Best HEAVY Records of 2017

There were a lot of exciting happenings in Metal this year, but Metal can be a difficult genre to keep up with these days. There is so much of it out there, and so much of that is harsh, abrasive, and just damn ugly. If you're like me, and you like high-energy, powerful metal music, with discernable songs and pleasant vocals, this list should give you plenty of good options. Because it is metal, some screaming and growling vocals are tolerated, but I have honed it down to records with quality instrumental and vocal work, and careful song writing.



        Best HEAVY Records of 2017.          
                Spunk Rock Style                      





























Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/fluid3sally/playlist/5GvWHhYRJTu1GdfLLJ2bYt
Follow to sample and decide for yourself






1. Snovonne - The Child And The Bitch


























2. Body Count - Bloodlust


























3. Edenbridge - The Great Momentum


























4. Ocean Grove - The Rhapsody Tapes


























5. Butcher Babies - Lilith


























6. Hail Sagan - Hail Sagan






















7. Elder - Reflections of a Floating World


























8. Palisades - Palisades


























9. Fall As Leap - Super-Ficial


























10. Dream Evil - Six


























11. Helion Prime - Helion Prime


























12. Blackbriar - Fractured Fairytales


























13. The Dark Element - The Dark Element


























14. Marty Friedman - Wall Of Sound


























15. Amberian Dawn - Darkness of Eternity

























16. Bare Infinity - The Butterfly Raiser


























17. Powerflo - Powerflo


























18. Scarlet Canary - Perspective


























19. Epica - The Solace System


























20. Mastodon - Emperor of Sand


























21. Avatarium - Hurricanes and Halos


























22. Adrenaline Rush - Soul Survivor


























23. Sleeping Romance - Alba

24. Minniva - Volume #1


























25. Gwar - The Blood of Gods






























Honorable Mention:
The following Bands had records this year that may be of interest to the metal-head in you. These were included in the main Spunk List

• Sumo Cyco
• Roses Unread
• Skarlett Riot
• In This Moment

CHECK OUT THE MAIN SPUNK LIST HERE:
https://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2017/12/best-of-2017.html










Selection Process:

All year long, I have been compiling a playlist of heavy metal records as they were released. I started with a pool of over 200 records. For each record, I sample at least a couple songs, and weeded out the ones I found unlistenable, or undesirable, at best. That process weeded out most of the "brutal death metal". If you like that stuff, I respect your opinion, but you won't find it here.

That left me with a pool of about 75 records. A few of those were discarded as "good, but not really metal enough". The remaining records are rated as shown below.








Record Ratings:

The first place most metal bands run amok with me is in the vocals. This is a heavy list, so screaming/growling vocals are tolerated. But many times, if the vocals are too harsh and ugly, I just can't get into the record. In many cases, I still think the band makes a solid sound, it's just that the vocals kill it for me.

The second place many metal bands fall afoul with me is in the song writing, or lack thereof. I like records where the songs are memorable and distinctive, not just a big wall of non-stop heaviness. Take, for example, "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath. great song. you know it. A high school marching band could play it and get everyone excited - it would be quickly recognizable. Many metal bands overlook the art of the song.

For these reasons, I ranked the records on three metrics: instrumental sound, vocals, and song-writing. Each are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 per my usual scale

(details on scale here: https://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2017/11/record-rating-scale.html)

2017 Spunk Awards

Best of 2017

SPUNK ROCK BEST 100 RECORDS OF 2017

2017 was a rough year in many ways, but it brought plenty of great new music.

Here is the Spunk Rock Top 100 Records of 2017 list

notice the high fraction of debut recordings (22/50).. a good vital sign for the future of new music




Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/fluid3sally/playlist/7dzoQIHTLSKiZdLjQTyoxZ

YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWm4729w0mtdyvug0x4rjdmPd3lN8bUw1

1.  Sumo Cyco - Opus Mar
March. From Toronto. second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4rQh52q04w

2. Vukovi - Vukovi
March. From Scotland. Debut full-length (1)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1TgTVXEpYQ

























3. Cold Kingdom - Cold Kingdom
October. From Minneapolis. Second recording
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV_RbZceiCY







4. MisterWives - Connect The Dots
May. From New York City. Second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhC2c6N-cFM
























5. Beth Ditto - Fake Sugar
June. From Portland OR. Debut Full-Length (2) (see also Gossip)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPbiklLnDQo
























6. Salvation Jayne - Moves That Make The Record Skip (EP)
June. From Kent UK. debut recording (3)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32yY_0W9S4s


























7. Filthy Friends - Invitation
August. From Portland OR. Debut recording (4) (see also Sleater-Kinney, R.E.M.)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLUaB0z9K_U

























8. Hot Pink Hangover - Wasted In Space (2x EP)
November. From Minneapolis. Debut recording (5)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKBxmBDtzc

9. Doll Skin - Manic Pixie Dream Girl
June. From Phoenix AZ USA. Second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLLysVWpJuY

10. Wolf Alice -Visions Of A Life 
September. From London. Second Full-Length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a_AigNZYZc

























