50 Years of Metal

6 March 2020

It recently occurred to me that 2020 marked 50 years since Black Sabbath released their debut album. I am sure there are plenty of debates out there about the origins of heavy metal, but most will agree that Black Sabbath was the first genuine heavy metal band. Therefore, it can be argued that 2020 is also the 50th anniversary of heavy metal itself!

This seems to me like a great opportunity to provide an introduction to metal through 50 outstanding albums of the last 50 years. This list is not meant to be the best albums of all time, rather a collection of albums I happen to enjoy and think others may also. To keep things interesting I have limited it to one album per band.

Contents

1970’s

The 70’s saw the birth of heavy metal and as such many of the albums tread the line between rock and metal. There are plenty of fantastic albums from this decade, but I have only included three for this list as I wanted to include as much clear cut metal as possible. No metal list, however, would be complete without mentioning its origins.

1 Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970)

Origin: Birmingham, England
Subgenre: Classic Heavy Metal
Stand out track: Black Sabbath

What is this that stands before me?

The album that started it all! Black Sabbath began as a blues band and you can certainly hear the influences in their early work, which makes this a good entry point for blues/rock fans looking to take things to the next level. Tony Iommi’s sinister tones and heavy riffs are just as impactful today as they were 50 years ago and the unusual voice of Ozzy Osbourne (more from him below) paved the way for the huge diversity of vocal styles in metal that have come since.

2 Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow (1975)

Origin: Hertfordshire, England
Subgenre: Hard Rock/Classic Heavy Metal
Stand out track: Man on the Silver Mountain

This might not be a strictly metal album, but some of the tracks certainly qualify. More importantly, Richie Blackmore’s first album (following his departure from Deep Purple) introduced a larger audience to the unparalleled voice of Ronnie James Dio, who would go on to front Black Sabbath and eventually his own band Dio. If you are just looking to dip your toes in to the vast waters of metal this is probably a good starting place.

3 Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)

Origin: West Bromwich, England
Subgenre: Classic Heavy Metal
Stand out track: The Ripper

Judas Priest is one of the most influential and enduring bands in the history of metal. Their second album clearly demonstrated that they were ahead of their time. The impressive vocal range of “metal god” Rob Halford along with the dynamic twin lead guitars of Glenn Tipton and K. K. Downing added new dimension to metal music. The impact of this album is the diversification of metal subgenres that we will see through the following decades.

1980’s

Metal exploded in the 80’s producing ever more diverse and extreme branches, but one subgenre would reign supreme - thrash! While I have tried to include a diverse range of styles and bands, you will find that most of this decade is dedicated to Thrash albums, which I think is really telling of the period and my taste as I was first discovering metal.

4 Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

Origin: Birmingham, England
Subgenre: Classic Heavy Metal/Shock Rock
Stand out track: Crazy Train

All aboard!

Ozzy was actually my gateway into metal. His debut album hints at some of the speed and intensity that was to come later on, while preserving some of the rock influences of the 70’s. The introduction of guitar virtuoso Randy Rhoads also started a trend of increasingly indulgent and complex guitar solos.

5 Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (1983)

Origin: London, England
Subgenre: New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWBHM)
Stand out track: Revelations

Iron Maiden has effectively become synonymous with heavy metal. Their name is likely to come up more than once on any list of metal albums making it very challenging to choose only one. Piece of Mind, their forth album (second with Bruce Dickinson), happens to be my favourite. The intricate melodies mixed with lyrics inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune and Greek mythology is a match made in heaven for a nerd like me. While their third album - The Number of the Beast - would be a more obvious choice for a first taste of Maiden, in my opinion Piece of Mind is the best album to get a sense of what they are really about.

6 Mercyful Fate - Melissa (1983)

Origin: Copenhagen, Denmark
Subgenre: Classic Heavy Metal/Proto Black Metal
Stand out track: Curse of the Pharaohs

As the 80’s progressed darker and more satanic themes were starting to take metal to new extremes. An early example of this is the debut album by Danish band Mercyful Fate fronted by the enigmatic signer King Diamond (who has also had a very successful solo career). The driving riffs and eerie vocals make this album extremely compelling and hint at some of the elements that will be common place in later black metal.

7 Anthrax - Fistful of Metal (1984)

Origin: New York, NY, USA
Subgenre: Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Deathrider

The first thrash metal album on my list is not the first one ever, but it is by one of the Big Four (the other three being Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer). Athrax’s first album demonstrates all of the speed and the punk-inspired raw energy that made thrash such an irresistible force in the 80’s. This would probably seem like an odd choice for most Anthrax fans as this is the only album with singer Neil Turbin, but the intensity of this album is hard to beat.

8 Metallica - Ride the Lightning (1984)

Origin: Los Angels, CA, USA
Subgenre: Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Fade to Black

The one name that I can be certain will be familiar to everyone reading this list is Metallica. Metallica are perhaps the only metal band to have broken into the mainstream, and stayed there for nearly 40 years and counting. They have gained and lost fans over the years with various shifts in their sound, but most will agree that Metallica released their finest work in the 80’s. Their second album - Ride the Lightning - and their third album - Master of Puppets - are both considered masterpieces. I chose Lightning for this list as it was for a long time my favourite album of all.

9 Helloween - Walls of Jericho (1985)

Origin: Hamburg, Germany
Subgenre: Speed Metal/Power Metal
Stand out track: Ride the Sky

Gorgar will eat you!

Helloween (quite literally a combination of the words Hell and Halloween) are one of the most influential bands in metal and I would wager many people of have never heard of them. Their first full length album brought new levels of speed and complexity to the scene along with more classically inspired melodies. Most of the European power metal scene can be traced back to this album.

10 Exodus - Bonded by Blood (1985)

Origin: Richmond, CA, USA
Subgenre: Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Bonded by Blood

The third thrash album on this list is the debut album by Exodus. Exodus never quite reached the heights of the Big Four, but have always kept true to their thrash roots. This album probably one of the purist examples of thrash you ever likely to hear.

11 Slayer - Reign in Blood (1986)

Origin: Huntington Park, CA, USA
Subgenre: Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Raining Blood

Slayer!

Whenever debates arise about where rock ends and metal begins there are never any doubts as to where Slayer falls. Slayer only recently disbanded after three and half decades of being one of the most relentlessly heavy bands in metal’s history. Reign in Blood is a tremendous album full of demonic riffs that will compel you to bang your head.

12 Crimson Glory - Transcendence (1988)

Origin: Sarasota, FL, USA
Subgenre: Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Lonely

Another subgenre to emerge from the 80’s was progressive metal, an evolution of the prog rock scene from the 60’s and 70’s. Bands like Crimson Glory took metal in a new direction with the focus on technicality and experimentation rather than just speed and heaviness. Their first two albums with singer Midnight are insanely good with virtually every song being a stand out track. Their self-titled debut can be hard to find on some platforms so I recommend checking out their second album - Transcendence - to get hooked.

13 Sepultura - Beneath the Remains (1989)

Origin: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Subgenre: Thrash Metal/Death Metal
Stand out track: Inner Self

Sepultura (the Portuguese word for grave) is another one of the big names in metal, having had major influences in the Thrash, Death, Groove and Nu Metal scenes. Frontman Max Cavelera would go on to have further success with bands like Nailbomb and Soulfly. Sepultura’s third album - Beneath the Remains - is a predominantly Thrash album with a sprinkling of early Death metal. I think is a good entry point for those ready to make the leap from Thrash to Death.

14 Testament - Practice What You Preach (1989)

Origin: Berkeley, CA, USA
Subgenre: Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Practice What You Preach

The final 80’s Thrash album to make my list is Testament’s third release - Practice What You Preach. Testament have released several great Thrash albums over the years any of which could have easily made this list. This album gives a taste of classic Testament and I believe everyone should listen to Alex Skolnick’s amazing minute and half long solo on the titular track.

15 Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness (1989)

Origin: Tampa, FL, USA
Subgenre: Death Metal
Stand out track: Visions from the Dark Side

The first full on Death entry on my list is the debut album by Morbid Angel. This album had a huge influence on what has since been dubbed Extreme Metal, essentially encapsulating the branches of metal that broke away from more mainstream subgenres. This album is truly dark and heavy, and sounds just as good in 2020 as I am sure it did in 1989.

1990’s

The 90’s saw further diversification of metal, but with more of an emphasis on experimentation and incorporating elements from different genres. Fast songs with long solos started to fall out of fashion and many of the metal bands that had made their name in 80’s shifted to a more radio friendly rock sound. This left a void in the metal community for new bands to fill.

16 Megadeth - Rust in Peace (1990)

Origin: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Subgenre: Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Holy Wars… The Punishment Due

Megadeth is the last member of the Big Four on my list, and still one of the biggest bands in metal. Dave Mustaine has kept Megadeth going strong despite some bumps in the road along the way. This album was their fourth release and is arguably one of the best metal albums of all time. In a way this album can been seen as the climax of the evolution of 80’s Thrash Metal bringing all the speed, intensity and complexity to their limits.

17 Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

Origin: Arlington, TX, USA
Subgenre: Groove Metal/Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Mouth for War

Breathe, sweat, walk!

Pantera started as a Glam Metal band (a genre that didn’t make my list) in the early 80’s without making much of an impact on the scene. In 1990 they released their fifth album - Cowboys from Hell - that created a new Thrash inspired subgenre called Groove Metal and really brought the band into the limelight. It’s in their sixth album - Vulgar Display of Power - that I think they really perfected this new sound and you can really appreciate the incomparable skill of guitarist Dimebag Darrell.

18 Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (1992)

Origin: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Subgenre: Rap Metal/Funk Metal
Stand out track: Killing in the Name

RATM is a debatable entry on this list, some would argue that they are not really a metal band. I think their self titled debut album is a worthy entry for this list to represent the Rap Metal scene and it’s influence on later Nu Metal. This album is heavy, funky and just great, so it’s no surprise that it was a huge hit. The anti-establishment sentiments also resonate just as strongly today as they did when this was released in 1992.

19 Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses (1993)

Origin: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Subgenre: Gothic Metal
Stand out track: Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)

She’s in love with herself. She likes the dark.

Type O Negative’s sound is characterised by the distinctively deep voice of singer Peter Steele accompanied by eerie organ melodies. What sets this Gothic Metal album apart from what we saw in the 80’s is that it is predominantly slow and moody. The focus is very much on the tone and the atmosphere.

20 Fear Factory - Demanufacture (1995)

Origin: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Subgenre: Industrial Metal
Stand out track: Replica

Fear Factory’s second album - Demanufacture - is the epitome of Industrial Metal. The rythms are relentless and mechanical sounding giving the impression that the music was written by robots. Burton C. Bell’s vocals alternate between Death-like growls that match the intensity of the music and emotive clean tones that break things up.

21 Stratovarius - Episode (1996)

Origin: Helsinki, Finland
Subgenre: Power Metal
Stand out track: Speed of Light

The 90’s were fertile ground for the spread of Power Metal in Europe. Stratovarius (a combination of american guitar manufacturer Stratocaster with Italian violin craftsman Stradivarius) really show off their neoclassical chops in their fifth release - Episode. Timo Tolkki’s arpeggios will leave any guitar fan’s jaw on the floor.

22 Tool - Ænima (1996)

Origin: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Subgenre: Alternative Metal/Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Stinkfist

I could probably write a whole blog post just about Tool (and maybe I will). Their sound is hard to sum up in words mainly because they have a distinctively Tool sound. They can’t be easily compared to any other bands. Suffice it say that they are amazing and one of my all time favourite bands. Choosing a single Tool album for this list was a hard choice. I went with their second full length album - Ænima (a combination of anima and enima) - because it was the first I ever listed to. The unusual time signatures and sounds effects (like babies crying) create an almost otherwordly experience that still gives me chills when I listen to it today.

23 Rammstein - Sehnsucht (1997)

Origin: Berlin, Germany
Subgenre: Neue Deutsche Härte/Industrial Metal
Stand out track: Engel

Rammstein are quite an unusual phenomenon in that they were able to achieve such massive international popularity despite singing almost exclusively in German. Part of their success is likely linked to their impressive live performances and charismatic singer Till Lindemann. Their unique sound combines heavy riffs with techno-like synth interludes in way that none have really been able to replicate.

24 Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)

Origin: Krefeld, Germany
Subgenre: Power Metal
Stand out track: Mirror Mirror

Blind Guardian are one of the biggest names in Power Metal and have being going strong since the late 80’s. Their sixth album - Nightfall in Middle-Earth - is something truly special for me. This concept album based upon J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion is an epic adventure from start to finish full of passionate vocals from one of metal’s most outstanding singers Hansi Kürsch. This is one of those albums that you absolutely have to sit down and listen to all the way through.

25 Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands (1998)

Origin: Trieste, Italy
Subgenre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal
Stand out track: Emerald Sword

Another stand out Power Metal band for me is Rhapsody (later known as Rhapsody of Fire and since then split it multiple bands with Rhapsody in the title). This band from Trieste (a city where I lived for a couple of years) are one of the pioneers of a sub-subgenre known as Symphonic Power Metal where more focus is put on keyboards and classical instruments to compliment the fast pased guitars and soaring vocals. The swords and sorcery inspired lyrics also add to the epic nature of their albums epitomised in their second release - Symphony of Enchanted Lands.

26 Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)

Origin: Boston, MA, USA
Subgenre: Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity

Dream Theater are without a doubt the true kings of Progressive Metal. No other band can match the insanely intricate time signatures mixed with moving melodies and surprising interludes that are common place on any Dream Theater album. Their fifth album - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999) - is a roller coaster of a concept album that seems to contain a bit of everything including a six minute instrumental piece that will leave any listener astonished.

2000’s

The 2000’s saw the landscape of metal extend even further with subgenres branching sub-subgenres and the marriage of different subgenres into news styles altogether. Many of the bands that flew under the radar in the 90’s suddenly found more mainstream success. The 2000’s also saw more diversity in metal with more female fronted bands allowing news sounds and styles to be explored.

27 Mudvayne - L.D. 50 (2000)

Origin: Peoria, IL, USA
Subgenre: Nu Metal/Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Death Blooms

An example of the new sounds coming out of the early 2000’s is the debut album by Nu Metal band Mudvayne. This album has the in-your-face energy of a typical Nu Metal album, but also contains a lot of progressive almost jazzy elements largely due to dynamic bass player Ryan Martinie.

28 Therion - Deggial (2000)

Origin: Upplands Väsby, Sweden
Subgenre: Symphonic Metal
Stand out track: Seven Secrets of the Sphinx

Therion started as a Death/Doom Metal band in the early 90’s and slowly evolved into a Symphonic Metal band by the end of the decade. Deggial is their ninth album and combines everything thing they are good at, choral vocals and heavy riffs.

29 Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001)

Origin: Oslo, Norway
Subgenre: Black Metal/Symphonic Metal
Stand out track: Puritania

The impressively titled Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia is the fifth release by Norwegian band Dimmu Borgir. Some metal fans might be shocked by the poor showing of pure Black Metal on this list, but Dimmu Borgir were my introduction to the blacker side of metal and it was this album that got me interested. The albums sets the tone with a symphonic overture before kicking things off with some extremely fast and ferocious Symphonic Black Metal.

30 Iced Earth - Horror Show (2001)

Origin: Tampa, FL, USA
Subgenre: Power Metal/Thrash Metal
Stand out track: Jack

Iced Earth helped keep some of the more 80’s elements of heavy metal alive during the 90’s with their thrash inspired Power Metal. Horror Show was their sixth album and, although earlier releases had more impact on the metal scene, I am particularly partial to this album. All the lyrics revolve around classic horror characters including Frankenstein, Dracula and Jack the Ripper. It also the last album where you can hear vocalist Matt Barlow at his very best.

31 Kamelot - Karma (2001)

Origin: Tampa, FL, USA
Subgenre: Power Metal
Stand out track: Karma

Kamelot are another US-based Power Metal band. Their fifth album - Karma - highlights the warm vocal tones of Norwegian singer Roy Khan. Almost every song on this album tends sticks in my head and the final trilogy of songs based upon the sinister deeds of the 16th century Hungarian serial killer Elizabeth Báthory are particularly impressive.

32 Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin (2001)

Origin: Halmstad, Sweden
Subgenre: Melodic Death Metal
Stand out track: Ravenous

Arch Enemy are the first band with a female lead singer to make my list and Angela Gossow vocals are sure to raise some eyebrows. Her impressive death growls are as good as they come. This mixed with the melodic twin lead guitars makes for a really great album.

33 Lacuna Coil - Unleashed Memories (2001)

Origin: Milan, Italy
Subgenre: Gothic Metal
Stand out track: Senzafine

Lacuna Coil’s second album includes all the dark atmospheric tones you would hope for in a Gothic Metal album. Cristina Scabbia vocals also highlight some of the new directions metal was taking in the 2000’s.

34 Symphony X - The Odyssey (2002)

Origin: Middletown, NJ, USA
Subgenre: Progressive Metal/Power Metal
Stand out track: Inferno (Unleash the Fire)

Michael Romeo is a guitarist who sounds like he plays with everything set to eleven and I am all for it. The Odyssey, Symphony X’s sixth album, inspired by Homer’s epic poem of the same name is one of my favourite albums. It starts off with seven very good songs and concludes with a enthralling 24:09 masterpiece that follows Odysseus epic 20-year adventure from Troy back to Ithica.

35 Disturbed - Believe (2002)

Origin: Chicago, IL, USA
Subgenre: Nu Metal
Stand out track: Remember

Disturbed gathered a following with their first album - The Sickness - and their success since can easily be attributed to the powerful lungs of singer David Draiman. I prefer their second release - Believe - that essentially sets the template for everything that came after.

36 Mastodon - Leviathan (2004)

Origin: Atlanta, GA, USA
Subgenre: Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Blood and Thunder

Mastodon are currently one of the biggest names in Metal. Their second album Leviathan loosely based on Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick is heavy, melodic and intricate. They have crafted a unique sound for themselves and yet manage to bring something new to each release. This is largely aided by the fact that three of the four band members take turns singing and each of them has their own style.

37 Nightwish - Once (2004)

Origin: Kitee, Finland
Subgenre: Symphonic Metal/Power Metal
Stand out track: Nemo

This is me for forever.

Nightwish have been one of the most prominent female fronted metal bands and have inspired many others over the years. Their fifth album and last with classically trained singer Tarja Turunen - Once - sums up everything Nightwish do best. It’s full of heavy Power Metal riffs, haunting fairytale melodies and operatic vocals.

38 Within Temptation - The Silent Force (2004)

Origin: Waddinxveen, Netherlands
Subgenre: Symphonic Metal/Gothic Metal
Stand out track: Stand My Ground

Another female lead band to have had massive success is Within Temptation. Sharon den Adel’s angelic voice has guided this band from their Gothic/Doom Metal origins to their more recent Pop/Symphonic Metal phase. I think this is a great album for highlighting the diversity in the style and sounds of metal.

39 Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake (2004)

Origin: Richmond, VA, USA
Subgenre: Groove Metal
Stand out track: Laid to Rest

It’s only getting worse!

Lamb of God (originally Burn the Priest) are part of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal that sought to bring back some of the intensity that went out of fashion in the 90’s. Their fourth album - Ashes of the Wake - is where I believe they perfected their Groove Metal formula. Randy Blythe’s distinctive gravely vocals on songs like Hourglass will send shivers down your spine.

40 Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night (2004)

Origin: Kemi, Finland
Subgenre: Power Metal
Stand out track: Don’t Say a Word

Sonata Arctica can be a somewhat divisive band among metal fans. Some find Tony Kakko’s high-pitched vocals along with the rather bemusing lyrics too cheesy to enjoy. I on the other hand find them charming. Reckoning Night is Sonata Arctica’s fourth album and I think it combines all of the elements that make them the right blend of fun and weird.

41 Epica - Consign to Oblivion (2005)

Origin: Reuver, Netherlands
Subgenre: Symphonic Metal
Stand out track: Solitary Ground

The last female lead band to make my list was Epica with their second album - Consign to Oblivion. Simone Simons’s mezzo-soprano range combined with Mark Jansen growls make for quite a juxtaposition musically that happens to work extremely well.

42 Opeth - Ghost Reveries (2005)

Origin: Stockholm, Sweden
Subgenre: Progressive Metal
Stand out track: The Grand Conjuration

After early love affairs with bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden, I found myself gravitating more and more to bands like Opeth, whose sound I feel is more mature and subtle despite being extremely heavy. Opeth started as a fairly straight forward Death Metal band with some progressive tendencies. Gradually, over the years more 70’s inspired progressive elements started to creep in. By the time of their eight release - Ghost Reveries - they reached what is in my opinion the perfect balance. Mikael Åkerfeldt’s incredible ability to switch between the heaviest of death vocals to the most haunting and warm clean vocals is what makes this album stand out amongst their numerous releases before and since.

