May's Top 10 Albums

It's time for May'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; I am just linking the reviews. 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 inbox that are not coming out til August, 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 tends to be a dominant theme of new wave, pop, and goth, though we have a couple of metal bands in the mix as well,  so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of May 

10-HEXVESSEL- "Nocturne"  

Black Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/hexvessel-nocturne.html

9-Swans - "Birthing" 

Experimental Post Punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/swans-birthing.html

8-Katatonia -"Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State" 

Prog Rock 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/katatonia-nightmares-as-extensions-of.html

7-Sleep Token - "Even In Arcadia" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/sleep-token.html

6-Ministry - "the Squirrelly Years Revisted"

 

New Wave / Goth 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/ministry-squirrelly-years-revisted.html

5-Peter Murphy- "Silver Shade" 

New Wave / Goth 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/peter-murphy-silver-shade.html

4-Age of Apocalypse - "In Oblivion" 

Hard-core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/age-of-apocalypse-in-oblivion.html

3-the Callous Daoboys- " I Don't Want to See You in Heaven" 

Metal - Core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-callous-daoboy-i-dont-want-to-see.html

2-Pixel Grip - "Perceptide the Death of Reality" 

Dark Wave  / Pop 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/pixel-grip-perceptide-death-of-reality.html

1-Freeze the Fall - "The Red Garden"

Hard Rock  / Nu-Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/freeze-fall-red-garden.html

pst240

BOOTBLACKS : "Paradise"

 

This Brooklyn-based band is going in a more dark wave direction with their new album, as it's driven by synth pulses, with the reverb-slathered guitar haunting the backdrop. Which works for me. The opening song has a dancey groove and vocals with a purpose, so I do not ask for too much more from this sort of thing. But they also add moody dynamics. The vocals are emoted in a more breathy whisper til the chorus, to create a Love & Rockets feel. A sexy sax creeps out of the shadows to color the song with 80s neon. 

The title track is more of a noticeable shift in a new wave direction. Not as poppy as what this stuff sounds like on the radio back in the 80s, but heading that way. It borders on synth wave by the time we get to "Can You Feel It." The overwrought emoting of the vocals gives more of a goth sound thanks to the impressive croon. It navigates the thin line between Dead or Alive and Duran Duran. It also has the most uptempo dance drive of the album so far. "Wilderness' is darker, still dancey in more of a goth nite way. Some of the synth lines attempt to balance this out with lighter layers. 

"When You Want" is darker, more along the lines of a less dramatic Sisters of Mercy. The guitars add to the atmospheric layers rather than bringing a more rock backbone. "Leipzig" puts 80s dance floors to the forefront of its mission statement, despite the vocals keeping to their more brooding focus that has dominated this album. The chorus is more dynamic in how it hits. The vocals are layered more interestingly with a sax wailing in the background. It has an extended dance remix feel to it. "Fade Away" juggles the goth expectations with the obligations to bring more of a new wave dance feel and split the difference, creating almost a hypnotic drone in the wall of sound this song drums up. 

"Melt' closes the album with a darker and more ambient wave of sound drifting over you like a wall of mist being pumped from a mountain-sized smoke machine, as the groove is buried in a bleak pulse with synth melodies trying to break the surface of the ominous mood. I give this album a 9.5, it's one of the best albums of this brand of dark wave I have heard so far this year.  

pst239

Aesop Rock : "Black Hole Superette"

 

The 10th album from New York's best rapper finds the rhymes flowing like malt liquor. Ten albums into your career, you are going to know how to write a song. He is quick to spit a collage of clever metaphors. You might have noticed we do not cover a great deal of hip-hop here. That's not because it's just not our thing; it's because the bar is held very high due to rappers like this. So, why accept inferior products being rolled off the assembly line of record labels looking to sedate people whose musical tastes reflect their low vibrational state? Here we are with the first song; the bass line gives more of a kick, being "Checkets". He continues to allow his verse to bob and weave around the beats. There is more of a hook to this chorus than the opening track, held. 

He continues refusing to conform to dumbing things down for mainstream hip-hop audiences. "Movie Night" feels more like a freestyle over the disjointed funk organ track and jazz-tinged drum pattern. He is rapping about his pets on this one. When it comes to the sonic depth here, I prefer the more futuristic sound of "EWR" so far; it is the album's hardest bumping song. '1010WINS" has a mellower groove, that feels like walking the streets of New York in the summer while stoned as fuck. There is almost most of a 90s hip-hop feel to this album as many points of this mix remind me of 'Check Your Head".  

With 18 tracks, this equates to a double album, so the levels of inspiration might vary, giving him room for experimentation that runs the spectrum from playing it perhaps to safe on "Send Help"  to the jazzy spoken word feel of " John Something' that might find him going off on a tangent. He hits the bullseye with "Ice Sold Here.  "Costco takes fewer chances with a more deliberate place, but it still works for what he does. "Bird School" rolls out a smoother take on funk that his voice works well over. The ambiguous world view of the lyrics is refreshing. 

Magic is a recurring theme on this album. "Snail Zero" feels more like filler as it's not the album's strongest song, but with that said, it's still better than the hip-hop on the radio. He nails it harder for "Charlie Horse" as his words bounce off the beat. Even when the beat drones, it still feels pretty good, and his phrasing is always immaculate. The bass line adds to his vocal aggression on "Steel Wool," which finds him at peak MC. In some ways, "Black Plums" might sonically conform more to where hip-hop is at today, but it's jsut weird enough to keep him an outsider.

"Red Phone" has the dope beats you want from him, coupled with his charismatic mic magic. The chorus smacks, a perfect song. "Himalayan Yak Chew" has more ambiance than what this album has been bringing, the flow of the verses, anchoring the bong-coated bliss that smoothly floats along.  It almost sounds more like Atmosphere. The last song is an ode to his hamster that escaped. It takes about a minute into this one before the lazy beat rolls in. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, seems like this is an album for the heavy smokers, Not the best album he has ever dropped, but that is a pretty high bar, but it is the best hip-hop album I've heard since the last Suicide Boys. 

pst238

Miley Cyrus : "Something Beautiful"

Miley's 9th album is pretty ambitious. It's framed with preludes and interludes to create a more immersive experience than your average pop. The title track clashes a soulful lounge ballad with a more jarring industrial noise-tinted section, which might be seen as the chorus. Her voice sounds great, this seems to blend her pop sheen with the more rock-inflected moments of albums like "Plastic Hearts". She claims this album is inspired by "The Wall", the saxophone wailing in the background bringing a "Diamond Dogs" styled chaos to the fringes of its sound. 1 am highly amused by the upbeat musical frolic that juxtaposes the lyrical content of "End of the World". 

