2013 was a lean, mean, headbangin’ machine of a year! The amount of veteran acts who came out swinging is nothing short of staggering, with one in particular stealing the year by a landslide, and after a multi-decade dormancy no less. That isn’t to say there weren’t new hard and heavy acts killing it as well, a handful of whom dropped albums in 2013 that are now considered to be “classics” by today’s young metallists. Talk about an eye opener for this 25 year old curmudgeon, who bought all of these upon their release with his hard earned allowance. Without further ado, here’s our Top 10 Metal Albums of 2013.
10. Tribulation – The Formulas of Death
What do you do after dropping the greatest ’90s Swedish death metal worship album since Repugnant’s Epitome of Darkness? Do a complete 180 to screw with everyone’s heads, of course! That’s exactly what Tribulation did, coming off as more Opeth than Opeth on their anything but a sophomore slump, The Formulas of Death. While Opeth were busy paying homage to their early ’70s prog roots (and have been ever since), Tribulation masterfully blurred the line between death and black metal, with progressive flourishes and psychedelic outbursts only further throwing us for a twist. Tribulation would revisit this formula again on 2015’s The Children of the Night (more on that later), before ultimately assuming their final form as Sweden’s resident goth metal purveyors come the late ’10s.4
9. Queensrÿche – Queensrÿche
The early ’10s were a turbulent time to be a Queensrÿche fan. After years of tension between singer Geoff Tate and the rest of the band, things finally came to a head in 2012, resulting in one of the nastiest public divorces in metal history. For a time, there were even two Queensrÿches, although Tate’s incarnation was “Queensrÿche” in name only: An all-star band specializing in bland modern rock for mass consumption. Meanwhile, after being held musically hostage by Tate for the better part of two decades, the rest of the band teamed up with Crimson Glory singer Todd La Torre and returned back to their progressive metal roots. While Queensrÿche isn’t of the same caliber as the band’s ’80s and early ’90s heyday, it was certainly a step in the right direction, setting the stage for one of the all time great heavy metal comebacks.
8. In Solitude – Sister
In Solitude were quite the strange breed when they hit the scene in the late ’00s. Lying somewhere between the occult metal traditionalism of Mercyful Fate and brooding ’80s goth rock, the Swedes quickly became darlings of metalheads, hipsters, and journalists alike. All this hype reached a groundswell in 2013 with the release of their third and final album, Sister. Doubling down on the doom and gloom side of things, Sister is a haunting affair, flirting with devilishly catchy melodies, ominous guitar riffage, and bleak atmosphere more characteristic of a Cure album than say Enforcer. Had they stuck together, there’s no telling what further heights they could’ve reached. I guess we’ll have to hold out for the eventual Maryland Deathfest reunion slot to find out!
7. Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance
Darkthrone’s evolution from ’90s black metal’s premiere act to a sort of filthy blackened speed/crust amalgamation took many by surprise. Their output from this oft forgotten era is hailed by purists, yet largely panned by the masses, and while I feel it’ll one day get its due à la Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, that’s another rant for another day. The point being, Darkthrone’s metalpunk era ended on an absolute high note with the release of The Underground Resistance. Fusing blackened speed hell with epic themes and traditional metal musicianship, The Underground Resistance still stands as one of the most unique entries in Darkthrone’s storied canon, channeling the metalpunk adventurism of prime English Dogs. As much as I enjoy the Sabbath meets Hellhammer trudge of recent releases, one can’t help but secretly hope for a part 2 to Resistance!
6. Autopsy – The Headless Ritual
Those who thought Autopsy’s 2011 reunion album, Macabre Eternal, was a one off thought horrendously wrong. The death metal demigods kept the devastation and derangement going strong with reunion album #2, The Headless Ritual. Having not lost any steam, Autopsy continued to brutalize and bludgeon maniacs young and old, leaving no survivors in their wake. Yet again, the rabid beasts of death and doom wrestle for absolute domination, as they do on every Autopsy album. Add to that suffocating atmosphere, grotesque lyricism, and gut-wrenching riffage, and you’ve got the best death metal album of 2013 by a landslide.
