The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2023

We continue to need heavy music more than ever this year. This is the culmination of all the other metal lists. Yes, I have done other metal lists for other blogs, and I see them as being a refining process for when I make this list. So, while the result may have varied, this is the final word. I know many of you are ready for 2023 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but if you are watching what goes down in the world daily, 2024 might be the last year, of experiencing life as we know it . The very fact these bands made it on the list means they are the cream of the crop 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. Sure, you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However, I listen to five new albums a day so yes, I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it. I hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2023

10-Nebulae Come Sweet-"De Lumi​è​re" 

This band out of Belarus caught me by surprise, as they go above and beyond to take things in a different direction. This album came out in March and sadly flew under the radar. They feel more European than American in the almost classical manner they go about this. They blend dark melodic brooding with big grandiose choruses. They prove just because you are singing it does not mean you can not do so in a commanding fashion that has balls to it. An album full of dark wonderment. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/nebulae-come-sweet-de-lumiere.html

9-Fuming Mouth -"Last Day of Sun" 

This album of crusty death metal-infused anger grew on me with each listen. They lean into more of hard-core's punk side with the drumming putting them in the sonic zip code of bands like Ringworm  I appreciate the lyrical sentiments, and the overall oppressive mood, that still leaves room for melody shows they care about songwriting, but do not have to compromise to do so. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/fuming-mouth-last-day-of-sun.html

8-Horrendous - "Ontological Mysterium"

Horrendous extending themselves further into a jammy progressive, with a more organic feel than what they did on "Idol" last time around. There are clean vocals placed at unpredictable points in the song. I appreciated guitar solos, but only some people are impressed by shredding, take that into consideration when I tell you the guitar solos on this album improve the songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/horrendous-ontological-mysterium.html

 

7- Will Haven - "VII" 

They hit you with hammering hardcore and manage to pack in a dense atmosphere. The syncopated chugs create the apex of breakdowns.  If you grew up listening to nu-metal but matured into metallic hardcore, then this is the album for you. Really if you like heavy music colored by atmosphere this album is also for you as well. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/will-haven-vii.html

6- Mansion- Second Death 

This Finnish band does doom most uniquely at times they blend a minimalist folk not unlike what a  cult would sing as their mantra, as they lurch along in a very creepy manner. The tangible darkness of the music is heavier than the distortion of the guitars of the volume, though they are capable of applying those dynamics as well. I think they tap into cool dark places that few go in a new way. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-mansion-second-death.html

5-Dreamwell -"In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You" 

This is not the heaviest band on the list, but they are the most extreme metal band whose songs beg for you to listen to them more than the other bands on this list. They shift from black gaze to more melodic forms of hardcore and harsher expressions of metal. Their singer is a pivotal force in what enables these transformations. Sometimes hard-core shouted vocals bring the abrasion crashing against the transcendence, which is littered oddly with blast beats. It is not the first time I have heard screamo blended with black metal, but this is done in an angular fashion that is more unique.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/dreamwell-in-my-saddest-dreams-i-am.html

 

4-the Lion's Daughter -"Bath House" 

There is a great deal going on with this album. The synths are very present in the mix going into the otherwise hammering open song. Throaty vocals are aggressive but howled more than growled. Sung vocals often emote over what is a  more brooding turn for the band. There is an ominous feel to counterbalance the more grandiose feel. I really enjoyed this one it's an improvement over what they did on "Skin Show" This album grew on me, and carries great depth.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-lions-daughter-bath-house.html

 

3-Downfall of Gaia -""Silhouettes Of Disgust"

This album is more black metal in its feeling than what I remember of the 2019 album. It is both darker and more aggressive. The soaring atmosphere still lingers, but not enough to stop this raging storm of sound they are creating here. The world is a darker and angrier place so this is fitting. It takes more chances than Wayfarer, who are also great songwriters, but in more of a well-fitted groove, as Downfall of Gaia, is not content with a formula. 

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

2-Harm's Way - "Common Suffering" 

After being convinced to check them out upon hearing the "Undertow" single featuring the singer of King Woman, I was surprised by the rest of the album, which hits in the way that I typically want my hardcore to slap me. Harm's Way has a gritty musculature to the riffs, and the vocals punch in all the right places to rally the head bob inducing syncopations shift with a groove. There is a great deal of emotion to the construction of the songs that paints things in a bleak shade of gray rather than just being the macho in-your-face beat down you might expect this to be

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/harms-way-common-suffering.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 grooving it without compromising the heaviness, In this way, there is a bit of Bolt Thrower in their DNA, but not enough to lump them in with bands who are clearly trying to re-live that band's glory days. I went into this album only aware of them by name, and by the end was a fan, thanks to hooky riff magic. 

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

The Top 10 Death Metal Albums of 2023

There is no shortage of inspiration for death metal these days, as death is all around us. Perhaps that is why there has been such a huge outpouring of quality death metal this year. These albums celebrate annihilation in all of its forms.   These albums captured what death metal should be with very little compromise,  After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. 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 Death Metal albums of 2023.

10-Vastum - "Inward to Gethsemane"

The longest-running death metal band on 20 Buck Spin,  released another album of thoughtful death metal. Their full-on assaults find the band being mindful of creating a mood with darker depth. They dig deeper into a more old-school death metal influence while using odd syncopated touches and atmosphere to keep from sounding like another Morbid Angel rip off.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/vastum-inward-to-gethsemane.html

 

9- 200 Stab Wounds - "Slave to the Scalpel"

 This Cleveland band is going to the pack in making raw-boned death metal that leans into the grooves. a great deal of head-banging fun, and freshens a corpse that could have rotted in the hands of less capable songwriters. There is a great deal of listenablity that adds to it's replay value earning it this spot. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/200-stab-wounds-slave-to-scalpel.html

 

8-Liquid flesh - "Delores"

When it comes to a genre that is easy to get mired down in the heavy, these guys keep the songs in mind, This album is highly entertaining with the rock twist . France once again proves they do metal well and left of center when they take a twist into a proggy adventure. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/death-is-june-liquid-flesh-dolores.html

5-Tideless - "Eye of Water"

 Tideless is from California and makes an attempt to set themselves apart in their sophomore release. They have dialed back the hyper-aggression, and embark on something that has more in common with post-rock. They do some rather sonically stunning things and are onto something remarkable here, that makes for a great listen. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/tideless-eye-of-water.html

 

4-Obituary-"Dying of Everything"

 I was also 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 with his articulate sneer. 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

3-Cattle Decapitation- "Terrasite"

The main difference between this album and "Death Atlas" is 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. The more sung vocals also come into play to give the songs more melodic depth than your average band engaging in this brand of heaviness can conjure on snarls alone.

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

2-Horrendous - "Ontological Mysterium"

Horrendous extending themselves further into more of a jammy progressive, that has a more organic feel than what they did on "Idol" last time around. There are clean vocals placed at unpredictable points in the song. I appreciated guitar solos, but not someone normally impressed by shredding, take that into consideration when I tell you the guitar solos on this album improve the songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/horrendous-ontological-mysterium.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 grooving it without compromising the heaviness, In this way there is a bit of Bolt Thrower in their DNA, but not enough to lump them in with bands who are clearly trying to re-live that band's glory days. I went into this album only aware of them by name, and by the end was a fan, thanks to hooky riff magic. 

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

Horrendous : " Ontological Mysterium"

The Philly death metal band is unleashing their much-awaited fifth album. Having reviewed their past two albums here the bar is pretty high as those earned 9's. The two- minute opening track is more of an intro. "Chrysopeia" is the first actual song that finds Horrendous extending themselves further into more of a jammy progressive, that has a more organic feel than what they did on "Idol" last time around. There are clean vocals placed at unpredictable points in the song. I appreciated guitar solos, but not someone normally impressed by shredding, take that into consideration when I tell you the guitar solos on this album improve the songs. 

These guys said they wanted to get back to a place of 80s and 90s metal, and that can be felt on "Neon Leviathan". It has a rawer more thrash like energy to it with the bass driving things forward in an aggressive manner. It's not until the end of the song that they begin to use their space age tricks. Things switch over into a more jazzy groove going into "Aurora Neoterica" which is really only an interlude leading to "Preterition Hymn".  It works off a slithering death metal groove until the melodic middle section lets things simmer down til the end. "Cult of Shaad"oh" has a hooky mid-paced groove that is more like Morbid Angel's most memorable moments. The vocals are more dramatically exclaimed when not snarled.  The moshy hookiness of the riffs is where the are excelling on this album. Sometimes this does give things a more Megadeth like groove in the manner the technical guitar playing is balance out in order to create something that sticks to your ears. 

The title track finds them hitting with a more hammering intensity, though this is balanced with an almost jazz- like nuance that recalls Cynic. Though they crunch down harder into the riffs and double bass than Cynic has. They close the album with "the Deathknell Ringeth" which carries more menace in it's snarls. The vocals are more aggressive throughout this album, but perhaps this most with the anguish from which the are screamed on this one. The fake-out ending is really well done. There is not an area this album does not excel at. In a year where there has been some really stellar death metal releases , this album tops even those. It drops the 18th of August on Season of Mist, and if you are a fan of death metal you owe it to your self to give this album a listen. 

