LebMetal's Top Releases of 2017

The following is a list of Top 10 Releases of 2017 lists by staff members and contributors; as always, feel free to share yours in the comments.

All entries are linked to an official Youtube video or to a Spotify album. Click on the links to stream the music!

Patrick Saad‘s Top 10 Releases of 2017

1- Pain of Salvation – The Passing Light Of Day

Can’t beat this real survival story! Prog Metal even your grandma can dig!

2- Lunatic Soul – Fractured

This is the closest to Riverside that Lunatic Soul has gotten, and it’s amazing! A mix of heaviness, serenity, mature songwriting and moods, definitely my favorite so far.

3- Eidola – To Speak, To Listen

Crisp clean technical Prog is a pleasure to listen to – musicianship, songwriting, the clean vocals, harmony, you name it! Elements of Hardcore makes this “new-gen” friendly too, something that Prog needs sometimes (stuck in the 70’s syndrome).

4- Persefone – Aathma

That’s one surprise of an album, especially the final 4 “Aathma” songs are quite stunning! Before you get to that though, Cynic legend Paul Masvidal unleashes his unique touch on “Living Waves“!

5- Leprous – Malina

Still carving their names in the modern Prog standards book, the consistency and recognizability of Leprous’s material is definitely their (ongoing) legacy.

6- Caligula’s Horse – In Contact

My friend Rami does not shut up about this band! Listen to this album and you’ll believe in the future of Prog!

7- Code Orange – Forever

Code Orange simply exploded this year, with media coverage wherever you turn – easy to see why, the album simply destroys!

8- Mastodon – Emperor of Sand

I love Mastodon too much to hold them to low standards, Emperor of Sand might not be their best album ever, but it’s still a juggernaut and leader in the vast sea of Prog / Sludge Metal. Gotta respect Mastodon for inspiring countless new bands!

9- Terrifier – Weapons of Thrash Destruction

TERRIFIER’s “Weapons of Thrash Destruction” is the real deal Thrash Metal

10- Soen – Lykaia

Soen is the closest thing to a lovechild between Tool and Opeth, and given that both these bands are either not releasing or badly releasing, Soen will remain appreciated by Metal fans everywhere.

— Honorable mention —
Sepultura – Machine Messiah

To many, Sepultura died post-Max Cavalera, but perhaps the Machine Messiah can perform a miracle to resurrect the band, if you believe!

Rami Rouhana‘s Top 10 Releases of 2017

1- Soen – Lykaia

Soen released two previous albums that landed on our top yearly or monthly lists, but this one takes the number one spot of 2017 with extremely catchy riffs, great lyrics and amazing drum work.

2- Pain of Salvation – In the Passing Light of Day

PoS have been my favorite band since “Perfect Element I”, after not so successful albums in 2010s and a change in style, they returned with this album slightly back to old PoS and with fresh elements.

3- Ne Obliviscaris – Urn

Another band with a third release NeO is from Australia and “Urn” is the best crafted album so far with a clear NeO signature sound and melodies.

4- Caligula’s Horse – In Contact

This band’s 2015 album “Bloom” got me mesmerized and this 2017 release does not fall short of great.

5- Threshold – Legends of the Shires

For me this band has good albums and bad albums, this one obviously is among their best.

6- Arabs In Aspic – Syndenes Magi

This band is new to me though it has been releasing albums since 1992. Their sound is 70s Prog with beautiful melodies. You can enjoy it anytime.

7- Kettlespider – Kettlespider

This is a surprise – if you like strange mix of styles blending smoothly sometimes and surprising you at other times, give this a listen.

8- Vangough – Warpaint

As far as I know and read, this band started covering Pain of Salvation and then tried to mimic their sound with the first original albums. Now they have “slightly” moved away from that and found their sound that still takes inspiration from major real Prog bands.