Top Albums Ov 2024 w/ Reliquary Tower, Joaquin Stick, & 365 Days of Horror!
Has it already been a week since we began emptying our bank accounts into the Bowl’s tepid waters? Has the hungry maw of LISTMANIA 2K24 DAY 5 done irreparable damage to our most tender and fleshy 401Ks? Has that ever stopped any of you sickos? I certainly can’t be held responsible for answering these questions—you’ll need to take them up with Reliquary Tower, Joaquin Stick, and 365 Days of Horror! Fine lads all, but my goodness, won’t somebody think of the savings?!
Reliquary Tower
2024 has been an absolutely stacked year for releases. Even with as many albums as I’ve heard this year, I can’t help but feel I’ve hardly scratched the surface. I have a hunch I’ll be catching up on this year’s offerings well into 2025, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Before moving on to the top 10, I want to give two honorable mentions and one dishonorable mention.
HONOR
I Am The Intimidator – I Am The Intimidator
Miserable Pyre | Mini
NASCAR-themed metal is certainly an unsaturated field. The solo project of Andrew Stromstad, the record tells the story of the final day of Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s life and his tragic crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500. Is it the most innovative record I’ve ever heard? Not really. Did I have an absolute blast with it? Did I have it on repeat for 4 days straight? Did I feel excited by the opening track every time I heard it? Do I hope Stromstad makes more solo albums? Is this record worth 30 minutes of your time? Yes, yes, yes, yes, and absolutely yes. Raise Hell, praise Dale, and take this thing out for a spin!
Vaelastrasz – Reclaiming the Spectral Dawn
Out of Season | Interview
I had the privilege of sitting down with Vael a couple months ago, and what a privilege it was. Everything about this record, even down to the album artwork, reminds me of the adventures I had playing in the woods behind my house as a kid. In my imagination, I was the commander of an army of 88 soldiers (the largest number I knew at the time). We fought tirelessly to prevent whatever evil monster(s) I came up with that week from bringing about the end of the world, whatever that entailed. I don’t know, I never got that far. No album has ever done as much to bring back how I felt as a kid and the memories of childlike wonder and discovery. The one and only reason that this record is only an honorable mention is because it came out in November of 2023, which—having discovered the album in January—I didn’t actually realize until the day after Vael and I spoke. Reclaiming the Spectral Dawn is easily the most emotionally impactful dungeon synth record I’ve ever heard and if I could rank it, I’d be looking at placing it at #3 on this list.
DISHONOR
Mountain Realm – Shadowlorn
Cryo Crypt
I really wish this record was just an honorable mention, but alas, Cryo Crypt (as well as their dark ambient label, Cryo Chamber) use nothing but AI for both their album covers and merch. Not only do all of their shirts look like AI slop, there’s also this one that looks like a Black Sun. That sucks. Don’t do that. It’s a real shame that I have to put this album here because it would have ranked very high on this list. Maybe we’ll see some things change for the Cryo labels in 2025, but until then, they’ll be left off the yearly top 10s, as well as the Dungeon Crawling column.
TOP 10
Vukkeg – Crossing the Rubicon
Arcaneum Studio | Dungeon Crawling
Where Reclaiming the Spectral Dawn is a dungeon synth record that made me feel things, Crossing the Rubicon is a dungeon synth record that takes me places. I got to flex what little creative writing chops I have on an entry of Dungeon Crawling earlier this year and had a blast with this record. As someone who tends to like the more melancholy/eerie side of ambient music, I fell in love with the narrative of the album. As you would assume, I’ve never been left to rot in a medieval dungeon, but every element of this record comes together to convince me that I have. If you’re at all a fan of dungeon synth/dark ambient, you’ve got to hear this one.
Thy Catafalque – XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek
The new Thy Catafalque album—the name of which I will not be typing out again—feels like it has a little something for everyone. Chugs? Check. Folksiness? Check. Neat jazzy bits? For sure. Brutal harshes? Check. Gorgeous cleans? You bet. Surprisingly dancy riffs? Yeah, actually. Admittedly, I’m very new to Thy Catafalque, having only started listening this year, so I don’t have much to compare it to within Tamás Kátai’s discography, but XII has completely sold me on doing a deeper dive.
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Fiction/Lost/Polydor/Universal/Capitol Records
You know how sometimes an album sounds exactly like the cover? This is one of those. The Cure have had several releases that were supposedly their last, all the way back to Pornography in 1982, but Songs of a Lost World was widely assumed to be the last one for real this time. Or at least it was, until Robert Smith announced that there are at least two more albums in the oven. The band’s bleakest record to date, it sounds and feels very different from albums like Disintegration or The Head on the Door, but it is still undeniably The Cure. Smith’s vocals haven’t seemed to age a day and his guitar-playing is as solid as ever. It’s a doomy, moody masterpiece and I think as long as Smith can see to put his makeup on, there will always be another “last” The Cure album to look forward to. But this one’s going to be hard to top.
SUMAC – The Healer
Thrill Jockey Records
A record about healing from adversity and becoming better through the refining fire of difficulty? You know I’m going to be listening to that. Make no mistake—The Healer, despite its inviting title, overall positive lyrics themes, and gorgeous artwork, is an absolutely bone-crushingly heavy ordeal. Tagged as “free metal” on Bandcamp, the album is filled with improvisational moments, pounding riffs, and droning feedback. By the band’s own admission, it is not a comfortable record, nor is it a compromising one. It left me exhausted by the time it was over, and I mean that in the best way possible. If you haven’t heard it yet, put this album on, sit yourself down, and brace for impact. You won’t regret it.
40 Watt Sun – Little Weight
Cappio Records
Can I make a confession? I’ve needed to get this off my chest for some time now. I did not care for Warning the first time I heard them. Neither The Strength to Dream nor Watching From a Distance did anything but put me to sleep when I heard them. But something changed this year. I don’t know what it was, but I’m grateful that it did. I’ve seen the error of my ways and not only listened to a good amount of Warning this year, but I was eager to dive into Patrick Walker’s other project, 40 Watt Sun. With Little Weight releasing this year, I’d say I picked a pretty good time to do so. I described this record to my roommate as “a doom metal mix of Death Cab For Cutie and Duster,” a comparison I stand by several listens later. Little Weight is emotionally devastating and musically soothing at the same time. It’s a beautiful record; one that future post-doom albums are going to have to compete with if they want a spot among my favorites from the genre.
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
Century Media Records
Blood Incantation: You know ‘em, you love ‘em, you expected ‘em to be here. Their first death metal full-length since Hidden History of the Human Race in 2019, a lot of folks had high expectations for this release. Boy, did they deliver. I’m not the first deranged internet metal nerd to make the Pink Floyd comparison, and I certainly won’t be the last, but Absolute Elsewhere really does feel like if Dark Side of the Moon had massive riffs and blast beats. In no small part thanks to the folks from Tangerine Dream (featured on “Tablet II” of “The Stargate”) and Nicklas Malmqvist on keys, the non-metal parts of this album feel just as interesting as the heavy ones. When I talked to Paul Reidl after their show in Richmond last month, he said that Absolute Elsewhere is not just the band’s favorite record—it’s their best one. As much as I love Hidden History of the Human Race and Starspawn, I’m with Paul on this one.
Sif – Aegis of the Hollowed King
Independent | Review
This record is maybe the best thing I’ve ever pulled out of the auditory Russian roulette that is our promo bin. The solo project of Richard Murphy (who I will not call Ryan Murphy like I did in my review before Roldy fixed it), Sif brings a sound reminiscent of Sunn O))), Bongripper, and some of Thou’s more droney works, albeit with a bit of a blackened flare. I firmly believe that Aegis is up there with the greats of the genre and deserves more press than it’s received. There’s not a weak record in Murphy’s catalogue, so take it from an internet stranger: you owe it to yourself to give this record a listen.
Melt-Banana – 3 + 5
A-ZAP | Review
11 years is a long time to wait. The good news is that Melt-Banana does not disappoint. In my review of 3+5, I talked about feeling excited and joyous while listening to many of the tracks on this record. Nothing’s changed. I’m having just as much fun with this release now as I did when I reviewed it. I’ll keep this one brief since I can only say so much without repeating myself, but I’ll add to what’s in my write-up by saying that this is not just an incredible Melt-Banana album; it’s become my favorite.
Alcest – Les Chants de L’Aurore
Nuclear Blast | Review
I didn’t get very far in “Komorebi” before deciding that this record was a likely candidate for album of the year. Alcest has long been one of the titans of blackgaze/post-black metal, and for very good reason. 2019’s Spiritual Instinct was very well-received upon its release, and Les Chants de L’Aurore does not disappoint as a follow-up. Lyrically, Alcest has provided us with an album that feels like a celebration of nature and a reminder that it’s good to be alive. Although pretty sparse, what few harsh vocals are on this record are exciting, and Neige’s cleans are as pristine as ever. Iron Goddess of Mercy did a better writeup on this album than I could ever do, so give it a read (linked above) if you need more convincing that this record is worth your time.
