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Last Active 04-29-19 5:50 am
Joined 07-14-14
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| GuyMan's 25 Favorite Metal Albums of the Decade
My favorites with heavy weight attributed for amount I listened to them. Thrown together hastily, but mostly happy with the order if not the blurbs. Reserve the right to rearrange.
Songs included are rec's if you are new to the band / album. | | 25 |  | Unearth
Watchers of Rule
Unearth have never, and most likely will never, truly get their due. Following the genre-defining The Oncoming Storm, the band release four more high-tier metalcore albums without the sales / streams to back up the quality. The run culminated in Watchers: a triumph for the band as musicians and artists, with some of their most gripping, ferocious material thus far. Unearth deserved more for this.
Never Cease, Lifetime in Ruins | | 24 |  | Deftones
Diamond Eyes
I'll never win the argument, but to me, Deftones' transcendent three or four tracks per album does not equate to legendary status as a whole. I can largely live without their catalog. MOST of Diamond Eyes, however, is exceptional, and I badly wish Leathers and Tempest were here instead of on Koi No Yokan. Risk will go down as one of their most underrated tracks, and You've Seen the Butcher usurps as my favorite 'tones.
Risk, You've Seen the Butcher, Rocket Skates | | 23 |  | Rivers of Nihil
Where Owls Know My Name
For a Fallujah fan, this was a tough pill to swallow. They were soundly conquered with this release. From the start its clear that we were onto something special here, and the novelty of the saxophone solos has yet to wear off. Truly pleasurable listen, and surprising, given how vicious it can be.
A Home | | 22 |  | The Human Abstract
Digital Veil
Digital Veil was, to me, what would happen if you remove the arrogant tendencies of BTBAM and just give more of what we want from a band like this. I didn't expect the band to get better with a random dude from FFTL singing, but here we are. Still waiting on a new release.
Complex Terms, Digital Veil, Patterns | | 21 |  | Every Time I Die
From Parts Unknown
I find it unlikely that I need to elaborate on these living fucking demigods, so I'll just say that Kurt Ballou's production just took their vicious brand of hardcore to another level here. Keith Buckley is an absolute maniac on FPU, and the way he loses his shit on Moor will go down as some of his best work for me.
The Great Secret, Decayin' With the Boys, Moor, Thirst | | 20 |  | Norma Jean
Wrongdoers
Meridional wasn't a fluke - Norma Jean is still a monster. They've proven that two more times, since, but Wrongdoers remains my favorite. See me in the pit for Fifty.
Hive Minds, If you got it at Five you got it at Fifty, Sword in Mouth Fire Eyes | | 19 |  | Queensryche
Condition Human
This was further proof that the Ryche was really a functioning band again, and that they hadn't atrophied in their fifteen+ years of musical stagnation. 2013's S/T was an impossibly-pleasant surprise with hints at greatness, but I'd be lying if I was confident the follow up would match it in quality. It far surpasses it, in my opinion, and the band were showing a fire that has legitimately been lost since about 1994. There is definitely a sense of old-guy metal going on here, but it doesn't feel unnatural like a lot of the long-running bands do these days. The spirit of QR remains.
Guardian, Toxic Remedy, Eye9 | | 18 |  | Carcass
Surgical Steel
Excluding Iron Maiden's Brave New World, my favorite comeback album of all time. Just a pure rager from start to finish. Riff city.
Unfit for Human Consumption, Thrasher's Abattoir | | 17 |  | Behemoth
The Satanist
Objectively, one of the strongest extreme metal albums I've ever heard. Near-perfect execution. Granted this was the first time I'd truly given them focused listening, but I'm still blown away at how accessible something this dark and heavy still is.
Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer, In the Absense ov Light | | 16 |  | Fallujah
Dreamless
My expectations after The Flesh Prevails were sky-high, but with a miles-better production job and significant songwriting advances, I still think they managed to top that album. I knew it from the moment The Void Alone was released as a teaser. Unfortunately, this may well have been the end of their great run, as the follow up has serious problems. Killer atmosphere, killer leads, and I didn't know how much I'd miss Alex Hoffman's vocals until they were gone.
The Void Alone, Scar Queen | | 15 |  | Gojira
L'Enfant Sauvage
The culmination of a three-album beatdown on the rest of the metal world, in which they were unarguably badass and near universally-respected. As good as Magma was, it still feels like a letdown after LS. Some of their very best work is here.
Explosia, L'Enfant Sauvage | | 14 |  | Slugdge
Esoteric Malacology
A death metal riff party. I wonder if they played it straight whether they would be taken more seriously. Regardless, this album is one of the most heavily-played on this list, and track 2 specifically has such gnarly riffs that I find myself wondering if they can possibly top it.
Crop Killer | | 13 |  | Amorphis
Under the Red Cloud
I'm ashamed to say I had not listened to Amorphis prior to Under the Red Cloud, but I'm damn glad I needed some travel music after getting out of the Navy because I stumbled upon this and spun it nearly nonstop for a few weeks. The production is crushing and the melodies are wonderful. Truly love this.
The Four Wise Ones, Sacrifice | | 12 |  | Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas
Mariner
I'm waiting for this band to drop a bad album. I really am. And I wasn't expecting them to drop one that challenges Somewhere Along the Highway as their best, but here we are. There will come a time when Cult of Luna is given their due, and I'll hold my hand up and say I've been there all along SCREAMING AT EVERYONE about how goddamned good and consistent they are. I could never have expected the vibes Julie would add to cult's brand of post. The added unhinged, at-the-edge hints of lunacy she provides just makes a spectacular band that much more riveting.
