2018: A great year for metal

The year bore witness to a plethora of new material from various metal artistes. As they – old and new, the famous and the underground – decided on innovations and new ideas, it energised a whole genre.

At the same time, rock charts showed little or no creativity by most of the alternative and Indie bands that dominate, rehashing the sound of their past. That, however, does not mean that rock is dead. There were still bands putting out some really cool stuff.

Here's a look at top metal and rock offerings which made a difference during the year.

Metal: 'Devouring Radiant Light' By Skeletonwitch. Rather underrated, Skeletonwitch is an American band which plays blackened melodic thrash metal. In 'Devouring', there is a change in vocalists and the style is different. The black metal tendencies are less and the music packs progressive tendencies and a powerful atmospheric element.

Rock: 'Time and Space' by Turnstile. American punk band's second album is an instant classic for the hardcore scene. It has pretty much everything you want: raw, loud, aggressive, heavy, short and does not mess around with any experimental tendencies.

Metal:'Automata Part I & II' by Between the Buried and Me. A double-part concept album, about a man whose dreams are broadcasted worldwide as a form of entertainment. While the second part of this record is superior, the first is no slouch either. The band beautifully balances their progressive elements with a refined melodic technical death metal sound.

Rock: 'Ember' by Breaking Benjamin. Rarely has a band sounded so consistent and yet not managed to grow dull. It has hard heavy metallic riffs, melodic choruses with clean singing and raw screams packed with a dark emotional atmosphere. Nothing different and yet everything sounds fresh and original.

Metal:'Thunderbolt' by Saxon. One of the most legendary bands in heavy metal history, Saxon were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Anyone who thought that Saxon's quality may have dropped as a result of their age is in for a severe shock. This album has everything. Just listen and be transported to Valhalla.

Rock: 'Book of Bad Decisions' by Clutch. Full of hard, raw gritty engaging songs, with southern rock and blues influences. And it packs a punch.

Metal:'Firepower' by Judas Priest. One of the first metal bands in history and instrumental 'Firepower' by Judas is just full-on energy packed, no messing around, straight-up melodic metal. Another masterpiece by 'The Metal God'.

Rock: 'Vaxis Act 1: The Unheavenly Creatures' by Coheed And Cambria. Having influences in hard rock, alternative rock, progressive rock, metal and punk, 'Vaxis' is a continuation of the concept based on frontman Claudio Sanchez's comic book series 'The Armory Wars'. Engaging to say the least.

Metal:'Queen of Time' by Amorphis. It is one of the greatest Finnish metal bands. While their style has changed, Amorphis have come out as an evolved animal, their sound being a unique mix of melodic death metal, heavy metal, folk metal and progressive metal. Everything about it speaks perfection.

Rock:'Lost on the Road to Eternity' by Magnum. What is astounding about the British progressive rock veterans is how inspired Bob Catlin and Tom Clarkin, the creative core of Magnum, manage to sound in their 70s. 'Lost' is all you can want -- melodic, catchy, progressive and full of pomp.

Honourable mentions: Metal:'Love In Shadow' by Sumac;'A New Kind Of Horror' by Anaal Nathrakh;'The Science' by Sleep;'Our Raw Heart' by YOB;'Diluviu' by Obscura; and'Sunshine Dust' by Skyharbor.

Rock:'Vicious' by Halestorm; 'Resistance Is Futile' by Manic Street Preachers and 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance' by Idles.