Best of 2013: 5 - 1

5. Korn - The Paradigm Shift

After a 20 year career that has seen the band go through many ups and downs, both musically and personally, 2013 saw the welcome hatchet burial / return of prodigal guitarist and original member, Brian "Head" Welch - and it is instantly noticeable. Gone, for the most part, is the weak, directionless songwriting from "See You On The Other Side", the horribly transparent attempt to recapture their "glory" days from "III: Remember Who You Are" and the divisive Dubstep crossover of "The Path Of Totality". What you get instead is a confident, positive album delivered with all the swagger and self-belief you would expect from a band whose distinctive sound was the voice of an entire generation (albeit almost 2 decades ago). Far from being a cynical attempt at re-creating their 90's sound, instead, all of the pieces have fallen into place and the end result is frankly, staggering. This band has never sounded so good. This really is the definitive Korn album. It has everything you could ever want or expect from a Korn record and a whole lot more besides. A new beginning for these old dogs.

4. Killswitch Engage - Disarm The Descent

Another "comeback" album, this time from the kings of Metalcore, Killswitch Engage. After bursting onto the scene and capturing the attention of the Metal world with their Roadrunner Records debut "Alive Of Just Breathing" in the early part of the 2000's, the band parted way with vocalist Jesse Leach and went on to greater commercial success with his successor, Howard Jones. For some of us, however, Jones just didn't cut it. Yes, the band released a number of hit albums and singles, but there was something missing. The sound was too polished and lacked the raw edge of the "Jesse-era". A little glimmer of hope appeared at the beginning of 2011 when Jesse got together with former bandmate and KsE mainman, Adam Dutkiewicz to release the album "Hymn of A Broken Man" from their new project "Times Of Grace". The band was having publicised issues with Howard and Jesse was clearly 'back in the game'. We didn't have to wait long. Soon after, KsE announced the return of Jesse as their vocalist and this album, my friends, is the result. A jaw-dropping statement of intent by a band clearly ready to step back into the fray and reclaim their postion at the top of the Metalcore pack. Mission accomplished.

  

3. Thyrfing - De Ödeslösa

Sweden's Viking Black Metal masters stormed back in 2013 with an album which silenced the critics who had been left unimpressed by the lacklustre "Hels Vite" in 2008. This, the second album to feature vocalist Jens Rydén, is a massive step up in just about every conceivable way. The band has clearly found their feet with Jens and he with them. This album exudes confidence and the songs are absolutely phenomenal. From start to finish, there isn't a weak moment to be found - not a single chord of filler. As soon as the opening bars of "Mot Helgrind" kicked in, I was hooked, almost trance-like by the sheer power on display. The album flows beautifully, the songs perfectly paced and flawlessly arranged, managing to sound folky and melodic in a genuinely ancient and primeval way and completely avoiding the usual Viking Metal cliches and "hey nonny nonny" twee folk of other acts in the genre. As for Jens, his vocals have the gutteral rasp meets clean howl of his predecessor, but are even more passionate and vicious. The jewel in the crown of the Thyrfing catalogue. Essential.

2. Carcass - Surgical Steel

The triumphant return of Carcass is finally complete. This is the album we were all hoping they would release...and so much more. I knew this was going to be good. After 17 years it had to be. I wasn't expecting them to blow me away with the finest album of their career. Jeff's rasping growl is better than ever and the riffs are as sharp and as vicious as ever. Surgical Steel, indeed. A very apt title. This is precision metal delivered with ferocity by the masters of their craft. The ultimate 'comeback' album.

1. Hell - Curse And Chapter.

This album is nothing less than a masterpiece. Often lumped-in (lazily) with the NWOBHM crowd, the truth is that there is so much more depth to Hell. The songs are often very Progressive in style with complex signature and time changes as well as keyboards and digital samples. Musically this is as brilliant / ridiculous as this brand of Heavy Metal should be. Dave Bowers sings with passion and his voice conveys all of the theatre you might expect if you have ever seen the band perform live. You can almost "see" him stalking the stage and gesticulating as you listen. I have always said that Painkiller is the best 'pure' Metal album ever released, but I may need to revise that opinion.