Favorites for 2023

It's that time of year again, folks!  What were your favorite Christian metal or hard rock albums for 2023?

Albums MUST have been released this year.  Simply buying it this year does not count.

Kalamity Kills - I'm pretty sure this is the only album I've picked up this year.

I've been thinking about this for the last month and been trying to cram as many listens as possible to a few late entries for the year.  Here was my favorite stuff for the year.

1. Martin Simson's Destroyer of Death - Eternal Reign.  This is like getting another (long overdue) great Rob Rock solo album (well almost).  
2. Kalamity Kills - Kalamity Kills  Really surprised by  this one as I didn't expect to like it at first...but it is just amazingly cool. (almost made my number 1)
3. Applehead - The Light Side of The Apple IMHO this is even better than the first album, some really cool stuff on this one.
4. Mission of One - Kill the Cobra tied with Joshua's Creed - The American Dream  The guitar sound the new Mo1 album is just killer! And the lyrics and overall songs on the new JC album are stellar.  Two amazing releases from these indie artists and CHM favorites. 
5. Wytch Hazel - IV: The Sacrament  Not my favorite style but I just really dig what these cats are doing!
6. Lordchain Praise - Miracles in Mercy tied with Jackstrawed - As the Crow Flies.  Love the Lordchain Praise albums better than any worship music.  I think their song "Through a Glass Darkly" is easily a top 10 Lordchain favorite.  John's Jackstraw project was also fantastic, just a little too short with 6 songs (and two of them instrumental).  Don't get me wrong, I love it...but it feels like an appetizer.

Reissues that I really liked

1. Chosen Stranger - Chosen Stranger  I am so stoked to finally have an official release of these two EPs together on one album.  Absolutely classic AOR sound.
2. Stairway - No Rest: No Mercy  This is the definitive version of this classic NWOBHM album.  The volume issues that plagued the previous reissue are gone and it just sounds fantastic. 
3. Mercy Ruled - Overruled  I almost didn't get this when it was reissued on CD.  I had the cassette for years and barely listened to it.  But the upgraded sound on this reissue really brought new life to the album for me and I like it now more than I ever did.

Applehead and Lacey Sturm were the standouts IMO. Also Theocracy .

1.  Applehead - The Light Side Of The Apple
2.  Martin Simson's Destroyer of Death - Eternal Reign
3.  Bride - Are You Awake?
4.  Rose - Masquerade
5.  Exodus A.D. - Anthology I
6.  Exodus A.D. - Anthology II
7.  Flames Of Fire - Our Blessed Hope
8.  Narnia - Ghost Town
9.  Lordchain Praise - Miracles of Mercy EP (Would have scored higher if full length)
10. Mission Of One - Kill The Kobra  (yeah, I realize it's my project, but I really like this record!)
11. Kalamity Kills S/T
12. Disciple - Skeleton Psalms


Other good releases that are honorable mentions were the Amethyst album, Lacey Sturm's new release, Joshua's Creed, and Jackstrawed.  If I added the secular scene, the new Hurricane and Dokken albums are also good.

Thank you!  I used my Spark 40 for amp modeling to record this.  I used both a Nita Strauss/Alice Cooper tone for one channel and Bruce Kulick from his KISS years on the other.  I got a big fat sound this way with very little phase issues.  Next time, I am probably keeping with Nita's sound more and just using different pickups on the guitar for the tone unless I am shooting for a sound that would seem like to separate players like KISS does.

I haven't done a top ten, but my top album is Bride - Are You Awake.  Love this record.  Yes, not too keen on the last two tracks, but in my head I can replace those with the 2 new ones on the EP.  That way it's a top album.

I see that you all have bought cool music in 2023.

Thinking about it, I don't believe I've got 10 new albums this year...

Mission Of One
Joshua's Creed
Theocracy
Bride (new album)
Bride (new EP)
Bride (acoustic)
Disciple

That may be it...

Gotta work on my list. Lot of good stuff this year.

Surprised to see Destroyer of Death so high for so many. I thought it was solid, but needed stronger hooks.

AotY:
Theocracy: Mosaic

2–10 (No particular order):
Narnia: Ghost Town
Adorned Graves: The Earth Hath Opened Her Mouth
Disciple: Skeleton Psalms 
Sacrificium: Martyrium
Ritual Servant: Albus Mendacium 
Bride: Are You Awake
Applehead: The Light Side of the Apple
Kalamity Kills s/t
IronWrath: Master Storyteller

Honorable Mention: 
Wytch Hazel: Sacrament

A lot of other good stuff this year, as well.

Fundy wrote:

I haven't done a top ten, but my top album is Bride - Are You Awake.  Love this record.  Yes, not too keen on the last two tracks, but in my head I can replace those with the 2 new ones on the EP.  That way it's a top album.

I added the EP tracks to the end of the album.  It ends kind of slow that way, though.  Those weren't as good to me.