Modern Color : "There Goes the Dream"

 

This California-based band takes an aggressive approach to indie rock. With catchy vocals and guitar driving a violent jangle home. The drummer has not figured out he is not in a hardcore band yet, but it works pretty well to balance things out. By the second song, they are beginning to settle into more of a Minus the Bear thing just without all the mathy riffs. Kinda of what got filled as emo in the late 90s.It is not as hooky as the first song which is the bar with which this band is going to be measured. 

"Fortress:" further points the finger in the Minus the Bear, direction by cruising with some of the grace they once had in their early work, but without the fretboard gymnastics."Beacon House" is more melodic and the closest they are probably going to come to a ballad not that I mind, but it jangles along with not as much direction. There is more rock in the backbone of "Star 9200". They go into more jangling slacker rock with "Big Question".  "Where's Kevin?" is perhaps more forgettable. They get into some of the angular turnarounds on "Good Neighbors".  It works well enough not going to say it is the album's best song. The song after this finds the guitarists going for it more to capture the Minus the Bear mood. Perhaps I just need to check and see if Minus the Bear has anything in the works. 

"Night Swim" is that ballad they hinted at. It also reminds me how much the drummer has chilled out since the first song. On the last song, he goes for it more and puts in some sweat equity. It 's an energetic bopper of a song, though much like the rest of the album does not reinvent the wheel. I will give this album an 8.5, it took me back to an era of music I enjoyed, I wish they polished it with their own spit a little more but it works for what it is. Don't believe anyone who compares these guys to Nothing there is nothing shoegaze about this. 

November is Doom - Bokassa : "All Out of Dreams"

 

This Norweigan band occupies a similar place as Kvelertak. But are more stoner rock, and not black metal at all, Both however have a healthy love of punk rock. So much so that Lou Koller from Sick of it All joins in on the second song. The riffing at times has a hint of 80s metal which works for me. Think Judas Priest or Accept here. "Straight Edgelord" is funny lyrically. It makes fun of the hardcore scene. The title track is more rock n roll with the raspy vocals proving capable of holding melodies down. 

Aaron Beam from Red Fang appears on "Bradford Death Squadron"  which helps sum up the direction these guys are heading in. It has more metal in its chug than the kind of bong rock Red Fang cranks out. It has plenty of drive and is pretty fun for what it is. "Let's Storm the Capital" seems funny since it affects Norway in no way at all. So this goes to show how Western music has influenced them  The pace picks up to a more punk charge forward on "Everyone Falls in the End". Other bands do punk, better they should just stick to what they have been doing. But it's under a minute.

The 80s rock comes back thanks to the drummer on "Gung Ho". It falls somewhere between Alice Cooper and Guns N Roses, which works for me. "No More Good Days"  finds them back racing in pursuit of punk. This time with more grit than the previous ditty. They are still better off tempering with more rock. The last song might be one of the album's most solid tracks. I will give this album a 9 as its strong moments balance the songs where they lean into punk past the point of playing to their strengths. If a lot of godo hard rockin' fun.

November is Doom -Alkymist : "Unnderr"

 I

 was a big fan of this band's 2020 album "Sanctuary". The Danish sludge masters are back with a more machine-like pounding this time as things have been dialed in production-wise. Vocally they do not conform to just your standard leather lunged roars the genre tends to default to. Things follow a more conventional metal flow on this album. The riffs have a more Meshuggah-like stomp to their groove. The opening track is dark enough for me, so that works, though the second and third songs ran together, I had to go back and give this another listen to fully wrap my head around it. They find a good balance of atmosphere on this that makes the heavy riffs more effective. 

'Diggin the Grave"starts off with an atmosphere not unlike the one established in the first song before rumbling into the chugged riff, It feels closer to rock-inspired metal than I recall hearing from these guys in the past. This is not to say to abandons bring the dense sludge as those riffs are still largely there even in this context. The third song works off a similar formula as the first song but indulges in the atmosphere more to create a creepier vibe. "Light of a Lost Star" works off a more conventional chug. It is still balanced out with melody and ambiance. This album is more accessible than the last one, and the songwriting is hookier without sacrificing heaviness as can be heard on "My Sick Part". I like the use of effects on the vocals in the verse. 

"Fire In My Eyes" reminds me of "Wolverine Blues" era Entombed.  "Masters of Disguise" works well enough I like the vocal shift, but they have been doing so much cool stuff on this album that the bar was held pretty high making this feel like filler. Overall this album is great, though is more straightforward nad adheres to some mainstream metal tropes that they give their own spin, I will give it a 9. 

Hand of Juno : "Psychotic Banana"

 

This band from Italy features the bassist from Infected Rain and fancies themselves industrial, which might be an influence but they feel more like electro-pop. It's similar to what Poppy does or certain eras of In This Moment. At their most aggressive on "We Built the Line," they are like a more nu-metal version of the Nighwish-styled European bands. The vocals do not soar as high, but there is a romantic element that will appeal to teenage girls. I think "Right Now" is more original sounding and the use of effects on her voice, takes some of the candy coating off. She is a good enough singer, but the sweetness in her voice plays against the aggressive sound they are going for. I think they would be more effective if they did not resist the pop side. 

"Destroy the Line" finds them racing down the middle land behind Jinjer and Spiritbox, as their singer employs harsher vocals. The video, and I keep watching the videos when possible as they are more entertaining with the visual element, show them as a trio, which means more studio tricks are involved, though I need to check out a live video to see how this is pulled off on stage, Hold on I'll get back to you and let you know. Ok, I'm back live they added a bass player. Now moving on to "Not a Game", it works better than the previous song, as we do not need more bands trying to be Spiritbox, they already have that covered, so here is hoping they find their own place.

