-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. I have reviewed two Left to Suffer albums and 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. The opening track has a more Slipknot feel, though electronic ambiance haunts it. "Alive" sounds like "Jet Pilot" from "Toxicity". The chorus hook works really well. 

"Sunrise" finds a balance of pop hooks, and down-tuned guitars slamming into you. The vocals are almost delicate enough to appeal to the sensitive souls who are fans of pop acts like Sleep Token,. but the song is more firmly rooted in metal. There is a more fun-loving 90s feel to  "Go!". It's a little too upbeat for my personal tastes, as I prefer music to be angrier or more depressed. But it's well done for what it is. "Float" does not try to be a nu-metal ballad in the vein of "Ariels" but does a more metal-core version of its own thing. Poppier than Killswitch Engage, but not passing out like Sleep Token either. The chorus is strong for this sort of thing.  "Glink" splits the difference and leans more in the direction of commercial metal core, but works well. 

They even get pretty brutal for "Cry" while balancing it out with a nice vocal hook. This perfect balance found in the songwriting is what elevates them above the bulk of the bands on either side of the equation in this regard. "Abandon" is not filler, but it feels like it focuses on the lowest common denominator. "Radiance" finds the sung vocals leading into the song. It builds into an arena-ready chorus that is ready to soar to the radio or wherever mainstream rock is played these days. It feels like they are nailing what Sleep Token was trying to do, but still bringing some balls to things.  "Gloom" continues along a similar path, but is marginally darker.

"Feel" works within the formula they have established with enough nuance to keep it interesting. 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 fans, they rose the occasion and I will give this album a 9.5 

10.7

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Left to Suffer : "Leap of Death"

Things have changed for the band. They are moving into the Big Leagues and trying to make an album that is more accessible to mainstream metal audiences. Alejandro Aranda otherwise known as Scarypoolparty provides vocals so poppy that I thought I downloaded the wrong album. While their last album "Feral" has some nu-metal influence that has been pushed further upstage they have a sound that is closer to that of other more mainstream bands in the metal core genre. They do get heavier on the second song which was a collab with Pale Face Swiss. "Will Take My Breath" finds them leaning into more of the big arena-ready stomp. Sung vocals return, and these might have been taken a step too far. Ten56 collaborated on this with them, but I always think of those guys being darker than this. 

"Forsaken" feels more death metal-like in its attack. The higher-pitched vocals are more scathing. I appreciate that they are more melodic now, and this song proves they have plenty of balls, but it feels like they are more like everyone else now. I can't shake this feeling even on songs like this that work despite the stylistic shift. The grooves on "Forsaken" are pretty tight and I think I might be ok if they had become this kind of death metal band.  The pop singing is back on 'Slow Talk". It feels like it dilutes it a little too much and I am a guy who prefers actual singing. It sounds good for what it is, but it also does not sound like the band. 

I think some of these melodic touches would have worked better out of the added vocals. I mean are these other singers going to tour with them? They would have to pull this off.  I like the lyrics, but the original vocal style would have only required nominal changes to work just as well, and maintain more of their identity as a band. I don't like Sleep Token as it is, and I do not need these guys to try to turn into them. Unlike Sleep Token when they do kick things in they fucking mean it. "Give them Death" begins to find the clean vocals beginning to diminish the impact of their weight crunch. They are heading back in the death metal direction, though by way of a metal core breakdown. 

This album is well produced, almost too much so. However, the sound captured here is larger than before, so if this was your first time hearing these guys it might be a deceptive portrayal of who they are as a band, though it could be argued that since they made this album this is who they are now, so it feels more like who they want to be. The last song supports this as you can hear the band that made 'Feral" buried under the layers of multitracked everything. I will give this album an 8.5, as it's good, it just does not feel like they are being honest with their audience, however, to be fair I have not listened to any interviews with them and maybe they are like "Hell, yeah we are making our most accessible album yet". I feel a little disappointed but can't deny the album sounds good for who they are now. 

