Top Albums of 2018

I was planning in making a top 10 list, but decided that I only had interesting things to say about my top 5 metal albums. Plus this list is already super late in getting published, so I cut it down to the top 5 and am including a couple of non-metal album to make the list an awkward top 7, rather than 10. And so I present to you the five best metal and two best non-metal albums of 2018.

#7 Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough by The Night Flight Orchestra

While technically not metal, The Night Flight Orchestra harness plenty of metallic elements on their newest offerings, blending the bombast of 80’s arena music with the soulful power of 70’s classic rock and adding a dash of progginess. The band is composed of several metal veterans, most notably Soilwork frontman Bjorn Strid, who demonstrates range and soul not even hinted at while performing with his main band. In fact it’s safe to say Strid’s powerful and emotive voice is the highlight here, though there are many other great aspects that compete for the honor, including the highly polished songwriting and the warm organic production quality. This is an album that begs to be heard surrounded by flashing stage lights and the haze from fog machines, but absent that, try it with some brandy and a cigar. Sometimes that really is enough, even if the world ain’t.

#6 Perdition by Irish Moutarde

Breaking with my tradition, I’ve included a second non-metal album on this list. I’m just enjoying the unique blend of punk rock and Irish folk music that these Québécois have created too much to leave them out. The combination of the electric guitar, banjo, and bagpipes is flawlessly executed, and when combined with boundless punk energy it makes for a great ride, especially on the faster paced songs like “Terre Rouge” (one of my favorite songs of 2018). The highlight here is definitely the banjo, which sits very high in the mix and just sounds incredible. Banjo is a naturally high energy instrument, and it blends perfectly with the punk rock aesthetic, doubly so when supported by the power of the guitar and the primal and savage atmosphere provided by the pipes. Prepare your tapping foot for plenty of action; Perdition is guaranteed to get your jig on!

#5 Conqueror’s Oath by Visigoth

Though it shocked the metal world by being voted album of the year on Metal Archives, Conqueror's Oath is ironically a slight step down in quality from the band’s debut album. That said, it’s still a great big beast of a recording and deserves most of the praise it gets. What it lacks in consistency, it more than makes up for with extremely high points, most notably on “Traitor’s Gate,” which is not only the best song of the year, but easily one of the best songs this decade. Frontman Jake Rogers sounds like a beefier version of Zachary Stevens as he rampages and bellows across eight tracks of classic doom-influenced heavy metal glory; his apex moment coming with a monstrous and impassioned performance on the aforementioned standout track. Raise your drinking horns to Visigoth, because they are a young band showing they are here to stay and are intent on conquering the metal world by fire and the sword.

#4 Astral Necromancy by Hoth

With a perfect blend of aggression and melody, Hoth’s third full length delivers quite an icy punch. As mesmerizing and beautiful as the aurora borealis, Astral Necromancy never for a moment loses your attention thanks to an unending string of breathtaking tremolo riffs, firebreathing lead work, and some of the catchiest songwriting that black metal has ever seen. Wrap that all up in a flawless production job and you have a real wampa of an album. Forget saving Luke Skywalker; venture out past the fourth marker to experience this polar vortex in its full frostbitten glory.

#3 The Last Emperor by Judicator

I don’t know what exactly is going on in Utah, but somehow the land of Mormons has produced two of the five best albums this year (Visigoth are also from Utah). On the surface, The Last Emperor doesn’t offer much of interest. The galloping riffs vaguely sound like Iced Earth or Blind Guardian, but the vocals of frontman John Yelland often sound like they are straining to match the power of the guitar, unlike the beastly vocalists of those bands. And yet...there is an indescribable power to this music. Despite his shortcomings, Yelland is surprisingly charismatic and his range is undeniably impressive. But the real magic lies in the lyrics. Recounting the tale of the First Crusade, the most epic (and least depressing) of all the crusades, Judicator delve into source material that is rich with individual heroism, human suffering, triumph against all odds, divine intercession, massive military clashes, and a sense of grand and sweeping historical and geographical scale. Judicator take the essence of their inspiration and distill it down into a pure metal form. Sure, I could rave about killer riffs, high energy, catchy choruses, or Hansi Kürcsch’s spine-tingling guest spot, but the real charm of this album goes far beyond any technical musical element and deep into the realm of the holy. Take up your cross and strike out for the east because Judicator are on a crusade to bring metal to the heathens of the world, and they won’t stop until Jerusalem is safe again.

#2 Jord by Panphage

If it is possible for an album to transport you to a time and place that you’ve never been and yet feel every detail of that locality, Jord is that album. I’ve never been to a Germanic heathen ritual in the mountains of 9th century Sweden, but when listening to this album I am there and can experience everything; smell the pine, feel the crunch of snow under my fur-lined boots, see the glint of moonlight on my fellow Norseman’s axe, hear the crackle of the fire, and taste the mead on my lips. Only a very powerful piece of music can do that. A one man project by a man known only as Fjällbrandt, Panphage’s magic lies mostly in the rhythm section, where an unending, blistering stream of tremolo picked notes and blast beats hypnotize you into being transported to that alien yet familiar locale. And yet the album avoids getting lost in atmosphere completely, as the riffs are catchy, headbangable, creative, and exploding with energy; Fjällbrandt’s bark is savage and distinct; and the songs stick in your brain long after the chill of that Scandinavian winter night has subsided.

#1 Back to the Sea by Dagon

I can’t decide what is the most remarkable fact about this album being #1 of the year: A) It is a melodeath album, a genre that has been devoid of interesting ideas for well over a decade now, B) Dagon continue to find inspiration for top notch songwriting in exclusively ocean-based thematic elements, C) It’s also been nearly a decade since this band released an album, 2009’s bone-shattering Terraphobic, or D) That these guys took nine years off and came back without losing a single iota of their magic. Seriously, this is an absolute kraken of an album. Highlighted by Jordan Batterbee’s creative and high energy drum patterns, and seven seas worth of riffs, solos, tempo changes, breakdowns (ones that actually sound amazing), and catchy choruses, Dagon have captured lightning in the bottle twice now with their second masterpiece album in a row. This album is more powerful and savage than a perfect storm and more enticing than a siren’s call. Return back to the sea and surrender to the mighty power of Dagon, masters of ocean metal!



