The Top 20 Albums of 2024 : 20 to 11

This year I have decided to expand what was once the Top 10 Albums of the Year to the Top 20. The Top 10  was a little limiting considering there are now 20 best-of-genre lists, so a Top 10 would leave off ten albums that captured the top spot for their respective genres.  In doing this it's expanded said list into two parts. This is the first part counting down from album 20 to 11.  These are the albums I listened to most. When you take into consideration the fact I listened to over 900 albums this year, it's impressive for these albums to have endured the influx of new music that hit My inbox every morning and made me want to hear them again and again. Yes, this is the culmination of all the other lists done up to this point for other blogs and was refined down to this master list of all genres.; So here ya go...

1-Iress -" Sleep Now, In Reverse" 

Taking the top spot is this beautiful wave of gloomy gazing from this  Los Angeles-based band.  It was a tough call between this album and Bleakheart, with the vocals of Michelle Malley being the tiebreaker as she delivers an emotionally stunning performance that creates a wonderful contrast to the storm clouds the band summons beneath her sublime melodies. The drumming gives this album a great deal of focused intention which in turn creates songwriting magic as they grow as songwriters. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/iress-sleep-now-in-reverse.html

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20-iRESS -

19-REZN - "Burden"

The new album from Chicago's Sonic Sorcerors found them expanding their minds and sound The dark groovin' drive that lurks as the heartbeat of this album, might not be metal, but it is aggressive enough to get the point across.  The plea of the vocals echoes out into the expansive place they have created here. It feels darker than the previous album, but darker in a more hazy moonlit manner. When it comes to making melancholy stoner rock that is heavy on the atmosphere this year these guys can not be beaten. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/rezn-burden.html

 

 18-Charli XCX -"BRAT" 

If you strip away the cultural marketing tactics that put her in the spotlight this year, she already has released an album of Strong Bangers, but she was not letting it just be a great album. It's the nature of the beast she is in the belly of, but that aside, these songs bump seriously, and I have been a fan of hers for some time now, so glad to see she is getting the recognition she deserves. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/charli-xcx-brat.html

17-Witnesses - "Joy" 

 Despite my preference for Kody Ternes as the vocalist, things changed, and  Bibby from Seventh Angel is handling the vocals this time around. He is more of a metal singer than Ternes, he does make melodic choices that think outside of the power metal box, some doom singers lean toward. His voice grew on me.  Not as dark as some of their previous work the album deals more with self -actualization. There is a highly emotive nature they invoke with the atmosphere. It is one of Greg Schwan's strengths as a songwriter. Things are very dynamic, with the vocals soaring above it all. They once again excelled, and if you are a doom fan who enjoys melody then this album is a must.  This band is onto something and it is one of the more original expressions of doom I have heard in a minute. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/november-is-doom-witnesses-joy.html

 

16-Crypt Sermon- "The Stygian Rose" 

Taking their  80s-flavored metal down its darker grittier path, not unlike Savatage or Metal Church, the songs benefit from more vocal colors going on this time around. The riffing carries more thrash, as they hit their stride as songwriters.  There are lots of tasteful guitar solos that relentlessly hit you with killer riffs. This album finds them coming into their own, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the albums these songs draw inspiration from.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/crypt-sermon-stygian-rose.html

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15-Planes Mistaken For Stars - "Do You Still Love Me ?" 

The late Gared O'Donnell recorded this album while undergoing Chemo, before succumbing to his chance at 44. They were always too gritty and real to break through to the mainstream. Their take on rock n roll still pounds the song into you. Unless you share in the inner darkness with which these songs were conceived you might not know what to make of the brooding. To my ears it's beautiful. Some brighter guitar tones on this album than in their previous work, it's clear he was ending things in a manner that still pushed their sound forward. Gared you are missed

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/planes-mistaken-for-stars-do-you-still.html

14-Chelsea Wolfe -"Unbound" 

 If She said the versions of these songs found on this EP were how they were originally written, before being re-mixed into what was presented on "She Reaches Out to, She Reaches Out to..." it would make perfect sense as this sounds more like who she is. This is emotionally powerful and feels like a true expression of who she is. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/chelsea-wolfe-unbound.html

