Editor-In-Chief Dave "That Metal Guy" Campbell's Top 25 Albums of 2022.

Let me preface this list by stating that this was my most prolific year as […]

December 25, 2022

Let me preface this list by stating that this was my most prolific year as a writer. I reviewed close to 600 albums, and even though this is still but a drop in the bucket when compared to all the releases this year, I believe it was a very strong and diverse section of what was out there this year. Without further ado, I present my Top 25 of 2022.

25.

Wyvern
Radiations
Progressive Metal
Unknown
WormHoleDeath Productions

Throw all conventions that you think you know about Metal out the window when taking inWYVERN's "Radiations."The French are pretty well-known in the Metal scene for their originality and uniqueness, among other things, like their prowess, which is as unassuming here as it is impressive. The album has seven distinct offerings that are conscious and dynamic and hike you through the tale over rough cliffs and gentle pastures. The music is a mosaic painted by a master artist, but the songs are also very catchy and accessible. I love everything about this album.

24.

Saor
Origins
Atmospheric Black Metal
2013
Season of Mist Records

Those familiar with this band will recognize the album as another step in the evolution of the band. Those who aren't familiar with them will need to explore their discography immediately. The feeling thatAndyhas in his compositions is second to none. He combines several genres of melody with a flawless touch!one that is so fragile but also so strong it could not be broken by mortal means alone. Talk about beauty!this album has so many beautiful elements for the listener to enjoy, but the thick backbone of aggressive Metal keeps the album so well grounded.

23.

Karg
Resignation
Post-Black Metal
2006
AOP Records

The beautiful tones of purple on the album give you an indication of what lies within. Purple has been associated with royalty, and one interpreter called it "elaborate, replete with the trappings of majesty and ceremony. It's the favorite color of adolescent girls, and it's the color of fantasy and magic. It's half-blue, half-red, and our understanding of purple lies somewhere in between the serenity of blue and the passion of red." This is exactly what this album is!madness in composure.

22.

Lost in Kiev
Rapture
Post-Rock
Unknown
Pelagic Records

Although the album only has one track with vocals, the beauty of Post-Rock is the way the songs make you feel. They impart so much emotion without the seemingly necessary medium of singing, and that is a hard thing to do, given that one of the main mediums is already off the table. Many of the song feel heavy, but they are in fact smooth and mellow. Heavy is an illusion of sorts that your heart feels while you listen!laden, encumbered, and burdensome, with just enough pause to keep you from throwing in the towel altogether.

21.

Avandra
Prodigal
Progressive Metal/Rock
2011
Layered Reality Productions

AVANDRAtook on an ambitious effort here with their first concept album about the terrible machine of war. They used harsh vocals more, which reflect the subject matter well. They tell the story with passion and enthusiasm, and I know that I have said this before, but it's the vocals ofChristian Ayala Cruzthat really move me. This is a mature effort, with every note placed with thoughtfulness and consideration. It's past time to start talking aboutAVANDRAas one of the heavy-hitters in Progressive Metal.

20.

Destrage
So much, Too Much
Progressive Metalcore
2002
3DOT Recordings

Let's start with their never-ending well of creativity. Did they sell their souls to Satan for just one magic drop? The album is so varied, that you never know what is coming next. Each composition is unique but retains their excitable sound. Their talent? Marvelous and stunning. On a scale from 1-10, their confidence registers as a 12. Cocky? Perhaps!but when you can play as well as these guys plays, it doesn't really matter at all. Intense but fun, raging but delicate, this album has it all. If they sold their souls, it was worth it.

19.

Ahasver
Causa Sui
Progressive Groove
2022
Lifeforce Records

There is a long period of spoken words towards the end, wrapping up the themes of the story. These "new breeds" of Progressive Death Metal bands out there are starting to crop up, and fans are taking notice. Leave it up to another French band who understands all of the various nuances it takes to create such an outstanding album. Subtly refined, yet as strong as titanium, Lifeforce Records andAHASVERare ready to steal your soul with"Causa Sui."

18.

Teramaze
Flight of the Wounded
Progressive Metal
1993
Wells Music

Four albums in two years is an amazing feat for any band to undertake. One thing that I noticed on this fourth release is that the band seems to have confined their songwriting efforts into more concise songs, rather than the lavish songs of yesteryear. Dare I say it's more mature? Yes, but don't mistake this with the band losing their footing in the genre. Indeed, if anything, it is just further evidence that they have developed into a real force in the Progressive Metal genre. Creating memorable hooks is, in my opinion, the hardest thing to do in any genre of music, and this collection of songs is full of them. Long liveTERAMAZE.

