power-trip-4

The Best Metal of 2017 So Far

Power Trip
Power Trip at Hammerstein Ballroom in 2016 (more by Nick Karp)

We’re halfway through 2017, and our metal sister site Invisible Oranges have posted lists of the best metal albums of 2017 so far. IO reached out to their contributors for mid-year lists, and this post compiles each list they received. The list includes Joseph Schafer, who also announced today that next week will be his last as IO editor. We’d like to thank Joseph for all his work and we wish him the best of the luck for the future (stay tuned to IO for related announcements). Check out the lists, which also include just a bit of non-metal, below (including one by yours truly).

Speaking of metal lists, Rolling Stone just ranked the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. As a followup, Ozzy Osbourne, Lars Ulrich, and Rob Halford made their own lists for RS. Lars’ list, which has tons of great commentary, is especially worth a read.

For even more new metal albums, keep up with Upcoming Metal Releases for an in-depth rundown of the new metal coming out each week.

THE BEST METAL ALBUMS OF 2017 (so far), by writer

ColdfellsColdfells
ImmolationAtonement
KreatorGods of Violence
Life of AgonyA Place Where There’s No More Pain
Locust LeavesA Subtler Kind of Light
MemoriamFor the Fallen
PillorianObsidian Arc
Run the JewelsRTJ3
UlverThe Assassination of Julius Caesar
VallenfyreFear Those Who Fear Him

-Joseph Schafer

Kendrick LamarDamn
AsiraEfference
Power TripNightmare Logic
Pain of SalvationIn the Passing Light of Day
Wear Your WoundsWYW
John FrumA Stirring in the Noos
SamphaProcess
Falls of RaurosVigilance Perennial
ElderReflections of a Floating World
Earth ElectricVol. 1 Solar

Runners up for the “metal is a closed circle” folks:

AseetheHopes Of Failure
PallbearerHeartless

-Ian Cory

This year’s musical sense started of slow, at least as far as quality versus volume. These last few weeks have definitely brought about some great records which have warranted multiple listens and broke me out of my “Jon only listens to five albums when he doesn’t check out new stuff” rut. The rest of the year has some great releases in store, too. Can deal. The first three of these are definitely my top favorites, but the rest are just kind of jumbled.

Planning for BurialBelow the House
UlverThe Assassination of Julius Caesar
Mount EerieA Crow Looked At Me
Circle of OuroborusRuumistähdet
OzamaRio de Basura
WodeServants of the Countercosmos
Abigor/Nightbringer/Thy Darkened Shade/Mortuussplit (but just for the Abigor and Thy Darkened Shade tracks)
HelheimlandawarijaR
OxbowThin Black Duke
Charnel WindsVerschränkung

Looking forward to new records from: Pyrrhon, Spectral Voice, Heaven In Her Arms, Yellow Eyes, the 2nd installment of the Wigrid discography boxset series, and maybe new The Elemental Chrysalis and Abigor albums.

-Jon Rosenthal

BrònЗарђала Круна
Ex EyeEx Eye
HavukruunuKelle Surut Soi
Ingurgitating OblivionVision Wallows In Symphonies Of Light
IsenordalShores of Mourning
Mind MoldMind Mold
SvrmЗа смертю
TanakhUnwilling
Viscera///3 | Release Yourself Through Desperate Rituals
White WardFutility Report

What a year so far. As the world burns, so does the fury of heavy metal’s underground. Perception-bending music is in style: “mind-molding” stuff like Mind Mold, or Viscera///. Darkness abounds itself, like with Tanakh or Ingurgitating Oblivion. Don’t pass on the super-passionate atmospherics of Bròn and Svrm. Be swooned by saxophone with White Ward and Ex Eye. Charge up with Havukruunu, tune out with Isenordal. And be prepared for new releases from False, One Master, and Pyrrhon.

-Andrew Rothmund

In alphabetical order, here are the ten records that have stuck with me the most thus far this year, though there are probably at least half a dozen more (Necrot, Pharmakon, Power Trip, Coldfells, Ascended Dead, Dynfari, etc.) that could have just as easily appeared here instead. There’s been a lot of good music thus far in 2017.

Black CiliceBanished From Time
DélétèrePer Aspera Ad Pestalentiam
Falls of RaurosVigilance Perrential
IsenordalShores of Mourning
JordablodUpon My Cremation Pyre
Show of BedlamTransfiguration
Suffering HourIn Passing Ascension
Triumvir FoulSpiritual Bloodshed
Unaussprechlichen KultenKeziah Lilith Medea (Chapter X)
WoeHope Attrition

-Clayton Michaels

Ruins of BeverastExuvia
Power TripNightmare Logic
Locust LeavesA Subtler Kind of Light
PallbearerHeartless
John FrumA Stirring In The Noos
EmptinessNot For Music
Fall of RaurosVigilance Perennial
VallenfyreFear Those Who Fear Him
Craven IdolThe Shackles of Mammon
WalpyrgusWalpyrgus Nights

-Jason Roche

Pain of SalvationIn the Passing Light of Day
UlverThe Assassination of Julius Caesar
SchammaschThe Maldoror Chants
NeedHegaiamas
Falls of RaurosVigilance Perennial
Kepler TenDelta-V
Imber luminisNausea
VintersorgTill Fjälls Del II
Bestia ArcanaHolocauston
Unleash the ArchersApex

-Kevin Zecchel

Power TripNightmare Logic
PallbearerHeartless
WoeHope Attrition
Falls of RaurosVigilance Perennial
ElderReflections of a Floating World
Mutoid ManWar Moans
UniformWake In Fright
Planning for BurialBelow the House
Black AnvilAs Was
KrallicePrelapsarian

-Andrew Sacher