Nov 282013
 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates the holiday, and condolences to everyone who feels they have nothing to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving used to be a pivot-point in the year in the U.S. — it marked the end of normal life and the beginning of the Christmas onslaught. Now, however, the onslaught begins before Thanksgiving, though I guess Black Friday will be as black as it ever was. Thanksgiving also sort of begins a countdown to the end of the year, and in the world of metal, we’ll start seeing more and more lists of the year’s best albums.

Back in 2009, when this site was just a few days old, I wrote a post about year-end lists and why people bother with them. The best reason still seems to be this: Reading someone else’s list of the albums they thought were best is a good way to discover music you missed and might like.

We don’t do an “official” NCS year-end “best albums” list. However, we publish the picks of each of both our regular staff writers as well as  guest writers (which we’ll start doing in December), and we also publish the year-end lists that major metal publications and “big platform” web sites are compiling; we started doing that yesterday with DECIBEL magazine’s list of 2013’s Top 40 Albums (and you probably forgot, but we also posted MSN Entertainment’s list of the Top 50 metal albums back in September (?!?)).

But the Thanksgiving Day tradition here at NCS is also to invite our readers to share their lists. If YOU have made your own list of the best metal albums or EPs you heard this year, we want to see it. (details about this invitation are after the jump . . .)

In the Comments to this post, give us your own list of the metal albums you’ve heard in 2013 that you thought were the best. It doesn’t have to be a specific number — doesn’t have to be a “Top 10″ or “Top 20″ list, it could be a Top 2 list or a Top 15, or any other number.

And it doesn’t have to be a cross-genre list, i.e., the best of all metal you’ve heard this year.  It could be the best hardcore albums you heard, or the best death metal, or the best black metal, or the best grind, or the best folk metal, and on and on — pretty much whatever you want to do and feel comfortable doing, as long as it fits your definition of metal.

Don’t be shy, and don’t worry about being judged — if you haven’t figured it out already, it ain’t our style or the style of our commenters to ridicule what someone else thinks is great metal. If you don’t have a list ready yet, no sweat, because you can come back to this post whenever you like and add your list later — or comment on the lists others have posted. I’ll put a link to this post at the top right side of every page so people can find it quickly — look for the link to 2013 NCS READERS’ YEAR-END LISTS. That will make the comments to this post a collection point for “Best of” readers’ lists.

So start thinking and start commenting (please, and thank you).

  156 Responses to “LISTMANIA 2013: AN INVITATION FOR YOUR LISTS”

  1. Caladan Brood- Echoes of Battle
    Encircling Sea- A Forgotten Land
    Underling- Breath Deeply
    Terror- Live by the Code
    Sul Ad Astral/Isle of Skye – The Observant Darkness (split)
    Norma Jean – Wrongdoers
    Ihsahn – Das Seelenbrechen
    Entropia – Vesper
    Deafheaven – Sunbather
    Counterparts – The Difference Between Hell and Home
    Clouds Collide – Until the Wind Stops Blowing….

    and absolutely nothing by Amiensus/Oak Pantheon cause they’re psrs

    • Well, this is what I was talking about in the post concerning the discovery of music that might have been missed — despite how much metal I’ve listened to this year, I’ve only heard two of the albums on your list. But calling Amiensus and Oak Pantheon psrs? I must respectfully disagree!

    • Agreed with Norma Jean. I had never really given them a chance (I think I have one of their other albums that I found in a clearance section of my local record store for a dollar or two), but Wrongdoers is solid. A cool yin-and-yang mix between short Dillinger-ian mathcore bursts and some more drawn out epics.

      • Meridional is pretty good, its the disc that precedes Wrongdoers. I also have a fondness for O God, The Aftermath and half of Redeemer as well.

        • I think I have O God, The Aftermath. Just a minute … … …. … … yup, that’s the one. One of my better bargain bin pickups, though my two best have to be Reign in Blood and BTBAM’s Colors for $2 each.

          • Haha, I actually don’t own Colors. I have Colors live that came with the DVD, but have never owned the original disc.

            • It’s still my favorite from them. Parallax II was a close contender (especially with the funk-to-surf-rock oddity that was “Bloom”), but Colors still takes the cake.

  2. 2 albums are tied at the top of my list:

    Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows Of Nostalgia
    Necrowretch – Putrid Death Sorcery

  3. In no particular order:

    Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows Of Nostalgia
    Necrowretch – Putrid Death Sorcery
    Procession – To Reap Heavens Apart
    Magic Circle – Magic Circle
    Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
    Inquisition – Obscure Verses for The Multiverse
    Fleshgod Apocalypse – Labyrinth
    Csejthe – Reeminiscence
    Regarde Les Hommes Tombre – Regarde Les Hommes Tombre
    Carcass – Surgical Steel

  4. Oh yes!!! This is what i’ve been waiting for!!! Brilliant.

  5. Gorguts – Colored Sands

    Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum

    Carcass – Surgical Steel

    Mammoth Grinder – Underworlds

    Inter Arma – Sky Burial

    In Solitude – Sister

    Swans – Not Here Not Now

    Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles

    Man’s Gin – Rebellion Hymns

    Run The Jewels – self titled

    Death Grips – Government Plates

    that just scratches the surface of my favorites from all genres, but metal, stuff like metal i.e. Swans and Man’s Gin, rap and whatever the Death Grips are. Not sure these are necessarily the best but they all stood out to me. I listened to a *ton* of new music this year so I’m sure I’m forgetting things. I’ve already seen a bunch of stuff people posted I haven’t listened to and some stuff I meant to listen to and haven’t gotten around to yet (i.e. Inquisition).

    • Mammoth Grinder was absolutely devastating.

    • I finally listened to the new Gorguts maybe a week or two ago. I feel stupid for putting it off that long. I relistened to Inter Arma just a couple of nights ago too – that record is MASSIVE.

    • Run the Jewels was AWESOME. Did you listen to/enjoy R.A.P. Music as well? Best start-to-finish rap album in years, IMHO. Grave Miasma was great too, nailed down the songwriting and atmosphere that made OSDM so good in the first place. Great list!

      • Yeah, I like R.A.P. Music a lot. El-P has been my favorite rap / hip hop artist for a long time so I check out pretty much anything with his name attached to it. It’s always nice finding fellow rap enthusiasts on metal forums.

        I am meaning to check out Ulcerate’s Vermis again. I listened to it once but I thought it was a little too complex for me to figure it out after one listen or assign it to any kind of list like this.

    • Death Grips are awesome!

  6. in no particular order.

    celeste – animale(s)
    deafheaven – sunbather
    darkthrone – the underground resistance
    slugde – born of slime
    kvelertak – meir
    shining (norway) – one one one
    fallujah – nomadic (yes i know its an EP but its so goood)
    carcass – surgical steel
    finntroll – blodsvept
    fen – dustwalker

    there are still a shitload of albums i have not listened to yet but so far these are the bands that i listened to the most as far as metal from 2013.

  7. Not quite in order, but a bit more heavily weighted towards the top:

    Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
    Carcass – Surgical Steel
    Gorguts – Colored Sands
    Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
    Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods
    Atlantean Kodex – The White Goddess
    Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse
    Blood Red Throne – Blood Red Throne
    Rivers of Nihil – The Conscious Seed of Light
    Revocation – Revocation

    Honorable mentions (these could move there way into the top 10 once I’ve had a chance to listen to them more):
    Blood Mortized – The Demon, the Angel, the Disease
    Deicide – In the Minds of Evil

  8. My Top 5:
    1. In Vain-Aenigma
    2. Leprous-Coal
    3. Omnium Gatherum-Beyond
    4. Amorphis-Circle
    5. Persefone-Spiritual Migration
    Honorable Mentions: Fleshgod Apocalypse-Labyrinth, Wolfheart-Winterborn, Soilworki-The Living Infinite, Dark Tranquillity-Construct

  9. YOU’RE FIRED. NO LISTS ‘TIL AFTER THANKSGIVING.

  10. Not a single mention of Ulcerate’s Vermis. I am disappointed.

    • I keep forgetting to check this album out, their last release was amazing and i read a lot about this one. I’m almost scared thought because of the anticipation it has.

  11. I don’t have a list because I can’t play favorites to save my life, but I have to give some love to Arsis’ “Unwelcome.” Like quite a few people, I wasn’t a huge fan of Starve for the Devil, and Unwelcome felt like a return to form. Plus, the deluxe version came with a sweet redux of Face of my Innocence, and the ever-hysterical cover of Sunglasses at Night.

  12. Tribulation – The Formulas Of Death – hands down, my favorite album of the year. I enjoyed their previous album but was totally unprepared for this epic. A breath of freshly fetid air.

    Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
    In Vain – Aenigma
    Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
    Ghost – Infestissumam
    Kvelertak – Meir
    Watain – The Wild Hunt
    Vhol- Vhol
    Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower
    Denouncement Pyre – Almighty Arcanum

    • Dude, The Formulas Of Death is fucking BADASS. It’s so atmospheric, yet so straightforward. Definitely one of my favorites. What’s your favorite track off it? If I had to pick mine, it would probably be “Wanderer In The Outer Darkness”. Love this album.

  13. I shouldn’t really have a full list since I didn’t buy a ton of new albums this year… But these stuck out to me this year and I hope some people check these out and see why!
    (Artist – Album)
    Full of Hell – Rudiments of Mutilation
    Seven Sisters of Sleep – Opium Morals
    Voivod – Target Earth
    Sacrament ov Impurity – Anguishing in Obscurity
    Biipiigwan – Something for Everyone; Nothing for Anyone
    And some notable releases from local bands in SLC, UT:
    Huldra – Monuments, Monoliths
    The Obliterate Plague – The Wrath of Cthulhu

  14. Procession – To Reap Heavens Apart
    Verminous – The Unholy Communion
    Ataraxie – L’Être et la Nausée
    Neige Éternelle – Neige Éternelle
    Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
    Satan – Life Sentence
    Craven Idol – Towards Eschaton
    Veneror – Percussimus Foedus cum Morte
    Vorum – Poisoned Void
    Violator – Scenarios of Brutality
    Demonic Rage – Venomous Wine from Putrid Bodies
    Djevel – Besatt av Maane og Natt
    Pentagram Chile – The Malefice
    Tribulation – The Formulas of Death
    Denouncement Pyre – Almighty Arcanum

  15. I’m actually quite surprised that there’s no mention of:
    Nightkin – Nox Aeterna
    Freya – Paragon of the Crucible
    Fit for an Autopsy – Hellbound
    *i haven’t purchased these but I listened to them multiple times online and I figured they would at least make a few lists! Same with the new Voivod!!!

    • I have been kinda trying to figure out what deathcore is and what it is all about lately (lulz, I know), and I checked out that Fit For An Autopsy album and I thought it was pretty good actually.

  16. hope everyone is having a nice holiday!

    Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods
    Aosoth – IV: An Arrow in Heart
    Arsis – Unwelcome
    Battlecross – War of Will
    The Black Dahlia Murder – Everblack
    Black Fast – Starving Out the Light
    Blood Red Throne – Blood Red Throne
    Carcass – Surgical Steel
    Chimaira – Crown of Phantoms
    Dark Tranquility – Construct
    Deicide – In the Minds of Evil
    Demonical – Darkness Unbound
    Exhumed – Necrocracy
    Facebreaker – Dedicated to the Flesh
    Feared – Vinter
    Generation Kill – We’re All Gonna Die
    Grave – Morbid Ascent
    Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
    Havok – Unnatural Selection
    Heaven Shall Burn – Veto
    Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy
    Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
    Jungle Rot – Terror Regime
    Just Before Dawn – Precis innan gryningen
    Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent
    The Modern Age of Slavery – Requiem for Us All
    The Monolith DeathCult – Tetragrammaton
    Necronomicon – Rise of the Elder Ones
    Obliteration – Black Death Horizon
    Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals – Walk Through Exits Only
    Portal – Vexovoid
    Revocation – Revocation
    Rivers of Nihil – The Conscious Seed of Light
    Six Feet Under – Unborn
    Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
    Soilwork – The Living Infinite
    Strychnia – Reanimated Monstrosity
    Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam
    Svart Crown – Profane
    Unhuman – Unhuman

  17. For anyone who cares

    My top 15 metal releases in no order though are

    The Schoenberg Automaton – Vela
    Oranssi Pazuzu – Valonielu
    Misery Signals – Absent Light
    Wormlust – The Feral Wisdom
    Portal – Vexovoid
    Within The Ruins – Elite
    Antigama – Meteor
    Ævangelist – Omen Ex Simulacra
    Full Of Hell – Rudiments Of Mutilation
    Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
    Gorguts – Colored Sands / Ulcerate – Vermis (can’t decide which i like more but I like them both equally for similar reasons!)
    Cultes des Ghoules – Henbane
    Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
    Psychofagist – Songs of Faint and Distortion
    Altars – Paramnesia

    For other honorable mentions from this year here’s a list i’ve been working on. Anything from the chuggy deathcore you’ve heard this year to the grimmest frostbitten black metal from this year in terms of metal.

    http://rateyourmusic.com/list/xVictimOfADownx/favorites_of_2013__a_work_in_progress_/

  18. Gorguts – Colored Sands
    Nails – Abandon All Life
    Russian Circles – Memorial
    Obliteration – Black Death Horizon
    Iron Lung – White Glove Test
    Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy
    Coffins – The Fleshland
    Portal – Vexovoid
    Sacriphyx – The Western Front
    Church of Misery – Thy Kingdom Scum

  19. Top 15 in no order:

    Agrimonia- Rites of Separation

    Altar of Plagues- Teethed Glory & Injury

    October Falls- The Plague of a Coming Age

    Primitive Man- Scorn

    Atlantean Kodex- The White Goddess

    The Ocean- Pelagial

    Cult of Luna- Vertikal

    Beastwars- Blood Becomes Fire

    Rotting Christ- Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy

    Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed

    Thrawsunblat- Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings

    Vattnet Viskar- Sky Swallower

    Batillus- Concrete Sustain

    Nails- Abandon All Life

    Witherscape- The Inheritance

  20. Ulcerate – “Vermis”
    Gorguts – “Colored Sands”
    Immolation – “Kingdom of Conspiracy”
    Tribulation – “The Formulas of Death”
    Watain – “The Wild Hunt”
    Vreid – “Welcome Farewell”
    Svart Crown – “Profane”
    Toxic Holocaust – “Chemistry of Consciousness”
    Summoning – “Old Mornings Dawn”
    Fleshgod Apocalypse – “Labyrinth”
    Hail Of Bullets – “III: The Rommel Chronicles”
    Eye Of Solitude – “Canto III”
    The Ocean – “Pelagial”
    Altar Of Plagues – “Tethed Glory and Injury”
    Cult Of Luna “Vertikal”
    Portal – “Vexovoid”
    Grave Miasma – “Odori Sepulcrorum”
    Krypts – “Unending Degradation”
    Sulphur Aeon – “Swallowed By The Ocean Tide”
    Deafheaven – “Sunbather”
    Gigan – ” Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery And Super Science”
    Wolvserpent – “Perigaea Antahkarana”
    Lithotome – “Lithotome”
    In Solitude – “Sister”
    Deeds Of Flesh – “Portals To Canaan”
    Inter Arma – Sky Burial
    Hexvessel – “No Holier Temple”

  21. Feels like I’ve completely missed this year and still catching up with last years releases. There’s so much I haven’t gotten around to yet. I’m actually suprised of the amount of black metal on the list.

    Aosoth – IV: Arrow In Heart
    Cultes Des Ghoules – Henbane
    Gris – À L’âme Enflammée, L’äme Constellée…
    Guttural Secrete – Nourishing The Spoil
    Gloryhammer – Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife
    Hebosagil – Lähto
    KEN Mode – Entrench
    Inquisition – Obscure Verses For The Multiverse
    The Monolithic Deathcult – Tetragrammaton
    Nails – Abandon All Life
    Noisem – Agony Defined
    Pest [SE] – The Crowning Horror
    Portal – Vexovoid
    Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry Of Consiousness
    War Cross – Warcross [DEMO]
    Wormed – Exodromos

    ———————————
    Great non-metal releases:

    Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain
    Dalindèo – Kallio
    The Devil Makes Three – I’m A Stranger Here

  22. It seems I’m late to the party !

    My favorite albums of the year, in no particular order :

    Cryptic Forest – Ystyr
    Black Sabbath – 13
    Woe – Withdrawal
    Frigoris – Wind
    Vreid – Welcome Farewell
    Watain – The Wild Hunt
    Thrawsunblat – Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings
    Tyr – Valkyrja
    October Tide – Tunnel of No Light
    Wędrujący Wiatr – Tam, Gdzie Miesiąc Opłakuje świt
    Persefone – Spiritual Migration
    Mephistopheles – Sounds of the End
    Okular – Sexforce
    Ctulu – Seelenspiegelsplitter
    Arsaidh – Roots
    Orpheus Omega – Resillusion
    Dichotomy – Paradigms
    Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
    Unbreath – My Faith Against Me
    Officium Triste – Mors Viri
    Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows of Nostalgia
    Seth – The Howling Spirit
    Anciients – Heart of Oak
    Mourning Beloveth – Formless
    Ataraxie – L’être et la Nausée
    Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
    Bodyfarm – The Coming Scourge
    Chthonic – Bu-Tik
    Howl – Bloodlines
    Norhod – The Blazing Lily
    Hanging Garden – At Every Door
    Seeds of Iblis – Anti Quran Rituals
    Vorna – Ajastaika

  23. I’ve been kinda broke for the latter part of the year, so there’s still a bunch of albums I’d like to get my hands on. But so far I’d say:

    Mechina – Empyrean. Holy shit they really took things to the next level.
    Byzantine – S/T. I have to admit this is the first album of theirs I own, sad I didn’t hear of them earlier.
    Rotting Christ – Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
    Nothnegal EP
    Dreaming Dead – Midnightmares. This album’s probably about half instrumental, some really good musicianship on show in a stripped-down setting.
    Summoning – Old Morning’s Dawn
    Hope For The Dying – Aletheia.
    Eye of Solitude – Canto III.

    And a few worthy mentions:
    Adora Vivos – Toward the Empyrean. For fans of Amiensus (features some of the same musos)
    Ancient Vvisdom – Deathlike
    Ryan Amon – Elysium soundtrack
    In Vain – Aenigma. The latter half of the album didn’t really hold me as much as the start, otherwise I’d put it higher.

    December could still hold a few surprises. Lorelei should drop their album soon.

    • Adora Vivos hit the spot. Thank you for that.

      • Sweet, always good to find new stuff from a random blog comment. There’s alot of stuff mentioned here I’m obviously going to have to check out. I’m gonna need a whole week of pure music listening judging by these lists.

  24. Woe – Withdrawal
    Saprogenic – Expanding Toward Collapsed Lungs
    Gorguts – Colored Sands
    Portail – Vexovoid
    3 Parts Demon – Eden, Post Exodus
    Scorned Deity – Adventum
    All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature

    Additionally, I’d like to place the new releases from Deicide and Watain in the disappointment category

  25. Because I’m curious, and because I’m a hopeless dork, I made a list of all the titles listed so far in these comments and sorted it alphabetically, so see what was getting the most votes. The lists are so diverse that the majority of releases were mentioned only once or twice. Here are the ones that have appeared more than twice so far:

    Gorguts (6)
    Portal (6)
    Carcass (5)
    Inquisition (5)
    Altar of Plagues (3)
    Caladan Brood (3)
    Deafheaven (3)
    Grave Miasma (3)
    Hail of Bullets (3)
    Immolation (3)
    Nails (3)
    Skeletonwitch (3)
    Watain (3)

    I’ll keep the list running as more comments appear.

  26. My favorites this year, alphabetically.
    Abyssal – Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius
    Byzantine – s/t
    Carcass – Surgical Steel
    Clutch – Earth Rocker
    Ghost – Infestissumam
    Haapoja – s/t
    Incarnator – Caeca Superstitio
    Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent
    Of Wolves – Evolve
    Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals – Walk Through Exits Only
    Revocation – s/t
    Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
    The Sons of Perdition – Merciless Metal of Perdition
    Tsar Bomba – Silent Queen
    Vampire Squid – Sea’s Control
    Watain – The Wild Hunt

  27. Could still change but this is where I’m at right now:
    1. The Ocean – Pelagial
    2. Caligula’s Horse – The Tide, the Thief & River’s End
    3. The Safety Fire – Mouth of Swords
    4. The Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us Is the Killer
    5. In Vain – Ænigma
    6. Steak Number Eight – The Hutch
    7. Leprous – Coal
    8. Protest the Hero – Volition
    9. East of the Wall – Redaction Artifacts
    10. Misery Signals – Absent Light

    • This list is the correct one. I say that solely because it’s the first one I’ve seen that correctly puts Pelagial at number one.

    • Yay, someone else that has Caligula’s Horse on their list! It quickly went straight into number 1 on my end of the year list. Such a perfect album.

  28. No particular order, includes non-metal release. My 9

    Touche Amore – Is Survived By
    City & Colour – The Hurry & The Harm
    Cult of Luna – Vertikal
    Palms- Self-titled(Palms)
    August Burns Red – Rescue & Restore
    Deafheaven – Sunbather
    Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing
    Pearl Jam – Lightning Bolt
    Fallujah – Nomadic

  29. My list is subject to change in the upcoming month but for now:
    1.Gorguts – Colored Sands
    2.Carcass – Surgical Steel
    3.Kvelertak – Meir
    4.Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
    5.Clutch – Earthrocker
    6.Revocation – Revocation
    7.Skeletonwitch – Serpents Unleashed
    8.Black Crown Initiate – Song of the Crippled Bull
    9.Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
    10.Fallujah – Nomadic
    11.ASG – Blood Drive
    12.Thy Art is Murder – Hate
    13.Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam
    14.Hanging Garden – At Every Door
    15.Ghost B.C. – Infestissumam

  30. Also…
    Seizures – The Sanity Universal

  31. Shit.. I have forgotten about alot of these records already, thinking they came out last year. i mean Rotting Christ? feels like that came out forever ago, and i still havent givenit the time it deserves.. same goes for almost everyhing else this year.. gonna have to go through my buys and downloads, listen through most of it, THEN maybe almost make a list.

    • Truer words have never been spoken.

    • I was thinking the same thing as I saw Rotting Christ pop up on a few of these lists. I really liked that album a lot, but it came out so long ago that I just about forgot it was a 2013 album. I also think it hasn’t gotten nearly the love and attention it deserves.

  32. It’s really hard to pick a few albums, as this year (in my opinion) was a great one. Anyway, here goes:

    15. Broken Hope – Omen of Disease
    14. Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
    13. Deicide – In the Minds of Evil
    12. Magister Dixit – Maze of a Thousand Ways
    11. Gorguts – Colored Sands
    10. Aeons of Eclipse – The Parasite
    9. Kataklysm – Waiting for the End to Come
    8. Among Gods – Among Gods
    7. Rottrevore – Hung by the Eyesockets
    6. Avulsed – Ritual Zombi
    5. Watain – The Wild Hunt
    4. Exhumed – Necrocracy
    3. Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
    2. Hail of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
    1. Carcass – Surgical Steel

  33. Most of my own stuff has been corwed out with newer albums, so far I’ve gotten “81” 2013 releases, not to mention stuff that has come out last year or even in the preceeding 10 years. So I’ve gotten a lot this year alone. Now as to a list, that I can’t do, but I can layer it (to a degree), as in certain albums are the best I’ve heard, others are excellent, and then the honorable mentions. So lets start:

    Best of the Best:
    Shining – One One One
    Progenie Terrestra Pura – U.M.A.
    Entropia – Vesper
    Vow of Thorns – Forest Dweller
    Throat – Manhole

    Excellent Releases:
    American Head Charge – Shoot
    Antinomian – Hihilum Infandum
    Blood Tsunami – For Faen!
    Caladan Brood – Echoes of Battle
    Dread Soverign – Pray to the Devil in Man
    Ellende – Ellende
    Filter – The Sun Comes out Tonight
    Luctus – Stotis
    Manzer – Light of the Wrecker
    N.D.C.I.C. (None Dare Call It Conspiracy) – Tales of the Lost
    Red Eleven – Idiot Factory
    Rotting Christ – Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού
    Sacriphyx – The Western Front
    Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
    Sons of Aeon – Sons of Aeon
    Thy Light – No Morrow Shall Dawn
    Turisas – Turisas2013
    Twilight of the Gods – Fire on the Mountain
    Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower
    Chthonic – Bú-Tik

    Honorable mentions and one’s that I haven’t had time to Listen to properly
    – Augur Nox
    Beneath the Storm – Tempels of Doom
    Bliss of Flesh – Beati Pauperes Spiritu
    Bobmus – The Poet and the Parrot
    Clandestine Blaze – Harmony of Struggle
    Dark Tranquillity – Construct
    Dunkelnacht – Revelatio
    Eternium – Repelling a Solar Giant
    Evergreen Refuge – As the Fires Burn / Weminuchia
    geÄst – Wanderer
    Plus many many more

    • Dam, it seams like you can’t use the “less than” or “great than” signs. The first one should read:
      Code – Augur Nox

  34. That time of the year again ehh? Boy oh boy oh boy, I can’t wait to see all the lists that will be posted on this site during this and the upcoming month 🙂 It sure makes up for the fact that December is typically a bit lackluster in terms of quality releases. So I’ve compiled a list – of which some releases might be considered from the realm of ‘un-metal’, but fuck it – and I tried and put them in an actual order. I have even gone and explained why I liked the albums I put in the list. So yeah, this is gonna be a very, very long fucking post – apologies in advance.
    1. The Ocean – Pelagial
    At the very moment this bomb was dropped unto the world of metal I was pretty sure this would be my personal favourite of the year. The album has everything – soft gentle melodies, crushing heavy headbanging moments, deep and meaningful lyrics and an awesome overarching theme that connects all the dots and makes the album not only feel like a whole; it feels like a journey. I would like to share that I am SO glad that Robin Staps invited Loïc Rossetti – who was recovering from a voice-related injury I believe – in the end to do vocals for the album. I mean, the instrumental version is really good too but if I’m honest the stellar vocals Loïc produced are essential to making the album what it is. Personal favorites in this album are “Signals of Anxiety” and “Let them Believe”.
    2. In Vain – Aenigma
    I’ve been familiar with In Vain for a while and have been enjoying The Latter Rain and Mantra thoroughly, but seriously, Aenigma lifted these guys to a whole new level of songwriting. From the first notes of “Against the Grain” the album grabs my attention and does not let go until the dying moments of “Floating on the Murmuring Tide”. Especially the latter of the two songs I mentioned is the best example of how much In Vain has evolved over the years; there’s so much variation, emotion and almost musical-like drama to that song.. “Culmination of the Enigma” is a really good one too, with one of the most infectious choruses of this year (and I did not post it in that thread, shame on me).
    3. Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
    I was not acquainted with these Finns before, but Omega Arcane is one hell of an introduction. This band takes elements from Septicflesh and Dimmu Borgir and crafts something new and fresh and obviously Finnish, which is a good thing of course. I refrain from using the word epic, but that’s what this album is – fucking epic. “Ruins”, “Dawnless Days” and “Nomad” are the brightest moments of this album (in a very dark manner).
    4. Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
    Despite the intensive use of electronics this album feels very organic – in a decaying or rotting kind of way. Teethed Glory and Injury is haunting and beautiful at the same time, and is Altar of Plagues’ best release thus far. I can’t stress enough what a severe loss for our metally world it is to have lost these guys recently; one can only hope they get back at some point and pick it up from here.
    5. Persefone – Spiritual Migration
    I never got into Shin-Ken so I was actually surprised just how much I dug Spiritual Migration when I did give it a shot after seeing all the love this record was getting on the interwebs. That may have to do that this album is both more melodic and proggy than their former releases, with the end-result that they resemble Uneven Structure and Stealing Axxion on this release, which are certainly my thing. Top tracks: “Mind as Universe” and “Inner Fullness”.
    6. Hanging Garden – At Every Door
    I am a sucker for the Finnish doom/death scene, and combined with hints of ‘80s goth it is pure joy for me. Being the third excellent album in a row I really hope these guys will get some more attention because they really deserve it. “Ten Thousand Cranes” and “Ash and Dust” are the best two tracks on this album to me.
    7. Ataraxie – L’Être et La Nausée
    Holy fuck shit this album is dark and depressing, in a very hypnotizing and good kind of way. Even though the songs get as long as 15 minutes the album never bores for a moment. I am very happy I discovered these sick French bastards, and should actually look into earlier releases (if they have those).
    8. The Fall of Every Season – Amends
    Amends is a very literal title for me, because to me they make amends for a not all that impressing debut album, which was atmospheric doom which copied elements from other bands that so many before have done better before. But this album sounds almost like a completely different band; it’s lighter, diverse and much more interesting than their former self. Oh and the album cover is awesome, and somehow reflects the music really well.
    9. Eye of Solitude – Canto III
    Death/doom with funeral elements at its best. The album is slow and dragging for the largest part, but the fact that it sometimes kicks you in the shins unexpectedly with fury makes it as good as it is to me.
    10. Wolfheart – Winterborn
    Good to see Tuomas Saukkonen hasn’t lost his touch after all the changes he’s gotten himself through last year by disbanding both Before the Dawn and Black Sun Aeon. I think in the end it’s for the best that he focuses his creativity on just one band, because to me it seemed that his records from the last two years (Blacklight Deliverance, Deathstar Rising, Rise of the Phoenix, Pimeys) all contained some really good songs but never quite felt complete. Winterborn does feel complete, and even though I think that Tuomas’ style had always been complemented by a clean singer and that it would be a finishing touch to Wolfheart, it contains some of the best songs Tuomas has written in his career (“Routa pt. 2”, “Ghosts of Karelia”, “Breathe”). I do hope he keeps releasing albums at the unrelenting pace he’s known for, but the fact that he stated to be working on the follow-up of ‘Winterborn’ already comforts me that he does.
    11. Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
    I initially thought this would be my personal contender for the #1 spot of album of the year, based upon the perfect 2011 release ‘New World Shadows’. Beyond, however, does not meet the innovativeness and the songwriting its predecessor had, but rather builds upon its foundation and gives us more songs to enjoy from that style. At first I hated the fact that Omnium Gatherum seemed to have stopped evolving, but as I listened to this album more and more (admittedly, it is quite easy on the ears) I recognized just how mature this album sounds and I started caring less and less that it didn’t surprise me as much as New World Shadows did. “Formidable”, “The Unknowing” and “White Palace” are my personal favorites.
    12. Steven Wilson – The Raven that Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)
    So this is the first of a few un-metal releases I included in this list, but I feel like most will forgive me for this one more than for some of the others since Steven Wilson always had close ties with the genre of metal. On “The Raven..” he takes a little from Blackfield, Porcupine Tree and ‘70s rock and does what he always does: live up to the sky-high expectations each Steven Wilson release has amongst fans.
    13. Heaven Shall Burn – Veto
    I never really was a big fan of Heaven Shall Burn in their metalcore-former-self. Seemingly after the Iconoclast albums ended in 2010 Heaven Shall Burn wanted to change things up a little, which resulted in Veto; an album that still sounds like Heaven Shall Burn but replaces almost all metalcore elements for melodic death metal. A really, really ambitious and enjoyable release that hopefully marks a new path for Heaven Shall Burn, because I really like the way things are going with Veto. Oh and respect for them covering “Valhalla” from Blind Guardian and making the song actually work.
    14. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Labyrinth
    The intertubes-hype that went with this album was not a surprise – 2011’s ‘Agony’ was a release that seemed to come out of nowhere and that sounded like Septicflesh with ADHD; goddamn that album was full-speed ball-kicking death metal with only one breather on the whole thing (“The Forsaking”). ‘Labyrinth’ meets most of the expectations that existed for ‘Agony’s successor but suffers from one significant flaw – the production. The album is LOUD all the friggin’ time! There can be no question that the songwriting on this album is excellent and the orchestration elements are once more used with taste, but a bit more balanced production would have given the album a bigger impact. Still, a very enjoyable release, especially at times like “Minotaur (Wrath of Poseidon)” and “Epilogue”.
    15. Korn – The Paradigm Shift
    Korn never was very popular amongst metalheads – mainly because they are very popular on the mainstreams and wrongfully classified as metal to the frustration of kvltists (post-grunge, nu-metal and alternative all work better). However, they were one of the first ‘heavy’ bands I got into as a teenager during the 1999-Issues and 2002-Untouchables period, and different from most others I still enjoy their albums quite a lot when I listen to them. However, since 2005’s See You on the Other Side – which marks the first album after the departure of guitarist and songwriter Brian ‘Head’ Welch – every album left a bad taste in my mouth, and felt like they’ve lost their way. I wouldn’t go as far to say that ‘The Paradigm Shift’ is among the best of their releases, but the return of ‘Head’ is certainly noticeable and results in this release sounding more like a follow-up to 2003’s excellent Take a Look in the Mirror than any other release since then did. And most importantly, they seem to be enjoying themselves more than ever, which is reflected in the songs – albeit formulaic, they are catchy, heavy and a blast to listen to. Now go and hate me because I put nu-metal in my list.
    16. Silver Tongue – Light bearer
    ‘Light Bearer’ is an excellent debut album from a band I hope to be hearing more from in the future. Anyone who likes the long and doomy kind of metal should really give this a go; especially “Beautiful is this Burden”.
    17. Hanging Garden – I Was a Soldier (EP)
    I am happy that I have an excuse to include Hanging Garden two times in my list, but the quality of “Summer to Winter Adverse”, “I Was a Soldier” and “Will You Share this Ending with Me?” give me no other choice than to put this EP here. Stylistically the songs resemble ‘At Every Door’, and everyone who enjoyed that release in January will not be disappointed by this one.
    18. Amorphis – Circle
    In theory Amorphis has all the elements that make me want to like them – they are from Finland, they combine death metal with folk influences, and their vocalist utilizes both grunts and cleanly sung vocals very well. Somehow though I never became a real fan (of their newer shell I should note), and that probably has to do with a combination of songwriting and production – I felt too ‘clean’ or ‘bland’, and no album never really made me a big fan. Circle, however, is a different kind of animal. I think it has to do with the fact that it was produced/mixed by Peter Tätgren, since the album sounds more ‘beautiful’ when it’s soft, and more ‘venomous’ when it’s loud. Listen to the opening riff of “Hopeless Days” and you’ll know what I mean.
    19. Pearl Jam – Lightning Bolt
    I am quite the fanboy of Eddie Vedder, and I pretty much auto-like everything he releases. In the case of ‘Lightning Bolt’ I rightfully do so I think, since it shows a group of musicians with nothing to prove that produce a fun and enjoyable album. It is by no means innovative or challenging, but that’s not the point.
    20. Dark Tranquillity – Construct
    Even though this album was one of the biggest disappointments of 2013 it still somehow ended up in my list. I anticipated this release for so long and was teased by the two really nice preview songs ‘Uniformity’ and ‘For Broken Words’, and statements such as ‘cleanest and most variable album since Projector’, that my expectations were sky-high. When I got my hands on this album I so badly wanted it to be as good and diverse as Projector (as promised) that at first it could do nothing but feel disappointed, since it really isn’t Projector 2.0. It’s actually more a logical follow-up on We Are the Void (arguably their least impressive release before this one) with more clean vocals, and more tracks that feel like they should be B-sides. However, after my initial response I started appreciating the album more for what it is; a still very enjoyable Dark Tranquillity release with some decent but forgettable, some good and one very, very good track. The latter track I mentione is “None Becoming”, easily among their best tracks ever made, and is the main reason why I included Construct in my top 25. Dark Tranquillity is a band for who I have the greatest respect and that has to prove nothing to no one, but I really hope the maturity of song-writing on their latest two albums will be complimented with the creativity of ‘Character’ and ‘Projector’ on their next release.
    21. October Falls – The Plague of a Coming Age
    An excellent atmospheric black metal release that reminds me of Agalloch on many occasions. Especially inviting the lead singer of Amorphis on two of the tracks was a good move – the combination of his clean vocals and October Falls’ melancholic style really complement one another. It makes me wonder why they don’t this thing more often.
    22. Fractal Gates – Beyond the Self
    I really hated the fact that Inborn Suffering quit after releasing a truly fucking good album last year. However, luckily part of that band can still be found and enjoyed in Fractal Gates – of which ‘Beyond the Self’ is their second release of space themed atmospheric melodic death metal, or something like that. None of the songs really jump out but the album’s really accessible and quite fun, and highly recommended to anyone who likes the lighter spectrum of death metal.
    23. Revocation – Revocation
    Thrashy death metal is thrashy death metal. I’m glad I picked this album up after streaming it for a bit, because there is so much to enjoy here. However, I have to admit I picked this album up only recently so probably it has to grow on me some more, but after a few spins I already recognized its potential and therefore it’s in this list.
    24. Bruce Soord with Jonas Renkse – Wisdom of Crowds
    The leadsingers of both the Pineapple Thief and Katatonia collaborating on a singer-songwriter proggy kind of rock album is an interesting thing. Not all songs work as well, but both singers’ performances are consistently superb, and the album has its brilliant moments.
    25. Vattner Viskar – Sky Swallower
    A very solid melodic death/doom release which I find myself returning to quite often, even though arguably nothing really innovative happens on this album. The singing reminds me of Mikael Stanne though, which is a good thing.

    So for everyone who managed to get through this post of neverending rambling; thanks! 🙂

    • Oh fucking thank you for Shade Empire – Omega Arcane. I’d never heard of these guys. Any description that reads ‘a Finnish Septic Flesh’ will perk my ears anyday. I’m going to have to check out some more of these too.

      • Yeah these guys are awesome. I’ve looked into their older releases as well – which are decent – but they seem to have found ‘their’ unique sound now on this release.

        Thanks for reading! 🙂 It’s good to know someone managed to uncipher my hidiously long post!

    • Finally someone has seen the light! It only took till Bathyalpelagic I for me to decide that this would undeniably be the best album of the year. They have that prize by a long shot, and haven’t come close to relinquishing it.

      • I’m really hoping it’ll take the album of the year in many lists as well 🙂 But the quality of fhe album is undeniable, I’m sure they will.

    • I came here solely to list that The Fall of Every Season album, certainly a top 5 for me and one I think many people missed out on, highly recommended.

  35. I am discovering alot of new albums and bands here. Gonna have to completely rewrite my nonexistant list now..

  36. I’m so helpless at making lists, mostly because it takes me, as the old fart I am, a loooooong time to “process” and finally “get” a new album. I’m starting NOW to make head or tails to RUSH’s “Clockwork Angels” that came out in 2012!
    Anyway, not wanting to sound like a whining pussy, I’ll put at the top of my non-list BYZANTINE, which I discovered through this site and ranks as my favourite metal album of 2013.
    GORGUTS is high-quality music but, ultimately, not my cup of tea.
    I’ll have to go back and re-listen to INTER ARMA, it’s been on my computer forever and still didn’t get a chance to listen to it properly.
    AYREON is a huge thing for me, so it’s certainly in my non-list, and also you guys reviewed it, so here it is.
    The big thing this year seems to be DEAFHAVEN, right? Well, I’ll admit that aside a couple of listens on YT I never ventured into their album. Too hipster. Yeah, I’m that kind of prejudiced. ^___^
    Actually, one of the best songs I’ve heard this year was the preview of the Entombed album you put on some days ago. I’m eagerly awaiting that release.

  37. Kvelertak – Meir
    Brutality – Ruins of Humans EP
    Kylesa – Ultraviolet
    Noisem – Agony Defined
    Tyrant Goatgaldrakona – Horns in the Dark
    Hellcannon – Soothsayer EP
    Birth A.D. – I blame you
    Black Dahlia Murder – Into The Ever black
    Leprous – Coal
    Hail of Bullets – III the Rommel Chronicles
    Black Fast – Starving out the light
    Verminous – The Unholy Communion
    Power Trip – Manifest Decimation
    Revocation – Revocation
    Inter Arma – Sky Burial
    Soilwork – The living infinite
    Lamb of God – As the Palaces Burn [Re-master]
    TesseracT – Altered State
    Left for Dead – Devoid Of Everything
    Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark
    Cloudkicker – Subsume
    Vildhjarta – Thousands of Evils [EP]
    Ghost – Infestissumam
    Dreamshade – The Gift of Life
    Tribulation – The Formulas of Death
    Satan (UK) – Life Sentence

    Pretty widespread, a little something for everyone.

  38. 1. Magic Circle – Magic Circle
    2. Sacriphyx – The Western Front
    3. Torture Chain – Mutilating Astral Entities
    4. Enforcer – Death By Fire
    5. Magister Templii – Lucifer Leviathan Logos
    6. Devil – Gather The Sinners
    7. Noctum – Final Sacrifice
    8. Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry of Consciousness
    9. Autopsy – The Headless Ritual
    10. Pest – The Crowning Horror
    11. Joel Grind – The Yellowgoat Sessions
    12. Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance
    13. Cultes des Ghoules – Henbane,…Or Sonic Compendium of The Black Arts
    14. Beyond – Fatal Power of Death
    15. Lycus – Tempest
    16. Vastum – Patricidal Lust
    17. Katechon – Man, God, Giant
    18. Bone Sickness – Alone In The Grave
    19. Wulkanaz – Paurpura Fraeovibokos
    20. Procession – To Reap Heaven’s Apart

  39. In no order:
    Vried- welcome Farewell
    Inquisition- obscure Verses For The Multiverse
    Amon Amarth- Deceiver of the Gods
    Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
    Arsis- unwelcome
    The Black Dahlia Murder- Everblack
    Kataklysm- Waiting for the End to Come
    Satan- Life Sentence
    Satan’s Host- Virgin Sails
    Carcass- Surgical Steel

  40. Shit what I done liked:

    The Ocean
    Carcass
    Leprous
    Clutch
    Ohio Sky
    Protest the Hero
    Grandfather
    Revocation
    Mandroid Echostar
    Butch Walker
    Pelican
    Anciients
    Alice in Chains
    Daft Punk
    Iron Tongue
    Ihsahn
    Melvins
    Svart Crown
    WHORES.
    Byzantine

  41. OK, here’s an updated list of the bands whose albums have appeared more than twice on the lists posted so far in the preceding Comments:

    Carcass (10)
    Gorguts (8)
    Inquisition (7)
    Revocation (7)
    Portal (6)
    Skeletonwitch (6)
    Hail of Bullets (5)
    The Ocean (5)
    Watain (5)
    Altar of Plagues (4)
    Byzantine (4)
    Caladan Brood (4)
    Deafheaven (4)
    Ghost B.C. (4)
    Grave Miasma (4)
    In Vain (4)
    Kvelertak (4)
    Leprous (4)
    Omnium Gatherum (4)
    Vattnet Viskar (4)
    Amon Amarth (3)
    Arsis (3)
    Ataraxie (3)
    Clutch (3)
    Cult of Luna (3)
    Cultes Des Ghoules (3)
    Eye of Solitude (3)
    Fallujah (3)
    Fleshgod Apocalypse (3)
    Hanging Garden (“At Every Door”) (3)
    Immolation (3)
    Inter Arma (3)
    Nails (3)
    Persefone (3)
    Procession (3)
    Rotting Christ (3)
    Sacriphyx (3)
    Satan (3)
    Shade Empire (3)
    Svart Crown (3)
    The Black Dahlia Murder (3)
    Toxic Holocaust (3)
    Tribulation (3)
    Vreid (3)

  42. For now, this will just be a top 20 of bands that need more love on this post.

    A.M.S.G
    Beyond
    Cerekloth
    Gris
    Haken
    Helcaraxe
    Lantern
    Man’s Gin
    Oranssi Pazuzu
    Pensees Nocturnes
    Progenie Terrestre Pura
    Quest of Aidance
    Slidhr
    Spektr
    Sulphur Aeon
    Thou Art Lord
    Twilight of the Gods
    VHOL
    Witherscape
    Wormed

    The fact that so many of these are being overlooked shows what a strong crop of metal 2013 has yielded.

  43. I am not ready to present my list yet, but I will name one album that will be on it. No one has mentioned it yet, and that surprises me.

    Extol – Extol

  44. 1. Caligula’s Horse – The Tide, The Thief and River’s End
    2. TesseracT – Altered State
    3. Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
    4. Earthtone9 – IV
    5. Vattnet Viskar – Sky Swallower
    6. Karnivool – Asymmetry
    7. Benea Reach – Possession
    8. Boysetsfire – While A Nation Sleeps
    9. The Amenta – Flesh Is Heir
    10. Soilwork – The Living Infinite

    11. The Sun Explodes – We Build Mountains
    12. Circles – Infinitas
    13. Mechina – Empyrean
    14. Deafheaven – Sunbather
    15. Crimson Dawn – In Strange Aeons…
    16. Moth – Endlessly In Motion
    17. Gorguts – Colored Sands
    18. Hacride – Back To Where You’ve Never Been
    19. Author and Punisher – Women & Children
    20. Disperse – Living Mirrors
    21. Dark Tranquillity – Construct
    22. Bear – Noumenon
    23. Castevet – Obsian
    24. Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
    25. Cyclamen – Ashura

    • Nice to see Earthtone9 and Benea Reach getting a mention, they were further down my list. Same goes for Boysetsfire but I must admit to finding the new album disappointing

  45. Wolfheart – Winterborn
    Omnium Gatherum – Beyond
    Kuolemanlaakso – Uljas uusi maailma
    Kuolemanlaakso – Musta aurinko nousee EP
    Hanging Garden – At every door

    And no, i’m not favouring the Finns, atleast consciouscly!

  46. Due to my listening habits I can’t really make out my favourites yet since I haven’t even listened to most albums this year three times. But the following ones are the more outstanding that came into my mind in no specific order. Well, at least Haken and Shade Empire are at the top for good reason 😉

    Haken – The Mountain
    Shade Empire – Omega Arcane
    ForTiorI – Chronicles
    Sphere – Primordial
    TesseracT – Altered State
    Chamber of Solace – Immortal
    Persefone – Spiritual Migration
    Dreamshade – The Gift of Life
    Jolly – The Audio Guide to Happiness (Part 2)
    Blutmond – The Revolution Is Dead!
    Above the Earth – Above the Earth
    Animations – Private Ghetto
    GERM – Grief
    Heavy Metal Ninjas – Interstellar Abduction
    Humanity’s Last Breath – Humanity’s Last Breath
    Ramage Inc. – Feel the Waves

  47. Here’s what is on my 2013 year end list (in no particular order):

    Soilwork – The Living Infinite
    Extol – Extol
    Finntroll – Blodsvept
    Dark Tranquility – Construct
    Burning Shadows – The Last One To Fall (EP, power metal)
    War of Will – Battlecross
    Amon Amarth – Deceiver Of The Gods

    Honorable Mention:
    Cannibal Corpse 25th Anniversary Box set – granted, it’s mostly older material but it’s a great place to start if by some strange reason you’re not familiar with them.

    • Loved War of Will. And Battlecross might be the happiest dudes ever on stage.

      • I almost forgot to mention Pelagial from The Ocean as well, really solid album. I’m tempted to go back and buy their discography off of Amazon or something. And yeah Leperkahn, Battlecross are some really happy guys on stage!

  48. Here’s one more updated count of the bands whose albums were named more than twice in the lists posted so far in this comment thread:

    Carcass (10)
    Gorguts (9)
    Inquisition (7)
    Revocation (7)
    Skeletonwitch (7)
    Portal (6)
    The Ocean (6)
    Altar of Plagues (5)
    Deafheaven (5)
    Hail of Bullets (5)
    Omnium Gatherum (5)
    Vattnet Viskar (5)
    Watain (5)
    Amon Amarth (4)
    Byzantine (4)
    Caladan Brood (4)
    Dark Tranquillity (4)
    Ghost B.C. (4)
    Grave Miasma (4)
    Hanging Garden (“At Every Door”) (4)
    In Vain (4)
    Kvelertak (4)
    Leprous (4)
    Shade Empire (4)
    Soilwork (4)
    Arsis (3)
    Ataraxie (3)
    Clutch (3)
    Cult of Luna (3)
    Cultes Des Ghoules (3)
    Eye of Solitude (3)
    Fallujah (3)
    Fleshgod Apocalypse (3)
    Immolation (3)
    Inter Arma (3)
    Nails (3)
    Persefone (3)
    Procession (3)
    Rotting Christ (3)
    Sacriphyx (3)
    Satan (3)
    Svart Crown (3)
    The Black Dahlia Murder (3)
    Toxic Holocaust (3)
    Tribulation (3)
    Vreid (3)

    • thanks for updating the count! Ha that’s probably the most “objective” way to determine what’s actually the best.

      • Hum, I respectfully disagree, sir. Carcass may well be the first in this list, I still don’t like it. I don’t think there’s any objectivity in the way we appreciate music 🙂 but lists are fun.

        • I suppose, plus think of all the really popular stuff that is actually crap. Well played sir. I wouldn’t say Carcass is the best album of this year either but I did include it on my list of albums for the year!

          • Haha, yes, award-winning pop singers aren’t my cup of tea either 🙂 What I was pointing out earlier was that it’s the process of making lists itself which is interesting. The result may be funny to see, and will certainly give insights about the average taste on this forum, but it’s not the #1 matter, I think 🙂

    • It makes me happy to see Sacriphyx on the “short list”. Also, after hearing it again, I’m a little surprised that Azure Emote was completely snubbed. Granted, a lot of the individual riffs and effects are familiar on their own, but the way they’ve been put together is unlike anything else. Any band that tries to push the boundaries and (mostly) succeed this well should at least get a mention.

