Skull Fracture

Shattering Thoughts on Pop Culture, Heavy Metal and Pie

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MARKISAN’S TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2025

It’s been said to me that metal in 2025 wasn’t as strong as people hoped. I respectfully disagree. When I look at the long list of albums I listened to, not only was the quality at a consistently high level throughout the year, so was the memorability. I was floored by old bands who made phenomenal comebacks. I was thrilled by bands who leveled up in ways I didn’t expect. I was awed by new bands…

MARKISAN’S TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2025

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DECIBEL MAGAZINE READER OF THE MONTH

I’m featured in this month’s DECIBEL Magazine! I’ve been a reader a very long time. In fact, it’s the only magazine I still subscribe to. You can read the unedited, even wittier version of the interview below the image! You spent a large portion of the pandemic living in Hawaii. What was that experience like? It was absolute bliss. I can’t imagine a better place to be when the world effectively…

DECIBEL MAGAZINE READER OF THE MONTH

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TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2024

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TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2023

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TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2022

2022 has been a stellar year in metal for a few big reasons. First, the number of quality albums released since January is staggering. Thank you to all the bands and labels who put out such memorable music. Second, I’m overjoyed by the return of shows and festivals. The pandemic negatively impacted the livelihood of so many bands who rely on touring and merchandise sales for income. It also…

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TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2021

TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2021

Well, even though we had to live through another dreadful year of the pandemic, there was one silver lining – heavy metal in 2021 was phenomenal. I’ve been scribbling out “Best of XXXX” metal lists for nearly three decades now and I can’t remember a more difficult time making my selections. I started December with nearly 100 contenders, which is more than double the normal amount. Reluctantly, I…

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Goodbye, Aunt Sheila

My Aunt Sheila died from Covid-19 today after over a month in the hospital. She was a bundle of quirky fun, filled with enormous heart, kindness and generosity. She would often text me asking for cooking tips and recipes so she could try something out of her Kentucky comfort zone. One of the last messages I received was an inquiry into the culinary intricacies of Thai food, which she had not yet…

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SKULL FRACTURE RECORDS DEBUTS WITH ARCTIC SLEEP EP

So, my first big news of 2021… I went and started a record company! I’m incredibly proud to announce that Skull Fracture Records debuts TODAY with the By the Horns (Original Soundtrack) EP by Arctic Sleep. The release (out March 5) features 2 tracks inspired by my Scout Comics series of the same name and is now available to pre-order as a digital download or on 7″ vinyl in 3 different colors. The vinyl comes with a limited edition version of BY THE HORNS #1. Plus, I even drew a few doodles for the limited test presses.

Website is up here - http://skullfracturerecords.com

Purple or Orange Vinyl at Arctic Sleep's bandcamp page -  arcticsleep.bandcamp.com

Orange Vinyl at Scout Comics website -  scoutcomics.com/collections/by-the-horns

Blue Vinyl and Hand-Drawn test presses at the SFR bandcamp page - https://skullfracturerecords.bandcamp.com/album/by-the-horns-ep

Bringing together comics and music is an absolute bucket list accomplishment for me. Thank you to the amazing Kyyth Dulumbu and Arctic Sleep for the heartfelt songs and the friendship; my bud and BTH co-creator, Jason Muhr for the SFR logo, the album cover and for filling my Dropbox with jaw-dropping art every day; colorist supreme and pal Rico Renzi for the phenomenal cover hues (gifted to me for my birthday!); and my metal brother, Matt Stewart who killed it on the jacket design. It was incredibly fun to make this record.

Seriously, no one should have that much fun. Also, holy crap, I started a record company!

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Most of last year sure did suck, but fortunately metal did not! Here are my Top 25 Metal Albums of 2020, originally revealed vocally on the Metalheads Podcast, and now presented here in this digital printy version. Happy New Year!

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ORDER BY THE HORNS #1 TODAY!

I’m so proud and excited to announce that the 1st issue of my Scout Comics series, By the Horns, hits comic shops on February 24! I absolutely adore creating this sci-fi/fantasy book with my brothers, Jason Muhr and Andrei Tabacaru. You can pre-order By the Horns #1 right NOW at your local comic shop. Use order code DEC201653 for the regular cover and DEC201654 for the variant by our friend and artistic badass Maria Wolf Lopez! Here’s a convenient order form that you can print and give to your local comic shop! ⚔️✨🦄

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NEW COMIC BOOK SERIES ANNOUNCED!

I’m very excited to announce that my brand new fantasy/sci-fi comic book series, BY THE HORNS, has been officially announced by Scout Comics! I’m having a blast creating this book with my VORACIOUS brothers Jason Muhr and Andrei Tabacaru. Click on the image to read more about it!

