Best albums of 2018: D.D. Crowley’s top 5 round-up

The best albums of 2018 were hard to narrow down but at 1428 Elm, we managed to find similar dark themes and horror elements in each of our choices. Enjoy!

Good music, like all forms of art, is pretty subjective but when something is good, it’s just good. Music releases in 2018 were some  of the biggest and best that it’s been in years. Here at 1428 Elm, we like our music like we like our movies: dark, scary, dramatic and/or theatrical. That’s why all of the albums on our  list all have a similar horror or dark theme. We have sifted through the releases this year and picked our top five favorites of some of the best albums of 2018. Let’s get rockin’.

Best Albums of 2018

5. Visigoth- Conqueror’s Oath

Visigoth is a power metal band that started in 2010 and earns the number 5 spot on our best albums of 2018 list. Heavy with fantasy themes and songs that make you ready to slay a f*$&in’ dragon, their music has an epic sound that is reminiscent of Warlord and other 80’s fantasy power metal. It is a definite throwback in the best sense of the word. Their newest album is Conqueror’s Oath and with song names like “Warrior Queen” and “Hammerforged,” you’ll put on your chainmail and be ready for battle in no time. While the songs all sound vaguely similar, there isn’t a bad track on the album. Plus, the lead singer’s voice reminds me of Ronnie James Dio with the same heavy, swinging vibrato and you can’t get a bigger compliment than that.

4. Alien Weaponry- Tu

I don’t remember how I found these guys but the band will blow your mind. Alien Weaponry is a thrash metal band that  hails from New Zealand. They are a group of teenagers that sing their songs mostly in te reo Maori and all of them have Maori heritage. This band was also started in 2010 by two brothers but they were only 8 and 10 at the time. Eight years later, the band has exploded and they are more popular than ever. Their songs hit heavily on politics and struggles of the Maori people with their music videos featuring traditional images. Their latest album, Tu, features an amazing song called “Kai Tangata” and you will get addicted to the music as soon as you hear it, but the video is awesome.

3. Dance with the Dead- Loved to Death

You may have seen our review of the newest album from Dance with the Dead called Loved to Death (and their remix of “Carol of the Bells“) and we even got a chance to speak with Justin who makes up one half of the band. Tony Kim and Justin Pointer are the other half of the group. Their style marries the musical genres of electronica and rock/metal in perfect harmony. Each album has a theme and the theme for Loved to Death is beauty and the beast. Every song is FUN, different and makes you feel like a bad ass while blasting it in your car. This effort easily earns a spot on our best albums of 2018 list.

2. Twin Temple- Twin Temple Bring You Their Signature Sounds…Satanic Doo-Wop

Here is another album that we reviewed earlier in the year and absolutely loved. It is the debut  effort from the Satanic duo, Alexandra and Zachary James, who lead the seven piece group and it was one hell of an entrance. Twin Temple was recently signed to Rise Above Records, so we can expect a lot more from them, thankfully. Satanic Doo-Wop is catchy, sultry, sexy and the vocals of lead songstress Alexandra are like melted butter. Twin Temple Bring You Their Signature Sounds…Satanic Doo-Wop will have you hailing Satan in no time.

1. Ghost- Prequelle

This is a no brainer, guys. If we DIDN’T have Ghost in the number 1 spot on our best albums of 2018, you may think something was wrong with us. Aside from cover albums, Prequelle is the fourth full album from Ghost with Cardinal Copia as the fourth incarnation of the lead singer.

This album differs from previous ones with more inclusion of pop rock and instrumental tracks. With big arena songs like “Rats,” flowing ballads like “Life Eternal,” and great songs to wobble your butts to like “Dance Macabre,” you’ll have your taints tickled by the first song.

Prequelle has received hate for its migration away from heavier metal, but truer fans appreciate the variety and flexibility the band offers. Here’s to Ghost making our best albums of 2020 list for their next effort.

Honorable Mention

A huge honorable mention goes to Ninja Sex Party  for Cool Patrol. Their album stayed number one on the comedy charts for weeks and has one of the best songs called “Danny Don’t You Know” where lead singer, Danny Sexbang, speaks to his younger self about how everything will be okay and that it is okay to be weird and different. It’s rocking and heartfelt and while it didn’t make our best albums of 2018, it was merely a technicality.

And that’s our choices for the best albums to make it to the top of what seems like the longest year in history. With all of the messiness, at least we got some awesome music out of it. Here’s to 2019 and we will see you all next year!

Did you agree with the choices? Let us know in the comments!