Metal milestones: Albums turning 10 this year

2015 was indeed a remarkable year for Finnish metal. The country’s biggest metal bands released some incredible albums, while international giants also delivered top-tier releases. Earlier, we listed albums celebrating their 50th, 40th, 30th, and 20th anniversaries, and now it’s time to look back at 2015 and marvel at how quickly time has passed.

1. Nightwish – “Endless Forms Most Beautiful”

Nightwish‘s “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” officially marked the beginning of a new era for the band and represented significant changes in many ways. This 2015 album was the first to feature the charismatic vocalist Floor Jansen and multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley, who brought a stronger folk influence to the band’s sound. At the same time, it was the first album where drummer Jukka Nevalainen did not perform – his role was filled by Kai Hahto, who later became an official member of the band. The album includes tracks such as “Élan”, “Shudder Before the Beautiful”, and the epic closing piece “The Greatest Show on Earth”, which tells a story of life and evolution inspired by Carl Sagan and Charles Darwin.

2. Slayer – “Repentless”

When “Delusions of Saviour” begins to play, you can’t help but throw the devil horns up and shout SLAAYEEERRRR! Slayer‘s 12th album, “Repentless,” became the band’s final full-length release and holds a special place in their discography. It’s the only Slayer album that doesn’t feature the late Jeff Hanneman, who passed away in 2013.
However, Hanneman’s influence lives on in “Repentless,” as the track “Piano Wire” was penned by the legendary guitarist himself, leaving fans with one last glimpse of his immense talent.

3. Ghost – “Meliora”

With the transition from Papa Emeritus II to Papa Emeritus III as Ghost‘s frontman, the band’s music also shifted in a heavier direction. While the previous album, “Infestissumam,” leaned towards a lighter style, “Meliora” delights with a more guitar-oriented approach, exuding shades of 1970s rock.
This album features several Ghost classics, including “He Is,” “From The Pinnacle To The Pit,” and “Cirice.” Hopefully, some of these “Meliora” tracks will make it onto the setlist for their upcoming tour!

4. Disturbed – “Immortalized”

Disturbed’s sixth studio album, “Immortalized,” proved that the band came back stronger than ever after a three-year hiatus. The album features Disturbed’s stunning cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” which quickly became the standout track and a massive success.
The band has a history of crafting impressive covers, as evidenced by their rendition of Genesis’ “Land of Confusion” from their “Ten Thousand Fists” album, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

5. Amorphis – “Under the Red Cloud”

In 2015, Amorphis released their 12th studio album, “Under the Red Cloud,” which pushed the band’s sound in a heavier direction. The album was produced by Jens Bogren, who later went on to produce their next two albums, “Queen of Time” and “Halo.” “Under the Red Cloud” also marked the final album for bassist Niclas Etelävuori with the band.

6. Iron Maiden – “The Book Of Souls”

In 2010, “The Final Frontier” was expected to be Iron Maiden‘s last album, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. In 2015, Iron Maiden released their first-ever double album, “The Book of Souls.” This 16th studio album was recorded under challenging circumstances, as vocalist Bruce Dickinson was diagnosed with throat cancer during the recording process. However, Dickinson overcame the illness, and the release of “The Book of Souls” proceeded with little delay.

7. Lamb Of God – “VII: Sturm Und Drang”

Despite the number seven in its title, “VII: Sturm Und Drang” is actually Lamb of God‘s eighth studio album—if you include the self-titled album released under their original name, Burn the Priest. This album marks a significant milestone as it is the first to be released following vocalist Randy Blythe’s time in a Czech prison. Blythe addresses these dark experiences directly in the album, with “512”—named after his prison cell—standing out as a poignant example.

8. Children Of Bodom – “I Worship Chaos”

In 2015, Children of Bodom parted ways with guitarist Roope Latvala before the recording of their ninth album, “I Worship Chaos.” Alexi Laiho took over the recording of all guitar parts for the album. During the tour for “I Worship Chaos,” Latvala was replaced by Antti Wirman, the brother of keyboardist Janne Wirman. Eventually, Daniel Freyberg was chosen as the official guitarist for the band.

9. Ensiferum – “One Man Army”

Ensiferum‘s sixth album, “One Man Army,” once again delivered 11 tracks filled with epic folk metal. While the previous album, “Unsung Heroes,” featured Vesa-Matti Loiri lending his voice to the profound lyrics of “Pohjola,” this time, “Two of Spades” featured none other than Finland’s disco king, Frederik, singing about Valhalla. Thankfully, the testosterone-heavy vibe was balanced by Netta Skog, who sang the track “Neito Pohjolan,” which concluded “One Man Army.” Later, after the album’s release, Skog officially joined Ensiferum to replace keyboardist Emmi Silvennoinen.

