Another year has passed us by and as always we've had some killer tunes, from various subgenres and styles of heavy music, to get us through it. This year gave a wide variety of classic bands (including some comebacks), as well as some younger ones and up and comers. As always, this list took a long time to take its final shape, though number one stayed at that top spot from the moment it came out. That being said I kept pushing this back from posting cuz I kept redoing the order, as I listened to albums more and more. Anyways, let's get to it already!
Honorable Mentions: Opeth- The Last Will and Testament Undeath- More Insane Boundaries- Death Is Little More New Years Day- Half Dark Heart Witch Vomit- Funeral Sanctum
20. Gatecreeper- Dark Superstition- Embracing a more melodic sound, Gatecreeper have achieved yet another winner of an album. Dark, heavy, and, at times quite catchy, this is one I listened to a lot. Especially the track "The Black Curtain", which was one of the best singles in extreme metal last year.
19. Amaranthe- The Catalyst- The reigning kings of symphonic metal return with another beautifully crafted, fun, and catchy work. Great to listen and sign along to it does everything you want a recording like this to do. This one features some of the most enjoyable and beautifully crafted songs of the year.
18. The Black Dahlia Murder- Servitude- After the loss of their front-man Trevor Strnad, I think didn't my all time favorite melodeath band would ever return. So imagine my pleasant surprise when not only did they do just that, but did it so successfully! Servitude is a great comeback, that sounds heavy, dark, and powerful. All the touches that make TBDM so awesome are here, with Brian Eschbach doing an amazing job taking over vocal duties. He gives you that feeling that Strnad did without sounding like a carbon copy or wanna-be, still managing to be his own man. As a matter of fact, every single time I put this one on, I am reminded of just fucking solid a record it is!
17. Necrot- Lifeless Birth- We've been champing death metallers Necrot since the beginning. here at Words from the Master. So. it kinda sucks that they are still so underrated. Especially when you hear how consistently good their output is. Case, in point, this overpoweringly heavy slab of death and gore. From the opening track to the end this one is filled with chainsaw guitars, pounding drums, unearthly growls, and a wonderfully evil feel and atmosphere to the sonic proceedings.
16. Aborted- Vault of Horrors- One of my favorite death metal acts, Aborted never fail to put out a killer release. And, even when I can say that I prefer the last couple ahead of this one, it's still light years ahead of much of the competition. Filled with guest stars galore (Shadow of Intent, Despised Icon, etc), this one revels in the all assault, groove, brutality, and love of gore and horror, that an Aborted album should.
15. Marilyn Manson- One Assassination Under God, Chapter 1- I honestly wasn't sure if Manson would ever return after all the controversary (which I am gonna avoid mentioning here). So, the fact he not only came back but came back with the best album since his classic heyday is one fuck of an achievement. This is honestly the first recording of his in ages where I can enjoy every single track, without skipping. Dark, haunting, evil, and catchy, with its mix if industrial and hook laden gothic metal, this is everything you want in a Manson album!
14. Nails- Every Bridge Burned- Powerviolence/ hardcore band Nails are back motherfucker! And, their return is filled with the most uncompromisingly heavy and brutal music imaginable. This sonic slab of piss and vinegar is one of the angriest fuckers committed to the soundscape of last year. It's mix of grindcore and hardcore punk infused metal shines on songs like incredible "Lacking the Ability to Process Empathy" which hit like a steel tipped kick to the fucking balls. In fact, this album is like 17 min plus ass kicking of the most brutal and vicious quality.
13. Fit For An Autopsy- The Nothing That Is- Fit For An Autopsy continue to prove that they are, with a shadow of a doubt. one of the absolute masters of deathcore. Featuring a heavy, crushing, melodic, and technically sound style, this is one adrenaline charged motherfucker. From the moment the opening track, "Hostage", starts this one will make you want to trash everything in fucking sight. A sure fire way to fuel the mosh pit this is hands down the best deathcore release of last year.
12. Knocked Loose- You Won't Go Before You're Supposed to- This feels like it was the year for groin kicking core music. And, perhaps none hit harder and more pissed off than this barnburner from Knocked Loose. They also had THE biggest and best moment for uncompromisingly heavy music of last year, when they performed their single "Suffocate", featuring the always awesome Poppy, on TheJimmy Kimmel Show. It was an awesome and absolutely ass kicking presentation that combined with the fact that it scared a bunch of housewives, grandmas, and whimps all the more better and legendary!
11. Nile- The Underworld Awaits for Us All- I have admit ably liked everything I have ever heard from Nile. But, I don't think I have really loved anything since Ithyphallic. That is until this fucking bone crushing release. Heavy and brutal, this audio assault is their best since then. Honestly, it really ranks among their best work, period. The single "Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake in the Underworld and Made to Eat Feces by the Four Apes" gets my vote for not just the best (and certainly longest!) title in death metal (fuck that all of metal) last year but also as one of the best tracks in the extreme metal in 2024!
