2023 was a strange year for me, I think I spent most of this officially post pandemic year saying “is this what normal is supposed to be like now?”. As the world declared the end to the spicy cough and everywhere was once again open for business things in West Australia were a little different.Being the world's most isolated capital city has always had its challenges, but the tyranny of distance combined with skyrocketing costs meant many promoters got a bit gun shy and couldn’t justify the risk versus return sending bands across the Nullarbor.Unless of course you are Coldplay and the promoter was the State Government, then here’s a couple of million dollars to bore Perth punters to tears with Chris Martin’s incessant warbling, but I digress. A few international bands did make it across the hot sand and good times were had. I managed to catch a few local and international shows and it felt good to be back in the pit. By “in the pit”, I mean leaning against the bar nursing a pint of mid-strength because it was usually a school night.Live shows aside there was once again an avalanche of great heavy music released in 2023. In fact there was so much great music released my list of just 10 albums does not do justice to the music out there. But just like children you have to pick your favourites. So read on below for the music that got me banging my head, tapping my feet and dad-dancing across the kitchen floor.
TOP 10 RELEASES OF 2023
10 – Nita Strauss – The Call of the Void 9 – Sweet & Lynch – Heart & Sacrifice 8 – Doro - Conqueress - Forever Strong and Proud 7 – Sevendust – Truth Killer 6 – Mammoth – Mammoth IIhttps://youtu.be/kXylY7ACINI?si=i_k5sjbA8c5bdNPE5 – Sparks – The Girl is Crying in Her Latte4 - Avatar – Dance Devil Dance3 - Metallica – 72 Seasons2 – Metal Church – Congregation Annihilation1 – Voyager – Fearless in Lovehttps://youtu.be/agG7ShZGfJM?si=f9-JudLNvYVlM0om
TOP 10 SONGS OF 2023
10 – Polaris - ‘Nightmare’ 9 – Fierce Deity – ‘LEViARACH’ 8 – Sisters Doll – ‘Change’ 7- Sevendust – ‘Superficial Drug’ 6 - Saxon – ‘Hell, Fire and Damnation’https://youtu.be/v_XhxONGEJc?si=MvxZRnbSQC4VEaGn 5 – In This Moment – ‘Army of Me’4 – Doro (feat. Rob Halford) - ’Total Eclipse of the Heart’3 – Metal Church – ‘Pick a God and Prey’2 – Wildheart – ‘Solid Rock’1 – Judas Priest – ‘Trial by Fire’https://youtu.be/2YqZuo1WKk4?si=C5j5o_hUR8OmxuMF
BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF 2023
Bruce Dickinson – ‘Afterglow of Ragnorok’https://youtu.be/yulfvacpvTc?si=kYQsRVAk4aglitKO
TOP 3 GIGS OF THE YEAR
Stryper at Magnet House, PerthDevin Townsend at Metropolis, Fremantle - Review hereThe Iron Maidens at Amplifier, Perth - Review herehttps://www.instagram.com/p/CpfgrmoPp9R/?hl=en
MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR?
I live in Perth, we don’t do festivals
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NEX BIG AUSSIE ACT TO WATCH IN 2024?
Hidden Intent – if you’re a fan of old school thrash get these Adelaide legends on your radar. They have a fist full of releases under their belts with the last being 2021s Crocodile Dundee inspired Dead End Destiny. At time of writing the band were just finishing up an Australian tour with Brazilian thrash legends Sepultura which got them in front of thousands of new potential fans. Not a bad effort for a bunch of blokes from South Australia.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ7hsxVBgIM
FAV NEW BAND DISCOVERED IN 2023?
Polaris – lemme finish. I didn’t discover Polaris this year, but what I did discover was how far they have come as a band. I usually don’t give metalcore much attention at all. I may be getting soft in my old age but bugger me if when I plugged my ears full of Fatalism I didn’t almost have an aneurysm. This album goes to 11 and that’s pretty much were it landed in my top releases of 2023 list.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ccRrs_NAJE
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024?
Iron Maiden are touring (yes Perth show), Judas Priest have a new album dropping and Bruce Dickinson has been teasing us with his first new solo music in what feels like eons. So for me 2024 is all about going back to the future with some old school metal.Written by Gareth Williamshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEEm61impBY
