The Top 10 Rock Albums of 2024

Rock music continues to be one of the last vestiges of picking up instruments and playing songs the artist has written.  With metal having a more loyal market, it feels like less straight-up rock music is coming out, but then again it's not something I always look for. There is a very specific feel of moodiness, melody, and underlying mental health issues I seek out from rock music, and these albums touch on varied corners of that sound.  In fact, this year's list is more varied than last year's list. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2024. 

 The 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. You might find your next favorite on this list. I included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Rock albums of 2023.

10-The Jesus Lizard -"RACK" 

There is much more of a rock n roll feeling possessing this album. Yow's voice sits back in the mix, though when he comes to the forefront it's evident he still has his voice. There is a cool tension lurking under the surface of the rock facade. The rock n roll direction takes some getting used to at times,  but it's still better than the bulk of rock music coming out these days, thus earning its place here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-jesus-lizard-rack.html

             

9 -Rope Sect -"Entrangement" 

As a big fan of this band, we have covered every release from this German band, and they have yet to disappoint, so when it popped up in the old inbox there was a great deal of excitement. This project has never been content just settling for one sound and milking it. The album opens with a more familiar sound that picks up closer to where they left off marrying the metallic energy of their picking hand with the melancholy of post-punk. This comes with a cleaner guitar sound and not the overdriven metal tone. They are not metal, though this album does go in a more rock direction. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/03/rope-sect-enstrangement.html

 

8-Solstafir - ""Hin helga kvöl" 

I'm old enough to remember when this band from Iceland used to be black metal. They have been on this more rock n roll road for some time, so the direction never surprises me. The vocals are emotive and have more edge than your average rock band, The use of atmosphere works really well, as they start off the album with a strong dynamic balance.I like the direction they are going here, and think the more weed-influenced songs are better than when they try to rekindle the metal fires. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/solstafir-hin-helga-kvol.html

7-Bruce Dickinson -" The Mandrake Project" 

Despite being a huge Iron Maiden fan, I have never paid much attention to Dickinson's solo work. Sure I have heard and once owned "Tattooed Millionaire" and am marginally familiar with "Chemical Wedding". When he sings, he is unmistakable. It sounds like a more rock n roll take on Iron Maiden. It has more in common with Deep Purple or other proto-metal bands like Uriah Heap most of the time. 

 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/02/bruce-dickinson-mandrake-project.html

6-Brume- "Marten" 

I really liked this band's 2019 album. This time around things are darker and more organic with less of the atmosphere which previously reminded me of the Gathering. Thanks to Jackie Gantz bringing her cello to the party there are sweeping post-rock dynamics expanding the sonic zip-code way past the normal Sabbath pandering of the genre. It's a gripping listen. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/09/brume-marten.html

5-Poppy-"Negative Spaces" 

Some people want to call this album metal. They obviously do not know what metal is and their opinions are equal to the sound of a toilet flushing , when it comes to the subject, not only is this album not metal but other albums on this list are heavier than this album, and they are also just rock albums  This album is fun, it would be on the pop list but there is more guitar on it than most pop albums this side of Linkin Park have , who is another pop band have, so here it is since it's not even hard enough to make the hard rock list, but it's fun music. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/poppy-negative-spaces.html

4- Pearl Jam -"Dark Matter" 

This album comes closer to what you expect from them than some of their more recent albums that found the band taking more chances. Granted if you think of these guys as a grunge band, then you might find this album lacking in grit, however, this is their 12th album, and only their first two albums should really be considered grunge, as the band has ventured off into varied forms of rock and Americana since then in the 10  albums that followed these guys have a pretty basic formula to follow to be successful and please their fan base. Eddie sings and the rest of the band supports him allowing Vedder to do what he does. Side note great guitar playing .

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/pearl-jam-dark-matter.html

          

3-Choke Cherry -"Messy Star" 

This band carries a raw grunge edge to their otherwise trippy take on "dream pop' that leans into the pop hooks. The opening song rocks out more and the dense guitar riffs pack more of a punch Their frequent use of subtle hooks that are highly effective. The loud-to-soft formula is very 90s but cements their songs as being authentic to that era which they pay homage to. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/choke-cherry-messy-star.html

2-Marilyn Manson - "One Assignation Under God Chapter 1"  

Manson is back. Vocally sobriety seems to be doing him favors. His upper range is not as strained. His 12th album is once again produced by Tyler Bates. It sounds like Code Orange's Rebe Meyers is playing for him and lending backup vocals, which makes sense as she has been a part of his most recent touring band. Lyrically this album is interesting and honest, it grew on me as it might not have the edge of his earlier work yet, but there are still a few glances back at his legacy, his voice sounds great and it's dark enough to work for me. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/marilyn-manson-one-assignation-under.html

 

1-Planes Mistaken For Stars - "Do You Still Love Me ?" 

The late Gared O'Donnell recorded this album while undergoing Chemo, before succumbing to his chance at 44. They were always too gritty and real to break through to the mainstream. Their take on rock n roll still pounds the song into you. Unless you share in the inner darkness with which these songs were conceived you might not know what to make of the brooding. To my ears it's beautiful. Some brighter guitar tones on this album than in their previous work, it's clear he was ending things in a manner that still pushed their sound forward. Gared you are missed

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/11/planes-mistaken-for-stars-do-you-still.html

pst636

Who Should Play Welcome to Rockville 2025

>Barely a week had passed before fans were making their wish lists for who they thought should play the 2025 edition of Welcome to Rockville. The main problem with these lists is that they are either acts that have already played this festival at least twice over or just boring radio rock fodder. In the current economy, big-dollar mainstream rock festivals could find themselves burning out unless they change their formula. After all how many times can you book the same old bands before people get tired of it? This does not mean they should dilute the rock theme by adding crap like Megan the Stallion or Imagine Dragons but getting more creative would be nice. I came up with a line-up that would other fresh blood, while still including relevant big names who put butts in arenas. So here is who should play Welcome to Rockville 2025. 

 

Thursday 

Vortex stage 

155- 225 - Left to Suffer

305- 335- Nails 

415- 445- Kvelertak 

535-6:10- Integrity

7:10 to 7:50 -Thursday 

Octane Stage

1:55 to 255- Narrow Head 

3:05- 3:35- Hight Vis 

4: 15 - 4: 50- the Menzingers

5:40 -6:20- Idles 

7:10- 8:00- the Stooges

Inferno Stage

1:25- 1:50- Terminal Nation 

2:15- 3:00 Snapcase

3:40-4:10- the Cro-mags 

5:00 - 5:30 -Failure

6:30-7:05-AFI

8:00-845- Brand New 

Apex Stage-

1:20-1:50 - Gouge Away

2:30-3:00- Drug Church

3:40-4:10- Callous Daoboys

4:55-5:35-Reverend Horton Heat 

6:25-7:25- FEAR

8:05-9:05- Bad Religion 

10:15-11:35- the Misfits 

FRIDAY 

Vortex Stage 

12:40- 1:05- Night Goat 

1:15-1:45 Sumo Cyco

2:`10-2:40- Spotlights 

3;15-3:45-Unto Others 

4:30-5:00 -Chelsea Wolfe

5:40-^6:20- Crosses 

7:20-8:00 Ville Vallo 

Octane 

2:10-2:40 Cruel Intentions 

3:20-3:50-Warrior Soul 

4:30-5:05- Placebo

5;45-6:25- Dokken

7:20- 8;10-The Darkness 

9;10-10:10- Muse

Inferno

1:40-2:05 - Reckless Love

2:45- 3:05- the  Hellacopters

3:50-4:20- LA Guns

5:15- 5:45- 69 Eyes 

 6:40-7:15- WASP

 8:10- 8;55- Twisted Sister 

Apex Stage

2:45-3:15-Cancer Bats

3:55-4:25-Royal Thunder

5:10-5:40-  Whitesnake

8:15 - 9:05-  Scorpions 

10:15- 11:45 -AC.DC 

Saturday 

Vortex Stage

1:50-2:20- Predatory Void 

3- 3;30- Bloody Hammers 

4;20- 5:00- Author & Punisher

5;45-6;15-Chvrches

7:05-7;45- Carpenter Brut 

Octane

1:50-2;20- Astarie Nite

3:00-3:30- Deathstars  

4:05- 4:35 My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult 

5:30- 6:10- Godhead 

7:00-7:50- Mindless Self Indulgence 

9:10-10:10- Faith No More

Inferno

2:25- 2:55- Strvngers

3:35-4:05- Lords of Acid 

5:25-5:55 -KMFDM

6:25-7:00- HEALTH 

7:55-8:55- Coal Chamber 

Apex

2:45-3:15- Hangman's Chair

3:55-4:25-Porcupine Tree 

5:10-5:40- Opeth 

8:15 - 9:05-  Mercyful Fate

10:15- 11:45 -Iron Maiden 

Sunday 

Vortex  Stage 

2:25-3:05-Vision Video 

3:30- 4:05-Talk Show

4:30 -5:05 - the Jesus Lizard 

5:30- 6:05- Glassjaw 

6:30- 7:05- Hum 

7:30-8:10-Danny Elfman 

Inferno 

12:40- 1:05- Maul 

1:15-1:45 -200 Stab Wounds

2:`10-2:40- Frozen Soul

3;15-3:45-Life of Agony 

4:30-5:00 -Tribulation

5:40-^6:20- Katatonia

7:20-8:00  Behemoth 

Octane 

2:25-3:05-Troller 

3:30- 4:05-Black Magnet 

4:30 -5:05 - Snow Strippers 

5:30- 6:05- Sevens Hour to Violet 

6:30- 7:05-Die Antwoord 

7:30-8:10-Linkin Park 

 Apex Stage

1:45-2:15- Ratboys 

2:45-3:15-Fontaines DC

3:40- 4:15 -Lydia Loveless

5:10- 5: 40- Sliversun Pickups 

8:0 5 - 9:05- the Pixies 

10:15 - 11:40 Pearl Jam

pst500

April's Top 10 Albums

Already time for April's top 10 albums. Staying abreast on the month's highlights might help casual readers see what they missed, and give this the option to check these artists out. I am not doing little blurbs on them, just linking the reviews. This will help me organize my lists for the end of the year, by listing the genre of music the album falls under. This 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 in-box that are not coming out til July, 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 Shoe-gaze to pop to hard-core, so you may find your new favorite among them. Here are the Top 10 albums for April 2024.

10-Darkthrone-"It Beckons Us All" 

Metal

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/darkthrone-it-beckons-us-all.html

9- Ride - "Interplay" 

Indie rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/ride-interplay.html

8-Terminal Nation - "Echoes of the Devil's Den

Hard Core

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/terminal-nation-echoes-of-devils-den.html

7-Pallbearer-"Mind  Burns Alive" 

Doom -gaze

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/pallbearer-mind-burns-alive.html

6- Pearl Jam - "Dark Matter" 

Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/pearl-jam-dark-matter.html

5-Whores- "War" 

Noise Rock

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/whores-war.html

4-Snow Strippers -"Night Killaz Vol 2" 

 Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/snow-strippers-night-killaz-vol-2.html

3 METZ- "Up On Gravity Hill" 

Post-punk

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/metz-up-on-gravity-hill.html

2-Glassing- "From the Other Side of the Mirror" 

 

Post-metal 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/glassing-from-other-side-of-mirror.html

1- Taylor Swift -"THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT" 

Pop

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department.html

pst211

Pearl Jam : "Dark Matter"

 Do I really need to introduce Pearl Jam? If you do not know who these guys are, this is not the blog for you as they are now like Led Zeppelin a band that is one of the fundamental artists of the era and genre they forged. This album comes closer to what you expect from them than some of their more recent albums that found the band taking more chances. Granted if you think of these guys as a grunge band, then you might find this album lacking in grit, however, this is their 12th album, and only their first two albums should really be considered grunge, as the band has ventured off into varied forms of rock and Americana since then in the 10  albums that followed these guys have a pretty basic formula to follow to be successful and please their fan base. Eddie sings and the rest of the band supports him allowing Vedder to do what he does. 

