Metal Awards

Alex's Top 15 albums of 2020

  1. Thy Catafalque - Naiv
    It is good to know some things in the world can be counted on - as in Thy Catafalque staying on top of its game
  2. Garmarna - Forbundet
    My discovery of the year
  3. Death the Leveller - II
    Maybe it is how the year 2020 felt for me, but doom, and epic doom, was in vogue in my mind. Next 4 entries reflect that. This is the best Irish export since Primordial
  4. Fer De Lance - Colossus
  5. Evangelist - Ad Mortem Festinamus
  6. The Wizar'd - Subterranean Exile
  7. Angellore - Rien ne devait mounir
    More gothic, but still doomy
  8. High Spirits - Hard to Stop
    Professor Black delivers
  9. Varde - Fedraminne
    Lots of black metal releases listened to this year, but not many was Top 10. This one was a good surprise
  10. Atramentus - Stygian
    Funeral doom variety
  11. Darkened - Kingdom of Decay
    Solid modern well produced death metal
  12. Lords of Black - Alchemy of Souls Part I
    From the classic heavy metal genre
  13. Khors - Where the Word Acquires Eternity
    A little lower on the list than I would like to see my favorite Ukrainian atmospheric black metal band, but an enjoyable album nevertheless
  14. Archon Angel - Fallen
    Zak Stevens can still sing
  15. Dark Tranquillity - Moment
    I just had to
Alex's Top 5 surprises of 2020

  1. Arcanum Sanctum - Ad Astra
    If you want progressive melodic death metal, this Russian band sizzles
  2. Nils Patrik Johansson - The Great Conspiracy
    As a solo project from a famous frontman, this one was interesting
  3. Rotting Kingdom - A Deeper Shade of Sorrow
    Lexington, KY, is not only the land of bluegrass and country. Death metal can grow there as well
  4. Put' - The Songs of the Death
    I moved this album to the Surprise list, since it is a 2018 re-release
  5. Venator / Angel Blade - split
    Venator portion is NWOBHM of 2020
Alex's Disappointment(s) of 2020

  1. Dark Tranquillity - Moment
    Because only the best will do, and this was played safe
  2. Horna - Kuoleman Kirjo
    I tried & tried, and still couldn't get into it
  3. Striges - Verum Veterum
    Also from Shatraug. I think I need next Sargeist to blow it off the hinges
  4. October Falls - Syys
    Ambient is fine, static is not
Alex's Joke(s) 2020

  1. Ice War - Defender, Destroyer
    And a few years ago I liked this project
  2. Henrik Palm - Poverty Metal
  3. Meridian Dawn - The Fever Syndrome