EOTY Listmania Extravaganza 2023

[RelentlessOblivion]

2 hours ago, AlSymerz said:

I'm betting it will be the Back Street Boys and Britney Spears.

 

Nah he’ll be all about Taylor swift…

[AlSymerz]

It's when he starts doing a Miley Cyrus on the wrecking ball his neighbours ought start worrying.

[GoatmasterGeneral]

2023 BLACK METAL

I'll start with my top 10, these are the ones I consider to be the best of the best. I didn't even bother to number these, they're all stone cold killers so put 'em in any order you want. Pretty amazing year for black metal, I could have easily done a top 50 black metal list this year, but I will spare you and limit it to 35. You know I separate my lists by sub-genre so everyone gets a chance to be heard, but black metal is the most important list. Had shit to do today too, but I said fuck it, lemme get this black metal list done and dusted so Chocka Doc can stop whinging about it. I'm sure there's shit I've missed that I'll discover in the days and weeks to come but it's January 13th already so I can't worry about that now. 

 

 

Verminous Serpent - The Malign Covenant, atmospheric black metal from Ireland. This was my AOTY from the very first listen 10 months ago. Everything you could ever want from an atmospheric bm album, hauntingly memorable riffs. Was quite surprised to learn this was the same vocalist from well known Irish black metal band Primordial. Pulling bass duties here as well as vox, as this is like 1,000 times better than Primordial could ever hope to be. My buddy Doc hates this album as it's not "refined" enough for him I suppose, no progressiveness or wankery or post-metal overtones here to appeal to him. But that's exactly why I love it so much. I hope Alan continues with this project after he goes back to Primordial. It would really suck if this album turns out to be a one and done.

 

Olde Throne - In the Land of Ghosts, this Nordic styled melancholy black metal is almost too good to be from New Zealand. They must have pommie roots as all their album themes are based in the British Isles. Listened to this one a ton last year, could have easily been my #1. Get it in you as Chocka Doc would say.

 

Nattverd - I Helvetes Forakt, true Norwegian black metal. An amazing riff-fest, they really stepped up their game with this, their fourth album. Could have easily been my #1. This kind of ride is basically what I'm hoping for every time I click on a new black metal album. Listening to this now I'm wondering if I should've put it higher on my list. 

 

Kaevum - Kultur, this was the other massively awesome bm album from Norway last year. Could have easily been my #1 or #2. Most years I'd expect to have 7 or more Finnish albums in my top 30 but I've switched things up this year, 7 Norwegian bands, only 4 each from Finland, Poland, and the USA. An emotional outpouring and a black metal masterpiece, this their second record came as quite a big surprise as their first album was way back in 2011. This got a lot of spins late in the year, seems it came out Memorial day weekend (May 27) but I only noticed it in the fall. I'm now eagerly awaiting their third album, let's hope it doesn't take them another 12 years to get it out.

 

Kommodus - Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall, "rugged" black metal from down under. I don't think it usually snows too much in Australia, and this doesn't have the typical Nordic "icy cold forest" feel to it anyway, so this was a strange title he chose. But whatever he wants to call it this is some killer one-man primitive black metal. First album was good, this one's better, I'm definitely looking forward to lots more records from this dude.

 

Demonic Being - Invocations from the Ancient Path, real authentic Nordic sounding black metal from Mexico of all places. Couldn't even tell you how many times I played this one last year, such a great album, could easily have been my #1.

 

 

Ondfødt - Det Österbottniska Mörkret, the best of this year's Finnish entries, savage, riffy and melodic, this exemplifies why Finnish black metal will always be my favorite flavor. 

 

Old - Dawn of Darkness, one of only two German entries this year, this one's more of a straight-forward punky affair, quite catchy as well. Somewhere between punky black metal and punky black/thrash. This is their second album, coming just 17 years after the first, but this one blows that 2006 effort out of the water. Don't own this as there's no digital and I'm waiting for the CD to come to a US distro. Youtube video has 37k views, I bet 1,000 of those are from me. Didn't realize how many second albums I had on my list 'til just now.

 

Urfaust - Untergang, avant-garde or what I'll call "out of the ordinary" black metal from the Netherlands. Doesn't sound anything like any of my other favorite black metal bands, the crazy clean vocals are actually what I love most about this band. This album has made such an impression on me it's caused me to go back and listen to all their older albums quite a bit the last few months as well. M-A has them listed as split-up so I guess this will be their swan song after 20 years, at least they went out on a high note.

 

Obsidian Grave - Blood of the Night, black metal from Chicagoland. Had a hard time deciding which album to round out my top 10 with, there were several I thought were absolutely worthy. But I listened to this one so many times toward the end of the year, I knew it had to be the one. 

 

 

Alright that was my top 10, and now I give you the next 25, presented to you unranked as it just takes me too long to rank them. I just end up moving them up and down and back and forth endlessly getting nowhere and who has time for that shit? These are all great albums to me, put 'em in any order you like. 

 

Perdition Winds - Burning Spiritual Crypts, Finland. Their third album of Finnish savagery, you know what you're gonna get with these guys. If you're into the Finnish sound this one's a must have.

 

Actum Inferni - Uzurpator Niebiańskiego Tronu, Poland. Never heard of these guys before, like Kaevum this was a sophomore album coming 12 years after the debut. Played the absolute shit out of this one all year long, I should probably have made a spot for it in my top 10 as that's the main criteria I use when making my list, what did I play the most.

 

Malum - In Nauseam, pretty typical Norwegian black metal, but very well done. 

 

Eclipsus - Sullen. Euphoria, Norfolk Virginia has a big naval base but it's not what I generally think of as a black metal town. Nevertheless this album is fucking incredible. Listening again now I'm not sure why this wasn't in my top 10 (maybe because they're from Norfolk VA?) but I don't feel like changing it now. Unbelieveable year for black metal (I know I say that every year) 

 

Mystic Spear - Outer Darkness USBM. This was a late entry on my list, just found this one in late December. Don't even know where they're from other than here in the USA, but this is a killer demo, I'll be keeping my eye out for more from these two dudes.

 

Arnaut Pavle - Transylvanian Glare, Finland. A worthy follow-up to their excellent 2019 debut, this was one of the first albums I bought in 2023. Thought it would have ended up higher on my list for sure but it was quite a year for black metal.

 

 

Kvad - So Old, another end of year discovery by a band I'd never heard of, and another second album, this Norwegian black metal album might even placed higher if I'd have had a chance to spend more time with it. Killer shit.

 

KYY : Apotheosis - The Light of All Lights, Finland. Went back and forth on this one, first I loved it, then I wasn't sure how I felt about it, then I went back to really digging it again. Was playing it quite a bit though for awhile this fall so here it is in my top 20. 

 

Faidra - Militant : Penitent : Triumphant, the only Swedish black metal album on my entire 82 album short list. Their first album Voices Inside 2020 was pure atmospheric trancelike Burzum worship that got a million spins. This one was not as immediate for me, took me 4 or 5 spins to really get all the way into it, but turned out it's every bit as addictive and habit forming as the debut.  

 

Óreiða - The Eternal, doesn't sound like your run of the mill Icelandic black metal, it's more atmospheric in nature. Listened to this one a ton earlier last year, thought for sure it would make my top 10 but the competition was just too damn stiff, like fucking rigor mortis. Still if you're into atmo-black you can't go wrong with this one.

 

Krigstjørn - Mod Guders Svig (Against God's Betrayal) Denmark. I posted this one last summer then totally forgot about it 'til Surge reminded me by posting it a couple of weeks ago. Exactly the kind of fuzzy atmo-black I've come to associate with Surge over the last several years, I don't own it as I think it might be cassette only, but still this is some good shit.

 

Flammae - Ordo, Poland. I ran across several high quality black metal albums last year with strangely similar cover art. Black and white drawing of a haunted house/castle on a hill. Some with bats, some without. This was probably the best of the lot, I do like my Polish black metal. 

 

Horda - Form, Poland. I think of this and Flammae as a pair, both Polish and I discovered them both right around the same time. So I put them together here as well. I couldn't even tell you which one I like better, I put Flammae on top just because I like the cover art more. But listening now this one's probably more savage in nature so it possibly should have been ranked higher. 

 

Tsjuder - Helvegr, longstanding osbm band from Norway, I think this was their best album in 20 years since Desert Northern Hell way back in 2004. Not sure what happened to breathe new life into these old goats, I think they got a new drummer if I'm not mistaken, but whatever it is I'll take it, this slays. Their 2023 Bathory tribute EP slays as well. 

 

Vorgfang - Viser Fra Ildens Enger, raw black metal from Norway. I don't know if I need to keep putting the "raw" descriptor on these albums anymore as it's almost become the norm for me, not the exception now. Another one that deserves to be higher on my list, totally savage.

