Hand of Juno : "Psychotic Banana"

 

This band from Italy features the bassist from Infected Rain and fancies themselves industrial, which might be an influence but they feel more like electro-pop. It's similar to what Poppy does or certain eras of In This Moment. At their most aggressive on "We Built the Line," they are like a more nu-metal version of the Nighwish-styled European bands. The vocals do not soar as high, but there is a romantic element that will appeal to teenage girls. I think "Right Now" is more original sounding and the use of effects on her voice, takes some of the candy coating off. She is a good enough singer, but the sweetness in her voice plays against the aggressive sound they are going for. I think they would be more effective if they did not resist the pop side. 

"Destroy the Line" finds them racing down the middle land behind Jinjer and Spiritbox, as their singer employs harsher vocals. The video, and I keep watching the videos when possible as they are more entertaining with the visual element, show them as a trio, which means more studio tricks are involved, though I need to check out a live video to see how this is pulled off on stage, Hold on I'll get back to you and let you know. Ok, I'm back live they added a bass player. Now moving on to "Not a Game", it works better than the previous song, as we do not need more bands trying to be Spiritbox, they already have that covered, so here is hoping they find their own place.

 The answer is sort of on this song, pretty close to what Infected Rain does just not as progressive. Would be more inclined to think of this band as nu-metal. I wish things would move in the darker direction like they want to on " The One." It leans more toward pop and is one of the album's best songs. The video for the title track might eclipse the song, which speeds up into a chaotic chorus that does not make as much sense and feels forced. "Poline" is the first song that feels industrial.  There is a trade-off between harsher vocals and her singing. I like that is moves in a darker direction. "Hug My Death" paints a picture of what they are like as a fully formed band.  This is in a more metal direction. The album closes with a power ballad. of sorts.  I will give this an 8.5, highly entertaining, I appreciate what they are doing fans of both Poppy's more metal-minded efforts and Infected Rain while plenty to enjoy here. Melissa Bruschi, has established herself as an entry in the hottest female metal singers category for sure.

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Infected Rain :'TIME"

If there was ever a band that supported my claim that djent is really just technical nu-metal, this band would lend credence to my theory. They are dark and emotive while banging out dense grooves with industrial-strength guitar tones. They do care about songs and bring a side of atmosphere and thoughtful vocals to things. The vocal hooks sometimes stick better than other times, though typically speaking Lena Scissorhands shows more spunk than most of the other female metal singers trying similar approaches. This album does feel heavier than their last, as the guitars have a bigger more aggressive edge to them. 

"Never to Return" shows their gentler side to some extent, though this is the kind of soft-to-loud formula nu-metal kept popular in the 90s. They may be taking it to a more extreme realm here. "Lighthouse" places the spotlight on Scissorhand's voice more solidly, which seems to have expanded its mastery over her cleaner singing on this album. This plays in the favor of their songwriting here. Atmosphere is used in a manner not unlike what Deftones do. With a song like "The Answer is You"  there is the chance to hear how easily nu-metal can also be connected to metalcore. The vocals focus more on being punchy than hooky here. This is done but with more ambiance on '"Vivarium".  

A more uniform bouncing pound settles into things for a couple of songs, with the mood broken up by the melodic middle section to "Enimity". I like her vocal phrasing on that one.  Though lyrically it's a little self-pitying. Yet that was a theme of nu-metal. Ironically around "Unpredictable" things become predictable, though in the case of "Unpredictable," it is more tightly written than the songs that begin to blend with its pulse. "Game of Blame" is more like a pop ballad. Despite the guitar lurking closer toward the back of the mix at times, and the more growled progression there is something about it that reminds me of Madonna. "Paura" feels like it picks up where the previous song left off when it kicks in. There is more dynamic nuance that gives the vocals more room. I will give this album a 9, as they have really dialed their sound in and she continues to grow in interesting ways as a singer. 

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the Top 10 Hard Rock Albums of 2022

These albums are not aggressive enough to be metal. They do have more balls to them than the ones on the rock list. Ok now that that is out of the way, much like in years past I sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. 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 hard rock albums of 2022

10 -Infected Rain - "Ecdysis" 

Some of this bands heavier elements are negated by the poppier hooks, this band from Moldova blends the elements well. This is their 5th album, so they have perfected both their melodic side and their denser more aggressive one. Bands like Jinger and Spirit Box have made impressive names for themselves by creating similar sounds. These kids have a more symphonic thing going that owes more to Within Temptation when she soars into clean vocals. 

Abysmal Hymns: Infected Rain : "Ecdysis"

  9-Dorothy- "Gifts from the Holy Ghost" 

I was at first reluctant to cover this album as the buzz around it was this was some kind of Christian metal. I did some research and found that she is just in recovery, so all the religious trappings are not based in formal Christianity and lyrically it is just based in metaphor. While she does lay it on thick with the gospel influence and blues swagger. This is poppy hard rock, not far removed from say the Pretty Reckless sonically.

Abysmal Hymns: Dorothy : " Gifts From the Holy Ghost"

 

8-Blacklist-"Afterworld"

This band features singer song writer Joshua Strachan of Vaura. They infuse post-punk and goth atmosphere with the anthemic kick of hard rock. Working of a tension that is a subdued calm before the storm piece that feels more like an intro than what unfolds on the palm muted clouds gathering. To be a band from Brooklyn it is impressive that they are not so concerned with trying to be cool that they forget to rock out and even throw some guitar solos in. 