Thou – Umbilical
Sacred Bones Records | Review
Not a soul who knows me in real life is surprised to find this album at #1. The band’s first non-collaborative, non-soundtrack, non-cover full-length since Magus in 2018, Umbilical is their punkiest, moshiest, most aggressive record to date, and it’s a sound that I’m more than happy to get behind. This isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its trudgey, sludgy moments; “Narcissist’s Prayer,” “Lonely Vigil,” “I Return as Chained and Bound to You,” and “Siege Perilous” are all lumbering, behemoth tracks. For me, the peak of Umbilical lies with “I Feel Nothing When You Cry.” Not only is it my favorite song from the record, it’s the one that’s come to mean the most to me personally. 2024 was a rough year for yours truly and the line “I am a rock in a sea of chaos” has become something of a mantra for me. In times of difficulty or in moments of discomfort, I find myself repeating the line, whether under my breath or in my head. This is my favorite Thou solo release and is second only to their collaboration with Emma Ruth Rundle in their discography. Umbilical, my beloved, I proudly crown thee my album of the year. May your riffs go on to infest the ears of many!
Joaquin Stick
In Vain – Solemn
Indie Recordings
These progressive melodeath masters have the cheat code to catchy anthemic choruses. They’re also shockingly the only band on my list with a rad sax moment. Usually, there are a few of those. Despite using a similar tactic to get all my neurons firing on most songs, the bits between those moments are incredibly varied with some blackened riffs, crazy solos, soulful prog ballads, and much more. Each song is a little mystery treat. Share it with your friend who has already listened to the new Opeth 15 times.
Alcest – Les Chants de l’Aurore
Nuclear Blast | Review
The dreamy black merchants are back again, and while there weren’t too many surprises in stock, there were enough hits to make my list. They have masterful control of atmosphere and dynamics, slowing things down to make the cathartic conclusions pop. Alcest is one of those bands that can transport you somewhere else if you can let go. Being able to experience that live in Paris was unreal. If you can, see them on the US tour next year. Share with your friend who forces detailed recountings of their dreams on you.
Mountaineer – Dawn and All That Follows
A Thousand Arms
Doomy/gazy post-metal? That’s my bag, baby. They somehow make a lazy, depressive delivery sound cathartically happy, especially on the choruses. “Testimonial” hits so hard in that way. It also has a song called “You Will Always Be One of Us” to emphasize they are the anti-Nails, I assume. A requirement for good post-metal, they know how to turn up the intensity when it’s needed while keeping it engaging between those peaks. Share it with your sad friend who needs a pick-me-up.
Liminal Shroud – Visions of Collapse
Willowtip | Track Premiere
Black metal typically needs to have a lot of frills for me to get excited about it. Limmy Shroudy somehow captures my attention with just a little atmosphere, exciting melodies, and just the right amount of dissonance. These Canadians are an excellent substitute for Agalloch, even besting them at times. Share it with your friend who sends you every corpsepaint meme they find.
Huntsmen – The Dry Land
Prosthetic Records
In a year without a Flesh of the Stars release, I’m happy that Huntsmen came out of nowhere to fill that gap. There’s an Americana twist to this epic, soaring doom, but with an occasional injection of blackened riffs that somehow work with it. The guitar tone is incredible, with plenty of crunch without the melody getting drowned out. I’m also a sucker for all 5 members pitching in to do vocals, providing endless variety over the quick 43 minutes. Share it with your friend who likes Cormac McCarthy a little too much.
Ulcerate – Cutting the Throat of God
Debemur Morti
My list is usually pretty light and proggy, since those are the things that tend to stand the test of time for me. But then there is Ulcerate, who create a cacophony of dissonant slop that somehow all comes satisfyingly together. So many bands try to create evil-sounding music with brutal track and album titles, but Ulcerate might be one of the few bands that do it while totally avoiding the corniness of that task. It’s what death metal should be in 2024. Share it with your friend who thinks Ghost is heavy as FUCK bro.
Sergeant Thunderhoof – The Ghost of Badon Hill
Pale Wizard
I was big on the -hoof starting with their 2015 release, and an even bigger fan in 2020 when they released a split with Howling Giant (both bands were at the top of the game during that one). Everything else has been fun but not quite as sticky for me, until this year. Stoner doom can be homogenous, and this mostly plays within the genre guidelines, but their punchy riffs and powerful vocals make them stand out by a mile. Share this with your friend who took too many psychedelics before watching A Knight’s Tale and tried to joust you with a pizza box shield.
