This year we decided to pull our fingers out and make our Top 30 available before the end of the year. Cue frantic observing during much of December and the eventual result of a gleaming Best Of for your inspection and delectation. As usual, there’s a massive cross-section of different styles present on the list, although surprisingly the top 3 all come from roughly the same genre…but don’t spoil the surprise by skipping straight to the end. Plenty of these albums also have reviews on the main site, so don’t forget to check out more details there. Play the sample tracks loud and bring on 2023!
=28. Wormrot – Hiss
=28. Brymir – Voices in the Sky
Brymir is a band I’ve followed since the beginning. Breathe Fire to the Sun was a brilliant debut album, basically aping Ensiferum, but in a good way. Now over a decade later they have found their particular voice. Wings of Fire was a really good album and the first one I felt they had really come into their own. Voices in the Sky is quite similar but they’ve pulled back on the synths. This album is chock full of riffs, blastbeats and some bloody catchy hooks. Ultimately I think the band has gotten better at both writing hooks and writing fast virtuosic melodic death metal and I’m here for it. Really this album is just heavier and faster than the last one. I still think their debut album is their best, but I know plenty of people that will absolutely adore this album. I’d be surprised if it didn’t top at least one year end list. (Ian Yeara)
=28. Borealis – Illusions
=26. Ty Morn – Last Villain Testament
Ty Morn impressed with their debut in 2019, but Aron Biale’s project came back even stronger this year with Last Villain Testament. Drawing more from hard-edged power metal than strictly epic heavy metal, the boost in speed makes these 10 cuts feel energetic and essential, not least because Biale and his several guest musicians pack all the tricks into tracks under 5 minutes. Gamma Ray goodness and the same chest-beating choruses as modern Stratovarius fuel riff-based adventures that always have something melodic going on too, not to forget Rafael Gazal’s gloriously unabashed performance on vocals. The intriguing production gives Last Villain Testament a sheen of taut modernity despite the classic chops, making the whole experience seemingly grow in momentum through predictably fiery songs like “Hellastryke” and “Firenado”. However, it’s “The One”, the only slightly longer song, that pushes invention to the maximum, as Ty Morn leap away from familiarity and into a hectic synthesis of vocal parts, phased guitar emphasis, and truly addictive rhythms. These guys have worked their socks off for this. (Edmund Morton)
26. Michael Romeo – War of the Worlds // Pt.2
The virtuoso guitarist and neo-classical composer dropped his third full-length this year, the sequel to War of the Worlds // Pt. 1 from 2018. His solo work isn’t all that distant from Symphony X in terms of sound, but this can hardly be a bad thing. Fans of the power metal giants will find this album to be an epic of equally mammoth proportions to Odyssey, with complex riffs and rhythms, orchestral flairs, and beautifully intricate vocals with backing harmonies. It’s a pleasant blend of soft and heavy, with the keyboards and dramatic vocals carrying the lighter portions, and Romeo’s piercing guitars pushing the way through the heavier parts. Romeo’s uncanny knack for crafting compelling melodies with enchanting harmonies is ultimately what sets this album head-and-shoulders above so many other projects, even if most listeners are simply taken by Romeo’s jaw-dropping, lightning speed leads and riffs. As far as power metal goes, it’s literally got it all. (Dave Hodges)
25. Cloud Rat – Threshold
Threshold is Cloud Rat at their best. After a consistent output, this trio appears to have finally found their true selves. A fantastic mixture of grind, hardcore and even hints of doom and black metal, Cloud Rat are firing on all cylinders. The music is fast, aggressive, but doesn’t lose any melody either. Vocally, the band is as pissed off as ever, and Madison puts in her best performance to date. Fans of grind will be more than happy with this album, putting Cloud Rat in the top tier of the genre. (Neill Bird)
=23. Darkthrone – Astral Fortress
Darkthrone’s twentieth album, like all their latest releases, doesn’t boggle the imagination. It just takes you back to the past as Fenriz and Nocturno Culto show their respect for Black Sabbath and Celtic Frost. Darkthrone are still unwavering in their faith, paying no attention to the sobs of black metal fans. Though the first song gives some hope for black metal, this hope quickly turns to dust with the rest of the album. Maybe this album will become a classic as well, but for now Astral Fortress is just another tribute to the ways of old, with Sabbathesque doom methodically smeared all over the album, and groovy, mid-tempo riffs in the vein of Celtic Frost peppered elsewhere (with Nocturno Culto’s voice painfully similar to that of Tom Gabriel Warrior). Astral Fortress once again convincingly demonstrates that Darkthrone have not forgotten how to compose beautiful music, especially to those who revel in experiencing a potpourri of classic metal soundscapes (Dmitry Popov)
=23. Blackbraid – Blackbraid I
Since the days of the Norwegian scene, black metal has tended to have a fascination with its practitioners’ ancestral heritage. For the most part, it’s European dudes recalling their homelands’ past, but sometimes we get a glimpse of someone from a vastly different background doing the same, and Blackbraid’s debut is one of the finest examples of this to come along in a while. Blackbraid I is the work of Sgah’gahsowáh, a native American man from the Adirondacks in upstate New York, and his tribute to the folkways of his ancestors is ferocious, epic, and menacing. Through towering displays of cold tremolo melodies, raw, anguished vocals, and crushing riffs, Sgah’gahsowáh expresses his awe of the natural world and fascination with spirits, and through some truly ominous interludes built on sparse, creeping acoustic passages and haunting accompaniment from some kind of flute, he hints at something far more melancholy. Blackbraid I is a taste of something I hope we can get a lot more of in the future, a rare gem that deftly balances sorrow, rage, and reverence in a procession of grandiose black metal. (Jackson French)
22. Amorphis – Halo
21. Crisix – Full HD
20. Power Paladin – With the Magic of Windfyre Steel
19. Véhémence – Ordalies
Véhémence’s Ordalies is something few could have imagined in the early days of Norway’s black metal scene. Though this French group is wedded to tremolos, blastbeats, and shouted vocals and deeply invested in their homeland’s distant past, in all other ways their 2022 opus is a far cry from the cold, murky trappings of Norway’s most infamous musical output. Ordalies is comprised mostly of lengthy epics built on the idea that black metal can be cleanly produced, melodic, and triumphant. Your typical track is composed of lengthy slabs of melodic tremolo lines and evocative leads that evolve at a slow but satisfying pace, lending each track a sweeping grandeur. Along the way, Véhémence finds time to give the album a distinct medieval flair by occasionally working in the flute, nyckelharpa and a few other folk instruments. The grandeur of Medieval France (and a bit of the period’s grimier, seedier side) is reflected beautifully in this lush, towering epic. (Jackson French)
18. Evergrey – A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)
=16. Voivod – Synchro Anarchy
Released back in February, the 15th studio album by Canadian prog metal veterans Voivod is a stupendous example of how to write music that is truly genre-defying and progressive. It’s a splendid Frankenstein that brings together genres as diverse as proto-metal, thrash, jazz-infected prog, and space rock, in an exhilarating musical experience that truly incarnates the meaning of the word “progressive”. At first impact, the music may feel difficult and uncompromising, as it is full of dissonance, shifting rhythms and variable tempos. It is rarely melodic, but when melodies do come to surface, they hit hard because the contrast with the challenging musical background is simply irresistible. Graced by stellar musicianship, an immaculate sound production, intelligent songwriting, and irresistible energy – Synchro Anarchy has it all. The album’s mad sonic assault may not be to everyone’s taste, but those readers who do not mind being challenged and pushed beyond conventional music borders should look no further, because this is the real deal. (Daniele Nosenzo)
=16. Threshold – Dividing Lines
15. Sigh – Shiki
14. Sonja – Loud Arriver
Sonja ended up our rookie-of-the-year, as their very first full-length received votes from nearly all of the traditional heavy metal lovers here at the Metal Observer. Loud Arriver is a haunting and alluring collection of understated goth metal songs, sung by Melissa Moore, whose voice echoes in the distance over reverb-laden guitars and thumpy bass lines. Her deceptively simple delivery is the perfect accent to the catchy and hypnotic riffs that populate every track. It’s difficult to point to one single thing that makes this album work, but if I had to narrow it down, it would be the atmosphere. I think more ambitious music could have ended up a lot worse without the careful attention paid to the production. You’re not going to find any over-the-top instrumental prowess here, but no matter as that’s simply not needed when you’ve got your songwriting craft down to a science. (Dave Hodges)
13. Nechochwen – Kanawha Black
Native American history is severely under represented in metal music. Nechochwen has been creating masterful blends of Native American tinged folk and melodic, atmospheric black metal for years, but Kanawha Black is a masterful achievement of amalgamating the two styles fluidly and fluently. Named for the dark colored flint used by Native American tribes in the land which became the band’s native West Virginia, the album mirrors the deadly beauty of the stone. Equal parts beauty and aggression, thunderous tremolo filled black metal and soothing classical folk instrumentation combine for one of the best folk laden black metal albums of the past decade. (Shawn Miller)
12. Ghost – Impera
When you check out a Ghost album, you know what you’re getting. Impera sees the band soar into the arena rock works with their catchy blend of pop inspired hard rock. There’s some impressive musicianship on this album, and really solid production. The vocals remain a high point for the band, as Tobias has a natural sense of infectious melodies. Just ignore “Twenties” and you’re in for a fun time, and sometimes, just being fun is perfectly acceptable. (Neill Bird)
11. An Abstract Illusion – Woe
This Swedish trio has been dwelling in the underground for far too long and it’s time the world knew their worth. Combining black and death metal dynamics with progressive metal song structure and some of the most surreal and immersive atmospheric soundscapes you can find in metal, they’re bound to appeal to those with eclectic taste, yet there’s still an accessibility to their sound that appeals instantaneously. Woe evolves compared to the debut Illuminate the Path by taking more liberty with experimenting, adding even some jazzy or electronic flavors, and even some pure aggressive moments like on the track “Slaves”. But what makes it all work is the flow, the cohesion, and the effortless listening experience, indicating that this is one of the most meticulously put together releases that 2022 has seen. (George Dan)
10. Abyssus – Death Revival