11. In This Moment - Ritual
July. From Los Angeles. 4 or more recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfTz83yQ8hU

























12. We Are Riot - No Saints
June. From Bremen Germany. Debut full-length (6)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFILlw6ACuM&feature=youtu.be

























13. The Nearly Deads - Revenge Of The Nearly Deads
June. From Nashville. third recording
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AutS-dYmvtc








14. The Birthday Massacre - Under Your Spell
June. From Toronto. 4 or more recordings
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmE8go5PXGA






15. Pom Poms - Turn You Out
May. From Los Angeles. Debut full-length (7)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVgM7NA5Ti4

























16. Lucky Soul - Hard Lines
August. From London. 4 or more recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9iiwJ1xZrk


























17. HalfLives - Empty Rooms
April. From Modena Italy.  Debut Full-Length (8)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwVV6PhL1tk

18. Barb Wire Dolls - Rub My Mind
June. From Greece. Third Full-Length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLkwc7N5OA
























19. Waax - Wild & Weak
June. From Brisbane Austrailia. second short recording, I'm counting as a debut record (9)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeh3iM2DcT0







20. The Beautiful Monument - I'm the Sin
February. From Melbourne Australia. Debut full-length (10)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scpXJa6uMIQ








21. Blondie - Pollinator
May. From New York City. Four or more recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaL-G9zVxzk







22. Rews - Pyro
November. from London. Debut full-length (11)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE2DDWEBWT8






23. LOLAA - Lolaa
May. From Toronto. Debut recording (18). see also Magneta Lane
video: (I appear in it!!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnM81r5GeAc






















24. Happy Hollows - Concordia
September. From Los Angeles. Third Full-Length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUKryACyxlk







25. Roses Unread - Vultures
August. From Memphis TN USA. Four or more recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieMfdvr6UWM

























26. Eclipses for Eyes - Polaris
April. From Tempe AZ USA. debut full-length (12)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdqH6Y9eFWQ







27. Dead Posey - Freak Show
June. From Los Angeles. debut recording (13)
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB1n-7U1pm0






28. Bully - Losing
October. From Nashville. Second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cia7HOYxj8w







29. Tired Lion - Dumb Days
September. from Perth Australia. second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijh2FEE_2GI


























30. The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions
April. From Vancouver Canada. Four or more recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAlHISTNbwY








31. Sainte - Smile and Wave
June. from UK. debut full-length (14) 
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oVefMrL7WM






32. Neaux - Chain Up The Sun
October. From New York City. Second full-length
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EES-f8fjRxU







33. Miss Eaves - Feminasty
August. From New York City. debut full-length (15)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3KqBkTjNVQ







34. The Letter Black - Pain
May. From Pittsburg PA USA. Four or more recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyt6ci87_VM







35. Mobina Galore - Feeling Disconnected
February. From Winnipeg Canada. Second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fc2SPZ344w







36. The New Respects - Here Comes Trouble
March. From Nashville. Debut EP (16) check out their singles too!
Pop, Soul, Rock-N-Roll
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jURBRmj9c_M







37. First To Eleven - Dead To Me
July. From Eerie Penn USA. second short recording I'm counting as a debut (17)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPTlhlRttSE








38. Greywind - Afterthoughts 
January. From Ireland. debut record (19)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9S6KMC6MS4

























39. The Dead Deads - Flying Saucers
July. From Nashville. Third recording
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKGHsiLaFsg







40. Elephant Gun Riot - Sirens Call
November. from Spokane WA USA. Second recording
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee_Gua7XfMM






41. Bad Cop, Bad Cop - Warriors
June. From Los Angeles. Second full-length
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL8vv1HEJGY


























42. Ruby the Hatchet - Planetary Space Child
August. From Philadelphia USA. Third full-length
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg-70O5xbRk







43. Hey Violet - From The Outside
June. From Los Angeles. Debut full-length (20) see also Cherri Bomb
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvLDZ7VCb0























44. Of Verona - Glass Beach
February. From Los Angeles. Second Full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOvyoiFf4F8







45. My Own Ghost - Life On Standby
April. From Luxembourg Europe. Second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1egfMk5Ht7E
























46. Nocean - Diamonds
December. From Sweden. Second full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcbC553JuP8







47. Skarlett Riot - Regenerate
October. from northern England. Second full-length with previous short recordings
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPKyzZjxNk8

48. The Amorettes - Haulin' Ass
July. From central Scotland. Third full-length
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPNAsZNmbDI

49. Fall As Leap - Super-Ficial
January. From Italy. debut full-length (21)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvQPcNp7Sk8

























50. Rouge United - Iresistible
January. From The Netherlands. debut full-length (22)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlACiA8JPD4

































TOP 51-100













added later: Far From Alaska, The Haxans, Guerilla Toss








*****************************************************************

spunk special: while not a full record in 2017, these 2 songs kick serious ass! I am excited about more Estrons soon!

Estrons - Cold Wash
September. From Cardiff Wales.
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDG14a_o8_A