# Your 2018 Best Of Album List



## JD27 (Dec 4, 2018)

Since the year is coming to a close, I figured it would be a good time to see what everyone has enjoyed the most this year. Usually I end up finding something I missed over the year. Maybe I’ve been slacking on new releases lately or there just wasn’t that much out there that I was looking forward to, but I couldn’t even come up with 10. I still haven’t checked out the new Behemoth or Skeletonwitch. Here is my list in no particular order.

Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Revocation - The Outer Ones
Arsis - Visitant
Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
At The Gates - To Drink From The Night Itself
Tribulation - Down Below
Good Tiger - We Will All Be Gone
Foxbat - Rotgut


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## ArtDecade (Dec 4, 2018)

Toska - Fire By The Silos
Melvins - Pinkus Abortion Technician
Hate Eternal - Upon Desolate Sands
Neil Finn - Lightsleeper


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## Mathemagician (Dec 4, 2018)

The Silver Scream - Ice Nine Kills
At the Gates - To Drink From the Night Itself

That’s it. I’m old. One new band one old band. I did good in 2018.


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## GunpointMetal (Dec 4, 2018)

Frontierer - Unloved
Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
Sectioned - Annihilated 
Black Tongue - Nadir
Cult Leader - A Patient Man
Dead/Awake - Insurrectionist EP
Gunship - Dark All Day


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## vilk (Dec 4, 2018)

Cult Leader - A Patient Man is my AOTY I'm fairly sure

Conan - Existential Void Guardian was good
Slugdge too!

I got Thou's new album, and it's definitely not bad... but it's definitely just 'more of the same'. IDK, I was kinda hoping it would stand out more but I've listened to it twice and I can't remember a single part of it.

...uh... that's like all I can think of right now lol wow kind of a slow year for bands I like.

Oh shit I still haven't gotten Hate Eternal yet!

Also I love Melvins but I don't really even assume they will turn back into a metal band again and they're so prolific that I'm not even sure if I should bother with the new album. Is it metal?


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## Obsidian Soul (Dec 4, 2018)

Silent Planet-When the End Began
The Dali Thundering Concept-Savages
Architects-Holy Hell


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## BrailleDecibel (Dec 4, 2018)

(in no particular order)

Skyharbor - "Sunshine Dust"
Unearth - "Extinction(s)"
Sylar - "Seasons"
Opia's two new songs they have released so far as a band (not an album, but don't care, they are too awesome to not get a mention here  )
Between the Buried and Me - Automata 1 & 2
Light the Torch - Revival
Bleeding Through - Love Will Kill All

Honorable mention goes to the imaginary Glass Cloud reunion album I wish we had all gotten this year, because even an imaginary Glass Cloud album is better than a lot of stuff out there.


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## Ordacleaphobia (Dec 4, 2018)

My AOTY contenders are a pretty short (and surprisingly un-heavy) list...

Good Tiger - We Will All be Gone
The Afterimage - Eve

And this:


BrailleDecibel said:


> Honorable mention goes to the imaginary Glass Cloud reunion album I wish we had all gotten this year, because even an imaginary Glass Cloud album is better than a lot of stuff out there.



BRING BACK GLASS CLOUD.
New Emmure is still lit tho


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## ZeroS1gnol (Dec 4, 2018)

Rivers of Nihil-Where Owls Know My Name
Polyphia - New Levels New Devils
Obscura - Diluvium

Honorable mention to Revocation - Outer Ones.


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## BrailleDecibel (Dec 4, 2018)

Ordacleaphobia said:


> BRING BACK GLASS CLOUD.
> New Emmure is still lit tho


I would say we should circle a Glass Cloud reunion petition, but it would save a shitload of time and yield the exact same results if one of the mods just emailed Josh Travis SS.O's entire user list, both banned and unbanned.


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## gunshow86de (Dec 4, 2018)

Horrendous - Idol
Oxygen Destroyer - Bestial Manifestations of Malevolence and Death
Hooded Menace - Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed
Ataraxy - Where All Hope Fades
Outer Heaven - Realms of Eternal Decay
Augury - Illusive Golden Age
Ingested - The Level Above Human
Sigh - Heir to Despair
Brainoil - Singularity to Extinction
Scorched - Ecliptic Butchery

And the lone non-metal release;

IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance


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## ArtDecade (Dec 4, 2018)

vilk said:


> Also I love Melvins but I don't really even assume they will turn back into a metal band again and they're so prolific that I'm not even sure if I should bother with the new album. Is it metal?



It's all over the map. This time around, Pinkus is doing a lot more of the songwriting - so you get the Melvins' heavy weirdness and Butthole Surfers' weird heaviness.


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## gunch (Dec 4, 2018)

Secret Cutter


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## JD27 (Dec 4, 2018)

GunpointMetal said:


> Gunship - Dark All Day



Completely missed that one! Need to check it out.


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## AdamMaz (Dec 4, 2018)

To make my year end list I require: artistic value, strong emotional impact, and be something I will not only have listened to repeatedly, but know I will continue to listen to for years to come. With that being said, in order...























Vargrav - _Netherstorm_ (Black Metal)
Akuratyde - _Past Lives_ (Drum & Bass)
Daniel Avery - _Song For Alpha_ (Techno)
Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz - _Mona Lisa_ (Hip Hop/Rap)
Dance With The Dead - _Loved To Death_ (Synthwave)
The Midnight - _Kids_ (Synth Pop)


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## ThisBrokenMachine (Dec 4, 2018)

My top ten for 2018:

1) Cult Leader - A Patient Man
2) Vein - Errorzone
3) Harakiri for the Sky - Arson
4) Casey - Where I Go When I Am Sleeping
5) MØL - Jord
6) Gatherers - We Are Alive Beyond Repair
7) Frontierer - Unloved
8) Skeletonwitch - Devouring Radiant Light
9) The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Paleozoic
10) Pig Destroyer - Head Cage


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## Bdtunn (Dec 4, 2018)

Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
Rivers of nihle - owls
Alkaloid - liquid antatomy 
Soreption - monument of the end


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## feraledge (Dec 4, 2018)

I normally just have a top ten or so without ranking, but Slugdge killed album of the year for me. Hands down. I listen to it all the time and it just gets better. 

After that: 
Behemoth
Beyond Creation
Arsis
At the Gates
Hate Eternal


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## JD27 (Dec 4, 2018)

feraledge said:


> I normally just have a top ten or so without ranking, but Slugdge killed album of the year for me. Hands down. I listen to it all the time and it just gets better.
> 
> After that:
> Behemoth
> ...



Damn, forgot to check out Beyond Creation too.


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## feraledge (Dec 4, 2018)

JD27 said:


> Damn, forgot to check out Beyond Creation too.


I really love Beyond Creation, this album is exceptional even for them IMO. Strong recommend.


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## KailM (Dec 4, 2018)

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd say 

To Drink From the Night Itself -- At The Gates. It's really a great album -- better than AWWR, which was also a good album. For some reason, I don't think people appreciated it enough. I've listened to it pretty much weekly since it was released. Plenty of headbanging moments and also very interesting songwriting -- almost a return to The Red in the Sky is Ours in places.

After that, in no order of ranking:

Immortal-- Northern Chaos Gods. This album was surprisingly great; I wasn't sure what to expect without Abbath. But it was a return to the older Immortal sound: No bullshit, just pummeling black metal from start to finish. 

Rivers of Nihil -- Owls. Grudgingly, I have to admit this was one of my favorites this year. I hate the guitar tone. I hate ALL djent tones, and this was a djent album. What saved it was the PHENOMENAL atmosphere and songwriting. This album took me on a journey and it was a journey that I repeated over. And over. And over.

UADA -- Cult of a Dying Sun. Wasn't even aware of this band until this year. On first listen, I heard a MGLA clone and dismissed it. Upon giving it another chance -- these guys have a whole different sound going. The singer has some of the most incredible range I've ever heard. Typical black metal rasp, but also brutal death growls that rival Michael Akerfeldt. The songwriting, atmosphere, riffs, etc. is top-tier.

That's about all I checked out that was new this year. I heard some other great albums but they didn't excite me enough to purchase them.

