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5
Liturgy
Aesthetica
One of the year’s best metal releases stands out not only musically, but also as a statement of philosophical intent. Liturgy’s frontman Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, with his article Transcendental Black Metal, proposed an entire reconstruction of how black metal ought to work; in doing so, he both isolated black metal purists and invited in new ideas in a genre that many have a monolithic image of. Whether one finds Hunt-Hendrix’s philosophy pretentious or brilliant does little to take away from the brilliance of Aesthethica, the culmination of Hunt-Hendrix’s vision. Ranging from repetitive, riff-driven instrumentals (“Generation” and “Veins of God”) to furious bits of glorious cacophony (“High Gold” and “Harmonia”), this is a record that never ceases to amaze and challenge. A fine work of music, philosophy, and absurdist theology all in one, Aesthethica is a powerful listen through and through. 
Brice Ezell
4
Opeth
Heritage
Opeth’s musical skill is so notable that its least metal offering since 2003’s Damnation still managed to be one of the year’s finest metal releases. While the band’s past offerings have balanced tricky, labyrinthine progressive rock with the pummeling intensity of Swedish death metal, the pendulum swing that constitutes the material of Heritage gravitated strongly in the former direction. Still, Heritage isn’t completely devoid of metal: the Ronnie Dio tribute “Slither” is a prime example, a track that in a live setting is just as heavy as anything from the band’s past work. Heritage is not the sound of a band ridding itself of its roots in metal (as the album’s gorgeous artwork indicates ), but instead the sound of re-interpreting those roots into something quite beautiful, while remaining in the spirit of metal. Brice Ezell
3
Wolves in the Throne Room
Celestial Lineage
Over the course of three albums, Wolves in the Throne Room have been slowly working at developing a style of their own, while deriving heavily from American underground black metal and the ambient sounds of Burzum and Ulver. Their fourth full-length finally takes that big step where it sounds less lovingly derivative and more fully realized. The Weaver brothers’ (guitarist/vocalist Nathan and drummer Aaron) preoccupation with environmental themes, long a bone of contention among black metal “purists”, is far less grating than genuinely beautiful, the music a vivid reflection of the Pacific Northwest that reaches majestic heights. Adrien Begrand
2
Hammers of Misfortune
17th Street
San Francisco’s Hammers of Misfortune are nothing if not consistent, with five excellent albums already behind them, but they seem more impassioned than ever on their latest. Downplaying the folk/psychedelic influence in favor of a much more direct, traditional heavy metal sound, songwriter/guitarist John Cobbett has both looked back to the classic 1970s records of his youth and looked out his own window at his rapidly gentrifying city for inspiration. The end result is an album that feels like one of those old great records, where songwriting took precedence over flashy musicianship, yet at the same time, in the social commentary of “The Day the City Died”, couldn’t feel more relevant today. Adrien Begrand
1
40 Watt Sun
The Inside Room
Three days—that’s all it took to craft the metal album of the year. The Inside Room is the phenomenal debut from British three-piece 40 Watt Sun. A masterpiece of downtempo introspective grimness, it is achingly, hauntingly beautiful. Fronted by Patrick Walker, the album has a poignant, expressive density that is perfectly balanced against sublimely fuzzed-out and distorting tones. With a monolithic percussiveness, and Walker’s soulful vocals, The Inside Room negates the isolation of wretched emotionality, welcoming us all to consider universal themes of despair. It is meditative and richly rewarding. Three days—an extraordinary achievement. Craig Hayes