"More to Lose' is a well-sung, yet more predictable ballad that fits well on the current pop landscape. "Easy Lover" is not the Phil Collins song; it holds little regard for the '80s. But works well for what she is going for. The first shift of vocal color and reflection on her country roots surfaces for "Golden Burning Sun".  She is more nuanced on the verses her and belts it out in her more trademark style for the chorus. Interesting ambiance colors this mix. There is a more Bronski Beat feel to "Walk of Fame' which is my favorite moment so far. Brittnay Howard from Alabama Shakes joins her for this one. 

"Pretend You're God' could have been on alternative radio in the 90s, the production creates a more dream pop vibe. "Every Girl You've Ever Loved" is more of an '80s pop collision with disco.  She does return more to the 80s with "Reborn', which features some interesting vocal layering, and darker production than what I expected , until the chorus, which feels like French future-pop. There are some house elements worked into several songs.  I was not expecting the last song to be a 70s-flavored pop ballad. I can hear where this would be from a musical, though there is also an ABBA vibe.  She is raising the bar, Based off what I have heard so far I am not sure the new HAIM is going to be able to compete with her she is at now. She has entered her hyper-diva phase, expect the gays to worship this album, hell, I will even give it a 10.Flawless Victory.

pst237

Smut : "Tomorrow Comes Crashing"

This Cincinnati-sourced band plays a raw punk-influenced take on indie rock that pulls from the more emotional side of 90s alternative rock. Tay Roebuck has both sugar and spice to her voice, with a syrupy knack for melodies that spill over the attack of the well-layered and intentionally lo-fi guitars. It's an overproduced album that makes it seem like it's just a mic in the practice room, with guitar running through all kinds of plug-ins, to achieve a wide breadth of tones. Roebuck is said to have blown out her voice in the sessions for this album, and perhaps it came from her screaming out during "Syd Sweeney," which was released as the album's lead single. 

"Dead Air' is a dramatic contrast from the previous song, as it is strummed with almost pop ballad intentions. Robuck will get excited even when things begin to take a more building climax on a song like this and let out a brief punk scream. 'Waste Me' finds a sweetly hooky chorus serving as a fitting counterpoint to the brisk phrasing of the verses.  There is a marginally more '80s touch to the guitar tone for "Ghosts." The guitar interplay on this song is interesting and well-layered, as they start delving more into atmosphere. To the band's credit, they are not investing more in the sounds than the songs. 

"Burn Like Violet" benefits from the arrangement that gives the vocals plenty of space. The guitars ring out with more of a rock flair on this one, when not strumming the chords on the verse."Touch & Go" works off the soft-to-loud formulas 90s radio made popular, with a little more introspection in the verses. The strum of brisk guitar carries the melodies to "Crashing in the Coil" forward with hopeful speculation. There is a more Veruca Salt-like feel to "Spit" in the tension to hoe the guitars chug under the vocals. The album ends with what is the equivalent of a 90s alternative power ballad.  I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me if you are looking for 90s flavored rock with a more modern punk sneer lurking in the corner , this is worth your timr.This drops on Basyonet Records, June 27th.  

pst236

Dolven : "In My Grave...Silence"

This band is half Agalloch. Granted, it's the bass player and drummer, so not the major songwriters. However, it does not stop these guys from wandering into the same melancholic melodies Agalloch once ventured into, when embarking into the more folk-inspired sections of their songs. It's an odd choice for a band with a drummer, making me wonder how they arrived here with this sound. Did they lose their practice space and find themselves forced to rehearse in their apartment?  It does create a unique sound we have not heard since the 90s. The grunge vibes are attributed to this fact, but that does not mean they are ripping off Days of the New here. 

It's the plaintive second tenor vocals from their singer that keep them from being grunge, and set them apart as a more unique entity unto themselves. This is not a metal band, or really all that dark, even when it comes to folk, they are certainly not as dark as Chelsea Wolfe or Death in June. This also plays against the doom thing they are half-committed to here. It's marginally depressive. The album's strength lies in when they are invested in writing songs; when they break away and throw in instrumentals, they feel more like interludes, as the arrangements are not all that interesting, and there is no sense of melody in them until you get to the guitar solo in "Anymore." The vocals do not come in until four minutes into this six-minute track 

The last song is disappointing as it's an instrumental piece that feels more like an outro, though it is also. Five and a half minutes long, which is time wasted, as they certainly could have pulled together a song within six minutes.  Without question, these guys are talented and this album could have been something that set itself apart in a very effective manner. I will give this album an 8 as I like the songs they do commit to, and this is a different project that sets itself apart from where music is heading these days, and they have a great deal of potential. 

pst235

Volbeat : "God of Angels Trust"

 

The 9th album by this Danish rock band. I'm surprised I've never covered them. They are more commercial than what I normally dig into here when it comes to rock music. There has normally been a line where I cover some pop music, as I like it for what it is when it is done well, but I've never been into pop-inflected rock, though bands are beginning to do it better. These guys are obviously influenced by Metallica, which is really pronounced on "By a Monster's Hand". Sure, at times it is a rather heavy-handed wink and Hetfield and company, but overall it works. 

There are elements I normally don't like in music, like the huge production, which somehow end up working here. "Acid Rain" is super major chord arena rock that could have come from the late 70s. "Demonic Depression" is obviously not going to be a power ballad. It is well done, but not something I am really into musically. Part of this is that the chorus is too happy for my tastes. I would be shocked that people do not call them out for almost ripping off Metallica riffs, but people are also pretty stupid, so I would not be surprised by anything at this point in life. 

"In the Barn of the Goat" is supposed to be influenced by Johnny Cash, but it feels more like Danzig. It works well enough for what it is. 'Time Will Heal" works off more of an '80s palm-muted chug.  It loses a great deal of momentum on the chorus. 'Better to be Fueled than Tamed' fnds the sounds beginning to run together, then one just feels a little more rock n roll. The brisk pace they play often factors into this. There is more of a big arena Metallica stomp to "At the End of Sirens". Sure, if more aggressive than a band like Shinedown, but that is not saying much.  I normally want bands to be hooky, but sometimes it just feels like they are trying too hard here.

"Lonely Fields' finds the vocals way up front in the mix. His croon does set him apart from your average rock singer. The piano line that sounds like the theme from the Halloween movies breaks things up for no good reason.  The last song has a more thrashing riff powering the verses. I like how the vocals on the verses are produced. The chorus is a little silly, though. I'll round this album down to an 8.5 for this reason. It drops Juner 6th, if you are a fan my review will likely make little sense as I pick apart some of the finer points of song writing which are obvious not your thing, but it scored as high as it did because they are good at what they do, what they do is just not dark enough for my tastes, proving a goat on the album cover does not mean shit. 

pst235

Abigail Williams : "A Void Within Existence"

Abigail Williams is one of the rare American Black Metal bands that has stood the test of time as a legitimate representation of what their genre is, with the same level of sonic darkness as their European counterparts. Ken Sorceron is the sole original member, leaving one to assume he is the principal songwriter, and this has always been his band. The first thing I noticed was a bigger sound that pushes them more in the direction of a band like Behemoth.  The guitar work begins to dazzle on the second song after opening the album with a commanding march. 

The most impressive song so far is "Nonexistence," which finds the perfect blend of bleak melody with enough black metal bombast to keep the dynamics balanced. There is also a ripping guitar solo, to assure you these guys have the chops to stand toe to toe with most bands. 'Still Nights" is the counterpoint to this as it hits you with full-on blast beats and the vocals at full scathing roar. It's only marginally broken up by the guitar solo. I like the effects on the vocals that seem to drip onto the rest of the song. 

"Talk to Your Sleep" carries more of a throb, which reflects the darkness that this project best brings to life. The atmosphere brought by the guitar hits the sweet spot of making things sonically heavier. "Embrace the Chasm" coasts along the grandiose storm of your typical black metal sound, with a few more layers of melody packed in thanks to the guitars. "No Less Than Death" closes the album out with more melody, thanks to the sung vocals, which is a more dramatic turn for them. The build is gradual but does get there, with harsher eventually trading off with the singing . I'll give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, but it feels like one of the better black metal albums I've heard this year. 

This album drops July 18th on Agonia. 

pst234

Mares of Thrace : "Loss"

The fourth album from this Canadian band. Oddly, the first time we have covered them here, they play a fairly caustic version of sludge, that snarls with a more brooding, angular desperation than Eyehategod. They are more introspective and not as entrenched in punk, as there are moody melodic sections. The theme of this album is the stages of grief. "The First Stage, Shock" is more deliberate and shows some deliberate plays that hold elements of noise rock, even in how things ring out with dissonant melancholy. The drumming on this album is very solid. I also enjoy the fact that they employ different vocal colors from singing to a snarl.  

There is a raw emotional current driving the core of these songs. They give more weight to the vocal delivery, and the chaops beings brought to a boil on a song like "Denial". The guitar tones on this album are very organic and not the normal overfuzzed wall of density, which allows odd notes to ring out more and give what they are doing here more personality rather than a barrage of sound. As expected, "Anger" is heavier with a lingering stomp of hardcore haunting it. It digs into its chug like early Mastodon. "Disenfranchised Grief" finds the band pounding out a riff with a piano melody where the vocals would sit. 

Things grow more melodic for the bargaining stage of grief, until they throw themselves into a grindcore-like blast before winding back around for a crusty sludge pulsing.  I like that they really put thought into the songwriting, as twists and turns show their commitment to the nuance of the story they are telling. "Complicated Grief" is a more rock approach to the songwriting, though with the weight of their burly sound behind them. Her purposeful expulsion of each word leaves the lyrics at the forefront. They pull some pretty powerful riffs out, but are not content with resting on their laurels to relying on them. 

The raw grim reality of the songs creates a mood not unlike last years Couch Slut album. Going into the stage of depression, I expect things to become darker and more introspective, since I am normally a depressed person, and this is where I am most of the time. They tend to steer things toward the doomier side of the genre with this one. The odd verses create space for the vocals to emote from a more tortured place. Rather than going where you assume the chorus is going to be, they jam out a guitar melody. The song is over nine minutes, so they have plenty of time to play with. The drummer is great at creating negative space in music to later change the time signature.  This kind of collision of angular sound makes me think of Forget Cassettes. They continue to converge into metallic chugs that keep your head moving. 

"Acceptance' feels more like an outro than a free-standing song with its own two legs. It does wrap things up nicely, and there is not much to say about acceptance, though it is what people have the hardest time with, so perhaps this is why it is such an abbreviated contemplation. I will give this album a 9.5, putting it shoulder to shoulder with the best sludge album of the year so far.Out on Art of Fact Records.  

pst233

Strange Boutique : "Let the Lonely Heart Sing"

 Your average goth might not know the name Strange Boutique, but they might know Faith & the Muse; they are worth a clove cigarette. Monica Richards sings for both bands, and she has returned to this project. It does carry the ache of the 90s with a more organic shoe-gazing ambiance. The pace picks up from the more languid haze of the opening g track to more of an organic rock amble. "Twelve Chimes" sounds like what might happen if Robert Smith wrote a song for the Cowboy Junkies. The chorus is rather subtle as the song coasts along rather gracefully. 

There is more of an odd Brit pop skip in the step of "Under Surface". This could be traced to Siouxsie and the Banshees, who are also notably influenced by the Beatles. "Jet Stream" simmers with more of a rock brooding that reminds me of the Cult, but without the big arena rock chorus. The darker bass line of "Zoid in Dreamland" provides one of the album's strongest grooves. Richards' purr works well on the verses, the chorus complements it rather than punching out with radio expectations. Things drone out into a hypnotic jam. 

"Calliope" drifts on a cloud of ambiance that almost vanishes into its own spectral introspection—almost more of an interlude than a song. "Whistle and I Will Come to You" is another whimsical ballad with a delicate dance that has more in common with the Cocteau Twins than post-punk. The melodies are more ethereal yet still grounding rather than ascending into fey wonderment. I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me. It is a fun, wistful listen, that is not as brooding as Faith and the Muse but works for what this is. 

.

pst232

Nechochwen-"spelewithiipi"

 This band's 2015 album "Heart of Akamon" was pretty much flawless when it comes to folky black metal, now they are just returning to their folk roots. Have not covered much neo-folk recently, so here we go. I like the darker, more ethereal mood that comes from the title track, which is the first full-length song following the more ambient opening track. Seeing that they are from West Virginia, they are capturing more indigenous sounds, lots of woodwind. "tpiwewe" which delves into the ancient Indian myth of the man who needed toilet paper for his wiwi, shows the metal lurking in their music with the subtle aggression in their guitar playing. 

