August's Top 10 Albums

It's time for August's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights might help casual readers see what they missed and check these artists out. I am not writing little blurbs on them, just linking the reviews. I' am using this to organize my lists for the end of the year, by listing the genre of music the album falls under. Inclusion here does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most, I have albums in my in-box that are not coming out til October so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of what I have listened to the most. This month there is a wide variety from Country to Black Metal so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums for August of 2024.

10-Curse Upon a Prayer -"The Worship: Orthoprax Satanism"

Black Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/curse-upon-prayer-worship-orthoprax.html

9-Bleed the Earth- "Shapes That Stood in Silence" 

Funeral Doom

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/bleed-this-earth-shapes-that-stood-in.html

8-Falling in Reverse - "Popular Monster" 

Nu-Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/falling-in-reverse-popular-monster.html

7-DAUFØDT -"Glitter" 

Hard-Core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/daufdt-glitter.html

6-SPEED - "Only One Mode" 

Hard-Core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/speed-only-one-mode.html

5- Kacey Musgraves -  "Deeper Well" 

Country 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/kacey-musgraves-deeper-well.html

4-Fontaines DC- "Romance" 

Indie Pop 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/fontaines-dc-romance.html

3-GEL -"Persona" 

Punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/gel-persona.html

2- Amiture - "Mother Engine" 

Trip-hop 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/amiture-mother-engine.html

1-Weston Super Maim - "See You Tomorrow Baby" 

Extreme Progressive Metal  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/weston-super-maim-see-you-tomorrow-baby.html

pst426

Xiu Xiu : " 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips"

My thoughts on Jamie Stewarts' experimental art vehicle range from respect to love to wishing he would stop fucking around and write songs as great as what was on "Dear God I Hate Myself". The opening track of this album finds them engaged in a hushed Lynchian ambiance. I do not ask more from them than what the second song delivers. I never ask for the weird to be compromised, I just want a song. "Maestro One Chord" brings this with electronic beats creating an anxious groove, and the vocals mutter in the background. There is more of a rock feel to "Common Loon" with a hefty bass line to give some drive to things. 

They get weirder on "Pale Flower" which sounds like an audiobook of a John Carpenter screenplay narrated by John Waters. It does have enough dynamic shifts to work.  The key to these explorations in music as art, lies in "Veneficium" as the hint of prog rock powers the song's groove, creating a balance this album needs to prove they are not just fucking around making odd dissonant sounds, but legit musicians capable of playing their instruments. Even someone like me who has been following this band for the past 15 years, needs to be reminded of this instead of being immersed in what is a brand just like an avant-garde director like David Lynch has branded his own sense of weirdness. This carries over into "Sleep Blvd". They wander back out into the land of abrasive sonic oddities that is "T.D.F.TW".  This song is more effective since the listener was just given the taste of songs more grounded in melody.  

They are still willing to take things to the other side of the more noisy minimalist side of the spectrum for a song like the trippy swathe of free jazz-like ambiance that is "Bobby Bland". The album closes with "Pina, Coconut and Cherry". This song takes you into a dream state of abstraction.  Electronic sounds blip and beep with no form or function aside from the drum beat from a 90s Casio keyboard. Stewart's vocals sound like he managed to capture a nervous breakdown in the studio. This still very much is in line with what this project does, so I can go with the flow on it since they have already given me the actual songs I need from them, you just gotta get this noisy shit out of your system sometimes to have your creative vision realized, this album finds the balance I will give it a 9. 

pst425

Unto Others : "Never, Neverland"

In some ways, the opening track of this band's new album is an improvement, but I had to get over the onset of the song that sounds just like H.I.M. What was more puzzling was if many of the sonic keystones I listen for in music are in place then why is it not quite clicking. So I dug into my past reviews to find the answer,  all the way back to when they were called Idle Hands. I saw them open for King Diamond during that time and the cock rock influences were fighting with the goth band they want to be.  This more cock rocking side can be heard on "Momma Likes the Door Closed " which has a similar feel to the Micheal Graves era Misfits. 

Perhaps there is a stiffness to the singer baritone croon, that feels more like Volbeat to me at times and less gothy, despite their best efforts. Danzig has a bluesy swagger to his voice that this kid is not nailing. "Angel of the Night" finds this more pronounced. The mix of this album is not going a thick on the reverb to help them shed some of the 8os feel to their sound, this could be the Killers given where everything sits with bringing more mid-range to create a little brighter sound. If they are going for a more goth sound, it plays against that, If they are trying to find a more radio-friendly middle-ground. An anti-suicide anthem is not the most goth thing. This album is also a step away from metal, so if you see it on any end-of-the-year metal lists, call bullshit. After all "Sunshine' is pretty much pop. 

They use a harder-edged guitar, but revert to an almost ghost-flavored style or pop-rock on "Fame". Though the verses flow, better than most of the songs, and everything fits in place arrangement-wise. So there is some smart songwriting, but they are just now figuring out they were never really a metal band in the first place. The song titles are not this album's strength as "When the Kids Get Caught' is awkward, though the song itself works pretty well. I am buying it's more Stephen King-like take on horror. Some of the harmony guitar parts are solid. They double down and try to thrash out "Flatline" but the vocals don't work that great for it. "Time Goes On " feels more like a Blue Oyster Cult song, but it's catchy and works for me. 

They try to go for an 80s feel on "Cold World", but it feels more like 90s Duran Duran to me. The guitar playing is pretty great on it with some jazzy passages. "I Am the Light" waltzes like a circus theme, but as a rock song, it feels like it is trying too hard. "Raigeki" does not find its pieces fitting as solidly. It's the first song that is more of a fast-forward classic. "Hoops" has a clean guitar sound, so much so it reminds me of the Police before it kicks in. One of the more guitar-focused cuts.  The title track closes the album with an awkward fizzle, that does not live up to the album's strongest moments, but overall the album is a success as they realize who they are as a band, which is not a metal band, but writing sardonic pop anthems. I will give it a 9, which stacks it shoulder to shoulder against their other work where their strength were displayed differently. 

pst424

Review -Surrender to Death: A History of the Atlanta Metal Underground Vol. 1

This is a compilation documenting the history of the Atlanta metal underground, which I have first-hand knowledge of. Despite being there for a great deal of this the first two bands on this compilation, most likely preceded my time in Atlanta, the first band is more proto-metal owing more to AC/DC and Thin Lizzy, which is pretty common for bands from this region, as AC/DC was almost more of a punk band in certain respects. This style of harder rock band played at a club called Charley Mcgruders which was just outside of the city limits of Atlanta proper. Fortnox would have fit in with this crowd as well since they seem to aspire towards a sound mimicking Judas Priest's more arena-rocking anthems 

We do not get into the actual metal scene until the 3rd track by the thrash bander Ghost Story.  When it came to metal Ghost Story wrote the best songs during this time. They were like Atlanta's answer to Sacred Reich,   I'm surprised they chose this song to feature as "Anger of the Lynch Mob" would have been a more fitting choice, this song was a staple on the college radio show WREKAGEy which was broadcast Friday nights Georiga Tech's student-run station WREK. Necropolis carried a more feral sound closer to Venom which can be heard on "Water's of Lathe". There was a very deliberate moshy crunch to this one. 

MX was another band that would have been more likely to have played bars out in the suburbs, which brings up an interesting divide in the Atlanta scene. Most metal heads, punks, and goths in bands or in their respective scenes lived in the three-mile radius of Little Five Points, which was the mecca to these cultures with clubs, record stores, and other retail outlets that catered to this misfit culture. It leaned heavily in the punk direction, and many of the latter-day metal bands like Mastodon, Withered, or Death of Kings, all started off in the punk scene.

 This created the more hipster inner city circle of bands who played clubs downtown, and then there were clubs out in the suburbs that fostered bands not in these cliques, like Sinister Angel, who sounded like they listened to more  Iron Maiden than Discharge. Kinect Dissent was certainly one of the more popular bands from this period, though listening back to it "Reflected Fear" has not stood up to the test of time as well as Ghost Story or Necropolis, this also highlights why they faded into the where are they now files, and did not break into even the lower tiers of thrash success occupied by bands like Atrophy or  "Dark Overlord" sounds more like "Kill 'Em All" era Metallica, as a large dose of rock n roll flowed in their veins. 

Unblessed marks a transition from thrash into death metal. It is a reminder of the sometimes unwieldy transition from thrash to death metal. Production-wise, many of these albums were recorded by Skip Bryant, the go-to metal guy, in a local rehearsal warehouse during this time with his studio. Everything was recorded to tape, in the days before Pro-Tools. Lestregus Nosferatus would be the band that birthed death metal in Atlanta. They had a darker murk to their sound. Yet they still cared about writing songs. They still possess the most powerful chug of the bands represented here. 

This compilation shows the progression of the genre, in which regional scenes prove to be a microcosm of the genre as a whole. Rot played a raw blown-out style of death metal that had its charm at the time, the vocals did not have as powerful of a roar behind them, in some ways they reminded me of Rigor Mortis. Avulsion was a step in the direction of the death metal that already sprung from Tampa during this time, which is not far removed from the death metal of today. 

It jumps into the 90s with Dawn of Orion who came from a hardcore background, which can be heard in the stomping nature of their riffing. Death metal continues to be refined while delving deeper into murkier sounds as heard with Haborym. Their drummer tended to rush the songs and bring raw energy to things. Demoncy is the first band that begins to incorporate elements of black metal into their sound with a more tortured rasp, and the buzz of tremlo-picked guitars. The production value also sucked as did many early  "cvlt" recordings of the emerging second wave of black metal. 

The track featuring Necroflesh The track featuring Necroflesh is more groove-oriented reflecting death metal adapting to the influence of nu-metal playing a more dominant role in metal at the time. Sludge must be more of a focal point in the second volume, as the selected tracks begin to lean more into the death metal side of the equation with the more death-n-roll riffing of Procostimus, then black metal is summoned up again with Darkened Skies, though black metal has never been as popular in Atlanta as death metal, thrash or Sludge. So including bands like Vastion seems an exaggeration of the amount of black metal to have come from the city, it’s served more as an influence on bands like Withered, and Cloak than something there is a scene for in-town, since the ‘cool kids’ would be more likely to call it “problematic”. Though overall this compilation does a good job at capturing a sense of nostalgia for an underrated time in the city’s musical history.

    

pst423

God is an Astronaut : "Embers"

I enjoy post-rock, but I have to be in a particular mood for it. Having a headache and not being able to listen to anything more aggressive is such an occasion. This might be an even more melodic direction for the Irish band as the song focuses on central melodic themes, and sails off. Graceful is one word that comes to mind. There is a more exotic touch to the chord voicing and it often sounds like sitar is being used.  This takes things on a magical mystery tour with its more psychedelic leanings. Sometimes they are subtle as the second songs gradually build up to them at the end, while songs like "Odyessy" find them carrying the main melody as a dynamic shift from the more rock-oriented riffing.

"Heart of Roots" is a moodier exploration with piano taking center stage. The rock guitar colors the background and lets things progress with a more jazz-like layering.  "Embers" finds both drone and groove working off one another. Great drumming and excellent guitar tones certainly help this song's case for greatness. It borders more towards prog.  Even though it's over four minutes long "Realms" feels like it's the atmospheric intro to "Oscillation" which is a proper song with melody and direction rather than just a sculpt of sound.

"Prism" works off a pretty simple melody they drone off of, but does not go anywhere dynamically. Sure it sounds cool, but instrumental bands have to work harder to compensate for the lack of vocals, or they just kind of fade into the background.  "Hourglass" proves they can not only compensate but hypnotize you with layers of lush dynamics, making it one of the album's strongest songs. I will give this album a 9, they have improved as a songwriter, and this will give fans what they want and more than they expected.

pst422

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds : 'Wild God"

It seems Nick Cave's career has been a gradual move towards aging gracefully. The Birthday Party is another life. With each album from the past two decades, he is edging towards a more Leonard Cohen-inspired sound. The opening track of his new album carries a hopeful shimmer, for someone whose life has been marked in recent years by the death of his son, which this album released nine years later seems to find him moving past. His vocals are a little more spoken on the title track. This band anchors him from strolling off into poetry. I can hear equal touches of Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond in the speculative delivery of his vocals this time around. 

 We are in a weird place when punk collides with the hippy pop sounds of the '60s, but that is what happens here. The more surreal dream ballad that is "Frogs' is weird, but works, despite the subject matter."Joy" feels like it picks up where he left off on "Push the Sky Away'.  It's central to the theme of this album which Cavehas gone on record as saying is about joy, which marks another notable change, as he has been moving away from the murder ballads he became known for, and shows a more vulnerable side that is introspective. "Final Rescue Attempt' shows how this can be one of their strengths when played into the right way. It's one of the album's best songs. 

"Conversion' is more minimal as it bathes in ambiance as Cave pleads his poetry over it. The drums come in to provide the needed dynamic shift. While Cave said this album is about joy there is a great deal of religious and spiritual musings on it. "Cinnamon Horses" is more of a ballad.  It's well-produced and sounds great, but floats on an emotive cloud. At 66 his voice sounds great, he is not an artist I would worry about not pulling it off live.  "Long Dark Night" is like if Neil Diamond wrote a song for a horror movie. It has a slight country undercurrent. It is one of the album's better songs, despite being another ballad. 

