Happy Tuesday Metalheads. There is quite a bit of new music out this week, so I thought I’d compile a list so everyone can keep track of the onslaught of Metal this year. Winter is a lot slower than summer, but we’re approaching Spring which is a huge music release period of the year. I’ve been listening to a lot of Halestorm, The Warning, Mammoth WVH, Lutharo, and Lauren Babic, but there’s some new tracks I have been marinating on! This is not everything out right now, just some of my favorites from the past seven days.
New single from legendary Folk Death Eluveitie
New Live Video From Pirate Symphonic Band Visions of Atlantis
New Pop Rock Nostalgic Coheed and Cambria
New from Power Metal Legends Avantasia
Gravedigger from their new Album “Bone Collector”
Lauren Babic Solo
Old School Deathcore Whitechapel with a new single. Not my favorite, but it’s huge right now
Alien Weaponry Goes NuMetal. I surprisingly like this song.
Italian Symphonic Death Band Septicflesh Releases Gorgeous Animated video
Canadian Death Metallers Release Historical Brutalism
As always, I highly recommend doing your own research and building your own music catalog on Youtube or Tidal!
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA Unveils Title Track from Upcoming Album | Check Out the Lyric Video for “Give Us The Moon”HERE!
Cinematic Seventh Album, Give Us The Moon, out January 31, 2025 via Napalm Records | Pre-Order NOW!
[Photo credit: Linda Florin]
Leading AOR force THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA present the title track of their cinematic seventh album, Give Us The Moon, out January 31, 2025 via Napalm Records! “Give Us The Moon” features a catchy singalong chorus, sure to convince fans old and new. The new single arrives with a lyric video.
Founded in 2007 by members of high-profile bands such as Soilwork, Arch Enemy and Mean Streak, over the years, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA has garnered millions of streams, earned Swedish Grammis nominations and built a reputation for dynamic live performances internationally through touring and massive festival shows such as Wacken Open Air. The band is set to continue winning over international live audiences on their European and Scandinavian headline tours this winter and spring. Grab your tickets now, check out “Give Us The Moon” below and make sure to pre-order your copy of the new album!
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA comments: “‘Give Us The Moon’ is the title track and guiding star that slides across the dance floor and into the night. It also speaks of our human need and longing to be somewhere else, and our notion that there must be something more out there – something grander, something more gratifying and mysterious.
Give Us The Moon takes the listener on an exciting sonic journey, balancing between uplifting escapism and captivating stories inspired by real life events. The album’s themes span the likes of heroines and temptresses to liberation and romantic nostalgia, set to backdrops of abandoned cities and cosmic tides.
The intro track “Final Call” sets the scene for Give Us The Moon before impressive opening track “Stratus” is followed by the beautifully nostalgic “Shooting Velvet”. The intro of “Like The Beating Of A Heart” captures the listener from its first notes, leading into an irresistibly catchy chorus. Massive “Melbourne, May I?” is a classic THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA anthem, featuring captivating solos that are equally prominent on following track “Miraculous”. THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA slows it down for the emotional “Paloma”, before again diving into different soundscapes on the exciting, uplifting “Cosmic Tide”. The band continues their trademark of name-dropping streets and cities on “A Paris Point Of View”, that features fascinating instrumentation including particularly 80s-inspired keys and groovy bass. Sentimental “Runaways” feels like a part of a movie, only partially because of the attention-grabbing intro track before the first notes. THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA gets the tempo up once more for “Way To Spend The Night” before epic closing track “Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (And The Captain Of Pain)” wraps up THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA’s most cinematic masterpiece so far.
Give Us The Moon is free from the limitations of one genre or style, although many of the soundscapes of the album draw inspiration from the 80s, making the album a varied, exciting adventure. Give Us The Moon is produced by THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA and Sebastian Forslund, who also mixed the album, and is mastered by Plec Johansson at award-winning The Panic Room Studios. To celebrate the release of the new full-length, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA will embark on a full European tour in late January 2025. Boarding is completed – fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the flight!
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA about their new album: “We have never worked harder on an album before and what a journey it’s been. We feel that this album has it all and there’s no way we could have done any better. It’s an explosion of emotions and cinematic landscapes where you’ll be catapulted into space and then land smoothly while feeling right at home. It will be your haven and your grand escape all at once. We hope you will connect to this album with every fiber of your body and mind, just like we do. Please do enjoy Give Us The Moon!”Pre-Order Your Copy Of Give Us The MoonNOW:
[Cover Art: Giorgia Carteri]
Give Us The Moon tracklisting: 1. Final Call (Intro) 2. Stratus 3. Shooting Velvet 4. Like The Beating Of A Heart 5. Melbourne, May I? 6. Miraculous 7. Paloma 8. Cosmic Tide 9. Give Us The Moon 10. A Paris Point Of View 11. Runaways 12. Way To Spend The Night 13. Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (And The Captain Of Pain)
Moon Over Europe 2025 Tour Support: Metalite, Tragedy 30.01.25 NL – Tilburg / 13 31.01.25 FR – Lyon / O Totem Live 01.02.25 UK – London / Garage 02.02.25 FR – Paris / Petit Bain 04.02.25 ES – Bilbao / Sana27 05.02.25 PT – Lisbon / Lisboa Au Vivo 07.02.25 ES – Madrid / Mon 08.02.25 ES – Barcelona / Wolf 11.02.25 IT – Milan / Legend Club 13.02.25 HU – Budapest / Durer Kert 14.02.25 AT – Vienna / Szene 15.02.25 DE – Munich / Backstage 16.02.25 CZ – Prague / Futurum 18.02.25 CH – Aarau / KIFF 19.02.25 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos Saal 20.02.25 DE – Nuremberg / Hirsch 21.02.25 DE – Karlsruhe / Substage 22.02.25 DE – Berlin / Frannz Club 24.02.25 DE – Hamburg / Bahnhof Pauli
Moon Over Scandinavia 2025 Tour 27.02.25 SE – Uppsala / Katalin 28.02.25 SE – Karlstad / Nöjesfabriken 01.03.25 SE – Gothenburg / Gothenburg Filmstudios* 06.03.25 DK – Copenhagen / Vega 07.03.25 SE – Norrköping / Arbis 08.03.25 SE – Malmö / Plan B *w/ NESTOR
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is: Björn Strid – Vocals Sharlee D’Angelo – Bass Jonas Källsbäck – Drums Sebastian Forslund – Guitar, Percussions John Lönnmyr – Keys Rasmus Ehrnborn – Guitar Anna Brygard – Backing Vocals Åsa Lundman – Backing Vocals
In the age of social media, everyone is a critic with biased uneducated opinions and we are subjected to constant negativity from old washed up Rock stars that play to a backing track. “Rock Is Dead” seems to be a go to trope when you don’t know what Youtube or Sirius Xm are and think that you’re the last rock star. I am so very tired of the misinformation that “Rock is Dead”. Is Rock suffering monetarily, because big corporations continue to shove their Pop and Rap down our throats? Yes, Rock is not as big as it was in the 1980s and 1990s, and everyone continues to blame Hair Metal and Grunge. Are there good Rock bands? YES there are million good Rock bands still putting out absolutely fantastic music that has progressed without the crutch of technology. Below is a comprehensive list of Rock bands catering to a wide range of tastes! Rock IS NOT DEAD! It’s just been shut out from the mainstream by big corporate radio.
Blondshell- Indie Rock Solo Musician from Los Angeles left Pop to create throwback music like The Cranberries, The Cardigans, Yeahyeahyeahs
The Hellacopters- Swedish Garage Rock band formed in 1994, reformed in 2016. Inspired by Early Punk Rock and Grunge
The Band Camino- American Rock and Electropop with slick guitars and anthemic nostalgic sound
The Warning- Mexican High Octane Rock and Heavy Metal with great riffs and huge vocals and technicality. My favorite band on this list. Prepare to be blown away by these three sisters
Eva Under Fire- Detroit Hard Rock band with 1980s Arena Rock sounds and early 2000s Metalcore. Hell of a voice
Halestorm- Pennsylvania Hard Rock band and Grammy Award winners, this band is still underrated and should be the pinnacle of Rock. One of the greatest singers of all time, Lzzy Hale should be a household name. Like Skid Row, Pat Benatar, Alice Cooper. and so many classics
Chevelle- Chicago brothers bring a dark new feel to Hard Rock with heavy riffs, Proggy drums, and melancholy vocals. These guys don’t get enough credit.
Nonpoint- Groove Heavy Metal with soulful vocals and heavy riffs came out in the Nu Metal era.
Squid- British Post Punk formed in 2016, sounds like The Offspring, Talking Heads, Queens of the Stone Age with Jazz elements
Breaking Benjamin- Pennsylvania Hard Rock band consistently puts out catchy, heartfelt, bass heavy music with expert vocals. Gets looked over a lot due to Christian labels and mistaken for a Radio Rock band despite having one of the greatest Rock albums of the 2000s.
Currents- Connecticut Metalcore band formed in 2011 always changing their sound and evolving to create technical, progressive, heart wrenching music.
The Pretty Reckless- American Grunge and Blues Rock band brings back the glory of American Rock with heavy riffs, vocals with character and power, and great grooves. Akin to Soundgarden, The Winery Dogs, and Southern Rock. You can’t say Rock is dead with these guys around
Illumishade- On the heavier side of things, this band breaks genre constructs and brings Symphonic Metal, Blues, Soundtrack, and Prog Metal altogether with heavy riffs, great solos, and a dynamite vocalist. They have something for everyone.
Plush- Alternative Rock all girl group formed in 2020 aims to bring Rock back to its former glory with epic powerful vocals, insane music chemistry, and great riffs and hooks. One of the best bands on this list, Moriah Formica is one of the most underrated singers of our time, sounding like she could be Chris Cornell’s daughter.
Lords of the Trident- Wisconsin Power Metal band might be a little heavy for Rockers, but they bring a throwback sound that is sure to please an 80s Metalhead. They have neoclassical guitars and dueling solos, Meatloaf and Hagar-esque vocals, and great hooks that are sure to get stuck in your head for days.
Seven Kingdoms- Florida based Heavy Power Metal band bringing back Iron Maiden dual guitars, Speed Metal, 1980s Metal and Rock, and powerful female vocals. One of my all-time favorite bands.
Mammoth WVH: The Son of Eddie Van Halen has launched his solo project. He writes all the songs and plays all the instruments, and not surprisingly creates some of the best Rock I have heard in ages.
Copy and Paste this list in a memo to check out all my recommended bands:
Hello all, I’ve been inactive on here for several months now, pursuing other ventures. One of them is my Youtube content, which I have been working on diligently. So to try something different this year, I made my Favorite album of the year list into an interactive video. It’s sort of reminiscent (or at least a homage to) of the old “Pop up videos” on VH1 that I loved to watch as a kid and even into my teens. I am desperately trying to get away from being a critic, and being more personal and educational about Metal. I just don’t want to be another opinion on the internet. I want to connect with people. I want to break barriers and stereotypes within the metal community. I want to abolish elitism in Metal. The true goal of my content is to share with people my music discoveries, not to critique albums. I really dislike reviewing and reading reviews. This “ErinMetal” channel allows me to be myself and share the amazing new Renaissance of Music that we’ve entered in the past decade.
There’s so much yet to be discovered outside of the mainstream music, and I will continue to share what I find. Please check out my “Favorite Rock and Metal Albums of 2024” countdown video below. And, I want to know your favorite albums of the year as well! Thank you so much for reading, watching, and interacting with my content. I want to grow this into an inclusive community, and you can be a part of that.
Out May 10, 2024 via Napalm Records | Pre-Order HERE
First Single “Green & Glass” + Stunning Music Video Revealed Watch HERE
2024 International Tour Dates Announced[photo credit: Shimon Karmel] Canada’s most exciting metal band, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of their transfixing sixth studio release, the AI inspired concept album Phantoma, out May 10, 2024 via Napalm Records. The new album follows the band’s breakout 2020 album, Abyss, which won the JUNO Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year after debuting at #1 on the US Current Hard Music and Top New Artist charts.
Frontwoman and lyricist Brittney Slayes conjured Phantoma’s concept in 2021; before the swarm of pressing commentary surrounding AI began to reach an all-time high. Led by the album’s protagonist Phantoma, a Phase 4 / Network Tier 0 unit – model A, the story recounts the trials of AI gaining sentience on a dystopian, near-future planet earth. With the band’s one-of-a-kind blend of power metal, traditional heavy metal, modern prog and pop sensibilities, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS spin a web of sharp musicality, high sci-fi concept and important social commentary about discovering the brutal truths behind the manufactured sheen of social media posturing.
Today’s album announcement kicks off with the release of its first single, “Green & Glass” – an unforgettable opus traversing the album’s dystopian concept with dynamic verses and prog-laden guitar work. Its innovative accompanying music video features Phantoma discovering new and harrowing realities, and was created using AI while still supporting traditional artists by having character models trained exclusively on a body of work licensed from artist Bo Bradshaw.
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS says about “Green & Glass”: “We struggled for a while to decide which song would lead the way for this record, and in the end chose ‘Green & Glass’ because it is the song that inspired the cover artwork, but also because it doesn’t give too much away about the concept behind the album. We wanted nothing more than to be able to create a fully cinematic retelling of the story through our music videos, and were so stoked when the boys at RuneGate Studio expressed an interest in learning how to use Stable Diffusion to make our dreams come true! They trained the model on the work of Bo Bradshaw, which gives it a beautifully unique animation style; we got to bring his magnificent t-shirt artwork to life!
