Let battle commence!

No one needs reminding that 2020 was a bizzare and bad year, but in the gloom, some might need reminding that it wasn’t bad for good releases, as despite everything there were some stunning ones… Brace yourselves as our writers chart their Top 20s of the year that was two thousand and twenty…

Writers are listed alphabetically by LAST NAME
Top 20 list format: RELEASE TITLE | BAND NAME | LABEL

Alan Averill

Alan needs no introduction, but for the sake of being consistent, and in case you don’t know, he is the frontman of various bands, the best known of which is Ireland’s Primordial, which he fronts under his ‘Nemtheanga’ moniker. Alan’s no stranger to the written word – not only is he trained in journalism, he’s been contributing to ZT for many years, first with his own column and now with his regular Call From The Grave retrospective feature for the Inside Information section, a satisfying read that never fails to spur readers to dig out something old for a re-listen, or maybe check something out for the first time. More recently Alan’s also been keeping busy with his Agitators Anonymous podcast – you can check out Episode 45 on our homepage…

Olivier ‘Zoltar’ Badin

Our French metal brother is an extremely experienced writer who flies the death metal flag high and wide – and we mean proper death metal. Alongside his other contributions, Zoltar curates the Altars Of Madness section and the Platters Of Splatter review column making sure extreme underground death metal maintains a regular (unhealthy) heartbeat across our pages.

1 | Sulphur Aeon | Seven Crowns and Seven Seals | Ván

2 | Dozer | Drifting In The Endless Void | Blues Funeral

3 | Suffocation | Hymns From The Apocrypha | Nuclear Blast

4 | Dead & Dripping | Blackned Cerebral Rifts | Transcending Obscurity

5 | The Night Eternal | Fatale | Ván

6 | Godflesh | Purge | Avalanche

7 | Cirith Ungol | The Dark Parade | Metal Blade

8 | Witchsnake | s/t | Helter Skelter

9 | Wytch Hazel | IV Sacrament | Bad Omen

10 | Immortal | War Against All | Nuclear Blast

11 | Nocturnal Breed | Carry The Torch | Dark Essence

12 | Runemagick | Beyond The Cenotpah Of Mankind | Hammerheart

13 | Stenched | Gorging On Mephitic Rot | Blood Harvest

14 | Carnal Tomb | Emblamed In Decay | Testimony

15 | Spectre | Lonesome Gambler | Dying Victims

16 | Seraphic Entombment | Sickness Particles Gleam | Everlasting Spew

17 | Outer Heaven | Infinite Psychic Depths | Relapse

18 | Bongzilla | Dab City | Heavy Psych Sounds

19 | Tumulation | Haunted Funeral Creations | Hammerheart

20 | Ahab | The Chroal Tombs | Napalm

Geoff Birchenall

Geoff has earned his veteran stripes as a longterm contributor to ZT, initially lending us his thoughts in between writing his own ‘zine and working in a record shop to boot. Geoff continues to have a guiding hand in curating the magazine’s more experimental content and is as comfortable in his musical skin as he is in patterned knitwear.

1 | Muriel Grossmann | Devotion | Third Man

2 | Lankum | False Lankum | Rough Trade

3 | Asagraum | Veil Of Death, Ruptured | Edged Circle

4 | Tomb Mold | The Enduring Spirit | 20 Buck Spin

5 | Kara Jackson | Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love | September Recordings

6 | Telescopes | Experimental Health | Cold Spring

7 | Forest Swords | Bolted | Ninja Tune

8 | Kadef | Kadef | RRGems

9 | Sonologyst | Shortwave Spectrum | Cold Spring

10 | Andre 3000 | New Blue Sun | Epic

11 | Angel Bat Dawid | Requiem For Jazz | International Anthem

12 | Jaimie Branch | Fly Or Die Fly Or Die Fly Or Die ((World War)) |International Anthem