So there you have it, the best albums of 2018. But even though I didn’t write about them, there was a number of other really good album that came out. So I’ll end with giving you an honorable mention list in no particular order. Keep it metal, brothers and sisters.

Honorable mentions

• To Cross the Line by Decaying
• The Sound of Steel by Exmortus
• Wanderschaft by Alphayn
• Queen of Time by Amorphis
• Palo by Kalmah

Top 10 Metal Albums from the First Half of 2012

#10 Omerta Adrenaline Mob (Capitol)

I've written before about how my friends and I like to dream up different scenarios of our favorite metal musicians getting together and creating something truly special between them. Well sometimes those dream scenarios become reality, and such is the case with Adrenaline Mob, as prog metal legends Russell Allen (vocals) and Mike Portnoy (drums) team up to create something...not prog metal. This music rocks hard and in a straight line, with no complexities or experimentation to be found. The main draw here is Allen's monstrous, beefy vocal delivery, as he manages to sound like a more powerful, rangy version of Ronnie James Dio--a good enough reason on its own to check this out.



#9 Asphyxia Sangre Eterna (Maple Metal)

You might hear the distictive buzzsaw guitar tones and gothic keyboard work and instantly assume this was recorded in Sweden--probably even at the legendary Sunlight Studios where said sound was invented. But you would be wrong. Hailing from Serbia of all places, Sangre Eterna sound like Character-era Dark Tranquillity mixed with a bit of Eternal Tears of Sorrow--an impressive pedigree of melodeath to be sure. Their fresh and energetic take on the genre gives them a credibility that many of their copycat peers lack.



#8 Eulogy for the Damned Orange Goblin (Candlelight)

Like a more soulful version of High on Fire, Orange Goblin bring the high-intensity energy and trucker speed of Motorhead and the killer riffing of Sabbath and Zeppelin. The soulfulness of Orange Goblin is noteworthy, though, as they temper HoF's bone-jarring grit with the smooth, groovy melodies and bass lines of southern rock. In the name-dropping trend of this entry, I would have to say there is more than a little Skynard mixed into this collage of styles, especially on tracks like "Save Me From Myself." In essence, this everything good about 70's music all blended together into one especially tasteful dish.


#7 Steel Battle Beast (Nuclear Blast)

Vocalist Nitte Valo sings with balls and range that no female (and few male) vocalists in metal can match. Her range is probably the most impressive aspect, as she manages Dio-esque grit and Halford-like wailing both with equal force and gusto, while also occasionally showing off an operatic soprano more typical of her contemporaries like Tarja Turunen and Simone Simmons. Aside from the vocals, Battle Beast also offer insanely catchy choruses and riffs, soulful and technically impressive soloing, and a heavy dose of cheesy (but still awesome) synth work. Other than Valo's vox, there's not a whole lot here you haven't heard before, but for some extremely finely constructed power metal, you need to look no further than Steel.


#6 Stalingrad Accept (Nuclear Blast)

Blood of Nations was a huge (and pleasant) surprise for me (as I'm sure it was for most people). I just cannot fathom how, 30+ years after their formation and 14 since their last studio album, these German heavy metal legends were able to create arguably the finest work of their career. After that, I was prepared for Stalingrad to be killer as well, and I am not disappointed. The same fire, energy, and bare-chested swagger exists in equal quantities here. Maybe the only aspect that doesn't quite stand up to BoN is that there are no instant-standout tracks like we got in "Teutonic Terror" or "Bucket Full of Hate," but make no mistake, this still an great album from front to back. Just accept it!



#5 Rengeteg Thy Catafalque (Season of Mist)

Rengeteg is this year's winners of the To Mega Therion award for "I don't know what the hell I'm listening to but I freaking love it!" Highly experimental, but still firmly rooted in the metal sound (in other words, there's enough heavy riffs, fast drumming, and emphatic vocals to remind you what genre you're actually listening to), Thy Catafalque manage to blend black metal, avant-garde, folk, death metal, prog, ambient, and electronic into one tightly-delivered and mesmerizing package.



#4 Batavi Heidevolk (Napalm)

Heidevolk have returned with what is easily their best album to date. Though they still are and always will be defined by their spectacularly unique dual harmonized vocal leads, the band has really spread their wings on this recording by incorporating heart-stopping riff progressions and tempo changes, more leads, solos, folk instrumentation, and growled vocals. Probably the most noteworthy addition to their sound, however, is a newfound aggression. Some of these riffs and vocals parts are downright vicious and add a excellent spice to what could otherwise have devolved into a dull repetition of the same sonic flavors.


#3 And So It Came to Pass Dyscarnate (Siege of Amida)

I'm pretty sure the International Chiropractors Associations sponsored this album as a way of creating more business for themselves. Henceforth, when referring to a situation where I headbanged so much that I hurt myself, I will refer to that as "dyscarnating my neck." Hailing from the UK, Dyscarnate play a groovy form of death metal. The key in their creation of countless headbang-inducing riffs lies in their tempo; most of these songs are mid-tempo, with almost no blast-beating and only few periods of extended double bass to be found. Don't let that lull you into a false sense of security, though, as few albums are as unrelentingly violent or overpowering as And So It Came to Pass.


#2 Deathhammer Asphyx (Century)

The riffs. Oh the riffs! The weight and meatiness of the riffs by these Dutch death metal legends is such that you can almost feel them thickening the air around you as you listen. This is an album that manages to be incredibly heavy without trying to be "brootal," a rare feat for today' death metal scene. Even rarer, these songs have a definite tunefulness to them as well. The secret lies in their grooviness of the bass and riff progressions, and the result is an old-school death metal sound that few can achieve and even fewer have mastered the way Asphyx have.


#1 Bury the Light Pharaoh (Cruz Del Sur)

Pharaoh fall firmly into the classification of what I call "songsmiths;" they craft songs the way an artisan metalworker would craft a fine blade--shaping it, refining it, sharpening it, and polishing it until a beautiful and killer result is achieved. It can be difficult to quantify exactly what it is that makes these songsmiths so good at their crafts. Yes, the riffs and solos here are spectacular, but not better than plenty of other bands out there. Yes, the vocals are fiery and full of passion and conviction, but again, this is done better elsewhere. The real strength of Bury the Light is the way all these spectacular elements are forged together into a flawless weapon--razor sharp and pointed at your ear hole.

Top 10 Metal Albums of 2011

After many delays (thank you, computer, for being so crappy) and way too late for anyone to care, I can finally present my completed top 10 list for 2011. I felt this past year was very strong for metal in general—so much so, in fact, that I was inspired to expand my list to a top 20. Don’t take the actual numerical rankings of this list as being rigid. Every album from 1 through 9 is absolutely spectacular and probably could have each been #1 had they been released last year (a year in which I felt no true #1-quality album was released).

As always, the release dates I used for determining the year is the North American date (hence why Kvelertak can be on here even though their album came out in Europe in June of 2010). And now, since I think this list has already been delayed far too long, I will now cut the preamble and get right to the albums. Here they are, starting with #10!

#10 Bleed the Way Orpheus (Rockstar)

Hailing from Australia, Orpheus play a synth-laden form of melodeath that is strongly influenced by Dark Tranquillity. The formula for success playing this style requires powerful vocals, excellent production, and tunes that make enough of a lasting impression to encourage repeat listens—and Orpheus meet those prerequisites easily. Like Dark Tranquillity, Orpheus arrange keyboard lines over massive bonesaw riffs and bellowing abstract death growls. However, the keyboard tone here is interesting enough to be of note, as it often ventures into a spooky, astral type of sound that makes you stand up and take notice. Overall, Bleed the Way is an album with no real weaknesses and tons of “oh hell yeah!” moments. TOP TRACKS: Societies of Steel, Unscathed

#9 Surtur Rising Amon Amarth (Metal Blade)

Without fail, whenever a new album by a favorite band of mine disappoints me, I always end up reading a review on that album where the reviewer announces that the band’s songwriting has “matured.” Apparently “maturing” means “sucking” in critic speak. On an unrelated note, Amon Amarth’s newest offering is yet another slab of epic, crushing Viking death metal, albeit with a more mature take on the songwriting. Fortunately, even a sucky Amon Amarth album is still an amazing album by any other standards, and there is just too much to love on this album for it to fall out of the top ten. TOP TRACKS: You really expect me to choose? It’s AA; they don’t make a less-than-awesome song. Just buy the album.

#8 Ritual The Black Dahlia Murder (Metal Blade)

Like a bulldozer race on a corpse-covered road, TBDM seem to leave a gory scene of carnage everywhere they go on their fifth full-length offering. After sacrificing their trademark tunefulness for the sake of “brutality” on 2009’s Deflorate, these Michigan boys get back to the formula that made Nocturnal and Miasma such incredible albums—catchy riffs, intestine-grinding vocals, and blood-stopping tempo changes. Make no mistake, this album will destroy you…and leave you begging for more. TOP TRACKS: Moonlight Equilibrium, Great Burning Nullifier

#7 Hammer of the North Grand Magus (Roadrunner)

Ever since venturing away from their doom roots, Grand Magus have developed into a extraordinary amalgam of every good quality to come out of the 70’s and 80’s rock/metal scene. JB Christofferssen has become one of my personal favorite metal musicians thanks to his powerful, emotive vocals; massive 70’s style guitar riffing; and his ability to pay tribute to the great pioneers of the genre without ripping them off. This album is a 53-minute long lesson on metal history and needs to be heard by every metalhead, regardless of personal subgenre preferences. TOP TRACKS: Black Sails, Ravens Guide Our Way

#6 As the World Bleeds Theocracy (Ulterium)

Having grown from a one-man project on their debut to a quintet on this—their third full length album—Athens, Georgia-based Theocracy show that they are more than just a collection of musicians; they are master songsmiths. Forging songs is their craft, and they have mastered it completely despite their relative greenness. Each song on As the World Bleeds is infused with a life, energy, and purpose entirely its own, with pounding riffs, soaring vocals, and structures that are allowed to breathe and move in a beautifully organic manner. Though there are many excellent traditional metal elements here (in particular the incredible guitar riffs found on nearly every track), Theocracy transcend metal and create pure art with their music.  TOP TRACKS: Nailed, As the World Bleeds

#5 Kvelertak Kvelertak (Indie)

Taking a wrecking ball to genre walls and all preconceived notions of what metal is, Kvelertak have set a new precedent for innovation on their self-titled full length debut. The seamless and effortless way by which they move from tremolo picking to punk power chords—or blackened shrieks to shouted gang vocals, or from singing in their native Norwegian to playing screaming American blues guitar solos, or from blast beats to cowbell and tambourine—is astounding. On paper it sounds like it should be a chaotic, nonsensical mess of notes and conflicting styles, but in practice these youngsters execute it as near to flawlessly and coherently as possible. TOP TRACKS: Blodtørst, Utrydd dei Svake

#4 Blood on Snow Eastern Front (Candlelight)

This album is a prime example of how execution can trump originality when it comes to music. Though they feature a mostly generic black metal sound (albeit with some doomy interludes to break things up), Eastern Front execute that sound so perfectly that I can’t help but love their debut album, Blood on Snow. The main draw here is a crushing rhythmic attack of which even Immortal would be jealous, and song structures that are as long and grueling as a Siberian winter. Put this album on and prepare to be enthralled by the swirling blizzard of mesmerizing and soul-crushing riffs unleashed by Eastern Front! TOP TRACKS: Blood on Snow, Unleash the Panzer Division

#3 Forever Abomination Skeletonwitch (Prosthetic)

Though it is unlikely Skeletonwitch will ever be able to top the flesh-rending adventure that was Beyond the Permafrost, Forever Abomination comes pretty freaking close. From the first moment of the opening track, which stomps back and forth on your ear drums like a runaway rhino, you know these Ohio rockers mean business!

