Eyes of the Oak – Neolithic Flint Dagger Review

By Steel Druhm

Written By: Nameless_N00b_90

One look at the cover of Neolithic Flint Dagger, the second album by Eyes of the Oak, and it should be no surprise that they play a mix of psychedelic doom, stoner rock, and traditional metal. That means fuzzy guitars, gruff cleans, and brief psychedelic passages of the kind that Pink Floyd plays on Dark Side of the Moon. These Swedes have previous experience in genres ranging from black metal to power metal, yet you’ll hear nary a trace of either on Neolithic Flint Dagger. Instead of high energy and soaring choruses, you’ll find an album with a mellow, laid-back sound that can sometimes pack a wallop. Is this a recipe for a good time, or does this drug-influenced concoction risk becoming overcooked?

Eyes of the Oak sounds like a mix between Somnuri and old-school Black Sabbath. Yet they are not as consistently high energy or heavy as Somnuri, and they’re not as exploratory or psychedelically weird as the classics. I found them most enjoyable when taking the heavier route, but their ability to blend styles adds a lot of depth to their overall sound. Guitarist Holger Thorsin, whose past work includes thrash (Chaosys) and black metal (Noctes) shows here that he has the chops to play any style. Drummer Hugo Thorsin (Noctes) shows off his work with an impressive intro on “Way Home.” Andreas Sjöström, who has experience on guitar with a couple of power metal bands (Wyvern, Diverge), contributes the necessary layers and rhythm that give the songs a little extra seasoning. Despite their disparate backgrounds, these musicians sound right at home playing stoner doom.

Whether Eyes of the Oak plays fast and heavy or takes it nice and slow, this album is fun. Opener “Cold Alchemy” is a heavy, rousing track that is sure to get your blood pumping, and it builds momentum for the first half of the album. “The Burning of Rome” is the other heavy hitter, combining wobbly guitars with a surprisingly bruising chorus. It’s the sort of song that will have you alternating between a gentle head sway and a forceful headbang. The mellower tracks, such as “Way Home” and “In the End,” reward patience and repeat listens, while “Night Visions” has a surprisingly catchy chorus. The variety within songs helps keep them fresh and enjoyable, even as most fall into the 5-6 minute range.

The second half of Neolithic Flint Dagger does suffer from uneven songwriting, however. Closer, “Offering to the Gods,” is the only song to extend past the six-minute mark, and while it does have some nice ideas, they are not developed enough to fill up the song’s nine-minute length. But the worst offender is “The Masters Hide.” This song doesn’t feel as cohesive as the other tracks, and the album’s vocal weaknesses are most pronounced here. Vocalist Andreas Sjöström does have a voice well-suited to the genre, and for the most part, he’s on point. However, his execution is inconsistent: sometimes flat, sometimes sleepy, sometimes talky.1 The promo materials for Eyes of the Oak say they recorded their debut album, The Stone Vortex, live in a studio. I wonder if they did the same here, and perhaps this approach puts a strain on Sjöström’s vocal cords.

Eyes of the Oak play a fun, accessible form of psychedelic rock mixed with stoner doom. From the giant glowing dagger on the album cover, you get the sense they don’t take themselves too seriously, and the album sounds like the band had fun recording it. It helps that they have some great ideas and capable musicians to carry out their vision. There may be a few kinks to work out, but I look forward to seeing how they develop their sound on future albums. So sit back, relax, and get high on… life? as you absorb the music of Neolithic Flint Dagger.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: X | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Self-Release
Websites: eyesoftheoak.bandcamp.com | eyesoftheoak.com
Releases Worldwide: August 23, 2024

#2024 #Aug24 #BlackSabbath #EyesOfTheOak #NeolithicFlintDagger #PinkFloyd #PsychedelicDoomMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleases #Somnuri #StonerDoom #SwedishMetal

Black Tusk announce headlining North American tour with Somnuri & Horseburner

https://metalnerd.net/black-tusk-announce-headlining-north-american-tour-with-somnuri-horseburner/

#BlackTusk #Somnuri #Horseburner #metal #concert

Idiot Robot – Anti Pop Culture Review

By Saunders

Perusing the promo sump, I stumbled across Idiot Robot, intrigued by the grunge tag they were saddled with. Being an avid fan of the ’80’s/’90’s grunge scene, Seattle rock movement and ’90’s alt-rock in general, I’m a sucker for this shit. Hell, even 2023’s Somnuri album, which kicked endless arse, sealed my love with its earwormy grunge hooks and melodies. Under closer investigation, I realized our resident spongey friend Kenstrosity reviewed the Floridian duo’s self-titled debut album in 2020, where despite endearing elements of nostalgia, the end result was something akin to a dumpster fire. Nearly four years have passed, and everyone has room for improvement, right? Let’s dive into the weird musical dimensions of the sophomore album from these fun-loving goons, entitled Anti Pop Culture.

Where to start with describing Idiot Robot? ’90’s alternative rock is the obvious domain where the duo still operates. In the promotional materials, Idiot Robot cite prominent bands such as Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, Pavement and Husker Du, along with labels including Sub Pop and Matador Records, as loves and influences. Those musical influences aren’t entirely accurate to the actual music the duo deploys across the album. Ryan Michalski (vocals, guitar, bass, synths, drums) and Clint Listing (vocals, guitar, bass) go bigger and bolder on this second opus, bumping runtime up to a hefty 50 minutes as they combine stripped-back aesthetics and a laidback, slacker charm, with fuzzy indie-pop melodies and tone that fluctuates from dreary, melancholy vibes (“Never Again,” “Waiting Around”) to snotty pop-punk and fuzzy rock angst (‘Stop,” “Gonna Cry”).

Credit where credit is due, the material comprising Anti Pop Culture feels more developed and refined compared to the bare bones, lo-fi misfires of the debut. Despite this layer of refinement, notwithstanding a rather low-quality promo file provided, Idiot Robot ensure the grittier, DIY tone is not scrubbed completely clean. Furthermore, Idiot Robot manage to project ripples of ’90’s alternative rock nostalgia and heartfelt emotion into the album. Opening single “Colors and Sounds” features decent energy and Pixies-esque shades, though a recurring issue with repetition and troublesome vocals takes the shine off. Simplistic, melancholic ballad “Never Again” has hints of a subdued Nirvana, or even Elliott Smith, done Idiot Robot style. It’s not half bad on the surface but doesn’t really liftoff, before ending abruptly. Extra vocal layers and synths adorn “Why Must I,” a song badly in need of direction and a less repetitive, irritating chorus. After a promising start, the angsty attitude of “Stop” devolves into a laughably bad “Stop/Go/Stop” chorus refrain. I don’t recommend sipping on a beverage while listening to this one. By now you probably get the picture of the album’s unfortunate flaws.

Shifting from fuzzy, buzzy rockers to acoustic-driven pop ditties with limited success, including major issues in execution and the crafting of tuneful, interesting or memorable songs, Anti Pop Culture is a tough album to like or endorse. Any endearing or redeemable elements are drowned out by the album’s misfiring songwriting, strangled melodies, and grating, frequently shoddy vocal performance. Songs like the moody, acoustic-based rock of “Waiting Around” features a solid musical foundation, undone by another ho-hum arrangement and nerve-shredding singing that again misses the mark. “Say It” rumbles with heavier guitar work and grinding distortion, before severely hampering itself with another shocker of a one-dimensional chorus that sounds like a bad parody. “Dad & Mom” features a darker tone, soft-loud dynamics, and lyrical themes of alcoholism and domestic violence. The execution is rather heavy-handed, but raw emotion and tension is effectively conveyed. Meanwhile, the jovial, melodic pop-punk of “One Night” offers a refreshing change of pace.

Idiot Robot is a duo making music for the love of making music, and I would never question their stubborn commitment to their wonky craft, or the genuine emotion, throwback vibes and likable DIY aesthetics permeating Anti Pop Culture. Despite my limited exposure to their debut, Anti Pop Culture sounds more assured, diverse and refined by comparison. Sadly, this is offset by a significantly bloated runtime, uninteresting or undeveloped arrangements, and songwriting that either goes nowhere interesting, or lacks cohesion or ear-catching moments. Throw in some rather questionable lyrics and a routinely strained vocal performance that misses the mark consistently, and Anti Pop Culture is a curious listen, but ultimately unsuccessful, deeply flawed sophomore outing.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 155 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: facebook.com/Idiotrobot | idiotrobot.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: March 15th, 2024

#15 #2024 #AlternativeRock #AmericanRock #AntiPopCulture #ElliottSmith #Grunge #HuskerDu #IdiotRobot #Mudhoney #Nirvana #Pavement #Pixies #Review #Reviews #ScreamingTrees #SelfReleased #Somnuri

One List to Debase Them All: AngryMetal Guy.com’s Aggregated Top 20 of 2023

By El Cuervo

This aggregation exercise represents my favorite article of the year. I enjoy identifying and highlighting those chosen few records worthy of additional recognition. But most of all I enjoy the sense of power derived from early access to other writers’ list data without the obligations flowing from being an editor. To my satisfaction, this list represents a diverse mix compared with certain previous years. Much ground is covered, from myriad metal sub-genres (death, black, doom, prog) to myriad tones (energetic, strange, historical, sadboi). I enjoy the variety, even if I don’t the specific choices. That said, we’re not helping our own argument against accusations that we despise all power and folk metal – with just one album from both sub-genres in the top 20 and an abundance selected by just a couple of people below this.

The most critical observation is that, compared with 2022, there are ~20% fewer unique records and voting points attributable to the top 10 albums is ~10% higher. This indicates greater alignment this year, with fewer albums chosen and stronger communal favorites. No doubt this is attributable to our loss of individuality and gradual morphing into one awful hivemind.

In a last ditch effort to save my own reputation at the cost of my colleagues, I want to emphasize that I personally had a distinct deviation from this aggregated list. As orchestrator of this article with early access to the data, I did attempt to identify why it was that some of these albums apparently had an impact on everyone else. The only conclusion I can draw following these attempts is that my faceless colleagues seek the average. They should try harder to be deliberately contrary next year; I expect that they’ll maliciously comply by picking the same 20 albums 20 times just to spite me.

–El Cuervo

#20. Crypta // Shades of Sorrow – “While Crypta is still fetid, OSDM adherents, Shades of Sorrow also amps both the black and thrash influences, resulting in a compelling sophomore effort that packs a significant, unforgettable punch” (Felagund).

#19. Onheil // In Black Ashes – “In Black Ashes is melodic black/death/speed/thrash at its finest. Onheil’s mastery of melody and songwriting elevates In Black Ashes into the stratosphere. Every track is a winner, and Onheil strikes an impossible balance between enthralling riffs and emotional heft” (Maddog).

#18. Ascension // Under the Veil of Madness – “There’s not one song on here that isn’t currently stuck in my head. Its huge choruses, hooky verses, and lightning fast shreddery have probably bonded with my DNA by this point” (Kenstrosity).

#17. Somnuri // Desiderirum – “The addition of (Soundgarden-esque) throwback radio alt-rock into their roiling pot of hardcore and progressive sludge makes Desiderium these Brooklynites’ strongest outing to date. It’s rare that an album this aggressive and energetic goes down this smooth” (Cherd).

#16. Warcrab // The Howling Silence – “Warcrab boasts fighting spirit, sharp claws, and a crustacean shell that’s fitted for turret combat. They’re obviously game for a scrap, but–as Cherd pointed out in his review–the band doesn’t have much competition in their death-sludge niche” (Ferox).

#15. Tribunal // The Weight of Remembrance – “With heavy doses of classic Candlemass and moments that recall the grim haunts of Fvneral Fvkk, Weight of Remembrance does so many things exceptionally well. There’s nothing I would change or trim on Weight of Remembrance, and if anything, I wish it was a little longer. Doom perfection” (Steel Druhm).

