The Biggest Disappointments of 2017
It’s Xmas Eve and I’ve got terrible news: you ain’t gettin’ shit from Santa. Do you feel bitter disappointment at reading those words? Good. Now you’re in the spirit to relive the biggest disappointments of this awful fucking garbage ass year. We spent a lot of time and energy writing about the albums we most enjoyed this year. Now it’s time to yell incoherently about the records that left a foul stench in our nostrils and a skidmark upon our couches. I asked members of the Toilet ov Hell community to share their most uninformed and belligerent opinions about the records they found disappointing in 2017. Please enjoy their rage.
Wolves in the Throne Room‘s Thrice Woven. If I wanted to hear an entry level atmoblack band imitate Agalloch, I’d listen to…Agalloch. –Richter
Same. It’s boring as fuck listening to the same song 5 times at various lengths –Bert Banana
Gwar‘s new album, but then again, we always knew it was going to be a disappointment. It’s not even the band’s fault. They’re just completely different without Oderus at the helm. –365
Enslaved‘s E because I couldn’t make it through without falling asleep –Jom Pootersan
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors of Unbeing. All that hype. All that talent behind it and… it’s probably the weakest of the recent slate of DDR doomdeath releases. –Roman
Kreator‘s Gods of Violence. I wanted thrash metal and I got Blind Guardian/Amon Amarth worship. Which.. is fine..but I wanted a Kreator album. –Joseph V
Morbid Angel – Kingdoms Disdained. Mainly cuz of the production/solos –Jake H
Seconded. Disappointing because I’m pretty sure there’s a decent album buried in there somewhere, but I CAN’T HEAR THE FUCKING GUITARS –Issac
Black Dahlia Murder – Nightbringers was pretty weak. Really cool on the first listen but absolutely nothing making me go into repeat listens. Shouldn’t be surprised, it’s been a steady downward slope since deflorate/nocturnal (with a massive drop at Ritual) –Jack D.
Temple of Void – Lords of Death. The vocals weren’t nearly as prominent in the mix and the whole production was kinda flat imo. Not enough evil sounding riffs. The debut was far and away the better death doom record. –Sam T.
Spirit Adrift – Curse of Conception. Listened to the first few songs, liked it enough, but realized I may as well just put on King Diamond, then did. –Calvin B.
Even though they have been shite for a while now, the new Arch Enemy album was just awful. I was hoping that Jeff Loomis would give them a bit of the creative boost that they sorely need, but then I learn that he wasn’t allowed to write anything? Instead we got some uninspired songs that sound like cuts from their previous album. Uninspired production, cringe inducing lyrics, and dull riffs. Basically just a modern day Arch Enemy album, but for some reason, I was hoping for more. –Iain
Coma Cluster Void because it went for less than 25 minutes. –Anon
Ne Obliviscaris – Urn. I didn’t hate it but I still expected much more, the last couple tracks were particularly boring and disappointing. I feel like losing Cygnus at such a key time in making a new album really hurt them. –Jason S.
Vulture‘s The Guillotine. Good record with a few great tracks but I guess compared to other speed/thrash from this year it felt pretty thin to me 
–Megan
I really wanted to like that Expulsion record because I’m a big fan of the two component bands that make it. The songwriting just wasn’t there, really. Had good energy but nothing that really stuck with me like some older Exhumed stuff did. 
–Mike K
I hate to say this because I like the band and I’m pretty sure they’re friends o’the blog, but probably Ghost Bath‘s Starmourner. I don’t think it was a bad album, but it didn’t have nearly the impact on me that Moonlover did. I felt like the first single sounded like somewhat an attempt to copy Golden Number, and the rest of the album just sort of never peaked for me. I had really high expectations though, so I may have set myself up for the disappointment. Hoping the third part of their triology gets me. –Alex B.
Is there a record that just ruined your whole year? Post it in the comments below.
