Short Attention Span Record Reviews, June 25

THE LOUDER STUFF

GHAALS WYRD – Braiding The Stories
Ex-Gorgoroth frontman tries to pull an Ihsahn and to a large extent he succeeds. (8)

THE HAUNTED – Songs Of Last Resort
Thrash with melodeath tendencies, no experiments. This is The Haunted most people love. (7)

KATATONIA – Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State
Anders Nystrom’s departure does not affect the vibe, which is still aligned with the prog of Katatonia albums from 2006’s “The Great Cold Distance” onwards. But there is something missing, or maybe that’s just me. (7)

RIVERS OF NIHIL – Rivers Of Nihil
Progressive death metal, not as adventurous as, say, Blood Incantation, but expertly written and executed. This one will appeal to people outside the metal ghetto too. (8)

SWANS – Birthing  
In the same vein as all their post-2010 crescendocore releases, this is meant to be played at tinnitus-inducing levels and at two hours long it will test your patience, but if you have the attention span to stick around you’ll be richly rewarded. (8)

TURNSTILE – Never Enough
If this is modern hardcore, I have to say that in places it sounds a lot like a cross between imperial era Chili Peppers and The Police. This is meant as a compliment. (8)

VOLBEAT – God Of Angels Trust
Nothing unexpected or surprising here, just the usual entertaining Metallica-meets-rockabilly shtick. (7)


THE OTHER STUFF

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER – Personal History
Intimate and autobiographical country folk songs from a singer-songwriter who’s been excelling at this sort of thing for decades. Produced by Josh Kaufman at Peter Gabriel’s studio. (8)

S.G. GOODMAN – Planting By The Signs
Americana’s rising star explores her inner Lucinda Williams on strong third album. (8)

ELIJAH JOHNSTON – Stupid Soul
Somewhere between modern-day Americana and 90’s-style indie rock you’ll find Johnston, writing tunes about everyday life and all that makes it sad and beautiful. (8)

JAMES McMURTRY – The Black Dog And The Wandering Boy
This is supposed to be folk/americana, but it sounds more like Jason Isbell’s harder rockin’ uncle. (8)

WILLIE NILE – The Great Yellow Light
A true rock ‘n’ roll lifer, as much a dedicated New Yorker as Lou Reed and musically sitting within the Dylan/Springsteen Venn diagram, Nile continues to release excellent albums at the age of 77. If you like him, you love him. (8)

TY SEGALL – Possession
A return to the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach of 2018’s magnificent “Freedom’s Goblin”, Segall’s new album is what most fans will see as a return to form: Power pop, glam rock, psychedelia, it’s all here. (8) 

METAL: Halftime

OK, so I don't normally do this, but since we're halfway through the year here's a list of the year's 20 best metal and metal-friendly albums to date. The list is alphabetical, if you think I missed something I really don't care:

BEHEMOTH – The Shit Ov God
A grandiose black/death metal statement, and probably their best since career-high “The Satanist”.
CRYPTOSIS – Celestial Death
An interesting combination of prog, blackened death metal, and thrash, with keyboards. People will make comparisons to Vektor and Blood Incantation but I’m old enough to remember Nocturnus.
DEAFHEAVEN – Lonely People With Power
They bring the metal back and it’s a triumph – you still have shoegaze-y guitars pop up here and there but this is their heaviest record in at least a decade, reminiscent in places of second-wave Norwegian black metal like Emperor and Enslaved.
DREAM THEATER – Parasomnia 
Portnoy’s return to the line-up coincides with a strong album that will thrill prog metal fans, but whether this sound can still be described as “progressive” after 35 years of it is debatable.
GHAALS WYRD – Braiding The Stories
Ex-Gorgoroth frontman tries to pull an Ihsahn and to a large extent he succeeds.
GHOST – Skeleta 
Even though it’s still one of the better heavy rock releases of the year, shows the first signs of tiredness? Certainly not as catchy and fun as “Impera".
HANDGEMENG – Satanic Panic Attack
The stoner bastard child of Turbonegro and Kvelertak.
HELLACOPTERS – Overdriver
A very welcome return for these guys and their brand of infectious, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll. Now, where’s Gluecifer so they can tour together?
IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT – Goldstar
Masked technical death metal virtuosos on their most accomplished album to date, their avant-garde-leaning compositions finally resembling songs rather than just aiming to impress.
MACHINE HEAD – Unatoned 
This album will certainly make the haters say that they’re just trying to align their sound with what’s going on today, but it’s really a solid late-career album that kicks the ass of what most younger thrash/metalcore bands are capable of.
MELVINS – Thunderball
They throw another curveball at us with a revised line-up, bringing back the original drummer from 1983 and adding a couple of electronic/noise artists into the mix. It sounds exactly like the Melvins without sounding much like the last 25 Melvins albums.
PENTAGRAM – Lightning In A Bottle
How’s it possible that this guy's still around? In any case even with a new line-up backing him Liebling can still kick the ass of any young doomster, and this new album is groovier – not exactly Clutch, but think Trouble’s “Manic Frustration”.
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS – Death Hilarious
Doom/sludge metal band Pigs x7 instill a bit of Helmet into their formula and bring home the bacon.
PROPAGANDHI – No Longer Young
Canadian punk/metal heroes return with another excellent slab of technical, thrashy social commentary.
RIVERS OF NIHIL – Rivers Of Nihil
Progressive death metal, not as adventurous as, say, Blood Incantation, but expertly written and executed. This one will appeal to people outside the metal ghetto too.
SANHEDRIN – Heat Lightning
A lady you wouldn’t mess with on vocals and bass backed by a couple of hooligans on guitar and drums, this is traditional heavy metal in its purest form channeling early 80’s Riot and Maiden and all sorts of good stuff.
SPIDERS – Sharp Objects
Nordic rockers return and this time they pump up their Detroit/Australia-style garage punk rock with some late-70’s NYC vibes – I can hear traces of Blondie, The Ramones, even Richard Hell/Stiv Bators/Johnny Thunders in here.
TURNSTILE – Never Enough
If this is modern hardcore, I have to say that in places it sounds a lot like a cross between imperial era Chili Peppers and The Police. This is meant as a compliment.
VENAMORIS – To Cross Or To Burn
Mrs. Lombardo releases strong goth/trip hop album featuring her husband and his friends (Alex Skolnick, Gary Holt) like you've never heard them before.
WITCHCRAFT – Idag
It’s much better than “Black Metal” and “Nucleus”, probably better than “Legend” too, and as fuzzy and riff-tastic as their first three albums on Rise Above.