The Top 10 Albums of 2020

At the end of the day...year these are the albums I listened to the most. The reason that makes these the best is because I listened to over 2000 albums this year and these are the ones that endured the influx of new music that hit my in box 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-All Them Witches- "Nothing as the Ideal" 

This album was not what I was expecting. It is a highly polished piece of rock that knows it's way around a bong without forgetting where they parked the car. Hooky song writing that is a rarity in rock today. 

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom -All Them Witches : "Nothing as the Ideal"

9-HAIM- "Women in Music part 3" 

Lots of music came out. This is a spectacular album that stood above most , and demanded me to listen to it repeatedly and I still want to hear it more. These sisters are amazing

Abysmal Hymns: Haim : "Women In Music pt 3 "

8- Morrissey - " I Am Not a Dog on a Chain"

Yeah it is not Moz's best album, but that is a high bar that would have taken the number one spot. Moz is not dialing it in here, so that alone gives it more creative power even if his song writing is not firing off at maximum creativity.  If you are a fan this is a must. He can not be cancelled. If you think he should go kill yourself. The Smiths are great music to do that to. 

Abysmal Hymns: Morrissey : "I am Not a Dog on a Chain"

7- Code Orange- " Underneath"

They continue to grow away from their day as hard core kids, in fact they are now firmly into an industrial metal sound. The trick is they are such killer song writers that they can do what ever the fuck they want and make it work. Growth seems to be a reoccurring theme this year. 

Abysmal Hymns: Code Orange : " Underneath"

6- (16) - "Dream Squasher " 

This former sludge band almost outgrew their genre by dialing up their song writing making this one of the years best heavy albums. It has all the grit and mean spirited snarl needed to capture the feeling of 2020. 

Abysmal Hymns: -(16)- : " Dream Squasher"

5- Charli XCX-"how i'm feeling now" 

The struggle for the number one spot was tough as I really listened to the fuck out of this album, is it everything I might want from a pop album, but She came up number 2 in the Pop Top 10 list on here as well, but nothing for her to be ashamed. 

Abysmal Hymns: Charli XCX : "how i'm feeling now"

4- Katatonia - "City Burials" 

These guys have always been one of my favorites so it is great to hear them come back and remember how to rock out again. Is it the "Great Cold Distance" no, but it works fine for what it is and better than most. 

Abysmal Hymns: Katatonia : " City Burials"

3-Witnesses - "Doom 2" 

You want the year's best metal album ? Then go about it like you are not making a metal album and bring in a pop singer who sings with the same passion. This keeps you from sounding like everything else and makes a great fucking album. 

Abysmal Hymns: Witnesses : "Doom II"

 

2- Sound VVitch-"Becoming" 

Heavy does not mean metal, sometimes it means darkness. This album conveyed that but in a way that made it hard for me to stop listening which is why it is taking one of this year's top spots. 

Abysmal Hymns: Sound VVitch : "Becoming"

1- Taylor Swift - "Folklore" 

2020 did some good things. It made Tay Tay really grow up and prove she should be taken as seriously as the National or Bon Iver. This might not be the best album of her career, but it is the best one this year. 

Abysmal Hymns: Taylor Swift : " Folk Lore"

Gothtober - the Top 10 Goth Albums of 2020

It's that time of year again . It might seem early to start this in November , but record labels have pretty much send me most of what this year has to offer already , by the time I am done sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I will then compile the top 10 albums of the year. I know many of you are ready for 2020 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year.; As far as 2020 goes for goth there are only two new bands on this years list .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. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However  I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it. I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list ; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 goth albums of 2020

10  - Black Needle Noise -"These Mortal Covers" 

 John Fryer, one half of This Mortal Coil, released this covers album. Much like with This Mortal Coil, different singers lent their voices. It ranged from an industrial take of Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang" to a darke,r more introspective vision of "What a Wonderful World" .  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/gothtober-black-needle-noise-these.html

 

9-Kanga-" Eternal Daughter"

 At the top of the heap for future pop / dark wave. Her voice exudes sex appeal even when just talking her way through a song. Sure, there is lots of stuff that came out this year in this vein, but she just did it better. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/gothtober-kanga-eternal-daughter.html