17.

Disillusion
Ayam
Progressive Metal
1994
Prophecy Productions

Take a long look at the album cover for what lies within. Various shades of storm clouds surround the image!benevolent whites, dubious greys, and torrid darkened ones. But in the center the storm rages with black clouds of death. You will get vicious bites on the album, but also beautiful moments of study melodies. All in all, it's a glorious and grandiose slice of Progressive Metal that you can't afford not to listen to.

16.

OU
One
Progressive Metal
Unknown
InsideOut Music

What a strange but uniquely pleasing sound from a band who is not afraid to explore the many boundaries of Progressive Rock/Metal. They can obviously play with the best of them, dipping in and out of complex passages with a steady hand, andWu'svoice is both pretty and dangerous at the same time. The album is chocked full of chunky and hefty sounds with substantial weight, but also with charming and catchy melodies. This is a very strong debut album from the quartet from Beijing.

15.

Syberia
Statement on Death
Instrumental Rock
Unknown
Century Media Records

I can see why a big record label such as Metal Blade has picked up this quartet. Some say that songs without vocals can be harder to convey feeling and emotions, but I say that is the big misnomer of music in general. Instruments can speak just as loudly as vocals, in some cases louder. Here they fill your world with as many different emotions as one can possibly feel. You are alive and well.

14.

Constellatia
Magisterial Romance
Atmospheric/Melodic Black Metal
Unknown
Season of Mist Record

Elegant, somber, vulnerable, and devastating are fairly close definitions to their sound, but it is more than that. The progression and expansion of melody is one of the best advancements that I have heard this year. The fierce and torturous Black Metal vocals are the black spot in an otherwise regal sea of colors so vivid, you can't find them anywhere on earth. The two elements are melded together into a lasting synergy throughout the album.

13.

Wilderun
Epigone
Symphonic Progressive
2008
Century Media Records

One thing right off the bat that you have to consider here is the massive length of the album and songs, and that each one plays a part on the album. It held my attention during the entire journey, and I found myself surprised at every corner. LikeDREAM THEATERorHAKEN,the band is obviously talented beyond words. But don't mistake this band for a copycat of either act, they have their own sound and their own identity. This is the first grand album of 2021!

12.

Astronoid
Radian Bloom
Post Metal/Shoegaze
2011
Century Media Records

Improvements in production make their sound clearer, yet it still retains that whimsical quality like you are not quite fully awake. The blending of intricate melodies is done with a masterful accession, and the constricted rhythms provide a heavy backbone to the ample bounty of pure and clean melody that follows, as white as the driven snow. I don't remember an album this bright or authentic in a while.

11.

Silent Skies
Nectar
Progressive Rock
Unknown
Napalm Records

Perhaps what is best on the album is the balance between the keys and the vocals.Shankarknows exactly how to play in order to elevate the vocals of his counterpart,Englund,without taking over the sound. Those who are familiar withEVERGREYalready know the emotional power ofEnglund'svoice, and it is on full display here. Partner this with the introspective tendencies ofShankaron the piano, and you have a recipe for an album that will leave an indelible mark on your very soul. This is beauty personified.

10.

Mountaineer
Giving up the Ghost
Post Metal
Unknown
Lifeforce Records

Some would argue that Post-Metal is the first official "wave" of the 2020's. Though it has been around since a while before that time, I am noticing more and more bands creating music within the genre. The sound here can be described as melancholy, moody, angry, and, at times, promising. Through it all however, the one constant is the bevy of emotions that the album runs you through, and somehow it makes you feel things more intensely. I can't get enough of this type of music these days, and this album sure left an indelible mark on my soul!a bright and beautiful flower growing in the darkest of places.

Imminent Sonic Destruction
The Sun Will Always Set
Progressive Metal
2011
Independent

This was a very unique album. When taking in songs like"Solitude"and"The Sun Will Always Set"you immediately connect with the sublime melodies that the band creates. But when taking in others, the harsh elements are like the devil rising up from Hades. One thing is absolute!each band member sports fantastic musicianship. Their command and prowess are obvious with each passing note. I have to admit that I connect easier with the softer and more melodic songs on the album, and some are so pretty that I am moved on an emotional level, and the smile on my face is everlasting. I go to bed tonight completely content with my life, if only for one day.

