Ringworm at El Cortez
Ringworm by Keith Marlowe

47 Metal Albums We're Anticipating in 2023

We already posted a list of 100 albums we’re anticipating in 2023, which included some metal, but here’s even more metal we can’t wait to hear this year. It ranges from death to doom, from sludge to grind, from veterans to up-and-comers, and so much other stuff in between. We’re pretty sure that most of these are actually coming out this year, and we’re crossing our fingers for the ones that are up in the air. Read on for the list, and let us know what metal you’re looking forward to in 2023. Also check out our list of 38 hardcore releases we’re anticipating this year.

All Out War – Celestial Rot

due 2/3 via Translation Loss

It’s not everyday that you see a long-running band get more brutal as they go on, but metallic hardcore vets All Out War have been leaning more into the “metallic” and less into the “hardcore” for years, and Celestial Rot is shaping up to be some of their most evil music yet.

Baroness

According to Revolver, Baroness wrote over 30 songs throughout the pandemic, which they’re currently whittling down into their next album. They also say it’ll be the first Baroness album not named after a color.

Bell Witch

Seattle doom greats Bell Witch seem to finally be ready to follow 2017’s beloved Mirror Reaper. They told Decibel that they’ve got a Billy Anderson-produced followup due in spring/summer via Profound Lore, and they said “I think our scope has expanded since writing Mirror Reaper and we are able to envision conceptual compositions on a broader scale” and also added, “this record is definitely an expansion of what we’ve done before.”

BIG|BRAVE – nature morte

due 2/24 via Thrill Jockey

After making a folk album with The Body, BIG|BRAVE are getting back to post-metal this year, and the first single is as towering as you’d hope.

The Black Dahlia Murder

After vocalist Trevor Strnad took his own life, The Black Dahlia Murder chose to continue on with guitarist and co-founder Brian Eschbach taking over on lead vocals. “None of us wanted it to be over,” Brian told Decibel. “We still feel like there is a lot left to do. I know Trevor would keep this band going if I went down a deep, dark path and weren’t here. It’s bigger than us.” They played their first show with Brian on vocals this past fall, and they’ve been writing an LP too.

Cannibal Corpse

Not only are we in the midst of a huge moment for new death metal bands that Cannibal Corpse have influenced, CC themselves are in the midst of a creative hot streak. 2021’s Violence Unimagined was one of their most celebrated albums in a while, and they’re apparently working on a followup as we speak.

Code Orange

We don’t know much about Code Orange’s next album, but they’re due for one and they were in the studio with Billy Corgan recently, so something’s gotta be stirring.

††† (Crosses)

††† (Crosses)–the duo of Deftones vocalist Chino Morneo and Far guitarist Shaun Lopez–aren’t exactly a metal band, but they’re planning to follow December’s Permament.Radiant EP with a full-length, and Chino told Revolver that it has “some heavier stuff,” including “one of the heaviest [songs] we’ve done.” Shaun added, “It’s kind of going further in every direction. Not just heavy, not just pop.”

Dawn Ray’d – To Know The Light

due 3/24 via Prosthetic

UK black metal trio Dawn Ray’d’s third LP is arriving this year, and vocalist Simon Barr says, “This record has been transformative for us, it is Dawn Ray’d, black metal and protest music entirely reimagined.”

Dying Fetus

“Who’s ready for a new album this year?,” Dying Fetus asked on Instagram. Us!

Enforced

Richmond thrashers Enforced last released their great sophomore LP Kill Grid in 2021, and a recent Facebook post promised “new recordings for 2023.”

Enslaved – Heimdal

due 3/3 via Nuclear Blast

Norwegian metal vets Enslaved are still going strong, and they’ll follow 2020’s Utgard with their sixteenth album this year. The band says, “We have reached deeper and scouted further ahead than ever before – the past, present and future sound of the band comes together in songs born from sheer inspiration.” Pick up our exclusive white vinyl variant.

Every Time I Die offshoots

Every Time I Die are sadly no more, but it looks like we’re getting two new projects from the band’s former members. Vocalist Keith Buckley has a new band in the works, and the other recent members have a project together as well.

Frozen Soul

Frozen Soul revealed in an interview with The Bad Penny that the followup to their awesome debut LP Crypt of Ice is expected in early 2023, and they also spoke about Trivium leader Matt Heafy’s involvement: “Me and him just hit it off, and we ended up getting invited to come out there and pre-pro our new record. Now he’s going to be directly involved in the production. Super-cool dude, super-down-to-earth and all about heavy music. He’s not the type of guy who wants to “change us.” That’s really not what any of this is about. He just really loves metal, really loves music.”

Fugitive

Fugitive–a new band with Power Trip lead guitarist Blake Ibanez, Skourge vocalist Seth Gilmore, and members of Creeping Death, Impalers, and more–released one of our favorite metal albums of 2022 with their debut EP Maniac, and we’re very stoked to hear what they do with a full-length.

Fuming Mouth

Massachusetts death metal-infused hardcore band Fuming Mouth finally returned to the stage after vocalist Mark Whelan was declared cancer free, and they also revealed on the HardLore podcast that they’re in the studio with past collaborator Kurt Ballou of Converge. Whatever they’re working on will be their first new music since their 2020 EP Beyond the Tomb, and it’s coming out via Nuclear Blast.

Horrendous

In the four years since Philly death metal greats Horrendous released a new album, their whole subgenre blew up in a huge way, and now they’re back to re-stake their claim. Speaking to Decibel, guitarist/vocalist Matt Knox said, “If [2018’s] Idol could be compared to a Sisyphean climb up the mountain, this album feels to me to be the victory celebrate at the peak–the grand tossing away of the stone.” The band expects to release it in summer or fall via Season of Mist.

Hulder

When Belgian/American one-woman black metal act Hulder signed to 20 Buck Spin, she announced a mini-LP and a new full-length for the label. The mini-LP came out last year, and according to a new Instagram post, they’ve just entered the studio for LP2:

Inter Arma

Richmond’s genre-defying Inter Arma have been busy playing shows this year, and they capped the year off with the news that they’re writing new music. Their next LP will be their first album of original music since 2019’s great Sulphur English (and first release in general since their 2020 covers album).

Jesus Piece

With a new label home at Century Media and the great new single “An Offering to the Night” out now, it shouldn’t be long before we get the details on heavy hardcore band Jesus Piece’s sophomore LP.

Job For A Cowboy

Job For A Cowboy have come a long way since taking the heavy music world by storm with their Myspace-era deathcore EP Doom. They turned into one of the most influential death metal bands around, and, after some delays, they appear to be almost done with their first album in nine years.

King Diamond / Mercyful Fate

King Diamond has been talking about his new solo album The Institute and the first Mercyful Fate album since 1999 for a while now, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that 2023 is the year for one or both.

Knocked Loose

Metallic hardcore greats Knocked Loose haven’t released a full-length album since 2019’s A Different Shade of Blue, but they showed off their continued evolution on their 2021 EP A Tear in the Fabric of Life and they’ve been talking about a new LP, which hopefully arrives this year.

Kruelty – Untopia

due 3/17 via Profound Lore

Japanese death metal-infused hardcore band Kruelty will follow their 2022 split with Terminal Nation with their sophomore full-length album, Untopia. It was produced by Taylor Young, and the first taste is the brutal lead single “Burn The System.”

Liturgy – 93696

due 3/24 via Thrill Jockey

Liturgy have a new double album out this year, and after hearing its 15-minute title track, we can’t wait to see what else this record has in store.

Loathe

UK shoegazy metal band Loathe put out “Dimorphous Display” off their upcoming album back in early 2022, and still no word on things like title and release date, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for this year.

Majesties – Vast Reaches Unclaimed

due 3/3 via 20 Buck Spin

Majesties is a new project with members of two Minneapolis black metal bands–Obsequiae leader Tanner Anderson and Inexorum members Carl Skildum & Matthew Kirkwold–and it finds them channelling the sounds of ’90s-era Swedish melodic death metal. As you can hear on lead single “The World Unseen,” they do a lot of justice to it.

Mastodon

Speaking to Metal Injection, Mastodon’s Brann Dailor recently said, “There was a bunch of songs that we didn’t really give the full treatment [to during the Hushed And Grim sessions] because it got to the point where we had had to pick what songs were going to be on the album. But we had more material that we’re like ‘I want to go dig into some of that stuff.’ I really liked what was going on with a few of those songs, so I don’t know. Maybe you’ll see some new music from us sooner than later.”

Necrot

Oakland death metallers Necrot are gearing up to release their third album in late 2023 via Tankcrimes. “I think we are evolving as a band with every new album,” vocalist/bassist Luca Indrio said to Decibel. “Even [while] maintaining our style and sound, every album takes us somewhere new that can make us grow as musicians.”

Obituary – Dying of Everything

due 1/13 via Relapse

Death metal lifers Obituary have been doing it since the late ’80s, and they still sound as hungry and vital as the many bands they’ve influenced over the years. Their first album since 2017 arrives this month, with artwork by the late Mariusz Lewandowski, and every single has been killer. We’ve also got an exclusive cyan blue vinyl variant.

Pallbearer

Doom greats Pallbearer revealed they were entered the studio to work on LP5 at the very beginning of 2022. We haven’t heard any updates since then, but fingers crossed that 2023 is the year.

Portrayal of Guilt

After releasing two albums and a split with Chat Pile in 2021, the great screamo/metal band Portrayal of Guilt had a much quieter 2022, but they promised a 2023 album in a since-deleted tweet, so that’s hopefully promising!

Power Trip

Power Trip have chosen to keep going after the tragic 2020 death of vocalist Riley Gale, and while we haven’t heard who’s taking over on vocals, we’re very interested in hearing what they do next.

Pupil Slicer – Blossom

In a new Kerrang! feature, UK mathcore band Pupil Slicer confirmed that they just wrapped up their sophomore LP, a concept album called Blossom. “It’s about death and rebirth and acceptance of finality. It’s a proper story with a protagonist and everything,” says vocalist/guitarist Kate Davies. “I wanted it to be more dialled up to 11: weirder riffs, harder breakdowns, much more post-y post songs, more shoegaze-y shoegaze songs. It’s all over the place, but it’s also cohesive. It’s got a five-minute indie-rock song, a six-minute shoegaze song, an eight-minute post-black metal song…”

Ringworm

Metal/hardcore vets Ringworm are gearing up for a followup to 2019’s Death Becomes My Voice this year. They say, “11 brand new blistering tracks ready to burrow their way into your ear canals and corrupt your brains. Now we wait. 2023, new record and tours on the blood soaked horizon are approaching.” They also add, “New levels were achieved for us with this one. Sonically, aggressiveness, fury, speed. Can’t wait to unleash this absolute beast of a record on all of you.”

Sanguisugabogg – Homicidal Ecstasy

due 2/3 via Century Media

Ohio death metallers Sanguisugabogg are unleashing their Kurt Ballou-mixed sophomore LP this year. Vocalist Devin Swank says, “Everything became more legit, the The musicianship, the production, the lyrics – which delve much more into horror and body horror – are more thought-out. It’s not just a bunch of dick and fart jokes.” He also adds, “It goes deeper this time, into the psycho-sexual, body-horror, why what some people see as perverse or fetishistic, can also be perfectly normal.”

See You Next Tuesday – Distractions

due 2/17 via Good Fight Music

Aughts-era math/death/grind maniacs See You Next Tuesday released two albums on Ferret in the late 2000s before calling it quits in 2009, and now they’re back and gearing up for their first album in 15 years. Lead single “Hey Look, No Crying” finds See You Next Tuesday sounding as abrasive and chaotic as ever.

Slipknot (?) – Look Outside Your Window

As legend has it, Slipknot recorded an album called Look Outside Your Window around the same time as 2008’s All Hope Is Gone and shelved it, and in a new interview with Upset, Shawn “Clown” Crahan suggested the band might release it after their deal with Roadrunner concludes this April. “It’s an amazing body of work,” he says. “You will never hear another Corey Taylor like this. The music and the words … It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.” He also said “We wouldn’t want Slipknot to hurt Look Outside Your Window, and we wouldn’t want ‘Look Outside Your Window’ to be a little irritation to Slipknot,” so it seems unclear if the album would be released as Slipknot or under a different name.

Spectral Voice

Spectral Voice, the much-loved death-doom band who share three members with Blood Incantation, recently announced an appearance at Denmark’s Unearthed Morbidity Festival and also said, “What will the set be? Will there be a new release? WHAT WILL HAPPEN!?” After seeing their great set at Oblivion Access in Austin in 2022, we’re hoping even more that the answer is yes.

Thantifaxath

Toronto black metallers Thantifaxath haven’t released new music since their 2017 EP Void Masquerading as Matter, but they’ve been re-emerging with live shows (including upcoming dates with Horrendous) and teasing a new album.

Ulthar – Anthronomicon & Helionomicon

due 2/17 via 20 Buck Spin

Oakland black/death metallers Ulthar will follow 2020’s beloved Providence with two albums this year, both out the same day via 20 Buck Spin. One song is out now, and it’s a very intense first taste.

Venomous Concept – The Good Ship Lollipop

due 2/24 via Decibel Records

Venomous Concept — the band formed by Napalm Death’s Shane Embury and former Brutal Truth vocalist Kevin Sharp that currently also includes Napalm Death’s touring guitarist John Cooke and former Cancer drummer Carl Stokes — are putting out their fifth album this year, and the singles have all been rippers. “When the pandemic hit, we decided we needed to make an album that didn’t fit,” Shane said in a statement. “We all loved so much other kind of punk and rock, so why not explore that which is, in essence, closer to our hearts? To do the same album over and over again would be boring.”

Wayfarer

We put Denver black metallers Wayfarer on a list of albums we were anticipating in 2022 after they signed to Century Media, but they never put out an album in 2022, and now they’re eyeing a fall release for the followup to 2020’s great A Romance with Violence, which according to Decibel is coming via their former label, Profound Lore. The band told Decibel over email that they’re still working on the album, and, excitingly, Arthur Rizk is producing.

Woe

Brooklyn black metallers Woe revealed in an Instagram story that their first album since 2017’s Hope Attrition is expected this year. “Studio time booked for album 5,” they wrote. “Anticipating a final mix in March. Shooting for a summer release. More news when we have something to say.”

200 Stab Wounds

Rising old school-style death metallers 200 Stab Wounds recently inked a deal with Metal Blade Records, and their new single “Masters of Morbidity” is one of their best songs yet. We’re sure to get even more brutality from LP2 when it arrives.

SEE ALSO:

* 100 Albums We’re Anticipating in 2023

* 38 Hardcore Releases We’re Anticipating in 2023