THE YEAR OF 2011

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I started list in Finnish black metal forum, investigating what happened in Finnish BM during 2011. In form of releases, that is. Eventually list turned to be.. I guess reaching closer to 70+ vinyl/cd releases. That's one country, one small genre. With no really tapes, demos etc acknowledged at that point.

Thinking of noise / pe / industrial, it appears to be simply impossible task to even think what exactly was released or re-released in 2011. Amount of material is such a huge amount, I would guess vast majority of people has still to even fully understand what all has been done. And perspective of what happened this year and 2010, is already blurred.

So, who needs to remember all? Nobody. What were the highlight releases. What were EXCEPTIONAL releases? What were the highlight labels activities?

I still remain in confusion, what exactly DID happen? Which bands managed to bring something new, something better or something exceptional. It is easy to say there is a lot of good stuff. Yet also a lot of material is very safe addition to discographies and provides no challenge or hard to digest complications for listeners. For entertainment, 2011 has been triumphant. For other things, we'll see!

I'll be thinking of the goodies when I get my brain focused on 2011.

[RyanWreck]

I'm really going to have to sit on this one and think it through but right off the top of my head...it is obviously not new but I am glad that a focus has been getting larger on pure, undiluted junk metal noise with releases like the Sonno Ferrum compilation, some of the Alleypisser material, and those Hal Hutchinson tapes, among a few other stand outs.

As far as labels are concerned, whether they were labels established this year, labels that have been around a year or so but really just "came into their own" in 2011 or labels that had a very satisfying catalog for this year I would say that Lust Vessel should get a large share of back-patting for their latest batch which was incredibly hyped but for good reason, everything from the packaging and art to the sounds and concepts were especially strong. I have always respected and thoroughly enjoyed Waterpower and this year was no exception. 10 solid releases ranging from droning crackles and walls to bulldozing Power Electronics. Trash Ritual's sublabel Steel Sadist Rebirth started up and quickly proved itself this year. Mack's Crown Tapes project looks and sounds like it could end up being a capable, exciting label and the stuff he is putting out may be fairly original for this day and age. Finland's Untergeschoss was very effective this year with all 6 releases they put out, SSRI/Umpio split and Chloroform Rapist being the strongest, in my opinion, although everything was far above your average releases. Anabolic Dimensions is a label to definitely keep your eyes on. Abuse Patterns wins for packaging this year, Machismo was very tight sounding and Crown of Cerberus is just plain great and does so without any hint of violence. And of course it would be hard not to mention Filth & Violence but the label has been around for a long time now and we are all aware of what they are doing over there and how good it is no matter what year or what type of material it is. 2011 gave us a couple new artists and definitely strengthened the overall F&V catalog by putting out some of their best stuff this year.

I'm sure there are more labels and I have quite a few artists to put up but I'll come back to this thread and add more when I can actually sink into it.

[Scat-O-Logy]

Ryan already listed a lot of labels that performed very well this year but I must add few Danish labels which really got my attention with the bizarreness they put out. The first one, Posh Isolation is actually pretty new to me (even though they have been around for a "long time" now) but they managed to really impress me with their releases. Each release was pure gold, ranging down from the depths of drone to the purely murderous harshness of noise. The second one, Nordisk Klub, which is actually also a new acquaintance for me put out some brutally good harsh noise.

DUTCH!?!##

Haha, my mistake. Now corrected :D

[Ashley Choke]

DUTCH!?!##

[Tommy Carlsson]

Didn't buy many new releases this year, and a lot of good stuff just flew under my radar I guess. The one record that really stood out for me this year was the Rodger Stella/Kites Interior Moon LP. I have played it a lot, keep returning to it, and can see myself spinning it many more times before I die.

