The debut album by Iron Maiden is the sound of every metalhead’s adolescence. It’s the sound of first discovery in the years of innocence, rebellion, and hope. It’s the emotional weight and the punk energy mixed inside a cauldron that shaped a new wave of metal. Paul Di’Anno’s voice will always be remembered by the child that still lives within each one of us; the child who used to sing alongside him: “Scan the horizon, the clouds take me higher, I shall return from out of the fire”.

R.I.P. Paul Di’Anno (May 17th, 1958 - Oct 21st, 2024)

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Endorsed by: Redel, ScreamingSteelUS, RaduP, Starvynth, Daniell

It’s a known tradition to have Italian bands play out-of-the-box doom metal. The latest very noteworthy export from the boot-shaped country comes in the form of Ponte Del Diavolo and their debut album, Fire Blades From The Tomb. This is a blackened doom revelation, full of occult rock, post-punk, and darkwave sensitivities. Atmospheric nightly soundscapes, fierce aggressive leanings, medieval mysteries, and ritualistic invocations of evil find their place in this engrossing manifestation of menacing doom, while the haunting melodies, the dual bass attack, the evocative clarinet, and the Siouxsie Sioux-esque vocals make for a bold sound that is both familiar and uncommon in its nature.

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Endorsed by: musclassia

A band with absolutely nothing to prove to anyone releases one of the best albums in their incredible career, 50 whole years after their debut. Next time someone tells you that you should lower your expectations and just be grateful when a legacy band puts out new music, even when that music is objectively subpar/shite, slap them in the face with this album.

Invincible Judas Priest.

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Endorsed by: Yaniv, RaduP, Dream Taster, ScreamingSteelUS, Auntie Sahar

With IIII (and not IV, for a reason), Solbrud have delivered a musical opus of epic proportions, a work of art based on the four elements of nature, with a magnificent cover art that expresses the individuality of each of the four parts of the album. Each band member individually composed the tracks featured in each vinyl side, yet the flow and the cohesion of IIII is exceptional. This is a musical journey that is breathtaking when it is thunderous and intense, and mesmerizing when it gets emotional and reflective. A unique blend of moods, melodies, and atmospheres, all brought together for a 94-minute experience that can only be defined as cathartic.

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Endorsed by: Starvynth, RaduP

Beyond The Breakers is an album of fantasy tales about fanglors, warmoths, and other bizarre creatures, narrated alongside captivating heavy metal music that stays interesting despite the length of the songs' runtime. It is Dio who has resurrected in the form of a man named John Evermore.

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Endorsed by: ScreamingSteelUS, Starvynth

Following Baron Blood's death, The Magus disbanded Necromantia and started a new project to express his musical and mystical journey, aptly called… The Magus. The band’s debut release Βυσσοδομώντας (Vissodomontas), actually meaning ‘building in the abyss’ but also ‘conspiring in darkness’, is a concept album about Lucifer being pissed off at the decline of humanity. The music is dark, diverse, and apocryphal, with choir arrangements by Christos Antoniou (Septicflesh), and it is an eclectic form of black metal that needs repeated listens to fully unpack and grasp. Above all, it is quite theatrical and almost ‘visual’ to the point that when listening to the final track, which is essentially a blues black metal song, it feels as if you can watch the band play in front of you.

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Endorsed by: RaduP, ScreamingSteelUS

Two of 20 Buck Spin’s most interesting bands join forces on the split release, Starpath. First, immerse yourself into Dream Unending’s sea of Pink Floyd-ish death doom, with guitar playing to die for. Then, let yourself fully absorb the chilling atmosphere, the blackened touches, and the gothic feel of Worm’s take on the genre. These bands play unique death doom metal that really stands out and mimics no one.

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Endorsed by: RaduP, musclassia, Starvynth

This version of Morbid Visions (and of Bestial Devastation for that matter) respects the raw energy and relentless brutality of the original take, but it is also an improvement in every possible way; the guitar tone is fantastic, and the guitars are actually in tune now, the vocal mix is excellent, and every riff is clearly heard in a way that one can now finally fully appreciate how high the death/thrash bar was set back in the mid-80s by these Brazilians. The Cavalera brothers took the material of their teenage years and re-recorded it in the present as mature and accomplished musicians, but without compromising its authentic ferocity one bit. With the help of producer Arthur Rizk, they crafted this so successfully that it resets the bar even higher today. And Eliran Cantor’s stunning artwork perfectly reflects how badass this album is.

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Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod, Yaniv, RaduP, Dream Taster

Is 35 years too long? Back in 1988 Majestic Ryte released a self-titled tape with epic music that resembled Fates Warning’s early days. Fast-forward to 2023, with the same line-up, the band releases their debut full-length, also self-titled. The music here is U.S. power metal with a significant heavy/thrash twist, close to the sound of Sanctuary and Nevermore. The imposing vocals of Greg Tsaknakis vividly bring the late Warrel Dane to mind, and the guitar goes more for power chords and groove, rather than for melody. The album is very heavy, thanks to a pounding rhythm section and modern production, but still epic, even with its proggy and technical touches. It is dedicated to the memory of bassist John Funk, who passed away in February 2022.

