Wall Of Sound Presents: “2023 YEAR IN REVIEW” – by Co-Editor/Deathcore Connoisseur Ricky Aarons
What a phenomenal year of new music it’s been. Starting with LPs, I am blown away by the quality of metalcore in particular - and this is coming from the deathcore guy. Currents, Invent Animate and Silent Planet have proven that modern metalcore can evolve beyond the mass-created cookie-cutter recipe. Of course, it’d be remiss of me not to include some deathcore pals like Chelsea Grin with an amazing part II record, Signs of the Swarm with a surprisingly amazing release as well as Thy Art Is Murder who, drama aside, released a remarkable album. With a somewhat diverse taste in heavy music, I’m also throwing in a triumphant return to melodeath from In Flames on the back of veteran members in The Halo Effect, proving the genre’s still very much alive. A token hardcore album from Gideon got my goose; throw a death metal record in the mix from Cattle Decapitation and then finally back to basics with the world’s biggest metal band - Metallica.
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2023
10. In Flames - Foregone9. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite8. Gideon - More Power. More Pain7. Thy Art Is Murder - Godlike6. Metallica - 72 Seasonshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDyDpdFZHBo5. Silent Planet - Superbloom4. Signs of the Swarm - Amongst the Low & Empty3. Chelsea Grin - Suffer in Heaven2. Invent Animate - Heavener1. Currents - The Death We Seekhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC7Z-3k7fsA&pp=ygUaY3VycmVudHMgdGhlIGRlYXRoIHdlIHNlZWs%3D
TOP 5 EPs OF 2023
Reflecting on EPs of the year, I surprised myself at how short the list is, particularly in a streaming era where more bands are releasing these compared to LPs. However, either way there were some gems along the way, notably one of my favourite new deathcore bands PSYCHO-FRAME who released a stunning debut, and are imminently releasing their sophomore. 5. Texas in July - Without Reason4. Better Lovers - God Made Me an Animal3. Impending Doom - Last Days2. Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear1. PSYCHO-FRAME - REMOTE GOD SEEKERhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXL8rxN1NrY&pp=ygUMcHN5Y2hvIGZyYW1l
TOP 10 SONGS OF 2023
Whilst an abundance of EPs didn’t agree with my algorithm this year, singles definitely did. An absolute marvel bunch of tracks were on rotation for me with aforementioned metalcore and deathcore bands featuring with praise, amongst some other zingers, including from Aussie bands like Make Them Suffer and Void of Vision, the former coming back from a turbulent How to Survive a Funeral / COVID era, and the latter coming out of the gate with something so experimental, yet so satisfying after a truly breakthrough LP (Chronicles). Void of Vision are on the way to becoming an arena band, trust me. Great to hear new tunes from Job For A Cowboy as well as my boys from Darko (US) who are non-stop with the new jams. Overall, a solid year for new singles. 10. Make Them Suffer - ‘Ghost Of Me’9. Void of Vision - ‘Angel of Darkness’8. Job For A Cowboy - ‘The Agony Seeping Storm’7. Cattle Decapitation - ‘We Eat Our Young’6. Darko (US) - ‘Rampage’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kw66An-lgc&pp=ygUQZGFya28gdXMgcmFtcGFnZQ%3D%3D5. Chelsea Grin - ‘Yhorm the Giant’4. Silent Planet - ‘Antimatter’3. Invent Animate - ‘Immolation of Night’2. Currents - ‘Vengeance’1. Signs of the Swarm - ‘Amongst the Low & Empty’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPEbV8T35k&pp=ygUqc2lnbnMgb2YgdGhlIHN3YXJtIGFtb25nc3QgdGhlIGxvdyAmIGVtcHR5
TOP 10 GIGS OF THE YEAR
When asked to compile three gigs, if not one single winner - I realised that 2023 was the year of gigs for me, so I included a whopping ten of them. There is too much to say about all of these live experiences, but if you dig around Wall of Sound, you’ll likely find some reviews of these killer performances. 10. Make Them Suffer w/Fit For An Autopsy & Ocean Sleeper9. Parkway Drive @ Knotfest8. Spiritbox w/Make Them Suffer7. Beartooth w/Pierce The Veil & Dayseeker6. Void of Vision w/Like Moths To Flames, Varials & Annalynnehttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/u88TTEET-Kw5. Earth Caller w/ AVIANA, CABAL & Apate4. Deafheaven w/Closure in Moscow & Suldusk3. Invent Animate w/Gloom in the Corner, Heavensgate & Vatic2. Currents w/Heavensgate, Vatic & Earthbound1. Thy Art Is Murder w/Whitechapel, Chelsea Grin & SPITE
MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR?
I mentioned Parkway Drive at Knotfest in my gig list above, but I’ve got to put it to the entire festival for delivering a truly gold-standard experience. As now ex-Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg shared with me at the Melbourne event, the festival is curated with a ‘bangers-only mentality’, and boy was it ever.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S2Iy0uq_NjM
NEX BIG AUSSIE ACT TO WATCH IN 2024?
With mention of Void of Vision set to explode to arenas and the like shortly, it’s worth mentioning Ocean Sleeper who are going to become a metalcore household name very soon. On the back of their EP Is It Better Feeling Nothing from last year, and singles like ‘Never The One’ and ‘Heaven’, they are set to explode in 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6TSGF1tE8o
FAV NEW BAND/MUSICIAN DISCOVERED IN 2023?
I was lucky enough to discover PSYCHO-FRAME this year who released REMOTE GOD SEEKER which is simply a decimation of the senses. The band are made up of members who you’ll know from other well-known bands and have some epic production quality. So keen to hear EP #2 from these guys.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Nb8Rb2JOU
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024?
The amount of gigs happening next year already is overwhelming, but I think it’s CVLTFEST that takes the cake, where Alpha Wolf brings back Emmure after a long hiatus from our country, as well as a debut visit from ten56. I am manifesting a visit from LornaShore as well as Metallica. Oh, and speaking of manifesting, is it even a year in review if I don’t mention a KirkHammett interview?Words by Ricky Aarons (@rickysaul90)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhUuWYbMY9w&t=18s
