After the Covid related lack of festivals during the last two years I was eager to go to the End Of Days Festival in Bochum in early November. I have to say that I didn't know all of the bands so I was pretty curious about them. Starting with the German black metal guys from Pestlegion this was a very good opening act. According to the vocalist they had some time issues so that there wasn't time to put on some corpse paint. Well, there's no business like show business – they did a very cool show nevertheless. Just having released their second full-length "Sathanas Grand Victoria" on Osmose they performed some really fast goat-blasting black metal stuff in the vein of Dark Funeral and co. Great start for a Friday evening.

Setlist: 'We Deny Thy Name' / 'The Portal' / 'Entsage Gott' / 'Sathanas Grand Victoria' / 'Into The Golden Valley' / 'Warlock's Curse'

Right after it German deathers Wilt made sure that the audience got a nice portion of Swedish HM-2 sound. They presented some new stuff from their upcoming (hopefully soon) album but also some tracks from their debut "Faces Of The Grave". Stylistically you can put them into the same corner like German Revel In Flesh (or fill in some Swedish names here). Nice show!

Setlist: 'Into Nothingness' / 'The Servants' / 'Faces Of War' / 'Dracunculus Med' / 'The Blades Within' / 'Rise From The Grave'

In Element came after and as a band (at least in my humble opinion) they didn't mesh too well into the billing. Wearing some really crazy masks they did perform a mix between some melo-death, hardcore and nu-metal. The show was okay, they did a really cool stage-acting but I wasn't really convinced about this.

Now it was time to take a deep breath and to be prepared for some punches into the face. What Krisiun did that evening was an absolute kick-ass performance and so unbelievably intense. They reduced everything to rubble. If you know the music that the Brazilian maniacs play, you also know what to expect. This was an absolute blast beat inferno and I really wonder where they get all the energy for such ass-kicking 60 minutes. It was no wonder that their drummer was drenched in sweat after the gig.

Setlist: 'Swords Into Flesh' / 'Combustion Inferno' / 'Scourge Of The Enthroned' / 'Descending Abomination' / 'Vengeance Revelation' / 'Necronomical' / 'Blood Of Lions' / 'Serpent Messiah' / 'Hatred Inherit'

Now, on the day of the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb, what else could be more adequate to listen to than Nile??? What a great coincidence! It was quite difficult to top the Nile gig for the Egyptologists but they also played a fantastic gig that evening. Guitarist / Vocalist Scott Eames did a fantastic job with a lot of cool gestures and appeared as if he wanted to evoke the Ancient Gods on that stage. They played a very cool collection of tracks from all of their 9 studio albums, all were killer tracks indeed!

Setlist: 'Sacrifice Unto Sebek' / 'Defiling The Gates Of Ishtar' / 'Kafir!' / 'Call To Destruction' / 'The Language Of The Shadows' / 'In The Name Of Amun' / 'Lashed To The Slave Stick' / 'The Howling Of The Djinn'  / 'Vile Nilotic Rites' / 'Sarcophagus' / '4th Arra Of Dagon' / 'Black Seeds Of Vengeance'

Day2 - 11/05/2022

The Saturday started with a German melo-death band called Divine: Zero. They did a quite good job on the stage although there wasn't too much audience around at that time yet (they started at 4.30 PM). I have to say that I also missed most of the gig because I stood in a usual German Saturday traffic jam but what I could listen to reminded me pretty much of a mix between Dark Tranquillity and Ablaze My Sorrow.

Setlist: 'Orison In Lead' / 'Colors Of The Buried Ones' / 'Twilight And The Void' / 'Headshot Messiah' / 'In Dark Liars' / 'Bloodpounding' / 'Scardust'

Now I know who stole all the Halloween decorations in my neighborhood! I had to laugh pretty hard when I saw the stage decoration of the black metal band Rotting Demise. Oh my God how ridiculous! Some cheap plastic torsos and shrink heads were hanging everywhere, plastic memory lights were lit and a small coffin with an upside down cross stood right in front of me. Well, apart from this monkey business the band played some really tight black metal and their vocalist (hung with more upside-down crosses and plastic torsos) tried to sound pretty much like Dani from Cradle Of Filth with his high-pitched screams. Well, this was quite different from their 2019 EP "Casket Birth" and what we got told is that the guys are going to release a full-length album soon. Apart from the much exaggerated show the music was quite okay.

