The Top 10 Black Metal Albums of 2025

It is not surprising that Black Metal's popularity continues to wane in the hipster metal scene. It's now called problematic by poseurs who were only into it for superficial reasons in the first place, as the genre has always represented misanthropic hate and nihilistic disdain for the world. These albums captured what black metal should be with very little compromise. Black metal is a sub-genre of metal that is for the true outsiders. Here are the bands that captured it best. 

 After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2025. 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 Black Metal albums of 2025

10-Cult Burial- "Collapse of Pattern, Reverence of Dust."

It seems all too often blackened death metal bands add the wrong parts of the two genres. These guys seem to get the atmosphere and aggression combo before going into a more winding technical riff for the second song. The vocals are produced to give the growls the biggest roar for your buck. When they chug along at a very deliberate pace, it gives the vocals more purpose. The use of a present bass in the mix is effective and creates a darker backbone for the songs

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/cult-burial-collapse-of-pattern.html

 

9-Karg-"Maroduer" 

This is the band's 9th album, and Black metal seems to be at the core of their DNA, as it's the attitude propelling the aggressive tendencies, and even in how the atmosphere is approached. The vocals are not screamed but shouted in a forceful yet pained manner. More melodic and angular than what I expect from any metal coming out of Germany, with some turns into a more in-your-face black metal approach, 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-karg-maroduer.html

8-Deafheaven- "Lonely People With Power." 

On this album, they have balanced out the varied elements of their discography, right down to the deliberate chug the song transitions into. Having made their way onto the rock festival circuit, you had to wonder how much playing with big mainstream bands would influence them. Truth be told, when I saw them at Rockville, there was little compromise on their part to win anybody over. 6 albums into their career, I think it is safe to say if they were going to sell out, they would have by now. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/deafheaven-lonely-people-with-power.html

          

7-This Gift is a Curse-"Heir." 

This Swedish band plays a confrontational style of black metal that carries hard-core roots in its aggression. They do not just blast at you, but bring various influences. At times, layering things with like spoken female vocals before their more hard-core side of the band surfaces, and sparse places where they blast along in the vein of most black metal bands these days. It's the darker creep of the riffs that makes them stand out from the pack.  

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/this-gift-is-curse-heir.html

6-Shining-"Divided You Stand &United You'll Fall." 

Sweden's Shining should need little introduction here to regular readers, as they are one of the biggest bands from the depressive black metal sub-genre.  They have evolved past the weeping drama they once invoked. A gritty mix of covers and originals that finds them spreading their hatred in the best way possible.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/shining-divided-you-stand-united-youll.html

 

5-1914-"Viribus Unitis."

This Ukrainian band is branded as blackened Death-doom. It is the band's fourth, the second since their country was invaded by Russia. That conflict is the inspiration for this album. They go from black metal to a more deliberate crunch to back on a blackened path until the more melodic doom elements also begin to creep in. They color the songs with chanted vocals and wisely placed blast beasts to craft actual songs that are effective rather than an angry burst of sound. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/1914-viribus-unitis.html

 

4-Grima - "Nightside" 

This Russian band brings a more overt aggression than I remember from their last album.  There is almost a more Dissection-like layering to the guitar here. The vocals are more anguished, with the black metal shriek doubled by a lower death metal growl.  The production is great; it's a stellar mix with nothing buried. For some black metal purists, this might be too much of a sell-out, although we should be well past that point of contention by now.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-grima.html

3-Abigail Williams- "A Void Within Existence." 

One of the rare American Black Metal bands that has stood the test of time as a legitimate representation of what their genre is, with the same level of sonic darkness as their European counterparts. There is a bigger sound that pushes them more in the direction of a band like Behemoth.  The guitar work begins to dazzle over the commanding march. They find the perfect blend of bleak melody with enough black metal bombast to keep the dynamics balanced.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/abigail-williams-void-within-existence.html

2-Morast-"Fentanyl"

This is what black metal should be. Darkness and misery forged into music. It carries a dreadful throb, that is not what you might think of as depressive black metal, but they succeeded in capturing the despair of a junkie in a manner so real we have not heard it since mid-2000s Nachtmystium. I did not know fentanyl was big in Germany, but it's spread worldwide now, as I am sure the trailer parks of Europe in the Eastern Bloc are spreading it like roaches.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-morast.html

1-Blut Aus Nord - "Ethereal Horizons." 

