The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die ;" Illusory Walls"

 I have always liked this band but never spent as much time with them as I should have. These guys are almost progressive in the span they cover and wide cinematic sonics they convey, which is beyond the bounds of hard core or screamo. The first song is sweeping and emotive. The album sounds great I love the guitar tone the second song it is almost more Cure like. I am surprised by the addition of female vocals, but I am not sure the last album I checked out by these guys, as they are courtesy of the keyboardist who is now a member of the band. This brings a more indie rock feel to things. The effects on the vocals on "Invading the World." gives the song almost a Deftones feel. For these guys the minute and a half " Blank //Drone " is almost more of an interlude and is not the most fully formed song on the album. They need more time to develop the melody like they do on " We Saw Birds Through the Hole in the Ceiling" . This song flows but is also rather dreamy. 

The production quality of this album works in the songs favor as "Died in the Prison of the Holy Office" displays.  There is also most more of a Modest Mouse like quirk here. They wait til two and a half minutes into the song before exploding out. The drumming on this album is really great. If you can weave a song in ways, I am not expecting then you are doing something right. 'Your Brain is Rubber Maid" is a tease it has good sounds and melodies but feels like it is going to build into something it never does. ""Blank // Worker" is an almost folk tinged tune with Michael Moore inspired political lyrics. "Trouble" has more of a Death Cab For Cutie like shimmer to it. It rocks in its own odd manner. 

Going into the 15 and a half minute "Infinite Josh" I wonder so how much fat could be trimmed here, as it lingers going into the vocals. The first minute and a half is my first hunch. It finds them once again in a more Death Cab like sonic zip code, but more of the emotive balladry side of that band. At the eight-minute mark after they have been jamming on the drone of this song, I began to wonder how much longer they can draw this out and still work, as the song kicks back it it might as well be another song as it has a different feel all together. It finds its own drone to groove on. "Fewer Afraid " starts off with samples and ambiance. It's about four minutes in before the actual song beings to start. So, no this does not have to be a nineteen-minute song. I went to the bathroom and got something to drink and 9 and a half minutes into this song they are basically droning on the same thing, there is a shift, but with both of these sogns they could have chopped them up into a few songs. Aside from the long droning ending this album finds the band shining and is very stellar.  

Panzerchoclate " Postal Punk"

 The opening track of this New Hampshire band's new album does have a punky kick to it. Even a metallic hard-core attack to the break that resolves the bridge. Melodic female vocals fuel most of the song to offset this. "Mo Money, Mo Pasta" is a great song title, it is also more melodic. there also more hard-core shouted vocals to offset her more sugary emotive voice.  There are more musings of introspection to provide a contrast to the angrier dynamics employed on "Skin". When the male vocals gain more of a foothold on 'the Crawl is For All" it proves not to be the most winning combination for the band as it's Marina's voice that gives this band it's best face. I do appreciate the 90s vibes I am getting though. 

Lyrically this album is very clever. The lyrics to "I Like How You Play Hard Core" being among the album's strongest, the irony is the song has more in common with indie rock than hard core. There is more of a punk shift halfway into the song, but I would not call it hard core. Perhaps something else might be said about the violent tension to the more explosive "Halitosis" I like the angular quality to the riffs. Then on "PVD Eat Your Heart Out" we hit a weird form of indie rock. The melodies glide with an awkward slowness over purposefully disjointed math rock.  "June" is a very weird turn into a experimental indie rock that is more electronic than organic instrumentation. To offer a dramatic contrast to this we get the 52 second "Nutsag" which is more hard core. 

"Canary in a Coalmine" is not a cover of the Police song/ This is funny because the interplay of the guitar and the drums often feels very Police influenced but that could be said of many emo bands from the 90s like At the Drive In.   This is one of their more refined and adventurous songs. The last song finds them closer to hard core, their is a slight Fugazi tinge though more metallic in the guitars attack.I will give this album a 9. It's excellent and these guys are band to keep your eyes on in years to come if you want a revival of this kind of 90s post -hardcore at the proto emo cross roads.   

the Tea Party : 'Blood Moon Rising"

 

For a band that has flirted at the edges of progressive rock since the 90s this is a much more meat and potatoes take on rock. There is a more prominent Led Zeppelin, which is heard most in the drumming, but the guitar playing is more blues based as well.  Later in the album they even cover "Out on the Tiles". Martin stays in his melodious baritone. "Sunshower" reminds me of "Thank You. I guess if you are going to take inspiration from a band Led Zeppelin is one of the best. It is not until "So Careless" that I feel we really get to hear who the band is. "Our Love" steps away from the Zeppelin feel and is more of a ballad. But it is only two songs until that is cranked up again. The syncopated groove to "Hole in My Heart" brings this back. 

"Shelter" works this in but manages to also be true to the bands darker side. The same cannot be said for "Summertime" which is perhaps a little too upbeat, it is not far removed from pop country on the radio until the more rock bridge.  Not sure what the point of doing a Zep cover on album that is already influenced by them. His voice is an octave lower, but they play the song pretty spot on. "The Beautiful" is a pretty straight forward song to the point that it could really be anyone. The title track allows them to continue down a blues based road, though feels more like what they do.  

Speaking of what they do, it is odd after this most recent turn of events that they close the album out with covers of Joy Division and Morrissey. I obviously like the Morrissey cover better. It is just weird to thematically commit to one sound then turn to this which has more common with their older gothier ways.   I will give this a 9 as it is very well done and an even more impressive display of their prowess, though more rock and not as progressive. 

the Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2021

Time to bang your head. Mainstream metal is either 

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

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

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

This list it the best of those kind of bands, who you are more likely to see in the page of Revolver Magazine. As with years past I sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure, you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However, I listen to five new albums a day so yes, I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it. I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 Mainstream Metal albums of 2021

10-Spirit Box- "Eternal Blue"  

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

Abysmal Hymns: Spiritbox : " Eternal Blue"

 9-Khemmis - "Deceiver" 

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

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

 8-the Lions Daughter- "Skin Show"

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

5-Tribulation- "Where Gloom Becomes Sound" 

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

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

4-Exodus- "Persona Non Grata" 

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

Abysmal Hymns: Exodus : "Persona Non Grata"

 

3-Alien Weaponry - "Tangroa" 

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

Abysmal Hymns: Alien Weaponry : "Tangaroa"

 

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

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

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

1- Iron Maiden- "Senjutsu" 

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

Abysmal Hymns: Iron Maiden : "Senjutsu"

Archgoat : " Worship the Eternal Darkness"

 These guys from Finland are one of the few bands who bring the legit Evil on a regular basis, sometimes it has a track record on hitting you with all the brutality and not placing the most emphasis on songs. This time that is not the case. These are strong songs that stand on their own. There is a measure of restraint used as they slow into a more mid-paced throb for "All Christianity Ends". The tempo shifts into more of a gallop as the song progresses. The vocals which are at a low death metal gurgle, consistent with the bands normal vocal style is once again dominate. It provides a narrative more like Inquisition where it is present and follows the guitar, without adding a great deal of color to really be the focal point of the song. 

These guys have improved is the production value is solid.  They dial it back for a more retro death metal sound on "In Extremis Nazerene " Perhaps not as inspired as the first three songs. This old school feel continues but with more of a raw thrashing on "Rats Pray God". When it comes to blackened death metal "Empyrean Armageddon" might be the best example of how those two sounds should be balanced. It certainly works better than when they get more caught up on the blasting with "Blessed in the Light of Lucifer: which does slow midway in to give some groove. The storm of intensity unleashed on the title track hits like a sonic blur before following a similar formula as the previous song when it slows into a more deliberate march, 

