I am absolutely wrecked. We went into 2023 with the mentality of spreading ourselves across as much ground as possible and we not only achieved it, but we set the benchmark higher than ever imagined.From covering hundreds of albums/EPs and discovering an untapped collection of homegrown acts just waiting to be heard, all the way to venturing overseas to tackle some of the biggest events in heavy music history including Download Festival UK's 20th Anniversary. We/I also butchered Metallica's 'Master of Puppets' during karaoke at COPENHELL, witnessed the likes of Polaris, ParkwayDrive and Architects dominate the stage at Graspop in Belgium and even stepped the fuck up at Australia's first-ever KNOTFEST - with extensive coverage that not only shined a light on the bands performing... but YOU, the fans who make this all possible.I'm not gonna lie, it was tough and there were plenty of moments where I was personally ready to throw in the towel, but the feedback we are constantly getting from you is what drives us to keep going - so from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the entire Wall Of Sound team - thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement.We have a purpose because of you and we will not let you down in our mission to keep this scene alive and nurture the next generations of heavy acts coming through the gates, ready for your attention.
THE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2023
[gallery type="square" columns="5" ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/trophy-eyes-suicide-and-sunshine.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Beartooth_TheSurface_DSP-e1689833387524.png|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/polaris-fatalism-metalcore-new-album-2023-review-e1693188509142.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/blink-182-one-more-time-album-review-1.png|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FutureStaticLiminality.jpg|"]1. Trophy Eyes - Suicide & Sunshine 2. Beartooth - The Surface3. Polaris - Fatalism4. blink-182 - ONE MORE TIME...5. Future Static - Liminalityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0LJo2iunpo[gallery type="square" columns="5" ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/amity-affliction-not-wihtout-my-ghosts.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-5-1-e1665710131807.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/RedHook-Postcard-From-A-Living-Hell-Album-review.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/asking-alexandria-where-do-we-go-from-here.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TIW_Album@2x.jpeg|"]6. The Amity Affliction - Not Without My Ghosts7. Story of the Year - Tear Me To Pieces8. Redhook - Postcard From A Living Hell9. Asking Alexandria - Where Do We Go From Here?10. Paramore - This Is Whyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m127UkvDjrA[gallery type="square" columns="5" ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/sylosis.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/To-The-Grave-Directors-Cuts.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Chaos-Awaits-Destination-Sanchez-album-cover.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/TAIM_Godlike_1080.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/man-on-man-provincetown-album.jpg|"]11. Sylosis - A Sign Of Things To Come12. To The Grave – Director’s Cuts13. Chaos Awaits -Destination Sanchez14. Thy Art Is Murder - GODLIKE15. MAN ON MAN - Provincetown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbo2hpKU0WI[gallery type="square" columns="5" ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230517_000521.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Voyager-Fearless-in-Love.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ov-sulfur-the-burden-ov-faith.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/StaindAlbum.jpeg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/you-me-at-six-truth-decay-mixed-motions.jpg|"]16. Corey Taylor - CMF217. Voyager - Fearless In Love18. Ov Sulfur - The Burden Ov Faith19. Staind - Confessions of the Fallen 20. You Me At Six - Truth Decayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PQCFMB7eJk
THE TOP 10 EPs OF 2023
[gallery type="square" columns="5" ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Spiritbox-The-Fear-of-Fear-EP-review-2023.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Belle-Haven-Im-Not-Dead-yet.png|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SOLID-ROCK-SACRED-GROUND-FINAL-FRONT.jpeg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/337117585_101932986190990_9177745637039842936_n.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Harroway-I-Dont-Want-To-Be-Here-Anymore-EP.jpg|"]1. Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear2. Belle Haven - I’m Not Dead Yet3. Wildheart - 'Solid Rock // Sacred Ground'4. Earth Caller - Renormalization5. Harroway - I Don't Want To Be Here Anymorehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6R-ZjEgnlo[gallery type="square" columns="5" ids="https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/knosis-the-eternal-doom-ep-review-1.png|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BL_GMMAA_Final_3000px.jpg|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-1.png|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/what-lies-below-misguided-light.png|,https://wallofsoundau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/univs-so-loveless-2023.png|"]6. Knosis - The Eternal Doom7. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal8. LUNE - The Change Around Us & The Change In You9. What Lies Below - Darker Colors10. UNI/VS - Something Morehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Cz2KO-gpg
THE TOP 23 AUSTRALIAN SONGS OF 2023
1. Void of Vision - 'Angel of Darkness'2. Trophy Eyes - 'Sean'3. Polaris - 'Aftertouch'4. Vilify - 'Dread Addict'5. Wildheart - 'Solid Rock'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP3mV3eUaZM6. Alpha Wolf - 'Bring Back The Noise'7. Chaos Awaits - 'Irasshaimase Motherfucker!'8. The Beautiful Monument - 'Misery'9. Belle Haven - 'Hard Stare, Soft Touch'10. Make Them Suffer - 'Ghost of Me'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4OBt8UFgWY11. Future Static - 'Roach Queen'12. The Amity Affliction - 'Death & The Setting Sun'13. DIESECT feat. Misstiq - 'Mortal Skin'14. Those Who Dream - 'Apology'15. Ocean Sleeper - 'Never the One'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcrsv1Q3LYQ16. Windwaker - 'SIRENS'17. Benchcup feat. Amariah - 'Excess'18. Redhook - 'Tourist'19. Frenzal Rhomb - 'Where Drug Dealers Take Their Kids'20. Harroway - 'Origin'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmtIva6SsVk21. Earth Caller - 'Renormalize'22. UNI/VS - 'So Loveless'23. Drastic Park - 'HIVEMIND'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAnEABF9ZFU
THE TOP 5 COLLABORATIONS OF 2023
1. Beartooth feat. HARDY - 'The Better Me'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTKxGwjT182. Ez Mil feat. Eminem - 'Realest'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy_dzjijAk03. Pendulum feat. Matt Tuck - 'Halo'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3sn30XQhL44. BMTH feat. Lil Uzi Vert, Daryl Palumbo, Glassjaw - 'AmEN!'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TjcPpasesA5. Future Static feat. Sean Harmanis - 'Plated Gold' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SfS1sMSgB0
MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
COPENHELL // Copenhagen, DenmarkWhen we started planning our UK and European Festival assault, COPENHELL wasn't even on our radar. However following a recommendation from one of our fav international label pals, we chucked it on the list and it ended up being one of the BEST festival experiences I've ever personally had. From the boutique setting with 40,000 Danish metalheads going nuts all day (they'd come close to drinking us Aussies under the table), it proved that sometimes the best experiences are the ones you least expect.I would gladly go back in a heartbeat and am considering it for their 2024 edition - which looks just as wild!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNYr7FolizU&list=PLtEYeI-GCi_3Z-GeqvgcPA6dEFnIu3p8O&index=1
TOP 5 MUSIC FESTIVAL SETS OF 2023
Fun Fact: In 2023, I spent a total of 11 days attending music festivals in Australia, England (the UK), Denmark and Belgium (Europe, not the UK) - and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I will never get sick of the concept as each country offers something different and I can't tell you enough to venture outside of Australia and experience a world-class LARGE SCALE festival for yourself - they seriously make Aussie Fests look like School Fetes (analogy by Amy Simmons).Anyway, here are my favourite sets from my adventures through the gates...1. BMTH at Download Festival UKHands down, no competition at all. The bar has been set for not only festival sets, but EPIC showcases from here on out from this band and their peers.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbsfP043jjU2. Architects at Graspop, BelgiumNothing could prepare us for the absolute bedlam that ensured when the Brighton boys brought out Byron Bay icon WinstonMcCall for the debut live debut of 'Impermanence'. On top of that, SamCarter had the Graspop crowd in the palm of his hands from start to finish and this set will go down as the BEST Architects have ever performed in their entire history.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtmcR8wMkrH/3. Parkway Drive at Download UKHitting the stage before Slipknot on Day 4 in front of 100,000 punters is no small task... But keeping that momentum flowing for the entire duration, including an emotional rendition of 'Darker Still' to help us catch our breath certified Parkway's Metal Icon status... If they keep it up, it won't be long before they dethrone AC/DC as the biggest metal export from Australia!https://www.youtube.com/shorts/H0i_RvORkys4. Spiritbox at KNOTFEST, BrisbaneThe only band with a female on the lineup and they absolutely dominated. Seriously. No one batted an eyelid when Courtney LaPlante belted out those screams, guttural and cleans while the band played an inch-perfect set behind her. Together, they will take over the world and their first trip down under will be remembered for eons to come.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3NsY0j8sA8&t=802s5. Polaris at Graspop, BelgiumThink of the biggest crowd you've seen Polaris play in front of. Triple that and it may come close to what we experienced at Graspop. A huge tent with bodies flying everywhere and an overall wholesome feeling of 'home' from start to finish. These guys deserve all the success they've worked their arses off for and they're only just getting started. #RIPRyanSiewhttps://www.instagram.com/p/Ctob-0ysNAR/
GIG OF THE YEAR?
Beartooth at Riverstage, BrisbaneIt was only a few years ago Beartooth played second at this venue on The Amity Affliction's tour with PVRIS and Make Them Suffer. Not only did they sell it out this time around alongside Pierce The Veil and dayseeker, but I got to take my lil man to his first metalcore show (and behind the scenes when we interviewed frontman CalebShomo).Nothing will top getting to see the band that kept me alive, with the main reason I fight to stay on this earth every day.https://www.instagram.com/p/CvT7w50ygA0/?img_index=7
HORROR FILM OF THE YEAR
Talk To MeA truly frightening Aussie flick that will become a cult classic for years to come.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLAKJu9aJys
FAVOURITE NEW BAND/S DISCOVERED IN 2023
Local - Virtueshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLhbLSNoUrMNational - Benchcuphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzLG8vliKtIInternational - Many Eyeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVSi24Pb-ic
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NEXT BIG AUSSIE ACT TO WATCH IN 2024
Vilify.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dKEX1RMyQs
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024
Finally seeing the core trio of blink-182 at the same show (yes, I haven't seen Travis live). That'll kick off the year in style. CVLTFEST is gonna be huge for Brisbane's heavy scene, as will the return of KNOTFEST.I'm itching to hear new music from Alpha Wolf, Amy Shark, Vilify, Make Them Suffer, Architects, The Veronicas, Reliqa, Ocean Sleeper and Redhook just to name a few.In WoS world, there'll be magazines, more international music festivals covered, bigger and bolder content + our unwavering passion to discover and nurture new and upcoming talent both in Australia and beyond.It's also Wall Of Sound's 10th Anniversary next year... stay tuned!
Written by Paul ‘Browny’ BrownStalk Me on Instagram and Twitter and (for lols) TikTok
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