The Best Metal Albums of 2013, As Chosen by Metal Musicians Themselves — Part VIII
Every year, MetalSucks asks musicians from across the vast spectrum of the metalsphere (or, in a few cases, the almost-metalsphere) what their favorite albums of the year have been. Death metallers, thrash metallers, black metallers, stoners, grinders, and djenters alike graciously contributed lists to MS, and we’ll be running them in groups of four to five musicians at a time twice a day for the whole week.
Below, check out the eighth and final batch… we hope you enjoy seeing what some of metal’s heaviest hitters were into this year as much as we have!
Martin van Drunen, Pestilence, Asphyx, Hail of Bullets
1. Malignant Tumour – Overdose & Overdrive
02 – Coffins – The Fleshland
03 – The Brains – The Monster Within
04 – Sodom – Epitome of Torture
05 – Motörhead – Aftershock
06 – Bodyfarm – The Coming Scourge
07 – Witchburner – Bloodthirsty Eyes
08 – Revel In Flesh – Manifested Darkness
09 – Wound – Inhale the Void
10 – Carnal Ghoul – The Grotesque Vault
Topon Das, Fuck the Facts
Biipiigwan – Something for Everyone; Nothing for Anyone
Daiquiri – Sequel
Exhumed – Necrocracy
Antigama – Meteor
Meek Is Murder – Everything is Awesome Nothing Matters
Jucifer – позади волги нет никакой земли
The Sun Through A Telescope – I Die Smiling
KEN Mode – Entrench
Insurrection – Prototype
Trench – Circle of Shit / Ruffalo
Human Furnace, Ringworm
Here’s a few that stood out to me. In no particular order…
Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork
In my opinion, Queens took their biggest step into the “mainstream” yet with this record, but did it with style and grace. Clockwork is a very well conceived, well executed and highly addictive record. Hats off!!
Motorhead – Aftershock
Yet again, Motorhead put out another blast of high-volume, face melting rock n’ roll, as only they can do. This time they mixed in some “older” sounding era elements. Motorhead takes ANY band to school. So take some notes young rockers and see if you got the stones to do what Motorhead has done for almost 40 fucking years. It’s highly fucking doubtful. They are MOTORHEAD and they play ROCK N’ ROLL. HAIL LEMMY.
Black Sabbath – 13
So, here we are at the tail end of 2013 AD, and who’da thunk that Black Sabbath would on my “best of” list? Forty-three years after they released what may be one of the best debut albums of all-time, they release 13. Many things can be said about this record. I’ve heard negative things and I’ve heard positive things. But for me, I think this record smokes. If you say that Sabbath ripped-off Sabbath you might be right, but who fucking cares? These tunes are 100% pure SABBATH. Iommi still shreds and Geezer’s bass tone makes you want to shit your pants. Rick Rubin has a way of getting bands to capture some of their ancient sounds, does’t he? My only complaint is that Bill Ward isn’t on this record, as you can almost surely bet that this will be Sabbath’s final studio album and it would have been nice to see all four find a way to come together and go out as complete group. But that’s life. The fill-in Brad Wilk does a good job on drums, so I can let it pass, reluctantly. Sure, Ozzy doesn’t have the same pipes as he did over forty years ago — neither would you. But guess what? He’s OZZY and you’re not. So, not that I wish Ward, Iommi OR Ozzy to call it quits on anything (well maybe Ozzy, ha), but if this IS to be the final record from Black Sabbath, its truly a fitting and classy way to end a long and monstrously successful career. Good Job, Black Sabbath! You guys did pretty good for a bunch of long-haired weirdos from Birmingham.