10. Fulci- Duck Face Killings- If you know me or follow me/ this website religiously you'll know of my love for both death metal and horror master Lucio Fulci. So, it comes as no surprise to anyone that I would love this Italian death metal band, who are inspired by the Italian master of hardcore splatter and horror. I actually only really got into them this year. But, fuck what an album to be introduced to them with! This fun, violent, and heavy as fuck recording is inspired by Fulci's gruesome. controversial, and sleazy giallo/ slasher The New York Ripper. Said flick tells the heartwarming tale of a crazed psycho who slices up women with a straight razor, razor blades, broken bottles and more, all while quacking like a duck! This fucker is every bit as wild and extreme as that flick, and the result is my favorite straight up death metal album of last year.
9. Escuela Grind- Dreams on Algorithms- The latest from Escuela Grind might just be their best. It's crushingly heavy, brutal, and yet, somehow, has some great hooks and grooves that makes kinda catchy. I say kinda cuz this is still an all out assault of driving and angry grindcore and hardcore. It also has what is my most listened to extreme metal song of 2024, in the fucking awesome "Turbulence". With vocalist, Katerina Economou, mixing clean vocals (for what is the first time ever in the band, I think) with her usual deep and menacing growls, really summing up that killer and unlikely mix of catchy and brutal that I mentioned before! Oh and, that guitar tone on it absolutely fucking kills!!
8. Poppy- Negative Spaces- Poppy continues to go further down the metal music hole, and the world is better for it! While there are still songs that fall under the electric pop sound of hers, there is a lot of metal here. Showing industrial, metalcore, and even some deathcore (she even does a blegh in the kick ass "They're All Around Us"!), gives it extra fucking kick to the teeth. She is a great signer, and her screams and growls continue to get more fucking awesome! The overall result is that the music is driving, fun, groove filled, melodic, and gets the blood going. In fact, between this album and her collabs with Knocked Loose and Bad Omens, Poppy was one of the most exciting and most attention worthy stars in all of metal from last year.
7. Body Count- Merciless- Body Count continues their continuous string of absolute fire albums. Merciless keeps that trend going with the added bonus that Ice T sounds pissed off as fuck! This makes for an album whose title fits it like a leather glove! Violent, badass, and a total ass kicking, adrenalized experience, I couldn't stop listening to it after it came out. There is even a fucking thunder and razor fast team-up with Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse, in The Purge, which is inspired by the action horror movies of the same name.
6. Linkin Park- From Zero- The return of Linkin Park was one of the most unexpected and heavily discussed occurrences in hard music this past year. And, while there was a good amount controversy surrounding their new signer Emily Armstrong, who had a monumental task ahead of her replacing the late, great Chester Bennington. But, in spite of it all, they did some shows (with a full tour to come this year) and put out this spectacular comeback album. It mixes elements from many of the band's eras, while leaning heavily on the more metallic sound of the beloved first two records. Some of my absolute fav tracks of the year like "Heavy Is the Crown" and "Two Faced" are included here. And, despite my initial questioning and complaining, I can say that this is on the level of those classic two records. And, let's not bullshit, Emily is a great singer with some nice melodic voice and great screams. Destined to be seen as one of the greatest comeback records ever (cuz it is!), it has definitely returned Linkin Park to their place as one of the biggest bands ever in metal and hard rock.
5. The Warning- Keep Me Fed- The Warning, one of my favorite acts to come down the pike in the last few years, put out their best record yet with Keep Me Fed. The album rocks hard and some amazing hooks. It's filled from top to bottom with great songs that are fun and catchy as hell. Tracks like "Six Feet Deep", "Que Mas Quieres", "MORE", and lots others will ear worm into your head. And, I fucking challenge you to not sign along to just about every freaking song in here! On a side note, I was suppose to see them for a second time last year (my first being two years ago) in Brooklyn, but I got sick. Cuz life loves to kick me in the balls.
4. Lucifer- Lucifer V- I have been a HUGE fan of this band since the beginning. And, it always boggles my mind just how under the radar they remain. Even though every album they put out is a fucking banger. This fifth one is no different. It's catchy, haunting, and filled with great hooks, melodies, and atmosphere. As soon as, I put this one on, I always get totally sucked in. And, with tracks like "At the Mortuary" and "Riding Reaper" how can I not be?
3. Job For A Cowboy- Moon Healer- Look another awesome return, this being the one I anticipated the most! Job For A Cowboy continue their progressive death metal sound that they started on their incredible last release Sun Eater way back in 2014! And, they actually manage to top that master work with this one, which is in my very humble opinion, the best extreme metal release of last year.
