The Top 10 Industrial Albums of 2025

Nothing is a more fitting soundtrack to watching the world unravel into a dystopian nightmare than Industrial? You would think fans of the genre would be celebrating this, but from what I have seen online, they are crying under the covers like the rest of the sheeple. If you are someone who believes that leaning into the end should be celebrated since it is a natural destination in the cycle, then you might appreciate the mood these albums created as much as I did.  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 Industrial albums of 2025.

10-King Yosef- "Spire of Fear." 

This project has always leaned in the direction of the abrasive end of industrial. This album pushed that even further with its increasingly confrontational aggression. Sonically harrowing would be one way to describe what is going down here. The mechanical stomp of industrial music is captured here,  but with a very reverb-drenched mix that sets the vocals at the end of a dark tunnel

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/king-yosef-spire-of-fear.html

 

       

 9-Dark Sky Burial - 'Sacred Neurotic" 

It is interesting when metal heads take things in a different direction; most tend to go in a darker goth, post-punk, or industrial vein, and Shane Embry's project leans into the latter.  Though being from Napalm Death, you might expect things to go head in a Godflesh direction. That is not the case. There is a melodic edge, and thanks to his collaborator  Carl Stokes, there is a trippy element to the sound that brings to mind projects like Tear Garden, Psychic TV, and Legendary Pink Dots with a break beat that often builds into a more aggressive industrial-strength vocal. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/dark-sky-burial-sacred-neurotic.html

 

8-Linx- "Annihilation" 

This industrial rock duo hails from Canada, a country that has been exporting some pretty decent music lately. Vocalist Zee Jaber, uses her voice in a more rock manner, rather than a blunt instrument like so many industrial bands do. Though a couple of songs into things, she employs a harsher metal snarl. The songs might work off the '90s formula of '90s build-up on the chorus, but the flow well from electronic pulses to more of a Fear Factory feel. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/linx-annihilation.html

 

7-Ministry -" The Squirrelly Years Revisted"

 The joke about back when Ministry sounded like Depeche Mode wore thin on Uncle Al, as he had begun to polish off the early songs for live sets even before releasing their last album. This is a re-recording of the songs from the "Twitch" and "With Sympathy" era. The vocals are more in line with how Al sings now. Sometimes the guitars are providing more heft, but on a song like "Here We Go," things are pretty much like they were back in the day, with the more new wave-leaning dance beats driving the hot rod that Jesus built. In some cases, this works just well enough. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/ministry-squirrelly-years-revisted.html

 

6-Black Cross Motel - "Songs For Switches." 

This band's 2022 album made it to the number spot on the year's Top 10 Goth Albums list. This time around, they kick things off with a more guitar-forward approach and a more aggressive industrial energy behind some straight-up metal riffs. Once again, the guitarist from Stabbing Westward is teaming up with members of the Atlas Moth to bring this weird and wonderful sound to life. Synths help set the tone for the darker undertones, which find a creepy ambiance settling over the march of discontent. They have captured a sound that could have come from the post-Manson goth rock golden years. 

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

 5- Youth Code - "Yours With Malice." 

It brings newly refined sounds that are topped off with a vengeful hook. Sara Taylor's angry snarl is chanted like an apocalyptic cheerleader, in a similar style and cadence as the previous song. This, along with the fact that the bouncing synth sounds are not far removed from what they already hit you with, creates an almost "Pretty Hate Machine" feel.>On previous releases, they felt more like a militant version of Skinny Puppy, so this might be more neon lit, and not as dark, as say 'A Place to Stand' They employ more dynamics this time around. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/youth-code-yours-with-malice.html

 4- the Young Gods - "Appear Disappear." 

This Swiss band influenced everyone from David Bowie in his industrial days to Faith No More. Since 1987, their sound has been at the very least industrial adjacent, and they have always been ahead of their time. So if you hear a song and think it sounds like Nine Inch Nails, the truth is Nine Inch Nails sounds like them. Perhaps this album is not as cinematic as some of their mid-period work it does not sound like they are stuck in the 90s or wrestling for relevancy. Franz Treichler might not be bellowing it out like he once did, but his voice has held up well. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-young-gods-appear-disappear.html

3-Street Sects  "Dry Drunk." 

The first new album from the industrial duo in 7 years finds them snarling back with a renewed chaotic aggression. It chronicles the stint of sobriety Leo Ashline has as well as the relapse that followed. Ben Chisholm from Chelsea Wolfe's band produced this. They pick up where they left off, with a bad attitude that sounds like Virgin Prunes jamming with Full of Hell. It takes a few listens to really sink in, but it has equal doses of fragmented groove and glitched-out noise.  It all ends up coming together. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/street-sects-dry-drunk.html

2-HEALTH- "CONFLICT DLC." 