#14. Panopticon // The Rime of Memory – “Panopticon—particularly on more recent records—seems to have a unique ability to tug on my heartstrings and to blend the most ferocious of black metal with the most serene and evocative Appalachian folk. The Rime of Memory more than matched my lofty hopes” (Thus Spoke).

#13. Godthrymm // Distortions – “With meaty riffs, soaring leads, a fantastic rhythm section, and keyboardist Catherine Glencross’ angelic voice, this classic-doom-meets-classic-Pallbearer configuration landed my top spot as soon as I finished listening to it for the first time” (Grymm).

#12. Saturnus // The Storm Within – “The opening tracks comprise the best one-two punch of the year, while the back half of the album feels like an unraveling and stripping down. The Storm Within is a magnificently monolithic and aptly dreary return to form from Saturnus” (Dear Hollow).

#11. Night Crowned // Tales – “The intense blasting and no-holds-barred shrieking always hold a melodic thread that makes it more than a wall of noise, whether it be from extra vocal layers, subtly interweaved symphonics, or a goddamn hurdy-gurdy that works way better than it should” (GardensTale).

#10. Vanishing Kids // Miracle of Death – [#1, #2, #8, #8, #9, #HM, #HM, #HM, #HM] – Miracle of Death earns the dubious honor of winning more list mentions than the six records ahead of it, but only reaches this tenth spot due to generally low rankings. Undeterred, Steel Druhm highlights the band’s unusual combination of sounds, describing a “strange witch’s brew of genres and styles that is unique and enchanting… It’s doom, it’s goth rock, it’s 70s acid rock all wrapped into one enigmatic, ethereal burrito.” Despite the allusion to hot food, Twelve instead reckons that the album “takes me to a cold place. It’s emotional, but it feels like numbness; it’s quiet, but leaves a huge impression… any time I’ve felt low throughout the year, Vanishing Kids has been there.” This sense of something beyond easy description is mirrored by Carcharodon, who argues that the band “have that very rare something, that je ne sais quoi…. to create something truly unique requires genuine craft and these guys have it in spades.” Check out metal’s innovators.

#9. Convocation // No Dawn for the Caliginous Night – [#1, #4, #6, #7, #8, #ish, #HM, #HM] – Serving arguably the heaviest slot on this list1, Convocation and No Dawn for the Caliginous Night offered a mighty force of doom in 2023. Dear Hollow illustrates the heavier qualities of the release (“No Dawn for the Caliginous Night channels mammoth death-doom and despondent funeral doom to accomplish a weight both viciously devastating and patiently atmospheric”) while Kenstrosity instead prefers the counter-weight of both sides of the sound (“[their] deeply affecting use of orchestration and clean vocals to light up my nervous system while the heft of [their] tectonic death doom strives to end my life”). Bands like this remind us of our humanity and our finite nature; few records could be pitched as “a towering celebration of death’s enormity, packaged in the heaviest and most shimmering of vessels” but Convocation does this as Cherd‘s AotY. Step back, breathe deeply, and simply listen. No Dawn for the Caliginous Night exists in these moments.

#8. Afterbirth // In But Not Of – [#1, #1, #2, #3] – Inspiring a deep love among its few accolytes, Afterbirth reached this list through just a few list-topping selections. In But Not Of offers brutal death metal that isn’t just smart compared with its own – often blunt – sub-genre, but that is smart compared with anything. “For a band that traffics in slammy, knuckle-dragging brutal death, In But Not Of carries with it an undeniable progressive, cerebral quality, which feels like a logical outgrowth from their previous effort” (Felagund). Indeed, Doom et Al finds its progressive qualities its most compelling, describing that “while the first half of brutal, spacy, wacky death metal is great, the second half, with its explorations into post-metal and prog is where real greatness happens”. Nuanced, layered music invites exploration, and even our resident death metal enthusiasts concur: “Afterbirth crams an abundance of riches into a brutal death metal album that twists and transmutes… I continue to find surprises almost every time I revisit In But Not Of” (Ferox). This album exemplifies the power of invention and intrigue.

#7. Sermon // Of Golden Verse – [#1, #2, #4, #4, #9] – Boasting AMG.com’s prog o’ the year award, Of Golden Verse by Sermon is the sole album here also picked by yours truly. I found that “Sermon’s undulating song-writing style results in music that ebbs from steely, tense atmospheres and flows to passionate, cathartic explosions. Dramatic, sure. But exciting.” Saunders, awarding his album o’ the year, favors the record’s singularity, given that “Sermon boasts a unique sound they can call their own, where dark, eerie and deadly serious vibes and almost melodramatic flair flows through towering, intelligent, and emotive prog metal epics.” But even more than its dynamic songs and novelty, GardensTale underlines the most beguiling quality of Of Golden Verse: “What attracts me the most is the sense of threat. Sermon looms a great dark ominous wall that swallows the background and casts everything in shade. For an album to hold its breath even while beating you down is exquisite.” Few records are so powerful.

#6. Xoth // Exogalactic – [#1, #3, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #ish] – The first of three techy, deathy albums in a row, Exogalactic by Xoth consolidates the band as a bona fide site favorite. “Xoth’s brand of technical blackened death-thrash is a sci-fi spectacle. Exogalactic’s futuristic riffs, twisting melodies, and narrative arcs make it feel like reptilian aliens are indeed enslaving humans as gladiators… Every time I listen to Exogalactic, I can’t help but grin” (Maddog). More than simple smiles, Dr. Wvrm never hides his arousal around riffs. Of Exogalactic, he describes it as “prostrate before that holiest of holy, The Riff. So of course, the end product [is] impeccable, incredible, impossibly fucking good.” AMG Himself delights in “the consistently best thrashy melodic death metal this world has heard since the early-90s” and continues that “Xoth has started to cement themselves as one of my favorite bands.” This entire website has flown from His opinions so take heed; buy Xoth now.

#5. Wormhole // Almost Human – [#2, #4, #5, #5, #5, #9, #ish, #HM] – It takes a special kind of slam to breach the AMG aggregated list but Wormhole is a special sort of band. Having banged his drum about Almost Human almost all year, Kenstrosity surprisingly failed to AotY this album. But in doing so he was highly complimentary, noting that “Almost Human confirms that with the right songwriting, slam can be thoughtful, intentional, intricate, and enriching. Thanks to a healthy infusion of tech by way of tricky, but subtle maneuvers rather than straight-up wanking speed, Wormhole’s whimsically brutal metal suddenly transforms into something polished, elevated, and immersive.” Emphasizing the record’s heavier qualities, the ever-eloquent Saunders describes the release as a “visceral, ridiculously heavy, sci-fi-themed tech-slam assault.” And while we rightly review albums in their entirety rather than song-by-song, Dolphin Whisperer “repeatedly binged those first two singles as if they were a whole album to themselves.” It’s hard to deny songs so heavy but so gripping.2

#4. Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility – [#1, #2, #4, #4, #5, #7, #ish] – Visions of Infinihility offered some of 2023’s meatiest death metal. Angry Metal Guy was emphatic in His summary, penning that “the term tour de force was coined to describe albums like Visions of Infinihility. Sometimes an album simply rules and your record o’ the year choice is uncomplicated. Carnosus’ sophomore album is such an album.” As if this statement was insufficient, I’ll rely on Cherd to describe the thing: “a tech-death barn burner… tight, vicious, and catchy, this record also features [one of the] best harsh vocal performance of the year.”3 Some people – including me – are nonplussed by tech death, but Ferox has us poor bastards covered too: “every one of the nine tracks on Visions of Infinihility stands up to heavy listening… It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing four thousand dollar headphones or a bullet belt. Visions of Infinihility should appeal to wonks, diehards, and metalheads all across the spectrum.” You heard the man.

#3. Sodomisery // Mazzaroth – [#1, #2, #2, #6, #8, #8, #8, #10, #HM] – Sporting 2023’s shitty band name o’ the year, Sodomisery pulled no punches with their new record called Mazzaroth. Dr A.N. Grier describes how “with Mazzaroth came a new approach, emphasizing the black, death, and melodeath with massive orchestration atmospheres.” Its size warranted comment from other writers too; Twelve highlights “the vocal performance, the orchestrations, the songwriting—everything on Mazzaroth is top-tier, larger-than-life, incredible black metal.” More than anything, great music orbits around great song-writing and nowhere is that more apparent than with Sodomisery. Winning his favorite record of the year, newbie Iceberg commends this aspect. “The 36 minutes of Mazzaroth are as lean and mean as you can get… In the age of endless bloat, Sodomisery sharpen their knives and kill all their babies Spartan-style, leaving only razor-sharp riffing and inescapable songwriting in their wake.” You heard it here first; these Swedes killed their babies in pursuit of The Riff.

#2. Fires in the Distance // Air Not Meant for Us – [#1, #3, #3, #4, #4, #5, #5, #7, #10] – Residing in the top half of 7 lists, Air Not Meant for Us represented the best of 2023’s death and doom metal. Grymm compares these Connecticutens to sadboi legends, articulating that “Fires in the Distance took what makes Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum and added their own unique embellishments to create a truly captivating album.” Thus Spoke highlights its “distinctive form of ethereal, key-accented melodeath/doom”, but favors most how it’s “elegantly composed, stirring, and effortlessly graceful.” She wasn’t the only person to bond with this record. Doom et Al agreed that there are clear influences but still bestowed his top prize: “It isn’t particularly original, but I don’t care. Art is about the connection it forges with the person engaging with it, and I feel every note of Air Not Meant for Us in my marrow. There’s a longing and a beauty here that I connected with immediately.” Who am I – and who are you – to deny his emotions?

#1. Wayfarer // American Gothic – [#1, #1, #2, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #6, #7, #7, #7] – With 12 main list picks, 7 top 5s and 2 AotYs, there was little doubt that Wayfarer would take the aggregated top spot for 2023. Carcharodon posits that while its predecessor may have been “close to fulfilling the promise of their Wild West black metal, American Gothic is the album where everything that Wayfarer has struggled to bring together for years finally clicked into place.” Why is this? Awarding his AotY, Sentynel attributes it to “utterly seamless” genre blending. “This is the best of bleak country painted with the instrumentation of black metal. Electric guitars pick up melody lines from banjos with a twang. Distorted slide guitars get that pedal steel feeling. There’s even a honky-tonk piano.” Lesser bands have gimmicks; Wayfarer’s central synthesis is essential. “Black metal should not go well with the Old West. Wayfarer crafted not only their best album to date, but also an absorbing, engrossing classic that begs to be absorbed in full with your complete, utmost attention” (Grymm). If you miss this, we’ll see you at dawn. With pistols.

#2023 #Afterbirth #AngryMetalGuySTop10Ish_ #Ascension #BlogPosts #Carnosus #Convocation #Crypta #FiresInTheDistance #Godthrymm #Lists #Listurnalia #NightCrowned #Onheil #Panopticon #Saturnus #Sermon #Sodomisery #Somnuri #Tribunal #VanishingKids #Warcrab #Wayfarer #Wormhole #Xoth

El Cuervo’s and GardensTale’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023

By El Cuervo

El Cuervo

This list represents business as usual in Casa Cuervo. Four albums by bands that have previously hit my Album o’ the Year list. Four albums more-or-less fall into my preferred progressive death metal sub-genre. And one 80s-worshiping retrowave release. Only the very top and very bottom of my list feature acts outside my bailiwick.

You might think this would result in a year that I rate highly for musical releases. Sadly the opposite is true. I found it surprisingly easy to narrow down my list and surprisingly difficult to pick a real number one—both because there too few outstanding options to choose from. It says a lot that I reviewed two of my top three albums but I ‘only’ awarded these a 4.0. I admire all that’s been achieved by the entrants here but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed as we reach the end of 2023. Granted, my 2022 list was topped by two records that would be multi-year winners so the comparison was rough.

