The Best Heavy Metal and Alternative Music of 2018
A look at the best heavy metal and alternative music of 2018.
Best Metal Albums of 2018
It’s been a great year for metal and alternative music, with some amazing albums being released in 2018. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best metal and alternative albums of the year. From well-known artists like Metallica and Nine Inch Nails to up-and-coming bands like Ghost and Behemoth, there’s something for everyone in this list.
Judas Priest- Firepower
Judas Priest’s 18th studio album, Firepower, is one of the best metal albums of 2018. The album was produced by Tom Allom, and it is the first Judas Priest album to feature Andy Sneap as co-producer. It was released on March 9, 2018, by Epic Records. Firepower peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US Billboard 200, making it Judas Priest’s highest-charting album in the US. The album received positive reviews from music critics.
Ghost- Prequelle
If you’re looking for an album that captures the imagination, look no further than Prequelle. The fourth album from Swedish metal band Ghost, Prequelle is a concept album about the Black Death set in 14th century Europe. That might not sound like the most fun subject matter, but Ghost manages to make it work with their signature brand of heavy metal. The album is full of catchy hooks and big riffs, and it’s sure to please fans of the band.
A Perfect Circle- Eat the Elephant
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and singer Maynard James Keenan. A Perfect Circle has released four studio albums, the first three during the early 2000s: Mer de Noms, their debut album in 2000, Thirteenth Step in 2003, and eMOTIVe in 2004. Shortly after the release of eMOTIVe, the band went on hiatus; Keenan returned to Tool and started working on 10,000 Days (2006), and Howerdel released a solo album, Keep Ticking Rotten Egg (2007). The band reformed in 2010, and released a fourth album, Eat the Elephant, in 2018.
Their sound is often described as being neither entirely alternative metal nor nu metal, but rather a melding of those two genres with other influences including art rock and prog rock.
Godsmack- When Legends Rise
-When Legends Rise is the seventh studio album by American rock band Godsmack, released on April 27, 2018. The album sold 46,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart.
-The album’s lead single, “Bulletproof”, was released to radio on February 5, 2018. “Under Your Scars” was released as the second single on May 17, 2018. “Unforgettable” was released as the third single on September 7, 2018.
Track listing:
1. “When Legends Rise”
2. “Bulletproof”
3. “Unforgettable”
4. “Take It to the Edge”
5. “Under Your Scars”
6. “Every Part of Me”
7. “Somebody Once Told Me”
8. “Say My Name”
9. ‘Dont’ Lay Down’ 10. ‘Eye of the Storm’
Stone Temple Pilots- Stone Temple Pilots
If you were hoping that Stone Temple Pilots’ first album in seven years would sound like a bunch of old guys trying to relive their glory days, you will be disappointed. The band’s self-titled seventh album is easily the best thing they’ve done since their classic debut, Core. It’s a tight, focused record that finds the band sounding revitalized and hungry.
Lead singer Scott Weiland sounds great throughout the album, whether he’s belting out the anthemic “Between the Lines” or delivering a soulful performance on the ballad “Hazy Daze.” The rest of the band is equally impressive, with guitarists Dean DeLeo and Robert DeLeo turning in some of their best work in years.
If you’re a fan of Stone Temple Pilots’ early work, you owe it to yourself to check out this album. It might just be the surprised of the year.
Best Alternative Albums of 2018
It’s been a great year for music, with some truly incredible albums being released in 2018. In this list, we’re going to be taking a look at ten of the best alternative albums of the year. This list includes a wide range of genres, from metal to indie rock, and everything in between.
The 1975- A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
The 1975’s Music For Cars was one of my favorite albums of 2013. I loved the mixing of genres and the way that the album flowed together. I was worried that they would never be able to top that album, but they did with A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. This album takes the best elements of Music For Cars and expands on them. The result is an amazing album that I think is their best yet.
If you’re a fan of The 1975, then you need to check out this album. If you’re not a fan, then I still think you should give it a listen. I think you might be surprised by how much you like it.
Panic! at the Disco- Pray for the Wicked
Panic! at the Disco is back with their new album Pray for the Wicked. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, making it the group’s second album to do so.
The album is a departure from their previous sound, with a more electronic and synth-pop sound. The first single, “High Hopes”, was released on May 23, 2018. The album’s second single, “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”, was released on June 22, 2018.
Pray for the Wicked received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 8 reviews.
The Best Heavy Metal and Alternative Music of 2018
Imagine Dragons- Origins
Origins is the fifth studio album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, released on November 9, 2018 through Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. The album was produced by the band themselves, along with English producers Mattman & Robin and Joel Little. It is a sequel to their previous album Evolve (2017). The album peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and received mixed reviews from critics.
Weezer- Pacific Daydream
Weezer’s eleventh studio album, Pacific Daydream, was released on October 27, 2017. The album was recorded in between Weezer’s 2016 tour dates and frontman Rivers Cuomo’s semester teaching at Harvard University. Despite the band’s discontents with their previous album, 2016’s Weezer (The White Album), the majority of its commercial lead single “Feels Like Summer” was recorded during the same sessions.
Pacific Daydream is a significant sonic departure from anything Weezer have done before, with an overall more pop-oriented sound featuring heavy synthesizers and horns. The change in sound was partially inspired by Cuomo’s work on the Netflix television series “Buddy Holly”; while scoring the show, he discovered a new love for synth-based music. This new direction received mixed reviews from fans and critics; some praised the change as a much-needed breath of fresh air for the band, while others felt that it strayed too far from the classic Weezer sound.
Despite the mixed reception, Pacific Daydream was a commercial success, debuting at Number Two on the Billboard 200 and being certified Gold by the RIAA. The album has spawned four singles: “Feels Like Summer”, “Happy Hour”, “Weekend Woman”, and “Get Right”.
Fall Out Boy- M A N I A
Fall Out Boy’s album M A N I A was one of the most highly-anticipated albums of 2018. The band did not disappoint, delivering a record that is both a return to form and a bold new direction. M A N I A is an exciting, energetic album that features some of the best songwriting of Fall Out Boy’s career. The band’s use of Auto-Tune on several tracks gives the album a unique sonic texture, and the songs are incredibly catchy and memorable. Standout tracks include “The Last of the Real Ones,” “Young and Menace,” and “Wilson (Expensive Mistakes).”
