Better Noise Music – The NOISE BEST OF 2023

REVIEW BY Steve Shipley

This is a look at what was hot coming from Better Noise Music in 2023 featuring Five Finger Death Punch, Bad Wolves, Asking Alexandria, The HU, The Retaliators plus a lot more.

Better Noise Music is much more than a record label, the company develops and nurtures artists and bands uniquely. Founded by music industry veteran and independent pioneer Allen Kovac in 2006 as Eleven Seven Music, the company grew into the music industry’s global rock powerhouse by emphasizing artist development and diversification while maintaining its indie roots. It now operates a global marketing platform around the world.

With the release of the revenge horror thriller THE RETALIATORS over here in the UK by BETTER NOISE FILMS who are the production company behind Netflix’s hit Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt, comes the theme song 21 bullets written by Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx and features ASKING ALEXANDRIA, ICE NINE KILLS and FROM ASHES TO NEW.

The full soundtrack also features the likes of Pappa Roach, The HU, Asking Alexandria, Mötley Crüe and many huge rock bands collaborating giving this an 80 and early 90’s nostalgic experience from films like the Lost Boys and ‘Nightmare on Elm Street. A lot of the bands who feature on the soundtrack also have cameos in the film including Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe) Five Finger Death Punch’s Ivan Moody, Zoltan Bathory, and Chris Kael, Papa Roach, Jaya of The Hu, Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills, Eva Under Fire’s Amanda Lyberg, Matt Brandyberry, Danny Case, Lance Dowdle, and Matt Madiro of From Ashes to New, Cory Marks, and Dan Murphy and Miles Franco of All Good Things.

The soundtrack is an album of pure joy of hard rock and collaborations that will give you a night to remember with its impressive theme of 21 BULLETS leading into the album giving an unforgettable atmosphere for the film.

From FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH comes the track JUDGMENT DAY off the album AFTERLIFE which set a world record for most #1 albums in the history of Billboard Hard Rock Chart.

JUDGMENT DAY tackles the subject of human trafficking and this song gives off a strong message, the powerful lyrics make this a powerful masterpiece making this an unforgettable song. You should never forget the message and the victims of Human trafficking and that one day the traffickers will get their JUDGMENT DAY, the video that accompanies this song is also very well made and reinforces the message.

THE HU are a MONGOLIAN folk-rock band that incorporates traditional Mongolian instruments to their music. The new version of BLACK THUNDER Features SERJ TANKIAN & DL of BAD WOLVES, the music video was filmed in THE HU’s home country of Mongolia and has had over 3 million views, a powerful song bringing Mongolian folk and metal together as though they should have been together all along and a powerful dynamic song that blend the folk and metal perfectly.

ASKING ALEXANDRIA – PSYCHO is their 1st single from the album WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE. PSYCHO is all about being stuck in your head, whether it’s trying to stop drinking or a job you hate, it all makes you feel a bit crazy, PSYCHO is another well-structured song with well-crafted lyrics.

BAD WOLVES – LEGENDS NEVER DIE is off the 4th album from BAD WOLVES and is a song about our heroes whether that be our mums, or our fathers, with every retelling of the story, the story only gets stronger and stronger, the story in this powerful song adds to the energy of the melody making this a masterpiece of the latest album DIE ABOUT IT.

FROM ASHES TO NEW – they are high-energy with a mix of hard rock, nu-metal/hip-hop band their new single HATE ME TOO has elements of Blink 182 and Limp Bizkit, it also has a video with the song that has a similar sense of humour as the iconic 90’s bands. This anthem song comes from the album BLACKOUT and is about as with many of these songs a toxic relationship. I have to say I loved this song and it took me straight back to that 90’s vibe.

NOTHING MORE – BEST TIMES is a feel-good song and features LACY STRUM- Having LACY STRUM singing on this track lifts this song to be a stand-out song on the album and is one of the best feel-good songs they have ever written according to frontman JONNY HAWKINS, STRUM relates this song with her struggles against self-destruction and the struggles to not tear her loved ones apart. A strong song that is lyrically well crafted.

DIRTY HEADS – Southern California alternative rock band DIRTY HEADS released RESCUE ME evokes the spirit of California and had influences of RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS who have been a big influence on the band. You can see yourself on a Cali beach with a surfboard while listening to this song.

CROSSBONE SKULLY – the exciting new multidimensional project led by mastermind TOMMY HENRIKSEN (guitarist and musical director for Alice Cooper’s band & member of Hollywood Vampires) released THE BOOM WENT THE BOOM which features DEF LEPPARD guitarist PHIL COLLEN, it is their 2nd track off the debut album due out in 2024, BOOM WENT THE BOOM highlights its rebellious message and has impressive powerful vocals making this an unforgettable song. PHIL COLLEN has always loved HENRIKSEN’S voice and wanted to hear it on a song like this and says he is thrilled to be part of it.

EVA UNDER FIRE & CORY MARKS – UNSTOPPABLE is a song that is a love story about EVA MARIE’S parent’s high school love story where her dad used to steal his sister’s Corvette while she was at work and pick my mom up for joy rides, the song also features CORY MARKS who gives it a rock/country feel to it. UNSTOPPABLE comes from the debut album LOVE, DRUGS & MISERY which features 10 bonus tracks and also covers BLACK SABBATHS- WAR PIGS.

FIRE FROM THE GODS-THOUSAND LIFETIMES (FEAT. COREY GLOVER OF LIVING COLOUR) – The music from FIRE FROM GODS gives a message of peace, tolerance, understanding and perseverance with CORY GLOVERS dynamic voice lifting this track giving it energy and life.

HYRO THE HERO – BOUND FOR GLORY, HYRO collaborates with some of the leading names in rock including David Draiman (Disturbed), Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Chad Gray (HELLYEAH), Spencer Charnas and Dan Sugarman (Ice Nine Kills), REDDSTAR, AJ (Fire From The Gods) and Markus Videsäter (Silence). BOUND FOR GLORY has the 90’s feel about it but brings new metal up to date, it’s deep, Powerful and Revolutionary.

If this is the best of BETTER NOISE MUSIC 2023 then what is 2024 going to produce, i can only think that it will be more amazing well well-crafted unforgettable Music and Videos. The highlights for me were FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with JUDGEMENT DAY and THE RETALIATORS THEME SONG (21 BULLETS)

Thank you BETTER NOISE MUSIC I look forward to 2024.