This is the latest EP from UK blackened post-metal band Ba’al.
I was introduced to Ba’al on 2017’s In Gallows by Mass, but it wasn’t until 2020’s colossal debut Ellipsism that they truly came into their own. Four years on from that record, Ba’al return with the three-track EP Soft Eyes, which brings us 27 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Ba’al – Soft Eyes (Review)”
This is the third album from Dutch dark rock band Dool.
The Shape of Fluidity contains 50 minutes of dark rock music with both a metallic and a Gothic edge, as well as containing elements of doom, post-rock and post-punk. Dool’s music flows together seamlessly, making for an individualistic blend that is extremely enjoyable and moreish. Continue reading “Dool – The Shape of Fluidity (Review)”
This is the third album from US doom/post-metal band Aequorea.
Spread out over five engaging tracks, Departure is a 41-minute amalgamation of doom, post-metal, sludge, and blackened elements. This is my first encounter with Aequorea, but they make a good impression. Continue reading “Aequorea – Departure (Review)”
Protosequence are a Canadian technical death metal band and this is their debut album.
Bestiary contains 33 minutes of technical mayhem that’s unusually variegated. After enjoying Protosequence’s 2020 EP A Blunt Description of Something Obscene I was looking forward to hearing this, and it has not disappointed. Quite the opposite in fact. Continue reading “Protosequence – Bestiary (Review)”
Fall of Leviathan are a Swiss post-metal band and this is their debut album.
In Waves is a 56-minute journey through instrumental soundscapes that has cinematic scope and an ambitious presence. The promo blurb mentions bands like Neurosis, Mogwai, Mouth of the Architect, Rosetta, and Russian Circles, which sets the scene nicely for Fall of Leviathan’s sound. Continue reading “Fall of Leviathan – In Waves (Review)”
A Burial at Sea are a post-rock band from Ireland and this is their second album.
Close to Home contains 43 minutes of exquisitely rendered post-rock. Boasting contributions from shoegaze, jazz, and progressive rock, this is a non-standard album for lovers of broad soundscapes and brass-enriched musical vistas. It’s mostly instrumental, and paints wonderfully textured pictures with sound.
This is the second album from international blackened post-metal band Bipolar Architecture.
Metaphysicize contains 41 minutes of progressive/post-metal material that brings together elements of djent, blackgaze, hardcore, and post-rock. This mix of styles is more coherent than it sounds on paper though, presenting as a well-realised whole. Continue reading “Bipolar Architecture – Metaphysicize (Review)”
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”
Underdark are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.
Following on from 2021’s Our Bodies Burned Bright on Re-Entry, Underdark have now returned with the 41-minute Managed Decline. Continue reading “Underdark – Managed Decline (Review)”
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