 The answer is sort of on this song, pretty close to what Infected Rain does just not as progressive. Would be more inclined to think of this band as nu-metal. I wish things would move in the darker direction like they want to on " The One." It leans more toward pop and is one of the album's best songs. The video for the title track might eclipse the song, which speeds up into a chaotic chorus that does not make as much sense and feels forced. "Poline" is the first song that feels industrial.  There is a trade-off between harsher vocals and her singing. I like that is moves in a darker direction. "Hug My Death" paints a picture of what they are like as a fully formed band.  This is in a more metal direction. The album closes with a power ballad. of sorts.  I will give this an 8.5, highly entertaining, I appreciate what they are doing fans of both Poppy's more metal-minded efforts and Infected Rain while plenty to enjoy here. Melissa Bruschi, has established herself as an entry in the hottest female metal singers category for sure.

pst575

November is Doom - Kollapse : "AR"

 

This band from Denmark, is a crazed noisy version of sludge that pounds almost more like a hardcore band. In Europe, we see where those lines are blurred more interestingly.  The second song is more deliberate the chugged attack that follows the more soaring sonics of the guitars. The use odd time signatures, and are not stuck just hitting you with overdriven guitar as more melodic clean guitar rings out on this song. 'Dod" is more of a dissonant angular piece of noise rock that happens to carry more of a sludge-influenced stomp in the drumming, putting these guys on the heavier side of what a band like Chat Pile does. This song also rings in a darker touch for the band. 

The noise and abrasive edges make it hard to keen in on what is going on here at first listen. "Form" has a more melodic beginning than I first heard. I think the harshly howled vocals ten to cast a uniform sonic color over things. The arrangements have more of a dynamic ebb and flow than the vocals make you think. The eight and half minute "Dekomposition" is the album's most mammoth song. It attacks using the same sonic weaponry they have been wielding against your ears for the first four songs, they just take a few angular twists and turns here. 

This is the part of the album where the songs begin to run together, some of this is the vocal the vocals are a one-trick pony. This one has a little more chaotic energy and dizzying guitar work. The last song might be called "Transformation" but I am not expecting their sound to transform from what we have heard thus far. There is just a dramatic extended intro with creepy guitar. The only change is that the vocals do not come in until the end and then are doing what they normally do. I will give this album an 8,5, if you what a sludge band doing something different and with a more noise rock element that is more punk than Chat Pile , check these guys out.  

pst574

November is Doom- Gnome : "Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome"

 

This band from Belgium is a bit of an oddity, and I am surprised we have not reviewed them yet. However, I suppose I should not be surprised since there are so many bands in the world and only so many hours in the day. They have an upbear jammy vibe. Though they pack a punch here and there and even throw in harsher vocals in places.  They do not shy from bouncy riffs to compliment their fantasy lyrical themes. It does not feel they are taking themselves very seriously in this regard.I think this works better on the opening track than on the second song.  Though I do like the riff they end "The Orge" with and use of a saxophone solo. 

They are still in an upbeat mood of sorts, or at least not as dark as what I normally listen to for "The Gods are Evil". They take their boogie in a harder grooving direction that brings Clutch to mind on "Duke of Disgrace".  So far this makes this the album's best song. I think these guys probably smoke their fair share of weed. Things find a more Mastodon-like aggression settling in for "Golden Fool". Not the first Northern European band I have heard this crop up in this month.

"Rotten Tongue" finds the bass thumping in a more metallic cadence they funk out of as the song progresses. It's almost like a more sludge-minded Primus. Granted Primus also draws inspiration from some of the prog bands these guys are also into. "Back to the Mud" picks up the pace for a more rock n roll affair. The vocals shift to work with the change of style. Not really my thing but they are versatile., The bass player continues to prove himself to be the star of this show. The only darkens slightly for the last song, it's not dark just more serious. Which works well enough for me. This album overall is too happy for me, but you gotta give these guys the credit they deserve, if you want some pot smoking anthems they are bringing them I will give this a 9. 

pst573

Yersin : "THE SCYTHE IS REMORSELESS"

 Crust is one of my favorite forms of metallic punk, as it connects with a primal darkness. This has put the British band Yersin on my list of bands to check out for some time, so glad I am catching on to bands like this I just never got around to checking out. The lyrics are delivered with an anguished yell that bares an honest anger. An atmosphere haunts the album giving it an even darker tone than expected. Sometimes they drop down into more of a death metal growl. The second song has both black metal blasting interjected as an accent here and there as well as riffs that pound like a hard-core band, so they really throw many of the best genres at you in their sound. 

This is overall more metallic than it is punk, when it does lean in the punk direction it is still more hard-core. On the title track the vocals continue to be used very intentionally. There is a descending riff that serves as one of the song's melodic themes that feels more like death metal to me., "Lust for Crust" is a more stomping groove that continues to find the band on the more hardcore side of the fence. Their drummer is highly skilled as he lays down a steady current of double bass. "Red Mist" moves with a moodier chug. Effective but the initial sting of their sounds begins to wear off. 

There is more of a thrashing crossover sound to "To The Masses".  It reminds me more of the mid-90s hardcore scene. The vocals switch into a death metal roar in the chorus. Most of the song is chugged out at an urgent gallop. The last song has more of a shadow hovering over its pulse.  As the song unfolds it leans more in a hard-core direction. I will give this album a 9.5, as it excels at setting an angry apocalyptic mood. 

pst572

November is Doom- Love Sex Machine : "TRVE"

 

This French band plays an interesting take on sludge, which I am surprised has not yet made them more of a household name for metalheads. There is a progressive slant to what they do."Test26" is not as memorable, and one of the band's problems is the vocals use the same maniacal rasp in the first three songs so I am halfway into "Trapped For Life" and they are occupying the needed space but not as impressive. The sonic space the guitar occupies here works well and carries the song. I still think they are skilled at what they are doing and deserve more recognition, but there is a difference between having that status and being the best at what you do. 

"Body Probe' has more groove too. They begin to remind me of Today is the Day in this song. The vocals I have accepted they are what they are and this is what this band does. "Canopy" is sonically very intense in the mood it creates, and the vocals work better over it so I can appreciate what they are putting together here. Not the hookiest song on the album, but it hits you with its fury. "Broken Code" has more groove to it and might be one of the album's best songs because of this. "Carbonic Beast" starts an ominous throb that feels like its theme carries over all the way into "Hollywood Story" though at this point the album fades into a backing soundtrack.

