Gothtober : Black Doldrums : "In Limerence"

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These guys have enough gloom in their atmosphere to cross over the threshold of what might be considered goth. It's not just punk with effects on the guitar. The baritone vocals are not just trying to recreate what Ian Curtis started; their resonance reminds me a little of Beast Milk. This opening track is awe-inspiring so that is going to set a high bar for the rest of the album. "Dying For You' sits a reverb-heavy guitar against a synth-laden ambiance. The vocals sit back more offering a more detached ambiance.

"Summer Breeze" is not another cover of the Seals & Croft song, but a more upbeat song, that is like a vocally less emotive take on the Cure. You hear the more plaintive side of his baritone. The fact that they are British I guess makes this Brit pop to some extent, and the Cure comparisons more understandable. It also lends to the argument I make of how music is affected by the egregore of where it is created and how that energy plays into things. Things get darker for "Dwell or Depart". Though the vocals are relegated to becoming a more distant accent in the mix "Painting Smiles" has more drive making it one of the album's more compelling songs. 

"Need" has a more hypnotic drone. The vocals continue to sit further back in the mix. "In Silence" proves once again that they benefit from a more aggressive approach and going into the songs with some momentum. With this in mind, the vocals do not have to play a large role as the groove of the song compensates for them being in the background. "Tarantula" just kind of haunts the background as it's almost to atmospheric for its own good, and has little to grab your ears. The single-note riffs to "Change of a Season" are more memorable. It has a little more dance in its veins. It's the album;s strongest vocal, they are somewhat like Interpol in that regard that the music balances the vocals out. 

The vocals get a little more love in the mix of "New Moon". It has more of an 80s new-wave feel. Think Echo and the Bunnymen or Psychedelic Furs in this regard. Then the last song finds a more Cure-like glom cast over everything like this is a song from a long-lost Crow soundtrack that was unreleased. I will give this a 9, as the album sounds great they not only captured classic tones I love but made and effort to write songs with them as well. If you want dark hearted post-punk this is worth checking out.

 

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The Top 10 Post-Punk Albums of 2024

 It's that time of year again. It might seem a little early to begin sorting through the year's best post-punk albums, but record labels have already sent me most of what this year has to offer. After I sort through sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2024. Perhaps it was marginally better than the previous year, though given the current climate of the world, we are progressing on a downward spiral, making dark music more important as a soundtrack for this.   As far as 2024 goes for post-punk, there were strong albums, especially those in the top 5, though the influx of new material from the genre is beginning to slow.  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. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and 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 post-punk albums of 2024.

10-New Model Army- "Unbroken" 

At 67 Justin Sullivan is keeping New Model Army going. With their 16th album "Unbroken" they are going with great vigor. Powerful anthemic choruses that ring out. It does not take you back to their punk days, though they come close at times. The guitars have more jangle to them here. There is plenty in the world for Sullivan to angrily ponder and these songs express that in full. The key to their success is not the sound they have cultivated, which is distinct to them as much as their songwriting chops.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/01/new-model-army-unbroken.html

 

9-Rosegarden Funeral Party- "From the Ashes" 

This band might have dialed up the Siouxsie influence on this album, but they did it oddly.  Rather than just pay tribute they pondered what if Siouxsie fronted Roxy Music during the Brian Eno years. It's dramatic and glammed out while basking in the indulgences of cocaine-fueled art rock, almost to the point of taking them out of the post-rock revival,

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/07/rosegarden-funeral-party-from-ashes.html

 

8-Fourth Dominion-"Diana's Day" 

This New York-based band's sophomore album feels like a cross between AFI and older REM. This means we are combining organic jangle along a more 90s-influenced goth rock. Lyrically there is a great deal of occult metaphor. The production works for what they are going for here as it gives this more of a rock edge. The bass rumbles harder on their more palm-muted grooves to add a bit of balls. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/fourth-dominion-dianas-day.html

7-Negative Gears -Moraliser" 

Dark moody punk from Australia. They are big on the tension and the vocals are more punk, though not yelled in the typical fashion.  One of the things this album is mad about is how Sydney wants to be America which has turned it into a shit hole.  I am fine with not really into political punk unless it's just focused on anarchy. There are some early Cure-sounding guitar melodies in the mix. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/negative-gears-moraliser.html

6- the Chameleons- "Tomorrow Remember Yesterday" 

As long as both Mark Burgess and guitarist  Reg Smithies then this is the Chameleons. Having formed in 83, it puts them behind other British bands like the Cure or Joy Division as the forerunners of post-punk. This album puts melody before punk tension. Burgess's voice sounds great, and it captures who they were and who they are now in a genuine manner. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/gothtober-chameleons-tomorrow-remember.html

     

5-Vision Video - "Modern Horror" 

 2022's "Haunted Hours" took the top spot in our end-of-the-year post-punk top 10, so the bar is set high for this one. The 3rd album from this Athens, Ga, based band finds, them opening things up with the moodier organic sound that earned them their place here. All of this comes together thanks to the smooth melodies and great vocal performances of  Dusty Gannon. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/gothtober-vision-video-modern-horror.html

4-Louse -"Passions Like Tar" 

The album is crisp. It pays tribute to the era this music evolved from without being a straight-up tribute band to it.  There is a hopeful brightness to the shimmer of their sound and the vocals are not totally despondent. They marry the sound of two of my favorite bands, the Smiths and the Cure, so how can I complain about that, is. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/10/gothtober-louse-passions-like-tar.html

3-the Jesus and the Mary Chain -"Glasgow Eyes"

The Reid Brothers are back for the 8th album of their 40-year career. This album does touch on their more depressive side at times but finds them employing a wide range of moods. An upbeat pulse lasks the melancholy,  It is experimental in different ways, as they toy around with synths and effects. Jim's voice sounds ageless, with his hushed dusky muttering. Lyrically things are brilliant. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/03/jesus-and-mary-chain-glasgow-eyes.html

  2-Metz - "Up On Gravity Hill" 

 The band once again shifts the sonics of their attack, and amid its weirdness, the album proves to be accessible to a wider audience. Woozy guitar counterpoints punk-inflected vocals smoothed out by overdubbed harmonies. The normally rough edges of noise-rock, are less abrasive thanks to the refined nuances of their songwriting to create a more 90s style atl-rock not unlike the bar-room brooding of the Afghan Whigs.

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

 

1- Crippling Alcoholism - "With Love From a Padded Room" 

This band beautifully captures a darkly honest misery, that has not been done this well since  Planesmistakenforstars was a band. The singer's raspy voice makes you imagine what it might sound like if Tom Waits fronted Interpol. It took the top spot because not only are the song uniquely engaging, but this album can be played countless times without getting tired of it. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/crippling-alcoholism-with-love-from.html

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Gothtober - Viuda : "Provinciana"

 

This band from Spain opens their new album with some dark sounds that made me stop and take note. "ENCE" makes ample use of atmosphere, but does not have enough beef production-wise for the song to really kick in like it feels like it wants to. "Aceralia" makes use of their Spanish heritage, by adding a more sultry flamenco groove into things. This helps set them apart from other post-punk revivalists. They pick things up to a more energetic punk pace for "Maia". This works to break things up and provide a wider range of dynamics to the album. Not sure if I would want an entire album of them doing this, but it works for what it is. 

"Quincallera" splits the difference and finds the vocals retaining the punk shout, while they color the background with darker sounds. However, this does lean more toward the punk side of post-punk. On "Cigarreres" they want to go in a creepier direction but do not seem as focused on what they should look like, though the singing on the verses works pretty well. They end up reverting to more of a punk explosion. Synths open "Piel' to set a more Halloween mood. It gets a little clunky midway into it. 

Things get moodier for the title track. It does build up into a more punk climax, which seems to be their songwriting formula. The last song works off something similar but is more intentional in the moody groove so it works better. I will give this album an 8, it's solid with good ideas, the production could have been better and their songwriting skills could stand to mature, but it's a fun album if you want some punk that is darker and different. 

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High Vis : "Guided Tour"

 

"Blending" received a 9.5 from us and was cited as one of 2022's top Post-punk albums. U2. This time around things are not as tense or dark, in fact, the guitar jangles and rings out with a tone that owes more to "Joshua Tree" era U2. I don't need them to be post-punk so the more upbeat songs work for me as they are well written and sound great. The London-based band leans more toward a punk thing for the second song, though it is more nuanced than most punk. They started expanding their sonic range on "Worth the Wait". The guitars here feel like something Andy Summers might do. They pack more of a power chord punch on the chorus. 

They continue to share an idles-like formula of aggressive vocal punch over a moodier layer of melodic guitar work on "Feeling Bliss". There is an organic punk strum to "Fill the Gap" which sounds like something that could have emerged from the mid-90s. The sung chorus works better than the shouted vocals in the verse.  "Mob DLA" carries more tension. , it finds an almost Fugazi-inspired balance of grit and melody. "Untethered"  finds the guitar shimmering as the new bassist Jack Muncaster sits in the back of the mix. It could groove more if the bass sat more forward in the mix, but this works well enough to get the point across. 

Their singer is putting more effort and offers a more vulnerable performance, giving the album's overall feel a more Brit-pop feel while retaining their backbone. The electronic elements added to their sound on "Mind's a Lie" are the clearest example of growth in their songwriting by their willingness to experiment. With this song, it's a gamble that paid off. The last song is a more straightforward uptempo post-punk banger that is more of what is expected from the genre. I will give this album a 9.5, as well, it's melodic nature gives it a slight edge over the last one, but the mix is more streamlined, though the strong songwriting balances it out.

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Gothtober - Louse : "Passions Like Tar"

 Right from the start these guys are getting a great deal right. The album is crisp. It pays tribute to the era this music evolved from without being a straight-up tribute band to it.  There is a hopeful brightness to the shimmer of their sound and the vocals are not totally despondent. The vocals have a starker yearning to their Morrison-like baritone. Things stay dynamic and they are not trying to drone you to death with tension.  Things get more spacious and more depressing for "Potter's Field" Amazingly, this is the band's debut album, they should be opening for bands like Interpol already or if they can pull all this off live. 

The Cure is an undeniable influence when it comes to songs like "Bed of Knieves" though they temper this with a more rock feel most of the time. Here that manifests more as aggression in the dynamics. There is a more atmospheric feel to "Feral Hound". It is not unlike the soaring atmosphere that prevails "Disintegration". "Human Remains" packs more punch sonically with its expansive dynamics. "Bernadette" finds him taking on a more belted croon. This gives things a little more of a Smith-like feel. The melodies are hookier though these guys are not trying to write pop songs, not unlike Vision Video in this vein. 