 

8-Cripple Black Phoenix - " "Ellengæst"

 They lost their singer and went in a darker direction. Bringing in singers from bands ranging from Tribulation to Fotocrime. It is progressive only if you mean becoming progressively more depressing, which is a beautiful thing.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/gothtober-crippled-black-phoenix.html  

7-Clan of Xymox This darker turn from their 2017 album is much needed. They are now among the top tier with their peers from this era, if there was any doubt.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/gothtober-clan-of-xymox-spider-on-wall.html

 

 

 6-Alter de Fey- " And May Love Conquer All" 

 Lots of bands claimed to be death rock and are really just punk with some makeup on at best, this band is a legit as it gets. Proof that if you stick to your guns, the wheel of trends will spin back around to you. In the same vein of death rock as Christian Death. This is textbook death rock. What sets them apart is that they did not have to worry about capturing a sound, as that came naturally.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/gothtober-altar-de-fey-and-may-love.html

5-Rosegarden Funeral Party- "At the Stake"

 Yes, there is a Siouxsie influence, but that is not what defines their sound, nor are they a tribute act pretending to write originals. They have a sound, but they also have songs and are not afraid to beef it up a little bit on the rock side.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/rosegarden-funeral-party-at-stake.html

 

4-Bestial Mouths- "RESURRECTEDINBLACK" 

 It makes me think of what might happen if Diamanda Galas jammed with Switchblade Symphony. I like that it opens new doors of sound and takes the darkness of this album in another direction, not painting in the same shade of black. A more driving industrial pulse pushes the last song ahead. This works as it is great to hear the dynamic range of this album.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/10/gothtober-bestial-mouths.html

3- Marilyn Manson - We Are Chaos 

This and the two releases that follow could have all taken the number one spot, but how much air time they got factored into edging each other into the respective places these albums fell. This one finds Manson picking up where he left off with "Mechanical Animals" . Glam at time but a less gaudy version than "Dope Show".  This album shine the most when he is out of his comfort zone and following in the steps of March Bolan rather than Trent Reznor. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/09/mariyn-manson-we-are-chaos.html

2-Corlyx< 'Together Apart"

 The duo's first album for Negative Grain finds them making a conscious shift from the more electro-industrial stylings of their last album to making a goth album. By goth it leans more toward the post-punk side of the equation on the first song rather than darkwave or death rock. What I like about this is how they are not emulating any one band.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/07/corlyx-together-apart.html 

 

1-Sound VVitch- "Becoming" 

 This project,  based out of New York, blends dark wave and industrial, though not neatly falling into either subgenre. It is too heavy for dark wave and works with slow slithering pounds rather than a neat dance floor-ready groove. This album is in the number one spot because the song has just demanded that I listen to it more than other albums. Not just other goth albums, it competes for air time against all of my favorite artists. When you consider the amount of music ingested, this is an even more impressive feat and speaks to the quality of these songs. If you are reading this article, you like dark music, so you need to give this a listen. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/sound-vvitch-becoming.html 

Mix Tape Mania - Summer Edition

Cognitive Behavorial Therapy teaches distraction as a tool to deal with distress tolerance. Aside from masturbation music is one of the best forms of distraction. In fact some days all I need is to have my soundtrack reset. Considering the stressors from the outside world these days we need many sound track resets, almost on a daily basis. So if the batteries are dead or lube has been squeezed dry, these songs might help. All of them but one are from 2020, and the song that is from 2019 is still less than a year old so it might stilll have that new car smell.






Carpenter Brut : "Gone now "


 



Nadine Shah : Ladies For Babies "


 


 Sound VVitch : "Like Leather, Like Flesh"


 

 Mushroom Head : "Heresy"


 


 Paradise Lost - "Ending Days"


 


 Mrs. Piss -"You Took Everything"


 


Strvngers- "Crucifixx"



 


Charli XCX- "C.20"


 


 Katatonia : "Neon Epitaph"


 


 Igorrr- "Downgrade Desert"



 

the Top 10 Rock Albums of 2020 ...so far

The year is half way gone. What do we have to show for it ? While you guys have been running scared I have been listening to music , new music. Yes it is still coming out in 2020 despite the music business being dealt a death blow it is not going to recover from. Savor these albums as unless it is released by an artist we are going to see less big releases coming out from this point on,as they are making less investments. If you are a musician you are screwed ,so here are ten artists that are worht your support though  3 of these guys are doing ok on their own and have other sources of income. now let us move onto why you clicked .