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

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

Thanks for reading. 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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the Top 10 Black Metal Albums of 2025 ... so far

This was set in motion two years ago when too many journalists tried to erroneously hail hot garbage as the best black metal album of the year. This compelled me to set things straight, as such a claim is disrespectful to the genre; therefore,
I decided to uphold this mid-year tradition. Just sounding good from a production standpoint is not going to make the cut, since studio magic alone is not what black metal is about. Though I am not looking for something to sound like trash in the name of being cvlt either. I am also not paying homage to bands that are just press darlings for whatever social reason of the day might be. After all, Blackbraid continues to show what he got right about Native representation is being an alcoholic. I want bands who are effective at creating darkness, so with that said, here are the top 10 Black Metal Albums of 2025 ...so far.

10- Ritualmord- "This is Not Lifelover" 

Lifelover's remains turned to Hypothermia and Kall. This comes from the guitarist who formed Hypothermia. This was where the songs that were too experimental for that project as they continued to evolve as musicians. This is the first full-length of the project following three EPS. The mood is similar to what they have done before, even if they are not using the typical sonic building blocks of black metal to get there.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/ritualmord-this-is-not-lifelover.html

9- Void of Hope- "Proof of Existence" 

Finland's black metal scene is expanding beyond the raw black metal bands like Horna. It is also cool that depressive black metal is making more of a comeback. It's dark and more emotive than the normal blasting black metal that wants to sound like Darkthrone when even Darkthrone doesn't sound like the band they are trying to imitate anymore. The vocals have a nasty howl. The music carries a very deliberate throb.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-void-of-hope.html

8-Karg- "Maroduer" 

The band's 9th album finds attitude propelling the aggressive tendencies, and even in how the atmosphere is approached. The vocals are not screamed but shouted in a forceful yet pained manner. More melodic and angular than what I expect from any metal coming out of Germany

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-karg-maroduer.html

7-Grima- "Nightshade" 

The theme of this album is to honor Taiga, the spirit of the Siberian forest. If these guys are from Siberia, I can only wonder what it's like getting to band practice, as it's pretty harsh there. This is their 6th album, so they have been doing this a while, and it's apparent in how things flow in their playing.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-grima.html

6-Abigail Williams - "A Void Within Existence"

 Abigail Williams is one of the rare American Black Metal bands that has stood the test of time as a legitimate representation of its genre, with a sonic darkness on par with their European counterparts. This album effectively captures the darkness that this project embodies. The atmosphere brought by the guitar hits the sweet spot of making things sonically heavier.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/abigail-williams-void-within-existence.html

5-Morast- "Fentanyl"

This is what black metal should be. Darkness and misery forged into music. It carries a dreadful throb, that is not what you might think of as depressive black metal, but they succeeded in capturing the despair of junkie in a manner so real we have not heard it since mid-2000s Nachtmystium. I did not know fentanyl was big in Germany, but it's spread worldwide now, as I am sure the trailer parks of Europe in the Eastern Block are spreading it like roaches. 

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-morast.html

4-Void of Hope- "Proof of Existence" 

Finland's black metal scene is expanding beyond the raw black metal bands like Horna. It is also cool that depressive black metal is making more of a comeback. It's dark and more emotive than the normal blasting black metal that wants to sound like Darkthrone when even Darkthrone doesn't sound like the band they are trying to imitate anymore. The vocals have a nasty howl. The music carries a very deliberate throb.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/black-metal-history-month-void-of-hope.html

3-Deafheaven- "Lonely People With Power" 

The band continues to balance out the varied elements of their discography, right down to the deliberate chug that the song transitions into. Having made their way onto the rock festival circuit, you had to wonder how much playing with big mainstream bands would influence them. Truth be told, when I saw them at Rockville, there was little compromise on their part to win anybody over. 6 albums into their career, I think it is safe to say if they were going to sell out, they would have by now.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/deafheaven-lonely-people-with-power.html

2-Hexvessel- "Nocturne" 

Seven albums into their legacy, this Finnish band continues to ebb and flow with both neo-folk and black metal in their veins. In some way, this picks up where "Polar Veil" left off; in other ways, it expands upon it, with more layered voices that sound like the hippie choir persona of their folk era, now haunting this album, and finds a more balanced blend of those melodic folk textures.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/hexvessel-nocturne.html

1-NITE- "the Cult of the Serpent Sun" 

The third album from this San Francisco metal band. They walk a line between black metal and traditional metal. I can hear where Tribulation might have occupied a similar sonic space at one time if they had not turned into a goth band. If you want a classic metal-sounding album that is just not reheating leftovers but is writhing with an inner darkness, this album is for you. 

