Top 10 Albums of the Year for 2023
Here’s Scotty B’s Top 10 Albums of 2023. If you know me well enough, you know I can get pretty wordy.. There are so many great releases this year (we’re drowning in amazing music, folks), but these are the albums I returned to over and over. Or thought about way too much. But there's a ton (included at the "Honorable Mentions section) that I could switch out for a few of these. And they aren’t all metal! I’ll drop a strictly metal top 42 at the bottom. LET’S GO!
1. Spirit Possession - Of the Sign…
This one has been on repeat since it came out in March. It was a privilege to see this gruesome twosome open for Bell Witch in November (the same week of Mass Destruction!). I don’t think I can word my admiration/endorsement better than I did in my promo article: “While mostly black metal, the band incorporates elements of war metal, thrash and psychedelia to create something all their own. One second it’s thrashy, primitive and borderline chuggy. The next, a virtuosic melody cuts through the reverb-and-synthesizer-produced noise, momentarily leading you along.. only to cut out again. This process repeats, builds and surges with a vigor that’s contagious. You would never ease into listening to Spirit Possession. You throw that shit on and riot… Upon closer inspection, you start to notice there’s a method to the madness: [Steve Peacock’s] riffs are more of a cavalcade of solos, each designed to guide the listener along the tumultuous soundscapes created with [Ashley Spungin’s] frenetic rhythm/synthesizer section. Each solo is a jolt to the system, there to possesses you (ayoo!) and electrify you into matching the duo’s fevered energy. [Peacock’s] vocals aren’t so much wails of pain as they are cries of ecstasy. He’s feeling good—frenzied even—and wants you to feel good too.”
Steave Peacock is probably my favorite working musician. His album(s) with Ulthar made some other 2023 AOTY lists and you should check those out, too. He and his pick-free-guitar-playing hands cannot be stopped. Folks gripe about this being singular in tone, but I think that’s kind of the point.
2. Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed
Melodic death metal can be difficult to pull off. It must be pretty enough to capture the ear, but brutal enough to make you clinch your fists and bang your head. Majesties’ debut (another March release) does this with such ease that you’d swear these guys have been playing together for over a decade. It’s a throwback to the late ‘90s Gothenburg sound, crafted with so much care and love for that era that that it could sit alongside such genre staples as Dissection’s Storm of the Light’s Bane and Sacramentum’s Far Away from the Sun. The songwriting, execution and harmonies are on the same level. Lots of folks complain about vocalist Tanner Anderson’s high-pitched wailing. Some others say this is nothing new within the genre itself. I suppose thoe are valid criticisms, but I’d challenge them to find a working melo-death band that matches Majesties’ flowing melodies, soaring harmonies and galloping rhythms that *isn’t* an original Gothenburg alum. Listen to Vast Reaches Unclaimed, and then listen to it again. There will be more plenty of Owen Wilson “Wow!” moments every time.
3. Krallice - Porous Resonance Abyss
Did you know metal can also be relaxing? Krallice’s first (of two!) releases this year is so spacey and resonant that it’s borderline psychedelic. I put it on while working. I put it on while meditating. I put it on during yoga. I’m listening to it while writing this! The album cover is an almost completely black landscape that could be an obscured mountain, an empty desert or distant planet. Some sort of celestial giant looms in the sky. The scene is too opaque to define; the details are enveloped in too much of a haze. And that’s exactly how this album sounds. There’s layer-upon-layer of melody that it’s hard to identify who’s carrying each song forward. You only know that it’s slowly taking over. Krallice takes you deep into the depths of your own imagination, providing progressive soundtracks that nudge you along the journey. Take a trip with Krallice, man, you won’t be disappointed.
4. Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis
On the opposite end of that spectrum sits the mighty Thantifaxath. Hive Mind Narcosis sounds “like “falling down stairs” as a friend put it, and I can’t think of a better description. It’s a true horror movie of a metal record. It’s challenging. It’s discordant. It’s oppressive. It conjures every calamity you’ve ever experienced, both real and imagined. And yet it’s crafted with such meticulousness and complexity that you can’t help but appreciate its genius. I call it “acid jazz for the metal crowd,” but I think that does it a disservice. There’s no free-form here. The deliberate melodies push and pull, getting into such a flow that you think you have a handle on things.. right before dropping out from under you. You know those movies that you can watch maybe once a decade because of how disturbing or heavy they are? Thantifaxath is kinda like that, albeit more addicting. But like those movies, Thantifaxath challenges you to study it, to look closer, even amid the chaos and wreckage, for reward. Nothing quite like it this year, and there probably won’t be for some time.
