What a year in music! The heavy underground continues to provide us with the soundtrack to life, a mood-altering substance that helps us through our busy days and sleepless nights. Giving us fuel, breathing life into our otherwise repetitious routines. It’s been said that every year is better than the previous, and I’m a firm believer of that notion, especially in the case of 2024.
With tons of amazing albums being released this year it’s quite a monumental task to whittle the list down to fifty-five. The diversity within the scene is astounding and the creations are special. We all have different tastes, yet there is something for everyone. We’re all in this together, we’re all a cog within the wheel, and there’s no place I’d rather be.
This year we had titans of the underground release new material, we had amazing splits, we had bands that hadn’t released an album in many years making a return, we had inspiring and fresh new debuts, and at least in my case a few ‘mainstream’ bands even made their way onto my list with impressive outings.
I would just like to thank all the bands that released music this year for sharing their passion and art, for their hard work behind the scenes as well as the sometimes gruelling tours they take part in. We know you do this music thing because you love it, because you wouldn’t have it any other way, and we appreciate you!
Here’s my top 55 of 2024..
1. Gjenferd - s/t
2. Sacri Monti – Retrieval3. Old Horn Tooth – Mourning Light
Mourning Light | Old Horn Tooth
4. Emu – s/t
5. Tarot – Glimpse of the Dawn
6. Anciients – Beyond the Reach of the Sun
Beyond the Reach of the Sun | ANCIIENTS
7. High On Fire – Cometh the Storm
Cometh The Storm | High On Fire
8. Magick Potion – s/t
9. DeWolff – Muscle Shoals
10. Opeth – The Last Will and Testament
https://open.spotify.com/
11. Greenleaf – The Head & The Habit
The Head & The Habit | Greenleaf
12. Magmakammer – Before I Burn
13. The Shadow Lizzards – Paradise
Paradise | The Shadow Lizzards
14. Hashtronaut – No Return
15. Freeways – Dark Sky Sanctuary
16. Spirit Mother – Trails
SPIRIT MOTHER - Trails | HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records
17. Khirki - Κυκεώνας
18. The Quill – Wheel of Illusion
https://open.spotify.com/
19. Gnome – Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome
Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome | Gnome
20. Phantom Hound – From Boom Town to Ghost Town
From Boom Town To Ghost Town | Phantom Hound
21. Young Acid – Murder at Maple Mountain
Murder At Maple Mountain | Young Acid
22. Starmonger – Occultation
23. Kant – Paranoia Pilgrimage
24. Ian Blurton’s Future Now – Crimes of the City
Crimes Of The City | Ian Blurton's Future Now | Ian Blurton
25. Psychlona – Warped Vision
26. High Reeper – Renewed by Death
Renewed By Death | High Reeper
27. 10,000 Years – All Quiet on the Final Frontier
All Quiet On The Final Frontier | 10,000 Years
28. Valley of the Sun - Quintessence
Quintessence | Valley of the Sun
29. Acid Mammoth – Supersonic Megafauna Collision
Supersonic Megafauna Collision | Acid Mammoth
30. Robot God – Subconscious Awakening/Portal Within
Subconscious Awakening | Robot God
31. Luna Sol – Vita Mors
Vita Mors | Luna Sol | Ripple Music
32. REZN – Burden
33. Elephant Tree/Lowrider – The Long Forever
The Long Forever | Elephant Tree / Lowrider | Lowrider
34. Wormsand - You, The King
35. Season of the Witch – Vol 2
36. Heavy Temple – Garden of Heathens
Garden of Heathens | Heavy Temple
37. Horseburner – Voice of Storms
38. Shotgun Sawyer – s/t
Shotgun Sawyer | Shotgun Sawyer | Ripple Music
39. Worshipper – One Way Trip
40. Freeride – Acido y Puto
Acido y Puto | Free Ride | Small Stone Records Co
41. Sergeant Thunderhoof – The Ghost on Badon Hill
The Ghost of Badon Hill | Sergeant Thunderhoof
42. Mount Hush – II
43. The Fertility Cult – A Song of Anger
A Song of Anger | The Fërtility Cült
44. High Desert Queen – Palm Reader
Palm Reader | High Desert Queen
45. Lie Heavy – Burn to the Moon
46. Hekate – House of Solomon
47. Shadow Witch – Eschaton (The End of All Things)
ESCHATON (The End Of All Things) | Shadow Witch
48. Your Highness – Under the Weight
Under The Weight | Your Highness
49. BUS – We Are the Night
We Are The Night | Bus the unknown secretary
50. Duel - Breakfast with Death
51. Huanastone – Son of Juno
52. Desert Suns – Edge of the Sky
53. Desert Mantra – The Desert I
The Desert I | Desert Mantra | Smolder Brains Records
54. Erronaut – The Space Inbetween
The Space Inbetween | Erronaut
55. Sundrifter – An Earlier Time
