The Best Albums of the Year in 2023

Wow! What a great year for metal. Honestly, I had to revise this list several times to ensure I chose the best albums for the top spot. Without further ado, here are the best albums of the year in 2023!

10. Blackbraid – Blackbraid II

I discovered Blackbraid when they toured with Dark Funeral during the spring, and they were one of the best bands on that bill.

I’ve been getting into the melodic and nature-inspired style of black metal, and Blackbraid achieves this sound perfectly.

It didn’t surprise me when I fell in love with their newest album, Blackbraid II. The album is crushing but beautiful, and there are enough changes between songs to keep things interesting.

The album ebbs and flows as if you were on the Adirondack Mountains—some parts are serene with soft guitars, while others feature rapid riffing and crazy drumming. I especially love the use of the flute; it gives the album a peaceful vibe among the black metal chaos.

9. Moonlight Sorcery – Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle

Moonlight Sorcery is becoming one of my favorite bands. I’ve been digging the keyboard-heavy Emperor-worship black metal that has been emerging, and Moonlight Sorcery nails this sound. While their EP, “Piercing Through the Frozen Eternity,” is the perfect black metal soundtrack for a snowy day, Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle takes up the brutality up ten notches.

With this new album, Moonlight Sorcery added some new elements. For example, they went heavier on the riffs, and the solos are also complex. Don’t worry, Moonlight Sorcery still keeps its core sound and cold atmosphere.

Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle has to be one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard. I’m noticing more people are discovering this band, which makes me really happy. Moonlight Sorcery is solid; they play melodic black metal flawlessly, have great musicians, and write killer songs. I’m glad this band is taking off because they deserve it.

8. Cannibal Corpse – Chaos Horrific

I feel like Cannibal Corpse released Violence Unimagined yesterday, so it surprised me when they released Chaos Horrific. Still, this album has everything we can expect from Cannibal Corpse: crushing riffs, George Fisher’s signature vocals, brutal lyrics, and I’m digging Erik Rutan’s solos on this new material.

What I think makes Cannibal Corpse prevail is they write killer songs. They don’t need any bells, whistles, or bullshit—just solid riffs and gory lyrics. And what else do you need from a death metal band?

7. Entheos – Time Will Take Us All

Entheos is a band that will never stop impressing me. When I first discovered them in 2015, they were a breath of fresh air in metal. With Navene Koperweis’ mindblowing drumming, Chaney Crabb’s inhuman vocals, and Evan Brewer’s signature serpentine-sounding bass, it should be no surprise that this band became the monster it is today. I loved their 2015 release Primal, but nothing could prepare me for Time Will Take Us All.

While Crabb has to be one of my favorite harsh vocalists right now, I love how she added more cleans in this album. I read about her accident and how that inspired the lyrical content, and the clean vocals give this album raw emotion.

Musically, this album also went further with the guitars. The solos here are intricate but don’t take away from the rest of the band, blending into the band’s signature esoteric sound. And I have to give props to Eliran Kantor for that incredible album art.

6. Insomnium – Anno 1696

Insomnium is one of those bands that stays consistent with every album but still manages to take their sound to new levels. I can imagine it’s difficult to get creative with melodic death metal, but no two Insomnium albums sound the same, Anno 1696 included.

With Anno 1696, Insomnium entered a new era of heaviness, especially with a guest appearance from Rotting Christ’s Sakis Tolis and other notable musicians.

Still, Insomnium is dominating melodic death metal, and that makes me really happy. I’ve been following this band for at least a decade, and they get bigger and better with every album.

5. VoidCeremony – Threads of Unknowing

I’ve been listening to that obscure style of death metal, and VoidCeremony is quickly becoming one of my favorite bands right now. Compared to past records like Entropic Reflections Continuum: Dimensional Unravel, this new album goes into another celestial realm.

