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GRIDLINK Is Dead – All Hail BARREN PATH

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/gridlink-is-dead-all-hail-barren-path

#GRIDLINK #BARRENPATH #IsDead #AllHail #MetalInjection #metal #music

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GRIDLINK Streams Re-Recorded Versions Of Their First Two Albums, Remains Broken Up

https://metalinjection.net/av/full-album-stream/gridlink-streams-re-recorded-versions-of-their-first-two-albums-remains-broken-up

#GRIDLINK #StreamsRe #RecordedVersionsOfTheirFirstTwoAlbums #album #MetalInjection #metal #music

#Gridlink, one of my fave bands, re-released their first two albums today, with more guitar tracks, other bass, and just even better.

#Bandcamp here: https://gridlink.bandcamp.com/album/perfect-amber

#BNDCMPR playlist here: https://bndcmpr.co/2c8e5edb

#grindcore #deathmetal #blastbeats

Grindcore, el caos como consigna: 20 álbumes recomendados | vía #NaciónRock

https://www.nacionrock.com/grindcore-el-caos-como-consigna-20-albumes-recomendados/

#anaalnathrakh #assück #brutaltruth #carcass #cattledecapitation #cloudrat #discordanceaxis #escuelagrind #especiales #exhumed #fullofhell #genghistron #gridlink #grindcore #insectwarfare #magrudergrind #nails #napalmdeath #nasum #pigdestroyer #repulsion #terrorizer #wormrot

Houkago Grind Time – Koncertos of Kawaiiness: Stealing Jon Chang’s Ideas, A Book by Andrew Lee Review

By Cherd

It’s a reliable pattern that every two years, Andrew Lee (Ripped to Shreds) crawls out from under his waifu body pillow, clears his work bench of Haikyuu!! figurines and Mountain Dew Code Red cans, and assembles a new full-length LP of otaku-themed death grind. Houkago Grind Time’s appropriately named third album Koncertos of Kawaiiness: Stealing Jon Chang’s Ideas, A Book by Andrew Lee finds Lee bowing to his senpai of Discordance Axis and Gridlink fame, the first to deem anime an appropriate theme to explore through the lens of grindcore. If you’re familiar with past Houkago Grind Time material, or anime culture in general, you’ll be well prepared for these 21 minutes of completely unserious meme music packaged as brutal death played at neck-snapping speed. For the uninitiated, I’ll break it to you gently: there’s less hentai here than you were probably hoping for.

As I noted in my review of Houkago Grind Time 2: The Second Raid, this all may be ridiculously themed novelty metal, but Lee is a talented death metal riffsmith. You can expect stank face grooves like the ones in “Some More Moe” and “Miyajima Reiji Can’t Keep Getting Away With It” and impressive, if short, guitar solos like the one in “Kirara Chainsaw.” Lee, who handles all instruments as well as vocals, employs a deep, distorted belch/growl that approaches goregrind levels of burbling illegibility. There are “lyrics” to the songs here, but the vocals don’t match them since both exist in that same joke-space as the concept and spirit of the entire project. Themes range from annoying character catch phrases (“Nico Nico No!!”) to criticizing those who worship at the altar of that little piece of shit Shinji Ikari (“Cruel Grinder’s Thesis”), but if you really want to know what’s being said, all you need are the lyrics for “Yuru Yu-Rot.”

Koncertos of Kawaiiness is a good record, and I’ll happily tell you why in a minute, but first let’s lay out why it isn’t better than good in this reviewer’s estimation, though the potential was there. Facing his battle opponent (me), Lee dons a bejeweled Shinobi headband, slightly askew. He takes his stance and initiates his technique. “Sound Breathing,” he says, “Sixth Form: PONG SNARE!” and with that, his huge, chained Nichirin blades whirr, jab, and PONG from all directions. For a high-ranking Upper Moon like Dolphin Whisperer, this attack would pose no issues. He would laugh maniacally and insult Lee’s bloodline. But I’m not even a Lower Six when it comes to annoying drum tones, so it’s a barrier for me. If someone like Kenstrosity, an enjoyer of pong snare and other brutal death metal affectations is Mob from Mob Psycho 100, that would make me the fraudulent but well(ish) meaning Reigen. So be it. It tarnishes an otherwise highly enjoyable grind record.