This album continues to be a series of acoustic guitar pieces, that are impressive but less song oriented than if I was listening to the Gypsy Kings or Al Dimeola. Where they Gypsy Kings incorporate vocals to solidify songs, Dimeola does but uses compositions to do the story telling, where these instrumentals, are not given enough sonic layers to expand into a story and are more of an idea, than a fully fleshed out presentation. "Precipice of Stone' is dark enough in its introspection.  "Great Meadows Vista" has more movement to it and layers, perhaps the best of these compositions. 

"Nemacolin's Path" is just a guitar that sounds like it would be playing in the background at a store that sells crystals and incense. I would say it sounds more like an interlude, but that is the whole album. There is more to the last song in terms of layers of instrumentation. At the end of the day, when it comes to neo-folk, my tastes are more along the lines of Wardruna or Death in June. Still, these guys made the album they set out to make, it's just not what I am personally into, but I can still acknowledge the artistry of it and give this album an 8. 

\

pst231

Deadlands : "SEVEN"

 

This New York duo, manages to come together like a whole ass band in the studio. With this comes some of the spillover that metal core has breathed in as it reaches its final form as the new birth of "nu-metal". The opening track is both in your face and hooky, so it works for me. "Die in Paradise" is more aggressive on the verses. It switches back and forth in a more predictable formula than the opening track. The chorus to this one is a little too happy for me. "More ! " works better off the pop energy, which has a harder punch for the chorus.  The hook sounds like every generic band doing this sort of thing. 

They start losing me on "Limbo" as they are doing this as well as Spirit Box, so it slowly grows harder to take it seriously, when they are busting out wanna be arena rocker. They obviously have to bring some Middle Eastern influence in for a song called "Kundalini," where the more Katy Perry-like elements do not bug me, and work better than when they try to beef up the metal in their metal core. I do like the rapped verse, they need more of that. 

Be it hair metal, grunge or nu-metal one things that I have watch from the front row kill all these genres of music is the diluting of the essence which each trip the next batch of bands that's on the band wagon, until it is so watered down it loses all the taste it once had, Going hard is not who they are as people which is why a song like "Wither" does not feel heavy no matter how many break down riffs they pile on. A minute into the song, and I am bored. "House of Cards" works better with its djenting blend of metal-cored out nu-metal. This is fun enough, and they have potential. I think it's going to take playing various stages with different kinds of acts for them to see where they stand in the big picture and learn how to write accordingly. I will give this album an 8 for what it is. 

pst230

OWLS : "Death Games"

 This Irish band is following the new path to dark wave , taken by other projects like Boy Harsher and TR/ST. Sometimes things take a slight detour on the dance floor, and the frantic mood of " Skin on Skin" feels more like lo-fi new wave, without the '80s radio aspirations. The synths are prominent, along with odd swathes of noisy effects as "Perfect Nightmare" comes to life. It locks in a hypnotic drone as the groove lulls you into an altered state. Where it parts ways with goth music from the 80s is that there is less of the melodrama dressing this up for Halloween. 

"Fevr 2" is certainly a song that could keep the dance floor churning during a goth nite in 2025. It feels like fewer organic elements are bringing the atmosphere together, and maybe this is where the line is drawn between cold wave and dark wave. The vocals, which have been a texture sitting back in the cavernous reverb, come more to the forefront for "Tombs". The drips with a ghostly ambiance as the more synth wave groove kicks in, all of the different elements come together in all the right places to make this the album's best track. 

"Send Me To My Grave" works off a much simpler pulse and supports the bleak croon of the vocals. The primary mood is darker with higher, more analog synths working as a lighter layer atop, then he uses whispered vocals that are mixed in a manner that makes them sound harsher. "Death & " finds the vocals fading further into the reverb swamp in the back of the mix. The other elements paint an odd sonic picture until the beat comes in. The vocals continue to moan about death and destruction. Things end in a more atmospheric manner for "This Must Be the End," which is more of an outro. I'll give this album a 9; it grooves really well and takes you to the needed shadowy alleys of the soul. Placing this project on solid footing as an act to watch in the future of dark music. This album drops June 6th on Negative Gain Productions. 

pst229

King Parrot : "A Young Person's Guide to King Parrot"

Things have changed for this band after being on tour with the likes of Pantera. The band's first album, I could not get past the vocals, and this time around, the vocals work for me as they are not just a shrieking like The Body, but balanced with a more powerful growl. Plenty confrontational but more refined, and following a song structure in this evolution from being a more spastic grind core band, to more of a death metal band, I guess we can say death grind, as their is more emphasis on the riffs. 

The higher snarled vocals are still present and trade off with the lower death metal vocals. They throw themselves into a more punk thrashing for "It's a Rort". The best part of the song is when they hit the more thrashing hook of a riff, though the general vibe is frantic. At almost three and a half minutes, this an epic for these guys. They throw blast beats into things. The cops show up in the middle of the song before they go into a hardcore riff.  "Punish the Runt" blasts ahead in a more in-your-face fashion. There is a guitar solo that adds to the layer of sound, but it's pretty much just a punk pounder. There is a cool riff that crops up in it, but the rule here has always been "cool riffs alone do not a good song make". 

"Target Pig Elite" has more of a stomp to it. It is the sound of giving your middle finger to the "pig elite". Impressive drumming. The drummer goes in a more thrashing punk direction for the way "I Got the Right" attacks. "Look Away, I'm Hideous" follows a similar direction as the previous song. "Glazed and Diseased in Defeat". balances out the chaos with more deliberate riffing. They have learned they need the riffs that might appeal to a Pantera fan, but are not giving up on grind-core. I'll give this album an 8, as it is an improvement over what I recall hearing from them before this era. 

pst228

SIGH : " I Saw The World’s End (Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV)

For the band's 30th anniversary, they decided to re-record the "Hangman's Hymn" album. Rather than just recording selections from their past, like Ministry did, they are tackling the whole album. This was when they were more of a black metal band and less of a prog band. With a new guitarist and drummer aboard this time around, there is a refinement to the frantic chaos that unfolds. The classical backdrops give it a Dimmu Borgir-like feel but with an explosive carnival atmosphere. Vocally "Inked in Blood" almost sound like the Muppets doing black metal.

"Me-Devil" blends orchestral hits with thrashing speed. "Scenes From Hell was my entry point to the band, and this is the album before it, so it hints at where they would take their sound. More trumpet fanfare leads into "The Master Malice." It retains its feral aggression in the re-recording. Impressive, their voices still do this after no screaming like this for some time. The bass tone cuts through more for "The Memories of a Sinner".  This is one of their most rapid-fire albums, which is not just straight-ahead black metal. "Death From Dishonor' just falls from the blur of razor-chugged riffs, which creates a more uniform sound even amid the guitar solos. 

