Several overlooked albums by excellent artists did not appear in Decibel’s Top 40 Albums of the Year list. They will not appear on other lists, either. That’s why they are “overlooked.”

Heavy metal produces a surplus of excellent music which appeals to niche interests, or does not receive wider distribution. This has been true since the ’80s and even before. Every day multiple overlooked-but influential or at least beloved records celebrate an anniversary.

But we award accolades and write history based on group consensus. By “we,” I don’t mean Decibel staff. I mean you and I, other publications and even publications from outside the genre that still feel compelled to cover metal. We, the heavy metal constituency, cannot possibly remember and consider everything. This is more true now than it was in previous decades, thanks to the relative cheapness of modern home recording and the great leveling forces of Bandcamp, YouTube and other services.

As such, for reader consideration I’ve assembled a list of great or noteworthy records released this year by unusual and especially independent or unsigned acts. These are acts which never stood a chance against the popularity of new bands like Converge, or the historical weight of bands like Cannibal Corpse. In assembling the list, I looked for records which seemed to get no oxygen even though some are more well-known than others (hello, Falls of Rauros). Lists like this can offer what Philip K Dick would call a minority report.

Even this list will be incomplete. I am excluding records released by (in my subjective opinion) major metal labels such as Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Metal Blade, Profound Lore, Season of Mist, Prosthetic and more. Like everyone else, I am also shackled by own taste—expect a lot of proggy, gothy and melodic records and, um, zero war metal. Even in those parameters I can only listen to so much new music and remember it in the course of a year. As such, I encourage readers on Facebook or Twitter to leave other recommendations of hyper-niche 2017 records in response.

Thirty Five Overlooked Albums from 2017, in Alphabetical Order

Apostate Viaticum – “Before the Gates of Gomorrah”

Before the Gates of Gomorrah by Apostate Viaticum

Biesy – “Noc lekkich obyczajów

“

Noc lekkich obyczajów by Biesy

Coldfells – “Coldfells”

Coldfells by Coldfells

Cloven Hoof – “Who Mourns for the Morning Star?”



Crusty Old Toad – “Turn People Into Food”

Turn People Into Food by Crusty Old Toad

Dreaming Dead – “Funeral Twilight”

Funeral Twilight by Dreaming Dead

Dvne – “Asheran”

Asheran by DVNE

Earthling – “Spinning in the Void”

Spinning in the Void by Earthling

Evo – “Warfare”



Falls of Rauros – “Vigilence Perennial”

Vigilance Perennial by Falls of Rauros

Gutslit – “Amputheatre”

Amputheatre (Brutal Death/Grind) by GUTSLIT (Mumbai, India)

Hallas – “Excerpts From a Future Past”

Hällas – “Excerpts From a Future Past by Hällas

Inconcessus Lux Lucis – “The Crowning Quietus”

The Crowning Quietus by Inconcessus Lux Lucis

Klabautamann – “Smaragd”

Smaragd by Klabautamann

Lock Howl – “Pareidolia”

Pareidolia by Lock Howl

Locust Leaves – “A Subtler Kind of Light”

A Subtler Kind Of Light by LOCUST LEAVES

Mahakala – “The Second Fall”

The Second Fall (SMC, 2017) by MAHAKALA

Malokarpatan – ““Nordkarpatenland””

Nordkarpatenland by Malokarpatan

OMRÅDE – “Nåde”

Nåde by OMRÅDE

Rope Sect – “Personae Ingratae”

Personae Ingratae by Rope Sect

Tchornobog – “Tchornobog”

Tchornobog by Tchornobog

Satans Hallow – “Satan’s Hallow”

Satan’s Hallow by Satan’s Hallow

Saule – “Saule”

Saule by Saule

Selcouth – “Heart is the Star of Chaos”

Heart Is The Star Of Chaos by SELCOUTH

Soror Dolorosa – “Apollo”

Apollo by Soror Dolorosa

Tusmorke – “Bydyra”

Bydyra by Tusmørke

Venomous Maximus – “No Warning”

No Warning by VENOMOUS MAXIMUS

Varmia – “Z Mar Twych”

Z mar twych by VARMIA Venenum – “Trance of Death”

Trance Of Death by Venenum

Vinsta – “Vinsta Wiads”

Vinsta Wiads by Vinsta

Vulture – “The Guillotine”



White Ward – “Futility Report”

Futility Report by White Ward

Wode – “Servants of the Countercosmos”

Servants of the Countercosmos by Wode