Top 20 Albums of 2024 - Part 3: 10 - 6

10. Better Lovers - Highly Irresponsible (Hardcore Punk)

Often a so-called supergroup is much less than the sum of it's parts. Thankfully, that's not the case with Better Lovers. Featuring former members of Every Time I Die and Dillinger Escape Plan (and a current member of Fit For An Autopsy), the band's debut album is everything you could wish for, and much more. Every song delivers a punch and has a melody that gets into your head, with Greg's impeccable vocals stealing the show. The production is crisp and clear, wchich just helps to underscore the talent involved. Fans of DEP or ETID will be overjoyed by this.

Recommended track: Your Misplaced Self

9. Linkin Park - From Zero (Alt / Nu-Metal)

At the risk of coming across as being deliberately contrary, I can honestly say that I never rated Linkin Park. While there have been songs that I've liked (One Step Closer, Papercut, Numb, War), I could never really get on board with Chester Bennington's voice. By comparison, new co-vocalist Emily Armstrong has a serious set of pipes on her, with a charm and swagger to match. Since she was announced as they new singer, I have seen some (mainly misogynistic) backlash and whining online, but hey, there will always be crybabies and trolls out there. While it falls slighly short of being essential listening, Linkin Park hasn't sounded this vital or hungry since it's debut, way back in 2000.

Recommended track(s): Twom-Faced, Heavy is the Crown, The Emptiness Machine

8. Ministry - Hopiumforthemasses (Industrial / Metal)

After a career spanning over 40 years, what is there left to say about Ministry? If you are a fan of the band, then you already know what Hopiumforthemasses sounds like. That may sound like faint praise, but it isn't. Ever with his finger on the political pulse, main man and band leader Al Jourgensen tackles up to date subjects such as climate protest (Just Stop Oil), the MAGA mob (Goddamn White Trash) and toxic masculinity (B.D.E.) with aplomb and with his trademark cynicism. While Ministry have been relatively consistent for the last 30 years, it's been quite some time since they sounded THIS good. Recommended track: Goddamn White Trash

7. Thermality - The Final Hours (Melodic Death Metal)

Do you like classic late 90s / early 2000s Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal? Of course you do. Well, this bunch of young upstarts could just be the your new favourite band. They might not stray too far from the tried and tested formula of their idols (In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, et al), but they have the talent and the passion of youth to make their music sound fresh and contemporary. 2024 has been a strong year for Melodic Death Metal and Thermality can more than hold their own with the best of them.

Recommended track: Thorns of Salem

6. Unto Others - Never, Neverland (Goth / Metal)

Unto Others have been on my radar since they released their debut album, Mana in 2019 (under the moniker Idle Hands) and I have been championing them ever since. The band combines 80s Goth Rock and classic heavy metal to create a unique style of their own, while at the same time managing to sound comfortingly familiar. That's quite some feat.

Recommended tracks: Butterfly, Fame, Suicide Today.