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40. Decadence Dust – Lighthouse
This breezy Gothic rock/metal/pop album became an earworm instantly. I love the strong choruses and the flowing, beautiful nature of the music. There aren’t many bands making music like this anymore, and that makes me sad.
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39. Angie Haze – Time Thief
Angie’s quirky music is bested only by her social commentary and great vocals. This album is poetic and catchy, and it deserves more attention.
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38. Anubis Gate – Interference
This has all the drive and power that I love from this band, but the clean and fresh modern sound was not harmed in the process. This one is such a fun album to listen to, and the little vocal touches and strong guitars are the icing on the cake.
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37. The Fierce & the Dead
– News from the Invisible World
TFATD are back with vocals? I was shocked, too, but the album ended up meshing sweaty hard rock vibes with excellent choruses, and the whole thing feels like the birth of a new band.
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36. Johan Niemann – Karnivore
Johan delivered the goods with this instrumental work full of crazy bass lines and video game-esque keyboard melodies. Some of the tracks remind me of the score to one of my favorite games, Perfect Dark, and so I really fell for it. I’ve listened to this one countless times over the last year.
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35. Ophelia Sullivan
– Disposable Identity
Ophelia’s new solo work is chock full of raw lyrics, layered songs, and sheer willpower. I love every song on it.
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34. Bosco Sacro – Gem
This album is dark and even strange, but in the same ways Dead Can Dance fits those labels, and so I loved it. I really like the rich lyrics, but the subtlety that powers the whole thing is what really arrests my attention. You won’t find bombast here, but instead throw on some headphones and enter a new world.
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33. Vanishing Kids – Miracle of Death
Vanishing Kids returned with a delicious slice of doom/classic metal, and it did not disappoint. I love the guitar work and the vocals are unique and outstanding, as well. This might take a couple listens, but it is a grower.
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32. Elysion – Bring Out Your Dead
Elysion’s latest really grabbed me last year. Each and every song has potential to get caught in your brain for days on end. It is an emotional, heavy, and wonderful record.
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31. The Anchoret
– It All Began With Loneliness
The Anchoret really made a splash in 2023 with their progressive rock/metal debut. You’ll hear a wide array of influences, and all of it is connected flawlessly and beautifully. Keep your eye on this band.
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30. IONS – Counterintuitive
Fresh and modern, IONS released a debut that is difficult to put down, so to speak. It features plenty of desperately catchy tracks, but also longer and more complex pieces that will stay with you even longer. This album deserves more attention.
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29. Teeth of the Sea – Hive
This might be the best Teeth of the Sea album yet. I love the sense of artistry they’ve developed in their melodies and storytelling abilities. I love how serene parts of this album are, but also how wild other portions can be.
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28. Deposed King – One Man’s Grief
This debut is a hidden gem of 2023, no question. Deposed King will please fans of Porcupine Tree and Riverside, but they have their own spin, and each track refuses to repeat the same old-same old, so what we have here is an album that is diverse and yet familiar. With beautiful vocals and a terrific cover, this album needs more ears to hear it.
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27. Hemina – Romancing the Ether
Hemina brought their ongoing storyline to a close in a 35-minute, one track album that absolutely rocks. With sensational transitions and genre changes, and amazing vocals like always, Hemina may have released their best album yet.
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26. Mariusz Duda – AFR AI D
Mariusz has long been an electronic artist, but his latest may be his best. With a sort of Lunatic Soul meets Oldfield meets Vangelis vibe, this album is layered and meaningful and strong.
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25. Host – IX
A spinoff of Paradise Lost, this is basically a Gothic New Wave album. It is a flowing and catchy with grey tones, rather than complete darkness. You’ll find plenty of terrific choruses to love here, too.
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24. Soda Blonde – Dream Big
One of the best art pop albums of the year, this Irish release has some of the catchiest tunes of 2023, but also some burgeoning, strange pieces, too. Give it a chance, and I’ll think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
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23. Chasms – Glimpse of Heaven
There’s just something so beautiful about this hazy, haunting work from Chasms. I love the ethereal music and wonderful textures, and there are hooks galore. It makes for a soothing and highly enjoyable experience.
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22. Dream the Electric Sleep
– American Mystic
DTES have multiple terrific albums under their collective belt, but this might be their best. These songs are tightly written, passionately performed, and just so good. Don’t let it fly beneath your radar.
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21. Single Celled Organism
– Event Horizon
Single Celled Organism returned with their best album yet, one full of emotion and fantastic instrumental passages. I loved this album more than I expected, and you can sense the work and passion that went into creating it.
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20. Kamelot – The Awakening
This is the best Kamelot album with Tommy on vocals, that much is certain to me. I love the ambience and focused songs; Tommy feels like he’s finally ready to stop filling the shoes of the past, and instead is doing his own thing, which Seventh Wonder fans will definitely love, too. All in all, this is my favorite Kamelot album in many years.
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19. The Twenty Committee
– The Cycle Undone
Yet another long-awaited album, this second offering from The Twenty Committee is full of spellbinding keyboards and ferocious guitars, not to mention wonderful vocals. Fans of classic progressive rock definitely need to take a look.
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18. Einar Solberg – 16
Einar’s debut solo album ended up being diverse and quite interesting. Containing some of the best hooks of the year, this one is a pleasure to listen to, and there’s something for everyone.
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17. Southern Empire – Another World
Southern Empire returned with a new vocalist, namely Shaun Holton of Projected Twin, and the results are fantastic. With grace and warmth, and of course amazing vocals, this one caught many listener’s ears, and I hope it continues to get more attention.
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16. Half Shell – The Great Truth
This was the surprise of the year for me. Half Shell’s debut is a lumbering, melodic beast with a terrific rhythm section and outstanding vocals. It may sound a little different than what you are used to, but give it time and it will hook you.
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15. Ché Aimee Dorval – The Crowned
I know Ché’s work primarily from Devin Townsend, and this new solo album completely blew me away last year. With a deep sense of soul, this album has the hooks, the flair, and the vocals to please anyone.
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14. Myrkur – Spine
This one has moved steadily up my list over the last couple months. I like Myrkur’s past albums quite a bit, but this is the first one that has become an earworm for me. I can’t get enough of the shades of black and Gothic metal mixed with pop and folk. The lyrics, too, are raw and human. I love this album so much.
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13. Riverside – ID.Entity
My beloved Riverside released another album last year, and it proved two things: they are still advancing musically, and Maciej has come into his own as the new guitarist. This is a fresh and spacey slice of Riverside that did not disappoint.
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12. Thomas Bergersen
– Humanity, Chapter V
Bergersen continues to release his Humanity albums—only two remain. Chapter V proved to be one of the greatest yet with the best vocally-driven songs of the series and some of the biggest sweeping moments, too. I’m really looking forward to the next two parts.
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11. Lord of Shadows – Echoes of Yore
Lord of Shadows is another work from Heike Langhans and Mike Lamb, guided by Shadows Valentine, and it feels like a celebration of the most Romantic, honorable Gothic doom metal you can imagine. It is such a fantastical experience with amazing vocal performances and excellent lyrics.
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10. Insomnium – Anno 1696
This Insomnium album just won’t let me go. I love concept, I love the fierce and driving nature of the album, and I love the whiskers of melody that pervade the entire thing.
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9. Giantsky – II
This hovering beauty is the new album from Giantsky, a project from Erlend of the band Soup. If you know that band, you’ll understand the sheer ethereal nature of this music, and this album takes that even further with unfiltered bliss and tremendous keyboard atmospheres that will bring a tear to your eye.
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8. Harp – Albion
Another long-awaited record, Harp’s debut is reserved and organic in all the best ways. It is punctuated by warm choruses and tightly written keyboard solos, and so the album is a treasure. I can’t get enough.
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7. Susanne Sundfør – blómi
Susanne returned with something that is more than an album. It is a celebration of humanness, of the relationships between people, and our relationship with the Earth. This profound work of art is like a lighthouse in a storm.
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6. Ignea – Dreams of Lands Unseen
I knew Ignea would be in my top 10 pretty early in the year, and that’s because of how strong this album truly is. With phenomenal vocals, well-conceived songs, and various instruments and ethnic genres in play, this album is something special.
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5. The Emerald Dawn – In Time
Even after all these months, I’m still struggling to describe this wonderful album. The Emerald Dawn have their own thing going, and in that shadowy and dream world of theirs, veteran performances abound. There is just something so haunting and yet comforting about their unique sound that keeps me coming back for more, or has me throwing on the album when I’m in a stressful spot.
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4. Silent Skies – Dormant
Silent Skies’ third offering sees the duo advancing further into their fluid and artistic stream of passion. The keys are better than ever; Tom’s lyrics and vocals are outstanding, as always. Even the covers are great. This album is the whole package.
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3. Sleep Token – Take Me Back to Eden
If you had told me at the beginning of 2023 that a Sleep Token album would be on this list, I would have laughed. But here it is, one of my favorite albums of the year without any doubt in my mind. This band’s undeniable energy and fusion of genres is addictive and ritualistic and heavy, and there’s just something so satisfying about it. Even my son is a huge fan.
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2. ISON – Stars and Embers
I probably listened more to this album than to any other in 2023, and that is because of how rich and spacious and beautiful it is. ISON continues their streak of amazing albums, new singer in tow, and the entire affair is so magical and uplifting and cosmic. I love every second.
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**1. Earthside – Let the Truth Speak**
One of the most highly anticipated releases of the year, Earthside’s second offering is a success in every way imaginable. From the walls of cinematic might to the technical brilliance of the performances to the emotions of the lyrics, this album bests their debut and is certainly my favorite album of 2023.
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The PROG Mind 