BravePicks 2023 - The Scribes Speak!
Rich Catino

Top 20 Of 2023
1) HAUNT – Golden Arm (Iron Grip Records)
2) HITTEN - While Passion Lasts (High Roller Records)
3) THEOCRACY - Mosaic (Atomic Fire)
4) GATEKEEPER – From Western Shores (Cruz Del Sur Music)
5) WINGER – Seven (Frontiers)
6) KAMELOT – The Awakening (Napalm)
7) EXTREME - Six (earMusic)
8) SATAN’S FALL – Destination Destruction (SPV)
9) BURNING WITCHES – The Dark Tower (Napalm)
10) SORCERER – Reign Of The Reaper (Metal Blade)
11) TYGERS OF PAN TANG - Bloodlines (Mighty Music)
12) METAL CHURCH – Congregation of Annihilation (Rat Pack)
13) NIGHT DEMON - Outsider (Century Media)
14) KK’S PRIEST – The Sinner Rides Again (Napalm)
15) COBRA SPELL- 666 (Napalm)
16) ENFORCER - Nostalgia (Nuclear Blast)
17) PRIMAL FEAR – Code Red (Atomic Fire)
18) OVERKILL – Scorched (Nuclear Blast)
19) DOKKEN – Heaven Comes Down (Silver Lining Music)
20) EXMORTUS - Necrophony (Nuclear Blast)

Top 5 Concerts Of 2023
KIX: The Final Show - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Maryland
HELLOWEEN/HAMMERFALL – Irving Plaza, NYC
SATAN/NIGHT DEMON/HAUNT - Dingbatz Clifton, New Jersey
TOM KEIFER BAND/WINGER/JOHN CORABI – Penns Peak, PA   
EXTREME/LIVING COLOUR – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, New Jersey

Top 5 Brave Embarrassments
STEEL PANTHER – On The Prowl (Steel Panther INC)
I can’t believe people still buy into and are genuinely entertained by this repetitive juvenile crap. But, must say they are great players and have potential to write great songs. Fun live in between song banter too. I do have a sense of humor. But there are so many great legitimate new glam metal bands like H.E.A.T., Eclipse, Crazy Lixx, Girish and the Chronicles, Hitten who deserve the attention.

LIZZY BORDEN – Death of Me single (Metal Blade)
This was the death of me, too, LOL. Ok, did I enter a time machine to the early 2000’s Ozzfest and the trendy industrial Hot Topic music?

NANOWAR OF STELL – Dislike To False Metal (Napalm)
Really?... there is more of this corny silly power metal aside from Dragonforce, Gloryhammer (yup, you can add their new album here too, Return To The Kingdom of Fife), Twilight Force and others. It’s what Steel Panther is to Glam Metal.

DEF LEPPARD With The Royal Phill Harmonic Orchestra – Drastic Symphonies (UMC)
More like Unlistenable Boredom, I know, Leppard are far from the same band who recorded those first three albums, even Hysteria. But, man, when you don’t rock nearly as hard as you did in the ‘80s for the last 20 plus years on new studio albums (aside from a handful of songs), you have the nerve to record with an orchestra too?

KING KOBRA – We Are Warriors (Deadline)
The sum of the parts Carmine Appice (drums), Johnny Rod (bass), guitarists Carlos Cavazo (ex Quiet Riot) and Rowan Robertson (ex Dio), and singer Paul Shortino could work, but not under the name King Kobra, because this is not. Doesn’t have the same feel as those first two (even III) albums, power, punch, or twin guitar harmonies.  Especially the voice. The whole album just sounds flat and bland, like another one and done super group “band”.

Thoughts On 2023
It’s come to that time when many of the pioneers and godfathers of hard rock and heavy metal music from the ‘70s and ‘80s are retiring. Or are they? I mean, you have been on the road for thirty, forty plus years. Sure, why not, enjoy all the years of hard work at home with the family, vacation where now you are not on and off tour busses and planes every day and weekends. But KISS, really, avatars?? Where is my eye roll emoji when I need one? At least if you want to keep the brand and music going in a live concert experience put four other people in the costumes and makeup and call it the KISS Experience. And yes, represent Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent too. No, not KISS, like “Pantera”, that’s a tribute to Pantera. Yup, I said it.

If you want to support new music, here's a recommendation, there are great channels on YouTube like NWOTHM Full Albums where I discovered Thriller, Nightwolf, Solitary Sabred and Air Raid and the New Wave of Old School Thrash Metal where I found names like Phantom and Cruel Force. 

What/Who Needs To Stop In 2024
Praying that this whole AI technology trend does not contaminate our hard rock and heavy metal music. It’s bad enough so many are relying on backing tracks in concerts as it is. And fans, stop complaining online that your favorite band(s) don’t sound good enough anymore, songs aren’t in the same (or lower) key, or the singer can’t sing like he/she used to, and then be a hypocrite and pay to see them in concert anyway. Stop living in the past, stop complaining, and just don’t buy a ticket. If you want a band to go away, don’t support them. Simple. Nothing is going to change unless you do something, don’t be a part of the problem, but part of the solution.

And stop saying “Oh, there is no new good hard rock and metal music today?”, or just relying on radio to tell you what music is out there. Support the next generation and give attention to your favorite podcasters and writers. We'll give you all the answers.

Metal Predictions For 2024
Lots of great tours are already booked for the winter and spring here in the U.S. on the east coast. KK’s Priest with L.A. Guns and Burning Witches, Blind Guardian and Night Demon, Extreme and Living Colour, Raven with Vicious Rumors, Saxon and Uriah Heep, Firewind, Ace Frehley with Angel, Girlschool Lillian Axe and Alcatrazz, Armored Saint and Queensrÿche, Judas Priest and Sabaton, and Iron Maiden in the fall. With that, good to see bands from the new generation like Burning Witches and Night Demon are finally getting on such tours and out of small clubs. 

Making for a happy Halloween, a new King Diamond, and Mercyful Fate albums? Savatage will finally deliver a new album, as Jon Oliva said? Some tour dates finally? The Judas Priest album Invincible Shield will be as solid as Firepower, with Redeemer Of Souls moments. New Nightwish album won’t be as bloated as the last one, back to basics and Once/Century Child? Ahem, hello Jeff Waters, please stop forgetting about us here in the US and book some Annihilator dates. Yeah Rolf from Running Wild, I’m talking to you too.

Read our BravePicks 2023 countdown where Obituary's Dying Of Everything took the throne at #1 here.

More Scribes Speak!:
Mark Gromen
Aaron Small
Greg Pratt
Nick Balazs
James Garvin
Carl Begai