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User
Reviews 22
Approval 89%
Soundoffs 181
News Articles 22
Band Edits + Tags 28
Album Edits 80
Album Ratings 1474
Objectivity 87%
Last Active 01-04-23 1:10 am
Joined 06-10-15
Review Comments 805
| Platy's 2023 Year in Review
2023 may have been a down year all things considered, but I'm not completely let down by it. Let me know what you think! Put a lot of effort into this year's recap. | | 27 |  | Metallica
72 Seasons
Tis the season for end-of-year lists! I decided to switch things up a little - rather than just doing a best/worst of list for the year, I figured I’d combine them into one big end-of-year recap. This will cover the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2023, as well as everything in between.
For the top albums of the year, I ranked every LP that got a rating of 4.0 or better this year. The honorable mentions are a handful of albums that just barely missed the cut. For the WORST albums of the year, I ranked every album that ranked a 1.5 or lower. The dishonorable mentions follow the same logic as the honorable mentions.
I did the same thing with the year’s EPs, but it turns out there were only two EPs all year to get a 4.0 or better, and none that got below a 1.5. Oh well, guess I’m ranking the top two EPs! I had the idea of ranking the best songs of the year as well, but that would take so much work and there are so many songs to review. | | 26 |  | Corey Feldman
Angelic 2 The Core
--WORST ALBUMS-- | | 25 |  | Taking Back Sunday
152
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:
TAKING BACK SUNDAY - 152 (Alt Rock)
OF MICE AND MEN - Tether (Metalcore/Hard Rock)
SLEEP TOKEN - Take Me Back To Eden (idek what to call this)
LANA DEL REY - Did You Know There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (Pop) | | 24 |  | Escape the Fate
Out Of The Shadows
#6 WORST ALBUM
[Hard Rock]
Are they trying to be octane-core? Are they trying to convince their old fans that they’re still heavy? Or are they completely aiming at a newer, younger audience? One of the most frustrating things about modern day Escape the Fate is their unwillingness to commit to any specific sound. While that isn’t inherently a bad thing on it’s own, it IS a bad thing when you hear just how jumbled and jarring all these conflicting ideas are on the album. Nothing flows, and very little (if anything) sticks.
Silver Lining: Forgive Me | | 23 |  | Hannah Diamond
Perfect Picture
#5 WORST ALBUM
[Indie Pop/Synth Pop]
If there was ever an album to get the “This Ain’t For Me” award, it’d be this one. Is it the most offensively bad pop album I’ve ever heard? Of course not. But the constant pitch-shifting vocals and glitchy effects make this album a chore to listen to from front-to-back. The production effects wouldn’t be so bad if the songs themselves were at least catchy, but they sure aren’t to me. Oh well I guess, no need to check out her debut.
Silver Lining: Affirmations | | 22 |  | All Time Low
Tell Me I'm Alive
#4 WORST ALBUM
[Pop/Pop Punk]
As the years go on, it feels more and more like I’ve outgrown All Time Low. Some of these songs can MAYBE be fun if I’m in the right mood or under the influence of the right substances, but the objective critical part of me knows that this album is shit. The song writing is immature, and the poppiness just feels lazy.
Silver Lining: Sleepwalking | | 21 |  | Asking Alexandria
Where Do We Go from Here?
#3 WORST ALBUM
[Hard Rock]
My expectations for this were low, but I still wound up feeling disappointed. But to be fair, I don’t know what I expected - including this release, Asking Alexandria’s last three albums have all been bottom-of-the-barrel, boring, bland, hard rock. Worsnop feels like he’s lazily going through the motions too.
Silver Lining: Bad Blood | | 20 |  | Crown the Empire
DOGMA
#2 WORST ALBUM
[Metalcore]
I admit - it’s a little tough to approach this album objectively. I won’t write out the whole history of Crown the Empire, but the direction they’ve gone over the last 5 years has been laughable at best. They got exposed for not writing their own music, fired their original screamer for lord knows what reason, and attempted a big reinvention of their sound that ended up falling flat. So now what are they doing? A more boring, watered down version of the same tired metalcore you hear everywhere these days. Ugh.
Silver Lining: Dancing With the Dead | | 19 |  | Thirty Seconds to Mars
It's the End of the World But It's a Beautiful Day
#1 WORST ALBUM
[Pop]
Boy howdy, the moment I finished this album I just KNEW it was going to be the worst of the year. It’s no secret that 30STM has been on a downward trend for a long time now (hell, you could argue that their last album, AMERICA, was the worst of 2018). But with each subsequent release, they reach newer lows than before, and rock bottom somehow keeps growing deeper and deeper. Leto is an abysmal lyricist and frontman, and there is zero personality to be found anywhere on this album. It’s only 2023 but I could see this ending up as one of the worst albums of the decade. That is, until they release their next album.
