If you want to have a discussion about up and comers within the industrial / EBM scene, then look no further than Urban Matrix. This old-school influenced EBM beat maker is making waves within the scene and has a tendency to release music non-stop. That’s not a bad thing; each of their releases is stellar. This is one of the releases on this list that I did not get a chance to review on the site, but better late than never. And, appearing on a final countdown list is probably better than a standard review as it is. Each release from Urban Matrix seems to evolve on its own; it’s a natural progression of talent. That being said their latest EP “Eine Welt Des Grauens” is brilliant. Six tracks of instrumental industrial and EBM. Count me in. 

09. SDH – "Against Strong Thinking"
I first heard SDH’s music when they launched the music video for ‘No Miracles’. A nice blast of industrial techno hit my veins and I absolutely adored it. I then found myself playing “Against Strong Thinking” and was in shock; gone was the industrial techno I heard from the single and I was born into a darkwave inspired song called ‘Suffer’. The way SDH is able to jump from one genre to the next and sound at home in each is awe-inspiring. Though only a six-track EP, it’s one that I return to over and over again for a wide range of electronic bliss. 



08. Isserley - "TAPEWORMHOLE"
What to say about Isserley that I have not already stated multiple times in the past? She’s an artist through and through. Never one to stay seated or nested in one genre or the other, the only connective tissue between each of her releases is that they each belong within our underground scene. I remember enjoying ‘Angel of Vengeance’ and ‘Пир (Feast)’ when I listened to “Tapewormhole” in August. But now I am in love with the two songs. They might be at the top of my most played songs of 2020 though I have no real way of tracking that. Whether I was on my way to work or simply cleaning the house, this album was at the ready. “TAPEWORMHOLE”, if you’ve not heard it yet, is brilliant. 



07. XXOT - "Ажур"
Though this album just released in the middle of December, I cannot tell you how much joy has come from it. XXOt is a collaborative effort between Sleetgrout and Fetish’ist. What they do so well on this album is that they tackle a ton of genres such as hip-hop, electro, punk, metal, and synthpop while mixing it with industrial elements. It’s pure genius and it’s a hell of a way for label Insane Records to make a comeback. I’m surprised this album has not been getting more attention than it has so far; it’s amazing and I will most likely be doing a full write-up on it in the near future. It demands more than it’s received so far.



06. Blitzkrieg Baby - "Genocidal Sextasy"
I feel as if that everything Blitzkrieg Baby has ever done has led up to the release of “Genocidal Sextasy”. To the opening experimental moments of their debut album “Porcus Norvegicus” to the startling and cheeky “Cannibal Commando” and “Kids’ World” EPs, their musical adventures prior to this seem like a mere warm up. ‘Just Another Throat To Slit’ is, and if it has not officially been declared it sure as fuck should, Blitzkrieg Baby’s anthem. If I were to introduce someone to them, I’d give them that and say, “It doesn’t get any better than this,” both as a compliment and as a threat. Also, another thumbs up for this album having a cut out pig-mask available in the vinyl. 



05. Chrome Corpse - "Helmet Mounted Display"
Like so many others in the industrial scene, Chrome Corpse has been slowly amounting their songs in my playlist. “Helmet Mounted Display” is one of 2020’s shining gems in that it keeps the music original and traditional but adds just a tad bit of spice to make it a modern-day production. ‘Remembering Your Words’ has been a mainstay during my trips to the gym; smashing up a punching bag while having this song on full blast in my ear-buds drove me to succeed and sweat my ass off. I am so glad I got a cassette of this before it sold out.  



04. Black Magnet - "Hallucination Scene"
Industrial metal straight from the 90s? Count me in. When I first heard of Black Magnet, I heard so many people compare the brute music force to Ministry and Godflesh. And, well, I find that kind of insulting to Black Magnet. They sound nothing like the legends but instead burn a path of glorified, sludgy, industrial destruction before all in their wake. It is an album that demands attention and brings out an inner beast. ‘Divination Equipment’ and ‘Punishment Map’ are flawless pieces. I’m glad the vinyl sits in my collection.



