Decembers Top 10 Albums

It's time for December's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights may help casual
Readers catch up on what they missed and explore these artists. I am not writing brief summaries of them; I am simply linking to the reviews. Inclusion here does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new  albums I have enjoyed the most. December is more about me catching up with what I have missed, so this list reflects that. This month, it ranges from neo-folk to punk. Perhaps you will find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of  December.

10-Ter Ziele-"Embodiment of Death" 

Blackened Sludge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/ter-ziele-embodiment-of-death.html

9-Rebecca Black - "Salvation." 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/rebecca-black-salvation.html

8-nghtcrwlr-'OZ" 

Electronic

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/nghtcrwlr-oz.html

7-Pupil Slicer- "Fleshwork"

Experimental Hardcore

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/pupil-slicer-fleshwork.html

6-Grandson-"Inertia" 

nu-metal

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/grandson-inertia.html

5-School Drugs-"Funeral Arrangements."

Punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/school-drugs-funeral-arrangements.html

4-Wardruna-"Birna" 

Pagan Neo-Folk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/wardruna-birna.html

3-Chokecherry-"Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls." 

Alternative Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/chokecherry-ripe-fruit-rots-and-falls.html

2-Pool Kids- "Easier Said Than Done." 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/pool-kids-easier-said-than-done.html

1-Home front- "Watch it Die" 

Punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/home-front-watch-it-die.html

pst666

Terzij de Horde : "Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone"

 

I don't review many straight-up in-your-face black metal albums that are just old school second wave blasting, but this came recommended. There is more of a chilling, droning atmosphere to the buzz of the opening track, where the second song grinds into a more aggressive buzz that is more feral in nature. They do shift from this into more deliberate accents and some dissonant chord phrashing to make things sonically heavy and chaotic, so the arrangement takes enough turns and is more intricate than the opening track, which is not where I thought it was going. 

I appreciate the bleak density of " A Hammer to the Great Matter of Birth and Death." It hangs on the droning tremolo-picked guitars, but opens up to create more ambiance rather than just riding a static tension; the fact that the drummer knows when to back off helps them with the overall dynamics. They seem to lock into a more relentless shimmer of chords on " The All-Consuming Work of the Soul's Foreclosing." This becomes more of a solid wall of sound with some punches buried within the din, but not enough to create hooks, until they thrash into a more syncopated section to provide some contrast.

They do slow back down to a more deliberate throb with "Justice is Not Enough..." The vocals are exclaimed in a little more of a hardcore cadence at first. The last song moves more likea hard-core song, and the accent of the vocals brings this out, with the cascading guitar lines the only black metal element, though there are layers of guitar to make this a big part of their sound. It does buzz back to life after a spoken work part with the vocals phrashing, reminding me of Deafheaven, the way it sits against the guitars. Overall, I like what they are doing here I will give this an 8.5. 

pst665

2025 Metal State of the Union

 

This year for the  State of the Union, I am breaking it down by the top 10 lists of the metal sub-genres that had enough demand to warrant a Top 10 list, as I included thrash in its own seperate list. This provides an overview of where the best content originates, rather than what is being promoted to you by labels. So we are jsut looking at the cream of the crop from the various genres. 

 When it comes to bands getting a buzz, I will be inclined to review them even if it's not something I would normally listen to, because let's be real, those bands will draw new readers, and I am not just talking into a void here. I got  7 million new readers this year, so it seems to be working, and my work with other publications and sites is bringing more folks to come check out what I have been doing here, so thank you for every minute of your life you have given to my words. I hope I've offered you perspectives that do not just toe the line of the media's current narrative. Thank you once again for spending time with me here to analyze these stats and perhaps give you a glance at Metal's state this year, which might give a glimpse into its future.

Black Metal 

These countries had two entries on the Top 10 Black Metal albums of the year for 2025

Germany, America, and Sweden-2

The American bands came from California and Washington

The Number one spot went to a French band

Ironically, Ukraine and Russia both earned spots on the top 10 list, so war is inspiring, and there are still studios open and recording bands, well, black metal should be hateful, so that makes sense.

 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-black-metal-albums-of-2025.html

 Death Metal 

America continues to dominate when it comes to death metal, with four bands in the top ten, the only country to score multiple entries in this genre. with an Ohio band taking the top spot and the other bands hailing from Wisconsin, New York, and Oregon

Canada, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, and New Zealand all had representation this year. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-death-metal-albums-of-2025.html

  Thrash

America retains the top spot with a 50 percent margin, and three of the five were from California, whose San Francisco Bay Area sound was the genre's most defining, so metal sticks to tradition. Nevada and  New York also clocked in an entry apiece. 

Switzerland captured the number one spot. 

Canada came in at a distant second place with two bands in the Ten, and Scandinavians Sweden and Finland proving they can also thrash. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-thrash-albums-of-2025.html

Metal Core/Nu-Metal 

America came in first, taking half the top ten thanks to albums from Arizona, Texas, Florida, California, and Oregon

The Top album was from a Canadian band

France took the number two spot with two bands making it, while Russia and Brazil both only have one entry. 

These are from the mainstream metal top 10, which is a blend of the more commercial-oriented metalcore bands, as the more deathcore-like bands are on the extreme list. 

. https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-mainstream-metal-albums-of.html

Prog Metal

America took the top spot with three bands, from New York, North Carolina, and the number one spot went to a band from Georgia.

Norway and France tied for second place with two bands apiece. 

Germany, Italy, and Sweden all had entries as well. 

If this seems like an odd mix keep in mind I stay away from the bands who call themselves prog jsut for the sake of wanking. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-progressive-albums-of-2025.html

Hardcore

This year not a wide reach when it came to hardcore, with America laying the smack down with six of the ten entries, three of them from New York,  which should not be a surprise; the rest hailed from Missouri, Idaho, and  New Jersey, which took the top spot

The Uk has three bands and Canada, one.

