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The amount of excellent heavy rock that came out this year was overwhelming.
Truly, the amount of music in general that was released in 2023 was more than I could possibly keep up with. I gave up trying to do a weekly pick and just started this list earlier than usual because it was all too much. And then a strange thing happened – my list became filled with bands I didn’t know or never heard before. In fact, I’d say the bulk of the list is surprises instead of the usual sprinkling of fun finds. Pleasant surprises, to be sure. I hope you see some of your favorites from the past year here, and if not may some of these become new favorites.
The usual disclaimer – these are not my attempt at picking the best albums of 2023, but instead this list represents the ones that I kept returning to in the midst of the wonderful flood of new music we happily drowned in this year. Also – you’ll notice that I use Bandcamp links whenever possible – that’s because even purchasing a single song from an artist on Bandcamp will put more money in their pocket than a month or even a year of streaming. Support artists!
The Lord Knows by Tidal Wave
This fuzz rock gem came out in January and immediately set the bar for the rest of the year. If you dig Freedom Hawk and Valley of the Sun, you’ll love this second release from Swedish rockers The Lord Knows.
Superskull by Black Rainbows
Italy’s premier psych rock band Black Rainbows may have dropped their masterpiece with Superskull. I love them long time, but this one is probably my favorite, and certainly got the most virtual spins of any album this year. Just killer psyched out fuzz rock.
Rebuilding the Mountain by Royal Thunder
Raw and real, the second album by the regrouped and revitalized Royal Thunder is a mature musical slap in the face reminiscent of the Dead Weather and PJ Harvey. The more I listen, the more I like.
Low Desert Surf Club by Fire Down Below
Part grower, part shower, this is the third full length from one of my favorite bands, Belgium’s desert rockers Fire Down Below. Definitely some surf rock influence injected into their upbeat fuzz guitar rock on this one.
The Infinite Mirror by Ritual King
Just when I had my list set, this album comes out and gets under my skin with alarming ease. Grungy, spacey, and full of great guitar grooves paired with pleasing vocals. I have a feeling this Ritual King release will be on many AOTY lists.
Bloodlines by Tygers of Pan Tang
Unlikely? Yes. On point for a year of resurgent 80s and 90s artists? Also yes. A standout among retro rock albums to come out this year? I’m as surprised as you are, but the latest album from classic NWOBHM rockers Tygers of Pan Tang kicks serious ass. They sound better than ever and blow away other retro rock releases with ease.
Glass Future by Howling Giant
Fans of ASG, Valley of the Sun, and the Sword will love the second full length from Nashville’s new star of the psych and prog rock scene. This semi-concept album from Howling Giant was a nice October surprise.
Full Circle by Dead Feathers
The sophomore release from Chicago’s Dead Feathers is simply an amazingly solid outing from a band that sounds like they’ve been around for ages. Impossible not to add this gem to the list.
The Shining Son by Appalooza
“French Desert Rock”. Shades of classic Alice in Chains and Red Fang on this future classic from Appalooza.
Annihilation by Elephant Groove
Amazing Italian psych fuzz, for fans of My Sleeping Karma and Mr Bison. That bass tone!
Cassini by Orbitron
German instrumental guitar rock, very much in the vein of My Sleeping Karma, with a little more 70s prog rock influence. I wish it were longer.
Rebel Heart Gypsy Soul EP by Ten Ton Mojo
Fun, fuzzy blues rock from New York City? It may chap your hide to discover that it’s quite good. Mixed and mastered by the incomparable Max Norman, this one is just ten tons of fun in 4 songs.
The Eightfold Path by Dead Shrine
Killer psych rock guitar grooves from New Zealand.
Fuzzrider by Fuzzrider
Dark, dirty, heavy blues from Athens, Greece, just the way I like it. Adding Fuzzrider to my roster of favorite Greek heavy bands along with 1000mods, Puta Volcano, and Nightstalker.
Blurring the Lines of Reality by Borracho
Heavy hypnotic fuzz rock from Washington DC. Something about this album makes me think it would be perfect to throw on in the garage when you’re working on your car.
This Heathen Land by Green Lung
Fans of Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden and yes, even Ghost will dig the latest full length by London’s Green Lung. Breathe it deep!
Honorable mentions – albums I enjoyed and admired this year that didn’t quite make it into the rotation:
Bonus – once again, I’ve created a Spotify playlist of selected songs from the albums listed here, enjoy! Micropayments for everyone!
What are your favorite albums of 2023? Comment below or let me know!
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I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did, but I should have known. I’ve loved Dave Letterman since early days and was reminded that I loved U2 in early days as well, ever since I saw New Year’s Day in heavy rotation on MTV when it launched. Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman is part concert film, part documentary, part Irish history lesson. If you’ve ever wondered why U2 was ever a big deal, you’ll discover that here as the core duo discuss their early roots in Dublin, growing from a seed planted in political turmoil and personal crises.
U2 are one of the few bands that have persisted with their original members from the beginning, although that future remains slightly skeptical with drummer Larry Mullin Jr. suffering from health issues at the time of this filming. Bassist Adam Clayton was mentioned as being off making a film, but Bono and the Edge are enough here. And Dave is as charming and childlike as ever, visiting Dublin for the first time and not even remotely attempting to hide his wonderment at his situation. You’ll be charmed too.
Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman is streaming on Disney Plus.
Anyone who says rock is dead is looking in the wrong places.
Heavy guitar rock is alive and well, and while it might be living under an alias, it’s not hard to find.
Maybe it’s the company I keep, but this year it felt like the heavy music was less about 80s and 90s nostalgia and more about fuzzy psych and doom tinged with sounds from the 60s and 70s. Either way, I’m down!
As usual, I feel the need to say that my list is not a list of what I think are good or even very good albums, and certainly not an attempt to define the best albums of 2022. That’s for Spin and Rolling Stone to argue about. Instead, these are the albums I enjoyed enough to put on repeat and will still be listening to at this time next year.
As always, in no particular order, here are my 2022 favorites, including a few possibly predictable picks, and definitely a few surprises. Enjoy!
The Chariot by Valley of the Sun
How much do I love Valley of the Sun? Apparently enough to be in the top .5% of listeners on Spotify, streaming them for over 1000 minutes. The Chariot is the much-anticipated follow up to 2019’s amazing Old Gods, and it does not disappoint. Easily my favorite album of the year.
Standout Tracks: Sweet Sands, Devil I’ve Become, As We Decay
Sunrise on Slaughter Beach by Clutch
Clutch is Clutch. And if you don’t know Clutch, then where have you been the last two decades that these guys have been pumping out riffy blues rock gold? Sunrise on Slaughter Beach is classic Clutch, and their strongest in the last couple of releases in my opinion. Amazing on one hand with riffs galore, and delighting on the other with fantastical and often hilarious lyrics, sung as always with full body commitment by Neil fucking Fallon.
Standout Tracks: Sunrise on Slaughter Beach, Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone)
Regenerator by King Buffalo
King Buffalo became one of my favorite bands when I first heard their 2018 Repeater EP, and this prolific trio’s list of releases has been impressive since then. Regenerator is another excellent album in an already long list of excellent albums from what is probably the next generation’s Pink Floyd. Mark my words.
Standout Tracks: Regenerator, Hours, Mammoth
Take All You Can by Freedom Hawk
I’ve been waiting for new music from this Virginia Beach foursome for some time. Their last album Beast Remains made my 2018 favorites list, and Take All You Can is a perfect followup to that upbeat rocker. Let the infectious good energy wash over you like an electric wave!
Standout tracks: Age of the Idiot, We All Need Rock N’ Roll, From the Inside Out
Heavy on the Cosmic by Aawks
The debut album by Ontario psych rockers Aawks is a keeper. Galloping, melodic, fuzzy, and hypnotic, the tracks on Heavy on the Cosmic swing from 60’s influenced acid rock to doomy fuzz and back, always engaging, always heavy on the cosmic.
Standout tracks: Beyond the Sun, All is Fine
Usurper of the Universe by SÖNUS
This was an early favorite, descending from on high to assault my senses first with the technicolor cover and then with the majestic thunder of opening track Nuclear God. This is an up and coming Bay Area local band spearheaded by auteur and all around cool dude David Wachsman. I’m looking forward to seeing these guys in person! Check out Usurper of the Universe and channel your inner nuclear god.
Standout tracks: Nuclear God
The Singularity by Wo Fat
I am late to the Wo Fat party but feel like I came in at the right time. The Singularity is the latest full length from the venerable Texas trio who refer to themselves as a “swampadelic doom band”. I think that’s selling them short… The Singularity is a haunting masterpiece of an album that also happens to be fuzzy doom of the swampadelic type.
Standout Tracks: Orphans of the Singe, The Singularity
Palo Verde by Psychlona
“Desert rock from the north of England” – this Yorkshire foursome has been making waves in the stoner/psych/desert rock genre since their breakout 2020 album Venus Skytrip. Their latest full length Palo Verde is a fun, upbeat ride through their many influences, managing to sound modern and timelessly vintage at the same time. Easy addition to my favorites of 2022.
Standout tracks: Gasoline, 1975, Jetplane
Feel This by Crobot
Crobot may be the best band you’re not listening to. In fact, when I first heard them by accident, I was angry that nobody had told me about them before. This eclectic hard rock band from Pennsylvania has been putting out excellent heavy grooves for a decade now, with Feel This their latest full length. Prepare to be upset. Crank it!
Standout tracks: Set You Free, Better Times, Golden
Atma by My Sleeping Karma
I happen to really enjoy My Sleeping Karma. Does Atma sound kind of like their other albums? Yes. Do I care? No. If you like hypnotic psychedelic instrumental guitar grooves with a slightly Eastern sensibility, you’ll absolutely enjoy Germany’s My Sleeping Karma.
Standout tracks: Maya Shakti, Prema
Payan by Samavayo
Compared to their last excellent album Vatan, Payan is less of a shower and more of a grower, stitching its way into your psyche with the Persian influences woven throughout its tapestry of melodic hard rock. Not for everyone, but give this Berlin trio a chance and you’ll be hooked.
Standout tracks: Afghan Sky, Transcend! Exceed!
Cosmic Tears by Las Cruces
This was a fun find and an early favorite. Listed as Doom Metal, but really just classic guitar rock in the vein of Scorpion Child and Spiritual Beggars. Cosmic Tears shows off the swagger and self confidence of a veteran band that doesn’t need to prove they’re worth listening to, because they just are. Check this one out.
Standout tracks: Cosmic Tears, Wizard from the North
Send for a Warning, the Future’s Calling by Gone Cosmic
This may as well have dropped from the sky fully formed and fantastic. I know virtually nothing about this foursome from Alberta, Canada except that they made a high energy rocker of an album called Send for a Warning, the Future’s Calling and it’s a delight to my earholes, at turns heavy, jazzy, groovy, intimate and ascendant.
Standout tracks: Crimson Hand, The Future’s Calling
Gifts from the Holy Ghost by Dorothy
I’ve been a fan of Dorothy since her gritty 2016 blues rock debut, and while her newest release Gifts from the Holy Ghost is a little safer and more polished than previous releases, it’s still powered by the same ballsy pipes that put Dorothy in the company of top female rock vocalists working today. I’d love to see her open for The Pretty Reckless.
Standout tracks: A Beautiful Life, Big Guns, Gifts from the Holy Ghost
Variant by Greenbeard
Fun, fuzzy, guitar rock from this Austin, Texas foursome. Variant is their fourth studio album, and while it’s the first from them to get on my radar, it’s definitely a new favorite, making the list simply for just being a blast to listen to.
Standout tracks: Creatures of the Night; Get in the Car. No Time to Explain.
In the Dark by Abrams – High quality alternative rock from Denver, CO that grew on me until I had to admit it was one of my favorites of the year. I mean, Like Hell is an absolute banger.
Honorable mentions – albums I enjoyed and admired this year that didn’t quite make it into the rotation:
The Ocean by Fostermother – Slow baked fuzzy doom from Austin, TX.
https://fostermother.bandcamp.com/album/the-ocean
Radiance by The Dead Dasies – Supergroup the Dead Daisies make slick blues based hard rock as well as anyone.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7yLiXb59hYb9d4TRtj6iGf?si=dny9y5cQT2-kBDbGw9lZlg
Cities of Mars – Haunting, masterful slow doom from Sweden.
https://citiesofmars.bandcamp.com/album/cities-of-mars
All Of Them Have Fangs by Black Tongue Reverend – A little raw and rough in spots but otherwise just catchy fun blues rock from Albany, NY.
https://blacktonguereverend.bandcamp.com/album/all-of-them-have-fangs
Gnosis by Russian Circles – I’ve always had a soft spot for Russian Circles. Gnosis is a good one.
https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/gnosis
Bonus – once again, I’ve created a Spotify playlist of selected songs from the albums listed here, enjoy! Micropayments for everyone!
What are your favorite albums of 2022? Comment below or let me know!
