Vote for the best metal album of the year so far

We are, as Jon Bon Jovi once so memorably sang, halfway there. Granted he wasn’t talking specifically about the Year Of Our Lord 2022, but still, the middle of the year is almost upon us.

And what a batshit crazy year it’s been, and not in a good way. Luckily for us, it’s been business as usual in the world of metal - a whole lot of bands have released a whole lot of albums, some of them good, some of them less so.

We figured now is the perfect time to figure out what the best album of the year so far is – and we’re asking you to help us (Yes, you at the back. In the glasses).

It couldn’t be easier. We’ve listed 40 of the biggest and/or most-talked albums released in the first half of the year (yeah, we know it’s only five months. So sue us). All you need to do is click on your favourite and we’ll do the rest.

“But wait, where’s Wolfbastard’s Hammer The Bastards?” we hear you wail, while pulling your hair and gnashing your teeth. Calm your boots – there’s an option to add in your own entry at the bottom. Just make sure it's an album that’s come out in 2022, otherwise your vote, like a member of Guns N’ Roses in 1987 and our teenage potential, will have been completely wasted.

Right, them's the rules. Now tell us what you think below – and don’t forget to check back to see what came out on top.

Vote for the best metal album of the year so far

Founded in 1983, Metal Hammer is the global home of all things heavy. We have breaking news, exclusive interviews with the biggest bands and names in metal, rock, hardcore, grunge and beyond, expert reviews of the lastest releases and unrivalled insider access to metal's most exciting new scenes and movements. No matter what you're into – be it heavy metal, punk, hardcore, grunge, alternative, goth, industrial, djent or the stuff so bizarre it defies classification – you'll find it all here, backed by the best writers in our game.