TOP 10 HEAVY METAL & HARD ROCK ALBUMS OF 2018 (as of May 31st)

We've reached the 5-month mark of the year, so time to list the ten best albums of 2018 to date.

1. HOGJAW - Way Down Yonder

The best album of the year to date, hands down. Southern rock perfection. Amazing song writing, great vocals and absolutely no filler. [10]

2. ZEKE - Hellbender

1-to-2-minute blasts of high octane punk'n'roll. A guaranteed sore neck after listening to this. [9]

3. SOLSTICE - White Horse Hill

Doom done right. Light and shade, molten guitars and a vocalist who commands attention through skill and emotional depth. [9]

4. SEPTIC TANK - Rotting Civilization

Filth crusted d-beat from ex-members of Cathedral. Lee Dorrian's vocals simply kill. [9]

5. KOSMIK BOOGIE TRIBE - We're Not Here To Fuck Spiders

Throw on those wide legged jeans and boogie on down with the Norwegians. Old Status Quo, AC/DC, The Four Horsemen and ZZ Top references litter this rollicking affair. [8.5]

6. EARTHLESS - Black Heaven

Hard-as-nails psychedelic hard rock with tons of lead guitar workouts. Way cool. [8.5]

7. JUDAS PRIEST - Firepower

A surprisingly strong outing from the veteran unit despite health challenges. Enjoyable from front-to-back, mixing traditional power metal, with doom and epics, every track a winner. [8.5]

8. MORBOSIDAD - Corona de Epidemia

Black/death fury. The most intense album of the year. [8]

9. FUNERAL WINDS - Sinister Creed

Top notch blitzkrieg black metal. [8]

10. AMORPHIS - Queen Of Time

Another beautifully crafted gem from the Finnish prog/folk metal gods. [8]