For those who can push through the snare tone, fun brutality awaits. Songs like the knuckle-dragging “You Broke My Nutbladder” make good use of the contrast between the frequent UwU sound samples and the stupidly violent deathgrind assault. The real highlights come when ugly grooves jumble together with sudden machine gun blasts and economical solo squealing like so many toddlers in a bouncy castle with one big kid that just keeps launching them into each other (“Some More Moe,” “Kirara Chainsaw,” “Houkago Grind Time Still Cares”), but songs like the 30-second scorch mark “Get On the Stage Bocchi” form the connective tissue that make Koncertos of Kawaiiness a more varied yet unified effort than The Second Raid. There are fun riffs packed into every corner of these 21 minutes, and Lee’s gore gurgles are employed with more creativity than most.

If you appreciate sick death metal riffs played really fast and girls in school uniforms, Houkago Grind Time might be your jam. If you like those things AND snare drums that go “pong” AND pig burp vocals, you’ll be chasing after Koncertos of Kawaiiness like a pathetically love-sick Zenitsu Agatsuma chases Nezuko Kamado.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Outrageous Weeb Power Productions
Websites: houkagogrindtime2.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/houkagogrindtime
Releases Worldwide: August 16th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #Aug24 #DeathGrind #DeathMetal #DiscordanceAxis #Goregrind #Gridlink #Grind #Grindcore #HoukagoGrindTime #KoncertosOfKawaiinessStealingJonChangSIdeasABookByAndrewLee #Review #Reviews #RippedToShreds #SelfRelease

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:

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

Dolphin Whisperer’s and Ferox’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023

By Dolphin Whisperer

Dolphin Whisperer

I don’t remember anymore exactly when or how I stumbled upon Angry Metal Guy, but I know that I’ve been reading the site for fourteen years now. In that time I’ve gone from barely a student to a working professional who routinely feels the drain of a society sinking around him. But it’s ok because along the way I managed to find a partner who loves me for all my flaws and quirks (or at least that’s what she tells me).1 She wasn’t always there, though, nor was the comfort that we’ve built into our life. When she wasn’t there, and when human company could not provide for whatever reason, both Angry Metal Guy and the music world at large always existed to evolve around me and shine a path to work that saw where I was and reflected my pain. Or my happiness. Or the existential dread of another day. Or just comforted me with a warm bowl of guitar noodles with a side of riff salad.

You may not have seen my words pop around much over that time, but rest assured, I was there like all of you now, reading as AMG the Man validated my feelings or presented admiration for an idol I don’t worship or killed my darlings with questionable opinions. I was there when Steel was the new Ape on the block. I developed a taste for the cast who I agreed with most and scanned with ravenous eyes for the next 0.5 or 1.0 to watch a train wreck meet a car crash. I watched this community who knew nothing of me stand up for important and meaningful things all while staying steadfast to the goal of simply reviewing metal in all its glory.2 Then one day I decided to join the Discord group that had been advertising itself at the bottom of every article for I don’t know how long before I noticed. And in that feverish chatterbox of swirling opinions, I realized that this community meant so much to me that I wanted to give it a go behind the curtains.

I made friends—friends surrounding music whether I agree with them or not. That’s what it means to love music in my mind. Hate and love both ignite passion, and passion is what squirms the happy juice in our brains. I’m sure you, dear reader, will have thoughts about the below choices. And know that you are more than welcome to voice them in any way you see fit. Go ahead, recommend me something while you’re at it. If you do agree with these opinions, also know, then that you can click through to any of the associated reviews, Bandcamp pages, label links—any way that you can reward the artist with your hard-earned currency, if you’re able. Because remember, it’s people like you and me (nerds) who keep this silly business of music alive. Did you know you can click those links? On my reviews, on my buddy Ferox‘s reviews. Even on reviews that you don’t agree with! So read something, click something, support something, tell a friend, tell a partner… or just take whatever knowledge you gain and listen to some good music. If you continue reading, you will encounter my recommendations to fill that void of good music in your life. Above (or below, whatever the Editing Gods decide) Ferox has some recommendations for you too. Know that these two sets are the best recommendations you will receive this year. Live loudly, listen responsibly.3

#ish. Anareta // Fear Not – In a year with less to love, Fear Not could have placed higher, but the riches across different facets of my listening pleasures spilled forth in almost every possible way. Alas, this unique act couldn’t have come further out of left field when promos began to trickle in for 2023, and Anareta’s delicate precision with weeping string melodies against their brutish incisions of blood-curdling shrieks struck the tucked-away Grayceon bone in my body. Alongside up-and-coming act Exulansis out of Oregon, there’s a promising wave of chamber-informed bands growing in the wilds of niche-loving minds. As they say, it only takes two to tango…though “Omnicide” feels a little more like a foxtrot, right?

#10. Tongues // Forml​ø​se Stjerner – That I managed to cobble together words that described the mysterious air that surrounds this album baffles me. Countless listens later, I still get lost in the swaying vibrations of the tricky whammy-addled leads and layers of reverb decaying over a vast landscape. And even though all these forward choices usually spell a path down the intangible and incoherent, a lurking melody and grounded rhythmic performance seals the hypnotism that would feel just out of reach with a lesser performance. Your mind knows that each tone source here found its way to the recording behind closed doors, but the energy that emits throughout Forml​ø​se Stjerner casts like a sonic beacon through the dreariest of nights on the open, foggy sea.

#9. Vanishing Kids // Miracle of Death – The kids are gone!!! I wasn’t particularly a fan of their previous release so that Miracle of Death hooked me was a small miracle all in itself. I’m no stranger to enjoying shoegaze-y things, psych-rock-laden things, sinfully synthful things—the airy 60s era croons and shimmering Hammond shudders throughout this give me all kinds of shoulder-relaxing, neck-tingling goodies. You think that’d remind me of someone like The Mamas & the Papas, but my mind drifts toward the episodic, warble-clipped daze of the Cunninglynguists classic Oneirology. Funny how the mind works, innit? Regardless, the sheer beauty of sound on display throughout Miracle of Death is impossible for my sugar-starved brain to ignore. Vibe with me.

#8. Slumbering Sun // The Ever-Living Fire – I know the Rodeö entries provide a healthy serving of less-than-desirable releases, but if you’re skipping them entirely then maybe you missed Slumbering Sun when they dropped their debut LP, The Ever-Living Fire way back in February. You see, one of the reasons I’ve helped fuel the Rodeö is that bands like Slumbering Sun still exist out there, under the radar, largely unpromoted, with gem ideas. Leaning on the modern sadperson melodic doom angle pioneered by an early Pallbearer, this Texas troupe delivered a longing yet hopeful collection of tunes that never fails to stir the slow burn of teary-eyed smiles in my heart. If Patrick Walker (Warning) were younger when he found peace, perhaps 40 Watt Sun would have gone this direction.

#7. Jarhead Fertilizer // Carceral Warfare – I didn’t even think I was getting a Jarhead release this year, but the death metal overlords decided that 2023 hadn’t quite graced me yet with this extremely specific kind of deranged, violent, feral death metal that I crave. Samples and segues function like dim lights in a dive bar, masking the filth strewn about while the seedy world around you builds its slow assault on your senses. Carceral Warfare stinks, its riffs carved in cracked and corroded skin. There’s nothing acute about injuries that Jarhead seeks to afflict—the wounds Carceral Warfare doles out aim to fester and brim black with incurable disease.

#6. Gridlink // Coronet Juniper – I never expected my favorite power metal album of the year to be a grindcore album. Gridlink’s take on the punk specialty has always been a bit different though. Always fast, always pushing the treble ceiling, and always leading with melodies that don’t quit, Coronet Juniper highlights all the strengths that this outfit has always promised. As their last album, it functions as a tribute to themselves—their collective passions executed at ridiculous speeds and unadvisable levels of throat punishment. It may not be as groundbreaking as what came before it, but when you’re ten steps ahead of the pack, you can settle to simply show ’em how it’s done. And I got to use Gundam clips in the review. Win-Win.

#5. Wormhole // Almost Human – The formatting will get all weird if I only scream WOOOOOOOOOOOORMMMMMMMMM-HOOOOOOOLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEE like I want to, so here’s more. Ken and I don’t often end up hole-to-hole on an album, but when we do, you better bet that it’s great. When all that was out for Almost Human was the singles, I repeatedly binged those first two tracks as if they were a whole album to themselves. And that’s the magic of this bright and horrifying slamfest. It’s shiny, it’s punishing, and, most importantly, it’s relentless in worming its way into my gaping sound receptors.

#4. Anachronism // Meanders – I’ve been listening to this all damn year at this point. I was late to the Anachronism party with Orogeny, but not so with Meanders. Its uncanny ease in mood and brevity in run hold an important home in contrast to its finger-testing technicality and unparalleled rhythmic brutality. A natural but still unexpected successor to the post-tinged, brooding brutality that showed itself in flashes, Meanders rains textural and colorful in ways that other death metal simply doesn’t—all while still staying death metal. Oh, and Lisa Voisard has a piercing shriek to go with her scruffy bellow. Who would’ve guessed?

#3. healthyliving // Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief – I knew how much I loved this album before I realized it. When it dropped, I told all the writers, “I think I have my first TYMHM y’all.” But then I went and filtered it, which is no dishonor but doesn’t quite capture the intensity of what healthyliving has to offer on this debut outing. Building tension through an eclectic array of jangling chords and understated rhythms, the supporting cast sets the perfect stage for vocalist Amaya Lopez-Carramerro to absolutely shred with fearless virtuosic wail. Or she’ll sit back and set a slow burn with a restrained and emotive croon. Can I call her my favorite vocalist in metal right now? Is this even metal? Maybe. But I couldn’t care less. It’s damn good.

#2. KEN mode // VOID – NULL ended up on my top ten last year, and with the consistency that these angry Canadians provide, enjoying VOID came naturally, disarmingly so. What I didn’t expect, however, was that this act known for being noisy and rambunctious and pulverizing would be able to dial back the melancholy of previous works with an additional varnish of lived-in depression. A partner to what came before it, VOID captures the last spat of mania before an extended comedown and the dragging sorrow that follows. And yet somehow, though it hurts almost every step of the way, I feel just a little bit lighter after every listen. Get over yourself and listen if you haven’t bothered yet, if only for the buzzing synths and buttery, booming bass tones.

#1. Vvon Dogma I // The Kvlt of Glitch – You, the commentariat, had plenty to say about this album when it dropped. “I tried… No thanks.” — “I’m voting Dolphin Whisperer off the island. This is crap.” — “What the actual fuck?” All choice examples. Some of you also decided to write this off because of the AI-base of the cover art despite the artists involved self-funding this whole exploration and fully crediting the digital assistance. Your asceticism will go unrewarded. This is a humble reminder that you, the commentariat, do not influence my complete and utter enjoyment of this mad pairing of cyberpunk industrial, fanned-fret progressive, angelic electronic piece of edge-skirting metal. The spirit of adventure that graces every phrase throughout the Kvlt of Glitch stimulates the thrill-seeker, the floating spirit, the head-banging hooligan in me all at once, while lathering me with a fresh sense of dread for a technology-warped future. Maybe you never liked Genghis Tron before they disbanded after Board Up the House. Maybe you never liked Unexpect when they graced us with album after album of shrill and unfathomably progressive fantasy. Maybe you’ve got a shallow throat for multi-layered, programmed voices that fizzle the ears with rich harmony. But The Kvlt of Glitch is willing to welcome you whenever you choose to accept its power. I am God now!4

Honorable Mentions:

• World’s End Girlfriend // Resistance & The Blessing – WEG possesses the esoteric ability to manipulate time with beauty. Resistance & The Blessing continues to unravel itself before me as I tackle it as a whole, in chunks, in the narratives it allows you to build with each of its whispered ideas. Sadness, happiness, anger, frustration, longing, acceptance—this monumental offering has it all. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s a lot to take in. But I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t love it.
• Angra // Cycles of Pain – What can I say, I love Angra. The Lione era is developing a thing for long albums, but at least it’s all good.
• Autarkh // Emergent – An album that loops with glitchy industrial and ethereal post-metal as well as this one does is dangerous. You could do a lot worse than hearing this three times in a row though.
• Aphotic // Abyssgazer – Blackened deathdoom? Funeral-tinged ritualistic black metal? Whatever you want to call this, there’s an alternate timeline where it’s on the list proper. It just goes.
• Horrendous // Ontological Mysterium – Progressive death metal ear candy. I could probably listen to this album all damn day if the last song didn’t dampen the mood a little.
• Pupil Slicer // Blossom – Metalcore with nu-metal tropes shouldn’t be as fun as this or the new Mouthbreather album, but those industrial grooves keep on giving. Start the album with the title track for an even better listen.
• Ok Goodnight // The Fox and the Bird – I take some issue with the proggy detours in this album, but its storybook charm holds more endearing than all of that.
• Maud the Moth + trajedesaliva // Bordando el manto terrestre – Chill-out album of the year. Meditate, read, relax… or just listen to the sultry whispers with your eyes closed. They tickle.

Disappointments o’ the Year:

Soen // Imperial Memorial – Let me level with you, Lotus is a fantastic album and the pinnacle of a career for Soen, a band that has grown further away from the flourishes that make their music interesting. Lush production? Humming Hammond overlays? Joel Ekelöf spreading sweet nothings over the course of an urgent and chunky build? Who needs any of that when you can write worse choruses over the same riff and people continue to latch onto it. Soen almost remembers their strengths (“Fortress,”5 “Tragedian,” “Vitals”), and it is admirable that Ekelöf tries to stretch his wings as a grittier vocalist while maintaining his Eurovision aspirations. But with a direction that’s even less dynamic than the uncharacteristically narrow master that Memorial shows, I’ve got little to reason believe that this is a direction that Soen should continue. Not good. Not good at all.

Einar Solberg // 16 – After Aphelion wiped away the hope I had left for Leprous, I looked to this solo outing from Mr. Solberg as a chance for him to find a way back to a good tune. It seems that it did help him reclaim a somber and less ahhAAAahhAAAaahaah character to his voice, and drummer Keli Guðjónsson (Agent Fresco, notable Leprous-like act) really helps a few bright moments shine (“Remember Me,” “Blue Light”). However, Solberg did not have to take his play at Jamiroquai (“Home”) nor include a guest rapper (also “Home”) nor include his sister (for what effect on “Where All the Twigs Broke”) nor include his brother-in-law for a growled guest spot on a trip-hoppy track (that’s Ihsahn on “Splitting the Soul”) nor give us seventy minutes of whatever you want to wrap this up as. Sadboi art pop perhaps? Skippable in any case.

Best Thing I Missed in 2022:

Polterguts // Gods Over Broken People – I haven’t heard an album this seriously fucking pissed off since Admiral Angry’s Buster, but the level of frustration here rings just a touch less sexual and frustrated—it’s defeated. The malaise that Gods captures renders itself in lyrics that spout from a voice fed on apathy and gravel: “I used to pray for my friends/I used to hurt when they hurt/I used to love without expecting any love in return” (“Skullbowl”), “I like it here at the bottom where they know me by name/I used to think I wanted out, but now I’m begging to stay” (“Buckle the Spine”), “I’m not strong enough to hold it together, but It breaks my heart to watch you struggle for air/I’m sorry I couldn’t get both of us out, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t there” (“Injury”). As harrowing as that is to read, it’s even more brutal to hear. And I suspect for those stuck in the same kind of recursive, small-town Midwest drain from which this attitude grows, this would hit even harder. One part Meshuggah, one part Chat Pile, and another part its own punished deathcore, Polterguts holds in one hand my aching heart and in another its own, stained and hollow.

Songs o’ the Year:

Why give you one when I can give you twenty-seven? Why twenty-seven? That’s my secret. Now, I’ve talked enough, go out there and enjoy some music, friends. And enjoy this photo of my dogs.

Kiwi (top) and Coconut (bottom).

Ferox

I got my own big boy list! AMG Industries: where doing an adequate job on the free work you’ve been assigned leads to opportunities for more free work. I wouldn’t have it any other way–I love this place, even if the prospect of making this list fills me with anxiety and imposter syndrome. I am generally not given to best-of lists, or year-end reflection. But we’ve got a fake job to do, so let’s get stuck in!

2023 was a weird one. It began with a case of long-ish Covid that saw me coughing uncontrollably every time I laughed, segued into a writer’s strike that shut down my industry for six months, and ended with a faint and collision between the Ferox noggin and a concrete floor. That last one put me in bed recovering for the better part of a month and seriously fucked with my workout goals. Despite all this, it was an incredible year! My family flourished, I snuck a couple of projects into production at my day job, and I had a blast writing here as much as I could. The only complaint I could possibly muster is that it’s all flying past way too quickly.

As for AMG… this is that rare place that improves the lives of all who touch it (Rodeö bands excepted). It did that for me when I lurked as a reader, and it continues to do so now that I cling to a staff position. How does a place this positive place exist? On the internet?! I’m grateful to Steel for providing real leadership at my fake job, to my fellow members of the AMG Class of ’21 for being good eggs and excellent writers, and to everyone I’ve met through a gig that makes life richer and more fun. Maybe the real 2023 was the bollocks we talked along the way.

#ish. Spirit Possession // Of the Sign… – Do you guys like Nifelheim? I sure as heckfire do, and this album that captures some of their defiant spirit stole my heart in the waning moments of 2023. The reprobates of Nifelheim aren’t the only point of departure here. Portland’s Spirit Possession is a borderline tribcore act that aims to capture the feel of an era more than the work of one particular band. Here you’ll find echoes of Bathory, Hellhammer, and Venom. Sometimes a project like this works so well that the music transcends the lack of originality baked into these sorts of things. Of the Sign… is one such album; it may well have landed in my top ten if I had had more time with it before Listurnalia.

#10. Horrendous // Ontological Mysterium – Horrendous, already on a very short list of the best metal bands so far this century, bolsters their legacy with the concise and intoxicating Ontological Mysterium. The quartet has carved out a take on progressive death metal that is entirely their own, one that is melodic, wonky, and sweeping all at once. They’ve never been more engaging than they are on Ontological Mysterium. The album wends its way through nine tracks in less than forty minutes–Ontological Mysterium defies its run time by taking you on a journey that feels epic, but releases you before fatigue sets in. Only closer “The Death Knell Ringeth,” an inexplicable dud that can scarcely walk and chew gum at the same time, keeps Ontological Mysterium from ascending to loftier heights.

#9. Wormhole // Almost Human – Wormhole’s take on brutal death metal is at once savage but cheerful, and stöopid without being remotely dumb. I am fully on board with any band that uses the low art of the slample to describe their own sound, as Wormhole does with a sunny interjection of “Tech Slam!” on the title track of their latest. The AMG staff would have you believe that it’s necessary to choose between Wormhole and Afterbirth, the band’s peer in innovative and excellent brutal death metal. That is nonsense; appreciate the Slam-aissance in all its glory, as these two remarkable outfits elevate one of metal’s least-loved subgenres to new heights.

#8. Sodomisery // Mazzaroth – Sodomisery makes life hard on themselves with an atrocious name that is way too persnickety about the respectable pursuit of sodomy. Some folks just need to play the game on difficult mode, I guess. If the hideous moniker is what it takes to spur Sodomisery to this kind of work, then the outfit should keep indulging themselves. Mazzaroth is an endlessly replayable slab of genre-bending excellence. Symphonic flourishes and well-placed clean vocals accent the band’s hybrid of black metal, death metal, and melodeath. Mazzaroth is big fun, an album that effortlessly synthesizes a cornucopia of influences into something that feels both classic and new.

#7. Xoth // Exogalactic – A late-in-the-game remaster unleashed the power of a fully operational Exogalactic. The album finds the pan-genre madlads of Xoth playing in the margins, expanding their sound here and there while defending their Party Lovecraft turf. Across eight engaging tracks, the excellent songwriting of Exogalactic is augmented by audacious technical what-the-fuck-ery. The album’s forty minutes fly past, and while Xoth’s sound might not be the revelation it was on Invasion of the Tentacube and Interdimensional Invocations, this Seattle quartet remains very much on top of their game. Play a song, any song, and joy will invade your earholes. That’s the Xoth promise, and Exogalactic delivers.

#6. Gridlink // Coronet Juniper – I could go on about the pleasures of Coronet Juniper, but chances are Dolphin Whisperer already has you cornered and is doing just that. My list buddy extolled the virtues of this grind funhouse to the point where I finally just pretended he was saying “BREEEEEEEEEEEEE” and tuned him out. Then I played the album a month or so later in the gym, and Gridlink rocketed me to a dimension of pure fun. Coronet Juniper is a grind joyride, so confident in its songwriting that the band includes a run of instrumental “karaoke versions” at the end of the album that is every bit as playable as the so-called official tracklist.

#5. Outer Heaven // Infinite Psychic Depths – Outer Heaven understands both the virtues and the confines of old-school death metal. Infinite Psychic Depths gives the subgenre a glow-up by taking us on a tour of everything that still works, while adding a few new wrinkles. The album never plays as mere pastiche; like some kind of Quentin Tarantino of death metal, Outer Heaven refreshes old tropes by building something new from a pile of familiar elements. I haven’t dug much into the high concept that underlies Infinite Psychic Depths, but that’s because I don’t need to. The music stands on its own. Already a highlight of 2023, Infinite Psychic Depths feels like one that could grow in esteem with time. It could well be underrated in my fifth slot.

#4. Tribunal // The Weight of Remembrance – Here’s one that roared out of the gate back in January and absolutely refused to cede any ground. The Weight of Remembrance runs classic doom through both an orchestral and a death metal filter. The various genre flourishes enhance the strong songwriting–“Of Creeping Moss and Crumbling Stone” is so incredible that it became a workout staple despite its plodding pace, and nearly earned a spot on this year’s Heavy Moves Heavy playlist. The highlights don’t stop there. They don’t stop until The Weight of Remembrance has run its course. The Debut o’ The Year also happens to be one of the very best albums of 2023.

#3. 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. A relief, then, that Warcrab is anything but complacent on The Howling Silence. These seven tracks roar past, the stifling atmosphere pierced on occasion by icepick solos that showcase the Guitar Tone o’ The Year. This one was a grower for me. The Howling Silence initially did little to distinguish itself from previous slab Damned in Endless Night. But my lizard brain heard layers that my ears weren’t processing, and the album kept earning spins. Layers of excellence kept revealing themselves, and before I knew it this piece of heavy artillery blasted its way to the upper echelons of my list.

#2. Carnosus // Visions of Infinihility – This rollicking slab of tech death earned a 4.0 from me back in early February, and I do believe I sold these Swedes short by half a point. Visions of Infinihility was a mainstay of my 2023. The album remained close at hand throughout both a long strike and a stretch of vertigo-induced bedrest. If I’m not tired of it yet, I probably never will be. And what’s not to like here? Every one of the nine tracks on Visions of Infinihility stands up to heavy listening. The site’s top writer summed it up most precisely: “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.”

