The 2019 Arsies: January 24, 2019

January 24, 2019

Emotion	●●○	●●●
Memorability	●●○	●●●
Replayability	●●○	●●●
Innovation	●●●	●●○
Pace	●●○	●●●
Shredding	●●●	●●●
Vocals	●●○	●●○
Production	●●○	●●●
		✓

Avant-garde black metal New Yorkers Imperial Triumphant get to start our match today in truly twisted fashion. Last year's Vile Luxury garnered a lot of praise from the metal press, and I was quick to agree: the band is audacious, and I'm a sucker for artists who swing for the fences. The wildly uneven production remains a sticking point, but more than anything else, this album is just plain hard on the ears. Also, good luck trying to headbang to this.
Job For A Cowboy respond with Sun Eater, reminding that technical metal doesn't have to feel quite like homework. Is it more traditional and predictable than Imperial Triumphant? Duh. But JFAC still manage to surprise and delight while being technical and cutthroat. And, as a bonus, it's all recognizably metal. Top-notch production and standout musicianship seal the deal. Nice one, JFAC! Now let's see how you do against BTBAM₂₀₁₂ in two weeks.
Tomorrow, Week 3 comes to a close with Bleed From Within versus Decapitated. Sounds gory either way!