'From the Swarm" continues things along the lines of the moody Brit-pop sounds they captured in the previous song. There is more of an 80s college radio feel to the last song. The guitars are well layered and the vocals fit perfectly over them. I will give this album a 9.5, it marries the sound of two of my favorite bands, the Smiths and the Cure, so how can I complain about that, These guys released this album back in September so don't let it fly under your radar or you will regret not hearing this. 

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Gothtober - Vision Video : "Modern Horror"

The 2022's "Haunted Hours" took the top spot in our end-of-the-year post-punk top 10, so the bar is set high for this one. The 3rd album from this Athens, Ga, based band finds, them opening things up with the moodier title track, yet leans more into the organic post-punk side of what they do. All of this comes together with a smooth melody thanks to another great performance by Dusty Gannon. "Dead Gods " is the lead single, and it continues with a similar lyrical theme as the title track, as it's very bleak and agnostic in its outlook, which works for me. Religion is the passive-aggressive target of the dance floor-rocking anthem. To complement the lyrical shift the music is more aggressive in its drive that is empowered by some solid bass playing.

This is almost a concept album as "Sign of the Times" is only marginally less stark than the previous song. It is not as geared for the dance floor and feels more firmly rooted in post-punk. Gannon's voice seems to be soaring a little higher on this album. It's more Duran Duran sounding at times. "Balacave Kiss" is just as rooted in the sounds of the 80s, though the melodic nature reminds me more of Merchandise than anything dark wave. Keyboardist Emily Fredock lends her voice to the chorus to add a new sonic color.  They get a little darker on the more Cure-like"Normalized". Which bemoans the woes of the common man.  Gannon's croon is supple on this one with a tinge of vibrato. 

"Living Dead" is not as Halloween-minded as you might expect. The synth melodies often being the most goth thing about the overall. In fact, the chorus is rather upbeat. "Haunt Your Dreams' almost feels more like Roxy Music than the Cure, but it's a really well-written song so that does not matter. At this point, the lyrics have shifted to a more introspective musing. This feels like it might be the album's best song. It has some of the most driving drumming. The Roxy Music comparisons gain more weight with "Let Go of Time". Then they steer things into a new wave direction for "Never Enough" which has more in common with 80s synth wave revivalists like Gunship or the Midnight. The last song is the first song that taps back into the Smiths-like jangle. His croon is more relaxed, as they take you on a casual stroll.  I will give it a 9.5, so not quite measure up to the last album, but It might just need to grow on me. Though unlikely to usurp Crippling Alcoholism from the band's firm grip on the post-punk throne this year. I need to give it a few more spins, but it's still and impressive offering. This album drops on Oct 22nd. 

 

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Gothtober-: "Looking Back in Anger at the Cure's "Three Imaginary Boys"

 Listening to the Cure's 1979 debut album this month makes sense. It was before Robert Smith started wearing makeup and they were much closer to being a punk band.  The bounce of the opening song is upbeat. It has a more new wave feel. This is back to when their keyboardist Lol Tolhurst was playing drums. He gets the job done for this sort of thing. "Accuracy' is closer to what we now consider post-punk."Grinding Halt" works for what it is, but     I appreciate the Cure more once they evolved past this straightforward jangle. 

The guitar sounds much better on "Another Day' there is a more emotive sense to the vocals that the guitar complements. "Object" is more of a straightforward punk, though I like how the vocals were recorded. The bass on a song like "Subway Song" finds the slink of the bass playing down a more abstract groove. The cover of "Foxy Lady' is not the band's best moment. It feels more like Gang of Four. There are points in this album where it feels like you are sitting in on their band practice. Robert Smith's voice is still finding itself, though you can hear where he ends up on "Meat Hook".  "So What"  is more punk than not. 

"Fire In Cairo" is more focused, making it one of this album's gems. "It's Not You" is another punk song, that works better than some others. The title track is another one of the the album's classic tracks and perhaps the darkest. The last track is an outro jam which I am not even going to bother with, so as it stands I will give this album a 9, showing that an album can be very influential without having to be perfect nor the band's best album.

11.1

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Gothtober - Luna Honey : "Bound"

Female-fronted post-punk bands have the challenge of not sounding like they are simply a Siouxsie and the Banshees tribute band. This is the Philly-based band's 6th album so they have had some time to form their identity. There is a great deal of angular droning, which sets a sonically intense mood, making them heavier than your average post-punk revivalist. The switch to more operatic vocals was not expected. I like that she is capable of it as it shows her range. Now would she be capable of stepping onstage to perform 'The Magic Flute' at the Met? No, but it's better than most, though the song locks into another drone. 

One of their strengths as a band is the diverse range of musical colors they are capable of applying to their songs. 'Barbie Cake' shows they can jam on a groove in a Swans-like manner while bringing their own unsettling drama to things. The title track is done in an even more Swans-like fashion as it builds off a gradually building minimalist guitar part that weaves a hypnotic spell. The vocals however carry a more European folk feel. "Lead" feels like "Venus in Furs" in its narcotic spell.  Midway into the album, it's pretty clear this is their thing. At first, it feels like she has a more Jarboe-like tone to her voice, but she sings out in a more folkish manner. The fact there is not a Micheal Gira baritone moaning over this helps give it a more original sound, as well as their embracing of neo-folk. 

