The Best Metal of 2017 So Far
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.
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THE BEST METAL ALBUMS OF 2017 (so far), by writer
Coldfells – Coldfells
Immolation – Atonement
Kreator – Gods of Violence
Life of Agony – A Place Where There’s No More Pain
Locust Leaves – A Subtler Kind of Light
Memoriam – For the Fallen
Pillorian – Obsidian Arc
Run the Jewels – RTJ3
Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him
-Joseph Schafer
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Kendrick Lamar – Damn
Asira – Efference
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Pain of Salvation – In the Passing Light of Day
Wear Your Wounds – WYW
John Frum – A Stirring in the Noos
Sampha – Process
Falls of Rauros – Vigilance Perennial
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Earth Electric – Vol. 1 Solar
Runners up for the “metal is a closed circle” folks:
Aseethe – Hopes Of Failure
Pallbearer – Heartless
-Ian Cory
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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 Burial – Below the House
Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
Circle of Ouroborus – Ruumistähdet
Ozama – Rio de Basura
Wode – Servants of the Countercosmos
Abigor/Nightbringer/Thy Darkened Shade/Mortuus – split (but just for the Abigor and Thy Darkened Shade tracks)
Helheim – landawarijaR
Oxbow – Thin Black Duke
Charnel Winds – Verschränkung
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
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Bròn – Зарђала Круна
Ex Eye – Ex Eye
Havukruunu – Kelle Surut Soi
Ingurgitating Oblivion – Vision Wallows In Symphonies Of Light
Isenordal – Shores of Mourning
Mind Mold – Mind Mold
Svrm – За смертю
Tanakh – Unwilling
Viscera/// – 3 | Release Yourself Through Desperate Rituals
White Ward – Futility 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
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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 Cilice – Banished From Time
Délétère – Per Aspera Ad Pestalentiam
Falls of Rauros – Vigilance Perrential
Isenordal – Shores of Mourning
Jordablod – Upon My Cremation Pyre
Show of Bedlam – Transfiguration
Suffering Hour – In Passing Ascension
Triumvir Foul – Spiritual Bloodshed
Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Keziah Lilith Medea (Chapter X)
Woe – Hope Attrition
-Clayton Michaels
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Ruins of Beverast – Exuvia
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Locust Leaves – A Subtler Kind of Light
Pallbearer – Heartless
John Frum – A Stirring In The Noos
Emptiness – Not For Music
Fall of Rauros – Vigilance Perennial
Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him
Craven Idol – The Shackles of Mammon
Walpyrgus – Walpyrgus Nights
-Jason Roche
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Pain of Salvation – In the Passing Light of Day
Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Schammasch – The Maldoror Chants
Need – Hegaiamas
Falls of Rauros – Vigilance Perennial
Kepler Ten – Delta-V
Imber luminis – Nausea
Vintersorg – Till Fjälls Del II
Bestia Arcana – Holocauston
Unleash the Archers – Apex
-Kevin Zecchel
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Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Pallbearer – Heartless
Woe – Hope Attrition
Falls of Rauros – Vigilance Perennial
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Mutoid Man – War Moans
Uniform – Wake In Fright
Planning for Burial – Below the House
Black Anvil – As Was
Krallice – Prelapsarian
-Andrew Sacher