The only possible positive side to this miserable covid affair, for the past eighteen months or so, was the ample time musicians had to amp up their game and focus on their newer studio creations. The result: a slew of great rock & metal music is being unleashed upon mankind! My lust for melodic music has always carried over into the most extreme of the realm. I'm a strong believer that complex melodies will once again help promulgate rock/metal into the music's mainstream. One can only hope.
Choosing just the 10 best releases from the second quarter of 2021 wasn't an easy task. As usual, I pivoted my attention towards the undercards and the debutants, in order to pick the most promising albums that I feel represent best metal's current path. Here are 2021 Q2 Top 10 Metal Albums:
STEEL BEARING HAND
Slay in Hell
US
Released on April 2, 2021
Death/thrash metal
Sophomore album
DYRNWYN
Il Culto del Fuoco
Italy
Released on April 30, 2021
Epic/folk black metal
Sophomore album
CARDYNAL
Intro
Argentina
Released on May 4, 2021
Melodic/heavy metal, hard rock
Debut album
NIGHTSHADOW
Strike Them Dead
US
Released on May 7, 2021
Thrash/speed metal, power metal
Debut album
IMMORTAL SŸNN
Force of Habit
US
Released on May 7, 2021
Heavy metal
Sophomore album
Dan Baune's LOST SANCTUARY
Lost Sanctuary
Germany
Released on May 14, 2021
Melodic thrash/power metal
Debut album
ANCELOT
Rompe el Cristal
Venezuela
Released on May 14, 2021
Heavy/symphonic/power metal
Debut album
OSCENRAD
Beyond The Fells
UK
Released on May 28, 2021
Folk/pagan/melodic death metal
Debut album
EXTINCTCIDE
Woods of Fire
Spain
Released on June 17, 2021
Technical thrash metal
Debut album
NEONFLY
The Future, Tonight
UK
Released on June 18, 2021
Modern melodic/alternative/power metal
Studio album #3
© 2021 by Emil Chiru