Death Comes Crawling : "In My Memories , Old" .

The focus of my reviews is largely looking forward to where music is going and reviewing the artists most current material. From time to time I do my "Looking Back in Anger" column where I will see how supposed classics hold up over time. This ep is the projects latest release, but it is a reflection on where they have been rather than where they are going  Dis Pater of Midnight Odyssey helms this "band" whose 2017 album is more synth pop, like a darker version of the Pet Shop Boys. These songs pre dated the 2017 album by 2 years and are just now being released. This is more organic and closer to post- punk than any kind of wave. Musically it's far superior to their current direction. The vocals are lower and more stark. The guitars are very sonic and more like Love & Rockets. 

The second song has more drive where the opener is more atmospheric and spacious. They not only have a cool sound , but these are good songs. There are plenty of synths in play. The first song being closer to what they are currently doing. Clan of Xymox is a fair refence point to their sonic zip code. 

The guitar takes on more of a strum for "These Thoughts Today". It's kind of a long intro for what they are doing. The vocals are interesting when they come in. Kinda  of creepy like Peter Murphy in his higher mid range. This is the most straight forward song. It's also not as dark as the first two. This where it seems the album takes a turn in another direction, while the guitar is less strummed this song has a similar feel as the previous one. I think I like the vocal melody to this one better.

"Don't Be So Brave" is more piano driven. It is also darker than the previous two songs. There is more sonic depth to the chord progression that rings out. The vocal are not as prominent until the chorus. The melody reminds me of something Interpol might do. The verses are a little more gothy. I would not guess this came out of Australia it certainly feels more British.  I will round this down to a 9 as the third and fourth song kinda run together sonically.. But aside from that this is a great album even if it is not a perfect one as those are few and far between. I hope this project returns to a sound closer to what is going on here. 

the Top 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time - 40- 31

Ok, we are continuing the countdown of the top 50 heaviest albums of all time. The next ten albums represent most sub genres of metal, black metal, sludge, death metal, thrash and grind core. Yes there will be more doom just in future installments.


40- Pantera - "the Great Southern Trendkill"


Yes "Far Beyond Driven" is a more in your face aggressive album, but aggression alone does not make heavy. This album is heavier due to the emotional darkness poured into it as the band hit bottom with their addictions. 




39-Mutilation Rites - "Harbinger"

In the previous installment of this list I touched on the elements that sometimes cause black metal to not be as heavy as it could, when it works solely off speed, drone and atmosphere. This album brings density and grime to show how heavy it can be when it's done right. 


 




38-Amenra- "Mass VI"

This Belgian sludge ban's mastery of loud to soft dynamics makes them more sonically powerful than their peers. This album really captures that. 




37-Otargos - "No God No Satan"

French black metal that is equal parts dark and abrasive. I do not believe in evil, but it if were to have a sound this album would capture it . 





36-Deathspell Omega- "Paracletus"


This is not just another French Black metal band , this is THE French black metal band. These guys are like a heavier version of Emperor. By heavier in this instance I mean invoking chaos with angular dissonance






35-S.O.D- "Speak English or Die"



This 1985 classic would never fly if it had been released to the tender souls of 2020. They came out during the cross over thrash movement, but along with Napalm Death are the fore fathers of modern grindcore


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34 Bolt Thrower - "Realm of Chaos"



This 1989 album storms into battle like a more violent version of Morbid Angel. Density and intensity are the weapons they are bringing into to battle here with more of a stomp than a gallop.



 


33- Cobalt -"Eater of Birds"

This blackened sludge project brought a great deal of thrash influence to the table with their 2007 album that recalls the wailing and gnashing of teeth associated with a descent into hell. 






32-Graves at Sea -' the Curse That Is "

The volume and power of these riffs swallows you into their murky depths and pulverizes you with their nastiness not unlike being sucked into a black hole, it's just done with more bong smoke here. 






31- Full of Hell- " Rudiments of Mutilation"


This 2013 album is an example that in todays world grindcore is created when a hard core band goes over to the dark side.

Commando : " Rites of Damnation"

I had high hopes for this Swedish band when they surface in my in-box. Right from there was a riff that almost rips off Mercyful Fate. The thing that was the biggest disappointment was the vocals . The are crazed , but also a little pitchy. I was hoping for something more sung. Musically these guys are pretty decent. Mercyful Fate is one of my favorite bands , as is In Solitude who drew heavily from Fate and I still loved them as they brought their own darkness to things. The drums are weird sounding going into the second song. There are a few production mishaps , but early thrash was not the best produced by any means. It's on the second song that I pick out the vocals remind me of Paul Baloff . By the second song either I am now used to this vocal style or it works better with what they are doing. This is less Fate and more like Maiden's thrashier moments.

By the time we are at the third song what they do begins to need more dynamics as it all starts sounding the same. The pacing is becoming very similar . While the vocals grew on me by the second song I am already tired of them one song later. Lyrically it's a bunch of wanna be fantasy occult gibberish. The fourth song is an instrumental, that is basically a cool riff that could have been better served as an actual song. If the purpose was to spare us from the vocals then I guess that works as it's more of the same on "Sinners Soul" in places you can hear more of a "Kill'em All" Metallica thing going on. The melodic break in this song is what they should have been doing all along to keep things fresh.

"Burn the Sky" doesn't offer much different except for the fact it's more aggressive making it sound more like something from 'Bonded By Blood" .  If you are really into Mercyful Fate, Metallica and Exodus and your tastes do not vary from 1986, then this might be the album you are looking for. If this is the case you might have felt albums like "Don't Break the Oath", " Ride the Lightning" and "Pleasures of the Flesh" were over produced sell outs rather than classics that outshone what came before them. They are good at what they do , though the vocals need work. Will give this a 7. Being released on High Roller Records.

Hallows : "Subtle"

Haven't done much goth centric stuff, since mmm Fotocrime? The new Night Sins almost doesn't count. This is a duo out of Seattle. This is more of an EP than an album as There are really only four tracks as the first one is just an intro. When they kick in I find a blend of modern dance and old school 80's new wave. Yes it is a shade darker. This is highlighted when the male vocals join in. The girls voice is lighter. Things swirl around them in a murky fashion due to the lo fi production that adds it's own charm to the proceedings. The drum programming is their only weak point though it could just be it needs a more bass focused mix. There was however plenty of stuff that came out back in the day that had that sound though I remember it being more reverb based. It sounds like there might be guitar , then when I listen harder I can hear it's just a synth sound.


The dead pan melody of "the Call-Ravenous" could use more hook, and the female vocals on this song so give you a little more to hook you into the song. By the time we get to " In a Sleeping World"  the songs are beginning to become a blur by sounding the same. There are some variations in the synth riffs, the monotone vocals have the same narrative and they might be better off make the female vocals more of a focal point. Midway into the song, things do modulate enough to stay interesting and she does a call and response with him. This is when they first break away from being more of a sound and cross over into songwriting. It is more clear that guitar is coming in here as well. I can here some very early Cocteau Twins influence. The droning nature also recalls Joy Division.

There is more of a hypnotic shoe gaze thing going with the last song. The pace is slower allowing this to stand out from the other songs. I had a girl friend who used to refer to the music I listened to as heroin music, as she claimed it was all so dark and droning it's no wonder I was into drugs. This could fall into that, but that should be worn as a badge of honor. When the modulations into other movements is more dramatic is where their songwriting works the best. The melody the female vocals conjure towards the second half of this song however is the least compelling of what I have heard from her thus far.  The get points for the mood and nailing the sound , I think this project has potential I will give it an 8. If you are really hungry for dark music this might tide you over for a time.

Ulcerate : "Stare Into Death and Be Still"

The New Zealand death metal band's 6th album really finds them making the most of what works best . They have their sound dialed in. It has enough different elements to please most fans of death metal. They are atmospheric without having to relent on the heaviness. They are dissonant without forsaking melody. The have a low classic death metal growl that digs into the darkness of a subterranean depth. The have a punishing enough assaults' coming from the drums to please those who look for brutality when it comes to their death metal. That is if they are not wanting something to slam them in the face like Suffocation does. There are blast beats , but this does not owe anything to black metal. To just be a death metal band in 2020 says something about the dedication to ones craft , as doom and black metal influences have run rampant on the genre since the last album these guys released.

These guys are not what I think of as technical death metal, though their compositions are intricate. "Exhale the Ash" finds them weaving some melody into the angular jerk back into the faster sections. There is a certain uniformity to their sound that carries over from the first song. At a minute and a half into the song they give it the breathing room it needs for it to stand on it's own two legs. Death metal drummers have to be good, so it's expected, but this album once again finds their drummer going beyond the call of duty. There is a little bit of swing to the title track. It is not just a full frontal ponding which is a wise choice as it was already beginning to numb me out and we are only on the third song. This reprieve only last for the first two minutes then they pummel you for three minutes before you get anohter breather . They do make the second half of the song more interesting. " There is No Horizon" gives a better picture of how their songwriting has matured. Only three of the 8 songs find them passing the 8 minute mark. So they do not get over indulgent and jam things out. In fact I have not heard an actual guitar solo yet. If there was one it got buried in the barrage.

Up until the vocals come in they use restraint on "Inversion". After that it's back to heavy as normal. Dynamically this album could use more moments like the beginning of "Visceral Ends". I am surprised they held back as long as they did to crunch down. There is a simple palm muted chug that runs through the middle of the song that proves less can be more. The beating they give you the first 3 minutes of "Drawn into the Next Void" doesn't feel as fresh as the atmospheric section that follows it. By the last song things have kind of blended into a blur of distortion and double bass with some angular melody rining out over it. I will give this album an 8, mainly because the songs can become a blur and uiniform in sound. It is not their best album, but they have grown as a band into a very concise machine. Fans of this band should not be disappointed. This album is being released April 24th on Debemur Morti .

the Top 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time : 50 - 41

The idea to make this list came as I was trying to make an apocalypse playlist. These are heavy times and they make me want to listen to the most crushing music I have. Metal is like drugs. What seemed heavy at first no longer does after a time so you have to up your dose of heaviness in order to get the same result. I extended the invitation on social media for people to nominate albums with the caveat that the bar for heaviness these albums needed to surpass was Morbid Angel's "Blessed Are the Sick " album. It's the band's heaviest and while Morbid Angel is one of my favorite death metal bands they are not the most crushing . They are good at what they do. Some of the albums that got nominated did make the cut. There was however a great deal of mention of bands like Mercyful Fate and Black Sabbath, both of whom are among my favorite bands not just metal , but off all time. However this is not a list of my favorite bands. Nor is it s list of the most influential albums . It is a list of the heaviest albums. Ones that are crushing in a way that makes listeners of lesser metal uncomfortable. When you put Black Sabbath up against the albums on this list, while they influenced most if not all of the musicians playing on them Sabbath comes across as just harder edge rock. This is not taking away from Ozzy and the boys that is just how it is.  

When asked how is heavy being defined the best answer I have given is " the density of sound, sonically intense with an malevolent emotional intention behind it" . So just loud and distorted are less than the bare minimum. I need musicians using their instruments to create darkness and torment. Things like playing fast might factor in here and there , but speed alone doesn't make anything heavy. There are tons of fast punk bands that are not heavy. Just tuning low is not heavy, Korn certainly is not on here. There are many different factors that play into each album to earn it's place here and different genres as well with Death Metal, Black Metal , Grind Core and Sludge having the best showing those a few thrash bands and doom bands made the cut . Any ways here are the top 50 heaviest albums of all time.  

50 Morbid Angel- " Blessed are the Sick"

The bands heaviest album, it sounds like they are using their instruments to worship ancient demon gods. The music lives up to the blasphemous declarations of the lyrics. 

49- Starkweather - "Into the Wire" 


Metal mixed with hardcore once worked. These guys are proof. They sound totally unhinged with t the darkness spewed out on this album .  