"Snarge' is almost like an interlude as it drones on the same pattern for almost the entire five minutes. "Lemons" is more song focused. It ambles along with a minimalist arrangement. "Gravity'  is her singing over ambiance in a very abstract manner. If you are not a fan of drone, this album might not be for you, granted more often than not their drones are interesting and have dynamics. Though the second half of this album is more minimal and droning than the first half.  It almost timidly hesitates to commit to songs. The electronic beat of the last song gives it an almost trip-hop feel, though the organic instruments ground the song as the vocals lightly float over it. I like what they are doing here, Swans are one of my favorite bands so to be comparable to them in any way is a positive, so I will give this one an 8.5.

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Gothtober- Death Doula : "Love Spells"

 

Post-punk has been over-used. During the 90s it was not used a great deal, but many bands influenced by post-punk flourished, though they did not adopt the genre. This can be said of the moody styling of this Portland band. There is a grungy jangle to what they do and a Mazzy Star-like longing, though their singer projects her alto rather than fading into the haze.  There is a jangle to the guitar, as the vocals unfold with a slithering ghost of a purpose. "Poet for hire" works off a groove that leads the melancholy melody into a dynamic tug-of-war as punk tendencies want to explode creating more of a grunge-out tension. 

They weave the atmosphere in and out of the songs in a sometimes surreal manner that always seems to hold sonic depth. The darkness in her clever phrasing lurks in how she restrains the emotions. It's like someone who does not allow themselves to cry but finds music a better outlet to explore their feelings as they are in control of creating it. "Disembark" rolls into the bass line like a storm building in the distance. They might take a great deal of influence from the 90s alternative, but they do not adhere to the radio rock formula of soft verse to loud chorus that most of the bands of that era did.  

"Entanglements" finds the jangle of guitar picking the pace up. They touch on more overt post-punk riffing in this one, but the drummer does not lay on the hi-hat for a disco pattern like most of those bands do. This might be the album's most dynamic song so far. "Insatiable Beings"  carries an even more depressive brooding.     It reminds me a little of Veruca Salt in some ways.  There is an inner struggle in the vocals that is passive-aggressive. It "Dirty Shirt" has a narcotic slur to it. The first song that ambles more than finds its groove. 

There is more of a shoe-gazing shuffle to the expansive "Loom". I like how the vocals flow in this song. The last song slinks around , though it does have some of the album's most interesting lyrics. I will give this album a 9.5, it sounds great , pulls familiar sounds from the past forward in a new way, and has a great deal of heart even in the moments where it wanders a bit. It might not be the darkest album I am reviewing this month but it has great deal of heart when venting it's depressive moments. 

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Gothtober - Negative Gears : "Moraliser"

 Goth as we know it came from the punk scene. So here is some dark moody punk from Australia. They are big on the tension and the vocals are more punk, though not yelled in the typical fashion. The first song does pick up the pace as they are prone to step on the gas. One of the things this album is mad about is how Sydney wants to be America which has turned it into a shit hole. This perspective is interesting  "Room With the Mirror' does not reflect this as it seems more self-deprecating, but "Ants' certainly does offer this social commentary, Which I am fine with not really into political punk unless it's just focused on anarchy. It's also a really well-written song which helps. There are some early Cure-sounding guitar melodies in the mix. 

"Attention to Detail' is punk coming from a more Joy Division-like place. They are lamenting the state of things and getting more into specifics, but the tension-building works well enough to balance out the lyrics. It wanders off following the bass line into the ambiance which is an odd place for it to go.  The way they let the backbone of the bass charge in to establish a stark groove is more post-punk than not. The space they create with "Lifestyle Damages' also fits this bill. In fact, they do these things in a pretty impressive manner.  The vocals are capable of holding a melody or spitting the lyrics out with defiance. 

"Pills" keeps their frantic burst of downtrodden obsessing in motion. The guitars know when to sit back and let things simmer which gives these guys the edge over most punk. The vocals keep the chanted hooks coming. "Connect' is another with more of a Joy Division edge. It is not as dynamic as some of the other songs though the chorus works well and it's a little darker.     The last song summons a stormy gray sonic charge. They pick up the pace but do not discard what has been working for them up to this point,  This is another strong punk album that leans in the post-punk direction. It seems this sort of thing is not coming from America these days. Great songwriting. 

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Gothtober - Human Trophy : "Primary Instinct"

Keeping the rock at the forefront of the death rock equation, this San Frransico-based band carries a burly guitar tone.  The dense fuzz of this raw recording should be listened to through headphones. Computer speakers are just going to make it sound like a blown-out speaker buzzing and bury the vocals. The vocals are sitting back in the mix as it is. This is like a nightmarish version of the Ramones. The vocals improve a little on the second song. It's not until "Only a Knife" that they switch it up. It drops down to a dreary creep. The vocals dip a little lower, causing them to fade into the wall of the guitar. The lyrics you can make out seem to have a horror movie-like narrative. 