 

Altertum - Thunder from the Great Halls, Norway. This one just got demoted a few weeks ago when I started listening intently for the purposes of list making. This one had been considered top 10 for most of the year, but once I started listening to all of these other albums again, I couldn't justify it. It's still badass, but there's only so much killer shit a man can squeeze into a top 10. Don't own this one either as there doesn't seem to be a digital or physical release I can find. 

 

Hell's Coronation - Transgression of a Necromantical Darkness, slow burnin' evil as fuck black metal from the depths of Poland. Been a big fan of these dudes for awhile now, no question their new one would be on my list.

 

Signs of the Dying Summer - Promenada Ciszy, Poland. Never heard of these dudes before but this album got played a lot and made a big impression on me this year. After Finland and Norway, Poland has become my go-to country for killer black metal. Their first album, Oto Jest Pustka from 2021 is worth tracking down too.

 

Miasmes - Répugnance, the only French band on my list, wish I could have put it higher. If you're still reading my list this far down then you know what kind of savage, caustic but riffy black metal I go for, and this is more of the same.

 

Virulent Spectre - Satanic Territorial Moloch, more raw USBM. There was a time not too many years ago when I'd never have this many USBM albums on my list, but times have changed and I guess the Americans have finally figured out black metal's where its at and got good at it. This is the absolute rawest thing on my list so be forewarned.

 

Primordial Serpent - Enlightenment Through Impurity, this is one prolific Canadian, dude put out 3 albums in 2023. Not sure which one is the best as they're all 3 very good and I like them all, so I just picked one at random to represent him. 

 

 

Feral Spirit - Invoking Spirits of Ethereal Madness Part I, first and only release from what I suspect is a one-man Canadian black metal project. 

 

Funeral Winds - Stigmata Mali, Netherlands. Dude's been making black metal records since the early 90's. He's apparently moved to Prague in the Czech Republic in recent years, but he's originally from Holland. Absolutely savage, why this one wasn't higher on my list, I am not knowing.

 

Tarfania - Netherworld, Germany. Another haunted house (or church or whatever) on the hill cover, there were 4 or 5 of them this year, hard to keep them all straight. Sorry my blurbs weren't more interestng this year, but as FA always says all these bands/records I love are different shades of the same color. And even though it's obviously my favorite color, there's only so much one can say about savage riffy black metal before you're just endlessly repeating yourself. You can play a drinking game with my list though, every time I use the words savage or killer take a drink and you'll be shit faced in no time!

 

Werewolf Bloodorder - The Rebirth of the Night and the Fog, Brazil. Another very late year discovery, but I had to slip it on the list as it's worthy. 

[Thatguy]

Woohoo! And before the end of January. I will check out your top 10, but maybe not the top 25.

And I don't hate the VERMINOUS SERPENT. I'm just kind of indifferent to it.

[GoatmasterGeneral]

12 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

Woohoo! And before the end of January. I will check out your top 10, but maybe not the top 25.

And I don't hate the VERMINOUS SERPENT. I'm just kind of indifferent to it.

You should probably look into a few of my next 10 as well, but you can probably skip the last 15. But I won't tell you which ones I think you might like, I'll let you figure that out for yourself. It's not like I haven't alrwady posted most of them multiple times throughout the past year.

I should be able to get the death metal and black/death and crust/grind lists done in the next 7 to 10 days or so too as they're much smaller lists, but there won't be as much on those lists that would interest you I don't think. Maybe a few on the black/death list.

[markm]

Some of those look pretty cool. Will give several a listen

 

[GoatmasterGeneral]

BLACK/DEATH  2023

These are my top black/death albums, in absolutely no order whatsoever. Black/death would be my favorite sub-genre if I had to pick one. I listen to more black metal than anything else just because I come across more good black metal, and that's because there's a lot more of it being released. So this list will be a bit shorter than both my black metal and death metal lists. But nothing beats a top quality black/death album in my world. 

 

Fossilization - Leprous Daylight, Brazil. I'd been looking forward to this one since it was announced, and it did not disappoint. Put this one first because if I absolutely had to pick a #1 black/death album for the year this would probably be it.

 

Lysergic - Dimethyltryptikon, Calgary Alberta. I find it hard to write these blurbs for black/death. What does this record sound like? Sounds like black/death, it's fucking awesome.

 

Ceremonial Bloodbath - Genesis of Malignant Entropy, Vancouver BC. A Sentient Ruin Labs band. Small label based in SF that's releasing a lot of good shit in the black/death and brutal death vein. This is their second full length.

 

Disimperium - Grand Insurgence Upon Despotic Altars, Portland Oregon. Another Sentient Ruin band. I'll call this one war metal. 