2. Chelsea Wolfe- She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She- The runner-up position goes to the latest from the amazing Chelsea Wolfe who continues to be one of the most exciting artists in all of of music. Haunting, dark, and beautiful tunes highlight this release that is yet another complex mix of influences and styles. Dripping in atmosphere and emotion, this is an album that sucks you in from the very second that it starts.
1. Judas Priest- Invincible Shield- And, the top spot goes to the latest from one of the godfathers of metal: Judas fucking Priest! I don't know ow they do it, but at over fifty years of making metal music, they still put out great albums. Not just great, but best of the year great, as is the case here! The songs are catchy, fun, and hard. They get you headbanging and signing along. Soaring riffs, driving drums, and Rob Halford still belting out like no one's goddamn business! Priest top both their contemporaries and the modern flock of metal bands. This is classic Priest at their best! Put it this way. Invincible Shield was my favorite album from the moment I first heard it. And, while many albums moved up and down this list, it always remained at the top spot of my list, with not even an inch of a doubt in my mind.
And, those are my picks for my list. What were your favorite metal and hard rock albums of last year? Let me know in the comments section below.
Finally! Here it is! The top 10 heavy metal album covers of all time! I'm sorry for the delay. Anyway, let's get to them, without any further adieu!
10. Iron Maiden- The Number of the Beast- Man is a puppet to the Devil who, in turn, is a puppet to Eddie, the Maiden mascot in this classic cover by Derek Riggs. It's one of the greatest and most iconic covers to one of THE greatest and most iconic albums ever, made. Also, it proves that Eddie is more powerful and awesome than Satan! And, don't forget this is the first album with Bruce Dickinson as the signer!!! A landmark album in every way shape and form!
9. Obituary- The End Complete- This amazing cover is for the third and best selling Obituary album, ever. Everything is amazing on it. From the desolate place it depicts to dragonizied version of the already cool Obituary logo!
8. Judas Priest- Metal Works 73-93- This compilation of Priest songs released at their 20th anniversary has a beautiful, exciting, and kick ass collage of the band's album covers as drawn by Mark Wilkinson. The battle between the Painkiller and the Hellion at top are breathtaking and badass to the max!
7. Type O Negative- Bloody Kisses (Digipak cover)- While, the original version of this cover of the third album from these Brooklyn metal masters was sexy and cool, the digipak version is ever HOTTER. The two girls actually locking lips in a delicious image. Metalhead boys and girls were immediately turned on, even more than before. The album, itself, is a 90 metal masterpiece!!!
6. Megadeth- Rust in Peace- The fourth album by Megadeth is their finest moment and a thrash metal classic! The sci-fi/ political cover has Eddie, an energy stone, an alien, and then leaders of the world. Not only is their finest moment, but Vic Rattlehead (the band mascot) as well!!
5. Obituary- Cause of Death- This classic death metal album is the second by the band. The cover is done Michael Whelan and was originally going to be used on Sepultura's Beneath the Remains, which instead used different art by the same artist. This cover would also be used on an HP Lovercraft collection.
4. Judas Priest- Painkiller- The twelfth and, in my humble opinion best, album by these British gods of metal features truly kick ass and exciting art with the Painkiller himself. He's riding off to whoop some fucking ass, surely! He seems triumphant as hell. So, maybe he already whooped some ass!
3. Iron Maiden- Live after Death- This classic live album, one of the genre's very best might I add, by Iron Maiden has such amazing art by Derek Riggs. It continues the story of Eddie, who is resurrected after being lobotomized in Piece of Mind. He also still has the chains from the Powerslave tour. The tombstone has a quote from HP Lovercraft, that reads as follows: "That is not dead which can eternal lie Yet with strange aeons even death may die."
It also reads Eddie's full name: Eddie T. H., referring to The Head, with the last name being obscured.
An all, this art is something straight out of a zombie movie and awesome for that!
2. Sepultura- Arise- The fourth album by the Brazilian thrash gods is their masterpiece on of the finest thrash/ death metal crossover albums, ever. The Lovecraftain/ sci-fi/ nightmarish cover is one of the coolest, most complex, and original covers ever. And, hence it gets the runner up award.
1. Iron Maiden- Somewhere in Time- The greatest cover ever is this, the studio sixth album by Maiden. Derek Riggs give us a kick ass Blade Runner type futuristic world for Eddie to walk through with his gun. Allusions to other Maiden albums and songs abound in the complex, colorful, and eye-catching background.The use of the iconic Eddie, the setting, the richness and complexity, all amounts to it winning my top stop!
90. Job For a Cowboy- Demonocracy- The third album by this American death metal act is not only their best work, too date, but their coolest cover, too. The lady justice with a Danzig like skull over the top of her head and has her scales being tipped over by some fucked up shit. Symbolism at it's best and most awesome!
89. Judas Priest- Screaming for Vengeance- The eight studio album by these masters of metal was their commercial breakout, and one of their finest works. It's robotic eagle cover is just as iconic as it is.
88. The Black Dahlia Murder- Nocturnal- The third album by one of my favorite death metal is their best, I think. It's cover of a creepy, gothic castle in some dark, seemingly desolate place, may also be their best cover.
87. Doro & Warlock- Rare Diamonds- This compilation album of songs from both Doro and Warlock has a beautiful cover were the metal goddess is surrounded by images from both of her bands. It's both magical and stunning.
86. Body Count- Body Count- The debut album from Ice-T's thrash/ crossover metal band may have caused a ton of controversy (thanks to the infamous "Cop Killer" track, of course), but it should be remembered for being such a truly, pun not intended, KILLER album!! It's reason for being on this list, though, is its' cool and badass cover of a gangbanger with a gun and chain. Tatted on his chest is the words COP KILLER, which when the track was taken off of it in subsequent releases, was changed to simply BODY COUNT. But, as always, I post the uncensored/ original, so fuck those offended.
85. Testament- Practice What You Preach- The third studio album by these thrashers is one of their best work. And, the cover to it, featuring a group of statues that have endured time and are still standing tall, is really beautiful and a distinct opposite to a lot of other thrash metal album covers.
84. Ozzy Osbourne- The Ultimate Sin- The third studio by the Ozz-man has one of my favorite tracks by him (the title one), as well as one of my favorite album covers, of his. The fantasy like image of a rocker hottie in leather pants raising some demon, with Ozzy's face, from a hellish world (that even has a nuclear mushroom cloud in it!) is totally metal!
83. Iced Earth- Horror Show-The sixth studio release from this band is a love letter to classic horror movie monsters. As such their mascot is seen over a creepy castle and grave.
82. Atryeu- The Curse- The second studio from this metalcore act has gorgeous model, Natalia Delano, as vampire. It's a sexy and cool picture, which inspires many a naughty and dark fantasy in me.
81. Warlock- Triumph and Agony- The forth and final studio album by this German metal band has a warlock in the background as as well as the actual picture, holding on to, and seemingly copying a feel on, the gorgeous Doro Pesch, herself. Beautiful and awesome art!
The 175 Greatest Heavy Metal Album Covers of all Time Pt. 7: 110-101
100. Marilyn Manson- Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)- This highly controversial cover had to be covered up by a sleeve in some stores (like the Circuit City that I bought it at). It's designed by P.R. Brown and Manson himself, as our favorite Antichrist superstar is crucified and missing his jaw (as a symbol of censorship, in fact).
99. Life of Agony- River Runs Red- The classic debut album from this hardcore/ metal crossover act, has the image of their logo in a pool of blood. As we open up the album, we see that the blood comes from a slit wrist.
98. Sepultura- Beneath the Remains- Called Nightmare in Red this was the first album of theirs, but third overall, to feature art by Michael Whelan. There is some really cool details in the red skull that makes it stand from a million other skull album covers.
97. Judas Priest- British Steel- The iconic cover of the classic sixth album by Priest is one of those that are immediately synonymous with the genre. The image of the hand with the studded bracelet holding up the razor blade with the band's logo and album name is just pure classic!
96. Metallica- ...And Justice for All- The fourth studio album from thrash gods Metallica is a classic with an equally classic cover that sees Lady Justice getting pulled apart by various ropes and weighed down by cash, as she begins to crack and crumble.
95. KoRn- Korn- This classic and highly influential album helped to create a sub-genre, nu-metal, of course, and is still one of the finest albums of it's kind. It's creepy cover of a little girl on a swing looking at a figure whose scary, monstrous shadow is all we see, is just as memorable. It gets under your skin with its implications.
94. Ozzy Osbourne- Blizzard of Ozz- The classic (I know, I know I've used it a lot in this section, but what can I say? We got a lot of classics here!) solo debut from the former (now current) Black Sabbath front-man has the Prince of the Darkness holding a crucifix, which he is gonna smash, it would seem.
93. Drowning Pool- Desensitized- The second album by this alt metal act had a new signer, Jason Jones, after the death of their original front-man, Dave Williams. It's a cool and sexy as fuck cover with porn goddess Jesse Jane in a pentagram bikini holding bat. Think about that you get a beautiful porn star, boobs, bikini, pentagram, and a fucking bat! How fucking awesome is that?! It caught my attention as soon as I saw it, and I bought it right then and there, without having heard a single song!
92. Death- Spiritual Healing- Ed Repka's final cover work for this seminal death metal (their third, actually) act has a preacher "curing" a handicapped person. An awesome cover for a fucking awesome album!
91. Avenged Sevenfold- City of Evil- The third studio album by this hard rock/ heavy metal outfit has their mascot riding a horse with a trail of fire behind them over the "city of evil". It looks cool as fuck!
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