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Stand and Breathe

A few years ago I learned that I have African blood coursing through my veins. I grew up thinking I was part Native American and Hispanic because that’s what my grandmother told our family. It wasn’t until after she died that I found out the truth. She had kept the black side of our heritage secret. I can’t pretend to know her reasons for hiding our ancestry, but I know for certain this…

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TOP 40 METAL ALBUMS of 2019 Part 2 of 2 (#1-20)

I’ve been making a Best Metal Albums of the Year list for nearly two decades, but 2019 is the 1st time I’ve done so as an official member of the METALHEADS Podcast. Last year the boys gave me a chance to share my top picks as a guest, and this year I was invited to be a permanent part of the show. It’s been an honor and a blast to discuss metal, interview musicians, and throw a few beers back every month with George, Jay, Will, John and Matt. 

2019 was an incredible year for metal. We all spent a lot of time listening to hundreds of albums, honing our lists and cursing the metal gods every time a great contender had to be cut. But when we finally put down our scalpel blades and wiped away the blood, some damn selections were revealed. 

My final choices for the top 20 metal albums are below. You can read my choices for #21-40 HERE.

Listen to me and the boys count down ALL 40 of our favorite LPs here:

METALHEADS Ep. 90 “Top 40 Metal Albums of 2019″

20. Wilderun “Veil of Imagination”

Self-Released

This album is musical imagination science. Intricate. Breathtaking. It truly feels like the next evolutionary step in progressive metal.

19. Cranial “Alternate Endings”

Moment of Collapse

An absolutely monstrous and aggressive sludge and post-metal album that occasionally dips its toe into sci-fi synth waters. One of the biggest sounding LPs I’ve heard this year.

18. The Great Old Ones "Cosmicism"

Season of Mist

I’ve enjoyed The Great Old Ones for a while now, but this album takes their sound to a grand cosmic level. As immersive and visceral as the H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos it’s based on.  

17. Obsequaie "The Palms of Sorrowed Kings"

20 Buck Spin

Brilliant, melodic black metal mixed with the sounds of the Renaissance Faire on a summer day. This is classic, medieval literature in musical form and it’s glorious.

16. Inculter "Fatal Visions"

Edged Circle Productions

I found this sinister thrash album a few weeks before the end of 2019 and it quickly left the other speed metal competitors in its blood-soaked wake. I didn’t hear this kind of malevolence in another trash band this year. And I very much dig malevolence.

15. Adrift "Pure"

Temple of Torturous

An absolutely thunderous, progressive metal album, propelled by a jet-fuel fired bass sound, vicious black metal vocals and colossal riffs. A street painter in Madrid told me about this band several years ago and I've been thankful ever since.

14. Vacivus “Annihilism”

Profound Lore

This is exemplary, modern death metal with merciless, unrelenting riffs, savage breakdowns and tremolo-picking tendrils that will wrap around your ear drums like a constrictor snake.

13. Immortal Bird “Thrive On Neglect”

20 Buck Spin

No other band sounds like Immortal Bird. “Thrive on Neglect” is a soaring statement of pummeling death, black and grind metal, mixed with complex hardcore and progressive elements. An amalgamate maelstrom not to be missed.

12. False “Portent”

Gilead Media

This album is pain and loss in musical form. Engrossing black metal with scope, skill, and gorgeously constructed songs that pour out aggression and emotion like blood from an open wound.

11. Gatecreeper “Deserted”

Relapse

In a recent issue of Decibel Magazine, Gatecreeper referred to their sound as “Stadium Death Metal” and that’s an apt characterization of the band’s sound. They focus on writing huge, catchy hooks that audiences will remember. Mission accomplished.

10. Falls of Rauros "Patterns in Mythology"

Gilead Media

This is amazing, black and post-metal alchemy with a big, cinematic feel. Gorgeous melodies, folk atmospherics and masterful riffs make "Patterns in Mythology” mesmerizing from start to finish.

9. Blood Incantation "Hidden History of the Human Race"

Dark Descent

"Hidden History of the Human Race” is a cosmic roar of destruction that takes death metal to places it hasn’t been before. You’ll feel like you’re seeking out new life and new civilizations with every spin.

8. Weeping Sores “False Confession”

I, Voidhanger

If you asked me to describe the kind of music Weeping Sores plays, I'd tell you progressive death-doom with violin. But that label falls way short of capturing the dynamic and colorfully devastating experiment of "False Confession." Surprising and phenomenal.

7.  Tomb Mold "Planetary Clairvoyance"

20 Buck Spin

The cover to “Planetary Clairvoyance” features a bio-engineered alien cyclops gestating in an otherworldly basement of sludge and stardust. The music sounds pretty much exactly like that description. This album also solidifies Tomb Mold as one of the best metal bands on our planet.

6. Arctic Sleep “Kindred Spirits”

Self Released

Dedicated to a beloved cat who passed away last year, “Kindred Spirits” is a stunning and emotional metal experience. In addition to the gorgeous, arresting music that deftly mixes doom, post-metal, ambient and a 90s rock sound that reminds me of Hum, Kieth D’s lyrics tug hard on my heart strings every time I listen. RIP Yoda. 

