TOP 16 ALBUMS: THE SLUDGELORD'S SOUR 16 (August / September 2018)

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

You know the drill by now, every couple of months you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top16 records, 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 brackets)

16). Craft, “White Noise and Black Light” (387)

15). Clutch, “Book of Bad Decisions” (399)

14). Satan, “Cruel Magic” (425)

13). 1968, “Ballads of the Godless” (437)

12). Organ Dealer/Nerve Grind/Invertebrate, “Split” (442)

11). Allfather, “And All Will Be Desolation” (481)

10). Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters, “Come & Chutney” (503)

9). Brant Bjork, “Mankind Woman” (549)

8). Forming The Void, “Rift” (550)

7). Sumac, “Love in Shadow” (662)

6). Thou, “Magus” (791)

5). The Secret, “Lux Tenebris” (1100)

4). Kurokuma, “Dope Rider” (1272)

3). Conan, “Existential Void Guardian” (1910)

2). Famye, “Famyne” (2561)

1). KEN mode, “Loved” (2776)

REVIEW: The Secret, "Lux Tenebris" EP

By: Chris Bull

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 31/08/2018

Label: Southern Lord Recordings

“Lux Tenebris” is absolutely terrifying in its delivery and atmosphere, by the time the slower riff of “Cupio Dissolvi’ cascades into the ether, you’ll begin to wonder whether you’ve listened to an EP or been sacrificed to a dark entity.

“Lux Tenebris” DD//LP track listing:

1). Vertigo

2). The Sorrowful Void

3). Cupio Dissolvi

The Review:

Italians The Secret are a band that are difficult to pigeonhole. Equal parts blackened hardcore, sludgy crust and nihilistic grind, with a pinch of apocalyptic doom for good measure, they seem to get heavier...and indeed better, with each new release. So it comes as no surprise that ‘Lux Tenebris’ the new 3 track EP is a maelstrom of hell fire and fury.

From the slow build of 'Vertigo' with its evil melodies penetrating the methodical black magic ceremony within, it switches gears as it struggles to contain the raging beast that is 'The Sorrowful Void'. Absolutely terrifying in its delivery and atmosphere, the track takes no prisoners and the blastbeat halfway through is almost a respite from the oppressive nature of the music.

Closer ‘Cupio Dissolvi’ is probably the blackest and nastiest the band have ever sounded; the tremolo riffs, blasts and d-beats create a magnanimous and utterly filthy piece of music that stands out among this year’s releases. By the time the slower riff cascades into the ether, you’ll begin to wonder whether you’ve listened to an EP or been sacrificed to a dark entity.

“Lux Tenebris” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Hierophant - "Mass Grave"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 04/11/2016

Label: Season of Mist

Hierophant can make a strong claim for angriest LP of 2016 with “Mass Grave”. The Italian wrecking crew have created a concentrated ball of molten rage and fury that will level everything its path.  This is a gloriously ugly racket that makes a suitable soundtrack for the current state of the world.

“Mass Grave” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Hymn of Perdition
2. Execution of Mankind
3. Forever Crucified
4. Mass Grave
5. Crematorium
6. In Decay
7. Sentenced to Death
8. Hierophant
9. Trauma
10. Eternal Void

The Review:

Hierophant can make a strong claim for angriest LP of 2016 with “Mass Grave”. The Italian wrecking crew have created a concentrated ball of molten rage and fury that will level everything its path

“Hymn of Perdition” establishes an air of grim anticipation with a cloud of ominous drone and dark samples. The mood is soon shattered by the 39 second piledriver that is “Execution of Mankind”. A fearsome hybrid of grindcore and death metal, drowning under a river of sludge, it’s a succinct distillation of Hierophant’s sound.

There is no let-up in intensity during the course of “Mass Grave” but the variations in attack make the onslaught all the more compelling. The title track sees the band easing up slightly on the throttle to allow elements of doomy grandeur to seep into the foreground. “Sentenced To Death” sees the tempo almost grind to a halt, a sickening chug that sees Hierophant’s sludgy tendencies given free reign.

Most punishing of all is “Eternal Void” which provides a skull-crushing finale to the album. Built around an insistent, sledgehammer riff that opens and closes the track, it is a breathless assault on the senses. There is a brief pause for breath midway through but this only serves to magnify the building-levelling power of the subsequent devastation. 

“Mass Grave” is a short but far from sweet statement from Hierophant. This is a gloriously ugly racket that makes a suitable soundtrack for the current state of the world.

