Live Review- The Cure @ Amelie Arena

 

My third big show in the span 10 days. It would take one of my favorite bands to get me out among people. Fortunately my seats were on the side of the stage in the shadowy balcony of Amelie Arena that remained untouched by house lights for the evening. I felt like Bat-Man looking down over the stage . The Twilight Sad had just taken the stage when we got to our seats.  The Scottish dream pop band, opened for the Cure the last time I saw them in 2016. I was familiar with their material and impressed by their energetic performance. Their singer, croons without the indifference most common in the genre. He can put some guts into his voice and belt it out with some anger at times. When they left the stage, rain sounds were played over the PA which I felt was a nice touch. 

This marks the sixth time I have seen the Cure. More than likely it will be the last. Not that they did not give a fine performance, in fact Smith's voice sounding much better than videos I saw at the start of the tour. I just want to remember them without any further decline. Of the six times I have seen them, this show had the oddest energy of any I have been to. The venue only seated three thousand more than sheds I have typically seen these guys in. It felt like there was a little more clock punching going on from Smith despite, his pipes sounding better than they did in 2016. The best energy came from the band when they deviated from the hits, making me think, that perhaps he should just retire them. "Love Song" was played at a brisker pace which breathed a little more life in it, but it was the only song from "Disintegration" he gave a shit about playing. I get it songs like "At Night", "Push" and "Play For Today" felt more inspired, they have other albums with better songs. I was glad 'Wild Mood Swings' was not forgotten and not jazzed that nothing was play from "Pornography" , but I have heard him play most of those songs before. 

Smith had the same band with him that played in 2016. Reeves has become more of an integral part , and was allowed one shredding solo. Jason Cooper was the unsung hero of the night as his drumming was on point all night.  Roger who is close to an original member, was having sound issues. He stepped away from his keyboards and waited for them to be fixed which might have factored in to the shortest set of the tour so far. Perhaps burn out is setting in . At 64 Smith might find the experience less rewarding than he did ten years ago, but they have a new album they are putting out one day, and bills to pay. The new stuff worked pretty well, at times lyrically it might not have been the best, but blended with the classics.  We left during "Friday I am in Love" as I do not like the Cure's happy pop songs which seem like fast forward classics in comparison to their best material. Overall even Smith dialing it in is better than what most bands can do at their most inspired. 

 

Body of Light : "Bitter Reflection'

 

After a month of reviewing death metal albums, I needed something to give my ears a rest and with gears, which this album did beautifully. The duo's sound has been further tweaked. While they still straddle the balance of capturing a sound vs writing songs, they are using the refinement of sound to further their songwriting. The vocals feel more in line with who they are. They crooned without emulating say Depeche Mode, whose earlier work still stands as their biggest influence. It can perhaps still be felt heavily on the song "This Conversation" with the synths that bounce around the lo-fi 80s drum programming. Much like Depeche Mode from that era, this is upbeat new wave pop with a hint of shadow to it. 

"Fortia" which is one of the album's three instrumental tracks, just feels more like an interlude, even with the samples helping to form a little more of a narrative.  The title track that follows this is a ballad that recalls the era of the 80s they trying to recapture. But much like that decade, the vocals did not rely on studio trickery so you had to actually be able to sing., The vocals are less indifferent than the previous release and empowered by a great deal more feeling. "Out of Season' however get a little upbeat for me mood-wise.  I do not think the hooks have been leveled up enough to justify this. 

That is not to say they do not try harder on "Never Ever" to accomplish this. They even bring in a saxophone. I have just heard too many bands like Black Queen and the Midnight trying to do similar. "Hyena" is another interlude that floats on synths without going anywhere. "Last Repose" leans into the slick synth-pop that is adulting here, before letting the album end with a more atmospheric outro. I will give this album a 9, I think this is a logical progression in the right direction for this project, perhaps not the most original album, but one that is well done for what they are doing.  

Live Review : The Misfits & Megadeth @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

 I am not huge on reunion tours, as it seems too many bands are staining their legacy with cash grabs, there are few exceptions to this rule, however I was not able  to pas up the chance to catch a few of my favorite bands from High School. Committing to venturing to an outdoors concert after May in Florida is an even greater test of your fandom. Really just me venturing out of the house and forcing my misanthropic ass to be around people is a testament to how much I like a band. Thanks to misinformation in regards to the actual start time, and traffic going into the venue we missed Fear, who could be heard playing from the highway as we reached the venue. The half mile walk from parking to entrance and display of  general stupidity from the concert goers who were corralled at the entrance like cattle all helped  the delay so once we set foot inside the Amphitheatre, Fear had finished their set. 

Megadeth took the stage at 7:45 with a rather stripped down stage set up, Dave has been bitching about the cost of touring these days so this was not a surprise. They were surprisingly better than expected. I saw them back in the day a few times with their Clash of the Titans performance being the stand out. They might have lacked key members from that era, but were impressive. Sticking to the hits, they played two songs from their latest album and cranked out all the "Peace Sells" and "Sweating Bullets" you might   and was never that impressed. They stuck to their "hits" opening with "Hangar 18". They only played two new songs, aside from those it was all the songs you might expect from "Peace Sells" to "Sweating Bullets" . They closed their set out with "Holy Wars".  Dirk from Soilwork was behind the drums and pulled every thing off as needed. It was odd thinking how the White Lion b assist was able to take care of business, but that is what happened. They brought out Lee Ving for a cover of "Nothing is Something" which did not go over as well since no one knew it. But I was glad I got to see him sing one song having missed Fear. 

Punk in a massive  20,000 capacity Amphitheatre is an odd oxymoron for outsiders.  If any one was going to do it the Misfits would be the band. In line waiting to enter the venmnue a disgruntled  "punk" was complaining about Megadeth opening , and asked why was it not Minor Threat. The very nature of this question says he had no clue what Ian MacKaye was about, and only a punk in the sense of wasting his life by being wasted. A shame he missed Fear as well. The Misfits are larger than life so that is why this show worked. Their stage was flanked by two giant pumpkins and the back drops of Vegas like video screens, They were not about ideals but teenage aliens and pulp monsters. They opened with "Death Comes Ripping" , which was the most suitable song to start things with. 

Danzig sounded fine which was my main concern as he sounded like he had lost all ability to belt it out on his terrible Elvis covers album. There was an amusing casual attitude to his onstage banter, he at least acted like he was taking requests from the audience, which I find it hard to believe there were not people within earshot screaming for "Angel Fuck" which did not make an appearance. But as Danzig said they do know a lot of songs, I did not expect all of them to be played, though the fact most are under three minutes gave them time to cram a bunch into their set. They have great songs, some of the highlights for me were "Vampira" , "Where Eagles Dare" , "Hybrid Moments" , "Some Kind of Hate" and "Skulls". This was billed as the "Original" Misfits but the line-up was bolstered by the addition of Dave Lombardo on drums, and Dope / Joan Jett guitarist Acey Slade, who stood behind Jerry Only on stage. Dave did his job, obviously this was less demanding than playing Slayer or Mr. Bungle. Doyle has more of a metallic guitar tone, and due to the benefit of the big production this was a much better sound than they had originally.

The Coffinshakers : "Graves, Release Your Dead"

 This Horror-Billy band has been shaking graves since the 90s. Sweden seems like an unlikely place to have spawned such, but here we are. There is a mellow Americana feel to these uncanny reverb drenched tales of Western Creepiness. There are no cow boys from Sweden which makes it more perplexing, but OK I will suspend my disbelief. This is my first dance with these guys. I appreciate the fact they are dark, and Rob Coffinshaker's  plaintive baritone croon works , he can get more dramatic at times. I suppose if 69 Eyes tried making a country album, it would not be far off from what happens here. "Wretches" begins to find them sounding somewhat like Murder By Death. 

With Rockabilly there is often this weird intersection with surf rock which occurs going into "The Siren's Call". The drummer wakes up a little for this one with more step in his shuffle. The singing begins to lose some of it's charm at this point as he could stand to throw his voice around more. I do like this sort of thing as I am huge fan of both Chris Isaak and Roy Orbison who could flex their pipes more than what is going on here. They have a great guitar tone that rings with spooky reverb, but after awhile it begins to sound the same. Female vocals sometimes back them up. I could stand to hear a little more growl coming from him in an effort to belt it out .But if this is as good as it gets it is not a deal breaker. 

"Prince of Darkness" leans more into the country side of what they do. His voice generally avoids taking on a twang, which makes sense as a Northern European. I can hear where Johnny Cash might be an influence, he does his story telling with more vocal prowess than Cash who I have always felt was over rated. The vocals are not hook oriented which country music is more often than not. These guys display guitar prowess on "Down in Flames". They add a little bit of experimentation with "River of Souls" but nothing monumental , just tucking with feed back tones. Perhaps if this came out in the 60s I might be more impressed , though I appreciate they recapture that feel and on the last song remind me a little of Neil Diamond. If you dig spooky rockabilly with a Johnny Cash vibe to the vocals, then this band is for you. I prefer a little more dynamics from the vocals so I am giving it an 8.5, which still places it head and shoulders above the bulk of the country music you are hearing on the radio these days

Death is June - Wretched Fate "Carnal Heresy"

 

Ok here is some death metal from Sweden. It might have an overdriven guitar sound that is pretty dense, but I am hearing no other indications that these guys are into Entombed. The yare not fucking around and hit you full force from the beginning. This works for the first song, but it is not going to work if that is all they do for the rest of the album, so I guess we are going to take a listen and hear what happens. Three songs in an the straight forward go for the throat style of song writing , begins to find all their songs starting to sound the same., The growls are phrased identically and the chaos around the guitar solos seems to be the lone place for experimentation and melody in the songs. 

Sure their drummer has skills, but that should go without saying in a death metal band.  The more deliberate moments that open up "Cry From Beyond" make it more interesting than the technical chaos it devolves into. The use of the brief glimpse of atmosphere is also an improvement. "Umbilical Suffocation" is another more straight forward death metal rager, that is a little more nuanced on the second listen, but not a hug shift in dynamics. The drummers relentless need for speed playing against them. It is not until half way into the song that the arrangement shifts into something different with the syncopated riff. 

"Harlots For Suffering' finds them bashing out the same brand of crusty chugs. "Upon the Weak" works  better as the mood is a little darker thanks to the melody line of the guitars. "Morbid Testament' settles for just being hyper aggressive with little of the mood set in the previous song. The last song finds them trying harder in the song writing department and not just sufficing with pummeling you with heavy, though they do that as well. Overall this is well done, and sounds good, so time was invested in the production, so despite this being more sonically monochrome than I prefer my death metal , these guys did make the album they set out to make, so I will give it an 8. 

Death is June - Formless Oedon : "Streams of Rot"

 

One thing is clear after dedicating another month to death metal, I prefer death metal that is darker and deliberate. This band from the Philippines hits most of the marks when it comes to what I look for in death metal. The album does not open with unrelenting blasting, but a morbid grind. When they attack harder on the second song it is still done very purposefully and not too fast for their own good, despite these guys all having played in thrash bands. Production wise all the sounds are impressive, I did not think the Philippines would be the place to find a studio of this quality.  They care about the songs and are not just hitting you with heavy. The vocals are very purposeful and the lyrics are articulated enough to decipher. Not that there is anything all that profound being growled, but you can tell this is a song and not sonic battery to the ears. 

When it comes to their influences, at times I hear a little Morbid Angel, but aside from that things like throwing in dissonant angular passages or clean tones, is done in a pretty original fashion. They are obviously fans of classic death metal, so many of those tropes are in play, and the genre itself pretty much gives bands a distinct framework to build within.  "Calcine Purification" is the first song where it feels like they are settling in to the confines of the genre and adapting the status quo. But four songs in is pretty good. "Consolamentum" is another return to dig up more familiar graves. It does not strike me as being as inspired as the first four songs. The melancholy wail of the guitar solo is the only thing that sets it apart. 

"Beyond Eclipse of Time' finds the vocals dropping to an even lower growl, and a more commanding chug of a riff empowering what we will call the first verse. They speed things up eventually and lose a little of  the impact. The title track does not take as many chances as some of the earlier songs do as the band is more easily pacified, with the typically death metal growl and bash. I will give this album an 8.5 , for a debut this is really great, they show a great deal of promise and crank out some death metal that is dark and song oriented enough for me which is a feat in and of it self. Momento Mori is dropping this July 24th.

Swans : "the Beggar"

 

In a world where kids are listening to pop acts with 20 songwriters and even more producers, there is something refreshing about Michael Gira, as the sole producer and songwriter of Swans new album. It starts off with a darker tone that is also a welcome return for the band who had gotten kinda jammy on previous albums and more into the droning math of grooves than the sonic heaviness of the post-punk they rose to cult status from before their hiatus. The jammy drone is still present on "Paradise is Mine' which was the lead single from this album. Though balanced by a more sardonic mood. There are also hints of industrial lurking in the song. They gain momentum on "Los Angeles : City of Death". I am glad this  stark bleakness has returned to the lyrics, which bleeds over into the over all tone of the song. 

