5 Best Metal Albums Of June 2018

5. ASG – Survive Sunrise

Commencing this month’s countdown is a duology of slow-paced, doomy destroyers, opened by metal’s most underrated stoners, ASG.

Despite their firm residence in the heavy music underground, these American aggressors are experts in their field, with almost two decades of weed-laced power under their belts. And on their monstrous seventh album, Survive Sunrise, their pedigree and expertise are on display front and centre.

At its core (and this is written with the utmost reverence), Survive Sunrise is the stoner metal album for people that don’t really like stoner metal: it resides perfectly on the border between restrained, accessible and melodic mastery, and all-out, twisted psychedelia. For every moment that recaptures the soaring weirdness and avant-garde euphoria of Sleep or Dopethrone, there’s a tight, catchy chorus or hook ripped straight from a particularly scorching Led Zeppelin anthem.

And then, of course, there’s some good ol’ guitar heroism to boot, which this record boasts in spades! If you’re a fan of the vintage, flashy fretboard dancing of Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix, but wish it had a touch of more modern, metallic power, then Survive Sunrise could well be your album of the year thus far.

So much brilliance, and the list has only just begun…