Welcome back for our THIRD annual year end wrap-up curated by The Real Mister Terrific. We listened to more than 240 new releases this year, and narrowed it down to the ones we just couldn't stop playing. Get ready to rawk your socks off with 22 of the best heavy albums from 2022, in no particular order. The list will include only full-length albums of new material - no live albums, compilations, EPs, or reissues. Leave a comment and tell us what albums you were banging your head to in 2022!
Band: The Interbeing
Album: Icon of the Hopeless
2 Favorite Tracks: Black Halo / Synthetic Bloodline
Website: theinterbeing.com
Release Date: November 18, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Danish modern / industrial metallers The Interbeing return with third full-length, Icon of the Hopeless continuing to refine their unique style without sacrificing any of the quality production and songwriting displayed on the previous 2 albums. While their previous output boasts plenty of catchy songs, this latest effort feels like much more of a cohesive whole. Depressor is a standout track for me even though it was released as a single quite some time ago, the song still hasn't lost any of its appeal and fits perfectly with the rest of the album. Black Halo thumps and thrashes into an absolute ear worm of a chorus that reminds me of the now-defunct Sybreed, a band I have plenty of love for. Icon of the Hopeless has seen an impressive FOUR additional singles released, the aforementioned Black Halo, followed by Eternal Eclipse, Lies of Descent, and the intense Synthetic Bloodline. Beneath the soil we wait!
Band: Misery Index
Album: Complete Control
2 Favorite Tracks: Complete Control / Conspiracy of None
Website: miseryindex.com
Release Date: May 13, 2022
Format Reviewed: Box Set
Death metal riff-masters Misery Index have been somewhat underappreciated and unsung, given the consistency of top-tier tunes over 20 years and now seven full length albums. Complete Control sees mainstay bassist & vocalist Jason Netherton lead the band through another solid platter of high-energy songs keeping mostly with the tried-and-true formulas from their last two kick-ass releases Rituals of Power (2019) and The Killing Gods (2014). At a brisk 33 minutes long, there is no filler and no time wasted among the 9 tracks. Opening with the one-two punch of Administer the Dagger followed by the frenetic The Eaters and the Eaten, leaves your head spinning for a KO from the album's title track. Full of righteous indignation, the furious Conspiracy of None should get your blood pumping and heart thumping, while album finale Now Defied! rips and thrashes through a quick 2 minutes - plenty of time to ensure that you leave Complete Control with your neck broken, and your demons now completely under the control of Baltimore's Misery Index.
Band: Counterparts
Album: A Eulogy for Those Still Here
2 Favorite Tracks: Unwavering Vow / Flesh to Fill Your Wounds
Website: counterparts905.com
Release Date: October 7, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Buy A Eulogy for Those Still Here here
Canadian hardcore band Counterparts caught my attention with the cover art on A Eulogy for Those Still Here. I loved it so much, I bought the wall flag, poster, and sticker to go along with my digipak CD (and that wall flag looks wicked behind my drums!). Unwavering Vow was the first song to catch my attention, with a guitar riff that creates a sense of urgency overtop an energetic and hectic band performance. Flesh to Fill Your Wounds builds its way through moody melodies and dirty breakdowns into a moshpit thumper of a finish. At first, I thought the soul-shredding lyrics to Whispers of Your Death were emotionally gripping enough, with vocalist Brendan Murphy finally screaming out "make your cancer mine." Then I heard it was written about his cat Kuma, and my heart was ripped mercilessly from my chest. It is no secret that metalheads and kitties go together like corpse paint and Norwegian bands, (in fact there are many social media pages to this exact effect), so listen again knowing this and tell me you're not devastatingly crushed by "It's hard to breathe without you, sleeping on my chest." Oof.
Band: Arkaik
Album: Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts
2 Favorite Tracks: Broken Glass Apotheum / The Orphion Descent
Website: arkaikband.bandcamp.com
Release Date: March 11, 2022
Format Reviewed: CD
Buy Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts here
The unstoppable energy of Californian progressive death-metallers Arkaik reaches a new level of addictiveness on sixth album Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts. The technical wizardry of guitarist Alex Haddad twists and turns riffs from all angles overtop Nate Bigelow's blistering percussion.
Band: Fit for an Autopsy
Album: Oh What the Future Holds
2 Favorite Tracks: Far from Heaven / A Higher Level of Hate
Website: fitforanautopsy.co
Release Date: January 14, 2022
Format Reviewed: CD
Buy Oh What the Future Holds here
Hooks and groove to spare with Gojira worship fully in-check, Fit for an Autopsy continue to progress their style without sacrificing the brutality of their previous albums.
Band: Zeal & Ardor
Album: Zeal & Ardor
2 Favorite Tracks: Run / Götterdämmerung
Website: zealandardor.com
Release Date: February 11, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
I first heard of Switzerland's Zeal & Ardor when they were supporting Baroness and Deafheaven on tour in 2019. Their live energy paired with a unique blend of soul, gospel, blues, and folk into black metal was instantly noteworthy. After their albums Devil is Fine (2016) and Stranger Fruit (2018), I was a little concerned about how far main-man Manuel Gagneux could take his creative concept before it started to sound contrived or gimmicky. Where the previous LPs boasted plenty of great songs and intriguing style ideas, Zeal & Ardor knock it right out of the park on their 2022 eponymous effort. Yes those original influences still feature heavily in all aspects of their songwriting, however songs like Run and Erase work with more modern experimentation, while Götterdämmerung and Death to the Holy display the kind of ass-kicking power we always knew Zeal & Ardor were capable of. On their third official full-length the heavy is heavier, the dark is darker, the songwriting is sharper. I hope to hear more of this progression in the future!
Band: Stengah
Album: Soma Sema
2 Favorite Tracks: At the Behest of Origins / Swoon
Website: www.stengah-music.com
Release Date: March 18, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: Decapitated
Album: Cancer Culture
2 Favorite Tracks: Just a Cigarette / Iconoclast
Website: decapitatedband.net
Release Date: May 27, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: Bleed From Within
Album: Shrine
2 Favorite Tracks: Levitate / Stand Down
Website: bleedfromwithin.com
Release Date: June 3, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: AngelMaker
Album: Sanctum
2 Favorite Tracks: Eating the Body of God / What I Would Give
Website: angelmaker.bandcamp.com
Release Date: March 11, 2022
Format Reviewed: CD
Squeee-ooo-eeeee-ooo-eeee! Pig squeals and breakdowns are a specialty of Vancouver, Canada's blasphemy-spewing AngelMaker. Opening track Slaughter is straight up deathcore porn, a filthy intro before the back-to-back assault of Creator's Conscience and album highlight Eating the Body of God. Featuring a 6 piece lineup including 2 lead vocalists, and a production that captures every bit of dirty guitar tone, ribcage rumbling rhythm section, heart-stifling atmosphere; Sanctum brings a wealth of cacophony and chaos throughout its 14 tracks. Mid-album standout What I Would Give shows off the band's dual-vocal attack, and technical mastery between the musicians; building up to a crushing blend of brutality, melody, atmosphere, and emotion. Sanctum is the best effort so far from AngelMaker, a big step forward in their songwriting and overall chemistry within the band.
Band: Allegaeon
Album: Damnum
2 Favorite Tracks: Called Home / The Dopamine Void Pt. 2
Website: allegaeon.bandcamp.com
Release Date: February 25, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
I've been a fan of Colorado-based progressive tech-death group Allegaeon for a long time, always impressed by the excellent musicianship and great production. However, sixth full-length album Damnum shows their song-craft abilities taking a massive leap forward. Not a single moment is wasted with practically every track a standout. Musically and lyrically, Damnum carries a cohesive theme beyond the individual songs, ebbing and flowing and weaving its tales. Songs like Called Home and Of Beasts and Worms are near-epic with their perfect blend of death metal sensibilities augmented by progressive metal song structures. The Dopamine Void, Pt. II has been mandatory daily listening for me since it was released back in February. Outstanding in absolutely every way, (that bass guitar though!) it is one of the best songs Allegaeon have released so far, and one of the best songs of 2022. Aside from 2 "interlude" tracks (The Dopamine Void, Pt. I and In Mourning) - both fitting their place in the album just fine - the remaining 10 songs are a masterclass in brutality, hooks, technicality, and exciting songwriting. Into Embers and Saturnine feature some catchy vocal melodies to match the guitars, To Carry My Grief Through Torpor and Silence is a blasting, thrashing, neck-breaker that melts into a delicious mid-section before exploding to conclusion. Vermin, Blight, and closing track Only Loss are icing on the best cake you've ever had. I could go on and on about my love for Damnum, suffice to say it is my album of the year for 2022.
Band: Darkest Era
Album: Wither on the Vine
2 Favorite Tracks: Floodlands / The Collapse
Website: darkestera.com
Release Date: September 30, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: Gaerea
Album: Mirage
2 Favorite Tracks: Mirage / Laude
Website: gaerea.com
Release Date: September 23, 2022
Format Reviewed: Mediabook CD
Something about Portuguese metal bands that just "get" me. Gaerea had one of my favorite albums (and album art) of 2020 with Limbo, so I was super excited to get my hands on Mirage. The modern black-metallers maintain their mystique and highly emotive style across 8 tracks over 53 minutes (or 9 tracks if you bought the limited edition mediabook, which includes 7 minute epic Dormant, definitely worth the price of admission). Opening song Memoir starts with a 2 minute intro, building up a gloomy atmosphere before exploding into the guitar-thrashing, throat-shredding, rhythm-crushing emotional chaos that Gaerea do best. The remaining songs rarely let up their intensity, even the quieter first minute of Arson, or the gentler moments in Laude, hold on to a feeling of urgency without the brutality. Salve and Mirage increase that urgent, frantic energy to nearly oppressive levels. Gaerea are one of those rare bands with an immediately distinctive sound, while continuing to grow and develop their unique style. Now if I could just get my hands on physical copies of their out-of-print 2018 album Unsettling Whispers and 2016 self-titled EP. How about a reissue, fellas?
Band: Dagoba
Album: By Night
2 Favorite Tracks: Bellflower Drive / The Last Crossing
Website: dagobaofficial.com
Release Date: February 18, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: Septicflesh
Album: Modern Primitive
2 Favorite Tracks: Coming Storm / A Desert Throne
Website: septicflesh.com
Release Date: May 13, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: As the World Dies
Album: Agonist
2 Favorite Tracks: Day of Reckoning / Save the Earth
Website: astheworlddies.bandcamp.com
Release Date: March 25, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digital Album
Band: Shadow of Intent
Album: Elegy
2 Favorite Tracks: Where Millions Have Come to Die / Blood in the Sands of Time
Website: shadowofintent.com
Release Date: January 14, 2022
Format Reviewed: CD
Band: Rolo Tomassi
Album: Where Myth Becomes Memory
2 Favorite Tracks: Labyrinthine / Prescience
Website: rolotomassiband.com
Release Date: February 4, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Buy Where Myth Becomes Memory here
Band: Northlane
Album: Obsidian
2 Favorite Tracks: Echo Chamber / Nova
Website: northlaneband.com
Release Date: April 22, 2022
Format Reviewed: CD
Ok ok Nova may be one of the least "heavy" songs ever featured on this page (except maybe a couple from Aphelion by Leprous on my 2021 year-end list). But hear me out - or better yet, hear the song. Nova is a fucking great track, with excellent lyrics and gorgeous vocal performance from Marcus Bridge, set off by synth and percussion parts into a perfect atmosphere. One of my favorite songs of the year, and cannot understate how much I love the lyrics. Right then. Now I'll gush about the rest of Obsidian! Kicking off with Clarity, a track that highlights the metalcore / nu metal / alternative blend that Northlane have been progressively expanding since 2015 album Node. Following the opening track, Clockwork and Echo Chamber are fist-pumping rockers with some awesome sing-a-long moments, while mid-album song Is This A Test leans more into experimentation with a mix of atmospheric, soaring vocals and a catchy goth club styled rhythm. Closing track Dark Solitaire takes that mix even further with elements of djent, EDM, and nu metal, once again elevated by memorable vocal melodies. The album finishes out with a minute and a half of ambient noise, offering you a chance to reflect upon the balanced and stark contrasts of beauty-brutality, melody-dissonance, emotion-indifference, as displayed throughout Obsidian, and indeed, the very universe in which we exist.
Band: Devenial Verdict
Album: Ash Blind
2 Favorite Tracks: Pravum / World Breaker
Website: devenialverdictband.bandcamp.com
Release Date: October 28, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: Deserted Fear
Album: Doomsday
2 Favorite Tracks: Part of the End / Follow the Light that Blinds
Website: www.desertedfear.de
Release Date: March 4, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Band: Obsidious
Album: Iconic
2 Favorite Tracks: Sense of Lust / Devotion
Website: obsidious-band.bandcamp.com
Release Date: October 28, 2022
Format Reviewed: Digipak CD
Featuring current and former members of Obscura, Dååth, Alkaloid, and Juggernaut, you KNOW this album rips shit up.