The Most Anticipated Albums Of 2023 (Part Four)

This is part four of four. If you haven’t read part three yet, check it out here. 

In 2023, we’re getting several great albums some several great bands and artists, but out of all the albums that are coming out this year, these are the ones you need to keep your eyes on. Here are the most anticipated albums of 2023, in no particular order.

The Acacia Strain

Album: Step Into The Light (Rise)

Release Date: 5/12

Bostonian heavy gods The Acacia Strain are bringing the brutality to 2023. Coming mid-May, Step Into The Light is composed of ten songs produced by Randy Leboeuf (Chamber, Every Time I Die, Left Behind) that’ll be sure to kick you on your ass. And if you’re wondering how heavy this record is, check out the song “Fresh Bones,” which Metal Injection bluntly says, it “rips.” Fuck us up, TAS.

nothing,nowhere.

Album: VOID EXTERNAL (Fueled By Ramen)

Release Date: 3/31

Vermont sadboy nothing,nowhere.’s follow-up to 2021’s Trauma Factory is so close, you can almost feel it. Containing various guests like Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, Underoath, Static Dress, Lorna Shore’s Will Ramos, and SeeYouSpaceCowboy, VOID EXTERNAL is destined to be n,n.’s busiest (and most aggressive) album to date. Working with producer Taylor Morgan (guardin, Sickboyrari, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal,) and inviting only a few people into the studio like ex-Counterparts guitarist Blake Hartman, engineer Brody McKeegan, and some personal friends, nothing,nowhere. aka Joe Mulherin wanted this to be an inspirational album. “I want to be what bands like Linkin Park were to me,” Mulherin said. “I want to provide that level of inspiration and comfort and I want to be a safe haven to a kid who is struggling. I made it exactly how I wanted to with zero outside influence. This is the purest expression I could put down in audio form. This is the music that made me, and I want to return the favor.”

Jesus Piece

Album: …So Unknown (Century Media)

Release Date: 4/14

Philly metalcore outfit Jesus Piece are reaching new heights in their career. After spending the first half of their career with LA label Southern Lord (All Pigs Must Die, High Command, Xibalba,) Jesus Piece signed with Century Media Records (3Teeth, Electric Callboy, Lamb Of God) in December, kicking off not only the next chapter of the band’s career, but also their new album cycle. Coming out next month is their long-awaited second LP …So Unknown. Drummer Luis Aponte told BrooklynVegan, “The making of the record was nothing short of all-consuming. It was an intense and challenging process. The record reflects a lot of confusion, but also, evolution. There was a lot of uncertainty and emotion during the pandemic– we all changed and grew so much. So if there is a single thought or concept to the record, it’s constant metamorphosis. That’s also how we operated as a band on this LP– spending a lot of time songwriting and fleshing things out as a unit, and then upping our game from there. It’s definitely a reflection of us as more mature, playing the best we’ve ever played and feeling like a real band for the first time. A big goal on …So Unknown, outside of songwriting and technical goals, was to capture the same energy on record that we have live – for people to get that sense of urgency and danger.”

The Used

Album: Toxic Positivity (Big Noise)

Release Date: 5/19

Just days before taking the stage at last year’s When We Were Young, influential post-hardcore outfit The Used dropped a fiery new track called “Fuck You,” which will appear on their ninth album Toxic Positivity coming out mid-May via Big Noise Music Group (BOXBOY, Escape The Fate, The Veronicas). Months later, they dropped another banger, “People Are Vomit.” Alternative Press had a first look on the new track, calling it “venomous” and that The Used were returning “to their heavier roots in full force, offering a timely critique of the state of the world and the divisive times we are living in.” The album was produced by longtime collaborator John Feldmann (Avril Lavigne, Jasiah, The Word Alive.)

Closure In Moscow

Album: Soft Hell (Self-Released)

Release Date: 5/30

I have had a massive soft spot for Closure In Moscow for many years at this point. The Australian progressive rock act have been keeping themselves kinda quiet since dropping their second album Pink Lemonade in 2014. But now, a new album is on the horizon. Their third album Soft Hell drops May 30. The album has “the last 9 years distilled down to 50 minutes.” CIM says in a statement, “Getting comfortable with chronic discomfort caused by the choices that fears and trauma lead you to make. This is life in a soft hell. There are enough distractions to stave off facing up to it, you can keep yourself in denial to avoid it, and things can just keep ticking along. Life becomes a fever dream of creature comforts and time killers, floating further into a lake of fire. People come along to pull you out, but they too get burned when you feel too stuck to climb with them.”

The Maine

Album: TBA (Photo Finish/8123)

Release Date: TBA

While nothing has been confirmed yet, Arizona’s finest The Maine have been busy putting stuff out. Last year, they dropped the massive collab with Taking Back Sunday and Charlotte Sands “Loved You A Little” and an acoustic ballad called “Box In A Heart” with Canadian bedroom pop artist renforshort. Could these songs appear on a new album? Possibly. Their last record was 2021’s XOXO: From Love And Anxiety In Real Time, which I put as one of the most anticipated albums of 2021.

Sarah And The Safe Word

Album: The Book Of Broken Glass (Take This To Heart)

Release Date: 4/7

One of Atlanta’s most fascinating acts is putting out new material next month. The goth cabaret sextet Sarah And The Safe Word recently announced their next album The Book Of Broken Glass, scheduled to come out April 7 via Take This To Heart (The Higher, Marigold, Thanks! I Hate It.) The album is a story (or a book, per se) dealing with a family’s secret and the ghosts who are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure it stays one. Produced by Jim Wirt (Hoobastank, Jack’s Mannequin, The Rocket Summer,) the album is packed with features, starring rapper Jamee Cornelia, queercore act Dog Park Dissidents, and Danbert Nobacon of Chumbawamba. According to Chorus.fm, Sarah And The Safe Word “embrace the strange and the quirky head on an album that is filled with several twists and turns. Much like the title implies, this book is sure to keep your interest as much as it challenges you to grow with the band.” Also check out the video for “Ruby Off The Rails” which features actual furries.

Avenged Sevenfold

Album: TBA (Warner)

Release Date: TBA

Oh it’s happening people. A7X will drop their long awaited eighth album sometime this year. The album which they began working on in 2018 is finished, according to drummer Brooks Wackerman on his Instagram last September. They have been teasing fans about the record, even telling them to “touch grass” and launched a cryptic scavenger hunt online courtesy of an entity named Libad5343. Guess we can only wait for an official announcement. Time to go outside, I suppose.

Code Orange

Album: TBA (Blue Grape)

Release Date: TBA

While no word has been made on a new record, Pittsburgh industrial metalcore troupe Code Orange have been seen in the studio working with Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. While we wait for that work to come out, the band did drop What Is Really Underneath?, a remixed/re-imagined take on their last record, 2020’s Underneath, along with a 14-minute short film of the same name and an alternate reality game on whatisreallyunderneath.com. An MTV Unplugged-style record called Under The Skin, was released in 2020. This was their final release with Roadrunner Records (Angel Du$t, Motionless In White, Turnstile) before signing with Blue Grape Music, a new label created by Roadrunner founder Cees Wessels and Roadrunner’s former head of A&R David Rath.

Mayday Parade

Album: TBA (Rise)

Release Date: TBA

Late 2000’s pop-punk icons Mayday Parade are currently in the studio right now working on new material. The band posted on social media last month that “new tunes” are being created with longtime producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (Chapel, Go Radio, The Ready Set.) Two songs came out last year, “Thunder” and “Losing My Mind.” Mayday Parade have a busy summer this year, touring alongside All Time Low and Yellowcard, as well as playing the Hawaii Is For Lovers festival with Hawthorne Heights, Emery and Saosin.