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

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

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast below 

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

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March's Top 10 Albums

 It's time for March's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights might help casual readers see what they missed and check these artists out. I am not writing little blurbs on them; I am just linking the reviews. Inclusion here does not mean that these albums have been released this month, but it is a list of new or upcoming albums I have enjoyed the most. I have albums in my inbox that are not coming out til June, 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 Crust Punk to Prog Rock, so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of  March 

10-Staticlone- "Better Living Through Static Vision" 

Crust Punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/staticlone-better-living-through-static.html

9-Jason Isbell -"Foxes in the Snow' 

Folk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/jason-isbell-foxes-in-snow.html

8-Gaahls Wyrd- " Braiding the Stories" 

Goth Metal 

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

7-Spiritworld -"Helldorado" 

Thrash 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/spiritworld-helldorado.html

6-Ancient Death- "Ego Dissolution" 

Progressive Death Metal 

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

5-Idle Heirs - "Life is Violence" 

Post-hardcore 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/idle-heirs-life-is-violence.html

4-Messa - "the Spin"

 

Prog Rock 

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

3- Kazea- "I, Ancestral" 

Sludge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/kazea-i-ancestral.html

2-Deafheaven _ "Lonely People With Power" 

Black Gaze 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/deafheaven-lonely-people-with-power.html

 1-Spiritbox-"Tsunami Sea" 

Progressive Metal 

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

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Deafheaven : "Lonely People With Power"

The first song finds the band balancing out the varied elements of their discography, right down to the deliberate chug the song transitions into. Having made their way onto the rock festival circuit, you had to wonder how much playing with big mainstream bands would influence them. Truth be told, when I saw them at Rockville, there was little compromise on their part to win anybody over. 6 albums into their career, I think it is safe to say if they were going to sell out, they would have by now. "Magnolia" is one of the songs I heard before the album's release, and it fits well within the context of the bigger picture here. The more deliberate head-banging riffs are cool. 

"the Garden Route" follows more closely to the "Sunbather" formula, where they take a more sheogazing track, and George snarls over it. There is a great range of guitar tones on this album, and the production is not too different from what we have heard in the past, though the vocals feel like they are sitting further back in the mix at times. "Heathen' finds George's singing voice continuing to improve. It's a more breezy indie rock song that skirts along the dusk, before exploding into the black metal dynamic. "Amethyst" unfolds more like a shimmering post-rock lullaby. At over eight minutes, it's the album's longest song, giving them time to lull you into a trance before the screaming starts two minutes into things. The guitars are well layered to add intensity without having to dig into the bag of metal chugs. They are sonically dense in a very graceful manner here.

They hurtle in a more traditional take on black metal with "Revelator". There is still a distinct sonic edge. The main riff is pretty hooky. The last two minutes take an unexpected turn, which the resistance to formulas might be one of this album's most endearing strengths, alongside the dynamics they delve into.  The most interesting song might be "Body Behavior," which grooves with a post-punk tension, and his vocals are snarled but in a more punk fashion. Their experimentation with sounds really pays off on this one. It does build up into more of a blasting storm than you might expect from them. Of the three "Incidental" interludes the second one with Jae Matthews from Boy Harsher is the most like a song, and the best of the three, which might surprise some of you since Paul Banks of Interpol is on the third one, but it's more of a spoken word over ambience. 

This sets you up for "Winona," that is another song which finds their more experimental nature in the studio paying off again. This entire album sounds great, but some moments are more stunning than others. When this song kicks in it sounds fucking hug, and if you are not already a believer of Daniel Tracy his drumming on this song will make you one. They take you back closer to a more "Sunbather' sound midway into things here. The last song serves as a fitting summary of what they are about on this album, with the sung vocals being used in a less formulaic manner than how most bands employ them these days.I will give this album a 10 might be their most diverse and adventurous album yet.  

 

6

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Gothtober- Silence in the Snow : "Ghost Eyes'

 

The criticism that the baritone Ian Curtis impersonation that dominates  the new wave of goth / post-punk bands is not inaccurate. Though if used as an attempt to overthrow the musical patriarchy female singers are just as guilty of imitating Siouxsie Sioux. This does not mar my enjoyment of the opening track from this band's new album, but it is noted. It also prompts me to listen for when they do not sound like a Siouxsie and the Banshees tribute band and show me who they are. "You Fade" is a decent song , but it does not change my opinion in this regard. The guitars and drums both create a dynamic path for the vocals to follow and that is appreciated. But it also makes me think of all the other singers she could be drawing inspiration from Dinah Cancer, Elizabeth Fraser, Lisa Gerrard, Annie Lennox, Kate Bush and Toni Halliday all come to mind. 

"To Hide" finds the formula beginning to wear a little thin as it is making the song the same. The drummer is continuing to kick ass , but that alone is not going to carry a song. Granted their drummer Trevor has played with both Deafheaven and Wolves in the Throne Room, so this is pretty much a walk in the park for him.  The guitar rings out more on "Dreams of Disbelief" to create a little different feel, not a hug shift but enough to not bore me. Musically they change it up a bit leading into "Let the Wild in". Her vocals back off an create a more ethereal sound that is much less Siouxsie. Perhaps this is what she might sound like if she just sang without preconceived notions of a sound she want to achieve.  "A Colder View" finds a more Cure like tension possessing the guitars, but the song largely breezes by under the guise of a similar sonic scope to what they have been doing for the bulk of the album so far.

A band is only as good as their drummer, so this works in the favor of these kids. She is back on her Siouxsie shit with the title track. Synths in the background only help shift the ambiance so much. The chorus does not pop out and grab you. "All Fall Away"  reminds me a little of Cold in Berlin in how it's heavy due to it's brooding feel. The last song has a similar drive, but the vocals find more purpose in the hooks they create. This album was a fun listen , and I like the dark vibes created here. There is not question they are talented, and accomplished what they set out to do here so I will give this album an 8.5. 

Live Review : "Welcome to Rockville 2023"

 

I will start off by saying , the whole Maynard doing drag pretty much a non issue, and even after going to the press to say he was not doing it as a protest ,but just something he sometimes does,  yet certain publications want to run with it for the clicks.  This is sensationalizing something that was a non-factor, unless you were in the front row, I was standing by the soundboard and Maynard just looked like a shadow against the video screen for the first hour of the set , which is all I could stand . It was the most boring performance of the day. It reminded me of why I don't like the new album as they were half way into "Pneuma" when I realized they were not playing a reworked version of "Schism" .  So this is the bad news first, that once the wonderment of the Pink Floyd visuals wore off and the band blew their load with "Forty Six & 2" they would prove to be the most tedious disappointment of the day, and I am saying that after being logistically forced to watch some bands that I am not into. 

Now with that out of the way, let's  look at the high lights. The first band we caught was Holy Wars. Having only heard a few of their songs, I thought I would take the chance and brave the heat for them. This is a much larger stage than the Los Angeles pop act normally command, but front woman Kat Leon proved to be a highly entertaining performer. She shifted through rapping, singing and screaming with ease, there was more menace to be found than the more sterilized pop nature to their studio work thus far. They are band that is better live, as it forces them to embrace a more organic element, and brings the guitars to the forefront. Leon's live persona has a dominant sexual energy that gives the songs a heavier feel. 

After "Holy Wars" we has some time to kill so caught Capital Theater, as the next band we wanted to see was Deafheaven, but that was three hours away.  Capital Theater are middle of the rock, that draws from both early 2000s emo and Jeff Buckley in equal measure, while having prog rock ambitions that are never fully realized. Then we wandered over to another stage for Filter. The years have not been kind to Richard Patrick. It was like someone's dad came in from a game of golf to fill in on Filter cover tunes. Patrick is the sole member of this band with a trio of hired guns backing him. What he had going for him were strong songs left over from back in the day, that held up no matter which way they beat them. 