"Burial of Creation" which closes the album has more ambiance to it this dramatically builds to create a darker tone. They slowly grind into the song. The raspy gurgle bubbles under the guitar. This does give the album a much-needed dynamic shift rather than hitting you with another bunch of blasting.  Overall this album is a step forward as songwriters so I will give it an 8.5, no one is going to call these guys poseurs anytime soon as they are fully committed to brining the evil 

Young Thug ; "Punk"

 

I loved his album "Beautiful Thugger Girls" but have been disappointed by the less than impressive work he released since. This album could be a step in the more out of the box song writing that marked "Thugger Girls". Hip hop seems to conform to factory setting more often than not these days. When things like guitars are introduced then he is a step ahead of the game, but at the top of his when he combines this with strong grooves and his quirkier lyrically delivery.  He often falls somewhere between singing and rapping. Granted he is a better rapper than a singer. When he tries to sing without the aid of auto-tune he is pitchy to say the least. The stripped-down intro, is not really much of a song so we will write it off as just an intro. "Stressed" is a little better but stays too close to what the rest of mainstream hip is doing. 'Stupid / Asking" is stupid lyrically with an almost childish slant, but it does so in a way that at least allows his personality to shine through. "Recognize Real" doesn't allow me to recognize it as a song that stands on its own as it is forgotten as soon as it's heard. 

"Contagious"  is more minimal in its instrumentation but plays by its own rules as he gets into his feelings. I think he hits the balance of all the elements he is playing with best on "Peepin in Window" .  Future's appearance on this song helps him as well. There distorted beat on " Rich Nigga Shit" sounds like a robot fart. I am not sure it was the best thing to anchor the song on, but it is a step closer in the direction of " Thugger Girls" so I am on board for it.  Juice WRLD , appear on the song as well, but he sounds just like everyone else. Post Malone saves the day on " Livin it Up" which is the strongest hook so far, as he fares better than the other guests so far. ASAP Rocky is also on this track.  His contribution just blends into everything else. By the time I get to "Yea Yea Yeah"   I am beginning to get the feeling that he would replicate "Thugger Girls' but does not want to commit to it. 

"Yea, Yea, Yea" shows that all the smoke and mirrors that keeps hip hop propped up is the sword it is going to die by since it is the sword it trying to live by. This song is not awful, but it is a clear snapshot of the writing on the wall. "Insure My Wrist" is weaker than "Scoliosis" with "Bubbly" stronger than both, even with Drake who I hate on the track, so the good news is the album gets better as it progresses. There is a poppier r&b feel to "Faces", it has a marginally better chorus, but as a whole is unfocused. While his off-kilter phrasing is his strength as a rapper, this minimal track behind him does not work as well to keep the songs strong.  The production is more experimental which is some ways takes cues from Travis Scott. This helps things to improve on "Fifth Day Dead". Overall though his lyrical themes are not a fresh as they once were. 

The question becomes can Doja Cat save "Icy Hot". The track they are rapping over is better than the bulk of the album, so she had a great deal to work with.  Nate Ruess from FUN drops a vocal on the ballad "Love You More". Which seems like it would be a surefire bet for radio if it was censored.  So as long as he has sufficient help, he seems to be ok, but left along Young Thug is kinda weak on this one. Maybe "Hate the Game" will prove this theory wrong has it does have a more unique quirk to it.  The last song lacks hook and Mac Miller proves himself pretty worthless. I will give this album an 8.5, as it is fun at times it just falls short of what I know he is capable of but that is better than most idiots making hip hop these days. 

