2011 Best Heavy Metal CDs

This album will be compared to Damnation by many, but Heritage is much more progressive in attitude and style. After an instrumental intro, “The Devil's Orchard” is the first proper song and an indication of the progfest that's to come. “I Feel The Dark” is mellower with a lot of ambient moments that shifts into a more urgent and grandiose song.

“Slither” is one of the best songs on the album. It is a streamlined four minute truck that amps up the intensity to a level that's more traditionally metal before easing up at the end. It is also catchy, and a respite from some of the meandering and extended instrumental sections favored by many of the songs on Heritage.

Read the complete Opeth - Heritage Review

The Finnish band Omnium Gatherum are one of the more underrated groups in the melodic death metal genre. Their profile isn't as high as some of their Swedish counterparts, but they've produced a solid discography over the past decade. Their fifth full-length is New World Shadows.

The album begins with the majestic and epic “Everfields,” a nine minute opus. It moves along at a moderate pace, then both the speed and aggression increase before a mid-song acoustic interlude. Jukka Pelkonen's death metal vocals are edgy and a little lower pitched than the usual, making them sound more distinctive. Omnium Gatherum have really hit their stride on New World Shadows. They've stepped up their songwriting and musicianship, and have delivered their best album to date. Melodic death metal fans will definitely want to check this one out.

Read the complete Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows Review

Without delving too deeply into the band’s philosophical take, The Devil’s Fractal has the requisite imagery, mysterious song titles, and a dark layer of secrecy surrounding the project. Regardless, though, The Devil’s Fractal is a very well written, introspective, and rather moody black metal album.

Those “kvltists” looking for the latest and greatest blastbeat laden assault filled with low-fi production, grating rasps and so on will be wise to look elsewhere as The Devil’s Fractal is lushly produced, undeniably well thought out and written, and impeccably performed. This is one of those albums that will require thoughtful listening with your fully undivided attention to detail, as it is a layered affair of excellent songwriting that draws you in with ever increasing listens.

Read the complete Avichi - The Devil's Fractal Review

Inquisition, an already well respected black metal duo known for stellar songwriting, have considerably raised the bar. Previous albums were noteworthy for Inquisition’s unique touches in their approach to black metal. Catchy songwriting with monstrous riffs from vocalist/guitarist Dagon were always the emphasis on prior full-lengths, along with surprisingly touches of melody and cascading percussion from drummer Incubus.

Simply put, Dagon seems to be all about riffs, and is not afraid to approach black metal with a degree of just plain old great rock n’ roll songwriting and accessibility. Adding further to Ominous Doctrines Of The Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm's accessibility is a clear production that had been flirted with on earlier releases, but is now able to attain just the right balance between clarity and a hint of fuzziness around the edges. Inquisition have perfected the sound and songwriting craft that they’ve been striving for over their last couple of already highly regarded albums.

Read the complete Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines Of The Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm Review

Mastodon have taken a different approach with this album. It is not a concept record, and is much more streamlined and focused. You won't find any 13 minute opuses, with most tracks clocking in at 3 to 5 minutes. All the trademark Mastodon elements can be found on The Hunter, but they consolidate styles and things flow quickly and seamlessly from song to song. It's more in the direction of Leviathan than Crack The Skye.

While previous albums from Mastodon have ebbed and flowed with a lot of space, there's a palpable sense of urgency here. The hooks hit hard and fast, and the solos and instrumental breaks are generally brief. Many of Mastodon's albums take several listens to fully absorb and appreciate. The Hunter does not. It is immediately accessible and memorable, jam packed with great hooks and catchy choruses along with the band's distinctive sound and fury.

Read the complete Mastodon - The Hunter Review

If there’s any truth in the theory that the Machine Head of late has become a little too cerebral for some, the good news is that Unto The Locust is way more accessible than The Blackening was on first listen. Where listening to that 2007 album was an exercise in patience and slow absorption, the new CD is sleek, streamlined and set to stun from the first minute.

That’s not to say Unto The Locust is any less intricate or challenging – the dizzying three-part opener “I Am Hell” confirms that from the get go – but the material is somehow more instant. Perhaps it’s the varied and versatile vocal performance from a much improved Flynn, or the subtle guitar melodies that bring light and shade to the hard-hitting riffs, but Machine Head has created a lumbering and yes, commercial beast without sacrificing a single scrap of integrity.

Read the complete Machine Head - Unto The Locust Review

40 Watt Sun are a lean three-piece. The sound they produce is dense, precise in tone and absolutely massive in its towering emotional power. Patrick Walker’s distinctive vocals are lovely and expressive, without a hint of whininess, powerful enough to match the massive guitars. The guitar tone varies quite a bit, from thick and distorted to clarion and acoustic, always carefully chosen and deftly deployed. The bass lines deserve a shout-out as well, as they form the backbone of each song; they are strong and dynamic without calling too much attention to themselves. The drumming is a sheer pleasure to listen to, never dragging or dirge-like, buoying each song.

Each element is masterfully wrought, mixed beautifully to create an album that’s so much greater than the sum of its already excellent parts. Every song on The Inside Room is a gem, but “Open Your Eyes” is a favorite. There’s sweetness to this song, a hopefulness mingled with the doom-y despair, which never fails to catch my breath. Do not miss this album; it is something genuinely special.

Read the complete 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room Review

Even though it came out in Europe last year, it didn't receive a North American release until this year, which is why it is on our 2011 list. Kvelertak is groovy black n' roll. Lean guitar riffs, catchy melodies and ample aggression make for an appealing combination. The songs are fun, but with a punk vibe that adds a swagger and attitude. The vocals are harsh, providing a sharper edge to the music. Tracks like “Blodtørst” even have brief acoustic moments.

With so much hype attached to this CD, I was fully prepared for disappointment. However, Kvelertak delivers the goods. Their combination of black metal, punk and rock and roll is a winning one. They vary the influences from track to track, with some songs emphasizing the black metal influences and others the groove. Kvelertak lives up to expectations, and is one of those CDs you can put on repeat and enjoy all day long.

Read the complete Kvelertak - Kvelertak Review

What is so entertaining about Revocation is that they take selections from all styles of metal and put it into a sound that has familiar elements, yet can stand on its own. The band can make sense out of combining death metal and a ‘70s hard rock breakdown, featuring an organ solo and vibrant horns, as they do on “The Watchers.” They do as fine of a job with the heavier fare, like the uproarious “Cradle Robber” and wild closer “Reprogrammed.”

This album embraces the quirky and unfettered nature of music. Pleasant clean breaks on “Dissolution Ritual” and “Conjuring The Cataclysm” fit in without zapping the power out of the album, playing in the band’s favor. Most of these take place early on, while the latter half has multiple songs with extended outros, all of which are packed with a limitless array of guitar highlights. Very few albums have the amount of replayability that Chaos Of Forms possesses. Revocation continues to develop and grow before our eyes, becoming one of the top groups in metal.

Read the complete Revocation - Chaos Of Forms Review

17th Street is complex and haunting. The layered male and female vocals are paired beautifully with the incredibly complex guitar work. The riffs stack on each other, drawing the listener out then laying them bare with intricate, plaintive solos, like the one at the end of “The Day the City Died.” Thick, groovy bass lines are caramel dark and creamy, contrasting the sharp, warbling guitar tones in “Staring (The 31st Floor).”

The keyboards are nimble and playful, or wistful and emotional, as the song dictates, and the album is full of powerful, sophisticated drumming that has the sense of effortlessness, like a heartbeat. Over all of this, Joe Hutton’s vocals soar, soulful and pure. Listening to 17th Street is the experience of having the knots in one’s heart untied — this isn’t an album that allows cynicism. 17th Street is nothing short of an incredible album: discontent, unsettling, never still and terribly lovely.

Read the complete Hammers Of Misfortune - 17th Street Review

Honorable Mention
Here are some other great CDs released in 2011 that just missed making our Top 20:

Abysmal Dawn - Leveling The Plane Of Existence
Anaal Nathrakh - Passion
Anthrax - Worship Music
Boris - Heavy Rocks
Meads Of Asphodel - The Murder Of Jesus The Jew
Pentagram - Last Rites
Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination
Today Is The Day - Pain Is A Warning
Trap Them - Darker Handcraft
Within Temptation - The Unforgiving
Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
YOB - Atma