June's Top 10 Albums

It's time for June'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 death metal,  so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of June 

10-Bootblacks - "Paradise" 

New-Wave

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/bootblacks-paradise.html

9-Love is Noise-"To Live a Different Way" 

nu-gaze

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/love-is-noise-to-live-different-way.html

8-Ossuary- "Abhorrent Worship" 

Death Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/death-is-june-ossuary-abhorrent-worship.html

7-Disembodiment- "Spiral Crypts" 

Death Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/death-is-june-disembodiment-spiral.html

6-Hollow Leg -"Dust & Echoes"

 

Sludge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/hollow-leg-dust-echoes.html

5-HAIM- "I quit" 

Indie-pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/haim-i-quit.html

4-Turnstile-"Never Enough" 

Pop punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/turnstile-never-enough.html

3-Deadguy- "Near-Death Travel Services" 

Hard-core

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/deadguy-near-death-travel-services.html

2-Miley Cyrus - "Something Beautiful" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/miley-cyrus-something-beautiful.html

1-Wu-tang Clan- "Black Samson the Bastard Swordsman 

Hip-hop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/wu-tang-clan-black-samson-bastard.html

Thanks for reading, please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

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Check out our Podcast below 

https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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Greet Death : "Die In Love"

The new album from these guys finds them coasting along in a jangling indie rock side of shoegazing, with the vocals hovering in the background. They start rocking out as the second song builds and put more balls in the vocals. This brings a more rock drive to the overall sonic punch. "Country Girl" moves with more grace, and the vocals are present with more heart behind them. The drone of the guitar works well, as this might be the most accessible thing I've heard from them yet. It feels like some of the more pastoral moments of late 90s indie rock.

"Red Rocket" has a more detached swagger as the apathetic croon of the vocals bases its personality on its yawning drawl. The guitar tones on this album are very organic. I would be surprised if they did not sound like this live, though the secret weapon is the amazing mix that finds the instruments giving each other lots of room. There is a more '90s sound to "Emptiness is Everywhere." The plaintive vocal on this one floats in with more conviction, and the songwriting clicks together better than the previous song. The chorus is more Brit Pop than the lighter touch from the kinder shoegaze sounds casually strummed. 

They drone on the clang of the guitar for " August Underground" before bringing things to a more intense dynamic shift, before ebbing back down. The vocals are almost an afterthought in places. Then "Small Town Cemetery" wanders off into weird indie folk. They sort of pick up where they left off with the downtrodden strum of "Mother Fucker". There is an odd, depressing quality to their music; it's subdued, similar to Elliot Smith on the last song, which is a minimalist strum. The drums eventually come in and create an almost Americana feel to this brand of indie rock. I will give this one a 9 as it's an improvement in their songwriting. I am not sure how much airplay this will get from me, but for what they are doing, the band's growing fan base should take this trip to kinder, gentler places with them. Out on Deathwish Inc.

Higher Power : "There is Love in the World If You Want It"

 2020's "27 Miles Under Water" was a great album as the band took old familiar sounds and made them their own. Their new album is more optimistic. I'm not sure this is the record label wanting them to be more like Turnstile, since no one sells enough records to worry about that much, less compromise your integrity for it. The first song lets you know they are the same band that released "27 Miles Underwater," but there is a pop punk vibe that is coming more into focus. When it comes to "Count the Miles," there is an almost tangible Die Kreuzen influence on the vocals. It took a second listen for it to sink in with me. 

The first great song is the more brooding melody of " All the Rage". There is a bit of the anthemic pop punk feel creeping in here, but it's tolerable. "Better" is more of an emo ballad that recalls the days of Myspace. Though a creeping sense of shoegaze sulks around the song. The more explosive hardcore feel of "Two Doors Down' finds the vocals going into a more volatile scream as the chug of guitar follows the emotional current. "Lunar Tuesday' perhaps goes too far down the pop-punk path to sound more like Blink 182 than the Get Up Kids, which is where the line sits for me. 

"Kaleidoscope" is a mixed bag of melody, heartbreak, and angst, trying to find its place in the sound. The last two songs finds them beginning to lose their way in introspective. I am all for experimenting and being atmospheric, but "Wide Awake" has little to keep it anchored. They double down on the more Deftones-like ambiance with the sugary glaze of Blink-182 coating it for the last song. Rounding this one down to an 8, it doesn't hit like the first album to me, but they are still the same band, just going for a different vibe If you were into their more emo side, this might still work for you.  