5. Vastum “Orificial Purge”

20 Buck Spin

“Orificial Purge” is brutal with some of the most memorable, galloping riffs of 2019 and a triumphal, modern aura to it that makes it stand apart in the thriving death metal field. I’ve plunged into this orifice often.

4. Crypt Sermon "The Ruins of Fading Light"

Dark Descent

“The Ruins of Fading Light” is an album that has one boot in traditional metal and the other in doom. And both of those boots kick you in the gut with super-heavy impact. This album is thick with hooks, grooves and bombastic lead guitar solos, and the dynamic vocals by Brooks Wilson fill “The Ruins of Fading Light” with iron and emotion.

3. Crowhurst "III"

Prophecy Productions

"III” is a sensory spice blend of sludgy black metal, noise, shoegaze and electronica that feels like it was mixed inside a dark and dangerous heart. A truly unique and special album.

2. Cattle Decapitation "Death Atlas"

Metal Blade

“Death Atlas” is an apocalyptic masterpiece, featuring some of the sharpest and most sophisticated songwriting in 2019. The tracks are remarkably varied, delivering brutal riffs, theatrical and infectious vocals, and a real progressive sense of adventure. It’s also catchy as hell. “Death Atlas” demands repeat spins until you sing along and smile as the world ends.

1. Atlantean Kodex "The Course of Empire"

Ván Records

A long while ago, my friend Garrett played the first Atlantean Kodex album, “The Golden Bough,” for me in his metal basement because he thought I'd like it. He was right, as G often is about the kind of metal that speaks to me. The band followed that album with “The White Goddess,” which was a critically-acclaimed, grand triumph. It took another six years for Atlantean Kodex to release their third LP because the band is so meticulous about the way they make music. To tell you it was was worth the long wait is an enormous understatement. “The Course of Empire” is one of the greatest, epic metal albums of all time. If Iron Maiden and Manowar were magically merged inside a medieval cauldron during the Battle of Helms Deep this would be the soundtrack. It’s an exceptionally crafted collection of songs, featuring mountainous guitar riffs, soaring choruses and some of the best vocals and lyrics in metal this year from Markus Becker. “The Course of Empire” has the kind of breadth and scope that make me feel like the ancient worlds of my dreams – worlds forged by blood and steel – are calling for me to pick up my sword and make them real once more.

CLICK HERE FOR PART 1 (#21-40)

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TOP 40 METAL ALBUMS of 2019 Part 1 of 2 (#21-40)

I’ve been making a Best Metal Albums of the Year list for nearly two decades, but 2019 is the 1st time I’ve done so as an official member of the METALHEADS Podcast. Last year the boys gave me a chance to share my top picks as a guest, and this year I was invited to be a permanent part of the show. It’s been an honor and a blast to discuss metal, interview musicians, and throw a few beers back every month with George, Jay, Will, John and Matt. 

2019 was an incredible year for metal. We all spent a lot of time listening to hundreds of albums, honing our lists and cursing the metal gods every time a great contender had to be cut. But when we finally put down our scalpel blades and wiped away the blood, some damn fine selections were revealed. 

My final choices for 40-21 are below. Click on each album name to listen on bandcamp. My top 20 picks can be found HERE.

You can listen to me and the boys count down ALL 40 of our favorite LPs here:

METALHEADS Ep. 96 “Top 40 Metal Albums of 2019″

40. Ashen Horde "Fallen Cathedrals"

Self-Released

The ultra-talented Trevor Portz plays all the instruments and sings on this excellent mix of black, death and prog. Along with “Fallen Cathedrals,” Ashen Horde dropped an impressive EP late this year. 

39. Candlemass "The Door to Doom"

Napalm

This doom ripper ranked low on my Top 25 at mid-year and I really thought it might drop off my year-end list entirely. But doing a Top 40 gives this album new life at #39. And that’s appropriate, because “The Door to Doom” is itself a sexy re-invigoration for doom legends, Candlemass. 

38. Mizmor "Cairn"

Gilead Media

The album title, “Cairn,” means a ceremonial piles of stones that serve as landmarks. When I listen to this album, I feel the weight of a road traveled and every way point along the path. It may be a challenging LP for some, given its four, very long songs, but “Cairn” is a rewarding, introspective listen if you immerse yourself in it.

37. Krypts "Cadaver Circulation"

Dark Descent

This is harrowing, old school death with lots of murky, swirling guitars. I had a hard time putting Krypts here because I love this record, but this is where this exquisite corpse had to rest.

36. Alcest "Spiritual Instinct"

Prophecy Productions

Alcest is poem metal to me. They make avant-garde art in musical form. I prefer their last LP, “Kodama,” to the new record, but “Spiritual Instinct” still got a lot of spins this year. 

