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!
I am so insanely excited about this release! Temperance is one of my all time favorite bands. Italian masters of modern melodic metal TEMPERANCE have spellbound their symphonic magic into a thrilling live album, From Hermitage To Europe, out March 14, 2025 via Napalm Records! Captured during the band’s latest extended tour supporting their album Hermitage – Daruma’s Eyes Pt. 2 (2023), the new live recording brings the magical village of Hermitage and fan favorites to life!
Now featured for the first time in live recording form, this story was first explored on the aforementioned full-length studio album, which has since also been released in its orchestral version, featuring many renowned guests such as Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie) and Laura Fella (Faun).
Known for their vocal harmonies, the first single, “Daruma”, is a gift to symphonic lovers, where melodic guitar passages collide with a galloping drum beat. TEMPERANCE’s Michele Guaitoli takes us into their magical world, while his vocal comrade-in-arms Kristin Starkey heats up the tension with her dark timbre. This live recording serves as the perfect prelude to their highly anticipated 2025 European tour, with melodic death metal giants Ignea and symphonic powerhouse Induction.
Marco Pastorino on “Daruma”: “It’s been years since our only live release, and the time has come to publish material with our current lineup. For the first time, you’ll be able to listen to some of our most renowned tracks in their live versions – such as “Of Jupiter And Moons,” “Diamanti,” and “The Last Hope In A World Of Hopes,” while also including some of the most beloved songs from our latest album, Hermitage, after spending a year on the road supporting it.
For this reason, we have chosen to release ‘Daruma’ as the first single, marking the first track released with our Kristin Starkey.
We will celebrate the release of From Hermitage To Europe alongside our European headlining tour!”
A symphonic adventure of power, passion and melodies: TEMPERANCE Live! Rousing guitar riffs, epic orchestrations and powerful vocal duets are a welcome gift for symphonic metal lovers, now captured for the afterworld. While “The Last Hope in a World of Hopes” combines gripping melodies and choral vocals, their stunning live performance can also be witnessed in “Darkness Is Just a Drawing” – fans will experience one of the band’s most magical compositions, shining with masterful vocal harmonies. The palpable energy on fan-favorites like “Diamanti” and “Of Jupiter And Moons“ showcase the band’s extraordinary musical atmosphere.
Michele Guaitoli about the album: “The last years have been a rollercoaster of emotions. TEMPERANCE have grown on every level and have been traveling the world, having the honor of performing in Europe, the UK, the US and South America.
Those who follow us are well aware that from “Of Jupiter and Moons” to “Hermitage”, we’ve faced a relevant line-up change. We felt it was fundamental to let our listeners understand who TEMPERANCE is nowadays, as the arrival of Kristin during the EU tour as special guests for Tarja had a strong impact on the sound of the band, thanks to her unique (and outstanding) voice.
From Hermitage To Europe gives justice to what you are going to witness live in March during our headline run, and most importantly, sets in stone the essence of this new cycle of TEMPERANCE, which we want to be a cycle of rebirth.”
From Hermitage To Europe tracklisting: 1. Intro (live) 2. Daruma (live) 3. The Last Hope in a World of Hopes (live) 4. No Return (live) 5. A Hero Reborn (live) 6. Welcome To Hermitage (live) 7. Glorious (live) 8. Start Another Round (live) 9. Darkness Is Just A Drawing (live) 10. Into The Void (live) 11. Diamanti (live) 12. Of Jupiter And Moons (live) 13. Pure Life Unfolds (live)
TEMPERANCE Live 2025:
From Hermitage To Europe Tour w/ Ignea and Induction 06.03.24 PL – Warsaw / VooDoo 07.03.24 PL – Poznan / Pod Minoga 08.03.24 PL – Skarżysko-Kamienna / Semafor 09.03.24 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra 10.03.24 DE – Munich / Backstage 11.03.24 AT – Vienna / Szene 12.03.24 IT – Bologna / Alchemica 13.03.24 CH – Lenzburg / Met Bar 14.03.24 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos Saal 15.03.24 DE – Leipzig / Hellraiser 16.03.24 DE – Berlin / Orwo 17.03.24 DE – Hamburg / Logo 18.03.24 NL – Tilburg / 013 19.03.24 DE – Hanover / Musikzentrum 20.03.24 DE – Bochum / Matrix 21.03.24 BE – Kortrijk / DVG 22.03.24 NL – Drachten / Iduna
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.
Modern Symphonic Metal Icons KAMELOT Announce North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”
Featuring Support from HammerFall and AD INFINITUM
Beginning April 25 in Baltimore, MD | Tickets On Sale Friday, January 19
New KAMELOT Album, The Awakening, Out Now | Order HERE[photo credit: Tom Couture] Modern heavy symphonic metal leaders KAMELOT continue to celebrate their latest top-charting full-length album, The Awakening, in grandiose style! Today, the band is thrilled to announce their upcoming North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”, featuring direct support from Swedish heavy metal frontrunners HammerFall. Fast-rising modern symphonic metal band and Napalm Records label mates AD INFINITUM will kick off each enchanting night, featuring KAMELOT touring guest vocalist Melissa Bonny!
The tour will begin on April 25 in Baltimore, MD and will cross North America and back, coming to an end a month later in Tampa, FL on May 25. Tickets for this unmissable trek go on sale to the general public this Friday, January 19 at 10:00am local time, following an exclusive Blabbermouth pre-sale beginning on Wednesday, January 17 at 10:00am Eastern time. VIP upgrades will be available in select cities, and can be ordered via www.kamelot.com/VIP2024. Get your tickets now – they will go fast!
Guitarist/Founder of KAMELOT, Thomas Youngblood, says: “We are beyond excited about the upcoming North American tour with our friends HammerFall and AD INFINITUM! We have been to Europe, Japan and South America as part of our AWAKEN THE WORLD tour, and we will come back to North America for some cities we didn’t get to visit on the first leg. Get ready for some amazing nights on this epic Symphonic Metal package!”
KAMELOT: Awaken The World Tour 2024 North American tour dates: ** = Featuring Seven Spires, No HammerFall
4.25.24 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head ** 4.26.24 – Huntington, NY – Paramount ** 4.27.24 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live ** 4.28.24 – Quebec City, QC – Theatre Capitole ** 4.30.24 – Harrisburg, PA – HMAC 5.1.24 – Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theatre 5.3.24 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone 5.4.24 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall 5.6.24 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill’s 5.7.24 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center 5.9.24 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater 5.10.24 – Tucson, AZ – Encore 5.11.24 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove 5.12.24 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues 5.14.24 – Denver, CO – The Summit 5.16.24 – St. Paul, MN – Myth 5.17.24 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom/Milwaukee Metal Fest (no AD INFINITUM) 5.18.24 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues 5.20.24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian 5.21.24 – Richmond, VA – The National 5.23.24 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts 5.24.24 – Atlanta, GA – Heaven – Masquerade 5.25.24 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
KAMELOT‘s latest album, The Awakening, debuted at #2 on the US Current Hard Music Albums chart and #27 on the Current Album Sales chart, and connected with fans and critics alike – touted by many as the best late-era KAMELOT release to date! The album enters the band’s legacy as their most massive and diverse offering yet – mixing symphonic, gothic, melodic, progressive and power metal styles while yielding some of the heaviest tracks in the band’s history. Having reigned supreme with the release of internationally top-charting melodic metal pinnacles such as The Fourth Legacy (1999), The Black Halo (2005), Silverthorn (2012), Haven (2015, #1 US Hard Rock Albums), and most recently 2018’s acclaimed The Shadow Theory (#2 US Hard Music Albums), KAMELOT’s intense brand of ultramodern gothic and symphonic theatricality is amplified further and with more emotionalism than ever on The Awakening.
Showcasing the incomparable, stage-seasoned vocal acrobatics of Tommy Karevik and increasingly airtight, renowned technical teamwork of guitarist Thomas Youngblood, drummer Alex Landenburg, keyboardist Oliver Palotai and bassist Sean Tibbetts, KAMELOT’s score-like 13th studio album is accented by guest contributions from the likes of Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) and renowned instrumentalists like violinist Florian Janoske and cellist Tina Guo. The Awakening features crystal clear modern production helmed by the band and longtime producer Sascha Paeth, plus mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios.
“10/10 “Masterpiece!” – Metal-Temple
“The Awakening is KAMELOT’s best album in almost 20 years…” – The Prog Mind (US), 9/10
“The Awakening is KAMELOT performing at the top of their game.” – New Noise Magazine (US)
“The Awakening is probably the hottest candidate for the (melodic) metal album of the year.” – Rock It! (DE) – 10/10 Order The AwakeningHERE:
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!
Back with new music Friday on the blog! Here are my top ten picks of the day/week you might’ve missed. It’s short and sweet, which is rare for me as I can be quite the windbag on here.
What are you listening to today?
Favorite album and singles post of the year coming soon! Stay tuned and don’t forget to sign up for updates below this post.
Plini, atmospheric Metal guitarist, and legendary Animals as Leaders’ Tosin Abasi shred it out
German Symphonic Melodic heavyweights Beyond the Black release new live video
Italian Power Metal legends Secret Sphere are back with brand new speedy single.
German 90’s band HELMET return with new album and single
Ex-Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier and Skillet’s John Cooper groove on this catchy modern rock guitar heavy track.
A new discovery for me in the realm of Progressive Metalcore. Kinda like ERRA, Volumes, and Periphery. Great lyrics and drums as well as super technical guitars.
Portland Metalcore band Dying Wish drops heavy new ballad single. BIG surprise to me how good this is. This is the kind of music I wanted fifteen years ago.
Legendary German Power Metallers are back after 11 years with edgy Neoclassicism, and you guessed it, DRAGONS
Italian Melodic Metal powerhouses return with gorgeous power ballad that will undoubtedly make a big impact on listeners
Canadian Juno Award winning band debuts new intense speed single with a horror theme
Austrian Symphonic Metal band Serenity have been an underrated cornerstone of their genre for nearly two decades. They’ve crafted beautiful melodies, catchy battle tunes, bombastic rhythmic sections, and historical Metal and reached new heights with previous album “The Last Knight” which hit #25 on German album charts. I have loved every release since, but the expectations for this album are extremely high with the addition of Marco Pastorino of Temperance, Fallen Sanctuary, and his solo work, it seems like this guy is everywhere right now. Pastorino is known for elevating music to its maximum potential and Serenity working with him and Ancient Bards’ orchestral composer, Daniele Mazza, this album can’t be anything but incredible.
Nemesis AD is a history lesson once again, this time heavily focusing on Albrecht Durer, the great German Painter and Theologian. This topic seems to bring the most passion out of this band, as Nemesis AD is emotionally and musically profound throughout each track. Don’t let the soft choirs and chamber orchestration on opener “Memoriae Alberti Dureri” fool you, this album is huge in sound and heavy as ever. “The Fall of Man” features ex-Kamelot Tenor extraordinaire, Roy Khan, and the harmonies with the piercing voice of Georg Neuhauser is sure to send chills up your spine. A lot of songs stand out as well with “Ritter, Tod, and Teufel” based on the Durer painting, “Sun of Justice” which is fast and heart-pounding as well as catchy, and “The End of Babylon” which is a lyrical and chorus triumph. Overall, the album has a lot of gems and the usual Serenity feel and it’s a very good record, but one track stands out far above the rest for me. “Reflections (of AD)” is a masterpiece, maybe the greatest song the band has ever produced. This song is a grand, orchestral, and airy tribute to Durer and his legacy. This song is one of the most beautiful compositions I have ever heard, lyrically, emotionally, orchestral, and vocally. The ability to emote from Neuhauser and Pastorino is a diamond in today’s music. The grand level of emotions and yet so much space in the music does not appear in most modern music. This space occurs in the symphonic sound and the breakdown part that works so well with the video. This is a track that may stay with me the rest of my life and certainly the rest of the year.
Nemesis AD is a more melodious and symphonic album than past albums, but it has heavy guitars from Pastorino and Hermsdoerfer and excellent solos. It definitely strays from the path of being formulaic or too Pop sounding. It may not be their best overall album, but it will cater to the older Serenity fans as well as original Kamelot fans. If you’re not a fan of recent Kamelot offerings, Serenity could be a classic stand in. All the songs have a Khan era feel, especially “Nemesis”, which has some Eastern influence that adds a completely different feel and breaks up the soaring-Symphonic sound from being repetitive. The whole album is worth a listen all the way through and a couple of the tracks will stick in your head.
Rating 7/10 Overall, a good Symphonic Metal Album but lacked some power and awe factor that previous albums had. Reflections (of AD) is one of my tracks of the year, however, and is a modern classic of the genre.
[photo credit: Tom Couture] Modern heavy symphonic metal leaders KAMELOT continue to celebrate their latest top-charting full-length album, The Awakening, in grandiose style! Today, the band is thrilled to announce their upcoming North American “Kamelot: Awaken The World Tour 2024”, featuring direct support from Swedish heavy metal frontrunners HammerFall. Fast-rising modern symphonic metal band and Napalm Records label mates AD INFINITUM will kick off each enchanting night, featuring KAMELOT touring guest vocalist Melissa Bonny! 
Metal Valkyrie 