20 Best Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums Of 2018 (So Far)
2. Møl – Jord
Holy Roar Records are the rock ‘n’ roll label to follow this year: in the past few months alone, they’ve released acclaimed, genre-defying discs from Rolo Tomassi, Conjurer, Boss Keloid, Ohhms and, of course, those debuting blackgaze stalwarts Møl, who shined in April with their post-metallic masterpiece, Jord.
Easily the best full-blooded black metal album of 2018 thus far, Jord has something for everyone that loves this storied subgenre. If you’re a die-hard fan of the dream-like atmospherics of Wolves in the Throne Room and Deafheaven, or if you prefer the destructive blasts of Mayhem and Watain, it doesn’t matter: this is the one album where you’ll all feel at home no matter what.
On their first full outing, Møl put an ingenious twist on the archetypal blackgaze formula, combining its ethereal beauty with the succinctness of extreme metal to craft something that feels frantic and beautiful in equal measure. Jord is twisted in the best possible way, subverting such gorgeous notions as melody and ambience and using them to make something crushing in its immensity.
Everything that anyone could ever love about black metal is front and centre on Jord and, as a result, it was inordinately difficult to relegate this true trailblazer to the number two spot.
However, once you sink your teeth into it, I think you’ll agree that this list’s number one is more than deserving of its article-topping ranking…