“Mass Grave” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

FFO: The Secret, Celeste, All Pigs Must Die, Abaton

ALBUM REVIEW: Trap Them - "Crown Feral"

By: Conor O’Dea

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/09/2016

Label: Prosthetic Records

...the tracks that are strong, like “Hellionaires” and “Revival Spines” in particular, really need to be considered the best stuff Trap Them has ever written. And while opening track “Kindred Dirt” didn't immerse me in the album in the way I'd hoped, by the time we reach “Twitching in the Auras”, there can be no doubt that Trap Them have made a definitive and impressive move forward on all fronts.  The sound is overall excellent. Lyrics are angry and powerful and riffs are deep and plentiful. Strongly recommend, and an excellent reason to continue to follow this excellent band closely.

‘Crown Feral CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). “Kindred Dirt”
2). “Hellionaires”
3). “Prodigala”
4). “Luster Pendulums”
5). “Malengines Here, Where They Should Be”
6). “Speak Nigh”
7). “Twitching In The Auras”
8). “Revival Spines”
9). “Stray Of The Tongue”
10). “Phantom Air”

The Review:

There's an overvaluation of novelty and groundbreaking composition in music criticism, and metal reviewers in particular seem prone to this unfortunate default. While the avoidance of derivative work is obviously important, music is always composed with historicity and within a continuum; 'truly new' would de facto be unrecognizable as music, let alone as an example of a genre. Trap Them do not fall into the category of relentless reinvention nor of mind-shattering novelty, but what they have done, persistently and doggedly, is carefully reinvent their sound, reconsidering both paths they have already crossed and staking out roads they wish to follow. “Crown Feral” represents a substantial and strong instance of that continued process of reinvention. While not necessarily a pinnacle moment for the band, the album is an important and recognizable evolution of sound.

By my measure, Trap Them's identity as a band first coalesced in “Darker Handcraft”. While “Sleepwell Deconstructor” and “Seizures” both clearly set the belligerent tone and forceful energy of the group, it's really with their third full-length that we see a concrete approach and sound emerge. “..Handcraft” is solid, angry and driving, deeply rooted in crust and grind subgenre inspirations, but bringing that HM-2 sound to the fore that sets the band apart from its peers.  While 2014's “Blissfucker” has taken a shit load of criticism as a misstep, it represents some serious revamping, experimenting and rethinking by the band. Successful? Not always, but definitely commendable and a reminder to the hesitant that sometimes breaking something down allows it to be better rebuilt. Which brings us to “Crown Feral”.

“Crown Feral” is not just a good course correction for some of the experiments that didn't really work on “Blissfucker”, but one that manages to push the band beyond the earlier sound of “Darker Handcraft”. Some 'duller' moments, but fuck, the tracks that are strong, like “Hellionaires” and “Revival Spines” in particular, really need to be considered the best stuff Trap Them has ever written. And while opening track “Kindred Dirt” didn't immerse me in the album in the way I'd hoped, by the time we reach “Twitching in the Auras”, there can be no doubt that Trap Them have made a definitive and impressive move forward on all fronts.

Originally when drafting this review , my sense was that it was a strong, slightly uneven album in which the unevenness comes mainly from the fact that some songs are in the 'pretty good' range while the best tracks hit mind=blown level of just excellent. Upon reflection, what I think I am hearing is a band that is still growing and developing and hasn't quite settled into this more mature evolution; a collection of good and great songs that doesn't quite meet the mark of an excellent album.

Production is a bit brickwalled, and can get tiring, but the sound is overall excellent. Lyrics are angry and powerful and riffs are deep and plentiful. Strongly recommend, and an excellent reason to continue to follow this excellent band closely.

‘Crown Feral is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

RIYL: Black Breath, Nails, The Secret, Rotten Sound

SONG PREMIERE: "Disgrace" by Implore

Implore has toured restlessly since the release of their first LP “Depopulation” review here (Pelagic Records 2015) with more than 100 shows performed in Europe and Russia increasing this trios reputation and making the underground scene sit up and take notice

On September 11th, Implore will release a new 7” called “Thanatos”, named after the Greek mythology demon, which is the personification of the death. In addition before the end of the year, the band will tour South America for the very first time, visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. A month long tour that will undoubtedly help increase their followers with South America having  one of the most loyal and passionate audiences in the world.

New guitar player Petro Manel commented upon their forthcoming release

“Thanatos is like a deep breath of fresh air for Implore's sound. It keeps the essence of the brutality in “Depopulation” adding some new details that bring the songs to a new level. The five tracks in this new EP are full of anger and hate, experimenting with new structures, riffs, and vocal lines, keeping the straight-to-the-point philosophy that makes this new 7" a short and intense one”.

So if you’re a fan of Napalm Death, Nasum, Black Breath, you will certainly not wanna miss this release via Wooaaargh which you can preorder here.  You can also check out the track “Disgrace” which are streaming in full below

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

The Sludgelord Video Premiere - Italian crust/black metallers Rest present "I"

Formed in 2014, by guitar player Alessandro Coos (already active with the post-black metal band ASHES OF NOWHERE), Rest is a crust/blackmetal project  merging together the simplicity of crust music and the dark side of black metal.