Silver Lining: None. Nothing at all. | | 18 |  | Poppy
EAT (NXT Soundtrack)
--BEST EPs-- | | 17 |  | The Callous Daoboys
God Smiles Upon The Callous Daoboys
#2 BEST EP
[Mathcore]
I gotta say, I wasn’t huge on the Daoboys last year. At least not to the extent that everyone else was. But Celebrity Therapist was one of my biggest growers of 2023, and this EP (mostly) picks up where they left off. Sure it’s a little bit more accessible, but does that automatically have to be a bad thing? They’re just as zany and unpredictable as ever, and I love it.
Highlight: Pushing the Pink Envelope | | 16 |  | Knocked Loose
Upon Loss Singles
#1 BEST EP
[Hardcore/Metalcore]
Does this really count as an EP? I guess in hindsight, neither of these songs seem to have been made for a future album, plus these two songs were very clearly meant to be played together. Oh well, I’ll count it. Anyway, Knocked Loose is one of the most captivating bands in today’s hardcore scene, and these two songs knocked my socks off with how heavy they are. Absolutely crushing stuff.
Highlight: Deep in the Willow | | 15 |  | Talking Heads
Remain in Light
--BEST ALBUMS-- | | 14 |  | Night Verses
Every Sound Has a Color in the Valley of Night...
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
NIGHT VERSES - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley of Night (Instrumental Progressive Metal)
TROPHY EYES - Suicide and Sunshine (Pop Punk)
ORIGAMI ANGEL - The Brightest Days (Pop Punk)
SLOWTHAI - Ugly (Hip Hop)
FIREWORKS - Higher Lonely Power (Alt Rock)
DYING WISH - Symptoms of Survival (Metalcore) | | 13 |  | Creeper
Sanguivore
#13 BEST ALBUM
[Gothic/Alt Rock]
Does this album try a bit too hard at times? Sure. But this scratched the same gothic/emo itch that an album like The Black Parade does. Don’t get me wrong - this is no Black Parade, but for what it is, it’s a damn good time.
Highlights: Cry To Heaven, The Ballad of Spook & Mercy, Teenage Sacrifice | | 12 |  | Carly Rae Jepsen
The Loveliest Time
#12 BEST ALBUM
[Synth Pop]
One could argue this was a low point in Jepsen’s acclaimed discography. With that being said, it’s STILL worthy of a spot on this list. Let that go to show just how consistently solid Jepsen’s releases are. It’s far from perfect, and doesn’t flow particularly well, but there’s just too many bangers to ignore.
Highlights: Kamikaze, Psychedelic Switch, Stadium Love | | 11 |  | Paramore
This Is Why
#11 BEST ALBUM
[Alt Rock/Pop Punk]
Let me just start by saying - I completely understand others’ gripes with this album. But for my taste and what I look for in a Paramore album, there’s very little for me to complain about. The lyrics are inconsistent, sure, but Paramore has always been that way. The energy throughout is top notch and Williams also sounds rejuvenated and better than ever. Forget the naysayers, Paramore is so back (at least in this platypi’s opinion).
Highlights: This Is Why, You First, Liar | | 10 |  | Lacey Sturm
Kenotic Metanoia
#10 BEST ALBUM
[Hard Rock]
This was easily one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. In fact, I didn’t even know it was coming out until days before the release. For those who never liked Flyleaf/Sturm’s work in the past, you’re not likely to be converted with this album. However, it picks up pretty much right where her debut left off. The album’s closing songs may be mediocre, but there’s a big handful of quality hard rock tracks to be found here.
Highlights: State of Me, Terrible Mistake, Awaken Love | | 9 |  | Foo Fighters
But Here We Are
#9 BEST ALBUM
[Rock]
Similarly to what I said about Lacey Sturm’s newest album, if you weren’t a fan of the Foo Fighters’ schtick up until this point, you’re likely not going to change your mind. With that said, this album has some of the best, most heartbreaking lyrics on a Foo Fighters album. It’s no secret that this album was inspired by and created in the wake of Taylor Hawkins’ unexpected passing - but you can feel the pain in Grohl’s lyrics and surprisingly no energy is sacrificed in the process. Plus, the Foos even experimented a little in the album’s closing tracks.
Highlights: But Here We Are, Nothing At All, Show Me How | | 8 |  | The Classic Crime
Grim Age
#8 BEST ALBUM
[Alt Rock]
This is easily one of the more underappreciated releases of 2023. The Classic Crime have matured significantly in their songwriting, and Grim Age delivers a fantastic slab of mature, brooding, alt rock. Here’s to hoping they can ride the momentum of this release and continue producing music of a comparable quality.
Highlights: Right Now, End of Everything, New Noise | | 7 |  | Wednesday
Rat Saw God
#7 BEST ALBUM
[Indie Rock/Shoegaze/Country?]
Wow, if you had told me even a year ago that an indie/country/shoegaze album would be in my top 10, I would’ve called you crazy. I know it’s an ice cold take at this point, but I’ve never liked country music. Not even a little. And sure, this album is nowhere near being full-on country, but it sure has influences from the genre. And you know what? It all works surprisingly well. And for the record, ‘Bull Believer’ might be song of the year.
