2017'S MOST POPULAR ALBUMS: The Sour 16 of 2017

Morbid Angel

When reflecting upon 2017’s releases,  we all love music and we all create lists, therefore with that in mind the “SOUR 16” draws those two things together and is simply a fun way to present good music to the readers over the course of the year.. 

So, with that in mind, today we present the culmination of our efforts and present “THE MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF 2017” for your viewing pleasure.  I hope you had as much fun checking out new music on the blog last year, as much as did presenting it to you. I’d like to bestow an immeasurable amount of gratitude to the contributors, who made this year so awesome. 

The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in red).  

16). Monolord - "Rust" (2820)

   
Monolord hits all the superlative notes when it comes to doom and the album's closing tracks, "Forgotten Lands" and "At Niceae," are as close to perfect as you can get.

15). Godflesh - "Post Self" (2954)

 
It may be a disturbing, challenging last will and testament of humanity’s futurist hopes and dreams, but “Post Self” is an invigorating, complex, and honest piece of industrial metal.  Perhaps most importantly, in a genre that can be glutted with repetitive speed metal riffs and samples of shouting despots, Godfleshstands as one of the smartest bands working today.

14). Blaze Bayley - “Infinite Entanglement” and “Endure and Survive” (3018)

Both “Infinite Entanglement” and “Endure and Survive” are the best work of his entire career, better than Wolfsbane, better than his tenure with Maidenand better than his past solo work.  Blaze's fire is burning brighter than ever

13). Norilsk - "Le Passage des Glaciers" (3335)

   

French Canadian doom duo Norilsk return from a two-year layoff with a surprising new album, one that gives a reengaged sound to the pair's signature style.  Norilsk manages to be bold without being alienating, and that is indeed refreshing.

12). Bell Witch - "Mirror Reaper" (3692)

 
With "Mirror Reaper," the music conveys the reflection back of life and of death; literally that the Grim Reaper is a facsimile of the cycle of life. As with anything Bell Witch, though, such a realization is not engaged with in a fashion that rips at the pain of loss or terror, but rather builds into a deeper, though no less excoriating, meditation on the passage of time

11). Soen - "Lykaia" (3819)

    

On Soen’s third full length record their own explorative hunger is satisfied in the most delicious of ways, resulting in their most dynamically versatile but free flowing release to date.  An explorative and colourful record, there is a lot to take in with this record, many dimensions in which to get lost in. Repeat listens bear gorgeous fruits.

10). Pale Horseman - "The Fourth Seal" (3982)

 
 Pale Horseman offers a special sort of heft to their music, with mesmerizing guitars convulsing, vocals crunching  and the drums creating a war beat that is stifling in weight.

9). Dead Witches - "Ouija" (4227)

This is another perfectly fuzzed out slab of doom from a band that doesn’t seem to know any other way.

8). Blut Aus Nord - "Deus Salutis Meae" (4386)

 
What is truly most evident is an extreme music group that will not be bound to definitions, or at least is willing to experiment to ascend beyond what we think we know of a genre.

7). Primitive Man - "Caustic" (5216)

 
   
"Caustic"is an ambitious project, among the band's longest and most complex to date. Like their past work, the group explores nihilism in sound that rivals some of the most hopeless metal you've heard. That unrelenting quicksand of guitars and bass is here, as are those vocals of your nightmares.  Primitive Man offer up some of its most excellent music to date, making this sprawling and charging full length worth the wait.

6). Telekinetic Yeti - "Abominable"(5325)

   
All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to find their place at the top of the scene

5). Paradise Lost - "Medusa" (5461)

Depthless despair, thick production with pounding drums accentuating the force of the material and those classic melodic leads are all encompassing, making this their heaviest album in years and amongst their best. “Medusa” can and will turn you to stone- as you will be shocked and stilled by just how good it is.

4). Electric Wizard - "Wizard Bloody Wizard" (9859)

“Wizard Bloody Wizard”transcends whatever the in-thing of the moment is, and focuses instead on musicianship, the album's all-analog approach creates a warm, vintage sound for the songs and on the whole Electric Wizard feels re-energized, whilst remaining true to their seedy pedigree

3). Satyricon - "Deep Calleth Upon Deep" (9963)

     
‘Deep Calleth Upon Deep’ is something of a spiritual successor to ‘Rebel Extravaganza’ in that the goal appears to have been to take an established sound and create the weirdest, artsiest version of it they could and there is evidence of a sweeping creative resurgence throughout the album as a whole.

