Metal Hammer writers' albums of the year 2014

As the year is winding down and we start thinking about just how fantastic 2014 was for the world of rock and metal, we thought we’d share with you the records that us idiots thought were the best of the past 12 months. Do you agree with us?

Alexander Milas / Editor-In-Chief

1. **Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 2. Solstafir Ótta Season Of Mist 3. Crowbar Symmetry In Black Century Media 4. Machine Head Bloodstones & Diamonds Roadrunner 5. Opeth Pale Communion Roadrunner 6. Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter Roadrunner 7. Marmozets The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets Roadrunner 8. Mastodon Once More Around The Sun Warner 9. Casualties Of Cool Casualties Of Cool Self-Released 10. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 11. Lionize Jetpack Soundtrack Weathermaker 12. Xerath III Candlelight 13. Triptykon Melana Chasmata Century Media 14. Orange Goblin Back From The Abyss Candlelight 15. Skyharbor Guiding Lights Basick 16. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Nuclear Blast 17. Primus Primus & The Chocolate Factory… ATO 18. Savage Messiah The Fateful Dark Earache 19. Jeremy Irons And The Ratgang Malibus Spirit Knife Small Stone 20. Accept Blind Rage Nuclear Blast**

Merlin Alderslade / Deputy Editor

1. **Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 2. Hang The Bastard Sex In The Seventh Circle Century Media 3. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Nuclear Blast 4. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Nuclear Blast 5. Marmozets The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets Roadrunner 6. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 7. Enabler La Fin Absolue Du Monde Century Media 8. Beartooth Disgusting Red Bull 9. Architects Lost Forever // Lost Together Epitaph 10. Crowbar Symmetry In Black Century Media 11. Upon A Burning Body The World Is My Enemy Now Sumerian 12. Martyr Defiled Siege Of Amida Siege Of Amida 13. Winterfylleth The Divination Of Antiquity Candlelight 14. Black Moth Condemned To Hope New Heavy Sounds 15. I Killed The Prom Queen Beloved Epitaph 16. Trap Them Blissfucker Southern Lord 17. Mastodon Once More Round The Sun Warner 18. At The Gates At War With Reality Century Media 19. Miss May I Rise Of The Lion Rise 20. Brutality Will Prevail Suspension Of Consciousness Siege Of Amida**

Vanessa Thorpe / Production Editor

1. **Marmozets The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets Roadrunner 2. Mastodon Once More ’Round The Sun Roadrunner 3. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Roadrunner 4. Blues Pills Blues Pills Nuclear Blast 5. Black Moth Condemned To Hope New Heavy Sounds 6. Devin Townsend Z2 Inside Out 7. Upon A Burning Body The World Is My Enemy Now Sumerian 8. Killer Be Killed Killer Be Killed Nuclear Blast 9. Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter Roadrunner 10. Sólstafir Ótta Season Of Mist 11. Casualties Of Cool IX Candlelight 12. Crobot Something Supernatural Wind-up 13. Truckfighters Universe Fuzzorama 14. Opeth Pale Communion Roadrunner 15. Blackberry Smoke The Whippoorwill Earache 16. Orange Goblin Back From The Abyss Candlelight 17. Cynic Kindly Bent To Free Us Season Of Mist 18. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 19. Down IV Part II Down 20. Cavalera Conspiracy Pandemonium Napalm**

Dom Lawson / Editor-At-Large

1. **Necrophagia White Worm Cathedral Season Of Mist 2. Scott Walker/Sunn O))) Soused 4AD 3. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Nuclear Blast 4. Opeth Pale Communion Roadrunner 5. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 6. Swans To Be Kind Young God 7. Wovenhand Refractory Obdurate Deathwish 8. Nunslaughter Angelic Dread Hells Headbangers 9. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 10. Primordial Where Greater Men Have Fallen Metal Blade 11. Evergrey Hymns For The Broken AFM 12. Bloodbath Grand Morbid Funeral Peaceville 13. Anathema Distant Satellites Kscope 14. Voices London Candlelight 15. Crowbar Symmetry In Black Century Media 16. Triptykon Melana Chasmata Century Media 17. Alaya Thrones Basick 18. Decapitated Blood Mantra Nuclear Blast 19. Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter Roadrunner 20. Yob Clearing The Path To Ascend Neurot**

Jonathan Selzer / Reviews and Subterranea Editor

1. **Wovenhand Refactory Obdurate Deathwish Inc 2. Sólstafir Ótta Season Of Mist 3. Primordial Where Greater Men Have Fallen Metal Blade 4. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 5. Electric Wizard Time To Die Spinefarm 6. Scott Walker/Sunn O))) Soused 4AD 7. Swans To Be Kind Young God 8. Voices London Candlelight 9. 11Paranoias Stealing Fire From Heaven Ritual Productions 10. Winterfylleth The Divination Of Antiquity Candlelight 11. Selim Lemouchi And His Enemies Earth Air Spirit Fire Water Ván 12. Yob Clearing The Path To Ascend Neurot 13. Mayhem Esoteric Warfare Season Of Mist 14. Messenger Illusory Blues Svart 15. Bong Stoner Rock Ritual Productions 16. Dread Sovereign All Hell’s Martyrs Ván 17. Triptykon Melana Chasmata Century Media 18. Anaal Nathrakh Desideratum Metal Blade 19. Opeth Pale Communion Roadrunner 20. Mastodon Once More ‘Round The Sun Roadrunner**