35. Mortiferum "Disgorged From Psychotic Depths"

Profound Lore

Mortiferum is Latin for “death bringing.” That’s exactly what this album does. And it does it with vigor and titanic axe work.

34. Critical Defiance "Misconception"

Profound Lore

This album speed stomps all the way through its 8 tracks with blistering riffs. My 2nd favorite thrash record of 2019.

33. Gravefields "Embrace the Void"

Redefining Darkness

If you need to get fired up, this Herculean, face-smashing death from Ireland will do the job.

32. Harrowed "Chaotic Nonentity"

Feast of Tentacles

Do you enjoy riff-splosive metal that blows your face skin back and makes you punch the sky in bloody-knuckled glee? Yes. Yes, you fucking do. Ball up your mitts and give this a spin.

31. Creeping Death "Wretched Illusions"

eOne Music

A thick and meaty, old school death sandwich. You’ll want to devour the whole thing immediately after your first bite.

30. Vukari "Aevum"

Vendetta

Doomy atmospheric black metal that’s both elegant and brutal, often at the same time.

29. Yellow Eyes “Rare Field Ceiling”

Gilead Media

“Rare Field Ceiling” continues to cement Yellow Eyes’ standing as one of the most innovative black metal bands around. This LP is a dense and desolate triumph.

28. Pelican "Nighttime Stories"

Southern Lord

This is Pelican’s heaviest album in years with big, sludgy riffs that feel like they were extracted from a prehistoric tar pit.

27. Nile "Vile Nilotic Rites"

Nuclear Blast

Just when you start to think the best days are behind these death metal legends, they deliver one of their best albums in years. This LP is a savage and crushing return to form.

26. Ghosts of Glaciers "The Greatest Burden"

Translation Loss Records

We got some excellent instrumental metal albums this year from Pelican, Labirinto and Russian Circles, but this is easily my favorite. It's the heaviest, but also the most beautiful, with fluid tonal shifts and gorgeous textures that ebb and flow like ocean waves.

25. Haunter "Sacramental Death Qualia"

I, Voidhanger

This is a great, blackened death album that’s less concerned about pummeling your face with big riffs and more focused on delivering depth, atmosphere and mood. And it does that in spades with dark and crafty musicianship.

24. Cult of Luna "A Dawn to Fear"

Metal Blade

This album covers a lot of sonic territory from energetic rippers to somber, contemplative instrumentals. It’s a long LP at 79 minutes but incredibly well paced and captivating all the way through. “A Dawn to Fear” firmly solidifies Cult of Luna at post-metal’s elite level.

23. Vanum "Ageless Fire"

Profound Lore

This was one of the first great black metal albums I heard this year and it’s a scorcher.  “Ageless Fire” is a staggering, elemental firestorm of tension and texture.

22. Eternal Storm "Come the Tide"

Transcending Obscurity

It’s been a while since I really enjoyed a really good melodic death album. This one is just about perfect. It’s dynamic and uplifting with masterful execution.

21. Lord Dying "Mysterium Tremendum"

eOne Music

This album really surprised me. It’s a complete reinvention of the band toward a much more progressive sound, and they are better off for it. “Mysterium Tremendum” sounds new and fresh, even though the band clearly time-warped back to the 70s to grab some guitar licks and melodies.

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 (#1-20)

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TOP METAL ALBUMS OF 2018

I made my list. I checked it twice. This is the result. 2018 was a phenomenal year for metal. I can’t remember ever having a more difficult time selecting my favorite albums than I did over the last 365 days. If your band is on this list, congratulations, you brought it hard. No matter what position your album occupies, know that on any given day it could earn a higher spot. The degree of separation between albums is that slim. The competition has been that fierce.

My Top 25 list originally debuted this Christmas on the epic, year-end episode of the Metalheads Podcast. I was a guest on the show twice this year and both times were a blast. I can’t properly convey in words how much it’s meant to me to not only talk metal, but to make friends with the crew. Thank you George, John, Will, Jay and Matt for having me.

You can listen to the Metalheads episode here:

METALHEADS Ep. 83 “Top 25 Metal Albums of 2018″

The lists below feature descriptions based on my comments from the Metalheads show. Along with the Top 25, you’ll find my honorable mentions and favorite metal album covers of the year.

25. Lago “Sea of Duress”

Unique Leader Records

This was a surprise find for me this year. Lago plays a blackened approach to death metal with some doom thrown in. Excellent deep growled vocals, rolling drums and really clean guitar solos make this album a stand out for me. I have not heard their previous album, but I read that “Sea of Duress” is a significant step up for the band in terms of defining their sound and leaving the shadow of other bands behind them.

24. Mournful Congregation “The Incubus of Karma”

Osmose and 20 Buck Spin

Mournful Congregation are masters of funeral doom and this is another terrific effort from them. It’s slow and atmospheric as you’d expect, with some glorious guitar solos and acoustic passages. Listening to this album makes me feel like I’m crying in a spiked pit of sorrow. But in a good way.

