Judas Priest are one of the most important bands in all of heavy metal. With 50+ years of metallic majesty under their belts, the Priest machine is still rolling strong today. Many of us here at Metal-Rules.com are huge fans of the band so what better band to kick off…
Polls
Best of 2020: Cristóbal Torres
Top 20 Studio Albums of 2019 1. Alethea – Aquaria The greatest and most important comeback not only of the year but the whole decade (or even more) in the power metal scene. Since 2007, when Aquaria released its last known album: SHAMBALA (2007), the entire latinamerican power metal fans…
Best of 2020: Kieron Hayes
01. Igorrr – Spirituality and Distortion (SAMPLE) Spirituality and Distortion is a truly strange album, and it plays into that as its strength just perfectly. It’s one of those avant-garde metal albums that throws in a ton of different sounds, either one after another or at the same time. You’ll…
Best of 2020: Dennis “Schwermetallisch”Eikenkötter
#1. Wytch Hazel – III: Pentecost These fine Gentlemen from Lancaster, UK flew under my Radar for far too long, to describe the sound of Wtych Hazel is a task of its own. The channel the peacefulness and tranquility of 70’s stoner…
Best of 2020: Anders Sandvall
01. Pyramaze “Epitaph” It has taken a very long time for this Denmark/USA/Norwegian band to follow up their last album but it was worth the wait! This is strong melodic metal with progressive influences that blows your mind. This is what melodic/progressive metal should sound like and I only…
Best of 2020: Erich Heintzelman
Erich’s Top 20 Metal Albums 2020 There is no way to talk about metal in 2020 without mentioning the pandemic. Bands delayed albums, were unable to tour, and for people the world over it has been a miserable year. For those bands that did release albums, these are the soundtracks…
Best of 2020: Aaron Yurkiewicz
Top 20 Studio Albums of 2020 1. Napalm Death – Throes of Joy in the Mouth of Defeatism THROES OF JOY IN THE MOUTH OF DEFEATISM is the sound of a band that has outgrown the genre shackles of “grindcore”, but also a band who’s managed to translate that energy…
Best of 2020: Peter Atkinson
Personal Top 20 01. Napalm Death – Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism Napalm Death is turning 40 this year. But time flies when you grind as hard as these guys have, in whatever shape or form the band has taken over the years – and its lineup…
Best of 2020: JP
I’ve heard some people say that because of the global pandemic there were fewer Metal releases in 2020. The statistics don’t actually support that theory or observation. There were just as many, maybe even MORE new, full-length, studio albums released in 2020, than in 2019. Ever since 2016, the…
Best of 2020
Top 20 Metal Albums of 2020 As always, the top albums of the year are for full albums (no EP’s or demos) released in 2020. They are new studio albums for the year, not re-recordings, re-releases, cover songs, or live albums. Below the combined top 20 you will find links…
Best of 2020: EvilG
Best of 2020 1. Testament – Titans of Creation The winning streak of awesomeness from the thrash gods remains unbroken. There is still plenty of creativity and there were even some vocal surprises here and there with new levels of viciousness. 2. Necrophobic – Dawn of the Damned This black/thrash…
Best of 2020: The Elitist Metalhead
Best of 2020 1. Havukruunu – Uinuos syömein sota This Finnish Pagan Black Metal Band came across my radar back in 2017. This album just blew me away from the very start. Epic black metal with some great traditional metal elements and godly solos. One listen and you can see…
Best of 2020: Lord of the Wasteland
1. Seven Spires – EMERALD SEAS What an ambitious and captivating concept album from this band, anchored by the superb vocals of Adrienne Cowan. Power metal is the name of the game here but without the cheese. Cowan’s vocals run the gamut from operatic soprano to death metal growl and…
Best of 2020: RC2000
2020 was a tough year for the metal world for obvious reasons. It’s now more important than ever to BUY the albums you enjoy – if you steal the music you love, you kill the music you love. I didn’t get to listen to nearly as much metal as I…
Best of 2020: John Haseltine
Top 20 list for 2020 by John Haseltine This list is always a tricky one for me to do each year. While I have narrowed it down to these 20 for the site, there were/are so many other albums released in 2020 that I have not had the chance to…