For our final The Album Story feature of 2023, we are counting down our top 50 favourite records from the last 12 months.
From exciting debuts to long-awaited returns and reunions, these are the albums that made a real impact on the rock scene this year.
50. Illenium – ‘Illenium’
The EDM superstar showcases his love of the scene via well-placed collabs with Chris Motionless, Courtney LaPlante, Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker to name just a few.
Motionless In White’s Chris Motionless says “I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with some really gifted artists in my career, but none of those experiences were as organic and exciting as working with Illenium on ‘Nothing Ever After’. It felt like everyone in the room was sharing the exact same energy and the song just kept falling into place piece by piece. It has definitely become my favorite collab, and I think it’s such a rad thing to see so many huge names in the EDM world bringing in rock artists to create something fresh and new for fans to sink their teeth into. I was already a big fan of Illenium before working together, and now after getting to see how he works his magic, I have such a deeper connection to the music and genre as a whole.”
49. Måneskin – ‘Rush!’
Following up their fast rise to Eurovision success and international fame with an unerring confidence, the Italian group’s latest release refuses to stray from their already winning formula of party indie rock punctuated with cinematic ballads, all injected with an irresistible sense of fun.
48. Skindred – ‘Smile’
After 25 years in the game, Skindred deservedly hit their highest ever chart position with their celebratory eighth album, full of instant live favourites like ‘Gimme That Boom’, inspiring Newport helicopters everywhere and proving why they remain such a vital part of the UK rock scene.
47. Graphic Nature – ‘A Mind Waiting To Die’
In a year in which nu-metal began its resurgence, no artist felt more authentic in their approach to the genre than Graphic Nature’s Harvey Freeman, his feelings of isolation from our period of worldwide lockdown beautifully extolled through his band’s debut.
46. 100 Gecs – ‘10,000 Gecs’
The kings of hyperpop throw everything and the kitchen sink into their sophomore effort, violently mixing together metal, pop, punk, EDM and more into their ever-evolving soundscapes.
45. HEALTH – ‘RAT WARS’
Flitting from classic rock guitar solos on opener ‘DEMIGODS’ to industrial beats, improvised interludes and sprinkled moments of pure pop, HEALTH’s sixth full-length record captures the trio at their most eclectic.
Read their full Track By Track of the album here.
44. The Hives – ‘The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons’
While The Hives never really went away, still bringing their incredibly tight live show to crowds worldwide, their first new music in over a decade was a more than welcome reminder of the power they can wield through their joyous garage-rock.
“We definitely don’t want to make something that sounds mature and older. The thing that we had been missing in music while we were away was that exciting, childish feeling that we always loved in rock ‘n’ roll. It’s been a very serious time, at least for guitar bands. So we wanted it to be exciting and violent and insane and fun. Basically all the things your mum says you shouldn’t do.” – Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist
43. Grandson – ‘I Love You, I’m Trying’
Described by the man himself as a “more personal and intimate” record than ever before, Grandson played with a less aggressive musical palette on his third studio album, yet lyrically he remains as passionate and as cutting as ever.
42. The Word Alive – ‘Hard Reset’
Enlisting a series of modern collaborators, from Bad Omens’ Noah Sebastian to Normandie’s Philip Strand, The Word Alive brought new life to their seventh album, revelling in the opportunity to start afresh and proclaim that ‘The Word Alive Is Dead’.
“With a band like ours, one thing that people have loved or maybe hated is that we didn’t stick to only one lane” says Telle Smith. “We’ve had a lot of experimentation throughout our career. With this record though, I knew we were going to be dropping it 15 years into a career. It was the longest we had taken to make a record, we’d had a lineup change and we were coming out of the world shutting down. So I’d had a lot of time to reflect on what I wanted this record to be.”
“It was the perfect opportunity to showcase all the things we love about our band and the things that have connected with our fans the most and try to bring that into one album. And even into one song at some points.”
41. Metallica – ’72 Seasons’
Having amassed a new generation of young fans enamoured with ‘Master Of Puppets’, Metallica went full thrash on lead single ‘Lux Æterna’, the first taste of a wider collection tailor made for their huge run of stadium shows that cleverly nods to their early years without ever wallowing in the past.
40. Corey Taylor – ‘CMF2’
With more genre-straddling variation than his previous solo effort, the Slipknot frontman took fans on a whistlestop musical tour of his many inspirations and passions, from U2-esque stadium fillers to stripped-back country and, of course, plenty of heavy moments for good measure.
“There are so many people I have not had the chance to acknowledge, to thank. Music kept me alive. Music was the only source of happiness for me for the longest time, you know, from when I was a kid, all the way up until even into my 20s. Music was the only thing that made me feel something other than horrible about myself. I’ve had a chance to show my respect over the years because of Slipknot and Stone Sour. I’ve been able to talk about my influences but there’s still so many out there that I really want to acknowledge. There’s also going to be this album that comes out with all the ‘B-Sides’ stuff. In addition to the covers, it’s not just acoustic versions, it’s actually leftover originals that didn’t make the first album. So it’s always evolving. It’s everything that I’ve ever wanted to do and I’m finally getting to do it now. Because I’m the boss, and I get to fucking make the decisions.”
39. BABYMETAL – ‘The Other One’
Arriving on the back of their year-long hiatus period, the fourth record from BABYMETAL helped mark the group’s tenth anniversary in style, with ‘Divine Attack (Shingeki)’ featuring the first set of lyrics from vocalist Su-Metal.
38. Meet Me @ The Altar – ‘Past // Present // Future’
After a series of well-placed support tours and a growing following online, MMATA brought a fun and joyous burst of pop rock to 2023, working with producer John Fields to create instantly infectious tracks like the spiky single ‘Say It (To My Face)’.
37. Wargasm – ‘Venom’
A group who have long cited their love of early 2000s metal as a major inspiration point, Sam Matlock and Milkie Way brought energy, big riffs and even actual Fred Durst on their long-awaited debut album. A pulsating and chaotic ride through the minds of an always entertaining live duo.
“I do not respond well to being rushed. In life generally, but also in the creative process,” laughs Milkie. “It’s been a long time coming for this and I don’t think any of these songs were written in one day.” Sam agrees: “Everything came together super organically, and I think you can hear that. When you rush people, you can take away the authenticity.”
36. Spanish Love Songs – ‘No Joy’
Described by the band as almost a reintroduction for their audience, ‘No Joy’ seemed ironic in its title at points with the joyous melodies of tracks like lead single ‘Haunted’ always acting as a clever counterpoint to Dylan Slocum’s vivid storytelling.
35. Empire State Bastard – ‘Rivers Of Heresy’
Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil and Oceansize’s Mike Vennart put their rage and frustration into easily some of the heaviest sounds of their careers with remarkable and punishing results.
“The main change for me was I was getting a spark and taking inspiration from Mike”, Simon adds. “With a Biffy song, it comes from inside me so I very much know what I want the song to be before I’ve even finished writing it. The beauty of this was to be presented with a bunch of ideas...it was liberating for me. My initial mission statement was ‘no melody whatsoever’. That’s what we had intended but then obviously some of the songs told me that they needed a bit of levity at points. But I don’t feel as though it ever cross-pollinated into how I would write a Biffy song and that was deliberate.”
34. K.Flay – ‘MONO’
Her most personal artistic expression yet, K.Flay took the trauma of becoming partially deaf and turned it into a loose-fitting concept album charting a truly remarkable life story.
“The hearing loss was a catalyst for a musical rebirth. There’s a lot about my hearing that changed, and in a good way, it eroded my sense of expertise.”
“I’m always searching for art, music, literature, and podcasts that give me a sense of personal power. For me, the natural sonic expression of that is rock music. Because of my hearing, I wanted things to really feel and sound a certain way.”
33. Crosses – ‘Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete’
The first new album in 9 years from the dark wave duo of Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez was certainly worth the wait, even recruiting guests El-P and The Cure’s Robert Smith into their synth-led, gothic neon world.
32. Polaris – ‘Fatalism’
Although undoubtedly a year mired in tragedy, the Australian group can be proud that they have delivered a triumphant piece of modern metalcore worthy of the massive festival stages they seem destined to dominate.
Read their full track by track of the album here.
31. Bury Tomorrow – ‘The Seventh Sun’
With a new lineup in place and a renewed energy, BT built on the momentum of their previous two records perfectly, creating a vicious yet varied album that is symptomatic of a band that are always looking forward.
30. The Maine – ‘The Maine’
A self-titled record is always a big statement moment from any band and on the endless hooks of their ninth studio album, The Maine manage to encapsulate everything that has made them such an enduring presence over the last 16 years.
29. Boys Like Girls – ‘Sunday At Foxwoods’
Having already delighted fans on their reunion tour, BLG brought a newer, slicker sheen to their pop-rock sound with Martin Johnson’s celebratory vocal lines floating over shiny production on the likes of lead single ‘Blood And Sugar’.
“When we got into the studio to start writing this, it was like, ‘Who’s it for? Are those people still even there?’ It’s easy to forget that there are people willing to sing your songs back to you,” Martin recalls.
“Playing When We Were Young festival, and going over to Asia and Australia in 2022, we felt the energy, joy, and true, unequivocal passion again. It was clear how much this music meant to people, and that reminded us of what it meant to us. We had to look our fans in the eye, all these years later, to realise what we needed to make now. It was instinctual.”
28. The Amity Affliction – ‘Not Without My Ghosts’
Never one to shy away from bleak, soul-bearing lyrics, Ahren Stringer found inspiration in the darkness, with the band creating a cutting and gritty collection that moves and grips the listener in equal measure.
“There was lots of anger to let out, and I think you can tell that from the lyrics and the music,” Ahren explains. “It’s a very pissed off, ‘go fuck yourself’ kind of album. It’s not just us letting off steam, we also wanted to prove a point. We can do heavy, we haven’t gone soft for good, and we wanted to prove to the fans that we can still do it.”
27. The Used – ‘Toxic Positivity’
Reflecting on the last few years of personal and worldwide turmoil, The Used channeled their rage and bewilderment at the wider world into their latest, venomous work, challenging the endless positivity we are all often guilty of falsely portraying online.
26. The Gaslight Anthem – ‘History Books’
The long-awaited return of the New Jersey troubadours sees Brian Fallon on typically compelling form, even teaming up once again with hero Bruce Springsteen on the perfectly formed title track.
“I think everybody learned so much from being away,” says Brian, who in the intervening years released a string of impressive solo records. “The main thing that we all learned is the value of it. It’s an invaluable thing, to be able to go in your bedroom with your friends and create music.”
The frontman likens the quartet being in a room together again as “like getting your superpowers back”. “I know it sounds so dumb, and everyone says it, but there’s this weird psychic sense that only the four of us share,” he says. “It’s such a bizarre thing. We’ve all been in rooms with other musicians, but it’s never the same. What is that magic that happens when a band gets together and plays a song that changes everything? A song that really touches people?”
25. Movements – ‘RUCKUS!’
The Californian group continue to push themselves far beyond their post hardcore roots, putting their own twist on the sleazy indie New York sound of the early 2000s on singles like ‘Fail You’.
“When it came to writing ‘RUCKUS!’ we knew we had to switch things up and take this band to a different level,” Pat reflects.
“We wanted to explore where we can take Movements, because none of us ever expected our band to be as successful as it has been. We would have been completely satisfied with being a local band who managed to sell out a 200-cap room, but we’ve seen worldwide success more than we could have ever asked for. Now, we’re like, ‘Fuck it, let’s see what we can do’.”
24. Militarie Gun – ‘Life Under The Gun’
The explosion of hardcore continues with the much-lauded debut from this Los Angeles outfit, translating their live energy onto its 12 songs, with opener ‘Do It Faster’ showcasing their knack for writing an earwormy chorus that will linger long past the runtime.
23. VV – ‘Neon Noir’
Emerging back into the world under the shadow of HIM’s previous success was never going to be easy yet Ville Valo manages to summon all the most beloved elements of his previous band on his official solo debut to great effect. It proved a gothic odyssey to kick off a new era from a legendary artist.
22. Poppy – ‘Zig’
The mysterious star brought an industrial tinge to the dark pop and dance threads of her fifth studio album, with lead single ‘Church Outfit’ centred around a beat fit for a Berlin club before giving way to screams and a disarming edge worthy of classic Nine Inch Nails.
“I feel like ‘Zig’ very much has its own identity. I’ve been describing it as a more rhythmic, hi-fi record in comparison to my last work,” says Poppy. She notes that interviewers have been pointing out that it’s a pop record, but she’s not shy of that fact. “I don’t think I’ve ever made music that wasn’t pop or wasn’t catchy. The instrumentation or the production style changes, but I love a catchy song and hooks. If that means pop, then so be it, but I just make songs that I find to be enjoyable.”
21. Hot Mulligan – ‘Why Would I Watch’
Always bringing an earnest and honest touch to their songwriting, the Michigan group’s third album mixed mathy elements into their emo revival sounds, with single ‘Gans Media Retro Games’ wrestling with the question of ‘Am I the problem?’ over a summery riff and chantalong chorus.
20. Nothing But Thieves – ‘Dead Club City’
Bringing their fans into a murky underworld as a fictional band attempt to navigate the travails of the music industry, Nothing But Thieves expanded upon the synth-heavy and beat-driven sounds of ‘Moral Panic’ to create a packed concept album ranging from disco to driving rock.
“Before the album, you can kind of design how people think about it based on what songs you pick up front,” says Joe. “With ‘Welcome To The DCC’, it was concept driven. Originally we were meant to release a minute of that song. But in the studio, the song really came alive and we thought, no, we’re fucking idiots, we should release the whole thing. It just really made a hell of a lot of sense. It’s a concept record, we are welcoming people into the world.”
19. As December Falls – ‘Join The Club’
A band that keeps its community of fans at the forefront of everything they do, ‘Join The Club’ saw the UK trio hit huge chart success with their pop punk floor-fillers, bringing chaos to festivals and headline shows alike as vocalist Bethany Curtis proved herself to be a true star and vocal powerhouse on stage.
Read their full Track By Track of the album here.
18. Taking Back Sunday – ‘152’
With their favourite, often-used number forming the title, the latest album from TBS became a rallying cry to fans as the lead single ‘S’old’ and glorious, slow-building opener ‘Amphetamine Smiles’ finds Adam Lazzara and co. ready to prove that even after two decades in the spotlight, they may still have their best work ahead of them.
“As we’ve been fortunate enough to be around for the amount of time that we have, there’s a lot of people who have a preconceived notion of what Taking Back Sunday sounds like,” says Adam. “For us, it’s very difficult, or I know it is for me, to be just pigeon holed like that. We’re constantly growing, you know, both personally and musically or professionally. ‘152’ is kind of a leap forward for us because we approached it with this mindset of anything we do is going to sound like us because it’s the four of us playing. So let’s make something that represents not the people we were or the people we have been, but the people we are right now.”
17. Honey Revenge – ‘Retrovision’
A sugar-explosion of sound colliding with an always self-deprecating lyrical outlook, the debut from the US duo of Devin and Donny seems tailor-made for a generation raised on the pop rock of Disney Channel or the bright, radio-friendly hits of The All-American Rejects. A group quickly on the rise who are just getting started.
16. Beartooth – ‘The Surface’
Caleb Shomo took Beartooth fans on a journey into the sunnier, more positive side of life, renewed by his own recovery journey and ready to bring his love of pop into ‘Might Love Myself’, while never losing track of the heavier influences that he used to portray his despair and lift him out of the darkness.
“It is a balancing act” says Caleb of the mix of pop influences and heavier sounds on the album. “It was incredibly important to me to represent where I’m at, in my life, and in my musical journey, and leaning into the pop side of my writing was very, very important. I’ve always been a pop writer, and that’s always been super crucial to what I do. That’s why the choruses are what they are, and always have been very influenced by pop. But yeah, for this record, my motto for the whole thing was just no fear. I really wanted to serve every song in the best way possible.”
15. Pierce The Veil – ‘The Jaws Of Life’
Arriving seven years on from their previous album, ‘Misadventures’, PTV came out of the blocks swinging as lead single and set-opener ‘Pass The Nirvana’ reignited their fire before giving away to the soft, delicate and honest ‘Emergency Contact’. A welcome return from a band confident in who they are and seizing the moment.
14. Hot Milk – ‘A Call To The Void’
After years spent developing a devoted following and well-earned live reputation, the full-length debut from the Manchester collective allowed them the space to add new colours to the pop-rock and emo melodies of their previous EPs. With hearts on their sleeve and increasingly ambitious production flourishes, the UK scene is in very capable hands.
“We’ve always talked about being a bit heavier and a bit screamier,” says Jim. “That’s the music we’ve always loved. It would be a disservice to ourselves if we didn’t explore these avenues because of what people might think.”
“With an EP, you’ve got to be straight down the line,” he continues. “It doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for experimentation. But with a bigger body of music, you can treat that as a journey. We really grabbed that by the horns – what do we want to include here?”
13. Foo Fighters – ‘But Here We Are’
A band first born out of tragedy and loss, Dave Grohl channelled the pain and bewilderment of the last couple of years into a beautifully realised 10 song collection, grappling with friendship and family both found and lost. ‘Show Me How’, a duet with his daughter Violet, provides a particularly touching centrepiece to an album that sits as a classic in a discography already full of them.
12. Trophy Eyes – ‘Suicide And Sunshine’
If this was to be, as John Floreani once thought, the final album from Trophy Eyes, it would have acted as a perfect swansong, building further on the raw emotional connection of ‘The American Dream’. Thankfully, for all of us, the band will continue on this trajectory, with this latest record reigniting their passion for music and preparing the listener for an even more exciting future ahead.
“Every time you go in, if you’re not trying to write your best record, there’s really no point being in there. Like fighters, or swimmers, or athletes, if you don’t think you can win, what are you doing? It’s not a winning situation for me, but I was there to write my best music. The idea was to get the total Trophy Eyes sound into a palpable thing.”
11. You Me At Six – ‘Truth Decay’
As they began work on album number 8, YMAS frontman Josh Franceschi expressed how they were aiming to channel their past emo-rock sound while modernising it for a new decade. On the likes of ‘Deep Cuts’, ‘Mixed Emotions’ and ‘No Future? Yeah Right’ they did exactly that, producing easily some of their most accomplished rock anthems yet.
10. PVRIS – ‘Evergreen’
Lynn Gunn’s rock background kicks the first half of her fourth album into gear before giving way to electronic, ethereal reflections, creating a two-sided journey that blends together all the elements that have made PVRIS such a unique and intriguing project over the years.
“It wasn’t really a conscious choice. A few people on my team had noticed it and proposed that idea and I was like no, we can’t limit it to that structure. Let’s just keep making the best songs we can. But it naturally just did take that progression and shape. It makes sense because the start of that album is this very sterile, stark feeling. It feels like you are in this kind of machine. But by the end of the album, it frees you of that. Feels like it opens up. It’s these two worlds I feel kind of torn between – and I’m sure a lot of people do too – which is keeping up with the race but then also looking around and noticing it doesn’t feel good and wanting to escape from it.”
9. Holding Absence – ‘The Noble Art Of Self Destruction’
With Lucas Woodland’s soaring vocals in centre stage, Holding Absence leapt to new emotional heights, as evidenced on ‘A Crooked Melody’s soul-bearing chorus and the aching longing of ‘Her Wings’. These are songs built for arenas by a band proving why they belong in them.
8. Paramore – ‘This Is Why’
Citing Bloc Party’s ‘Silent Alarm’ as a key influence, Hayley, Taylor and Zac brought a spiky, post-punk flavour to their sound, producing a world-weary exploration of modern society, all set to indie-disco beats that will drag you kicking and screaming onto the dancefloor.
7. Waterparks – ‘Intellectual Property’
After the diverse and dynamic ideas of ‘Greatest Hits’, Awsten Knight stripped his songwriting back to its catchy essence on follow-up ‘Intellectual Property’, writing some of his poppiest melodies to date, all wrapped up in a pop punk-infused package.
“With ‘Greatest Hits’, I was pretty much solely focused on pushing sonic boundaries for us. Making the most ambitious, creative, accomplished collection of music possible. With ‘Intellectual Property’, I wanted to hold physical instruments again. Force myself to write songs like when I was a teenager. Just me and a guitar singing the dumbest shit ever. For most people, including me, we were writing crap when we were 16.”
“What I mean is, it’s limiting myself on purpose at the base level. Last album, I bought this keyboard that is grossly expensive. It’s the most expensive thing I own. So lets dial it back for a second – what would I do if I didn’t have any of this shit? What would the song be?”
6. Avenged Sevenfold – ‘Life Is But A Dream…’
Easily their most diverse (and divisive) collection to date, ‘Life Is But A Dream…’ buries itself in your subconscious with Daft Punk vocoders crashing into driving riffs and stirring string sections. Ambitious in its aims, it finds a band at the top of their game, uninterested in standing still.
“We were trying to play with people’s emotions in different ways,” says M.Shadows. “On this record you are either doing it with a crazy tempo change or a vocal melodic to minor happening or a vocal in 3/4 while the riff is in 4/4. So you are always trying to keep people off-kilter but with a payoff. Not letting them sit there… We don’t really let anyone get their footing for too long. It’s kind of an ADHD society and we wanted to explore that on this record.”
5. Creeper – ‘Sanguivore’
Entering the vampiric underworld for a concept-led, ’80s-inspired romp, Creeper cheerily celebrated an era of rock that had been long forgotten by some, dragging the glamour and theatre of the late, great Jim Steinman into the 21st century.
“We had this idea about doing a vampire record for a long time. It was always planned for the third one to be this way. After the second one swung into such a different direction, it made sense for the pendulum to swing back and go much darker in terms of aesthetic. But with the music, I wanted an overhaul.”
4. Blink-182 – ‘One More Time’
The reunion of Mark, Tom & Travis brought together all of the elements you have always loved about the band, bouncing from schoolboy humour to tear-jerking honesty across its 17 tracks. With Hoppus directly addressing recent health struggles on the heartbreaking ‘You Don’t Know What You’ve Got’ and the band grappling with its own history on the sentimental title track, the more intimate moments sit perfectly alongside the summery throwback vibes of ‘Dance With Me’.
3. Enter Shikari – ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’
An album inspired and informed by a desire for connection, Enter Shikari’s seventh studio album (and first No.1) wraps its arms around the listener, begging them to reach out and shout into the void. ‘(Pls) Set Me on Fire’ is as moving a sentiment as you are likely to hear on any post-pandemic pop song while ‘Leap Into The Lightning’ shows off frontman Rou Reynold’s uncanny ability to take a literary metaphor and transform it into a festival-ready singalong.
“At the time it just felt like an explosion of ideas. Having not written for a year and a half, there were all these experiences, a cocktail of emotions inside of me just waiting to be written about. So, I think when I was writing, I was treating each song as its own entity and wasn’t really thinking about the big picture because at that point I was just happy to be able to write again. Later on in the process, when I put the producer’s hat on, then it was how do we create an album? A body of work that does flow and does take you on a journey and feels congruent and organised in a way that it wasn’t when it was written.”
2. Fall Out Boy – ‘So Much (For) Stardust’
Never one to chase nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, FOB teamed up once again with producer Neal Avron to bring new and unexpected twists and turns to the core sound that first brought them to fame. From the high drama of the title track to the wedding disco-ready ‘What A Time To Be Alive’ and earwormy single ‘Hold Me Like A Grudge’, it is the Chicago quartet at their slickest, fully refreshed and prepared to conquer the world once again.
“One of the things that was interesting about the record was we did take a lot of time figuring out what it was going to be, what it was going to sound like. We experimented with so many different things. I was instantly really proud… it’s not the right word. I don’t get proud of things, but I guess I was. I felt really good about this record but it wasn’t until we got on stage and you’re playing the songs in between our catalogue that it really felt like the record. It was really noticeable from the first day on this tour, we felt like a different band. There’s a new energy to it. There was something that I could hear live that I couldn’t hear before.” – Patrick Stump
1. Sleep Token – ‘Take Me Back To Eden’
Consistently blurring genre boundaries, Sleep Token continued to add in fresh elements and ideas on their third full-length release. From those atmospheric, scene-setting opening bars of ‘Chokehold’ onwards, they blend in tinges of R’n’B and electronica across the record, always perfectly servicing Vessel’s versatile vocal stylings. With the ever-popular single ‘The Summoning’, they have even created an epic anthem worthy of their year-ending headline show at London’s Wembley Arena. The band of the moment and rightly so.
Already the winner of our 2023 Best British Artist award, here is Lorna Shore frontman Will Ramos on why ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ has made such an impact:
“Merging metal with pop, R&B, and rap influences, and bridging all these different gaps that many artists have historically been afraid to explore, there’s something here for so many types of music fan. For a long time, metal bands have been putting themselves in a box. There’s been this idea that a metal band needs to be heavy, that you need to have a breakdown in every song, and that you need to tick all the boxes in order to succeed. It’s been so refreshing to see the evolution of the genre over the last few years, and to see bands like Sleep Token bring all these different sounds to the forefront of metal. It brings a whole bunch of unique people into the fold. People love to say that metal is dying, but it’s music like this that keeps it alive. It doesn’t just move the scene forward, it expands it.
Now, there are all these people who didn’t listen to metal before listening to Sleep Token. R&B and pop fans are coming into this as fans of Vessel’s singing voice and hearing all these metal influences along the way. The second verse of ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ has this great rap-inspired singing part, and it’s these little things that speak to different people in different ways. All of this feeds into our community in some crazy way, shape, or form. It’s welcoming people into a genre that they may never have been exposed to otherwise, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.”
Get your Sleep Token magazine and poster pack right here.