2). Iron Monkey, "9-13" (11329)

"9-13"offers a shredding sludge attack and is a violent rejoinder of why Iron Monkey got its reputation as a doom/sludge vanguard. All these years later, Iron Monkey remains gritty and uncompromising. Predictions for a return were invariably high. "9-13"does not blow those expectations out of the water. Nor does Iron Monkey disappoint. For that, there's much to smile about.

1). Morbid Angel - "Kingdoms Disdained" (31062)

This album is a statement of intent, placing the focus on convulsive rhythm changes and dissonant, jagged riffs over accessibility.  ‘Kingdoms Disdained’is Morbid Angel'smost uncompromising album of their career and their best album in nearly twenty years, and I don’t consider that light praise.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  The 2017 MOST POPULAT ALBUMS featured reviews by:  Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson, Andre Almaraz, Ernesto Aguilar, Phillip Weller, Josh Nicholls & Mark Ambrose

A YEAR IN REVIEW: Mark Ambrose's Top 25 Albums of 2017

By: Mark Ambrose

Couch Slut

This year unleashed an absolute deluge of essential, or at least noteworthy, releases that I still find myself behind on major contributions, including: Enslaved’s “E”, Morbid Angel’s “Kingdoms Disdained”, Immolation’s “Atonement”, Converge’s “The Dusk in Us”, and practically every major label release of 2017.  On top of that, there were essential reissues, live sets, rarities collections, and genre adjacent releases that continue to pop up on my radar.  There are some major omissions in my top 25, but each of these records stuck with me enough to remain in near-constant rotation.

Honorable Mentions: Everything I chose this for 2017’s top 25 ended up being a full-length, but these EPs were just too good to overlook entirely. 

Dutchguts/Chained to the Dead – “Split”

NJ locals that delivered some rocking, nasty riffs – what’s not to love when you have roadhouse speed metal and old school death on one disc.  I want full lengths from each of these guys in the next year.

Birdflesh/Organ Dealer – “Split”

Grind splits are some of my favorite releases – in under half an hour you can get half a dozen bands.  In this case, Birdflesh and Organ Dealer serve as ideal complements.  Organ Dealer was a great discovery this year, with a robust catalog and, of course, even more releases lined up for 2018.

Night Raids – “Servants of the Scab Lord”

Working class lo-fi grind punks keep putting out solid releases – time for a full-length.

25. Rosetta – “Utopioid”

Post-metal, post-rock, post-whatever – “Utopioid”was a late addition in 2017 that struck me with its raw emotion and beautiful guitar work.  Once again I feel late to the game on these guys but I’m planning on diving into the back catalogue in 2018.

24.  Electric Wizard – “Wizard Bloody Wizard”

Practically everything Jus and company do at this point will bring out a chorus of boos and naysayers to counteract the true ‘Wizard cultists who believe the man can do no wrong.  The reality is that EW are never going to be the same group that delivered “Dopethrone”, and that’s probably for the best.  On this album the rhythm really shines, the analog production is killer, and Jus’ vocals sound great.  When you have plenty of folks ripping off early ‘Wizard, it’s cool to hear the original master push beyond fan expectations and deliver an old school heavy rock record.

23.  Chepang – “Dadhelo”

     

This Nepalese grind collective sings overtly political screeds in a language I don’t understand at all – but the invective transcends linguistic boundaries.  2017 was their second year as a band and it could just have well been their second decade.  “Dadhelo” is powerful and may be the most overlooked genre release of 2017.

22.  Fister/CHRCH – “Split”

 

Funereal, unholy, and transcendently heavy – heavy enough that I ruminated on the very term in my original review.  I stand by every word of that and hope to hear solo releases from both these powerhouses in the near future.

21.  Pyrrhon – “What Passes for Survival”

 

I don’t give tech death a ton of coverage in my writing but when it’s done right, it’s impressive as hell.  With drummer Stephen Schwegler behind the kit, these guys delivered one of the most rhythmically furious missives of controlled chaos in 2017.

