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| 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
