Gary’s albums of the year venture away from our more standard metal selection with a bunch of stellar punk releases from bands like The Bar Stool Preachers, Grade 2, The Darts, The Dollyrots, Rumkicks and Rancid, but also sidesteps into other music like the special brand of rock that Public Image Ltd. brings, blues rock with Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, an acoustic Dropkick Murphys and a trip back into time, reminiscing about London’s legendary Batcave Club!

British indie rock band The Last Dinner Party were recently crowned as “Sound of 2024” by BBC Radio 1 and dropped by Belgian radio channel Studio Brussel for a live session, just ahead of the release of their debut album ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’, scheduled for February!

Portuguese outfit Ponte Del Diavolo dance with the devil on ‘Covenant’, another spellbinding single and video from their upcoming self-titled album set for release next month via Season of Mist!

The enigmatic warriors of Eihwar are set to unleash their “Viking War Trance” on shows throughout this year!

Mark took it easy in 2023 and offers a selection of pictures of the handful of shows that he covered with his photography, mostly in the realm of new wave, old school electronic music, experimental and pop music with Self Esteem, Gary Numan, Heaven 17, Martyn Ware and friends, and Utopia Strong!

Our resident extreme metal reviewer Mazen has a selection of stellar (mostly) black and death metal releases as his favorite of the year with Sulphur Aeon, Varathron, Moonlight Sorcery, Cruciamentum, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Asphodelus, Marduk, …And Oceans, and Cirith Ungol!

Australian dark folk/blackgaze act Suldusk announces upcoming new album ‘Anthesis’, set for release via Napalm Records in March, and share the title track now with an accompanying video! Fans of Myrkur, Oathbreaker and Chelsea Wolfe, don’t sit on this one!

French industrial post-punk duo Kill The Thrill drift with force on ‘A la dérive’, another single from their upcoming album ‘Autophagie’, set for release at the end of this month via Season of Mist!

Madrid electronic rockers Gomad! & Monster signed a worldwide deal with Eclipse Records and have their new EP ‘Sickness’ on the way for an April release!