Author's Metal Picks 2026

My personal selection of metal albums from 2026, sorted by month. Not a complete release calendar — just the albums that stood out to me.

▶ January 2026

Picks within blackgaze, atmospheric black metal, melodic doom/death metal, sludge metal and progressive metal.

1
MØL Dreamcrush Denmark — January 30, 2026 Post-Black MetalBlackgaze

MØL return with Dreamcrush, an emotional and powerful blackgaze album where heavy riffs, shoegaze atmosphere and post-black metal intensity collide.

2
Ellende Zerfall Austria — January 2, 2026 Post-Black MetalAtmospheric Black Metal

Ellende delivers a dark, melancholic and atmospheric black metal album with Zerfall.

3
Marianas Rest The Bereaved Finland — January 16, 2026 Melodic Death MetalDoom Metal

Heavy, sorrowful and deeply emotional. Crushing, beautiful and bleak.

4
Urne Setting Fire to the Sky United Kingdom — January 30, 2026 Sludge MetalMetalcore

Urne bring power, weight and intensity. Heavy riffs, sludge-driven energy and a modern metal sound.

5
Course of Fate Behind the Eclipse Norway — January 30, 2026 Progressive Metal

Strong progressive metal release from Norway combining melody, atmosphere and heavy riffs.

▶ February 2026

Picks within progressive rock, progressive metal, death metal, melodic black metal and atmospheric black metal.

1
Karnivool In Verses Australia — February 6, 2026 Progressive RockProgressive Metal

Strong and emotional progressive rock album filled with atmosphere, heavy grooves and carefully built dynamics.

2
Buried Imagined Deformation Netherlands — February 6, 2026 Progressive Death Metal

Heavy, intense and progressive death metal. Dark, technical and crushing.

3
Heir Corpse One Destination: Domination Sweden — February 6, 2026 Death MetalGroove Metal

Swedish death metal energy and groove-driven heaviness.

4
Winter Eternal Unveiled Nightsky Greece / Scotland — February 13, 2026 Melodic Black Metal

Cold, melodic and atmospheric black metal with a strong sense of darkness and sorrow.

5
Ashbringer Subglacial United States — February 13, 2026 Atmospheric Black Metal

Atmospheric black metal built around nature, cold landscapes and emotional intensity.

▶ March 2026

My personal metal album picks for March 2026.

1
Temple of Void The Crawl United States — March 6, 2026 Death MetalDoom Metal

Crushing death/doom metal. Massive, dark and heavy.

2
Monstrosity Screams from Beneath the Surface United States — March 13, 2026 Death Metal

Powerful death metal filled with intensity, technical strength and classic Florida death metal aggression.

3
Lamb of God Into Oblivion United States — March 13, 2026 Groove MetalMetalcore

Trademark groove metal power. Aggressive, heavy and direct.

4
Mammon's Throne My Body to the Worms Australia — March 13, 2026 Stoner MetalSludge MetalDoom Metal

Dark and heavy. Slow, crushing and full of weight.

5
Gaerea Loss Portugal — March 20, 2026 Post-Black Metal

Intense and emotional. Post-black metal darkness with a modern and atmospheric edge.

▶ April 2026

5 super picks from April 2026.

1
Vanir Wyrd Denmark — April 3, 2026 Melodic Death MetalFolk Metal

Strong and memorable melodic death metal with heavy riffs and a strong Nordic atmosphere.

2
Green Carnation A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis Norway — April 3, 2026 Progressive MetalGothic Metal

Dramatic mix of progressive metal, gothic rock and melancholic atmosphere.

3
Immolation Descent United States — April 10, 2026 Death Metal

Dark and crushing death metal. Heavy, intense and uncompromising.

4
Lividus Scarabaeus United States — April 17, 2026 Progressive MetalMelodic Death MetalThrash Metal

Adventurous and technical. Blends progressive metal, melodic death metal and thrash metal.

5
At the Gates The Ghost of a Future Dead Sweden — April 24, 2026 Melodic Death Metal

Powerful melodic death metal from one of the most important Gothenburg bands.

▶ May 2026

Coming soon.

▶ June 2026

Coming soon.

▶ July 2026

Coming soon.

▶ August 2026

Coming soon.

▶ September 2026

Coming soon.

▶ October 2026

Coming soon.

▶ November 2026

Coming soon.

▶ December 2026

Coming soon.

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