#1. Afterbirth // In But Not Of – Long Island’s Afterbirth crams an abundance of riches into a brutal death metal album that twists and transmutes as it goes. The first half of In But Not Of stays planted in the brutal death genre that Afterbirth had a hand in creating. The second departs for distant parsecs, fusing elements of post-metal, alt-rock, and even ambient music onto death metal songs. The experiments work seamlessly, and I continue to find surprises almost every time I revisit In But Not Of. “Devils With Dead Eyes,” “Autoerotic Amputation,” “In But Not Of,” and “Angels Feast on Flies” are the standout tracks–any one of the four could credibly lay claim to Song o’ The Year. Colin Marston’s production showcases and elevates the material. My favorite critic said it best: “This is music to concuss you and then heal your battered brain… [In But Of] is an album to savor and return to again and again, a companion piece to Four Dimensional Flesh that manages to equal if not surpass its predecessor.” Also: revel in that gorgeous album art by Alex Eckman-Lawn, a sci-fi Frankenstein’s monster that perfectly encapsulates the record. My top score of 2023 is an easy choice for Ferox‘s Album o’ The Year.

Honorable Mentions

• • Autopsy // Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts– Ashes, Organs, Blood, and Crypts plays like Autopsy’s Basement Tapes, a collection of feral death metal songs that also somehow comes off as loose and ramshackle. It stands among the band’s best post-comeback work.
  • Gorod // The Orb – The French masters of tech death hold serve with the predictably excellent The Orb.
  • Convocation // No Dawn for the Caliginous Night – I came up with the genre tag “funereal doom” to describe Convocation’s latest to myself. The band accesses the majesty of funeral doom without the tedious repetition. It’s a potent approach that’s been honed to near-perfection on No Dawn for the Caliginous Night.
  • Tomb Mold // The Enduring Spirit – The Toronto outfit pulled off a tricky shift, surprising fans of their inventive take on old-school death with this proggy slab. I sure wouldn’t have minded another Planetary Clairvoyance, but I wound up thrilled by this new direction.
  • Serpent Corpse // Blood Sabbath – 2023 delivered an abundance of old-school death delights, but Montreal’s Serpent Corpse move to the head of the class with debut Blood Sabbath.
  • Fabricant // Drudge to the Thicket – A trio of virtuoso musicians keep their debut album juuust barely on the “death metal” side of the prog-death divide. Drudge to the Thicket is a load of unpredictable fun from an immensely promising outfit.
  • Omnicidal // The Omnicidalist – Omnicidal takes a huge leap forward with a sophomore album that injects hints of melodeath and black thrash into an already nasty cocktail. In spite of Gardenstale‘s rave, this excellent effort seemed to get lost in the 2023 shuffle. I kept it spinning all year.
  • Gravesend // Gowanus Death Stomp – This second offering of urban nightmare deathgrind from Gravesend improves on Methods of Human Disposal. An album that conjures genuinely unsettling images and one that will leave its boot marks all over your body,
  • Dripping Decay // Festering Grotesqueries— Another exceptional death metal debut, Festering Grotesqueries inspired an epic run of putrid imagery in Steel‘s review. These Portland knuckle-draggers are worthy of all the filthy poetry the Apeman can muster.

Song o’ the Year: Afterbirth – “In But Not Of”

Disappointment o’ the Year

• Immortal // War Against All – After the improbably incredible Northern Chaos Gods, I was PUMPED for Immortal’s Second Coming of Demonaz Era. Cue the record scratch, because the follow-up is generic and pretty much just sucks through and through.

#2023 #Afterbirth #Anachronism #Anareta #Angra #Aphotic #Autarkh #Autopsy #BlogPost #Carnosus #Convocation #DolphinWhispererSAndFeroxSTopTenIshOf2023 #DrippingDecay #EinarSolberg #Fabricant #Gorod #Gravesend #Gridlink #healthyliving #Horrendous #Immortal #JarheadFertilizer #KENMode #Lists #Listurnalia #MaudTheMothTrajedesaliva #OkGoodnight #Omnicidal #OuterHeaven #Polterguts #PupilSlicer #SerpentCorpse #SlumberingSun #Sodomisery #Soen #SpiritPossession #TombMold #Tongues #Tribunal #VanishingKids #VvonDogmaI #Warcrab #WorldSEndGirlfriend #Wormhole #Xoth

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