Welcome to the only top 10 metal albums of the year list on the internet! Here you will see all the best metal albums that 2024 has to offer and there’s literally no disagreeing with it. Sorry Decibel, your list is fake and only Mark of the Beast is real. Now let’s get on with the show.
 Check out the playlist here!
1) Alcest – Les Chants de l’Aurore
Entering the #1 spot this year is French blackgaze specialists ALCEST with yet another masterpiece. Almost all bands kind of decline after their first batch of albums, and until this album that was the case with Alcest. Their last 2 albums for me were still good but just didn’t have the masterpiece quality of their previous works. Very rarely do you see a band turn it around from that state but there are special groups like Alcest that defy logic! This album is a renaissance for the band. First of all their riffs/production at this point are so fine tuned, they just have flawless execution. Alcest has really perfected their style of blackgaze and it shows. Second, they incorporated something that seemed obvious but never was featured in any album before: acoustic guitar! It sounds fantastic and fits seamlessly into their songs, sometimes overlayed with the electric shtuff. The first 3 songs especially in this albums are truly just amazing pieces and they should be proud of what they’ve written. Also this release firmly moves them into my top 5 bands of all time. Keep in mind, this is not heavy at all, but if you’re willing to get in touch with your faerie side and appreciate some good blackgaze, this album will rock your world. And don’t worry, Niege still screams sometimes.
2) Ellende – Todbringerin
You might remember Ellende from a previous release of theirs, “Todbringer” which translates to Deathbringer. Now 8 years later they release “Todbringerin” which translates to Deathbringers. Never in the history of metal have we had 2 albums by the same band be just 1 letter apart (source: my memory), so the weirdness caught my attention early. Nevertheless, this album is some sick atmospheric black metal. This particular atmosphere being a very solemn and mournful one. This album has top into of 2024, as the first intro track and also start of 2nd track are just perfect stage-setters for the album. This one has some very intense vocals, including a decent amount of wayward screams, so that always keeps it interesting. If you like black fucking metal you need to check it.
3) Cistvaen – At Light’s Demise
Now for another surprise, an atmospheric black metal album! This one is doomier and less intense than Ellende but that’s the point! This is the first release from Cistvaen, a quintet from England, a land where the dark atmosphere flows like wine. Very sorrowful with slow-developing melodies and acoustic parts, akin somewhat to Agalloch. I think these guys have a lot of potential once they start fine-tuning their style. There are parts that I think could benefit from an uptick in tempo and diversity, even though I know that’s their style but still. I’m excited to see what they release going forward after this very strong debut.
4) Spectal Wound – Songs of Blood and Mire
Now we take a stop in our top 10 journey to visit best Satanic black metal release of the year. This is yet another example of how black metal done right just never seems to get boring. Every band has their own interpretation of it and I love hearing them! These Canadians summon crushing satanic riffs throughout the entire album and makes you yearn for the dark lord’s embrace. There’s not much more to say. If you like traditional black metal, you will enjoy this album and honestly if you don’t just get out.
5) Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will
Dödsrit is a super cool black metal band from Sweden and this album is a particularly melodic masterpiece. If you’re too scared to go for the kvlt shit this might be a good option for you. A little more Gothenburg style, which makes sense considering they’re from Sweden. I played some at the malicious intent new years extravaganza party and it was a big hit! There’s also a really cool instrumental track called “Utmed Gyllbergens Stig” which just reminds me so much of the In Flames days of old. Check that one out!
6) Vorga – Beyond the Palest Star
Back to the atmospheric stuff, We got Germany’s Vorga coming in at #6. I’d describe Vorga as a modern version of Limbonic Art without the synth. The extraterrestrial style in their lyrics and album art is also akin to LA. As you can see by the cover there’s some nice space vibes going on. It’s unrelenting black metal, good for studying and outdoor activities like biking and skateboarding.
7) Aquilus – Bellum II
Now for the award for weirdest album of the top 10, it’s solo project Aquilus bringing a very avant-garde progressive black metal offering with Bellum II. Be warned, this has a very good amount of melodic and progressive shit in it. Piano, acoustic guitar, really odd english words in the title like “soughing” and “gloam”. What I like though is that it’s balanced with some pretty kvlt tortured which I enjoy. Makes it more artistic imo as opposed to something like A Forest of Stars. It could be a great soundtrack to an indie magical realism film. Actually now that I read that back after writing it, I now dub this magical realism metal.
8) Acrid Death – Abominable Presence of Blight
Acrid Death is a band that makes crushing death metal in the vein of Bloodbath, who I think are super cool. They also have only 2,303 monthly listeners as of this article which makes them super kvlt. Unfortunately that won’t be the case once this piece goes VIRAL. I expect them to be firmly in the 3k realm in the coming days. Anyway if you like crushing riffs and stuff you could die in the pit to, or some workout music, this is a banger. They’re slightly less melodic than someone like Bloodbath but that kind of lets you focus on the loudness(?) of it. Give them a shot!
9) Riitasointu – Pedon Leikki
Here at malicious intent, we can’t in good conscious go an entirety of a 10 album list without at least one folk metal band. In fact Judge Dredd forbids it with the penalty of exile from the MI discord. Riitasointu is a melodic folk black metal band from Finland and this is their debut offering. It’s folk more in the vein of Forefather and Vehemence, so more focused on the riffs as opposed to things like folk instruments. Really good riffage that takes you back to the days of yore when Vikings roam the sea. I’ll be tuned in to see what their later releases sound like because these guys have some potential.
10) Domination Campaign – A Storm of SteelÂ
Finally we got some more death metal from Australia. You’re probably suffering from massive reading fatigue at the point so I will mention that this is a side project from the members of Psycroptic! Joe Haley is on drums and Jason Peppiatt is on guitars. It’s throwing the entire Australian death metal scene into disarray with these instrument switches. At only 174 monthly listeners my god the kvltness is rife. It’s actually just really solid death metal and, again, good to listen to while working out etc. Psycroptic is better though teehee. And that does it! Here’s to a magnificent 2025 for the malicious hordes!
Final country tally:
Germany: 3
Canada: 2
France: 1
England: 1
Sweden: 1
Finland: 1
Australia: 1