Ghost Toast
Shade Without Color
Experimental/Instrumental Metal
Unknown
Inverse Records

Instruments themselves, by virtue of how they are used!what notes, at what pace, and when!can evoke just as strong as a response as vocals and lyrics. You need to be able to focus on the music a bit more, I will give you that. But once you do with"Shade Without Color,"you will find endless fields of colorful flowers that you never knew existed in nature. The colors are so bright and varied that you are like a child discovering the world for the first time. The album is a bright and fresh look into an old genre, with beautiful and glorious results.

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Persefone
Metanoia
Progressive/Melodic Death Metal
2001
Napalm Records

This album is a bit more concise than previous effort, but no less of a masterpiece. I do wish they had featured more piano in their music, as it is the shining glory of the band in my opinion. But all things considered, this remains an elegant, charming, and powerful album of both melodies and impossibly tight technical passages that onlyPERSEFONEcould compose, in all of their prowess. They remain on top of their game.

Hei'An
Imago
Post-Progressive/Post-Modern Metal
Unknown
Service For Artist Owned Labels

it's heavy, and angry, but dreamy, pensive and graceful. The melodies are so well developed that you can easily get lost in them, following them down a rabbit hole to the point where you don't care if you ever return to the world above. But alas, you do, and you come back with a new perspective on life and everything that you thought you knew about it. It is dark, and painful, but also so full of beauty and joy, your heart can hardly take a pinch of it.

Devin Townsend
Lightwork
Progressive Metal
1997
InsideOut Music

One of the things I love most about the somewhat eclectic artist is that you never know what are you going to get from him. In this case, you get his mellower side, and it is glorious. He works with harmonies and melodies like an alchemist, bending, forming and shaping them to memorable songs that will not leave your head anytime soon. Perhaps the most prodigious thing about him as an artist is that even today, after close to 30 years in the industry, his well of creativity is still very deep.

Traumen Von Aurora
Luna & Aurora
Post Black Metal
2007
Trollzorn Recordings

The season of winter can last what seems like forever, as the days are short and frigid, and the wind can be cold enough to cut right through any layers that you are wearing. It can seem impossible to ever get warm, and the light of spring seems so far off, that it might never come. But before you can come out clean on the other side, you have to endure the storm, no matter how long it lasts. For this is the only true way that humans can experience hope, and hope can be a singularly beautiful thing. I am near speechless when it comes to describing this album, but I will leave you with a few words!glorious, astonishing, and remarkable!this is one album that you just must listen to this year.

Threads of Fate
The Cold Embrace of the Light
Symphonic Metal
2017
Layered Reality Productions

This was a transformative album. I didn't even notice that the keyboards and orchestration was done byVikram Shankar,but now it makes perfect sense, because his compositional style is all about the charming and emotional side of music in general. I never thought harsh vocals could be so beautiful, and although the more sentimental side of the album is found within the clean vocals and piano, it is very much alive within the harsh vocals and aggressive sound as well. If this album doesn't touch you on many different levels, you might want to check your pulse and make sure you are still alive.

Kardashev
Liminal Rite
Progressive/Deathgaze
2012
Metal Blade Records

"Liminal Rite"is both one of the most brutal and aggressive Metal albums you have heard this year, but also one of the most sublime. Picture the mind of a seriously ill patient!one who can be as calm as the early morning quiet but also one who can snap and rage violently at the drop of a hat. His tortured mind doesn't allow him the control or deference to exist in the outside world. In a way, we are all this person. We all want to scream at the top of our lungs at injustices in our lives and in the world, and also we yearn to have someone call back and help us through these our darkest hours. This is humanity. For me, this album is about triumph of the human spirit, a battle which we must undertake nearly every day.

An Abstract Illusion
Woe
Progressive Death Metal
2007
Willowtip Records

This is probably a singular album that I have heard this year in terms of having it all, wrapped up in a tight offering that is as calculated as it is freeing at the same time. Talk about musicianship!this trio has more in their pinky then most musicians do in their entire hands. Complex arrangements are met with equally gorgeous melodies that flow through you. The songs bring up as many surprises along the way as they do staunch and tenacious compositions that you would expect from the genre of Metal. It is precisely the band's ability to seek balance between these two things as well as they do. The hype matched the effort here fully.