2024 Metal Academy Awards Discussion - The Gateway Edition

It's that time of year again i.e. the time when we start to think about which releases will be crowned as the pinnacle of their clans for the previous calendar year. I've opened this thread to house the discussions around our The Gateway Clan Release of the 2024.

These are the 2024 releases that have gained the most attention from our members:

Devin Townsend - "Powernerd"

Immenence - "The Black"

Graphic Nature - "Who Are You When No One Is Watching?"

Falling in Reverse - "Popular Monster"

Northlane - "Mirror's Edge" E.P.

What other releases should our members be checking out?

Interestingly, I didn't check out a single new release from The Gateway last year which is likely a reflection of my modern taste profile.

Quite a solid year for The Gateway. I had listened to and enjoyed all those releases that year, except the Graphic Nature album which I've checked out and reviewed today and is another blessing in the nu metal and metalcore realms.

2024 was not a superb year for my Gateway clan. Many of the years most popular albums fell nicely into the alternative metalcore sound which continues to grow remarkably stale. Even my beloved Poppy has given up on her synthpop roots of the late 2010s in favor of more mainstream metalcore tones. Her best showing of the year was actually on the Knocked Loose album if I'm being honest.

I hated Falling in Reverse's new album.

Other recommendations from the year would likely be Reliqa's Secrets of the Future and Vended's self titled debut.

I'm gonna throw a cat amongst the pigeons by suggesting that Chat Pile's "Cool World" should be considered for our The Gateway award as I'd suggest there's even more alternative metal than there is sludge metal across the duration of the album with influences like Helmet, Primus & Korn being easily detectable. I've raised a Hall of Judgement poll around this idea so please contribute if you're able to.

I've just given that Chat Pile album some listening and a review, and I can hear what you mean, Daniel. It is much more, well, alternative than God's Country, and marks a solid offering of noise-ridden sludge/alt-metal. I'll contribute to your Hall of Judgement poll with a YES vote.