Patriarchy : "Appendices EP"

 I loved their last album, so when I opened my email today and found this surprise waiting, I could not wait ti jump into it. The first single, "Lilylicker" approaches what they did on the last album from a different angle, less industiral more electro-trash. It also makes less of an attempt to find its place in today's pop landscape and instead goes back to a place that reminds me more of Lords of Acid. Things get darker on "Bite Marks". The vibe is still sex forward, as this song is more of a rough sex anthem. There is some dynamic ebb and flow to it, and the produiction is both dirty and more refined at the same time.

"Serville" features Witch Club Satan who I assume is adding the guitars to the equation or the gang vocals. It's dynamic , but this more whispered approach that seems to be dominant in this song and carrying over into "Ode" makes me think of Madonna's "Justify My Love". In many ways, that is the vibe of the album, as it's on brand for them.  After listening to the album all the way through, I had to listen to the last three songs again to gather my thoughts.

The second time around, "Serville" clicked for me. The second time around, "Ode" hit me more with the lyrics. It is not as sexual a song, and it's more like Lords of Acid. Then there is a weird disco hook in it. "Hate Fuck" is the odd ball out after the second listen. It almost sounds more like something Yolandi Visser would do if she were making a ballad with Grimes. I will give this one a 9.5 and see how it grows on me, less industrial and more in the electronic slant for sure. Out August 7th.

pst339

The Top 20 Albums of 2025 (Part Two 10-1)

 

Last year, I expanded what was once the Top 10 Albums of the Year to the Top 20. The Top 10  was limiting, considering there are now 20 best-of-genre lists.  a Top 10 often left off ten albums that captured the top spot for their respective genres.  So we are continuing the countdown here in this second part to the top 10 albums. These are the albums I listened to most. When you take into consideration the fact that I listened to over 900 albums this year, it's impressive for these albums to have endured the influx of new music that hit my inbox every morning and made me want to hear them again and again. Yes, this is the culmination of all the other lists done up to this point for other blogs and was refined down to this master list of all genres.; So here ya go...

10-HAIM- "I quit" 

The Haim sisters came back after five years, which in pop music is an eternity, given how attention spans and trends cycle out. In being generous and taking things like touring into consideration, we can say they had 3 years to follow "Women in Music pt 3" which was a career-defining album, that elevated the band's status. This time the focus was on playing their instruments and busting out guitar solos rather than pop hooks, but they packed a few of those as well. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/haim-i-quit.html

 

9-Patriarchy -"Manual for Dying." 

The steamiest batch of bumping grinders since the golden years of Lords of Acid, certainly, is enough to give this duo the number one spot. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/patriarchy-forcefully-rearranged.html

8-Sanguisugabogg -"Hideous Divinity." 

 This is an album I have been looking forward to, so expectations were high. Halfway into the first song, I  heard the needed tweaks I wanted from these guys in terms of production have been made, and it is rocking fucking hard. There is more attention to detail in songwriting as riffs have purpose and are not just shifting into the next heaviest chug possible. Songwriting is storytelling, telling, and the message is coming through with a more mature and perfected vision. Devin still does what he does, though his phrasing is refined and more articulate without sacrificing brutality. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/sanguisugabogg-hideous-divntiy.html

7- Coroner - "Dissonance Theory."

The band's first album in 32 years. Things are different in many ways, though they do not sound like they are in their 60s. Weirdly, Marquis Marky is not behind the kit, leaving Ron Royce and Tommy Baron as the only original members who feel more pronounced as a trio. Their new drummer, Diego, certainly pulls it all off. This is not them trying to recapture their 80s sound. Nor should they. A big difference lies in how forward Royce's vocals are in the mix, as he used to sit back in the guitars more, certainly having grown more confident in what he does.  You can hear how they influence bands like Meshuggah. This album grew on me with each listen, and it's clear they are more vital now than ever. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/coroner-dissonance-theory.html

 

6-Heartworms - "Glutton For Punishment."

