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

4) MARDUK - Memento Mori (Century Media)

 

Shovel Beats Sceptre

And Marduk reigns once again. The Swedish legion carved up a deathly blow of black metal with Memento Mori. The album is 42 minutes of beastly black metal, capturing the spirit and essence of the drama with a suffocating atmosphere, hellish vocals, buzzing guitars, and violent drums. It’s Marduk doing what they do best and doing it at a high level.

They continue to be one of the best in the genre as Memento Mori comes in at #4.

BW head honcho “Metal” Tim Henderson caught up with guitarist Morgan Håkansson for a feature story in September – an excerpt below:

BraveWords: So how do you approach new material, now? 

Håkansson: "I don't know how I approach it. I don't know, I mean, you work on music, you work on lyrics, but the most important thing is to make it become a unit. The music is reflected in the lyrics, and the other way around, and even the layout is reflected in the music. Everything, whatever you do should be a combined force." 

BraveWords: Jimmy Page came to town, to Toronto, within the last ten years, and in his book he said that every Led Zeppelin album started with the foundation, which was John Bonham, the drums. That was the first thing, and then everything was laid on top of that.

Håkansson: "Yeah yeah, That's why also when you work in music, I mean some people work, I mean, how is a song created? Some start with the drum idea, some start with the vocal line, sometimes you have some lyric lines and then you build from there. Every song, I think, is built in a completely different way. That's how it works."

BravePicks 2023 Top 30

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)