Gothtober-The Top 10 Goth Albums of 2026

It's time to bleed Halloween; that is what goth is about, not Instagram fashion trends. It's the music that matters, so we are going to look at the best albums of the year.  If this seems premature,  record labels have already sent me most of what this year has to offer. After I sort through sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year.

 2025  was marginally better than the previous year, though, given the current climate of the world, we are progressing on a downward spiral, making dark music more important as a soundtrack for this.  The very fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album; there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. 

After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Goth albums of 2026.

10-Shadowlands-"004" 

Haunting dark wave, that works with the required sounds of the genre without sounding like a stale tribute act. The choice of effects draping the atmosphere works in their favor to help solidify their identity. The Sabin sisters get props for not trying to be Siouxsie Sioux, another key element. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/02/shadowlands-004.html

9-Ductape-"Fadedflowers"

Here is a French goth band that is getting it right. Not dramatically removed from the Siouxsie school of Batcaving, they have some 80s new wave sounds in the mix that help give them their own sound that is relevant in 2026. Bands like this are why gatekeeping is important it is not about shunning other bands but making sure awesome bands like this find their right audience. If you don't get that sentence, then stop reading now.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-ductape-faded-flowers.html

8-Bleached Cross- "Wrath" 

At times, this album carries an industrial feel with sung vocals that drift behind grim sonics. The bass lines carry things into a synth-laced dungeon of sorrow. The sung vocals deviate from your typical sullen post-punk tropes and have more of a 90s industrial rock feel, with more angst to them and hyper-emotional delivery. It's emotional to the point of being emo,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-bleached-cross-wrath.html

7-Crucifera- "Exostential" 

7-Crucifera- "Exostential" 

The creative force behind this project is Danielle Astraea, who combatted the problem that the vast majority of new dark wave runs into by giving the music some sonic rock balls. In doing so, she invokes the spirit of 90s electro-tinged alternative and puts her in a similar musical zip code as artists like Kidney Thieves and Snake River Conspiracy, though darker than the latter. But wait, that is not the best part; she actually uses her voice more like an instrument to color the songs, rather than try to emulate pop vocal hooks, yet proves herself capable of drawing you in. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/06/crucifera-era-exostential.html

6-Crippled Black Phoenix-"Sceaduhelm"

I have enjoyed watching this band descend further into darkness with each album. W. There is an emotional punk tugging against the post-punk tension, with the shadows haunting the atmosphere.An impressive display of refined and dynamic songwriting, and it is likely the band's best album yet, as it feels the most focused

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/crippled-black-phoenix-sceaduhelm.html

5-Bestial Mouths -"Dead Lines" 

When it comes to post-90s goth artists, these guys are one of my favorites. They have appeared on both our yearly Top 10 Industrial Albums and 10 Top 10 Goth albums lists, always scoring in the top 5. This album seems to lean more in the darkwave direction, with Lynette's vocals creating lush, evocative melodies that flow over the sometimes more apocalyptic crunch of the beats . I can hear where this might be mistaken for industrial, but it's just aggressive darkwave. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/bestial-mouths-dead-lines.html

4-Marilyn Manson-One Assassination Under God pt2

His 13th album and the fourth to be produced by Tyler Bates, with whom he has a pretty decent track record thus far. This album feels darker than Part One. Maybe it's the clean car smell of new songs, but I think this album edges out the previous one in terms of vocals and songwriting. He continues to refine what he does without dialing it in. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/08/marilyn-manson-one-assassination-under.html

3-LOR3L3I- "Peace By Proxy" 

Heike Langhans from Draconian spearheads this atmospheric darkwave project. The darkness lurks under the surface at first listen; her ethereal voice just glides over synths, but holds a great deal of melancholy. Her melodies are well crafted and arranged.If you like a more melancholy whimsy to your ethereal darkwave, you need to hear this album; if you like great-sounding albums with beautiful voices perfectly captured, you need to listen to this album.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-lor3l3i-peace-by-proxy.html

2-Boy Harsher-"GET MEAN" 

The breakup was what they needed to get inspired. It's not as dark or brooding as their previous work, but they had kinda taken that as far as it could go, as the vocals were beginning to feel one-dimensional. This change helped her singing and finds the songwriting more melodic and intersting, with hooks that bring you back for more in the way their earlier work did not. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/09/boy-harsher-get-mean.html

1-Theodor Bastard-"▽"

Russian electronic wizards continue to blend world music into their mix of sounds. They have said they shifted into a darker direction as the world is darker. This album is catchy with aching vocals. Moody andd dynamic, woven with complex sounds and one great song after another. It throbs with an authentic longing and considering their homeland it makes sense; it also makes for perhaps the year's best album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-theodor-bastard.html

pst531

Walls of Jericho : "System Error: Humanity"

 

These guys are legit I saw them playing a college club in 99 with Buried Alive and Indescision , that they rocked it then. Women in hardcore bands were more of a rarity then. Female-fronted hardcore bands of today would be foolish to ignore the impact this band had on the genre. Now the importance of who they are is out of the way; we can focus on whether they're still writing solid songs. The opening trakc is pretty kicking, but how consistent are they. How do they fend off the need to senselessly thrash at you?What they do on "Beginning" works, but a whole album of this will not. They need to lean into groove to compensate for the one dimensional nature of the vocals. 

There are plenty of Slayer-inspired bands, so Slayer has influenced hardcore through the bands they influenced as well. They pour on more anger-fuelled thrash on "the Flame" that finds more of the punk side of the genre creeping in. The anthemic chant of vocals and dive bomb chaos of the solo give it more energy. Gang vocals bring things to a rousing, fist-pumping. " The Ascent" is marginally more deliberate, but this was really all they needed to do in order to keep things intersting. "Broken Mouths Can't Speak". Features Randy Blythe lending his voice to things. His voice just kind of blends in as an undertone. It gets the job done but does not bring anything new to the table.

"Untouchable" is both focused and aggressive to be bring more power to the groove. They have just the kind of anger you are in the mood for if you watch the news. "Rise" races off at more of a rapid thumping. Candance is more convincing than 60 percent of her peers. Some are crushing out there; they have come to the head of the pack in the past 27 years, making this a little more middle of the road but still effective."Agency" finds the no kings she is ranting about to just be the window dressing for the chugs."Unchained" feels more like a breakdown made into a song, but still manages to work.

They keep hammering at you on "the End Before"; this album is making me wonder if I should listen to the new Hatebreed after this or do I need to let my ears air out some. They are packing a bunch of songs into this one. Guy from the Red Chord joins them for "Humanity"; the two screamers have such a similar vocal style that it is almost redundant. "Borrowed Ground" his in a furious blur that could use more space and nuance. The chugs begin to run together by the time you get to "Last Judgement," but they find the nuance the previous song needed and prove me right."Brighter Fires" finds her daughter Patsy lending her singing voice. Then they clsoe the album with a more in-your-face goodbye. There is a pit-churning riff that will induce all kinds of karate kicking. I will give this a 9, as it might not do anything new, but shows they can still do what they are best at.

pst530

Malhavoc : "the Masquerade's Death"

 

An Edgar Allan Poe-themed thrash album with industrial leanings makes this a darker version of Angkor Wat. The vocals sit way back in the mix and are on the nastier, snarled side of things. The challenge for them is to not let the tempo run away from them as the more deliberate-paced riffs serve best for the weird atmosphere they like to slather everything in. The other sticking point for this album is that the songs are way to long the opening track is 14 minutes, and thrash is not a genre where this plays to their favor, as they are not Metallica. Even with the samples keeping the thematic narrative going, it still finds the thing dragging a little. Old White Zombie might be a better point of comparison, but the vocals play an even more obligatory role.  

Thankfully, the second song stays under the four-minute mark.   It's a way better song, as it does not hang on the verse riff for too long."The Fact" is almost 11 minutes long. The riff is catchier than some of the previous songs; it's a very boomy, bass-heavy mix on this album, which creates some sonic murkiness that gives them their own personality rather than jsut trying to recreate a sound from the late 80s. There are moments that bring Coroner to mind. It feels like by the time we get to "the Harrow" the Edgar Allen Poe theme has musically rifted away, though there are still some samples running in the distance. The vocals are mixed so far into the guitar that their croak is almost not audible. To their credit, it gets darker as it progresses. 

The collision of sounds works really well on "Through the Cruel Light". It accelerates into a more as it progresses. It takes almist three minutes for distant noise, five nad a half minutes before it does something with" Distant Noize ". I will give this album an 8.5; the vocal coming forward in the mix and getting some love in post-production would have helped in the end. Production would have elevated this one to the next level, but it is fun for what it is. 

1

pst529

Top 10 Post-Punk Albums of 2026

 It's that time of year again. It may seem early to begin sorting through the year's best post-punk albums, but record labels have already sent me most of what this year has to offer. After sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. In 2026,  marginally better than the previous year, though given the current climate of the world, we are progressing on a downward spiral, making dark music more important as a soundtrack for this.   As far as 2026 goes for post-punk, there were strong albums, especially those in the top 5, though the influx of new material from the genre is beginning to slow.

  The very fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album; there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. You might find your next favorite album on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these albums. Anyway, here are the top 10 post-punk albums of 2026.

10--Horror Vacui -"Shadows Sanctuary" 

I appreciate their dark take on punk that flirts with deathrock. They move further in that direction on this album. The vocals are more muted and more of an angular groove forming rather than just bashing out the chords, with some reverb lacing the guitar tone, Their singer has improved allowing their soundd as a whole to click into place for me. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/08/horror-vacui-shadows-sanctuary.html

9-Dog Violet -"Wilting" 

For a band with such momentum from internet hype, they flew low under the radar when this album dropped. This British band plays a melancholic take on dreary post-punk that carries an organic elegance in its sense of longing. . Their strength lies in the fact that they are actually playing instruments that are plugged in and do not have too much studio trickery to help them out. There are plenty of witchy vibes, even if they are not inspriing you to smoke a clove cigarette.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-dogviolet-wilting.html

