Monday 21 December 2015

A Year in Review: The Death Metal Sonic 6 of 2015

By: Aaron Pickford




The Sludgelord’s ‘Sonic 6’ for 2015 is compiled based upon page views alone and calibrated into the list below, so check out the Death Metal “Sonic 6” for 2015 (full reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and total views since the date of publication are highlight in red). 

6). Necrowretch– “With Serpents Scourge” (405)

It would be fair to say that I loved this record as soon as I heard it- it is immediate, relentless and nasty in its delivery. Necrowretch have come up with a great album here. For death and black metal heads everywhere.


5). Entrails – “Obliteration” (546)

Entrails offer up riffs, style and atmosphere in spades. They also offer up song writing that is excellent and not often equalled in this genre. If you wish Entombed were still around in the form that they were in 1992, or yearn for a Dismember reformation then this album is a must. Hell, if you even once played Slaughter of The Soul and quite liked it then you should check this record out. It's superb.



4). Horrendous – “Anareta” (576)

There’s so much to enjoy and unpack as I listen to this album again and again, because every song offers a new wrinkle to the formula or another compositional element that most bands wouldn’t think to use. It’s so fucking rich and dense. To put a finer point on things, ‘Anareta’ is the sort of album that lifts death metal as a genre up.  It’s everything I could ask of a death metal album in 2015 and there’s virtually nothing in metal as a whole that’s in Horrendous’ league right now






3). Feral– “Where Dead Dreams Dwell” (677)


Maelstrom finisher “Succumb to Terror” is a suitably brutal end to this very strong album. If you are a fan of the Swe-death genre, this record is a must. It's relentlessly beautiful in its own grotesque and noisy way.




2). Obsequiae– “Aria of Vernal Tombs” (766)


Two key stylistic elements—both very different degrees of old—come together to form something new. It may not be made completely from scratch, but the vision required to make something like this happen deserves praise. Not to mention that purely from a songwriting standpoint this is one of the better albums of the year thus far. Even on that basis alone, ignoring its other admirable qualities, ‘Aria of Vernal Tombs’ warrants the strongest of recommendations.



1). Malevolent Creation – “Dead Man’s Path” (910)


‘Corporate Weaponry’ has blasts aplenty, along with some excellent lead work. It certainly ticks all the boxes: memorable title and thus chorus, breakdown section, time changes and a superb production. Fast and furious in the main, this is a fine example of where Malevolent Creation are at in 2015. Simply put, if you like any of the band's previous work, you will love this. If you enjoy death metal that is not too far into tech-territory, then this record is for you. Death metal, for death metal fans.


Reviews featured in this article were written by: Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson