The Top 10 Death Metal Albums of 2024

There is no shortage of inspiration for death metal these days, as death is all around us. Perhaps that is why there has been such a huge outpouring of quality death metal this year. These albums celebrate annihilation in all of its forms.   These albums captured what death metal should be with very little compromise,  After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2024. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Death Metal albums of 2024.

10-Living Gate-"Suffer as One" 

Here is another supergroup making old-school death metal, This one features members of YOB, Amen Ra, and Wiegedood. Some elements are not unlike 'Formulas Fatal to the Flesh " era Morbid Angel, as the riffs twist and turn with a great deal of technical prowess. They are not taking the easy way out by just dialing in a certain retro sound, as the guitar replicates the Trey chaos while the drums are prone to go off on their own path. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/living-gate-suffer-as-one.html

 

9-White Stones -  "Memoria Via" 

The band's 3rd album has all of the great t guitar playing with a progressive touch to their take on melodic death metal. Right from the start Opeth bassist Martin Mendez is bringing exotic chord progressions. When growled vocals come, there is more of a rock tone placed back further in the mix. Perhaps because this album is done in his native tongue, so he did not want that fact as prominent. It's way more progressive than the first two albums bringing them much closer to where he left off with Opeth,. It does get ambitious in the maze of twists and turns by the third track, though is still an interesting listen thanks to the prominence of riffs to hook you back into it. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/death-is-june-white-stones-memoria-via.html

 

8-Daath-"Deceivers" 

Returning from a 13-year hiatus, Eyal Levi is the sole original member, though Sean Z returns to lend his growl to the proceedings. The bigger more grandiose sound of this album is largely due to the addition of Jesse Zuretti who handled the orchestration, synths, and some additional guitar. Obscura guitarist Rafael Trujillo is also adding to the guitar fold. This album features a whos who of guest guitar spots from modern metal bands ranging from Ice Nine Kills to Archspire. Around here we place minimal emphasis on guitar solos, so not going into a breakdown of them for this review. Instead, we are focusing on the songwriting, things like hooks and dynamics.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/daath-deceivers.html

 7-Civerous -"Maze Envy" 

Despite the Morbid Angel-like album cover this band takes things in a more dismal direction. The growls are lower and make no attempt to form hooks. The vocals exist only to create a perverse layer of humanity being defiled with each wretched utterance. It is more of a vibration than anything that really bears being paid attention to. The way the riffs are phrased does have a machine-like grind similar but is balanced out by depressive melodicism. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/03/civerous-maze-envy.html

6-Gatecreeper - "Dark Superstition" 

Right out the gate, they are crept up with harder-hitting riffs, that carry a more hardcore influence punch to them. This is the band's third album and it sounds like not only are they coming into their own, but stepping into the spotlight to earn a larger metal audience. There is more of an Entombed-like grit at times, and a huge vocal sound that shows the benefits of bigger budget production. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/gatecreeper-dark-superstition.html

5-Ritual Fog-"But Merely Flesh" 

This band from Tennessee attacks with a very deliberate groove not unlike Obituary at times, with their more rabid moments reminding me a little of Rigor Mortis. The vocals are varied, sometimes more snarled, and others growled more with varied tones. The lyrics are articulated enough to know what the songs are about. These guys have not only captured the sound of the era they are paying homage to but also care about writing songs.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/ritual-fog-but-merely-flesh.html

 

4-Undeasth - "More Insane" 

Here is an album, that grew on me with each listen. It captures everything you could want from classic death metal and is a huge improvement when it comes to songwriting, and shows these guys can kick ass when they set their insane minds to it. It earned this spot due to how much I listened to it. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/undeath-more-insane.html

3-Deceased -"Children of the Morgue" 

Hailed as one of the longest-running death metal bands still kicking it, this band feels more like thrash on the opening track of their 11th album. With kinda of a Venom vibe lurking under the current. Harmonizing riffs add a melodic edge though the riffs are pretty catchy. They even allow themselves to go into a gallop that recalls early Iron Maiden.  At the end of the day, it was the end of the day it was hooky old-school metal songwriting that brought me back for more. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/death-is-june-deceased-children-of.html

        

2-Maul- "In the Jaws of Bereavement" 

This album clicked for me right away as it packs a powerful punch, yet does not shy from guitar melodies to show they care about writing songs. North Dakota is not where I would expect this to come from but here we are. There is no shortage of head-banging grooves. This album makes a strong argument for having the bass prominent in the mix when it comes to death metal. There are some technical thrashing riffs, that are balanced out by locking into chugs to bring a more deliberate attack that plays to their strengths. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/maul-in-jaws-of-bereavement.html

 

1-200 Stab Wounds - "Manual Manic Procedures" 

. Less than a year after the previous release, the guys have worked hard to perfect their craft, as this is more nuanced and dynamic songwriting. My only complaint about the first album was that it was so straightforward that there was little to separate it from veterans like Cannibal Corpses. Now they are really bringing it hard this time around. They give the oppressive pounding. Plenty of syncopated punches and little nuances make it clear that this operation is meticulous. Perfect blend of creepy melodic parts, and aggressive hooky riffs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/death-is-june-200-stab-wounds-manual.html

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