Hypocrisy : " Worship"

The 90s never left. This is the vibe I get from the first album in over a decade from one of Sweden's best death metal acts. I first got into them back in 1994 with the 'Fourth Dimension" album. They were ahead of the curve when it came to lyrics dealing with alien conspiracies. Satan no longer has danger in 2021, but sing about what is really going on and people get scared, and scared is the feeling metal should invoke. While the title track that opens the album is pretty cool, the grooves keep getting better on the more head banging "Chemical Whore", Which is about the phramacuetical industry which is way scarier than Cannibal Corpse's more recent output. 'Greedy Bastards' is more straight forward and more thrashy in both lyrical and musical context.  "Dead World" digs deeper into what is going on in the world today and the music is as gripping as the lyrics.

'We're the Walking" offers a bleaker look at where the world is at.  It is more deliberate in its stomp and more about the song than being aggressive. "Brother Hood of the Serpent" feels like a more melodic version of Morbid Angel, though the vocals have more of a touch of black metal in their higher pitched scream.  I like the cleaner guitar tones on "Children of the Gray" they are creepy almost like Slayer's serial killer love songs. The vocals are more commanding.  "Another Day' is the first song that strikes me as your run of the mill color by numbers death metal, "They Will Arrive" has more groove to it so it works better as a song as there is more to latch onto. "Bug in a Net" gets both darker and more melodic. The lyrics are great, and one thing about this album is vocals have a purpose. It almost comes close to low Type ONegative singing.

The last song focuses more on the groove of the riff, with his growl still conveying the lyrics but falling in the places you would expect death metal to adhere to rather than do their own thing as we have heard earlier in the album. Even then their experience as song writers prevails and makes this better than what a younger band eager to prove how heavy they are would do. I will certainly give this album a 9.5, lyrically it is very fitting for the past year so wish it had come out earlier but will take it, 

9.6

November is Doom- The Top 10 Doom Albums of 2021

We are still seeing who can take the slow burn of the world ending 2021 offers little hope, so we need music to match this feeling. II celebrate death, that is why I listen to doom. I mean the name of the genre says it all. If you are not down with despair then get the fuck out of here. Ok now that that is out of the way, much like in years past sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. The fact these artists 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. You can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list.  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 do 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. Anyways here are the top 10 Doom albums of 2021

10- Altareth- "Blood" 

I suppose this is almost more like an honorable mention, as they at times struggle to separate themselves from sounding to much like Pallbearer, as the end of the day however they are more depressed than Pallbearer who seems hopeful in comparison and manage to convey that in their music which is a beautiful thing to me as I want my doom depressing as fuck.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Altareth- "Blood"

9- Kuan - "Ice Fleet"

There is a band from Estonia, which means they are going to have both Finnish and Russian influence to their sound. This might factor into the dark woodsy sound that might even bring Agalloch to mind at time. To call this band atmospheric doom is a bit of an exaggeration at this point in time. They have a very expansive sound. They are mournful and sonically intense so; it might be fitting to say they at least color their songs with a similar shade of melancholy as doom does.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Kuan : "Ice Fleet"

8-Clouds - "Despartire"

 I have always liked hearing this Romanian band, but never really invested much time into their albums, this album showed me the error of my ways.  The create a beautiful mix of atmosphere and melody off set by the low growled vocals which are really the only heavy or dark element of the otherwise soaring sound that retains many of the emotional elements of doom and the dynamics shift in levels of how woefully expansive they paint these songs with those sounds. 

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Clouds :"Despărțire"

7-Swallow the Sun - "Moonflowers"

The 8th album by the Finnish orchestrators of doom. Their last album placed number 4 on 2019's Best Doom Albums list so the bar was raised rather high. Catchy melodies prove you can ease hooks into your melancholy. These guys have always effectively worked harsher vocals into their songs and do it in a less predictable way here as well.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom -Swallow the Sun - "Moonflowers"

6-Indigo Raven - "Looking For Transcendence" 

This album surprised the hell out of me. They pound into the chords more like sludge at times as there is not a great deal of Sabbath worship. But the mood is more atmosphere and doomy. Female vocals doing their own thing and not trying to be Coven haunt the songs. Are there some Diamanda Galas moments mixed in this the more gothy stylings of her voice. Yes, but that is a rarer bird to find in the wild so I will take it.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Indigo Raven- "Looking For Transcendence"

5-Grief Collector - "En Delirium" 

All you have to tell me is Robert Lowe is singing and I am there. If you are not educated in metal enough to know that he sings for Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass, then your ability to call yourself a metal head is thus revoked. Riff wise this band really does not have to do much but give this man plenty of room to sing. This is more aggressive than his past work. The chug of the riffs has more attack to them and make for a powerful listen.

Abysmal Hymns: Grief Collector : "En Delirium

 4-Worm- "Foreverglade" 

There are a few ways to do death doom. Neither is wrong. Some rely on Incantation more and others rely on Paradise Lost, then there is just slow death metal. If these guys have to pick a team, they would be Incantation, but they employ a wider range of atmosphere and come across sounding way more legit in their mood. Much like funk, metal is something you can no fake, I need to feel the darkness. Even when the pick up the pace; their chug I am never left thinking ok this is just slow death metal, this is so dark it is beautiful.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Worm : "Foreverglade"

3-King Woman - "Celestial Blues " 

the follow up to "Created in the Image of Suffering" find the band not a bluesy in terms of the guitar riffs, but it does have a heavier emotional weight. The riffs themselves feel depressing at times, which I of course love since darkness and sonic heaviness are what I seek out in music. For an opener the title track is more introspective in its ambiance, though there are punchy doom ridden dynamics.

Abysmal Hymns: King Woman : "Celestial Blues"

2- Monolord - "Your Time to Shine" 

 

This Swedish band is back and heavier than they have been in some time on their 5th album and it recalls the more classic Sabbath influenced groove. The chords as allowed to ramble out from the smoky mountains. While the guitar tones are dialed in and they are making the most of a sound, they have taken even more time to polish these often dirge like rumbling riffs into pieces the vocals can find their way upon.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Monolord - "Your Time to Shine"

1-Witnesses - 'the Collapse"

They bravely follow up to "Doom II " which was such a perfect album, In my head this bar they set for themselves, they did not make the same album twice. Instead, they approached this more another angle. Perhaps, not as desolate and dark in the way it occupies sonic space as their previous album. But after a couple days of playtime, it is clear the guitar melodies are as equally haunting. I think in doing so for this album they have allowed the vocals to convey a similar emoting with more subtle flow as the take on a rawer edge. Heavier and more metallic it works in its own way.  

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Witnesses : "the Collapse"

November is Doom- The Top 10 Stoner Rock Albums of 2021

 

Do you smoke weed? Have you continued to smoke more this year?  Here are the albums you should have been listening to. These are album that are not prog or doom, falling somewhere in the middle with more than likely a heavy doses of bong blues to them Ok now that that is out of the way, much like in years past   sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. I know many of you are ready for this year to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. 

 The fact these artists 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. 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 do 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. Anyways here are the top 10 stoner rock a albums of 2021

10- Hot Ram -" Electric Medicine" 

This is almost more of an honorable mention this Atlanta band might have missed the hipster wave of popularity but are confident and doing their own thing. The vocals are set back into the guitars often more barked than sung.  They are not too stoned to keep things moving as rather than the typical lumber they come at a pretty brisk pace

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Hot Ram- "Electric Medicine"

9- Jess and the Ancient Ones - "Vertigo"

They move in a heavier direction with a slightly weird mix but it is darker.  While they have typically been a more retro 'occult rock| type sound, there is slight Sixousie tinge to the vocals. Vried influences color this album but the keyboards anchor them back in the more 60's style sound  

Abysmal Hymns: Jess and the Ancient Ones : "Vertigo"

 

8-Red Fang -Arrows"

 Their 5th album so they know what they are doing. Grinding weighty riffs and gruff vocals smoothing out into more melodic choruses. This hookier sound that is more like if the Foo Fighters were a metal band.

Abysmal Hymns: Red Fang : "Arrows"

 

7- Appalooza - the Holy of Holies" 

Grunge is not far removed from stoner rock as bands like Soundgarden and Screaming Trees really blurred the lines. i This band offers a modern and sometime heavier take on that sort of thing, at times they are not far removed from Godsmack. However, the smoke better which has inspired their dynamic and darker slant that drew me into this album. 

Abysmal Hymns: Appalooza : "the Holy of Holies"

6-Confusion Master -"Haunted" 

 Not sure why Cthulhu is on the album cover as there is nothing Lovecraftian about the lyrics, though they are horror movie inspired. They are heavy as fuck, but still care about the songs. Often using samples well to set the mood and jams the fuck on on burly grooving riffs that are inspired by an evil bong.,

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Confusion Master- "Haunted"

 

5- Psychic Hit : " Solutio"

This band did not just fall off a turnip truck in California, these guys come from the likes of Hawkwind  and Funeral Chant. They know how to tap into early 70s metal recalling even Judas Priest. Their other heavy boogies pull from Thin Lizzy and Alice Cooper. Powerhouse vocalist, Ariana Jade as enough sass and sultry to her voice to feel like a legit proto metal front woman.

