TOP 16 ALBUMS: The Sour 16 (October 2017)

Allow yourself to indulge in a hefty dose of riffs, because it is time to present 16 of the best albums from September, it is time for your 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 HQ.

The results are compiled based on the amount of page views the reviews have received and are then 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 the red)

16). Belus - "Apophenia" (710)

“Apophenia” is a breathtaking experience, a challenging listen, and an auspicious first entry from one of the few bands with the audacity to experiment and the chops to pull it off.

15). Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – “Vol. 1” (Reissue) (744)

Imperfect though it may be, "Vol. 1" is a fascinating introduction to Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats' bold vision

14). Unsane - "Sterilize" (756)

 This is a flawless collection of bile-soaked missives that set the standard for riff-heavy, ugly noise rock in 2017

13). Gruntruck - "Gruntruck" (812)

Gruntruck straddles that line between heavy, melodic, and noisey, not afraid to venture into Pearl Jam territory when it feels like it, then take a hard left and land somewhere near the sound of Alice In Chains.  Listening to “Gruntruck”, I think I finally understand what grunge was about.  Sure it was a trend, but bands like this just wanted to rock.  And that’s what this record does. 

12). Wormwood - "Mooncurse" (892)

Wormwood's performance on "Mooncurse" is doom in the purest sense. Purposeful pacing and incredibly weighty riffs aplenty.  As you make your way to "Passage of Fire," Wormwood's greatest traits are on full display: an impeccable grasp of timing, dark musical sequences and undefeatable heaviness

11). Blackfinger - "When Colors Fade Away" (934)

I cannot find anything to fault here. Blackfinger have delivered nine tracks of trad doom with style and finesse. Eric Wagner has put his name to another excellent doom album and this is recommended to any fans of Trouble, The Skull, Saint Vitus, The Obsessed and so on out there

10). Sarke - "Viige Urh" (952)

“Viige Urh” ignites stronger than the incineration of flames; forcefully ascends high up to Valhalla— it is a projection of eternality, packed up in a form of eight tracks as ferocious as incendiaries. 

09). Merchant - "Beneath" (987)

If you’re a fan of heavy sludge, doom, and death/doom, I don’t see how you could possibly not dig this album. The production is amazing and the tone is ultra-heavy. The drums pound mercilessly, the bass hits like a 50 pound maul, and the vocals pull it all together perfectly. Give this a listen now.

08). Iron Monkey - "9-13" (1383)

"9-13" offers a shredding sludge attack and is a violent rejoinder of why Iron Monkey got its reputation as a doom/sludge vanguard. All these years later, Iron Monkey remains gritty and uncompromising. Predictions for a return were invariably high. "9-13" does not blow those expectations out of the water. Nor does Iron Monkey disappoint. For that, there's much to smile about.

07). Bell Witch - "Mirror Reaper" (1440)

With "Mirror Reaper," the music conveys the reflection back of life and of death; literally that the Grim Reaper is a facsimile of the cycle of life. As with anything Bell Witch, though, such a realization is not engaged with in a fashion that rips at the pain of loss or terror, but rather builds into a deeper, though no less excoriating, meditation on the passage of time

06). Stonebirds - "Time" (1510)

The group merges many influences into a package that still sounds true to the subgenre. Stonebirds is adept at exploring concepts in their music that make it even more intriguing. To put it simply, the trio is one of the Europe's more intriguing stoner/doom performers today. "Time," far exceeds expectations and situates Stonebirds as a band to keep an eye on.

05). Pänzer - "Fatal Command" (1738)

This is a similar beast to their debut- powerful but with melody, hard driving but never out and out thrash. If you are a fan of Priest, Hammerfall, Accept and of course Destruction, there will be plenty for you to enjoy here. Classic heavy metal with a modern stainless steel sheen.

04). Enslaved - ‘E’ (2045)

‘E’ could very well be the foundation for yet another great era in a discography that is already ludicrously loaded with top-tier albums.  It is a  shift made with finesse and the second half of “Storm Son” could be the basis for a whole new era of Enslaved on its own.

03). All Pigs Must Die - "Hostage Animal" (2179)

The riffs are ceaseless as Wentworth and Izzi vary from much faster chords into a war chorus of tonality. And the results are gripping at every second. It, like previous selections, is potent with APMD's militancy. Best of all, APMD made the wait well worth it.

02). Blut Aus Nord - "Deus Salutis Meae" (2381)

What is truly most evident is an extreme music group that will not be bound to definitions, or at least is willing to experiment to ascend beyond what we think we know of a genre.

