Hey guys! I’m back yet again with my best of 2019 article! I’ve added some more categories yet again, so this will even further expand from 2018.  Another reminder THERE IS NO ORDER, I JUST JOTTED DOWN WHAT I LOVED THIS YEAR.  I doubt many people will even pay attention to that even if its all in caps.  I hope you enjoy the new additions to my yearly recap! Have fun! Sound off if you feel like you agree or disagree with my taste and keep it polite!

BEST ALBUMS OF 2019

1. Hath- Of Rot And Ruin (killer blackened death metal with a prog twist)
2. Oblivion- Oblivion (tech death metal with lots and lots of groove)
3. Tortoise Forest Debut Album (instrumental jam band fusion locally out of Western New York!)
4. A Novelist- Folie (progressive technical death metal with some psychedelic and melodic leanings)
5. Orchid- Miasma (wild progressive mathcore from India)
6. Continuum- Designed Obsolescence (wild technical death metal featuring many great artists)
7. Denis Shvarts- Dreamology (guitarist of Dark matter secret, instrumental melodic prog insanity)
8. Devin Townsend- Empath (wild experimental, operatic progressive metal/rock)
9. Misery Index- Rituals Of Power (insanely heavy death metal grind….you know who the heck these guys are!)
10. Consider The Source- You Are Literally A Metaphor (wild Eastern instrumental progressive rock fusion mind-blowing madness)
11. Visceral Disgorge- Slithering Evisceration (brutal death metal)
12. Devourment- Obscene Majesty (brutal death metal)
13. Disentomb- The Decaying Light (brutal death metal with a bit more dissonance)
14. Flub Self Titled (wild tech death)
15. Organectomy- Existential Disconnect (brutal death metal probably one of my top 5 if not favorite brutal release of the year)
16. Abnormality- Sociopathic Constructs (brutal death metal)
17. Inanimate Existence- Clockwork (tech death with prog influences, been on heavy rotation for me this year)
18. Fractal Universe- Rhizomes Of Insanity (progressive death metal with some technical twists)
19. Protopilot: Volume 1 (instrumental prog fusion band from Buffalo with a plethora of musical influences)
20. Allegaeon- Apoptosis (melodic tech death)
21. Warforged- I: Voice (progressive death metal)
22. Ola Englund- Master Of The Universe (instrumental prog guitar goodness from The Haunted and infamous Youtuber)
23. The Tao Of Davey K (solo project of Turning Virtue frontman, acoustic album with that haunting Steven Wilson tone)
24. Embludgeonment- Barn Burner (death metal)
25. Equipoise- Demiurgus (trashy tech death)
26. Zakk Jones- Mise​-​en​-​scène (jazz insanity)
27. Blood Incantation- Hidden History Of The Human Race (psychedelic prog death metal)
28. Exhumed- Horror (you know who the fuck they are!)
29. Opeth- In Cauda Venenum
30. Cattle Decapitation- Death Atlas
31. Horror God- Cursed Seeds
32. Immanifest- Macrobial
33. Unfathomable Ruination- Enraged And Unbound (insane and unusual tech death)
34. Singularity- Place Of Chains (symphonic blackened technical death metal)
35. Gutted Alive- Killing Desire(Rochester brutal death metal)
36. Murder Made God- Endless Return (Tech death)
37. Dream Theater- Distance Over Time
38. Fields of Elysium- In Ancient Contemplation
39. Godeater- All Flesh Is Grass
40. The Ritual Aura- Velothi
41. Cognizance- Malignant Dominion
42. Contrarian- Their Worm Never Dies
43. Ecliptic Vision- Ecliptic Vision

BEST EP’S/SINGLES OF 2019

1. In Asymmetry Demo (tech death prog death metal heaven)
2. Ulfven- A Mother’s Betrayal(melodic death metal)
3. Lest We Forget- Zero Won (melodic progressive metal)
4. Anomalism- Parasitic Spawn (technical melodic death metal awesomeness)
5. The Trayen Burke (Constructs) singles- “Dark Matter”, “Supernova”, “Gravity” (instrumental progressive djent metal)
6. Arkaik- Supernal Flame (modern tech death legends) Whether this is a separate single or included on their pending 2020 release……it’s also definitely one of the best songs of 2019.
7. Black Crown Initiate “Years In Frigid Light”
8. Forever In Transit- Re-Connection

2019 SURPRISES

1. The ever so expanding Eastbreath Records.  They keep signing some killer bands (In Asymmetry, INRAIN, Neptunus and Ash Prison just to name a few) and aren’t slowing down at all! Check out this expanding small record label out of Indonesia!
2. Inanimate Existence Official Premiere Of “Voyager” YES we got a rare opportunity to promote one of our favorite band’s singles from their 2019 album “Clockwork”.  How fucking cool is that?
3. We got a new logo! I figured with bringing on Vick and Jacob, helping out and running some shows using our website name we needed a new fresh logo…..and we couldn’t be any happier with the work of JDecker.
4. Our increased reach around the world.  Somehow, people enjoy the different music we promote and music we premiere for everyone who pays attention to the site.  This was started out of boredom by myself during my 2 day off cycle from my job at the time.  I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO GARNER THE ATTENTION IT HAS IN ABOUT TWO YEARS.  Mind blowing to say the least.  Thank you to everyone who has given us a chance, opportunity, and has been following us.  We hope you all stay along for the ride and the growing empire that is Technical Music Review!  TMR Worldwide! Cheers!
5. Adding more people.  We now have a handful of contributors to the site and we might just be at capacity for all I know.  I didn’t think I’d have so many people interested at once but fortunately enough I did! I don’t run this on my own anymore and can’t fully take the credit anymore with some new kids on the block!

FAVORITE INTERVIEWS OF 2019

1. Hugo of Beyond Creation/Equipoise/Brought By Pain
2. Levi from The Ritual Aura
3. Nick “never will tour” Padovani
4. Linus Klausenitzer….one of today’s better bassists hands down.

MOST LISTENED TO SONGS OF 2019

No, I did not consult a streaming service or outside app to compile this list…..I just know by heart what songs I CONSTANTLY HAD IN MY ROTATION.  Here is a little list of what songs I could not get enough of that dropped in 2019.

1. Continuum- Release From Flesh And Blood
2. Wormhole- DS 3
3. Organectomy- Unending Regrowth
4. Consider The Source- You Won A Goat!
5. Black Crown Initiate- Years In Frigid Light
6. Devourment- Cognitive Sedition Butchery
7. Dream Theater- S2N
8. Arkaik- Supernal Flame
9. Inanimate Existence- Voyager
10. Inanimate Existence- Desert