Albums Of The Year 2024

[The Great Cull]

In what must be the worst year ever for new releases for me, I think only the new Anciients and Nails albums are worth a mention at all.

It's not metal but I do like the new Cure album too. It's been a year of slim pickings though.

[londonleatherboy]

I must be the only person on here that doesn't like Absolute Elsewhere. I enjoyed their other releases, but this one sounds like a Frankenstein's monster of death metal and Dr. Who moog freakouts. There's no flow to the songs, it's just prog bits horsed into death metal tunes.

Agreed..almost exactly what I said to buddies other night...it's so forced it's laughable . Revisited it after the initial buzz and countless spins died down and it's done nothing for me since

[Thorn]

That was my initial reaction, like....c'mon ye can't just shoehorn that in there..but after a few spins it just worked and I found myself looking forward to those WTF moments .

[Abandon All Hope]

BLACK CURSE - Burning In Celestial Poison

[Blizzard Beast]

In what must be the worst year ever for new releases for me, I think only the new Anciients and Nails albums are worth a mention at all.

It's not metal but I do like the new Cure album too. It's been a year of slim pickings though.

Yeah it was poor enough, there was some ok albums but I struggled to pick out some this year compared to last year.

[Carnage]

I thought I'd done this already but anyway...

Album of the year is The Cure: Songs Of A Lost World.

Then, in no particular order:

Blood Incantation: Absolute Elsewhere
Oldd Wvrms: Abysséphale
Coroza: As Within
Gaerea: Coma
High On Fire: Cometh The Storm
Dungeön: s/t
Abyssal: Glacial
The Jesus And Mary Chain: Glasgow Eyes
Akhlys: House Of The Black Geminus
Jerry Cantrell: I Want Blood
Judas Priest: Invincible Shield
Charlene Beretah: Kind Of Savagery
Opeth: The Last Will And Testament
Partholón: The Ocean Pours In
Ivory Primarch: The Portrait
Cavalera: Schizophrenia
Bile Caster: Writhing Between Birth And Death

[Anvil]

Just getting this down on paper as I actually have 20 minutes of peace and quiet.

1. The Wizards - Exit Garden
2. Blood Incantation - Absolute Everywhere
3. Coltre - To Watch With Hands...Too Touch With Eyes
4. Spectral Wound - Songs of Blood and Mire
5. Uncle Acid - Nella Ora Blue

The other contenders to round out the top ten would be the albums from Aborration, Darkthrone, Tribulation, Iotunn, Anciients (order not determined).

Stuff I thought was above average and worth checking out and would be fighting it out for the next spots.

They Came From Visions, Udad, Drowned, Stygian Crown, Ecclesia, Coffin Storm, Grand Magus, Hardraw, Friends of Hell, Kontact, Sulphur and Mercury, Nocturnus AD (I know the vocals got shit, but there is a lot to like about thus album), Flamekeeper, Freeways, Wraith, Portrait, Kryptos, Voodoo Kiss, The Spirit, Midnight Force


Stuff I need to listen to more - Armagh, Traveller, Crypt Sermon, The Gates of Slumber, Sig:Ar:Tyr - don't think any would be in my top 10 but might slip into a top 20.

I might come back to this.

[astfgyl]

I've mostly just listened to the Chat Pile album over and over again.

And The Cure.

And the new Godflesh dub the last week or 2.

That's it really

[Ducky]

I've warmed up to the vocals on that Nocturnus AD album. Not in "Chris Reifert better watch out" sort of way, more they kinda add a bit of goofy to their eccentric charm.

[Thorn]

They really do hold it back though, basically the reason I've dismissed it from end of year accolades. As Anvil said, the music itself is very worthy of attention.

[ochoill]

I've loads left still to go back and listen to properly but out of everything, here's my favourite releases in no particular order.

Partholón - The Ocean Pours In
Coroza - As Within
Worn Out - Low
Sweets - Sweets
HSJI - This Damned Mess
Sumac - The Healer
Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere
Pissed Jeans - Half Divorced
Full of Hell - Coagulated Bliss
Couch Slut - You Could Do It Tonight
Inter Arma - New Heaven
Oranssi Pazuzu - Muuntautuja
Spectral Voice - Sparagmos
Chat Pile - Cool World
Thou - Umbilical
Guiltless - Thorns
Bloody Head - Perpetual Eden
Rezn - Burden
Nailbreaker - Robert Knight Wine Cellar
Codespeaker - Scavenger
The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
Realize - Two Human Minutes
Sunnata - Chasing Shadows
Human Impact - Gone Dark
Houses of Heaven - Within/Without

Also enjoyed Shellac, Melvins, Coilguns, Kollapse, Spectral Wound, Jesus Lizard - just have only listened to them once or twice where the rest I have had in rotation on and off over the year.

[Grim Reality]

Been mainly listening to older music this year (what's new there I suppose). I'm even further out of the loop with new bands/releases than ever it seems.

I can only think of two from 2024 that I got and really enjoyed off the top of my head.

Vemod - the deepening.
Paysage d'hiver - die berge

I am also going to include one that came out the end of 2023 but has essentially been a 2024 listening album.

Aūkels - meddjan sklait ten.

This is the best Aūkels so far imo.

Oh I've thought of one more that should probably be on this list but my copy never arrived so I've only listened to it digitally so far, which is no way to get into an album.

Hrtkos - ognie twe kosy

For fans of newer atmospheric polish black metal like Aukels, Stworz, Beyond Time, Old Leshy, Wedrujacy Wiatr.....

[Thorn]

I've ended up with a strong backbone of British Steel to the oul list this year...

1. JUDAS PRIEST - INVINCIBLE SHIELD
Someone commented on here recently that this album souds like it was made by A.I.
I get that insofar as it takes the best bits from each era of Priest and forges them all into one glorious, triumphant celebration of Heavy Metal.

2.BLOOD INCANTATION - ABSOLUTE ELSEWHERE
Absolute belter and cards on the table I was never much into the band before. Well,this was me told.

3. DISSIMULATOR - LOWER FORM RESISTANCE
Is there anywhere to go for a band that releases a Tech/Death/Thrash debut album this damn good? This reminded me of hearing Voivod for the first time.

4. ADORIOR - BLOOD ON MY TEETH
Utter savagery from a band I'd never checked out before, the vocals alone had my gob agape. Caustic, cruel and damn near essential listening.

5. VULTURE - SENTINELS
Lots of spins for these none more Metal German 'Bangers this year in an album chock full of hooks and earworms.

6. SKELETHAL- WITHIN CORROSIVE CONTINUUMS
This one caught me by surprise as the Frenchmen delivered a killer take on old school Swedish Death Metal.

7.SOVEREIGN - ALTERED REALITIES
Another notable Tech/Death/Thrash debut here and one that has got a shit ton of playtime. Well, it did come out way back in January.

8. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM - I AM THE WEAPON
One of the best thrash bands from the eighties still flying the flag, certainly the best singer, the band have updated and refined their sound with each release of late and long may they continue.

9.WITCH VOMIT - FUNERAL SANCTUM
These guys definitely upped their game in terms of songwriting here, creating an album full of classic DM that will stick in your head long after the slimline half hour running time.

10.BLITZKRIEG  - BLITZKRIEG
I knew from the first spin I'd be having this on my end of year list. Raise your fist and bang your head but no moshing now, Big Brian's watching.

11. CIVEROUS -MAZE ENVY
A classic case of the album cover selling the album but this turned out to be a rewarding slice of Progressive Death Metal for me.

12. ACCEPT - HUMANOID
A very good year for classic Heavy Metal I thought and the German legends were right in the game with this one.

13. ATTIC - RETURN OF THE WITCHFINDER
2024 was the year I finally 'got' these Mercyful Fate wannabes, some excellent tunes on this one.

14. BRUCE DICKINSON - THE MANDRAKE PROJECT
A bit over indulgent on the second side of this but all in all another sterling effort from Mr.D and Mr.Z.

15. NECROWRETCH -SWORDS OF DAJJAL
This was an early release that stayed with me throughout the year, vicious straight up French BM in the vein of early Mayhem and Satyricon

16. PORTRAIT -THE HOST
Another one that suffered  bit of over indulgence and bloat toward the end but there were more than enough good tunes on here to warrant many a listen. Hopefully that's the concept album idea out of their system...

17. SAXON - HELL, FIRE AND DAMNATION
I'm glad I went back and revisited this one because it damn near slipped through the cracks which would be a shame as the band are having an absolute blast in their twilight years.

18. 1349 - THE WOLF AND THE KING
Another album where I've walked away from and heard the songs in my head for hours afterwards. One of the surprises of the year for me this one, having never had the band anywhere near a Top 20 list before.

19. MY DYING BRIDE - A MORTAL BINDING
More Brit awards here but I thought this was a strong and dynamic offering from The Bride...Lets hope not their last.

20. HORNA - NYX (HYMNEJA YOLLE)
I had to fight running battles with myself over this final choice but I always wanted this Horna album in somewhere, in the year of their 30th anniversary to release a discography standout like this deserves plaudits . Suomi Finland !

Honourable Mentions...

Scanner -The Cosmic Race
Sig:Ar:Tyr - Citadel
Deceased - Children Of The Morgue
The Crown - Crown Of Thorns
Wormwitch - Wormwitch

Also to mention Satan - Songs In Crimson but I have such a strong aversion to that fiddly riff in 'Martyrdom' that I'm omitting it on principle.

[open face surgery]

Def check out Adorior - Author of Incest as well. It's a different beast but a total wrecking ball of an album.

[Thorn]

Will do, I'm all over them like a rash now