2024 Albums

[Jamesman42]

That's a lot of albums   


But for real, let's start listing our favorite albums so far. What are liking from this year?

I'd also love if some of you listed your favorite songs so far. Trying to explore some more stuff with not much time to explore.


Favorite album is either The Pineapple Thief or Kyros.

[twosuitsluke]

I didn't want to be the one to start the thread again this year, so thank you, it makes me feel a little less obsessed about ranking!

You want everything I've got so far?

[lonestar]

Top contenders...

Nemophila - Evolve
Caligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace

Nemophila has a slight edge, definitely the bands strongest performance to date

Might as well keep a running tally of all the others...

- Gacharic Spin- Ace

[Jamesman42]

Give me the songs!

[nick_z]

As we are closing in on the end of the first quarter, in no order whatsoever, here are some of the albums I've enjoyed so far:

Mega Colossus - Showdown
Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart
Ihsahn - Ihsahn
Transit Method - Othervoid
Eternal Storm - A Giant Bound to Fall
Judas Priest - Invincible Shield
Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
Counting Hours - The Wishing Tomb
Lord Dying - Clandestine Transcendence
Dissimulator - Lower Form Resistance
Borknagar - Fall
Chapel of Disease - Echoes of Light
Illumishade - Another Side of You
Christopher Sawyer - Together Nowhere, Alone Elsewhere
Ponte Del Diavolo - Fire Blades From the Tomb
Big Big Train - The Likes of Us
Noor - Mother's Guilty Pleasure

There are a few more I haven't spent enough time with yet...might update this in a couple of weeks...

[HOF]

So far, only one new album in 2024 for me. If anything knocks it out of my album of the year spot it will be a good year.

1. Big Big Train - The Likes of Us

[SoundscapeMN]

Here's my ongoing 2024 Songs of the Year list on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0eTUUSEO1XfoX3gfBNLgYe

although it doesn't include music not on Spotify like Vennart, The Kind City and The Pneumatic Transit among some others.

[lonestar]

Give me the songs!

Favorite song of the year by far...

https://youtu.be/96LQimRqJgM?si=eqH3TQ-i-RvBTZmc

[twosuitsluke]

OK, here's my work in progress Top 50 of the year so far...

1. Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs
2. Ihsahn - Ihsahn
3. Green Day - Saviors
4. Judas Priest - Invincible Shield
5. Caligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace
6. Vennart - Forgiveness & The Grain
7. Toehider - Toad Hirer
8. Mad Caddies - Arrows Room 117
9. Dragonforce - Warp Speed Warriors
10. Exocrine - Legend
11. Yellowcard & Hammock - A Hopeful Sign
12. Slower - Slower
13. ALMO - Reconciliation
14. Sonata Arctica - Clear Cold Beyond
15. Slimelord - Chytridiomycosis Relinquished
16. Artificial Language - Distant Glow
17. Boris/Coalter (split) - Hello There
18. Triton Project - Messenger's Quest
19. Borknagar - Fall
20. Chapel of Disease - Echoes of Light
21. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Of the Last Human Being
22. Mean Messiah - In Infinite Illusion
23. Enterprise Earth - Death: An Anthology
24. VLTIMAS - EPIC 
25. Mountain Caller - Chronicle II: Hypergenesis
26. Yin Yin - Mount Matsu
27. Night Verses - Every Sound Has a Color in the Valley of Night
28. Big Scenic Nowhere - The Waydown
29. Persefone - Lingua Ignota: Part I
30. Notochord - Aegis
31. Exhorder - Defectum Omnium
32. At the Plates - Omnivore
33. Stellar Remains - Wastelands
34. Griffon - De Republica
35. Ὁπλίτης - Π​α​ρ​α​μ​α​ι​ν​ο​μ​έ​ν​η
36. Cave Sermon - Divine Laughter
37. Ministry - HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
38. Albion - Lakesongs of Elbid
39. Slope - Freak Dreams
40. Dissimulator - Lower Form Resistance
41. Kyros - Mannequin
42. Job for a Cowboy - Moon Healer
43. Bipolar Architecture - Metaphysicize
44. Aborted - Vault of Horrors
45. Alestorm - Voyage of the Dead Marauder
46. Myrath - Karma
47. Austrian Death Machine - Quad Brutal
48. Counting Hours - The Wishing Tomb
49. Skeletal Remains - Fragments of the Ageless
50. The Pineapple Thief - It Leads To This

I'll add my top songs shortly.

