TOP 16 ALBUMS: The Sour 16 (September 2017)

Allow yourself to indulge in a hefty dose of riffs, because it is time to present 16 of the best albums from September, it is time for your SOUR 16. 

You know the drill by now, each month you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal.  Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music.  To put it simply, THE SOUR 16 are the records that have been trending the most at SLUDGELORD HQ.

The results are compiled based on the amount of page views the reviews have received and are then calibrated into the list below.  All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in the red)

16). Boris - "Dear" (623)

From the opening track, “D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–“, Boris conveys punishing volume so effectively that your ears will ache at practically any level.  Every note and every layered vocal has been obsessed over, placed perfectly in the mix, and acts as a distillation of twenty-five years of intense collaborative synthesis.

15). Order - "Lex Amentiae" (637)

This is harsh, in-your-face, old-school black metal. From the opener "Winter" onward, Order stakes a claim to the thorny crown with its barbarous shrieks, lumbering bass and unyielding guitars.

14). Biblical - "The City That Always Sleeps" (679)

“Mature Themes,” the opening track and lead-off single, certainly showcases a barrage of noise that hits like a barbed-wire baseball bat, but rather than making miles doing this sludgy-psych thing, Biblical branches out far and wide, traversing sonic landscapes that are as vast as the country the band calls home.

13). Major Kong - "Brace for Impact" (713)

Poland's Major Kong tests the limits of music with its new recording, "Brace for Impact." The eight-song release is entirely instrumental and rooted in a science fiction theme. Heady indeed, but Major Kong give you a dense, impressive album regardless.

12). Made Of Teeth - "Made Of Teeth" (721)

Made Of Teeth have produced a confident, punchy, and savage debut that provides the listener with labyrinthine levels of surprises around each corner.

11). Monarch - "Never Forever" (784)

Monarch orchestrates layers upon layers of sound that roil gently like a dirty bayou. Bresson's vocals – from plaintive wisps to growls and beyond – make Monarch unlike anything else you hear in doom or drone. Such innovation is why the outfit has cultivated a devoted following throughout their extensive career. Never Forever" gives you a side of Monarch that is rarely seen, and is indicative of a fearless performance. Drone is seldom this accessible, or distinguished.

10). Usnea - "Portals Into Futility" (815)

The guitars are thoroughly dissonant and murky, the bass is husky and drums voluminous. Then there are the vocals, which feel like they're being delivered with the sort of urgency of someone trapped at the bottom of a deep well. The whole composition of the record is just magnificent for doom fans.

9). Queens of the Stone Age - "Villains" (1040)

The musicianship is some of the best out there, and QOTSA knows its lane and sticks with it. Suffice to say, if you are already a QOTSA fan, chances are this recording will not disappoint, or may just a little. For others, there is an entirely different dialogue.

8). Ufomammut - "8" (1078)

The time signatures will still have you scratching your head and the chugging rhythms are no less heady as they are pummeling. The choice to structure songs rather than to orchestrate them means that the ideas unfold quicker than what we’re used to. A totally different listening experience, sure, but it’s one that offers yet another opportunity to throw some quality, heavy psychedelic doom on the turntable.

7). Spirit Adrift - "Curse of Conception" (1119)

“Curse of Conception” is a glorious success and a dazzling evolution of an already excellent band. 

6). Dyscarnate - "With All Their Might" (1181)

For those death metal fans expecting endless blasting, look elsewhere. For those who want a pit destroying festival of riffs: look no further. This is Dyscarnate’s best album so far and a real beast of modern death metal.

5). With The Dead - "Love From With The Dead" (1401)

The opening quartet of tracks here offers up a relentless onslaught of earth-shaking doom. Tim Bagshaw is on fine form, unleashing an endless stream of mammoth riffs and lead guitar that channel the hazy evil of his finest moments in Ramesses.  Lee Dorrian’s half spoken, half roared vocals work well in amongst the carnage and are a breath of fresh air in the modern doom landscape.

