Favorite Metal Albums (So Far)

21. Between The Buried And Me - Colors (2007)

BTBAM fans widely regard Colors to be BTBAM’s magnum opus, and I can’t disagree. This is the album where BTBAM really solidified their sound. Most of their earlier stuff was death metal kinetically infused with odd detours into jazz, prog, swing, and bluegrass. Just listen to the solo at the end of “Selkies.” It is the most soothing thing my ears have ever experienced. No, seriously, go listen to it. Right now. With Colors, BTBAM decided it was time to do whatever they wanted and just get weird. Album centerpiece “Ants of the Sky” is the perfect example of this. Death metal gives way to a Grateful Dead-style jam session. The band quickly segues back into more conventional progressive death metal for the next few minutes before stopping to catch its breath with a soothing interlude punctuated by a sweet blues guitar solo. What comes next? An honest-to-God hoedown, complete with a banjo and everything. The two closing tracks finish Colors off strong. “Viridian” is essentially a gentle, pensive bass solo that gives way to “White Walls,” the thrilling 14-minute album finale.  

Favorite Song: 
Ants of The Sky

Choice Lyric: 
My teeth taste funny today...they seem more jagged than normal.

20. Erra - Impulse (2011)

This album infuses the technical proficiency of djent with the energy of metalcore. The songs are built around those trademark palm-muted, chug-chug djent riffs, but they’re accentuated by well-placed guitar leads, piano, and synths that build depth and atmosphere. Many of the frenzied, abrasive passages give way to catchy, soaring choruses, but these hooks are used sparingly; some songs are entirely devoid of clean vocals. The lyrics, for the most part, are spiritual and hopeful, but Impulse’s strongest tracks touch upon Akkadian mythology (“Seven”) and the loss of a father (“Heart”). The former is a bouncy rager that remains a staple of Erra’s live show, and the latter features a gentle instrumental passage that leads into a swelling, heartfelt final act. 

Favorite Song: 
Seven

Choice Lyric: 
There is a ghost in all of us. There are many that try to open their minds, deciphering the intellect of spiritual design.

19. Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity (2012)

Cattle Decapitation have built an impressive reputation in the underground for their ability to combine death metal and grind into a brutal pairing. Their previous albums have been a bit too much for my taste, but Monolith of Inhumanity caught me by surprise. Cattle Decapitation decided to slow things down just a tad and add a hint of melody, and the results are incredible. The band’s growth is no more apparent than in vocalist Travis Ryan’s legendary performance. His vocal performance on Monolith is caustic, brutal, and unconventional. I never thought the sound of a vocalist hocking a loogie would fit perfectly in a song. Crazed high pitch screams, bone-rattling low growls, random subhuman sounds, and honest-to-goodness clean singing make the awesomely titled “A Living, Breathing Piece of Defecating Meat” a standout track. Album closer “Kingdom of Tyrants” is an absolute monster. There’s just an epic, sinister vibe that towers over everything. Ryan’s manic high screams put you on edge right from the beginning of the song, and his haunting “singing” during the chorus keeps you there. It’s just plain evil.

Favorite Song: 
Kingdom of Tyrants

Choice Lyric: 
From the toils of man and his damning hand, a king has only to fall.

18. Whitechapel - This Is Exile (2008)

At first pass, this seems like a paint-by-numbers deathcore album. Sure, most of the genre tropes are present here - breakdowns galore, downtuned guitars, growled vocals, etc. - but Whitechapel uses them as a starting point, not as a blueprint. The songs are much more dynamic and varied in tempo. The luxury of having a third guitarist allows one of them to add creepy melodic parts while the other two solidify the rhythmic frameworks of the music. There is a dark, evil vibe lurking throughout the album. It also helps that Phil Bozeman constantly sounds like he’s trying to eat the microphone. His guttural growls are unparalleled. This is easily the angriest, most evil-sounding record on this list, but it’s also got the catchiest riff on here; just listen to the opening of “Possession” and try not to bang your head.