 23. Crawl “Rituals”

Transcending Obscurity Records

This is one of the biggest rippers of the year. No frills on this album at all. Just a short, straight ahead, furious death punch to the face, over and over, for 30 minutes.

22. High on Fire “Electric Messiah”

Entertainment One Records

“Electric Messiah” has a fire in its belly that we haven’t felt from the band in a while. It feels more streamlined than the last couple and has a lot more energy.  Love the big, speedy riffs from Matt Pike throughout this album.

21. Slaegt “The Wheel”

Van Records

Slaegt describes their sound as heavy metal with a blackened spirit. I can’t get enough of the soaring, melodic guitar tones on this LP. When I’m in the mood for uplifting evil, this is the album I’ll reach for.

20. Glacial Tomb “Glacial Tomb”

Gilead Media

Glacial Tomb play dirty, old school death metal with a real modern brightness. There’s an unpredictable quality to the music on this S/T album that I really enjoyed. I often found myself surprised by the instrumentation and the vocal changes on each track. On any given day this album could rank higher on my list.

19. Cult Leader “A Patient Man”

Deathwish Records

This album threw me for a loop. I came for the aggressive, crust sludge and I ended up staying for the sexy, come hither, Nick Cave tracks. The split in styles is very pronounced on this record, but somehow the two halves form a cohesive whole.

18. Rivers of Nihil “Where Owls Know My Name”

Metal Blade Records

A great, progressive death metal album that introduces experimentation and new instrumentation to the band’s sound. Rivers of Nihil takes chances on “Owls” and they really pay off. I love the technical prowess on this album. The acoustic guitars, the saxophone, and the guitar solos are particularly striking. “Where Owls Know My Name” offers a welcome new wrinkle in the death metal scene. Very refreshing.

17. Yashira “Shrine”

Good Fight Records

Fantastic mix of hardcore, sludge, prog, death and post metal with big chubby bass-driven riffs. A lot of the time when bands bring in a variety of sounds they can forget to be metal. “Shrine” never forgets to cave in your skull.

16. Evoken “Hypnagogia”

Profound Lore Records

An excellent record from the funeral doom masters. I love the dark atmosphere and dynamics on this album. “Hypnagogia” takes the band to new places in terms of arrangement and melody, plus it’s the band’s 1st concept album. The story is about a mortally wounded soldier in WWI who makes a pact with an evil god to bind the darkness in his soul to a journal that records his dying moments. Whoever reads the diary manifests the same emotions until they kill themselves. In other words, super happy, upbeat stuff from Evoken. Like they do.

15. Allfather “All Will be Desolation”

Rotting Throne Records

Some of the best riffs all year. “All Will be Desolation” straddles the line perfectly between hardcore and metal. Get a neck brace because you will have serious whiplash after spinning this beast. I especially love the percussion throughout the record, and the production is top notch. If you need to get fired up for a job interview, throw this riff bomb on.

14. The Ocean “Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic”

Pelagic Records

This record is a progressive juggernaut. The Ocean paints gorgeous, expansive soundscapes that perfectly match the grand scope of their ancient Earth tales. Great riffs and progressive elements like keyboards, electronics and violin fill in space without ever overwhelming the songs. Really well done.

13. Light This City “Terminal Bloom”

Creator/Destructor Records

Catchy, thrashy, melodic death with awesome screamed vocals. If you miss classic At the Gates, you should dig this album. It has a “Slaughter of the Soul” sound with a modern vibe. Light This City flew far under the radar in 2018, so I am correcting that here.

12. Uada “Cult of a Dying Sun”

Eisenwald Tonschmiede ‎Records

A bombastic blast of melodic black metal with memorable, barreling riffs and menacing vocals. This is only Uada's 2nd album, but there aren’t many bands playing melodic black metal as well as they are right now.

11. Outer Heaven “Realms of Eternal Decay”

Relapse Records

Hard to believe this is Outer Heaven’s debut full length because “Realms” is easily one of the best death metal records of the year. It just misses my Top 10 but I feel like it could go as high as #3 for me depending on my mood. This album is thicker and nastier than an oil spill on a sea of peanut butter, with punishing riffs, vicious vocals and absolutely sick breakdowns. There’s a bit of a technical edge to this record too, which makes it stand apart. One of the most promising new bands on my list. Can’t wait to see them at the Decibel Metal and Beer Fest in Philly next year.

10. Un “Sentiment”

Translation Loss Records

A stunning sophomore album of classic, atmospheric doom with gorgeously brutal melodies that will make your heart ache. I love the low growled vocals and the fat, murky bass sound that is often overlaid by siren-like lead guitars. I was pleasantly surprised by the female vocals on “Pools of Reflection,” which gave the track an even more somber, ethereal quality. We get a lot of mixed doom bands these days, so it’s nice to get a modern album with that slow, old doom sound done this well.