Then we caught Attila. There is metal core, then there is whatever you want to call the Juggalo flavored rock this Atlanta band plays. It sounds like the more trailer infested suburbs further out of the city limits, rather than the kind of bands the city normally spawns. People were having fun, though it was interesting to see this subset of the attendees who not only also attend the Gathering but looked to have a taste for harder drugs than weed. It was weird for Deafheaven to follow this sort of thing. Having seen Deafheaven  four times previous, this was not their normally performance as they were out of their element, and not playing to their base. George Clarke, was forced to be more engaging and extroverted. Either way they came out and kicked ass hard with an intense set , that showed the crowd that metal was more than their Sirrus XM  mainstream fodder. They did this with a great balance of their blasting beaten blitz and the dreamy post-rock at the other end of their polarity. 

At some point we caught a little of Senses Fail, which sounding like motivational emo for fraternity brothers. Then Incubus who we were forced to listen to while waiting for Deftones. Incubus are professional and pulls their shit off, but they have a long history now of writing bland radio muzak. Boyd looked like he is slowly becoming Steven Tyler, and their new bassist looked like she was from Haim at first. Then Deftones took the stage, the last time I saw them live was likely 20 years ago. Things have changed. They do have a bigger production, with movies playing in the background, but with their 'bi" lighting comes a mellower vibe where they are more about simmering in mood with just enough rock to remind you who they are. Their studio material has been moving in this direction for sometime. 

I have searched for this online and with all the press backing tracks are getting, perhaps it is being surprised, but I know for a fact, there was a dude with long hair who was coming out to a microphone stand that was behind the bass player and handling a good deal of the harsher screams. Chino did a few if it was a single scream he sustained , but none of the more rapid punchy screamed sections which were handled as a call and response by this long haired stranger. I am of the mind a single singer should do both , but the overall performance was enjoyable, there was some energy to hit so not a case of them totally showing up and punching the time clock to get paid, but more in that direction than when I saw them earlier in their career. 

When Tool... I have already talked about their performance, which if you take into consideration the higher energy artists that played for them, aside from the stage spectacle provided by the lights and video projections, the ponderous songs seemed heavier on the pretense, no matter what era they came from. Granted I was inspired to leave before the final two songs, but it is unlikely they would have changed my mind as Maynard's voice was not getting any better as the night went one. It was so drenched in effects it was hard to find the tone of his actual voice. Danny Carey was on point, as was the rest of the band, no one is going to deny they are a caliber of musician that is head above the rest. That does not mean they are also going to be a fully engaged entertainer, as they could have been balancing their checks books in the heads as they played.

Overall it was a fun day. To get me back out into a crowd of 170000 people again they are going to need to bring the heat with a performer I really care about like that the only ones that come to my mind who could get me back out would be Iron Maiden, King Diamond, Metallica or Ozzy, any body else I am into at that level, would not likely be booked though Killing Joke is a maybe, but not likely. It was not as hot as I feared though standing up all day was rough, the prices of sodas not outrageous for concert pricing, and the overall layout and guest experience was well done, so maybe see ya there again? 

The Top 10 Shoe Gaze / Post Rock Albums of 2021

 Post rock is about atmosphere, much like shoe gaze just less narcotic and more cinematic place. Thus, making them a good fit for another on this list. As much like in years past sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. I know many of you are ready for 2020 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year.  most. The fact these artists 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 Shoe gaze and Post-rock albums of 2021 

10- Midwife - "Luminol" 

Droning shoe gaze dream pop with smart lyrics, Less is more here as melody and ambiance are given enough room here so when the pulse comes in it all works together. The lyrics are pretty clever as well. 

Abysmal Hymns: Midwife - "Luminol"

 9-Doused- "Murmur" 

Shoe gaze if it is dark enough to cross over into goth, but th focus here is more on atmosphere than the darkness.  It opens much darker with an instrumental than when they kick into their more standard songs; The muffled vocals against the sonic wall they kick up is brighter than most post punk, but you can hear how the Cure has influenced this genre of the years.

Abysmal Hymns: Gothober - doused : "Murmur"

8-Candelabre -"For to have time is to have wings" 

 This collection of sounds swirl around in such a way that it might take a few listens to catch what is going on. . Shimmering guitar and manic siren vocals. The drums are mixed into the background. This sounds like a combination of a lot of female fronted indie bands from the 90s run through a filter of mushrooms 

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- CANDELABRE : "For to have time is to have wings"

 

7-An Autumn For Crippled Children - "As The Morning Dawns We Close Our Eyes"

These guys bust them out pretty quick, been a year since their last one. Their 9th album overall. Their last album saw them returning to more of a black metal sound, this one only flirts with that but is the most aggressive album on the list even if it is not metal, the only dark and angry element is the vocals, aside from that is atmospheric enough to fit here. 

