Top Releases of 2016

Over on MetalInsider, there are 6 "Top Ten Heavy Metal Albums of 2016" articles. Some of the articles, though, have Honorable Mentions. What I did was copy those articles into a Word doc, converted all of it to a single table, converted the table to text, pasted it into the Blogger.com HTML editor, selected the text and, in the WYSIWYG editor, applied a numbered list. So, that's what the following is. For albums that were included on more than one list - such as Metallica's "Hardwired" & Gojira's "Magma" - I didn't consolidate those into a single item. I thought it was more important to capture that the album appeared on more than one list and to also keep the columnist's reasoning separate from other columnists. Armed with this collection of great heavy metal albums, I plan to create a youtube.com playlist.

1. Alcest, Kodama (Prophecy) The most gorgeous album I have heard this year came from Alcest, which isn’t a surprise if you’ve ever listened to the band before. On Kodama, Alcest finds just the right balance of blissful shoegazey passages and the harsh tones and vocals of black metal. Some may call it a return to form, but I call it Alcest just continuing a streak of wonderful albums that walk the line between heavy and tranquil. “Kodama”
2. Alter Bridge – The Last Hero (Napalm)
3. Anaal Nathrakh – The Whole of the Law
4. Anagnorisis – Peripeteia (Vendetta Records) Few albums from 2016 held such a volatile mix of emotions ready to explode from the surface in volcanic proportions the way this album did. Based on the life of vocalist, Zachary Kerr, home recordings from his childhood are sprinkled throughout a potent array of black and death metal to create an aura that is both heartbreaking and disturbing. It’s a truly powerful and captivating album from start to finish. "5306 Morningside”
5. Anthrax, For All Kings (Megaforce) Earlier this year I was happy to discover that Anthrax’s follow up to the much-lauded Worship Music was a solid addition to their discography that continued to demonstrate their newfound energy and vitality. Then some months passed, I dug into loads of other albums, and finally came back to For All Kings to see if it was as good as I originally thought. Surprise: it is. "Zero Tolerance”
6. Asphyx – Incoming Death (Century Media) One of the most underrated bands in the history of death metal came back full force in 2016. With Incoming Death, Asphyx added to their essential back catalogue with a truly crushing effort. In a year that contained some absolutely amazing death metal releases, it was one of the masters of the old guard who clawed their way to the top of the heap. "Wardroid”
7. Astronoid, Air (Blood) Just when you think you’ve heard everything in metal, along comes a band like Astronoid to change things up. Like Deafheaven with clean harmonic vocals, it’s hard to listen to this record and not be happy. The combination of black metal, shoegaze and straight up pop definitely doesn’t sound like anything you’ve heard before. "Up and Atom”
8. Astronoid, Air [thrash/blackgaze/prog] (Blood Music) This blew my mind from the get-go, and while I’ll admit I’ve cooled down on it as the year went on, I still stand firm that this is a fantastic summertime album, and one that will be looked back upon as a conduit for many newcomers to the larger metal scene. Their homogeneous blend of black metal, shoegaze, pop, and prog is simply addicting and uplifting. Air feels like an adrenaline rush and has that over-before-you-know-it kind of catchiness. "Up and Atom,” “Resin,” “Tin Foil Hats”
9. Avantasia, Ghostlights (Nuclear Blast) I did not get very far into 2016 before I realized that I had a masterpiece on my hands, and ultimately what was going to be my #1 for the year. It was literally the first album of 2016 to come through my speakers, and nothing has dethroned it since. Ghostlights is a fully realized concept album, following up the story established in their 2014 release The Mystery of Time, and was created to be listened to as a whole, non-stop. It also can be picked apart and every single song would stand on it’s own as something unique and entertaining. Each of the guest vocalists brought in fit their parts perfectly. “Seduction of Decay” is one of the best songs that Geoff Tate (Operation: Mindcrime, ex-Queensryche) has done in years. Entirely present and personal biases aside, Tobias Sammet wrote one of the best albums released this year, but also one of the best of his entire career. (And finally brought Avantasia to the US!)
