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!
We recently rolled out our first 27 picks for these records, but of course that didn't quite cover it all. So now here's part two! 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.
Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams – whose lineup is now founder Ken Sorceron on vocals and guitars alongside guitarist Vance Valenzuela (Vale Of Pnath), bassist John Porada (ex-Nachtmystium, ex-Wolvhammer), and drummer Gabe Seeber (Decrepit Birth) – is recording their first new album since Walk Beyond The Dark in 2019. We're stoked.
At The Gates
At The Gates is working on their first new record since The Nightmare Of Being in 2021… but that's not what's important. The important thing here is that it'll be At The Gates' first since 2014 with guitarist Anders Björler, who replaced guitarist Jonas Stålhammar in 2022. Here's hoping 2024 is the year of new At The Gates.
Beardfish
Swedish progressive rock band Beardfish is back and they're working on their first new record since 2015's +4626-COMFORTZONE. If you've never dug into the Zappa-esque strangeness of Beardfish's prog, now is definitely a good time to start. They even kicked up a new Instagram with footage from the studio!
Coroner
Is 2024 finally the year we get Coroner's follow-up to their 1993 album Grin? Who knows! Coroner said they were in the studio recording new material midway through 2022, but nothing has surfaced just yet. Or according to guitarist Tommy T. Baron, "we'll see what happens."
Bruce Dickinson
Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson will release his first new solo album in 19 years, named The Mandrake Project, come March 1. If you haven't heard the absolutely doomed debut single "Afterglow Of Ragnarok" yet, you should do that right here. It's not what you're expecting.
Dååth
Dååth returned for the first time since their 2010 self-titled album with five brand new singles. Yes, five. Two of 'em were Death and Morbid Angel covers. No word on when we can expect brand new full-length, but clearly Dååth has no shortage of ideas for originals and cover songs.
Dark Angel
Dark Angel's first new album since 1991 is still in the works, it seems. At least that's what Gene Hoglan said last year. Sadly things hit a terrible snag in 2023 when guitarist Jim Durkin passed away, but they've since carried on with Laura Christine on guitar (and she's crushing it).
Death Angel
When are we getting the first new Death Angel album since their 2019 effort Humanicide? According to guitarist Ted Aguilar in an interview from earlier this year, "there's gonna be a new Death Angel album, but when? I don't wanna say it's gonna be next year 'cause you can't really predict the future."
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is definitely working on the follow-up to their 2018 album Eonian. In an interview from this month, guitarist Silenoz said "I think it's good to have a timeframe to work towards, at least when you start getting six, seven, eight songs, as we're up in now." So who knows if it'll happen in 2024, but it's coming!
From A Second Story Window
From A Second Story Window is definitely active once again. The band recently played their first show since 2007 on November 18 including some new songs, and have made it very well known that they're planning a new record. So stay tuned for some insane throwback metalcore.
Gatecreeper
The first new Gatecreeper full-length since Deserted in 2019 is happening. Gatecreeper previously mentioned they were working on the new material with Dismember drummer Fred Estby, and recorded the album with overlord of distortion Kurt Ballou. Just keep an ear out for that chainsaw tone in the distance.
Howard Jones & Adam D's Project
Current Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz and former Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones have been in the studio for a good chunk of 2023 working on a new project. All we know is that Dutkiewicz said an album isn't in the immediate future, but the former Killswitch bandmates are plotting a single hopefully soon.
Inter Arma
Inter Arma revealed they were in the studio recording the follow-up to their 2019 record Sulphur English back in September. Which is great news, because Inter Arma revealed in April that they had scrapped half an album due to a variety of setbacks. So here's hoping we get that very soon.
Into Eternity
Into Eternity has been extremely quiet on all social media throughout 2023. All we know is that Into Eternity was recording their first new material with vocalist Stu Block since their 2012 single "Fukushima" sometime in 2021. But will it surface in 2024? Who the hell knows, but I'm really hope it does.
Job For A Cowboy
The wait for the first Job For A Cowboy record in a decade will soon end. Job For A Cowboy will release Moon Healer on February 23 and so far the singles are shaping up to be nothing short of heavy. Now if February can just get here as fast as it can, that'd be great.
Kerry King
Slayer is done. Kerry King is not. We're not 100% sure who's in King's band aside from ex-Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph, or when we can expect King's debut album, but we do know that all shall be revealed in 2024. As for what it'll sound like… maybe Slayer? I mean, it's Kerry King.
Killswitch Engage
We know three things about Killswitch Engage's first album since 2019 – it's being demoed, it's more collaborative, and according to vocalist Jesse Leach it's different "because we don't wanna put out something that people are gonna go, 'Oh, yeah. Another Killswitch record. Whatever.'"
Martyr
Martyr – the band headed up by frontman Daniel Mongrain (Voivod, ex-Cryptopsy, ex-Gorguts) – played their first show since 2011 at Trois-Rivières Metalfest 2023 on November 10. Who knows what their future plans are, but we'd love a follow-up to their 2006 album Feeding The Abscess.
Om
Om, the band fronted by Sleep bassist and vocalist Al Cisneros, was supposedly about to start mixing their first new album since Advaitic Songs in 2012 last year. Maybe they're still working on it or things didn't go as planned, but here's hoping 2024 is the year we get some new Om.
Opeth
New Opeth should be interesting, if it's even coming in 2024. It'll be their first new record since In Cauda Venenum in 2019, as their first record ever with former Paradise Lost drummer Waltteri Väyrynen. Väyrynen replaced Martin Axenrot in 2021, who drummed on every album from Watershed to In Cauda Venenum.
Oranssi Pazuzu
Finnish black metal weirdos Oranssi Pazuzu entered the studio to record the follow-up to their 2020 album Mestarin kynsi earlier this year. Here's hoping it comes out in 2024, as we all need a portal to an LSD-soaked hell dimension. We'll also take a new Waste Of Space Orchestra record while we're at it.
Possessed
Death metal legends Possessed released their first new album in 33 years in 2019, and they're not gonna make you wait another 33. Possessed frontman Jeff Becerra said in recent interview that he's wrapping up writing lyrics, and that Possessed will hit the studio in 2024. Whether we see it that year is another story, but still.
Power Trip
Power Trip is an interesting one. The band just played their first reunion show since Riley Gale's death with Fugitive vocalist Seth Gilmore, though it's not clear if this is their new lineup or if this was just a special one-off. We know Power Trip was working on a record prior to Gale's passing, so maybe we'll get that in 2024?
Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ released The Heretics in 2019 and have been keeping fans happy with a string of singles and compilations ever since. Though it seems like the wait for a proper new Rotting Christ record will finally end in 2024. At least that's how vocalist and guitarist Sakis Tolis makes it sound.
Shavo Odadjian
New System Of A Down is never happening. New Shavo Odadjian is absolutely happening, and it should be excellent. Among Shavo's new band is vocalist Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer) and producer Michael "MorgothBeatz" Montoya (Winds Of Plague). It sounds friggin' heavy.
Testament
Testament just hit the studio this week to record the follow-up to 2020's Titans Of Creation. The new record will be Testament's first with drummer Chris Dovas, who replaced Dave Lombardo earlier this year. Despite making it to the stage with Testament, Lombardo didn't record a new album with Testament this decade.
Wretched
Wretched is currently working on their first new album since 2014's Cannibal. The band recently signed to Metal Blade Records (all their previous material was on Victory Records), so stay tuned! New Wretched should be out in 2024, and should be all the techy old-school deathcore we could all ever want.