"Autism Factor" pulses with intensity but does not grab you, and as mentioned "Hollywood Story that follows it feels like it is checking back into a similar sonic theme we have already heard. Not deal breakers, but noticeable. It feels more like they are invested in the sound that the song here. The last song kind of fall into the same sonic buzz they already started. I will give this album an 8.5, they are great at what they do and deserve more recognition, at least regarding their genre. 

pst571

Horndal : "Head Hammer Man"

 

This Swedish band plays a rowdy version of sludge-tinged metal that is not unlike early Mastodon. This also is a concept album about Swedish folk hero Alrik Andersson, an exiled metal worker forced to migrate to America in the early 1900s. The second has more of a progressive chug to it. It carries a groovy late-70s vibe. With its surf rock guitar "Exiled" is an interesting song with gruff vocals still dominant in the narrative, though the second song found more sung vocals prominent. I might prefer this song as it is darker. 

"Fuck the Scabs" is rowdier with a more metallic punch to it. It's almost like death metal but with clean surf rock guitar instead of the normal crunch., There is the sludge aggression to the howled vocals, and some hooky riffs thrown in"Blacklisted " continues to follow the story of Alkrik's downward spiral. It also has a more blatant Mastodon feel to the riff driving it. I own all the Mastodon albums, so I do not need someone to recycle them. Perhaps that is something that is currently in demand in Sweden, and it's is an homage to a time that is different from where those guys are now. 'The Shining Specter" is more atmosphere, but does not really grab me. Then  Evictions" feels like they are picking up where they left off as a Mastodon tribute band. 

"Orange Lecacy" is a proggier jam. Thins take a on a darker tension for "Creature Cages". This at least end the album with the strongest song. Sure there are som e Mastodon moments even in this one, but you hear enough of where this band is coming from to balance it out. I will give this one an 8. Not the most original thing I have heard this week but it was a fun listen, that folks into this kind of middle of the radio sludge will enjoy.

pst570

November is Doom - Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean : "Sisyphean Cruelty"

 

Not our first dance with these guys. We love the fact they are so insanely heavy. This is demonstrated again on their new album it feels like it is hitting for a more sludge direction on the first song.  The croak of the more death-drenched vocals works really well. Things pick up to a more grooving pound for "Unfit For Human Life". The vocals are spewed with convincing anger. "Solitude Illusion" either finds itself droning on a repetitive riff or blasting with the vocals in a feral scream. Not the album's strongest moment. But they set the bar pretty high for themselves on the first two songs. To their credit the bulk of the songs are compactly arranged and only the last song ventures over the six-minute mark. 

"Deconstruction of the Great Immovable" is darker and slower, allowing the guitar to ring out with more of an eerie throb, though the vocals are less purposeful and scream out from pain with little thought to what they are adding to the flow of the song. The riff shifts into a more determined stomp, as it chugs forward. Midway into the song you begin to speculate how much further are they going to drag this, and the answer is slower. They use feedback to make this more abrasive. You have to go into this making sure you are in the mood to have your ears hammered. "Crawl off and Die" finds Tremolo picking at the wheel when the song opens. Then it drops down into a dragged-out riff, that alternates in the blackness it buzzes with. I can appreciate how nasty the overall mood is here. 

"Barely Any Reason to Be Alive" is more despairing in the doomy mood it rumbles toward you with. It locks into a steady syncopation and grooves a little more. The bad vibes they are trying to spread are past the point of head-banging and taking what Eyehategod once did in an even more extreme direction. The title track is more uptempo and carries a more death metal-like menace to the riff driving it. It is one of the album's strongest tracks. The last song drags a little more and the vocals are going berserk rather than trying to guide the song.  I will however give this album 8.5, as it is effective at being mind-numbingly heavy with it's raw in-your-face feedback-laden production. 

pst569

November is Doom - Autolith : "Artificial Heaven"

 

Just catching up with these Memphis-based metal heads who dropped this album back in May. It started off with a more agonized blast before finding their footing in the more deliberate atmosphere they begin to trudge with more authority. Their strength as a band is the ability to recognize they can only effectively crush you by giving you the chance to catch your breath, rather than just a single-minded assault on your ear drums. The first song does set the bar pretty high for them so the challenge is going to be can they measure up to this promise.

The second track is just an atmospheric instrumental interlude that gives the drummer a chance to warm up. "Mental Furnace' finds them firing up for a more wrathful attack.  I have normally adhered to the fact that sludge is what happens when punks try to play doom, but never emphasized that these are typically crust punk who have a greater appreciation for the sonic qualities. The guitars form some melodic themes that are haunting enough to make this work, but it is not a huge leap from the first song. I think hearing the vocals roar more purposefully is going to be what I need from this album to show me it's more about songs than sound.

The songs drift right out of each other in a way that makes sense but also begins to display some uniformity.  "Blurring Lucidity" finds this happening in a manner that carries a hypnotic drone. Two members of the band are listed as playing synths and this is where you can feel that coming into play. The vocals making an effort to sing even if it sits back in the mix goes a long way with me. "Entrenched Guilt" attacks not unlike how early Mastodon once did, with the guitars still dancing around each other. It is not a drawn-out jam but gets to the point by kicking you in the face. 

"Lathe of Misery" simmers in the ambiance for a while to bask in the gloom.  Sung vocals prove more effective in creating the narrative, as they fake you out thinking the thunder is going to strike,  You are midway into the song before the coarse roared vocals come back in. "Mourning Skin" brings an even more haunting tone into play. They capture a pretty stunning balance of being as heavy sonically as they are metal here, thanks to the atmosphere in motion. There is a two-minute instrumental leading into the last song. There is a more sweeping post-rock guitar line leading into the meat of the song. It's one of the more aggressive songs on the album, but still balanced with melody. Guitars cascade down as things swell to a climax. I will give this album a 9.5, it washes you in its beautiful darkness. 

pst568

November is Doom- Early Moods : "A Sinners Past"

 Their first album earned an 8.5, from us which sets them poised to reach the upper tier of what they do. From the first song, it seems like are steering away from the NWOBHM things, and getting into darker territory. The singer has the touch of hardship to his voice he needed on the first album, so even when they step on the grass and move into more of a gallop it feels like they are moving in a more effective direction. They seem more conscious of what they are going for here, perhaps this comes with being booked with bands that were more entrenched in a doomier sound than they were last time. Or maybe this is just what is coming out, but it is darker and heavier than the last album. 

