Best Albums Of 2021

This album will be sure to make you feel Alive! Holding Absence are great at blending different genres together to make a unique and memorable experience and The Greatest Mistake Of My Life is by far their best work to date. Highly emotional lyrics mixed with impactful instruments will leave you wanting more.

The triumphant return that AFI were hoping for came in the form of Bodies. The Alternative rockers produced an album to remember with something for fans of any era of the band to enjoy. Catchy melodies, groovy bass lines and memorable lyrics make this one of AFI’s strongest releases in recent memory.

I feel like this album needs to come with a warning on it. This is one of the heaviest albums I have heard and Slaughter To Prevail takes no prisoners. From nasty breakdowns to demonic sounding vocals, this album is everything fans would’ve wanted and more. Kostolom is helping to bring deathcore to the masses and I don’t think Slaughter To Prevail plans on slowing down any time soon.

Is there any surprise a new Architects release has made the list? Everything these guys seem to produce has struck gold lately and For Those Who Wish To Exist is another example of this. Compassion mixed with breakdowns and riffs is a remedy that Architects have mastered over the years and this is just more of what fans have loved from previous albums.

Returning to their heavier roots, Bullet For My Valentine’s self titled album has to be one of the stand out records this year. An amazing return to form from the Welsh metalcore giants is exactly what the doctor had ordered. If you’ve missed this album due to not digging Gravity, I can assure you this is an entirely different experience, more in line with what you want from Bullet.

Culling Culture is heavy as hell and full of energy. If you’re after a no nonsense record that has some of the best riff progressions to come out this year then this is the record for you. Vexed are not for the faint of heart and their intense yet meaningful lyrics will feel as though they are embedding themselves in your mind as you listen to the album.

Initiation is one hell of a listen. Sumo Cyco do what they want when they want which makes this album’s style something to behold. Mixing metal, reggae and pop the entire album is like a fever dream to listen to. You don’t quite know what’s around the corner but I can guarantee it’s always going to be a treat.

While She Sleeps have been one of the fastest growing bands in the UK metalcore scene and this album is truly special. Having a mix of their more raw style from their older albums to songs with a more modern and mainstream appeal, the album has something for everyone. The passion and energy the band put into this record is clear to see right from the off and you can tell that this album is one for the fans.

There’s always the risk that if you do the same thing as before it can go stale however Ice Nine Kills have proven that they are the masters of horror metal and their theatrical take on metalcore lends itself perfectly to the gruesome stories of the films the songs are based off. If you’re a fan of Horror films in general or heavy metalcore then you’ve got to check this one out.

As Everything Unfolds have blasted onto the metal scene this year and with their debut album had me hooked right from the first listen. Everything from Melodic passages to the album’s more heavy moments, the entire album keeps you engaged and I don’t have a single bad thing to say about this release. Big things lie in store for As Everything Unfolds and I’m along for the ride?!