Top Ten Metal Albums of 2022

[Krigloch the Furious]

Top 10 (and a few more) of '22
1 Riot City - Electric Elite (Pure fucking love! Better than their first)
2 Sumerlands - Dreamkiller (GOD DAMN!)
Spectral Souls - Towards Extinction
Rotten Tomb - Visions of Dismal Fate
Undeath - It's Time... To Rise From the Grave
Ironflame - Where Madness Dwells
Beyond Mortal Dreams - Abomination of the Flames
Cigar - The Visitor
Eliminator - Ancient Light
Exhumed - To the Dead

Immolation was damn good, but long as fuck.
Schizophrenia - Recollections of the Insane is crazy good too
Revocation is just fun as hell to listen to
Sentient Horror was one that I was really looking forward to but it lacks compared to Mortal Realms
Fueled by Fire ep was fucking great
New Megadeth has some good songs on it, and a couple dumb shit ones.
Solicitor ep is good, but short as fuck
Biggest surprises are Spectral Souls and Rotten Tomb. 2 South American bands that put out excellent death metal.

 

[Slammed]

I was listening to Spectral Souls yesterday I doubt it would change my list, (because I'm too lazy to edit) but it's not bad.

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

1. Voivod - Synchro Anarchy
2. Sigh - Shiki
3. Extra Life - Secular Works, Vol. 2
4. Messa - Close
5. Hammers of Misfortune - Overtaker
6. Deathspell Omega - The Long Defeat
7. Crowbar - Zero and Below
8. Luminous Vault - Animate the Emptiness
9. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses
10. Krallice - Psychagogue

Meshuggah - Immutable
Avatarium - Death, Where is Your Sting
Krallice - Crystalline Exhaustion
Come to Grief - When the World Dies
Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun
Jesu - pity / piety
Melvins - Bad Mood Rising
Mournful Congregation - The Exuviae of Gods Part I
Sadist - Firescorched
Blut Aus Nord - Lovecraftian Echoes
Faetooth - Remnants of the Vessel

 

[SonOfNun]

Well, I was wrong. I'm going to have to edit again.

 

[rms]

These guys snuck a 2022 release in




And the only purchase I have..

 

[SonOfNun]

Expanded to a Top 35 since I felt the back end albums deserved a mention. There are nine new albums that did not previously appear in any published iteration of my list (including two new entries in the Top 10). See my original post for rankings and comments.

+ Jade - The Pacification of Death
+ Desecresy - Unveil in the Abyss
+ Cryptworm - Spewing Mephitic Putridity
+ Rotten Tomb - Visions of a Dismal Fate
+ Sedimentum - Suppuration Morphogenesiaque
+ Fleshrot - Unburied Corpse
+ The Halo Effect - Days of the Lost
+ Hath - All That Was Promised
+ Amon Amarth - The Great Heathen Army

 

[challenge_everything]

10. Negative Plane - The Pact

Negative Plane doing their thing, with weird shuffling rhythms and entertaining Lovecraftian storytelling. The riff at the end of ‘Poison and the Crucifix’ is phenomenally original and might be my favourite of the year.

9. Misþyrming - Með hamri

A band I’d previously dismissed, but here we are. Misþyrming abandon most of their avant-garde tendencies in favour of muscular riffs which only get better the longer the album goes. Still oozes atmosphere though, and at times reminds me of Mgla or the seemingly forgotten Lunar Aurora. Never mind the Sin After Sin ripoff cover art.

8. Ultra Silvam - The Sanctity of Death

Every bit as good as ‘The Spearwound Salvation’. Nasty, thrashy black metal that is tight as fuck and just rips from start to finish. Love the church bells thrown into the percussion which makes it seem even more evil.

7. Autopsy - Morbidity Triumphant

The frequent comments surrounding this album that this is just “Autopsy doing Autopsy” annoy me. Not that it’s necessarily untrue, just that it’s a lazy, reductive description of a band that’s never had a predictable riffing style within the same song, let alone the same album. And so it is with Morbidity Triumphant. There’s even some new tricks here, like the angular, predatory opening riff of ‘Flesh Strewn Temple’. The rhythmic and stylistic shifts within each song are pulled off so seamlessly.

6. Ruine - Révolte et Crânerie Paysanne

Joy Division meets Mütiilation? It’s better than it sounds on paper, believe me. Most definitely metal, but spiritually this is one for the post-punk fans, chock full of gloomy hooks and Ian Curtis-esque vocals.

5. Nocturnal Triumph - Nocturnal Triumph

Scorching, riff-heavy and epic BM that sounds straight out the second wave. Listen to the white hot poker riff 1min into ‘Beneath the Veins of God’ and you’ll see why I love this so much. Amazing drums too.

4. Riot City - Electric Elite

Judas Priest on steroids. These guys are doing to Priest what Vektor did to thrash. The vocals are as good as anything in the world of metal right now.

3. Wiegedood - There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road

Did not expect to find a psychotic little thing like this on Century Media. This is a vortex of disorienting and unusually phrased BM, of which the closest comparison I can think of is Dark Tribe’s In Jeraspunta... but not as grim or relentlessness. These guys know how to develop a song, choosing the right moments to bring us out of the chaos into catharsis. It’s really thoughtfully composed. Long live ‘Wigger Dude’.

