Top 22 of 2022
Hello Heathens,
I’ve had plenty of time to organize my thoughts and feelings about the top 30 or so albums I had from this year. Cuts were made to trim it down to 22 albums, and relistens were had. This last year was an exceptional year for music. We had a lot of big releases from metal world darlings which turned out to be fantastic albums, but in 2022 it was the smaller bands that really captured the metal world. A lot of top albums from metal blogs, and metal influencers were dominated by bands with only 1 or 2 releases to their name. It’s fantastic to see this genre still growing, and for younger bands to still have new ideas to bring to the genre. I know that people say that metal sounds all the same, but this year has some exceptional standout albums that sound very different from anything that came before.
I am going to give a brief statement about each album. I wish I were a gifted music blogger like the people that inspired me to start this website, but unfortunately I’m much better at writing about math, movies, and philosophy than I am about music. The top 5 albums will get a paragraph, and I will try to link the other “Top X of YEAR” album playlists that I have at the end of this. If only so I can have 1 place for my top album lists for the future. Update: it looks like I only have 1 of those old lists floating around, but if I find more I’ll update this post.
The hardest part about these style lists is realizing that outside of the top 3 to 5 albums the rest could be in any order and I’d be okay with it. Even then the top albums are so good that they could also be in any order depending on my mood.
22. Tongue of Silver by Lathe
This album really surprised me. It did a fantastic job of mixing some country riffs and sound into metal and had me head bobbing all day at work.
21. The God Machine by Blind Guardian
The legendary German power metal band has done it once again with this album. You can’t help but belt out the chorus for these tracks. Some of their best vocal work in years.
20. Metanoia by Persefone
I picked two tracks from this album because I really couldn’t make a decision on which I liked more. Could this album have been ranked higher? Maybe, but my top 10 are really tight so I doubt it. Is this album a fantastic representation of everything Persefone has been working towards with their sonic evolution? Yes.
19. The Long Road North by Cult of Luna
Fantastic album full of energy with some great opening hits. I couldn’t resist picking this song because I love the opening hit of it so much. This was an album that I had to put on the, “Do not play” list this year because I played so many tracks off it.
18. MOGARI - Shi E Fukeru Omoi Wa Rikujoku Sura Kurai, Kanata No Sei Wo Aisuru Tame Ni Inoti Wo Tataeru. By Imperial Circus Dead Decadence
Bit of a latecomer to my top albums list. I didn’t bother to listen to this album when it came out, so it was a nice end of year surprise.
17. Modern Primitive by Septicflesh
I’m a simple man, I see Septicflesh album, I put on list. The band had us all worried after their last release was so mediocre, but this album is genuinely top 20 worthy and most of the metal world recognized it as such.
16. Liminal Rite by Kardashev
Another album that was very darling in the metal world and really deserved all the praise it got.
15. Pain Remains by Lorna Shore
I have nothing to say about this album that hasn’t already been said by other bigger, better metal writers. Incredible album that really deserves all the praise it got this year.
14. Wither on the Vine by Darkest Era
A late comer to the list that I checked out due to friends recommending it to me. Great band that I need to keep on my radar as I’ve liked their other releases.
13. Morbidity Triumphant by Autopsy
Took me a few tries to get into this album, but I’m glad I did. I don’t think the opening track on this one is great, but once you get past it the album really opens up and becomes something special. Plus the album art might be the most gruesome we got in 2022.
12. The Saberlight Chronicles by Fellowship
This is their first album and it’s fucking incredible. Easily one of the best power metal albums I’ve heard this year, and I can’t wait to see what the future of this band is. Every song on here had me bobbing my head along with it at work.
11. Origins by Saor
The last time I thought about this band was 2016 when they released their album Guardians. I don’t have any reviews going back that far in my personal archive so I can’t comment on if the album made a top 20 list that year, but this album certainly made an impression on me. This was another album that was so good I couldn’t stop listening to it when it was released.
10. Frostbitten by Grima
This album made it on to the coveted “banned from the show” list since I played every track off it at least once this year. Can’t recommend this one enough.
9. Voices in the Sky by Brymir
I’ve been a big fan of this band for a long time now, but didn’t even know they had a release this year until former host and co-founder of the show Larry Kensington reached out to me and asked if I had heard the album.
