Jon McGough's Top 55 Albums Of The Year For 2024

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

Gjenferd | Gjenferd

2. Sacri Monti – Retrieval

Retrieval | Sacri Monti

3. Old Horn Tooth – Mourning Light

Mourning Light | Old Horn Tooth

4. Emu – s/t

Emu | EMU

5. Tarot – Glimpse of the Dawn

Glimpse Of The Dawn | Tarot

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

Magick Potion | Magick Potion

9. DeWolff – Muscle Shoals

Muscle Shoals | DeWolff

10. Opeth – The Last Will and Testament

https://open.spotify.com/album/1f2Q8urIhVZiuPSiNLcQG6?si=5xZojFEHSxCTAlxpHw52WA

11. Greenleaf – The Head & The Habit

The Head & The Habit | Greenleaf

12. Magmakammer – Before I Burn

Before I Burn | Magmakammer  

13. The Shadow Lizzards – Paradise

Paradise | The Shadow Lizzards

14. Hashtronaut – No Return

No Return | Hashtronaut

15. Freeways – Dark Sky Sanctuary

Dark Sky Sanctuary | Freeways

16. Spirit Mother – Trails

SPIRIT MOTHER - Trails | HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

17. Khirki - Κυκεώνας 

Κυκεώνας | Khirki

18. The Quill – Wheel of Illusion

https://open.spotify.com/track/7cuQpDoH3dMGhpdDUlteGn?si=c310c2a99ad04059

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

Occultation | Starmonger

23. Kant – Paranoia Pilgrimage

Paranoia Pilgrimage | KANT

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

Warped Vision | Psychlona

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

Portal Within | Robot God

31. Luna Sol – Vita Mors  

Vita Mors | Luna Sol | Ripple Music 

32. REZN – Burden

Burden | REZN

33. Elephant Tree/Lowrider – The Long Forever

The Long Forever | Elephant Tree / Lowrider | Lowrider

34. Wormsand - You, The King 

You, The King | Wormsand       

35. Season of the Witch – Vol 2 

Vol. 2 | Season Of The Witch

36. Heavy Temple – Garden of Heathens

Garden of Heathens | Heavy Temple

37. Horseburner – Voice of Storms

Voice of Storms | Horseburner

38. Shotgun Sawyer – s/t

Shotgun Sawyer | Shotgun Sawyer | Ripple Music

39. Worshipper – One Way Trip

One Way Trip | Worshipper

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

II | Mount Hush

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

Burn to the Moon | Lie Heavy

46. Hekate – House of Solomon 

House of Solomon | Hekate

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

Breakfast with Death | DUEL

51. Huanastone – Son of Juno

Son of Juno | Huanastone

52. Desert Suns – Edge of the Sky

Edge Of The Sky | Desert Suns

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

An Earlier Time | Sundrifter

Outlaws Of The Sun - Top 70 Albums Of The Year For 2024

Here it is folks. My favourite Top 70 Albums Of The Year For 2024.

This was perhaps the hardest year for myself putting this list together as there's a joint Number One album which is a first for me. So technically speaking there's 71 albums that I've chosen. 

I want to thank you all for reading the blog on a daily basis and letting me air my views on releases within the world of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal.

Huge Thanks to Frazer Jones at Desert Psychlist for his never-ending support and words of encouragement. Matthew Thomas, Marty Harvey and Gizmo for having my back throughout the year.

Thanks to the awesome contributions from Håkan Nyman, Jon McGough and S Patrick Brooks for their superb reviews and contributions to the blog this year.

Honourable mentions and thanks to Edd JR Saylor, Todd Stealey, Steve Rodger, Mel Lie, Doomcakes, Doom Charts Crew, Stevie Reek, James Marshall and Bill Goodman for their support as well.

I must also give a shout out to the Bands, Labels and PR Reps who helped me be aware of albums or bands that I may have missed.

Check my list out for the best sounds I've heard all year.

1.Old Horn Tooth - Mourning Light

1.Sergeant Thunderhoof - The Ghost Of Badon Hill



2.Elephant Tree / Lowrider - The Long Forever

3.FU MANCHU - The Return Of Tomorrow



4.High On Fire - Cometh The Storm

5.Psychlona - Warped Vision



6.Slomosa - Tundra Rock



7.Orbiter - Distorted Folklore



8.Acid Mammoth - Supersonic Megafauna Collision



9.Orange Goblin - Science, Not Fiction

10.Anciients - Beyond The Reach Of The Sun



11.SUNDRIFTER - An Earlier Time

12.GRIN - Hush



13.1000Mods - Cheat Death



14.CLEEN - Excursion

15.UFOMAMMUT - Hidden



16.Brant Bjork Trio - Once Upon A Time In The Desert

17.Skraeckoedian - Vermillion Sky

18.Hashtronaut - No Return

19.Kalgon - Kalgon

20.Blue Heron - Everything Fades

21.Cranieum - Point Of No Return

22.Barbarian Hermit - Mean Sugar

23.EARTH SHIP - SOAR

24.DÖ - Unversum

25.Deserts Of Mars - Dead Planet Exodus

26.VOLUME - Joy Of Navigation (a trip through the eternal unknown)

27.Vessel - The Somnifer

28.10000 Years - All Quiet On The Final Frontier

29.Astral Kompaqt - Goldader

30.Abrams - Blue City

31.ZOLLE - Rosa

32.Troy The Band - Cataclysm

33.Clouds Taste Satanic - 79 A.E.

34.Low Flying Hawks - Makebelieve

35.Wormsand - You, The King

36.Spirit Mother - Trails

37.Foster Mother - Echo Manor



38.Caffiene - The Threshold

39.Valley Of The Sun - Qunitessence

40.Ape Vermin - Andromedas Colossus

41.Dust Lord - Teethcutter

42.ERRONAUT - The Space Inbetween

43.The Freak Folk Of Mangrovia - Tales Beyond The Firmament

44.Soft Sun - Daylight In The Dark

45.RIFFLORD - 39 Serpent Power

46.King Bastard - From Whence They Came

47.POHL - Mysteries

48.Lucifer Giant - Lucifer Giant

49.Red Mesa - Partial Distortions

50.Elk Witch - Azimuth

51.Slowenya - The Wild Inevitable



52.Vokonis - Transitions



53.Sonic Wolves - III



54.Mountain Of Misery - The Land



55.Goat Major - Ritual



56.Melvins - Tarantula Heart



57.HIJSS - Stuck On Common Ground

58.Tigers On Opium - Psychodrama

59.O Zorn! - Vermillion Haze

60.Mr. Bison - Echoes From The Universe



61.The Obsessed - Gilded Sorrow



62.Desert Suns - Edge Of The Sky



63.Various Artists - Deep Seven Vol 1



64.Atareth - Passage - The Welfare Sessions



65.Torso - Brain Cells

66.Star Beast - Star Beast

67.Sonolith - III

68.Temple Smoke - Monolithic Evolution

69.Borehead - Vita Est Morte Est Vita

70.The Black Flamingo - An-nûr