31. Teenage Halloween – Till You Return
What’s so fantastic about the great emo revival is not some rehashing of tired melodic tropes and Hot Topic affectations; it’s about seeing how the legacy of the now-aging genre has spawned a whole new generation of lovesick, socially awkward punk rockers. A perfect example is Till You Return, the second full-length by Asbury Park, NJ, indie punk outfit Teenage Halloween, which commands the immediate attention of anyone who’s ever considered getting a Get Up Kids or Jawbreaker tattoo, as well as the kids of people who’ve considered those tattoos.
Don’t Miss: “Say It”, “Armageddon Now”, “Oh The Drama”, “Melodrama”
32. The Amity Affliction – Not Without My Ghosts
Aussie metalcore band The Amity Affliction have a groundswell of momentum and fan support behind them, and the group’s eighth studio album is another great example of why kids are now getting ghosts tattooed on their arms and legs (a homage to the cover of 2020’s Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them). The group exist in a sweet spot where brutal riffs and screams find counterbalance with moody post-hardcore hooks and hyper-confessional emo lyrics, giving the whole affair a good deal more intrigue and resonance than just being heavy, for heavy’s sake.
Don’t Miss: “Death And The Setting Sun”, “God Voice”, “The Big Sleep”
33. Fireworks – Higher Lonely Power
Even before the band went on indefinite hiatus back in 2015, Detroit’s Fireworks had long grown past the earnest “New Found Glory of the Midwest” vibe that characterized the group’s earlier recordings, incorporating elements of grunge and indie rock on later albums that challenged the listener to enter each album experience without preconceived notions of where the highly talented group of songwriters would venture. Now seemingly active again with their first LP in nine years, it’s almost a given that Higher Lonely Power would sound nothing like 2014’s Oh, Common Life, or any other Fireworks record, much less. No matter which end of the spectrum you view this new release, it’s simply an incredible gift to see this band making music again, here in 2023.
Don’t Miss: “God Approved Insurance Plan”, “I Want To Start A Religion With You”, “Woods II”
34. Suicide Silence – Remember… You Must Die
The title may be Remember… You Must Die, but for Suicide Silence, it could easily be “Remember Your Roots,” as the band’s seventh studio album is a no-holds-barred return the group’s defining deathcore days, furthering a trend that began with 2020’s The Hunter. After personal tragedy and creative missteps, it’s good to see Suicide Silence back among the best of the genre, where they belong.
Don’t Miss: “You Must Die”, “Fucked For Life”, “Alter Of Self”, “The Third Death”, “Full Void”
35. The Gaslight Anthem – History Books
There were so many noteworthy reunion/comeback albums of note in 2023, that in any other year, the return of New Jersey folk-punks The Gaslight Anthem would’ve probably been much bigger news, especially considering History Books, the band’s sixth studio LP and first in nine years, is another fine addition to the group’s already beloved catalog. With elements of both classic Gaslight Anthem, The Horrible Crowes (singer/guitarist Brian Fallon’s side project) and Fallon’s solo material, the album feels a bit like a culmination of everything preceding it, propelling the band right to the forefront again, as if they’d never left.
Don’t Miss: “History Books”, “Positive Charge”, “Michigan 1975”, “The Weatherman”
36. Pain of Truth – Not Through Blood
Long Island’s Pain of Truth are officially East Coast hardcore’s it band of 2023, and Not Through Blood cements that reputation with a hard, brass-knuckled slap in the mouth. This is a group that clearly pays homage to the NYHC greats (note the Madball cameo on “You and Me”) while pushing the style forward with a sound that’s near perfect in its razor-sharp precision and unbridled aggression.
Don’t Miss: “Actin’ Up”, “You And Me”, “Out Of Our Hands”
37. Portugal. The Man – Chris Black Changed My Life
Pacific Northwest indie rockers Portugal. The Man didn’t lose any of their penchant for melody or infectious rhythms on Chris Black Changed My Life, the band’s ninth album, but the subject matter found here is darker and more poignant and personal than anything the group has ever written, or likely ever will again. A sweeping thematic, conceptual ode to a tragically lost friend, this is one of those fragile, magical creations that just has a life and pulse all its own.
Don’t Miss: “Grim Generation”, “Champ”, “Thunderdome [W.T.A.]”
38. The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High
Few bands—dare we say, none—do traditional melodic punk rock with as much reliable, take-it-to-the-bank greatness as NJ’s legendary Bouncing Souls, thus the band’s 12th studio full-length is, you guessed it, pretty fucking great. Born from the custom Patreon songs The Souls started writing for fans during the pandemic, there’s a pure joy and touching honesty to Ten Stories High; two ingredients always at the heart of a classic Bouncing Souls album.
Don’t Miss: “Back To Better”, “Kenver”, “True Believer Radio”, “Shannon’s Song”
39. Teenage Wrist – Still Love
Cali alt-rock duo Teenage Wrist continue to expand their own winning take on the ’90s alt-rock/grunge/shoegaze phenomenon with Still Love, their third studio album, exploring a variety of sonic textures and lyrical themes that demand repeat listens. Filled with both light and despair, this 2023 album should all but cement Teenage Wrist as present-day torchbearers of their particular end of the alt rock and indie soundscape.
Don’t Miss: “Sunshine”, “Wax Poetic”, “Dark Sky”