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
Century Media
It’s a boring pick because it’ll be on many lists, but it’s good! My favorite thing by the band so far. Keep injecting weirdness, I’ll keep buying. I’m not going to waste more space talking about this, you’ve already listened to it. You know. Share it with your friend who is still talking about that UFO hearing.
Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light
Ván Records
Hundreds of albums each year fall into the “good” column of my spreadsheet, a realm of mostly forgettable but not offensive works, and Chapel of Disease makes me wonder: Why are they doing that? They make me think it’s easy to create 45 minutes worth of non-stop memorable riffs, insane solos, and hell-yeah moments. Then I remember, oh no, these guys are freaks. It’s actually impossible to do that. I was worried we’d never get a follow-up to their epic 2018 release, but Echoes of Light delivered what was promised. They are the founders and kings of a genre I didn’t know I needed nor know how to explain. Share it with your friend who only likes rock’n’roll but hasn’t moved past Lynyrd Skynyrd.
State Faults – Children of the Moon
Deathwish
As someone who has never tried to make music, I think one of the hardest things to do would be to create an album where nearly every track stays within a conceptual vibe, yet can extract a full range of emotions. State Faults cheated their way into my heart by doing that with skramzy post-hardcore. There’s so much variety here, especially with a guitarist who wants to try something new every 90 seconds, and all of it works. I don’t know how you could hear “Palo Santo” and not feel an energizing mix of thrill and sadness. “Bodega Head” makes me want to fucking die and I don’t even know why. This one is good, folks. Share it with your friend who went to When We Were Young so they can hear something similar but better than everything there.
365 Days of Horror
10. Nocturna – Of Sorcery And Darkness
Scarlet Records – April 19, 2024
Over the top in the best way possible, Nocturna’s Of Sorcery And Darkness is an incredibly symphonic power metal album. Raise your swords and charge forward to the swirling guitars, endlessly pounding drums, and soaring dual clean vocals. That’s right, no yell-singing from some rat-faced male vocals here. Vocalists Grace Darklin and Rehn Stillnight harmonize and blend perfectly, complimenting their different styles. Whereas many other similar bands lean too heavily in either an operatic or symphonic direction, Of Sorcery And Darkness succeeds with its songwriting and talented musicianship. Nocturna will get you swaying in a ballgown and harlequin mask, dancing your heart away at the masquerade.
9. Frozen Crown – War Hearts
Napalm Records – October 10, 2024
Back in 2021, I included Frozen Crown’s Winterbane on my Top 10 list. Three years later, they’re back on my list, this time with War Hearts. Napalm must’ve heard my call for getting the band on a major label. Frozen Crown’s triumphant blend of power and heavy metal is once again on display, raising their fist with proud anthems. Fans of bands like Hammerfall and Blind Guardian will naturally be drawn to Frozen Crown’s relentless sound, sing-alongs, and group chants. It’s hard not to smile while listening to War Hearts. Each song shines with a monumental sound, making you want to climb the highest mountain or into battle to smite some orcs. When people say heavy metal should be fun, this is what they mean.
8. Aythis – Celestial Exile
Self-Released – June 7, 2024
Just like Frozen Crown, Aythis made an appearance on my Top 10 list in 2021. And, weirdly enough, Aythis was also right about Frozen Crown that year too. What a strange coincidence. The solo project of Carline Van Roos from Lethian Dreams, Aythis returns with another soft, wistful tome in Celestial Exile. The dark ambient sounds and Van Roos’s ethereal voice gently comfort those once and forever lost. Each song feels like those blissful few seconds when you first awake, when your dreams are real and reality is still a dream. Celestial Exile is a beautiful, earnest album full of tearful emotion, soft honesty, and, dare I say, love.
7. Zombi – Direct Inject
Relapse Records – March 22, 2024
The horrortastic drum/bass/synth dynamic duo have blessed us with Direct Inject. This is a great culmination of the band’s history, mixing sounds and styles from each of their previous albums. No two songs are the same and yet they all somehow fit together in their own unique way. Drenched in atmosphere, grooves, and an unmistakable drive, Direct Inject is a huge win for longtime fans and newcomers in search of something so specific yet hard to describe. Try not to swivel your hips to some of these songs. I dare you. If you find yourself longing for the days of warped VHS horror movies and late-night sci-fi, this album is just what you need.
