Welcome back everyone! I gotta say, due to a lot of different things happening in real life, I got a chance to listen to a bunch of different music this month from a bunch of artists. I found at least three or four of bands that I fell in love with and had to buy their records. And I got to listen to some of the biggest releases of the year to bookend the month. And I’ll be honest: the end got way more diverse than I could have imagined. So all in all, it was a good music month. Let me show you how:
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti: It’s incredible to imagine the roller-coaster that Benito Martinez Ocasio AKA Bad Bunny’s been over the last 4 years. Since the release of his debut album, he’s only gone to become one of the biggest musical artists in the globe. This album, his fourth studio release, is a continuation and an expansion of his sound. Bunny has reggaeton and hip-hop as his base but the sound brings in everything from mambo to reggae to R&B and bossa nova through the 23 songs found here. He raps about everything from partying and having a good time to finding real love, dating around, failing in relationships, not trusting himself or his partners and so on. He deftly mixes double meanings into his lyrics — like in La Corriente which can mean an electrical current, a riptide, the way people just move through life. He also tackles some sociopolitical topics related to life in Puerto Rico in El Apagon and Andrea regarding how the island has been left forgotten at times by American power and people make do. While the 23 tracks feel daunting and the tracklist has me wondering if they were all meant to go in this order, the album has an easy atmosphere that makes it equally at home at a party as a dance club and as lounging at a beach soundtrack. Que no deje de seguir haciendo exitoso!
Highlights: Despues de la Playa, Titi Me Pregunto, Yo No Soy Celoso, Enséñame A Bailar, El Apagon, Andrea, Me Fui de Vacaciones
The Hu – Rumble of Thunder: Their sophomore album and the follow-up to The Gereg, Rumble of Thunder sees the Mongolian folk/rock/metal/Hunnu quartet continuing on their mission to bring their music to the world. It starts off on strong, standard The Hu mode with This is Mongol and Yut Hovende and there are more than a few headbangers here. There are also more bouncy, lighthearted and fun songs, like Triangle and Bill Biyelgee and even throw in a ballad with Mother Nature. Their combination between the vocals of Gala, Jaya, Temka and Enkush and their use of traditional instruments like Mongolian horse-head fiddles, flutes and lutes along with the standard rock guitar, bass and drums continues to be a joy. I was a fan of The Gereg and this album, while not seeing them stretch too far out from the foundation that album set, is a fine continuation. This has been a great year to find international/folk metal bands and The Hu are a great band to go see live. Trust me!
Highlights: This is Mongol, Upright Destined Mongol, Black Thunder, Bill Biyelgee, TATAR Warrior
Seventh Storm – Maledictus: This is the debut album by a Portuguese progressive/gothic metal quintet with ex-Moonspell drummer Mike Gaspar leading things. The best way to describe it is if Cradle of Filth and Sevendust combined. Lead vocalist Rez has a great range and manages to show it off throughout the album, especially in Saudade (which translates to “a sense of longing”). With songs about longing, fighting against the tide and not being able to drown, there are a lot of nautically-inspired songs. But they wouldn’t work if the musicianship didn’t work and guitarists Ben Stockwell and Josh Riot are awesome here. Some of the songs might go on for a bit too long, but that is forgivable for a new band. This is one of those albums that’s likely to slowly become a favorite of people as they discover it for themselves. Of particular highlight is Sarpanit/Gods of Babylon, which uses some strong Middle Eastern elements (why the LP pressing split them is a travesty) and the album closer Haunted Sea. Overall, another great surprise from 2022. Can’t wait for more!
Highlights: Saudade, Gods of Babylon, Inferno Rising, My Redemption, Haunted Sea
Dreadnought – The Endless: How to describe this Denver progressive doom metal/post-metal quintet’s fifth studio album? On one hand, the music is very esoteric and has almost a jazz quality to it. It mixes in heavy guitars and drums with soft vocals, synths and pianos and they use all these elements to create six songs that can change, swing and soar from one moment to the next. The work between vocalist/guitarist Kelly Schilling and vocalist/keyboardist Lauren Vieira is a highlight here. They blend so well that it sounds as if it is only one vocalist from time to time. It’s likely that this will fit more in with people who seek the more esoteric and the kind of music that envelops and takes you on journeys. This is an album that’s less about the individual songs and more about the totality of the mood it generates, similar in nature to Panopticon or Falls of Rauros. That said, the highlight here is Liminal Veil, which sounds epic. It’s interesting and at moments poignant and good. Whether I’ll return to it is another thing.
