I'll admit that in a pretty short time, I've found myself in a fortunate place with Both Kinds of Heavy - I'm getting more advance albums for review than I will probably be able to cover. At the same time, since this is strictly a hobby site and I don't have to to worry about silly little things like making money, I can prioritize covering the albums that excite me. You won't see me covering, say, a Ghost album in order to drive more eyeballs to my embedded ad banners. I'd much rather cover a new band like Shrineburner because, to put it simply, I'd much rather listen to a new band like Shrineburner. 

Hymns of Despair is the debut album from the Chicago three-piece. I feel the need to point out that they have no connection to Shrinebuilder, the doom metal supergroup comprised of three dudes who have all seen their reputations plummet in recent years, and also Dale Crover. As far as I know, there's nothing problematic about the members of Shrineburner (don't disappoint me, gentlemen!) and that's a good thing, because I'm really digging their blend of doom, post-metal, and psychedelic rock. 

With titles like "Bodies Dragged to Sunlight" and "An Ocean of Broken Hope," Hymns of Despair is an apt title and fitting mirror for life in 2026. On single "Spectral Cataclysm," guitarist and vocalist Peter Norman intones, in his Justin Broadrick-esque bellow, "Cold sun, fall to Earth / Burn the wealthy, begin the war / Stab wound, pierce the flesh / Light the chalice - ritual one has begun". Are there three words that exemplify the mood of the zeitgeist better than "burn the wealthy?" I think not. From there, the album continues its spiral into a world of decay and arcane ritual. "Slow Death Chant" paints a remarkably similar portrait of a ruined world as "Creature," the opening track of the new Chat Pile album, with a verse that warns "Pressure building / Creature dwelling / Churches burning / For all we've done". 

Hymns of Despair delivers pummeling riffs and bone-shaking bass across its six tracks, but also includes enough post-metal intricacy to keep from becoming overwhelming. There is an underlying dynamism to the album, with melody and hooks propping up the aural assault. Underneath the barked vocals and wall of distortion, the song "Bodies Dragged to Sunlight" is downright catchy. No wonder that it's made the jump to music video.

Hymns of Despair is an exciting debut. My relative inexperience as a music reviewer (this is album review number 4, baby!) is seeing me struggle to come up with creative ways to say "This is really good and I like it." But, to put it simply, this is really good and I like it. As I write these words, the Shrineburner track "Slow Death Chant" is playing in my headphones, and I can't stop my body from moving in time with the rhythm. I'm making that face right now. In short, this fucking rips. Sometimes, that's all you need to say. 

Shrineburner’s Hymns of Despair will be independently released on digital and CD on September 11th. Vinyl versions will be released at a later date.