2019 is looking great to me though --

New albums from Saor, Blut Aus Nord AND Yeruselem (a side project by BAN; supposedly continuing the form of the 777 trilogy; notably Cosmosophy), and Imperium Dekadenz. I realize y'all are prog/djent-heads, but you should check out black metal sometime.


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## Nlelith (Dec 4, 2018)

In descending order:

Svavelvinter - Mörkrets Tid
VOLA - Applause Of A Distant Crowd
Breaking Benjamin - Ember
Dolphin - 442
GUNSHIP - Dark All Day
Amorphis - Queen Of Time
Haken - Vector
Euringer - Euringer
Bad Wolves - Disobey
Bury Tomorrow - Black Flame
Omnium Gatherum - The Burning Cold
The Moor - Jupiter's Immigrants
Ghost - Prequelle

I like at least 3-4 tracks in the albums listed above.

Forum doesn't let me post cyrillic symbols for some reason. I had to type in one Russian artist as Dolphin, instead of official cyrillic name. Still googleable, though.


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## KnightBrolaire (Dec 4, 2018)

general list (in no particular order):
Slugdge- esoteric Malacology
The Crown- Cobra Speed Venom
Psycroptic-As The Kingdom Drowns
Jinjer-Cloud Factory
Jungle Rot- Jungle Rot
Haken- Vector
Aborted- Terrorvision
Alice in Chains- Rainier Fog
Mastodon- Cold Dark Place
At The Gates- To Drink From the Night Itself
The Sword-Used Future
Gorod- Aethra
Revocation-The Outer Ones
Rivers of Nihil- Where Owls Know My name

*My top 5:*
Slugdge-Esoteric Malacology
Psycroptic-As the Kingdom Drowns
Revocation- The Outer Ones
Haken- Vector
Gorod-Aethra
All of these are killer albums and I've been revisiting them constantly since they came out.
*honorable mention: *
The Crown- Cobra Speed Venom
it's a pummeling, massive sounding album that makes me moist.


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## Vyn (Dec 4, 2018)

1st place - Psycroptic, As The Kingdom Drowns
2nd place - Aborted, Terrorvision
3rd place - Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name

Seriously though, this year has been a fucking banger for albums.


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## SD83 (Dec 4, 2018)

Rivers of Nihil - Where owls know my name. I did expect a good record, but that one just surpassed any expectations by a lot.
Expellow - We held the line. Never heard of this band before, but they kept showing up in my youtube and they were WAY better than I expected. Incredibly energetic, great vocalist. Some of the best metalcore I heard in a long while.
Coheed & Cambria - The unheavenly creatures. I don't know, I just love it. 
There were lots of good and great albums, but those three have not left the playlist since I got them and will probably stay there for a while.


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## Ebony (Dec 4, 2018)

Ascension- Under Ether 
Conjurer- Mire
Cryptopsy- The Book of Suffering Tome II
Hate Eternal- Upon Desolate Sands 
Kriegsmachine- Apocalypticists
The Algorithm- Compiler Optimization Techniques
The Order of Apollyon- Moriah


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## Cynicanal (Dec 4, 2018)

Top 5 are in order. Past that, it's in whatever order I thought of them.

Varathron -- Patriarchs of Evil
Voivod -- The Wake
Sorcier Des Glaces -- Sorcier Des Glaces
Morgengrau -- Blood Oracle
Trenchant -- Martial Chaos
Watain -- Trident Wolf Eclipse
Pious Levus -- Beast of the Foulest Depths
Necromaniac -- Subterranean Death Rising

Still need to hear the new Kever and Master albums.


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## xzacx (Dec 4, 2018)

6lack - East Atlanta Love Letter
Lil Baby and Gunna - Drip Harder
Drake - Scorpion
Deicide - Overtures of Blasphemy
Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy
Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
Nipsey Hussle - Victory Lap
The Carters - Everything Is Love


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## BusinessMan (Dec 5, 2018)

Beyond creation- algorithm
Arsis- visitant
Orbit culture- red fog
Dallian- automata
Monstrosity- passage of existence
Parius- eldritch realm


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## GunpointMetal (Dec 5, 2018)

JD27 said:


> Completely missed that one! Need to check it out.


 Everything but the cover. I’ve just always disliked “Time After Time” lol


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## FancyFish (Dec 5, 2018)

Right now my top 5 metal/hardcore/rock albums are:
1. Imperial Triumphant - Vile Luxury (By far my favorite album of the year)
2. Convulsing - Grievous
3. Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want
4. Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
5. The Body and Uniform - Mental Wounds Not Healing


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## oracles (Dec 5, 2018)

Sleep - The Sciences 
Conan - Existential Void Guardian 
Thou - Magus
Hate Eternal - Upon Desolate Sands 
Nothing - Dance on the Blacktop 
Bongripper - Terminal
The Arusha Accord - Juracan 
Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love 
Windhand - Eternal Return
Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy


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## mastapimp (Dec 5, 2018)

Alice in Chains - Rainier Fog
Revocation - The Outer Ones
Kevin Hufnagel - Messages to the Past
Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Warrel Dane - Shadow Work
Four Stroke Baron - Planet Silver Screen
Marty Friedman - One Bad M.F. Live
Burn the Priest - Legion XX
Chuggernaut - Kodiak

Still haven't heard the full Ryan Knight solo album yet, but the clips sound pretty good. Also hoping the new Jason Becker album is good as well.


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## DLG (Dec 5, 2018)

A Forest of Stars 
Howling Sycamore
Azusa 
Kevin Hufnagel
Lychgate 
Sacral Rage
Daughters
Voices
Voivod
Skyglow
Gorod
Soreption
Revocation
Alkaloid
Slugdge
Obliteration
Horrendous
Zeal & Ardor
Conception
Satan
Barren Earth
Vola 
Yob
Sleep


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## AdamMaz (Dec 5, 2018)

FancyFish said:


> 2. Convulsing - Grievous
> 4. Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love


That Convulsing is one hell of an under the radar pick, I loved that one too.

As for the new Deafheaven, I still struggle in deciding whether or not it is actually better overall than Sunbather... tough call.


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## p0ke (Dec 5, 2018)

Oh, it's already the end of 2018 

The best ones I can think of right now... :

Paara - Riitti (Moonsorrow'esque black metal with Finnish lyrics, highly recommended)
Euge Valovirta - Easy Does It (Solo album, a few great instrumentals + tracks with guest vocalists, highly recommended also)
Stam1na - Taival (No songs that stick out on their own, but very addicting as one entity. They also use 8-strings now!)
Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy

oh and of course:

Four Stroke Baron - Planet Silver Screen

-- A few extra mentions, not necessarily best of 2018 but I listened to them anyway:

Unearth - Extinction(s)
Mokoma - Hengenpitimet
Bloodbath - The Arrow of Satan is Drawn
Anaal Nathrakh - A New Kind of Horror
Fear of Domination - Metanoia
At the Gates - To Drink From The Night Itself

... what else was released this year? I don't remember.


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## BTrip (Dec 5, 2018)

This is tough, because I still haven't listened to a lot of new albums. Just so say a few though.

Beyond Creation - Algorythm
BTBAM - Automata 1&2
Barren Earth - A Complex of Cages
Obscura - Diluvium
Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy
Omnium Gatherum - The Burning Cold
Amorphis - Queen of Time


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## isispelican (Dec 5, 2018)

Verlorener - Verlorener (this didn't get enough love, seriously check it out)
Ghost - Prequelle
VOLA - Applause Of A Distant Crowd
A Perfect Circle - Eat the Elephant
Monuments - Phronesis
Night Verses - From the Gallery of Sleep 
TesseracT - Sonder


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## vilk (Dec 5, 2018)

How did I forget Sleep!? lol I remember now they dropped it all the sudden on 4/20. The new Sleep was very satisfying.

I was disappointed by Windhand, too. And Bongripper... the second track is good, but I really think the first track falls short.

Is this what happens when you get old?


Hey I remembered a really fantastic album that came out this year, from a Chicago band most people don't know about called REZN. For fans of bands like Windhand or Bongripper...


