Musical year in review: 10 Best metal albums of 2018
In a year of eclectic album releases, the metalverse also followed suit this year and unleashed a wide-ranging spread of albums, much to the delight of headbangers around the world. As the musical landscape incorporates more experimental sounds and morphs into something wholly new, metal acts, which are traditionally slow to give in to change, also broke barriers by adopting unconventional elements into their sound.
While several legends like Judas Priest and Behemoth reclaimed their status as the genre's flagbearers this year, fresher acts like Zeal & Ardor pushed the boundaries of the genre by challenging traditional themes. There were also plenty of exciting comebacks and a few eyebrow-raising left turns, while others doubled down on their pre-established sound with relentless defiance. Before we gear up for a slew of big metal releases in 2019, including the new Tool album (hopefully) and albums from Rammstein, Slipknot and Megadeth, let's take a moment to acknowledge some of the most exciting metal releases of the year that was.