Why is this album taking the top spot, you ask?  There are organic qualities blended with a chamber-pop sound that brings Dresden Dolls to mind in equal doses as Rasputina .. Helmed by Jojo Orme, this project is mroe organic and capable of rocking out than your average darkwave band, with songs like "Jacked' falling on the more post-punk side of the equation. The guitars are capable of delivering the needed jagged tension. The album spends a great deal of time juggling the more electronic elements against a jangle of guitar that leans left of center into a moodier indie rock. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-heartworms-glutton-for.html

 

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5-Freeze the Fall - "The Red Garden." 

Big radio rock that hits with an infectious bite. Their anthemic choruses are balanced by the brooding atmosphere that is dark enough to keep me interested, despite the more hopeful mood they build. This young Canadian trio is great songwriters who sometimes find their overall sound following a 90s formula, which proves highly effective as it puts them in the number one spot, beating out veteran acts, so the future clearly holds big things for them. If you have not heard this album yet, do yourself a favor and give it a listen.    

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

 

4-Taylor Swift- "the Life of a Showgirl" 

At the end of the day, she can whip out songs that sit effortlessly next to the other classics in her discography with no effort. Even Tay Tay dialing it in is better than what most can do with two dozen producers and co-writers. This album grew on me, and makes it clear she is the dominant force in not just pop music, but songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/taylor-swift-life-of-showgirl.html

 

3-Hangman's Chair- "Saddiction" 

The modern kings of gloom bring a sonic pounding counterbalanced by the trademark passion of the vocals, and things ebb down into a more depressive introspection as the rollercoaster of the album's dynamic sets in motion. Some interesting production choices in this often reverb-heavy recording are best appreciated when played loudly through headphones. It's a band whose songwriting continues to exceed expectations and put them at the top of the heap, not just when it comes to doom or metal, but all artists making music today. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/hangmans-chair-saddiction.html

 

2-Spiritbox- "Tsunami Sea." 

It's the band's pop lean that helps separate them from their peers, as Courtney is better at vocal hooks than the singer for Jinger or Infected Rain, who work in similar sonic circles. She has continued to grow as a singer to further distance herself from her peers. Even with the pop hooks in play, the dynamics pack a heavy enough punch to have the metallic impact to take the top spot here. Their drummer has really stepped up on this album as he fills the spaces with interesting playing that they build off of. At the end of the day, it's the top-tier songwriting that wins out.

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

1-Ethel Cain-  "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You."

Not only the best shoegaze/post-rock album of the year,  the best album of the year. I don't think she set out to make a shoegaze album, which is what makes it so effective; the ethereal atmosphere just organically came about thanks to the hypnotic drones that also incorporate pop and country music into the mix. Unlike Wednesday, who takes a jarring turn between the two genres, on this album, you can't tell where one ends and the other begins as they are woven with such sonic beauty. As stated, these albums are ranked according to how much I actually listened to them, and I listened to this album more than any other this year.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/ethel-cain-willoughby-tucker-ill-always.html

pst641

The Top 40 Songs of 2025 (Part 2: 30-21)

 

This is part two of the Top 40 songs of 2025. It's a list of the 40 catchiest songs that got the most airplay from me this year. These are the songs that I kept on repeat and got stuck in my head, which certainly factored in when ranking these albums in the big picture, only one artist on this list delivered an album that was underwhelming with the single as one of the only memorable songs on the album, but a great deal lies in how that was hyped leading up to the album's release. 

I have split this up into four more digestable play lists of 10 songs, each I think these songs all speak for themselves, so there is no need for me to wax poetic about what makes them great as their hooks will do that for them so take a listen and maybe these will be the melodies that haunt you when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night so lets continue into the top 30 songs of 2025.

30-Miley Cyrus - "More to Lose."

29-Freeze the Fall- "VHS" 

28-HEALTH- "Darkage" 

27-Sanguisugabogg- "Repulsive Demise" 

 

26-Author & Punisher - "Mute Swan." 

25-Patriarchy -"New Way." 

 

 24-Spiritbox- "Tsunami Sea." 

 

 23-Taylor Swift- "Wi$h Li$t" 

22-Callous Daoboys- ''Schizophrenia Legacy" 

21-Coroner- "the Law" 

pst628

October's Top 10 Albums

It's time for October's top 10 albums. Staying abreast of the month's highlights may help casual readers catch up on what they missed and explore these artists. I am not writing brief summaries of them; I am simply linking to 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 2026, 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 it ranges from big pop bangers to various shades of electronic goth darkness. Obviously, with Halloween upon us this only makes more sense after al,l I dedicate the entire month to covering goth, but perhaps you will find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of  October. 

10-Testament - " Para Bellum" 

Thrash 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/testament-para-bellum.html

9-male// gaze - "Too Late Now" 

Shoe-gaze 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/malegaze-too-late-now.html

8-Biohazard- "Divided We Fall" 

Hard-core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/biohazard-divided-we-fall.html

7-the Tear Garden - "Astral Elevator" 

Industrial 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-tear-garden-astral-elevator.html

 6-Perturbator-"Age Of Aquarius" 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-perturbator-age-of-aquarius.html

5-Black Cross Hotel - "Songs For Switches" 

Industrial Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-black-cross-hotel-songs-for.html

4-Spiritual Cramp-"Rude"

post-punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/spiritual-cramp-rude.html

3-Cold In Berlin -"Wounds" 

Doom

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-cold-in-berlin-wounds.html

2-Patriarchy - "Manual For Dying" 

Electronic

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/gothtober-patriarchy-manual-for-dying.html

1-Taylor Swift - "The Life of a Showgirl" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/taylor-swift-life-of-showgirl.html

pst528

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 

pst526

Gothtober- Patriarchy : "Manual for Dying"

 

I liked this project's last album, though I am guessing they do not self-identify as goth, but what they do is likea darker, more brooding version of Peaches.  In many ways, it is not unlike what was going down on the new Pixel Grip album. They are not afraid of increasing intensity here on the opening track as they declare that " if you want to keep your boy on a leash/ the strategy is catch and release," which could have a double meaning. "New Way" works off a somewhat poppier pulse. The mood is dripping with sex. It's not all humping groove as things back off enough to have dynamics. 

"Coming Up" has guitar accents giving it more of an industrial grind, though it's more on the "Pretty Hate Machine" side of things. It seems like it's about getting choked during sex. "Bad Thing" has more motion in the ocean as they muse, what they are doing under the effects of alcohol. It is more on the pop side of their equation, but it works. There is a more experimental witch house-like sound to "My Place."She continues her seductive purr on " Die Like Everyone Else".  It also finds her voice going into an upper register I haven't noticed before and a sultry Madonna-like croon. 

"Like Me" and "Pain is Power" both had a weird hybrid mix of hyper-pop and witch-house; the latter is more celebratory of the fact that blood is everywhere, but she does not care. "Victim of God" also has a more pop feel that is tempered by a noisy swath of metallic dissonance. It also moves more likea Nine Inch Nails song. The last song is almost a ballad, but grimy enough to work. This album is a lot of fun, should have been called "Porn songs," but as there is not a lot about dying. I will give it a 9.5. 

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

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

pst488

The Top 10 Electronic Albums of 2023

The Electronic albums list covers music that is less organic than what is on other lists, without being pop music. Not much in the way of button-pushing dance music here either, but a mix of synth wave, and experimental hip-hop, along with new wave projects that use drum machines more than a kit. These are not the coolest electronic albums, but the best, fuck what other blogs say,.   After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 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 Electronic albums of 2023.