Edit: Here's a link to my favourite songs playlist.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tiTICJnGC4Fdv4tA3ciBZ?si=GQGhXlgfS-OoRpsD9MjrRw&pi=e-Gr_D1f8ZT9ef

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Albums:

*Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She - darkwave/post-industrial/trip-hop
*Counting Hours - The Wishing Tomb - death doom/gothic metal
Darkest Hour - Perpetual | Terminal - melodeath/melodic metalcore
*Dirt Poor Robins - Firebird - progressive art/synthpop
GosT - Prophecy - dark/horror synth
*Illumishade - Another Side of You - alt/prog/symphonic metal
Isenordal - Requiem For Eirene - folky/atmospheric black/doom metal
Judas Priest - Invincible Shield - heavy metal
Loreena McKennitt - The Road Back Home - Celtic folk/new age
Lucifer - Lucifer V - psychedelic hard rock/heavy metal
Manticora - Mycelium - prog/power/thrash metal
Nick Johnston - Child of Bliss - instrumental progressive rock
Norah Jones - Visions - soul/jazz pop
*Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers - progressive/contemporary singer-songwriter/country
Sonata Arctica - Clear Cold Beyond - power metal
Suldusk - Anthesis - ethereal/dark folk/blackgaze

*strongest contenders so far

Songs:

Chelsea Wolfe - "House of Self-Undoing"
Counting Hours - "A Mercy Fall"
Dirt Poor Robins - "You'll Never See Me Coming"
Lucifer - "Riding Reaper"
Sarah Jarosz - "Columbus & 89th"

[ariich]

Ok seeing as we're coming up on 3 months, I guess I'll do a favourites so far list. I don't generally think in terms of individual songs but I'll pick out a few that stand out to me]!

Top tier albums:
1. Toehider - Toad Hirer EP [prog rock/metal; song: the whole thing, it's just one 19-min epic ]
2. Borknagar - Fall [prog metal/melodic black metal; songs: Moon & Northward]
3. Caligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace [prog metal; song: The Charcoal Grace suite (especially parts III and IV)]
4. Persefone - Lingua ignota: Part I EP [prog metal/melodic death metal; song: The Equable]

Also excellent:
5. The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy [indie rock/baroque pop; song: The Feminine Urge]
6. Kyros - Mannequin [poppy synth prog; songs: Esoterica & The End in Mind]
7. Everything Everything - Mountainhead [indie pop]
8. Big Big Train - The Likes of Us [prog rock]
9. Gacharic Spin - Ace EP [Q: What genre is Gacharic Spin? A: Yes]
10. Infected Mushroom - REBORN [electronic/psytrance]
11. Caravan Palace - Gangbusters Melody Club [electroswing; song: Mirrors]
12. Nemophila - Evolve [alternative metal]
13. Hamferð - Men guðs hond er sterk [doom metal]
14. Myrath - Karma [symphonic metal]
15. The Longest Johns - Voyage [folk; song: White Frontier]
16. Ihsahn - Ihsahn [prog metal/black metal/avant garde; song: Blood Trails To Love]
17. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Of the Last Human Being [avant-garde metal]
18. glass beach - Plastic Death [indie/prog]
19. Artificial Language - Distant Glow EP [prog metal]
20. Eternal Storm - A Giant Bound to Fall [melodic death metal]
21. Sonata Arctica - Clear Cold Beyond [power metal]
22. Green Day - Saviors [pop punk]

[lonestar]

9. Gacharic Spin - Ace EP [Q: What genre is Gacharic Spin? A: Yes]

Ain't that the fucking truth...

[emtee]

Only 2 so far, both excellent.

Priest - Invincible Shield
Out Of Darkness - S/T debut. Outstanding metal album with some nice diversity.

[TAC]

Through the first quarter, I'd go something like this..

Noor-Mother's Guilty Pleasure Part One
Lord Goblin-s/t
Judas Priest-Invincible Shield
Blaze Bayley-Circle Of Stone
A Circle Of Wonders-III: The Sparrow & The Architect
Saxon-Hell, Fire, & Damnation
Defenent-Blind Guides Of The Blind
Bruce Dickinson-The Mandrake Project
Slight Lie-From Caroline...With Hate
Mega Colossus-Showdown

[Jamesman42]

@everyone who posted songs, thank you, I'll be filtering through it in the coming weeks

[TAC]

@everyone who posted songs, thank you, I'll be filtering through it in the coming weeks

Oh, I didn't post any songs..

My SOTY so far is Noor-Hills Of Qartaba
https://open.spotify.com/track/7qzlpNTWSm7OPVs6lxHe5J?si=51a0b38f5e8141c4

[billboy73]

As we are closing in on the end of the first quarter, in no order whatsoever, here are some of the albums I've enjoyed so far:


Dissimulator - Lower Form Resistance
Borknagar - Fall
Chapel of Disease - Echoes of Light

Those are 3 of my favorite things I've heard so far.  I still am really hooked on that Dissimulator album.

Also, Dizgo - Melt, Vennart - Forgiveness & the Grain, Skeletal Remains - Fragments of the Ageless, Persefone - Lingua Ignota

[The Letter M]

While I've only had about 4 or 5 new albums so far this year, the clear front-runner for me has to be the new Big Big Train, The Likes Of Us, and especially the songs "Beneath The Masts" and "Miramare", but also "Love Is The Light". It's just a stunning album across the board for me.

The only other albums from 2024 that I've gotten and/or heard so far are Bela Fleck's Rhapsody In Blue, Jimmy Keegan's self-titled debut, The Aristocrats' Duck, and a preview version of The Tangent's upcoming album To Follow Polaris.

-Marc.