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Endorsed by: RaduP

Leave any expectations you have from Avenged Sevenfold at the door, because Life Is Just A Dream… is pushing the band’s boundaries so much that it cannot be anything but divisive. It is one of the most ambitious and surprising albums of the year, and it is impressive how over-the-top it gets, regarding music genres blending together. To claim that its influences are broad would be an understatement; Mr. Bungle, Alice In Chains, Frank Zappa, System Of A Down, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Daft Punk, Faith No More, Frank Sinatra, Nine Inch Nails, Rush… there is no end to the list. This is an alternative metal act going progressive, avantgarde, pop, experimental, and, quite frankly, batshit crazy. Being a Jack of all trades is one thing, but also being a master of almost all of them, like Avenged Sevenfold are on this album… well, that deserves respect and applause. And taking the risk to scare away the fanbase in favour of evolution and growth deserves all the praise in the world.

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Endorsed by: Nejde, RaduP, ScreamingSteelUS, Starvynth

What if Pink Floyd played atmospheric black metal? Doesn’t Black Medium Current’s cover art vaguely remind of The Dark Side Of The Moon? Doesn’t its music have this progressive structure, this floating feeling, where one song bleeds into the next, securing a flow that most albums don’t even come close to achieving? Doesn’t it sound immaculate? Aren’t the vocals infectiously quirky, despite the departure of Aldrahn? Don’t the electronics give that familiar avant-garde touch? Doesn’t the piano sound as demented as it has ever been? Is this album a surprise? No, it is not. Dødheimsgard have proved time and time again that they are capable of mind-bending music. Black Medium Current is both mind-bending and earwormingly accessible. An excellent entry point for the uninitiated, and my personal favourite of this spectacular band.

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Endorsed by: RaduP, Ivor, X-Ray Rod, Dream Taster, Darkside Momo

Megaton Sword had the hard task to follow an epic heavy metal album that defined the genre in modern times (Blood Hails Steel - Steel Hails Fire), and they succeeded in releasing something even grander and more ambitious. The band mixes hard rocking catchiness, Manowar-esque epicness, and Manilla Road-like melodicism to create music that is very much their own. It is admirable how this sounds at the same time classic and fresh, without being trapped in either trying to be retro or over-modernizing a style that is meant to be ageless. The vocals of Uzzy Unchained are an alternate version of Cirith Ungol’s Tim Baker, and Megaton Sword are courageous enough to close an album titled Might & Power with a ballad named “Babe Eternal”. And damn, it just rules.

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Endorsed by: Yaniv, ScreamingSteelUS

What would happen if you mixed death and doom and black and stoner and 70’s prog rock, gave it an oriental touch, and dressed it all in a psychedelic gown? Here’s what would happen; you’d get Cosmic Fires: The Enlightenment Reversed. Vāmācāra's debut full-length is adventurous extreme metal with clearly heard instruments that play wildly off of each other, it is a bridge between blastbeats and groove, and a marriage of melody and dissonance. And what’s most impressive is that this rich instrumentation and sound comes from just two people.

Head over at Bandcamp and check out one of the most innovative and inspired albums of 2022.

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Endorsed by: Starvynth, RaduP, ScreamingSteelUS, Nejde

Coming somewhat unexpectedly, Jade’s debut album, The Pacification Of Death, is an end-of-the-year treat for any death metal fan. Incorporating elements of Bølzer, Sulphur Aeon, and The Ruins Of Beverast, this band offers an engrossing take on death metal that is doomy, blackened, melodic, progressive, and exceptionally atmospheric. The synth arrangements give it a cosmic edge, while especially interesting are the clean vocals, whose delivery reminisces the ones used on Mayhem’s Grand Declaration Of War.

Gift-wrapped in Adam Burke’s spectacular cover art, this is a present you need to give yourself, so head over at Bandcamp and get it.

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Endorsed by: Starvynth, RaduP, Nejde

Talk about underrated. Satan is the only NWOBHM band that has released only quality albums throughout their career. And, if Court In The Act is an untouchable classic, these geezers have been crazy consistent in putting out stellar album after stellar album since their reunion. Earth Infernal is another incredible release and features all the ingredients that make Satan special; analogue-sounding heavy metal with an evil, sinister, and dark edge, catchy riffs that touch on thrash and speed metal, triumphant lead guitars, Brian Ross’s powerful vocals that have aged like fine wine, a hard-hitting rhythm section, and the band’s trademark bridges that are simply to die for. You will not find better classic metal anywhere else, no matter how hard you look for it.

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Endorsed by: RaduP, Daniell, ScreamingSteelUS, Yaniv, X-Ray Rod, Dream Taster