Favorite Metal / Hard Rock 2019

[Vader]

So, the New Year quickly approaches .. thought I'd get a jump on my list for the year because I'm positive that a handful of albums are staying in the top positions with only a handful of days remaining in 2019

1. ANGEL WITCH ~ ANGEL OF LIGHT.
Old school NWOBHM legend Angel Witch return and top their very , solid, & highly enjoyable comeback album, As Above So Below...no mean feat.
This one is more like their classic S/T debut than anything else in their discography. It also has a strong mix of ABSB running through it's musical veins.
An awesome release topped only by the Self Titled debut.

My rating:
ABSOLUTE KILLER...9.0/10

 

[Vader]

2. CANDLEMASS ~ THE DOOR TO DOOM,
By far my two favorite Messiah-less albums, other than the debut, are Death Magic Doom & this years return to form The Door To Doom.
Featuring the return of their original vocalist . It also features album art very reminiscent of the debut but it is definitely not a rehash album as all of that might suggest. I haven't been this excited about a Candlemass album in more than a decade. A must for any fan of old school traditional Doom Metal

Rating; 9/10

 

[Vader]

3. QUEENSRŸCHE ~ THE VERDICT,
I was a big fan of Queensrÿche from their debut EP up to and including OMC. Empire was a very good hard rock album but not what I had been hoping for ... I was not impressed with any of their discography that followed and I stop listening, TBH.
Fastward to the present and I have to admit The Verdict took me by complete surprise... Great album, I guess I need to go back and to listen the last two.

 

[Riff Raff]

I have a tie for my personally no.1 favourite albums of the year. 2 albums but my first/main pick will be Freedom of Fear - Nocturnal Gates. Australian based band with Death influence but a lot of melody as well and very progressive.

Ended up meeting them at a show supporting Fleshgod Apocalypse and also nabbed this on vinyl. Absolutely phenomenal album and my co-favourite of 2019.

 

[E-Z]

When it comes to 'metal' probably still Judas Priest from 1976 to the 2000s with KK in the line up.

 

[Vader]

Okayyy.... back to favorite album releases from 2019


4. VENOM ~ IN NOMINE SATANAS; The Neat Anthology,

This is a double compilation of their first 4 LPs and Venom fans don't need an explanation for why it made my best of 2019 list. It is a 2019 release so it qualifies. ...unlike some other things. Lol

 

[Riff Raff]

When it comes to 'metal' probably still Judas Priest from 1976 to the 2000s with KK in the line up.

Probably should have read the title of the thread. It's about albums from 2019.

 

[Riff Raff]

Can't go without shouting out one of the best albums of 2019 for me. Disentomb's The Decaying Light.

I had been real keen on a follow-up album to 2014's magnificent Misery and Disentomb never failed to deliver on this one. Another brutal death metal masterpiece with a bit more experimenting with different tempos and I quite love what they did sonically.

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

I've got one clear favourite this year:

Eluveitie – Ategnatos



The rest are in no particular order:

Jinjer - Macro




Nile – Vile Nilotic Rites




Cellar Darling - The Spell




Chelsea Wolfe – Birth Of Violence

 

[Vader]

5. SAVAGE MASTER ~ MYTH, MAGIC AND STEEL;

Savage Master are my favorite new discovery. I'm now on a mission to obtain their entire discography on vinyl. NWOTHM that harkens back to the satanic Speed Metal heyday of the 80s. It's advertised for fans of Cirith Ungol, Bitch, Warlock/ Doro & Witchfynder General. This ones dedicated to the memory of Mark the shark Sheldon of Manilla Road ( roots ). Such a kick ass album. Stacy Savage is a sexy little spitfire. This owns.