13 | OXN | CYRM | Claddagh Records

14 | Matana Roberts | Coin Coin Chapter 5: In The Garden | Constellation

15 | Laurel Halo | Atlas | Awe

16 | Ricardo Dias Gomes | Muito Sol | Hive Mind

17 | Liturgy | 93696 | Thrill Jockey

18 | Horrendous | Ontological Mysterium | Season Of Mist

19 | Khanate | To Be Cruel | Sacred Bones

20 | Slowdive | Everything Is Alive | Dead Oceans

Paul Carter

Paul has been involved right from the very start – and even before then, when the idea of launching a new magazine was in its embryonic stages. A close ally during his Arcane Promotions days, Paul (alongside his Arcane partner-in-grime Felicity Hicks) was responsible for some of the best UK underground metal gigs and the ever-memorable and sorely missed yearly London Deathfest. ZT would be a poorer place without his involvement – and that’s meant literally as alongside his editorial contributions, Paul works at the heart of the magazine’s ‘commercial side’, helping bands and labels make the most out of the magazine’s promotional attributes…. In 2024 he now assumes the coveted title of ZT’s commissioning editor.

1 | Varathron | The Crimson Temple | Agonia

2 | Uada | Crepscule Natura | Eisenwald

3 | Saturnus | The Storm Within | Prophecy

4 | Blodtår | Det Förtegna Förflutna | Nordvis

5 | Sulphur Aeon | Seven Crowns Seven Seals | Van

6 | Tortured | Genetically Engineered Monstrosity | Comatose Music

7 | Immortal | War Against All | Nuclear Blast

8 | Bell Witch | Future’s Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate | Profound Lore

9 | Délétère | Songes Dune Nuit Souillée | Sepulchral Productions

10 | Aeternus | Philosopher | Agonia

11 | Obituary | Dying of Everything | Relapse

12 | Tsjuder | Helvegr | Season of Mist

13 | Marduk | Memento Mori | Century Media

14 | ORO | Vid Vägs Ände | Hammerheart

15 | Master’s Call | A Journey For The Damned | Fireflash

16 | Demoncy | Black Star Gnosis | Dark Descent

17 | Rise To The Sky | Two Years Of Grief | Tragedy Productions/Meuse Music

18 | Grift | Dolt Land | Nordvis

19 | NecroticGoreBeast | Repugnant | Comatose Music

20 | Azaghal | Omega | Moribund

Paul Castles

Paul is one of the most dedicated and prolific gig-goers we have had the pleasure of encountering. Paul’s pretty much unrivalled in the puns and anecdotes department, and his writing makes us crack a lot of smiles when we’re getting an issue ready to print; we’re sure it does the same when you read it – his love of metal washes over everything he writes and he moves mountains to make time for it and the many bands he meets along the way.

1 | Dodheimsgard | Black Medium Current | Peaceville

2 | Cattle Decapitation | Terrasite | Metal Blade

3 | Triumph of Death | Resurrection of the Flesh | BMG/Noise

4 | Primordial | How It Ends | Metal Blade

5 | Taake| Et Hav av Avstand | Dark Essence

6 | Aeternus | Philosopher | Agonia

7 | Liturgy | 93696 | Thrill Jockey

8 | Immortal | War Against All | Nuclear Blast

9 | Downfall of Gaia | Silhouettes of Disgust | Metal Blade

10 | Tsjuder | Helvegr | Season of Mist

11 | Mork | Dypet | Peaceville

12 | Hellripper | Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags | Peaceville

13 | Marthe | Further In Evil | Southern Lord

14 | Ruim | Black Royal Spirtualism | Peaceville

15 | Obituary | Dying of Everything | Relapse

16 | Cannibal Corpse | Chaos Horrific | Metal Blade

17 | Trivax | Eloah Burns Out | Cvlt Never Dies

18 | Sadism | Obscurans | Hammerheart

19 | Blood Ceremony | The Old Ways Remain | Rise Above

20 | Urne | A Feast On Sorrow | Candlelight

Tom Coles

This fine gentleman is one of our latter day recruits, joining us with lots of experience under his belt and decidedly eclectic tastes. Unafraid of tackling both well and untrodden territory, we think he’s a brilliant addition to our gang of opinionated musical arseholes.

