nevertoolate's most sublime albums of 2016
An alphabetical list of my top 60 albums of 2016 |
| 1 |  | Anaal Nathrakh
The Whole of the Law
I'm probably more interested in where they go from this, they've honed their sound to the point where it simply punishes the listener. Incredible stuff |
| 2 |  | Anciients
Voice of the Void
Heart Of Oak was such a great debut record and to improve upon that by as much as they have with this is truly amazing. |
| 3 |  | ANCST
Moloch
One of the more underrated albums of this year I feel. A pure blast of punk tinged black metal, check it out if you haven't already. |
| 4 |  | Barishi
Blood from the Lion's Mouth
They've managed to harness the wildness of their debut into something with direction and drive. This is an excellent slab of progressive sludge. |
| 5 |  | Be'lakor
Vessels
Vessels is an incredibly emotive and moving album, each song builds and progresses so fluently. Be'Lakor continue take Melodic DM in a different direction than the majority. |
| 6 |  | Blood Incantation
Starspawn
One of the best Death Metal releases this year, you can feel the inspiration drawn from the early 90's forged into a modern sound. Starspawn is a highly enjoyable listen |
| 7 |  | Car Bomb
Meta
Beat Messugah at their own game. I can't say anything else….THIS JUST GODDAMN RIPS |
| 8 |  | Chthe'ilist
Le Dernier Crépuscule
THE best Death Metal album of 2016. An obvious nod to off-kilter 90's death metal of Demilich, packaged into something otherworldly and complex. Unusual riffs combined with odd time signatures and full of replayability |
| 9 |  | Clover
Exile
I really really dig this album, heavy as hell Sludge that really seems to have flown under the radar this year |
| 10 |  | Cobalt
Slow Forever
Was My AOTY….you'll see why it was surpassed further down the list. To me though, this epitomises what metal is all about…a complete indulgence of the senses and I can't get enough |
| 11 |  | Dark Tranquillity
Atoma
Dark Tranquility have had quite a lengthy and decorated career at the forefront of melo-death and it is so inspiring for a band of such ilk still being able to produce arguably the best melodeath releases this year. An absolute cracker of an album. |
| 12 |  | Death Angel
The Evil Divide
Thrash has really made a strong comeback over the last couple of years and we the the veteran bands are showing the young bands how its done, this is THE best straight up Thrash album this year. |
| 13 |  | Deathspell Omega
The Synarchy of Molten Bones
These guys aren't human that’s for sure, absolute killer. There's not much in terms of innovation or progression but holy hell this delivers dizzying levels of rage and technicality |
| 14 |  | Defeated Sanity
Disposal Of The Dead // Dharmata
Can do no wrong in my books. From top notch slams to Death inspired proggy DM, I didn't think it would work as a package but it does. |
| 15 |  | Deftones
Gore
With band members at loggerheads in terms of sound direction, I was worried how this might sound but in the end this is Deftones and they have produced another stellar album. But it must be said that generally speaking, this has divided some longtime fans. I don't see it myself, this rules. |
| 16 |  | Departe
Failure, Subside
Blew me away the first time I heard this album, has been on repeat quite a few times this year. Bleak, bold and full of brooding atmosphere it certainly is one of my top ten albums this year. |
| 17 |  | Destroyer 666
Wildfire
Catchy as balls Blackened Thrash…I really really need to see these guys live. |
| 18 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dissociation
a sad sad sad album…..you know why….but what an incredible way to finish up. You will be sorely missed |
| 19 |  | Entropia (PL)
Ufonaut
One of my very early AOTY contenders, this beastly blackened sludge album is powerful, jarring and unrepenting. The ebbs and flows are mesmerising, I really enjoy this album |
| 20 |  | Eye of Solitude
Cenotaph
Captivating, atmospheric and intense…one of the better death doom releases of 2016 for me |
| 21 |  | First Fragment
Dasein
Their debut EP set a pretty high water mark for the LP release but let me tell you, Daesin is an absolute beast. Solid songwriting and tremendous riffs…yes the riffage is the main highlight here, just awesome. |