Abysmal Hymns: An Autumn For Crippled Children : "As The Morning Dawns We Close Our Eyes"

 

6-Bruit -"The Machine is burning and now everyone knows it could happen again "

Post rock is the version of prog for coffee swilling hipsters. This band from France, veers from the normal sounds and expectations of what this sub-genre can be. Lots of band's could learn from what goes down here. Yes, there is plenty of atmosphere but it has an excellent beat so the song has a sense of movement, so it is ok to listen to after your first cup of coffee rather than just drone you to sleep They have an excellent grasp of dynamics here as well.

Abysmal Hymns: Bruit : " The Machine is burning and now everyone knows it could happen again

 

5-Godspeedyoublackemperor! - "G_d' Pee - AT STATE'S END!"

You cannot mention post rock or any of its sub-genre's without mentioning these guys. Sometimes they are more song oriented than others. There is always more of a cinematic quality to what they do. After a few minutes of bubbling ambiance, they do kick into some along the lines of Early Pink Floyd that glides along with more of a prog rock majesty than what might first come to mind when trying to gauge your expectations with this band.

Abysmal Hymns: Godspeedyoublackemperor! :"G_d' Pee - AT STATE'S END!

4-Comatose- "A Way Back" 

 This band is comprised of guys from Chrome Waves and Fall to Decay. Melodic with a narcotic pulse and a more 90s rock like vibe with Catherine Wheel like moments shining through, though they are also capable of summoning, Jesu inspired pulses of woozy wonder.  

Abysmal Hymns: Comatose :" a Way Back"

3-Svarts-"Geography"

The sugary vocals that glaze the otherwise downtrodden haze of this rainy take of dream pop, give you a focal point. As the singer's meds wear off so sharpens the keen focus on hooky song writing,

 Abysmal Hymns: Svarts- ' Geography"

2-Chrome waves -"Rain Will Cleanse" 

Further stepping away from metal has forced the vocals to improve, which strengthened the songwriting even when the mood is more the more uniform.  Not as dark as the previous album, but not upbeat either, moody, but shy of sullen. The vocals are a little lower and more droning which is also a nice touch. The melodies are subtle

Abysmal Hymns: Chrome Waves : "Rain Will Cleanse"

1-Deafheaven - "Infinite Granite" 

If you are shocked that this band has crossed over and made a total shoe gaze album, then you have not been paying attention. George Clark is a better singer than he was a screamer, as with a few exceptions while emotive his scream was always more of a one trick pony. More melodies than the normal breathy cooing along with more drive and dynamic than your average shoe gaze band

Abysmal Hymns: Deafheaven : "Infinite Granite"

Deafheaven : "Infinite Granite"

If you are shocked that this band has crossed over and made a total shoe gaze album then you have not been paying attention. George Clark has been slowly working on his actual singing voice. He is a better singer than he was a screamer, as with a few exceptions while emotive his scream was always more of a one trick pony. If he was screaming on this album there would be be people who would still try to call this metal. "In a Blur' is more interesting than what most of the other new shoe gaze bands are doing these days. He also tries  to create melodies rather than the normal breathy cooing most utter. "Great Mass of Color' was one of the singles that preceded the album. There is more drive and dynamic than your average shoe gaze band who is not Nothing. The vocals sit back in the mix , but I remember being a little more impressed with his singing here and how he blends his upper register despite not being able to really belt or at least I have not heard him do so yet.  In the past you could kind of get the vibe this band were Smiths fans and it comes up again here.  

I can live without the cinematic instrumentals that are really just atmospheric interludes that sound like they could have been lifted from a sci-fi soundtrack. Even with the jangling guitars the drummer digs in to make things rock a little more on "Lament For Wasps".  It is an effective dynamic perhaps not as punchy as where they used to go in the past, but it works for this song. "Villain" finds the Smiths side of the coin really shining more. Though I can just as easily hear Roxy Music influence. Not as catchy as some of the previous songs but it flows in a more Cocteau Twins manner that makes lots of sense. In the last minute and a half of the song it builds into perhaps not a heavier sound but more sonic one and the screamed vocals return but are further in the back ground.   

