The Top 10 Black Metal Albums of 2026 ... so far

This was set in motion three years ago when too many journalists tried to erroneously hail hot garbage as the best black metal album of the year. This compelled me to set things straight, as such a claim is disrespectful to the genre; therefore, I decided to uphold this mid-year tradition. Just sounding good from a production standpoint is not going to make the cut, since studio magic alone is not what black metal is about. Though I am not looking for something to sound like trash in the name of being cvlt either. I am also not paying homage to bands that are just press darlings for whatever social reason of the day might be. I want bands who are effective at creating darkness, so with that said, here are the top 10 Black Metal Albums of 2026 ...so far.

10-Darkthrone-"Pre-Historic Metal" 

It seems these guys are now transfixed on their Celtic Frost phase. They are still black metal if you are talking about how that genre was defined in the 80s. There is a rawer sound to this album than their previous one, but it does not hinder the head-banging, fist-pumping riffs. The vocals croaked with a Tom Warrior-like anguish, sitting back further into the guitars. Mercyful Fate's influence seeks to move them from their obsession with Celtic Frost, which makes for interesting listening. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/05/heavy-maytal-darkthrone-pre-historic.html

 

9-Egregore- 'It Echoes in the Wild" 

This Canadian band gets it. They are bringing a blizzard of sound that is equally dark and heavy in its intensity when it hits your ears. The other strength Egregore finds on this album is that the vocals should not be an afterthought, no matter how they are delivered. They draw from more than just black metal, with thrash hooks in the guitar riffs and the aggression of death metal in the way it hits. It almsot sounds like an album from the early 90s in this regard, and the production helps solidify this aspect. It's not underproduced like an old Mayhem album, but it sounds more organic than most of the stuff coming out these days. It is atmospheric without any post anything

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/02/black-metal-history-month-egregore-it.html

 

8-Bringers of Death-"Sulphur"

Jeff Wilson of Chrome Waves has a blackened death metal project with the drummer from Acid Bath/Goatwhore, that is as ripping as you might expect, given Jeff's prior work in Nachtmystium and Wolvhammer. After the opening assault, things get into a more purposeful throb, and a darker mood is created that carries ample atmosphere.I like the mood it creates and appreciate the darkness invoked here, rather than just a bunch of blast beats beating you in the ears.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/04/bringers-of-death-sulphur.html

7-Bizarrekult-"Alt Somme Finnes"

This Norwegian band does not feel the need to preserve their heritage by sticking to the second wave blast beats, and instead uses a very dynamic perspective on songwriting. The emotional range of this album marries elements of Enslaved to Deafheaven.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/02/black-metal-history-month-bizarrekult.html

 

6-Mayhem-"Liturgy of Death"

Moving in a bigger and more symphonic direction for their new album, Norway's black metal icons Mayhem keep things dark even if it means crossing over into a marginally more accessible style that feels more like Dimmu Borgir in its epic scope. Hellhammer is behind the drum kit, so that brings a larger-than-life flurry of double bass. Obviously, Necrobutcher and Atilla are crafting these songs with guitarists who have been with them for well over a decade now. You might be surprised that this album is not ranked higher, but it takes fewer chances than the bands in the top 5. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/mayhem-liturgy-of-death.html

 

5-Unverkalt- ""Héréditaire"

Setting the stage with a deceptive sense of melody before blasting into you. The melodic vocals are perhaps more intersting, but they work a delicate balance of playing to both sides of the band's dynamic range. Depressive more than it's blackened, the sonic weight of their songwriting impresses right from the first song. Overall, this album is an impressive marriage of sound into well-balanced songs.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/03/unverkalt-hereditaire.html

 

4- Trelldom-"...by the Word..."

This project steps even further into a bleak sea of chaos and further from their black metal beginnings, which is fine. It's more dynamic than black metal tends to be, so much like Ulver, they outgrew the bounds of the sub-genre.Despite it not being as song-focused as the previous album, as I respect what they have created here and their willingness to explore new places

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/05/trelldom-by-word.html

3-Ellende-"Zerfall"

They are atmospheric, with stunning guitar work and a haze of melancholy, lending their waves of scathing picking an edge. The wrathful vocals are perhaps more scornful this time around. This willingness to experiment is one of the things that makes this one of their best releases so far. They have doubled down on their commitment to melody and great guitar playing.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/ellende-zerfall.html

2-Worm -"Necropalace"

This Florida-based band shifted into blackened doom, which earned their place here thanks to their dynamic songwriting that finds its more progressive moments of this album will appeal to Emperor fans. This is a creative high mark for the band, so if you are a fan or like progressive black metal with darkly epic tendencies, then this album is for you.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/black-metal-history-month-worm.html

1-Ponte Del Diavolo -"De Venom Natura"

This is not the heaviest or most cvlt black metal album on this list. It is, however, an album that thinks outside of the box and follows its own path while bringing a shade of darkness that is unique to what they are doing. There is not just blast metals and screaming, but a balanced range of dynamics that serve hooky songs worth repeat listens, which is what puts you atop the heap when it comes to this genre.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/ponte-del-diavolo-de-venom-natura.html

pst254

January 's Top 10 Albums

 

The year is off to a decent start with more quality and quantity, so in the interest of keeping abreast of new releases, this might help you, casual readers, with what you might have missed.  I am not doing little blurbs on them, just linking the reviews. This helps me organize my lists for the end of the year by listing the genre of music the album falls under. This does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most. I have albums in my in-box that are not coming out til June, so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of what I have listened to the most. This month, there is a wide variety from pagan folk pop to grind-core to black metal, so perhaps you will find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums for January of 2026.

