Today’s life is fast bite sized noise. Fucking YouTube shorts. Fucking tweets, and insta posts. Fucking tik toks and short attention spans.
Fucking stop. Take a breath. Throw on an album (vinyl preferably) Have a drink. Relax. Repeat.
Or don’t. Up to you.
Here’s my recommendations:
Jerry Cantrell I Want Blood
Brighten was a solid album with a couple of great tracks but I Want Blood is a step up with some great throwback moments and some new ideas in the mix. I expect this one to grow on me more in time. Check out It Comes a song that wears its Black Sabbath influences on it sleeve but features some amazing harmonies and temp changes. Hopefully Jerry will take his tour to my neck of the woods in 2025.
Must hear track: It Comes
Judas Priest Invincible Shield
Bloody legends with some new classics to add to the mixtape. Enough said
Must hear track: Crown of Horns
The Warning Keep Me Fed
Now this is my kind of “Pop” music. Ever since hearing the 3 Villarreal sisters do an interesting take onMetallica’s Enter Sandman, I have followed their rising star. While I had some issues with the production of the album (seek out live versions: so much better) each track is a banger. Hopefully they continue to expand on their rock influences and not lean into the more mainstream pop elements their sponsors would hope for (Pepsi? Really? FFS)
Must hear track: MORE
Zeal&Ardor Greif
A Frankenstein’s monster of an album and a glorious one at that. The death metal vibes are dialled back a bit, and we get ballads, Queens of the Stone Age type slabs of awesome and most things in between.
Must hear track: To My Ilk
Bear McCreary The Singularity
Movie score fans will probably know Bear McCreary well for TV shows like Battlestar Galactica, movies like Godzilla and his monumental scores for the God of War games are amazing. The Singularity is a different beast. A concept album of sorts, it is a roller coaster of music styles with the composer working with the likes of Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Rufus Wainwright, Eivør and Serj Tankian. And yes, it has plenty of Hurdy-Gurdy for you Bear purists. Great stuff.
Must hear track: Type III
Honorable mentions
BABYMETAL and Electric Callboy RATATATA Big dumb fun and my fav song of the year
David Gilmore Luck and Strange A return to form with some decent songs
Blood Incantation Absolute Elsewhere Is David Gilmore in this Death metal band as well? Sounds like it.
High on Fire Cometh the Storm Doom highlight of the year and solid live band
