15. The Zenith Passage - "Datalysium"

Sumptuous technical death metal from the city of Angels, Los Angeles. I say sumptuous because the one thing that this album does is sound glorious. Some forms of death metal give the audio impression of rusty jagged edges. This is very different. This is a smooth clean record with sparkling surfaces that you could eat your tea off.

It is gloriously produced, and every single note comes across as precision engineered. There is heaviness but it doesn’t weigh the record down. This is an album brimming with fantastical ambition and it takes flight in a cacophony of Technicolor wonder. It also immaculately balances the harsh with the coarse. Gritty passages instantaneously give way to utter beauty. It just is a divine joy to listen to.