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- Blacklist : "Afterworld"

  7-Slipknot- 'the End So Far"

Every metal band likes to go into the press gauntlet before releasing an album and tell them how this is going to be as heavy as one of their really heavy albums or it's their heaviest album yet is also another classic. None of these are close to true when it comes to the new Slipknot. They try to resurrect their classic sound at time completer with dj scratches. But Vended does Slipknot heavier, however these guys are better songwriters. It is clear they are doing what they set out to do even if there is some misdirection regarding what that is. They are still nu-metal but happen to be a band that proves nu-metal is not limited to ADIDAS flavored rap metal.  

Abysmal Hymns: Slipknot : "The End, So Far"

 6-Disturbed - "Divisive" 

One of the few big commercial radio rock bands I have listened to. This is due to the fact their sound owes as much to Judas Priest as the nu-metal they came from. Everything is a huge anthem for these guys. They are great at this return to form that puts them head and shoulders above most of their peers

Abysmal Hymns: Disturbed : "Divisive"

5-Hoaxed- "Two Shadows"

This Portland duo creates dark and driving rock that works of mesmerizing melodies. The drumming is influenced by metal, though the overall sound while ominous not broods more than it gets in your face. At times they conjure a retro-metal witchy feel that makes me think of the Devils Blood. The drummer really loves her double bass, which keeps trying to pull the songs in a more metal direction where the atmosphere of the vocals and guitar want to pull it back in a more 90s goth path.

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober- Hoaxed : "Two Shadows"

 

4-Puppy-"Pure Evil" 

Was not expecting this album to carry this kind of dark dense metallic crunch they pack here. The high thin reedy treble of the vocals feels like a mix of Billy Corgan and Tom Petty. This album rocks if you are into melodic grunge tinted hard rock with metal moments

Abysmal Hymns: Puppy- " Pure Evil"

3-Bloody Hammers - "Washed in Blood"

Their last album was great, I am not sure how they are going to meet such a high bar. They choose to do it by getting a great deal heavier in the riffs department. They still have catchy choruses thanks to the croon of the strong baritone vocals. These arena rock anthems knock it out of the park, with bigger production value. 

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober - Bloody Hammers - "Washed in Blood"

2-Crobot-"Feel This" 

These guys made the Skid Row album that Skid Row should have made. Brandon Yeagley is not paying tribute to Sebastian Bach, but he captures his spirit much better than Skid Row's most recent singer. They play a style of high energy hard rock, that gives ample balls to the guitars. This album rocks to its own beat while bringing familiar sound of the era it pays homage to.

Abysmal Hymns: Crobot : " Feel This"
 

 1-Bush- ' the Art of Survival"

Here is an album that grew on me with each listen. In some ways this is a Bush album in name only, as Gavin Rossdale is the only original member. It does still retain the gritty grunge feel of their 90s work. This band came across as a less of a band wagon jumper in their prime and had an emotional grit that told me Rossdale had deep personal wounds he was processing through his music. At the same time, he had record companies breathing down his neck and pressure on his to get radio hits. He has delivered more solidly than most of his peers from this era have yet to

Abysmal Hymns: Bush : "the Art of Survival"

Infected Rain : "Ecdysis"

 

Falling in the modern metal spectrum of metal core, djent and nu-metal, this band from Moldova blends the elements well. This is their 5th album, so they have perfected both their melodic side and their denser more aggressive one. Bands like Jinger and Spirit Box have made impressive names for themselves by creating metal in a similar zip code, but on the opening track I am hearing a big more symphonic sound that owes more to Within Temptation when she soars into clean vocals. I think at their heart they are more of a metal band than those two bigger name bands. When clean vocals appear, they are pop oriented in their hooks. The second song opens with more simmering darkness until they begin to dish out the beatdowns.

So far the closest they get to having a sense of pop hooks is on some of the syncopated sung vocals found on "Longing". Another interesting element is when you take the metal core moments into consideration there is very little on the hard-core side of that equation. They never feel like tough guys setting you up for a break down. When it comes close to that place sonically like on "Goodbye" there is more of a nu metal bounce to it. There is a constant shifting of riffs. They never try to jerk you around with these tricks. Her voice drops down into more of a purr for this song which works well. "The Realm of the Dead" is dark enough with the grind of its riffs but finds the band settling into more of a formula, even amid the chaos of their arrangements. "Everlasting Lethargy" takes unexpected turns that pay off.  "These Walls" continues to find the band making interesting choices in regard to where to take things like melody. 

Sometimes the choices they make fall more in line with a progressive direction. Some of this is thanks to the drummer. The guitars do not take up much time wanking around. Mood is important even when she is screaming at you in a hostile manner. They are subtle songwriters who hit you with a huge sound but balance it out with cool little haunting sections. Regular readers here know this sort of thing is not my normal go to when it comes to metal, so for it to be pulled off in a manner that catches my ear says something.  The flux of the vocal is not a predictable good cop/ bad cop thing. Is it perfect in its heavy-handed battery of your ear drums that is executed like a machine at times? Well, I think they pull off what they intended to. This drew me in, more so in the melodic moments, as that helped even the spectrum this album falls upon in the blend of modern metal at hand. With "Nine Ten" this is more ambient than expected, but still works.  I will give this one a 9, much better than expected.