B y: Aaron Pickford
Let it be known fellow Sludgelordians,
as we enter meteorological summer the harsh reality is, the 2nd day of June is as bleak and it is cold, but
fear not, 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 should 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. So roll up, kick back, chug a
beer and Hail the riff! 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). Kvelertak – “Nattesferd” (305)
There’s
a lot to dig into with this new album, and plenty of ‘Nattesferd’ shows that
Kvelertak can step outside of their normal comfort zone and the results have
come up overwhelmingly positive. This album keeps the familiar, and adds new
wrinkles throughout, to keep the album from feeling like a rerun. ‘Nattersferd’
is an album from a band still at a creative peak.
15). Deadsmoke - “Deadsmoke” (328)
With
a metal buzz bordering upon scuzz, Deadsmoke comes crashing down like the
heavens themselves have cracked, riffing with almost metronomic precision to
let their sound boom down your ear canals. This record is guaranteed to
make your neighbors hate you.
14). Arcana 13 – “Danza Macabre” (330)
This
album is all about the groove, mixing swampy simplicity with killer vocal
hooks. The production is modern and clear, but without sounding overproduced.
The guitars are nicely fuzzed out, the bass is growling, and the drums sound
crisp and natural. Creepy keyboards and psychedelic sound effects
weave in the background, tying the album together and never letting you forget
that these are songs inspired by one thing: horror. Overall
I would go so far as to say “Danza Macabra” is a contender for the Sludgelord
list of top Doom releases of 2016
13). Ommadon – “Ommadon” (369)
Events
slowly unfold, occupying a compelling middle ground between the hypnotic amplifier
worship of Sunn O))) and the barely-moving leaden doom of Monarch!. Riffs
emerge from the gloom, shifting forms accented by gut-punching drums. If
immersion in deepest, darkest drone appeals, take a plunge in Ommadon’s well of
despair.
12). Sunnata – “Zorya” (372)
It’s
obvious from these five tracks that the Warsaw quartet are huge doom
fans and wear their influences on their sleeve. “Beasts of Prey” is a
monolithic blend of Sleep and Yob’s finest moments; heavy riffs and psychedelic
passages flowing into one another seamlessly. As “Zorya” progresses, the
mood becomes heavier and darker as the tempo slows towards a hypnotic
crawl, a potent marriage of killer riffs and sky-scraping ambition. It
may not be the most original release but few bands deliver heaviness on this
sweeping scale.
11). Desolate Pathway – “"Valley of the
King" & "Into The Realms" (380)
10). Battalions – “Nothing to Lose” (420)
Battalions
laces up their good shit kickers on “Nothing to Lose”, ready to walk into a
punk show, empty pool, construction site, whatever, and proceed to kick your
collective teeth in and throw you into a handy wall until you buy a shirt or
something, and rock the fuck out. This is heavy music, and QUALITY heavy music.
These guys have crafted something that should get your soul to wake up and take
notice. Get this album, and keep bands like this pumping up music to bother the
neighbours with.
09). Wrong – “Wrong” (435)
From
the first second to the last, Wrong maintain a constant flow of gold standard,
armour-piercing riffage and somehow manage to maintain this onslaught of barely
restrained energy with no let-up for 30 minutes, like The Melvins being forced
into playing at double speed, with a cattle prod. This is a flawless
debut from Wrong, an addictive adrenaline rush that’ll be lodged in your brain
for months to come. When the tunes are this good there is no alternative
but to surrender to the power of the riff.
08). King Buffalo - “Orion” (440)
King Buffalo’s music borrows as much vibe from All
Them Witches as it does the headspace that Colour Haze finds themselves in.
King Buffalo’s music is concise but it’s also psychedelic and free. Each note
is hit with diligence, the builds take their time to unfold and every moment of
these 45 minutes contributes something to the greater picture. “Drinking
from the River Rises” summarizes “Orion” neatly and therefore makes for a solid
conclusion to this very impressive debut
07). Conjurer – “I” (496)
Captivating
from start to finish, you will struggle to find a release this year that
pertains such a crushing sound. Their heaviness seems to come out of your
speakers and wrap itself around you. It tightens your chest and grips you, like
a boa constrictor.
06). SUMAC – “What One Becomes” (551)
The
fact is, this is a monolithic, multi-faceted, beast of an album. Rigid
Man” sees Sumac in familiar territory, relentless riffs raining down on the
listener like an armour plated Shellac playing Isis’ “Celestial”. The
band weave seamlessly between periods of crushing heaviness, fragile calm,
hypnotic repetition and mind-bending mathematical chaos and overall “What One
Becomes” sees Sumac taking all of their previous achievements as a foundation
and building something even bigger in their own unique vision. This album sees
Sumac really find their voice and deserves to see them mentioned in the same
breath as their forbears.
05). Victorian Whore Dogs - “Afternoonified” (552)
Victorian
Whore Dogs are one of the more underrated and exciting live bands currently
slogging away in the UK heavy music scene. They are an absolute
delight to behold. Their DIY ethics (this was self produced/recorded and will
be self released through their own Hibernacula Records) make other bands seem
lazy and clueless by comparison and with songs about masturbation (Murder
Boner), VWD deliver crushing grooves and swinging riffs with their tongues
planted firmly in their cheeks courtesy of front man Danny Page's twisted sense
of humour.
04). Sinister Haze – “Laid Low in the Dust of Death” (622)
“Laid
Low in the Dust of Death” is a monster of flaming slag dripping from the
fingers of one of the best bands going, they lay you low with riffs upon riffs,
Brilliant vocal setups, and production that will just destroy you. Sinister
Haze has nothing to be compared to, keeping it fresh and heavy no matter what
they are doing, and this album should rank in the top 5 of any list out there.
03). Gozu – “Revival” (736)
At their core, Gozu is a
bad ass American rock band. They’ve got heavy riffs in tow and bang out tunes
loud enough to piss off the neighbors. But Gozu is more than this. Gozu is a
songwriting machine, one that is able to churn out eight loud, hard hitting
compositions without sacrificing the meaning behind the songs or the
band. Gozu’s “Revival” is gruff and dirty when it needs to be just as
it’s swift and soulful when the time is right
02). Criminal - "Fear Itself" (1435)
Quite
simply, this is the best thrash record I have heard yet this year and may well
remain so. It edges towards death metal (in the same manner that the Seps'
early work does) but this is just vicious stuff. This type of album is why I
first started listening to thrash and extreme metal. The sound and the fury.
Dios mio! What a fantastic album from a band playing with fire and passion.
01). Blood Ceremony – “Lord of Misrule” (3060)
If
you are new to Blood Ceremony, this album is as fine a place to start as any.
If you have heard any of their previous albums and enjoyed them, your enjoyment
of this one is guaranteed. This is as good an example as any of a band looking
to the past both in terms of musical and folklore tradition to create
fantastical and occult inspired music.
A big thank you as always to our amazing writers,
your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful. May’s
“Sour 16”
features reviews by, Chris Bull, Philip
Weller, Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson, Victor Van Ommen, Charlie
Butler, Doza Hawes and Hunter Young