03. Anders Manga - "Andromeda"
Anders Manga’s “Andromeda” inspires the inner goth in everyone who dares to listen to it. You could probably play this in front of a rather conservative group of church-goers and watch them transform into bat-loving, big-boot wearing, dark-clothes loving child of the night. ‘Night of the Witch’ carried into my normal rituals on Halloween while the likes of ‘When the Lights Go Down’ gave me an emotional ballad to power through the day. It’s only a seven track release but, damn, is it a fantastic seven tracks. I’m awaiting the physical release of this record but, for now, owning the digital copy is enough. 



02. Bestial Mouths - "RESURRECTEDINBLACK"
The day that Bestial Mouths does not appear in an end of the year countdown for me will likely be when either they stop making music or if I suffer an unfortunate, early end to my life whereupon I can no longer make these lists. But, seeing as how neither of those unlikely scenarios have happened, here I am with Bestial Mouths’ wonderful record on my list. Lynette Cerezo has a right to be a modern Gothic icon; her artistic vision is unmatched, her collaborations mystical and provoking, and her music downright earthly and magical. “RESURRECTEDINBLACK” is not an album where I pinpointed one track or another to play on its own, but it’s a transformative journey that needs to be taken as a whole. Again, this is another record I am so proud to own and every time I play it, shivers are sent down my spine. 



01. Tineidae - "Exo"
It is always hard for me to arrange albums in a certain order at the end of the year. Amongst my favorites, it’s difficult to tell which album has been played more or which albums I’ve found my happiest times within. But a good album, a great album at that, is not one which I just listen to. It’s one that I can get lost in. Every album on this list allowed me to do that. To some extent, some of the previous albums on this list allowed me to envision midnight rituals, disruptive revolutions, or machine driven anger. But none were able to captivate me as much as Tineidae’s “Exo”. The space-themed, dark ambient album brought about a sense of wonder and awe, fear and frustration, climax and sadness. The concept album was laid bare before me with a series of titled tracks that gave a hint of story as if they were chapters in a book or parts to a series. And on each successive listen of the album I’m swept away in a bout of fictional storytelling that’s not quite the same. For fun, I’ve been tempted to write a short story based on this music dozens of times since it entered in my life, but to do so I would have to match the emotional cues and musical depth “Exo” parades in. And I doubt I could do that. This is exactly why “Exo” has become my favorite album of the year and will likely join the list of my favorite albums of all time in the years to come. 



Honorable Mentions: Youth Code - 'Puzzle' | DEAD LIGHTS - "Death Pop" | Empathy Test - "Monsters" | Jihad - "Retrospekt" | Sleepless Droids - "Dust" | Rhys Fulber - "Diaspora" | Elay Arson - "Dusk Incarnate" | Helvete Inc. - "The New Flesh"

Luke: I have always avoided doing these lists mostly because no one ever asked and also because of the backlash that can manifest trying to capture the overview of an entire year's worth of music with a mere ten releases. I have compiled a list of albums that I found myself revisiting often since they launched. I'm sure I could redo this list a few times and perhaps it could change with more in the pool of eligible releases. For what it's worth, feel free to check it out and tell me what I hit on and missed on. It is important to note that, though the releases are numbered, they are not in an order of favorites. That is just for organization's sake. Happy new year! 

10. Vandal Moon - "Black Kiss"
If you have followed the reviews on the site you knew this would end up here. Every time Vandal Moon releases an album, I feel they may have peeked, but each time they prove me wrong. "Black Kiss" will certainly be hard to top. Blake Voss and Jeremy Einsiedler have their work cut out for them for sure. Their ability to channel and harness the best elements of synthpop, darkwave and 80's goth and merge it with some synthwave crossover appeal is nothing short of brilliant.  "Black Kiss" has it all. Every track resonates with excellent production and skillful execution. While the world crumbles before our very eyes at least Vandal Moon had the foresight to accommodate the downfall with a killer soundtrack!



09. Makeup And Vanity Set - "Endless Destiny" 
Podcasts, visual art, music, Is there anything Makeup and Vanity Set aka Matthew Pusti can't do? The answer is no. I always look forward to the next release. You never know what to except. With "Endless Destiny" there is a heavy vocal presence here that may remind you of Daft Punk with that filtered synthetic approach. The video for 'Algorithm' says everything about MAVS' creativity while sending us a truesome to ponder about mega-corporations and how they infiltrate every aspect of the social construct. This album has the trademark sounds you hear in a MAVS release while doing it in a way that sounds so different yet so similar. This has been a go to jam since it came out. 



