The process of assembling our annual Top 40 Albums of the Year list obviously calls for some reflection. This year, however, I took it a step further and reevaluated each of Decibel’s previous 22 year-end installments since I began this journey in 2004. While some selections elicited an “Oh, man, that record wasn’t very good,” or “Holy shit, I haven’t heard that since the year it was released!” there were even more examples of albums that still get regular office spins. What’s more, nearly two dozen of those albums have since been inducted into the Decibel Hall of Fame.
You don’t have to wait another two decades to Monday Morning Quarterback the next 14 pages. But approach them knowing that there’s an excellent chance you won’t feel the same way about these 40 albums 12 months from now, let alone when you’re slogging away in the silicon mines relitigating it with your chatbot canary in 2048. —Albert Mudrian
40 Fire Magic, Memories of Fire, Stygian Black Hand
39 Sarcator, The Ones We Follow, Reigning Phoenix
38 Archspire, Too Fast to Die, Self-release
37 Worm, Necropalace, Century Media
36 Mastodon, Marrow Deep, Loma Vista
35 Sněť, V bažinách vědomí, Dark Descent/Me Saco un Ojo
34 Night of the Vampire, The Enchanting Winds of the Dreamweaving Masquerade, Profound Lore
33 Street Tombs, Existence Is Corruption, Carbonized
32 Sigh, Goh-Ka, Peaceville
31 Wayfarer, Riders of the Setting Sun, Vesperian
30 Exxûl, Sealed into None, Productions TSO/Nameless Grave
29 Fake Dust, Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon, Iron Lung
28 Corrosion of Conformity, Good God / Baad Man, Nuclear Blast
27 Hällas, Panorama, Äventyr
26 Anthrax, Cursum Perficio, Megaforce
25 Bacht’n de Vulle Moane, Verdwazing der Dwazen, Into Endless Chaos
24 Godthrymm, Projections, Profound Lore
23 Cryptic Shift, Overspace & Supertime, Metal Blade
22 Devil Master, Bloody Dreams, Relapse
21 Spirit Adrift, Infinite Illumination, 20 Buck Spin
20 The Silver, Looking Glass Hymnal Blue, Gilead Media
19 Down, Volume V, Nuclear Blast
18 Warning, Rituals of Shame, Relapse
17 Dreadnought, Wars of Spirit // Wards of Light, Vesperian
16 Godflesh, Decay, Relapse
15 Khemmis, Khemmis, Nuclear Blast
14 Hellripper, Coronach, Century Media
13 Immolation, Descent, Nuclear Blast
12 Panopticon, Det Hjemsøkte Hjertet, Bindrune
11 Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Shapes of Midnight, Killer Candy
10 Funebrarum, Beckoning the Void of Eternal Silence, Pulverised
9 Mother of Graves, The Light That Keeps Us, Profound Lore
8 The Keening, Devotion, Relapse
7 Converge, Love Is Not Enough, Epitaph
6 At the Gates, The Ghost of a Future Dead, Century Media
5 Poison Ruïn, Hymns from the Hills, Relapse
4 Chat Pile, Who Loves the Sun, The Flenser
3 Hulder, Verbolgen, 20 Buck Spin
2 Disfear, The Last Nail, Relapse
1 Neurosis, An Undying Love for a Burning World, Neurot
Now, if you’d actually like to read editorial on these releases (for, you know, context), interviews with the artists who rank near and at the top of the list as well as dozens of hilarious, contributor-conceived, year-end Top 5 lists, a cover story on legendary Cro-Mags’ frontman Harley Flanagan celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Age of Quarrel (and a lot more), a Hall of Fame on YOB’s doom metal game-changer Clearing the Path to Ascend, you can grab a copy of the full issue here. It comes with an exclusive new Mother of Graves flexi disc. You’re welcome.
