Ministry : "Hate to Go- Take Out or Delivery"

 

Ministry is becoming like Cher, Ozzy, and Kiss, with lots of farewell tours and last albums being used as a marketing ploy. This album starts off just giving you what you expect from Al these days: more metal than electronic, though about as aggressive as KMFDM, though twice as politcal; this is nothing new for this project. "We Hate" is more deliberate andd has a more memorable riff than what they throw at you in the first three songs. Granted, Ministry has some classic albums; "Filth Pig" is one of the heaviest albums that is still song-focused. Al's vocal delivery is more of a roar in this style. They use samples in a way that fits who they are and supports the songs' narrative. 

"Delete" is a commentary about social media that is fuelled by a pretty mean riff that works well. "Grifter" has a more melodic under current. The recent re-visitation of their early work faked us out and made us think that they were returning to a more synth-driven sound, and this song is the first that holds any of those elements. We get reverbed guitar tones and more sonic colors, which is welcome. While lyrically silly," the White Man Lied " works because it offers some melodic layers. 

"Singularity" carries a more aggressive riff. It carries a pretty effective thrashing stomp. The robot voice serves as a counterpoint, and the groove lingers. "Burned Out" benefits from a darker bass line. The samples take over this one, and the groove just kinda of drones. The last song, "We're Still Here' riffs off the previous song. There is a more Skinny Puppy-like vocal coming out of it. Overall, if this is the last album it could have been better; it is focused on dated topics and feels like recycling ideas, but it does capture the sound that work well for them and is song-focused. I will give it a 9.5 

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DeathbyRomy : "Teenage Fever Dream"

 

When the opening track finds its footing, it is clear she is aware of today's musical landscape, as the hyperpop techno feels more relevant than a great deal of her peers who are just writing around on YouTube, trying to convince you they are goth. Weirdly, she is clearly pop but plays festivals like Welcome to Rockville, but the kids need something.  "BODYHORROR" is more aggressive lyrically and marginally more so sonically. She sings about bleeding out on the floor and leaving a pretty corpse, letting you know she might not be as vapid as her previous album tried to imply with her hyper fixation on Hollywood. There are touches of guitar here, but it's unlikely anyone would mistake this for metal. 

Her voice flexes more confidence on "Teenage Ice Age". I detect a slight Pink or Halsey influence on this one. This song is more deliberate and emotionally complex; not sure what it is trying to convey. The more playful sounds on "Psych Ward Fantasy" are more fun, with the bass carrying a great deal of thump. Perhaps more of a Kesha vibe here. It works pretty well when Blk Alt ERA joins her for "Crush," though her collaboration with Princess Nokia works even better. There is a more pronounced touch of hip-hop. How organic these pairings are nad how much of a nudge she got from the industry is yet to be known. After all, just being a white in the music industry is not going to cut it in 2026.

"2468" has a hook that feels so familar I had to look up to see if it was a cover; there is a Pink vibe to it. It does show she is more than capable of delivering bangers on her own. "Manic Dream" has a more Nine Inch Nails-like throb. It is very well produced. When the beat really builds, it proves to be effective. It should come as no surprise that the song "Heavy Metal" is not metal; after all, that would be too obvious. It has a pretty impressive beat. It is so impressive that it is going to find her going head-to-head with Slayyyter. Though the latter seems more organic in comparison. Guitarist Jayden Hammer, who plays guitar for her live, helps out on the last song. The song carries a great sense of drive. Overall, this album is an improvement over last year's album; she now holds her own just fine. For what she does this album is perfect; I will give it a 10.

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November is Doom- Exhuming the Tunes with Trouble's "Manic Frustration"

 

The 92 follow-up to their self-titled classic was hard to measure, and it deserves to be given a fair chance, as they were moving into the grunge era of music, finding this batch of songs less metallic and taking on a more organic rock feel. There is a great deal of groove to the album opener.  In ' 92, I wanted it to be more metal, as I was more into death metal. "Scuse Me" is more aggressive, but maringally less metal than the previous album. The middle section in this song is more intersting. It makes me wonder if they were trying to go in a more Guns N ' Roses-like direction. 

"the Sleeper' does kick into a heavier punch from the guitars, with the drums driving it more. It's the way it chugs that brings it back to metal. Not their doomiest moment of the album thus far. "Fear" is the first more deliberate moment that flirts with doom. The vocals have more effects on them on this album. This also happens to be where they are really doing more drugs.  It is still working for me, song-wise, so I am not complaining... yet. The very tight midrange guitar tone is very 90s. Then comes "Rain," which is a more mainstream rock ballad. I do like when he goes into his lower register. It balances out the mood here so it is not so bright. It's a pretty simple arrangement. 

They come back harder for " Tragedy Man.", His vocals sit bakc more against the guitar here, and harmony vocals surface more than I remember them using in the past here. Lyrically, it is one of the better moments. The hardest thing they have going for them here is competing against the previous album, though I remember this one being received pretty well. "Memory's Garden" almost makes me think of old Scorpions. The title track works off the groove of the previous song.  It has a more blues-based rock n roll feel, with the punch of the riffs. As a song, it gets more jammy in places when the guitar solos come. Yet it does not quite match the level of songwriting we have heard to this point. 

Without a doubt, "Hello Strawberry Skies" is the strongest song on the album. His voice is dialed in, and it has a darker pulse to the guitars. "Mr White" is another pretty solid song, as his voice clicks just right with the guitars. The vocals sit back against the guitars on this one too, but it still allows the feel of the song to shine through. The album closes with "Breathe," which is a surreal ballad that is darker, making it stand out from the rest of the album. It would say only 20 percent of this album is doom, but the songwriting still works even in this more straightforward direction so I will round it up to a 10.

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Deux Visages : "Call it Goodbye"

 This shoegaze trio balances the sublime swath of sound with melodies that are more dream pop to keep things from becoming dense with ambiance. The warble of effected guitar that recalls My Bloody Valentine has become a staple of the genre andd while present, it is not all they limit themselves to. "Always  You" is the lead single from this album, but it does not candy-coat anything for airplay. The verses do back off alittle to let the vocals come through mroe but that is all the mainstream conformity they engage in, which just lends to stronger dynamics. This kind of restraint tells me they are not jsut trying to make drugged-out sounds but care about the songs. 

It's 'Behind" that has a marginally more mainstream feel, if we are talking about what htey mainstream was in the 90s. The vocals stay light and sugary; the music under her backs off a bit more at times, but converges back in to let the dynamics punch. "Missed Calls" has more of a punk bounce to it, though sitting firmly in the 90s indie rock-post-grunge feel.'Automatic" is grounded by a hefty bass line that adds a darker color to the alternative whimsy. I appreciate the melancholy of Afterthought when they step on the distortion pedals and rock it out, the feel getting submerged below the surface. 

There is a weirdly upbeat mood to "Fleeting Wishes". The bass line keeps it moving in a different direction against the swell atmosphere. It finds dynamic contrast in the punches, but it is a song that will take a few listens to fully click. At a minute and a half, "Silhouette " is more like an interlude than a fully formed song, but when the drums kick in, they try to argue otherwise. The drums lay back and create space on "Paint Myself Blue". It gives her youthful vocal approach room to wander in its musings. The wall of sound crashes back in on a wave of fuzz. You can hear the Lush influence on this one. 

"Pixelate" has a more angular feel that still forms its own groove. The title track closes the album with a fuzzed jangle. The bass player once again keeps things held down, and the verses give her room to sing. It is a formual that works without being overt. They are more uptempo on this one, closing the album with a brisk energy. Her lyrics cut through the layers more easily on this one. I really like what they are doing; it's one of the years best shoegaze albums that is not afraid to show they can play their instruments nad rock out. 

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Suicide Silence : "Graceless"

This band's last album scored an 8.5 here. They are good at what they do and put in the work in the studio to cocme up with a massive, heavy sound, but do they write songs that make me want to listen to them over and over again? Not really; Unenlightened is mostly due to the fact that I alreaddy have death metal bands that fill this need for me. I find the higher-pitched vocals kind of annoying, but solid riffing on "Unenlightened" balances it out. The title track that opened the album offered the kind of pounding you expect from these guys, so I am listening to see where they break away from the formula. These are the moments that feel most unique. 

" Make Your Exit" just feels like a part of another song rather than something standing on it's own two feet. "Rotting Inside" carries a little more groove. It's the best song so far. "Cursed Since Birth" finds them racing into something that Cannibal Corpse is better at. When "Incisions" blasts off I totally lose trakc of where we were going on this album, as it all blurs into a heavy rumble. It is not until "Reminders of Hell" that I begin paying attention again. It manages to find a stompy groove. Even then, no one is going to accuse this of being the year's most original album. 