And yet, hope springs eternal. While it’s unlikely that 2024 will boast a list fitting so comfortably in my wheelhouse, I remain optimistic for a year full of new musical discoveries. Between now and then, enjoy the holiday season!

#10. Grails // Anches en Maat – Anches en Maat was my favorite music of the year to disconnect from reality and lose myself in a weird and wonderful world. There’s little left from the comparatively direct instrumental rock of early Grails, but their cinematic spectacle makes their recent music all the more intriguing. This one can loosely be bundled into post-rock but its range of influences, from blues to electronica to ambient to TV soundtracks, establishes a sound you won’t hear anywhere else. High-octane, minute-to-minute, and bursting with energy it isn’t. But what you will find is something endlessly evocative and endlessly repeatable in its lilting, laid-back spirit. I’m not a big post-rock nerd but I find everything released by Grails utterly engrossing.

#9. Svalbard // The Weight of the Mask – Svalbard have become more expressive and more creative as their career has progressed. While still firmly rooted in post-hardcore, The Weight of the Mask toys with musical boundaries more than ever. It features more of everything that has previously been a part of the Svalbard sound; from post-metal to post-rock to black metal. But it’s not the musical compositions that make these Brits so good. The emotive weight of their music makes each listen a passion-fuelled journey and I find myself returning for the feels it invokes above anything else. I’m not sure if I like Weight of the Mask more than When I Die, Will I Get Better? But, for those on the fence, it’s at least as good.

#8. Lunar Chamber // Shambhallic Vibrations – Few records from 2023 seemed as custom-built for this Cuervo as Shambhallic Vibrations by Lunar Chamber. Progressive? Check. Death metal? Check. Short run-time? Check. Incredible dynamism? Check. Buddhism?1 Check. Shambhallic Vibrations forges a new path through progressive death metal, leaning heavily on contemplative synths, impressive technicality, and doomy passages, all of which counter-balance the pace and ferocity of its core deathly style. Though shockingly varied for a release just running for 30 minutes, the release is unfailingly cohesive. From the breathy interludes to the brutal blasting, Lunar Chamber harmonizes their sounds into a satisfying whole. It isn’t a prerequisite for progressive albums to run for an hour or more. Shambhallic Vibrations does so much more with so much less.

#7. fromjoy // fromjoy – If you want to hear the coolest thing released in 2023, look no further than the self-titled EP by Houston’s fromjoy. It bottles insanity; conjures madness; flips the musical table. They do this with a fusion of various types of -core (grind, math, break) but streak this with winding, vaporwave synths. If this sounds like an unholy aberration, it is. But this aberration delights and energizes in equal measure. I’ve extracted more joy this year from these 26 minutes than full albums over twice that length. Almost every one of these ten tracks has a unique quirk; from wretched grind to stomping breakdowns to dancing trip-hop to smooth saxophones. fromjoy is a testament to pure creative energy and doing a lot with a little.

#6. Ulthar // Anthronomicon – Though it forms one side of a coin completed by its sister album Helionomicon, it was Anthronomicon that impressed me most of the concurrent release by pan-US collective Ulthar. What strikes me most are the compelling contradictions that Ulthar creates. Anthronomicon’s music is crushingly heavy yet repeatably memorable, while the instrumentation is oppressively other-worldly yet somehow human-performed. Blackened death metal cannot count itself among metal’s most penetrable sub-genres, but something about these warped arrangements hooks me. Ulthar might make strange, atmospheric music but Anthronomicon’s laser focus on outstanding riffs leaves a release I haven’t stopped spinning in nearly a year. It’s one of 2023’s most challenging but most rewarding listens.

#5. Tomb Mold // The Enduring Spirit – Why, after a run of critically acclaimed old-school death metal albums, is The Enduring Spirit the first Tomb Mold record to touch my AotY list? In short, because its music is far more inventive now. Switching out a cavernous aesthetic and unrelenting pace for tidier production and grandiose solos, The Enduring Spirit scratches that prog-death itch better than any other release from 2023. Though Tomb Mold has always been smarter-than-you-first-realize, this record represents a significant leap forward and feels like the next era of the band. Above all, it harmonizes Tomb Mold’s savage roots with newer, cerebral tendencies. While the immaculate transitions go some way to achieving this, the spacious soundstage and perfect instrumental tones ensure the release hangs together to my great satisfaction.

#4. Shadowrunner // Ocean of Time – Rebirth and Oblivion – For the first time, the Ocean of Time duo made me want to dislike a Shadowrunner release. Making the listener buy the same four songs twice in order to access the unique eight ruffled my feathers. But the music here is just so damn captivating that I can’t help but love the two sides nonetheless. Rebirth is as effortless and enchanting as any retrowave act from the last decade, while Oblivion is pure nostalgia bait. Warm synths, driving rhythms, smooth saxophones, and pleasant vocals; all are present and correct. Shameless pleasure and rose-tinted spectacles compel me to consistently choose something synthy for my AotY list and Shadowrunner made the best synth music of 2023. Do not sleep on one of the best acts in the scene.

#3. Sylosis // A Sign of Things to Come – I couldn’t be happier at my rediscovery of Sylosis since 2020’s Cycle of Suffering, and A Sign of Things to Come returns to deliver the goods once again. Despite the flack I took for describing Sylosis as how modern thrash should sound, I stand by that comment. 1986 already exists so go fucking listen to that again if you like. What this album will give you instead is music that fuses thrashy, melodic, technical, and hardcore influences into 10 super-charged tunes. They will fill you with rage, then re-energize you to exorcize that rage. For raw riff-craft, no other record was the match of this one. A sign of more things to come in the future? I fucking hope so.

#2. Sermon // Of Golden Verse – Only one other record this year feels as complete as Of Golden Verse. It is a consummate album, expressing its music and thoughts in the exact amount of time it requires. Despite its poignance and emotive qualities, it feels incredibly precise; a work created by masters of their trade. Even with 4 tracks approaching or exceeding 7 minutes, there’s nary a wasted second. That’s a tough feat indeed in the world of prog, and Sermon exemplifies all that is great in the genre. Their undulating songwriting style results in music that ebbs from steely, tense atmospheres and flows to passionate, cathartic explosions. Dramatic, sure; maybe even melodramatic. But exciting and varied as Sermon dabbles in progressive, alternative, and doom metal. Of Golden Verse represents a huge step forward from their debut.

#1. Hasard // Malivore – Though Malivore wasn’t a clear winner, its complete singularity pushes it above everything else in 2023. Hasard paints stark, abstract images in shades of black; it’s an impenetrable, challenging release, obscuring its immense qualities behind oppressive heaviness and bewildering arrangements. Through the record’s black metal crust hides an accomplished orchestral core that’s just as disturbing—in some ways, more so—as its metal aspects. Purposefully deconstructing the screeching guitars, arhythmic drumming, ominous synths, and erratic counter-melodies delivers the year’s most thought-provoking music. Passively wallowing delivers the year’s most thought-crushing music. While it may not be the most enjoyable record of the year, it is certainly the most striking. No other 2023 record affected me like Malivore.

Honorable Mentions

• Myrkur // Spine – Spine is just as sonically varied—arguably inconsistent—as any Myrkur release2 but this time it’s all high quality. From the poppy chorus on “Like Humans,” to the blast beats on “Valkyriernes Sang,” to the gentle folk on “Menneskebarn,” I’m emotionally invested throughout.
• Ahab // The Coral Tombs – Ahab is an indomitable force of doom metal, and The Coral Tombs didn’t miss a step after eight years away. Judicious variety and grand arrangements ensure that this is the best doom of 2023.
• Ne Obliviscaris // Exul – Balancing poignant string sections with crunchy death and black metal, NeO remains a stellar progressive metal band. Exul proves that even a NeO producing their weakest album is better than most others.

Songs o’ the Year

1. Godthrymm – “As Titans”
2. fromjoy – “Helios” / “Icarus”
3. In Flames – “Meet Your Maker”
4. Theocracy – “Return to Dust”
5. Hasard – “Hypnocentrisme”
6. Sermon – “Golden”
7. Angus McSix – “Master of the Universe”
8. Saturnus – “The Calling”
9. Sylosis – “Poison for the Lost”
10. ADMO – “Always”

GardensTale

In previous years, I wrote at least one paragraph about how the year went for me. But for the last 3 years, those have been pretty depressing, so I’m just going to skip that. Let’s talk about the good stuff instead. It’s strange to think that black metal is one of the last genres I seriously got into, around 5 years ago or so. Beforehand, I always thought all black metal was akin to lo-fi second-wave shit that sounds like someone sucked up a marble with the vacuum cleaner. Years before, Belgian unknowns Axamenta3 laid some groundwork to prove my misconception wrong, and Mistur hammered it home. Now the conversion is complete, thanks to a year that’s been absolutely stuffed with quality black metal. I could have made a very respectable list of only black metal records, HMs included. But I still like other genres, too, so it was inevitable a couple of other-minded rascals snuck in for color. At least Doom_et_Al won’t hate my list as much as usual. Probably.

I gotta add though, whilst I’ve heard a lot of praise for this year in metal, I still feel like I am missing a true winner. The order of my top 6 or so feels entirely arbitrary, and I’m not sure an extra month of listening would bring the necessary clarity. I’ve had plenty to love (my shortlist reached 10 albums by March or so, partially thanks to an unusually strong January) but the only albums I have been truly ecstatic about are discoveries that were released before the pandemic and barely metal-adjacent4 But so it goes! Every year is so different, in both life and music. I already had a sneak peek of a likely lister for next year, so I know we’ll be off to a good start in that regard.

I must thank my colleagues and editors for putting up with my slacking ass.5 You are a good bunch and half the reason I’m still pouring my heart and soul into this site. The other half is the free promos. And what’s an end-of-year projectile vomit of thank yous and love yous without addressing the readers? If you’re still here and didn’t just skip through to the list, you have my thanks. If you did skip to the list, you still have my thanks, you just won’t know about it. Even those of you who just check the winners and move on. You are still part of the weird and lovely conglomeration of readers we’ve developed, so thank you as well. And I must give a shout-out to the Discord folks. Though I don’t pop in too often, you’ve made it a lovely and welcoming server, and uncommonly well-behaved! Now, who’s ready for the other half of the worst takes in AMG?

#ish. Xoth // Exogalactic – Xoth is back and thus back in my list, because Xoth remains every bit the cool as hell bunch of motherfuckers it’s always been. It’s a little bit more technical and a little bit less memorable compared to its predecessor, missing a “Mountain Machines” level riff, but I still have a really hard time sitting still in my chair when Exogalactic is playing. Too much bouncy fun and sick solos!

#10. Fires in the Distance // Air Not Meant for Us – I listened to an absolute ton of melodic death metal in my early metal years. I still have a soft spot for the genre, but it also needs to do something different to stand out for me these days. Fires in the Distance fully meets that criterium. The stern, strident tone, doom-adjacent pacing, and tasteful piano make Air an album of aching beauty. I’m reminded in part of Eternal Tears of Sorrow, but far more mature and with great emotional depth. The only reason it didn’t place higher is that it doesn’t keep me coming back somehow, and these lists are nothing if not places to go with my gut.

#9. Leiþa // Reue – Speaking of my gut, Reue was the first full-blown punch it received this year. It amuses me when people claim that all black metal screams sound the same because though the lyrics are as incomprehensible as ever, I feel every ounce of the bottomless pain and despair Noise conjures here. But on top of the throat-ripping gurgles of depression are some very sophisticated melodies and good use of dynamics between quiet passages and all-out raging desperation. Most one-man bands struggle to make one worthwhile project, meanwhile, this guy has Leiþa, Non Est Deus, and Kanonenfieber on his resume. I’d call it unfair if I didn’t love it so much.

