Abysmal Hymns
darker shades of metal, hymns of goth and post-punk ...all for the worship of darkness
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Child of Night : "Conspiracy"
Heavy Maytal - Gus G : "STEEL BURNER"
Heavy Maytal- Iron Maiden's "Piece of Mind"
Jungle Rot : "Cruel Face of War".
Heavy Maytal -Venom : "Into Oblivion"
The 16th album in the career of this project, which now counts Cronos as the sole original member. Things have not changed a great deal thanks to Cronos's voice that finds him belting it out with the same throaty zeal that drove their earlier. In fact, this album is more metal and less punk than what people would call Venom's most classic work. There is more of a thrashing feel to "Lay Down Your Soul". They hammer at you with the intensity of a Motorhead song. It's catchy enough even at this amped up speed. There is more of a gallop to "Nevermore" which works well; in fact, it's the best of the first three songs.
There is a more overt metal sense to the riffing that was not in the band's classic work, but it's pretty effective and sounds relevant in 2026. "Man & Beast" should please most headbangers, but the punk rock side of their older fan base is not going to be into this, but oh well, it sounds fucking good to me. Though "Death the Leveller" is closer to their more punk side, as a whole, this album reclaims their place in the classic metal hall of fame.
"As Bove So Below" gallops into darker regions draped in their pseudo Satanic musings whih are entertaining but not something I am going to stake a seriously as I did as a teenager. There is a faster thrashing to "Kicked out of Hell" that is not as effective as what they did on the previous song. "Legend" is darker and more epic, with a more deliberate stomp that brings Celtic Frost to mind. "Live Loud" works of a similar but more driving chug. The drummer proves himself to me on this song. You can't ignore the palm-muted chug to "Metal Bloody Metal" at the very least carries echoes of White Zombie. But it still works. The drumming on "Dogs of War" helps to seal the deal.
"Deathwitch" is pretty powerful and heavy enough to punch above its weight class. These guys were once considered to be on the heavier side of the genre when they came on the scne but now, as times have changed, their earlier albums are more middle of the road, so this album shows where they stand in today's metal world. There is a creepier atmosphere, thanks to the subtle use of synths on the last song, which helps to create a more sinister mood. I will round this album up to a 10 as it makes me a fan again, and Cronos is bringing the legacy of this band back to where it needs to be. Fans of metal should give this album a shot, it's impressive. and exceeding my expectations. Dropping on Noise Records.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Heavy Maytal- Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast"
I have always loved the syncopation of the drums leading into "The Prisoner," it's one of the album's best grooves. This song also shines a spotlight on the fact that when it comes to metal guitar solos, Miaden does it right by not just wanking off with shredding but using it to build on the melodic themes of their songs. Part 2 of the Charlotte saga continues on "22 Arcaia Ave ". This is darker than what they did on the "Killers." Then there is the title track, which is one of the best songs of all time, and has some tricky timing in the verses.
What do I need to say about "Run to the Hills" aside from the fact that it's an iconic metal anthem? If you have heard any Maiden song, it has to have been that one. "Gangland" is my least favorite song on this album, but it still holds its own against their legacy. "Hallowed By Thy Name" closes the album in the most perfect manner possible. They took the epic songwriting formula they had been fine-tuning on the previous albums and made it bigger and darker. This is beyond being just a perfect album and hit a place that changed the shape of metal. I will give it the rare 11, setting it alongside the best albums ever made.
pst173Heavy Maytal -Sins of Shadows : "the Last Frontier"
 
This band from France is, in some ways, like a more high-speed Kamelot. The vocals are the kind of dramatic yodelling that some times allwos it's over the top delivery to sacrfice the hooks in favor of vibrato and power, which might be why I do not give new musicc like this much of a chance and tend to stick to the classics who were not influenced by other metal bands but rock or prog bands so they jsut added the metal to the equation rather than trying to emmulaqte it. I guess Helloween is the first band that I noticed was trying to be like another metal band in this regard. The Iron Maiden influence was obvious, though now listening back, I can hear some Scorpions. With these, Queensryche and Iron Maiden are the big ones, but their gallop needs to be dialed up to fully capture the epic quality.
These guys are releasing this album themselves so there are some budget constraints in the production, though the layers of vocals were given some love as they still manage a very larger-than-life sound until it gets to things like guitar solos that are sometimes sitting back in the mix rather than stepping into the spotlight. 'Walls of Past" is the first song where it feels like the barrage gets chaotic until the layers of guitars settle in. Less is more when it comes to this sort of thing, and when they give the vocals room to not have to yodel over things, it works best. Maybe 10 bpms slower would have benefited them and made it have more purpose. It feels like they are all over the place here.
"Tell Me Why" has a similar energy as the previous song, but a little more purpose, and the vocals benefit from this. Though another problem is revealed in the chorus, as it sounds too bright and is not dark enough for me. The lyrics are not that great either. If you want a band that will dedicate a section of a song to a guitar solo, these guys are for you. There is a more Iron Maiden-like sound to "Rise Again," but it brings that Helloween feel to mind. Sure, this guy can hit high notes, but I would be more impressed by hearing some low ones as well; it's not range if that is all you do.
"As Darkness Falls" should certainly feel darker, but will it ?" Well marginally. The vocals are grandiose but not catchy like something Maiden would do that gets stuck in your head, though this is an improvement, and perhaps the best song so far. A beefier guitar tone would also benefit these guys, though I know they like this one for the shredding. 'The End of the Road" finds them slowing it down enough to gain more purpose. This makes it another one of the album's strongest songs, as they are approaching things with more wisdom as the slower build creates the dynamic Overall they did a good job of making the album they wanted to make on the budget they had, so for that I will give this album an 8 as they are formidible musicians. .
6.2


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