MMA Best of Year 2020 Results

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Metal Music Archives Best of Year 2020

The intention was to have a Top 100 but due to tie breakers it turned out to be 101 albums.

#99 - #61

#99 (49 points): Butcher - 666 Goats Carry My Chariot (Speed Metal)
#99 (49 Points): The Black Dahlia Murder - Verminous (Melodic Death Metal)
#99 (49 Points): AC/DC - Power Up (Hard Rock)
#91 (50 Points): Outrage - Run Riot (Thrash Metal)
#91 (50 Points): Demonic Death Judge - The Trail (Sludge Metal)
#91 (50 Points): White Walls - Grandeur (Progressive Metal)
#91 (50 Points): Majestica - A Christmas Carol (Power Metal) 
#91 (50 Points): Haunt - Flashback (Heavy Metal)
#91 (50 Points): The Hell - Joris (A Hardcore Opera), Pt I (Hardcore Punk)
#91 (50 Points): MSW - Obliviosus (Doom Metal)
#91 (50 Points): Graceless - Where Vultures Know Your Name (Death-Doom Metal)
#89 (51 Points): Hatebreed - Weight of the False Self (Metalcore)
#89 (51 Points): Tombs - Under Sullen Skies (Black Metal)
#83 (55 Points): Oceans Of Slumber - Oceans Of Slumber (Progressive Metal)
#83 (55 Points): Anubis Gate - Covered In Colours (Progressive Metal)
#83 (55 Points): Brothers of Metal - Emblas Saga (Power Metal)
#83 (55 Points): ##### - Новые пророки (Nu Metal)
#83 (55 Points): Atavist - III: Absolution (Death-Doom Metal)
#83 (55 Points): Demonical - World Domination ( Death Metal)
#82 (56 Points): Onslaught - Generation Antichrist (Thrash Metal)
#80 (57 Points): My Dying Bride - The Ghost of Orion (Doom Metal)
#80 (57 Points): The Ocean Collective - Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic l Cenozoic (Atmospheric Sludge Metal)
#79 (59 Points): Demons & Wizards - III (US Power Metal)
#75 (60 Points): Serenity - The Last Knight (Power Metal)
#75 (60 Points): Night - High Tides - Distant Skies (Heavy Metal)
#75 (60 Points): Zeal and Ardor - Wake of a Nation (Black Metal)
#75 (60 Points): Severoth - Vsesvit (Atmospheric Black Metal)
#73 (61 Points): Katatonia - City Burials (Alternative Metal)
#73 (61 Points): Avandra - Skylightling (Progressive Metal)
#72 (66 Points): Cirith Ungol - Forever Black (Heavy Metal)
#70 (67 Points): Sumac - May You Be Held (Atmospheric Sludge Metal)
#70 (67 Points): Uada - Djinn (Melodic Black Metal)
#69 (68 Points): Macabre - Carnival of Killers (Death Metal)
#66 (70 Points): Seven Spires - Emerald Seas (Symphonic Metal)
#66 (70 points): Old Man Gloom - Seminar IX: Darkness of Being (Sludge Metal)
#66 (70 Points): Wytch Hazel - III Pentecost (Heavy Metal)
#65 (72 Points): Pallbearer - Forgotten Days (Doom Metal)
#64 (73 Points): Amaranthe - Manifest (Trance Metal)
#62 (77 Points): Haken - Virus (Progressive Metal)
#62 (77 Points): Grave Digger - Fields of Blood (Power Metal)
#61 (78 Points): Skelethal - Unveiling the Threshold (Death Metal)

#60 (82 Points) #54 (85 (Points) #54 (85 Points) #54 (85 Points) #54 (85 Points)

Grayceon - Mothers Weavers Vultures
Progressive Metal 
Jurassic Jade - Id
Thrash Metal 
Dynazty - The Dark Delight
Power Metal

Fuck the Facts - Pleine Noirceur
Grindcore 
Grin - Translucent Blades
Doom Metal
#54 (85 Points) #54 (85 Points) #52 (90 Points) #52 (90 Points) #51 (93 Points)

Sinister - Deformation of the Holy Realm
Death Metal 
Deftones - Ohms
Alternative Metal 
Sólstafir - Endless Twilight of Codependent Love
Progressive Metal 
Tallah - Matriphagy
Nu Metal

Dark Forrest - Oak, Ash & Thorn
Heavy Metal
#50 (94 Points) #49 (96 Points) #48 (98 Points) #44 (100 Points) #44 (100 Points)

White Stones - Kuarahy
Death Metal 
Wake  - Devouring Ruin
Black Metal 
Beehoover - Low Performer
Sludge Metal 
Kvaen - The Funeral Pyre
Melodic Black Metal 
Alestorm - Curse of the Crystal Coconut
Folk Metal
#44 (100 Points) #44 (100 Points) #43 (102 Points) #41 (106 Points) #41 (106 Points)

Vredehammer - Viperous
Death Metal 
Paysage D'Hiver - Im Wald
Atmospheric Black Metal 
Pain of Salvation - Panther
Progressive Metal

Rage - Wings of Rage
Power Metal

Dark Tranquility - Moment
Melodic Death Metal

#40 (108 Points) #39 (110 Points) #38 (111 Points) #37 (115 Points) #36 (116 Points)

Trivium - What the Dead Men Say
Melodic Metalcore

Fates Warning - Long Day Good Night
Progressive Metal

Sodom - Genesis XIX
Thrash Metal 
Green Carnation - Leaves of Yesteryear
Progressive Metal 
Dealer - Saint
Nu Metal

#35 (124 Points) #34 (125 Points) #33 (129 Points) #30 (131 Points) #30 (131 Points)

Ensiferum - Thalassic
Folk Metal 
Mr Bungle - The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo
Thrash Metal 
Armored Saint - Punching the Sky
Heavy Metal

Coexistence - Collateral Dimension
Technical Death Metal 
Vader - Solitude in Madness
Death Metal
#30 (131 Points) #29 (137 Points) #28 (140 Points) #27 (142 Points) #26 (145 Points)

Incantation - Sect of Vile Divinities
Death Metal 
Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou - May Our Chambers Be Full
Atmospheric Sludge Metal 
Soilwork - A Whisp of the Atlantic
Melodic Death Metal

Benediction - Scriptures
Death Metal 
Conception - State of Deception
Progressive Metal

#25 (149 Points)
Necrophobic - Dawn Of The Damned
Melodic Death Metal

After the excellent Mark Of The Necrogram released in 2016 Dawn Of The Damned finds Necrophobic mining the same rich vein of blackened melodic death metal and not only equalling it but actually bettering it. A band truly at the peak of their game.

#24 (155 Points)
Gaerea - Limbo
Black Metal

The label of post-black metal often seems to be used synonymously with 'atmospheric black metal' but to apply such a label to the music of Portugal's Gaerea which be to inaccurately describe their music. This band, of which Limbo is their second studio album, instead infuses their black metal sound with sludge/post metal, which is an entirely different ballgame to your Burzum or Ulver. Like many in the scene these days, Gaerea have choosing, for now at least, to keep their identities completely anonymous. Whomever they are though, they have certainly made one of 2020's strongest black metal offerings with Limbo, existing in a sub-genre niche that doesn't always get enough recognition.

#23 (158 Points)
Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi
Black Metal

Once again Oranssi Pazuzu take their psychedelic infused black metal blueprint and throw in a bit of Krautrock to produce another startlingly good album. They go for the slow burn approach. Hypnotic, unsettling, explosive and totally captivating – they are all of these and more. Mestarin Kynsi takes time to sink in but it’s well worth the effort and is one of the most original albums you’re likely to hear from 2020.

#22 (163 Points)
Unleash The Archers - Abyss
Power Metal

After the suitably titled Apex Unleash The Archers now take us into the Abyss? Well not really, Abyss is still clearly from the same band but this time their power metal is slicker with a greater emphasis on melodic songwriting. Some fans may decry this seemingly more commercial direction but listen and you’ll still find plenty of the fire present last time around alongside hooks to die for.

#21 (165 Points)
Lascaille's Shroud - Wounds
Progressive Metal

 Released a mere two weeks after Othercosmic Divinations I was finally available in its entirety, it was perhaps logical to expect the sixth Lascaille's Shroud release to be the second album of that series. Instead, Brett Windnagle released Wounds, a stand-alone but ultimately similarly themed three track album based on video games. The focal point of the release is of course it's title track, lasting over twenty-five minutes and based on the game The Last of Us Part II, which is certainly among the project's greatest achievements to date. 

#20 (168 Points)
Havukruunu - Uinuos Syömein Sota
Pagan Black Metal

Pagan black metal is not, and perhaps won't ever be, the most commonly performed, listened to, or even understood sub-genre. One band though who could never be accused of not understanding it, although they have leant more on melodic black metal as well on third album Uinuos syömein sota, is Finland's Havukruunu. Their music is pretty much a textbook example of what the pagan black metal genre is and sounds like, but it isn't for this that they are due their high regard. No, it's because, simply put, that they're just a damn good band, one that we expect to continue to hear even more great things from.

#19 (170 Points)
Testament - Titans of Creation
Thrash Metal

Can Testament make a bad record? Apparently not as Titans of Creation continues a long line of stellar thrash metal albums. It’s amazing to think that thirty three years after their formation Testament are still showing the new kids on the block how it’s done.

#18 (178 Points)
Ayreon - Transitus
Progressive Metal

Transitus marks a departure for Ayreon mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen in many ways. It's the first time for quite a while that he made two Ayreon albums back to back, there's no Ed Warby on drums, and the story, despite having some nods to it, doesn't take place in the Ayreon universe timeline, although it isn't the first Ayreon album that's true of it. It also features a much more compact cast of vocalists and comes with a comic book to read along with the album, which rather than a gimmick turns out to be completely necessary to get the full experience of it. Each disc is best taken as two long songs, defining two acts of the story. The stripped back approach to vocalists will no doubt come as a surprise to established Ayreon fans, as well as the very uneven manner in which every voice is utilised, but it's actually this that ends up making Transitus a unique entry in Lucassen's body of work. Also, it's narrated by Tom Baker, TV's Fourth Doctor himself, how cool is that? Now, would you like a jelly baby before we continue?

#17 (203 Points)
Neal Morse - Sola Gratia
Metal Related

Neal Morse is one of progressive rock's most prolific modern musicians, but his relevance to the metal scene often goes understated. While latest solo release Sola Gratia isn't the most consistently heavy work he's ever produced, a credit which may go to the earlier Sola Scriptura, of which this is a thematic sequel, complete with reprises of many of that album's lyrics and music, or to The Neal Morse Band's The Great Adventure, it does stand out as a special release within Neal's discography. Recorded remotely in lockdown with usual collaborators Randy George and Mike Portnoy, Sola Gratia may be a bit too much on the Christian lyrics for some (it's a concept album about Paul the Apostle), but those who spend some time with it will find it Morse's most special release in some years, ranging from heavy hard rocking material like In the Name of the Lord to progressive mini-masterpieces like Seemingly Sincere.

#16 (207 Points)
Eternal Champion - Ravening Iron
US Power Metal

When we think of US Power Metal, it's reasonable to go straight to the genre that existed in the eighties as kind of a stepping point between heavy metal and the later European brand which we all mean when we say 'power metal' today. It does this genre of metal a disservice though, as it has remained alive and kicking, if not well known and perhaps indistinguishable from traditional metal to some, ever since. It hasn't really gone away. Eternal Champion are one of a few relatively new bands that fly the flag for a classic USPM sound. Ravening Iron is their second album after an already excellent debut The Armor of Ire in 2016 and it continues in the same tradition, proving that there's life in USPM yet.

#15 (213 Points)
Cryptic Shift - Visitations from Enceladus
Technical Thrash Metal

Any band that released an album displaying the scope of Visitations From Enceladus should be rightly proud of their achievements. The fact that this is Cryptic Shift’s debut album makes it all the more stunning. An album that mixes progressive, technical thrash and technical death metal, it’s complex and dynamic with endless twists and turns, no better demonstrated than on the twenty six minutes album opener Moonbelt Immolator. 

#14  (214 Points)
Boris - NO
Sludge Metal

Boris is among Japan's most prolific metal bands, often releasing multiple albums a year in a variety of styles. Most known for drone and sludge metal, NO sees the band on the most all-out aggressive and intense hardcore side of sludge, and it's one of the band's best in years. Combining sludge's crushing heaviness with the speed of thrash and hardcore, NO is an album for anyone wanting the heaviest of heavy.

#13 (215 Points)
Sweven - The Eternal Resonance
Progressive Metal

If the name Sweven is familiar despite The Eternal Resonance only being the group's debut album, then there is a reason why. It was the title of the second and final album of Morbus Chron back in 2014. After that band ended, frontman Robert Andersson founded Sweven and as can be assumed from the naming of the last album of his previous band, continues more or less where the former left off, which can only be a good thing, as Morbus Chron were among the most unique death metal acts active in the 2010s and their ending after just two albums was a great loss to the metal scene. Sweven takes a much more progressive based style than the former, but the elements the band uses are the same; prog, death metal and psychedelic rock. While their riffs have less to do with death metal than Opeth ever did and have a distinctly 70s flavour, the growling vocals certainly put Sweven in the extreme metal zone.

#12 (216 Points)
Psychotic Waltz - The God-Shaped Void
Progressive Metal

The first question people are likely to ask when a band releases their first album in twenty four years is can they still cut it? The answer is fortunately a resounding yes. Psychotic Waltz don’t go for the blur of notes approach often associated with the sub-genre, instead we get an album of well-crafted generally mid-paced progressive metal with an emphasis on strong hooks and strong songwriting. The sound is more polished these days but on The God-Shaped Void the band proves that they still have what it takes to produce top grade progressive metal. 

#11 (219 Points)
Cult Of Lilith - Mara
Technical Death Metal

Every year throws up a few surprises in heavy metal. This year it was the turn of Icelandic death metal band Cult Of Lilith. After releasing an EP in 2016, Mara is their startling debut album that took many by surprise. A very busy album blending their technical death metal with progressive elements and an ample supply of melody making for a highly engaging listen that reveals something new each time you play it.

#10 (222 Points)
Lascaille's Shroud - Othercosmic Divinations I
Progressive Metal

A good chunk of Lascaille's Shroud's Othercosmic Divinations I was actually available since 2019, which was when the album was originally expected to release as a follow-up to the one song album The Tiger's Daughter (2018). Problems beset the production however, not least the Covid-19 pandemic and the finished product wasn't made available until August of 2020, with it's implied second part still forthcoming. After producing two massive double albums quite earlier in his career, including The Roads Leading North, which was MMA's 11th top album for 2016, sole member Brett Windnagle has perhaps seemed a bit more restrained per release since, but continues to turn out quality progressive death metal based on video games and novels. 

#9 (239 Points)
Sepultura - Quadra
Thrash Metal

Sepulura’s place in the history of heavy metal is guaranteed but it hasn’t always been a smooth road for them. After early thrash classics like Beneath The Remains and Arise they then lost founder member Max Cavalera after the eyebrow raising Roots album. Following years of releasing albums in more of a groove metal style the band in recent years seem to have rediscovered what made them such a great band in the first place culminating in Quadra, their finest album in almost thirty years.

#8 (243 Points)
Mare Cognitum & Spectral Lore - Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine
Atmospheric Black Metal

Splits don't often get a look in when it comes to talking about the best albums of a given year and with good reason. They're often just a bunch of sometimes seemingly randomly selected tracks from two or more artists, who may not even always be in the same genre. Sometimes though, a split is a much more special release. Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine, by black metal acts Mare Cognitum and Spectral Lore, is one such release. As much collaboration as true split, this is the second time the one man bands have joined forces, following 2013's Sol, of which Wanderers may be seem as a continuation of the duo's journey through our Solar System. A supermassive black hole of an atmospheric black metal release, the album isn't for the faint of heart. The only confusing thing about it is why they don't visit the planets in order, while it seems a statement on their part that not only is Pluto included as a planet, it's the only one with two tracks dedicated to it, one being completely ambient. 

#7 (285 Points)
Ulcerate - Stare into Death and be Still
Technical Death Metal

Many of those that regularly listen to extreme metal won’t find Ulcerate’s Stare Into Death And Be Still an easy listen. But dig into the cacophony, dissonance and syncopated rhythms and you’ll be rewarded with a brutal and dark death metal album that seems to deliver more each time you play it.

#6 (308 Points)
Esoctrilihum - Eternity of Shaog
Atmospheric Black Metal

 Esoctrilihum, a one man band, may have only made its debut in 2017, but by 2020 we are already on the project's fifth album Eternity of Shaog. When the band was started the music was about as pure atmospheric black metal as such things came, but sole member Asthâghul quickly diversified his sound with death metal and became much more established in that genre. On Eternity of Shaog things have returned more to the black metal camp, though the album could hardly be called a regression to the Mare Cognitum-esque roots of the project. The atmospheric blend of black and death metal, perhaps also with some progressive undertones hinting at further ways the band's sound could be experimented with, is certainly still one of the more unique extreme metal sounds we've heard in 2020. And something tells us that Esoctrilihum isn't done yet with surprising us with what he can do.

#5 (341 Points)
Enslaved - Utgard
Progressive Metal

A new Enslaved album is always something to look forward to and once again Utgard proves to be worth the wait. As with recent albums the band are firmly entrenched in progressive metal with elements of their black metal roots seemingly less with each release but still showing themselves here and there. Those who have followed and enjoyed the journey the band has taken will not be disappointed as the band have produced another compelling metal album in their own inimitable style.

#4 (378 Points)
Lovebites - Electric Pentagram
Power Metal

Winners in 2018 for Metal Music Archives Album of the Year for their second studio album Clockwork Immortality, it shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone that Lovebites remain one of MMA's most beloved power metal acts going into a new decade. Electric Pentagram (note the Morbid Angel-esque naming convention they use across their major releases) is a mammoth power metal album, clocking in at just over seventy minutes. On paper that may sound just too much for the genre, but the Japanese band doesn't waste a single second of it, making it fully justified. While the band's sound hasn't change all that much since their started out, their balance of symphonic influences and nods to old school power metal through speed metal elements make their work the kind of albums that offer up something to every power metal palate.

#3 (402 Points)
Napalm Death - Throes of Joy in the Jaws of  Defeatism
Grindcore

For a band well into it’s fourth decade of existence, Napalm Death is still producing music as strong and vital as at any time in the band’s celebrated and storied career. “Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism” is as uncompromising as any album the band has produced, but has subtleties and flourishes not immediately obvious on a first listen.

#2 (404 Points)
Paradise Lost - Obsidian
Gothic Metal

 Paradise Lost throughout their career has been a band prepared to change musical direction as the mood takes them. Be it death-doom, doom or gothic metal their fans seem to stick with them no doubt because they rarely release anything subpar. After the last two doom orientated albums Obsidian sees the band returning to their gothic style but as usual they don’t disappoint with an album of strong and memorable songs.

#1 (539 Points)
Hail Spirit Noir - Eden in Reverse
Progressive Metal

After producing three excellent albums that created a truly psychedelic take on black metal, it may have seemed like after Mayhem in Blue that the band could go no further and would soon head into stagnant waters. The band's answer to this problem is Eden in Reverse, their fourth album which also sees them greatly expanding their line-up, and also changing their sound completely. Gone is practically any trace of black metal, or any kind of extreme metal for that matter. In its place the band have delved more fully into their retro progressive rock/psych elements, while still being metal, creating an album that feels both familiar and fresh. Psychedelic metal hasn't really caught on much outside of some dabbling in black metal, doom metal and of course most obligatory stoner metal, but Hail Spirit Noir seem intent on changing that with this one. Is it a game changing album for metal sub-genres? Only time will tell. 

Many thanks to Adam (adg211288), Nicole (666sharon666), Patrick (Vim Fuego) and Khaliq (Unitron) for supplying write ups and to everyone who took the time to vote.

Releases by Main Sub-Genre (Top 101)

Progressive Metal: 18
Death Metal: 16
Black Metal: 12
Thrash Metal: 9
Power Metal: 8
Sludge Metal: 7
Heavy Metal: 6
Doom Metal: 6
Nu Metal: 3
Alternative Metal: 2
Folk Metal: 2
Grindcore: 2
Metalcore: 2
US Power Metal: 2
Gothic Metal: 1
Hard Rock: 1
Hardcore Punk: 1
Metal Related: 1
Speed Metal: 1
Symphonic Metal: 1

Edited by Nightfly - 13 Feb 2022 at 6:12am