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  • Writer's pictureEmil

2022 TOP 100 TRAD METAL ALBUMS

Vintage doom to power metal, mostly traditional heavy metal!

This is the result of countless hours spent listening to these albums. Hundreds upon hundreds of hours. Last year must be remembered in the annals of rock and metal as one of the greatest, if not the greatest in the last 3 decades. This is too good to pass on. Metal's 50+ years of history compressed in one year. Admittedly, together with the rock category, traditional metal was my main focus throughout last year. Ranks fluctuated, and titles were replaced, in the end, it is important to remember that any random 20 titles here would make a legit top 20. The difference in scores is no more than a couple of points (maybe 2.5) on a 1 to 10 scale. I hope that everyone will discover the beautiful uniqueness of these albums.


Let's begin the countdown to the 2022 Traditional Heavy Metal Album of the Year!

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100.

THE CLAYMORE

St. Barbara's Light

Germany


Released on February 26

Studio album #4

Power metal



Bandcamp / Spotify


99.

SEPTEM

Pseudonica

Italy


Released on January 21

Studio album #3

Uncompromising, high-octane heavy metal. NWOBHM on steroids.


All links


98.

MANIGANCE

Le Bal des Ombres

France


Released on March 18

Studio album #7

Female-fronted, melodic heavy metal, power-prog. En français.


Bandcamp / All links


97.

DARKNESS DIVINE

Departure

Scotland


Released on January 14

Debut album

Female-fronted, melodic/heavy metal. Act disbanded in June 2022


Spotify


96.

STEELBALLS

The Neverending Fire

Argentina


Released on March 18

Studio album #2

Classic heavy/speed/power metal



Bandcamp / Spotify


95.

DEMON CHROME

First Contact

US


Released on October 30

Debut album

Vintage heavy rock/metal, FFO: NWOBHM, Thin Lizzy.


Bandcamp / Spotify


94.

MEMORIA

Memoria

Sweden


Released on April 29

Debut album

Rooted in the early (Euro) speed/power metal


Bandcamp / All links


93.

TRYCKVÅG

Legacy

Sweden


Released on December 13

Debut album

Melodic/heavy metal. Released 37 years after the band's debut single!


Spotify


92.

HAGANE

Code ; 9021

Japan


Released on August 18

Debut album

All-female act. Melodic power metal FFO: Lovebites, Aldios, Mary's Blood.


All links


91.

SCREAM MAKER

BloodKing

Poland


Released on January 27

Studio album #4

Quality heavy metal delivered with poise & aplomb!


All links


90.

CELTIC HILLS

Huldufólk

Italy


Released on April 1

Studio album #3

Epic heavy/power metal by the Italian power trio!


Bandcamp / All links


89.

PLANESWALKER

Tales of Magic

US


Released on January 21

Debut album

Planeswalker is the brainchild of Sozos Michael & Jason Ashcraft. Euro/epic power/symphonic metal.

Bandcamp / Spotify


88.

ANGKOR

El Infierno Que Amamos

Colombia


Released on April 14

Debut album

Quality Latin American power metal. En español.


Spotify


87.

DAWNRIDER

The Fourth Dawn

Portugal


Released on February 18

Studio album #4

Classic doom metal from Lisbon!



Bandcamp / Spotify


86.

DI'AUL

Abracamacabra

Italy


Released on March 18

Studio album #3

Excellent blend of 70s stoner/doom with 90s groove metal.


Bandcamp / All links


85.

CAIN'S DINASTY

The Witch & The Martyr

Spain


Released on May 1

Studio album #5

Dark fantasy via power metal by the Alicante act!


Bandcamp / All links


84.

HELLRIDER

Jinete Infernal

Chile


Released on April 16

Debut album

Overlooked, no-frills quality heavy/power metal. En español.


Spotify


83.

FELSKINN

Enter The Light

Switzerland


Released on February 25

Studio album #4

Melodic heavy metal, hard rock. Great effort by the Swiss charting act.


Bandcamp / All links


82.

METAL FACTORY

Defeat All

Czechia


Released on February 22

Debut album

3 ex-Salamandra members, fronted by a duo of female singers! Heavy/power metal FFO: Crystal Viper, Battle Beast.

