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Stereogum's 40 best Metal Albums of 2016.

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T

torre_avenue

Banned
I figured it might be good to have a topic where fans of metal can bemoan the ranking of certain albums, the same way other genre fans can do so on Pitchfork/music blog review threads. It also has a pretty good op-ed from the writer, something Stereogum's been pretty good at for a little while now.

Let’s just put this out there: Metal had a pretty bad 2016. Maybe this is specific to my country, America, which also had a pretty bad 2016. Maybe I’m projecting a little bit. Maybe you live someplace where everything is going great, and maybe where you live, metal is going great, too. If that’s the case, I’m jealous, I can’t lie. But I also can’t lie about how things appear from my vantage. And right now, where I’m at, things look kinda bleak.

There’s the big, blaring, obvious stuff, of course, the stuff we want to ignore: the fact that metal topographically bears an uncomfortable resemblance to a certain kleptocratic Manchurian Candidate president-elect of questionable integrity. It’s often boorish, vulgar, sexist, suspicious of outsiders, possibly illiterate, and white as a sheet. There’s also the fact that a fair-sized number of metal fans tend to fall into one of two fundamentally oppositional but equally repugnant demographics: (1) shitkicking separatists who like to listen to loud music while they lift, and (2) soft-ass woke bros who would nonetheless prefer to keep politics removed from a form of entertainment they see as a role-playing respite from their desk jobs.
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Here’s an example of what I mean: This past summer, metal-friendly music editors Ben Ratliff and Brandon Stosuy moved on from their respective posts at The New York Times and Pitchfork, leaving behind fairly immense voids of metal coverage that would be difficult to fill even if those publications made the genre a top priority. Metal has thrived over the past decade precisely because it’s had such benefactors: fierce champions with identifiable voices and far-reaching forums. The effects of their absence will be unquantifiable, but in the short term, at least, undeniable.
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He has this rumination on Metallica's most recent album:
Metallica were bringing the fire, but why? To my ears, Hardwired was the sound of four multi-millionaires trying to gin up a convincing simulation of rage for the sake of sounding vital in their final stretch, and it felt immediately irrelevant in a country that was suddenly ablaze with actual rage. Whether Hardwired was dealing in pretend-anger or genuine vitriol pandering to the exact people whose own misdirected anger had left us in this place, it seemed immediately antiquated and frankly a bit cynical.

I tried to find some meaning in the vague lyrics projecting undirected angst, but I couldn’t shake the sense I was searching for something that just wasn’t there. And you know what? I was right. This was clarified for me by none other than James Hetfield himself, via quotes like this one, which I stumbled upon after a good week or so of parsing Hardwired for substantive commentary:

"We stay away from politics [and] from religion. That just seems to polarize people even more. We all have our own beliefs, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to connect with people, and it seems like political views don’t do that as much as music does."

And then there was this one from Lars Ulrich:

"I swear to you, I talk to James Hetfield about most things on this planet, but I don’t think I’ve ever willfully had a political conversation with him. We’ve spent 35 years together, and obviously we’ve been in the same room when the conversation went toward politics, but James and I sitting down in a room and discussing our particular views on something like affordable health care? Never happened.
Here’s another one from Lars, same interview:"

"If you break down what Metallica does in its simplest form, it’s write — or at least try to write — fucking great rock songs. Once you go beyond that and into more specific social or political relevance, I get uncomfortable."

Regarding Hetfield’s assertion: “trying to connect with people”? That’s bullshit, man. Metallica have never cared about connecting with people. Metallica’s last album was fucking Lulu. Also, Metallica at their most relevant were a pretty political band! Justice opens up with a song called “Blackened” whose lyrics warn against the dangers of climate change! Maybe environmental concerns hadn’t been so politicized in 1988 as they are in 2016, but it’s grotesque to think that Metallica today are more concerned with “trying to connect with people” than using their platform to speak out on issues that were already urgent three decades ago.

Lars’ quotes irritate me even more. You seriously mean to tell me that two men in their 50s who’ve known each other since they were teenagers — who’ve made art together their entire adult lives, who’ve amassed vast fortunes and seen every inch of this Earth as a result of their art’s impossible success — just avoid talking about politics? What in God’s name do they talk about then? Are all their conversations focused solely on how to “write fucking great rock songs” that say absolutely nothing?

