2024 was a great year for music. Result, ranking is hard. Still I think I found a list that makes all sense (to me). As stated before I don't know where to place Opeth yet as th3 album is too new and hard to get still. No worries as many bands influenced by Opeth did make my list. Two albums I only bought digital and I'm already pissed, so might get these CD's later. The only reason people make lists like this is to remind others on albums they might have missed. Warning: my list contains lots of extremely strong albums and I left some big names from the past out. So here we go.
24. Out of Darkness - Out of Darkness
Some US metal to start my list. Great discovery this new band with ex members of Iced Earth in it. Weird beard, but a solid album.
23. Amerikan Kaos - Armageddon Boogie
Jeff Waters releasing a trilogy with music that is differnet from Annihilator. This is the first one and I liked his ode to classic rock / melodic metal. An uplifting summer album.
22. Shumaun - Opposing Mirrors
Proper progmetal with great melodies, vocals and guitars. For when I need comforting after too many modern progmetal bands going quirky.
21. North Sea Echoes - Really Good Terrible Things
Alder/Matheos but far from Fates Warning. More Tuesday the Sky with Ray Alder singing over it. Nice calm album Josie also appreciates when waking up slowly on Sunday mornings.
20. Piah Mater - Under the Shadow of a Foreign Sun
A progressive Death metal duo from my other hometown Rio de Janeiro. Pity they don't seem to be touring. Solid album, until the last song goes all MPB on us.
19. Warlord - Free Spirit Soar
Warlord coming back to live and even better touring Europe. This album is based upon old riffs written by founding member Bill Tsamis who sadly passed away some years ago. Their original sound still stands firm and so glad I finally got to see them live.
18. Eternal Storm - A Giant Bound to Fall
That other band from the new voice of Persefone. Epical progressive death metal that blew me away, but saw me return few times only later on through the year.
17. Cats in Space - Time Machine
Dark needs light and Cats in Space balances out the dark and heavy stuff in my list. If you feel like early eighties classic rock in superb form. Maybe a bit heavy on ballads this time, still pure class.
16. Borknagar - Fall
The masters of melancholic dark extreme metal do not disappoint again. Music to warm you through winter nights and sad I missed them live again this year.
15. Kings of Mercia - Battle Scars
Second album of this Jim Matheos / Steve Overland cooperation. With Joey Vera and Simon Phillips an all star band. Even better than their debut my favourite melodic hard rock album of the year.
14. Witherfall - Sounds of the Forgotten
That is four top albums in seven years of these progressive power metal heroes. Pity the masses have not discovered them yet, but those who attended their live shows in Holland know, a brilliant band.
13. Anubis - The unforgiveable
Australia's finest do it again. After shorter songs on Homeless, back to an epic concept album. OK cut into ten songs, but one long story of beautiful prog rock. Pity the lyrics did not come with the download.
12. The Moor - Ombra
With a bandname like this Opeth is touched upon. Maybe somehwat lighter. I had their debut, but missed album #2. So a welcome comeback of these Italians. A long album that flies by due to it's variation.
11. Marty Friedman - Drama
My other favourite guitarist releasing an almost fully instrumental album. Looking at the softer melodic side I can put this one on every day. When vocals are not needed really.
10. Cloven Hoof - Heathen Cross / Riot V - Mean Streets
Equally good. Two Heavy Metal bands existing over 45 years, with very good current vocalists releasing a very relevant album of fast power metal songs.
9. Papangu - Lampião Rei
The most diverse album of the year title goes to Papangu. Telling us the story of Lampião Rei (which I already knew, so a nice surprise) they visit avantgarde, extreme metal and Brazilian pop in a blend that works wonders. In August they play Complexity, reason enough to get a ticket.
8. Frost* - Life in the Wires
Frost* are back and maybe better than ever. This AI. 1984 prog rock concept album of 85 minutes is a joy from start to finish. Maybe time to see them live on stage again.
7. Category 7 - Category 7
The thrash metal album of the year to me. A sort of Thrash metal supergorup, with the mighty voice of John Bush to top it off. Catchy, fast and thrashy, just like I love it.
6. Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere
The boldest album of the year mixing the death metal with the Pink Floyd so apparently simple. Maybe worth album of the year, but you do need full attention for 45 minutes and play it in one go. Missing their visit to Holland in May, slightly gutted as curious how this is live. Should be good as Starspawn was as well.
5. Sgàile - Traverse the Bealach
The ultimate soundtrack for long hikes through nature. As we don't have Scottish Highlands here, the The Hague dunes will do (where Scottish Highlanders roam freely). Loved this one upon release in January and still go back to it at times. The clean vocals make it prog/post metal while the atmosphere hints at more extreme styles.
4. Anciients - Beyond the Reach of the Sun
This is progmetal of the extreme kind. Although the album contains grunts it should also attract those more into progmetal of the heavier kind. I missed their first two albums, but this is a beauty. Great artwork to match as well.
3. Inner Strenght - Daydreaming in Moonlight
In 1993 I missed Shallow Reflections by this band. Now they are back 31 years later bringing us progmetal from the heydays of the genre. A very nice surprise to me and when I ordered the album I got 4 other albums along, so now ready to see them live on stage (in Baarlo to please the oldskool progmetal heads)
2. Iotunn - Kinship
Access all Worlds was possibly the surprise of 2021. And now they are back even stronger. Just listen to opening track Kinship Elegiac and we have the epic of the year. Emotional vocals by Jón Aldará lift the album up. But the real heroes are the Gräs brothers on guitars. Screaming for a return to stages in Holland.
1. Mega Colossus - Showdown
Ever since hearing opening track Fortune & Glory on the Mostly Metal site I fell in love with this band whom already released three full lenghts and several EP's before. Turned out that this whole album is filled with catchy and hooky Heavy Metal that just makes me very happy. I went to see them in Germany and live they were as good. A new favourite band is born and you do not need to rewrite the book of heavy metal in order to blow me away. The album I played most in 2024 and everytime I feel empowered and uplifted after doing so. Check them out!!
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