Bandcamp / Spotify


81.

ESCAPIST

The Maze

Argentina


Released on April 29

Studio album #2

Female-fronted. Symphonic power metal, neoclassical. Excellent balance of melancholy and powerful melodies!

Spotify


80.

SALAMANDRA

Opus Bohemica

Czechia


Released on April 1

Studio album #7

The Czechs resurface after an 8 year-long absence with a new lineup. Well executed melodic power metal.

Spotify


79.

WARCOE

The Giant's Dream

Italy


Released on March 19

Debut album

Groovy doom metal



Bandcamp / Spotify


78.

SHEWOLF

Shewolf

UK


Released on March 18

Debut album

Female-fronted. Melodic/symphonic power metal


All links


77.

ACHELOUS

The Icewind Chronicles

Greece


Released on March 17

Studio album #2

Epic Hellenic heavy metal!



Bandcamp / Spotify


76.

SPITFIRE

Denial To Fall

Greece


Released on January 21

Studio album #3

Heavy/power metal. Legacy act.



Spotify


75.

WASTED

The Haunted House

Denmark


Released on March 25

Studio album #4

Heavy metal. Legacy act.



Bandcamp / Spotify


74.

DRAGONHAMMER

Second Life

Italy


Released on November 4

Studio album #5

Epic power metal with symphonic elements. The band went through major lineup and stylistic changes.

Bandcamp / All links


73.

KYNDRA

Visions And Voices

Brazil


Released on November 11

Debut album

Power metal. Solid debut by the Brazilian sextet.


All links


72.

MIDAS

Midas

US


Released on April 29

Debut album

Traditional heavy metal, NWOBHM. "Solid Gold Classic Metal from Detroit Rock City!" Perfectly captured vibe.

Bandcamp / Spotify


71.

SHAMAN

Rescue

Brazil


Released on April 15

Studio album #5

Melodic power metal with progressive elements


All links


70.

I'LL BE DAMNED

Culture

Denmark


Released on November 25

Studio album #3

Groovy, southern flavored hard n' heavy. Pissed at a world gone mad, FFO: Clutch, Down, and Rage Against The Machine.

Bandcamp / Spotify


69.

OPERA NERA

Revelation

Italy


Released on January 17

Debut album

Melodic, eclectic alternative metal. Lyrics in English, Spanish & German.


Spotify


68.

EVIL CONSPIRACY

The Demons Mark

Sweden


Released on June 3

Studio album #3

Traditional heavy/power metal. Often taking turns into epic territory.


Bandcamp / Spotify


67.

CONNECT THE CIRCLE

Mother Of Evil

Norway


Released on January 15

Studio album #2

Dark heavy metal with progressive elements. The balanced mix of epic & melodic would appeal to FO Witherfall.

Spotify


66.

RUNA LLENA

AON

Spain


Released on April 21

Debut album

An excellent modern take on folk metal blended with symphonic elements and electronica.

All links


65.

ROADHOG

Gates To Madness

Poland


Released on November 11

Studio album #3

Well done classic, old-school heavy metal.



Bandcamp / Spotify


64.

OLD NIGHT

Ghost Light

Croatia


Released on March 4

Studio album #3

Traditional/melodic doom metal



Bandcamp / Spotify


63.

FALLEN SYMMETRY

Rehenes

Peru


Released on March 14

Studio album #3

Power/progressive metal. En español.



Spotify


62.

TIMELESS RAGE

Untold

Germany


Released on February 25

Debut album

Symphonic/power/heavy metal. A well-crafted release.


All links


61.

SPITFIRE MkIII

Shadows Phantoms Nightmares

Italy


Released on September 29

Debut album (current formula)

Classic hard n' heavy FFO: Saxon, Judas Priest, Tony Martin. Veteran act.


Spotify


60.

ANNIKEN

Climb Out Of Hell

Norway


Released on May 13

Debut album

Melodic heavy metal, hard rock. The talented singer's debut, co-written with Marius Danielsen (also guitar + bass)!

All links


59.

WIND ROSE

Warfront

Italy


Released on June 10

Studio album #5

Folk/power metal. Starts in "anthemic" and ends in "epic"! Properly polished.