 The rising tide of European hardcore we saw last year came and went. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-hardcore-albums-of-2025.html

 

SLUDGE

America held the bulk of the entries this year, thanks to bands from California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, Kentucky, with Arkansas taking the top spot. 

Other countries that ranked in the top 10 include Denmark, Canada, and Sweden

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-top-10-sludge-albums.html

Grindcore/Deathcore and other extreme sub-genres

America took the top spot with  Pennsylvania capturing two slots, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, and a band from New York taking the top spot. 

Other countries included the Netherlands, Spain, and Austrailia

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-extreme-metal-albums-of-2025.html

Doom

America has the most entries, with half of them.  California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, 

The UK came in second with 2.    Then a band from France took the number one spot. Bands from

Poland and Finland also scored spots in the top 10. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-is-doom-top-10-doom-albums-of.html

 

Industrial

America Dominates with California leading the way, boasting three entries and securing the number one spot, while projects are making big noise in New York, Illinois, and Texas. 

Also, bands from the UK. Canada and Switzerland made the list. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-top-10-industrial-albums-of-2025.html

Hair Metal / Hard Rock 

America- took the top ranking here with a band now based in Arizona at number one, and  California earned four spots, 4. Kentucky was also in the race. 

 The UK and Sweden tied for 2, with each country contributing two bands.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/top-10-hard-rock-albums-of-2025.html

The Top 10 By Country ( by Volume) 

1-America 

2-the UK-

3-Sweden-

4-Canada-

5-France-

6-Germany-

7-Norway

8-Switzerland

9-Finland

10-Russia

The top 10 States with the most metal bands pumping out albums 

1-California 

2-New York

 

3-Pennsylvainia 

4-New Jersey 

5-Oregon 

6-Arizona -

7-Ohio

8-Texas

9-Georgia

10-Missouri 

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

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

pst664

Ter Ziele : "Embodiment of Death"

 

This band from the Netherlands brings plenty of sonic anguish on their debut album. The first song carries a gut-pounding throb that snarls with a more wretched sludge feel. They show their more melodic side on the third track with a melodic guitar opening the over 12-minute track as the vocals drop down to more of a mid-range rasp. They recapture the tortured intensity of the first song with a slower, more deliberate build, which tells me they are interested in dynamics and actually writing songs rather than just attacking my eardrums. You can almsot make out the lyrics on this one. It builds into a more furious black metal mood.

Then things drop way down with "This Mortal Coil," which simmers before kicking into a proper song. But when it does, there is a great deal of intention set in the powerful punches that ring out. The drums create more of a groove here, but the guitar allows atmosphere to build more organically. The vocals scowl with a great deal of venom, but I do not judge a sound by vocals alone. 

The album closer "As, Long as I Breathe, I am to Suffer" comes to life with a more doom-tinged lumber. Sludge is in the Doom family, so this makes sense. In fact, I have always thought of it as what happens when punks try to play doom. I think punk is in the family tree of black metal, so that makes sense as well. Blackened sludge would be a fair description if we were going to fit these guys into a sub-genre. Things break down to a rumble of a bass line. They build it up from there with the screamed vocal going even further into throat-shredding agony. I will give this album a 9, as I enjoyed the mood they created and writhes with their emotions in a manner I can believe. 

pst663

Lamp of Murmur : "The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy"

 There are still a few black metal projects that are not called "problematic" and given a pass by the music press; this is one of them, so it's time to see if this album lives up to the hype. The synth sounds are rather high in the mix to tone down the charging of the gates; most bands like this do. The vocals are gurgled with ample effects dripping. The chorus to the first song reminds me of Dimmu, but with a lo-fi feel. 'Hategate' is even more riff-oriented, and the guitars have a bigger sound, despite some of the other elements, like the vocals, which did not receive as muhc love in post-production and are just a garbled frequency. 

"Reincarnation of a Witch" maintains momentum and features a cool, melodic middle section that works well. The catch with this album seems to be that the bigger, more polished production finds the overall sound more like everyone else, with the heavily effected, garbled vocal as the main thing that sets this apart from the pack, other than there is not much difference between this and any other band that tries to sound like Immortal. The racing thrash of the title track is more middle-of-the-road. The sung vocals do not help this cause. 

The "Twilight Orgasm" section of the title track is much more melodic with some tasty guitar playing. The vocals are more spoken and mixed in the background; the tension makes it the album's best song." The Fall" locks into a predictable Immortal style gallop. Some refined guitar licks crop up in this song; it's apparent he is more of a guitarist than a drummer on this album. If you told me AI was used to help construct this album, I would believe you. The last track is a strummed folk outro that feels like Death in June. I will give this album an 8.5 as it sounds great, but it is not that original. However, an improvement in presentation. 

pst662

Agriculture : "Spiritual Sound"

I have been underwhelmed by what I have heard from this band in the past, but this album has gotten a ton of hype this year, so let's see how it holds up. It is more likea blackened power violence than black metal. There is a heavier sound this time around, and they flip shit around in a zany manner. But there are more riffs, and the bass player is earning their keep. Not as dark as Portrayal of Guilt, but it feels like they are trying to move in that direction. "Flea"  is even weirder but also more melodic, and snarled vocals offset the indie rock heart of the song. 

"Micah" is a raging screamo ditty that lets the momentum carry it away. "The Weight" lives up to its name with an angry sludge feel, bringing a more deliberate heaviness. It's darker and more bleak, but it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. They continue to try and pass off screamo as black metal on "Serenity," and it is where the tedium starts to set in for me. Liturgy did this sort of thing better. It's funny that the reasons the metal crowd shunned Liturgy, they are now embracing this band for. 

The fact that the title track is a thirty-second track of ambient noise says alot about this band. Things continue to take a downward turn with 'Dan's Love Song" which is the most generic noisy shoegazing you can imagine, that borrows too heavily on the woozy sound of My Bloody Valentine. To add insult to injury, they show they are capable of coming up with riffs for "Bodhidharma." However, they fail to follow it up, so songwriting might not be their thing, as cool riffs alone do not a good song make. With "Hallelujah" they kept throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks this time; it's indie folk. The last song finds a more indie rock-like melody, adding to the buzz of the blast beats. They do take more chances on this album, so I understand how some one might get fooled by it , though it is not a black metal album by any stretch of the word. I will give this album an 8; it starts off better than it ends. 

pst661

Wargasm : "What Are You Afraid of ?"

 

This Boston-based thrash band released one of the best thrash albums ever in 1988, titled "Why Play Around?" In some ways, they felt like a cross between Sodom and Coroner, while bringing more groove to the occasion. They were trying to reissue their 4th and final album, "Suicide Notes," but their record label sabotaged this in some way, so here we are with a secret self-release of it. There is less thrash and more groove, as they adapted to the 90s. The vocals are pushed forward in the mix, and the staccato chug of guitar is more mid tempo, though they still resolve things with intersting chords that ring out more sonically. 

"Engine" is even more melodic than the opening track, and it takes a few listens for the change in direction they took here to grow on me. They give things a taunt, thrash, and chug to accent certain passages and lean into it more on "Underground". They seem to be pondering what they do lyrically on this song. The guitar solos are pretty impressive if you are into that kind of thing; they are true to the era of music they are making. The drumming stands out as being very solid and one of their strengths. More naunce than flash. "Meat" feels more like a Pantera song, but it works well for what it is. They throw in some ofthe punk speed that crossover into thrash with "Not Forgiven, Not Forgotten." This gives is more of an old school Metallica mood. 

"Jigsaw Man" carries more weight in the chugged tension that propels it; when they pour on the speed, perhaps it does not carry the same weight. The riffing of the title tracks locks in tighter as things click in the songwriting here. The drummer is really popping off on it.  "Grey Matter" is a short instrumental that feels more like an interlude. It is a clearer picture of where Thrash went in the 90s on "Fire Away."More deliberate, less speed metal momentum. Many of the songs feel like latter-day Metallica as they are recapturing the thrash spirit after reprioritizing their approach to the genre's aggressive attack. I will give it a 9. 

pst660

The Needle Drops on Sleep Token

Anthony Fantano of the Needle Drop rated Sleep Token as one of his top 5 worst albums of the year. He gave it a 2 in his original review and called it metal for Disney adults, which is a fair take. Then the Guardian named it the worst album of the year. I can foresee the band getting dogpiled by critics. There are positives and negatives to this. I have said a lot about this; most recently, they came up in my piece on the industry plant theory. This is going to be my last entry on here about them until they put out a new album. 2027 would be the most likely album cycle, and by then, some of the hype will have waned. But the problem is not Sleep Token's new album. It scored well here and took the number 4 spot on the top 10 Pop albums of 2025 list. So if your expectations are for a metal album, it will fail to meet those; if you uare expecting a pop album it will meet those. I think it's a great pop album.

However, I support any kind of quality control that arises, as it is desperately needed. Critics have pandered to the industry's sacred cows for too long and are not speaking up when the emperor wears no clothes. But this kind of energy needs to be directed at more deserving targets like Baby Metal, Ghost, the Hu, Blackbraid, and many other acts that are working off a gimmick. To some extent, Castle Rat is slipping under the radar here, as they are just doing a great job at ripping off Rainbow and creating traditional metal. Would they be as noted without their gimmick?

There are a ton of acts that slip by due to the press wanting to be inclusive. If a band is not your typical white male heshers, then they are getting industry points. There are plenty of great bands with female members, and it's nothing new: Fear of God, the Gathering, White Zombie, Bolt Thrower, Sigh, Kylesa, etc. It should not even be a focal point of the conversation; writing good music is all that matters. If you want to dress like spooky things, fine, but have the music to back it up. When any band uses this to thrust themselves into the spotlight, there is going to be a cost to be paid at some point in time. In 2025, this is just an issue of marketing.

To be honest, I am surprised more of these gimmick-heavy bands are not being called out. I think most critics are trying to earn clout in the industry and just play nice, not to ruffle the feathers of someone they are going to need to give them promos, but they need us more than we need them, and it's a diserve to your brand to not call it like it is. So I support not playing nice, but speaking a blunt truth when needed, since that is what I do here. 

Critics only began regarding metal as hip over the past 15 years. When nu-metal, hair-metal, and even death metal were at their peaks, they were seen as being contrived. In some cases, they were right, then bands like Deftones proved themselves more capable, and success was the best revenge, which is how it should be. Metal is for outsiders, not to be adored by critics. Typically, music snobs leaned in the direction of punk rock, and anything prog or metal was pretentious. Sometimes this is fair, as sometimes it is. King Diamond was at one time reviled. The same can be said of Slayer, Type O Negative, and Black Sabbath. It was not for the cool kids, but things change. At the end of the day, good pop music is good pop music; it's not good metal, so it's the cup by which we measure these things. But if it tightens the reins at forces substance over style, I support it. 

pst659

Merry Kissmas : The Top 10 Heaviest Kiss Songs

The remaining members of Kiss are Jewish, so they are not celebrating X-mas, but Kiss is big on consumerism, so they share a great deal of common ground with this holiday. I have always championed these guys as being an underrated band. They were once thought of as metal in the early days of the genre, and were one of the most influential bands in the genre. While over half of their music today feels more like fun rock with a hard edge, some songs hold up against the common standard for metal, so I’ve made a list of Kiss’s top 10 heaviest songs. Gene’s music tends to be the heaviest, but Pal and Ace scored a few songs on here. The music speaks for itself when you are talking about wanting the best and getting the best, since the hottest band in all the land is Kiss.

10-"Creatures of the Night."

 9-"Not for the Innocent."

