This was a fun one to watch. Yeah, they’re all fun, but as it started to unfold, there were really five records that could’ve run away with it. Then of course, four, then three, two and here we are. I left the poll open a couple extra days, I don’t know, because it seemed like the thing to do? I’ve definitely run it longer, but someone did email — today, after it closed, of course — to tell me it was lame that it was still open. Fair enough, internet.

Thank you to everyone who took part in this poll (even that guy? especially that guy.), and maybe shared the link or spread the word in some way. I pushed this poll less than I have in years past, in part because I hate being on social media any longer than I have to or obsessively inevitably am anyway, and in part because I was busy, but as enjoyable as I think the poll is — it’s always a favorite of the year for me, honestly — I’m pretty turned off at this point by the state of the ‘internet persona’ and have no desire whatsoever to project otherwise about myself. The hi-now-I’m-a-brand thing holds zero appeal for me at this point in my life. Happy to grab band news and go back to perusing who’s selling vintage strategy guides for SNES games, thanks. I’m not trying to sell anything here, and if I was, it would be myself least of all.

Anyhoozle, if you like heavy rock and roll, sit tight because there’s a fair bit of it here. As always with the poll, there are two lists, amd now is where I cut and paste the part about how the weighted results work:

You submit your list of up to 20 favorites. Anything from the start of 2020 to the finish is eligible. There are two lists, one of the raw votes, and one in which a 1-4 ranking is worth five points, 5-8 worth four, 9-12 worth three, 13-16 worth two and 17-20 worth one.

Everybody got it? Me neither, and it’s been years. Onward, to lists! And death!

Top 20 of 2024 — Weighted Results

1. Slomosa, Tundra Rock (404 points)
2. Greenleaf, The Head and the Habit (360)
3. Lowrider & Elephant Tree, The Long Forever (350)
4. Fu Manchu, The Return of Tomorrow (263)
5. Psychlona, Warped Vision (256)
6. Slift, Ilion (244)
7. High on Fire, Cometh the Storm (241)
8. Blue Heron, Everything Fades (208)
9. Rezn, Burden (195)
10. Blood Incantation, Absolute Elsewhere (194)
11. High Desert Queen, Palm Reader (190)
12. 1000mods, Cheat Death (169)
13. Gnome, Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome (167)
14. Sergeant Thunderhoof, The Ghost of Badon Hill (159)
15. Orange Goblin, Science, Not Fiction (137)
16. Valley of the Sun, Quintessence (136)
17. Black Pyramid, The Paths of Time Are Vast (126)
18. Monkey3, Welcome to the Machine (117)
18. Sundrifter, An Earlier Time (117)
19. Heavy Temple, Garden of Heathens (114)
20. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Nell’ Ora Blu (103)

Honorable Mention:

The next 10, in order: Abrams, Sacri Monti, Chat Pile, Delving, The Obsessed, Opeth, Brant Bjork Trio, Lord Buffalo, Mammoth Volume, Thou and Free Ride. That’s more than 10, but there was a tie.

Notes:

One tie on the list, which I actually always kind of like since it lets me sneak another record in. If that sounds crazy for a post that ends with everybody’s individual list — trying to squeeze in one more — I understand that.

This list is different from mine and I have absolutely no qualms with it (the lack of Brume notwithstanding; get on that, people). Slomosa number one? Shit yeah. That record’s great and the next generation of heavy rock is already starting to take influence from the Norwegian four-piece’s warm, organic and upbeat heavy style. Greenleaf after? Well they’re masters of the thing, so shit yeah again. Not lost on me that those two bands co-headlined in Europe this Fall. What a show that would’ve been to see.

It goes from there. The Lowrider/Elephant Tree split, which was my number one, had a solid showing here as well. Wrangling all the entries spelled differently was a task I wasn’t looking forward to, and sure enough, it took some doing, but there and from then on, I stand by the numbers. If you want to do your own tally (you don’t), the lists are after the “read more” jump, as always. Otherwise, I don’t think you can look at that top 10 and, even if it’s not the same as yours, argue too vociferously against it. It is not short on Blues Funeral and Magnetic Eye Records, between Greenleaf, Psychlona, Blue Heron, Lowrider/Elephant Tree, High Desert Queen, Heavy Temple and Mammoth Volume and Abrams in the honorable mentions, but the votes were what they were. I can’t help it if Jadd puts out good shit at such a staggering rate. And I just looked back — apparently I made the same joke last year too.

Moving on.