Given how much I like these guys, it might be a surprise they did not take the number one spot, but the project that did evolve more into something different, where this band just streamlined and created a hookier, more accessible version of what they were already doing, maybe adding a vvitch house beat here and there, even then it was a close call, and give that this album is just now dropping vs an album I have had more time to spend with they landed here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/11/health-conflict-dlc.html

1-Author & Punisher - "Nocturnal Birding' 

This is the first album that finds guitarist Doug Sabolick joining as a bandmate, which contributes to the more rock feel to things. Every song has a bird theme. There is a more overt industrial crunch to the amazing stomp this album carries n."s. Megan from Couch Slut, lends her voice to the ruckus erupting, with more detailed layers of melody luring you into one of the year's best industrial songs. The addition of guitar offers a big step forward, even if it moves them marginally closer to the conventions of industrial rock. The genre itself allows and fosters experimentation that creates almost an anything-goes attitude. This song and the previous song have been the noisiest so far, with this texture being most effective here.  

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/author-punisher-nocturnal-birding.html

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August's Top 10 Albums

It's time for August'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 October, 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 death metal to surreal indie folk, so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums of August

10-CROP-"SSRI" 

Sludge

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/crop-ssri.html

9-Modern Life is War- "Life on the Moon" 

Punk 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/modern-life-is-war-life-on-moon.html

 

8-Chevelle- "Bright as Blasphemy"

 

Nu-metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/chevelle-bright-as-blasphemy.html

7-Hooded Menace- "Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration"

Death Metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/hooded-menace-lachrymose-monuments-of.html

6-Suicide Boys -"Thy Kingdom Come" 

Hip-hop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/uicide-boy-count-your-blessing.html

5-Street Sects -"Dry Drunk" 

Industrial/ Hard Core 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/street-sects-dry-drunk.html

4- Street Sex - "Full Color Eclipse" 

Noise-wave

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/street-sex-full-color-eclipse.html

3-Crippling Alcoholism- "Camgirl" 

Noise-wave

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/crippling-alcoholism-camgirl.html

2-Scorpion Milk - "Slime of the Times" 

Post-punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/scorpion-milk-slime-of-times.html

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

Post-folk 

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

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Street Sex : "Full Color Eclipse"

To quote Spinal Tap- "There is a fine line between clever and stupid". This is why Street Sects is making an album as Street Sex. When it comes to the frantic chaos that fuels their songwriting, there is little difference between what they do on the opening track and a normal Street Sects. The biggest difference is it's more like a new wave approach to synths, and there is none of the harsh screaming vocals. I would not say they sound like Depeche Mode, but sonically it's more in the direction of "Music For the Masses" than it is "Too Dark Park". I do like some of the experimentation with how the vocals are produced, and this is heavier than New Wave, due to the emotional intensity that has more in common with "Pretty Hate Machine". 

This is almost a companion piece to the new Street Sects album "Dry Drunk".  There is more of a hook to "Perpetuity."  Sometimes it brings Black Queen to mind in the left-of-center approach to this sort of thing. "Turn Blue' comes together at the chorus; up until that point, there was some introspective wandering. "Half Laugh" feels like it's the previous song, it the momentum does not change.  "Rock Salt" works much better as it is punchy and groovy with vocals that fit in all the right spots. "Going Up" keeps the drugged out dance groove as it makes it's social commentary. 

The manic pulse of "New Braunfels" almost feels odd on an album that is pretty weird to begin with. It takes a few listens to click. "Short Cut' took three listens before I checked into it. The vocals have a more subtle purr to them. The beat is more purposeful and driving.  The last four songs are all titles prefaced by the. "The Squeeze" has a less driving pulse in the verses than the previous song, but a similar vocal approach. "The Pretense" is more experimental. It shifts through moods dynamically. The song after this is the closest the album comes to writing a conventional song. The last song simmers with a more brooding attitude, and when everything kicks in, they slap you about pretty well. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, it's dance music with a warped sense of dark humor. 

11.6

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Street Sects : " Dry Drunk"

 

The first new album from the industrial duo in 7 years finds them snarling back with a renewed chaotic aggression. It chronicles the stint of sobriety Leo Ashline has as well as the relapse that followed. Ben Chisholm from Chelsea Wolfe's band produced this. The first song picks up where they left off, while "Glass Shithouse" is more confrontational, like Virgin Prunes jamming with Full of Hell. It takes a few listens to really sink in. "Entertainment Law" has equal doses of fragmented groove and glitched-out noise.  It all ends up coming together. 

