THE 16 MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF YEAR SO FAR: The Sour 16 January - June 2017

As I reflect incredulously upon 2017 so far, it continues to confound my expectations that THE SLUDGELORD exists at all, let alone being able to reflect upon six months worth of albums. 

2017 is like any other, we predict this year’s releases will not top the last, but invariably we are proven wrong, there have been highlights and disappointments, shocks and surprises, and as we approach July, we’ll continue to separate the good, from the bad and the ugly.  But today we reflect upon the 16 most popular records at THE SLUDGELORD so far in 2017.   

This list does not reflect the contributors own tastes, rather they are articles that have received the most clicks, therefore by virtue of that, you could argue they’re the most popular (it’s a pretty loose hypotheses I know, but we wanted the list to reflect your tastes not ours).  The fact that the albums cover a variety of genres is indicative of how the site has grown and is central to the philosophy we promote, which is to review albums we like, not solely on the basis of genre.

The results of this chart as ever are compiled based on page views alone.  For more information on the bands, click the artwork.   We have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication is highlighted in red).  Thanks for reading. 

16). Brutus – “Burst” (1455)

Straddling the line between hardcore punk and a post-rock/metal riff fest, Brutus pounds, hurls, and howls at volumes so loud and levels so intense that it’s impossible to look away. Harmonies, hooks, and sing-a-longs are part of the Brutus recipe, but it’s the sheer intensity that will have heads turning, bopping, and banging.

15). Toke – “Orange” (1458)

Toke seamlessly blends the precise amount of head crushing, belly thumping riffs with greasy, bluesy lead breaks and melody. This band has struck a balance between tried and true classic archetypes within this genre and has pushed the envelope in so many forms of noticeable nuance.

14). Mutoid Man – “War Moans” (1529)

“War Moans” is fast, heavy and vocally arresting, it is an album that is certain to leave you breathless. 

13). Spidergawd – “IV” (1568)

“IV” is eight tracks that follow the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula and does so with licks, vocals, lyrics and melodies that are sharp, fast, and poignant. As far as that’s concerned, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about

12). Bathsheba – “Servus” (1603)

The biggest strength of the album is its tactful and haunting use of atmosphere. This is achieved through the skilful use of dynamic contrast, organically unfolding transitions and changes in the timbre of the music, particularly in the playing of guitarist Dwight Goossens.  Tracks such as “Manifest” and “Demon” see Goossens change from chilling, ambient clean tones to rich, roaring fuzz tones that could satisfy even the hardest to please doom fans.

11). Sleep – “The Clarity” (1681)

“This track sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a huge robotic entity slowly trudging through space. ‘The Clarity’ is exactly what every Sleep fan wanted to hear after being dormant for such a long time. If these guys can pull an album out of the bag in the near future with anything remotely close to the calibre of power involved in this, then we are in for a serious slab of mind-altering, heavy doom.”

10). DOOL – “Here Now, There Then” (1698)

It is rare that an album is able to make one completely forget about their real world surroundings and bring them somewhere else entirely.  “Here Now, There Then” is an otherworldly brew of eeriness, effective hooks and nefarious rock and roll.  It is the soundtrack of a lost soul stumbling upon something evil and long forgotten, only to find it wide awake and waiting.

9). Unearthly Trance – “Stalking The Ghost” (1780)

8). Pallbearer – “Heartless” (1921)

“Heartless” is an incredible achievement from Pallbearer, a set of huge songs that consolidate the best elements of their previous releases while moving into fresh sonic territory. This is the album that should see the band make the transition into stadium-bothering all-time greats, and deservedly so.

7). Widows – “Oh Deer God” (2075)

The strongest part of “Oh Deer God” are the bloated, swaggering riffs that invade every one of the album’s seven tracks. The riffs loom over the music like a giant surveying a small village, resolve in just the right way, and give the album a raw, beefy strength that makes it so enjoyable. At just under half an hour total, “Oh Deer God” is a brief, but delightful venture into where vaporous desert rock meets viscous sludge metal.

6). Sepultura – “Machine Messiah” (2196)

Will this convert early-Sepultura-only fans? Unlikely. Will it convert Cavalera only Sepultura fans? I doubt it, as those people have made their decision and won't entertain that a Sepultura can exist without the Cavalera brothers. However, this is yet another high quality entry into the Sepultura discography and is one of the best records the band has made.

5). Dopelord – “Children of the Haze” (2516)

“Children of the Haze” is defined by loose grooves, ghoulish riffing and a very vintage sense of wickedness. Dopelord prove that, unlike many other stoner metal bands, they are not content to just create the same song several times over and call it an album.

4). Blaze Bayley – “Infinite Entanglement” & “Endure & Survive” (2819)

Both “Infinite Entanglement” and “Endure and Survive” are the best work of his entire career, better than Wolfsbane, better than his tenure with Maiden and better than his past solo work.  Blaze's fire is burning brighter than ever

3). Dead Witches – “Ouija” (3528)

This is another perfectly fuzzed out slab of doom from a band that doesn’t seem to know any other way.

2). Soen – “Lykaia” (3565)

On Soen’s third full length record their own explorative hunger is satisfied in the most delicious of ways, resulting in their most dynamically versatile but free flowing release to date.  An explorative and colourful record, there is a lot to take in with this record, many dimensions in which to get lost in. Repeat listens bear gorgeous fruits.

1). Telekinetic Yeti – “Abominable” (4181)

All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to find their place at the top of the scene

TOP 16 ALBUMS: The Sour 16 for January 2017

Soen

Let it be known fellow Sludgelordians, The Sour 16 returns.  The Sludgelord presents the very best Diabolus in Musica to pour scorn on this desolate day and strike upon us the might of the riff, to inject our veins with sin and guide us on journey of subservice to doom, an act that goes against the very laws and teachings of populist culture, and for those that wish to come with us on our quest, kneel with me as we embrace the thunderous din that is, The 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 Headquarters.

The results are compiled based on page views alone and 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 red)

16). Terrifier – “Weapons of Thrash Destruction” (552)

15). 1968 – “Fortuna Havana” (571)

1968 wear their influences on their sleeve. There are plenty of bands that stalk the planet playing classic/hard rock; the trick is to make it your own and not become a cliché. 1968 walk the line well and come out with originality whilst using their influences to great effect.

  

14). Cranial – “Dark Towers / Bright Lights” (588)

Cranial have honed their Earth-shattering attack to razor-sharp perfection and expand the scope of their music to galactic levels of grandeur.  The band are a relentless riff engine, churning out a constant flow of thick sludge, like Neurosis channelling the almighty crunch of early Mastodon. “Dark Towers / Bright Lights” does not break down any musical barriers but it is poised to blow your mind with its dark intensity.

13). Lizzard Wizzard – “Total War Power Bastard” (612)

This album is defined by tones as sweet as a glass of warm tar, sparse arrangements, sluggish tempos and venomous attitude. To listen to “Total War Power Bastard” is to get lost in a haze of looping riffs, humming amplifiers, grimy guitar fuzz and putrid vocals.

12). Lecherous Gaze – “One Fifteen” (688)

Imagine what would happen if Howlin’ Wolf grew up in the 80s, spent his time jamming The Ramones and getting fucked up on anything that came his way. If such prospect tickles your curiosity, then by all means, jump on board the “One Fifteen” train, Lecherous Gaze’s new album.

11). Frozen Planet...1969 - "Electric Smokehouse" (730)

The chemistry between the players – Paul Attard on guitar, Lachlan Paine on bass and Frank Attard on drums – can be heard in each one of these cuts. In fact, it’s not only heard, its felt, and that’s what makes this record sound so great. The music is alive, it moves, it gels, and best of all, it’s both heavy and psychedelic.

10). Demonic Death Judge – “Seaweed” (741)

The Finnish quartet deal in a potent blend of filthy sludge-encrusted riffs tempered by hypnotic stoner grooves and nasty gravel gargling vocals. The band conjure up the sound of a bar room brawl between Weedeater and Colour Haze.

09). Gloson – “Grimen” (776)

"Grimen" keeps getting better, the more you listen. It stirs the imagination with its ferocity and complexity. From its excellent pacing to its subtle use of varied instruments, it's a breathtaking achievement for a band that's just getting started.

  

08). Suma - "The Order of Things" (837)

Suma have proved that, over fifteen years on from their formation, they can still challenge listeners, in terms of their expectations and their open-mindedness. This is a sprawling record that impresses, uplifts, and imparts melancholia in equal measure. It’s a feat, and one that makes it sorely apparent that the Malmo crew deserves much more recognition then they are afforded.

  

7). Book of Wyrms - "Sci-fi/Fantasy" (921)

The legendary Hawkwind would be happy with the sounds exhibited on “Nightbong”, while the darkness on “All Hollows Eve” is right in sync with Uncle Acid et al.  This is a good record which combines some of the best of space/stoner/doom in one package. A band to watch in 2017.

6). Kreator – “Gods of Violence” (1109)

There are so many great riffs, solos, hooks and vocals over the course of the record that there is absolutely nothing to complain about here. Kreator have produced another very worthy entry into their impressive back catalogue. Fans of their later work will love what is on offer here as it is a continuation of their most recent and very impressive albums.  This is a hooky, vicious, well produced thrash record which is every bit as good as anything which has come out of America in recent times. Recommended.

  

5). Goya – “Harvester of Bongloads” (1015)

It is start to finish, packed with massive fuzzed out riffs, deep despair and copious nods to the sweat leaf that Goya pay homage to throughout the entire album.  Small wonder in the midst of our current political nightmare that Goya would drop a jewel heralding the end, before escaping in the smoky haze of their own retreat.