1 | Khanate | To be Cruel | Sacred Bones

2 | Wallowing | Earth Reaper | Church Road

3 | Atomçk | Towering Failures | SuperFi records/ Eggy Tapes

4 | Liturgy | 93696 | Thrill Jockey

5 | Tomb Mold | The Enduring Spirit | 20 Buck Spin

6 | Agriculture | Agriculture | The Flenser

7 | Boris & Uniform | Bright New Disease | Sacred Bones

8 | Cattle Decapitation | Terrasite | Metal Blade

9 | Torpor | Abscission | Human Worth

10 | Autopsy | Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts | Peaceville

11 | Divide and Dissolve | Systemic | Invada

12 | Horrendous | Ontological Mysterium | Season of Mist

13 | Cannibal Corpse | Chaos Horrific | Metal Blade

14 | Modern Technology | Conditions Of Worth | Human Worth

15 | Ragana | Desolation’s Flower | The Flenser

16 | Dawn Ray’d | To Know The Light | Prosthetic

17 | Vastum | Inward to Gethsemane | 20 Buck Spin

18 | Thin | Dusk | Twelve Gauge

19 | Orme | Orme | Trepanation Recordings

20 | King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard | PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation | KGLW

Calum Harvie

What can we say, it’s Calum Harvie! Writer extraordinaire, with us from the very early days – issue #003 to be precise – reigned as an esteemed ZT editor for years – overseeing some of our classic themed editions – and continues to collude with us to this day, contributing features ranging from cover stories to pieces about the most obscure types; he can also be found curating the news section – he’s also extremely good at digging us out of editorial holes at the eleventh hour when something extra’s needed that we weren’t prepared for… We bow to thee.

1 | Enslaved | Heimdal | Nuclear Blast

2 | Cannibal Corpse | Chaos Horrific | Metal Blade

3 | Gisli Gunnarsson | Mementos | S/R

4 | Cattle Decapitation | Terrasite | Metal Blade

5 | Katatonia | Sky Void Of Stars | Napalm

6 | Krieg | Ruiner | Profound Lore

7 | Green Lung | This Heathen Land | Nuclear Blast

8 | Primordial | How It Ends | Metal Blade

9 | Venomous Concept | The Good Ship Lollipop | Extrinsic

10 | Wayfarer | American Gothic | Profound Lore

11 | Triumph Of Death | Ressurection Of The Flesh | BMG

12 | Khanate | To Be Cruel | Sacred Bones

13 | Ahab | The Coral Tombs | Napalm

14 | Hellripper | Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags | Peaceville

15 | Incantation | Unholy Deification | Relapse

16 | Immortal | War Against All | Nuclear Blast

17 | Godflesh | Purge | Avalanche

18 | Obituary | Dying Of Everything | Relapse

19 | Autopsy | Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts | Peaceville

20 | Kleistwahr | For The Lives Once Lived | Broken Flag

Chris Kee

Chris has been writing for ZT since the very beginning with issue #001, penning a brilliant tribute to Quorthon in our debut edition. When going to gigs and mingling was still a ‘thing’, Chris could always be spotted down the front, notebook, pen, beer and camera in hand, prepped and ready to report straight from the pit (yes, that’s a lot of stuff to hold). We are very lucky to have been able to count Chris as a part of ZT for so many years!

1 | Cannibal Corpse | Chaos Horrific | Metal Blade

2 | Immortal | War Against All | Nuclear Blast

3 | Grift | Dolt Land | Nordvis Produktion

4 | The River | A Hollow Full Of Hope | Cavernous

5 | Enslaved | Heimdal | Nuclear Blast

6 | Overkill | Scorched | Nuclear Blast

7 | Voivod | Morgoth Tales | Century Media

8 | A Hill To Die Upon | The Black Nativity | Rottweiler

9 | Valdrin | Throne Of The Lunar Soul | Blood Harvest

10 | Insomnium | Anno 1696 | Century Media

11 | Fjoergyn | Judasmesse | Trollzorn

12 | Uriah Heep | Chaos And Colour | Silver Lining Music

13 | Cardinals Folly | Live By The Sword | Soulseller

14 | Forged In Black | Lightning In The Ashes | Fighter

15 | Marduk | Memento Mori | Century Media

16 | Furnace | The Casca Trilogy | Obelisk Polaris Productions

17 | Smoulder | Violent Creed Of Vengeance | Cruz Del Sur Music

18 | The Crawling | All Of This For Nothing | Grindscene

19 | Varathron | The Crimson Temple | Agonia

20 | Drott | Troll | By Norse Music

Graham Matthews

Manchester’s dark horse is an unassuming extreme music aficionado, joining us on the magazine years back after cutting his teeth on news contributions at ztmag.com. As you’ll glean from below, Graham’s musical tastebuds are varied, but it’s testament to his professionalism that his writing never varies in its honest and reliable stance. More please!

1 | Nothing and Full Of Hell | When No Birds Sang | Closed Casket Activities

2 | Svalbard | The Weight Of The Mask | Nuclear Blast

3 | Cattle Decapitation | Terrasite | Metal Blade

4 | Health | Rat Wars | Loma Vista

5 | Dying Wish | Symptoms Of Survival | Sharptone

6 | Gel | Only Constant | Convulse

7 | Blackbraid | Blackbraind II | Self-release

8 | Mutoid Man | Mutants | Sargent House

9 | Militarie Gun | Life Under The Gun | Loma Vista

10 | Myrkur | Spine | Relapse Records

11 | Zulu | A New Tomorrow | Flatspot

12 | Jesus Piece | … So Unknown | Century Media

13 | Baroness | Stone | Abraxan Hymns

14 | Green Lung | This Heathen Land | Nuclear Blast

15 | Spirit Adrift | Ghost At The Gallows | Century Media

16 | Sylosis | A Sign Of Things To Come | Nuclear Blast

17 | End | The Sin Of Human Frailty | Closed Casket Activities

18 | Tesseract | War Of Being | Kscope

19 | Frozen Soul | Glacial Domination | Century Media

20 | In Flames | Foregone | Nuclear Blast

John Mincemoyer

This is not a picture of John, but John isn’t one to get in anyone’s face; if ever there was a writer who likes to let the music do the talking, John’s that man. Another seasoned addition and with an encyclopaedic knowledge of metal, we were very pleased to say the least at welcoming John to our ranks a few years back having plucked him from Terrorizer’s ashes.

1 | Cirith Ungol | Dark Parade | Metal Blade

2 | Demoncy | Black Star Gnosis | Dark Descent

3 | Church Of Misery | Born Under A Mad Sign |Rise Above

4 | Spirit Possession | Of The Sign… | Profound Lore

5 | Godflesh | Purge | Avalanche

6 | Night Demon | Outsider | Century Media

7 | Khanate | To Be Cruel | Sacred Bones

8 | Dipygus | Deathooze | Memento Mori

9 | Marduk | Memento : Mori | Century Media

10 | Frozen Soul | Glacial Domination | Century Media

11 | Krieg | Ruiner | Profound Lore

12 | Paul Gilbert | The Dio Album | Music Theories

13 | Outer Heaven | Infinite Psychic Depths | Relapse

14 | Cruciamentum | Obsidian Refractions | Profound Lore

15 | Autopsy | Ashes, Organs, Blood & Crypts | Peaceville

16 | Obituary | Dying Of Everything | Relapse

17 | Carnal Tomb | Embalmed In Decay | Testimony

18 | Incantation | Unholy Deification | Relapse

19 | Conjureth | The Parasitic Chambers | Memento Mori

20 | Power Trip | Live In Seattle | Southern Lord

John Norby

John’s another of our veteran writers who’s been with us throughout the duration – inking his name to the masthead as far back as issue #004 – which also saw metal legends Judas Priest take to the cover, and, incidentally, was the first issue to feature ZT’s own covermount CD. Like said CD, John brings music to our ears in getting straight to the point, his acerbic wit can catch some off guard, but his modus operandi is to tell it as he sees – or hears – it; other than always conjuring up great copy, there’s absolutely no guarantee he’ll tread lightly across reviews – and it really doesn’t matter whether you’re Tony Iommi or Bleurgggghhhhhblaster from band X, if he thinks something is shite, you’ll soon know… And vice versa for good measure, we’re pleased to say. When he’s not writing, he might well be found directing horror films. Look him up.