"Spitting Images" finds the manic scream shifting into more melodic vocals that are very deliberate, giving the song form and function. "Love Makes You Fat" is a violent outburst set to sound. I could not say set to music as the sonics are weaponized past that point, going into it. They do allow room for dynamic and things to shift in a very nightmarish manner. Things get darker and more dramatic as it progresses. "Playboy Body" makes more sense even as the musical oddity that it is. "Baker Act" is an interesting take on being forcibly hospitalized due to mental health issues; the abrasive edge is a fair depiction of what might have been going on in his head at the time. The more scathing vocals are being used in a more hard-core manner in terms of cadence and syncopation. 

"Eject Button' makes me think of what Mindless Self-Indulgence might sound like if they were drugged-out deviants in real life. " A Dying Wage" is the most melodic moment brought to the table so far. Of course, I am a fan of these moments. "Riding the Clock" sounds like something Mike Patton might do if he were up for dark adventure and a crack pipe. The song dissipates into weird ambiance before gathering its senses. "Murphy Artist" is a bizarre take on what I am not sure we are even calling industrial at this point. I am guessing "the Rooms" is about AA meetings, given the context of the album. It's a great song either way. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me but loving it so far and glad to have these guys back. 

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Gothtober-The Top 50 Industrial Albums : 30- 21

After reading other industrial lists by other publications it became apparent , this this had to be done. Industrial music should create an adversarial sonic force that is transgressive, confrontational with the , the message being that we  are fucked, the system is corrupt and now we living in a post apocalyptic nightmare.  I made sure my list reflected this. Certain  artists are darlings of the critics, because the cool kids are supposed to like them. Some of these might make artful challenging cool sounding music that   lacks aggression or just isn’t industrial . So lets set things straight here. 

I saved this for October, despite the fact Industrial and goth are not the same thing, It is almost like comparing science fiction to horror, at times they share the same elements and cross over, industrial should be more aggressive. In making this list aggression was at the forefront when deciding what was or was not industrial music. The name itself suggests the machine-like gears of a factory pounding, which in fact are staple sounds found in the earlier works of the genre.  

I gave myself a few guidelines first off only one album by each artist, though side projects stand separate in this regard. The other guideline being to consider not what album  sold the most, or was supposed to be the most influential , but think of the albums that have the best songs that have stood the test of time and find me returning to the album again and again? After all that is what makes good music. So with that lets continue deeper down our list of the Top 50 Industrial Albums.. 

30-Velvet Acid Christ -"Fun With Knives" 1999

This album found Bryan Erickson reaching the most effective balance of aggressive synths, and industrial beats while still writing dance anthems without tipping the scales in the direction of pop, while glazing it all in creepy atmosphere.

     

29-Current 93-"Dawn" 1997

Let's face it industrial music is not the bulk of what this project creates, but this album takes the weird and coats the most industrial sounds they are known to summon. Abrasive scrapes of metal capture the jarring elements industrial should have. 

            

28-Evil Mothers - I Love Fur " 1996

Curse Mackey gets wacky.  Sure, he was in Pigface, who hasn't been, but I think this is his best work.

 

27-Genitorturers -"120 Days of Genitorture" 1993

The debut from Tampa's freak show, hits hard. It is a shame their live show overshadowed their music at the time, as they captured the feel of industrial in a very organic manner with little help from electronics on this album aside from the plentiful samples.

   

26-Rammstein-" Mutter" 2001

Yeah I know this one does not have "Du Hast" on it, but the band's third album is actually their best, which is why more singles were released off this album than any other Rammstein album, as every song is an anthem worthy of standing on it's own.

 

25-Foetus - "Gash" 

This might have been the projects biggest album, but these guys never entered the mainstream consciousness the say way other bands at this time did, however this album stood the test of time, better than most of their peers. The wide range of other forms of music this works into the over the top attack of sound they kicks up is timeless. 

                                              

24-Street Sects - "the Kicking Mule" 2018

They sacrificed little of their abrasive edge when tightening their song writing into this more melodic batch of songs that is not just a temper tantrum for the sake of unleashing anger, but what still stands as their best work. 

22-LARD- "the Last Temptation of Reid" 1990

Industrial evolved out of the punk scene so it only made sense for Jello to team up with Al for this project. It features the outstanding drumming of the late Jeff Ward, that nails these songs home. 

 

 21-Revolting Cocks-"Linger Ficken Good" 1993

If you have not dropped acid to this album, then I am not sure what you have really done with your life. 

HEALTH : "Disco4: Part II "

HEALTH is back with another collaborative album, the first part of this somehow flew under the radar here or I figured it to be a remix album so did not give it much thought. The choice of collaborators normally draws from the right of center names in heavy adjacent hipster electro you might expect. These kids are cool so they are not going to have guys like Slipknot or Motionless in White on their shit. Though Lamb of God made the cut, however Randy did hang out with Pigface so he has some industrial cred there. First up is Poppy. I like her, and perhaps if these guys take her serious then it will inspire others to as well. It blends some cool atmosphere as her singing voice matures and she stays in a more subdued croon for this one. This proves to be a very effective partnership. 