How miserable must Kirk Hammett be right now? My man is so clearly repulsed by Donald Trump and freaked-the-fuck-out for the state of the world that he’s being crushed by his own conscience. But Metallica are so goddamn scared of offending anyone that he can only say shit like this:

"We want everyone to be in this together, experiencing the music together. We see politics as a completely different thing … That’s why I’ve chosen my words carefully, that I — not Metallica, but I — will take it upon myself to get involved, if there is something I see that is seriously wrong, and I really feel that it’s my job to say something, and to call out people who need to be called out … if anything happens that I’m not OK with, I’m going to be super vocal about it for the first time in my life."
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Here's the actual list:
40 Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep Of Reason (Nuclear Blast)
39 Jassa – Lights In The Howling Wilderness (Fallen Empire)
38 Gojira – Magma (Roadrunner)
37 Batushka – Litourgiya (Witching Hour Productions)
36 Sorcery – Garden Of Bones (Xtreem Music)
35 Darkthrone – Arctic Thunder (Peaceville)
34 Altarage – Nihl (Iron Bonehead)
33 Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn (Profound Lore)
32 UXO – UXO (Reptilian)
31 Kvelertak – Nattesferd (Roadrunner)
30 Tardigrada – Emotionale Ödnis (Fallen Empire)
29 Internal Suffering – Cyclonic Void Of Power (Unique Leader)
28 Violet Cold – Magic Night (Tridroid)
27 Dawnbringer – XX (Ektro)
26 Jute Gyte – Perdurance (Self-Released)
25 Sumerlands – Sumerlands (Relapse)
24 Palace Of Worms – The Ladder (Broken Limbs)
23 Wode – Wode (Broken Limbs)
22 Aureole – Aurora Borealis (Fallen Empire)
21 Furia – Księżyc Milczy Luty (Pagan)
20 Vektor – Terminal Redux (Earache)
19 Aluk Todolo – Voix (The Ajna Offensive)
18 High Spirits – Motivator (High Roller)
17 Martyrdöd – List (Southern Lord)
16 Hammers Of Misfortune – Dead Revolution (Metal Blade)
15 Plebeian Grandstand – False Highs, True Lows (Throatruiner)
14 Alcest – Kodama (Prophecy Productions)
13 MURG – Gudatall (Nordvis)
12 Spiritus Mortis – The Year Is One (Svart)
11 Oranssi Pazuzu – Värähtelijä (Svart)
10 Mesarthim – .- -​.​.​. .​.​. . -. -​.​-​. . (Self-Released)
9 Virus – Memento Collider (Karisma)
8 Harakiri For The Sky – III: Trauma (Art Of Propaganda)
7 Astronoid – Air (Blood Music)
6 Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust (Season Of Mist)
5 Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether (I, Voidhanger)
4 Wormed – Krighsu (Season Of Mist)
3 Blood Incantation – Starspawn (Dark Descent)
2 Cobalt – Slow Forever (Profound Lore)
1 Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows (Relapse)
 
S

stump sock

Member
torre_avenue said:
37 Batushka – Litourgiya (Witching Hour Productions)
9 Virus – Memento Collider (Karisma)
6 Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust (Season Of Mist)
4 Wormed – Krighsu (Season Of Mist)
Click to expand...

these are all on my list but lol at calling Virus "metal." it's fucking great, but... not sure it's metal.

that Batushka is probably my favorite metal album of the year, just absolutely rules, despite it being corny as shit on paper.
 
K

kris.

Banned
It's nice to see Cobalt so high up on all of these lists. Bringing in the dude from Lord Mantis to do vocals was such a great decision.
 
B

Brian_FETO

Banned
A few of those I agree with (Darkthrone, Sumerlands, Alcest) though there's really not a whole lot I really loved from this year

Wormrot's newest is still at the top for me
 
S

Sp3ratus

Neo Member
ctrl + f "Cult of Luna"

0 results found.