Abysmal Hymns: Psychic Hit : " Solutio"

4-King Buffalo- " the Burden of Restlessness" 

This band from New York graced our best of 2020 stoner rock albums and they are monsters; when it comes to writing as they have unleashed a new batch of exotic grooves that borders on being progressive though the bulk of what they do when not using a taunt Tool like snake of a riff is to drone on it until the drugs simmer some.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- King Buffalo : "The Burden of Restlessness"

3-Book of Wyrms - "Occult New Age" 

Retro tinged stoner proto metal not unlike the kind that rose to a new level of popularity just over a decade ago is back with this band from Virginia. The Lindseys are a husband-and-wife team, with Sarah singing and Jay playing bass. The guitars are pretty dominate in the mix of these very jammy tunes. They move at the pace of Ted Nugent with more boogie than doom lumbering, though the Sabbath influence can be felt, thought at no point in time do they feel like a tribute band which is one thing I like about them

 Abysmal Hymns: Book of Wyrms : "Occult New Age"

2-Hippie Death Cult - "Circle of Days " 

Their 2019 album was awesome, so I will settle for an EP   There is more of a Sabbath vibe to the groove here They have a jammy feel, but are always moving the song. The great solos are great the vocals bellow and they coast along until drifting back out into a haze of pot smoke

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom : Hippie Death Cult : "Circle of Days"

1-Boss Keloid - "Family the Smiling Thrush" 

On the more progressive side of bong , this album finds it exhaled in an angular yet ballsy manner than flirts with metal. The grooves are formed from odd times. The vocals are more blues based perhaps not as commanding as Clutch, but cut from a somewhat similar cloth. The guitar tone is weird it sounds to be harmonizing with synths.

Abysmal Hymns: Boss Keloid : " Family the Smiling Thrush"

The Top 10 Black Metal Albums of 2021

In today's world we need the hateful nature of black metal more than ever. Here is the best of the current crop. As with years past I sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. I know many of you are ready for 2021 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. 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. You can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list.  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 do 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. Anyways here are the top 10 Black Metal albums of 2021

10-Vried- "Wild North West" 

Their sound continued to evolve into the hookier almost rock-oriented sound they have now. Even clean singing crops up on the first song. Yes, there are blast beats and tremolo picked guitars so this is still very much black metal. It is my favorite kind of black metal as it is the kind that cares about song writing

Abysmal Hymns: Vried : " Wild North West"

9-Grima - " Rotten Garden"

 This German duo does atmospheric black metal right with a big powerful sound.  They are not shoe gazing but capture a similar sonic shimmer. The vocals are well layered with both low growls and higher more blackened shrieks. They do not live on blast beasts alone.

Abysmal Hymns: Black Metal History Month - Grima : "Rotten Garden"

>

8-Ancient Wisdom - " a Celebration in Honor of Death" 

I see the words blackened doom on everything except when the band is actually playing a doom black metal hybrid like this project from Sweden is. Much like Burzum, this one-man band is helmed by Vargher from Naglfar The keyboards and atmosphere work really well here and this is a great example of you can have both a sound dialed in and still; care about writing a song. Yes, this kind of carries a drone to it and is more akin to a soundtrack track than pop hit, but that is ok

Abysmal Hymns: Ancient Wisdom : "A Celebration In Honor Of Death

 7-Sertraline : "The street light was all we needed"

This highly atmospheric band from New York has combined a bunch of EPS and is presenting them in this format. I am counting this as a 2021 album because these were all unknown until this point. They have plenty of grit and darkness set against the more sweeping sonics. The vocals are a lower snarl. They are dedicated to making very dynamic music and not the kind of black metal that settles for blast beats alone

Abysmal Hymns: Black Metal History Month -Sertraline : "The street light was all we needed"

 6-the Ruins of Beverast - "the Thule Grimoires" 

 In 2021 if you are going to do black metal then this is the way to do it. You can tell it is in fact black metal, but it is not so tied down to conforming to a certain time period that it is stagnant. In fact it is full of dark new sounds that really add to the songs

Abysmal Hymns: the Ruins of Beverast : " the Thule Grimoires"

 

5-the Flight of Sleipnir- "Eventide" 

Their 7th album finds them very confident in what they do. They have a knack for slowing things down while the vocals stay very caustic. It gives this a cold sound that black metal, needs which is why I tend to listen to it more in fall and winter. There is a great deal of very nuanced playing on this album. Some of the guitar work really goes above and beyond. Some black metal tends to take on an almost punk feel in the way the guitar is handled, so they are really bringing playing that stands up against any metal band to the table 

Abysmal Hymns: THE FLIGHT OF SLEIPNIR : " Eventide"

4-Wolves in the throne room- "Primordial Arcana"  

Their new album is beautifully true to who they are and have been as a band with black metal as the core of epic atmosphere and sweeping guitars. The vocals are scowled much in the same manner they were when I first heard them, for a band that has taken us many other places over the years I respect that. I am open for them to do whatever, that is within reason and stays true to the core of their nature worshipping mountain selves. They once again deliver.

Abysmal Hymns: Wolves in the Throne Room : "Primordial Arcana"

 

3-Plaguewielder - "Covenant Death" 

This album really grew on me. They have grown as both a band and songwriters now finding themselves in a realm of sonic darkness not unlike the place that Tombs invokes.  The rage and metallic battering ram they hit you with is not dulled by the creepy atmosphere the album is coated it. 

Abysmal Hymns: Plaguewielder : " Covenant Death"

2-Peste Noire- "Le retour de pastoureaux" 

This gang of French maniacs continues to spit in the face of expectations. At times abandoning black metal to be more progressive, but in a very crude and confrontational manner. They have punk attitude Now they have more of a punk thing going on but bring you back to the more refined anger of metal when you think they are going to bring in acoustic guitars and forget who they are. Creatively ambitious this was almost my number one pick, but their crude primal organic leanings might be emotive, but not a massive of a sound as the band who took the number one spot.  

Abysmal Hymns: Peste Noire : " Le retour des pastoureaux"

 

1- Noctambulist - " Eiegieen" 

This band from the Netherlands caught me by surprise hey can summon a scathing buzz of black metal, but are not limited to just that proving themselves more than capable of expanding the sonic horizons. They could fall into the black gaze sub-genre but are darker than most with more aggression in their song writing, they know when to let things simmer and when to roar back to life. This atmosphere contributes to the sparkling melodies that are layered in here. The album sounds great and is recorded in a manner that makes the most of their vision which is why they beat out Peste Noir for the top spot.

Abysmal Hymns: Black Metal History Month -Noctambulist -"Eiegieen"

November is Doom- the Top 10 Sludge Albums of 2021

It's that time of year again. We continued to need sludge as we marched further towards an apocalyptic future, here are the best of the current crop. When I am done sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I will then compile the top 10 albums of the year. I know many of you are ready for another year to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. As far as 2020 goes for sludge there are only2 newish bands on this year's list. 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. 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 do 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. Anyways here are the top 10 Sludge albums of 2021

10-Eyehategod- " a History of Nomadic Behavior" 

More punk flavored than their earlier work. The vocals are spit out in a more coherent fashion rather than anguished screams. Lots of fun, while it might not go down as their best album, it does serve as a reminder of their role in metal history. 

 Abysmal Hymns: Eyehategod : a History of Nomadic Behavior"

9-Bossk - " Migration" 

This band might not no longer settle for just being a sludge band, thought displays enough power here to show they belong on this as well as expanded what you can do as one, fans of the bands will welcome this return. 

Abysmal Hymns: Bossk : " Migration" 

 8- Domkraft : "Seeds"

Most bands try to sound like they are from Sweden, these guys are from Sweden and do not sound like, they might as well be tripping in a van in the desert. This album does best when it leans into a steamier grunge place, but fans will still love it. 

Abysmal Hymns: Domkraft : "Seeds"

7-Year of No Light -" Consolamentum" 

This French sludge project delves deeply into post rock. The fact that it can hold my attention as an instrumental says something as a pretty solid testament to this entire album since instrumental music is not normally what I listen to and tends to fall along the lines of what I appreciate, yet this album won me over.

Abysmal Hymns: Year of No Light : " Consolamentum"

 

6-LLNN- "Unmaker" 

These angry Danes are ready to challenge Ruin for heaviest album of the year. Though it is more melodic than their last album "Deads". A much more musical affair than the sheer punishment of the grooves they dealt out back in 2018. Much more matured in terms of songwriting.  

Abysmal Hymns: LLNN : "Unmaker"

5-Dridge- "Curing"

While they also trade in death rock and noise rock sludge is the back bone of this album. It comes with a dirty depressive post-apocalyptic anger. Not the first time these elements have been combined, but this is done is a grittier manner than we have heard since Atriarch, 

 Abysmal Hymns: Gotober- Dridge : "Curing"

 

4-Withered - Verloren "

Sludge is the next step in this Atlanta band's evolution. In steeping away from death metal, they opened themselves up for melodic excursions that play to the listener's favor. Along with yet another lineup change, the darkness here is more expressive than it has been in the past.  They tap into the sweet spot of being just as heavy sonically as it is metal. 

Abysmal Hymns: Death is June -Withered : "Verloren"

3-Sunnatta- "Burning in Heaven, Melting on Earth"  

This Polish band might have the honors of creating the most diverse and dynamic album on this list. Thye know how to make droning work, and they never drone without a destination.   If you wondered what it might sound like if Wovenhand jammed with Pink Floyd then they answer that with their brand of e trippy hazy hypnotic stoner sludge. 

Abysmal Hymns: Sunnata : "Burning in Heaven, Melting on Earth"

 

2- Glassing- "Twin Dream" 

At first you think ...ok this is a sludge album with a great deal of post rock atmosphere, not an uncommon sub-genre these days. As this album unfolds your ears are bathed in a great deal of powerful heaviness that hits you outside the sonic scope of sludge. Angular twists and turns as well as sections that pound at you like an angry hard- core band, or I suppose screamo since that tends to blend its sonic texture more in this direction. This album could have taken the number one spot, if not for the power of the two forces that snatched that one from them. 

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Glassing - " Twin Dream"

1-Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - " Blood Moon "

I like these two artists almost equally it brings out Converge's best side as I prefer their dark creepy melodic stuff over when they are just a total punk rock freak out the album leans in more of a sludge direction though by the highly experimental definition of that sub-genre, Wolfe's solo work had those elements previously, so this is not a surprise. They work together in a masterful way to create heavy music that is still beautiful in different ways. 

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Converge & Chelsea Wolfe :"Blood Moon"

November is Doom- Confusion Master- "Haunted"

I am not sure why Cthulhu is on the album cover as there is nothing Lovecraftian about the lyrics, though they are horror movie inspired. They are heavy as fuck, but still care about the songs. The opening track using samples well to set the mood and jams the fuck on on burly grooving riffs that are inspired by an evil bong. The second song backs off a little and lets the vocals develop more, they stay in the range of your typical stoner sludge not as bombastic as the opener, but if they tried to keep that up for the entire album we would have crashed before the third song. However after a few listens I would say the second song is not as focused.  

They create more of a hypnotic mood, with a droning mesmerizing groove that unfolds with "Casket Down" . Where doom is meant to be oppressive or bathe you in misery, perhaps sailing you off into an escape, the mood here is more geared to the pulse of narcotics. Sure if you are just into the kind of heavy they hit you with on the first song then you are probably missing the point and not doing the kind of drugs that would have kicked in by the time you were this far into the alum an could appreciate this more. Yes it takes three minutes to get to the riff that is the point of the song, but the journey is enjoyable. The song ends with a Charles Manson sample, which I think is a good choice. 

The intent of "Jaw on a Hook" at first sounds like it is to pummel you with the weight of the fuzzed-out riff. Vocal emerge and much like the bulk of the album that are like a ghostly version of Ozzy's whine. Not as melodic as what Ozzy did, while Ozzy's personality often overshadowed the fact, he was a great signer, more so in the Sabbath days. This guy cannot come close to hitting those notes and is more of a crazed creepy narrative. The title track just kind of drifts out of the previous song as it follows the smoke-filled plod of the bass line. Thing are allowed to simmer for a while They jam on this drone which is  pleasing to the ears and perhaps more so if you are altered, not their best written song, but perhaps their most mind felt vibrational output. The last song "Under the Sign of the Reptile Monsters " kind of carries on the established mood. There is a looser jammed feeling. The wail of the vocals the only thing that kind of forces these elements back into place.  Where I might have held using a sound over writing a song against some bands this month, I think these guys do it in a way that benefits the listener more and I sure is spectacular if they ever play live in this apocalypse world. I will give this one a 9.  

November is Doom- Hot Ram- "Electric Medicine"

 The stoner scene is Atlanta was big with the hipsters for minute then they moved onto what ever was next, These guys missed that wave but are confident and doing their own thing. The vocals are set back into the guitars when the are sung and come up in the mix when more barked. This works of a familiar loud to soft dynamic from the 90s. They are not too stoned to keep things moving as rather than the typical lumber they come at a pretty brisk pace. The second song is like if "Into the Void " was given a more thrash driven groove. Is there some Mastodon influence? Yes, is that a coincidence given where they are from ? Ummmm, it still works as a song. 

The chugs are beginning to take on a more uniform sound so while I am going to need more from them moving forward from this point this still works for what they are doing the vocals once again sit back and cost on  lower almost whispered vocal to more of a throaty bellow.  At the two and a half minute mark they switch it up and go into more of a jammy boogie.  They try to cover Judas Priest's "Riding on the Wind".. For a group whos a three piece that does not place great emphasis on vocals they are at a disadvantage here, granted they can always layer guitar in studio to try to replicate the twin guitar attack of Priest , but why try to sing something Rob Halford penned unless you can get up in your head register? I would have preferred another original song. 