"Devotion' finds the blown-out speaker approach playing against them. It worked for the first three songs, but when they pick up to more of a punk pace becomes noise. More effort goes into the songwriting of "The Cabin". It carries a spookier groove that I appreciate though the low baritone vocals are just kind of droning along. By the time it gets to "Bright Like Perspex," the formula begins to lose its charm. I think in terms of production they could have gone in a Sonic Youth direction and had the abrasive ambiance with the clarity of tone. They get more punk for 'Ordinary Sin" and things stay murky, which I get is their thing it is a buzz of frequency rather than notes being played at this point.

They try to apply more songwriting to the last two songs. The vocals do not play a huge role in either song, but are just a texture so you are reminded there are vocals in the mix. The last is more punk of the two, though neither is uptempo. They are just beating you with the blown-out guitars as they slide by. I think there are good ideas in playing this kind of production value while it's a sound they have captured and plays into their identity, could be refined as the songs suffer from it, but I will give this an 8 for the effort.

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A Place to Bury Strangers : "Synthesizer"

 

For 22 years this band has bridged noise rock with post-punk. The album opens in a driving sonic manner that only makes sense for these guys. They ebb down and let things breathe more on the more rock n roll flavored "Don't Be Sorry". Deadpan baritone vocals create the narrative as the creeping groove flows under him. This is a much more effective display of what they are capable of as songwriters where the opening track hits you with sound. It was effective in getting your attention."Fear of Transformation" works off a stark electronic pulse. It plays with sound more abstractly.  If you were really high it might fuck with you a bit.

"Join the Crowd' hovers on the jangling drone of guitars as the vocals sit back and mutter from the background. "Bad Idea' is a pretty fitting title while it rides a solid bass groove it is overcome by noise. "You Got Me' has more in common with Sonic Youth, who paved the way for this band. These guys are darker than Sonic Youth, and less punk. The vocals once again sit further back in the mix. "Plastic Fture' dances over things more like Joy Division. The guitars keep a palm-muted groove but are more chill than some of the sonic tantrums they are capable of kicking up. 

"Have You Ever Been in Love " is darker so works best for me. The guitar tones on this album are pretty great when they crank up and move forward in the mix, with a surf rock reverb to them, With both the vocals and guitars more present on this one, it's probably the best song on the album. The last song "Comfort Never Comes' finds the reverb-laced guitar ringing in and out in the night, but not as present in the mix as the previous, with the vocals coming from the back door or the basement. I like the mood, but the song itself would work better with a different mix. I will give this album a 9, making it not there best but a pretty solid stab at what they normally do which is delivered this time with a dreamy surf rock melancholy. 

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Uniform : "American Standard"

There is a line between being ambitious and indulgent. A 21-minute song opening the album crosses the line. Sure having the sonic power to create an attack like Swans is an improvement for the band, but I am never going to listen to a 21-minute song more than once, there are just better investments of my listening time. I mean maybe if you are just sitting around getting high you have that kind of time to spare, I just don't have it. Ten minutes into the song things have a very powerful ringing sound as things both drone and groove at the same time. This album is full of dichotomies so if you do not appreciate clashing concepts it might not be for you. 15 minutes into the song things take a turn and build into a noisy almost black metal blasting ambiance. 

"This is Not a Prayer " also highlights the band's weakness which is the limited range of Micheal Bearden's voice, it just stays in an ugly scream. I get that this album is a catharsis to rant about his bulimia, but there are plenty of musicians with equally disturbing disorders who still make melodic music that balances out the setting of inner rage with wider dynamics. The double bass of the drums adds a more metallic drive to the song. The sludge-tinged noise of the band does stir up a particular sonic space. They are choosing to be abrasive. It is the weapon they are using in this confrontation. Things are less post-punk and begin to cross over to hardcore on this album.  Despite the addition of Interpol bassist Brad Truax, they are more like Black Flag and less like Joy Division on this album. 

Everything works better as a whole on "Clemency". Even when the vocals gurgle and yell into the syncopated punches it fits, similarly to the Jesus Lizard but not as dark. "Permanent Embrace" finds the music shift from a syncopated tension that could almost be found on a Tool album to blast beats and buzzing guitar when the song accelerates to its peak. So, the obnoxious vocals counterpoint the sonic heaviness. Musically this is pleasing to me, and in some ways an improvement for the band, but with the more produced and polished sound to have the vocals just squawking with no clear purpose, makes me around this down to an 8. This makes the album still a great piece of musical art, it just depends on how high your threshold for abrasive vocals is. It rubs my persona tastes the wrong way as the strong vocal is a make or break for me. Vocals might be something you tune out if the guitar is hefty enough in that case the album with work for you. It drops on Dias Records. 

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Head Cut : "Coraz​ó​n Negro"

 

The first thing that sets this band apart from other post-punk revivalists it the bass tone sounds more like Justin Chancellor from Tool. It has a tense thick groove but without most of the prog tendencies. The vocals are those of an angry female, but she does not really sound like Siouxsie, though has a more punk approach. The guitars do some interesting things and the drummer rocks out a little harder than your average post-punk drummer who normally sticks to an almost disco beat. They bounce around showing some nuance on the marginally more melodic "I Still Like You".  More intricate than Joy Division and more kinetic than the Cure, this band finds a balance of sounds that works. 

When they launch themselves into a more reckless high energy style of punk it does not prove to be as compelling. "Red Cloud" has more of a Cramps-like shuffle as the guitar takes on a more surf rock tone. They are from Ventura, California, but half the songs are sung in Spanish, which works on some things better than others.  "Living Lament' I had to go back to and give another listen as it did not grab me the first time. It's pretty much a punk song with some angular post-punk nuance. It did sound better than the second time around. 

