Illinois Entertainer January 2019 | Page 34

By Kelley Simms TOP 1O METAL ALBUMS Judas Priest C aught in a Mosh is proud to intro- duce its Top 10 metal releases of 2018. I expect diehard Mosh readers will have their own subjective list, so feel free to comment at www.illinoisentertain- er.com. 1. Judas Priest, Firepower (Epic): Give credit where credit is due - after five decades, Judas Priest is still the quintessen- tial heavy metal band. The 14 tracks on its explosive 18th full-length album, Firepower capture the core of the band’s early days. Priest’s trademark twin lead-guitar har- monies have always been a highlight of any Priest album, while vocalist Rob Halford’s banshee screams have never sounded better. Priest is still “Delivering the Goods," even after all these years. 2. Metal Church, Damned if You Do (Rat Pack): Seattle thrashers reunited with sec- ond vocalist Mike Howe in 2015 and released the stellar XI album. The quintet continues its melodic brand of thrash metal on its 12th studio album. With a Dec. 7 release, Damned if You Do may not have made it on a lot of other music outlet’s lists, which is a shame, because it rules. Plus, it says a lot about a band’s integrity to be this confident with new material after 32 years. 3. Behemoth, I Loved You at Your Darkest (Nuclear Blast): Polish blackened death 34 illinoisentertainer.com january 2019 metal beast, Behemoth, returns four years after the critically acclaimed The Satanist. On its 12 powerful tracks, Nergal’s ongo- ing diatribe against Christianity still high- lights the band’s lyrical content, while a mammoth production adds to the ferocity of the intense instrumentation. I Loved You at Your Darkest proves that Behemoth are still a force to be reckoned with. 7. Sigh, Heir to Despair (Spinefarm): Japanese avant-garde/black metal odd- balls Sigh never cease to amaze me. On its 11th studio album, Heir to Despair, Sigh deliver a plethora of bazaar instrumenta- tion, piercing electronic elements, alluring Asian influences and maniacal vocals. Heir to Despair is absolutely insane, but in the best possible way. 4. Voivod, The Wake (Century Media): Canadian prog/thrash metal pioneers, Voivod, return with this cosmic 14th studio album. Opener “Obsolete Beings” sets the tone for the eight tracks that highlight the band’s trademark post-apocalyptic sound, consisting of dissonant chord progressions, rapid-fire snare drum rudiments, and prominent basslines. The Wake is the best post-“Piggy” album to date. 8. Unleashed, The Hunt for White Christ (Napalm): Before there was Amon Amarth, there was Unleashed. They are the supreme kings of Swedish Viking death metal and have been crushing it for 30 years now. On its 13th release, the quartet delivers 11 relentless battle-laden tracks from start to finish. 5. Rivers of Nihil, Where Owls Know My Name (Metal Blade Records): Third time’s a charm for Pennsylvania-based technical death metal band Rivers of Nihil. On Where Owls Know My Name, the ten diverse tracks keep the listener on their toes. Who says saxophone doesn’t belong in metal? Rivers of Nihil will be serious players in the death metal scene for years to come. 6. Deicide, Overtures of Blasphemy (Century Media): Floridian god-bashing death metal stalwarts, Deicide, have carved out a longstanding career by creat- ing Satanic mayhem. On its 12th studio album, Glen Benton’s vitriolic vocals are as ferocious as ever. Combined with intense guitar solos and precision-like drumming, Deicide hasn’t sounded this menacing in quite some time. 9. Witherfall, A Prelude to Sorrow (Century Media): Iced Earth guitarist Jake Dreyer has struck gold with Witherfall’s second album. The 10-track proggy/power metal affair dips heavily into Nevermore/Sanctuary influences. It’s a diverse, 57-minute journey that weaves in and out of ominous, melodic interludes, soaring, multi-layered vocal harmonies and cascading arpeggio guitar solos. 10. Depravity, Evil Upheaval (Transcending Obscurity): Australian bru- tal death metal band Depravity may not be a household name in North America, but Evil Upheaval is one of the most savage and dependable underground death metal albums released in 2018. Its nine pummel- ing tracks will leave you totally exhaust- ed… then you’ll want to hit the replay but- ton.