Filippidis (FLOGA RECORDS)

  • ARCHGOAT – Worship The Eternal Darkness
  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • AT THE GATES – The Nightmare Of Being
  • CULT OF EIBON – Black Flame Dominion
  • HELHEIM – Woduridar
  • NIGHTFALL – At Night We Prey
  • PESTILENCE – Exitivm
  • STORMKEEP – Tales Of Othertime
  • TRIBULATION – Where The Gloom Becomes Sound
  • UNANIMATED – Victory In Blood

Katia Losanno (NIGREDO PRODUCTIONS / HOOKED ON METAL RECORDS)

  • ANTEDILUVIAN – The Divine Punishment
  • CULTES DES GHOULES – Deeds Without A Name
  • DARKTHRONE – Eternal Hails
  • GODHEAD MACHINERY – Monotheistic Enslavement
  • GRAVE MIASMA – Abyss Of Wrathful Deities
  • KONQUEST – The Night Goes On
  • MYSTIC STORM – From The Ancient Chaos
  • QRIXKUOR – Poison Palinopsia
  • SEXMAG – Sex Storm
  • YOTH IRIA – As The Flame Withers

Rico Unglaube (F.D.A. RECORDS)

  • AEON – God Ends Here
  • BILLY IDOL – The Roadside
  • CARCASS – Torn Arteries
  • CONCRETE WINDS – Nerve Butcher
  • OPHIS – Spew Forth Odium
  • OTTO VON SCHIRACH – Animal
  • PUTRED / ERUPTIVE – Split
  • RAPTURE – Malevolent Demise Incarnation
  • REXUL – Erebus… Virtuosus… Alpha…
  • VOMIT SPELL – Vomit Spell

Raúl Sampedro (MEMENTO MORI)

  • APPARITION – Feel
  • CEREBRAL ROT – Excretion Of Mortality
  • COFFIN MULCH – Septic Funeral
  • INCINERATE – Back To Reality
  • LACERATION – Demise
  • MORBIFIC – Ominous Seep Of Putridity
  • PHANTASMAGORE – Insurrection Or Submission
  • RAPTURE – Malevolent Demise Incarnation
  • SNĚT – Mokvání V Okovech
  • WHARFLURCH – Psychedelic Realms Ov Hell

Roel van Reijmersdal (VIC RECORDS)

  • AEON – God Ends Here
  • ASPHYX – Necroceros
  • HOODED MENACE – The Tritonus Bell
  • KILLING ADDICTION – Mind Of A New God
  • NECROMANTIA – To The Depths We Descend
  • PARADOX – Heresy II – End Of A Legend
  • RUDE – Outer Reaches
  • UNANIMATED – Victory In Blood
  • UNDER THE CHURCH – Total Burial
  • YOTH IRIA – As The Flame Withers

Roy Yeo (PULVERISED RECORDS)

  • ARCHGOAT – Worship The Eternal Darkness
  • DEAFHEAVEN – Infinite Granite
  • EXANIMATVM – Sollvm Ipsa Mor
  • HELSLAVE – From The Sulphur Depths
  • IN MOURNING – The Bleeding Veil
  • MORTIFERUM – Preserved In Torment
  • OLDSKULL – Nether Hollow Of No Return
  • TRIBULATION – Where The Gloom Becomes Sound
  • UNDER THE CHURCH – Total Burial
  • VOMIT RITUAL – Callous

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