Chevron | | 11 |  | Night Verses
From the Gallery of Sleep
Instantly, monstrously mesmerizing. A cinch for the best album of 2018 for me. Resisting moving my body is a serious struggle when I listen to this. I dig the stuff they did prior to this when they had a vocalist as well, but I am just infatuated with this.
Just push play. No really. But if you must, Copper Wasp. | | 10 |  | Cradle of Filth
Hammer of the Witches
Its pretty weird that Cradle has become by far my most listened band since this album came out, but it turns out their ridiculously strong and consistent catalog is at best misunderstood, and at worst heavily slandered. Hammer of the Witches is goddamned incredible, and now that I'm a seasoned Filth fan, I can say that there are no less than three all-time-great CoF tracks here.
Yours Immortally, Deflowering the Maidenhead | | 9 |  | Alcest
Kodama
Kodama is the seminal band's best work, imo. Considering how transcendent two of their previous albums are, that's fucking saying something. Kodama is a delight.
Oiseaux de proie, Kodama | | 8 |  | Ulcerate
The Destroyers of All
An absolutely mindblowing experience the first time I heard it. Admittedly, it remains one, as well, but at the time I wasn't as schooled on death metal, and certainly not the type of DEVASTATING-END-OF-THE-WORLD-BIZARRO-TECH-DEATH TDOA presents. I think the thing that let me get into it was that I was still lamenting the loss of my beloved post metal, and this had just enough of them vibes to hook me. Just crushing.
Cold Becoming, Omens | | 6 |  | Rosetta
A Determinism of Morality
The end of an era (one could argue an entire subgenre, in fact). Rosetta ascended into the pantheon of greatest and most meaningful acts of my life with this one, and I'm permanently grateful that the final live show of my life was opening for them in support of this album. Its definitely my least favorite of the holy trinity of rosetta albums, but...I mean this shit is still perfect. Ignore at your own risk.
Ayil, Release, Renew | | 5 |  | Cloudkicker
Beacons
How an instrumental, djenty little fireball of an album could be this good is endlessly perplexing, but I try not to think too hard when I'm listening to Beacons. Few albums, let alone instrumental ones, can cover this many moods and emotions. I woke up in the middle of the siren section of push it way up one night playing randomly through pandora, and it is the best thing Pandora ever gave me.
We're Goin' In. We're Goin' Down, Oh God, Push it Way Up! | | 4 |  | The Atlas Moth
An Ache for the Distance
The single greatest accident of my life. I needed something dark and evil, in a particularly depressing moment in my life, and, long story short, ended up with this album in my ears instead of the one I intended. Storm-of-circumstance not withstanding, An Ache... took me hard. For about five years. I've never quite been successful getting anyone else into it, but maybe someday. Or maybe it just takes a certain mood. But their psychedlic brand of post...hard.....w/e the fuck it is sure has staying power.
An Ache for the Distance, Perpetual Generations, Holes in the Desert | | 3 |  | TesseracT
Altered State
My favorite band's best album. I think it is truly lightning in a bottle, as well, with Ashe O'Hara on vocals for Daniel Thompkins' lone absence. Ashe gives the performance of the lifetime, and this is arguably the only time that the band and their vocalist weren't slightly at odds with one another. I adore everything Tesseract have done, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't growing concerned that they may never top this.
Just push play. But if you must, Nocturne. | | 2 |  | Agalloch
Marrow of the Spirit
I'm still trying to understand what is so fucking great about Ashes and how this doesn't measure up. I've long since given up trying to convince people otherwise. I'll stick with the one oozing with atmosphere and chilling melodies, the one where I change my favorite song every couple months, the one that could permanently be my nighttime lullaby.
The Watcher's Monolith, Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires | | 1 |  | Altar of Plagues
Teethed Glory and Injury
Still, resoundingly, the most captivating album on this list by a fair amount. Burnt Year remains one of the most harrowing sonic experiences of my lifetime. I deeply regret never seeing this band live, but at least they went out in spectacular fashion. It ain't for everyone. Hell, it ain't for many at all - but for those few who can stomache such sonic tension, a deeply rewarding and relistenable treat is there for the taking.
Burnt Year, God Alone, A Body Shrouded | |
oltnabrick
12.27.19 | hell ye | IronGiant
12.27.19 | where's colored sands??? | teamster
12.27.19 | Oh fuck. 1 and 2 and 5 and 6 and 9 and 12. I don’t need to say anymore. You have always been one of my dudes...cheers. | 0GuyMan0
01.02.20 | Thanks for the kind words. List has some coherent thoughts, finally. | 0GuyMan0
04.09.20 | whew this decade had some serious shit | Pikazilla
04.09.20 | Dude, you get a big high-five for 25! | 0GuyMan0
04.09.20 | yeah man, that album is just shamefully overlooked. Far too late in the metalcore lifeline I think. | Pikazilla
04.09.20 | Definitely. Big, big shame.
Great list, tons of quality picks on here < 3 | budgie
04.09.20 | i am sad not to see any lantlos | 0GuyMan0
04.09.20 | you know I've kind of slept on lantlos. where should I start? | Pikazilla
04.09.20 | Melting Sun |
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