This is a split between Lotus Thief and Forlesen. Both are US bands and both share members.
Lotus Thief open the split with In Perdition, a 12-minute song. I’m not familiar with the band, and I soon regret that immensely. Continue reading “Lotus Thief/Forlesen – Split (Review)”
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”
This is the eighth album from Australian one-man black metal act Midnight Odyssey.
Here it is, the one we’ve all been waiting for – the third and final part of the Biolume trilogy. Emerging from the long, deep shadows of 2015’s Shards of Silver Fade, 2019’s Biolume Part 1 – In Tartarean Chains, and 2021’s Biolume Part 2 – The Golden Orb, how can Biolume Part 3: A Fullmoon Madness possibly compare? After all, all three of the aforementioned releases either made it into my end of year list in the top five, (here), or the coveted top spot, (here and here). How does this one one fare? Continue reading “Midnight Odyssey – Biolume Part 3 – A Fullmoon Madness (Review)”
This is the debut EP from international doom metal band Euchridian.
It’s taken me a while to get round to this one, but I’m glad I finally did. I knew I wanted to give it a go due to Euchridian featuring current and ex-members of Barshasketh and Of Spire & Throne, both bands worthy of your time. Continue reading “Euchridian – Philia (Review)”
It’s Damnation o-clock once more! This is always such a good festival to attend. The line up is an interesting and varied one, with some bands I’m less interested in, some that are an essential experience, and some frustrating clashes. I missed some great bands today, unfortunately, but that’s always going to be the case with such a jam-packed festival. Continue reading “Damnation Festival 2023 – BEC Arena, Manchester, 04/11/23 (Live Review)”
Thronehammer are an international doom metal band and this is their third album.
Thronehammer’s 2021 album Incantation Rites was an absolutely colossal gem of an album that almost made it to the very top of my year end list. As such, it’s with some trepidation that I approached Kingslayer, as the previous record casts a long shadow. Continue reading “Thronehammer – Kingslayer (Review)”
Flesh of the Stars are from the US and play doom metal. This is their fifth album.
Flesh of the Stars are a band that I always enjoy catching up with. 2015’s Hide, 2017’s Anhilla, and 2019’s Mercy are all albums worthy of your time, and the same is true of their new record, The Glass Garden, doubly so in fact. Continue reading “Flesh of the Stars – The Glass Garden (Review)”
Cardinals Folly are a Finnish doom metal band and this is their sixth album.
It’s always a treat to hear some new music by Cardinals Folly. Live by the Sword boasts 41 minutes of the band’s charismatic doom metal. Cardinals Folly have established themselves as a quality act over the years, so there’s nothing to do when a new release appears but to buckle up and prepare for the ride. Continue reading “Cardinals Folly – Live by the Sword (Review)”
This is the second album from Cult Burial, a death/black/doom metal band from the UK.
Following on from 2020’s crushing Cult Burial, Reverie of the Malignant is a 41 minute journey into a world of darkness and despair. It’s not to be missed. Continue reading “Cult Burial – Reverie of the Malignant (Review)”
Restless Spirit are a metal band from the US and this is their third album.
Afterimage contains 38 minutes of heavy, moreish music that’s infectiously delivered by a band that clearly know what they’re doing. Restless Spirit are not to be ignored. Fans of acts such as Somnuri, Witch Ripper, Khemmis, and Spirit Adrift please take note. Continue reading “Restless Spirit – Afterimage (Review)”
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