Well, thankfully 2020 is coming to a close. Good riddance. And while the year itself was awful, the music wasn’t. Lots of great records in 2020 and I listened to a lot of them while staring into the backyard. Here are my top 20 records for 2020. Register your complaints in the comments section like it’s 2016.

 

20)  Sweven, The Eternal Resonance (Ván Records)

Key Track: “By Virtue of a Promise”

 

 

 

 

19) Draconian, Under a Godless Veil (Napalm Records)

Key Track: “Lustrous Heart”

 

 

 

 

18) Naglfar, Cerecloth (Century Media Records)

Key Track: “Last Breath of Yggdrasil”

 

 

 

 

17) Mork Gryning, Hinsides Vrede (Season of Mist)

Key Track: “Faltherren”

 

 

 

 

16) Acarash, Descend to Purity (Dark Essence Records)

Key Track: “Descend to Purity”

 

 

 

 

15) Dark Fortress, Spectres from the Old World (Century Media Records)

Key Track: “Coalessence”

 

 

 

 

14) Ulfven, Bland aska och sten (Self)

Key Track: “Skarselden”

 

 

 

 

13) Napalm Death, Throes of Joy in the Dawn of Defeatism (Century Media Records)

Key Track: “Contagion”

 

 

 

 

12) Mr. Bungle, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny (Ipecac Recordings)

Key Track: “Eracist”

 

 

 

 

11) Testament, Titans of Creation, (Nuclear Blast)

Key Track: “Night of the Witch”