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”

Winterhorde – Neptunian (Review)

Winterhorde - NeptunianThis is the fourth album from Israeli melodic/progressive black Metallers Winterhorde.

Following on from 2016’s Maestro, Neptunian contains 54 minutes of new material from Winterhorde. Back with a new lineup, the band have crafted a record that is an impressive proposition. Continue reading “Winterhorde – Neptunian (Review)”

Rüyyn – Chapter II: The Flames, the Fallen, the Fury (Review)

Rüyyn - Chapter II The Flames, the Fallen, the FuryThis is the debut album from French solo black metal band Rüyyn.

Chapter II: The Flames, the Fallen, the Fury offers the listener 43 minutes of well-crafted black metal to absorb and digest. Rüyyn’s music is accomplished and rewarding. Continue reading “Rüyyn – Chapter II: The Flames, the Fallen, the Fury (Review)”

Laster – Andermans Mijne (Review)

Laster - Andermans MijneLaster are a, (sort of), black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their fourth album.

It’s been a while since I’ve caught up with Laster. 2017’s Ons Vrije Fatum, to be precise, (with 2014’s De Verste Verte Is Hier and their 2016 split with Wederganger before that). Since then they’ve had another album, (and an EP), that I haven’t heard, but that apparently saw an increase in the avant-garde and experimental aspects of their sound. So what does Andermans Mijne present us with? Continue reading “Laster – Andermans Mijne (Review)”

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη (Review)

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) - ἈντιτιμωρουμένηThis is the third album from Ὁπλίτης, (otherwise known as Hoplites), a solo post-black metal band from China.

The artist behind Ὁπλίτης has had a busy year. This is the third album from this project alone, (following on from Ψευδομένη and Τρωθησομένη), never mind other extracurricular activities such as the Vitriolic Sage record. With such a withering rate of output, has Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη seen the quality levels of Ὁπλίτης dip? Continue reading “Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη (Review)”

Shadow Legion – Shadow Legion (Review)

Shadow Legion - Shadow LegionThis is the debut album from Shadow Legion, a progressive extreme metal band from the US.

Shadow Legion contains 68 minutes of music, and is brought to us by current/ex-members of bands such as Diabolic, Gigan, Hate Eternal, and Pyrrhon, among others. Continue reading “Shadow Legion – Shadow Legion (Review)”

Fen – Monuments to Absence (Review)

Fen - Monuments to AbsenceFen are a UK black metal band and this is their seventh album.

I last caught up with Fen on their 2017 album Winter. Apparently they’ve had another album since then, (The Dead Light), which I somehow managed to completely miss, which is a shame. Regardless, it’s now time for Monuments to Absence and its 67 minutes of music to absorb. Continue reading “Fen – Monuments to Absence (Review)”

Nattehimmel – Mourningstar (Review)

Nattehimmel - MourningstarNattehimmel are an international, (Norway/UK), black metal band and this is their debut album.

Featuring current and ex-members of Emancer, Ewigkeit, Green Carnation, In the Woods…, Old Forest, and The Meads of Asphodel, Mourningstar is a 45-minute journey into 90s black metal that’s nostalgic, yet still relevant, and has a few detours too. Continue reading “Nattehimmel – Mourningstar (Review)”

Moonreich – Amer (Review)

Moonreich - AmerThis is the fifth album from Moonreich, a French black metal band.

Moonreich’s aggressive brand of modern black metal is always good to hear. Following on from 2018’s Fugue and 2019’s WormgodAmer contains 43 minutes of new material from this enjoyable band. Continue reading “Moonreich – Amer (Review)”

Dawn of Ouroboros – Velvet Incandescence (Review)

Dawn of Ouroboros - Velvet IncandescenceThis is the second album from Dawn of Ouroboros, a progressive black/death metal band from the US.

Following on from 2020’s well-received The Art of Morphology, Velvet Incandescence brings us 46 minutes of new material from Dawn of Ouroboros, who feature members of Botanist and Cailleach Calling. Continue reading “Dawn of Ouroboros – Velvet Incandescence (Review)”