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

2) IMMORTAL - War Against All (Nuclear Blast)

 

Blashyrkh My Throne

A lone son of darkness has taken that throne. Immortal really cannot die. Despite the numerous legal battles over the name and the destruction of the band, guitarist Demonaz is now the one man army, wielding his slice of bitter, cold black metal.

War Against All just does that – declares war on all that left Immortal to the wolves. It’s pure Norwegian black metal that reminds of their classics At The Heart Of The Winter and Sons Of Northern Darkness while also blazing a frozen trail of icy blasts of blackness. Demonaz has the iron grip of Immortal and it couldn’t be in better hands as War Against All ravages our list at #2.

Scribe Nick Balazs remarked War Against All is “fresh without sounding like a caricature of past albums” – an excerpt of his review:

Taking cues from past efforts and a beefier, yet still cold production effort – Demonaz roars forth with cackled vocals of a murderous toad; he lacks the charisma of Abbath, but his harsh characteristics mesh with the music. With Enslaved’s Ice Dale on bass and additional guitars and Gaahl’s Wyrd’s drummer Kevin Kvåle on as session musicians, War Against All mashes the bitter frost of blast-beat induced black metal and the epic blackened heavy metal of Sons Of Northern Darkness.

“Wargod” radiates the latter with that fist-pumping, sublime mid-tempo groove that is basically arena black metal. The title tracks blasts the opening of the record with Demonaz on the warpath and following cut “Thunders Of Darkness” utilizes intriguing bass lines and continues an avalanche of punishment with hammering rhythms and rapid guitars. “No Sun” crushes with ferocious, dissonant guitars – Immortal really hitting their hasty groove on this one.

BravePicks 2023 Top 30

2) IMMORTAL - War Against Hall (Nuclear Blast)
3) KATAKLYSM - Goliah (Nuclear Blast)
4) MARDUK - Memento Mori (Century Media)
5) OVERKILL - Scorched (Nuclear Blast)
6) THEOCRACY - Mosaic (Atomic Fire)
7) EXTREME - Six (earMUSIC)
8) NIGHT DEMON - Outsider (Century Media)
9) CANNIBAL CORPSE - Chaos Horrific (Metal Blade)
10) METAL CHURCH - Congregation Of Annihilation (Rat Pak)
11) HAUNT - Golden Arm (Iron Grip)
12) BLACK STONE CHERRY - Screamin' At The Sky (Mascot)
13) CENTURY - The Conquest Of Time (No Remorse / Electric Assault)
14) GRIDLINK - Coronet Jupiter (Willowtip)
15) KAMELOT - The Awakening (Napalm)
16) MUTOID MAN - Mutants (Sargent House)
17) SOCIAL DECLINE - Beyond The Gates (Autotunes)
18) ANTHEM - Crimson & Jet Black (Reaper Entertainment / Ward)
19) WARMEN - Here For None (Reaper Entertainment)
20) BURNING WITCHES - The Dark Tower (Naplalm)
21) AGELESS SUMMONING - Corrupting The Entempled Plane (Dark Descent)
22) DANKO JONES - Electric Sounds (Bad Taste)
23) DIRTY HONEY - Can't Find The Brakes (Dirt)
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)