The Top 10 Progressive Albums of 2025

When it comes to prog, few bands actually progress. Most that claim to be a part of this genre just wank around with an overabundance of guitar solos that the songs are merely bookends for, rather than serving songs that go somewhere.  The bands that made this year's top 10 list are taking you places with their songs. There are some guitar solos here and there, but shredding is not the emphasis, nor is using odd time signatures for the sake of just doing so. Some of these bands are more metallic, and a few albums even flirt with pop at times. These are not the coolest prog albums, but the best, fuck what other blogs say,  

After sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 20 albums of 2025. The 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, you look forward to listening to it again. You might 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 Progressive albums of 2025

10-Korean Cars-"#1"

This band proves that black metal is not Norway's only musical export.  Kinda melodic math rock, but their guitarist proves they have chops. The production is rough around the edges, as it carries a boom. The drummer works for what they are doing, and it all falls into place, no complaints, even though instrumental music is normally not my thing. When vocals do surface, sitting back in the mix with a plaintive croon with the nuanced picking of the guitars carrying most of the slack. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/korean-cars-1.html

 

9-ii - "Apostles of Flesh." 

Prnounced Two Eyes, they are a very interesting ensemble. I have heard them referred to as being industrial, but Gothic chamber pop is a better description of one spectrum of their sound, though they branch out of that and wander off into prog rock that has more in common with A Perfect Circle. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-ii-apostles-of-flesh.html

8-Heretoir- ""Solastalgia" 

They have fine-tuned their songwriting to make their sound bigger and make what they do more accessible to the wider metal audience than just being a shoegazing black metal band. This is not to say they do not indulge in sonic spectacles that swept you away, as they do, and it is what gives them the edge over their more nu-metal minded peers/. A more delicate electronic touch glazes over into the dynamic ebb and flow in this song. So much so that fans of modern progressive metal can find a great deal to appreciate on this album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/heretoir-solastalgia.html

 

7-Igorrr- 'Amen" 

One of the most appealing things about this project is the ability to blend harsh electronic elements with organic instrumentation and find its unique groove. Mastermind Gautier Serre is experimenting on a broader scale with this album. Classical elements contrast massive metallic chug, as death metal is the primary mode of attack when things go in a more metal direction. Operatic vocals still soar to contrast the guttural vocals, but this feels like more streamlined effort. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/igorrr-amen.html

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6-Imperial Triumphant- "Goldstar"

These guys won me over live. In the studio, they have once again orchestrated chaos, which can not always be heard as the catchiest songwriting. At times, there is a more metal feel as they ride a taunt clockwork chug. The vocals are snarls, but articulated enough that the lyrics come across. It makes me think of a death metal band covering early Pink Floyd

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/imperial-triumphant-goldstar.html

5-Messa -"the Spin." 

The guitar work on this album sets them on this progressive rock path. Add in elements like trumpet solos, and it takes on a more jammy jazz flair. I'm fine with them transitioning into a prog band. If you are going to make guitar solos the centerpiece, then unveiling your Led Zeppelin influence in a more metallic manner with great grooves is the way to do it.  

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

  4-Bask-" the Turning."

 The country elements that graced their 2019 album have been dialed back for a heavier sound, though sticking to the honest plea of country-inflected vocals even amid guitars crunching around them. There is more boogie in the shuffle oat times with  layers of vocals harmonizing to give things a more jammy prog feel. It almost feels more like Porcupine Tree.  This juxtaposition works well to create dynamic songwriting that takes a few listens to absorb everything going on. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/bask-turning.html

3-Gaahls Wyrd- "Braiding the Stories." 

I am glad to hear Gaahl continuing to explore his singing voice. The vocals are well-layered, with more of his upper register present while the baritone croon holds center stage. He proves the emotive value of darkness is just as heavy as metal. With a range of sonic colors from strummed guitars to the more metallic tones, you might expect. When the guitar solos emerge, they are typically the album's most metal elemen,t and even then they provide a thematic melodic overlay. 

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

2-Katatonia -"Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State." 

Here we are, three albums in, without Anders. Jonas continues to steer the ship into darker progressive waters of melancholy. There is a formula in place, and the new guitarists navigate it well, unafraid to bust out guitar solos wherever. His lyrics remain just as sharp as the earlier work on this one. "L.  Jonas's voice is fragile and honest, or at least maintains a consistent persona, as nuance is king and the key to their songwriting. 

. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/katatonia-nightmares-as-extensions-of.html

 

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1-Callous Daoboys - "I Don't Want to See You In Heaven."

 

You are thrown into their bizarre progressive take on metalcore. While the screamed vocals are more dominant, Carson Pace's voice continues to grow. His poppy-sung vocals carry the need hooks to contrast the chaos. If there is any justice in the universe, these guys should be at least as big as Knocked Loose, just on the merits of songwriting.

  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-callous-daoboy-i-dont-want-to-see.html

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Gothtober - Wil's 11th Annual Halloween Playlist

Here is my 11th annual Halloween Playlist. The world holds as many distractions and diversions as it has in previous years. I am making a more concerted and intentional effort to focus on the celebrations of the Halloween season around me, as my soundtrack pretty much remains constant year after year. I believe if we forget the things that brought us joy as children, we will become miserable adults buried in anxiety over bills and the stock market. This makes a proper soundtrack dedicated to darkness even more needed to capture the magical excitement of Halloween. Perhaps these songs might bring some sonic horror to your ears and carry Halloween into the rest of the year for you. 

This year all songs are new releases, and hopefully not repeating artists from previous years, though not holding myself to this as I am not meticously combing over past years playlists, as I made this while I'm moving, so a little bit of a time crunch, as things like changing internet providers come into play, ya know pesky real life stuff. . Goth and all its various sub-genres are the most obvious tombs to plunder. I am including a few artists that lean in a more rock or metal direction. Lyrically, the songs are at least metaphors for things that go bump in the night or are related to the season. This year’s theme seems to be death. As the veil between the living and the dead thins, may you be happily haunted and continue to play this loudly in dark places!

Hangman's Chair- 'To Know the Night" 

Patriarchy- "A New Way" 
 

Scorpion Milk -"She Wolf of London" 

 

Street Sex- "Turn Blue"

 

Heartworms - "Extraordinary Wings" 

 Black Cross Hotel- "The House That God Doesn't Visit" 

 

  Dax Riggs- "Graveyard Soul" 

Deathbyromny -"Corpse Kiss" 

Messa- "Thicker Blood" 

Paradise Lost- "This Stark Town 

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The Top 10 Rock Albums of 2025... so far.

As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, as 2025 is at its midpoint. These lists serve as a decent snapshot 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 inbox, so they will need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. Rock is anything that's not metal, so both progressive and hard rock bands are included here. Yes, there might be a few screams on these albums, but when stacked against the bands on the metal list, it's clear that these bands belong here. Some I weighed against putting on the pop list, but they are more rock than not. I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 rock albums of 2025 so far. 

10-Blackwater Holylight- "If You Only Knew" 

The Portland shoe-gazing gals take things in a more organically jammed direction. There is a brooding underbelly that finds them taking off in a more stoner rock direction.I wish this were a full-length, but if they are making you want more, then something is working

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/blackwater-holylight-if-you-only-knew.html

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9-Katatonia-"Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State" 

Here we are, three albums in, without Anders. Jonas continues to steer the ship into darker progressive waters of melancholy. There is a formula in place, and the new guitarists navigate it well, unafraid to bust out guitar solos wherever. The songs hit really hard emotionally,  just not metal.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/katatonia-nightmares-as-extensions-of.html

8-Bask- "The Turning" 

I was a big fan of their 2019 album, and this time around it feels like a heavier sound, though sticking to the honest plea of country-inflected vocals even amid guitars crunching around them. The yee-haw moments that creep through the labyrinth of progressive rock work well within this framework. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/bask-turning.html

7-Scowl- "Are We All Angels" 

Having grown away from being a punk or hardcore the band is now making catchy 90's alternative music for 2025.  Kat Moss only uses a harsh, hard-core flavored snarl as a point of accentuation. Her main style of delivery is a slacker croon that has more in common with Veruca Salt, which works for these hooky slacker anthems.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/scowl-are-we-all-angels.html

6-Messa -"the Spin" 

The band's fourth album finds their guitarist really shining despite the album leaning in a darker atmospheric direction that manages to lend itself to jamming. They were once thought of as a doom band, but have gotten too adventurous to be tied to that genre. The vocals are very strong and well-defined from a songwriting perspective, which is the most important element of their sound.

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

 

5-Love is Noise -"To Live a Different Way" 

Produced like a shoegaze album, but with Myspace emo vibes at its beating heart, as evident in the almost pop-punk vocals. A more nu-metal vocal pops up here and there to create more edge. Cameron Humpry is the creative engine of this project, and he seems to have a knack for blending all the right elements at the right time. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/love-is-noise-to-live-different-way.html

4-Viagra Boys - "viagr aboys" 

The Swedish punk band continues to shift into a more rock n roll flavor of snarky chaos. The melodic elements touch on a similar avant-garde pop style as Xiu Xiu.  Their hooky sarcasm cracks off lyrical observations in sharp humor with topics re subject to their lyrical scorn, veering from the news to health care, this album recalls some of the alt-rock classics of the '90s. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/viagra-boys-viagr-aboys.html

 

3-Dax Riggs- "7 Songs for Spiders" 

 It's been 13 years since his last release. This time around, Dax is backed by a three-piece band of grooving Cajuns; they slither with a melancholy pulse that takes things back to his darker roots. Some of his strongest solo work yet. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/12/dax-riggs-7-songs-for-spiders.html

     

  2-Freeze the Fall - "The Red Garden" 

I think they did a stellar job of making the album they set out to make. This album grows more endearing to me over time, thanks to the vocal hooks. If you are into female vocals layered over melodic hard-edged rock, then this is worth your time. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/freeze-fall-red-garden.html

1-Spiritbox - "Tsunami Sea" 

The band's pop-leaning sound helps separate them from their peers, as Courtney is better at vocal hooks than the singers for Jinger or Infected Rain, who work in similar sonic circles. This album has more hard work invested in its writing than their previous album, making it a highly infectious album. They have found their place in the landscape of the music biz here, and we will see them get bigger than they already are. 

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

 Visit our  YouTube & Facebook Pages as well! Thanks for Reading  

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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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Messa : "the Spin"

 The band's fourth album finds them on Metal Blade. Oddly, this album at times leans more in the direction of post-punk than metal. There is a little more of a gallop on the second song than the darker opener, which only hints at rock guitar heroism. Both songs are fairly brisk in their pace, which is another change considering they were once thought of as a doom band. The vocals are very strong and well-defined from a songwriting perspective, which is the most important element of their sound. They have always carried a smoky blues-based take on doom, so this is not too great of a departure from that, as they do wander off into more atmospheric shadows midway into " At the Races". Their guitarist shines on this one. 

"Fire On the Roof" sounds like it came from a 70s hard-rock band that was trying to transition into the 80s. It just so happens that was when I began paying attention to music as a kid so it works for me. It might be a bit too anthemic for their old doom-metal fan base. It reminds me a little of the Scorpions which makes sense given my previous analogy would also apply. "Immolation" is a funny title for a song that is a jazzy ballad. This might as well be Lana Del Rey. Though less poppy. A ripping guitar solo comes in midway into the song and rips it which is an odd transition to a song that did not have a great deal of focus to begin with.