The Most Anticipated Albums Of 2021 (Part One)

While 2020 was shit, the albums we got that year were pretty tight. But some records were delayed for the sole purpose of releasing them when touring was given the “OK” to. As of now, touring is still off limits, but that won’t stop some bands from dropping new music this year.

In 2021, we’re getting several great albums some several great bands and artists, but out of all the albums that are coming out this year, these are the ones you need to keep your eyes on. Here are the most anticipated albums of 2021, in no particular order.

A Day To Remember

Album: You’re Welcome (Fueled By Ramen)

Release Date: March 5

It’s finally here! Today marks the arrival of the highly-anticipated seventh studio album from Floridian pop-punk/metalcore outfit A Day To Remember, You’re Welcome. Originally scheduled to be released in November 2019, and then early 2020, and then God knows when, ADTR have finally made up their minds and will be unleashing their Fueled By Ramen (All Time Low, grandson, Meet Me @ The Altar) debut this Friday. Disrespect your surroundings.

The Spill Canvas

Album: Conduit (Pure Noise)

Release Date: March 5

Another record dropping today is Conduit, the long-awaited eighth studio album by South Dakotan emo quartet The Spill Canvas. Fans have waited nine years for a new album from TSP (that is if you’re excluding 2018’s Hivemind EP). And since I got to hear this record in full not too long ago, TSP fans are gonna be loving this record to death. Seriously, get this one once the clock strikes midnight.

Every Time I Die 

Album: TBA

Release Date: TBA (Epitaph)

Five years. That’s how long it’s been since Every Time I Die have dropped a new album. Low Teens brought in a ton of fans, and those fans are dying to hear some new material. While we did get teasers of new songs during their live shows in 2019, and a snippet on Instagram, no full tracks were ever released yet. That was until late last year when ETID gifted those who bought tickets to their Christmas telethon event on December 19 a download of “AWOL”. And then they released A Colossal Wreck” and “Desperate Pleasures” on all streaming services. So when does album #9 drop? Who knows.

’68

Album: Give One, Take One (Cooking Vinyl)

Release Date: March 26

Originally intended to drop last spring, noise-rock duo ’68 pushed this record back a full year and gave their fans a killer EP titled Love Is Ain’t Dead., produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, The Hold Steady, Rush). Now we’re only weeks away from vocalist/guitarist Josh Scogin and drummer Nikko Yamada’s third album (their first with Yamada on the kit). “I’m so proud of this album and humbled by the journey that it took to get here. And if I’m honest, the vast majority of my thoughts are circled around the hope that we will be able to perform these songs live one day soon,” Scogin said in a press statement.

3OH!3

Album: TBA (Photo Finish)

Release Date: TBD

No one was expecting a new album from Warped Tour crunk faves 3OH!3, but damn we need it. The Boulder duo announced last year that they were signing with the label that made them them, Photo Finish Records (guardin, Handsome Ghost, SHAED) and gave fans a taste of their new record by releasing their first music in four years, “LONELY MACHINES” featuring 100 gecs. It’ll be their first album since 2016’s Night Sports.

Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!

Album: TBA (Fearless)

Release Date: TBD

Hey dudes are you ready to? French easycore troupe Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! are ready to get back in the saddle with their first album since 2015. The band announced that their fourth record will drop sometime in 2021 during Fearless Records’ Fearless At Home livestream event, officially declaring that they were back on the label. So far, the band has been sharing photos of them in the studio hard at work. Cannot wait for this one.

Spite

Album: TBA (Self-Released)

Release Date: TBD

While no word yet has come out on when Bay Area metal legion Spite will drop their third album, we do know that they are working on it. Back in November, the band posted an interesting message on social media, showing a building with cars parked outside. Some fans are assuming from the photo that they’re currently working on new material. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Citizen

Album: Life In Your Glass World (Run For Cover)

Release Date: March 26

Bet you weren’t expecting this sound. On Citizen’s fourth outing, the emo band have thrown away their old sound for something more akin to indie-rock. “I don’t have a lot of regret but there have definitely been times when we felt powerless during the band’s existence,” guitarist Nick Hamm said to Kerrang!. “This time we really owned every part of the process. It’s easy to feel like you’re on autopilot when you’re in a band, but that’s not a good place to be this far into our existence. We consciously knew we wanted to break free.”And after hearing Life In Your Glass World‘s debut single “I Want To Kill You”, this new style is very welcoming.