Profane Order - One Nightmare Unto Another, I'm quite fond of these dudes from Montreal. This is their second full length, I'll admit to liking the first one better, but this is still easily making my list.

 

Demonic Incarnate - Abyssal Sermons of Devastation, slow and doomy sections punctuate this black/death album from Germany. You could call it caverncore.

 

Misanthropic War - Utter Human Annihilation, Germany. Album title says it all really.

 

Kriegszittern - Flamethrower, more war metal from Germany with slow doomy parts to break up the wall of noise. 

 

 

Cult ov Black Blood - Apocalyptic Banner ov Abaddon, war metal from Poland. Doc will hate this because of their use of of the dreaded "ov" and because they might have gone just a little overboard on the reverb. But I love it because it destroys.

 

Sangre Impura - Ravaged Fortitude of Foul Existence, Brownsville TX

 

Satanism - Lycanthropic Legion, Detroit. Same dude that put out two killer EP's that I was raving about in 2021 now brings the full length. 

 

 
Invultation - Feral Legion, Columbus Ohio. Third album from this dude, he's on Sentient Ruin now as well. Good album although being honest I think I like his second one the best.

 

Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis, originally from North Carolina but JT chased them away so they moved out west to Seattle. I'll assume anyone reading this list will know who Demoncy is. First album in 8 years. I'm sure most would consider them black metal, and they're not wrong, they are black metal. But for the purposes of this list I'll call them black/death because they're not your typical second wave tremolo clones and I already had too many albums on my black metal list. 

 

Scáth na Déithe - Virulent Providence, Ireland. Third album from these Irishmen, I discovered them on their second album in 2020. Their songwriting is maybe a little more nuanced than some of the entries on this list, their mission isn't simply to pulverize the listener, although they certainly don't hold anything back.

 

Morbid Sacrifice - Ceremonial Blood Worship, Italy. Less cavernous (and less reverb) and a bit more primitive sounding than most on this list, they didn't opt for the wall of noise production. I'm hearing some Autopsy here.

 

Burial Hordes - Ruins, Greece. Been a huge fan of these Greeks since their third album Incendium in 2014. Nothing they do will ever top that one for me, but this 5th album is still damn good. Even Chocka Doc likes it.

 

Teke - Beginning of the End, Türkiye. Another one I diverted from my black metal list to the black/death list because of the vocals which seem more death-like to me. I played this album a lot last year, it's probably the most musical and melodic thing on this list.

 

Blood Serpent - Bestial Extermination, Vietnam. Amazing album, you need this.

 

Pharmakeia - Maenadic Ecstasy, from parts unknown. Hate when these bands feel the need to keep their whereabouts a big mystery. But the record is good, if maybe a little unhinged, so on the list it goes.

 

Death of a King - Antimatter, another band that keeps their personal info on a need to know only basis, and I guess they figure the fans don't need to know. Love this album cover. This one might be just a touch more refined and a tad less punishing than some of these others, it might even have some dynamics. So if that's what you're looking for look no further. 

 

 

Miasma of Occvlt Limbs - Occvlta Caerimonia Putridvm, Chile. Filthy and evil. Chile has such a great scene.

 

Cthonica - Of Spiritual Contraction & Sphere Dehydration, Venezuela. Now this one is punishing. But I guess you could say that about most of these. 

 

Atomic Goatcrime - Atomic Goat Exterminium! Bestial war metal from Ecuador. Wanted to end the list on a high note.

[Thatguy]

There's some great album art here, and probably some great music. I will check some of these out over the next few days.

This is a good list because it's not too long. Keep up the good work, GG. Refine.😉

[GoatmasterGeneral]

2 hours ago, Thatguy said:

There's some great album art here, and probably some great music. I will check some of these out over the next few days.

This is a good list because it's not too long. Keep up the good work, GG. Refine.😉

Refine my ass. Give me filth, depravity, nastiness, grime, and more filth. You know you want to come over to the dark side Doc, when are you going to drop the pretense and just admit it to yourself and to the world?

Death metal list might be just a wee bit longer. I haven't settled on an exact number yet but I have about 40 candidates on the short list thus far, so maybe 25 of those will make the cut. If I can stick to just 25. The "other sub-genres" list (mostly crust and grind) will be shorter still, I only have 20 candidates on that short list, so even if they all make the grade it'll be the shortest of the four lists.

[navybsn]

Fuck, how the hell did I fall behind the General's posting timeline. I thought I had until at least March or so....

