Aaron's Top 5 Metal Albums

Metal is a music genre that's been very dear to me since I was in high school. Growing up in rural Iowa, the only metal music that I was exposed to was Limp Kizkit, Metallica, and pretty much anything off of Guitar Hero or on the radio. Some of the fondest memories of my childhood involved reading about different metal genres on Wikipedia and learning about different bands in that genre, and then downloading any and every song that I could find from those bands on Limewire (aka: computer cancer). Quite a few of the bands that I discovered back then have been long-standing favorites for me, like Children of Bodom, Arch Enemy, and even Mnemic. By the time I had an iPod Touch and taught myself how to use BitTorrent, I had discovered even more bands and even more types of metal than I ever could have dreamed of. Then we get to the present, where music apps use algorithms to constantly feed you new music, and it's all available on-demand at any time.

Today I wanted to write about 5 metal albums that have been stuck in the CD changer of my brain. Even though my metal tastes have slowly and weirdly morphed throughout the years, the albums that I'm about to share with you are evergreen to me. I hope that you also check these ones out or have at least listened to and appreciate them.

#5: Anticult | Decapitated

My first time listening to Decapitated was when a friend showed me the song Spheres of Madness. That song is such a groove, with that opening riff immediately sucking you in, chewing you up, and swallowing you completely. I never really got into the rest of their music back then, but over the years I've slowly gotten more and more into their previous albums and appreciate how unique their style is.

Decapitated has always had a groove metal element to their music, with riffs that really hook into your brain like eagle talons. This would evolve more and more, up the point when Anticult was released. The song Kill the Cult is the first song from this album that I remember listening to, and I've played it on repeat so many times throughout the years. If you're a fan of Machine Head, Fear Factory, or even Pantera, I highly recommend listening to this album. And if you like this, check out the album prior, Blood Mantra.

#4: Rareform (reissue) | After the Burial

Original cover art

2009 reissue cover art

Let's step into progressive/deathcore territory with Rareform. I prefer the reissue with the current vocalist, but the original version is also great. The reissue version released a few months after I had started my first ever job out of high school, and I would listen to this album almost every single day while I washed dishes. After the Burial loves to tinker with different rhythm patterns mid-song, almost like they're trying to confuse the listener. But after you listen enough, you'll get it. Not only will you get it, you'll be throwing folding chairs across the room.

My favorite songs from this awesome record are Drifts, Cursing Akhenaten, and Berzerker. I really love how each breakdown feels and sounds so unique to each song, like they hand-crafted them to not sound exactly like any other breakdown known to hardcore fans. This one has been in my library since 2009 and has never, ever left.

#3: Death, My Love | Nemertines

This is one that I recommend to everyone I know, even my wife, and I always get the same response: "Who the fuck is Nemertines?". Nemertines is a solo instrumental metal project that is absolutely haunting to listen to. The very first track, Eyes and Teeth, sounds like something you'd hear in Silent Hill. Nemertines is like a mix of nu-metal and progressive metal with layers of ambient droning, all combining into this atmospheric horrorscape.

The whole entire album is amazing, but if you want one song to start you off, check out Opium or Sabrina Scissor the Sister. Both songs have riffs that'll hook you into listening on repeat, with plenty of that signature spooky ambience.

#2: Hate | Thy Art is Murder

Exactly as the title implies, this album is anger and hatred somehow embodied within 10 tracks, each one hammering away at all of your senses. The very first track, Reign of Darkness, is one of my favorite starting tracks of any album ever. After listening you'll be thinking "This is amazing. It can't possibly get any better.....right?". Hang on to your hat, because it gets heavier and heavier with each track.

I've never gotten to see Thy Art is Murder live, but I think if I did I might go into cardiac arrest following the supersonic barrage of neck-aching riffs, breakdowns that could demolish an entire city block, and some of the most memorable lyrics of any deathcore album.

#1: The Blackening | Machine Head

Probably the oldest album on this whole list, The Blackening was first introduced to me by a friend of mine. We both had started working at the same restaurant and we would drive to work together in his old Lumina, jamming to various CDs. Every single time we started this one up, I'd pound away at the dashboard like I was drumming along to each song.

The whole album is perfect, front-to-back. But if you want recommendations for specific songs, go for Slanderous, Beautiful Mourning, or Aesthetics of Hate. You can even go listen to their entire discography, which is flawless (unless you aren't a fan of rap metal). Machine Head is probably one of my top 5 artists as well, delivering a daily dose of groove/thrash metal directly into my bloodstream.

After writing this, I think I'm going to write more blogs about great metal albums. There are so many more that I jam to on a regular basis, but didn't consider "Top 5" worthy. Make sure to subscribe, because this is going to be a new thing.

Let me know in the comments what you think of my picks. I would also love to hear about your top 5 metal albums!