2023 felt like the year the floodgates opened. After the pandemic threw a wrench into both the recording and release schedule of any number of bands, it felt like the industry spent a good deal of time playing catch up, with a glut of live releases and streaming sessions descending upon the market throughout 2022. In contrast, 2023 saw a wave of amazing releases – some expected, some not so much – with the result that narrowing down just 25 of the very best was a chore indeed.
For whatever reason, death metal is particularly well represented this year, with standout releases from the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Autopsy (returning with remarkable haste) and Dying Fetus all making waves. Meanwhile, newcomers Empire State Bastard simply trampled the competition, both on stage (with an astonishing performance at this year’s Arctangent Festival) and on record.
As always, our end of year list features an eclectic range of artists, from the dizzy blues of Kenny Wayne Shepherd to the dark horror of Great Falls, and it represents those records that, no matter when they were released, stayed with us throughout the year – we hope you find some gems here and, in the comments, we’d love to know what made your list in 2023.
Read on and discover SonicAbuse’s Top 25 Albums Of 2023:
Empire State Bastard – Rivers of Heresy
What happens when you combine the singer of Biffy Clyro, the former drummer of Slayer (Dave Lombardo, guesting on drums with great zeal), and the former guitarist of Oceansize? One noisy bastard of a record is what. However, while Empire State Bastard’s debut effort is surely one of the year’s most frenzied releases, what sets it apart are the dynamics that emerge on tracks like Moi? and The Looming. The result is an endlessly listenable album that roots its way under the skin and stays there. Astonishingly, while fans can attest to the band’s ferocity on stage, the recording is very nearly as powerful as the band’s live show, making Rivers of Heresy one of 2023’s very best releases.
Great Falls – Objects Without Pain
Almost half a year has passed, and I am still not sure that I could lay claim to have become immune to the sonic horror of Objects Without Pain. A bleak, raw, portrait of loss, from the opening bars of Dragged Home Alive, there’s a sense of bearing witness to an artist’s catharsis, and the album as a whole pulsates with a sense of grief that has precedent only in the likes of Khanate. With the album culminating in the genuinely harrowing mini epic of Thrown Against The Waves, there are no solutions to be found here, only the steady erosion of sanity, held together by the very act of communion found in music making. It is a truly remarkable release that deserves to be heard, but it is surely a challenging endeavour.
A transcendental experience, The Beggar is an album filled with life and heart. While the band’s rare ability to whip up sonic ferment remains untrammelled, The Beggar draws a wide focus, Gira’s new band drifting between lengthy drones and more pastoral scenes, reminiscent of Gira’s own Angels of Light. With the album spread over two discs, the first offers more conventional songs, while the second serves up just two tracks, with Beggar Lover (Three) clocking in at a leisurely forty-minutes on its own. The results are majestic, Gira guiding the listener through a remarkable dreamscape that bears rich fruit for those willing to stay the course. Swans remain truly unlike anyone else, and The Beggar is a masterpiece.
Rancor:Succor is a 10-track album of drone/ethereal music, taking influence from the likes of SunnO))) and Diamanda Galas. An absolute treasure of an album, released via the ever-excellent Nefarious Industries, Rancor:Succor is a cinematic voyage into a heart of darkness, beautifully recorded in The Tank, a steel water-tank-turned-studio in Colorado. It’s a mesmerising journey, and a reminder of the power that music has to transport the listener to another realm entirely.
Keeley – Floating Above Everything Else
It’s been some time since an album emerged drawing worthy comparisons to the likes of Spiritualized (effectively covered by Keeley on the album), My Bloody Valentine, and Lush, but Keeley’s lovely Floating Above Everything Else is exactly that. However, as musically wonderful as the album is, it’s the remarkable lyrical concept that makes this something truly special. Detailing the sad story of a murdered backpacker, that has become a focus of Keeley’s creative endeavours (including a detailed blog), it’s an affecting and heart-breaking tale, woven together with beautiful and engaging music.
Modern Technology – Conditions Of Worth
A late entry to the list, Conditions Of Worth is Modern Technology’s second album and, once again, it captures the duo delivering a frighteningly intense set that positively leaps from the grooves. Taking inspiration from the likes of Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, Sonic Youth, and Nirvana, Conditions Of Worth offers as much dizzying noise as it does visceral rock, and it comes as no small cause for celebration that artists remain who are prepared to pursue their artistic vision with such intensity and lack of compromise.
Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex
Recently, I revisited Steven Wilson’s divisive The Future Bites to find it every bit as snappy and engaging as it appeared when reviewed back in 2021. Happily, despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth of some fans, Steven Wilson is a wilful individual, committed to following his own muse and damn the consequences. As result that The Harmony Codex makes no attempt to row back from any of Wilson’s previous work, incorporating elements from across his catalogue (The Future Bites included), to deliver a remarkable set bridging everything from Insurgentes to the present day, and highlighting his strengths as a songwriter, musician, and producer.
Mariusz Duda – AFR AI D / Riverside ID.Entity
Mariusz Duda surely had an impressive year. Staring with the expansive ID.Entity, a bold and thematically engaging set of songs that speaks to the creeping fear engendered by the remorseless march of social media, it paints a dark picture of post-millennial social interaction. With flawless production, and an eclectic palette that takes everything from heavy prog to eighties-style pieces (most notably opening track, Friend Or Foe), the album delights in sending the listener down musical byways, and it emerges as one of Riverside’s strongest sets to date.
AFR AI D, meanwhile, acts as something as a thematic counterpart to the Riverside offering. Pairing some beautiful production work with a set of songs that reference Orbital, The Orb, and Aphex Twin; alongside progressive flourishes, allowing hints of Floyd and Radiohead to enter into the fray; it is a bold, occasionally paranoid, but ultimately hopeful album. Which album you place higher in your esteem is very much down to individual preference, but AFR AI D is a masterpiece in its own right, and sits comfortably alongside ID.Entity as a work of impressive depth.
Le Mur – Keep Your Fear Away From Me
Some years into a quietly impressive career, Le Mur consistently surprise the listener, and their commitment to their art remains firmly intact. A remarkable, eclectic album that miraculously combines the experimentation of Miles Davis and the indie-rock credibility of Radiohead, with the post-rock landscapes of Mogwai, and the trip hop stylings of DJ Shadow, Keep Your Fear Away From Me is a genuinely engaging album, boasting four lengthy tracks and typically psychedelic artwork – this latter best experienced on vinyl, with a gorgeous, coloured version available. It is an album in which to get lost and genuinely unique, Keep Your Fear Away From Me may just be the band’s best effort yet and is certainly a highlight of our year.
Dave Lombardo – Rites Of Percussion
Honestly, a solo album from a drummer named Rites Of Percussion sounds like it should be of no more than fleeting interest. Yet, this is an album from the multi-talented force-of-nature that is Dave Lombardo, former Slayer sticks-man and multi-limbed polyrhythmic force behind Fantomas, meaning that one can only expect the unexpected. Wisely keeping the thirteen tracks on offer here short and to-the-point, Dave draws on a range of influences and soundscapes, creating a musical journey that speaks to that love of rhythm that seems innate across humanity. A sprawling sonic edifice, that showcases the breadth of Lombardo’s talent, albeit in a distinctly unflashy way, Rites Of Percussion is an endlessly fascinating record.
Released via Mike Patton’s legendary Ipecac label, this wholly unexpected collaboration between James “Musky” Shaffer and composer Chris Hunt is a masterclass in slow burning intensity. With deftly chosen guest spots including Alain Johannes, Deantoni Parks, HEALTH, and more, the album mixes the avant-industrial of latter-day NIN with the trip hop of Massive Attack, Davidge, and Unkle. It is a remarkable sonic experience, causing the listener to lose themselves for hours at a time within its depths.
Mork’s sixth effort is an expansive outing which, despite the harrowing soundscapes on offer, has a haunting sense of decayed grandeur that lingers long in the memory. With typically expressive artwork from David Thieree, it is an album best experienced as a complete piece (and preferably on vinyl), as it requires a certain dedication and patience to fully appreciate the dark nuances that lie at its core. Over the course of twenty years, Mork has come to be one of the most respected names in black metal, and all without fuss or fanfare. There’s an implacability about Thomas Eriksen that recalls the determination that drove the first wave of the genre, and his work has become increasingly essential with each new entry.
When Paradise Lost released Host in 1999 it split the fanbase. While they would continue to dabble in electronica on subsequent releases, they never again pushed the boundaries as far as they did on that album, with even the band acknowledging that the record (which was excellent), would have done better had it been released under another name. Now, with Paradise Lost having edged firmly back into death/doom territory, Greg and Nick indulged their love of electronic music with a deep, emotionally charged set that builds neatly on the legacy of Host. The result is a mature, stately offering that makes good use of Nick Holmes’ world-weary tones to deliver a melodic, melancholic set.