4). Bathsheba - "Servus" (1106)

The biggest strength of the album is its tactful and haunting use of atmosphere. This is achieved through the skilful use of dynamic contrast, organically unfolding transitions and changes in the timbre of the music, particularly in the playing of guitarist Dwight Goossens.  Tracks such as “Manifest” and “Demon” see Goossens change from chilling, ambient clean tones to rich, roaring fuzz tones that could satisfy even the hardest to please doom fans.

3). Sepultura - “Machine Messiah” (2115)

Will this convert early-Sepultura-only fans? Unlikely. Will it convert Cavalera only Sepultura fans? I doubt it, as those people have made their decision and won't entertain that a Sepultura can exist without the Cavalera brothers. However, this is yet another high quality entry into the Sepultura discography and is one of the best records the band has made.

2). Dead Witches - "Ouija" (3048)

This is another perfectly fuzzed out slab of doom from a band that doesn’t seem to know any other way.

1). Soen – “Lykaia” (3106)

On Soen’s third full length record their own explorative hunger is satisfied in the most delicious of ways, resulting in their most dynamically versatile but free flowing release to date.  An explorative and colourful record, there is a lot to take in with this record, many dimensions in which to get lost in. Repeat listens bear gorgeous fruits.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful. January’s “Sour 16” features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Phil Weller, Victor Van Ommen, Jay Hampshire, Ben Fitts, Josh Nichols, Charlie Butler & Dominic Walsh 

ALBUM REVIEW: Bathsheba - "Servus"

By: Ben Fitts

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 24/02/2017

Label: Svart Records

The biggest strength of the album is its tactful and haunting use of atmosphere. This is achieved through the skilful use of dynamic contrast, organically unfolding transitions and changes in the timbre of the music, particularly in the playing of guitarist Dwight Goossens.  Tracks such as “Manifest” and “Demon” see Goossens change from chilling, ambient clean tones to rich, roaring fuzz tones that could satisfy even the hardest to please doom fans.

“Servus” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Conjuration Of Fire
2. Ain Soph
3. Manifest
4. Demon 13
5. The Sleepless Gods
6. I, At The End Of Everything

The Review:

It’s a very difficult feat to create something that is both bleak and immense, sparse yet enveloping. But that is exactly what Belgian doom quartet Bathsheba achieve on their debut full-length, “Servus”. Crawling tempos, smokey guitar tones, airily sinister vocals and thundering atmosphere define this album. One listen conjures images of ancient rituals performed by full moonlight, rotting, dusty tomes and a time when the world was still young, but so much darker.

The album’s opening track, “Of Fire” rumbles like a down-tuned earthquake, with an ominous but assuaging vocal line floating over the roar of the instruments. The most stoner-friendly track on the album, “Of Fire” builds to a climax of occult riffing and evil galore. “Servus” finds itself at its most blackened and fast-paced at the start of the next track, “Ain Soph”. However, at about a minute in, the track slows down to Bathsheba’s familiar tortoise pace as vocals significantly rougher than those found at the start of “Of Fire” join the clamour, and the ensemble is eventually joined by a surprisingly tasteful, spaced out saxophone.

 “Manifest” is the album’s longest number, and it spends over ten and a half minutes alternately wandering the cosmos and grooving on the most head banging, feel-good (relatively speaking) riffs to be found on the entire album. Following this lengthy, psychedelic exploration is what is perhaps the album’s standout track “Demon”. The track is loaded with malicious earworms of guitar riffs. These are the kind of doom riffs that are nothing but pure evil and embed themselves in your mind, the way an infectious pop song would.

The perfect soundtrack to performing Pagan magic appears on the following track, “The Sleepless Gods”. Ominous, surreal and ancient, “The Sleepless Gods” trudges through ringing fuzz and skin-crawling vocals, building to an aggressive groove, before returning to the track’s original mood for its conclusion. The album ends on the aptly named track, “I, At The End Of Everything”. Beginning like a bubbling cauldron, the track opens with bad dream atmospheres that gradually swell in intensity, building to the point of blood-curdling evil.

The biggest strength of the album is its tactful and haunting use of atmosphere. This is achieved through the skilful use of dynamic contrast, organically unfolding transitions and changes in the timbre of the music, particularly in the playing of guitarist Dwight Goossens.  Tracks such as “Manifest” and “Demon” see Goossens change from chilling, ambient clean tones to rich, roaring fuzz tones that could satisfy even the hardest to please doom fans. This diversity is matched in Michelle Nocon’s vocals, as she effortlessly navigates from ominous, witchy earcandy to raspy, hellish snarls, perhaps best exemplified on the album’s nearly eight and a half minute long closing track, “I, At The End Of Everything”.

“Servus” is available to buy/preorder here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

FFO: Serpentcult, Sardonis, Monarch, Death Penalty