Highlights: Bull Believer, Chosen to Deserve, Turkey Vultures | | 6 |  | King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of...
#6 BEST ALBUM
[Lizard Metal/Thrash Metal]
Hell yeah brother! Lizard metal returns! I’m not gonna waste your time with a lengthy write-up on this one - this album is simply bad-ass. What can’t these aussies do?
Highlights: Motor Spirit, Supercell, Dragon | | 5 |  | Closure in Moscow
Soft Hell
#5 BEST ALBUM
[Progressive Rock]
This was by far my most anticipated release of 2023. And although it didn’t meet each and every one of my lofty expectations, this is a fantastic progressive/alt rock album with lots of varying influences sprinkled throughout. The musicianship is top of the line all the way around, and Chris De Cinque is a criminally underrated vocalist. Now if only they had cut that awful last song…
Highlights: Primal Sinister, Better Way, Holy Rush, Lovelash | | 4 |  | Holding Absence
The Noble Art of Self-Destruction
#4 BEST ALBUM
[Post Hardcore/Alt Rock]
As much as I love this, sometimes I like to think about just how much I would’ve ADORED this band had they come out while I was still a teenager. Sure, the lyrics are a bit melodramatic, sometimes to a fault, but when the songs are this good, who cares? As far as I’m concerned, the songwriting is spectacular, and so many songs on this album have that “stuck in your head” quality to them. Plus I feel like I have to mention just how smooth the transition is from ‘False Dawn’ to ‘Scissors.’ All in all, Holding Absence is becoming one of my favorite bands of the 2020’s so far.
Highlights: Head Prison Blues, False Dawn, Honey Moon, Liminal | | 3 |  | Avenged Sevenfold
Life Is But a Dream...
#3 BEST ALBUM
[Progressive Metal]
Well butter my buns and call me Suzy, who could’ve seen this coming?? Expectations for this album were practically at the floor when ‘Nobody’ came out, and everyone was ready to declare vocalist M. Shadows as washed up. But A7X decided to throw a curveball at everyone and release what is easily their most inaccessible, experimental album. But this isn’t just good because it’s weird, the musicianship is truly remarkable throughout. It really sounds like they’re at the stage of their careers where they’re making music for themselves rather than for others - and I’m fully on board with this direction if they decide to stick with it.
Highlights: Mattel, We Love You, Cosmic, Beautiful Morning | | 2 |  | Johnny Booth
Moments Elsewhere
#2 BEST ALBUM
[Hardcore/Metalcore]
Are some people getting tired of this brand of hardcore/metalcore? Judging by the widely varying opinions of this album, it sure seems that way. As for me, keep this shit coming. So many of these songs are crushingly heavy, and even the mellow tracks are memorable in their own way. It may not be a decade-defining classic, but this is hands down the best metalcore release of 2023, and possibly of the last few years.
Highlights: Collapse in the Key of Fireworks, The Ladder, Gatekeeper, Modern Dialogue | | 1 |  | Hail the Sun
Divine Inner Tension
#1 BEST ALBUM
[Swancore]
And here it is! Hail the Sun’s swan song! Yes, pun completely intended by the way. Swancore as a genre is definitely on its way out, especially with the recent downfall of Dance Gavin Dance. And although I was excited for this pre-release, I could’ve never anticipated just how consistently high quality this album is. It’s a near perfect blend of melody, heaviness, and technicality. If you’re able to tolerate that stereotypical high-pitched vocal style that’s so common in this genre, then I would HIGHLY recommend this. Very, very happy to call this the best album of 2023.
Highlights: 60-Second Session Blocks, Maladapted, I Saw You Hanging, Tithe | |
JoyfulPlatypus
12.15.23 | I know this is a weird format compared to past years, but I figured I'd rather make one, detailed/thorough list rather than multiple smaller ones.
2 hours well spent at work! Lemme know what y'all think :) | Zac124
12.15.23 | 1 and 3 certainly slap. Wish 13 clicked with me more. Feels like I should love it as I like their debut and The Black Parade. | JoyfulPlatypus
12.16.23 | I'm always weary about comparing things to TBP - like I definitely think it was a similar feel to it but it's definitely not the same level of quality. I did prefer Sanguivore over their last album though. | Manatea
12.16.23 | DIVINE INNER TENSION GANG LFGGGGGGGG | BlazinBlitzer
12.18.23 | I kinda agree with 11, I don't even know if it's a step down for Paramore. | JoyfulPlatypus
12.18.23 | @Blazin - I definitely don't think it was, but I know a lot of people on this site didn't like it. | WalrusTusk
12.18.23 | Nice to see the new Closure in Moscow get some love. Still trying to decide if it fully makes my list or just honorable mention... | Ladron93
01.01.24 | Carly Rae Jepsen's The Loveliest Time is good. |
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