8-Mouth Ulcers-"Silent Pictures"

The band continues to improve with each release, which is impressive for the second release of the year; they are on the grind , adding more textures and not letting the dull vocals be a factor, since I had more sound to choose from.If you like post-punk, it is worth your time.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/mouth-ulcers-silent-pictures.html

7- Deeper Graves _"Pull Me Toward the Dark" 

The third album from  Jeff Wilson's darker, more dark wave-leaning project since. Where Chrome Waves has gradually drifted in a darker, more post-punk direction, this album bridges the gap where darkness becomes heavy. In some ways, it is closer to what a band like Cold Cave does, which is a fair comparison as it is forward-thinking rather than just paying homage to the 80s.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/01/deeper-graves-pull-me-toward-dark.html

6-Wailin Storms -" the Arsonist"

This project has improved over the past decade. Each album has been a little more impressive as it has morphed from a noisy cow-punk band to something more focused and serving songs, rather than working on a sound. I would not call it goth, but it is dark enough to appeal to fans of post-punk who work more of the kind of brooding summoned here

.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/04/wailin-storms-arsonist.html

wailin

The Canadian band returns with a new collection of moody bangers. Even for all its Cure worship and ballads halting the momentum, it sounds great, and there is a depth to the melodies that make you a believer in the moping going down here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/03/traitrs-possessor.html

4- Astari Nite- "Medications in Bloom" 

The Miami-based goth project continues their journey away from their death rock beginnings into somewhere new yet not far removed from the more new wave sound they expanded upon with  2024's "Resolution of Happiness.."I like that overall the mood is darker and more melancholy than the previous album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/05/astari-nite-medications-in-bloom.html

3-Actors - "Our Love Will Live Forever" 

This Canadian band was poised to be one of the biggest goth-adjacent acts of 2026 as they have been top-billed at many festivals already.  times around, things work off a bigger throb that carries the weight of synthwave and festival EDM; this is balanced out by glimpses back into their familiar style of post-punk as the dance groove intensifies to make for a fun listen.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/09/actors-our-love-will-live-forever.html

2-The Secrecy -"Pins &Needles" 

Part of the magic at work here is thanks to the ever-prolific Jeff Wilson from Chrome Waves, who is no stranger to this sort of thing and keeps reinventing this sound. This incredible album features very nuanced vocals and never stoops to imitating Joy Division. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-secrecy-pins-and-needles.html

1-Twilight Sad- "IT'S THE LONG GOODBYE"

 

Using pain as the inspiration is the esscence of what music should be about, and they have shown with this album the willingness to bare their souls in an honest manner rather than dressing it up in melodrama; but to extract a powerfully emotive statement like this that is catchy and dynamic makes for the unbeatable album of this genre. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-twilight-sad-its-long-goodbye.html

pst428

Gothtober- Dismantled : "Endless"

 Gary Zon's electronic project has been in motion for 26 years now. It is clear he has mastered making the sounds that he does. They fall between the genre lines. There is a pulse that you could dance to on goth night, but it is not as aggressive as industrial. The breathy vocals on the first actual song give it a darker feel, and some of the melodrama of darkwave. I could also hear this being thought of as future pop, as it's not unlike what Gary Numan does to some extent. The second song 'Cloned," has a more poppy feel in the refined cruise control of the beat and how the vocals are produced. 

The vocals are actually one of this album's strengths, as they are not an afterthought, but arranged and produced with a great ear for detail. While they do adhere to the mainstream son format, they are used almost more like another instrument than to make the choruses super anthemic, which can be cheesy. "Poison" is atmospheric, but still finds its groove amid the space-age ambiance. "Wired For War" seems like it would be more aggressive than it is, and it is more aggressive than the previous song, thus working within the parameters of this brand.  More like the more modern era of Nine Inch Nails, where they abandoned guitars. 

They fall back to the more focused throb of "Nano Cloud Warning". The vocals stay in this hushed, almost purring, with a whispered tension that obviously is shooting for more of a horny vampire demographic.'Zero"works off a middle-of-the-road thump that is catchy enough to justify the abundance of ambiance it is cloaked in. The title track also has its share of dystopian sonic trapping and benefits from a deliberate beat and melancholy synths. But it also never develops into a song. "Mirror's Edge" compensates for this. It has a great groove and vocals that complement it. DJs take note: a more club-ready beat powers 'Frozen". This compensates for the vocals being so low in the mix. 

"The Fires Out West" features one of the album's most intersting vocal performances, even if they sit back into the synths. The last song is stripped down with a more vulnerable vocal performance. It works for what it is . Overall, I think this album sounds great and is really well done. I will give it a 9.5. Out November 20th on Metropolis Records 

pst527

Iommi : "From the Dark"

 

At 78, you can't stop rock n roll; this is the mission statement from which Tony Iommi birthed his new solo album. If Dio were alive, he would have been sining on this, as Masterplan vocalist Jorn Lande is doing his best Dio impersonation. Not sure why he is not marketing this under the Sabbath banner, as he could have grabbed Geezer; they have called it Sabbath with fewer original members before and made some pretty decent music, but this is heavier than everything, but maybe "Dehumanizer: 'World Alone '" has a more metallic drive. Lande keeps belting it out with convincing power; even if Tony's riffs needed to carry the weight, they don't have to with Lande on the mic. Though it also brings them closer to power metal. 

There are plenty of guitar solos that make it clear Iommi is keeping his fingers nimble with age. "Black Times" is much darker and doomier. I could also hear Lande handling some Candlemass, though he is more soulful than the bulk of their singers. "Beyond the Dead feels more Dio-like with its stormy menace. The song moves with more of a throb, and there is a subtle hint of the Glen Hughes era..There is more of a Sabbath chug to "Stormwatcher".  It is not the album's strongest song, but it works for what they are doing. The main verse riff for all it's worth. 

"Death Wake" is closer to the Glenn Hughes era again, though I could also hear Tony Martin singing this."The Return of the Arbaist" feels like the vocals are just belting it out for the sake of doing so.  "Legacy" is another return to the more blues-based format of the Tony Martin era. The song, however, just feels dialed generically; it's the only song that is more like filler. Despite this the strong songs balance this album out, so I will give it a 9.5. While I am more likely to listen to a Tony Martin than this it's worth a listen if you are Tony fan, be a testament to the fact he is one of the best guitarists out there even at his age.

pst526

Gothtober-The Top 10 Industrial Albums of 2026

The world is burning in slow motion, so nothing is a more tting soundtrack to watching it all unravel into a  into a dystopian nightmare than Industrial, You would think fans of the genre would be celebrating this, but from what I have seen online, they are crying under the covers like the rest of the sheeple. If you are someone who believes that leaning into the end should be celebrated since it is a natural destination in the cycle, then you might appreciate the mood these albums created as much as I did.  After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2026.

 The very fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album; there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Industrial albums of 2025.

10-The Family Men - "Co/de/termination" 

This band from Sweden mixes industrial with noise rock to create something interesting. The beats and sense of motion keep the opening track at a high-energy intensity. The vocals are yelled with a harsher rasp from the tortured vocal cords.f you want industrial music with real instruments, experimenting rather than just grinding on the dance floor, then this album is worth your time

  https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/04/the-family-men-codetermination.html

l

9-Godflesh-"Decay"

Yeah, I know it's surprising the final album from these guys did not make it higher, but it's a combination of the albums above this one being more dynamic and song-focused, and this one focusing on the droning pulse of it's apocalyptic crunch, which is what fans want from thiss.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/09/godflesh-decay.html

 

8-PIG-"Dirt Box'

Raymond Watts has been particularly prolific; his newest EP was very guitar-driven, if it reminds youeminds you of KMFDM, it's probably because Gunter Schulz is laying down the metallic riffs on it. There is almost a more 90s industrial metal feel not unlike the kind of thing Rob Zombie was doing on his most recent album, though with a bit darker and more nuanced industrial vocals than the roar Zombie normally delivers

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/09/pig-dirt-box.html

 7-Third Realm- "Escape Sequence" 

This project brings a hard-hitting take on industrial's more EDM side. This does not mean they are compromising the aggression; in fact, it's heavier sonically  because it is not falling back into 90s nostalgia. if you are into 'goth" laced EDM with a future pop sensibilty to the production, then this album is for you,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/05/third-realm-escape-sequence.html

6-Spike Hellis- "SUCCESSOR" 

This is an experimental industrial artist from Los Angeles. This project is more about making music for cool kids on drugs than for Halloween, but that can be said about a great deal of industrial music. Not far removed sonically from Street Sects, combined with a bit of "Pretty Hate Machine"- era  Nine Inch Nails.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/10/gothtober-spike-hellis-successor.html

5-Choke Chain -"Decomposition" 

his project comes from the Skinny Puppy school of industrial, which I can appreciate as it's dark. Haunted by drifting samples that pass through the background, It stays true to the heart of the genre without going stale.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/06/choke-chain-decomposition.html

4-KMFDM - "ENEMY" 

Their mission statement is 40 years of conceptual continuity, but the concept expands in recent years; aside from the more rock n roll vibes,  there does seem to be a similar vibe that checks off all the boxes you expect from the long-running electro-industrial band. This stacks up pretty well against their other stuff and is less poppy than the last album

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/02/kmfdm-enemy.html

3-Purest Form- "Resistance" 

This album grew on me; I like the duo's r aggressive approach to the more electronic side of industrial music; their singers carry a convincing snarl..here is something unique to the synth sounds employed here. There is a gap to be filled when it comes to this sort of thing, 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/purest-form-resistance.html

 

2-Combichrist- "the Venom in the Mouth of God"

With darker synths carrying the album's grooves, it feels like they are expanding from the militant industrial anthems. Granted, that is still embedded in who they are, but it reminds me of their earlier work. Andy has become a better vocalist over the years. Not a great one, but able to apply more vocal color. There is a coldwave-like feel at times, but they still let their aggression creep in. 

