(For the 14th year in a row, our friend Johan Huldtgren of the Swedish black metal band Obitus — whose 2017 album Slaves of the Vast Machine is still their latest release — has again allowed us to share with you a year-end Top 10 list.)
As I usually remark, lists like this are always somewhat arbitrary, it’s ten releases I picked, from the longer list of albums I liked, whittled down from albums I’ve heard released in 2024. If as to underscore that this year I made several lists, this being the NCS edition.
Some of the albums on this year’s list were released fairly late in the year, so there is a risk of recency bias, but that is simply something we’ll have to let time sort out. As at least a few of the releases below I’ve not seen on other lists published here, I hope you find something here you enjoy which you may otherwise have missed.
10: Cantique Lépreux – Le bannissement
While Cantique Lépreux is classified with their brethren as Metal Noir Quebecois they’re at one end of the spectrum compared to Délétère or Forteresse. While the latter two are often raving and furious, Cantique Lépreux is a more atmosphere-driven affair. Going back especially to their debut I miss some of the rawness but this is a great little album which has gotten a lot of plays this year.
https://cantiquelepreux.bandcamp.com/album/le-bannissement
9: Modern Rites – Endless
I remembered enjoying the previous (and debut) full-length Monuments when it came out a few years ago, so I was looking forward to what they’d do with Endless. The first thing that struck me going back and comparing is how much more Monuments sounds like Aara (guitarist Katalyst is Berg from Aara). With Endless some of that is gone, and they’ve leaned heavier into the dark industrial side of the project. The production has likewise gotten sharper, which fits this well. While some of the obvious links to Aara are not as prevalent here, the melodies and composition are still very strong, and the seven tracks are each memorable.
This is another great album and deepens my fascination for Berg/Katalyst and how he keeps managing to churn out high quality music in all his various guises. Highly recommended.
https://modernrites.bandcamp.com/album/endless
8: Ulcerate – Cutting the Throat of God
It was interesting going and listening to Vermis again to compare. The production has clearly had an upgrade over the years while some of the chaos I enjoyed is less prominent now. On the other hand the dissonance has been severely dialed up (which predates this album) and that is of course something I like. If I was to have one complaint it would be that no song stands out, the songs flow together a bit and I’d have trouble picking one out. Perhaps intentionally it feels more like a long song, but then perhaps it should have been presented as such, but a minor quibble.
https://ulcerate.bandcamp.com/album/cutting-the-throat-of-god
7: Dauþuz – Uranium
My favourite German miners Dauþuz return with an album dedicated, as the title suggests, to uranium mining. Now since I last heard from them they re-released their previous album replacing all the harsh vocals with choirs and chants; I wasn’t a huge fan but in honesty it worked better than I expected when I first heard about it. With Uranium they’ve tried to split the difference, keeping some of the harsh vocals but at times layering in the clean ones. Again while my personal preference would have been to avoid this, it’s actually not as intrusive and objectionable as I thought it would be.
https://dauthuzbm.bandcamp.com/album/uranium
6: Udånde – Worried I – Futurism
I recall discovering Udånde’s Life of a Purist and in one way was happy I’d discovered it a year or so after it was released so I didn’t have to explain why “up arrow” song was better than “stricken through down arrow” (if this confuses you I suggest you look the album up). Luckily this year’s EP has actual titles.
In many ways Worried I – Futurism musically continues on the path from 2022’s Slow Death – A Celebration of Self-Hatred; a modern, fairly clean and punchy black metal, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to perhaps earlier incantations of Gaerea. All this to say this is fairly easy listening, but well written and executed; it will be interesting to see what the coming parts of this trilogy bring.
https://udande.bandcamp.com/album/worried-i-futurism-ep
5: Misotheist – Vessels by Which the Devil is Made Flesh
As with all their albums we get three songs of which two pierce the ten-minute mark so it feels like an album more than an EP. While the sound and direction remain intact the dissonance has clearly taken a back seat this time, and perhaps with it some of what made For the Glory of Your Redeemer such a stand-out album for me. I don’t think it’s just the dissonance, but as good as these songs are (and they are very good) there just seems to be something missing. Now these are all layered and complex songs and perhaps it just takes a few more listens to “get” it, but this album just hasn’t clicked with me as quickly as the previous one did. As mentioned it’s still a very good album I immensely enjoy, just perhaps not as much as the last one.
https://terraturpossessions.bandcamp.com/album/vessels-by-which-the-devil-is-made-flesh
4: Merrimack – Of Grace and Gravity
Arch-traditionalists Merrimack have returned with Of Grace And Gravity and as one should expect it does not veer far from their previously laid out path. As I previously said it’s hardly modern or innovative, but it’s well constructed and played so if you like traditional black metal where you pretty much know what you’re getting there is nothing to complain about here. Simple and clean, and sometimes that is all one needs.
https://merrimack.bandcamp.com/album/of-grace-and-gravity
3: Auld Ridge – For Death and Glory, to the Gods I Cry
Auld Ridge was a new find this year. Although this is their fifth album none of the older ones are available on Bandcamp so I’ve not had a chance to do any sort of comparisons. Sound is raw and pretty tinny, which proceeds at a decent clip with only the occasional slow-down. Songs are quite melodic and memorable. It reminds me of some medieval black metal I’d get out of Aorlhac or Ferriterium (albeit with the aforementioned tinny and raw sound). All in all this was a great find which I’ve enjoyed every listen it’s gotten.
https://orderofytene.bandcamp.com/album/for-death-and-glory-to-the-gods-i-cry
2: Ungfell – De Ghörnt
Ungfell‘s fourth full-length De Ghörnt to some extent continues on the path musically laid out on Es grauet, so to my disappointment there is no return to the rawness and chaos of Mythen, Mären, Pestilenz. It diverges, in that whereas the previous release had a very soft and warm sound we here have some slightly sharper edges, which is very welcome. One of my favourite parts about Ungfell (and this actually holds over all their releases) is the drum sound; it’s always been clear and succinct without being overbearing. Vocals, while not changed dramatically, are perhaps a bit more varied than before, and we are also treated to a few bass solos. A solid release from Ungfell and despite some risk of recency bias one of the stand-out releases of the year.
https://ungfell.bandcamp.com/album/de-gh-rnt
1: Aara – Eiger
To say that Aara has been productive is dramatically underselling it; they’ve released a full-length album every year since 2019, as well as a few EPs. Further, two of the three members are involved in several other projects which have been releasing albums during this time. To be able to so consistently churn out albums is impressive enough, but the fact that they are of as high quality as they are makes it all just more so.
Having completed their previous trilogy they’ve moved on to tackle the mountain Eiger, nicknamed “murder wall,” which given it’s history is apt. As soon as this comes on you can easily recognize Aara‘s signature style. Berg has a way of writing riffs that is immediately recognizable (at least when he’s writing for Aara), drummer J puts in his most violent performance to date, and Fluss‘ piercing vocals could probably have killed any climbers still left alive. It’s hard to not be superfluous in describing this album as it feels like Aara have brought out everything here. Needless to say it’ll be interesting to see where they can take this next.