2024 seemed like the fastest moving year I’ve ever experienced. We were just doing this same post for 2023 and BAM here we are, again, for another round. There was a ton of great albums spread across all extreme genres that crossed our desk yet my listening stayed focused on what found me, so to speak. As a result, this list was the easiest I’ve ever put together. No cramming, no last minute hijinks, and no stressing over it. What a relief. If you want to see what kept me entertained this year and captured my attention the most, keep reading. Best of 2024, here we go…
Let me start by telling you what this IS NOT. None of these are reviews. While true I didn’t write nearly enough reviews this year, I’m not about to make up for it now. You can find reviews of these fine albums either here on this site or elsewhere. What this IS: why I enjoyed what I’ve included. Plain and simple. And yes I am sticking to the usual nine of the best and nine honorable mentions, because why? Let’s say it together folks…B-R-A-N-D-I-N-G. Yep, you got it. I’ll save you the typical, long winded recounting of my personal 2024 but I will say I had a killer year and had a killer soundtrack to go with it. Now, let’s get on with it.
The Best
1. Nile – The Underworld Awaits Us All
If the question came up “hey, what exactly IS death metal in the year of our lord 2024?” I’d point them to this album. Period. 30+ years of existence has only served to sharpen the technical, brutal, and densely layered pummeling to the senses that is a Nile record. Now, I’m not saying every album has been a slam dunk along the way (looking squarely at ye old slump of At The Gate of Sethu and What Should Not Be Unearthed) but even those had some serious high points. That said, ten albums of solid, reliable, grandiose, and heavy as shit death metal is nothing short of exemplary. If this were a typical review I’d give you specific examples of some of the tasty riffs, insane solos, devastating body blows of inhuman drum beatdowns or ear stabbing vocals but there are just too damn many to single out and name. On top of that, this is THE tightest and most well rounded the band has sounded since In Their Darkened Shrines where not a second is wasted and every single note, fill, pick, and blast has a place in this glorious cacophony. Nile are more vital to death metal today than they’ve ever been and for a band that’s been doing this as long as they have, and has been as integral a piece as they have, that is no small feat. Kudos Nile, this is not only my favorite album of 2024 but my favorite amongst your entire catalog.
2. Ulcerate – Cutting The Throat of God
“Whether fully leaning into the chaotic maelstrom, or sitting back at a mid-paced crawl, the atmosphere built on Cutting the Throat of God is unlike anything else in metal today.” Says Vince in his review which is linked below and I back this statement 100%. Where death metal, by and large, sets out to beat the brakes off anyone within earshot—and Ulcerate definitely do this at times—the icing on the cake here is how Ulcerate slowly build this dank, dark tomb of suffocating atmosphere then swallow the key. That’s the thing with this album that most impressed me and with each successive listen I am utterly in awe of what they’ve done and how they did it. There’s “heavy” and then there’s THIS album. Freakin’ masterpiece.
3. Vitriol – Suffer & Become
Vitriol are no strangers to this site. We’ve been touting their importance since the beginning and seeing as they made our January Album of the Month chat, we are not relenting in our pursuit. Their speed is only matched by the transfer of light from the switch to the eye, their songs are far more technical than Karl Malone, and they are setting a bar in the genre that a very select few will probably ever reach. Pointing to a single track that highlights all the band’s wares I’d say “He Will Fight Savagely” would be your huckleberry (definitely my pick off the album, if pressed) but, really, just pick one and hit play.
[January’s Album of the Month]
4. Fluids – Reduced Capabilities
One thing certain about any new endeavor from Fluids; it will be some sick and twisted shit. Terms of endearment, of course, seeing as I’ve always been labelled as “that” weird person that watches and listens to things that would make most vomit. Inhuman goregrind and deathgrind are what’s on the menu but that serves as no surprise, it’s always on the menu, but what is a surprise is how beginning with “Measured Antipathy” Fluids serve up some squishy sludge metal similar to watching Art the Clown do his best work with a hacksaw in slow-mo Matrix style. I get the itch for a different level of extreme quite often and this year every time I got that itch Fluids was right there to soothe it with music that flies in the face of what is thought possible and goes straight for the jugular. It’s dirty, wretched, and vile but just like the grainy footage from any stomach churning catastrophe / car crash / whatever, there’s just no turning away.
5. Gaerea – Coma
When I’m not seeing visions of flayed skin taped to the walls (see entry immediately above), anything melodic really catches my attention and couple that with hard hitting black metal and, well, you’ve got an instant classic. Gaerea mine that exact vein and as such became a fast fave of mine. Coma was a bit more of a “grower” than previous iterations have been but once it fully landed, it LANDED. Take a track like “Hope Shatters” where it kicks off with a fluffy melody then goes whole hog screaming black metal or how about the slooooow burn pressure cooker that is “Shapeshifter” and how it simmers and seethes until it explodes like a well placed grenade. I could go on and on but you get the point. It’s got rhythm, melody, hooks, heft, and it is so far in my wheelhouse that I can’t even believe it’s in the fifth spot.