[Goat93]

Highlight for me were for Sure Filth & Violence with so much good releases. I liked some of the Re-Issues of Rozz Williams "Premature Ejaculation" last Year but most CDs are just complete boring fillers. All in 2011 were. They should release Death Culture instead of that. From Freak Animal comes new N12, Sick Seed / Shift and from Turgid the Sick Seed 7". From Hospital were a Lot of new Stuff around. And aTeceline were also a nice New Found for me. Meldy Peaches were also quiet funny, but must see others i don't remember now o0

edit: Fuck i forgot Tesco totaly with G.O and Ke/HIl + new BDN 3LP

[nidding]

Ryan already listed a lot of very well preformed labels but I must add few Dutch labels that really got my attention this year with the bizarreness they put out. The first one, Posh Isolation is acutally pretty new to me (even though they have been around for a "long time" now) but they managed to really impress me with their releases. Each release was pure gold, ranging down from the depths of drone to the purely murderous harshness of noise. The second one, Nordisk Klub, which is acutally also a new acquaintance for me put out some brutally good harsh noise.

Both of those labels are Danish. Great none the less, sure.

I think PAN has been releasing some fantastic material during 2011, also Italian acts like Lettera 22 are really showing off their potential. And then there's the Dilloway - Lip Synching to Verme LP on Hundebiss, fucking excellent record that has received many, many spins here. (apart from that I've actually mostly been listening to the Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972 LP on Kranky)

[Nyodene D]

As far as Power Electronics / Industrial stuff this year, Unrest has been crushing it.  Excellent releases from Shift, Human Larvae, Pestdemon, STAB Electronics, Anemone Tube and others.

Hospital has had a pretty momentous year, not only because of that massive White Eye Of Winter Watching comp, but especially the way that they - along with labels like Posh Isolation - have been on the forefront of this whole black metal / darkwave / industrial unity thing that's been happening.

Anabolic Dimensions has been doing a great job with their first three releases, and so has the constant quality over at Phage Tapes, who is now full-steam into not only cassette, but also CDs and Vinyl.

Also, Malignant is having a great year, but will really shine in  2012. 2011 from them gave us the Sewer Goddess live CD, new Sektor 304, Negru Voda 3xCD, Hypersiphrone, the new Control disc and others.  2011 gives us new releases by Skin Area, Funerary Call, Kristoffer Nystroms Okester, and AHEM, my next full length - which i'm the only one excited for - will make it a good year.

Mike Page has had a big fucking year as Sky Burial.  Three full-length CDs (Aegri Somnia on Utech, Threnody For Collapsing Suns on Phage, Transmission from the Void on Crucial Blast), a tape and lots of other stuff. 

And, of course, Tesco has had a pretty huge year.  Two big label-oriented shows (including the US), The God Blast America DVD, several new G.O. releases, taking over CMI, etc etc...

This has been a good year in terms of neofolk for me too.  Excellent new albums by Cult Of Youth, Hexvessel, King Dude, Of The Wand And The Moon, Rome, Current 93 and ART ABSCONs.

Darkwave this year was great too: Cold Cave, Mueran Humanos, Martial Canterel, Xeno & Oaklander, Scorpion Violente, Contrepoison, Lust For Youth, etc all doing vinyl and being in demand.

[rottingmouth]

PAN had a really incredible year.  Haven't heard every LP but there were great new ones by Frieder Butzmann and John Wiese.  Most of all I really enjoy the R/S LP featuring various Rehberg / Schmickler live collaborations.  As always the packaging is a cut above pretty much anyone else.

Lust Vessel's return was a definite highlight for me.  All of the new tapes were very strong and both the sounds and art adhere nicely to the chosen themes.  It's rare to see a tape-only label (at least so far) that holds quality above quantity like LV does.

The Stella / Kites LP was great.  Rarely have I heard a drone release I could so confidently refer to as "intense".  Extremely focused and rewards multiple listens - I'm always hearing something new.

Posh Isolation had a great year.  They were even more prolific than in 2010 and the new Damien Dubrovnik and LR LPs showed massive improvement from both projects.  Not every tape was great but for the most part the quality level was high and the lineup was more diverse than ever.  The Caucasian Colony project made a very promising debut this year.

