Listmania: Metal Noise Top #5 EPs of 2023!

How do you go about solving a problem like picking your top #5 EPs of 2023? Like any puzzle you break it down into smaller, easier to digest pieces and we do so by creating a few rules. It has to have been released in the year 2023, reviewed in the year 2023 and stick out like a hammer smashed thumb from the opposition. These are records which we’ve gone back to time and time again having reviewed them, so they have longevity as well as something to entice. Naturally this is a fiercely contested category, arguably more so than albums, with serious number of underground Metal acts choosing the shorter format to display their talents…

“Dissociate” by Trendkill. A record with a modern, contemporary edge alongside that deep rooted nostalgic feeling; this one harnesses the sound, verve, swagger and energy of Pantera and makes it the bands own with consummate ease. It has instant appeal as well as depth and texture, each cut being a powerhouse with accompanying solos which leave fretboards smoking and fingers calloused. As a band they have had a few hits and a few misses before this point but here they step up to the plate and achieve something greater than the sum of their parts and can thank Dark North Media (Vanitas) for bringing some of their creations to life…

“Tragedy Eternal” by Draconian Reign. The second EP from this Nottingham based Symphonic Deathcore outfit took the foundations of gold and bones of the first and then built a monument to misanthropy upon it in stone carved splendour. As bone shattering as it is captivating, this white knuckle thrill ride through otherworldly realms is one that we described in the review as being “a masterclass in how to write gripping material” and that statement remains very much the whole truth. After all, it was enough to see Seek & Strike records put before them a deal to be signed…

“When Kings Meet” by Imperium. We’ve said it before and it remains true; there are a wealth of bands who have a collection of solid songs but lack one that has a moment that really connects. They’re a gut punch of a breakdown, a blistering solo or a sing-a-long chorus away from being the next big thing. That was something that we felt was the case with London Groove Thrash outfit Imperium when we reviewed their self titled record; then they followed that up with an anthemic cut we described as being James Bond theme song worthy in “Iron Thunder” as they delivered something next level…

“Voice Of Reason” by Secreum. They say that you should expect the unexpected but in truth that is an almost impossible task… so when we turned up early to a Gutlocker show, we were absolutely blown away by the quality of blisteringly hot Death Thrash they offered up. So much so in fact that we went and reviewed the record the very next day and were astonished to find they had captured their live energy like lightening in a bottle for this commitment to tape. The leads and solos on this are scorching as a collection of seasoned musicians show the World what they’re capable of…

“King Of The Sun” by Sargassus. This one has a truly unique alchemy to it as guitarist Teemu Leskinen and drummer Matias Rokio practiced together for more than a decade before sharing any of their sonic creations. Together they operate somewhere in the depths of Post-Metal and Progressive Death Metal, thematically drawing their inspiration from mythology and literature, a lack of fear giving them freedom to paint as they see fit. Each of their creations is diverse and intriguing with little sounds and moments of intricacy that go unnoticed and then rise to the surface over time, making this one a spellbinding record.

Honourable mentions? “Every Scream Became a Whisper in the Dark” by returning Nu-Core collective Break Fifty, the ode to the overthinker that is “Lifeline” by Continents, the anvil heavy “Wither” by Old Wharf, Scottish Death Metal at its finest in “Conscripted Morality” by Penny Coffin and last but by no means least “Eternal Darkness” by Soul Incursion, a record so good that we went back and reviewed their debut immediately afterwards! Phew!

Tomorrow will be time for the next chapter… what will it be?