#2 V Vreid (Indie)

I’m calling Vreid’s brand of music here “progressive black metal,” but regardless of the appellation, this is some fascinating material. The root of their sound structure is black metal, but they branch out in many different directions, utilizing elements of doom, thrash, prog, melodeath, and post-metal. With equal parts of hypnotic atmosphere, head thrashing riffs, mournful melodies, musical innovation, and instrumental showmanship, this is an album that delivers everything you could want from a metal release…and more. TOP TRACKS: The Others & the Look, Then We Die

#1 Iconoclast Symphony X (Inside Out)

At this point I feel like there’s nothing more I can say about Symphony X. I have previously named their two most recent albums among the best of the last decade, including placing Paradise Lost at #1 over that time period, and I also consider their 1997 album Divine Wings of Tragedy to be one of the best albums from the 90s. All this high praise leads me to the conclusion that these New Jersey prog metallers are the best, most consistent metal act to arise since the golden days of the 80s. So when I say that this might be their best album to date, know that it means a lot. Front to back, the intensity, musical brilliance, and combined talent of Symphony X on Iconoclast is unmatched by anything I have ever heard before. These guys just keep raising the bar and then surpassing it. I’m positively giddy that I have had the opportunity and privilege to witness greatness in motion—and its name is Symphony X. TOP TRACKS: Bastards of the Machine, When All is Lost

Top Metal Albums of 2011 (#20 through #11)

Here it is--the first part of my top albums of the year list! After 12 months of listening to metal albums, I feel fairly confident in presenting to you 20 from 2011 that you cannot miss. Here's #20-11 for 2011!

#20 Infektion 1813 Endstille (Season of Mist)

Being a big fan of history, German culture, and the German language, I’m probably more than a little biased towards this album by these German black metallers, but holy crap will you listen to some of these riffs?! Not to mention the vicious, ferocious, pissed-off vocals of frontman Zingultus. The last three tracks of this album are especially amazing, and are akin to being dropped out of an Iron Annie into the Ardennes in December of 1944—your chances of survival are about equal for either situation. TOP TRACKS:  “Set the World Aflame” “Endstille (Völkerschlächter)”

#19 Running out of Daylight The Living Fields (Candlelight)

If I described these guys as “epic progressive doom metal,” I would probably sound like a pretentious prick. Luckily I would never do that. No sir, you will never see me publish the words “epic progressive doom metal” in one of my articles. Hailing from the Windy City, The Living Fields sometimes display a definite November’s Doom influence, but there’s so much more going on here than the straightforward death/doom of their fellow Chicagoans, with symphonic orchestration and varied vocal work producing a sound that is far less depressing, more experimental, and (dare I say it?) even uplifting at times. TOP TRACKS:  “Remnant” “Glacial Movements”

#18 My Blood Artillery (Metal Mind)

This album deserves to make it on the strength of the opening track alone. For my money, “Mi Sangre (The Blood Song)” is song of the year with its complex, winding structure, fire-breathing riffs, and hair-raising vocal work. The rest of the album is a bit hit-or-miss, but overall this is still a quality album by these old-school thrashers from Denmark. TOP TRACKS:  “Mi Sangre (The Blood Song)” “Ain’t Giving In”

#17 Stoned Acid Witch (Hell’s Headbangers)

Never before has this style of music been so damn fun. Actually, come to think of it, never before has this style of music even existed! Acid Witch play a blend of death, stoner, and doom metal combined with psychedelic keyboards and campy (even goofy) lyrics, a combination that is as fascinating as it is unique. TOP TRACKS: “Live Forever” “If Hell Exists”

 

#16 Takasago Army Chthonic (Spinefarm)

These veteran metalheads from Taipei, Taiwan play a blistering blend of melodeath and black metal mixed with traditional Taiwanese folk melodies and instruments. There are equal parts soaring melodies, bone shattering riffs, and dizzying blast beats present, capable of satisfying any metalhead, regardless of preference or mood. TOP TRACKS: “Takao” “Kaoru”

#15 Dissimulation Hope for the Dying (Facedown)

No one is more shocked than I that a metalcore band could make this list, but the incinerating neoclassical dual guitar attack of James Houseman and Jack Daniels (no that’s not an alcoholic joke---that’s his actual name) makes this an easy pick. That combined with stirring symphonic keyboard work makes this a far more interesting and dynamic listen than your typical run-of-the-mill metalcore album. TOP TRACKS: “Vile Reflections” "Derision"

#14 Tenkterra Obscurity (Trollzorn)

In many ways, this is the album that I wish Amon Amarth had released this year. Sporting many of Amon Amarth’s trademark sounds, such as the epic tremolo riffing patterns and vocals that alternate between death growls and a more blackened scream, Obscurity win no points for originality, but they more than make up for that by incorporating the energy and aggression that is missing from the overly-polished sound towards which Amon Amarth has gravitated. If you found Surtur Rising to be a bit too mellow for your tastes, check out these guys. You won’t be disappointed. TOP TRACKS: “Keldagau” “Brukterer”

#13 Songs for the Slain Winterhymn (unsigned)

Never before has metal been as fun as it is on Winterhymn’s self-released debut of epic folk metal. Hailing from northern Kentucky but with hearts of northern Europeans, each track on Songs for the Slain is an ale-swigging adventure of fun and epic glory. I can’t seem to reduce the ridiculous grin that I always find plastered on my face while listening to this album. Grab a frosty mug of ale and enjoy! TOP TRACKS: “Stand Your Ground” "Woad"