08. Bootblacks - "Thin Skies"
Bootblacks is another band that seems to get better with each release. One of my favorite bands out of NYC in the last 10 years. They never disappoint in the studio or playing live. Bootblacks create an amazing sense of authenticity with deep dark vibes that lower the body temperature just enough to zone out to their signature brand of post punk bliss. 'Veins' and 'Fragments' solidified their sound while 'Thin Skies' sets the new standard and pushes them ahead the pack.



07. Orax - "Film"
Everything about Orax's fifth album "Film" is impressive. It's a return to the "classic" Orax sound. Why do I emphasize the word "classic". Well, the previous album "Tearwave" shocked the fan base in different ways with a heavy vocal element throughout the album. It showcased the artist's ability push the limits of creativity. I really enjoyed the vocals on "Tearwave", but others not so much. Orax is very talented and can capture an audience very easily with the relentless haunting dark enchantments that pierce the retro wave genres and move to create new subsets of the parent genre. You will find some new sounds and some guitar work on "Film" that fortifies the feel of the tracks. 'Land Of Crosses', 'Ectoplamsic', 'Regrets' and so on demonstrate Orax has plenty to offer now and in the future.



06. House of Harm - "Viscious Pastimes"
House Of Harm displays that innate talent to make it all look easy in the end. The near flawless execution results in nine songs of addictive synthpop exploring moodier and depressive rhythms that gravitate somewhere within the boundaries of dark wave, post punk and synthpop. There are a few tracks that really sound very 80's while others sedate you with a comforting darkness.



05. Korine - "The Night We Raise"
Korine seemed to come out of nowhere. They played the second installment of the Human Music Festival in 2018 at the legendary QXTs in Newark, New Jersey. We were blown away with how well the music and vocals meshed to create such an addictive sound. Since then, they have played so many live shows including a tour with Timecop 1983 and several higher profile opening slots. Anything they release is an instant sale. "The Night We Raise" is certainly going to be a top choice for several other similar end of the year lists. It picks up where "New Arrangements" left off. Korine always finds a balance in great song design and catchy vocal hooks that leave you in the constant state of anticipation with each track as it plays through. 



04. Chrome Corpse - "Helmet Mounted Display"
After hearing "Gunspit" and "Anything That Moves" the Chrome Corpse radar was on full-time. "Helmet Mounted Display" seemed like a time-warp back to 80's EBM with plenty vibes from the legends like Portion Control, Nitzer Ebb and SA42 woven into their contemporary approach to modern EBM. There are even hints of New Beat. I love the direction and look forward to more in the evolution of Chrome Corpse.



03. Robert Parker - "Club 707"
Not many do it better in the synthwave scene than Robert Parker. It has everything from amazing sound design to addictive melodies that will suck you in. The synthwave genre can get very saturated with noobs wearing letterman jackets and sunglasses dishing out cheese left and right using imagery to mask programming and production skills. Robert Parker has been doing this a long time and has clearly let his creativity do all the talking. Listen and learn! "Club 707" blows nearly every 2020 synthwave release away with its style and musical acumen. Give the master his props!



02. Fearing - "Shadow"
No doubt this will appear on several lists with its ear-catching amalgamations of 80's cold wave and post punk that will certainly establish the new benchmark for all in the genre. "Shadow" is like a storm for the melancholy that never loses its intensity and drawing power anywhere throughout the ten tracks. Funeral Party Records found a gem here.



01. New Today - "Together At Last"
Each Release gets better and better with each subsequent offering. From the vocals to the music and throughout the production, there are so many elements at work that benefit the big picture of "Together At Last". The sound is intense and raw with echoing vocals and throbbing basslines. It's like a wall of awesome collapsing down you. This could be the best music you overlooked. Check it out!



Honorable Mentions: Swan Wash - "Upstairs Museum" | Cabaret Voltaire - "Shadow of Fear" | Profit Prison - "Dreams Of A Dark Building" | Kindest Cuts - "Keeping Distance" | Precision Field - "Love & Debauchery" | French Police - "Haunted Castles" | Martial Canterel - "Horizon" | Total Rubbish - "Triple Negative" | Houses of Heaven - "Silent Places" | Jihad - "Retrospekt" | XTR Human - "Interior"