Top 10 Albums of 2018 by Hold Tight PR’s Matt Benton
Our guest end of year lists continue! Whilst we revealed our top 20 albums of the year yesterday, now we are continuing to turn to bands and people within the industry to give us their lowdown on their favourite records of the year. This time, we have the pleasure of hosting Matt Benton from Hold Tight PR. A lover of a good pun and an impeccable taste, Matt has been a delight to work with throughout the year, helping us establish coverage with a whole host of incredible bands. So, over to you Matt for your Top 10 Albums of 2018!
10. The Moon has Fallen – ALITHIA
What is it with Aussies and brilliant forward-thinking music? ALITHIA add to the pantheon of great Australian prog-rock bands with their The Moon Has Fallen effort. Intricate, multi-layered, and an incredibly dynamic release. KARNIVOOL, move over.
9. Holy Hell – ARCHITECTS
A very good release from an even better band. The future of British metal is ARCHITECTS’, and Holy Hell will only see the band reach even further.
8. Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It – ROLO TOMASSI
Finally! Much deserved success from one of the UK’s progressively heavy underground champions. A stellar listen, showcasing the band at full maturity.
7. Sonder – TESSERACT
A band who get better with every release, Sonder is TESSERACT‘s most well-rounded and mature effort. Shaking off their djent-tag roots, the band can lay claim to being one of the UK’s bigger acts, sublimely straddling the progressive and metal worlds. Another gig of the year.
6. Infinite Games – THE BLACK QUEEN
Vulnerability personified. One of the most tenderly stunning releases of 2018 for me, and a beautiful midnight sonic haze.
5. Jord – MØL
Aside from Conjurer, MØL’s Jord is the stand-out debut of year (and what a year Holy Roar have had too). Beauty and bleakness, a pinnacle of blackgaze – not enough words to do this release justice.
4. Esoteric Malacology – SLUGDGE
Much like GHOST, SLUGDGE‘s brilliant prog-death output shows that you can be serious and fun all at once. A paean to the slime god Mollusca, SLUGDGE’s most recent LP is a thumping listen, and one of the best newer progressive heavy bands I’ve heard in a half-generation.
3. >>> – BEAK>
In a year of innovation, BEAK>’s third album is one of the more unique listens I’ve had this year. It’s an utterly beguiling record, a compelling mixture of early PINK FLOYD-esque lo-fi psychedelia, and trip-hoppy improvised jamming. One of the gigs of the year, too – music to lose yourself in.
2. Prequelle – GHOST
What is left to say about this record? A triumph. ABBA with facepaint, added guitars, and metal imagery and theatricality. Earworms for days.
1. Mire – CONJURER
Of course I’m a little biased but few albums come close to CONJURER‘s Mire in 2018, which is all the more impressive considering it’s their debut full-length. Mire is a grandstanding behemoth of a listen which combines as many metal sub-genre influences as you can think of, and well matched by the band’s huge live shows. Credit to the skill of the songwriting and production which also allows moments of melody and stillness to shine through.
And that rounds off Matt Benton’s choices! What did you think of his end of year list? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to Distorted Sound as we continue to bring you more lists of the best albums of 2018!