GsrFtMc.gif
 
L

Lombax

Banned
I have to agree with the writer of this article. At least for me 2016 has been the only year where I really found nothing new to enjoy in terms of Metal.

I am happy to see Kvelertak made the list, and I keep giving Blood Incantation a chance. This year has pretty much been listening to a lot of:

Baroness
Kvelertak
Mastodon
and to an extent the Budos Band.

I'll give every other artist on the list a listen! I would really love to find some new bands to listen to.
 
E

e_i

Member
Mesarthim in the top ten? Goddamn. And Mare Cogntum as well? Nice. I'm really into atmospheric black metal so it's nice to see them listed.
 
M

Merkunt

Member
No Moonsorrow, Cultes des Ghoules, Abbath, Inquisition, Gloam, Spektr, AMSG, Megadeth, Subrosa, Lord Mantis nor Antrhax 🤔

Also Batushka's album came out in 2015 🤔

Edit: No Wormrot 🤔
 
H

HammerOfThor

Member
His justification for not including Metallica seems...weird? Its fine if he doesn't think the album should be there, but why even justify it? Megadeth and Testament don't get any justification.
 
H

hampig

Member
I've been looking for some good metal lately, I'll have to go down this list.

Can anyone give quick recommendations for somebody who likes:
  • Mastodon
  • Gojira
  • Between the Buried and Me
  • Norma Jean
  • Behemoth
  • Babymetal
  • Bring Me The Horizon (Old)

I don't keep up with metal too much so I'm sorry if my examples are a bit out of date.
 
C

creationtheory

Member
stump sock said:
these are all on my list but lol at calling Virus "metal." it's fucking great, but... not sure it's metal.

that Batushka is probably my favorite metal album of the year, just absolutely rules, despite it being corny as shit on paper.
Click to expand...

Virus are so great they deserve to be on every 'best of' list.
 
X

xeroborn55

Member
hampig said:
I've been looking for some good metal lately, I'll have to go down this list.

Can anyone give quick recommendations for somebody who likes:
  • Mastodon
  • Gojira
  • Between the Buried and Me
  • Norma Jean
  • Behemoth
  • Babymetal
  • Bring Me The Horizon (Old)

I don't keep up with metal too much so I'm sorry if my examples are a bit out of date.
Click to expand...
ive been listening to dark tranquility's new album pretty much on repeat for the last week. its awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFOHPmg5z4

I haven't heard most of the albums on this list. I plan on going through them at some point. I like some hooks in my metal. just some guy screaming at me for 45 minutes doesn't do it for me.
 
Corpsepyre

Corpsepyre

Banned
I thought Blood Incantation was quite boring. Them and Ulcerate have that long death metal metal song for the heck of it syndrome, which isn't justified at all. The new Asphyx and Vader is where it's at for death metal in 2016 for me. Also, people need to check out Sonora Ritual, Eight Days, Throes of Dawn, Lycus and Inverloch. All have great 2016 releases.
 
O

OniBarubary

Banned
There's some good picks on the list but some weird order and omissions.

2016 was a decent metal year for me. Look outside your fave bands not releasing anything and press junkets and you can find a lot.
 
V

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
Inter Arma is a deserving number one. They are so far ahead of every other eclectic post-metal-whatever band. Fucking awesome record.

I didn't love the new Cobalt all that much; I enjoyed Gin more.
 
V

Vincent Alexander

Member
I am going through this list from #1 up on Spotify. I'm a bit sad. Do any of these not have cookie monster vocals or constant bass drum from beginning to end of song? I just got done with #5 on list.

Don't get me wrong...I like some of that. Like Scar Symmetry.
 
K

kris.

Banned
Killer Queen said:
Man I really want to get into Kvelertak but I can't get past the vocals.
Click to expand...

Have you only tried Nattesferd? It's my least favorite Kvelertak album, even though I still like it a lot. Meir is easily one of my favorite albums from 2013. Vocals just take some getting used to.

Also how in the hell did I miss Martyrdöd releasing a new album this year?
 
