Bootes Void : "Panta Rhei"

 

As the summer winds to a steamy end, I am more willing to listen to black metal. It's a genre I used to listen to more than I do now, due to the fact that so many of the bands follow such a similar formula, leaving a smaller percentage doing anything new, so let's hear where these guys fall. This is the third album from this German black metal band. They offer some hope with the delicate melodic intro that they blast away with the thunderous onslaught that comes after. I'm fine with this, but like all genres, I am going to need dynamics and songwriting from them, so if they are intent on just blasting at you the whole time, I am not going to be into it. They do slow down to a half time gallop feel, going with a common epic black metal formula.

  The mid-range rasp of the vocals is more articulated than most black metal bands that typically let the vocals just be another layer of sound. This apporach allows the lyrics to be understood. The formula seems to be more atmosphere leading into the song, so on "Shapers of the End" I am waiting for the other boot to drop, which it does. In a similar manner to the previous song, though with perhaps marginally more finesses tHey do not blast as long, and the bass can actually be heard in the mix, giving them a denser sound. There are defined sections of the song rather than it becoming a blur of hypnotic white noise like early Dasrkthrone. In the last minute and a half things break down into an ambient section. Building back with renewed intensity. 

"View From Nihil" carries more purpose as they add a little restraint despite pouring the double bass one. They are unable to resist andd blast beats to pursue them here. Their drummer is a bad-ass machine who is capable of doing more than blast beats, very death metal influenced. The bass shows up to hold down a groove, which is rare in black metal. They are more like blackened death metal in many respects, though an impressive darkness unfolds for "Onwards to Death' but the pummelling drums are very death metal. At almost eight minutes, "Lost in Oblivion" is the longest song on the album. There is only a minute to simmer before they hurtle into the blast beats. There is a more purposeful, chorus-like section two minutes in then it is back to hyper speed. Around the five-minute mark, they let up and give it the dynamic contrast for a few seconds before going back to the blast. This is a sound there is an audience for but feels a little redundant 

They double down on the blast beats for "Nebula," and I begin to get bored. There is a cool riff where the bass locks in with the drums, but it's buried in the sonic blur. The title track adds more anguish to what they have been doing from a different sonic angle that works. The last track is more of an ambient outro so I won't count it for the purpose of this review.  I like where these guys are trying to go and the willingness to experiment a bit, but they do play it pretty close to the epxected black metal blue print, so I will give this album an 8 as it is well done for what it is .  

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Foreign Body : "Libertine"

The second album by these transgressive New Punka brings a furious chaos that recalls the Stooges "Funhouse" album thanks to the saxophone that adds to the mess. The vocals are angrier than those of your average noise rock band, and these guys lean more toward the punk side of the genre. Almost likea less metal version of Eyehategod.There is something darker about the vocals that keeps it from being solidly punk. They are more purposeful on the second song. "Passed Around" is more obnoxious as they take the temper tantrums past the point of their novelty.

 "Hind Legs" not only carries groove, but the vocals are given the space and articulation to let the lyrics stand out. It doesn't matter how good your howling is if they lyriucs are obscured by hate. They jam the riffs out for all it's worth. The momentum builds to a more explosive punch for "Trophy". The vocals are produced in an interesting manner than bring Today is the Day to mind."When Sex is Not Enough" is a great song title but more chaos than songwriting, and it comes acorss as ranting.

"Man Was Meant to Take Advantage" works off the same pounding drone, but it sounds cool. There are more punk bones to "Born For This". The riffs, however, are not as defined as what they do on the title track. The vocals are less howled and more spoken, like King Missile. They close the album with the more fuzzed-out throb of "Beauty is a Hammer"; much like the bulk of the album, they rock out this riff ofr all its worth without any changes to the arrangement. I will give this album an 8.5, despite its simplistic feral songwriting approach, as I appreciate the mood it creates. Out September 11th on Brutal Panda.

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Stoned Jesus : "Songs to Moon"

The Ukrainian band's 7th full length finds them leaning further into sludge with an atmospheric crunch that sits somewhere between the Melvins and Mastodon on the opening track of this album. There is ample post-grunge to the riffs as the vocals layer a more introspective melodic sense after the more burly bark the song started with. It feels like most sludge albums are going to get overshadowed by Neurosis this year, so it's a good thing these guys have a more rock side to fall back on and seperate them from keeping up with those Joneses.

"ZYX" has a more indie rock sound, and it is actually the most intersting of the first three songs. There is a cool groove, subdued vocals that provide a contrast, and nuanced guitar playing, so here's hoping they continue to explore this new direction. They jam a bit at the end of the song. There is more ofa progressive slant to this album. Keyboards play a larger role. Midway into the album, it is even more apparent that they have crossed over into prog. If it worked for Mastodon, these guys took notes. This leads to cleaner guitar tones becoming more abundant as a shift away from the fuzzed guitar tones that were a staple of where they came from. 'Jackal" is the first song where I pick up on any lyrical hints they live somewhere that is being obliterated. The song builds back up into a more dramatic, sweeping build of rocking out. 

The strummed 'Window in My Room' feels like a lost alt -rock ballad from the 90s. It ambles along with almost Nick Drake-like folk energy. The album closes with "One More Empty Day". The Nick Drake-like mood of the previous song carries over into this one. The album takes a turn from how it started, with the last two songs leaning into the softer side. Overall, it works I will give this album a 9 as I like some of the newer direction they head, even if the last two songs did not register for me; they are balanced out by superior moments.

6.6

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Archgoat : "Nightbringer, Lightbringer"

This band from Finland keeps getting heavier. What I like about them is the fact that the members are actual Satanists who are not playing around, rather than being posers who just think pentagrams and goats are the required metal imagery to appropriate. There is a Morbid Angel-like atmosphere haunting the background of the opening track, which shifts from grindcore to death metal by the end of the song. 

There is also a great deal of purpose in the very deliberate march of "The Dawn to Armageddon." They get very blasty on "Iconoclasm the Nazarene". This carries over in the onslaught of "Blood of Jesus Spilling Upon the Earth".  A minute and a half into this, they relent and allow a creepy, ritualistic atmosphere to take over. Some blasting is fine; they take things to the extreme in this regard, going into "Stygian Millennium". There are few sections with more purpose, but a great deal of the song locks into the more rushed death metal feel where the snare sounds stiff to me. The darker elements worked into "Key of Hell and of Death" set this up to be a darker song until they run off and blast death things, though they slow down for the vocals, which is more of a compromise.

"The Light Behind the Horns" find's it's blackened punk side balanced out with riffs holding more purpose and punch. There is a rawer thrashing to "The Reaper of Christianity". The vocals are at a low, croaked growl. The song keeps building momentum.  It does not slow down until they hit the guitar solo, then it's a more purposeful shift of gears. They are certainly dedicated to brutality, and there is certainly an audience that just wants their ears battered like this. Two minutes in, they find their groove. I will give this album a 9 as it accomplishes what they set out to do and has a knack of pulloing yopu backc in after the blast beats have numbed you out with is better than most bands taking things to these kinds of extremes.Their celebration of destruction is dropping on September 11th. 

7.4

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The Night Eternal : '"Cold Velvet"

 The third album from this German band finds them perfecting their darker take on heavy metal. When you take the brighter, anthemic feel, it sounds less like power metal. Not unlike what Unto Others tries to do, these guys actually nail it with more balls. The powerful vocal performance helps with this. They balance the darker chords they let ring out on the second song with metallic drive. The bellowing croon of the vocals takes command of the song. The guitar solos are pretty tasteful rather than just masturbatory shredding. 

There is more of a Dio-gallop to "Caught in a Spell". Production-wise, this song is as stunning as it captures a legit 80s sound while not turning their backs on a more modern mix rather than just trying to pay tribute to years past. "When the Last Candle Dies" has a strong chorus melody, but the verse feels like a continuation of the previous song, and I had to go back and give it another listen. This vibe carries over into "The Veins of Time", though there is more of a Judas Priest feel to the riff of this one. There is a darker, more deliberate feel to "The Watcher of the Burning Veil". It eventually speeds up into the epic proto-thrash gallop they prefer.