4). Belphegor - "Totenritual" (1802)

Once again, as they have over the vast majority of their discography, Belphegor has produced an excellent album of the best blackened death metal. This is every bit as good as anything else the band has put out from one of the best extreme bands in the world, no question.

3). Satyricon - "Deep Calleth Upon Deep" (1914)

 ‘Deep Calleth Upon Deep’ is something of a spiritual successor to ‘Rebel Extravaganza’ in that the goal appears to have been to take an established sound and create the weirdest, artsiest version of it they could and there is evidence of a sweeping creative resurgence throughout the album as a whole.

2). Monolord - "Rust" (2105)

Monolord hits all the superlative notes when it comes to doom and the album's closing tracks, "Forgotten Lands" and "At Niceae," are as close to perfect as you can get.

1). Paradise Lost - "Medusa" (5226)

Depthless despair, thick production with pounding drums accentuating the force of the material and those classic melodic leads are all encompassing, making this their heaviest album  in years and amongst their best. “Medusa” can and will turn you to stone- as you will be shocked and stilled by just how good it is.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  September 2017’s SOUR 16 features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson, Charlie Butler, Mark Ambrose, Victor Van Ommen, Conor O’Dea, Jay Hampshire & Ernesto Aguilar

ALBUM REVIEW: Boris - "Dear"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 14/07/2017

Label: Sargent House |

Daymare Recordings 

From the opening track, “D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–“, Boris conveys punishing volume so effectively that your ears will ache at practically any level.  Every note and every layered vocal has been obsessed over, placed perfectly in the mix, and acts as a distillation of twenty-five years of intense collaborative synthesis.

Dear CD//DD//LP track listing

1. D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–

2. DEADSONG

3. Absolutego

4. Beyond

5. Kagero

6. Biotope

7. The Power

8. Memento Mori

9. Dystopia –Vanishing Point–

10. Dear

The Review

                 

There is a unique feeling of terror when diving into the sprawling works of prolific musicians: where do you start with a catalog as huge as say, Frank Zappa?  Ani DiFranco?  Napalm Death or Earth or Neurosis – bands that have entire ERAS that are written off or championed?  What are the agreed-upon masterpieces?  The overrated tracks?  The overlooked gems?  If you wade into the world of jazz or jam bands or any other artist where specific performances are dissected just as intensely as studio cuts, you may as well surrender yourself to a hermetic life of obsessive collecting and analysis.  Imagine the trepidation, then, for any newbie to Japanese avant-garde metal / electronic / rock / experimental legends Boris, who have, to date, released over twenty full-length records – not counting their live and studio works with fellow musical outlier Merzbow, collaborative efforts with SUNN O))), splits, rarities, remixes, and  compilation albums.  “Dear”, their twenty-fourth offering, was originally intended as a farewell record, marking 25 years since the band’s inception.  It’s also my first introduction to their unique blend of droning, buzzing, melodic, invigorating, and crushing mastery.  God help me… I may need to do a full dive into their discography.

               

From the opening track, “D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–“, Boris conveys punishing volume so effectively that your ears will ache at practically any level.  The sheer amount of space between chords leaves room for sickening, pulsating feedback, brilliantly complimented with the clean vocals.  Remarkably, Boris manages to retain undeniable heft when blasting uplifting, major key progressions.  The turns to sinister, minor key melodies and softy, whispered vocals in tracks like “DEADSONG” or “Beyond” is even more powerful when juxtaposed with the cathartic, rocking crescendos that punctuate the record.

