The time has come to deliver my list of my personal favourite records of 2023. Please remember that this is not an objective list of albums considered the best. It’s just my opinion that these are the best because I liked them more than anything else that came out this year.
10. Øbelisk – The Architecture of Suffering
I’ve made no secret of my love for Montreal grinding death-sludge power trio Øbelisk over the past few years. Aside from being personal friends of mine, I’ve played countless shows with them and even toured across the east coast of Canada alongside them. It should come as no surprise then that upon hearing the songs from this record every day for a month straight I’d come to be intimately familiar with this release and have these tracks seared into my memory for the rest of time. It’s an incredibly good album.
9. Seum – Double Double
Winterized, the first record from Montreal bass-only sludge trio Seum, made my favourite records list for 2022. Unsurprisingly then their second album, Double Double, has also made this year’s favourite records list. It’s a bit of a different flavour from their debut, but this album is still packed full with tons of insanely catchy and fun songs that are a joy to listen to. This album also contains “Razorblade Rainbow”, a song which I think will be considered a Montreal underground music classic for years and years to come.
8. Holy Moses – Invisible Queen
German death-thrash legends Holy Moses returned this past year for what is likely to be their final album, and holy hell what an album to end on. This record is absurdly good, featuring tons of insane riffage melded with creative and unique vocal stylings and catchy songwriting that I’ve found myself coming back to time and time again. If this is indeed the band’s swansong, they’ve gone out on a superb high note.
7. Kvelertak – Endling
Admittedly this album was a bit more of a grower than I anticipated. While the previous record from Kvelertak was a bit of a long-winded slog that featured songwriting that leaned much further into the band’s hard rock leanings than the black n’ roll and hardcore punk that was featured on their first few records. Endling is a triumphant return to form that sounds akin to the group’s self-titled record, just with more mature songwriting. This is a fantastic record and contains some of Kvelertak’s best material yet.
6. Lamp of Murmuur – Saturnian Bloodstorm
Are you sad that Abbath is no longer in Immortal? Have you been disappointed by the output of post-Abbath Immortal or the solo material that Abbath has released? Well, look no further! Lamp of Murmuur is here to satiate your thirst. This record is chock full of excellent riff after excellent riff after excellent riff. The drum production might be a bit of a turn off for some, but the sheer quality of the guitar work alone is enough to catapult this record into one of my favourites of 2023.
5. Gorod – The Orb
This one almost squeaked by me but I’m so glad I checked it out because god damn is this album incredible. Gorod, the French technical death metal legends, are obviously incredibly skilled musicians. Aside from the technical capability of the musicians they are also masterful songwriters. Every song on this thing is intensely catchy, filled to the brim with hooks, and contains more triumphant riffs than you can shake a stick at.
4. Church of Misery – Born Under a Mad Sign
It’s pretty rare for a doom metal album to really wow me. The genre is overloaded with so many copycats and Black Sabbath worship groups that it makes it incredibly hard to find the cream that rises to the top. Yet, Church of Misery did just that. They’re the cream. This new album of theirs goes so damn hard, and even though it is obviously Sabbathian in its genealogy, the quality of the songwriting present far exceeds that of most other doom bands. The songs here are just so damn good man.
3. Green Lung – This Heathen Land
This one almost missed me, squeezing in right at the end of 2023, but holy shit am I glad that I checked it out because this thing is fucking incredible. Awash in a pastiche of English witchcraft, this album is everything that Ghost wants to be and more, and that’s coming from a die hard Ghost fan. The melodies, the songwriting, the vocals, and the musicianship present here. Just, everything about it is fucking incredible. What an amazing album.
2. Vulture Industries – Ghosts from the Past
This record is easily the best one from Vulture Industries yet. The music here is just incredibly melancholic and yet also danceable. I just want to move around when I hear these songs, but I also feel like I’m drowning in sadness. The emotion on display here is magnificent, and the songwriting is top tier. It’s like listening to Christian Death with just a hint more of black n’ roll influence. I can’t get enough of this one.
1. Paramore – This is Why
I have to say that I’m probably as shocked as you are that this made my number one slot, but here we are. Paramore have come back with one of the best alternative rock records I’ve heard in recent memory. Every song on here is a total fucking bop. It’s catchy as hell, lyrically compelling, and just so god damned fun to listen to. I’ve probably bumped this record more than anything else this year, and that’s saying something. Do not miss this one. You won’t regret it.
~ Akhenaten
Where Strides The Behemoth? 