11. Paramore – This Is Why/Re: This Is Why
Hayley Williams and Co. were back in 2023 after a six-year studio absence, with a decidedly dance-punk album (and a secondary celebrity remix version) that’s really too darned catchy and expertly executed to find fault with. Everything Williams touches here shimmers with her quick lyrical wit and sublime vocal delivery, for a collection of superb, very timely songs that you’ll find yourself singing along with, whether you want to or not.
Don’t Miss: “This Is Why”, “The News”, “C’est Comme Ça”, “You First”
12. Sleep Token – Take Me Back To Eden
Few bands in modern heavy music are as polarizing as the UK’s enigmatic Sleep Token, who rock a hybrid pop/metal sound people are calling “cum metal,” and it’s actually not a terrible descriptor, as the vibes on Take Me Back To Eden are definitely better suited to the bedroom than a mosh pit. Whether you find the group’s masked personae, cultish lore and Imagine-Dragons-Goes-Metal aesthetic captivating or contrived, this band was absolutely huge in 2023, and you should give their latest LP a spin, if only to decide for yourself.
Don’t Miss: “Ascenscionism”, “Rain”, “Take Me Back To Eden”
13. Spanish Love Songs – No Joy
L.A. grouch-punk outfit Spanish Love Songs had an almost impossible challenge in topping 2020’s Brave Faces Everyone, arguably one of the scene’s best releases that year, and while No Joy doesn’t quite overtake its predecessor, it certainly continues on seamlessly from where Brave Faces left off. As the band’s fame grows and recording efforts become increasingly expansive, the core shell of singer-guitarist Dylan Slocum’s brooding lyrical confessions has morphed and pushed still further into a bold and eclectic sonic space, with grandiose results.
Don’t Miss: “Clean-Up Crew”, “I’m Gonna Miss Everything”, “Here You Are”, “Re-Emerging Signs of the Apocalypse”
14. The Menzingers – Some Of It Was True
As much love as the Pennsylvania punk scene has (deservedly) gotten in recent history, enough still isn’t said about the remarkably consistent Menzingers, who’ve assembled an incredible body of work, eight full-length studio albums later. The band seems to be firing on all cylinders again since the pandemic, and Some Of It Was True shows them very comfortable in their own skins, doing more of what they do best: crafting honest, anthemic, working man’s rust belt punk. And there is absolutely zero wrong with that.
Don’t Miss: “Hope Is A Dangerous Little Thing”, “There’s No Place In This World For Me”, “Try”
15. In This Moment – Godmode
The enigmatic (518 native) Maria Brink, creative force behind dark pop/metal icons In This Moment, reasserts her presence as one of the most powerful and vital female voices in heavy music on Godmode, the band’s eighth studio album, taking listeners on a twisting, unpredictable ride through the dark recesses of the imaginations of Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth. Fans will find lots of classic ITM here to love and all the theatrics you’d expect, alongside new explorations in flourishes of electronica and industrial that broaden the group’s vast sonic palette still further.
Don’t Miss: “The Purge”, “Sanctify Me”, “Godmode”, “Fate Bringer”
16. Taking Back Sunday – 152
Don’t call it a comeback; more like, a take back. On 152, the first studio LP in seven years by Long Island emo scene icons Taking Back Sunday, the band serves up a stunning collection of heartfelt tracks that all at once reassert the band’s clear ongoing relevance today, while embracing and celebrating the TBS of past. It’s been a long, winding road for all of us since 2002’s Tell All Your Friends, and it’s comforting to hear that on 152, we’ve all met up again at our favorite spot.
Don’t Miss: “Amphetamine Smiles”, “The Stranger”, “The One”
17. Blackbraid – Blackbraid II
If you’re not sold on Blackbraid by the concept alone—Native American black metal from the Adirondack Mountains of frigid, bleak northern NY State (!!!)—than the unflinching intensity and epic grandeur of Blackbraid II will seal the deal in slaughtered deer’s blood. It’s a rich, meaningful take on black metal that honors the hallmarks of the genre, while plunging forward into an ageless, primal darkness.
Don’t Miss: “The Spirit Returns” “A Song of Death on the Winds of Dawn”, “A Fine Day to Die”
18. Hot Mulligan – Why Would I Watch
There’s just something magical about Detroit emo bands, and Lansing, MI’s Hot Mulligan are one of the latest to turn Motor City melodrama into sonic awe, with a unique chemistry that honors that tradition and pushes into new territory. Produced by the mega-talented Brett Romnes (drums in I Am The Avalanche and The Movielife), Why Would I Watch captures Hot Mulligan at their best, fusing airy guitar lines, up-tempo beats and pop melodies with singer Nathan “Tades” Sanville’s tortured screams and endearing lyrical self-loathing.
Don’t Miss: “John ‘The Rock’ Cena, Can You Smell What The Undertaker”, “Shhhh! Golf Is On”, “Smahccked My Head Awf”
19. Koyo – Would You Miss It?
One of the most anticipated full-length debuts this year, with Would You Miss It? Long Island emo-core outfit Koyo made good on the mega potential heard on the EPs that preceded it. All at once the album feels fresh and timely, as well as a love letter to the classic millennium-era LI scene, complete with guest vocal spots by likes of Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw) and Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife). The band still sounds heavier live than in the studio, but this comes the closest yet to documenting Koyo’s powerful blend of fury and melody.
Don’t Miss: “Message Like A Bomb”, “Flatline Afternoon”, “You’re On The List (Minus One)”
20. Trophy Eyes – Suicide and Sunshine
Aussie post-hardcore/emo outfit Trophy Eyes are too freaking great to remain a foreign secret for much longer, and Suicide and Sunshine moves the group closer to a permanent green card. Vocalist Jeremy Winchester dazzles again with his remarkable range, which jumps between a smooth, melodic pop baritone, a soaring tenor and caustic, hoarse-throated screams, while the band fuses shuddering guitars with ethereal electronica and radio-ready rhythms.
Don’t Miss: “Kill”, “Life In Slow Motion”, “Blue Eyed Boy”
