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Post by greendemon on Dec 26, 2023 14:34:59 GMT 1
158. Insomnium - Songs of the Dusk [EP]3rd November | melodic death metalEP from the long-running Finnish melodic death metal band. This one was a bit of a surprise release in the final weeks of the year, coming just 10 months after their most recent LP, Anno 1696, but the songs here were already released with the deluxe edition of said LP so were known to me. Followers of my chart will know I've adored this band's recent output, so in a sense this not making the top 150 is surprising, but while I do like these songs they do just feel like leftovers from Anno 1696 - which we will, of course, be getting to much later. 157. Royal Thunder - Rebuilding The Mountain16th June | alternative rock; progressive rockFourth full-length from the Atlanta band. I was new to this lot, which I guess isn't too surprising as this is their first release in six years. I only charted this at #39 as it was a late entry in June but I rather enjoyed this with more listens; I found it quite reminiscent of The Mysterines in places, another band with an excellent vocalist. Chart history: Rebuilding The Mountain [May-Jun 23, #39] Fade [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #80] 156. Jord - Tundra3rd November | atmospheric black metal; post-metal; blackgazeThird album from this Swedish band. Another late release that hasn't much time to make an impact, I do think this is one of the more interesting releases in post-metal this year. The instrumentation is pretty diverse and creative, though I could have done without the spoken-word track towards the end. 155. Code Orange - The Above29th September | metalcore; hardcoreFifth album from the Pittsburgh metallic hardcore band. This one got blasted by a lot of long-term fans as it's a bit of a stylistic departure for them. It's actually the first album of theirs I heard so I didn't have that problem. However, I did find it a little bit all over the place and lacking cohesion, and honestly the Billy Corgan-featuring single was a little underwhelming when you consider how great that collab could have been. My favourite thing about this band though continues to be Reba's vocals, which I first cottoned on to when she guested on the Greg Puciato single 'Lowered' last year, and 'Mirror' is another stunning example of that (not yet charted but will be in my final 2023 singles chart). Chart history: Take Shape (feat. Billy Corgan) [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #100] 154. The Lathums - From Nothing To A Little Bit More3rd March | indieSecond album from the Wigan band. I liked this a lot on my first listen, to the point that it actually had a score of 8 at one point, but I've revised that down slightly on revisits. It's a very good album for its genre, and I still think it's better than most of the similar 90s-00s-revival British indie acts we've seen recently, I just don't think it quite deserves to make the top 150. Charting history: From Nothing To A Little Bit More [Mar-Apr 23, #29] Sad Face Baby [GL2 Apr-May 22, #73] 153. Beach Fossils - Bunny2nd June | indie; bedroom pop; shoegazeSeventh(?) album from this New York City act. Another one I enjoyed but haven't been back to a whole ton. Woozy, shoegazey, dream-pop influenced indie; not a lot of variety across the album but the consistency works in this case. Chart history: Bunny [May-Jun 23, #22] 152. Mull Historical Society - In My Mind There's A Room21st July | indie; folk; spoken wordSeventh studio album from the Scottish artist. One of the more interesting indie albums of the year in my opinion, and a rare case in which the use of spoken-word actually works for me. I particularly loved the interpolated contributions from famous writers. My main criticism of this one is that it's maybe a little too long, and not every song feels worthwhile, but otherwise very good. Chart history: In My Mind There's A Room [Jul-Aug 23, #25]
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Post by greendemon on Dec 27, 2023 14:26:04 GMT 1
Just missing the top 150... 151. Orbit Culture - Descent18th August | melodic death metalFourth full-length from the Swedish band. Groove-laden, industrial-influenced melodic death metal. I charted this pretty low but ended up warming to it quite a bit when revisiting to compile this list, but there are stronger albums in this genre to come. ETA: They've released an EP in the past couple of weeks which I haven't got to, so this is their highest appearance.Chart history: Descent [Jul-Aug 23, #31]
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Post by greendemon on Dec 27, 2023 15:23:54 GMT 1
Kicking off the top 150 with the 'albums you all liked more than I did' section. Rotten tomatoes at the ready... 150. Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We15th September | pop; countrySeventh album from the Japanese-American artist. Something of a surprise release as her last LP only dropped last year, though I don't think I ever got around to Laurel Hell. This struggled to make an impact on me when it dropped in September but after enjoying and charting 'Star' and 'My Love Mine All Mine' (position TBC in my final chart) I went back to it and found it grew on me a fair amount, without necessarily grabbing me outside of the singles. Chart history: Star [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #69] 149. Within Temptation - Bleed Out20th October | symphonic metalEighth studio album from the Dutch band and Haven Factor Express contestants. This one was on my radar from last year after two impressive singles, and coming off the back of their HFE run was good timing as well. Officially I think this is my favourite release in the female-fronted symphonic metal genre this year - the album feels diverse yet consistent, the lyrics wrestle with some weighty political themes, and Sharon's vocals are absolutely superb. Chart history: Don't Pray For Me [GL3 Jun-Jul 22, #83] The Fire Within [GL5 Oct-Dec 22, #53] Bleed Out [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #94] 148. Metallica - 72 Seasons14th April | heavy metal; thrash metalEleventh album from the US metal legends. My goodness this album got a lot of hate. For my money, it's a pretty standard, respectable Metallica album with a good handful of great songs, but suffers from being far too long (most of the songs could do with a trim) and a lack of ballads. I don't know whether it's just that people expect so much from a Metallica album that it can't help but disappoint but really, there were far worse albums released in 2023 than this one. Chart history: 72 Seasons [Mar-Apr 23, #23] Lux Æterna [GL5 Oct-Dec 22, #34] Screaming Suicide [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #94] If Darkness Had a Son [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #67] Sleepwalk My Life Away [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #87] 147. Blur - The Ballad Of Darren21st July | indieNinth studio album from the seminal Britpop band. This is a pretty good album and it's not that I can't see why it has been so highly acclaimed. I think it's just time for me to accept I've just never been that huge of a Blur fan: they've always been a band I really respected, and while I do love a lot of their songs I just don't go back to their albums very often. I gave it a few more plays while compiling this list to see if I could see what everyone else does and my conclusion was that this is definitely one of their better albums that I've heard, but it really hasn't set my world on fire. Chart history: The Ballad Of Darren [Jul-Aug 23, #29] The Narcissist [GL8 May-Jun 23, #85] Barbaric [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #76] 146. Paramore - This Is Why10th February | alternative rock; indie; post-punkSixth studio album from the Tennessee rock band. Another highly-acclaimed album that I do think has been slightly overrated: what we have here is a very good rock/emo band making a decent but not all that earth-shattering post-punk-influenced indie album. I do appreciate them trying something new, however, and it did produce a trio of excellent (and highly relatable) singles in the title track, 'The News' and 'Running Out Of Time'. I do think this one could have been a bit higher and I was going to revisit it in the run-up to this but I ran out of time Chart history: This Is Why [Jan-Feb, #24] This Is Why [GL4 Aug-Sep 22, #37] The News [GL5 Oct-Dec 22, #23] Running Out Of Time [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #27]
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Post by greendemon on Dec 29, 2023 13:13:06 GMT 1
Day off yesterday to do family stuff so let's crack on. From this point, all the album are 7.5 at least, although there are a few that were downgraded from higher (or upgraded) since I first heard them. The next 10-15 were all very close in rank. 145. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre10th March | progressive metal; djentSeventh studio album from the DC progressive metal band. First off, let me just say this album name annoys me every time I see it. Now that's out of the way, I think this missed my chart when it came out but on relistens this is a pretty decent album if you like your prog with melodic elements. Spencer Sotelo's clean vocals are very alt-rock/pop-punk and a few people in the metal community seem to struggle with it but I think it makes the band's sound much more distinctive and lends itself to absolute belters like 'Atropos' and the chorus of 'Wildfire'. Good album with excellent musicianship throughout but is a little rambling, even by the standards of prog. Chart history: Wildfire [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #61] Atropos [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #64] 144. The Menzingers - Some Of It Was True13th October | alternative rockAnother seventh album, this time from the Philly band who I don't think I knew of before this. I'll admit I've only played this all the way through once as it was a late discovery, but I liked it enough to bump it into the top 150. A solid record maybe a little lacking in variety but there are some very good tracks here, notably 'There's No Place In The World For Me' which is still stuck in my head over a week after I last heard it. 143. Blood Ceremony - The Old Ways Remain5th May | occult rock; folk; doomFifth full-length from this Toronto band, also new to me. Folksy, occult-influenced doom, but also super melodic and very listenable. I don't normally go in for this kind of '70s throwback sound but the witchy themes and yes, female vocals were enough to get me to check out this release which was getting a lot of buzz with some reviewers I follow. Ultimately I don't think I've been converted to '70s revival rock and metal, but this is a really unique-sounding album, a solid 7.5 and worth a listen if the description is at all intriguing. Chart history: The Old Ways Remain [May-Jun 23, #34] 142. REZN & Vinnum Sabbathi - Silent Future11th August | atmospheric doom; post-metalCollaborative album between Chicago doom band REZN and Mexico City-based outfit Vinnum Sabbathi. Again, neither band I'd heard of before, I only discovered this one thanks to a review which described it as "a shoegaze and post-rock influenced take on psychedelic doom" which immediately put it on my must-listen list. The description was accurate; it's a hugely atmospheric album but at 32 minutes I kind of wish there was more of it! Will need to investigate both of these acts' solo work in the future. Chart history: Silent Future [Jul-Aug 23, #18] 141. Sylosis - A Sign Of Things To Come8th September | metalcoreSixth studio album from the Reading metalcore band. I think these guys have been a little bit overlooked in the UK metal scene next to some of their more famous contemporaries. While definitely metalcore, they draw a lot of influence and inspiration from thrash and groove metal, which particularly comes through in the riffs which are undoubtedly the best thing here. Another album I got to a bit late and would have liked a bit more time with, but I didn't enjoy anything here as much as 'Heavy Is The Crown' from last year which isn't on this. 140. Depeche Mode - Memento Mori24th March | synthpop; electronicFifteenth album from Basildon's finest*, and their first since the death last year of Andy Fletcher. Given both this and the Covid pandemic serving as the backdrop to much of the songwriting, unsurprisingly there is a pall cast over this album thematically, though some of the songs are deceptively upbeat-sounding. I can appreciate this is a very good album, it's just not one I personally find myself going back too all that often, hence its somewhat low appearance here. Hats off to Dave Gahan though - he still sounds incredible. * with the exception of Mr greendemon <3Chart history: Memento Mori [Mar-Apr 23, #33]
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Post by greendemon on Dec 29, 2023 15:05:48 GMT 1
139. Afsky - Om hundrede år17th March | atmospheric black metalThird album from the Danish one-man black metal project. One of my favourite metal subgenres, atmospheric black metal featured strongly for me in 2023, and this was a highly-anticipated release after I discovered this project's last LP, Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død, last year. Like that album, this one is evocative, beautiful, moving and deeply melancholic. Ultimately though I ended up not enjoying this one quite as much, partly because it dropped during a particularly tough time when music this deeply sad was really challenging for me to listen to, but also because it ended up being eclipsed by some astounding black metal albums that came out in the summer. Chart history: Om hundrede år [Mar-Apr 23, #22] 138. Of Darkness - Missa Tridentina25th August | funeral doom metal Second album from this Barcelona funeral doom project, which released its first LP in 2005(!). Another random metal pick I found thanks to a review, this late-summer release arrived just in time for spooky season for which it was perfectly suited. Words used to describe this album's sound included 'sepulchral' so of course I had to check it out, and I was not disappointed. Mixing funeral doom with cavernous production, echoey Latin chanting and orchestral music, this band make some of the most incredibly dark, spooky and atmospheric music I've ever heard. Honestly it's like listening to a mass for the undead. It could have been higher than this but one does have to be in the right mood to appreciate, and also the effect wears off as it goes on, plus the penultimate track drags a bit even by funeral doom standards. But nevertheless, one of the most unusual and awesome things I heard all year. Don't listen when alone in the dark... or do. Chart history: Missa Tridentina [Jul-Aug 23, #19] 137. Therapy? - Hard Cold Fire5th May | rock; post-punkSixteenth studio album from the Northern Irish band. This is one that was originally ranked a bit higher but slipped down over the course of the year. While I wasn't expecting amazing things from them at this stage in their career, this is a very solid and listenable album that at its barely over half an hour runtime was punchy enough to get loads of plays when it came out. And 'Joy' is a pretty great song for a band this deep in their career. Chart history: Hard Cold Fire [May-Jun 23, #24] Joy [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #36] 136. The Pigeon Detectives - TV Show7th July | indieSixth album from the Leeds band. Another veteran act I remember best from my mid-2000s student days and indie club night mainstays like 'I'm Not Sorry' and 'I'm Always Right', this is their first album since 2017 and I'd all but forgotten these guys were still around. My main thoughts were that as a fan of them from those days, I was pleasantly surprised by how much they still sound like Pigeon Detectives. Another pretty solid album that I ended up not going back to much. Chart history: TV Show [Jul-Aug 23, #24] Summer Girl [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #93] 135. Nothing but Thieves - Dead Club City30th June | indie; pop; electronicFourth studio album from the Southend-on-Sea band. Like most people I did a double-take when 'Welcome To The DCC' dropped early in the year as it was very much not the sound I'd come to expect from this band - though it is indeed a banger. Not too much to add to reviews of this I've seen in everyone else's lists. My problem with this album is similar to the problem I have with Paramore's latest, though in this case the genre-whiplash is a bit more pronounced because of how big a departure this is. It's a good album and both the lead single and 'Overcome' are up there with this band's best in my opinion, but I just don't think I was ready for a whole concept dance/pop album about a dystopian city from them - but I do really like the ideas behind it. Another one I feel I might grow to like more in the future. Chart history: Welcome to the DCC [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #14] 134. The Dollyrots - Night Owls13th October | rock; pop-punkEighth studio album from the Californian husband-wife duo. Yet another late discovery, this was on my release schedule but I just never got around to playing it until recently. While I've heard the odd track here and there, I think this was the first full album of theirs I've heard, and in the vein of similar punk-inspired alt-rock albums, it's a great listen, well-paced and peppered with catchy bangers like the title track and 'Hot Mom With The Skinny Pants On'. 133. Hozier - Unreal Unearth18th August | pop; indie; folkThird studio album from the Irish musician of 'Take Me To Church' fame. Speaking of firsts, Hozier is not an artist I've gone out of my way to listen to in the past and so this is also baby's first Hozier album. As a medieval literature fan, I was really intrigued by hearing this described as a concept album inspired by Dante's Inferno and I really loved the single 'Francesca' (which I then inexplicably forgot to chart, whoops). Overall there are more songs here than there need to be, and I'm not sure how well-executed the concept carries throughout the record, but it's a pretty good album with several great songs: 'De Selby Part II' and the absolutely stunning duet with Brandi Carlisle, 'Damage Gets Done', are my standouts. Chart history: Unreal Unearth [Jul-Aug 23, #22]
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Post by Jordan on Dec 29, 2023 16:16:20 GMT 1
Ahhh had zero clue that Pigeon Detectives had an album out, I don't think I've heard anything from them since Broken Glances but wasn't too fussed on that when it was out. Edit: actually not that much to have noticed since Broken Glances
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Post by greendemon on Dec 29, 2023 17:34:37 GMT 1
132. Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 [EP]28th July | electronic; dance; trip-hop Fifteenth EP from the British/Irish artist, and his first since 2019 so this catchily-named release was a nice surprise. I've not historically been a massive fan of Aphex Twin's work but this was just about the right amount of Aphex Twin for me to digest in one sitting and appealed very much to the side of me that grew up listening to Massive Attack and Kid A. Chart history: Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 [Jul-Aug 23, #26] Blackbox Life Recorder 21f [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #46] 131. Kelela - Raven10th February | R&B; popSecond studio album from the American singer-songwriter. One of the most highly-acclaimed albums to emerge in the first few months of 2023, this one has been appearing on lots of end-year lists (including Jordan's who had it much higher than this). I'm not going to pretend R&B is a genre I listen to a lot of to compare this with, but I had to check this out after the YouTube algorithm fed me 'Enough For Love' which I adored, and while I don't like anything else as much as that one song, as an album it's really good. It's been a bit neglected lately so I should go back to it and see if it sparks an interest in exploring other highly-rated R&B albums of recent years. Chart history: Raven [Jan-Feb 23, #22] Enough For Love [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #22] 130. Full of Hell & Nothing - When No Birds Sang [EP]1st December | grindcore; post-metal; shoegazeCollaborative record between the US shoegaze band Nothing and grindcore outfit, Full of Hell, whose thing in recent years seems to be collaborative records. This is another very late release that's lucky to make the list at all, but given my love of shoegaze-meets-metal, I had to make time for it and I was glad I did. The start of this EP is incredibly brutal but soon gives way to absolutely gorgeous and atmospheric shoegazey post-metal which I could happily have a whole album of.
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Post by greendemon on Dec 30, 2023 14:37:27 GMT 1
129. Superbloom - Life's a Blur [EP]8th June | alternative rock; grungeSecond EP from the Brooklyn band. You know what else is a blur? This album. Well, OK, it's an EP, but at 11 tracks long with only about 20 minutes runtime, structurally it seems almost like it's trying to be both and is all the worse for it. It gets this high because I really love this band's sound and a few of these tracks are superb, but taken as a whole it's a bit of a frustrating listen, especially in a year when there were at least four or five bands putting out great grunge-revival alt-rock in album form. Chart history: Life's a Blur [May-Jun 23, #28] 128. Urne - A Feast On Sorrow11th August | sludge metal; doom; post-hardcore Second album from the London band. Another new-to-me band, I checked this out after reading a promising summary of it which made it sound like exactly my kind of thing: heavy, atmospheric and sad. I tried very hard to love it but ended up settling in the 'strong like' territory, to the point that I haven't revisited it more than a couple of times since its August release. There's a lot to like here; some excellent groovy riffs and clearly strong songwriting, but it's slightly let down by the vocals. That said, I love this band's sound so I expect I'll keep looking out for their material going forward. Chart history: A Feast On Sorrow [Jul-Aug 23, #21] 127. PONY - Velveteen19th May | indie; pop; grunge Second LP from the Toronto band. Again new to me, I think I might have been alerted to this one by seeing it or one of the songs in somebody's chart here (not sure who but the smart money is probably on either TheThorne or Razzle Dazzle ). It turned out to be a really nice pleasant surprise: fuzzy, grungy alternative indie/dream-pop heavily inspired by 90s nostalgia while also very much being its own thing. I do think the album starts stronger than it finishes - opener 'Très Jolie' is probably my favourite song next to the singles - but it's still a really good record overall. Chart history: Velveteen [May-Jun 23, #21] Sick [GL8 May-Jun 23, #52] 126. An Autumn For Crippled Children - Closure4th August | post-black metal; shoegaze; blackgazeTenth full-length from the Dutch blackgaze outfit. Beautiful music, absolutely atrocious band name. This is yet more shoegaze + metal; very much one of my favourite things music-wise. In principle this album is everything I want from this genre: shimmery, fuzzy tones; beautiful atmospherics; crashing guitars; shrieking vocals; tremolo riffs everywhere. What lets it down is sadly a tendency to sound quite samey across the entire record, bar a few fleeting moments of inspiration, putting it some way behind the likes of Deafheaven and Alcest. Still lovely to listen to, but not top-125-worthy as it has been eclipsed by several similar records this year. Chart history: Closure [Jul-Aug 23, #17] 125. Celeste - Epilogue(s) [EP]17th November | post-hardcore; post-metalEP from the French blackened post-hardcore band. Like the Insomnium EP a few places below this, this is just three bonus tracks from their most recent album, last year's Assassine(s), although in this case the songs were all new to me. I really loved the full album and this is largely more of the same sound which is no bad thing, but aside from its very late arrival, it's hard to rank it much higher than this against fuller albums. What gets it as high as this is the absolutely stunning track 'With idle hands', featuring vocals from Tim of US shoegaze band, Grivo - to appear in my final singles chart of the year. 124. Ghost - Phantomime [EP]19th May | gothic rock; occult rock; metalEP from the Swedish occult-themed rock/metal band - another band whose album I ranked very highly indeed in 2022 following up in 2023 with an EP. In Ghost's case, rather than being add-ons to Impera, these are all covers of classic songs from the likes of Television, Genesis and Tina Turner. I'm not normally a big fan of covers albums but Ghost's bombastic style suits these songs really well, plus the short length made it much more digestible. Sadly, its release turned out to be well-timed with the loss of both Tom Verlaine and Turner this year Even before that, 'We Don't Need Another Hero' had been my most-anticipated cover on this and has been the track I've played the most, though 'Jesus He Knows Me' is the strongest song here. Chart history: Phantomime [May-Jun 23, #17] Jesus He Knows Me [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #23] We Don't Need Another Hero [GL8 May-Jun 23, #44] 123. The Gaslight Anthem - History Books27th October | alternative rockSixth studio album from the New Jersey band. Another older band I'd forgotten all about since they effectively broke up in 2015, so it was great to see new material from them. I'm not sure any album could have fully matched fans' expectations of their first new material in eight years but the first two singles, 'Positive Charge' and the title track were great - the latter even featuring Bruce Springsteen who played a role in getting the band back together. The album is quite bleak and introspective in tone, but unlike other albums I've placed much lower than this for similar reasons, this one just really hit with me, particularly the track 'Michigan, 1975' which I just couldn't stop playing when I first heard it. Could honestly have been higher if it had been released earlier. 122. Real Friends - There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late24th February | pop-punkEP/album* from the Illinois pop-punk band. This release was high on my most-anticipated list at the start of the year after 'Always Lose' was one of my standout songs in this genre of 2022. Real Friends have a distinctive brand of sadboi pop-punk with lyrics dealing with relationship break-ups, mental health and all that fun jazz, but the way they combine this with upbeat melodies and beautiful acoustic guitar passages means the songs never feel overwhelming. The songs here are mostly very good, but it really does feel like half an album - less than half an hour long and with a couple of pretty-but-somewhat-superfluous acoustic versions of the two singles tacked onto the end (though the 'Always Lose' alternative version is very pretty). I'd really like to hear something a bit more fleshed-out from them. * I've seen it referred to as both so I'm genuinely not sure!Chart history: There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late [Jan-Feb 23, #18] Always Lose [GL2 Apr-May 22, #24]
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Post by greendemon on Dec 30, 2023 17:48:43 GMT 1
While we're doing Illinois bands... 121. Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust24th March | alternative rock; pop-punkEighth album from the US alt-rock/pop-punk band. Another case where I suspect I have this a bit lower than a few people on here. This was a really solid album, probably the best this band has produced in quite a while, but I just didn't find myself going back to it much as the year went on hence I can't squeeze it into the top 120. For some reason I never charted the album (quite possibly I didn't get around to it when it came out) but the singles are great and 'Hold Me Like A Grudge' in particular has been a real grower this year. Chart history: Love From The Other Side [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #35] Hold Me Like A Grudge [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #35] 120. The Acacia Strain - Failure Will Follow12th May | doom metalTwelfth studio album from the US metalcore band. This was released jointly with another album, Step Into The Light, although I never got around to that one so it won't be here. Not a band I've been much interested in in the past, I checked this out after reading some rave reviews and it turned out to be an unexpected standout among doom metal releases in 2023. It charted a bit poorly for me as I only played it once at the time: although just under 40 minutes in length, it consists of just three sprawling tracks, so it can be a bit much to settle down to for a casual listen, especially given the oppressively gloomy atmosphere it evokes. The standout track has to be the opener, 'Pillar of Salt', featuring a stunning guest vocal performance from iRis.EXE (big surprise, female vocals) but it all works really well as a whole. Chart history: Failure Will Follow [May-Jun 23, #31] 119. The Beaches - Blame My Ex15th September | indie; alternative; popSecond album from the Canadian all-woman band. Another new-to-me act this year, I was really looking forward to this one after hearing 'Blame Brett' which, spoiler alert, is going to do very well in the singles version of this list. The sing-song, nursery-rhyme-inspired 'Everything Is Boring' was also great. I don't know if it quite lived up to the very high expectations I had of it but it's a really fun record and had it dropped a little earlier in the year it could have made the top 100. Definitely a band I look forward to seeing more from. Also blondini is right, lead vocalist Jordan totally looks like Britney Chart history: Blame Brett [GL8 May-Jun 23, #16] Everything Is Boring [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #14] 118. VV - Neon Noir 13th January | gothic rock Debut record for this new project from the artist best known as the frontman of 2000's 'love metal' act, H.I.M. I was very excited about this after hearing the singles, especially the title track and 'Echolocate Your Love'. While it left me a little underwhelmed after that and only charted the album at #16, I think I underrated it at the time and it's shot up this list after originally not making the top 150. The songs are hook-laden and really well-written, balancing the heaviness of gothic rock with 80s-inspired synths beautifully. If I had a criticism I'd have liked one or two more really strong moments outside the singles but then again, the singles were all amazing so that seems a bit nitpicky. Chart history: Neon Noir [Jan-Feb 23, #16] Loveletting [GL2 Apr-May 22, #61] Echolocate Your Love [GL4 Aug-Sep 22, #21] Neon Noir [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #10] Time for a moderately spicy take... 117. Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden19th May | progressive metal; metalcore; pop Third studio album from the secretive masked UK band who are undoubtedly the breakout stars in metal of 2023. Sleep Token hit the ground running in early 2023, dropping five singles in the space of a few weeks before this album came out, and it certainly succeeded in building the hype. I was a little lukewarm about this band at first, and I'm still not sure their blend of progressive metal with pop/R&B vocals and rhythms is quite my cup of tea (I still don't like the sleaze-funk section at the end of 'The Summoning' lol) but they did eventually loop me in with their stronger singles, especially 'Vore' (more screaming pls). The album has grown on me a bit, and when it's good it's very very good but at over an hour long the album is also undeniably a bit bloated. I really admire what this band is trying to do with their style, and I think they mostly manage it, but I'm hoping for something a little tighter next time. Chart history: Take Me Back To Eden [May-Jun 23, #30] Vore [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #26] The Summoning [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #50] Granite [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #72] Take Me Back To Eden [GL8 May-Jun 23, #29]
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Post by greendemon on Dec 31, 2023 14:14:06 GMT 1
116. Elvenking - Reader of the Runes - Rapture28th April | power metal; folk metalEleventh studio album from the long-running Italian power/folk metal band, and part two of a planned trilogy of albums. I normally find power metal a little cringe and this was one of only a handful of releases I got to this year, but caught my attention thanks to Elvenking's skilful blending of power metal with folk instrumentation and lyrical themes - think druids and wizards and stuff, but with guitars, violins and tin whistles. A very enjoyable listen with only a couple of bum notes (I don't care for 'Covenant' at all) and at almost an hour long it outstays its welcome just a bit. I didn't hear the album in time to chart it in April but I did chart a couple of the singles. Chart history: Herdchant [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #74] Bride of Night (feat. Heike Langhans) [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #92] 115. Fvnerals - Let the Earth Be Silent3rd February | post-metal; doom; blackgaze; ambientThird album from this post-metal/blackgaze outfit from Leipzig, Germany. Totally missed this one at the start of the year and only discovered it when I saw it on a reviewers' list. Dark, shoegazey post-black metal with female vocals and the glacial pace of funeral doom, this is phenomenally good, an easy 8/10 and really should be in my top 100 but having only come across it in December I just haven't had as much time as I'd like to fully appreciate. 114. Torpor - Abscission15th September | post-metal; sludge metalThird full-length from the Bristolian band. Another late-ish release, this album is a blend of sludge metal with elements of drone and post-metal. I absolutely love the sound this band creates and this might have been higher but the spoken-word passages on track #2 really kill the mood for me. They've been announced for ArcTanGent next summer so if I still decide to go I'll definitely try to catch them. 113. They Watch Us From The Moon - Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension12th May | doom metal; space rockDebut full-length from this Kansas band. A chance discovery thanks to the YouTube algorithm, the lead single 'On The Fields Of The Moon' immediately got me to sit up and pay attention to this band's distinctive blend of old-skool melodic doom, sci-fi themes and stunning female vocals quite unlike what you might expect from a band in this genre. There's a heavy '70s influence on this record, not just from metal but you can definitely hear hints of Queen and Bowie among others. A really fun album and a band I'll be looking out for more from in the future. Chart history: Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension [May-Jun 23, #20] On The Fields Of The Moon [GL8 May-Jun 23, #14] 112. Sigur Rós - Átta16th June | post-rockEighth studio album from the Icelandic band. I'm shocked a band I love this much has landed outside my top 100, especially considering I scored this an 8 when it came out, but the truth is I just don't reach for it very often At the time of writing/recording, the band had not replaced their drummer who left in rather unpleasant circumstances in 2018, and the lack of drums is frequently cited as an issue some people have with Átta - I can definitely see that but I don't think it's necessarily what bothers me about the album, as I think they still succeed at creating lush, beautiful and moving soundscapes. I can't deny though that I find this album very difficult to listen to because it just sounds so incredibly sad - which I do think it's mean to. Sure, drums might have improved that, but you'd have something completely different. I do still enjoy the singles on their own, but taken as a whole - which, again, I think is very much the intent here - it's just too much for me. Chart history: Átta [May-Jun 23, #23] Blóðberg [GL8 May-Jun 23, #42] Gold [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #65] 111. WITCH - Zango2nd June | zamrock; psychedelic rockEighth album from the Zambian pioneers of 'Zamrock'. The last time these guys released new material, I hadn't been born yet To my shame, I don't know if I'd ever heard a WITCH album in full before this, though I was well aware of their existence thanks to a lot of their back catalogue being reissued in recent years. It turned out to be one of the most fun, feelgood albums I heard this summer. Incredibly catchy, infectiously funky grooves, very much rooted in their '70s origins but given a refreshing modern update thanks to the addition of hip-hop elements. Well worth a listen if you've missed it!
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Post by greendemon on Jan 1, 2024 17:57:26 GMT 1
We're now very much in the territory of albums I wanted to fit into the top 100 but couldn't quite squeeze in... 110. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit15th September | progressive death metalFourth studio album from the Canadian band. I'm still very much on a journey with learning to love death metal but one of the ways in for me has been through the progressive sub-genre. This album challenges you in all the right ways: it's as brutal and heavy as you'd expect but incorporates a whole host of elements from jazz, prog rock and even what sounds suspiciously like dream pop. A great album that I notice more and more things about every time I go back to it, and would have probably been in the top 100 had it not been overshadowed by another phenomenal prog-death record still to come... 109. Night Crowned - Tales10th November | black metal; death metalThird full-length from this Gothenburg, Sweden band who blend black metal with death metal and folky themes. One of a good handful of albums released in 2023 offering a similar combination, what puts this one above the competition is how melodic it is and the surprising amount of variety in the songs across the album with 'She Moves At Night' being a particular standout (female vocals, yay!). Another new-to-me act with another very late release which could have been higher if it had appeared earlier. 108. Susanne Sundfør - blómi28th April | indie; pop; folkSixth studio album from the Norwegian singer-songwriter. I've known of Susanne's beautiful voice for years, though mostly through her more synth-based collaborations with M83 and fellow Norwegians Röyksopp. This much more stripped-back album is not a sound I tend to reach for compared to that, and it took a few plays to really grow on me. Her voice is undoubtedly the best thing here, and I can definitely live without the spoken-word bits at the beginning and end (can you tell I'm not a fan of spoken-word in music?) but the songs are well-written, and the varied instrumentation and ambient sounds that are woven in throughout really elevate it from what might otherwise have been a standard nice-lady-sings-with-piano album. And 'alyosha' is gorgeous. Chart history: blómi [Mar-Apr 23, #18] alyosha [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #28] 107. Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World10th February | indieSeventeenth studio album from the long-running New Jersey indie group. Not a band I've been keeping up with over their lengthy career, I was bowled over by this when I first heard it, but haven't gone back to it that much in recent months, hence it not quite making the top 100. Still a remarkably strong album from a band that have been around this long, and 'Fallout' and 'Sinatra Drive Breakdown' are particular standouts. Chart history: This Stupid World [Jan-Feb 23, #13] Sinatra Drive Breakdown [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #63] 106. Anareta - Fear Not8th April | symphonic blackened doom metalDebut full-length from this New Orleans band. I checked this out on the strength of a rave review and was struck by how completely unlike anything else Anareta's sound is. There is no shortage of bands incorporating classical music and strings into metal, but Anareta lean into it so fully that what you end up with basically sounds like metal chamber music. The production isn't my favourite thing in the world and it's the kind of thing you can definitely have too much of, but I'm definitely going to be looking out for more from them in the future. Chart history: Fear Not [Mar-Apr 23, #15]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 2, 2024 15:43:26 GMT 1
105. ...And Oceans - As In Gardens, So In Tombs27th January | atmospheric black metalAn album from this long-running Finnish melodic black metal project. I'm not going to attempt to tell you which number album it is for them overall, because this band have been around under a variety of different names (and various metal subgenres) since 1989, but it is the second release they've put out since emerging from an almost 20-year hiatus in 2020. This was an early highlight of the metal calendar for me: highly melodic, tuneful and even catchy black metal with a symphonic atmosphere (thanks to some clever synth work), it's hugely listenable and accessible and only misses out of the top 100 because it's been a bit overlooked since its early release. But I'm actually listening to it again right now as I write this and being impressed by it all over again. Chart history: As In Gardens, So In Tombs [Jan-Feb 23, #12] 104. Aetherian - At Storm's Edge14th July | melodic death metalSecond album from this Greek melodic death metal band. This one has suffered a bit of a comedown: I loved it when I first heard it, but on relistens, it just hasn't quite managed to recapture the same magic. That said, it is very, very good indeed, incorporating traditional Greek instrumentation and choral sections lending this record a truly epic feel. Only a couple of albums in melodic death metal in 2023 impressed me more than this one, and one of them is very high up this list indeed. Chart history: At Storm's Edge [Jul-Aug 23, #6] 103. The Hives - The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons11th August | indie; garage rockSixth studio album from the Swedish band, their first in 11 years. My mind was blown this year when I discovered how long this band have been around - I had ignorantly lumped them in with all the other 2000s indie bands that started out in the days of 'Hate To Say I Told You So' but they've been around since the late 80s That being said, despite changes of personnel in recent years, they are very much still The Hives and this was a really enjoyable, high-energy record that sounded like they hadn't been away. The singles 'Bogus Operandi' and 'Countdown To Shutdown' are still my highlights but taken as a whole the album is pretty damn good. Not sure why I charted it so low tbh! Chart history: The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons [Jul-Aug 23, #20] Bogus Operandi [GL8 May-Jun 23, #20] Countdown to Shutdown [GL8 May-Jun 23, #53] 102. Heretoir - Wastelands [EP]19th May | post-black metal; atmospheric black metal; blackgazeEP from the German post-black metal project. One of a handful of artists to have released an EP and an album in 2023, Heretoir is one of the even smaller portion of those where I actually got around to hearing both releases. They recently topped my final singles chart of the year with 'Glacierheart', though that was on the album Nightsphere which, as you might have guessed, we'll be getting to much later than this. This was the first record I ever heard by them and I was struck by how well they have nailed that particular kind of tuneful, shoegaze-influenced post-black metal sound that I really love, and definitely got me hyped to hear the album. Chart history: Wastelands [Jul-Aug 23, #15] And just missing out on the top 100, a UK #1... 101. Enter Shikari - A Kiss For The Whole World21st April | alternative rock; electronicSeventh studio album from the St. Albans band. In my first chart of 2023, I called these guys 'obnoxious and annoying' and while I don't think I'm going to be won over to their back catalogue any time soon, the single '(pls) set me on fire' was so incredibly good I had to check out their album when it came out. I eventually charted 3 of the singles which was 3 more than I ever expected to chart from this band The album only reached #20; not every track is for me but I've gone back to it throughout the year and every time find something that makes me like a little more. Unlucky to just be missing out but this has to be one of my biggest pleasant surprises of the year. Chart history: A Kiss For The Whole World [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #20] (pls) set me on fire [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #13] It Hurts [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #95] A Kiss For The Whole World x [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #73]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 2, 2024 16:15:01 GMT 1
Before I start posting the top 100, a brief interlude to acknowledge the albums I missed when compiling this list... Albums I played during 2023 but forgot to include in this list: Grrrl Gang - Spunky!Maggot Heart - HungerPoison Ruin - HarvestTesseracT - War of BeingThe Coral - Sea Of MirrorsThe Coral - Holy Joe’s Coral Island Medicine ShowAll of the above would have been in contention for a placing somewhere in the 150-200 ballpark, with the possible exception of Maggot Heart which I'm kind of annoyed I forgot about. Albums I missed in 2023: 100 gecs - 10,000 gecsBen Folds - What Matters MostBishop Briggs - When Everything Went DarkBlack Stone Cherry - Screamin' At The SkyCorey Taylor - CMF2Damian Lewis - Mission CreepFar From Saints - Far From SaintsGloryhammer - Return To The Kingdom Of FifeGreta Van Fleet - StarcatcherHelen Love - Yeah Yeah We’re Helen LoveHolly Humberstone - Paint My Bedroom BlackHollywood Vampires - Live In RioJanelle Monáe - The Age of PleasureJethro Tull - RökFlöteKelly Clarkson - ChemistryKing Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - The Silver CordKing Krule - Space HeavyLankum - False Lankum Måneskin - RushMudhoney - Plastic EternityNew Found Glory - Make The Most Of ItPeter Gabriel - i/oRodrigo y Gabriela - In Between Thoughts...A New WorldRóisín Murphy - Hit ParadeRomy - Mid AirSaint Agnes - BloodsuckersSeafret - WonderlandSkating Polly - Chaos Country LineSnõõper - Super Snõõper
Starbenders - Take Back The NightStorm Orchestra - What A Time To Be AliveSufjan Stevens - JavelinTeenage Fanclub - Nothing Lasts ForeverThe Boo Radleys - EightThe Mars Volta - Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi CorazonThe National - Laugh TrackThe New Pornographers - Continue As A GuestThe Rolling Stones - Hackney DiamondsYes - Mirror To The SkyYusuf / Cat Stevens - King Of A LandSome of these were on my release schedule but I just forgot to get around to them, others I decided I had little interest in making the time for at all, and one or two I started to play but gave up very early on, usually because they were very long and I didn't have the patience at the time (I'm looking at you, Skating Polly). Anything not on here or already listed somewhere in this thread is likely to still be coming up! Unless it's not here because I didn't know about it at all until recently, have once again forgotten it happened, or just had no interest whatsoever
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Post by greendemon on Jan 3, 2024 17:10:37 GMT 1
100. Blink-182 - One More Time20th October | alternative rock; pop-punkNinth studio album from the US pop-punk legends. Arguably this is lucky to make it in: as I only got around to it just before Christmas it's definitely benefitting from some heavy recency bias, alongside a big boost from early-2000s nostalgia. The band's first album with original member Tom DeLonge in over a decade, I didn't go into it with sky-high expectations but if you like Blink-182 it's hard to see how you'd be disappointed by this. Who'd have thought, they still know how to make great songs. Really fun, catchy songs with classic Blink-182 crude humour which would probably come across as super-cringe if anyone other than the band best-known for Enema Of The State tried it, along with a good deal of regret at the tumultuous past few years they have had. 'Edging' and 'Dance With Me' are the best things here though for some reason I forgot to chart either. Chart history: ONE MORE TIME [GL10 Sep-Dec 23, #89] 99. Godthrymm - Distortions18th August | doom metalSecond album from the Yorkshire-based new project from former members of iconic doom metal band, My Dying Bride. That parent band is one I need to investigate more as this is very good stuff; crushingly heavy doom topped off with very strong vocals from husband and wife, Hamish and Catherine Glencross. This was a big hit with me in August when it came out - my one issue with it really is that it's a bit too long to really enjoy in a single sitting but I do keep coming back to the single 'Devils'; it's so good. Chart history: Distortions [Jul-Aug 23, #10] Devils [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #44] 98. Wolves In The Throne Room - Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge [EP]29th September | atmospheric black metalEP from the Washington state atmospheric black metal band. I've had these guys on my radar for a couple of years so was excited to see new material come out. The single 'Twin Mouthed Spring' was a stunning showcase of the band's hallmark style, incorporating folk instrumentation alongside black metal riffs and harsh vocals, with the final two tracks on the EP providing atmospheric industrial reinterpretations of songs from the band's back catalogue. While the tracks all stand on their own and are very good, they could hang together as a whole better, but I'm a sucker for their sound so this is definitely one of the stronger metal EPs of the year for me. Chart history: Twin Mouthed Spring [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #16] 97. Unearth - The Wretched; The Ruinous5th May | metalcoreEighth studio album from the Boston melodic metalcore band. Not a band I'm terribly familiar with, I prioritised this on the strength of the single 'Into The Abyss' which was a #3 smash for me in April. Nothing else on the album quite impressed me as much at the time so I ended up charting it fairly low, but I've come full-circle on it and have come to really appreciate the variety it manages to pack into its 36-minute runtime even if nothing quite matches the blend of melodic death metal and metalcore that single offers. Chart history: The Wretched; The Ruinous [May-Jun 23, #26] Into the Abyss [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #3] Mother Betrayal [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #91] 96. Twilight Force - At The Heart of Wintervale20th January | power metal; symphonic metalFourth album from the Swedish symphonic power metal band. European power metal is like the unloved stepchild of the metal genre world: shamelessly nerdy, outrageously silly and cheesier than a four-cheese pizza with extra cheese, it comes in for a lot of mockery. I'll admit it's not one of my favourite things either but I do like my power metal best when it leans heavily into the tropes it's known for, and this one does that in spades. It didn't do very well in my chart as I kind of overlooked it amid all the other incredible metal releases from early 2023, and I then continued to overlook it when an even better power metal album dropped in the spring, but it's a shame I did because as far as metal goes, it's one of the most joyously upbeat, overblown and silly things to have appeared in 2023 and would have been a nice counterpoint to the bleak post-Christmas period in which it appeared. The twinkly synth-based sound effects even give it a slightly Christmassy vibe One I feel will definitely rank more highly in the future. Chart history: At The Heart of Wintervale [May-Jun 23, #21]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 3, 2024 17:56:46 GMT 1
95. Aara - Triade III: Nyx31st March | atmospheric black metalFifth full-length from this Swiss atmospheric black metal project who only formed in 2018! Never heard of these guys before 2023 but they've been churning out albums like there's no tomorrow so I have a lot to catch up on, especially since their particular brand of spooky black metal inspired by the gaslit streets and gloomy atmosphere of nineteenth-century gothic literature is exactly up my alley. As the name suggests, Triade III: Nyx is the third part of a trilogy of albums, based on the 1820 novel Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin and really now that the weather is dark and gloomy again I should get around to listening to the first two parts - ideally before they come up with something else! Chart history: Triade III: Nyx [Mar-Apr 23, #12] 94. AVKRVST - The Approbation16th June | progressive rock; post-rockDebut album from this Norwegian duo who have known each other for 22 years but only recently put this together. Another album I got to on the strength of a glowing review, followed up by the song 'The Pale Moon' which I loved. Recorded in a remote Norwegian cabin to the backdrop of stormy weather (and the occasional train horn), this is album is full of stunning and surprising progressive post-rock heavily influenced by the likes of Porcupine Tree and Mew (one of my all-time favourite bands; I could really hear the influences while listening to this!) It charted quite low as I don't think I gave it the time and plays it really needed at first but it slowly got its hooks into me and I think is another one likely to grow on me even more with time. Another one that really sounds better in winter so I'm not sure why they dropped it in June. Chart history: The Approbation [May-Jun 23, #29] The Pale Moon [GL8 May-Jun 23, #38] 93. Burning Witches - The Dark Tower 5th May | heavy metal Fifth studio album from this Dutch/Swiss all-women heavy metal band. I owe this one to Napalm Records, the label this band signed to for this release, as I'd never heard of them before this was recommended off the back of another video I watched on their channel. This album is a really good time! Traditional 80s-inspired heavy metal with clean female vocals, fantastic guitar solos, spooky occult vibes and a good dose of cheese (complete with a creepy spoken-word interlude), this album was on heavy rotation in the early summer. My main criticism of it is that it's a little bit too long at over an hour but that's mostly down to the last two tracks (both covers which are good but not really in keeping with the rest of the album). Other than that it's a lot of fun and very listenable. Chart history: The Dark Tower [May-Jun 23, #25] 92. Hundred Reasons - Glorious Sunset24th February | indie; alternative rockFifth album from the UK rock band and their first in sixteen years! Anyone who's known me since I first started darkening the door of Haven and its parent forum Dotmusic back in the day will know I loved this band as a teenager; they were actually the first band I ever saw live While Ideas Above Their Station will always hold a special place in my heart, they were pretty low on the list of bands I expected to see new music from any time soon until 2022 when this album was announced. They have definitely evolved into something quite unlike the heavier, more post-hardcore-y sound I remember from my teen years, and while that came as a slight disappointment at first I quickly grew to love this album which I think is the sound of a band who have matured their sound in a new direction rather successfully. Very happy for them to keep making indie/alternative rock bangers such as the title track and the stunning 'Replicate' but hope we don't have to wait another 16 years for more! Chart history: Glorious Sunset [Jan-Feb 23, #17] Glorious Sunset [GL5 Oct-Dec 22, #18] Replicate [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #6] 91. The Aces - I've Loved You For So Long2nd June | indie; popThird studio album from the US indie-pop girl band. I had this as one of my most-anticipated records this year following last year's top 5 hit, 'Girls Make Me Wanna Die' and while there was quite the wait for this one I certainly wasn't disappointed. They remind me a lot of a more indie version of MUNA with some slight 1975 vibes and if you like this sound this is a great listen. Sure, it doesn't experiment much across its runtime but for me it's a classic example of an album that may not do anything original but when the songs are this catchy and enjoyable, who cares? Chart history: I've Loved You For So Long [Jun-Jul 23, #11] Girls Make Me Wanna Die [GL3 Jun-Jul 22, #5]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 4, 2024 19:03:00 GMT 1
