Many magazines publish their lists in early December, we make sure we can scour the whole year for the best of the best! So let’s not waste any more time and go right to it! Ladies and gentlemen: TMO’s Top 30 of 2019!
Click the cover art for music.
Devourment – Obscene Majesty
Are you ready to be crushed? After a six-year hiatus, the kings and fathers of slam are back in action, delivering the best and most devastating release of their career! Featuring a putrid and perfectly fitting production, inhuman gutturals, groovy riffing and insane drumming, Obscene Majesty is a true declaration of intents, and an unmissable release for any brutal death metal aficionado. Definitely one of the year’s highlights! (Alberto Mancini)
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Candlemass – The Door to Doom
You know what they say about wine? That it gets better with the years. While the four albums still stand as paragons of epic doom metal, Candlemass have never let go and with The Door to Doom unite the epicness of old with a grittiness that had found its way into their sound a few albums ago and with the return of original singer Johan Längqvist are coming full circle. (Alex Melzer)
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Månegarm – Fornaldarsagor
Swedish Månegarm have been one of the most consistent folk/pagan metal bands of the last two decades and after two good, but not outstanding albums, Fornaldarsagor is a true return to form, meshing the melodies of folk with the harshness of a black metallic foundation, but striking a remarkable balance that marks the album as inimitably Månegarm. (Alex Melzer)
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Full Of Hell – Weeping Choir
After Trumpeting Ecstasy, an album that helped solidify Full of Hell’s status in the death/grind scene, the lot from Pennsylvania returned this year with Weeping Choir and they surely did not disappoint. The band has refined their sound even more here, integrating more influences into their amalgam of abrasive, relentless death metal and grindcore alike. Weeping Choir is an all around winner for Full of Hell, who have by this point proven themselves to be true adepts at their craft. (Giannis Panitsas)
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Mother of Millions – Artifacts
Artifacts is easily one of the most unique records of the year, presenting elegant prog rock with a strong atmospheric component and a suitably deep concept. Offering lush melodies on piano and guitar, backed by refined drum patterns and grooves with deep penetrating bass, a full immersive soundscape is born. The intense delivery of the vocals tops off and completes the package. Taking you on a truly shaking musical journey of both thought and feeling, Mother of Millions have proven themselves a distinguished elite in the already remarkable Greek progressive scene. (George Dan)
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Fleshgod Apocalypse – Veleno
Veleno” is not only the most mature and varied Fleshgod Apocalypse release yet, but also one of their absolute best: combining relentless symphonic assaults with slower and more atmospheric tracks, the celebrated Italian symphonic metallers have finally found the perfect balance for their unique brand of music, while gracing us with the most theatrical (and maybe even technical) release of the year. (Alberto Mancini)
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Tanagra – Meridiem
Coming right outta left field, the Oregon quintet of Tanagra shun the more chuggy and riff-oriented attack of other prog/power acts to embrace a softer, more sweeping and melodic approach. This method paid off remarkably. Meridiem is one of the finest prog metal albums to come from 2019, and it is Tanagra’s beautifully restrained performance that makes it such a soothing and rewarding listen. It’s pompous, majestic and intelligent – everything you could possibly want from an album of this genre. It’s also monumental in size – almost every track being between 7 and 15 minutes – but that’s what makes it so rewarding after repeat listens. Any qualms? Listen to the opening 20 seconds of “Witness” and let your worries melt away. (Larry Best)
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Periphery IV – Hail Stan
Periphery’s stellar return with Periphery IV: Hail Stan left no head unbanged, and no neck unstrained among progheads, showcasing all of the great assets that made this band into the unmistakable force that they are today. Delivering sheer savagery through the technical riffs and intricate song structures, yet without shying away from strong punchy choruses, they definitely have put together a diverse all-inclusive package for their fans. The unshakable genius of Nolly’s mixing also cannot go unmentioned. If you simply must have an album that djents in your year-end list, there is only one obvious choice. (George Dan)
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Witch Vomit – Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave
Witch Vomit’s second full-length, despite only being some 27 minutes long, is massive: Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave is as punishingly intense and filthy as anything out there, with an apocalyptic flavor and a sulfur-clogged atmosphere thick enough to choke both the beast and the harlot. (Jackson French)
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Inter Arma – Sulphur English
“Bow down to the might of Portland’s masters of bone-crushing heaviness” is not a phrase you ought to be using this day and age to convince anybody of Inter Arma’s majesty. Four albums down the line these legends build from strength to strength before unleashing their lucid cacophonic supernovae upon you. What makes Sulphur English so damn special is its restless vibrancy oscillating underneath its waxen surface; it’s not just pummeling riffs a la “A Waxen Sea” and “Citadel” but immensely intricate atmospheres burning and exploding in the forms of “The Atavist’s Meridian” and “Blood on the Lupines”. As if that was not enough, “Howling Lands” and “Stillness” add a more subtle yet even more devastating darkness into an already multi-dimensional entity. It’s a breathtaking sensory experience one can easily get lost forever in; a mesmerising trip through molten consciousnesses and incendiary wastelands whose blazes cannot be quelled by any mortal. (Jamie Cansdale-Cook)
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Insomnium – Heart Like a Grave
There has always been something special about Insomnium. While their core is still melodic death metal, they very assertively do not sound like everybody else. While their use of clear vocals is not really unique, their fusion of melodic death with this innate Finnish melancholy makes them such a stand-out for many years now and Heart Like a Grave is no exception. (Alex Melzer)
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Dream Theater – Distance Over Time
Dream Theater are legendary. There’s no question about it. These guys are some of the best musicians metal has to offer, and they’ve given rise to more than a few prog masterpieces. While it’s true that their material has lost a bit of steam over the last decade, Distance over Time recaptures all of their former velocity as their best album since Black Clouds and Silver Linings. There’s a perfect mix of mathematical intricacies, solid melodies, and headbangable grooves, and, despite having a sound that’s closer to their earlier works, this is the freshest they’ve sounded in years. (Kane Gagen-Perry)
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Twilight Force – Dawn of the Dragonstar
Although the road of Dungeons & Dragons LARPer turned symphonic power metal extraordinaire outfit is one that has been traveled a fair bit prior to the 2010s, few bands can boast the memorable factor that Sweden’s Twilight Force has forged by taking both concepts to their logical conclusion. Proving that adversity can lead to greatness, the loss of glass-shattering vocal impresario Christian “Chrileon” Eriksson did little to hinder their efforts in bringing melodic majesty to the masses, and simultaneously found a new home for Trick Or Treat wailer Alessandro Conti following the dissolution of Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody. If over the top adventurism with an eye for Helloween-styled loftiness and technical largess is your thing, 2019’s Dawn Of The Dragonstar delivers it in rune-covered spades. (Jonathan Smith)
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Beast In Black – From Hell With Love
Insane solos? Check. The best vocal performance in modern heavy metal? Check. Synthetic fanfares that demand the construction of a training montage? Check. Pack it up, every other band ever. Beast in Black have achieved the pinnacle of music. It’s all downhill from here. Go home. Show’s over. Nothing else will ever excite you as much as this album will. Just kidding. Well, kind of. From Hell with Love is what every 80s revival album strives to be: catchy, fun, and technically impressive. Between the limitless voice of Yannis Papadopoulos and the songwriting gold of Anton Kabanen, this album holds nothing back. It’s intense. It’s fucking doused in cheese. It’s the pump up record to end all pump up records. (Kane Gagen-Perry)
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Krypts – Cadaver Circulation
Krypts have made quite a mark on this decade with three excellent death metal releases. The pinnacle of this trifecta being their 2019 record, Cadaver Circulation. The album encapsulates everything that makes Krypts such a special band heavy/intense instrumentation mixed in with something a little deeper for those wishing to explore. Powerful vocals play off the doom influences to create such a special death metal release that pulls you in right from the word go. The production is stellar and the mix allows for plenty of dynamics within the soundscape presented. Every time I hit play I’m reminded why I adore this record so. The magic is in the mayhem, as each track manages to wrap itself around the listener and pull you in deeper and deeper into the muck and mire. Come for the promise of crushing riffs and allow for the record to grow with each listen, it’s definitely worth your time. (Jordan Lindgren)
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Tyr – Hel
My personal favourite album of the year. It turns out the 5-6 year gap between albums for the Faroese folksters was a necessary evil, as they now churn out the greatest album of their career. Hel combines the vibrant energy of their post-2010 with the epic structures of Eric The Red and Land to forge a dark journey which exists in a world of dread all on its own. This is an album which never settles for ‘good enough’, never treats the audience like idiots, and never goes half-assed! Every solo section is extended and jaw-dropping, the choruses are BIG, the riffs are heavy, and the atmosphere is 100% Tyr. But this is Tyr for the future, and I cannot get enough. (Larry Best)
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Paladin – Ascension
Considering this is a debut release from a brand new act, the quality on offer here is beyond fantastic. To some, this may be a lot to take in on first exposure. However, the go-for-the-jugular attitude is exactly what I appreciate about Paladin’s Ascension. The American power metallers inject a constant stream of energy into their music – and it never lets up. Utterly blazing solos, lightning fast tempos, menacing razor-sharp riffs and a super strong vocal performance make this one of the most impactful power metal albums in recent memory. Also, those harsh vocals are definitely worth a special mention! Great to see a power metal act adding that extra dimension. (Larry Best)
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Saor – Forgotten Paths
Even in a market loaded with countless bands more than willing to provide us with sweeping ambient black metal compositions worthy of an epic historical blockbuster’s soundtrack, Saor rises above most competitors. Not content to merely copy Summoning, this one-man group’s Scottish heritage is apparent in everything it does. Saor’s 2019 album Forgotten Paths finds the band once again rendering a serene, primordial atmosphere built on thoughtful streams of black metal rife with ghostly longing and soaring melodies that leave the listener with no choice but to close their eyes and imagine the rolling, mist-shrouded hills of the Scottish highlands. (Jackson French)
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Brymir – Wings of Fire
Brymir is extreme metal for the power metal fan and Wings of Fire is no exception. If it weren’t for the rough vocals, it’d be epic symphonic power metal through-and-through. No, I shouldn’t say that. It’s way too epic to be just that. It’s the kind of epic that’ll make you believe that you can crush mountains and fly through the sky as the bringer of life or death, sole judge of the universe, with all of the power of the gods in your hands, under your hands, through your hands, about your hands (but not over your hands). It’s that. Fucking. Epic. (Kane Gagen-Perry)
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Crypt Sermon – The Ruins of Fading Light
On Crypt Sermon’s second full length record, The Ruins of Fading Light, I was struck by just how powerful the record sounded. Everything from the vocals to the production, to the drums sound so satisfying. Epic doom has always been a hit or miss genre for me personally, so to see it executed so well is incredibly refreshing. The band meanders a bit here and there but always manages to pull together excellent epic after one another. The writing and instrumentals create imagery of epic medieval fantasy adventures that, while ever so slightly pushing the realm of over the top, hit the mark of they are looking to strike. The musicianship also reach fantastic highs throughout the record. There are standout moments at every point and it all creates a record that any fringe doom fan should be able to enjoy immensely. (Jordan Lindgren)
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Wilderun – Veil of Imagination
Not many bands can pull off an exceptional atmospheric album so, when one does, I always get excited. One of the few (and latest) this year to accomplish such a feat are Boston’s Wilderun with their third album, Veil of Imagination. The album combines elements of death, symphonic, progressive, and folk metal to make a sound that bands like Wintersun have been trying so desperately to embody. It expertly conjures deep feelings of wonder, determination, aggression, hate, fear, reflection, and everything in between. With rich orchestrations supporting it, Veil of Imagination is almost impossible colourful. (Kane Gagen-Perry)
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Rotting Christ – The Heretics
Rotting Christ definitely have found their very own niche within the black metal scene by utilizing elements from gothic and symphonic metal while staying true to their own core. The Heretics is an intense, dense and ultimately epic journey through atmospheric black metal with Sakis’ inimitable vocals adding to the band’s uniqueness, utilizing choirs to great effect, elevating the album even among their illustrious back catalogue. (Alex Melzer)
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Devin Townsend – Empath
What can be said about Devin Townsend that has not already been said a thousand times? The man is a true genius and Empath is a masterclass on the art of progressive metal. This album takes the listener on an epic journey filled with heavy, bouncing riffs, lush keyboards and the full spectrum of drum patterns and tempos. Naturally, it also showcases Devin’s vocal range from the killer low growls to the soaring clean vocals that sound like a bird being set free. At this point, he has very little left to prove but he keeps exploring new territory and bringing new motifs to his music like the aquatic theme of “Why.” That is the mark of a truly incredible artist and a unique individual and that is why every new album is a completely different adventure. (Eric Ward)
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Atlantean Kodex – The Course of Empire