 

13-Full of Hell-"Coagulated Bliss"

This album grew on me more than any other this year, partly due to catching these guys live where it all clicked. It's also a huge step of maturity in songwriting. From a production standpoint, it's more organic. They were not darker, but more punk than the sludge-tinged gnarliness that comprised their guitar tone on other albums. The guitarist claims that he learned how to serve the song during their sessions for the album with Nothing. Things here reflect that due to the fact it is angular and mathy, but not spastic. The vocals are more deliberate as well.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/full-of-hell-coagulated-bliss.html

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12-Death Killer -"Total Destruction of the Entire Universe" 

Here is the kind of industrial album I was waiting for. It is both pissed and heavy as hell with a fair dose of chaos in its veins. There is a great balance of instrumentation and programming/ electronic elements. It is not industrial music to dance to it is industrial music that is going to kick your face. Not unlike Ministry's "Filth Pig" album in that regard though this is heavier. It blasts at you like a jackhammer, as it sonically fucks your brains out right from the first song

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/gothtober-death-killer.html

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11-Nails - "Every Bridge Burning" 

It's been 8 years since the last album from this California-based hard-core band. They are just as angry as they were on "You Will Never Be One of Us".  The grind-core influence on the band has them spitting out minute-and-a-half songs propelled by an unrelenting momentum. The faster moments that create a frenzied wall of sound are balanced out by the intentional songwriting masterstrokes delivered here, and find this album to be worth the wait and put the band on the top of the hard-core heap. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/nails-every-bridge-burning.html

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The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2024

As the world finds itself coming closer to critical mass, We need heavy music more than ever. This is the culmination of all the other metal lists. Yes, I have done other metal lists for other blogs, and I see them as being a refining process for when I make this list. The results might vary to at the end of the day I checked my Last FM to see what I actually listened to the most and here we are with these results. Truth be told this still included most of the number-one picks from the varied sub-genre lists, though other albums that ranked maybe two are three on their respective lists, also earned a place here, due to growing on me or replay value of their albums. While results may have varied, this is the final word. 

The very fact these bands made it to this list means they are cream of the crop 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, you look forward to listening to it again. You can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However, I listen to over six hundred new albums this year, so chances are  I heard your favorite album and was not impressed.  I hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2024

10-Deadform - "Entrenched In Hell" 

This is the first full-length from this Oakland-based crust trio which features Dino Sommese from Dystopia on drums as well as sharing vocal duties with Brian Clouse from Stormcrow, who is also playing bass in this project. The furious sounds unleashed on this album highlight the things I love about the Crust genre. It's heavy, yet grooving in its pummeling. There is also a dark apocalyptic mood churning from the songs. The tones coming from their blown-out amps are burly enough to belong to a sludge band, but they are played with more of a punk attitude. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/deadform-entrenched-in-hell.html

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9-Maul- "In the Jaws of Bereavement" 

This album clicked for me right away as it packs a powerful punch, yet does not shy from guitar melodies to show they care about writing songs. North Dakota is not where I would expect this to come from but here we are. There is no shortage of head-banging grooves. This album makes a strong argument for having the bass prominent in the mix when it comes to death metal. There are some technical thrashing riffs, that are balanced out by locking into chugs to bring a more deliberate attack that plays to their strengths. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/maul-in-jaws-of-bereavement.html

8-Witnesses - "Joy" 

 Despite my preference for Kody Ternes as the vocalist, things changed, and  Bibby from Seventh Angel is handling the vocals this time around. He is more of a metal singer than Ternes, he does make melodic choices that think outside of the power metal box, some doom singers lean toward. His voice grew on me.  Not as dark as some of their previous work the album deals more with self -actualization. There is a highly emotive nature they invoke with the atmosphere. It is one of Greg Schwan's strengths as a songwriter. Things are very dynamic, with the vocals soaring above it all. They once again excelled, and if you are a doom fan who enjoys melody then this album is a must.  This band is onto something and it is one of the more original expressions of doom I have heard in a minute. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/november-is-doom-witnesses-joy.html