43 System of a Down - Mezmerize (2005)

Origin: Glendale, CA, USA
Subgenre: Nu Metal
Stand out track: B.Y.O.B.

It took me a while to warm to SOAD as their sound is frankly weird. It was their four album - Mezmerize - that made the difference for me. The complimentary vocals of Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian combined with Armenian folk music themes made me stop and really listen. Since then I have been able to go back enjoy their earlier work, but this album still stands out for me.

44 Meshuggah - obZen (2008)

Origin: Umeå, Sweden
Subgenre: Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Bleed

Meshuggah have taken Progressive Metal to extremes never before imagined. The rythms and tempos in their music defy comprehension. They have been around since the early 90’s and released several groundbreaking albums, but only one album came to mind when I thought about including them on this list and that is their sixth album - obZen. Just listen to the song Bleed and try to wrap your head around it.

2010’s

The 2010’s has been an interesting decade for metal. On one side, the way we consume music has changed a lot in the last ten years and on the other, many of the elements that would have been considered extreme in previous decades have become common place. This lead to some surprising trends during this period.

45 Behemoth - The Satanist (2014)

Origin: Gdańsk, Poland
Subgenre: Blackened Death Metal
Stand out track: Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

The tenth album by Blackened Death Metal pioneers Behemoth - The Satanist - was recently voted the best album of the 2010’s on BangerTV and I can understand why. The combination of Black and Death Metal elements combine to be more than just the sum of their parts. The album is dark (as the name would suggest) and atmospheric but also heavy and intense.

46 Ghost - Meliora (2015)

Origin: Linköping, Sweden
Subgenre: Classic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Stand out track: Cirice

One of the most surprising trends to come out of the 2010’s was a resurgence of Classic Heavy Metal and no bands epitomises this better than Ghost. Their third album - Cirice - really shows off how good Tobias Forge is as a song writer. This album sounds like it was discovered in someone’s attic and was meant to be released in the 70’s, but at the same time it sounds like something completely new.

47 Gojira - Magma (2016)

Origin: Bayonne, France
Subgenre: Progressive Metal
Stand out track: Stranded

If like me you find yourself drawn to an emotive and sophisticated take on extreme Progressive Metal then you could do no better than Gojira (originally Godzilla). Any one of their albums could have made this list, but forced to choose I went with their sixth relese - Magma. Technically the album is amazing, as with all of their work, but I also find the songs surprisingly moving.

48 Zeal & Ardor - Devil Is Fine (2016)

Origin: Basel, Switzerland
Subgenre: Avant-Garde Metal/Black Metal
Stand out track: Devil Is Fine

Zeal & Ardor are a very interesting new band to have emerged that combine Black Metal with African-American spirituals, a pairing that could hardly have been dreamed of before. The concept is the product of Swiss-American frontman Manuel Gagneux. Their debut album - Devil Is Fine - is absolutely captivating and I look forward to seeing how their music evolves over the next decade.

49 Enslaved - E (2017)

Origin: Sveio, Norway
Subgenre: Progressive Metal/Black Metal
Stand out track: The River’s Mouth

I only recently discovered Enslaved and it turns out that they have been around since the mid 90’s. They started as Black Metal band that (like others on this list) evolved into a Progressive Metal band. My introduction was with their most recent (fourteenth overall) release - E. It’s really atmospheric and the mix of Black Metal with haunting clean vocals is extremely compelling.

50 Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name (2018)

Origin: Reading, PA, USA
Subgenre: Technical Death Metal
Stand out track: Where Owls Know My Name

I finish this list with an album that for me really sums up what the 2010’s have brought to metal. The hilariously titled third release by Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name - is heavy and extremely technically proficient as one would hope for from a Technical Death Metal band. What the album provides and what I never knew I even wanted were saxophone solos!

Conclusions

Well done if you made it this far in this bloated blog post! Hopefully you found something new to listen to and maybe even began your journey into the world of metal. It you enjoyed this keep your eyes open for future posts.

To finish of this post I decided to include a couple of stats. When I decided to make this post I didn’t think too hard about balancing the representation of the countries the bands came from, so I thought it would be fun to see what I ended up with. I was also surprised to see which decade ended having the most albums.

Country of Origin

Decade