#8. Megaton Sword // Might & Power – Traditional metal doesn’t often show up on my year-end list. Maybe Megaton Sword wouldn’t have either, although I do love me a batch of idiosyncratic vocals. But a medical situation in the family made the first half of the year an especially stressful affair, and Might & Power with its simple sense of fun was my main musical comfort in that time. But there’s more to it than that. So many strong melodies with few frills. So many fist-pumping horseback-riding sword-raising shield-carrying moments of triumph and awe. And all tied together by that uncommon voice, acerbically spraying dark heroism over the battlefield. The worst of the family situation is well behind us, but Might & Power still won’t leave my regular rotation.

#7. Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility – Is it unfair to say Xoth got out-Xoth’ed this year? It’s the obvious point of comparison, between the many-faceted vocals, high technical ability, tongue-in-cheek insanity, twisting multi-part riffs, and snaking bass. But if Xoth is the oblique unknowable architecture of cosmic horror, Carnosus is the fleshy depravity of body horror. It theatrically revels in its filth and cackles as the audience turns green around the cheeks. Most of the death metal highlights this year have been of the cavernous or slamarific variety, neither of which does much for me, but Carnosus has been an absolute delight that’s kept up my good cheers.

#6. Walg // III – The vast majority of my music recommendations originate here, but once in a blue moon, my partner will send me a link to something that popped up in her random music feeds and I just get blown away. That’s how I found this independent duo from Groningen, the Netherlands, who, without any black metal experience, started shitting out annual albums in the middle of the pandemic and manage to outdo most of their peers in the process. III is a furious album, with blast beats and histrionic screeching out the wazoo, but is tempered by a bevy of great melodic riffs and the occasional gothic chant. Because the lyrics are in Dutch, which really is not a good language for this kind of horrific imagery, there’s something endearing to the band as well. The combination makes for a very interesting, dark yet catchy experience and one I can well recommend.

#5. Wayfarer // American Gothic – Wayfarer was always one of those bands I kept hearing about and kept not hearing. No particular reason, either; I resolved to listen to them several times and it just didn’t happen. Then I finally heard them, by seeing them live at Roadburn. It was definitely a highlight of the festival, aside from an interlude that was far too long and not nearly interesting enough. Thankfully, American Gothic is more balanced, a perfectly tuned album that calls forth the man in black stalking the prairie on horseback. It’s an album redolent in atmosphere without forgoing a good hook, one that can carry tension on a single banjo string. In short, it has lived up to the hype and then some.

#4. Sermon // Of Golden Verse – Pure prog metal often gets a reputation for being wussy and weenie. Sermon does it differently. What attracts me to this album the most is the sense of threat. Sermon looms a great dark ominous wall that swallows the background and casts everything in shade. For an album to hold its breath even while beating you down takes some exquisite songwriting, and Of Golden Verse is jam-packed with it. Closer “Departure” really opens the floodgates, too, for a satisfying and bombastic finale.

#3. VAK // The Islands – I called The Islands one of the flat-out coolest albums of the year and I stand by it. If anything, my appreciation for VAK’s latest has only grown since then. When you’ve listened to a million albums, the ones that really stand out and stick with you are the ones with the strongest personality. If you’d send me an unlabeled song that didn’t make the cut on The Islands I would recognize it as VAK immediately, guaranteed. While so much sludge tries and fails to get under my skin with a hammer, VAK succeeds by taking a shortcut as it pries off my fingernails with a rusty screwdriver. It’s deliciously uncomfortable and I love it.

#2. The Circle // Of Awakening – This was surely the most heinous underrating of the year. The opener alone should earn the band its 4.0, a perfectly tuned piece of proggy black/death. One thing that strikes me is how good The Circle is at finding the right dosages. Every time it feels like one thing has run its course, something replaces or enhances it, from the versatile vocals to the use of symphonics and from blast beats to breathing room. I’ve revisited this one a lot since the summer, and for a while, I thought it was gonna top my list…

#1. Night Crowned // Tales – …until Night Crowned bum-rushed the stage. Whereas many of my listening habits this year have been decidedly un-brutal, in the metal sphere I have found myself drawn to the combination of melodic and intense music, particularly in the second half of the year. Tales is an exemplary album in this regard. The intense blasting and no-holds-barred shrieking always hold a melodic thread that makes it more than a wall of noise, whether it be from extra vocal layers, subtly interweaved symphonics, or a goddamn hurdy-gurdy that works way better than it should. The track where the latter features most prominently, “She Comes at Night,” is what drew me in, but every track has its own face; its deviations make it stand out from the others, like the clean vocals on melodic mid-pacer “Loviatar” or the Dimmu influence on the grandiose closer “Old Tales.” While I would not rank it as highly as the winners of previous years, you owe it to yourself to grab Tales if you haven’t already.

Honorable Mentions

• Aetherian // At Storm’s Edge – Contrary to my point with VAK, this album doesn’t do much particularly new but it’s the embodiment of Finnish style epic melodeath done really, really well.
• Somnuri // Desiderium – Who knew Mastodon-style sludge could be improved with grunge?
• Mutoid Man // Mutants – Wild, reckless fun with more depth than a first glance betrays.
• Genus Ordinis Dei // The Beginning – Narrative albums aren’t easy, but Genus Ordinis Dei has that shit in the bag. Easy to listen to, easy to love, and feels like a complete, well-rounded movie in the guise of an epic metal album.
• Laster // Andermans Mijne – It’s deeply strange and gets at all the bits of my brain that have been gathering dust for years, but I can’t deny its continuous pull.

Disappointment o’ the Year

This is the first paragraph I’m writing this year because it’s the easiest. I always used to like Soen. With Lotus, I even loved them. Imperial was a clear step-down, branching out in the wrong directions, but it was still enjoyable in its own right, just not approaching list material. They put on some good live shows this year, too. But Memorial goes off the deep end like Thelma & Louise. The remaining semblances of progressive rock and metal are gone, replaced by refried alternative rock. Even Joel Ekelöf sounds downright bad, his buttery smooth croon awkwardly squished into a grungy mold that doesn’t suit him. It’s like the band members collectively decided to challenge themselves by trying to make an album without doing any of the things they’re actually good at. The experiment failed, boys.

Song o’ the Year

Last year I discovered Norwegian artsy prog rock outfit Major Parkinson and fell deeply in love with their quirky, bombastic, gloomy aesthetic and thoughtful, varied songwriting. Not long into this year, I found out that enigmatic vocalist Jon Ivar Kollbotn had suffered a massive heart attack in the middle of a concert in October. Though he managed to finish the set, he flatlined backstage. By some miracle, police officers happened to be just outside the building and they managed to restart Kollbotn’s ticker. When he was sufficiently recovered, the band re-wrote and recorded an old live track named “Take the Prescription” to commemorate his survival. The result is as addictive as prescription drugs, an upbeat and offbeat artful piece of prog-pop with an infectious whistled tune, beautiful smooth bass usage, and the band’s signature dark undertone. Kollbotn sounds as coarse and moody as ever, and new permanent member Peri Winkle offers an outside perspective to the frontman’s near-death experience. And even if the track hadn’t been one of the sweetest things I’ve heard this year, it’d still be my favorite track of 2023. If only because he was still around to record it.

#2023 #Aetherian #Ahab #BlogPosts #Carnosus #ElCuervoSAndGardensTaleSTopTenIshOf2023 #FiresInTheDistance #fromjoy #GenusOrdinisDei #Grails #Hasard #Laster #Leitha #Lists #Listurnalia #LunarChamber #MegatonSword #MutoidMan #Myrkur #NeObliviscaris #NightCrowned #Sermon #Shadowrunner #Soen #Somnuri #Svalbard #Sylosis #TheCircle #TombMold #Ulthar #VAK #Walg #Wayfarer #Xoth

Saunders and Felagund’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023

By Saunders

They weren’t shitting, time really does fly. Another year is done and dusted and it’s time to assemble our respective takes on the music that mattered in 2023. How a year in heavy music stacks up is of course subjective and often genre and taste-dependent. Overall, I found 2023 to be a solid year for metal, without standing out as one of the humongously awesome years in recent memory. Nevertheless, most death metal fans would be satisfied with the smorgasbord of quality releases that flooded the airwaves. It was particularly cool to hear so many classy veteran acts still going strong, with a slew of solid to borderline great albums from the esteemed likes of Dying Fetus, Vomitory, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Cryptopsy, and Autopsy. Outside of death realms, Enslaved also released their most noteworthy album in a number of years. A couple of list-wrecking behemoths popped up late, Phobocosm and Convocation, with not enough time afforded to fully absorb and appreciate. Xoth, Sulphur Aeon, and Warcrab rolled out quality albums late in the year without quite breaking into list territory. The latter two in particular were steps down from their immediate predecessors. While on the nostalgia front, the old-school melodeath charms of Omnicidal and Majesties warmed the heart.

Highlights? Well, the aforementioned brigade representing old school, classic death metal, and longevity stood out, while being able to contribute to ranking pieces for two long-time favorites in Dying Fetus and Suffocation were treasured writing experiences. By contrast, 2023 also threw up some tremendous releases from less-established death metal acts and young gun outfits, including a handful of show-stopping debut albums (Bloodgutter, Fabricant, Begravement, Rotpit). It also never ceases to amaze the growth and strength of AMG.com year to year. Approaching a decade of service to the blog, I tend to get sentimental and nostalgic at this time of year, and still being a part of the AMG crew, albeit from the far away corners of Australia, is an endlessly awesome privilege, especially when surrounded by the talented folk that write alongside me.

Cheers to everyone who frequents these pages and helps contribute to the best online metal community going ’round, and special thanks to Steel, Angry Metal Guy, Madam X, Doc Grier, the tech wizardry of Sentynel, and all the other higher-ups and editors for their tireless behind the scenes work and smooth, authoritative running of this mighty blog. All the best for a safe, happy, and healthy 2024.

#ish: Godthrymm // Distortions – In the odd occasion I sought out a doom fix in 2023, invariably Godthrymm’s epic second LP Distortions delivered the goods. I only recall giving their debut a cursory listen. However, Distortions gripped me from the outset and drifted in and out of rotation since its release when the mood struck for some melancholic, muscular, and gorgeously crafted doom that packed serious heft on both a sonic and emotional level. The My Dying Bride pedigree always held the band in good stead, yet it is how Godthrymm embraces their classic roots while spinning modern elements and fresh ideas into their brooding template that raises the bar. Yeah perhaps a few minutes could have been trimmed from the final package, with some minor bloat, but the strikingly powerful guitar work, earworm melodies, and towering, multi-faceted vocal performance crushes any minor gripes on length.

#10. Sodomisery // Mazzaroth – Every now and again the good olde Doc Grier and I’s tastes overlap. With the shared appreciation and dabbling in the progressive/post-metal waters of The Ocean, the quirky underground charms of Son of Sam, and rejuvenated veterans Green Carnation’s triumphant comeback album from 2020 most recently come to mind. Sodomisery, and their second album Mazzaroth, was exactly the palette-cleansing blackened storm I needed in 2023. The unheralded Swedish act expertly weaves icy melodic black, galloping melodeath, bleak atmospheres and tastefully presented orchestration into epic, catchy, fist-pumping tunes. Subtle shifts and striking dynamics highlight an album bursting with vicious, throat-grabbing hooks, ripping aggression and at least in nostalgia and melancholic tone, the quieter, clean passages remind me of early Opeth. You get the feeling the best is yet to come, however, Sodomisery has firmly grabbed my attention and banged out a helluva album.