9. Slugdge “Esoteric Malacology”

Willowtip Records

I was all on board with this band just for their cosmic slug deity theme, but over 4 albums Slugdge has really blossomed into an absolute Exogorth colossus of progressive metal, death and tech death. Just a brilliant, brilliant album. Praise Mollusca!

8. Altars of Grief “Iris”

Hypnotic Dirge Records

“Iris” is a beautifully crafted, concept doom album about a father who fails to connect with and care for his young daughter, Iris, who has fallen seriously ill. The music conveys the anguish of the story with haunting guitars, ardent vocal switches from clean singing to blackened growls, and an overall atmosphere of deep, dark sadness. “Iris” is a somber, heart-wrenching listen, but it’s passionately conceived bleakness also makes it one of the year’s best albums.

7. Sulphur Aeon “The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos”

Van Records

Sulphur Aeon take their Lovecraftian death metal to another level on this record. The scope is bigger. The intensity is increased. And the guitars are a menacing storm from start to finish. I expected a great album, but this may be my favorite record they’ve done.

6. Agrimonia “Awaken”

Southern Lord Records

This album slays from start to finish with heavy, melodic tracks that crash and break over you like giant waves. Agrimonia effortlessly incorporates bright acoustic passages, and touches of prog and crust on “Awaken" to create one of the most energetic and dynamic releases of 2018.

5. Tomb Mold “Manor of Infinite Forms”

20 Buck Spin

Tomb Mold plays classic death metal with a modern flare. This album has been on constant rotation for me since it’s been out. “Manor of Infinite Forms” is a pus-filled barrage of evil filled with grimy, chubby riffs and craggy vocals that sound like Swamp Thing looks. The songs on this album stay with me for days after I listen. Tomb Mold also released an excellent EP recently called “Cerulean Salvation” late in the year that only solidified the band’s position on my list.

4. King Goat “Debt of Aeons”

Aural Music

I have a feeling that every time King Goat puts out an album it will be in my Top 5. “Debt of Aeons” is another excellent and epic doom record with big hooks, great song writing and acrobatic vocals from Anthony Trimming (Trim) that are some of the best, if not the very best, in metal. No other band sounds like King Goat to me. 

3. Of Feather and Bone “Bestial Hymns of Perversion”

Profound Lore Records

This is the toughest and most vile of all the death metal albums on my list. It’s also exemplary. “Bestial Hymns” comes at you with breathless speed, murderous chainsaw riffs and brutal breakdowns that will haunt your waking dreams. The vocals are disgustingly awesome. When Of Feather and Bone do slow things down, the breaks are like the sun peaking through clouds on a heavily overcast day, only to fall back to the impending storm weather darkness. There is absolutely no fat on this thing. It’s a pummeling massacre from start to finish. My No. 1 death metal album of 2018 without question.

2. The Atlas Moth “Coma Noir”

Prosthetic Records

The Atlas Moth is usually tagged as psychedelic stoner/sludge, but this album is so much more than that. The riffs, the inventiveness and just the vigorous, upbeat fun of this record is so amazing to hear. “Coma Noir” is a triumph. Fuck the bears. Fuck the Blackhawks. The Atlas Moth makes me proud to live in Chicago.

1. Khemmis “Desolation”

20 Buck Spin

Every once in a great while a band comes along that gets me excited the way I did when I was a kid discovering new music for the first time. Khemmis is that band. When they first hit the scene, you could classify them as vintage heavy metal, but their sound has expanded and matured so much in such a short time. “Desolation” is their most epic album. It’s darker and better crafted than their previous LPs. The riffs are killer and the vocal harmonies are gorgeous. Phil was already one of my top metal singers before this record and he actually got better.

I’m like a 14-year old girl for this band. I have multiple copies of all 3 of their albums on vinyl. I have 8 Khemmis shirts. “Desolation” is by far my most played record in 2018 and it was my only choice for #1.

Embra “Abjection”

Casus Belli Musica

Thick, modern black death that compels you to sink into it’s demonic underworld.

Gutter Instinct “Heirs of Sisyphus”

Pulverized Records

Blackened death metal with chunky riffs and surprising grooves.

The Crown “Cobra Speed Venom”

Metal Blade Records

Unrelenting death/thrash. A real high-speed, high-energy wave of bombastic heaviness.

Vreid “Lifehunger”

Season of Mist Records

Melodic, progressive black metal with a rock edge and a folk spirit.

Ironflame “Tales of Splendor and Sorrow”

Tribunal/Divebomb Records

I don’t listen to a lot of powerish metal, but something about this band’s songs speaks to me. Soaring tales of sorcery.

Skeletal Remains “Devouring Mortality”

Dark Descent Records

Red-hot death metal mayhem with bone-crushing riffs.

