25.
Autopsy- The Headless Ritual
No
one does DM quite like Autopsy. This was a brilliant return. If I ahd listened
more extensively, I have no doubt it would climb higher.
24.
Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats- Mind Control
Excellent
follow up to Blood Lust- no creepy atmospherics this time, but worthy
nonetheless.
23.
Forest Swords- Engravings
Pagan
themed electronica. Evocative of the woods and the earth.
22.
Pentagram Chile- The Malefice
Feral
and old school metal. Incredible live, too.
21.
Satanic Dystopia- Double Denim Shotgun Massacre
Blackened
horror from the Northern Wastelands. Horrible.
20.
Avatarium- S/T
Classy
and haunting doom with a folk twist. Unusual and hypnotising. A bit of a late
entry into the albums of the year list- its stature may grow, I suspect.
19.
Monster Magnet- Last Patrol
A
real grower of an album. Psychedelic and sprawling, the best in a long time from Wyndorf. I f I had more time
to listen to it, it would most likely climb a lot higher in the list.
18.
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds- Push The Sky Away
Another
excellent record from a man who is much cooler than you. Uncategorisable stuff
and all the better for that.
17.
Monkey3 -The 5th Sun
Excellent
instrumental stoner goodness from Switzerland.
16.
Deicide- In The Minds of Evil
The
strongest record in a while from Glen's not so merry men. Death metal, as it
was and always should be.
15.
Motorhead- Aftershock
A
cracking return from the best rock n roll band in the world. Motorhead have
influenced everybody and remain the gold standard of integrity in music. If
this wasn't “only” the latest in Motorhead's incredible catalogue it would
feature a lot higher in this list. Fact: they have never made a bad album. The
real deal in every way. We will miss them when they are gone.
14.
Death Angel- The Dream Calls For Blood
Rip
roaring thrash from a somewhat overlooked band. If you haven't heard it... do
yourself a favour and argue for them in the “great thrash pub debate” (Why is
it only four bands in the big four? Why aren't Testament included? Is German
thrash better than the Bay Area stuff? Who actually likes Joey Belladonna's
vocals? Overkill- surely the most consistent of the lot?!).
13.
Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
Great
thrash with a blackened twist. Straight ahead, short and sweet.
12.
True Widow- Circumambulation
Trippy
and dreamy, this is an album to put on and relax to or while you're taking a
long look in the mirror (soul searching, not cocaine).
11.
Victor Griffin's In-Graved- S/T
Doom
legend makes classic 70's style rock record. Some cracking stiff on here. Even
the Jethro Tull cover works well. A fine follow up to the Place of Skulls
catalogue.
10.
The Fall Of Every Season- Amends
One
man proggy doom project that blew me away when I first heard it. Sprawling and
cold sounding.
9.
Sepultura- The Mediator Between The Head and Hands Must Be The Heart
Once
one of metal's leading lights, the band's star has dimmed in the last 15 years,
but they have made consistently great music for over a decade. What a shame
that some won’t give them a chance. Forward thinking and unique, one of my
favourite bands of all time.
8.
Icons Of Brutality- Between Glory and Despair
Excellent
Dutch death. This is how it should be done. Raw and vicious.
7.
Immolation- Kingdom of Conspiracy
Brutal
songs, blasts and production. This is thoroughly modern death metal.
6.
Hail Of Bullets- III The Rommel Chronicles
Historical
biography collides with ripping death-doom. Eeeurggghhh!
5.
Hypocrisy- End Of Disclosure
Superlative
Swe-death. Extra terrestrial themed and with brilliant playing, songs and
RIFFS! I loved this album as soon as I heard it.
4.
Alter Bridge- Fortress
Melodic
hard rock/metal that is dark, American and thoroughly modern. Their best record
so far and, no doubt, a gateway for young fans to one day move on to more
extreme fare.
3.
Rotting Christ- Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
I
have listened to this countless times. Not black, not goth, not thrash, not
death, not trad, but combines the best of those genres... Very different and
very cool. What an album.
2.
Carcass- Surgical Steel
Stunning
record. Is it their best?! Possibly. Some of the passages are simply breath
taking. If there is one death metal album from 2013 you should buy, it is this.
I said buy- not download/steal (spotify). Support the people who enrich your
life.
1.Clutch-
Earth Rocker
What
can be said? A more complete album is hard to find- across the decades the list
would be relatively short. I genuinely think this will become an all time
classic. Rock music at its best. Songs, personality, musicianship; the record
has it all in spades. I haven't heard an album of its type that is this good in
years. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone.
The
list above reflects how much I have listened to albums, enjoyment etc. As
usual, it is by no means definitive but the top ten is locked down.
There
are several albums that deserve honourable mentions too- indeed, on another day
they may have made the list. Sadly, I have not had enough time to really
immerse myself in some of these. I do the following a disservice that I hope to
rectify: Grave Miasma- Odori Sepulcrurum, Spitiual Beggars- Earth
Blues, Zombification- At The Graves of Eternal, Trouble- The
Distortion Field, Agrimonia- Rites Of Separation, Howl-
Bloodlines, Secrets of The Sky- To Sail Black Waters, Age of Taurus-
Desperate Souls Of Tortured Times, Down Among The Dead Men,
Procession- To Reap Heavens Apart, Tombstones- Red Skies and Dead
Eyes. All great bands with albums that deserve more of my attention for sure.
