Too Soon? Kip Wingerschmidt’s Best of 2013… So Far

In my many years residing in the Wingerschmidt Wing of the MetalSucks Mansion I don’t think I’ve ever done one of these before. Normally by this time of the year I don’t have nearly enough releases on my list yet (yes, of course I play ketchup as the year progresses), so either the first half of this year was particularly stronger than usual, or perhaps I’m finally keeping up with my esteemed colleagues.

I’m guessing the ladder.

Alice in Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Anciients – Heart of Oak
ASG – Blood Drive
Black Sabbath – 13
Cult of Luna – Vertikal
Deafheaven – Sunbather
The Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us is the Killer
Intronaut – Habitual Levitations
Kvelertak – Meir
Kylesa – Ultraviolet
Mouth of the Architect – Dawning
The Ocean – Pelagial
Palms – S/T
Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork
Revocation – S/T

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the name of Deafheaven’s new album as Blood Drive. It is Sunbather.