If August hasn’t been the best month of metal so far this year it’s damn near close. Because wow has this month brought us a bunch of great albums and album of the year contenders. In my top 5 I actually went back and forth between 12 albums, that’s how hard it was to choose and how good this month has been! Also you will notice most of these albums came out on the very same date, August 16th. I’ve never in my life witnessed so many quality albums dropping on the same day, madness! The Metal Gamer playlist is of course now updated to feature songs from all these albums mentioned.

Album of the month

Finsterforst – Zerfall

One of my favorite bands of all time Moonsorrow hasn’t released an album since 2016 but what does that even matter when Finsterforst release their best album to date and in all honest one of the best albums in the genre ever! Big album of the year contender for me. Released August 2nd via Napalm Records.

Runners-up

Shadow of Intent – Melancholy

I’ve always had a soft spot for Shadow of Intent and their debut was one of the earliest albums I ever reviewed. Melancholy is the most complete album in a band that’s looking to become a legacy within deathcore. Released August 16th as an independent release.

Hammerfall – Dominion

Talking about soft spots, Hammerfall has been my guilty pleasure for a long time. Being one of the first metal bands I ever heard (I would imagine many did start with power metal just like I did) they’ve had their ups and downs. Dominion also suffers from some ups and downs but when you release the best single the genre has seen in years with “(We Made) Sweden Rock” that alone is enough to grant the album a spot here. Not only that, for the most part Dominion features some of the best songwriting the band has ever had. The hammer is still solid steel! Released August 16th via Napalm Records.

Devourment – Obscene Majesty

The kings of slam are back and they are taking no prisoners! Such a filthy and brutal album it should come with a big warning label on how hard this hits. Released August 16th via Relapse Records.

Eternal Storm – Come the Tide

Eternal Storm surprises me big time with what’s one of the best melodic death metal albums you will hear all year! What a way to make a debut album with a big splash. Released August 23rd via Transcending Obscurity Records.

Honorable mentions

Facelift Deformation – Cybernetic Organism Atrocities

Illdisposed – Reveal Your Soul For the Dead

Carnifex – World War X

Freedom of Fear – Nocturnal Gates

Humanity’s Last Breath – Abyssal

Earth Eater – Immortal

Destruction – Born to Perish

Lord Gore – Scalpels for Blind Surgeons

Phobia – Generation Coward

Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind

Dayum – Ghost of Sparta

Reptilium – Conspiranoic

Killswitch Engage – Atonement

Bastard Grave – Diorama of Human Suffering

Twilight Force – Dawn of the Dragonstar

Cerebral Rot – Odious Descent into Decay

Gamma Sector – Sanctum of Vivisection

Bound in Fear – The Hand of Violence

Detherous – Hacked to Death

Wraith – Absolute Power

Cemetery Gates – Through the Shadows of Fear

Pandemonium – Monuments Of Tragedy

Isole – Dystopia

Trench Warfare – Hatred Prayer

Abyss Above – Doombound

Orm – Ir

Imperium Dekadenz – When We Are Forgotten

WarCrab​ – Damned In Endless Night

Stillbirth – Back to the Stoned Age

Mutilatred – Ingested Filth

Entombed A.D. – Bowels of Earth

Obsidian Tide – Pillars of Creation

Sorcery – Necessary Excess of Violence