6 LIVE REVIEWS: THE SLUDGELORD'S 666 PACK REVIEW (Psycho Las Vegas Special 2018)

Words & Photos: Nikos Mixas

It’s a special edition for the 666 PACK REVIEW this month!  THE SLUDGELORD attended Psycho Las Vegas recently, so this month we’re going to rate 6 bands that played the festival. Between the non-stop shenanigans and Instagram takeover, we found time to actually watch the bands. For future potential victims that submit material to THE SLUDGELORD for review, here’s some advice: This festival is where you want to be someday! If you’re new to this, each and every month we handpick 6 review submissions (this month six bands that played Psycho Las Vegas) and critique them by only using 6 words, then we rate them on a scale from 1 to 666!  Check out our Las Vegas themed rating scale below: 

1– It would have nicer if their tour bus got lost in the desert on the way to the festival.       

2– One of the Psycho Las Vegas guest DJs was Andrew W.K., he actually stirred up more excitement than the performance this band put on.      

3– It was kinda average, just like staying at The Excalibur Hotel and Casino these days…

4 – You know the feeling that you get free drinks while your gambling?  Yeahhhhh….       

5– This band deserves to have a Las Vegas casino named after them and they should be the house band. 

666– They hit the progressive jackpot (Enter ching! ching! ching! ching! money sounds here…)!  Viva Psycho Las Vegas and THE SLUDGELORD!

Caveat:  Even though the 666 PACK REVIEW is meant to offer humorous critique, there are no safe spaces here and your gripes will only make you sound like a bellyacher.  THE SLUDGELORD is a picky listener…and doesn’t care what you think of his opinions….

Goblin - Rating: 1

Horror soundtracks never sound so bad.

Sunn0))) – Rating: 4

No groove, no problem.  Drone on.

Danzig – Rating: 5

Playing “She Rides” earned this rating.

Elder – Rating: 666!

Most underrated band at this fest.

Indian – Rating: 5

This reunion was meant to be.

Batushka - Rating: 666!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Fuck yeah!!!

ALBUM PREMIERE: Polish soul crushing doom band 71TONMAN unleash "Earthwreck"

Polish doom band 71TONMAN are set release their sophomore album “Earthwreck” via Black Bow Records on September 22nd 2017.  As a follow up to their 2013 self titled album, “Earthwreck” takes their original template, but this time around the delivery is bigger, bolder even more soul crushing.  71TONMAN have delivered a fucking monster of an album, so if you love fat riffs, then this 71 Ton goliathon is highly recommended. If you’re a fan of band like Suma, Indian and Primitive Man check out the full stream below and be sure order a copy when it's released on Friday.  

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Nomadic Rituals - "Marking the Day"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/02/2017

Label: Independent

This is the heaviest thing I've heard in a while. Hopeless, ugly, vicious, and pissed off slabs of soul destroying death-doom is what we get here. This music makes me want to burn down my neighborhood and wallow in the remaining sludgy aftermath.

“Marking the Day” CD//DD track listing:

1). From Nothing

2). Expansion

3). Far From the Sun

4). Watching the Cycles

5). Narrow of the Light

6). Face Down in the Sea of Oblivion

The Review:

Nomadic Ritualsis a three piece band from Belfast, United Kingdom. This album is my first introduction to them and I am quite impressed. The new record is called "Marking the Day," and is scheduled to be released on February 17th, 2017.  The music captured here is for people who are into the dirtiest and raunchiest purveyors of sludgy, death-doom. Fans of Noothgrush, Indian, Serpentine Path, and Morbid Evilsshould definitely check this out immediately. The first track, "From Nothing," slowly eases the listener in and serves as a fitting introduction to what unfolds on the rest of the album's six unrelenting tracks, which ultimately clock in at a mammoth sixty minutes total running time.

The second track, "Expansion," has some nice chug and groove going on, and is slightly reminiscent of early Celtic Frost hooks. On the third track, "Far From the Sun," the song begins with a brief and extremely tasteful use of ultra low, Tibetan monk/gregorian chant style of clean vocals making this one a standout of the album for me. These vocals are very adequately executed and suits the band well to contrast and accent everything else, in my opinion. On track four, "Watching the Cycles," we are given a little room to breathe as this one is loaded with plenty of big chords left to ring out, hum, feedback, and fade away. The fifth track, "Narrowing of the Light," sees the band getting back to the land of chug. It has quite a bit of repetition and an almost mechanical and dissonant feel throughout most of it's eight minutes in length, which to my ears serves as a nod to the almighty Godflesh.

The sixth and final track, "Face Down in the Sea of Oblivion," is a true behemoth. It starts off with the return of those amazing clean vocals which we were teased with in track three, plus adds a velvety dream sequence drum and bass breakdown right before a slithering, harmonious guitar solo sweeps in to take the spotlight and usher in the end of the song. At fourteen and a half minutes, this is the grand finale that the entire preceding works have been preparing us for, to behold its gargantuan unravelling. It is our final journey into the everlasting darkness of the abyss.

All in all, I think this is a great album. The overall tone of the recording is massive and thunderous. The vocals range from being predominantly harsh and scornful to clean and ethereal in a couple of small doses. This is the heaviest thing I've heard in a while. Hopeless, ugly, vicious, and pissed off slabs of soul destroying death-doom is what we get here. This music makes me want to burn down my neighborhood and wallow in the remaining sludgy aftermath. The album is currently available for pre-sale on the artist's bandcamp page and I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this bad boy.

“Marking The Day” is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

"11 is one Louder": Rising blackened doom dealers Grime Ravine debut "Shrine of Misery" & choose their Top 5 blackened doom albums

On an otherwise unremarkable July evening in 2015, 3 people from Portsmouth decided to meet up with 2 people from Crawley. Past and present members of underground UK bands who were drawn together by a musical appreciation of the slow and heavy. Ale was consumed, obscure bands were discussed and eventually plans were formed to drag their hungover selves to a practice room at the incredibly-doom-ridden time of 10am on a Sunday.

Since that monumental day Grim Ravine released a debut self titled EP in 2015 and will now release “The Light is From Below” on Feb 17th via Black Bow Records.  This new EP contains 4 tracks of suffocating, atmospheric and thoroughly vile sludge metal that is highly recommended for fans of Rwakeand Eyehategod. As the band remarks "We are proud to present our latest offering, The Light is from Below. This recording incorporates doom worship, fuzz and misery to create sounds from the abyss."

Suffice to say Grim Ravine are one of the finest purveyors of extreme blackened doom to emerge from the UK and we at The Sludgelord invited guitarist Martin Shouler to share his thoughts on his top 5 blackened doom records, as well as debuting a brand new song from their soon to be released EP, in the form of “Shrine of Misery”and be sure to turn the dial up to 11. 

 
Indian- "From All Purity"

If you're going to do a final album, this is how to do it. A huge filthy beast of an album with one of my favourite vocalists in the genre. Adding the noise element to their sound (probably because they weren't harsh enough on earlier releases??) shows that they were willing to expand their sound, who knows where they would have gone after this...

Wolvserpent-  "Aporia:Kāla:Ananta"

The first half is a beautifully eerie orchestral soundscape which then gives way to a huge wall of distorted guitars and harrowing vocals. Much like taking a long pleasant country walk up a hill, only to fall down a cliff on the other side, break both your legs and be eaten alive by animals. Great stuff.

Culted -  "Below The Thunders of the Upper Deep"

The harsh vocals over droning, doom riffs and general atmosphere make this a very bleak listen. Add in some drone and this is both haunting and very, very heavy. With a vocalist that's never met the rest of the band in person it's surprising how well this album works.

Hell- "II"

Could have chosen any of the trilogy albums for this but "II" was my first introduction to Hell and as good a place as any to start. Moving between dense blackened doom and clean guitars with ease this album is thoroughly unpleasant in the best possible way. A band that truly live up to their name.

Sea Witch -"The Blackened Sea"

Instrumental blackened doom that goes for a dark ambiance rather than all out menace. Crushing riffs and hypnotic guitar rhythms aplenty. A great example of the title and artwork matching the sounds within.  Never judge a book by its cover, but you can judge Sea Witch by theirs. 

Band info: facebook|| bandcamp

"11 is one Louder": Tides of Sulfur choose their Top 5 blackened sludge releases

Tides of Sulfur

Cardiff, South Wales' heaviest band Tides Of Sulfur are a band who smirk in the face of genre restrictions, so when they were approached to do a Top 5 of their respective genre, we let them decide. They chose Blackened Sludge. Like sludge infected with a black metal virus. As heavy as sludge but with an extra helping of nihilistic bleakness. Throw in some blasting aggression or shrieking vocals for good measure and that about sums it up, because It’s time to turn the volume up to 11, because after all “11 is one louder”

'We're honoured to present to you our top 5 Blackened Sludge albums. While we could have chosen several other genres and sub-genres, we feel that this is the pool we've dipped into the most and a sub-genre which encompasses everything we love about heavy music”

1. Lord Mantis - 'Pervertor' (2012)

In our mind, not only the seminal blackened sludge album, but our favourite extreme metal album of any genre. LM straddle the black metal and sludge sound perfectly, constantly twisting and turning in different directions, changing tempos and vocal delivery but also not afraid to stay on a riff and bore it into your skull. This is the album that really turned our drummer on to the more extreme side of metal when stoner and southern rock just wasn't cutting it anymore. It's drenched in sweat and punk spit, caked in dried blood and vomit and has a black heart at its core. Sadly, drummer Bill Bumgardner took his own life recently so we've plagiarised one of his beats in a tribute to his brilliance. RIP sir. 

2. Unearthly Trance - 'The Trident' (2006)

While UTtreaded in doomier territory with their first two albums, they cranked up the Eyehategod and Black Flag influence on this but retained the icy, black atmosphere they were known for and continued down the left hand path. Offensively underrated as a milestone in extreme music.

3. Dragged Into Sunlight - 'Hatred for Mankind' (2011)

If we had to explain the genre to someone using no words, we would play them this album. It’s bleak, disgustingly heavy and a complete assault to the senses. The first time our guitarist heard this, it completely changed his view on music. Absolutely essential.

4. Indian - 'Guiltless' (2011)

The second album on our list to feature the incomparable Bill Bumgardner on drums and Dylan O'Toole on vocals (O'Toole makes contributions on the Lord Mantisalbum). The undiluted misanthropy prevalent throughout, as well as the use of harsh noise as an added element was highly influential in creating the sound of Tides Of Sulfur.

5. Coffinworm - 'When All Became None' (2010)

The musical equivalent of a bad acid trip and cheap cider binge in a dingy punk squat during a power cut, this album took the bleak, cavernous atmosphere of black metal and filtered it through the grimy filth of sludge and refined it to create something truly unique.

 

Tide of Sulfur’slastest record “Extinction Curse” is a bold and compelling statement and the shockwaves from its seismic detonation continue to be felt throughout the UK underground, so be sure to pick up a copy here

Band info: Facebook

Jagged Mouth will have you choking under the oppressive force of their blackened doom debut "Louring"

Blackened doom metal band Jagged Mouth will release their debut album “Louring” on limited edition cassette on October 28th 2016. The band is a project that was formed by Bon Fry (Lamentations of the Ashen) and Roman Barham (Black Maria, Torture Victim, Impaled Offering) to create slow and heavy music. This debut album will definitely create a stir in the underground with its crushing riffs and bone crunching heaviness.  Formed in late 2015 and hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, the two founding members would soon be joined by Alex Cantwell on vocals and would later take up the position of bassist. 

Roughly 12 weeks after forming, the band would enter the studio to begin work on their debut output. After a handful of sessions over the months to follow and the privilege of working with Matthew Tobias at Empty House Studio, the band completed “Louring” and approved the final mixes at the beginning of September, 2016.  With the re-release of “Louring” on cassette edging ever closer, the band is now preparing to embark on a fall tour covering the western territories of the US to promote their debut, while having the honor of sharing the stage with Sourvein, NORTH, and Sludgelordfavourites Catapult The Dead along the way. 

Take it from me, this band crushes so hard they’ll make you choke under the oppression, so if you like Pallbearer, Un, Samothrace and Indian, be sure to check "Louring" below.  “Louring” is available digitally here

All current live rituals can be found below:

October 27th- Launchpad - Albuquerque

October 28th- The Flux - ColoradoSpr

October 29th- 3 Kings Tavern- Denver

October 30th- TBA

October 31st- TBA

November 1st- The Kraken- Seattle

November 2nd- BloodShed- Portland

November 3rd- TBA

November 4th- TBA

November 5th- Golden Bull- Oakland

November 6th- The Blvd- LA

November 7th- The Complex- LA

November 8th-Sweet Springs Saloon CA

November 9th-Amigos Cantina-Ventura

November 10th-Timeout Lounge-Phoenix

November 11th-Sandbox-EL Paso

November 12th-The Underground- Santa Fe

“Louring” track listing:

1. A Wretched Offering

2. Fallen To Incarnadine Loam

3. There Is No Help Coming

4. Lingers the Taolith

5. If Hope Conspires Against Us

Band info: facebook|| bandcamp