2022 was a fantastic year for music. Several albums released last year are already being referred to as “instant classics.” I genuinely questioned how 2023 could be any better than its predecessor.
Yeah I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been nearly as fun. But hey, it’s still early!
Even though this year hasn’t been as great as last year, there has still been plenty of awesome songs released since the beginning of January.
There are three in particular that I think you should check out.
Welcome to the DCC – Nothing But Thieves
This one caught me by total surprise.
Nothing But Thieves are band that have been around since 2012, but it was in 2017 when I first heard of them. Their song “Amsterdam” was featured on the soundtrack of NHL 18, and since then I’ve periodically checked out their music.
Besides the odd track here and there, they aren’t a band that I’ve been super crazy about in years past. Their alternative rock sound has grabbed my attention a few times, but nothing more.
Then I heard Welcome to the DCC.
Mind. Blown.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpw-RLljZJr/
If you go in expecting a typical Nothing But Thieves track, this song will give you whiplash. The track is more of a dance/pop song with an extremely funky guitar line and a super catchy chorus.
Vocalist Conor Mason absolutely crushes it on this song as well, and in my opinion, is one of the most underrated vocalists in alternative music today.
If this is the direction the band is going for, I might become a full-time fan.
A Crooked Melody – Holding Absence
If you read the first article I posted, you know I’ve said my piece about Holding Absence.
Hailing from Cardiff, Wales, Holding Absence are one of the most fun bands in the hard rock/metal scene. They’ve released several amazing songs over the past 3-4 years, and you can add A Crooked Melody to that list.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqlUNPmtfBZ/
A Crooked Melody is a fun emo/hard rock song with some pop-punk influence. Vocalist Lucas Woodland delivers another awesome vocal performance, and in typical Holding Absence fashion, the song keeps its pace and doesn’t lose track.
Check this one out if you want a feel good rock anthem for the summer.
The Summoning – Sleep Token’
Without a doubt the breakout band of 2023, Sleep Token are a metal band from the UK who are best known for a mix of heaviness and balladry that sets them apart from other bands in the genre.
The Summoning was the song that took the band from an underground metal act, to stars in the genre. I mean, they went from 200K monthly listeners on Spotify to roughly two million. Crazy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnDY4j1Imkw/
The Summoning is maybe the craziest song so far this year. It’s brutally heavy, and then stunningly beautiful, and then… funky? Yeah, there’s a funk breakdown at the end of the song.
Sleep Token aren’t just a novelty act, they genuinely have some incredible tracks.
They are set to release their third full-length album, Take Me Back To Eden, on May 19th.