Luke Morton / Online Editor

1. **Marmozets The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets Roadrunner 2. Architects Lost Forever // Lost Together Epitaph 3. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 4. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Nuclear Blast 5. Beartooth Disgusting Red Bull 6. Vanna VOID Pure Noise 7. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Nuclear Blast 8. Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter Roadrunner 9. NOTHING Guilty Of Everything Relapse 10. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 11. Islander Violence & Destruction Victory 12. Upon A Burning Body The World Is My Enemy Now Sumerian 13. La Dispute Rooms Of The House Better Living 14. Solstafir Otta Season Of Mist 15. Polar Shadowed By Vultures In At The Deep End 16. Martyr Defiled No Hope No Morality Siege Of Amida 17. Mastodon Once More ‘Round The Sun Reprise 18. The Amity Affliction Let The Ocean Take Me Roadrunner 19. Feed The Rhino The Sorrow And The Sound Siege Of Amida 20. Comeback Kid Die Knowing Victory**

Lewis Somerscales / Art Editor

1. **Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 2. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Nuclear Blast 3. Mastodon Once More Round The Sun Roadrunner 4. Down Down IV Roadrunner 5. Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter Roadrunner 6. Upon A Burning Body Album Label 7. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 8. Avatar Hail The Apocalypse Gain Music 9. Casualties Of Cool Casualties Of Cool Pledgemusic 10. Black Label Society Catacombes Of The Black Vatican Entertainment One 11. Devin Townsend Z2 Inside Out 12. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Nuclear Blast 13. Casualties Of Cool Casualties Of Cool Pledgemusic 14. Cannibal Corpse A Skeletal Domain Metal Blade 15. Crowbar Symmetry In Black Century Media 16. At The Gates At War With Reality Century Media 17. The Hell Groovehammer Prosthetic 18. Motionless In White Reincarnate Fearless 19. Killer Be Killed Killer Be Killed Nuclear Blast 20. Cavalera Conspiracy Pandemonium Napalm**

Terry Bezer / Writer

1. **Marmozets The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets Roadrunner 2. Architects Lost Forever // Lost Together Epitaph 3. Against Me! Talking Transgender Dysphoria Blues Unknown 4. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 5. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 6. Issues Issues Rise 7. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Century Media 8. Set It Off Duality Unknown 9. Comeback Kid Die Knowing Victory 10. Neck Deep Wishful Thinking Unknown 11. The Menzingers Rented World Unknown 12. Every Time I Die From Parts Unknown Epitaph 13. Joyce Manor Never Hungover Again Unknown 14. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Roadrunner 15. Candy Hearts All The Ways You Let Me Down Unknown 16. Mastodon Once More Round The Sun Roadrunner 17. Feed The Rhino The Sorrow The Sound Siege Of Amida 18. Of Mice & Men Restoring Force Rise 19. PUP PUP Unknown 20. Beartooth **Disgusting

Chris Chantler / Writer

1. **Slough Feg Digital Resistance Metal Blade 2. Primordial Where Greater Men Have Fallen Metal Blade 3. Electric Wizard Time To Die Spinefarm 4. Godflesh A World Lit Only By Fire Avalanche 5. Grand Magus Triumph And Power Nuclear Blast 6. Sabaton Heroes Nuclear Blast 7. The Tower Hic Abundant Leones Bad Omen 8. Satan’s Host Virgin Sails Moribund 9. Anathema Distant Satellites Kscope 10. Eyehategod Eyehategod Century Media 11. Mayhem Esoteric Warfare Season Of Mist 12. Dark Fortress Venereal Dawn Century Media 13. Autopsy Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves Peaceville 14. Messenger Illusory Blues Svart 15. Rise Of Avernus L’appel Du Vide Code666 16. Black Trip Goin’ Under SPV 17. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 18. Mysticum Planet Satan Peaceville 19. 11Paranoias Stealing Fire From Heaven Ritual Productions 20. Coven Jinx Self-Released**

Joe Daly / Writer

1. **Sólstafir Ótta Season of Mist 2. Insomnium Shadows Of The Dying Sun Century Media 3. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Roadrunner 4. Alcest Shelter Prophecy 5. Primordial Where Greater Men Have Fallen Metal Blade 6. Triptykon Melana Chasmata eOne 7. With Our Arms To The Sun A Far Away Wonder Unconfined Ideas 8. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 9. The Haunted Exit Wounds Century Media 10. Agalloch The Serpent & The Sphere Eisenwald 11. Atomikylä Erkale Future Lunch 12. Bulletbelt Rise Of The Banshee Bulletbelt 13. Obituary World Demise Relapse 14. Aphyxion Earth Entangled Mighty Music 15. Opeth Pale Communion Roadrunner 16. Animals As Leaders The Joy Of Motion Sumerian 17. Killer Be Killed Killer Be Killed Nuclear Blast 18. Tombs Savage Gold Relapse 19. Black Label Society Catacombs Of The Black Vatican eOne 20. Emit Spectre Music Of An Antiquary Crucial Blast**

