Black metal might be notorious for its purists - and sensationalist headlines - but that hasn't stopped the subgenre from producing some of the most boundary-pushing acts within the extreme metal sphere over the past 40-plus years.
In 2023 the genre remains one of metal's most beloved - and fiercely defended - subgenres, its sound subsuming everything from symphonic grandeur to shoegaze melody and all the way back to old school, Motorhead-style rock'n'roll. With so much ground to cover, it can be almost impossible keeping up with everything great in the world of black metal - but that hasn't stopped us from digging deep to find some of the finest BM records 2023 has had to offer.