Reznor has taken the band out before as an opening act, so a Nine Inch Nails meet up makes sense. It feels more like a NIN song than a HEALTH song. He is without a doubt the name that holds the most weight here. I am sure they were like sure we will just be the back up band here do your thing man. They dip into the SoundCloud world with serial collaborators Ada Rook of Black Dresses and rapper PlayThatBoiZay . Seems pretty obvious why these kids are on SoundCloud and not on the level of even a Poppy as the track is not as inspired as the first two songs. Though a big name is not everything as the more effective song with Maenad Veyl proves. It flows much better. I like Lamb of God's "Sacrament" album they seem like lowest common denominator Pantera wanna bees most of the time , but  the fusion of the two bands works more often than not for "COLD BLOOD" ,  The HEALTH side of the equation certainly makes things more interesting.   

There are instances on this album where the band is able to lift up the other artist to their level as can be heard on "AD 1000" as I normally do not like the Body. Home boy's scream sounds like a strangled bird half the time and for all their artistic embellishments it still feels like noise. Here they just provide a rougher shade of gray that is mixed in such a way to not spotlight the abrasive elements that normally rub me the wrong way. They are joined by Ho99o9 and Canadian rapper Backxwash on "Gnostic Flesh /  Mortal Hell". Both of these guests I have found their respective careers to be less than impressive, so it is once again more of a a feat that HEALTH continues to make artists like these that are stripped of their individual  hype palatable with the end result being something that sounds like an angry Massive Attack.  "The Joy of Sect" teams them up with Street Sects and is not surprisingly the best song of the album. I normally just prefer when they have Jake singing , since the androgynous coo of his voice is more interesting than what the average rock approach to singing brings to the table, but on this song the voices work in  equal measure. 

They delve back down into the world of Soundcloud bed room hipsters by bringing Ekkstacy on board, which while interesting that they have their ears to this scene, these sort of artists tend to not have a great deal to bring to the able. Ekkstacy just kinda of mumbles like the disgruntled teenager he is. HEALTH however pulls their weight and more despite the boorish mumbles. Surprised they are going as far in the pop direction to work with the Neighborhood, but it works here. I have always liked the Neighborhood, though they occupy the same strange place in my head that Chrvhces and Taylor Swift does, almost a guilty pleasure , but talent enough to not be. It should cbe no surprise that the track with Perturbator has one of the album's best grooves, with perhaps NIN coming in 2nd place in that regard. Ironically the last song the band proves that perhaps they are best left to their own devices as "These Dasy" works just fine on it's own two feet. I will give this one a 9.5 as some of the Soundcloud moments could have been dialed back and left the focus on the song to the professionals. 

the Top 10 Goth Albums of the Decade

Of course I had to obsess over this one. I am less sure of it than the post- punk list, however I am going with both quality and quantity. Quantity being how much I actually listened to the album. Goth is a broader label. This is demonstrated here. There is every thing from metal to death rock to industrial to bizarre dark forms of indie rock. There are not only dark albums, but ones that were addictive as well. This year I am sparing with the long winded explanations as to why they are where they are on the lsit or on the list at all. You might have albums you feel belong on this listen. That is fine and good, so go start your own blog and write about them. I know for a fact I listned to these a ton over the course of the past ten years. It could be they are going to be on one of my other lists in the coming months, and you are just dumb and do not know what goth is. Do not hold your breath. Or actually do hold your breath and maybe you will pass out. Any way here are the top 10 goth albums of the past decade.



  

10- Marilyn Manson- "the Pale Emperor"






9- KMFDM - "Hell Yeah"









8- Street Sects -"Rat Jacket" 





7- Swans - 'the Seer"




6-Atriarch - "Ritual of Passing"








5-Killing Joke - "xxmi"


>


4-Strvngers -"amor noir"





3-Zola Jesus- "Stridulum 2"





2-Beastmilk- "Climax"




   1-Chelsea Wolfe - "Pain is Beauty"

The Top 10 Albums of 2018

It is that time again. This lists takes from the best of lists from all genres and lets the artists in the top slots slug it out. 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 blood. 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 albums of 2018.






