EXTREME METAL MANIAC's FAVORITE RELEASES OF 2023
Ah yes it's another favorites or best of the year list. Not only is this list mandatory but it's explanation like all other explanations for year end lists is just as obligatory. In other words I get to give you my reasons on why this year in Metal was cool via a fuckin list of releases I've praised this year.
With that said I don't like to say "best of" simply because I haven't heard everything released this year. Lets be honest, everyone's pick is basically a favorite. Also let me point out that advertising did not play a part in what releases were chosen as my favorites for 2023. Magazines and large websites depend on advertising dollars to survive. Therefore some if not many of their year end picks are given to those who pay ahead or on the barrel-head.
So with all of that said for me it's personal taste and this year that taste was in Death Metal especially bands that remind me of the old ways. Of course Black Metal, Grind and Speed Metal were big favorites of mine this year. A big shocker is that Doom did not play a big part in my listening pleasures. Thrash also fell by the wayside.
Most of these picks are on what some would call "underground labels". But hey there's a couple of mainstream label picks and some Metal veterans in the ranks. Therefore let's get into it.
THE TOP 40 FAVORITE RELEASES FOR 2023
1. PUTRASCENSION - Forever Below
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Blackened Perfection from a New Jersey / New York area super group.
2. MINENWERFER - Feuerwalze
Osmose Productions
World War One themed Black Metal by one of my favorite US bands.
3. VOMITHEIST - NekroFvneral
Transcending Obscurity Records
An amazing debut by a Swiss Death Metal act who love the old ways.
4. SERPENT OF OLD - Ensemble Under The Dark Sun
Transcending Obscurity Records
A debut album which is perfection in blackened death metal.
5. SADISTIC FORCE - Midnight Assassin
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Speed Metal, Hard Fuckin Rock and Thrash all in one. If you're into Metal then you need this!
6. CANNIBAL CORPSE - Chaos Horrific
Metal Blade Records
These Death Metal veterans can still kick your ass.
7. WALKING CORPSE - Our Hands Your Throat
Transcending Obscurity Records
Best Grindcore album of the year.
8. INCANTATION - Unholy Deification
Relapse Records
This is a death metal opera. A concept album which is one of the most fiercest and profound sounding releases INCANTATION has ever done.
9. TAAKE - Et hav av avstand
Dark Essence Records
An album that brings about blackened joy, fear and hate.
10. HELMS DEEP - Treacherous Ways
Nameless Grave Records
The next new wave of old school sounding metal.
11. KORGULL THE EXTERMINATOR - Built to Kill
Xtreem Music
Blackened Thrash with female vocals equals a Hell Fuckin Yeah!
12. UNFELLED - Pall of Endless Perdition
Season of Mist
An exhilarating Black Metal album as well as a punch in the face to the silly post BM losers.
13. CEMETERY URN - Suffer The Fallen
Hells Headbangers Records
This is punishing Old School Death Metal with a sadistic smile. Yeah it's their best album as well as bestial to the hilt.
14. PROFANATICA - Crux Simplex
Season of Mist
The greatest US Black Metal act of all time (yes I said that) returns to show us how it's done.
15. TSJUDER - Helvegr
Season of Mist
A school lesson on what Norwegian Black Metal is all about.
16. LEPER COLONY - Self Titled
Transcending Obscurity Records
Another great release by Rogga Johansson the most prolific Death Metal musician in Sweden.
17. VOMITORY - All Heads Are Gonna Roll
Metal Blade Records
Swedish Death Metal veterans are back to kick some fuckin ass!
18. CIRITH UNGOL - Dark Parade
Metal Blade Records
If this is their swan song that it's a great one to go out on.
19. RAVEN - All Hell's Breaking Loose
Silver Lining Music
It's not early RAVEN but instead it's a master class in 80's Speed Metal.
20. DEGRAVE - Volume
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
A Thrash band who love early METALLICA, MEGADETH and VOIVOD but know how to revive it without being copycats.
21. TERRA BUILDER - Solar Temple
Transcending Obscurity Records
This is sinister sounding Grindcore.
22. SAMMATH - Grebbeberg
Hammerheart Records
Dutch Black Metal greatness.
23. DRIPPING DECAY - Festering Grotesqueries
Satanik Royalty Records
A homage to old school Death Grind greatness.
24. DEIQUISITOR - Apotheosis
Extremely Rotten Productions
An amazing Danish Death Metal band who are like MORTICIAN with an actual drummer.
25. FARSCAPE - Purged and Forgotten
Dying Victims Productions
Real Blackened Thrash
26. JAG PANZER - The Hallowed
Atomic Fire Records
Power Metal album of the year, nuff said!
27. SACRENOIR - Comme des Revenants Parmi les Ruines
Sepulchral Productions
Quebec Black Metal at it's finest.
28. GATEWAY - Galgendood
Transcending Obscurity Records
Sludgy horrific sounding death doom from Belgium.
29. LORD MOUNTAIN - The Oath
King Volume Records
Biggest Doom surprise of the year.
30. FAIHXTRACTOR - Contempt for a Failed Dimension
Redefining Darkness Records
Pure Old School Death Metal
31. LYCANTHROPHY - On The Verge Of Apocalypse
Horror Pain Gore Death
Heavy and Brutal sounding Euro Grindcore
32. ORPHALIS - As The Ashes Settle
Transcending Obscurity Records
Brutal Tech Death from Germany
33. GRAVERIPPER - Seasons Dreaming Death
Wise Blood Records
Blackened Thrash that's not generic
34. WORLD EATER - An Insidious Remedy
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Pure Old School Death Metal
35. DECIPHER - Arcane Paths to Resurrection
Transcending Obscurity Records
The new kings of Greek Black Metal
36. COFFINBORN - Cadaveric Retribution
Xtreem Music
Like GRAVE meets MORTICIAN and INCANTATION in a back alley in Budapest for a rumble.
37. RAPID - Blackstar Oppression Regime
Dying Victims Productions
The newest Blackened Speed Metal sensation from Finland.
38. THORN - Evergloom
Transcending Obscurity Records
The perfect album for a Death Metal pot head.
39. SMOULDER - Violent Creed Of Vengeance
Cruz del Sur Music
Second album of Epic Traditional Metal by this great Canadian band
40. IMMORTAL - War Against All
Nuclear Blast
The battles in the North continue on
NEXT UP IT'S SHORT FORM RELEASE TIME
TOP EPS OF 2023
1. BRED FOR SLAUGHTER - Here You’re Born Here You Die EP
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
A twenty-five minute plus EP of total Death Metal and Grind insanity.
2. TO DESCEND - Mindless Birth
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
And yet another Rogga Johansson project that's pure old school Swedish DM.
3. ALL HELL - All Hail the Night EP
Terminus Hate City Records
North Carolina's Blackened Speed Metal titans
4. AROMA - Adenocarcinoma EP
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Brutal DM and Goregrind from the bowels of Philadelphia, PA.
5. MORDANT RHED - Fuck Your Feeble World EP
Self Released
Blackened sickness from Texas.
SPLIT RELEASE OF 2023
FERAL / CRAWL - Made As Those Who Are No Longer Alive
Transcending Obscurity Records
IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!
Yeah live albums are not as exciting as they use to be but hey if it's a favorite band then hell yeah. The only live album worth a damm from 2023.
MAYHEM - Daemonic Rites
Century Media Records
NEXT.....
Yeah it's 2023 and I still like compilation releases. Maybe not various artist comps as much as I use to. But these days I'm all into a comp of a single band's material. So here ya go.
Favorite Compilations of 2023
BARBARIC HORDE - Perpetrators of Impurity compilation
Godz ov War Productions
This comp contains BARBARIC HORDE's first two demos as in Gasmask Perpetrators from 2016 and Tainted Impurity from 2017. Barbaric Black Metal from Portugal.
CHAINED TO THE DEAD - Discography of Debauchery
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
A compilation of this New Jersey Death Metal band's whole musical out-put since starting in 2014. Yep this release has every thing released by the band as far as short form releases, full lengths and previously unreleased live tracks.
BUNKER 66 - Portraits of Dismay compilation
Dying Victims Productions
A compilation of this Italian Blackened Thrash band's short form released songs.
Yes I love reissues. This year I ordered a few plus I picked up some at shows. Usually they're something I already have plus a second disc of live stuff. Whatever but here are two reissue releases I thought were really cool.
FAVORITE REISSUES OF 2023
CRITICAL DEFIANCE - Misconception reissue
Dying Victims Productions
The Chilean band's debut album which crushes their second album.
DESTROYER 666 - Six Songs with the Devil reissue
Season of Mist
If you're a DESTROYER 666 fan then this is mandatory.
FAVORITE NON METAL RELEASE:
ANTISEEN - Great Disasters
I love ANTISEEN. I've seen them so many times. I was at their 40th Anniversery show this year. ANTISEEN are punk, metal, country and rock n roll. Think MOTORHEAD, The STOOGES and The RAMONES with some cool Southern vibe.
FAVORITE LABEL OF 2023
Usually I decide this by how many releases a label that I have releases listed here. But this year I'm changing that.
1. Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
I've always liked this label from Hostile City, USA (aka: Philadelphia, PA). They have put out some of the most extreme acts that any Metal maniac would love. But this year they put out the fuckin best as in my number one pick as well as number five. Buy all of their stuff.
2. Transcending Obscurity Records
This label has become one of my favorites for extreme sounding Death Metal as well as Black Metal and Grindcore over the past couple of years.
3. Dying Victims Productions
It's a throwback to past greatness of Metal. Whether it's Speed Metal, Thrash or just some cool sounding Metal reminisent of the 80's. This label has it all.
WORST THINGS IN METAL FOR 2023
Hipster horseshit invading Metal again.
Case in point you had Black Metal cowboys, an Italian/American guy thinking he's a Black Metal Canadian Indian and of course some Mid-South Blackened Folk by a hippie. Look you might like it but I thought it was all BS.
WELL I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT.
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