What's been your 2020-2021 "Album of the Year" so far? (Pandemic Edition)

[Iron1]

For me, it's the new Napalm. Haven't loved one of their albums this much since Harmony Corruption.

[Nicholas]

This is an easy one for me. The new Alluvial record “Sarcoma” is absolutely brilliant, and by far my favorite of 2021 thus far. I also really liked the latest Love and Death album.

[beneharris]

That Alluvial album kicks all sorts of ass.

I'm really liking Access All Worlds by Iotunn.

[Iron1]

This is an easy one for me. The new Alluvial record “Sarcoma” is absolutely brilliant, and by far my favorite of 2021 thus far. I also really liked the latest Love and Death album.

This is killer! Hadn't heard it before. Thanks! (this is why I started this thread).

The second to last time I was on stage it was with Brian at one of his speaking engagements and he and I did "metal vocal mic checks" for like 20 minutes, singing death metal stuff (I was working with the sound crew and when he found out I used to front extreme metal bands he was stoked). It was a blast, especially watching the people in the crowd trip out on us.

That Alluvial album kicks all sorts of ass.

I'm really liking Access All Worlds by Iotunn.

This is really cool, too! Thanks!

[Valtteri]

Hard for me to pick just one...

I've really been digging the new Unleash the Archers:

Angelus Apatrida wasn't a band that I had heard of before someone (mpexus I think?) posted this on old site, their newest has been on heavy rotation here.

Teemu Mäntysaari's other band — Smackbound — released their debut last summer, which I think is awesome; if you don't like the music on this one I'd say it'll still be enjoyable to watch if one likes human mammary glands...

[Briansol]

The new Times of Grace disc is perfect so far. 3 tracks released, the rest coming out on the 16th.
https://amzn.to/3AVdvHX

[Ghost.]

I can't believe I'm honestly saying this but The Dead Daisies newest album is tremendous. The other albums I don't really feel this way about even though they usually have one or three solid good songs. This whole album is great. I can't listen to the whole thing with no issues.

But Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple Mk 2 Era) joined the band and just took over basically. They have some solid Hard Rock tracks and Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio, Burning Rain) is tremendous as always.
He doesn't get to be Whitesnake or Dio Doug but it's good enough how laid back it is compared to those bands.

Production is really solid on this record too.

Best chorus and bass line.

This riff grooves so hard, especially live. It's been my favorite they've played since I seen them twice on the tour.


They did a cover of "30 Days in the Hole" and I've never heard Glenn sing this way. He definitely gives some grit!
https://youtu.be/vXe-RDvObKg

[thrashinbatman]

The new Heathen album, for sure. I'm waiting for the new Exodus to come out and hopefully blow me away just like their past few have.

[Iron1]

Angelus Apatrida wasn't a band that I had heard of before someone (mpexus I think?) posted this on old site, their newest has been on heavy rotation here.

Love me some new thrash!

The new Heathen album, for sure. I'm waiting for the new Exodus to come out and hopefully blow me away just like their past few have.

I was never a Heathen fan back in the day - had some buddies that just loved em but I could never get into em. This, however, is really cool.

Something else I'm digging is the new Destruction, although it came out in 2019...

[petereanima]

Easy one.

So far it's the latest Spirit Adrift album, "Enlightened in Darkness", which came end of 2020.

And on Thursday it seems we will be getting NEW IRON MAIDEN music:

[Drew]

For me, probab;y Hum's Inlet.

https://humband.bandcamp.com/album/inlet

Calling it a surprise release is an understatement - the band hadn't released anything since 1998, hadn't been touring or gigging or even talking about jamming or anything, but evidently was quietly working on new material that they released in June of 2020 with no warning at all.

Even more surprising, it's possibly their best album yet. I've listened to it a TON since it came out, and it rules. I'm not sure if any individual tracks quite match "The Pod" or "Stars"... but, then again, I'm not sure they don't. There's some really great stuff on this.

[Phil]

^Inlet is fantastic.

I think I have to go with the new Every Time I Die singles. Apparently they recorded an album right before the pandemic hit, but don't want to release it until they can tour it, and just released a few singles instead.

I'm really digging it. This will be their ninth album in about 20 years, and it's as high-energy as anything they've done.

[Bloody_Inferno]

For me, it's been the GOD IV Dawn/Dusk double album. Every member just lifted their game, and newcomers proved just as strong.

[Iron1]

This is an easy one for me. The new Alluvial record “Sarcoma” is absolutely brilliant, and by far my favorite of 2021 thus far. I also really liked the latest Love and Death album.

Been listening to this a lot lately. Thanks for the rec!

[Webdood]

Draconian - Under a Godless Veil

The videos for it are pretty good as well.

[petereanima]

Draconian - Under a Godless Veil

The videos for it are pretty good as well.

Shit, i actually forget that record! Yep, this turned out reaaaally great.

[Hulk Krogan]

This is an EP (and it's basically two "proper" songs and two electronic/ambient interlude tracks, but it absolutely rules:

As for an actual album, this has been in regular rotation for me since it came out:

Kinda sounds like Converge doping a stoner/sludge album. Just chock full of killer riffs.

[RevDrucifer]

The new Times of Grace disc is perfect so far. 3 tracks released, the rest coming out on the 16th.
https://amzn.to/3AVdvHX

Dude, I was so looking forward to this album. The first one helped me a LOT when I was in a funk with life. Then I see the fucking title of the new one, Songs Of Loss And Separation; you fuckin’ kidding me? As I’m getting divorced?

Put it on while I was mowing the lawn and thank god I had sweat pouring down my face to cover up all the fucking tears. Album hits way too goddamn close to home for me. “Medusa” and “Cold” especially. It was cathartic and I listened to it a bunch over the weekend, but it puts me in a funk I don’t want to be in. The mood in the house is surprisingly positive and that shit just makes me focus on every negative aspect of my divorce. I’m sure it’ll come in handy over the next year, but way too cathartic right now.

[RevDrucifer]

Killer Be Killed- Reluctant Hero
It’s the side band with Troy from Mastodon, Greg from Dillinger, Max Calvera and Ben Koller (Converge). This album fucking RIPS all the way through and starts off with a banger right out of the gate.

Avatar- Hunter/Gatherer
I didn’t dig their last album too much, but I LOVE this new one. “Wormhole” has the sickest whammy bar dives in the riffs then comes into this total Faith No More chorus (that Corey Taylor wrote for them) but there’s tons of great songs on this record.

(Actually, that’s Corey Taylor’s whistle at the start of this, too)

Trivium’s newest one has gotten a lot of plays, but only the first 3-4 songs and since I already made a thread on that, fuck it.

[Hulk Krogan]

The new Heathen album, for sure. I'm waiting for the new Exodus to come out and hopefully blow me away just like their past few have.

This absolutely fuckin rips.

[Budda]

Latest Cloudkicker was awesome. The Dirty Nil "Fuck Art" was pretty solid as well.

And yeah that Hum record is fun - i cant remember if I bought it on bandcamp or not

[Briansol]

Dude, I was so looking forward to this album. The first one helped me a LOT when I was in a funk with life. Then I see the fucking title of the new one, Songs Of Loss And Separation; you fuckin’ kidding me? As I’m getting divorced?

Put it on while I was mowing the lawn and thank god I had sweat pouring down my face to cover up all the fucking tears. Album hits way too goddamn close to home for me. “Medusa” and “Cold” especially. It was cathartic and I listened to it a bunch over the weekend, but it puts me in a funk I don’t want to be in. The mood in the house is surprisingly positive and that shit just makes me focus on every negative aspect of my divorce. I’m sure it’ll come in handy over the next year, but way too cathartic right now.

yeah, i'm definitely NOT feeling the rest of the album has much as i had wanted to based on the first few released tracks. It's certainly slow, sad, and a little country. I was hoping for a little more out of it.

But, I love the production and Adam D's voice is awesome. Something about his harmonies are just right.

[Iron1]

Really digging the guitar players vocals in this one:

Full of pain & sincerity, like they should be.

[Megametal7]

The last one I bought was this and its pretty good.