Before the end of 2016, we already knew that this year was going to be no less than bombastic for the world of metal with monoliths like Mastodon and Six Feet Under declaring new albums will be released this year. And it’s not only the large groups that have satisfied as the underground has brought forth records of ridiculous quality once again and in massive amounts this year. It’s more than I could’ve ever hoped for, and it’s something that you truly can’t get enough of once you get a taste. There’s simply too much to hear as there always is, and it’s incredibly fun to sift through all these albums and constantly find awesomeness. It’s something I’m definitely not a stranger to, but goddamn it never gets old!
Should you want a larger label like Metal Blade to bring you a signature death metal band with a smashing record or a one man band out of Slovenia to impress you, this year has truly got it all! And it’s only half over! So now it’s time for me to reflect on the greatest pieces that I’ve heard in these past six months. Black, thrash, folk, doom; all sorts of metal and even more make my list and I, naturally, recommend each of them wholeheartedly!
2017 is becoming a landmark year for anyone paying attention the metal scene, and there’s so much more to be heard! New albums from personal favorites of mine like Feared and The Midnight Ghost Train have yet to bust out new pieces, while titans like Suffocation have records out that I’ve yet to investigate! There’s so much more to be had, and I can’t wait to explore it with you all! Here’s to another phenomenal six months of ball busting metal!
THESE ARE NOT ORGANIZED BY HOW MUCH I LIKE THEM. THAT HASSLE IS RESERVED FOR THE END YEAR LIST.
Grave Digger – Healed by Metal
…a real blast from the past that anyone who’s had the classic experience of records from back in the day, and it doesn’t disappoint one single bit. (read full review here)
Tome of the Unreplenished – Cosmoprism: The Theurgy – Act I
…an aural assault on all of the senses that simply don’t relent and even go so far as to evolve with each following track… (read full review here)
Iron Reagan – Crossover Ministry
…with the announcement of “Crossover Ministry”, the question loomed: will they continue to hold up? Simple answer: fuck yeah, they do! (read full review here)
Six Feet Under – Torment
In order to sum up the entirety of this album in one phrase would lead me to a very simple yet extremely fitting word: infectious. (read full review here)
Locust Leaves – A Subtler Kind of Light
…the mysterious Locust Leaves has reached a high point so early in their unheard of career as a band that it’s simply unprecedented… (read full review here)
Flesh 0f the Stars – Anhilla
…melancholic, slow, and something that takes me on a euphoric trip through dimensions and through time. (read full review here)
Ende – Emën Etan
Ende has always managed to blow me away in every single aspect, and by Satan, they’ve fucking done it again! (read full review here)
Wormwood – Ghostlands: Wounds From A Bleeding Earth
…an unforgettable ride that you can’t get off of because you don’t want it to end. That’s “Ghostlands” in a nutshell. (read full review here)
Mastodon – Emperor of Sand
…Mastodon has definitely made something that will stay in our memories for quite a long time. (read full review here)
Open Access – Towards the Wilderness
…“Toward the Wilderness” is a pristine record that is nigh unforgettable should you give it its due attention. (read full review here)
Mammoth Mammoth – Mount the Mountain
…the epitome of good friends having a fucking rip-snorting time together, and sharing the party with everyone else through their masterful riffs and stoner hypnosis. (read full review here)
Heathen Beast – $cam
…if you’re willing to go down the rabbit hole, then allow “$cam” to be your guide and prepare yourself. It’s one fucking hell of a trip. (read full review here)
Alestorm – No Grave But the Sea
…There are so many people who say that you can’t be successful and have fun, yet that is the exact fucking deal with Alestorm. (read full review here)
Entrails – World Inferno
…unrelenting, filled with anger, and monstrous in every form that it’s impossible to keep down for too long… (read full review here)
Ye Banished Privateers – First Night Back in Port
…a mind-blowing, multi-faceted, entertaining, intoxicating, adventurous, and complete album that hasn’t been done before in the history of the world! (read full review here)
Head-Banger Reviews 