Erra - Neon
I was never that into Erra before but this album is almost perfect. No messing about, just a short intro and then 42 minutes of beutifully crafted metalcore.
Noise Trail Immersion - Symbology of Shelter
These Italians force some terrifying noises from their instruments (and throats!) to create a dark and technical mathcore atmosphere.
Conjurer - Mire
This album is chunky as hell whilst including some really creative songwriting and diverse influences. I saw them twice this year and this is a band at the absolute top of their game.
Hopesfall - Arbiter
Comeback albums aren't meant to be this good, especially considering this draws a lot more from 2008 Hopesfall than 2002. But the riffs and space-emo atmosphere take Arbiter to the stratosphere.
The Story So Far - Proper Dose
I didn't think a pop-punk band releasing their 4th album could sound this vital. The songs have such great energy and if not for a couple of duds, this would have been #1
Vein - Errorzone
It's impossible to not want to move around to this album, which is great technically and has some wonderful moments of melody too.
Respire - Denounement
It never quite reaches the level of Gravity & Grace for me but this is still an incredibly ambitious and diverse album that takes you on a real emotional journey.
Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It
Bands "maturing" is always a mixed bag but Rolo Tomassi have managed to include post-rock and even pop influences whilst getting even heavier and more effective.
Svalbard - It's Hard To Have Hope
Blistering blackener feminist hardcore with some of the best riffs you'll hear this year (especially on Revenge Porn, one of the songs of the year for me).
Stand Atlantic - Skinny Dipping
This sound will transport you back to 2005 MTV pop-punk whilst managing to still be creative. Also a band I've seen live a couple of times and had a great time.
Telos - Telos
Another blackened mathcore album, released only two days after NTI's. Riffs, atmosphere, etc etc.
Time, The Valuator - How Fleeting, How Fragile
I slept on this album for a few months but it hooked me when I actually listened to it. Really mature sound from a young band, I look forward to seeing them live next year.
Trophy Eyes - The American Dream
I thought this album would hold nothing for me given how much Trophy Eyes have mellowed out but it has a lot of really great songs and has a great effect on me every time I listen to it. This band will still always be special to me.
Trna - Earthcult
This is how atmospheric instrumental blackgaze is supposed to sound.
Holy Fawn - Death Spells
Amazing combination of shoegaze, black metal, post-rock and a spirit of the forest. This album really transports you somewhere else.
Like Pacific - In Spite of Me
I didn't get into this album for some months after it was released but it's another really enjoyable pop-punk release from Like Pacific. Might have had more of an effect on me with different production.
Delta Sleep - Ghost City
This album will always remind me of summer 2018 now. It's got some really great songwriting and catchy mathsy riffs and is completely infectious.
Young Mountain - Lost Tree
2018 was the year I really got into the screamo world and whilst not many albums from that genre made it into my list, here's a screamo-adjacent release from a Swedish band that I really enjoyed.
Tesseract - Sonder
A big improvement on Polaris, this album is quite short but has some really punchy moments. I look forward to more.
Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love
I was obsessed with this album for all of February. The good songs are really great, but there is a lot of dead weight on this album and it could be better.
Mol - Jord
This was the best Deafheaven album released this year, and that's including the one Deafheaven themselves released.
Dodsrit - Spirit Crusher
Another screamo-adjacent album from Swden. I loved Totem Skin and this project is related to that but slightly different, with much more drawn-out heavy metalcore atmospheres.
Now, Now - Saved
Look at this, a synth-pop album sneaking into my AOTY list. I have always had a soft spot for Now, Now and this album just doesn't have a bad song on it.
Within Destruction - Deathwish
Heavy, furious, ignorant deathcore. The grooves on this album make me want to do some serious dad-dancing.
Basement - Beside Myself
I got into Basement a lot more this past year and their new album is more accessible whilst exploring some more interesting 90's rock sounds. Stigmata is probbaly my favourite song this year.
Nexilva - Asiety I
Technical deathcore is the easiest way to describe this band, but this EP sounded unlike anything from that genre. The riffs and grooves are incredibly innovative and I'm devastated that there won't be a part II (RIP).
I Feel Fine - Long Distance Celebration
I missed this when it came out but heard it later in the year and was hooked. Emo screamo melodic hardcore with all of the members of the band yelling instead of just one vocalist, I've never heard anything quite like it.
Counterparts - Private Room
I will always love Counterparts and these B-Sides sound better than anything most melodic hardcore bands could write.
Okant - Hemlängtan
More Swedish screamo that sounds like post-rock. I can't get enough of this sound.
Spielbergs - Distant Star
Delightful noisy emo-punk, also from Sweden. Addictive sound and I look forward to more.
5PM Promise - Rebuild Our Dream
Japanese melodic hardcore that sounds like 2005 SoCal.
Taken - With Regard To
Speaking of 2005 SoCal, Taken had a comeback EP that nobody seemed to be talking about. This band are so influential and the songs here are brilliantly written, they sound 15 years on whilst throwing back to the original material.
Bewilder - Everything Up To Now
Melancholic emo with wonderful noodling and understated vocals. Big American Football vibes and I might have liked this release more if it wasn't 40% movie samples.
Ascariasis - Kintsukuroi
This band made a big impact in progressive deathcore with their old releases but after a few years out, switched their sound up slightly to what they call "deathgaze". I only hope for more like this.