By: Aaron Pickford
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| Alter Bridge
It is that time once again people to cast our minds
back, and digest the 16 albums that would become October’s most viewed albums
and form the basis for our sacrilegious ‘Sour 16’, the finest and most profane riffs around bundled
together into a premium sized sonic soufflé.
You
know the drill, each month; you the reader are unwittingly compiling a
list of the top 16 records that we featured in October, covering all genres of
metal. Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their
opinion about their favourite music. 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
is highlighted in red).
16). Headless Kross - "Projection I” (377)
15). Holy Serpent - "
All in all, “
14) Truckfighters - "V" (406)
All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current;
one that rocks effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes
Truckfighters continue to be strong.
13) Zaum – “Eidolon (423)
“What makes
Zaum’s music so intoxicating is the sheer density of their sound. Layers of
synths, sitars, flutes and who knows what else, build up to create a foundation
of all-encompassing drone for the bands epic compositions. Prepare to be transported to a higher realm.”
12). Various Artists - “Meantime (Redux)” (442)
Meantime
(Redux)” is a face-melting reinterpretation of what many consider Helmet’s
finest hour, it pulls off the tricky
balance of paying respectful tribute to a classic album while being an
excellent listen in its own right. Hopefully it will introduce long-term Helmet
fans to some exciting new bands and make any other people with their ears stuck
in the underground realise that Helmet were great all along.
11). Charred Wall of the Damned - "Creatures
Watching Over The Dead" (460)
Richard Christy
& Co have created something special with “Creatures Watching over the Dead.” It needs to be heard and talked about. This is metal with heart. Metal with soul. And most of all? Metal that’s larger than life.
10). Vermin Womb - "Decline" (541)
Vermin Womb
succinctly distill the essence of their sound into one word: “Violence”.
It is a grimly exhilarating ride, but an oppressive racket that is hard to resist.
09). Yawning Man - "Historical Graffiti" (563)
“Historical Graffiti” is a drug that calms the soul of the listener” 
08).
07). Black Tomb - "Black Tomb" (585)
06). Fistula - "The Shape of Doom to Cumm)))"
(612)
The Shape of
Doom to Cumm)))” is dripping with sardonic hatred for scenesters and fad chasers,
scrapping rusty barbed wire across the speakers as if to wound those who
listen. They bring the noise, the hate, and will tell you to your face if
there’s even a hint at being a douchebag.
05). Witchthroat Serpent - "Sang-Dragon" (640)
This is a
dominating record and something which the band can be sure will appeal to all
kinds of fans of stoner doom and sludge. Witchthroat Serpent have
left a deep scar in the genre and it will take a long time to heal with a
record so devastatingly heavy.
04). Watchtower - "Concepts
of Math: Book One" (781)
The guitars crunch, the vocals bite, and the
band chemistry shines through on each song, almost as if they know what each
other’s gonna do before they do it. A near perfect record, which for
Watchtower, is pretty much par for the course.
03). 40 Watt Sun – “Wider Than The Sky” (827)
Although the record may find itself on the
fringes of metal, the empathetic feelings
02). Asteroid - "III" (1716)
It is a hugely
diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship between the band, blending
all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band who are firmly on the rise to
the top and know exactly how to get there. One of the best releases of 2016
without a doubt.
1).
If you have any
interest in the more commercial end of the rock and metal spectrum i.e.
Metallica, Maiden, Soundgarden and so on then this album could be a fine intro
to the band. If you are a fan already you will enjoy this one immensely.
A
big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no
boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.
September’s “Sour 16” features reviews by: Richard Maw, Theron
Moore, Charlie Butler, Victor Van Ommen,
TJ Kliebhan, Jake Wallace, Hunter Young, Kat Hilton, Stiq & Jay Hampshire
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