10-Street Sects - "the Kicking Mule"

The Texas duo returns with a more aggressive effort, even when the vocals are not harshly screamed the sneering death rock like tenor spits out dirty pictures of humanity in his lyrics. More manically frantic the songs effectively merge chaos and songwriting. So creepy in it's intent the results are what I imagine to be the soundtrack to a serial killer's internal dialogue.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-street-sects-kicking-mule.html

9-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






8-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

 7-Dead Can Dance-"Dionysus" 

 It works more of the hypnotic atmosphere. It is not unusual for their songs to have this more sound track like quality. It is a wild juxtaposition to their previous album which was more accessible in it's song structure. "Liberator of Minds" does have a more serpentine groove that you could dance to if you were into touch with your more sensual primal side. In other words when it begins to move I immediately thought, my girl friend could dance to this.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-dead-can-dance-dionysus.html

6-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

5-Pianos Become the Teeth - "Wait For Love" 

 There fourth album is another picture of this band's dramatic evolution. If you go back and listen to their first album it doesn't even seem like the same band. Gone is the explosive energy and the screamed vocals. They are capable of going at it with an almost Jawbreaker like drive on "Charisma". The vocals are plaintive, but well placed. The guitar don't told much in terms of distortion and works off of a dream like jangle more often than not. While other albums might have scored higher on the initial listen this one earned it's place in heavy rotation and I actually listened to it more than the other albums.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/pianos-become-teeth-wait-for-love.html

4-Emma Ruth Rundle - "On Dark Horses" 

 It's not as dark and it's more of a straight up rock album. However over time this album grew on me. Sometime it made me think of Jimi Hendrix playing country music. In other words Dave Navarro. Loose jazzy jam quality, the vocals are a little moodier. I am open to her expanding her sound as I certainly didn't want her just to re-hash "Marked For Death". The least driving album on the list, but the most emotionally layered. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/09/emma-ruth-rundle-on-dark-horses.html

3-Chrvches- "Love is Dead"

 This band was my methadone to ween me off a violent addiction to Taylor Swift's "1989" album. For the most part it worked only to get me hooked on their sugary electro pop. Things are only getting worse in the best possible way from there. Lauren Mayberry has lost the goth trappings of her look, and this album might not be the same shade of gray we have heard from them previous.It's well crafted and stays true to what they do without coming across like a sell out. It has more balls than most of the pop these days and doesn't skimp on the sugar.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/05/chvrches-love-is-dead.html

2-Pale Waves- "My Mind Makes Noises"


 I've; described this band to friends as a mix of Taylor Swift with the Cure. The opener is pretty bubble gum, but well done for what it. You don't get to hear the meat of what they do until "There's a Honey". The hook in the chorus is subtle, but I've woken up at 4 AM with it in my head as I stumble to the bathroom. It's songs like this one that have provided a soundtrack to my summer and navigating the first feelings of a new relationship.This band proves Brit pop doesn't have to have anything to do with the Beatles.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/09/pale-waves-my-mind-makes-noises.html

1-Strvngers- "Amor Noir"

 Beating out well known goth icons, this new act out of Canada claimed the throne this year due to the hooky nature of their songs. The dynamic range of this albums goes from future pop to bouncy anthems coated grandiose and cinematic swathes if apocalyptic majesty. A pornographic kink them drips from the bump and grind of the more often darker industrial strength shadow stomp that rocks the dance floor.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/strvngers-amor-noir.html

The Top 10 Goth / Industrial Albums of 2018

It is that time again. For the sake of this list . Darker and more elegant than the bands on my post-punk list, this is the music the children of the night make. 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 leaned more heavily on the side of new blood , this lists leans in the direction of more well established acts with some surprises. 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 Goth/ Industrial albums of 2018.

 10-the Rain Within -"Atomic Eyes"

While Andy from Bella Morte retains his distinct voice, it now has new sounds behind it than have more shade of neon mixed in them. Having emerged at the tail end of the Cleopatra years, this is not really retro goth. He stuck to his guns and is delivering something that has come full circle. Last year I heard a few acts like Death of Lovers who were beginning to sound like Gary Numan , while Gary Numan was not sounding like himself. Andy avoids this and instead rides some Tron like grooves, that would not sound out of place playing in a club from the last Blade Runner movie.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/01/rain-within-atomic-eyes.html

9- SRSQ-"Unreality"


Former Them or Us  Too vocalist Kennedy Ashlyn continues on after the other half of that duo died. There is a very elegant almost classical vocal intro going into something more movement than what her old band did. As a result it sounds less like the Cocteau Twins until it gets to the quirky skip of the more fey vocal melodies. We can never go back to Them or Us Too as that band is done, we can however hear where they might have gone as Ashlyn does uphold their legacy in her solo work.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-srsq-unreality.html

8- Author & Punisher - "Beastland"

 There is a more metallic nastiness to the rasp of shore’s voice, He does alternate into a more Skinny Puppy like sing song cadence. His machines create a dense throb that is rough around it’s over blown edges. Intense and abrasive are two words that best fit the album. “Nihil Strength” was the first song I heard going into the album and it is also more metallic in it’s intent though, Shore is sticking to his self made devices of torture to temper his sonic sadism. The beat to this one relaxes a little more than the first song with other layers of melody winding around it.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/09/author-punisher-beastland.html

7-Pysclon 9- "Icon of the Adversary" 

