Nihility

Polish death metal band Decapitated’s second album was an absolute bombshell when it landed in 2002. The primary creative forces were guitarist Wacław “Vogg” Kiełtyka and his younger brother, drummer Witold “Vitek” Kiełtyka, the latter of whom was 17 when Nihility was recorded. The riffs are intricate, the rhythms ever-shifting, but what really vaults the record out of the pack is its muscular production, worthy of a Pantera or Slayer album. Vitek’s drums, in particular, are mixed with skull-punching force. Sadly, he only got to make two more albums; he died after a road accident on tour in 2007.