From "Lick It Up" 

 

 8-"Parasite"

From "Hotter Than Hell" 

 7-"Rain"

From "Carnival of Souls"

 6-"Black Diamond." 

From - "Kiss" 

   

  5-"Unholy" 

 From " Revenge" 

 

4-"Rocket Ride."

From "Kiss Alive 2"

  

 3-"the Oath"

From "Music From the Elder" 

>

 

  2-"Warmachine"

 

From "Creatures of the Night"

 

1-"God of Thunder."

 from "Destroyer."

pst658

FLESHVESSEL : "Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded"

The New Orleans-based band's second album feels like they are wading out even further into chaotic progressive waters. I don't remember the falsetto vocals on the previous album; it's like they want to be King Diamond but do not have the pipes for it. The song winds around with dissonance. The falsetto vocals are very pitchy, rather than the sharp punctuations that soar like King Diamonds, which feels like the only way to do it. The instrumental section that ends with is really cool, and leaning into this side of what they do would benefit them. 

The angular nature of the riff that leads into the second song is kind of cool, and if Frank Zappa were playing death metal, that is the kind of riff he might have written. The free-form ambiance they wander off into here is nice. I think going on a path like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, where metal is not the band's sole focus could work, but with their nam,e it feels like death metal is on brand, not that there is anything wrong with their style of death metal just such cool regions they are capable of delving into. They end up in a somewhat more traditional style of death metal but with some sonic embellishments. 

They continue to retain the melodic elements and the angular throb of their sound without resorting to just blasting or pummelling you with a wall of riffage, which is one of their strengths as a band. This means they are writing at times obtuse sections of song that are not hooky but show a great deal of prowess with their instruments that borders on jazz. The falsetto vocals are often so sharp that they are out of key, making them the least appealing aspect of what's happening. The last song starts off with a whispered vocal against an acoustic passage that sounds like they are trying much harder to sound like King Diamond, but are missing the point that it is the darkness of his sound that is at the essecene of what he does more than the quirky theatrics. 

A more pressing question becomes, can they hold my attention for a 16-minute song? It takes 11 of those minutes before we are wandering through an abstract prog jam. In the end, there is a great deal of spectacular sounds but not much in terms of things to hook you into this so much so that by the time the last song finished, the stream looped it back around to the first song, and I could not tell.But there is impressive playing and I like the jazz sections so I will give it an 8.  

pst657

Negative Blast : "Destroy Myself for Fun"

 

This San Diego band kicks into their new album with more punk grit than has typically been coming from the West Coast these days. "Missinglink" is less impressive as it is more of what they opened the album with, which is a feral outburst with overdriven bass driving this impending car crash. The screamed vocals shout it out loud from the same register so far for all three songs, but I am betting on the entire album at this point. They are showing no signs of slowing down, and considering they are punk, it makes sense that they are trying to be true to this, though ignoring the fact that the most legendary punk albums have dynamics that hold up against other genres. 

The bass gives a different slant on it rumble going into "Nuwage" but the vocals continue to be yelled from the same place. By the time it gets to "Futurerock," I am beginning to find what they do tedious. I appreciate the intensity, but it sounds like they are a one-trick pony, which even the first song hinted they were willing to experiment a bit, but have not heard much of that since. Thankfully, the bulk of the songs clock in at under two minutes, so they do not drag things out to bore me. 

"Infested" makes me begin to wonder if the bass player wrote all the songs, as the bass overpowers the guitar in the mix and is not just the backbone of the songs, but finds things taking on a more Motorhead locomotive charge. I will round this down to a 7.5, as it's all spit and vinegar not enough melody or songwriting, though they are effective at what they are doing. If that is all you ask from punk then this album might be for you. 

Destroy Myself for Fun by NEGATIVE BLAST

pst656

Rebecca Black :"Salvation"

14  years ago, she released a song called 'Friday" that I avoided until now, it's like something Christian youth groups might listen to, and now she is old enough to twerk for us all.  There are worse ways to farm a pop start than a busty internet personality who presents an oversexed personality in her music videos, for such is what happens in the title track. It is a song that works better when you are watching it than listening to, though with each listen, it did grow on me a bit, though the chorus sounds like something from an anime soundtrack in the way the vocals are layered and auto-tuned. 

As a song, "Trust" might be the album's best song as it's pretty air-tight and not just limited to the synths grinding in time with her hips. Though I have read some stupid pieces trying to create content passed off as music journalism that suggest she is doing some kind of neo-goth, which is not true. It reminds me a little more of Gwent Sefani's solo work but with more refined synths. Not glitched out enough to be hyper-pop, but not what I imagine they would play on the radio, and once again, when accompanied by her ass shaking in a video, it works better, so perhaps it must be seen to be believed. Even if the video is edited to just look like b-roll, the visuals improve things, since nothing new is sonically being brough to the table, but it is executed in a ways that works. 

'American Doll' is without the video to supplement it, but has lyrics that are more interesting than "Friday' though on this one, you can hear how this is the same girl just grown up to be yearning for a good slut shaming. The beat pulls it together. This vibe continues on for "Tears in My Pocket". To her credit, she does not have a busload of producers and writers gliding her across the assembly line, elevating her over the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, though perhaps equal in terms of vocal ability or lack of, yet she works with what she has. 'Do You Even Think About Me' is the first song that feels like the writing falls a bit short.  Yet even then, it works better than the new Katy Perry. The last song' Twist the Knife" finds the tank empty in the creativity department as it defaults to the same disco sounds Lady Gaga jsut tried recycling. I will give this a 9 , so it's better than the rest of the pop albums that did not make our top 10 list. 

6.5

pst655

Grandson : "Inertia"

 

This is my first time checking out this Canadian artist who, in some ways, reminds me of 311 if they did not smoke a ton of pot and jam, but were writing more tension yet detached sing-song pop songs driven by guitar. Technically, this descended from nu-netal, but is less aggressive in its raging against the machine. It is catchy, so that works for me. Marginally dystopian in its social commentary. He screams a little, but it's more of a light temper tantrum if you listen to a lot of hardcore. "Brainrot" has more bounce in its sing-song step."Self Immolation" is not as catchy as what they dished out on the first three songs, but it works pretty well. 

You Made Me This Way" is not going to make you jump around like Rage Against the Machine, though it comes from a less militant, opinionated place. 'Little White Lies" is marginally more explosive, as he ponders many problems that have fewer solutions. The bass seems to come up in the mix to help thicken the grooves of "God is an Animal". They lose the fire in the groove on "Bells of War". There is a little darker mood to "Who's the Enemy," which features Bob Vylan, an artist who works better in collaborations than on his own less inspired tracks. Vylan only comes in for the last minute of this song. He is a more traditional rapper than the rapper for this project. 

"Pull the Trigger" closes the album with a very syncopated riff. The hand claps are an unexpected touch, though the chorus really works well, and this might be the best lyrics of the album. There is almost a Detones touch to how the palm-muted riff dances around this, before dropping into a more hip-hop-minded beat. I will give this album a 9.5; it is a very well-done take on nu-metal that does not play off the standard tropes you expect from the genre. Perhaps it's the water in Canada that keeps it going sounding like Limp Bizkit.

pst654

School Drugs : "Funeral Arrangements"

This New Jersey band gets serious about playing old school hardcore punk, or perhaps just punk, depending on what era you are referring to. There is more of a metallic bite to "Can't Slow" down, which, at a minute and a half, still gets the job of punk done. At times, they remind me of GBH or the Exploited in the snarl of their sound. These guys are legit. "Plastic Promise" required 3 listens before I paid attention. It starts off very deliberate, then blasts off in the more expected temper tantrum. They do pretty well with the minute allotted for "No Taste." 

The bass line for "Broken": starts off likea hyper hyper-aggressive version of Motorhead until they take it to a darker place. "Cold Hearted" feels likea more pumped up version of "New Rose". Not a bad place for a punk band to be. There is more melody to "Epicedium," which I am glad they prove themselves capable of. "Haunted" carries a darker tension with the energy of punk keeping the propulsion. The synth under 'Work Forever" brings the Murder City Devils to mind. "With Sympathy' is more straightforward but works for what they do. The clunk of the bass keeps "Feel Like Shit" moving. It's a punk trope I have always liked. They are darker and more melodic on the title track that closes the album, but they balance this with the same explosive energy that has driven the album. I will give this a 9.5. If I had found it earlier might have made my top 10 punk albums list. Will keep an eye out for what the future holds for this band.

pst653

Coltsblood : "Obscured Into Nebulous Dusk"

 

This is the part of the year where I try to catch up with albums I might have missed over the course of the year. My old pals over at Cvlt Nation are a good well to dip from, though they tend to lean into more of the punk side of every genre, while I prefer my stuff to be more polished without sounding like Dream Theater or radio rock. So chekcing out this funeral doom band from the UK, that was under my radar. I like where they go with the opening track; even if it is 11 minutes long, they are playing slow, so it takes time to get there. Could they have had less buildup at the beginning and streamlined this down to nine minutes?  Sure, but it is not a deal breaker. 

What is working here is the sonic darkness they are bringing, with eerie melodies to balance out the low growl of the vocals. For the second song, they are more aggressive with a touch of black metal influence in their gas tank. The cool guitar melodies float more toward the background, as things slow from the feral outbursts to the more deliberate pound. The low growl of the vocal becomes more of a texture thing. In the last three minutes of this one, they bring things together for a harrowing groove. It has a bit of a sludge edge with the noise it kicks up. 

The ambiance kicked up the guitar tone alone on this album is cool, as it rings out with cold unease going into "Transcending the Immortal Gateway". I like the very depressive vibes they are laying down with this one, which finds the guitars weeping with the melody. The last song might benefit from the sound of the pipe organ to create a more funereal mood, it then set against the howl of burly vocals. It's more straightforward and my least favorite of the four songs but still works. Overall, this is a great album. I will give it a 9 and keep a closer ear out for this band, as I am hopeful for where they go from here. 

pst652

Whats Up with the Industry Plant Theory ?

This is more Conspiracy realism than theory. There are several "bands" that have been designed by labels ranging from The Monkees to the Backstreet Boys, so this is nothing new. Music that influenced the Government was clear on this in the 60s, and it is not something they just forgot and stopped monitoring. It's a form of social engineering. If you want to learn more about DARPA & the CIA's involvement in this, I am including an episode of the Danny Jones show where this is outlined in greater detail than I feel like going into, as it's a rabbit hole that might waste an entire day for me. But I will say that Strategic Communications is a political construct that holds a great deal of sway, and NATO certainly employs. If you were aiming for a One-World Government, music would certainly be a tool to achieve this, by dulling the more extreme edges of society. So we have a motive.

Sure, pop stars with a huge audience, like Taylor Swift or who hold cultural sway across cultures outside of the US, like Dua Lipa, would certainly be tools to use. This also factors into why more pop elements are being worked into metal, as it makes them more digestible to the Tiktok crowd while continuing to emasculate a genre that pushes a high testosterone energy that is harder to control. Do you think soldiers are listening to Sabrina Carpenter or Pantera when they ride tanks over the deserts of the Middle East? I mean, what music are you listening to at the gym? 

Taking the teeth out of music has been going on since the PMRC got cranked up in the 80s, run by Al Gore's wife Tipper, wait, what a Democrat supporting censorship? Not just any Democrat, but one who would become  Vice President under Bill Clinton, they went after Ozzy, Judas Priest, WASP, Twisted Sister, Mercyful  Fate, Slayer, etc, putting the Parental Advisory labels on albums which turned into a more marketing tool since, as a teenager, I did not want to buy albums without it. But political parties are all playing for the same side, and much like Professional Wrestling, beat each other up in a steel cage when the camera is on, but go out to get a beer once with each other when the camera is off, one of the real reasons we will never see the Epstein files.

The band President came out and said they were not an industry plant, which is obviously what an insutry plant would say. They made our top 10 pop albums of the year, so I don't care if they are, but if you see them as silly pop candy and don't take them seriously as artists, then you can enjoy them like a Twinkie, ok, every now and then, but not something that is the staple of a healthy diet. You can apply this rule to Sleep Token, Yungblud, Babymetal, Poppy, Ghost, and an over-the-top pop-laced project that uses a gimmick-forward marketing approach with a huge push on social media, as the tech companies are involved in this and have a ton of money behind them. So, suddenly blowing up or in your face all the time is not just luck. Who passed putting in the miles on the road, playing shows, and grinding it away with PR Companies that take a few years to reach larger audiences, and who is suddenly headlining festivals based on hype alone and playing stadiums? 

Things don't just happen; they guilty dogs will always bark the loudest and open their mouths to defend themselves or the target of accusations, spreading doubt about the marketing machine, since company men will defend other company men for being company men. Though if you need further proof, just Google up the aftermath of the band Dogma, the Satanic Nun gimmick band that was a construct of business management.  If you want the back story on the industry plant scheme check out the video below.

pst651

NGHTCRWLR : "OZ"

 This is the electronic project of Kristina from King Woman. The first track is more of an ambient intro with a spoken word narrative to set the mood, before they launch off into something that blends acid jazz with drum n bass. The vocals are once again low and breathy, as she sets more of a mood than crafts a melody here. I like what is happ-ening, though I would not want an entire album modeled after this song alone. "Infrared" is more minimalist, though she does sing more, so the songwriting is experimental but still in play. "Fantastique Voyage" is more ominous. It takes a minute for the beat to kick in. The vocal layers are more aggressive.

"UP!" has some noisy atmosphere to it, but leans a more more in your face despite being mixed in a very reverberant, thick manner that provides a bit of a bugger. "Madhouse" is more organic and punk despite her detached ghost vocal. This album is more experimental than being aligned with the dance music of today. There is, however alot being thrown at you on this song. "Replicant' is one of the album's more obtuse moments. Even then, the vocals have purpose, and there are dynamics. The songwriting of "Emerald City" flows well. It almost feels more like a Grimes song.

"Lifeblood" feels darker, like it is flirting with a more produced and dramatic version of vvitch house. Once the beat really kicks in, it feels like Charli XCX is having a profound drug experience. Things get up to a more hyped techno level of bpms. The last song "Butterfly" takes its time to unfold as she creates several vocal layers.I will give this one a 9.5, it slipped between the cracks this year and might have made the top 10 electronic albums if it had been more song-focused, but it's excellent for what it is. 

pst650

the Top 10 Metal Albums of 2025

It is a longstanding tradition here for metal to get its seperate list, apart from the overall top 20 albums list that includes metal as well as other genres, like rock, pop, and Electronic music. The bulk of this list consists of the albums that took the top spots in the 8 sub-genres of metal that got their own top 10 lists for the year, as well as two albums that took the number two spot of their genre, but are such stellar releases that they deserve to be mentioned alongside these albums. I have done quite a few of these sorts of lists for other blogs, but I feel that by the time I get around to doing this list, it is the most refined and the other lsits were really working drafts to get to this point. They are ranked in accordance to how much I listened to them, as that is the most important curve they should be graded by, how much they lure you back for repeat listens. Here are the top 10 Metal Albums of 2025

10-Vacuous-"In His Blood" 

Death Metal 

The sophomore album from the UK death metal band finds VACUOUS carving out its own sonic niche that sets it apart from the pack, while not leaning too heavily on its influences. For death metal bands, this can be challenging as there are staples to the genre's sound like the guttural vocals and thundering double bass that are expected; it's up to the band as to how they want to use those building blocks, and many get stuck on the sound rather than writing the songs. These guys fucked with the sound by making interesting production choices, then built an almost Incantation-like ambiance, but it's spacious where most death metal hits you with a denser crunch. In doing this, they freed themselves up to decorate this sound with eerie melodies. 

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

9-Internal Bleeding- "Settle All Scores." 

Death Core

For this band to have been around since the 90s, they are inspired and were ahead of their time.  Kids now call this Slam, but it's really just hardcore-influenced death metal. It's fair to say these guys are also big fans of Cannibal Corpse. After all, Cannibal Corpse, formed in Buffalo, three years before these guys. This is the first album to feature Sacrafical Slaughter vocalist Steve Worley, who sports a very commanding grunt and gurgle. His lyrics are growled in such a manner that, despite their brutality, you can still make them out. They shift into more traditonal metal riffs that provide enough dynamics to make most metal heads happy. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/internal-bleeding-settle-all-scores.html

8-NITE-"Cult of the Serpent Sun" 

Blackened Thrash 

The third album from this San Francisco metal band. They walk a line between black metal and traditional metal. I can hear where Tribulation might have occupied a similar sonic space at one time if they had not turned into a goth band. The snarled vocals  give them more of a black metal sound, as you could have someone with their foot on the monitor yodeling and it would sound like a different ballgame. You can draw comparisons to bands like Angel Witch in this regard. Almost playing the kind of deliberate galloping thrash that evolved from bands like Saxon.

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/nite-cult-of-serpent-sun.html

7-Blut Aus Nord - "Ethereal Horizons." 

Black Metal 

The French Black Metal band's 16th album shows Blut Aus Nord never makes the same album twice, and they are embracing every side of the genre here while cloaking them all in their signature atmosphere. It is like listening to a smoke machine envelop a band rather than just seeing it on stage. Atmospheric black metal is being pushed in new directions, while the pained moaning of the clean vocals cuts through the thickness of sound, bringing' Mercyful Fate's earliest incarnations of black metal to mind. There is the needed cauldron of blast beats and tremolo-picked guitars needed to identify their blackened intent, but not sounding like everyone else in the process

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/blut-aus-nord-ethereal-horizons.html

6-Callous Daoboys - "I Don't Want to See You In Heaven."