10. "Let the Storm Descend Upon You” or “Lucifer”
11. Avantasia, Ghostlights (Nuclear Blast) When I first listened to Ghostlights back in January, I knew this would be on my list of best albums. It received an incredible amount of positive feedback that brought Avantasia to North America for the first time and, of course, I was there, and it was one of the best shows of the year for me. Tobias Sammet has beyond proven to be a genius in power metal, and his Avantasia project is a pure example (still, check out Edguy!). It is a nearly flawless album and the strongest I have seen from Avantasia. Album Highlights: “Mystery of a Blood Red Rose,” “Let the Storm Descend Upon You” “Draconian Love”
12. Avenged Sevenfold, The Stage (Capitol) Nobody knew what to expect with the new Avenged Sevenfold album with the new addition of Brooks Wackerman (Tenacious D, Bad Religion) on drums, mostly because they gave us a whole 24 hours notice that the album was coming out before it dropped. The Stage finds the band expressing a love and fascination with science, religion, the universe at large. The release was a pleasant surprise to say the least, and should be remembered as the band’s most existential and experimental album to date. They even tapped Neil Degrasse Tyson for a monologue on the closing track, “Exist.” "The Stage” or “Exist”
13. Be’lakor, Vessels (Napalm) There was no debate; I knew from the first listen that Be’lakor’s Vessels would make my top picks. Vessels drew me in from the first song “Luma,” and I listened to this album probably the most this year. Each track continued to amaze me with its ever-changing melodies and extended instrumental breakdowns. Album Highlights: “An Ember’s Arc,” “Roots to Sever,” “Whelm”
14. Bethlehem – Bethlehem (Prophecy Productions) To me there are a precious few bands as important to the black metal genre as Germany’s Bethlehem. This is a band that truly took black metal to strange new places and expanded the boundaries of what we consider ‘black metal.’ While the band themselves may not recognize as a black metal band per se, it doesn’t dull their influence on a generation of black metal musicians in the least. Their newest album is a torrent of depressive, blackened metal unlike anything else released this year. A unique and spellbinding listen from start to finish. "Kalt’ Ritt in leight faltiger Leere”
15. Black Crown Initiate, Selves We Cannot Forgive (eOne) I’ve been rooting for Black Crown Initiate since their excellent debut EP three years ago. Now, with their second LP, the band has delivered on the potential everyone saw in them from the beginning. The weaving of more melodic elements into the band’s aggressive technical wizardry results in some of the best songs the band has ever written. "Matriarch”
16. Black Mountain, IV (Jagjaguwar) This is less a metal band than a heavy rock collective that flirts with prog and psych as much as they do retro heaviness. However, when they lock into a groove, it’s impossible to deny them, and the Sabbath-ian grooves of “Mothers of the Sun” and Pink Floyd-meets-Spiritualized drone of “Space to Bakersfield” lend themselves to repeated listens. It reminded me what I liked so much about them on their first album, In the Future. "Mothers of the Sun,” “Space to Bakersfield”
17. Black Wail, All You Can Eat (if I don’t put my own band in, who will?)
18. Childish Gambino, Awaken My Love (Glassnote)
19. Cobalt, Slow Forever (Profound Lore) Cobalt, Slow Forever [sludge/alternative/metal/punk/folk] (Profound Lore) Slow Forever is unapologetic, raw, and ruthless. It’s not out to defy any expectations. It’s not trying to be subversive. It’s just primal, crushing, pissed-off metal. Charlie Fell proves to be an exceptional replacement for former vocalist Phil McSorley, offering an utterly voracious and repulsive performance that melds on an emotional level, adding layers of depth and personality that never made their way on previous records. Multi-instrumentalist/project mastermind Erik Wunder displays a refined capability to write with pure yet intellectual aggression. It is nothing short of spectacular; taking inspiration from sources as diverse as earthy Americana and hardcore punk, Slow Forever builds tension with progressive structures – essentially baiting listeners for visceral sonic strikes – but remains active in the present, making something immediate and violent while creating a persistent unease. It also helps that Slow Forever happens to be one of the best sounding records of the year. The grating guitars, throaty, growling bass, and hefty drumming create a simultaneously fascinating and disturbing wasteland of a record, one that shouldn’t be missed by anyone who doesn’t mind a little grit and grime, ‘cuz this sucker is filthy. "Beast Whip,” “Elephant Graveyard,” “Final Will”
20. Crobot – Welcome to Fat City (Wind-up Records)
21. Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas – Mariner (Indie Recordings) There were a bunch of collaborative efforts in 2016 that emanated from the metal world with stellar results. The best of the lot though came from Sweden’s Cult of Luna and U.S. songstress, Julie Christmas. Imagine if one of Cult of Luna’s best efforts was enhanced with soaring, gorgeous female vocals. That’s basically a stripped down definition of what you are getting on this album. Christmas, no stranger to the post-metal world after having performed with “super group” Battle of Mice, not only gives this album another compelling layer to digest, but enhances the already majestic delivery that Cult of Luna manages. It’s a match made in exquisite metal heaven. "A Greater Call”
22. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition (Warp)
23. David Bowie – Blackstar (Columbia)
24. Dead Register – Fiber
25. Deftones, Gore [alternative/metal] (Reprise) Gore isn’t like some album this year that is getting heaps of praise because it’s a decent release in a long line of disappointments. It stands on its own merits. It’s ultimately the best Deftones release in over a decade and a half. Featuring many of the best choruses of their career, Gore is a refinement of the best version of the band – one that balances allure with disgust, darkness with light, and subtle textures with brutal grooves. Every track has a solid hook, steadying some of the most unusual riffs in their catalog, maintaining a fresh sound while retaining their identity – something that other band couldn’t grasp for a while. "Doomed User,” “(L)MIRL,” “Phantom Bride”
26. Devin Townsend Project – Transcendence (Hevy Devy Records) Transcendence is definitive Devin Townsend. Every single song is a thick, sonic experience with layers of complex, beautiful arrangements. Transcendence is a ride through your own spiritual journey, ushered along by the jester king of progressive heavy metal. As great as Devin’s production work goes, another big name in the modern progressive metal field, Adam “Nolly” Getgood (Periphery) is credited with Engineering and Mixing. "Failure” or “Higher”
27. Devin Townsend Project, Transcendence (HevyDevy/InsideOut) For the longest time, I had Opeth’s Sorceress (Moderbolaget/Nuclear Blast) at the progressive metal spot. However, Devin Townsend’s beautiful mind in 2016 with Transcendence has won me over as it captivates the constant change and human struggles with musical excellence. As Townsend’s style continues to transcend, audiences will be sucked in with endless captivation. Album Highlights: “Failure,” “Higher,” “From the Heart”
28. Devin Townsend, Transcendence (InsideOut)
29. Dream Theater, The Astonishing (Roadrunner) There are very few concept albums/rock operas where I have actually gotten caught up in the story. Hell, sometimes I forget there’s a story at all. So, while I knew Dream Theater would deliver with The Astonishing on some scale, I didn’t anticipate how captivated I would be on my first listen. The story of a dystopian world without music isn’t unheard of (2112 anyone?) , but the added depth of a whole website of lore and the band’s tried and true musical ability make The Astonishing the first album I can genuinely say I’ve listened to for the story. That alone makes the album worth being my top pick for 2016.
30. Eight Bells – Landless (Battleground Records) A power-trio of truly ethereal proportions, Eight Bells delivered five tracks of stunning, atmospheric doom that sailed into port on a ship made of old German Krautrock and 70s prog aesthetics. Equally parts crushingly heavy and bewitchingly beautiful, Landless is a stellar addition to a doom pantheon that continues to expand boundaries in several different directions. "Hating”
31. Epica – The Holographic Principle (Nuclear Blast) Here is where the list gets rather personal, and I will start with my obsessively devoted love for Epica. The Holographic Principle is considered as the bigger sister of 2014’s The Quantum Enigma with the continuation of bold orchestral arrangements. Mark Jansen, one of the leading writers for The Holographic Principle has made this a science fiction journey as he brought movies such as the Terminator back to life with symphonic metal excellence. Album Highlights: “Universal Death Squad,” “Beyond the Matrix,” “Ascension – Dream State Armageddon”
32. Equilibrium, Armageddon (Nuclear Blast) The category of folk/pagan/viking was probably the most difficult one to decide as I had Moonsorrow’s Jumalten Aika (Century Media) running for this for a decent amount of time along with debating between Suidakra’s Realms of Odoric (AFM Records) and Amon Amarth’s Jomsviking (Metal Blade). After a few extensive revisits, I put my foot down and decided on Equilibrium’s Armageddon and have no regrets. The album is filled with diversity as a few parts are slower than others while other tracks surprise you with intensified growls, riffs, and an Epic energy. Album Highlights: “Erwachen,” “Born to Be Epic,” “Eternal Destination”
33. Every Time I Die, Low Teens [hardcore/metalcore/punk] (Epitaph) These guys can do no wrong. Low Teens has the band at their most focused and impassioned. Musically, it’s about what you’d expect – a savvy blend of southern rock, ravaging hardcore, and beer swilling rock’n’roll. The shitty circumstances surrounding singer Keith Buckley seem to squeeze the best out of him; his highbrow wise-ass lyricism is still in tact, but now there’s an unprecedented level of emotional connection that takes this one to another level. The band is still pushing themselves, “It Remembers” is the first ETID song with only clean vocals, “Religion of Speed” clocks in as one of their longest tracks to date, and “Petal” is likely their most emotionally-charged and powerful song of their career – and likely of this entire year. "Glitches,” “Petal,” “Just As Real But Not As Brightly Lit”
34. Exmortus, Ride Forth (Prosthetic Records)
35. Fallujah – Dreamless (Nuclear Blast)
36. Ghoul – Dungeon Bastards
37. Gnaw Their Tongues – Hymns For The Broken, Swollen and Silent
38. Goes Cube – Shadows Swallowed the Flood (Old Flame/Greenway Records) Sumac – What One Becomes (Thrill Jockey)
39. Gojira, Magma (Roadrunner)
40. Gojira, Magma (Roadrunner) By now, just about everyone’s aware what a technical band Gojira is. I’d always thought of them as Meshuggah with songs, as opposed to just rhythms, which is probably blasphemy to Meshuggah fans. But this is their most mainstream album yet, but it’s still very uniquely them. The quartet continues to evolve with each albums, and while there riffs aplenty, it’s the most clean singing they’ve done on an album, more akin to the weird experimentation of Voivod. It’s an exciting album, and I can’t wait to see where they take it next. "Silvera,” “Low Lands”
41. Gojira, Magma (Roadrunner) Gojira’s Magma should be classified as the most powerful album of the year as it is one that captivates the bitter emotion after the loss of a loved one. Many questioned their softer and experimental direction, however, it has struck a depressing chord on me as it is purely about the loss of brother’s Joe and Mario Duplantier’s mother. After losing a parent, and seeing one die right before your eyes, your life is forever changed. It was the opening song “The Shooting Star” that started it all, “Avoid the darkness, stay away, stay out of sight,” where you are begging for your loved one to stay alive. It’s haunting, daring, and musically compelling and I managed to morph a few friends into Gojira fans. Album Highlights: “The Shooting Star,” “Silvera,” “Only Pain”
42. Gygax – Critical Hits (Self-Released)
43. Critical Hits is what you get when you combine the rock and roll styling of Thin Lizzy and nerdy awesome hobbies like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Recommended to me earlier in the year by a fan of a college radio show I was a part of, I became hooked instantly. As far as debut albums go, Gygax rolled a crit on this one. "Chain Lightning”
44. Haken, Affinity (Inside Out) Affinity was one of those albums that I instantly felt a connection with but could not even remotely comprehend until I had gone through it a half dozen times. It is an astoundingly technical, modern progressive metal album with deep, classic progressive rock roots. The aesthetic of the 80s permeate the album with themes of science and technology, hope, and the future found throughout. It may sound like a daunting task, because it is, but do yourself a favor and dive into the 15 minute epic, “The Architect.” "The Architect” or “1985”
45. Haken, Affinity (Inside Out) When I heard Haken’s 2013 LP The Mountain, I couldn’t believe I’d somehow missed out on the band the first time around. So I jumped on Affinity immediately and happily enjoyed one of the best progressive albums of the year. The 80’s aesthetic works overwhelmingly well in Haken’s favor and continues their streak of fresh and inspired prog rock/metal. "Lapse”
46. Hemelbestormer – Aether
47. Horseback – Dead Ringers
48. Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony (Black Lion Productions)
49. Hyperion, Seraphical Euphony (Black Lion) I always like to peruse other lists for any eleventh hour gems that inevitably managed to slip past me during the year. In 2016, that gem was Hyperion’s debut album Seraphical Euphony, a dazzling delight of blackened melodic death metal that had me sold within two minutes of hearing “Nova Orda Secolorum”. It’s fast, mean, but also has a melodic side that only enhances the excellence of this debut album. "Nova Orda Secolorum”
50. Ihsahn, Arktis. (Candlelight)
51. Ihsan, Arktis (Candlelight Records)
52. Insomnium, Winter’s Gate (Century Media) There is no question that this album holds bitter genius for over forty minutes within one song. It brought you a truculent winter and hopelessness as you get lost in the merciless journey that was based on Niilo Sevänen’s short story, “Winter’s Gate.” I love long tracks, especially when done right similar to Gorguts’ Pleiades Dust. Insomnium continues to literally “WOW” me as I have never been disappointed in them, ever. Album Highlights: “Winter’s Gate”
53. Inter Arma, Paradise Gallows (Relapse Records) There were way too many to decide in the extreme, black, experimental, post categories. For a long time, I debated and kept changing this to either the return of In The Woods with Pure (Debemur Morti Productions) or Anaal Nathrakh’s The Whole of the Law (Metal Blade). However, it was the atmospheric journey that Inter Arma’s Paradise Gallows gave me along with the doom and blackened undertones. You get lost in the abyss with the extreme and experimental excellence that required more than one listen to fully grasp its greatness. “Transfiguration,” “Primordial Wound,” “The Paradise Gallows”