5. Motörhead – Aftershock
In the summer of 2012, Motörhead spent the better part of the summer slaving away on the amphitheater circuit as part of the then annual Mayhem Festival. Playing alongside such “esteemed” acts of the day as The Devil Wears Prada, Upon a Burning Body, and Asking Alexandria, I can’t help but think a summer on the road with these mallcore primadonnas fueled Lemmy to write an album that taught these kids what rock n’ roll was TRULY about. Hence Aftershock was born! Look, I’ve never met a Motörhead album I didn’t like, but there’s a piss and vinegar to this album that gives it a distinct edge. This isn’t to say the albums leading up to Aftershock were a disappointment (far from it). However, in the pantheon that is Motörhead’s catalog, this was easily their strongest since 2006’s Kiss of Death.
4. Saxon – Sacrifice
Most bands upon reaching their 20th album come off as tired, drained of musical ideas and merely fulfilling a contract they regretted signing two albums ago. Not Saxon! Having already hit the ground running in 2011 with Call to Arms, Saxon managed to keep the “Solid Ball of Rock” rolling, making the ’10s their decade with an even stronger album in Sacrifice. Whether it be the high speed “Warriors of the Road”, dramatic “Night of the Wolf”, or intimidating title track, Sacrifice is pure Saxon from start to finish, and still as invigorating as ever. Whatever fountain of youth they’re drinking out of, I’d sure like a sip!
3. Enforcer – Death by Fire
Saxon weren’t the only traditional metal band kicking ass and taking names in 2013. So were Enforcer, who were riding high on a hot streak of albums that have since come to define the so-called NWOTHM. Although 2010’s Diamonds will forever be their masterpiece, its follow up, Death by Fire, is no slouch either, making it all the way up to #3 on this here list. Whereas Diamonds is a well rounded collection of songs drawing from a well of speed metal and NWOBHM influences, Death by Fire turns up the heat, doubling down on the speed side of the spectrum. One is in dire need of a neck brace after being subjected to the likes of “Death Rides This Night”, “Run for Your Life”, and “Satan”.
2. Power Trip – Manifest Decimation
Back in 2013, nobody could’ve anticipated that a crossover band from Texas would change the entire course of metal and punk for the rest of the decade. And yet, here we are. When Power Trip unleashed their debut album, Manifest Decimation, upon an unsuspecting public, thrash was dominated by a “devil may care” attitude that placed getting wasted first and crafting memorable riffs second. Power Trip scoffed at such juvenile antics, opting instead to coalesce the misanthropy of Reign in Blood era Slayer with the hard-nosed streetwise demeanor of Cro-Mags, Madball, and other NYHC titans. The end result has been often imitated, but never duplicated. Manifest Decimation is a little over 30 minutes of rage at its absolute purest and most lethal, a display of force trumped only by…
- Satan – Life Sentence
As you well know by now, reunion albums can go one of two ways with virtually no in between. You’ll have your bands who are able to pick up right where they left off, as if no time had passed at all (i.e. Deep Purple, Celtic Frost). And then you’ll have bands who miserably fumble the ball, leaving the fans wondering, “Why the hell did this even happen?” Thankfully, NWOBHM legends Satan fall into the former category, releasing a full blown masterpiece in Life Sentence. That’s right, I said it: A masterpiece!
30 years since they took the underground by storm with the brilliant Court in the Act, the band’s original lineup reconvened and rekindled that ancient metal magic with ease. Not only does every song on here sound straight out of the early ’80s, but is of the same musical caliber as well. Seriously, if you thought Saxon were ageless, wait until you hear modern day Satan. Lucky for us, these cult heroes have been going strong ever since, and coincidentally just announced a brand new album today, Songs in Crimson. While I’m confident that album will crack our 2024 year end list, for now, we celebrate Satan ruling supreme in 2013.
Honorable Mentions
- Immolation – Kingdom of Conspiracy
- Krokus – Dirty Dynamite
- Manilla Road – Mysterium
- Sodom – Epitome of Torture
- Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry of Consciousness