2019 Top 10 Christian Metal and Rock Albums

[MetalPioneer]

With 2020 beginning, it's time for one last look back at 2019. What are your top 10 Christian metal and rock albums of 2019? You can be creative if you like -- add album art, give an explanation or description -- it's up to you!

If you have less than 10, that's okay too!

[MetalPioneer]

Here are my top 10:

1. Demon Hunter - Peace
2. Oh, Sleeper - Bloodied / Unbowed
3. Narnia - From Darkness to Light
4. Skald in Veum - Stridslysten
5. Vials of Wrath - Dark Winter Memories
6. Norma Jean - All Hail
7. Freakings - Rise of Violence
8. Holy Blood - Voice of Blood
9.  Diviner - Realms of Time
10. War of Ages - Void

Note: I don't think you could consider As I Lay Dying to be a Christian band anymore, but I very much enjoyed their new album Shaped by Fire.  I didn't include Drottnar's Monolith album, since it was pretty much a collection of their past 3 EPs, but it is also an awesome album.

This year also kind of felt lackluster for Christian metal in terms of quantity, despite several albums that were quite strong.  I'd be interested to hear your opinion on that.

[Kerrick]

Nice list!  (I still need to get that Skald in veum album...)

My top three are:

Epta Astera - Feste Burg (really fantastic album; I can't sing enough praises for it)
Vials Of Wrath - Dark Winter Memories (VOW never disappoint!)
Sawol - Past The Gate (I really like all of Sawol's stuff but wasn't prepared to love this album as much as I do; tied for #2 with VOW)

Other favorites in alphabetical order:

The Arbiter - Water From The River Of Life (quality doom/death from Hungary with biblical lyrics)
Death Therapy - Voices (I miss the more explicitly Christian lyrics from their first album, but I love the musical diversity and experimentation here)
Irgalom - Mediate I (very good black/death with biblical lyrics)
Irgalom - Mediate II (see above, though a bit more diverse musically which I dig)
Ritual Servant - Metallum Evangelii (I'm usually not a huge thrash fan but this is a strong album that I find very enjoyable)
Sardis - Viral (it's only an EP but it's really good)
Signum Regis - The Seal Of A New World (another solid release from SR, this album with a new singer who really rocks it, though I have a hard time connecting with some of the lyrics)

This year did seem a bit sparse when it came to Christian metal albums, though the last ~month made up for it IMO!  With Vials Of Wrath, Sawol, Sardis, and Signum Regis all releasing their albums towards the end of the year, it was a mighty strong finish.  And there's lots to look forward to in 2020... but that's for another thread. 

[CrimsonWarrior]

I wish I had paid a little more attention to new releases from 2019. Skald in Veum's Stridslysten is what stood out to me the most, but it's also like the only think I can come up with right now.

I really should look into the new Vials of Wrath and Epta Astera more. Also, the new Parakletos EP (released Dec 30) sounds really cool too!

[Kerrick]

Dangit I really need to get that Skald in veum then!

I heard one song from that new Parakletos EP and it sounded mighty good.  I guess they're gonna do a Drottnar - Monolith type thing and release a few EPs digitally and then as a full-length later all together?  While I'd love it all now... I'll probably wait until the full-length is released to pick it up because I guess I'm a completionist or something haha.

[CrimsonWarrior]

Lol Drottnar's release model with Monolith was really weird. I was on the Endtime Productions newsletter which gave me Monolith I and II for free (and maybe III too but I must've missed it) so I never ended up buying the full-length. I didn't know that Parakletos was thinking of doing something similar.

[MetalPioneer]

Nice list!  (I still need to get that Skald in veum album...)

My top three are:

Epta Astera - Feste Burg (really fantastic album; I can't sing enough praises for it)
Vials Of Wrath - Dark Winter Memories (VOW never disappoint!)
Sawol - Past The Gate (I really like all of Sawol's stuff but wasn't prepared to love this album as much as I do; tied for #2 with VOW)

Other favorites in alphabetical order:

The Arbiter - Water From The River Of Life (quality doom/death from Hungary with biblical lyrics)
Death Therapy - Voices (I miss the more explicitly Christian lyrics from their first album, but I love the musical diversity and experimentation here)
Irgalom - Mediate I (very good black/death with biblical lyrics)
Irgalom - Mediate II (see above, though a bit more diverse musically which I dig)
Ritual Servant - Metallum Evangelii (I'm usually not a huge thrash fan but this is a strong album that I find very enjoyable)
Sardis - Viral (it's only an EP but it's really good)
Signum Regis - The Seal Of A New World (another solid release from SR, this album with a new singer who really rocks it, though I have a hard time connecting with some of the lyrics)

This year did seem a bit sparse when it came to Christian metal albums, though the last ~month made up for it IMO!  With Vials Of Wrath, Sawol, Sardis, and Signum Regis all releasing their albums towards the end of the year, it was a mighty strong finish.  And there's lots to look forward to in 2020... but that's for another thread. 

Nice list. I'll have to check out a few of these albums. I still can't get into Death Therapy. I have their first CD but the style of music just isn't me.

[MetalPioneer]

I wish I had paid a little more attention to new releases from 2019. Skald in Veum's Stridslysten is what stood out to me the most, but it's also like the only think I can come up with right now.

I really should look into the new Vials of Wrath and Epta Astera more. Also, the new Parakletos EP (released Dec 30) sounds really cool too!

Yeah I highly recommend the new Vials of Wrath, every album he releases is great. It's on Spotify.

[MetalPioneer]

Lol Drottnar's release model with Monolith was really weird. I was on the Endtime Productions newsletter which gave me Monolith I and II for free (and maybe III too but I must've missed it) so I never ended up buying the full-length. I didn't know that Parakletos was thinking of doing something similar.

Maybe it's becoming more popular? Life in Your Way did the same thing with a trio of EPs with their Kingdoms release back in 2011, but at least those were thematically connected. I guess I don't really mind too much as long as bands are releasing new music.

[Kerrick]

I'm a little late to the game in getting Holy Tide's debut album Aquila but dang is it a good'un and definitely belongs on any best-of-2019 list!

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