54. Inter Arma, Paradise Gallows, [sludge/death metal/black metal] (Relapse) Inter Arma are like a fucking black hole, just eating everything up and spitting out something completely new every time. It’s unfair how they can make new elements fit so well within their (already boundless) sound, but they pull everything off so convincingly, it’s no wonder they’re always a year-end favorite. The clean vocals, the desert rock psych, the even more intricate arrangements; it all enhances their range of expression, authentically. Paradise Gallows might as well be a movie score, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this syncs up at the lion’s third roar to some gloomy western flick. It’s truly awe-inspiring, a front-to-back masterpiece of an album, and yet I’m still left feeling, somehow, that their best days are ahead of them. "An Archer in the Emptiness,” “The Paradise Gallows,” “Violent Constellations”
55. Inverloch – Distance | Collapsed (Relapse Records) Featuring half of the lineup from criminally underrated death-doom act, dISEMBOWELMENT, this highly anticipated debut lived up to the billing, and then some. Absolutely suffocating death metal is interspersed with bludgeoning doom interludes to create an album that ranks high in both atmospherics and cacophony. The weight of it all could make you implode if you weren’t ready for it. "Lucid Delerium”
56. Khemmis, Hunted (20 Buck Spin) There’s always one album that sneaks in at the end of the year, and this year, it’s the sophomore album from Khemmis. There’s elements of doom, but it’s like Pallbeaerer sped up and given an injection of Thin Lizzy. I’m a sucker for guitarmonies, and these guys have them in spades. In and out in five long songs, it doesn’t overstay its welcome either. "Hunted”
57. Lamb of God – The Duke EP (Nuclear Blast) Since only two of the five songs were originals, no matter how much I enjoyed them this was never going to make the top 10. However, the two new tracks are both excellent and the live ones a bonus.
58. Lament Cityscape & Theologian – Soft Tissue
59. letlive., If I’m The Devil (Epitaph)
60. Machinae Supremacy – In the Night World (Hubnester Records) It doesn’t get released until the 16th, but given how much I have been enjoying “My Dragons will Decimate,” I wouldn’t consider my list finished until I’ve heard the whole thing.
61. Maeth Shrouded Mountain [psych/sludge/post-metal] (Minnesconsin) If there’s anything that comes close to capturing the sonic scope of Inter Arma’s Paradise Gallows, it’s Maeth’s Shrouded Mountain. Listening to this takes me to a different headspace (like post-metal should), but the expeditious and constantly evolving nature of the songs put this head-and-shoulders above more popular acts in the scene. Crushing guitars meet with balmy, tom-heavy polyrhythms and ambient textures, encapsulating ferocious screams and layered vocals, all circumscribed by majestic flute lines that highlight an impressive sonic breadth. "Verne,” “Shrouded Mountain,” “Mammoth God”
62. Megadeth, Dystopia (Tradecraft/uME) With Dystopia we have Megadeth writing songs that are just as blistering and aggressive as anything to come from them yet. After it was announced that both Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover had departed from the band it seemed up in the air how the album would eventually turn out, but I stayed optimistic as Dave Mustaine’s history of choosing musicians is pretty stellar. As it would happen, Dave and Jr would go on to enlist Kiko Loureiro (Angra) and Chris Adler (Lamb of God, Nitro?) and come out with one of their best albums in years. The artwork even features my favorite incarnation of Vic Rattlehead, a dressed up, katana wielding, cyberpunk, bounty hunter of some sort. Track Pick: Dystopia
63. Megadeth, Dystopia (TradecraftIuME)/Anthrax, For All Kings (Megaforce) 2016 was a hell of a year for loss but a good year for the so-called “Big 4” of thrash metal. Metallica released their best- reviewed album in 25 years, and both Megadeth and Anthrax put out albums that were amazingly well-received for bands that have been around for over 30 years. The hopes were pretty high for Megadeth’s Dystopia after hearing that Lamb of God’s Chris Adler was on drums and Angra guitarist Kiko Loureiro had been recruited as the band’s new guitarist. And many had written off the band after 2013’s lackluster Super Collider, but this delivered on all counts. The title track was basically a nicely updated rewrite of “Hangar 18,” “The Threat is Real” was another banger, and the band are somehow finding themselves in a career revival. Meanwhile, the fresh blood of Shadows Fall guitarist Jonathan Donais continues the roll that Anthrax was on since 2011, when they put out their first album in eight years. Do either of these albums live up to their band’s earlier works in the ’80s and early ’90s that made them the household names they are now? Probably not, but they’re both catchy, heavy returns to form that, at the very least, sit very comfortably alongside their best work . "Dystopia,” “Blood Eagle Wings”
64. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct (Blackened) Let the Metallica haters keep on hating. Yes, I understand Testament’s Brotherhood Of The Snake (Nuclear Blast) and the solid return of Megadeth with Dystopia (Tradecraft/Universal) were terrific releases and close contenders. However, after waiting eight years for a new Metallica album which feels longer than the wait for the return of Tool, Metallica has utterly surpassed my expectations. The promotion for this album was unbelievable as they provided secret shows for fans, early releases and the unheard of fact, which they premiered a music video for each song. Musically, the production quality is tight, catchy, and it is the only album that exists on my phone. Album Highlights: “Atlas, Rise!,” “Dream No More,” “Spit Out The Bone”
65. Metallica, Hardwired… To Self Destruct (Blackened Recordings) You’re really not supposed to expect much out of any band that’s been around for over 30 years. Metallica’s first album in eight years turned out to be their best in 25 years. Granted, it’s not like the bar was set that high after Lulu and St. Anger, but this double album (that’s actually shorter than some of their single albums) has some of the most vital Metallica tracks since their first four albums. This makes the top ten just based off the title track, “Moth Into Flame,” “Atlas Rise” and “Spit Out the Bone.” The other eight songs sound like a cross between the Black Album and the better parts of Load and Reload. It sounds like the band have stopped trying too hard and just created music they like. "Atlas Rise”
66. Metallica, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (Blackened Recordings) This making the list surprised me. Maybe it was my low expectations, or maybe it was the cringeworthy title track kicking off what it otherwise a fantastic album. I think with Hardwired we’re seeing a Metallica that is reinvigorated, and has finally learned to write and play in a way that fits with how they have aged. Let’s face it, we will never get another Kill Em All, but do we really need that? This is a breath of fresh air into a band that’s biggest success in my lifetime was a live album(you know the one). It is far from a perfect album, but if this is the direction we will be seeing Metallica move in, I approve. Let’s just not talk about the artwork. "Now That We’re Dead” because “Spit out the Bone” is too obvious a choice.
67. Metallica, Hardwired…to Self Destruct
68. Myrath – Legacy (EarMusic / Nightmare Records) Myrath continues to display the beauty of Middle Eastern culture and the Arabic language with their fourth album, Legacy. Underneath its melodic exterior can be found contrasting themes of hope in the world at large and the struggles in the world around them. This album has been making waves throughout the progressive and power metal communities since it’s release, and deservedly so. You can expect to see this name a little more often over the next few years. They’re even going to be coming to the United States for at least one show soon. Track Picks: “Believer”
69. Nails, You Will Never Be One of Us (Nuclear Blast)
70. Nervosa, Agony (Napalm)
71. Neurosis – Fires Within Fires (Neurot Recordings) Neurosis are one of the most important and influential bands in the history of heavy music. Period. Their most recent return from the studio was a triumphant one as once again they’ve delivered an album that melts directly into the crevices of your brain with every listen. This album is as addictive and as mesmerizing as you would come to expect from this band. Living legends and another album to add to such an important legacy. "Fire is the End Lesson”*
72. Neurosis, Fires Within Fires (Neurot) The newest dark, introspective journey from Neurosis is on the shorter side compared to the rest of their discography, but that only guarantees quality from the band. I caught onto Neurosis back when Honor In Decay came out, but I think this album finally bumped me up from “like them” to “love them.” When I need to wind down on the nightly drive home from work, this is the album I go to. "Broken Ground”*
73. Neurosis, Fires Within Fires (Neurot) There’s really no other band like Neurosis. Essentially making the blueprint for post-metal, their sparse, harsh and sometimes beautiful music has been imitated by countless bands, but none can come close. Their latest album is no different, except at a lean 40 minutes, cuts out the fat of some of their previous releases for a concise five song masterpiece. That being said, the album’s closer, the nearly eleven-minute “Reach” finds the band stretching, adding vocal harmonies and building in intensity until the album ends leaving the listened in stunned silence until they start listening again. "Bending Light,” “Reach”
74. Omnium Gatherum, Grey Heavens (Avalon)
75. ONI, Ironshore (Metal Blade) ONI’s debut album was a last-minute surprise for me. Where other technical metal acts run the risk of being boring, ONI keeps their brand of progressive technical death metal fresh with little flourishes such as the use of a xylo-synth to complement the insane guitar work. The result is a strong debut album that is straightforward but engaging, and it stands a cut above the rest it its class. Plus, they got Randy Blythe to make a guest appearance. "Barn Burner”