8. Survive by Stratovarius
An album so good it drove me to challenge my sanity. I loved the singles that dropped for this album before it’s release so much I went and listened to every Stratovarius album and ranked them. I will update this post with a link to that blog when I finally have time to sit down and proof read a 17 album review blog…. For awhile fans of the band were worried that they’d forgotten what we all liked about them, and their last few releases really confirmed that. It seems like the band felt unhappy with the direction they were going in, so they went back to their old sound. Lots of great tracks on this album so it was pretty hard to pick 1 track for the playlist. Highly recommend checking this album out if you are a fan of 90’s power metal sound. It’s a beautiful sonic evolution of what power metal was.
7. Nova by Sylvaine
Maybe not the heaviest album of the year, but certainly something special that I couldn’t get enough of. I think I recommended this album the most to friends were are metal skeptic or maybe on the fence about being a metal fan. The way the album weaves softer sections into tracks is just incredible. This is a very special album that was the soundtrack to my life for weeks after it came out.
6. Epigone by Wilderun
Kind of incredible that this album came out in January of 2022. I knew from the first spin that Wilderun had done it again and I’d have another album from them on a top albums list. This album has the grand epic sound you want from a folk metal band, and still manages to use traditional instruments in a way that keeps them sounding unique and fresh.
5. Heir of the Rising Sun by Aeternam
I’ve been a big fan of this band since I first heard them in 2012 and I’m always impressed that their releases continue to make these lists. I think that I’ve ranked almost all of their albums in a top 20 list. These guys can not miss. There is a unique sound to their blend of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish theology, instruments, and lyricism. From start to finish I loved this album, and I hope these folks continue to push their sound to the next level and iterate on what makes them great.
4. Ash in the Realms of Stone Icons by Tomarum
One of the rare albums that I loved from start to finish. I’ve listened to this album a few times since it’s last release and the album was also banned on the show due to how much I played tracks off it. Absolutely fantastic album from a band that was totally new to me this year. This is the first album released from the band, and I think these guys will have a bright future. They formed in 2017 and didn’t rush their first release out like so many young bands do. This was another album that was a darling of the metal blog-o-sphere and it’s 100% well deserved.
3. False Light by White Ward
It’s rare that we get a black metal album that manages to feel as fresh as this. The band has a unique composition style that made me come back to it again and again this year. I had to stop playing tracks off this album on the show as I played every track at least once. Incredible use of horns that feels fresh. The horns aren’t overused to a point where they get annoying. This album was a near perfect album for me. There are a few tracks that just didn’t land like the top 2 albums. This album saw a lot of play, and I’m happy that others in the metal world recognized this album as one of the best of 2022.
2. Ayam by Disillusion
Another late release sneaks on to the list in a top spot. I had a blast listening to this album the first time, and it was something that I couldn’t stop listening to after the first time. I managed to listen to this album 3 times the day it released. Every track has been played on the show and it manages to weave the perfect balance between being technical and just raw aggression. I think something that makes this album stick out to me is that I was having a hard time in my new job and this album was basically constantly on when I was struggling with some major projects at work.
The album does a great job blending in big horn sounds with clean vocal sections that lead into super heavy assault-your-ear riffs and gruff vocals. The singer has a great style that doesn’t get old, guitars weave in and out of tracks, and mixing lets you hear every little detail the album has to offer.
1. Woe by An Abstract Illusion
Big year for bands with illusion in their name. I didn’t get a chance to listen to this album mid-October and after that I was hooked. My top 5 albums were near constant companions this year as I worked towards finishing my degree, getting a job, and learning all the ins and outs of my new job.
Something about this album that really captured me was how many little “micro details” there are in it. Everytime I listen I find a new little thing to enjoy and appreciate. This album has to be listened to from start to finish and doesn’t work very well as just singles. The way tracks blend together really forces you to sit down and give it the time and attention it deserves. Every aspect of this album is super heavy, and the thing that really blows my mind is how big the band sounds despite being 3 members. Every member of this band plays at least two instruments and this multi instrument mastery shows in how cohesive the entire album sounds start to finish.
Keep heavy the Sabbath Day