50 Best Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums Of 2017

Atonement is the tenth album by New York titans Immolation. But, more than that, it is also one of the most badass death metal albums of 2017.

While this year has seen a ton of straight-ahead, no-nonsense death metal from similar American East Coast veterans like Obituary, Suffocation and Cannibal Corpse, Immolation’s album dominates the entire niche handily. The god-like riffs like those found on “Destructive Currents”, “Atonement” and “Epiphany” let the band keep up with younger, hungrier up-and-comers like Abhorrent Decimation and Venom Prison.

Meanwhile, entries like …Of the Dark Light and Obituary’s self-titled disc (both 2017) – although still strong overall – definitely feel like spawns of a prior generation, lacking the same intelligence or intricate precision.

With its artwork presenting the Angel of Death centre-stage, its guitars brilliantly timeless, its lyrics unhallowed and satirical, and its music laden with blast beats, Atonement makes Immolation feel just as dangerous and fresh as ever. Its speed and punishment are unyielding, all while clinging to the death metal archetypes of the ‘80s and somehow reinvigorating them.

For these warriors of extreme metal, Atonement is Immolation’s Painkiller (1990), their ‘Black Album’ (1991), their Surgical Steel (2013), in that it proves that these cagey, classic extremists of yesteryear can adapt to the modern era, remaining just as exciting as their fresh-faced juniors.