2. Wampyrinacht - Night of the Desecration

A surprising turn away from the ghoulish black metal of We Will Be Watching, this is Wampyrinacht devolving to their base Greek DNA with an album of epic black-tinged heavy metal. Think Zemial but better. ‘Hammer of the Angels’ is probably my favourite song of the year. And who would have thought these guys were capable of writing some of the most achingly beautiful solos this decade?

1. The Chasm - Scars of a Lost Reflective Shadow

This has grown on me steadily since hearing it early in the year to the point where I now think it’s The Chasm’s best since Deathcult. I rate it that highly, and tracks like ‘An Occult Gift Responds’ are up there with their best material. Certainly the most rocking album they’ve ever done, with inventive riffs and counterplay that leave most bands for dead.

 

[CiG]

...the angular, predatory opening riff of ‘Flesh Strewn Temple’.

Fucking love that opening riff! I have no clue where they pulled that from, almost sounds like it belongs on a Kiss ballad and they lifted and twisted it.

Great write-ups btw.

 

[rms]

. Wiegedood - There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road

. First two albums are good too. Third was meh

 

[challenge_everything]

. First two albums are good too. Third was meh

Haven't checked them out yet but planning to.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

I might tweak this a bit, but I think I've familiarized myself with everything I wanted to hear from last year.

1. Fellowship- The Saberlight Chronicles
2. Saidan- Onryō II: Her Spirit Eternal
3. Negative Plane- The Pact...
4. Asunojokei- Island
5. Unlucky Morpheus- Evolution
6. Arizmenda- Spider's Lust in Dungeon's Dust
7. Autopsy- Morbidity Triumphant
8. Luminous Vault- Animate the Emptiness
9. Satanic Warmaster- Aamongandr
10. Inanna- Void of Unending Depths

Honorable Mentions:
Artifical Brain- Artificial Brain
Hath- All That Was Promised
Faceless Burial- At the Foothills of Deliration
Deathspell Omega- The Long Defeat
Grima- Frostbitten
Immolation- Acts of God

 

[CiG]

10. Sphinx - Deathstroke
The only youngsters in my top 10 (Deathhammer are getting crusty like me at this point) and they blasted their way through the crowd with no remorse. Aggressive riffage and pure speed here. Very bombastic and nonstop headbang fodder with no fat to trim. You can't listen to this in full online I don't think which is unfortunate, but the CD is absolutely worth grabbing asap.

 

[Cronopio]

01. Dreamtale - Everlasting Flame
Favorite song: "The Glory"

02. Dragonland - The Power of the Nightstar
Favorite song: "The Power of the Nightstar"

03. Out Of This World - Out Of This World
Favorite song: "Ain't Gonna Let You Go"

04. Battle Beast - Circus of Doom
Favorite song: "The Road to Avalon"

05. Veonity - Elements of Power
Favorite song: "Return to the Land of Light"

06. Terra Atlantica - Beyond the Borders
Favorite song: "Beyond the Borders"

07. Fellowship - The Saberlight Chronicles
Favorite song: "Glory Days"

08. Sabaton - The War to End All Wars
Favorite song: "Lady of the Dark"

09. Symphonity - Marco Polo: The Metal Soundtrack
Favorite song: "Marco Polo, Pt. 7: I Found My Way Back Home"

10. Avantasia - A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society
Favorite song: "The Inmost Light"

 

[Goodman]

1. Grave Digger - Symbol of Eternity
2. Kreator - Hate Über Alles
3. Scorpions - Rock Believer
4. Cloven Hoof - Time Assassin
5. Def Leppard - Diamond Star Halos
6. Manowar - Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus (EP)
7. Blind Guardian - The God Machine
8. Enuff Z'Nuff - Finer than Sin
9. Royal Hunt - Dystopia – Part II
10. Black Rose - WTF

 

[CiG]

01. Dreamtale - Everlasting Flame
Favorite song: "The Glory"

02. Dragonland - The Power of the Nightstar
Favorite song: "The Power of the Nightstar"

03. Out Of This World - Out Of This World
Favorite song: "Ain't Gonna Let You Go"

04. Battle Beast - Circus of Doom
Favorite song: "The Road to Avalon"

05. Veonity - Elements of Power
Favorite song: "Return to the Land of Light"

06. Terra Atlantica - Beyond the Borders
Favorite song: "Beyond the Borders"

07. Fellowship - The Saberlight Chronicles
Favorite song: "Glory Days"

08. Sabaton - The War to End All Wars
Favorite song: "Lady of the Dark"

09. Symphonity - Marco Polo: The Metal Soundtrack
Favorite song: "Marco Polo, Pt. 7: I Found My Way Back Home"

10. Avantasia - A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society
Favorite song: "The Inmost Light"

This could double as the top 10 worst album covers of 2022.

 

[Cronopio]

This could double as the top 10 worst album covers of 2022.

Explain yourself, sir.

 

[no country for old wainds]

while i don't think any of them are good (well, i do like the vibes of #7), most of them wouldn't be too awful without the garish font/logo choices, which is unfortunately a staple of euro power lol.

 

[CiG]

Stop the cap.

 

[SonOfNun]

CIG doesn't like CGI.

 

[Bloopy]

Battle Beast's album cover puts me in mind of playing Pinball Arcade, especially the Theatre of Magic and Cirqus Voltaire tables. Circus of Kaboom!! It's got the glowing orb for the ball and the gates could be the flippers. Good album though.