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Live Review - Acid Bath @ Jannus Live

Acid Bath might be one of my all-time favorite metal bands, but I never thought I would see them live. Their two albums solidified their legendary status, and while I have always caught Goatwhore or Dax Riggs when they rolled through town over the years, when I spoke to Sami, he always stressed the fact that when fans come up to talk to him about Acid Bath he was always surpised since no body made a big deal about them when they were together, making me wonder if he ever cocnsidered the magnitude of the impact those albums had? Much like Deftones, another 90s band that has seen a surge in support from younger listeners discovering them online, the same could be said of Acid Bath, and more credence should be given to this theory, considering how young the audience at tonight's show was. 

The shows on the band's surprise reunion tour have been selling out and in much larger venues than the band ever dreamed of playing 30 years ago. We arrived at Jannus Live late due to car issues and the Pride parade in St. Pete that made downtown parking and traffic chaotic at best. So we missed RWAKE, who I was looking forward to, but was just thankful to still get a chance to see Acid Bath, Weedeater was left, and they bored the hell out of me, they were trying and had energy, but all their songs sounded the same, and the vocals were weak as hell. We worked our way closer just before Acid Bath came on; the music over the PA got better, including Misfits, Obituary, Mercyful Fate, and Black Sabbath playing just before they took the stage. 

I originally considered going to Welcome to Rockville, just to see these guys, until this date was announced, though I watched YouTube videos, and it seemed early on Dax's voice was still warming back up into these songs, and it made me nervous. I'd rather not see a band and have the myth of greatness intact in my head than see a band who does not live up to my expectations, but as soon as Dax started singing, it made be thankful that I waited for them to get a few shows under their belt as a band. I told a friend of mine that it was very evident that Dax and Sammy have lived very different lives over the past 30 years, which was evident in their stage presence. Sammy was a bigger more dominant metal personality, power forward stage presence, whereas Daxy felt more in his head and perhaps even anxious. Though it set up a dynamic that reflects in how the band presents itself sonically, 

Even though I knew the set list, seeing it play out live was interesting as they balanced out the darker melodic songs with the heavier overt metal songs. With the drummer from Goatwhore and bassist from Crowbar joining the original core of the band, it showed the newcomers opening up and showing another side of their playing to create room for melody. It was an interesting choice for them to play the Agents of Oblivion version of "Dead Girl." , Other highlights included stellar versions of "Venus Blue" Paegan Love Song."  and "Bleed Me An Ocean", I was surprised they closed with "Dr. Suess is Dead", but it seems the pacing of the setlist was paced to fit where Dax is vocally, though he sounded better and by doing other styles of music post- Acid Bath, it felt like he brough new vocal colors to his performance. 

He is one of my favorite singers, so his performance was the focal point for me, but everyone was impressive and grabbed my attention at some point. This makes it the best metal show I've seen since Iron Maiden, though these guys do something very different with much darker vibes, that feel more real than singing about Vikings and indians, making it a powerful music moment to solidify these guys as legends and giving me the show I needed from them. 

Death is June - Mouth of Madness : "Event Horizon"

 

There is an old-school vibe to this  German death metal band's debut. There is black metal influence without having to call this blackened death metal. The aggression of death metal is the primary focal energy source driving this tank into battle. They do use the buzzing tension of black metal to set the mood at times, and are a little darker than your average death metal band. But just one tremolo-picked riff does not make something black metal. The harsh rasp of the vocals at the balls to its commanding narrative rather than just being abject screams of torment. The lyrics are punched out and articulated more of than not. 

"At the Heart of the Unknown" might not have as many twists and turns as the previous song, but is still effective. "Worms" features hookier songwriting that draws influences from the intersection of the 80s, when death metal emerged from thrash, with bands like Possessed and Kreator. There is a great deal of groove on this one that makes it a more worthwhile listen than just being pounded by rapid-fire riffs. "Fireborn" emerges from the early 90s flavored death metal, with the buzz of their black metal influences circling like a halo of flies. There are touches of melody merged with this as the song draws out. "Massan" is more of a straightforward speed rager, though textured in a way that allows the song to breathe.

The last song is just an extended drone of synth ambiance. It works as an outro, but at almost five minutes seems a bit excessive. I like where these guys are going, and wish this album gave a more comprehensive listen at what they are capable of beyond, coming from this era of death metal, as there are hints at wnating to be more, so for that reason I will round this down to an 8.5, though that still sits it along side the year's better death metal releases. 

4.6 

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The Top 10 Goth / Industrial Albums of 2025... so far

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2025 is at its midpoint. With the impending end of times comes a celebration of darkness, and these bands are making substantial soundtracks for that. These lists serve as a decent snapshot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they will need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. For the mid-year report card list, I'm combining goth with its close cousin, industrial.   I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 Goth / Industrial albums of 2025 so far. 

10-Palindrones-Chapter 2 the Slender Blade" 

This British dark wave duo moves in interesting directions. We caught up with them on our podcast. Check that interview out here... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6D9B509gzA&t=832s

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/palindrones-chapter-2-slender-blade.html

9-Sowulo -"NIHT"

Neo-folk has always been a sub-genre of goth more than folk; this Nordic project balances the more primal nature with a grandiose atmosphere that captures a darker mood than most, and earns them their spot on this list. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/sowulo-niht.html

8-Gaahl's Wyrd - "Braiding the Stories" 

I am glad to hear Gaahl continuing to explore his singing voice. The vocals are well layered, with more of his upper register present while the baritone croon holds center stage, which is on brand for him. It is not surprising that Gaahl and I are of a similar musical mindset, for here he proves that the emotive value of darkness is just as heavy as metal.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/gaahls-wyrd-braiding-stories.html

7- Bootblacks- "Paradise" 

This Brooklyn-based band, BOOTBLACKS, is dancing in a more dark wave direction with their new album, with songs driven by synth pulses. The reverb-slathered guitar sits back in the mix, content haunting the backdrop.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/bootblacks-paradise.html

6-Corlyx-"Purple Pain" 

This album showcases their strength of embracing both the past of traditional dark wave and still not shying away from paying tribute to this era, with new sounds, like vibrant synth-wave keyboard lines, and pop-inflected hooks.

  https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/corlyx-purple-pain.html

 

 5-The Cure- "Mixes of a Lost World" 

In case you forgot this was coming out, Robert Smith is not the control freak he once was, as he is allowing 24 artists to remix the band's 2024 masterpiece.It shows how much reach the Cure's influence has on music as a whole.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-cure-mixes-of-lost-world.html

 

 

4-Ministry- "the Squirrelly Years Revisited" 

The joke about back when Ministry sounded like Depeche Mode wore thin on Uncle Al, after polishing off the early songs for live sets, even before releasing their last album, he re-recorded 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, with the more new wave leaning dance beats driving the hot rod that Jesus built. In some cases, this works just well enough. 

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

3-Peter Murphy- "Silver Shade" 

At 67, Murphy looks older than he sounds. The new wave bounce on these songs would not have been out of place on his 89 classic "Deep". Not as dark as Bauhaus, it is true to the era. He keeps the '80s pulse going 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. 

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

 

2-Youth Code -"Yours, With Malice"  

On previous releases, they felt more like a militant version of Skinny Puppy, so this might be more neon lit, and not as dark as, say, 'A Place to Stand'. They employ more dynamics at times as Sara retains her signature scowling. It does not sound dated and moves industrial music forward, rather than solely focusing on the past eras.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/youth-code-yours-with-malice.html

1-Shedfrombody- "Whisper and Wane" 

This project from Finland marks another entry to the hallowed halls of ethereal hot girl music. It's almost like ASMR set to brooding post-rock. The vocals are hypnotically layered, and the songs have a subtle slither to them, but despite the somewhat hopeful cadence of the vocals, this album is dark like a brooding thunderstorm, and less dressed up for Halloween, though still dark enough to earn it's place at the top here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/shedfromthebody-whisper-and-wane.html

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SOWULO : "NIHT"

 

Often, these types of bands just create droning hymns to pay homage to their elder cultures, which carries a certain power depending on the egregore of the region, but not always something worth repeated listens. This is the case even with some of the bigger indigenous neo-folk acts of Europe. This project from Norway does respect ye olde days, while writing actual songs that go somewhere. Yes, there is a very ritualistic feel to what they do, but it has verses and choruses you remember. Also, a dark tension broods under some of the passages, so it is not surprising these artists are often metal adjacent in their fan base.

They are named after an old Germanic name for the sun, which reflects some of the elder pagan ideology behind the concepts of this album.  "Sol and Mani" has a heavier ambiance, which ebbs and flows, as is to be expected from an album that is already atmospheric by nature. There is more of a folk ballad quality to the vocals. It still manages to lull you into its own hypnotic throb. "Full Mona" finds the male throat singing coming more to the forefront. This creates a more tribal cadence, putting them closer to what Heilung does. They have a darker, more solemn sound than Heilung, and are not tied to using non-electronic instruments, which they are not afraid of using to create almost sensual beats. The trade-off between the male and female vocals sometimes gives things a more Dead Can Dance feel.

