My Top 100 Metal Albums of 2020 + 10 Honorable Mentions

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My Top 100 Metal Albums of 2020 + 10 Honorable Mentions

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A list by
quieted_darkness
Created
March 15, 2020
Entries
111
Endorsements
5
1) Last year, I didn't quite finish with a strong list but I am hoping this year it will be. This time around I'm not sure if I want to do either a Top 50 or 100. It will depend on how much time I can dedicate to this. I came back listening to albums since February 29th and these are the fruits of my discoveries. Keep checking back throughout the year.

2) I took a 7 month break and came back November 10th. This year has been far better than last year. My hope is to reach 100 quality albums which for me personally starts at the rating of 79.8%. These are albums that are superb and have minor flaws to them in my eyes. I wanted to do just 50 metal albums but I couldn't help but feel for some that missed the cut. I think starting next year I'm going to start adding a few sentences to a small paragraph describing my thoughts about each album.
111.
1.
Kraken Duumvirate - The Stars Below, The Seas Above
(99.8%) Funeral Doom Metal, Atmospheric/Progressive Doom Metal/Folk with Classical and Black Metal Influences - Finland
111.
2.
Circle Of Ouroborus - Viimeinen Juoksu
(99.2%) Experimental Blackened Doom Metal/Post-Metal/Dark Ambient, Atmospheric Doom Metal with Progressive Electronic Influences - Finland
111.
3.
Imha Tarikat - Sternenberster
(98.0%) Experimental Black Metal - Finland
111.
4.
Drown - Subaqueous
(96.3%) Black Metal with Folk and Post-Black Metal Influences - Germany
111.
5.
Khthoniik Cerviiks - Æequiizoiikum
(95.5%) Funeral Doom Metal/Post-Metal - United States
111.
6.
Shezmu - À Travers Les Lambeaux
(95.4%) Avant-Garde/Death/Black Metal with Hardcore Punk Influences - Germany
111.
7.
Firelink - Firelink
(95.3%) Death/Black Metal with Atmospheric, Slam/Brutal Death Metal, Folk, and Dark Ambient/Drone Influences - Canada
111.
8.
Kaatayra - Toda História Pela Frente
(95.1%) Melodic Death/Black Metal, Progressive Metal with Atmospheric/Epic, Neoclassical, Metalcore/Post-Hardcore, Technical, and Jazz Fusion Influences - United States
111.
9.
Evaporated Sores - Ulcerous Dimensions
(94.4%) Atmospheric/Melodic Black Metal/Folk - Brazil
111.
10.
Ygg - The Last Scald
(94.2%) Industrial/Blackened Death/Doom Metal, Technical/Avant-Garde Death Metal/Power Electronics with Noise and Jazz Influences - United States
111.
11.
Yaldabaoth - That Which Whets The Saccharine Palate
(93.9%) Black Metal - Ukraine
111.
12.
Ominous Resurrection - Judgement
(93.5%) Technical/Avant-Garde Black Metal - United States
111.
13.
Nero Di Marte - Immoto
(93.1%) Psychedelic Black/Heavy Metal, Dark Metal with Avant-Garde Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Dark Ambient, and Gothic Influences - United States
111.
14.
Redwood Hill - Ender
(93.1%) Technical/Avant-Garde Death Metal/Post-Metal, Ambient - Italy
111.
15.
The Crooked Whispers - Satanic Melodies
(92.8%) Post-Black/Sludge/Post-Metal with Drone Influences - Denmark
111.
16.
Pyrrhon - Abscess Time
(92.7%) Stoner/Doom Metal, Sludge/Death Metal with Psychedelic Rock and Black Metal Influences - United States
111.
17.
Biesy - Transsatanizm
(92.5%) Technical/Avant-Garde Death Metal, Mathcore, Noise Rock with Goregrind, Slam Metal, and Black Metal Influences - United States
111.
18.
Limbs - Soft Narcosis
(92.3%) Black Metal/Electronic with Avant-Garde, EDM, Industrial, and Epic Influences - Poland
111.
19.
Isengard - Vårjevndøgn
(92.0%) Mathcore/Screamo, Grindcore with Progressive Metal, Industrial, Punk, Jazz, Electronics, and Stoner Metal Influences - Philippines
111.
20.
Kall - Brand
(91.9%) Black/Heavy/Doom Metal, Power Metal with Experimental, Stoner Metal, Folk/Dream Pop, Hardcore Punk, and Speed Metal Influences - Norway
111.
21.
Fluisteraars - Bloem
(91.8%) Black Metal with Post-Metal, Punk, Smooth/Avant-Garde Jazz, Psychedelic/Progressive Rock, Avant-Garde Metal, Sludge/Doom Metal, Stoner/Alternative Rock, Folk, and Field Recordings Influences - Sweden
111.
22.
Lantern - Dimensions
(91.8%) Black Metal - Netherlands
111.
