This was my first time ever making an end of year/”best of” list, and I know there’s a ton of music I missed because I started paying attention to new releases kind of later in the year. However, below are my favorites of what I did listen to and love in 2024, and I can’t wait to stay on top of new releases in 2025, which I’m hoping will make this process a lot easier! I had a lot of fun with this and know that I will look back on 2024 fondly (music-wise at least). I’ve been having a blast seeing everyone’s lists and am super happy to add mine to the mix! 2024 was such a great year for music and black metal in particular, and I’m super excited to see what we get in 2025. After much deliberation, here are my ranked top 13 (yeah, I know it’s a weird number) albums of 2024:
13. Volcandra – The Way of Ancients
Released: 3/1/2024
Label: Prosthetic Records
Genre: Melodic Black/Death Metal
Favorite Track: “Fouled Sanctity”
Kentucky-based Volcandra’s 2nd full-length album is the only record of theirs I have listened to so far, but I really loved it. These guys are super talented and managed to create an album that is high quality and very memorable. The riffs and melodies are thoroughly enjoyable and quite catchy, and the intense harsh vocals are flawless. They blend black and death metal perfectly, giving us the best of both, resulting in a record that is very strong from beginning to end.
12. Hekseblad – Kaer Morhen
Released: 4/19/2024
Label: Hypnotic Dirge Records
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Favorite Track: “The White Flame”
US black metal duo Hekseblad’s first full-length album is, as evidenced by its title and cover, entirely dedicated to The Witcher fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The cold and frigid melodies and traditional black metal vocals are effectively combined with lyrics that tell stories of events and characters from the series, but you don’t have to be familiar with The Witcher to enjoy this record. Strongly recommended if you like 2nd wave black metal. Bands like Hekseblad prove to me that US black metal is alive and well and in good hands.
11. Horn – Daudswiärk
Released: 5/3/2024
Label: Northern Silence Productions
Genre: Pagan Black Metal
Favorite Track: “Broth”
Daudswiärk is Germany-based Horn’s 10th album, and the songwriting just keeps getting better somehow. The man behind Horn, Niklas, also known as Nerrath, is undeniably talented, and I have loved absolutely everything I’ve heard from Horn, a project that has been putting music out for over 20 years now. This album has both harsh vocals and folk-sounding clean vocals that perfectly accompany memorable guitar riffs. If you haven’t listened to Horn before, I strongly recommend this album as well as the 3 previous releases, Turm am Hang (2017), Mohngang (2020) and Verzet (2022).
10. Belore – Eastern Tales
Released: 4/5/2024
Label: Northern Silence Productions
Genre: Epic/Atmospheric Black Metal
Favorite Track: “Storm of an Ancient Age”
This is the French band’s 3rd album and it’s a special one. The man who gives Belore life goes by the name Aleevok and is behind all the instruments and vocals. Eastern Tales is epic in scope and sound and feels incredibly alive. This record has stories and lore, battles and triumphs, strange lands and characters, and the vinyl even comes with a map (if you’re into fantasy like me, you know we love fictional maps). The beautiful melodies and the perfect mix of clean and harsh vocals will transport you to a medieval fantasy world you will not want to leave. If you like Summoning or Caladan Brood, you will love this album.
9. Spectral Wound – Songs of Blood and Mire
Released: 8/23/2024
Label: Profound Lore Records
Genre: Black Metal
Favorite Track: “At Wine-Dark Midnight in Mouldering Halls”
Out of Quebec, Spectral Wound’s catchy black metal is back in their 4th album, and it does not disappoint. Addictive as hell, the melodies in this are frigid, melancholic, and captivating, rivaling those in their previous release “A Diabolic Thirst.” The harsh and shrieking vocals masterfully create an atmosphere of cold despair intensified by the melodic guitar riffs. A must-listen if you enjoyed their previous albums or are into melodic or atmospheric black metal in general.
8. Ecclesia – Ecclesia Militans
Released: 3/8/2024
Label: Aural Music
Genre: Doom/Heavy Metal
Favorite Track: “Antecclesia”
I love anything Medieval and was ecstatic when I found Ecclesia. Their mix of doom/heavy metal with medieval themes, aesthetics, and lyrics just goes together so well. The vocalist is also absolutely amazing, although sadly they recently announced that he has left the band and are looking for a new vocalist. Either way, I am in love with this French band and cannot wait to see what they do next.
