Halftime 2024 - My favorite Albums so far
1-3 is ranked, the rest not. |
| 1 |  | Ulcerate
Cutting the Throat of God
Style over substance? No, it is style AND substance. Indeed as a piece of stylish art this album comes with clinical (kind of cold and monotonous) perfection in every aspect: songwriting, production, sound, art and so on. But it is also the highest quality in every aspect. It is great, too, that this is Ulcerates' most polished and accessible record. In comparison with its precedessor the band mixed in a lot of black and post metal love and gives every song an iconic riff. |
| 2 |  | Thou
Umbilical |
| 3 |  | Frail Body
Artificial Bouquet
It is near to an picture perfect screamo album and overall production, art and so on...but on a few songs there are little lengths here and there. If you want, you can hear Touche Amore influenced guitars and Deafheaven vocals but in the end this is a pure screamo fest. |
| 4 |  | The Lemon Twigs
A Dream Is All We Know
Hit after Hit after Hit. The Album contains the best Beatles and Beach Boys worshipping you can imagine. It gives non-stop serotonin fire for everyone. If you listen to this record, you could think that in this moment The Lemon Twigs are the only truly relevant band in the world. |
| 5 |  | Selbst
Despondency Chord Progressions
Fantastic and highy creative black metal which is focused dissonant and progressive at the same time with Opeth-like clean vocals at the same time. |
| 6 |  | Whoredom Rife
Den Vrede Makt
This album is summary for all of what norwegian black metal is standing for (today). I love the epicness which is created by a lot of effective repetition. Personaly in its mightyness and the inner pictures it creates Den Vrede Makt reminds me of Vertebrae by Enslaved when this came out back in the days. I see rough and beautiful wide landscapes, i feel Norway. |
| 7 |  | Knocked Loose
You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To
Highest praise, this is just (genre) perfection. You could not do this kind of music better: artwork, production, songs, pacing, unique vocals, everything. Everyone should check this out who has love left for aggressive and heavy music. If you want to have only one metalcore-, beatdown-, hardcore with breakdowns- whatever album in your collection, then it should be the new Knocked Loose. This is also Zeitgeist or a very modern and stylish album. |
| 8 |  | Saidan
Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity
Fun never ends on this record. Playful melodic black metal which worships anime music, punkrock and traditional heavy metal with iconic guitar solos. Every song is killer and pure fun. Fans of the last Moonlight Sorcery album should love this, too. |
| 9 |  | Civerous
Maze Envy |
| 10 |  | Nimbifer
Der Böse Geist
The best lo-fi black metal album of the year comes from this german duo. It is pretty melodic, haunting, with a lot of reverb and beautiful black metal in the end. |
| 11 |  | Pallbearer
Mind Burns Alive
Timeless, melancholic and emotional- highly touching music. It is Pallbearers' most thoughtful one and the opener is my song of the year. |
| 12 |  | Uttertomb
Nebulas Of Self-Desecration |
| 13 |  | Adrianne Lenker
Bright Future
For me the best songwriter record of the last years since Carrie & Lowell. Its charm und simplicity reminds me of my alltime favorite songwriter record Loupita from Kristofer Aström crossed with the rawness of Bright Eyes' Lifted and the honesty of Elliott Smith. |
| 14 |  | Verberis
The Apophatic Wilderness
Minimalistic, often slow and tough trip into the abyss. The music here is not spectacular but highly effective. Love the fitting artwork. |
| 15 |  | Sovereign
Altered Realities |
| 16 |  | Alcest
Les Chants de L'Aurore
The music on this album is a wonderful best of Alcests' music and it is also the best album by Alcest. My only complaint is that i like the album much more until the song Flamme jumelle than i like it after this song. Overall Les Chants de L'Aurore stays as the most touching album of 2024 in the hard & heavy/metal genre besides Pallbearers' Mind Burns Alive. |
| 17 |  | Akhlys
House of the Black Geminus
Disappointment? What? NO! This is a high-quality and well-oiled black metal machine with a monotonous industrial edge. |
| 18 |  | Mayhemic
Toba |
| 19 |  | Porter Robinson
SMILE! :D
This album is Porter Robinsons sellout. But it is a great one. It is kitchy with simple melodies and has a bubble-gum production. You should love that. Some songs give the listener a nice pop punk feeling. |
| 20 |  | Parannoul
Sky Hundred
The last Parannoul album After The Magic is great. Its songwriting is well-structured, maybe a little bit overthought and its production is clean in a good way. Now it is followed by Sky Hundred which is the opposite in every aspects. The songwriting is spontaneous and wild and the production is raw and full of reverb. Overall it seems to be the better fit for Parannoul. Sky Hundred is full of joy, has Parannouls best melodies and a lot to discover. |
| 21 |  | Melt-Banana
3+5
Insanely good, creative and artistic take on the hardcore punk genre. Sounds like a screamo record without screamo vocals. Drummer is insane. |
| 22 |  | Magdalena Bay
Imaginal Disk |
| 23 |  | JPEGMAFIA
I Lay Down My Life For You |
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