Top Rock/Metal albums of 2023

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vamp2syd

Well-known member
Last year I was disappointed and this year was even worse but there was still plenty to like. As my likings have changed over the years from a more heavier/faster sound to now a more slower beat it is pretty evident in my top 20 list which the bands are mostly from the Doom/Stoner/Heavy Psych genre. Last year it was a Death Metal band Abyssus with "Death Revival" that took the top honors, since then they have been passed up by the King Buffalo album "Regenerator".

Who will take top honors this year? These ranking are based off my initial listen to the album. I do not rank albums every time I hear them that is just silly but a few times over the years.... following the initial ranking if I decide to purchase that album it will be re-ranked but after that it may not be ranked again or if I feel that I listen to it a lot and it has grown on me or if it starts wearing thin then it might get another ranking...... enough of that.....

This year I listened to 89 factory albums for 2023 all the way through. There were others but if I didn't like it I would stop listening.... anyhow, this is my top 20. Please feel free to post what albums (do people other than me still listen to albums from start to finish or do they just listen to tracks now??? ) you liked or any suggestions that I may have missed that I would probably like.......

I will post #20 thru #7 now and will edit in #6 thru #1 each day from now until we get to my #1 album for 2023.... this is my fantasy reality so deal with it.....

My Top 20 Rock/Metal albums of 2023

rank/album/band/r=rock,m=metal/genre/rating
01 Creatures - Khan r Heavy Psych 80.127
02 Silent Future - REZN & Vinnum Sabbathi r Atmospheric Heavy Psych 79.827
03 IV - Iron Void m Doom 79.312
04 Umbra - Kadabra r Psychedelic 78.755
05 Sonic Moons - Domkroft m Psychedelic Sludge 77.813
06 The Great Cerulean Sleep - Alkamaton r Progressive Stoner 77.490
07 Solace - REZN r Ambient/Heavy Psych 77.427
08 Alchemy For the Dead - Spotlights m Post/Doom Gaze - 77.179
09 Air Not Meant for Us - Fires in the Distance m Melodic Death Doom 76.927
10 Alfold - Thy Catafalque m Avant-Garde 76.757

11 Memento Mori - Hail the Void m Stoner 76.727
12 Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind - Runemagick m Death 76.727
13 Diviniis Requiem - Eye of Aquila r Stoner/Heavy Psych 76.227
14 Superskull - Black Rainbows r Stoner 76.170
15 Imperator - Mammathus r Stoner 76.156
16 On Thorns I Lay - On Thorns I Lay m Death Doom 76.127
17 The Oath - Lord Mountain m Doom 76.041
18 This Sickness is Not Unto Death - At Hand r Alternative 76.038
19 Threatening Skies - Goat Explosion m Doom 75.805
20 Necropolitan - Green Yeti r Stoner 75.784
 
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#7 REZN - Solace

I came across the band REZN while listening to King Buffalo. Solace is an album that keeps you in place with a slow sway as you close your eyes or stair at your feet. The smooth calming vocals are hypnotic while the sound is psychedelic and drone. REZN is a Heavy Psych band that is also ambient as well as Drone or Shoegaze and will hit you at times with a heavy wall of sound. After just listening to it for a 2nd time I like this album better than its initial rating. Not my favorite album from this band though but worthy of purchasing.....

 
#6 Alkamaton - The Great Cerulean Sleep

Psychedelic, atmospheric stoner rock from Finland that can get proggy at times. This album is similar to REZN in some ways but is softer and feels spiritual. The opening track has chant like vocals and from there we get more hypnotic style. There is only 5 tracks on this one but the first 4 are over 8 minutes long. This is the write up about what the album is about ...

"The Great Cerulean Sleep by Alkamaton is a sonic odyssey from the mind's abyss into a realization of astral multitudes.
The metamorphosis of individual thought particles, uniting and dividing, an endless cycle repeating in the psychic totality."

Yes, I get that exactly.... lol.... anyhow listening to it for the 2nd time it still lives up to the initial rating but I would say that the REZN album had grown on me more......

 
#5 Domkraft - Sonic Moons

Sonic Moons by Swedish band Domkraft is a much heavier album than the other two bands above as we move into some Psychedelic Sludge Metal with periods of Heavy Rock or should I say Kraut Rock. The cosmic sound with at times screamed vocals sent me in a chaotic but still hypnotic state. This one really sounded good this time around to the point where I might have to purchase it.

 
#4 Kadabra - Umbra

Love the album cover on this one. Kadabra is a newer band that is already known for the live shows.... this is more like Psychedelic Rock with Doom and Heavy Psych influences. We have some nice Sabbath like riffs with some organ going on with haunting vocals. 2nd time listening to this one all the way through the first half of the album really hits hard with me which I liked better but the 2nd half I would have to say I didn't care for as much as the first listen. This one would probably drop a few spots if I re-ranked but for not with the initial ranking score it is #4 for 2023......

 
#3 Iron Void - IV

Iron Void is old school Doom. No other way to put it..... Like Kadabra we have the Sabbath riffs but Iron Void is metal, all metal. Iron Void comes from the UK and brings the top two tracks in my rankings for 2023 with "Grave Dance", and "Living on the Earth". This album came out in January so I have heard most of the tracks on this one many times. Now, listening to the whole thing for a 2nd time it remains strong especially the opening 3 tracks and the last 3 tracks. Compared to the other albums in my top 7 this one has the greatest range in my ratings with the middle tracks still being good but not as good as most of the tracks on the other albums.

 
#2 REZN & Vinnum Sabbathi - Silent Future

REZN appears again on my top album list for 2023 this time at #2. This album though REZN collaborates with the band Vinnum Sabbathi (never heard of them before) but this album sounds 100% REZN. This is a great album and is meant to be played all the way through. Here we have a cosmic journey that is heavy in atmosphere with hypnotic vocal waves. I wanted to listen to it again when it finished...... and this album could possibly end up #1 for 2023 in the near future.....

 
#1 Khan - Creatures

From the land down under comes Khan. A Heavy Psych band that borders Stoner Rock as well as dwelling in some Prog. Heavy riffs at times with psychedelic vocals sends me to a calming place. Now, I have seen "Dirge-like" in descriptions of this band but I just don't feel it... while the music doesn't make me jump up and smile it also does not leave me sad or depressed.... just very very calm and relaxed. This is a great album from my initial listen to even liking it better the 2nd time around. This one came out in February so hopefully there still are some CD's floating around for me to get a hold of.

 
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