With a solid line up secure, Rest would record their first tracks in August 2015 at Inferi Studio, to produce an EP that is a punch in the stomach for all fans of All Pigs Must Die and The Secret, these tracks offer no compromise crust blackened hardcore and today, we can exclusively reveal the first single “I”

If you like what you hear, you can pre-order the EP through the Third I Rex bandcamp page here !

Band info: facebook

Implore - "Depopulation" (Album Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 04/09/2015

Label: Pelagic Records

“Depopulation” works particularly well due to the variety of tempos employed throughout the record. Implore never let up on the volume and distortion front, but the transitions between pummelling blastbeats and mid-paced grooves really work well.  There are enough interesting touches here to make Implore stand out from their peers without compromising on aggression and attack. This is a strong debut that hints at an interesting future ahead.

“Depopulation” CD//DD//LP track listing:  

1). Epicyte/Parasite

2). Sentenced

3). Thousand Generations

4). Homo-Consumens

5). Hegelian Dialectic

6). Cadaves on Parade

7). Hoax

8). Anthropocentric Selfishness

9). Iscariote

10). Neo Luddite

11). Ruthless Conspiracy

12). Bohemian Grove

13). Intrincated Scapegoat

14). Inexorable Malignancy

The Review:

Implore certainly don’t mess around on their debut full-length. The Hamburg-based trio furiously blaze through 14 tracks in half an hour on “Depopulation”.

The band deal in a raging yet compelling blend of crust and grind with a death metal edge. Implore take the filthy, buzzing guitar tone of Trap Them and Black Breath and meld this to the frantic velocity of the likes of Nasum. There are also occasional touches of anthemic melody reminiscent of At The Gates’ “Slaughter of the Soul”, particularly on “Anthropocentric Selfishness”.

“Depopulation” works particularly well due to the variety of tempos employed throughout the record. Implore never let up on the volume and distortion front, but the transitions between pummelling blastbeats and mid-paced grooves really work well. Opener “Epicyte Parasite” is a good example of this, building up the riffs and intensity for a couple of minutes before fully letting rip with a glorious howl. Instrumentals “Hegelian Dialectic” and “Ruthless Conspiracy” also add a further dimension. Both deliver crushing, sludgy riffs offering respite from the velocity elsewhere but no escape from the brutality.

Pelagic Records, run by Robin Staps of post-metal collective The Ocean, initially seems like an odd home for Implore. After a few listens to “Depopulation” it all seems to make sense though. There are enough interesting touches here to make Implore stand out from their peers without compromising on aggression and attack. This is a strong debut that hints at an interesting future ahead for Implore.  

“Depopulation” is available here

FFO: Black Breath, Trap Them, The Secret, Rotten Sound

Band info: facebook | bandcamp

This Gift Is A Curse - "All Hail The Swinelord" (Album Review)

By: Chris Bull

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/10/2015

Label: Season of Mist

It's very difficult to describe the music on this; such is the profound effect it's had. Think Nails with Black Metal and Sludge influences and you'd be on the right track. I can envisage a few end of year lists needing readjustment after hearing this. A future classic? Time will tell.

“All Hail The Swinelord” CD//DD//LP

1. Swinelord
2. New Temples
3. Rites
4. XI: For I Am The Fire
5. Hanging Feet
6. Old Lies
7. We Use Your Dead As Vessels
8. Askrådare

This Gift is a Curse is:

Jonas A. Holmberg | vocals
Lars Gunnarsson | bass
Johan Nordlund | drums
Patrik Andersson | guitars & vocals

The Review:

This Gift Is A Curse have just blown my mind, so excuse me while I try to gather some coherent thought to appropriately review this thing.

An overwhelming atmospheric weight seems to be forcing the walls in. Angular stabs of distortion swarm like flies around an abandoned cadaver. Screams and shrieks echo and warn of peril, like prophetic crows gathering. Furious hordes of undead mercenaries tear at flesh and bone, sparing no one. Molten lava spews vehemently from cracks in the earth, destroying cities and villages in seconds. Angels with clipped wings scream supersonically among the wreckage, their eyes streaming bloody tears. Holy men denounce their faiths and open their veins. Mountains crumble and seas overflow. You take a deep breath as you stare death in its unfathomable abyss, and then you close your eyes. And blink. Could it have all been a dream or was it a premonition? Then, out the corner of your eye, you notice a crow...and then another...

It's very difficult to describe the music on this; such is the profound effect it's had. Think Nails with Black Metal and Sludge influences and you'd be on the right track. I can envisage a few end of year lists needing readjustment after hearing this. A future classic? Time will tell.

