Ryan's Top 10 Albums of 2024

Honorable Mention #1

Not originally released in 2024 but a remaster of one of my favorite albums. The first 6 songs are the album followed by a remaster of the bands original EP and some live versions of the songs

Honorable Mention #2

Also a classic album among my favorites that saw a remaster this year

Thematic/lyrical content: Sci-fi, psychological, abstract

Technical, dissonent and a bit jazzy, Conglaciation's self title debut is exactly the kind of New York style weird death metal that grabs my attention. Marketed by the band during its summer release as a way to cool off with its fridged tones and arctic heft, even before listening, I anticipated that I would deeply enjoy Conglaciation

Ice consumes The once cerulean dot
Blight of gloom
Never in their forethought
All life subsumed
To an everlasting onslaught
Banished to doom
There shall be a sliver of hope

Thematic/lyrical content: the natural world and its relationship to humankind, societal critique, personification of the ocean

With influences ranging from death metal, to jazz and 70’s prog and psych, Vile Rites combine an old school sound with a more modern style in a very classy way. Sporting an organic sounding but clear production style, Senescence starts a bit more straightforwardly but as the album progresses, begins to show its weirder, more psychedelic side. With a good amount of layers and texture to their sound, this hits all the right boxes for me. Considering this only their debut LP, I look forward to what comes from this band in the future as they refine and hone their sound even more.

Fleeting traces of cognizance
Looming darkness descends
Return my flesh to the sand
My dying question
Will this sacrifice be worth my end?

Thematic/lyrical content: Mysticism, Death

The band describes this release as such: "Hálios represents a breakthrough of the sacred into the temporal world, and sets forth on an eerie journey reenacting old stories inspired by the essence of the ancient Indo-European mythology, entwined in the obscure visions and dreams"

Hálios is harrowing, cacophonous, and chaotic and strongly commits to the band's vision. At a tight 35 minutes, Ceremony of Silence's brand of atmospheric and dissonent death metal forms a cohesive package that is haunting, intriguing, and expresses their concept through music and storytelling better than most.

The world is burned
Fallen are all the Gods
An oak sapling sprouts
Where the Sun shines no more

Thematic/lyrical content: A concept album about a wealthy post world war 1 era family and the reading of the will after the passing of their family's patriarch

One of the most popular and classic progressive metal bands of all time for a reason. Adding harsh vocals back into their music for the first time in 16 years, combined with their more recent 70s rock styling, leads to a very dynamic and engaging album. Adding in the squeaky clean production and a strong concept make The Last Will And Testament an excellent release.

In the event of fortuity
Remember grief is a fickle sickness
So wear it always
Wear it with love
Fervent and endless

Thematic/lyrical content: Cosmos, Space, Death

Complex and dissonant, Spilling The Astral Chalice feels like a gargantuan sci-fi epic. Being very movement based rather than having clear song structures leads this album to feel like floating on a journey through the darkest reaches of space. An atmospheric and spellbinding listen.

this well of wells within you
drools forth a thirsting star
and in some other emerald age
the astral chalice is spilled

Thematic/lyrical content: Depicting key events from the romantic mythic-allegorical renaissance-era book Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: The Strife of Love in a Dream

Bedsore's sophomore outing leans heavily into a synth-ridden 70s rock-meets-death-metal type of sound that feels very theatrical, unique, and a bit manic. Dreaming the Strife for Love's brand of esoteric and psychedelic songwriting and atmosphere is a joy to listen to and I could see this being higher on the list with more time to listen as it only came out at the end of November.

Nello schema senza tempo dell'Hypnerotomachia,
Eternamente!

Thematic/lyrical content: Emotions, Sorrow, Dreams, Nature, Philosophy, Future of humanity

The first word that comes to mind when listening to Solemn is epic. The most melodic of albums on this list, Solemn is chock full of catchy hooks, colossal riffs, and straight up bangers. It's not all just bombast here; between multiple styles of harsh and clean vocals, energetic vs slow doomier sections, and simple melodies with complex songwriting, In Vain have crafted a masterfully varied and dynamic listen. With it's soaring melodies and crisp production, Solemn is one of the most straight up fun albums of the year.

When the heavens are calling my name
Watch for me on the mountain
And until that day
Let the light be your guide
And follow the path of the righteous

Thematic/lyrical content: Humanity, Enlightenment, Mysticism, Metaphysics, Ancient aliens, Annunaki mythos

Comprised of only two 20 plus minute songs, Absolute Elsewhere leads you on a wild journey through the cosmos across both its movements. Blood Incantation build on their previous base of atmospheric tinged cosmic death metal by doubling down on atmosphere and injecting a large dose of 80s synth ambiance ala Pink Floyd or Tangerine Dream. This creates a large dynamic contrast between the pummeling metal and the floaty ambiance. Striking an exquisite balance between the two, and each side of the music being incredible in its own right, creates one of the most memorable and trippy listens this year.

Recognize one's place within the dance
Know thy beat in time & whence to step
Through silent echoes we begin to grow
And seek the Oneness all beings know

Thematic/lyrical content: resilience, self-reliance, durability and a willingness to do things that might make one feel physically and morally uncomfortable

A very, very close runner up. The embodiment of ferocity, Suffer & Become is chaotic, full of rage, passionate, brutal and at times, transcendent. Vitriol use unbelievable technicality not for its own sake but to support the raw emotion and storytelling. With meticulous songwriting, stunningly well crafted lyrics and an incredibly cohesive package, Suffer & Become portrays the idea of "growth through hardship" in a fully realized way.

I know the aching of The End,
and I will never be left by its desire for the death of all
It is by its mouth's pull that into life's most vibrant plains, I am called
Unto its sacred majesty, I offer my pride that blinds
I will fight savagely
Amid the fray of psychic torrents, I will reside

Thematic/lyrical content: The negative feelings that arise after willingly or unwillingly rupturing one's own moral code

My unequivocal album of the year and another entry into the unbelievably consistent and fantastic discography of possibly my favorite band. Cutting the Throat of God is equal parts technical and atmospheric and manages to sound both crushingly immense and deeply introspective at the same time with fleeting moments of beauty scattered throughout. No other album this year feels as transcendent, immersive, and awe inspiring.

Ulcerate's music, with this album as no exception, feels like it lends voice to some of my deepest fears and as a result sounds at once dis-comfortingly familiar, fiercely, cathartic and deeply personal.

These wicked and tortured dreams
Intertwined with the real
Until becoming the real