| 22 |  | Fleshgod Apocalypse
King
I reckon Fleshgod have really hit their stride here, to the point where I'd say this is their finest work to date. I love this album very much, it's crushing , expansive and of course overtly symphonic. |
| 23 |  | Funeral Attire
Joy
Not many people have dug this as much as I have. And yes there are quite a few choices that I overlooked in favour of this but idk. This is Raw, angsty and emotional…what Melodic Hardcore should be. I can't help but love this shit. |
| 24 |  | Gadget
The Great Destroyer
My second favourite grind album of the year, I've always enjoyed Gadget and this is their best yet |
| 25 |  | Gatecreeper
Sonoran Depravation
Heavily influenced by Dismember and Bolt Thrower, these dudes really do fly the flag for modern death metal. Fast, aggressive and unrelenting…so good. |
| 26 |  | Gojira
Magma
Number 3 in my top 5 overall for 2016. I, like many , fell in love with Gojira upon listening to From Mars To Sirius. The direction is quite removed from said album but man o man does it fucking work. Catchier, more melodic and more progressive than ever before. Brilliant. |
| 27 |  | Gorguts
Pleiades' Dust
These Canadians are masters of their craft and this is no exception. It is dense, complex, discordant and is a continuous annihilation of your emotions, all in one epic track. |
| 28 |  | Grieved
Grieved
I'm such a sucker for Melodic Hardcore (refer back to Funeral Attire lol) and this was certainly the best album in that genre this year in my humble opinion. |
| 29 |  | Hail Spirit Noir
Mayhem In Blue
This captivated me upon first listen with it's quirky and unpredictable use of instrumentation within a black metal setting. Wonderfully weird and completely engaging |
| 30 |  | Haken
Affinity
Honestly, my first listed to Haken I struggled with the vocal tone but once I listened right through the album I found myself wanting more and more. So many different styles crammed into the one album, this is prog metal at it's finest |
| 31 |  | Heiress
Made Wrong
A definite progression for Heiress, the aggressiveness has been dialed back in favour of more melody providing a more balanced sound overall. |
| 32 |  | Inverloch
Distance | Collapsed
I love this album so much, draws me right in every time. A beautiful yet brutal death doom journey |
| 33 |  | Ion Dissonance
Cast the First Stone
Angular, jagged, twisted mathcore…here's how to make a brilliant comeback record. |
| 34 |  | Khemmis
Hunted
Khemmis have put together one of the best albums of the year for me, I would put this behind only Vektor, Cobalt and Goijira. I got swept up in the hype around this band for good fucking reason!! Doom at it's finest. |
| 35 |  | Kvelertak
Nattesferd
Kverlertak really honed their own sound to perfection on this album. The first single was not that great on initial listen but once I heard the whole album I was totally won over. I love this band. |
| 36 |  | Lizard Professor
Eccentricity
One of my more obscure choices for 2016, this is great progressive metal and I cannot list a weak track on the album. Diverse, twisted and has been on high rotation for me. |
| 37 |  | Magrudergrind
II
Magrudergrind have lost nothing in their 14 year career. Hard hitting Grind/PV that hits you right in the face and keeps pummeling |
| 38 |  | Meshuggah
The Violent Sleep of Reason
Meshuggah seem to 'overwrite' their sound as opposed to progressing it and not much has really changed since Koloss. But for me, I can't help but get swept away in the maelstrom of sound these guys produce. |
| 39 |  | Nails
You Will Never Be One of Us
What a way to spend 22 minutes…this is like having your face ripped clean off, sewed back on and then ripped off again. So good. |
| 40 |  | Oathbreaker
Rheia
My 5th best album of the year. These guys have found the perfect balance between shoegaze, black metal and hardcore and completely nailed it. I cannot get enough of the track 'Second Son of R.'…for me, it is song of the year |
| 41 |  | Plebeian Grandstand
False Highs, True Lows
First listen through was tough going, this is a very dense and cacophonous album. A few more spins and then you get to grasp the sheer ferocity on offer here. Captivating. |
