Tag Archives: the wretched sermon

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022

Posted on by
Reply

“Life is funny. If you don’t laugh, you’re in trouble.” – Taylor Hawkins

And just like that, after 880 days of nothing, I was finally able to attend a metal concert this year, just like countless other metalheads who patiently waited for the Canadian government to lift all restrictions due to the pandemic to get back to our normal lives. And it was a busy year concert-wise as you can see HERE, with Judas Priest, Lamb of God, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Behemoth and several others putting a smile back on our faces and the horns back in our hands, because in the end the beauty of heavy music is when it’s played live, right? On the other hand, we unfortunately saw some important names of the global metal scene disbanding such as Nuclear Assault, Tristania and Every Time I Die, plus of course the brave warriors who left us and are now sitting beside the metal gods in Valhalla. Just to name a few, we all mourned the losses of Fredrik Johansson (former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity), Jon Zazula (co-founder of Megaforce Records), Bruce Greig (former guitarist of Misery Index and Dying Fetus), Taylor Hawkins (drummer of Foo Fighters), Ronnie Deo (former bassist of Incantation), Trevor Strnad (vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder), Alec John Such (former bassist of Bon Jovi), Bob Heathcote (former bassist of Suicidal Tendencies), Steve Grimmett (vocalist of Grim Reaper), Stuart Anstis (former guitarist of Cradle of Filth), David Andersson (guitarist of Soilwork), and Dan McCafferty (former vocalist of Nazareth).

However, one of the biggest losses in the world of heavy music happened right here in Toronto, Canada, as we lost the biggest metalhead of the entire Torontonian scene, Walter Froebrich.  Our super fan Walter, who was a staple in the local scene for over 20 years (and I remember seeing him in every single concert I’ve attended in the past 10 years or more at least), sadly died alone at home last month following three visits to a local hospital due to severe abdominal pain. This is extremely tragic and cannot happen again, as we all have the right to decent healthcare it doesn’t matter who we are. There will be a memorial show for Walter on January 7, 2023 at The Rockpile (details can be found HERE and tickets HERE) with several local independent bands, and we at The Headbanging Moose also want to honor the life of Walter and his undisputed passion for heavy music by dedicating to him The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums.

1. Kreator – Hate Über Alles (REVIEW)
Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hate Über Alles

2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains (REVIEW)
The most explosive name of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.
Best song of the album: The Pain Remains Trilogy

3. Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (REVIEW)
The unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine strikes again with the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
Best song of the album: Life in Hell

4. Rammstein – Zeit (REVIEW)
Germany’s own Neue Deutsche Härte institution wasted no time during the pandemic and is back in action with their fantastic eight opus.
Best song of the album: Angst

5. Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram (REVIEW)
A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.
Best song of the album: Malaria Vvlgata

6. Arch Enemy – Deceivers (REVIEW)
One of the most important names in metal is back in action with their most solid and detailed album with Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.
Best song of the album: The Watcher

7. Lamb of God – Omens (REVIEW)
Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.
Best song of the album: Ditch

8. Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (REVIEW)
Join the great heathen army spearheaded by one of the most respected bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Saxons and Vikings

9. Hiss From The Moat – The Way Out Of Hell (REVIEW)
There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by this Italian horde.
Best song of the album: Generation Of Cowardice

10. Diabolical Raw – Elegy of Fire Dusk (REVIEW)
Behold this grandiose album of Symphonic Black and Death Metal inspired by ancient Central Asian Turkish mythology.
Best song of the album: Face the Judgement

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon (REVIEW)
12. Cage Fight – Cage Fight (REVIEW)
13. Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse (REVIEW)
14. Stratovarius – Survive (REVIEW)
15. Konvent – Call Down the Sun (REVIEW)
16. Scorpions – Rock Believer (REVIEW)
17. Disturbed – Divisive (REVIEW)
18. Thundermother – Black and Gold (REVIEW)
19. Blind Guardian – The God Machine (REVIEW)
20. Ferum – Asunder / Erode (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2022 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.

1. Eskhaton – Horracle (REVIEW)
2. Headfist – This New World…. (REVIEW)
3. Sullen Guest – Phase (REVIEW)
4. Pyrrhic Salvation – Manifestum I (REVIEW)
5. Klendathu – Avarist: The Beginning & The End at Once (REVIEW)
6. Through The Noise – Tragedies (REVIEW)
7. Rotten Casket – First Nail in the Casket (REVIEW)
8. Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (REVIEW)
9. All Else Fails – The Incident at Black Lake (REVIEW)
10. Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2022? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2022 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2023!

And before I go, I’ll leave you with what’s in my humble opinion not only the best song of 2022, but it also carries a very inspiring message to us all… ROW! ROW! ROW!

