As fresh-sounding as Lost Paradise was, its doom death metal style was not something that hadn't been tried before. But thirty years ago, Paradise Lost unleashed the first and greatest - still to this day - gothic death metal album. Albeit engulfed in darkness, Gothic has a 'lighter' guitar approach than its predecessor, relying very much on the eerie lead melodies instead of on the earth-shattering riffs of the debut. The ethereal female vocals and the creepy keyboards made it an even more divisive affair among the fans and most people dismissed the band at the time for "selling out". Luckily, this band never cared about metalheads' opinions and they made it very clear from very early in their career. Gothic is the pinnacle of gothic metal and Paradise Lost's most groundbreaking album in a tremendously successful career characterized by groundbreaking albums.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP, Starvynth, Deadsoulman, X-Ray Rod, Dream Taster, Darkside Momo, Redel

It's hard to believe that human civilization peaked on March 12, 2001, but we of Metal Storm are well aware of the fact that Opeth's Blackwater Park is the single most important and amazing work of art ever to grace our unworthy human senses - and today this pillar of sonic achievement turns 20 years old.

Now, iconic reviews aside, I don't actually believe that Blackwater Park is the greatest album ever released - in fact, it's not even my favorite Opeth album - but there's no denying that it is a milestone in its genre, easily one of the definitive recordings of progressive metal. It ranks among the most significant and influential works in its sphere, standing tall even within Opeth's discography; with a career practically founded on the production of successive magna opera, Opeth will likely never have a single, incontrovertible outlier to be crowned their best, but Blackwater Park does have something like a mythology surrounding it. Maybe you don't have to treat it like the apex of heavy metal, but it's still a damn good progressive death metal record that we can all enjoy, and what more reason do you need to give it a spin?

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP, musclassia, Starvynth, corrupt, Deadsoulman, Daniell, X-Ray Rod, Dream Taster, Redel

Wolverine Blues is the album that those who were alive and loathed it when it came out are often the same ones that today call it underrated. It was even roasted by Beavis & Butthead back in the day. It was aggressively marketed at the time by Earache Records (hence the version with Marvel's Wolverine on the cover) but all that was not the band's idea. Yes, this album is not as fast and brutal as Left Hand Path and not as crushing as Clandestine, but it is super fun, still heavy, and very forward-thinking. Many death metal bands were looking for new directions in 1993 and Entombed, who were already pioneers of Swedeath, made Wolverine Blues groovy, hard rocking, and at times even punkish. And that's how they became pioneers of what later became known as death 'n' roll.

Lars-Göran Petrov returned for this one. His vocals were less guttural than before but they were still ferocious and menacing. And the last thing heard on Wolverine Blues was him roaring "FUCK!"

Rest in peace LG.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Starvynth, RaduP, Deadsoulman, ScreamingSteelUS, BitterCOld, X-Ray Rod, Daniell, Redel

9 songs, 67 minutes, 246 riffs.
30 years old today. Still brilliant.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP, Daniell, Yaniv

If you've ever wondered what would have happened if Chuck had a Tangerine Dream or what Death might sound like in the Upside Down, turn your 1000 Eyes on Nitelight, While some will have Zero Tolerance for such experimentation, those that listen Without Judgement might enjoy this tribute and find this approach mighty interesting. Stranger Things have happened.

Inside Bandcamp Mountain

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Deadsoulman, nikarg, X-Ray Rod, ScreamingSteelUS

The start of a new year always finds some people eager to look for what said year has to bring in terms of releases in hopes of picking some early favs. I still have to properly process some releases, but the one that stuck with me the most (so far) is Kultika's post-metal opus Capricorn Wolves. Horrid artwork aside, the psychedelic and progressive touches of it ensure that the atmosphere building parts of it are compensated with melodies whose flow is everchanging.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Dream Taster, musclassia

When there is so much drama behind a release, it is usually because the material is not worthwhile. Messengers Of Deception is a staggering exception to this rule. Having been dumped by his label and bandmates, Rob 'The Baron' Miller ditched everything that was written by the departed band members, re-recorded his songs with new musicians and came up with the best crusty heavy metal record of 2020. This album is the product of an imaginary jam between Motörhead, Killing Joke, Amebix, and Primordial. And it is absolutely great.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Starvynth, X-Ray Rod

A classic album from one of the most defining Finnish bands, with impressive guitar work. It inspired countless musicians and made the genre popular along with 2000's Follow The Reaper.