“Watch the remarkable official video for “Green & Glass”HERE:
Following 2020’s triumph Abyss, which was dubbed by Bandcamp as “a mandatory listen”, and named by Loudwire as one of the best rock and metal albums of the year, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS ascend with Phantoma. Defying controversy and bringing their imagination to life, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS utilized AI during the writing, filming, and production process on Phantoma, and weaved electronic and synthwave elements throughout the album’s 10 colossal anthems, which – in line with its theme – prove much darker and heavier in comparison to the bright positivity of Abyss.
Album opener “Human Era” sets the tone with imagery of a bleak, windswept futuristic world that crescendos headlong into the breakneck pace of power metal bastion “Ph4/NT0mA” – a masterwork of dueling guitar solos and vocal acrobatics. Trad-metal influenced “Buried In Code” lights the way with pummeling rhythms before the album’s path turns dark on heavy metal hardened “The Collective”, with Brittney Slayes’ warm tones inviting the listener to ‘join or stand aside’! Hair-raising first single “Green & Glass” unveils the truth before the upbeat 80s flavored “Gods In Decay” and the extraordinary balladic anthem “Give It Up Or Give It All” showcase the varied song writing prowess of UNLEASH THE ARCHERS’ modern era. A trifecta of concept closers begins with the moody “Ghosts In The Mist”, leading into the soaring yet menacing “Seeking Vengeance” before closing with the bittersweet tale of “Blood Empress”.
Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and with lead guitarist Andrew Kingsley at the helm as both principal songwriter and producer, Phantoma is an exciting advancement in UNLEASH THE ARCHERS’ songwriting and storytelling mastery, and a giant leap forward in their towering musical trajectory.
Phantoma track listing: 1. Human Era 2. Ph4/NT0mA 3. Buried In Code 4. The Collective 5. Green & Glass 6. Gods In Decay 7. Give It Up Or Give It All 8. Ghosts In The Mist 9. Seeking Vengeance 10. Blood Empress
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS on tour: Legions of Metal Festival: 5/03 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies
Australia and New Zealand Headliners: 6/05 – Canberra, AU @ Basement 6/06 – Sydney, AU @ Manning 6/07 – Melbourne, AU @ Croxton 6/08 – Brisbane, AU @ The Zoo 6/09 – Adelaide, AU @ Lion Arts 6/13 – Auckland, NZ @ Galatos 6/14 – Wellington, NZ @ Valhalla
European Festivals: 7/05 – Ballenstedt, DE @ Rock Harz 7/06 – Knislinge, SE @ Time To Rock 7/12 – Visovice, CZ @ Masters Of Rock 7/19 – Laukaa, FI @ John Smith Fest 7/21 – Baile Figa, RO @ Celtic Transylvania 8/02 – Wacken, DE @ Wacken Open Air 8/09 – Villena, ES @ Leyendas Del Rock 8/10 – Walton-On-Trent, UK @ Bloodstock
Supporting POWERWOLF in North America: 8/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Palladium 8/31 – Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre 9/03 – Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theatre 9/04 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Theatre 9/05 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore 9/07 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Landing 9/08 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade 9/09 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore 9/12 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore 9/13 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium 9/14 – New York City, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount 9/15 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS is: Brittney Slayes – Vocals Scott Buchanan – Drums Grant Truesdell – Guitar, Vocals Andrew Kingsley – Guitar, Vocals Nick Miller – Bass
Black Absinthe, the acclaimed heavy metal band known for their raw energy and immersive storytelling, announces the release of their gripping new single, “Jean Lanfray”. This latest offering comes ahead of their highly anticipated album, “On Earth Or In Hell”, set to be released on March 27th. I am looking forward to this album immensely. It sounds fresh, but has an excellent throwback sound that I am digging lately.
“Jean Lanfray” delves into the dark and turbulent history of Absinthe, the infamous spirit. The band was inspired by the chilling story of Jean Lanfray, a man who, in 1905, committed a heinous crime under the influence of alcohol, including Absinthe. This event sparked a moral panic that contributed significantly to the temperance movement and the eventual banning of Absinthe in many European countries.
Black Absinthe uses this narrative to explore themes of denial and the devastating effects of alcohol addiction. “When exploring concepts and stories relating to Absinthe, we came across the story of Jean Lanfray; who, after a day of excessive drinking, murdered his wife and children. Despite consuming a variety of liquors, it was his consumption of Absinthe that scandalized the public. The murders and subsequent trial kicked off a temperance movement that would see the sale and production of Absinthe banned in most European countries,” the band reflects. “The band uses the story to depict the denial ever present in an alcoholic mind. ‘Jean Lanfray’ works to depict a narrator pathetically denying the reality he has caused and showing the depraved actions a man can take when gripped with alcohol addiction.”