Favorite Song: 
Possession

Choice Lyric: 
(Too scared to post anything)

17. Bloodsimple - A Cruel World (2005)

I miss this band so much. On A Cruel World, Bloodsimple managed to combine the polish and hooks of rock with the energy and aggression of hardcore. There are riffs aplenty, but Tim Williams is the driving force behind the album. He shifts seamlessly between a shrill, high-pitched scream and a relaxed croon with such ease, often in the same breath. “Sell Me Out,” the moody, angry album highlight, is an exemplary showcase of this.

Favorite Song: 
Sell Me Out

Choice Lyric: 
We're gonna be extinct so let's prey. 

16. Baroness - Yellow & Green (2012)

Yellow & Green is rich and deeply textured. Both discs start off with comforting instrumental tracks. Yellow is moody and contemplative while Green is weird and trippy. “Board Up The House” might be the catchiest song in the Baroness canon. The back half of Green drags a bit, but the soft, eerie “Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)” makes up for it. If Baroness had only released the Yellow half, it still would have ended up on this list. The lead single, “Take My Bones Away,” is a more traditional Baroness song, but the rest of the disc is refreshing and diverse. “Cocainium” sounds like it was recorded in the Seventies by some Pink Floyd devotees. The closing track, “Eula,” is a haunting number that starts out with some acoustic guitar and eventually explodes into a Tom Morello-style guitar solo. “March To The Sea” is still my favorite Baroness song; its soaring chorus is driven by a triumphant-sounding guitar riff. I still get goosebumps each time I listen to “Twinkler,” which almost sounds like two Gregorian monks’ attempt at a cover of “Dust In The Wind.”

Favorite Song: 
March To The Sea

Choice Lyric: 
I took your advice and the requisite pills, and the forbidden pies from a white windowsill, swallowing caveats, Baphomet's breath and migraines.

15. East of the Wall - The Apologist (2011)

In my eyes, The Apologist is the most tragic album on this list. This has nothing to do with the actual music; it’s more about the band. East of the Wall has endured constant member turnover since recording The Apologist, and it has robbed them of the chance to fulfill the potential they displayed on this album and its predecessor, Ressentiment. East of The Wall is the only band on this list that I have not seen live, and I doubt I will ever be able to. The Apologist is a moody post-metal adventure that borrows liberally from post-hardcore and jazz and treats conventional song structures and time signatures like Silly Putty. The music is deeply technical, and songs are punctuated by angular guitar leads and manic drumming. Since-departed frontman Kevin Conway’s gentle vocals drive the haunting opening of “Whiskey Sipper,” a regretful missive on a failed relationship. The highlight of the album is the title track. The bridge is absolutely incredible, and it’s hard not to get lost in the wistful jam session at the end.

Favorite Song: 
The Apologist

Choice Lyric: 
The scope just dots, and we all move the path we've drawn. But mine...to walk it is an art, defined by the strong. But I'm unclear this day.

14. Isis - Panopticon (2004)

Isis were a legendary and influential band, and this is the album where they really came into their own and solidified their sound. They shifted away from the sludge of their earlier work and helped establish many of the conventions of post-metal. They incorporated more melody and built engrossing, imaginative soundscapes. The music is more dense and richly layered than anything that had been released by their peers at the time. Thematically, Panopticon is a reflection on the surveillance state, drawing parallels between the prison envisioned by Jeremy Bentham (the album’s namesake) and the present day activities of our governments. The album artwork is a subtle reference to this. The fiery climax of “In Fiction” is the strongest and most cathartic moment on the album.

Favorite Song:
In Fiction

Choice Lyric:
Yet under this mortal sun we cannot hide ourselves.

13. As I Lay Dying - Shadows Are Security (2005)

On its face, Shadows Are Security is a run-of-the-mill metalcore album. AILD’s sophomore effort is certainly not the most ambitious entry in their discography, but it’s just so catchy. The songs are built around melodic death metal riffs, and they’re fueled by Tim Lambesis’ gravelly roar. “Through Struggle” might be the greatest metalcore song ever written. Conceptually, the album is about Lambesis’ conversion to Christianity. In a vacuum, the lyrics are positive and reflective, but they are greatly undermined by the fact that they were written by a deplorable human being.