 They are almost a blackened industrial, though really the vocals are the most black metal part of their equation. The guitars mainly stay at a weighty chug. I like how dark they are . This album feels like it picks up where they left off six years ago.. If you are looking for industrial with a groove that you can dance to then you are going to need to look elsewhere. This is more industrial music to kill yourself to after a heroin binge during a zombie apocalypse.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-pysclon-9-icon-of-adversary.html

6-US Graves - "Voice of an Idiot Ghost"

 Take Over and Destroy have always had a dark side. This time they have given over it as the singer formed a new project. Sometimes it might lean in more of a post -punk direction. So these guys are more goth in their intent than their execution, but more goth than the bands that were my post-punk list and leave me satisfied with who they are an like hearing a more emotional take on post-punk.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/08/us-graves-voice-of-idiot-ghost.html

5-Ministry-"Amerikkkant"

 Al slows down and gives into his anger in a way that digs back into the darkness of "Darkside of the Spoon" rather than a struggle with addiction this album finds him struggling with the world around him.If we want to revisit your golden years this is the way to do. There is enough new to make this feel like it's not a retro flirtation with their past. A well balanced album that works off mood more than just being in your face. Sure it has more of a smack out feel than a speed ball blitz, so perhaps that is why I am more partial to this side of the band.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/ministry-amerikkkant.html

4-Anna Von Hauswolf- "Dead Magic" 

 She is pretty ambitious and is not content like some of her peers leading you into a dark drone, as her songs have a more adventurous feel to their arrangement that has more in common with Dead Can Dance than it does Chelsea Wolfe. It's more like if Lisa Gerrard covered all of Brendan Perry's songs. Though in a much more experimental fashion as she is prone to go off into Swans like atmosphere. So there is a fucking lot going on here, but it's dark and I like it. It falls into the weird exotic brand of goth that is some where between world music and neo-folk.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-anna-von-hausswolff-dead-magic.html



3-Street Sects - "the Kicking Mule"
The Texas duo returns with a more aggressive effort, even when the vocals are not harshly screamed the sneering death rock like tenor spits out dirty pictures of humanity in his lyrics. More manically frantic the songs effectively merge chaos and songwriting. So creepy in it's intent the results are what I imagine to be the soundtrack to a serial killer's internal dialogue.

 2-Dead Can Dance-"Dionysus" 

 It works more of the hypnotic atmosphere. It is not unusual for their songs to have this more sound track like quality. It is a wild juxtaposition to their previous album which was more accessible in it's song structure. "Liberator of Minds" does have a more serpentine groove that you could dance to if you were into touch with your more sensual primal side. In other words when it begins to move I immediately thought, my girl friend could dance to this.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/10/gothtober-dead-can-dance-dionysus.html

1-Strvngers- "Amor Noir"

 Beating out well known goth icons, this new act out of Canada claimed the throne this year due to the hooky nature of their songs. The dynamic range of this albums goes from future pop to bouncy anthems coated grandiose and cinematic swathes if apocalyptic majesty. A pornographic kink them drips from the bump and grind of the more often darker industrial strength shadow stomp that rocks the dance floor.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2018/03/strvngers-amor-noir.html

the Weekly Playlist Vol 14

Sorry I know it's been more than a week since the last installment. But life happens. I have also been knee deep in the National Novel Writing Month so having to pump out a steady word count on that. Rather than going with a theme like I have in the past, I am going more for a soundtrack of emotions I have been riding the waves on over the past ten days. A lot of life stuff unfolded in the lives of others close to me and myself so there is some of that reflected. In the current "the Sound of Me Before You" series I am doing, I am sharing the sound track of my life in a auto-biographical journey, so this is a more urgent snap shot of the current flux. As the seasons shift toward the holidays, it can cause a morbid subconscious reflection on losses in life, so my focus and goal in these days is to be appreciative for what I have gained. Some of my head ways is not measured in outward accomplishments but the inner journey, so this is more of the soundtrack to that journey, the vulnerability of being present in uncomfortable feelings while knowing it doesn't change where your heart is at. So this is more of a thank you as we enter thanksgiving week, as I have been given something to be thankful for so the acknowledgment of that in these songs might be the best I can do at present when other words fail, yeah I know a writer who finds words fail him, it's easier to do when I am describing metal bands or fantasy scenarios, the closer and more intangible it gets the more I have to rely on the vibrations music brings from inside me.

