Best In Metal - December 2024 Edition
As the year winds down, December delivers a ferocious feast of metal masterpieces. This month’s roundup dives into everything from atmospheric black metal to brutal tech-death, and powerful metal anthems.
This edit features the latest releases from Lifeless Dark, Wuldorgast, Caelestra, The Fathom Affect, Black Philip, Troll Teeth & James William Eccles, Breath of Wind, Bruises, Celestial Scourge, and Powercross.
Follow the Best in Metal playlist on Spotify
Monsters of Man's Invention / The Forgotten - Lifeless Dark
Lifeless Dark takes no prisoners with their debut LP Forces of Nature’s Transformation. The Boston-based band revisits their roots, reimagining tracks from their 2018 demo, Who Will Be the Victims, reminding listeners of metallic UK punk and raw, early thrash metal.
Drawing inspiration from classics like Behind the Realms of Madness and Heading for Internal Darkness, their sound harks back to the rawness of stenchcore while injecting a modern, progressive edge.
You can find Monsters of Man's Invention / The Forgotten on the artist’s Bandcamp linked here.
Connect with Lifeless Dark
Bandcamp / Spotify
Dawn of the Black Sun - Wuldorgast
Wuldorgast’s debut album, Cold Light, is a chilling entry into the black metal scene, one that metal fans hadn’t seen for a long time.
Dawn of The Black Sun was my favorite from the album, a track with relentless riffs, icy atmospherics, and guttural vocals. If you’re a fan of Black Metal, check out Natural Life is Eternal Battle” too.
If the start of 2025 feels bleak, here’s an album that turns that despair into a weapon—Hail Wuldorgast—this one’s for the frozen faithful.
Connect with Wuldorgast
Instagram / Bandcamp
Lightbringer - Caelestra
Lightbringer is my favorite track from Caelestra’s latest album, Bastion, a stunning blackened dream prog and sci-fi-infused collection that feels like the soundtrack to a cosmic epic yet to be written.
The thing about Lightbringer is you have no way of guessing what it’s going to sound like based on what I write here. Expect Astronoid-esque shoegaze moments with Emperor-like grandeur and a touch of Devin Townsend's cosmic theatricality.
Let’s just say if you're not already following Caelestra, now’s the time to join the ranks.
Connect with Caelestra
Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
To Obliterate The Innocent - The Fathom Affect
Imagine if the technical ferocity of Necrophagist met the cinematic and symphonic undertones of Septicflesh shrouded in a black fog. That’s The Fathom Affect and To Obliterate The Innocent is the first track of their latest album, Cybernetic Slave.
The band is helmed by Arizona's guitar maestro Brian King and California's Robert Lindemann (of Serpent of a Black Horizon fame).
Give them a shout-out on one of their social channels if you enjoy what they do!
Connect with The Fathom Affect
TikTok / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
Come to Us, Satan - BLACK PHILIP
Black Philip invites us into their unholy cathedral of doom with Come to Us Satan, a live recording of their November 17th gig at Voidemia, alongside UV KLUB and Datûra.
This raw, unedited performance strips away all the polish to leave only a primal essence of their sound: low, slow, and filthy.
Listen to Come to Us, Satan and the rest of their latest collection if you’re a fan of no mixing, no mastering, just pure, distorted heavy doom.
Connect with BLACK PHILLIP
Facebook / Bandcamp
Snowy Peaks I - Breath Of Wind
Snowy Peaks I is part of a two-piece collection by Breath of Wind, a one-man atmospheric black metal band from Russia.
This is a journey through snow-covered peaks, where epic black metal crescendos meet a serene, reflective atmosphere. Snowy Mountains I is a stirring tribute to the power and grandeur of the natural world and if you’re into epic black metal that feels like a solitary trek through blizzard-ravaged mountains, this is a must-listen.
Connect with Breath Of Wind
Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
Badgermouth - BRUISES
Bedfordshire’s alt-rock/hardcore band BRUISES smashes through the scene with their debut EP Chew the Wound. Badgermouth, one of its standout tracks, is a blistering mix of raw energy and infectious grooves, channeling influences like System of a Down, Queens of the Stone Age, and Turnstile.
For fans of genre-blending chaos and high-octane performances, Badgermouth is an anthem to crank up and lose yourself in.
Check out the EP and experience the cathartic intensity of BRUISES!
Connect with BRUISES
Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
Vessel - Celestial Scourge
Hailing from Norway’s frostbitten shores, Celestial Scourge is a brutal tech-death metal band that only just gave the internet a maelstrom of unrelenting force and technical chaos called Vessels.
Their debut album, Observers of The Inevitable is not yet released but the artist gives us a sneak peek into their creation before February arrives.
Give Vessels a listen if you’re a fan of fast-paced hardcore metal with a futuristic twist.
Connect with Celestial Scourge
Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
Abyss of Knowledge - Powercross
Emerging from the vibrant metal scene of Athens, Powercross delivers a melodic onslaught with their track Abyss of Knowledge from the debut album The Lost Empire.
Crafted by founder and guitar maestro Rizos Spiros, this song tells the metal scene everything they need to know about Powercross’ power metal melodies, heavy-hitting riffs, and impressive vocal harmonies. Despite lineup changes, Powercross remains a formidable force, with Britisas John’s commanding vocals, Kaliviotis Vaggelis’s pounding basslines, and Pepinidis Stelios driving the rhythm section.
So, if you’re a fan of melodic heavy metal, this one’s for you.
Connect with Powercross
Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
Wall of Black - Troll Teeth & James William Eccles
I want to finish the list off with a soft indie and stoner metal project from Troll Teeth & James William Eccles called Wall of Black, a glimpse at the artist’s upcoming album Canterbury.
This collection draws inspiration from years of reflection and literary influences like Chaucer, with semi-autobiographical narratives and timeless lessons from philosophy and history shaping the artists’ journey.
Wall of Black is proof that even a gentle and emotive track like this one can feel monumentally heavy.
Connect with Troll Teeth
X / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
Spotify Playlist
About Araz Mirbavandi
With over 15 years of experience, Araz passionately channels his deep love for music into blog posts that uncover the hidden stories behind every melody.
Contact Araz Mirbavandi at araz.m.c2@gmail.com
In this blog section we host new music releases, artist features and handpicked playlists by the Musicngear staff.
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