1 | Thantifaxath | Hive Mind Narcosis | Dark Descent

2 | Lunar Chamber | Shambhallic Vibrations EP | 20 Buck Spin

3 | Body Void | Atrocity Machine | Prosthetic

4 | Incantation | Unholy Deification | Relapse

5 | Outer Heaven | Infinite Psychic Depths |Relapse

6 | Black Rainbows | Superskull | Heavy Psych Sounds

7 | Desiderii Marginis | Serenity / Rage | Cyclic Law

8 | Big|Brave | Nature Morte | Thrill Jockey

9 | Lamp Of Murmuur | Saturnian Bloodstorm | Argento

10 | Laster | Andermans Minje | Prophecy Productions

11 | Boris & Uniform | Bright New Disease | Sacred Bones

12 | Horrendous | Ontological Mysterium | Season Of Mist

13 | Gel | Only Constant | Convulse

14 | Enslaved | Heimdal | Nuclear Blast

15 | Autopsy | Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts | Peaceville

16 | Mizmor | Prosaic | Profound Lore

17 | Cavalera | Bestial Devastation EP | Nuclear Blast

18 | Spirit Possession | Of The Sign… | Profound Lore

19 | Will Haven | VII | Minus Head / Sludgelord

20 | Dødheimsgard | Black Medium Current | Peaceville

Will Pinfold

Will. One of music journalism’s deep thinkers, and very much part of the ZT furniture – and has been since issue #014. Though he’s in no way blinkered by one genre, black metal is a passion of Will’s – and he can be found curating the excellent Notes From Underground series of features, which go above (below) and beyond anything you’d find elsewhere in print or online – the most obscure and unchartered territories are always in his sights and somehow, he gets the enigmas behind the music to speak. As well as contributing more generally, Will also curates the artist profile in the Inside Information section – natural choice for the task as he’s a very talented artist himself; he’s too humble to admit to that… so we said it for him.

1 | Altari | Kröflueldar | Svart

2 | Various Artists | Gespensterland | Bureau B

3 | Immortal | War Against All | Nuclear Blast

4 | Slowdive | Everything is Alive | Dead Oceans

5 | Czarface | Czartificial Intelligence | Silver Age

6 | Shining | Shining | Napalm

7 | Skálmöld | Ýdalir | Napalm

8 | Kid Koala | Creatures of the Late Afternoon | Envision

9 | Grift | Dolt Land | Nordvis

10 | Kristin Hersh | Clear Pond Road | Fire

11 | Nyrst | Völd | Dark Essence

12 | Sparks | The Girl is Crying in her Latte | Island

13 | Enslaved | Heimdal | Nuclear Blast

14 | Drop Nineteens | Hard Light | Wharf Cat

15 | Tsjuder | Helvegr | Season of Mist

16 | Blodtår | Det förtegna förflutna | Nordvis

17 | DJ Shadow | Action/Adventure | Mass Appeal/Liquid Amber

18 | Asagraum | Veil of Death, Ruptured | Edged Circle Productions

19 | Beyond Helvete | Anthem of Decay | Immortal Frost

20 | Saturnus| The Storm Within | Prophecy Productions

Lord Randall

Which other music mag can boast a ‘Lord’ within their ranks? Our Nashville-based writing aristocrat Randall, whose request to be paid in Walkers crisps and Yorkshire Tea hasn’t yet been realised (we’re not sure how to account for that m’Lord, guineas will have to do for now), has graced our pages with his eloquent use of the English language since issue #020. Other reasons to be happy that he’s stuck around for so long stem from Randall’s fascination with doom which has led to him curating the regular section dedicated to said genre – A Funeral Inquest. Now that deserves a bow (or a curtsey, depending on your preference).