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## TedEH (Dec 5, 2018)

I'm not seeing any rules that say the album has to have been released this year, so I'm ignoring that part and just posting the stuff I think I listened to the most, in no particular order. I'm favoring stuff that's new-ish (to me, not in terms of release), so anything that's always been in-rotation for me I won't bother including.

Ihsahn - Arktis + Eremita
Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica Revisited
DTP - Ocean Machine Live
DTP - Transcendence
Soilwork - The Ride Majestic
Opeth - Sorceress
Orden Ogan - Ravenhead
Porcupine Tree - The Incident (Which is mysteriously missing from Spotify Canada now)
Galneryus - Vetelgyus (I reaaaally dig Endless Story)
Leprous - Malina + Coal + The Congregation (It's all good)


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## Xaios (Dec 5, 2018)

I'm fairly certain that the only new album I listened to this year was Owane - yeah whatever, so it gets my pick for AOTY (and hey, it is really good).


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## myrtorp (Dec 5, 2018)

Im glad i checked in, haven't really listened to alot of the latest stuff but I definately gotta check Omnium Gatherum and Svavelvinter, I didnt know they had new stuff out!

but 2 I really enjoy are 

Soreption - Monuments of the End

Soulfly - Ritual (haven't heard them before but that shit is heavy!!)


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## BTrip (Dec 5, 2018)

myrtorp said:


> Im glad i checked in, haven't really listened to alot of the latest stuff but I definately gotta check Omnium Gatherum and Svavelvinter, I didnt know they had new stuff out!
> 
> but 2 I really enjoy are
> 
> ...


The new omnium gatherum record is mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan swano!


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## ImNotAhab (Dec 5, 2018)

Most of the albums i was looking forward to this year kinda let me down. Behemoth, BTBAM, Ghost, Machine Head all put out stuff i did not really jive with.

The new Ocean album is seriously great thankfully. The Rivers of Nihil album Where Owls Know my Name was a huge unexpected treat. Deafheaven's Ordinary Corrupt Human Love was another album i really dug.


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## FancyFish (Dec 6, 2018)

AdamMaz said:


> That Convulsing is one hell of an under the radar pick, I loved that one too.
> 
> As for the new Deafheaven, I still struggle in deciding whether or not it is actually better overall than Sunbather... tough call.


Yeah, I haven't really seen people talk about the Convulsing album. It was on constant rotation for the last few months. I actually didn't like the new Deafheaven when it came out, but I kept listening to it and it got better each listen. For me, I wouldn't say it's better than Sunbather, but it definitely has this different feel.


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## KnightBrolaire (Dec 6, 2018)

hate eternal's new album was really damn good, glad someone in here recommended it.


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## BusinessMan (Dec 6, 2018)

myrtorp said:


> Im glad i checked in, haven't really listened to alot of the latest stuff but I definately gotta check Omnium Gatherum and Svavelvinter, I didnt know they had new stuff out!
> 
> but 2 I really enjoy are
> 
> ...



I totally forgot to listen that soreption album. I really liked that first single king of nothing(?). Will have to check it. Really reminded me of organic era decapitated


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## Lindmann (Dec 6, 2018)

Within destruction - Deathwish
Black Tongue - Nadir

There were some more albums that I would consider "pretty good" but I wouldn't call them exceptional.


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## AdamMaz (Dec 6, 2018)

FancyFish said:


> I actually didn't like the new Deafheaven when it came out, but I kept listening to it and it got better each listen. For me, I wouldn't say it's better than Sunbather, but it definitely has this different feel.


My experience was the same... the lead singles didn't do anything for me, listened to it more and started to appreciate it much more. I have to say that since they simplified the songwriting, I find that it lends itself better to their sound and they have more range... that is why I struggle in saying it _might _be better than Sunbather.


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## Malkav (Dec 6, 2018)

Polyphia - New Levels New Devils
Architects - Holy Hell


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## FancyFish (Dec 6, 2018)

Oh yeah, another album I totally enjoyed, and no one has mentioned yet, is Portal - Ion. Probably enjoyed it more than The Body/Uniform album tbh. I guess that's what happens when you release an album at the beginning of the year.


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## Kovah (Dec 6, 2018)

Vreid - Lifehunger
Avslut - Deceptis
Amorphis - Queen of Time
Bloodbath - The Arrow of Satan is Drawn
At the Gate - To Drink from the Night Itself
Watain - Trident Wolf Eclipse


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## ThePIGI King (Dec 6, 2018)

I didn't see a single Inferi, or an Impending Doom mention, so shame upon all of you.

Inferi - Revenant
Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy
Impending Doom - The Sin and Doom Vol. II
Beyond Creation - Algorythm 
The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic

and I didn't listen to new Revocation yet, so shame on me.


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## AdamMaz (Dec 6, 2018)

Restricting myself to metal... I am surprised nobody has mentioned the following:

Sumac - _Love In Shadow_
Abysmal Torment - _The Misanthrope_
Exocrine - _Molten Giant_


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## Dyingsea (Dec 6, 2018)

Kovah said:


> Vreid - Lifehunger
> Avslut - Deceptis
> Amorphis - Queen of Time
> Bloodbath - The Arrow of Satan is Drawn
> ...



Good list, have been trying to get into the new Bloodbath but just doesn't hit the same as the old stuff. Avsluts release came out of nowhere and is awesome.


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## JD27 (Dec 6, 2018)

GunpointMetal said:


> Everything but the cover. I’ve just always disliked “Time After Time” lol



Checked it out last night, solid release minus that cover.


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## Bdtunn (Dec 6, 2018)

AdamMaz said:


> Restricting myself to metal... I am surprised nobody has mentioned the following:
> 
> Sumac - _Love In Shadow_
> Abysmal Torment - _The Misanthrope_
> Exocrine - _Molten Giant_


That abysmal torment album is a monster!!!!!!!


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## AdamMaz (Dec 6, 2018)

Bdtunn said:


> That abysmal torment album is a monster!!!!!!!


Seriously... straight forward balls to the wall Brutal Death with riffs-a-plenty


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## xzacx (Dec 7, 2018)

Dyingsea said:


> Good list, have been trying to get into the new Bloodbath but just doesn't hit the same as the old stuff. Avsluts release came out of nowhere and is awesome.



I feel the same way about that Bloodbath. At first I was kind of into it because it wasn’t what I expected, but still pretty good. But in reality if I wanna listen to Bloodbath, I wanna hear stuff that sounds like the old stuff. 

One addition to my mostly rap/r&b list that I forgot, I think Skeletonwitch’s Devouring Radiant Light is great.


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## p0ke (Dec 7, 2018)

xzacx said:


> I feel the same way about that Bloodbath. At first I was kind of into it because it wasn’t what I expected, but still pretty good. But in reality if I wanna listen to Bloodbath, I wanna hear stuff that sounds like the old stuff.



Same here. The production is awesome (it's still HM-2 but somehow modernized) but the songs are kinda boring compared to their earlier stuff.


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## TedEH (Dec 7, 2018)

Returning to this thread because I remembered that this year I discovered Myrath. Legacy (2016) has gotten a lot of play time. They've got their own sound, and I dig it. And production quality is as good as anything else.


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## vilk (Dec 7, 2018)

Dude it's the 2018 AOTY thread. You're the only person posting albums that aren't from this year.


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## TedEH (Dec 7, 2018)

I saw no rule that it had to be released this year. 
Some of what I posted was released this year... I think?

Edit:
OP asked for:


> what everyone has enjoyed the most this year.


So I'm counting it as properly on-topic.


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## vilk (Dec 7, 2018)

I'm sure _you_ are  but no one is clicking this thread to read about albums that came out in 2016 jus'sayin'


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## wankerness (Dec 7, 2018)

It's not that easy to figure out what the hell was actually released in 2018 out of the tons of albums that I listened to for the first time this year. There's no site that lists albums that came out in 2018 in any kind of coherent form, but then there couldn't be, cause there's a trillion of them. I can relate to that guy's post. I depend on all the stuff I have on my computer being properly tagged by year to figure that stuff out!

The only two things I can think of offhand that I know were 2018 that I like are Deafheaven (it's a lot better than the last couple, but Sunbather is far better IMO) and Tesseract's last albums. Looking at other lists in this thread, I've heard exactly 0 other albums mentioned by anyone, but there's practically nothing non-metal/prog and I don't listen to much of that the first year it's out.