The vocals feel like they are sitting further back in the mix on the title track. This works well enough. They do gain more grit as a phrase here and there is growled this time around. Not sure if this is as strong as the first two songs, but it might just need to grow on me. When things ebb down into the cleaner guitar section it reminds me of the 'Necromancer" song from "Caress of Steel".  Things pack more of a punch on "Walpurgis". It's more purposeful and the first song that makes me think of Sabbath.  "the Apparation" works well as it is darker and captures the mood you want from doom. 

"Unhinged Spirit" finds them back in more of an early Maiden mode, with harmony guitar parts buzzing around. Doom is used as an accent to ground it. "Hells Odyssey " finds them galloping along a somewhat similar place that feels more aggressive than what they did on their first album. They stomp into "Soul Sorcery" with a more ominous tone, though dynamically it sticks pretty close to what we have heard from them already. I will give this album a 9, as it is an improvement over the last, and moving in a heavier darker direction paid off.

pst567

November is Doom : Haunted :'Stare at Nothing"

 This Italian band mixes a perfect amount of atmosphere with their take on Doom Metal here. Christia's vocals offer nuance and power. The opening track highlights this with its ebb and flow of dynamics, which works off the 90s loud-to-soft formula. The second song "Garden of Evil" is driven by a shadowy force that holds a great deal of common ground with a band like Messa. However, this band is not as prone to jamming or the blues. Instead, I am counting hints of grunge influencing them. 

"Malevolent" has more of a metallic drive than the more meandering melancholy of "Back to the Nest", it also feels like the first song that is overtly metal, even with is jammed excursions in tasteful guitar stylings that get a little more proggy, unless you are using the new Opeth album as the bar for prog. There are some interesting progressions that the riffs wind around into, that create a grooving tension. The vocals are really strong for "Potsherds" as they glide over the more aggressive stomp of the riff. I like the vocals are not an afterthought feel like they are an integral part of the songwriting. The drumming is pretty impressive in this song as well. 

"Fall of the Seven Veils" is more of an interlude so not going to count it for the purpose of this review. The title track carries a more deliberately doomy stomp. It also has the first riff that really feels Sabbathy to me, which is impressive to be able to say that about a doom band when you are seven songs into their album. The vocals also do not play into any of the Ozzy tropes., so the similarities are passing, as the melodic soloing is not as blues-based as what Iommi might do. The most mammoth sludgey moment is what closes out the album as "Waratah Blossom" stomps to life.Overall a great balance of the kind of heavy you want from this genre, without conforming and bringing their own sense of ambiance to things. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. 

pst566

November is Doom -Madder Mortem : "Old Eyes New Heart"

 I think 2016 was the album I checked out by this band. The play is a gloomy doomy take on power metal-leaning prog that is not unlike The Gathering. It is like Katatonia where it is dark enough to cross over into doom, and the drums trudge a little behind the guitars to support this. "On Guard" is a shift from this it reminds me more of Concrete Blonde. "Master Tongue" has a more progressive aggressive to its take on getting things heavier. It kind of sound like it was warmed up from the late 90s, her voice the most original angle to what unfolds. It doesn't suck, but it's too familiar. It also is not heavy if you are comparing it to heavy music.

 I find it's more effective when they are punching within their weight class on a song like "Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown". It is a song that has heavier dynamics rather than trying to write a heavy song. "Cold Hard Rain" is a power ballad of sorts that works pretty well. Things don't begin to feel like filler until we get to "Unity" which just sounds like radio rock. "Towers" benefits from a vocal melody that is thoughtful enough to keep them out of that place for a second helping. "Here and Now" finds an almost folk tone creeping into the verses. It does add to the overall dynamic range of the album. 

"Things I'll Never Do' sounds like if Celine Dion made a metal song.'Long Road" closes the album. It starts off more as a ballad. There is a country soulfulness to it.  It never bulds like you are epxting to provide a final punch, that is ok. I will give this album an 8.5, it was a fun listen, they are great songwriter though not un touch with what sound as heavy as they could be which at time gives it more of a 90s flare, you might be into that but her singing elevates it over most bands in this hard rock middle ground.,

pst565

November is Doom - Coffin Storm : "Arcana Rising"

Going into this I did not know this was Fenriz from Darkthrone singing. I was wondering how the fuck did this band even get signed, they are honoring traditional metal like what Darkthrone has before, but the vocals sound like they are going for something similar to King Diamond. without the falsetto screams. Musically some simple riffs pay homage to the 80s in the right ways, though the vocals make things weird. Not the kind of music you think of coming out of Norway. I love King Diamond so when someone attempts anything in his Sonic zipcode, the warning lights go off since that bar is too high. They work best as a doomy thrash band, so just from the opening track, it's too soon to say where this can go, The vocals feel a little pitchy in places and some of the presentation hinges on the production that might have been done better to give them some reverb to cushion more extended notes. 

 Things are a little doomier on the title track. The vocals have not improved and I am surprised they made it to the final mix in their current state. The only reason Peaceville is releasing this is the Darkthrone connection. ?They do have some effective riffs in play, and the vocals do not ruin "Open the Gallows". It comes down to how picky you are about that sort of thing. Metal is a weird genre it has terrible singers and some of the best in the business, it depends on what you can make work. There are some Mercyful Fate moments in the riffing so perhaps they thought if Ghost can rip them off so can we. They have some cool ideas in play on the darker tone that "Eighty-Five and Seven Miles" makes the most of. The early thrash feel also haunts this song. This song has a cool riff, but the rule here is "cool riffs alone does not a good song make". 