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/combichrist-venom-in-mouth-of-god.html

 

1-Sunswarm- "Those Who Do Not Build Must Burn" 

Industrial music should be rooted in confrontational exploration. It's the very roots of the genre; bands like Nine Inch Nails have just packaged this in a more user-friendly sheen over the years. This project marries the genre to post-rock in the spacious sonic sprawl unfurled here with more than enough atmosphere. They excelled at reminding us what industrial music should be about, putting them at the top of the heap this year. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/sunswarm-those-who-do-not-build-must.html

pst525

Drop Dead Gorgeous :"Daggers"

The only album I've owned by this band was their 2007 "Worse Than a Fairytale," which was pretty dark and emotionally crushing. I had to go back and listen to that album again after a few minutes into this one to make sure it was the same band. Part of the difference here is the modern production sound that pushes them in a more Bad Omens direction. The vocals are less painfully emotional and carry more of the current pop sound these bands have been adopting; there are some heavier riffs, and the vocals do build into a more aggressive exclamation by the end. 

"Sink Your Teeth" has this newer anthemic quality that finds them not really sticking to their guns. I don't hear this as them pushing their original sound forward but trying to find their relevance in today's environment, which might have been done more organically; they could have gone heavier, but this is the direction they chose; "Six Feet:" almsot has more of a pop-punk feel. "Ghosts" starts off with a more harcore energy attacking the song before the chorus. 

I played "Burn" three times, and it never stuck with me; there is a predictable pop-punk ebb and flow from the verse to the chorus build-up. What they do now works best on the song "Feels Like Forever," which taps into more emotional honesty as they reflect on their drug use. Overall what they are doing works for what it is I am just not sure what this is works for who they are as a band even taki9ng into consderation that almot 20 years have passed since the album I want to compare this to . I will give it an 8. 

pst524

Ghostemane : "Am:FM"

The creepy Trap rapper opens his new album with nu-metal guitar and sung vocals that wink in the direction of Deftones; they are high and airy until the roared chorus that owes more to Johnathan Davis. It works for what it is and feels fresher since it is not 98. But where he is stronger is on "Miasma," that bleeds out of "Deus Ex Machina,"  where he is rapping against the denser bass hits behind him that are more metallic than, say, dubstep; it builds into something that is at least darker and angrier than Limp Bizkit. His trap rap vocal style is unique as it shifts through varied colors.  

"Zero Day" finds the songwriting becoming increasingly effective, though lyrically it's a page out of the first wave of this sort of thing as he complains about everybody saying fuck this and fuck that, but now it's time to do something about it; however, it works with the energy of the song. This guys is so skinny I don't take him too seriously taking about being violent. "Bucketlist" is a great song and paves the path for what this album needs to do. "Jupiter" works off more hip-hop sounds than aggressive ones. This does make for a wider dynamic range. He ebbs into some passages of sung vocals to give this one more layers. 

"Hyperdrive" has a darker electronic vibe going into it, before a breakbeat takes off with the song. It's more of an instrumental interlude in comparison to the other more vocally driven songs. "Mean Girls" finds him back in his sweet spot. Not the album's most dynamic song as it drones on the one beat, but it works for what it is. "Cyberia" goes for an almost more industrial sound but might be closer to the Prodigy in this regard." Get Gone" brings more shadows to the ambiance. With a blown-out bass line booming under the vocals. 

"NSFW" works off a pulse of dense bass, and is one of the album's most deliberate tracks even when his rapping races over it. "Noose Knot" finds him returning to an emotive, breathy singing style. The chorus is particularly strong. "A Fire in the Skye" closes the album; it uses much more melodic sounds with delicate almsot whispered vocals. It is his version of a ballad. This album is not the most original thing you have heard, but it is done in a way that makes all of this feel fresh, I will give it a 10. 

7

pst523

What the Line-Up For Welcome to Rockville 2027 Should Be

The Welcome to Rockville lineup is dropping next week, so I 'll get a jump on it and tell you what the lineup should be. A large  percentage of people who go just show up to party, and the music serves as background static for them to  take selfies with people they will never see again. This is not for those people; this is for people who actually care about music and have more refined ears than just whatever is on the radio, since that is all garbage anyway.  

Festival line-ups are boring; they all look the same, much like a reflection of commercial rock radio that has played the same beer commercial-sounding songs for the past 30 years, and we wonder why concerts are so expensive; it's due to the music industry trying to recoup its losses. The economy is not getting any better o are people going to just be complacent and spend their shrieking entertainment budget on a band they have already seen three times. Welcome to Rockville and its sibling festivals are terrible at retreads. As  someone who has worked in the music industry for almost 20 years and listens to over 600 new albums a year, I know the pulse of where music is heading, so here is what the lineup for Welcome to Rockville 2027 should be after taking into consideration the touring schedules of bands that would have conflicts, like Iron Maiden, who is already playing Tampa on May 1st, but allowing room for unexpected reunions and other surprises. 

 I get the general public has not really shifted its taste in the past 20 years os you have to give them names that carry some nostalgia, but not the same ones adnauseum; you can still cater to the MySpace crowd and have the nu-emo pop-metal bands and TikTok revivalists for the kids and still bring in fresh faces with a draw. Sure, there are some idiots whose taste is limited to Monster Energy drinks and Slipknot and won't know half the names here, but they are going to be too broke paying off their Probation officer to  keep a festival alive andd relevant, so here's what the lineup should be for 2027

In switching it up here is how the bands are broken down by genre, taking out the what at times has been a 60 of artists who crawled from the wreckage of the Myspace era.

Rock-41

 Metal-37 

Stuff for the kids- metalcore/.numetal/hiphop-37 

warpTour=pop-punk/ emo mostalgia-6 

Here we go.... 

 Thursday

Apex

AC/DC

Lenny Kravitz

 The Darkness

 Uncle Acid and the Dead Beats

 Starbenders

 Twisted Teens

 Octane

 Kid Rock

 Twisted Sister

 Ugly Kid Joe

 Monster Magnet

 Wednesday 13

 The Cruel Intentions

 Vortex

Brand New

 Thursday

 Destroy Boys

 Modern Life is War

 bodywash 

 Poison Ruin

 Inferno

A Tribute to Peter Steele and the Legacy of Type O Negative  featuring members of Life of Agony, Carnivore AD and Sun Don't Shine

Life of Agony

 Prong

 Carnivore AD

 Hangman’s Chair 

 Sun Don’t Shine 

 Restless Spirit

 Garage-

Twin Temple

 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

 Crippling Alcoholism

 Blackwater Holylight 

 King Dude

 Hoaxed

 Friday

 Apex

 Pearl Jam

 Them Crooked Vultures

 The Pixies

 Garbage

 Veruca Salt

 Sponge

 Octane 

 The Misfits

 Iggy Pop

 Bad Religion

 Spiritual Cramp

 Tiger Army

 School Drugs

 Vortex 

 Idles

 Viagra Boys

 Whores

 Ingrown

 NO/MAS 

 The Linda Lindas 

 Inferno

Neurosis

 Emma Ruth Rundle

 Chat Pile

 Kylesa

 RWAKE 

 Terminal Nation 

 Garage

 At the Drive in

 Butthole Surfers

 Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

 Mac Sabbath

 Blitzkid 

 Demon Pussy 

 Saturday

 Apex

 Rush

 Muse 

 President 

 Novelists

 Protest the Hero

 Hidden Mothers 

 Octane

 Queen With Adam Lambert

 Paramore

 Gunship

 Skynd 

 Ours

 Freeze the Fall 

 Vortex 

 Faith No More

 Superheaven 

 Scars on Broadway 

 Ashes Divide 

 WARGASM 

 Spaced 

 Inferno

 Opeth

 Katatonia

 Ulver

 Igorrr 

 Daath

 Oh, Zorn

 Garage 

 Scour-featuring Phil Anselmo

 Royal Thunder

 Portrayal of Guilt 

Cloak

 Age of Apocalypse

 Disfear

 Saturday 

 Apex

 Eminem 

 Suicide Boys 

 Run the Jewels

 Die Antwoord 

 House of Pain 

 Jane Remover

 Octane 

 Nine Inch Noize

 Boy Harsher

 Cold Cave 

 Aesthetic Perfection

 Brtualismus 3000 

 Pixel Grip 

 Vortex 

 Fontaines DC

 High Vis

 Vowws

 Love is Noise

 Dead Pony

 Homefront

 Inferno

Scars on Broadway 

 County Morgue

 Dropout Kings

 Ten56

. Last Ten Seconds of Life

 Splitchain

 Garage 

Tomahawk 

 Author & Punisher

 Black Magnet 

 Glitched 

 Tayne

 Sister Kill Cycle 

 Sunday

Apex

 The Cure 

 Gary Numan

 Placebo

 Chelsea Wolfe 

 Twiligh tSad 

 Grave Pleasures

 Octane 

 Danzig

 H.I.M

 Fields of the Nephilim

 KMFDM

 Lords of Acid

 The Night Eternal

Vortex

King Diamond 

 Fight

 KKs Priest

 Savatage

 Forbidden

 Cagefight

 Inferno

 Dimmu Borgir

 Blood Incantation

 Paths of Possession

 Undeath

 Jungle Rot

 Combichrist 

  Garage

Loathe

 Drop Dead Gorgeous

 Internal Bleeding

 100 Demons

 Balmora

 xForever Warx

pst522

Prong : "Prong"

 

I did not expect them to come out of the gate thrashing; their best work found the band deviating from the thrash genre that wa dominant in the late 80s and bringing a staccato groove to the occasion that was ahead of its time. Come to think of it, this band's name does not come up enough in conversations about the roots of nu-metal. It feels like they are trying to find their place in the musical climate of 2026. "New Commission" follows a similar formula to the opening track, but with a catchier chorus. "The Uprising" has a harder sound and a pounding beat that resonates more closely with who they are.

"Uncertain Truth" is the best song so far; it's way more melodic and hooky, perhaps almost too much so for purists of their classic sound. "Fear the Sun" has more of a metallic chug; it's one of the more polished songwriting choices so far that still feels true to who they are. 'Common Resolution" is more like the punk side of Killing Joke, who is obviously an influence on this band. They continue down this punk road with "Doomed World". The vocal phrashing sounds like them but not the riffs. The doubling down on thrashing speed for "Proportionate Response" , it works better than some moments so far. 

"Trangression" comes much closer to what you want from these guys. I listened to " Simulated Drowning" three times without remembering what I heard, leaving me to think it had to be the most hookless, bland thing on the album. The last song had a chorus melody that stood out, so it was a better song, more of the Killing Joke vibe to it. Overall, I give this album an 8; they are trying to thrash way too much and that was never what they were about, that said, they still know how to write a song, and that shines through half the time. Dropping on Napalm Records November 6th.

"

pst521

Gothtober- Mousecunt : "Orgasmic Mouse"

 This Iranian band is pretty wild, they play a verse chaotic style of death rock. To their credit, they have more in common with Alien Sex Feind if they were having a circle jerk with Marilyn Manson than with Christian Death, and they are playing a more surrealist style of goth than just punk rock with effects on the guitars. They have my attention so let's see where it goes. The abstract collision of sound also brings Street Sects to mind at times. The vocals are more dramatic, swinging from a lower muttering to higher, unhinged sing-song verses. The guitar hass balls but rather than a metal chug, it's more of an angular accent. The drummer approaches things with a looseness that is like they are delving into free form jazz. While it does not find a groove you can dance to at goth nite, it is very interesting. 

The higher dramatic whine of the vocals leads the way into "You Know About Art" which should have been the opener, as it is the thesis statement for this album, and the lyrics explain a great deal about where this band is coming from and help this make sense. "Mon Too" is the most goth moment so far; it's more about emotional complexity than it is Halloween, but it's dark enough to compensate for that and also carries more melody and less chaos, making it perhaps the best song of the first four. "The Orgasming" is more rock, though considering I review metal sixty percent of the time, the double bass is a little sloppy but forgivable. I think the jazzy sections are more who this drummer is. 

"Your Repulsive Husband " is more of a cathartic art turned dark sound. It works for what it is.  "Godspeed" is the first song that touches on death rock's punk roots. I like the lyrics to this one. Things get more abstract for the song 'Cunt". It has an almost Skinny Puppy feel minus the industrial beats. The last song picks up where the previous song left off but with a marginally more perverse undertone. It lacks the more defined bass that someone like Christian Death would drive this with, but in doing so creates a more abstract atmosphere which is unsettling in it's own way. I have listened to a ton of goth music this month, and these guys have found their own unique spot in the genre.I will give this one a 9.5 and see how it grows on me if you like your goth with the empahsis on weird, then this is for you.

 

pst520

xforever warx : "Upon the Week and Broken"

 This album from the straight edge band from Salt Lake City hardcore crew came out bakc in March. They play a very metallic and in-your-face brand of hardcore. I am typically not into straight edge bands, but if they can bring it without preaching at me, then I am fine with it. They are obviously very influenced by Slayer, judging by the opening track. There is the taunt thrashing groove almost so much so that the lines between wehre thrash and hardcore are blurred here, so perhaps just admitting they are a crossover band might be the best apporach. The second song has more of a breakdown riff at the end but that is not really their thing. 

They are back to awaiting the hour of reprisal on "The Highest Truth". The coarse shouted vocals sometimes lower into more of a growl, but I have not really been paying attention to what the lyrics are. There is a little more of a hardcore roar to this one. They pour on the hyper-aggressive thrashing speed with "Apotheosis". This is angrier and does not groove as much as the first three songs. Double bass is used sparingly, which is a more hardcore trait. All but one song stays under the three-minute mark. 

Double bass does not really make itself known until going into"Sacrificed' I knew a drummer being in a band this influenced by Slayer would have pulled it out at some point. They are back to the slap-your-momma grooves with this one, and you know the kids are out karate chopping to this. They bust out some mean as fuck riffs here. The mean grooving riffing is crafted in a way that flows, putting them above most bands of this sort. I will give it a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. 

pst519

Master Boot Record : "Computer Metal"

 In a world where the rise of the machine is coming to fruition, with AI now cranking out tunes, adding a layer of guitar to provide a more human element to this project's computer metal is essential. The bigger challenge for my ears is that this is all instrumental. It's not my first dance with them, as "Hardwarez" earned a 9, putting it in the top tier of this brand of aggressive synth-driven music. Two songs in, I am unsure if they are going to fully realize the songwriting potential here or are they just going to make heavy sounds. There are some cool riffs, but cool riffs alone does not a good song make is the mantra here. 

"Plug and Play" finds them backing off a little to introduce more synthwave sound. It's happy in the way power metal is that I am not a fan of, though it works better in this context. However, this compromises the mission a bit, as heavy is what sets this project apart from the pack, with acts like Perturbator also bringing a more metal dynamic. He hammers you harder on "Firmware" but it does not hook me in. It is more often than not a heavier album than what I recall from the last time I gave this project a shot. "Boot Section" has more of a neo-classical flair. It is impressive playing for what it is. Though no more of a song than what Yngwie Malmsteen does. 

"Turbo Button" races faster with the devil down a Spanish highway. More of a thrasher but on the more technical side. "Voodoo2" is darker; it almost feels like if a King Diamond song was turned into video gamee music. "CRT" locks into an effective groove. But the last song treads ground we have already heard on this album before. Overall for this album to keep my attention as much as it did says something I will give this a 9, and see if I feel the need to revisit what they do, but if you're into aggressive synthwave, this is worth your time. Dropping on Metal Blade Records.

pst 518

Spirit Possession :" Cathedral Speech"

 

My interest in black metal seems to be having a resurgence. Surprisingly, I have never given this band from Oregan a chance. This could be because I am typically not into American black metal, but there seems to be a resurgence in that as well after the hipsters turned their backs on it and deemed it problematic. They shift through first-wave-flavored black metal that is not unlike Watain in some ways. Vocally, there are some similarities in the way the vocals are delivered, though Eirk has a more menacing tone. They don't sound like they are from America. These guys do not sound Scandinavian either, but if you said they were from Belgium or the Netherlands, then I would have believed you. 

They incorporate clean guitar for the minute interlude that is  "Backwards Commandments". "Hanged Angels as Patternwalls."  They are not actual Satanists and just dressing up the song like Venom did. They are more adventurous when it comes to guitar playing than Venom and are not as punk-oriented, though the arrangements can get a little chaotic. They are not catchy, but create a punchy swirl of sinister atmosphere that creates the effective sound we think of as black metal. I was more impressed by the sound summoned on the first song. "The Sharpening " makes it clear it's the early thrash influence on black metal that they have ingested the most, which draws comparison to the first wave bands. The racing riffs begin to feel like they are just thrown against the wall to see what sticks. Sure, you can bang your head to it, but as these songs are going to inspire me to want to listen to them again. 

"First Levitation" starts off with more deliberate riffing then begins to rush into the snarling feral madness. But they do emerge with some riffs that are much more memorable than what we heard in the previous song. The vocals are inchoherent barking that feels more obligatory than not, this is where Watain has the upper hand over them as Erik locks into the song much more. They are capable of melodic playing but only use it for intros; there is an impressive one that leads into "Second Liturgy," then the song threatens to race out from under them. To their credit, they do not default to blast beats. It feels like they put more effort into the songwriting on this one. Midway a creepy, more Mercyful Fate-like riff is introduced, which is the album's best moment. They need to lean into this more. 

On the last song, they split the difference between the more memorable Mercyful Fate school of songwriting and the unhinged chaos they thrash out. Their need for speed often gets the best of them, until they back off into a melodic interlude. There are few more deliberate moments, but not as impressive as the previous song.I think the hype train behind the album might have more momentum to it than other albums where black metal is being done in a manner that serves the songs.   I will give this one an 8.5. I understand what appeals to people and it sounds good, not the most song-focused release. IT dropped on Prodound Lore.

  d

pt517

Fontaines D.C. : "Dopamine Chamber"

 The 5th album by this Irish band finds them returning to the studio with Depeche Mode producer James Ellis Ford who worked ithe band on their previous album. The album wakes up with the atmospheric synths of "Six Shot Morning", it lingers here until the groove creeps in. The lyrics are muttered in a reverbed out stream of consciousness. Then the lead single "Marianne" moves things in a hookier direction with melody at the forefront. Vocalist Grain Chatten wrote the album's lyrics on a trip to Italy, which must have been a very introspective journey for him. Cascading strings draping the background are not a novelty in Brit-pop; they prove effective here. 

"Mimesis" drifts into a moodier and marginally darker sonic space. There is a great deal of pondering going on in this album that takes it in a Cure like direction, though not as dark. Melancholic speculation colors "Happy For You". The vocal melody drifts over the lingering instrumentation beneath it.  Rock guitar crashes in to bring things to a climax and give more dynamic heft. "Demolition" is more overtly Britpop, doing what Oasis attempted better than they did.I did not expect them to be spearheading a Britpop revival but that is what it feels like. 

Going into this review, "Tongue" is my favorite song on this album, as the vocals dance around the droning music beneath them in an infectious way that feels perfect. This songwriting approach is contrasted by the more ambient drift of "One Man". It gains some momentum as it flows into a stoned shuffle. Rosalia joins them on "Where is Gone," the first time they have had a guest on an album. This duet serves as a haunting ballad that works well with their voices. She is basically Italy's Lana Del Rey.

There is a subtle, almost trip-hop groove to "You Miss Me" that helps the vocal and keeps things moving rather than allowing the the already ballad-heavy album to be weighed down.  "Japan" is another ballad that leans into the wistful strum of acoustic guitar; it was the song I was least excited about when it came to the first three songs I heard leading up to this album's release. "Intimate" finds the drone of a more sullen vocal setting the tone amid the ambiance as the groove finds its feet. I will give this album a 10; it's their most thoughtful work, and yet it has a bigger impact on the music scene in its wake. 

pt516