User
Reviews 4 Approval 87%
Soundoffs 301 News Articles 5 Band Edits + Tags 379 Album Edits 181
Album Ratings 2267 Objectivity 71%
Last Active 12-31-22 8:46 pm Joined 03-14-17
Review Comments 9,773
| Top releases 2023 | 1 | | Periphery Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
This album delivers a great mixture of heaviness as well as high emotive resonance. Wax Wings finale moment is probably one of the best things I've heard this year, and the ending portion of Thanks Nobuo, as well as the bridge portion of Dracul Gras.. but like I say the heaviness is still in of course the lead single Wildfire, as well as Zagreus. Even songs that I really did not like upon first initial listening like Atropos and Silhouette have grown on me a ton. Atropos begins simple enough but then builds into this grand finale that is really visceral. Dying Star I have always loved, that is just fantastic and packs such an emotional punch. This album is definitely another great addition to Periphery's catalog, while I do still see the repetition, I like their sound too much to let that bog me down too much. | 2 | | Spiritbox The Fear of Fear
It's a very safe Spiritbox release in a lot of respects, but many of these songs are undeniable in terms of extremely memorable songwriting. Even the weakest song "Too Close / Too Late" I find humming in my head on occasion. Then theres Cellar Door and Angel Eyes, classic Spiritbox heavy sound, cant be mad at it. Ultraviolet as well as Jaded are easy song of the year contenders. | 3 | | Sleep Token Take Me Back to Eden
As someone who was not completely sold on Sleep Token with their previous records, this is the one that finally clicked. The production is fantastic, as well as the songwriting, and the vocals. This album has a lot of emotive resonance going on which is very captivating. I understand not liking it, what with the inclusions of modern pop sensibilities, and just Vessels voice as a whole, but this is easily one of the best albums I heard in 2023. My one issue is that it could have used more songs like Vore, the second half could have used more heaviness overall. | 4 | | Veil of Maya [m]other
Very much worth the wait, combination of metal and contemporary pop they've never done before. I think the album could have been even stronger if they included tracks like Members Only, and Outrun. | 5 | | Yeule softscars
Like if Grimes and Kero Kero Bonito had a baby, plus the vibrant efflorescent vibes of Porter Robinson's Nurture album along with hints of Chillstep maestro Blackmill. I have put off listening to Yeule for some time, but now I know how wrong I was in that decision. | 6 | | Softcult See You In The Dark
Another great EP from this Canadian duo. Dream pop with lots of catchy moments to keep me coming back, the emotive resonance is also very high. | 7 | | Harkla The Living Mountain
While I struggle to get into Thall at times, this was a slam dunk. Riffs are always a joy to groove along to, has plenty of melodic dynamism to keep me invested the whole way. | 8 | | Shrezzers SEX & SAX
Poppy fun metalcore + post-hardcore + sax solos. Great combination of styles. | 9 | | Unprocessed ...And Everything In Between
One of the more unique modern metalcore bands out there, comprising of math rock elements and odd song structuring. Great clean vocals, though random inclusions of death metal throughout the songs can be a bit jarring. | 10 | | Karmanjakah Ancient Skills
Gives me big The Contortionist Language vibes which is huge, cause that's easy top 5 album in my favorites of all time. This captures its essence while also incorporating something new with the thall like riffing, a very replayable EP though it does ever so slightly get repetitive throughout. | |
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