2024 has a huge amount of potential when it comes to long-awaited and comeback records. From bands that haven't released new material in quite some time, to bands coming back with a significant lineup change, 2024 should be an interesting one! It's worth mentioning right up top that not all of these records are sure things for 2024 – I'm just really, really hoping they are.
3 Inches Of Blood
3 Inches Of Blood has three reunion shows coming up in January 2024, and then… who knows? 3 Inches Of Blood released their final album Long Live Heavy Metal in 2012, and according to the band themselves in an Instagram comment "we're gonna start by playing some shows first, but we appreciate the enthusiasm [about a new album]."
Agalloch
Agalloch reunited earlier this year and has played three shows thus far. They haven't said much of anything about their first new material since The Serpent & The Sphere in 2014 – or even much of anything about plans for the next year – but a brand new Agalloch record would make Fall 2024 so much better. Just sayin'.
Anata
Yes, legendary Swedish technical death metal unit Anata is coming back! All we know so far is that Anata is currently in the studio recording the follow-up to their 2006 album The Conductor's Departure, which is sure to fucking shred. No word on if it'll be out in 2024, though.
Anthrax
I feel like every year I read about the most anticipated records of the coming year, Anthrax is on that list. Except 2024 truly seems to be the end of the wait for Anthrax fans! Anthrax has been working with producer Jay Ruston on their first new material since 2016 that seems destined to drop in the new years sometime.
Atheist
Seems like Atheist is planning on following up their 2010 comeback record Jupiter, it's just not clear when. Atheist promised "big things" for 2023, and while we got a killer tour with Cynic, no new music surfaced. Atheist has once again teased that 2024 should be awesome, so we'll see what happens.
The Black Dahlia Murder
The Black Dahlia Murder is coming back from unimaginable tragedy in 2024. Their new record will be their first with Brian Eschbach on vocals in place of the late and great Trevor Strnad, and their first with guitarist Ryan Knight since 2015. They're currently recording the new stuff now and we expect great things.
Chimaira
Chimaira seems to be coming back in a somewhat more permanent capacity. The band has begun booking festival shows (and here) for 2024, but what about new material? In the words of guitarist Rob Arnold: "I won't say that new Chimaira material is completely off the table. But there's a very good chance we may never have it, but there may be."
The Contortionist
2024 may be the year we finally get The Contortionist's first album since 2017's Clairvoyant. Hopefully. All we know is that fans heard some of the new material during a meet and greet in 2022, and that keyboardist Eric Guenther said the band is still working on it.
Dismember
Dismember reunited in 2019 and has made it known that they're going to do new material eventually. When is eventually? Who knows! All we know is that drummer Fred Estby said "we're not going to release something that is half-assed" when it comes to Dismember's first new record since 2008.
Dream Theater
It's not that Dream Theater hasn't been consistently releasing albums throughout their career. It's that Mike Portnoy is back and this will be the first new Dream Theater record with him behind the kit (and presumably writing) since Black Clouds & Silver Linings in 2009. Dream Theater is set to hit the studio in 2024.
Dredg
Welcome to another year of me wondering aloud when Dredg will release their first new album since 2011. Drummer and keyboardist Dino Campanella said in 2022 that new material was underway, and Dredg even revealed that they planned to hit the studio that winter. So 2024 might be a possibility?
Extol
Could 2024 see the first new Extol record in 11 years? All signs point to a strong "maybe." Extol has been playing their first shows since 2014 and even released two new songs earlier this year. So a brand new full-length from Extol feels very within the question for 2024.
Gorguts
Yes, Gorguts is finally working on the follow-up to their 2016 single-song album Pleiades' Dust. Gorguts frontman Luc Lemay recently said he's begun work on the new album, adding "I have a clearer vision of what I wanna do, so it will be an easier task to do." No word on if it'll come out in (maybe very late) 2024.
Grave
Maybe alongside Grave's appearance at Maryland Death 2024 will be their first new material since 2015? It could happen. In a 2022 interview, Grave bassist Tobias Cristiansson said the band has some ideas for new music but hasn't gotten together to figure anything out yet. So it's loosely in the works, or at least it was.
God Forbid
Is there going to be a new God Forbid record in 2024? Probably not. But it'd be nice if there was. God Forbid guitarist Doc Coyle mentioned that the band has had some casual conversations about writing their first new material since 2012, but isn't rushing anything either.
High On Fire
We should be hearing about High On Fire's first new album since Electric Messiah in 2018 any day now. High On Fire recently completed recording the new album with legendary producer Kurt Ballou, which is their first to feature drummer Coady Willis (Big Business, ex-Melvins). It's expected to be out in early 2024.
King Diamond & Mercyful Fate
Lumping these two together since they're both being worked on in tandem. Mercyful Fate's next record will be their first since 1999, while King Diamond's is his first since 2007. Diamond himself mentioned in a July 2023 interview that both records are well on their way, though who knows if we'll get either in 2024.
Mudvayne
The first new Mudvayne material since 2009 is definitely coming. Last we heard from vocalist Chad Grey, Mudvayne is being meticulous about the new stuff and hopes to have something out in 2024. Though he does note that everyone in Mudvayne living far apart isn't exactly helping the creative process.
Nails
Nails released You Will Never Be One Of Us in 2016 and, a few years after a double-single in 2019, was down to just frontman Todd Jones. Now Nails is coming back on Nuclear Blast with a new record in 2024 produced by Kurt Ballou, though we don't know who's in the band just yet.
Newsted (or Newsted adjacent)
Jason Newsted is definitely up to something. Newsted brought his self-titled band back for the first time in a decade this May and played a whopping 11 new songs. Though Newsted has also made it clear he's working on a heavy new band… which may or may not be Newsted? Hopefully we'll see in 2024.
Nile
Five years between Nile records is the longest we've ever had to wait, but it's coming! The follow-up to 2019's Vile Nilotic Rites will be Nile's debut on Napalm Records and is due out sometime in 2024. I'm looking forward to hearing how close George Kollias can come to breaking his drum kit throughout all the new material.
Propagandhi
Propagandhi, the punk band that can play circles around you, is indeed working on their first new material since 2017. All we know so far is that Propagandhi was hashing out some new riffs earlier this year. So colored me stoked, and go listen to Propagandhi today if you haven't already.
Shadows Fall
New Shadows Fall isn't a question of "if" at this point. Shadows Fall has been in the studio with Zeuss throughout 2023 working on their first new material since 2012, it's just not clear when it'll be out or if it'll be a whole record. All we know for sure is that Shadows Fall is working on it, and that's good enough for us.
Thorns
Thorns, the legendary black metal band headed up by Snorre "Blackthorn" Ruch, is currently recording their first new album since 2001's Thorns. The news came from our own interview with Ruch, who noted that it's been a long time in the works and that it will be the final production by the Moonfog label.
Tool
Fuck it, I'm putting Tool on this list. Every Tool album is a comeback album because they're infrequent enough that you can go and get a full-on degree from your local university, and a full-time job in that field, between releases. Bassist Justin Chancellor seems optimistic it won't take forever this time.
Whores
Whores dropped the modern noise rock classic Gold in 2016 and has been working on the follow-up ever since. Whores has dropped some singles here and there, including an AC/DC cover with Mastodon's Bill Kelliher, so at least we haven't been completely in the dark.