 Progressive Metal 

You are thrown 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. 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.

  

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

5--Author & Punisher - "Nocturnal Birding' 

Industrial 

This is the first album that finds guitarist Doug Sabolick joining as a bandmate, which contributes to the more rock feel to things. Every song has a bird theme. There is a more overt industrial crunch to the amazing stomp this album carries. Megan from Couch Slut, lends her voice to the ruckus erupting, with more detailed layers of melody luring you into one of the year's best industrial songs. The addition of guitar offers a big step forward, even if it moves them marginally closer to the conventions of industrial rock. The genre itself allows and fosters experimentation, creating an almost anything-goes attitude. This song and the previous song have been the noisiest so far, with this texture being most effective here.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/author-punisher-nocturnal-birding.html

4--Rwake -"The Return of the Magik." 

Sludge 

The Arkansas-based band is back after 13 years. A more melodic expanse of sound brings elements of Southern rock to the forefront of the opening track as guitar solos cascade around it. Brittany Fugate's scathing vocals provide a counterpoint to the lower, ominous vocal tones of Chris Terry. They bring a menacing thunder with metallic riffing, as well as contrast it with really tasteful guitar work. They ripped the hardest when it came to sludge this year. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/rwake-return-of-magik.html

3--Sanguisugabogg -"Hideous Divinity." 

Death Metal 

 This is an album I have been looking forward to, so expectations were high. Halfway into the first song, I heard the needed tweaks I wanted from these guys in terms of production have been made, and it is rocking fucking hard. There is more attention to detail in songwriting as riffs have purpose and are not just shifting into the next heaviest chug possible. Songwriting is storytelling, telling, and the message is coming through with a more mature and perfected vision. Devin still does what he does, though his phrasing is refined and more articulate without sacrificing brutality. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/sanguisugabogg-hideous-divntiy.html

2- Coroner - "Dissonance Theory."

Thrash 

The band's first album in 32 years. Things are different in many ways, though they do not sound like they are in their 60s. Weirdly, Marquis Marky is not behind the kit, leaving Ron Royce and Tommy Baron as the only original members who feel more pronounced as a trio. Their new drummer, Diego, certainly pulls it all off. This is not them trying to recapture their 80s sound. Nor should they. A big difference lies in how forward Royce's vocals are in the mix, as he used to sit back in the guitars more, certainly having grown more confident in what he does.  You can hear how they influence bands like Meshuggah. This album grew on me with each listen, and it's clear they are more vital now than ever. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/coroner-dissonance-theory.html

1-Hangman's Chair- "Saddiction" 

Doom

The modern kings of gloom bring a sonic pounding counterbalanced by the trademark passion of the vocals, and things ebb down into a more depressive introspection as the rollercoaster of the album's dynamic sets in motion. Some interesting production choices in this often reverb-heavy recording are best appreciated when played loudly through headphones. It's a band whose songwriting continues to exceed expectations and put them at the top of the heap, not just when it comes to doom or metal, but all artists making music today. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/hangmans-chair-saddiction.html

pst649

XIALO : "CONTROL"

I am skeptical of bands who distinguish themselves as power violence, as they are typically either hardcore bands writing short songs or grindcore bands. This band from Sweden is a hardcore band that plays short songs. The first two songs sound similar and now I find myself waiting to hear what kind of dynamics, if any, they are going to employ. They do come up with some convincing stomping breakdown riffs and have a decent bass tone driving things. The vocals just kind of rank, in an old school punk manner. 

A minute and a half works for them as it keeps all their good ideas in one place. The drummer keeps the pace frantic on the title track. They remind me of "Suicidal Tendencies more feral moments on their first album, with some growl vocals and random guitar noise creeping through. They slow down going into "Don't Tell Them". Their best riff is also their most metallic riff, which powers "Wrong". though they lash out with a faster punk fury to spread it thin with the blur of mania. But rein it all back in. I prefer this to the one-minute spasm that is "Legends." 

They continue to blitz you with hammering speed on "Karoshi." There is a lot of feedback or experimental sounds to bridge the songs. There are more deliberate moments that are the best in terms of hooky songwriting you would want to listen to again, and when they explode into a temper tanrum, it sounds like every other hardcore band that does similar. At two and a half minutes, "End of Times" is the band's longest song. It also has some of the most purposeful songwriting. "Sweden's Hardcore Band" also has some riffs with purpose. There is more of a stomp to "In the Weeds" before it blasts off. I will give this album an 8.5, as it's powerful for what they do, but could stand to hear more dynamics. 

pst648

Vulture Feather : "It Will Be Like Now"

 In many ways, they are picking up where they left off on "Liminal Fields." The vocals are dramatic. They continue to remind me of a cross between Shudder to Think and Spacehog. Musically less angular than Shudder to Think, but not a glam as Spacehog, they find their own niche that they ride into more of an accessible indie rock middle ground, though less indifferent, which might be too much for kids that did not grow up in the 90s.  Rather than being riffy, the guitar plays a more atmospheric, ringing sound on "Into Space" that creates a Velvet Underground-like floating feeling under the bass and drums kick in. It counterbalances the mood of the first song so I can appreciate that. 

"Flesh and Electronics" has more of a '90s indie rock shuffle. His voice dips a little lower in how the vocal melody swings over the jangling guitar. It is certainly a mood, though not as catchy as the first two songs. The vocals have greater intention and grit behind them on "Calling From Afar." Though the song itself has more of a drone but it works. There is a more speculative shimmer to "Sweetest Friend". The vocals feel more likea a yodelled texture. But I can appreciate he puts his guts into it and displays vocal power. 

There is more of an Arcade Fire feel to "Like Now". The vocals are either a little more sparse or I am more stoned. The vocals are more of a centerpiece to "Onlyholy Names". It's a mix of post-punk mesmerism with a hypnotic indie rock pulse. The last song kinda drags, but overall the album is a more organic 90s feel from where they came from I will give it a 9. 

pst647

The Top 10 Most Disappointing Albums of 2025

Here's the second annual installment of this list that looks at that were more hype than substance for various reasons we can see here, ranging from nostalgia to wanting to offer a diverse or inclusive list rather than just focusing on which albums have the best songs. People live in such a warped reality bubble they can not handle disappointment and would rather pretend the emperor is wearing clothes than admit their favorite artists are falling short. My role has always been to call out things for what they are, as a form of quality. These are not bad albums, but they did not live up to what these artists did in the past, except for one entry that improved but was never that great and got a critical pass from mainstream music media for reasons that have nothing to do with music.  There are only three artists  that are favorites of mine that missed the mark a bit, but in the interest of honest journalism, those are the ones I must draw the most attention to, so here are the top 10 Most Disappointing albums of 2025

10-Dream Theater- "Parasomnia"

They ranked low on the list, as I expected this album to be bad since most have been after "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence." The fact they score an 8 is better than what they have done, but does not hold up against their best work.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/dream-theater-parasomnia.html

9-Militarie  Gun   -"God Save the Gun". 

They lost what made the previous album unique, despite having leaned in a more Tunrstile direction, they sound like every other California band that wants to be Blink 182. But it is well done for what it is, just not what I wanted it to be. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/militarie-gun-god-save-gun.html

8-the Haunted - 'Songs of Last Resor.t' 

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. However, for as long as they have been at it I expect something more original.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-haunted-songs-of-last-resort.html

7-Fallujah -"Xenotaph"

 Guitarist Scott Carstairs is the only original member of this band. The last album I reviewed by them was "Undying Light," which I felt played it safe and moved in a more metalcore direction. Things are in a more progressive direction, though it does sacrifice some of the heaviness, and over-produced layers of vocals create an Opeth sound when they would be better served following the path of Cynic

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/fallujah-undying-light.html

6-Model/Actriz - "Pirouette"

The first song made me Google

"Is Jamie Stewert from Xiu Xiu in Model/ Actriz??

No, it turns out Colde Haden is doing his best impersonation. This album was released in May, and there has been some confusion among listeners who mistakenly believe it is industrial music. But no, it's not, and yes, I would rather listen to Xiu Xiu despite the hyper here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/modelactriz-pirouette.html

5- Machine Head - "UNATØNED" 

Not letting freedom ring like a shotgun blast here, and most songs are reduced to following current metal trends.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/machine-head-unatned.html

4-Billy Idol-"Dream Into It." 

This album gives the impression that his voice has not aged as well as live performances have shown, and the songson this album don't help, though he still scored an 8.5.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/billy-idol-dream-into-it.html

3-Turnstile - "NEVER ENOUGH." 

The original review was a 9.5, and I think a 9 might be more accurate as it did not keep my interest aside from a couple of songs and fell short of what they did on their previous album in terms of the punch it packed.

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

2-Higher Power-There is Love in the World If you Want it." 

An 8 is a decent score, but the overall direction almost made them seem likea  different band as they are not playing to their strengths in this creative shift'/

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/higher-power-there-is-love-in-world-if.html

1-the Weeknd - "Hurry Up Tomorrow." 

This album scored a 7.5, when he is capable of creating 10s. "Beauty Behind the Madness" was his creative peak, and with "Star Boy" things began to become streamlined for radio audiences, and he has been on creative decline ever since, while shifting his focus to absurd things like movies and TV shows that failed. This should not have come as a surprise. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-weeknd-hurry-up-tomorrow.html

pst646

Drinking the Blood of Christ : Goths For Jesus ( a curated playlist)

 

This was inspired by a post on the “Goths Against Cancel Culture” page that posed the question regarding Orthodox Christianity and being “goth,” which spurned my initial reaction, being the similarities between Jesus and vampires, themes of resurrection, blood-drinking, and the power to compel others to do your bidding. Then I began to consider where the core principles of each lie. Even here, the answers brought more questions, as if goth is a romanticized celebration of darkness and Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light, would not worshipping a sun-god be a conflict of interests? However, Lucifer means light bringer, so perhaps he is another aspect of Jesus? This would go along with Gnostic teachings.

Then there is the matter of whether you are actually following the teachings of Christ, and where the principles align with goth culture and the thematic elements celebrated in the music. In the mythology of Jesus, he lays down his rulebook for his followers, saying they were to be a light in the world, before going on to say they should not be angry or lustful, and if you take away those two things, along with darkness, is it really goth? I think this might be best answered by turning to some of the most notable goth anthems to see where they weigh in on Christianity, so here’s the ‘goths for Jesus?” Playlist

Type O Negative - "Christian Woman"

"all through mass manual stimulation - salvation."

 

 Marilyn Manson- "GodEatGod"

"Dear God, can you climb off that tree?" 

Genitorturers - "120 Days " 

"You're Free from original sin." 

Nine Inch Nails - "Head Like a Hole" 

 "Bow down before the one you serve..."

 

Samhain- "Mother of Mercy" 

"We All Want Our Time in Hell" 

Skinny Puppy- "Crucible" 

>

"Good and evil does not exist 

 

 

  Christian Death- "Spiritual Cramp" 

"Walking on water in  a sea of  incest." 

Ministry- "Psalm 69" 

He wants you to suck off the holy ghost and swallow the sins of man

Twin Temple -"God is Dead" 

"I'm such a lucky girl to have burned up the last church in the world" 

Electric Hellfire Club-"Kiss the Goat" 

"Pray to Satan, Pray to Satan, Pray to Satan" 

pst645