6) Periphery – Periphery III: Select Difficulty (Sumerian)

I’m not going to spend any time defending my choice the way that I did last year when Juggernaut was my favorite record of 2015. At this point, you either get Periphery or you don’t. As a guitar nerd, they’re almost unmatched. As a fan of theatrical vocals a little out of the metal norm, I think they do it better than anyone else in the style. PIII starts off heavier than their last, but the quick turnaround between their last release and this one finds the band mostly doubling down on the poppier aspects of their sound and experimenting with super-tight rock arrangements. Per usual, it’s not kvlt, but I don’t give a shit.

Essential tracks: “Flatline,” “Remain Indoors”

5) Norma Jean – Polar Similar (Solid State)

This one came as a surprise too, because I never gave Norma Jean much of my time, and went into this expecting a way more predictable effort from the metalcore legacy act. We had a particularly grey, foggy fall, and I found it totally connected on that front; a very experimental, textural work that really only has a couple songs in the typical vein from a band like this and is more invested in some very dark hooks. It’s hooky in the way that a really good classic rock record is, but make no mistake, it’s still very heavy. A great exploration of different sensibilities from a band that’s doing it in a totally sincere way.

Essential tracks: “1,000,000 Watts,” “Reaction,” “An Ocean of War”

4) The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dissociation (Party Smasher)

Even if there wasn’t such a big elephant in the room regarding DEP, this record would still make it onto my year-end list. Dissociation is a mirror-polished mix of nearly everything that’s made them so vital over the course of their career, matched with the gnarliest, yet most perfectly clear production they’ve ever had. I’ve seen them 4 times this year alone – if for some reason you’ve never had the Dillinger live experience before, this is your last chance. They’re only getting better with age, which twists the knife even more. The end of the record only solidifies what the band has stood for all this time by going out the way they came in: completely on their own terms, closing out 20 years of madness and hanging from the rafters with a chilled-out drum and bass song. RIP DEP

Essential tracks: “Limerent Death,” “Symptom of Terminal Illness”

3) Toothgrinder, Nocturnal Masquerade (Spinefarm)

I played Toothgrinder’s 2014 Schizophrenic Jubilee EP to absolute death and was frothing at the bit for this one. This record is a perfect balance of the spazzy Dillingerisms and sledgehammer grooves that made me pay attention in the first place, alongside some surprising moments of depth and subtlety that I really wasn’t expecting. What’s even better is that these guys have managed to knock it so far out of the park on their debut album. I can’t even imagine how good the next one will be.

Essential tracks: “The House That Fear Built,” “Blue”