The first song that sounds like Colin Greenwood of Radiohead might have a hand in is "O Wow O Wow" which sounds like it should have been the lead single from this album. I would not think I would like a "happy" Nick Cave song, but this one works. The last song is a sparse folk ballad, that at least finds Cave's voice working well, I could do without some of the choirs on this album, but he got the sound he was going for, it feels too gospel for my liking. I will give this album a 9, it is going to need time to grow on me, not one for optimism in music, but that is a personal choice, if you are one of Cave's less depressed fans then you might dig this one, everyone else is going to need to get used to it. 

pst421

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pst421

Fleshgod Apocalypse : "Opera'

 I have been doing this for over a decade and have yet to cover these guys, which is not a mistake. Symphonic death metal is not my thing. But this album has a fair amount of hype behind it so I will try it as I do like Dimmu Borgir, and there is common ground sonically. Dimmu is darker, and these guys are more rooted in double bass melodic death metal. These guys have more in common with Night Wish on this album. I can appreciate the effort invested in the songwriting and everything sounds great with a really big epic boom to it. On the first listen the first three songs just kind of ran together for me so had to rewind and give it another listen. "Pendulum" is a more hammering tune, with room for the operatic vocals to breathe, rather than hitting you with all the majesty at once. 

"Bloodclock' might as well be Slipknot. There is a decent chug to "At War with My Soul". I like how the vocals sit over it. The growled vocals are pretty straightforward in their delivery, so it's all about where he puts his voice rather than how he gets it there. This album has to be overproduced with everything that is going on. Though the guitar tone could be less machine line and the drums sound like they are triggered and dialed into the chug in post-production at times,. The guitar solos are pretty well done and if you are a teenage metalhead playing guitar, it would make sense to be into these guys. 

"Morphine Waltz" does not sound like a single drug was made during its making, thus had for me to buy. 'Matricide" is catchy enough and they put a decent pounding on it. "Per Aspa' chugs past until the chorus swells up with all of its dramatics. Drama sometimes works, as "Till Death Do Us Part' might be the album's best song. The title track is just a piano outro. I will give this album an 8.5, it works off an effective formula that has enough variation to make it interesting, there was one song I really liked the rest was listenable, but if you are a fan of this kind of thing they are giving you what you want. 

pst420

Bleed This Earth : 'the Shapes That Stood in Silence"

 This doom band from New Zealand opens their new album with a display of riffing that manages to work groove into their dirge. The vocals are cleanly sung, as the song breaks down into the low rumble of bass, this opens up things in a spacious fashion due to the minimalist dynamic. it creates but builds in with a slow but solid burn. Growled vocals, snarl into action with a very articulated phrasing. The depressing narrative is just as important as getting loud, which I appreciate as storytelling can fall by the wayside. At almost 13 minutes, it is bordering on being indulgent, but the vocals help pass the time in a very effective manner. At times it brings My Dying Bride to mind. 

The lyrics are about a girl whose parents die, and they try to visit her from the afterlife, but their ghostly forms scare her. The reference to wandering the earth drives the point home. The drummer keeps the band from falling into the traps of many bands in the genres, nothing is plodding or droning about this as the song keeps moving, while still being true to the funeral march that defines this sub-genre of doom. Nothing is left to linger.  The second song finds the low growl which is not the more vibratory pulse of guttural most of these bands employ. Midway into the song things drop out into a more fragile melodic tone. The sung vocals return and pop up more unexpectedly rather than taking the easy way out with the good cop/ bad cap call and response. 

"As My Terror Turns to Sleep" still benefits from great drumming, but the overall feel of the song falls in line with what is typically done when it comes to this genre. Melodic but it is also the first song that leans in the direction of a more deliberate droning into sorrow. "And Moments Flicker By" opens with a reluctant strum of the guitar.  Sung vocals join in and offer a lingering folk sound thanks to the plaintive tones of his voice. The guitars cry out from a languid depression, as the build proves to be very purposeful;. The singing emotes in a very honest fashion. This is the drummer doing the singing, so this must be his band. He is great you can hear jazz influence in his playing as the song progresses / The growls roar out into the void halfway into the song. I will give this album a 9.5, it accomplished what it set out to do gracefully. One of the best doom albums I have heard in some time. 

pst419

Silly Goose : "Bad Behavior"

At first listen, it might be easy to write this Atlanta band off as a Limp Bizkit tribute act, but there is more under the surface. The zany rapped delivery of Jackson Foster, does lend Fred Durst comparisons to his suburban white boy approach. But these kids are hard-working and that extends to their songwriting which is pretty hooky, while they might not be skinning your ass raw like a chainsaw, they do bring enough of themselves into the mix. The second song "Tsunami" has to grow on me a bit. The lyrics are over the top and as silly as their name. They are not taking themselves all that silly and obviously their intention was to make nu-metal. The jumping grooves make that part hard to deny. 

The more melodic passages they work in is one of their strengths as it helps separate them from the first wave of ni-metal, Perhaps there is a bit of a Deftones influence in how these parts hit, but it's pretty effective. the songs I had my doubts about in this regard grew on me with a second listen. "Live It Up" has a little more of a Deftones vibe to the riffs, while they lean on the more party anthem side of songwriting. If you have caught a video of them playing in a Buc-ees parking lot, this is the kind of song you would expect to have trailer park kids dancing outside one of these Florida landmarks. 

"King of the Hill" has a stronger syncopation and benefits from the more melodic backing vocals that soar over the rapping. It was written with hooks at the forefront in a very intentional manner. Their drummer has some impressive chops that get showcased on this one. The last song is just typical nu-metal revivalism run through a metal core filter, that makes them sound like every other band at Welcome to Rockville.  I will give this one a 9.5, as they are doing what they set out to do with a fun catchy flare for songwriting that wins me over when I assumed they were just kids playing Limp Bizkit.This drops September 13th  

pst418

Life Abuse: "Systemization"

 

This metallic punk band delivers an aggressive thrashing. They know what they are doing thanks to the fact that this band comprises underground luminaries such as Self Defense Family, Male Patterns, Libyans, Devoid of Faith, and Limp Wrist.  I like the late 80s and early 90s hard-core feel, that finds dark angular metal riffs giving it more mood and depth. The brooding of "Life Cycle' offers a more emotive sonic shadow lurking under the rage the instruments want to expel this also offers a little more dynamic range to help set them apart from the 1,2,3, go !... style of punk. 

