This Week’s Theme: Best of 2023 (Loud and Angry)
As I stated in the last Faux Show, we live in a time when the future is incredibly bleak and the world is going to hell due to rampant fascism, war, violence, disease, climate change, and attacks against everyone who is seen as different. What a great time to be alive!
I am old enough to know that these issues have always been present across the world but they have never been this prevalent during my lifetime, until now. This leads to a lot of emotions – fear, sadness, and, most often, anger. For me, as for many, I use music as one way to cope with such strong emotions. Music of many forms serves as an outlet for these feelings. Last week’s show focused on dance music as a way to find joy when dealing with the stresses of life. For me, there is another type of music that I turn to when I need to release feelings of anger.
I have listened to metal since I was a teenager. I bought Metallica’s second album after a friend let me borrow their debut. I listened to The Scorpions, Ratt, and Motley Crue in the early 80s before hair metal made the genre a joke with bands like Warrant and Winger. For many people, metal has never been music they can enjoy. It is hard enough for some people to listen to Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, much less the extreme metal that has become the standard for the genre over the last 30 years. Those years have seen the genre expand into its most brutal form, with bands from around the world releasing hundreds of records a year that expand the genre to its sonic and thematic limits. For me, this has never been a problem because metal provides the same mental release as the blues. Blues music provides a release from the parts of life that cause sadness. Feeling blue and playing the blues have been linked since the music was created. In a similar way, metal has grown over the last fifty plus years to become an outlet for anger and aggression.
I am not naive enough to think that metal music is not listened to by people who promote violence or even take part in it. This has always been true with music such as metal, punk, hardcore, and other aggressive forms of music. The mistake is in people thinking that this violence is caused by the music. This is not true for metal or for any other form of art. Violence is perpetrated by people who listen to classical music, pop music, rap, metal, indie rock, folk, and all forms of music. Art does not instigate human action. Art is a result of the humanity that surrounds us. Living in the current world situation of 2023 should cause anger in everyone, and metal acts are at the forefront of those artists who present that anger through their art. For some, that anger is misguided by fear and mistrust, but it is still anger. For me, listening to metal is a release for my anger over the problems of the world that surround us every day. I am not apologetic for my love of metal, as no one should be apologetic for any kind of music they like.
The important aspect of humanity that we all need to practice is the ability to see each other with empathy, sympathy, and understanding, no matter where we are from, what we believe, or how we live our lives, including what types of music we listen to. An oft-misunderstood tenant of the U.S. Declaration of Independence is the concept of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In order to survive, evolution led human beings to be designed to put their own needs above the needs of others. Of course, we also have the ability to reason, and that evolutionary trait allows us to act human instead of simply through animal instinct. Unfortunately, the ability to act through reason requires one to think before acting. For this reason, I believe that the concept of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is misunderstood by many to mean that one is guaranteed these inalienable rights without understanding (or caring) that there is a condition to these rights. That is, one’s pursuit of them must not infringe on the rights of others. In our current world, the ability of most people to understand and accept this basic tenant of humanity appears to be disappearing.
This concept may not seem obviously connected to a discussion about metal, blues, or music of any kind, but if you have read this blog then you know that I see music as the universal human connector. If the world is engulfed in problems that threaten its destruction, then I believe music can be an answer. Our current global reaction to all of these issues is to react without thought toward anyone different than ourselves, all because of our feelings of fear, hatred, and confusion. Wouldn’t it be an amazing world if all of the war, nationalistic aggression, and misguided fear and hatred that is present in societies across the world could be removed by people simply listening to some music that is designed to provide a release for those negative emotions? I find that release in metal.
This week’s show presents my Top 20 albums of 2023 that present music in its loudest and angriest form. As always, there is a playlist.