01). Primitive Man - "Caustic" (2989)

"Caustic" is an ambitious project, among the band's longest and most complex to date. Like their past work, the group explores nihilism in sound that rivals some of the most hopeless metal you've heard. That unrelenting quicksand of guitars and bass is here, as are those vocals of your nightmares.  Primitive Man offer up some of its most excellent music to date, making this sprawling and charging full length worth the wait.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  October 2017’s “SOUR 16” features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Andre Almaraz, Mark Ambrose, Ernesto Aguilar, Daniel Jackson, Theron Moore, Charlie Bulter & Ralka Skjerseth

ALBUM REVIEW: Blut Aus Nord - "Deus Salutis Meae"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 27/10/ 2017

Label: Debemur Morti Productions

what is truly most evident is an extreme music group that will not be bound to definitions, or at least is willing to experiment to ascend beyond what we think we know of a genre.

"Deus Salutis Meae" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. δημιουργός

2. Chorea Macchabeorum

3. Impius

4. γνῶσις

5. Apostasis

6. Abisme

7. Revelatio

8. ἡσυχασμός

9. Ex tenebrae lucis

10. Métanoïa

The Review:

Black metal features a handful of longtime performers in its midst. Among them is France's Blut Aus Nord. Since 1995's "Ultima Thulee," the now-quartet have grown from a vehicle for vocalist Vindsval, who began the project as Vlad in 1993, into a fully realized band crafting some of the already adventurous black metal scene's more daring music.

Most notably, Blut Aus Nord's “777” trilogy of records, comprised primarily of works led solely by Vindsval, and its “Memoria Vetusta” trio of recordings wedged in between them, put forward the pensive detail for which the act is best known. Though its discography is a thread that carries on the tradition of first-wave black metal buried within its performances, the band is almost as a rule devoted to obliterating what you think of the subgenre. Its music is hard to categorize and virtually changes with every release. Sometimes loud and caustic, songs are equally at turns sweeping and cinematic. Consider its interlocking tracks from the 2016 split "Codex Obscura Nomina," where classical influences, which have frequently appeared in Blut Aus Nord's music, led the way through its four selections. If you are new to the group, this is music you are undoubtedly going to be pushed by, because this is a band that refuses to let you get comfortable, and instead keeps you focused on how songs, and in fact the arc of its performance progress.

As with anything Blut Aus Nord, you can't talk about "Deus Salutis Meae" on a track-by-track basis. Instead, you have to approach it as a complete work. As such, the French group's upcoming album is both a departure from its split with Ævangelist and "Memoria Vetusta III - Saturnian Poetry," its 2014 recording. That last full length saw Blut Aus Nord return to its roots – terse guitars, rangy bass and one of the best vocal efforts by Vindsval to date. Heavy in delivery while nimble in how it was performed, this particular effort was certainly hard, yet stayed beguiling in its tonality. Like previous albums, the listener was treated to a fresh experience that made it altogether creative. "Codex Obscura Nomina" was a complicated affair that divorced the old sound in favor of multi-layered effects, synthesizer and a moody, swirling mash. Brilliant on its own, this release's outcome took some by surprise. However, with "Deus Salutis Meae," you hear Blut Aus Nord constructing onto the foundations it made on the split the echoes of the classic black metal of "Memoria Vetusta III," into something that sounds futuristic and forward.

Take a song like "Impius" or even "Chorea Macchabeorum" where both, at first listen, sound like particularly good black metal, as can be said for "Apostasis," which was released as a preview track. On a second, third and fourth listen, it is apparent how breathtaking Blut Aus Nord's musicianship truly is. Its masterful percussion, pulsing bass, keys that add texture and vocals that set a mood, but never dominate the arrangement, are among the most stunning for black metal this year. Blut Aus Nord have always been masters of ambience, and the new album is no exception. The group creates a despairing atmosphere, divergent from the black metal methods of its past endeavors yet somehow not far out of that territory. It's already been said by critics that Blut Aus Nord may be veering more into a death metal or funeral doom direction here. You can hear that at turns, but what is truly most evident is an extreme music group that will not be bound to definitions, or at least is willing to experiment to ascend beyond what we think we know of a genre.

The existential joy for listeners, though, will be exploring the songs and concepts. For all its volume and flame, Blut Aus Nord has always been at its very heart an intellectual band. Its songs have always explored faith, humanity and the many shades of darkness therein. "Deus Salutis Meae," the album's title, roughly translates to "the god of my salvation." Let that sit with you as you take what is an accomplished recording, if ever there was one.