23.
Esoctrilihum - Eternity Of Shaog
(91.6%) Black/Death Metal with Melodic and Psychedelic Influences - Finland
111.
24.
Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still
(91.2%) Atmospheric/Avant-Garde/Progressive Death/Black Metal with Epic/Symphonic Influences - France
111.
25.
Temple Nightside - Pillars Of Damnation
(91.1%) Technical/Avant-Garde Death/Black Metal, Atmospheric Sludge Metal - New Zealand
111.
26.
Temple Nightside - Pillars Of Damnation
(91.1%) Blackened Death Metal - Australia
111.
27.
Amnutseba - Emanatism
(90.7%) Black Metal with Psychedelic Influences - United States
111.
28.
Amnutseba - Emanatism
(90.5%) Black/Death/Industrial Metal - France
111.
29.
The Hirsch Effekt - Kollaps
(90.3%) Avant-Garde Doom/Post-Black Metal - United States
111.
30.
The Hirsch Effekt - Kollaps
(89.7%) Art Rock, Mathcore/Post-Hardcore, Extreme/Progressive Metal with Alternative/Post-Rock, Pop, Electronic, Modern Classical, Ambient, and Hip-Hop Influences - Germany
111.
31.
Skáphe - Skáphe³
(89.5%) Black Metal - Greece
111.
32.
Encenathrakh - Thraakethraaeate Thraithraake
(88.8%) Atmospheric/Psychedelic Black Metal with Dark Ambient, Avant-Garde, Melodic, and Drone Influences - United States; Iceland
111.
33.
M.S.W. - Obliviosus
(88.8%) Technical/Avant-Garde Brutal Death Metal with Slam Metal, Electronic, and Funk Influences - United States
111.
34.
Black Curse - Endless Wound
(88.8%) Blackened/Atmospheric Doom Metal - United States
111.
35.
Elephant Tree - Habits
(88.8%) Death Metal - United States
111.
36.
Armagedda - Svindeldjup Ättestup
(88.7%) Stoner Metal/Dream Pop with Psychedelic/Blues/Progressive Rock, Acoustic Rock/Folk, Electronic, and Shoegaze Influences - United Kingdom
111.
37.
Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi
(88.7%) Black Metal with Avant-Garde Metal Influences - Sweden
111.
38.
Kommodus - Kommodus
(88.4%) Atmospheric/Psychedelic Black Metal/Dark Ambient, Space/Progressive Rock with Post-Punk Influences - Finland
111.
39.
Kommodus - Kommodus
(88.3%) Raw/Black Metal with Crust Punk, Doom Metal, Folk, Psychedelic Rock, and Post-Black Metal Influences - Australia
111.
40.
Ceremonial Bloodbath - The Tides Of Blood
(88.3%) Technical/Avant-Garde Progressive Metal/Mathcore, Grindcore/Electronic with Jazz Fusion and Folk Influences - Ukraine; Russia
111.
41.
Dola - Dola
(88.0%) Blackened Death Metal/Grindcore with Progressive Death Metal, Death/Doom Metal, and Field Recordings Influences - Canada
111.
42.
Dola - Dola
(88.0%) Atmospheric Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal, Ambient/Ritual Ambient/Acoustic with Black Metal, Jazz, and Punk Influences - Poland
111.
43.
Sweven - The Eternal Resonance
(87.6%) Avant-Garde Black Metal with Blackened Death Metal, Sludge Metal, and Mathcore Influences - Italy
111.
44.
Sweven - The Eternal Resonance
(87.1%) Progressive Death Metal/Psychedelic Rock - Sweden
111.
45.
Worm - Gloomlord
(87.1%) Psychedelic Heavy/Stoner/Doom Metal, Screamo/Hardcore Punk with Avant-Garde Metal and Sludge Metal Influences - Canada
111.
46.
Sivyj Yar - Горе
(86.7%) Blackened Death/Doom Metal with Black Metal and Funeral Doom Metal Influences - United States
111.
47.
Odraza - Rzeczom
(86.6%) Atmospheric Post-Black Metal/Post-Rock with Depressive Black Metal, Shoegaze, Psychedelic Rock, and Post-Hardcore Influences - Russia
111.
48.
Doldrum - The Knocking
(86.2%) Black Metal with Experimental Influences - Poland
111.
49.
White Stones - Kuarahy
(86.0%) Avant-Garde Black Metal - United States
111.
50.
Thy Catafalque - Naiv
(85.9%) Progressive Death Metal/Hard Rock with Blues and Jazz Influences - Spain
111.
51.
Faidra - Six Voices Inside
(85.9%) Experimental/Progressive Metal with Folk, Electronic, Progressive Black Metal, Death/Doom Metal, Jazz, Funk, and Doom Metal Influences - Hungary
111.
52.
Pestilength - Eilatik
(85.6%) Atmospheric Black Metal - Sweden
111.
53.
Pestilength - Eilatik
(85.5%) Blackened Death Metal - Spain
111.
54.
Witches Hammer - Damnation Is My Salvation
(85.3%) Black/Hardcore Punk/Industrial/Doom Metal, Noise Rock with Dark Ambient Influences - Denmark
111.
55.
Undergang - Aldrig I Livet
(85.1%) Black/Death/Thrash Metal with Speed Metal Influences - Canada
111.
56.