48- Watain- "Sworn to the Dark"

Black metal can fall into the trap of relying on blast beats , which becomes an atmospheric drone rather than carrying any kind of heft. These guys believe in what they are snarling about which gives an added intention to the spirit of their music. It is most pummeling on this album. 

47-Wayfarer - " World's Blood"

Blending black metal with sludge this band proves you do not have to forsake all semblance of melody in order to be heavy. In fact it is the creepy quality of the guitar melodies that make this heavier. 

46-Godflesh- "Streetcleaner"

This 1989 album has stood the test of time and is just as crushing today as when it come out . 

45- Fister- " No Spirit Within"

These nasty sludge bringers bring a balanced blend of density and darkness with a doomy hopelessness pervading the songs. 

44-Entombed- Left hand Path


In 1990 this album created the template for death metal coming out of Sweden from that point on. With a more jagged guitar one and riffs that hit like hammers.

43-Coffins - "the Fleshland"

Tokyo's death doom warlords destroys your ear drums like a zombie Godzilla on this album. 

 42-Brutal Truth- "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses"

Helmed by Dan Lilker  from Nuclear Assault when this album came out in 1992 it was on of the heaviest things going at the time . 

41- Today is the Day- " In the Eyes of God"

Vocals can often become an after thought in more extreme forms of metal, this album uses them to create a more deranged narrative that furthers the deranged atmosphere.

Aeonian Sorrow : "A Life Without"

Here is my first stab at these guys . Half of the band is from Greece the other half from Finland, so there is a European influence , I guess more colored by the Finnish side considering the more goth tinged metal that come from that region. The low growl on the first song gets credit as it sounds like something you would find on a gore grid album not a doom band like this .  Once they all begin to kick in things build up from the more minimal ambiance the song started with and the vocals are no longer the only thing keeping them heavy. There are some interesting production choices in terms of the mix. The vocals were a little dry and the keyboard almost to reverbed. Midway through the female vocals come in , but in more of a backing capacity. I can hear My Dying Bride is an influence and I am fine with that. They are also into death metal judging by how fluid the double bass is . When Her voice makes itself more prominent in the song, they shine. She is a better singer than this guy is a growler.

They are heavier at the onset of "One Love" . There is a denser punch to the guitars . At ten minutes I feel it's reasonably paced for doom. Sure longer than your average song , but the are playing much slower. Gogo's voice returns to give things more of a Gathering like touch. If you took Katatonia and combined them with say Nightwish, the results would be similar to "My Solitude" and that is a good thing. This is for sure the direction they need to go in it's the kind of killer song I would wear out if this whole album was like this . They prove they can write a strong songs and she can make magic with her melodies .  I get they like being heavy. I can respect that . But if you can do what they did hear , then that is what you need to do .


The last song starts of in a very similar direction that the album opened with .  The difference being it's her vocals rather than the growler. Smart move.  I would not say they are a funeral doom band , they are a gothic doom band influenced by funeral doom. Perhaps they were at one time, but I think that sub-genre would be confining and find them not playing into the strengths they have clearly grown into. The growls do return and they fit better when the roles are reversed and she is in the drivers seat with the growls backing here. She is the best female metal singer you have not heard yet. She can belt from a husky alto. I want to go back and check out the album before this as I am impressed. I will give this a 9.5, they have a great deal of promise as she is an amazing talent and looking forward to hearing how they grow from here .

Spotlights : " We are All Atomic"

The New York shoe gazers are back with their shadowy take on the genre. There is solid blend of shadowy mood that creeps up through the atmosphere on the opening song. I like how percussive the bass is and mixed into the drums. The vocals are the typically hushed drug lullaby that is typical for the genre. There guitar tones are all masterfully recorded . It sounds pretty fucking gorgeous. I know the headphones I have on lean towards a more bass driven mix, so this is going to be an album you need head phone for rather than trusting your computer speakers. The crunch down and get heavier with the more sludge influence sound that colored the previous album. This is also complimented by a more shouted vocal. That is not to say they are done with more melodic and subdued vocal. It's a great balance of dynamics.

For the records none of the songs have titles , they are only listed as parts. You might as well see this album as one work, almost like a symphony as it is a movement. This can be frustrating if you want them to come with the songs like they did on "Love & Decay" They have a fresh new sound, but recycle it some on the second song which sounds almost like a continuation of the first song. It still sounds great , but is a little redundant from a song writing perspective. The third part is under five minutes and works of tension. It sounds good , not unlike the rest of the album , but the first half of the song still finds you hanging on what is little more than a jammed out intro . In the last minute a more upbeat riff comes in to give it some drive, but it's all build no pay off until the next song.

Maybe this is intentional . If that is the case it's kinda pretentious as that is not how rock music should be ingested . They build off of the third song in the last song of the album. It's almost kind of Tool like in how the groove is to coiled and allowed to the explode. I can hear some Failure in this as well. It is a good thing this song really pays off what they were building so it kinda hard to get mad at them for getting proggy with this concept. There is a dynamic ebb and flow to this song ,which is allow to expand retract. I do not like this as much as " Love & Decay" , but it sounds great as for the most part is really well done, despite the issue I previously state which will not keep me from giving this album a 9.

Temple of the Void : " the World That Was "

I got tired of the death doom band wagon every one was jumping on so I dis regarded this one when it showed up in my in-box. I regret doing that as holy shit this album is good. It is dark as fuck and darkness is what I listen for. I was reading an interview with the band and they were talking about the different influences that went into this album and how they were pulling from bands like Alice in Chains and Ride as much as they were Morbid Angel, so how could I not check it out. Yes I do hear those elements. They are done in a way that doesn't take the focus off the death metal back bone of the album. The guitars just use more sonic colors and carry more emotive sounds. Mood wise there is doom, along with the fact they are not blazing at you with a wall of double bass, but the aggression in the chugs of the guitar and the weight of their attack along with the growl of the vocals are all death metal .

