As always, it seems that there are far too many high quality releases this year to squeeze into a list of just ten. In an attempt to resolve this conflict, I have personally decided to have my list be exclusive to genres. Or in other words, I can’t have more than one album listed that mainly belongs to a certain musical style. Included are links to streaming services, but if you sincerely enjoy the music, please support the bands by buying a physical copy or go see them kick some ass live. So, here we go!

10) Thy Art is Murder, Holy War (Nuclear Blast)

And the nominations for ‘Best Deathcore’ albums are… Fit For an Autopsy, Sworn In, The Last Ten Seconds of Life, Thy Art is Murder, and Veil of Maya. The winner of 2015 goes to… Thy Art is Murder! While it is a somewhat frowned upon genre in a portion of the metal community, this album’s catchy verses and challenging theme takes the gold.

Listen to: “Coffin Dragger” (Apple/Spotify)

9) Elder, Lore (Armageddon Shop)

This year’s ‘Best Doom/Sludge Metal’ nominations go to Elder, High on Fire, Kylesa, Lord Dying, and Windhand. This release seemed to come out of nowhere, but Elder is announced to be crowned the king. Mixing psychedelic and progressive traits into the mix, Lore is a recipe for success.

Favorite track: “Compendium” (Apple/Spotify)

8) Paradise Lost, The Plague Within (Century Media Records)

Nominations for ‘Best Goth Metal’ come down to a 1 on 1 match of My Dying Bride vs. Paradise Lost. It genuinely shocks me to hear how well both of these guys have aged. From being the pioneers of the death/doom subgenre to their more modern refined emotive sound, the fourteenth LP in Paradise Lost’s discography snags first place in the category.

Favorite track: “An Eternity of Lies” (Spotify)