Bandcamp / All links


58.

SMED

Space Medicated Elevated Doom

Sweden


Released on February 18

Debut album

Psychedelic doom metal, heavily rooted in 70s stoner/doom. Sound to match!


Bandcamp


57.

CHARGER

Warhorse

US


Released on March 18

Full-length debut

Vintage speed metal with a good dose of punk!


Bandcamp / Spotify / All links


56.

FRIENDS OF HELL

Friends Of Hell

International


Released on March 18

Debut album

Doom metal. Traditional. This is the real, filthy deal, executed by musicians with pure and noble intentions.

Spotify


55.

GREEN KING

Hidden Beyond Time

Finland


Released on December 16

Debut album

70s/80s inspired heavy/doom rock/metal, folk.


Bandcamp / All links


54.

BLACK MASK

Queen Of The Beasts

Mexico


Released on April 15

Debut album

Female-fronted. Traditional heavy/speed metal with clean, modern sound production. 80s Warlock/Doro.

Bandcamp / Spotify


53.

MAGISTARIUM

Dreamlord Opera

Germany


Released on June 1

Studio album #4

Top-tier symphonic power metal



All links


52.

NORDIC UNION

Animalistic

Denmark/Sweden


Released on August 12

Studio album #3

Excellent studio effort by the Scandinavian duo! Their heaviest to date. Melodic heavy metal.

All links


51.

DREAMTALE

Everlasting Flame

Finland


Released on April 1

Studio album #8

Super smooth melodic Euro power metal by the Finnish septet. New male/female vocal duo. Modern production.

Spotify


50.

ADVENTUS

Saudade

Spain


Released on November 25

Studio album #2

Melodic heavy/power metal w/ progressive elements. En español.


All links


49.

IBRIDOMA

Norimberga 2.0

Italy


Released on May 17

Studio album #6

Melodic heavy/power metal with progressive elements. Powerful musicianship and production.

Bandcamp / Spotify


48.

ARKHAM WITCH

Swords Against Death

UK


Released on September 30

Studio album #4

Traditional heavy/doom metal. FFO: Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, Witchfinder General.


Bandcamp / Spotify


47.

ETERNAL ASCENT

Reclamation

US


Released on January 22

Debut album

Top-tier symphonic/power metal, neoclassical, by the talented NYC duo & their esteemed guests! Matching sound!

Bandcamp / Spotify


46.

DARK MEDITATION

Polluted Temples

US


Released on January 28

Debut album

Dark occult sleaze/gothic metal by the Seattle grave rockers. FFO Idle Hands/Unto Others, Tribulation.

Bandcamp / All links


45.

RAVE IN FIRE

Son Of A Lie

Spain


Released on April 11

Debut album

Female-fronted. (80s) Melodic heavy metal, hard rock. Dokken


Bandcamp / All links


44.

FORTIS VENTUS

Vertalia

Greece


Released on June 3

Debut album

Extremely well-composed and produced symphonic metal w/ cinematic attributes by the female-fronted Hellenic assemble.

Bandcamp / Spotify


43.

ONWARD

Of Epoch And Inferno

US


Released on October 28

Toby Knapp returns with an excellent new album and a new singer, Robert van War (Attika). Heavy/power metal, neoclassical


Spotify


42.

MAULE

Maule

Canada


Released on January 14

Debut album

Pure, aggressive traditional metal that captures the spirit of NWOBHM for the 21st century!

Bandcamp / Spotify


41.

SINSID

In Victory

Norway


Released on May 20

Studio album #3

The Norwegian true metallers journey into the varied traditional heavy metal realm! 80s headbanger!

Bandcamp / Spotify


40.

ENEMY EYES

History's Hand

International


Released on November 18

Debut album

New act fronted by vocalist Johnny Gioeli (Axel Rudi Pell, Hardline, Crush 40)! Melodic heavy metal.

All links


39.

SPACE VACATION

White Hot Reflection

US


Released on April 29

Studio album #5

Melodic heavy/glam metal, solid 80s vibes, catchy melodies. Total headbanger!


Bandcamp / Spotify


38.

QUARTZ