Rob Zombie

Album: The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy (Nuclear Blast)

Release Date: March 12

On his first album with Nuclear Blast (The Damned Things, Ghost Bath, Meshuggah), singer-songwriter/filmmaker/voice actor Rob Zombie shows us that if it isn’t broken, don’t try fixing it. To quote Blabbermouth.net, The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy “is a classic Zombie album to its core, with high-energy rages like “The Eternal Struggles Of The Howling Man” and “Get Loose” to heavy-groove thumpers like “Shadow Of The Cemetery Man” and “Shake Your Ass-Smoke Your Grass”.” So yeah, it’s a damn good time.

Kali Masi

Album: [laughs] (Take This To Heart)

Release Date: March 26

Underrated indie punk outfit Kali Masi are weeks away from dropping their second album [laughs] to the masses. In a press release, the album is described as “a collection of ambitious songs, musically and lyrically, centering around the universal truth that the power and courage to be who we are is and always has been inside of ourselves — rather than in the arms and minds of those around us.” If you’re a fan of Thursday or Spanish Love Songs, get [laughts] when it drops March 26.

Look out for part two which will come out soon!

3OH!3 Return With New Track Featuring 100 gecs

Glad to have you back, 3OH!3.

Warped Tour crunk legends 3OH!3 have returned with their first new song in over four years, “LONELY MACHINES”. The song also features hyperpop duo 100 gecs, with Laura Les co-writing the track. Watch the official music video below.

As mentioned earlier, “LONELY MACHINES” is the duo’s first commercially released track following the release of 2016’s Night Sports, which came out on Fueled By Ramen (A Day To Remember, Meet Me @ The Altar, twenty one pilots). 3OH!3 have also resigned with their original label Photo Finish Records (guardin, Handsome Ghost, SHAED).

3OH!3 teased a comeback a few days ago with a video on YouTube which you can watch below.

Nat Motte and Sean Foreman of 3OH!3 got in contact with Alternative Press to shine a spotlight on the new song. “After having worked on a lot of other peoples’ music in the recent years, we wanted to come back to our own music as 3OH!3 and rekindle that energy,” Motte told the magazine. “We channeled that in the best way we could, and we wanted to find things in life to celebrate, to make music to dance to, to cry to, and to laugh to. I can tell you one thing for certain – we had a whole lot of fun making these new songs, and if it brings anyone else an ounce of that joy, we can rest easy.”

Foreman also talked about the next chapter for the crunk duo. “About a year ago, Nat and I found ourselves unsigned, unmanaged and frankly, under no pressure to just create and have fun – so we did just that. Magically, as we started to write, we got in touch with Matt Galle and partnered with Photo Finish. The creative energy and motivation that we had for our first album felt recaptured. It just feels good again; unforced. And I believe the new music is a representation of that freedom.”

The group released the track on Friday, November 13, at 3:03 pm m.t., respectively.

Prenatt’s Picks: 100 Artists To Check Out In 2020 (Part 6)

Only four more left.

Here at Punk Goes Prenatt, for the next 10 weeks, I’ll give you 100 artists that you need to tune your attention to throughout 2020. This list will feature numerous acts from numerous genres.

This is part six of ten. If you didn’t read the previous list, click here.

