TOP 16 MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF 2018 SO FAR.... THE SOUR 16 (JAN - JULY 2018)

It has been hectic 2018 to say the least, so forgive me readers for I have sinned, it has been 6 months since our last SOUR 16, and our usual presentation of the 16 most popular albums of the month.  So given that I have failed to deliver the chart for the last six month, I’ve decided to present not only the most albums of the 7 months , but also the individual charts for the months you missed.  So by my reckoning that 112 albums for you to check out.  So apologises normal services is resumed, here is our TOP 16  MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF 2018 SO FAR and the SOUR 16(JAN - JULY 2018)

Here’s a quick recap, 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. (Total views are highlighted in brackets)

16). Black Label Society, “Grimmest Hits” (2134)

15). Tribulation, “Down Below” (2249)

14). Harakiri for the Sky, “Arson” (2504)

   
13). Phantom Winter, “Into Dark Science”(2532)

12). Fu Manchu, “Clone of the Universe” (2657)

 
11). Verheerer, “Maltrer” (3504)

   
10). Somali Yacht Club, “The Sea” (3651)

   
9). Witchcryer, “Cry Witch” (3884)

   
8). Earthless, “Black Heaven” (4071)

7). Monster Magnet, “Mindfucker”(4744)

6). Forktail, “Forktail” (5194)

5). Sleep, “The Sciences” (5931)

4). Hooded Menace, “Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” (5924)

   
3). Winterfylleth, “The Hallowing of Heirdom” (9958)

   
2). Amorphis, “Queen of Time” (15574)

1). Wolftooth, “Wolftooth” (19820)

June/July 2018

16). Aseethe / Snow Burial, “Split” (413)

15). Witchsorrow, “Hexenhammer” (415) 

14). Drug Cult, Drug Cult” (451)

13). Witch Mountain, “Witch Mountain” (463)

12). Grave Lines, “Fed Into The Nihilist Engine” (503)

11). Uniform & The Body, “Mental Wounds Not Healing” (517)

10). Smock, “Interstellar Nobody” (520)

9). Wytchhazel, “II: Sojourn” (535)

8). Yob, “Our Raw Heart” (649)

7). Tomb Warden, “Reflection of the Mistake” (690)

6). Dopethrone, “Transcanadian Anger” (702)

5). Acid Priest, “Drop Out” (771)

4). Orange Goblin, “The Wolf Bites Back” (1097)

3). Cult of Occult, “Anti-Life” (1129)

2). Churchburn, “None Shall Live...The Hymns of Misery” (1305)

1). Bongripper, “Terminal” (1963)

May 2018

16). Tunguska Mammoth, “Breathless”(465)

15). Garganjua, “Through The Void” (477)

14). Mol, “Jord” (500)

13). Behemoth, “Messe Noire” (521)

12). Skinless, “Savagery” (580)

11). Cist, “The Frozen Casket” (581)

10). Iron Void, “Excalibur” (615)

9). Bong, “Thought & Existence” (709)

8). Wychhound, “Earth Orbiter” (730)

7). Chrch, “The Light Will Consume Us” (847)

6). Barst, “The Endeavour” (909)

5). LLNN, “Deads” (942)

4). Morag Tong, “Last Knell of Om” (997)

3). Nibiru, “Netrayoni” (2018) (1040)

2). Speedclaw, “Beast In The Mix” (1123)

1). Amorphis, “Queen of Time” (15574)

April 2010

16). Vomitor, “Pestilent Death” (428)

15). Boss Keloid, “Melted on the Inch” (438)

14). My Silent Wake, “There Was Death” 510)

13). Beneath Oblivion, “The Wayward & The Lost” (537)

12). Conjurer, “Mire”(565)

11). Will Haven, “Muerte”(610)

10).Foehammer, “Second Sight” (641)

9). Judas Priest, “Firepower”(721)

8). Hashteroid, “Hashteroid” (975)

7). Lychgate, “The Contagion in Nine Steps” (1000)

6). Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard & Slomatics, “Totems” (1084)

5). Eagle Twin, “The Thundering Heard” (1090)

4). Ulvesang, “The Hunt”(1189)

3). Aerosol Jesus, “Failure”(1444)

2). Sleep, “The Sciences”(5931)

1). Winterfylleth, “The Hallowing of Heirdom” (9958)

March 2018

16). Vile Creature, “Cast of Static & Smoke” (498)

15). Blheg, “Solarmegin” (527)

14). Dead Empires, “Designed To Disappear” (598)

13). Ilsa, “Corpse Fortress” (617)

12). Mournful Congregation, “The Incubus of Karma” (668)

11). Hemelbestormer, “A Ring of Blue Light” (683)

10). Solleme, “The Infinite Violence” (888)

9). Rivers of Nihil, “Where Owls Know My Name” (969)