Favorite Song:
Through Struggle

Choice Lyric:
With a piece of me taken away, I begin to understand. Hollow out this machinelike chest, with its gears that turn to make me feel assembled thoughts that fade away.

12. Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache (2004)

This is the first and greatest album released by the “classic” Killswitch lineup with Howard Jones as vocalist. It’s arguably the definitive metalcore album, a perfect marriage of Swedish melodic death metal riffs and soaring, singalong choruses. With Heartache, Killswitch unwittingly established the formula that would be aped by countless other bands, leading to the watering down and eventual death of the subgenre. Of course, none of that is Killswitch’s fault. They’ve got the technical chops to write catchy, tasty riffs and infectious melodies that stay in your head. Jones’ lovelorn lyrics get old, but man, can he sing.  The Grammy-nominated title track remains their most successful song. It’s worth mentioning that “Rose of Sharyn” is the song that got me into metal, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I teared up a bit the last time I saw it played live. 

Favorite Song:

Rose of Sharyn 

Choice Lyric:
The rising sun will always speak your name.

11. Gojira - The Way of All Flesh (2008)

Gojira are one of the heaviest bands in metal. That by itself is unremarkable, but the dark, organic aesthetic of Gojira’s music sets it apart from that of its peers. The hallmarks of Gojira’s sound are well-represented on The Way of All Flesh. You've got finger-tapping guitar parts (“Oroborus”), tremolo picking (“Esoteric Surgery”), pick scrapes that sound like a whale call (“Adoration for None”), and extended double-bass drum patterns (legitimately every song). Mario Duplantier is the star of the album. He’s a mad scientist behind the kit, like an angry octopus that spent its whole life listening to Meshuggah and studying complex math equations. I’m still trying to figure out everything he does in “The Art of Dying.” His crushing and imaginative drum work makes the riffs heavier and hit way harder. The opening sequence of “Toxic Garbage Island” is the auditory equivalent of shotgunning a gigantic can of Red Bull. 

Favorite Song:
Toxic Garbage Island

Choice Lyric:
Driven to increase my own power by creation, the purest choice. Destined to rule my life and go the way of all flesh.

10. The Atlas Moth - The Old Believer (2014)

All of the things that made An Ache For The Distance such a memorable record are abundant on The Old Believer. There are rich layers of sound and atmospherics lurking in every song. These flourishes wouldn’t be as effective if they didn’t have a strong foundation to build upon. The Atlas Moth’s music has always been driven by the guitars. It’s become pretty common for metal bands to have three guitarists, but no one puts them to better use than The Atlas Moth. The harmonies and melodies are beautiful and majestic. Andrew Ragin and David Kush’s guitar tones sound as rich and perfect as ever, and their dueling leads are the highlight of the album for me. It’s really hard to pick a favorite moment, because there are incredible parts on every song, but I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve played air guitar along to the fiery closing sequence of “Hesperian.” Album closer “Blood Will Tell” is the strongest track on here; the guitar tones give the song an almost anachronistic vibe.  

Favorite Song:
Blood Will Tell

Choice Lyric:
Be still upon your wings as you fly from here. When I close my eyes, I still hear your voice. My hand in yours, calming my fears. I know you're always with me.

9. Underoath - Define the Great Line (2006)

Underoath hit it big with They’re Only Chasing Safety, which is an album that I couldn’t get into at the time. It just sounded like a heavier-than-normal emo album. Define the Great Line almost seems like it was recorded as a response to Safety. Gone are those pop choruses and tidy song arrangements. Define is much heavier and more unconventional. Underoath really explore the outer reaches of post-hardcore on this album, and it’s hard to discern any verse, chorus, or bridge in some of the songs. The hooks aren’t completely gone (“Writing on the Walls”), but the restraint here allows the songs to breathe more, and when the hooks do come along, they’re much more impactful than before. The star of the album is Spencer Chamberlain. His vocal performance on Define is stronger than that of any other vocalist on this list. He shifts among myriad vocal styles - growling, screaming, shouting, howling - in a frenzy that matches the pain and desperation of the lyrics. The last two minutes of “In Regards to Myself” are a tour de force.

Favorite Song:
In Regards to Myself

Choice Lyric:
It's all worth reaching for, the hand to pull you out.