Gira is joined in the studio by the same band he has been touring with for the past decade.  Things go in a sing song lyrical direction and ambiance on "Michael is Done".  Gira's rich baritone ponders change on "Unforming". It is more like atmospheric folk, which is a more delicate side of the band's sound that the full volume assaults that are more typical of their live performances. The ten-minute title track finds the band converging back onto what I think of as their classic sound. It's a dark brooding groove that give Gira plenty of room to ponder more esoteric inner musings. There is also the tension that I think is a key quality of post-punk. 

"No More of This " reverts back to the more delicate introspective feel that is more the norm for this album. This time it holds a subtle country influence. There is still a very spacious post- rock feel . It is evident that the writing process was more centered on Michael and an acoustic guitar. This is resulting in a mellower overall feel to this album.  "Ebbing" finds the strum of guitar holding the core of the song. This kind of folk gets taking on a psychedelic drone is that hits you with the kind of powerful dynamics that the band is known for.  While these are the moments I want more of from them, I try not to take the fact that I am getting them for granted. "What Can't I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want".  Lyrics the most relevant song  might be the biting commentary of this one, that sums up American society well. 

Then we move onto the second disc. "The Beggar Lover" is back on their brand of weird with a wall of ambient noise swelling up to break down into a female spoken word section. A great deal of the noises here remind me of a DMT trip. It does turn into an actual song 18 minutes in that is pretty cool with a gloomy post-punk feel, but the problem is this is a 43 minute song, there is no reason to have a song that is long as an entire album. There is too much fat that could have been trimmed and they could have gotten two really cool songs out this. After this is the Memorious" which has more swing to it's drone than what you normally expect from these guys. You can tell there is a Doors influence based on the poetic turn of the vocals. There is almost a two toke minimum to get the full grasp of what they are doing here. I am glad they have moved back to darker shades of weird. I will give this a 9.5, mainly due to the 43 minute song that should not be.  

Death is June - Serpent Corpse : "Blood Sabbath"

 

This Canadian band has an Entombed fixation. It has not consumed their indemnity, though the vocals lean in that direction. The guitars has a dense dirty drive to them. While some of the riffing is catchy the dark rotted guitar sound does not lend it self for a great deal of dynamics so the first two songs begin to sound the same. The sometimes find a galloping stomp that works better than blasting chaos, which happens upon occasion. There is a deliberate roar into the underworld on "Let the Rats Feed" along with a hint of melody in some of the guitar passages providing bridges from the verse. 

"Land of Rot and Misfortune" does pull it together at the end with a big riff, but the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. "Crucifixion Shrine" churns in the subterranean mire of grinding guitars that has driven the album up to this point. Sonically "Swallowed Whole  By the Abyss" is more interesting than the previous song. The Lovecraftian lyrics punch over the buzz of guitar. The effects that are layered over the vocals work really well. The slower pacing of "  Dreams of  Crows"  was the only thing that clued me into the fact they had moved onto another song as things have become a blur of blown out speakers chugging out grime ridden guitar. 

The last song works for what they do, never reinventing the wheel that crushes you as it rolls. There are some cool riffs and the whole Entombed meets Bolt Thrower hybrid, works well as a sound. Though there is some hint that they care about songs as well. It is brutal but does more than just brutalizes you as some of the stories they have to tell do bleed through the rumbling wall of death metal you are hit with. I think an 8 is fair enough for this album as it is single minded in it's gut wrenching lust to pummel you sonically. 

Death is June - End Reign : " The Way of All Flesh is Decay"

A project formed by Integrity guitarist Domenic Romeo, who enlists the talents of Pig Destroyer and Bloodlet's bass player. We know it will at least be dark. There is a tone of cross over hard core coming out, so let us have a listen to hear how these veterans are faring among the current crop. There is almost a black metal feel to it at times. Their is a tortured mood to the vocals that cries out amongst the apocalyptic perishing around it. They remind you they are from hard core bands by including some muscular stomping break down like riffs. Lyrically this has more in common with metal as they are talking about astral planes. There are also more guitar solos than you expect from hard core. 

The first clear cut death metal song is "Divine Abysmal End' which lashes out with an Obituary like sneer. The riffs have all the hook of classic death metal, but propelled by hard core anger. Romeo also brought aboard Exhumed guitarist Sebastian Philips to join him on guitar so that leans them in more of a death metal direction there. "Serpent Messiah" feels like something Starkweather would have done, back in the day. Hyper aggression is a mood shared by both death metal and hard core, here it is hard to tell where one begins and the other ends, I think this would be better called death core than a band like Whitechapel, who has little hard to their core. 

"House of Thieves" finds the punk part of the equation settling in. "Giving Life to Tragedy" finds melody expanding the emotional range of the sonics they hit you with. They declare  they speak for the dead on "Chasing Divinity" which stays around the same sonic zip code most this album has raged within.   They remind me of when Slayer would embrace their more unhinged punk roots on "When Death Comes Crawling". They are at their most effectively metallic on the last song that howls with great feeling. Benefitting from a organic production that is mixed to put the action in your face, you get a feeling this is what they sound like live as well. I will give this album a 9, it is being released on Relapse Records on July 14th. 

 

Evile : " the Unknown"

 Six albums and several line up changes the British bangers have slowed things down to prove they are more than just a thrash band. The Metallica influence still hangs heavy over their sound , though considering this band was started as a Metallica tribute band I guess you can say they have been true to their roots. When they lean away from the Metallica, adding things like gang vocals, it feels like they are more comfortable in their own skin musically. Ol Drake's vcal still holds some of the Hetfield roar. but it is not as glaring. 

I am not sure how wise of a move it is to write a power ballad in the vein of "Nothing Else Matters" .  I do think you get to hear Drake step out from the shadow of his influences at times on this one. When they do thrash out on "Sleepless Eyes' it reminds me more of Megadeth, aside from the baritone snarl. Not sure if speed really needed to be indulged here, but that is what happens .They pick up the pace at an even more rabid rate with "Out of Sight" which does not really resonate as strongly with me. I think the deliberate "At Mirror's Speech" works much better. 

"Reap What You Sew" is effective at what they set out to do. It hammers just enough under the forceful vocals to fit together with enough hook to keep your interest. The most original thing ever ? No. What they are good at what they do.f "Beginning of the End" finds it locked in a more grooving stomp that works with the vocals. It might not have the most graceful chorus, but it still works well enough, with things speeding up toward the end of the song, though not as fast as the frantic pace of the last song. This finds "Balance of Time" feeling rush, and the vocals having to work against the riff to fit into the song. I will give this album an 8, I appreciate when they slow down to focus on songs even if it leaves them in more of a middle of the road position. Not something I am into enough to listen to again, but fans of more mainstream metal sounds will take comfort in this album.          

Live Review - Tori Amos @ Ruth Eckerd Hall

 It's been almost 20 years since I had last seen Tori Amos live. To the best of my recall saw her in 2002 and 2004. Putting her at around 39 years old for those performances. As far as her studio album go, "Scarlet's Walk" was the the last one I listened to on a regular basis. "Native Invader:" I reviewed here , but aside from that I have only caught a few songs here and there. This was the second night of  this leg of her  tour which opened in  West Palm Beach. It makes sense that Amos who is a part-time Florida resident would include multiple dates in the state. The opening act was the trio towr's  , which was a quaint folk act that felt like some kind of mom-core as their songs seemed to be about the changing landscape of domestication. Tori's band took the stage first promptly at 9 pm. They were two session musicians John Evans and Ash Soan, who seemed pleased that they were able to cut loose and indulge their prog rock side. 

She opened with "God" and followed that with the title track from "Ocean to Ocean" which is the album is touring behind. With 16 albums in her discography, there is no way she could play something from each and still make the crowd happy. If she stuck to the hits, then it would have leaned perhaps more heavily than she would have liked are her first few albums. She actually played the most from "Scarlet's Walk" which found four of those songs in the set. At 59 it is understandable why she did not play more from the first two album that might fall a little out of her range, as she did not sing up in her soprano range much. Let's face it Tori has retained a very strong cult following that allowed her to sell out the 2000 seat theater, putting here in range of what Morrissey has in terms of draw these days. If you asked your average twenty something, they are not likely to know who she is unless their parents exposed them to her. 

But being a cult legend is not a bad thing as you are playing for the hard core fan base that is going to appreciate it when you dig deep and play a song like "Take to the Sky" which is a b-side from "Little Earth Quakes".  I would say the hard core fan base made up perhaps half the audience, which left the other half the audience holding their heads in boredom as they wanted to here "hits" that really never came until she close with "Tear in Your Hand".  I guess I split the difference as I knew the bulk of the songs, but aside from the Scarlet's Walk songs, many of  deeper cuts, I at least found the jazzy jam versions that they played to be interesting, perhaps not the most energetically compelling if you were expecting a rock show, but very consistent with who Tori is as an artist , and for that I can not fault her , as it made me more curious to start digging back to see what I have missed over the years. 

Death is June- Legion of the Damned : "the Poison Chalice"

 This band from the Netherlands has a massive sound they hit you with at a full gallop. The vocals are at a dry mid range rasp. At times they remind me of Abbath, but with less of a croak.  Their 8th album under this moniker, they have dialed in the sound they want and are focused on execution. They have a great deal of command, and retain the hook of thrash in their riffing. They pour on the speed to a greater extent with "Skulls Adorn the Traitors Gate" which is the kind of  fantasy novel epic you might expect given the fact the album cover looks like the Dungeon Master's Guide. Four songs in and there is not much in the way of surprised, very in your face , hyper aggression. 

"Behold the Beyond" has the kind of hooky song writing I want from a band like this. This makes the need for surprises I was looking for earlier obsolete as it proves they can get the job done with little smoke and mirrors. They begin to give into the need for speed by the time we reach "Retaliation". This is also when I get to wonder if they have not been taking notes from Immortal. 'Savage Intent' does this perhaps more effectively than the previous song. They begin to border on their songs beginning to sound the things so they need more powerful galloping moments. 

They thrash into things pretty well with "Chimes of Flagellation". This is a more effective use of speed. Yeah, I know I used effective already, but I am trying to look at what is effective or ineffective rather than seeing a performance as good or bad. The more melodic nuances here also work well. They are great at riding the chug to create thrash grooves as heard on "Beheading the Godhead' where the vocals fall in a more rhythmic manner.  It goes to show you can write hooky songs no matter the genre.  The title track does not support this theory as it rushes by in a frantic charge that works off what we have heard before from the. I will round this one down to an 8.5, it was a fun listen and they are good at what they do, what they do just comes across like Immortal leaning into their death metal side, but if you like big epic European death metal this album is for you.It was released on Napalm Records.

Urne : "A Feast On Sorrow"

 

Thrash is making another resurgence thanks to bands like Power Trip. This time it comes from London in the form of the power trio. Produced in New York by Joe from Gojira, the band combines the anger of thrash with a nod to modern bands like Mastodon, in how they work sung vocals into the fray. "To Die Twice" borders on sludge and death metal in the underlying intensity. "Slumber of Words" finds a more melodic groove, with vocals going from singing to coarse howls. More articulate than death metal growls. There is some hook to the riffs which is appreciated. These guys are certainly giving songwriting a shot. There is some great guitar playing and if you are looking for guitar heroics this album has it but not to wanking excess. 

The chugs at the beginning of "the Burden" are impressive. The way the vocals are used remind me of Prong. While obviously influence by the Metallica vein of thrash, they have a post- Pantera groove. "Becoming the Ocean" has more of a snarl to it. This leans them back into Mastodon's older heavier side. Some may not like the referencing of these bands, but they do wear their influences on their sleeves and we call it how we hear it here. I would say it is done in a way that still retains a sense of originality rather than reheating nostalgia, which Power Trip can be guilty of at times. They touch on death metal with the title track , that they contrast with a sung chorus. They display there sense for riffing by the end of the song, and are wise to not try to rush things in a blur of speed. 

They close the album with "the Long Goodbye, Where Do the Memories Go?" that is the lyrical climax of an album that has been centered around loss. With that said it could have been darker , which is my only complaint. I would say dark is not thrash metal's thing, but then there is Slayer and the bands they spawned....Dark Angel, Sodom, Kreator...etc. The vocals have more of scowl to them here. It mainly flows at a mid paced stomp that hints at hard core. It builds into a straight up gallop that would not be out of place on a Testament album. I will give this album a 9, it's a very solid well done piece of work that should break them over into a bigger audience. 

Death is June - Blindfolded and Led to the Woods : 'Rejecting Obliteration "

It was death metal month back in 2021 when we first reviewed their previous album. This time the New Zealand based band, utilizes vocals that employ more of a hard core bark than what I remember from them before. What is certain is the fact these guys bring a more varied array of musical influences to the table than most death metal bands who sound like either Entombed, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse or Incantation, None of those bands seem to have much bearing on the musical DNA that brings their dark haunting brand of  catharsis to life. The album opens with the more speedy head first assault that is more common in the genre, but with an odd angularity to attack of guitars. They have technical prowess , but chose to manifest it in a manner that is not slave to orthodoxy. Midway into the first song they already begin to introduce cleaner guitar tones and melodic sonics. 

"Methlehem" is one of the better song titles this month. It is also punchy like a hard core band, until the speed up in a deafening blur. When the slow from the blasting into a stomping groove it is very effective. It is more effective when they give the song room to breathe on "Hallucinative Terror". Sure it speeds up into blast beaten hyper aggression, but done so with more colors than just an angry blood red stain. The title track however focuses more on the double bass attack and pounding your ears through the wall with it. They do use enough melodic moments to give the aural beating some contrast. It would be redundant to praise the drumming, as death metal needs this kind of drumming. Tim Stewart's best moments come when he knows to let up and groove on the ambiance. "Wraith" gives a good example of this in action . 

The eerie darkness that finds beauty in the ugly snarl of their more primal sound is the band's strength. The chaotic math-core like bursts of technical acrobatics at warp speed are not as rewarding if you are listening for songs. They do cram a great deal into two minutes for "Funeral Smiles" which works better than some of the more indulgent excess on this album. The dissonance that does appear works well when given a more melodic application. The songs are not sprawling compositions, never going over the seven minute mark, which for the scope of what they do is conservative use of time. The hard core pounding return between the math passages of "Hands of Contrition".  This is an interesting contrast to some of the more machine like grinding of gears the inter play of guitars and the drums create. The last song does not introduce any colors of sound to the carnage that have not at least been foreshadowed. It does have a great guitar solo. I guess given the band's flare for adventure and polishing of sound have earned this a 9, even when the twists and turns threaten to lose the song. 

Death is June - Outer Heaven : "Infinite Psychic Depths"

 This Pennsylvania  death metal band is making a strong showing in a year that has had more than it's fair share of noteworthy releases with in the genre. Their attention of detail without compromising the brutal nature of what they do is what Outer Heaven is benefitting from on their sophomore release. They open the album with the kind of feral feeding frenzy death metal fans expect. "Pillars of  Dust" finds them switching gears with a more hard core vocal style emerging mid song, and things being more groove oriented. They follow this with a shift back into the grind of faster paced death metal blasting off at you. What strikes me about this is how your typical death metal band today, just hits you with a dense blur of hyper aggression and over their span of an entire album rarely explores the range of dynamics that this album has shown in the first three songs. Which all have a distinct sound of their own. 

They continue to prove songwriting does not mean a compromise of sonic violence with "Drained of Life". The vocals are often layered though the main focus is on the Cannibal Corpse like low guttural. They are capable of pulling out huge hooky riffs for "Liquefied Mind". There is more of a thrash influence felt here. A song sure to get a pit moving. The guitar solos are really well timed and feel unique to what they are doing rather than just Kerry King imitation. At just over five minutes they cover a great deal of ground on "Unspeakable Aura" which starts off like your run of the mill death metal then things begin to take a turn when the guitar solo comes before fully stepping out of the box when female vocals create a more atmospheric layer. "Rotting Stone/ DMT" finds them adhering more closely to the more typical tropes of death metal , even when it goes into the more technical riffing of the DMT part. 

While it's in the zip code of Morbid Angel, they got a great guitar tone for this album. The taunt riffing of "Starcrusher" keeps the album's momentum and grit, while not getting stale or causing the songs to lose their identity. "Pallasite Chambers" has more of a Carcass feel to me. The winding groove of the riff works well and their vocalist shows his knack for picking interesting patterns to use in order to place his low growls in different spots so it's not all the same. I am also a fan of anytime I can hear the bass in death metal. "Warped Transcendence" finds them getting caught in the traps of hyper speed, where the guitar just blitz forward without inviting you along for the ride. They slow things down a little on the last, but not much. It does however work better, but feels more like every other death metal band. I will round this down to a 9 as it starts strong, but does not retain as much inspiration toward the end of the album. However this still places them in the upper tier of death metal albums that have been released this year, just not on Frozen Soul or Creeping Death level.This drops juLY 21st on Relapse Records.  

Death is June- Looking Back in Anger at Power Trip's "Nightmare Logic"

 I was tempted to review their first album, but this one seems to find the band in the midst of their fully realized vision of what they wanted to do. But why are we covering it during death metal month? Well their brand of cross over thrash meets at the same intersection where death metal also sprang from. There are many points of this album that recalls both Obituary and Sepultura. Their singer Riley Gale, never sings a note , but rather he lets his voice go into a growl when he extends a phrase. Speaking of phrasing the staccato approach is really the only hard core element of this album. There first album touched on that a little more. The lead single from the album "Executioner's Tax" is pretty catchy even with the punchy but one dimensional style of vocals utilized not only here but for the bulk of the album. 

They pick up the pace  on "Firing Squad" to something marginally more punk than Slayer. It might be the gang vocals that push it over into hard core. They do employ some pretty mosh worthy thrash riffs on this one as well. The title track works off a more straight forward chug , and carries a chorus that owes a little more to the Cro-Mags than not. "Waiting Around to Die" is more punk in it's drive, but Gale's vocals lean toward the death metal side of their influences slightly. There is a more Sepultura feel to "Ruination". This gives a glimpse into how this band could share stages with death metal bands and no one batted an eye. The production on this album is really dialed in , there is a world of difference in the over all guitar sound. 

There is more hook in the riff to "If Not Us Then Who". Sepultura comparisons could be made as well as other 80s thrash bands like Coroner or Wargasm. The gang vocal chorus works well enough. The production of the vocals on this album is top notch, the effects are right where you need them. The death metal is felt on the hyper aggression of "Crucifixation". It slows into a pretty power moshing section. I will give this album a 9.5, they do one specific thing really well that carries this album, along with the fact it is a mix that is perfectly dialed in.what they When this album came out in 2017 I was not really into what they were doing and had to hear the write song at the right time to check them out.  