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## vilk (Dec 7, 2018)

wankerness said:


> It's not that easy to figure out what the hell was actually released in 2018 out of the tons of albums that I listened to for the first time this year. There's no site that lists albums that came out in 2018 in any kind of coherent form, but then there couldn't be, cause there's a trillion of them. I can relate to that guy's post. I depend on all the stuff I have on my computer being properly tagged by year to figure that stuff out!
> 
> The only two things I can think of offhand that I know were 2018 that I like are Deafheaven and Tesseract's last albums.



Then maybe, for you, those are the only two worth mentioning!

Lots of bands I 'like' came out with albums this year. But if you have to try to _look it up_ because you don't even remember, obviously it couldn't have made much of an impact on you!


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## wankerness (Dec 7, 2018)

vilk said:


> Then maybe, for you, those are the only two worth mentioning!
> 
> Lots of bands I 'like' came out with albums this year. But if you have to try to _look it up_ because you don't even remember, obviously it couldn't have made much of an impact on you!



Kinda. I mean, there are albums that I discovered and listened to many, many times this year. I just had to look a couple of them up. They were from 2016. :X


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## TedEH (Dec 7, 2018)

I didn't mean to disrupt the thread!

New Gorod was pretty good.
Same with Coheed and Cambria - The Unheavenly Creatures.


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## Masoo2 (Dec 7, 2018)

Not much came out this year that I was a big fan of but here's a list anyways in no particular order

Bones - TheManInTheRadiator (top rap album of the year, PullTheSkyDown is a djent track lmao)

Black Tongue - Nadir

City Morgue - City Morgue Vol 1: Hell Or High Water (favorite debut)

Terror - Total Retaliation

Lost in Separation - Sister Moon

$UICIDEBOY$ - I Want To Die In New Orleans

Hopesfall - Arbiter (favorite non-rap album)

Kanye West - Ye

Casey - Where I Go When I Am Sleeping

Within Destruction - Deathwish

Matt Ox - Ox

Blueface - Famous Cryp


Silent Planet, Fit For A King, and Lil Peep albums were okay at best

edit: the Deafheaven album was pretty decent too, but not amazing


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## tribalfusion (Dec 7, 2018)

TedEH said:


> Returning to this thread because I remembered that this year I discovered Myrath. Legacy (2016) has gotten a lot of play time. They've got their own sound, and I dig it. And production quality is as good as anything else.



I think those guys are fantastic and deserve a lot more recognition.


----------



## tribalfusion (Dec 7, 2018)

wankerness said:


> It's not that easy to figure out what the hell was actually released in 2018 out of the tons of albums that I listened to for the first time this year. There's no site that lists albums that came out in 2018 in any kind of coherent form, but then there couldn't be, cause there's a trillion of them. I can relate to that guy's post. I depend on all the stuff I have on my computer being properly tagged by year to figure that stuff out!
> 
> The only two things I can think of offhand that I know were 2018 that I like are Deafheaven (it's a lot better than the last couple, but Sunbather is far better IMO) and Tesseract's last albums. Looking at other lists in this thread, I've heard exactly 0 other albums mentioned by anyone, but there's practically nothing non-metal/prog and I don't listen to much of that the first year it's out.



Just go to the 'rate your music' site and sort by year and genre.


----------



## wankerness (Dec 7, 2018)

tribalfusion said:


> Just go to the 'rate your music' site and sort by year and genre.



Well, that does let you see the first 1000 albums returned by its search function based on whatever you type into their genre box, but you have to click through them 40 at a time, it's based on the site's ratings, and you can't see past that first 1000. Ouch. Good idea, though, that's probably the closest thing to what I described.


----------



## tribalfusion (Dec 7, 2018)

wankerness said:


> Well, that does let you see the first 1000 albums returned by its search function based on whatever you type into their genre box, but you have to click through them 40 at a time, it's based on the site's ratings, and you can't see past that first 1000. Ouch. Good idea, though, that's probably the closest thing to what I described.




I agree it's not perfect especially if you are looking at a huge genre but if you do it by subgenre, year and maybe location it can be pretty helpful to jog your memory or see something you might have missed


----------



## gunshow86de (Dec 7, 2018)

Black Sabbath - Master of Reality

I know it came out in 1971, but I've listened to it a lot this year. 

On a serious note, Idle Hands "Don't Waste Your Time" is my top EP of the year.


----------



## gunch (Dec 7, 2018)

AdamMaz said:


> Restricting myself to metal... I am surprised nobody has mentioned the following:
> 
> Sumac - _Love In Shadow_
> Abysmal Torment - _The Misanthrope_
> Exocrine - _Molten Giant_


 Bro for real I haven't heard them since Omnicide


----------



## frogman81 (Dec 8, 2018)

Hmmm not much love for Ghost on this thread. Prequelle was hands down the best of 2018 for me.


----------



## buriedoutback (Dec 8, 2018)

at this late hour, off hand, I can think of a few songs off the new At the Gates, UADA, Immortal, Bloodbath and Tribulation that I really liked. 

Shameless self promotion below!

My band released 5 songs this year that I really like : https://buriedoutback.bandcamp.com/music

I also released an acoustic song that my buddy wrote and performed. I think it's an amazing song.
I mixed it and did bass and drum programming. My other buddy and I did a silly video for it:


----------



## chopeth (Dec 8, 2018)

*Gold*
Ihsahn - AMR
Behemoth - loved you
Beyond Creation - Algorythm
Gorod - Aetha
Haken - Vector
Psycroptic - As the kingdom
BTBAM - Automata
Summoning - With doom we come
Tribulation - Down Below
Pestilence – Hadeon
The Ocean – Phanerozoic
Hate Eternal - Upon desolate

*Silver*
Augury - Illusive Golden Age
Riverside - Wasted Land
Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins
Winterfylleth - The Hallowing
Ingested - The level above human
Amorphis - Queen of Time
Revocation - Outer ones
Vreid - Lifehunger
Funeral Mist - Hekatomb
Obscura – Diluvium
Bloodbath - the arrow of satan
Soulfly - Ritual
Arsis - Visistant

*Bronze*
Barren Earth - A complex of cages
At the Gates - To drink from the night
Soreption - Monument
Monstrosity - Passage
Deicide - Overtures
Aborted - Terrorvision
Anaal Nathrakh - New Kind of Horror
Drudkh - Whatever title
Shining - X
Ghost - Prequelle

Edit: forgot about Alkaloid... they should go on the very top of the list xD


----------



## JD27 (Dec 8, 2018)

frogman81 said:


> Hmmm not much love for Ghost on this thread. Prequelle was hands down the best of 2018 for me.



Bought and listened to it a few times when it came out and haven’t since. Didn’t suck by any means, just didn’t seem to like it as much as the previous ones.


----------



## isispelican (Dec 8, 2018)

I think it's an exceptional album in every sense and I'm glad the band is doing so well lately. Still it's probably my least favorite of theirs, just goes to show..


----------



## FancyFish (Dec 8, 2018)

Masoo2 said:


> Not much came out this year that I was a big fan of but here's a list anyways in no particular order
> 
> Bones - TheManInTheRadiator (top rap album of the year, PullTheSkyDown is a djent track lmao)
> 
> ...


Since you have a few rap albums on here, have you listened to the new JPEGMAFIA or Denzel Curry albums?


----------



## Cynicanal (Dec 9, 2018)

I just heard the new Deceased album, and oh god damn, it invalidates my whole list. Seriously unbelievable.


----------



## Masoo2 (Dec 9, 2018)

FancyFish said:


> Since you have a few rap albums on here, have you listened to the new JPEGMAFIA or Denzel Curry albums?



I've been following Denzel for a while (right before Ultimate came out) and he's just not my personal cup of tea. A little too lyrical for being underground rap (which already is fairly lyric-heavy, even if it doesn't come off that way). I do appreciate some of his features (ie: ULTIMATE $UICIDE) and that he's been showing love to Zillakami and Sosmula (City Morgue) with his latest album and tour.

