With 2023 drawing to a close it’s time to cast an eye back through the year and see which albums and games were my favourite. Starting this week with albums, the following are my top five favourite albums released in 2023, with links for you to check them out.
5) Dethalbum IV – Dethklok
A new Dethklok album definitely wasn’t on my bingo card at the beginning of the year, and while my first impressions of the new Dethalbum weren’t as strong as with previous ones, over time I’ve got more and more into the tracks on this project. I find myself listening to less and less metal as the years go by, so an album from one of my favourite all time death metal bands was a sure fire way to bring me back into the genre.
Favourite tracks – Horse of Fire, Satellite Bleeding, SOS.
4) Bloody Sunday – Violent J
The Duke of the Wicked returned in February with his first solo project in 14 years, Bloody Sunday. If the title wasn’t enough of a give away, the music on this album is dark as fuck. J keeps his erratic flows and switches up tracks with a variety of beats that keep this hour long collab-less album from ever growing stale.
The hooks are catchy and memorable, the lyrics range from colourful to absolutely pitch dark, and the production value catapults Bloody Sunday immediately into the realms of a horrorcore classic. Clown Blood was my most played song of the year according to Spotify Wrapped, so it’s unsurprising the album is in my top five.
Favourite tracks – Bloody Sunday, Clown Blood, Something’s In My Room.
3) RAMPAGE – 3 Headed Monster
The second release this year from the newly formed 3 Headed Monster, I did enjoy the first album, Obliteration, but felt Ouija Macc’s performance on it was underwhelming and not up to the standard I know he can deliver on, as demonstrated in his most recent solo projects. On Rampage, Ouija goes from being the weak link to by far the best rapper on the album, with Rampage securing a spot in my top five albums of the year on its release day.
The mix of styles from Violent J, Esham and Ouija are what creates the potential for 3 Headed Monster to go on and become its own standout entity in the future, and I really hope we get new releases from it in 2024 and beyond.
Favourite tracks – Bulldozer, End of Days, Rampage.
2) The Pit – Cabal
This has been by far the hardest year to decide which album takes second place, as this and my number one pick have been in constant rotation since they both dropped. I wasn’t convinced Cabal could outdo their first album from 2021, The Watchers, but this album is an absolute front to back masterpiece. Cabal’s members: Bukshot, Mr Grey and Lo Key’s lyrics and delivery never drop from being outstanding throughout The Pit, but a special mention has to go to Seven who produced the intensely incredible beats for the album.
I have no notes, criticism, or even requests for what could happen with the next Cabal record, just do more like this and I’ll be perfectly happy!
Favourite tracks – Diamond, Obey, Fire From Beyond.
And speaking of perfect, my favourite album for 2023 goes to
Album of 2023: Metal Murder 4K – KidCrusher
This is the album I’ve always wanted KidCrusher to make. Wall to wall horrorcore rap and metal greatness in an unrelenting and deafeningly powerful Metal Murder package. Not only are there no tracks I skip on this record, I usually have to listen to it front to back two or three times with each listen before I’m comfortable listening to something else.
This is the pinnacle of horrorcore, it’s not up for discussion.
Favourite tracks – This is Hell, White Rabbit, World So Cold.
2023 has been a phenomenal year for music with both Metal Murder 4K and The Pit being instant additions to my top ten horrorcore albums of all time. I have listened to both of these albums dozens of times this year, and 100% will continue to do so going forward.
Let me know your favourite album of 2023 in the comments, and I’ll be back next week so will catch you then. Thanks for reading!
Written and edited by Alexx.