8. Lamb of God - Sacrament (2006)

This is the darkest and most atmospheric entry in Lamb of God’s discography. The dark vibe of the album owes greatly to Mark Morton’s songwriting; the creepy, Middle-eastern guitar part during the prechorus of “Descending” is deeply unsettling. Moments like these make the more conventional and hilariously catchy “Redneck” feel a tad out of place. Randy Blythe sounds as angry and vicious as ever, which is unsurprising given the album’s lyrical content. Instead of directing his hate and bile towards corrupt, blood drunk politicians, Blythe focuses on himself and addresses topics such as alcoholism, codependency, addiction, and depression. The best song on the album is “Walk With Me In Hell,” which was written by Morton as a love song to his wife. The verse has a deep groove and the chorus is driven by swelling guitar leads and accentuated by a subtle choral arrangement in the background. I personally love when Blythe breaks out his grown-up voice halfway through the second verse.

Favorite Song:
Walk With Me In Hell

Choice Lyric:
Take hold of my hand, for you are no longer alone. Walk with me in Hell.

7. The Ocean - Pelagial (2013)

This is the most ambitious record on this list. It is an atmospheric, engrossing experience that warrants repeat listens. Band savant Robin Staps originally intended Pelagial to be one continuous piece of music without any vocals. Musically, the album represents a descent to the ocean’s greatest depths; as the listener progresses through the album (and farther from the ocean’s surface), the music gets darker and heavier. Fortunately, Staps decided to bring the band’s vocalist, the supremely underrated Loic Rossetti, back into the fold. His soulful croon and guttural growls complement the music wonderfully. Incorporating vocals also gave Staps the opportunity to add another concept to Pelagial; the lyrics tell the story of three travelers who journey deep into the human psyche, to a room where one’s innermost desires are said to come true. So, yes, this is a double concept album. The climax of Pelagial, both lyrically and musically, is “Let Them Believe.” The chorus boasts the catchiest vocals that Rossetti has ever recorded with The Ocean. 

Favorite Song:
Let Them Believe

Choice Lyric:
Territories abandoned, lost and reclaimed. Everything's in constant motion.

6. The Contortionist - Exoplanet (2010)

This is a remarkably impressive debut album. Exoplanet is to deathcore what Hybrid Theory is to nu metal: the perfect iteration of a justifiably maligned subgenre. Guttural growls and dense seven-stringed guitars are accompanied by gentle post-rock interludes, atmospheric synths, and expertly deployed hooks. On future albums, The Contortionist fully explore the progressive leanings that are hinted at on Exoplanet, but they lack the sense of discovery that is inherent to this album. Appropriately, Exoplanet is a concept album about mankind escaping a dying Earth in a quest to find a new home. The trippy, brooding opening to “Exoplanet III” is just wonderful, and The Contortionist will never record anything like the tranquil bridge of “Flourish” again.

Favorite Song:
Flourish

Choice Lyric:
(Monstrous-ass riff) Our blooming world is being ripped apart.

5. Intronaut - The Direction of Last Things (2015)

Intronaut are the only band that consistently exceeds my lofty expectations. They deserve to be remembered as a truly singular, unique band in the annals of metal, and The Direction of Last Things solidifies this claim. Intronaut is comprised of brilliant musicians. Sacha Dunable and Dave Timnick are incredible songwriters, and Joe Lester and Danny Walker are the most relentlessly creative rhythm section in metal. All of them display their technical brilliance on every song, but not enough to dull the emotional impact. “Fast Worms” starts out as a straightforward rager and blends into a spacey interlude before finishing off with a chorus reprise. The back half of “The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing” feels like a shroomed post-metal cover of Alice in Chains’ “Nutshell.” “Sul Ponticello” is a fair approximation of what it would sound like if Pink Floyd had ever ventured into metal. Intronaut reintroduced the screamed vocals that were absent from their last outing, Habitual Levitations, but the clean vocals are more impressive than ever before. The vocal harmonies in the opening and closing of “City Hymnal” are absolutely haunting. 

Favorite Song:
City Hymnal

Choice Lyric:
Cry alone, let go, and fly home.

4. Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing (2002)

Killswitch’s debut full-length is a truly seminal work and a defining moment in the evolution of American metal. Alive or Just Breathing captures a precocious young band attempting to blend disparate elements of hardcore and metal into an immersive musical experience. Carnal, thrashing passages give way to soothing, haunting melodies. There is a vibrancy and hunger to Alive or Just Breathing that is conspicuously absent from Killswitch’s later work, and this is due, in great part, to the presence of founding vocalist Jesse Leach. There is a pain and urgency behind his voice, and this imbues a strong sense of purpose and spirituality in the music. Lyrically, the album preaches the virtues of love, honesty, resiliency, and respect for your fellow man. No song will come closer to summing up my personal beliefs than “Vide Infra.” I’m lucky to have found this album; I’d be a different person without it. No matter the consequences, stay true to yourself.

Favorite Song:
Vide Infra

Choice Lyric:
Your destination is a choice within yourself. Will you rise or become a slave to self-righteousness? Open up your heart and gaze within.

3. The Atlas Moth - An Ache For The Distance (2011)

An Ache For The Distance is an incredible album. The music is dark, tragic, and epic. It is immersive and atmospheric with just the right amount of black metal crustiness. Every song is packed with lush guitar melodies and eerie keyboard parts. The interplay between Stavros Giannopoulos’ caustic, blackened screams and David Kush’s haunting, mournful singing only adds to the atmosphere. “Holes in the Desert” is one of the greatest metal songs ever written. The beginning and verses are driven by a catchy guitar lead with some twang that is complemented by a snarling guitar riff churning beneath it. The call-and-response chorus is super catchy, and it gives way to a sublimely cathartic bridge that is colored by a wonderful  triple-guitar harmony.

Favorite Song:
Holes in the Desert

Choice Lyric:
Now let me show you how empty we are. Our weak breath, lack of spine, and broken teeth. My existence has been greatly fabricated. Look away, we're about to go up in flames.

2. Intronaut - Valley of Smoke (2010)

This is the album that began my ongoing love affair with Intronaut. It is a much more melodic offering than their older stuff. They had played around with melody on their first two albums, but these adventures were mostly limited to the occasional respite from sludgy, raucous mayhem. Album opener “Elegy” starts off with a monstrous riff, but the song soon gives way to a jammy instrumental passage. The other songs on the album are similarly structured. These jam sessions are wonderful and relaxing, but they’re never without structure or purpose. The bridge in “Above” is a great example of Intronaut’s ability to gradually build these jams. About two minutes into the song, Sacha and Dave start out by playing around with some delay guitar, and Joe throws in a few of his signature bass pull-offs. Then Danny comes in and sets off the groove with a catchy drum part built around snare hits, ride cymbal taps, and a polyrhythmic tom pattern. I had a borderline spiritual awakening when I listened to this for the first time. “Core Relations” is a spaced-out song that demands to be listened to late at night. “Sunderance,” which sports an economical 3 minute runtime, serves as a great snapshot of all the elements of Intronaut’s sound.

Favorite Song:
Above

Choice Lyric:
The night goes black for fear of the light we see. Headed our way, never to arrive.

1. Mastodon - Crack The Skye (2009)

This is the album that got me into Mastodon, and, eventually, progressive metal. The fourth and final entry in the band’s so-called “elemental” suite, Skye represents a turning point in Mastodon’s sound. Musically, the album is lush and diverse. There’s 70’s-era prog (the verses of “Oblivion”), a straight-up surf guitar solo (“Divinations”) and a bizarre Frank Zappa-esque sequence smack dab in the middle of “The Last Baron,” the 13-minute album finale. The band mostly abandoned the screaming from their earlier work in favor of dual and triple vocal harmonies. I won’t try to explain the album’s concept, but just know that it involves astral projection, wormholes, and Rasputin. I’ve gotten lost in this album countless times, so I can’t really pick a favorite song. It’s hard to argue with “Oblivion,” though; it’s got a super-catchy chorus and a creepy, awesome music video.

Favorite Song:
Oblivion

Choice Lyric:
I was standing staring at the world and I still can't see it.