5. Coma Ecliptic – Between the Buried and Me
I have always felt that the best albums by prog-metal bands are the in-betweeners;the albums that aren’t as heavy as the band’s previous efforts, but definitely more intense than releases after (i.e. Crack The Skye by Mastodon). I feel as if I could put Coma Ecliptic in the same vein; the album is simultaneously like everything they’ve ever done, yet completely unlike it. The general approach that the band takes is lighter and less downtuned, though the signature Between the Buried and Me fluctuations between driving metal and prog prowess remain. But at the end of the day, regardless of my theory, Coma Ecliptic is a beautifully constructed prog adventure that stands tall amongst the rest of the band’s already impressive catalogue.
Standouts: “The Coma Machine,” “Dim Ignition,” “Famine Wolf”
4. Monarchy – Rivers of Nihil
Rivers of Nihil is a band that I always compare to one of my personal favorites: Fallujah. Where Fallujah’s sound is an astral and otherworldly exploration of drone and tech death, Rivers of Nihil’s sound is the more earthly, grounded counterpart. On Monarchy, Rivers conceptually explores the sounds of summer through melody and brutal riffs, utilizing anything from eerie resonance to a sole acoustic guitar in order to capture the season’s warmth and harshness. The songs span across a number of subgenres, yet the transitions feel completely seamless.
Standouts: “Perpetual Growth Machine,” “Monarchy,” “Terrestria II: Thrive”
3. The Oracle – Dark Sermon
Honestly, Dark Sermon is just one of those random bands that I discovered on Youtube while listening to something else and checking out the related videos section. Though the story of how I discovered them isn’t exactly glamorous, it turns out that The Oracle has become one of my favorite releases of the year. Atmospherically, the album reminds me of a slowed down Behemoth with its brooding blasphemy weaving its way through every track. Stylistically, it’s a mix of doom metal and deathcore, though the latter is mostly present in the delivery of the vocals. The result is an absolutely sinister, spine-tingling album, who’s gloom demands to be sympathized with.
Standouts: “Ode to the Black Widow,” “In Each Hand, A Talisman of Sacred Stone,” “The Myth of Sanity,” “Rat King”
2. Hammer of the Witches – Cradle of Filth
I have absolutely no idea where this album came from and why it’s so good, but I assume that switching out the two axemen of the band had everything to do with it. Hammer of the Witches is Cradle with more vigor, where every band member steps up and plays their role better than they had for the lull of their previous three albums. The result is longer, more detailed, and certainly better songs. Aside from switching up their guitarists, a new keyboardist/vocalist named Schoolcraft has also joined the band, and her contributions are immediately felt. This album is quite simply the most gothic Cradle of Filth has felt in quite a while–the return to their roots is a major success
Standouts: “Yours Immortally…,” “Enshrined in Crematoria,” “Right Wing of the Garden Triptych,” “Onward Christian Soldiers”
1. Meliora – Ghost
Introducing your undisputed champion. Not only has Meliora become one of the best albums I’ve recently heard, but it also succeeded in converting me into a Ghost fan (a band I had never really liked prior). For some strange reason, Meliora aligned all of the planets for me, suddenly granting me the realization that Infestissumam (the band’s second album) and Opus Eponymous (their debut) were also amazing albums in their own right. It also made me realize I was an idiot for not listening to them earlier. On their third album, the Swedish group fuses the heaviness and cult-esque unsettling of Opus with the litany and cathedral melody ofInfestissumam, creating a romantic, sacrilegious equilibrium.
Papa Emeritus, the alias of the band’s anonymous frontman, delivers his vocalized sermons with the passion of a leader, almost beckoning to his listeners for a response. As an impressionable virgin to Ghost’s sound, I was enchanted by his occult aura, whether it be as sprawling as skyscrapers as it was on “Spirit,” or as intimate as it was on “He Is” (which song that simply shouldn’t work if done by any other band, as it sounds like a corny church group hymn). Meliora not only poses itself as a fantastic metal album, but a fantastic album in general, that should be listened to by anyone who claims to enjoy music; not only is it masterfully crafted, but it is also extremely accessible.
Standouts: I honestly can’t pick a single one. Listen to the whole thing.
Ian Barbour