By rock here we are talking about anything that is not metal. There was not enough pop to justify making a seperate list and there are not a great deal of glaring pop albums aside from the number 10 album. I have albums coming out in August in my in-box already so I am way ahead of the curve, so this might be more prophetic of the year's best than in years before, considering how  bands can not tour to support releases , many are being delayed . So is this as good as 2020 is going to get ? I think not just in terms of music the answer is yes. Half of you might kill yourselves after what is going to happen in November, If you follow me on social media you know I am getting my transmissions from the aliens which are now even clearer since I am off my meds , but I have been pretty spot on in my predictions so far. It pays to be crazy these days.

10- Poppy- "I Disagree"

 This one grew on me. Makes a solid argument that she is more than a social media star trying to go metal. Head and shoulders over other gimmicks like Babymetal or Ghost. Not made but a pop album with an edge.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/01/poppy-i-disagree.html

9-Ozzy Osbourne - "Ordinary Man"


 It's a miracle he lived to make this album. I can not imagine him being able to do another. It is much better than what I feared given the fact he is using Post Malone's producer. Not a metal album, but rocks enough for his age.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/02/ozzy-osbourne-ordinary-man.html

8-Dool- "Sumerland"


 This band features members of the Devils Blood. They are less retro and more progressive, with a more straight up radio rock vibe. Some of this is thanks to the very accessible nature of the smooth vocals. A mature step forward with songwriting and even darker.



 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/04/dool-summerland.html

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7-Sound VVitch- "Becoming" 


 interesting blend of dark wave and industrial, though not neatly falling into either sub genre. It is too heavy for dark wave and works of slow slithering pounds rather than a neat dance floor ready groove. If you are into the darkwave or industrial strains of gothic music this album is a must.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/sound-vvitch-becoming.html

6- Mrs. Piss - " Self Surgery"



 Have yet to even load this one into iTunes, just got it last week, which factors into why it is a Chelsea Wolfe album that is not coming in higher. My first impression is I might like this better than "The Birth of Violence". This is only June so I have another 6 months to come to these conclusions.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/mrs-piss-self-surgery.html

5-Katatonia- "City Burials"

 Not a metal album, but at least these guys are not just moping around and brought back some balls to their sound. The songs are more fun than anything since "Night is the New Day".


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/04/katatonia-city-burials.html

4-Igorrr - "Spirituality and Distortion" 

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<- and="" br="" distortion="" pirituality=""> Might not pack the punch of the previous album, but is more serious about the exotic groove. If Dead Can Dance was too mellow for you then this is an album to check out. Yes the more aggressive Mr. Bungle like moments are here too. <- and="" br="" distortion="" pirituality=""> https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/igorr-spirituality-and-distortion.html 

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3-Pyschedelic Furs- "Made of Rain"
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Not being defined by their 80s hits,  theses guys made and album that will surprise you. It falls some where between their their new wave pop past and a progressive indie rock future. Lyrically it is very asute.
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<- and="" br="" distortion="" pirituality=""> https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-psychedelic-furs-made-of-rain.html

2- Morrissey - " I am Not a Dog on a Chain" 

There are some weird choices. I need to spend more time with this album to digest them. I always enjoy this album when I do play, I have the rest of the year to continue to unpack all my thoughts and feeling on this and it was a close call between Moz and the Furs here, but of course he is going to win out it is my blog. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/morrissey-i-am-not-dog-on-chain.html 

 

1- Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

When talking to an editor of anohter blog I write for in regards to their list of the same kind, I told this ...if you have not heard that saint cloud album and want to be in a good mood , I implore you to listen to it, thanks to the wonders of the american health care systems I am off my meds and have been given more hoops to jump through than I am able to deal with so instead of my wellbutrin I listen to it when I drink my coffee in the morning.... that is not my blurb , just my endorsement to you lol so that is my blurb about it here.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/05/waxahatchee-saint-cloud.html