Synths play a bigger role on the song " Leave the Light Behind". This one doesn't drag like a doom band, but finds them in a swinging march forward. It also finds them using sung vocals on the chorus. They are more shoe gaze / goth like vocals than the grunge feel some of the guitar melodies carry. I can hear some Entombed influence thrown in as well. They even finds themselves in a pretty aggressive chug midway into this song.  The other places they draw from fit well within the balance of the metal context they are put in. They continue to gain momentum picking up the pace even more on "Casket of Shame" . They are in the more conventional bounds of metal on this one. The lyrics are easy to make out given the articulate rasp of the vocals . The drumming owes more to classic metal on this song. It continues to gain speed until they finds them selves locked into a more thrash like chug.

Going into the title track that closes the album the sorrowful tone to the guitar melodies does have a more Paradise Lost feel, perhaps even doomy enough to cross over into My Dying Bride territory . By My Dying Bride I am talking about "Turn Loose the Swans " not their wimpy new stuff. The keyboards help lend more weight to this comparison. The lyrics are very timely. This song might not grab me as hard as the others  but I will still round this one up to a 10 as it might just need to grow on me. We are just in March, and given the current state of the world who knows how it is going to effect new releases, so this could find it self in the top 10 metal albums of the year if we live til December. I am fine with not making it til December , I can not claim to be into death metal  if I am afraid of death, so if I die and you find this review in December then call it the best death metal album of the year . If I am still alive , I plan on devoting June to death metal , so things might change. Comes out March 27th on Shadow Kingdom.

Nine Inch Nails : "Ghosts VI : Locusts"

This is the darker of the two free albums Trent Reznor released today as a reprieve for those on virus lockdown. I am going to review both , but of course I am going to be fastest to listen to the album Reznor says is the less than hopeful one. The first song is more of a droning atmospheric piece with a repetitive piano part that haunts you .Atticus Ross' partnership continues. Thus there is a more cinematic quality to the music. "Around Every Corner" has more in common with Miles Davis than industrial music. There is some atmospheric dissonance around the edges of this one to give it a more unsettling feel. Is this as dark as say 'the Downward Spiral"?  No and perhaps this is a result of Reznor's sobriety. I get why this was free since " the Worriment Waltz" would sound like something I would improvise just fucking around on the piano if it was not for the trumpet.

There is a beat on "Run Like Hell". No it is not a Pink Floyd cover. Yes, it is still closer to jazz , just a more tribal version of it. There is a more challenging tone to the chiming of " When it Happens" . It's like Avant Garde classical music that some one like John Adams might compose. There are some noisy interludes on this album that I am not counting in this review. I do not care what kind of music you are making as long as you are writing actual songs. This goes for Trent Reznor too. There are some ditties that are not noise , but not quite songs. Just sonic ideas that never go anywhere, I am not counting those either. "Trust Fades" could be the instrumental version of a more ballad like Nine Inch Nails song. "Your New Normal" is more of a song, though it is very ambient. Though that could be said about most of the songs on this album. Sometimes this is done more minimally than others.  'Turn Off Please" has sounds that would work in an actual Nine Inch Nails song. More tribal like drumming returns to this one to create some storm brooding tension.

I was talking to a friend about this album and told them it would be good music to paint to on a rainy day. That however is not why I listen to Nine Inch Nails. Even the more jazz leanings are not a wild departure from sounds they have used in the past. This however is more experimentation with ideas rather than committing  them to songs. For that reason I will round this one down to an 8.

5.9/7

Dopelord : " Sign of the Devil"

Here is a Polish stoner metal band that has a great deal of heft to there sound and sonic layers. I like that there is some creepy melody to this , but it's hard to ignore the fact that this sounds a lot like Electric Wizard meets Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. This is kind of a problem with the sub genre of stoner metal, but I think asking for some originality is not a great deal to ask for. It's not until the second song that you really hear more of who they are . The vocals take on more of a growl to get rid of the acid drenched Sabbath worship that descended from other bands first. It pounds ahead with a little bit of a bounce in it's step, but jams more than it really weaves it's way as a song. The synth sound midway into the song helps give another color to the proceedings.

"Heathen" has a stronger vocal melody to it's chorus than the first two songs. This goes a long way with me and less judging of the droning riff they jam over. I am easier to please than it might sound most of the time if you are regular reader. They use the ten minutes of "Doom Bastards" wisely by backing off and allowing room to breath in order to give the album more of a dynamic range. If they had continued to rumble at you, while they are good at that , the results would have created something that had all begun to sound the same. The less fuzzed out guitar tones might head in a more "Planet Caravan" direction, but this is ok in the context it is being done here. By the time we got to "World Beneath Us" the album began to fade in the back ground. I took a break from it and came back to it with a fresh set of ears. It has more of a classic doom sound. The vocals are the more mock Ozzy style. There are some interesting sounds here, but nothing that makes this stand out from a song writing perspective.

There is more of a Motorhead like bombast to the last song. The vocals are more snarled. It seems an odd touch to have a fast little punk rock ditty that clocks in at a minute and a half close out the album. It's like "Oh yeah , by the way we also like Venom" .  Over all this is a great album. It's dark , heavy and melodic. By heavy not just heavy in a metal sense , but sonically intense as well. One of the best stoner metal albums I have checked out so far this year. I will give it a 9.

Spectres : " Nostalgia"

I love "Nothing to Nowhere" . That is the album I am measuring everything else the put out against . The opening track tells me this is more new wave and not as dark as that one. I am fine with bands maturing. The vocals are improved so lets give this a shot and see how the songs hold up. The guitar tone is better. The reverb on them carries more atmosphere. The vocals are sung higher on the second song, which is more atmospheric than the first. I think this idea is better executed on the more Cure like "When Possessed Pray" . Judging by the sound not the title of the song that must be a pretty happy moment. The vocals work better with the guitars to create a sound not unlike the early alternative rock of the 80s. The bass helps keep it all together where the drums are a little to mid rangey in the mix. I do think I like how these elements all fit together better than what they did on "Utopia". There is more of a punk influence on "Pictures From Occupied Europe". The vocal are more aggressive, at least for what these guys are doing.

A more pop cross over sound on "Years of Lead". This song and many others on this album are more middle of the road. I would not call them post punk as they rarely tap into that tension and have more in common with a band like the Drums. Perhaps not as upbeat as those guys , but sonically heading in their direction. Indie rock that could have come from the 80s. The synths keep it more new wave than going in the Smiths zip code. They stay firmly in this middle of the road place with dreamy detached melodies that keep them from becoming pop. New Order would be a fair comparison at many points in this album. Not as dancey as New Order though. Even when the darker punk elements come in on "Insurgence" there is nothing here that could really be referred to death rock like their first album. In fact the punk is almost more Clash like in places. If it seems like I am referencing a lot of other bands , it's because there is nothing original here, it is relying on familiar sounds and feelings.

By the time I get to "the Call" the album had begun to fade into background music. It's not a bad song , but it's not their most memorable. There are not bad songs on this album, but nothing making me to rush to get this onto my iPod either. "Along the Waterfront" is catchier and more Cure like in it's intentions despite the more adventurous bass line that might owe more to the Smiths. So on the plus side this album did make me reference two of my favorite bands. I will round this down to an 8.5, which still makes this a great album it just plays it too safe and is happier than I would prefer. Out on Artoffact Records .

Old Man Gloom : "Seminar IX Darkness of Being"

A super group with members if Isis, Converge and Cave - In, these guys have a very sonic driven sludge sound having the most in common with Isis. Aaron Turner is the main aman behind this band so that makes sense. The first song droes of one riff. I am not playing this album very loud on my first listen. I am sure it would sound better if I was. There is feed back squealing out and they churn out a Neurosis style rumble.  These guys all have producers credits through out their career so we know they are capable of making things sound good. They have all also played on good songs, so are they going to write good songs when away from their respective bands is a bigger question.

"Heel to Toe" is more upbeat than what you typically think of sludge beings, perhaps it's more on the sludge n roll side of the equation. WEven with the throaty vocals it's a better song than the opener. In the final minute thye lock into a groove that very much reminds me of Isis. There is more of a Cave-in feel to the opening riff of "the Bleeding Sun"  and very little that brings Converge to mind. The vocals are a lower growl on this one similar to what they did on the final minute of the opening track, After three minutes of noise the finally begin to kick into the real song on "Canto De Santos". This one has more sonic pound to it.  The first Converge like moment is when things build up to more of a punk speed.

"Death Rhymes" is obviously more Cave- In with it's acoustic strum.  It's an ok song, not a great one. "In Your Name" has a heavier punch to it and a darker kick . There are some rock n roll riffs hidden in the corners of the mighty chug. "Love is Bravery" closes the album. Thanks to a creepy bass line it's a darker song and when it kicks in does so with more feeling to it's heft.It is likely the album's song. I will give this album an 8.5 and see how it grows on me.

the Weeknd ; " After Hours"

The opening track is so atmosphere heavy it's almost there. This album does dip much deeper into electronic sounds. The second song goes beyond making cools sounds into actual song writing. His voice is buried in effects this time around. I am fine with this as long his songwriting skills are kept as finely tuned as previous released. Some of the effects are shed on "Hardest to Love".  It might have to grow on me, but the vocal melodies do not grab you like those on "Starboy" or the albums that came before it. I do like the chorus doesn't conform to what you might expect from pop r&b. My other first impression of this album is it is not as dark or melancholy as his previous efforts. Even on a break up song like "Scared to Live"  he is more in Seal territory and not really breaking the kind of new ground he is known for.  He is singing the words and hitting the notes , but I do not hear him feeling it like he used to.

I am also wagering he has toned down his drug use. It does come in the lyrics like on "Snowchild" which is the first song that captures the feel he tapped into on his other albums. It touches on places he has been before on "Beauty Behind the Madness" without sounding like he is retreading, which is what I want from him. "Escape From LA" is not as strong of a song, but it feels a lot closer to what I want from him than how this album started . As far as beats go "Heartless" so far wins . It's also one of the album's most well written songs. It hits all the marks as far as what I want from him. "Faith" kind of splits the difference between what we know works for him and the new more atmospheric side. Taking a shot at new wave is not new for him. He has done it better than he does on "Blinding Lights". It's not a bad song , but I have heard him do this better. It might grow on me.

He continues to use these new wave synth sounds on "In Your Eyes" . I was hoping for a Peter Gabriel cover, but instead we warmed over pop. I am glad it's more up tempo, but not his finest hour in terms of songwriting. 'Save Your Tears" keeps the 80s vibe , but doesn't fell all that inspired. The title track the album ends with starts off in atmospheric murk and pulls it together mid way through with a solid groove. This one is going to need to grow on me I will give it a 9, which would be better than most artists can do , but when it comes to him, this is the lowest score he has earned from me.

The Weekly Playlist : Apocalypse Edition

What is even more discouraging than a wimpy apocalypse play list is a metal musician saying they can not take any more gloom and doom. Yes, this came up on my Facebook feed. No, they were not joking.Well not only will an apocalypse thin the herd, but the very threat of one will show us who the fucking poseurs are. Death should be celebrated. Why listen to death metal and not celebrate death? It is the only thing that is certain. Why be afraid of it ? Oh, people are afraid. Hoping their city gets shut down, so they get permission to give up and not face the world out side. Here I am hoping for some Mad Max level shit so I have an excuse to try out cannibalism and ride the wasteland as Lord Humongous. This could literally come down to survival of the fittest. Could is the operative word. Every apocalypse I have looked forward to has let me down. In a few weeks things will return to the boring status quo and I will still remember all of you who were hiding  under your beds wanting something happy. Here is a fitting playlist for the rest of you who celebrate chaos like I do. Next week I will make you guys the dystopian future industrial play list , until here is your metal.



Obituary- 'Infected"





Sepultura - "Dead Embryonic Cells" 






Voivod - "Bacteria"






 Morbid Angel - "Angel of Disease" 





Anaal Nathrakh- "the Apocalypse is About You"


 


Slayer - " Epidemic"


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Cattle Decapitation- "Bring Back the Plague "


 


Asphyx - "Last One On Earth"


 

Integrity - "Dawn of a New Apocalypse" 






Behemoth- "Christgrinding Ave" 

Igorr : " Spirituality and Distortion"

The new album from the French group is still progressive, but a straight forward effort than their previous album fewer moments of  glitched out chaos. The harsh vocals are still present on the opening track but sitting in the passenger seat while the more sung vocals drive the song. "Nervous Waltz" blends classical music with the occasional blast beat. The song structure is way more cohesive this time around. The first time the chaos returns is brief for the under two minute instrumental"Very Noise". The drumming here is impressive.  Harpsichord sounds are the back bone of "Hollow Tree" until it spaces out into ambiance and converge back into it. The operatic female vocals used more frequently.  Bass lines are more organic sounding on this album. The same can be said for the drums.

Camel Dancefloor' is more like Beats Antique , but with a harder edge.  I really like the groove created on this song.  "Parapaing" features George Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse on vocals. Obviously you know what he does. The music is faster , but nowhere near as metal or aggressive as Cannibal Corpse, in fact up until this point in the albums it's one of the more electronic based songs with video games sounds. They go in a more polka direction for "Musette Maximum". After the first minute things get more metal and volley back and forth from there. The beginning of "Himalaya Massive Ritual" stats off with a more metal chug and then goes into a folk opera from there. The song is an ambitious undertaking and impressively pulled off."Lost in Introspection" starts off a darker thanks to the creepy piano melodies. This is set against the  break beat style of drumming they are known for.

There is more of  an Oriental folk feel to "Overweight Poesy". The operatic female vocals soar over this .At the three minute mark metal kicks in.  The female vocals become more screamed and layered with lower male vocals. The glitched out break beat weirdness  surfaces again on "Paranoide Bulldozer Italiano" , but the song goes more metal before it's over .It might be the album's heaviest moment. The classical and metal sections on this album are bigger and bolder than previous efforts, some of this is due to the bigger production value. There is an almost Tool like groove to the bass driven riff of "Polyphonic Rust". They close the album with a more polka paced ditty, with heft to the bass of it's backbone.  I will round this one up to a 9.5, as far as progressive metal goes unless Mr. Bungle gets off their ass this is going to be a hard album to beat .

Pearl Jam ; " Gigaton"

Pearl Jam is a band I sometimes have a hard time with because I do not like their fans . I have the same problem to an even greater extent with Dave Matthews . They seem like frat boy douche bags. Despite this I love Pearl Jam's first three album and the stuff after that is a mixed bag. It gets off to a garage rock start, more straight up rock than the ballsy kick of what we called grunge. Not a bad song, but I am not blown away either. Vedder's voice is not as resonate. Yes, he is older , but so it Nick Cave. "Superblood Wolfmoon" is more playful, though not punk, wanting to head in that direction. Shit, Eddie sounded better on the first song. It's a little too happy for me. They are in a hard place as when they dpo experiment it's not going to be what you want, like the dance beat and electronic elements to "Dance of the Clairvoyants" , though Eddie sounds better which is what I am listening for. The guitar is on the funky side here.

"Quick Escape" is the first song where they really nail what I want from them and it even comes with a ripping solo. "Alright" is more atmospheric and introspective. Eddie's voice sound back to where it should be , but the song it self does not grip me. "Seven O Clock". Has the strummed Neil Young folk rock feel. The melody on the verse is a little awkward. It's strummed and feels like a Pearl Jam song, so it works more than is doesn't. There is a more Rolling Stones like rock n roll feel to "Never Destination" . I am not sure even their most hard core fans could co-sign this as much more than filler. There is more of an edge to "Take the Long Way", but it's a long way from anything off "Vs." . The chorus is pretty decent and helps sell me on it. "Buckle Up" sounds like something they are just improvising during a sound check.

The more folk strum of "Comes Then Goes" is pretty consistent with what they normally do. "Retrograde" find them showing what works best for them as a band . The song starts off straight forward folk rock, then opens up into something more sonically expansive. "River Cross" might be some next level shit for a Bruce Springsteen album released in 2020, but for the guys who made them album "Ten" it's just ok. I will give this one an 8.5  and see how it grows on me. My thoughts could be summed up on the album as a whole in the same way I shared them about the last song,


10.3

In This Moment : " Mother"

It seem odd they opened the album with a cover of Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle". It's give a darker more electronic twist. She doesn't use a harsh screaming voice , but you can hear her tense her vocal chords up on this to give it more of an edge. Guitar wise it's about as metal as Nine Inch Nails or KMFDM.  Maria puts a great deal of feeling into her performance , The first single "the In-between" has a solid grinding groove to that is sultry enough to play in a strip club. Perhaps not as sex fueled as the songs from "Blood". There is guitar on this song , but the metal elements are still dialed back a little. "Legacy" finds more 80's inflected pop tones bubbling up along with a very soulful vocal. The vocal melody melody recall more of a classic rock feel set against modern pop sense.  Taylor Momsen & Lizzy Hale are also on this track. I am not familiar enough with the Pretty Reckless enough to tell their two voices apart.

.The last album has a touch of gospel to it and that returns on the title track,The vocals are really produced. Brink has come a long was a singer. She the kind of soulful grit combined with pop hooks that are not far removed from Stevie Nicks at times and more Janis Joplin in other places. I can also hear some Lady Gaga in what she does. I think she should embrace it as this can be felt on the title track and makes me want to hear it again. I do not think they are metal enough to neglect this pop side as I think it has elevated their song writing. "As Above So Below" is ok, it has enough hook. Lyrically it comes across silly as the title is used like an occult bumper sticker slogan with nothing close in the way of context. They like to use occult imagery and play witches in their video without knowing what the hell they are talking about.

