Epic year. I’ll start off with that. There was a strong push from underground acts, lots of cool labels doing their things and at the same time established artists putting out career highlights. Throughout the year I’ve felt a strong connection to my metal roots and well, the fruit has borne some real gems.
2024 is a year of journeys and I gravitated to albums that captured that feeling for me.
There were albums from what I would consider legacy acts putting out both refreshing and retreaded sounds. Artists who’ve dominated my recent years of metal disappointing me. Fresh blood revitalizing the scene and a lot in between. I’ve come to love compiling this list and so let’s get things started with a fucking banger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eCzfR7oVLI
The moment we’ve been waiting for, without further adieu, let’s get started
12 The Last Will and Testament
Opeth
Welcome back old friend.
Though part of me knows this was always Åkerfeldt’s plan—to bring back death growls when no one really cared anymore, it’s a shame they let it get to that point. No one caring anymore about Opeth. Shame indeed. However, my metal journey would not be the same without them and because of that I’m just happy they’ve returned to the fold.
11 Fall
Borknagar
Late stage heroics? Yes. Fall lets the grandiose nature of power metal embellish the nordic black metal chill we expect.
It’s motivating. Which I don’t often say about black metal records. Take pride in where you’ve come from. Grow and expand.
Indeed, Borknagar continues to do so and in doing so carves out a spot in the hallowed halls of metal from here till Valhalla.
10 Heavy Metal Wraiths
Morgul Blade
If the previous entry let power metal embellish black metal, Heavy Metal Wraiths, lets black metal coat their chainmail giving an edge not often seen in this battlefield.
It’s catchy. Sonically diverse. One hell of a ride.
There’s real potential for them to make a real genre defying record, but it is not this day.
https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000b273bd97a95f0caca0cf2e1574a1
9 Dark Superstition
Gatecreeper
It’s not melodic death metal, yet in another world, I could see how this could have been what Slaughter of the Soul was to that genre.
This is death metal that never let’s melody outshine the brutality and at the same time doesn’t shy away from said melody either. It’s exactly what Gatecreeper needed to continue their ascent to the top of modern metal.
8 Echoes of Light
Chapel of Disease
They’ve captured that 70s prog jam band with death metal sound extremely well here. In a world where it’s often hard to stand out as a death metal act, Chapel of Disease manages to do so by leaning into genres that when previously mixed with death metal didn’t work too well… looking at you Opeth.
7 Sub Rosa In Æternum
Tribulation
Reminds me of a long time favorite of mine, Wildhoney by Tiamat. It’s this sort of goth rock meets black metal with a heavy emphasis on sexy.
I’ll just say I’m here for it.