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the Top 10 Extreme Metal Albums of 2023

Extreme metal encompasses many sub-genres, all of which shun mainstream aspirations with their commitment to intensity, but that is not to say that these albums are the heaviest ever, as all of the albums listed in our Top 10 Extreme Metal Albums of 2023 list are very song-oriented, some even have melody, perhaps this year even more so than the past. The bands here did not fit neatly into other genre lists, because they blended other harsh genres, such as black metal or hardcore into these warped versions of grindcore or screamo.  They are all very dark and lash out with their own forms of sonic fury, but they are the albums that proved best at it.  After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. 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 Extreme Metal albums of 2023.

10-Melancholia - 'Book of Ruination" 

There is something about this raw crusty attack combined with a memorably melodic hook to its savage riff that My ears find compelling. The drummer is really serious. There is a jazz-like manner in which he turns some of his percussive phrasing around. The organic nature of the recording sounds like they are jamming in their rehearsal space you stumbled in on their creative moment. The punchy attack is relentless, but they are hitting you with worthwhile riffing. This album is a  testament to the quality stuff Brutal Panda is putting out these days. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/melancholia-book-of-ruination.html

9-Bandit- 'Siege of Self" 

Philly grinders are perfecting this brand of death grind. The guitars are the most death metal in their approach. The vocals are screamed in a manner of many extreme sub-genres of metal. The guitar solo on the title track seems to be more intent on just causing chaos.They rage while still writing catchy riffs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/bandit-siege-of-self.html

8-Rana- "Richtfeuer" 

This German band hits a sweet place of sonic darkness. They carry a crusty pulse before they throw themselves into a malicious black metal blast. The more hard-core stomp this evolves into owes a debt to their crustier side. feel that represents how well they wove these sounds together. I can understand why some might think of this as black gaze, but there is a great deal more going on here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/rana-richtfeuer.html

 

7-the Sept-  "MMXXIII" 

This Irish band is a late entry into this year's metal race, but a weird and wonderful one. They balance out a death metal lace grind-core with some raw and unsettling atmosphere. The vocals are uttered in a low growl or a rabid snarl. The grindcore side of their songwriting equation keeps things very economical and makes every chug count.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-sept-mmxxiii.html

6-Year of the Knife - "No Love Lost" 

 Madison Watkins proves she can cut it as the vocalist. Her abrasive scream gets the proper emotion across.  With a guest vocal spot from  Devin Swank of  Sanguisugabugg, Year of the Knife shows they are not as death metal as Devin's band but prove that Metal Core does not have to conjure images of the last days when Myspace ruled the Earth. , Despite being possessed by hate that is singular in focus, the energy and execution pull it through

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/year-of-knife-no-love-lost.html

 

5-Left to Suffer -"Feral" 

This metalcore band is not just jumping on the White Chapel bandwagon. They took things in a darker direction and seem to have just as much in common with the bands in the nu-metal revival. Sure "Artificial Anatomy" is geared toward the Tik Tok generation with its spastic electronic glitching. The commonplace phenomenon that occurs with bands who deal in the extremes of heavy, no matter their sub-genre, is they hit you with something that is sonically stunning in its immense sound. This earned a great deal of repeat listens.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/left-to-suffer-feral.html

4-Portrayal of Guilt -"Devil Music" 

At first, you might be fooled into thinking this is a more straightforward metal album, at least until you get to the atmosphere and dissonance that you might have come to love from these guys. They do however open up the album with some solid grooves. There are fewer moments of black metal menace or grindcore explosions, but it still works. There is an abundance of chaos, as the drummer attacks the riffs. The second half of this album is the first half reconstructed for a chamber orchestra. Bizarre indeed, but they are boldly going where the devil wants them.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/portrayal-of-guilt-devil-music.html

3-Sanguisugabogg : "Homicidal Ecstasy" 

At the core when you strip away the gore fixation that might seek to label them as gore-grind these guys are a death metal band. Their biggest influence is Cannibal Corpse, which can be heard in the drumming and the low muffled gutturals. How they set themselves apart from just being another spawn of Cannibal Corpse is their fetish for grooves. Does this have more of a hard-core feel? At times but it doesn't diminish the fact they are a death metal band.These guys learned you can be heavy as a hundred fucks and still write good songs

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/sanguisugabogg-homicidal-ecstasy.html