"the Grave of the Arch Stanton" has more of a Clutch feel to it, in terms of winding bouncing groove and the way the vocals are handled. It does step away from the more chugged riffage the front end of the album was heavy on so I will give them that.  The beginning of "Binary Sunset" is a dramatic departure from what we have gotten from them earlier in the album and is the kind of dynamic shift I wanted to hear if they were capable of. From a song writing perspective  it kind of wanders off in the distant and some of the fat could have been trimmed as it drones for four minutes past where it should have gone. I will give this album an 8.5, it is not perfect, but puts this fledgling band ahead of the other unknowns fighting in the Atlanta underground metal scene and allows them to do better than just hold their own in the stoner metal scene, if you are into more aggressive and metallic stoner metal then this is one of the year's better albums.    

November is Doom- Altareth- "Blood"

 

The kind of fuzz soaked bong loving rock seemed to be something that while inspired by British bands Americans had claimed as their own, now the Scandinavians have come and perfected that as well. The most impressive thing about this alum's opening track is how dark it is.  "Satan Hole" is oddly more upbeat with a street wise boogie and horn accents. The lumber of the mammoth even keeps this party mood so heavy they crash like a hard night of drugs on the first verse and break things down for the second, making this the opportune time for a guitar solo. The watery bathing of the vocals in effects adds more atmosphere to "Downward Mobile" . The helps a songs in an already melodic direction get there along with blues based guitar solos.

"Eternal Sleep"  just kinda creeps by in a drugged , haze the fuzz does a funeral parade by you by nothings really draws me in and keeps my attention. "Moon" is more melodic, but the vocals are kinda pitchy and makes me wonder if the guy can really sing or are they fooling around or trying to fool us , who knows more questions than answers are starting to arise at this juncture of the album.  By the time we get to "High Priest " I am beginning to fear that they are starting to succumb to the mire that so many bands of this ilk fall into where they try to ride solely of a sound and less of song writing,. There is some great guitar playing amid this , but the riffs are all starting to sound the same. 

They went for more of a "Dazed and Confused " styled spacing in the last song did give it a better mood than the previous song, but for this genre I would not say really wowed by by shining the wheels of this hearse. I will give this album an 8, they are solid at what they do and it starts off strong while the warble of vocals are not the bands strong suit they work for what is being done here. They are more sound than song focused , but do show they can write some good ones and create a convincing mood.  

November is Doom - Apostle of Solitude : "Until the Darkness Goes"

This is so familiar in how the pieces fit I had to check to see if I had already reviewed it. I found out I already did that with one band this month, so better safe than sorry. The guitar tone is the kind of warm organic fuzz you want from a band in this genre. Many of the elements do put them very close to the sonic spectrum as Pallbearer. The mid tenor vocals sung with a passion, while still being melancholy and dramatic. They do have a very uniform sound in the first two songs. Not funeral doom slow, but also not getting up to a stoned out boogie. they are more firmly metal. The way their songs flow in a more abstract form and less tied to the verse chorus , also recalls Pallbearer. The art work is more Candlemass. They are not up to the Candlemass level of dramatics . 

Their singers announces it is too late for sorrow going into "Apathy in Isolation" but it sounds like it is right on time. It is hard for me to unhear the Pallbearer similarities  .  Perhaps how the vocals sit back against the riffs and are not as soaring, so they are perhaps more depressed. Having seen Pallbearer live and knowing they can barely keep their eyes open they get so high, that might be what keeps them from being as depressive as this. Things get a little darker as the depression get gets deeper on "Deeper Than Oceans". The more depressive a place they are writing from the more genuine their sound. The more they break away from comparisons of you know who. 

The last song is not as despondent as what they offered up to this point. Not it is hopeful but it conforms more closely to is traditionally doom without an abundance of allegiance to Black Sabbath. Overall I will give this album a 9, as they are good at what they do the melodies drew me in ,every things was captured in a  very effective manner. Most importantly they made me believe their inner darkness when they outwardly conveyed it through music. 

November is Doom - All Hail the Yeti : "Within the Hollow Earth"

 

When you think of stoner metal, normally what comes to mind is a somewhat retro affair with an organic  70s vibe that recall the early days of metal. It is funny how production can color a genre and take one riff produce it four different ways and you are getting four different sub-genres. While some grunge and sludge from the 90-s might come to mind they are cranking up a much more modern sound that owes more to the post - Cowboys From Hell Pantera in terms of groove and aggression with a side of  blues entrenched grit that Corrison of Conformity cranked up. COC at one point early in their careers actually being a punk band and Pantera being influenced by hard core on "Vulgar Display of Power"  where these guys feel more influenced by the metal core of the Myspace days. There is a tinge of Alice in Chains , who is a band that was known for being into things harder than bong worship. While Black Sabbath is the influence all those bands can trace themselves back to Black Label Society seems like a better reference point for these guys.  

