Favorite new releases of 2023

[Hair I Go Again]

WIN: Eclipse - "Megalomanium." So many of the bands we love/shit-talk (and love to shit-talk!) here had runs of 2-3 albums, but Eclipse has been on a tear for more than a decade now. I don't think they can put out a bad record. Video for "Got It!" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCrprhk-GrA

PLACE: Extreme - "Six." To me, it's the best new release by a golden-era act since Night Ranger's "Somewhere In California." Easy criticism is that the four advance singles didn't really paint an accurate portrait of the record as a whole, and the second half doesn't always hit the mark, but even the quirkier stuff has grown on me, and "Hurricane" might be their best ballad ever. Video for "Rise" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ_AOIbj8AA

SHOW: The Winery Dogs - "III." A welcome return, and a bit more back-to-basics than their second record, which didn't connect with me to the same extent as their debut. Hot take: this might be the best band that any of its members have ever played in. Video for "Xanadu" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAUnJeYvKGM

HONORABLE MENTIONS (if only because I appreciate that these artists are still making new music, even if it doesn't resonate with me as much as their previous efforts): Danko Jones - "Electric Sounds," Alice Cooper - "Road," the two new Brother Cane singles that I just stumbled across, Revolution Saints - "Eagle Flight," Steel Panther - "On The Prowl"

[Gibsonite]

Crypta - Shades of Sorrow

Crushing, old-school death metal from four Brazilian chicks who play circles around most of their male counterparts.

[Billy Jack]

Unquestionably, QOTSA - In Times New Roman!!!

[daveg]

Tenille Townes - Train Track Worktapes
Some great mellow acoustic country rock. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFOH9pe ... TownesVEVO
Beartooth - The Surface
Hardy - The Mockingbird and the Crow
Glorious Sons - Glory
John Diva and the Rockets of Love - The Big Easy.
Pop Evil - Skeletons
Zack Bryan - Boys of Faith

I really tried to like the Winger and Extreme albums, but didn't feel the need to revisit them after a few listens

[Psychobolia.com]

Steel Panther
KK's Priest
Cannibal Corpse
Dying Fetus
Rolling Stones
EDIT: also: Duran Duran's Dance Macabre, Blut Aus Nord's Nahab, Suffocation's Hymns from the Aprocrypha

Any others that I forgot are probably forgetable... EDIT: I evidently forgot Metallica and Overkill's new discs, which came out the same day.

[JinglesTheChristmasMouse]

U.D.O. : Touchdown .

[Whatever Happened To…]

Blur - Ballad Of Darren

[Ham Stroker's Ejacula]

There's still 10 weeks left in the year, so I still need to check out upcoming releases by Suffocation, Wayfarer, Cruciamentum, Panopticon, Vastum, Fuming Mouth, Sadus, Revulsed, and a couple others.


Otherwise, 15 of my favorites up to this point in the year are Kruelty, Godthrymm, Church of Misery, Karras, Ahab, Cannibal Corpse, Hellripper, Dødheimsgard, Tsjuder, Blackbraid, Cloak, Dying Fetus, Mork, Saturnus, Sulphur Aeon.

[SexxAtraxxion]

hard rock/metal:
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Steve Vai - Vai/Gash
Metallica - 72 Seasons

any genre:
boygenius - the record
Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
PJ Harvey - I Inside the Old Year Dying
Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings

[skinni]

Winger
Vai
Mammoth WVH
Heat
Eclipse
Paul Gilbert
KK Priest

[DonJuanDeMarco]

Winger

That's probably my vote too. The band really sounds great here and they had a good year of touring as well. It's a very serious record. Pretty heavy and super tight arrangements. When I first heard "It All Comes Back Around" I liked it but didn't quite get it. It's the final song on the record. And when you listen to the record from start to finish it's the perfect ending. Give it a shot!

Honorable mentions:
Heaven's Edge
Mike Tramp Songs of White Lion (just because)
Tempt (more of a pop record than the debut but still very good and classy)

Been holding off on the new Stones record and Matchbox Twenty too but going to give them a listen this weekend!

[EnuffRatt]

GUTS - Olivia Rodrigo

That’s my list. Seriously, great fucking record.

[GreatWhiteSnake]

Beach Fossils, Ellie Goulding, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Maze, the Veils, Gorillaz, Enforcer, Matchbox Twenty, the National, Noel Gallagher, the Church, Hamish Hawk, Bell X1, both Esoctrilihum albums, John Mellencamp, Paris Texas, ØZWALD, Film School, S. Carey & John Ramond, Bassnectar, Marduk, and Alien Vampires....

[Van Ailin']

Trevor Rabin - Rio

[risingfarce]

Extreme - "SIx"

Very good cd. Diverse songs. Very "Pornograffitti" in that respect. Band sounds great. Songs are well written.

Highlights: "Other Side Of The Rainbow", "Small Town Beautiful", "Hurricane", "Here's To The Losers", "Rise", "Banshee", "Beautiful Girls"

[cowpins]

Beach Fossils, Ellie Goulding, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Maze, the Veils, Gorillaz, Enforcer, Matchbox Twenty, the National, Noel Gallagher, the Church, Hamish Hawk, Bell X1, both Esoctrilihum albums, John Mellencamp, Paris Texas, ØZWALD, Film School, S. Carey & John Ramond, Bassnectar, Marduk, and Alien Vampires....

Dude...your taste absolutely sucks.

[GreatWhiteSnake]

Beach Fossils, Ellie Goulding, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Maze, the Veils, Gorillaz, Enforcer, Matchbox Twenty, the National, Noel Gallagher, the Church, Hamish Hawk, Bell X1, both Esoctrilihum albums, John Mellencamp, Paris Texas, ØZWALD, Film School, S. Carey & John Ramond, Bassnectar, Marduk, and Alien Vampires....

Dude...your taste absolutely sucks.

Right?!

[Dyslexicheart]

Beach Fossils, Ellie Goulding, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Maze, the Veils, Gorillaz, Enforcer, Matchbox Twenty, the National, Noel Gallagher, the Church, Hamish Hawk, Bell X1, both Esoctrilihum albums, John Mellencamp, Paris Texas, ØZWALD, Film School, S. Carey & John Ramond, Bassnectar, Marduk, and Alien Vampires....

I don't know all these bands, but I've been a fan of The Church since the early 80's, and recently am into Beach Fossils. Cool band.

[BulletProofPoet]

The Defiants - Drive
Roxanne - Stereo Typical (probably my favorite)
Cross Country Driver - The New Truth (Rob Lamothe from Riverdogs)

Turnpike Troubadours - A Cat in the Rain

[steviedoes]

Marvelous 3 - IV
The Defiants - Drive
Goo Goo Dolls - Live At The Academy 1995
Def Leppard - Drastic Symphonies
Fastball - Smashed Hits
The Rocket Summer - Shadowkasters
Winger - Seven
Robin Taylor Zander - The Distance

[DonJuanDeMarco]

The Defiants! LOVE Danger Danger so this band was a pleasant surprise but to be honest the new record annoys me! Seems almost like self-parody at this point. There are some gems on the first 2 albums though. Waiting on a Heartbreak and Hollywood in Headlights are my personal favorites off of each record.

[Nate S Axel]

Beach Fossils, Ellie Goulding, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Maze, the Veils, Gorillaz, Enforcer, Matchbox Twenty, the National, Noel Gallagher, the Church, Hamish Hawk, Bell X1, both Esoctrilihum albums, John Mellencamp, Paris Texas, ØZWALD, Film School, S. Carey & John Ramond, Bassnectar, Marduk, and Alien Vampires....

Dude...your taste absolutely sucks.

Just wait until my year-end list.

[HORRORHOLIC1979]

GUTS - Olivia Rodrigo

That’s my list. Seriously, great fucking record.

It is very good.

[uwec95]

Hozier - Unreal Unearth
Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds
Extreme - Six
Tyler Childers - Rustin' in the Rain
Ben Folds - What Matters Most
Metallica - 72 Seasons

[500DaysofNight]

Marvelous 3 - IV
The Defiants - Drive
Goo Goo Dolls - Live At The Academy 1995
Def Leppard - Drastic Symphonies
Fastball - Smashed Hits
The Rocket Summer - Shadowkasters
Winger - Seven
Robin Taylor Zander - The Distance

Had no clue Robin Taylor Zander had an album out. He's done a kick ass job since he's been singing back up with his dad and playing with Cheap Trick.

But anyways...

White Reaper - Asking for a Ride (as much as I LOVE Butch Walker and was beyond excited for a new M3 album, this still takes it for me this year)
Marvelous 3 - IV
Rick Springfield - Automatic (I've not seen this one mentioned on here but it's damn good and the best thing Rick has put out in years)
The Rollong Stones - Hackney Diamonds
Blink 182 - One More Time
Diamond Cafe - Diamond Cuts

[Hellsinkey]

Blur - Ballad Of Darren

Same here, also:
Ash- Race The Night
Boo Radleys- Eight
Deus- How To Replace It
Electric Boys- Grand Explosivos
The Hold Steady- The Price Of Progress
Jethro Tull- RökFlöte
Teenage Fanclub- Nothing Lasts Forever

[GreatWhiteSnake]

And the Pihka Is My Name album. I forgot about that one. That's good too.

Also boygenius are neither...

[Traxan]

Lovebites, "Judgement Day"
Overkill, "Scorched"

Not listening to much these days.

[inextrem]

Roger Waters - Dark Side Of The Moon Redux
U2 - Songs of Surrender

[DwightFry]

The Hangmen - Stories To Tell
The Forbidden Dimension - Midnight Stew