2-Fuming Mouth -"Last Day of Sun" 

This album of crusty death metal-infused anger grew on me with each listen. They lean into more of hard-core's punk side with the drumming putting them in the sonic zip code of bands like Ringworm  I appreciate the lyrical sentiments, and the overall oppressive mood, that still leaves room for melody shows they care about songwriting, but do not have to compromise to do so. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/fuming-mouth-last-day-of-sun.html

1-Dreamwell -"In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You" 

This is not the heaviest band on the list, but they are the most extreme metal band whose songs beg for you to listen to them more than the other bands on this list. They shift from black gaze to more melodic forms of hardcore and harsher expressions of metal. Their singer is a pivotal force in what enables these transformations. Sometimes hard-core shouted vocals bring the abrasion crashing against the transcendence, which is littered oddly with blast beats. It is not the first time I have heard screamo blended with black metal, but this is done in an angular fashion that is more unique.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/dreamwell-in-my-saddest-dreams-i-am.html

The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2023 so far ...

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2023 is at it's midpoint. These  lists serve as a decent snap shot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received  promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my in-box, so they are really going to need to bring it in order to compete with the top five albums on this list. There are varied shades of metal represented. Perhaps death metal is leading the charge, but there is also black metal, doom and death core in the mix.  The black metal is more influenced by traditional black metal rather than the staples of blast beating. For my ears darkness trumps speed when it comes to heavy, so these bands reflect that sentiment. Death metal just seems to be bringing it harder than other genres so far. Giving the impending wars that lurk at every corner of the globe, this is a fitting sound track to the demise of the the US.  I have included links to full review if you want to check these out and with all that said here are the top 10 Metal albums of 2023 so far. 

10- Creeping Death- "Boundless Domain" 

There is less of an old school thrash feel to "Boundless Domain" as the album's riffs adhere to more standardized shades of aggressive red.  These guys have always shown a great deal of promise in their songwriting and this album does not seem to be an exception in that .They prove to be pretty solid at what they do and there is a hooky but crushing feel to most of these songs,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/death-is-june-creeping-death-boundless.html
 

9-PredatoryVoid - "Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being" 

Combining members of Amenra with the vocalist from Russian Black Metal band Cross Bringer, there is something dark and powerful being created here. While Lina's vocal mainly focus on more brutal harshness, she does sing some passages in a more ethereal alto . The heaviness is a like a crashing wave , it hit and then recedes with a throb. I would say these guys are more sludge than any other genre as the sonic heaviness approaches the shadows rather than bathing in them like a doom band would.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/predatory-void-seven-keys-to-discomfort.html

 

8-Left to Suffer -"Feral" 

This album continues to grow on me, as the Atlanta based metal core band proves they are not just jumping on the White Chapel band wagon. They took things in a darker direction and  seem to have have just as much in common with the bands in the nu-metal revival. These guys manage to do it in a way that is just hooky enough to keep me along for the ride.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/left-to-suffer-feral.html

7-Ahab- "Coral Tombs" 

8 years of chaos have passed since this German doom band released their last album. Chris Noir of& Ultha lends his voice to the highly aggressive black metal start of the opening track before it ebbs down into the doom you expect from this band. The croon of the baritone vocals are  delivered with more power and presented more forward in the mix. The vocals play a bigger role in the overall sound this time around. Making this epic listen something that grows on you. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/ahab-coral-tombs.html
 

6-Cloak-"Black Flame Eternal" 

This Atlanta band might have finally hit their creative stride with album number three. This does not mean that I am any closer to branding them a goth metal band. The elements that might bring that to one mind are perhaps more fleshed in places. The songwriting stomps with more debilitation. The influence of Dissection is still present, but tempered with a more dynamic range of sound. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/cloak-black-flame-eternal.html

 

5-Cattle Decapitation- "Terrasite" 

They have in many ways picked up where they left off on "Death Atlas" . Though the band believes they have taken a 180 turn. The main difference I can hear are the guitars have a more deliberate thrashing to their grooves. Things are not as blinding fast , but the riffs retain the razor sharp aggression , but also well constructed and hooky. They took it to the next level in terms of songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/cattle-decapitation-terrasite.html
 