"Nihtegan" certainly sums up this assessment with the slithering belly dance sexuality dripping from the mysterious mood, yet dramatic atmosphere creating ritualistic theatrics. "Carnyx" is a horn being blown for a droning ambient effect, not sure if I consider this one a song, as it feels more like an interlude. But at almsot four minutes they are committed enough to consider it a song. They bring a beat to the droning strings of "Eald Mona" and pull things together compellingly. "Swefnian' work off a big, almost cinematic atmosphere that is dark enough, but the arrangement is a straightforward, almost drone. The last actual song is 'Heolstor Sceadu" which finds the throat singing more prominent, but the dark slinking grooves weaving around the song work well. I will give this one a 9.5; it's one of the better dark tribal neo-folk releases I have heard in some time. Drops August 29th. It

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The Top 10- Indie Rock / Shoe-Gaze Albums of 2025 ... so Far

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2025 is at its midpoint. With the impending end of times comes the need to get high, and these bands are making substantial soundtracks for that. These lists serve as a decent snapshot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they will need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. For the mid-year report card list, I'm combining shoegaze with its close cousin, indie rock.  So basically, they all are more surreal than post-punk, not punk, and left of center when it comes to rock n roll.  I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 indie-rock / shoegaze albums of 2025 so far. 

10- Korean Cars -"#1" 

This band proves Norway is capable of exporting more music than metal. This band is are fantastic musicians weaving challenging but nuanced instrumentals that find most of the vocals are incidental, but creatively employed. If you like prog that flows and unfolds as it jams along, then these guys are worth a listen. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/korean-cars-1.html

9-Jaye Jayle-"After Alter"

 This project went from being Evan Patterson’s solo project that explored sounds outside of what he did in Young Widows, and has now become a full-fledged band. What makes this album work so well is its vision and artistic direction, not an album that rocks out, but an album that lurks within.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/jaye-jayle-after-alter.html

 

8-Black Country New Road - 'Forever Howlong" 

The third album from these British indie folksters who flirt with rock music less and indulge in more woodwinds and jazz-tinged passages this time around. The vocals are what anchors them in indie rock, as the more folk notions lie in the poetic melodies that run the center course of their songs.  Most of it flows really well and seems like how things just progressed. There is a more Beatles-like tone to things on this album. It reminds me of the more quaint pastoral moments from the White Album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/black-country-new-road-forever-howlong.html

7-Smut -"Tomorrow Comes Crashing" 

The  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.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/smut-tomorrow-comes-crashing.html

 

6-Mogwai- "The Bad Fire" 

11 albums into their career, this Scottish band has a clear focus on their sonic journey. Showing they still have room to grow when it comes to their willingness to use vocals again.They give you what you want from them. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/mogwai-bad-fire.html

5-Bleed -"s/t" 

This Texas band takes you back to the 90s in a weird, unexpected manner.  By unexpected, this does not mean I have not already seen the writing on the wall when it comes to nu-metal making a comeback. These guys just go about it differently. The flourishes of DJs spun, scratched ambiance at the edges of their throb point this band's sound in the direction of nu-metal. There is some darker tension to the grooves that the vocals coo over. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/bleed-st.html

4-Swans - "Birthing" 

Listening to this album through headphones is recommended. This album is an event. Almost more of an art show than a rock album. Not their best work, but it remembers to employ similar moods that bring them closer to the more classic sounds of the Jarboe era.

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

3-Hotline TNT - "Raspberry Moon"  

Going in a more Stone Roses direction for this one. In doing so, this means more melody. The vocals got more love in the studio and are crooned with less apathy. On the other hand, this album jangles more and has less punk rock left in its veins. The atmosphere is thicker and often more melancholic. They are in many ways the same band, but attacking things from a different direction. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/hotline-tnt-raspberry-moon.html

 

2-Sharon Von Ettan & the Attachment Theory- " s/t" 

This album was spawned from Sharon walking into band practice and asking to just jam. The magic of spontaneity in this experience showed her that relinquishing creative control and being more collaborative was so freeing for her that it invited her band to become a part of the more organic writing process for this album

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/sharon-von-etten-attachment-theory-st.html

       

1-Superheaven - "s/t" 

The third album by this band has built buzz with their first two albums. They have a 90s sound that occupies the middle road between grunge and shoegaze, recalling "Gish" era Smashing Pumpkins, but with a less androgynous vocal approach. This album it gives you what you want from this sort of 90s shoegaze rock. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/superheaven-st.html

Thanks for reading, please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast below 

https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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Death is June- Phobetor : " A Solitary Vigil"

It seems I have kept most blackened death metal out of the conversation this year. Perhaps not by mistake as it tends to fall predictably on either side of the fence. This album is worth inviting in. I like the haunting guitar melodies that paint the background of the title track that opens this one. The scathing scowl of the vocals is typically more of a mid-range snarl with lower death metal accents. The guitars and drive of the song are the death metal part of the equation.

 Clean guitar provides the calm before the storm as they rage into a sonically in-your-face sweeping charge of sound. It took a second listen for it to really click with me, as there are some subtle elements to this. The drums are not one of them, as they come crashing at you like a hurricane. The burly bass giving "Fading Black Winter" its backbone helps anchor it in a more Entombed-like corner of death metal. "The Vacant Worlds Within Us" roars out from the previous song. It works off a more tremolo-picked guitar line, and the drums slow down to indulge the band in a more desolate mood. They do not sprawl out and overindulge themselves keeping the songs forever wearing out their welcome.

There is some atmospheric dissonance with the last song, which keeps things interesting, as the vocals maintain the vocal scowl that has dominated this album. They strap you in and take you on their ride with this bone crusher of a closer, which finds them really capturing a nice balance of what they do as a band on this song. I will give this one a 9 and see how it sits with me. Heavy but with enough darker mood to keep the death metal aggresion interesting. 

4.7

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Death is June- Décryptal "Simulacre"

 

This Canadian band upholds what seems to be the trend this year with death metal, which is a return to the cold, dark, cavernous ways of old. The opening track reminds me a little of Unleashed's first album. The vocal tones trade off a little midway in with the predominant gurgle giving way to a higher, more pained rasp. The main riff of this song buzzes with a tremolo-picked tension, though the digs in deeper with thrash-glazed grooves as the song progresses. Unlike many heavier bands who stun you with the sheer weight and magnitude of their sound, so that you forget to ask if they can write a song, these guys assure you they can. This leaves the only question for the rest of the album to follow, being how dynamic said songs will be? 

"Ombre Hantant..." is more deliberate in its darkness at first before picking up the pace to what is expected for the genre. The drummer is great, but you have to be to play death metal. There is a little more hook in the galloping riff that seems like it's the song's backbone. This shifts into a hookier chug by the end. This song that follows this descends into a more malevolent storm of sound. There is a more angular prog thrash riff that possesses things. This is the first hint of Morbid Angel influence I have detected thus far. "Dendrites" might be one of the best songs on the album as it grooves the most, making it capable of inducing headbanging. 

Like most death metal bands, groove goes further than senseless battery or uncontrolled bursts of speed; these guys generally use restraint in this regard. Sometimes the low growl of the vocals carried more intent than others, often just becoming a haunting texture. This remains their only weakness when you consider the greatest death metal bands of all have vocals that are crucial components of the overall songwriting, just as any other style of music. This leaves more responsibility on the shoulder straps of the guitars. "Zisurrfu" shows what this looks like in action, with the double bass doubling down on these efforts. Not the most original thing I have heard, but effective at what they are going for. 

The title track closes the album. This finds the drums hammering down with more determination, before they find a little more groove. The punches make it feel like slower Deicide. Though they do speed things up to try and prove this theory wrong. I will give this album an 8, it's dark, dense, and a solid slab of sound that hits you hard which is what fans of this style of death metal want and it delivers.  

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Black Magnet : "MEGAMANTRA"

When it comes to the industrial revival that has been simmering for a few years, thanks to bands like Youth Code and 3Teeth, it's refreshing to hear a more organic take on it. The first song is dense and hammering, like Nine Inch Nails' heavier post-"Pretty Hate Machine" work. The vocals yell out from the wall of chaotic sound enveloping them. "Better Than Love" has more groove to it, with an almost "Army of Me" like pulse to its beat. The vocals take on a Marilyn Manson-like sneer, which thankfully finds these guys paying homage to the '90s while doing their own thing. 

"Splitting Glass" is where the album begins to cook on its own momentum as the energy overcomes the mood in a way that reflects the genre's punk roots. The guitar takes center stage, which is something that does not happen as much in industrial these days. This sound finds a more deliberate throb for "Coming Back Again". This is enough to hook you in, but abrasive enough to get the point across. They come back with an even more aggressive drive for " Null + Void". 

There is a much more experimental approach taken for "Night Tripping". At just over two minutes and a beat that feels like a re-mixed take of the previous song it is almost more like an interlude, but the chant of the vocals have more intention to them making it clear this is a seperate point they are trying to get across, so I will count it as a song. "Birth" has a bigger, more Nine Inch Nails-like anthemic quality to the guitar sound, the producer is certainly to thank for this, as the entire album has some great production choices. Compared to the last album, things are rawer and more post-apocalyptic; the previous album was darker, and a more varied color was applied to the vocals. This leaves the last song sounding more like a marginally more melodic summary of the album's mission statement. I will give this one a 9 and see how it grows on me. 

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Patriarchs in Black : "Home"

We are venturing into the project with two music legends, Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative fame, and guitarist Dan Lorenzo, who played in the groundbreaking Non-Fiction.  The first two songs are blues-based doom tunes, the opening track featuring Kyle Thomas of Exhorder, who belts it out in his trademark husky soulful swagger. This is a strong song that only holds marginal Sabbath influence in the verse riff. "The Call" which finds Karl Agell from "Blind" era C.O.C., taking the mic, makes me think of Tony Martin; he belts it out in a more nuanced manner than what you might expect from him. Midway into the song, he picks up more of Dio's snarl, as the pace picks up.

