We had Metallica’s comeback album and mega world tour, plus Iron Maiden’s Future Past run. But a wave of rising bands also delivered the goods, shoring up metal’s next generation
In the parlance of our times, 2023 hit different. We had no more paradigm-wrecking pathogens nor primate-based NFTomfoolery –it seemed normal, almost mundane. Tours were announced and they happened. Albums were released on schedule. Skindred played Download for the 96th time.
But the year was like an ogre: it had layers, and even a cursory peel reveals the wildest 12 months. The inaugural Power Trip festival’s line-up read like a fake poster from a forum, solely featuring Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Tool and Metallica. The latter carved their own pavé elsewhere, doing two nights per city for their new 72 Seasons album and promising punters a ‘No Repeat Weekend’. This gave the Four Horsemen time and space to fine-tune touring into their 60s, and Kirk just one chance per venue to fudge Nothing Else Matters.
Maiden rolled out The Future Past tour, airing Senjutsu material alongside rarer Somewhere In Time tracks, including a debut for Alexander The Great. Unbeknownst to those watching
Nicko McBrain smash a big gong every evening, the heroic drummer had recently suffered a stroke and was still recovering.
Black Sabbath announced an actual ballet, amechanical bull in Birmingham was named Ozzy, and speaking of which… remember The Osbournes? They’re back! In pod form.
Babymetal became a trio again, officially inducting dancer Momometal during a show in Yokohama, and Gojira played their biggest headliner to date in Paris. Avenged Sevenfold dropped their brain-squeezingly experimental record Life Is But ADream…, Kiss retired –but probably didn’t, let’s be real –and Download Festival celebrated 20 years with a four-day chunkathon, so loud that the Donington locals complained.
Rage Against The Machine were inducted into the Rock &Roll Hall Of Fame, if anyone’s still paying attention to the ceremony, and Guns N’ Roses did Glastonbury –still not as hard as Elton John banging out Pinball Wizard in a shiny suit, though.
2023 SEEMED NORMAL, BUT IT WAS THE WILDEST 12 MONTHS
Dads worldwide rejoiced when the Foo Fighters came back with Josh
While She Sleeps sold out London’s Ally Pally. Excellent work, lads!
Freese behind the drumkit, not replacing the late Taylor Hawkins but just being their guy. It made people smile, buoyed by the strength of the resulting album, But Here We Are.
It wasn’t just household names making noise. Voyager brought Australian prog metal to Eurovision, and Germa