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Top 20 of 2024 — Raw Votes

1. Slomosa, Tundra Rock (102 votes)
2. Greenleaf, The Head and the Habit (93)
3. Lowrider & Elephant Tree, The Long Forever (88)
4. Fu Manchu, The Return of Tomorrow (71)
4. Psychlona, Warped Vision (71)
5. High on Fire, Cometh the Storm (66)
6. Slift, Ilion (64)
7. High Desert Queen, Palm Reader (57)
7. Rezn, Burden (57)
8. Blue Heron, Everything Fades (55)
9. Gnome, Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome (50)
10. 1000mods, Cheat Death (49)
11. Blood Incantation, Absolute Elsewhere (46)
11. Sergeant Thunderhoof, The Ghost of Badon Hill (46)
12. Valley of the Sun, Quintessence (41)
13. Orange Goblin, Science, Not Fiction (39)
14. Black Pyramid, The Paths of Time Are Vast (38)
14. Brant Bjork Trio, Once Upon a Time in the Desert (38)
14. Monkey3, Welcome to the Machine (38)
14. Sundrifter, An Earlier Time (38)
15. Heavy Temple, Garden of Heathens (36)
16. Ufomammut, Hidden (31)
17. Delving, All Paths Diverge (29)
17. Lord Buffalo, Holus Bolus (29)
17. Sacri Monti, Retrieval (29)
18. Abrams, Blue City (28)
18. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Nell’ Ora Blu (28)
19. Mammoth Volume, Raised Up by Witches (27)
20. Big Scenic Nowhere, The Waydown (26)
20. Free Ride, Acido y Puto (26)

Honorable Mention:

Here’s some more: The Obsessed, The Lunar Effect, Causa Sui, MR.BISON, Thou, Opeth, DVNE, Bongripper and Sons of Arrakis. They were all pretty close. I kind of figured 29 for a top 20 was good and left it at that.

Notes:

Again, I don’t see much to fight with here, and it feels like the poll found a pretty solid representation for things like the crossover appeal of Blood Incantation and Opeth as well as a decent mix of newer and older bands between the two lists. Nothing is ever going to really be entirely comprehensive, but however many years from now when I look back on this and re-read this sentence, at least I can know I was down with it at the time.

The picture isn’t much different between the weighted results and the raw-vote tally, though Psychlona got a boost in the latter, I guess. And I was glad to see Fu Manchu high on the list (I felt like they should’ve been higher on my own) and that stuff like Sacri Monti and Mammoth Volume and Big Scenic Nowhere could get on. I don’t think I missed anyone, but if you do a count and see I’ve got something wrong, just reach out and let me know. I assure you no one has been slighted on purpose.

Not a ton of disparities between the lists — there are more ties here, which happens — but if I walked into your record store, venue, living room, car, etc., and you were playing nearly any of this shit front to back, I’d want to be your friend.

That’s a nice thought. Let’s leave it there.

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Thank you for reading.

I didn’t know what 2024 was going to bring and I am accordingly ignorant of the next 12 months. I wish you health and joy and good music.

Beyond that, I guess that’s it for 2024? Nah, I’ll probably still be reviewing stuff from last year in a Quarterly Review this June, but whatever. Thanks for reading, and before I turn you over to the ‘read more’ doodad and all of the lists that made up this poll — I’m in there too — thank you if you took time out of your day to be part of this. That means everything to me and I do not take it for granted.

Alright, off you go. Thanks again and have a great year. Here’s to whatever’s next.

Read more »

[PLEASE NOTE: This post will remain on top of the page until the poll ends in January. New posts follow underneath. Thanks.]

I have to admit to feeling somewhat clueless as to where this poll is headed. Some years it’s so blanket obvious that I feel silly even putting it up — though even then it’s fun, which is why I do anyhow — but there seem to be so many different directions this year’s poll could go between traditional styles in stoner, doom, etc., and the experimental, established acts and generational newcomers. There are more than a few acts I’m very curious about and have been for months now, and some records I feel like I’ve been sweating about all year that need more love. What’s it gonna be?

Rules and whatnot follow the form below:

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Thanks for reading and taking part. Please share the link if you can.

The rules don’t change, and like most of the post, they’re cut and pasted from last year: Anything from Jan. 2024 to whatever’s coming out between now and Dec. 31 is eligible. If something is out digitally now and physical later and you want to include it, do so. Two lists are tabulated; one of the raw votes, and one in which a 1-4 ranking is worth five points, 5-8 worth four, 9-12 worth three, 13-16 worth two and 17-20 worth one.

If you’re not sure what counts or what to include, remember this is for your enjoyment. Stress about your top 20 if you want — I know I’m stressing about mine — but remember that the point here is to enjoy the thing. Debate is great, passion is the driving force of everything, but let’s keep debate civil and don’t give yourself too hard a time either.

As ever, I extend deepest gratitude to you for participating and to Slevin, who put together this poll and every year fields the “hey it’s poll time” text from me with grace and kindness and generosity. Thank you.

Poll runs until Dec. 31, 2024. Barring disaster or if I decide to let it go a couple extra days, results will be out Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, along with individual lists.

Have fun, and thanks again!

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