Mark Sunshine brings a more unique vocal color to "Burn Through Time". It's higher, making me think a little of the '90s band Collision.  "Frisson" is a more delicate interlude with strings moving the melody. "Kaos" finds things getting much heavier with a more nu-metal groove, as the vocals take on a harsher bark. Joe Ferrarra sings his ass off on 'Storm King" which is back in the more traditional metal style of doom. Things get darker and more melodic on "Celestial Yard" which finds Mark Sunshine returning to delivery an even more nuanced performance. 

"Where Do You Think You're Going" features DMC from rap legends Run DMC, taking the verses, as operatic vocals hover in the background amid many sonic layers to create a rich tapestry of sound. John Kosco from Revel at Dusk, lends his voice to " Beline" which finds itself at the sorrowful intersection of grunge and doom. Mark Sunshine, who is one of the album's main vocalists, now with three songs on this album, returns to a vocal delivery similar to his first appearance on "Pointed Fire."  They take a slight turn to a more rock n roll feel for the blues-based"Enough of You" with Frankie Diaz on vocals. Then they go into a more old-school Biohazard style of NYHC for "Ready To Die"  that has Kelly Abe from "Kaos" on the track. 

"Shadow Grasp" is the song that comes closest to Kelly's Type O Negative past, though I can hear at other points in the album where Non-Fiction's groundbreaking work is referenced, thanks to Dan's forward-thinking playing. Mark Sunshine returns to close the album with the doomier boogie of "Sweet Blood". I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it continues to grow on me, but would say it's one of the year's best doom-minded albums without finding itself too confined to the genre. 

To see my interview with the band, click the link below... as well as "like" and subscribe to stay current on when other interviews with your favorite artists and paranormal / geek culture experts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBWoOWEqFPI&t=31s

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Hotline Tnt : "Raspberry Moon"

 

They have gone in a more Stone Roses direction for this one. In doing so, this means more melody. The vocals got more love in the studio and are crooned with less apathy. On the other hand, this album jangles more and has less punk rock left in its veins. The atmosphere is thicker and often more melancholic. They are in many ways the same band, but attacking things from a different direction. This means bringing a little more rock balls to "the Scene," though the vocals carry a more surreal plea to their croon. The guitars have several interesting layers, and the overall production on this album is fantastic.

"Julia's War" finds the distortion ringing out brighter. The vocals are mixed forward. It's far from a pop song, but more accessible to indie rock audiences, despite the somewhat noisy guitars that give things a dissonant charm. "Letter to Heaven' is noisy and drifting in the droning strum of the guitar. "Break Right" is one of the album's strongest songs, thanks to where the vocals sit and the almsot 90s alt strum of the slacker guitar. The subdued vocal pattern is more syncopated. "Time Flies" works with a faster strum while the vocals go about things in a manner that has been most prevalent throughout this album. 

Things ring out in a very sonic manner for "Candle" but the vocals are jsut a texture that glides along with the guitars, nothing that hooks you in. "Dance the night away" does a better job of working the jangle into a song that has heart and tells a story more tangibly. There is a slight hint of emo in its sentiments as he sings about "heartbreak/ my valentine". There is a crisp strum to the guitar of the more Brit-pop influenced "Lawnmower". "Where U Been?" closes the album in a manner that could be described as dream pop, as it's more articulated in its arrangement than the droning wall of sound typically associated with shoegaze. I will give this album a 9.5; they continue to grow as songwriters, and this more shoegazing direction works well for the band. 

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HAIM- " I quit"

 

The Haim sisters are back after five years, which in pop music is an eternity, given how attention spans and trends cycle out. In being generous and taking things like touring into consideration, we can say they had 3 years to follow "Women in Music pt 3" which was a career-defining album, that elevated the band's status. All of this is to say it's reasonable to have high expectations for this album.  They are quick to put the brakes on those with the opening track "Gone," which might have been better served as a deeper cut. I had heard a few of the lead singles going into this album, so I knew this was not their best declaration of their return, these sessions had to offer. 

The two songs that follow would have worked better to open the album, as they are stellar. They are also two of the singles leading up to the album release."All Over Me" and "Relationships," which are pop songs with the sister's brand of clever marking, both the lyrics and the music. There is a more 90s pop rock feel to "Down to Be Wrong' which reminds me of Sheryl Crow, with some Zeppelin punches thrown in here and there. The indie rock jangle of "Take me back" finds the vocals on the verses bringing the Violent Femmes to mind. So this album seeks to get their footing back into their indie roots, more than trying to follow Taylor Swift's footsteps. 