Here’s one that took us by surprise early in January: Abyssus. A Greek death metal band with all the original thrashy entrails left dangling down and packing a singer reminiscent of Obituary’s first few works, Death Revival had all the components for success, and it sure had the execution too. A crisp guitar tone among murky ambience gives all 7 songs the punch they require, while a limited runtime of slightly over half an hour guarantees that nothing is extra. Though the opening brace of songs all satisfy with massive riffs and mouldy shouts, things begin to hot up with “The Beast Within” and only get better. The edgy soloing brings steamrolling riffs to life, especially when “Genocide” opens with classical ethnic tones and the most disgustingly monstrous death metal groove you’ve heard in 2022. It will flatten your house, and your neighbour’s too, which is probably where they got the title from. Fantastic filthy fun. (Edmund Morton)
9. Elder – Innate Passage
I discovered these guys with Reflections of a Floating World in 2017; a gorgeous and complex blending of prog rock, stoner doom, and a hint of sludgy riffage here and there. It’s safe to say Elder stays at the top of their game with this album. Innate Passage isn’t reinventing the wheel or anything, but it is polishing their style to a shine. The production is crystal clear, the transitions are subtle and well executed. Everything about this album shows a band that has emerged onto the next level, they are now perfecting their craft and I cannot possibly recommend Innate Passage any more highly. I especially love “Merged in Dreams – Ne Plus Ultra”. Happy holidays and a happy new year, of prog. (Ian Yeara)
8. Persefone – Metanoia
A return to form from Persefone has long been awaited, and a solid 5 years after a very well received album in the form of Aathma would have many holding high expectations. As the band had defined and completed their sound with previous work, shifting some gears would be required to stay fresh and innovative especially for a unit as progressive as these brainiacs. Metanoia brings a darker journey of introspection, self discovery and evolution from the band’s latest works, taking the listener on a tumultuous trip through highly cinematic soundscapes, incredibly rich rhythmic dynamics and colorful melodies, with the band’s patented “repetitions are illegal” approach to songwriting in full swing. Songs like “Katabasis”, “Merkabah” and “Architecture of the I” bring in the high energy technical edge of the band, there’s atmospheric pieces like the intro title track or “Leap of Faith” and the much craved longer epics like “Aware of Being Watched” or the three part closing “Anabasis”. (George Dan)
7. Satan – Earth Infernal
After all these years, Satan is still one of the world’s most vital traditional metal outfits, sounding more energetic, focused, and committed to their unique brand of technically demanding NWOBHM than most bands a fraction of their age. Back in their heyday, this British group flavored their riffs with a flair for intricacy that anticipated the ambitious prog and tech death we take for granted today. Their latest album, Earth Infernal, shows that Satan has lost none of its strength in all the years they’ve been around. In 2022, they sound just as ferocious and acrobatic as ever. Their high-speed charges are still invigorating, their choruses are still anthemic and catchy, and the time changes and tempo shifts are still surprising. Most importantly, when it all comes together, Earth Infernal is as bombastic and jaw-dropping as anything else a group of battle-hardened NWOBHM diehards could make. (Jackson French)
6. Stratovarius – Survive
=4. Wolf – Shadowland
Just as the majority of the metal world decided en masse to move to black, death, grindcore, and other various forms of extreme metal, Wolf was one of the few and the proud artists that stayed true to the traditional ways, allowing the passing of the torch from the classic greats to the all the artists responsible for the recent explosion of heavy metal all over the world. Shadowland is their ninth full-length effort and amazingly they don’t seem to have lost anything with the passage of two decades of heavy metal, as this is just about as strong as any of their releases before it with the exception of Evil Star. As usual, the jagged riffs and piercing vocals combine to create the unsettling yet unbelievably gratifying music that has become part of Wolf’s signature sound. There’s no point listing a highlight track as every song is masterfully done. Heavy metal lovers will find this album a feast of riffs and howling earworms. (Dave Hodges)
=4. Venom Prison – Erebos
For those who have grown weary of the current tide of hardcore-influenced death metal, Venom Prison’s Erebos will surely provide a bit of relief. This band has all the slamming intensity of, say Gatecreeper or 200 Stab Wounds (a lot more, actually) but brings so much more to the table than their competitors. Amid the ferocious growls and screams of vocalist Larissa Stupar and the harsh, blunt riffs of guitarists Ash Gray and Ben Thomas, there are a lot of subtle dynamics at play. At times, the band comes within spitting distance of prog, frequently changing things up with more intricate or melodic leads, vocal passages that sometimes resemble the vocoded choir effect from Cynic’s Focus, ghostly ambience, and even a bit of haunting ambient piano in mid-album heavyweight ‘Pain of Oizys.’ Oh, and none of these elements ever feel out of place as they’re woven into this tapestry of hardcore and deathcore-inspired intensity. Surprisingly diverse in its influences and remarkably skillful in its merging of disparate elements, Erebos is an odd, indispensable gem for more adventurous death metal connoisseurs. (Jackson French)
3. Fellowship – The Saberlight Chronicles
2. Wind Rose – Warfront
1. Blind Guardian – The God Machine
