The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2023 so far ...

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2023 is at it's midpoint. These  lists serve as a decent snap shot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received  promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my in-box, so they are really going to need to bring it in order to compete with the top five albums on this list. There are varied shades of metal represented. Perhaps death metal is leading the charge, but there is also black metal, doom and death core in the mix.  The black metal is more influenced by traditional black metal rather than the staples of blast beating. For my ears darkness trumps speed when it comes to heavy, so these bands reflect that sentiment. Death metal just seems to be bringing it harder than other genres so far. Giving the impending wars that lurk at every corner of the globe, this is a fitting sound track to the demise of the the US.  I have included links to full review if you want to check these out and with all that said here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2023 so far. 

10- Creeping Death- "Boundless Domain" 

There is less of an old school thrash feel to "Boundless Domain" as the album's riffs adhere to more standardized shades of aggressive red.  These guys have always shown a great deal of promise in their songwriting and this album does not seem to be an exception in that .They prove to be pretty solid at what they do and there is a hooky but crushing feel to most of these songs,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/death-is-june-creeping-death-boundless.html
 

9-PredatoryVoid - "Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being" 

Combining members of Amenra with the vocalist from Russian Black Metal band Cross Bringer, there is something dark and powerful being created here. While Lina's vocal mainly focus on more brutal harshness, she does sing some passages in a more ethereal alto . The heaviness is a like a crashing wave , it hit and then recedes with a throb. I would say these guys are more sludge than any other genre as the sonic heaviness approaches the shadows rather than bathing in them like a doom band would.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/predatory-void-seven-keys-to-discomfort.html

 

8-Left to Suffer -"Feral" 

This album continues to grow on me, as the Atlanta based metal core band proves they are not just jumping on the White Chapel band wagon. They took things in a darker direction and  seem to have have just as much in common with the bands in the nu-metal revival. These guys manage to do it in a way that is just hooky enough to keep me along for the ride.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/left-to-suffer-feral.html

7-Ahab- "Coral Tombs" 

8 years of chaos have passed since this German doom band released their last album. Chris Noir of& Ultha lends his voice to the highly aggressive black metal start of the opening track before it ebbs down into the doom you expect from this band. The croon of the baritone vocals are  delivered with more power and presented more forward in the mix. The vocals play a bigger role in the overall sound this time around. Making this epic listen something that grows on you. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/ahab-coral-tombs.html
 

6-Cloak-"Black Flame Eternal" 

This Atlanta band might have finally hit their creative stride with album number three. This does not mean that I am any closer to branding them a goth metal band. The elements that might bring that to one mind are perhaps more fleshed in places. The songwriting stomps with more debilitation. The influence of Dissection is still present, but tempered with a more dynamic range of sound. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/cloak-black-flame-eternal.html

 

5-Cattle Decapitation- "Terrasite" 

They have in many ways picked up where they left off on "Death Atlas" . Though the band believes they have taken a 180 turn. The main difference I can hear are the guitars have a more deliberate thrashing to their grooves. Things are not as blinding fast , but the riffs retain the razor sharp aggression , but also well constructed and hooky. They took it to the next level in terms of songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/cattle-decapitation-terrasite.html
 

 

4-the Abbey - "Word of Sin" 

Hailing from bands like Man Eating Tree and Shape of Despair, this doom band out of Finland, plays with both darkness and melody in equal portions. The use and almost gothic finery to decorate their songs with a well balanced blend of ambiance and hooky vocals, not as depressive as some doom, but possessed by a wellspring of nuanced dynamics. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-abbey-word-of-sin.html

3-Downfall of Gaia-"Silhouettes Of Disgust"

This German band already finds themselves claiming the distinction of having s one of the best black metal albums I have heard this year,  it came out back in February and still stands strong. If you like forward thinking black metal with plenty of dark disgust this album is for you.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/black-metal-history-month-downfall-of.html

 

2-Obituary- "Dying of Everything" 

 I was  not expecting the thrashing ass kicking the opening track unleashes. Any concerns regarding this album living up to their established legacy were squashed. The more Slayer like attack is balanced out by Tardy's distinctive voice reminding you that this is Obituary. This sits solidly next to the band's more classic work, which is something many of their peers cannot boast

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/obituary-dying-of-everything.html
 

1-Frozen Soul -"Glacial Domination"

This Texas band pulls from classic death metal without worshipping any band too religiously. Their strength is taking a riff and groove it without compromising the heaviness. Lyrically things are grim and gory with only marginal amounts of the Dungeons and Dragons escapism .I went the album not knowing anything about this band and walked away a fan which speaks volumes considering the  constant flow of death metal bands in my in-box so for these guys to stand out it speaks volumes to their talents. If you like death metal this album is a must.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/frozen-soul-glacial-domination.html