Setlist: 'Intro' / 'My Whole Wrath' / 'Arachnophobia' / 'No Time To Die' / 'Dreams Of Despair' / 'Kayako's Grudge' / 'The Arrival Of The Apocalypse' / 'Casket Birth'

Time for some death metal with German lyrics. I wasn't sure what to expect from Torment Of Souls but I have to say that they had something in their music that was really cool. Their groovy sound was something to bang to and it was much fun to see them on stage. Especially the vocalist and their bass player who looked like a younger version of Rob Halford were amazing and their guitarist looked a 10000 times spookier than the guys from Rotting Demise. You can say whatever you want about German lyrics in metal but this gig was cool!

Setlist: 'Intro' / 'Schlachthaus' / 'Aus Der Erde' / 'Dämon' / 'Pandemie' / 'Fidelis Ad Mortem' / 'Mehr Hass' / 'Legion' / 'Outro'

Fractured Insanity from Belgium played some very brutal technical death metal. Vocalist Stefan Van Bael was truly an impressive person on stage and not only because of his stature. He is a real giant and did a great show performance that evening. Musically the quartet showed a lot of technical skills and reminded me a lot of Suffocation.

Setlist: 'Habitual Killer' / 'Inferno Of A Narcissist' / 'Crusade Of The Offended' / 'Forced To Rome' / 'Hell Of No Man's Land' / 'M.A.D.' / 'Panic Abuser' / 'All Shall Fade' / 'Man Made Hell'

Now the Ruhr Area death metal veterans of Sabiendas entered the stage and got a lot of support from the audience. They performed some brutal old-school death metal with a lot of atmospheric and melodic parts that is quite similar to bands like Immolation. They seemed to have a lot of fun on stage and didn't disappoint their fans this evening.

Setlist: 'Intro' / 'Necrophobia' / 'Savagery And Bloodthirst' / 'General Buttnaked' / 'Served Cold' / 'Human Centipede' / 'Cheating Death' / 'Divine Manhunt' / 'The Siege' / 'Dungeon Keeper' / 'Column Of Souls'

Now it was time for some good mood death metal. The guys from Deserted Fear had quite a lot of fun being in Bochum, interacted greatly with the audience and made a lot of jokes. You may not be really into their death metal style but the audience liked them and had lots of fun during their show.

Setlist: 'Part Of The End' / 'The Final Chapter' / 'Kingdom Of Worms' / 'Wrath On Your Wound' / 'Reborn Paradise' / 'Funeral Of The Earth' / 'The Battalion Of Insanities' / 'Welcome To Reality' / 'Face Our Destiny' / 'The Carnage' / 'Bury Your Dead' / 'All Will Fall' / 'Mortal Reign'

Memoriam were the last band of the festival and who had the chance to see Bolt Thrower live knows what to expect when Karl Willets enters the stage. He and his band mates did a real inferno and Karl acted really great. From suffering on the ground to swinging his hips all was included. At the end of the gig he even entered the photographer's pit to shake hands with the fans. It was a fantastic closer to a very cool festival which will hopefully take place next year again.

Setlist: 'Undefeated' / 'Onwards Into Battle' / 'War Rages On' / 'Shellshock' / 'Resistance' / 'This War Is Won' / 'To The End' / 'As Bridges Burn' / 'Flatline'

Michael

The list to end all lists! I put out a notice that we were getting an AOTY compilation to our writers similar to how we did last year, and way more people piled on. Between all of these, you'll get a really good idea of MetalBite's tastes. Nothing like having a huge list of sweet albums to check out in the new year.

Let's have a look! You'll notice Benjamin, Michael and myself (Nathan) from the monthly Top 10s we do. Maybe we'll see more of these folks contributing to future lists.

BENJAMIN'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Devil Master - Ecstasies Of Neverending Night
21. The Sombre - Moments Of Grief
20. Am Himmel - As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow
19. Darkthrone - Astral Fortress
18. Det Eviga Leendet - Reverence
17. Meshuggah - Immutable
16. Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy Of Watain
15. Daeva - Through Sheer Will And Black Magic
14. Downcross - Hexapoda Triumph
13. Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain
12. 16 - Into Dust
11. The Mist From The Mountains - Monumental - The Temple Of Twilight
10. Wolfheart - King Of The North
9. Skare - Skare
8. Pharmacist - Flourishing Extremities On Unspoiled Mental Grounds
7. Inanna - Void Of Unending Depths
6. Hammers Of Misfortune - Overtaker
5. Abhorrent Expanse - Gateways To Resplendence
4. Pestilent Hex - The Ashen Abhorrence
3. Autopsy - Morbidity Triumphant
2. Cave In - Heavy Pendulum
1. Crown Of Ascension - Transmission Errors

