I'm bored so here are a bunch of random 2013 album recs that haven't been mentioned here yet.
Nails - Abandon All Life
Quite possible the heaviest album ever made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4nV8WV-EDYDarkthrone - The Underground Resistance
Not really "extreme" but a great effort from a legendary band; their best in quite a long time actually.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyNOB-MBS50Paysage d'Hiver - Das Tor
This is about as grim and frostbitten as black metal gets, folks. (Be sure to listen with headphones.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=150rYT2cDUwSleep White Winter - Dreamscapes
Ah so you thought Deafheaven had the blackgaze market cornered this year? Not so. This upstart band has released one of the best and most beautiful black metal albums of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmamVFd8I3o Summoning - Old Morning's Dawn
After a rather lengthy absence, symphonic black metal Summoning have hit it out of the park once again with this vast, epic album. Old Morning's Dawn pretty much cements their place as one of my all-time favorite black metal bands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wZTxJoDCQCaladan Brood - Echoes of Battle
Whoa, who would've guessed that there could be a similar band/album to Summoning and that it would not only come out in the same year as Summoning's new one but also sound about as good as Summoning? Definitely check out Echoes of Battle and Old Morning's Dawn. They're both amazing albums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4E6sTPlxeQ Peste Noire - Peste Noire
Sure, the guy behind the music is a delusional, racist nutjob but that doesn't mean he's incapable of making great music. And trust me, it's really great stuff. Probably some of the wackiest black metal I've heard. It's not as good as the debut but it's a close second for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4kWa7lUFfI&feature=player_detailpageAltar of Plagues - Teethed Glory and Injury
Excellent experimental/industrial black metal. Really different from their first two albums, but possibly their best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7GO1XkFPk4Immolation - Kingdom of Conspiracy
Nothing new here as compared with the last album, but awesome nonetheless. They're quickly becoming one of my favorite death metal bands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNRGcLkR0dsDark Tranquillity - Construct
The new direction these melodeath titans took on this album is just what they needed after the rather lackluster We Are the Void. One of the most unique melodeath albums I've heard and my third favorite DT album next to The Gallery and Damage Done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTkwuyb_PLcSoilwork - The Living Infinite
I always thought of Soilwork as a second-rate, but good, melodeath band until I heard this badboy. This album is just incredible. A double album and not a single stinker in the bunch. Very likely my death metal album of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1uj4PntkOYAmorphis - Circle
Some don't consider this "extreme" but it's close enough imo. As much as I like Tales from the Thousand Lakes and Silent Waters, I'm inclined to call this my favorite Amorphis album. Sweet, catchy melodies and plain awesome songs throughout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDpEBMHRp4gAmon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods
AA got me into extreme metal in the first place so I must say I'm kind of a fanboy of theirs, but I think no matter who you ask this is a very solid and consistent album after the somewhat uneven (but still great) Surtur Rising.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z3spJ_z3EsCarcass - Surgical Steel
DEM RIFFS. Excellent comeback for this phenomenal death metal band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSsrKl6HtAwGorguts - Colored Sands
Not the easiest kind of death metal to get into but really rewarding once you do. Another successful comeback attempt by a legendary metal band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk7nb-idmdIPortal - Vexovoid
And if you thought Gorguts was hard to get into then this stuff is even more challenging a listen. There's basically no melodies at all and everything sounds like it was put in through a washing machine on spin cycle. Really dark, intense stuff if you're in the mood for it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXQkTTl3nU8Revocation - Revocation
Unlike certain thrash bands who have run out of ideas and decided to crap out a snoozefest of an album (Sodom
) this band keeps you on your toes the whole time with crazy, proggy time signatures and good ole raw aggression. 4 albums in and Revocation seems to be at their creative peak. Along with Vektor and Havok, Revocation once again prove their place as one of the best modern thrash bands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pcmzz8Bl2YHavok - Unnatural Selection
And speaking of Havok, while their 3rd offering is a bit of a step down from the amazing Time is Up, it's still a killer record that comes complete with a superb cover of Children of the Grave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OGTvIeiYjgCult of Luna - Vertikal
One of the year's best post-metal releases and it's based around an awesome concept to boot (Fritz's Lang's legendary film Metropolis).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkHSvwKgJQAMouth of the Architect - Dawning
Another fantastic post-metal release; the vocals could be a bit better but that's only a minor criticism.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4sMh3he1QYRosetta - The Anaesthete
More post-metal goodness. The drumming is just incredible throughout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kSOm7y-UfEThe Ocean - Pelagial
And the creme de la creme of 2013 post-metal. Dynamic, proggy, heavy and thoroughly engaging. Their best album yet by far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocq2sWK6CzMIntronaut - Habitual Levitations
And in close second we have an already well-established band who decided to take a turn for the mellower but still come out winners (just like Baroness did last year). While still not as good as the previous two albums, it's still a damn fine effort.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJEW2PHyspEPersefone - Spiritual Migration
A massive, epic album that displays some of the most insane technicality I've heard in prog metal. I can easily imagine this being the more extreme version of Dream Theater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6_sRDFideYNight Verses - Lift Your Existence
Yeah, it's a bit of a stretch to call this metal but I've gotta mention it nevertheless. This is hands-down one of the best hardcore/post-hardcore albums I've listened to. It's not only catchy, but it's also dynamic and exciting as hell. This is far from some run-of-the-mill screamo band who can't play their instruments properly. On the contrary, the musicianship here is incredible and this band deserves way more recognition. If you or someone you know isn't really into hardcore then this is a great album to introduce you/them to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1E2nPKMG10