{"id":27473,"date":"2023-12-27T19:45:19","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T19:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/?p=27473"},"modified":"2023-12-27T19:45:21","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T19:45:21","slug":"the-best-eps-of-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/the-best-eps-of-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Of 2023: The best EPs of 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As is customary for almost any musical medium, the time of year comes when it is convenient to look back and review everything that has been released in 2023 to take stock of all the good and bad that the current year has left us. Over the next few days we will be publishing these lists in which we will review the most important works and those that we liked the most of all those that have been released in 2023, starting first with the list of EPs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>This time we have decided not to make a list following a specific order, so we will not list the releases in a ranking, it is just a compilation of all those that we liked the most in no apparent order. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Insomnium: Songs Of The Dusk (Century Media Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Insomnium does not usually disappoint at all and this year we also had a double launch. Although we can tell that <strong><em>Anno 1696<\/em><\/strong> will be on our list of the best albums of 2023, the same thing happens with this complementary and at the same time indispensable release <strong><em>Songs Of The Dusk<\/em><\/strong>. It could be said that the list of songs are the remains of those that did not make it into the aforementioned album, but such a statement is totally incorrect. What <strong>Insomnium <\/strong>manages to provide with <strong><em>Songs Of The Dusk<\/em><\/strong> is a solid and direct release, a must in their career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"INSOMNIUM - Song Of The Dusk (OFFICIAL VIDEO)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nTIDh1miBSc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Wolves In The Throne Room: Crypt Of Ancestral Knowledge (Relapse Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new studio release from the Washington-based atmospheric black metal trio is made of four brand new songs, two of which are instrumentals. <strong>Wolves In The Throne Room<\/strong> knows what they are doing and in <strong><em>Crypt Of Ancestral Knowledge<\/em><\/strong> they once again demonstrate that they know how to capture all the elements that surround them to offer a most interesting new release. This is without a doubt the perfect sequel to <strong><em>Primordial Arcana<\/em><\/strong> (2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - Twin Mouthed Spring (Official Music Video)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FRbWsnhMbuo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Dust Bolt: Disco Nnection (AFM Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is undoubtedly one of the most interesting on the list, a collection of songs in which the German quartet mixes with surprising success the thrash metal to which we are accustomed with the so-called disco music with a very interesting result. It is not the best that the band has released to date but it is material to take into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"DUST BOLT - Disco Nnection (2023) \/\/ Official Music Video \/\/ AFM Records\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9-4Jv7on0CY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Heretoir: Wastelands (AOP Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2023 seems to have been a very prolific year for <strong>Heretoir<\/strong>, a post-black metal band based in Augsburg (Bavaria) currently formed by guitarists <strong>Max F.<\/strong> and <strong>Eklatanz <\/strong>(also vocalist), bassist <strong>Nathanael <\/strong>and drummer <strong>Nils Groth<\/strong>. This same year they released their third full-length studio album <strong><em>Nightsphere<\/em><\/strong>, an excellent release that at the beginning of 2023 was preceded by the dark and melancholic EP <strong><em>Wasteland<\/em><\/strong>, a release made up of three new and excellent studio songs such as <strong><em>Anima<\/em><\/strong>, <strong><em>At Dusk<\/em><\/strong> and the homonymous <strong><em>Wastelands <\/em><\/strong>to which we must add the live versions of <strong><em>Golden Dust<\/em><\/strong>, <strong><em>Exhale<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>The White<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Heretoir - Wastelands (Full Album)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sjhRD50vdKU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Tribulation: Hamartia (Century Media Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Much expectation had been generated around the Swedish quartet <strong>Tribulation <\/strong>with their new release after the excellent album <strong><em>Where The Gloom Becomes Sound <\/em><\/strong>with which in 2021 they practically seemed to have reached the musical peak. However, the gothic metal project with death metal overtones of their first albums manages to lay the foundations for a next full-length album while maintaining a level that very few bands are capable of achieving today. The inclusion of <strong>Joseph Tholl<\/strong> as guitarist after the departure of <strong>Jonathan Hult\u00e9n<\/strong> in 2020 has been further solidified in this new studio work that gives us four new essential songs for every lover of the genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"TRIBULATION \u2013 Hamartia (OFFICIAL VIDEO)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qK3eHctm8z4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Ihsahn: Fascination Street Sessions (Candlelight Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prolific Norwegian musician <strong>Ihsahn<\/strong>, known for his long-standing work at the helm of <strong>Emperor <\/strong>since its founding in 1991, returns solo three years after his last release with the outstanding <strong><em>Pharos <\/em><\/strong>to delight us again with two very convoluted songs in which the multi-instrumentalist manages to surprise us with a perfect combination of genres and elements in which he once again gets rid of all prejudice to deliver two authentic anthems. Completing the release is a cover by <strong><em>Dom Andra<\/em><\/strong> of the swedish-based alternative rock band <strong>Kent<\/strong>. Also pay close attention to the two previews that Ihsahn has published in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Ihsahn - Contorted Monuments (Official Video)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rA-LSkWkplk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Calarook: Cruel And Cold (Independent)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Zurich-based