What's with the Grammys? and why don't they matter.

 

The circle jerk known as the Grammys is everywhere on the internet, and once again, gullible people pretend they matter. Sure, the Cure won, but that is grasping for relevance. But before we get into it, I am going to come up with that annoying thing called the facts to clear up some things. The recording industry did not really split from Hollywood and has been incestuous ever since the record label Warner Brothers is the music side of the film Studio Warner Bros, they even use the same logo; if it is not obvious enough for you, or you just enjoy willful ignorance.

  Why is this an important piece well in the 1950s when stars were being given out on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, record executives said, "We've got artists we would like to get this kind of reconition since that is a for of promotion so we need some awards to give out, since the general public are idiots and they think it matters if some one has trinkets or not. Thus, in 1957, the Recording Academy founded the Grammy awards menaing gramophone.  By the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, while they claim to be a non-profit, they are propped up by record labels, which are an extension of the Hollywood machine. In other words, it's all part of their game. 

Keeping this in mind, artists know to run in these circles; they are expected to play nice and tow the narratives the industry is promoting. This is where the whole industry plant thing comes into play; rather than go into that here, you can read this article on it. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/whats-up-with-industry-plant-theory.html

So, of course, they are going to use them to promoe plants like Yungblud, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Post Malone. They will use people like Sharon Osborne, who are deep in the industry, in Sharon's case, has it in her blood as she followed her father's footsteps, and has never really given a shit about her husband's legacy, which is clear from parading him around like a baboon on reality tv. But what about the Cure? Well, Robert Smith is not a fool; he knows that for every "One Hundred Years" he writes, he needs a "Friday I'm In Love" as somebody has to pay for another vat of wine for the castle. 

Even when they have legit bands play, and all the press says they crushed it, well the band was really playing nice for the sheep watching it on the Tele. Spiritbox's preformance did not suck, but Courtney was clearly being a good girl for the night and not going too hard, since it should have sounded like this...

Not the same vocal tones heard on the Grammy performance. If they were actually playing at all. They could have recorded in a soundstage, then had that track played on lots of levels to that one. They are a great band that is trying to pay their rent to be able to play the game. What you really watched was the machine roll out its agenda for the year to come, and reward those who have been playing nicely and following the rules. But most of you cucks are into that sort of thing, but don't fool yourselves by thinking you are punk or metal by doing, all in all, you're just another brick in the wall. 

pst39

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

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Top 40 Songs of 2025 (Part 4 10-1 )

This is the final installment 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 10 songs of 2025.

10-HEALTH- "YOU DIED." 

 

9-Heartworms - "Mad Catch." 

8. Freeze the Fall - "Rot." 

7-Turnstille-"Never Enough." 

6-Taylor Swift- "Cancelled."

 

5-Ethel Cain- "Janine."

>

4-Sleep Token- "Emergence." 

3-Hangman's Chair - "Kowloon Lights." 

2-Spiritbox- "Keep Sweet." 

  

1-Ethel Cain-"Dust Bowl." 

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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" 

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the Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2025

Mainstream Metal is defined here as the middle of the road that does not lean too far in the direction of other genres sludge or black metal, which have their own lists. This year, I gave Thrash its own list, which has thinned the pack down to the more arena-packing strains of nu-metal and metal-core.   These are not the coolest 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 2025.

 The very 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, and you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can 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 Mainstream Metal albums of 2025.

10-Slaughter to Prevail- "Grizzly."

This is the third album from the Russian band, who ironically fled to Orlando, due to the war, in which they seem to not support slaughtering to prevail. They find themselves sonically somewhere between metalcore and nu-metal with the sample-heavy production on this album. When they kick into a more nu-metal direction, they tap into a catchy Slipknot bounce

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/slaughter-to-prevail-grizzly.html

          

9-Dead Rabbits -"Redefined" 

This is a side project of Escape the Fate vocalist Craig Mabbitt. It leans into the twisted side of metal-core-influenced pop that bands like Pierce the Veil and Bad Omens dominate. You can throw Falling in Reverse in the pile of artists who share a similar style as the big-sounding glitch-driven pop rock, that is more aggressive in attitude than what the guitars are doing. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/dead-rabbits-redefined.html

 

8-Bleed -"s/t" 

This Texas band takes you back to the '90s in a weird, unexpected manner.  By unexpected, this does not mean I have not already seen the writing on the wall when it comes to nu-metal making a comeback. These guys just go about it differently. The flourishes of DJs spun, scratched ambiance at the edges of their throb point this band's sound in the direction of nu-metal. There is some darker tension to the grooves that the vocals coo over. The drummer is really slapping his kit as needed, and the electronic elements ebb and flow into their sound pretty seamlessly. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/bleed-st.html

