KARDASHEV - "Alunea"

The last album I reviewed by these guys, and there were some Dream Theater-like elements I did not like about it, so going into this one, I am hoping those elements are toned down. They blast into things here with a more blackened aggression. The sun vocals come at the chorus to tone things down in a bad cop/ good cop manner. The vocal melody is not very Myspace, making it more tolerable. The harder vocals vary from a more black metal snarl to a lower growl. The clean vocal they continue to shift into over more fragile and a little less dramatic than the last album, though they begin to head in that direction for "Seed of Night". 

Still, the dynamics technically offer some range, in terms of melodic qualities, the formula they are working off of finds the songs beginning to run together. The moving parts of 'Speak Silence" flow smoother, and it sets itself apart more as its own song. Then the album begins to get a little bogged down, as if it wants to be Opeth, but unsure of what era, though the songs continue to ebb and flow from the most intense to least intense, when just some grooving or memorable riff might work better. 

"We Could Fold the Stars" starts off like your average blackened death metal band, before dying down to the counter tenor vocals. It's more original than what we have heard from them, but not that hooky. The last song is more of the same, though sticking closer to their heavier side. I will give this an 8.5, well done, but not really my thing, though fans of progressive death metal who also like Sleep Toekn will dig this for sure. This comes out April 25th on Metal Blade. 

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March's Top 10 Albums

 It's time for March's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights might help casual readers see what they missed and check these artists out. I am not writing little blurbs on them; I am just linking the reviews. Inclusion here does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most. I have albums in my inbox that are not coming out til June, so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of what I have listened to the most. This month, there is a wide variety from Crust Punk to Prog Rock, so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of  March 

10-Staticlone- "Better Living Through Static Vision" 

Crust Punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/staticlone-better-living-through-static.html

9-Jason Isbell -"Foxes in the Snow' 

Folk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/jason-isbell-foxes-in-snow.html

8-Gaahls Wyrd- " Braiding the Stories" 

Goth Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/gaahls-wyrd-braiding-stories.html

7-Spiritworld -"Helldorado" 

Thrash 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/spiritworld-helldorado.html

6-Ancient Death- "Ego Dissolution" 

Progressive Death Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/ancient-death-ego-dissolution.html

5-Idle Heirs - "Life is Violence" 

Post-hardcore 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/idle-heirs-life-is-violence.html

4-Messa - "the Spin"

 

Prog Rock 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/messa-spin.html

3- Kazea- "I, Ancestral" 

Sludge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/kazea-i-ancestral.html

2-Deafheaven _ "Lonely People With Power" 

Black Gaze 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/deafheaven-lonely-people-with-power.html

 1-Spiritbox-"Tsunami Sea" 

Progressive Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/spiritbox-tsunami-sea.html

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PALINDRONES : "'Chapter 2: The Slender Blade"

This morning I perused the line-ups of this year's " goth festivals," and while I can understand the old school headliners like Frontline Assembly, what I do not get is the younger artists they book who do not have current albums they are touring in support of. It seems like a waste when other artists could use the exposure and are working harder to grind away at their songwriting craft. One of these would be that this  British duo is crafting some emotive electro pop with call and response vocal lines that recall some of the more moody moments in 80s pop. The first song is a banger, so that sets expectations high for the remainder of the album. 

Where the first song flirted more with new wave. The songs that follow are more like atmospheric techno. The female vocals become more of the dominant narrative of the songs.  She shifts through a range of emotions in her presentation, so this works. "The Dark Forest" is more of a synth interlude that blankets you in immersive ambiance. It's counterpoint "the Light Forest". It is more of a grooving synth wave pop hybrid.  It grooves in a manner that brings Underworld to mind with more of a pulse than a black rocking beat. 

"Suli Nan Diathan" is a swathe of synth ambiance that is ghostly and minimal.   It materializes into an actual song around the two-minute mark. There is some dynamic ebb and flow, but it feels more like an interlude to me. "Animus" uses more of a vocal interplay that offers a similar dynamic to what they did on the opening track. The beat is possessed by a little more drive here. "Resonance Factor" closes the album. It goes back into more of an atmospheric techno mode of songwriting with the vocals taking on a brighter tone. I will give this album a 9.5, as I enjoyed it , would not call this darkwave, but it recalls the electronic acts of the 90s who are adjacent enough to keep my interest.Much more song focused than the festival brand of EDM.  

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Twin Shadow - "Georgie"

 

This marks the indie pop singer's 6th album. It's the third we have reviewed here. 'Eclipse" has been my favorite. This album finds another step away from the 80s sounds that made that album great. "Good Times" could almost be any pop artist on the radio, if they go serious, stepped away from hip-hop influenced beats, and used actual instruments. Here lies the problem for an artist who creates a perfect album like "Eclipse". The expectations are set higher since you have shown me you are capable of being more. Perhaps you might have the same level of inspiration or want to be shackled to making the same album twice, which is not what I am asking here. 

In fact, I am pretty content with the minimalist instrumentation to "As Soon As You Can' as the vocal lines work well enough. But I know he can write more breathtaking hooks. He has made more compelling grooves as well. Is it more experimental than his past work? Sure, but that is not playing to his strengths. There is more feeling invested in the vocals of 'Funny Games'. The title track feels like an experimental idea of a song that was never fleshed out. The stripped-down nature of "You Already Know" makes it almost feel more like a demo, though the emotion he invests in the song is what makes it work.

  "Maybe It's Time" is another ballad that seems to be the dominant mood of this album. The song does gain some movement. There is a twang to the guitar on this song that brings the hint of an influence I heard earlier in the album more into the spotlight. "Emily" finds him back in a very similar sonic place, highlighting the fact that this album could use a greater range of dynamics, as he is keeping everything in the same mood/. He is using the ghost of auto-tune as an effect rather than relying on it to stay in key, as we already know he can sing. 

"Permanent Feeling' hovers around the established sonic boundaries he has set for himself on this album. In a different context, it might make a song like this stand out more than being on an album where everything is lingering in this mood. He did not need to do a great deal to switch it up at this point; even dropping a beat would have worked. Meeting at the intersection of gospel and country music is an interesting place for him, but he keeps approaching the songs from the same angle. I'll have to round this one down to an 8.5, as it's dynamically flat, but sung with a great deal of heart. 

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clipping : "Dead Channel Sky"

This hip-hop project breaks away from the more conventional to follow the trail blazed by the likes of Aesop Rock. Not really sure why they have been booked on a darkwave festival, but their grooves are lo-fi and interesting.  "Change the Channel' wants to be "Firestarter" before going into Super Mario Brothers-inspired 8-bit glee. "Run It' comes closer to the status quo of underground hip-hop. The vintage synths will be the key selling point to some, while I am listening to this album to see if the songwriting holds up to the hype. Unlike most hip-hop artists these days, they do not have a team of producers and songwriters to supplement the lack of talent. 

After a few interludes, "Code"  comes back with a more interesting groove. The sci-fi theme works well, as the album has a slight dystopian vibe, though not to the point of being industrial. There is a glitchy, noisy sound coloring the edges of the atmosphere as the pace picks up for " Dodger." The fact that the lyrics are spit with a quickness rather than in a slurred auto-tuned mumble gives these guys an edge over most. Nels Cline adds some guitar to one interlude, but it is not really a song. "Scams" is more like traditional hip-hop, with a minimalist beat. With this comes a more vapid lyrical content. "Keep Pushing" finds a more interesting synth sound powering things, but the lyrical flow is less interesting. 

The album continues to be littered with interludes and soundscapes that toy with a collage of pseudo-futuristic noise. "Mood Organ" is more experimental than, and while there is a stream of consciousness rap to it, things ride the border of being a song, though I think they intend it to be one. "Polaroids" finds the more spoken word feel of the vocals continue to degrade the album's integrity, which is disappointing as the first handful of songs had so much promise. "Madcap" finds some interesting production choices that create a more unique feel. 

"Mirror Shades" makes me think of Madonna's "Justify My Love," which is covered by Cardi B. My comparison to Aesop Rock pays off, as he makes an appearance on "Welcome Home Warrior," which seems to be about video games. His verse pretty much saves the song. The last song finds aimless rapping over ambiance, as if they have no clue as to what worked earlier in the album. A beat does not come in til halfway into the song, and then it does not groove. I'll round this down to an 8, as the album started strong, and it does take more chances than most hip-hop, though that is a pretty low bar. This is out  on Sub-Pop Records 

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Song of the Week - SWARM6IX : "$OCIAL VIOLENCE feat. KUBRICK"

Mixing pop music with metal either works well or falls limp. It seems like the pop elements are played down and the marketing of the artist tries to place more emphasis on the metal part of the equation, even if it is not dominant. Perhaps it's the hype that makes me pass the most judgment, as I went into checking this song with zero knowledge about the artists involved, and it works for me. Granted, aside from the chorus, these guys are a great deal darker than their peers. I get why these guys are called "trap-metal," but I think it is really well-done revitalization of nu-metal. The chorus works for me despite being one of the more formulaic elements, as it's given proper contrast with the verses. I look forward to hearing how this works in the context of a full-length album 

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Born Ruffians : "Beauty's Pride"

 

This Canadian band plays a poppy take on post-punk flavored indie rock. Their album opens with the upbeat single "Meantime' which is dancey and anthemic. It feels like a cross between Arcade Fire and Underworld.  "Too Be Seen" finds the guitars stepping forward in the mix. The vocals have a Brit-pop wanderlust to them. Rather than the bleak baritone, he has a bright tenor. I prefer the groove of the opening track, as this one has a more rambling Ryan Adams feel. Lyrically, it's a little more interesting. 'What a Ride' is a little moodier, though the chorus finds things getting weird and going sideways. They are not as garage rock as the Black Lips, but there is a similar punk meets the Beatles feel. 

Things are a little more laid back, despite the radio-friendly beat to "Let You Down". The chorus is too happy for my personal tastes. The chorus works better than the previous song's. In some ways, they are not unlike DEHD, but that band is catchier in the vocal lines. The guitar placement is inconsistent, but that adds some charm to things. "All My Life" benefits from interestingly auto-tuned production on the vocals that feels more futuristic. This would sound great if you were on drugs. There is an 80s feel to "Athena" , like a slower version of "Turning Japanese". I can also hear how the Talking Heads are a likely influence on this band. 

The more psychedelic touches resurface on the lazy river flow of "Can We Go Now". Maddy Wilde sings on this one, which offers a different narrative voice to switch things up. "Supersonic Man" by the band's admission is their musing on being a baby sent to earth like Ka-El. It's your typical indie rock ballad with a folk guitar strum. "Do" is a better song; it works in bursts of rock guitar, as for this to be indie rock, it does not have much rock to it as a general rule. Without this, it causes things to meander rather than be anchored. "HI" also works similarly, playing in their favor. There is a Beatles influence that becomes more prominent here. "In the Meantime" is a more relaxed Decemberists-like vibe. The last song is less focused; it's not until the final minute that it catches a Shins-like groove. This album works for what they are doing little to upbeat for my tastes, will give it an 8.5, 

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