The Top 10 Hard Rock Albums of 2021

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. 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-Trillionaire- "Romulus" 

They are not too far out of the sonic spectrum of say the more prog latter days of Mastodon. The vocals are more ambitious. They fall somewhere between Pain of Salvation and Devin Townsend. There is some belted rock grit to them. Both ambitious and catchy

Abysmal Hymns: Trillonaire :" Romulus"

9-Living Dead Girl- "Exorcism" 

If you came here for the hot girl factor, make sure you stay for the music. Many bands use the sex to sell it, here that is not needed, and the eroticism is downplayed.  Perhaps it was a more gothed out New Years Day".; In some ways I was not totally off base, though it is heavier, more along the line of older In This Moment, when there was more of commercial metal core element to their Myspace fueled sound

Abysmal Hymns: Living Dead Girl : "Exorcism"

 

8- Unto Others - "Strength" 

Idle Hands by any other name. My first thought on the change is the vocals are more aggressive which plays to their advantage. There is less of an 80s metal vibe. Not that it is shed entirely as the second song has some Iron Maidenish harmony guitar parts. The goth side of the band sits more smoothly into what they do with more of a Misfts vibe, though vocally he is more like Graves than Danzig,

Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober - Unto Others : "Strength"

 7-A Pale Horse Named Death- "Infernum In Terra" 

I really liked their last album they released two years ago.  Up to this point I have appreciated it but did not really give enough of a listen to become a fan until the last one. There is less of the doom vibe that pervaded that album and more of an Alice In Chains flavored grunge vibe. Less rock n roll, and more intentionally darker harder rock that flirts with Hot Topic styled goth

Abysmal Hymns: A Pale Horse Named Death : 'Infernum In Terra"

 

6-Devil Electric - "Godless" 

This Australian band is back with more swagger and attitude. Less metallic in its intentions they have come to boogie down this time around. The use a more blues-based musing when venturing into the darker corners of their sound that owe more to the Doors this time around than Black Sabbath. When the songs give her the room to weave her youthfully belted alto into less obvious melodies that this band is at it's most powerful. 

Abysmal Hymns: Devil Electric : " Godless"

5-Black Label Society - "Doom Crew Inc" 

Wylde's legacy is more impressive than any band on this list.  however, this album shines most when he steps out from behind this and does something different. Not the heaviest album by the band, but one of the most dynamic which shows many sides of one of the best rock guitarists going today. 

Abysmal Hymns: Black Label Society :" Doom Crew Inc"

 

4-Haunt- "Beautiful Distraction" 

 These guys continue to grow into themselves. I am still stuck on wanting this to be Beastmaker instead, they have fine-tuned their hooks to make this a more radio friendly version of what this was in the 80s. The guitar harmonies are even more razor sharp, creating an almost power metal feel. Hooky proto metal that is a party just press play.  

 

Abysmal Hymns: Haunt : "Beautiful Distraction"

 

3-Tomahawk- " Tonic Immobility" 

If you have had a hard time keeping up with Mike Patton's side projects, then this one is the closest to Faith No More, though darker, heavier and with a rougher edge since he has the guitarist from the Jesus Lizard on board and Helmet's drummer.  This album is marked with an increased tension reminding me more of their first two albums. Patton's lower throaty whisper is one of the more reoccurring voices that pops up in his ever-shifting arsenal. The explosive dynamics owe more to the Jesus Lizard, as the lyrics are a collection of ugly metaphors which is another staple of Patton's work

Abysmal Hymns: Tomahawk : "Tonic Immobility"

   

  2-the Melvins - " Working With God" 

Some moments are more fun and games for them than others, finding the band doing just what you would expect them to do without being stale in the process. Buzz's voice sounds pretty good. The the chug to "Bouncing Rick" proves things are getting even more serious. The vocals are smoother, and the guitar heavier equates to everything I want from this band

Abysmal Hymns: the Melvins : "Working With God"

1- Quicksand- "Distant Populations" 

They pretty much pick up where they left off though not as aggressive. They do try to hit you with grooves that are just as solid. This album grew on me with each listen and has little in the way of filler. While, they might not have the urgency of youth in their veins, they are far more consistent and inspired than the majority of bands from the 90s are today.

Abysmal Hymns: Quicksand : " Distant Populations"