41. Hexvessel - "Nocturne"

Mat McNerney (here appearing as Mathew Kvohst McNerney) is rather a metal Renaissance man. He is a constantly evolving creative dynamo, simultaneously weaving his mystical spell across a multitude of different musical vehicles. Terrifically authentic new wave goth outfit Grave Pleasures is apparently still a going concern yet he has this year produced not one but two side projects. Scorpion Milk in 95, but here (just) in the better half of the main list is his other other other band Hexvessel.

They have actually been around for much longer than Grave Pleasures, in fact they predate Grave Pleasures' doomed predecessor, Beastmilk. They are Kvohst (as his nan likes to call him) Black Metal outlet surrounded by several virtuoso Finish musicians. Actually, this is as much dark folk as it is Black Metal. It is a feral, organic record that is raw and primitive. It scales back as much as it lunges forward, and it taps into a rich vein of ritualistic paganism. It feels spiritual on a stripped-down level, where the deity in question has dirt on their face as opposed to the gold dust in their hair. It’s that off-key dishevelment that makes the album so interesting. It is a girty, grumpy album that feels in touch with its wild side.