10-N0/ MAS - "No Peace." 

Grind-core

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/nomas-no-peace.html

9-Eihwar-"Hugrheim" 

Pagan- Folk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/eihwar-hugrheim.html

8-ghostbells- "Catacoture" 

Goth

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/ghostbells-catacoture.html

7-Xiu Xiu-"Xiu Mutha Fuckin' Xiu: Vol.1"

Experimental 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/xiu-xiu-xiu-mutha-fuckin-xiu-vol1.html

6-Crippled Black Phoenix -"Sceaduhelm"

Post-punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/crippled-black-phoenix-sceaduhelm.html

5-Ellende -"Zerfall" 

Black Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/ellende-zerfall.html

4-Ponte del Diavolo- "De Venom Natura" 

Blackened Post Punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/ponte-del-diavolo-de-venom-natura.html

3-Softcult- "When a Flower Doesn't Grow." 

Dream pop/post-grunge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/softcult-when-flower-doesnt-grow.html

2-Megadeath-"s/t "

Thrash 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/megadeth-st.html

1-Blackwater Holylight- "Not Here Not Gone." 

Stoner Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/blackwater-holylight-not-here-not-gone.html

pst35

PONTE DEL DIAVOLO : "De Venom Natura"

Ponte Del Diavolo is an interesting band from Italy. Their 2024 album scored a 9.5, as they continue to perfect what they did on this album as they kick in the door with blast beats before bringing a shadowy vision of post-punk snake its way around the verse before exploding back into a more snarled chorus, though singer Erba excels at blending vocal tones. One of their strengths is that they do not mix the two genres in an expected formulaic way, so they blend in a very organic manner. The second song finds manic post-punk vocals over the tense tremolo-picked guitars, though the drummer does not just fall back to blast beats to concince your they are into black metal, instead it keeps a punk vibe. 

The rapid-fire tempo of "Spirit, Blood, Poison, Ferment" caused me to need a second listen to absorb it. I like the ebb and flow of the dynamics used when the vocals bring things to a more deliberate place on the verse. I was not expecting the flourish of horns going into the chorus. Dark-wave tinged electronics add to the mood brewing on "il veleno della Natura" with black metal guitar bridging the verses to create a throbbing tension. Midway into the song, things accelerate but do not rush the vocals, which belt it out with the same steady resolve. 

"Delta-9" seems to be about the old devil's weed, which I would not expect them to be tokers of, but whatever works. It does unfold with a more psychedelic drone than what they have explored previously on the album. Then they wink in the direction of Cypress Hill, which was even more unexpected, before the bass rumbles into creating a pretty crushing riff.  Gionata Potenti lends his voice to the beginning of "Silence Walk With Me". He has a more conventional classic metal voice that is cleanly sung in the vein of the Scorpions, which brightens the tone. They close the album with a cover of Bauhaus' "In the Flatfield." I will take this every day over another cover of "Bela Lugosi's Dead." They keep the vibe of the song with the underlying tension, adding blast beats under the frantic chorus. I will round this up to a 10 based on the fluid blending of styles and Erba's stellar vocal preformance. 

pst26

Black Metal History Month - Ponte Del Diavolo : "Blades From the Tomb"

 

This Italian band is doing something different. Well to an extent. Hexvessel did make a black metal album with sung vocals last year, this band is taking that and giving it a more dissonant spin. Though there is plenty of melody to be found. They are taking post-punk and colliding it with black metal. Once again, it's not the first time thanks to Tombs, but this is done with this band's thumbprints. Proving you do not have to totally remake the wheel, to create relevant new music. Their singer will use harsher accents to the vocal but generally sings with moody melodic flare. 

Things take a turn towards doom on "Red as the sex of She who lives in death". This is a logical sonic step. Over the course of this epic, they manage to find their way back into the more blasty side of black metal. However, this is only one color they use to shade the song. They stay on this darker almost more progressive path until accelerating back into the blast of "La Razza". " They take post-punk tense and make it groove before throwing against the more aggressive black metal undercurrent. They dig into this with varying levels of heaviness. This is more of a mood rather than some of the more overt artists we have covered during Black Metal History Month this year. 

It does take me a few minutes to realize that "Zero" is not the previous song, meaning that even when doing things as interesting as this band does you can still fall into the lull of a uniformity in your sound. We can blame the blast beats. Male vocals add a new color to "The Weeping Song" which closes the album more intentionally. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. If you like goth, post-punk, black metal or doom, this is worth your time. 

pst76