TOP 16 ALBUMS: The Sour 16 for May 2017

Nightbringer

Yes, it is that time again O ye lover of riffs, “The Sour 16” returneth.  You 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 The Sludgelord Headquarters.

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 in the red numbers)

16). Dodecahedron - "Kwintessens”(446)

At 41 minutes, “Kwintessens” is deceptively compact for the multitudes within.  Each track, even the instrumental interludes, displays remarkable prowess while remaining confrontational and almost unbearably anguished.

  

15). Longhouse - "II: Vanishing" (450)

The tone, mix and mood of the album is one of darkness, menace and depression. “II: Vanishing” will terrify your consciousness and haunt your soul into painful contortions

14). The Ruins of Beverast - "Exuvia" (461)

“Von Meilenwald has created a terrible, tremendous and frightening invocation of blight and the invincible progress of erosion and disintegration. More than its component parts, an album to haunt the dreams of Lovecraft and Ligotti alike. Recommended without reservation.”

13). Lord - "Blacklisted" (476)

In a genre often bogged down by soundalike bands, Lord offer a sharp shot of adrenaline in the form of “Blacklisted”. The band’s distinct blend of gnarly thrash and filthy sludge deserves to see them go far.

12). Space Witch - "Arcanum"(521)

The band still sound like a collaboration between Bongripper, Hawkwind and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to create the ultimate sci-fi B-movie soundtrack, but  this latest release sees them develop their cosmic barrage further out into the void., they showcase a leaner, meaner Space Witch that still push the boundaries of heaviness but with a more streamlined attack.

11). Woodhawk - "Beyond The Sun" (522)

“Beyond The Sun, is overflowing with everything one could want from a great stoner rock record, thick, rumbling bass tones, sizzling guitar fuzz and infectious, mid tempo riffage, making this the kind of album that is very hard to stop listening to

10). Craven Idol - "The Shackles of Mammon" (567)

This new album does not disappoint, and capitalizes on a lot of the germinal promise that was present in spades on “Towards Eschaton”: zero bullshit, zero pretence, zero fucks metal.  Vocally it is  truly, truly spectacular and unique. Riffs are dynamic. Bass is deeply discernible and the leads are crazy, fiery and have a tone that reminds that metal solos can be a deadly weapon in the right hands, like a flail made of scalpels and razor blades.

9). Blaze Bayley - “Infinite Entanglement” and “Endure and Survive” (588)

Both “Infinite Entanglement” and “Endure and Survive” are the best work of his entire career, better than Wolfsbane, better than his tenure with Maiden and better than his past solo work.  Blaze's fire is burning brighter than ever

8). Sjelferd - ‘Fortid’(619)

7). The Cosmic Dead - "Psych Is Dead" (646)

Somehow the band manage to make relentless repetition sound like a captivating journey into the unknown, packed with more subtle detail than a million prog metal odysseys.

6). Ghost Bath - "Starmourner"(686)

From the gentle piano intro of “Astral” to the vibrant and triumphant radiance of “Seraphic”, the tone of the album is pushed ever outward to match the theme of an infinite dream. It’s a theme that weaves its way through the whole album. There are certainly tracks that dive back into blast beats and hyper tremolo picking such as “Ambrosial” and “Elysian”, but the theme always returns to shimmering and heroic major chords.

5). Mouth of the Architect - "Time and Withering" (703)

Each new Mouth of the Architect release is my new soundtrack to oblivion, but revisiting “Time and Withering” is definitely worth your effort.  It has held up over time and is still as big and bold as it was 13 years ago.

4). Gurt - "Skullossus" (868)

This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

3). Memoriam - "For The Fallen” (1012)

There is no huge introduction needed here. Bolt Thrower may be over, but Memoriam are very much here and ready to take up where Karl Willett's previous troop left off. You know what to expect from the names involved: crushingly slow grooves, like a tank rolling over piles of bones, bursts of thrash tempos and a sound that is thicker than tar.

2). Mutoid Man - "War Moans" (1113)

“War Moans” is fast, heavy and vocally arresting, it is an album that is certain to leave you breathless. 

1). Nightbringer - "Terra Damnata" (1160)

Remarkably, with Nightbringer approaching two decades of existence, they’re pulling off some of the best black metal the country has to offer, with a rabid intensity that, for all its darkness, remains inspiring.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  May 2017’s “Sour 16” features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson, Andre Almaraz, Mark Ambrose, Charlie Butler, Conor O’Dea, Phil Weller, Josh Nichols & Ben Fitts

ALBUM REVIEW: Gurt - "Skullossus"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/05/2017

Label: When Planets Collide

 

This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

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

1. Welcome to the Shit Show
2. Gimme the Night, any Day
3. Battlepants
4. Double Barreled Shot-pun
5. The Crotch Wobbler
6. Existance is Pain
7. Broken Heart Heroin Man
8. Meowing at the Fridge
9. John Gar See Ya Later
10. The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Part 1)
11. The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Part 2)

The Review:

Gurtis a four piece metal band from London, UK. Their new full length album is called “Skullossus” and it is set to be released on May 1st, 2017. Gurt is a self proclaimed “party doom” band but based on this album alone (it is all I know of the band), I would have to somewhat disagree with that categorization. While it is true that everyone loves a good party and that this album gives off an air of playfulness and sleaze with its song titles, sound, and lyrics, to my ears, there seems to be only slight traces of doom to be found within this volume of their music. Instead, the sounds I hear on it are more like a mix of Black Breath, Pungent Stench, and Clutch; bands that are not very doomy but bands that most metal heads hold in high regard nonetheless. Subgenre classifications be damned - let’s get down to business…. 

The album opens with a short intro track called “Welcome to the Shit Show,” which consists of a cryptic spoken word message that warns of the end of the human race as we know it over what seems to be some type of warping carnival organ notes setting the stage for what is to follow. Shortly thereafter, the recording kicks off the embarkment with a boot stomper called “Gimme the Night, any Day.” This tune initiates their heavy buzzsaw sound and begins with a sludgy pounding groove before a middle section breakdown gives way to a storm of phasers that eventually leads us to a flurry of tortured screams and grim chords which sound like they could have been pulled right from a classic Swedish death metal album. This is a great, no nonsense opener to get the album rolling off to a good start. 

Third track, “Battlepants,” is a rock solid death march loaded with nothing but slam, stomp, and pound, that will pulverize your speakers in a militarized procession for the entire duration of the song. Some eerie and haunting background vocals in the post-chorus part are a very nice touch and give the song that little extra something to show us that Gurtis not just another one-dimensional, ugly face. Fourth song, “Double Barreled Shot-pun,” is another stone-faced groover of classic rock and roll revolutionary riffs. This one, however, has a bit more of a bouncy 80s crossover feel. Being a child of the 80s myself, the song quickly got my blood pumping and my feet tapping with its permeating rhythm. The fifth track, “The Crotch Wobbler,” has a sexy and seductive saunter to it. It is chock full of big stoner rock riffs and I can definitely hear this one being played at numerous strip clubs in the Southern and Midwestern United States as some freckled farmer’s daughter butters your corn cob amidst a back drop of soiled Confederate flags.

Sixth track, “Existence is Pain,” is a playful little instrumental number, almost Primus-like in its funk and silliness. It also comes complete with a cameo appearance by none other than MTV stars, Beavis and Butt-Head to end the song. The track may seem a bit out of place, stuck in the middle of all these heavy ragers but fuck it - this is art and the artist is free to express themselves any way they choose. I salute the band for flying their freak flag high and letting everyone know that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Honestly, to me it’s a breath of fresh air in today’s modern metal climate, especially for a band this heavy. Rolling right along to the seventh track; “Broken Heart Heroin Man,” is a raging, straightforward punk blast that will blow your hat off as it stays in high gear energy for the entire eighty-three seconds of its duration. “Meowing at the Fridge” is a thick and chunky, slow to mid-tempo chugger. The vocalist really gets guttural on this one as he croaks, bellows, and screams his way through almost the entire four minutes of the song.  “John Gar See Ya Later” is another straightforward riff rocker with an extremely catchy chorus which I found myself inadvertently humming after the first listen. Its dominating chorus coupled with a funky and psychedelic middle section featuring some tasteful soloing by both guitar and saxophone making this one a unique and interesting stand out track of the album for me. Tenth track, “The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Pt. 1),” is where we finally get the doom side out of Gurt; death-doom to be more exact. The song is suffocatingly heavy with moroseness, and serves as another nod to classic Swedish death metal.

The closing track, “The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Pt. 2),” consists of little more than some faint gypsy music set to a background of howling winds and is an interesting way to bring the album to a close. It is the final brick in the shit house and brings to light yet another side of the band’s many faces. Although the heart and soul of “Skullossus” proves to be straightforward, lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek, rocking songs, the band also has many other distinctive sounds and quite a bit of depth when they feel like showing it off to us. Many fragmented bits and pieces of death metal, doom, punk, sludge, thrash, stoner, and funk also make their way into the album’s well rounded repertoire. I really enjoyed “Skullossus”and although many others may already be familiar with Gurt as they’ve apparently been touring and releasing material for the past seven years, I was not previously familiar with the band and I’m glad I was given the chance to review their newest offering and become enlightened. This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

“Skullossus” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Self proclaimed party doomers Gurt deliver new jams with "John Gar See Ya Later"

GURT are proud to announce the release of their sophomore album "SKULLOSSUS", which shall see the light of day on May 1st, 2017 via When Planets Collide.

In true GURT style this album is an absolute colossal record and once again raises the bar for their extremely unique form of 'Party Doom', (is that a thing) anyways never mind genre stereotypes.  Up until now the band have never fully realised their potential  and truly expressed the full extent of their wide range of influences.  On their new album “SKULLOSUS”, this collection of 11 tracks encapsulates perfectly how they differ from every other band on the current UK DIY scene! Created over a week long period at 'Titan Studios' in Watford and crafted under the watchful eye of Producer Steve Sears and Co-Producer Tony Nigelson these songs feature a variety of big riffs, memorable hooks, massive choruses and some special guests too!

When Planets Collide is also proud to present a tour of mammoth proportions, bringing together not only GURT but San Francisco Doom Metal trio BRUME who venture to UK soil for the first time. But today we’re focusing on GURT and it gives us great pleasure to debut a brand new and exclusive track for your lugholes in the form of “John Gar See Ya Later”which you can stream in full below.  If you dig what you here, the album “SKULLOSUS” is available in a variety of formats and you can preorder a copy here

Live Rituals:

Saturday 22nd April - SOUTHAMPTON Firehouse

Sunday 23rd April - BRISTOL Stag and Hounds

Monday 24th April - WEYMOUTH Finn's

Tuesday 25th April - MANCHESTER Rebellion

Wednesday 26th April - COVENTRY Phoenix

Saturday 29th April - DESERTFEST (***BRUME ONLY***)http://www.desertfest.co.uk/

Band info: facebook