It’s Christmas time and that can only mean one thing. Here are numbers 20 to 11 in my Top 20 Albums of 2018.
You can click here to find the second half of my 2018 list, along with Dave Musson’s Top 20, and listen to our AOTY podcast special to hear us talking about our album choices and interviewing the artist at the top of our lists.
We’ve also put our favourite songs from each album on our 2018 Spotify playlist, and I’ve pulled together a thumping playlist of my favourite 50 songs of the year.
But let’s get on with it, shall we?
20. Candy – Good To Feel (Triple B Records)
So you want an album that runs in, kicks you in the bollocks, laughs in your face, and then leaves? Be careful what you wish for. [Spotify]
19. The Black Queen – Infinite Games (The Black Queen)
The LA electro loverboys have followed up their stellar debut with something a little different, but every bit as impressive. [Spotify]
18. Oceans Of Slumber – The Banished Heart (Century Media Records)
Winter gave me chills but The Banished Heart is the record that really made me connect with Oceans Of Slumber. Utterly enthralling. [Spotify]
17. Body Void – I Live Inside A Burning House (Crown and Throne/Dry Cough)
The previous record from the Bay Area sludgy doom crew made us long for a follow-up, and the new Body Void album slaps. [Spotify]
16. Bleeding Through – Love Will Kill All (SHARPTONE)
Goth-tinged, riffy metalcore with songwriting chops up the yingyang and groove for days. Don’t mind if I do; welcome back, Bleeding Through. [Spotify]
15. Night Club – Scary World (Gato Blanco)
You’ll find a lot of albums on this list that I think would be pop music if pop music hadn’t gotten so utterly shit, but this is the only pop album. Oh, but it’s goth as fuck. [Spotify]
14. Anaal Nathrakh – A New Kind Of Horror (Metal Blade Records)
do do clack a clack a clack a clack a ding click click do do do doooo do do do do! Anaal Nathrakh. My new favourite band and this album was my starting point. Birmingham represent. [Spotify]
13. Rolo Tomassi – Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It (Holy Roar Records)
This album has it all, but its ace in the pack is its ability to stir up any emotion it pleases at the drop of a hat. Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It is sensational. [Spotify]
12. Vein – Errorzone (Closed Casket Activities)
I’ve been looking forward to a Vein record since hearing their rather more necro earlier work, and I wasn’t expecting this. I like it. [Spotify]
11. Ghost – Prequelle (Lorna Vista Recordings)
I’ve slowly come to respect Ghost but even Meliora never quite grabbed me. Prequelle has. It’s got ‘Faith’, ‘Rats’ and a bunch of other ragers. How could it not? [Spotify]