Skeletonwitch “Devouring Radiant Light”

Prosthetic Records

A very much needed and welcome new direction for this band. Muscular album of melodic black metal.

Primordial “Exile Amongst the Ruins”

Metal Blade Records

Apparently, this is a divisive album among metalheads, but not to me. I’m a big Primordial fan and this LP is another fine mix of doom and black metal. “Exile” grows stronger with every listen.

Nachash “Phantasmal Triunity”

Shadow Kingdom Records

Nachash is a band from Oslo that plays deathly black metal with big hooks. This album was recommended to me by a record store owner in Norway when I visited this summer.

Obliteration “Cenotaph Obscure”

Indie Recordings

Menacing song craft and brilliant production on this massive slab of unrelenting brutality.

Lurk “Fringe”

Transcending Obscurity Records

Ultra creative, atmospheric sludge/doom from Finland that mixes in some black and death. And owls.

10. Light This City “Terminal Bloom”

Album artwork by Tony Midi

Angry, yellow-eyed forest creatures skulking in a bed of flowers that are clearly grown from corpse soil. Do not walk in these woods.

9. Tomb Mold “Manor of Infinite Forms”

Album artwork by Brad Moore

Creepy, colorful hell creatures that look like insect guts, pus and sickness given form.

8. Ghastly “Death Velour”

Album artwork by Riikka Pesonen 

A dead sea goddess being dragged through the ocean by giant, aquatic pallbearers. The dark depths of forever await.

7. The Crown “Cobra Speed Venom”

Album artwork by Christian Sloan Hall

When I first saw this cover from a distance, I wondered why the Crown made a surf rock album, because there’s this big ass wave with bright blue, orange and yellow colors. But then when I saw the cover up close I realized it was actually a tidal wave of demon spirits. Sharks suddenly don’t seem so bad...

6. Of Feather and Bone “Bestial Hymns of Perversion”

Album artwork by Stefan Todorovic

This cover is like a depiction of a disrobed Skeletor sitting on the throne of Eternia after he’s murdered all the Masters of the Universe.

5. Sulphur Aeon "The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos"

Album artwork by Ola Larsson

Horrifying flying Cthulhu thing who either escaped from Castlevania, or was released from its dungeon to bring back victims for its master. Another masterpiece from Larsson.

4. Gutter Instinct "Heirs of Sisyphus"

Album artwork by Dávid Glomba of Teitan Arts

I love the organic feel to this cover even though I have no idea what the hell is happening. There’s a naked creature in a hell cave carrying another creature on his back in a translucent sack. The cave looks like it might be alive because there are dozens of mollusk things (or possibly eyes) everywhere. There’s also fire and a tiny female creature pushing a miniaturized earth at the bottom!

3. Glacial Tomb "Glacial Tomb"

Album artwork by Nanda Dika of Violence Art

This cover features a blood portal opening in the sky above a swampy monolith with keys everywhere. And there’s also skeletal tree people in the foreground who look like they really, really need to be watered.

2. Lurk "Fringe"

Album artwork by Adam Burke

Spooky painting of a forest merged with skeleton fire wizards who seem to be conjuring bats from a campfire under the light of a moon. And then there’s this huge owl head just looming (or I guess lurking) over the tree tops, either preparing to feast on the fire bats or to drop some huge knowledge on the world.

1. Outer Heaven "Realms of Eternal Decay"

Album artwork by Matthew Stikker

An amazing cover that features an albino, zombie-on-zombie battle on the surface of a craggy, infected moon. There’s lava everywhere, which makes the moon look like it’s bleeding, and all the zombies have tumors. AND there’s a shower of meteors and a fucking planet exploding in the sky. It’s the most kinetic cover of the year.

[markisan]

High School Albums that Forged My Fantastic Musical Taste

Fine! You win, nostalgia! Here’s my list of 11 albums that shaped my musical taste as a teenager. And because I’m a writer, I have to tell everyone why.

U2 "Achtung Baby" 1991

This is the first album I ever bought on CD and it came in one of those long, cardboard box things. I may have or may not have saved said box and used it as bedroom wall art next to my giant, laminated D&D puzzle. Achtung Baby is unquestionably one of the best albums of all time and one of the very best amalgams of rock and electronics I’ve heard. Absolutely seamless. I still listen to this regularly, I own the deluxe LP package and I know all the lyrics by heart.

Matthew Sweet "Girlfriend" 1991

An important transitional album for me. Before high school I was probably listening to Tiffany and Bobby Brown or some crap. And definitely lots of hair bands like Cinderella and Bon Jovi. This album started steering me toward college/alternative rock by merging great pop with super hot riffs. I could sing this album with a fat smile and air guitar to it. Plus, those anime videos for “Girlfriend” and “I’ve Been waiting” were awesome.

