The Top 25 Christian Metal Albums Since 2010
We might not have started a world war when we did our Top 100 Christian Metal Albums of All Time list when we celebrated our 25th Anniversary, but we did almost kill each other. Instead of tempting fate by trying to re-do a top 100 list, we took the safer approach and just tried to decide the top 25 since that list came out (2010). While no list is perfect, we are a more diverse group now. send us your hate mail and prove us wrong (heavensmetalmagazine@gmail.com).
1. Human Code
Break The Silence (Girder/2024)
“My favorite album of 2024. The song ‘Evermore’ is our new ‘Kashmir.’”
—Doug Van Pelt
2. Extol
Extol (Facedown/2013)
“A Gift Beyond Human Reach” would be my walk-out music if I ever needed it.”
—Loyd Harp
“Much like Indonesia’s Kekal did, Norway’s Extol refused to stay typecast as technical extreme metal guys and revealed a progressive side that both split fans and won new ones.”
—Chris Gatto
3. Living Sacrifice
Ghost Thief (Solid State/2013)
“A generation of thrash, death metal, and metalcore can only aspire to be half as good as the legendary Living Sacrifice. Still waiting for a follow-up.”
—Chris Gatto
4. Theocracy
Ghost Ship (Ulterium/2016)
“With exceptional songs and even better lyrics, this is the pinnacle of progressive power metal.”
—Chris Beck
5. Theocracy
As The World Bleeds (Ulterium/2011)
“They could’ve stopped after the fantastic ‘I Am’ & it would still be a legendary release.”
—Brad T. Bowman
“An epic album of melodically progressive technical wizardry, with memorable songs that demand you to listen again!”
—Keven Crothers
6. Trytan
Blood of Kings (Retroactive/2021)
“Lary Dean assembled world class musicians to deliver world class prog metal!”
—Keven Crothers
“Surprise musical return of Lary Dean with a new lineup of Trytan after a 30 year absence proves that there’s no dust on the progressive metal master’s guitar or mic.”
—Chris Gatto
7. Flood
Polarized (Acidify/2022)
“Guy and Gary. Reunited and it feels so good! Classic sound for a modern world.”
—Todd Walker
8. Becoming the Archetype
Children of the Great Extinction (Solid State/2022)
“Jason Wisdom returns to the fold to lead this melodic death metal band back to greatness.”
—Chris Gatto
9. Worldview
The Chosen Few (M24 Music Group/2015)
“A proggy melodic metal album so epic it took 10 years to make a follow up.”
—Keven Crothers
10. Stryper
Fallen (Frontiers/2015)
“Lead-off song ‘Yahweh’ changed Stryper’s trajectory back to metal world domination.”
—Doug Van Pelt
11. Motivik
Renouncement (Roxx/2024)
“Courtney Simmons and Ryan Roebuck showed promise with their Motivik debut; they smashed all expectations with the sophomore album by channeling ‘90s thrash legends.”
—Chris Gatto
12. Deliverance
The Subversive Kind (Roxx/2018)
“Jimmy Brown, you really are the center of it all, but an all-star Big D lineup with Victor Macias, Jim Chaffin, and Glenn Rogers made this a memorable thrash outing.”
—Chris Gatto
13. Impellitteri
Venom (Frontiers/2015)
“Impelliterri with Rob Rock explode with an album of shredding greatness… ‘Face the Enemy’ rules!”
—Keven Crothers
14. Demon Hunter
Exile (Weapons MFG/2022)
“The masters of melodic doom (heck, original DH sound) deliver a metal concept album.”
—Doug Van Pelt
15. The Neal Morse Band
The Great Adventure (Radiant/2019)
“A bright & brilliant prog-rock masterpiece.”
—Doug Van Pelt
16. Fleshkiller
Awaken (Facedown/2017)
“Progressive death metal that is simultaneously brutal, and melodic, and unpredictable.”
—Loyd Harp
17. Ritual Servant
Metallum Evengelii (Roxx/2021)
“Old school thrash metal that grabbed everyone’s battle vest and screamed ‘WEAR IT!!’”
—Keven Crothers
18. Herfstdood
Lijdensweg (SneeuwStorm Produkties/2024)
“A sleeper gem of atmospheric black metal bliss—primitive
and beautiful.”
—Jason McLaren
19. Eric Clayton
A Thousand Scars (Eric Clayton/2020)
“Immersive soundtrack to this artist’s inspiring redemptive journey back to music.”
—Jonathan Swank
20. Signum Regis
Undivided (Ulterium/2023)
“Near flawless melodic power metal from the Slovakian band rivals German Euro power metal heavyweights Helloween.”
—Chris Gatto
“Blistering power metal that blows the doors off. But classic hooks that demand repeated listens.”
—Keven Crothers
21. Leah
The Glory and the Fallen (Ex Cathedra/2024)
“Unforgettable melodies & mesmerizing vocals combine on Leah’s heaviest & best release yet.”
—Chris Beck
22. Disciple
Skeleton Psalms (BEC Recordings/2023)
“An album about dragging out the secrets/skeletons of our lives in to the light of God’s grace and experiencing victory we didn’t think was possible.”
—Kevin Young
23. Whitecross
Fear No Evil (Dark Star/2024)
“First post-millennium Whitecross, but Rex Carroll and company have meticulously crafted a return masterpiece that was well worth the wait.”
—Chris Gatto
24. Martin Simson’s Destroyer of Death
Eternal Reign (Martin Simson Music/2023)
“Power metal edification piloted by Rob Rock’s killer voice.”
—Doug Van Pelt
25. Bloodgood
Dangerously Close (B. Goode/2013)
“Dangerously Close to being a perfect record. Songs, production, performance all add up to classic Bloodgoodness.”
—Brad T. Bowman
See individual Top 25 Votes and Commentary by each staff contributor HERE
About Author
No Bride? No Saint?
Chris Gatto would agree with your incredulity. He raised the same point. It was a fair vote, however. All of the Heaven’s Metal senior writers were on deck and sent in their lists of their top 25. Each album vote got a point score. I won’t bore you with the details, but the numbers came in and gave us the list you see.