“All Hail The Swinelord” is available here

FFO: Celeste, Hexis, The Secret, Coffinworm

Band info: facebook | bandcamp

The Secret - 'Agnus Dei' (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 5/11/2012

Label: Southern Lord

After the feedback gives way to the opening riff, the listener will be struck with how listenable yet brutal the production is here. The sound is airy, in the best possible way, but paradoxically opaque at the same time. Blast beats mix with straight up thrash. There are nice riffs and chord progressions as the fills come in on the kit thick and fast. If you are a fan of bands such as Dissection, Darkthrone (early), The Rotted and even doom like Cathedral then I strongly recommend that you pick this release up- it would make an essential addition to your collection.

‘Agnes Dei’ CD//DD//LP track Listing

1) Agnus Dei (3:00)
2) May God Damn All Of Us (1:19)
3) Violent Infection (1:05)
4) Geometric Power (2:42)
5) Post Mortem Nihil Est (2:35)
6) Daily Lies (0:55)
7) Love Your Enemy (2:29)
8) Vermin of dust (3:44)
9) Darkness I Became (3:33)
10) Heretic Temple (5:14)
11) The Bottomless Pit (1:48)
12) Obscure Dogma (1:37))
13) Seven Billion Graves (13:33)

The Secret is:

Michael Bertoldini | Guitar
Marco Coslovich | Vocals
Lorenzo Gulminelli | Bass Guitar
Tommaso Corte | Drums

The Review

The Southern Lord Record label has brought many acts to the attention of discerning heavy music fans over the years. The label's progression to encompassing a good deal of extreme music's leading lights (not just doom bands any more) is well known. Few on the label's roster have been anywhere near as brutal as the Italian blackened/thrash/grind/crust troupe The Secret. If you haven't heard the band before and “Agnus Dei” is your introduction, then from the opening notes of the title track you will know what awaits you: unrestrained darkness and brutality.

After the feedback gives way to the opening riff, the listener will be struck with how listenable yet brutal the production is here. The sound is airy, in the best possible way, but paradoxically opaque at the same time. Blast beats mix with straight up thrash. There are nice riffs and chord progressions as the fills come in on the kit thick and fast. “May God Damn All Of Us” continues the aural slaughter with some nice time changes before the track sees the first minute out. The vocals are as black as pitch and fit the sound perfectly. If you want a reference point for this record, think classic Dissection- it's that bleak.

“Violent Infection” will prove the previous paragraph's closing point in fine style- blast beats, nice phrasing on the cymbals and a grindcore sensibility that keeps the songs concise and straight to the point. “Geometric Power” gives us discordant riffing over thrash rhythms and the kind of creeping musicality that imbues the best black metal. “Post Mortem Nihilist Est” starts with an almost stoner/doom groove and then continues over the course of its two and half minutes to include a black metal feel over this most unlikely of tempos- superb!

“Daily Lies” clocks in at under one minute of grinding fury; a pure adrenaline shot that serves a gateway into the second half of the album. “Love Your Enemy” clocks in at over the two and a half minute mark bringing an oddly Motorhead-ish type feel due to the drum and bass foundations that the guitars build on. Just before the one minute and thirty seconds mark the track stops on a dime to slow to a nasty sludge section then picks the pace right back up. “Vermin Of Dust” presents us with one of the albums longer tracks and another more stoner/doom type groove before half timing the pace and then changing back. 

“Darkness I Became” presents more time changes and a solid structure with enough twists and turns to keep the listener guessing throughout.  “Heretic Temple” is positively doomy and maybe even bleaker than what has gone before with a longer running time to match its slower pace. The whole record comes in at less than 45mins- sticking to the mostly forgotten rule that an album should fill one half of a blank TDK D90, but no more than that. “The Bottomless Pit” ups the tempo with more furious blasts and thrashing. “Obscure Dogma” opens with a dramatic riff and then accelerates to warp speed in the blink of an eye. “Seven Billion Graves” follows to close out the album. Its thirteen minutes and thirty three seconds running time should not put listeners off- the bulk of the track is as concise and focused as what has gone before. After an initial end there is silence broken by fetid blackened riffing and shrieking vocals to excellent effect that makes for a memorable closing to the record.

The record flies by, truth be told- in part due to the well timed running length (even allowing for the gargantuan last track) but also due to the breadth of material on offer here. Each song fits in well with the album having a unified feel fed by that intangible “vibe” factor. If you are a fan of bands such as Dissection, Darkthrone (early), The Rotted and even doom like Cathedral then I strongly recommend that you pick this release up- it would make an essential addition to your collection.

You can purchase CD/Vinyl direct from Southern Lord here or most good stockists. 

FFO: Dissection, Darkthrone, The Rotted, Cathedral

Band info: Big Cartel Facebook Southern lord Twitter