Another year, another awesome load of albums and gigs to contend with! My top five albums were pretty easy to narrow down, but I really struggled with choosing my favourite gigs as I’ve been to some really incredible shows this year. Honestly, I think I could have chosen my top ten gigs and still struggled! But without further ado, here’s what I think rocked about 2023!
01. Atreyu – The Beautiful Dark Of Life
Tracks to check out: Insomnia, (i), God/Devil
Our review
Purchase link
Sometimes, a band happens to release an album at exactly the right time and place that you happen to need it. It’s happened to me twice before now, and I have to admit I wasn’t expecting it to happen again…and certainly not with this album, as I’d actually heard most of it prior to its release as it’s an amalgamation of twelve tracks from three previously-released EPs along with three brand new songs. But these fifteen songs in this particular order, telling the story they do about the highs and lows of life? Well, it knocked me for six. Every track resonated with me, and Insomnia in particular was perfect…the meaningful lyrics hit me hard and really struck a chord with me. The whole album is full of passion and emotion from all five members, and I don’t think I can quite put into words how much this album means to me.
Atreyu have been one of my favourite bands ever since the early 00’s, and it’s really nice to know that twenty years later, I can still rely on them to knock it out of the park. Their consistency truly speaks for itself and whilst I’ve loved everything they have ever put out, this is Atreyu at their best. The Beautiful Dark Of Life is absolute perfection.
02. Vorna – Aamunkoi
Tracks to check out: Raja, Aamunkoi, Hiljaisuus ei kestä
Our review
Purchase link
Whilst Vorna’s debut will always be the most personally significant album of theirs to me, Aamunkoi is undoubtedly their strongest album to date. This album is Vorna’s most melodic yet and shows yet another side to this talented band. Never releasing the same album twice, I admire the way they do something different with every release of theirs (yet somehow still sound undeniably like them!) and the way these songs translate live is on a whole different level. Each song brings something different to the table, and I really appreciate the colour and variety that Vorna have in their sound. If you haven’t listened to this band yet (seriously, despite me harping on about them for the best part of ten years!) then Aamunkoi is a very good starting point.
03. Suasion – The Infinite
Tracks to check out: Trapped, Equilibrium, Murphy’s Law
Our review
Purchase link
The only “new discovery” to me on this year’s list, Suasion’s second album The Infinite impressed me that much that I immediately went and bought their debut (along with a physical copy of this album) after realising what a gem I had on my hands. The songs are infectiously catchy and I absolutely adore the way they’ve blended a more electronic sound with a metal one. This was one of the very first albums I heard of 2023 and it has remained on my mind the entire year.
04. Rootbrain – Breakwater
Tracks to check out: Floating Feathers, Bullethead, Departures
Our review
Purchase link
Music with emotion is my favourite, so naturally I fell in love with Rootbrain’s debut, Breakwater. I really enjoyed the effortless blend of several different styles to create one coherently unique sound, and every song was impressive in its own way. Breakwater is a stunning piece of art that is a very rewarding listen, and I’m just hoping and praying I’ll get to see this band live next year because I absolutely have to witness these songs in a live environment.
05. Dead End Finland – Victory
Tracks to check out: Up So High, Down So Low, Northern Winds, Heavy Rain
Our review
Purchase link
I’ve been following Dead End Finland for almost as long as the aforementioned Vorna, and during this ten year span, I’ve been treated to four absolutely excellent pieces of work (along with becoming acquainted with their excellent debut from their back-catalogue). With each release, Dead End Finland have been reaching new heights and Victory is their most impressive release to date. I really admire how epic this album in particular sounds, and definitely shows Dead End Finland from here. Already keen to hear the next release…!
01. Turmion Kätilöt – Ice Hall, Helsinki – 14th January
I said it back then, and I’ll say it again now. This was the best show I have ever attended in my life, and will likely remain as the best show I ever will attend as there is surely no way I am going to witness another show that will surpass this. The setlist was insane, the onstage chemistry between the band members was on fire, the sound was stupidly tight and the atmosphere in the entire venue was electric. Not to mention all the special guests that we were treated to as well – I think I can actually die happy after seeing Jessi Frey onstage with the band for Irstauden ilosanoma! The set was humongous but there’s no complaints from me as I could quite happily just stand and watch this band indefinitely. I feel most alive at a Turmion Kätilöt show, so the fact the set lasted as long as it did is another contributing factor for why this gig was the best, along with the fact they played pretty much every single one of my favourite songs of theirs. Totally worth me almost missing my bus back to the airport as a result due to the show’s length. Yolo.
(As a side note, my mental health had taken an absolute beating for about a month prior to this show, but attending this incredible live spectacle was an incredibly good healer for me.)
02. Vorna – Ilokivi, Jyväskylä – 3rd November
Coming back full circle to the very first place I ever saw Vorna live was always going to make this show a special one for me. It felt so good to see them performing in front of a much bigger crowd to the one they played in front of in 2014, and the setlist was fantastic. Seeing how far this band has come since first seeing them live makes me feel very happy, as they completely deserve the success. Also they played Ukkonen from their first album just for me (I was told they hadn’t played it in five years and rehearsed it once during soundcheck!) and it genuinely made my entire year.
03. Atreyu – Academy 2, Manchester – 19th November
Despite the fact I live in the UK, somehow this show wound up being the only non-Finnish one on my list! But maybe that’s symbolic of just how fantastic this show truly was.
Atreyu was one of the very first metal bands I saw live, and I’ve been consistently going to their UK shows ever since I was finally old enough to start gigging at age 14 in 2006. I’ve always had a blast at their live shows over the years no matter whether they’re in a support or headline slot as they always give 110%, and I’ve always maintained that they’re one of the best live bands out there. This statement still rings true seventeen years after the first time I saw them, as their live energy is off the scale and the atmosphere at their shows always feels like you’re part of one big family. And in fact, at this show in Manchester, they were at the best I’d ever seen them – and given that I’ve seen them a lot over the years, I’ve got a lot of amazing Atreyu gigs to choose from! I’m actually still reeling over how good this show was, over a month later, and I keep smiling about how good it was – that’s how much of an impression it left on me. Atreyu are the best they’ve ever been and are completely unstoppable. I’m already impatient to catch them live somewhere in 2024. I swear to god they had better get added to Nummirock or Slam Dunk UK.
04. Sammal – Bar Loose, Helsinki – 5th May
I went into this show carrying a very heavy burden as I was suffering from a great deal of sadness due to the loss of a close friend of mine, but this gig absolutely lifted me up, more than I ever could have hoped for. Music is a great healer, and this gig truly went above and beyond. My heart felt a little lighter after the show; I loved the passion and emotion in Sammal’s music and performance, and I felt that gig in my entire soul. This was a very special night indeed, and I adored every second of it.
05. Gutalax – Nummirock – 23rd June
I’d not heard of Gutalax prior to this year’s Nummirock, but one of my campmates told me and my boyfriend that we had to go and see them because they were an absolute experience. And he definitely wasn’t wrong! Gutalax is a very silly band; they play gore/grind toilet humour music, they dress up in hazmat suits (as did a lot of the crowd at the festival!) and at this particular performance, they came onstage to torrents of toilet paper being slung back and forth from the stage. It was just tremdnous, hilarious fun from start to finish, mostly in part due to how into the show the entire crowd was, and as soon we got back home, we immediately locked in our tickets to see them again at UK Slamfest.