20.  Boris – “Dear”

Last album?  The beginning of the end?   Whatever the case, Dear is a masterpiece for a band with releases numbering in the high double digits.  Begs to be played loud enough to cause permanent hearing loss.

19.  Nightbringer – “Terra Damnata”

 

US Black Metal with a distinctly European edge, Nightbringer’slatest had all the demonic flair notably absent from the critical darlings of the USBM scenes.  Maybe it’s all that mountain living, but Nightbringer tapped into something primal and unholy.

18.  Dodecahedron – “Kwintessens”

 

Not just a Deathspell Omega homage, but a personal, painful album of deceptively compact compositions.  “Kwintessens”should lay any doubts to rest – Dodecahedron is the real deal and, hopefully, their latest lineup change won’t sideline all the progress they’ve made.

17.  Toke – “Orange”

Swaggering, ballsy, blues riffy metal.  I know thrash gets all the party cred, but the latest LP from this southern trio is the go-to choice for that first big BBQ of the year, especially if you want someone to call the cops at 3 AM.

16.  Dead Quiet – “Grand Rites”

 

A step so monumental, it’s practically a second debut for this Canadian ensemble.  With poppy hooks, serious guitar chops, and powerful, clean vocals, Dead Quiet is a lock for potential breakthrough metal act in 2018.

15.  Bell Witch – “Mirror Reaper”

 

Song as album as funeral elegy.  The sheer magnitude of the duo’s latest is commendable, though a challenging listen even for funeral doom obsessives.  I found it primally moving, and a balance of despair and hope.  I doubt it’ll get as much play in my rotation as their prior or subsequent releases, but that doesn’t diminish the sheer power of this record.

14.  Yellow Eyes – “Immersion Trench Reverie”

 

Lo-fi black metal with a Russo-folk influence, the Brooklyn based Skarstad brothers weave a complex guitar fueled trek through Siberian monasteries and haunted woodlands.  It’s menacing, dark, and occasionally beautiful.

13.  Catapult the Dead – “A Universal Emptiness”

A record I found thrilling and nihilistic, with some remarkable extremes in techniques and styles.  Psychedelic, exhilarating, and painful in the best way.

12.  Shroud Eater – “Strike the Sun”

   

These sludge metallers from Florida really get to the essence of their home state’s oppressive heat and deep rot.  The clean vocals never lack power, while the filthy tone never obscures intricate harmonies.

11. God Root – “Salt and Rot”

 

Philadelphia noise-doom shamans work through jazzy freakouts, primal scream therapy sessions, and earthy riffing.  The sheer textural complexity is mind-bending, but the cacophony is always measured by precise musicianship and steady, chantlike vocals.

10. Path of Might – “Hallowed Gate Style”

    

Like the prime era of Mastodon, Path of Mightis heavy and catchy.  This is a big step forward from their first release, embracing melodic vocals and higher production values.  I predict big things in their future but will spin this one many, many more times in 2018.

9.  Primitive Man – “Caustic”

 
The year marked some new lows for contemptible human behavior, and “Caustic” served as an antinatalist soundtrack.  This is some bleak, end-times music that was also ineffably uplifting in its sheer hopelessness.  With the massive amount of EP and split releases from the band, you might expect their songwriting to be stretched thin, but they put out one of the year’s best releases, top to bottom, genre or otherwise.

8.  Belus – “Apophenia”

 

Psychedelic black metal didn’t die with Nachtmystium (or whatever the hell status that band has in 2018), and Beluscame to prove it.  The cover art alone denotes a trippy experience, and “Apophenia”did not disappoint.  The vocals, in particular, had me fascinated with every listen.

7.  Woe – “Hope Attrition”

Another “practically a new band” release, “Hope Attrition” is Woe’s best record yet.  Like black metal fused with hardcore, it is an eminently re-listenable release and one of my most frequently “recommended for anyone who remotely enjoys metal” albums. Lev Weinstein achieved god tier in 2017 for drumming on this, the two Krallice records I didn’t even absorb yet, and possibly every other album recorded in Brooklyn.

6.  Godflesh – “Post-Self”

 

Far more industrial than anyone expected, “Post-Self”was the Godflesh album we needed this year and exactly the punishment we deserve.  It’s uniquely harrowing, depressing, and amazing.  It managed to alienate a lot more people than I expected on first listen, only to pull a lot of them back in.  With Broadrick and Green pushing beyond their comfort zone, there is no reason any “legends” should be putting out rehash records with a straight face.  I’m not naming names, but Godflesh is putting some contemporaries to shame.

5.  Heavy Temple – “Chassit”

 

Holy shit this came out in 2017!  It was such an early release that I nearly left it off the list and that would have been a crime.  “Chassit” was one of my most frequently listened albums – like an ideal combination of 70s stoner prog and proto-metal.  Between Psycho Las Vegas and Shadow Woods, the power trio proved they’re the real deal in a live setting as well.  Either way, they made a stunner of an album with “Chassit”, another one of those releases that redefines your expectations of a band.

4.  Owlcrusher – “Owlcrusher”

 

I’d say this came out of nowhere but these Irish lads have been crafting their debut for nearly a decade – and you can hear every weathered second.  This is beyond doom – creating spaces so vast you can feel palpable dread in every riff.  Plus the vocals are agonizing and sinister as hell.  They earned a year off after this monster, but I’m hoping for another album before 2027.

3.  Sunrot – “Sunnata”

 

Talk about a stunner – Sunrot ‘s debut has been in motion for what feels like an eternity, but the promise of earlier releases didn’t prepare me for how confident, how moving, how BIG the whole thing sounded.  “Sunnata” is a rare release that confidently embraces noise and melody, uses guest musicians for more than just recognition factor, and doesn’t confuse intensity with volume.  There are quiet moments here, but no easy ones.  Kim Kelly approved, SLUDGELORD endorsed NJ metal.

2.  King Woman – “Created In the Image of Suffering”

 

I didn’t know a thing about King Woman or primary songwriter Kristina Esfandiari when I went to see them open for Thou – before the set wrapped I was texting my fellow metal fans I’d seen something really special and that sleeping on King Woman’s debut would be practically criminal.  Haunting, doom-drenched, melodic, genre defying – “Created…” has everything you could ask for in a breakout metal album.  Most importantly, despite Esfandiari’s pipes and considerable charisma as a performer, her assembled performers are all masters of their respective instruments, creating massive soundscapes for King Womanto reign.

1.       Couch Slut – “Contempt”

2017 was a good year for music but a piss poor year for a lot of other people.  “Contempt”was the perfect release for everyone so tired of asking “How did things get this bad?”   Rather than collapse in misery, Couch Slut screamed a defiant “FUCK YOU” to every repugnant misogynist, homophobe, racist and plain scumbag that polluted the world in 2017.  Their debut full-length encapsulated millennia of rage in a 45 minute burst of aggression that is dripping with rage, with pain, with hatred and accusations and well-earned disgust.  Doomy, sludgy, but not afraid to shred, the Brooklyn punk-metal-hardcore-noise artists distilled a year of misery into a perfect album that belongs on any year end list, regardless of genre.

A YEAR IN REVIEW: Ernesto Aguilar's Top 25 Albums of 2017

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Bell Witch

2017 was a fantastic year for music in general, and metal in particular. If you like other sounds, this was the year pop from Kendrick Lamar to Lorde handed in exemplary performances, and major artists went all in on Spanish-language music (not to mention actual Latin artists like Luis Fonsi, J. Balvin and Bad Bunny getting English-language exposure). We also got not one, but two, albums from avant-garde patron saint Diamanda Galas and the visceral entertainment of watching megastars fight like gladiators for relevance amid the surge of music's young lions. There have been far worse years to be a music fan, absolutely.

Paring down to the best 25 releases is no easy task. Veteran and new bands made some outstanding and highly recommended albums. Dying Fetus, Immolation and Kreator offered some impressive works and proved one can still be innovative decades into an arc. And you are seeing albums from Code Orange, Power Trip and Poison Blood on lots of year-end lists for good reason: their recordings were really great and worth your time.

If you liked the aforementioned Galas as I do this year's bubbling up of noise and just plain weird into metal, an admittedly weird music to begin with, was really stimulating. Cavernlight's "As We Cup Our Hands” and “Drink From the Stream of Our Ache," Xanthochroid's "Of Erthe And Axen: Act II" and Lorna Shore's "Flesh Coffin" are just joys in this regard… joys in a furious, metal sort of way, but nonetheless enjoyable for their tone, depth and diversity.

I listen to and write about music of all kinds, and may pick stuff you hate. That said, my metal releases this year:

25. Royal Thunder, "Wick"

Metal always has a lot of nostalgia for the 1970s, with major affinities for the arena rock of Led Zeppelin and the fathers like Black Sabbath. One of the best inheritors of that tradition is Georgia's Royal Thunder, whose bluesy, hard rocky sound is one of the more faithful homages to the old school you will hear. What vaults "Wick" into the best-of 2017 is vocalist Mlny Parsonz, whose awe-inspiring voice makes you hope Uta Plotkin gets into a studio soon.

24. Paradise Lost, "Medusa"

An all-time MVP like Paradise Lost this low on a list (but still on said list) is indicative of how great metal was in 2017. The placement of the monumental "Medusa"here is no shot; the UK's doom/goth trailblazers make consistently solid music that has, over the years, matured, but is nevertheless some of the best there is.

23. Spectral Voice, "Eroded Corridors of Unbeing"

It is as if atmospheric black metal were dipped like an ice cream cone into a thick, greasy soup of noise. Some may hate the churning of subgenres, electronics and volume. Thankfully for you, Judas Priest is coming back.

22. Succumb, "Succumb"

Virtually all the records on this list have some mammoth guitar work and riffs that are quite memorable. Succumb is not one of those bands. Instead its songs wind with at moments progressive, at other turns punk/hardcore inflected, guitars washed to the bone with noise, distortion and sheer modulation. 2017 was undoubtedly a year for sonority, with Primitive Man among the loud class. Succumbjust happened to end up valedictorian.

21. Replacire, "Do Not Deviate"

The Boston band avoided the sophomore slump with a technical death metal record that is as exacting and overwhelming as anything released in 2017. From clean singing and growls to a superlative guitar attack, Replacirecrafted songs that were original while being slightly familiar. And yet the quintet managed to stand out with an album that does death metal's history proud.

20. Introtyl, "Inside of Violence"

Music without understanding the people behind it is, we can probably agree, boring as fuck. Mexico's all-female death metal dynamos offered an EP early in the year that largely flew under the radar. Many reasons for that, surely. People ¯\_(ツ)_/¯’ing music from Mexico/Latin America or female-led metal is probably part of that, though you would probably hear lots of 'not me' to such insinuations. Coming back to it, "Inside of Violence" is affecting for its sound and its story of artists who have put in quite a journey to get here.

19. Cannibal Corpse, "Red Before Black"

Controversial for years, it is hard for Cannibal Corpse to make shocking death metal when one has been pretty much the standard by which death metal is judged. The band succeeded in lifting the bar a bit more with an album that shows off its musicianship and insane songwriting. As usual, Cannibal Corpse's storytelling is not for casual metal listeners, but its irascibility is certainly a treat.

18.  Tombs, "The Grand Annihilation"

Tombs' release was part of a larger movement that saw many bands blending sludge and black metal this year. No one in 2017 was quite as pensive as the Brooklynites, who have been doing it for a decade. Its newest offering introduces vocals that make this one an almost infernally operatic affair, while giving fans the slow-burn riffs and unrelenting rhythms they've come to love.

17. Cradle of Filth, "Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness of Decay"

The symphonic metal OGs have taken great pains to avoid categorization, but there is something about their 2017 full-length sure to please most everyone. Grand orchestration, striking riffs and prodigious vocals made Cradle of Filth'snewest one of the group's better recordings in its 12-deep catalog. In a year where legendary symphonic acts like Carach Angren returned, "Cryptoriana" ably showed why Cradle of Filth is revered to this day.

16. King Woman, "Created in the Image of Suffering"

Kristina Esfandiari's doom project explored, in 2015's "Doubt," her upbringing in a cult. Now a full band, King Woman comes back to these themes in the 2017 full-length. With more contributors in the fold, the release sees Esfandiari turn in a sensational vocal performance. Here you will also experience lyrics that are vulnerable, reminding us all that, while violence scars us, betrayal cuts deeper. Accompanied by a pulverizing blend, "Created in the Image of Suffering" is nothing but sublime.

15. Elder, "Reflections of a Floating World"

Stoner metal torchbearers Elder turned lots of heads with "Lore," its 2015 album of massive chords and progressive tilts aplenty. Lofty comparisons to Kyuss and major bands ensued. Undeterred, Elder made 2017 an active year, with several recordings on the books. This one was by far the Massachusetts crew's best, taking its folky asides and dreamy stylings into its most comprehensive collection to date.

14. Pyrrhon, "What Passes for Survival"

If nothing else, this was a year for music and politics. Whether it was top-ten-dead-or-alive rapper Vince Staples, indie icons Broken Social Scene, Fiona Apple's anthem composed for the international Women's March in January, or Joey Bada$$' magnum opus "All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$," shit was not being taken from anyone in 2017. Metal, of course, has always explored oppression and resistance, and rarely have such subjects been nearly as potent. Pyrrhon presented by far metal's most socio-politically conscious record of 2017, taking on bigotry, inequality and climate change in the most fierce and uncompromising way imaginable. The result? Music as commanding as its message.

13. Heathen Beast, "Scam"

Heathen Beast brought out the punk/hardcore aesthetic to its edge on "Scam,"a seriously extensive rabbit hole of social and cultural exploration of life in its native India. You might start Googling all the references and learning more about castes and income disparities in that country of 1.3 billion people. Or you may just take in the musicianship, which is stellar. Either way, metal is better because of bands like this, and "Scam,"like many influential records, gives us a glimpse into lives most of us know nothing about.

12. Dodecahedron, "Kwintessens"

Where black metal has become a category of everything and nothing over the last minute or so, what it means to make or claim black metal remains a big question. Returning after a five-year layoff, Dutch masters Dodecahedron have risen up as the gatekeepers of some of the subgenre's best qualities: fearsome vocals, relentless guitars and a suffocating landscape of darkness. "Kwintessens"is Dutch for "quintessence," an apt description for a breathtaking album.

11. Monarch, "Never Forever"

France's doom outfit Monarch released an incredible album in September, featuring a KISS cover and plenty to talk about. Long known as a five-piece tending toward sluggish arrangements and complex compositions, "Never Forever"was a departure of sorts. Although its five songs came in at over an hour, with all the glacial goodness you expect from Monarch, selections like "Song To The Void" brought a ghostly sheen to the music. As always, the band shone again with Emilie Bresson on vocals, with her performance on the "Black Diamond" cover and on "Lilith" are among her best.

10. Below the Sun, "Alien World"

Who does not love a good concept record? And 2017 featured some great takes. Few were as compelling as Russian doom band Below the Sun's spin on the 1961 science fiction novel "Solaris." In the Stanislaw Lem book, scientists on a ship studying an ocean-covered planet discover the sea itself is a single, world-encompassing organism that has been reading their thoughts and fears and can cast those ideas into material form. Basing music in the Lem classic is ambitious, but Below the Sun pull it off with masterful atmosphere, weighty soundscapes and imagination that is rare, even in this creative genre.

9. Converge, "The Dusk in Us"

I confess Converge is in my top ten largely out of peer pressure. It is rather high on many best-of lists, though it felt like a (good and interesting) 1990s-style record when I reviewed it. Extraordinary? Nope. Important? Not really. However, what Converge does well, it does lavishly. As it is, "The Dusk in Us" is an arresting return for Converge and will likely be a sturdy album even in a year or two.

8. Aosoth, "The Inside Scriptures"

Over the years, you have no doubt come to respect French black metal, which has cultivated a reputation for extremity through the efforts of groups like Mütiilation, Blut Aus Nord and Deathspell Omega. Gone since 2013's "An Arrow in the Heart," Aosoth rejoined the living this year, embracing the hints of technical death metal it has incorporated before more fully on this six-song package. While risky – there are many instances where black/death marriages can sound like dour dumpster fires – Aosoth makes the relationship work through attention to detail and its signature intensity. The result is magic… black, beautiful magic.