5. Petey - USA
I had to include my main man’s debut LP here. I feel like I got in on the ground floor with Petey during the pandemic, and am genuinely proud of how far he’s come. He’s a famous TikTok personality, but I know him primarily through his so-vulnerable-it-hurts indie pop. And while the songs that introduced me to him are tinged with strange, heartfelt humor (“Don’t Tell the Boys,” “More to Life Than Baseball,” “Pitch a Fit!”), his more mature output (“We Go on Walks,” “We Don’t Need to Talk About It,” “Haircut,”) always hinted he’s capable of something larger. USA is that very thing. As you listen to Petey’s barebones confessions about mental health, staying afloat in the sea of madness and an overwhelming desire to simply and peacefully exist with himself, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll dance, and you’ll ultimately want to hug and forgive every person you’ve ever met. His lyrics and overall songwriting helped me get through 2020-2022, and they continue to help me in today’s hellscape. Can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next.
6. Hole Dweller - With Dreams of Hereafter
In the nearby land of Athens, Georgia, sits a young man named Tim. Combining his talents of playing music, utilizing computer technology and referencing Tolkien lore, Tim creates amazingly wholesome dungeon synth under the name Hole Dweller. The name is not just a nod to hobbits—it’s a mission statement. Every orchestral tone, warm melody and song title seems to originate from a hobbit’s eternally innocent perspective. And while a lot of that perspective is often mired in Hole Dweller’s lo-fi production (per the rules of dungeon synth), this hi-fi release offers an unfiltered coziness to listeners. Each song on With Dreams of Hereafter is unapologetically sincere, melancholy and sentimental. You get a sense of yearning when listening to “Wishing Well” and “Will I Ever See the Sunshine Again?” You crave the outdoors when listening to “The Tide of Spring” or “Up and Over.” It’s cinematic, comforting and hopeful. Where a lot of dungeon synth makes you feel like you’re going deeper and deeper into a Bakshi-built crypt, Hole Dweller thrives in sun-drenched meadows, summertime woodlands, warm hearths and crowded inns. Another refuge for me in 2023.
7. Curta’n Wall - Siege Ubsessed!
Much farther away in Marin County, California lurks Jesse Terres, also known as Abysmal Specter. Jesse is active on a lot of dungeon synth or dungeon synth-adjacent projects, with my favorite being Curta’n Wall. Curta’n Wall strips down black metal to its nerdy core both literally and lyrically, offering medieval folk anthems about castles, wizards, dragons and more, with Jesse giving his finest black metal growl over lutes, organs, synthesizers, electric guitar and harpsichords. In all honesty, I can’t tell whether Curta’n Wall is meant to be a joke, a sincere project or something in between. But I think that’s the point. Kind of like Dethklok, the project bites its thumb at the self-seriousness, overdone tropes and machismo accompanying every metal genre by stripping it down to its core and pointing out its absurdity. Siege Ubsessed’s hilarious album cover (two people posed in full suits of armor on what may or may not be a front lawn) is reminiscent of young men and women posing in the woods with corpse paint. In the same way, ridiculously silly and over-the-top lyrics poke fun at revered artists who rely on fantasy lore, zealotry, and chivalry to mask their own lack of creativity or to bolster their wannabe-hero-masculinity/sense of importance. Whether you find that offensive, stupid or interesting, it’s hard to deny how intricate and well-orchestrated the music actually is. It would be easy to dismiss Curta’n Wall as “just a joke band” if it weren’t so damn good. There’s so much care in its craftmanship to appreciate along with the playfulness that you can revel in its absurdity or its quality. Either way, unlike too-serious-it-may-be-cringe metal bands, Curta’n Wall seems to embrace how dumb it is, just enjoying the creation of Ren Fair ballads that are both idiotic and headbang worthy. You can either take offense or join the fun.
8. Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle / Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
Yes, this is technically two albums. Yes, I realize that violates the terms of agreement with AOTY lists. No, I don’t care. And that’s because I think these two albums accomplish the same aim/sound— unapologetically melodic blackened power metal—from two vantage points: black metal and thrash/speed metal. And while you may read that and think “Scott, that doesn’t make sense,” or “Scott, you’re wrong,” or “I’m a bear lol”—I’ll die on this hill. Listen to them side-by-side and take the Pepsi challenge. Each album delivers a weird combination of all types of metal that just comes off as a shreddin’ good time. I think this is what happens when young artists, within each of those genres, show that they can combine it all into something cohesive, catchy and downright beautiful. Probably because, like the rest of us, they’re exposed to easily accessible music from masters 24/7 via the internet. Why should they be confined by genre expectations when they can take elements from it all? This shouldn’t suggest they sound exactly the same—Hellripper’s thrash sensibilities add a different dimension that’s almost punk in its irreverence. Moonlight Sorcery’s ultra-polished approach works just as well in delivering a smorgasbord of riffs, solos and overall energy that’s downright celebratory. What are they celebrating? Metal, man. All things metal. I don’t completely trust any AOTY list that includes one of these albums without the other. I’d even go so far as to add a third ugly cousin (Grymheart’s Hellish Hunt).
9. Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar
Malokarpatan slings blackened heavy metal (everything is blackened these days) by way of Slovakia and the deepest, darkest castle dungeon you can imagine. There are synths. There are harpsichords. There are riffs—so many riffs!—alongside galloping tempos, face-melting solos and vocals that oscillate between guttural growls and deep, bellowing wizard-esque incantations. With so much going on, you’d think the atmosphere and songwriting would suffer, but it doesn’t. You’re in the hands of masters, and each song about Slovakian folklore and witchcraft is just as satisfying as the last. It’s a big, fat, hamburger of heavy metal (each song hovers around 6 minutes) that’s just kvlt enough to make you grimace and catchy enough to make you smile. There’s even some stonery ‘70s psychedelia in there to help you sit back and enjoy the ride. Like Hellripper and Moonlight Sorcery, Malokarpatan is here to demonstrate that metal can be everything at once if you know how to do it. Every time I go back to visit the dank crypts that Malokarpatan conjures, I notice something different lurking in a dark corner or bathing in medieval firelight. Do yourself and favor and listen to Vertumnus Caesar, friends.
10. Oromet - S/T
Man oh man, another album that I can’t believe is a debut. This funeral doom masterpiece builds melodic mountains that provide peaceful places to contemplate, introspect and traverse the landscapes of your inner workings…right before tearing them down with crushing rhythms and breakdowns (it’s gotta be metal, right folks?). There’s no need for vocals here (but they’re there), as the guitars do enough rejoicing to elicit a proper emotional response. And make no mistake, there is rejoicing. Whereas some funeral doom bands hit you with wave after wave of sound to build their sonic effigies, dragging you to the depths of despair in the process, this California duo (can’t believe it’s only two people) uses gradual steps to craft their monuments. Each piece of the puzzle builds on the one preceding it, taking you up to soaring peaks of musical bliss. I love how Oromet doesn’t shy away from harmonies that seem too obvious, warm or inviting—they aren’t trying to alienate their listeners with abrasiveness. They choose to lure you in and take you along for the journey. This beat out Bell Witch and Saturnus as my doomy choices for the year, and that’s saying a lot. Where those albums submerge you in some deep, dark and cold depths, this one launches you to sun-soaked heights; it’s an appreciation for life, not a lamentation. Katie listened to this one night on the way home from somewhere and simply said, “Wow, this sure is a lot!” Yes, Katie, yes, it is.
Honorable mentions:
Perilaxe Occlusion - Vapor Chamber – S-tier death doom about being trapped in a computer.
Gateway - Galgendood – S-tier death doom about ancient human sacrifice.
Firienholt - White Frost & Elder Blood – Slow, atmospheric black metal about Tolkien. So nerdy it hurts (complimentary). Almost dungeon synth.
Bell Witch - Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate – S-tier funeral foom from genre masters. Hour and a half, single-song album. Epic.
Saturnus - The Storm Within – S-tier doom metal from a genre giant.
Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis – One-man black metal project done right by one of my favorite vocalists (he sounds like a ringwraith).
Profanatica - Crux Simplex – Sex-obsessed black metal (with perfectly incorporated death metal elements) done right. Demoncy guy was in this band for half a second.
Home Front - Games of Power – Fun electronic post-punk from Canada that sounds classic punk. So English you worry that it’s racist.
André 3000 – New Blue Sun – Ambient amazingness. Just listen to it. Then listen again.
Wayfarer - American Gothic – Red Dead Redemption black metal (complimentary). Easily their most fully realized album. Almost made the top 10.
Vastum - Inward to Gethesmane – Holy crap what an album. Does for death metal what Moonlight Sorcery/Hellripper are doing for black metal.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation – Why would Metallica even bother making an album this year when King Giz got back on the metal horse?
Obituary - Dying of Everything – Meat and potatoes Florida death metal from one of the genre’s best bands ever. Not reinventing the wheel, but delivering one of the best-crafted wheels you’ve ever seen.
Metal Top 42:
If you liked this article — good news! There’s more listing for 2022 and 2024.