 

4-the Abbey - "Word of Sin" 

Hailing from bands like Man Eating Tree and Shape of Despair, this doom band out of Finland, plays with both darkness and melody in equal portions. The use and almost gothic finery to decorate their songs with a well balanced blend of ambiance and hooky vocals, not as depressive as some doom, but possessed by a wellspring of nuanced dynamics. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-abbey-word-of-sin.html

3-Downfall of Gaia-"Silhouettes Of Disgust"

This German band already finds themselves claiming the distinction of having s one of the best black metal albums I have heard this year,  it came out back in February and still stands strong. If you like forward thinking black metal with plenty of dark disgust this album is for you.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/black-metal-history-month-downfall-of.html

 

2-Obituary- "Dying of Everything" 

 I was  not expecting the thrashing ass kicking the opening track unleashes. Any concerns regarding this album living up to their established legacy were squashed. The more Slayer like attack is balanced out by Tardy's distinctive voice reminding you that this is Obituary. This sits solidly next to the band's more classic work, which is something many of their peers cannot boast

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/obituary-dying-of-everything.html
 

1-Frozen Soul -"Glacial Domination"

This Texas band pulls from classic death metal without worshipping any band too religiously. Their strength is taking a riff and groove it without compromising the heaviness. Lyrically things are grim and gory with only marginal amounts of the Dungeons and Dragons escapism .I went the album not knowing anything about this band and walked away a fan which speaks volumes considering the  constant flow of death metal bands in my in-box so for these guys to stand out it speaks volumes to their talents. If you like death metal this album is a must.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/frozen-soul-glacial-domination.html

Left to Suffer : " Feral"

 

This metalcore band is not just jumping on the White Chapel band wagon. They took things in a darker direction and  seem to have just as much in common with the bands in the nu-metal revival. Sure "Artificial Anatomy" is geared toward the Tik Tok generation with its spastic electronic glitching. The commonplace phenomena that occur with bands who deal in the extremes of heavy, no matter then sub-genre, is they hit you with something that is sonically stunning in its immense sound, so you do not have a clear enough head until the second song to ask the important questions like ..." Well Ok, but can you write a fucking song?"  

They continue to avoid this question until "Primitive Urge".  The creepier elements of moodiness are important to provide breathing room from the down-tuned riffs that slam into you with varying degrees over the groove. I am pretty clear in regards to what I do not want from these kinds of bands. That is for an entire song to sound like a breakdown. They manage to avoid that. "Break the Fever" is another stomp fest. Lyrically they are closer to nu-metal as they sort through their issues. He is taking about taking pills, so at least he has insurance. How bad can it be then? He is fighting every day with depression, which I can relate to but it never makes me this angry. They bust out a guitar solo on this song, which is better than expected. 

"Recluse" is an example of their songwriting prowess that I was reserving my judgment for. It balances a groove that seems to follow a story they are telling in a pretty coherent fashion. There is a wide array of weird little guitar sounds that buzz and whirl around the mammoth riffs. 'Illusion of Sleep" is more hammering with a more thrashing intensity.  The chaos kicked up on "Disappoint Me" rages with a similar fury as Slipknot, it a few places. Some interesting vocal colors are being applied to the shifting riffage. The last song finds the band crushing on the same kind of riffage that has been dominating the album up to this point. The vocals swing for the fences by singing a more anthemic hook before the 808 drops the beat in. They wrap things up with machine-like syncopation hammering at you. 

This is not the kind of music that I would normally listen to. I prefer my metal mixed with hardcore in a manner more like Converge or with a darker grindcore influence like Nails. The fact they held my attention speaks to the sounds they managed to assemble here. What they do is bound to be divisive in the metal community. However, if I want something that is dumbed down into a more juvenile groove then this is the sort of thing I might put on if I wanted to hear something newer, than Coal Chamber or Korn's first album. They lead you through a quirky maze with the jerk of a leash not unlike what many of their peers also do. However, these guys manage to do it in a way that is just hooky enough to keep me along for the ride. Time will tell how this album stands up after repeat listens. Right now I will give it a 9.