Album of the Year 2018

Slim pickings this year for me,Judas Priests Firepower is about it TBH.

A woeful year.
Sleep - sciences, probably the pick of the bunch.

Can I give a negative vote to the ghost album (which will probably end up the winner) because it was such a step backwards for the band?

In ‘Firepower’, Judas Priest have produced a bona fide classic. On a par with, if not surpassing ‘Painkiller’.

These for sure...

Judas Priest - Firepower - Maybe my fave band dishing out a slightly unexpected cracker like this no doubt sways for my top pick.

Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit - Better than the first album for me which was basically a showcase of the project, here they have a more flowing album 16 tracks but it’s only 45 mins and all killer for the most part.

Marmozets - Knowing What You Know Now - Wasn't keen on the over production when I first heard it but grew into it moreso after I'd seen them preform it live in the Academys Green room there was maybe 150 people there, puzzled as to how they're not bigger tbh particularly when they've certainly upped the pop sensibility stuff that would you’d think appeal to the NME heads, also there is more Muse type riffs scattered on there than the new er…Muse album .

Tribulation - Down Below – Was released in back in Jan so it’s probably the album I’ve spun the most, skates multiple metal genres, very interesting record and can’t wait to see where they go next.

Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest – I know it’s the general consensus anyway but sturdy follow up to the impossible task of bettering The Satanist in my view also.

Ghost – Prequelle – Not my favourite Ghost album but it’s another release of crafty earworms.

Powerwolf - The Sacrament of Sin – Another slab of enjoyable cheese and great musicianship, bonus disc was a cool touch too (other bands covering tracks from Powerwolfs back catalog; Epica Kreator etc.)

Parkway Drive – Reverence – While not as good as Ire, there’s clearly worthwhile stuff on here notably Wishing Wells,Chronos and The Void.

Haven't given time yet to the likes of the latest Suede or Emma Ruth Rundle release mentioned earlier but hear good things, Tremonti one was quite good, slightly disappointed with the new Clutch that said I've only spun it in full like 4 times some decent stuff for sure but the last two releases were banger after banger, haven’t gone back to the AIC release yet wasn't too fussed apparently it’s a grower, that STP album was utterly pointless though.

Sargeist - Unbound
Lychgate - 'The Contagion in Nine Steps'
Horrendous - Idol
Tribulation - Down Below
Sear Bliss - Letters from The Edge
Immortal – Northern Chaos Gods
Panopticon - The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness I and II
Amorphis - Queen of Time
Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Craft - 'White Noise and Black Metal'

In no particular order:

KEN Mode - Loved
Sleep - The Sciences
Bongripper - Terminal
Obliteration - Cenotaph Obscure
Thou - Magus
Urfaust - The Constellatory Practice
Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins

Bit late to the party but my 2 cents...

Orphaned Land - Unsung Prophets
Ghost -Prequelle
Sigh-Heir to Despair
Ihsahn-Amr
Judas Priest- Firepower
The Ocean- Palaoezic
Barren Earth-A Complex of Cages
A Forest of Stars - Grave Mounds and Grave Mistakes
Night Flight Orchestra -Sometimes the World Aint Enough
Tribulation-Down Below