Destroy Boys

Hometown: Sacramento, CA

Out Now: Fences – Single (Uncool)

For Fans Of: FIDLAR, Skating Polly, Tacocat

If Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong is a huge fan of your work, then you’re doing everything right. Sacramento punk rockers Destroy Boys are carrying the riot girl banner that was raised back in the 90’s from bands like L7 and Bikini Kill. Influenced by everyone from Operation Ivy to Lady Gaga, the trio write “Tales of misanthropic school days, elitist parties and drunken frat boy shaming barely scratch the surface of the vision into their world.” The trio are signed to Uncool Records, the label created by the band SWMRS, and have done shows with Hobo Johnson & The LoveMakers, The Garden, and PUP. They’ll appearing on this year’s Sad Summer Fest alongside All Time Low, Movements, and The Story So Far.

Song to Listen to: “Fences”

Go For Gold

Hometown: Conway, AR

Out Now: Let Me Go – Single (InVogue)

For Fans Of: In Her Own Words, Like Pacific, Seaway

Who knew that Arkansas could give us something so good? Hailing from Conway, Go For Gold deliver you that classic early 2010’s pop-punk vibe that Warped Tour craved. Amy Albinson from Discovered Magazine said about the band, “Reminiscent of teenage years with a stream of consciousness lyrical style, their energy is infectious as they remain relentlessly hopeful, suggesting that maybe you can just dance all over your problems.” Last year they signed with InVogue Records (Assuming We Survive, Heart To Heart, Secret Eyes) and will drop their new EP Color Me on May 15.

Song to Listen to: “Let Me Go”

Sadfields

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Out Now: Sofocar – Single (Buen Dia)

For Fans Of: A Place To Bury Strangers, Ceremony, Ringo Deathstarr

Sadfields might be making noise in their city of Mexico City and beyond, but in the U.S., we aren’t listening. Let me change that. Influenced by Pornography-era The Cure and A Place To Bury Strangers (who they opened up for once,) alt-noise rock trio Sadgirls have a captivating tone while causing chaos on stage. The three lads — guitarist/vocalist Daniel Espinoza, bassist Miguel Flores and drummer Erick Román — got together in the fall of 2015 and have been rocking out since. Their lyrics are emotionally packed and their noise evokes discordance and beauty. If you like bands such as The Cure and Ride, you’ll love Sadfields.

Song to Listen to: “Sofocar”

Peach Pit

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Out Now: Shampoo Bottles – Single (Columbia)

For Fans Of: Beach Bunny, Declan McKenna, Slaughter Beach, Dog

This isn’t bubblegum pop, it’s chewed bubblegum pop. That’s what indie pop quartet Peach Pit call themselves. The Canadian band formed in 2014 when lead vocalist/guitarist Neil Smith and lead guitarist Chris Vanderkooy, who were friends in high school, decided to work on a musical project together. They then added bassist Peter Wilton and drummer Mikey Pascuzzi shortly afterwards. Peach Pit first got some recognition when their self-titled single went viral in 2016. Since then, they’ve released several singles, one EP, and two full-length records, their newest one You And Your Friends comes out April 16 via Columbia Records (645AR, Blink-182, Foster The People.) Speaking of You And Your Friends, the album was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer John Congleton (Best Coast, Explosions In The Sky, Kimbra.) They’re embarking on a North American tour next month with Sun Seeker and Hailey Blais.

Song to Listen to: “Black Licorice”

Lyon Estates

Hometown: Selby, North Yorkshire, UK

Out Now: Welcome To The Family – EP (Side Mission)

For Fans Of: Man Overboard, The Starting Line, WSTR

Named after the subdivision that Marty McFly lives in in the Back To The Future series, Lyon Estates are a pop-punk band who love pop culture. With songs named after references from The Simpsons and Back To The Future, their loves knows no bounds. “Lyon Estates came together as a bunch of friends who all lived in the same dreary northern town,” bassist Rich Harrison told Discovered Magazine.  “We didn’t really have any sort of plans except to just jam out some songs and play a few hometown shows.” Not only do they love pop culture, they also love charity. In 2018, they raised money for Safe Gigs For Women and Independent Domestic Abuse Services by creating a tee with 100% of the profits split between the both of them. They’ve done shows with This Time Next Year, Calling All Captains, Room 94, Woes, and MxPx. Lyon Estates dropped their new EP Welcome To The Family last October.