Highlights: Worlds Break, Liminal Veil, Gears of Violent Endurance
Bloodywood – Rakshak: It’s an interesting journey to say the least for this New Delhi, Indian folk/rock/metal/nu-metal/hardcore outfit. They started life as a parody band before expanding and becoming a modern band with a sociopolitical bend. They combine traditional Indian music and instruments like the flute and the dhoi with nu-metal guitar influences from the likes of Linkin Park and Rage Against the Machine. From Linkin Park, you get the two vocalist combo influence with Jayant Bhadula providing the Hindi language vocals and growls while Raoul Kerr provides the English-based rap lyrics. They also find a way to mix in electronic elements. The harder songs are all about revolution and overthrowing corrupt, oppresive systems (or beating the fuck out of rapists and sexual abusers). In that aspect, Gaddar and Chak Le bookend the album well with calls to action and change. They also do manage to get contemplative on songs like Jee Veerey and Yaad, about mental health and experiencing loss. For a debut album (to the world), it is as strong a statement as can be made and I don’t doubt that people will gravitate to their nu-metal-meets-Indian-folk blend. It’s hella fun!
Highlights: Gaddar, Aaj, Zanjeero Se, Machi Bhasad, Dana Dan, Chak Le
Rina Sawayama – Hold the Girl: The second album and follow-up to her critically-acclaimed debut finds the Japanese-British singer/songwriter dealing with growth, microaggressions, bullying and finding as well as forgiving herself. A little bit of every style of music can be found here – your usual electronic and dance and pop stylings – although the strongest musical influences in this concoction are country and Irish folk surprisingly enough. And you notice it in the songwriting, which is more story-based than many pop albums tend to be. Sawayama uses the album’s 13 tracks to speak to her mother, to her younger self, to herself now and to others who may feel as down or as lonely as she expresses she got at various points in her life. Like many albums, it works as catharsis for Rina to state just how much growth she has undergone through her various travails and how much she still feels must come. It is an album that feels like a celebration of finding oneself and forgiving oneself and marching into the future head held high. It is a really fun and enjoyable album and that is vitally important here given the serious and heady subject matters she is tackling. Overall, a great follow-up!
Highlights: Hold the Girl, This Hell, Forgiveness, Frankenstein, Hurricanes, Send My Love to John
Venom Prison – Erebos: This Welsh death metal group’s third studio album has been on a lot of “Best Of” lists so far this year. I’ve been holding off from listening to it because of those expectations. I should not have been worried. Venom Prison is a group that focuses on a lot of social and political issues in their music and Erebos (the Greek personification of darkness) is no exception. They use concepts from Greek mythology to speak about societal failings — Gorgon Sisters discusses female mutilation and laws passed to control women, Golden Apples of the Hesperides stands for discussions of mass media. And so it goes. From prison-industrial complexes, the First World’s failures to mass migration and the cruelty of death penalties are all tackled. At its heart is front-woman Larissa Stupar, whose Banshee-like delivery is epic in the grandest sense. Meanwhile the music is harsh, brutal and beats you down (the breakdown in Veil of Night is epic). Overall it’s an impressive album and one that leaves you exhausted and energized at the same time. About as good as this genre gets!
Highlights: Judges of the Underworld, Comfort of Complicity, Pain of Oizys, Gorgon Sisters, Technologies of Death
Orbit Culture – Nija: More Swedish melodic death metal? Sure! It’s been a strange journey this year finding so many bands that fit that description that just hit the happy place for me. Orbit Culture, an up-and-coming band from Sweden is still not broken through with the larger metal community but it’s gaining devoted fans thanks to a very brutal and rough sound that brings to mind a mix of Gojira and thrash-era Metallica. Singer/guitarist Niklas Karlsson is the mastermind who writes, sings, produces and mixes their albums and EPs. Nija, their third, is their most complete yet. His singing switches from guttural growls to clean vocals effortlessly — even if the cleans are not as polished as the growls are meaty. The Metallica comparisons are apropos: guitar solos do remind one of Kirk Hammett and Mirrorslave feels an heir to Master of Puppets. I’ll be honest: this has been like finding honey. It’s a brutal, punishing wall of sound that all four members deliver. I’ll definitely be listening to more Orbit Culture! (BTW, I listened to the Special Edition which adds Wargblod and Mute the Silent after instrumental Set Us Free closes the original album).
Highlights: North Star of Nija, Behold, Mirrorslave, Rebirth, The Shadowing, Wargblod
Little Big Town – Mr. Sun: The 10th studio album by this country quartet brings 16 more songs that combine country lyricism and pop and even some yacht rock sentiments for fun consumption. By this point, their formula is set well in stone: strong vocal harmonies between Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Philip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook which combine over songs that speak all about heartbreak, romance, life and moving on. Mr. Sun is no different. There are about 9 songs here all dealing with break-ups and drowning sorrows away. Not that it’s a bad thing as they are the strongest aspect of this album — like Song Back, which is all about trying to reclaim the music of a relationship back from the ex. I do wish they had condensed this album to about 10-11 songs as the 16 does make it feel too hefty even if they are mostly in the 3-4 minutes in length. It does leave the album feeling lost in the middle but it does regain its footing towards the end. So a decent album and more of the same fun in the sun, drinking heartache away!
Highlights: All Summer, Mr. Sun, Three Whiskeys and the Truth, Whiskey Colored Eyes, Song Back
Sumerlands – Dreamkiller: This Philadelphia quintet is a throwback to classic heavy metal. This, their second album, is a continuation of a sound that hearkens back to the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Dio and Mercyful Fate. It would have fit well alongside other 80s metal. What surprised me was how taught and lean this album is despite a sense of grandeur that it was going for. It’s 8 songs and totals 35 minutes, with many songs only giving you a couple of verses and 1 chorus. But also that helps with the sense of other-worldliness that it engenders. Sumerlands wants you to feel taken out to Arrakis or to Tatooine or any other place where adventure and danger could linger. Guitars give you classic solos but also serve to bleed into an ethereal nature that feels alien as the lyrics sing about finding your own way through battle, deception, fear and darkness. If you feel like something that feels like from 4 decades ago, this one hits the spot.
Highlights: Dreamkiller, Night Ride, Edge of the Knife, The Savior’s Lie
Electric Callboy – Tekkno: On paper, this should not work. A German metalcore band that mixes in heavy electronic, EDM and dance elements to both parody as well as to pay homage should not work. And yet, this is their sixth album and, honestly, it is one of my favorites of this year. Yes, it’s very silly. Yes, it has a breakdown that shouts out to Elton John. Yes, it has a song that mixes German pop music with the heaviest metalcore breakdown you can imagine for a song that lasts 99 seconds. In its heart, Tekkno is about relationships: trying to get into good ones, trying to get out of bad ones as well shedding images and labels while having a good time. Like I said, the fusion of German electronic music with metalcore should lead to bad stuff. It’s impossible to not draw a comparison between songs here and the oeuvre of The Bloodhound Gang (kids, go ask your parents). Yet, it’s infectious, it’s silly, it’s just a fucking great time! Go watch the videos also. This band knows what it is and that’s a great time!
Highlights: Pump It, We Got the Moves, Fuckboi, Arrow of Love, Tekkno Train
Dr. John – Things Happen That Way: This album, the 32nd solo studio composition, was not meant to be Mac Rebennak’s swan song. Recorded in 2018 — 50 years from the release of his debut — it was Dr. John’s attempt to finally record a country music album. Alas, he passed away in 2019 and the album has had a slow journey to release as his estate worked to finish it. That country essence remains in covers of songs by Hank Williams and Willie Nelson as well as a guest appearance by Willie himself in Gimme That Old Time Religion and a duet with Aaron Neville in End of the Line. You do also get two new Dr. John songs — Holy Water, Give Myself a Good Talkin’ To — which feature his personality, charm and energy in a way that can’t help but make you smile. The whole album has a slow, warm and comfortable personality; like spending time with a long-time friend. The only misstep is the reworking of I Walk on Guilded Splinters, which trades its languid, swampy menace for a more pepped up version. The original is one of my favorite songs by the Doctor and I find it perfect as it was. Besides that, this is a fine send-off for one of the greatest artists New Orleans ever had.
Highlights: Funny How Time Slips Away, End of the Line, Holy Water, Sleeping Dogs Best Left Alone, Give Myself a Good Talkin’ To
Slipknot – The End, So Far: The seventh (and final album with Roadrunner Records) finds the Iowa metal giants in a strange spot. Not only is the world changed but also they have lost close friends and brothers. Invariably, all that finds its way into the 12 songs to be found here. I’ll say this: it’s arguably the most daring album Slipknot has made. The End starts with the very spacey and slow Adderall, completely different from most Slipknot songs. Lyrically, Corey Taylor tackles a lot of different topics, everything from social media, cancel culture, the de-evolution of social discourse, mental health, domestic abuse and fame. They even reference their longevity and expectations of fans in Warranty and what they think of their career and where they are in life in Finale, which ends on a soft, pensive piano that seems to hint at unknown futures. Overall, I’m not sure if I like The End, So Far as much as I did We Are Not Your Kind. Maybe it’s that the traditional Slipknot standards don’t hit like they did then. But the departures, the songs going in different places are intriguing. It does leave room to wonder where next for this band.
Highlights: Adderall, Hive Mind, Medicine for the Dead, Acidic, De Sade
Fiero Fredo 