Thou

“Ode to Physical Pain” is the exact title you’d expect a metal band to whip out at the end of an album.

But Thou are no nihilists. Hell, they don’t even like being called a metal band. “Ode to Physical Pain,” is, instead, the logical conclusion to the tortured, yet triumphant Heathen; a deep dive into the physical world, our interactions with nature and humanity’s base desires. No, this is far from fatalism; it is the least subtle reminder that you are alive. And it is a monstrous, wondrous thing. So, read our thoughts on Heathen, listen to our interview with Thou and hear why it’s the best of the 10s. 

“We were finding utopia by striking a balance between two extremes”

— Bryan Funck