7-Living Dead Girl-"Con$piracy" 

 Molly and company continue to perfect their ability to blend metalcore-edged riffs against bright pop-punk choruses to make almost every song on the album. Her screamed vocals dominate the verses as her more sugary pop voice comes to take the sting away on the chorus. Their down-tuned guitars contrast with the synth ambiance. Not one to repeat hooks, Molly creates a distinct difference in the choruses as they display more songwriting chops as a whole. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/living-dead-girl-conpiracy.html

 

6-Novelists- "CODA" 

The addition of vocalist Camille Contreras has elevated the band's profile, placing them in a higher tier of metalcore alongside artists like Spiritbox and Jinjer. Things get quirkier and help distance themselves from Spiritbox with a more frantic electronic chaos unfolding. It borders nu-metal and djent. Using the metal-core formula to build into screaming.  Predictable, but with shiny new pieces making the sounds for the puzzle. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/novelists-coda.html

 

5-ten56- "IO"

The sophomore full-length from ten56 finds them picking up where they left off.  They are still at the intersection where metal-core sprang from nu-metal in the days of Myspace. What I like about these guys is the dark undertones to their sound that hit no matter if they are bringing a more hammering stomp or going into the more Ghostemane-like rap dirges. There are interesting sounds wrapped around both modes of sonic attack. At times, sung vocals pop in, though they are bookended by experimental touches, and all of it is angry and in your face. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/ten56-io.html

4-Scars on Broadway- "Addicted to Violence." 

There is an almost punk feel at times, but it's punk in the same way that System of a Down was influenced by punk, which was most notably the influence of the Dead Kennedys. The grooves work well and lever lyrics that help seal the deal. It feels like he makes more social commentary than political statements like Serj. Most of these songs  would not be out of place on a System of a Down album, showing how much of the weight he was pulling when it came to songwriting in the band. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/daron-malakian-and-scars-on-broadway.html

3-Dying Wish- "Flesh Stays Together." 

This is the third album from Portland's metalcore mavericks, Dying Wish, is more melodic than expected. The buzz that this was a darker album caught my ear, and I like what they are doing. They are more on the hard-core side of the metal-core equation, even with the way Emma Boster employs sung vocals. It is done in a less formulaic manner than what Killswitch Engage is known for. There is also more emphasis on dishing out beatdowns during the breakdowns. It albumst made the hard-core lsit instread but the anthemic feel finds it here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/dying-wish-flesh-stays-together.html

 

2-Soulfly-"Chama" 

There is a darker apocalyptic drive to this album, which I am also here for., along with a more industrial pound that is a mix of 'Roots' era Sepultura, though maybe less Korn in the grooves and more Code Orange. Defiant in-your-face bangers that include some melody and atmosphere that catches me by surprise, as  Gabriel Franco from Unto Others lends his voice in places, along with  Todd Jones from Nail, but at the end of the day, it is Ma who proves he was always hte most crucial songwriter in Sepultura. l

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/soulfly-chama.html

1--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 and places them at the top of not just a metal album but the overall musical landscape. 

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

Thanks for reading. Please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

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

pst615

Just How Metal is Babymetal's "Metal Forth" album?

 The novelty of this album lies in the fact that the J-Pop group features a guest artist on each track. The only reason I decided to give this album a listen is because Poppy and Spiritbox are on it. Both artists flirt between the boundaries of what is metal and pop, just because an album has distorted guitars and some screaming on it does not make the album metal, metal is an aggressive feeling of darkness, that can be expressed in a few ways that is why we have over a dozen sub-genre, that split into a half dozen more sub-genre, so i am breaking each track down to score how metal it is on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being pop to 10 being the level of metal that bands like Nails and Morbid Angel exist on, We can say Slipknot is a 9, solo Ozzy an 8, 7 being hard rock with metal influences a band like Alice in Chains, 6 being just loud rock think Motley Crue, 

"from me to u" 

Is an OK pop song thanks to Poppy's contributions, though not the most original thing. They seem more like cheerleaders when not just employing melodies that sound like they could be played on the opening sequence of any anime. The guitars sound like they were sampled from a digital audio workstation, which, knowing Jordan Fish, who produced this it would not surprise me. 

metal score- 3 

"Ratatata"

This one is a collaboration with Electric Callboy, another "metal core' artist not unlike Bad Omens, who is more of a pop artist than they are metal, though they have wisely partnered with artists like HEALTH and Poppy , to give them more balls, Electric Callboy is less discerning, and in truth this album feels like Disneyfying the concept of metal as a marketing gimmick. This one has heavier production and a harsher vocal accent, but not much heavier than the previous song. 

metak score- 4 

"Song 3" 

This song was on Slaughter to Prevail 's new album, so perhaps they agreed to share the rights and allowed  Babymetal to use it on their album despite Alex Terrible and his comrades being the driving force behind it. 

