Jordan Itkowitz

Top 25

1. Void Ritual – Death is Peace (Ipos Records). So how did an obscure, one-man black metal project out of New Mexico wind up at the top of my list? ‘Cause it’s one of the best and well-written black metal albums I’ve heard in quite a few years. No frills, no gimmicks – just authentic mid-‘90s rawness and melodies, plus a variety of shifting moods, from somber to triumphant. Seriously, if this had come out 25 (!) years ago we’d still be talking about it with the same reverence as The Shadowthrone, For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike, or Bergtatt. Also, it’s one of three albums released this year by the same guy (Daniel Jackson), so he’s nothing if not prolific. Those are definitely worth your time too, but this one kept me coming back time and again.
2. Immortal – Northern Chaos Gods (Nuclear Blast). Even without Abbath, this is a hell of a comeback and a note-perfect way to return to the frozen world of Blashyrkh. The songwriting on this is so good, this might now be my favorite Immortal album, period.
3. Chapel of Disease – …And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye (Van Records). 2015’s The Mysterious Ways of Repetitive Art impressed me with its occasional blend of scraping death metal and bluesy psychedelia. Since then the band has become even more creatively emboldened and gone all-in on the 70’s rock sound. Thin Lizzy meets Asphyx? It works. More than that, it jams, it rocks, it wanders, it explores, and most of all, it entertains.
4. Dimmu Borgir – Eonian (Nuclear Blast). Not gonna lie, I thought this was gonna be a disaster after that first ridiculous single, but I wound up loving this album. It’s bombastic, overwrought, epic, and impeccably produced – in short, it’s Dimmu Borgir – and yet it still brings a few new elements to the mix. I think they need to dial back on the choirs next time – two albums in a row have more than explored that element – but I can’t wait to hear what they do next. Just don’t take 8 more years to do it.
5. King Buffalo – Longing to Be the Mountain (Self-Published). I fell in love with this band with their 2016 release Orion. This has the same earthy mix of desert rock and stoner metal but it’s more relaxed. Consider it ‘stoner Meddle.’
6. Judas Priest – Firepower (Columbia Records). Their best album since Painkiller, no question. And that was almost 30 years ago!! It’s a diverse collection of songs too – from fast-paced attacks like the title track and “Lightning Strike” to triumphant and regal smokers like “Traitors’ Gate” and “Rising from Ruins.” Now I just gotta make sure I catch them while they’re still touring this album.
7. Agrimonia – Awaken (Southern Lord). This band takes a mix of miserable elements – melancholy doom, crushing sludge, and blackened fury – and turns it into something elegant, powerful, and at times, beautiful. It’s their most accomplished and cogent album to date. Headphones a must.
8. Satan – Cruel Magic (Metal Blade Records). British heavy metal still flying the colors strong – this is a fantastic and frenetic collection of songs. Good luck getting the melodies out of your head. There were more than a few mornings where I had to cue up “Legions Hellbound” right away just to scratch that itch.
9. Wiegedood – De Doden Hebben Het Goed III (Century Media). I’ve been to Belgium a couple of times and it’s a lovely country full of chocolate, fries, and excellent beer, and yet this is just terrifying. Loved the last one too and this is pretty much the same formula – hypnotic melodies, blasting, Burzum-y fuzz, and screaming. Lots and lots of screaming.
10. Ghost – Prequelle (Loma Vista Recordings). Fuck the haters. I still love this band’s creativity, their effortless command of melody, and their willingness to add a variety of classic sounds into their now well-established mix of shtick and Scooby Doom. This time we get some Ozzy-era heavy metal (“Rats”), dorky instrumental prog (“Miasma,” “Helvetesfonster”), and crowd-pleasing pop (“Dance Macabre”). Also, the chorus of “Witch Image” has the best melody (and most wink-wink lyrics) since “Ritual.”
11. Fractal Gates – The Light That Shines (Self-Published). Astral, addictive melodic death/doom with deep space atmosphere and even deeper growls. Flows like a dream – it’s an excellent listen from start to end.