8). Leechfeast, “Neon Crosses”(1053)

7). Ministry, “AmeriKKKant”(1210)

6).Blaze Bayley, “The Redemption of William Black (Infinite Entanglement Part III)” (1308)

5). Coilguns, “Millenials”(1437)

4). Ancst, “Ghosts of the Timeless Void” (1727)

3). Earthless, “Black Heaven” (4071)

2). Monster Magnet, “Mindfucker”(4744)

1). Forktail, “Forktail” (5194)

February 2018

16). Marriage + Cancer, “Marriage + Cancer” (763)

15). Cultus Profano, “Sacramentum Obscurus” (845)

14). Lowered, “Lowered“(890)

13). Oryx, “Stolen Absolution” (897)

12). Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, “Choosing Mental Illness Is A Virtue” (926)

11). Green Lung, “Free The Witch” (962)

10). Mammoth Grinder, “Cosmic Crypt” (1264)

9). Keiji Haino & Sumac, “American Dollar Bill - Keep Facing Sideways, You're Too Hideous To Look At Face On” (1336)

8). Necrophobic, “Mark of the Necrogram” (1394)

7). Windhand / Satan’s Satyrs, “Self Titled”Split (1431)

6). Against The Grain, “Cheated Death” (1507)

5). Visigoth, “Conquerer’s Oath” (1709)

4). Harakiri for the Sky, “Arson” (2504)

3). Phantom Winter, “Into Dark Science” (2532)            

2). Fu Manchu, Clone of the Universe” (2657)

1). Verheerer, “Maltrer” (3504)

January 2018

16). Greber, “Cemetary Preston” (731)

15). Corrosion of Conformity, “No Cross No Crown” (751)

14). Greyfell, “Horsepower”(786)

13). Agrimonia, “Awaken” (805)

12). Haunt, “Luminous Eyes” (EP) (826))

11). Possessor, “The Ripper” (872)

10). Come to Grief / Fistula & Fistula / (16) Splits (946)

9). Druid Lord, “Grotesque Offerings” (956)

8. Watain, “Trident Wolf Eclipse” (999)

7). King Buffalo, “Repeater”(1397)

6). Black Label Society, “Grimmest Hits” (1665)

5). Wolftooth, “Wolftooth” (1723)

4). Tribulation, “Down Below” (2047)

3). Somali Yacht Club, “The Sea” (2388)

2). Witchcryer, “Cry Witch” (3676)

1). Hooded Menace, “Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” (5646)

ALBUM REVIEW: Amorphis, "Queen of Time"

By: Nathan Harrison

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 18/05/2018

Label: Nuclear Blast

it is a near perfect melding of death metal, folk, prog, hard rock, orchestral and choral music and a number of other elements which mean that no song stands still for long yet every fleeting, tiny moment of each one has impact

“Queen of Time” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. The Bee (5:30)

2. Message In The Amber (6:44)

3. Daughter Of Hate (6:20)

4. The Golden Elk (6:22)

5. Wrong Direction (5:09)

6. Heart Of The Giant (6:32)

7. We Accursed (4:59)

8. Grain Of Sand (4:44)

9. Amongst Stars (4:50)

10. Pyres On The Coast (6:19)

The Review:

From their death metal beginnings 25 years ago, Amorphis have slowly progressed further and further towards a more melodic sound, which culminated in their quite frankly stunning 2015 release “Under the Red Cloud”. That album was centred around an entirely epic feel, catchy guitar riffs and choruses that couldn’t help but elicit huge singalongs on the tour that followed. With their latest album, “Queen of Time”, this approach has been altered slightly. All of the above is intact, but it has been added into a much richer, more complex mix with a heavier focus on synths and, for the first time in the band’s history, the use of a choir and orchestra. Needless to say, all of this combined leads to an engaging and varied record which reveals more and more secrets with every listen, as any good progressive release should.

Opening the album in style is ‘The Bee’, which immediately signals the band’s desire to do something a little different to “Under the Red Cloud” – whereas the latter opened with a haunting piano refrain, this newest effort begins with heavy synths which slam into an even heavier riff. Throughout the track the synths and guitars constantly intertwine as vocalist Tomi Joutsen veers sharply from powerful, deep death growls which could tear the head off a bear, to tender mournful clean lines which show off his rich, clear tone which, cutting across even the most thunderous moments throughout the album.

‘Message in the Amber’deftly introduces sounds that wouldn’t be out of place on a Jethro Tull song, with a folky, thoroughly 70s English prog riff standing out wonderfully. ‘Daughter of Hate’ takes things in a darker but still mind-bending direction, with black metal screams and dissonant guitars somehow working exceptionally well in the same track as a saxophone solo and a spoken word section courtesy of the grizzled sounding Pekka Kainulainen, the band’s long time lyricist. His work here, as with most Amorphis releases, is based around the Finnish national epic poem, “The Kalavela”. For a non-Finnish listener, this does make some of the lyrics a tad obscure, but this does not distract from the sheer beauty and other-worldliness of the imagery which does not require context to be appreciated.

The next two tracks, ‘The Golden Elk’and ‘Wrong Direction’ dial up the melody, the former pacey and catchy, the latter an emotional and accessible centre-piece to the album which hints at a more poppy approach that Amorphis could easily and convincingly take in future (the visually stunning video for this song is also certainly worth a watch). ‘Heart of the Giant’, with its distinctly oriental main riff, demonstrates how expertly the band have used the orchestra and choir on this record – they are used sparingly and subtly throughout so that songs like this where they are brought to the fore have a lot more impact. ‘We Accursed’ makes use of soaring strings as the backing to its thundering chorus and that unmistakable 70s prog sound makes a welcome return towards the middle of the track. ‘Grain of Sand’ offers more of the fantastically effective oriental sound, combined with a soaring chorus, where Joutsen’s powerful, melodic cleans duel with his equally impressive growls before leading into a pummelling outro where the solid riffing of Esa Holopainen locks in with the powerhouse drumming of Jan Rechberger to create a compulsory head banging moment.

A very special guest crops up on ‘Amongst Stars’ in the form of Anneke Van Giersbergen of The Gathering, The Gentle Storm and Devin Townsend Project. A more perfect contrast to Joutsen’s vocals could not have been chosen – the fact that her strange, ethereal tones have not graced an Amorphisrecord before now seems rather an oversight. ‘Pyres on the Coast’ is an impressive closer, a brooding atmosphere permeating the entire track despite its ever-changing heaviness and speed.

It is this last song that neatly sums up what Amorphis have done with this record and how it relates to their entire career to date – it is a near perfect melding of death metal, folk, prog, hard rock, orchestral and choral music and a number of other elements which mean that no song stands still for long yet every fleeting, tiny moment of each one has impact, is meaningful and shows just how talented a band Amorphis are to bring so many diverse sounds into a cohesive and highly enjoyable whole.

“Queen of Time” is available here

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Hallatar - "No Stars Upon The Bridge"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date Released:20/10/2017

Label: Svart Records

"No Stars Upon The Bridge" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Mirrors

2. Raven's Song 

3. Melt

4. My Mistake (with Heike Langhans)          

5. Pieces

6. Severed Eyes

7. The Maze

8. Spiral Gate

9. Dreams Burn Down (with Aleah Starbridge)

The Review:

Stunning art can at many turns be informed by loss. Perhaps it is the vulnerability or universality of such experiences that brings us in as an audience. Maybe it is because the artist's stories mirror our own. Their memories help us grieve. Sometimes they aid us in coming to grips with our own recollections and histories. Hurt is something each one of us experiences. It is thus no secret that music, a unifier in its own right, can encourage us to heal.

Death has informed a number of musical releases in 2017. Bell Witch is most prominent among those bands that have lost members. For acts like Mount Eerie, core performers have seen the departures of loved ones shape the direction of their music. Finland's Hallatarjoin these tragic ranks. Swallow the Sun and Trees of Eternity principal Juha Raivio launched Hallatarfollowing the death of partner and Swallow the Sun vocalist Aleah Starbridge from cancer last April. "No Stars Upon the Bridge" is the resultant album, which sees Raivio joined by HIM'sGas Lipstick and Tomi Joutsen of Amorphis in a cathartic and revealing nine songs.

However, do not expect ballads out of "No Stars Upon the Bridge.

The death/doom experiment in Hallatar is instead a tightly wound emotional trek. Raivio has stated in interviews that the albums lyrics were written shortly after Starbridge's death, with a further commitment not to edit or alter the feelings expressed on the days the songs were composed. "Mirrors" opens as a pained flare of energy. The mix of spoken and growled vocals continues on "Melt," as Raivio lays bare his feelings and searching for meaning amidst the anguish. Colored against the real-life backdrop, it is impossible for the music not to have a weight that goes beyond what we usually expect from the music.

Hallatar offers a few particularly important parts of the performance. Heike Langhans of Draconianprovides a feature on "My Mistake" that will surprise you. The haunting atmosphere in "The Maze" makes this one of the album's best songs. At once menacing and dejected, Hallatar conveys distress and heartache in a despairing struggle. "Raven's Gate" and "Spiral Gate" offer poetry that connects the music. And finally, "Dreams Burn Down," the climax, weaves Raivio's inconsolable lyrics with the posthumous singing of Starbridge in what is a heavyhearted song lifted up by the soaring tones. In all, "No Stars Upon The Bridge" is a fitting goodbye that is not wholly a goodbye.

"No Stars Upon The Bridge" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook