2020 was, obviously, a terrible year. As usual, there was plenty of metal to enjoy and several of these releases are ones I’ll be spinning for years to come. That being said, this year I spent more time with old comforts such as Rush (RIP Neil Peart) and AC/DC, so I probably listened to less metal in terms of hours than I have in ten years. Still, here’s what I enjoyed the most.
As usual, all genre descriptions according to http://www.metal-archives.com, truly one of the best websites to ever grace the Internet.
Honorable Mentions (in Alphabetical Order)
Black Elephant – Seven Swords
Fates Warning – Long Day Good Night
Haken – Virus
Katatonia – City Burials
Spell – Opulent Decay
20. Pallbearer – Forgotten Days
Genre: Doom Metal
Favorite Song: “Forgotten Days”
19. Stygian Crown – Stygian Crown
Genre: Doom Metal
Favorite Song: “Up From the Depths”
18. Lik – Misanthropic Breed
Genre: Death Metal
Favorite Song: “Females Fatal to the Flesh”
17. Skeletal Remains – The Entombment of Chaos
Genre: Death Metal
Favorite Song: “Congregation of Flesh”
16. Glacier – The Passing of Time
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Favorite Song: “Live for the Whip”
15. Cirith Ungol – Forever Black
Genre: Heavy/Doom Metal
Favorite Song: “The Frost Monstreme”
14. Dark Forest – Oak, Ash & Thorn
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Favorite Song: “The Midnight Folk”
13. Falconer – From a Dying Ember
Genre: Folk/Power Metal
Favorite Song: “Rejoice the Adorned”
12. Enslaved – Utgard
Genre: Progressive Black/Viking Metal
Favorite Song: “Fires in the Dark”
11. Temple of Void – The World That Was
Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Favorite Song: “The World That Was”
10. Dexter Ward – III
Genre: Heavy Metal
Favorite Song: “Return of the Blades”
9. Bone Church – Acid Communion
Genre: Stoner Metal/Rock
Favorite Song: “Bone Church Blues”
8. Wytch Hazel – III: Pentecost
Genre: Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Favorite Song: “I Am Redeemed”
7. Raider – Guardian of the Fire
Genre: Thrash/Death Metal
Favorite Song: “Endless Vengeance”
6. Paradise Lost – Obsidian
Genre: Doom/Death/Gothic Metal/Rock
Favorite Song: “Ghosts”
5. Necrot – Mortal
Genre: Death Metal
Favorite Song: “Asleep Forever”
4. Briton Rites – Occulte Fantastique
Genre: Doom Metal
Favorite Song: “Strange, But Beautiful”
3. Ironsword – Servants of Steel
Genre: Heavy Metal
Favorite Song: “Tower of the Elephant”
2. Eternal Champion – Ravening Iron
Genre: Epic Heavy Metal
Favorite Song: “Coward’s Keep”
1. Warbringer – Weapons of Tomorrow
Genre: Thrash Metal
Favorite Song: “Outer Reaches”
Bonus: My Top 5 Non-Metal Albums of 2020
1. Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways
2. AC/DC – Power Up
3. American Aquarium – Lamentations
4. Bruce Springsteen – Letter to You
5. Drive-By Truckers – The Unraveling
Dark Reflections 