 

7-Crypt Sermon- "The Stygian Rose" 

Taking their  80s-flavored metal down its darker grittier path, not unlike Savatage or Metal Church, the songs benefit from more vocal colors going on this time around. The riffing carries more thrash, as they hit their stride as songwriters.  There are lots of tasteful guitar solos that relentlessly hit you with killer riffs. This album finds them coming into their own, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the albums these songs draw inspiration from.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/crypt-sermon-stygian-rose.html

6-Full of Hell-"Coagulated Bliss"

This album grew on me more than any other this year, partly due to catching these guys live where it all clicked. It's also a huge step of maturity in songwriting. From a production standpoint, it's more organic. They were not darker, but more punk than the sludge-tinged gnarliness that comprised their guitar tone on other albums. The guitarist claims that he learned how to serve the song during their sessions for the album with Nothing. Things here reflect that due to the fact it is angular and mathy, but not spastic. The vocals are more deliberate as well.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/full-of-hell-coagulated-bliss.html

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5-Death Killer -"Total Destruction of the Entire Universe" 

Here is the kind of industrial album I was waiting for. It is both pissed and heavy as hell with a fair dose of chaos in its veins. There is a great balance of instrumentation and programming/ electronic elements. It is not industrial music to dance to it is industrial music that is going to kick your face. Not unlike Ministry's "Filth Pig" album in that regard though this is heavier. It blasts at you like a jackhammer, as it sonically fucks your brains out right from the first song

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/gothtober-death-killer.html

4-Nails - "Every Bridge Burning" 

It's been 8 years since the last album from this California-based hard-core band. They are just as angry as they were on "You Will Never Be One of Us".  The grind-core influence on the band has them spitting out minute-and-a-half songs that are propelled by an unrelenting momentum. The faster moments that create a frenzied wall of sound are balanced out by the intentional songwriting masterstrokes delivered here, and find this album to be worth the wait and put the band on the top of the heap. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/nails-every-bridge-burning.html

3- Weston Super Maim- "See You Tomorrow Baby"

This band is out to crush you with their industrial-strength metal, possessed by chaotic outbursts of jarring mathematics like a grind-core version of Meshuggah. This album proves you can go to the extremes of heaviness while still having a huge sound. At times electronic sounds enter the fray. Impressive guitar work does not hinder the sheer weight this album hits you with while writing memorable songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/08/weston-super-maim-see-you-tomorrow-baby.html

 

2-200 Stab Wounds - "Manual Manic Procedures" 

 Less than a year after the previous release, the guys have worked hard to perfect their craft, as this is more nuanced and dynamic songwriting. My only complaint about the first album was that it was so straightforward that there was little to separate it from veterans like Cannibal Corpses. Now they are really bringing it hard this time around. They give the oppressive pounding. Plenty of syncopated punches and little nuances make it clear that this operation is meticulous. Perfect blend of creepy melodic parts, and aggressive hooky riffs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/death-is-june-200-stab-wounds-manual.html

1-Glassing-"From the Other Side of the Mirror" 

 This band has a history of ruling, and it's not stopping. This album was darker and more melodic, giving me more of what I wanted from them. At times, the screamed vocals offset what might otherwise be creepy bass-driven shoegaze. They get feral and deface your eardrums with their tangible sense of anguish. Though none of this is contrived or thought out from a marketing perspective by a record label this is just where they are, perhaps even angrier than the previous album though there is a wide range of emotional colors being used here making them the best metal album of the year with the inner apocalypse they project outwardly

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/glassing-from-other-side-of-mirror.html

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Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2024

Mainstream Metal is defined here as the middle of the road that does not lean too far in the direction of other genres sludge or black metal that has its own lists. Power Metal and Thrash are the two most common sub-genres, though nu-metal and  Viking metal are both represented as well.  These are not the coolest albums, but the best, fuck what other blogs say, After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2024.

 The very fact 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, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and 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 Mainstream Metal albums of 2024.