While there are still plenty of metal bands who fall neatly into categories such as black, death, doom, thrash, and so on, some of my favorites of 2023 are those who have moved beyond those categories and combine elements of different forms of metal with other styles of music. Within the tracks on the new albums by Avatar, Periphery, Ne Obliviscaris, Zulu, and others are elements of jazz, soul, rock, emo, punk, hardcore, prog, and multiple forms of metal. I think of all of this music as Post-Metal because the music is now too far removed from the sounds of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden to be considered one specific style. Even the popular term progressive does not truly identify the sounds on these albums. Violins, keyboards, choruses that verge on pop music, combinations of clean vocals with quintessential death vocals, catchy hooks, everchanging time signatures, riffs reminiscent of bands such as Meshuggah, Opeth, Gojira, Metallica, and any of your favorite metal acts, and dozens of other aspects that aren’t clearly defined as a specific type of metal can be heard all over these albums.
I’ve presented this list as a Top 10 plus ten runner-ups.
The Runner Ups
The 8th album by this American Extreme Metal band attacks the themes of human ignorance and environmental destruction with a brutal sonic attack. The mix of cookie monster and demon vocals works perfectly within their sound.
The title would lead one to think this is a Jethro Tull release from the late ’70s, but this is Black Speed Metal. It is the 4th album for this Scottish band.
The 2nd album for this Japanese deathcore band grooves like a friggin’ metal juggernaut. It is complex and crushing. Headbanging required.
This is the 2nd album for this U.S. progressive black metal band. I usually stay away from modern black metal, but this group moves past the basic black metal tropes and provides some great rhythmic variation and sonic density.
Modern hardcore sounds much closer to metal than the hardcore of Black Flag and Minor Threat, and I often stay away from bands of this type. However, the debut by this U.S. hardcore act is tight and delivers a diverse sonic assault. Their non-binary vocalist is as powerful as any of their male contemporaries. If this is the future of hardcore, I will probably start to pay more attention from now on.
The 4th album for this Canadian Death Metal act (although it is their first to pass the 40-minute mark) is their best yet. Several tracks feature a clean guitar sound, but this is still a crushing album.
The 2nd album for this U.S. Death Metal band is a solid example of what is now probably the most popular type of metal. It is a solid addition to the now thirty plus years of death metal releases.
This is only the 9th album in 32 years for these U.S. pioneers of the Death Metal style. Their mastery of the sound is showcased well in this brutal release.
Overkill are one of the original U.S. thrash metal bands. This is their 20th album in 38 years. If you haven’t listened to metal since 1988, this will sound as if you never stopped. While everyone kneels at the altar of Metallica and their disappointing 2023 release, Overkill delivers great old-fashioned metal.
This is the second half of a double EP by the Australian band who were foundational in the development of the Funeral Doom genre. It is only a 3 song EP, but a 3-song Mournful Congregation release is a full album for any other group, and this one comes in at an average of 13 minutes per track.
Number 10: Visions of Infinihility by Carnosus
The 2nd album by Swedish Technical Death Metal band Carnosus is everything a Tech Death album should be. The incessant tempo shifts, rhythm changes, and sonic precision are what define the style. Visions of Infinihility doesn’t do anything to advance this type of music, but it is exactly what fans of the style crave. This used to be my favorite form of metal, and this release is an easy listen for me.
Number 9: Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre by Periphery
With Djent is Not a Genre, Periphery are the first band on this list who represent a Post-Metal style of music. They are easily categorized as Progressive Metal, but they bring in so many elements of music that Post is a better description. They are emo. They are prog-rock. They are metalcore. Some metal fans scoff at this music. Prog rock fans find it difficult. Bands such as Meshuggah, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Korn, and Rage Against the Machine spent decades laying the groundwork for music of this type. It is no surprise that there are now so many acts who blur the lines between metal, hardcore, and prog.
Number 8: A New Tomorrow by Zulu
I hesitated to include this album on this list because this debut by U.S. hardcore act Zulu is much more than a simple hardcore album. The songs are as much a fusion of hip hop, funk, jazz, and soul as they are hardcore. In the end, I included it because the overall style of the album is loud, angry, racially driven hardcore by a new band who appear to have a bright future ahead of them.
