Necrotic Nick's Top 40 Best Albums of 2023 Pt. 3: THE TOP 10!

[@pyro609]

Excellent list Nick, just finished my top 30. Bit of a mixed bag of metal, prog and hard rock 1) Haken - Fauna 2) Enforced - War Remains 3) Enslaved - Heimdal 4) Century - The Conquest of Time 5) Jordso - Salighet 6) Tusmorke - Hestehoven 7) Hellripper - Warlocks Grim And Withered Hags 8) Cryptopsy - As Gommorah Burns 9) Mesarthim - Arrival 10) Tygers of Pan Tang - Bloodlines 11) Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars 12) Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit 13) Ulthar - Anthronomicon/Helionomicon 14) Fires In The Distance - Air Not Meant For Us 15) Blazon Rite - Wild Rites And Ancient Songs 16) Rival Sons - Lightbringer 17) Elegant Weapons - Horns For A Halo 18) Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts 19) Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab 20) Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific 21) Devangelic - Xul 22) Insomnium - Anno 1696 23) Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of The Thorned Castle 24) Obituary - Dying of Everything 25) Smoulder - Violent Creed of Vengeance 26) The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds 27) Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution - Golden Age of Music 28) Spirit Adrift - Ghost At The Gallows 29) Cirith Ungol - Dark Parade 30) Enterre Vivant - Shigenso

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Nice list, man! Definitely some stuff on here I missed and some stuff that could have been on my list as well. I definitely didn't jam as much prog this year so I may pull some suggestions from this list.

[@FaustianSpirit1997]

My list: 1) Afterbirth - In But Not Of 2) Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle 3) Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium 4) Wayfarer - American Gothic 5) Triumpher - Storming The Walls 6) Convocation - No Dawn For The Caliginous Night 7) Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 8) Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar 9) Sacred Outcry - Towers Of Gold 10) Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 11) Stortregn - Finitude 12) Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant For Us 13) A Constant Knowledge of Death - Dissecting A One-Winged Bird 14) Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis 15) Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions 16) Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death 17) Smoulder - Violent Creed of Vengeance 18) Mystery - Redemption 19) Nospün - Opus 20) Enforced - War Remains 21) Demoniac - Nube Negra 22) Insomnium - Anno 1696 23) Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current 24) Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance 25) Blood Ceremony - The Old Ways Remain 26) Oromet - S/T 27) Acausal Intrusion - Panpsychism 28) Inherits The Void - The Impending Fall of the Stars 29) The Lion's Daughter - Bath House 30) Gravesend - Gowanus Death Stomp 31) Century - The Conquest Of Time 32) Telos - Delude 33) Minenwerfer - Feuerwalze 34) Cruel Force - Dawn Of The Axe 35) Mental Cruelty - Zwielicht 36) TesseracT - War Of Being 37) Purification - Elphinstone 38) Avenade - Our Raging God Unknown to Us 39) Hellwitch - Annihilational Intercention 40) Twilight Force - At the Heart of Wintervale 41. Godflesh - Purge 42) Terrifier - Trample The Weak, Devour The Dead 43) Church of Misery - Born Under a Mad Sign 44) Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament 45) Gridlink - Coronet Juniper 46) Agriculture - S/T 47) Winger - Seven 48) Elvenking - Reader of the Runes - Rapture 49) Unearth - The Wretched, The Ruinous 50) Primordial - How It Ends * Here's for a 2024 full of bangers and without stinkers!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Solid list, man! If I did 50 there's definitely some on here I would have included for sure.

[@sams.4388]

Love the variety of your list. Thank you

[@givmac]

Great list Nick. Great channel thanks for all the recommendations my top 5: 1 Malokarpatan 2 Dødheimsgard 3 Enslaved 4 Horrendous 5 Tanith Another great year still have so much to catch up on

[@martinnapier6286]

Amazing year for music and the channel. Appreciate all you do, its helped get me through a fairly terrible year. My top 10 would be 1. Tribunal - The Weight Of Remembrance 2. Fires In The Distance - Air Not Meant For Us 3. Asagraum - Veil Of Death Ruptured 4. Notturno - Inside 5. Ahab - The Coral Tombs 6. Cattle Decapitation - Terrisite 7. Wayfarer - American Gothic 8. Insomnium - Anno 1696 9. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 10. Crypta - Shades Of Sorrow

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! We always appreciate the love and I hope next year gets a lot better for you, bro. Solid list too. There's definitely some I'd say are honorable mentions for me this year like Ahab, Wayfarer and Crypta in particular.

[@MisterBrimm]

That tribunal album really is a great album for sipping a goblet of blood in front of a fireplace gazing upon a painting of your family lineage.

[@drsmainemusic]

Good googly moogly, holy hell in a hot tub! I haven't been able to stop listening to Mutoid Man since hearing your review of this new album!

[@christophergray7982]

Dude, Sermon and Katatonia are on the top of my list. Excellent selection. I think it's great that you have such a broad selection on your entire list. 🤘🤘🤘

[@AndreLuis-oo6bf]

Thanks for sharing and select the most fulminant Metal albums off last year🖤🤟 I didn't know about bands like Bacterial Husk and the ''seven crowns and Seven Seals'' by Sulphur Aeon, both are pretty freaking sick among a bunch bands ya quoted right there... Thanks dude, all HAIL Thralls of MetaL🤘🤘

[@ruicoelho404]

I'm glad to see I listened to 7 of these and they all slay. Really need to go on Sulphur Aeon, Autopsy and Sermon

[@hoofhearted6900]

Dying Fetus' album is my #1. Its an instant DM classic. Was lucky enough to catch em live last month and was killer as usual.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Dying Fetus rarely if ever miss. They delivered a banger and it was pretty much everything I wanted it to be.

[@MMMetal5]

Happy birthday man! You’re always my go to for reviews and albums I may have missed! Thanks for a great year!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I really appreciate that! I hope next year is even better.

[@mikepenny8940]

Thanks for all the work that you've done with your lists. I really appreciate the hell out of what you guys do. You all made me aware of bands that i never knew excited

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! That's why we do this. We want to share our love for the music and show people what's all out there.

[@Legions_666]

Are y'all doing a viewer response video of upcoming albums? 😁🤘🖤💯☠️🎸🔥

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- I'm not sure yet. I have to run that one by the guys.

[@matchettandy]

Hadn't heard of the Sermon album, had a listen and ordered the record. Top tip. Thanks for sharing your countdown! Great channel.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, Sermon was one of my big surprises this year. I knew very little going into that one and I absolutely fell in love with that band's sound.

[@Godlobber]

I normally don't care much for review stuff but I totally dig this channel, I look under rocks for new music but you guys have shown me new rocks to look under so many thanks. Next year I am very much looking forward to hearing the new Ihsahn and Borknagar.

[@rayv0125]

Is there a solid release date for that? I'm looking forward to iotunn to put there new release out early 2024!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I'm glad you're finding new stuff to jam from the channel. That's always been the main thing I wanted to do here is to get people to check out the music we talk about. I'm stoked for both of those next year as well and I'd say there's a really good chance we'll be reviewing them.

[@danielgardiner6472]

Thanks for all your videos this year, much appreciated. I always discover some gems from your content. Case in point, that Sermon album. I hadn't heard of it until today... what a great album!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! We really appreciate that and it's always awesome to hear people are discovering new music through the channel. That's the main goal here. Sermon was a big surprise for me this year too. I had never heard of them until this new album and I am a giant fan now.

[@alexperry4691]

Its great we share a few of the same albums in our top 10...Mine are - Katatonia-Sky Void Of Stars 2.Asinhell -Impii Hora 3.URNE -A feast On Sorrow 5.Sermon - Of Golden Verse 6.Memoriam -Rise To Power 7.The Lions Daughter -Bath House 8.Thy Catafalque -Alfold 9.King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard -Petrodragonic 10.Hellripper -Warlocks Grim And Withered Hags

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Solid list, man! There's definitely some on here I need to check out at some point. Good to see Katatonia getting a lot of love this year. They really outdid themselves.

[@Carlos_Baquero]

Man, this year has been so good that I haven't figured it out yet. So far my top 10 goes like this: 1. Sulphur aeon - Seven crowns and seven seals 2. Cattle decapitation - Terrasite 3. Enslaved - Heimdal 4. Tesseract - War of being 5. Haken - Fauna 6. Horrendous - Ontological mysterium 7. Dying Fetus - Make them beg for death 8. Katatonia - Sky void of stars 9. Cloak - Black flame eternal 10. Stortregn - Finitude Thanks for all the amazing content that you guys do! I have discovered lots of amazing bands thanks to your reviews and collection updates!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! We really appreciate that and I always love hearing that people are finding killer music through our channel. That's exactly what it's here for. Solid list, man! Sulphur Aeon was really close to my top spot as well.

[@Carlos_Baquero]

@@thrallsofmetal You are doing an outstanding job 🤘🏻 Sulphur aeon is becoming one of my favorite bands since I discovered them with "Gateway to the antisphere", they just don't miss in my opinion.

[@FutureRuins]

Great list Nick. A lot of these are the tops for me as well. Really frigging amazing year, every year that goes by it just never slows down. Hope you have a great holidays and I'll catch you on a stream soon! \m/

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Dude, I felt like I was drowning in an ocean killer metal albums this year which for me doesn't sound like a bad way to check out lol. I hope your holidays rule and I'm looking forward to catching back up with you again! Cheers, bro!

[@kaibilbalam7151]

🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽by the way, when did Sorrow came out with their “ second “ album? This year or last year, 2022 or 2923, Or perhaps before, i herad they wrote it back in the 90s , but just now they released it……thank you Nick!!!!

[@neugey]

My top 12 (some non-metal): 12) Enslaved - Heimdal 11) Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex 10) Primal Fear - Code Red 9) Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds 8) Prong - State of Emergency 7) Winger - Seven 6) Haken - Fauna 5) Depeche Mode - Memento Mori 4) Cavalera - Bestial Devastation/Morbid Visions 3) Dying Fetus - Make them Beg For Death 2) Anthem - Crimson & Jet Black 1) Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Solid list, man! I love that Depeche Mode is on there. I loved that new album.

[@tonycaldwell331]

That's a classy list there and belated Happy Birthday greetings to you..🎉 Here's my top 15: 1 Shylmagoghnar - Convergence 2 Enslaved - Heimdal 3 Sworn - A Journey Told Through Fire 4 Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 5 Xoth - Exogalactic 6 Deadly Carnage - Endless Blue 7 Farsoth - Morbid Symphonies 8 Sermon - Of Golden Verse 9 Fleshvessel - Yearning Promethean Fates 10 Agriculture - Agriculture 11 Rannoch - Conflagrations 12 Serpent Corpse - Blood Sabbath 13 Hasard - Malivore 14 Vertebra Atlantis 15 Guts - Decay

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I only see a few familiar ones on here which is awesome since that means I've got more to check out. I've seen Xoth, Shylmagoghnar and Rannoch pop up on a few lists so that may be were I start.

[@tonycaldwell331]

@@thrallsofmetal I hope you find something of interest. I'll be definitely checking out your complete list 👍

[@MNmarrow]

Thanks for the list and for another great year of reviews. Don't be ashamed about how meaningful this is; you get to impact an entire community of people, man. That's quite the ripple effect and you are using it for good!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, it's still a lot to process even after 5 years of doing this. I never thought it would have got to this level. Regardless I'm proud of what we've done. It really does feel like a big accomplishment.

[@foss666]

great list Nick !! 🤘MY TOP 10 ALBUMS 2023🤘 In no particular order 💀 ENSLAVED - Heimdal AUTOPSY - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts ASINHELL - Impii Hora ENFORCED - War Remains WINGS OF STEEL - Gates of Twilight OBITUARY - Dying of Everything HELLRIPPER - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags SACRED OUTCRY - Towers of Gold CATTLE DECAPITATION - Terrasite MYSTIC PROPHECY - Hellriot 🤘Honorable Mentions - ALICE COOPER - Road METAL CHURCH - Congregation of Annihilation SPIRIT ADRIFT - Ghost At The Gallows PRONG - State Of Emergency DRAIN - Living Proof CANNIBAL CORPSE - Chaos Horrific ASHEN - Ritual of Ash CREEPING DEATH - Boundless Domain

[@hallowelt1708]

What a year! Thanks for all the great Thralls of Metal content! :) My Top 40: 01. Haken - Fauna 02. Sorcerer - Reign Of The Reaper 03. Ahab - The Coral Tomb 04. Dödheimsgard - Black Medium Current 05. Epheles - Promesses 06. Thy Darkened Shade - Liver Lvcifer II: Mahapralaya 07. Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns And Seven Seals 08. Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions 09. Trespasser - ἈΠΟΚΆΛΥΨΙΣ 10. Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar 11. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 12. Panopticon - The Rime Of Memory 13. REZN - Solace 14. Arkona - Kob' 15. Temic - Terror Management Theory 16. Aetherian - At Storm's Edge 17. Aara - Triade III: Nyx 18. Godthrymm - Distortions 19. Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis 20. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 21. Asinhell - Impii Hora 22. Vomitory - All Heads Are Gonna Roll 23. Serpent Of Old - Ensemble Under The Dark Sun 24. Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts 25. Gorod - The Orb 26. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg For Death 27. Thron - Dust 28. Crypta - Shades Of Sorrow 29. Predatory Void - Seven Keys To The Discomfort Of Being 30. Wayfarer - American Gothic 31. Somniate - We Have Proved Death 32. Varathron - The Crimson Temple 33. Suel - Venomous Curse 34. Tar Pond - Petrol 35. Pénitence Onirique - Nature Morte 36. Stortregn - Finitude 37. Mizmor - Prosaic 38. Hinayana - Shatter And Fall 39. The Night Eternal - Fatale 40. Entheos - Time Will Take Us All

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Nice list. There's definitely a lot here I missed.

[@1972Diogenes]

Half an hour ago I had never heard of Sermon. Curious as I was, checked them out. What a fine surprise. Somewhere in between Tool, the older Ocean Collective and Katatonia. But the drummer is just killing it. Excellent stuff! Nice list btw. My top 5 includes Horrendous, Enslaved, Thantifaxath, Insomnium and Cattle D.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Yeah, we went in pretty much blind when we reviewed that one and left huge fans. I love the melodies and layers to that album but man the drum performance is amazing on there. Definitely some familiar one in that top 5. Good picks.

[@matthewthomas3450]

I agree with Horrendous...two you don't have on your list are Wayfarer & Haunt (this is such a fun record). Thanks for the effort to rank these albums yet another year!

[@Mattsdmf]

I’m still working on my list but here’s where I stand so far (In alphabetical order): Acid King - Beyond Vision Colter Wall - Little Songs Demons My Friends - Demons Seem to Gather Dorthia Cottrell - Death Folk Country Joanna Sternberg - I’ve Got Me Kamelot - The Awakening Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars Metallica - 72 Seasons Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter - Saved! Winery Dogs - III

[@filipdzero8739]

Damn, did Hellripper's Warlock Grims & Withered Hags come out this year??? Time sure flies, man, definitely my no. 1 this year! \m/

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Yeah, it was an earlier release since it did come out in February but it stuck with me ever since it dropped. That albums was amazing.

[@DashieNegan41]

Thanks for the amazing list and Happy Birthday Nick i knew on the list that either Cattle or Horrendous number 1 days ago way before the list. Anyway my album is Terrasite by Cattle then The Lion's Daughter Bath House and Horrendous Ontological Mysterium.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Honestly, Cattle Decapitation, Mutoid Man, Sermon, Enslaved and Horrendous were all in the running for the top spot. It was a hell of a year and there was almost too much killer music. I really wish they'd do a CD version for that new one from The Lion's Daughter. I'd love to get a copy since I really liked what I heard from it.

[@davidburns6284]

Great list. I need to check out the Autopsy and a few others you mentioned. I love death metal and this year was incredible. Here is my list: 1. Dying Fetus-Make Them Beg for Death 2. Enslaved-Heimdal 3. Suffocation-Hymns from the Apocrypha 4. Cannibal Corpse-Chaos Horrific 5. Cryptopsy-As Gomorrah Burns 6. Incantation-Unholy Deification 7. Overkill-Scorched 8. Cattle Decapitation-Terrasite 9. Marduk-Memento Mori 10. Obituary-Dying of Everything

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, if you're a death metal fan you'll love that new Autopsy. That's a must listen in my book. Solid list here though. Death metal definitely had a banner year for sure.

[@magmachambermetal]

Surprising picks, Nick! Good show, sir. Here's to prepping our ears to 2024! Cheers!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, guys! Jon and I watched your lists and you guys had some awesome picks as well. Good to see you guys putting out videos again!

[@rememberbeginning]

Maybe had 15 this year 🤔 😁 1- Thy Catafalque - Alfold 2- Obituary - dying of everything 3- Majesties - vast reaches unclaimed 4- enslaved - Heimdal 5- Ningen Isu - Shikisoku Zekuu 6- Wayfarer- American Gothic 7- Tygers of Pan Tang - bloodlines 8- Blackbraid- ll 9- cannibal corpse- chaos horrific 10- Tribunal - weight of remembrance 11- Guts - decay Maybe only 11... Honorable mentions- Max Fckn Cavalera!!!!! Primordial Finsterforst Skalmold Voivod Godflesh Prong So many more this year....

[@Sikfuk]

What a year! Making a list was not easy. A top 50 would definitely be possible seeing how amazing this year has been, but i'll stick to 15. I am VERY surprised that you never reviewed Putrid Yell on your channel. I think you would love it. Maybe you missed it? If so, check it out! Top 15 for me: 1. Ascended Dead - Evenfall Of The Apocalypse 2. Demonic Incarnate - Abyssal Sermons Of Desolation 3. Tetragrammacide - Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur'an 4. Sulphuric Death - Beyond The Void Of Doom 5. Putrid Yell - Consuming Aberration 6. Disimperium - Grand Insurgence Upon Despotic Altars 7. Impetuous Ritual - Iniquitous Barbarik Synthesis 8. Nekus - Sepulchral Divination 9. Supremative - Goat Blood Communion 10. Funeral Vomit - Monumental Putrescence 11. Deiphage - Nuclear Cavalry 12. Black Wound - Warping Structure 13. Invultation - Feral Legion 14. Hate Manifesto - Α​​​π​​​ο​​​σ​​​τ​​​α​​​τ​​​η​​​ς 15. Desekryptor - Vortex Oblivion

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Agreed. I had well over 60 bands on my list before I started cutting it down to 40. It pained me to leave off those bands too. Yeah, we must have missed Putrid Yell. It was pretty difficult to keep up with the releases this year honestly since it seemed like every week something huge was dropping. Legit most of your list here is stuff I missed so I'm gonna have to check some of these out at some point.

[@FABRYZ74]

For me, coming from the 90s, I even struggle with how to make a top 40 in 2023 when maybe I can come up with 10 top albums...clearly my problem, however I appreciate your channel and I always follow you, I see that you are passionate and this is a great thing.. the most important in my opinion.. my top albums of 2023 are: ENFORCED - KRUELTY - RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR - ASINHELL - PRONG - DRAIN - GO AHEAD AND DIE - CAVALERA - HELLRIPPER... good album : JUDICIARY - GUILT TRIP - OVERKILL - VAMACHARA - DEAD HEAT - OBITUARY...keep it up, cheers from Italy

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, making these lists when there are so many quality releases can be tough as hell but it's that passion that keeps us going. This music has been a huge part of our lives for years now and I don't see that changing. Solid list here, man! Drain and Kruelty were close to making the cut for me.

[@brandonralphs1717]

Killer list, as always! Surprised not to see Guts’ debut album “Decay” or Vastum’s new release “Inward To Gethsemane” on here, though. I know they’re both lesser known bands (especially Guts being brand new to the scene) but goddamn did those releases destroy me. Top two death metal releases of the year for me. Maybe you just haven’t heard them yet, in which case, wtf are you doing Nick

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, I didn't get a chance to check out Guts honestly. There was almost too much music to keep up with and death metal releases were pouring out all year long. I really enjoyed the new Vastum but it didn't quite make the cut for me. There were some painful cuts to get it down to 40 that I had to make and that was one of them sadly.

[@brandonralphs1717]

@@thrallsofmetal Fair enough! Don’t miss out on Guts though- one of the most promising debuts I’ve heard in a while and I feel they’re right up your alley

[@deanmentjes7774]

Good stuff, thanks!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man!

[@matejtaus2447]

This was an absolutely amazing year for music. These year end lists are always fun to watch. My favorites this year (in no particular order) King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Enslaved - Heimdal Mutoid Man - Mutants Ahab - Coral Tombs David Eugene Edwards - Hyacinth

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, 2023 was chock full of killer albums pretty much all year long. I was close to having that new Sadus album on my list. Bare minimum it's probably my comeback album of the year.

[@Chef_Deth]

Absolutely killer top 40 list there’s a couple I need to check out this year off your list..this was ridiculously stacked with great albums here’s my top 10 metal albums honorable mention to Fuming Mouth…Autopsy…Celestial Sanctuary…Ulthar I’m just keeping to 10 on here but I could do 50. Band names only to make it simple 10. UADA 9. KRUELTY 8. UNEARTH 7. HELLRIPPER 6. HORRENDOUS 5. OUTER HEAVEN 4. TOMB MOLD 3. MAJESTIES 2. SULPHUR AEON 1. CAT DECAP Cheers can’t wait for 24!!!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Dude, this year might have been more stacked than the last 2 in terms of quality releases. You got some solid picks here and few that were really close to making my list as well. I hope 2024 brings the heat like this year did.

[@wheelsofmercury]

What an awesome top 10 you have! And I don’t wanna spoil my personal album of the year for metal and for non-metal because it’s going to be unveiled in January as part of the Golden Wheel Awards (which, FYI, is my channel’s awards show).

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Hey, I'm big fan of not giving away any spoilers so I'm with you there. I still need to check out your albums that you loved video but I'll definitely check out your awards video when I get a chance. Take care, man!

[@creepydinky5671]

In no order: Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg For Death Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination Sermon - Of Golden Verse (you guys introduced me to them, so thank you) Obituary - Dying Of Everything Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags Honorable mentions: Dethklok - Dethalbum IV Twilight Force - At The Heart of Wintervale (I love me some cheesy power metal) Nick, if you haven't checked out that King Gizzard album yet, you should. They play a bunch of different sounds, but that album is proggy stoner thrash and it's perfect

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Nice list, man! Yeah, I've been meaning to get some King Gizzard but I've had no idea where to start with them so this might be the place I finally get an album.

[@primordial4288]

Thanks Nick, lot of albums i have to go through. My top albums Metide - Erebos Blackbraid Nemesis Sopor - Firmament Mizmor - Prosaic Frozen Soul Mephoras - Krystl-Ah Disguised Malignance - Entering the gateways (wow what a DM-debut by these 'kids' ) Manbryne - Interregnum Convocation - No dawn for the Caliginous night

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Solid list, man! There's definitely some on here that I missed so that gives me stuff to check out later.

[@Dan-ji4db]

Couldn't agree more with your #1, my most listened to album of the year and it came out in august. Killer list, thanks

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, Horrendous was such a great listen and I found with each repeated listen I found even more I loved about that album.

[@proudhammer62]

Closing in on 20k subs! Congrats!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! It's been a wild ride so far.

[@patrickm6079]

Absolutely LOVE that you included Autopsy’s new one in your top 5. I don’t know about you but I’ve seen far to many elitists out there who still want to convey that only their first two albums are worth hearing. I absolutely love everything if theirs, including from the comeback with Macabre Eternal all the way up to the new one this year. And honestly, I prefer the clearer production that they have since their first comeback. Still haven’t decided if i like it better than Morbidity, but the production on it is perfect to me. Also, I will check out the new Cruciamentum ASAP since I remember they are heavily influenced by Incantation, which is also an all time favorite of mine, along with Autopsy. Thanks for always having albums on your top lists that I haven’t heard of yet😊

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I loved that new Autopsy and it still blows me away that they not only released a new album after beast of an album last year but that it was also even better. Those "elitists" are missing out on a lot of good shit from Autopsy but that's their loss. They're still gritty and filthy and I think the more modern production still captures that well. That new Cruciamentum is not to be missed. If you love Morbid Angel too that's definitely a big part of their sound.

[@tjcaruthers5593]

Hey Nik, thanks for the Devangelic mention. You describing them as a band like Nile made me go and check them out. They are a great band with a ton of atmosphere. Totally dug it. Happy Birthday man.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, that Devangelic has so many Nile vibes to it. They nailed the sound and definitely still retained their brutal as hell sound. Glad you dug it, man.

[@kevinlyon7716]

Great top 10 list Nick. My top 5 would be . 5.) King Abyss - Snake Oil 4.) Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions 3.) Sadus - The Shadow Inside 2.) Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals 1.) Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Thats a solid list. I'm not familiar with King Abyss so I'll have to check that one out.

[@kevinlyon7716]

I really enjoyed it. I would call it thrash.

[@liametheridge9148]

Killer list as always man. Mutoid Man could've easily ended up on my list but unfortunately my listening habits this year meant I didn't return to it as much as I could've. But it's a fucking incredible album regardless, I put it on again last night and was kinda kicking myself for not including it. I'll be damned if I'm changing my list now though 🤣 Horrendous is absolutely justified as the top spot aswell, that one also completely caught me off guard, because it is just light years ahead of what they were doing before. Absolute gem of an album, much like every one in my top 20. My list has definitely got a few similarities here though. I could call all the albums in my top 10 masterpieces, in fact I could also say my entire top 20 blew me away, but my top 2 in particular are just light years ahead of everything else for me and continue to completely blow me away even now. Here's mine: 10) Sermon - Of Golden Verse (I also had no idea about them until maybe a week before the album came out and I am now a huge fan) 9) Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg For Death 8) Hellripper - Warlocks Grim and Withered Hags (agree with you, it's their best album yet) 7) Riverside - ID: Entity 6) Suotana - Ounas I 5) Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific (better than Violence Unimagined, which I didn't think they would pull off, and now tied with Kill as my favourite Corpsegrinder era album) 4) Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars (probably the band I became the biggest fan of this year, thanks to this. I went back through the whole catalogue throughout this year and I'd say that this is easily in my top 5 of theirs) 3) Enslaved - Heimdal 2) Haken - Fauna (crept up and up my list the more I listened to it. Even now I still find new things in it and it continues to impress me more with every listen) 1) Cattle Decap - Terrasite (I am gonna be maybe controversial and say it's not just the greatest thing they've ever done, but also one of the greatest death metal albums to come out at least in the past 20 years, maybe one of the best ever. Just an absolute fucking masterpiece, my jaw was on the floor for the whole album and still continues to be with every listen, despite me returning to it more than any other album this year) Have a great holiday period and seeya in 2024! Hopefully we'll have another incredible year for new releases, it's shaping up to be pretty damn good already 🤘🤘

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I totally get it as there were other albums that I thought were killer that I just didn't return to as much and I hate reordering my list too which Cruciamentum made me do once already lol. At one point Cattle Decap was in the running for the tops spot but this was such a killer year that my top 10 kept shifting around. I love seeing Katatonia getting a lot of love this year. That new album is so fucking catchy. I think the only ones I didn't jam were Riverside and Suotana on here so I'll have to look into them. I've never really dove much into Riverside's stuff so this new one might be the thing that gets me to check out more of their stuff. I hope your holidays are incredible and I hope 2024 delivers a metric fuck ton of killer metal for all of us to gush about. Cheers, bro!

[@peterock4210]

I have 4 of these in my Top ten. Cruciamentum, Autopsy, Sulfur aeon. Horrendous spinning all the time. One of those where I hear something new each time. Great year! Thanks so much for helping to get my ears on so much new music. Cheers. Edit: you will want to hear Valdrin. ( your neighbors from Cincy!)

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, this year was so loaded with killer music. I was like a kid in a candy store most of the year with all sick releases. I've seen Valdrin's name dropped a lot so I'm definitely going to check that one out at some point.

[@stevenvalenti3722]

When I didn't see you mention your #1 in the previous two videos I just knew it was coming in your top ten for sure. But I didn't think it was going to be your #1 of 2023. But it is an amazing album. Your Top 40 was filled with alot of incredible Metal albums. And I'm going to be checking out a bunch of them that passed me bye. Thanks for all the recommendations. Great video brother. Congratulations to you all for 5years.🤘🍺

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! This year was just loaded with killer music which made this list such a pain in the ass to do lol. I think Horrendous was the closest I got to that illusive 5 star rating. It just blew me away with how good it was. It's their best offering yet in my opinion.

[@stevenvalenti3722]

@@thrallsofmetal wanted to let you know I've never heard of Sermon until you had mentioned them. I listened to the album Of Golden Verse only one time and All I can say is Holy Fuck! I'm fuckin blown away by it. Man it sounds fuckin incredible! And I will be definitely buying it. And Will be following them closely in the future. And I didn't know that James Stewart is the drummer on the album. That dude is a fuckin Awesome! Drummer. Thanks so much for turning me on to this group. They are fuckin Awesome! Nick. Take care brother🤘🍺

[@bennyfrey8411]

Really like your list - great job!!!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man!

[@vanzylalberts5552]

Great Top 40 Necrotic Nick! A couple I missed. Here are my TOP 25 METAL ALBUMS OF 2023! In order from 1 to 25. Cause N Effect - Validation Through Suffering Asinhell - Impii Hora Kataklysm - Goliath Harms Way - Common Suffering Thy Art Is Murder - Godlike Atrocity - OKKULT III Mezzrow - Summon Thy Demons Suffocation - Hymns from the Apocrypha Signs of the Swarm - Amongst the Low & Empty Xoth - Exogalactic Prong - State of Emergency Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah Burns Obituary - Dying of Everything KK’s Priest - The Sinner Rides Again Cavalera Conspiracy - Bestial Devastation (EP) / Morbid Visions Metal Church - Congregation of Annihilation Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination The Fallen Prophets - Perpetual Damnation Overkill - Scorched Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars Carnifex - Necromanteum Agora - Empire Myrath - Karma Carnation - Cursed Mortality

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, you've got a fair amount of stuff I missed here as well. Give me more to check out in the future though. There's a few on here that were close to making my list too. 2023 was a hell of year for metal overall I'd say.

[@TifformaTemoroner]

That was quite a list, full of amazing music Nick! This year was just packed with killer stuff and I would lose my mind to rank my favourite releases 😄. I spent a lot of my time with new records from Memoriam, Weald and Woe and King Gizzard. Keep up the good work! 🤘

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, this year was loaded with killer releases. I hope 2024 is just as loaded too. I could definitely do another year like this.

[@TheStrappingOldGrumpyLad]

I'm glad that I discovered your channel guys, which was maybe this year or late last year, can't really remember when time goes by so fast. 🤔 Anyway, I found a lot of good bands by you, always a joy to watch you guys discuss so thanks (or as we Swedes says, tack så mycket) for that. 😄🤘 And here's my favorite of 2023 and in no particular order I just went with the first thing that came to my head and it made me go nuts at how many albums I liked from this year and I can probably name a lot more than this but here you go. 😅 Lana Del Rey - Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd Floor Jansen - Paragon Birdflesh - Sickness In The North Vomitory - All Heads Are Gonna Roll October Tide - The Cancer Pledge W.E.B. - Into Hell Fire We Burn (which is just an ep but I liked it) The Magus - Βυσσοδομώντας Atonement - Sadistic Invaders Asagraum - Veil of Death, Ruptured Incantation - Unholy Deification Ché Aimee Dorval - The Crowned Eternal Evil - The Gates Beyond Mortality Crypta - Shades Of Sorrow Grá - Lycaon Nervosa - Jailbreak Plaguemace - Reptilian Warlords Svartkonst - May The Night Fall Cobra Spell - 666 Interemo - Buried In Rotten Remains Rotten Sound - Apocalypse Xorsist - At The Somber Steps To Serenity Wretched Fate - Carnal Heresy The Arson Project - God Bless Thulcandra - Hail The Abyss Grand Cadaver - Deities of Deathlike Sleep Burning Witches - The Dark Tower Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags Phantom - Handed to Execution Blackbraid - II Mork - Dypet Berzerker Legion - Chaos Will Reign Tsjuder - Helvegr Speedwhore - Visions of a Parallel World Enforced - War Remains Tyranex - Reasons for the Slaughter Mezzrow - Summon Thy Demons Kataklysm - Goliath Go Ahead and Die - Unhealthy Mechanisms Sadus - The Shadow Inside

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I always say one of the best compliments we can get is that people are discovering new music through the channel. That's exactly what I wanted it to do. You've got a solid list here and there's definitely some I didn't get a chance to listen to here. I'll have to check out some of these and maybe work them into a collection update in the future.

[@TheStrappingOldGrumpyLad]

@@thrallsofmetal Yeah and that's great. You do so, of the 40 albums that I wrote I can highly recommend 4 of them that you can listening (and maybe buy later) to Phantom - Handed to Execution, Atonement - Sadistic Invaders, Tyranex - Reasons for the Slaughter and Plaguemace - Reptilian Warlords.

[@LowNoiseJasonSkilz]

I was not blown away by hellripper. He needs a full band I feel

[@LedgerJoker77]

album of the year imo. dude is a genius

[@peterock4210]

I liked the previous album a lot. This one doesn’t grab me and I really can’t figure out why. Getting praised all over.

[@henrywalton5967]

I really really wanted to like it but it's jus not for me, kinda just made me want to listen to Blood Fire Death lol

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- I think he's doing really well on his own but I'd be down to hear what he does with some other band members to write with as long as they don't stray from the solid path this band is on.

[@battoreddu9303]

I don't understand the hype for this band as well. Really generic riffs and overall music,plus it has this super polished production that doesn't fit the style as well. It's not for me

[@Questformetal]

Killer list good to see the new hellripper on so many end of year lists as well

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, Questy! Yeah, James outdid himself on this new Hellripper. Easily the most ambitious album and it didn't sacrifice one bit of the vicious bite his sound has.

[@Questformetal]

@@thrallsofmetal agreed still as ferocious as ever

[@TheMetalGaia]

Fkn Horrendous man! That album blew me away this year. Might be my favorite. It's their best work so far, and they channeled all the best parts of some classic bands from several genres. Bravo to those guys. I'll be returning to Ontological Mysterium for years to come.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Man, I didn't think they were going to beat Idol since I was such a fan of that album but Ontilogical Mysterium is on a completely different level than anything they've done to date. It's just flat out brilliant down to even the most minute detail.

[@TheMetalGaia]

@@thrallsofmetal I wholeheartedly agree, man! I keep coming back to the album over and over again. I need to see them live, like, yesterday.

[@Oldy-Sepulchre]

I feel like I've just discovered a hidden gem that specifically yoy and Jon would love. It's proggy death mixed with some blackened hardcore lol. So much going on in this album. They're called Unfurl and they're incredible. Definitely just jumped into my top 50 for the year

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Someone brought up that band in the livestream we did last night and the description got me really curious. I'll probably check them out at some point here soon.

[@Oldy-Sepulchre]

@thrallsofmetal yeah that was me haha. I seen you guys live and had to see yous talk about it live. I also recommended Necropanther haha

[@Eastsiderock]

Nice tops Nick! Respect on the #2 position!! Regarding your #1, I don't get that album haha, much prefered the one before - this last one is too all over the place for me BUT you are like the 4th dude that are putting them at the top so hey it worked! Happy holidays! Hail Satan.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, both of those albums were volleying for that first place spot. Heimdal is flat out incredible but there's is something truly amazing about Horrendous's new one. I've seen it get a lot of love as well and I can see where it wouldn't be everyone's thing even if they liked their previous albums. It's a big leap for them but I think they did it well. Enjoy your holidays, man! Keep Krampus in your heart lol!

[@willsmail3785]

Great list and I have nine out of the ten you've listed in my collection, only minus Mutoid Man which I'll have to check out! Was a fantastic year for all genres and difficult breaking it down into a top ten but here's my list! Wayfarer- American Gothic Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit Eternal Rot- Moribund Dying Fetus- Make them Beg for Death Flesher- Tales of Grotesque Demise Autopsy- Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts Enforced- War Remains Incantation- Unholy Deification Horrendous- Ontological Mysterium Godthrymm- Distortions.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, that Mutoid Man is a must listen in my book if you want to hear something heavy but kinda weird and catchy. They really have their own thing going on with that band. I definitely see a lot of familiar bangers here and a couple that would have been there if I did 50 for sure.

[@AutumnReaper23]

Awesome list Nick! You're right, this year is absolutely loaded with killer releases. I'm up over 800 albums and a little over 200 EPs/Splits (i do download a lot but also support a ton of physical media) Horrendous being number 1 is no suprise as that album is peak and super killer. I'm more than likely going with a four way tie for AOTY and doing a top 100 which will suck to whittle down. I cant wait see what 2024 brings and you guys bring the killer videos!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, I think I may have listened to more music this year than previous years because of the sheer amount of quality releases that have come out. Yeah, it was battle between a fair amount for my #1 this year but not quite made my jaw hit the floor like Horrendous did this year. There is just something flat out amazing about that album. I think 2024 will be a solid year with the amount of bands in the studio right now. Here's hoping it matches this year.

[@NekobibuVonBibu]

Throughout all three videos, I was like "why isn't he mentioning MY personal #1?!". Oh, that's because it's your #1 too. 😁👍

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Brilliant minds think alike? lol. Yeah, Horrendous surpassed my already pretty high expectations with that album. It's the best thing they've done yet by far.

[@MelanieLovesDeathMetal]

Great picks Nick! I gotta give Enslaved another chance. I've seen nothing but good things about that album but it didn't click with me just yet.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks! Yeah, I still need to see your last video for your top picks. The previous ones had some bangers on them. You know, Enslaved might not be for everyone but I think they're worth giving a chance. It could be one of those things were something just clicks and you just end up loving it.

[@BrittVarn]

Here's my humble top ten: 1. Excarnated Entity - Mass Grave Horizon 2. Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions 3. Profane Order - One Nightmare Unto Another 4. Lamp Of Murmuur - Saturnian Bloodstorm 5. Skourge - Torrential Torment 6. Tetragrammacide - Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur'an 7. Arbor - Behold…The Age of Pagan Blood 8. Fossilization - Leprous Daylight 9. Left Cross - Upon Desecrated Altars 10. Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity

[@guto5986]

My Top 10: 01. Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current 02. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 03. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death 04. Enslaved - Heimdal 05. Green Lung - This Heathen Land 06. Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah Burns 07. Baroness - Stone 08. Cruel Force - Dawn of the Axe 09. Ahab - The Coral Tombs 10. Obituary - Dying of Everything

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Nice list, man. I really enjoyed Dodheimsgard but it didn't quick fully click with me. That is a very strange listen but need more time with it I think.

[@Hammett980]

I was waiting for your final list for this but I thought I'd share my list! I did a top 20 this year. We have some similarities and some of your picks are in my top 20. Coincidentally, we share a #1! Thanks for your lists, man. I have plenty of new listening to keep me busy because of it. Here's mine: 1. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium 2. Enforced - War Remains 3. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 4. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit 5. Panopticon - The Rime of Memory 6. Nothingness - Supraliminal 7. Ulthar - Anthronomicon/Helionomicon 8. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific 9. Metallica - 72 Seasons Metallica - 72 Seasons 10. Outer Heaven - Infinite Psychic Depths 11. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death 12. Blindfolded and Led to the Woods - Rejecting Obliteration 13. Creeping Death - Boundless Domain 14. Aetherian - At Storm’s Edge 15. Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination 16. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 17. Snorlax - The Necrotrophic Abyss 18. Re-Buried - Repulsive Nature 19. Baroness - Stone 20. Green Lung - The Heathen Land

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Wow! We have a lot of the same picks here honestly. Good stuff, man. There's a couple on here that were almost on my list and some I just didn't get a chance to check out.

[@toddapplegate]

Nick, I love your perspective on metal, but I am shocked that you have not had Mithridatum, Thantifaxath, AHAB, or Acausal Intrusion on your list. Did you listen to these albums?

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, I didn't get a chance to listen to Thantifaxath or Acausal Intrusion this year so I can't weigh in on them but I did love Ahab and it was close to making the list but it was a last minute cut. It's rough making these lists because those 40 spots go quick.

[@DeathTragedy666]

Glad to see Hellripper and Sulphur Aeon on your list, my friend. :) Here's my official Top 25 of 2023. Like you said, there was so much killer music this year that it was hard to pick and decide my favorite albums. Too many honorable mentions to name... lol 25. Tsjuder - Helvegr 24. Godflesh - Purge 23. Krigsgrav - Fires in the Fall 22. Neo Inferno 262 - Pleonectic 21. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit 20. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific 19. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death 18. Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah Burns 17. Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals 16. Model/Actriz - Dogsbody 15. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows 14. In Flames - Foregone 13. Blut aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab 12. Ulthar - Anthronomicon/Helionomicon 11. Baroness - Stone 10. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium 9. Sermon - Of Golden Verse 8. Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed 7. Enslaved - Heimdal 6. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 5. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 4. Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis 3. Blackbraid - Blackbraid II 2. Downfall of Gaia - Silhouettes of Disgust MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF 2023: Wayfarer - American Gothic

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Man, was this year stacked as fuck. I could have done a Top 50 if I wanted to this year with all the quality releases. You got a couple on here that were close to my Top 40 like Wayfarer and Tsjuder. Solid list here, man.

[@FlabbyPigLegs]

Top 40? Holy shit I barely could stretch mine to a top 5 this year.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Well, maybe these videos will make you check out some of the albums you missed.

[@FlabbyPigLegs]

Absolutely that’s why I’m here haha!

[@FlabbyPigLegs]

I will say one I noticed you missed that I loved this year was Hypno5e with their album Sheol.

[@SardonicWrath]

My top 30. It's still a work in progress, really, but here we go. A few albums suffer from me not listening to it until very recently (Malokarpatan, Wayfarer, Cirith Ungol). Oh, and I include EPs and demos as well: 30. Cirith Ungol - Dark Parade 29. Gatekeeper - From Western Shores 28. Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current 27. Aldheorte - Upon Dying Fields 26. Faidra - Militant : Penitent : Triumphant 25. Nechrotik Veil - Desolate Emptiness 24. Ave Sanguine - By Clandestine Will 23. Nexorum - Tongue of Thorns 22. Non Est Deus - Legacy 21. Wayfarer - American Gothic 20. Malokarpatan - Vertumnus Caesar 19. Moortrieder - Towards the Hills of Triumph 18. Enslaved - Heimdal 17. Stangarigel - Na Severe Srdca 16. Tempel Wolf - Hirschgeweihmaskeraden 15. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific 14. Sacred Outcry - Tower of Gold 13. Afsky - Om Hundrede År 12. Mänbryne - Interregnum 11. A la fin de l'univers - Le Voyageur 10. NONE - Inevitable 9. Nordicwinter - The Mournful Dawn 8. Manii - Innerst i Mørket 7. Unviâr - Faliscjis 6. Imperium Dekadenz - Into Sorrow Evermore 5. Aara - Triade III: Nyx 4. Keep of Kalessin - Katharsis 3. Lumsk - Fremmede Toner 2. Oerheks - Landschapsanachronismen (also gotta mention the freshly released 'Grondslagen', which compiles all three of Oerheks' demos. Really good release. They released two demos this year and both would've made the list if I included more than one release per band) 1. Antrisch - Expedition II: Die Passage

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Hey, it's pretty much impossible to listen to everything released. We listened to possibly more music than we ever had this year and we still missed a lot. Solid list here though. There's a ton of stuff I didn't get a chance to listen to on here as well so there's definitely more for me to check out from this year.

[@SardonicWrath]

@@thrallsofmetal Yeah, I completely understand that. I don't have time to check out half as much music as you guys do. Tons of respect for people like you who listen to new stuff all the time.

[@cowmark67]

Kickass top 10. I keep forgetting to check out Horrendous and I need to go back and give Cruciamentum more listens. Here are my top 10 metal albums of 2023. 1. Mesarthim - Arrival (atmospheric black metal/trance) 2. Blackbraid - Blackbraid II (atmospheric black metal/melodic black metal) 3. Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask (blackened hardcore/post-metal/post-rock) 4. Panopticon - The Rime of Memory (atmospheric black metal/folk) 5. Bizarrekult - Den Tapte Krigen (progressive post-black metal) 6. Sermon - Of Golden Verse (progressive metal/alternative metal/post-metal) 7. Olde Throne - In the Land of Ghosts (atmospheric black metal) 8. Iravu - A Fate Worse Than Home (atmospheric black metal) 9. Thy Catafalque - Alf​ö​ld (avant-garde metal: black metal/death metal/heavy metal/folk/jazz/electronic) 10. Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant For Us (melodic death-doom)

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I strongly recommend those two but you've got some I've definitely missed as well like Fires in the Distance. That's one that I've heard so much about but I kept forgetting to pick it up.

[@Clintob]

Horrendous was my fav too. It’s a firework show. Did you listen to the new album or ep by Chained To The Bottom Of The Ocean? Rannoch and Cursebinder also put out awesome releases this year.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- That album flat out blew me away. My expectations were pretty damn high and the album exceeded them. I missed all 3 of those sadly but I can still check them out later. I heard some good stuff about that Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean.

[@Clintob]

@@thrallsofmetal I have to be in the mood for Chained, but they are nasty. Dirty. Vocals are gnarly.

[@KSCdd]

I haven't even heard of your #1😮 I need to check it out straight away.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- It's a banger. If you love stuff like Death circa Human and Atheist you'll find a lot of killer stuff that album for sure.

[@mikepenny8940]

Sulphur aeon and hellripper are top bands for me. Two bands that i didciverd because of you guys👍👍

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- I'm always happy to introduce people to killer new bands. Glad you dug those 2 and make sure to check out their other stuff for both of them. Both have killer discographies.

[@CandyOnAChopstick]

Mutoid Man hell yeah 🙌

[@MisterBrimm]

I should listen to the Hellripper joint again, it was very cool, probably should have been on my list, is definitely in the top 50. That Enslaved album is almost perfect but that second track "Jettegryta" throws things off with its monotonous opening and structure. Still glad I saw them live on that tour and will end up spinning that lp a lot. That Katatonia album is the best stuff I've heard from them, planned to give it another listen. Love that Sulphur Aeon and of course Horrendous Still haven't heard that Autopsy, I am cramming albums the rest of the week and its in the queue. I will check out those other death albums you recommended.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Hellripper is definitely worth more listens for sure. That's just flat out riffy fun in my book. I'm a giant Enslaved fan so I really liked that song. The guitar interplay is really fun on that one and I love the big epic end to that track in particular. Katatonia, Sulphur Aeon, Autopsy and Horrendous all pretty much blew me away this year. There were a ton of great releases this year so this year was tough to keep up with.

[@benng4376]

Hi, Nick. Check out the new By Fire And Sword album. It's a bit like a trad metal Ghost. They have a fun fake Christian gimmick too.

[@mncphotography]

i'm genuinely curious, and hate to be that guy but where is Outer Heaven and King Gizzard?! LOVED this series from you Nick. best heavy music KZbin show there is out there. will Jammin' Jon be making one?

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I didn't get a chance to checkout the new King Gizzard so I can't really say much about it other than it's been getting a lot of love and I may have to pick up some of their stuff at some point. As for Outer Heaven while I enjoyed that album it didn't hit me the same way as the debut. If I had did a top 50 it might have made it on there but I' say it's at least an honorable mention. Jon is currently working on editing down the first part of his list right now so it should be up soon.

[@kimeklund8880]

Humanitys Last Breath - Ashen Violet Cold - Multieverse Tsjuder - Helvegr Frontieres - La Trilogie Escape From Wonderland - Pieces Atoll - Human Extract End - The SinOf Human Fraility Ten56 - downer part 1 and 2 To The Grave - Offcuts Disfiguring The Goddess - The Brutal Machine

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Nice list, man! Tsjuder was just outside of my list. I loved that album but those 40 spots went quick. Atoll was pretty cool too.

[@kimeklund8880]

⁠@@thrallsofmetal forgot Cannibal Corpse and katatonia, mayby Distant so many great albums this year hard to pick out just ten 😊🤟🏻 I listen almost only to death and melodic death metal when i was younger , but later it went to deathcore, Thall and Black. But this year death metal have made a huge comeback 😊

[@stijn_demon-dt]

Discovered so many awesome bands since I start following this channel earlier this year! Great end of the year list, got me listening to a few new bands. Check out: Burner - it all returns to nothing. Cheers to the team 🤘

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I'm glad you're finding some new stuff to jam on here. That's exactly what I love hearing. I'll have to check out Burner at some point after the holiday madness.

[@nlwrigh]

My top pick is Outer Heaven, adore that album. Prong and Angelus Apatrida would make my top 5 as well. Just my 2 cents.

[@steazfactor3637]

That album is incredible.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- I liked Outer Heaven but I didn't like that one as much as their debut. Still a badass album. Prong put out a banger of an album too but I didn't get a chance to check out Angelus Apatrida. I need to listen to more by that band.

[@TBaggins96]

My picks for 2023 1. Dodheimsgard - Black Medium Current 2. Haken - Fauna 3. Alkaloid - Numen 4. Ahab - The Coral Tombs 5. Enslaved - Heimdal 6. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is but a Dream 7. Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle 8. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows 9. (A tie!) Crown Lands - Citadel / Scorched Moon - Obsidia 10. Godthrymm - Distortions

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Solid list, man! I really enjoyed Black Medium Current but now all of it completely gelled with me. It's such a strange album but I'm definitely going to listen to more. Ahab was really close to making it too. Killer album from those dudes and I loved the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea themes.

[@METALBENSCHRONICLES]

Another solid list and I'm quite surprised with your number 1 pick. Horrendous is another band i need to check out.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, Ben! Yeah, Horrendous just flat out blew me away this year. I think you'd dig it. Lots of later Death nods and the songwriting is insanely good. They're a PA band too so it's in your backyard.

[@stephanreijnart1638]

You guys have a great channel, discovered a lot of new music. Thank you for this. These are my best 15 albums of 2023. 1. Mänbryne - Interregnum: O Próbie Wiary I Jarzmie Zwatpiena 2. Ruïm - Black Royal Spiritism - i. o sino da igreja 3. Angrenost - Magna Lua Ordem Mistica 4. Cattle Decapation - Terrasite 5. Izrod - Sarajevski Odisej 6. Taake - Et Hav Av Avstand 7. Excommunicatio - Kodex Luzifer 8. Dodheimsgard - Black Medium Current 9. Carnation - Cursed Moratilaty 10. Afsky - Om Hundrede Ar 11. Uada - Crepuscule Natura 12. Suffocation - Hymns From The Apocrypha 13. Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions 14. Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis 15. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! It's always good to hear people are discovering new music through the channel. That's exactly why we do this. Man, there's a lot of stuff on here that I missed this year. That'll give me some stuff to check out later for sure. Solid list, man!

[@trevorburns]

Top 20 Albums Of 2023 w/ Honorable Mentions 1. Mutoid Man - Mutants 2. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite 3. Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden 4. Kim Dracula - A Gradual Decline In Morale 5. Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream... 6. Code Orange - The Above 7. Beartooth - The Surface 8. To The Grave - Director's Cuts 9. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 10. Koyo - Would You Miss It? 11. 3TEETH - EndEx 12. Unprocessed - ... And Everything In Between 13. Fiends - Insolent Noise 14. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit 15. Urne - A Feast On Sorrow 16. Suicide Silence - Remember... You Must Die 17. Drain - Living Proof 18. END - The Sin Of Human Frailty 19. Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination 20. Angel Du$t - Brand New Soul 21. Jesus Piece - ... So Unknown 22. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific 23. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg For Death 24. Dying Wish - Symptoms of Survival 25. Orbit Culture - Descent

[@Nadinetherescuehound]

I loved the yearly summation vids dude. Thralls is still my go to. My top 5 for the year in any order. Kalmah Mutants Horrendous Crypta Enslaved I listen to alot of music, from all genres. I love when I get done and say, "Whoa, I've never heard anything like that before." or "how did they think to go there." Mutants and Ontological Hysterium are mind blowing albums. I know melodeath is mum right now, but Kalmahs last album is freaking killer. My personal favorite Finnish release since AYDY.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! While I still haven't jammed the new Kalmah I can say those other 4 are certified bangers. Yeah, there were some outside of the metal spectrum I almost considered like Host, Crosses, Queens of the Stone Age and Depeche Mode. All those bands put out killer work this year in my opinion.

[@Nadinetherescuehound]

@@thrallsofmetal too right dude. QotSA fucking rule. That dude is a riff machine. Them Crooked Vulturs is my favorite supergroup album until Mutants.

[@jmalinjapan7786]

Hey, Nick, great list. Thanks for the great content all year round. Looking forward to year 6! I’ve been prevaricating on making my own list. For one thing, I haven’t been able to listen to as much music as I wanted to this year. For another, I haven’t had time to put as much thought into it as I should’ve. Oh, well. Here is the top 10! 10: Hellripper 9: Creeping Death 8: Wayfarer 7: Blackbraid 6: Leipa 5: Smoulder 4: Necropanther 3: Sulphur Aeon 2: Church of Misery 1: Horrendous I haven’t even listed to Taake, that Lizard Gizzard Wizard ?! thing, CC, Cattle Decap yet. And some others too. Too much music! Honourable mentions include Enslaved, Imperium Dekadenz, Enforced, Ulthar, Outer Heaven, that Dream Unending/Worm split, Blindfolded and Led to the Woods, Dying Fetuss,Tomb Mold, Stortregn and more.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! I appreciate that. Hey, there was a ton of music to keep up with this year so don't worry about not being able to listen to it all as it drops. Nothing wrong with playing catch with albums. You've got a solid list though and some really killer ones in your honorable mentions so I'd say what listening you did do was with some killer releases.

[@jmalinjapan7786]

@@thrallsofmetal Thanks to you and Jon mostly that I was even aware of a lot of this. Really appreciate everything you’re doing , especially valuable for metal fans like myself isolated from a real scene. Cheers, guys! Hope you have a sozzled holiday period.

[@Bong_Ripper]

I saw horrendous live theyre awesome , you should check ouut , torture enduring freedom my favorite album of the year . Dripping is also really sick they recently reunited to tour and release new stuff , cheers and happy birthday :D

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- They've been on the list of bands I've wanted see for awhile now but I think it's moved up to "I need to see this band" now after this new one. I'll have to look into both Torture and Dripping at some point.

[@MrOmac09]

Thanks for another year of killer videos, here's my top 10. 10. Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold (Power/Heavy Metal) 9. Cattle Decapitation - Terasite (Death Metal/Grindcore) 8. Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions (Death Metal) 7. Mutoid Man - Mutants (Stoner/Sludge Metal) 6. Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant for Us (Melodic Death Doom) 5. Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals (Blackened Death Doom) 4. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit (Death Metal) 3. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (Blackened Thrash) 2. Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle (Melodic Black Metal) 1. Ahab - The Coral Tombs (Funeral Doom)

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Solid list! I love seeing Mutoid Man getting the love they deserve especially. I think a lot of people slept on that one.

[@MrOmac09]

@@thrallsofmetal such a killer album, It's so damn catchy. Impossible to not enjoy listening to it. Big fan of their other albums as well.

[@ΝικοςΚουβατης]

I haven't listened to the Horrendous album yet. My pics are: Enslaved, Hellripper, Baroness, Insomnium, Ne Obliviscaris, Cattle Decapitation, Haken and Dodheimsgard. Thanks

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Those are solid picks. I strongly recommend checking out Horrendous though. It's an amazing album.

[@Nintendo-Z]

Amazing list bro should out to the entire Thralls team I love this community 🤘

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! We appreciate all the love!

[@FuriousMetal1968]

I only saw your top 10 but we had the same #1🤘I totally agree with everything you said about Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium. It's an absolute masterpiece of an album. I have a few albums that I think are worthy: LOKUST - Infidel, Thrash/ Groove Metal. Pronostic - Chaotic Upheaval, Melodic/Tech - Death, Gorod- The Orb, Progressive/ Tech Death. I didn't see your bottom 30 albums but if you haven't heard these, give it a listen, Cheers 😎🍻🤘

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! Yeah, there was something about that album that kept me coming back and it wasn't as though it needed to grow on me. Within 2 listens it just clicked that it was something special. It's hands down the best thing this already awesome band has put out. Gorod made my list but I'm not familiar with the other 2 so I'll have to check those out. Cheers, man!

[@FuriousMetal1968]

@@thrallsofmetal Hell yeah 🤘 Thanks for reaching out. I think you will enjoy them. Pronostic is amazing and if you like bass guitar up front just listen to the first 5 seconds of that album, and your hooked 🤘😎🍻

[@cbn6635]

Excellent list, sir! 👍 Considering how much you like that Horrendous album, I find it strange, that Alkaloid 'Numen' didn't even enter your 40 best releases of 2023? I think they really took progressive, spacy death metal to new heights on that one.. 🤗 Regarding that Cruciamentum album, like you, that damn thing keeps f*cking up my year end list; each listen make that album claw it's way ever nearer to the absolute top for me.. awesome comeback! 🤘🤘

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man! With Alkaloid I was a bigger fan of the first disc than the second one. Disc one is about as tight and creative as they've ever been in my opinion but it kinda got a bit off the rails for me on disc 2. It kinda lacked a bit of cohesion even though it was still really well done. Cruciamentum made up for the long wait with an absolute banger of an album. I like that it's a bit different from Charnel Passages too so it doesn't just sound like retread.

[@cbn6635]

@@thrallsofmetal I think 'Obsidian Refractions' just might already have surpassed 'Charnel Passages' in my world. No mean feat!! 🤗😎

[@Yaummers]

Happy Five Years! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Thanks, man!

[@jameshuseby9931]

Nick in 2024 are you going to the mammoth concert tour Amon Amarth/Cannibal Corse/Obituary & Frozen Soul Tour in coming May 4 to Madison hope I can get tickets

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- We'll probably miss that one as the dates that are closest to us are really long drives for us.

[@pedropatricio1128]

I dont listen enough to make such list, my highlights are: Bell Witch - Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate Cruciamemtum - Obsidian Refractions Excarnated Entity - Mass Grave Horizon Sodality - Benediction, Part 1 Tetragrammacide - Typho-Tantric Aphorisms from the Arachneophidian Qur'an Left Cross - Upon Desecrated Altars

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Looks like you still listened to some bangers here. I still need to get that Excarnated Entity album. I loved their first one.

[@andreaspedersen3952]

I've been checking around, and I hardly find Lovebites anywhere. Don't know if it's the accesability of the music. CDs must mostly be imported from Japan... but they have most of their material. Even live albums (which is awesome), on Spotify.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- I know my local record store had that one in but I didn't snag it. It might have been an import order for someone else though.

[@zacharyashmore1830]

You didn't mention the new Cryptopsy album. How come?

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- It didn't quite make my list but that doesn't mean I didn't think it wasn't a solid album.

[@MetalNeverDieswithMarkA]

I’ll share my top 10 with you Nick. 10- Hellripper 9- Suffocation 8- Enforced 7- cannibal corpse 6- King Gizzard and the lizard wizard 5- obituary 4- Invicta 3- Metallica 2- Dying Fetus 1- cattle decapitation That’s right!!

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Solid list, man! I still need to check out your videos for your lists. Been busy as hell here lately.

[@MetalNeverDieswithMarkA]

@@thrallsofmetal all good my brother.

[@MrLando0]

That Horrendous is great. My top albums that I don’t think you had- Asagraum, Thulcandra, Crystal Coffin, Malokarpatan, Marte, Graveripper.

[@thrallsofmetal]

Necrotic Nick- Yeah, Horrendous stole the show this year for me. I totally forgot their was a new Asagraum this year which sucks because I loved their last one. I'll definitely snag that and the new Graveripper at some point.