10 Most Anticipated Metal Albums Of 2018
Possessed, Machine Head, Judas Priest… can the New Year hurry up, please?
2017 has been a biblical beast for heavy metal.
Bands both big and small have released masterpiece after masterpiece in recent weeks, but now that this awesome period threatens to draw to a close, metalheads must now look to the future: for, it is looking just as bright as the year behind us.
Much like 2017, 2018 is already promising great things, again coming from established names and fiery newcomers alike. From Machine Head to Avatar and everything in between, what better time is there than now to count down the best extreme music set to drop in the increasingly near future?
Well, the end of the year, probably…
But whatever! I’m doing it now, because I enjoy keeping you lot on your toes!
Important note: Unlike last year, for an album to make this list, a 2018 release has to have either been officially confirmed, or be the artist in question’s stated goal. Albums that are merely rumoured to be coming out soon won’t be making the cut, so no Tool, Slipknot or System of a Down (for the time being).
10. Black Label Society – Grimmest Hits
Whether they’re aware of it or not, every metalhead wants to be Zakk Wylde.
After all, the man is a celebrated guitar god, has spent half of his career performing with the godfather of rock Ozzy Osbourne, fronts his own solo band in the form of Black Label Society and is notorious for being one of the nicest guys in the entire heavy music scene. Also, he has an amazing bugger of a beard.
The only downside is that lovers of Black Label Society is that their last release came in 2014 in the form of Catacombs of the Black Vatican. Luckily, that dry spell will end on the 19th January with the charismatically titled Grimmest Hits.
Set to continue Black Label Society’s modus operandi of fusing the riffs and grooves of ZZ Top with the distorted heaviness of Black Sabbath, the band’s tenth disc was announced back in October with the unveiling of its first single, “Room of Nightmares”.
Needless to say, the single came as a perfect pre-Halloween treat, made complete by the fact that I have now heard Zakk freaking Wylde say “Did you just blow up Little Timmy’s birthday cake?!”, which is something I’ve been meaning to cross off the bucket list for a while.