Rid of Me : "Travelling"

 Somehow the fact the singer of Low Dose being in another band slipped past me. Perhaps marginally less punk on the opening track until Rosenberg gets more aggressive with her vocals as the song builds. Her voice continues to improve as this might be more melodic, really it is one of those album's where we are just going to have to wait and see how this album unravels. "23" is more relaxed with a brooding more like mid-period Sonic Youth. Her vocals are not as detached as Kim Gordon, as she carries more melody. Things pick up into a more intense attack on "Travelling: Stormier than explosive, which is not a complaint as this sounds great, just an observation how they are just doing what organically seems to fall from their instruments. 

While I am assuming their name comes from the PJ Harvey album and can hear a mild sonic correlation there is a crossroads that seems to be where hard core and grunge met in the 90s. However, " I Don't Wanna" does find that grungy punk place that still wears combat boots. "Fun" has a heavier, darker and more sonic energy to it that I like. Most of this is driven by the bass line. "True (blue)" is moodier and more melodic as the music slithers around the vocals. "Spilling" is the first straight forward punk song. "Broke Shit" is a more rumbling noisy stomp. The vocals are yelled with convincing anger. 

"Pit" strips everything down to a palm muted guitar and the dynamic vocal exclamations of Rosenberg. This takes the soft to loud explosive trick from the 90s and blows it out of the water. the song slowly expands out of this with her vocals before the guitar crashes in.  The booming thunder of the bass line that is "Dealing" feels like AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" encapsulated by the bass alone and the rest of the band just happens to join in. I will give this album a 9.5, it might one day grow on me to be a 10, but with the reviews the scores is based on where I am at with the album by the time I press publish. This is heavier than the Low Dose album, but not a huge jump. 

the Top 10 Punk Albums of the Decade

The decade began before this blog was started , I can not just rely on sorting through previous reviews. I am just embedding video clips to support the reasoning for these albums to be listed as such, since I already did a best of the year list for each sub-genre. I broke up what was the punk / harcore list and made them two seperate lists. I am not going for what is the  loudest fastest , but for what has the best songs that are  worth listening to again and again.  Maybe these are not the hippest albums of the decade when it comes to this genre, but what matters more is the fact these are the albums I listened to the most when it came to this sort of thing. ; Any ways here are the Top 10 Punk  albums of the decade.




10- GBH - "Momentum" 2017 











9- Bleached- "Welcome the Worms" 2016



 





8- the Libertines - "Anthems For Doomed Youth" - 2015





 





7- Grave Pleasures- "Motherblood"- 2017 



 





6- Cult of Youth - "s/t " - 2011







 5- Drug Church- "Cheer" -2018



 



4- Iceage- "New Brigade"- 2011



 




3-the Menzingers - "Hello Exile" 2019




 



2- Low Dose- "s/t" 2019






1- Planes Mistaken For Stars - "Prey"- 2016

the Top 10 Punk / Hardcore albums of 2019

It's that time of year again, to sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, then use compile the top 10 albums of the year. Later in the month I am making  the top 10 lists for the decade, to be blunt  this is the decade's weakest year for music.  Especially when it comes to new artists, however punk is one of the few genres that proved an exception to this as only 4 of the 10 bands are veterans.  You had to search much harder to find ten albums that rose above, yet that is what I did. As in  past years I am  giving a brief explanation as to why these albums stand over the peers in lower positions on the 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 included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 Punk/ Hardcore albums of 2019 .

10- A Pregnant Light - "Broken Play"

 This project used to be black metal. I think Damian Master's has always been a hardcore kid at heart and now that black metal is waning with the cool kids we are going back to seeing his true colors which are more in a shade of gray. With that said this is obviously not a bad thing as it earned it's place on this list. Thrashy metallic hard core, but hardcore nonetheless.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/07/a-pregnant-light-broken-play.html

9 Portrayal of Guilt- "Suffering is a Gift"

 Here is an album that grew on me with each listen. It is a very metallic hardcore with elements of grindcore and screamo mixed in. It is obviously the darkness they tap into which is what I like. I like darkness. It feeds my personal sense of evil. The world needs more evil. The more experimental touches are also what elevated this over A Pregnant Light.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/portrayal-of-guilt-suffering-is-gift.html

8- the Refused -"War Music"

This feels like a much closer return to the band who once showed the shape of punk to come. More rooted in hardcore while retaining the melodic hooks of the last albums. Was most impressed by the renewed sense of aggression. It might not change the game like "the Shape of Punk to Come" , but how many albums can do that. The more melodic touches and mature songwriting are what lands them the number 8 spot over the darker grind core