10-Kerry King- "From Hell I Rise" 

If you were wondering how much of Slayer was Kerry King, the question is about to be answered. The band had been plugging along without Jeff. Jeff played a role in their writing process, so it depends on what side of the band you hope to hear. Mark from Death Angel is handling the vocals,. This album carries a great deal about what made Slayer great but is still not Slayer. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/kerry-king-from-hell-i-rise.html

9-Ghoul- "Noxious Concoctions" 

This album is less raw, and more refined sonically than I have heard from them in the past. They are living up to their creepy persona. The band proves they are more capable than they normally lead you to believe. The drummer really hammers this one home in the best way possible. These guys live at the place where thrash and death metal first met in the mid-80s. This does play to their benefit as it shows that they care about catchy riffs, and writing songs rather than just pummelling you into submission. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/01/ghoul-noxious-concoctions.html

 

8-Witherfall- "Sounds of the Forgotten" 

These guys are one of the few bands doing this sort of thing that gets it right. They do not skimp on the thrash side of the genre, giving them a darker, more aggressive sound. Joesph Micheal took the mantle from Wurrel Dane on the last Sanctuary tour I caught, invoking that classic sound. On this album, drummer Chris Tsaganeas proves himself capable of sitting alongside any metal drummer doing it today. They balance out the flash of the 80s with headbanging grit here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/witherfall-sounds-of-forgotten.html

7-High Reeper -"Renewed By Death" 

Here is some classic-sounding metal, that could have rolled out from the late 80s. When they chug they mean it. This is a guitar band, as the drums fall behind their chug in the mix. I'm not normally huge on guitar solos but these guys craft them in a way that compliments the song. They get to the point and don't fuck around. The vocals are belted in a way that sometimes reminds me of Mark from Death Angel. They not only capture an authentic sound but wove it into catchy songs.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/high-reeper-renewed-by-death.html

 

6-Flotsam & Jetsam - "I Am the Weapon" 

In their long career, the band has been consistent in cranking out quality thrash with epic power metal-like vocals, though Eric AK has managed to rein his yodels back with age. Not sure I approve of the version of "No Place For Dusgrace' where they re-recorded them out of existence, but that was then this is now. Though it thrashes in a pretty straightforward manner. Despite having forsaken his falsetto, Eric's voice sounds great. I get why he doesn't do it as it sounds very 80s. These guys continued to fine-tune what they do without being trapped in the sound of an era.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/flotsam-jetsam-i-am-weapon.html

                 

5-Borknagar-"FALL" 

The 12th album from these Norse giants hath arrived. It is easy to think of this as the ICS Vortex band, but Arcturus might fit that description better as other singers have claimed the mic. There is the kind of bombast rooted in their black metal history by leading off with screamed vocals and a super aggressive slice with razor-sharp riffing before going into their more progressive side. The more operatic croon of Vortex's trademark soaring bellow drives the songs, even as they  wander off into the majestic wonderment fans know they are capable of,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/02/black-metal-history-month-borknagar-fall.html

4-Ihsahn- "s/t" 

The Emperor frontman returns for his 8th solo album, taking his black metal past and running it through a wild, wandering filter of progressive rock.  I think he has proven he would be capable of scoring movies. This album lives up to his ambitions, he has already set the bar pretty high for himself though when you do not weight it against Emperor but measure this album against metal music as a whole certainly more thought-provoking than most. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/02/black-metal-history-month-ihsahn-st.html

3-Seven Hours After Violet- "S/T" 

If you are going to start up a nu-metal, then it pays to be the bass player from System of Down. He is not going to let you forget where he came from. Some of this lies on the shoulders of Taylor Barber from Left to Suffer. After reviewing two Left to Suffer albums, I  still did not know he could sing like this. You can tell they are influenced by nu-metal, and he was a wise choice as the heavier moments bridge a gap between the metal core of today and the 90s nu-metal.  This album impressed me more than expected, and a great deal of the praise should go to Taylor Barber, who let's face it was going up again Serj when it comes to the expectations of System of a Down fan, they rose the occasion 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/seven-hours-after-violet-st.html

2-Atrophy- "Asylum" 

 The band's 1988 "Socialized Hate" album is an underrated thrash classic.  At 59 years of age, Brian Zimmerman is the only original member. His voice has held up pretty well, and carries the familiar narrative of their earlier work, though he has spent some time thinking about what he did on those albums, as the phrasing is more nuanced. The band Zimmerman gathered seemed to be session players on the fringes of the business, but they stepped up to this opportunity and proved themselves as capable as any thrash band, not only standing up to the band's earlier work but creating hooky songs worth repeat listens which earned it places this high up on the list. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/03/atrophy-asylum.html

 

1-Crypt Sermon- "the Stygian Rose" 

Taking their  80s-flavored metal down its darker grittier path, not unlike Savatage or Metal Church, the songs benefit from more vocal colors going on this time around. The riffing carries more thrash, as they hit their stride as songwriters.  There are lots of tasteful guitar solos that relentlessly hit you with killer riffs. This album finds them coming into their own, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the albums these songs draw inspiration from.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/crypt-sermon-stygian-rose.html

pst638

July's Top 10 Albums

It's time for July's top 10 albums. Staying abreast on the month's highlights might help casual readers see what they missed and check these artists out. I am not doing little blurbs on them, just linking the reviews. I'll use this to organize my lists for the end of the year, by listing the genre of music the album falls under. This does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most, I have albums in my in-box that are not coming out til October so I am normally way ahead of the curve in this regard. They are ranked in order of what I have listened to the most. This month there is a wide variety from Country to Black Metal so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums for July 2024.

10-the Decemberists -"As it Ever Was, So it Will Be Again"  

Indie Folk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-decemberists-as-it-ever-was-so-it.html

9-Abrams - "Blue City" 

Grunge 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/abrams-blue-city.html

8-Hell is Other People - "Moirae" 

Black Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/hell-is-other-people-moirae.html

7-the Raveonettes - "The Raveonettes Sing…"

Garage Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-raveonettes-raveonettes-sing.html

6-Svoid-"Neptunian" 

Black Metal

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/svoid-neptunian.html

5- SeeYouSpaceCowboy -"Coup De Gr​á​ce" 

Experimental Pop Punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/seeyouspacecowboy-coup-de-grace.html

4-Johnny Blue Skies ( Sturgill Simpson) - "Passage Du Desir" 

Country

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/johnny-blue-skies-passage-du-desir.html

3-Softcult- "Heaven" 

Dream-pop 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/softcult-heaven.html

2-Crypt Sermon- "The Stygian Rose" 

Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/crypt-sermon-stygian-rose.html

1-Iress - "Sleep now In Reverse" 

Doom-gaze

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/iress-sleep-now-in-reverse.html

pst372

the Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2019

It's that time of year again, to sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, then use them, to compile the top 10 albums of the year. Later in the month I am making  the top 10 lists for the decade, though to be blunt  this is the decade's weakest year for music.  Especially when it comes to new artists,  this is at least the second album by these artists. . We are once again defining main stream metal as any genre that is not of the more extreme variety, but still actually metal and not hard rock. This makes it more accessible than say black or death metal. a   As in  past years I am  giving a brief explanation as to why these albums stand over their peers in lower positions on the list. The very fact 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, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However  I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No,  I do not care what you think about it.   I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list  and  have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 mainstream metal albums of 2019 .

10- Borknagar-"True North"

I will always take what I can get from ICS Vortex. Their 11th album,finds the band refining and maturing their sound. Some songs are more prog than others. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the bulk of their work up to this point.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/borknagar-true-north.html




























9-Tyr -"Hel" 


 It had the kind of muscle many folk metal bands lack with great sense for hooky anthems. The guitar players dazzle you more than previous efforts. This was one of the years most solid straight up metal albums . It was pretty straight forward but really powerful. They swung their hammers harder than Borknagar this time around.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/tyr-hel.html

8-Rotting Christ- "The Heretics" 

r the past 19 years they have expanded their sound into something beyond black metal. Bigger and sometimes more symphonic like Dimmu Borgir. This also explains why they have a larger audience. They continue to weave in various elements of world music into their sound. It pays off and proves they care about their songs. They beat out the likes and Borknagar for this spot because they are darker. 7- Cellar Darling - 'the Spell"