Metal Score- 8

"Kon ! Kon!" 

With Bloodywood on this track, it is like the ethnic gimmicks had collided. Bloodywood brings a more nu-metal sound to the song, which feels more like System of a Down's more pop-inflected moments. It's pretty much a mish-mash of musical nonsense. 

Metal Score- 4

"KxAxWxAxIxI"

It's just the schoolgirls by themsevles on this one which is more electronic music, that mixes dub-step with trap, it has a groove, but that is about it , though I think when they fully embrace the fact they are pop artists, they are at least not trying to be something they are not, and it works better.

Metal Score- 2 

"Sunset Kiss"

This one features Polyphia, who is an artist I have never given much of a thought to. It sounds like tracks Spiritbox was planning on using but scrapped when they got better ideas. Yes, there are lots of technical guitar dynamics and solos, but they feel pretty hollow

Metal Score- 4

"My Queen" 

This one features Spiritbox, while you can hear the influence they had on this one, this is not up to the quality of writing they showed on their most recent album, which was stellar, so this is a disappointment. The breakdown Courtney shows up on makes the heaviest moment behind what was basically a Slaughter to Prevail song. 

Metal Score-  6

"Algorism" 

Is another song that finds Babymetal on their own, and the results are pretty sad. I mean if you are into J-Pop, it's going to be the best of an already disposable genre of music. 

Metal Score- 2 

"Metal !" 

The only thing I respect about Tom Morello is his love of Kiss. So he is not a key selling point for anything. The only thing metal about this song is its title. The little girls sing better, and this one, but overall it's a pretty stupid song, and nothing about it is metal. 

Metal Score- 2 

"White Flame" 

This is the 3rd song of a 10-song album that is just Babymetal, meaning they need lots of help. It once again sounds like it could be the generic theme song for any anime, no heavier than what you might find on Netflix

Metal Score -3 

Overall Metal score- Rounding it down to a 3.5 feels fair enough, considering beyond the production and sonics, the feel of this album is the least metal thing, so more metal than Taylor Swift, about on par with what it might sound like if Katy Perry tried to make a rock album. 

In terms of overall songwriting quality, which is what I normally base reviews on, things like replay value and how long it will stand the test of time, I will give this a 5, making it one of the worst albums I have sat through this year so far. 

pst377

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

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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

pst145

the Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2021

Time to bang your head. Mainstream metal is either 

A- Middle of the road in it's attempt to appeal to a wider audience 

B- A less extreme sub-genre like Power metal or Thrash that is easier for your average suburban metal to swallow

C- bands that are harder than hard rock , but not what we think of as death or black metal here. 

This list it the best of those kind of bands, who you are more likely to see in the page of Revolver Magazine. As with years past I sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year 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 Mainstream Metal albums of 2021

10-Spirit Box- "Eternal Blue"  

Formed from the ashes of IWRESTLEDABEARONCE, these kids have had a buzz about them. This is their first full length. It is more refined that what I have heard in the past from them, it also plays it a little safer and much safer than their former band. A fun listen that is more song focused than many of their peers.

Abysmal Hymns: Spiritbox : " Eternal Blue"

 9-Khemmis - "Deceiver" 

These guys used to seem like a more NWOBHM obsessed version of Pallbearer. Over the years they have established more of their own identity and that can be heard more fully on this album that starts off with a more thrashy power metal tone to offset the melancholier melodies.

Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom - Khemmis : "Deceiver"

 8-the Lions Daughter- "Skin Show"

 Angry sludge vocals and other metal aggression coming in a stomping over some retro synth wave. I like where they are going with this, in some ways the sound is just as important as the songs if not more, but they still are able to keep your attention.   

Abysmal Hymns: the Lion's Daughter : " Skin Show"

7-Rob Zombie- "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy" 

 

More metal than you might have expected from the more booty grooving brand of industrial rock he normally peddles in. In other words it is heavier than his last album. though it is also more organic so at times closer to Steppenwolf than White Zombie.