When Boris edges toward the ethereal balladry of Sigur Ros, their dark instincts to destruction and dissonance always pulls the band away from the precipice of twee post-rock.  The sheer filth of the riffs on “Kagero” and “Memento Mori” earn every falsetto phrase, making passages that could be cliché totally sublime instead.  “Absolutego” is the closest to a lead single on the record – a grunge rocker that shares its name with their 1996 debut album.  But then Boris eschew any of this pop rock sensibility on droning, doom instrumental “The Power” or the sludgy title track, opting for sheer sonic bombardment that will rattle the fillings right out of your teeth.  Yet there’s always an uncanny feeling that despite the idiosyncratic rhythms, the synthesized noises sputtering at seemingly random intervals, the feedback so furious the whole band sounds like it may just keel over and fall apart, this is a meticulous production.  Every note and every layered vocal has been obsessed over, placed perfectly in the mix, and acts as a distillation of twenty-five years of intense collaborative synthesis.

If there’s one complaint you can lob at “Dear”, it’s the unwieldy runtime.  At nearly seventy minutes, there are moments that drag slightly.  A two disc version appends three more tracks and over twenty more minutes.  It’s hard to imagine, but enough songs were recorded on top of these for at least two more full-length albums.  At times you can’t help but wonder what the editing process even looks like for Boris when the album itself is so huge, so disparate, and, truth be told, so consistently compelling.  I’m certain that well after Boris puts out that FINAL final album, there will be plenty of outtakes, demos, alternate remixes, and live versions for completists to pore over for years.  With “Dear” as my first entry into their legendary, sublime canon, I may one day count myself among the obsessive’s.

“Dear” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM PREMIERE: Green Bastard light a match of destruction with "Pyre"

What the hell is a Green Bastard, when it is at home anyway? In terms of the literally meaning, I’m guessing their moniker is nothing to do with that?  Perhaps green refers to what Brant Bjork refers to as “The Gree Heen” and well Bastard, take your pick, given the noun is used interchangeably in both a positive and negative tense.  Despite the uncertain nature of the name, Green Bastard is a stoner-doom trio from New England, (no not the post Brexit version of England) and they are set to release their debut LP, ‘Pyre’ on November 16 via Midnight Werewolf records on cassette and download.

Taking cues from Sleep, Boris and Monolord ‘Pyre’ ploughs the familiar furrow of the aforementioned bands and yet the record is immersive and colossal ear fodder. Comprised of three sprawling tracks, it takes just under an hour to run its course, but has an intangible gift of drawing the listener into its own reality.  Green Bastard churns out groovy, driving riffs, which are further blended with cavernous amounts of fuzz.  Touches of post-rock and post-metal reveal themselves in evocative guitar lines that glide over the top of the rolling mass.

‘Pyre’ is an assured, sophisticated, and downright filthy statement from the band and today for your listening pleasure we present the album in its entirety, which you can stream below.  You can preorder it here

Band info: Facebook

Boris with Merzbow - "Gensho Parts 1 & 2" (Album Review)

By: TJ Kliebhan

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 18/03/2016

Label: Relapse Records

The album as a whole sounds incredibly well done. The dynamic range on this album is wide and no part of the album feels murky or cluttered. The dark layers of Boris guitar and bass with Merzbow’s agonizingly piercing sounds come through in vivid detail.  “Gensho” is Boris and Merzbow playing together and evidence of a partnership that has possibly maximized its given potential with a release that serves as a highlight in both artists’ extensive discographies.

“Gensho Part 1 & 2” CD//DD//LP track listing:

Boris

1. Farewell A

2. Huge A

3. Resonance B

4. Rainbow B

5. Sometimes B

6. Heavy Rain C

7. Akuma no uta C

8. Akirame Flower D

9. Vomitself D

"Sometimes" written by Kevin Shields, published by EMI Music Publishing

Merzbow

1. Planet of the Cows A

2. Goloka Pt.1 B

3. Goloka Pt.2 C

4. Prelude to a Broken Arm D

BORIS is:

Takeshi |Vocals, Guitar & Bass

Wata | Vocals, Guitar & Echo

Atsuo | Vocal, Percussion & Electronics

MERZBOW is:

Masami Akita | Electronics

The Review:

*This review is written from the perspective of someone playing both pieces at the same time and at the same volume.