76. Opeth, Sorceress (Nuclear Blast) Opeth, Sorceress (Nuclear Blast) I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with Sorceress at first listen. Most of the reason why is because I consider its predecessor, Pale Communion, one of the most well crafted albums Opeth has ever made, so it had a tough act to follow. But a week or so later I found I was singing “The Wilde Flowers” absentmindedly to myself, and decided that it merited a few more spins. I’ve now come to enjoy Sorceress as another fine entry from Opeth without needing to compare it to the band’s previous works. Many fans may still lament the band’s continued distancing from metal, but I still love this proggy iteration of Opeth. "The Wilde Flowers”
77. Primal Fear – Rulebreaker (Frontiers Records)
78. PUP – The Dream is Over (SideOneDummy)
79. Radiohead, A Moon Shaped Pool (XL)
80. Red Fang, Only Ghosts (Relapse) From their punchy, riffy songs to their videos, each of which is a mini-masterpiece of comedy, Red Fang have always been a fun band. This time, however, they crafted an album that’s as catchy as they are fun. Working with Ross Robinson, which you’d think might be a weird move, it sounds like the band have been doubling down on listening to Queens of the Stone Age in addition to the Melvins. In short, this is the catchiest album they’ve written, and if rock radio pulled it’s head out of its ass and stopped playing generic Nickelback-ian yarling, they could discover their new favorite band. "Flies,” “Not For You”
81. Revocation, Great Is Our Sin (Metal Blade) Revocation continued to push the limit and managed to release a different style which marks. Great Is Our Sin their first conceptual album. Despite the lineup changes, David Davidson’s ambition has appeared to be invincible where this new album included a well-composed mix between Technical Death, Metalcore, and Progressive Metal elements. It is a concept piece that came from a Charles Darwin quote, “If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.” Well done Revocation, well done. Album Highlights: “Arbiters of the Apocalypse,” “Crumbling Imperium,” “The Exaltation”
82. Sabaton – The Last Stand (Nuclear Blast) With Sabaton, you generally know what you’re going to get: catchy, up-tempo, battle anthems that burrow into your brain until there is nothing left but to storm into battle. This time around to take that model and draw inspiration from legendary ‘last stand moments’ in history. The Last Stand delivers, and certainly won’t be Sabaton’s last stand… I’ll see myself out. "The Last Stand”
83. Spirit Adrift, Chained to Oblivion [doom/psych] (Prosthetic) There’s been swaths of doom records put out this year, and none of them come close to Chained to Oblivion. Nothing seizes the power and emotion that Nate Garrett captures on this album; he outclasses his peers that rely on tired tropes and stale conventions (and mediocre riffs), making them appear antiquated in comparison. The psych elements and the instrumentation alone put this one over the top, but Garrett’s lyrics and vocal performance take this to another level, drawing deep and personal connections with listeners, and ultimately cementing Chained to Oblivion as a modern classic. "Psychic Tide,” “Form and Force,” “Chained to Oblivion”
84. Starkill, Shadow Sleep (Prosthetic Records)
85. Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor’s Guide to Earth (Atlantic)
86. SubRosa – For This We Fought The Battle Of Ages
87. T.O.M.B. – Fury Nocturnus (Peaceville) The name stands for Total Occultic Mechanical Blasphemy and that’s exactly what this outfit has been delivering for quite some time. Their Peaceville debut, Fury Nocturnus, is arguably their best work to date as they weave together a devilish array of black metal, industrial, and noise to create something altogether ritualistic in nature. It’s a downright evil record that even most metal fans will not find wholly accessible. However, if you’ve ever wanted to stumble into some ceremony celebrating the dark arts and hoped they asked you to stay and partake, you’ve just received your invite. "Fury Nocturnus”
88. Testament – Brotherhood of the Snake (Nuclear Blast) With all do respect to some of the other elder statesmen of the genre, the thrash album of the year belongs to Testament. Hands down. For a band that is 30 years and 12 full-length albums into their career Testament continues to deliver absolutely ripping material, complete with headbanging songs and stellar musicianship all-around. This is no grab-ass attempt at reclaiming some past glories. It’s a band firing on all cylinders and delivering something wholly memorable. "Brotherhood of the Snake”
89. Thank You Scientist, Stranger Heads Prevail [prog/jazz] (Evil Ink) I was blindsided by Thank You Scientist’s unique brand of prog. I missed their 2012 debut, Maps of Non-Existent Places entirely, and I largely ignored the existence of Stranger Heads Prevail until some arm-twisting forced me to give it a whirl. There’s a quirkiness to the brassy arrangements that gild the album, but the execution is so polished it never comes across as corny or irritating, akin to tasteful usage in bands like Mr. Bungle or The Mars Volta. I get queasy at the idea of ska, but the pep and stylistic assortment provided by the horns (and violin) here are crucial to the success of the record – accenting breakdowns, coloring passages with dramatic effects, adding soul, and funkifying their mathy and proggy base – making it as fun as it is challenging. "The Somnambulist,” “Mr. Invisible,” “The Amateur Arsonist’s Handbook”