Song to Listen to: “Hokitika”

Chamber

Hometown: Nashville, TN

Out Now: Ripping/Pulling/Tearing (Pure Noise)

For Fans Of: Disembodied, Sanction, Zao

Nashville’s Chamber are “one of the most technically pugnacious hardcore bands around.” That’s what Revolver called them. Formed in 2017, the quintet have been hitting hard, even with some roadblocks (the band parted ways with ex-vocalist Sam Fleming who now fronts Incendiary.) They dropped their debut Ripping/Pulling/Tearing last year on Pure Noise Records (The Amity Affliction, First Blood, Reggie And The Full Effect.) Chamber have toured with The Acacia Strain, Counterparts, Gideon, Old Wounds, and Year Of The Knife. If you’re looking for something heavy to get you out of your self-quarantine rut or just need a band that reminds you of Zao, listen to Chamber.

Song to Listen to: “Replacing Every Weakness”

Sleep Token

Hometown: London, UK

Out Now: Sundowning (Spinefarm)

For Fans Of: The Contortionist, Thomas Giles, Hozier

It’s time for worship. Sleep Token are an anonymous band who’s names are not important for us to know of, except vocalist Vessel. His haunting, powerful voice helps spread the band’s message of reintroducing the world to the forgotten god known as “Sleep.” The god is crudely called that because modern tongues cannot pronounce his name. While they’re known in the UK, it’s time for us to be woke to their beauty and message. Worship with us. Later this summer they’ll appear at festivals like Mad Cool, Sunstroke, and Download.

Song to Listen to: “The Offering”

Fate’s Got A Driver

Hometown: Amityville, NY

Out Now: Fate’s Got A Driver – EP (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Glassjaw, Lifetime, Texas Is The Reason

Does Fate’s Got A Driver’s guitarist look familiar? That’s because it’s Taking Back Sunday’s former guitarist Eddie Reyes. Formed in 2018, FGAD sound like a darker TBS, heading towards a Deftones-ish style. They dropped their self-titled EP last November. Expect more from them later this year.

Song to Listen to: “Pennies”

guardin

Hometown: Hornell, NY

Out Now: creature, Pt. 2 (Photo Finish)

For Fans Of: guccihighwaters, Fats’e, Lil Peep

guardin is the genre-bending emo-rap project hailing from the mind of Western New Yorker Nicholas Kerr. Signed to Photo Finish Records, the label that once housed 3OH!3 and MisterWives, guardin creates music for everyone. He’s already gained success with touring with gnash and Mallrat and having his music appear on Alternative Press. Music was a major part of his life, starting music at an early age, picking up the guitar at 9. He then dabbled with piano and drums, wearing out the heads after owning a kit for two years. At 12, he began writing songs with his acoustic guitar, and it all spiraled right there. “I usually record a handful of freestyled melodies over a beat to figure out a base structure, and use that to help me craft sort of a walking stick for my writing,” guardin said in a press release. “I’ll usually write a hook and a verse, and then come back to it later once my mind is in a new place so my verses feel welldifferentiated. From there, I add in separate layers such as ad libs or backing vocals to really fill it out and bring the track to life.” He’s doing a show with guccihighwaters in May.

Song to Listen to: “i think you’re really cool”

Stepson

Hometown: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Out Now: Run – Single (SharpTone)

For Fans Of: Counterparts, Stick To Your Guns, early Trophy Eyes

Freshly signed to SharpTone Records (Broadside, Holding Absence, Miss May I) are these Aussies who pack quite a punch. Stepson began all the way back in 2014, showing their country how hard they can really go. Now it’s time for the world to know of Stepson. So far the band have dropped two EPs and several singles, their newest track “Run” came out on March 20. They’ve toured with Polaris, Stray Form The Path, Trash Talk, While She Sleeps, and The Brave. Look out world, here comes your favorite Stepson.

Song to Listen to: “Run”

Come back next week for more artists!