Hospital Prod. was impossibly prolific this year and most of the stuff they put out was interesting though some of the tapes sounded kind of half-baked to me.  The LPs by Stillbirth, Alberich and Lussuria were all fantastic but the stand-out of the year for me was the Viodre CD.

Editions Mego was on a roll this year.  I really liked the Mika Vaino record "Life (...It Eats You Up)" and the new Bill Orcutt record.  The new John Elliot-curated sub-label Spectrum Spools is one to watch.

I didn't really keep up with Filth & Violence tapes this year but the new Bizarre Uproar LP and Mania 7" were both fantastic.

The Sickness LP on Gods of Tundra shows a new(ish) approach for Sickness, can't wait to see the project's continued evolution.

[Zeno Marx]

Dajjal - De-evolution in Simulation Generators

My year in experimental/noise/industrial can be summed up in this one release.  Also made my overall top 10 of the year.

Svarte Greiner - Twin was really the only other album worth mentioning, but I bought and listened to very few new releases this year.

[P-K]

I liked some of the Re-Issues of Rozz Williams "Premature Ejaculation" last Year but most CDs are just complete boring fillers.

cdR's  ;-)

[Matthias]

Usually rather not list own label releases but what the fuck, the Erik Enocksson - Apan LP was easily my favorite album of 2011. Two other standout releases for me were Lettera 22 - True Forms LP and the Burial Hex - Book Of Delusions LP. (New Lettera 22 album is very good too, just need to give it more time).

Not that many really good releases from Sweden this year, but Lust For Youth and Pestdemon both released albums I highly enjoyed. A few nice cassettes as well, was especially fond of Altar Of Flies - Let New Life Rise... and Händer Som Vårdar - Bakåtböjning. Should mention the retrospective Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Dreadcade LP as well, sad to see that project go.

The friends down in Denmark released a slew of very solid albums: Damien Dubrovnik - Europa Dagbog LP, LR/Puce Mary LP, Iceage - New Brigade LP, Family Underground - Un Tratto Di Malinconia CD (not sure if this one is even properly released yet though?), Ashley C - Timeless Reality CD and LR - Exile LP... Impressive. Looking forward for the Alleypisser LP on Trash Ritual in 2012. 

Keränen - Moon Over Torrelorca CD and Skullflower - Fucked On A Pile Of Corpses CD was both on constant rotation as well.

Personal musicrelated highlight of 2011 for me was the short tour we did with Heinz Hopf in Italy, good times all around.

[Goat93]

I liked some of the Re-Issues of Rozz Williams "Premature Ejaculation" last Year but most CDs are just complete boring fillers.

cdR's  ;-)

Yeah, sorry. Are CD'rs

[P-K]

my personal 2011 toppers :

the Pestdemon lp .....highly anticipated, had wet dreams about it, pure crowning glory.
Maska Genetik's STRADA lp ...cold, pure ANGST......and all other Galakt releases this year, but Strada stands out
Alfarmania  Hålögd Insikt pic10" ......maybe best Alfar till now ?
STAB Electronics ......good to hear something vile but fresh .
IFOTS embers 7" !!!
Deutsch Nepal Rapist Park Junktion 2x7"
F&V
the Forced Nostalgia label
Lust Vessel
...etc....
......and bought a lot of pre-2011 releases again lol

[Steve]

Just going through what came through the portal doors in 2011 for a write up on my blog.
Thee most enjoyable release was Column One's "No-One" box set. A beautiful piece of art. Astral Social Club put out some amazing sounds as did Ashtray Navigations. It was good to see them making a listenable noise again. A delight was discovering the work of Preslav Literary School, and getting the chance to see them live in a field in Cambridgeshire (UK).
2011 was a good year for sound...and with a new Dilloway double LP out this month, 2012 is starting out on the right note.