Every month we collect our favorite albums of the month. Here they are our favorite albums of the month January:
Spenser:
This band can do no wrong, and each new release somehow tops their previous one. Which should be impossible, given the quality of material they continually put out.
Leon:
This year started off pretty strong, yet this release was somehow the one I spun the most. Cora’s Heart sits squarely between the new wave of shoegaze in the vein of Asian Glow and sonhos tomam conta and honest-to-god atmospheric black metal. Plenty of dreamy ambient soundscapes, twinkly synths, ethereal vocals, and dense walls of sound intersped with full-on blast beats and tremolo textures. It’s all very well mixed together, maintaining its identity and vibe without devolving into a collection of disparate genres.
Jared:
Check out my review for more detailed discussion of this record, but Conjureth’s sophomore album started 2023 off with a bang. This record is massive, punishing, rip-and-tear death metal that set the bar high for upcoming releases this year.
Connor:
Shapely melodies and a naturalistic approach make this record a flavorful one.
Rick:
I was never into Katatonia that much, and yet this album has a certain atmosphere that totally got me. Poetic, melancholic and overall incredibly captivating: I can’t get enough of it.
Matthew:
Leper Colony is old school, thrashy death metal with brutal blast beats, shredding guitar riffs, and a variety of vocal styles. Fans of early Death will want to check this one out!
Nathan:
Tribunal has made a morose and emotional doom metal record that manages to simultaneously sound heavy, depressed, and full of motion. The most interesting record I’ve heard so far this year.