I think a great deal of this album would grow on me more over time. But given the nature of what I do and how I have already listened to 400 new albums this year, if something makes it in my regular rotation outside of reviews it really has to offer something I am not getting from other bands.  "I Was High" is the album's best song, due to the fact it is also the darkest. I will give this album an 8.5 if you want a Spanish Punk take on post-punk then this album is for you, they are a band to watch for sure. 

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Golden Apes : "Our Ashes at the End of the Day"

 

I liked this German band's 2014 album, though they are an artist that tends to slip between the cracks when it comes to what goth album I think of listening to on any given day, so let's see how this one holds up. The first song is very consistent with who they are and sounds great so I am not not asking much more than that from these guys. Peer's resonant baritone croon is the obvious focal point of their songs. The chord progressions to the title track, are very familiar as it follows what bands like New Model Army already embark upon. 

"Shine" is dark enough for me, It works off a fairly straightforward post-punk formula, though without any of the Joy Division punk leanings. It feels like they hit the best balance on "Ash Trees" as it carries the bounce of a new wave, tempered with more brooding introspection and some great guitar tones. The guitar has more of a rock sound leading into "Reflections". It sounds like New Model Army if they were trying to be dark, instead of it just coming out that way. The pulse running under this song is a cool nuance. Instead of going down the typical post-punk path  "All of Her" ambles around like the Cult in their more middle-of-the-road moments. 

Germans and their guilty consciences course correcting with "Bigotry". It is brooding and melodic enough despite the confusing lyrics. There are hints of the Cure in the guitar melodies layered around it. They jam it out when the bass breaks down to a thump. One thing can be said for Peer, often singers dropping down in their lower range are not as strong and pitchy, yet he can belt it out well, not in a Danzig manner, but with great unwavering pitch. The last song is less focused as it packs a more Juda Priest-like riff. I will give this album a 9, the vocals are strong and songwriting generally solid, breathing new life into undead tropes. 

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Rosegarden Funeral Party : "From the Ashes"

 

This band might have dialed up the Siouxsie influence on this album, but they did it oddly.  Rather than just pay tribute they pondered what if Siouxsie fronted Roxy Music during the Brian Eno years. It's dramatic and glammed out while basking in the indulgences of cocaine-fueled art rock. It has taken them out of the post-rock revival, This is not a bad thing. Bands need to grow. When they get stagnant every album sounds the same then it feels like punching a clock and they break up. The creative fires are alive. Some of their ambitions might exceed their grasp but you can not fault them for trying. 

Things get moving as the drums build the momentum of "Pillar of Salt". Though it sounds like a Kate Bush b-side. This speaks volumes to how their singer Leah Lane's voice improved, as I do not recall her belting it out like this. They are clearly inspired by Nadine Shah on "Love Like Goodbye". There is a familiar flavor of dynamic brooding on "Embers" that calls back to 90s alt-rock.  This is closer to the goth tag than most of the songs on this album so far, though I would not say it makes it the album's strongest song. The gallop of the bass line keeps it pumping, but aside from that it does not grab your attention and make you beg for more. "Almost Heaven' works better as it is more brooding which this kind of thing needs. I want my goth to rock enough to feel at home on the Crow soundtrack. 

The album begins to ease back into steamy midnight reflections with the first ballad"A Different Kind of Carnage" . Her vocals are interesting enough, though leaning more in the Nadine Shah direction.  There is almost a trip-hop feel to the sedate groove of " Like the Rain'. There is a more rock feel to the last song, that works off a more post-punk tension thanks to the guitar. I will give this album a 9, as it is what they wanted to make, and in many ways better than their past work due to the chances they took here. Not sure how much replay value I will get from it but if you are a fan or looking for well-produced post-punk that allows itself to indulge in 80s nostalgia. 

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Whispering Sons : "'the Great Calm'

 

Just getting around to catching up with some of the darker sounds I might have missed earlier in the year. The third album by this band from Belgium is one of those. The androgynous vocals narrative this angular indie rock that colors the sounds in stark shades of gray. Like a more jangling version of Savages, the grooves they flirt with are rather taunt. This album sounds great everything sits at a perfect place in the mix, showing these guys took their time to nail these sounds down. They are not a post-punk band that is content with just paying tribute to Joy Division, which is something I appreciate, though this is not to say it is totally devoid of that influence. 

The drummer is the most eager member of this band, he tries to rock out even if the rest of the band is trying to play it cool. They could pay more attention to their drummer's punk aspirations as some of the songs are droned out or allowed to sprawl out further than needed. There are moments like "Cold City' when things hit the mark and are not overdone. I can hear some Nick Cave moments in how the vocals muse over the music. This pays off in varied levels of success. If the drums do not play a large role in the song's backbone when they are wasting their time. The indifferent tone of the vocals as the album progresses does not do the song any favors. It causes things to begin to sound the same. With "Dragging" the guitar kicks in to try to balance this out. Yet the one-dimensional vocal chant dampens the impact the lyrics could have had. 