The second song picks up the pace in a way that is not "State of Love and Trust" but it still works. Then comes their more Neil Young-influenced ballad with the casual folkish strum of "Wreckage".  Vedder's voice has held up well. If this sort of thing still had a place on the radio, this song would fit the format. But rock radio has hit a place of stagnation and has not progressed past 'Better Man". They have given themselves enough room to grow that allows a song like the title track to be different enough, yet as a song holds up against the songs like "Jeremy" they have built their career upon. Amazingly, they can still be consistent as artists 12 albums later and still write songs this good. Mike McCready is ripping out plenty of guitar solos on this album. 

"Won't Tell" might have more of a pop sensibility, but it's really well written and Vedder vocal melodies work their magic.  The more balladic musing that is this album's "Yellow Ledbetter" is "Upper Hand" though it's less Jimi Hendrix influenced.  "Waiting For Stevie" rocks out a little more with  Mike continuing to rip it, and Matt Cameron continuing to show why he is one of the best rock drummers in the business. "Running" is a more energetic return to the "Vs." era. The almost country strum of "Something Special" is just a little more upbeat than what I prefer. 

You can't argue that Bruce Springsteen has not been an influence on these guys as it permeates "Got to Give". It has echoes of 90s rock anthems but is more of a blue-collar rocker. The last song is almost more of a ballad, as it seems to muse upon mortality and the human condition. There is also a slight country unpining to this which is the first time this has crept into what they do. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it sits with me, it holds up better against their classic works than some of the post-Vitalogy releases. 

 

pst190

Top 10 Hard Rock Albums of 2020

These albums are not aggressive enough to be metal. They do have more balls to them than the ones on the rock list. Ok now that that is out of the way , much like in years past  ] I sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. I know many of you are ready for 2020 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. As far as 2020 goes for  hard rock there is only one new artist on the list , a couple are re packaged in new project , but for the most part it is the tried and true. The fact these artists 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 hard rock albums of 2020

10- Pearl Jam - "Gigaton" 

There are some pretty cool moments here, more of them are than not, they are not trying to recreate what made "Ten" and "vs" great, but are killers players who despite their massive success are often overlooked for the caliber of chops they have. Oh yeah, Eddie sounds ok as well.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/pearl-jam-gigaton.html 

 

9- In This Moment - "Mother" 

Not the first time this band has shown up on one of these lists so do not look so surprised. I would have liked to given this album more of a listen than I have but enjoyed the spins I gave it is heading in a more pop direction, but Ms Brink flexes her pipes . There are still enough of rock moments to earn it's place here. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/03/in-this-moment-mother.html

 

8- White Swan-"Transmission" 

The singer of Kittie reinvents herself to some extent , by heading in what they think is a sludge direction , but actually has more in common with grunge bands from the 90s. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-white-swan-nocturnal-transmission.html

 

7-Kirk Windstein- " Dream In Motion" 

Not what you might think a solo album from Crowbar's front man to be. He really flexes his pipes and this is not swamp sludge, but really heart felt grunge tinged power ballads with a darker side. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/11/november-is-doom-kirk-windstein-dream.html

6- Mushroomhead- " A Wonderful Life" 

I always assumed these guys were Slipknot rip offs. There are at least more of a Nu-metal version of KMFDM, but with a fetish for power ballads, I think they should have let the female singer do more, but this caught be by surprise and was better than it had any right to be , or I just under estimated them,

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/06/mushroomhead-wonderful-life.html

5-Narrow Head - " 12the House Rock " 

These guys have shoe gaze tendencies, but rock out more than the most recent Hum album with a grungy rough around the edges fuzzy gusto so this album wound up here. 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/09/narrow-head-12th-house-rock.html

 

4-Ozzy Osbourne - "Ordinary Man" 

I like solo Ozzy as much as Black Sabbath. There I got that out of the way. Is this his best album? No and most of that is the producer's fault but for his age Ozzy sounds better than any what you can ask from any singer his age. The songs are pretty well written and despite the Post Malone songs this turned out better than I hoped/ 

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

3-Miss Piss- " Self Surgery"

You might be surprised anything with Chelsea Wolfe in it is not at the top spot. She got together with her drummer and decided to just rock out and have fun. They get rowdy and almost border on being a punk band. They have more in common with Sonic Youth than Minor Threat sonically. They did bring it harder than Ozzy this year though.