Horrendous : " Idol"

The first song "Soothsayer" proves to more powerful than the other wise more technical "the Idolater" that follows it. There is some groove hidden in the rubbery bass of "Galgothan Tongues". Things seem to also speed up on this song and clean vocal slide into the background. They mathematics are in your face , but there is enough attack to distract you from this at least three songs in. The vocals fall into a angry snarl that's more of a mid range. They throw guitar solos at you sometimes more sparingly and to be such a proggy death metal band there is more rock influence on this album than expected.

I like the dissonance that opens the reluctant beginning of "Divine Anhedonia". It takes almost two minutes of angular wind up before they get into a Cynic like place. This  accelerates and eventually finds a thrashier groove with brief clean vocals at the end. When they lash themselves into " Devotion" this also finds them returning to the more late 80s thrash sound. The proggy leaning and death metal malice I think are obscuring the fact that these guys work best as a really adventurous thrash band. After this there is a guitar interlude that really seems like it is more the intro to the last song "Obolus" , but I get why it was tagged onto it , because that would take the song to over the ten minute mark. These guys are really good song writers as they cover lots of ground at the longest song "Obolus" that ends the album is the only one that touches the eight and a half minute mark.

"Obolus" is the first song that I really pay attention to the lyrics. The vocals are snarled in a more discernible manner. There is almost more of a hard core aggression in how they are spat out. They are very capable of pulling out some catchy head banging grooves so it's not all math and mirrors. I have grown to like this album a little more with each listen I give it . With that said I am going to round this one up to a 9. Which makes it not a flawless classic , but head and shoulders over most of the death metal I have heard this year and I have heard a lot as I am trying to get caught up for me end of the year lists. If you like your death metal to challenge you with it's high dexterity score then this album is a must. It's even a must for just plain ole death metal fans.

Horrendous : " Anareta"

I know it's Black Friday so I should be catching up on black metal , but I just keep finding death metal or from the opener to this band's new one, death thrash. There is more melody in the guitars than brutality and I can understand why it ranked so high on a few of the best of lists I discovered it on. They pay attention to detail, and are more technical than you might suspect. The vocals are a very dry rasp almost like a throaty blackened hardcore in how it is punched out. This is also contrasted by some whispered parts. They succeed in impressing me with the feral heaviness and manic energy they attack the song with thus leaving me to ask the question...what else can you do ? or are they a one trick pony. They slow things down at the onset of the second song, with the defining factor the wave the twin guitar attack weaves around each other. There is some melody in the riffing, so they do not rely on brutality like you might expect from most death metal bands. They are said to be apart of a new wave of old school death metal and I don't hear this unless you are referring to the thrash influence staining the riffs. If old school means actually writing songs and using interesting melody then why is that old school and not just how music is made? There is a brief exclamation from distant clean voices calling out ,before rather hooky classic metal riff comes in.

It needs to be said that the bass player is really killing it on this album and if you are metal bass player this album is a wet dream despite the bass being mixed back behind the drums. A thrash like vein of melodic guitar playing dominates "Siderea" . This reminds me of another song from the new Hate Eternal album I just reviewed where they instrumental portion is more interesting than what is done when they are using vocals. This album it is not as much of a point of contention as it proved to be with Hate Eternal. "Polaris' finds the vocals returning to scrape pain from the more progressive riff they scream out over. Death could be a frame of reference here. They do not place as great of an emphasis on shred, but are no slackers on their chops. Much rougher than say even earlier Opeth, the songs still wind around a more open path than Morbid Angel. "Acolytes" crawls from a darker place before gaining momentum into a more acrobatic thrashing chug.Maybe a more dexterous version of Possessed would be a better way to wrap your head around this excursion. This become more thrashing than death metal no matter the age of the school you might pull from. It eventually finds itself in a bridge that has more in common with "Tom Sawyer".

They really hit their stride on "Sum of All Failures" going from the acoustic intro into a well harmonized groove. "Stillborn Gods" find the vocals getting more aggressive and leaning the song more towards the death metal side, though there are still plenty of moments with a classic metal sound that bring this closer to thrash or maybe Death's more accessible moments. They close the album out with a slower death metal groove. Then eventually punch into something with a more deliberate groove. This might not be the album of the year, but it's way fucking better than I imagined it would be and hits some pretty awesome moments when it comes to its command to head bang. I'll give this a 9.


7.4