6. Opeth – The Last Will And Testament
Reigning Phoenix Music – November 22, 2024
The growls are back! That was my (and most others) reaction when hearing Opeth’s The Last Will And Testament. While leader Mikael Akerfeldt has been somewhat ambivalent about the return to harsh vocals, they really do elevate Opeth to a new (old) level that many longtime fans have been craving. Don’t get me wrong, The Last Will and Testament still has plenty of prog-daddy noodling, but the heavier moments compliment the forays into King Crimson-isms, and vice-versa. As dense and complex as ever, Opeth fire on all cylinders, taking the listener on a wild, dizzying journey into the great unknown. For those of us that loved the earlier stuff, but drifted away over time, The Last Will And Testament will welcome you back with open arms and a hearse.
5. Hiraes – Dormant
Napalm Records – January 26, 2024
I frequently lament the lack of good new melodic death metal bands. For a genre that had a lot of popular bands in the early 2000’s, it often feels like very few bands have come along in the same vein to take their place. Germany’s Hiraes prove me wrong with Dormant. More Arch Enemy than current Arch Enemy, the melodies on this album are tight and vocalist Britta Görtz’s bark is just as vicious as her bite. Every riff is sharp and the drums are just plain mean. Maybe it’s because this album was released in January, but I think it slipped under a lot of radars and deserves attention. Lots of it. Dormant is fast, heavy, and serves as the shot in the arm that melodic death metal desperately needs.
4. Entropy – Dharmakāya
Crazysane Records – August 30, 2024
I’ve been boosting Germany’s Entropy for years now. There’s just something about their alternative rock sound that makes me long for the days of my youth, turning on the radio and falling in love with music. Dharmakāya is a sonic-journey back to the ’90s with killer pop hooks infused with post-rock angst. If any of these songs came out during the heyday of guitar-based college rock 25 years ago, everybody would know Entropy. Every song is a catchy hit that begs you to pay attention and bop along. Dharmakāya is a love letter to a simpler time when rock music was a commodity, but still manages to keep one foot in the present with their earnestness. Go back to the future with Entropy.
3. Pøltergeist – Nachtmusik
Bad Omen Records – October 25, 2024
Grab your leather jacket and Ray-Bans, we’re going goth-rocking. Pøltergeist’s Nachtmusik is ’80s cool at its finest. Heavy on synths, atmosphere, hollow vocals, and hauntingly memorable moments, Nachtmusik harkens back to a time where someone would hand you a worn-out cassette and it would change your life. Even the atmospheric interludes are cool as hell. Where Unto Others have dropped the ball, Pøltergeist has picked it up and run with it. Dance in place or rock out, either one works to every song. I just want to hop in a beat-up convertible, drive into the sunset, and fight some vampires with Nachtmusik as the soundtrack. If Robert Smith liked anything, he’d like Pøltergeist.
2. Blitzkid – Lycanthro-EP
Self-Released – October 17, 2024
I love horror punk, and no one does it better than Blitzkid. After a long slumber and only the occasional live album or re-recording, the band is thankfully back with Lycanthro-EP. The ghouls and goblins are in full effect as every song rips and shreds in horrific delight. Despite only being 4 originals and a, uh, interesting “re-imagining” of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves Of London,” Lycanthro-EP is a punk rock joy. TB Monstrosity and Argyle Goolsby’s dual vocals and harmonies intricately swirl like a late-autumn wind across a graveyard. Like a band on a mission, the songs attack with purpose and drive that makes even my old bones want to do the monster mash in the mosh pit. Horror punk is a small, but passionate scene and even though they went away for many years, Blitzkid are still the best of the best. Lycanthro-EP shines like a full moon on All Hallow’s Eve. Now, to draw a pentagram in blood, hail the 4 corners, and pray for a new full-length album soon.
1. Cemetery Skyline – Nordic Gothic
Century Media Records – October 11, 2024
Oftentimes, I wish a producer or someone would grab a band with so much potential, sit them down, and tell them how to make hits. I don’t know if it was the producer or just the collective pedigree that includes members of Dark Tranquillity, Amorphis, Sentenced, and Dimmu Borgir, but Nordic Gothic is full of hits. Somewhere between goth rock, melodic metal, and atmospheric synthscapes, Cemetery Skyline craft moody, memorable tunes full of sentimental fire. Ear candy abounds to hit all the audio pleasure centers while Mikael Stanne’s earnest lyrics cut through to your soul. It’s nearly impossible to not want to either dance and sway along or to quietly reflect on just what is being said. Every song, every note, every word feels “big.” Nordic Gothic is damn catchy, heartfelt, and honest. “Super group” is a near-meaningless term in modern music, but if any group deserves to be called “super,” it is Cemetery Skyline.
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