"Ceaseless Abandon" takes a very 1987  approach to things, and much of this reminds me of "A Night On Broken". Appolyon from Aura Noir also plays on this album, there is no lack of talent, I am not sure this is those talents being put to their best use. I like this sort of thing, as I am a big fan of the new Crypt Sermon, where this kind of thing is done much better. The last song "Clockwork Cult" feels like recycled 80s metal riffs with a touch of Slayer's mid-tempo, the vocals are bellowed with little thought of a hook, but it is true to some of the third-tier bands of this era. I will give this album a 7.5, if the pitchy vocals were mixed further back it might work better for me. If you just like third-tier 80s metal which I was not opposed to as a teen, then it might appeal to you. 

pst564

Conjonctive :"Misère de Poussière "

 This death metal band hails from Switzerland, they have two vocalists: Randy Schaller from Voice of Ruin and Sonia Kaya. While there are hints of the metal-core band they self-identify as they feel more like a death metal band to me. There is plenty of bouncing groove to what they are doing. It feels like they are aware of Slipknot, but not trying to be new metal, in fact, there is some tremolo picking going on during the title track that shows there is some black metal influence in the mix, which I would be more surprised if a death metal band from Europe did not have any. This mood also continues to some extent in the song after it though it employs more deliberate accents. 

I like that these guys write fairly concise songs, rather than sprawling epics. It means they are fairly focused on having defined riffs you can make sense of rather than just throwing a bunch of jagged riffs at you in random time signatures. "Dying Melody" is one of the album's strongest songs thanks to the syncopation that keeps the need to headbang at the forefront. "Minuit" is not as clearly defined as a song as it faded into chugs and screaming on my first listen. "Decembre Noir" is blackened enough to cast more of a shadow but the riff is more fleshed out than the previous song. The after is more straightforward. 

The tremolo picking keeps coming with "Nocturnal Terror' though it crunches down into a more impressive groove on the verse. The last song sits squarely in the middle of all of these sounds they have conjured to throw at you throughout this album. I am still not sure they need two vocalists, but that is how it is, They are excellent at creating a viciously dark metal with a mean spirit that I do not forsake songwriting so I am giving this one a 9, If you want something that rides the lines between death metal, black metal and death core then this album is for you. 

pst563

Opeth : "The Last Will & Testament"

 14 Albums later Akerfeldt is the only original member but I am willing to count anyone who has been playing since "Deliverance" so that makes two. I know some are going to be thrilled about the return of the growl. I get it, but I would be more stoked for songwriting on the level of "Blackwater Park". Sure we get some proggy chaos, it's impressive, but it does not feel like the heart is invested in as much as they are punching the clock to give fans what they think they want.,  It is better than "Heritage' so I will accept that. The second song finds Joey Tempest from Europe lending his voice to the background, and he still has it. Ian Anderson also does a spoken word narration throughout.  I do like the second song better than the openers as there is more of a backbone to it. 

After checking out the first two songs, I started the album with track three, this album is not big on song titles, and let it play. The next thing I knew I was on song 5, so the songs run together at times. We are hearing more of Akerfeldt's lower range in places.  What separates them is the fact that the 4th song is a closer return to their older sound if we are calling "Ghost Reveries" their older sound. Granted it gets broken up with odd interludes so the momentum to headbang is never emphasized as it once was.. In fact, the song wanders out into a flute solo. They also fire off some impressive guitar solos if you are into that kind of thing.  

The 6th song falls out of the previous one like it's an extended jam. It has a stronger groove than most we have heard on this album up to this point, not the most metal moment, but it leaves things open to going in that direction. I like the way the guitar is phrased in the middle of the song it reminds me of "Deliverance" which is my favorite album by these guys. I think this best captures what they do. The guitar solo does rip out from this song in a heroic fashion. It takes you on a similar journey as the songs before it, just in what I think is the most classic manner from the band. The drummer really gets down on the 6th track, though I do not think it is as good as the previous song, but better than most prog metal these days. 

The 7th song dances between the death metal vocals and the jamming grooves they work off of. There are some darker more deliberate moments that I enjoy. The last song "A Story Never Told" is more of a proggy power ballad but feels true to who they are as a band., It wanders around the mellower drift of the chord progression more like something ELP might do. I will give this one a 9.5, not a perfect album, and perhaps it just needs to grow on me, but one of the best things they have done in a long time, it almost makes me forget some of those post- "Watershed" albums. 

pst562

November is Doom : Funeral :"Gospel of Bones"

 Norway is known more for Black Metal than doom. This band proves cold grim winters can be an inspiration for both genres. There is more of a folk element haunting the atmosphere cast by their sound. The vocals are in an almost operatic baritone croon, as they resonate with vibrato. Piano and violin add to the classical trappings. Female vocals delivered in a similar fashion join in. The guitar carries all the crunch with very deliberate chugs holding things down. The symphonic elements make them stand out from the pack so far this month, It's eight and a half minutes though it does not feel as if they are dragging it out, so that is positive. 

"Yestertear' feels more metal in the guitars. The deeply orchestrated arrangments are still intact with a dramatic operatic style employed for this one in the same manner it played into the first song. Although this vocal style could wear on me the end album, it still works well for two songs, I typically do not care how you are singing as long as they are dynamic and it feels like you approach each song differently. "Procession of Misery" is where they had taken these sounds and pushed them in this direction as far as they could go, without needing a shift. Otherwise, it will fade into the background. The more overt metal of "These Rusty Nails" is what the album needed. However, the vocals do not glide as smoothly over it as they could. It is not a deal breaker, but noticeable. 

The violin interlude feels like it should have been tagged onto the beginning of "My Own Grave". A more folk feel collides with heavier riffs, and the vocals fall into better spots here. "To Break all Hearts of Men' finds the needed vocal shift leading into the song. The chest voice bellowing had reached its peak so it made sense. There is a lighter higher voice, that carries a lazier croon. "Nar Kisten Senkes" is more emotive in the atmosphere summoned by its dramatics. Perhaps not as melancholy a mood until it digs further into the song. Then guitar solos and more chugged guitar riffs anchor it more in metal. It comes together pretty well as the more traditional metal elements are allowed to come forth. 

