Operating somewhere in the borderlands of hardcore and metalcore, the third record by little-known Danish lunatics EYES is an absolute doozie. One of the very best heavy music records of the year (placing on this List just above, who was it again… oh, yeah, Metallica), Congratulations is a simple, feral explosion. As is the norm in hardcore, EYES mix mid-tempo wallops with frenetic punk speed to build the dynamics of their tracks, but they’re doing it better than anyone else right now (NB: their closest rivals riding the latest wave of hardcore, GEL, didn’t quite make this List, but their 2023 record is also well worth your time). EYES chuck in some metal riffs for good measure, as on the standout title track or (the ‘b’ heavy) ‘Bbbbbbbliss’. The rhythm section pummels away relentlessly throughout (good luck, eardrums). The dual guitarists mix things up quite a bit for a hardcore band (harmonics? I think I will, thanks). And Victor Kass’ vocals are delightfully demented (note to self for the unlikely occasion of ever meeting him: run, that man is unhinged). By the end of the first quarter of 2023 Congratulations was my record of the year by some considerable distance. It’s obviously waned a bit since then, but a top 10 finish is still impressive stuff for a band with almost no presence outside of Copenhagen that I’d not heard of at all a year ago. Pow!