Over the years, Katatonia have crafted a sound that is uniquely theirs and, while the evolutionary jumps between records has slowed, the band have become the masters of a uniquely melancholic strain of doom-adjacent progressive rock, with influences from Pink Floyd and Opeth jostling alongside the more metallic fare that characterised their early releases. Sky Void Of Stars is a sweeping example of the band at their best – elegant, yet maintaining the tougher edge that re-emerged on 2020’s City Burials. Emotionally charged, and beautifully arranged, Sky Void Of Stars is another gem in the band’s increasingly impressive catalogue.
Cannibal Corpse – Chaos Horrific
2023 saw a perfect flesh storm of death metal releases, all of which were excellent. The dark lords of the death metal scene for thirty-five years and sixteen albums, Cannibal Corpse followed up 2021’s well-received Violence Unimagined with the inspired and varied Chaos Horrific. With long-time producer Eric Rutan having finally joined the band in 2020, they now have an in-house producer of note, and his familiarity with the band means that he knows how to get both the sound and performances necessary to keep the band grimly trudging forward. With tracks like Summoned For Sacrifice essentially a headbanger’s how-to guide, Chaos Horrific is essential listening for any extreme metal fan.
Autopsy – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
Less technical than Cannibal Corpse, Autopsy offer a grimy, old-school death metal experience that delivers blood and brutality through a hazy lens of sepia colours and damaged film stock. Returning just a year after the excellent Morbidity Triumphant, Autopsy gathered all the elements, from the excellent Wes Benscoter artwork to the giddy production of Scott Evans and Greg Wilkinson, to deliver yet another monstrous work of technicolour art. From the moment Rabid Funeral gives you a thorough mauling to the point where the gruelling Coagulation leaves you lying in a pool of your own fluids, Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts has you hooked. Music made both by and for death metal fans, Autopsy are a very special death metal institution. Long may they reign.
Dying Fetus – Make Them Beg For Death
After a six-year absence, Dying Fetus returned with their much-anticipated follow up to 2017’s Wrong One To Fuck With. It was worth the wait and, despite 2023 offering a number of stand-out death metal releases, Dying Fetus managed to stand out, delivering an album every bit as unpleasant as the exploitation-horror cover art with which they adorned the sleeve. Unlike both Cannibal Corpse and Autopsy, where both art and subject matter is delivered with a ghoulish, theatrical flourish, Dying Fetus project a genuine sense of threat, and their music has all the ruthless efficiency of an execution squad. Brought to life by Steve Wright (tracking) and Mark Lewis (mix/master), Make Them Beg For Death is a hard-edged and vicious album, with the band augmenting their malevolent death metal with elements of both tech and grind. Surely not music for the faint hearted, Dying Fetus remain one of death metal’s darkest, hardest assets.
Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite
Absolutely everything about Terrasite is huge, from Dave Otero’s majestic production to the band’s astonishing performance. Punishingly heavy, thematically weighty, and yet possessed of a remarkable sense of dynamic, Terrasite sees Cattle Decapitation deliver a set that adds progressive fluidity to death metal might, and the result is an album that deserves to be mentioned alongside the likes of Mastadon’s Crack The Skye and Gojira’s Magma. A towering achievement in terms of both ambition and musicianship, Terrasite sees these metallers-with-a-message take another titanic step forward.
KK’S Priest – The Sinner Rides Again
While it is a shame that the band was formed out of turmoil, there is no doubting that a sense of having been swept aside lit a fire under KK’s Priest, leading to one of the very best heavy metal albums of 2023. With top notch production, ubiquitously excellent performances, and a standout turn behind the microphone from the perennially underrated Tim “Ripper” Owens, The Sinner Rides Again simply does not put a foot wrong. However, it is worth noting that, while the band may be exceptional musicians, they are committed metal fans first and foremost, and it is their absolute love of the genre that makes this sophomore effort so very special. This is metal as it’s meant to be heard, played with heart and delivered with style.
Alice Cooper has been going through something of a renaissance of late. While his live show continues to lean heavily on the classics, alongside a healthy dose of the Grand Guignol with which Alice made his name, both Detroit Stories and The Road have seen Alice looking back upon a wonderful career with a mixture of fondness and humour that is irresistible. Of the two albums, The Road is arguably the better, with Alice mixing autobiography and mythology with a wry twinkle in his eye. With great performances all round and some brilliantly memorable tracks, The Road is a whole heap of fun, delivered by one of rock’s greatest showmen.
Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds
It’s so easy to be cynical, but the simple truth of the matter is that the Rolling Stones could have lived quite comfortably off of their greatest hits, and never troubled a recording studio again. Yet, some eighteen years after their last album of original material, the band delivered a remarkably fiery outing, coupling contemporary production with an unexpectedly raucous delivery. While the odd lyrical misstep emerges (Bite My Head Off), the deft use of guests, as well as the final studio work of the much-missed Charlie Watts, makes this a genuinely impactful record from a band who have done more for rock ‘n’ roll than most. With reviews touting the album as the “best Stones album since… [insert choice here]”, it’s enough simply to point out that the Stones sound truly and thrillingly alive on Hackney Diamonds, making this a most welcome return indeed.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. I
Few blues artists are able to gather strands of rock, hip hop, and blues so effectively as Kenny Wayne Shepherd but, as he points out, his generation was influenced by all these things, and it is only natural that they should find their way into his music. In a recent interview, Kenny asserted that Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1 record is “all killer, no filler” – a claim made by any number of musicians when releasing new music – but absolutely 100% true in this instance. From the brass-soaked opening track to the gloriously over-the-top cover of Elton John’s manic Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, via the brilliant, hip-hop-infused Sweet And Low, Dirt On My Diamonds is a varied record that keeps the listener guessing, while still having that Kenny Wayne Shepherd sound.
Joe Bonamassa – Blues Deluxe Vol. II
It wouldn’t be an album-of-the-year list without Joe Bonamassa. For SonicAbuse, our love of this talented bluesman came late in the day, with the remarkable Dust Bowl, and it has continued unabated ever since. With an intense work ethic, there is no doubting that Joe is one of the most prolific blues artists out there, but quantity in this instance does not sacrifice quality, and Joe continues to bring his a-game to every project with which he chooses to associate himself. His passion for the form is evident in everything he does, whether it’s organising charitable institutions to keep the blues alive, directly championing up-and-coming artists with support slots or production work or covering some of his favourite artists in an effort to keep their names in people’s minds. Here, it is the latter, with Blues Deluxe Vol. II offering up eight covers and two original pieces, all of which are delivered with typical joie-de-vivre. Joe is the ultimate guardian of the blues and, on this evidence, the genre could not be in safer hands.
Live Album: Sonic Youth – Live in Brooklyn 2011 / Frank Black – Live At The Melkweg
Absolutely astounding set from Sonic Youth, one of the most original and exciting bands to ever grace a stage. This beautifully packaged double LP captures the art rock legends on their final tour and, somewhat contrarily, playing a set that covered their entire career. The attention to detail here is meticulous, the sound quality crystal clear, and the performance dynamic. While the emotions are bittersweet – this was to be the band’s last performance on US soil – for fans of the band, this is an essential live document. Huge credit must go to Silver Current Records for giving this landmark show a suitably impressive package and, with respected bootleg The Walls Have Ears is already planned for a 2024 release, we can only hope that further outings are given a similar treatment.
Frank Black may be best known for the Pixies, but both his solo work and his work with The Catholics is essential listening. Following on from Demon Records’ stunning studio albums box set, Live At The Melkweg is the perfect coda. Lovingly restored and expanded to cover 38 tracks (18 of which being previously unreleased), over three full LPS, it is a beautifully packaged record of a very special event. With pristine sound and solid, crackle-free 140gm vinyl, the only thing missing is liner notes, but when you have so complete a record of The Catholics on stage, all other considerations are secondary.
Reissue: Black Sabbath – Live Evil
While it may seem odd to build a super deluxe boxset around a live album, this four-disc set offers not only a remastered version of the much-loved records, but also a remixed version that adds in additional stage chatter, and a much stronger sense of presence than found on that much-contested original mix. A controversial album at the time, marking as it did the end of Ronnie James Dio’s first tenure with Sabbath, it captures Sabbath on frighteningly good form, mixing up the classics and Dio-era cuts with aplomb. This set, sadly, does not expand on the shows and offers no new audio, but it’s beautifully put together, featuring Hugh Gilmour’s typically informative liner notes (in a hardback book), a giant poster, and a replica tour programme, making this the definitive Live Evil set, and an essential purchase for anyone who worships at the altar of Dio.