Stephen Hill / Writer

1. **Destrage Are You Kidding Me? No! Metal Blade 2. Against Me! Transgender Dysphoria Blues Total Treble Music 3. Empty Yard Experiment Kallisti Self-Released 4. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Nuclear Blast 5. Feed The Rhino The Sorrow And The Sound Century Media 6. Rancid Honor Is All We Know Epitaph 7. Mastodon Once Around The Sun Roadrunner 8. Every Time I Die From Parts Unknown Epitaph 9. Hang The Bastard Sex In The Seventh Circle Century Media 10. Killer Be Killed S/T Nuclear Blast 11. Kruger Adam And Steve Listenable 12. Electric Wizard Time To Die Spinefarm 13. Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast 14. Monuments The Emanuensis Century Media 15. Sick Of It All Last Act Of Defiance Century Media 16. Black Moth Condemned To Hope NHS 17. Pixies Indie Cindy Pixies Music 18. Empress A.D. Still Life Moving Fast Roadrunner 19. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Nuclear Blast 20. The Haunted Exit Wounds Century Media**

Gavin Lloyd / Writer

1. **Marmozets The Weird & Wonderful Marmozets Roadrunner 2. Issues Issues Rise 3. Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter Roadrunner 4. Beartooth Disgusting Red Bull 5. Architects Lost Forever // Lost Together Epitaph 6. Steel Panther All You Can Eat Kobalt 7. King 810 Memoirs of a Murderer Roadrunner 8. Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds Nuclear Blast 9. Suicide Silence You Can’t Stop Me Nuclear Blast 10. Of Mice & Men Restoring Force Rise 11. Mastodon Once More ‘Round The Sun Reprise 12. Rise Against The Blackmarket DGC 13. The Hell Groovehammer Prosthetic 14. Motionless In White Reincarnate Fearless 15. Body Count Manslaughter Sumerian 16. Crosses Crosses Sumerian 17. Upon A Burning Body The World Is My Enemy Now Sumerian 18. Coldrain The Revelation Hopeless 19. Miss May I Rise of the Lion Rise 20. Code Orange I Am King Deathwish**

Dayal Patterson / Writer

1. **Mysticum Planet Satan Peaceville 2. Falkenbach Asa Prophecy 3. Autopsy Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves Peaceville 4. Popcaan Where We Come From Mixpak 5. Agalloch The Serpent & The Sphere Eisenwald 6. Kampfar Djevelmakt Indie Recordings 7. Blut Aus Nord Memoria Vetusta III - Saturnian Poetry Debemur Morti 8. Alcest Shelter Prophecy 9. Deathtrip,The Deep Drone Master Svart 10. Mayhem Esoteric Warfare Season Of Mist 11. Judas Priest Redeemer Of Souls Columbia 12. Winterfylleth The Divination Of Antiquity Candlelight 13. Sólstafir Ótta Season Of Mist 14. Electric Wizard Time To Die Spinefarm 15. Great Old Ones, The Tekeli-Li Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions 16. 1349 Massive Cauldron Of Chaos Indie Recordings 17. Wolves In The Throne Room Celestite Southern Lord 18. Fen Carrion Skies Code666 19. Earth Primitive And Deadly Southern Lord 20. Voices London Candlelight**

Adam Rees / Writer

1. **Behemoth The Satanist Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast 2. Anathema Distant Satellites Kscope 3. Wovenhand Refractory Obdurate Deathwish Inc 4. Opeth Pale Communion Roadrunner 5. At The Gates At War With Reality Century Media 6. Anaal Nathrakh Desideratum Metal Blade 7. Swans To Be Kind Young God 8. King 810 Memoirs Of A Murderer Roadrunner 9. Devin Townsend Project Z2 Inside Out 10. Machine Head Bloodstones & Diamonds Roadrunner 11. Decapitated Blood Mantra Nuclear Blast 12. Winterfylleth The Divination Of Antiquity Candlelight 13. Septicflesh Titan Season Of Mist 14. Sanctuary The Year The Sun Died Century Media 15. Grand Magus Triumph And Power Nuclear Blast 16. Evergrey Hymns For The Broken AFM 17. Body Count Manslaughter Sumerian 18. Architects Lost Forever//Lost Together Epitaph 19. Necrophagia WhiteWorm Cathedral Season Of Mist 20. Within Temptation Hydra Roadrunner**

Check out the full Metal Hammer Critics’ Poll in the new issue OUT NOW.

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