6. Hideous Divinity – Unextinct
Hideous Divinity sit in that sweet spot, for me, right between tech death and atmospherically dense death metal. It’s a cross between Nile, Immolation, and Gorguts…aka BANGER. Cosmic horror, dread, and contempt for many earthly things are the courses du jour set to the best production the band has ever had. This thing is crisp, clear, and loud as hell…as it should be. Ian says in his excellent review “All the little nuances of dissonance and atmosphere interweave together to create an album that does an excellent job at gripping you and holding you in a headspace. There aren’t a lot of moments on Unextinct where Hideous Divinity let up on you, but that is perhaps the point they are trying to make, after all.” Indeed and what an excellent point they’ve made.
7. The Crown – Crown of Thorns
Chris highlighted this joint in the below linked 9C ov and hit the nail on the head when he said “The consistency from 2000’s immortal Deathrace King remains intact; if anything the elapsed 24 years have made the riffs bite harder and the upgrades in production allow enough punch to not make everything sound like it sits solely in the upper frequencies of the mix.” Deathrace is in my top 5 albums of all time so let that sink in as I reiterate Chris’s point here. The band stands unchanged in the quality they demand from themselves and we, as consumers, benefit by getting another album chock full of the absolute best death ‘n’ thrash on the planet.
8. The Absence – The Absence
Remember what I said about melody? Yea well, here we are again but this time it’s melodic death metal. Two of my favorite things ever plus throw in “Floridian” and you’ve (rather, I’ve) got a slam dunk. In case you haven’t noticed I’m not much of a fan when a band does unexpected weird shit and The Absence do not disappoint with their At The Gates meets Death approach. And the choice of a more old school sounding production earns tons of points since, as mentioned, change is not my strong suit and if I could go back to the 80s and 90s style death metal production, damn right I would. That’s the feeling I get here, the feeling of being right at home with an old friend.
9. Trocar – Extremities
Trocar have carved out quite the name for themselves (see what I did there) in the goregrind annals of extreme metal, or maybe they have to me and you’re not as aware. I digress, Extremities is a unique take on grind, death metal, industrial, and harsh noise that’s as glitchy as AOL internet and as haunting as your worst fear. Technically none of that sounds as if it should work but it does, in spades. I specifically wanted something different from anything else out there and this is it but not only that, as much as I’ve abused my ears with this thing, I’m still finding bits and pieces buried in the mix that I’ve missed along the way. Despite this album sitting in the ninth spot, this is the one I’m most excited about from 2024 and cannot wait to hear what’s next from the Trocar camp.
The Honorable Mentions
Defeated Sanity – Chronicles of Lunacy
The most aggressive and brutal death metal released in 2024. Period.
Whores – WAR.
Noise rock with a fuckin’ pulse, I love this band!
Many Eyes – The Light Age
I miss Every Time I Die and this is as close as it gets. Plus, Keith Buckley is at his finest here.
Bronson Arm – Bronson Arm
I reviewed this album way back in January and stand behind every word now. EXCELLENT debut from these noise rockers with more than just noise to offer the genre.
Crown Of Anguish – Stalker At The Midian Gate
A great friend, that knows me very well, turned me on to this epic death metal album that ever so professionally and skillfully pays tribute to Hate Eternal. A fan to the end, thank you brother.
Toxikull – Under The Southern Light
Classic heavy metal is one of my weaknesses and this album exposes it 100%. STRONG outing here.
Firtan – Ethos
The album cover drew me in but the punchy, melodic black metal kept me coming back time and time again.
Shellshock – Warfare
Just a dude paying ASTOUNDING tribute to Bolt Thrower. What’s not to love! STELLAR sophomore effort.
New Fallen Empire – Wastelander
Apocalyptic doom and stoner metal wrapped like a lil’ smoky with bacon in heavy blues. Sign. Me. Up.
The Playlist
For those still hanging on, I will share a few more nuggets of 2024 for you or maybe this is gloating a bit, whatever. I read 18 books which is down a little for me. I finished the Terminal List series and started the Tier One series. My top podcast was The Shawn Ryan Show with Jocko Podcast a close runner up. Finished my first half marathon in February and finished my first full marathon in October where I crushed all three goals I set ahead of time. My family keeps me going and gives me all the motivation I need to crush the balls of life on the regular, I just hope I do the same for them. I love them more than anything, forever and always.
As I usually do, a small thank you list:
- Thank you to our family of writers for another great year. We’ve seen tribulations and conquered. You guys rock.
- All the PR folk who keep us loaded down with stuff to cover and keep us in mind for some great opportunities.
- All the bands that reach out and trust us with their material, we take it very seriously and are very appreciative. We do in fact read every email and/or DM over socials and trust me when I say we make every effort to cover it all, even if it’s just a mention in Initial Descent.
- The Top Brass here who are not only the BEST but also are the brothers I never had. (Seriously my dudes: love y’all and I mean that).
- And YOU, yes you, for coming back time and time again. It helps knowing there’s at least a handful of you out there. Thank you!
And with that, I’m out. See you in 2025.
— Josh
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