Atlantean Kodex are somewhat of a unique element in the metal periodic table. Their very own brand of doomy epic metal (or is it epic doomy metal?) has mesmerized metalhood since their debut The Golden Bough and they are still very comfortable in their own niche with their third effort The Course of Empire. Continuing down the path they had began back then, they subtly evolve their sound to ensure progression without altering their course. Epic in every nook and cranny, the Germans spin a masterful tale full of atmosphere, passion and expressiveness. (Alex Melzer)
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Darkthrone – Old Star
Legendary blackened metal duo Darkthrone unleashed their latest opus, Old Star, continuing in the vein of their previous album, Arctic Thunder. Blending riff-centric traditional metal with swaggering, blackened aesthetics and a thick and undying love for all things Celtic Frost, Darkthrone delivers a nonstop barrage of riff after riff. The entire, near-forty minute album is a complete, nonstop riff machine, nimbly switching gears at the drop of a hat. From start to finish, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto deliver the goods. In typical Darkthrone fashion, this blend of blackened traditional metal madness sounds exactly like what we were all hoping for. At this point in their career Darkthrone is untouchable, and Old Star. just cements that fact. Did we mention the riffs? (Shawn Miller)
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Deathspell Omega – The Furnaces of Palingenesia
With their seventh full-length, Deathspell Omega once again prove themselves as true masters of avantgarde black metal, crafting the ominous and anguished soundtrack of a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime. Completely packed with rabid, raspy vocals, brilliant songwriting, schizophrenic drumming, dissonant guitar patterns and an incredible atmosphere, this hellish release cements the status of these genial musicians as some of the maximum exponents of the modern black metal scene. (Alberto Mancini)
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Traveler – Traveler
This year has definitely been a year of traditional heavy metal. We got everything from old school bands making comebacks, to newcomers such as Traveler trying to get their names out there. With this self-titled debut, they prove that they are a force to be reckoned with. So much so that they set a new standard for the entire scene with these highly energetic and unforgettable tracks. It delivers the anthemic vocals of Jean-Pierre Abboud that we all know and love, some ridiculously catchy riffs, and a spot-on production to top it all off. All killer, no filler. (Donát Fülöp)
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Obsequiae – Palms of Sorrowed Kings
Building on the foundations of Aria of Vernal Tombs, the Minneapolis trio have released a fantastic record that paints a very serene picture within the darkness of the melodic black metal colors. Dual guitar melodies dance around while the traditional black metal vocals sit back in the mix which adds an ethereal edge to the overall product. Not a negative moment can be found here, medieval influenced instrumentals bridge the gaps between the black metal tracks which adds melodic pleasantries on top of the already enjoyable formula. As the record builds towards its eventual conclusion, each track sets a new bar for the next to top, and without a doubt each track tops it. Adding on to the bands already standout talents, guest musicians and singers are brought in to add more layers to the record. It all culminates into a standout release from both the band and the genre. (Jordan Lindgren)
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Cattle Decapitation – Death Atlas
On a rather apocalyptic note, one of the best albums came late in the year, just in time to mess up everyone’s lists. Death Atlas is a clear statement as to why Cattle Decapitation are always so near the top of the death metal spectrum, with some of the most intense delivery available in the scene. This time focusing more on the technical and melodic side of their sound, the band shows a natural evolution from the last output, adding more diversity to both the instrumentals and the vocals. However, this does not stop them from pummeling the listener with a savage commando of ballistic drums and killer riffs. And of course, one could not overlook Cattle Decap’s uncompromising concepts. Depicting the ungodly scenario of humanity’s self-inflicted demise, this album strikes as hard in lyric as it does in music, offering the kind of quality metal that we should spend our time on before we’re all reduced to ashes. (George Dan)
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Blood Incantation – Hidden History of the Human Race
Another late entry to everyone’s lists which has subsequently toppled the opposition, screwing up year-end lists all over the internet – and quite rightly so! Colorado death metallers Blood Incantation defied all expectations with their sophomore album “Hidden History Of The Human Race”. The otherworldly atmosphere (not to mention eerie artwork!) aided by the mysterious lyrical themes, help elevate this record to heights beyond other death metal releases in 2019. The cavernous production quality, beastly vocal delivery and Schuldiner-esque songwriting all added up to a brief, familiar, yet refreshingly alien listening experience. Equal parts Gorguts, Immolation and Death – but a thing greater than the sum of its parts. Hell, the 18-minute finale is worth the price of the album alone! (Larry Best)
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