Ghost – Prequelle voted best metal album of the year so far

(Image credit: Mikael Eriksson)

Prequelle by Ghost has been named as the best metal album of 2018 so far by Metal Hammer readers.

The poll, which garnered almost 5000 votes named the Swedish occultists' fourth full-length as this year's best album with an overwhelming majority.

Metal Hammer's 9/10 review from earlier this year heralds the mix of styles on display from Cardinal Copia and co.

"The religious rapture of third track Faith is offset by insidious whispers and an almost subliminal horror-movie laugh, nailing that schlocky vibe Ghost do so well, walking a line between parody and thrills. Organ-augmented ballad See The Light combines gentle worship with Holy Communion metaphors about rotting flesh," said Eleanor Goodman in the review.

"Though disarming on first listen, they cleverly connect Ghost songs past and present, and make the record feel like a grand musical. It’s easy to imagine how these interludes might work onstage – maybe even during set changes – for this most theatrical of bands."

Metal Hammer readers were able to vote either for one of the 50 albums in the Metal Hammer albums of 2018 (so far) list or add their own choice. The top 20 as voted for by you is as follows:

Ghost – Prequelle | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Judas Priest – Firepower | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Parkway Drive – Reverence | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Amorphis – Queen Of Time | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Zeal & Ardor – Stranger Fruit | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
At The Gates – To Drink From The Night Itself | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Dimmu Borgir – Eonian | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Orphaned Land – Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Yob – Our Raw Heart | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Tesseract – Sonder | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Ihsahn – Amr | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Between The Buried And Me – Automata I | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Corrosion Of Conformity – No Cross No Crown | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Kamelot – The Shadow Theory | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Conjurer – Mire | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Visigoth – Conqueror's Oath | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Watain – Trident Wolf Eclipse | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Orange Goblin – The Wolf Bites Back | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Rivers Of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name | Read full review | Buy from Amazon
Primordial – Exile Amongst The Ruins | Read full review | Buy from Amazon

Luke Morton joined Metal Hammer as Online Editor in 2014, having previously worked as News Editor at popular (but now sadly defunct) alternative lifestyle magazine, Front. As well as helming the Metal Hammer website for the four years that followed, Luke also helped relaunch the Metal Hammer podcast in early 2018, producing, scripting and presenting the relaunched show during its early days. He also wrote regular features for the magazine, including a 2018 cover feature for his very favourite band in the world, Slipknot, discussing their turbulent 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone.

Latest in