#12 Dystopia Iced Earth (Century)

Rediscovering his passion for making music, Jon Schaffer has crafted another extraordinary album to add to Iced Earth’s extensive and (mostly) exemplary discography. With this help of newcomer Stu Block, Shaffer manages to--ah who am I kidding…Block carries this recording with his monstrous vocal delivery, managing to combine the best elements of Tim Owens and Matt Barlow into one mind-boggling package. TOP TRACKS:  “V” “Tragedy and Triumph”

#11 Insidious Nightrage (Lifeforce)

The entire original lineup is back (albeit as guest spots) on this sizzling chunk of melodic death metal (extra emphasis on melodic). Gus G, Tomas Lindberg, Tom S. Englund, and Apollo Papathanasio all on one album produced by Fredrik Nordstrum…need I say more? If you need more reason to love this album, check out the vocal interplay between Papathanasio and Lindberg on “This World is Coming to an End.” Talk about hair-rasing! TOP TRACKS: “Hate Turns Black” “This World is Coming to an End”

The top ten will be coming in a few days so check back soon!

Criteria for assessing metal albums

In about a week (give or take a few days), I will be posting the first part of my annual "top metal albums of the year" list. I spend the entire year keeping up with all the new metal releases each week, and listening to as many of them as I can. As such, I feel my lists are fairly thorough and they cover all subgenres and all levels of popularity--from mainstream all the way down to unsigned bar bands.

However, before I publish this year's list, I wanted to lay out the criteria by which I judge the albums I hear. My lists tend to be radically different from all other lists out there, and I'm hoping that by writing out these criteria, not only will my readers better understand from where I am coming, but I can also better evaluate the albums for my list.

As such, there are four main criteria by which I judge an album: 1) technical ability, 2) innovation, 3)consistency and cohesion of songs across the album, and 4) the ability for the music to please my ear. These criteria are each given mostly equal weight, with the exception of the fourth one. I will lay each of them out in more detail.

1. Technical ability

This is, in many ways, the easiest to asses. Insane guitar and keyboard shredding, vocals with massive power or range, complex and/or creative drum and bass arrangements, nontraditional song structures, etc. are all things I look for that indicate a band possesses exceptional technical skill. Though technical talent is mostly meaningless on its own (see: Dragonforce), when combined with the other elements listed below, it can mean the difference between a good album and a transcendently great one.

2. Innovation

I think this is where I differ from many other music critics out there. Let me first say that I love innovation--without it the genre would grow stale and die off. One of the bands that will be on my list is called Kvelertak. They're from Norway and their self-titled debut is probably the most innovative and creative piece of metal I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. It breaks so many conventions and rules of the genre and yet...I can't help but love it. But, like technical skill, innovation means very little by itself. You won't find Mastodon or Anthrax on my list because their new albums are simply not any good. It's that simple. And on the flip side of that, a band that shamelessly copies the styles of bands that came before them will not be penalized by me as long as they create good music in the process. Innovation is important, but it is not the be-all-end-all of the metal scene.

3. Consistency and cohesion of songs across the album

Despite the long title for this criteria, it's actually very simple: If an album contains no weak songs, that is good. If the songs work together to create an atmosphere that stretches across the whole album and enhances the listening experience, that is even better. Doom bands really excel in the cohesion and atmosphere criteria, and to a lesser extent so do prog bands and any sort of well-executed concept album.

4. The ability to please my ear

This is the most subjective, hardest to define, and also most important criteria for me. The clearest way I can define this criteria is to say that if any part of an album makes me tap my foot, bang my head, throw the horns, or smile uncontrollably, it counts for a lot. And if a band can make me laugh out loud in joy, that's automatically a contender for album of the year. And I don't mean a happy, cheerful joy, but rather an amazed joy, where the sheer brilliance of a composition causes such a rush of emotional power that it needs to be released by either laughter or tears (or both). I find a handful of albums like this every year, and it is the biggest reason why I love metal music. The ability that metal artists have to blow your mind with the power of what they have created is unparallelled in the world of music, and is a joy that all metalheads are able to share.

Most Essential Scandinavian Metal Bands

Scandinavia. When viewed on a world map, it appears as little more than a pimple on Europe's forehead. Consisting of three small countries, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, it seems unlikely that much of consequence could happen there. And yet, for the heavy metal universe, Scandinavia has been a hotbead of activity for nearly thirty years, producing countless quality bands, and quite a hefty number of transcendentally great ones. Following are some of the most absolutely essential bands for understanding the Scandinavian scene and how it has evolved over three decades:

#8 - Amon Amarth

Amon Amarth, hailing from Tumba, Sweden, haven't been around as long as the other bands on this list, but they deserve to be here because they have arguably achieved the most success. Releasing their first album in 1998, they started as more of a straightforward death metal band. Over time, however, they evolved their sound in a totally unique direction that has garnered them massive success.

#7 - Dimmu Borgir

Dimmu Borgir (Icelandic for “dark cities”) took the primal, indecipherable noise that early Norwegian black metal was and turned it into something beautiful. Darker than Hitler's soul, mind you. But beautiful. Dimmu blended the primal nature of black metal with the elegance of symphonic orchestration and airy, atmospheric song structures, making them (along with Emperor) the masters of symphonic black metal.

#6 - Hypocrisy

A band that apparently suffers from multiple personality disorder, Sweden's Hypocrisy have moved all over the metal spectrum since their formation in 1990. Mastermind Peter Tagtren has traversed this band's sound from straightforward death metal, to a more melodic direction, to nu-metal, and then back again to melodeath. The lyrical themes have evolved as well, starting out mostly satanic, and then somehow transitioning to strange alien abduction stories. But Hypocrisy have delivered absurd amounts of quality metal over the years--powered by Tagtren's inhuman vocals, arguably the best extreme metal vocals ever--and are still going strong today.

