58. Mother of Graves - "The Periapt of Absence"

This album is pure undistilled heavy metal. It illustrates in its finery why I love this genre so much. It is big and bombastic and full of sumptuous grandeur. It doesn’t lose itself in its pomposity. Instead there is a blatant level of self-awareness and also an emotional literacy. Inside of the looming cathedrals of majestic sound, there is a real soul and understanding of human temperament. This is music that sweeps you away with its dramatic heft but still manages to speak to your emotional heart. It is an extraordinarily visioned album that has so much going on, but still manages to feel focused and driven.