THE BEST OF 2017: The Top 6 of the 666 Pack Review 2017

By: Nikos Mixas

Artwork By: Joshua M. Wilkinson

If you’ve been paying attention, the 666 Pack Review is an abbreviated review column mostly focused on very new bands or bands that have submitted demo material to THE SLUDGELORD.  The basic premise is that 6 bands are critiqued using only 6 words and on a scale from 1 to 6(66).  What you see below is the best of the year for the 666 Pack Review.  Congrats and hails to those bands that made the list! 

6). Sparrowmilk - “Articles of Separation” (Cleveland, Ohio) (April 2017)

Instrumentals usually bore me, this didn’t. 

5). Dawn on Sedna - “Our Sky Has Changed” (Viareggio, Italy) (February 2017)

Some good sludge right there Sludgelord! 

4). Dwoom - “Pale Mare Demo MMXVII” (Sundsvall, Sweden) (June 2017)

Better than most signed doom bands.

3). Cacus  - “Dirty filthy godless” (Copenhagen, Denmark) (March 2017)

 Iron Monkey could learn from them…

2). Elder Devil - “Graves Among The Roots” (Fresno, USA) (July 2017)

Angriest submission of all the 666s! 

1). Five The Hierophant - “Over Phlegethon” (London, UK) (September 2017)

Most original of the Sludgelord offerings.

Band info: Sparrowmilk|| Dawn On Sedna|| Dwoom|| CACUS || Elder Devil || Five the Hierophant

6 NEW BANDS: Nikos Mixas' 666 Pack Review (September 2017)

It’s the September edition of the THE SLUDGELORD’s 666 Pack Review!  Autumn is finally upon us and even though the temps are cooling, the metal is only getting hotter.   So many great albums were released this month and while THE SLUDGELORD is super swamped reviewing all of them, there was still time to review the rookies!  If you’re new to this, each and every month we handpick 6review submissions and critique them by only using 6 words, then we rate them on a scale from 1to 666!  Check out our awesome rating scale below: 

1 – Just about as horrid as Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

2 – Fall means the temperature is cooling off, so is this band… 

3 – Its ok…kind of like anything Slayer puts out these days. 

4 – Your friends like you, so we will like you also. 

5 – Surprisingly good.  Just like whatever your grandma cooks up.   

666 – THE SLUDGELORDsmashes pumpkins while head banging to your latest offering!  

The 666Pack Review is meant to offer humorous criticism and is not meant to hurt feelings, however, there are no safe spaces here.  THE SLUDGELORD is a picky listener…and doesn’t care what you think of his opinions….

Ora  - “Abstraction”(Denver, USA)    Rating: 4          
                                                                  

A band to drink Absinthe to.    

Test Meat - “Demo” (Boston, USA)   Rating: 5

Short, heavy and catchy.  I concur!  

SHC - “SHC” (Portugal)   Rating: 4

Electric Wizard meets post stoner punk.

Glarus - “Then and When” (Manchester, UK)   Rating: 3

One man band.  It’s missing something.  

Wrapped in Pale - “Nidstang” (Orlando, USA)   Rating:  4

True Norwegian Disneyworld black metal.  Hails!

Five The Hierophant- “Over Phlegethon” (London, UK)   Rating: 666!

 Oh fuck yes!  Listen to them!!!

Band info: Ora || Test Meat || SHC || Glarus || Wrapped In Pale || Five The Hierophant