NATE'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22: Beyond Mortal Dreams - Abomination of the Flames
21: Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain
20: Devoured Elysium - Void Grave
19: Grima - Frostbitten
18: Besieged - Violence Beyond All Reason
17: Hiss from the Moat - The Way Out of Hell
16: Soreption - Jord
15: Heaving Earth - Darkness of God
14: Idol of Fear - Trespasser
13: Dream Unending - Song of Salvation
12: Carrion Vael - Abhorrent Obsessions
11: Vorga - Striving Towards Oblivion
10: SubOrbital - Planetary Disruption
9: Jade - The Pacification of Death
8: Nechochwen - Kanawha Black
7: Silhouette - Les retranchements
6: Aeviterne - The Ailing Facade
5: Drudkh - All Belong to the Night
4: Faceless Burial - At the Foothills of Deliration
3: Stabbing - Extirpated Mortal Process
2: Mo'ynoq - A Place for Ash
1: Inanna - Void of Unending Depths

FELIX'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Deathhammer - Electric Warfare
21. Graceless - Chants From Purgatory
20. Licht des Urteils - Uhraamo
19. Helvellyn - The Lore of the Cloaked Assembly
18. In Aphelion - Moribund
17. Dark Funeral - We are the Apocalypse
16. Sphinx - Deathstroke
15. Krolok - Funeral Winds & Crimson Sky
14. Aegrus - The Carnal Temple
13. Deströyer 666 - Never Surrender
12. Black Beast - Arctic Winter
11. Necrodeath - Singin' in the Pain
10. Sidious - Blackest Insurrection
9. Ba'a - Egregore
8. Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain
7. Steel Inferno - Evil Reign
6. Eruption - Tellurian Rupture
5. Acidez - In Punk We Thrash
4. Tempest - Point of No Return
3. Daeva - Through Sheer Will and Black Magic…
2. Denouncement Pyre - Forever Burning
1. Protector - Excessive Outburst of Depravity

MICHAEL'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22: Maceration - It Never Ends
21: Skid Row - The Gang's All Here
20: Watain - The Triumph & Ecstasy of Watain
19: Disinter - Breaker Of Bones
18: The Troops Of Doom - Antichrist Reborn
17: Blind Guardian - The God Machine
16: Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun
15: Demonical - Mass Destroyer
14: Dark Millenium - Acid River
13: Kvaen - The Great Below
12: In Aphelion - Moribund
11: Darkthrone - Astral Fortress
10: Theotoxin - Fragment: Totenruhe
9: In The Woods - Diversum
8: Krisiun - Mortem Solis
7: Traitor - Exiled To The Surface
T-1 (black): Dark Funeral - We Are The Apocalypse
T-1 (death): Slaughterday - Tyrants Of Doom
T-1 (thrash): Protector - Excessive Outburst Of Depravity
T-1 (doom): Spiritus Mortis - The Great Seal
T-1 (heavy): Saxon - Carpe Diem
T-1 (prog): Six By Six - Six By Six

BREXAUL'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Stray Gods - Storm The Walls
21. New Horizon - Gate of the Gods
20. Aenaon - Mnemosyne
19. Dragonland - The Power Of The Nightstar
18. Afterimage - II: Beyond Horizons Infinite
17. Steel Arctus - Master of War
16. Vass / Katsionis - Ethical Dilemma
15. Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One - Revel In Time
14. Ghost - Impera
13. Fellowship - The Saberlight Chronicles
12. Battle Symphony - War on Earth
11. Michael Romero - War of the Worlds pt II
10. Judicator - The Majesty Of Decay
9. Sonja - Loud Arriver
8. Seventh Wonder - The Testament
7. Doomocracy - Unorthodox
6. Threshold - Dividing Lines
5. Devin Townsend - Lightwork
4. Riot City - Electric Elite
3. Blind Guardian - The God Machine
2. Arrayan Path - Thus Always to Tyrants
1. Sumerlands - Dreamkiller

ADAM'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Ashes of Ares - Emperors and Fools
21. In Aphelion - Moribund
20. Misery Index - Complete Control
19. The Gathering - Beautiful Distortion
18. Aethereus - Leiden
17. Decapitated - Cancer Culture
16. Shadow of Intent - Elegy
15. Fit For An Autopsy - Oh What the Future Holds
14. 40 Watt Sun - Perfect Light
13. Disillusion - Ayam
12. Big Big Train - Welcome to the Planet
11. Hath - All That Was Promised
10. Eric Wagner - In the Lonely Light of Mourning
9. Silent Skies - Nectar
8. Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)
7. Persefone - Metanoia
6. Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash
5. Dawn of Solace - Flames of Perdition
4. Amorphis - Halo
3. Wilderun - Epigone
2. Cult of Luna - The Long Road North
1. Immolation - Acts of God

