The Pit - 2023 Roundup

As 2023 comes to an end, it's time to look back at the releases from those 12 months and see which ones are well-deserved highlights. I haven't really encountered many Pit releases from this year, but the ones I have are fantastic, reaching 4.5 or 5 stars, except for one good 3.5-star release. Here's my top 5 of 2023:

1. Sylosis - A Sign of Things to Come

2. Sadus - The Shadow Inside

3. Voivod - Morgöth Tales

4. Butcher Babies - …'Til the World’s Blind

5. Avatar - Dance Devil Dance

Any releases this year from this clan that you enjoy, enough for a top 5 or top 10 or more? Discuss!

I think this is the last one I have to do, I'll be putting actual, comprehensive lists together for each Clan but this is a good way to gather my thoughts. 

1. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
2. Demoniac - Nube negra
3. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
4. Cavalera Conspiracy - Morbid Visions
5. Cavalera Conspriacy - Bestial Devastation
6. Hoplites - 'Aντιτιμωρουμένη
7. Hellwitch - Annihilational Intercention
8. Drain - Living Proof
9. Trastorned - Into the Void
10. Pest Control - Don't Test the Pest
11. Angelus Apatrida - Aftermath

I'm strictly going off of what the Academy has for Clan labels, so Horrendous takes another win on this list haha. But seriously, Demoniac killed it with their much anticipated followup that was less progressive than what I would have expected, but it worked out all the same. Hellripper is a bit of a novelty but the album never lost steam throughout the entire year, so I have to commend it. The Cavalera brothers rerecording Morbid Visions and Bestial Devastation wasn't on my (or anyone's?) radar, and rerecordings always have a sense of dread hanging around them, but this time it was worth it. It's impressive how well 30+ year old material can hold up with a new coat of paint and the two brothers bring the energy necessary to make it all work. Hellwitch also brought the heat with a more classic thrash experience that was good but not mind-blowing, then the rest are mostly forgettable. 

Very little from me by way of Pit listening this year with Demoniac predictably being my thrash album of the year. I gave Trastorned a quick listen and quite liked what I heard, so will revisit it at some point. I'll have to give a few on your list a go, if only for completions sake, Xephyr.

The Demoniac album is pretty good but hasn't exactly blown my socks off to be honest. The aggressive Teutonic thrash style stuff (think Kreator & Destruction) is great but the progressive experimentation often doesn't work & some of the decisions around song structure were misguided too. The highlight is clearly the guitar solos & I like the raspy vocals too. It's certainly not a tech thrash record like it's being tagged as though as it's not all that technical. It's just thrash metal with progressive influences for mine.

3.5/5

The frontrunners for The Pit Release of 2023 Award are Hellripper's "Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags", Demoniac's "Nube negra" & Enforced's "War Remains" with less than a week to go so get those ratings in.

I don't mind the Hellripper album. It's certainly a bit of fun, isn't it? I'm just not sure that I could ever truly "love" a blackened speed metal record like that one though as it mostly sounds like drunken party music which doesn't offer as much substance as I would usually look for in my extreme metal. "Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags" reminds me of a more blackened version of Midnight or the faster Venom tracks. The thrashier material (" The Cursed Carrion Crown" & my personal favourite "Mester Stoor Worm") is the most appealing for me personally & brings to mind Toxic Holocaust's more blackened moments while there are a couple of tracks that are pure Motorhead worship. I've just managed to get this up to a reasonable rating but I'd take the Demoniac album over this one.

3.5/5

I thought the same thing about Hellripper until I kept coming back to it dozens of times throughout the year. Stood the test of time, which is surprising given I agree with your "drunken party music" tag Daniel. Still in agreement that Demoniac edges it out.

The Cavelera albums are the only other close ones that I wish more people would try out, but I'm sure they'd get met with a bit of controversy as re-recordings always seem to be a spicy topic. 

I agree that Hellripper is enjoyable, but lacking in what I really look for in my metal nowadays and only managed a 3.5 from me. Enforced was much more up in your face and better for it, garnering a 4.0. Demoniac was still my favourite thrasher of the year however and #4 on my yearly list behind Panopticon, Convocation & Khanate.