Metalcatto
This is my weirdest top to date. Some albums can’t be easily pinned to a single label—not because they’re musically bizarre (though that happens, too), but because they combine subgenres so effortlessly that they feel like their own category. This list celebrates that creativity, highlighting some of the most inventive albums of the year. Let’s dive in!
5. Veilburner – The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom
Category: Best Black/Death Mix
Veilburner has always defied easy classification, straddling the line between Death and Black Metal. On The Duality, the band perfects this balance, creating a seamless flow between primal Black Metal’s raw energy and Death Metal’s crushing complexity. The result is an album that feels both chaotic and purposeful. While some might argue it fits the Avant-Garde mold, The Duality remains firmly grounded, keeping the visceral intensity of extreme Metal at its core. Few bands manage to blend these ancient styles with such mastery.
4. Vredehammer – God Slayer
Category: Best Black/Thrash Mix
At first listen, God Slayer might seem like a straightforward Black Metal album. But the more you dig in, the more its Thrash underpinnings reveal themselves. The dry, aggressive riffs and uninhibited energy owe as much to Thrash as to Black Metal’s grim atmospherics. This fusion creates a relentless experience that feels both raw and epic. It’s a quest powered by some of the most electrifying riffs of the year, making it a standout in a relatively quiet year for Black/Thrash Metal.
3. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Opera
Category: Best Death/Symphonic Mix
The competition in Death Metal this year was fierce, but Opera shines by taking Fleshgod Apocalypse’s symphonic mastery to dramatic new heights. This album fuses blistering Technical Death Metal with symphonic bombast in a way that feels entirely cohesive. Unlike traditional operas, Opera never drags or feels overstuffed. It’s high-energy, theatrical, and always entertaining—a testament to the band’s ability to marry extreme Metal with grandeur without losing its edge.
2. Borknagar – Fall
Category: Best Black/Folk Mix
Fall is a triumph of atmosphere and emotion. Blending Folk Metal’s epic melodies with Black Metal’s brooding intensity, Borknagar crafts a sound that feels both grounded in tradition and fresh in execution. This is more than music—it’s a journey. Each track immerses you in a world of heroism and self-discovery, making you feel like the protagonist of an epic tale. Fall is proof that, even in a genre sometimes dismissed as cheesy, there’s room for depth and creativity.
1. Oxygen Destroyer – Guardian of the Universe
Category: Best Death/Thrash Mix
Sometimes, you’ve just got to follow your instincts. Guardian of the Universe captures the raw attitude of Thrash Metal and supercharges it with Death Metal’s ferocity. The result is an album as chaotic and exhilarating as a kaiju battle. While Thrash may have had a quieter year overall, this album roars loudly enough to make up for it. It’s relentless, cosmic, and absolutely neck-breaking—what more could you ask for?
If you’re an eclectic Metalhead, this list was made for you. These albums prove that genre boundaries are meant to be pushed and redefined. Which ones will make your top list? Let’s keep the conversation going—and don’t forget to give these works of art a listen!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 