Number 7: War Remains by Enforced
War Remains is the 3rd album for U.S. thrash metal band Enforced. On the one hand, they sound like they’ve been around for decades, but on the other they are clearly a 21st century thrash band. That is a good thing. This is one of several 2023 albums that are influenced by the current state of global affairs, and it is one of the best.
Number 6: War Against All by Immortal
Norwegian Black Metal band Immortal have been around since the style began. As such, they are now godfathers of this music. Modern recording technology often makes Black Metal much easier to listen to for most, but this album has moments that sound like they could be from the early ’90s. War Against All is only the 10th album in 31 years for the band, so it is great to see them still writing new material.
Number 5: Rejecting Obliteration by Blindfolded and Led to the Woods
Rejecting Obliteration is the fourth album by New Zealand Technical Death Metal act Blindfolded and Led to the Woods. While the album by Carnosus sounds like a 21st Tech Death album, this album by Blindfolded sounds like it could have been released in 1991. That is a good thing. There is a lot to like for Tech Death fans on this one. My favorite moments are the absolutely brutal bass breaks and turn-on-a-dime tempo shifts.
Number 4: Glacial Domination by Frozen Soul
The 2nd album by U.S. Extreme Metal band Frozen Soul presents an onslaught of high energy destructive metal. For decades, metal of this type was made best by Scandinavian bands who focus on Norse mythology, swords, and battle-axes. It is nice to see that so many U.S. bands are now focusing on this type of music. With a world engulfed in wars, it makes perfect sense that this style of metal would start to take a strong hold outside of Norway and Sweden.
Number 3: Exul by Ne Obliviscaris
Australian Progressive Death Metal band Ne Obliviscaris are the closest thing to old school Opeth out there right now. Their 4th album is fantastic. It is everything this style was created to provide – long movements that flow from quiet to loud, beauty, destruction, and most importantly, technically precise musicianship. The strings are a trademark of this band’s sound and help them rise above many of their contemporaries. This is the type of band who define the new Post-Metal world of music.
Number 2: Air Not Meant For Us by Fires in the Distance
One of the integral moments in my dive back into metal 20 years ago, after a ten-plus year removal from listening, was my discovery of the albums Below the Lights and Isa by Enslaved. I didn’t know it at the time, but those records were a turning point for the band and the genre. Enslaved started as a traditional Norwegian black metal act, but with those records they expanded their sound and helped define the new Extreme Metal that has been prevalent across the globe ever since. The addition of a full time keyboardist gave their sound the depth necessary to expand beyond straightforward destruction. The 2nd album by U.S. Extreme Metal band Fires in the Distance would not exist if bands like Enslaved had not spearheaded this movement 20 years ago. They have taken the format, added piano as a primary instrument, and composed six epic songs that are exactly what metal should sound like in 2023. Air Not Meant For Us is #2 on my list, so I obviously approve.
Number 1: Dance Devil Dance by Avatar
The album cover of the 9th album by Swedish band Avatar looks like either early ’90s black metal or a Cradle of Filth snapshot on an old Polaroid. The music within Dance Devil Dance isn’t either of those things. Instead, it is exactly what the Post-Metal world of metal is supposed to provide in 2023. The music on this record should draw in fans of ’80s Hair Metal, ’90s Nu Metal and Death Metal, and all of the Progressive Metal of the last 25 years. Motley Crue-style guitar solos? Got ’em. Headbanging rhythms? Got ’em. Crushing blast beats? Got ’em. A blend of clean and cookie-monster vocals? Got ’em. Funky grooves? Got ’em. Techno-Metal electronics? Got ’em. And on top of it all, old metal fans who avoid so many modern metal bands because their vocalists growl out lyrics can listen to this release with smiles on their faces – all of the lyrics (clean or dirty) can be easily understood. This is without a doubt the record I have listened to more than any other in 2023.
That concludes this extremely loud and angry Faux Show. The next show will be a much more palatable Top 20 of the year list that features female artists. Until then, as always, thanks for listening, and reading!
The Radio Faux Show 