Black Metal History Month- Cross Bringer :" Healismus Aeternus

 

This is the black metal band fronted by the singer from Predatory Void.  They do not follow the conventions of black metal all that closely, which plays to their benefit. This is the band's second album and they remain resolute in their creative vision. Compared to her work in Predatory Void, that band also had members of Amen Ra, so this band has none of that sludge influence. It lashes out in a more blating feral manner. It does not feel as dark as that album either. The opening song has more going on than the second which works off a raw pummelling intensity. 

More melodic layers including her actual singing are brought into "Structural Imbalance". This creates the needed depth to compete with what Predatory Void does. Why does it have to be a competition you ask? Because at the end of the day, things compete for your attention, time is the framework you can invest what you listen to within. Perhaps you work a mundane office job or are forced to listen to music piped in by corporate then the free time you have to listen to music is compressed into tighter time frames making every song count. 

"The Vessel" is more explosive. They are good at creating space with dissonance as the chords collide. The angular way the riffs hit reminds you that they are not solely invested in just being a black metal hand as touches of hardcore intensity flourish. The pounding sounds are interesting but do not hook me in. There is more of this chaos that unfolds on "Perpetual Servantship". By this point in the album, I am beginning to think of them more as a blackened hard-core band than a black metal band. The screamed pattern of the vocals helps to support this. Her sung vocals help to break things up midway into the song. I'll give this album an 8.5, while I prefer Predatory Void, for my personal tastes, this band is still doing some fresh new things with extreme music. 

pst62

the Top 10 Sludge Albums of 2023

 

Let's face it this might be the last top ten list for this genre I get to make as the world could end at any moment these days. These are the bands that best celebrated the coming apocalypse as Sludge should. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Sludge albums of 2023.

10- No Spill Blood - "Eye of Night" 

This Irish band's second album finds them taking and very hard-driving form of sludge and marrying it to synth-driven rock. The more analogue synth soundsslowly drips into their atmosphere. A throaty bark is the narrative. This instills the anger of sludge into the proceedings. Their strength is touching on the sonic space atmosphere is embraced and is at the heart of their heaviness rather than just trying to beat this sound into your ears.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/no-spill-blood-eye-of-night.html

9- the Moth - "Frost" 

 The new album from this German trio is an interesting blend of fuzzed-out dark sounds. The vocals are layered, and the guitars drive things in a sludge direction. This is their first album for Exile on Mainstream and is a good snapshot of who this band is. There is a punk simplicity, but a rich layering of vocal melodies thanks to the voice of Cecile Ash. She manages to be equally commanding and despondent.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-moth-frost.html

8- Cinema Cinema - " Mjölnir"

This band has Thor Harris from Swans playing with them, along with Sonic Youth's producer on the board. They also have a hammering anger that gets released in a dynamic fashion with punk tendencies.  Brooding sonic shadows shading their musings, in a manner not unlike bands such as Liars or Xiu Xiu, who both took ample inspiration from Swans with  vocals are a charismatic ranting about hard social truths amid there otherwise explosive nature. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/cinema-cinema-mjolnir.html

  7-Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean - "Obsession Destruction"

 Compared to their 2020 album "The Vestige"  the vocals have more of a scathing of a scream. The retain the plodding element of doom but this time it flows more like a indie rock or shoegaze in the manner it shimmers toward the bleak abyss of sound they draw from. This album finds the band taking chances outside their mission statement of just being heavy as all hell which they also achieve. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/chained-to-bottom-of-ocean-obsession.html

6-Moor-"Heavy Heart" 

This German band adds more melodic colors to the sludge formula with  less howled almost sung vocals, and post-rock atmosphere, that can only further Neurosis comparisons but at the same time allows the band to find themselves amidst this. They are very effective at painting the picture they set out to convey with their instruments and it's a fun listen .

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-moor-heavy-heart.html

 

5-Obelyskkh -" Ultimate Grace of God" 

This German metal band marries the lumbering crunch of sludged-out doom with crusty punk attitude.This album was teased as early as 2019 so it has been at least 4 years in the making now. Some of the angular twists and turns the riffs make show their more dexterity-induced sense of adventure. The production of this album  is very natural in how the sounds are captured. They have a prog-like sense of wonderment when the songs sprawl out. Their fifth album took five years to bring to fruition, so every note is well thought out.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2022/12/obelyskkh-ultimate-grace-of-god.html

4-Ugly-"Autograph"

In the 90s sludge was more crazed and less composed than the sludge of today. It owed more to crust and punk, than it does today, and this band remembers that. There are certainly metallic moments when every thing converges upon a riff to crush you. I like the darker sonic that include the use of samples. The vocals take a little bit to get use to as they are very raw, with barely any effects on them just crazed man screaming into a mic. Krysta Curry from Landmine Marathon also share vocal duties while helping out with synths, samples, and percussion.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/ugly-autograph.html

3- Predatory Void - "the Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being" 

Combining members of Amenra with the vocalist from Russian Black Metal band Cross Bringer, there is something dark and powerful being created here. While Lina's vocal mainly focus on more brutal harshness, she does sing some passages in a more ethereal alto . The heaviness is a like a crashing wave , it hit and then recedes with a throb. These guys are more sludge than any other genre as the sonic heaviness approaches the shadows rather than bathing in them.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/predatory-void-seven-keys-to-discomfort.html

2- Fange- "Privation" 

This French band still connects the dots to hard core, but now have a more industrial influence creeping in. The vocals are still driven by a mean roar. This album finds them getting even darker, so they . It should be said that they come to this sonic intersection without hopping on the Code Orange band wagon. Sometimes the more crushing aspects of the riffing put them in a similar stylistic zip code, but they get there in a very organic fashion, making me suspect they know who they are while doing this. They are actually heavier than Code Orange typically gets with a more metallic intent a more hammering brand of sludge.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/fange-privation.html

 

1-the Lion's Daughter -"Bath House" 

There is a great deal going on with this album. The synths are very present in the mix going into the otherwise hammering open song. Throaty vocals are aggressive but howled more than growled. Sung vocals often emote over what is a  more brooding turn for the band. There is an ominous feel to counterbalance the more grandiose feel. I really enjoyed this one it's an improvement over what they did on "Skin Show" This album grew on me, and carries great depth.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-lions-daughter-bath-house.html

The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2023 so far ...

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2023 is at it's midpoint. These  lists serve as a decent snap shot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received  promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my in-box, so they are really going to need to bring it in order to compete with the top five albums on this list. There are varied shades of metal represented. Perhaps death metal is leading the charge, but there is also black metal, doom and death core in the mix.  The black metal is more influenced by traditional black metal rather than the staples of blast beating. For my ears darkness trumps speed when it comes to heavy, so these bands reflect that sentiment. Death metal just seems to be bringing it harder than other genres so far. Giving the impending wars that lurk at every corner of the globe, this is a fitting sound track to the demise of the the US.  I have included links to full review if you want to check these out and with all that said here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2023 so far. 

10- Creeping Death- "Boundless Domain" 

There is less of an old school thrash feel to "Boundless Domain" as the album's riffs adhere to more standardized shades of aggressive red.  These guys have always shown a great deal of promise in their songwriting and this album does not seem to be an exception in that .They prove to be pretty solid at what they do and there is a hooky but crushing feel to most of these songs,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/death-is-june-creeping-death-boundless.html
 

9-PredatoryVoid - "Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being" 

Combining members of Amenra with the vocalist from Russian Black Metal band Cross Bringer, there is something dark and powerful being created here. While Lina's vocal mainly focus on more brutal harshness, she does sing some passages in a more ethereal alto . The heaviness is a like a crashing wave , it hit and then recedes with a throb. I would say these guys are more sludge than any other genre as the sonic heaviness approaches the shadows rather than bathing in them like a doom band would.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/predatory-void-seven-keys-to-discomfort.html

 

8-Left to Suffer -"Feral" 

This album continues to grow on me, as the Atlanta based metal core band proves they are not just jumping on the White Chapel band wagon. They took things in a darker direction and  seem to have have just as much in common with the bands in the nu-metal revival. These guys manage to do it in a way that is just hooky enough to keep me along for the ride.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/left-to-suffer-feral.html

7-Ahab- "Coral Tombs" 

8 years of chaos have passed since this German doom band released their last album. Chris Noir of& Ultha lends his voice to the highly aggressive black metal start of the opening track before it ebbs down into the doom you expect from this band. The croon of the baritone vocals are  delivered with more power and presented more forward in the mix. The vocals play a bigger role in the overall sound this time around. Making this epic listen something that grows on you. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/ahab-coral-tombs.html
 