I'm fairly certain I thought the same about JPEGMAFIA the few times I've heard him, slightly too lyrical/conscious/even political iirc.

I love good wordplay, but I'm 100% more focused on delivery, production, and vibe. That's why I'm big into the harder underground rap artists and producers. Some of them are still great rappers (many of whom grew up on the likes of Andre 3000, Lil Wayne, and Three 6 Mafia), but I mostly just look for oddities and unique stylistic choices. Some examples of this include Yvncc, Slug Christ, Ghostemane, Bexey, and the aforementioned Zillakami and Blueface. Super weird vocals but they're fun to listen to.


----------



## JouniK86 (Dec 9, 2018)

Top10ish:

10. Onségen Ensemble - Duel
9. Tropical Fuck Storm - A Laughing Death in Meatspace
8½. Machine Girl - The Ugly Art
8. Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt
7. Obscura - Diluvium & Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy
6. Jonny Greenwood - Phantom Thread (the movie was borderline phenomenal as well)
5. Autechre - NTS Sessions 1-4
4. Depths - Endless
3. Lac Belot - ABRACADABRA!
2. Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
1. Topi Saha - Lopunajan Rakastavaiset

The noteworthy mentions:

Anna von Hausswolff - Dead Magic
Aphex Twin - Collapse EP
Beach House - 7
Between the Buried and Me - Automata I & II
Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want
GoGo Penguin - A Humdrum Star
Haken - Vector
Here Lies Man - You Will Know Nothing
Horrendous - Idol
Nils Frahm - All Melody
The Ocean - Phanerozoic I : Palaeozoic
Owane - Yeah Whatever
Portrayal of Guilt - Let the Pain Be Your Guide
Urfaust - The Constellatory Practice
Valermada - Fear, Regrets & Mourning


----------



## Malkav (Dec 10, 2018)

The new Post Malone album, Beerbongs & Bentleys, is pretty #lit


----------



## Matt794 (Dec 10, 2018)

1. Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
2. Revocation - The Outer One
3. YOB - Our Raw Heart
4. Beyond Creation - Algorithm
5. Soreption - Monument of the End
6. Tribulation - Down Below
7. Ryan Knight - Sunbelt Bliss
8. Thou - Magus
9. Psycroptic - As the Kingdom Drowns
10. Inferi - Revenant
11. The Midnight - Kids
12. Harm's Way - Posthuman
13. Chthe'ilist - Passage into the Xexanotth
14. Black Tongue - Nadir
15. Lorn- Remnant


----------



## AdamMaz (Dec 11, 2018)

Surprised that nobody has mentioned Conan's _Existential Void Guardian_ either


----------



## Krauthammer (Dec 11, 2018)

I always love the inaugural 'best of the year' thread. Now I have a ton of new music to buy. Again. Thanks fellas!


----------



## JD27 (Dec 11, 2018)

Always find new stuff. Picked up Horrendous - Idol. Dig that one quite a bit.


----------



## KnightBrolaire (Dec 11, 2018)

For whatever reason I ignored soreption/conan/obscura and I am ashamed. But also shame on all of you for not mentioning/picking up the new khemmis or sword albums.


----------



## Rotatous (Dec 12, 2018)

My two absolute favorites from this year were Queen Of Time by Amorphis and Constellation of the Black Light from Wolfheart:


----------



## guitaardvark (Dec 12, 2018)

This thread is making me realize how much metal I don't listen to anymore.

I wouldn't say this was an incredible year for music for me, but I also don't listen to as much new music as I should. That said, these brought a smile to my face:

R+R=NOW - Collagically Speaking
Four Seconds Ago - The Vacancy
Plini - Sunhead

Runner up, meaning that they had some great songs but couldn't hold me through the entire album:

Polyphia - New Levels New Devils


----------



## squids (Dec 12, 2018)

my favorite of 2018 was definitely
Skeletonwitch - Devouring Radiant Light (my favorite album in a long time, im getting the album cover tattooed soon)

the rest of my top 10 in no particular order;

Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Obscura - Diluvium
Cult Leader - A Patient Man
Erra - Neon 
The Dali Thundering Concept - Savages
Good Tiger - We Will All Be Gone
Dance Gavin Dance - Artificial Selection
The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships
Between the Buried and Me - Automata 2 (automata 1 sucked imo)

Honorable mentions;
Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy (good but very "out there" in terms of writing)
Aethereus - Absentia 
Infernal Coil - Within A World Forgotten (not background listening compatible)
Haken - Vector
Psycroptic - As The Kingdom Drowns (btw, "as the palaces burn" ripoff much?)


----------



## TedEH (Dec 12, 2018)

+1 for that Amorphis track and the album it's from. Instantly recognized Anneke and this made me happy.


----------



## vilk (Dec 12, 2018)

AdamMaz said:


> Surprised that nobody has mentioned Conan's _Existential Void Guardian_ either


1st page 5th post


----------



## AdamMaz (Dec 12, 2018)

vilk said:


> 1st page 5th post


These threads are always such blurs of text


----------



## Kaura (Dec 12, 2018)

Lousy year for my favorite bands. Only album worth mentioning is the new Skyharbor album (Sunshine Dust). I haven't even listened to that band since the first album that was released back in 2012 but I've been really enjoying the new album for the past week. So yeah, a round of applause to Skyharbor.


----------



## Nlelith (Dec 12, 2018)

Gecko - Beautiful Violence

^Just released, but I'm already sure that it's one of my favorite albums this year. Forum member's band, so I guess there will be a thread about it soon.


----------



## makecamera (Dec 12, 2018)

Aviations - The Light Years
Gunship - Dark All Day
Dali Thundering Concept - Savages (Instrumental)


----------



## Sdrizis89 (Dec 12, 2018)

Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Architects - Holy Hell
Revocation - The Outer Ones
Bad Wolves - Disobey
Light The Torth - Revival
Bleed From Within - Era


----------



## chopeth (Dec 13, 2018)

AdamMaz said:


> These threads are always such blurs of text



Don't even try a book then, there are a lot of words there


----------



## GunpointMetal (Dec 13, 2018)

makecamera said:


> Dali Thundering Concept - Savages (Instrumental)


I forgot about this one. Glad they released an instrumental. I really like how their vocalist sounds, but some of those lyrics....yeesh.


----------



## vilk (Dec 13, 2018)

makecamera said:


> Aviations - The Light Years


whaaaaaa I didn't know that anyone knew about this band besides me, and I didn't know that they ever released any music since A Declaration of Sound. Man, that was like my top prog metal album for years. Really, it still is, because I almost never listen to that kind of prog metal lol I gotta check out their other stuff!

edit: I see that this IS the first new music they've made since their first album! So I wasn't really so far out of the loop lol


----------



## makecamera (Dec 13, 2018)

vilk said:


> whaaaaaa I didn't know that anyone knew about this band besides me, and I didn't know that they ever released any music since A Declaration of Sound. Man, that was like my top prog metal album for years. Really, it still is, because I almost never listen to that kind of prog metal lol I gotta check out their other stuff!
> 
> edit: I see that this IS the first new music they've made since their first album! So I wasn't really so far out of the loop lol



I actually haven't heard A Declaration of Sound yet. But The Light Years is definitely my favorite album of the year. I also enjoyed their video series about each song on the album. Really talented musicians.


----------



## Lukhas (Dec 13, 2018)

In no specific order:
Haken - _Vector_;
Plini -_ Sunhead_ (technically an EP tho');
Subsignal - _La Muerta_;
Rise of the Northstar - _The Legacy of Shi_;
Owane - _Yeah Whatever_.

Albums I wanted to like but ultimately didn't care for:
Seventh Wonder - _Tiara_ (really gutted on that one, I was really happy to hear that they were back),
Angra - _Ømni.
_
A prog heavy year once you omit the latest Rise of the Northstar, but still with variety between all these artists.


----------



## BrailleDecibel (Dec 14, 2018)

Lukhas said:


> Rise of the Northstar - _The Legacy of Shi_;


I like this album title the most...one "T" away from jumping the shark, but one "T" short of going full-stop Crazy Town up in here. I wanna listen to this LOL.


