Sons of Alpha Centauri : "Pull"

 

As much as I love Jonah Mantranga, I lost track of his work after Far. I need to catch up and I will start with this album. He formed this band with the drummer from Will Haven. They are very Deftones-like with lighter vocals moaning over the lower grooves lurking around them. I had to go back and give this album another listen to fully soak it in as my first pass-through was clouded by my expectations of what I wanted from Jonah based on Far. On this second listen I found he does really deliver on the first song. However, "Ease" feels like he is uncertain if he should commit to what he normally does when playing music with a lower-tuned harder-driving guitar. 

"Pull" feels like it's more of a middle ground between the two options he was sorting through while plotting out the vocals for the second song. He gets even more comfortable on "The Ways We Were". It is interesting hearing this dynamic, as he is one of the best rock singers to come from this era, so to hear him on a footing that is not as sure of itself, creates a more vulnerable performance. I appreciate the more balladic drone of "Tetanus Blades", but there are plenty of shoe gaze bands that execute it better. "Doomed" finds him closer to the mic, and able to weave a more effective melody with his voice. finds 

"Weakening Pulse" finds the heft of the guitar complimenting his vocals. One of the album's first distinctive rock riffs if on "Final Voyage' which gives him more to work with. The album closes with "Unspeakable Melody' which finds another big guitar riff chugging along, though, Jonah is not locked in with it in the same manner as the previous song.  I will give this album a 9, making it better than most hard rock albums with such a compelling emotional side, but still falls short of what he did with Far. Exile on Mainstream drops this album for them March 28th . s 

pst93

The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2023

We continue to need heavy music more than ever this year. This is the culmination of all the other metal lists. Yes, I have done other metal lists for other blogs, and I see them as being a refining process for when I make this list. So, while the result may have varied, this is the final word. I know many of you are ready for 2023 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but if you are watching what goes down in the world daily, 2024 might be the last year, of experiencing life as we know it . The very fact these bands made it on the list means they are the cream of the crop 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. Sure, you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However, I listen to five new albums a day so yes, I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it. I hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2023

10-Nebulae Come Sweet-"De Lumi​è​re" 

This band out of Belarus caught me by surprise, as they go above and beyond to take things in a different direction. This album came out in March and sadly flew under the radar. They feel more European than American in the almost classical manner they go about this. They blend dark melodic brooding with big grandiose choruses. They prove just because you are singing it does not mean you can not do so in a commanding fashion that has balls to it. An album full of dark wonderment. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/nebulae-come-sweet-de-lumiere.html

9-Fuming Mouth -"Last Day of Sun" 

This album of crusty death metal-infused anger grew on me with each listen. They lean into more of hard-core's punk side with the drumming putting them in the sonic zip code of bands like Ringworm  I appreciate the lyrical sentiments, and the overall oppressive mood, that still leaves room for melody shows they care about songwriting, but do not have to compromise to do so. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/fuming-mouth-last-day-of-sun.html

8-Horrendous - "Ontological Mysterium"

Horrendous extending themselves further into a jammy progressive, with a more organic feel than what they did on "Idol" last time around. There are clean vocals placed at unpredictable points in the song. I appreciated guitar solos, but only some people are impressed by shredding, take that into consideration when I tell you the guitar solos on this album improve the songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/horrendous-ontological-mysterium.html

 

7- Will Haven - "VII" 

They hit you with hammering hardcore and manage to pack in a dense atmosphere. The syncopated chugs create the apex of breakdowns.  If you grew up listening to nu-metal but matured into metallic hardcore, then this is the album for you. Really if you like heavy music colored by atmosphere this album is also for you as well. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/will-haven-vii.html

6- Mansion- Second Death 

This Finnish band does doom most uniquely at times they blend a minimalist folk not unlike what a  cult would sing as their mantra, as they lurch along in a very creepy manner. The tangible darkness of the music is heavier than the distortion of the guitars of the volume, though they are capable of applying those dynamics as well. I think they tap into cool dark places that few go in a new way. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-mansion-second-death.html

5-Dreamwell -"In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You" 