The vocals switch back to the same singer from "To Break All Hearts of Men"  for the last song, giving an almost Psychic TV feel. I think his variance in the vocals is more original and gives them an interesting path to explore, as we already know how doom sounds when it's dramatic, thanks to bands like Candlemass. I will round this down to a 9, which is still an outstanding score because the dramatics is not something I can hear myself listening to regularly, but you can not ignore the work these guys put into this and how they made the album they set out to make which was an ambitious goal that they nailed. It was released on Season of Mist. 

pst561

The Top 10 Hard-Core Albums of 2024

Much like punk, hard-core finds itself in an interesting place in this angry world,  There is no shortage of people claiming to play it, but to find real hard-core that is not afraid to point the finger at all sides while refusing to conform is a harder aspiration, given the masses' willingness to conform.   These albums captured the true spirit of hardcore by doing their own thing and bringing the anger.   After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2024. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Hardcore albums of 2024.

10--Rejoice-"All of Heaven's Luck"

 Rejoice is a band from Ohio who are kicking some venomous brand of metallic hardcore. Their singer's malicious snarl gives it a darker edge along with the Slayer vibes coming from their riffs. They are not afraid of guitar solos but do not overindulge in them. They mosh on the fine line between hard-core and metal. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/01/rejoice-all-of-heavens-luck.html

         

9-Lifesick - "Loved By None, Hated By All" 

This Danish hardcore band packs a punch that is more metallic than not. They take you back to the 90s when this style really began popping off. If you were a fan of Victory Records styled hardcore then these guys will appeal to you. If you just like in-your-face, hyper-aggressive metal you might also dig this. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/lifesick-loved-by-none-hated-by-all.html

8-New Skeletal Faces- "Until the Night" 

I was not expecting this to be a thrashing hard-core album. Sure some of the death rock guitars tones are in place, but the vocals are screaming at you with more aggression to rally the rest of the band to fall in line behind them. This has more in common with old AFI than it does Night Sins. It is more in-your-face and hard-core than I was expecting, but the songwriting works with the blend of sounds they fused in a more organic manner, that plays to the originality infused into these old sounds. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/new-skeletal-faces-until-night.html

7-Terminal Nation - "Echoes of the Devil's Den" 

This dark hard-core band opens up their new album with a bleak doomy sound of dystopia burning. The vocals snarl and bark with animalistic anger. When they gain momentum it's difficult to hear where the metal ends and the hard-core begins. The chug driving this album is powerful. One of the year's heaviest albums for sure. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/terminal-nation-echoes-of-devils-den.html

6-Knocked Loose -You Won't Go Before You Are Supposed To" 

This album's grooves grew on me.  It was heavier than expected.  It's hard-hitting without falling into too many of the metal tropes. This is the album, that is poised to break these guys big, yet they offer little compromise. The music press miscalculated when trying to hype these guys, as the poster children the next nu-metal revival. These guys declined the position and stuck to their hardcore roots 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/knocked-loose-you-wont-go-before-youre.html

5-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 by the end of the first song. 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.

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

4- Umbra Vitae - "Light of Death" 

 Despite being less of a love letter to the classic death metal these guys grew up on, the sophomore release from this supergroup is every bit as angry as their first album. Riffwise there are more hints of Jacob Bannon's main band Converge. His screams are less guttural than what we heard from him with "Shadow of Life".  The hard core intensity that commands the metallic attack is deadly serious, maker for a darker album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/death-is-june-umbra-vitae-light-of-death.html

3-Take Offense- "T.O.tality" 

This band is kicking up 80s-era skate punk. This means "Join the Army " era Suicidal Tendencies. There are a few more foot-on-the-monitor guitar heroics, so other late 80s cross-over hardcore could be referenced. The most important thing is they are not just trying to dial in the sound, but they are focused on writing hooky songs, even if they took notes from their heroes on how to do so. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/take-offense-totality.html

2-Candy-"It's Inside You" 

This band's 2022 album "Heaven is Here"  took the number two spot on our Top 10 Extreme Metal Albums list of the year, and tenth on the best overall Metal list of the year.  The bar was high and they cleared it with ease, this album sits more firmly on the side of hard-core but finds them experimenting with industrial sounds on this album in bold new ways, making this one of the year's more interesting listens, even when the lay heavy on the Ministry influence. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/candy-its-inside-you.html

1-Nails - "Every Bridge Burning" 

t's been 8 years since the last album from this California-based hard-core band. They are just as angry as they were on "You Will Never Be One of Us".  The grind-core influence on the band has them spitting out minute-and-a-half songs that are propelled by an unrelenting momentum. The faster moments that create a frenzied wall of sound are balanced out by the intentional songwriting masterstrokes delivered here, and find this album as being with the wait and puts the band on the top of the heap, this time it's the hardcore heap rather than the extreme metal one. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/nails-every-bridge-burning.html

pst560

Joy Shannon : " An Chailleach"

 

This folk singer brings in an impressive cast to collaborate with her. The first track is simple and stripped down showing what she can do with her voice. It's effective in the manner it basks in the melancholy, Jessica Way joins her on the second song which does not stray a great deal from the formula that works on the first song. Things keep to a somber meditative drift with lust vocal melodies. The solemn nature works better on the "Crone of Loughcrew". Emily Jane White's voice blends with Shannon's making "The Spell" hover with a similar hypnotic cadence as the other songs. The harmonies are haunting and it works well to build ambiance. 

"Mo Corra" is another song that shows she does not need to get lost in the collaborations as the simple layers and mood work well. Lelia Abul-Rauf is one of a couple of songs the first being "Caer Ibormeith" which also features OSI and the Jupiter. The latter provides more ambiance, with Lelia, not really setting herself apart with some of her normal signatures. Then the song after is just Lelia and Shannon. You can hear the nuances that separate their voices more on this song. Osi and the Jupiter join her again for "Heather". It almost feels like a more haunting take on "Greeleaves' which you could say about many folk. The vocals are well produced in a manner that uses natural-sounding reverb.