10- X- Marks the Pedwalk- Superstition" 

The album opens with this long-running project sounding as fresh as ever. The vocals are distinct and have purpose, at times reminding me more of Gary Numan, than I recall thinking back when I used to listen to them more in the 90s. They continue to prove themselves relevant with this album. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/x-marks-pedwalk-superstition.html

 

9- Patriarchy - "Forcefully Rearranged "

Contrary to poor journalism accounts of this project there is nothing metal about it, I would not even call it industrial. It's sex-drenched dark wave that leans more onto the EBM side of things. Front Woman Actually Huizenga coos her way through sex-doll, which is more self-objectifying and not as subversive as they credit themselves with being. Though see that she came to fame as a scene kid in Los Angeles would you expect her to think anything else of herself even if it is all a marketing ploy. But with that said she knows her way around a hook, and they are onto something sonically cool here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/patriarchy-forcefully-rearranged.html

8 -Body of light - "Bitter Reflection"

The duo's sound has been further tweaked. While they still straddle the balance of capturing a sound versus writing songs, they are using the refinement of sound to further their songwriting. The vocals feel more in line with who they are. They crooned without emulating say Depeche Mode, whose earlier work still stands as their biggest influence.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/body-of-light-bitter-reflection.html

7-JPEGMAFIA X Danny Brown - ""Scaring the Hoes"

Finally some hip- hop willing to take risks and not just come rolling off the assembly line of an entertainment conglomerate. Detroit-bred Brown, just did a stint in rehab, so this was more than likely recorded before that vacation was in play. He brags a lot about various drugs, so maybe he is realer than most. Though at South x Southwest, he apologized for writing so many songs about drugs. Hopefully, sobriety won't ruin his weirdness. This album shows you do not need an assembly line of producers and songwriters if you have any talent. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/jpegmafiaxdanny-brown-scaring-hoes.html

6-M83- "Fantasy" The French electro-pop project finds itself stripped down to primary songwriter Anthony Gonzalez who worked on a large part of this album with live keyboardist Joe Berry. He also brought many of the live musicians he works with to aid in the sessions, which resulted in an album that washes by you like one wave of sound. https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/m83-fantasy.html

5-Death Index - "Civilized by a Lie"

I'm curious to know how this went under my radar. I am a big Merchandise fan, and since I love Carson Cox's voice, the 2016 album by this project was one of my favorites of that year. This time around the electronic nature of this project overtakes a more organic post-punk feel to the self-titled album. Even with the abrasive streak that runs through the bulk of this album the songs manage to win out.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/death-index-civilized-by-lie.html

 4-Tech N9ne - "Bliss"

The 51-year-old rapper is one of the rare artists in the game who cares about writing songs without taking it too far and getting lost in the industry's pop machine. He meets your expectations if you consider him to be one of the last great rappers still making music.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/08/tech-n9ne-bliss.html

3-Gunship - "Unicorn"

The 80's worshiping synth wave band continues to grow as songwriters on their third album. Once again there are plenty of guests helping out. Not all of these contributions are highlighted, though rather than writing to play to the strengths of the guest spots the electro trio is just focused on writing hooky songs which works just as well. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/gunship-unicorn.html

2-Stranger Ranger -"Pure Music"

One of the more compelling forms pop music has taken on this year. I am a little late to the party as this is the band's fourth album, but glad I am finding it now.  Some kids might call this "vapor wave" but it does not have the neon bi-lighting to make this a fashion choice. Normally the breathy vocals that typically dominate this album might start to wear thin, but everything else sits in the right place to compensate for it.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/07/strange-ranger-pure-music.html

1-Depeche Mode -"Memento Mori"

7 years have passed since the release of  "Spirit".  Album number 15 finds the duo of Gahan and Wilder more inspired than they have been since "Ultra". Andy Fletcher's death gave the writing process more depth and meaning. Adversity is what it takes for the creative fires to burn the brightest since "Ultra' marked the departure of Alan Wilder and Gahan hitting a bottom with his substance issues. Stunning production and an immaculate mix allow interesting sounds to swirl in it. This album makes for a  logical new chapter. If this is the album they choose to end things with I would not blame them as this would be a high note to end it on. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/03/depeche-mode-memento-mori.html

Patriarchy : "Forcefully Rearranged"

 

This is a re-mix album which I do not normally fuck with, but I caught this project working with Odonis Odonis on their newest EP so I figured I would give them a chance. They are working with some pretty interesting artists on this as the opening track is remixed by Soft Moon. It is not as steamy as the remix of "No Touch Torture" by Baby Magick , but it works well. Contrary to poor journalism accounts of this project there is nothing metal about it, I would not even call it industrial. It's sex drenched dark wave that leans more onto the EBM side of things. Front Woman Actually Huizenga, coos her way through sex-doll, which is more self-objectifying and not as subversive as they credit themselves with being. Though see that she came to fame as a scene kid in Los Angeles would you expect her to think anything else of herself even if it is all a marketing ploy. 

Houses of Heaven lends a hand on "the Man For You" , that follows a similar formula of breathy vocals mixed into the dirty club beats. Ample synths dress things up with a lust for the 80s. While they are not industrial in and of themselves, when you allow Rhys Fulber of Frontline Assembly to re-mix you, then things are going to head in that direction. Though it is more atmospheric that what you might expect to happen. Not far removed from what Zanias does sonically, the remix of "Suffer" makes sense enough. It works better than the previous song as it is more melodically focused. "State of Undress" feels like an extension of the previous song. Not sure that it's a positive sign regarding the creative range if  two different songs get remixed by two different artists and it all still begins to sound the same.

There is more drive to "Lockjaw" which has the arpeggiated synth sound propelling it.  There is an almost Nine Inch Nails like beat to "Don't Fuck  the Drummer " thanks to Pixel Grip. This sounds cools, but as a song just kinda of drones on . The same could be said of  Mvtant's remix of  "Unself". The second remix of "Good Boy" by Choke Chain is a little darker , but does not let the song breathe as much as the first. The Odonis Odonis tracks bumps pretty well. This is the second remix of the song on this album and the more noise tinged version they bring works a little better. It is certainly better than the Street Fever remix of "The Man For You" which reduces it to another club track. It's not surprise that Kontravoid would bring a more industrial touch for their take on "Suffer" is one of this album's better moments 

The third and thankfully finale remix of "No Touch Torture" is by Spike Hellis and while it is another dance mix, better than the previous one. It at least gives a better feel to the song. The Marquis remix of "Good Boy" is more chaotic than what Choke Chain did with the song. The beat is abrasive and harder, which works in a different way. I will give this album a 9, I like where they are going , I think two remixes of "No Touch Torture" would have sufficed. If you like things on the electronic side, then this is worth a spin.

Odonis Odonis : "ICON"

 

The Canadian duo's newest effort is a collaborative EP with some pretty note-worthy artists. The first track is a cathartic grooving brand of post-punk that finds them working with A Place to Bury Strangers. This of course finds A Place to Bury Strangers bring noise-coated bursts of guitars to the proceedings. The song has a back alley slither that works well. "Beast" is an attempt to weave what they do with the electronic weirdness of Thomas Fec from Black Moth Super Rainbow, who also performs under the moniker TOBACCO. This brings an abrasive form of industrial together where the vocals are screamed more often than not. 

Vancouver-based singer Terror Bird lends their voice to the more dark wave-flavored "Brilliant Things" . The weird thing with this is the song was also recorded by Terror Bird and Subterranean Lovers, though that version is more almost Brit-pop in the manner the arrangement unfolds. This darker version works better.  There is more of a post-punk to the more organic mix-up with the Actors on the song "No One Left". The guitar jangle is not unlike what we have already heard from this sub-genre before, but it still works well this time around. 

"Passing Us By" paints a darker picture than what I would have expected to have come from getting SUUNS involved. It drones very starkly with more of a cold wave feel. The last song features the Los Angles goth hipster project Patriarchy. It is pretty steamy but also simmers in the same shade of neon that you expect outside of the angsty chorus.  It seems that a 9 is the highest score I can justify doing something really well and engaging me with the songs, but not to the point of me being hit with the urge to own this upon first listening. So that is the score I am giving it.