2006 was a great year for metal. Many wonderful albums were released from all over the world and from various sub genres. Tons of newer bands released their breakthroughs, while some older ones added new greats to their already legendary discography. Here in no order are the ten best of these great albums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjNNmuQvsVc
Sufocation – Suffocation
After Souls to Deny showed an evolution in the band’s sound, the self titled album helped perfect this. This record contains some of the band’s most popular later songs such as “Blind Torture Kill”, “Entrails of You”, “Abominations Reborn” and Translucent Patterns of Delirium”.
Deicide – Stench of Redemption
In 2004, the guitar and drum duo known as the Hoffman brothers had left Deicide. This worried made fans wonder if the band’s days of quality releases were over. Unexpectedly, it turned be one of the band’s best. Mixing newcomer Ralph Santolla’s guitar shredding with Deicide’s signature evil sound, this record is a must have for anyone getting into them.
Skinless – Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead
From Glen Falls, New York comes one of the best releases in the brutal death subgenre. The heavy as all hell sound, fun use of samples and raw production make this a staple in the style. This is the only album to feature vocalist Jason Keyser who would later join Origin.
Katatonia – The Great Cold Distance
The previous album, Viva Emptiness showed the band moving into an alternative/prog rock influenced style while keep the main elements of their doom metal sound. This next album perfects this style. Balancing brooding/depressive music with in your face heavy sections, this record is the best of Kataonia’s later albums.
Celtic Frost – Monothiest
After 1990, the ever changing Celtic Frost seemed to have just vanished from the face of the Earth. in 2001, they finally resurfaced. Five years later they released Monothiest and like most other Celtic Frost albums, it marked a change in their sound. This time the band went in a more doom metal direction, but also kept many of the band’s signature traits such as female guest vocals and odd riffs. Without a doubt on of the best comebacks from an 80’s metal band.
Summoning – Oath Bound
A majority of bands tend to have a slump in quality after their first few albums. Summoning is a big exception to this. This seventh release shows that their brand of Tolkien themed black metal has not gone stale as it rivals their early work.
Iron Maiden – A Matter of Life and Death
In 2006, several classic metal bands, including Terrorizer, Sepultura, and Slayer showed the world that putting out albums is something… that they should probably stop doing. Iron Maiden, on the other hand, showed us that still got it. The album was Maiden’s heaviest release at the time as well as their most progressive.
Kalmah- The Black Waltz
2006, mark many changes for Kalmah. This was the first album to feature low growls, thrash influence, as well as being the first release to feature Marco Sneck on keyboards. These changes were all for the better as it makes this record, one of the best melodeath albums out there.
Agalloch – Ashes Against the Grain
The highly acclaimed and always changing Agalloch have always brought surprises to the table. Their 3rd album Ashes Against the Grain was no exception. On this third outing the band mixes black metal,folk, post-rock, classical,doom and prog rock all into one beautiful package.Sadly, Agalloch has recently broke up.
Insomnium – Above the Weeping World
In the mid-2000s, Finland proved to Sweden that they were taking over the melodeath sub-genre. The best example of this is non other than Insomnium. Mixing in influences from doom metal and prog metal as well as having a depressive tone with beautiful melodies, Above the Weeping World is a must have disc for any melodeath fan. While the band has been consistently good, they have yet to ever top this record.
