A best-of list already? In March? Absolutely – because it’s never too early to celebrate outstanding releases. Here are seven albums from the first three months of 2026 that made our year so far.
Converge – Love Is Not Enough
As per usual, Converge simply delivered. Their eleventh studio album Love Is Not Enough captures the essence of the band 35 years into their career: It’s a raw, intense and dense journey down the spiral of existence. With just 31 minutes of runtime (the shortest Converge album ever), there is not a dull moment here – just heavy grind, massive riffs and visceral catharsis. If you want to know more about Love Is Not Enough, you can read our interview with Converge guitarist, engineer and producer Kurt Ballou here.
Angel Du$t – Cold 2 The Touch
If modern hardcore ever had a poster boy, it’s Justice Tripp. On his sixth album with Angel Du$t, it’s all about fun, energy and hooks. Cold 2 The Touch might count as a pop, rock or indie take on hardcore punk, but the connection to the scene runs deeper than just a vibe or aesthetic, as guest musicians Scott Vogel (Terror), Frank Carter, Wes Eisold (American Nightmare, Cold Cave), Patrick Cozens (Restraining Order) and Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, God’s Hate) show. If Turnstile (who have shared members with Angel Du$t in the past) are too mainstream for you nowadays, this group of oddballs has your back.
Nothing – A Short History Of Decay
Had a good cry lately? No? Here’s your chance. With their fifth studio album, A Short History Of Decay, shoegaze outcasts Nothing once again capture the bittersweet anguish of being alive in grand ethereal soundscapes and seas of reverb. Between breakbeats, string and brass arrangements and undistorted honesty, it just might be their most ambitious record yet.
Bosse-de-Nage – Hidden Fires Burn Hottest
The title of Bosse-de-Nage’s first album since 2018 says it all: The Californians are not ones to take part in the theatrics and self-dramatization of black metal, making the band somewhat of an underdog. But their raw, atmospheric post-black explorations, smoldering with agony and bleakness, hit you right where it hurts anyway. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest is a lament poured into dynamic soundscapes and abrasive vocals.
Poison The Well – Peace In Place
You can’t spell metalcore without Poison The Well. After an extensive hiatus, the band is back with their first album since 2009, Peace In Place. But they sound neither peaceful nor mellowed with age. It’s the kind of record that people like to describe as “mature” – made by people who have experienced life with all its lows and pitfalls. Now, they’re back to tell the tale in shapeshifting songs between ferociousness and fragility, massiveness and melody.
Crouch – Breaking The Catatonic State
New sounds from familiar faces: Three years after their debut EP, Crouch release their first album, Breaking The Catatonic State. The three-piece featuring Wim Coppers (Wiegedood, Oathbreaker), Levy Seynaeve (Wiegedood, ex-Amenra) and Jasper Hollevoet (Ventilateur) offers their take on a truly head-spinning mix of post metal and metallic hardcore. These songs show the most evil, ugly side of “progressive” heavy music – dark, aggressive and unpredictable.
Këkth Aräkh – Morning Star
We shouldn’t have to say it but Këkth Aräkh is far more than just a Gen Z hype or an online phenomenon. If you still have doubts about that half a decade after the viral breakthrough with Pale Swordsman, just listen to the project’s third album, Morning Star – a melancholic black metal elegy full of folkloristic elements reminiscent of early Ulver. Few manage to pull off such a traditional, old-school sound while simultaneously adding originality and character to their songs. And even fewer would manage to organically incorporate the likes of cloud rap royalty Bladee.