Dracula Jones "Heavy Pop/Speak" 1991

Dracula Jones was a local Syracuse, NY hard rock band that became really popular in my hometown and the surrounding area. They came close to signing with a major label before they imploded. I attended many of their shows and I still have the cassettes they released in the early 90s. Dracula Jones is probably the first band I saw live. Ever since then I have loved going to shows. I hear Dracula Jones actually got back together and they play from time to time. I would love to see how the old bastards held up.

Pearl Jam "Ten" 1991

If you know me at all, you know how much I love Pearl Jam and have continued to adore them as an old man. I remember creating a binder full of interpreted Eddie Vedder lyrics to help me sing along to this 90s beast of a record. I probably still have it in storage somewhere.

STP "Core" 1992

Back when MTV was actually about music, STP’s “Sex Type Thing” got a lot of air time on shows like 120 Minutes and Headbanger’s Ball. At the end of High School I slowly started gravitating toward metal and hardcore, and “Core” was a bridge of sorts for me into that world because it had a harder edge than what I was listening to. This record also came out at the time when I visited Belize with a bunch of students as part of a Rainforest educational program. I was there for 2 weeks. That experience was one of the most transformative of my life. I played this record on my Walkmen countless times in the jungle and on the beach while I was there. I associate it with a time in my life where I felt like I was becoming the person I wanted to be. By 1994 I was perfect.

Singles Soundtrack 1992

Probably the record most responsible for really getting me to love 90s hard rock and grunge, which obviously holds a special place in my heart according to this list. 25 years later this is still a hell of a soundtrack with some absolute classics like “Drown” from Smashing Pumpkins, "Would?" by Alice in Chains and “State of Love & Trust” by Pearl Jam. I recently re-watched the film too. Love it.

The Tragically Hip "Fully Completely" 1992

My Uncle Michael introduced me to a lot of new artists in the early 90s because he represented MTV as a lawyer and would get a ton of free albums from them. Often times he’d receive advance records by bands no one knew about yet. The Hip was the one that made the biggest impression on me. Their sound has changed a lot since I first heard the song “Blow at High Dough,” but what hasn’t changed is the unique vocal style and remarkable lyrical ability of Gord Downie. I had never heard his kind of modern poetry in songs before. As a young writer, his songwriting spoke to me like nothing else on the airwaves. The Hip never made if big in the States, but in their home country of Canada they are royalty. I was fortunate to live in Upstate New York which is close enough to Canada to feel the influence of Canuckian rock. Fully Completely is the Hip album that really solidified my love for this band.

Jeff Buckley "Live at Sin-e" 1993

Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” is my favorite album of all time, which people think is weird because I mostly listen to metal and late night ambient music today. It came out in 1994, when I was in my first year of college, but I was lucky enough to stumble upon this live 4-song EP during my last year in high school when it was released. Just Jeff in a coffeehouse with a Fender. One listen to Jeff Buckley’s music and it’s apparent how immensely gifted he was, but it’s the incredible emotion he could convey in his voice, coupled with that musical talent, that made him so special. No music moves me quite like a Jeff Buckley song. I wish he was still here with us.

Radiohead "Pablo Honey" 1993

I adore this album and listen to it a lot even today. My brother bought the CD for my birthday because I had recorded the video for “Creep” (probably on BetaMAX) and would play it constantly. At the time I had just purchased a receiver and a CD player in preparation for college, but no speakers, so I would listen to this album on headphones in my room. Over and over. I am still a big Radiohead fan, but man do I miss their more guitar-centric sound on records like this one and The Bends, which is my all-time favorite Radiohead album. A little aside – I remember having a subscription to Spin magazine when it was good and they crucified The Bends when it came out. So did a lot of other critics. When I saw the review I hesitated on buying the album, but my love for Pablo Honey was so strong, I decided to get The Bends anyway. After I listened to it I thought it was the best record I’d ever heard. That’s the day I realized that a lot of critics are wrong. Except for the critics who’ve praised VORACIOUS. They are absolutely wonderful and correct.

Earth Crisis "Firestorm" 1993

Another local band that rose to prominence in the Syracuse area, but also found fame worldwide. I saw Earth Crisis live quite a few times. I’d say they are directly responsible for getting me into hardcore right at the end of high school. The song “Firestorm” in particular was a big anthem for Teen San. What’s interesting about this band is that they were/are straightedge, militant vegans. I love meat and will always eat meat because it is delicious, but the band’s politics didn’t turn me off. Mostly because I couldn’t understand their lyrics. Everything was growled. By the time I found out what they were actually singing about I was already invested in the brutality of the music and had started seeking other bands with similar styles.

Tool “Undertow” 1993

When I first saw the video for “Sober” I was absolutely mesmerized. That dark, heavy guitar chug washing over sinister, stop-motion visuals just wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen or heard. It felt like something new had risen up from the depths on an obelisk of bone and beauty. It was glorious. When I listened to the rest of the album I knew there wasn’t any turning back for me. I plunged headfirst into the vast abyss of metal, where my heart now permanently resides.