Things get more driving in a more metallic direction , with George's singing smoothing things out on "the Gnashing" which is an even more interesting song and perhaps the album's best. Hear the guitarists who have had impeccable tones here so far, really shine more playing wise as they kind of jam things out a bit. There is more atmosphere at the onset of  "Other Language" which is a more run of the mill shoe gaze affair. The he last song finds the band back to what you expected from them , but only in the last two and a half minutes of  this eight minute song. The first six minutes has a really pretty sailing feeling, that his newfound croon works well over. I was not afraid of singing showing up as ever since I first heard them and heard them mention the Smiths in an earlier interview I knew this day was coming, my concern was more can He sing? The is , he is no Morrissey in terms of belting it out , but does fine with what he has so I will round this album up to a 10. 

Heaven's Club : Here There and Nowhere"

the Drummer and one of the guitarists from Deafheaven started a weird post -rock / shoe gaze project that plays a jazzy version of indie rock that reeks of the 90s. None of that was negative. The synths are oddly new wavey. The vocals are soft and androgynous in their breathy quality so very 90s . The second song is very dreamy, but not as engaging as how the album opened. It does remind me a little of the Death of Lovers second album. The marginal post-punk qualities are glazed over by a weird detached dream state. This causes the verses to flow with a tension then the choruses drift off.The dreamy thing works sometimes and "Good Grief" is a good example of that , there is a touch of Brit pop to it.

The movement of " Here There and Nowhere" helps give the album the dynamic shift it needs. This is the first place you can hear that the drummer might play for Deafheaven. Not that it's metal, there is just a more driving energy to it. "Godiva" is a little darker. It still floats along in the trippy psyche clouds like a great deal of this album, which is more progressive than it wants to admit to it's self.There is a guitar solo that gets drowned in a wave of effects, but it gets the point across. The vocals are pretty much their only weak spot. They sound bored, like they are too cool and apathetic to worry about singing. They still manage to let a melody slip past all these synths. More XTC or even Residents than the kraut rock they were going for.

On "the Frail" when they actually allow things to come together in a more cohesive song the results are more along the lines of The Dears.But is also one of the album's strongest moments. The drummer continues his efforts to bring things together and hold it down . The rest of the band gets the memo here.  "Mother" almost feels like an extension of the previous song , but it locks into more ofa moving groove.  The songs are all fairly compact. The acoustic strum of  the Pink Floyd liek folk of "Strange Times ' is not the best indication of what they do or what this album does best. It's ok not great. I will gie this album an 8.5. It might just need some getting used to as when it does clicked for me it is obvious they are going above and beyond to make their sound .  There are few odd things about this album which are not limited to the fact this is being released on Profound Lore.,

The Top 10 Indie Rock Albums of 2018

It is that time again. For the sake of this list indie rock is anything that is not mainstream rock or hard enough to be punk or metal. Some folk and shoe gaze are included , though it can't be dark enough to be goth or tense enough to be post-punk The score from my reviews to help determine the ranking , but also how many times Last FM told me I listened to each album.An album can have all the critical acclaim in the world but if it does not inspire multiple listens then how good can it actually be ?

While the top ten lists for other genres leaned more heavily on the side of new blood it seems there is an even blend of well established acts who put out the greatest quality albums .; Rather than posting media of a track from each band I am leaving a link to the review, which will contain Bandcamp or Full Album Streams. Ok enough talking about it, the time has come to dig into the top 10 indie rock albums of 2018.

10-Slow Crush -"Aurora"


If this had come out earlier in the year and I had a more easilly accessible copy of it this album by the Belgian shoe-gaze band would have been higher on the list. But I just found them, the review is hot off the press, yet I could not avoid putting them on here because they are so good at what they do.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/12/slow-crush-aurora.html

9-Rome-"Hall of Thatch"

 By the second song Jerome Reuter proves his gets better with each album. By the 3rd song it's obvious this album is a lot darker, which is fine by me as it carries a very Swans like feel. The theme of the album is a darker spiritual exploration and much more personal than the political themes he has championed in the past. I think this is a wise choice for him as this seems to elicit a more emotional response.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-rome-hall-of-thatch.html

8- Hillary Woods-"Colt"