The production of this album places emphasis on creating very organic sounds. But some of them are too dry, mainly the vocals which could use some reverb and perhaps sit back against the guitars. The bass and drums sound the best, the guitars could also use some effects. The sing-song quality of the almost spoken vocals continues to drone on. I appreciate the mood created on "Sill Disappearing" but dynamically the song does not go anywhere. I have never been into Wire, but the guitar player for this band is as you can hear on "The Talker".  "Balm" sounds like an interluder rapper Atmosphere might do if he got too high. When trying to pay homage to Nick Cave it's important to remember he actually sings. Perhaps with a better singer, these songs might fare better, but it is what it is  It's a shame as they attempt to have more dynamics on "Poor Girl" but going from a whisper to a more direct conversational tone is not singing.

"Loose Ends" has a more interesting bass line, which allows the guitar to create more tension. Then they drop the ball on the chorus, but there is not much they can do with this singer. When they drop things down to a synth sound, it's minimalist, and the spoken word vocals are just as redundant as they have been for the duration of the album. They attempt to rock to rock out more on the last song, but the problem remains the same, even as they try to get darker,  he band makes an honest attempt musically, but the vocals just are lacking I will give this album a 7. 

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topographies : "Interior Spring"

 This Bay Area band features Gray Tolhurst, the son of Lol Tolhurst. So there is a Cure influence to their post-punk sound, which is highly atmospheric and melodic. It is like a less intense version of the Twilight Sad, who seems to be the Cure's mainstay opening band. While the second song does not veer much from what was established in the first track, things do get darker on "Cleanse". Sure there is more of a Cure vibe thanks to this fact, though some of that lies in how the vocals are delivered with more of a longing pout. Lyrically the album is supposed to be about Tolhurst's battle with addiction, but it sounds like sad boy songs thus far. 

They are not breaking any new ground on "Chain of Days" What makes it stand out is the very 80s-minded drum programming. They have certainly captured the sound they are going for, now I would like to hear them build more off of that. They feel more like a Los Angeles band than a San Francisco band at this point in the album. During "I Have Never Understood" the song's pulse drifts off and the next thing I know it's faded into the background and we are three songs deeper into the album. While it does mean this album carries a hypnotic grace, it also means the songs all sound the same and are often hard to tell apart if not paying close attention. The choruses could pop more and have sharper hooks to keep your attention

I had to step away from the album and return to it later at night in order to hear it with fresh ears that picked up on the more driving bass of the title track to help. differentiate the songs. I sounds better than when the songs faded into one another earlier in the day, but is not blowing me away either. In fact, the worship of his father's shadow is more recognizable. 'Tied' finds them mired back down into their own status quo, not an ineffective song, just too much like the previous songs, the biggest success seems to be more focused vocals driving the verses of "1959" which bleeds into a better chorus, making this the album's best song. So they are capable, but not consistent. They lay onto the synths of "Red Black Sun' which takes things in a more modern dark wave direction. The vocals have an honest passion to them, though they do not form the connection that sticks with you. Lyrically this might be the strongest song, as it explores shameful parts of himself. 

The last song finds the ambient guitar ringing out with a great tone, but reluctant to offer much form or function to the sounds summoned here. The vocals are back to their normal lamentations. The chorus does not really exist, and while I am not a slave to songs having to establish a formula, they need to go somewhere and not just drift without a destination in mind. Once again this brings us back to creating a sound vs writing a song. I will give this album an 8,5 as they take these sounds as far as they can go and ride them in a mesmerizing manner, that is easy to listen to even if it sounds all too familiar. Released by Dark Entries. 

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Executioner's Mask : "Almost There"

Until the vocals came in the opening track of this band's new album sounded like they just stuck a mic in the middle of their rehearsal space and pressed record. The vocals come too forward in the mix and are in a baritone that sounds like it's at the bottom of his range so there is little room to project his voice. This is a deviation from the more dark wave or post-punk vibes of their previous work. However, shoe-gaze is not far removed from post-punk. There is more of a build and less of a drone on "Losing a Fixed Game". The vocals feel like they are more spoken here like a cryptic Ian Curtis. The guitars occupy a great deal of the sonic space and are less riff-oriented and more atmospheric chaos. 

This changes on "Mezcal Perfume" as the guitar feels like it is following a more structured path. Perhaps this is also due to the base coming up in a mix a bit. There is more of a woozy My Bloody Valentine sound to "Failed Dreams". The vocals are beginning to get stale and need to switch it up a bit, they almost feel like he is vocalizing to a different song. Sure there is a darker undercurrent even amid the shoe gaze, but the two sounds are not gelling here. Side note the album sounds much better through read phones than computer speakers. 

"Sunset in the Valley" continues down the path they began on the previous song. It is a dense wall of sound, but less songwriting than  A Place to Bury Strangers or Sonic Youth who are fair points of reference to the noise jam being kicked up here.. The first song that feels like it'[s going down a more post-punk hol is " A Modest Proposal".  The vocals mutter and wander more here. I had to give "Lovers in Hell"{ a second listen to fully digest.  It sounds like this one is the most rehearsed as the vocals fit more fully around it. They still jam some, and there is plenty of noise keeping things kinetic.The last song is noisier and less focused, which raises my point I often bemoan regarding bands being more int oa a sound than a song.  I will still give this album an 8, as I like what it is going for and appreciate the jamming spirit, though it's not something I am likely to give a great deal of repeat listens to. However, if live-sounding Shoe Gaze albums heavy on jamming and noise is something you are into then you will dig this album.  This album drops on August 30th on Seeing Red Records. 