"Systemization" has a more thrash metal feel that collides, with a more  Minor Threat vibe. On a song like "Give Rise" when they give into their defiant anger, it is less original than some of the more metal-flavored moments. It's still pretty legit, but more along what you expect from the stereotypical hard-core. The mean bass tone that opens "Poisoned Chalice' rocks pretty hard, and this gives the song a little room to breathe. While the vocals are at a consistent bark, the guitar carries most of this album's melodic responsibilities. This hard-core style does not normally prioritize melody, but I am big on setting the same expectations for every genre of music since at the end of the day it's about writing songs.  

It's impressive that "Threnody" was recorded in this day and age, as it almost sounds like death rock, or at the very least Die Kruezen.  "Reconciliation" has more of a crust edge to it. The bass helps create an almost Killing Joke-like tension before things get street-wise and reckless. The more deliberate moments are the album's strongest. When they charge at you on "Chosen Path" they sound more like everyone else and lose the unique identity that gives this album its charm. I will give this album a 9, it's one of the more solid takes on bringing old-school hard core into the present day.

pst417

Wolfbrigade : "Life Knife Death"

Here's the new one by Sweden's burly hardcore champs. It charges at you with all the punk n rocking fury you might expect from this band who infuses Entomb's dense guitar tone with Motorhead's reckless energy. The raw-throated vocals are more Lemmy-influenced than metal. There is a scant trace of the stomping sections you might expect from hardcore, though this is way heavier than punk, thus making it hardcore. 11 albums in they know what they are doing. The attitude empowering the chug to the title track does have a dose of Discharge-inspired aggression to it, so it will win over fans of traditional hardcore.  I appreciate those riffs as they give you something to hook you in. The vocals stick to a bark that sits back in the guitars so you are not looking for them to draw you into the songs. 

"A Day in the Life of an Arse" charges straight ahead at a brisk pace to run you over. They are plenty angry enough, but in terms of songwriting, the previous song is more compelling. This song is just dynamically monochrome. There is more of a deliberate setup for the intro to "Unruled and Unamed",. but once the song kicks in, the drumming is full speed ahead, and it feels rushed. There feels like there is more of a rock n roll purpose to "Skinchanger". The riffs are more memorable, and the vocals might feel like more of an afterthought, but it works. 

"Your God is a Corpse' might hammer the point home with overbearing speed, but "Nail Bomb" has a little more hook to it, despite being pretty straightforward. It might come across at times like I can be harsh with bands in terms of the standards I have, but I do not need everyone to be at the Pink Floyd level of songwriting, just the effort they put into that one works for me. It works better than when they stomp the gas and rush through "Cyanide Messiah" or "Sea of Rust".  I will give this album a 7.5, it works well enough for what it is, if you own their other 10 albums, this one is what you expect. 

pst416

Paganizer : "Flesh Requiem'

Not sure why I have never given this Swedish death metal band much of a chance. Oh wait, maybe I do. Swedish death metal tends to go one of two ways. Either it's guitar harmonies that want to be Dark Trquility or blown-out chugging in the style of Entombed. Yes, there are exceptions, but I do not have time to sort through them all. These guys are more like Entombed, but without the crusty edges, and more of a 90s Tampa feel, but darker due to the Northern European energy. They straddle the fence between feeling like a cross between the two options mentioned earlier on the title track. 

Three songs in a nothing is really blowing me away here. It's a professional presentation, everything is tight and they seem to care about the songs so you are not getting belted with blast beats. It just feels like middle-of-the-road death metal and I am awaiting a more defined personality to emerge. You can pull off a sound and play everything right, but if you do not inject who you are into the songs, nothing will make you stand out from the pack. This is their 13th album, and considering they have been making music for the past twenty-five years it makes me wonder who keeps buying what I imagine to be the same album repeatedly. This does not suck, but nothing sets it apart either. If AI made a death metal album I would imagine it would sound like this as it checks off all the obligatory boxes.

"Viking Supremacy" just kind of blasts by with lyrics that also seem very bland, the songs are beginning to take on a very uniform feel, as they pour on the relentless speed. There is almost more of a power metal gallop to 'Wolrd Sycthe" that brings Amon Amarth to mind, who is another Swedish band that does little for me. Though this might be one of the album's best songs, as there is a little more nuance. " Necromonolithic" rage in the same cold blood red color of aggression. The vocals remain in the same monochromatic growl, at this point, I am enduring the album and just trying to get through it for the purpose of this review as it's clear these guys are pretty much a one-trick pony, even with the touches of melody in the more purposeful guitar parts here. Even with the occasional catchy riff, the rule here is "Cool riffs alone do not a good song make". 

"the Pyroclastic Excursions" works well enough and it was wise for me to take a break from this album at 8 songs in so I can return to it with fresh ears as it all began to sound the same to me. It's a common problem with death metal, as they paint their songs with single-minded aggression, though bands like 200 Stab Wounds, Frozen Soul, and Gatecreeper have all proven exceptions and releases killer shit that is the bar death metal should live up to. "Just Another Doomsday" is a cool title, but the content is pretty average. The manner they speed up on "Suffer Again" feels uninspired, the drummer feels like they want to rush the song. The thrashing of 'Skeletons" was needed to bring more dynamics and purpose. Sure it's a little more along the Entombed lines I will give this album a 7.5, there are moments where you can tell these guys are good at what they do, but the tomb from which they are doing it could use some refreshing up as it brings nothing new to the table.If you are a fan you will be pleased they stuck to the formula, and you can expect what you want, the rest of us might need something more inspired, but have fun with this.  The album drops on November 1st on Transcending Obscurity Records. 

pst415

The Oklahoma Kid : "Featherminded"

This ep starts off in a way that falls in the assembly of metalcore these days. It's a formula that has been in the making since the days of Myspace, with a few evolutionary changes over the years, though moving in the more poppy direction is the most unfortunate. The problem is when a genre is marketed as metalcore when the choruses hit as hard as the Backstreet Boys, it ruins the trust between, labels and the markets, as well as between artists and fans; This is not gatekeeping, it's about truth in advertising. 

The second song is a little more Linkin Park, though it does have guttural accents and more crushing breakdowns, but when this is only four songs you have to use all four songs to the best of your ability. The pace to "No Sympathy" might pick up, but when the chorus hits like some weak-ass emo pop punk, it tips the balance in the wrong way. I am a fan of sung vocals and even in hardcore do not need vocals screamed I think the first Life of Agony album provides an example of how this can be accomplished, and that album goes hard as hell. The poppy production and electronic elements are not a deal breaker for me as Candy uses those, as did Code Orange and that goes hard as hell, 

"Overpowered" finds them still wanting to be Linkin Park. Perhaps committing to being nu-metal might have been a more realistic option. Linkin Park is not a nu-metal band I like if I had to list my faves, but I think artists need to be more in touch with who they are and make music from that place rather than who they would like to be, as then it just creates music that sounds and no songs with truth or heart to them that you can feel. This album is just an empty product that is going to the wrong audience. They can play their instruments and have a feel for hooks despite them being often misplaced, so it's not total trash, but not for me I will give this a 7.

pst414

DoFlame : "Bent"

 Here is something different for hard-core. Black metal is a solitary form of music in its isolation, A one-man band makes sense in this regard, hard-core is more about community, so a one-man hard-core project is not as likely, though that is what we have going down here. It works better on the first song than on the title track following it. Not that it is a total flop then, it just feels more fluid and sonically solid on the first song. Hardcore should have a more organic feel. The production of this album compensates a great deal in this regard. 

The crunchy guitar riffs owe more to metal, and the vocals are spat out in " Flower City Do It" with a hip-hop staccato, as it rides the beat. This song is not flawless, but I like how it feels and it works more than it does not. "Too Loose" almost feels like MC Pee Pants in it's attitude. The vocals are punchy and work well to ride the beats. At some points, it brings Suicidal Tendencies to mind. There is more of a bratty punk rock tempo to "The Ick". "Rats' feels like a pretty good balance of all of the project's different sides. It captures the aggressive crunch of the guitar and the hip-hop influence on the vocal phrasing. 

"Hit Where It Hurts" is almost a more Sum 41. version of pop-punk that clashes with the more legitimate confrontational side of the genre. "Fastlanes" has more upbeat pop elements in play. It's almost like Turnstile if they lacked the budget for a producer. The vocals are more rapped than not. The last song is a little darker and finds the vocals handled with more restraint. It's this restraint that makes this one numbered among the album's best songs. I will give this a 9, it works really well, some things might be more effective here and there, but the songs are all pretty dope for what they are. 

pst413

Sabrina Carpenter : "Short n Sweet"

 

The 6th album from this pop singer who had barely entered my consciousness, before six minutes ago when I gave the single "Taste" a listen, This song also opens the album, and I was impressed by the edge to its attitude that is set against an album Kacey Musgraves like take on pop country. It works better than "Please, Please, Please" which is the second song,  Yet, even that song might be more solid than the hip-hop elements that begin to creep into "Good Graces" which gives it a more homogenized sound. I can hear where mainstream music critics might be split over this sort of thing, After all, she is a straight white girl not making any big statements. All of these things could be said of most modern female country singers. 

"Sharpest Tool" highlights the album's weakness, which is the drum programming could slap more. The vocals are really well produced. Some chances are being taken in the overall sound as it does not follow the safe formula many of these artists follow. There are lots of guitars being used on this album perhaps as many as the typical Taylor Swift album. "Coincidence" is a little more middle-of-the-road with its casual strum. Lyrically it's got charm that goes a long way most of the time. "Bed Chem' brings in 80s pop that carries a bit of a disco feel. This song works well for what she is doing. Some of the more spoken sections seem like Taylor Swift's producers were giving them notes. But if you are making pop in 2024, how can that not be the bullseye to success. 

"Espresso' is being called the best song, which in my mind means it has to but against "Taste". I think the more organic "Taste" might still work more flawlessly. "Dumb & Poetic" finds her competing more against Lana Del Rey and Musgraves. Though it does not flow as easily as their songs. She leans more in the country direction for "Slim Pickings" This actually works better than most of her pop songs. "Juno" moves back in the disco direction. The chorus does not hit as well as the verses.  "Lies to Girls" finds the strum of an acoustic guitar, not coming anywhere close to what Tay Tay can do with them. 'Don't Smile" reverts back to early 80s R&B. It's another breakup song, though this one does not have its teeth bared in the same catty manner that works so well for her. I will give this one an, 8.5 and see if it grows on me. 

pst412

Hatchend : "Summer of 69"

This is the debut from a band that deals in thrashing Hardcore with a death metal slant to its hyper-aggressive attack. This blend of sounds is not the most typical thing you expect from Sweden, but here we are. These guys are from bands like Birdflesh and Deranged, so this is not their first time trying their hand at extreme metal. They know how to write songs, so this is not just a bunch of razor-sharp riffs getting thrown at you with reckless abandon. "Who's the Foe Today" might not find the riffs as hooky as the opening, but there is still an investment and a touch of rock n roll somewhere in the musical DNA. Sometimes this feels a little rushed when the speed is poured on. 

The only problem with not letting up on the speed is that in three songs things begin to take on a uniform sound due to the lack of dynamics The drumming to "Bloodthirsty Degenerate" works of a stiff pounding of the snare that is more typical of punk, and even then it's one of my least favorite drum beats. There is more of a Motorhead sound to "Scapegoat". At least you can hear the effort being put into making this a song rather than just thrashing with no direction for the sake of it. I can tell right now this album is not something that is going to be in regular rotation for me, as it's a little too straightforward. But there is an audience for it. 

Then there are moments when the momentum gets the best of them and the results are less inspired like "Feirce Scapel Menace". ''Feed this Emptiness" snarls in a pretty one-dimensional manner, that is almost punk in its simple thrashing. I know plenty of metal heads who would tell you Motorhead is the most melodic band they listen to, so this sort of thing is going to appeal to them. At this point, I had already begun to get bored with this album and was forcing myself through it."Fascist By Design' has one cool riff in it but the song largely blows by in a blur. 

"First Blood" has a little more nuance, but that little bit is pretty marginal, as it blasts by with a fit of uniform anger the bulk of the album has displayed. I will give this album a 7.5 , I appreciate the enthusiasm and the album gets off to a good start the momentum carries it away into a murky morass of riffage, But there are some people who are going to be into it, I am not one of them. 

pst411

Fontaines D.C. : "Romance"

 

Wow, it seems like these guys took a turn. Though when the groove of "Starbursters" takes you away bobbing your head it's kind of hard to argue with it. This Irish band is now playing a hooky-as-hell version of Brit-pop that is more infectious than the post-punk they busted out on the last album. The songwriting is in a poppier direction but without feeling like they are selling out. The vocals were given more room to work their magic and Grain Chatten has really come into his own as a singer. Granted some of the credit goes to producer James Ford, who has also worked with HAIM, Depeche Mode, and Florence and the Machine. He obviously knows how to dial vocals in the right way and give everything the space it deserves to make the most of the melodies.

This is also the band's fourth album, so they know what they are doing, and seem to have a firm grasp on where they want to take it.  If you want to hear the band's more Clash-influenced take on punk, then this is not the album for you as they have grown past that point. I could stand to have the guitar more present in the mix, but for what is going on here, I will take what I can get. There is plenty of strumming going on with "In the World Modern" but it is more of a ballad. It reminds me a little of Tears For Fears if they covered a song from the last Taylor Swift album. 