 Hilary Woods would not be out of place on the Twin Peaks soundtrack. Less fey sounding than the Cocteau Twins, yet it occupies a similar sonic space as an album like "Treasure". These ballads are haunting, yet invoke spirits of inner space rather than from beyond the grave. Hazy not dark would be the best way to describe the sound. There is a jazz like minimalism, though unlike 90s acid jazz, it serves the melody rather than the beat. The percussion on these songs is incidental.Any genre that embraces emotive and shadow filled sounds could embrace what is done here.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/04/hilary-woods-colt.html

7-Church Girls- "Home"


Poppier than what I expect of most indie rock that tries to be too cool for school. It's not a poppy as say Pale Waves, though it's not as dark as them either. Though there is a touch of punk to what they do. Mariel's voice is plaintive while being emotive. It reminds me of 90s alt rock like Liz Phair or Veruca Salt.  She does have more range than she lets on at first . These guys are pretty impressive musically as the solo on "Black Seas" is pretty unexpected and highly fleet of finger.it's worth the dollar they are going to make me spring for it, which says something about the infectious nature of these songs.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/12/church-girls-home.html

 6-Deafheaven- "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love" 

 The new album opens in a tone that is not metal at all with piano and post-rocky instrumentation taking a dreamy groove which the vocals eventually snarl over. Snarling doesn't instantly make things metal here or really anywhere. " The drums punch certain accents, but until it swells I am reluctant to call it metal. The drummer has really stepped up his game that is for certain. Vocally the are back to sticking to the same snarl so far. It's his typically mid range, sometimes it sounds like he is making more of an attempt to form words than others.It earns multiple listens ,while its not a metal album it excels when it comes to guitar playing and songwriting.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/07/deafheaven-ordinary-corrupt-human-love.html

5-Iceage-"Beyondless"

 I was worried the boys from Denmark would stray to far from punk after their last album and the funky Rolling Stones like side project of their singer . The first song holds roots in the early days of punk, but is just good fucking music. While the drums continue to have a reckless edge the horns smooth out the sonic landscape. I am glad the gray clouds close in over the second half of the album, though none of it is sunshine and puppies,as it preserves the growing legacy of this band.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/05/iceage-beyondless.html

4-Marissa Nadler- "For My Crimes"


She continues down a path of hauntingly morose balladry. More ghostly than Lana Del Ray. More folk than country this time around, though hints of western sounds still color this album. Things seem simpler here. More minimal compositions, keep the focus on the vocals. Sometimes these vocals are layered on the chorus. Wispy the songs become intangible and don't hook me as quickly as some of her previous efforts, so its a grower not a shower.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/09/marisa-nadler-for-my-crimes.html

3-Slothrust- "Pact"

 These guys have come along a way. This is a much smoother and polished effort right off the bat with a stab at pop injected. Gone is the grunge rawness. It does get kicked up later in the first song, but the hooky alternative rock going on here is much different than my first taste of the band. I would not call it selling out. It's a refining that could open them up to a bigger audience, it's a natural progression I suppose as I could never find their last album. This one certainly earned repeat listens.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/09/slothrust-pact.html

2- Nothing -"Dance on the Blacktop" 

 I found "Tired of Tomorrow" to be too happy and was underwhelmed. While this album might not be full return to the grunge tinged "Guilty of Everything" it does make shoe-gaze great again with more balls behind it than the previous album and keeps the surreal step back into the 90s going . There are authentic guitar tones and the songs builds into a hooky melody at the end. The new element being introduced on this album is the kind of vintage slacker rock that bands like Dinosaur Jr and Sebadoh used to crank out. This is a pretty solid return for them and was highly enjoyed even if it floats away at the end.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/07/nothing-dance-on-blacktop.html

1-Pianos Become the Teeth - "Wait For Love" 

 Their fourth album is another picture of this band's dramatic evolution. If you go back and listen to their first album it doesn't even seem like the same band. Gone is the explosive energy and the screamed vocals. While I  think of these guys as having come from the same emo-revival that bands like Touche Amore came from, it's weird to here such refined indie rock coming from these guys. They are capable of going at it with an almost Jawbreaker-like drive on "Charisma". The vocals are plaintive but well-placed. The guitar doesn't told much in terms of distortion and works off of a dream-like jangle more often than not. While other albums might have scored higher on the initial listen this one earned it's place in heavy rotation and I actually listened to it more than the other albums.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/pianos-become-teeth-wait-for-love.html