"Deus Salutis Meae" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 10/10/2014

Label: Debemur Morti Productions

‘Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry’ CD/LP/DD  track listing:

1). “Prelude”
2). “Paien”
3). “Tellus Mater”
4). “Forhist”
5). “Henosis”
6). “Metaphor Of The Moon”
7). “Clarissima Mundi Lumina”

Bio:

Originating in 1994 from the ashes of VLAD (who released two demos), BLUT AUS NORD are undisputable French Black Metal pioneers, always managing to progress and move forward, evolving in perpetual mutation, developing their own vision of Black Metal.

Choosing, from the start, the total opposite path of regressive bands (who copy what others have done ten years earlier and ten times better), BLUT AUS NORD eschews all the inherent clichés belonging to the genre. BLUT AUS NORD's Black Metal approach is a fist in the face of mainstream mediocrity, becoming more macabre and sinister through a blend of innovative musical research, subliminal mental manipulation, and an incredible haunted, nightmarish feeling based on disharmony.

BLUT AUS NORD are creators of a hallucinogenic universe, erasing all preconceived ideas of Black Metal - and extreme music in general. They redefine the rules...

The Band:

Vindsval | Guitars, Bass, Keys, Vocals

Thorns | Drums

Review:

In the last 8 years, Blut Aus Nord has released 7 full length albums and 4 EPs. Let that sink in for a moment. That is, unquestionably, too much material for any band to release and not see a dip in quality. Blut Aus Nord isn’t immune to it. The last two of the three ‘777’ albums aren’t anything I’ll go back to listen to very often, as they feel under-cooked, even when giving them another listen once I knew this album was imminent. Just counting 2014 they've had three releases: an EP, a split and now ‘Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry’. Despite being lukewarm on some of their more recent material, the history and high quality of the previous ‘Memoria Vetusta’ albums was enough to raise my expectations for this new album. Along with 2003’s ‘The Work Which Transforms God’; the previous two ‘Memoria Vetusta’ albums are the band’s best work to date.

Blut Aus Nord are at their strongest when delving into one of two musical themes: twisting dissonant black metal and melodic black metal that is broad in scope. ‘Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry’ is a stunning example of the latter. It accomplishes something that so many of the best melodic black metal albums of the 90s accomplished; it gives you an escape into an imagined musical world. Each song is an adventure across vast landscapes; a far-reaching sonic journey with the vocals often acting more as an accent and texture rather than narrator or focal point. That isn’t a slight against the vocals. In fact, they’re often vital to the moments they’re a part of, particularly the clean vocals. Every element of this album works to, and succeeds at; creating something greater than each individual performance, and that goes for the non-musical elements as well.

Artwork is too often marginalised or even neglected by bands when it comes to its role in establishing the tone of an album for the listener. I can only speculate as to the creative process behind the artwork, but Necrolord’s artwork for this album is on par with his best 90s work, without question. It gives visual life to the fantastical ancient world to which the album is the soundtrack. It’s the sort of artwork that immediately communicates that the album is a classic. Certainly, there have been albums with artwork of this caliber but the album doesn’t really live up to the promise of its packaging, but we are truly getting the best of both worlds here. 15 years ago, with music not being so easily accessible, this would have been a blind buy, even if I’d never heard Blut Aus Nord previously.

What of the music, then? It’s pure melodic black metal bliss from top to bottom. There aren’t any weak points and each new listen–and there have been many–yields something new or exciting. It helps immensely that Blut Aus Nord have never sounded this good from a production standpoint; everything sounds powerful with room to breathe. The riffs are an upward spiral, like some wondrous and brilliant tornado building to larger and grander proportions the higher you travel. If you don’t go in for that sort of frivolous word-painting, here’s something we can all go along with: It fucking rules! These songs are crafted with care from people at the height of their abilities. If you’re a beer lover; it’s the one that you only pick up a few times a year because it hits your pocketbook so hard.

It should come as no shock, with all of this in mind, that ‘Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry’ comes with my highest recommendation. It may even be the best album of the year when all is said and done. My gut instinct on the album is that it stands above even the best of a crowded field, but only time can really answer that question.

Words by: Daniel Jackson

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://www.facebook.com/blutausnord.official

http://www.debemur-morti.com

http://www.facebook.com/debemurmorti

http://dmp666.bandcamp.com

http://soundcloud.com/debemurmorti

http://www.youtube.com/user/debemurmortiprod