About BLACK ABSINTHE: Formed in the underground dungeons and dives of Toronto’s metal scene, BLACK ABSINTHE is a Canadian contemporary heavy metal band. Since 2011, BLACK ABSINTHE has performed, recorded, and reached new fans all over Canada. Presenting a mix of thrashing mosh pits and riff heavy anthems, their growing presence in the diverse heavy music scene, unifies classic metal grandeur, speed-demon rhythm sections, soaring solos, with modern technicality. Over the course of three EP’s and one LP, Early Signs of Denial (2016), BLACK ABSINTHE has continued to grow and experiment on its NWOBHM influences while maintaining the intensity of the contemporary heavy metal genre. The band draw influences from the likes of GOJIRA, MASTODON, SLAYER, and MOTÖRHEAD, to name a few.
In 2019, founders Jack Cerre and Kyle Scarlett proudly welcomed Fernando Villalobos (Ex-SLUDGEHAMMER) into the fold. BLACK ABSINTHE continues to carve their own path with performances across Canada and have brought new material to fans in Montreal, Newfoundland, and Toronto. Most recently opening for TOWER, FIREBREATHER, and WITCHROT.
In 2020, the band began laying the groundwork for their latest album On Earth or In Hell. In 2021 the band began pre-production demos with JC Sandoval (THE CROOKED, WE THE CROOKED). As producer, he oversaw the entire project, also engineering vocals and bass. In February 2022, the band engaged Juno-nominated producer Tyler Williams of Monolithic Productions (LINDSAY SCHOOLCRAFT, LUTHARO, SLUDGEHAMMER) to co-produce, engineer drums and guitar, and mix the album. The album is slated for release on March 27th, 2024.
BLACK ABSINTHE is: Jack Cerre (Vocals/Guitar) Kyle Scarlett (Bass) Fernando Villalobos (Drums)
Single Credits: Performed/Written by: BLACK ABSINTHE Lyrics by: Austin Henderson Produced by: J.C. Sandoval Co-Produced by: Tyler Williams Mixed by: Tyler Williams (Monolithic Productions) Mastered by: Lasse Lammert (LSD Studios) Photography: Michael Jari Davidson Album Art by: Darrin Crosgrove
Track List: 1. Dead Queen 2. Nobody Knows 3. Jean Lanfray 4. Call of the Void 5. On Earth or In Hell 6. The Hard Way 7. Essentially Fucked 8. Twisted Past
Chicago Melodic Death Metal two man band, Cariosus, are a new edition to the modern Metal scene. They bring a deep cerebral take on the world of Melodeath with as complex lyrics as the music can get. They shine a mirror on the soul and the modern human psyche and rip it open with beautiful brutality. I am no stranger to Melodeath, having seen a dozen shows of pure Gothenburg Metal and reviewing the scene for a decade, so I was interested to see a new one coming from America.
Some words on the album provided by the band: “Will, Until Beauty is a thesis on mankind facing its shadow. It is the confrontation of one’s darkness that is necessary to find inner light. In this work, CARIOSUS navigates the modern psychic landscape that humanity finds itself in- rife with spiritual deprivation, manufactured morality, and performative righteousness that the weakest among us use to hide from our own inner abyss. For both the individual and society as a whole, it is a call to reconcile one’s soul in both light and darkness- to create a consolidated and objective view of Being that is the foundation of true virtue.”
Will, Until Beauty is as deep and as heavy as it sounds. It’s methodically written and mature for a debut album. It’s rich in Deathcore, Blackened Death, and Neoclassical influence, deviating from your typical Melodeath sound bloomed in the dark North. Opener “Narrow Path” is a gripping rhythmic track with old school Death Metal guitars, thrash drums, and dynamic screams and growls from Alex Pfister. Alex is impressively ranged, stacking up to any Deathcore vocalist. Kevin Kryszak (Guitar) is fret board fluent, using every octave on that neck on the opening track alone. “Saturn Returns” is more modern and has some Carnifex sounding aspects to it, which vastly impressed me. There’s so much sound coming from two people, it’s hard to believe that this is their debut album. Apollo’s Lament is a slower more melodic track at first, then it hits you like an oncoming out of control train. This track is insane, changing from one measure to the next, switching sounds and influences faster than you can count. It’s complex, even for Melodeath. This song would be a great single from the album as it screams Enslaved and even chorus-effect Type O Negative melodic lines. The solo is also very Classical and intense. All Too Human breaks up the blistering heaviness showing that melodic side with acoustic percussion and Tool-esque bass lines. I absolutely love this track from beginning to end; the way it builds and moves is just so incredible and well-done.
The album continues to flow together very nicely without becoming repetitive or contrived at any point and keeps that depth going through each track. I wish I had access to the lyrics to get a real feel for the message, because it is so deep in meaning and Alex is a highly distorted vocalist so it’s hard to pick out the words. This vocalist highly impressed me, however. His range for a debut is utterly staggering. This album has a depth I rarely see in Death Metal. Cariosus is adding their own spin and I think Metal fans from every area are going to dig this album.
2023 was in my opinion, one of the greatest years for Metal and music in general. The innovations in the genre were overflowing this year. All the true quality releases make it one of the most difficult years to rank and categorize the best of the best. I have revised this article and list so many times, I’ve lost count. It seems I am discovering a new band, song, and album that defies all my musical expectations everyday and it truly astounds me. So, I picked my favorites. It’s not a popularity contest or based on the songs that live rent free in my head, it’s just my favorite albums based upon my perception of quality and innovation. I based my decisions upon personal preference, but also just sheer quality of composition and aspects that made the record stand out from your typical Metal albums. This list could really be in multiple orders, but I just put my favorites in the succession I feel reflected my listening habits the most. Let’s face it, it is impossible to put all of the best albums of 2023 in order by quality or ingenuity. There’s simply too many excellent albums.
What albums did you love this year? Which ones did I leave out or miss entirely? Comment below and let me know.
My Top Albums 2023
Hermitage: Daruma’s Eyes Part 2- Temperance
This should come as no surprise that this album is ranked number one for me, as I predicted in my review. Temperance came back with an ingenious concept album and one of the most musically talented lineups I have heard since Epica. It’s a Symphonic Power Metal Opera for the ages. It overshadowed anything Ayreon or Star One have done for almost a decade, in my opinion. Marco Pastorino and crew made a once in a lifetime bombastic and moving record with impossibly good vocals. It is innovative as it uses so much Classical elements with huge wall-of-sound production and an eclectic mix of vocalists that come together to absolutely blow your mind. It sounds futuristic, but mirrors the production quality of Hard Rock and Prog albums from the 1980’s. It is a stunning record that I don’t think will be topped anytime soon.
2. Fearless In Love- Voyager
Voyager are one of my top 20 bands of all time, and this record is indicative of why they always deserve a top spot. This album does something for me that few albums do; it occupies the same space in my brain as Devin Townsend. Fearless In Love is an emotional journey through modern times and is a riff-heavy progressive romp if I’ve ever heard one. It’s as if Devin Townsend and Tears For Fears collaborated on a star ship. This album doesn’t sound like any other album, yet it mirrors Townsend’s genius riffing on Accelerated Evolution so eloquently. This is undoubtedly my favorite guitar record of the year, but also contains juicy bass lines and sing along emotive choruses. Fearless In Love is truly the most uplifting album of 2023 and one of the best guitar performances of all time.
3. Blue Blood- Phantom Elite
Blue Blood was a complete surprise to me. I knew of Phantom and the excellent Marina La Torraca, but their releases never impacted me until this absolutely aggressive record. It is everything I love about Spiritbox and Jinjer, but with a softer side. It’s a Djent/Prog Industrial album with Symphony Metal overtones and beautiful vocals. It’s an album with massive range and variety, no two songs sound the same. It’s fresh and modern without being contrived. The riffs are punchy and enigmatic, always changing and layering on top of loud bombastic drums and crunchy bass lines. Blue Blood is catchy, chaotic, emotive, and groove oriented. It deserves so much more recognition for utter quality. I never expected this band to hit my top ten, but this record is undeniably fantastic.
4. Beyond the Black- Self Titled
When I thought about my favorite records of the year, this is the first one that actually came to my mind. It’s an album I continue to go back to, despite it being a little more radio friendly than what I usually love. There’s just an exquisite mix of genres and influences on this album. It’s Arena Rock with immense emotion and chuggy heavy riffs. Jennifer Haben is one of the most underrated vocalists who fits into any genre or rhythmic pocket. She has an innate tone that is rarely heard in modern music. Kai Hansen is also one of my favorite drummers of late. His performance on this record ties everything together and holds it all in a heavy package. It’s high production quality without being bubblegum or robotic. Beyond the Black created something reflective of Covid times without being too dark or too in your face and it is truly cathartic to listen to. It has profound meaning underneath catchy hooks and huge arena sounds, something modern Rock typically lacks nowadays. This is a truly special record that will surprise you in depth of content and diamond quality.
