Album Of The Year Rankings

I admit, it is kinda early to call it since it's only beginning of December but there have been no releases slated in this month at least so I think I can fairly assure myself that there will be no surprises until the year. Not like anything is gonna top the number one pick anyway.

This year overall can be considered a year of comebacks and old guards, as five of these were dropped by already established bands, some of them more than thirty years in the music business. It is also important to clarify for the sake of fairness that I'm very much a metal guy, so all of these will be metal albums. Another note is that you should absolutely listen to all six of these and not just the number one pick, although I cannot stop you in this regard.

Anyways, without further digressions, let's begin.

6. Destruction - Birth Of Malice

Last few Destruction albums have been 50/50. While you could find absolutely monumental thrashers, you would also find equal amounts of filler. I came pretty close to giving up on Destruction ever releasing a great album which is a shame because they are by far one of my favorite thrash metal bands around.

"Birth Of Malice" thankfully fixes this issue by bringing in some fresh, although admitedly hired guns to fill in Siflinger's shoes, something Schmier already tried on the previous album. The album is a blazing thrasher through and through, with standouts such as "Destruction" (hey they finally made a self-titled track, took them only 30+ years), "No Kings, No Masters" a straightforward sledgehammer to the face energetic thrasher and this album's leading single and "Scumbag Human Race". Really only thing I will complain about is that "Fast As A Shark" cover is absolutely not neccesary even if admitedly well done, as the sheer hype the speed of this track generated back in the 80s is kinda gone.

5. Cradle Of Filth - Screaming Of The Valkyries

Predictable my ass, yes it follows the formula certainly to a degree, but Cradle keeps going with same high energy they found almost ten years back on "Hammer Of The Witches". While there has been recently dramas (Cradle and drama go together like bread and butter at this point) this absolutely does not detract from quality of this record.

With great production all around, and some top-notch songwriting, the worn-out voice of Dani Filth is covered by some amazing riffs, orchestrations and angelic female vocals when they do come around. "White Helebrone" is an easy standout, along with the lead single "To Live Deliciously" which is going to invite some fond memories of classic Cradle from the 90s.

4. Avantasia - Here Be Dragons

Tobias Sammet, the over-the-top master of self-indulgent, majestic, operatic, symphonic and powerful sound, fumbled for the first time with Avantasia in 2022 with "Paranormal Evening With Moonflower Society". While the record wasn't without its strengths, compared to "Moonglow" ball was dropped-HARD!!!

Which raised some doubts. Is it a sign of Avantasia finally entering its creatively bankrupt phase or will the man with the funny hat actually manage to pull out with all the style and extravagance his supergroup became known for?

Thankfully, other than by the numbers AOR track "Creepshow", the other leading singles "The Witch" and "Against The Wind" showcased that there might be more to this record than what initially seemed. Thankfully, it was the later.

Although it doesn't reach the heights of "Moonglow", this is a much better constructed, baked and season meal than the borderline unfinished predecessor.

3. Elvenking - Reader Of The Runes: Luna

This year was also the one where the closing chapter of Elvenking's conceptual trilogy was released, although it was written and recorded along with "ROTR: Rapture" back in 2023, which was also among my albums of the year.

Luna represents the culmination and climax of all the elements present on "ROTR: Divination" and "ROTR: Rapture". The choruses are much more destructive this time around, lead guitar work is further enhanced, and death and black metal parts are given even more prominence, with "Stormcarrier" being mostly sung with death growls.

That is not to say folk/power goodness takes a back seat either. "Season Of The Owl" already sets the tone as the upcoming finale, "Luna" is by far one of the most infectious songs, "Throes Of Atonement" pays clear tribute to Elvenking's foundational heores (Helloween and Gamma Ray in this case), "The Weeping" strains the tension until it all ends in the best way possible. With a ten-minute epic song that succesfulyl combines new ideas with references to the previous one "Reader Of The Runes - Book I".

2. Testament - Para Bellum

Testament have been very solid for the past few albums, but their last truly great album for me was "Formation Of Damnation" ("The Gathering" and "The Legacy" go without saying) all the way back in 2008. While there was certainly nothing wrong with their latest offerings, part of me started to wonder if they will ever approach their 2008 masterpiece.

Enter "Para Bellum", an album that I was certain until last week that it would be the uncontested AOTY in my head. I can't even blame myself; the band sounds fresh as back when they made "The Gathering", constantly shooting out riffs infused with blackened death metal goodness that showcases the thrash titans breaking new ground in their career. All the way from "For The Love Of Pain" through pseudo-ballad "Meant to be" to the title track, there is not a single boring moment here. Not. A. Single. One. Considering this is album without Gene Hoglan, THE drummer in basically entire metal, it's a major surprise that "Para Bellum" was as great as it was.

So, with all those high praises, how the hell is it not number one here?

Well...

1. Broken By The Scream - Solar Strain

Anime girl on the album cover. And it's supposed to be deathcore/metalcore. It's also an idol group technically so on the cover this doesn't seem to be anything more than an attempt at commercialism if you're not too familiar with J-metal scene.

You are wrong. Dead fucking wrong. Admittedly even I wasn't expecting two months ago after "Para Bellum" dropped that I'd be giving the AOTY title to a metalcore/deathcore album. Hell, both metalcore and deathcore have been on life support for past few years.

So, going in without much hope for anything I pressed play. Then "Andromeda" started to completely rip apart all the notions I had about what I thought was going to be solid but ultimately generic deathcore record. "Andromeda" is packed with so much ideas, so much amazing death growls, shrieks and clean vocals, amazing fucking death metal and thrash metal style riffs and power metal style leads, licks and solos. And just when you think this formula is what's going to follow you through most of the album, that you'll eventually settle into a predictable routine, there's a proggy monkey wrench thrown your way just to keep your ears expecting more.

I said this album has amazing riffs. But what I should have said is that it prints amazing death/thrash riffs and power metal leads and solos like it's the goddamn United States Federal Reserve. And all of these are then backed up by the absolutely amazing interplay between death growls, black metal shrieks and J-pop style clean vocals. Did I mention it also uses J-pop style hooks for choruses and DOESN'T turn it into a tacky gimmick or a fad, no they enhance the infectious character of every single song on here. AH! I HAVE NO MORE ORGANS, THIS ALBUM HAS COMPLETELY RIPPED THEM OUT!!!

Rest of the guys on this list did nothing wrong, in fact Testament sounded as fresh as when they were young like I said before. But if "Para Bellum" is an all killer, no filler record, "Solar Strain" just annihilates everything in front of it with like a genocidal maniac. AND NOW I'M BLEEDING OUT WHILE LISTENING TO THAT 14 MINUTE CLOSER, AHHHHHH GO LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL GONNA LOVE GETTING KILLED BY THIS!!!