. https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-refused-war-music.html

7-Lightning Bolt -"Sonic Citadel"

 For a band that is commonly in your face and a challenging listen , this album takes those things up to 11. angular math rock explosions collide with methed out thrashing. Much more punk than their last album, yet more melodic as well. The highly organized focus of chaos is what gives them an edge over the Refused.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/lightning-bolt-sonic-citadel.html

6-Brutus- "Nest" 
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<- br="" est=""> It is impressive that as a trio they are kicking up this amount of noise and their singer Stefanie is also playing the drums. She has a pretty good voice that at times makes me imagine that this is how Bjork might sound if she decided to play punk. This might not be the most original sound in the world , it does have enough of their own spin on it to  feel like it is not as derived from the 90s . The atmosphere and emotion sets it over Lightning Bolt. 
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https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/brutus-nest.html

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5- Phobia - "Generation Coward" 

 The California kings of grindcore return to take on the Millennial internet culture. Punk should trigger you. Most of the vocals sound like old school death metal. it grows on me the more I listen to it. I like their attitude and punk is all about the attitude.  These guys use their 30 years of experience to own their sound. They succeed at what the set out to do and taught the younger bands a lesson. The confrontational aggression is what gives this album the edge over Brutus.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/07/phobia-generation-coward.html

4-Wristmeetrazor - "Misery Never Forgets" 

 There is a mix of various styles on this album. All of them are dark and tormented, so it works for me.They throw the break downs of hard core in the right places and do not bring them in a tough guy manner. They can switch things up with more frenetic screamo type riffs that are given new life through not sticking to the conventions of the sub genre. They beat out Phobia, due to the fact their songs have more room for a larger range of dynamics.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/12/wristmeetrazor-misery-never-forgets.html

3 the Menzingers - "Hello Exile"

This album takes you back to the days when punk and rock where not as distant of cousins. They do this without feeling like they are trying too hard to be retro. The focus is on the songs. Not the nastiest punk records in fact it is the most soothing this year. It is the strong song writing that compensates for the lack of raw power, but still puts them over Wristmeetrazor.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-menzingers-hello-exile.html
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2- Bats- "Alter Nature"

 With frenetic punk angry at this Irish bands finger tips, sometimes darker than others. The lyrics a grim, leaning into sci-fi and horror. The drummer is pretty adventurous and they are prepared to bash into everything with the power of an Amp Rep band. Yes, they are all over the place, but If you consider Fugazi punk then this could very well be punk too. They prove themselves superior to the Menzingers, but the complex yet catchy nature of their punchy songwriting.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/bats-alter-nature.html 

 

1- Low Dose -'s/t" 

 The guys from Fight Amp have formed a new band with singer , guitarist Itarya Rosenberg, that owes more to 90s alternative than pumped up noise rock. Not that some of the more pounding angular bit are not there, along with punk influences, but they have more in common with rawer more punk influenced moments of 90s grunge. The reason this album is in the number one spot, is due to the range of their song writing and how dynamic it is.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/low-dose-st.html

Mix Tape Mania : "Con Drop Edition"

Con drop was held at bay by throwing myself into writing, now I feel it beginning to creep in. The most obvious thing of course to in order to keep it at bay is make a mix. The bulk of these are from albums that came out this year that I am digging which fall into the more quirky darkness of the depressive style of indie rock I like. Hope you enjoy and maybe find a new band or three.  


Crooked Ghost - "Sinew in Red "





  The Pleasure Leftists-_ "the Conversation" 






  Xiu Xiu - " Chocolate Makes You Happy"





Low Dose _ "For Sure"



  Gold "Why Aren't You Laughing"



  Brutus - "Techno"




  Bon Iver - "Hey Mom"








The Faint - "Young & Realistic"




  Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats _ "Exodus"





  The Foreign Resort - "Outnumbered"

The Best Albums of 2019 ...So far

It is that time of the year. We are half way into 2019 so here is a look at the albums that have been released so far.By best , I have already done a best of metal list, so this represents genres that are not metal. So it spans from pop to indie rock.Their placement is based off of score of review and how much did I actually listen to something, as all the cool critics can claim an album is important , but if it doesn't make you want to listen to it all the time then how good can it be. How many of these will stand up over the next six months to come. Experience with these shows at least half, which is typically the bulk of the top five. Did not include samples of the music those can be found on the links to the reviews I posted alongside the entries.   So if you want to read more about them or hear them use those urls to go to the full review.

