7) Leprous, The Congregation (Inside Out)
Probably the dark horse of this list, I’d never given Leprous a listen before The Congregation. On my first listen, my first assessment was “Hey, this is good.” Then next day I wanted to put it on again. And then the next day. And the day after that. And the album just continued to grow on me more and more until I was like “Okay, this is actually great.” Superb songwriting and production are abound without resorting to the bombastic flashiness of the band’s contemporaries.
Key track: “The Flood”
6) Clutch, Psychic Warfare (Weathermaker)
There are albums that are good for driving. There are albums that are fun to sing along to on a road trip. And then there are albums like Psychic Warfare that make you want to floor it and turn the volume up so loud that the old lady in the car next to you can feel her seat shake. Clutch pick up where the celebrated Earth Rocker left off with an album that I believe is even better. I can’t think of many other songs that made me immediately want to go out and kick ass like the first few seconds of “X-Ray Visions” did. It’s a fun album and one you can’t help but love.
Key track: “Son of Virginia”
5) Between The Buried And Me, Coma Ecliptic (Metal Blade)
I’ve always enjoyed Between The Buried And Me, but sometimes I feel like they fall into the prog metal trap of getting a bit too long and noodly. Such was not the case with Coma Ecliptic, which, in my opinion, showcases some of the best songwriting the band has ever done. Everything feels just right on this album and it’s all tied together by a concept that keeps you intrigued, but doesn’t feel forced or awkward like other such albums. “Memory Place” in particular is one of the best songs in the band’s expanding repertoire.
Key track: “Memory Place”
4) Iron Maiden, The Book of Souls (BMG)
I’ve been a complete and total Maiden fanboy since I was fourteen years old, so obviously I was instantly hyped when their first album in five years was announced. In the time since The Final Frontier, my musical tastes have grown both inside and outside of metal. Some bands that I once loved I now listen to with slightly less gusto. And yet, hearing The Book of Souls felt like coming home from the rocking fun of “Speed of Light” to the unconventional but grand epic “Empire of the Clouds.” With album sixteen, Maiden prove they’re still titans in the genre of heavy metal.
Key track: “The Red and the Black”
