BEST OF 2023 – THE BEST RELEASES OF THE YEAR

Here’s the result of our BEST OF 2023 readers poll (thanks to everyone who sent in their lists).

1. CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
2. AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
3. MARDUK – Memento Mori
4. INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
5. SADUS – The Shadow Inside
6. CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
7. HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
8. DEMONCY – Black Star Gnosis
9. MALOKARPATAN – Vertumnus Caesar
10. SULPHUR AEON – Seven Crowns And Seven Seals

And, as usual, here’s what the VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE staff, a couple of musicians, label owners and fanzine editors enjoyed the most in 2023 (in alphabetical order)…

Alfonso Perez

  • CASTLEUMBRA – Nammu Tammtu
  • CELESTIAL SANCTUARY – Insatiable Thirst For Torment
  • FABRICANT – Drudge To The Thicket
  • GRAVESEND – Gowanus Death Stomp
  • HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
  • INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
  • ROTTEN SOUND – Apocalypse
  • SONIC POISON – Eruption
  • SULPHUR AEON – Seven Crowns And Seven Seals
  • TRIBE OF PAZUZU – Blasphemous Prophecies

Anders Peter Jørgensen

  • AETHYRICK – Kolme Veljestä
  • BAXAXAXA – Di Vermis Mysteriis
  • CLANDESTINE BLAZE – Resacralize The Unknown
  • DEMONCY – Black Star Gnosis / Diabolica Blasphemiae
  • DØDHEIMSGARD – Black Medium Current
  • MANII – Innerst I Mørket
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • MORTUARY DRAPE – Black Mirror
  • THE RITE – The Astral Gloom
  • UNDERGANG – De Syv Stadier Af Fordærv

Andrew Krause

  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
  • CEMETERY URN – Suffer The Fallen
  • DEATH WORSHIP – Reaping Majesty
  • DEMONCY – Black Star Gnosis
  • GOATKRAFT – Prophet Of Eternal Damnation
  • GOTTHAMMER – Godslaying Sonic Barbarism
  • ILDGANGER – Wanderer Of Fiery Planes
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • PROFANATICA – Crux Simplex
  • TETRAGRAMMACIDE – Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur’an

Carlo Masoni

  • ASCENDED DEAD – Evenfall Of The Apocalypse
  • BLOOD INCANTATION – Luminescent Bridge
  • CONVOCATION – No Dawn For The Caliginous Night
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • HORRENDOUS – Ontological Mysterium
  • PHLEBOTOMIZED – Clouds Of Confusion
  • SUFFOCATION – Hymns From The Apocrypha
  • TENEBRO – Ultime Grida Dalla Giungla
  • TOMB MOLD – The Enduring Spirit
  • WORM / DREAM UNENDING – Sarpath

David Simonton

  • AEGRUS – Invoking The Abysmal Night
  • ASAGRAUM – Veil Of Death, Ruptured
  • AZAGHAL – Alttarimme On Luista Tehtu
  • FIRES IN THE DISTANCE – Air Not Meant For Us
  • KORGONTHURUS – Jumalhaaska
  • KRIEG – Ruiner
  • RUIN LUST – Dissimulant
  • SACRILEGIOUS INPALEMENT – Infinite Victor
  • SATHANAS – Psalm Satani
  • UADA – Crepuscule Natura

Frank Stöver

  • ABOLISH – …From The Depths
  • ASAGRAUM – Veil Of Death, Ruptured
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
  • MEMORIAM – Rise To Power
  • PROFANATICA – Crux Simplex
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside
  • THE TROOPS OF DOOM – Prelude To Blasphemy
  • UNDERGANG – De Syv Stadier Af Fordærv
  • WARHAWK – Dambuster

Giulio Minto

  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
  • CARNAL TOMB – Embalmed In Decay
  • CREEPING DEATH – Boundless Domain
  • DAWN RAY’D – To Know The Light
  • DRAIN – Living Proof
  • ENFORCED – War Remains
  • HELLRIPPER – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
  • IMMORTAL – War Against All
  • MOONLIGHT SORCERY – Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle
  • RÜYYN – Chapter II: The Flames, The Fallen, The Fury

Henning Pieper

  • CRUEL FORCE – Dawn Of The Axe
  • DANKO JONES – Electric Sounds
  • HIGH SPIRITS – Safe On The Other Side
  • KVELERTAK – Endling
  • MEMORIAM – Rise To Power
  • NIGHT DEMON – Outsider
  • OVERKILL – Scorched
  • PRONG – State Of Emergency
  • TEMPLE OF DREAD – Beyond Acheron
  • WARHAWK – Dambuster

Jarne Brauns

  • ATONEMENT – Sadistic Invaders
  • BAXAXAXA – De Vermis Mysteriis
  • BLODTAR – Det Förtegna Förflutnar
  • HORRIFIER – Horrid Ressurection
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside
  • SPIRIT ADRIFT – Ghost At The Gallows
  • VIAGRA BOYS – Cave World
  • WAYFARER – American Gothic
  • WOLVES IN THE THRONEROOM – Crypt Of Ancestral Knowledge

Michael Kujawska

  • BLACKBRAID – II
  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
  • IN FLAMES – Foregone
  • INHERITS THE VOID – The Impending Fall Of Stars
  • MAJESTIES – Vast Reaches Unclaimed
  • MOONLIGHT SORCERY – Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle
  • OUTLAW – Reaching Beyond Assiah
  • PARADISE LOST – Icon 30
  • THULCANDRA – Hail The Abyss
  • UADA – Crepuscule Natura

Mindaugas “Plix” Lapinskas

  • ATROCITY – Okkult III
  • BRUJERIA – Esto Es Brujeria
  • ENFORCED – War Remains
  • FUGITVE – Blast Furnace
  • GO AHEAD AND DIE – Unhealthy Mechanisms
  • OVERKILL – Scorched
  • SADISM – Obscurans
  • STREET TOMBS – Reclusive Decay
  • TILL THE DIRT – Outside The Spiral
  • VENOMOUS CONCEPT – The Good Ship Lollipop

Mirco Szymyslik

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
  • CONJURETH – The Parasitic Chambers
  • DEAD CHASM – Sublimis Ignotum Omni
  • FOSSILIZATION – Leprous Daylight
  • OBITUARY – Dying Of Everything
  • PARASITARIO – Everything Belongs To Death
  • SONIC POISON – Eruption
  • TEMPLE OF DREAD – Beyond Acheron
  • THE NIGHT ETERNAL – Fatale

Olaf Brinkmann

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
  • HOLY MOSES – Invicible Queen
  • INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
  • MARDUK – Memonto Mori
  • OBITUARY – Dying Of Everything
  • PHANTOM CORPORATION – Fall Out
  • STATIC ABYSS – Aborted From Reality
  • SULPHUR AEON – Seven Crowns And Seven Seals
  • THE COFFINSHAKERS – Graves Release Your Dead

Oscar “evilcore666” Vazquez

  • ABOLISH – …From The Depths
  • CONGEALED PUTRESCENCE – Within The Ceaseless Murk
  • DEMONIC INCARNATE – Abyssal Sermons Of Desolation
  • MIZMOR – Prosaic
  • MORBIFIC – Ominous Seep Of Putridity
  • PA VESH EN – Martyrs
  • PERILAXE OCCLUSION – Vapor Chamber
  • PROFANATICA – Crux Simplex
  • REVERENCE OF PAROXYSM – Lux Morte
  • TETRAGRAMMACIDE – Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur’an

Randolph Whateley

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • BLACK GOAT – Demogorgon – The Inmost Darkness Itself
  • DRAWN AND QUARTERED – Extermination Revelry
  • HEAVY LOAD – Riders Of The Ancient Storm
  • INFERNAL CURSE – Revelations Beyond Insanity
  • MDXX – MDXX
  • RECKLESS – Sharp Magik Steel
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside
  • SPACE HEADBANGERS – Black Garage Punks
  • SYSTEMIK VIØLENCE – Negative Mangel Attitude

Rick Peart

  • DEMONCY – Black Star Gnosis
  • DIABOLICAL FULLMOON – Resurrection of the Ancient Faith (Unholy Reborn Polish Black Metal Art)
  • EERIFIED CATACOMB – Spiritual Penetration
  • FOETAL FLUIDS TO EXPURGATE – Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
  • HEPATOMANCY – Satanae Et Deis Inferis Nigras Hostias Sacrificamus
  • IFERNACH – Post Apocalyptic Apotheosis
  • OBSKURITATEM – Nekroromantizam
  • PATHOLOGIST – Morbidious History Of Necromantical Sonic Terrorization
  • TETRAGRAMMACIDE – Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur’an
  • WITCHCRAFT – Bestial Vociferation

Steven Willems

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • DEATHFUCKER – God Devourer
  • INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
  • MALOKARPATAN – Vertumnus Caesar
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside
  • SATURNUS – The Storm Within
  • SULPHUR AEON – Seven Crowns And Seven Seals
  • TRIUMPH OF DEATH – Resurrection Of The Flesh
  • VARATHRON – The Crimson Temple
  • VOIVOD – Morgöth Tales

Vamsi Kanagovi

  • AHAB – The Coral Tombs
  • ANACHRONISM – Meanders
  • BARING TEETH – The Path Narrows
  • BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS – Rejecting Obliteration
  • BLOOD INCANTATION – Luminescent Bridge
  • GODFLESH – Purge
  • GREAT FALLS – Objects Without Pain
  • KHANATE – To Be Cruel
  • MAJESTIES – Vast Reaches Unclaimed
  • TOMB MOLD – The Enduring Spirit

Wedekind Gisbertson

  • BODYFARM – Ultimate Abomination
  • INCULTER – Morbid Origin
  • LEGION OF THE DAMNED – The Poison Chalice
  • LEPER COLONY – Leper Colony
  • METAL CHURCH – Congregation Of Annihilation
  • OBITUARY – Dying Of Everything
  • OVERKILL – Scorched
  • PHANTOM CORPORATION – Fallout
  • TEMPLE OF DREAD – Beyond Acheron
  • THE NIGHT ETERNAL – Fatale

Will Lee

  • ANGELUS APATRIDA – Aftermath
  • ASAGRAUM – Veil Of Death, Ruptured
  • CRYPTA – Shades Of Sorrow
  • FUNERAL WINDS – Stigmata Mali
  • MAN MUST DIE – The Pain Behind It All
  • MARDUK – Momento Mori
  • OVERKILL – Scorched
  • SONAMBULA – Estasis Interrumpida
  • VOMITHEIST – Nekrofvneral
  • VOMITORY – All Heads Are Gonna Roll

Yoga Ghotama

  • ASCENDED DEAD – Evenfall Of The Apocalypse
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • MALOKARPATAN – Vertumnus Caesar
  • PUTRID YELL – Consuming Aberration
  • SPIRIT POSSESSION – Of The Sign
  • STARGAZER – Bound By Spells
  • THANAMAGUS – Lie In Wait
  • UNPURE – Prophecies Ablaze
  • URFAUST – Untergang
  • VASTUM – Inward To Gethsemane

A. Morthaemer (ASAGRAUM)

  • AFSKY – Om Hundrede År
  • BLUT AUS NORD – Disharmonium – Nahab
  • M:40 / ILLVILJA – Split
  • MISERERE LUMINIS – Ordalie
  • PRIMORDIAL – How It Ends
  • SÓL ÁN VARMA – Sól Án Varma
  • SÜHNOPFER – Nous Sommes D’Hier
  • TAAKE – Et Hav Av Avstand
  • TULUS – Fandens Kall
  • WOLVENNEST – The Dark Path To The Light

Andy Tan (KONQUEROR RECORDS)

  • BEYONDITION – Abysmal Night
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • CRYPTWORM – Oozing Radioactive Vomiting
  • DECREPITORIUM – Foul Examination Of Putrefied Remains
  • DEFENESTRATION – Mortal Cremation
  • DEMONIZED – Abyss Vanguard
  • INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
  • PARASITARIO – Everything Belongs To Death
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside
  • TRANSGRESSOR – Beyond Oblivion

Darragh O’Laoghaire (VIRCOLAC / INVICTUS PRODUCTIONS)

  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • CRUEL FORCE – At The Dawn Of The Axe
  • GRAVE PLEASURES – Plague Boys
  • HELLAVENGER – The Primordial Fire
  • HEXESSEL – Polar Veil
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • NAUT – Hunt
  • TABULA RASA – …Und Ihre Fürchterlichen Gesänge
  • THE COFFINSHAKERS – Graves, Release Your Dead
  • VERMINOUS SERPENT – The Malign Covenant

David Mikkelsen (UNDERGANG / EXTREMELY ROTTEN PRODUCTIONS)

  • BRODER – Skarpretterfossilet
  • CRYPTWORM – Oozing Radioactive Vimition
  • DEIQUISITOR – Apothesosis
  • EXCARNATED ENTITY – Mass Grave Horizon
  • MALFORMED – The Gathering Of Souls
  • REVERENCE TO PAROXYSM – Lux Morte
  • STENCHED – Gorging On Mephitic Rot
  • TORTURE RACK – Primevil Onslaught
  • TRANSGRESSOR – Beyond Oblivion
  • VOMI NOIR – L’Innommable Remugle & La Mélopée Cavernuleuse Des Râles Agonique

Enrique Chavez (LURKING TERROR)

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • CAVALERA – Bestial Devastation
  • CAVALERA – Morbid Visions
  • DEMONICAL – Into Victory
  • DISMEMBER – Historia Mortis
  • HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
  • INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • PESSIMIST – Keys To The Underworld
  • VOMITORY – All Heads are Gonna Roll

Gabriel Gatica Kretschmer (COMPILATION OF DEATH ZINE)

  • ASPHODELUS – Sculpting From Time
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • DESECRESY – Deserted Realms
  • HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
  • HORRENDOUS – Ontological Mysterium
  • MALOKARPATAN – Vertumnus Caesar
  • MORTUARY DRAPE – Black Mirror
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside
  • SUPLHUR AEON – Seven Crowns And Seven Seals
  • VARATHRON – The Crimson Temple

Gene Palubicki (PERDITION TEMPLE / MALEFIC THRONE / DEMONIZED / HEXORCIST)

  • ASCENDED DEAD – Evenfall Of The Apocalypse
  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • BLOOD OATH – Lost In An Eternal Silence
  • CAUSTIC VOMIT – Eloquent Requiems Of Necrotic Decadence
  • CIRITH UNGOL – Dark Parade
  • DISIMPERIUM – Grand Insurgence Upon Despotic Altars
  • MORTUARY DRAPE – Black Mirror
  • MUTATION – Demo 2023
  • PUTRID YELL – Consuming Aberration
  • VENEFICES – Incubacy Demo

Greg Rosenstahl (GODZ OV WAR PRODUCTIONS)

  • APHOTIC – Abyssgazer
  • FUNERAL WINDS – Stigmata Mali
  • GRAVESEND – Gowanus Death Stomp
  • HELL’S CORONATION – Transgression Of A Necromantical Darkness
  • KOMMAND – Death Age
  • OLKOTH – At The Eye Of Chaos
  • PHOBOCOSM – Foreordained
  • SPIRIT POSSESSION – Of The Sign…
  • WAYFARER – American Gothic
  • TETRAGRAMMACIDE – Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur’an

Guillaume Martin (ATAVISM RECORDS)

  • ARGHOSLENT – Resuscitation Of The Revanchists
  • BORDA’S ROPE – Parable Of A Drowned Fate
  • CH’AHOM – Knots Of Abhorrence
  • CLANDESTINE BLAZE – Resacralize The Unknown
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • FOSSILIZATION – Leprous Daylight
  • IMPEST – Bone Pit
  • OBSIDIAN GRAVE – Blood Of The Night
  • PESTIS – Demo I
  • THANATOMASS – Hades

Jeff Tandy (IMPRECATION / TRENCHANT)

  • BAXAXAXA – De Vermis Mysteriis
  • DEATHFUCKER – God Devourer
  • DEMONCY – Black Star Gnosis
  • EKROM – Uten Nådigst Formildelse
  • GRAFVITNIR – Into The Outer Wilderness
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • RUIM – Black Royal Spiritism
  • SAMMATH – Grebbeberg
  • THE MAGUS – Vissodomontas
  • VARGRAV – The Nighthold

Jon “Metalion” Kristiansen (SLAYER MAG)

  • ASAGRAUM – Veil Of Death, Ruptured
  • CADAVER – Age Of The Offended
  • CAVALERA – Morbid Visions
  • HEAVY LOAD – Riders Of The Ancient Storm
  • HELLBUTCHER – Death’s Rider
  • KORGÜLL THE EXTERMINATOR – Built To Kill
  • MARDUK – Memento Mori
  • NERVOSA – Jailbreak
  • TYRANN – Besatt
  • WATAIN – Die In Fire Live In Hell

Laurent Merle (LISTENABLE RECORDS)

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • BERZERKER LEGION – Chaos Will Reign
  • DEVASTATOR – Baptised In Blasphemy
  • GRACELESS – Chants Of Purgatory
  • HAWKWIND – Space Ritual
  • HELLCRASH – Demonic Assassinatiön
  • HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
  • RORY GALLAGHER – All Around Man (Live In London)
  • THRON – Dust
  • TRIUMPH OF DEATH – Resurrection Of The Flesh

Lucy Ferra (ABOLISH / INHUMAN DEPRAVITY)

  • ANACHRONISM – Meanders
  • CANNIBAL CORPSE – Chaos Horrific
  • CRYPTOPSY – As Gomorrah Burns
  • DEAD CHASM – Sublimis Ignotum Omni
  • DYING FETUS – Make Them Beg For Death
  • HASARD – Malivore
  • MANBRYNE – Interregnum: O Probie Wiary I Jarzmie Zwatpiena
  • MOLESTED DIVINITY – The Primordial
  • SERPENT OF OLD – Ensemble Under The Dark Sun
  • SUFFOCATION – Hymns From the Apocrypha

Malte Gericke (SIJJIN)

  • BLOOD INCANTATION – Luminescent Bridge
  • BLOOD OATH – Lost In An Eternal Silence
  • CIRITH UNGOL – Dark Parade
  • LUCIFUGE – Monoliths Of Wrath
  • NUCTEMERON – Fuck Off!!! (In The Name Of Satan)
  • RAZE – Demo 2023
  • SEPULCRUM – Lamentation Of Immolated Souls
  • SPIRIT POSSESSION – Of The Sign…
  • THE EVIL – Seven Acts To Apocalypse
  • TRASTORNED – Into The Void

Paul Zavaleta (DETERIOROT)

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • AVULSED – Extraterrestrial Carnage
  • DETERIOROT – The Rebirth
  • FOSSILIZATION – Leprous Daylight
  • MALEDICTION – The Soil Throne
  • OSSUARY – Forsaken Offerings
  • PISSROT – Pissrot
  • PURTENANCE – The Rot Within Us
  • ROTPIT – Let There Be Rot
  • UNDERGANG – De Syv Stadier Af Fordærv

Sérgio Baloff Borges (HEADHUNTER D.C.)

  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • CRUCIAMENTUM – Obsidian Refractions
  • DEATH REICH – Disharmony
  • GRAVE DESECRATOR – Immundissime Spiritus
  • HEADHUNTER D.C. – Pandemic Unredemption – Live At Dopesmoke Festival 2021
  • INCANTATION – Unholy Deification
  • ORTHOSTAT – The Heat Death
  • PODRIDÃO – Cadaveric Impregnation
  • SUFFOCATION – Hymns From The Apocrypha
  • VOMITORY – All Heads Are Gonna Roll

Tomas Nyqvist (IRON FIST PRODUCTIONS)

  • ATONEMENT – Sadistic Invaders
  • AUTOPSY – Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts
  • BAFOMET – Baptized In Goat Blood
  • CIGARRETTES AFTER SEX – Bubblegum
  • DAVID EUGENE EDWARDS – Hyacinth
  • DEPECHE MODE – Memento Mori
  • ETERNAL EVIL – The Gates Beyond Mortality
  • MALOKARPATAN – Vertumnus Caesar
  • NICOLE SABOUNE – Kismet
  • WARHAWK – Dambuster

Thomas Westphal (NECROMANIAC ZINE)

  • AGELESS SUMMONING – Corrupting The Entempled Plane
  • CH’AHOM – Knots Of Abhorrence
  • DIPYGUS – Wet Market
  • HIBERNUS MORTIS – The Monolith Of Cursed Slumber
  • INCENDIARY – Change The Way You Think About Pain
  • INFAMOVS – Stench Of The Unholy Graves
  • MINDWAR – Still At War
  • PROFANE ORDER – One Nightmare Unto Another
  • PROTRUSION – Demo 2023
  • SADUS – The Shadow Inside

Wannes Gubbels (PENTACLE)

  • APPARITION – Fear The Apparition
  • CAVALERA – Morbid Visions
  • CULT OF EIBON / CEREMONIAL TORTURE – Necronomical Mirror Divination
  • HELLWITCH – Annihilational Intercention
  • INTO DARKNESS – Cassini – Huygens
  • JUMALATION – The Mouth Of Moloch
  • OSSUARY – Forsaken Offerings
  • SWORDWIELDER – Wielding Metal Massacre
  • TRIUMPH OF DEATH – Resurrection Of The Flesh
  • WARKRUSHER – Armistice

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