2023 Top Christian Metal & Rock Albums!

[MetalPioneer]

It's that time of year again! Post your favorite Christian metal and rock albums of 2023!

[MetalPioneer]

15 Favorite Full-Length Albums

1. Sacrificium – Oblivion
2. Adorned Graves – The Earth Hath Opened Her Mouth
3. Project 86 – OMNI, Pt. 1
4. Burial Extraction – A Shadow of Things to Come
5. War Of Ages - Dominion
6. Signum Regis – Undivided
7. Cultist – Slow Suicide
8. Wytch Hazel – IV: Sacrament
9. Mangled Carpenter – Salvation Syndrome
10. Within Thy Wounds – Ringing the Bell of Gleaming Martyrdom
11. Applehead – The Light Side of the Apple
12. KLANK – Between Unholy and Divine, Vol. 2
13. NARNIA the BAND – Ghost Town
14. Ritual Servant – Albus Mendacium
15. Testimony of Apocalypse – The Offering

5 Favorite EPs

1. Crimson Moonlight – Abbadon
2. HARD LOOK – Omnexus
3. Deny the Fallen – Echo Chamber
4. Jonava – Pergamum
5. Eternal Throne – From the Depths of Mortal Flesh

[Kerrick]

Some good picks!  There are a few on your list I still need to check out...

Alrighty, here's my list!  I only had 13 Christian metal albums this year, but close enough.  

Albums
1. Leonov – Procession.  Dark and doomy, emotive, introspective, experimental, and very good vocals and lyrics.  This one’s got everything I could ask for!  Leonov’s past two albums are excellent, so I had high expectations for this one – and it did not disappoint.
2. Adorned Graves – The Earth Hath Opened Her Mouth.  Everything Adorned Graves has put out has been great, but they really upped their game on this one.  For an album as incredibly diverse as this one is, they did an amazing job at keeping it succinct and consistent.  This is a truly epic release.
3. Trebuchet SDG – Through The Dark Ages.  This year brought a few surprises, and Trebuchet SDG was the sweetest.  After putting out a few top-notch singles to whet our appetites, Through The Dark Ages bursted forth without any warning.  This is melodic black metal of very high quality, incorporating some tasteful folk and medieval flourishes.  While there are certainly more poetic lyrics out there, the especially bold and poignant lyrics of this album further elevate its greatness.
4. Theocracy – Mosaic.  What AOTY list could exist without Theocracy?!?  The masters of top-tier progressive power metal do it again.  There are no surprises here: this is the Theocracy everyone and their mother knows and loves, through and through.  But IMO it’s a significant step up from their previous album Ghost Ship and there’s not a weak track on it.
5. Narnia – Ghost Town.  For whatever reason, Narnia is a band I’ve foolishly slept on until now.  I bought this and Long Live The King and have quite quickly turned into a fan!  This album is really delightful: all the songs are well-written and very well-played; there’s no weak point in sight.  But what stands out the most to me is how much heart and soul the members are able to pour into their music – which makes for an especially uplifting and encouraging listen.
6. Sombre Holiday – The Soul’s Blood.  This – their 6th album – is a bit darker and more atmospheric than their previous albums – which I’m all about.  Great music for that grey, rainy, introspective day.
7. Zsolozsma – My Hiding Place.  This album snuck in at the tail-end of the year and was a bit of a surprise!  Zsolozsma is a continuation of the Hungarian one-man doom/death project The Arbiter: taking everything good about The Arbiter and expanding upon it.  It’s darker, slower, and has more variation in instrumentation.
8. Wytch Hazel – IV: Sacrament.  As with Theocracy, Wytch Hazel are very consistent and have made another very solid album.  This one took more of a rock-direction than their previous releases – which, while it’s certainly very good, does have me hoping they’ll bring back the more metal elements.
9. Enduring Revery – Carrier.  One of the more unique albums released this year, Carrier brings something fresh and new to the scene.  You’ve definitely gotta be in the mood for this type of music, but when you are, not much else is going to scratch that itch.
10. Signum Regis – Undivided.  Solid all the way through, Undivided is one of Signum Regis’ most consistent albums.  It’s heavier than their previous release but still plenty melodic and anthemic.
11. Jernlov – Resurrection.  Straight-forward, melodic black metal.  Good stuff!
12. Martin Simson’s Destroyer Of Death – Eternal Reign.  Rob Rock is back and sounds fantastic as always!  While Eternal Reign isn’t necessarily bringing anything new to the table, it’s a very good slab of melodic metal with a lot of heart.
13. Ritual Servant – Albus Mendacium.  I’m not typically much of a fan of thrash, but Ritual Servant is my go-to when I’m in the mood for it.  I especially appreciate their bold and biblical lyrics.

EPS
1. Vials Of Wrath – Ataraxia I & II.  Vials Of Wrath never disappoint and this EP is especially strong.  The Eternal Call is one of their best songs yet.
2. Hafgua – Out Of The Depths Of Sheol.  Another lovely surprise for 2023, Hafgua came out of seemingly nowhere with a fantastic EP of epic and melodic doom/death metal.
3. Trebuchet SDG – Lux Mundi.  Christmas black metal!  I love it.
4. Karv / Duister Maanlicht.  Karv is another relative newcomer to the Christian black metal scene and really sets the bar high.  Their material on this EP reminds me some of Erasmus – which is a compliment!  The Duister Maanlicht material is good too.
5. Irgalom – Rivers Into Islands.  This release is somewhat more melodic than most of Irgalom’s material and it fits well with the style.  I love the biblical lyrics as well.

[MetalPioneer]

Some good picks!  There are a few on your list I still need to check out...

Alrighty, here's my list!  I only had 13 Christian metal albums this year, but close enough.  

Albums
1. Leonov – Procession.  Dark and doomy, emotive, introspective, experimental, and very good vocals and lyrics.  This one’s got everything I could ask for!  Leonov’s past two albums are excellent, so I had high expectations for this one – and it did not disappoint.
2. Adorned Graves – The Earth Hath Opened Her Mouth.  Everything Adorned Graves has put out has been great, but they really upped their game on this one.  For an album as incredibly diverse as this one is, they did an amazing job at keeping it succinct and consistent.  This is a truly epic release.
3. Trebuchet SDG – Through The Dark Ages.  This year brought a few surprises, and Trebuchet SDG was the sweetest.  After putting out a few top-notch singles to whet our appetites, Through The Dark Ages bursted forth without any warning.  This is melodic black metal of very high quality, incorporating some tasteful folk and medieval flourishes.  While there are certainly more poetic lyrics out there, the especially bold and poignant lyrics of this album further elevate its greatness.
4. Theocracy – Mosaic.  What AOTY list could exist without Theocracy?!?  The masters of top-tier progressive power metal do it again.  There are no surprises here: this is the Theocracy everyone and their mother knows and loves, through and through.  But IMO it’s a significant step up from their previous album Ghost Ship and there’s not a weak track on it.
5. Narnia – Ghost Town.  For whatever reason, Narnia is a band I’ve foolishly slept on until now.  I bought this and Long Live The King and have quite quickly turned into a fan!  This album is really delightful: all the songs are well-written and very well-played; there’s no weak point in sight.  But what stands out the most to me is how much heart and soul the members are able to pour into their music – which makes for an especially uplifting and encouraging listen.
6. Sombre Holiday – The Soul’s Blood.  This – their 6th album – is a bit darker and more atmospheric than their previous albums – which I’m all about.  Great music for that grey, rainy, introspective day.
7. Zsolozsma – My Hiding Place.  This album snuck in at the tail-end of the year and was a bit of a surprise!  Zsolozsma is a continuation of the Hungarian one-man doom/death project The Arbiter: taking everything good about The Arbiter and expanding upon it.  It’s darker, slower, and has more variation in instrumentation.
8. Wytch Hazel – IV: Sacrament.  As with Theocracy, Wytch Hazel are very consistent and have made another very solid album.  This one took more of a rock-direction than their previous releases – which, while it’s certainly very good, does have me hoping they’ll bring back the more metal elements.
9. Enduring Revery – Carrier.  One of the more unique albums released this year, Carrier brings something fresh and new to the scene.  You’ve definitely gotta be in the mood for this type of music, but when you are, not much else is going to scratch that itch.
10. Signum Regis – Undivided.  Solid all the way through, Undivided is one of Signum Regis’ most consistent albums.  It’s heavier than their previous release but still plenty melodic and anthemic.
11. Jernlov – Resurrection.  Straight-forward, melodic black metal.  Good stuff!
12. Martin Simson’s Destroyer Of Death – Eternal Reign.  Rob Rock is back and sounds fantastic as always!  While Eternal Reign isn’t necessarily bringing anything new to the table, it’s a very good slab of melodic metal with a lot of heart.
13. Ritual Servant – Albus Mendacium.  I’m not typically much of a fan of thrash, but Ritual Servant is my go-to when I’m in the mood for it.  I especially appreciate their bold and biblical lyrics.

EPS
1. Vials Of Wrath – Ataraxia I & II.  Vials Of Wrath never disappoint and this EP is especially strong.  The Eternal Call is one of their best songs yet.
2. Hafgua – Out Of The Depths Of Sheol.  Another lovely surprise for 2023, Hafgua came out of seemingly nowhere with a fantastic EP of epic and melodic doom/death metal.
3. Trebuchet SDG – Lux Mundi.  Christmas black metal!  I love it.
4. Karv / Duister Maanlicht.  Karv is another relative newcomer to the Christian black metal scene and really sets the bar high.  Their material on this EP reminds me some of Erasmus – which is a compliment!  The Duister Maanlicht material is good too.
5. Irgalom – Rivers Into Islands.  This release is somewhat more melodic than most of Irgalom’s material and it fits well with the style.  I love the biblical lyrics as well.

There are 4 albums on your list I haven't heard yet. I will listen to them in due time. I'm in the process of going through some end of the year lists and listening to anything I haven't heard yet. I just ordered a copy of that Karv split CD about a week ago. I've only listened to it a few times, but really enjoyed it. Given more time, it may have crept into my favorites list.

I am glad you are finally getting into Narnia. They were one of the first power metal bands I ever got into and I've been a big fan for over 15 years.

[MetalPioneer]

While not on my original list, I just discovered Eternal Gaze's self-titled debut album. It blew me away at first listen and I just bought it on Bandcamp. The Christian metal scene doesn't have much post-black metal, so this is a refreshing feast for my ears. To my surprise, the lyrics are also pretty solid. You can read the lyrics on the Bandcamp page as well. Check it out!

Eternal Gaze Bandcamp

[Kerrick]

^That one's been on my wantlist for a while.  Perhaps this next Bandcamp Friday... 

Yeah this year brought some really great stuff.  Last year was a bit sparse but 2023 definitely made up for it!

Which ones on my list have you not heard yet?  Please let me know what you think of 'em once you get a chance to listen!

[MetalPioneer]

I listened to these from your list that I hadn't heard yet:

Leonev - Procession
Sombre Holiday - Soul's Blood
Enduring Revery - Carrier
Hafgua - Out of the Depths of Sheol

I enjoyed them all except for Sombre Holiday. For whatever reason, I could not really get into that album (I did listen all the way through).

Zsolozsma – My Hiding Place was not available to listen to on Spotify.

[Kerrick]

Gotcha.  Leonov is a personal favorite of mine; all three of their albums get very heavy rotation from me!

Sombre Holiday is definitely not for everyone, and you've gotta be in the mood for their style.  Though I do really enjoy them.

You can check out Zsolozsma here:
https://abran.bandcamp.com/album/my-hiding-place

Or here!

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