2014 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Lacuna Coil's seventh studio album, recorded in Milan with producer Jay Baumgardner and released in March 2014, reached number 13 in Italy.

At the Gates' fifth album and first in 19 years, released in October 2014: built on Latin American magic realism, it reached number three in Sweden.

Overkill's seventeenth album, released in July 2014 with the Japanese edition first: number 31 on the Billboard 200, the highest placing of their career.

DragonForce's sixth album, from August 2014: the first made with an outside producer, Jens Bogren, away from the band's own studio.

Opeth's eleventh album, from August 2014, and the first with the keyboard player Joakim Svalberg.

Down's second six-song EP in the Down IV series, from May 2014, and the only record they made with Bobby Landgraf on guitar in place of Kirk Windstein.

The Haunted's eighth album, released on 25 August 2014, fourteen tracks running 44:08.

Dir En Grey's ninth album, released on 10 December 2014: sixteen tracks running 68:01.

Triptykon's second album, from April 2014, and the last album cover H. R. Giger ever made.

The third album by Milan's Destrage, released by Metal Blade Records in March 2014 and the record they are remembered for.

The debut album by Sweden's Blues Pills, out on Nuclear Blast in July 2014: the late 1960s, recorded now.

Behemoth's tenth album, from February 2014, written after Nergal's recovery from leukaemia.

The debut by the English duo Royal Blood, from August 2014: bass and drums only, and number one in Britain.

The second album by Austria's Harakiri for the Sky, from April 2014, named after the Aokigahara forest.

Sabaton's seventh album, from May 2014, written one individual at a time rather than one battle at a time.

Gus G.'s first solo album. He wrote all of it and brought in different guests song by song: singers including Mats Levén, Jeff Scott Soto, Michael Starr and Tom S. Englund, and players such as Billy Sheehan and David Ellefson. The Japanese edition (KICP-1683) adds the instrumental "Without You" for thirteen tracks.

The first original full album, sold at Comic Market 86 on 16 August 2014 and put into national distribution by Disk Union on 22 October. After six years of Touhou Project arrangement records it was the first Unlucky Morpheus album made entirely of their own songs. Seven tracks.

Absolute World is Anthem's fifteenth studio album, released on 22 October 2014. It is the first record by the line-up that brought Yukio Morikawa back to the microphone for the first time since 1992 and made Isamu Tamaru a full member.

The Sun Will Rise Again is the twenty-sixth Loudness album, released through Universal Music Japan on 4 June 2014 — the first studio record made after the band set up its own label in 2013. A remixed US edition followed in 2015.

An independent-era single on Gump Records, released before the major-label debut: the title song with "スリル" and "Summer Drive".

The fourth album, up to number 17 in Germany, and the one on which the advance single "DNA" widened the band's audience. King Records issued the Japanese edition on its Metal Frontier line as KICP-1706, with two bonus tracks.

The sixth studio album, and the band's highest US placing at number 6 on the Billboard 200. "High Road" was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards.

Five new songs alongside seven re-recordings of material from 1999-2006 — the overlooked years, restated in the band's present sound.

The debut album that collided idol pop with extreme metal language and introduced kawaii metal as a worldwide surprise.

Rock or Bust presents AC/DC’s rock ’n’ roll design in a newly tightened form: thick rhythm guitar, stripped-back beats and choruses built to stay in the listener’s head.

Blind Rage sharpens Accept’s hard-chopped riffs, precise forward rhythm and shouted vocal attack.

Dazed and Delight combines Aldious’s fluent twin guitars, clear melody and fast-moving rhythm.

The Great Divide centers on two distinctive vocal personalities, supported by grand keyboards, thick guitars and the drama of melodic metal.

Massive Addictive sends Amaranthe’s multiple vocal voices, electronic textures and heavy guitars racing across one another.

Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows crosses Amoral’s heavy guitar weight with delicate, introspective melody.

Secret Garden joins Angra’s progressive construction, Brazilian rhythmic sense and classically shaped melody.

War Eternal restarts Arch Enemy with sharp melodic-death-metal riffing and an overwhelming vocal roar.

Gravitas frames Asia’s grand melodic sense and polished progressive-rock construction with a calm, mature center of gravity.

Kingdom of the Night II returns Axxis to one of its defining worlds while writing a new chapter through present-day performances and production.

Catacombs of the Black Vatican combines Black Label Society’s heavyweight riffs with a blues-born sense of melody, creating a record with deep shadows.

The self-titled Crazy Lixx gathers riffs, synth color and cinematic atmosphere that recall eighties American hard rock.

Limit Break combines Cyntia’s sparkling keyboards, soaring vocals and sharp twin guitars into melodic metal with real speed.

Z² unfolds Devin Townsend’s enormous sound density, pop melody, eccentric humor and deep emotion as two contrasting sides of one project.

Renatus keeps Dynazty’s melodic hard-rock foundation but moves decisively toward sharper riffs and power-metal momentum.

Space Police: Defenders of the Crown mixes Edguy’s oversized melodies, hard-rock swing and playful humor.

The Quantum Enigma joins Epica’s orchestral scale, heavy guitar riffs and dramatic vocals with meticulous control.

Blood In, Blood Out puts Exodus’s angular riffs and merciless rhythm attack at the front, unleashing the aggression of thrash metal.

Beyond fills Freedom Call’s world with light-catching melodies, fast rhythms and choruses made for collective singing.

Vetelgyus mobilizes Galneryus’s virtuosic guitar and keyboards, soaring high vocals and precise rhythm work.

Empire of the Undead delivers Gamma Ray’s power metal with fast riffs, clear melodies and a cosmic sense of scale.

1000hp condenses Godsmack’s thick guitar riffs, heavy groove and rough-edged vocals into something simple and forceful.

Bang! gathers Gotthard’s thick guitar riffs, open-throated vocals and blues-warmed hard rock.

Tearing Down the Walls packs H.E.A.T.’s catchy choruses, urgent vocals and focused guitar riffs into a high-density record.

Thirteen gathers Harem Scarem’s refined melodies, detailed choruses and hard-edged guitar riffs with impressive control.

Siren Charms retains pieces of In Flames’ melodic-death aggression while emphasizing a cool, restrained atmosphere and modern tones.

Rise of the Hero is power metal built from hard-edged riffs, mechanical momentum and large, heroic choruses.

Redeemer of Souls brings Judas Priest’s classic heavy-metal language into the present with authority.

Level Eleven carefully builds the clarity, melancholy and flowing choruses associated with Scandinavian melodic rock.

The Hunting Party puts Linkin Park’s guitar-led aggression, fast beats and urgent vocals at the front.

Bloodstone & Diamonds connects Machine Head’s overwhelming weight with an expansive sense of long-form construction.

Inferno crosses Marty Friedman’s cutting guitar phrases, metal aggression and Eastern-flavored melodic instinct.

...The Stories We Could Tell lets Mr. Big show its technical ability while keeping songcraft and accessibility at the center.

No Fixed Address builds on Nickelback’s thick rock-guitar base while reaching toward pop, dance and ballad-like elements.

High Road refines Night Ranger’s strengths: interlocking twin guitars, clear vocals and wide-open choruses.

Stone Pushing Uphill Man is a covers album on which PAUL GILBERT recasts other artists' songs in his own timing, singing and guitar sound.

Delivering the Black unites Primal Fear’s cutting twin guitars, forceful high vocals and heavy rhythm section.

Unleash the Fire carries Riot’s history forward with renewed energy and a full commitment to traditional metal.

Rubicon Cross is a debut built from strong vocals, thick guitars and the accessibility of melodic rock.

World on Fire expands Slash’s thick riffs, bluesy lead work and muscular rock ’n’ roll on a broad canvas.

.5: The Gray Chapter carves anger and loss into Slipknot’s heavy riffs, explosive rhythms and urgent melodies.

Ecliptica Revisited: 15th Anniversary Edition is SONATA ARCTICA's full re-recording of its debut Ecliptica with the current band and modern production.

Pariah’s Child brings Sonata Arctica’s fast rhythms, keyboard color and bittersweet melodies to the front.

All You Can Eat loads up on the oversized choruses, fast guitar work and mischievous spirit of eighties glam metal.

City of Gold fires off Striker’s sharp riffs, energetic drumming and fist-raising choruses in rapid succession.

Simplicity brings Tesla’s blues-leaning guitar, warm ensemble playing and human-scale melodies to the front.

Light of Dawn carefully joins Unisonic’s rich vocal melodies to hard-edged guitar work.

Better Days Comin' places detailed rhythmic shifts and layered arrangements inside Winger’s catchy hard-rock framework.

Hydra places Within Temptation’s large symphonic-rock framework around varied voices and contrasting textures.