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The Top 10 Goth/ Post-Punk Albums of 2024...so far

 

The great TikTok goth craze of 2022 is a distant memory to the lemming-minded masses and it is just another depressing day for actual goths to celebrate darkness. Since goth is about music with a side order of fashion, it's time to look at the mid-year report card for goth, post-punk, and industrial music this year.  I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they are really going to need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. Given my tastes things lean in the more death-rock direction. I like my goth to be aggressive, to the point, even one metal band made the list. Though most sub-genres are represented here, though not much of interest in terms of dark wave which really impressed me this year. There are very few projects here that rely too much on electronics as I am a firm believer in actual instruments making music.  I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out and with all that said here are the top 10 goth/ post-punk albums of 2023 so far. 

   10-Blushing-"Sugarcoat" 

 Dream pop is the first handy label to throw on this Texas-based band,  but they do seem more serious about rocking out than most dream pop bands. They at times remind me of a shoegazing version of Veruca Salt, with how the vocals harmonize and entwined. Things swirl around you so it can be hard to tell who is doing what

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/blushing-sugarcoat.html

 

9-Louvado Abismo- "s/t" 

This band from Portugal gets it. Too many new post-punk bands don't pack enough of a punch sending me back to my old Killing Joke and Christian Death albums. This album stomps with dark aggression to make something that is sonically intense, The plead of the vocals feels real rather than someone trying to recreate what has already been done, but true to the legacy of the genre. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/04/louvado-abismo-st.html

8 -Bleakheart - "Silver Pulse" 

This band wanders off into a melancholic brand of dreamy shoe-gaze that moves at the speed of doom. Their heavy throb often keeps them from being mere dream pop. They have crafted a pretty sweet blend of sonic intensity and atmosphere. The vocals draw you in and earn repeat listens. The guitar often shifts its tone to  a more pastoral feel, to keep an organic feel, almost neo-folk mood. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/03/bleakheart-silver-pulse.html

7-Cold in Berlin - "The Body is the Wound" 

This band encompasses what I love in music, darkness and sonic heaviness. They flirt with metal without abandoning their post-punk core. Expectations are either met on their new ep or exceeded. They have managed to reach a stellar balance with dark wave synths, combined with the heftier drive 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/01/cold-in-berlin-body-is-wound.html

 

6-Crippling Alcoholism -"With Love From a Padded Room" 

This album came out under the radar earlier this year, so glad some digging around on the inner web allowed me to discover it.. They encompass a darkly honest misery I have not heard done this well since Planesmistakenforstars was a band. Raspy baritone vocals frequently entertain a marginally more upbeat melody.  While their Bandcamp keywords label this as goth, they are more like if Tom Waits fronted Interpol, so closer to post-punk. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/crippling-alcoholism-with-love-from.html

5-the Jesus and Mary Chain -"Glasgow Eyes" 

The Reid Brothers are back for the 8th album of their 40-year career. For me, the album they are always measured against is "Darklands" as it was my introduction to the band and the most sullen of their work. This album does touch on their more depressive side at times but finds them employing a wide range of moods. It opens with a rather upbeat pulse. It is more experimental in a different way. It sounds like they are toying around with synths and effects. Jim's voice sounds ageless, with his hushed dusky muttering. Lyrically things are brilliant. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/03/jesus-and-mary-chain-glasgow-eyes.html

4-Chelsea Wolfe- " She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She"

Wolfe's 8th album, yes we are counting "Mistake in Parting" finds her diving into more of a trip-hop feel. That is a trip-hop that is thicker on the trip than the hop. Tv on the Radio guitarist Dave Sitek is the wild card in the creation of this album. This album flows with her body of work. Nothing feels out of her wheelhouse. It is going to take a few listens for the more experimental moments to really click with me, but the moods she invokes are once again welcome.

 

3-Swan Wash -"Shadow, Shadow" 

They used to be members of a Siouxsie and the Banshees tribute, so this explains a great deal when it comes to the guitar tone.  Their sounds carry more hints of punk, though an angular creepiness haunts it. There is an element to it that reminds me of Placebo, which is an influence that is a little left of center when it comes to what most death-rock revivalists are about.  Most of the songs are around the three-minute mark so they do not give themselves too much time to indulge in a brooding atmosphere. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/06/swan-wash-shadow-shadow.html

 

2-METZ-"Up on Gravity Hill" 

The band once again shifts the sonics of their attack on this album, though even amid its weirdness, is more accessible to a wider audience. Woozy guitar counterpoints punk-inflected vocals that are smoothed out by overdubbed harmonies on the chorus. The normally rough edges of noise-rock smoothed out by the more refined nuances of their songwriting to create a more 90s style atl-rock not unlike the bar-room brooding of the Afghan Whigs. The vocals serve a greater purpose than they did even on the last album.  

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

 

1-Astari Nite -"Resolution of Happiness" 

These guys were bound to evolve. I am glad they are. They have expanded their sonic palette, now drawing from dark emotive genres aside from death rock. At times taking on an almost Gary Numan-like take on New Wave. The post-punk jangle of the angular grooves proves to be a more compelling listen. t Lyrically great imagery is thrown at you in a collage of sentiments. There is little of the Christian Death worship that marked their earlier work.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/05/astari-nite-resolution-of-happiness.html

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