90. The Central, Discovery of a Rat [math/grind/indie/pop] (Blue Bedroom Records) There was a ton of awesome grind this year, but The Central did it differently, and did it best. This is not your grandma’s grind. Much like the aforementioned Air, Discovery hits on something entirely new that lands in the overlap of The Number Twelve Looks Like You, early System of a Down, and indie rock favorites Of Montreal. The duo’s weirdo mathy ripping is complemented by some downright catchy melodies that’ll have you humming along in no time. I eagerly await their next offering, as they’ve shown to have unique potential. "Aku Law,” “Totem Bowl,” “Feelings”
91. The Dillinger Escape Plan, Dissociation (Party Smasher)
92. Twelve Foot Ninja, Outlier (Volkanik Music)
93. Vanhelgd – Temple of Phobos
94. Vektor, Terminal Redux [thrash/prog] (Earache) This is the only thrash album that anyone should be talking about on a year end list. That should say all you need to know, but even if thrash isn’t your bag, the technicality and songcraft on display is stupefying enough to impress even the geekiest of prog nerds. This isn’t keg party re-thrash, but it’s not 20-sided die nerdy, either. It fits somewhere between, and in doing so, Vektor have found a perfect balance for experiments in the extreme. The mind-boggling riffing and otherworldly shred are confounding, but left me enamored after every listen. An instant classic. "LCD (Liquid Crystal Disease),” “Pillars of Sand,” “Recharging the Void”
95. Void Omnia – Dying Light (Vendetta Records)
96. Waldgeflüster – Ruinen (Nordvis) I don’t throw around the term “epic” very often since it was buzz worded to death over the last decade or so. But there are few other ways to truly describe this album. Majestic, atmospheric black metal is deftly woven together with ethereal interludes to create this vast soundscape that just engulfs you at every turn. Less a collective of songs, and more a full-scale listening experience, Ruinen is the type of able you can continue to come back to over and over again and still discover little nuances you didn’t notice the first time through. As gorgeous and lush an album as you’ll find this year. "Ruinenfelder”
97. Whores., Gold (eOne) So. Much. Fuzz. I’ve been a fan of Whores. since their first EP on Brutal Panda a few years back. They have that Melvins-y Amphetamine Reptile sound that meets somewhere in between metal, noise rock and whiskey, and riffs that bludgeon you. The band signing to eOne was a long-in-the-works move that should bring them the larger audience that they deserve, and seeing them hit the road with Red Fang and Torche is an example of that. "I See You Are Also Wearing a Black T-shirt”
98. Witherscape, The Northern Sanctuary (Century Media) Admittedly, my year featured far more rock n roll and far less death metal than usual. This year’s big harsh hit with me was The Northern Sanctuary. It is an intelligently written concept album that picks up where their previous LP The Inheritance left off, but this time the songwriting, instrumentation, and production have come to full stride as Dan Swanö and Ragnar Widerberg discover the mastery of both melodic death metal and prog rock. "Divinity”
99. Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn
100. Zeal and Ardor, Devil Is Fine (self) Like another album down the list a bit, it’s not often that a sound comes out in music you haven’t heard before. Zeal and Ardor, the one-man project of Swiss musician Manuel Gagneux, blends a hell of a lot of influences into Zeal and Ardor. Spirituals, black metal and electronic music into a sound that’s completely new. While this album isn’t getting a proper U.S. release until next year, it’s a record that I listened to a bunch when I first heard it, and keep coming back to months later, which makes it an automatic for this list. "Devil Is Fine”
101. Zeal and Ardor, Devil Is Fine (Self-Released) Blues is the root of many a musical genre, but that doesn’t mean you can just up and combine it with the likes of black metal and trip hop, right? Well, that’s exactly what Manuel Gagneux did with his one-man band Zeal and Ardor, perplexing listeners with howling blues vocals and the fuzzy tremolo picking of black metal before shifting gears into electronic interludes. And it works. It might be a bit jarring at first, but the searing old school blues punctuated with black metal shrieking makes for an album that has stuck with me in the many months since its release. "Come On Down”

* There is a need for Metalinsider.net to use a template. They do not follow the same format for their columns. Look at this:

• Neurosis – Fires Within Fires (Neurot Recordings)...
• Neurosis, Fires Within Fires (Neurot)

Is it a dash or a comma after the band's name?!?