"the Cannon Fire" has Ariel Ruin. Which contributes some light tenor vocals. It works well enough but is not the most gripping song of the album. The vocal melodies are more defined in the song after this. Emily Jane white joined her again for "Stupstack". It works but the harmonies are best on "The Flood" which is once again her by herself., Another strong case for her is better off working alone. 'Leaving' has Leia back on it, but it could have been done just as well with Shannon harmonizing with herself. "Song For My Father' presents another strong case for this fact. Then the remixes come which I am going to include for the purpose of this review as they feel different than the original songs. The remix of "Corra  Ban" feels darker. It is still very ambient, and almost like it will float off into the night sky. The same could be said of the "Haunted" mix to "Mo Corra" Her voice sounds great, but it's not much different than what we have already heard on this album. The same can be said of the re-mix of "the Crone of  Loughcrew"  I will give this album an 8.5, as it sound stunning but drones more than building into songs, however if you want dark ambient folk she is great at.

pst559

Ulver : 'the Red Light"

 Rygg is back on the tip of the smooth groove, making music that comes close to the 80s homage synth-wave bands are making these guys. But with a dusky winter haze cast as he coasts down the beachside highway of life, these songs are cruising. Lyrically things are getting darker and more dystopian. He has been watching the news. "Locusts" drifts like a Tears For Fears b-side. Enough hook to keep you invested.  After an instrumental interlude, he fires back with "Hollywood Babylon' which has more of a disco feel. Lyrically it mockingly announces "Not Fuck With America".  It packs the most groove into a song thus far. 

"Forgive Us" falls back into a more Tears For Fears-influenced soulful pop ballad. This is followed by another one of the atmospheric pieces. These sound nice enough, but I am not going to count them for the purpose of this review.  "A City in the Skies" bounces with an 80s-like cadence, not as pronounced as perhaps some of the previous songs. Lyrically it upholds the bleak stage that was already set by the other songs. The elephant in the room might be the total lack of any heavier elements, and how this project might as well change its name, I get that but he has already covered such a wide range that if you are hanging on as a fan, then you have accepted this fact. 

There are two takes on "Ghost Entry" the first being the kind of chilled synth wave with the neon colored 80s groove. The second take finds robotic effects on the vocals and it is less of a song more of an outro, but there is enough going on to count it as a song for the purpose of this review. I will give this one a 9.5, as the parts that did not grab me on the first couple of listens will grow on me and they are great at what they do.

pst558

November is Doom -Toadliquor : "Back In Hole"

 This band that first brought their sonic anguish to ears in the 90s is back. They are doing what they do with raw emotion, and sonic fury that will make you a believer. I always say sludge is what happens when punks try to play doom, and this band proves that statement true again. The vocals howl against this with convincing misery, making no attempt at any kind of melody, just expelling their mental illness on your ears. While this is effective for the first song, how will this fare for the entire album? If the answer to this question hangs on the second song, then things are uncertain as it moves with a similar stomp. There is a little more rock nuance to the guitars but the vocals howl similarly. Then things break down midway into the sound and electronic accents bubble to life, making the atmosphere more interesting. This shows they are aware that plowing the same field will not suffice. 

They are already making more effort than Thou did on their most recent album. By the time we get to "Entry Level Position" I have accepted this is as good as it is going to get when it comes to the vocals. Which were powerfully emotive when you first hear them, but then when they fail to shift from that are something you tune into the background. They move in a doomier direction, which in the big picture is a sideways move from where they were.  "In Gold" is the first song where they switch it up, though the vocals stay the same. The riff is very Sabbath but it works.  "Basement" is a slow-motion chaos that never connects as a song. But that might have been what they were going for.

"Open Trough Funeral"  is carried by a more definite riff than some of the songs. The chug keeps it anchored as the vocals howl in the same manner they have been. The last song is sonically one of the best, but it really does not kick in until way half through the swathe of ambiance that consumed half the song. I'll give this album an 8.5, if you are a fan of this band then you might round it up a half a point as you know what to expect from the vocals and already have a tolerance for them.Only makes sense that this would be released on Southern Lord. /p>

pst557

November is Doom -Fire Ritual : "Apocalypse"

 

I normally avoid Black Sabbath worship, but it is a contrast to the Euro-doom I have been reviewing for the past couple of days, though the opening track of this album is really the only saving grace for them the piercing vocals. If not for them they would sound just like Sabbath, In some ways perhaps he is trying to emulate young Ozzy, but that is not how it is executed. It takes the influence and is run through the filter of who he is. The guitarist also does not solo like Iommi, so that is another thin saving grace. The second song finds them showing more of their true selves. The shuffling riff is more Sabbath, but the guitar embellishments and vocals are not. 

The vocals are really well produced, and their singer makes the most of the pipes he has. This aids in his delivery on "Sword of Vengence" which has a more "Children of the Grave" feel, the vocals are the chorus are hooky and stand out, almost more like solo Ozzy than something he would have done during the Sabbath years. "the Ring" finds them delving into Tolkien, the vocals sticking to the more robotic delivery. The guitar solo is more shreddy than Iommi worship would be, We are back to a more "Children of the Grave" style gallop for "Bought and Sold"  Lyrically it is the best song, as it is about the Pandemic, and strays from the accepted narrative to say somethings that need to be said. 

They continue down a more political path with "Number 46" which is about Joe Biden I would assume since he is the 46th president. But to their credit are getting to hear more of who they are as this song has more of a stoner rock feel to it.  "I Am Death' has a more "Into the Void " chug to it, but the accents break it up a little. Then there is a "Lord of This World" feel to "Queen of Darkness". Perhaps a teenager who does not know shit about shit is going to be fooled by, but I have listened to a shit ton of Black Sabbath over the years so not a person who is not going to hear this. 

