Now that 2024 is coming to a close, we at Tuonela Magazine want to share the releases that we have most enjoyed. Each of our staff members will share their own list, so here is the list from Bear Wiseman.
Well hello there, it’s been a while! You may have noticed that I’m not posting here all that often anymore. That’s largely because I’m working on creative writing instead of journalism these days. However, it doesn’t mean that I don’t keep up with the musical times at least a little bit. While I have missed out on some big names this year, I still kept my head up and paid attention to some of the artists that I’m most interested in. So, here are some of the best releases from 2024 that I came across this year!
Top 10 International albums
I listened to almost no international albums this year, but here’s five at least!
5. Simone Simons – “Vermillion”
4. Linkin Park – “From Zero”
3. Cory Marks – “Sorry for Nothing”
2. Devin Townsend – “PowerNerd”
1. Lucassen & Soeterboek’s Plan Nine – “The Long Lost Songs”
Top 10 Finnish albums
10. After Infinity – “After Infinity”
9. Coventhrall – “Legacy of Morfuidra”
8. Octopie – “Green Divine”
7. King of None – “Into the Realm”
6. Lost in Grey – “Odyssey into the Grey”
5. Wintersun – “Time II”
4. Nightwish – “Yesterwynde”
3. Mia Hafrén – “For the Brave”
2. Crimson Sun – “Sorrowbreaker”
1. Merta – “Virta”
Top 3 EPs
3. Delain – “Dance with the Devil”
2. Jo Below – “New Worlds”
1. Kiuas – “Samooja: Pyhiinvaellus”
Top 5 international songs
5. Delain – “Dance with the Devil”
4. Classless Act – “Toxic” (Britney Spears cover)
3. Cory Marks ft. Travis Tritt, Mick Mars, Erna Sully – “Make My Country Rock”
2. Plan Nine – “Drunker than Whiskey”
1. Ott ft. Balkan Bump – “Muggy Boneheads”
Top 5 Finnish songs
While there weren’t a lot of international acts on my list, I could have easily done a top-50 songs for local tracks. This was extremely hard to narrow down, so I left out some of the big-names (like Nightwish) in order to promote some of the younger acts.
5. Rabbit Cult – “Cute AF”
4. Timo Kurkela – “Nuori Sydän”
3. Lasse Soundblaster – “PVC 1999”
2. Marko Hietala – “Frankenstein’s Wife” & “Left on Mars” ft. Tarja Turunen (cannot pick between them)
1. Crimson Sun – “Sailing Home”
Top 5 Album Covers
5. Wintersun – “Time II”
4. Frozen Factory – “Can’t Fight the Spiral”
3. Octopie – “Green Divine”
2. Merta – “Virta”
1. Crimson Sun – “Sorrowbreaker”
Best collaboration
Cory Marks ft. Travis Tritt, Mick Mars, & Erna Sully – “Make My Country Rock”
Best concert
Any of the Altamullan Road shows I attended this year (Kitee, Hyvinkää, & Porvoo in Finland and Dordrecht & Zwolle in the Netherlands)
Most promising act
Lasse Soundblaster (solo)
Rabbit Cult (band)
Top 5 most anticipated releases of 2025
5. Let it All Burn
4. Rabbit Cult
3. Lasse Soundblaster
2. Luna Kills
1. Marko Hietala – “Roses from the Deep”
Want to share your lists with us? Comment below with your lists.
The whole Tuonela Magazine team wishes you an inspirational 2025 filled with a lot of new music to discover. We hope to see you back next year!
