Album of the Year - 5th Place

Cobalt - Slow Forever

Greeley, Colorado. Sounds like quite a nice place really. But in reality it must be a variable hell on earth, because it must take somewhere especially horrific to be able to create music like Cobalt have been doing so for the last 15 years. This Duo have made a career out of trawling the line between eerie, heinous and utterly horrific avant-guard metal vocals and basing the songs generally around massive sledgehammer riffs, Cobalt have been making a damn fine racket for our enjoyment.

Seven years since the water-mark setting "Gin" was released, we finally have the next instalment in "Slow Forever" released again on the always high quality Profound Lore label, the name of this album could easily be a reference to how long it feels like it's been since we last heard the band.

From the almost nine minute blood-curdling opener "Hunt The Buffalo" to the heart racing album ending in "Siege", the band never once refrain from this defining moment in their career. This is their magnum opus, and it will take something especially spectacular to surpass it. And that is something you wouldn't put past this band.

KC

Album Of The Year

5 - Cobalt - 'Slow Forever'
6 - Ihsahn - 'Arktis'
7 - Bossk - 'Audio Noir'
8 - Anaal Nathrakh - 'The Whole of the Law'
9 - Gojira - 'Magma'

10 - Boss Keloid - 'Herb Your Enthusiasm'