Where I have to draw the line with these guys is when they steal from "After Forever" and try to play it off as an original when it comes to the melody of 'Evil Woman" showing even less creativity since that is the title of another Black Sabbath song. Then they cover "National Acrobat" which makes me feel they are a Sabbath cover band at some point. Granted they are going to do a spot-on job of it as it is what they do, this guy does not have the soulful quality to his voice that Ozzy does so he is singing the notes not fully feeling them I gotta round this down to an 8, due to the lack of originality, though when they show who they really are I enjoyed those moments, hopefully they will grow into their own band. 

psy556

November is Doom- Borer : "Bag Seeker"

 This New Zealand band is a grimy sludge monster that begs for drugs in the sewers. It is the most logical conclusion you can draw from the choked rasp of the vocals. The title track that opens their debut album carries a decent groove to it, that feels swampy for New Zealand. Drugs are the major theme of this album. With samples of Ozzy's interview from The Decline of the Western Civilization part two being sampled for the burly stomp of the opening track. "Ket Witch" is an ode to ketamine, with the atmosphere creating a dissociative mood that emulates the drug's effectiveness. 

Not what you might expect after the first song, as it carries a more post-rock texture. This kind of spaced-out playing allows you to hear the nuance their guitars are capable of summoning when called to do so. This also provides the needed calm before the storm to lull you into a false sense of security that makes the bang of heaviness carry more weight when it crashes down on your ears. They lash back out in a more pummelling fashion with a renewed nastiness to the mean-spirited "Wretched". They slow to more of a doomish lumber, but there are varied tempos and dynamics involved as well.  I was surprised by how melodic and tasteful the guitar solo was, but you can chalk that up to Iommi's influence. 

The spewed vocals are something I have gotten used to by this point in the album. In many ways, these guys occupy a similar sonic space as Fistula. The last song is the 21-minute "Lord of the Hanged". At the five-minute mark, they wander off into a jam, I appreciate this, but why not split this song up into four songs since it's the length of four songs. The vocals can not be understood, so it's not like it is going to disrupt the lyrical narrative. There are several points when they allow the feedback to ring out that should have marked the end of the song. The guitar solos are great and embody what I like about great playing, but do they need to sprawl on for the length of what could have been another song. They could stand to stream line some things and the vocals are an acquired taste at times, but I will give this album a 9.

pst555

November is Doom - Counting Hours : "the Wishing Tomb"

 This Finnish band is made up of former members of Shape of Despair, primarily their guitarist. Not as bound to their sorrows as Shape of Despair, but they do keep things interesting, Dark, and moody but they know when to give it a more 90s Euro death metal flare. Less progressive than Opeth, but similar vibe in the vocal trade-off. If we are thinking "Ghost Reveries" era. There is a hopeful feeling to the vocal that wrestles against some of the more melancholic hints in the guitars. "Away I Flow" has a sweeping moment to the riff. The vocals snarl to life, and double bass falls in behind it, establishing the tone. The sung vocals however dominate the verses. The trade-off is not the predictable good cop / bad cop vocal formula. 

The drummer certainly wants to push this in a more metallic direction, before  "All that Blooms " takes a turn to a more doom-ridden direction. Growled vocals tend to form the narrative here. This album sounds great, these guys are all pros so that should not be surprising. While there is a more romantic sense of mourning to the song, it does not have the drive of the previous song letting it drift. "Starlit/ Lifeless" has more of the drive the first two songs set our expectations for. This one works better with the vocal melodies. The guitars are well-layered with more nuance chords ringing out. By the time I get to the title track, I can hear what the trend seems to be with this doom-oriented music coming out of Europe as this album is not unlike Swallow the Sun or the Aiwaz, album I just reviewed. Here there is more willingness to kick into double bass, and let the snarled vocals at so heading to the heavier end of the sub-genre spectrum. The vocals continue to switch over into sung passages.

I prefer singing to growling, but do not think it has to be the kinder gentler way. "No Closure' tried the other approach of having screamed vocals over more relaxed guitar melodies to remind you they are playing metal. :A Mercy Fall" is a more uptempo take on a similar concept with the sung vocals gliding over the double bass that sits back further in the mix. This feels very late 90s. "Well of Failures" ends the album with a marginally doomier tone. I think some of these brighter more produced guitar tones throw some of the mood off for me. I will give this a 9, as it falls in line for melodic doom-leaning metal. If you miss Early Opeth this might scratch that itch.Not as heavy as Shape of Despair but I do not see thir fans shunning this either.  

pst554

November is Doom - The Gates of Slumber : "S/T"

 

I am not sure why I have never spent much time with this band, given the fact I love doom so much. They have kept this doom machine in motion since 97, so these guys know what they are doing. If you took the despair of Wino-era St Vitus and gave it Crowbar's guitar heft the results might be similar to what is being thrown down on this album. The vocals have purpose and care about writing songs, which 2024 puts them ahead of the pack. The vocals are given ample love  They plod into more despair for "We Are Perdition" which works better as a song for me than "Full Moon Fever", not that "Full Moon Fever" is a bad song, it just falls more alone predictable doom cliches and does not play to the band's strength's as much as the previous song which wallows in the misery in the best way possible. 

"At Dawn' finds the pace pick up into a grooving chug that works well. It proves you can capture the feel of doom, without always being at a snail's pace. The dark mood is not detoured by the more classic metal feel of the guitar riffing, even when it wanders off into a guitar solo. Lyrically it works well, the vocals are emoted in a manner that creates the needed hooks. The plodding creep of the guitar that leads into "the Fog" falls under what you expect from doom. There are hints of Sabbath in the drumming, but nothing really overt in the vocals or guitar, aside from it being doom. Once the song finds its groove it works well enough but we have heard stronger moments already on this album. Maybe it works better live? There is a pretty decent guitar solo on this one if you are into that sort of thing. 

They close out the album with "The Plague". The vocals have a more soulful Wino-like plea to them. It moves at a funeral march. Things are as downtrodden as you might hope for when it comes to this. Three minutes into this one it builds up, as the drums stir things up.  This drummer is the VIP of this album as he is working overtime to hold this together and keep the dynamics coming.   Overall the strong songs balance the less inspired moments, which never suck they just fall in line too closely into the color-by-numbers doom, by two of the six songs do this, so I will still give this one an 8.5, as the excellent moments are strong enough to compensate for this. 

pst553