They are very consistent when it comes to delivering a good vocal hook at the chorus, though a great deal of glue sniffing almost nu metal posturing as they stomp through the verses. "Nidavelir" works off the formula that has been in play thus far , though the riffs might give the vocals more breathing room and have more of a hook to them that recalls Mastodon, which is surprising that one band who pays homage to a mighty beast of yester year might share some sound with another band who also shares their name with a mighty beast of yesteryear. No one is going to say this is the most original band, some might complain that I referenced too many other artists while talking about these guys, but if the pieces of the puzzle were more original then that would not be a thing would it.  "Cold Dead Leaves " might as well have Brann singing the chorus. The hard core shout that fall once more on the verses find the formula becoming less thoughtful even though some of the hooks still keep my interest. The leather throated hard core shouting just plays against them and makes them feel a little dated .  

They continue to coast down the post-Jurassic grooves for the ever predictable " Cry of the Waheela". This could be any band from the late 90s. Mixed of course with you know who. To their credit the formula holds up until the last song then the tedium really burdens my ears . This is well done in terms of the sounds they have built this with, there are some fine songs , it is just not the most original thing so I will round this down to an 8. If you are into more mainstream groove oriented stuff then it might be your thing do not believe claims it is sludge having anything in common with likes of Eyehategod. The fact it is southern metal from Los Angeles says it all.    

November is Doom - Worm : "Foreverglade"

 There are a few ways to do death doom. Neither is wrong. Some rely on Incantation more and others rely on Paradise Lost, then there is just slow death metal. If these guys have to pick a team they would be Incantation, but they employ a wider ranger of atmosphere and come across sounding way more legit in their mood. Much like funk , metal is something you can no fake, I need to feel the darkness. Even when the pick up the pace of  their chug I am never left thinking ok this is just slow death metal.  I just reviewed the new Apparition  and those guys are more death metal with a side order of doom. "Murk Above the Dark Moor" has ringing sounds to keep the creepy going. I am almost more inclined to think of this as blackened doom, as the vocals shift into hateful nastiness. There are no slouches in the musical department as the guitar solos will show you.  The drummer is not as versatile as the dude from Apparition, but these guitars in this project are more grandiose and willing to shred . 

Going into the almost 12 minute "Cloaked in Night Winds" when you think they might be taking a turns toward getting mired into the typical tropes they add a ghostly sound or turn course with a more driving riff that honors these sounds rather than making them seem incidental.  The it took nine minutes for me to glance up and see where we were at in the song means it kept me engaged more often than not, they sail down a river deeper into the darkness and find the sound to convey this. The song generally works of f more of a funeral doom drone. The guitars get more epic, which is an over used adjective particularly with power metal, but in this context I think it is fitting as it conveys the almost more classical influenced sweep of guitars taking it some where else. Once again I can hear a black metal influence in the romantic way this is carried out. Not to take a way from the crushing weight of the riffs to this one.  

The best song is the under four minute "Subaqueous Funeral" which still gets the job done with half the sprawl and better groove and more time for the solo to rip a new ass hole in people who might have thought they could play guitar going into this.  Not that a solo is going to make or break a song for me these guys are just great at them so they make sense and add to the song rather than the song serving as a book end for it. While the last song does fall into some of the more typical sonic places in terms of the flow when it comes to funeral doom I will give them credit for painting it with new sounds and not being afraid to go beyond the typical metal choices , while staying dark.  Midway into it they keep it interesting by locking into a pretty powerful chug contrasted by the creepy clean guitar.  I will give this one a 9.5 , 20 Buck Spin delivers the goods again , wish I listened to this one when the promo popped up in my in box a few months ago but glad to have it now.  

November is Doom - Apparition " Feel"

This album dropped last month from the California based death metal band who is clearly fixated on Incantation. They do slow things down and offer enough atmosphere to jump on the death doom bandwagon. Midway into the first song it is unclear if this is going to be done to the extent that will make me a happy camper. Death doom is not the worst trend in metal as it forces band to slow down and focus on things like melodies and create more of a mood. They have some hooky riffs but is this enough to be ranked in a magazine like Decibels top 10 albums of the year or are they just throwing in a less obvious pick for some cred? I guess we are going to find out here. They move at more of an Obituary speed for the second song. It kind of feels at this juncture which is only now a minute and a half into the second song that they are pretty much just a death metal band doing to minimum to meet the buzz word of death doom, though maybe this song just happened to be more straight forward. This is decent for what it is very dirty and dark sounding, but I am going to need to hear them do more than this or the novelty of just being really heavy is going to wear off. 

"Nonlocality" is another straight forward double bass charge ahead that smooths into a groovier chug. Sometimes when I am making my end of the year lists , I have to sit down and split hairs with some sub genres to see where this would fall and while it might be death metal that is dark enough for people who like doom this is still death metal   Three and half minutes into this song is where they wait to take a turn into doom, so it is not even a fifty fifty split, but I do think it is important to review albums there might be some misconceptions about during a month dedicated to a genre to show what is and what is not well here doom.  "Perpetually Altered" stars off at a pace that makes this much clearer.  It also feels a little more mired into the aggressive monochromatic feel death metal can default to even with a couple of catchy chugs at hand. 

"Entanglement" shows what they are capable of which is the best of many sonic shades. They open the song with creeping atmosphere with an undercurrent of jazz tinged drumming. Then go into a pretty catchy groove oriented death metal riff, with some rough edged blasting littering other corners. I am not opposed to that as lomg as their is something to provide dynamic contrast. The last song does lean more into the doom side of things, but does so in a less creative way than what these guys have show us capable of by just color by number Incantation worship. I will give this a 9 so it is a great album, but perhaps not one of the years greatest even when it comes to death metal, much less the genre as a whole.

This was released on Profound Lore Records. 

4.6  

November is Doom - Khemmis : "Deceiver"

 These guys used to sTeem like a more NWOBHM obsessed version of Pallbearer. Over the years they have established more of their own identity and that can be heard more fully on this album that starts off with a more thrashy power metal tone to offset the more melancholy melodies. The lower vocals toward the end of the song are strong and something they need to explore more of in order to fully carve a new place for themselves. " House of Cadmus" finds them slowing down from the pure power metal and getting more serious in their introspection. the guitar playing reflect this as they do not back down from the shred it is just more tasteful. 

"Living Pyre" is more progressive in how the song is arranged , with plenty of room for more guitar solos, the vocals some time fit in angular phrases rather than the smoother but commanding approach we heard on the first song and they dialed back from with each song after. There is a little more of a doomy to the guitars of "Shroud of Lethe' . Things grow even more shadowed in the introspection of  "Shroud of Lethe" . The vocals go a little lower once more on the verse than , higher on the chorus to bring out the Pallbearer comparison again and create more of a power metal feel. The growled vocals do shake the power metal thing, while the harmony guitar parts do not. However the guitar on this album is all very strong. They pick up where they left of with "Obsidian Crown" which feels like an extension of the previous song. Lyrically it is more focused.

The last song is yet another step in a more traditional metal direction. Less doom than say Solitude Aeturnus the dark longing of the guitars lean it in that direction until the almost iron Maiden like guitars gallop into place with the dramatics of the 80s. Queensryche almost becomes a fair reference point. Overall they are really good at the style of retro metal they are resurrecting here. I will give this album a 9, with the guitars being what tipped the album in the higher direction, though the vocal have also continued continued to improve as the move in this more power metal direction.   

November is Doom -Swallow the Sun - "Moonflowers"

The 8th album by the Finnish orchestrators of doom. When it comes to orchestras they went overboard this time and made a double album with one of those discs being classical versions of the songs from the first disc, but  wanting to enable such over indulgence this review is just the first disc of  metal songs.  Their last album placed number 4 on 2019's Best Doom Albums list so the bar is raised rather high. The first song has a catchy melody that proves you can ease hooks into your melancholy. These guys have always effectively worked harsher vocals into their songs and do it in a less predictable way here as well. The second song "Enemy" is pleasing but kind of drifts .Sung vocals are more dominate this time around , but they really care about their sounds and arrange their songs in a way that gives every thing plenty of space. On " Woven in Sorrow" the heavy is not delivered until the end. The melodies wash over you with a languid malaise.  

There is more of a chugged drive to the riff of "Keep Your Heart Safe From Me" . They tread in more metallic sounds , that more common in more European death doom, owing more to bands like Paradise and Moonspell's  late 90s metal days. Thing ring out with even more contemplative melodies on "All Hallows Grieve". Which should have come out last month. There is some great tasteful guitar playing on this duet that introduces female vocals. This does point them in a more flowery symphonic metal direction but it still works. The moodiness of the melodies is tightly woven with 'the Void" which does not find the band getting too grandiose and simply works of just being a well written song. 'The Fight of Your Life" has great lyrics, the way it builds into a heavier climax works more off of a tried and true formula for them.  

They throw into themselves into a more black metal  heaviness with "This House Has No Home". This is the only time on this album they go all the way to blast mode to contrast the more morose crooning. it  Overall this song and the rest of the album I would put this up there with the previous album in fact I am going to edge it out a little and give this one an 9.5, as sometimes the just focused on less progressive tendencies and just wrote good songs which might be more straightforward of an affair but less is more... even in metal a genre known for excess.