It just occurred to me that I was probably supposed to write a preamble for this, right? Well I’ve written a needlessly long closing passage, so fuck it. Let’s get into it.
Top 20 albums of 2022
20. Militarie Gun: Life Under The Gun
Loma Vista Recordings
I can honestly say this one crept up on me. I saw Militarie Gun on the day this record dropped, at Outbreak Festival and despite a fair bit of buzz around them, I found the show a little underwhelming, to be frank. But having listened to the record a few times ahead of release, I kept finding myself drawn back to it in the months after. And I’m glad I was. It’s that kind of slacker/emo end of the hardcore spectrum and there will always be a place in my heart for that sound when it’s done well. This isn’t an all-timer, but it’s damn good. It’s only 27 minutes, but it feels about 15, so easy are the songs to consume. Feel-good hardcore isn’t exactly prevalent but Militarie Gun are having a good go at it.
19. Frozen Soul: Glacial Domination
Century Media
One of only a couple of death metal records on my list this year, Frozen Soul exist in a particular niche, for me at least. They’re a newer band, but one that harnesses the ghastly glee of old skool death metal better than most. The fact that they’ve taken a huge leap from the debut (not the only time you’ll hear me say that in this list) and have also got Matt Heafy of Trivium in to produce (and contribute to) the record goes
some way to show the sort of esteem the band are held in by their metallic peers, even outside of the death metal spectrum. They’ve also just been added to an Amon Amarth tour with Obituary and Cannibal Corpse which it should go without saying, is another huge feather in their caps. It also seems to me that there are enough melodies and hooks in songs like “Glacial Domination” and the ballsilly-named “Frozen Soul” to speak to the Amon Amarth fanbase whilst there still being comfortably enough grit and aggression in “Death and Glory” or “Morbid Effigy” to make the most ardent Cannibal Corpse or Obituary fan sit up and take notice.
18. Incendiary: Change The Way You Feel About Pain
Closed Casket Activities
It’s been a while since the last Incendiary record. Thousand Mile Stare was back in the first half of 2017, to be specific. In those 6 years, I become increasingly obsessed with Incendiary. This increase in devotion not being hurt at all by seeing a suitably, well…incendiary set at Outbreak 2021. So when this was announced I was hyped. When it dropped, I was also hyped. But actually, it’s taken me longer than I was expecting to really start to fall in love with this record. Which is no bad thing. Let’s be honest, the best records tend towards being slower-burns than those we connect with on first listen. The guitar work is far more varied than in the typical NYHC record. The specificity and yet elegantly metaphorical turns of phrase that Brendan Garrone seems to have an endless well of are present and correct, and his delivery is as furious and impassioned as ever before. Incendiary just feel about as authentic, as real, as you can imagine any band being. And they’re as pissed off as ever.
17. The Dirty Nil: Free Reign To Passions
Dine Alone Records
It’s not as good as Fuck Art, but then very few records are. Beyond that, I find it hard to criticise this record. It’s strong throughout technically, it has given me a great deal of pleasure since the first time I heard it and I’ve had periods of playing it almost constantly since then. I have a sincere belief that Luke Bentham should be a household name the world over and that some people’s lives would be immeasurably improved by knowing ‘The Nils’ music. The reality is The Dirty Nil are maybe unlikely to break through to the mainstream at any point and although that feels utterly criminal when considering what they bring to the table, it does mean that we in the alternative world get to have our very own world-class rock band and we don’t need to share it with those fucking nerds in the mainstream. I also like to think that the album title is indicative of where the band are creatively and mentally. Just keep doing you, guys.
16. Allfather: A Violent Truth
Self Released
Allfather are a band who by all rights should appeal to the hardcore kids, the metalheads, the OG metalcore fans and the sludge/groove crowd, too. They know their way around chunky, southern-fried riffs, wild solos, vocals that vary from deep and bellowed to borderline black metal; and the rhythm section functions like a big fucking V8; reliable, loud as fuck and very slightly unhinged in exactly the right way. I would like to take this opportunity to point people who may have not yet listened to it, towards this record. It’s incredible. Scratches the itch for big hulking riffs and more progressive, unconventional song structures simultaneously, shows an innate but subtle talent for musical genre-melding and is overtly anti-fash. Listen, enjoy, buy their merch, go see them, book them, whatever. Because frankly, Allfather should be a band we talk about a lot. Not a band who primarily crop up in discussions around overlooked scene stalwarts. This is their best collection of songs to date and a lot of folk still don’t know what they’re missing. Listen up, because Allfather have some shit to say.
15. Hellripper: Warlocks Grim and Weathered Hags
Peaceville Records
There are surely few people in the world today more magnificently metal than James McBain, the sole creative driving force behind Hellripper. The goat-infatuated, baphomet-bothering, leather and denim-clad, Luciferian acolyte who has been solely responsible for some of the best blackened speed metal of the last decade. I don’t even know if that’s a fair descriptor at this point, though. Given that the title track of this record is over 7 minutes long and the closer is nearer to 9 minutes. But listen to the (fabulously-titled) “Goat Vomit Nightmare” and you’ll see Hellripper at his/their most shamelessly, frivolously, manic and occult. Yet the longer songs James has now begun composing are even more fascinating and rich. I can only urge you to go and see James and his touring comrades if you get the chance. There are few bands I’ve seen over the years who are more fun or exciting. And the mind genuinely boggles at what he might cook up next. All hail the goat.
14. DRAIN: Living Proof
Epitaph
Surely one of the breakout heavy bands of the last few years. When Gulch announced they were calling it a day at the peak of their powers in 2021, I’m not sure I would have bet on their drummer becoming one of the biggest faces in heavy music within 2 years. But DRAIN’s combination of Cali, sun-soaked, pool party vibes and mastery of hard-edged, bouncy crossover speaks directly to an entire generation of heavy music fans. And dare I say it (writing this from a rainy Berkshire pub) evokes a positive and fun vibe that isn’t always synonymous with heavy music. Especially the kind that draws from the likes of Slayer and Black Flag. The introduction of clean vocals and a hip-hop interlude shows that DRAIN have plenty of places they still want to go. But their heart will always be in CA. (And any frontman who has treflips on lock is good by me.)
13. Jesus Piece: …So Unkown
Century Media
It feels like a long time ago this record came out. Partially because when it did, back in April, it was almost certainly the best hardcore record I’d heard in a while that was also utterly nihilistic, sonically speaking. I found it vastly easier to connect with than the last record (more a me problem than anything else), but as it hadn’t lost any venom or spite, maybe it was my tastes that had moved on. Though in the months since, I’ve reflected on this and I think it’s just a better record. The songs are more well-formed, the production is superb but still utterly nasty, and rhythmically it’s up there with some of the coolest shit I’ve heard all year. It also doesn’t hurt that Aaron Heard is a terrifying focal point of the band on stage, and a deeply likeable man and good ambassador for the scene off of it. Given this is only the band’s second record, I can’t help but wonder what they have in their future. Bands who are as uncompromising and as exciting as Jesus Piece do not come along too often.
12. Hot Mulligan: Why Would I Watch
Wax Bodega
I don’t even know what Hot Mulligan are at this point. But then anyone who is liable to know them, knows whether they like them or not already, I suspect. The goofiness, the yelped vocals, the mad song titles. I typically find this sort of stuff repellant. And I occasionally do with Hot Mulligan too, to be frank. But what I can’t get past is how good their songs are. And how heartfelt they seem to be, across the entire spectrum of their subject matter, which is by no means immense, but has broadened somewhat in the years since I was first introduced to them on 2018’s Pilot. There are still references to smoking weed, feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and various combinations thereof. But it feels rich to criticise them for retaining those themes when I, a 40-year old man, still identify with them. How intricately the music and lyrics are woven into one another is another point that can’t be ignored. The music Hot Mulligan make can be polarising, misunderstood, derided or revered. But it is unquestionably coming from a genuine place. And that will always draw me in.
11. Pain Of Truth: Not Through Blood
DAZE
I’m an absolute mark for the modern incarnation of thugged-out street hardcore, so when Pain Of Truth, a hardcore supergroup of sorts, released the track/feature list ahead of the record’s release, you could already tell this was going to be something big for the scene. There are 12 features across 11 songs. Most of whom are hardcore royalty or hall-of-famers in waiting. Madball, Incendiary, Vein.FM, even 200 Stab Wounds from the death metal world, which only goes to show the crossover appeal we’re dealing with. All of that is fine, but it could still have sucked; been too ‘busy’ or inconsistent. Not a bit of it. Aggressive to the extreme, every riff feels like a head stomp, the features don’t draw too much focus and there’s a good spectrum of pacing. I don’t know what more they could have done given the expectation laid upon them. They’ve been hailed as the new kings of NYHC by some, and on the strength of this debut full-length, it’s not hard to see why.
10. Dangerface: Be Damned!
Fysisk Format
I had been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to 2019’s Get Loud! from Stavanger, Norway’s own Dangerface for a while. When I heard they’d signed to Fysisk Format, I was delighted as it feels like a perfect fit. And where I fell in love with the scandi-hardcore energy and aggression of the debut, this record delivered something slightly different. Another superb collection of songs, but this time the structures were more rock ‘n’ roll. The production is punchy, the vocal lines reminding me more of Jagger or Liam Gallagher than Keith Buckley. I think it’s a testament to the songwriting talent in this band that they have nailed 2 (admittedly subtly) different styles almost flawlessly on their first 2 records. There is greater patience and restraint on show here, but that only serves to accentuate the immense payoff when a big chorus drops. Tracks like “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, “Set Me On Fire” and “Pardon My Douche” have the energy and hooks to move big venues and I only hope that these dudes get the chance to prove it.
9. Celestial Sanctuary: Insatiable Thirst For Torment
Church Road Records
Not the only record on this list that represents the manifestation of a band’s potential. Tom Cronin and his merry band of chundermongers have made a quantum leap in songwriting ability over the debut. Whereas the last record had weight and presence, this one has atmosphere, character, hooks and some of the best song titles you’re likely to see in years. The commitment to an aesthetic and vibe is absolute and the record benefits hugely from this. Every second feels like it drips with luminous ooze, the cover art being both perfectly fitting and simply brilliant. There are grooves deeper than the Mariana Trench all over the record and it just exudes a sense of a band enjoying themselves in making filthy, gore-splattered death metal. It’s shit-eating grin music. Out of the top drawer. Lovely, disgusting, grimy, slimy stuff. The New Wave of British Death Metal has its first classic record.
8. Guilt Trip: Severance
MLVLTD
One of my favourite surprises of the year. The debut record, River Of Lies from 2019 was decent but I can’t say that I ever really went back to it. When you consider this is a UK-based metallic hardcore/crossover band. Then I can only surmise it didn’t really grab me. Fast-forward 4 years and Severance drops. Holy hell. There is now basically nothing about this record that doesn’t grab me or excite me. The riffs are rapid-fire, syncopated, but peppered with real heavy metal flair. The band have been signed to Malevolence’s label and that influence can definitely be seen and heard, but there is something different going on here. It’s hard to explain, but where Malevolence have the same basic components, Guilt Trip have a more wilfully hostile approach. To vocals, especially. There are (presumably) ad-hoc globules of bile spat from Jay Valentine’s lips frequently that sit entirely right with the ferocious way the band play. Where some bands of this ilk trade in mellifluous yet bludgeoning riffs. Bruising, but basically smooth. Guilt Trip don’t play like that. They’d rather tie you to the tow bar of their XR3i and drag you around a tower block.
7. Tomb Mold: The Enduring Spirit
20 Buck Spin
Given they used to be a ‘one record a year’ band, the wait for the new Tomb Mold had felt interminable. Obviously we had Dream Unending (x2) in the meantime, but when Tomb Mold came back, announcing they would be releasing a whole new record the very same week, the death metal community almost universally shit its pants with excitement. It certainly has a very different feel to Manor Of Infinite Forms and Planetary Clairvoyance, but it still feels unmistakeably like Tomb Mold. The cosmic vibes are still in abundance, there are some more overt melodic flourishes and the production is less grimy, but the progressive and innovative chops are as spectacular as ever. Some of the most intelligent, classy and utterly fascinating death metal one could ever wish to hear. And when you consider the catalogue of music Tomb Mold are responsible for in their c.8 year history, one can’t help feel lucky to exist during this time of their irregular, unpredictable, nuanced, emotive, yet singularly immaculate output. Long live Tomb Mold.
6. KOYO: Would You Miss It?
Pure Noise Records
One of many bands on this list who’s show I have seen this year for the first time. I mean this in the most positive way possible; The fact that KOYO have found theirselves beloved of the hardcore scene is slightly surprising. That is, until you see them live. The record is, and I’m going to say it outright, frequently more pop punk than anything else. That doesn’t frighten me, I should add. In fact what we’ve ended up with, is a slightly gritty, pop-punk-infused, upbeat-yet-emo, quasi-hardcore record. But fuck all that, because this record is just a joy. Shamelessly emotive and relatable, melodically addictive, lyrically interesting, and based on the full stage invasion denouement of the show I saw earlier in the year, I don’t think I’m the only one who has a real soft spot for this stuff. I had long been a pop-punk apologist. Until there weren’t any bands doing it well anymore. If the hardcore scene can birth a few more bands like KOYO, then I will be a very, very happy man indeed. But for now, just having KOYO feels like a real gift.
5. Blackbraid: Blackbraid II
Self released
Every year I have to fall in love with at least one earthy, elemental, folk-infused black metal record, apparently. And in 2023, it was Blackbraid’s sophomore effort. The leap in quality from the debut is absolutely immense. The melding of the Native American style with the furious black metal is almost complete, and it shouldn’t be overlooked how difficult that must be. Especially whilst remaining genuinely authentic to both constituent parts. But only a few years into Blackbraid’s existence, a sound has been realised that does exactly that. It’s thrilling, moving and just incredibly executed. I couldn’t be more delighted that we have another potential black metal superstar on our hands. And who is delivering this level of songwriting so early in what I can only hope will be a long and fertile career.
4. Code Orange: The Above
Blue Grape Music
One of the most divisive records of the year, also happens to be one of the best, in my opinion. The suggestion that this is “just a nu-metal album” is laughable, to be frank. There are some nods to that particular genre (which I’m more than fine with), but it spans their home turf of industrial hardcore, grunge, stadium rock, electronic, trip-hop and plenty more besides. Code Orange don’t seem to be able to do anything without a decent proportion of the listening public accusing them of being posers, sell-outs, pussies or any other number of petulant (and inaccurate) labels. But Code Orange presumably don’t give a fuck or they wouldn’t keep releasing music they know will “shake things up” in Jami’s words. What’s clear to anyone who cares to consider the band’s output on the last 3 records at least, is that like a shark, if Code Orange stop moving, they would perish. They’re constantly working, evolving, changing. A song like “Circle Through” wouldn’t have been a possibility in the Forever album cycle, but now it fits perfectly within what Code Orange are. Similarly, their insatiable thirst for curating their aesthetic makes them a really beguiling proposition. They agonise over visuals, over production, what they’re associated with, everything. And to do all that and create an album with so many huge songs on it after 2 previous world-class albums as well? Hate on them if you like, but you’re missing one of the most exciting bands of a generation.
3. The Menzingers: Some Of It Was True
Epitaph
Ah, The Menzingers. If push came to shove, I’d have to say they’re my favourite band. I’ve loved everything they’ve ever made to varying degrees. Hello Exile was a slower burn for me than most of their records, but when you’re trying to follow up After The Party, you’re on a hiding to nothing. So when this record dropped, I had to give it a while before trying to draw any conclusions. Ultimately, I think it’s amazing. It’s better than Rented World and probably on par with Hello Exile for me. So equal third best record I’d say. The highs are incredible: “Hope is a Dangerous Little Thing”, “Try”, “Alone in Dublin” and “Come on Heartache” are up there with some of the best material they’ve ever written. There are a few more low-key songs that wouldn’t make my ‘Menzingers Mega List’, but that’s true of any of the records to a greater or lesser extent. I’ve got my ticket to see them in the New Year and I’m as excited about it as every time I’ve seen them. The Menzingers have had my heart for a long time and this record only strengthens that grip.
2. Spanish Love Songs: No Joy
Pure Noise Records
When I reviewed this earlier in the year, I mused on the fact that I didn’t know that I wanted SLS to make the slight pivot they have towards more mellow songwriting and less overtly ‘punk’ musicianship. Maybe it’s because it’s been a tough old year, personally, for various reasons, but Dylan’s uncanny knack for concisely encapsulating the innate horror and simultaneous mundanity of modern life has been a constant source of comfort since the first time I pressed play on Giant Sings The Blues. Ultimately, this record is willing to dwell in that place for an extended period without ever seeming repetitive or, perversely, actually miserable despite that relatively consistent subject matter. This record feels to me like the aural equivalent of a good friend who has seen their own share of problems putting an arm around your shoulder and mockingly telling you that life is pain, suffering, taxes and death. Somehow, it’s heartening to be presented with those facts plainly and to accept them with good humour. Spanish Love Songs are about the best band I’ve ever known for that specific quality. And I love them dearly for it.
1. Sunami: LP
Triple B
Look. I’m not sure I’m exactly proud of this. But I can’t imagine this year without this record. I’ve spent 2023 being sad and angry for the most part and this record has served that anger better than I can possibly explain. I can’t stop listening to it. Admittedly the record is only 17 minutes long, but even so, the urge to press play again when it comes to an end is almost overwhelming. It’s West Coast tough guy hardcore at it’s most unapologetically thuggish and confrontational. Every atom of it, even in the production, is willing you to two-step and screw your face up like a motherfucker. It’s absurdly combative, yet even a cursory glance at the band’s merch or socials reveals they’re not so serious about this shit ALL the time. Which makes it even easier to vibe with for me. I’m an English white guy living in the countryside, so there being an air of levity to this helps me feel less like I’m guilty of cultural appropriation, for a start. It’s kind of hard to justify this being my No.1, because (for example) the Spanish Love Songs record is 45 minutes of immaculately crafted songs. They’re all designed to generate a feeling. The lyrics evoke whatever that feeling might be, as does the instrumentation and production, and that approach varies significantly from song to song. Not the case with Sunami. They have a singular message. And they only want to deliver it in one way. Straight up, no mixer. It’s sun-kissed hate. Reppin your scene and your town. Cali aggro. But I can’t name a record which has tied my brain up with it’s rhythms or mosh calls more than this one for a VERY long time. I could be repeatedly punched in the face to this record and I’d probably still dig it.
So there you have it. It’s been a weird ol’ year. Personally, it’s been punctuated by bereavement (multiple), health scares (two), political disillusionment (almost perpetual) landmark birthdays (just the one, predictably) and general, low-level existential dread. Most likely as a result of the more quantifiable events listed above. Perhaps consequently, but certainly not consciously, I’ve listened to far more emo and punk this year than for a while. Less extreme metal too, but more hardcore. Being a scientifically-minded kind of a guy, it’s hard not to try and draw conclusions or generate hypotheses from the social facts of my year cross-referenced against the frequently surprising output of my Spotify Wrapped. But ultimately, I should maybe spend less time analysing the correlation therein and more time just enjoying the music that has helped me get through this year. There are many things I should be thankful for, not just at this time of year, but in general. And one that stands the test of time is new music. If you look at the list above, you’ll see a bunch of bands, with a bunch of records. But these records have helped me to process loss, to rationalise my own (sometimes hard to explain) behaviours, to release otherwise directionless rage and frustration and maybe most importantly, to confront thoughts that I’d been burying deep each time they dared to raise their ugly heads over the parapet of my more quotidian thought processes.
It’s a lazy fucking cliche that I’m dancing around and I feel like a hack for doing so. But I sometimes feel my love for the music that has defined much of my life waxing or waning. Sometimes the change is almost infinitesimally small, but I still know it’s happening. This year involved a great deal of simply existing; and not much more. At times it was all I could do. But the moments when I was able to break through the milky membrane of that opaque, diluted paradigm of life that might have held me for a day, a week, a month, it was almost always because of one of the albums above. So for anyone who has had any part in making those records; and I include in that anyone who has listened to the artists, anyone who has bought tickets to see them, anyone who has bought or worn their merch or any other peripheral contributing activity, then I thank you all. Suffice to say, this applies tenfold to the people who tangibly made those records, though I suspect the chances of them reading this are somewhat more remote.
I was talking to a mate of mine earlier who was commenting on my having had a rough year, when he said “but that means you’ll have a great 2024!”. I don’t share his worldview nor optimism sadly, but I am certain that come good or bad, hell or high water, I will have moments in 2024 that are every bit as profound as some of those I’ve had in 2023 thanks to music that has been released at fortuitous times and speaks to me in a language I am naturally predisposed towards. The music I love isn’t just for the good times, it’s not just for the bad times, but it is for all the times.
Century Media
One of only a couple of death metal records on my list this year, Frozen Soul exist in a particular niche, for me at least. They’re a newer band, but one that harnesses the ghastly glee of old skool death metal better than most. The fact that they’ve taken a huge leap from the debut (not the only time you’ll hear me say that in this list) and have also got Matt Heafy of Trivium in to produce (and contribute to) the record goes
some way to show the sort of esteem the band are held in by their metallic peers, even outside of the death metal spectrum. They’ve also just been added to an Amon Amarth tour with Obituary and Cannibal Corpse which it should go without saying, is another huge feather in their caps. It also seems to me that there are enough melodies and hooks in songs like “Glacial Domination” and the ballsilly-named “Frozen Soul” to speak to the Amon Amarth fanbase whilst there still being comfortably enough grit and aggression in “Death and Glory” or “Morbid Effigy” to make the most ardent Cannibal Corpse or Obituary fan sit up and take notice.
18. Incendiary: Change The Way You Feel About Pain
Closed Casket Activities
It’s been a while since the last Incendiary record. Thousand Mile Stare was back in the first half of 2017, to be specific. In those 6 years, I become increasingly obsessed with Incendiary. This increase in devotion not being hurt at all by seeing a suitably, well…incendiary set at Outbreak 2021. So when this was announced I was hyped. When it dropped, I was also hyped. But actually, it’s taken me longer than I was expecting to really start to fall in love with this record. Which is no bad thing. Let’s be honest, the best records tend towards being slower-burns than those we connect with on first listen. The guitar work is far more varied than in the typical NYHC record. The specificity and yet elegantly metaphorical turns of phrase that Brendan Garrone seems to have an endless well of are present and correct, and his delivery is as furious and impassioned as ever before. Incendiary just feel about as authentic, as real, as you can imagine any band being. And they’re as pissed off as ever.
17. The Dirty Nil: Free Reign To Passions
Dine Alone Records
It’s not as good as Fuck Art, but then very few records are. Beyond that, I find it hard to criticise this record. It’s strong throughout technically, it has given me a great deal of pleasure since the first time I heard it and I’ve had periods of playing it almost constantly since then. I have a sincere belief that Luke Bentham should be a household name the world over and that some people’s lives would be immeasurably improved by knowing ‘The Nils’ music. The reality is The Dirty Nil are maybe unlikely to break through to the mainstream at any point and although that feels utterly criminal when considering what they bring to the table, it does mean that we in the alternative world get to have our very own world-class rock band and we don’t need to share it with those fucking nerds in the mainstream. I also like to think that the album title is indicative of where the band are creatively and mentally. Just keep doing you, guys.
16. Allfather: A Violent Truth
Self Released
Allfather are a band who by all rights should appeal to the hardcore kids, the metalheads, the OG metalcore fans and the sludge/groove crowd, too. They know their way around chunky, southern-fried riffs, wild solos, vocals that vary from deep and bellowed to borderline black metal; and the rhythm section functions like a big fucking V8; reliable, loud as fuck and very slightly unhinged in exactly the right way. I would like to take this opportunity to point people who may have not yet listened to it, towards this record. It’s incredible. Scratches the itch for big hulking riffs and more progressive, unconventional song structures simultaneously, shows an innate but subtle talent for musical genre-melding and is overtly anti-fash. Listen, enjoy, buy their merch, go see them, book them, whatever. Because frankly, Allfather should be a band we talk about a lot. Not a band who primarily crop up in discussions around overlooked scene stalwarts. This is their best collection of songs to date and a lot of folk still don’t know what they’re missing. Listen up, because Allfather have some shit to say.
15. Hellripper: Warlocks Grim and Weathered Hags
Peaceville Records
There are surely few people in the world today more magnificently metal than James McBain, the sole creative driving force behind Hellripper. The goat-infatuated, baphomet-bothering, leather and denim-clad, Luciferian acolyte who has been solely responsible for some of the best blackened speed metal of the last decade. I don’t even know if that’s a fair descriptor at this point, though. Given that the title track of this record is over 7 minutes long and the closer is nearer to 9 minutes. But listen to the (fabulously-titled) “Goat Vomit Nightmare” and you’ll see Hellripper at his/their most shamelessly, frivolously, manic and occult. Yet the longer songs James has now begun composing are even more fascinating and rich. I can only urge you to go and see James and his touring comrades if you get the chance. There are few bands I’ve seen over the years who are more fun or exciting. And the mind genuinely boggles at what he might cook up next. All hail the goat.
14. DRAIN: Living Proof
Epitaph
Surely one of the breakout heavy bands of the last few years. When Gulch announced they were calling it a day at the peak of their powers in 2021, I’m not sure I would have bet on their drummer becoming one of the biggest faces in heavy music within 2 years. But DRAIN’s combination of Cali, sun-soaked, pool party vibes and mastery of hard-edged, bouncy crossover speaks directly to an entire generation of heavy music fans. And dare I say it (writing this from a rainy Berkshire pub) evokes a positive and fun vibe that isn’t always synonymous with heavy music. Especially the kind that draws from the likes of Slayer and Black Flag. The introduction of clean vocals and a hip-hop interlude shows that DRAIN have plenty of places they still want to go. But their heart will always be in CA. (And any frontman who has treflips on lock is good by me.)
13. Jesus Piece: …So Unkown
Century Media
It feels like a long time ago this record came out. Partially because when it did, back in April, it was almost certainly the best hardcore record I’d heard in a while that was also utterly nihilistic, sonically speaking. I found it vastly easier to connect with than the last record (more a me problem than anything else), but as it hadn’t lost any venom or spite, maybe it was my tastes that had moved on. Though in the months since, I’ve reflected on this and I think it’s just a better record. The songs are more well-formed, the production is superb but still utterly nasty, and rhythmically it’s up there with some of the coolest shit I’ve heard all year. It also doesn’t hurt that Aaron Heard is a terrifying focal point of the band on stage, and a deeply likeable man and good ambassador for the scene off of it. Given this is only the band’s second record, I can’t help but wonder what they have in their future. Bands who are as uncompromising and as exciting as Jesus Piece do not come along too often.
12. Hot Mulligan: Why Would I Watch
Wax Bodega
I don’t even know what Hot Mulligan are at this point. But then anyone who is liable to know them, knows whether they like them or not already, I suspect. The goofiness, the yelped vocals, the mad song titles. I typically find this sort of stuff repellant. And I occasionally do with Hot Mulligan too, to be frank. But what I can’t get past is how good their songs are. And how heartfelt they seem to be, across the entire spectrum of their subject matter, which is by no means immense, but has broadened somewhat in the years since I was first introduced to them on 2018’s Pilot. There are still references to smoking weed, feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and various combinations thereof. But it feels rich to criticise them for retaining those themes when I, a 40-year old man, still identify with them. How intricately the music and lyrics are woven into one another is another point that can’t be ignored. The music Hot Mulligan make can be polarising, misunderstood, derided or revered. But it is unquestionably coming from a genuine place. And that will always draw me in.
11. Pain Of Truth: Not Through Blood
DAZE
I’m an absolute mark for the modern incarnation of thugged-out street hardcore, so when Pain Of Truth, a hardcore supergroup of sorts, released the track/feature list ahead of the record’s release, you could already tell this was going to be something big for the scene. There are 12 features across 11 songs. Most of whom are hardcore royalty or hall-of-famers in waiting. Madball, Incendiary, Vein.FM, even 200 Stab Wounds from the death metal world, which only goes to show the crossover appeal we’re dealing with. All of that is fine, but it could still have sucked; been too ‘busy’ or inconsistent. Not a bit of it. Aggressive to the extreme, every riff feels like a head stomp, the features don’t draw too much focus and there’s a good spectrum of pacing. I don’t know what more they could have done given the expectation laid upon them. They’ve been hailed as the new kings of NYHC by some, and on the strength of this debut full-length, it’s not hard to see why.
10. Dangerface: Be Damned!
Fysisk Format
I had been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to 2019’s Get Loud! from Stavanger, Norway’s own Dangerface for a while. When I heard they’d signed to Fysisk Format, I was delighted as it feels like a perfect fit. And where I fell in love with the scandi-hardcore energy and aggression of the debut, this record delivered something slightly different. Another superb collection of songs, but this time the structures were more rock ‘n’ roll. The production is punchy, the vocal lines reminding me more of Jagger or Liam Gallagher than Keith Buckley. I think it’s a testament to the songwriting talent in this band that they have nailed 2 (admittedly subtly) different styles almost flawlessly on their first 2 records. There is greater patience and restraint on show here, but that only serves to accentuate the immense payoff when a big chorus drops. Tracks like “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, “Set Me On Fire” and “Pardon My Douche” have the energy and hooks to move big venues and I only hope that these dudes get the chance to prove it.
9. Celestial Sanctuary: Insatiable Thirst For Torment
Church Road Records
Not the only record on this list that represents the manifestation of a band’s potential. Tom Cronin and his merry band of chundermongers have made a quantum leap in songwriting ability over the debut. Whereas the last record had weight and presence, this one has atmosphere, character, hooks and some of the best song titles you’re likely to see in years. The commitment to an aesthetic and vibe is absolute and the record benefits hugely from this. Every second feels like it drips with luminous ooze, the cover art being both perfectly fitting and simply brilliant. There are grooves deeper than the Mariana Trench all over the record and it just exudes a sense of a band enjoying themselves in making filthy, gore-splattered death metal. It’s shit-eating grin music. Out of the top drawer. Lovely, disgusting, grimy, slimy stuff. The New Wave of British Death Metal has its first classic record.
8. Guilt Trip: Severance
MLVLTD
One of my favourite surprises of the year. The debut record, River Of Lies from 2019 was decent but I can’t say that I ever really went back to it. When you consider this is a UK-based metallic hardcore/crossover band. Then I can only surmise it didn’t really grab me. Fast-forward 4 years and Severance drops. Holy hell. There is now basically nothing about this record that doesn’t grab me or excite me. The riffs are rapid-fire, syncopated, but peppered with real heavy metal flair. The band have been signed to Malevolence’s label and that influence can definitely be seen and heard, but there is something different going on here. It’s hard to explain, but where Malevolence have the same basic components, Guilt Trip have a more wilfully hostile approach. To vocals, especially. There are (presumably) ad-hoc globules of bile spat from Jay Valentine’s lips frequently that sit entirely right with the ferocious way the band play. Where some bands of this ilk trade in mellifluous yet bludgeoning riffs. Bruising, but basically smooth. Guilt Trip don’t play like that. They’d rather tie you to the tow bar of their XR3i and drag you around a tower block.
7. Tomb Mold: The Enduring Spirit
20 Buck Spin
Given they used to be a ‘one record a year’ band, the wait for the new Tomb Mold had felt interminable. Obviously we had Dream Unending (x2) in the meantime, but when Tomb Mold came back, announcing they would be releasing a whole new record the very same week, the death metal community almost universally shit its pants with excitement. It certainly has a very different feel to Manor Of Infinite Forms and Planetary Clairvoyance, but it still feels unmistakeably like Tomb Mold. The cosmic vibes are still in abundance, there are some more overt melodic flourishes and the production is less grimy, but the progressive and innovative chops are as spectacular as ever. Some of the most intelligent, classy and utterly fascinating death metal one could ever wish to hear. And when you consider the catalogue of music Tomb Mold are responsible for in their c.8 year history, one can’t help feel lucky to exist during this time of their irregular, unpredictable, nuanced, emotive, yet singularly immaculate output. Long live Tomb Mold.
6. KOYO: Would You Miss It?
Pure Noise Records
One of many bands on this list who’s show I have seen this year for the first time. I mean this in the most positive way possible; The fact that KOYO have found theirselves beloved of the hardcore scene is slightly surprising. That is, until you see them live. The record is, and I’m going to say it outright, frequently more pop punk than anything else. That doesn’t frighten me, I should add. In fact what we’ve ended up with, is a slightly gritty, pop-punk-infused, upbeat-yet-emo, quasi-hardcore record. But fuck all that, because this record is just a joy. Shamelessly emotive and relatable, melodically addictive, lyrically interesting, and based on the full stage invasion denouement of the show I saw earlier in the year, I don’t think I’m the only one who has a real soft spot for this stuff. I had long been a pop-punk apologist. Until there weren’t any bands doing it well anymore. If the hardcore scene can birth a few more bands like KOYO, then I will be a very, very happy man indeed. But for now, just having KOYO feels like a real gift.
5. Blackbraid: Blackbraid II
Self released
Every year I have to fall in love with at least one earthy, elemental, folk-infused black metal record, apparently. And in 2023, it was Blackbraid’s sophomore effort. The leap in quality from the debut is absolutely immense. The melding of the Native American style with the furious black metal is almost complete, and it shouldn’t be overlooked how difficult that must be. Especially whilst remaining genuinely authentic to both constituent parts. But only a few years into Blackbraid’s existence, a sound has been realised that does exactly that. It’s thrilling, moving and just incredibly executed. I couldn’t be more delighted that we have another potential black metal superstar on our hands. And who is delivering this level of songwriting so early in what I can only hope will be a long and fertile career.
4. Code Orange: The Above
Blue Grape Music
One of the most divisive records of the year, also happens to be one of the best, in my opinion. The suggestion that this is “just a nu-metal album” is laughable, to be frank. There are some nods to that particular genre (which I’m more than fine with), but it spans their home turf of industrial hardcore, grunge, stadium rock, electronic, trip-hop and plenty more besides. Code Orange don’t seem to be able to do anything without a decent proportion of the listening public accusing them of being posers, sell-outs, pussies or any other number of petulant (and inaccurate) labels. But Code Orange presumably don’t give a fuck or they wouldn’t keep releasing music they know will “shake things up” in Jami’s words. What’s clear to anyone who cares to consider the band’s output on the last 3 records at least, is that like a shark, if Code Orange stop moving, they would perish. They’re constantly working, evolving, changing. A song like “Circle Through” wouldn’t have been a possibility in the Forever album cycle, but now it fits perfectly within what Code Orange are. Similarly, their insatiable thirst for curating their aesthetic makes them a really beguiling proposition. They agonise over visuals, over production, what they’re associated with, everything. And to do all that and create an album with so many huge songs on it after 2 previous world-class albums as well? Hate on them if you like, but you’re missing one of the most exciting bands of a generation.
3. The Menzingers: Some Of It Was True
Epitaph
Ah, The Menzingers. If push came to shove, I’d have to say they’re my favourite band. I’ve loved everything they’ve ever made to varying degrees. Hello Exile was a slower burn for me than most of their records, but when you’re trying to follow up After The Party, you’re on a hiding to nothing. So when this record dropped, I had to give it a while before trying to draw any conclusions. Ultimately, I think it’s amazing. It’s better than Rented World and probably on par with Hello Exile for me. So equal third best record I’d say. The highs are incredible: “Hope is a Dangerous Little Thing”, “Try”, “Alone in Dublin” and “Come on Heartache” are up there with some of the best material they’ve ever written. There are a few more low-key songs that wouldn’t make my ‘Menzingers Mega List’, but that’s true of any of the records to a greater or lesser extent. I’ve got my ticket to see them in the New Year and I’m as excited about it as every time I’ve seen them. The Menzingers have had my heart for a long time and this record only strengthens that grip.
2. Spanish Love Songs: No Joy
Pure Noise Records
When I reviewed this earlier in the year, I mused on the fact that I didn’t know that I wanted SLS to make the slight pivot they have towards more mellow songwriting and less overtly ‘punk’ musicianship. Maybe it’s because it’s been a tough old year, personally, for various reasons, but Dylan’s uncanny knack for concisely encapsulating the innate horror and simultaneous mundanity of modern life has been a constant source of comfort since the first time I pressed play on Giant Sings The Blues. Ultimately, this record is willing to dwell in that place for an extended period without ever seeming repetitive or, perversely, actually miserable despite that relatively consistent subject matter. This record feels to me like the aural equivalent of a good friend who has seen their own share of problems putting an arm around your shoulder and mockingly telling you that life is pain, suffering, taxes and death. Somehow, it’s heartening to be presented with those facts plainly and to accept them with good humour. Spanish Love Songs are about the best band I’ve ever known for that specific quality. And I love them dearly for it.
1. Sunami: LP
Triple B
Look. I’m not sure I’m exactly proud of this. But I can’t imagine this year without this record. I’ve spent 2023 being sad and angry for the most part and this record has served that anger better than I can possibly explain. I can’t stop listening to it. Admittedly the record is only 17 minutes long, but even so, the urge to press play again when it comes to an end is almost overwhelming. It’s West Coast tough guy hardcore at it’s most unapologetically thuggish and confrontational. Every atom of it, even in the production, is willing you to two-step and screw your face up like a motherfucker. It’s absurdly combative, yet even a cursory glance at the band’s merch or socials reveals they’re not so serious about this shit ALL the time. Which makes it even easier to vibe with for me. I’m an English white guy living in the countryside, so there being an air of levity to this helps me feel less like I’m guilty of cultural appropriation, for a start. It’s kind of hard to justify this being my No.1, because (for example) the Spanish Love Songs record is 45 minutes of immaculately crafted songs. They’re all designed to generate a feeling. The lyrics evoke whatever that feeling might be, as does the instrumentation and production, and that approach varies significantly from song to song. Not the case with Sunami. They have a singular message. And they only want to deliver it in one way. Straight up, no mixer. It’s sun-kissed hate. Reppin your scene and your town. Cali aggro. But I can’t name a record which has tied my brain up with it’s rhythms or mosh calls more than this one for a VERY long time. I could be repeatedly punched in the face to this record and I’d probably still dig it.
So there you have it. It’s been a weird ol’ year. Personally, it’s been punctuated by bereavement (multiple), health scares (two), political disillusionment (almost perpetual) landmark birthdays (just the one, predictably) and general, low-level existential dread. Most likely as a result of the more quantifiable events listed above. Perhaps consequently, but certainly not consciously, I’ve listened to far more emo and punk this year than for a while. Less extreme metal too, but more hardcore. Being a scientifically-minded kind of a guy, it’s hard not to try and draw conclusions or generate hypotheses from the social facts of my year cross-referenced against the frequently surprising output of my Spotify Wrapped. But ultimately, I should maybe spend less time analysing the correlation therein and more time just enjoying the music that has helped me get through this year. There are many things I should be thankful for, not just at this time of year, but in general. And one that stands the test of time is new music. If you look at the list above, you’ll see a bunch of bands, with a bunch of records. But these records have helped me to process loss, to rationalise my own (sometimes hard to explain) behaviours, to release otherwise directionless rage and frustration and maybe most importantly, to confront thoughts that I’d been burying deep each time they dared to raise their ugly heads over the parapet of my more quotidian thought processes.
It’s a lazy fucking cliche that I’m dancing around and I feel like a hack for doing so. But I sometimes feel my love for the music that has defined much of my life waxing or waning. Sometimes the change is almost infinitesimally small, but I still know it’s happening. This year involved a great deal of simply existing; and not much more. At times it was all I could do. But the moments when I was able to break through the milky membrane of that opaque, diluted paradigm of life that might have held me for a day, a week, a month, it was almost always because of one of the albums above. So for anyone who has had any part in making those records; and I include in that anyone who has listened to the artists, anyone who has bought tickets to see them, anyone who has bought or worn their merch or any other peripheral contributing activity, then I thank you all. Suffice to say, this applies tenfold to the people who tangibly made those records, though I suspect the chances of them reading this are somewhat more remote.
I was talking to a mate of mine earlier who was commenting on my having had a rough year, when he said “but that means you’ll have a great 2024!”. I don’t share his worldview nor optimism sadly, but I am certain that come good or bad, hell or high water, I will have moments in 2024 that are every bit as profound as some of those I’ve had in 2023 thanks to music that has been released at fortuitous times and speaks to me in a language I am naturally predisposed towards. The music I love isn’t just for the good times, it’s not just for the bad times, but it is for all the times.