This is not the heaviest band on the list, but they are the most extreme metal band whose songs beg for you to listen to them more than the other bands on this list. They shift from black gaze to more melodic forms of hardcore and harsher expressions of metal. Their singer is a pivotal force in what enables these transformations. Sometimes hard-core shouted vocals bring the abrasion crashing against the transcendence, which is littered oddly with blast beats. It is not the first time I have heard screamo blended with black metal, but this is done in an angular fashion that is more unique.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/dreamwell-in-my-saddest-dreams-i-am.html

 

4-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

 

3-Downfall of Gaia -""Silhouettes Of Disgust"

This album is more black metal in its feeling than what I remember of the 2019 album. It is both darker and more aggressive. The soaring atmosphere still lingers, but not enough to stop this raging storm of sound they are creating here. The world is a darker and angrier place so this is fitting. It takes more chances than Wayfarer, who are also great songwriters, but in more of a well-fitted groove, as Downfall of Gaia, is not content with a formula. 

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

2-Harm's Way - "Common Suffering" 

After being convinced to check them out upon hearing the "Undertow" single featuring the singer of King Woman, I was surprised by the rest of the album, which hits in the way that I typically want my hardcore to slap me. Harm's Way has a gritty musculature to the riffs, and the vocals punch in all the right places to rally the head bob inducing syncopations shift with a groove. There is a great deal of emotion to the construction of the songs that paints things in a bleak shade of gray rather than just being the macho in-your-face beat down you might expect this to be

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/harms-way-common-suffering.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 grooving it without compromising the heaviness, In this way, there is a bit of Bolt Thrower in their DNA, but not enough to lump them in with bands who are clearly trying to re-live that band's glory days. I went into this album only aware of them by name, and by the end was a fan, thanks to hooky riff magic. 

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

the Top 10 Hardcore Albums of 2023

Much like punk, hard-core finds itself in an interesting place in this angry world,  There is no shortage of people claiming to play it, but to find real hard-core that is not afraid to point the finger at all sides while refusing to conform is a harder aspiration, given the masses' willingness to conform.   These albums captured the true spirit of hardcore by doing their own thing and bringing the anger.   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 Hardcore albums of 2023.

10- King Yosef - 'An Underlying Hum" 

this guy is an artist I have been on the fence about. Was not into the collaboration he did with Youth Code, as I just wanted another Youth Code album and not the kind of noise he was bringing to the table. Now it's hard for him to catch a break as everyone is comparing this album to Code Orange's "Underneath" album which is a high bar to measure it by. This album serves as a reminder that nu-metal came out of the 90s hard core scene. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/king-yosef-underlying-hum.html

9- Graf Orlock- "End Credits" 

This hard-core band has made a concept album of sorts that pays homage to post-apocalyptic science fiction. This is not done in a grandiose fashion, uses the grit they normally offer. A well done and honest album that deserves to be here as it goes above and beyond in so many ways. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/graf-orlock-end-credits.html

8- Gel- "Only Constant" \

This band is like a cross between the Plasmatics and GISM , but with more metallic aggression, mixed with the drive of rock attitude. They managed to win me over with the apocalyptic feel of their songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/gel-only-constant.html

 

7-Ken Mode -"VOID" 

This time they are returning to their noise rock roots by lashing out as they open the album with a blistering hardcore banger. The drumming propels the second song in a more punk direction. This might not be as dark, but I appreciate the feel of the late 90s hard-core capture with the more melodic moments

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/ken-mode-void.html

 

6- Jerome's Dream - "The Gray In-between" 

This album falls more on the screamo side of the equation. These guys know what they are doing, I think they accomplished what they set out to do with every ounce of their souls invested in it. If you like screamo this is a must.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/jeromes-dream-gray-in-between.html

5-Mouth For War-"Bleed Yourself" 

With their name, I was expecting more Pantera influence. Instead, it is the kind of metalcore I like that places the emphasis on the hardcore side of the equation and has little to do with Myspace. The thrash grooves gave this a great deal of replay value and it was certainly one of the heaviest hard-core albums to drop this year. 

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/mouth-for-war-bleed-yourself.html

4-Death Pose-"Midnight Society" 

 This Chicago band is being marketed as noise rock when they are a hard-core band. There is a more angular dance with the riffs, but the vocal narrative has the mic out in the crowd, along with the explosive energy that pervades the song. They are likely a hard-core band that is into math rock, or a noise rock band with a hard-core singer, though the latter does not explain the punchy manner they attack their songs. This is their debut album, so they could still find themselves settling into who they are. Once they bring the breakdowns the debate is settled.    