Album Review – Abaddon Incarnate / The Wretched Sermon (2022)

Posted on by
1

These Irish Death Metal and Grindcore legends are back form the underworld after eight years with their most diverse and expressive album yet.

Having been active since the early 90’s, Dublin, Ireland-based Death Metal/Grindcore legends Abaddon Incarnate have only perfected their sound over the years, creating a quintessential blend of both the styles that can easily be enjoyed in all of its glory in their newborn spawn, entitled The Wretched Sermon, the sixth album in their undisputed career and their first since the 2014 album Pessimist. Displaying a sick artwork by renowned artist Ken Coleman, The Wretched Sermon is easily their most diverse and expressive album yet, meticulously written to flesh out every nuance while keeping things brisk and intense, showcasing a band in top form currently formed of Steve Maher on vocals and guitar, Bill Whelan also on the guitar, Irene Siragusa on bass and Olan Parkinson on drums and, therefore, being highly recommended for admirers of the sonic chaos blasted by renowned acts the likes of Napalm Death, Rotten Sound and Misery Index, among others.

Olan’s vile beats kick off the band’s devilish machine in Rising Of The Lights, a fulminating Grindcore attack where Steve roars manically in the name of evil, whereas Veritas is even more demented and infernal than the opening tune, with the guitars by Steve and Bill exhaling pure sulfur while Irene and Olan are on fire with their heavy-as-hell kitchen. Then bringing forward elements from Black and Death Metal carefully added to their core essence, it’s time to slam into the pit to the sound of Gateways, absolutely fast, furious and demonic, followed by Epic Desecration, not recommended for the lighthearted, where Steve and Bill fire endless violence and hatred through their wicked riffage accompanied by the thunderous bass by the she-demon Irene. In the less demolishing but still caustic and obscure Parasite, it’s time for Olan to blast some headbanging beats while Steve screams rabidly from the bottom of his lungs; and back to their most visceral, deranged mode, the band offers us all Hideous Arise, a bestial creation by the quartet with their guitar work and nonstop drums turning it into one of the most pulverizing of all songs. And if you think Abaddon Incarnate will slow down at any given point you’re absolutely wrong, as in Killing Spree they continue their sonic onrush showcasing never-stopping, frantic riffs and solos, crushing drums and evil roars.

Steve’s guttural screams get deeper and more satanic in Into The Maelstrom, with the entire band sounding possessed by an evil force from the underworld, while Irene hammers her bass in great fashion in Resurrected From A Mass Grave, extracting tons of groove and providing her bandmates with everything they need to craft another explosion of Grindcore. There’s no time to breathe as it’s total anarchy to the sound of Shrine Of Flesh, with Steve gnarling like a creature from the abyss until the very last second; and blending elements from bands like Carcass and Sepultura to their sonority the quartet will smash our cranial skulls mercilessly in Hyperchaos, a fantastic tune spearheaded by Olan’s boisterous beats. Their second to last display of sheer animosity and sulfur is entitled Isolation And Decay, presenting another awesome job done by Steve and Bill armed with their axes without showing not even a single second of peace throughout its over six demonic minutes, and lastly, how about we destroy our bodies into the circle pit one final time with the band? That’s what they have to offer us all in Silent Indifference, with the harsh vociferations by Steve pounding our hearts and minds into dust.

As you can see, Abaddon Incarnate are not just back from the netherworld carrying their apocalyptic, gruesome new album The Wretched Sermon in their blood-soaked arms, which is by the way available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but they’re eager to tear your flesh apart to the sound of their undisputed Grindcore, and if you want to show them all your support and admiration you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and more of their caustic music. Hence, don’t forget to also grab your copy of The Wretched Sermon from their own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore as an 8-panel digipak CD (by clicking HERE or HERE) or as a gatefold LP, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon. And may the wretched sermon of old school Grindcore by Abaddon Incarnate reverberate inside our damned minds for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Veritas, Epic Desecration, Hideous Arise, Resurrected From A Mass Grave and Hyperchaos.

Worst moments of the album: Parasite.

Released in 2022 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Rising Of The Lights 2:46
2. Veritas 1:16
3. Gateways 2:26
4. Epic Desecration 2:47
5. Parasite 2:11
6. Hideous Arise 1:16
7. Killing Spree 2:21
8. Into The Maelstrom 1:56
9. Resurrected From A Mass Grave 2:23
10. Shrine Of Flesh 3:47
11. Hyperchaos 3:43
12. Isolation And Decay 6:56
13. Silent Indifference 2:18

Band members
Steve Maher – vocals, guitar
Bill Whelan – guitar
Irene Siragusa – bass
Olan Parkinson – drums