  49. In no particular order-

    Mephistopheles-Sounds Of the End
    A Million Dead Birds Laughing-Bloom
    Carcass-Surgical Steel
    Code-Augur Nox
    Vex-Memorious
    Cerekloth-In the Midst of Life We Are In Death
    Leprous-Coal
    Nero Di Marte-S/T
    Castevet-Obsian
    Oranssi Pazuzu-Valonielu
    Tribulation-Formulas of Death
    Adora Vivos-Toward the Empyrean
    Light Bearer-Silver Tongue
    Poney-Rorschach
    Way To End-Various Shades of Black

  50. Not all metal, but here’s my top 10 of 2013:

    1.Bill Callahan – Deam River
    2. Merzbow and Nordvagr – Partikel III
    3. Fuck Buttons – Soft Focus
    4. Laura Marling – Once I Was Eagle
    5. Cloud Rat – Moksha
    6. Blister Unit – Christ Ape
    7. Blister Unit – The Dengar Demo
    8. Islam85 – S/T
    9. Kanye West – Yeezus
    10. Besta – Herege

  51. I need to add Avatarium to my list. The cursed luck of publishing a record in december!! Anyway, it’s great.

  52. Again i find myself arriving very late to the party…anyways (in no particular order):
    Ash Borer-Bloodlands
    Carcass-Surgical Steel
    Falls Of Raurus-The Light That Dwells In Rotten Woods
    Fanisk-Insularum
    Deafheaven-Sunbather
    Galaktik Cancer Squad-Ghost Light
    Gorguts-Colored Sands
    Infernal Poetry-Paraphiliac
    Ingenium-Ingenium
    Man Must Die-Man Must Die
    Mechina-Empyrean
    Orassi Pazuzu-Valonielu
    Progenie Terrestre Pura-U.M.A.
    Saor-Roots
    Skagos-Anarchic
    The Meads Of Asphodel-Sonderkommando
    The Monolith Deathcult-Tetragrammaton
    Vhöl-Vhöl
    Amorphis-Circle
    Anciients-Hearts Of Oak
    Chthonic-Bu-Tik
    Cult Of Luna-Vertikal
    Encircling Sea-A Forgotten Land
    Enshine-Origin
    Extol-Extol
    Falkenbach-Asa
    Harsk-Engineering Armageddon
    Humanfly-Awesome Science
    Intronaut-Habitual Levitations
    In Vain-Aenigma
    Kvelertak-Meir
    Kylesa-Ultraviolet
    Leprous-Coal
    Light Bearer-Silver Tongue
    Mercenary-Through Our Darkest Days
    Monsterworks-Earth
    New Keepers Of The Water Towers-Cosmic Child
    Redwood Hill-Descender
    Shining-One One One
    The Ocean-Pelagial
    Týr-Valkyrja
    Cloudkicker-Subsume
    Queens Of The Stone Age-…Like Clockwork
    Russian Circles-Memorial
    Scale The Summit-The Migration
    Steven Wilson-The Raven Who Refused To Sing
    Tides From Nebula-Eternal Movement

    If i had to choose just 10?
    Fanisk-Insularum
    Gorguts-Colored Sands
    Saor-Roots
    The Monolith Deathcult-Tetragrammaton
    Anciients-Hearts Of Oak
    Cult Of Luna-Vertikal
    Extol-Extol
    Humanfly-Awesome Science
    Leprous-Coal
    The Ocean-Pelagial
    Cloudkicker-Subsume
    Steven Wilson-The Raven Who Refused To Sing

    OK, OK, 12…but the last two aren’t metal so we’re even.

  53. Kayo Dot – Hubardo
    Pryapisme – Hyperblast Super Collider
    Birushanah – HINIMISHIGORONAYAKOKORONOTOMOSHIBI
    Oranssi Pazuzu – Valonielu
    Psychofagist -Songs of Faint and Distortion
    :Tremor – Chantera Pas
    Mutation – Error 500
    Hybrid – Angst
    Azure Emote – The Gravity of Impertenance
    Haken – The Mountain
    Secret Chiefs 3 – Book of Souls: Folio A

  54. As the genre director for my radio station, I was asked by the local underground paper to provide a Best Metal of 2013 list. Just like last year, they limited it to a TOP 5. Can you believe that shit? Five! WTF! Well, my top five is below, followed by the next 25, in alphabetical order.

    Abyssal – Novit Enim Dominus Qui Sunt Eius
    Aosoth – IV: An Arrow in Heart
    Church of Misery – Thy Kingdom Scum
    Nails – Abandon All Life
    Gorguts – Colored Sands

    Acherontas – Amenti – Ψαλμοί Αίματος και Αστρικά Οράματα
    Agrypnie – Aetas Cineris
    Anciients – Heart of Oak
    Ash Borer – Bloodlands
    Batillus – Concrete Sustain
    Blut Aus Nord – What Once Was… Liber III
    Cult of Occult – Hic Est Domus Diaboli
    Demonical – Darkness Unbound
    Eibon – II
    Esoterica – Aseity
    Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum
    Hate – Solarflesh
    Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
    Ithuriel – The Touch Of Ithuriel’s Spear
    Jucifer – за волгой для нас земли нет
    Lightning Swords of Death – Baphometic Chaosism
    Lychgate – s/t
    Mumakil – Flies Will Starve
    Northless – World Keeps Sinking
    Skeletal Spectre – Voodoo Dawn
    Stomach Earth – s/t
    Svart Crown – Profane
    Ulcerate – Vermis
    Woe – Withdrawal
    Yellow Eyes – Hammer of Night

  55. Hello all! My first post, been lurking for about two years. I love NoCLeanSinging for its positive attitude and the fact that the contributors and commenters all display a marked sense of maturity which is sadly lacking elsewhere. (I wanted to immolate myself after spending half an hour on “MetalSucks” the other day) Also, that your tastes seem to run concurrent to mine in many ways and the discoveries you bring me lead to such an enhancement in my life, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and contribute my Year End list

    May I start by saying WHAT NO RUINS OF BEVERAST?! NO-ONE? Not even an honourable mention? Wow. I loved it.

    Anyway. Top Ten yeah, NPO

    Ruins Of Beverast – Blood Vaults
    Deafheaven – Sunbather (obligatory? or just awesome?)
    The Ocean – Pelagial
    Clutch – Earth Rocker
    Gorguts – Colored Sands (The missing letter “u” here pains me)
    Nails – Abandon All Life
    All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature
    Man Must Die – Peace Was Never An Option
    Ataraxie – L’Etre Et La Nausee
    The Lions Daughter & Indian Blanket – Black Sea (Bought on the strength of the track Wolves as recommended here, only listened to the album 3 or 4 times but GODDAMN its going on my list)

  56. Kvelertak- Meir
    Killswitch Engage- Disarm the Descent
    Voivod- Target Earth
    Immolation- Kingdom of Conspiracy
    Tribulation- The Formulas of Death
    In Solitude- Sister
    Iron Reagan- Worse Than Dead
    Witherscape- The Inheritance
    ASG- Blood Drive
    Doomsday- S\T
    Dark Tranquillity- Construct
    Stomach Earth- S\T
    Demonical- Darkness Unbound
    Svart Crown- Profane

  57. Here are some albums that stood out to me this year, in no particular order.

    Tribulation-The Formulas of Death
    SubRosa- More Constant Than The Gods
    Bolzer- Aura
    Inquisition- Obscure Verses For The Multiverse
    Yellow Eyes- Hammer Of Night
    Vastum- Patricidal Lust
    Atlantean Kodex- The White Goddess
    Windhand- Soma
    Anciients- Heart Of Oak
    Bone Sickness- Alone In The Grave
    Dark Tranquillity- Construct
    Broken Hope- Omen of Disease
    Blodsgard- Monument
    Ruins Of Beverast- Blood Vaults…
    Suffocation- Pinnacle of Bedlam
    Kylesa- Ultraviolet
    Seidr- Ginunngagap
    In Solitude- Sister
    Caladan Brood- Echoes of Battle
    Craven Idol- Towards Eschaton
    Aosoth- Arrow In Heart
    Portal- Vexovoid
    (I’m gonna look back and realize how many I forgot)

    And here are my top 3 albums of 2013.

    3. Noisem- Agony Defined
    2. Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed

    1. CARCASS- SURGICAL STEEL!!!!!!!

    Thanks for reading this, metalheads!