MACIEK'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. ACOD - Fourth Reign Over Opacities and Beyond
21. Psycroptic - Divine Council
20. Exocrine - The Hybrid Suns
19. Fiur - Imperium
18. Ill Tidings - Hymns to Demise
17. Corpsegrinder - Corpsegrinder
16. Kuoleman Galleria - Armon Loppu
15. Defacing God - The Resurrection of Lilith
14. Asterean - Cosmorama
13. Pestilent Hex - The Ashen Abhorrence
12. Fit for an Autopsy - Oh What the Future Holds
11. Misery Index - Complete Control
10. Revocation - Netherheaven
9. Lord Belial - Rapture
8. Krosis - E.V.I.L.
7. Deserted Fear - Doomsday
6. Omophagia - Rebirth in Black
5. Bleed from Within - Shrine
4. Belphegor - The Devils
3. Science of Disorder - Apoptose
2. Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain
1. Hath - All That Was Promised

HELLZORA'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Ripped to Shreds - Jubian
21. Sonja - LOUD ARRIVER
20. Sylvaine - Nova
19. Wolfheart - King Of The North
18. Septicflesh --Modern Primitive
17. Cult Of Luna - The Long Road North
16. Cauchemar - Rosa Mystica
15. Aeternam - Heir of the Rising Sun
14. Bloodbath - Survival Of The Sickest
13. Revocation - Netherheaven
12. Blackbraid - Blackbraid I
11. Gaerea - Mirage
10. Ahasver - Causa Sui
9. Meshuggah - Immutable
8. Voïvod - Synchro Anarchy
7. Dream Unending - Song Of Salvation
6. Amorphis - Halo
5. An Abstract Illusion - Woe
4. Fallujah - Empyrean
3. The Halo Effect - Days Of The Lost
2. Venom Prison - Erebos
1. Allegaeon - Damnum

JEROME'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Imperial Triumphant - Spirit of Ecstasy
21. Behemoth - Opus Contra Natvram
20. Saor - Origins
19. Master Boot Record - Personal Computer
18. Coldworld - Isolation
17. Dark Funeral - We are the Apocalypse
16. Sylvaine - Nova
15. Lascar - Cryptospores & Palynomorphs
14. Olhava - Reborn
13. Vehemence - Ordalies
12. Aeternam - Heir of the Rising Sun
11. Zeal & Ardor - Zeal & Ardor
10. White Ward - False Light
9. Brymir - Voices in the Sky
8. Blackbraid - Blackbraid 1
7. Kardashev - Liminal Rites
6. Liminal Shroud - All Virtues Ablaze
5. Kampfar - Til Klovers Takt
4. Astronoid - Radian Bloom
3. Grima - Frostbitten
2. Mist of Misery - Severance
1. Ellende - Ellenbogengesellschaft

CARL'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Genocidal Terror - Delirium of Negation
21. Manticore - Enless Scourge of Torment
20. Metatron Omega - ISIH
19. Schizophrenia - Recollections of the Insane
18. Bokkerijders - Bokkerijders
17. Putrefaction Sets In - Repugnant Inception …
16. Necroblasphemy - Necroblasphemic Rites/Crypt
15. Carnal Desecration - Sacrificial Death
14. Ritualization - Hema Ignis Necro
13. Whoresnation - Dearth
12. Ravenous Death - Visions from the Netherworlds
11. Hellfire Deathcult - Al Nombre de la Muerte
10. Pharmacist - Flourishing Extremities …
9. Days of Desolation - Circles
8. Iron Death - Demo MMXXII
7. Scumslaught - Knives and Amphetamines
6. Eggs of Gomorrh/Archgoat - split
5. Eggs of Gomorrh - Wombspreader
4. Massacred - Human Extermination
3. Abhomine - Demonize Destroy Delete
2. Rottenness - Violentopia
1. Bones - Sombre Opulence