Abysmal Hymns: Rob Zombie : "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy"

  6-At the Gates - "the Nightmare of Being" 

The Swedish death metal pioneers are back for their 7th album. Granted this band has a 30-year history behind them. They have always seemed more thrash to me than death metal and their twin guitar harmonies are almost power metal, but they come on pretty strong and experience prove they know how to write songs on this album. 

Abysmal Hymns: At the Gates - "the Nightmare of Being"

 

5-Tribulation- "Where Gloom Becomes Sound" 

There could be a mor truthful title to this album.at times it sounds like what might come from a meeting with a major label and Watain if they told Watain to try to come up with something that might also appeal to fans of Nightwish.which works out better than that might appear on paper. 

Abysmal Hymns: Tribulation : " Where the Gloom Becomes Sound"

4-Exodus- "Persona Non Grata" 

Better than what younger bands following in their combat boots are doing , but not quite on the level of their classic work, thought close enough. At the album's best it feels like they picked up where "Fabulous Disaster " left. 

Abysmal Hymns: Exodus : "Persona Non Grata"

 

3-Alien Weaponry - "Tangroa" 

This metal band from New Zealand gets labelled as thrash when they are really more like New Zealand's answer Gojira. Granted their heritage somehow also brings with it a touch of Sepultura. As the album progressed the songs got more memorable, and some were pretty damn infectious that made for return listens.  

Abysmal Hymns: Alien Weaponry : "Tangaroa"

 

2- Flotsam and Jetsam- "Blood in the Water" 

These guys are the masters of power thrash. The album is way heavier than expected, but the songs are hooky, and Erik's voice sounds great, so what else can you ask for these guys, who keep surprising us with some of their best work coming this late in their careers. 

 Abysmal Hymns: Flotsam & Jetsam : "Blood in the Water"

1- Iron Maiden- "Senjutsu" 

There is no real filler on this album, the first single is the weakest song on the album and that is a relative term as it is still better than anything another band trying to be them could do, and a solid song in its own right even if it is not just what I showed up for, If this is their last album it is a fine summary of their legacy.  

Abysmal Hymns: Iron Maiden : "Senjutsu"

Spiritbox : " Eternal Blue"

 Formed from the ashes of IWRESTLEDABEARONCE, these kids have had a buzz about them. This is their first full length. It is more refined that what I have heard in the past from them, it also plays it a little safer and much safer than their former band.  The second song is heavier. At all times they keep their songwriting in check and have their eye on the prize much better than their peers in Jinjer. They have much sharper hooks , granted "Hurt You" is one of the lead singles from the album so it needs to drawn you in like this. "Yellowjacket" is more of a djent tinged effort with Sam Carter from Architects throwing in a more aggressive nu-metal post hard core shout. This album is really well produced , it tones down some of the more metal core elements that I would not normally like. 

I like the more pop  tinged cadence to her voice on the verses of "the Summit" . Is it more accessible ? Yes but it is also just a really well written song. They are often in the same sonic zip code that Issues was. With Issues most likely being cancelled these days I will take this. "Secret Garden" uses a bass line that reminds  you these guys are a progressive band. The chorus is poppy , perhaps a little more on the bright side than I would have asked for, but it works in context of the song. The technical aspects of the song does not encumber it too much. They get back into the heavy with "Silk in the Strings" . She uses her harsher vocals going into the song. Musically there are other more melodic elements at the fringes of the second to balance this out to some degree. Heavy is a good dynamic for them, but it is not their strength enough for them to write and entire song running of this one current. 

"Holy Roller" shows that sometimes they can be heavy and lock into a convincing enough groove to make you think they can. The title track still uses heavier angular djenty guitars , with her vocals off setting this to create a more dynamic effort.  There is not much difference in the verses of "We Live in a Strange World" and Taylor Swift's 'Reputation" era pop. If you know my tastes then I am all for this . I am also not going to try to convince anyone this band is heavy either. There is more of a rock dynamic that it builds into. They crunch back in with more angular guitars going into "Halcyon" before going back to pop. This take on pop is melodic but not as catchy as the previous song. 'Circle With Me" is a better song and returns to heavy riff with a thicker groove against airy popish singing. kinda like 90s alternative.  The album closes with "Constance". This is another beauty and the beast of a song, more dreamy than the kind of thing say Nightwish does.  Also more geared toward current radio pop.  I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it sits with me. Was a fun listen and I prefer it over the bulk of newer mainstream