#9. Outer Heaven // Infinite Psychic Depths – For whatever reason, Outer Heaven’s 2018 debut Realms of Eternity didn’t do a whole lot for me. It certainly resided in my wheelhouse but failed to gain traction at the time. Perhaps I need to revisit, as their long in the works, conceptual sophomore album, Infinite Psychic Depths, took me by storm from the get-go. Infinite Psychic Depths hooked me in and has kept me coming back for more. I particularly enjoy how the band straddles influences and eras across the death spectrum, all while cultivating a distinctive sound their own. There’s an ugly old-school vibe, residing next to the band’s modern inclinations and exploratory, experimental angle. Meanwhile, technical firepower under the hood and sick, guttural brutality offer plenty to keep the brutal death and tech fiends happy. However, Infinite Psychic Depths is neatly grounded by the bevy of excellent riffs, brain-melting solos, and nasty, viscous grooves. There are aspects of the production I don’t love, while the length is a little overdone, but these nitpicks fail to bring down one of death metal’s powerhouse releases of 2023.

#8. Bloodgutter // Death Mountain – There were a number of impressive death metal debuts in 2023, however, it was the ultra-chunky debut from Danish heavy hitters Bloodgutter that warranted much attention and stayed in heavy rotation from its middle-of-the-year release. There were more brutal, heavier, technical, and ultimately better death platters to indulge in throughout 2023, but few stirred up the adrenaline, brought the fun factor, and kept the head banging as frequently as Death Mountain. Boasting one of the year’s best and heaviest guitar tones, Death Mountain is a blast of no-frills old-school brawn with a hefty modern crunch. The songs are uncomplicated but well-constructed, tightly played, and possess a thick, catchy streak that has kept me clambering back for more on a regular basis. Featuring a member of underrated Danish bruisers Dawn of Demise, Bloodgutter brings a similarly rib-shattering intensity and keen sense of violent, swaggering groove and riffcraft to the table. Such an exciting and consistent debut bodes well for a bright future.

#7. Horrendous // Ontological Mysterium – It is no secret to anyone who has frequented these pages over the years that Horrendous are a big fucking deal to me. The old-school progressive death heavyweights have done little wrong over the past decade or so, smashing out a string of triumphant platters with nostalgic nods to the past, and a boot firmly planted in forward-thinking and innovative territories. Following their longest recording break thus far, Horrendous finally returned with their fifth LP, Ontological Mysterium. Despite unreasonable expectations and the album taking a few extra listens to fully unveil its greatness, make no mistake, Horrendous once again proved themselves masters of the modern prog-death craft. Listeners not fully on board with the band’s increased proggy bent, will likely take issue, but Horrendous have long been on the progressive path and the balance is still deftly handled, with the deathlier aspects remaining prominent, carrying the torch of later era Death. Throw in the best production in the business and you have yet another spectacular addition to an increasingly essential discography.

#6. Mutoid Man // Mutants – Mutoid Man is an absolute personal favorite of mine and their music never fails to excite, energize and provide bucketloads of endlessly wacky fun. After a lengthy wait, third LP Mutants finally arrived and largely met high expectations. Back in 2017 War Moans made a huge impact on me, while also helping navigate tough times, so it’s an album I hold in especially high regard. Mutants may not exceed or quite match the front-to-back awesomeness of its predecessor, but it’s a top-notch album in its own right. Continuing to blur lines between rock, metal, punk, math, hardcore, and everything in between, Mutants offered a more measured, melodic batch of slick, uber fun tunes, without watering down their zany characteristics. Despite being a less wild ride than its predecessor, Mutants still manages to surprise and delight, even throwing down a couple of nastier, discordant ditties recalling the spastic turns of their early days. The replay factor has remained strong, and when seeking something sharp, fun, and laden with infectious riffs and juicy hooks, Mutoid Man delivered again and again, being the ultimate pick-me-up album of 2023.

#5. Wormhole // Almost Human – Along with Afterbirth, Baltimore’s Wormhole paved the way for what slam can be in 2023. Following a different but equally appealing trajectory, Wormhole took all that was great about their previous releases and enhanced all aspects of their visceral, ridiculously heavy, sci-fi-themed tech-slam assault. As much as I enjoyed its predecessor, 2020’s The Weakest Among Us, the songwriting consistency, quality, and replayability elevates Almost Human to more elite, essential realms. The production and musicianship are top-shelf, but beyond the sonic attributes and technical showmanship reside a batch of killer songs that remain unrelentingly brutal, slammy, yet oddly accessible, memorable, and intelligently crafted for the style. Throw in the almost EP territory album length, and you’re left with one of the most compact, deadly efficient, and catchy slam albums in recent memory. Wormhole makes every song count and cycling through favorites is an ever-shifting task, though such addictive, devastating gems like “Elysiism,” “Spine Shattering High-Velocity Impact,” and monstrous “Delta Labs” are fine advertisements to an unforgettable brutal tech-slam experience.

#4. Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility – Considering its early year release, Visions of Infinihility has impressively stayed in and around regular rotation, the depth of its quality creeping in through its persistent presence, razor-sharp hooks, and technical supremacy. French vets Gorod also released a cool tech-death platter, however, it was this unheralded Swedish act that stole the show. Carnosus ensures their tight, techy attacks don’t forget to have fun. The songs are melodic, thrashy, chock full of interesting twists and tasty hooks, yet still boasts a brutal edge and tons of groove. Although the five-piece line-up impresses with their supreme technical skills across the board, the real wildcard is vocalist Jonatan Karasiak. His diverse and charismatic vocals add a further layer of intrigue and versatility, effortlessly shifting tones from high-pitched blackened rasps and screams to deeper, more guttural fare, occasionally bringing to mind the sadly departed Trevor Strnad. It all makes for a delightfully acrobatic, crunchy, and explosive album experience.

#3. Somnuri // Desiderium – The surprise packet of the year. Initially, I missed Cherd‘s enthusiastic review of this New York band’s second LP, Desiderium. However, once I eventually clued in, Somnuri proceeded to blow me away with their potent hybrid and hook-laden blend of hardcore, sludge, and ’90s-inspired alt/grunge rock. Ever since I have been hopelessly hooked in what has become one of the year’s most addictive albums. Somnuri never skimps on the vicious hardcore bite meets sludgy heft, and the way they juggle these aspects with the earworm clean vocal hooks and ’90s influence is a thing of songwriting beauty. Desiderium is an album of wall-to-wall bangers and nary a sign of weakness. Hard to pick a firm favorite, but the stretch from “Pale Eyes” through to “Desiderium” is tremendous, without discounting the quality of the other tunes. The main beef I can level at the album is regarding production, with the in-your-face sound packing punch but the crushed mastering fails to do justice to the wonderful dynamism of the top-shelf songwriting. It’s hardly a deal breaker on a marvelous collection of biting, catchy tunes.

#2. Afterbirth // In But Not Of – The third full-length endeavor from the once long-dormant New York brutal death/slam crew Afterbirth has been the talk of the town since its October release, and rightfully so. Though the hype train can get carried away in over-the-top praise and hyperbole wankery, in this case, I am well and truly on board. Four Dimensional Flesh was a terrific album, so expectations were high. Afterbirth crafted an album that pushed the envelope of brutal death and slam, a subgenre generally not renowned for innovation or such wildly brave experimentation. I get listeners not on board with the album’s brooding atmospherics and spacey, post-metalisms. In particular, the album’s trippy back half takes some time to fully appreciate after the dense, jugular-grabbing first half of brutally proficient and proggy slam-death. However, the pay-off of the atmospheric, springy, and gorgeous melodic bent and contrasting gurgled vox somehow works and elevates an already great album into some weirdly off-kilter cosmic slam meets post-death hybrid that shouldn’t work but does.

#1. Sermon // Of Golden Verse – Weirdly enough when seeking my prog fix in 2023, it was mostly looking backward to previous releases, with minimal 2023 prog albums gaining much traction. Way back in March, UK’s mysterious dark progressive metal band Sermon returned with a momentous sophomore album, raising the bar high for prog metal in 2023. Perhaps the 4.5 rating was a tad overzealous, only time will tell. But as my highest rating review of 2023, the album hit me hard and stayed in solid rotation throughout the year. Despite never being a foregone conclusion, it seems fitting to bestow top honors on Of Golden Verse. Sermon plays prog metal like none other. Sure, influences and similarities to like-minded acts exist, however, Sermon boasts a unique sound they can call their own, dark, eerie and deadly serious vibes and almost melodramatic flair flows through towering, intelligent, and emotive prog metal epics. The constantly heightened tension and ritualistic edge permeating the album creates a mysterious, tense, and beguiling atmosphere, consolidated by consistently gripping songwriting and skyscraping hooks on such memorable gems as “Golden,” “Light the Witch” “Wake the Silent” and stunning closer, “Departure.”

Honorable Mentions

• Suffocation // Hymns from the Apocrypha – A surprising and unexpectedly strong return from the rejuvenated New York brutal death masters. Featuring a new vocalist and refreshed, yet familiar sound, Hymns of the Apocrypha perhaps marked a fresh era of renewed inspiration.
• Shores of Null // The Loss of Beauty -The always impressive Italian doomsters bring the sadboi feels, hooky melodies, and deathly heft through another taut, catchy collection of quality doom-death tunes.
• Gridlink // Coronet Juniper – A welcome return from the mighty Gridlink. Although not quite the momentous, all-conquering achievement of Longhena, and nearly overshadowed by exciting newcomers Walking Corpse, Gridlink’s comeback was a noteworthy and impressive burst of intense, elastic grind.
• Dying Fetus // Make Them Beg for Death – A back-to-basics, curb-stomping return from the legendary Dying Fetus. May not challenge their best albums but it’s a fun, slammy blast of signature awesomeness nonetheless.
• Vanishing Kids // Miracle of Death – When the dust settles, I’ll no doubt regret not ranking this ghostly, dreamy, and utterly spellbinding doom platter higher on the list proper. My main excuse is I feel there is much still to unlock and appreciate. but the urge to return has only gotten stronger with each listen.
• Kruelty // Untopia – Rabid Swedish-inspired old-school death meets hardcore, with a fresh Japanese twist and doomy, grindy edge. Killer stuff.
• Walking Corpse // Our Hands, Your Throat – Unheralded grinders Walking Corpse unleashed an utterly devastating, black as coal, barn-burning grind platter, wielding a precision, borderline chaotic attack. They skillfully whipped nifty dynamic shifts and discordant bursts of hardcore and noise into a fresh, deceptively catchy batch of songs.

Disappointments o’ the Year

• Middling to okay efforts from long-time favorites Soen and The Ocean stood out the most considering their stellar track records. I wasn’t overly taken by the new Haken either. Royal Thunder was solid, yet it was their first album not to really grip me. A revisit is on the cards.

Non-Heavy Picks

• Queens of the Stone Age, Gunship, Dorthia Cottrell, Killer Mike

Return to Form

• Baroness // Stone – I had begun to lose interest in the sludgy, exploratory rock stylings of Baroness when they turned tone-deaf and started wrecking albums with horrid production. After more or less skipping their last release, I cautiously checked out Stone and left pleasantly surprised. Finally, the band ditched the ear bleeding production traits for something more organic and palatable. Additionally, John Baizley and crew wrote a rather punchy, experimental batch of tunes that mostly hit the mark and reinvigorated my interest in the band. Hallelujah!

Song ‘o the Year

A lot of cool songs kicked arse, so narrowing it down to one is really a futile task in 2023. Therefore, I selected the following belter from a shortlist and ran with it. With a thick, sludgy, hardcore edge and earworm chorus, Somnuri’s “What a Way to Go” was frequently close to hand when I needed a pick-me-up tune.

Felagund

What a difference a year makes! Since last, I sat down to compile my completely objective, highly-regarded Top Ten(ish) list in the dying days of 2022, much has changed in the world o’ Felagund. I left a job, started my own business, and tried in vain to get my six-year-old to show even a fleeting interest in The Hobbit. In the immortal words of The Dude, 2023 was full of “strikes and gutters, ups and downs.” But isn’t that always the case? None of us emerge completely unscathed, but I hope you and yours were able to weather any storms this dastardly year threw your way and emerge with your sanity intact. Not dignity, though. You spend far too much time on this site to have any of that left.

Now, as I embark on my third end-of-year list as a spit-at and put-upon AMG staffer, I can look back at twelve months chock full of musical riches, particularly in the death metal department. It was certainly a solid year for my pet genre, and I think my list (and honorable mentions) reflect that. But some things never change. Just like last year, I didn’t find nearly enough time to listen to all the music I wanted to, nor was I able to take a deep dive into some of the albums reviewed on this very site (although, if we’re being honest, most of them are probably just overrated 2.5s). And just like last year, my output continues to be a source of shame, ridicule, and scorn. I’m going to blame my lack of productivity on being a new business owner, but I know that no amount of excuses, pleas, or cries will ever earn Steel’s forgiveness.

Now before we get to my many metal musings, I’d be remiss if I didn’t first acknowledge and thank my returning listmate Saunders, who once again inadvertently introduced me to yet another prog album that ended up in my top five. Many thanks must also go to the mighty Steely Dan and the rarely-seen but universally-beloved Madam X. Steelcut Oats has put up with a lot from your friendly neighborhood Noldor this past year, what with my incessant tardiness and my penchant for “altering” his well-respected moniker in my reviews. On a more serious note, kudos are also required for his steadfast leadership and ongoing support as he keeps the derelict denizens (read: staffers) in line and out of trouble. The beatings have continued, morale has not improved, and I’m convinced we deserve far, far worse. And yet, I find myself uplifted and inspired by a growing crew of long-suffering editors and fellow authors who, despite their questionable taste, make AMG the special, endearingly deranged place that it is. And let us not forget the man, the myth, the bearded legend himself, Angry Metal Guy, the namesake of this digital institution, a learned doctor as determined by an accredited institution, and the final arbiter of all things trve.

Now, without further ado, entirely too much aplomb, and lacking all pomp, I present my top ten(ish) albums of 2023. May you listen, may you learn, and may you realize just how wrong you are.

#ish. Mutoid Man // Mutants – From the first few moments of album opener “Call of the Void,” I knew right away that this was an album I’d be spinning again and again. And while it didn’t quite crack my official top ten, it’s hard to deny Mutants’ infectious groove, the earworm hooks, the Voivod-esque sci-fi oddities, and the effective interplay between clean and extreme. Mutoid Man can seamlessly blend an array of disparate genres, from progressive metal and punk to hard rock and a dose of dissonant noise, and that makes their latest album a worthy #ish for any discerning weirdo.

#10. Anareta // Fear Not – I was unfamiliar with New Orleans-based Anareta until I read Dolphin Whisperer‘s glowing review. My interest was further piqued when I saw AMG’s equally gushing prose, declaring Fear Not April’s Record o’ the Month. I’m glad I took a chance on this album, because Anareta is definitely something special, delivering both crushing extremity and lush beauty, caustic rage and bitter anguish. This interplay is made all the more effective by the melodious stringed instruments that thrive against the shrieked, furious vox. Perhaps in less adept hands, this mix would grate on the listener, but Anareta’s self-styled brand of “Chamber Metal” uplifts the traditional bass, guitar, and drums by adding in virtuosic orchestration, doomy chants, and blackened vocals to deliver a unified sound that grabbed my attention and refused to let go.

#9. Horrendous // Ontological Mysterium – Horrendous is a band unafraid of growth, as evidenced by their consistent evolution across five high-quality releases. Ontological Mysterium builds on this trend, both as a towering slab o’ death and further proof that Horrendous continues to evolve as musicians and songwriters. Leaning further into their progressive tendencies only strengthens their arsenal, and while I didn’t find Ontological Mysterium as immediately engaging as some of their previous releases, repeated spins proved increasingly rewarding. Horrendous is a band that has proven that they can stay true to my beloved OSDM while still boasting technical freneticism and hefty groove, and for that, they’ve earned their spot on this list.

#8. Xoth // Exogalatic – Sci-fi-tinged thrash? Check. Lovecraftian horrors delivered via a blackened death onslaught? Check. All wrapped up in a catchy, crunchy, crushing record over 39 minutes? Count. Me. In. On Exogalatic, Xoth builds upon very familiar themes, and I couldn’t be happier that they’re still hard at work, honing their sound in the Stygian depths of space, where no one can hear you shred. Exogalatic boasts both razor-sharp technicality and thrashy speed without ever sacrificing melody, memorability or heaviness. And there are songs about trading blows with reptilian alien pugilists and quenching a newly-forged space-blade in the blood of dead gods? Take my money and welcome to my list, lads.

#7. Wayfarer // American Gothic – If Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian ever had a soundtrack, Wayfarer would be the party responsible, and rightly so. So well-honed is their moody, emotive, brutally cynical (for good reason) Wild West-inspired take on black metal that I can almost hear their compositions accompanying McCarthy’s narrative. Any band with the ability to place the listener into such a specific time and location is worth your time and money. Wayfarer accomplishes this over and over again on American Gothic, and the result is a beautiful, furious, and sad rumination on industry, exploitation, death, and the power of myth. if American Gothic isn’t on your end-of-year list, it’s just because you haven’t listened to it yet.

#6. Sodomisery // Mazzaroth – Did Grier talk about Sodomisery endlessly? Yes, he did. And because our tastes are so divergent (and because he makes fun of me for the stuff I like) I nearly avoided this one. But so convincing was his review that I decided to give it a chance, and wouldn’t you know it? Here sits Mazzaroth, nearly breaking into my top Five. Much has been made of the band’s name, and while it lacks subtlety, have you seen some of the other garbage we’ve covered? Besides, instead of clutching pearls, you should be busy enjoying the majestic tones of Sodomisery’s melodic blackened death metal, replete with emotive orchestration, earworm hooks, effective vocal variations, and a songwriting approach that deftly balances heaviness with accessibility. With nary a filler tune in sight, the lesson is simple: don’t let Grier scare you, as long as you list an album he likes.

#5. Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility – And just like that, we’ve entered the Top Five. As I said in the introduction, 2023 was a year of death metal riches, and for me, that assertion is perhaps best embodied by Carnosus’ and their sophomore effort. I was unaware of this band until this year, but ’tis far better to be late than to be…never. Carnosus delivers a heaping slab of evocative technical death metal without ever forgetting that good songs need good riffs. And boy is this album overflowing with riff after succulent riff. I must also mention Vocalist Jonatan Karasiak, who delivers every high-pitched shriek, DM growl, and percussive grunt, lending even more variety to an already diverse platter while still maintaining album cohesion. This is a bold, mature, expansive tech death album from a band that has no right to be this good this early in their careers. As such, this album was an easy lister.

#4. Sermon // Of Golden Verse – Last year, Saunders‘ endorsement of Disillusion’s Ayam ultimately led me to award it my vaunted number two spot. And now, I find myself in a similar situation: Saunders awarded Of Golden Verse a lofty, nearly unattainable 4.5, and now here I sit, placing yet another one of his chosen progressive metal acts into my Top Five. While I could take issue with my listmate’s worrying control over my decision-making, I’m instead going to celebrate this twist of fate, as it brought me this gem of an album. And what an album it is! Sermon establishes a consistent, ominous atmosphere without ever losing momentum. Instead, Sermon relies on wave after wave of musical variation; the lush and emotive can give way to the more intense and extreme; progressive, churning melodicism can grow and cascade into an all-enveloping chorus. Of Gold Verse is a beautiful, complex album that only gets better with repeated listens and deserves a spot on any respectable Top Ten.

#3. Crypta // Shades of Sorrow – What a way to kick off my Top Three! Ever since 2021’s Echoes of the Soul, I’ve been a vocal supporter of these Brazilian death metalers. And after two years, Fernanda and co. have once again delivered the goods. It’s clear they’ve grown as a band, crafting an even stronger album that feels more mature, bolder, and heavier than their previous effort, chock full of grimace-inducing riffs, impressive vocal acrobatics, and a drum sound that pins you to the wall and dares you to peel yourself off. While Crypta is still fetid, OSDM adherents, Shades of Sorrow also amps both the black and thrash influences, resulting in a compelling sophomore effort that packs a significant, unforgettable punch. In a year where quality death metal releases were not in short supply, I think it says a lot that Crypta was able to set themselves apart not only from the blistering success of their first album but from the rest of 2023’s excellent releases.

#2. Cattle Decapitation // Terrasite – Last year I caught grief for daring to include Ghost in my Top Ten. This year, I’m sure some maladjusted malcontents will take issue with me including Terrasite so high on my list. “Their old stuff is better!” or “There are too many awkward cleans!” I can hear you loudly posting in the comment section. But the unfortunate truth is that Cattle Decapitation remains a force to be reckoned and 2023 marked yet another great addition to an already undeniable discography. I’m still enamored with CD’s ability to craft memorable, pummeling death metal that often veers into grind, brutal death, or melodeath territory. I also cannot get enough of Travis Ryan’s vocal range, from blackened snarls to percussive, deathened growls to plaintive cleans. But as I mentioned in my Terrasite review, my favorite aspect of the album isn’t just the rage they level at the human race, but the accompanying resignation. This adds an emotive layer while also paving the way for oddly beautiful, destructive tracks like “Scourge of the Offspring.” I’m proud to call Terrasite my number two, and I scoff at those elitists unwilling to enjoy a good album, even after it’s been shoved down their ungrateful gullets.

#1. Afterbirth // In But Not Of – The album that snagged the top spot on my year-end list did so surprisingly fast, after only a few spins. I knew right away that In But Not Of was something special, and that belief has only been reaffirmed after multiple listens and even deeper dives. Death metal certainly had a bumper year, and in my humble (and correct) opinion, Afterbirth is the ideal example of a band that helped bolster the genre and propel it to loftier heights in 2023. And why wouldn’t it be? For a band that traffics in slammy, knuckle-dragging brutal death, In But Not Of carries with it an undeniable progressive, cerebral quality, which will come as no surprise to fans and feels like a logical outgrowth from their previous effort Four Dimensional Flesh. But as Ferox pointed out in his review, perhaps the most impressive, engaging, and effective aspect of In But Not Of is the clear distinction on display; while the first half of the record comports itself as a tried-and-true, brutal death metal scourge that’ll leave you happily battered and bruised, the second half explores more progressive fair, featuring unexpected atmosphere, slower sections, and even some non-metal influences. Indeed, In But Not Of is the kind of album that grabs your attention immediately, but like a legend, it grows in the retelling, and it requires repeat spins to uncover all the tasty little morsels tucked between animalistic grunts and frenetic, chunky riffs. You’re listening to elevated slam here, and don’t you forget it; I know I won’t.

Honorable Mentions:

• Cannibal Corpse // Chaos Horrific – I an unrepentant fan of the good ‘ol Corpse, and while their newest album isn’t some massive departure from their releases over the past few years, they’re good at what they do and I love listening to them do it.
• Carnation // Cursed Mortality – While I still don’t quite understand the name, I understand the music, and I suppose that’s more important. Carnation has delivered another high-quality slab of buzzy, OSDM that’s more than worthy of a spin or six.
• Ahab // The Coral Tombs – You’ll notice my list doesn’t include much in the way of doom, and that’s by design. However, Ahab’s The Coral Tombs is the exception that proves the rule. Is it too long? Yes. But even so, this album is big, emotive, and much like the sea, I found it impossible to ignore its cunning allure.
• Tardigrade Inferno // Burn the Circus – Burn the Circus feels like the rock opera Stephen Sondheim may have written if he’d spent too much time at the carnival following the success of Sweeney Todd. Brash, over-the-top, and offensively catchy, I can’t get over just how much I enjoyed Tardigrade Inferno’s latest this year.
• Outer Heaven // Infinite Psychic Depths – A death metal concept record can be a tough sell, mostly because it’s hard to follow a story when you can’t understand a word the vocalist is grumbling at you. Be that as it may, Infinite Psychic Depths still presents an old-school, prog-tinged, off-kilter journey that’s well worth taking.
• Disguised Malignance // Entering the Gateways – all hail Holdeneye, whose slavish devotion to this new band piqued my curiosity and earned them a strong honorable mention as a result. Their brand of OSDM with slight prog influences is right up my alley, and while there were other releases this year that held my attention longer, Disguised Malignance was somehow able to make a big splash on their debut alone, and I can’t wait to see what these young whippersnappers do next.

