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
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