7. Gaerea – Coma
Released: 10/25/2024
Label: Season of Mist
Genre: Black Metal
Favorite Track: “Coma”
Coma is the Portuguese band’s 4th album, and they just keep getting better. I have been lucky enough to see them live twice and they left a mark on me from the first time I listened to them. Musically, they have a very unique sound and are truly making a name for themselves in modern black metal. As previous releases, this record is full of intensity and emotion that you can truly feel, and some of the melodies are just so heart-wrenching, in the best way possible.
6. Unto Others – Never, Neverland
Released: 9/20/2024
Label: Century Media
Genre: Heavy Metal, Gothic Rock
Favorite Track: “Suicide Today”
The more I listen to this album, the more I love it. Each song is special, unique, and memorable, and Oregon-based Unto Others does it like no other band I have come across. Gabe’s unique vocals stand out and are perfect for the band. There’s a ton of variety in this record, from faster and heavier songs to ballads and fun new classics that are impossible not to sing along to. I was able to catch them live this year, and it was one of my favorite shows of 2024. You can read a more in-depth review of this record I wrote here: https://harshvocals.com/posts/unto-others-never-neverland/
5. Lament in Winter’s Night – Whereunto the Twilight Leads
Released: 5/28/2024
Label: Atrocity Altar
Genre: Black Metal
Favorite Track: “Whereunto the Twilight Leads”
Whereunto the Twilight Leads is the one-man black metal project out of Australia’s 2nd album, and is the work of one known only as “The Seer,” who has tons of other projects if you like what you hear. This record is more on the raw side of black metal, with shrill guitars, minimal bass, and distant-sounding and cold harsh vocals. I absolutely fell in love with the melodies in this. I also wrote a full review for this one: https://harshvocals.com/posts/lament-in-winters-night-whereunto-the-twilight-leads-review/
4. Kvaen – The Formless Fires
Released: 6/21/2024
Label: Metal Blade
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Favorite Track: “The Ancient Gods”
Swedish solo project Kvaen’s 3rd full-length album is a masterpiece of melodic black metal. The riffs are intense and catchy and just so good, and go perfectly with Jacob Björnfot’s harsh vocals and ex-Amon Amarth Fredrik Andersson ‘s drumming. There are also guest guitar appearances by Sebastian Ramstedt (In Aphelion, Necrophobic) and Chaq Mol (Dark Funeral) which only add to the overall musicianship of the record. The Formless Fires feels very memorable and re-listenable and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
3. Bloody Keep – Rats of Black Death
Released: 1/17/2024
Label: Grime Stone Records
Genre: Black Metal
Favorite Track: “The Werewolf’s Tale”
Please do yourself a favor and listen to this. The mastermind behind Bloody Keep is a man known as Abysmal Specter, who is also the vocalist for Old Nick, and is based in California. This is the first full-length album released under this project, and it is amazingly unique, fun, and addictive. I can’t wait to see what he does next. I absolutely loved the medieval bells and organ sounds and the melodies are too good for words.
2. Saidan – Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity
Released: 5/24/2024
Label: Jems Label
Genre: Black Metal
Favorite Track: “Genocidal BloodFiend”
From the first moment I came across Saidan I knew they would be special and I had found a new favorite. They manage to mix black metal, punk, and Japanese visual kei in the most amazing way, and this combination is perfected in their 3rd studio album. The Nashville-based duo managed to create an album that is just so much fun and infinitely listenable, and I’m really hoping I get to see them live in 2025.
1. Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will
Released: 3/22/2024
Label: Wolves of Hades
Genre: Black Metal, Blackened Crust
Favorite Track: “Irjala”
I’m a sucker for good black metal albums with a border on the cover and this one is no exception. There is something about this album that is extremely addictive – some of the melodies in this are so moving that I have no words to describe them or how they make me feel, but they make me feel a lot. Nocturnal Will is the Swedish band’s 4th full-length album, and I have been putting off listening to their older stuff for some unexplained reason, but if it’s as good as this record I am really missing out. This record is a masterpiece and the songwriting is incredible, with each song constantly evolving within itself so there is not a single boring moment.
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