It’s that time of the year again! 2022 was a great year for metal! We ended up making a list of 50 best metal albums, even though we could have included even more. As always, ranking is the hardest thing to do and it always hurt someone’s feelings (as if we care about your feelings). Anyways, this is our pick of top 50 metal albums of 2022. Big shoutout to our loyal patrons: Amber Dawn, Petar Jonović, and Season of Mist for supporting our work! So, what is your favorite album of 2022? Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments down below! And make sure to hit those like and share buttons! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

50) Protector – Excessive Outburst of Depravity

(High Roller Records)

Now that’s some artwork! Wicked! German Thrash/Death metal veterans Protector delivered yet another phenomenal release! Excessive Outburst of Depravity is as wicked as the title suggests! This is the definition of a remarkable old-school thrash/death metal! These tracks are ripping apart! Protector is the unstoppable thrash/death machinery that keeps the underground spirit alive! Martin Missy’s witchy vocals are beyond brutal. For people whose souls crave for 80s metal, Excessive Outburst of Depravity is an unavoidable release!

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Protector.666not777
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/protectorofdeath666/

49) Razor - Cycle of Contempt

(Relapse Records)

Jeez! After 25 years, Canadian thrash maniacs are back! Full-speed ahead! They started right where they left of! And they haven’t changed at all! Bob Reid’s vocals remain the same and the riffs and fast, and brutal! They released the video for Flames of Hatred. That low-budget artwork of Cycle of Contempt might discourage some people, but we are talking about a great thrash metal release that earned its spot on our list! For a reason!

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/razorofficialthrash
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/razorbandofficial/
Bandcamp:https://razorband.bandcamp.com/

48) Xentrix – Seven Words

(Listenable Records)

British thrash metal veterans keep on delivering! If you are looking for some melodic, epic-sounding thrash metal, Xentrix’s Seven Words is the way to go! Xentrix released a video for Seven Words. They also did a cover of Alice Cooper’s “Billion Dollar Babies“.  Xentrix still sticks to its roots so expect nothing unconventional. Just pure, epic thrash metal! These guys haven’t changed a bit. Hopefully, we will hear more stuff from them! \m/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/xentrixmetal
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/xentrix_metal

47) Korn – Requiem

(Loma Vista / Concord)

Korn’s 14^th studio effort. Requiem is above the average Korn album! It even has some djenty riffs added to it. Johnathan Davis still knows how to spice things up! His vocals are still untouched by thousands of hours of growling and singing. Head and Munky brought forth some deadly riffs to the table! The album has a lot of choruses, but it also has a darker, more aggressive side. Lest we forget all of the dissonant, noisy guitar takes that are Korn’s trademark! If you want to teleport yourself to you being a teenager, look no further than Korn’s Requiem!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/korn
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/korn_official/
 

46) King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Omnium Gatherum

(KGLW)

Well...It seems that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard released 5 studio albums this year! But we had to choose one...Our choice is Omnium Gatherum! And boy, that artwork is f*cking metal! The album itself is 1 hour and 20 minutes long (technically a double album). On it, you can hear everything from psychedelic rock, heavy metal, hip-hop, synth-pop, etc. This album is unconventional on so many levels! And it hits home hard! If it was more of a heavy metal album, we would have ranked it higher! But nevertheless, this album deserves a lot of attention!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/kinggizzardandthelizardwizard/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kinggizzard/
Bandcamp:https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/

45) Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram

(Mystic Production)

Guess who’s back!? After a semi-disastrous previous album, Behemoth did a comeback with full force! The artwork is sick! Opvs Contra Natvram is a pure black/death metal massacre! Those riffs are bone breaking! The dissonant chords always make my day! Nergal’s merciless growls are pure menace! Behemoth released 5 videos – “Ov My Herculean Exile”, “Off to War!”, “The Deathless Sun”, “Thy Becoming Eternal”, “Versvs Christvs”. If I Loved You At Your Darkest is heaven, then be sure that Opvs Contra Natvram is HELL ON EARTH! Light-years ahead of its predecessor! Polish black metal veterans did their homework with this one!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/behemoth
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/behemothofficial/

44) Venom Inc. – There’s Only Black

(Nuclear Blast)

Venom Inc.’s 2^nd release! And it’s kickin’! There’s Only Black is a great thrash metal album! We didn’t expect for it to be that good! Quite a surprise! They also released a video for Don’t Feed Me Your Lies. Demolition Man’s vocals are crushing! Props to his bass takes! Those bass lines give a unique feel to the whole record! The production on the album is also great, to say the least! And we are talking about an aggressive, yet fun and easy to listen to release, which is all we need when it comes to good old thrash metal!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/VenomIncOfficial/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/venom_inc/

43) Candlemass – Sweet Evil Sun

(Napalm Records)

Not sure what’s better, the artwork or the album title... Candlemass’ Sweet Evil Sun is a masterful piece of art! Traditional doom metal just can’t get any better than this! The band released videos for “Scandinavian Gods“ and “Sweet Evil Sun“. This band simply cannot make a bad album! The riffs are so simple but devastating! And the overall simplicity is what makes this album so good! Johan Langquist’s vocals are PURE EVIL! Candlemass’ Sweet Evil Sun is by far one of the best doom metal releases of this year! The atmosphere that surrounds the record is just haunting! Highly recommended!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/candlemass
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/candlemassdoom/
Bandcamp:https://candlemass.bandcamp.com/

42) Allegaeon – Damnum

(Metal Blade Records)

UUURRGGH!!! This album destroys! Allegaeon’s Damnum is by all standards a really good record! What caught my attention are brilliant, melodic leads! Hats off to that! The solos in general are jaw-dropping! When it comes to technical/melodic death metal, these guys are at the top of their league! This album has it all, from clean vocals to ultra-brutal death metal growls! Videos are released for Into Embers and Of Beasts and Worms. Damnum has two sides – one is beautiful, and the other is beyond brutal! I guess that’s what these guys’ music is all about! You just can’t get better melodic death metal these days!

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Allegaeon/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/allegaeonofficial/
Bandcamp:https://allegaeon.bandcamp.com/

41) Deathspell Omega – The Long Defeat

(Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

Deathspell Omega ladies & gents! This time, the band took a different approach from its predecessor (The Furnaces of Palingenesia). The Long Defeat is similar sounding to Drought. But again, the entire album is softer when compared with the rest of the band’s catalogue. At moments, the tracks are extremely heavy but then extremely soft.  It’s cool to see how Deathspell Omega reinvented themselves. And those solos came out completely unexpected! You could argue that the band was pursuing a pop approach with this one. Deathspell Omega’s The Long Defeat is an album surging with melancholy. Once again, DSO is pushing the boundaries of avant-garde black metal! Amazing!

40) Gwar – The New Dark Ages

(Pit Records)

Gwar going full Francesco Petrarka! Not only that they have their new Oderus Urungus’ Cuttlefish of Cthulhu dildo, but they also had a new album on the market! The New Dark Ages is a colorful album. Don’t expect thrash metal only! There are plenty of different genres going on here! But it’s still GWAR! And that’s what matters the most! Videos were released for Ratcatcher and The Cutter. Gwar’s The New Dark Ages is a total blood-splattering release! And we are talking about more than an hour-long release! Gwar fans’ bloodlust is surely appeased with this release! This album is as hard as that Cuttlefish of Cthulhu dildo!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/gwar
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gwar/
Bandcamp:https://gwar.bandcamp.com/

39) Melvins – Bad Moon Rising

(Amphetamine Reptile Records)

Gotta love that album title! Buzzo Almighty and co. are back in the game! This trio keeps on delivering! Bad Moon Rising is a trippy release, that’s for sure! The band keeps on giving stoner/doom ear candy for 35 years! Nevertheless, the album has a really unique atmosphere. Tons of great vibes! The songs are damn catchy if you ask me! And the lyrics strike DEEP! Melvins’ Bad Moon Rising is quite an enjoyable album! It stands out from the rest of the list as the only stoner/doom metal release that we quite enjoyed! It’s an easy-to-listen thing, with no fillers involved. As if you need anything more?

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/melvinsarmy
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/melvinsdotcom/
Bandcamp:https://melvinsofficial.bandcamp.com/

38) Saxon – Carpe Diem

(Silver Lining Music)

Good old Saxon! 23 studio albums and counting! Carpe Diem album artwork represents Roman soldiers on Hadrian’s Wall. This band never fails! Biff Byford’s voice is still great! Not to mention the awesomeness of Paul Quinn’s guitar riffs! The band released 3 videos for this album: Carpe Diem (Sieze the Day), The Pilgrimage, and Black is the Night. Saxon sticks to the old formula – hard & heavy! These heavy metal maniacs really deserve to be called “AC/DC of Heavy Metal“ (or to be more precise, “AC/DC of NWOBHM“).  I mean, these guys are in their 70s and they still manage to deliver some tasty heavy metal! Hats off to that!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/SaxonOfficial/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/saxon.official/

37) Ellefson-Soto – Vacation in the Underworld

(Rat Pak Records)

A collaboration between David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth) and Jeff Scott Soto (Sons of Apollo, Trans-Siberian Orchestra). And within a couple of seconds, you realize that this album is not another filler collab album. On the contrary!  Ellefson-Soto’s Vacation in the Underworld is an amazing thrash metal release! The songs are really catchy and striking! High vocals give this album more of a progressive feel. The unwritten rule is that you get the most when you expect the least! And this confirms it! Props for the artwork! Love it! Ellefson-Soto’s Vacation in the Underworld is a more-than-successful collaboration effort! I hope that these guys will keep delivering new albums in the future!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/ellefsonsoto

36) Lamb of God – Omens

(Epic Records)

YES! Lamb of God,  boys and girls! I have to admit that that the artwork SLAYS! Omens is a blows-to-the-head groove/thrash metal release! The music is absolutely CRUSHING! Gotta love the dissonant, noisy chords omnipresent on the record. They released videos for “Omens“, “Nevermore“ and “Ditch“. And as always, Lamb of God delivered more than heavy songs for your hearing pleasure! Randy Blythe’s growls will make your day and let you get rid of your daily frustrations with every listen! I always loved how these guys add bluesy riffs into the whole picture! Lamb of God’s Omens is a full-force-ahead album that takes no prisoners! Those grooves will bring you to your knees! Head-chopping stuff!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/lambofgod
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lambofgod/

35) Boris – Heavy Rocks

(Relapse Records)

Damn! This is it! Boris’ Heavy Rocks is one of the weirdest yet the most killer albums on this list! This album simply slays! It is the 3^rd Boris album of the same name, where the band was experimenting with heavy rock music! The energy level of this masterpiece is amazing! The songs are catchy, melodic, yet deadly and crushing! A power trio like this really knows how to spice things up! This is simply one of the most eccentric, avant-garde albums on the list. And it would be hard to put it into a single genre, because….Boris! Heavy Rocks is a really cool album that breaks the conventionality of most bands in this day and age!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/borisheavyrocks
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/borisdronevil/
Bandcamp:https://boris.bandcamp.com/

34) Ghost – Impera

(Loma Vista Recordings)

This came out as a surprise! After 4 long years, Ghost released an album! And they delivered! Impera is quite an astonishing album! I was expecting it to be more soft and mellow, but it turned out exactly the opposite! As always, the album artwork is brilliant! The songs sound damn heavy, while Papa Emeritus IV’s singing is excellent! The video was made for Call Me Little Sunshine. Impera is a really enjoyable, fun, and easy to listen album! It surely could have ended higher on the list if we “discovered“ it on time. If you are tired of all the intense metal stuff, Ghost’s Impera should always do the trick if you are looking for something chillaxing!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/thebandghost
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thebandghost/
Bandcamp:https://ghost.bandcamp.com/

33) Confess – Revenge at all Costs

(Rexius Records)

These guys are the real deal! A heavy metal band from Iran! After all the trouble the band was involved in, they never stopped! They are the real heroes of heavy metal! Revenge at all Costs is a great groove metal release and it’s beyond awesome to see a band like this never giving up on metal! At all costs! Bands like this should be a reminder that we take a lot of things for granted. You check Confess’ biography and you’ll realize that most of today’s heavy metal bands are a bunch of spoiled sissies. Confess’ Revenge at all Cost is a bone crushing groove/thrash metal record! Those tracks will make you headbang hard for 50 minutes!!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/confessbandIR/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/confessband.official/
Bandcamp:https://confessband.bandcamp.com/

32) Meshuggah – Immutable

(Atomic Fire Records)

URRRGGH! Meshuggah is killing it as usual! They released videos for the following songs: The Abysmal Eye, Broken Cog and I am that Thirst. Not only that it comes with cool artwork, but Immutable will burn your ears! Jens Kidman is still a beast! His growls haven’t changed a bit. The album has plenty of hypnotic riff mantras. There are a lot of progressive influences scattered across the entire record. It’s so amazing to see how this band can memorize all of these odd-timing riffs and beats. Insane! Frederik Thordendal and Martin Hagstrom are hands down, one of the most iconic guitar duos in heavy metal! Despite being longer than 1 hour, Meshuggah’s Immute will blow you to shreds! DJENTALITY

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/meshuggah
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/meshuggah/

31) Anvil – Impact is Imminent

(AFM Records)

No, this is not Exodus’ album of the same name! Joke aside, what we have here is a good release by the Canadian heavy metal veterans! Anvil’s Impact is Imminent is an astonishing heavy metal record! Anvil seems to be living in a time vacuum of some sort. Or maybe they have a time machine that brings us back to the golden age of heavy metal! They released 2 videos – Take a Lesson and Ghost Shadow. Lips’ vocals are still the same, which can’t be a bad thing! To sum it up, Anvil’s Impact is Imminent is a great blend of heavy metal and rock ’n’ roll! The only way to go! These legends deserve more attention! That’s for sure!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/anvilmetal
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/anvil.metal/

30) Corpsegrinder – Corpsegrinder

(Perseverance Media Group)

The very first solo album by George Corpsegrinder Fisher of Cannibal Corpse! The artwork says it all: Corpsegrinder performing fatality vs Zombies! Isn’t that exciting? It’s always striking to hear how his death growls never change nor lose any strength and brutality! The album itself is only 30 minutes long, but every second of it destroys! I have no clue why it got such bad reviews on metallum. Haters gonna hate, I guess! The album has a lot of groovy elements, and ripping breakdowns! Corpsegrinder’s Corpsegrinder will make you headbang all the way! And despite being full-fledged death metal, this album is definitely easy to listen to. P.S. No humans were harmed during the recording process of this album! Just zombies!

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/georgecorpsegrinder/
Bandcamp:https://corpsegrind.bandcamp.com/

29) Krisiun – Mortem Solis

(Century Media Records)

Nothing screams old-school death metal as KRISIUN! Gotta love that sick artwork! The band released videos for the following songs: Serpent Messiah and Swords into Flesh. Couldn’t name a more iconic duo than the Kolesne brothers! Not to mention how ferocious Alex Camargo’s death growls sound after all these years! His vocals always reminded me of Vader’s Piotr Wiwczarek. Actually, Krisiun is literally one of the few bands other than ZZ Top that had no lineup changes whatsoever! These guys are that consistent! On this album, Krisiun is exploiting their good old formula of old-school death metal devoured by hellfire-driven guitars and satanic double bass rapid fire! Mortem Solis is an outstanding death metal endeavor! It should be on your playlist for years to come!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/krisiun.official/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/krisiun/

28) Toxik – Dis Morta

(Massacre Records)

Goddamn! This album took us off guard! It’s that good! Dis Morta is worthy of the name Toxik! The album is a great mixture of dissonance, thrash metal, spiced with high-pitched vocals!  Toxik released videos for Creating the Abyss, Power, and Dis Morta. Ron Iglesias did an outstanding job as the vocalist, while Josh Christian wrote some superb leads! What makes the songs stand out are those dissonant, noisy riffs that ears can’t get enough! Toxik’s Dis Morta is proof that these East Coast thrash metal veterans are still a force to be reckoned with! You just can’t argue with that! And the lyrics are still politically-charged, just like in the 80s! Toxik’s Dis Morta is a more than successful blend of thrash/progressive metal with modern-sounding elements.

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/toxikmetalofficial
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/toxikmetal/
Bandcamp:https://toxik.bandcamp.com/

27) Blood Incantation – Timewave Zero

(Century Media Records)

Yet another awesome atmospheric release! Blood Incantation’s Timewave Zero is considered an EP on metallum, but you can’t convince me that a double album spanning 1 hour and 8 minutes + 40 minutes is considered an EP. The album itself starts slowly, with sounds from outer space. This is a complete 180-degree turn. Error 404: no death metal was found on this record. And it takes a lot of courage to go full ambiental as a death metal band...Props to that! So if you are up for a surreal, ambiental trip, look no further than Blood Incantation’s Timewave Zero! I guess it works like a charm on an acid trip! So, if you are up to a full ambiental album, without vocals or guitars, Blood Incantation’s Timewave Zero should do the trick!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/astralnecrosis
Bandcamp:https://bloodincantation.bandcamp.com/

26) Origin – Chaosmos

(Agonia Records)

Now that’s some crushing death metal! Origin’s Chaosmos is an unavoidable technical death metal release of this year! And props for that LOUD BASS sound! That’s something that isn’t conventional, especially in death metal! The album brings forth some of the most brutal tech-death riffs followed by a barrage of blast beats and monstrous growls. It makes you wonder how many notes did these guys play in 44 minutes! I guess John Longstreth’s drum kit melted a couple of times while recording all of those insane double bass & blast beat takes! The album also has some grindcore & black metal songs added to the whole thing. Sounds phenomenal! In most cases, more technical means less brutal, but Origin’s Chaosmos is quite the opposite! Hands down lads! You got a new fan!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Origin
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/originband/

25) Wormrot – Hiss

(Earache Records)

It’s grindcore time! Not many bands can keep up with the level of aggression that Wormrot has! These guys reign supreme in the grindcore catacombs! 21 songs, 30 minutes...you do the math! They released videos for Behind Closed Doors and Grieve/Weeping Willow/Voiceless Choir. Wormrot’s Hiss is beyond hysterical!  The intensity that these guys carry from start to finish is jaw-dropping! This is one of the most intense grindcore/death metal records your ears can hear. Six years of waiting was definitely worth it! The album also has some crossover thrash metal vibes that blend into the whole picture so well. On couple of occasions, you can hear some trumpets and violins, just to spice things up a little bit! Wormrot’s Hiss destroys on so many levels! Good luck with your eardrums! You’ll need it!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/wormrot
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/wormrot.official/
Bandcamp:https://wormrot.bandcamp.com/

24) Krallice – Psychagogue

(Independent)

Go Krallice! The legendary trio released two albums this year – Psychagogue and Crystalline Exhaustion. But we picked only one so we gave advantage to the former. This is a really trippy album. The production is dirty and that, combined with the eerie sound effects and keyboards of Collin Marston seems like a perfect match!  Having said that, the emphasis on the album is put on keyboards. I swear, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, Nicholas McMaster, sounds like the late Steeve Hurdle of Gorguts! (RIP). The entire album is the festivity of dissonant black/death metal! This album is for those who like unconventional black metal, with a lot of experimentation. And as time goes by, the songs become heavier and nastier! Krallice’s Psychagogue is as trippy as the title suggests! A must if you’re into some avant-garde stuff!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/krallice
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ygghuur/
Bandcamp:https://krallice.bandcamp.com/

23) Autopsy – Morbidity Triumphant

(Peaceville Records)

If that isn’t the sickest album cover, I don’t know what is! The zombie with bandages looks like the creature from Zbigniew Beksinsky’s painting – Crawling Death. And the artwork fits the music perfectly! Autopsy’s Morbidity Triumphant is a dirty-sounding old-school death metal. It just can’t get any sicker than this! Chris Reifert’s growls are as sick as his drumming! This guy always sounds like a wraith of some sorts! When it comes to the music, Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler wrote some brutalizing riffs! Their leads are quite unusual for death metal standards due to the rock ‘n’ roll vibe. The video was made for Skin by Skin. Autopsy always delivers death/doom vibes and Morbidity Triumphant wasn’t an exception to that old but good rule. This album is the essence of old-school death metal! Pure evil lurks within those tracks!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050176223094
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/autopsyofficial/

22) Destruction – Diabolical

(Napalm Records)

TOTAL DESTRUCTION! Thrash metal veterans just can’t stop! Unfortunately, this is the first album to not feature Mike Sifringer on the guitars. But still, we are talking about a formidable thrash metal release! Videos are made for Diabolical, No Faith in Humanity, State of Apathy, Repent Your Sins, and Tormented Soul. The first thing that can be noticed is the amount of pinch harmonics used across the album. Mike and Damir had big shoes to fill but they actually succeeded in making yet another thrashterpiece! Schmier’s screams are still top-notch! The man really knows how to handle his voice! The artwork is something you would expect to see from the mighty Destruction! With Diabolical  Teutonic thrash metal legends have proven that they can still release more than crushing material! This album is a must for all fans of thrash metal!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/destruction
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/destruction_official/
Bandcamp:https://destruction.bandcamp.com/

21) Abbath – Dread Reaver

(Season of Mist)