1 | Oak | Disintegrate | Season Of Mist

2 | Merlock | Onward Strides Colossus | Independent

3 | Ginnungagap | Heliacal Arising | Signal Rex

4 | Dawn Of Ouroboros | Velvet Incandescence | Prosthetic

5 | Alasdair Roberts | Grief In The Kitchen And Mirth In The Hall | Drag City

6 | Bull Elephant | The Long War | Eat Lead And Die Music

7 | Sammath | Grebbeberg | Hammerheart

8 | Bizarrekult | Den Tapte Krigen | Season Of Mist

9 | Majesties | Vast Reaches Unclaimed | 20 Buck Spin

10 | Kruelty | Untopia | Profound Lore

11 | David Eugene Edwards | Hyacinth | Sargent House

12 | Úlfarr | Orlegsceaft | Purity Through Fire

13 | Xasthur | Inevitably Dark | Prophecy Productions

14 | Waxen | Die Macht Von Hassen | Moribund Cult

15 | Melt Motif | Particles. Death Objective | Apollon

16 | Treedeon | New World Hoarder | Exile On Mainstream

17 | Netherlands | Severance | Svart

18 | Austin Walkin’ Cane | Muscle Shoals | Hoboville

19 | Sever | At Midnight, By Torchlight | Iron Bonehead

20 | Vulture Industries | Ghosts From The Past | Karisma

José Carlos Santos

This seasoned Portugese writer joined us a good few years ago now and we are pleased as punch that he did as we were able to bring onboard another contributor with bags and bags of knowledge and experience, coupled with an uncanny knack for writing engaging features – hence, José is responsible for amound of memorable cover stories. When he’s not engaging his critical ear for us, he’s probably busy helping to organise The Netherlands’ envied Roadburn Festival – or walking his dog.

1 | 夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) | Skopofoboexoskelett | Sentient Ruin Laboratories

2 | JAAW | Supercluster | Svart

3 | Royal Thunder | Rebuilding The Mountain | Spinefarm

4 | Khanate | To Be Cruel | Sacred Bones

5 | Therapy? | Hard Cold Fire | Marshall

6 | Great Falls | Objects Without Pain | Neurot Recordings

7 | Hexvessel | Polar Veil | Svart

8 | Dødheimsgard | Black Medium Current | Peaceville

9 | Swans | The Beggar | Young God

10 | Oxbow | Love’s Holiday | Ipecac

11 | Christian Kjellvander | Hold Your Love Still | Tapete

12 | Will Haven | VII | Minus Head

13 | Matt Elliott | The End Of Days | Ici D’Ailleurs

14 | Scúru Fitchádu | Nez Txada skúru dentu skina na braku fundu | self-released

15 | Sleep Of Monsters | ｢｢｢ | Svart

16 | Årabrot | Of Darkness And Light | Pelagic

17 | Godflesh | Purge | Avalanche

18 | GELD | Currency//Castration | Relapse

19 | Volores | Ages | self-released

20 | Malokarpatan | Vertumnus Caesar | Invictus Productions

Kevin Stewart-Panko

Together with Mr Mincemoyer, ZT’s co-founder / editor had the pleasure of working with Mr Kevin Stewart-Panko when serving their sentences at Terrorizer Magazine in the late-’90s /early-noughties. It took many, many years to snare the skills of KSP – who does all sorts of other clever things such as writing books – and it’s true to say that his involvement in ZT has really given the magazine some extra muscle over the last few years. We’re very pleased we successfully strong-armed him into contributing long into the future…

1 | Venomous Concept | The Good Ship Lollipop | Decibel

2 | Mutoid Man | Mutants | Sargent House

3 | Cannibal Corpse | Chaos Horrific | Metal Blade

4 | Kong | Traders of Truth | Kongenial

5 | Tyranex | Reasons for the Slaughter | GMR Music Group

6 | Obituary | Dying of Everything | Relapse

7 | Godflesh | Purge | Avalanche

8 | Glacier Eater | Tempest | Glacier

9 | Arabrot | Of Darkness and Light | Pelagic

10 | Raven | All Hell’s Breaking Loose | Silver Lining Music

11 | Darsombra | Dumesday Book | Pnictogen

12 | Cattle Decapitation | Terrasite | Metal Blade

13 | Fucked Up | One Day | Merge

14 | Imperishable | Come, Sweet Death | Hammerheart

15 | Oxbow | Love’s Holiday | Ipecac

16 | Witch Ripper | The Fight After the Fall | Magnetic Eye

17 | Smallpox Aroma | Festering Embryos of Logical Corruption | Inhuman Assault

18 | KEN Mode | Void | Artofact

19 | Kvelertak | Endling | World Records

20 | Tomb Mold | Enduring Spirit | 20 Buck Spin

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