The Infinite - 2024 Roundup

With only two months left for 2024, it's time to look back at the releases throughout this year and see which ones are well-deserved highlights. For one of my clans, I haven't really encountered many Infinite releases from this year, but the ones I have are fantastic, reaching 4.5 or 5 stars. Here's my top 5 of 2024:

1. Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart

2. SUMAC - The Healer

3. Job for a Cowboy - Moon Healer

4. Northlane - Mirror's Edge

5. ERRA - Cure

Albums that haven't been released yet, but will check out and might update my list:

VOLA - Friend of a Phantom (quite curious about this band after hearing one of their songs in an Infinite playlist)

Opeth - The Last Will and Testament (feeling up to checking out Opeth's comeback album and see if this possible return to their deathly progressive metal roots is enough to make me up for this band again)

Any releases this year from this clan that you enjoy, enough for a top 5 or top 10 or more? Discuss!

Ooohhh boy, the Infinite is a big one this year. 

1. Cave Sermon - Divine Laughter
2. Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere
3. Caligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace
4. Krallice - Inorganic Rites
5. Oranssi Pazuzu - Muuntautuja
6. Thy Catafalque - XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek
7. Brii - Camaradagem Postuma
8. Hoplites - Παραμαινομένη
9. Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa - The Blossoming (2024)
10. Amiensus - Reclamation
11. In Vain - Solemn
12. Dvne - Voidkind
13. Anciients - Beyond the Reach of the Sun
14. DGM - Endless
15. Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
16. Ihsahn - Ihsahn
17. Hail Spirit Noir - Fossil Gardens
18. Inter Arma - New Heaven
19. Alcest - Les chants de l'aurore
20. Intervals - Memory Palace

I don't think this is anywhere close to final on most of these placements, but damn, insane year for Infinite stuff. That's seven 4.5's at the top of the list for me, with Cave Sermon ruling the year with a monumental effort. The rest of the albums on here are no slouch either, with Blood Incantation's 70's Prog fusion continuing to impress after I thought it would get old after a few listens. The newest Krallice was also a surprise for me, as I've struggled with most of their stuff in the past, but the dark electronic atmosphere has really hooked me this year. I could go on forever about this list of 20 albums, so this might be the year that The North gets dethroned from my year end list. 

I've just extended my list to a top 10, moving the Job for a Cowboy and ERRA albums up slightly:

1. Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart

2. Job for a Cowboy - Moon Healer

3. SUMAC - The Healer

4. SUMAC - The Keeper's Tongue

5. ERRA - Cure

6. Northlane - Mirror's Edge

7. Within the Ruins - Phenomena II

8. Opeth - The Last Will and Testament

9. VOLA - Friend of a Phantom

10. Persefone - Lingua Ignota: Part I

Well 2024 is almost in the rearview and it's about that time that we enter into the new year ass first and look to see what stood out among the rest in metal music in the previous year. As a distinguished member of the Infinite clan, putting this list together is always the most challenging. It's the one with the most reviews of any clan during the year, but with so many crossover's the ones that truly belong in the Infinite list might be surprising. If there are any albums that seem like obvious omissions, check those albums other clan leaning and you'll likely find that album there. As for the Infinite exclusively:

1. Klone - The Unseen

2. Thy Catafalque - XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek 

3. Anciients - Beyond the Reach of the Sun

4. Ihsahn - Ihsahn

5. Dvne - Voidkind

6. Calligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace

7.. Opeth - The Last Will and Testament

8. Locrian - End Terrain

9. Intervals - Memory Palace

10. Wheel - Charismatic Leaders

The last month of the year has been insane with Opeth, Thy Catafalque and Klone bullying their way to the top of the chart. There wasn't that much bad progressive metal that I heard in 2024, but a bunch of it turned forgettable in one way or another. With lackluster returns by Oceans of Slumber and Alcest, a new crop can spring forth into the top ten. I really need to listen to that Cave Sermon album don't I Xephyr?