 The Decemberists _"Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect"

 

 Tears For Fears _ "Head Over Heels"

 

the Weeknd _" Try Me"


 

 Kacey Musgraves _ " Love is a Wild Thing"


 

 Street Sects _ "Dial Down the Neon"

 

 Chvrches _ "Miracle"

 

 Chelsea Wolfe _" Crazy Love"

 

Ryan Adams _ "This Love"

 

 Twin Shadow _ "Littlest Things"

 

Slothrust _ " On My Mind"

 

Gothtober - Street Sects : "the Kicking Mule"

The Texas duo returns with a more aggressive effort, even when the vocals are not harshly screamed the sneering death rock like tenor spits out dirty pictures of humanity in his lyrics. They get a little more manically frantic on "Birch Meadows, 1991". The vocals remain more composed almost to the point he is singing a different song than what they recorded beneath him. This awkward juxtaposition somehow still works to some extent. Though those more chaotic moments are not the strongest when it comes to song writing. They manage to pull chaos and songwriting on "Chasing the Vig". The guitar is hard to make out from the equally jagged synths. The beats are often more angular than not, not attempting to find the kind of grooves industrial music latches onto.

"Suicide By Cop" wins by the sheer charm of it's clever and emotive lyrics. The music works with the vocals to almost create something more accessible. I like the use of samples on this album, it makes listening to it as a whole flow really well, even though that is not the way most people digest music these days. There is more of a post-punk feel to "Everyone's At Home Eventually". Lyrically it seems to be reflecting on his teenage years. The beat is stronger and has more slink to "Dial Down the Neon" it reminds me of something the Faint might have done. Granted it's more aggressive than the bulk of the Faint's work, perhaps not a few of the songs from "Danse Macabre". This song has a wider range of dynamics than some of the albums typically more spastic moments. The album's strongest song might also be the one that comes closest to industrial as "In For a World of Hurt" balances the pound with passionate melodies.

The guitar takes a more prominent role in the some what darker "Before It Was Worn". The vocals more commanding in some of the exclamations. Things take on more of an industrial clang with the glitchy jerk of "Still Between Lovers".  The lyrically  this sounds like a serial killer's ode to dating. The album closes with "the Drifter". This has an almost more conventional beat. Vocally the refrain of "You can bury me alive" hooks you in and with all it's bizarre sonic clamor it some how works . I will round this one up to a 10 as it's a compelling listen that continues to draw me in. 

The Top 10 Goth / Industrial Albums of 2017

Goth is never just one genre so this is music too dark to fall into indie rock or punk. Industrial is too heavy to be electronica or edm. Over the years various artists have bounced from one list to another. Chelsea Wolfe focuses more on rocking out these day to fall here with her latest and the new Nine Inch Nails not being heavy enough. The old school legends continue to hold their claim to the genre, though six to four leaning in favor of newer acts. The ranking this year was determined by what I listened to the most. I defaulted to my LastFm page for this data. If you require further explanation I included a blip at the end of each entry to clarify why one album beat out the other. So lets get dark I am pressing publish to this baby at Midnight so we stay goth as fuck going into the Top 10 Goth and Industrial albums of 2017.

10-Glaare -"To Deaf and Day"

If you took some shoe gazing guitar and married to female fronted dark-wave it would result in something similar to the California band Glaare. I can appreciate the Siouxsie influence is there but it doesn't define the totality of their existence. At times this album is emotionally powerful and possesses some captivating beats with varied amounts of hypnosis mixed in with post-punk.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/12/glaare-to-deaf-and-day.html

9-Lock Howl -"Pareidolia"

 Driven by gothy crooned vocals have more of a Beastmilk feel to them. These guys ride the fence between goth and metal sometimes becoming more progressive with a neo-classical tone in play that works with the over all sound it is weird hearing this in the context of the more lo-fi production. More influenced by the revivalist bands than actually pulling from Sisters of Mercy or Bauhaus like some reviews might suggest. There is a more 80s metal guitar tone to "Into the Darkness, Into the Unknown" which sometimes flirt with an Emperor direction the chorus flirts with. 'Graveless" is the first song that really turns to older goth . It also collides with metal and it's that drive that powered this out over Glaare.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/02/lock-howl-pareidolia.html

8- Stoneburner - "the Agony Box"


 One half of Ego Likeness, this album often finds samples standing in the place of where vocals would normal be the focus is more on the beats and mood than Ego Likeness. This album is a tribute to Frank Herbert's Dune book series which is not horror , though dark for sci-fi. He keeps the spice flowing with the grooves and sometimes chanted vocals. I really like the middle eastern vibe that drives many of of the songs as the exotic nature of add a darker tone, like a techno version of Dead Can Dance.It's this dynamic range that propelled this album over Lock Howl.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/10/gothtober-stoneburner-agony-box.html

7-Death of Lovers- "the Acrobat "

 Their first album was darker falling somewhere between death rock and shoe-gaze. Their sophomore release finds the band now  growing up through the 80s into new wave. You can here touches of Flock of Seagulls on the opener, then on the second the synths take over. It bouncy and upbeat, detached but happy. The vocals show signs of improvement as the melodies slide smoother over the arrangements and they are singing out rather than allowing the vocals to lose themselves in the murky mix. Despite not being as dark as their previous album the songs are well written enough to put it over Stoneburner.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/11/death-of-lovers-acrobat.html

