36. Touché Amoré - 'Lament'

A remarkable album, both in how it pivots between styles and in its level of humanity. This is the sound of a soul laid bare. It explores with brutal honesty the contradictions of being seen as a role model to thousands, when you view your own life to be a disaster-zone. The level of self-awareness and self-deprecation here is breath-taking. It is reminiscent of Leonard Cohen if he had ditched the laid-back pop jazz for snarly guitars.

It is by far the cleverest and most intellectually literate album on the list, but complements that by packing in more crushing riffs and harsh breakdowns than you can shake a stick at. It manages to be simultaneously draining and emotionally enriching. Stunning, really stunning!