Gothtober- The Top 10 Post-Punk Albums of 2023

 It's that time of year again. It might seem a little early to begin sorting through the year's best post-punk albums, but record labels have already sent me most of what this year has to offer. After I sort through sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. Perhaps it was marginally better than the previous year, though given the current climate of the world, we are progressing on a downward spiral, making dark music more important as a soundtrack for this.   As far as 2023 goes for post-punk, a lot of great music came out forcing me to make hard choices. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 post-punk albums of 2023.

10--Protomartyr- "Formal Growth in the Desert" 

Protomartyr is expanding the definition of what post-punk can be. This time around there is more of a Western feel, that reminds me more of Nick Cave when it comes to the baritone croon of the vocals, rather than anything more based on punk. The guitars sound great. The reverb rings out into the desert night, which might explain the album title. They go from this very organic, almost rustic feel to something that owes more to the 80s on "

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/protomartyr-formal-growth-in-desert.html

 

9-Corker -"Falser Truths" 

 They are leaning toward the more punk side of the equation. Their dark experimental edge creates an unnerving feel to the tension that separates the genre from punk. The aggressive vocals, carry a tinge of death rock to the creepy underpinnings of the otherwise stiff militant jerking of the staccato riffs. This carries an abrasive punch to the angular attack. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-corker-falser-truths.html

  8-Ritual Howls - "Virtue Falters" 

What unfolds is not unexpected, though the guitars feel like they are playing a larger role in the overall sound. This creates a swagger that lends itself to the band's ever-increasing cow-punk groove. At times the songs remind you of 90s alt-rock that you might have found playing in the background of any horror movie.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-ritual-howls-virtue-falters.html

7-Darkplace-"About the End of the World"

This Swedish band sets themselves out from the pack by the glaring malice of vocals that are not sung in the typical morose baritone, but a reedy tenor, that floats up into a falsetto to accent parts of the melody. This vocal color contrasts the otherwise darker background behind it, as they wander from the typical rock formula. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-darkplace-about-end-of-world.html

6-False Fed - "Let Them Eat Fake" 

Compromised of current Discharge vocalist Jeff Janiak, Stig C. Miller of Amebix, and Ministry drummer Roy Mayorga, finds themselves set apart from the typical Joy Division worship haunting many of the bands resurrecting this sound over the past decade, allowing Janiak to indulge himself in the full roar to brings more balls to the proceedings, as the songs are driven by a stormy tension that conjures images of stark gray skies. This makes for a fitting soundtrack for the stark fall to fade into a darker winter. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/false-fed-let-them-eat-fake.html

5-Throat -" We Must Leave You" 

This Finnish band claims their 2023 album is a break-up album with the world. Based on the darker impulses they indulge in here, you can only assume this is true. What stands out about these guys is the dark and foreboding mood that hangs over their otherwise melodic musings. The deadpan baritone of the vocals retains it's brooding narrative that reminds you of the punk rock in its intentions. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/throat-we-must-leave-you.html

 4- Dreamwheel- "Redeemer" 

Driven by a post-punk tension that is counterbalanced by the delicate croon of Julia Gaeta. She carries,  some power in her pipes which keeps the songs grounded. She is joined by Skeletonwitch bassist Evan Linger, whose penchant for faster tempos with Skeletonwitch, has kept him on his feet to remind you of the punk side of the post-punk equation.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-dreamwheel-redeemer.html

 3-Healthyliving-"Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief"

Bringing together musicians from Scotland, Germany, and Spain, this trio kicks up an impressive melancholic brand of driving rock that is at times as sonically heavy as metal borders on metal. There is a great deal of explosive punk jangle. but the expressive alto of Amaya commands the album's keen sense of dynamics, which is what I listen for in music from all genres. This band takes those dynamics a step further than most into the melancholy. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/healthyliving-songs-of-abundance-psalms.html

2-Bad Pelicans-"ETERNAL LIFE NOW" 

This French band deviates from the norm in the best way possible. Their hooky songs oozes with attitude. The vocals shift from a low baritone croak to a pop-punk croon in the span of the same song. They manage to be both melodic and explosive on the same track. The hooky nature of what they do secured their spot at the top.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/bad-pelicans-eternal-life-now.html

1-Grave Pleasures -"Plagueboys"

This year's release by My favorite Finnish post-punk revivalists grew on me with each listen. The songwriting trades bombast for subtlety for the sake of greater melodic value.  They took their tried and true sound, echoing all the way back to their Beastmilk days, and polished it into something even catchier. The sheer replay value of this album solidifies their place at the top.   

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/grave-pleasures-plagueboys.html

Gothtober : Ritual Howls : 'Virtue Falters"

 The last time we reviewed these guys might have been 2014's "Turkish Leather" though I remember giving "Into the Water" a few spins, and it being pleasing to my ears, but you know how it is, there are only so many bands you can keep in regular rotation. The album opens in a manner that is not unexpected. The guitars feel like they are playing a larger role in the over all sound. The vocals are the same dead pan post-punk baritone, though more resonance than the Ian Curtis imitators. "My Trash Mind' has more swagger in it's cow-punk groove. It reminds me of 90s alt-rock that you might have found playing in the background of any horror movie. This is a good thing. 

"Barely A Shadow' conforms to the formula of modern post-punk. It wanders by without anything to really make me take notice.  They come back stronger on "Humiliation" with more interesting vocals, and ear grabbing guitar tones. Cure like synths haunt the background of the song. The programmed drums do not bother me when everything else is taking the focus away. Though at five albums in they are fully aware of what they need to do with the instrumentation they have to work with. He sings out more on "Goodnight Reason" which makes me wonder why he was not doing it on the other songs, but perhaps that is what makes it stand out. 

"Tomb Room" proves that swagger alone does not a great song make. It's not a bad one just not the album's most focused moment. "Kneel for Instruction" works much better ,as it's groove feels more organic. The sounds are layered in a manner that allows the song to breath. The vocals croak behind the bass, but for what they are doing it's what fans expect. The vocals could stand to switch things up a little by this point in the album. Orville Peck might not have anything to worry about, but I do like the reverb heavy western guitar tones on this album. Given the title it makes sense that "Cauterize My Eyes" should have a heavier kick to it. The vocals are more screamed than sung which causes the lyrics to become obscured, but it works for the over all mood of the song. Overall this album works well for the band I will give it a 9. 

Gothtober -The Weekly Playlist vol 12

Rather than try to out spooky myself, I thought I would let this week's play list just happen in an organic manner , so I just hit shuffle on my iPod and went with that . My day to day listening is still going to be darker than any combination of songs you might dreg up from your nightmares to try to make a sound track for Halloween. I think based on the artists alone, if you are a regular reader or actually know me in real life, not just the inner web world then you can attest to the fact it's pretty consistent with my normal listening So these are just songs I have been listening to a lot recently. Happy Halloween, it is in fact a holiday for devil worshiping so I hope I have inspired you to do some.

 Dax Riggs - "Demon Tied to a Chair in My Brain"

 

 Zola Jesus- "Tower"


 

 Samhain- "Death in it's Arms"


 

 Rob Zombie - "Living Dead Girl"

 


My Dying Bride - "All Swept Away"


 

 Chelsea Wolfe -"Sick"


 

 Skinny Puppy- "Downsizer"

 

 Type O Negative - "Creepy Green Light"


 

 Slipknot -"Vermilon"


 


 Ritual Howls- "Spirit Murder"


 

Catching Up WIth 2014-Ritual Howls:"Turkish Leather"

The vocals fall somewhere between Cult of Youth's Death in June inspired baritone and 80's dark wave. They have a very hypnotic quality that makes them darker than Cult of Youth. They cover a wide range of sounds from haunting western reverb coating the guitar to a slower pace dark wave dance number. There is no shortage of the elegance I often complain about bands like this forsaking, in fact Ritual Howls almost over indulges in it. The hooky synth riffs slither up to save the songs when they get to absorbed in the melodrama.

The tension of "My Friends" doesn't forsake the depths of the darkness they have already lured you into. it's one of those rare songs that I can tell I like before the vocals even come in. The are an almost monotone baritone , not unlike Joy Division, but this is not a total Ian Curtis rip off, like many of the bands we have heard who still try to carry the torch for the creepy 80's. The western feel returns from the grave on "Final Service". Here the guitar finds a haunting surf rock sound. Most of the songs drone on a theme and then add layers, the beat of their drum machine remains locked in the same pattern once they press play.  The singer goes down into more ghoulish bass, closer to Micheal Gira than Sisters of Mercy.

One of the albums most oppressively heavy songs is the down trodden "No Witnesses" that is thick with gloom.  It is very similar to the Cure's "Pornography" era work. The vocals take their time , waiting half way through the song to chime in. They remind me a little of Iggy's "Night Clubbing". The title track takes a plunge into a more surreal landscape. The narcotic throb is not unlike that of the Velvet Underground's more sonically mystifying moments. The vocals retain the deep resonates of mid-period Swans. I'm going to go ahead and include the bonus track for the purpose of the review since that's how I am digesting this album and you should to.

"I'd Rather Not" sticks with the Gira like vocal moan. They bring in the dance beat and the western guitar, so every element that has worked so well for them up to this point in back in play.Sure it sticks to the same tempo and drone on what it does pull together. The vocals have a like more punch  and purpose to them here. The question that remains to be answered is how long will this album stick with me? I was impressed upon my initial listen and will try to hunt this one down to find out, so I'll give it a 9, as it sounds great, but once you get a feel for them there are few surprises.