Invisible Oranges' Overall Top 20 of 2023

We come to the end of our year-end coverage (browse the rest here) with the traditional list of lists: a mathematical extrapolation of what, apparently, were our favorite records this year. It's an interesting list, and it may hold some surprises or far-too-obvious favorites depending on your perspective. In any case, I've dropped streaming links for each entry below plus some basic info on how these scored.

We haven't changed our approach to scoring, but in summary: an album ranked at #1 gets 20 points, an album ranked at #20 gets 1, and for the one person who decided to list their honorable mentions unranked, we assigned an average of 5.5 points. In the case of a tie, since all ties had the same number of inclusions, we listed both at the higher number. 

Included below are our Critical Top 20, including total score, frequency of list inclusion, and average score based on frequency of placement and total score. Enjoy!

-Ted Nubel

1. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit (20 Buck Spin, Canada)
70 points / 6 lists = 11.67 average points.

2. Lamp of Murmuur - Saturnian Bloodstorm (Argento/Not Kvlt Records, USA)
61 points / 6 lists = 10.17 average points.

3. HEALTH - RAT WARS (Loma Vista Recordings, USA)
58 points / 4 lists = 14.5 average points.

4. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars (Napalm, Sweden)
45 points / 3 lists = 15.0 average points.

5. Miserere Luminis - Ordalie (Sepulchral Productions, Canada)
43 points / 3 lists = 14.33 average points.

6. Spirit Possession – Of the Sign… (Profound Lore, USA)
41 points / 3 lists = 13.67 average points. Note: Two-way tie with Panopticon for #6.

6. Panopticon – The Rime of Memory (Bindrune Recordings, United States)
41 points / 3 lists = 13.67 average points.

8. Dødheimsgard – Black Medium Current (Peaceville, Norway)
40 points / 3 lists = 13.33 average points.

9. Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar (Invictus Productions, Slovakia)
39.5 points / 4 lists = 9.88 average points.

10. Krallice - Porous Resonance Abyss (Self Released)
39 points / 2 lists = 19.5 average points.

11.  Vastum – Inward to Gethsemane (20 Buck Spin, US)
38 points / 3 lists = 12.67 average points. Note: Two-way tie with Majesties for #11.

11. Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed (20 Buck Spin, USA)
38 points / 3 lists = 12.67 average points.

13. Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle (Avante Garde Music, Italy)
37 points / 4 lists = 9.25 average points.

14. Urfaust - Untergang (Ván Records, Netherlands)
33 points / 2 lists = 16.5 average points. Note: Two-way tie with Thantifaxath for #14

14. Thantifaxath– Hive Mind Narcosis (Dark Descent, US)
33 points / 3 lists = 11.0 average points.

16. Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (Peaceville, Scotland)
32 points / 3 lists = 10.67 average points. Note: Two-way tie with Agriculture for #16

16. Agriculture - Agriculture (The Flenser, US)
32 points / 3 lists = 10.67 average points.

18. Century - The Conquest of Time (Electric Assault, Sweden)
31 points / 3 lists = 10.33 average points.

19. Gel - Only Constant (Convulse, USA)
30 points / 2 lists = 15.0 average points. Note: Two-way tie with End for #19.

19. End - The Sin of Human Frailty (Closed Casket Activities, USA)
30 points / 2 lists = 15.0 average points.