A Year in Review: The DIY Sonic 6 2015

By: Aaron Pickford

Everyone gravitates to a favourite genre and each has its own merit, therefore over the last week I thought it would be a good idea to highlight, “six of the best” releases of 2015 within our most popular genres.  But today for something a little different, we’re going to be focusing on bands who went out on their own and did things DIY, releasing their records independently.  So as we reflect upon an awesome year of music in 2015, we present the DIY “Sonic 6” for 2015.  

The Sludgelord’s ‘Sonic 6’ for 2015 is compiled based upon page views alone and calibrated into the list below, we will be presenting further lists during the lead up to Christmas, but for today roll up, kick back and Hail the riff!  (full reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and total views since the date of publication are highlight in red). 

6). Abrams – “Lust.Love.Loss” (358)

‘Blending spiky guitar lines reminiscent of These Arms Are Snakes, plenty of weird Cave In style effects, angular post-hardcore aggression and no-nonsense stoner riffing, Abrams have created a compelling and addictive listen here.’

5). Scientist – “10100||00101” (363)

Storming opener “The Singularity” distils the key elements of this record into five and a half minutes. Chittering harmonics give way to the sledgehammer impact of furious, frantic riffing moving into anthemic sludge and finishing with an epic post-metal flourish. Imagine the best bits of American Heritage, Clutch and ISIS delivered with the seismic impact of Mastodon’s “Remission”.  “1010II0101” is a pioneering piece of research at the cutting edge of riff technology that demands your attention.

4). Behold! The Monolith – “Architects of the Void” (375)

‘A collage of different styles and different ways of thinking how to manipulate heavy music in the best possible way, it spins off all over the place while you watch, centre stage, as the most brilliant mess of sounds and visions whirl around you like a metallic tornado.’

3). War Iron – “Precession of the Equinoxes” (527)

If you search for depravity strung out like a junkie, ‘Precession of the Equinoxes’ is waiting, door open, a fresh needle filled with a black substance in hand. Its one of the most solid albums from the blackened doom sector in quite some time, and if you're looking for something cranked to eleven, I think you'll find that this music is a bit slow for numbers. Crank the speakers, sit back, get loose, and let yourself be taken by the blackest riffs this side of hell.

2). Dreadnaught – “Bridging Realms” (546)

‘The cinematic scope of Dreadnought’s music sounds like it should take a small orchestra to perform it.’

1). Trials – “This Ruined World” (583)

This is superlative modern metal which mixes elements of thrash, death, traditional metal and comes up with something technical, progressive and accessible.

 

Reviews featured in this article were written by: Hunter Young, Charlie Butler, Richard Maw, Philip Weller

The Sludgelord 'Sour 16' for July 2015

Welcome to The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’. Each month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal, but predominately the best the doom, sludge, stoner-psychedelic genres have to offer.  Is it chart? Not really.  To put it simply, the ‘Sour 16’ are the records you guys have been most interested in over the last month and checking out on this page.

So here is the The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’ for July 2015, the 16 records you’re most looking forward too or are currently checking out.  Check em out, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records you may have overlooked.  

The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So without further ado, this is the ‘Sour 16’. So until next month, roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All review links, are held under the artwork. (Total views at the time of publication highlighted in orange)

16) = The Nepalese Temple Ball – ‘Arbor’ (245)

‘How this band is not a household name is beyond my comprehension, but this album should go some way to making sure that happens.’

Review

16) = Dreadnought – ‘Bridging Realms’ (245)

‘The cinematic scope of Dreadnought’s music sounds like it should take a small orchestra to perform it.’

Review

14). Plaguewielder  - ‘Chambers of Death’ (252)

‘Ominously named, and equally ominous with their execution, Plaguewielder has no real give to their sound, the first track, ‘Existence is Our Exile’, simply shreds against the walls of your mind, with the torturous vocals raking like the nails of the dead against the inside of your skull.’

Review

13). Vattnet Viskar – ‘Settler’ (254)

‘This record is DENSE! With a massively thick tone, these songs sonically envelop you in billowing oppressive textures’

Review

12). Freedom Hawk – ‘Into your Mind’ (263)

‘Overall a very strong album that holds strong throughout; immense riffs and licks, explosive drumming, engaging vocals and solid bass playing- it doesn’t get much better.’

Review

11). Hair of the Dog – ‘The Siren’s Song’ (284)

‘The tone of the record is undeniably loud and heavy, but incorporates an atmosphere which is vibrant, full of energy and represents a band with a very bright future indeed’.

Review

10). Abrams – ‘Lust.Love.Loss’ (294)

‘Blending spiky guitar lines reminiscent of These Arms Are Snakes, plenty of weird Cave In style effects, angular post-hardcore aggression and no-nonsense stoner riffing, Abrams have created a compelling and addictive listen here.’

Review

9). Tremonti – ‘Cauterize’ (304)

‘It is not metal like Celtic Frost, certainly, but it is as metallic as bands like Black Label Society for instance.’

Review

8). Fogg – ‘High Testament’ (311)

‘If you like your music with heavy riffs, fuzz pedals in overdrive and mixed with various styles, Fogg are worth checking out.

Review

7). Goya – ‘Obelisk‘(326)

'Obelisk' is, in all, a thinking man’s doom metal record; it keeps you on your toes, always remains untamed, delivering uppercuts with complete conviction just when you think you’ve sussed them out.’

Review

6). Khemmis – ‘Absolution’ (334)

‘From the opening riff of the album you can pretty much tell ‘Absolution’ is great. Laying somewhere between Pallbearer and perhaps a downtempo Ghost, Khemmis' first full-length is one of the best albums you will hear this year, Period!!’

Review

5). A Trust Unclean  - 'Reality Relinquished' (341)

‘The whole EP is so energetic, inspiration seems to bleed from every available crevice; here is a band basking in a creative flourish.

Review

4). Weeed – ‘Our Guru Brings us the Black Master Sabbath’ (343)

‘Be it in the album’s closing track or all the tracks preceding, Weeed has made a potential classic stoner rock album that draws from familiar elements of the genre and has enough experimentation to give them a sound of their own.’

Review

3). Sweet Cobra – ‘Earth’ (354)

'Earth' will sit nicely in any collection and would add some melodic relief in between the usual tipple of sludge, doom, death metal and black metal. Brilliant.’

Review

2). Alustrium – ‘A Tunnel  to Eden’ (409)

Listening to "A Tunnel to Eden" I get the feeling that this might be the album that "makes" this band

Review

1). Gorgoroth – ‘Instinctus Bestialis’ (411)

‘Technical and precise, this album at times has a subtle yet palpable progressive tinge…’

Review

This list features reviews by Heather Blewett, Chris Tedor, Chris Bull, Victor Van Ommen, Philip Weller, Brian Mclean, Kat Hilton, Charlie Butler, Steve Howe, Hunter Young, Richard Maw & James Harris

Dreadnought - 'Bridging Realms' (Album Review)

‘The cinematic scope of Dreadnought’s music sounds like it should take a small orchestra to perform it.’

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 11/08/2015

Label: Self Released

“Bridging Realms” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Ode To Ether
2). Odyssey
3). Minuet De Lune
4). Transpiration
5). Bridging Realms

Dreadnought is:

Kelly Schilling | Guitar, Flute, Clean and Harsh Vocals
Jordan Clancy | Drums, Alto/Tenor Saxophone
Kevin Handlon | Bass, Mandolin, Lyrics
Lauren Vieira | Keys, Clean Vocals.

Review:

It seems there’s something in the water in Denver bringing about some fine heavy music of late.  In recent months I’ve enjoyed awesome records by Wayfarer and In the Company of Serpents and now I can add Dreadnought’s “Bridging Realms” to that list.

Describing what Dreadnought do simply as heavy music is selling it short though. Over the course of the five lengthy compositions that make up the band’s second album they manage to weave together elements of folk, prog, post rock, metal and even a bit of funk to create a dense and rewarding musical voyage. There’s a baffling array of styles and moods on display here that somehow Dreadnought manage to harness into a cohesive whole, crafting a captivating and absorbing world of sound aided by a spacious production job.

The cinematic scope of Dreadnought’s music sounds like it should take a small orchestra to perform it. The fact that it’s produced by a mere four people flitting between various instruments with dual vocalists is pretty impressive. Opener “Ode to Ether” moves from droning sax and synths, through heavy sludgy riffs, taking in pastoral folky passages along the way. On top of this, vocals range from ethereal chants to guttural roars and everything in between. This sets the tone for the rest of the album with more metal influences creeping in track by track. “Odyssey” (truly worthy of the title) introduces ringing black metal guitars to the mix which are backed by frantic drumming bordering on blast beats by the climax of the title track.

Even though Dreadnought aren’t the first band to try and combine these genres, the way they do it is unique. It’s hard to make easy comparisons to other bands who sound similar, particularly any who manage to blend all of this together and make it sound epic without being overblown, moving effortlessly between disparate styles without ever sounding jarring. The prog and folk influence on the band could easily have led to them having a strong retro vibe but they’ve managed to avoid this and created something with a timeless feel.

“Bridging Realms” is a strong release by Dreadnought that exists in its own little universe. If you’re a fan of complex progressive music this will keep drawing you in for listen after listen.

 Words by: Charlie Butler

“Bridging Realms” is available here

For more information:

Listen: https://dreadnoughtdenver.bandcamp.com/

Like: https://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband