Addison Herron-Wheeler's Top Albums of 2023
It’s funny, the more I immerse myself in the world of death metal, both as a musician and a professional metal writer (whatever that is), the more I don’t necessarily listen to death metal, or even metal, constantly. I think part of it is also hitting my mid 30s and realizing there is no such thing as a “guilty pleasure.” If I want to listen to black metal followed by hardcore followed by country or pop, fuck it. This list reflects that, with special love given to hardcore this year, just by chance.
...
Honorable Mentions:
20. Godflesh – Purge (Avalance Recordings, U.S.)
19. Enslaved – Hemidal (Nuclear Blast Records, Norway)
18. Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium-Nahab (Candleight Records, France)
17. Crypta – Shades of Sorrow (Napalm Records, Brazil)
16. Blackbraid – Blackbraid II (Self-Released, U.S.)
15. In Flames – Foregone (Nuclear Blast, Sweden)
14. Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite (Metal Blade Records, U.S.)
13. Osiah– Kairos (Unique Leader Records, U.S.)
12. Knuckle Puck – Losing What We Love (Pure Noise Records, U.S.)
11. Drain – Living Proof (Revelation Records, U.S.)
...
Gel are one of the bands that have been shaking up hardcore in the year 2023. Throwing all conventions out the window, including the gender binary and how much hardcore is allowed to borrow from punk, grunge, and even pop and metal, they’ve made a completely unique and ultimately listenable record. If you haven’t already checked this out, we suggest you change that immediately.
Listen here.
Similar to Gel, this record is solid and then some, and adds some femme and softness into the world of hardcore without losing a bit of edge. This record is here to prove to anyone who thinks a pink album cover or clean, femme vocals mean something can’t be heavy. A few spins of this record will prove that is definitely not the case.
Listen here.
This record sees Wicca Phase Springs Eternal getting even further outside of his alt-hip hop comfort zone and embracing way more country—like, a lot of country. But don’t let that scare you! Like everything else he touches, what could easily be cheesy or hacky in other hands is absolutely professionally handled and stunning here, as he nails every song and creates just as much of a mood on this record as he has on previous releases.
Listen here
This hardcore/post hardcore masterpiece proves the band still have what it takes to keep the energy going and make some solid and relevant music in 2023. I would recommend this either as a jumping off point for the band or for fans who are already familiar.
Listen here
This one basically needs no introduction background-wise, because if you’ve been following metal, punk, and hardcore news at all this year, you know the band were in a harrowing accident that almost cost them their lives or their mobility. Now, they are bouncing back, and this album, while recorded before the accident, is a testament to that resilience, as it features bassist Madi Watkins, who took the brunt of the accident, on vocals. While it’s short and sweet, it’s one of the heaviest and most diverse hardcore records of the year.
Listen here
I’m always a fan of HEALTH, and this record feels especially well-thought-out, catchy, and heavy, even for them, which is saying a lot, as they don’t really have any bad albums under the belt. This is definitely one you’re going to want to listen to over and over to catch all the Easter eggs.
Listen here
Interestingly enough, this is the only death metal release to make it to the front part of this list, and I truly consider this to be one of the most important death metal records of all time. It harkens back to the forebearers of the genre themselves, Death, with a melodic, sonic approach and a vocalist who is more inspired than most by his intimate brush with death thanks to a cancer diagnosis. But it also pushes all the limits of the genre and breaks new ground, and most importantly, cannot in any way be seen as just rehashing the same tired, old-school death metal tropes.
Listen here
This may seem an odd one to be so high up on my list, but I love everything this band has done, and in my mind. this is their most refined record to date. It seems that they’ve completely stopped worrying about trends and fully embraced all the nuances of their sound, going from big arena anthems and sad, acoustic ballads to post-hardcore that more borders on full-on hardcore. This is a great one to check out even if you don’t usually listen to this genre.
Listen here
This is another slightly off pick, but with a lot more hardcore influence and even some metallic riffs in there for good measure. This album is a great example of a record that has everything, including pop, pop punk, metal hardcore, and just general riffs. This is a must for any Australian punk and hardcore enthusiast.
Listen here
I discovered End this year, and they are by far my pick for best band of the year, not just album. As someone who always answers “Pig Destroyer” when asked my favorite band, this band has everything to earn that band’s seal of approval—and that’s clearly not just my opinion, as Pig Destroyer vocalist JR Hayes does guest vocals on this record. It’s heavy, still thoughtful, a little electronic, sort of experimental, very hard hitting, and still catchy and memorable. Damn, this one’s a keeper.
Listen here