6-Cloak-"Black Flame Eternal" 

This Atlanta band might have finally hit their creative stride with album number three. This does not mean that I am any closer to branding them a goth metal band. The elements that might bring that to one mind are perhaps more fleshed in places. The songwriting stomps with more debilitation. The influence of Dissection is still present, but tempered with a more dynamic range of sound. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/cloak-black-flame-eternal.html

 

5-Cattle Decapitation- "Terrasite" 

They have in many ways picked up where they left off on "Death Atlas" . Though the band believes they have taken a 180 turn. The main difference I can hear are the guitars have a more deliberate thrashing to their grooves. Things are not as blinding fast , but the riffs retain the razor sharp aggression , but also well constructed and hooky. They took it to the next level in terms of songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/cattle-decapitation-terrasite.html
 

 

4-the Abbey - "Word of Sin" 

Hailing from bands like Man Eating Tree and Shape of Despair, this doom band out of Finland, plays with both darkness and melody in equal portions. The use and almost gothic finery to decorate their songs with a well balanced blend of ambiance and hooky vocals, not as depressive as some doom, but possessed by a wellspring of nuanced dynamics. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-abbey-word-of-sin.html

3-Downfall of Gaia-"Silhouettes Of Disgust"

This German band already finds themselves claiming the distinction of having s one of the best black metal albums I have heard this year,  it came out back in February and still stands strong. If you like forward thinking black metal with plenty of dark disgust this album is for you.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/black-metal-history-month-downfall-of.html

 

2-Obituary- "Dying of Everything" 

 I was  not expecting the thrashing ass kicking the opening track unleashes. Any concerns regarding this album living up to their established legacy were squashed. The more Slayer like attack is balanced out by Tardy's distinctive voice reminding you that this is Obituary. This sits solidly next to the band's more classic work, which is something many of their peers cannot boast

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/obituary-dying-of-everything.html
 

1-Frozen Soul -"Glacial Domination"

This Texas band pulls from classic death metal without worshipping any band too religiously. Their strength is taking a riff and groove it without compromising the heaviness. Lyrically things are grim and gory with only marginal amounts of the Dungeons and Dragons escapism .I went the album not knowing anything about this band and walked away a fan which speaks volumes considering the  constant flow of death metal bands in my in-box so for these guys to stand out it speaks volumes to their talents. If you like death metal this album is a must.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/frozen-soul-glacial-domination.html

Predatory Void : "Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being"

Combining members of Amenra with the vocalist from Russian Black Metal band Cross Bringer, there is something dark and powerful being created here. While Lina's vocal mainly focus on more brutal harshness, she does sing some passages in a more ethereal alto . The heaviness is a like a crashing wave , it hit and then recedes with a throb. I would say these guys are more sludge than any other genre as the sonic heaviness approaches the shadows rather than bathing in them like a doom band would. There is more emotion being poured out here than just aggression. 

Simmering under the surface is a  black metal influence, that comes from more than just the scathing manner Lina screams. Blast beats bubble like a furious undercurrent on the title track. It starts off as one of the most melodic songs, before things get ugly. The two minutes into the song and they take off with the speed for a good thirty seconds. The manner the black metal elements are woven into the fabric of their sound, is done in a very organic manner, so it's not like they are all of sudden showing up in corpse pain. Not that there is anything theatrical enough to call for that display of their inner Halloween to paint themselves up for. With that said, I do not think the title track is as well written as the first two songs. It's not ineffective, it just doesn't connect with me as much mood wise. 

Normally I would prefer the kind of downtrodden folk they veer off into with "Seeds of Frustration" but the song just lingers in its melancholic drone and never goes elsewhere. They hammer back at you with a black metal core anger. The drummer is impressive there is no question about that. It is not their most hook filled song. Instead, it works off a stormy brooding. If you are wondering which genre is heavier black metal or sludge, that question is answered by the shift of sound going into "Shedding Weathered Skin" proves the weight of deliberation crushes blast beats . The last song gives your ears more breathing room by creating space for dynamics when it breaks down into a more palm muted hush. I will give this album a 9, it is pretty relentless, but shows a willingness to work with melody, and has a beautifully dark mood.