folk metal quartet debuted in 2020 with the very interesting full-length <strong><em>Surrender Or Die<\/em><\/strong>, an album that followed in the wake of their debut EP <strong><em>Calico <\/em><\/strong>from 2017 before the band changed its name to <strong>Calarook <\/strong>in 2019. With <strong><em>Cruel And Cold<\/em><\/strong> manage to improve the formula of their debut album by providing a dose of aggressiveness that makes their folk metal something to take into account in the future. The combination of genres is very well balanced and the melody is not abused excessively as is the case with many other bands. This is without a doubt one of the best EPs of 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Calarook - Cruel and Cold (Official Video)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZKGoNxz91N0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Judicator: I Am The Void (Independent)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Power metal is not a genre that is practiced much in the United States, but that is something that Judicator manages to bring to its field and in this way deliver something very interesting like <strong><em>I Am The Void<\/em><\/strong>. The Utah\/California quintet already caught my attention in 2018 with <strong><em>The Last Emperor<\/em><\/strong>, a very solid album that also features the famous vocalist <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/hansi-kursch-interview-2020\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"13314\">Hansi K\u00fcrsch<\/a><\/strong> as a guest on <strong><em>Spiritual Treason<\/em><\/strong>. I&#8217;ve been following them since then and with I Am The Void they captivated me again. The album itself is made up of the title track of the EP and a cover of <strong><em>The Curse Of Feanor<\/em><\/strong> by the Germans <strong>Blind Guardian<\/strong>, but it is undoubtedly a good preview of what is to come after the majestic <strong><em>The Majesty Of Decay<\/em><\/strong> from 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"JUDICATOR - THE CURSE OF FEANOR (Blind Guardian Cover)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hoyDco3P4Ek?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Sodom: 1982 (Steamhammer)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The band led by <strong>Tom Angelripper<\/strong> continues to maintain the level with their most recent releases after reforming the band in 2018, releasing new material every few months with the excuse of keeping their fans happy, one of which is myself. After the interesting <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/sodom-40-years-at-war\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"583\">40 Years at War &#8211; The Greatest Hell Of Sodom<\/a><\/em><\/strong> that the band published in 2022 where they reviewed the best of their career coinciding with the 40th anniversary of <strong>Sodom<\/strong>. Following a bit in the wake of said album, the band has met again at the Staudio Studio in Altenessen (Germany) to re-record the songs <strong><em>Witching Metal<\/em><\/strong>, <strong><em>Victims Of The Death<\/em><\/strong>, <strong><em>Let&#8217;s Fight In The Darkness Of Hell <\/em><\/strong>and <strong>Equinox <\/strong>that until date were only available in the <strong><em>40 Years At War<\/em><\/strong> box set, in addition to a remixed version of the song <strong><em>1982 <\/em><\/strong>that gives the title to the release itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Sodom - 1982 (Remix) (Official Music Video)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UuN6bQOtL-I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Elliot Vernon: Zombiewizard (Independent)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Elliot Vernon<\/strong>, known for his work as keyboardist and backing vocalist in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/time-to-rock-2023-alestorm-lleva-la-fiesta-a-knislinge\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"26844\">Alestorm<\/a><\/strong>, made his solo debut in 2021 with the release of the EP <strong><em>The Flame<\/em><\/strong>, a release that I overlooked and that I discovered in 2023 after being stunned by his new work <strong><em>Zombiewizard<\/em><\/strong>. I didn&#8217;t expect at all what I found the first time I heard the song <strong><em>Zombie Wizard<\/em><\/strong> a few weeks ago, a combination between thrash and black metal that has nothing to do with what the British musician has accustomed us to. This is one of the releases that has surprised me the most in 2023, a rare bird that every good lover of the genre should listen to at least out of curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Zombie Wizard\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sl3BCNgNPMU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Omnium Gatherum: Slasher (Century Media Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2021, the Finns <strong>Omnium Gatherum<\/strong> published one of the best works of their career to date, the superb <strong><em>Origin <\/em><\/strong>whose shadow seemed to obscure everything the band could release in the future but which with <strong><em>Slasher <\/em><\/strong>they have managed to reinvent thanks to three new songs and one interesting cover of the song <strong><em>Maniac <\/em><\/strong>by <strong>Michael Sembello<\/strong>. Everything I can say about the album is positive, so you better listen to it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"OMNIUM GATHERUM \u2013 Slasher (OFFICIAL VIDEO)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QCwM7e0Y3BQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Exhumed: Beyond The Dead (Relapse Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The San Jose, California-based death metal and grindcore quartet return to the studio following 2022&#8217;s excellent <strong><em>To The Dead<\/em><\/strong> album to deliver a grotesque new chapter in their musical journey with <strong><em>Beyond The Dead<\/em><\/strong>. Four new and aggressive songs give life to this EP, which is also complemented by four live songs. Don&#8217;t forget to play it at full volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"EXHUMED - Beyond The Dead [DIGITAL EP]\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZjQl-CaBO4I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As is customary for almost any musical medium, the time of year comes when it&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1083],"tags":[1087,1084,1089,1091,936,1086,826,1088,1090,137,1085,231],"class_list":["post-27473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-best-of-2023","tag-calarook","tag-dust-bolt","tag-elliot-vernon","tag-exhumed","tag-heretoir","tag-ihsahn","tag-insomnium","tag-judicator","tag-omnium-gatherum","tag-sodom","tag-tribulation","tag-wolves-in-the-throne-room"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alliedforces.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}