Song o’ the Year

Afterbirth – ”Devils with Dead Eyes” What are you waiting for? Listen to this track and tell me it doesn’t evoke some of the most chaotic, overwhelming moments of 2023. Sure, Sodomisery’s “Delusion” is the far more catchy option, but when I think of a song that represents all that 2023 was (and wasn’t), I can’t help but return to “Devils with Dead Eyes.” It doesn’t hurt that it features a truly killer riff, Iron Maiden-esque chuggery, and even a touch of grunge. Make of all that what you will, just as long as you’re about to press play.

#2023 #Afterbirth #Ahab #Anareta #BlogPost #Bloodgutter #CannibalCorpse #Carnation #Carnosus #CattleDecapitation #Crypta #DisguisedMalignance #DyingFetus #Godthrymm #Gridlink #Horrendous #Kruelty #Lists #Listurnalia #MutoidMan #OuterHeaven #SaundersAndFelagundSTopTenIshOf2023 #Sermon #ShoresOfNull #Sodomisery #Somnuri #Suffocation #TardigradeInferno #VanishingKids #WalkingCorpse #Wayfarer #Wormhole #Xoth

Carcharodon’s and Cherd’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023

By Carcharodon

Carcharodon

I’ve been tetchy in 2023. Little things I’d normally barely even notice—about people, records, life in general, Mrs Carcharodon‘s recent insistence that we buy an air fryer—have really irked me. I’m (just about) self-aware enough that I clocked this, only to get more irked when I couldn’t put my finger on why. Yes, I turned 40, so am officially Olde and probably have to start listening to Saxon soon but that doesn’t fully explain it. It’s been a pretty good year in the main. I’m in a new job I like, Shark Pup No 1 has adjusted well to starting school and Shark Pup No 2 continues to get larger(!). We’ve had some good holidays, both as a family and, as a 40th treat to myself, a great trip to Islay, where very large quantities of smoky scotch1 were consumed with three very good friends. So why was I so tetchy? Maybe I was just tired?

As the year drew to a close, however, I realized I wasn’t just tired, I was weary. There’s a difference and it’s an important one. While I’m very lucky in many ways, there’s also a lot going on in my life, lots of spinning plates, and I don’t really take any time for myself. That was a bit of a realization. I’ve never been much for self-care or introspection; if I’m quiet, it doesn’t mean that I’m having deep thoughts, I’ve simply powered down for a bit. So, my resolution for 2024 is to find a little time to do a bit more for myself. I want to up my exercise game. I want to start reading more again. In short, I need to make time to do things I want to do, not just things I need to do. Needy, hey?

Apparently, I also needed a new list mate, after my emotional support sponge of several years ascended to a new name and (deservedly) to a new list status. Farewell Kenstrosity, I’ll miss you but maybe the real List mates are the ones we made along the way. In general, the USS AMG has charted a steady course through choppy waters in 2023, with Steel Druhm a steady, if stern, presence at the helm, while the editors dealt out the daily lashes and suspiciously cloudy grog. Thanks to them for all their efforts (only sometimes literally) whipping us into shape, and to all my fellow writers. You are all, to quote everyone’s favorite A.N.Gry Doc, idiots and I love less than half of you, half as well as you deserve but you are still better than many alternatives (like the Commentariat, who are awful(ly loveable)).

And with that, I have indulged myself enough. So, without further ado, here is the List of the writer who last year won the First Annual Killjoy Kudos for Best Taste Award (although, strangely, the statuette to which I assume I am entitled, has thus far failed to materialize…).

#ish. Omnivortex // Circulate – Tech death—indeed, death metal in general—isn’t really my thing, and the adulation heaped on Omnivortex’s 2020 effort, Diagrams of Consciousness, caused only bemusement for me. However, Circulate is a different beast. It’s interesting that my (now former *sob*) listmate Kenstrosity awarded Diagrams… his #1 spot in 2020 but, in his review of this year’s effort, said that it took Circulate a while to click for him, with the consistency of songwriting more pronounced here, over its predecessor’s spiky highlights. Perhaps that says something about the difference between what my erstwhile partner and I respectively look for in records. Perhaps it doesn’t. Either way, Omnivortex bullied and beasted their way onto this List because there was no force to stop them.

#10. Warcrab // The Howling Silence – Warcrab’s Damned in Endless Night made it to #6 on my first-ever List here at AMG, way back in 2019. Looking back now, it probably should have been higher. It’s been a long wait for The Howling Silence but it didn’t disappoint. Operating at that sweet intersection between doom and sludge, the UK veterans sound as filthy and pummelling as ever and, as Cherd pointed out, are now allowing elements of OSDM to bleed into their rumbling assault. The combination makes them as brvtal as they’ve always been but brings a sense of freshness and revitalized energy to Warcrab that I didn’t expect but loved to see.

#9. Leiþa // Reue – I had a sneaking suspicion that I underrated the second record from Leiþa, when I reviewed it back in January. This was confirmed when AMG awarded it ROTM in extremely timely fashion, on February 1st, declaring it to be a “masterful platter of great—potentially even excellent—black metal.” And so it has proved. It’s an album I’ve returned to over and over as the year went on. It’s hard to overstate the sheer raw, dark emotion that Reue’s creator Noise channeled into this record. For all that, the great songwriting brings a surprising amount of melody, although this only serves to heighten the sense of loss, remorse, and bitter self-loathing that drenches this (potentially) excellent album. It’s a devastating album.

#8. Vanishing Kids // Miracle of Death – It’s hard to put into words exactly what makes Vanishing Kids’ brand of progressive doom so damn good. Sure, Jason Hartman is a fucking great guitarist but he’s not completely alone in that. Nikki Drohomyreky’s vocals are hauntingly beautiful but again, other vocalists can achieve that. In his review of Miracle of Death, Steel highlighted the “graceful, ethereal, and dreamy atmosphere” conjured by the band from the opener “Spill the Dark” (also my undisputed song of the year) and that’s probably about as close as we’ll get to the pinning it down. The fact is that Vanishing Kids have that very rare something, that je ne sais quoi. Combining trad doom, psychedelia, 70s occult rock, and more, to create something truly unique requires genuine craft and these guys have it in spades.

#7. The Circle // Of Awakening – I only went back to The Circle to be sure I could cross it off my List’s longlist. After all, it only got a 3.5 from Dear Hollow, whose taste overlaps with mine to a fair degree. That was about six weeks ago and I’m here to tell you DH underrated it. Of Awakening has been in heavy rotation ever since. Drawing together the likes of Ahab, Dark Funeral, and My Dying Bride, this is a crushingly dark album, that, despite its beautifully trim runtime, has a real sense of grandeur and majesty about it. Contrary to DH‘s thoughts, for me, Of Awakening is so tightly written that The Circle can get away with being as pummelling as they want but there’s also a lot more nuance and refinement here than one might hear on the first spin. Trust me. I’ve spun this a lot.

#6. Convocation // No Dawn for the Caliginous Night – There’s a sweet spot in the year for dropping records. Too early and they may be forgotten; too late and people may not have enough time with them. November 24th definitely falls into the latter camp. With more time, No Dawn for the Caliginous Night could probably have laid siege to my top three but I just didn’t get to spend the same amount of time with Convocation’s massive slab of outstanding doom as I did with the other outstanding things you will read about below. Be in no doubt though, Cherd was correct2 to drop a 4.5 on this majestic beast of a record.

#5. Antrisch // EXPEDITION II: Die Passage – Atmoblack comes in for a lot of stick. Some of it is even justified. But, when it’s done right, it’s a thing of beauty and Antrisch undoubtedly does it right. Frigid atmosphere pours out of EXPEDITION II in icy waves but never at the expense of the music, which is killer. Every time I press play, Antrisch drags me away to a tale of terror in the frozen arctic wastes, woven in shades of deepest black. The tremolos cut through me and the rasping vocals cause the hairs on the back of my neck to rise. I feel this record, as much as I hear it and that’s exactly the way atmoblack should be.

#4. Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean // Obsession Destruction – Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean understand claustrophobia. When I listen to Obsession Destruction it feels like the walls are closing in, like the air is getting thick and hard to take in. The record feels like it’s pressing in on you. That is what sludge should do and Chained is drawing on inspiration from doom to heighten that sense. It’s beautiful, anguished, and bludgeoning all at once, and despite passing the hour mark, it’s compelling. I loved this record from the moment I heard it, even as it crushed the life out of me.

#3. Fires in the Distance // Air Not Meant for Us – I don’t usually accuse I have never accused Thus Spoke of underrating anything. Until now. The faintly progressive, doom-tinged melodeath of Air Not Meant for Us is not great. It is excellent. And I almost slept on it. For whatever reason, the first time I span this album, I didn’t even make it to the end and discarded it. But I came back, some months later, and was floored by this record. The deep seams of melody, the excellent use of keys, the soaring guitars, the whole package hit me with a force that only two other records did this year. Whatever was wrong with me the first time around has been scorched away, as Fires in the Distance burn with emotional intensity. The album is beautifully written and paced, which for all its weight and heaviness, also feels fragile and honest, revealing new depths on each revisit.

#2. Wayfarer // American Gothic – Wayfarer’s 2020 effort, A Romance with Violence, was so close. So close to fulfilling the promise of their Wild West black metal. But for all that it did well, as with their earlier two efforts, too many of the tracks went on too long, suffocating under their own weight. As Doom_et_Al said in his review, however, this year’s “American Gothic is the album Wayfarer have been threatening to make for years … Wayfarer take the violence and beauty of the land they inhabit and translate that to music that reflects that dichotomy.” I’m not sure there’s a better way to say it. American Gothic is the album where everything that Wayfarer has struggled to bring together for years finally clicked into place and it’s something truly special.3

#1. Cursebinder // Drifting – Poland’s Cursebinder kinda crept up on me. Since its April release, I have seen little acclaim for it, and my attempts to sell it to my fellow scribes have been met with non-committal murmurs of appreciation. But there is something about Drifting’s progressive black metal, borrowing heavily from both doom and post-metal, that just kept me coming back. Again. And again. There’s a shimmering intensity to the record, driven as much by the bright synth work, as Hubert Fudała’s crushing riffs and Maciej Proficz’ sulphuric vox, which means that I tend to find myself stopping whatever it is that I’m doing and simply staring into the middle distance while Drifting washes over me. It’s not the most technically complex thing on this list, nor is it a record that defies categorization. It’s simply the album that speaks to me in a way nothing else I heard this year did and what more can you look for in an Album of the Year?

