The Razor’s Edge – Album of the Year 2020

It's been an incredibly tough year for the music industry and who could have predicted we would be where we are right now this time last year?

Since, in the face of adversity the music has shone through, we've had incredible albums for incredible artists this year, making this years top ten harder than ever. Yet for me there was only one album that can top the list. Raging Speedhorn have gone from strength to strength over the last few years, line up changes have revitalised them and 'Hard To Kill' is a blinding album from the very start through the wonderful cover of 'Children of the Revolution' at the end.

It's been one hell of a year musically, the album release schedule has been packed with so much good music. And sadly I haven't been able to listen to it all. There's just not enough time in the day.

The stand out album for me, was by far and away, Those Damn Crows' 'Point of No Return'. The classic rock revival lives on and this bunch of ruffians are leading the way. I stumbled across them on their tour in January - live shows, remember them? From that point on I could not stop listening to the album, week on week no matter what I was listening to, I always went back to Point of No Return. It's is a future classic and the head of the class this year.

My boy's Raging Speedhorn also released a belter of an album, simply sublime, not to mention Desert Storm who album is fantastic. There was so much to chose from, and my top ten is just a small wedge of the new music on offer this year.

Cro-Mags – In the Beginning: Twenty-years and numerous pieces of legislation, alongside deep personal anguish and hardship has brought Harley to this position and In the Beginning is his proposition to the world. Filled with thick riffs and a huge rhythm section, this is the sound of a cross-over masterpiece. Utilising a host of styles from hardcore and metal to urban, the album blends it all to perfection.

Napalm Death – Throes of Joy from the Jaws of Defeatism: The Grandaddies of Grind return with their best album since… well, the last one. Napalm Death are one of those bands that, since the turn of the millennium, have been seemingly unable to release anything other than exceptional. You may have thought the angst and anger would have subsided by now, but looking at the chaos that is the world today, I think we’re in for many, many more quality Napalm releases.

Sepultura - Quadra: The four-part structure of this record allows Sepultura to revisit their historic styles, albeit filtered through the band’s 2020 sensibilities. Now, close to twenty-five years since the departure of Max and Sep still feel like they are a band having to prove themselves over and over again. Luckily, this means every new Sepultura release is a fired-up middle finger to the nay-sayers.

Fish – Weltschmerz: Literally translated as Word Pain, these ten tracks could well be the Big Man’s recording swansong. This feels like a album concerned with growing older and looking at the world through increasingly confused eyes. The hefty run-time is justified by the subject matter and the sheer quality of the songs on offer. Moving between dark and light, between epic and personal, between intense and fragile, Weltschmerz could well be Fish’s masterpiece – and that’s no mean-feat from the man who wrote Clutching at Straws.

My Dying Bride – The Ghost of Orion: Something of a continuation of 2015’s Feel the Misery in My Dying Bridge fusion of gothic elements from their original sound but have jettisoned the heavy use is death growls. The Ghost of Orion is a maturation of the band’s overall sound without attracting accusations of selling out or going soft. Listening to it feels like hearing a band whose melancholy is due to experience rather than supposition.

Ironed Out – We Move As One: This is an urban assault vehicle of a record with hardcore and hip-hop competing to tell their cautionary tales of the streets; all the while the metallic guitars crank out some heavy riffs. 2020 has been a phenomenal year for hardcore releases and, for me, Ironed Out comes out at the top of the pile.

Today Is the Day – No Good to Anyone: The band’s first album in six years is the cornucopia of styles and ideas you expect from Steve Austin. Mixing noise, sludge, prog, electronica and groove is the kind of challenging listen you know is coming from the band. More in the vein of a Swans album than the fury of Temple of the Morning Star, but a compelling listen from start to finish.

Katatonia – City Burials: As achingly wistful as anything the Swedes have released, City Burials is a fragile and emotional exploration of the human condition. A melancholic masterwork that drips with loss and regret, all played out against a musical canvas of absolute dark beauty.

Blood From the Soul – DSM-5: Twenty-seven years after Blood From the Soul’s debut, Shane Embury’s other-other-other side project is back, this time with Converge’s Jacob Bannon on vocals to deliver a pounding slice of grinding hardcore. Based around the concept of a dystopian future and the conflict between humanity and sentient machines, DSM-5 the sound of the end of civilisation.

