(Editor’s note: This year, we’re bringing back the individual ‘Top Albums’ lists. In previous years, we all kinda just lumped everyone’s picks into one article, but we got enough comments from you guys about wanting the individual lists, so here we are with MetalSucks reviewer C.C. DeLorean’s picks. Enjoy and happy holidays!)
As tempting as it would be to simply list the self-titled album from Vended five times in a row and call it a day, I must say, looking back, this really has been an excellent year for new music. We’ve had a slew of returning champions making spectacular comebacks, fresh-faced young bucks making a splash with impressive debuts, seasoned veterans continuing to do what they do best and keeping the train rolling, and everything in between. There have been some real stinkers and milquetoast, middle-of-the-road snoozers too, but we’re not here to talk about those. Instead, let’s take a look back at a handful of albums and EP’s that stood out amongst the crowd and made a lasting impression this year.
Job for a Cowboy — Moon Healer
The only 5-star review I’ve ever written, and for good reason. Everything about this album is flawless, from the guitar tone to the the way the songs themselves are structured and arranged, from Jonny Davy’s inimitable, instantly recognizable vocals to the satisfying pop of Nick Schendzielos’s bass, and not to mention one of the single greatest drum performances Navene Koperweis has ever recorded, this album really does have it all. It’s an instant classic, one of the most perfectly polished technical death metal albums in recent memory, and a crown jewel in Job for a Cowboy’s already stellar discography.
Defeated Sanity — Chronicles of Lunacy
Head-spinning, skull-crushing, standard-defying brutal death metal that turns the unspoken “rules” of the genre completely upside down to create something new and infinitely fascinating while still operating within familiar, well-worn boundaries. We all know what Defeated Sanity are about by this point and have come to expect nothing but greatness from them, and yet somehow they still find a way to blow our minds every single time. It’s just what they do, and boy howdy, do they do it well. Lille Gruber is such an insanely talented and creative drummer that it ought to be illegal.
Fleshgod Apocalypse — Opera
When longtime Fleshgod mastermind Francesco Paoli suffered a near-fatal accident while rock climbing back in August of 2021, there was a very real possibility that he might end up losing his arm and would have to give up playing music as he knew it for good. Instead, he managed to make a full recovery, and that motherfucker came back with a vengeance, putting together a revamped lineup- including the force of nature that is Veronica Bordacchini- and churning out an absolute monster of an album that is as beautiful as it is ferocious. Be sure to catch them on next year’s iteration of the Chaos & Carnage Tour alongside Cradle of Filth, Dying Fetus, Ne Obliviscaris, and many more, because that is definitely going to be one hell of a show.
Dååth — The Deceivers
This album was such a massive leap forward and so wildly different from everything else in the band’s discography, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail and a newfound sense of purpose which ultimately resulted in an absolute beast of a record that is a joy to listen to from beginning to end. It’s powerful, catchy as hell, impeccably written, and downright epic at times, spurred on by a who’s who of insanely talented musicians filling out their roster. Dååth may have been making the rounds for over twenty years now, but The Deceivers is the moment where all of their hard work, experience, and unwavering vision finally came to a head in glorious fashion.
Vitriol — Suffer & Become
Only a band like Portland, Oregon’s Vitriol could take a relentless, seemingly limitless wall of sheer noise and turn it into something… beautiful. Inspiring. A work of art, even. These guys are one of my absolute favorite modern death metal bands, and Suffer & Become is, dare I say, their defining opus, at least thus far. Blisteringly fast, constantly in danger of flying off the rails but always managing to hold on by the skin of its teeth, and oddly inspirational in a fucked-up way with its overarching themes of self-discovery and transformation by way of, you guessed it, suffering. Not in the sense of pain and sadness just for the sake of it, but by allowing life’s many trials and hardships to destroy you in order to be born anew from the ashes of your past. It’s deeply philosophical, and a damn fine work of palpable, undeniable, unstoppable passion.
Honorable Mentions
But wait, there’s more!
Five is a nice succinct number for a “best of” list, but subjectivity is a bitch, and there were plenty of other releases from this year that deserve a tip of the hat as well, so in that spirit, here are a few more that didn’t end up making the so-called “final cut” but are still very much worthy of appreciation.
The Black Dahlia Murder- Servitude
Ahh yes, The Butthole Album. The entire metal community was waiting with bated breath to see how the Detroit darlings’ first outing without their iconic frontman at the helm would turn out, and they did not disappoint. The boys are firing on all cylinders once more, delivering their fast-paced and heavy-hitting signature brand of melodic death metal as only they can, carrying the torch proudly forward into a new age of blast beats and finger-twisting guitar wizardry. Suffice it to say, Trevor would be proud.
Malignancy- …Discontinued
New York has always been something of a hotbed for unique and highly original death metal bands who think slightly outside of the box, and Yonkers’s own Malignancy sit right at the top of that heaping pile of carnage. Their spastic, chaotic approach to songwriting might sound unhinged and disorganized at first, but the more you listen to it the more their dark and twisted vision comes into focus, and their most recent album just might be their most accessible yet. It’s still batshit crazy and all over the place, don’t get me wrong, but it’s juuuuust cohesive enough to still be palatable, and when they bring it home with one of those mighty New York slams, it shakes the very ground beneath your feet.
Vended- Self Titled
You know I had to do it to ’em one time for the one-time. I caught a whole mess of shit for having the audacity to actually enjoy this album when it came out back in September, and that’s alright, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But y’know what? So am I, and I said what I said. Yes, they sound just like Slipknot, and yes, they undoubtedly had a massive leg-up thanks to their rich and highly influential parents, but none of that changes the fact that these kids have got chops and know how to write a catchy tune. I was expecting this album to be a steaming pile of crap when I first checked it out, but instead I was pleasantly surprised and impressed, and so onto the list they go. I apologize for nothing. What’re you gonna do about it, roast me on the internet? Bring it on.
Neckbreakker- Within the Viscera
Speaking of young kids with serious chops, this most recent release which just came out on Nuclear Blast a couple of weeks ago absolutely blew me away, to the point where it really does bear repeating. These guys sound like every great thrash and death metal band from the ’90s rolled into one complete package and dialed up the max, showcasing precision and versatility that would be admirable from a band twenty years their senior, but which becomes all the more impressive when you realize that some, if not all, of the members of this band aren’t even old enough to legally drink here in the US. Neckbreakker have all the ingredients to become real movers and shakers in the realm of extreme metal if they can keep up this kind of momentum. Here’s hoping, because this shit absolutely rips.
Disentomb- Nothing Above
Fuck it, one more for good measure, both because I like nice round numbers and because this EP is indeed a barn burner. Disentomb’s trademark blend of highly atmospheric, ceaselessly ferocious, and deceptively groovy death metal has always kept them a step above their peers, and Nothing Above is yet another exceptional notch in their belt. Hauntingly dissonant, full of distinct and instantly recognizable personality, and almost seeming to come alive with a fervent, mouth-frothing blind hatred for all things born of the light. And best of all, it accomplishes all of that in less than twenty minutes. Good stuff.
Alright, that’s it for real this time, time to start arguing and calling each other posers. Happy holidays!