🌶️ To The Teeth: the very best heavy music of 2023

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Dec 23, 2023

Welcome to the To The Teeth newsletter! A special edition of your weekly update of new heavy music. You can listen to (almost) everything in the playlist on Spotify. If you like what you read, go to Patreon (receive a patch!) & Bandcamp (buy a patch!). Peppers are hot 🌶️!

Hey so, I thought I’d do it a little different this year. There is of course the classic list of everything (heavy) I loved this year, but you’ll find a few extra lists of subgenres too. Just to keep it interesting for the both of us. I’ve heard more black, death and prog/post metal I liked this year so I picked ten of those, and then five for other subgenres I liked. I’m cutting a few corners, but if you guys drink enough I bet I could make an argument for every single album and the category they’re lumped in.

Don’t forget to tell me what you missed and what you liked in the comments! It’s my birthday so be nice.

🦍The best heavy records of 2023

Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current
Bell Witch - Future's Shadow 1: The Clandestine Gate
Vórtize - Desde Bajo Tierra
Marble Dagger - Marble Dagger
Liturgy - 93696
MSpaint - Post-American
Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis
Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
Ulthar - Anthronomicon / Helionomicon
Baroness - Stone
Yellow Eyes - Master's Murmur
Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
Agriculture - Agriculture
Ringarë - Of Momentous Endless Night
Portrayal of Guilt - Devil Music
Taake - Et Hav av Avstand
Blood Abscission - I
Filth is Eternal - Find Out
Altai-Sayan - Sängke-Tūrem Najt Mut-Moräh
Ahab - The Coral Tombs
Oozing Wound - We Cater to Cowards
Pest Control - Don’t Test The Pest
Palace of Worms - Cabal
Weald & Woe - For The Good of the Realm
Furia - Huta Luna

🗡 The best black metal of the year

Here’s your fucking christmas decorations

🌶️ Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current

Avantgarde black, Norway (Peaceville)

FFO: Arcturus, Ved Buens Ende, Fleurety

An album I’ll want to hear for years to come. So much depth, layers, intensity and emotion. A beautiful, beautiful record. I was completely overtaken with the first single, and I couldn’t believe how magically good the rest was. They’ve elevated the whole avantgarde black subgenre to another level. And not with technical or experimental prowess (see some other releases below), but by weaving their weirdness with pure humanity.

🌶️ Marble Dagger - Marble Dagger

Neofolk/black, France (Solar Asceticists)

FFO: Hexvessel, Code, Mosaic

A dark horse. Marble Dagger blends neofolk and black metal. That’s not quite unheard of, but main man Antoine Kerbérénès does the most important thing: he writes great songs. Just five of them, but each one is full of great hooks, cool vocals and a distinct atmosphere that totally sets Marble Dagger apart. More of this please!

🌶️ Liturgy - 93696

Avantgarde black, USA (Thrill Jockey)

FFO: Krallice, Bosse-de-Nage, Agriculture

The album I hoped Liturgy would make. It’s epic and as grandiose as a cathedral, and sometimes it raises all the hairs on my body out of sheer beauty. A work of art that, I have been told, is not particularly easy to digest. But honestly to me this album feels like a warm shower, just enveloping me with perfectness. That 93696 is recorded and produced by total hero Steve Albini helps, too.

🌶️ Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis

Avantgarde black, Canada (Dark Descent)

FFO: Dodecahedron, Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord

Now this is really not easy to digest. So much so, that I had a hard time getting into it at first, even though I loved their previous work. Knotty song structures, tempo’s that creep up on you, disorienting melodies, and at times a suffocatingly dense atmosphere. But with multiple listens, Hive Mind Narcosis grew on me. As it goes with truly great albums.

🌶️ Agriculture - Agriculture

Post-black, USA (The Flenser)

FFO: Deafheaven, Liturgy, Bosse-de-Nage

Agriculture could’ve doubled down on their promising first ep, but they didn’t settle and moved forwards, upwards and outwards. That last song, ‘Relier’, is just black metal perfection, but especially because the whole album works so well.

🌶️ Ringarë - Of Momentous Endless Night

Atmoblack, USA/Sweden (Avantgarde Music)

FFO: Chaos Moon, Evilfeast, Emperor

An epic and super dreamy album. I just want to move to a snowy forest and listen to nothing else for a while. Extra points for the drummer, because: whoa.

🌶️ Taake - Et Hav av Avstand

Black, Norway (Dark Essence)

FFO: Darkthrone, Tsjuder, Immortal

I didn’t think I would like a Taake album as much (or well, almost) as Noregs Vaapen, but this is just fantastic riff after fantastic riff.

🌶️ Blood Abscission - I

Atmoblack, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (self released)

FFO: Mare Cognitum, Spectral Lore, Vanum

“The individual(s) in Blood Abscission wish to remain anonymous in name an place,” they told me in an email. Mysterious. But it’s clear that this is someone(s) with an ear for the perfect black metal riff, because there are a few of those in every song on this thing.

🌶️ Altai-Sayan - Sängke-Tūrem Najt Mut-Moräh

Atmoblack, USA (self released)

FFO: Trhä, Drudkh, Paysage d’Hiver

Black metal can be so strange, so otherworldly and so beautiful at the same time. Altai-Sayan is a mezmerizing, totally unique project, formed by a 19 year old woman from Texas (if the Metal Encylopedia is correct). The first song is one of the most beautiful black metal songs of the year, and why does ending with a total leftfield electronic track work so well? Also, hat tip to the horses.

🌶️ Weald & Woe - For The Good of the Realm

Melodic black, USA (Fiadh Productions)

FFO: Obsequiae, Véhémence, Mystras

Nothing will ever beat Obsequiae, but these guys come damn close. Castle metal with just the right amount of cheese, that gets balanced by musicality, agressiveness and great ideas.

⚰ The best death metal

‘Yeah so when my pc goes in sleep mode it doesn’t seem to react at all, and only a hard reset works. Maybe the driver needs an update?’

🌶️ Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit

Death, Canada (20 Buck Spin)

FFO: Blood Incantation, Ulthar, Vastum

When musicians like these take their already razorsharp death metal into uncharted territories, we’re in for an adventure. The Enduring Spirit reveals something new every listen, and they still manage to sound like Symbolic-era Death (best era) when they want to - check out ‘Servants of Possibility’.

🌶️ Ulthar - Anthronomicon & Helionomicon

Blackened death, USA (20 Buck Spin)

FFO: Tomb Mold, Sulphur Aeon, Vastum

I’m lumping these two together, because if this is not a double album, I don’t know what is. A long and complex, but very rewarding listen. (Here’s Helionomicon).

🌶️ Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium

Progressive death, USA (Season of Mist)

FFO: Death, Sweven, Chapel of Disease

Horrendous had already succesfully left behind most of the beaten death metal paths, and now they’re free as birds to take their music wherever they want. It’s a lot of fun to follow where they go and hear how easy they adapt all kinds of influences into their sound. Worth the wait!

🌶️ Palace of Worms - Cabal

Death/doom, USA (Acephale Winter Productions)

FFO: Leviathan, Pale Chalice, Arcturus

It’s really hard to pin down this album, and that’s good. There are pieces of BMD-era Katatonia, weird Arcturus-ish passages, there are breakbeats, there’s stomping, doomy death metal, gothic beauty.... A worthy swansong to a special kind of band.

🌶️ Sanguine Glacialis - Maladaptive Daydream

Melodeath/gothic, Canada (WormHoleDeath)

FFO: Seven Spires, Ignea, Cradle of Filth

Melodic death with a gothic sauce. Not very complex, but a style that is hard to really nail because it gets cheesy and boring fast. But not with Sanguine Glacialis: these guys nail it, with great songs and perfect atmosphere. And is there a sax solo?? Well maybe!

🌶️ Vastum - Inward to Gethsemane

Death, USA (20 Buck Spin)

FFO: Necrot, Ulthar, Tomb Mold

A band as trustworthy as death itself. But, much like a lot of bands in this list, they didn’t settle for a rerun of what they’ve done before. Forward thinking death metal is the future!

🌶️ Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed

Melodeath, USA (20 Buck Spin)

FFO: In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates

Ok but this isn’t forward thinking at all, this is nostalgic as hell. Majesties (with members of Obsequiae, Inexorum and Noltem) love nineties melodeath and they try to act as if nothing happened since. Like my clothing style.

🌶️ Blood Incantation - Luminescent Bridge

Death, USA (Century Media)

FFO: Tomb Mold, Morbid Angel, Death

Just two songs: one death metal and one ambient, and they both are very good in their own way, maybe even better than they’ve ever done before on both ends...

🌶️ Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals Review

Blackened death, Germany (Ván Records)

FFO: Ulthar, Behemoth, Bølzer

I don’t know what that is. It must be the grossest artwork in this list, and I wouldn’t recommend playing the album at diner. Or would you? Maybe if octopus is on the menu..

🌶️ Grotesqueries - Vile Crematory

Death, USA (Caligari Records)

FFO: Autopsy, Obituary, Dismember

Life doesn’t have to be complicated. Grotesqueries, a one-man affair, just brings the tasty riffs and he brings a lot of ‘em.

🌶️ Outer Heaven - Infinite Psychic Depths

Death/hardcore, USA (Relapse)

FFO: Gatecreeper, Kruelty, Cannibal Corpse

Super dynamic, riffy death metal that’s both old- and new school.

🤓 The best proggy/posty

🌶️ Baroness - Stone

Progressive sludge, USA (Abraxan Hymns)

FFO: Mastodon, Intronaut, Kylesa

I didn’t expect my new favourite Baroness song to be an acoustic tune, but here we are. ‘Bloom’ is just beautiful. The whole album is, thanks to a band that is finally a band again. (Read my interview in Dutch)

🌶️ Yellow Eyes - Master's Murmur

Experimental industrial folk, USA (Gilead Media)

FFO: Coil, Sunrise Patriot Motion, Death in June

Yellow Eyes do black metal. They’re one of my favourites in the genre, if not my absolute favourite. But just like with side-project Sunrise Patriot Motion last year, the Skarstad-bro’s and co felt they had more in them than riffs and screams. They did! This is a hypnotic and ritualistic blend of folk, industrial, dungeon synth and black metal, and it’s totally captivating and addictive.

🌶️ Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars

Prog rock/alternative/gothic, Sweden (Napalm Records)

FFO: Opeth, Anathema, Amorphis

Katatonia surely would’ve made one of the best albums of this year, if they hadn’t already done that a few times before. This record has to compete with the fantastic output they had the last few years. Still, don’t get me wrong: this is great and songs like ‘Austerity’, ‘Opaline’ and ’Birds’ are absolute standouts this year.

🌶️ Ignea - Dreams of Lands Unseen

Symphonic prog, Ukraine (Napalm Records)

FFO: Lacuna Coil, Orphaned Land, Eleine

A late addition to my list. I had one of their songs on a playlist when it hit me, and since then I found myself returning to this album again and again. It’s a little rough around the edges, but man those melodies are superb. Great vocals too.

🌶️ Krallice - Porous Resonance Abyss

Avantgarde/progressive black, USA (self released)

FFO: Thantifaxath, Serpent Column, Jute Gyte

Great times to be a Krallice fan. They’re shooting out albums like a seahorse their little seahorses. And you never know what you’re getting: synth-Krallice? Intricate tech-Krallice? Doomy black-Krallice? It’s all worth your time. This one really, eh, resonated with me.

🌶️ Voyager - Fearless in Love

Prog, Australia (Season of Mist)

FFO: Leprous, Vola, Caligula’s Horse

Voyager is more than just fun. They’re great fun! And with such good songwriting skills, they should’ve won the Eurovision. At least they won my heart.

🌶️ Cicada the Burrower - Blight Witch Regalia

Progressive post-black, USA (Blue Bedroom Records)

FFO: Victory over the Sun, Bríi, Liturgy

It’s incredible how fast and natural this one-woman act switches moods and atmospheres on this album. Sometimes the rhythm, melody and intensity shouldn’t really work together, but they absolutely fucking do.

🌶️ Laster - Andermans Mijne

Experimental post-black, The Netherlands (Prophecy Productions)

FFO: Grey Aura, Ved Buens Ende, Code

The experiment here is just really good melodies. Laster makes their songs almost dancable, but still played with a black metal approach. Or the other way around. Or upside down. Or inside out. I’m not you, drunk are.

🌶️ Hexvessel - Polar Veil

Psychedelic folk rock/black, Finland (Svart Records)

FFO: Ulver, Sólstafir, Oranssi Pazuzu

Almost a ritual. It has the flourishes of the black metal Kvohst was once a central figure in, but mixed with psychedelic doom and gothic.

🌶️ Enslaved - Heimdal

Prog viking black, Norway (Nuclear Blast)

FFO: Borknagar, Sólstafir, Ihsahn

Silky progressive metal with such a distinct, unique sound. You could recognize an Enslaved tune from miles away. Another album where they push that sound a little bit further and that’s just what I like.

🐢 The best doom

🌶️ Bell Witch - Future's Shadow 1: The Clandestine Gate

Funeral doom, USA (Profound Lore)

FFO: Mournful Congregation, Evoken, Samothrace

I already thought this was a beautiful, intense album, when I saw them play it live. If you get the chance, please go see them. An absolute experience, bordering life changing. Unpopular opinion: I think this one is better than Mirror Reaper (and I’ve seen them play that one in full, too!). It flows so well, builds up tension with layer upon layer, very subtly shifts and moves, and all the while it never lets you go. (Read my interview in Dutch)

🌶️ Ahab - The Coral Tombs

Funeral doom, Germany (Napalm Records)

FFO: Mournful Congregation, Evoken, Skepticism

Is there a better way to start a funeral doom album than asking a black metal band to open it for you? What a blast! The rest of the album follows suit, Ahab knows how to keep your attention with 8 and 10-minute plus songs.

🌶️ Mournful Congregation - The Exuviae of Gods II

Funeral doom, Australia (Osmose Productions)

FFO: Bell Witch, Ahab, Thergothon

A little more classic funeral doom than Bell Witch, although Mournful Congregation has guitar leads that would fit any heavy metal act. That doesn’t mean you can headbang to this, oh no. Just give up, and let the congregation take you away. I Can’t wait for another proper full length.

🌶️ Convocation - No Dawn for the Caliginous Night

Funeral doom/death, Finland (Everlasting Spew)

FFO: Skepticism, Evoken, Atramentus

I guess this is what you get when you put members of Desolate Shrine and Wasted Space Orchestra together. Incredibly heavy, psyched out doom. Very impressive.

🌶️ Green Lung - This Heathen Land

Stoner/doom, UK (Nuclear Blast)

FFO: Black Sabbath, Elder, Ghost

When you’re such good songwriters as Green Lung are, I’ll fall head over heals for this more traditional doom style. Just, man, great songs. That’s all you need sometimes.

🗑 The best thrash

🌶️ Pest Control - Don’t Test The Pest

Crossover thrash, UK (Quality Control)

FFO: Power Trip, Municipal Waste, Iron Reagan

I don’t use the word often nor do I like it, but the title track on this is a banger. Great vocals, great riffs, extremely high energy, super artwork. Perfect thrash record.

🌶️ Trastorned - Into the Void

Thrash, Chile (Dying Victims)

FFO: Sepultura, Kreator, Dark Angel

I’m telling you: Chile is the future of music. I’m at a point where if I read ‘Ch..’ I’ve already pressed play. Trastorned is no exception: high tops, ragged denim, unnecessary echo’s, lots of sweat and riffs.

🌶️ Demoniac - Nube Negra

Blackened thrash, Chile (Edged Circle)

FFO: Kreator, Solipnosis, Vektor

Another scorcher from… Chile. I really enjoyed their 2020 album So It Goes, and this one steps it all up a bit. And luckily, the clarinet stayed. (Fun fact: that hand on the cover is literally copypasted from Peter Gabriel’s eponymous second album)

🌶️ Metallica - 72 Seasons

Thrash, USA (Blackened)

FFO: Megadeth, Motörhead, Anthrax

I know what people think of modern Metallica. I know. And I don’t care. I though Hardwired was really impressive and this new album seems a natural next move. Sure, I wish they had trimmed down the songs and the album as a whole a bit, it would’ve made this better. But the longest song, ‘Inamorata’, is a pure gem and worthy alone of landing on this list.

🌶️ Skourge - Torrential Torment

Thrash/crossover, USA (Lockin’ Out Records)

FFO: Power Trip, Fugitive, Obituary

Very, very heavy crossover thrash that came on my radar thanks to singer Seth Gilmore’s involvement in Fugitive (ex-Power Trip). He’s no Riley Gale but has his own whole armament to fire at a swirling circle pit. Bitching artwork too.

😤 The best hardcore/metalcore/noise

We don’t need the Melvins, we have the Melvins at home. The Melvins at home:

🌶️ MSpaint - Post-American

Hardcore, USA (Convulse Records)

FFO: Turnstile, Militarie Gun,

Where are the guitars? That’s right, MSPaint does it with synthesizers. Not a gimmick though - their sound is as unique as it is catchy, and I’ve been listening to this brilliant album far more than I expected when I first stumbled upon them.

🌶️ Portrayal of Guilt - Devil Music

Hardcore/black metal, USA (Run For Cover)

FFO: Cult Leader, Candy, KEN Mode

The fact this band is hard to predict is part of the attraction. I don’t think I’ve loved a release of them this much before though. The fact they rearranged all the songs on this record for an orchestra for the second half is bonkers, but perfectly done. How the hell does that work so well?

🌶️ Filth is Eternal - Find Out

Hardcore, USA (MNRK)

FFO: Pupil Slicer, Buggin, He Whose Ox is Gored

I love it when a hardcore band riffs so hard. That opening riff? It’s almost Machine Head. Add gnarly vocals and the sick rhythm section to drive it all forward, and I’m in.

🌶️ Oozing Wound - We Cater to Cowards

Noise/thrash/hardcore, USA (Thrill Jockey)

FFO: KEN Mode, Yautja, Helms Alee

I think this was the hardest band to categorize. The music hit me instantly though. A grungy, thrashy, noisey blend with pissed off vocals and good humour. Do not follow them on Instagram for their WRONG takes on nineties classic albums. But do listen to this album.

🌶️ KEN mode - Void

Noise/sludge/hardcore, Canada (Artoffact)

FFO: Chat Pile, Swans, Converge

KEN Mode kind of lost me the last couple of releases, but a great live show convinced me to give their newest another try, and it really won me over. Dark and brooding, and very intense.

⚔ The best heavy metal

If you don’t like the music, there’s at least this picture to gaze upon.

🌶️ Vórtize - Desde Bajo Tierra

Heavy, Chile (self released)

FFO: Demoniac, Letalis, Tower

Some days, this was at the top of my year list. Easily one of the most exciting albums I’ve heard this year. I’m happy as a child with this project from Demoniac (somewhere else in this list too) frontman Javier Ortiz. It’s varied, passionate and super fun. You come for the whistle solo (I know I did) but stay for fire riffs and epic choruses. What a project. And again: Chile, goddamnit!

🌶️ Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar

Heavy/black, Slovakia (Invictus Productions)

FFO: Master’s Hammer, Mercyful Fate, Darkthrone

No one sounds like Malokarpatan. Folk, heavy, black, weirdo other stuff... it’s all in this restless album. There is not a moment they keep their eyes off the ball though, everything they do is for a greater good: good songs.

🌶️ Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold

Heavy/power, Greece (No Remorse)

FFO: Blind Guardian, Helloween, Hammerfall

I dare you to listen to this and not feel like a fucking boss.

🌶️ Cirith Ungol - Dark Parade

Epic/heavy, USA (Metal Blade)

FFO: Manilla Road, Trouble, Satan

Active since 1971 and then still release such great albums. How. I haven’t seen these guys live unfortunately, so I don’t know how singer Tim Baker does this live. But man he - born in 1956 - has impressive vocals. Fun fact? He started out as the band’s roadie.

🌶️ Smoulder - Violent Creed of Vengeance

Heavy/doom, Canada/Finland (Cruz Del Sur)

FFO: Eternal Champion, Crypt Sermon, Gatekeeper

The highlight here is without a doubt singer Sarah Ann. A superb, imposing voice that sometimes seem to fly out of control, but never does. It makes for a great listen. The abundance of tasty riffs help, too.

Did you really make it this far? You’re a hero. Thanks so much for reading, and do check out the playlist with the 101 best songs of the year. Cheers! <3