10. Cradle Of Filth – “Hammer Of The Witches”

Cradle Of Filth is one of those bands where the lineup has changed quite frequently over its 30+ year history. However, when recording their 11th album, it seemed that Cradle Of Filth had finally put together an excellent lineup. Even though long-time guitarist Paul Allender left the band, his replacements Richard Shaw and Ashok managed to fill Allender’s large shoes quite well. Additionally, the bright-voiced Lindsay Schoolcraft proved to be a fantastic addition to the band’s ranks.

11. Faith No More – “Sol Invictus”

Faith No More released their seventh studio album, “Sol Invictus”, after an 18-year-long wait. The album includes tracks like “Motherfucker,” “Superhero,” and “Sunny Side Up,” all showcasing the signature Faith No More sound. Unfortunately, lead vocalist Mike Patton’s health issues have raised concerns among both fans and bandmates, and the band has hardly toured since 2016.

12. Korpiklaani – “Noita”

Korpiklaani’s ninth studio album, “Noita”, offered 11 tracks full of lively folk metal that will make you want to dance. However, the album is not all about boozy celebrations; songs like “Ämmänhauta,” “Minä Näin Vedessä Neidon,” and “Lempo” showcase the more serious side of the band. They also created their own version of Billy Idol‘s “Mony Mony,” retitled it “Jouni Jouni.” “Noita” is also the first album featuring accordionist Sami Perttula.

13. Five Finger Death Punch – “Got Your Six”

Five Finger Death Punch’s sixth studio album, “Got Your Six”, was released in the fall of 2015, shortly after a controversial performance in Memphis during which the band abruptly left the stage due to technical difficulties. Despite the initial shock, the band quickly reassured fans that they were still committed to the music, and the album went on to showcase tracks like “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Wash It All Away.”

14. Stratovarius – “Eternal”

Stratovarius‘s 16th studio album, “Eternal”, continued the band’s tradition of naming albums with seven-letter titles. Drummer Rolf Pilve, who had joined during the previous “Nemesis” album, brought a fresh energy to the band’s sound, which is clearly reflected on “Eternal”. The entire album is remarkable, but if a few tracks were to be highlighted, they would be “My Eternal Dream,” “Shine in the Dark,” and the epic closing track, “The Lost Saga.”

15. Swallow The Sun – “Songs From The North I, II & III”

While some bands release a single full-length album, Swallow The Sun went all out with three. The band’s sixth album set, “Songs From The North I, II & III”, consists of three parts, each representing its own style: the first part, “Gloom”, leans toward death/doom, the second part, “Beauty”, showcases acoustic ambiance, and the final part, “Despair”, delves into darker doom.

16. Mgla – “Exercises In Futility”

The third album from the Polish black metal duo fell victim to the 2000s plague of leaks, as it was released online before its official release date. However, Mgła made a bold move and posted the entire “Exercises In Futility” album in excellent audio quality on their own YouTube channel before the official release. As is typical for Mgła, each track on “Exercises In Futility” is named after the album’s title—only the track number changes.

17. Wolfheart – “Shadow World”

Wolfheart, which began as Tuomas Saukkonen’s solo project, had grown from a one-man band into a four-member ensemble. Their second album, “Shadow World”, offered darker material compared to their debut, but the band’s signature beautiful bleakness is still very much present on this album. Tracks such as “Zero Gravity,” “Aeon of Cold,” and “Abyss” stand out on “Shadow World”.

18. Diablo – “Silvër Horizon”

After a seven-year wait, Diablo finally released their sixth album, “Silvër Horizon”. The album drew lyrical inspiration from the 1956 science fiction novel Aniara. The songs on “Silvër Horizon” were composed and written in the order they appear on the tracklist.

19. Bullet For My Valentine – “Venom”

Following the divisive “Temper Temper”, Bullet For My Valentine returned to the style of “Fever” and “Scream Aim Fire” with “Venom”. This fifth album marks the first with Jamie Mathias replacing bassist Jason “Jay” James. The album also served as the final one with original drummer Michael “Moose” Thomas in the band. Some of the standout tracks on “Venom” include “Worthless,” “No Way Out,” and “Raising Hell.”