"Bug" finds them still having some of the attitude that pervaded previous work, but streamlined into this more Brit pop-flavored delivery, where the guitar is strummed in a manner that owes more to the Verve or Oasis. This vibe carries over into "Motorcycle Boy". I think they are most effective when locked into more of a groove, but the mellower direction still works well enough. I find myself waiting for when they are going to jump back into that sort of thing, but instead, they go into more of a dream-pop atmosphere for "Sundowner" the more melancholic mood, which also works for me since I am a depressed person, so I can co-sign this direction as well. 

"Horseness is the Whatness" is another ballad, this time it feels like a psychedelic show tune. Reverbed-out surf guitar creeps along the edges. "Death Kink" has more of the punk undercurrent lurking under it, with the band kicking in with a more Pixies-like energy. This makes it one of the album's best songs. A grungy single-note guitar solo comes in to add more 90s vibes. "Favourite" has a happier strum to it, that feels like one of the Cure's radio hits, but more cheerful than what I prefer from these guys, but they pull it off well. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's a leap forward in terms of songwriting, even if they have stepped away from some of the things that got me into them. It's hard to argue with something that works. 

pst410

Amiture : "Mother Engine"

 

This album came out in February, so I am just now catching up with it. It's an odd blend of 90s styles that in some ways reminds me of the  Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, as electronic beats are set against more organic melodies.  The vocals have a great deal of emotion to their croon, and the atmosphere draped around the song is thick. I like all the sounds that are in play here. This album feels dark, but not in a goth sense, it is possessed by the loneliness of a solitary road trip. If Luscious Jackson had been a depressed men who wandered the open highways of upstate New York a similar feeling would have been invoked. 

They are down with the 90s beats for sure. But they are not just obsessed as they are capturing seedy places in the moonlight. 'Billy's Dream" feels a little more like Nick Cave covering "Army of Me".  The more emotive croon to the vocals of "Law * Order" provides a counterpoint to the more organic blues-based instrumentation. The more head register-focused vocals of "Collector" create a more Radiohead-like vibe. Sometimes, they make me think of a darker take on Shudder to Think. Once again this version of darkness creeping in is more depressive and has none of the goth spookiness. The guitars are steamy on "HWL" to give things a more trip-hop feel. 

"Baby" has a more electronic pulse which causes it to bump more like Love & Rockets. This is pushed further in the Daniel Ash direction with the hushed baritone vocal giving a breathy plea over things.  Though the vocals take on a more dramatic croon for "Dirty", things go even further in the early 90s electro-rock direction. It's the kind of sexy music you might expect in a vigilante movie where they go give a drug dealer an ultimatum in the club. Speaking of drug dealers "Cocaine" is in an even more trip-hop direction. It feels more like the morning after a cocaine binge when you are still awake and everyone else has passed, and it's the loneliest sunrise ever. If you can relate to that feeling this album is for you. 

"American Flag" finds the vocals taking on more fragile desperation as the guitars brood in pentatonics.  The slithering groove of this bleeds with the kind of pain that leaves you feeling hollow inside. Perhaps the most gloom is save for the last song which feels like you are floating out into dark waters, looking up at the night sky before deciding to just let yourself drown. This is a beautiful album with the kind of desperate yearning I want from music it takes me back to the 90s and with all the angst y introspective those days held, I will give it a 10. 

 

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pst409

Future Palace : "Distortion"

This German band is in a similar vein of blending poppy vocal hooks with metal-core as bands like Jinger and Spiritbox. The chorus works of the formula where their singers create an anthemic hook to serve as a counterpoint to the crunching guitar groove that hammers at you on the verses. Vocalist Maria Lessing has a convincing scream that at times feels angrier than her male counterparts. The grooves sometimes across over closer to what In This Moment does sonically. "Panic Paralysis" is marginally darker even with the more pop-oriented vocal approach.  From a songwriting perspective, it's pretty effective, but if you are weighing them against a band like Code Orange, then these kids aren't as heavy. 

Charlie Rolfe from As Everything Unfolds joins them for "The Echoes of Disparity". There is a more nu-metal cadence to the percussive elements in play here. Rolfe's voice the higher chant in the background. The lead single "Dreamstate" is basically a metal-core power ballad. Some of the synth sounds in"Decarabia" feel like an anime soundtrack, so younger audiences should find plenty to like here. The vocal melodies take this in a more pop direction that is complimented by the electronic sounds. They lay it on thick when it comes to the chorus and surround it with various break-down riffs. 

"In Too Deep"  is darker, angrier, and more in your face. Though they are quick to turn it around into a pop atmosphere. The electronic pulse to this works well. "Rays of Light" switches from a brooding syncopation to more soaring passages with the vocals front and center. This album is well produced, but the vocal layering at times can feel excessive. They reach their best balance of all the elements in play with " A Fool on a Devil's Reins". Her vocals create a more erotic mood before she flips into a rap. There is a similar hip-hop influence lurking under "They Take What They Want".  This song is one of the album's angriest. "Amethyst" closes the album, and while they are not dazzling you with progressive chops like other bands doing this sort of thing, they are better songwriters which goes a long way. I will give this album a 9, as it certainly puts them shoulder to shoulder with bands like Jinger, but on their own terms. 

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Thy Catafalque :"XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek"

 12 albums into this project's legacy, things are moving in an even more progressive direction. At one time more of a black metal band, there is not a great deal remaining from those days. Lots of keyboards, with metallic punches when it comes to dialing the dynamics up. This band does sound like they are from Hungary. The exotic scales this album dances around are a testament to that heritage. I mean the scale is even called the Hungarian Minor, so how could it not be the lifeblood of these songs? They speed things up on the second song, which holds more black metal malice to its attack. 

"Vasgyar' finds the drumming propelling things forward in a metal manner. The arrangement jerks you back with the technical riffing. There is a great deal of fire in this aggressive attack, as the vocals take on a menacing snarl, that sounds more death metal than black metal. The song does build into an impressive syncopated groove. "Vilagnak Vilaga" feels more like a heavier take on folk metal. "Niyarfa, Niyirfa" moves in a more hooky fashion, as the vocals have plenty of room to ride the bass line. "Lydianoz" is more of a folk song that still weaves a serpentine charm thanks to the bass. There is nothing metal about the song and that is fine. The synths add more progressive depth to the song. 

"Vakond" features harpsichord sounds that dance around the organ. The album is moving in a more progressive folk direction which works just fine. This is what this album needs to do to retain its identity and not just follow what Ihsahn has laid out for black metal artists crossing over into progressive rock. For an instrumental it succeeds in holding my attention. "Kodkiraly" feels like alternative folk from the 90s. It simmers in the atmosphere but does not have as clear of a direction as the previous song. Midway in the distortion stomps in like a storm cloud. Snarled vocals darken the narrative. 