Everything about Threads of Unknowing satisfies the weirdness I crave in death metal; the cryptic riffing, enigmatic solos, odd time signatures, and beastial drumming. Take all those aspects and shove them in a space capsule, and you have Threads of Unknowing.

From the first song, “Threads of Unknowing (The Paradigm of Linearity),” to the finale, “Forlorn Portrait: Ruins of an Ageless Slumber,” this album entangles your mind with otherworldly havoc. Anyone would be rendered disoriented after the first listen, only to give this album another spin and gladly return to that hypnotic mental maze.

4. Cryptopsy – As Gomorrah Burns

As Gomorrah Burns is one of the most pivotal albums that Cryptopsy has released in a long time. It’s not only their first full-length in over 10 years but is their debut release with powerhouse Nuclear Blast Records.

Being such a landmark record, Cryptopsy went above and beyond with this one. Like every Cryptopsy album, this one sounds like pure chaos. But Cryptopsy reawakened a monster that I have not experienced in decades.

With As Gomorrah Burns, Cryptopsy proves bands don’t have to go in a different direction to become a better version of themselves—just take what made you legendary and amplify it by a thousand.

3. Immortal – War Against All

This is one of the best releases of the new year, and I barely saw this album on anyone’s year-end lists. With War Against All, Immortal proves they reign in the cold style of black metal. With the temperature dropping, this album has especially been on repeat for me.

Songs like “Thunders of Darkness” are reminiscent of iconic albums like At the Heart of Winter, with the brief parts of melody mixed with war-like brutality. Because of this, I listen to War Against All just as much as Immortal’s older albums.

Another stand-out feature of this album is every song is solid. I can listen to this album all the way through, or pick out songs while doing something like working out. Each song blends in with each other perfectly, but they all dominate on their own. It’s rare to find albums like this these days, which makes me appreciate War Against All even more.

2. Gorod – The Orb

Again with a “phenomenal album that’s on no other year-end list” record. Actually, I argue Gorod is so underrated to where it pisses me off.

Gorod has been one of my favorite bands for at least 10 years, and they don’t get the exposure they deserve. I have not found a band with so many consistent releases in tech death as Gorod. And they’re even better live; when I saw them during The Orb Tour, they played all my favorite songs from their entire discography. It was by far one of the top shows I’ve seen this year.

Now, let’s go back to The Orb. Gorod went to a different level with this album. Compared to past albums, they added more fusion and even electronic elements. It wasn’t what I expected, but Gorod made it work.

But this is still a Gorod album. They still blend super catchy parts with insane musicianship, and there truly is no other band like them in the genre. I truly hope Gorod takes off with The Orb and more people catch on to this incredible band.

1. Nuclear Power Trio – Wet Ass Plutonium

Who knew three of the biggest world leaders were super sick fusion players? That’s what happened when Donny, Vladi P, and Kimmy got together to make some supreme music.

I fell in love with their EP “A Clear and Present Rager,” so I was beyond stoked when they released their full-length, Wet Ass Plutonium. With this album, they went for a Miami Vice vibe that features synths, horns, and even a harp. Our three tremendous world leaders can only do so much, so they brought their friends to help. For example, Queen Lizzy of England slays the keys on the track “Critical Bass Theory.”

While this album largely has 80s vibes, you can find a little bit of everything on this album. You have dad-fueled jazz tracks, such as “Anti-Saxxers (Mandatory Saxination),” and even Latin-inspired instrumentals, such as “¡Vamos, Brandito!”

No matter your political beliefs, everyone can appreciate some serious shreds and funky bass. Even my mom and I were jamming out to this album! And this is the real reason why Wet Ass Plutonium is my favorite album of the year.

Honorable Mentions

• Linus Klausenitzer – Tulpa
• Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite
• Alkaloid – Numen
• Vomitory – All Heads Are Gonna Roll
• Enslaved – Heimdal
• Frozen Soul – Glacial Domination
• Dying Fetus – Make Them Beg for Death