With 2020 coming to a close, the members of Internal Bleeding made us a list of their ten favorite albums of the year, in no particular order, with commentary on each pick. Read on for what they had to say...
INTERNAL BLEEDING'S 10 FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2020 (in no particular order)
Trying to put together a top 10 album list for 2020 was a task. There were a lot of great releases to talk about. After much arguing, name calling, and insults that would make the most grizzled marine veteran blush, we finally came up with one.
Defeated Sanity - The Sanguinary Impetus
Our jaws are still on the floor — and this album came out in the summer. Every time you listen to it, you discover something new. How the band can pack so much variety and subtlety into a boatload of chaos is beyond comprehension.
King 810 - AK Concerto No. 47
Chris McCarthy states that this album is “Hard, catchy as hell and with zero fucking compromises. Unmatched in its swag. Davin Gunn is literally the only artist I currently respect.” Nothing else needs to be said.
Deeds of Flesh - Nucleus
What an incredibly fitting tribute to our label founder, friend and metal compatriot Erik Lindmark. It’s got everything. Technical chops, brutality, sci-fi lyrics and on top of that a list of guests to die for.
Black Sabbath - Volume 4
Wait, what? This album came out in 1972! Yes, it did, but the riffs on “Wheels of Confusion” alone smoke 98% of the riffs every band in 2020 has come out with. And that guitar tone .... Jesus H. Christ, it’s insane. (Note: we were forced to put this in here because IB founder Chris Pervelis said he would fire the entire band if it wasn’t on the list.)
Benediction - Scriptures
Old school sound with a good helping modern day savagery defines this killer release. Everything hits the right buttons here, especially Dave Ingram’s vocals, which are clear as hell, powerful and pissed off. The band hasn’t lost a step in all these years.
Merciless Concept - Sessions of Pain
Our Long Island brethren have done us proud with this fire-breathing exercise in riffs. From beginning to end, this album gets down to business immediately and doesn’t let up for a second.
Ton - Ashes Where they Stood
Ohio has a boatload of great bands and is a hotbed of amazing death metal. One band that seems to get lost in the mix is TON, who put out an outstanding album in 2020. AAshes Where they Stood has an excellent mix of technicality, groove and bouts of severe heaviness. Definitely worth a few (hundred) listens!
Kurnugia - Forlorn and Forsaken
Keeping it in Ohio, Kurnugia’s debut album is darkened old- school death metal done the right way — no frills and no fancy bullshit. Just slabs of darkness and heaviness coupled with an old-school sounding production really which adds life (or death?) to foreboding the atmosphere.
Code Orange - Underneath
A powerful mix of genres, Underneath pummels, punches and pierces its way into your brain with every song. Some may call them hardcore, others call them deathcore, but either way you want to describe them, they hit hard.
The Midnight - Monsters
Essential “driving through California at 3:00 am” music. Listening to this brings you right back to the heart of 80s synthwave. Picture driving a Lamborghini through LA at night, where the pavement is wet, and the neon lights are glowing off the watery sheen of the road. That’s what this album feels like.
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