Death is June -Saturnus : "The Storm Within"

 It could be said these guys are death doom if your definition of the sub-genre weighs heavily on the vocals. Musically there is a very lush expanse of sound summoned from what this Danish band does. They have been around since the 90s and this is only their 5th album, so they take their time. They have what they do very dialed in. Not only do they take time writing the song, they also took their time on the opening track getting to the metallic crunchy part. Three minutes in fact. It works for this song. They do have a distinct formula that gets a few variations, but they work off some sonic theme that we will cover as we go through this album. This is going to be a different approach as I listened to this album a few times yesterday rather than just giving you my first impressions during the initial listen which is how I normally review albums. 

They took their time getting great guitar sounds that are crisp and have the effects fine tuned with each note. The spoken word sections are one of the reoccurring themes mentioned earlier. If you normally listen to death doom that leans more toward death metal, you will still be impressed by the resonate gurgle of the low growls that are delivered with both power and articulation. Often growled vocals are obligatory, we know we need vocals, none of us can sing, so lets throw some growls in. The lyrics do not have to matter, it is just another texture. That is not the case here, which is evident in how they sit upfront in the mix of this album. "Chasing Ghosts" works off a more mournful doom  feel, almost like very melodic funeral doom.  "the Calling" finds the pace picking up and a more grooving drive that reminds me of some of the death n roll from the 90s. I might not be the heaviest moment of the album, but it puts the song first and that works for me. In fact it is almost catchy which how often do you think that when it comes to this . Midway into the song it drops down into ambiance and then builds back up into a heavier more commanding chug. 

"Even Tide" is well melodic, perhaps too much so. It is a call and a response between spoken word vocals and actual singing. They get credit for doing it but not sure it works with the momentum of the album and feels more like an interlude. They love using piano. "Closing the Circle" opens up with piano and more poetry being spoken. Though this only lasts of the first minute and a half. Very European in delivery, Novembers Doom would be a fair reference point when they wander down the darker more melodic paths. The guitar solos on this album are tasteful and really well done, if you are into that sort of thing. "Breath New Life" finds them digging back into a more driven form of melodic death metal that is still very European in it's grandiose sense of majesty. It works for me, as it is heavier than flowery. It soars in a few sections but is grounded by the chugged guitar. They last song finds the lead in of piano, clean guitar and poetry becoming a bit excessive by this point as they needed to end things with a more metallic punch, it takes three minutes to get there. When it does get there it works fine, but not the album's strongest moment, however it is clear these guys excel at what they do so hard to find fault in anything except the pacing and almost overly indulgent emotional poetry, but I will still give  this album a 9, as it is clearly the album they set out to make . 

Witchskull : "the Serpent Tide"

I was really into this band's 2020 album "A Driftwood Cross ". Their newest effort starts off much heavier with a more driving chug empowering the opening track. The manic desperation in Marcus' vocal plea has renewed urgency , but a little more of an edge. There is a little more brooding and reflection on the second song. This carries over into "Sun Carver" which carries a darker shade of post-grunge in it's DNA. It might not even be intentional but it reminds me of metal bands from the mid 90s who were making a stylistic shift towards alt rock. Where does Alice In Chains end and the Electric Wizard influence begin, is not a bad problem to be faced with. 

It is clear that burly bass fuzz that helms the assaults of "Bornless Hollow" makes the band's metallic intentions clear. The guitars take it in a more sonic direction as it progresses, but this might be the biggest step in the doom direction this album has yet to take mood wise. The pace continues to pick up for "the Serving Ritual" until melting into a chaotic guitar solo. It doesn't strike me as being as hooky or memorable as the previous album, which might be the sacrifice of getting heavier. The title track gives the vocals more room to cry out from. This also places them closer to early Soundgarden. The vocals sit back more against the bigger wall of guitars they have throbbing this time around. 

"Misery's Horse" hammering at you with it's syncopated pound. The vocals are at times allowed to crack into more of a scream. I think it is however the groove of the last song that delivers the expectations placed by their last album in terms of song writing. While they bring what I wanted with this song, things might need to grow on me with other songs, so I will round this one down to a 9, still placing it head and shoulder above what most bands are capable of. I think these guys deserve more recognition and hopefully this album will place them into thm more firmly into the minds of mainstream metal heads,. 

Death is June - FLESHVESSEL :"Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed"

This band's full length finds them as Chicago's death metal answer to Agalloch. It opens with a great deal of symphonic flair, and finds them jamming passages out with violins. This puts them in a very unique position when it comes to death metal. The grandiose outweighs the aggression on the opening track, but they do come snarling back. The vocals go from a blackened sneer to the more resonate growl of death metal. There are three interludes on this album which I am not covering for the purpose of the review and just focusing on the actual songs. 

The second songs finds them getting heavier and while it's an expansive eleven and a half minutes in length. In many ways it feels like they are going for a more atmospheric take on what early Opeth did , but with more jammed out craziness. The prog decadence takes about five minutes to kick in, though even at the songs more gutsy moments they are never digging into the kind of thing that say Cannibal Corpse does. Flutes and whispered poetry start off the more atmospheric path that "the Void Chamber" starts off on. When things build up for the vocals to come in, they arrive like a manic ghost howling into the night Cascades of guitar battling against a piano piece collides under it all. Four minutes in they finally get more aggressive. Then it ebbs back into jazz. 

They close the album with a more death metal minded "Eyes Yet to Open". It does not remain at the in your face hyper aggression normally expected from death metal for long. There are grandiose operatic asides, and a good deal of blasting firing under the buzz of everything. The song floats off into ambiance at the end, before meandering back to life thanks to the pondering synths. Violins chime on this in a more mournful fashion. This album was a unique experience which I appreciate.  I will give it a 9, as the originality and musicality of it puts it above their peers, who are unknown to me at this time. This is being released on I Voidhanger Records. 

Church of Misery : "Born Under a Mad Sign"

Japan's serial killer themed doom band is back with more Sabbath worship at least when it comes to riffs. The yowling of the vocals helps to give them more of their own identity on the opening track. "Most Evil" finds the vocals taking on more of a throaty snarl. They keep things at a fuzzed out shuffle, which is effective for this song, but hope the dynamics are kept in mind as the album progresses. The vocals are getting switched up so that certainly helps. "Freeway Madness Boogie" the pace picks up, before the wah wah pedal gets stomped down upon. This more rock n roll feel does change gears from the Sabbath like dirges they were locked into, but not something I am into as much. They are still highly skilled at rocking out, I just want things to move in a darker direction since we are dealing with serial killers here. 