| 42 |  | Revocation
Great Is Our Sin
Can these guys make a bad album?? NO FUCKING WAY!!! Revocation continue to raise the already ridiculously high bar into the stratosphere. One of my favourite ever bands truth be told…fanboy alert!! |
| 43 |  | Rorcal
Creon
Rorcal expand upon their sludgy black metal template with rawness and oppression framed around their love of Greek Mythology. Quality release. |
| 44 |  | Rotting Christ
Rituals
Rituals is a phenomenal album in my opinion. The atmosphere, musicianship and production are spot on, making for a very dynamic and cohesive release. Great stuff indeed. |
| 45 |  | Schammasch
Triangle
Discovered this album quite late this year and man what a find it was. Broken into 3 'movements', each part is a unique blend of diverse styles from pure black metal to light ambience. Schammasch have created a simply amazing aural experience. |
| 47 |  | Slice the Cake
Odyssey To the West
It's a shame that this may be the band’s last album, but you could not ask for a better album finish on. It is crushing, atmospheric, majestic and dramatic all tied into a wonderfully cohesive package. |
| 48 |  | Throwers
Loss
Throwers deliver a dark and menacing hardcore album with a dose of atmosphere and brooding post metal to boot. Highly recommend. |
| 49 |  | Trap Them
Crown Feral
To be honest, I was underwhelmed in my first listen through but my expectations are insanely high as I rate this band very very highly. That being said and now having experienced the album multiple times I can safely say that this album is as menacing and angry as ever and even grindier in places than their last few releases. Just brilliant. |
| 50 |  | Ulcerate
Shrines of Paralysis
Those Kiwi nut cases are at it again, this is an absolute BEAST of an album. Dense and murky in sound, technical and brutish in delivery this album hands your heart back to you on a silver platter. SO DAMN GOOD. |
| 51 |  | Unfathomable Ruination
Finitude
Loved their prior album and these guys have polished their already impressive brutal death style into something that almost transcends the genre and maybe even their peers for that matter. |
| 52 |  | Ustalost
The Spoor Of Vipers
Just behind Schammasch as my fave Black metal album this year. If you a Black Metal fan and haven't heard this…..change that now. |
| 53 |  | Vektor
Terminal Redux
An absolute masterpiece. There is no weakness at all in this breathtaking progressive thrash odyssey. MY AOTY |
| 54 |  | Virvum
Illuminance
Snuck back into my list after another rather recent listen through. Incredible songwriting and instrumentation throughout, quite ambitious in areas for a debut but my goodness does it work. Fucking excellent. |
| 55 |  | Votum
:KTONIK:
This is quite a giant leap forward over the bands prior work mainly because of the change in vocalist, well in my view anyway. This is an engaging and beautiful post rock prog metal album |
| 56 |  | Witchcraft
Nucleus
I unashamedly have a real soft spot for stoner rock, especially stoner rock of this caliber. Witchcraft return to their doomier roots on this album and with great success. This is my go to album if I need to just relax and chill and hide away from everyday life. |
| 57 |  | Wormed
Krighsu
Wormed have formed into a gargantuan hybrid of tech death and brutal death. They blast you stupid with a devastating wall of sound that crushes your soul and keeps going. A real stand out of this year. Top ten for sure. |
| 58 |  | Wormrot
Voices
My fave Grindcore album this year. Wormrot continue to dish up delectable grind which I feast on constantly. Seriously though, Voices simply blasts, thrashes and grooves fucking hard. |
| 59 |  | Zao
The Well-Intentioned Virus
Another comeback album from a well established band that has received widespread acclaim. And rightly so, Zao have composed another metalcore gem which is a pure mix of melody and intensity. Love it. |
| 60 |  | Zhrine
Unortheta
Unortheta is another fantastic Black Metal album and geez, there have been quite a few this year. What stands out here for me are the tempo changes and experimentation which are arranged and executed perfectly. |
|