----------



## BTS (Dec 17, 2018)

Sdrizis89 said:


> Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
> Architects - Holy Hell
> Revocation - The Outer Ones
> Bad Wolves - Disobey
> ...



Seriously still into Era from Bleed from within.


----------



## BlackMastodon (Dec 17, 2018)

Gotta surf through my music library to see what actually came out this year but in no particular order:
Four Stroke Baron - Planet Silver Screen; fantastic breath of fresh air, super original and interesting
A Perfect Circle - Eat the Elephant; goddamn if So Long and Thanks for All the Fish isn't the best song I've heard in years, everything about it is perfect, and the rest of the album is solid if not a departure from their earlier stuff
Childish Gambino - Summer Pack + hon. mention to This is America; enough said
Crippled Black Phoenix - Great Escape - beautiful prog rock and just a huge sound
The Ocean - Phanerozoic I; haven't actually listened to the whole thing yet but it's a follow up to a prog metal masterpiece and they can't disappoint me, it's been too long and I needed a new Ocean album this year
Stelliferous - Canine Familiar; more excellent work from one of my favourite instrumental post-metal artists

New stuff I need to check out:
Beyond Creation a spin but I was a little bored with Earthborn Evolution, so hoping it'll grab my interest with some tasty riffs.
Between the Buried and Me
Coheed and Cambria
Inferi - didn't realize they put out a new one out so need to check that out.


----------



## vilk (Dec 17, 2018)

makecamera said:


> I actually haven't heard A Declaration of Sound yet. But The Light Years is definitely my favorite album of the year. I also enjoyed their video series about each song on the album. Really talented musicians.


lol the new album is actually so much like A Declaration of Sound that I kinda don't care about it that much. After 6 years or whatever you think they might have tried some new twists!

It's not bad. Hey, if you like this new one, I think their old one will be right up your alley!


----------



## Aikara (Dec 17, 2018)

1. Fates Warning - Live Over Europe
2. Amorphis - Queen Of Time
3. Mile Marker Zero - The Fifth Row
4. Haken - Vector
5. Kingcrow - The Persistence
6. In Vain - Currents
7. Dynazty - Firesign
8. Michael Romeo - War Of The Worlds Part 1
9. Riverside - Wasteland
10. Tomorrow's Eve - Mirror Of Creation III, Project Ikaros
11. Seventh Wonder - Tiara
12. Mayan - Dhyana
13. The Pineapple Thief - Dissolution
14. Oceans Of Slumber - The Banished Heart
15. Uriah Heep - Living The Dream
16. Damian Wilson & Adam Wakeman - The Sun Will Dance In Its Twilight Hour
17. Monuments - Phronesis
18. The Night Flight Orchestra - Sometimes The World Ain't Enough
19. Kamelot - The Shadow Theory
20. Judas Priest - Firepower
21. The Sea Within - The Sea Within
22. The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic
23. Widek - Dream Reflection
24. Spock's Beard - Noise Floor
25. Structural Disorder - ...And The Cage Crumbles In The Final Scene


----------



## Djentlyman (Dec 17, 2018)

Architects - Holy Hell


----------



## KailM (Dec 17, 2018)

Technically this is a 2018 release, but there's an album coming in 2019. Stoked.


----------



## vilk (Dec 18, 2018)

I forgot that Weedpecker III actually came out in 2018 (just barely)

Even though their name is really silly, I think Weedpecker is one of the best stoner metal bands out there right now. I like how each album is pretty different from each other, too.

Weedpecker III brings even more a psychedelic rock element than ever before.


----------



## gorthul (Dec 18, 2018)

My Top 10
Tesseract: Sonder
Black Milk: Fever
Letters From The Colony: Vignette
Halo Acid: Nomads
Bliss Signal: Bliss Signal
Mordant Rapture: The Abnegation
Koan Sound: Polychrome
Slugdge: Esoteric Malacology
Rolo Tomassi: Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It
Conjurer: Mire (AOTY for me...holy shit this is intense)


----------



## BlackMastodon (Dec 18, 2018)

By the sounds of it I need to check out this Slugdge.


----------



## Bdtunn (Dec 18, 2018)

vilk said:


> I forgot that Weedpecker III actually came out in 2018 (just barely)
> 
> Even though their name is really silly, I think Weedpecker is one of the best stoner metal bands out there right now. I like how each album is pretty different from each other, too.
> 
> Weedpecker III brings even more a psychedelic rock element than ever before.




This was not what I expected to hear but am glad I did. Really killer album!!


----------



## beneharris (Dec 18, 2018)

BlackMastodon said:


> By the sounds of it I need to check out this Slugdge.



You do for sure. Amazingly solid stuff.


----------



## gunshow86de (Dec 19, 2018)

Just found out about this album the other day (Sunless Dawn - Timeweaver). Nice proggy-tech-death that isn't overly techy or overly proggy. If you liked the new Horrendous, I suspect you'll like this.


----------



## Doug N (Dec 20, 2018)

DLG said:


> Azusa



Have to agree with Azusa, this one was under my radar until just a couple days ago. Great vocals over Dillinger-esque craziness.


----------



## AdamMaz (Dec 25, 2018)

If anyone likes Downtempo/Trance, here is a recent/late release, top 3 for me.


----------



## feraledge (Dec 26, 2018)

BlackMastodon said:


> By the sounds of it I need to check out this Slugdge.


Yes. And bring a friend.


----------



## PunkBillCarson (Dec 26, 2018)

This just made mine along with Vouna's debut album:


----------



## DLG (Dec 28, 2018)

Here's my final list:

*Tier 1*

*Conception - My Dark Symphony EP*

They sound like the took a break of two years, not 20. Pretty strong ass comeback. Would have liked a few more heavy/uptempo tracks though. 

*Skyglow - Thousand Years of Terror*

This is the closest I've ever heard anyone get to Mekong Delta-style riffing and songwriting. Vocals are generic screamy stuff, but the music is top shelf. Russian dudes, I believe. 

*Barren Earth - A Complex of Cages*

Barren Earth are basically a combination of every band that was good 15 years ago and stinks now. Opeth, Katatonia, Amorphis style music with tons of tasty keys, great songwriting and great variety. They finally found their own style with this album, even though the influences are sometimes pretty obvious. 

*Vola - Applause of a Distant Crowd*

While certainly not terrible, the djenty riffs were always the worst thing about this band IMO. On this album, they cut them down to about 20 percent and focused more on the vocals and keyboards. Easily one of the best young prog bands right now. 

*Sulphur Aeon - The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos*

Perfectly executed Lovecraftian death metal. Manages to be dark and sinister without sacrificing melody and manages to be melodic without sounding like a wussy melodic death metal band. 

*Lychgate - The Contagion in Nine Steps*

Because distorted church organs, that's why. Hard to describe avantgarde black/doom metal, but sometimes the music and vocals remind me a lot of maudlin of the Well and the first Kayo Dot album. 

*Sacral Rage - Beyond Celestial Echoes*

If you want cult prog thrash/US power, this is all you need. Might be a future classic in this style and if you like Helstar, Annihilator, Watchtower, Agent Steel, etc. you need this. 

*Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy *

Prog death perfection. Get you a band that can do both Morbid Angel and 80s Yes all within the same song. 

*Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology *

It's hard to explain just how catchy and well-written this slab of death metal is. Looking at the name and then finding out that the band writes concept albums about worshiping snail gods, you'd think it would be something that's super hard to get into, but it's just ripping, melodic, progressive death metal all the way that will have you singing the riffs as you lay in bed praying to the grand molluscan deities. 

*Ihsahn - Amr*

The best thing about Ihsahn is that he does what he does and really doesn't give a shit if you like it. I've never fully liked an entire solo album of his, but they are always interesting to listen to. This one finds Ihsahn searching for his inner pop star and it turns out that he's pretty darn good at writing catchy, more accessible material. 

*Tier 2*

*Kevin Hufnagel - Messages to the Past*

Kevin pays tribute to his guitar heroes of the past with beautiful, majestic all-guitar instrumental metal. 
*
Voices - Frightened *

Akercocke-related dudes put out another great album of weirdness. A combination of post-punk/goth vibes and extreme metal leanings. 