90. Dream Wife - Social Lubrication9th June | indie; punkThird album from the London-based band. Somehow I had slept on this group until this came out but it turned out to be a reeeeal kick in the teeth. Just really great, high-energy punky indie influenced by the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Blondie, that manages to sound both rooted in the 2000s yet still somehow fresh and exciting. The lyrics are probably my favourite thing about this record; full of spiky post-MeToo witticisms and commentary about being a woman, dating musicians, gender and relationships, delivered by the fantastic Rakel Mjöll whose voice is just made for this kind of music. If I had a criticism I'd have liked a little more variety across the record - another track like 'Honesty' - but it's really good stuff. Chart history: Social Lubrication [May-Jun 23, #13] 89. Marianas Rest - Auer 24th March | melodic death-doom metal Fourth album from this Finnish melodic death-doom band. Another band new to me this year, I checked this out on the strength of the superb single, 'Diseased'. The follow-up, 'Light Reveals Our Wounds', was almost as strong, and there was another single, 'Sirens', featuring My Dying Bride vocalist Aaron Stainhope which I don't think I charted. This is one I felt a little disappointed by on release given how great all the singles were, but I went back to it since and it's just steadily been climbing up this list to the point it was threatening the top 80. It's definitely not flawless; there are a couple of spoken-word passages that I could have done without (turns out even when they're in Finnish I still don't like them). That said, another really strong metal album I didn't get the chance to revisit as much as I would have liked. Chart history: Auer [Mar-Apr 23, #14] Diseased [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #16] Light Reveals Our Wounds [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #30] 88. Myrkur - Ragnarok [EP]2nd June | post-black metal; folk EP from the Danish black metal/folk solo project of singer and multi-instrumentalist, Amalie Bruun. I have a lot to say about Myrkur, most of which I will save for later, as this was not her only release in 2023. She had been relatively quiet since the release in 2020 of her highly-acclaimed third LP, Folkesange, which saw her shift from her established folk-tinged post-black metal sound to produce and out-and-out album of gorgeous Nordic folk, so to see her reappear with another metal EP was a nice surprise. Written as the soundtrack to Ragnarok, a play performed by the National Theatre of Denmark, this EP is much closer to what I'd call classic Myrkur: dramatic, dark and hugely atmospheric post-black metal. It is beautiful, but my complaints at the time were that there was little experimentation here and that I'd have liked something album-length - both of which comments, as we'll see, aged like fine milk Chart history: Ragnarok [May-Jun 23, #12] 87. Tegmentum - Evolvement25th August | progressive metal; deathcore; djentDebut album from the San Francisco-based group featuring Chelsea Murphy whose other project, Dawn of Ouroboros, placed lower down this list. Not a group I was familiar with, I discovered this album thanks to a mention in their record label M-Theory's mailing list. The description of their sound - cosmic-themed, stunningly beautiful progressive metal influenced by deathcore, post-hardcore and shoegaze with harsh female vocals - was really appealing to me so I went straight for the two singles, 'I Remain' and 'Accolades', and rated them both enough to give this a go. It ended up being a slightly frustrating record in that all the ingredients are here for something that would easily slot into my top 20 of the year, but just doesn't quite hit the heights I really feel this band are capable of. That said, I will most definitely keep my ear out for more as I'm genuinely excited to see where they can take this sound. Chelsea Murphy is an incredible vocalist with an awe-inspiring range and I should really investigate her other projects further as well. Chart history: Evolvement [Jul-Aug 23, #15] Accolades (Feat. Yvette Young) [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #41] I Remain [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #95] 86. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab25th August | avant-garde atmospheric black metal Sixteenth full-length from the long-running French atmospheric black metal project, and the second release in a planned 'Disharmonium' trilogy inspired by the works of HP Lovecraft, begun with last year's Undreamable Abysses. A casual browse of this list thus far will reveal a few albums described variously as dark, spooky, creepy, etc. Well, there are those albums, and then there is this one. I think when I charted this I described it as the sound of an elder god digesting a brass band and I stand by that. This is the sound of terrifying eldritch nightmares. Very much not to be played when alone in the dark. Chart history: Disharmonium - Nahab [Jul-Aug 23, #11]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 9, 2024 14:45:41 GMT 1
85. Abstract Void - Forever30th July | post-black metal; synthwave; electronicFourth album from the one-man 'blackwave' project, who I believe is Russian. Black metal and synthwave: two genres of music that each have their origins in the 80s. That is more or less where the similarities end. If you had told me prior to 2023 that music that blended the harsh, glacial qualities of black metal with the sparkly neon melodies of synthwave not only existed, but actually sounded really good, I'd have been doubtful to say the least. I don't know what alchemy Abstract Void has wrought here; this is a combination that absolutely should not work but somehow really really does. It's a delicate balance though, and I'm not sure the album does quite enough with this ingenious combination to sustain even its relatively short 36-minute runtime. That said, in stark contrast to most of the black metal I heard in 2023, Forever is such a summery-vibes album and I know I'll be playing it again as the weather warms up. Chart history: Forever [Jul-Aug 23, #16] Forever [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #49] 84. Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance20th January | doom metalDebut album from this Vancouver gothic doom metal band. One of the more highly-acclaimed doom albums to release in 2023, this one came out during an incredibly busy January for new music and whilst I was still compiling my albums chart from the previous year (that sounds familiar...) so while I gave it a cursory listen, it didn't really stick with me and I didn't get around to returning to it until very late in the year. I do regret this as it's a wonderful album; heavy, addictive riffs underpinned by beautiful strings (one of the members is a classically-trained cellist) and combining beautiful female clean vocals with oppressive death-metal growls. Definitely could have been higher but spoiler alert, two of my favourite metal albums of the year dropped the week before this did so it never really stood a chance! 83. Final Gasp - Mourning Moon22nd September | gothic rock; metal; hardcoreDebut album from the 'Boston-based deathrock dealers', as they call themselves on their Bandcamp. This one caught my attention thanks to the title track which released as a single in the summer and I was instantly taken with their brand of 80s-inspired heavy-metal-infused goth-rock that sounded a bit like a heavier, hardcore Killing Joke. It's possibly a little longer than it needs to be but this is one that has grown on me with time - it's got that perfect blend of great riffs, 80s-style vocals and production, just a hint of reverb and an appropriately gothic atmosphere. It was a 7.5 verging on an 8 and I think again could have been a bit higher but another spoiler alert, it ended up being eclipsed by a certain other gothic rock release a couple of weeks later and I know you know which album I'm talking about... Chart history: Mourning Moon [GL8 May-Jun 23, #83] 82. Night Demon - Outsider17th March | heavy metalYet another debut album, although this time from a Ventura, California band who have been around for at least 10 years. This is one that has actually gone the other way and has faded a bit after reaching my top #5. It absolutely set the metal community on fire when it came out, and it's easy to see why: Night Demon are experts at producing songs that sound like heavy metal did 30+ years ago, but somehow still sound fresh and modern. The songwriting and execution is excellent and it is a very good album, but didn't get as many plays as others did as the year went on hence its lower ranking. Chart history: Outsider [Mar-Apr 23, #5] Outsider [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #43] Beyond The Grave [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #21] The Wrath [GL10 Sep-Dec 23, #86] 81. Deadly Carnage - Endless Blue15th September | post-metal Fifth full-length from the Italian band. I don't know much about these guys; they started out as black metal but have moved into post-metal territory in recent years - though they have kept the edgelord band name which does look a bit hilarious now Another one I checked out on the strength of a very strong review, this is a concept