#5 - Bathory

The formation of black metal is credited a number of different places – namely Switzerland's Hellhammer and Britain's Venom – but Scandinavia also gets in on the action with Sweden's Bathory. Their four albums released between 1984 and 1988 came to be recognized as crucial foundations for the black metal genre that would blossom in Scandinavia in the 1990s. In particular, their anti-Christian lyrics and shrieked vocals were both extremely influential to the black metal bands that would follow them.

#4 - Entombed

Entombed were the first Swedish death metal band to release a studio album. Even more significantly, they recorded said album (1990's Left Hand Path), at Sunlight Studios--which would eventually become the most famous recording studio in the industry--and created the distinctive buzzsaw guitar tone there, something that would immediately become a signature of Swedish death metal. Though Entombed quickly evolved their sound away from true death metal, Left Hand Path remains the most influential and essential album of the scene it pioneered.

#3 - Mayhem

Though there were many bands that were integral parts of the early Norwegian black metal scene (Burzum, Emperor, Immortal, etc.), none were more essential--nor better embodied the infinitely disturbed nature of the scene--better than Mayhem. Formed earlier than any of their peers, they had their original vocalist murdered by fellow black metaller Varg Vikernes of Burzum, and their guitarist blow his own brains out, followed by his fellow bandmates making necklaces from the fragments of his skull. Despite that, Mayhem have survived to this this day and are probably the most influential band of the black metal genre. Go figure.

#2 - Dark Tranquility / In Flames / At The Gates

I list these three bands together because it was together, between the three of them, that the melodic death metal, or “melodeath” genre was created. Over the years, each band evolved the genre in a unique direction. Dark Tranquility, formed first, incorporated keyboards and operatic clean vocals, effectively evolving the genre in a more gothic direction. In Flames were the masters of Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy influenced dual-guitar leads and moved the genre in a more accessible and mainstream direction. At The Gates were the heaviest of the three, and kept the genre grounded to its death metal roots. When looking at the melodeath genre, it is necessary to view all three of these bands together, and together they make for some of the most essential listening in all of Scandinavian metal.

#1 - Mercyful Fate

Little Denmark is saved from heavy metal obscurity by this monumental band. Mercyful Fate formed in the early 80s and has been influential on countless artists, including the mighty Metallica, who often cite Mercyful Fate among their biggest influences. Vocalist King Diamond's powerful falsetto was their trademark that influenced countless power metal vocalists to come. Their heavy, speedy, but melodic guitar style would be strongly influential on thrash and speed metal. Their innovative song structure would lead to prog metal. And their anti-Christian lyrics would be a major part of the future black metal movement. All-around, there are few heavy metal bands in the world--much less Scandinavia--more essential than Mercyful Fate.

Top 10 metal albums of the 80s

When your average American thinks about heavy metal, he immediately envisions the 1980s era of big hair, spandex, and music videos. “Hair metal,” as it was known, was metal's glorious moment in the spotlight. Ironically, it also happens to be a source of incredible shame for metalheads. See, hair metal was an abomination - a perversion of everything that heavy metal stands for. It's disgraceful that MTV, record labels, and Hollywood all made absurd amounts of money in the name of heavy metal. Absolutely disgraceful.

Thankfully, there was also an abundant crop of quality heavy metal blooming throughout the 80s. For the most part, these were bands who didn't get MTV air time or inspire Hollywood docudramas and movies. What they cared about was making quality music. And what they created was the sturdy branches that each grew into the myriad of metal subgenres - branches that continue to grow and thrive to this day.

I normally embrace the challenge of making lists that include rankings. However, I feel like there's no way to rank any of these legendary albums above the others. As such, I present to you the ten best metal albums of the 80s in chronological order:

Heaven and Hell Black Sabbath (1980)

Four months into the new decade, the most influential band in the history of the genre kicked off the most successful decade for the genre with this beast of an album. Combining Tony Iommi's signature riffing with Ronnie James Dio's virtuoso vocal talents made for an album of pure sonic ecstasy. Talk about starting the new decade off with a bang!

Blizzard of Ozz Ozzy Osbourne (1980)

Pulling himself up out of the gutter after being dumped by Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne struck absolute gold when he found young guitar virtuoso Randy Rhoades. Powered by Rhoades' neoclassical soloing and Ozzy's penchant for writing catchy-as-hell tunes, Blizzard would go on to reach four times platinum, making it one of the most successful metal albums of all time.

Number of the Beast Iron Maiden (1982)

Maiden ushered in a new era of heavy metal with this landmark album. Though the dual guitar sound had previously been pioneered by Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy, this album is the quintessential monument to dual-guitar melodies. Furthermore, the songs are among the catchiest of all time. And then there's Bruce Dickinson's vocals. There's just so much to say about this album. Many consider it to be the best metal album of all time, and for good reason. Just an unbelievable piece of work all around.

Holy Diver Dio (1983)

After a brief stint with Black Sabbath, Ronnie Dio went his own way and formed this self-named group. Dio's vocals are legendary, but in case you've been living under a rock your whole life and aren't familiar with him, he is widely considered to be the best vocalist in the history of the genre. Of course, Rob Halford/Judas Priest fans might have some beef with that (and rightly so), but the fact remains that Ronnie Dio's vocals are an orgasm in your ear and this album is easily one of the most revered of all time.

Ride the Lightning Metallica (1984)

Metallica introduced the world to the concept of thrash metal with their 1982 album Kill 'Em All. But they perfected that concept two years later with this album. If you ever find yourself searching for a definition of the term “thrash,” simply listen to this album. Never before or since has the genre been so clearly or powerfully defined. This is a legend among legends.

 Powerslave Iron Maiden (1984)

Everything that Maiden did right on Number of the Beast, they did even better on Powerslave. Of particular note is Steve Harris' bass lines, which have always been extraordinary, but on this album they seal the deal that he is the best bassist in the history of the genre. I could literally listen to this album ten times in a row, doing nothing but focusing on the bass each time. It's that good.

