Best of 2023: Quarter 2

Going deeper into 2023's uncharted territories, Quarter 2 just about copied last year's frequency and brilliance regarding the abundance of fresh raging modern metal bangers coming out just before festival season. Getting hotter by the day, April, May and June followed the trends set by Quarter 1 and topped it with the scorching intensity this period demands. As usual, here are my personal top 20 singles and albums that made the biggest impression over the last three months, as well as the most exciting prospects going forward.

20. blessthefall - 'Wake The Dead'

A thunderous comeback for scene legends blessthefall with their brand new single 'Wake the Dead', marking more than five years since Hard Feelings and seemingly opening an exciting new chapter with a huge US tour and new music planned until the end of 2023.

19. Pendulum & Bullet For My Valentine - 'Halo'

We all know Pendulum kick ass on their own but when the legend Rob Swire joined forces with Bullet For My Valentine's very own Matt Tuck, things were bound to get extra special and loud for their exclusive collab in 'Halo'.

18. Balance Breach - 'Heart Like Siberia'

Dropping total ragers for few years now, rising Finish heroes Balance Breach finally shared their fantastic sophomore record ABYZMAL, delivering their signature blend of modern metalcore and Scandinavian sensibilities right from the opening track 'Heart Like Siberia'. 

17. Resolve - 'Human'

The ambitious French outfit Resolve took it to the next level on their expansive and stompy new single 'Human', following the previous 'Death Awaits' and 'Move To Trash' in the promo cycle for their upcoming album Human set for 15 Sep via Arising Empire of course. 

16. Asking Alexandria - 'Dark Void'

Successfully navigating through the ups and downs of their career, Asking Alexandria made a spectacular comeback with their promising new single 'Dark Void' paving the way to 'Psycho' and 'Bad Blood' and really raising the expectations for their next record.

15. Moodring - 'WOULDYOUWAITFORME?'

Sleeker than ever, UNFD's brightest modern stars Moodring followed the earlier 'BLACK_WAVE' with their latest banger 'WOULDYOUWAITFORME' as the second installment of their upcoming 3-track EP 'Your Light Fades Away' scheduled for the end of July. 

14. The Amity Affliction - 'Not Without My Ghosts' (ft. Phem)

Showing no signs of slowing down, Aussie royalties The Amity Affliction celebrated their 20th anniversary as an active metalcore force with their brilliant eight studio album Not Without My Ghost, sharing its brilliant title track with Phem to mark the premiere.

13. Crown The Empire - 'Superstar' (ft. Remington Leith of Palaye Royale)

Finally dropping their brilliant latest album DOGMA, Crown The Empire made a clear statetement that they are here to stay with yet another collection of modern scene anthems like the surprising collab with Palaye Royale's Remington Leith on 'Superstar'. 

12. Left To Suffer - 'Disappoint Me'

Going completely feral and unleashing Taylor Barber's bestial power on promo singles like 'Disappoint Me', 'Artificial Anatomy' and 'Primitive Urge', rising newcore heroes Left To Suffer finally delivered their hugely anticipated, raw and uncompromising latest LP Feral.

11. Elyne - 'I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING'

Italian heavyhitters Elyne dropped three outstanding bangers ahead of their second record IDENTITY, with 'I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING' leading the way for 'PARALYZED' and 'DOOMED TO DISSAPPEAR' to continue their relentless stampede across the scene. 

10. Make Them Suffer - 'Ghost Of Me'

Recharged with a newly found purpose, vigour and lineup, Make Them Suffer switched to an even higher gear than their late 2022 single 'Doomswitch', unleashing their full potential on the latest gem 'Ghost Of Me' and teasing a huge new record hopefuly on the horizon. 

9. Rising Insane - 'Half Alive'

Steady on route to becoming Germany's next big export, Rising Insane dropped yet another exemplary modern metalcore banger 'Half Alive' following their fantasric previous 'Drag Me Under' and 'Chemicals', with a hugely anticipated new record on the horizon. 

8. Earth Caller - 'Graphic'

Gradually becoming one of the hottest names in the modern heavy scene in Australia and beyond, Earth Caller gathered their outstanding latest singles like 'Graphic' into their brand new exemplary dystopian 4-track self-produced EP Renormalization.

7. Future Palace - 'Malphas'

Appriaching one year from the release of their fantastic last record Run, Future Palace dropped their brand new groovy banger 'Malphas' with Maria Lessing reaching new vocal highs and the band setting the bar even higher for their German contemporaries. 

6. Polaris - 'Inhumane'

Three years since Polaris' critically acclaimed The Death Of Me dropped in 2020, one killer new track like 'Inhumane' is all it took to get us all immediately hyped about the Aussie legends' new record Fatalism coming on very soon, on 8th of Sep via Sharptone Records.

5. Dead Like Juliet - 'Backs Against The Wall'

As furious, dynamic and engaged as we have already learned to expect, Italian-Austrian outfit Dead Like Juliet rallied the modern local scene with the relentless single 'Backs Against The Wall' taken from their faultless and honest new record Stand Defiant.

4. Currents - 'Unfamiliar'

Magnificient as always, Connecticut cult heroes Currents took their metalcore mastery to a whole new level on their latest single 'Unfamiliar' shared as a celebration of their third album, instant modern classic and expected AOTY contender The Death We Seek. 

3. Brand of Sacrifice - 'Between Death and Dreams'

Highly anticipated as one of the hottest EPs to come out in 2023, Brand of Sacrifice more than delivered, with the title track 'Between Death and Dreams' wrapping their examplary 4-track release in a trademarked bonecrushing grandeur and swagger. 

2. Imminence - 'Desolation'

Following the deluxe Heaven In Hiding reissue with yet another display of musical and vocal brilliance, Imminence kept their place at the very top of the modern metal scene with unrivaled new singles 'Desolation' and 'Come Hell and High Water', from Sweden with love. 

1. Annisokay - 'Human'

Dropping the absolute mammoth of a post-apocalyptic single 'Human', Annisokay followed up with the energetic 'Calamity', approaching their strongest form for their upcoming EP Abyss Pt I and remaining one of the most exciting outfits in Europe at the moment.

You can already find all these bangers in the 'Modern Metal' and 'Alternative 2023' playlists on Spotify, both updated weekly with the freshest new releases across the entire metal, rock, punk and alternative scenes and beyond. Stay tuned for more for the rest of 2023!

The Most Anticipated Releases For Quarter 3:

Moodring - Your Light Fades Away EP (UNFD), 14 July

To Kill Achilles - Recovery (Arising Empire), 11 Aug

Holding Absence - The Noble Art of Self Destruction (SharpTone Records), 25 Aug

Polaris - Fatalism (SharpTone Records/Resist Records), 1 Sep

Royal Blood - Back To The Water Below (Warner Records), 8 Sep

Sylosis - A Sign Of Things To Come (Nuclear Blast), 8 Sep

Resolve - Human (Arising Empire), 15 Sep

Elyne - IDENTITY (Self), 29 Sep

Atena - Subway Anthem (Self), 29 Sep

Of Virtue - Omen (Arising Empire), 29 Sep

Wildcard: Sleep Token - 'Take Me Back To Eden'

Sleep Token really play in their own category and when they drop an album at the scale of Take Me Back To Eden, you need to sit back, relax, and listen, for words are just useless.