"Alahullas" wastes no time for the drums to establish the metallic direction it is going in. Synths take the guitar melody. The song has both punch and groove, though the vocals on the chorus are a little dramatic for my tastes. The guitar solo on this one is very effective as it adds to the melodic themes rather than pointless shredding. The last song goes in a more progressive direction. I will give this album a 9, as it cares about the songs, and finds a great dynamic balance while working in the sounds of it's homeland. 

pst407

Spite : "the Third Temple"

 The guitars have a cleaner tone than the buzzing razor-sharp distortion that coats the tremolo-picked riffs of most black metal bands. There are some thrashy stomps on the second song, but the big takeaway here is this is not just a blast fest, but this guy cares about writing songs so even the rasped vocals fall over the riffs with a great deal of purpose. "Under the Wings of the Cherubim" finds more speed being poured one which tends to lean more in the direction of what you typically expect from black metal these days and the first two songs prove this project is capable of more. 

"Yahweh's Vengence" works off of a hooky more death metal-like riff, that proves to be very effective. It works better than "Desert Demons" which follows it as it does not revert back to blast beats to break up the song, so the riffs do not become a mush of sound. "Hounds of Hatred" cranks by with a wrathful attitude. Nothing latches onto me from it, becomes more background music. "Spoils of Judea" is a little more intentional, and has more of a thrashing swing to it, but falls short of taking the kind of chances heard in the first few songs. 

"Where Dust Cannot Fall" is the first song where I had to go back and give another listen as it just kind of faded into the background and I stopped paying as close attention. It's pretty middle-of-the-road black metal, the vocals begin to lose their flare at this point in the album and begin to get a little redundant. "The Black Moon" continues to find the album heading in a more straightforward black metal direction even with the melodic themes in the riffing. There is a little more thrash in the veins of "the Stone of Sakrah. It carries an angular groove, and the bass comes forward in the mix to give a little more of a backbone, anytime you can hear the bass in black metal I am a fan.

"The Dark Ark" is darker and carries more purpose, making it a catchier song. There is also a darker undercurrent to the last song, but it is less purposeful, in fact, the drumming is pretty chaotic, thus leading the song all over the place. I will give this album an 8.5, they sometimes take more chances than your average black metal bands, then conform the rest of the time, but pull everything off in a way that works. This is unleashed by Invictus Productions on September 27th. 

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Fucked Up : "Another Day"

 

You never know what you are going to get with these guys. I liked their 2022 album "Oberon" It was more of a sludge metal affair, while they are back to a more artful display of punk on this album. They are far too atmospheric and adventurous to be punk these days. The vocals are the only remnant of that time. Even then there is a great deal of vocal layering. "Stimming" has prog rocking guitar coloring it. He is pondering how his body is a cell that carries him around so at the very least they are smoking plenty of pot here. The arrangements continue to level up the complexity of this album as well. 

'Tell Yourself You Will" is more energetic, and somewhat hopeful despite the gritty vocal delivery. It does not feel as nuanced as the first two songs. Progressive punk would normally sound like an oxymoron in any other context. Aside from the bombastic vocals, the title track feels more like a Queens of the Stoneage song. The backing vocals add a more melodic layer. They throw a great deal at you throughout this song. The guitar carries the more cerebral fuzzed-out tone going into "Paternal instinct".  The chorus is hookier than some of the songs. 

Some of the more upbeat melodies remind me of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, thanks to the leather throated bellow of the lead singer. " The One to Break It" feels awkward, like it does not all fit together the way it's intended. "More" is driven by a stoned angular groove, with the vocals using a little more caution. Sometimes the lyrics feel like they need to be edited down to fit the meter best. "Follow Fine Feeling' finds them following their hippie tendencies that are the opposite end of the spectrum from what we should expect from punk. Things continue to be a little chaotic yet anthemic on the last song. I do not like this one as much as the previous album, but what they do is impressive and I appreciate the effort so I will give this a 8.5 .

pst405

SPEED : "Only One Mode'

These guys have captured the feel of NYCHC pretty well. They pack the metallic punch of hard-core while staying true to the thrashing of the late 80s. The riffs and the overall sound left me pretty impressed on the first song, but the question becomes, can they keep me impressed for the entirety of the album, They do keep the momentum on the second song, but it's not far removed from what they did on the first song though it is still working really well here.  "No Love But For Our Own' hits with street smarts and thrashing aggression, but the chorus is still hooky enough without trying to be Turnstille. 

They keep the hunger for riffs fed on "Only Foes", but things are not as refined on "The First Test" which does carry a bit of a Cro-mags influence to it, but does not feel quite as catchy as the previous songs.  'Send Them 2 Sydney" is more punk paced, though they continue to show a willingness to fuck around with the sounds and experiment a bit to set them apart from the average hardcore band. When they pour on the faster tempos they tend to sound more like everyone else rather than play to their strengths of grooving riffs. The sung vocals as an accent work well. 

"I Mean It" almost feels more like Biohazard thanks to the more rapped vocal. The breakdown riff on this song is pretty fucking killer.  'Caught in a Craze" closes the album when a more old-school cross-over feel. Overall they found a great balance of hooky metal riffs, breakdowns, and being true to old-school hard-core while trying new things in their homage to it. They took chances with this formula that paid off, I will give this album a 9.5, if you like hard-core you would be missing out if you do not give these guys a shot. 

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pst404

Bridge City Sinners : "In the Age of Doubt"

 This came out last month and I missed it so I am unsure how their PR dept dropped the balls on that one. My first thought about this band's opening track is that it is not as dark as the previous album. This could be played on a street corner during the day in New Orleans, though there is plenty of bluegrass carrying the song, and Libby's vocals are more pop-minded. A boozy street blues swagger helps the sunset a little more on "Midnight to Vice'" The barroom rag-time jazz provides an upbeat saunter to the song. "Heavy" is an ode to getting stoned, that moves similarly to the previous song, though leaning into the bluegrass side of what they do thanks to the fiddling. Things build in a pretty upbeat fashion. 

'Doubt" finds her vocals again going into a little more pop place despite taking on more of an edge at times..There is a moodies to this one, but would not call it dark. Some of the more overt Satanic imagery is also gone. She does go into her screamed vocal on this one, but musically it's not heavy.  There is a heavier syncopation going into "The Crawl",  They go into a protest song of sorts with the more folk-tinged "End of the War". It has a stormier tension that sounds like something you might hear under a cautionary sea shanty.  "Crazy" is pretty upbeat, there is lyrically an inner struggle as she reflects on her mental. There is a mariachi feel to the rambling "Sprears and Blades" 

"Shame" is the first song that feels dark musically. It has a similar tension at times as the Maiden song "Fear of the Dark" which might be the album's best tune. Then there is the bawdy drinking anthem "Sinner's Saloon". The rest of the band joins in on the chorus. There is almost a pop punk tension to "Eye For an Eye" where once again the band joining in with backup vocals is more noticed Libby is singing more straightforwardly on this album with less of the theatrical emoting from previous albums.