10-Conny Ochs-"Doom Folk"

 Genre- folk His songwriting is pretty remarkable. It's like if you took 60s pop songs and made them darker. In some ways it's like stripped stoner rock in others it's like the AOR out of California in 70s but on different drugs.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/01/conny-ochs-doom-folk.html

9- Health - "Slaves of Fear"


 Genre- Electronic

 This album is the first without guitarist Jupiter Keys and their is a noted change in their over all sound. It starts of in a harsher more experimental direction and waits til "Feel Nothing " to get focused on the kind of songs that originally won me over. It's equal parts pop and industrial.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/health-slaves-of-fear.html

8-Frontlime Assembly -"Wake Up the Coma"


 The project's 20th album finds them pumping out what you would want from them. Aggressive dystopian dance music with slithering grooves. The first departure from their tried and true formula is on their cover of Falco's " Rock Me Amadeus" with Jimmy Urine from Mindless Self Indulgence on vocals.

 Genre- Industrial

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/frontline-assembly-wake-up-coma.html

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If you told me this was from the 4AD archives I would believe you.There is a similar sonic intensity to "the Garlands" where the more some fey vocals were cast against a more aggressive backdrop.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/gold-why-arent-you-laughing.html

6- New Years Day - "Unbreakable"

Genre- hard rock

I have typically liked what this band does. Ash Costello's vocals seem to get better with every album. Slick arena sounding production helps the overall sound, but it is the hook in their choruses that really sells it.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/04/new-years-day-unbreakable.html

5- Low Dose - s/t />

 Genre - Grunge

 The guys from Fight Amp have formed a new band with singer , guitarist Itarya Rosenberg, that owes more to 90s alternative than pumped up noise rock. Not that some of the more pounding angular bit are not there, along with punk influences, but they have more in common with L7 thanks to Rosenberg.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/low-dose-st.html

4 Rammstein- "s/t" 

 After 10 years these guys are back. No line up changes. Their sound is still intact, They have not changed with the times, but still feel fresh. Perhaps the only thing that different is some of the synth sounds. They are worked in a way that is very true to the band.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/rammstein-st.html

3-Miley Cyrus - "She is Coming"


 Genre- Pop

 Drugs made thing darker for Miley and her music was rewarded by this. I can leave this album on and just let it play . It's hard to mine there could be a pop album that is better than this one


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/06/report-to-dance-floor-miley-cyrus-she.html

2-Brutus- "Nest" 

 Genre- Indie Rock

 It is impressive that as a trio they are kicking up this amount of noise and their singer Stefanie is also playing the drums. She has a pretty good voice that at times makes me imagine that this is how Bjork might sound if she decided to play punk. I guess this is post-punk, but not in the sense that they want to be Siouxsie and the Banshees.It's more like dashes of post-rock atmosphere are thrown against taunt punk temper tantrums

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/brutus-nest.html

1-Morrissey- "California Son"

" Genre - rock

 The strength of the vocal performances on this album gives it an edge. Obviously if you are a regular reader you know I am a huge Morrissey fan, that does not mean I am going to just give him a free pass, in fact the bar is raised higher and he pretty much comes back in full force and nails better than he has since perhaps "Ringleader of the Tormentors.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/morrissey-california-son.html

Low Dose : " s/t"

The guys from Fight Amp have formed a new band with singer , guitarist Itarya Rosenberg, that owes more to 90s alternative than pumped up noise rock. Not that some of the more pounding angular bit are not there, along with punk influences, but they have more in common with L7 thanks to Rosenberg. In some ways they are like a more sinewy and Jesus Lizard like version of Brutus, that I just reviewed. "For Sure" has a catchy grunge feel not unlike Hole, but with a dash punk. The thing they have most in common with Fight Amp is the burly bass sound.  Male vocals come in on the song "Otherwordly Motives", this gives them a more late 90s post- hard core sound.

"Sinking" finds the male and female vocals trading off. It works off of pre-established dynamics, we have heard , so nothing new is introduced here. I think these similar sounds are put ot better use on "Song 12" and done so in a more punchy fashion. The males vocals occupy more of the spot light on "Not Break Skin", when her vocals join in then it has stronger feel with them in unison. She is the stronger singer by far so it seems like a waste to not use her .

The album closes with "the Legendary Divorce" which was the name of her old band with her abusive alcoholic ex-husband which is the song about.  Itarya had a rough go of life while recording this album so I imagine the lyrics to most of these songs elude to that , though even here they are draped in metaphor  while there are some exceptions most of the story is not spelled out for you. "the Legendary Divorce" it is carried by a wandering bass line so it marries indie rock with grunge. I'll give this album an 9.5 , I really enjoyed it and think it will continue to grow on me. It is being released on Brutal Panda.