2020s Metal & Hard Rock Classics

Deftones' ninth studio album, from September 2020, and their first with producer Terry Date in seventeen years.

Napalm Death's sixteenth studio album, out in September 2020 after the longest gap between albums in their history.

Code Orange's fourth studio album, from March 2020, built around glitches and noise as much as around riffs.

Converge's tenth studio album, from November 2021, made as a seven-piece with Chelsea Wolfe.

Fortitude retains Gojira’s low-end groove, machine-like riffs and massive rhythmic force while allowing more melody and openness into the frame.

Recorded in the Pumpkins United lineup with Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske alongside Andi Deris, this self-titled album is a major meeting point in Helloween’s history.

The eighth studio album, a double record of fifteen songs. Its lead single "Pushing the Tides" was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 64th Grammy Awards.

Senjutsu pushes Iron Maiden’s large-scale instincts further, layering riffs, melody, key changes and quiet space across extended songs.

Meshuggah's ninth studio album, from April 2022, and the first they released away from Nuclear Blast.

Ghost's fifth studio album, from March 2022, built on the rise and fall of empires.

Building on the renewed strength of Dystopia, this album is charged with the urgency that defines Megadeth at their best.

Zeal & Ardor's self-titled third album, from February 2022, laying black metal over African-American spirituals.

Rammstein's eighth studio album, from April 2022, an unplanned record made in the gap a postponed tour left.

72 Seasons looks back at the formative first eighteen years of life while using Metallica’s familiar language of heavy riffs and long-form construction to probe inward.

Life Is But a Dream... pushes AVENGED SEVENFOLD far beyond a simple metal framework and into an intensely experimental, existential space.

Sleep Token's third studio album, from May 2023, and Spotify's most streamed metal album of that year.

Cattle Decapitation's eighth studio album, from May 2023, recorded in the weeks after a founding member's death.

High on Fire's ninth studio album, from April 2024, folding Turkish and Middle Eastern music into their sludge.

Invincible Shield makes the heavy-metal language JUDAS PRIEST has forged over decades sound like a force that is still moving forward.

Bring Me the Horizon's seventh studio album, surprise-released in May 2024 as part two of the Post Human series.

Knocked Loose's third studio album, from May 2024, with Poppy and Chris Motionless as guests.

Pallbearer's fourth studio album, from October 2020 and their first full-length for Nuclear Blast.

Loathe's second studio album, from February 2020, pulling shoegaze texture into metalcore.

Oranssi Pazuzu's fifth album, from April 2020, and the record their psychedelic black metal is best known for.

Paradise Lost's sixteenth studio album, from May 2020 and the last with Waltteri Vayrynen on drums.

With Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd and Cliff Williams back in the fold, Power Up returns AC/DC to thick rhythm guitar, a straight beat and shouted vocals.

Ulcerate's sixth studio album, from April 2020 and the first they released on Debemur Morti Productions.

Trivium’s ninth album tightly connects thrash sharpness, metalcore aggression and progressive movement, even within compact songs.

Archspire's fourth studio album, from October 2021, and winner of the 2022 Juno Award for Metal/Hard Music Album.

Spiritbox's debut album, from September 2021, by the two members who left Iwrestledabearonce to form the band.

Turnstile's third studio album, from August 2021, named album of the year by Spin for melting hardcore's borders.

Trivium’s tenth album integrates thrash sharpness, metalcore aggression and progressive structure at high density.

Carcass's seventh studio album, from September 2021, eight years after Surgical Steel and delayed over a year by the pandemic.

Chat Pile's debut album, from July 2022: nine songs built on real events in Oklahoma City.

Cave In's seventh studio album, from May 2022 and the first with bassist Nate Newton.

Lorna Shore's fourth studio album, from October 2022, closing on a title track in three parts.

Foregone reconnects IN FLAMES with the melodic-death-metal atmosphere associated with Gothenburg while combining it with modern weight and direct song construction.

Tomb Mold's fourth studio album, from September 2023, announced only four days before it appeared.

Blood Incantation's fourth studio album, from October 2024, made of two suites in three parts each.

Gatecreeper's third studio album, from May 2024 and the first with bassist Alex Brown.

Alcest's seventh studio album, from June 2024, deliberately returning to the lighter sound of their early records.

Opeth's fourteenth studio album, from November 2024, and the return of death growls for the first time since Watershed.

Deafheaven's sixth studio album, from March 2025, returning to the blackgaze sound Infinite Granite had set aside.

Released on February 7, 2025, Parasomnia is DREAM THEATER’s sixteenth studio album and the first full-length studio record to feature drummer Mike Portnoy…