The last few years have had all kinds of implications on the future of the heavy music scene. Trends come and go, but great music persists no matter falls out of favor. While the great bands more or less remain consistent from year to year, new bands come along to surprise you all the time too. Looking at the following list is not only a chance to get excited over what is to come, but a reminder to brush up on releases you might have missed the last few years. Without further ado, here are some of the albums highest on our radar heading into 2014.
Tombs– The Brooklyn based blackened post-metal inspired mad genius have just completed their new album. Savage Gold is reportedly a double album’s worth of material, and promises to build upon the masterwork the band plied with Path of Totality in 2012. Front man Mike Hill is one of the leading voices and lyrical conceptualists of the last few years in metal.
Behemoth – The Satanist is not just Ghost Cult’s album of the month for February, but one of the most anticipated albums in many years due to getting pushed back several times. Not a drastic musical departure from their last few albums, but there are some surprises. Things just got more epic in scope.
Gojira – News that Gojira was ready to come right back with a release following L’Enfant Sauvage in 2012, is more than welcome. Gojira is a band that strives for the zenith in everything they do. Who knows what lay ahead for them? They continue to make brutal music accessible, and not somehow not suck.
Eyehategod – Long in the works, a new Eyehategod album is less of a release and more of an momentous event. The bands’ never ending tour schedule surely has fueled a lot of inspiration for Mike IX Williams and crew. Surely, the recent passing of drummer Joe LaCaze, stays close to their hearts, and might just floor you when they let it all out on wax.
Tryptykon – Like so many others on this list, Tom Gabriel Fischer rarely rests on his laurels. With new music on the way and many international shows already booked for 2014, this promises to be a tremendous year for the band.
The Atlas Moth – Brutal mid-western sludge killers, TAM never do anything in half measures. Their bowel assaulting sonic wave live must be felt in person to be believed. Only to be matched by their mature, cultivated writing style on record.
Fantomas – Expect the unexpected is a saying that has followed Mike Patton’s entire career. Patton seems to parse out his time to one of his many projects each year, focusing a little more on the most currently active ones. Last year it was Tomahawk and his film scoring work. This year brings new music from arguablly Patton’s toughest to digest, yet most interesting main course.
Godflesh – Don’t call it a comeback, since the group rumbled back to life a few years ago. After some touring last year, the band commenced on writing a new album. Godflesh is one of those bands whose influence is cited by many, but their sound cannot be duplicated.
Origin – Origin is hard at work recording their follow-up to Entity, which was brilliant, and not even made by a compelted line-up of the band. Jason Keyser’s (ex-Skinless) first album writing and recording with the band promises an explosive mix of brains, and blazing technical brutal death metal excellence.
Machine Head – Of the bands on this list (or any list) how many can say of their last three albums, two reshaped the genre of 
modern American metal, and the third was the big hit they never had before commercially? Can Robb Flynn and company continue to push boundaries and crush the competition? Their expected first release for Nuclear Blast should unveil the answer to all by next fall.
Nachtmysitum – Blake Judd’s last hurrah under this moniker should be a killer affair. He has been much maligned and likely misunderstood for most of his career. He is also human too, so expect that paradox of extreme hatred/fragility to play a part in this album.
Animals As Leaders – Is djent dead? Not likely. AAL has done as much to bring back good old fashioned shredding, and inventive guitar albums than the most most adept tech death, and thrash bands that used to dominate this landscape. In Tosin we trust.
Opeth – Was there any more divisive album two years ago to metal fans than Heritage? Old-school Opeth fans need to accept that the band goes by Mikael Åkerfeldt’s will and muse, and not by what the people want. Expect another brilliant album of prog-laden rock with some metal slipped in, and perhaps a few more left-turns than before.
Thou – The Bayou bashers of Thou make sick, uncomfortable, music for people with a high tolerance for aural pain. They also rule so hard live. They are planning a busy year of touring, in which they will write and record a new album, partially from the road. Because wood-shedding is for bitches.
Mastodon – Similar to Opeth, fans that cut their teeth on the bands’ early repertoire hated losing Mastodon to the cult of mass appeal. Chances are no one outside of the band really knows what to expect from them on this new album, although recent interviews have promised a partial return to some noise and sludge type tracks ca. Remission-era albums. Summer can’t come fast enough.
Oxbow – As a credit to their pedigree, Oxbow is always growing and changing, even when they are not putting out release after release as some of their peers have done. News of a confirmed new album caused equal amounts of fear and joy around GC HQ ,who have followed the band since Fuckfest. Oxbow albums are mental terrorism for your soul. Release the Kraken!
Exodus – Their last two releases of original material were modern thrash masterpieces. While the band has been on hold while Gary Holt toured heavily with Slayer, the band stayed busy with side projects and writing. Their legacy intact, they are one of the few bands today who might be better now than when they wrote their classic material 30 plus years ago.
Iced Earth – Plagues of Babylon marks the most consistent stretch in a long time for the power metal titans. Jon Schaffer’s deft writing and leading vision, coupled with Stu Block’s pipes of gold make this “must listen metal”.
Napalm Death – Prolific grindcore legends come back with yet another new album. Rather than try to re-invent the wheel each time, Barney Greenway and crew know what they are, and they know what they are not. There is a genuine power in that, and it’s something many bands need to learn.
Wolves In The Throne Room – With the recent EP release of their 2011 BBC sessions, WITTR have come out of their slumber and begun writing a follow-up to the perhaps impossible to top Celestial Lineage. The Weaver Brothers don’t care about joining the USBM elite, year end lists, or changing trends. Just their legacy of creating great albums with no filler.
Anthrax – The recurring theme when they talk about the hit that was Worship Music (Megaforce) in 2011, is still surprise, even from die-hard fans. The band hasn’t been riding this high creatively and commercially since 1993’s Sound of White Noise. Can the band top themselves and stay relevant? Stay tuned true believers!
Cynic – Sure Cynic will never be the band people remember from 1993. However, as Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert have proved over and over, it is unwise to doubt them. The fathers of modern progressive metal promise another challenging, technical album. Plus, you never know if two years of shows on “The Death To All” tour ignited their taste for heavier stylings.
Devin Townsend Project – Uncle Devy, we’d just couldn’t leave you out. Riding high after years of constant recording and touring cycles, and massive performance art/concert project (The Retinal Circus), the time is nigh for Ziltoid to return on Z2. You know you will laugh your ass off as Townsend plies his boundless songcraft to new heights of insanity.
Testament – Similar to Anthrax, Exodus, and Overkill, this is a classic band doing it right. Megadeth, take some notes. With Steve DiGiorgio back in the fold on bass, the next Testament album due later this year has a chance to harken back to the heaviness of Demonic and The Gathering.
Cannibal Corpse – Every Cannibal Corpse record seems more brutal and impressive than the last. The band seems intent on going as hard as they can, as long as they can since they have recently passed the 25-year mark as a band.
Killer Be Killed – Most of the time super-groups are lame failures. But Killer Be Killed reeks of potential greatness, since it has names like Max Cavalera, Greg Puciato, Troy Sanders attached. We feel all tingly like when we heard Nailbomb for the first time. This should be at least very good.
Belphegor – The blackened death metal masters have returned. Not only do they have a new album due in June, but have many festivals and high profile tours planned for 2014. This will be the year of the Goat!
Tool – Tool makes this list every year, since it has been almost eight years since 10,000 Days came out. News of tour dates booked, plus the looming 50th birthday bash this spring of Maynard James Keenan, in which every band he’s in, save Tool, is on the bill gives us pause. This makes us mad suspicious. Hmm…
Keith (Keefy) Chachkes