13. Chelsea Wolfe - Birth of Violence
Of course an artist with the fearless range of Chelsea Wolfe would follow up her darkest and gnarliest work to date, 2017's Hiss Spun, with an introspective, stripped down and mostly acoustic album. Yet, don't think for a second that Birth of Violence lacks for intensity. To contrary, this seething American-gothic folk opus still bites, even if it lacks obvious bark, confirming in its own, quieter way, that Wolfe is very much "deranged for rock & roll," as the LP's standout single goes. W.N.