I do like the more overt Satanic themes, even if they are just playing around here. They rip the guitar solos to "In Devil's Arms". The vocal trade-off reminds me of King Diamond. The title track this time around finds things just as scathing, with blistering guitars attacking from every corner of the mix. "Salvation in Flames" finds the horns creating more of a hyper-speed procession, and the punk roots of what they do can be heard. The classical element does not soften the blow here. The finale finds the brass bringing a more festive, almost Disney like feel to things. I will give this one a 9, they did the original a more proper send off, still more wild natured than what I prefer from them, but they did a great job at what they set out to do, thus why the album scores so high. Drops on Peaceville June 13th. 

pst227

HEXVESSEL : "Nocturne"

Seven albums into their legacy, this Finnish band continues to ebb and flow with both neo-folk and black metal in their veins. In some way, this picks up where "Polar Veil" left off; in other ways, it expands upon it, with more layered voices that sound like the hippie choir persona of their folk era, now haunting this album, and finds a more balanced blend of those melodic folk textures. So if you are a fan of both the folk and black period, then this album is for you. What I like about it is how it darkness the hippy tendencies. I mean, my favorite hippy is Charles Manson, so I want it pretty dark. 

I don't remember harsh vocals on the last album, though they might have surfaced sparsely toward the end. I think the balance of vocal styles here works really well. There is a more Burzum feel to the cold riff that opens "Inward Landscapes". The vocals sit further back in the mix, with the guitars very forward.  This song is also broken up with a more drastic shift into folk guitar. When the electric guitar returns, there are a few layers with some of which have a more ghostly reverb.  The graceful vocal melody balances out the old-school black guitar on " Dark Graceful Wilderness". Synths also swirl around to create a deeper level of ambiance. 

The first time the vocals do not settle over the more jarring guitar in a flowing manner is on "Masked Spirit Wolf". It's a more belted vocal than what we are used to hearing from him. The darker, more deliberate chug to "Nights Tender Reckoning' feels like a metal version of Grave Pleasures, which  I am always up for. Things get pretty grim for "Mother Destroyer" but still work well. "Concealed Descent" is more of a folk interlude. The syncopated stomp of "Unworld" is one of the album's strongest moments. The last song finds his sung vocals trading off with screamed vocals, which align with black metal more expectedly. I want the unexpected. Still the strongest moments of this album feel more dynamic than the previous album so I will round this up to a 10.Dropping June 13th on Prophecy Productions.

pst226

Katatonia : "Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State"

Here we are, three albums in, without Anders. Jonas continues to steer the ship into darker progressive waters of melancholy. There is a formula in place, and the new guitarists navigate it well, unafraid to bust out guitar solos wherever. The drums anchor "Wind of No Change."His lyrics remain just as sharp as the earlier work on this one. "Lilac" finds the drums laying down a solid foundation for the song to groove over, before they drop everything to ebb back and forth from ambiance.  Jonas's voice is fragile and honest, or at least maintains a consistent persona. 

As with most Katatonia, is production is dialed in perfectly. The textured layers of the guitar are all very nuanced. The guitar holds enough grit to at least maintain their place as a hard rock band. They play with the arrangement enough to maintain their place as a progressive band.Not sure if there are steps forward yet, but standing firmly in place for the brand Jonas created. Nothing that would have made Anders want to stay. "Temporal" is a little more anthemic. Highly melodic, sticking to the formula for dynamics, they have been working since at least "Viva Emptiness".  The chorus hits just right to prove they can still bring just what you are waiting for. 

Is this all very calculated? More than likely, but the band's mystique holds the suspension of disbelief. "Departure Trails" feels like a wandering atmospheric jam that creeps from the previous song. His vocals are tentative, but work for what they are doing here. "The Warden" is their more typical blend of melancholy pondering and rock bombast as the dynamic to emerge from the gloom. The more nuanced  "The Light Which I Bleed' is a better song, and is not just the band going through familiar motions and checking off the expected sonic boxes 

Breaking things down to a piano ballad might not be checking off a box you expect from these guys, and it really depends on how atmospheric you want these guys to be. There is some interesting vocal production on the track, but I want more rocking out. Though the song does build in an interesting electronic manner. The drums offer more of a beat for the last song, but drift into their moody ambient and only build for the chorus. I am going to have high expectations for these guys; some of their post-"Night is the New Day" albums have disappointed me, but I think this one just needs to grow on me, so I'll give it a 9.5 as some songs hit really hard emotionally, not metal. Dropping on Napalm Records.  

pst225

Dwellers : "Corrupt Translation Machine"

 

We can call a band progressive blues or simply just say "grunge". In the 90s, grunge did not mean just simply sounding like Pearl Jam or Soundgarden; there were bands like Screaming Trees and Stone Temple Pilots who brought other, sometimes more rock-flavored elements to it. The vocal layering is more Alice in Chains here. The guitar is contemplating rather than chugging in a metallic manner. This is given more of a spotlight in the second song. I appreciate that the guitar solo leads into a more jammed section of the song. 

"Old Ways" does not feel as focused as the first two songs, as it relaxes into the more ambling contemplation of the chord progression. "The Beast" follows a similar path, but it's darker, and the drummer feels more confident in the backbone they are laying down. They need to lay into more of the darker grooves that the band works off of for "Inside Infinity."  It gives the vocals some places to go that are not as Layne Staley-like. "The Maze" attempts, but the vocals and wandering around as the drums do not give them as much guidance. This does give the guitar more room to play around. 

"The Sermon" works best as a brooding storm of introspection, with the guitar taking prominence in a manner that reminds me of earlier Pink Floyd. Particularly when the chords ring out in a manner that accents the drums. "Marigold" is more of a ballad.  As an 11-minute song, it is, of course, jammed out around the five-minute mark. "Made" is a more atmospheric reflection, with interesting guitar playing. tI will give this album a 9, as I like the darker organic nature of what they are doing here, and the songs wind in some thoughtful directions. 

pst 224 

Unbelievable Lake : "‘I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream’"

If you have ever listened to a jam band and thought, I'm high enough to be into this, but I just wish this was heavier and darker than you are in luck. That has commonly been my complaint with jam bands is that they were just too bring and happy for me with enough balls. This album is not aggressive, but takes you into a more introspective place that borders on madness.  Belfast band's second LP is a 41-minute track that drones and takes you on an excursion into space. Since how I normally review and rate albums is in a song-to-song listen-through, I am breaking this one up into 10-minute increments so we might more easily digest what is going down here. The first four minutes drift easily with vocals that are more of a chant. This breaks down to a real minimalist simmer, and that is where it feels like this might end if it were tracked like a normal album. 

