Ok, top 5 AOTY contenders listen party while i work and make my christmas list, starting with @backxwash https://backxwash.bandcamp.com/album/god-has-nothing-to-do-with-this-leave-him-out-of-it

i cant describe it. you just have to listen to it. when i say its like nothing ive ever heard, i mean, ive heard alot, so https://open.spotify.com/album/0psj5qVSfxXQ3vlbcYfAOs?si=kgDqBcyYTzmsWggVB8n--g

it says alot that i keep forgetting this album came out this year. front to back this is a fire AF entry to RTJ's doscog, moreover when it came out i remember it having a real impact, like it actually lifted alot of people up https://open.spotify.com/album/6cx4GVNs03Pu4ZczRnWiLd?si=Xc_a8njKSiSqQhLK_oMJCA

if the Imperial Triumphant album hadnt dropped this year, this would easily be my frontrunner metal OTY album at least https://open.spotify.com/album/0gsk1RGjMrtEDE05s0TZMf?si=bLUBqplbSlKG0uqNdwa_iw

Last year @clipping redefined horrorcore, bringing is a huge helping of mood, ambience, and storytelling that was missing

this year they took that vocabulary and produced an absolute masterpiece with it https://open.spotify.com/album/0b1q9se93BEqBl3kiltn33?si=aEGFRd8dSlqxx00VVI2mqA

i keep saying "not much came out metal wise this year" and thats a huge lie im realizing

i didnt even know of this bands existence before this year and now they are one of my top played https://open.spotify.com/album/5hrvRauAdBbemMTWsKLzN9?si=_J5iL6WvQDyxynUtYI5hmQ

@BlackDresses666 released Peaceful as Hell this year! like, i cant even fcking keep UP!

this hit me hard, of course it did, but it stands aside solidly on its own too as Rook and Devi's magnum opus under the Dresses name. CreepU is anthemic https://blackdresses.bandcamp.com/album/peaceful-as-hell

i cherish... hear me... CHERISH the girls of The Furs. Beautiful and True provided the janglepop energy i needed to maintain a newly discovered smile at times, and i love them for showing up in my attentionsphere just when they did https://open.spotify.com/album/6FcSlgmg8LtcMegifQJUbY?si=_stxgKWBTcCrcK7q4Lz3Lg

also this track from thier Holloween EP is the most romantic song ive heard this year, and it melts the heck out of me https://open.spotify.com/track/6azNO9El00CamctUrisgDL?si=DvSl4AE5Sgy4-saw4xgFyg

ALSO they have a holiday single out! https://open.spotify.com/track/41nDYhOUdEZQXSl62g8bIm?si=UxO_I4r0Q3-C4zjxcWSLlw