"Love you right" took a couple of listens to grow on me. It's organic enough to give the thoughtful vocals room to work. "The farm" sounds like it should have been on a Waxahatchee album. It's a country-tinged ballad that is strummed plaintively. The vocals sit back into "Lucky stars" but it's a case where experimenting with what normally works for them pays off. The vocal production on this song is great and contrasts with the more lo-fi guitar sound. Bon Iver lent a hand writing 'Million Years".  It finds an electronic beat bubbling under the vocals, and it took a few listens to grow on me.

The more casual pace of "Everybody's trying to figure me out" works, and the arrangement is more unique than what is going on in pop today, which is the sweet spot the girls need to be more focused on. "Try to feel my pain" has a more mellow 70s New York funk vibe. Her subdued vocals coast gracefully over this to work well. There is a more indie dance groove moving "Spinning," which works well enough for what they are going for and is still on brand for them. "Cry" is a more soulful 70s blues-tinged ballad, and there is a more organic, almost country feel to "Blood on the Street". It's "Now it's time" that comes closer to what you want from these gals. Though when this song ended iTunes shuffled over to "Something to Tell You" and started playing "I Want You Back" and none of these songs capture that energy. I will still give this a 9.5, as it is more organic, they are still solid songwriters, and perhaps better musicians now, 8 years later. 

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The Top 10 Rock Albums of 2025... so far.

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2025 is at its midpoint. These lists serve as a decent snapshot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they will need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. Rock is anything that's not metal, so both progressive and hard rock bands are included here. Yes, there might be a few screams on these albums, but when stacked against the bands on the metal list, it's clear that these bands belong here. Some I weighed against putting on the pop list, but they are more rock than not. I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 rock albums of 2025 so far. 

10-Blackwater Holylight- "If You Only Knew" 

The Portland shoe-gazing gals take things in a more organically jammed direction. There is a brooding underbelly that finds them taking off in a more stoner rock direction.I wish this were a full-length, but if they are making you want more, then something is working

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/blackwater-holylight-if-you-only-knew.html

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9-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 songs hit really hard emotionally,  just not metal.

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

8-Bask- "The Turning" 

I was a big fan of their 2019 album, and this time around it feels like a heavier sound, though sticking to the honest plea of country-inflected vocals even amid guitars crunching around them. The yee-haw moments that creep through the labyrinth of progressive rock work well within this framework. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/bask-turning.html

7-Scowl- "Are We All Angels" 

Having grown away from being a punk or hardcore the band is now making catchy 90's alternative music for 2025.  Kat Moss only uses a harsh, hard-core flavored snarl as a point of accentuation. Her main style of delivery is a slacker croon that has more in common with Veruca Salt, which works for these hooky slacker anthems.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/scowl-are-we-all-angels.html

6-Messa -"the Spin" 

The band's fourth album finds their guitarist really shining despite the album leaning in a darker atmospheric direction that manages to lend itself to jamming. They were once thought of as a doom band, but have gotten too adventurous to be tied to that genre. The vocals are very strong and well-defined from a songwriting perspective, which is the most important element of their sound.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/messa-spin.html

 

5-Love is Noise -"To Live a Different Way" 

Produced like a shoegaze album, but with Myspace emo vibes at its beating heart, as evident in the almost pop-punk vocals. A more nu-metal vocal pops up here and there to create more edge. Cameron Humpry is the creative engine of this project, and he seems to have a knack for blending all the right elements at the right time. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/love-is-noise-to-live-different-way.html

4-Viagra Boys - "viagr aboys" 

The Swedish punk band continues to shift into a more rock n roll flavor of snarky chaos. The melodic elements touch on a similar avant-garde pop style as Xiu Xiu.  Their hooky sarcasm cracks off lyrical observations in sharp humor with topics re subject to their lyrical scorn, veering from the news to health care, this album recalls some of the alt-rock classics of the '90s. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/viagra-boys-viagr-aboys.html

 

3-Dax Riggs- "7 Songs for Spiders" 

 It's been 13 years since his last release. This time around, Dax is backed by a three-piece band of grooving Cajuns; they slither with a melancholy pulse that takes things back to his darker roots. Some of his strongest solo work yet. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/12/dax-riggs-7-songs-for-spiders.html

     

  2-Freeze the Fall - "The Red Garden" 

I think they did a stellar job of making the album they set out to make. This album grows more endearing to me over time, thanks to the vocal hooks. If you are into female vocals layered over melodic hard-edged rock, then this is worth your time. 

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

1-Spiritbox - "Tsunami Sea" 

The band's pop-leaning sound helps separate them from their peers, as Courtney is better at vocal hooks than the singers for Jinger or Infected Rain, who work in similar sonic circles. This album has more hard work invested in its writing than their previous album, making it a highly infectious album. They have found their place in the landscape of the music biz here, and we will see them get bigger than they already are. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/spiritbox-tsunami-sea.html

 Visit our  YouTube & Facebook Pages as well! Thanks for Reading  

https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

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Death is June - The Top 10 Death Metal Albums of 2025... so far

 

Death metal is even more important as the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up with 2025 at its midpoint. These lists serve as a decent snapshot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they are really going to need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. No matter the genre,  darkness trumps speed when it comes to heavy, so these bands reflect that sentiment. These albums provide a fitting soundtrack to the demise of the US.  I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 Death Metal albums of 2025 so far. 

10-Sadist-Something to Pierce"

While Tommy is the sole original member of this band, Trevor has been around since ''Crust" so he basically counts. While these guys are a band whose talents I have always appreciated, I can't say they are one of my favorite death metal bands of all time, though I am impressed by what is unfolding on their tenth album. There are still plenty of jazz-fusion undertones to the songwriting that find the band continuing to excel at a style they had mastered back in the '90s.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/sadist-something-to-pierce.html

9-Behemoth-"The Shit Ov God" 

They are getting back to an older, more epic death metal sound with this album, so perhaps this course corrects with a payoff. I think they are better as a death metal band, and the larger-than-life sound does not work for black metal, as they are often not atmospheric enough. I appreciate the more melodic notions that haunt this album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/behemoth-shit-ov-god.html

 

 

8-Fleshspoil- "the Beginning of the End" 

This band features the former drummer of Arsis. This album has plenty of it in a dissonant mix that makes the discordance soothing to my ears. It's not just bludgeoning hammering, but intricate songwriting with a technical aspect that is also held in check. The mix reminds me more of an album that might have come out 20 years ago. Which is fine, as lots of quality metal came out then.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/fleshspoil-beginning-of-end.html

 

7-Ancient Death-"Ego Dissolution"

  This is the debut album from this adventurous death metal band, featuring guitarist Jerry Witunsky is a more recent addition to  Atheist. It's progressive, but perhaps not as technical and shreddy as Atheist. The songwriting is dynamic as they take you on a journey ripe with guitar melody without compromising the grit.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/ancient-death-ego-dissolution.html

6-Bludgeoned By Deformity -" Epoch Of Immorality"

Helmed by the lead gurgler of Sanguissuggabogg, this is one of the most brutal death metal slabs you are going to hear in some time, well, until his day job puts something out.  Less gore, grind grooving than the Suggabogg, they do stomp down on things pretty hard. I went into this expecting to be hit by something more blasting and perhaps more technical than what Devin is normally associated with. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/bludgeoned-by-deformity-epoch-of.html

5-Ossuary- "Abhorrent Worship" 

This is the debut full-length from this band featuring members of Jex Thoth. Funny enough, drummer Nick Johnson also plays drums for Zola Jesus. The overall sound is dark and gritty, with some sonic depth and a very stark atmosphere to this more Incantation-like school of death metal. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/death-is-june-ossuary-abhorrent-worship.html

4-Disembodiment- "Spiral Crypts" 

In the depths of the more brutal and gore-grind leaning bowels of death metal, writhe this monster. The vocals are gurgled up from the sewers running down to hell. This is the band's first full-length. They are great at setting the mood. The mix is somewhat lo-fi, but the point gets across, and it gives these guys their charm. They are heavy as fuck but still care about writing songs.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/death-is-june-disembodiment-spiral.html

3-Floating- "Hesitating Lights" 

An interesting blend of sounds. This Swedish death metal band incorporates post-punk into their songs. Less than 30 seconds in, they transition from a Siouxsie and the Banshees-like riff to incorporating a blast beat. The growled vocals are layered over the guitars, effectively splitting the difference between the two sounds.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/floating-hesitating-lights.html

2-Decrepisy - "Deific Mourning"

Crawling up from the cavernous depths where death metal plunges into a more depressive depth to meet in the melancholic tombs of doom, this Portland-based band oozes up with their follow-up to their 2021 debut. Featuring members of Negative Prayer, Vastum, and Coffin Rot, they manage to physically manifest an inner darkness into sonic form, using their instruments as the conduit through which it is expressed.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/decrepisy-deific-mourning.html

1-Vacuous - "In His Blood" 

The sophomore album from the UK death metal band finds VACUOUS carving out their own sonic niche that sets them apart from the pack, while not leaning too heavily on their influences. The gritty drive is spacious and organic sonically, allowing room for a darker atmosphere to seep in as the album progresses. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/vacuous-in-his-blood.html

 Visit our  YouTube & Facebook Pages as well! Thanks for Reading  

https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

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