10 Best Metal Albums of 2024: Albums that Shredded the Year into Pieces

Metalheads, it’s safe to say that 2024 has been an absolute onslaught of brutal albums. We’ve seen new music come from almost every metal subgenre, and narrowing it down to just 10 was almost impossible. From hardcore gut-punches to mind-melting death metal, here are the albums that made us growl, headbang, and lose our minds this year. Trust us—these need to be on your playlist.

10: Gatecreeper - Dark Superstition 

Released in May, Dark Superstition, is the third album from Arizona’s death metal titans, Gatecreeper. In a genre where so much can feel familiar, this album successfully cuts through the noise. It's heavy and brutal, with an undeniable groove to each track that you just can’t shake. 

Dark Superstition rips from the get-go with an unrelenting wave of crushing riffs, commanding vocals, and a nightmarish atmosphere. Frontman Charles Mason’s growls are scratchy, raw, and oddly clear - reminiscent of the classic death metal scene, with an accessible modern edge. 

9: Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere

No one creates psychedelic death metal records quite like Blood Incantation. Over the past decade Blood Incantation have created albums and EPs that push their sci-fi-meets-death metal vibe to the limits.

Absolute Elsewhere is a 45-minute cosmic journey through time and space. Made up of two compositions, the album is truly atmospheric, taking you on an epic death metal quest you’ll never forget. 

8: Kublai Khan TX - Exhibition of Prowess

Kublai Khan TX are back to wreck the hardcore scene with Exhibition of Prowess, and they do it with no apologies. The album is a pummeling whirlwind of breakdowns, pit-shredding intensity, and straight-up fury. With a runtime of under 25 minutes, every second is a punch in the face.

There’s no fluff here - just pure chaos meant for the pit. Your neck’s gonna be sore after this one.

7: Nails - Every Bridge Burning

After eight years of almost silence, Nails are back—and they haven’t softened up one bit. Every Bridge Burning is exactly what you expect from this extreme metal powerhouse: ferocious, aggressive, and relentless. Thunderous riffs, grindcore chaos, and Todd Jones' vocals make this album a true sonic assault. At just 18 minutes, it’s over before you know it—leaving you wanting more.

6: Opeth - The Last Will And Testament

There’s no denying that whenever Opeth releases a new record, it has a lot to live up to—their backlog is filled with hugely impressive albums that fans of the band quite literally worship. The Last Will & Testament is the band’s first new release since their 2019 record In Cauda Venenum.

The record is pitted as one of the favorites of the year, and we can see why, it’s classically Opeth in all the best ways. Set in the post World War 1 era, the album is a concept album unfolding the story of a wealthy conservative patriarch whose will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. 

The record is a single ferocious composition broken into eight parts, and to the pleasure of older fans, it’s their first record featuring death growls in over 15 years! All in all, The Last Will & Testament has got that old-school Opeth charm.

5: Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To

Whether you love them or hate them, Knocked Loose have had a massive year. Their third studio album, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, is a relentless monster that barely lets you breathe. Featuring guests like Poppy and Chris Motionless, the record dives deep into chaotic hardcore, with tracks that pull you into a whirlwind of rage and energy.

Fun fact: the album title comes from a conversation Bryan Garris (vocalist) had with an elderly woman on a plane who comforted him about his fear of flying, telling him, “you won’t go before you’re supposed to.”

(See our concert review and photos of Knocked Loose or The Story of Knocked Loose here. )

4: Job For A Cowboy - Moon Healer

After a nine-year hiatus, Job For A Cowboy returns with Moon Healer—the result is a brutal, mind-bending death metal masterpiece. Gone is their early deathcore sound; in its place, a progressive, experimental death metal album that’s as cerebral as it is crushing.

Moon Healer is a continuation of their 2014 album Sun Eater, delving deeper into the mysteries of human existence. It’s complex, dark, and perfectly crafted for fans of the most extreme death metal out there.

3: Fit For An Autopsy - The Nothing That Is

Fit For An Autopsy’s seventh album, The Nothing That Is, is a standout in the deathcore scene. It takes the genre’s signature brutality and blends it with emotionally charged hooks and a moody atmosphere. The album flows seamlessly from one track to the next, and its bleak, apocalyptic themes hit you like a ton of bricks.

Powerful, dynamic, and unapologetically heavy, The Nothing That Is delves into the horrors that the human race has inflicted on the world while reflecting on an uncertain future. It’s a wild ride that’ll stay with you long after it ends.

2: Undeath - More Insane 

Undeath’s third album, More Insane, is exactly what it promises: more riffs, and a whole lot more horror. This record delivers death metal at its finest, with ferocious riffs and death-growls that’ll rattle your bones. Every track oozes that signature "Fundeath" style - raw, brutal, and packed with energy.

It’s a relentless journey through a world of chaos and decay, and it demands to be blasted at full volume.

1: The Black Dahlia Murder - Servitude

For long-time fans of The Black Dahlia Murder, Servitude isn’t just another album in their backlog; it’s a tribute. This is the first release since the tragic passing of Trevor Strnad, and while no one could replace him, Brian Eschbach put down the guitar and stepped up to the mic with an intensity that honors his friend’s legacy.

Servitude captures everything that made TBDM a force to be reckoned with - intense growls, sharp riffs, and production that hits like a freight train. The loss of Strnad is felt throughout, but his legacy lives on in every guttural scream and blast of guitar.

Thanks for reading! What were your favorite metal albums of 2024?

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