Anyway, my refined EOTY 23 closeout. Not much special you probably haven't seen already. GG probably covered everything of interest anyway. Didn't get much chance to dive to deep in 23.

In no particular order:

Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis - a glorious return for my fave BM band

ASET - Astral Rape

Dodheimsgard - Black Medium Current

Faidra - Militant: Penitent: Triumphant

Gravesend - Gowanus Death Stomp

Lamp of Murmur - Saturnian Blood Storm

Poison Ruin - Harvest

Spirit Possession - Of the Sign

ΣARΚ - Inumbris

Ruim - Black Royal Spiritism

Profane Order - One Nightmare to Another

Circle of Ouroboros - Lumi Vaientaa Kysmykset

Enslaved - Heimdal

Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite

Woe - Legacies of Frailty

Kreig - Ruiner

 

Now to comb through the thread and see what I missed.

 

 

[navybsn]

@GoatmasterGeneral

Tsjuder did get a new drummer. Saw them last year and hung out with them briefly at the hotel. New drummer is American. Absolutely slay live. Did one of the Bathory covers live too.

Pharmakeia is Russian if I'm not mistaken. Part of the Prava Kollectiv based on the definitive source (The Book of Face). 

[Thatguy]

On 1/23/2024 at 2:32 AM, navybsn said:

Anyway, my refined EOTY 23 closeout.

Your list is Thatguy approved.

[navybsn]

On 1/23/2024 at 2:20 PM, Thatguy said:

Your list is Thatguy approved.

Much appreciated sir! I shall frame this post as proof to all others that my taste is indeed impeccable.

[SurgicalBrute]

Mark had asked about my never finished year end list for 2023, so I figured I'd share what I had before I gave up on it. I'd only just started making cuts, so this will be a lot longer than normal. Because of that I'm going to post it a little at a time and break it up by genre...and since the black metal list was the longest, I'll post it first.

Black Metal

 

Arnaut Pavle - Transylvanian Glare

 

Arbor - Behold... The Age of Pagan Blood

 

Atheosophia - Shadowgate of Winter's Spirit

 

 

 

As the Shadows Envelop Me – Fedrekult

 

Astral Tomb of Yearning - Summoning the Impenetrable Night

 

Aeon Furnace - Providence Descends

 

Abisma - Disciples of the Black Ram

 

 

 

 

Black Hurst – S/T

 

 

 

Blutschwur - Those of My Blood

 

 

 

Crucifixion Bell - Mirages in Izar

 

 

 

 

Ceremonial Crypt Desecration - Unholy Black Metal Against the Modern World

 

 

 

Dai-Ichi – S/T

 

 

 

Dominance - Slaughter of Human Offerings in the New Age of Pan

 

 

 

Demoncy - Black Star Gnosis

 

 

 

Ebony Pendant – S/T

 

Fellwinter - The Dawn of Winter

 

 

Final Eclipse - The Dark World

 

Flaming Ouroboros – Blood

 

Gauntlet Ring - Beyond the Veil of the Night

 

 

Graf - Rite of Nocturnal Passage

 

 

 

Gam - Alt hans væsen

 

 

 

Geistaz'ika - Midnatsbøn ved djævelens port

 

Helleruin - Devils, Death and Dark Arts

 

 

 

Hinsides - Hinsides hörs djävulsklockans urklang

 

 

Iron Firmament – Keepeater

 

 

Kringa - All Stillborn Fires, Lick My Heart!

 

 

 

Krigstjørn - Mod guders svig

 

Kurgan - Ascetic Dissociations

 

Lja – 1943

 

 

 

Mavorim - Ab Amitia Pulsae

 

 

 

Motstand – S/T

 

Mycorrhizae – The Great Filtration

 

 

 

Noitila – Langennut

 

Nöldr - Chaotic Mysticism from the Tormented Silence

 

Nahasheol - Serpens Abyssi

 

 

 

Nartvind – Breath of Night

 

 

 

Orkblut – Ghost Paths to Septentrion

 

Obsidian Grave – Blood of the Night

 

 

 

Oerheks - Grondslagen

 

Regnum Tenebrarum - Légendes noires

 

Ravensrealm - A Crash of Heathen Thunder

 

 

 

Sulphuric Night - Black Metal Tyranny

 

Tsjuder – Helvegr

 

 

 

Trest - Sorginak

 

 

 

Unholy Craft - Naar all tid er omme

 

 

 

Vestígio - Vestígios

(^Mark and FA will both want to check out the above album)

 

Versteck - Symbols of Seven Harmonies