To say that this has been an amazing year for metal would be one hell of an understatement. So many amazing albums have come out, many bands reunited, insane tours and everything in between. To narrow this list down to 10, 20, or even 100 is next to impossible. Here is our top 10 albums of this amazing year

Within Temptation really secured their name in the realm of Symphonic Metal, but with this album, they pushed boundaries. Sharon’s vocal style was pushed full range with amazing lyrical subject matter to support it. Add some noticeable guests and you have the ultimate adventure of an album that uses an external conflict to describe an internal one. Catchy songs such as Supernova to songs that will inflict you goosebumps and give you power at the same time with songs such as Raise Your Banner, Within Temptation has the ability to inflict you with emotion and connect with you in the process.

Astronoid put out Air in 2016 and many fans were wondering how it would get any better than that. Astronoid rose to the occasion and then some. They multiplied everything by 100 and delivered intense riffs in songs such as I Dream in Lines, to something as mesmerizing tracks such as I Wish I was There when the Sun Set. They deliver intensity and soul beyond belief. They are on a momentum that will definitely continue moving forward.

Many people have gotten on board with this group after their tour with Fleshgod Apocalypse and Hypocrisy earlier this year. Aenimus delivers the perfect combination of melodic death metal, progressive metal and tech death with Dreamcatcher. One minute, this record is grabbing you by the throat and not letting go, and the next minute it has the ability to serenade you with beautiful melodic vocals and guitar melodies. Another tech death album to add to your list.

When you listen to Lacuna Coil, you can tell which song is from which era of this band. Maki, being the mad scientist he is, is never afraid to experiment with new sounds and styles, but the voices of Cristina and Andrea tie everything in their catalogue together. Black Anima seems to almost serve as a retrospective of all the styles Lacuna Coil is able to incorporate. With a song as heavy as Layers of Time, followed by a very slow and emotional song such as Apocalypse or Save Me, they are able to capture emotion with every song and demonstrate it in many different ways.

Foscor, from Spain captures some of the most beautiful and most emotional aspects of doom and Avant Garde. A record that can leave you in shambles after hitting you with pure emotion, or leave you sedated with is mesmerizing method of doing so, Foscor delivers another amazing album that can engage you in a story and an atmosphere.

You are going to be saying anything but “So What” after you hear this record from While She Sleeps. While She Sleeps demonstrated emotion, and heaviness all together in one, further pushing the boundaries of what makes metalcore such a memorable genre of heavy music. With songs such as The Guilty Party being able to go all over the place from full on melodic to full on brutal, to a song as somber as Set you Free or Good Grief, While She Sleeps masters the art of using multiple styles to create their own.

Killswitch Engage is a band that never pulls punches and never holds anything back. Atonement is almost a rebirth of what makes this band so memorable to begin with. The Signal Fire which features former vocalist Howard Jones combines the best aspects of The End of Heartache with the best aspects of Alive or Just Breathing. The Crownless King featuring Chuck Billy of Testament combines the best aspects of thrash with metalcore. I Am Broken Too showcases how Jesse Leach is able to let out all emotion and signals how he mastered the art of using pain as a paintbrush. Add catchy songs such as Us Against the World or As Sure as the Sun will Rise and you instantly have a record that delivers emotion, brutality and an experience that a listener can make their own.

This is a band that would have owned Warped Tour if the festival was still around. Capstan creates an album with all the elements we love from metalcore to alternative rock. Even with 13 songs all playing by their own rules and having their own craft and vibe, this album will still leave you wanting more. With the many different sounds, comes many different emotions. It is a record that can share your pain during the hardest times, and share your joy during the greatest.

The best black metal album of 2019 goes to Numenorean with Adore. This band is able to deliver the pure rawness of some classic black metal artists we all know and love, while also bringing in their own sound of emotional instrumentals that make them stand out. With songs such as Horizon or Adore that is able to showcase their ability to be both super heavy and super melodic at the same time. They create an atmosphere, a narrative and multiple emotions that have an ability to sedate you with darkness.

The number 1 album of 2019 goes to Infected Rain. While Asylum, Embrace Eternity and 86 were all great records, Endorphin hits you square in the face with melody, brutality, emotion and imagery. Lena easily showcases her best vocal performances and is able to demonstrate her multiple styles in songs such as The Earth Mantra and Passerby. Regardless of what vocal style you are listening to, Lena does not hold back with emotion and the lyricism behind it only pushes the vocals even further. Guitarist, Vidick is able to bring pure intensity within the riffs that make the album even stronger and more brutal. There is eeriness with songs such as Pendulum, there is catchiness with songs such as Victims, there is constant melody with songs such as Symphony of Trust, and songs with relentless brutality such as Lure. This album is able to utilize the ideology that the world that could be deteriorating around us is no different from the soul that can be deteriorating within is. Every instrumental element in this record counts and every member is able to elevate the story and meaning behind this album even further, thus making it the number 1 album to end this decade with.

With so many amazing albums that have come out this year, it only proves that rock and metal is far from dead. There will always be new bands who carry the torch onward while the classic legends continue to support and decimate through the weak.

Check out our video which features the top 60 favorite albums of 2019 \m/ \m/