Good old Abbath! His 3rd solo album Dread Reaver is as if it was made in the 9th circle of Hell! From start to finish, this release will blow you to smithereens! Some of the riffs remind me of the once mighty Bathory! The following music videos are released: Dream Cull, Dread Reaver , and The Book of Breath. When it comes to black metal, this album is one of the strongest on this list! It kills! Abbath also did a cover of Metallica’s “Trapped Under Ice“ which caught us off guard. But it’s a damn good take! The production is great, the guitars are deadly, and the riffs are head-splitting! Could you ask for more? Abbath’s hellish screams are still sick, to say the least! So definitely, Abbath’s Dread Reaver is an unavoidable black metal release of 2022! It simply destroys!ž

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/abbathband/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/abbath_official/
Bandcamp:https://abbath.bandcamp.com/

20) Rammstein – Zeit

(Universal)

Rammstein uber alles! Till Lindemann’s voice is so powerful after so many years! The artwork is a photograph made by Bryan Addams at the Trudelturm in Berlin. Zeit is a really good album! Videos were made for “Zeit”, “Zick Zack”, “Dicke Titten“, and “Angst“. Zeit is a colorful album. You can hear everything from ballads and slow songs to full-throttle heavy/industrial metal. “Zick Zack“ is by far one of the strongest songs on the record. And as always, Flake did an outstanding job on the keyboards. He always makes these songs shine at the end of the day! His keyboards are truly the backbone that carry forth the entire album. And how cool is it to see that this band never changed their lineup? RESPECT for that! Btw, the use of autotune automatically deranks this album for 10 spots. Too much for my ears! German + Autotune...Yikes!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Rammstein
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rammsteinofficial/

19) Municipal Waste – Electrified Brain

(Nuclear Blast)

Guess who’s back on track? Municipal Waste! As always, the guys are delivering some high-class in-your-face thrash metal! Even though their music is labeled as crossover thrash, what I really love about this album is that it does not have melodic, punky vibes to it. On the contrary! The record is pure thrash metal assault! No mercy given! Electrified Brain is just what the artwork suggests, an outbreak of guitar riffs blowing your head to shreds! The band released 3 videos: Electrified Brain, Grave Dive, and Crank the Heat. Tony Forresta’s vocals are still as brutal as ever! Ryan Waste made a ton of deadly riffs that will make your ears bleed with every listen! Within less than 34 minutes, Municipal Waste unleashed the thrash metal onslaught that will be remembered for the years to follow! P.S. Less punk, more thrash is the way to go MxWx!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Municipalwaste
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/municipalwaste/
Bandcamp:https://municipal-waste.bandcamp.com/

18) Darkthrone – Astral Fortress

(Peaceville Records)

Go Fenriz! Darkthrone’s Astral Fortress is a prime example of how black metal should sound like! The band released a video for Caravan of Broken Ghosts. The album is filled with melancholy and despair. And you have to blame Nocturno Culto’s haunting vocals for that! As for the record, there’s nothing more black metal than Fenriz with ice skates! Black metal level: Over 9000! Take that modern art! What I like about this album is that it has these sick Hellhammer & Celtic Frost vibes. And the riffs are so catchy! And gotta commend Fenriz for live drums. No triggers, no computers. The way it should be! This album just keeps on giving! And what’s best about is that you can literally listen to it every day. It’s heavy, but not excessively heavy. Pure old-school black metal! Astral Fortress is a majestic record. No doubt about that! Hail Darkthrone!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Darkthroneofficial/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darkthroneofficial/

17) Imperial Triumphant – Spirit of Ecstasy

(Century Media Records)

Now we’re talkin’! Imperial Triumphant have unleashed the contents of Pandora’s box with this one! The amount of dissonance this album possesses cannot be withstood by an ordinary human being! Spirit of Ecstasy is an avant-grade black metal vortex that sucks the life out of everyone who was crazy enough to give this thing a try. Gotta love those spooky guitar parts that announce the calm before the storm. This album also has a great deal of jazz influences going on.  Also, at moments, the album reminds me of Coroner’s Mental Vortex in a weird, dissonant way. Those broken, dissonant chords always make my day! And those 50s space vibes! The guest of Voivod’s Snake in “Maximalist Scream“ came out of the blue! Killer stuff! Imperial Triumphant’s Spirit of Ecstasy is probably the best album when it comes to avant-garde black metal specifically. Warning: listen at your own risk!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/imperialtriumphant
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/imperialtriumphant/
Bandcamp:https://imperialtriumphant.bandcamp.com/

16) Kreator – Hate Uber Alles

(Nuclear Blast)

The mighty Kreator! Their latest Hate Uber Alles kills! Mille Petrozza is the riff-lord that can be matched only by few in the thrash metal world! The latest album is as heavy as Violent Revolution or Enemy of God. The band released quite a few music videos for this record: Hate Uber Alles, Strongest of the Strong, Become Immortal, and Midnight Sun. Sami Yli-Sirnio wrote outstanding leads! Hands down for that! The album has tons of deadly thrash metal riffs and melodic leads. It’s really cool to see how Mille and Sami balance things out when it comes to pure aggression and melodic side at the end of the day. There’s a lot of catchy tracks to sing along. Kreator’s Hate Uber Alles is an epic-sounding melodic thrash metal filled with more than catchy earworms. And you won’t be able to get these tracks out of your head anytime soon!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/KreatorOfficial
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kreatorofficial/
Bandcamp:https://kreator.bandcamp.com/

15) Ratos De Porao – Necropolitica

(Shinigami Records)

Brazilian crossover thrash metal legends are back with yet another striking record! Ratos de Porao’s Necropolitica is an uncompromising crossover thrash album! These guys just don’t know to play it soft and slow! Even though Joao Gordo’s screaming in Portuguese sounds cool, I have no clue what he is talking about! Maybe it has something to do with politics, lol. I have to say that the artwork looks amazing! And that the album title is a total bullseye! Necropolitica… It sounds so brutal! They also released a video for Necropolitica. This album unites two audiences – both punks and metalheads! When I heard “O Vira-Lata“ I was expecting Dead Kennedy’s “Police Truck“ but it ended up being an original song of “The Basement Rats“. It struck a chord with me! To sum it up, Ratos de Porao’s Necropolitica is a killer album, worthy of your attention! Especially if you’re into punk/crossover thrash!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/RatosdePoraoOficial
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ratosdeporao/
Bandcamp:https://ratosdeporao.bandcamp.com/

14) Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain

(Profound Lore Records)

Right about time! After 5 long years, Artificial Brain have released a new album. A self-titled one. It seems that most of the dissonant death metal bands are retired. But that’s not the case with Artificial Brain! Right from the start, the new material sounds as if the band is performing a lobotomy on your brain! The production is just dirty as hell, which raises the bar of chaos to the next level. As for the record, these are some of the sickest gutturals your ears can find. Not many can handle this for more than 5 minutes. It’s that heavy! As always, the guitars are drenched in dissonance. Those riffs are brain-splitting! And besides dissonance, Artificial Brain always brings melodic riffs to the whole picture, giving the whole album quite a unique feel. There are also some black metal moments that contribute to the vibe of this amazing release. Highly recommended!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/ArtificialBrainMusic
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/artificial_brain_band/
Bandcamp:https://artificialbrain.bandcamp.com/

13) Pike vs The Automaton - Pike vs The Automaton

(MNRK Heavy)

Matt Pike (Sleep, High on Fire) did his riff chores damn right on his latest sonic creation! Kudos for that artwork though! It slays! When it comes to the music, our favorite stoner-doom sludge lord delivered some classy riffs to the table! The songs are catchy, easy to listen, and above all, pretty damn enjoyable! The band released a music video for Land and for Alien Sl*t Mum. Other than pure stoner/doom-induced madness, this record also has some blues influences going on. The album is 1 hour long but it never gets boring! Matt Pike really knows how to make doom metal, yet brutal riffs that transcend into a thrash/death metal carnage! Pike Vs The Automaton is a really damn good 1st solo release by Matt Pike. Hopefully, we’ll hear more of this in the future! And let’s face it, Pike Vs The Automaton is one of the coolest band names I’ve heard in a while! PERIOD!

Bandcamp:https://pikevstheautomaton.bandcamp.com/

12) Soulfly – Totem

(Nuclear Blast)

Tribe! Soulfly keeps on giving! This is the very first Soulfly album not to feature Marc Rizzo on the guitars, alas, but Arthur Rizik delivered some immense leads! Hats off! The guy is simply killing it! Max Cavalera’s deadly growls are still menacing! This guy always knows how to bring together thrash metal along with other genres such as black metal, death metal, groove metal, and tribal influences. The band released a video for Filth Upon Filth. The cool thing is that this album features a guest appearance of Eyesburn’s Horseman Coyote in the track called “Spirit Animal“ and “Soufly XII“. Totem is a brutalizing record! It's a total headbanger from start to finish! The grooves are strong in this one! The production on this release is just dirty. The way it should be! As always, Zyon Cavalera raised some hell on the drums!  Soufly’s Totem is a crushing album! We hope that Max Cavalera’s riffing spree continues in the years to come!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/SoulflyOfficial/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesoulflytribe/

11) Septicflesh – Modern Primitive

(Nuclear Blast)

You know this album kills the moment you hear that album opening intro! Gotta say that that artwork looks amazing! These Greek death metal masters are one of the few who know how to utilize keyboards on a death metal album! The band released videos for Hierophant, Neuromancer, and Coming Storm. The exotic side of this album are various traditional & classical instruments and unique, folk chants. Those elements give a lot of flavor and dynamics to the whole thing! What I love about this release is the way everything is pieced together. No detail is excessive and everything forms a greater picture! Septicflesh’s Modern Primitive really has a theatrical feel attached to it. But again, the entire album is aggressive & crushing! To sum it up, Septicflesh’s Modern Primitive is one of those death metal albums with a really unique approach, that makes it stand out from the rest of the death metal albums of this year. Gotta give the credit for that to our Greek neighbors!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/septicfleshband
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/septicflesh_band/

10) Hatriot – The Vale of Shadows

(Massacre Records)

BRING IT ON!!!!  Hatriot’s 4th album, The Vale of Shadows is just ripping! For those who live under the rock, Cody Souza (vocals, bass) and Nick Souza (drums) are sons of the legendary Steve Zetro Souza of Exodus! It is no brainer that Cody followed the  “Like Father, Like Son“ approach when it comes to the vocals. Even though the artwork is done by all death metal standards, the band itself is leaning more towards thrash metal music-wise, with death growls as a supporting role. The guys released a video for Horns & Halos. Hatriot is one of those young bands that will eventually end up being as big as Exodus! Whoever did the leads on this album is a monster of a guitar player! Hands down! These guys are the rising legends of Bay Area thrash metal in the making! I was expecting some carnage but this album exceeded our expectations! Hatriot’s The Vale of Shadows is thrash metal demolition that can rarely be heard these days!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/hatriot?fref=ts
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hatriot_official/
Bandcamp:https://hatriot.bandcamp.com/

9) Tankard – Pavlov’s Dawgs

(Reaper Entertainment)

The Kings of Beer keep on delivering! Teutonic thrash metal veterans Tankard have released yet another awesome record – Pavlov’s Dawgs! They released a video for Beerbarians. And man! These songs are ripping flesh from the bones! What I like about this album is the fact that the band wasn’t overemphasizing the melodic parts, both in terms of riffs and singing. The Thrash metal element is stronger than on previous records, which is a huge plus since this album is full of straightforward aggression! The production is amazing! You can even hear bass which is not so common nowadays! It’s a pity that this band is still so underrated, even among thrash metal fans. And yeah, there are some beer-related songs but in general, Tankard always brings politics to the table. The same goes for Pavlov’s Dawgs, no matter how silly the album title is. This release is a straight-forward, full-speed-ahead thrash metal onslaught! Tankard’s Pavlov’s Dawgs KILLS! No one can argue with this! Long live the Kings of Beer \m/

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/tankardofficial
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tankard.official/

8) Bloodbath – Survival of the Sickest

(Napalm Records)

Now that’s some slimy artwork! The album comes with a note: "Dedicated to the memory of L-G Petrov (1972-2021). The voice of a death generation" (REST IN PEACE L.G. PETROV of Entombed!/Entombed A.D.!) Just by looking at the artwork gives you an idea what this release is all about! Bloodbath’s Survival of the Sickest is pure old-school death metal carnage that leaves no one indifferent! Swedish death metal masters are still on top of their game! This is actually one of the best death metal albums this year! It simply KILLS! The production is over-the-top! The guitars sound like chainsaws dripping with blood! Total BLOODBATH! Videos are made for Zombie Inferno and Putrefying Corpse  (with Barney Greenway of Napalm Death on guest vocals). The song “To Die” features Marc Grewe of Despair, Disecration, ex-Morgoth puking his guts out! Bloodbath really knows how to balance things out between pure, unstoppable grinding, blood-splattering death metal and melodic parts. Survival of the Sickest is a damn good example of how death metal should sound in 2022! 

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/bloodbathband
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/officialbloodbath/
Bandcamp:https://bloodbath.bandcamp.com/releases

7) Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying...and the Dead!

(Tradecraft / Universal)

The very first album to not feature David Ellefson on bass. However, his bass parts were removed and re-recorded by the legendary Steve DiGiorgio of Testament. MegaDave released a bunch of videos for this one: “We’ll be Back“, “Night Stalkers“, “Soldier On“, “The Sick, the Dying...and the Dead!“ and “Life in Hell“. On this release, Megadeth was working as a real band – all members of the band are included in the songwriting.  Dave Mustaine chose two cover songs: “Police Truck“ by Dead Kennedys and “This Planet’s on Fire (Burn in Hell)“ by Sammy Hagar.  The Sick, The Dying...and the Dead! is by all standards, a great thrash metal album! The only downside would be that the songs sound less heavy, less thrashy & aggressive when compared with Dystopia. Both Dave Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro delivered some stunning leads on this release! It seems that Dave Mustaine was choosing melody over aggression on this album. The Song “Dogs of Chernobyl“ is relevant more than ever! Megadeth’s The Sick, the Dead..and the Dying is by all means a SICK album!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Megadeth
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/megadeth/
Bandcamp:https://officialmegadeth.bandcamp.com/

6) Misery Index – Complete Control

(Century Media Records)

It’s grindcore time! Misery Index’s 7th album Complete Control is as sick as it gets! These grinding death metal masters never disappoint! This album is total obliteration! And three years of waiting was worth it! The guys released a video for The Eaters and the Eaten. These songs are so HEAVY and CRUSHING! (though you could say that for Misery Index’s entire catalogue) Gotta love these swarming death metal riffs! And I really love the way they switch from pure death metal to grindcore, and then they even add some melodic death metal riffs! Their singer, Mark Kloeppel at moments sounds like Obituary’s John Tardy. I guess you can’t get a better compliment as a death metal singer! This band always creates sonic devastation, leaving nothing in their path! Misery Index’s Complete Control just keeps on giving! The more you listen to it, the better it is! No wonder it ended up on our list! This album SLAYS! No matter what parameters are involved! I also love the way slower riffs are packed with fast, machine-gun drumming! So ladies and gents, Misery Index’s Complete Control is simply a must-listen grindcore/death metal release!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/MiseryIndex
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/miseryindex.official/
Bandcamp:https://miseryindex.bandcamp.com/

5) Decapitated – Cancer Culture

(Nuclear Blast)

That album title says it all! Total bullseye! Polish technical death metal legends are still killing it! Decapitated’s Cancer Culture is a damn strong album. The band released 3 videos: Cancer Culture, Hello Death, and Iconoclast (ft. Robb Flynn). Vogg definitely knows how to write some of the deadliest riffs in the genre! The entire album sounds like a big, giant supersonic meat grinder! Rasta’s death growls are still impressive, to say the least! But one of the things where this album really shines is the drumming. The band’s drummer, James Stewart, made some of the sickest death metal blast beats that I’ve heard this year! Hands down to that! And I am really glad to see that this album is fully oriented toward technical death metal instead of metalcore. Jeez! I wasn’t expecting this album to be this good! Every riff on it is there to raise the bar of brutality! One of the highlights of the album are the guest vocals of Tatjana Shmayluk of the Ukrainian metalcore band Jinjer. Decapitated’s Cancer Culture is one of the strongest albums we’ve heard in 2022, with some of the best drumming and riffing your ears can hear. Simply put – superb release!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/decapitated/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/decapitatedband/
Bandcamp:https://decapitated.bandcamp.com/

4) Revocation – Netherheaven

(Metal Blade Records)

That artwork...! Revocation killing it as always! Netherheaven is a masterful thrash/death metal piece of art! I have to say that the distortion of the guitars is one of the best I’ve heard in ages! This album is a non-stop festivity of deadly riffs! The band released two videos: Diabolical Majesty and Nihilistic Violence. Revocation is a hellish trio that destroys half the scene with this record! David Davidson is a one-of-a-kind guitar prodigy. His riffs and leads are not from this world, let me tell you that! Not to mention how sick his growls are! What I absolutely love about this album is that you can’t put it into the death metal or thrash metal category. Netherheaven is in the gray zone, somewhere between these two genres, always being on the edge of the other side. The album rips to shreds from the first to the last second of it! It simply keeps raising the bar higher and higher as time goes by! Netherheaven is among Revocation’s finest albums to date! It will be really hard for them to top this!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Revocation
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/revocation/

3) Immolation – Acts of God

(Nuclear Blast)

Masters of dissonant death metal simply cannot make a bad album! Ross Dolan’s death growls contain unmatched power! He really is a monster behind the mic. On Acts of God Bob Vigna and Alex Bouks wrote some of the finest death metal riffs of this year! Those broken, dissonant chords are so damn heavy! There are also a lot of black metal influences in the guitars that make the tracks sound even more evil. Videos were made for “Apostle“, “The Age of No Light“ and “Blooded“.  This is really an exceptional state-of-the-art death metal release. The artwork reminds me of some from the  Hate Eternal catalogue. This record is just perfect! The riffs, the leads, the production, the growls, the sick drumming...Everything is in place! And it sounds beyond brutal! For some reason, I checked this out album late. So it was a close call. But man, Immolation’s Acts of God is quite literally one of the best death metal albums of 2022. I can’t emphasize this enough. You’re halfway through the album and you just don’t want it to end. And the funny thing is, this album simply doesn’t run out of crushing riffs!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/immolation
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/immolation_band/
Bandcamp:https://immolation.bandcamp.com/

2)  Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium: Undreamable Abysses

(Debemur Morti Productions)

Now we are talking! Blut Aus Nord are simply the masters of atmospheric black metal! And Disharmonium: Undreamable Abysses is no deviation from the rule! The artwork depicting Cthulhu really correlates with the Lovecraftian vibes that are omnipresent on this record. Cthulhu's tentacles entered all the pores of it! And it’s always great to see how this band evolves on each and every record!  Those riffs are mesmerizingly heavy! Everything on this album feels mastodonic and blown out of proportion! I would never think that I would use the phrase “atmospheric solo“ for a second, but there you go! Those crazy atmospheric leads really create a haunting vibe to the whole thing! Disharmonium: Undreamable Abysses is absolutely one of the most unique-sounding albums of 2022! Mark my words! You simply don’t hear stuff like this every day, unless you are a die-hard atmospheric black metal fan. If there are some vocals, they are reduced to background chants and growling gibberish. And what I really like about this album is that the vocals aren’t put in the first place, to begin with. Vindsval nailed those riffs! They are like some chaotic swarm of hellish infestation. And they sound as if the black hole is sucking the life out of you! Pure brilliance! Blut Aus Nord’s Disharmonium: Undreamable Abysses feels like turning into a wraith or Nazghul! It’s that sickening!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Vindsval.official
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/blutausnord.official/
Bandcamp:https://blutausnord.bandcamp.com/

1) Voivod – Synchro Anarchy

(Century  Media Records)

And we have a winner! Congratulations to the Canadian thrash metal legends! This is absolutely the sickest album we’ve heard this year! And there’s plenty of reason for that! It’s insane to see how this band keeps evolving with each record they make. The band released 4 videos: Planet Eaters, Synchro Anarchy, Sleeves Off, and Quest for Nothing. Synchro Anarchy is an album filled with lots of unpredictable twists and turns. Dan Mongrain has outdone himself in those tracks! It’s absolutely astonishing to see how he manages to keep the legacy of Piggy alive (REST IN PEACE LEGEND!). Having said that, the album has a plethora of ultra-dissonant, broken chords. Not to mention how awesome his leads are. He paid a great deal of attention to delay and other cool guitar effects. And that’s why this album sounds that good! Snake’s vocals make the tracks even creepier. His vocals haven’t changed a bit which is a great thing! Overall, the album has a very unique dark and eerie atmosphere that’s nowhere to be found in other records of this year. Clean parts contribute greatly to this feeling. And of course, Away’s drumming gives the whole album an old-school appeal. You can also hear the bass clearly; Rocky delivered some cool, catchy bass hooks. My ears just couldn’t get enough of this album! It’s that good! Synchro Anarchy is THE perfect mix of thrash metal on the one side and progressive metal on the other. And it’s really sad to see that despite all of this effort, Voivod is still a highly underrated band. Anyways, Synchro Anarchy is the album where Voivod outdid themselves! It will be extremely hard for the guys to make something better than this in the near future. Once again, we congrats Voivod for making such a masterpiece!

Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Voivod
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/voivodofficial/

So what are your favorite albums of 2022? Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments down below. And make sure to hit those like & share buttons! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

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