We start getting to some of my favorite fiends on "Murder Castle Blues" where things turn toward HH Holmes. The vocals sit back further into the wall of guitars here. "Spoiler" is more of a boogie which is also the first song that feels more like filler and the keyboards come up in the mix. "Come  and Get  Me Sucker" is an ode to David Koresh, who is not a serial killer but I guess cult leaders are getting lumped in 

with other misanthropic outsiders who lash out, as Koresh was not going to take any shit, much like this song that rumbles on more like Motorhead than Sabbath.

"Butcher Baker" has a Cathedral like lumber that gains momentum as the song cranks on. I will give this album a 9, as it finds the band once again in fine form and doing what they do with sinister vigor. The vocal performance seems to have improved this time around., there is a raw desperation to the singer's howl. If you want doom that has boogie in it's desert baked crust, then this is the album for you. If you like serial killers then even better.  

 

Death is June - the Zenith Passage : "Datalysium"

 

This Los Angeles progressive death metal, rides the line without being to technical for me. They do this by creating grooves within the math of the sinewy riffs they hit you with. Lyrically you can make out what is being growled , and it is somewhat interesting. The glitchy arpeggiation that is heard in things like the more chaotic forms of djent is used on the second song. But their playing and sense of arrangement still sets it up to be palatable to my ears. Granted I am also a huge Frank Zappa fan so I am up for a challenge as long as their is catchy songwriting involved and not just masturbation. Both the guitar and bas become very rubbery in how they bend around the drums. 

"Lexicontagian" seems to have some interesting perspectives that are going fly right under the radar. When the sung vocals some in things have gone in a more Cynical direction. The have a jazz like precision to their playing I appreciate. "Synaptic Depravation" is like Imperial Triumphant if they were less weird and more into guitar solos. "Deletion Cult" finds the blistering fast technique losing it's luster as the overall sound begins to conform to genre norms. There is tighter syncopation to "Divinertia 1". The bass bounces around how the guitars and drums are locked in.  The dry mid ranged growl could use some variation by this point as the sung vocals have yet to reappear to break things up. The part two of this song does nothing that different, maybe backs off marginally to allow for ambiance. There is a heavier stomp that it builds into, but this is death metal and heavy should always be the expected destination. 

"Automated Twilight" has enough sonic variation to make it interesting. The effects on the vocals leading into the song works well. The sung vocals return but are not as compelling the second time around. The title track that closes the album finds, the synths coming up further forward in the mix, while the rest of the bands stays in line with their mission statement. I will give this album a 9, though it is not what I am going to click on first to listen to when it comes to death metal, I appreciate what they put into this and find this album is everything thing they intended, so fans of technical death metal should eat this up.

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit : "Weathervanes"

Isbell's latest collaboration with his band the 400 Unit is a celebration of songwriting. The opening track shows how his voice always finds the perfect place to be. While his solo album "Southeastern" is the masterpiece that this album is going to be measured up against, I like the direction things are heading in. "Death Wish" feels like Americana flavored rock rather than country music. Not complaining about that it just seems that is how things are. "King of Oklahoma" is tale of the depressing orbit of a drug addict, and has more of a twang to it. Lyrically this man in untouchable when it comes to story telling. The chorus soars out of the song when you are not expecting. There is also some great guitar playing, that aches out from the corners of the songs.

"Strawberry Woman" finds him reembarking on the more reflective side both musically and lyrically. He gives a more powerful vocal performance on "Middle of the Morning". Tonally it recalls Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man". A 70s West Coast rock feel flows with it's mellowed back haze as an undercurrent.  "Save the World" has more of a rock pace to it.  He paints a more vivid picture than Bruce Springsteen, who would be the closest blue collar comparison. The nuance of the guitars recalls Dire Straits. Isbell is a criminally under rated guitarist for sure. The strum of acoustic guitars flows like a brisk breeze on "If You Insist" . This song rides his folky middle of the road. 

"Cast Iron Skillet" is the most lyrically heavy song of the album once you dive into it, though the music is more stripped down to give the vocals room. "When We Were Close" has a hug Rolling Stones feel to the guitars. Vocally it is also more driven, not as punchy as Mick Jagger but in that direction just less sexual. He embraces his country side on "Volunteer" which continues this album's trajectory of offering up lyrics that challenge the decline of the world around us. "Vestavia Hills" digs his boots deeper into Americana. It is also a call back to the "Southeastern" album. "White Beretta" find him pondering the confounding  problems of  Christianity. Keith Richards would have been proud to write the riffs of "This Ain't It"  They jam around on it pretty well. 

"Miles" closes out the album with ambling riff that crosses Tom Petty with Neil Young more than it looks in the direction of country music.  In interviews I read with members of 400 Unit, they talked about how Jason's vocal approach was different, but I am not hearing that, I am hearing what he does placed in a context we have not heard from him before, but not a wild departure from what he normally does. There is a warmth to the album's sound that recalls many classic rock albums with a southern flare, but it is more personable than those. I will give this a 10, he is one of the best songwriters living today. He transcends country and does his thing.  

Death is June - Snuffed on Sight : "Smoke"

 

I went into this hoping it would have more of a Left to Suffer, given some of the brief glimpses of hip-hop influence of the lead single "Time to Dip" . Alas, this death core band, but nothing with that level of hook drives their sound. In some ways the slam / grind components of their sound have more in common with Sanguisugabogg, but they are not as skilled in their arrangements , not are their guitars wielded with the same level of finesse that Sanguisugabogg pummels you with. The vocals are the most grating part of their sound as the pig squeals  and gutturals have been gurgled like this since metal core first hit Myspace, back in the day. 

The drummer almost saves the song "Slippin" as it shifts out of riffs with a manner of dexterity. However the purpose of the song is unclear, and there is nothing that hooks you into it's herky jerky fray. No terrible just not purposeful in the song writing. "DTD" offers up more of the same, but with less charm in so doing. If I was impressed by just heavy alone this song might have more of an impact. It is a shame the interlude "Smoke Break" could not have found the sounds used in a more effective manner by incorporating it into their songs in order to break the monotony that has fully set it by the time we get to "Repeat Offender" which is just more of the same. 

"Dummy" propelled by the kind of  death metal blast that hits the snare in a flat manner. It is one of my metal pet peeves, though punk music also does it at times. The more deliberate pound of the title track works better , but the band mucks things up with the chaos that is vomited forth. I will give this album a 6, so not the worst metal album I have heard. This is their debut album so hopefully they learn a great deal if they take these songs on the road. If you are millennial into metal core I guess it does not matter as this sounds like everything else. 

