Connor's Top 10 Albums from 2018

1. Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology   

Cosmic death metal about a race of warlike space slugs, with off-the-charts musicianship and songwriting. This album fully commits to an absurdly campy concept, and crafts into an epic master class in metal, with hilariously brilliant lyrics. Limo Vincit Omnia is one of this decade's best closing tracks.

2. Chapel of Disease - ...And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye       

If there wasn't already a band called The Eagles of Death Metal, that would be an apt description for this album. It's like Mastodon time traveled to the 70s to record some kind of prog album. It's fucking fantastic.

3. Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It 

Hard to categorize experimental/progressive/post-hardcore metal with heavy pop influences, and incredible vocals from Eva Spence. The transition from Aftermath to Rituals is pretty wild, when you realize it's the same singer.

4. Panphage - Jord              

The third and final album in the Panphage trilogy, and another pitch perfect lo-fi black metal recording with a DIY vibe that's raw, galloping, folky, almost punk at times.

5. Untamed Land - Between The Winds     

This one man band from Ohio somehow blended Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western sound with atmospheric black metal. This album is a fucking blast, from start to finish.

6. Trna - Earthcult

Instrumental shoegaze/post-metal from Russia. It's a great way to check out some metal, if you have a hard time with the harsh vocals.

7. Altars of Grief - Iris        

Prairie doom from Saskatchewan, beautifully crafted and recorded concept album, with a tragic story at its core. This is not an uplifting album, but it's powerful music.

8. Gunship - Dark All Day  

Here's my token non-metal album, there's always one! Gunship is basically dark 80s synthwave, and they fucking rule.

9. Cân Bardd - Nature Stays Silent

Ambitious debut from a 19-year old Swiss one man band. Atmospheric folk-influenced metal with lots of traditional instruments, and some big moments. The only thing that pushed this one down the list, is the production gets a little muddy at times, but it's one hell of a first effort.

10. Thrawsunblat - Great Brunswick Forest 

This doesn't achieve the highs of their last album, but it's still great, and really unique. Where their last album was folk-influenced metal, this is more like metal-influenced folk. Nearly all acoustic, with a sound rooted in Canadian history and folklore.