In 1994, BraveWords & Bloody Knuckles magazine was born and here we stand 30 years later celebrating the past 12 months of music on our anniversary! What an incredible ride it has been and it's far from over! And during the past three decades, we've literally seen/heard thousands of releases and this is the time of the season when we crown the finest! The BraveWords scribes have spoken, so join us each day this month as we count down to the BravePick of 2024!

Remember, everybody has an opinion and it’s time for ours! Stay tuned at the end of December for BraveWords' writers’ individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), What/Who Needs To Stop In 2024? and Metal Predictions For 2025. 

BravePicks 2024

9) IOTUNN - Kinship (Metal Blade)

 

Bookended by two songs that run over 11 minutes, Iotunn doesn’t give a damn about runtime. The Danish act make a strong impression on Kinship. Their second full-length album is filled with jaw-dropping progressive metal with beautiful instrumental passages, varied catchiness, and superior heaviness, and incredible vocal prowess from Jón Aldará.

Progressive metal fans take note of these guys as they are already a force to be reckoned with. Iotunn’s Kinship plants its flag at #9.

Notes guitarist Jesper Gräs, "The creation of Kinship has been the most extensive and wild journey we’ve ever been part of. Like trekking up the Galdhøpiggen mountain in Norway, we have crossed peak after peak and seen things continuously brighter and wider until we reached the top, the end. Never have we been prouder and more pleased, and we hope our fans - old and new - will take this album into their hearts and let it unfold from there.”

Set in primeval time, Kinship unfolds the story of a tribesman who is part of a prehistoric tribe. It tells the story of life’s many conditions as themes of unity/disunity, light/dark, body/mind, nature/culture, good/evil, creation/destruction, and human/inhuman unfold throughout the album.

“Everything is related, everything has an impact, and we all must find our ways to our true selves and true freedoms in our choices in this interconnectedness of everything,” elaborates vocalist Jón Aldará. “The album explores themes of conformity versus following your own path and the consequences your choices have for relationships. It is also a consideration of the mind-body connection; especially with regards to how you interact within yourself, how you are influenced and controlled by the arenas of life and the interaction with nature. All this influences your identity, your choices, and your individuality.”

BravePicks 2024 Top 30

9) IOTUNN - Kinship (Metal Blade)
10) NILE - The Underworld Awaits Us All
11) EVERGREY - Theories Of Emptiness (Napalm)
12) THE CROWN - Crown Of Thorns (Metal Blade)
13) NECROPHOBIC - In The Twilight Grey (Century Media)
14) DJEVEL - Natt Til Ende (Aftermath)
15) INTRANCED - Muerte y Metal (High Roller)
16) KITTIE - Fire (Sumerian)
17) BLACKTOP MOJO - Pollen (Cuhmon Music Group) 18) BLOOD RED THRONE - Nonagon (Soulseller)
19) RIOT V - Mean Streets
20) PORTRAIT - The Host 
21) ROTTING CHRIST - Pro Xristou (Season Of Mist)
22)SAXON - Hell, Fire And Damnation (Silver Lining)
23) ULCERATE - Cutting The Throat Of God (Debemur Morti Productions)
24) POWERWOLF - Wake Up The Wicked (Napalm)
25) ENSIFERUM - Winter Storm (Metal Blade)
26) OPETH - The Last Will And Testament (Reigning Phoenix Music)
27) DARK TRANQUILLITY - Endtime Signals (Century Media)
28) MORGUL BLADE - Heavy Metal Wraiths (No Remorse)
29) THE DEAD DAISIES - Light 'Em Up (Independent)
30) MÖRK GRYNING - Fasornas Tid (Season Of Mist)