*Voivod - The Wake *

Chewy finally lets his balls hang and delivers the Voivod album he always had inside him. You really couldn't ask for a better Voivod album in 2018. 

*Howling Sycamore - s/t*

Weird combination of sounds that shouldn't work but does. Dude from Ephel Duath creates weirdo black metal and recruits Jason McMaster to sing over it. There's also obligatory Zorn-esque saxophone squealing, because why not?

*Azusa - Heavy Yoke*

As long as there are Extol riffs involved, just sign me the fuck up. There are Extol riffs here. Bassist from Dilling Escape Plan is also on board and I think it's the drummer from Spital Architect offshoot Twisted into Form. The music sounds how you would expect that combo to sound and it's topped off by a pretty cool screamy but also melodic-when-needed female vocalist. Underrated release. 

*Gorod - Aethra*

These guys have very consistently been one of my fav and most original sounding tech death bands. I love the jangly Mastodon-esque guitars on this release, just because it's just a so non-tech-death thing to do. Album doesn't disappoint in the widdly diddly department either. 

*Soreption - Monument of the End*

This album basically sounds like Decapitated - Organic Hallucinosis on tons of steroids, which is pretty freaking awesome IMO. Insanely tight tech death that packs as much groove as it does shred. 

*Revocation - The Outer Ones *

Good stuff as usual from these guys. Even though it's hard to say anything bad about the album, I kind of miss fun Revocation. 

*Augury - Illusive Golden Age *

Basically same comment as for Gorod. A tech death band that has always stood out from the crowd of sterile robot bands. After 9 years they don't disappoint. 

*Satan - Cruel Magic*

Might be my least favorite since the reunion, but still, top shelf trad metal that's better than everything the kids trying to emulate that sounds are putting out. 

*Tier 3*

*Obliteration - Cenotaph Obscure *

Tasty old school death metal. Great atmosphere, riffs for days. 

*Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want*

Noise/art rock metal. Whatever the fuck it is, it's pretty engaging. 

*Horrendous - Idol *

These guys have always tried to balance between being oldschool death metal and taking some chances. They added a fretless bass player for this release and put out an album that anyone who grew up on Individual Thought Patterns, Spheres, Elements, etc. should love. 

*Zeal & Ardor - Strange Fruit*

Combination of black metal and African-American spirituals/gospel that sometimes succeeds and sometimes doesn't. Pretty fun listen though. 

*Yob - Our Raw Heart*

Not my favorite Yob but a very emotional record from Mike after fighting for his life and making it back to music. 

*A Forest of Stars - Grave Mounds and Grave Mistakes *

Weirdo black metal. An entertaining listen even though sometimes the vocals border on comedy. 

*King Goat - Debt of Aeons*

Proggy doom with a singer that sounds like Messiah Marcolin and Alan from Primordial had a kid. 

*Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins *

Can't really expect anything new from them at this point, but another solid record with some cool post-punk influences thrown in to make a bit more exciting. 

*Zealotry - At the Nexus of All Stillborn Worlds *

Weirdo tech death with guitar solos that sounds like aliens ejaculating. 

*Convulsing - Grievous *

Dissonant, proggy black/death with a Porcupine Tree cover that actually somehow works.


----------



## Glades (Dec 28, 2018)

#1 Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
#2 Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
#3 Beyond Creation - Algorythm


----------



## Sammy J (Dec 29, 2018)

1. Soreption - Monument of the End

This album is basically everything I want in a tech death release. Chunky, tight, and riffy.

2. Gorod - Aethra

Love me some Gorod. A little less tech than some previous releases, but song writing is great and some nice riffs too. Quality production.

3. Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name

Loved this release. 'Monarchy' is still my main squeeze, but WOKMN is stylistically a really big leap for them. Looking forward to what's next.

4. Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy

This album makes me laugh. So mental.

There's others I've liked, but can't recall off the top of my head.


----------



## Grand Moff Tim (Jan 1, 2019)

10) Chatmonchy - Tanjou. (Quirky Japanese indie stuff.)







(They haven't put anything from this album on YouTube, so you'll have to live without. Sucks to be you!)

9) Dimmu Borgir - Eonian. (Norwegian symphonic black metal.)








8 ) Megaherz - Komet. (Neue deutsche härte.)








7) Uso To Chameleon - Wotoshiana. (Japanese math rock)








6) Marduk - Viktoria. (Swedish black metal)








5) Angra - ØMNI. (Brazilian Progressive/Power metal)








4) Band Maid - World Domination. (Japanese hard rock)






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpAYnVJX9CY

3) Pig Destroyer - Head Cage. (US Grindcore)






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IMhNSro3GE

2) Sleep - The Sciences. (US stoner doom)






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZv1R1VPRsw

1) Necry Talkie - ONE! (Quirky Japanese indie rock)






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7_cFQrQNz8


----------



## zappatton2 (Jan 1, 2019)

Kamasi Washington - Heaven & Earth
Vista Kicks - Twenty Something Nightmare
ACTORS - It Will Come To You
Ghost - Prequelle
Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
Denzel Curry - Ta13oo


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## fantom (Jan 2, 2019)

Svavelvinter- Morkrets Tid
Seventh Wonder- Tiara
Hoth- Astral Necromancy
In Vain- Currents
Inferi- Revenant


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## wankerness (Jan 2, 2019)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> 10) Chatmonchy - Tanjou. (Quirky Japanese indie stuff.)



THANK YOU for putting genres in yours. I've just ignored all these lists that are a bunch of names I don't recognize with no explanation. I'll be checking out some of these for sure.

Thanks even more to DLG for write-ups! More stuff to check out.


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## BlackMastodon (Jan 2, 2019)

Holy fuck, every song on this Slugdge album is somehow better than the last. That's some of the tastiest tech death riffing I've heard since Beyond Creation's The Aura. Slide that album into my list for sure.


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## Smoked Porter (Jan 2, 2019)

Man, I've tried a few times to get into that Slugdge album, just based off how much people here are whose tastes seem to line up with mine are loving it. It just hasn't clicked with me.


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## AdamMaz (Jan 3, 2019)

BlackMastodon said:


> Holy fuck, every song on this Slugdge album is somehow better than the last. That's some of the tastiest tech death riffing I've heard since Beyond Creation's The Aura. Slide that album into my list for sure.





Smoked Porter said:


> Man, I've tried a few times to get into that Slugdge album, just based off how much people here are whose tastes seem to line up with mine are loving it. It just hasn't clicked with me.


I am somewhere in between these two comments with respect to the Slugdge album. The playing and sound/production is nice, but I can't get over every single song ranging from 6-7 minutes that strike as somewhere between sounding Pop and a failed attempt at Prog. Songwriting could easily be more concise.


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## chopeth (Jan 3, 2019)

I wouldn't call slugdge tech death. I like it moderately though. There is something very catchy in their last album, but I'm afraid it dies soon.


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## BlackMastodon (Jan 3, 2019)

It definitely tapers off but it's a hell of a start out of the gate I'll give them that.


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## Kidneythief (Jan 4, 2019)

In no particular order (and with links to some things that I can only just recommend), and with no particular attention to any genre. I love to mix things up, and not just listen to one type of music.

A Perfect Circle - Eat the Elephant; I don't really know why, because at first I only liked maybe 1-2 songs from this album, but after a couple of spins it started to grow on me more and more, until there was no escape, and I just got sucked in. Maynard -while still being a goofy and weird character- is a very very good lyricist, and I really like his voice and singing style. I can't wait for that Tool album though.

The Devil's Trade - What happened to the little blind crow; I would recommend to check this out, it's a sort of dark, folky project from a favourite singer and countryman of mine. What I really like about this is, that it is very raw, and the lyrics sound very honest. Tracks: "Your own hell", "No one here" are a must.

Sleep - The Sciences; it's Sleep...nothing really to explain here, I'm a sucker for anything Al Cisneros does, and off-course the almighty Matt Pike!

Tribulation - Down Below; I only recently discovered Tribulation, and I just feel bummed out, that I only discovered them now. Somehow feels so different from anything else. I got into them by discovering first the acoustic project of their guitarist Jonathan Hultén. (Give that guy also a listen while your at it)

Nine Inch Nails - The Bad Witch EP; I mean...it's from Trent Reznor. I'm biased in this matter, because I've been his fan for like 15 years...

