Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023

Welcome to my annual attempt to make sense of the ridiculous amount of good metal albums out there, awaiting discovery by intrepid metal explorers.

2023’s best of list has been one of the more difficult ones to put together, placing-wise, which is one of the reasons that I’m posting it later than I usually do. Even more so than normal many of the slots are interchangeable, and I especially struggled with positions two-nine – if such a thing were possible, they all deserve to be higher! In the end I decided to stop overthinking it and go with my gut, but the usual caveat of these lists being very subjective and subject to change depending on mood, feelings, etc. is larger than normal here.

There are some notable acts missing form the below. Not because they’re not worthy of inclusion, but because there are only so many spaces to be had. In fact, I almost ended up limiting this list to 20, rather than the now-customary 30, as I found it really difficult to know who to include and who not to. In the end I went with the standard 30 so that I could promote a few extra bands, as they absolutely all deserve it.

As for the top position, I wasn’t expecting it to be filled by a band I’d never heard before, playing a style that I don’t listen to as much as I used to. However, I suppose after last year, I shouldn’t have been too surprised.

I do hope you enjoy this list and find some new music to obsess over. Like always, thanks for your support if you have ever visited this site before, and here’s to a great 2024 for as many of us as possible. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023”

Árstíðir Lífsins – Hermalausaz (Review)

Árstíðir Lífsins - HermalausazThis is the latest EP from Árstíðir Lífsins, an international, (Germany/Iceland), black metal band.

Following on from 2020’s epic Saga á tveim tungum II: Eigi fjǫll né firðir comes an equally epic EP. Despite containing only two songs, Hermalausaz is an album-length release at 43 minutes in duration, and packs a lot of content into its extended running time. Continue reading “Árstíðir Lífsins – Hermalausaz (Review)”

Yfel – Beneath the Mountain’s Vigil (Review)

Yfel - Beneath the Mountain's VigilThis is the debut album from US black metal band Yfel.

Across the 40 minutes of music on Beneath the Mountain’s Vigil Yfel reveal themselves as very capable purveyors of atmospheric black metal. Continue reading “Yfel – Beneath the Mountain’s Vigil (Review)”

Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze – The Fractal Ouroboros (Review)

Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze - The Fractal OuroborosThis is the second album from US black metal band Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze.

Brought to us by an ex-member of A God or an Other, The Fractal Ouroboros is an ambitious and bold work that’s utterly absorbing. Across an imposing 75 minutes Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze unleash music that is affecting like few others. Continue reading “Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze – The Fractal Ouroboros (Review)”

Efraah Enhsikaah – One Thousand Vultures Waiting to Be Fed (Review)

Efraah Enhsikaah - One Thousand Vultures Waiting to Be FedThis is the debut album from UK solo black metal act Efraah Enhsikaah.

One Thousand Vultures Waiting to Be Fed is a quality 41-minute atmospheric black metal album. It look me a while to get around to this one, but you won’t want to miss out on its dark charms. Continue reading “Efraah Enhsikaah – One Thousand Vultures Waiting to Be Fed (Review)”

Serpents Oath – Revelation (Review)

Serpents Oath - RevelationSerpents Oath are a black metal band from Belgium and this is their third album.

Following quickly on from last year’s AscensionRevelation contains 47 minutes of new material for lovers of the classic blackened style. Continue reading “Serpents Oath – Revelation (Review)”

Revulsed – Cerebral Contamination (Review)

Revulsed - Cerebral ContaminationThis is the second album from Australian death metal band Revulsed.

Cerebral Contamination is a 36-minute assault of brutal riffs, blasting technical savagery, and guttural vocals. Yes, Revulsed play brutal death metal, and they’re here to rip the skull out of your head by the eye sockets. Continue reading “Revulsed – Cerebral Contamination (Review)”

Bludgeon Oath – A Burning Wrath (Review)

Bludgeon Oath - A Burning WrathThis is the debut album from Canadian black metallers Bludgeon Oath.

A Burning Wrath was unleashed on an unsuspecting world in October, but when I sampled its wares recently, I knew I had to dig in deeper. As soon as I did, I was hooked. Across 32 minutes Bludgeon Oath have produced an enjoyable slab of darkness that should set them up very nicely for the future. Continue reading “Bludgeon Oath – A Burning Wrath (Review)”

Suel – Venomous Curse (Review)

Suel - Venomous CurseSuel are a German black metal band and this is their debut album.

Venomous Curse brings us 45 minutes of classic black metal, influenced by the second wave of the 90s. Continue reading “Suel – Venomous Curse (Review)”

Grabunhold/Circle of Shadows – Lamentationen – Split (Review)

Grabunhold Circle of Shadows - Lamentationen - SplitThis is a split between two black metal bands, Grabunhold from Germany and Circle of Shadows from Austria.

Grabunhold feature current and ex-members of Baxaxaxa and Imha Tarikat, and they are up first, with three tracks spread over 17 minutes. Continue reading “Grabunhold/Circle of Shadows – Lamentationen – Split (Review)”