TOP 16 ALBUMS: THE SLUDGELORD'S SOUR 16 (August / September 2018)

Allow yourself to indulge in a hefty dose of riffs; because it is time to present 16 of the best albums from August & September, it is time for your SOUR 16. 

You know the drill by now, every couple of months you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top16 records, 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.  All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted brackets)

16). Craft, “White Noise and Black Light” (387)

15). Clutch, “Book of Bad Decisions” (399)

14). Satan, “Cruel Magic” (425)

13). 1968, “Ballads of the Godless” (437)

12). Organ Dealer/Nerve Grind/Invertebrate, “Split” (442)

11). Allfather, “And All Will Be Desolation” (481)

10). Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters, “Come & Chutney” (503)

9). Brant Bjork, “Mankind Woman” (549)

8). Forming The Void, “Rift” (550)

7). Sumac, “Love in Shadow” (662)

6). Thou, “Magus” (791)

5). The Secret, “Lux Tenebris” (1100)

4). Kurokuma, “Dope Rider” (1272)

3). Conan, “Existential Void Guardian” (1910)

2). Famye, “Famyne” (2561)

1). KEN mode, “Loved” (2776)

ALBUM REVIEW: Thou, "Magus"

By: Jay Hampshire

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:31/08/2018

Label: Sacred Bones Records

What lurks at its buried heart, as with much of Thou’s work, is a surprising positivity that’s belied by the ugliness and raw visceral spite that surrounds it – this work is, for all its crushing weight, effortlessly uplifting, cathartic and even motivational. Another vital release by one of the most vital bands in extreme music.

‘Magus’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Inward ​

2. My Brother Caliban​

3. Transcending Dualities

4. The Changeling Prince

5. Sovereign Self​

6. Divine Will​

7. In the Kingdom of Meaning​

8. Greater Invocation of Disgust

9. Elimination Rhetoric

10. The Law Which Compels​

11. Supremacy

The Review:

Sometimes art can be a daunting prospect, a towering, inaccessible edifice of grandiose scope. It can cow the unprepared and deter the unwary. Think of those who have meant to read Melville but balked at the density of Moby Dick, have longed to delve into the canon of a serial drama but are paralysed into inaction by the sheer number of episodes.

This is where we find ourselves with Baton Rouge’s premier doomed out sludge slingers Thou. Since their formation in 2005 they’ve exhibited a blistering work ethic that’s seen them churn out (according to Metal Archives) forty one separate demos, splits, compilations, EPs, singles and full lengths (that’s an average of around three releases a year, for you metal maths fans). Four of these have been released in the last nine months alone.  And it isn’t a simple case of quantity of quality either; each Thourelease, hell, every Thou song is heaving under the weight of more riffs than most bands can conjure up in their entire life span. For the neophyte, picking a place to start would seem futile. Latest full length ‘Magus’ might not be the most accessible foothold, weighing in at over seventy minutes long, but as a pure distillation of what the five piece can do, it stands shoulder to shoulder among the best of their oeuvre.

Opener ‘Inward’ lulls with a false sense of security, the melancholic creeping notes taking on a sub-black metal lilt before it opens up into a stately, processional main riff. Alternating between this grander section and moments of claustrophobic, tunnel dredging chug, it’s a velvet wrapped sledgehammer of restless density. ‘My Brother Caliban’ offers brief respite with tension building electronics before ‘Transcending Dualities’ drags us down into the choking waters of doom, guitars shifting and squirming through cracks in the dense chord onslaught of the instrumental trawl.

‘The Changeling Prince’ is fittingly regal, with lush, majestic chord progressions waging pitched battle with rolling chugs, Bryan Funck bringing things crashing down with his scalded shriek of “behind the mask, another mask” ad infinitum. ‘Sovereign Self’ picks up the pace, gentle guitars and vulnerable vocals suddenly exploding with a jarring shift into thick riffs and tribal tom work. ‘Diving Will’ drifts with dreamlike, ethereal vocals before ‘In The Kingdom Of Meaning’swings in with lurching, meandering layers that build to an inexorable climb.

‘Greater Invocation Of Disgust’ drips with scuzzy, moody bass, uneasily shifting on the back of an infectious drum groove and squealing guitar protests. ‘Elimination Rhetoric’ stabs with atonal guitars, swaying into a hazy solo before buckling under its own weight into a bloated chug.

By the time you reach the zenith of sprawling closer ‘Supremacy’, all but the most hardened aural pilgrims will doubtless be suffering from ‘riff fatigue’. ‘Magus’ is a gauntlet, a crust of straining musculature beneath which an endless chasm of nuance and reward lurks. You could stay too long in its stygian depths and risk madness, or skim the surface and come away satisfied. What lurks at its buried heart, as with much of Thou’swork, is a surprising positivity that’s belied by the ugliness and raw visceral spite that surrounds it – this work is, for all its crushing weight, effortlessly uplifting, cathartic and even motivational. Another vital release by one of the most vital bands in extreme music.

“Magus’ is available here

Band info:  bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Sunrot - "Sunnata"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:4/08/2017

Label: Independent

 

Those who take the plunge into “Sunnata” will still be blown away by the fierce musical skill, emotional honesty, and undeniable potential of Sunrot.  Their truly exceptional full-length debut has set a high benchmark that, one hopes, is only the opening chapter of a lengthy, groundbreaking career.