Rabbit Junk - Rabbit Junk Will Die: Meditation on mortality; sort of underground industrial/hardclash band from Seattle. Mixing raw electronics, with punky riffs and D&B/sometimes dubsteppy beats. Don't let the description scare you, give it a spin, and you'll find out why it's good. A lot of the songs are catchy as f*ck, and it just gets me moving. Try the tracks: Shadow Horizon, Gravity Hero

The Black Queen - Infinite Games; I'm loving the fact, that Greg Puciato is doing this project/band of his. It is so much different from Dillinger Escape Plan. Some might look at it as bein "untrue" or I don't know what. But hell, give it a listen. It's really really good.

Sunnata - Outlands; Polish sludge/doom band, whom I discovered by a happy accident, and it's just stunning and crushing. Give the track "Outlands" a go...it's so hipnotical, and trippy. They performed with Mastodon and other big names, so you know they must be good.


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## rokket2005 (Jan 4, 2019)

Kind of disappointed no one has mentioned Greyhavens album Empty Black. It was my album of the year head and shoulders above my number 2, that being Slugdge.

I've seen some people compare them to Everytime I die but I've never really listened to them aside from a few one off songs so I don't know if that's a good comparison. In any case the album is super intense and fuckin slays.


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## FloridaRolf (Jan 5, 2019)

In no particular order:

Baest - Danse Macabre
Beyond Creation - Algorythm
Bloodbath - The Arrow Of Satain Is Drawn
Coffin Birth - The Serpent Insignia
Primordial - Exile Amongst The Ruins
Runemagick - Evoked from Abysmal Sleep

Other mentions
Firepower form Judas Priest was surprisingly good, yet a lot of filler stuff
Behemoth wasn't bad but expected a lot more

Disappointment of the year was definitely Down Below from Tribulation, it still baffles me how they now try to sound like metal Depeche Mode. They may succeed with that - but the side effect is sounding like total shit. The Formulas Of Death is one of my favorite albums of all time, so that disappointment hit me twice, after the last album was pretty weak too.


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## AdamMaz (Jan 6, 2019)

FloridaRolf said:


> Disappointment of the year was definitely Down Below from Tribulation, it still baffles me how they now try to sound like metal Depeche Mode. They may succeed with that - but the side effect is sounding like total shit. The Formulas Of Death is one of my favorite albums of all time, so that disappointment hit me twice, after the last album was pretty weak too.


Not having heard the most recent one, perhaps it is safe to say that they jumped crowds with the change of sound/style. I completely gave up on them after having seen them live performing material focused on the 2nd album.


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## ThtOthrPrsn (Jan 7, 2019)

1) Monuments - Phronesis
2) Travis Scott - Astroworld
3) Erra - Neon
4) Don Broco - Technology
5) Reason - There You Have It


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## DLG (Jan 7, 2019)

FloridaRolf said:


> In no particular order:
> 
> 
> Disappointment of the year was definitely Down Below from Tribulation, it still baffles me how they now try to sound like metal Depeche Mode. They may succeed with that - but the side effect is sounding like total shit. The Formulas Of Death is one of my favorite albums of all time, so that disappointment hit me twice, after the last album was pretty weak too.



Agree. The Formulas of Death was an amazing album. I have no idea what they are trying to do, jump onto the occult rock bandwagon or something, but it's not working for me.


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## chopeth (Jan 8, 2019)

It is for me, the album is a grower. I just gave it a couple of spins and thought the same as you in relation to Formulas, after listening to it in the background (my wife loves it and gives it a spin now and then) I like it quite a lot.


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## Fierce_Swe (Jan 8, 2019)

Judas Priest - Firepower
Michael Romeo - War of the Worlds Part 1.


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## gunshow86de (Jan 8, 2019)

Super late addition to my list;


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## Ralyks (Jan 10, 2019)

Redemption - Long Nights Journey Into Day (once I got over the fact that Tom was singing vocal lines written for Ray)
LANY - Malibu Nights
Revocation - The Outer Ones
Owane - Yeah Whatever
Addis - Visitant
Dead Letter Circus - Dead Letter Circus

Honestly, that’s all I can think of off the top of my head. Probably some other ones mentioned already that I’m forgetting...


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## beneharris (Jan 13, 2019)

Holy poo. Roy Kahn is putting out music again? Heck yeah.




DLG said:


> Here's my final list:
> 
> *Tier 1*
> 
> ...


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## broj15 (Jan 14, 2019)

Lots of diy bands on here so if any of this peaks anyones interest let me know and I can provide some links.

In no particular order

Closet Witch - s/t - chaotic polytical mathy grindcore from Iowa. Seriously the best people I've ever met through playing music, and one of the most exciting bands to see live. They tour pretty relentlessly so if ya get a chance to see them definitely take it up.

Euth - s/t - mathy dissonant hardcore with heavy black metal vibes from whyoming. Imagine if botch used alot of those "deathspell Omega chords" and condensed thier songs to about half thier length but still retained all the Dynamics and showcased just as many musical ideas.

Respire - Denouement - blackened screamo/post rock from Canada. Features liberal use of trumpet and violin. Ranges from sweepingly epic, to soul crushingly sad, to beautiful, to just straight up HEAVY.

Niboowin - Breathing - "epic" sounding blackened screamo from michigan with some really sick dual lead guitars that sound like nods to trade metal like iron maiden & Slayer. Really cool to see them pay homage to that style while still sounding fresh n modern. Features former members of Old Soul. Great album for all this snow that's piled up right now

Earl Sweatshirt - some rap songs - very lo fi jazz influenced "emotional" hip hop. A great follow up to I don't like shit.... Other than death grips I'd say that Earl is probably one of the most innovative rappers going right now. I would call this album truly abstract/experimental hip hop.

The Armed - Only Love - supergroup/collective from Michigan. New album was produced & engineered by Kurt ballou at god city and features ben koller on drums. Combines elements of hardcore, black metal, metalcore, screamo, harsh noise, and aggressive electronic music. Probably my top release of the year.

Malevich - Split w/Iron Gag - blackened grindcore from Georgia. Had the pleasure of booking them and letting them stay at my house. Amazing musicians playing some brutal music but somehow still the sweetest people ever.

Secret Cutter - Quantum Eraser - straight up sludge metal from Pennsylvania. Absolutely crushing. Kinda wish they incorporated more fast grindy riffs like thier old stuff, but if you want something that feels claustrophobic and just plain heavy as fuck then this album is for you.


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## GunpointMetal (Jan 14, 2019)

broj15 said:


> Closet Witch - s/t - chaotic polytical mathy grindcore from Iowa. Seriously the best people I've ever met through playing music, and one of the most exciting bands to see live. They tour pretty relentlessly so if ya get a chance to see them definitely take it up.


This band is sooooo good. I'll jump to get on a show whenever they come around. So much energy.


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## broj15 (Jan 14, 2019)

GunpointMetal said:


> This band is sooooo good. I'll jump to get on a show whenever they come around. So much energy.


Truly the best. I see yourey in Madison, WI. I'm assuming you're familiar with The Central, right?


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## GunpointMetal (Jan 14, 2019)

broj15 said:


> Truly the best. I see yourey in Madison, WI. I'm assuming you're familiar with The Central, right?


Good friends of ours. Frankie did a vocal spot on our last EP, actually.


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## broj15 (Jan 14, 2019)

Woah no shit. My band did a quick lil run with them about a year ago. Frankie and Alex are both such good musicians it makes me wanna just give up every time I watch them play. 

Either way, small world.

Oh and link me your bands material if you don't mind.


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## GunpointMetal (Jan 14, 2019)

broj15 said:


> Woah no shit. My band did a quick lil run with them about a year ago. Frankie and Alex are both such good musicians it makes me wanna just give up every time I watch them play.
> 
> Either way, small world.
> 
> Oh and link me your bands material if you don't mind.


Yeah, they're insanely talented and super hard working.
There's a bandcamp link in my sig line. What band are you in?


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