Six and a half minutes in, and things feel like they are more droning than doomy. While it's darker than jam bands, it is not as heavy as doom. Doom needs a mournful oppression. Nor are they as heavy as Swans, though sonically that is the direction they are trying to head. Upon hitting the ten-minute mark, a distorted chord is struck to cause more chaos. But overdrive alone is not metal. Not that I am in any way invested in this guy's being a metal. I just like to make sure my readers have reasonable and realistic expectations set when they sit down to listen to an album I've reviewed. A few minutes into this section, it is clear they are taking a more minimalist approach as things progress. The sudden flurries of guitar are enough to scare my cat. Then they wander off into a section Syd Barrett might be proud of. 

19 minutes, they begin to slowly ramp things up. This takes a simmering five and a half minutes to achieve, before the drums lock in with the guitar to bring things to a pulsing pound. Yes, it's heavier, but in a more post-rock manner than metal. After three minutes of taking you to pound town, they unfurl more of a progressive rock sound. At the thirty-minute mark, the drummer is now laying down a jazzy rock beat that is more Pink Floyd in its intent. Then, in the last ten minutes of the song, it turns into noisy chaos that reminds me of what the Stooges did at times.I will give this album an 8, as I appreciate the organic nature of how they achieved this journey into sound. This is a trance-inducing listen that will find you drifting off into its depths.This drops on Cursed Monk Records June 13th.   

pst223

Our Frankenstein : "Magnum Spire Hotel"

 

Here is an interesting band produced by Nero of Psyclon Nine. They are not unlike a great deal of the darker industrial rock bands that crawled from the later part of the 90s to jump on the bandwagon cranked up by the likes of Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. The Marilyn Manson influence is not evident until a couple of songs in. The title track kicks things off, blending a wider range of sounds that feel more siphoned from alternative rock. The album as a whole works off a theme of a hotel, kinda like the Overlook for drug addicts. 

The dynamics shift to a more effectively creepy shade of sonic macabre for "The Burden". The whispered vocals work really well, and one of the things I like about the album is all the differing vocal colors that create a broader sonic scope. The vocals are also really well produced, which makes the most of the singer's range. "Judas Dance' finds more of a post-punk influence creeping into the tension driving the song, as the bass line keeps things moving. I like the ebb and flow of the song's dynamics. 

Things get darker for "Curtain Call. "It creeps at a bleak, doomy deliverance. "Kerosene works off a more confrontational rock style that has the anthemic feel of Marilyn Manson's late 90s output. I like the strong anti-Christian message of the lyrics. "Grace" closes the album. It's a darker, more solemn affair, almost like a suicide ballad.  Delivered in a theatrical manner that makes me think of Alice Cooper. I will give this album a 9; it touches on the gothy sonic sweet spots I enjoy in this era of music, and they deliver it with flair and dramatics. Worth checking out if you are into goth bands that plug their instruments in and crank the amps. This was released on Reclamation Records. 

pst222

Ministry : "the Squirrelly Years Revisted"

 

The joke about back when Ministry sounded like Depeche Mode wore thin on Uncle Al, as he had begun to polish off the early songs for live sets even before releasing their last album. This is a re-recording of the songs from the "Twitch" and "With Sympathy" era. The vocals are more in line with how Al sings now. Sometimes the guitars are providing more heft, but on a song like "Here We Go," things are pretty much like they were back in the day, with the more new wave leaning dance beats driving the hot rod that Jesus built. In some cases, this works just well enough. 

"All Day" keeps the classic dance groove in place, and almost feels like Al of the present doing karaoke to the band of the past. It is, however, a reminder that these songs were not half bad to begin with. The new version of "Everyday is Halloween" has been out for a minute, so it is not going to be a surprise.  The 80s sounds are still intact, with the guitar accents, bringing them more closely aligned to the band they became. This is clearly one of the best goth anthems ever.   

"Revenge" is one of the songs that works best when adapted to this format.  "I'm not an Effigy" has a more driving drum sound and sounds more organic in this context, which also makes it sound more like Killing Joke, who is obviously a huge influence on Ministry. "I'm Falling" highlights the more post-punk roots, which, when it gets to the chorus, also leans heavily toward Killing Joke. "Same Old Madness" is a more frantic take on this style. You can hear traces of the punk side of the post-punk side of the equation. Though the layered sounds give it more depth. 

The more Depeche Mode brunt of the joke can be heard on "I'll Do Anything For You," which pokes fun at the conventional pop love song of the day while flowing a bastardized version of the blueprint. "Just Like You" has more punch to its synth pop groove and the lyrically bleaker tone, making it not fit in with more radio-friendly artists doing the "Reflex" at the time. "We Believe" has a droning yet more aggressive pulse that was an indicator of what was to come. This closes with "Over the Shoulder," which has always been one of Al's most bizarre vocal performances, and he stood by it with this version. Musically you can hear where Revolting Cocks would evolve from this. 

The trend of rerecording your past work feels like creative entropy, and while more preferred than a greatest hits album, it's warming up leftovers. However, if this were Uncle Al's last album, it would be cool that they came full circle with this. He has been talking about hanging up his cowboy hat more often, more recently,y and it would be better for him to take a bow gracefully at 66 rather than being forced to do so in the next five years, if he lives that long. So I will around this up to a 10 as it's evident tweaking these songs a but was all that was needed to prove they stand the test of time.It makes perfecgt sense for Cleopatra Records to have rleased this.  

pst221

The Callous Daoboys : "I Don't Want to See You In Heaven"

 

The album opens with a rather dystopian narrative that I appreciate. "Schizophrenic Legacy" is the first actual song that throws you into their bizarre progressive take on metalcore. While the screamed vocals are more dominant, Carson Pace's voice continues to grow. His poppy-sung vocals carry the need hooks to contrast the chaos. "Full Moon Guidance" is sonically similar to the first song, though it stylistically circles a more condensed range of metallic sound. "Two Headed Trout" has a more nuanced groove as it leans more into the pop side of their equation. There are some heavier punches toward the end of the song, but one of the album's more accessible songs. 

"Tears on Lambo Leather" flirts more with the core of metal-core, while jerking your neck out of alignment with the jarring math of the riffs. They deviate more from the formula; this album tends to use a blueprint, with lower death metal vocals sometimes providing an accent. "Lemon" shows how powerful the pop end of their DNA is, as it is one of the album's strongest songs. Lyrically, this album is interesting and is going to take a few listens to fully absorb. "Body Horror For Birds" is a ballad that pushes things further in the pop direction, almost sounding more like something Bruno Mars might do. I applaud them for having the ability and dynamic range to pull this off. 

"The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog' is more metalcore in its stomp and circumstance. Closer to something that might appeal to fans of Knocked Loose. "Idiot Temptation Force' shows both sides of the band firing with equal power. The are marginally more spastic snarling, and break down like riffs. Things go in a weird melodic direction for "Douchebag Safari". When they throw themselves back into the metal, it's a less predictable transition. "Distracted by the Mona Lisa" is a really fun song. Carson's sung vocals work well on it. It bounces with an almost radio-friendly glee. The last song might be a sprawling 11 minutes and feature Low Before the Breeze," adding atmosphere, but even with its three minutes of lead-in, they hit some memorable moments, as the song unfolds. They jam out for the last minute,e making it a song that feels like they should close their headlining set with.  I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. If there is any justice in the universe, these guys should be at least as big as Knocked Loose, just on the merits of songwriting.  

pst 220

The Haunted :"Songs of Last Resort"

This dude, who fancies himself a music journalist and holds comparisons of bands on his Facebook as content, tried to not only compare Vader to Slayer, but also tried to say it was a tie, to which I felt compelled to comment that Vader would not exist if it were not for Slayer. This band might have come about after At the Gates ' 90s breakup, but clearly, their existence is reliant on Slayer as well. They bring the more melodic Swedish guitar solos to the party, but that really feels like the only thing that sets them apart from being a Slayer clone themselves. Some riffs are more Slayer influenced than others, but the death metal intensity is tempered with the fun-loving thrashing. 

This is the band's 10th album. The very fact that they keep pumping these out means there is a market for this sort of thing. It's less melodic harmony-driven than some of their peers from the region, and I can take these guys more seriously than Dark Tranquility, whose album I just gave up on altogether. "To Bleed Out " has more of a triumphant gallop and brighter melody that is marginally catchier. "Unbound" also benefits from slowing down to attack the guitar with more intention. Both "Hell is Wasted on the Dead" and "Through the Fire" race along with very similarly charged buzz saw thrash attacks. 

"Collateral Carnage" feels more like an Entombed song. "Blood Clots" is one of the album's best riffs, but it is only a minute and a half, so not counted in this review. "Salvation Recalled" is just business as usual. There is more of a Metallica feel to "Labyrinth of Lies".  While this is not as heavy, it is catchier. The song is more deliberate but not as catchy, though dense and sonically interesting. At the end of the day it's pretty run of the mill, but sounds big and menacing I'll give it an 8. 

pst219

FALSE GODS : "Lost in Darkness and Distance"

Both of their previous albums impressed us here as this band continues to blend hardcore with sludge in an emotionally visceral manner. However, the hard-core side of the equation is not as prevalent as the band's more metal leanings this time around. The songwriting has continued to mature, the opener tracker is higher energy with a darker tension running through it that brings earlier Neurosis to mind, but is catchier than bombastic in how it hits. There is more of a deliberate sludge lumber to the throbbing "Straw Dog". 

The drums to "Enemy That Never Was" churn the song like a storm building up, as the dark cloud of guitar balances the atmosphere with a crusty chug at times ringing out more in a sonic zip-code not removed Amibex. When they lock into expressing this more metallic mood, it contrasts with the sections of punk singing that evolve from the normal roar of the vocals. to create an effective dynamic. "Imposter" is more melodic with the guitar ringing out to open the door wider for the vocals to put more effort into their raw, throaty, bellowing singing style. It works really well and creates a mood that carries a more expansive emotional current that bleeds with honesty.  This is more memorable than just pounding and roaring. The weightier moments of the song are still present enough and should not make longtime fans feel betrayed by what might be seen as a more accessible form of songwriting.

 At the end of the day, songwriting is what matters and not heaviness. This might come as a shock to readers of this blog for me to say that, knowing how I love heavy music, I want the heaviness to feel like an organic extension of who they are, rather than posturing, and that is what happens here. "Suffering in a Strangeland" rides a palm-muted tension, as the vocals offer an articulated roar, and the personal lyrics paint a bleak picture. I like how much darker things have gotten on this album. It's a real cathartic form of darkness. The riffing on this song is almost grungey, another sub-genre that is not the first time sludge has collided with, in fact, in the 90s, these two were more entwined. 

"Worldless" almost feels like a crusty version of the "God Hates Us All " era Slayer. The last song does not maintain the hyper-aggressive momentum, nor does it really need to, as the burly mid-tempo head bobbing throb works just as well. I will give this one a 9, making it consistent with the previous albums, though going in a more straightforward sludge direction. This one drops July 25th 

pst 218

WitchHands : "Nox Nihili

The death rock revival was more short-lived than I would have liked. We did get the likes of Alaric and Atriarch from it, and Astari Nite started off in that vein but has integrated more 80s sounds. So any addition to the genre is welcome. This is a re-imagining / re-recording of their first album, which I do not recall hearing, so this might as well be new. This death rock band leans into the more punk side of the genre. The vocals are belted with moments of creepy crooning. The pace picks up to more of your standard punk fare on the second song. I am not sure Wilson Pickett is best translated over into this sort of thing.

"Belle" creeps to life at first, but the vocals come in and bring a more bellowing explosion. The bombastic manner things are built is not unlike Killing Joke. The is more of a punk attack to "Demons". This makes the raw nature of the vocal make more sense. I can also hear how New Model Army might be an influence at certain points. "Ozymandias" finds the vocals taking on a more gruff bark. The drummer holds everything together, I am surprised the bass in not more crucial to the mix as that defined Christian Death's sound. 

"Night Falls" finds the guitar bringing a darker pulse. The song does build off this more melancholy pulse.  From this point on, the album pretty much goes in a more punk direction. The lyrics to getting more horror-oriented, which I can appreciate. The title track closes the album. It finds a pretty effective groove that is the first song that has a metallic edge to it, though this does give more of a Killing Joke vibe. I will give this album an 8, it's fun and very raw punk in its aesthetic. 

pst217

LIGHTS OF VIMANA : "Neopolis"

 I am always impressed when a band takes me somewhere different than where I expected and the album to go. This band does that. They are a doom supergroup featuring SLOW, Pantheist, and Void of Silence members. The ambiance they invoke leans into cinematic waves of synths. At times, they create an almost krautrock feel, which is where they diverge from my expectations. The opening track finds mournful sung vocals coming in with a low funeral doom-like growl, offering a call and response. It feels like the song should have ended at the eight and a half minute mark, yet they hold it together with fragile atmosphere. A pretty massive chug comes from this, which works to bring things to a climax. 

"Endure" feels more like early Katatonia. Though it builds into a much heavier vision of death doom, with the growled vocals sounding larger than life amid the boom of the mix, that brightens for guitar melodies.  The guitar solo is very tasteful. The ebb and flow of dynamics remains balanced to place the focus on the song. "Reals" leans into the atmosphere more than the previous song. The guitar playing is still pretty impressive. They jam off of a great deal of interesting sounds, but things tend to drift in this neon cloud the song floats on. The overall sound is still impressive. 

The neon cloud keeps floating in the title track, and while it's easy to get lured into the splendor it invokes, not a song that hooks me in, though to their credit, this is an album that you can leave on and just let play. The vocals hook in a little more solidly to "Remember Me".  The song itself is pretty epic, though, sticking with the common theme of this album, the atmosphere builds its climax, though they do keep more of a metal backbone here than most.  I will give this album a 9, as there is a great mood, and it does's own thing, which can be a rarity in doom that often relies too heavily on sounds of the past. Drops June 13th on Dusktone. 

pst216

Chepang : "Jhyappa"

Based in New York, this grindcore band is from Nepal, and use the ethnic tones of their culture as window dressing for the music. The first actual song is just over a minute, and finds these guys riding cool riffs rather than using their time as wisely as some of the grind core bands we have praised in the past. "Gatichad" is three and a half minutes long, which gives them more time, though the vocals are just screamed as a texture, sometimes doubled with lower death metal growls. They are more metal and less punk than a band like GISM. 

The main emphasis of "Ek Hajar Jhut" is the fast blasting section, though they do bring it down to a more deliberate pace. The production is raw enough to capture the feel of what they are doing. "Khel' has some heavy chugs that are brought to a chaotic boil. "Drivya Shatki" is a little more deliberate, but it doesn't get anything we haven't already heard on this album from them on it. The song after it is more tediou and punk, though just over a minute, so the ambush of stiff riffing does not last the song. 

"Niryana" is more like death metal with a hardcore accent of gang vocals chiming in. "Bidhai" is an instrumental outro, but it might be the album's best-written composition, almost making it feel like a waste of fine riffing. I will give this an 8. it works for what it is, though I think people will hype this up as the band plays up the immigrant angle, which got them recognition in the hipster circles of New York. It drops May 23rd on Relapse Records. 

,

pst215

Peter Murphy : " Silver Shade"

At 67, Murphy looks older than he sounds. The album up with an upbeat song that would not have been out of place on his 89 classic "Deep". It carries the new wave bounce, though not as dark as Bauhaus, it is true to the era. He keeps the '80s pulse going with "Hot Roy," which captures the late '80s synth pulse perfectly. Perhaps he is paying a great deal of service to his fan base, which is wise. His pipes stay fluid even when going up into the wavering vibrato of his upper register. 

Morrissey could stand to take notes here as Metropolis Records quietly dropped this album without a great deal of fanfare, and you can't tell me these guys or someone like Cleopatra would not release a new Moz album. "Sherpa" has "Cuts You Up" energy. However, the hook is not as sharp as that song. This song has a very raw, organic production sound that is interesting. The title track grooves with a little more of a smouldering slither. It rides the synth bass tone hard. Not really going to pop hooks on the choruses, but they work. Some of his later solo work has been more along the lines of Dead Can Dance, so this is a welcome return to the punk-inflected roots. 

"The Artroom Wonder" has more of a disco pulse to it. If it were not for his trembling baritone, this could almost be a Depeche Mode song. Not as funky as 'Stayin' Alive" but heading in that direction. There is more of a 90s hip grinding to the tension of the pulse to "The Meaning of My Life", voice swelling to a more powerful climax on the chorus here. The song structure is often simple on this album, but dynamically effective. "Xavier New Boy" is marginally darker and more reflective as it unfolds in a dramatic build.  He is back in motion for "Cohita is Lame". This perhaps feels more like Bauhaus than the songs before it, even with the synth riff 

The most guitar-driven rock moment so far comes from "Soothsayer."  Then things switch over to a more exotic Middle Eastern flavor tango for "Time Waits," which is more like his more recent solo efforts. The dramatic ballad "The Sailmaker's Charm" does not connect as much with me as the previous songs. The is a slight Beatles vibe to it at times. Though it might be more compelling that the ballad he does a duet with Boy George on. This is another one where I can hear a Beatles-like atmosphere in the background. Boy George's voice has not held up as well as Murphy's. Despite this, the rest of the album nails it pretty hard, and it's impressive that he found his way back to this place and delivered in this manner I will give it a 9.5, way more impressive than Billy Idol's new one. 

pst214

Activity : "A Thousand Years In Another Way"

 The last album reviewed by this band was their previous effort, "Spirit in the Room". This one starts off with a tenser, more brooding vibe. The fragile vocals still bring Radiohead to mind. They employ swathes of sonic noise to create the atmosphere here. The second song features female vocals and is more atmospheric, but in an almost whimsical manner. "We Go Where We Are Not Wanted' is more like the more experimental post- "Ok Computer" era of Radiohead. Their sounds are well-layered, but the beat brings this comparison further to mind. 

There is a more conventional song structure to the lazy strum of "Your Dream," which seems to find them more well-fitted into their own identity as artists. Midway into the song, the drugs begin to kick in. The mood reminds me more of Blonde Redhead. It makes sense that "Scissors" would be the lead single for this album as it finds the best balance of all the band's varied elements. "Heavy Breathing' drips out of this song, and is a more atmospheric jam. 

"Her Alphabet" drifts more deeply into its own cloudy ambiance. "I Came Here to Hurt" sounds like a Smashing Pumpkins ballad, but without any of the band's '90s grunge influence. It ambles with more of an indie rock shuffle. It builds a little in the final minute, but nothing that we would refer to as heavy here. The last song does not deviate from the mood of the album, which is a wistful ambiance with an introspective undertone. Perhaps a little more sedate and less dynamic. I will give this one a 9, as I think their songwriting has improved and they captured some impressive sounds. 

pst213