  58. First post, but long time lurker. I’ve discovered so much amazing music here – thank you all. My list for 2013:

    First, honorable mention to:

    Ruins of Beverast- Blood Vaults
    Year of No Light- Tocsin
    Obsidian Tongue- A Nest of Ravens in the Throat of Time
    Burzum- Sol Austan, Mani Vestan

    Top 10:

    10. C R O W N- Psychurgy
    9. Botanist- IV: Mandragora
    8. When Woods Make Graves- Whispers from the Black Lake
    7. Grave Upheaval-
    6. Inquisition- Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
    5. Hamferd- Evst
    4. Lustmord- The Word as Power
    3. Caladan Brood- Echoes of Battle
    2. Vallendusk- Black Clouds Gathering
    1. Summoning- Old Mornings Dawn

  59. This collection of lists wasn’t intended as a poll, but seeing which albums are appearing most frequently might still be interesting. So, here’s an updated count of the bands whose albums were named more than three times in the lists posted in the comments so far:

    Carcass (13)

    Gorguts (12)

    Inquisition (10)

    Skeletonwitch (8)
    The Ocean (8)

    Deafheaven (7)
    Portal (7)

    Revocation (7)

    Caladan Brood (6)
    Dark Tranquillity (6)
    Kvelertak (6)
    Tribulation (6)
    Altar of Plagues (5)

    Anciients (5)
    Grave Miasma (5)
    Hail of Bullets (5)

    Leprous (5)
    Omnium Gatherum (5)

    Oranssi Pazuzu (5)
    Svart Crown (5)
    Vattnet Viskar (5)

    Watain (5)

    Amon Amarth (4)

    Aosoth (4)
    Ataraxie (4)
    Byzantine (4)

    Clutch (4)
    Cult of Luna (4)
    Ghost B.C. (4)

    Hanging Garden (“At Every Door”) (4)

    Immolation (4)
    In Solitude (4)
    In Vain (4)

    Nails (4)
    Noisem (4)
    Shade Empire (4)

    Soilwork (4)


  60. 1. dillinger escape plan – one of us is the killer
    2. agrimonia – rites of separation
    3. carcass – surgical steel
    4. windhand – soma
    5. twitching tongues – in love there is no law
    6. darkthrone – the underground resistance
    7. arsis – unwelcome
    8. deafheaven – sunbather
    9. vhol -vhol
    10. all pigs must die – nothing violates this nature

  61. Altar or Plagues’ Teethed Glory and Injury was the top metal release for me… other fantastic LPs were:

    Night Heir (sublime, just check it!)
    Ruined Families (best blackened punk I’ve ever heard)
    Skagos (atmospheric bm/ambient)
    Deafheaven (pink metal)
    Vattnet Viskar (fast post/atmospheric bm, with doom influences)
    Fell Voices (ritual drone/atmospheric bm)
    Wolvserpent (doom/drone, folk)
    Rorcal (sludge/bm)
    Entropia (post bm)
    Circle of Ouroborus (avante garde bm)
    Aosoth (blackened death – deathened black?)
    Cultes Des Ghoules (filthy bm)
    Oranssi pazuzu (krautrock/bm/what even…)
    Dispirit (black/death/doom/the sound of the crypt)
    Castevet (post bm/mathcore)
    Ellende (post bm)
    Regarde Les Hommes Tomber (sludge/bm)
    Vuyvr (furious 2nd wave bm)
    Yellow Eyes (atmospheric bm ala Krallice)
    Fyrnask (atmospheric bm)
    Gris (neoclassical/dsbm)
    Sombre Forets (dsbm)
    kvelertak (black n’ roll)
    Csjthe (folky atmospheric bm)
    Stillborn Faun (raw bm demo)
    Loss of Self (if you dug Sunbather…)
    Clouds Collide (blackgaze)
    Sannhet (instrumental post bm)
    Chaos Moon (raw atmospheric bm demos)
    Echtra (folk/drone/bm)
    Finnr’s Cane (atmospheric/folk bm)
    Fen (atmospheric/folk bm)
    Ash Borer (two-song demo…)
    Thy Light (dsbm)
    Surachai (atmospheric bm/electronic/…)
    Progenie Terrestre Pura (electronic/bm)
    Inter Arma (southern bm)
    …(and we’re firmly planted in average territory now, I’ll stop here with the bm)…

    non bm:
    Russian Circles (post metal)
    Ulcerate (dm)
    Portal (brutal dm)
    Anciients (prog metal)
    Raspberry Bulbs (raw punk)
    Voices (??)

    non-metal:
    vali (neofolk)
    the haxan cloak (dark ambient/electronic)
    ulver (modern classical/electronic/gods)
    jon hopkins (electronic)
    Nick Cave (folk/ambient/rock/pop)
    Wardruna (folk)
    Man’s Gin (folk rock)
    Forest Swords (electronic)
    Tim Hecker (ambient)
    Yo La Tengo (indie rock)
    The Knife (electronic/pop)
    Julia Holter (crazy singer)
    Halo Manash (folk/dark ambient)
    MBV (shoegaze)
    Sigur Ros (post rock/pop)
    Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (African “world”, folk)

    …and loads more I’ve found over the festive season and yet to sample!
    (I’m tired, forgive me all the typos)

  62. I always look forward to the lists. I will put the 10 albums I truly listened to the most.

    Best EP – Adora Vivos – Toward The Empyrean
    Almost made it – Bruce Soord & Jonas Renske – Wisdom of Crowds

    10. Ashes of Ares
    9. Pretty Maids – Motherland
    8. Ecnephias – Necrogod
    7. Avatarium
    6. Monster Magnet – Last Patrol
    5. The Ocean – Pelagial
    4. End of Green – The Painstream
    3. Falkenbach – Asa
    2. Tyr – Valkyrja
    1. Rotting Christ – Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy

  63. In no particular order:

    Generation Kill – We’re All Gonna Die
    Orphaned Land – All Is One
    Carcass – Surgical Steel
    Death Angel – The Dream Calls For Blood
    Annihilator – Feast
    Sodom – Epitome Of Torture
    Helloween – Straight Out Of Hell
    Suffocation – Pinnacle Of Bedlam
    Gorguts – Colored Sands
    Jungle Rot – Terror Regime
    Tyr – Valkyrja
    Saxon – Sacrifice
    Havok – Unnatural Selection
    The Dillinger Escape Plan – One Of Us Is The Killer
    Voivod – Target Earth
    Revocation – Revocation
    Hail Of Bullets – III: The Rommel Chronicles
    TesseranT – Altered State
    Extol – Extol
    Soilwork – The Living Infinite

  64. Overall I thought 2012 and preceding years in my opinion had some better music than what came out this year. My taste is spread out across a range of different things. There was nothing that stood out in particular as a masterpiece but if I could pick one, it would most certainly be Extol’s self titled for its dynamic appeal and catchiness. They cannot better this album. To me, it is a far more enjoyable album than Carcass’s Surgical Steel, and they were grossly overlooked I think, because they are a Christian band (please note that I am not).
    Nick Cave’s Push the Sky Away felt like a great, personal eclectic listen for times when I could appreciate prose, poetry and musicianship of a more ‘normal’ variety. Atoms for Peace was nicely crafted and has kept Tom Yorke relevant for me. As a mainstream rock album, the Arctic Monkey’s couldn’t go wrong with AM, it is that catchy and well written.
    For an underground punk band, I think Siberian Meat Grinder is worth trying out. For progressive metal, Riverside outshone the latest albums from both Katatonia and Anathema. There wasn’t much this year I liked in terms of Electronica but Autechre put out something different and challenging. Lastly, it was nice to see new albums from mainstays like Filter, NIN, Sepultura and Alice in Chains. Hope this list helps some of you.

    Extol – Extol
    Arctic Monkeys – AM
    Atoms for Peace – Amok
    Nick Cave and the Badseeds – Push the Sky Away
    Riverside – Shrine of New Generation Slaves
    Batillus – Concrete Sustain
    Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
    Black Sabbath – 13
    Portal – Vexovoid
    Sepultura – Mediator
    Siberian Meat Grinder – Versus the World
    Windhand – Soma
    Autechre – Exai
    Pet Shop Boys – Electric
    Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks
    Alice in Chains – Devil
    Filter – The Sun Comes Out Tonight
    Immolation – Kingdoms of Conspiracy
    Age of Taurus – Desperate Souls of Tortured Times
    Avatarium – Avatarium

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