K

Killer Queen

Banned
kris. said:
Have you only tried Nattesferd? It's my least favorite Kvelertak album, even though I still like it a lot. Meir is easily one of my favorite albums from 2013. Vocals just take some getting used to.
Click to expand...
That's actually what I'm listening to right now, and I like that it has a bit more of a classic metal instrumentation but like, outside of Behemoth's last album and some of Abbath's stuff I really cannot get into any part of the black metal sound which really sucks considering how much of the genre is moving in that direction or a more djenty/core/death direction so I end up missing out on a lot of what's popular right now.
 
U

Ultramantaro1

Member
Very happy to see Blood Incantation on the list. Great death metal, just the right mix of classic 90s crushing riffs, modern technical guitar playing (without going full Necrophagist), wonderful production and great mood/theme to their music with lyrics mixing sci-fi and occult subjects.

Killer live show to boot! Glad to see them being recognized, assuredly some of the best new death in a while.
 
M

Manu

Member
Huh, I haven't even heard of most of these bands.

And I thought Kvelertak's album was a letdown. I feel like their first album was lightning in a bottle and they haven't been able to replicate it since.

xeroborn55 said:
ive been listening to dark tranquility's new album pretty much on repeat for the last week. its awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFOHPmg5z4

I haven't heard most of the albums on this list. I plan on going through them at some point. I like some hooks in my metal. just some guy screaming at me for 45 minutes doesn't do it for me.
Click to expand...

Atoma is great, but it feels like DT on autopilot at this point. I'm not complaining though, DT on a bad day sound much better than tons of other bands.
 
K

kris.

Banned
Killer Queen said:
That's actually what I'm listening to right now, and I like that it has a bit more of a classic metal instrumentation but like, outside of Behemoth's last album and some of Abbath's stuff I really cannot get into any part of the black metal sound which really sucks considering how much of the genre is moving in that direction or a more djenty/core/death direction so I end up missing out on a lot of what's popular right now.
Click to expand...

Aha yeah, it took me so long to really get into black metal. I dug the instrumentation but the vocals were what was keeping me back from really enjoying the genre. Then it just kinda clicked with me one winter when I listened to I think Transylvanian Hunger. I went on a binge after that. Shit isn't for everyone, that's for sure.
 
R

RDreamer

Member
A lot of my top metal albums aren't on here, unfortunately, but I'll probably go through and check these out, too.

My favorites from the year:

Fallujah - Dreamless
Black Crown Initiate - Selves We Cannot Forgive
Astronoid - Air
Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner
Alcest - Kodama
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
Ihsahn - Arktis
In Flames - Battles
Metallica - Hardwired to Self Destruct
Devin Townsend - Transcendence
Mouth of the Architect - Path of Eight
Haken - Affinity
Opeth - Sorceress
Zeal and Ardor - Devil is Fine
Devin Townsend - Holding Patterns
Anciients - Voice of the Void
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Vipassi - Sunyata
Insomnium - Winter’s Gate

Edit: Whoops, copied from a bigger not-just-metal list and missed taking off a few non-metal :p
 
P

parrotbeak

Member
Oranssi Pazuzu would probably be in the top 5 if not 1 for me but at least it's closer to the bottom than the top.

I think I've only listened to half of this list. I still have to actually buy the Darkthrone album but haven't decided on format.
 
M

Manu

Member
RDreamer said:
A lot of my top metal albums aren't on here, unfortunately, but I'll probably go through and check these out, too.

My favorites from the year:

Fallujah - Dreamless
Black Crown Initiate - Selves We Cannot Forgive
British Theatre - Mastery
Astronoid - Air
Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner
Alcest - Kodama
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
Ihsahn - Arktis
In Flames - Battles
Metallica - Hardwired to Self Destruct
Devin Townsend - Transcendence
Mouth of the Architect - Path of Eight
Haken - Affinity
Opeth - Sorceress
Zeal and Ardor - Devil is Fine
Devin Townsend - Holding Patterns
Anciients - Voice of the Void
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Radical Face - The Family Tree: The Leaves
Vipassi - Sunyata
Insomnium - Winter’s Gate
Click to expand...

Anciients are soooo gooood. Especially for guys like me who fell apart with Opeth since they went prog, they're a nice replacement :p
 
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