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/death-pose-midnight-society.html

3- Svalbard - "The Weight of the Mask" 

This marks the third time these guys have made My Top 10 Hardcore  Albums of the Year list. This time around they were almost moving in a more black metal direction,  They retained the crusty side of what's going on here with hard-core influenced accents. More often than not a furious tempo, that is more explosive than dark or cold sounding, thus making it hard-core once more, while they have not forgotten the atmospheric elements like the vocals of  Serena Cherry. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/svalbard-weight-of-mask.html

 

2- Will Haven - "VII" 

They hit you with hammering hardcore and manage to pack in a dense atmosphere. The syncopated chugs create the apex of breakdowns.  If you grew up listening to nu-metal but matured into metallic hardcore, then this is the album for you. Really if you like heavy music colored by atmosphere this album is also for you as well. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/will-haven-vii.html

1-Harm's Way - "Common Suffering" 

After being convinced to check them out upon hearing the "Undertow" single featuring the singer of King Woman, I was surprised by the rest of the album, which hits in the way that I typically want my hardcore to slap me. Harm's Way has a gritty musculature to the riffs, and the vocals punch in all the right places to rally the head bob inducing syncopations shift with a groove. There is a great deal of emotion to the construction of the songs that paints things in a bleak shade of gray rather than just being the macho in-your-face beat down you might expect this to be

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/harms-way-common-suffering.html

Will Haven : "VII"

 

Their 2018 album upheld the band's legacy so the bar is high for this one. They hit you with hammering hardcore and managed to pack in a dense atmosphere. The syncopated chugs create the apex of breakdowns. The first song had me pretty amazed. "5 of Fire" picks up the pace before hitting with even denser riffs, that hold equal sonic weight and intensity. Lots of credit goes to Deftones producer Joe Johnston for dialing everything in just right. The guitars are nasty sounding, but everything has room to breathe in the mix. "For All Future Time" serves as a good example of how the separation of instruments that keeps this from being a throbbing wave of down-tuned sound, plays in the favor of the song, rather than just being heavy for the sake of being heavy. 

The ambiance really darkens things well, providing more sonic colors and making things more dynamic. He actually sings on "Evolution of a Man" though the coarse screaming is the album's most frequent impassioned narrative. You can hear them intersect hardcore with nu-metal. But it is done in a manner that places emphasis on groove rather than Addias clad posturing. They keep hitting you with the heavy the further into this album you go. Rather than play on genre tropes they push the sounds around to their liking. Often the surprise comes with a riff heavier than the previous. "Wings of Maripose" hits your ears with this kind of renewed fury and does not trip over it's own feet when they pick up the pace.  "Diablito" sounds like an extension of "Wings of Maripose" but in this case it is not a deal breaker. 

They hit the perfect balance of overwrought catharsis and ambient washing the sting away with "No Stars to Guide Me". "Feeding the Soil" could be said to have more of a Deftones vibe to it. There is a wooziness to the atmosphere that separates this from them, also you can not remember the last time a  Deftones album got this metallic. The last song feels like more of an outro, there is a few lingering chugs that find it but ambiance seems to be its main objective. I will round this one up to a ten making it better than their last album. If you grew up listening to nu-metal but matured into metallic hardcore, then this is the album for you. Really if you like heavy music colored by atmosphere this album is also for you as well. It drops July 7th. 

Horseneck : "Fever Dream"

Not sure why I waited this long to give the album a shot. It came out back in Febuary , which is our Black Metal History Month, so it slipped between the cracks as I was focused on black metal. Seems like they are more in a rock n roll direction on this one. The vocals coast along not unlike Queens of the Stoneage. There is a great deal of retro fanfare to what they do. They dial up the intensity for the second song. The vocals are more explosive and screamed , think hardcore not metal. They get pretty pummelling in this meth addled race. "Happy Level Lafter" is more bass driven and dual vocals to give more of a groove. There is a good dynamic shift to "Porcelin Ass". The screaming feels like old Kvelertak. Since Kvelertak doesn't do that any more then you know where to get your fix for drunken punk party rock.