Metal Church Metal Church (1985)

Unlike the other albums on this list, this one has slipped through the cracks a bit. Metal Church were never as popular as groups like Ozzy or Sabbath. Nor were they as innovative as Maiden or Metallica. But when an album is this well executed, it doesn't need those other qualities. Simply put, this is a flawless collection of songs, and it deserves to be ranked up with the other albums on this list, even if was neither as popular nor as influential as the others.

Master of Puppets Metallica (1986)

If you took a poll of ten metalheads and music critics asking them what was the best metal album of all time, you would probably get ten different responses. However, if you polled a hundred or a thousand of them, it's likely a winner would eventually emerge, and that winner would almost certainly be this album. On March 3, 1986, the official bar for heavy metal music was set. Ever since then, every great album is inevitably compared to this particular masterpiece. Can there be a higher honor than that?

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying by Megadeth (1986)

Megadeth may be Metallica's redheaded stepchild, but it is the one that grew up to be that really hot redheaded chick with the perfect freckles and body - absolutely sublime. And this is arguably the sexiest of that redhead's albums from the 80s (though all three albums released by Dave Mustaine and company this decade were very, very good). If you don't get the song “Peace Sells” stuck in your head at least once after listening to this album, there's a good chance you weren't born at all, but rather grew in a lab, because you definitely do not have a soul.

Hall of the Mountain King Savatage (1987)

Modern prog metal bands like Dream Theater and Symphony X owe vast amounts of credit to this album. The title track in particular exhibits a very special combination of intricate songwriting, amazing musicianship, and a just flat-out badass guitar riffage (seriously, that is one of the most incredible riffs of all time). But that magical combination isn't limited to one track, as every single song here shines in its own eclectic way. Oh, and if Jon Oliva's vocals don't get your blood roaring, you need to have an autopsy because you are clearly not alive anymore. All-round, a spectacular album in every facet.

Top albums of the 2000s

(Note: I wrote this list at the end of 2009. This is one of my most popular articles on Helium.com, so I wanted to reproduce it here with proper formatting, etc. However, if I made the list over it might be slightly different today, as my tastes are constantly evolving)

As the decade draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the journey of heavy metal over the last ten years. When the decade started, metal was a purely underground form of music. The rock music charts were dominated by nu-metal (not actual metal), punk rock, and the ironically-named alternative brands of music. Now you can turn on your local rock station and hear bands like Five Finger Death Punch, Avenged Sevenfold, and Bullet For My Valentine bringing their commercialized versions of heavy metal to the masses. As the mainstream has moved more towards metal, metal has simultaneously moved towards the mainstream─causing the two to meet somewhere in the middle.

Behind all that, though, have been the types of metal bands that have kept the genre alive for so many years despite never receiving any mainstream recognition. Bands that follow the hard-working model of the pioneers─the Iron Maidens, Judas Priests, and Megadeaths of our modern era. Bands that seek to create metal music that is inspired, powerful, and masterful. Bands that seek to create art in their music. Bands that seek the rip your face off with the intensity of what they have created. These bands have perfected the art form known as the album.

When creating this list, my intention was to make a top-ten list. However, when I looked at my final list of nine albums and realized that every single one of them was a flawless piece of work, I knew I couldn’t dilute the perfect composition of this list. There is no real reason to add another album that is just almost perfect just for the sake of rounding out my list. Instead, I present to you the nine most flawless albums to come out since Y2K.

#9 Facing The Thousand Light This City (Prosthetic, 2007)

Not only is Laura Nichol the most intense female vocalist/frontwoman ever, she might be the most intense of any gender EVER! Throw in Brian Forbes’ and Steve Hoffman’s furious neoclassical dual-assault, Mike Dias sounding like he is trying to break his bass strings, and Ben Murray seemingly growing a third arm for this performance and you have one of the most impressive collections of unknown talent ever. This band’s biggest strengths are Nichol’s vocals and the band’s songwriting prowess. Murray is the main songwriter for the band and he takes cues from a wide range of sources, from Iron Maiden to Slayer to The Black Dahlia Murder. TOP TRACKS: Exile, The Eagle

#8 Deathalbum Dethklok (Williams Street, 2007)

What’s that you say? Dethklok is a joke band and their music doesn’t belong on a ‘best of’ lists, much less of the decade? You’re wrong. Allow me to lay out the facts for you. Fact #1: Brendon Small graduated from the Berklee College of Music and he knows music. Fact #2: This is the highest-selling death metal album of all time! Fact #3: Gene Hoglan plays drums on this album. ‘Nuff said. With catchy tunes that will drill their way into your brain, and not a weak song on the album, this is not only one of the best metal albums of the decade, but because of its popularity it is also one of the most important. Brain-dead American Idol generation, meet real heavy metal. Try not to have an aneurism. TOP TRACKS: Castratikron, Go Forth And Die

#7 The Odyssey Symphony X (InsideOut, 2002)

Though not quite as good as their follow-up (we’ll get to that one too), this album has the distinction of having the best progressive metal song of all time in the title track. At over twenty-four minutes, the level of complexity and intricacy demonstrated on “The Odyssey” is without equal. The whole song flows together so seamlessly - never for even a nanosecond becoming boring, despite its incredible length. Michael Romeo does an unbelievable job weaving the symphonic element in with the heavy metal ones, and Russell Allen’s vocals absolutely crush all. The rest of the album is exceptional as well, but this album is worth the price of admission simply for the title track. And yet somehow, this is not even this band’s best album this decade! TOP TRACKS: The Odyssey, King of Terrors

#6 With Oden On Our Side Amon Amarth (Metal Blade, 2006)