"The Dress" finds the guitarwork going in a more progressive rock path. Guitar-wise this is a much more adventurous album than the previous one. More progressive as well thanks to things like the trumpet solo on 'The Dress" where they have a more jammy jazz flare. I'm fine with them transitioning into a prog band. Then in the last two minutes, things dive into a heavier chaos before swelling up into another guitar solo. I think they handle guitar solos well rather than it just being a wankery. "Reveal' finds them unveiling their Led Zeppelin influence in a more metallic manner. I like the groove it finds, this might actually be my favorite song on the album. 

"Thicker Blood" works off a more deliberate throb that toys with their underlying blues trappings. Another ear-catching guitar solo is fired up in the middle of this song and serves as a vehicle to bolster the intensity. They lock into a pretty solid groove at the end of the song. I'll give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me I liked the post-punk undertones of the first two songs and was hoping to hear more of that but they went in a more adventurous direction that worked really well at the end of the day. They once again succeeded.  

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the Top 10 Metal Albums of 2022

We have needed heavy music more than ever this year. 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. So, while the result may have varied, this is the final word. I know many of you are ready for 2022 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. The very fact these bands made it on the list means they are the 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. 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 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 2022

10-Candy- "Heaven is Here"

When it comes to extreme music most of it came from some early crossroads where death metal met hard core. The bands Relapse Records debut finds the noise ridden grind core being refined into a dense and perhaps even more punishing monster while fully aware that they have a job to write songs. The vocals are the most hard-core thing about this band. They are less spastic than Napalm Death. When they lock into a grinding chug the results are very powerful. This album is fucking intense.

Abysmal Hymns: Candy : "Heaven is Here"

 

9-Goatwhore- "Angels Hung from the Arches of Heaven" 

One of the best American metal bands going today is back. They are continuing to storm the burning gates of heaven with a sound that offers few surprises, yet seldom feels like they are recycling sounds already beaten into the charred earth. Their songwriting that continues to excel as they blend more melodic guitar work to create a creepy throb. They continue to grow as a band 8 albums and two decades into their career

Abysmal Hymns: Goatwhore : "Angels Hung from the Arches of Heaven"

 

8-Darkthrone- "Astral Fortress" 

 Darkthrone put out an album I did not expect from them and that is how they earned their spot here. On their 19th album it's good to hear these guys get back in the direction of black metal. If they had pumped out another tribute to Celtic Frost or a Venom sounding punk album, I would have been less surprised. This more blackened offering is not them trying to recreate what they did in the 90s, but a darker turn from where they were already heading.  

Abysmal Hymns: Darkthrone : "Astral Fortress"

7-Acid Witch- "Rot Among Us" 

They are one of my favorite metal bands, so the expectations are high. The first song is more of a spooky intro with enough metal to foreshadow what is to come, which is these guys rocking the fuck out with a pretty powerful title track. A great deal of it is dressed up like Spirit Halloween on drugs. They are really coming with the fucking riffs here. There is more of a sludge feel to the wall of guitars that empowers the songs though the overall tone is darker and more aggressive than their previous album.

Abysmal Hymns: Acid Witch : "Rot Among Us"

 

6- Messa -"Close" 

 A logical progression in the next step of the band's songwriting, there are new tricks up their sleeve as forays into jazz and progressive rock color the dismal blues inflected exploration of their shadowy souls.  Morose trippiness gives way to a more aggressive explosion than anything we have heard from them yet.  Snake charming brass and Middle eastern passages are the norm to a backdrop that allows their singer to explore her upper register as well as go into harsh vocals at times. They jam out into some fairly remarkable guitar solos and pretty much have it all going for them here. 

. Abysmal Hymns: Messa : "Close"

 

 

5-Black Anvil - "Regenesis" 

 New York's blackened trio charged out of the gates with a great deal of power, but the scope of what they do and how finely keened their songwriting is this time around is what earned them the number one spot over bands that I might be a bigger fan of. So, it speaks very loudly that repeat listens to this album were able to sway me away from fine albums by band's I am more connected to. These guys were always ok in my book, and I enjoyed what they did, but this time they have taken it to the next level when it comes to the epic scope of the black metal they have created here 

Abysmal Hymns: Black Anvil : "Regenesis"

                          

4-Decapitated - "Cancer Culture" 

 When I first reviewed the Polish band's 8th album, I said this was top contender for album title of the year, which it still deserves, but I did not realize at the time how additional listens were going to high light some of the subtle details in the songwriting.  With this album they blend enough groove to balance out the more technical elements of what they do. Not the most brutal when it comes to death metal, there is a fair amount of melody buried in the guitar with the drumming the most technical aspect of their sound. Considering the dude has been playing since he was 12 that makes sense. The vocals on a harshness scale falls somewhere near Sepultura. They are coarsely shouted more than growled in a guttural fashion, but they are not an afterthought and serve as a purposeful narrative to an amazing album.

Abysmal Hymns: Death is June - Decapitated : " Cancer Culture"

   

 

3-Wormrot -"Hiss" 

Grind core is typically not my thing, though in saying that there are a few bands who incorporate grind core into their sound that I love, like Portrayal of Guilt and Nails. Singapore's Wormrot is one of the more polished acts in the genre, they also prove themselves to be one of the best songwriters as well. A great deal of credit goes to the vocals which use a chaotic variety of vocal colors. The penchant for hooky thrash influenced riffing plays hand in hand with this as well to create an album that is not only intense but worth countless listens.  

Abysmal Hymns: Wormrot : "Hiss"

 

2-(16) - "Into Dust"  

After 2020's "Dream Squasher" proved to be a slab of sonic devastation I am still listening to 2 years later, the bar could not be higher for this California band. The continued to bring it with this album firing from all cylinders with their foot to the gas of this tank. The weighty sludge rolls over you, but with a bit of swing and hook.  There is more rock n roll flowing through their veins this time around. It is most commonly bled out on the frets of the guitars. Catchy song writing does not mean they are any less in your face or forceful in their intentions.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- (16) : " Into Dust"

 

 

1-Hangman's Chair- "A Loner"

The French band's 2018 album took the top spot as the doom album of the year. Their reign of bleak continues, even though the more over metallic edges is dialed back. They make up for this is the mood they have captured which is as dark as the glory days of Katatonia. There is a driving riff when the opening track kicks in once the clouds of atmosphere have lifted. The lead single "Cold & Distant" is more accessible than anything we have heard from them thus far. Driving hooks with being too poppy. Songwriting is where they dominated and just because there is a more accessible slant to this album it is not a sign of weakness.

Abysmal Hymns: Hangman's Chair : "A Loner"

The Top 10 Doom Albums of 2022

We are still seeing who can take the slow burn of the world ending and 2022 offered no more hope than the previous year. We need music to match this feeling. I celebrate death, that is why I listen to doom. I mean the name of the genre says it all. If you are not down with despair, then get the fuck out of here. Ok now that that is out of the way, much like in years past 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. You can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. 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 Doom albums of 2022

10-Candlenass - "Sweet Evil Sun" 

It is clear these guys are still master of the genre, that does not mean they are putting out the best doom music these days as the next 9 albums will attest, their original singer Johan returns with a lower grittier tone than the more operatic bellow of Messiah Marcolin. This gives the band a heavier more modern sound. Sometimes they easily live up to their legacy and benefit when they open things up and allow Johan to take on more of a croon.  Even when they color by numbers, they get the job done better than most, but not better than all..

