Top Ten Of 2024: Josh Schneider
2024. I feel like I’m starting a sci-fi novel about the future, but that’s the actual year. Insane. What a wild year it has been. I guess it could be a sci-fi novel with a political sub theme. Hell, Tesla even showcased robots resembling Asimov’s I, Robot recently. This can’t be real life. But we’re here to reflect on the powerful music that carried us throughout the last twelve months.
There have been some heavy hitters releasing epic albums such as High On Fire and Orange Goblin as well as long time favorites Amigo The Devil, Greenleaf, Elephant Tree, Lowrider and Psychlona. It was tough to narrow it down but ultimately it was the up and coming bands that really stuck out to me. Let’s get to it.
10. Daxma ‘There Will Come Tomorrow’
Daxma has been on constant rotation with their album The Clouds Parted. Perfect from cover to cover. But that album came out in 2021, so when the band announced their new album There Will Come Tomorrow I was stoked. Atmospheric post-metal is the ultimate genre in my book and Daxma are at the top of the list for bands that excel in this masterful art. The soothing single notes laced with reverb and accompanied by violin in the opening track Fallen crescendo into a wall of sound that overtakes the air. The four track EP ebbs and flows in this style and keeps the listener actively attentive throughout before concluding in the grand closer Tower Of Silence.
Label: Independent
9. Ufomammut ‘Hidden’
Ufomammut are easily in my top five favorite bands of all time, and I know they are veterans of the scene. Their EP Crookhead was on my honorable mention with a hopeful 2024 release, and they came through! Hidden exceeds expectations and if you haven’t experienced Ufomammut before, then this album is as good as any to start. Plus, the band goes above and beyond with special artwork for a limited vinyl release where it was actually ‘hidden’.
Label: Neurot Recordings | Supernatural Cat
8. Sons Of Arrakis ‘Volume II’
I admit I didn’t know much about Dune when I first started listening to Sons Of Arrakis in 2022 but after watching the movies and diving into the lore of Dune, I grew a larger appreciation of the band. Volume II continues what I love about the first album. Fuzzed out guitars, epic tales and perfect artwork to tie it all together. I guess it also helps that my son and I are currently reading the Dune books.
Label: Black Throne Productions
7. 10,000 Years ‘All Quiet On The Final Frontier’
The heavy riff of Down The Heavy Path is what solidified this album on my top ten. It wasn’t a hard sell though because 10,000 Years have been a favorite of mine since 2020. All Quiet On The Final Frontier push the band into new waters with the signing to Ripple Music. Leaving the concept album ideas behind, the trio show their talent in new writing styles and push their sonic landscape further.
Label: Ripple Music
6. Üga Büga ‘Year Of The Hog’
I love learning of a band that has seemingly come out of nowhere. Üga Büga came across my radar later this year and their name kept popping up everywhere I looked. Their debut album, Year Of The Hog, is riddled with monstrous riffs and growls that remind me of High On Fire. The Virginia based band have torn up the east coast with more than 60 live shows and with that work ethic paired with excellent music, this band will continue to grow very quickly.
Label: Independent
5. High Desert Queen ‘Palm Reader’
High Desert Queen are full of high energy as you can feel throughout Palm Reader. The infectious riffs of opener Ancient Aliens to the powerful screams on Solar Rain just before the epic riff when the song starts back up, building for a massive closer. There is not a dull moment on the album as each song is as strong as the last.
Label: Magnetic Eye Records
4. Stonekind ‘Hollow Ground’
The seamless debut album by North Carolina’s Stonekind was incredible the first play through. I became an instant fan. When the teaser for Dune, the first single, played through my speakers, a wave of excitement washed over me and the anticipation for a new album began. Hollow Ground exceeded those expectations, and the bands tone is chilling as they explore the vastness of delay and reverb.
Label: Electric Spark Records
3. Boozewa ‘Bon Vivant’
I can’t say enough good about Michael Rudolph Cummings whether he’s strumming the acoustic or sitting behind the kit he performs powerful music. I first witnessed Boozewa years ago live with my wife, and we were blown away. We’ve been anxiously waiting a new release ever since and Bon Vivant delivers! The Melvins-esque sludge heard within this album is perfection.
Label: Independent
2. The Penitent Man ‘M.O.T.H’
Three of the four songs on this album are from the incredible The Penitent Man live recording Live At Pale Horse Sound back in 2020. There is a live rawness that I absolutely love but having the band rework these masterpieces and add new elements breathes new life into them. The addition of new track Red Giant is incredible and brings back Todd Ogren of Rival Sons on keyboards. As soon as I heard this was being released, it instantly was in my top ten! Love this band.
Label: Independent
1. Smoke / Doomsday Profit – Split
Smoke‘s debut album was a mind blowing find when I came across it on Doom Charts. Their highly anticipated follow up was something I could not wait for. Then I find out not only is it coming out this year, but they are releasing it as a split with another favorite band Doomsday Profit! Both bands are filled with talented and down to earth, awesome people. Smoke takes the tamer side with the blue skies and green grass showcasing their heavy grooves while Doomsday Profit takes the red skies and dead grass side showcasing their black metal inspired doom.
Label: Olde Magick Records
Honourable Mentions:
As mentioned before, so many great albums came out this year. Another few favorites of mine also happened to be promoted through Desert Bloom PR that I help run and may come across wrong if they ended up in my top ten, but they deserve mention because they got a ton of listens on my end which I’m sure would have happened whether I promoted them or not.
In no particular order…
Shadowcloak ‘Shadowcloak’
Kalgon ‘Kalgon’
We Follow The Earth ‘The Oracle’
Red Mesa ‘Partial Distortions’
Kult Ikon ‘Black Iron Prison’
Scribed by: Josh Schneider
