binnie’s Best of 2014
Machine Head – Bloodstone & Diamonds
Machine. Fucking. Head. Rule. The. Earth. Once. Again.
Triptykon – Melana Chasmata
Thomas Gabriel Fischer proves once again that he is one of the most inventive minds in metal. Harrowing, relentless dark, and powerful, this is a dense record which rewards multiple listens.
Opeth – Pale Communion
Opeth continue to blossom as a prog band. Beautiful music from a beautiful mind.
Behemoth – The Satanist
Black Metal of the most terrifying and thought-provoking variety. Where many bands blast away like this, few manage to do so with songs that have such a memorable impact.
Crowbar – Symmetry in Black
None fucking heavier. Kirk Windstein serves up what is perhaps the best album of Crowbar’s 20 year career. Riff after riff after gloriously heavy riff.
Orange Goblin – Back From the Abyss
Is it stoner? Is it doom? Does it matter: it rocks like a motherfucker from hell.
Shrapnel – The Virus Conspires
A thrash record for the 21st century, and the best debut of the year.
Mastodon – Once More Round The Sun
They may not be as truly awe-inspiring as they once were, but Mastodon still release near perfect albums with alarming regularity. They’re one of the best bands of the past 20 years.
Death Penalty – Death Penalty
Great British metal from the ashes of Cathedral. These songs NEED to be heard by all fans of metal.
Animals As Leaders – The Joy Of Motion
An instrumental album that will not bore your to tears. This is a stunningly beautiful and affecting record.
Vallenfyre – Splinters
Album no. 2 from Paradise Lost’s Gregor MacIntosh’s other band. Doom and death metal fighting over the bragging rights to the best riff.
Conan – Blood Eagle
Sloooooow and very, very heavy.
Overkill – White Devil Armoury
Another brilliant record from metal’s most overlooked band. Never less than riveting, and always delivering the goods.
King 810 – Memoirs of a Murderer
Believe the hype, King 810 are a very good band. The most impressive thing about this album is the amount of variety on display.
Down – IV part 2
Perhaps overlooked now, Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan and co. served up another riff-fest this year and had a better collection of songs than ‘IV part 1’.
Slipknot – 5: the Gray Chapter
Did anyone expect Slipknot’s return to be this good? The songs on display here are stunning.
Feed The Rhino – The Sorrow & the Sound
Painting on a broader canvass than on their previous two outings, this British band do post-hardcore with boulder style bollocks. No-one sounds like this.
Skindred – Kill The Power
The most fun you will have this year.
Black Label Society – Catacombs of the Black Vatican
The Bearded Squeak is now such a familiar presence that we overlook him. This was BLS’s most consistent record in years.
Architects – Lost Forever/Lost Together
Heavy, catchy, and as emotive as they come.
Machine Head – Bloodstone & Diamonds
Machine. Fucking. Head. Rule. The. Earth. Once. Again.
Triptykon – Melana Chasmata
Thomas Gabriel Fischer proves once again that he is one of the most inventive minds in metal. Harrowing, relentless dark, and powerful, this is a dense record which rewards multiple listens.
Opeth – Pale Communion
Opeth continue to blossom as a prog band. Beautiful music from a beautiful mind.
Behemoth – The Satanist
Black Metal of the most terrifying and thought-provoking variety. Where many bands blast away like this, few manage to do so with songs that have such a memorable impact.
Crowbar – Symmetry in Black
None fucking heavier. Kirk Windstein serves up what is perhaps the best album of Crowbar’s 20 year career. Riff after riff after gloriously heavy riff.
Orange Goblin – Back From the Abyss
Is it stoner? Is it doom? Does it matter: it rocks like a motherfucker from hell.
Shrapnel – The Virus Conspires
A thrash record for the 21st century, and the best debut of the year.
Mastodon – Once More Round The Sun
They may not be as truly awe-inspiring as they once were, but Mastodon still release near perfect albums with alarming regularity. They’re one of the best bands of the past 20 years.
Death Penalty – Death Penalty
Great British metal from the ashes of Cathedral. These songs NEED to be heard by all fans of metal.
Animals As Leaders – The Joy Of Motion
An instrumental album that will not bore your to tears. This is a stunningly beautiful and affecting record.
Vallenfyre – Splinters
Album no. 2 from Paradise Lost’s Gregor MacIntosh’s other band. Doom and death metal fighting over the bragging rights to the best riff.
Conan – Blood Eagle
Sloooooow and very, very heavy.
Overkill – White Devil Armoury
Another brilliant record from metal’s most overlooked band. Never less than riveting, and always delivering the goods.
King 810 – Memoirs of a Murderer
Believe the hype, King 810 are a very good band. The most impressive thing about this album is the amount of variety on display.
Down – IV part 2
Perhaps overlooked now, Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan and co. served up another riff-fest this year and had a better collection of songs than ‘IV part 1’.
Slipknot – 5: the Gray Chapter
Did anyone expect Slipknot’s return to be this good? The songs on display here are stunning.
Feed The Rhino – The Sorrow & the Sound
Painting on a broader canvass than on their previous two outings, this British band do post-hardcore with boulder style bollocks. No-one sounds like this.
Skindred – Kill The Power
The most fun you will have this year.
Black Label Society – Catacombs of the Black Vatican
The Bearded Squeak is now such a familiar presence that we overlook him. This was BLS’s most consistent record in years.
Architects – Lost Forever/Lost Together
Heavy, catchy, and as emotive as they come.
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