12. Monstrosity – The Passage of Existence (Metal Blade Records). This is their first album in 11 years (lots of comebacks on this list!) and it’s groovy, relentless, and surprisingly melodic. I’ve not really listened to these Florida death metallers before – there are just so many of them! – but I’m definitely paying attention now.
13. Omnium Gatherum – The Burning Cold (Century Media). Cold or no, this band has been on a creative hot streak since New World Shadows in 2011. I think the vocals are still a tad too monstrous for the intricate guitar melodies and gorgeous atmosphere, but this is still one of the best bands in the genre.
14. Amorphis – Queen of Time (Nuclear Blast). I’ve seen this at the top of a few lists but I don’t know why it’s not higher on mine. It’s flawless Amorphis, particularly majestic tracks like “The Golden Elk” and “Heart of the Giant.” Maybe it’s that Under the Red Cloud was also so superb that I was just not ready to be spoiled again so soon.
15. Eneferens – The Bleakness of Our Constant (Nordvis). Lovely melodies and frantic blastbeats can make for an unusual and successful mix when it’s done right – though most of the atmospheric black metal I hear is too formless or ambient to hold my interest for long. This one-man project from Minnesota does a fantastic job because the songs are actually well-crafted and not just morosely pretty. Fans of Orchid and Morningrise-era Opeth would well to check this out.
16. Varathron – Patriarchs of Evil (Agonia Records). Greece has always had a peculiarly theatrical and folky take on black metal. This album marries those unique elements with focused, kick-ass songwriting. “Into the Absurd” is one of my favorite metal tracks of the year.
17. The Ocean – Phanerozoic I: Paleozoic (Metal Blade Records). A crushing post-metal/sludge concept album about creepy-crawly prehistoric undersea monsters and mass extinction? Now that’s a hook. The atmosphere on here doesn’t quite fully explore that weirdness, but the monumental and powerful writing – shades of Cult of Luna’s brilliant Vertikal – plus an appearance by Jonas Renske of Katatonia made this a compelling listen nonetheless.
18. Obscura – Diluvium (Relapse Records). A welcome return to the balanced combination of twisty, proggy melody and cogent songwriting that made previous albums so successful.
19. Uada – Cult of a Dying Sun (Eisenwald Tonschmiede). Not as enamored with this one as I was with the debut – those death metal bellows and hoarse hardcore shouts have got to go – but the melodies and writing on here are still top-notch.
20. Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats – Wasteland (Rise Above Records). This band is just fucking cool – an alternate-universe Beatles where all those psychedelics pushed them to invent punk, a decade before the Sex Pistols or Television.
21. Shylmagoghnar – Transience (Napalm Records). Award for the best made-up band name of the year for sure. Also the best late ‘90s symphonic black metal throwback – think Throes of Dawn, Thy Withering Orchard, and Summoning. The latter half of the album sags, but this is worth it for the 12-minute title track alone – one of the year’s best metal songs – which soars to heights of triumphant grandeur and majesty.
22. Riverside – Wasteland (Mystic Production). This is an even more somber and sedate affair from these Polish prog-metal poets – and with good reason, as their guitarist died while they were touring for the previous album Love, Fear, and the Time Machine. This is first and foremost a cathartic tribute, yet still winds up being damn fine prog album in its own right.
23. The Absence – A Gift for the Obsessed (M-Theory Audio). You don’t hear this band mentioned often with the melodic death veterans, but they’ve been putting out high-quality albums for years. This beat out the new At the Gates and Arsis albums without a problem.
24. Blood Tsunami – Grave Condition (Indie Recordings). Slayer-worthy riffs and solos, blackened howls, and a punkier approach than the melodic death/thrash of Grand Feast for Vultures. One ass-kicker after another.
25. Great Leap Skyward – Map of Broken Dreams (Metalopolis Records). Hell of a debut from this Australian progressive metal outfit. They tend to paint in darker moodier colors and textures throughout the album but when they let loose – as on the fierce and twisty “Singularity” they soar. More like that please.