4) Clutch, Earth Rocker

Led by one of my favorite beards in rock, Neil Fallon, Clutch’s follow up to 2009’s Strange Cousins From The West is a beast of a record, and their live show supporting it even moreso.

3) Ghost BC,  Infestissumam

Ghost continue to impress me with everything they come out with. Channeling 70s-psych with well-placed organs, Papa Emeritus and his band of Nameless Ghouls do a great job of making an interesting, at times strange, second album.

2) Skeletonwitch Serpents Unleashed  (Prosthetic)

The fifth studio album since their first in 2004, Skeletonwitch is quickly becoming one of the hardest-working bands in metal, and their records are becoming better and better with each one that comes out.