They are good at drunken punk party rock, but the darker more melodic feeling captured on "Red Curtain" works better for me. Julie Bee of Sea of Bees lends her voice to the song. They continue down a moody road, with the Chelsea Wolfe influence coming out on "A Discarded Mess" .  They lumber back with a powerful sludge riff for "Matt Lauer's Secret Button". They certainly score points for song titles. How much of this is reflected in the lyrics, I am not sure. "Sleeping With Sliverfish" is more of a moody grunge ballad. Then they are back to kicking up dust and thunder with the rowdy rock fest that is "Grease".

There is more of a noise rock stomp to "Mr. Funny Guy, Full of Bullshit". The yelled vocals keep the drunken punk party rock going . The drunk punk party rock  vibes are proved true by the title of the last song "Margaritadelphia". There is a chant in it of "Every thing in moderation" .  I will give this one a 9, its kinda sludge kinda drunk punk party rock, and even grunge in spots, what it is not is a sophomore slump, as they came back with their songwriting hats on.

Will Haven : "Muerte"

This album proves this band was  always more hard core than they were nu-metal, it was that tour with the Deftones that really put them on every ones map. The first song is aggressive as fuck, but the guitar sounds darker and more dissonant on the second song. In the last minute of the song it takes a turn that finds the atmosphere of the song getting sonically heavier. The production on the drums still has a late 90s kind of pop to the snare. "Kinney" finds the ban hammering harder with a dense pulsing. This is continued with an interesting shift in dynamics, despite the vocals staying the course on what in comparison is more of a one dimensional scream. There is a sense of atmosphere that lurks at the edge of the booming distortion. Perhaps it is just in the frequencies of the feedback.  "43" is more punishing. It's obvious these guys were ahead of their time as this stands up against the dark hardcore of today , but is not far removed from what these guys used to do in 1997. Mike Scheidt contributes guest vocals to "No Escape". The song takes a darker turn the last minute.

"Unit K" is yet another turn into something where they find away to hammer at you with building aggression, I guess this song is the closest glance back to the musical tone of 1997. There are moments of groove similar to those of the Deftones heavier moments, like the chug to "Ladwig no. 949". At times it is hard to not bang your head along which is always a good sign. That same balance of oppressive sonic atmosphere and chugged out groove permeates "Bootstraps". The dark hard core bands of today could learn a lot from these guys. Perhaps they already have an Will Haven has yet to get the credit they are due. Not that bands like Bloodlet were not already stomping out this kind of dark angry metal tinged hard core, this just seems more like a testament to their legacy.

There is almost a Starkweather like feel to "Now in Ashes".  They are not as relentless and give the song more room to breathe. Stephen Carpenter plays on the last song which has hints of his signature riffing. The band also has common ground with in the Deftones in the melodic dissonance of the guitars. Overall this is a fine return to form and I'll give this one a 9.





 

Horseneck : " Heavy Trip"

This band consists of former members of Wil Haven and Jess Gowrie who played drums for Chelsea Wolfe on the last time she came around on the "Abyss" tour. It kicks off with a crazy 70's style boogie that is couple with sometimes manic screaming, though there is also actual singing on this track as well. There is more of a Kvelertak like rock n roll strut to " Michael Caine" . It might be a little middle of the road and strike as a party anthem of sorts , but it is really well done even in it's most derivative moments. I don't think "P.a.g" really upholds the highest standards we are hearing from the first two songs, but it might be that I am used to their sound at that point. Though the smoother vocal really makes a difference on "Smoking Stacks".

Jess' drumming is better than what I heard her do with Chelsea Wolfe. There is a weird bluesy slacker groove to "Hangman". It plods along in the most surreal way possible. "Bobby Brown" is more straight forward and I don't find it as engaging. "No Gods " has a more powerful metal kick to it.There is a more sludge core energy bursting from "Lester Vitalis". They back off from the pounding and allow for a more Dinosaur Jr like melody on "Basket of Snakes". It ebbs back into their more savage side and offers a more snarling contrast two one another as the song ambles along. They end the album with the upbeat attack of "Plow the Road". This is another songs that has more of that Acid Bath swamp groove to it. I suppose you could say Kyuss is an influence on this guys , but there is more of a swamp feel than the kind of desert rock Kyuss kicked up and the Sabbath influence is far more dialed back. I would think these guys listen to more punk than metal. The guitar hints at the fact they own several 70's rock albums like say Thin Lizzy. I'll give this album a 9 for now and see how it grows on me, so it is a rather pleasant surprise.