Will Haven : "VII"

 

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

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

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

Death is June - Liquid Flesh : "Dolores"

 

It is interesting as I was just reviewing Power Trip's 2017 album and pondering on how they are pretty much a hard core influenced death metal band expect for the fact the vocals are more punk. Listening to this album it shows how the vocals color the music more heavily than we realize. Guitar wise there is little that separates these guys from a band like Power Trip, aside from the low guttural vocals. It sets a darker mood and provides more heft for sure. The only problem with this band is when I looked away from the screen the first song transitioned in the second with out me noticing, which means they have a very uniform sound that makes the songs sound the same. Going forward  what I am listening for is for this band to prove me wrong in this regard. 

"Tapage Nocturne" has a more ambling groove, which clues me in as to why they are so quick to tag this as death n roll, as there is a slight Entombed feel to it. These guys keep songwriting in mind rather than just pummel you with riffs. The guitar solo also adds a bit more rock n roll color to things. "Dose letale Mediane is the first song that shifts the dynamics into something more melodic. It takes a jarring turn into a brisk jazzy saunter, before building up into double bass. I appreciate how it shows their abandonment of traditional song structures.  The solitary growl leads the way into "Tribunal Fantomatique" .  There is more of a death doom feel to this one. It drones forward, with no surprises. There is a denser and heavier rumble to "Ocean de Failes". It churns along the more left hand path here, though it is not as interesting as the previous songs, but not dialed in either. 

"Cauchemar Blanc" twists around with the angular grooves of it's riffs not unlike old Opeth. The vocals sit further back in the mix on this one. Then on the following song they take a turn back in a more death doom direction. Sure this is heavy as hell, but is it as inspired? Well the more winding prog tendency that they flirted with on a few songs unfurls a little more with some of the wandering riffs. For "Sans Relache" they plow into the heaviest assault to your ears  of the album so far. They close things out with a creepy doomy piece that at just over seven minutes is the album's longest song. In terms of sonic colors it is dark and gritty, and does not introduce anything new to the album, but proves proficient for what it is.  I will give this album a 9, as when it comes to a genre that is easy to get mired down in the heavy, these guys keep the songs in mind , are very entertaining with the rock twist that comes up time to time.France once again provess they do metal well and left of center.  

The Top 10 Rock Albums of 2023 so far

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, finding  2023 already at it's midpoint. These  lists serve as a decent snap shot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received  promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my in-box, so they are really going to need to bring it in order to compete with the top five albums on this list. Rock is being defined here as  basically anything that is not metal, pop, or goth. It might be a little darker or heavier than what you listen to , so we are going by my definition since yours's can't be trusted. 

"But wait that is M....,"

Shut up... in 2023 if you are not bringing it at least as hard as Pantera , it's not metal .We are in a darker and heavier world so the soundtrack even when it is only rock n roll, should still fit the times.  I have included links to full review if you want to check these out and with all that said here are the top 10 Rock albums of 2023 so far. 

10- LA Guns - "Black Diamonds" 

 As long as both Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns are on board then I am fine with LA Guns. This album finds them  continuing to kick ass while their arena packing peers are fat floundering fools. If these guys can still do it with dignity then we should be expecting the same from the Motley Crues of the world. They open this album with a more Zeppelin like groove. At 66 Phil Lewis sounds incredible. They stay true to the era they are from, while not sounding dated .

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/la-guns-black-diamonds.html

9-Riverside -"ID. Entity" 

This album is very impressive and not too prog for its own good. These guys remember that they  are songwriters first and foremost. They are also songwriters with something to say that goes a long way with me. More speculation than shredding is a lesson todays prog bands could learn from. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/riverside-id-entity.html

 8-Tigercub- "the Perfume of Decay" 

This trio from England plays a glammed out style of rock that feels like a darker , more androgynous take on what Muse does. This is displayed on the title track opens the album. A trickle of angle guitar cascades of the groove, as the vocals coo over it all. They work more of tense groove rather than feeling the need to glitter bomb everything with grandiose choruses

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/tigercub-perfume-of-decay.html

 

7-Narrowhead- "Moments of Clarity"

Now  this band coats their songs with the glaze of shoegaze . The vocals are more introspective. The title track has a harder syncopated jangle, as they remind you, they did not leave their distortion pedals at home. The vocal lines pack a hookier punch hookier, as their song writing has been sharpened this time around. They use a similar formula, but with more dynamic ebb and flow 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/narrow-head-moments-of-clarity.html

  6- Queens of the Stone Age - "In New Times Roman..." 

The band does what they to well, though upon a  casual listen all the key elements are in place , though  perhaps due to the almost too pristine production, they sit weird together. Homme's vocals are in his normal cadence, but the highly compressed guitars have odd effects on them.  Though not a huge departure for the band, it perhaps does not rely on grooves as heavily as "Villains" .  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/queens-of-stone-age-in-new-times-roman.html

  5-healthyliving- "Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief"

Bringing together musicians from Scotland , Germany and Spain, this trio kicks up an impressive melancholic brand of driving rock that borders on metal. This keen sense of dynamics is what I listen for in music from all genres. The stark alto of Amaya is expressive. While  she is not a Siouxsie clone, you can hear traces of that influence. She proves to be a powerful singer capable of belting it out as needed.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/healthyliving-songs-of-abundance-psalms.html

4-Deathvalley Girls- "Islands in the Sky" 

This album is darker than their previous once ,as the band firmly adheres to creating astounding layers of sounds, but still serving the songs with them. They combine the 60s pop ballad feel with their more psychedelic pondering  creates something closer to Siouxsie and the Banshees than you might expect. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/death-valley-girls-islands-in-sky.html

   

3-Royal Thunder- "Rebuilding the Table" 

It's been seven years since their last album and the band went through some personal shit before returning reconfigured with drummer Adam Diprima back in the fold.  They can not be accused of doing more of the same and the lengthy break brought a fresh coat of sonic musing to the table. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/royal-thunder-rebuilding-mountain.html
 

 

2- Metallica- "72 Seasons" 

Sure there is  is some recycling and clock punching, to keep it from being perfect, but if you are a Metallica fan and wish the "Black Album' was more metal and power ballad free then this album is for you. It's fun which has earned it repeat listens . 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/metallica-72-seasons.html

1-Spotlights - "Alchemy for the Dead" 

 This trio's sound has continued to evolve, as it not places them some where between the shoe gazing side of post-hardcore and sludge. This album  gets better with each listen, and the shadows of it's mood seep into your head.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/spotlights-alchemy-for-dead.html