Chat Pile
Chat Pile by Bayley Hanes

Chat Pile's Luther Manhole discusses his 10 favorite albums of 2022 + new soundtrack LP coming

It’s that time of year again, year-end list season, and one band that we’re likely going to see a lot of on this year’s lists is Oklahoma City noise rockers Chat Pile with their gnarly debut album God’s Country. (So far they’ve already landed on Decibel‘s.) We were also wondering what music Chat Pile loved the most this year, so we asked guitarist Luther Manhole and he made us a list of his 10 favorite albums of 2022, with commentary on each pick. The list ranges from reunited prog-screamo legends Gospel to death metal torch-carriers Undeath and Artificial Brain to experimentalists (and Chat Pile’s The Flenser labelmates) Mamaleek to hardcore boundary-pushers Soul Glo to Singapore power popsters Sobs to the Brooklyn avant-garde black metal band that Chat Pile recently played two Brooklyn shows with (and who are also on The Flenser), Scarcity. Luther also had very interesting things to say about each pick, and you can read his full list below.

Meanwhile, Chat Pile also just announced that they’re releasing their score to the new Jeremy & Kara Choate-directed indie film Tenkiller this Friday (11/18), and two tracks are streaming now. “The music we made for Tenkiller is quite a bit different than what you may come to expect from us,” the band says of the score, which was recorded in 2020. “We were given the freedom to really experiment and explore territories that we’ve never done before. It’s not going to be for everyone, but we hope some of you connect with what we set out to do.” Check out the bluesy “Lake Time (Mr. Rodan)” and the sludgy (and more Chat Pile-y) title track below.

Chat Pile were also recently announced for Roadburn 2023.

Luther Manhole’s 10 Favorite Albums of 2022

Gospel – The Loser
Gospel returns after 17 years to make basically the best version I can imagine of mixing Emerson Lake and Palmer and King Crimson style prog rock with hardcore. Some of the best instrumental performances you’re gonna hear anywhere.

Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain
Artificial Brain is probably just straight up my favorite metal band these days. I’m sad this is their last record with Will on vocals but as the final album in a trilogy it’s basically perfect. Their ability to blend dissonance with unique melodies is pretty much exactly how I would want to write death metal.

Mamaleek – Diner Coffee
I feel like a lot of time when you get into experimental rock or avant-garde stuff, rhythm is one of the first things that gets tossed out, but Mamaleek manage to do something extremely unique while still keeping it groovy. One of the most impressive and hard to describe things I’ve heard in a long time.

Hackle – Gunsmith tha Mixtape
I haven’t really been super into the Haunted Mound extended universe of stuff the past few years but this tape really stood out to me. Every song bangs and that’s basically all that matters.

Sobs – Air Guitar
I am required by law to love at least one jangly kinda twee power pop record a year. This one is probably about as good as you’re ever going to hear. So catchy and sweet, amazing stuff.

Nerver – Cash
America’s most underrated band puts out another awesome record full of songs that makes me feel better about not being able to see any of the Unwound or Botch reunion shows. Please go see Nerver.

Scarcity – Aveilut
Black metal is definitely an extremely hit or miss genre for me but Scarcity’s mix of black metal with totalism/avant garde structure really is something incredible. Mystical and hypnotic, music to death trip to.

Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems
I don’t know what I can say about this record that hasn’t been said elsewhere by people who are better at writing words down but, probably the record that will stand the test of time the most out of anything I’ve heard this year. Best band in punk music. Love live Soul Glo.

Undeath – It’s Time… to Rise from the Grave
Powerhouse of a band. About as good as modern death metal gets. Undeath will save us all. Go Bills.

Stream Chat Pile’s 2022 album God’s Country: