Best Of 2023 – Zach Duvall: A Wholly Nonsensical Display Of Glory

Welcome back, one and all, to another wrap-up of another exceptional year in heavy music. No long editorial to start this time. Instead let’s hand out some “awards” for all (some) things good, bad, and varyingly silly. Enjoy.

The Turing Test Failure Medal: Metallica’s 72 Seasons ‒ The legends’ latest absolutely sounds like it was assembled by AI, and not good AI. Not even James Hetfield’s very respectable vocal performance could save all the directionless songwriting, cut-and-paste riffs, robotic production, and plastic drums on this one.

The LL Cool J Merit Badge for Not Calling it a Comeback Because They’ve Been Here for Years: Enslaved and Autopsy ‒ Neither band was coming out of hibernation, but both released their best albums in ages in 2023. More on both below.

The Mario vs. Sonic War Memorial Award: Frozen Soul Nintendo Switch Giveaway ‒ Man, what a stupid marketing campaign. It’s not that I’m upset that Century Media is giving a random Bolt Thrower clone this kind of push, it’s that the contest flier included both old school Nintendo AND Sega graphic design as if The Console Wars weren’t a thing that divided a nation in the early 90s. WE REMEMBER.

The JJ Abrams Trophy for Unnecessary Rehashes ‒ The glut of great bands re-recording classic albums: Voivod’s Morgöth Tales, the Cavalera brothers re-doing the early material, Paradise Lost remaking Icon, Sodom’s 40 Years at War, etc. All of these are supremely listenable (especially the Cavalera albums) but can’t hold a candle to the magic and youthful spontaneity of the originals (especially… the Cavalera albums). You remake… but why?

The Gul Dukat Award for Achievements in Cardassian Law ‒ The Heavy Metal Populace and Tomb Mold’s The Enduring Spirit. In Cardassian Law, the verdict is known before the trial begins. The same can be said for how The Heavy Metal Populace digests certain Big Hype albums, and few albums had more Big Hype than Tomb Mold’s latest. You likely either pre-awarded it AOTY contention or continued saying they’re overrated. Okay, some of you are actual rational humans, but it’s more fun to bring up Star Trek. Because the people demand it.

The Even Slash and Axl Made Up Demerit ‒ Immortal. Come on, guys. The Abbath solo output gets weaker with each album, and the latest Demonaz-only Immortal album is perfectly listenable but still the worst album to ever carry that name. Grow up, make up, and get the band back together. I promise you there’s financial gain in it. Lamp of Murmuur is getting on a ton of lists for copying your shit. Reclaim your throne of ice.

The Brothers Gibb “You Should Be Dancing” Golden Medallion ‒ Godflesh’s new record, Purge. Written as a bit of a reflection or sequel to 1992’s classic, Pure, Purge takes the hip-hop beats of its predecessor and pushes them through the roof. It’s still heavy enough to make a city sink ‒ it’s GODFLESH ‒ but this album was ultimately designed to move rumps. What you doing on your bed on your back, anyway?

Now, to the listing!

GLORY LEVEL: MARTOK

As always, it’s good to reiterate that these lists are just snapshots in time. Anyone that thinks their list can predict the future or auto-anoint instant classics is a buffoon. These are merely the albums that occupied my ears and mind the most in 2023. I’ll probably change my mind by mid-January, because I sure do also love a lot of these honorable mentions that didn’t make the top 20:

GLORY LEVEL: WORF

20. Paroxysm Unit – Fragmentation // Stratagem

In which Colin Marston teams up with a couple ex-members of Russian brutal death legends 7 H. Target and French vocalist Marc Lamorille to drop 29 and a half minutes of future-themed, robotic brutech for all your worst Skynet fears. Imagine Wormed and the older greats of brutal death metal getting together to play Hal 9000’s birthday party and you’ll start to get the mechanoslammy picture.

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19. Carnosus – Visions of Infinihility

These Swedes play a rather punchy and infectious form of melodic death/thrash that is plenty appealing on pure instrumental levels, but where they really level up is through the all-caps CHARISMATIC vocal performance of Jonatan Karasiak, who growls and screams and rants and raves his way all over the album. All too often, the vocals are an afterthought in techier bands, but not here, as Karasiak’s dedication to his craft (and bandmates) helps make Visions of Infinihility one of the most fun romps of the year.

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18. Demoniac – Nube Negra

There aren’t a ton of bands making thrash fresh these days, but the blackened variety of Chile’s Demoniac is as exciting as any of it. Coming off a beast in 2020’s So It Goes, they lose nothing on Nube Negra, while managing to both tighten up their sound a mite (no 20-minute songs here) and go deeper into the things that make them unique. All those magnetic vocal parts, infectious riffs, lithe leads, great bass lines, and… clarinet parts remain, while Demoniac somehow keeps refining their somewhat dramatic songwriting approach within the very old black/thrash sound. A key cog within one of the world’s best current scenes, this band.

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17. Dødheimsgard – Black Medium Current

After initially being kind of blown away by Black Medium Current, I struggled a little with it for much of the year. Despite its obvious ambition, it felt a touch unfocused in its spacier passages and is almost certainly too long. Still, I remain obsessed by the album’s peaks (“Abyss Perihelion Transit” is handily one of the year’s finest metal songs), and despite any minor flaws, Vicotnik’s unwavering obsession with exploration remains a feast for the ears. Feels like it will only keep opening up as it ages. Time will tell.

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16. Enslaved – Heimdal

From my review: “…a creative band feeling looser and more at home both within their songs and with each other. Heimdal is the first time that this “newer” Enslaved lineup sounds fully gelled, with all five guys turning in excellent performances that add just the right touches (and then some) to these tunes… …It’s admittedly a comforting feeling to be excited about an Enslaved album again.”

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15. Trichomoniasis – Makeshift Crematoria

From my review: “Trichomoniasis play with what could most politely be described as a complete and utter disregard for common decency, or at least for any preconceived notions of what constitutes ‘music.’ Their death metal is about as brutal and extreme as one can imagine a band becoming, heavy and unrelenting to the point that they basically make Devourment sound like Ratt by comparison.”

That review was also the most fun I had writing something truly ludicrous. Thank you for being the shitwind beneath my shitwings, Trichomoniasis.

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14. Mortuary Drape – Black Mirror

Always a good bit of luck when a long-running band puts out a great new album the year you happen to take That Next Level with their music. The Drape nails the unholy trinity of riffs, hooks, and viiiiiiiiibe as well as any band specializing in all things Olde. Black Mirror is a spooky, swaggerific trip of original blackened arts that’s as fresh as it is dripping in Giallo blood. And holy hell what a bass tone!

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13. Autopsy – Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts

From my review: “…that extra looseness really makes it feel as if the band is just jamming, that the whole of Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts was done live in just a couple takes. The sense that Autopsy was reenergized on Morbidity Triumphant is even stronger here, but it isn’t some forced or Obvious New Era of the Band thing, just four crusty veterans doing their awesome thing.”

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12. Afterbirth – In But Not Of

This was another album that slightly perplexed me for a bit, but after I stopped focusing so hard on all the jumps between and blenderizing of proggy brutech, spaced out passages, near-blackened riffs, gore gurgles, and demented lurches, I realized that this record is a party… for weirdos. The whole album is a flex, but it doesn’t feel like it meant to be a flex, merely the skronkathonic result of these deliciously strange brains dropping their slam ballet ideas on the world.

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11. Great Falls – Objects Without Pain

From my blurb in the top albums list: “…the oft-dissonant and gargantuan riffs of Demian Johnston (ex-Kiss It Goodbye) provide a constant pounding, while a thick, rumbling bass and wicked good drumming (both always essential elements of noise rock and metal) keep the foundation pummeling in equal measure. But the mathy elements, undertone of sorrow, Johnston’s rageful and desperate vocal performance, and extra flairs like the occasional blast or trippy, unbalanced noise passages push Great Falls into their own artistic space.”

• Bandcamp

GLORY LEVEL: GOWRON USING THE WORD “GLORY” IN LITERALLY ANY SETTING BUT ESPECIALLY ABOUT YOUR HOUSE

10. MAJESTIES – VAST REACHES UNCLAIMED

From my review: “This is an absolutely stunning melodeath record that calls back to some of the genre’s greatest classics while making sure that the personalities and styles of Majesties’ lineup shine through. The most obvious inspiration here is In Flames’ towering classic The Jester Race… …Also obvious throughout are nods to Eucharist’s Mirrorworlds, the less thrashy side of Dark Tranquillity, pre-Slaughter of the Soul At the Gates, Gardenian (minus the singing), and lots of other acts that thrived during Sweden’s melodeath peak. More than anything, Vast Reaches Unclaimed nails that touch of neoclassicism, moments of infectious triumph, and, well, majesty exhibited by so many of these bands…”

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9. BRUXA MARIA – BUILD YOURSELF A SHRINE AND PRAY

This is a great example of an album that got under my skin and never left, and I can’t quite explain it. Maybe it’s how Bruxa Maria’s particular brand of aural battery blends heavy noise, pounding sludge, post-hardcore, grunge, industrial, drone, and doom. At various moments you might hear hints of Unsane, Godflesh, Yob, Starkweather, Melvins, Neurosis, and a lot of other greats, and these Londonites have the goods to keep up with their influences. More importantly, they have the swagger—from all the swinging riffs and kickass, ride-heavy drumming to the thick grooves and Gill Dread’s irate, charismatic snarl, there’s a huge sense that the band is loving every second of this, no matter how angry they might be. And hey, I’m loving this wonderful, cathartic racket too. So I guess that explains it.

• Last Rites Review via Frig You Friday
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8. VÓRTIZE – DESDE BAJO TIERRA

Javier Ortiz is already on this list up there with Demoniac, and everything he’s doing for thrash he provides for trad metal with his solo act Vórtize (with help from a lot of his friends). Desde Bajo Tierra is positively teeming with heavy metal joy; for the scene, for the material, for the traditions, and for the very right to play this music. There’s a sense throughout every song that Ortiz knows how special it is to connect with a community of friends that simply want to make glorious sounds together, and it comes across in every enthusiastic vocal part, speedy rhythm riff, playful acoustic flair, bass counter melody, and bouncing drum pattern. Oh, and don’t forget the wide range of emotions, oodles of killer lead harmonies, and narrative soloing. This is about as good and fresh as the traditional side of metal gets these days, and an obvious labor of love.

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7. ELITIST – A MIRAGE OF GRANDEUR

From my review: “A Mirage of Grandeur gets plenty grindy but also has too much of an attention span to really be death/grind; it’s dissonant like Ulcerate but tight, blunt, and focused like Death; it feels brutal and experimental like Gorguts circa From Wisdom to Hate, but also has the swagger of attitude of Sulaco; and it’s a vortex of vitriol and pointed negativity but also possesses the type of dynamics and occasional space you’d expect in great noise rock… …One thing Elitist most certainly is: exquisite at their chosen craft, no matter how complex it might seem on paper. The key is that they aren’t remotely as kitchen-sinky as those above descriptions might hint. Rather, this sounds like the work of a seasoned band that earned that seasoning together…”

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6. GAROTED – BEWITCHMENT OF THE DARK AGES

From my review: “Bewitchment Of The Dark Ages is a positively devastating chunk of violent, crushing death metal. It matches the fury and twitchy technicality of Legion with the blazing speed of albums like De Profundis while also containing Cannibal Corpse’s knack for just being slick as all hell with sneaky melody and brutal hot licks. In short, it destroys, and it’s hard to imagine any fan of death metal not getting at least a bit of thrill out of it.”

Death metal should be some form of dangerous, violent, demented, etc. It should never feel safe. Garoted means you harm. What more could you possibly want? If your answer is “a Nintendo Switch” then you’re a-cruisin’ for a bruisin’ there homeslice.

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5. SACRED OUTCRY – TOWERS OF GOLD

If 2020’s Damned for All Time… was a bit of a closing chapter for the older incarnation of Sacred Outcry after taking over two decades to be fully made, their quick turnaround with Towers of Gold feels like a new beginning. First of all, only bassist and leader George Apalodimas remains from the previous lineups, already putting together a dynamic new band headlined by none other than power metal’s greatest singing cheat code, Daniel Heiman. And well, the results might be even better than the absolutely gargantuan Damned. This record is stunning from the first minute to the last, loaded with (ahem) towering bombast, galloping riffs, high-flying solos, Heiman’s unparalleled vocals, and a narrative flow that makes this near hour go by in a flash. Make no mistake, for as good as everything else is here, Heiman’s performance stands tallest, as it should. No one else can perform such vocal acrobatics and get so close to the edge of histrionics without ever really going over the edge. The man is an absolute marvel, and he was the perfect choice for this new version of Sacred Outcry; a version I really hope sticks around as long as it took for the debut to be made.

I’m obviously not the only LR writer you’ll see gushing over this album. Between Captain’s praise here, here, and here and what you’ll read on several other lists, the good words will be everywhere. All absolutely deserved. A wow factor for the ages.

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4. TDK – NEMESTA

TDK ‒ or ТДК in their native Bulgarian ‒ plays, well, something that will drive obsessive genre-taggers right to a padded room. There’s a ton of noise rock and progressive rock of the 70s variety (our old pal Ian Chainey described them as “a noise rock King Crimson,” among other things, and thanks to him for bringing the band to my attention); the vocalist rapidly lays down long lines of spoken word as much as he sings; there are surprising layers and industrial elements all over the place; time signatures shift and perplex; and there’s even a random dance music section (for reasons unbeknownst to yours truly). It’s a wild and preposterously cool record, revealing a different stylistic secret and mood every time it plays. It’ll be really comforting one moment and ready to blast your head off the next, sometimes in really different ways.

TDK call themselves “Bulgaria’s dissapointment [sic],” which is both very funny and a pretty direct look into their sense of self-deprecation and snideness. I’ve been fascinated and obsessed with Nemeste and its predecessor Uspeh ever since I came across the band, making TDK one of the least disappointing parts of my 2023.

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3. MOONLIGHT SORCERY –
HORNED LORD OF THE THORNED CASTLE

Behold: Moonlight Sorcery has gifted us with the least subtle album of 2023, and for that we thank them. Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle is basically a mishmash of the more theatrical and pompy side of symphonic black metal (think someone like Diabolical Masquerade) with all the six-string and keyboard shred of early Children of Bodom and Euro power metal. Every track is brimming with bright, immensely infectious melodies, punchy riffs, bouncing rhythms, heaps of notes, tortured blackened screeches, and an overall sense of excitement and suspense as each travels to its conclusion. You won’t find subtlety, nuance, or any amount of subtext, just a pure celebration of getting shreddy in a frosty setting, and songwriting lithe enough to cause a need to keep going and reach the end of this colossally fun and constantly stunning record every time.

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2. STYGIAN RUIN –
A WORLD PAST HOPE AND FEAR

After the past two Stygian Ruin records, I expected something good, but in no way did I expect to be thoroughly floored, which is what has happened since the first time I spun these two sprawling, unforgettable epics. Like the best stuff in this atmospheric black metal/ambient field, Stygian Ruin finds the perfect balance between subtlety (all the deliberate but unhurried dynamics), captivating beauty (every melody is gorgeous), and sweeping bombast (every peak is earned). Where A World Past Hope and Fear really pushes them over the top is through the addition of some unsettling blackened doom that is very much in the Beverast-y or Urfaust-y ilk, providing a shift in not just volume but mood. For a name that popped up during the pandemic as a dungeon synth project, Stygian Ruin has quickly evolved into something truly incredible. Close your eyes and travel.

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1. MALOKARPATAN – VERTUMNUS CAESAR

From my (obviously very glowing) review: “The Slovakians achieve this feat through their preposterous talent level, quirky vision, and undeniable chemistry, a truth proven even more by the magnificent Vertumnus Caesar, their fourth full length. The folksy and mystical melodies, instrumentation, and overall vibe add up to metal that sounds Capital-O Olde. From Mercyful Fate and Mortuary Drape to Master’s Hammer and Manilla Road, Malokparatan finds plenty of inspiration and kindred ensorcelling spirits just within their local part of the alphabet, and their love of NWOBHM, 70s prog rock, and proto metal is just as obvious. But there’s so much more here than a mere throwback, as Malokarpatan manages to take mostly the usual set of tools (guitar, bass, drums, keys, usually harsh vocals, and a fair amount of flairs) and craft something that feels without a single real parallel.”

I was already a pretty big Malokarpatan fan, but Vertumnus Caesar felt instantly different and grander in a way. They level up and evolve on every record, but this felt like a destination of sorts, and I loved it from the moment I hit play. Of course, they’ll likely prove me wrong on the next record by evolving further and adding even more sounds to their toolkit, but for now I’m going to bask in the glow of this magnificent record.

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SMALLER GLORIES
(BUT NOT ALEXANDER, BECAUSE HE SUCKS)

Always have to honor the sHort stuff as well, and yes, some of these “EPs” are longer than some of the albums on my main list. I don’t set the album lengths.

10. Solipnosis – Síntesis silenciosa

A lot of the exciting stuff coming out of Chile these days is pretty unique, but Solipnosis takes things even farther down the path of oddball wackadoodlery. Imagine a very young Sodom time-traveling to party with Khthoniik Cerviiks and Robin’s Minstrels, and the event is being held within Aura Noir’s cocktail blender. Yeah, that time-traveling is going in opposite directions, but Síntesis silenciosa kind of seems to exist outside of normal time anyway. Enjoy.

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9. Hebephrenique – Non Compos Mentis

From my review: “When [Hebephrenique is] firing at full force, Non Compos Mentis is a black/death shelling that no so-called war metal band can match, and the title track shows that they’ve got the dynamic breadth and desire to do more. A seriously accomplished and tantalizing debut…”

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8. Necrovation – Storm the Void / Starving Grave

More than a decade after Necrovation gave us their stunning self-titled album, and they finally return with… two songs. Thankfully, they’re two really killer songs, continuing the progressive-and-slightly-psyched-out death sound as good as just about anyone with every melodic vortex, intense drive, and spacy touch. Would I like more? Of course! Am I still happy we got this? Most obviously!

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7. Spectral Lore – 11 Days

As with Colin Marston up above, Ayloss usually finds a way to get on my lists year after year, and Spectral Lore’s 11 Days EP is my favorite thing he’s released under that name in quite a while (his new Auriferous Flame is also quite nice). Here, he applies his spiraling form of black metal to a story of refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, and the suffering and death they face as a result of xenophobia and nationalism. To match such dire subject matter, Ayloss appropriately ups the intensity of the black metal and haunting nature of the ambient tracks, all without losing his knack for melodic beauty. And as is typical, he donates proceeds to pro-refugee organizations.

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6. Ihsahn – Fascination Street Sessions

A collaboration between Ihsahn and URM Academy that led to both this EP and an online course through the academy, but whatever its origin, these 13 minutes make up some of the most stripped down material the Norwegian legend has recorded in years. Ihsahn’s solo career has gotten increasingly strange and experimental as the years have gone on ‒ and far be it from me to suggest such a brilliant artist to limit himself ‒ so the directness of this brief EP felt super refreshing. It rocks with the man’s signature sophistication, but just as importantly it breathes.

Now if I could only stop seeing Steven Toast screaming at Clem Fandango on that album art.

• Last Rites Review
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5. Code – Hunting for Caesar

Another two-song tease (that is actually listed as a single on M-A), but man, these are two wallopin’ new Code tracks. Both are about as intense as anything they’ve done since Resplendent Grotesque ‒ Wacian’s manic scream of “Hunting for Caesar! Hunting for Caesar!” rules so hard ‒ really building upon the renewed momentum they found on Flyblown Prince. Wouldn’t mind them getting right back in the studio and keeping this fire burning. Wouldn’t mind that at all.

• Bandcamp

4. Undulation – An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering

Undulation’s debut EP is a wakeup call to anyone that thinks black metal from the Pacific Northwest has to be some variation of “Cascadian.” An Unhealthy Interest in Suffering (what a title, eh?) is loaded with violent, sometimes death-infused riffs, sorrowful tremolo lines and harmonies, blinding blasts, and an undeniable swagger, managing to be terrifying both due to very loud rage (high shrieks and low growls) and the quiet, far more unsettling moments (and the haunting singing). It’s 29 minutes of slick, complex songwriting performed by a band that seems to sense each other’s moves, resulting in a supremely kickass debut.

• Bandcamp

3. Fluisteraars – De Kronieken van het Verdwenen Kasteel – I – Harslo / II – Nergena

From my top EPs blurb: “Fluisteraars has almost unassumingly turned into one of the best black metal bands on the planet, managing to shift from ice cold sounds to near-post ebb-and-flow to more standard atmospheric flair and even some indie rock flavors without a single hitch (or a sense that anything is telegraphed). As if to emphasize their ability to diversity, they released four songs on two EPs in 2023, none of which repeats another, moving from bombastic but kinda nutty violence and buzzing malevolence to melodic occultism and beautiful, escapist resolution.”

• Bandcamp

2. Scalp – Black Tar

From the moment the lady in the first track is rapidly sputtering… something, Black Tar is a devastating combination of terrifying and devastating. Grind, noise, sludge, crust, death metal, and apocalyptic punk all form like the ultimately filth-ridden version of Voltron hellbent on leveling your city when you most need salvation. When you absolutely, positively need to have your face shredded in the most enjoyable way possible… or your head scalped. You get it.

• Last Rites Review via Frig You Friday
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1. Stangarigel – Metafyzika barbarstva

Adam “Lesodiv” Sičák had what you might call One Hell of a Year. Not only did he write the majority of my number one full length up there (and play a heap of the instruments), but he and Stalagnat released this stunning new EP. Stangarigel taps into a particular corner of the Norwegian Second Wave as well as anyone, brilliantly channeling albums like Vikingligr Veldi and Dark Medieval Times through chilling tremolo lines, castle-vibed synths, rumbling blasts, classical guitar passages, reverb-drenched production, and huge moments of chunky bombast. The most comforting of comfort food black metal, like a warm fire in a massive and very ancient great hall.

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UNTO THE UTTER GRATITUDE FOR PREPOSTUDICROUS TITULAR GROTESQUERY

Glory be to ridiculous death metal, slam, goregrind, and all their cousins. Here is an in-depth and extremely serious analysis of the most fantastic song titles we were given in 2023:

• Afterbirth: “Hovering Human Head Drones” – I’m not thinking of Zardoz, but I’m not not thinking of Zardoz.
• Autopsy: “Marrow Fiend” – Methinks the Bay Area legends have been spending too much time at Chris Cosentino restaurants.
• Cannibal Corpse: “Fracture And Refracture” – Building redundancy into any process is good policy.
• Dead and Dripping: “Humanoid Statues Parading Condescending Gestures” – Imagining a full row of Stone Cold Steve Austin statues doing his favorite hand gesture.
• Ectoplasmorphosis: “Vortex of Possessable Flesh” – This sounds incredibly difficult. First of all, how does one make a vortex of flesh? And secondly, how does one go about possessing flesh that is moving within a vortex? Whole lotta moving… parts.
• FesterDecay: “Liquidized Gallbladder” – I mean… just LOL at this one.
• Flatulence: “Your Filthy Fish” – I’m confused.
• Infibulated: “Humiliation Through Punishment” – So basically sitting in the corner wearing the dunce cap.
• Neurectomy: “Dolphin” – I’m very confused.
• Nithing: “God: Emaciated” – The existence of an emaciated God implies the existence of a well-nourished God, which opens up all kinds of questions. What does God eat? Who is His chef? What is His preferred cuisine? How does Heaven procure its food supplies? The people demand answers.
• Paroxysm Unit: “Data Mess” – You know, that thing you get back when your Excel-challenged coworker got ahold of your files. RAGE.
• Pustulence: “An Ode To The Eyes That Are Yellow” – Two words: Scut. Farkus.
• Sanguinary Verdict: “Grand Arsenal of Gore” – First of all, how are you going to form an arsenal of squishy body bits? This seems as impractical as the ol’ flail.
• Sequestrum: “Giblet Excreter” – Extra LOL at this one.
• Static Abyss: “Cathedral of Vomit” – Just imagine giving ipecac to every loser in Joel Osteen’s megachurch.

FINAL TIDBITS

No full non-metal list for me this year, but I sure do enjoy the new albums by Armand Hammer, Giant Sky, Slowdive, Balimaya Project, Lakecia Benjamin, and Night Verses. The last album could have been on the metal list probably, showing how every year is a rather silly exercise in setting rather silly lines. Regardless of Artificial Genre Boundary Constructs, all of those names provide a lot of good things for your earballs.

I didn’t attend too many shows this year, compared to my younger days, but there were some truly special events. In terms of metal, seeing Max and Igor Cavalera dust off their old Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions material (with a splash of Schizophrenia) was a complete blast, and the tour kind of justifies those re-recorded versions in its own way. The brothers are systematically reclaiming the Sepultura legacy, as they should.

I also went to see The Cure for the first time. This was a band that I thought I disliked for most of my youth, and really didn’t fully fall in love with them until my 30s. Seeing them now, in my 40s, when they’re far older, felt like a true destination in my musical journey. They played countless songs over three hours, and despite their status as one of the gloomiest bands ever, there was such an atmosphere of love and joy in the whole sold out arena that I’ve rarely felt at other concerts. Plus, those old goths might challenge Rush as the best sounding live band I’ve ever seen.

Have a great holiday season, friends. Try to spend it with people that make you smile.

Posted by Zach Duvall

Last Rites Co-Owner; Senior Editor; Obnoxious overuser of baseball metaphors.

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