Resident music nerd and new music junky-that’s me Mike Z and here are my top 10 albums of 2023:
#10 Silent Planet “Superbloom”
One of the last albums to come out at the end of the year at the begining of November and I’ve been listening non-stop out of Azusa California: Silent Planet, their 5th album “Superbloom”. Combining Metalcore and Industrial (which has been done before) but I love the way they do it. Looking forward to seeing these guys as they have a headline
show at the House Blues Parish Room on January 27th, 2024.
Recommended tracks: Collider, Euphoria, Antimatter
#9 Overkill “Scorched”
20th Thrash Metal album from New Jersye’s Overkill “Scorched”. Nothing ground breaking on this album, just more thrashtastic greatness. However, I do feel their drummer Jason Bittner was the MVP of the record which their singer Bobby Blitz agreed with me.
Recommended tracks: Scorched, The Surgeon, Twist Of The Wick
#8 Stitched Up Heart “To The Wolves”
Riverside County resident Mixi and company had a whole new re-birth with their 3rd darker and heavier album: To The Wolves. Curse words and screams for the first time in their music, not holding anything back and finally finding their own unique sound.
Recommended Tracks: “Possess Me”, “Conquer & Divide”, “Immortal”
#7 Dying Wish “Symptoms Of Survival”
Another album which came out in November and captured me right away from Portland, Oregon’s Dying Wish, their 2nd album “Symptoms Of Survival”. They released their debut album in 2021 and toured constantly ever since. Sort of a lose theme of Survival on the album all the different types and ways of survival. A brutally heavy band, made a big impression on me with Emma’s deeply personal tune and clean singing through out called “Paved In Sorrow” (which we dug into during our conversation).
Recommended tracks: “Paved In Sorrow”, “Torn From Your Sillohuette”, “Symptoms Of Survival”
#6 Ov Sulfur “The Burden Ov Faith”
The one good thing to come out of the pandemic, former Suffokate singer Ricky Hoover bored at home, decided to get back into metal after almost a 10 year break. Creating this blackened deathcore band with some cleaning singing in it as well from guitarist Chase Wilson (who pulls it off live as well). Beyond their new sound, tons of guest appearances on this album from Alex Terrible, Taylor Barber and even Howard Jones. Got into the formation of the band and their sound with singer Ricky Hoover below:
Recommended Tracks: “Stained In Rot”, “Death Ov Circumstance”, “Wide Open”
#5 Filter “The Algorithm”
I talked to their singer back in June before their album came out and it’s one of the rare instances when an artist says their next album is heavier and it actually is. Richard Patrick has honed his Industrial sound since 1994 and captured it on this new album. Between singing and screaming and painting a mental picture with his lyrics, there isn’t anything he can’t do.
Recommended Tracks: “Face Down” “For The Beaten” “Obilteration”
#4 Sevendust “Truth Killer”
One of my all time favorite bands who could probably pass gas into a microphone and I would still love it. Luckily, their 14th album was another masterpiece, combining the vocal prowess of singer Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery along with drummer Morgan Rose screams and raps, they continue their unique sound with more and more industrial, electronics being added to the stew on this new one even more than before. Great phone conversation with LJ about recording the band at his family’s farm together.
Recommended Tracks: “I Might Let The Devil Win”, “Everything”, “Fence”
#3 3Teeth “EndEx”
I played drums in high school & college in an industrial metal band and that is exactly what we wished we would have sounded like, haha, they nailed exactly what
a industrial metal band is supposed to be. Great story that Lex tells about them convincing the record company to pay for a house in Joshua Tree which they lived in and recorded the album during the pandemic. A band not to be missed at the 2024 Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas
Recommened Tracks: “Merchant Of The Void”, “Slum Planet”, “Everyone Wants To Rule The World”
#2 Incendiary “Change The Way You Think About Pain”
I truthfully had never even heard of this band until their publicist and friend of mine Tim, booked the interview and just kind of threw it at me, saying your talking to this guy on this date. And then I started listening to their new album and was completely blown away, musically and lyrically. Classic East Coast Hardcore and almost a touch of RATM. I LOVE the theme to the album, which we dig into in the interview.
Recommended Tracks: “Bite The Hook”, “Santosha”, “Change The Way You Think About Pain”
#1 Metallica “72 Seasons”
The progression of the last couple of albums with Robert Trujillo have been great, but it all came together on this one: 72 Seasons. I was convinced their would be at least one ballad, but nope, just straight up metal along with some sabbathy hard rock mixed in as well. I fell in this album the day before it came outwent to the movies for the album premiere party with my old gutiarist Eric and we sat and drank in a movie theater filled with metal heads screaming and headbanging along to every tune. It doesn’t get any better than that no distractions, no work, no cell phones, just two hours of Metallica metal, uninterupted.
Recommended Tracks: “Lux Aeterna”, “You Must Burn!”, “Shadows Follow”
