2013’s Best Heavy Metal Music
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Looking for the best heavy metal music of 2013? Look no further than this list of the top 10 metal albums of the year, as voted on by fans and critics alike.
Best Metal Albums of 2013
It was a great year for metal music and there were a lot of great albums that came out. We’ve compiled a list of the best metal albums of 2013. These are the albums that we think are the best of the best.
Deafheaven – Sunbather
Deafheaven’s Sunbather is widely acclaimed as one of the best metal albums of 2013. The two-disc set features a brand new song, “Please Remember,” as well as a cover of the Metallica classic, “And Justice For All.” According to frontman George Clarke, the album is “a statement about growing up poor and feeling isolated and hopeless.”
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Gorguts – Colored Sands was released on August 30, 2013, and is the ninth studio album by Canadian death metal band Gorguts. The album was met with positive reviews from music critics, and was seen as a return to form for the band. It was also nominated for a Juno Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year.
Kylesa – Ultraviolet
Formed in 2001, Kylesa is a five-piece metal band from Savannah, Georgia, whose sound is a unique blend of psychedelic rock, sludge, and post-metal. The band’s sixth studio album, Ultraviolet, was released in May 2013 to critical acclaim.
The album’s first single, “Exhale”, was praised by critics for its “crushing riffs” and “anthemic chorus”. Other stand-out tracks on the album include the title track, “Unspoken”, and “Unsanctioned”.
Ultraviolet was voted the best metal album of 2013 by readers of Heavy Blog is Heavy. In their review of the album, the site said:
“Ultraviolet is a stunning achievement, not only for Kylesa but for metal as a whole. It is an album that is beautifully written and performed from start to finish, with each song flowing perfectly into the next.”
Best Metal Songs of 2013
If you’re a fan of heavy metal music, you’re in for a treat. This year has seen some great metal songs released. Here are some of the best metal songs of 2013.
Deafheaven – “Dream House”
Shoegaze and black metal might not seem like they would go together, but on “Dream House,” Deafheaven prove that the two can not only coexist, but thrive together. The track is both gorgeous and brutal, with George Clarke’s tortured screams balanced perfectly against the wall of sound created by Kerry McCoy’s searing guitars. “Dream House” is the best of both worlds, and a perfect example of why Deafheaven are one of the best metal bands around today.
Gorguts – “Forgotten Arrows”
Quebec technical death metal heroes Gorguts returned from a 13-year recording hiatus with Colored Sands, an album that found the group not only avoiding the dreaded “sophomore slump,” but also recording their heaviest, most progressive, and most emotionally devastating work to date. “Forgotten Arrows” is the perfect distillation of everything that makes Colored Sands such a great album — mind-bendingly complex riffs, heart-wrenching passages of melodic beauty, and Luc Lemay’s impassioned growls conveying the song’s themes of loss and redemption. It’s an astonishing piece of work, and easily one of the best metal songs of 2013.
Kylesa – “Exhale”
One of the best metal songs of 2013, “Exhale” by Kylesa is a true metal masterpiece. From the very first note, the song hits you with its heavy riffage and pounding drums, and doesn’t let up for a second. The vocal performance is absolutely outstanding, and the whole song has an incredible energy to it that just gets you pumped up. If you’re a fan of metal, this is one song that you definitely need to check out.
Best Metal Videos of 2013
Metalheads had a lot to be excited about in 2013. New albums from some of the biggest names in metal were released, and there were some great shows and festivals. But what were the best metal videos of the year? Here are our picks.
Deafheaven – “Dream House”
Deafheaven’s “Dream House” is one of the best metal videos of 2013. The clip, which was directed by Casey Reas, shows the band performing in a room filled with fog and spinning lights. The visuals are disorienting and match the chaotic nature of the song perfectly.
Gorguts – “Forgotten Arrows”
It’s no secret that we’ve been fans of Gorguts for a while here at Loud, and you’ll find frontman Luc Lemay’s name littered throughout our various year-end lists. The group’s recent comeback album Colored Sands was one of the best extreme metal releases of the year, and its visual companion “Forgotten Arrows” is easily one of the best music videos we’ve seen all year.
Kylesa – “Exhale”
The sprawling, six-minute “Exhale” is one of the most atmospheric tracks off of Ultraviolet, and the video matches its intensity. Rather than going with a traditional narrative or performance-based approach, director Tim Himple instead creates a sense of unease and paranoia with shots of people in gas masks and desolate, post-apocalyptic landscapes. It’s the perfect complement to one of the year’s best metal albums.