5. The Wonders Still Awaiting- Xandria
The Wonders Still Awaiting was originally second on this list, but the year squeaked out even more gems and made it difficult for me to order this list any other way. I am an avid Symphonic Metal listener, admittedly less and less as of the last Epica release. Xandria came back in 2023 with a new lineup that dominated my year in music. The addition of Ambre Vourvahis has reignited this band to the glorious torch it once carried. She is the only vocalist on this list to give me actual chills and goosebumps. Marco Heubaum continues to write moving and enchanting music atop heavy riffs and new growling vocals that set him apart from other Symphonic Metal bands. This album is extremely moving throughput and wonderfully thought-provoking. It greatly foreshadows other releases in the genre of the past five years. I will always hold a higher standard to Xandria than Nightwish, and this gorgeous album proves the reasons why.
6. Anno 1696- Insomnium
I am not the biggest Insomnium fan, but subjectively this is a flawless Melodeath record. This Finnish Melodeath band is known for creating utterly devastatingly heavy albums, emotionally and instrumentally. Anno 1696 is no deviation from their usual greatness, but it definitely hearkens to an 90’s Death Metal sound that creates a unique blend on top of a great story. It is poetry in brutality. The addition of Jani Liimatainen has reignited the band and added a new voice. It’s as though lead vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevanen is the narrator, and Jani is another inner voice of the characters. I’ve never heard another album like it, yet you know it’s Insomnium right away. There is a unique blend of Folk music and Melodeath on this album as well that was new and very interesting. Insomnium refuse to be formulaic and continue to push the envelope of genres. 2023 was all about genre breaking and blending, which is why this album was so successful.
7. Heimdal- Enslaved
Another unexpected gem of 2023 for me. I had never truly given Enslaved a listen, and I realized the err of my ways very quickly when Heimdal came out. This album is a pinnacle of 2023’s genre blending. It mixes 70’s Prog and modern Death Metal in a Viking setting. It’s far from the cheesy formulaic Viking Metal people have grown tired of. Heimdal is an existential journey through the Great Norse worlds and audibly envelopes you in a strange ethereal aura. The synths and organ give it a primordial feel and is not something I ever expected to hear in Death Metal, but is Enslaved’s special brand that really sets them apart for me. The production quality is pure without being too clean for extreme music. It’s perfectly balanced and flows smoothly like a linear story line. It is such a welcome change from overproduced music with no edge or nostalgia.
8. Nemesis AD- Serenity
Serenity is unfortunately an underdog of Symphonic Metal despite continuously putting out quality records. Nemesis AD is a testament to the ultimate strength of this band in bombastic thematic riffs and smooth powerful vocals from Georg Neuhauser and of course the incomparable Marco Pastorino. This album is profoundly beautiful, riff heavy, and catchy with great hooks. It sits somewhere between Sonata Arctica and Therion. To me, it feels more Power Metal than Symphonic without being contrived or another band just influenced by Nightwish. This is a history lesson of inspiration and self empowerment without being cheesy. Serenity set themselves apart from the rest with this record and made something truly special that I will continue to listen to for years to come.
9. Shades of Sorrow- Crypta
Thrash Metal and Death Thrash are not my cup of tea or area of expertise at all. It’s not that I dislike the darker heavier side of Metal. I listen to brutal bands like Archspire, Lorna Shore, Emperor, Triptykon, Draconian, and Cattle Decapitation. Thrash Metal has never spoken to me, however, and lacks a certain refined technicality I need in my music. So, I came to this new Crypta expecting it to be boring to me. Boy was I wrong… Shades of Sorrow is technical perfection in brutality and darkness. This album crushes your senses and spirit in all the best ways. Crypta is a powerhouse of four women with the essence of Thrash and Death and Melodeath in one technically sound package. They are one of the best bands I have heard in a long time. Their chemistry is tangible, led by drummer Luana Damatto holding down the heavy rhythmic section with Gene Hoglan-like groove and precision. If I had to give individual music awards out, Luana would undoubtedly be my drummer of the year winner. Shades of Sorrow is better than I expected and is truly one of the best Thrash records I have ever heard in my life. The fact that its four women delivering one of the heaviest albums of the year just makes me unbelievably proud and happy to be alive. They are terribly underrated and this album deserves to be on every top ten list.
10. This Heathen Land- Green Lung
Where in the heck did Green Lung come from? They went from being a band I’d never heard of to one of the bands dominating every top ten list of 2023. It’s shocking how well received this album is by the heaviest listeners in the Metal Community. The riffs on This Heathen Land are too perfect to resist, however. This album mixes Folk Rock, Black Sabbath, and Ghost like catchiness to create solid Stoner Metal rooted in Pagan epics. This sounds like it could be put out in the 1970s with the heavy organ sound and creepy high pitched vocals. It’s heavy, ethereal, and anthemic all in a smoothly delivered package (That’s what she said). This Heathen Land by Green Lung is far from an album I expected to be on my top ten, but it is just so damn solid I can’t think of any album that deserves this spot more. All of you elitists that hate on Ghost are absolute hypocrites if you’re jamming this album since in came out, and I hope that realization hits you like a truck. This is one of the most listenable albums on this list and is quite addictive. Once you start listening to Green Lung, you won’t be able to stop.