"Born in Flames " is more synth driven than guitar based, which could be said for the entire album, but is more noticeable here. It also bears saying way she places her tone to create a weird accent , strange considering she is from New York so not sure what she s doing in that regard. "God is She" might not be the album's best song but it is one of the heavier ones. "Holy Man" is kinda filler , but it doesn't suck. At first  "Hunting Grounds" feels like it is going to  lean more toward the electronic side of this album with chugged spurts of guitar to remind you this is sup[posed to be a rock album. It does kick in more on the chorus. I have not heard this Ded band before, so  judging by how their singer sounds on this song they are like 30 Seconds to Mars.After a couple of listens it grows on me.

There is no denying this album is really well produced. The vocals are given lots of love . This can be felt on "Lay Me Down" , There are tons of vocal layers and everything sounds really big, almost to the point of being over blown. The song is a little redundant in terms of where the melodies go. "Into Dust" closes the album. The more breathy tender vocal is another color to add, but I think I9 wish this had been worked into another song as it feels anti-climatic here.  I will give this one an 8.5 and see if it grows on me. If you are fan of this band then I am sure this is the next logical step in the pop direction for you. 

King Dude : " Full Virgo Moon"

King Dude's new album finds him once again embracing change. It opens with more atmosphere and introspection than the normal foreboding. He sings in a lighter and higher register than his normally grim baritone. Nick Darke or  Syd Barrett would both be reasonable comparison by the time we are the title track. It sounds like a misty morning out side of London.The lighter shades that color these songs might take some getting adjusted to if you are wanting his darker more Johnny Cash like sound.Lighter shades doesn't mean the songs are upbeat or happy. They are neither. There is no whimsy to be found.  There is a more vulnerable tone to these songs. The arrangement are very minimal. Normally vocals, guitars and some synth in the background. "Forty Fives Say 666" is a return to not only his more traditional sound but that of his earlier work.  Think "Lucifer's ther Light of the World " here.

There is a marginally more upbeat strum to " the Satanic Temple". It sounds a little like he is taking jabs at the hipster organization. With lines like "it's a just a mark it don't mean shit to the kids who know they invented it". and "a static god is just a monolith".   I think it is one of the more lyrically interesting songs so far on the album. "Forgive My Sins" is more stripped down to  piano and what sound to be a violin in the distance. His is down in his trademark baritone for this one.  I like the pervading sense of melancholy. I normally wish my favorite artists remain in a sense of tortured misery so they can put it into their music. I think TJ is a good guy so do not wish him misery and glad he can find the place to go to on his own to create this mood. There is more of a Death in June like strum to "Make Me Blind" which I am a fan of.

Then sparse arrangements and a greater sense of ambiance washes over the last two songs. The hushed ballad "a Funeral Song for Atheists" unfolds. I like the lyrics to this one. It's pretty minimal piano chord progression. "Something About You" could very easily show up on an episode of twin peaks with it's surreal shadows . It's pretty simplistic, but works for what he is doing .  I will give this album a 9, it is a mature solid effort from him and provides a fitting mood to today's grim times.

Morrissey : "I am Not a Dog on a Chain"

Morrissey came out of the past decade unscathed  by the  witch hunts, and showing no signs of having to censor himself from being himself here.  I was unsure about the electronic beat leading into the song but once the vocals come in then things fall in line with what you might expect from Morrissey. The chorus is very solid. Lyrically it is as biting with lines kill yourself, then for god's sake kill yourself" . The electronic elements stick around for "Love is On it's Way Out". Here he laments about the sad rich shooting down elephants & lions. This rings true with his values. The harp sounds are a little odd. Guitar is not playing much of a role on this one until the end of the song. His trade mark croons sounds good on the first two songs, so I am pretty confident this album is going to find him vocally in fine form. There is marginally more of an organic sound on "Bobby , Don't You Think They Know?" . This son is at first funky until it breaks down into a piano part. It's one of the more interesting arrangements I have heard him employ in some time.

The title track is alright , but not as impressive as the first three songs, though lyrically this song is great in it's message to doubt the media. There is a happier tone to "What Kind of of People Live in These Houses". Lyrically it is more skeptical .The chord progression moves almost like "Sweet Jane", but layered with a country guitar over it. There is a softer groove to " Knockabout World" to compliment his smoother vocal line,  The Spanish make it sound like off Broadway pop from the 70s . Moz's voice sounds good, but he is not really testing his range and keeping everything in a more casual mid range.  Lyrically he is pretty consistent. There is a more 80s like pulse to " Once I Saw the River Clean", this recalls the Smiths more than any other song on this album. I could hear Billy Idol singing over this track. Think "Eyes Without a Face".

"The Truth About Ruth" finds him singing with a more hushed tone. This might be the biggest dynamic shift in terms of the vocals on this album. Things get perhaps the weirdest I have ever heard Moz go on "the Secret of Music". It is barely held together as a song, but you have to respect him for going so far left field this late in the game. There is a lazy pace to " My Hurling Days are Over". The guitar is sparse with Moz's voice holding things together. The instrumentation slowly builds around him until kicking in half way into the song. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. As far as post "You are the Quarry" Albums go it's up there with "World Peace is None of Your Business".

Candlemass : "the Pendulum"

I know Johan Längqvist was the band's first singer as he was on the "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus", but I have always been partial to Messiah Marcolin who sang on "Nightfall" which is my favorite album by these guys. The opener is rock infused and upbeat, not doom. A pretty solid song despite this fact. They do get darker and gloomier on the track " Snakes of Goliath". I will give it to Johan his voice sounds pretty solid on this. Marcolin was a tad on the melodramatic side. With doom the challenge even for veterans of the genre like these guys is the temptation to worship too heavily at the altar of Sabbath. Johan has more in common with Dio than Ozzy. Most decent metal is going to have some Sabbath influence. I do not think I would want to listen to a band that did not at least have a deep respect for Sabbath. Yeah I know Iommi played on the last album, but we are straight up jacking "Electric Funeral" here. But this is largely forgivable if Poppa Iommi says it's ok.

The album sounds great in terms of the guitar tones. I think the bass could come up in the mix a little. Perhaps this would add to the Sabbathy nature, but it would also give more heft to their rumble. They remedy this after an acoustic interlude with the song "Aftershock" that sticks the bass right in your face.  But alas it is also an interlude. This is only an EP so we are not getting much in the way of songs, but if you combined the first interlude with this one and put some drums behind it you would have a song. "Porcelain Skull"  finds a better balance as it's true to the more traditional doom they play without sounding like Sabbath. Johan's vocals are more soulful on this one. One point of note with these guys is unlike younger bands who drone on into a graveyard of jamming these guys are concise song writers who keep things under 6 minutes. There is a really solid solo on this one as well.

Ok another one minute outro ditty. These could have totally made another song and given us four instead of three. This sounds like it would be the beginning of said song, then the first interlude and it ends with the third. They should have asked me to help them arrange this . I would have been busy asking them about Marcolin so it would not be the most productive song writing partner ship. So what we got here should tide us over til the next proper album. Johan still has it in him and by then I think I will have totally accepted him. I will give this as 9 as the actual song do rock out well. This comes out March 27th on Napalm Records.

Code Orange : " Underneath"

These guys have been heading in this direction. Contrary to popular mis-information, they did not become an industrial band. I actually listen to industrial music on a regular basis, so I know what is or is not industrial. Are there electronic elements. Yes. Are there influences that extend beyond the kind of hard core they are know for hitting you with. Yes. They bring touches of djent and metal core into the mix, but without the parts of those genres that suck. The riff to "Swallowing the Rabbit Hole" induces instant head banging. They have changed but I hear nothing to indicate they have not stayed true to who they are. There little glitchy bits decorating "In Fear" . Reba's vocals that appear in this song have really improved . I of course love this album because it's dark as fuck.  I always say the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. These are beyond just cool. They are full of groove and feeling.

I also say that what I often find myself not liking about death metal is it often only colors with one angry crayon. This could also apply to hard core. It is not the case here. When I say hard core I do not mean Strife or Agnostic Front as these guy are at the more experimental fringes of the genre much like a band like Integrity or Bloodlet have been.  Reba's vocal are smoother on " Who I Am " which is the first song that goes outside of the bounds of metal But not for the entire song. Her voice almost sounds like Shirley Manson.  I can see this crossing over to the same audience that is into In This Moment. " Cold Metal Place" is the first song that is not perfect from start to finish. It just get's a little weird, but might just need to grow on me. As an album the songs all flow together nicely if you are listening to it all the way through. The less than metal moments return on "Sulfur Surrounding"> It has a hooky chorus that is more accessible. I would say there are more accessible songs on this album, but not as a whole.

There are more KMFDM like moments on " the Easy Way" . It also has some radio rock sensibility to the hook. "Erasure Scan" fins them racing back into more furious metal territory. "Last Ones Left" hits you with it's mighty chug and finds the band pounding out you it's heaviness. "Last Ones Left" kinda throws punches with more of a nu metal feel in the chug.  Up until this point the male vocals on this album have snarl with their normal aggression. It changes on "Autumn & Carbine" . They take n a more more rock  n roll  attitude. Lyrically a more rock n roll picture is painted so it makes sense. The go back into the more glitch inflected hard core on "Back Inside the Glass". Their approach to a kind of metal core is given enough of a twist to make it work.  This album has a tremendous dynamic range. All of the change still carry a dark side even when the male vocals on  " A Silver" have an  almost Placebo feel. It's a well written song for sure even if it is far from the album's heaviest.The female vocals play a bigger role in the more alt rock chorus on the title track. I 10 it is going to be hard for any band close to hard core to beat this one out unless their name is Converge.

Testament : " Titans of Creation"

Testament were always one of  my favorite bands when it came to thrash from the 80s/90s . They cared about song writing. The vocals had purpose and personality. These things put them head and shoulders over bands on the tier beneath and pound for pound "the New Order" might have been the metal album of 1988. That year had some tough competition so at least in the top five. I lost track of them after "Demonic" . It became a weird time period for thrash. The first song on this album feels like they are picking up where the left off with "Low". The riffs are there and fohe second song "WWIII" is not as inspired . They fire back with more melody on "Dream Deceiver" . Is "Night of the Witch" as good as "Envy Life"? Um no, but it's pretty good and the meanest song so far while still giving you enough hooks.

By this point it is clear these are some of the best metal musicians assembled in one band perhaps today. Skolnick shines as he is known to do, not only shredding but making solos that make sense in relation to the song. Gene Hoglan is a beast of a a drummer still. Chuck Billy's voice sounds great considering he has not gotten any younger , yet every bit as potent as he was on "Practice What You Preach". He sings really well on " City of Angels " . This song also really showcases Steve Di Giorgio's playing. He has chops but is very melodic and nuanced. Producer Juan Urteaga really captured excellent tones all the way around. The gallop on with there more classic sound on "Ishtar's Gate". The vocals really pull this one together. The guitars sound great on "Symptoms" . A little on the more technical side than I typically think of this band being but the balance it with more hard rock elements.  "False Prophet" might have been the strongest song on one of their previous albums they have released in the past ten years, but here they have kind of raised the bar for themselves. ,

"Healers" has a lot of groove almost Judas Priest like. The vocals pretty much seal the deal. "Code of Hammurabi" did not grab me on the first listen . On second listen it's more of a guitar focused song , with Chuck Billy spitting out the lyrics in a more aggressive and straight forward manner. They thrash out more on "Curse of Osiris" . It comes together on the chorus. "Catacombs' is just a outro that seem kinda unnecessary. I will round this up to a 9. It Sits well with their body of work, but not quite at the level of the first 4 albums, it might grow on me. They are sounding fresher than most of their peers.  Comes out April 3rd on Nuclear Blast.