 There is more of an Appalachian folk feel, it's more somber in tone though not a ballad. They do what they do well, but the shift in tone, feels like a shift in the band's brand identity, as the more sinister trappings are shed, and the subject matter is more introspective in some ways, more inner demons and not enough outer demons,. though this might just be a personal preference on my end, I will give this album a 9, as they made the album they set out to and this might be a more accessible album to fans of this type of music who do not want the pseudo-"Satanic" or darker imagery, as it is a notice move from that into a more middle of the road place of neutrality in that regard. It's darker than the country music you hear on the radio, but that's it, though the same could be said for the new Amigo the Devil album as well. 

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pst403

A Place to Bury Strangers : "Synthesizer"

 

For 22 years this band has bridged noise rock with post-punk. The album opens in a driving sonic manner that only makes sense for these guys. They ebb down and let things breathe more on the more rock n roll flavored "Don't Be Sorry". Deadpan baritone vocals create the narrative as the creeping groove flows under him. This is a much more effective display of what they are capable of as songwriters where the opening track hits you with sound. It was effective in getting your attention."Fear of Transformation" works off a stark electronic pulse. It plays with sound more abstractly.  If you were really high it might fuck with you a bit.

"Join the Crowd' hovers on the jangling drone of guitars as the vocals sit back and mutter from the background. "Bad Idea' is a pretty fitting title while it rides a solid bass groove it is overcome by noise. "You Got Me' has more in common with Sonic Youth, who paved the way for this band. These guys are darker than Sonic Youth, and less punk. The vocals once again sit further back in the mix. "Plastic Fture' dances over things more like Joy Division. The guitars keep a palm-muted groove but are more chill than some of the sonic tantrums they are capable of kicking up. 

"Have You Ever Been in Love " is darker so works best for me. The guitar tones on this album are pretty great when they crank up and move forward in the mix, with a surf rock reverb to them, With both the vocals and guitars more present on this one, it's probably the best song on the album. The last song "Comfort Never Comes' finds the reverb-laced guitar ringing in and out in the night, but not as present in the mix as the previous, with the vocals coming from the back door or the basement. I like the mood, but the song itself would work better with a different mix. I will give this album a 9, making it not there best but a pretty solid stab at what they normally do which is delivered this time with a dreamy surf rock melancholy. 

pst402

Horna : "Nyx - Hymnejä Yölle"

 

There are some bands that I do not listen to unless I am reviewing their albums, but I continue to review them as I respect them for what they do. This is the case with the Finnish Black Metal Overlords Horna. I know what I am going to get going into this. They have met me in the middle over the years as their albums are more well-produced and less infested with blast beats than the previous ones. Now 11 albums in the question have to be so what does this album have the previous ten did not? The vocals stand out a little more. Not a great deal. But some. This thrashes as much as it blasts. There is tangible darkness that puts them ahead of half the bands claiming to be black metal. No one is questioning this band's commitment. Some question the band's hateful roots, but black metal should be hateful, and these guys carry plenty of sonic wrath. 

The second song finds the band buzzing along at warp speed. There are subtle nuances in the punch of the guitar, but it hits like a solid wave of sound.  The vocals are a choked rasp, that sometimes is more of a snarl. Not the best vocalist in black metal, but he gets the job done. The drumming does get more deliberate, and vocals join in on some unison chants, so attempts are being made at songwriting. There are more sonic similarities between these guys and Watain, as the guitars carry more of a throb while maintaining a rawness. Watain is a better band, but Horna has now improved to be able to be compared to them. The chorus of the third hymn, has an almost punk feel. Unlike punk, they milk the riffs for all they are worth as this is a six-minute song not a three-minute one. 

The fourth song just buzzes by like the good ole days. They are not letting up any on the song after that either. There are some spooky sounds layered over it, but overall not do a lot new. The song after this one follows not too far beyond the previous one, which makes me wonder, how their fans have already bought 10 albums of the same thing. The last song finds them taking a stab at neo-folk, but it kind of drones on as the only novel elements being they prove they can sing when they want to, I think hearing this sort of thing worked into the average blast fest might make it more interesting. I will give this album an 8.5, there are improvements in songwriting and presentation, but it feels not far from what we have heard from them. 

pst401

Left to Suffer : "Leap of Death"

Things have changed for the band. They are moving into the Big Leagues and trying to make an album that is more accessible to mainstream metal audiences. Alejandro Aranda otherwise known as Scarypoolparty provides vocals so poppy that I thought I downloaded the wrong album. While their last album "Feral" has some nu-metal influence that has been pushed further upstage they have a sound that is closer to that of other more mainstream bands in the metal core genre. They do get heavier on the second song which was a collab with Pale Face Swiss. "Will Take My Breath" finds them leaning into more of the big arena-ready stomp. Sung vocals return, and these might have been taken a step too far. Ten56 collaborated on this with them, but I always think of those guys being darker than this. 

"Forsaken" feels more death metal-like in its attack. The higher-pitched vocals are more scathing. I appreciate that they are more melodic now, and this song proves they have plenty of balls, but it feels like they are more like everyone else now. I can't shake this feeling even on songs like this that work despite the stylistic shift. The grooves on "Forsaken" are pretty tight and I think I might be ok if they had become this kind of death metal band.  The pop singing is back on 'Slow Talk". It feels like it dilutes it a little too much and I am a guy who prefers actual singing. It sounds good for what it is, but it also does not sound like the band. 

I think some of these melodic touches would have worked better out of the added vocals. I mean are these other singers going to tour with them? They would have to pull this off.  I like the lyrics, but the original vocal style would have only required nominal changes to work just as well, and maintain more of their identity as a band. I don't like Sleep Token as it is, and I do not need these guys to try to turn into them. Unlike Sleep Token when they do kick things in they fucking mean it. "Give them Death" begins to find the clean vocals beginning to diminish the impact of their weight crunch. They are heading back in the death metal direction, though by way of a metal core breakdown. 

This album is well produced, almost too much so. However, the sound captured here is larger than before, so if this was your first time hearing these guys it might be a deceptive portrayal of who they are as a band, though it could be argued that since they made this album this is who they are now, so it feels more like who they want to be. The last song supports this as you can hear the band that made 'Feral" buried under the layers of multitracked everything. I will give this album an 8.5, as it's good, it just does not feel like they are being honest with their audience, however, to be fair I have not listened to any interviews with them and maybe they are like "Hell, yeah we are making our most accessible album yet". I feel a little disappointed but can't deny the album sounds good for who they are now. 

pst400