6- Night Sins-"Dancing Chrome"

 The first thing that hit me about the Philly act's new album is the depth and maturity. By the second song it's apparent there is more of an electronic thing going on here. It's less Sisters of Mercy then their previous releases though the vocals are still uttered from a coffin and mixed back behind the new wave synths. There is a more experimental edge to it. The album grew on me with repeat listens and will not disappoint any one who is already into them though they stick pretty true to who they are up to this point so I don't see it really wining over a larger audience either

. http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/04/night-sins-dancing-chrome.html

5-Black Mare- "Death Magick Mother"

 Despite the p/r around this project trying to give it a political slant, this is ethereal goth with an organic band behind it. This project is the work of Ides of Gemini member Sera Timms. It is less inclined towards metal than her other band. Imagine Switchblade Symphony with a dark indie rock band behind them rather than synths and drum machines. I am not sure that drum machines are not involved as it sounds like they certainly could be.I was fully prepared for this to be a Chelsea Wolfe knock off , but aside from being female singers with a ghostly approach to dark atmospheric music there is not much common ground.<

http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/08/black-mare-death-magick-mother.html

6-Rope Sect -"Personae Ingratae"

 Lyrically this album carries a fair share of bleak death worship. For a trio they kick up a pretty big sound. Combining many different sonics from the grunge pound of the drums to a hollow guitar that cries out into the desert night. The vocals are too dead pan in their croon to strike me as death rock. this is dark enough overall to earn it's place on this list and it's the drugged attitude that strikes the loudest chord for it's the real life grit that put it over Black Mare.


 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/06/rope-sect-personae-ingratae.html

5-Godflesh -"Post Self"

 Justin Broadrick's flag-ship project has been many things over the years some heavier than other's . This time around should please fans of the earlier incarnation as it is heavier. The vocals have a snarl to them. Moving with more of a metallic stomp,this return to the more to industrial side of the based will induce an involuntary head bob with it's machine driven heaviness. These grooves are what powered it over Rope Sect.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/11/godflesh-post-self.html

4-Gary Numan - "Savage"


In many ways Numan is the forefather of the brand of dark wave/ future pop or whatever else you want to label what goth kids are dancing to these days. In his day it was a darker take on what was being called new wave. Numan did not go back and try to re-create the sounds that made his hits grace the radio. He has chosen to take a stark look at the world around him and translate it into his own vision of musical science fiction. Numan's voice sounds great At times this album shows what he learned from his time spent with Fear Factory as there is a more industrial slant to it.


 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/10/gary-numan-savage.html

 3-Street Sects-"Rat Jacket" 

 The first thing that stood out about this album was far the vocals have come. This puts it more in the realm of many of the industrial influenced bands from the 90s . The influences are all over the place though as some of the grooves even remind me Fugazi. The vocals to go into harsher yells and growls when the dynamics call for it. This is a more experimental turn for the band with the vocals holding it together as the arrangement oddly shifts in a very chaotic fashion. I think samples are used very well in this album, and add to the atmosphere, though I obviously have a soft spot when reminded of music from this era.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/09/street-sects-rat-jacket.html

2-Marilyn Manson-"Heaven Upside Down"

 I can celebrate the return of distorted guitar.It is a fact that this album is angrier than "Pale Emperor". Speaking of that album it's the same band that played on "Pale Emperor " which has returned for "Heaven Upside Down". The beats get a little more interesting as the album progresses. Some of the more bluesy undercurrents of the previous album begin to return. With Marilyn Manson  I want him to be as dark as possible but still have groove and melody. It seems like this is where he is going and when he does step back into the 90s it's some of the albums best moments.He is remembering who he is. It's his keen sense of songwriting that beats out the more avant garde Street Sects.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/09/marilyn-manson-heaven-upside-down.html

1-KMFDM- "Hell Yeah"

 The legendary act who walks the line between electro and industrial returns like a drug against war, stronger than maybe not ever before, but certainly more powerful than most of the albums since Tohuvabohu. I am glad the guitar is receiving more focus on this album which makes songs like the opening track sound more like their classic work. The vocals work really well over the groove and the guitar accents the chorus. It's not until the more dancey Lucia track " Freak Flag" that we begin getting mixed messages from the band who was just telling us only the tough with survive. They begin wanting you to embrace individuality. This would not be a problem if their name didn't mean "no pity for the majority". This is the band that once instructed us to free our hate. Aside from this is pretty much a flawless album that earns repeat listens with ease and stands right behind their classic material. When KMFDM is on their A-game, even Manson's best moments can't touch them.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2017/08/kmfdm-hell-yeah.html