Very few metal bands can make the claim that their career has lasted for forty years. Fewer still can claim that their career has lasted forty consecutive years. So when it came time to pick the album that leads off today’s list, there was really no question. All hail the inimitable glory that is Motörhead!
Motörhead, Bad Magic (UDR)
These days, many people are wondering how Lemmy is still going like he is. Sure, he may have laid off the Jack Daniels, but even with that, it’s mind-boggling to consider that a man approaching his 70th birthday is still touring and writing new music with nearly the same energy that he had when he was half his age. Lemmy is nothing short of an icon, and Motörhead’s 22nd album is yet another great addition to his impressive catalog of music.
Soilwork, The Ride Majestic (Nuclear Blast)
Soilwork has proven themselves to be capable of weathering any storm that comes their way and still putting out quality music after it ends. Hardworking to a fault, The Ride Majestic is the band’s third release in as many years, following 2013’s The Living Infinite double album and last year’s Beyond the Infinite EP. This is the last Soilwork album that will feature bassist Ola Flink, who left the band in June after recording was completed in order to spend more time with his family.
Nile, What Should Not Be Unearthed (Nuclear Blast)
One of the most underrated death metal bands out today, Nile has been doing technical death metal properly for years, to the applause of far fewer than deserved. Eight albums into their career, Nile still has yet to make a misstep along the way. What Should Not Be Unearthed is a testament to their consistency and skill.
Ahab, The Boats of the “Glen Carrig” (Napalm)
Funeral doom is a genre that, by nature, does not get a lot of attention. Ahab found a way to bring it into greater prominence, by just being damn good at it. On their fourth album, Ahab weaves a concept based on the William Hope Hodgson novel of the same name, which tells the story of survival after a shipwreck.
Defeater, Abandoned (Epitaph)
Moving from Bridge Nine to their new home on Epitaph, Defeater stated that Abandoned is the first album to have all of the members contributing from the ground up. This led the band to a new level of discipline and depth, and inspired truly raw emotion in the compositions. Abandoned is the fourth album from the Boston hardcore group.
Kobra and the Lotus, Words of the Prophets EP (Titan)
Kobra and the Lotus don’t mess around with their patriotism. They love their home country of Canada, and they’ve decided to pay homage to the Canadian classic rock scene via an EP of covers. With covers of the greats like Rush, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Triumph, and others, Kobra and the Lotus display their appreciation for the bands that inspired them to be the band they are today.
