- Knifeworld– The Unravelling (InsideOut)- Ex Cardiac’s member Kavus Torabi has never been one for subtlety and simplicity and The Unravelling is the glorious embodiment of such. Eccentric, cartoonish yet at times very dark, unpredictable but on the whole very catchy; this is the album that should see Knifeworld placed around the top of the pile of modern Prog.
- Opeth– Pale Communion (Roadrunner)- Sticking a big middle finger to those who whined about their shedding of death metal on Heritage, Opeth continued further down the rabbit hole on Pale Communion. With its roots in golden-era Prog such as Genesis, Goblin and Comus, this encapsulates Akerfeldt’s real influences and artistic vision perfectly and is thus arguably the band’s best opus to date.
- Behemoth– The Satanist (Nuclear Blast)- The most important metal release of the year, Behemoth ascended further than possibly imagined with The Satanist, transcending beyond the extreme metal fan base and garnering universal plaudits. Controversy follows this band like a stalker but this and Nergal’s Leukemia contributed to a breathtaking opus that will be spoken about in years to come.
- Voices- London (Candlelight)- A late contender but one that simply bulldozed its way into contention. Simply massive in scope and in range, this is simultaneously disorientating, ferocious and hypnotic. Another shining gem in UK extreme metal’s crown.
Anathema
- Anathema– Distant Satellites (Kscope)- A few eyebrows were raised with some of the album’s more dance orientated direction but this is still full of pure emotional resonance, whilst showcasing the band as a forward thinking entity. Tears will still be shed and knees will weaken.
- Scott Walker & Sunn O)))– Soused (4AD ltd)- Predominantly this is a pure Scott Walker effort, as Sunn O))) provide the perfect backdrop; honing his sense of eeriness and haunting whilst never overshadowing. Pant wetting levels of scary; once again Walker proves certainly not for the faint hearted.
- Evergrey– Hymns For The Broken (AFM Records)- Masters of emotional and bold anthems, Evergrey continue their trend of deep, dark yet motivational numbers with perhaps their most personal effort and human effort to date.
- Gazpacho– Demon (Kscope)- Based on the ramblings of a man searching for a ‘demon’; Demon is the perfect embodiment of Gazpacho’s prowess at conveying the mysterious and the macabre. Minimalist in part, yet still varied and ultimately heavy.
- The Pineapple Thief– Magnolia (Kscope)- Following the passing of mainman Bruce Soord’s friend, Magnolia is oozing with sentiment and heart. This combined with a set of the band’s most compact songs to date and you have their most immediate and strongest effort.
- Slipknot– .5: The Gray Chapter (Roadrunner)- How would Slipknot cope without the creative input of the late Paul Gray and departed Joey Jordison people asked. Pretty fucking well it turns out. The most visceral they have sounded in years accompanied with some touching tributes to their fallen brother, this is a true rise from the ashes.
- Decapitated– Blood Mantra (Nuclear Blast)- Everyone by now knows how formidable and phenomenal an act Decapitated are and Blood Mantra more than cements their reputation and puts any doubts people had about Vogg’s decision to continue to the sword. Easily a match for their revolutionary early days.
- North Atlantic Oscillation- The Third Day (Kscope)- These guys just get better and better with each album. Following on from Sam Healy’s solo outing Sand from last year this proves an even more expansive and heart warming affair.
- Ageless Oblivion– Penthos (Siege Of Amida)- Pushing the envelope of extreme metal even further, Penthos is an evolution upon Ageless Oblivion’s debut album. Combining the most ferocious of death metal with the Cult Of Luna’s atmospheric post rock; this is a truly unpredictable, imaginative and volatile beast.
- Pallbearer– Foundations Of Burden (Profound Lore)- It has to be said that independent label Profound Lore has had a spectacular year with new releases of the highest caliber. Top of the heap is Pallbearer, which kills the notion of the second difficult album. A more colourful and diverse effort than their debut, this shows an ear for psychedelic and prog influences alongside worship of riff masters like Saint Vitus.
- Babymetal– Babymetal (Amuse Inc)- The most argued about album of the year. Fronted by J-Pop teenagers, backed by some of the most talented virtuosos Japan has to offer, altogether ranging from cute pop to death metal with everything from reggae to rave in between. One of the most forward thinking metal acts today, without a doubt.
- Aeon Zen– Ephemera (Independent)- Always on the cusp of delivering something special, prog metal tykes Aeon Zen stepped up several gears this year. With the technical mastery of prog and tech metal, the drama and theatre of Devin Townsend and the quirky ear of Haken, this is the sound of their potential realised.
- Bloodbath– Grand Morbid Funeral (Peaceville)- With Nick Holmes returning to his death metal roots and taking mic duties, Bloodbath have returned more energized and vibrant than ever. Grand Morbid Funeral takes you down the road to the sludgey, darker realms of death metal’s origins, with a little help of Autopsy alumni Chris Reifert and Eric Cutler.
- Threshold– For The Journey (Nuclear Blast)- Marrying both the virtuosity of prog and the crunch and riffage of metal, Threshold are one of Britain’s most underrated gems, and For The Journey is evidence as to why they should be championed by both camps.
- Triptykon– Melana Chasmata (Century Media)- Tom G Warrior and co return with another slab of pure, uneasy heaviness. Morbid, nauseating and even choking; this is a rocky ride through the darkest of emotions.
- Matt Stevens– Lucid (Esoteric Antenna)- Encompassing his very wide musical taste from the likes of Voivod, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Celtic Frost and rich delights of Prog, this is Matt Steven’s most vibrant, diverse and complete work to date. Already a household name to the prog contingent, this is proof of his appeal to anyone with an open mind.
CHRIS TIPPELL