"Shape of Sorrow" is more focused than the previous, which gives the chorus more impact. It only wanders off into a side quest around the guitar solo.. "Dance on Crimson Ground" is a trippy power ballad of sorts, as it ebbs back and forth rather than following the typical formula for that sort of thing. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's one of the strongest traditional heavy metal albums by a relatively new band that I have heard in some time.Blade Drops August 21st on Metal  

7.7

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Infected Mushroom : "IM30"

This album came out earlier in the year, and I am catching up to it. To celebrate the project's 30th anniversary, they are releasing a new album. I was not aware they had been around since 94, but here we are. They moved from Israel to the States in 2004, which seemed more like their inception to me. While I like the darker side of electronic music, I don't seem to cover much of it, so here we go. The opening track works as it uses the sounds they are known for and arranges them with dynamic purpose. There is a trippy creep to "New World Order". Two minutes in, the vocals chime in. They are never the focal point of the song, but add a more human touch. This song is more about moving bodies on the dance floor. Even then, they do better than most in terms of dynamics.

The songs that don't grab me as much on this album are the ones that are more conforming to mainstream dance music and just focus on the grooving beat, as there is more sound vs song in motion, but that is an issue I have with this kind of music in general, and these guys are catering to the Festival side of their fan base. The more dub-step like sounds on "Lightweight" are more interesting to me as they blend a bit of dub along with the oddly effected vocals. At nine and a half minutes, this is the album's longest song, and midway in there is some fat that could have been trimmed. But overall it works for me, though the last two minutes feel more 90s techno to me. 

"LA Beast" is one of the album's most interesting songs thanks to the vocals and guitar that are worked that give the song more bones to hang from. There are some retro synth wave sounds, so all the sonic bases are covered here. "No More Happy Endings" uses the vocals as a more pop-minded accent. The dirty beat it transitions into balances this out. When it finds its groove, there is more of an old-school techno pulse lurking underneath. Strummed guitar is even layered in as the song builds. "Mesumpelet"  is more dance- and sound-focused and holds less surprise than the previous song.

"AI Therapist" bubbles to life with the sound of liquid dripping and then the synths steer it in a more synth wave direction. The vocals are hypnotic and work well to balance things out. Lyrically, it is the only song that is allowed to tell a story. 

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Wisborg : "Phantomschmerz"

 Getting caught up with things that passed under my radar andd this band was suggested to me on Facebook. This came out way back at the first of the year. The German band singing in their native tongue. The chorus is more crooned, and the verse's muttered tension. It works for what it is, but hopefully they do not just stick to this formula, or I am going to get bored after four songs. I know enough German to get the gist of where they are coming from. Maybe four songs was too optimistic, as thigns get kind of cheesy on the second song. This translates to way too happy for goth. 

"Melancholia" reminds me more of H.I.M.; it does not surprise me that there is a scne for this in Germany. At times the cadance of the vocals brings Merchandise to mind. This is my favorite song so far. They balance hard rock guitars with electronic production choices for "Moloch" . It finds a more muttered vocal on the verse than building upon the chorus, which is predictable, but the bass and drums have enough drive to make me overlook this. Some of the riffs on this album remind me of Post-"How the Gods Kill" Danzig. In terms of heaviness, they are middle of the road, but that doesn't seem to be the point of what they are doing.

"Midbight" translated)  finds the verses more restrained. It follows a more 90s-leaning formula. It works pretty well, and I have not gotten tired of it yet." Norman Bates" has a more nu-metal feel leading into it./Then the dynamic drops way down. Almost likea German version of Deftones. This song has what is likely the album's best riff. "Adeiu" is only missing Ville Valo. Tou hears a little of the singer's higher register. The title track is more dramatic than it is brooding. The palm-muted riff keeps the song moving. They roll out the baby grand again for the last song. It's more of a ballad than not. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. 

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July's Top 10 Albums

July is in our rearveiw, so let's get you abreast of new releases. This might help you, casual readers, with what you might have missed.  I am not doing little blurbs on them, just linking the reviews. This helps me organize my end-of-year lists by including each album's genre. This does not mean these albums were released this month; it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed most. I have albums in my in-box that won't come out until October, so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of how much I have listened to them. This month, leaned more on heavy stuff ranging from Nu-metal to Indie Pop, so perhaps you will find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums for July of 2026.

10- Pretty Reckless,-"Dear God" 

Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-pretty-reckless-dear-god.html

9-Taylor Bickett- "Nothing I Can't Undo" 

Indie Folk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/taylor-bickett-nothing-i-cant-undo.html

8-DIE ANTWOORD- "ZAMA ZAMA"

Experimental hip-hop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/die-antwoord-zama-zama.html

7-Dead Pony-"Eat My Dust" 

nu-metal

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/dead-pony-eat-my-dust.html

6-Eartheater- "Heavenly Body" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/eartheater-heavenly-body-if-im-bottle.html

5-Deathgrave- "Hell is Evil" 

Death-grind

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/deathgrave-hell-is-evil.html

4-Show Me The Body- "Alone Together"

3-Kacey Musgraves- "Middle of Nowhere" 

Country 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/kacey-musgraves-middle-of-nowhere.html

2-Ceremony- "Tell Me Your Dream" 

Punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/ceremony-tell-me-your-dream.html

1-Charli XCX - "Music Fashion Film" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2026/07/charli-xcx-music-fashion-film.html

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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. With the first hints of Halloween starting to show up on shelves, this is a welcome soundtrack.

The groove of "SILK" anchors the vocals, and it all balances perfectly. There is a hint of Siouxsie influence that merges in a more obvious manner than what I recall from their previous work. I have always preached that darkness is heavy, and this album might not prove that as well as their last album, but it is still relevant to the sonic scope that unfolds here. There is enough sklink to its stomp that might find forward-thinking goth DJs working these songs into their sets. One day I will drag my laptop to a club and make this point, so make some noise in the comments if that is something you would like to hear. 

"Deadening" opens with a sample that casts a more political shade on the theme. This is more on the industrial side of things, as politics is not something that defines goth, and industrial being too adjacent to goth also blurs the lines in this regard. This is also one of the more dance floor ready pulses of the album so far. "Garras" finds the vocals being used more as an instrument against the beat, which is an interesting approach. "Shuttered" has a darker ambiance to it. The slow burn lingers with the beat swelling its pulse until midway in. More of a hypnotic dirge than a dancefloor banger. "Choke" closes the album with more tension ebbing forward. I will give this album a 10 as all the songs pretty much instantly clicked for me andd it is what I wnat from dark music. Making this album a must for goth fans in 2026 This album comes out September 4th on Negative Grain.

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Purest Form : "Resistance"

While I like what this duo is doing with their aggressive approach to the more electronic side of industrial music, since I am such a big fan of Youth Code, it's hard not to draw comparisons, particularly when she is using her angrier vocal tone. The breakbeat in the second song helps break away from this a little longer when she uses the more purred vocal tone. They also have used more guitar on the first and third songs, respectively, than I have heard Youth Code employ in their entire discography. 

They start raving til dawn with a more techno feel to "MOVE". The vocals have a snotty punk attitude, and guitar surfaces midway into the song before she drops down into lower spoken vocal. This is more unique to what they do, and I think the more they experiment, the better, as if it solidifies their identity. I had to listen to "Bass Resistance" before it clicked enough for me to pay attention, and when it did it reminded me more of the Prodigy. Not as memorable as the first four songs.

A cover of Prodigy's "Breath" closes the album, which kind of clashes with my rule of not covering a band that is clearly one of our influences., They do nail it and add some of their own sonic touches while being true to the 90s sound. There is something unique to the synth sounds employed here. I guess there is a gap to be filled when it comes to this sort of thing, as they are not as heavy as Youth Code, so they might have a different audience. I will give this one a 9.5 andd see how it grows on me. It drops on Dias Records September 4th.

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Dreamwell : "Hymns For The Denial Of God"

 

Thi band beat out Sanguisugabogg in 2023 to claim the number one spot on the Top 10 Extreme Metal albums list, thus earning a spot on that year's Top 10 Metal Albums list, making expectations high for this album..Unless the title track is an anomaly, they are less extreme this time around, and leaning into the more screamo side of what they do. With grooving riffs and lyrics that are speculating about religion. There is a hint of nu-metal in the riffing, but that was always a thing in metalcore. "Sissy Haat Machine" is a little more straightforward.

