CASSETTE CULT Metal Album Reviews | Top 10 Underground Metal Albums of 2023

[@ravensoulmetal8466]

There's nothing better than watching somebody absolutely gush about music that they love. Excellent job Sarah (as always).

[@BangerTV]

Thanks we love Metal 🤘

[@Leave_The_Hall_69]

Nice simp comment btw

[@ravensoulmetal8466]

​​@@Leave_The_Hall_69 glad you think so, would have said that to Blayne or Dekay as well.

[@marcusaurelius2328]

Sarah is a treasure. It's so great to find a reviewer who has similar music tastes, who talks about music with so much passion and actively promotes so many other bands.

[@2cupsofgarlicbutter5150]

Simp

[@kristiankrastanov5995]

Sarah is metal superstar now, what an honor for Banger to have her!

[@BangerTV]

It is!

[@keithord8356]

One of the most, if not the most, enjoyable videos I've watched all year. Thanks.

[@BangerTV]

Awww thanks so much

[@dalton834]

It's clear that Sarah works so hard and cares so deeply about this. Huge props

[@neuroticgothguy]

Can always, ALWAYS count on Sarah to give us a massive list of banger albums to check out.

[@Impassion]

I just got my Helms Deep cassettes in the mail, one for me, one for my brother. Waiting for vinyls coming soon.... Best release of 2023 for me, no question. Best release in a really long time, actually. That album is sick.

[@proyectovortize2332]

Thank you Sarah for recommending Vórtize's music, and for the support you have towards the project. Excellent program, there are many good bands to discover, greetings from Chile!

[@Fastnbulbous1969]

Nice! Great to see Mansion finally given props beyond being a constant presences on Fester's Lucky 13 year-end lists. As I watched, your likes hit 666 and beyond, appropriately. Will order the zine. Blood Ceremony is near the top for me too, more in the witchy occult psych noir area. Here's my Heavy Metal list: 1. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows 2. Sorcerer - Reign of the Reaper 3. Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament 4. Legendry - Time Immortal Wept 5. Restless Spirit - Afterimage 6. Haunt - Golden Arm 7. Green Lung - This Heathen Land 8. Godthrymm - Distortions 9. Blood Lightning - Blood Lightning 10. Dopelord - Songs for Satan 11. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse 12. Cardinal’s Folly - Live by the Sword 13. Helms Deep - Treacherous Ways

[@swoz_]

Helms Deep kicks so much ass and I'm so pumped to see it on this list

[@shaunawinslow1347]

Same. The whole album is straight bangers from start to finish.

[@goathornss6664]

Weald and Woe making Boise proud! So awesome to see them and by fire and sword on this list!

[@NPC-ej4ql]

Jesus, Weald and Woe is phenomenal, didn't know about this project, so thanks for enlightening me.

[@thomashorine9198]

Always love to hear Sarah's thoughts!

[@tuliocosta3973]

My god, Mansion is one of the best things I've listened recently. Thank you, Sarah, for presenting this magnificent band!! I'm listening to Second Death almost every day since this video came out 😅

[@MIKELiscrazy]

Great video! Thank you Sarah! Always love to see you here and your writing is always top notch. Can’t wait to check out some of these records!

[@chrismccall-twentyman9109]

What an excellent video! I love Sarah‘s content, and in particular, her passion and commitment to our metal underworld. Please can we have more content from her. I have discovered love for so many bands from her recommendations! Keep smashing it, Sarah! 🤘🏼

[@TifformaTemoroner]

That Weald and Woe record stomps! Killer Melodic BM.

[@shaunawinslow1347]

Helms Deep is everything I want in metal. It’s so good.

[@DrewCreal]

Best review video I've seen in so long. I found some new bands here, thank you 🤘

[@HelmsDeep-Official]

thank you for featuring us ☠️

[@eclat4641]

Great sound!

[@HelmsDeep-Official]

@@eclat4641 thank you 🙏

[@vpawar646]

Awesome job. Your efforts are so worth it. Thanks for a beautifully articulated, well described summaries of music from some exciting new bands.

[@CyrptRat]

I don't always like the same music Sarah does but this top 10 list had something for everyone. I have 5 more albums for me to check out now. Great work and seems like it's a great year in this corner of metal.

[@Rock-n-Ralf]

"Hyvää joulua & hei hei!" to dear Sarah in Finland! "Merry Xmas & bye!" to all at BANGERTV in Canada! "Frohe Weihnachten & tschüss!" from me in Germany! 🤘😎

[@snapea]

Bandcamp is great, but where possible there's no harm in having your favourite record shop order in the albums you want. We need the labels and retailers to keep the lights on.

[@Count_Deangeli]

BIg YES to Vastum - those guys excieeded all expectations

[@frankvercruyssen9136]

Thank you so much for guiding us through the maze. I got to know tons of bands and albums thanks to you ! Here’s my top 20 for ’23 : 1. Altarage - Worst Case Scenario 2. Blindfolded and led to the Woods - Rejecting Obliteration 3. Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions 4. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 5. The Bleeding - Monokrator 6. Burner - It All Returns to Nothing 7. Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah Burns 8. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium 9. Imperial Crystalline Entombment - Ancient Glacial Resurgence 10. Acid King - Beyond Vision 11. Shining - Shining 12. Raider - Trial by Chaos 13. Haar - Ouroboros 14. Tongues - Formlöse Stjerner 15. Panopticion - The Rime of Memory 16. Mānbryne - Interregnum: O próbie wiary i jarzmie zwątpienia 17. Enforced - War Remains 18. Coffinborn - Cadaveric Retribution 19. Ikarie - Arde 20. Moonreich - Amer

[@tristanriebesehl9023]

Thank you for recommending Triumpher. Finally late Manowar sound like i want them to. (:

[@Lavabug]

I would have liked to see a mention of Flight's "Echoes of Journeys Past" for 2023. For a a band that got lumped in the retro heavy metal category, they really seem to have shed themselves of all the cliches and keep getting better every record. No song is predictable. Truly progressive and original!

[@jarunia17]

That record is indeed class, good taste

[@jameshuseby9931]

Thanks Sara glad your writing again😊 good luck on Euro Tour in 2024

[@adamrepka]

Amazing video! Here's my pitch: weekly unscripted show where you just talk about something you think is interesting in metal. 10 minutes.

[@frogblender8842]

thx for this video - Glory is also on of my favorites this year🤘. An amazing album with Leave a little room as on of the best songs I heard in 2023

[@arthurporter131]

Omg that Meurtrieres album… I paused the video to check out a song and didn’t return until I finished the whole album. Good god man. Listen to that album.

[@arthurporter131]

And it is closer to Ron de Nwee than Ron de Noot lol

[@bobsala7780]

That Triumpher album is the best thing since Manowar.

[@s.d.c5513]

I guess you never heard about Karl Logan and what he was convicted of in '22. Do a quick google. Great band, but now they're associated to that dbag. 😪

[@QuestForTheGrail]

You have incredible taste, Sarah. I can already tell from just the snippets alone that Weald & Woe, Tresspasser, By Fire and Sword, and Marthe will become my treasured favorites. Thank you.

[@rottingpages]

So glad Cassette Cult is back! I will definitely listen to Trespasser and By Fire & Sword now.

[@theearthaflame]

Great shouts as always Sarah. Watch out for the new Solitary Sabred album out on December 15th. It will be last minute addition to many year end lists. Also, I was expecting to see Whispers of Lore by Receiver on your list, as that kind of arcane/epic/really old school heavy metal is right up your steet.

[@meiko_kaji]

Buying the fanzine! Excited

[@geoffroygueritot1964]

Thank you for this video ! Blood Ceremony is since a highlight of the year !

[@fiadh]

Thank you so much Sarah ❤

[@jontavares3524]

What an awesome show Sarah! So many great albums that I've never heard of and this year alone I heard hundreds of great albums by bands that are new to me! I will deffinately be checking a few of these out and adding them to my top albums list! Cheers and Rock on 🤘

[@hanumanares2020]

A full zine overboard? That is dedication! Thanks a million for helping the rest of us find our way to some great music, Sarah.

[@marcelorubim]

Every Sarah recommendation goes directly to my playlist.

[@DragonforceSCGS]

Damn, I have no clue how she does it, but Sarah never misses with her recommendations! Great as always!

[@kos4290]

Thanks a lot for telling about Trespasser - what a great album

[@CJlawton]

Love this video. Thank you for introducing me to these bands.

[@Mish1n]

A very special top 10 with many bands I haven't heard of. Thank you for taking the time to share your musical taste and discoveries with us.

[@Yar-Drummer]

Yay, more cassette tapes!

[@Banglum]

Years ago I remember speaking to a member of mansion (who will remain nameless) about the potential name of the band. I told the person that It made me think of King diamond. But then that person explained The reasoning and the religious aspect of it and it all made sense. I've been a fan of mansion since the very first days

[@beastrace81]

holy shit the French band rules. meurtrières definitely deserves more exposure.

[@renelira9233]

Sarah! Ive been liking your new album! ALOT! 🤘

[@CuzinHomechill]

"I went a little overboard for this episode" Nice to see Sarah back in the hanger lol

[@AngusMacThrasherMetalReviews]

All albums on this list are great but I actually think Smoulder are better. This means that Sarah is writing and producing metal that is better than the metal she listens too which is seriously talented and there must be some scientific terminology for this!

[@officialdarkcompass]

I’ve got three of those ten. Need to get the rest. A great selection.

[@RPRsChannel]

---> *_DISCLAIMER: Not a single cassette was shown in this video._*

[@brimphemus]

Love Tresspasser, thx for mentioning

[@imahimfan]

I always trust everything you recommend, Sarah

[@ElephantDestroyer]

Lol I kinda felt dumb only knowing two of the releases featured here. I do agree this year was kinda weak, but I really liked what Mizmor, Odz Manouk and Blood Libel had to offer.

[@TJS3]

Hyvää joulua!

[@TheMike28212]

Love this, Sarah. I always find several new albums to check out that I would have missed otherwise.

[@NikolaiSchulman]

Meurtrières is fantastic! The new vocalist is giving me the best kind of Sleater-Kinney vibes. Thanks for the recommendation, Sarah.

[@MrHanswurst47]

My Top1 is Marthe. Love it!

[@jamesgwarrior1981]

You definitely make lists and homework fun… you always have. I have almost all of the albums you’ve listed or shot out memorized….its an honor…. Too many more lists and too many more albums 🤘🏾🤎

[@JoshieMadhatt]

Once again Sarah bringin light to bands that barely get any coverage ( I've heard of almost none of them before watching this) Also that new Smoulder album def gonna be in my top 5 this year

[@NaldoNidoking]

Helms Deep's vocal similarities to early Savatage were the first thing I latched onto. Great recommendation!

[@SonicBroham]

Awesome list, I've been loving that Vastum LP, wouldn't have found Mansion or Meurtrieres otherwise, those are doing it for me!

[@fayfay666]

Lol. I already bought and love 8 of the 10 albums mentionned here

[@chrisk3628]

That MARTHE record is SICK !!!

[@samusvikerness661]

What a refreshing quote from Artos. Think I’ll be checking out that Weald + Woe album.

[@daywalker0082]

I look forward to this list every year! ❤😂❤ Cant wait to listen to every album

[@jarunia17]

I've not heard the Vastum album yet but fuck me... That snippet was pretty amazing :D Mansion reminded me a lot of Vainaja, also a Finnish concept band about a cult, though significantly more death/doom than what I heard from the Mansion clip. Great picks, half of these I've not heard of before so lots to listen to now, thank you

[@RWalters81]

I have never heard of any band on this list, but thanks for getting me into Green Lung a few weeks back!

[@dianadevera6937]

Please make more videos Sarah! I really loved the Zine format.

[@Bemwidood]

I missed seeing Sarah in the Banger Bar 🤘🏽glad they’re making it work with her!

[@tomrockcircuz68]

Love MANSION !!!!

[@Underjoggle]

at 19:40 there’s a four legged friend! also the Mansion album was sick, Finland just keeps making great metal

[@nikosmouras465]

Fantastic selections, a lot of them are on my best-of-2023 list as well!

[@penumchrist]

thank you Sarah! im always catching great bands thanx to you.

[@daruma502]

Glad to see that Marthe made the top 3. It is my favourite release of 2023!

[@ThePlantagenet666]

This just refreshed me from the stale state of 'What the fuck do I want listen to?' which I have been languishing in for far too long, thanks!

[@lordberry9554]

Not only does this girl crank out amazing lists, can we also gush over a glow up. Girl is looking great!

[@nkazarian]

Cassette Pros: Easy travel size. Cons: Everything else.

[@MrGeometry9]

Digging this list hard and the fact that there's a zine out there! Also Desde Ba-joe- Tierra lol Desde Ba-hoe Tierra :P

[@derekj5580]

Thanks, Sarah. There's a few there that have piqued my interest; I'll listen further.

[@sputhoor96]

Malokarpatan was my favourite this year!

[@LatexCult]

Awesome as previous

[@leonardomurillo1393]

Great albums from the metal underground escene.. very good vídeo..!!!

[@alexposilkin9683]

Sarah always does an incredible job. But I think the video we really need is with her and Blayne trying to pronounce words not in English. That’s all I have on my Xmas list.

[@arbersllamniku9651]

As Always excellent reviews from Sarah. Not to mention new albums to discover

[@jonathanmills7096]

Weald and woe options are all sold out! Awesome album, would love a physical copy!

[@thesomberlain8053]

Would be great if you also did a best of demos/EPs of 2023!

[@thecaptain7238]

I love Smoulder

[@cloudberry_9029]

awesome video, great picks from Sarah as always !!!!!

[@jamespage1680]

Auriferous Flame!!!... all you had to say was Spectral Lore and I was in

[@mitchpassero1641]

Wow, a Liege Lord reference. 🤘

[@thorstenh]

So much excellent music, thank you!

[@funkypieman9637]

Sarah, please do a U.S. tour *coughcoughNashvillecoughcough and I will pay double to see you live!!!

[@absolutedeafness1173]

love you sarah, that caladan brood shirt, daaaamnn

[@philipmorrissey9142]

Great video Sarah! Horns up

[@TheBlindPariah]

Standards & Practices maintain strict controls over revelations related to the prestigious Blind Pariah's 2nd Annual Subjective Emotional Response To Albums List, but it is rumored that several of these selections may make it. Given the integrity of the announcement coming upon the last possible day, perhaps some of your unknown selections will also rise to prominence. It has been a fine year in music.

[@jerkerjansson386]

Merry Christmas to you too! Great list! 🤘

[@casper8593]

Trespasser is one of my new favourite bm bands of all time