album inspired by the Japanese legend of Urashima Tarō, which I'm not familiar with but apparently draws on themes such as the wonder and terror of the deep sea (big yes from me). It did take a few listens to really appreciate, and started out this list quite a bit lower, but has just been growing and growing over the past couple of months to the point it just misses out on the top 80. A beautiful album with appropriately stunning artwork too. 80. Fever Ray - Radical Romantics10th March | art pop; avant-gardeThird album from the project helmed by Swedish musician Karin Dreijer. Like a few people I'm sure I know Karin's music best from their The Knife days and had been pretty slow to catch on to Fever Ray even being a thing, to the point that this is the first album of theirs I've heard. It caught my attention with the single 'Kandy' early in 2023, which I promptly playlisted and charted, and though I was unsure about the album at first, I persisted and am glad I did. Karin's voice undoubtedly my favourite thing; not just their range but the way they vary their delivery is just incredible, it's almost hard to believe it's the same person singing throughout. I don't think I enjoy any individual track more than listening to the record as a whole, though other than 'Kandy' I'd have to nominate the vicious single 'Even It Out' (don't mess with their kid!) and the dance-beat-driven 'Carbon Dioxide' that almost breaks into a proper floor-filler towards the end. Another album that really rewards relistens and again could have been higher. Chart history: Radical Romantics [Mar-Apr 23, #19] Kandy [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #37] Even It Out [GL7 Mar-Apr 23, #70]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 10, 2024 19:05:26 GMT 1
Into the top 80! Two for now, hopefully a couple more later... 79. Bury Tomorrow - The Seventh Son31st March | metalcoreSeventh studio album from the Southampton band. This one wasn't high on my most-anticipated list but it really took me by surprise and stormed into my chart top 10. It starts incredibly strongly with the title track and the brilliant single 'Abandon Us', which features a ridiculously catchy chorus and while I don't think it ever gets back to that high point, every song thereafter goes really hard. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but in terms of well-executed metalcore with great riffs and solid melodies, it ticks the box. One of the standout releases in what admittedly wasn't the strongest year for metalcore - there is one more in the genre to come a little higher up. Chart history: The Seventh Son [Mar-Apr 23, #7] 78. CMAT - Crazymad, for Me13th October | pop; countrySecond studio album from the Irish singer-songwriter Ciara May-Alice Thompson. This was a very, very late discovery for me indeed: despite this record getting rave reviews everywhere when it came out, September and October were huge months for albums already on my radar, so I didn't make the effort to look at releases outside of my heavy, guitar-based comfort zone. As soon as I finally heard 'Stay For Something' in late November, I knew I'd made a mistake in overlooking the album. While that song remains my highlight, the album as a whole is full of catchy melodies and sharply witty lyrics about love, youth, regrets and especially toxic relationships. Fully expecting this one to grow on me with time. Chart history: Stay For Something [GL10 Sep-Dec 23, #12]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 12, 2024 21:48:30 GMT 1
77. The Go! Team - Get Up Sequences Part Two 3rd February | indie; pop Sixth studio album from the Brighton indie band who have been around since the early 2000s. While I was familiar with their earlier work, I had missed Get Up Sequences Part One and so this was another record I went into without expecting a great deal, but turned out to be my feel-good album of the spring and early summer. Amidst all the gloomy and heavy stuff I listened to in 2023, particularly in January and February, this was just a really fun and joyous palate-cleanser to have in my rotation. Chart history: Get Up Sequences Part Two [Jan-Feb 23, #9] Gemini [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #25] 76. Vanishing Kids - Miracle of Death13th October | doom metal; psychedelic rock; shoegazeSixth full-length from this female-fronted Wisconsin band who again have been around for nigh-on 20 years, though this was my first encounter with them. I'm being a bit cheeky adding this as it was a very late discovery, but considering it's probably worthy of a much higher spot I think it's justified. This album's sound has been described as 'dark doomgaze' and it's a descriptor that fits well; very much grounded in a 70s psych-doom vibe, but with dreamy shoegaze elements throughout and occasional synthy flourishes. Never charted the album or any tracks from it due to the lateness but the stunning 'Only You' is probably my favourite track. 75. Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity10th February | alternative rock; grungeThird album from the Houston grunge band. I said of a much lower-placed record than this that it was bested by several other releases in the thriving shoegaze-influenced grunge scene, and so here is one of them to kick off the top 75. One of the heavier purveyors of this kind of sound, Narrow Head were new to me with this album; it was an early release that got slightly overlooked at the time but I've since grown to appreciate a bit more. Momma's cover of 'Sunday' certainly helped remind me of it though I actually think I prefer the cover. Chart history: Moments of Clarity [Jan-Feb 23, #14] Caroline [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #40] 74. Billy Nomates - Cacti13th January | indieSecond album from Bristol-based singer-songwriter Tor Maries. I was very late to Billy, having not been aware of her music until the very end of 2022 when she featured in Shireblogger's countdown of his favourite discoveries from that year. I then heard 'balance is gone' and 'spite', loved both and put this release towards the top of my most-anticipated list early in 2023. Great album, an easy 8/10 and probably didn't get the love it deserved, though to be fair it had to fight hard for attention in a packed January which included some of my favourite releases of the entire year. I need to finally get around to her debut as well. Chart history: Cacti [Jan-Feb 23, #10] spite [GL5 Oct-Dec 22, #14] vertigo [GL6 Jan-Feb 23, #49]
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Post by greendemon on Jan 13, 2024 17:05:08 GMT 1
73. Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current14th April | avant-garde experimental black metalSixth album from the Norwegian avant-garde black metal project. Dødheimsgard are known for pushing the boundaries of black metal in surprising directions through the incorporation of everything from cosmic synths and electronica to experimental jazz, ending up with something at turns beautiful, disturbing, fascinating, incredibly diverse and a bit mental. Not having heard their music before, I went into this album completely blind and came out of it with a melted brain. It's a challenging listen and I'll admit I haven't fully got to grips with it even many months after it came out - as well as the sprawling 70-minute-plus runtime, the vocalist Vicotnik has a distinctive warbling quality that can get quite offputting - but whenever I do make the time I come away with a little more appreciation. I'll be spending a lot more time with it in the first half of this year as their spin-off project, Doedsmaghird, is due to release their first album in mid-2024. Chart history: Black Medium Current [Mar-Apr 23, #13] 72. Queens Of The Stone Age - In Times New Roman...16th June | alternative rockEighth studio album from the Seattle band and their first in 6 years. Another legendary rock band to make a return this year, frontman Josh Homme's recent struggles - most notably a custody battle with his ex-wife over their children, along with the keenly-felt losses of close friends and the impact of the pandemic - translated into a heavier, darker and sludgier album than their last. I definitely appreciated it but wasn't totally wowed. Although it's grown on me since I originally charted it at #19, I still have this a bit lower than others; it is a very good album and a solid return to form, and it's great to hear them still producing music of this calibre. I think I wanted a few more really memorable songs. But I can't knock 'Emotion Sickness', 'Sicily' or especially 'Paper Machete' which might be my favourite track they've produced in quite a while. Chart history: In Times New Roman... [May-Jun 23, #19] Paper Machete [GL8 May-Jun 23, #15] Emotion Sickness [GL8 May-Jun 23, #76] 71. Crypta - Shades Of Sorrow4th August | death metalSecond album from the Brazilian all-female death metal band. Another band I discovered thanks to Napalm Records to whom they are signed; single 'The Other Side of Anger' popped up as a 'watch this next' on my playlist and as we know, I see a growly lady, I click Dealing with themes including depression and anxiety, this is a ferocious record and a lot of fun to listen to. As I've said elsewhere, I'm still finding my way with death metal, but what really makes this album work is the combination of incredibly catchy grooves, excellent female vocals and great production which doesn't obfuscate any of the individual elements. A few of the songs are a bit longer than they need to be but otherwise this is a great album and is unlucky to miss out on the top 70. Chart history: Shades Of Sorrow [Jul-Aug 23, #9] The Other Side Of Anger [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #30] Trial Of Traitors [GL9 Jul-Aug 23, #90]
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