Where does the time go? 2023 seems like a blur as we continued to rebound from COVID, the music industry still struggling to get back on their feet. But metalheads have always been strong survivors and music ruled the day, with countless memorable albums and live shows happening more than ever! 

But lets celebrate! It is that time of the year to unveil our annual BravePicks countdown, where the devout scribes at BraveWords cast their votes at the hits and misses of the year! So who will be our #1? You’ll find out as we count down the BravePick Of 2023 each day in December! 

Everybody has an opinion and it’s time for ours! And stay tuned in January for the writers’ individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), What/Who Needs To Stop In 2023? and Metal Predictions For 2024. All will be showcased come the New Year!

BravePicks 2023

24) FROZEN SOUL - Glacial Domination (Century Media)

 

In the dry heat of Texas, Frozen Soul has been carving up icy death metal and when spring blossomed in May, an avalanche of snow came through with their second full-length, Glacial Domination. Leaps and bound ahead of their 2021 debut Crypt Of Ice, Glacial Domination expands on their Bolt Thrower-inspired death metal with guest appearances while churning out crushing riff after crushing riff with a dose of more melody in the solos.

There's no mistake this is still snowy, pummeling death metal as Frozen Soul continues to rise amongst the ranks of death metal. Glacial Domination hammers its way to #24.

BW’s Greg Pratt wrote in his review:

John Gallagher of Dying Fetus shows up in “Morbid Effigy”, not that you'd really notice, and “Annihilation” is a rare example of a cool instrumental interlude. Not that we're really talking about building atmosphere here: despite the band's cool icy theme, there's basically one sound here, and it's not as cold as I imagined it would end up being. 

It's Florida DM through and through, and it's done incredibly well, the slower grooves on cuts like the title track absolutely devastating, the all-important but often neglected vocal hooks prominent in the song “Frozen Soul”, everything here except much of a musical personality (although they're holding hard to the brrrr theme, as hilarious/awesome song title “Best Served Cold” proves).

BravePicks 2023 Top 30

24) FROZEN SOUL - Glacial Domination (Century Media)
25) HELLRIPPER - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (Peaceville)
26) HITTEN - While Passion Lasts (High Roller)
27) ENFORCER - Nostalgia (Nuclear Blast)
28) GATEKEEPER - From Western Shores (Cruz del Sur)
29) PRONG - State Of Emergency (SPV / Steamhammer)
30) KK'S PRIEST - The Sinner Rides Again (Napalm)