2022 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Lacuna Coil's 20th-anniversary remake of Comalies, released on 14 October 2022, with all thirteen songs rearranged and the original on a second disc.

Blind Guardian's eleventh studio album, released in September 2022: their first under the band's own name in about seven years, after an orchestral album.

Voivod's fifteenth studio album, from February 2022, written by sending files back and forth when the band could not travel.

Kreator's fifteenth studio album, from June 2022 and the first with Frédéric Leclercq on bass.

The Hellacopters' eighth album, released on 1 April 2022: their first new record in fourteen years, and the first with Dregen on it since 1997.

Dir En Grey's eleventh album, released on 15 June 2022: eleven tracks running 53:45.

Saxon's twenty-third album, released on 4 February 2022. At seventeen it is their highest UK placing since Power & the Glory in 1983.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The eighteenth album, out on earMUSIC on 8 April 2022 - his first away from Epic and Sony since 1995.

The tenth album. The cover shows the Hydra, the triple-neck guitar Vai designed with Ibanez.

DRAGONLAND's sixth album, released in 2022, a comeback after eleven years since Under the Grey Banner. A sci-fi concept album set in space and separate from The Dragonland Chronicles saga, it was released by AFM Records; the Japanese edition is on Marquee/Avalon (MICP-11706).

The fourth album, distributed by Disk Union on 27 April 2022. It carries an album version of "“M” Revolution", the digital single from 2021, and four of its songs — "Amaryllis", "Welcome to Valhalla", "The Black Death Mansion Murders" and "“M” Anthem" — were given music videos. Ten tracks.

The twelfth Praying Mantis studio album, released by Frontiers on 28 January 2022. Marquee Incorporated issued the Japanese edition the same day, adding an acoustic version of "Find Our Way Back Home" for twelve tracks.

The tenth solo album, with Slash guesting on the title track, released by Silver Lining Music on 10 June 2022 and by Victor in Japan the same day.

The seventh album and the first for Napalm Records, number 2 in Germany. The band gave the 6,000 euros the single "Good Life" earned to a children's cancer charity in Tübingen. Avalon issued the Japanese edition as MICP-11671.

CoreLeoni's first album of original material, and the first with Eugent Bushpepa singing. Production problems pushed the international release back a week to 20 May 2022, while the Japanese edition kept the original date of 13 May. The band reported it reaching No. 2 in Switzerland and No. 39 in Germany.

A four-track EP issued on 22 April 2022: the title song and "Red Mist" alongside 2022 re-recordings of "Fireclown" and "Killers", both of which come from the 1980 debut Wild Cat.

Their first album for Century Media and their first number one in Finland, built around "Dark Side", the song they took to Eurovision. Japan received it as their debut release there, retitled Sick & Dangerous.

The band's first album for Atomic Fire Records, made by the four-piece of Mat Sinner, Tom Naumann, Alex Scholpp and Markus Kullmann, and mixed by Jacob Hansen.

A studio album released in 2022.

The third and last of the avex albums, carried into a SUMMER SONIC 2022 appearance; guitarist MOE joined after it.

A seventh album four years on, rebuilt around new singer Victor Emeka — with three former members guesting on "Tribal Mark".

A pre-album single that turns the decision to confront fear into sharp riffs, forceful rhythm and a large melodic chorus.

Lonesome_Blue’s debut EP joins voice-actor expression and professional rock musicianship through metal, progressive detail and pop melody.

A pre-debut single featuring Ayasa, expanding Lonesome_Blue’s sound through psychedelic color, violin and progressive movement.

Lonesome_Blue’s first pre-debut single, joining ominous tension, heavy rhythm and a large melody to announce the band’s arrival.

A five-track EP centered on “CRY OUT,” moving between heavy confrontation, playful tension and a more lyrical sense of connection.

The second re-recording EP, rebuilding earlier material through TRiDENT’s current trio sound across five songs of impulse, resistance, utopia and renewal.

A 2022 EP that lives up to its title, unleashing the band’s technical rock energy through compact, immediate songs.

HAGANE’s first full-length album, expanding the band’s twin-guitar sparkle, speed, heavy riffs and dramatic storytelling.

A second album capturing NEMOPHILA’s international momentum through heavy riffs, wide melodies and an unrestricted mixture.

After a long absence, Altaria return with Wisdom, a record that presents bright Scandinavian melodic-metal lines alongside approachable hard-rock warmth.

Halo is a refined fusion of the death-metal weight, folk-derived melody and progressive arrangement that Amorphis have developed over decades.

Deceivers sharpens Arch Enemy’s melodic-death-metal design with exceptional precision.

Tobias Sammet assembles a varied cast of singers and builds theatrical storytelling and oversized melody as a sequence of connected scenes.

With new vocalist Gabriel Keyes, Crashdïet restart their rough-edged glam-metal machine without losing its identity.

Diamond Star Halos expands Def Leppard’s trademark blend of stacked harmonies, bright guitars and pop momentum into a broader palette.

Lightwork retains Devin Townsend’s talent for enormous walls of sound while giving them more air and calm than some of his recent work.

As its title suggests, Divisive addresses distrust and division while returning to Disturbed’s direct heaviness and large-scale melody.

Centered on Herman Frank, Dreamtide’s return revisits the strengths of melodic hard rock with care and restraint.

Final Advent finds Sweden’s Dynazty linking heavy riffs, polished electronic textures and arena-sized choruses with impressive density.

Shangri-La finds Edenbridge building a fantasy world around Sabine Edelsbacher’s clear voice and Lanvall’s grand arrangements.

Closer to the Edge places Harry Hess’s warm yet focused voice at the center of polished melodic rock.

AfterLife draws on Five Finger Death Punch’s direct strengths: hard riffs, marching rhythms and Ivan Moody’s raw vocal presence.

FM’s thirteenth album refines the band’s urbane melodic-rock identity with relaxed performances and carefully shaped harmonies.

After a long gap, Giant return around David Huff and Mike Brignardello, with Kent Hilli’s voice helping restate the appeal of their melodic hard rock.

Fronted by the soaring voice of Kristian Fyhr, Ginevra’s debut delivers Scandinavian melodic-rock clarity in a modern sound.

With Kenny Leckremo back in the band, H.E.A.T reclaim the speed, melody and positive energy that shaped their early identity.

Abrakadabra blends Hardcore Superstar’s glam-metal flash with punkish roughness.

Second Skin centers on Nathan James’s commanding voice and polishes classic hard-rock craft in a contemporary way.

Complicated centers on Jeff Scott Soto’s wide expressive range, linking hard-rock power with AOR smoothness.

Freedom by JOURNEY: track list, album artwork and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Requiem concentrates Korn’s uneasy grooves, down-tuned weight and Jonathan Davis’s wounded-sounding voice into a brief, dense runtime.