TOM'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Castrator - Defiled In Oblivion
21. Lord Belial - Rapture
20. Demonical - Mass Destroyer
19. Protector - Excessive Outburst of Depravity
18. Allegaeon - Damnum
17. Meshuggah - Immutable
16. Hypermass - Empyrean
15. Panzerfaust - The Suns of Perdition - Chapter III: The Astral Drain
14. Disinter - Breaker Of Bones
13. Soreption - Jord
12. Goatwhore - Angels Hung from the Arches of Heaven
11. Inanna - Void Of Unending Depths
10. Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy Of Watain
9. Dawohl - Leviathan
8. Disillusion - Ayam
7. Gaerea - Mirage
6. The Halo Effect - Days Of The Lost
5. Darkane - Inhuman Spirits
4. Misþyrming - Með Hamri
3. Hath - All That Was Promised
2. In Aphelion - Moribund
1. Immolation - Acts Of God

AREK'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. White Ward - False Light
21. Wake - Thought Form Descent
20. Verberis - Adumbration Of The Veiled Logos
19. Strigoi - Viscera
18. Sedimentum - Suppuration Morphogénésiaque
17. Nihility - Beyond Human Concepts
16. Misþyrming - Með Hamri
15. Metal Cross - Soul Ripper
14. Kathaaria - To Be Shunned By All... As Centres Of Pestilence
12. Hellfuck - Diabolic Slaughter
13. Hexis - Aeternum
11. Hath - All That Was Promised
10. Exhumed - To The Dead
9. Decapitated - Cancer Culture
8. Daeva - Through Sheer Will And Black Magic
7. Belphegor - The Devils
6. Backslider - Psychic Rot
5. Bâ'a - Egrégore
4. Assumption - Hadean Tides
3. Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain
2. Antigama - Whiteout
1. Aeviterne - The Ailing Facade

VLADIMIR'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Old Night - Ghost Light
21. Hate Forest - Innermost
20. Mystic Circle - Mystic Circle
19. Nokturnal Mortum - До лунарної поезії
18. Saidan - Onryō II: Her Spirit Eternal
17. Tišina - Uvod…
16. Mortuary Drape - Wisdom - Vibration - Repent
15. Saxon - Carpe Diem
14. Weregoat - The Devil's Lust
13. Blackbraid - Blackbraid I
12. Praznina - Nedostižni Zenit
11. Enchanted Sword - Chapter 1: Hero Reborn
10. Strahor - Zverovanje
9. Aura Mortis - Aion Teleos
8. Æþelruna (Aethelruna) - Risci Bita Wudu
7. Oathbringer - Tales of Glory
6. Terrorhammer - Gateways to Hades
5. Watain - The Agony and Ecstasy of Watain
4. Lord Belial - Rapture
3. I Am The Night - While the Gods are Sleeping
2. Destroyer 666 - Never Surrender
1. Darkthrone - Astral Fortress

KRYS' TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Cryptworm - Spewing Mephitic Putridity
21. Blackbraid - Blackbraid I
20. Exordium Mors - As Legends Fade And Gods Die
19. Lord Belial - Rapture
18. Slaughterday - Tyrants Of Doom
17. Corpsessed - Succumb to Rot
16. Ataraxy - The Last Mirror
15. Kvaen - The Great Below
14. Misþyrming - Með Hamri
13. Theotoxin - Fragment : Totenruhe
12. Bloodbath - Survival Of The Sickest
11. In Aphelion - Moribund
10. Soreption - Jord
9. Darkane - Inhuman Spirits
8. Immolation - Acts Of God
7. Jade - The Pacification Of Death
6. The Chasm - The Scars Of A Lost Reflective Shadow
5. Decapitated - Cancer Culture
4. The Halo Effect - Days Of The Lost
3. Hypermass - Empyrean
2. Inanna - Void Of Unending Depths
1. Gaerea - Mirage

FERNANDO'S TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022

22. Ash Nazg Búrz - Úr Gar Noun In Ir Cofn
21. Aparthiva Raktadhara - Adyapeeth Maranasamhita (আদ্যাপীঠ মরণসংহিতা)
20. Rammstein - Zeit
19. Ares Kingdom - In Darkness at Last
18. Ultra Silvam - The Sanctity of Death
17. Mara - Loka Mær
16. Pensées Nocturnes - Douce Fanges
15. Chaos Invocation - Devil, Stone & Man
14. Heltekvad - Morgenrødens Helvedesherre
13. High Command - Eclipse of the Dual Moons
12. Ritual Death - Ritual Death
11. Ateiggär - Tyrannemord
10. Daeva - Through Sheer Will and Black Magic
9. Coscradh - Nahanagan Stadial
8. Eosphoros - II
7. Horns & Hooves - I Am the Skel Messiah
6. Spiritworld - Deathwestern
5. Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain
4. Ghost - Impera
3. Exordium Mors - As Legends Fade and Gods Die
2. Misþyrming - Með Hamri
1. Negative Plane - The Pact…