1. Enslaved – Axioma Ethica Odini
These Norwegians succeeded in fusing classic black metal with the progressive ideas they’ve nurtured since their album Below The Lights, resulting in an instant classic which will undoubtedly be considered a milestone in both Norwegian and international heavy metal for many years to come.
2. Kylesa – Spiral Shadow
The Southerners have been long considered as one of Mastodon‘s baby siblings. But now they’ve joined the big leagues, fusing their sludge with the melancholy of The Cure and the desperation of Pixies.
3. Agalloch – Marrow Of The Spirit
I was late to discover this magnificent album, only reading about them in other year-end lists. Perfecting their mix of epic darkness, black metal and post rock, Agalloch would’ve definetely challenged Enslaved as the best band of 2010 had I discovered them earlier in the year.
4. Triptykon – Eparistera Daimones
Thomas Gabriel Fischer left Celtic Frost after completing the amazing Monotheist, but luckily he’s kept hold of the thunder. Triptykon‘s debut is a scary and incendiary vision of what heavy metal can evolve into during the next few years.
5. Altar Of Plagues – Tides
This Irish band fused industrial rock with black metal and their previous album, White Tomb, was defined as a modern classic by many critics. With this 35-minute EP filled with apocalyptic soundscapes and utter darkness, they feel like the genre’s new wonder boys.
6. Alcest – Écailles De Lune
This record got a bit of shelf time before I discovered it; having it only in digital format on my iPod. But in the winter darkness, this French masterpiece seduced me with their shoegazing black metal.
7. US Christmas – Run Thick In The Night
I’ve been listening to USX for quite some time, and had high expectations as I sat down to listen to their newest opus—I was not to be disappointed. Run Thick In The Night has everything: garage rock, mountain country music, and doom metal all rolled into one.
8. Ghost – Opus Eponymous
Is it possible that a witch cult from the Swedish forests can release one of the best heavy metal releases in 2010? Oh yes, they’ve made a headnodding homage to the prince of darkness, and they’ve found a sweet spot in the twilight zone between Black Sabbath and their fellow countrymen, Witchcraft.
9. Horseback – The Invisible Mountain
This album danced into my life as summer turned yellow. It’s laid-back soundscapes of droning doom metal and psychedelia works just as perfectly as both a sofa soundtrack, and the sounds of a walk through the city streets. Horseback is a strong rival to OM‘s transcendental chants.
10. Year Of No Light – Ausserwelt
This French ensemble released one of the great metal records in ’06. Then they fired their singer and started all over again, now sounding like a completely different band. Their instrumental post-rock and blackened doom feels like an orchestral apocalypse.
11. Electric Wizard – Black Masses
Their album Dopethrone is considered one of the previous decade’s most important heavy metal records. This year they’ve made a more accessible album without losing their sense of doom, and shows a band setting themselves up as contenders for the European metal throne.
12. Twilight – Monument To Time End
This album almost sounded too good to be true—a supergroup of American black metal assisted by underground icons Sanford Parker and Aaron Turner. Twilight refuses to be categorized, but still hints at blackened metal, industrial, ambient and rock noir.
13. Kollwitz – Like Iron I Rust
Kollwitz has finally given the Norwegians a band to challenge groups such as Cult Of Luna and Rosetta. Like Iron I Rust is highly satisfying muscular melancholy, with some of the most beautiful packaging of the year.
14. Kvelertak – Kvelertak
I really liked this album as soon as I put it on the turntable, but got hooked as I saw them explode as the intimate Garage venue in Oslo. It’s hard as nails, catchy, and graced by John Baizley’s unmistakable artwork.
15. Nachtmystium – Addicts: Black Meddle, Pt II
These Americans, together with Wolves In The Throne Room, made me really notice stateside black metal. The album looks to the future, turning their black metal into accessible heavy metal without losing any strength on the way.
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