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”

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)”

Afterbirth – In But Not Of (Review)

Afterbirth - In But Not OfThis is the third album from US death metallers Afterbirth.

Following on from 2020’s Four Dimensional FleshIn But Not Of contains 36 minutes of devastating brutality that sounds like it was spawned in another dimension. Continue reading “Afterbirth – In But Not Of (Review)”

Gutslit – Carnal (Review)

Gutslit - CarnalThis is the third album from Indian death metallers Gutslit.

Oh wow, has it really been six years since the crushing Amputheatre? Apparently so. Nevertheless, Gutslit have finally returned to the death metal killing arenas, armed with 30 minutes of gruesome new material in the spiked, brutal shape of Carnal. Continue reading “Gutslit – Carnal (Review)”

Inhuman Depravation – Servants of Supremacy (Review)

Inhuman Depravation - Servants of SupremacyInhuman Depravation is a one-man death metal band from Spain and this is his third album.

With a brutal concept, brutal artwork, a brutal logo, and a brutal sound, this is definitely brutal death metal. Across 31 minutes the artist behind Inhuman Deprivation brutalises the listener with post-apocalyptic brutality in ugly death metal form. Continue reading “Inhuman Depravation – Servants of Supremacy (Review)”

Infecting the Swarm – Pulsing Coalescence (Review)

Infecting the Swarm - Pulsing CoalescenceThis is the third album from German death metal band Infecting the Swarm.

(Deep breath…)

BRUTAL!

DEATH!

METARRRGGHHHH!

Now, here’s an album I have been looking forward to. Both Continue reading “Infecting the Swarm – Pulsing Coalescence (Review)”

The Eating Cave – The Miscalculation (Review)

The Eating Cave - The MiscalculationThis is the second album from US death metallers The Eating Cave.

Hot on the heels of Ingurgitate from last year, The Eating Cave have already returned with 36 minutes of new material. Their previous album made a very good impression on me, so it is great to hear some new songs from The Eating Cave so soon. Their brand of modern technical death metal hit the spot for me on their debut, and the same is true with The Miscalculation.

Continue reading “The Eating Cave – The Miscalculation (Review)”

Devangelic – Xul (Review)

Devangelic - XulThis is the fourth album from Italian death metallers Devangelic.

There’s always room for more brutal death metal in your life, don’t pretend that there isn’t. If you’ve recovered from Resurrection DeniedPhlegethon, and Ersetu, then Xul is here to give you your next dose of the brutality that I know you love. Continue reading “Devangelic – Xul (Review)”

Ominous Scriptures – Rituals of Mass Self-Ignition (Review)

Ominous Scriptures - Rituals of Mass Self-IgnitionOminous Scriptures are a death metal band from Belarus and this is their third album.

Featuring current and ex-members of Relics of Humanity, Rituals of Mass Self-Ignition is a 30-minute brutal death metal album that’s unforgiving and merciless. Continue reading “Ominous Scriptures – Rituals of Mass Self-Ignition (Review)”

Stabbing – Extirpated Mortal Process (Review)

Stabbing - Extirpated Mortal ProcessThis is the debut album from US death metallers Stabbing.

Here we have something particularly brutal. Stabbing play death metal with lashings of cruelty and bloody punishment. Across 33 minutes Extirpated Mortal Process lays waste with its gruesome brutality. Continue reading “Stabbing – Extirpated Mortal Process (Review)”