7. Akercocke, "Renaissance in Extremis"

Since its 1999 debut, "Rape of the Bastard Nazarene," Akercocke has tended toward a quirky appearance (suits, really?) and intellectual Satanism somewhat reliant on postmodern liberal ideals (its debate with Christian activists is the stuff of YouTube fable). After 2007's "Antichrist," the band ostensibly broke up, wrapping a tantalizing black metal footnote. However, when a reunion and new album where announced, inquiries of where the English progressive black metal quintet would go next were abundant. The answers lie in goth, thrash and technical ministrations – all seemingly eccentric yet at home with one the last true metal iconoclasts. Although divergent from previous releases, Akercocke's latest is an honorable return to form, and better than 90 percent of the metal recordings out there.

6. Mastodon, "Emperor of Sand"

Now seven albums into its career, Mastodon is one of a handful of metal bands that can be covered by Pitchfork yet aren't abject garbage. Such a ruling was very uncertain for a second. The group saw mainstream exposure with "Once More Round the Sun," and you might have tasted the fear of Atlanta's favorite sons going into some "Black Album" territory. Never fear, for "Emperor of Sand" continues this impulse to be accessible while remaining obtusely heavy. Where there is the friendly "Stormbreather"there is also windier "Andromeda." These tensions between virtuous fidelity to metal and sinful coveting of dad rock are palatable, if not wholly a part of our narrative. Yet Mastodon manage to stay on the good side of that line in 2017, with a record that deserves all the recognition it is getting.

5. Zeal & Ardor, "Devil Is Fine"

That there is some consternation that this is even metal at all is endlessly amusing. No, Slayer it isn't, but if we're being real, how many Slayer fansare particularly metal these days? What was once an idea that came from a 4Chan exchange associating black metal and a racial slur has emerged as 2017's most subversive metal album, pitching Black music into a style disproportionately dominated by Caucasians. Manuel Gagneux's mash of black metal influences, African-American gospel, prison work songs, techno (?!?!), blues and noise fights actively against your expectations, gets topical without getting in too deep for those who avoid such things, uses evil as an effective lyrical device for human evil, and rages far harder than "Song 9,483 About Lucifer" by Pointless Metal Act. If you love artists who will do things that make you question your music, you may enjoy what this Swiss one-man act is up to.

4. Enslaved, "E"

If Enslaved aren't Norway's best-known metal export, it is safe to say the band is currently the biggest. 25 years on, the group has built a rabid following worldwide for its dense music borne of eclectic progenitors. This go around, Enslaved continues a tradition that it has gone with in recent years: a more celestial vibe that may at turns remind you of Pink Floyd. Enslaved'sdiscography has leaned toward more driving tracks. On "E" the sound is purposeful, paced and melodic. Rather than punishing, this is a sound you intake. And what an injection it is.

3. Myrkur, "Mareridt"

Given how much praise "Mareridt" received when it was released a few months ago, you might think it would end up recognized by year's end. Alas, no, which is surprising, considering its merger of folkloric elements, black metal and exceptional musicians is one of the more forward-thinking metal releases of the year. Some of this exclusion could be chalked up to backlash. Myrkur's Amalie Bruun has received her share of attention this year – for matters like a Decibel magazine interview distancing herself from black metal to closing down Facebook messages over death threats she was getting. However, do know the world has a lot of myopic assholes in it. The astonishing album still deserves the praise it got, and a place at the table when we're talking about the best of 2017.

2. Pallbearer, "Heartless"

Arkansas' doom powerhouse is still young in its trip, but has won over many listeners with compositions that break away from traditional themes and subtle sonic environments that beckon you in. What is unique on "Heartless" and is most striking about Pallbearer is its sophistication. Vocalist Brett Campbell gives his best performance to date, conveying passion, hope and dread at many turns. The result is an album that has gotten well-deserved year-end buzz.

1. Bell Witch, "Mirror Reaper"

No releases were as courageous or satisfying as Bell Witch'sglorious return this year. After losing half of the band's creative core to an untimely passing, it would have been simple to hang it up and call it a day. Yet Bell Witch reconstituted and dug hard, examining the duality of life and death, featuring posthumous vocals from their fallen comrade, in a single, 80-plus-minute track. A passing look might consider such packaging as self-indulgence. A close listen reveals a fearless and sorrowful exposition at a universal experience. "Mirror Reaper" had worthy company, but no peer this year.