[DoctorAction]

Everything Everything - Mountainhead
Judas Priest - Invincible Shield
Julian Lage - Speak To Me
Cloud People - Simulacra

Thanking yous for the Kyros mentions. That is sounding proper.

[Crow]

2024's been slow to start for me but at the same time, The Median's Ark by Roxy Radclyffe is already my immediate AOTY lock and nothing's going to top it. that's the only album i've really cared about this year

[nick_z]

OK, here's my work in progress Top 50 of the year so far...

15. Slimelord - Chytridiomycosis Relinquished

Lots of good stuff...I have recently checked this one out and it intrigued me. Pretty cool take on death metal.

Through the first quarter, I'd go something like this..

Noor-Mother's Guilty Pleasure Part One
Lord Goblin-s/t

Mega Colossus-Showdown

Noor and Mega Colossus are so good (by the way, have you checked out their previous records? Some excellent stuff all around. They look like a goofy bunch, but the tunes are nothing but). Still have to try Lord Goblin. Your description of it tickled my interest, for sure.

Chelsea Wolfe - "House of Self-Undoing"

One of my favorites from the album too, along with Tunnel Lights (and many others, truthfully )

[Jamesman42]

Favorite song of the year by far...

https://youtu.be/96LQimRqJgM?si=eqH3TQ-i-RvBTZmc

Started my exploration with this since it was a single song, the harder parts sound great, maybe a little like nu-metal or that sort of metal from the early 2000s. Good stuff.

[lonestar]

Started my exploration with this since it was a single song, the harder parts sound great, maybe a little like nu-metal or that sort of metal from the early 2000s. Good stuff.

Yeah, it's just such an infectiously upbeat and positive track, I probably crank it daily in my car, full volume and singing along. Just love it, it's a literal musical happy pill.

[Kram]

While I've only had about 4 or 5 new albums so far this year, the clear front-runner for me has to be the new Big Big Train, The Likes Of Us, and especially the songs "Beneath The Masts" and "Miramare", but also "Love Is The Light". It's just a stunning album across the board for me.

The only other albums from 2024 that I've gotten and/or heard so far are Bela Fleck's Rhapsody In Blue, Jimmy Keegan's self-titled debut, The Aristocrats' Duck, and a preview version of The Tangent's upcoming album To Follow Polaris.

-Marc.

Miramare is one of the best songs I've heard in a long time! Some real magic happening in that one.  But agreed, the album is stunning. 

I probably should've posted this in the Big Big Train thread instead lol

[RoeDent]

It's gonna take something truly special to stop Kyros' Mannequin from being my AOTY. It's not even a contest.

[TAC]

Noor and Mega Colossus are so good (by the way, have you checked out their previous records? Some excellent stuff all around. They look like a goofy bunch, but the tunes are nothing but). Still have to try Lord Goblin. Your description of it tickled my interest, for sure.

I have not checked out the earlier Mega Colossus, but I will.
Yeah, don't forget about the Lord Goblin!

[nick_z]

I have not checked out the earlier Mega Colossus, but I will.
Yeah, don't forget about the Lord Goblin!

Their 2021 album, Riptime, is pretty great…perhaps a tad heavier than Showdown, but very much in that style.

[TAC]

I have not checked out the earlier Mega Colossus, but I will.
Yeah, don't forget about the Lord Goblin!

Their 2021 album, Riptime, is pretty great…perhaps a tad heavier than Showdown, but very much in that style.

On it!

Ooh, sounds nice!

[PixelDream]

Spectral Voice - Sparagmos
Judas Priest - Invincible Shield
The Smile - Wall of Eyes
Job for a Cowboy - Moon Healer

These stand out to me so far.

[Nachtmerrie]

Early standouts:

Spectral Voice - Sparagmos
Borknagar - Fall
Illumishade - Another Side of You
Suldusk - Anthesis - ethereal/dark folk/blackgaze
Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
Bipolar Architecture - Metaphysicize
Ihsahn - Ihsahn
Caligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace
Vipassi - Ligthless
Eitrin - Eitrin

[emtee]

Here's a song via request for songs. One of my favorites from the Out Of Darkness album.

https://youtu.be/VbtNIZ9Gkkw?si=D0x78FvY-JJXJ7MP

[jingle.boy]

Is this basically James' No-Limit Roulette v4.

[Jamesman42]

No lol











































































yes

[Jamesman42]

Here's a song via request for songs. One of my favorites from the Out Of Darkness album.

https://youtu.be/VbtNIZ9Gkkw?si=D0x78FvY-JJXJ7MP

I don't see this on Spotify, but otherwise this was pretty great (and a powerful video too).

Also caught me off guard since we just did a worship version of it for Easter at my church, not the same song but the same name.

[ronnibran]

Only new album I've listened to from 2024 has been pretty good for me.  Neal Morse - The Restoration: Joseph Pt 2

As much as I'd rather have new Neal Morse Band material, this one is really good.  I don't really have interest in Neal's singer/songwriter stuff, but this one hit the spot.  Easily better (to my ears) than his last couple of prog solo releases (Sola Gratia, Jesus Christ the Exorcist).  Joseph Pt 1 is great too.