.

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

 

2- Deftones - " Ohms"

They never allowed themselves to just become another nu-metal band. In recent years they have been more hit or miss with me. Here they do nothing but hit, all the right notes and at all the right times , this almost cinched them the top spot. Not hard enough to be a metal album there are some metal inspired moments for sure/ 

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2020/09/deftones-ohms.html 

 1-Katatonia - "City Burials"  

It's no as dark as " Night Is the New Day" . It does however find them remembering they are a metal band in sometimes a more unusual fashion than expected like the fiery Judas Priest inspired riffs and the proggy grooves. It both rock and broods in it's introspective but has a balance and first and foremost thoughtful songs. The bottom line is I listened to it more than the Deftones, I think these guys went into new places where the Deftones stuck closer to what they are good at.

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

Pearl Jam ; " Gigaton"

Pearl Jam is a band I sometimes have a hard time with because I do not like their fans . I have the same problem to an even greater extent with Dave Matthews . They seem like frat boy douche bags. Despite this I love Pearl Jam's first three album and the stuff after that is a mixed bag. It gets off to a garage rock start, more straight up rock than the ballsy kick of what we called grunge. Not a bad song, but I am not blown away either. Vedder's voice is not as resonate. Yes, he is older , but so it Nick Cave. "Superblood Wolfmoon" is more playful, though not punk, wanting to head in that direction. Shit, Eddie sounded better on the first song. It's a little too happy for me. They are in a hard place as when they dpo experiment it's not going to be what you want, like the dance beat and electronic elements to "Dance of the Clairvoyants" , though Eddie sounds better which is what I am listening for. The guitar is on the funky side here.

"Quick Escape" is the first song where they really nail what I want from them and it even comes with a ripping solo. "Alright" is more atmospheric and introspective. Eddie's voice sound back to where it should be , but the song it self does not grip me. "Seven O Clock". Has the strummed Neil Young folk rock feel. The melody on the verse is a little awkward. It's strummed and feels like a Pearl Jam song, so it works more than is doesn't. There is a more Rolling Stones like rock n roll feel to "Never Destination" . I am not sure even their most hard core fans could co-sign this as much more than filler. There is more of an edge to "Take the Long Way", but it's a long way from anything off "Vs." . The chorus is pretty decent and helps sell me on it. "Buckle Up" sounds like something they are just improvising during a sound check.

The more folk strum of "Comes Then Goes" is pretty consistent with what they normally do. "Retrograde" find them showing what works best for them as a band . The song starts off straight forward folk rock, then opens up into something more sonically expansive. "River Cross" might be some next level shit for a Bruce Springsteen album released in 2020, but for the guys who made them album "Ten" it's just ok. I will give this one an 8.5  and see how it grows on me. My thoughts could be summed up on the album as a whole in the same way I shared them about the last song,


10.3

The Second Cumming of the Weekly Shuffle

#instagood #instalove #photoofday #photographer #photoshoot #boudoir #ink #tattoos #tattoogirl #portraitphotography #love #kiss #kisses #tshirt #acdc #rockandroll #rockstar #eyes #lips #bööbs #editorial #danielrmoorephotography

A post shared by Daniel R Moore Photography (@drmfoto) on Jul 10, 2017 at 1:19pm PDT

The return of this once beloved feature deserves a hot girl with big boobs, because those are numbered among my favorite things just like the songs that are going to pop up like an erection when I hit shuffle on my trusty ipod and review the tracks at random.