2016 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Lacuna Coil's eighth album, released on 27 May 2016: their first self-production, set in an imagined asylum and deliberately heavier than before.

Opeth's twelfth album, from September 2016, and the first they released through Nuclear Blast and their own Moderbolaget imprint.

The ninth album: thirteen tracks built from sketches written just after Flex-Able and finished thirty years later.

Myrath's fourth album, from February 2016, named with the English translation of the band's own name.

Sabaton's eighth album, from August 2016, a concept record built on last stands from history.

The sixth solo album by Emperor's Ihsahn, from April 2016, built around the Arctic.

Amon Amarth's tenth album, from March 2016: their first concept record, and certified gold in Germany.

The second album by Sweden's Twilight Force, from August 2016 and their first for Nuclear Blast.

The second ColdWorld album, from July 2016, eight years after the first: one man's atmospheric black metal from Germany.

An original EP first sold at Comic Market 91 on 29 December 2016 and put into national distribution through Canned music on 18 January 2017. Three tracks. The title song got one of the band's earliest official music videos and has been a fixture of their live set ever since.

The first album for Nuclear Blast, and the one that produced several official music and lyric videos, beginning with "A.D.".

Four tracks — the title song, "Unfair game", "matchless GUM" and an instrumental — released ahead of the album Just Bring It.

The fifth album, number 14 in Germany and 59 in Switzerland. King Records put the Japanese edition out on its Seven Seas line as KICP-1787 a month ahead of the international release, with the bonus track "All Are Equal".

The eleventh studio album, self-titled, issued by Mighty Music on 21 October 2016 as PMZ 200. Eleven songs, opening with the advance track "Only the Brave".

The debut album, produced by Jonas Olsson. It closes with "Don't", a cover of the Ed Sheeran song.

The first full album, four years in — and the source of four of the six songs re-cut for 2025's Reborn 2013-2016.

The fifteenth album, and the first with Chris Laney on keyboards and guitars.

BABYMETAL’s second album turns global momentum into power metal, metalcore and progressive scale, confirming the group’s strength.

A release that pushes BAND-MAID’s rock-band strength forward and builds the foundation for the breakthroughs that followed.

Maximalism lets Amaranthe stack multiple vocal styles, electronic texture, hard guitar riffs and immediate melody without restraint.

In Sequence combines Amoral’s complex structures, heavy guitar work and melodic vocals in a record that resists simple genre labels.

For All Kings keeps Anthrax’s agile thrash attack while giving equal space to heavy groove, chorus lift and modern weight.

Ghostlights gathers guest vocalists, symphonic color, hard-rock accessibility and power-metal velocity into one broad narrative.

The Stage turns themes of space, science and existence into complex, dramatic heavy metal.

To the Light shapes Blindman’s lyrical melody, expansive vocals and precise guitar work into traditional hard rock with care.

This House Is Not for Sale turns Bon Jovi’s sense of band unity and purpose into direct rock songs.

Urban Night naturally joins Cyntia’s urban pop instinct to the sharp guitar edge of heavy metal.

Atoma joins Dark Tranquillity’s cutting melodic-death-metal harmonies to an atmosphere of cold, beautiful keyboards.

The Evil Divide brings together Death Angel’s lively speed and twisting guitar work in a tightly focused record.

Transcendence lets Devin Townsend move freely between massive guitar sound, layered choirs and quieter emotional expression.

Forward in Reverse is Dizzy Mizz Lizzy’s studio return after a long gap, joining intricate guitar phrases, heavy riffs and melodic instinct at high density.

The Astonishing by DREAM THEATER: track list, Spotify player, music videos and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Titanic Mass places Dynazty’s large melodies and strong vocal delivery inside a heavier, more modern metal sound.

The Holographic Principle joins orchestral-style arrangements, choirs and heavy guitar riffs inside large-scale compositions.

Pimp Your Past rebuilds key material from Fair Warning’s first three albums in the band’s 2016 sound.

Theories of Flight raises Fates Warning’s progressive-metal tension through complex rhythm, fluid guitar and introspective vocals.

One Step Over the Line builds classic melodic rock around a vocal performance that is both powerful and warm.

Master of Light lets Freedom Call’s bright melody, speed and positive singalongs ring out with particular openness.

Magma keeps Gojira’s massive riffs and unusual rhythmic identity while moving into quieter, more inward-looking territory.

Human Nature builds dramatic melodic hard rock around powerful vocals and thick guitar.

Beautiful Broken revisits parts of Heart’s catalogue through a present-day lens, pairing reworked material with a small number of new songs.

Battles connects In Flames’ metallic guitar push with more open vocal melody and a carefully modern sound.

Titancraft delivers Iron Savior’s science-fiction world and thick-riffed German power metal with complete confidence.

Incarnate gathers Killswitch Engage’s sharp metalcore riffs, breakdowns and melodic choruses into a concentrated form.

The Serenity of Suffering brings Korn’s low, sinking guitars, uneasy bouncing rhythm and pain-filled vocals to the front.

In Disguise is a covers record in which Last Autumn’s Dream recast songs from different eras through their own melodic-rock touch.

Dystopia concentrates Megadeth’s sharp riffs, crooked structures and cold, pressurized atmosphere into a tightly focused record.

XI restates the sturdy appeal of traditional American heavy metal through hard riffs, heavy rhythm and commanding vocal lines.

Hardwired. to Self-Destruct places Metallica’s quick, explosive thrash instinct beside longer pieces that patiently accumulate weight.

War Brigade puts Mystic Prophecy’s thick guitar riffs and forceful beat at the front of a combative power-metal record.

Nordic Union’s debut condenses Scandinavian melodic rock’s clear keyboards, firm guitars and expansive vocals into exceptionally direct songs.

I Can Destroy puts Paul Gilbert’s extraordinary guitar ability in service of the pleasure of the songs.

Rulebreaker assembles Primal Fear’s hard-edged riffs, piercing high vocals and heavy rhythm with great precision.

The Devil Strikes Again reunites Rage’s speed-metal sharpness, heavy riff pressure and technical development in one aggressive flow.

InVader by RECKLESS LOVE: track list, Spotify player, music videos and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Into the Legend unites Rhapsody of Fire’s fantasy storytelling, orchestral grandeur and racing power metal.

The Ninth Hour presents Sonata Arctica’s lyrical melody and storytelling in more measured structures.

Stand in the Fire brings together Striker’s speed-metal guitar attack, energetic beat and memorable choruses.

Edge of Tomorrow carefully links Sunstorm’s smooth AOR feel to melodic metal with firm guitar weight.

Brotherhood of the Snake sharpens Testament’s Bay Area thrash force through modern density and precise execution.

Hidden City gathers the Cult’s mystical atmosphere and hard-rock force into a dense, heavy sound.

Ghost of Graceland delivers Treat’s colorful melodic hard rock through mature playing and a full sound.

Tabula Rasa uses clear keyboards, smooth vocals and lyrical guitar to draw out the best qualities of Scandinavian AOR and melodic rock.

World on Fire commits fully to the neoclassical-metal language Yngwie Malmsteen has made his own.