A cool bass line leads the way into the darker "The Anti-Christ's Testimony". The riff is also more memorable than the previous song's. They have an angular style that balances melody with dissonance. Their drummer is pretty impressive, throwing in double bass in tasteful little spots rather than hitting you with a full-on assault and numbing you out. The screamo feel is dialed up for a "Crisis of Realization". The sung hook is even more emo than anything we have heard from them before. The proggy tension of "Apostates and Gentiles" works really well.

"Plath vs Kafka Vs Romance" is lyrically the intersting so far; the sung vocals are less 90s emo. There's a hardcore punch that puts them more in league with Dillenger Escape Plan. I like the more melodic moments of "I Dreamt I Survived an Extinction Event".The more screamed sections work as well, in this context. I am obviously not opposed to harsh vocals done right  'Carrion Birds on the Ark" has a great breakdown toward the end, but some moments are not as memorable. It balances out to be decent enough to not feel like filler. Aside from the opening track, they keep all the songs at a compact three-minute range, which is impressive considering what they pack into them,

They close the album with the marginally darker "Cherub Rock of Gibraltar". It has a cool creeping feel. Despite the slight shift in intensity that makes it more progressive screamo than the more intense feel of the previous album, the concept here is intriguing and will likely make me come back and dig into this one for deeper listens. Sure it's a little more accessible in some way, but more challenging lyrically, so I will give this a 9.5, putting it on par with the previous album. It drops August 28th on Prosthetic Records 

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Showing Teeth : " A Fate Worse Than Loneliness"

 This is a solo artist who works with session musicians. This would not be odd if it were a pop artist, but instead it's a commentary on where the genre is heading. She has a very specific vocals paproach that is not broken up with clean sining until the second song. Her clean vocals are the kind of smooth pop hook that we now expect from the pop-focused corner of the genre that is spreading the fastest; you can hear Spiritbox influence in this but without the same scope of songwriting. My first thought was this was being done by AI, as it takes a middle-of-the-road approach even at its angriest. 

"Make It Out" employs more groove. The pop vocals lead the way here; the chorus is not as explosive, and the song itself backs away from the metallic approach until midway in and then it feels predictable. She has a decent voice but is not Courtney.  Laplante has a more defined personality. Once we get to 'Rip," things take more ofa turn toward generic. There is a more technical aspect to the riffs bringing the chaos to this one that jerks you around a bit. 

"Shallow Grave" finds the screaming and chugging back in place.     It really does feel heavy or hooky at this time as it follows the formula KillSwitch Engage laid out over 20 years ago. "Paradigm' closes the album out. It's a ballad that finds you waiting for the other shoe to drop, because you know it will, as it's basically a power ballad. A pop beat comes in to keep it moving before the guitar comes in.  Like Nostradamus, my prophecy comes true, and the harsh vocals come in before the song ends. This drops on Spinefarm September  4th, and I am sure she will be hitting the big rock fest circuit stages. I will give ths album a 8.5, as it is effective at what it does. 

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Taake : "En skog av nidstang"

 

This is the Norwegian project's 9th album. It finds Hoest continuing to perfect his take on the country bision of black metal with chilling riffing employed in a somewhat jarringly dissonant fashion on the opening track. I have not paid attention to the lyrics, which are normally screamed in a fairly incomprehensible manner. It seems to be nature based mytholgy draped in metaphor.  The second song has an equally intense static build of tremolo-picked guitars that plays it closer to the traditional expectations of the genre. The drums are largely buried in the mix. 

Drummer Rune has played with him for seven years, making him familar with the chaos this music tends to unfurl.  This one carries more drone than the opening track. The bu blurs into the background as the rabid picking falls into a wave of sound. More straightforward than what I expect from this project who has often thought out side the box to create more memorable black metal in the past. "Engler" finds more purpose in the drums slowing down and building a more epic nood. The drummer provides the space needed to do so. The scathing scowl of the vocals feels more uniform on this album. At the four-minute mark, I am surprised that I still have five minutes to go as I can not fathom how that is going to happen given what the song has become.The song deconstructs and builds back into some thing more tortured heading into the six minute mark.

The last song opens with a eeire guitar line before going into what I think of as the triumphant black metal gallop, though there is a darker slant this time around, This album feels like it carriesa rawer edge. production wise.With this comesa more traditional black metal feel.At two minutes in things break down for more melodic speculation to create more of the experimental feel.Certainly a better choice than more blast beats and adding more nuance to the album without backing down from it's confrontational nature. I will give this album a 9, it holds up against this porjects body of work and gives black metal fans what they want in a manner that's more than the status quo for the genre.

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Russian Circles : "Nine"

 As a singer, it's hard to sell me on instrumental bands, but there are a few exceptions, this band being one. Melodic guitar playing and a bit of a metallic drive make them more memorable. I think Pelican was the first band I was introduced to doing this sort of thing, though I was already a fan of Mogwai; those guys were more atmospheric drug music. Russian Circles blends both worlds. Some albums have been heavier than others; some found them almost wanting to lean in a black metal direction, when if they had a burly lumberjack barking in the background, they would be a sludge band. The hammering of the second song, "Empath," lends weight to this theory. The dense guitar sound creates a sonic wall that closes in on you.

At eight and a half minutes, 'Eluvial' leans more toward their atmospheric side, which is more typical of the post-rock genre. But it is kept balanced here and still makes for an effective listen that hooks you in without the benefit of vocal hooks. There is a similar vibe later on with "Meridian," though that one is a little more brooding and melancholic. 'E2" has some cool electronic sounds in its pulse, which finds the band mixing it enough to keep you interested. The only time they drone is on "Meridian" 

The last song ends with more of a heavy crunch; the only issue with this is that when I just left it playing, the stream started back on the first song, and I could not tell that it had changed songs which for me as a red flag that the songs sound the same; granted, when it comes to instrumental music, this is one of the more common problems, there were only a couple moments where I felt like they were doing something new, but when they do what they do they do it well, so fans might just have asound they want more than soungs, They are skilled at this and made the album they sought to make so I will give it a 9.5. Not sure how many times I will revisit this album, but post-rock fans should make it required listening.Drops August 28th on Sargent House. 

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Kulk : "Choosing to Die"

 

This British band thinks of itself as doom; well, perhaps their record label wants to market them as such, as they are on Church Records, but what I am hearing is noise rock. Noise rock is having its biggest moment yet, and I think the new Chat Pile will elevate it to larger stages, so this is not the time to try to jump off that bandwagon for one that has a more settled niche. Feedback squeals and the vocals are shouted as they continue to bang on their instruments into the third song, so the first three songs run together. Granted, the minute and a half "We're Worried About You " is the song that gets lost in the shuffle as the lines are blurred as to whether it is the outro for the opening or the intro for "Being Forgotten" .

I wonder what these recording sessions were like, as it seems like msot are trying to noisegate the feedback where these two want it erupting from every chord and corner of the song. This is carried to extremes on "Collapse".  The first darker, more melodic moment is on "For Blood" , though there are still some explosive riffs that take over. 'To Take Life" finds the grooving on a pound that meets somewhere between "Filth Pig" era Ministry and early Helmet. It's more deliberate, making it one of the album's best songs so far.

"The Saddest Holiday" is not far from what they were doing in the previous song. "Ache" is more like early Swans in its bleak pulse. The vocals are barked with a similar anger. It has a more droning nature to it than the other songs. The last track is just ambient noise. I will give this album an 8, now remaking the feel here, but they do have an interesting love of feedback; they get the job done. Sure, fans of heavier noise rock like Karp should find much to love here. This album drops August 28th.

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Unteachers : "Under Bright Sadness"

 The dark, sludgey crunch these guys open their album with sets the expectations high, andd aside from the sheer weight of what they are doing, I am not sure they can write a song yet. This is leading me to believe this album is going to have a very Ministry-like sound. The second song finds them letting up on the distortion and allowing a tense groove to flourish, with sung vocals chiming in. It brings Dredg to mind. They drone on this groove as the vocals keep things moving while the band holds static. In the upper register, the vocals are pitchy, and the chorus does not soar as intended. This makes me think they might be the msot popular band at the bar in their zipcode but I am not sure it's going to allow them to stand shoulder to shoulder with my bands like Tool or Opeth Which that level of professionalism in your respective genre is what I am looking for here.

They continue down a more Tool-like vision of prog for 'Housholds of a Cosmic War". Which might be too ambitious for them. The hooky chorus and production are where they seem to be struggling the most. The tenor vocals employed here do not carry the kind of aggression that would sell me on this. "Song of Seven Pillars" confirms a distinct lack of conceptual continuity, resulting a band that throws different things at the wall to see what sticks; this more punk attempt is not it. "Devils Blessed by the Rising Sun" does not help their case in this regard, though it is better than the previous song.

"Last Rites for Lesser Magick" has a much better riff empowering it. Though the vocals come in and ruin it, along with the drummer speeding up. 'The Orb was Only Dist" is less amateurish and flows better; this is the direction they need to lean into. I'm going to go ahead and say the last song does not need to be 11 minutes long, even though at the time I am typing this sentence I am only a minute in. I'm basing this on all the choices they have made leading up to this point. They drag the first part out for four minutes nad then build it into a heavier riff. I was right; it becomes ponderous. I will give this album a 6.5; they just need to keep refining what they do in a manner that clicks best for them, but to impress me with one or two songs is better than hundreds of bands do.

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Ceremony : "Tell Me Your Dream"

 The two released after "Zoo" only received an 8.5 from here, as they veered off too far in a post-punk direction and lacked the punk side of that equation. Two songs into their new album, and it feels like they have returned to a more punk side of their past, which is a welcome return. They have never played it safe by being a by-the-books punk band, but punk is one genre that should throw whatever books are defining it out the window, making it more about the attitude. That said, they are done experimenting, as there is a funky groove and synths in "Madness" which still manges to retain its attitude and is a well-written song.I suppose it's done in a similar context as what Gang of Four used to do. 

There is more of a rough jangle to "Dark Summer". The vocals are more melodic, but feel true to who they are. "Deep Down Where I Belong" has a punk heart to it but the sound gathered to convey this has an earlier New York post-punk feel. It is the most experimental song thus far. They still manage to keep up their momentum. 'Antenna" benefits from a great bass tone. "Justify' feels like they are comfortably occupying the space that Fugazi used to occupy. It's a space that needs feeling, so I certainly don't mind

"Death Destruction Mayhem" works off renewed punk energy that complements the tension of the palm-muted guitar.'10 Planets" finds them back grooving in a clanging Fugazi-like place that carries the needed urgency. Oddly, they close the album with one of the most melodic moments as "Paradise" finds the vocals pulling most of the weight. For a riff to send a song hypnotically drifting is an oddity for punk bands who are not the Cure. Overall everythinig falls right into place this time around and they pick up where they left off with "Zoo" making this one of the years bet punk album's so far .Iwill give it a 10 This album drops August 7th on Relapse Records.

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Brocarde : "GOOD ATTENDANCE AT SUNDAY SCHOOL"

 

The first song leads you to believe this is going to be a concept album about her life, starting from birth in the opening track. This is a very theatrical presentation, and while it holds similar sonic elements to the gothier side of nu-metal, what she is doing is surprisingly original. She shrieks and squeaks, along with uttering a convincing, harsher scream. Perhaps if Raptuina were a black metal band that gave up their cellos for guitars, the result might be similar. "Feed My Soul" features Korn drummer Ray Luzier, who bangs on the kit in a manner true to who he is. This song follows closer to the nu-metal playbook.

While I get where she is going lyrically, the phrashing at times in "Last Supper" feels a little forced when it comes to the vocals smoothly blending with the riffs. With a title like "Haunted' you would think the song would feel more haunting, but instead it follows a variation of the formula that unravelled in the previous song, and we continue to encounter awkward vocal phrashing like she is trying to cram too many lyrics into the verses. "Pandora's Box' is color-by-numbers nu-metal. "Seven Sins" flows better than the bulk of the album despite the temper tantrum going into the chorus. It does show the potential that is here, and how she is capable of getting the vocals dialed in. 

The chorus to "FEMINIST" is ok, but the riffs are straight out of the late 90s radio rock slush pile. It is, however, better than the last song, 'Blank Pages, ' which sounds like it's out of a Disney musical. Sure, it builds up likea power ballad at the end, but the power chords are not a huge improvement. She does prove she can actually sing, but writing a song is hit or miss here, though the concept and vision are better than msot so I will give this a 7. 

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Kacey Musgraves : " Middle of Nowhere"

 

She opens the album with a two-step back into country and further from pop. I've heard the singles leading up to this album, so I know it's not going to be a straight-up country album, nor would I want it to be. Though if you have not seen her covering "Coalminer's Daughter" at the Country Music Awards, you should if there are any doubts as to her being a legit country artist. Speaking of singles on "Dry Spell she uses pop smarts in the vocal arrangements while sticking clsoer to country; lyrically, some of her smartest innuendos flourish in this song. 

"Back on the Wagon" has a Conway Twitty-like introspective feel, as she makes apologies for an alcoholic in the lyrics.  "I Believe in Ghosts" is the first song that really feels it could have been on the last album, though it does carry a comfortable level of organic twang."Abilene" has more groove to it; it's pop only if you mean the pre-disco pop of the early 70s.  The production of this album is immaculate. "Coyote" finds Gregory Isakov of "Big Black Car' fame lending his voice. The song works but does not grab me as hard as the first five.

"Lonelist Girl" sort of crosses over in the minimal beat that keeps things moving. Billy Strings joins her for "Everybody Wants to be a Cowboy". It's more of a melancholic sound than what I expect from him, and the guitar solo he plays is rather subtle. "Horses and Divorces" finds Miranda Lambert dueting with her, wehre the other singers have been relegated back to harmony vocals. It's an old school country drinking song.   "Uncertain Tx' works not as original as "Rhinestoned," but I am sure she has always wanted Willie Nelson on an album nad at 83 his appearance is understated and low in the mix. 

I have already heard 'Mexico Honey" and seen the video where she is shaking it in the pink shorts she sings about here. This is everything you could want from her as she brings the smarts of pop hooks combining with legit country instrumentation. This song has dreamy ebb and flow to it. 'Hell On Me" closes the album. It's a more introspective ballad. She takes the melody in less obvious places. I will go ahead and round this up to a 10. At this rate, I might have to rate a seperate country end-of-year list, as I am curious how this album would stack up against the new Chelsea Wolfe. Regardless Kacey has created a smart sexy country album that stands on it's own. 

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

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Charli XCX : "Music, Fashion, Film"

She is wise not to take her Brat Girl Summer head-on. She eluded it on the "Wuthering Heights" soundtrack. Now she knows it's time to step up and see where it goes. Of course there have to be guitars on a song called " Rock Music". It feels like she is pivoting from hyper-pop and has an eye on what Oliva Rodrigo is doing. She knows what she is doing, and the stakes could not be higher for her. The first two songs have not been a Brat-sized banger, but are solid songs, more of a bop, as the kids would say. Then things get weird.

Weird in the best way for "Card Declined," that comes across like some oddball indie rock from the late 90s. This album is really well produced, but it is not big and in your face like her last two. There is more of an indie rock strum to "Camera' that works off a jangle that is remixed. These are good songs; they are just not going to be what you expect or knew you wanted from her. It feels like a change she had to make to not recycle herself creatively. '2007" is another weird one that grows on me, with its danced-out jangle.

"I'm Afraid" and "Yeah" feel like companion pieces, working off the energy in a subtle way that underlines the genius of this album. "Wink Wink" feels like a more organic 90s inspired version of what you might expect from her. "Persona" has an overdriven bass line and woozy shoegaze-like guitars. It's got more pop hooks than the bulk of the record. "Magic Metal Montana" is experimental but works in the context presented well. It is fitting that David Croenberg's voice is used on the last song, as this sums up what kind of pop album this is. If it is a pop album, you could just as easily call this one an indie rock album. I hope Taylor Swift doesn't try to release an album this year, as it's hard to compete with this. 

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

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Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

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