My best albums of 2018 are produced from well-known artists as well as from underground-bands and newcomers. I will only list nine albums this year, because I had eleven last year. It’s all about the balance. The same procedure as every year- let’s go!
Don't forget to check out the Top Albums of the other More Fuzz team members !
Top 9 Albums of 2018
9 : Weedpecker – III
The third record of the Warsaw four-piece is a coherent, psychedelic microcosm that’s worth to explore. I personally had to invest some patience and mindfulness to get into it. But once I entered I couldn’t (and still can’t!) get enough of the beautiful and exigent complexity.
8 : Somali Yacht Club – The Sea
Let’s go on at the same pace. But hey, there’s an immense power hidden in the seemingly calmer stuff. There once was a festival in the Bavarian forest and psssssssst I was a bit drunk 
At this point: a big shout-out to the dudes that dragged me to the stage when Somali Yacht Club played their gig. Melodic, yet heavy! His clean and levitating voice is so special.
7 : Windhand – Eternal Return
The split with Satan’s Satyrs earlier this year was already dope. But daaaaamn, this new full-length record blows my mind. A saturnine prevailing tune with sick riffs, dreamy and melancholic moments as well as fuzzed out soli. They just really remained true to themselves and brought their own style to perfection. At least that’s what I think.
6 : Deathbell – With The Beyond
What my flatmates probably think I do when I listen to music from Deathbell far too long and loud:
Riffhailing, creeping, atmospheric doom with conspiratorial female vocals that brings occult to a new level. No more words needed. Nevertheless, if you need more words you will be happy with the full review.
5: Great News – Wonderfault
The first time I heard Great News was when I listened to my favorite radio station. They played the single “Told”. I instantly fell in love with their faded-out psychedelic indie-rock. The fresh trio comes from Bergen, Norway. Their music also has some 80ies-vibes and handsome vocals. Their tunes are pretty dreamy and smooth with somehow corny texts.
I was even happier when they released their full-length debut Wonderfault on 16th February. Such Great News! (also 2018 is definitely my year of worst dad jokes 
)
According to an annual flashback from a well-known streaming platform everyone knows (but I won’t make an ad now hahah) Great News is the band I’ve listened the most that year. Full 16 hours. You know what? That’s bullshit. I had the pleasure and saw them live in Dortmund and of course I had to buy a vinyl. And logically I played the record far more often than I listened to online. For fans of bands like Tame Impala, Fai Baba or The Holydrug Couple.
4 : Magmakammer – Mindtripper
Watch out, you’re just about to get to know you’re new fav doom-band. Ok, if you’re a dedicated reader of More Fuzz you will already know them since Mr. Darkstar wrote a review. Magmakammer is also from Norway. The dudes perfectly blend heavy acid rock with crawling doom metal and wailing vocals.
The typical monotonous doom gets turned into a very interesting mix with organ-elements and fuzzy guitar soli. If you’re into Electric Wizard you should definitely give Mindtripper a spin. At least you should listen to the songs “Along the Crooked Roads” and “Fat Saturn”. “The Voyage” is the most laidback tune and reminds me of the early Black-Sabbath-era from Vol. 4.
3 : Belzebong – Light the Dankness
Yus, they delivered again! Fuzzy, fatty and groovy stoner-doom at its best! They are not only kings of the bongs but also of their craft.
“Oh my god… Uuuuuugh what is this?”- “It’s the bong of eternal stench!”
Any more questions? Good. Lean back and enjoy.
2 : Black Voodoo Train – We Are Not in California
Black Voodoo Train come crawling from the deep psychedelic-rock-underground based in Munich, Germany. In my opinion the best song of the record is the opener “Dizzy Lines” – that’s also one of my favorite songs of the whole year. As she sings “tripping away, we’ve got no reasons to stay” the track starts really laid back and atmospheric. The moment the groovy and catchy basslines kick in couldn’t be more perfect. The trippy psychedelic rock gets really spaced out with blurry synthesizers as the train takes off to outer space. I also like the message of the song: not seeming to fit in in the weird society nowadays, giving a fuck and living your own life without regrets.
The instrumental “Jam” extends for unconventional 13 minutes. Do you know the feeling when you’re like really (but not too) drunk and fucking happy without any worries and your head in the clouds? That feeling couldn’t be transferred better with the track “Weltraumalcohol”, which can be translated with “alcohol from outer space”. The closer “on my own” is even more spaced out than the other songs.
1 : Death Alley – Superbia
I still can’t get over the glow-up from Death Alley. Indeed I’m a fangirl from the very first beginning of Death Alley with their debut “Black Magick Boogieland”, which is a solid and pure rock’n’roll record. Not more but not less. After touring around and undergoing a line-up-change Death Alley came back even stronger than before. Their songs got a dark twist and many more layers.
They somehow conjured deepness to their music with a brilliant, yet almost desperate songwriting and gimmick with tricky melodies and song structures. My absolute favorite songs of the record are “Murder All Your Dreams” and “Daemon”. In a herb contrast to Black Voodoo Train they don’t really seem to believe in their hopes and dreams anymore, not only in their lyrics.
Are you ready for the saddest plot twist? Death Alley announced a break for an indefinite period via Facebook. They already played their last concert for now on 3rd January 2019 in Amsterdam. However, I really believe in their strength and hope they will make it again.
Deep words. But hey! 2019 will bring a lot of sick tunes and surprises for sure, so just keep your ears peeled.
Don't forget to check out the Top Albums of the other More Fuzz team members !
Honourable Mentions
Black Rainbows – Pandaemonium
Blue Haze – Nightdive
Conan – Existential Void Guardian
Dopethrone – Transcanadian Anger
Drug Cult – Drug Cult
Lydia Laska – Ego Death
Messa – Feast Of Water
Naxatras – III
Saturnia – The Seance Tapes
Sundrifter – Visitations
The Oh Sees – Smote Reverser
Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats – Wasteland
YOB – Our Raw Heart
Recent comments