Anhedonist - Aldrig I Livet
(85.1%) Death Metal with Punk Influences - Denmark
111.
57.
Self Hypnosis - Contagion Of Despair
(85.1%) Death/Doom Metal - United States
111.
58.
Malokarpatan - Krupinské Ohne
(85.0%) Psychedelic/Progressive Sludge/Doom/Industrial Metal, Funeral Doom Metal with Dungeon Synth, Stoner Metal, and Epic Influences - United Kingdom
111.
59.
Malokarpatan - Krupinské Ohne
(84.9%) Black/Heavy/Speed/Folk Metal with Progressive Electronic, Neoclassical, and Pagan Influences - Slovakia
111.
60.
Velnias - Scion Of Aether
(84.8%) Atmospheric/Melodic Black Metal/Folk, Heavy Metal - Canada
111.
61.
Mountain Witch - Extinct Cults
(84.8%) Blackened/Atmospheric Sludge Metal/Post-Metal, Psychedelic Rock with Doom Metal/Folk, Drone/Noise, and Post-Rock Influences - United States
111.
62.
Mountain Witch - Extinct Cults
(84.8%) Stoner/Doom Metal/Hard Rock - Germany
111.
63.
Hellripper - The Affair Of The Poisons
(84.8%) Black Metal/Ambient with Gothic Influences & Black Metal with Avant-Garde Influences - United Kingdom
111.
64.
Hellripper - The Affair Of The Poisons
(84.7%) Black/Speed/Heavy Metal - United Kingdom
111.
65.
Autolith - Caustic Light
(84.7%) Instrumental, Avant-Garde/Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal with Hard Rock Influences - Italy
111.
66.
SVNTH - Spring In Blue
(84.6%) Sludge Metal/Crust Punk with Death Metal and Hardcore Influences - United States
111.
67.
SVNTH - Spring In Blue
(84.6%) Atmospheric/Post-Black Metal/Post-Rock with Shoegaze and Funeral Doom Metal Influences - Italy
111.
68.
Wrekmeister Harmonies - We Love To Look At The Carnage
(84.6%) Death/Doom Metal - Finland
111.
69.
Wrekmeister Harmonies - We Love To Look At The Carnage
(84.4%) Drone/Doom Metal, Post-Metal/Ambient with Gothic Influences - United States
111.
70.
Indricothere - ALTRRN
(84.4%) Avant-Garde Death/Black Metal/Dark Ambient with Jazz, Industrial, and Psychedelic Influences - United States
111.
71.
Garganjua - Toward The Sun
(84.4%) Instrumental, Blackened/Progressive Metal, Dark/Ambient with Avant-Garde Metal, Space Ambient, and Progressive Death Metal Influences - United States
111.
72.
Lotus Thief - Oresteia
(84.3%) Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal, Metalcore with Black Metal Influences - United Kingdom
111.
73.
Thecodontion - Supercontinent
(84.3%) Post-Rock with Metal, Ambient, and Electronic Influences - United States
111.
74.
Cauldron Black Ram - Slaver
(84.3%) Avant-Garde Death/Black Metal - Italy
111.
75.
Cauldron Black Ram - Slaver
(84.2%) Death Metal with Progressive Death Metal, Heavy/Doom Metal, Crust Punk, and Black/Speed Metal Influences - Australia
111.
76.
Guignol Noir - Mantric Malediction
(84.2%) Heavy Psychedelic/Alternative/Post-Rock, Sludge/Post-Metal with Electronic Influences - United States
111.
77.
Head Of The Demon - Deadly Black Doom
(84.1%) Black Metal - Switzerland
111.
78.
Afterbirth - Four Dimensional Flesh
(84.0%) Black/Doom Metal, Psychedelic Rock/Hard Rock - Sweden
111.
79.
Contrastic - Mamun
(84.0%) Technical/Atmospheric/Progressive Brutal Death Metal with Slam Metal, Post-Rock, and Ambient Influences - United States (Long Island, New York)
111.
80.
Sxuperion - Omniscient Pulse
(83.9%) Experimental Death Metal/Grindcore, Hardcore/Mathcore, Space Rock with EDM Influences - Czechia
111.
81.
Miasmal Sabbath - Ominous Radiance
(83.9%) Atmospheric Death Metal - United States
111.
82.
Ars Magna Umbrae - Apotheosis
(83.8%) Black/Death/Doom Metal/Crust Punk - Greece
111.
83.
Ars Magna Umbrae - Apotheosis
(83.8%) Black Metal - Poland
111.
84.
Convocation - Ashes Coalesce
(83.8%) Death Metal/Hardcore Punk - Finland
111.
85.
Jordablod - The Cabinet Of Numinous Song
(83.7%) Funeral Doom/Progressive Death Metal with Gothic Influences - Finland
111.
86.
Purification - Perfect Doctrine
(83.7%) Experimental Black Metal/Psychedelic Rock - Sweden
111.
87.
Shedfromthebody - A Dead And Aimless Hum
(83.7%) Psychedelic/Doom Metal, Stoner Metal/Noise Rock with Punk and Nature Recordings Influences - United States
111.
88.
Gama Bomb - Sea Savage
(83.7%) Ethereal Wave, Doom Metal/Shoegaze/Alternative/Post-Metal with Sludge/Stoner Metal Influences - Finland
111.
89.
Balmog - Pillars Of Salt
(83.6%) Thrash/Speed/Power Metal with Heavy Metal Influences - United Kingdom; Ireland
111.
90.
Sadness (USA) - Atna
(83.5%) Black Metal with Psychedelic Rock and Post-Punk Influences - Spain
111.
91.
Ingrina - Siste Lys
(83.5%) Raw/Depressive Black Metal/Post-Rock with Atmospheric and Dream Pop Influences - United States
111.
92.
Ingrina - Siste Lys
(83.4%) Post-Black/Sludge/Post-Metal/Dark Ambient, Shoegaze - France
111.
93.
Pale Divine - Consequence Of Time
(83.4%) Neoclassical Darkwave, Art Pop with Folk, Progressive Rock, Gothic Metal, Electronic/Chiptune, Sludge/Doom Metal, and Breakbeat Influences - France
111.
94.
White Magician - Dealers Of Divinity
(83.3%) Heavy/Doom Metal with Melodic, Heavy/Speed Metal, and Progressive Rock Influences - United States
111.
95.
Urnscent - Of Simurgh And Ascent
(83.3%) Heavy Metal - United States
111.
96.
Pallbearer - Forgotten Days
(83.3%) Atmospheric Funeral Doom Metal with Chamber Music and Epic/Medieval Influences - Iran
111.
97.
Pallbearer - Forgotten Days
(83.3%) Doom Metal - United States
111.
98.
Familiars - All In Good Time
(83.3%) Stoner/Psychedelic Rock/Shoegaze, Stoner Metal with Blues, Bluegrass, and Electronic Influences - Canada
111.
99.
Afsky - Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død
(83.3%) Depressive Black Metal - Canada
111.
100.
Afsky - Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død
(83.2%) Black Metal with Atmospheric Folk and Depressive Black Metal Influences - Denmark
111.
101.
Infant Island
111.
102.
Tortuga - Deities
(83.2%) Hardcore/Post-Metal, Noise - United States - RANKED #101 - Harmonious mix of chaos and serenity.
111.
103.
Angellore - Rien Ne Devait Mourir
(82.7%) Psychedelic Stoner/Doom Metal with Space Rock, Drone, and Jazz Influences - Poland - RANKED #113 - Hypnotic psychedelia throughout. Quirkiness added to the vocals really embellishes their sound to another level.
111.
104.
Occlith - Gates, Doorways, And Endings
(82.2%) Atmospheric Gothic/Doom/Death/Folk Metal with Symphonic and Atmospheric Black Metal Influences - France - RANKED #125 - One of the only albums from the year in question to get me all teary-eyed from Lucia's voice.
111.
105.
Occlith - Gates, Doorways, And Endings
(82.0%) Sludge/Doom Metal with Gothic/Psychedelic Rock, Post-Metal, Industrial Metal, and Black Metal Influences - United States - RANKED #129 - Some of the densest, heaviest sludge/doom I've heard all year.
111.
106.
Vein - Old Data In A New Machine Vol. 1
(82.0%) Experimental Hardcore with Emo/Screamo, Jungle, Alternative Metal, Nu-Metal/Metalcore, Drum and Bass, and Deathcore Influences - United States - RANKED #130 - Takes generally crappy genres of metal and makes something great out of it.
111.
107.
Bríi - Entre Tudo Que É Visto E Oculto
(81.5%) Black/Death Metal - Finland - RANKED #136 - Opened my eyes to be more appreciative of war metal.
111.
108.
Grin - Translucent Blades
(81.3%) Atmospheric/Ambient Black Metal/Electronic, Progressive Metal with EDM, Psychedelic, Folk, Doom Metal, and Glitch Influences - Brazil - RANKED #143 - If you enjoyed Kaatayra there's a chance you might like this as well. This release got me interested in checking out more trance/techno-oriented albums.
111.
109.
Xazraug - Unsympathetic Empyrean
(81.2%) Sludge/Stoner Metal - Germany - RANKED #144 - If you generally dislike stoner metal maybe this is a good entry point if you like black metal vibes with ethereal qualities. Not talking blackgaze though.
111.
110.
Xazraug - Unsympathetic Empyrean
(77.3%) Instrumental, Symphonic/Atmospheric/Avant-Garde Black Metal with Space Ambient, Metalcore, and Operatic Influences - United States - RANKED #199 - Greatest thing about this is the way it's mixed. Symphonic elements don't drown the rest of the music. Instead, the instrumentation focuses on subtle atmosphere.
111.
111.
Vulgarite - Fear Not The Dark Nor The Sun's Return
(73.2%) Atmospheric Black/Doom Metal/Dark Ambient - United States - RANKED #237 - First track has some of the best dark atmosphere I've heard all year. Think Silent Hill-ish.
More lists by quieted_darkness ››
Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
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Comments: 5 Visited by 56 users

Posts: 498
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26.03.2020 - 20:21

Posts: 498


What's the significance of the percentages?
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Posts: 232
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26.03.2020 - 23:17

Posts: 232


Written by Neachy on 26.03.2020 at 20:21

What's the significance of the percentages?

It's the same as a rating. I just chose to use percentages instead for my lists. Just move the decimal point to the left one digit and round up if need be. So to use Worm - Gloomlord as an example it would round up to a 9.7 which is pretty close to a perfect 10 or 100.0%. It just helps me out if several albums scored the same two digit score and I use the decimal point to further break it down. I hope this answers your question.
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Posts: 498
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27.03.2020 - 00:08

Posts: 498


Quote:
Written by quieted_darkness on 26.03.2020 at 23:17

It's the same as a rating. I just chose to use percentages instead for my lists. Just move the decimal point to the left one digit and round up if need be. So to use Worm - Gloomlord as an example it would round up to a 9.7 which is pretty close to a perfect 10 or 100.0%. It just helps me out if several albums scored the same two digit score and I use the decimal point to further break it down. I hope this answers your question.

Yeah, I was just curious if the specificity of the rating was based on a calculation of some sort or just arbitrary.
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27.03.2020 - 03:16

Posts: 232


Written by Neachy on 27.03.2020 at 00:08

Yeah, I was just curious if the specificity of the rating was based on a calculation of some sort or just arbitrary.

It's arbitrary. I believe you asked me the same question on my 2019 list.
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Posts: 498
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+1
27.03.2020 - 03:27

Posts: 498


Written by quieted_darkness on 27.03.2020 at 03:16

It's arbitrary. I believe you asked me the same question on my 2019 list.

Oh, I probably did. I'm always intrigued by people's rating systems when they differ from mine. Anyway, good list
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