"Devoured Dreams" is another song that jolts me from the blur of crushing, down-tuned riffs. There were not huge shifts in their song writing jut things were doen in a hookier fashion. This does not carry over into the last song which feels the most rushed of the album. I will give this album an 8.5 ,as well, it is consistent with how they are which is not a rare commodity iff you want angry poundding then they have that going for them 

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November is Doom- Pantheist : "Uncanny Times"

This band from Belgium plays a compelling version of funeral that uses some interesting layers of sound rather than just the atmospheric, cavernous drift. Female vocals color the opening song. It's punchier than what funeral doom normally does, but that plays to their benefit, as they do not allow themselves to check off the expected boxes. There is a bit of grandiose chaos, but it works for what they are doing; if every song has this level of over-the-top bombast, it might be a bit of an acquired taste. The guitar solo fills the spot where the operatic vocals sat. Growl vocals do emerge, with drums moving the metal riffs with a more flowing speed. 

The second song: The Laughing Falcon," is more of an uptempo, grooving death-doom riff-based attack with growled vocals. It has some atmosphere, but the primary attack is more metallic, placing them on the Paradise Lost side without the gothic touches. I guess it sounds good, but it doesn't really set them apart, even when the female vocals come in. "Kuebiko" brings the more grandiose symphonic elements back into focus with the wailing of a soprano. As someone who has listened for more than my fair share of opera over the years, she does not have the control an actual opera singer should, but it should fool heavy metal kids who have no idea. The pipe organ is a cool touch. 

"Entropy" balances the atmosphere with a cool groove. It's an instrumental that is under four minutes, but is a direction they have been better served exploring. Used in this context, it's more of an interlude. "Ithaca Out of Sight" has more of a Dead Can Dance ambiance it lingers in before hte guitar solo comes ripping in. At almost 14 minutes, they let this one sprawl out. In closing with a 16-minute song, they are not afraid to sprawl things out. Normally, with doom bands, this is because of the tempo they are playing at, but this album is pretty deliberate. At times, this album brings Theater of Tragedy to mind. At the five-minute mark, I have no idea how they are going to drag this out for another 11 minutes. The answer is that, six minutes later, they let things break down into a lingering piano jam before bringing the growled vocals in. It is pretty dark and depressive-sounding, so it works.I will give this album an 8.5, if you want operatic doom this is for you.o

5.5

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the Heavy Eyes : "Focus"

This is the band's 5th album, so they have a solid grasp of what they are going for here. It opens with a strummed, folksy ballad that slowly unfolds. The vocals are more soulful than most and carry a little brooding to them. The guitar tones have a Western shadow to them. This one does not really hook me, though I can tell they have talent so I keep listening. The fuzz is not fired up until the second song. Even then, there is still not a heavy feel to this, though they are going for a more rock vibe. The vocals are a little too happy; with a huskier vocal apporach it might work better. The drummer and bass player seem to be the most talented members of this band. If it were not for the bass player, this song would not be heavy at all. 

There is a better groove for "It's All Simone," yet another song that owes a great deal to its bass line, as it could easily be more like Hozier in other hands.I mean, I like Hozier for what he is, but I do not think that is what this band is going for. The vocals hold this one back. The drummer tries to get them fired up, and the bass player might be down for it, but the rest of the badn is trying to figure out what is going on. band. By the time it gets ti 'Sarissa," I am having to endure this album more than I am enjoying, yet they are decent musicians; it is just how they are applying these skills. The vocals at this point are annoying me. 

"Corporal Upham" finds the tones gaining more heft, which makes you think that they might get more serious here. If some frat boys tried to make a jam that had a slight Black Sabbath influence, it would also sound like this. However, this might be the album's best song so far, so there might still be hope. I am betting these guys are all really into All Them Witches, which I just reviewed, so it is hard to unhear the similarities. The groove here, however, goes a long way. The title track is more of a boogie than I like my music to dance in. 

The groove for "Greener " works better for me, but it is more of a Kings of Leon vibe. The beer-drinking college kids need something to listen to, and this song is better than most on here. They name-drop Fugazi, but I am not hearing much of that in their music, aside from the occasional bass line. "Words" has the most aggressive feel so far, and it's about as heavy as Pearl Jam when they are not in their more punk mode. The Might Return of "That Cold Goliath" has a better groove than the first time around. 'Holy Envy" closes the album with an oddly more melodic song that feels like it is combining elements of all the bands your average college kid might love; Pink Floyd collides with a more jam band version of the Police. Musically, it is a little moodier, which i can appreciate. Overall, I will give this album an 8.5, as they are good at what they are doing andd the album sounds well crafted it is just not my thing, not dark enough. 

10.2

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