The frequent collaborations of legendary drone act Boris and pioneering noise artist Merzbow subscribe to a specific formula. Boris comes to the table with some combination of old tracks they’ve reworked and new tracks while Merzbow composes original pieces of high frequency noise. Boris’ dense riffs and Merzbow’s harsh grating tracks make for an intense experience and in the past the collaborations between the two artists have felt a bit like two artists who genuinely admire each other’s work, but were experimenting with how to combine their two unique atmospheres into one cohesive piece. On the artists’ seventh effort, Boris and Merzbow have never sounded more satisfyingly synchronized, powerfully effective, or sonically layered as they do on “Gensho”.

“Gensho” can roughly be translated to phenomenon in English which proved to be an appropriate title because these tracks themselves feel so highly biotic. Whether the pace is at a heavy trudging rhythm like “Vomitself”, a spiraling plod like on the cover of My Bloody Valentine’s “Sometimes” or the frantic and lively 

“Akirama Flower” these tracks always are sounding incredibly active. This is largely thanks to the way Merzbow’s sounds both contrast and compliment this collection of Boris tracks. When Boris slows down the pace Merzbow is unrelenting. His high frequency noises and screeches are incredibly unsettling when Boris seem to be functioning as a safety blanket. While Boris play their expected repetitive sludge riffs Merzbow’s pieces are surprisingly dynamic and engaging. On “Huge” the rhythm and safety Boris creates is entirely disturbed by Merzbow’s tense noise, but the two acts do it in a way that keeps the listener always absorbing new subtleties. Merzbow’s pieces are winding and changing in such obvious and discernable ways, while Boris remains steady.  The contrasts between the two at times are incredibly effective and while they give Merzbow more of the spotlight the pieces would not be nearly as interesting if it was not for the atmosphere Boris was creating. The music can only co-exist in its greatest form because the other is there too.

When Boris decides to pick up the pace on tracks like “Akirama Flower” and “Heavy Rain” Merzbow’s noise functions perhaps even more importantly. All of these tracks feature no drumming or percussion of any kind from Atsuo, so Merzbow’s creations are what keep these tracks from bottoming out. While Boris’ vibrant guitar tones and walls of texture really shine during these portions of the songs, Merzbow’s compositions are vital to the sound’s monolithic ambitions. When Boris typically use heavy rhythmic drone pieces alone it can feel enormously steady and unchanging. Merzbow provide their drones with an unpredictable instability. A jarring and more unhinged effect is created as a result. The noise tends to drive the pace along with Wata and Takashi’s vocals rather than any guitar work on the record which serves more as texture than anything else.

These new incarnations of older Boris tracks feature nice ruffles that make them worth revisiting. Many of these tracks feature cleaner vocals than their older iterations or slight differences in the way they are mastered. Wata’s vocals on “Rainbow” and “Heavy Rain” feature a nice double-track effect that they did not have on the original mix which gives her soft delivery a bit more robustness to it. The album as a whole sounds incredibly well done. The dynamic range on this album is wide and no part of the album feels murky or cluttered. The dark layers of Boris guitar and bass with Merzbow’s agonizingly piercing sounds come through in vivid detail.

“Gensho” is the best collaboration Boris and Merzbow have done by a significant margin. The album perfectly encapsulates what Boris and Merzbow can both do at their best and also does a remarkable job of meshing these two styles together in a way that is enjoyable while also giving both artists an equal platform. Boris chose some of their finest tracks to remaster and Merzbow’s original compositions sound tailored to these tracks, but still are their own organic pieces. Other collaborations between the artists have suffered from a poor mix, live recordings whose master tapes muffled Merzbow’s tracks, or sounded simply like Boris and Merzbow playing at the same time. “Gensho” is Boris and Merzbow playing together and evidence of a partnership that has possibly maximized its given potential with a release that serves as a highlight in both artists’ extensive discographies.

“Gensho Parts 1 & 2” is available here

Band info: Boris Official Site | Boris on Facebook | Boris on Twitter
Merzbow Official Site | Merzbow on Facebook | Merzbow on Twitter