Code Orange – Underneath: Underneath is the sound of the Matrix in meltdown. Furious, discordant, dissonant, this is like having a front row seat to a dreaming supercomputer. Ideas flow through the album with no apparent structure or firm place to sit, yet it all works together to create a challenging and unnerving journey.

This year and been rich and varied at the thrash end of things. Bands are adapting to the climate we have found ourselves in. The music this year has been incredible and the bands that I have omitted are testament to that. I have selected something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue. But I’ve got to say, one album has struck a chord with me that I have not felt for many years. The same feeling Obi Wan gets when Luke utters his name in Star Wars. Shrapnel’s 'Palace of the Insane' has been top of my charts since I first heard it. Its unbelievably good. And with 'The Might of Cygnes' they have a true thrash classic. Everyone has been playing catch up ever since, and nobody has come close.

All these albums are great and worth a listen, a bit eclectic maybe but all worth a listen. Some are from favourite bands like Static-X, Clutch and Mad Sin. Some are new favourite bands like Shrapnel, The Network. Mr Bungle is on this list because its my favourite album of the year the perfect blend of Faith No More, Anthrax and The Melvins what’s not to like.

Tomorrow's Rain - Hollow: Taking the classic doom death template and giving it their own unique style Yishai Swearts has guided Israel's Tomorrow's Rain to deliver a breathtakingly rich and dense album. With a collection of guest musicians including Kobi Fahri, Greg Mackintosh, Aaron Stainthorpe and Jeff Loomis this was always going to be a special album. Soaring leads excel and compliment the doomy dark melancholic passages perfectly. With a beautifully dark cover of Nick Caves 'The Weeping Song' this is a truly engaging and enthralling album.

Svalbard - When I Die, Will I Get Better?: One of the most exciting and relevant bands in heavy music right now Svalbard dish out a collection of punchy, hard hitting songs. Songs with important messages delivered with a punky shot to the arm. Brutally harsh growls take the lead one moment and at others dreamy and warm vocals are staggeringly beautiful. Shimmering shoegaze adding a lightness to the gnarly, blackened hardcore.

The Ocean - Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic: A sprawling post metal masterpiece. Multilayered, expansive and at times punishingly heavy. Phanerozoic II is a complete album.

Enslaved - Utgard: The prog metal trailblazers keep marching on their very individual and unique path. Like no one else, Enslaved prove heaviness can be achieved through feeling and atmosphere.

Pure Reason Revolution - Eupnea: Wonderful vocal harmonies, pop sensibilities, modern progressive rock that is so addictive. You get pulled into the clever song structures and then a crescendo utterly sideswipes you in its catchiness.

Mr Bungle - The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo: Riffs, riffs and more riffs. Galloping, head down unashamedely thrash metal. Stunning leadwork, punishing rhythm section and of course typically odd but perfect vocals. Its chaotic. Its Mr Bungle and It works brilliantly.

OHHMS - Close: One listen and the sludgy, doomy punky hookiness will get you. A dark album in theme but surprisingly uplifting in sound. Viscerally powerful in parts whilst still able to be an immersive and inspiring listen.

Devastator - Baptised in Blasphemy: A dirty, riveting and downright fun journey to the depths of hell. Dripping in attitude, rawness and classic inspiration this is a grimy thrash album that directs a nod to black metal and the classic pioneers of raw, primal metal. Its lightning fast 25 minutes will fly by but will be enough to lodge these proper metal songs firmly in your head.

Atarka - Sleeping Giant: A complete modern metal record. Effortlessly blending thrash, death, black, metalcore and doom and sounding relevant and of these times. Catchy, anthemic, aggressive and dark. Its got it all!

Bell Witch/Aerial Ruin - Stygian Bough Vol 1: Probably my least listened to on the list but which when I do it has such an impact. It's a difficult listen but yields so much. Crushing and sorrowful funeral doom. Beautiful delicate vocals from Eric Moggridge (Aerial Ruin) add a real bright contrast to the mournful, punishing music.