The Best New Heavy Metal Music of 2015
Contents
Looking for some new heavy metal music to listen to in 2015? Check out our list of the best new heavy metal albums of the year!
New Releases
It’s been a great year for heavy metal music, with some incredible new releases. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best new heavy metal music of 2015. We’ll be discussing the albums that have been released, as well as the singles and EPs.
Lamb of God- VII: Sturm und Drang
Their eighth studio album, Sturm und Drang, picks up where its predecessor, Resolution (2012), left off. It’s a heavier, more progressive record that finds the Richmond, Virginia-based quintet—vocalist Randall Blythe, guitarist Mark Morton, guitarist Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler—perfecting their signature mix of pummeling rhythms and shredding solos.
Slipknot- .5: The Gray Chapter
Slipknot’s .5: The Gray Chapter is the band’s fifth studio album and the first without founding member and bassist Paul Gray, who died in 2010, and drummer Joey Jordison, who parted ways with Slipknot in 2013. Despite these lineup changes, the album still sounds very much like a Slipknot record, with all of the band’s signature elements intact. The music is heavy and aggressive, with mind-bendingly complex guitar work, thunderous drumming, and dark, brooding lyrics. The album’s highlights include the crushing opener “Sarcastrophe,” the anthemic “The Devil in I,” and the dark and atmospheric “Custer.” .5: The Gray Chapter is a strong addition to Slipknot’s catalog and a welcome return for one of metal’s most important bands.
Metallica- Death Magnetic
Metallica’s Death Magnetic is one of the best new heavy metal albums of 2015. The album features 10 tracks of pure metal goodness, including the singles “Hardwired” and “Moth Into Flame.” If you’re a fan of Metallica or metal in general, you need to check out Death Magnetic.
Best Albums
In a year where some truly excellent metal was released, it was hard to boil things down to just a top ten. But these are the ten albums that we think represent the best of what 2015 had to offer in the world of heavy metal.
Lamb of God- VII: Sturm und Drang
If you haven’t been keeping up with the metal world as of late, you may have missed one of the genre’s most anticipated releases of 2015 – Lamb of God’s VII: Sturm und Drang. The album, which is the band’s seventh studio release, is a return to form for the group, who had been experimenting with a more industrial sound on their previous album, Resolution.
With VII: Sturm und Drang, Lamb of God have returned to their thrash metal roots, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. The album is a non-stop assault of heavy riffs and ferocious drumming, anchored by frontman Randy Blythe’s venomous growls. Highlights include the anthemic “Still Echoes”, the crushing “512”, and the melodic “Overlord”.
If you’re a fan of Lamb of God, or just looking for some great new heavy music to bang your head to, VII: Sturm und Drang is an essential listen.
Slipknot- .5: The Gray Chapter
Slipknot’s .5: The Gray Chapter is the ringleader of the best heavy metal albums of 2015. It’s a dark, twisted, and at times, cathartic return for one of metal’s most iconic bands, and a triumphant return for Slipknot following the death of founding bassist Paul Gray and the departure of drummer Joey Jordison. Vocalist Corey Taylor has never sounded better, and the entire band is on fire throughout the album’s 14 tracks. The result is a muscular, varied, and emotionally charged record that is sure to please longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Metallica- Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on September 12, 2008 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced by Rick Rubin, marking the band’s first album since 1997’s Reload not to be produced by longtime collaborator Bob Rock. It is also the first Metallica album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo and was the last of their albums to feature contributions from awarded-longtime guitarist Kirk Hammett.
The album’s artwork and title were revealed on May 28, 2008, nearly four months before the album’s release date. Death Magnetic was promoted through a marketing campaign called “The Chorusal Enigma”, in which clues were given about therelease through various websites and online ads. The album debuted at number one on twenty-nine countries, selling 490,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release to enter the Billboard 200 chart at position one—making it Metallica’s fifth consecutive studio album to do so—while selling over 1 million copies worldwide during its opening weekend. Upon its release, Death Magnetic received critical acclaim; many reviewers noted that it revitalized Metallica’s musical style and praised its production quality. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2009 but lost to Coldplay’s Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. In 2012, Rolling Stone placed Death Magnetic at number 307 on its updated list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
Best Songs
It’s been an amazing year for heavy metal, with plenty of great new music to choose from. Here are our picks for the best new heavy metal songs of 2015.
Lamb of God- “Still Echoes”
Lamb of God’s “Still Echoes” is one of the best new heavy metal songs of 2015. The song is taken from the band’s album, VII: Sturm und Drang, which was released in July of 2015. “Still Echoes” is a great example of the band’s technical prowess, with its complex guitar work and drumming. The song also features some of singer Randy Blythe’s best vocal performances, as he delivers his lyrics with passion and power.
Slipknot- “The Negative One”
Slipknot are an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. The band was founded in September 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Corey Taylor, Mick Thomson, Jim Root, Craig Jones, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, Shawn Crahan and Joey Jordison. Gray died on May 24, 2010 due to complications from drug addiction. Jordison left the band on December 12, 2013. VMAN magazine ranked Slipknot #1 on their list of “The 25 Best Live Bands of 2014”.
“The Negative One” is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. It was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album .5: The Gray Chapter on August 1, 2014 through Roadrunner Records and later that year received a nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards.
Metallica- “All Nightmare Long”
Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, Metallica has become one of the most commercially successful and influential heavy metal bands of all time, having sold over 110 million albums worldwide. Their ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, was released in 2008 to critical acclaim and commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. “All Nightmare Long” is a song from that album.
The song was inspired by the horror novels of Stephen King, specifically his short story ” cycle of the werewolf”. The music video for “All Nightmare Long” was directed by Jonas Akerlund and released on December 5, 2008. It won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards.