This had to be my toughest pick of the whole list. The absolute gods of consistency this decade, Amon Amarth literally have five different albums that could arguably have made this list. As time goes on, their newest album Twilight of the Thunder God could be judged as their best this decade, but Oden is already a legendary album in its own time. The real deciding factor, though, for picking this album over the others is found in the track order. “Valhall Awaits Me” is the perfect opening track, being solid and heavy, but neither the best nor the heaviest song on the disc. Likewise, “Prediction of Warfare” is the perfect track to end with, with its epic length and crushing vocals and melodies. And every track in between just feels right. As far as crafting an album as a whole entity, Oden is just slightly better than anything this great band has done this decade. TOP TRACKS: Cry Of The Blackbirds, Gods Of War Arise

#5 Brave New World Iron Maiden (Sony, 2000)

This album is astounding on so many levels. How often has a band reunited with its seminal members (Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith), played the exact same style they did twenty years earlier, and managed to come up with their best album yet?! Never, that’s how often. And yes, I did just say this was a better album than the great classics like Number Of The Beast and Powerslave. Those albums may have had a few better songs, but they lacked the incredible consistency in song quality that is displayed on Brave New World. And boy, Dickinson has lost absolutely nothing over the years as he sings his ass off on this album! And with three guitarists you might fear that they would get in each others’ way, but the guitar work on this album is clean and ordered. All around an amazing effort from probably the most essential heavy metal band of all time. TOP TRACKS: Dream of Mirrors, Out Of The Silent Planet

#4 Beyond The Permafrost Skeletonwitch (Prosthetic, 2007)

Iron Maiden meets Slayer. Catchiness meets brutality. Old school meets new. This is the album of the perfect dichotomies. Much like how Slayer or Black Dahlia Murder do it, these Ohio rockers manage to cram more unbelievable heavy metal riffs, melodies, solos, growls, and tempo changes into thirty-four minutes than any other band could fit into an hour. If you’ve ever wanted to hear Iron Maiden on a day where they took steroids, mutated into something from Resident Evil, and then went on a violent killing spree, this is the album for you. TOP TRACKS: Within My Blood, Fire From The Sky

#3 Train of Thought Dream Theater (Elektra 2003)

I know this will be an unpopular pick. The expected pick for Dream Theater’s best this decade would be Octavarium. But come on, just listen to this album, will you? Dream Theater fans hated it because it was too heavy and not many other people ever gave it a chance, but Mike Portnoy himself said that he thought this was the album where everything came together for them. And I happen to agree with him. Heavy enough to make it onto a metal list, cerebral enough to be progressive, and eclectic enough to be Dream Theater, this is really Portnoy and gang’s most complete metal album to date. Petrucci especially gets to show off his insane skills ways he only ever demonstrated elsewhere on Liquid Tension Experiment. He shreds, riffs, and solos his way through the album like a man who actually has something to prove (which is impressive because at this point he has nothing to prove). More importantly, the band’s songwriting talents are as outstanding as they have ever been here, and even after 11+ minutes you will find yourself wishing songs like “In The Name of God” and “Endless Sacrifice” didn’t end. A true masterpiece by arguably the most musically talented band in the world. TOP TRACKS: Endless Sacrifice, This Dying Soul

#2 Kingdom of Might Woe of Tyrants (Metal Blade, 2009)

Maybe I am getting too hasty placing such a recent album this high─especially when said album is by complete unknowns and relative newcomers in southern Ohio’s Woe Of Tyrants. But I have been listening to this album ever since it came out eleven months ago, and every time I put this disc on I am completely floored by what is stampeding from my speakers. Vocalist Chris Catanzaro prowls back and forth between a thrashy scream to a guttural death metal growl that will shake your bowels with its ferocity. The rhythm section matches that ferocity as bassist Adam Kohler and drummer Jonny Roberts lay down an unending and seemingly inhuman stream of notes that is constantly changing form and direction like a sidewinder that moves 600 miles an hour. And on top of that all you have Chris Burns and Matt Kincaid burning their guitar strings up with their mind-blowing neoclassical dual assault. Add to that the band’s impeccable talent for writing catchy and purposeful melodies, well-timed tempo changes, and generally crafting songs as cohesive works of art and you have yourself the second-best album of the decade! Listening to this album must be what going up against an MMA fighter would feel like. Never has your soul being thrashed like a rag doll ever felt so good! TOP TRACKS: all of them!

#1 Paradise Lost Symphony X (InsideOut, 2007)

I don’t possess the words to do justice to this album. This is perfection in every way you can possibly think of─songwriting, production, lyrics, theme, consistency, instrumental playing, artwork, and vocals. If I had to pick one aspect that stood above all the others, though, it would be Russell Allen’s monstrous vocal work. Listening to his performance on songs like “Set The World On Fire (Lie Of Lies)” and “Domination” are akin to being hit by a runaway freight train, while his soulful emotion on the title track and “Seven” have the power to bring a tear to your eyes. And he hits every range of sounds in between those extremes, cementing this album as the single greatest vocal performance of all time. Besides Allen’s vocals, you also have Romeo’s Malmsteen-influenced neoclassical guitar shredding, Pinella’s beautiful piano melodies, and Rullo’s furious drum assault. Even bass player Michael Lepond gets to shine with a bass solo on “Domination.” I could go on and on about all the great aspects of this album─the well-written lyrics, the fact that every song is a masterpiece in its own right, the way every instrument can be heard clear as crystal─but you’ll just have to discover everything this album has to offer on your own. I mean, come on, this is the best album of the whole effing decade! TOP TRACKS: Set The World On Fire (Lie Of Lies), Paradise Lost

Honorable mentions: Nocturnal by The Black Dahlia Murder, Spirit of Ukko by Kiuas, The Way of the Blade by The Ottoman Empire, every album by Amon Amarth, Scar Symmetry, and Dark Tranquillity.

One final thought: what a year 2007 was! With four albums in the top-9 (including #1), and two honorable mentions, that was clearly the best year of heavy metal this decade, and maybe the best year metal has had since sometime in the mid-eighties.