Honorable mentions

• Anti-God Hand // Blight Year – Blight Year took everything I liked about Anti-God Hand’s debut, Wretch, and refined it to a point where it still remained so harsh as to border on raw BM. Yet there is something about this album that I find kind of magical.
• BRIQUEVILLE // IIII – Finding a mid-way point between the melodicism and experimentation of ISIS’ Wavering Radiant and the slightly disconcerting edge of Celestial, BRIQUEVILLE’s excellent use of synths and samples, together with some sawing, jagged riffs is a winner.
• Downfall of Gaia // Silhouettes of Disgust – This is the record where Downfall of Gaia manages to blend most effectively all the disparate facets of their sound. Progressive and melodic, bleak and furious, this is a record to get lost exploring.
• God Disease // Apocalyptic Doom – With Apoclyptic Doom, God Disease delivered exactly that. This was the end of the world, cataclysmic stuff. What more can I say? If you lift and “Leper by the Grace of God” doesn’t help you hit a PB, I advise you to take up chess.
• Lo! // The Gleaners – I carelessly threw The Gleaners into April’s Filter after only a couple of spins, recognizing the quality on show but not having spent much time with it. Lo!’s abrasive sludgy post-metal / hardcore has stayed with me, however, as the sheer anger and intensity, and (surprising amounts of) melody kept me coming back.
• Saturnus // The Storm Within – In an incredibly strong year for doom, Saturnus turned in a great offering that I thought would be top 5 for sure. It didn’t have quite the staying power I thought it would—not least thanks to those sickly sweet spoken word parts—but it remains a great record, with one of the best SOTY in “The Calling.”
• Sworn // A Journey Told through Fire – Great Norwegian melodic black metal, channeling the likes of Vorga and Uada but also Insomnium, this record was just well written, beautifully paced, and fun as fuck.

Songs o’ the Year:

1. Vanishing Kids – “Spill the Dark”
2. Saturnus – “The Calling”
3. Fires in the Distance – “Crumbling Pillars of a Tranquil Mind”
4. Downfall of Gaia – “Bodies as Driftwood”
5. Lo! – “The Gleaners”
6. Inherus – “One More Fire”
7. Cursebinder – “Drifting”
8. Blackbraid – “Twilight Hymn of Ancient Blood”
9. Aetherian – “Starlit Shores”
10. God Disease – “Leper by the Grace of God”
11. Moonlight Sorcery – “Yönsilmä”

Cherd

I’ve heard it said that the older one gets, the faster time seems to pass. That’s why your memories of childhood seem to take place over an interminable timespan, while your children seem to blast through developmental phases and clothing sizes faster than a grindcore song. Take the little goober directly to the left. He was six weeks old when AMG announced their open call for writers that would eventually lead to my tenure here. Now he’s five and a half and draws pictures of angry carrots and ninja-bread men (a subset of gingerbread men). Since gaining the summit of middle age, I now face the downward slope of life’s back half, with its ever-increasing velocity and promise of an abrupt end. All this to say, I don’t have any wry observations about 2023 because the fucking thing blew by way too fast.

Perhaps the only way to dampen the breakneck pace of life and reclaim one’s sanity is to partake in some nice, slow doom metal. In this respect, the universe was merciful as it gifted us with the finest year for down-tuned, down-tempo misery we’ve had in ages. There are no fewer than seven doom or doom adjacent entries on my list this year and another handful that only just missed the cut. Yearly disclaimer: if you read my list or any of the others, and wonder why you don’t see your pet record, remember that I am but one man with but one kindergartner who robs me of time and life force. I probably didn’t get to it. Or maybe I did and your taste is just terrible. I’d like to thank Steel Druhm for keeping the good ship AMG afloat through a combination of duct tape, bungee cords, and brutal yet dispassionately professional beatings, AMG himself for forgetting that I work here, thus ensuring I won’t be fired, and of course you for reading. With that, here’s my objectively correct list.

(ish) Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean // Obsession Destruction – This wouldn’t be a Cherd list without some sludge doom, and Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean put out one of the finest examples of the genre in 2023. Always a prolific EP band, Obsession Destruction is only their second full length of the last six years, but it sees the band finally shrug off their reputation as a Thou knockoff and come fully into their own. “The Altar” and “The Gates Have Closed and They Will Never Open” have forever entered my rotation of killer sludge doom tracks. The only band to beat them at their game in 2023 was Warcrab, but we’ll get to them in a bit.

#10. Xoth // Exogalactic – No one has more fun with cosmic horrors than Xoth, except maybe those of us who get to smash the play button over and over again on their albums. I got on the “Party Lovecraft” bus four years ago when I first heard Interdimensional Invocations, and while it may have taken a complete remixing of the album at the 11th hour to get there, Exogalactic does not disappoint as a follow-up. Songs like “Reptilian Bloodsport,” “Saga of the Blade,” and “Map to the Stars, Monument to the Ancients” take their rightful place alongside the band’s best work as they continue to hone their winning combination of blackened melo-death and tech-thrash.

#9. Oromet // Oromet – I’m always thrilled when a new band impresses me with their debut record enough to land a hard-fought spot on my yearly top ten. This year it happened twice. The first entry is Oromet’s self-titled LP of expansive, airy funeral doom. The album art of a dramatically jutting rocky peak piercing the firmament while bathed in golds and blues could hardly be a better visual representation of the music. This two-man project of Patrick Hills and Dan Aguilar is an exercise in judiciously balanced light and shadow, weight and buoyancy. There’s as much empty space on this record as there is tectonic heft, with overt beauty and ragged desperation embraced in equal measure.

#8. Big|Brave // Nature Morte – In the grand tradition of quoting myself out of laziness: “The most impressive thing about Nature Morte is its meticulous construction. No matter how sparse it gets, no matter how repetitive the drum strikes or how loose the guitar squalls, there’s no wasted space. None of the three out of six tracks that stretch past nine minutes feel remotely that long thanks to well-placed transitions, hypnotic rhythms, and the commanding presence of (Robin) Wattie’s vocals… Big|Brave delivers a stunning, unique statement on Nature Morte. Without changing the core of the band’s sound, it signals a remarkable refinement of vision a decade into their existence.”

#7. Curta’n Wall // Siege Ubsessed – Abysmal Specter’s MO has always been to knock down the castle gates with his goofy parade of wizards, knights, and witches riding ostriches and walruses while sneaking infectious melodies and riffs in through the kitchen servants’ entrance. This is true of Curta’n Wall, one of his dozen or so projects other than his flagship band Old Nick, but on Siege Ubsessed, the black metal mad scientist stands at his infernal machine, turns the knob marked “raw black metal” down to its lowest setting, and the knobs marked “accordion,” “bagpipes,” “harpsichord,” and “pan flute” to 11. This is jaunty, stupid medieval folk music and an absolutely essential release in Abysmal Specter’s ever-growing oeuvre.

#6. Warcrab // The Howling Silence – Warcrab is the premier death/sludge outfit operating today, and this is their most refined release to date. As I said in my review, “With The Howling Silence, Warcrab both re-instates their sludge doom bonafides and leans into proper OSDM in ways they haven’t before.” It’s quite the trick making not only one of the best death metal songs of the year in “Sword of Mars,” but also the best sludge doom song in “Sourlands Under a Rancid Sky,” but Warcrab pulls it off with aplomb. Even as more bands join this burgeoning style, none approach these Brits in terms of talent or execution.

#5. Agriculture // Agriculture – The second of my two favorite new bands of 2023, Agriculture’s “ecstatic black metal” is unlike anything else I heard this year, and I listen to A LOT of black metal. By turns stark and lush, these Californian’s debut record was forged in the fires of blazing black riff craft and the contemporary post-rock zeitgeist. While that usually means some form of black gaze, this is not remotely the case with Agriculture. There’s nothing laconic or detached here. The almost shocking earnestness may leave some a bit taken aback, but it’s not as if they’re any different in that regard than the countless self-serious black metal musician basement dwellers the world over.

#4. Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility – I’m sure many of my colleagues will fall all over themselves in their respective lists about how much good death metal came out in 2023. I enjoyed my share of it as well, with Dying Fetus, Fossilization, and the mighty Incantation all turning my head, but the only purely death metal record I couldn’t stop spinning was Carnosus’ tech-death barn burner Visions of Infinihility. Tight, vicious, and catchy, this record also features the second-best harsh vocal performance of the year behind only the one found on my number-one record. A lot of vocalists can oscillate between death growls and blackened shrieks, but precious few can give you four different tones in one song while putting affected spins on individual words the way Jonatan Karasiak can.

#3. Somnuri // Desiderium – I’ve been pushing this NYC progressive sludge band like a used car dealer with a quota to meet since they dropped their debut in 2017. They’ve rewarded my faith in them by improving on each subsequent release. From my review: “Somnuri has done exactly what you want to see a promising band do with their third record. Namely, take anything that worked with the first two, amp that up a bit, and commit fully to a new wrinkle to elevate the material. The addition of (Soundgarden-esque) throwback radio alt-rock into their roiling pot of hardcore and progressive sludge makes Desiderium these Brooklynites’ strongest outing to date. It’s rare that an album this aggressive and energetic goes down this smooth.”

#2. Hellish Form // Deathless – This record is special. In any other year, it probably would have been my number one. As I said in April, “Considering it embodies three of the most miserable subgenres in all of metal (funeral doom, sludge, and drone), the remarkable thing about Deathless is how powerfully hopeful it is. The themes of the album are pointedly heavy and political. It’s an admonition of an oppressive world delivered with withering vitriol by the aggrieved, but both musically and lyrically, (Willow) Ryan and (Jacob) Lee steadily fix their gaze upward.” I doubt there are any more affecting lines in metal this year than Ryan’s delivery in the title track of “You can take my life, but I am deathless. I am deathless.”

#1. Convocation // No Dawn for the Caliginous Night – What else can I say about the first 4.5 I’ve ever awarded on this site? “By the time you reach the halfway point in opening track “Graveless yet Dead,” you’ve heard swirling organs, ominous violins, harmonized choirs, riffs that measure their gravity on the scale of celestial bodies, and (Marko) Neuman’s enormous death roar. The whole thing keeps escalating like a light growing in intensity until, nearly blinding, a biblically accurate angel emerges with its six wings and concentric wheels full of eyes and multiple heads and burnished bronze appendages and it bellows in an inhuman voice, “B̴̧̈E̴͝ͅ ̸̫̈Ń̷̦Ò̸̭T̸̜̈́ ̸̟̄A̷͈͌F̵̯̊R̴̳̽Ā̷͇I̸̜͊D̶͈͛.”…With No Dawn for the Caliginous Night, LL and Neuman have completed their transformation from practitioners of impressive if well-trod death doom to a unique voice in the ranks of funerophiles. This is a towering celebration of death’s enormity, packaged in the heaviest and most shimmering of vessels.”

Honorable Mentions

• Gridlink // Coronet Juniper – Acidic but deceptively smooth grindcore from one of the best bands in the genre over the last decade plus.
• Stortregn // Finitude – Just because I was slightly disappointed in the direction these Swiss boys are going after releasing my favorite record of 2021 doesn’t mean this isn’t one of my fifteen favorite records of 2023. They may be moving more and more tech, but they’re still Stortregn and they still slay.
• AGLO // Build Fear – STAR TREK THEMED DEATH DOOM SLUDGE ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? COULD ANYTHING POSSIBLY BE MORE CHERD!?
• Vanishing Kids // Miracle of Death – I liked Heavy Dreamer a fair amount, but by leaning harder into classic doom, Miracle of Death rose to list-worthy. “Spill The Dark” is one of the very best songs of any genre this year.
• Bell Witch // Future’s Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate – I’m reserving some judgment for when all three parts are revealed, but this single 83-minute track is plenty compelling on its own.

Songs o’ the Year

In alphabetical order by band:

#2023 #Aetherian #AGLO #Agriculture #AntiGodHand #Antrisch #BigBrave #Blackbraid #BlogPost #Briqueville #Carcharodon #CarcharodonSTopTenIshOf2023 #CarcharodonSAndCherdSTopTenIshOf2023 #Carnosus #ChainedToTheBottomOfTheOcean #Convocation #Cursebinder #CurtaNWall #DownfallOfGaia #FiresInTheDistance #GodDisease #Gridlink #HellishForm #Inherus #Leitha #Listurnalia #Lo_ #MoonlightSorcery #Omnivortex #Oromet #Saturnus #Somnuri #Stortregn #Sworn #TheCircle #VanishingKids #Warcrab #Wayfarer #Xoth