Finally got around to putting together my list of best music from 2023, all of which (except for the obvious one) are completely new bands for me!
1. Night Demon - Outsider [traditional metal]
Such a fun record. I played the hell out of it. Also, it's short and sweet.
2. Nospūn - Opus [progressive metal]
The most complete debut album I've maybe ever heard. Pure classic prog metal with great production, performances, and...it's a concept record!
3. Fires In The Distance - Air Not Meant For Us [melodic death/prog/doom]
What a cool breath of fresh air. It's like doom metal, but not super slow. It's like death metal, but not super fast and blast-beaty. It's like prog, but not super wanky. Just pure, atmospheric, and heavy as hell.
4. Voyager - Fearless In Love [prog/rock]
Same as Night Demon, just pure fun. Amazing melodic prog rock with metal and pop tendencies.
5. Subsignal - Poetry of Rain [prog/rock]
Gorgeous melodies, melancholy but not depressing...pure beauty. A great find.
6. Matchbox Twenty - Where The Light Goes [pop/rock]
Fight me.
7. High Priest - Invocation [doom/trad]
Straight up doom, but with a killer sense of melody and dynamics. Really good songwriting. And apparently from Chicago!
8. TEMIC - Terror Management Theory [prog]
More classic-sounding prog with some electronic elements. Good times to be had by all who love jamming and sweep-picking!
9. Wayfarer - American Gothic [black/Western]
That's right. It's black metal. That sounds like it comes from the Sonoran Desert. It's high fuckin' noon for these dudes creating a genre mashup masterpiece in a desert basement.
10. Diviner - Avaton [trad/power]
Derivative, but awesome classic metal with good production, songwriting, and solid vocals.