Honorable Mentions:
Terrasite- Cattle Decapitation
Time Will Take Us All- Entheos
Bleed Out- Within Temptation
Riverside- ID Entity
Fauna- Haken
Avenged Sevenfold- Life Is But A Dream…
Tales From The North- Bloodbound
Dark Waters- Delain
My Top Singles of the Year
Darkness is Just a Drawing- Temperance
Broken Orbit- In Mourning
Reflections of AD- Serenity
Inner Beast- Phantom Elite
Free Me- Beyond The Black
Ultraviolet- Voyager
Never Dawn- Lacuna Coil
Lilian- Insomnium
Jaded- Spiritbox
Native Colossus Live at Mad With Power- Shield of Wings
Honorable Mention Singles
As the Flower Withers- Elysion
One More Flag in the Ground- Kamelot
Two Worlds- Xandria
Basterd Von Asgard ft Fabienne Erni- Feuerschwanz
More- The Warning
Hey Brother- Dartagnan
Maxine- Green Lung
Beneath- Delain
This playlist features 20 of my favorite songs of 2023
Click play or watch on Youtube to see the full list on the sidebar
Swiss modern metal upstarts ILLUMISHADE unveil their magical sophomore record and Napalm Records debut, Another Side of You, out February 16 2024! Fronted by vocalist Fabienne Erni and guitarist Jonas Wolf (both of Eluveitie) and completed with orchestration and synths by film composer Mirjam Skal, bass by Yannick Urbanczik, and drums by Marc Friedrich, ILLUMISHADE skillfully balances all things both dark and light on Another Side of You.
On their new single cut from the new album, “Here We Are”, Erni’s radiant charisma shines brighter than ever with her crystal-clear vocal delivery. Wolf’s guitar work is as blazing and emotional as ever, while a fresh dose of modern prog brings a cutting edge to the band’s elaborate songwriting. The song impresses with a stomping chorus and an exciting variety in its middle passage, and arrives alongside a stunning music video.
ILLUMISHADE on “Here We Are”: “‘Here We Are’ is an anthem to the essence of being in the here and now. It tells about accepting the legacy of history, acknowledging our current standing as a foundation from which we can move forward.”
Another Side of You is the successor to ILLUMISHADE’s acclaimed debut album, ECLYPTIC: Wake Of Shadows. The second coup showcases a more modern approach both lyrically and musically, while still transporting the listener into an immersive world rich with mesmerizing soundscapes (even enhanced by the Budapest Art Orchestra at certain points) and massive and dreamlike vocal lines, marking the perfect start of a brand new chapter for this promising outfit.
ILLUMISHADE add: “Marking the beginning of a new era, our album Another Side Of You bridges the tangible and the ethereal. It’s an odyssey to the many facets of human emotion but also the challenges we all face in this ever-changing world. Another Side of You is about grounding in reality, yet also letting the music carry you to places unknown.”
Another Side of You Tracklisting: 1 Enter the Void 2 ELEGY 3 ENEMY 4 In the Darkness 5 Cloudreader 6 Here We Are 7 CYCLONE 8 Fairytale 9 The Horizon Awaits 10 HYMN 11 TWILY 12 Riptide 13 Hummingbird 14 Verliebt (feat. Coen Janssen)
ILLUMISHADE are: Fabienne Erni – Voice, Piano Jonas Wolf – Guitars Mirjam Skal – Orchestration / Synths Yannick Urbanczik – Bass Marc Friedrich – Drums
2023 has been a new Renaissance of music with new innovations and genre bending iconoclasts. I have been speechless one album after another this year. It’s been one of the best years for me for new releases that I absolutely love, and I know a lot of people are feeling the same way. I have my favorites and will definitely do a list later this month as the discovery of new music is ongoing.
BUT first, I want to hear from my fellow metal fans and connoisseurs of music! What do you think is the best album of 2023? Vote below or comment! I will do a separate review of the winner and post your responses! Just follow the link, no sign in required!
[photo credit: Shimon Karmel] Canada’s most exciting metal band, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of their transfixing sixth studio release, the AI inspired concept album Phantoma, out May 10, 2024 via Napalm Records. The new album follows the band’s breakout 2020 album, Abyss, which won the JUNO Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year after debuting at #1 on the US Current Hard Music and Top New Artist charts. 
Metal Valkyrie 