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Candlemass: "Sweet Evil Sun"

9-Mournful Congregation-The Exuviae of Gods-part 1" 

This Australian band is one of if not the best funeral doom bands. This set expectations high. I wanted a full length and got an Ep. One of song is a reworking of a song from their 1995, demo tape. Which was 27 years ago makes this for all practical purposes a new song. The first song is fourteen minutes long and the last is almost sixteen. With funeral doom it is easier to swallow since it's played at slower tempo the drone is in the hesitation. They do what they are great at I wish there was more. That is why it did not place higher. 

Abysmal Hymns: Mournful Congregation: " The Exuviae of Gods - Part I"

8-Sundowning- "In the Light of Defeat , I Cease to Exist " 

2022 was the year for atmosphere in sludge and doom, this German band meets at the crossroads of the two, there is a darker more mournful sound to the music and less of a punk rock aggression seething. The music often more minimal, under the growls that are traded off for actual singing. A beautiful album that is as sonically heavy as it is heavy metal.

Abysmal Hymns: Sundowning : "In the Light of Defeat, I Cease to Exist"

7-Famyne - "II-the Ground Below"

Candlemass pot the honorable mention slot this year, and truth be told these guys sound more like Candlemass than Candlemass did this year.  They do not dwell only on the past and care a great deal about the songs, with the help of very impressive vocal power, it all adds up to earn their place here. 

Abysmal Hymns: Famyne : "II: The Ground Below"

6-Shape of Despair - "Return to the Void" 

One of my favorite bands from one of my favorite sub - genres. They continue to not be bound within the confines of the sub-genre in terms of the sonic colors brough to the table in the song writing process yet are very consistent in being consistent for their fans. Sure, there is a doom gazing element to the ambiance, but this is a pretty stunning album overall.  

Abysmal Hymns: Shape of Despair : "Return to the Void"

5-Mother of Graves - "Where the Shadows Adorn" 

Emerging from Indiana of all places with some killer death doom. They find the right balance of death metal grit with the somber melodic nature of doom. The riffs are catchy and serve the songs, while trudging forward with the deep growl of the vocals continuing their narrative. There are some powerful doom-colored punches being thrown, though the mood is one of the most impressive things the guitars capture. They hold your own against icons of the genre like Paradise Lost

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Mother of Graves :"Where the Shadows Adorn"

4-the Otolith-"Folium Limina" 

Made up of former members of SubRosa. They employ strings and folk inflected vocals. The drumming grooves and drones in equal doses to summon a dirge like quality as the storm brews. One of the key selling points is how the heaviness comes from the expressive drone of the atmosphere and hit you in that sonic sweet spot of the darkness making things heavy rather than just crunching out metal

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- the Otolith : " Folium Limina"

 

3-Dream Unending- "Song of Salvation" 

Progressive doom, with a mood more like funeral doom and plenty of shredding done in the most tasteful way.  They weave some really beautiful reverb-tinged guitar sounds that drift over lingering drums and a low guttural growl crawling under it all. Sumerland drummer Justin DeTore handles both the drumming and the vocals, show of not only impressive chop but manage to write songs that shimmer with dynamics.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Dream Unending :"Song of Salvation"

 

2- Messa -"Close" 

 A logical progression in the next step of the band's songwriting, there are new tricks up their sleeve as forays into jazz and progressive rock color the dismal blues inflected exploration of their shadowy souls.  Morose trippiness gives way to a more aggressive explosion than anything we have heard from them yet.  Snake charming brass and Middle eastern passages are the norm to a backdrop that allows their singer to explore her upper register as well as go into harsh vocals at times. They jam out into some fairly remarkable guitar solos and pretty much have it all going for them here. 

. Abysmal Hymns: Messa : "Close"

1-Hangman's Chair- "A Loner"

The French band's 2018 album took the top spot as Doom album of the year. Their reign of bleak continues, even though the more over metallic edges is dialed back. They make up for this is the mood they have captured which is as dark as the glory days of Katatonia. There is a driving riff when the opening track kicks in once the clouds of atmosphere have lifted. The lead single "Cold & Distant" is more accessible than anything we have heard from them thus far. Driving hooks with being too poppy. Songwriting is where they dominated and just because there is a more accessible slant to this album it is not a sign of weakness.

Abysmal Hymns: Hangman's Chair : "A Loner"

Messa : "Close"

 

The opening track feels like a very logical progression in the next step of the band's songwriting, there are new tricks up their sleeve as forays into jazz and progressive rock color the dismal blues inflected exploration of their shadowy souls. The pace picks up on the second song which has a more rock feel before drifting into morose trippiness on the verse. It has a much more metallic attack than anything from "Feast For Water".  Snake charming brass opens "Orphalese" and she goes up more into her upper register. Normally she a more belted blues soaked alto so it is good to hear a wider range of vocal colors from her. The go into more Middle Eastern passages that are very cool on this one. 

"Rubedo" finds them going into a more aggressive harder rock feel. Thye jam this one out with some guitar solos that are pretty impressive.  Going into "Pilgrim" they are beginning to make me think they are from Turkey not Italy. Then things get more Sabbath like at the three-minute mark and they do not let up with the doomy metal. It is perhaps hookier in the punches than doom normally is. This song is nine and a half minutes, yet they keep your attention every second of it not letting up. While very adventurous and melodic with a great many tricks up their sleeve I do not think the song "0 =2" is sharply written as the previous songs. It does help me decide this album is more prog than it is doom. 

There is more of a tighter classic rock feel to the guitar wizardry that propels "If You Want Her to Be Taken" that finds the vocals having more of a ghostly atmosphere against the creeping guitar to create a Chelsea Wolfe like feel . The song builds dynamically to gain a more metal momentum as it gathers speed. This carries over even further into the punksih blast of "Leffotrak" which really does fit or make sense for the album except to prove they can get as heavy as they want.  "Serving Him" is closer to more of a middle ground for them. The guitar is very nuanced. More rock n roll than the bulk of the album. Atmospherically the riffs simmer to allow the vocals to do their thing. I will give this album a 9.5, it is encouraging that the first album I reviewed this year knocked it out of the park even though this album does not drop until March 11th . 

the Top 10 Metal Albums of 2018

It is that time again. This lists takes from the best of the other metal lists and is a cross genre best of list. 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 were more balanced this list leans heavily on the side of new bloods. 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 metal albums of 2018.

10- LLNN- "Deads"

 Hard core might be at the beating heart of this monster. What I like most is the sonic intensity. They are brutally aggressive, but don't stop there possessing a wider scope of dynamics.Not unlike bands such as Nails or Hexis, where many different sub-genres collide. This band is powered by a dark metallic hard-core draped in cinematic ambiance.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/llnn-deads.html

9-Ruin - "Human Annihilation"

 These guys offer a few things I like it my death metal. First and foremost their shit sounds dark. The opener is pretty dense and they do not rely on just speed. There is certainly an old school feel in what they do though it has a blown out quality that is not over produced so I can see how it might appeal to hipsters who were into punk last year. Also their songs are very short and to the point. But also well written



https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/11/ruin-human-annihilation.html

8-Messa - "Feast For Water" 

 My first thought when I heard them was this is like a metal version of Lana Del Ray. The tempo picks up and they fall closer in line to other "occult" rock of their ilk like Christian Mistress. There is more raw rumble going when they gain speed than what their peers typically muster. It's the dreary mood that kept them from just being lumped into stoner rock.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/04/messa-feast-for-water.html

7-Totalselfhatred - "Solitude" 


7 years since their last album, they once has a more aggressive take on depressive black metal,but it is hard to complain about what goes down as it's so well done. My ears can not escape the fact that the first song falls neatly into the depressive black metal box, where their earlier work had more of a unhinged feral quality to it. I also don't remember synths and piano playing as big of a role as they do here. The album really needed to be played loudly in order to soak in all the layers. Maturity is one of this album's characteristics. Gone are the rock god solos, but everything well played, with no doubt they are excellent musicians who have grown up to serve the song. They are little more mellowed with time, but with a wider depth of emotion.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/02/black-metal-history-month.html

6- Evoken-"Hypnagogia"

 After six years of waiting the Jersey doom band proves why they are America's best when it comes to not only funeral doom, but doom as a whole. This finds them picking up where they left off with "Atra Mors". Sonically it feels similar from a production stand point. Mood wise the atmosphere might be thicker. It's pretty dark, though perhaps not as filled with despair as the previous album. Lyrically it uses World War 1 as a metaphor to things they were going through at the time. This is done without the need to maintain some contrived narrative that concept albums tend to have. These guys are masterful songwriters who don't feel the need to drone on to make their point. The beginning is dreamy with low goth like vocals to bring a darker shade against the music. It builds as needed to give them a big metal ending draped in mournful strings that gets better with each listen.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/evoken-hypnagogia.html

5- Pestilence - " Hadeon"


 Bassist / vocalist Patrick Mameli is carrying the torch for this band that dates all the way back to 1986. Even with all of the new blood this takes you back to the early days of death metal when it met at the intersection of thrash. This album won me over, it came out early in the year so it also gave me the false hope that this was going to be a good year for death metal, but only one album out shined it when it comes to death metal.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/12/pestilence-hadeon.html

4- Necros Christos -" Domedon Doxomedon"


 A step in a direction that is more melodic and straight forward . They have come out from the murk of cavernous reverb to have a more organic sound. Gone is the darker Incantation worship. For matter there are few moments that sound like Morbid Angel. The vocals carry more of a croak, than the deeper growl I remember from these guys. Due to this the lyrics are more discernible. They are also more of a focal point with the opener being a clear cut take on the Jesus myth.In a genre that often is a one trick pony fueled only by aggression, this album has a range of dynamics and solid songwriting that proves death metal can be much more than that.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/04/necros-christos-domedon-doxomedon.html

3-Voices- "Frightened" 


 Former members of Akercocke formed this progressive metal band. The dark sense of melody further into this album with each listen . It has a wide array of vocal colors. The metal core of what these musicians creates from doesn't hamper it from bringing other elements ranging from post-punk to post- hardcore, though I guess these post-men aren't just ringing twice as any other post-sub genre can also be found. This album is very impressive, when I got it back in April it was what I thought to be one of the first contenders for album of the year as I could not imagine someone bringing it in the dark and aggressive fashion these guys do, but alas three other bands did in fact do it better.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/04/voices-frightened.html





2-Ilsa- "Corpse Fortress"

 This band is refusing to hold back on  on their debut for Relapse Records. The band's 5th full length finds them continuing to hammer skulls in with the sheer density of their blown out sludge. Dirty and squealing with feedback. The vocals are phrased in a way that that give the coarse scathing shouts almost more of  sung feel. The lyrics cut through better with this delivery. They shift back into more of a low end pounding that owes more to doom when it comes to the ominous rumble as the momentum continues to build. The flatulent bass can be heard in the din at times, but it generally hits you as one frequency. This album earned multiple listens I think it is a huge step forward for the band


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/ilsa-corpse-fortress.html

1-Hangman's Chair -"Banlieue Triste"


 This French band has been around for 13 years, so I am not sure how they have eluded me. In terms of conventional metal, they might not fit neatly into the box. They are heavy in the bleak mood they create. This depressing mood brings them closest to doom if they have to defined. The vocals are the key selling point for me as not a note is wasted and they really sell me on the lyrics. They are in a similar zip code as "Viva Emptiness" era Katatonia, but carrying even more despair. The reason they beat Evoken is while "Hypnagogia" is a beautiful album, it's so dense and grandiose, the songs don't hook me in to demand as many listens as this album did which what I need when I forget to take my meds in the morning.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/08/hangmans-chair-banlieue-triste.html