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/cellar-darling-spell.html

6-Wednesday 13-- "Necrophaze"

This gritty take on goth metal that sounds like it could have crawled out of the best places from the 90s. I debated if they belonged here or the goth list. It boils down to the guitars and vocals owing more to W.A.S.P than Marilyn being the the tipping point. It's the razor they sink into their riffs that gives them the edge over Cellar Darling.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-wednesday-13-necrophaze.html

5-Beastmaker- "Eye of the Storm"

 Sadly this is the swan song for this band. Two of the members are in Haunt, so they are bringing this band to a close in order to focus more on that project. I think judging from the title track that opens this album that I prefer Beastmaker to Haunt. These guys are the more metal of the two band. There are less guitar solos here and a darker mood. The raw emotion gives them leverage over Weds 13.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/06/beastmaker-eye-of-storm.html

4-Crypt Sermon- "The Ruins of Fading Light"

 this album boils up from a place where power metal meets doom. The guitars have a more driven chug and the powerfully sung vocals carry an edge. The melancholy to their sound wins me over where most modern power metal loses me as it is too happy to be metal. Almsot to close to call against Beastmaker.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/06/crypt-sermon-ruins-of-fading-light.html

3- Alcest-" Spiritual Instinct"

These guys were melding black metal and shoe-gaze way before Deafheaven. Oddly neither of thoe two elements plays a dominant role in this album , but it is a more metallic and aggressive offering than their last two albums .More sonic layers than Crypt sermon.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/alcest-spiritual-instinct.html

2- Karyn Crisis' Gospel of Witches 

As a big fan of her old band Crisis, I will take anything I can get from her. Her voice has a great deal of personality no matter if she growls or croons. The sophomore outing for this projects finds the songs having more of a slither to them than the first one. Deeper and darker than Alcest.    

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/12/karyn-crisis-gospel-of-witches-covenant.html

1- Life of Agony- 'the Sound of the Scars"

The sound of the scars tells me this is the album that should have come after “Ugly” . Not as dense and hard core influenced as the classic “River Runs Red” ,. Caputo’s voice is back where it needs to be to restore uphold the band’s legacy. These songs have warranted hours of repeat listens., more l;listens than I gave Karyn.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/life-of-agony-sound-of-scars.html

Crypt Sermon :' The Ruins of Fading Light'

This band finds themselves at the place where power metal meets doom. The guitars have a more driven chug to them. Huge epic guitars are heavy and the vocals soar but have an edge to them. Some of the riffs have more melancholy than others. I like this better than most modern power metal, because it doesn't race ahead of you with a glorious gallop that is too happy to be metal. The vocals do have hook to them are carry memorable melodies, while keeping the 80s cheese influence to a minimum. The only 80s I head comes from a place like Sanctuary  or  Metal Church. Some of the melodies are almost to grandiose for their own good on "Our Reverends Grave" . The double bass keeps things moving, but there formula to this song is very similar to the previous song's. Too up beat for doom, however the influence is undeniable.

"Christ is Dead" highlights the strength of singer Brook Wilson's voice as a lower croon is the more dominant vocal carrying the song. The other vocal colors on this album range from a higher more power metal like warble , but with a sharper edge to it as well as death metal growls that only accent a phrase for a few seconds here and there.  The vocals take on a more of a asp going into "the Snake Handler". The song ends up really going crazy with the guitar solos, which fans of this genre will appreciate, I can deal with this since it is balanced out by some melodic and tasteful touches of guitar as well.  There is am ore dramatic folk infused  to "Enslave the Heathens" which is the intro "Beneath the A Torch Fire Glare" .  This is the first song that fully commits to being doom.  They continue to keep a balance of melody and heaviness on " the Ruins of Fading Light" .

i will round this up to a 9. It is very well done and I like the fact the vocals have a range of dynamics to them. Power metal for those who like darker shades of metal. Though not a dark as say King Diamond. They lyrics are more topical like Iron Maiden and the sinister stays pretty surface level. If you like classic metal, but you want a thrashing bite to it without the speed then this is worth your time. This album comes out September 13th.