Fast, direct, dynamic, angry and expressive. A distinctive sound, a unique style, and a huge influence.

R.I.P. Alexi Laiho (1979-2020)

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: nikarg, ScreamingSteelUS, X-Ray Rod, RaduP, musclassia, Daniell, Darkside Momo

I wasn't planning to do any more staff picks this year, and especially not of early protometal stuff, since I just did one in which I also linked ten other 1970 protometal songs, including Mountain's hit, "Mississippi Queen". But Leslie West, guitarist and vocalist of the band, just died. Instead of going the usual Climbing! route, I propose a different trail, with 1971's Nantucket Sleighride, whose 50th anniversary isn't that far away either. Though none of the songs here have the immediate awesomeness of the riff and cowbell of "Mississippi Queen", the blues licks and jammy tone of this one as it moves through psychedelic, progressive and heavy undertones, coupled with some fine ass drumming as well, it's one of the best showcases of why Leslie was so appreciated as a guitarist, and perhaps it's time we saw that instead of just listening to that one song. Or we could go the live route with 1974's Twin Peaks, that somehow referenced Lynch's show before it even aired.

R.I.P. Leslie West (1945-2020)

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: ScreamingSteelUS, nikarg

Five years without Lemmy. Pour yourself some Jack and coke, and listen to this last one.

"In your life you'll be amazed at all the love you lose
You can never live that life again
The one thing you will never lose is the singing in your head
That will still be with you till the end"

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: ScreamingSteelUS, RaduP

With 1970 being such a landmark year zero for metal, it's easy to forget that there were other pioneers besides the likes of Black Sabbath or Deep Purple. Released roughly 50 years ago this month, Sir Lord Baltimore's Kingdom Come is an album so heavy and energetic that it really feels like the early 70s didn't have the means to properly capture all that on wax just yet. Though they toured with Black Sabbath and were one of the first bands to get coined as "heavy metal" by journalists, a combination of poor album sales, personal differences, and drug abuse led to the band's early demise, though it's also that they were just too ahead of their time. Even though two of the three members having passed away, while the other remained in obscurity, the direct or indirect influence that Kingdom Come, and its more psychedelic follow-up Sir Lord Baltimore, had on heavy guitar music is something that lives on.

Here's some more unpicked year zero stuff: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: ScreamingSteelUS, X-Ray Rod, nikarg, Daniell

The album that got me into Doom. Still love each and every track a decade and change later. Thanks, Marcel.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: nikarg, RaduP, Daniell, ScreamingSteelUS, Troy Killjoy, Dream Taster, X-Ray Rod, Starvynth, wormdrink414, Redel

Lizard is definitely one of the most underappreciated of King Crimson's albums. Being caught between the Greg Lake era and the John Wetton era, it was one of the two transitional lineups which never performed live. However not only was it the first King Crimson record to include Mel Collins, who is still a member today, but it was also the only one to have Gordon Haskell in the lineup doing vocals and bass, and whose passing this year might bring just a bit more attention to Lizard. Though there has yet to emerge a properly cropped version of the cover art, it's fantastic how Lizard shuffles between the grandiose symphonic prog and meddlings with avant-jazz and just a bit of absurd quirkiness.

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A sick line-up originating from the wettest collective dream of millions of metalheads. A supergroup doing justice to the term 'supergroup'. Riffs to break every-fucking-thing that can (or cannot) be broken. Seismic groove to test how much the neck muscles can take. Choruses that dominate the brain's functioning. Killer Be Killed took the myth of the 'difficult second album' and smashed it to little pieces with the sledgehammer that is Reluctant Hero. Crank it up to 11; it's the only way.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP

Fans of the recent release by Psychonaut would do well to check out this debut album from another power trio post-metal band from Mechelen; Pothamus bring atmosphere in spades on Raya.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP