2026: Jul-Dec
2026: Jul-Dec
Just shy of 500 albums in the first half of the year, my consumption has dipped a bit this year, but let's see what the rest of the year holds on that front.
|
2.
Volubilis
- Theasterion
[8.0] - Highly fun tech-/prog-death 33-min debut romp.
|
|
5.
Emptiness
- Nowhere Speaks
[8.0] - A great return to their disquieting, suffocatingly atmospheric take on black(ened) metal.
|
|
9.
Ecliptic
- To Sima Semu’ul O Kuakul
[8.0] - Quite unique black metal album with dissonance, but also some Wayfarer-esque melodic/atmospheric hints, droning folk interludes and proggy structures.
|
|
14.
Forsmán
- Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur
[7.5] - Convincing Icelandic black metal with dissonant elements but also occasionally some more melodic hints.
|
|
15.
Arise From Worms
- A Bleeding Tree Hanging Self Destruction
[7.5] - Tech-death supergroup debut, I enjoy it more when it goes proper proggy like in Nine Walls.
|
|
17.
Holystone
- Accepting Omega
[7.5] - Stoner doom with a little something different to it and good songwriting/vocals.
|
|
18.
Moonspell
- Far From God
[7.5] - A solid album, and I prefer this mellower gothic sound to their early days, but this is also not close to how much I enjoyed the previous few albums.
|
|
19.
Black Sites
- For Eternity
[7.5] - Less proggy than the last one, still one of the most interesting bands under the 'traditional' umbrella.
|
|
20.
Wehmut
- IV: Sommer
[7.0] - Quintessential blackgaze, but perhaps with the alt rock elements more prominent - I enjoy it as a bright, dreamy yet blasty release.
|
|
23.
Loathe
- A Stranger To You
[7.0] - Bit too broadly spread stylstically for me, but has some quality songs, particularly the closing track.
|
|
24.
Ealdor Bealu
- Graves Of The Silent Plain
[7.0] - Rather intriguing heavy rock album, has psychedelic and stoner influences, can be a bit metallic (including the occasional harsh vocals), but also goes in other mellower rock directions.
|
|
25.
The Secrecy
- Pins & Needles
[7.0] - Nicely groovy and atmospheric synthy goth rock.
|
|
26.
Solarus
- Of Sin And Ruin
[7.0] - Enjoyable symphonic-tinged prog/power with a very good 15-minute closer.
|
|
27.
BleakHeart
- A Stone Thrown To Silence
[7.0] - A good take on the hazy Wolfecore-ish doom sound, doesn't quite convince throughout.
|
|
30.
Lost Vital Spark
- The Motion Paradox
[7.0] - Enjoyable melodeath/metalcore EP.
|
|
31.
No Cure
- It Is Going To Get Dark
[7.0] - Feisty metalcore, a bit too macho BS for my tastes at times but generally good.
|
|
34.
Coffin Hunters
- Cosmic Dawn
[7.0] - Pretty enjoyable retro heavy metal/hard rock sound with lots of keyboard.
|
|
35.
The HIRS Collective
- I Am Body Horror [Collaboration]
[7.0] - Relentless grind but with a bit more to it than just straight fury, some interesting chord tonalities.
|
|
37.
Under Auburn Skies
- Diminisher Of Hope
[6.5] - Typical but enjoyable djentcore EP with some nice piano/keyboard bits.
|
|
38.
Irata
- Human
[6.5] - Fairly typical stoner metal, but I rather dig the more mellow, spacious and melancholy-tinged songs.
|
|
39.
What Lies Below
- I Let It Consume Me
[6.5] - Straightforward but hooky modern metalcore in the vein of the Polaris debut.
|
|
40.
NovaReign
- Shifting The Axis Of The World
[6.0] - Fine power metal with some straight heavy metal/hard rock, nothing to return back to in a hurry.
|
Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by musclassia ]
[ More lists by musclassia ]
Hits total: 288 | This month: 288