“Sunnata” CD//DD track listing

1. A Void

2. Agonal State

3. Gormandize

4. Ossuary

5. Aorta

6. Angry Downer

7. Death’s King

8. Riverbed

9. The One You Feed (Part 1.)

10. Aether

11. Freedom

The Review

After the eruption of extreme metal hybrids in the de facto American music “hubs” – Brooklyn, Austin, LA, San Francisco, Portland – you’d expect the classic rock cycle patterns to emerge: small bands outgrow their local scenes, pick up stakes and move to the big cities to make it with the major players.  And yet some of the most unlikely spots have been blessed with cadres committed to DIY ethos, local venue development, and inexpensive but professional recording options.  Portland (Maine), Richmond, Minneapolis, Louisville and countless other towns have been pushing back against musical inferiority complexes to become their own distinct incubation centers.  Even the suburban to urban sprawl of my native New Jersey boasts one of the most active musical landscapes in decades, lurking quietly in the shadows of New York and Philadelphia.  The members of Sunrot and a good selection of their peers have embodied and, in many instances, propelled this enclave from dire straits to a remarkably inclusive and diverse community.  “Sunnata”, the full-length debut of this “noise power-sludge quartet”, proves Sunrotaren’t just local scene superstars.  This is as assured, confident, and essential a debut as you’re likely to hear this year

From opener “A Void,” “Sunnata” thrums with noise collages – tracks that roil with feedback, layered electronic manipulations, spoken word samples, and eerie guitar chords – that sound positively Lynchian (especially in the case of “Angry Downer”).  But Sunrot does not sequester its experimentation in segue tracks, as “Agonal State” builds on a haunting hardcore riff and ghostly spoken word, before launching into a doom-meets-industrial mayhem.  Lead vocalist Lex Nihilum’sdelivery is particularly haunting, an agonal bellow that, in moments of subtly quavering intensity, conveys raw emotion more effectively than half the singers in any genre.  The economic and precise rhythm work of Eustaquio, Kaminsky and Gonzalez highlights an exceptionally honed musical organism on the menacing and shifting “Gormandize”.  Kaminsky’sbass tone is all fuzz and heft, while Gonzalezlays down complex rhythms with remarkable restraint and clockwork precision.

“Ossuary” kicks in with a pitch black lead like a folk song from hell.  Whenever departing from the heavy sludge riffing that propels “Sunnata”, guitarist Chris Eustaquio displays remarkably diverse influences, ranging from Appalachian bluegrass to eastern tinged mystical psychedelia to dreamy shoegaze passages.  The back-to-back attack of “Ossuary” and “Aorta” is a perfect balance of violence and beauty: Stephen Edwards (Inertia) provides guest vocals on the “Ossuary,” adding gruff, low-end heft, while the ethereal melodies and Nihilum’s higher register transforms “Aorta” into a transcendent escape from the boneyard.  It’s a brief respite, however, as “Death’s King” plunges back into trudging doom despair.  Like some perverse inversion of the Pixies “formula,” Sunrot manages to pull off loud-chaos-LOUDER without losing an ounce of sincerity.  “Riverbed” pulls back from the haunted depths, rocking like 90s hardcore, complete with Sunrot’sunique twist on gang vocals: a collapse into layered, incoherent chaos before coalescing for the closing breakdown.  “The One You Feed (Part 1.)” may be as close as Sunrotever comes to a ballad, swirling around a repeated lyric – “Who do you feed…” – that, in Nihilum’s delivery, is pure, emotional napalm.  Bonus points for the most effective sample of Dionne Warwickin the history of metal.  “Aether” serves as a final statement of “Sunnata”’s grand themes: torment, transformation, existential horror.  As Lex belts “I am free now, in the void”, “Sunnatadares” you to look over the precipice and leap off, into the swirling void made sonic reality of “Freedom” – as apt a metaphor for dissolution as I’ve ever heard.

Sunrot have established themselves as local titans, cross-genre collaborators, and remarkable performers.  As they set out with Philadelphia’s God Rootto support “Sunnata”’s release, they’re likely to explode from their cozy local collective, if only on the power of their live intensity.  On their own terms, they’ve helped establish a scene any musician would envy.  As openers for titans like Eyehategod, Cro-Mags, and Thou, they’re likely to inspire a few imitators and DIY enthusiasts in environs even more dire than the industrial wastes of New Jersey.  But those who take the plunge into “Sunnata”will still be blown away by the fierce musical skill, emotional honesty, and undeniable potential of Sunrot.  And with their truly exceptional full-length debut, Sunrot has set a high benchmark that, one hopes, is only the opening chapter of a lengthy, groundbreaking career.

“Sunnata” is available for download here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

RIFF REWIND (18/07/2013): On Pain of Death - "Year Naught Doom"

Formed in the boggiest of the boggy depths of Irelandin March '08, On Pain of Death play slow and twisted doom/sludge metal. The band played their first gig in June '08 and recorded their self-titled first demo over that same weekend and the next in Oaks Recording, Enniskillen, NI.

The band continued to play throughout the Summer and returned to Oaks at the end of September to record their next E...P which features one slab of degrading filth called "Rotting in a Tomb of Depravity". Not happy with the outcome of the recorded EP, OPoD decided to shelf the release with an intention to rework and re-record the track for a future release. A cover version of the Sepulturatrack “Troops of Doom” was recorded and released on vinyl by Blind date Records in December '09. The release featured bands such as Moloch, Thou, Aguirre, Loss and Hey Colossus all doing doomed out covers.

In the latter half of 2010 early 2011 OPoDrecorded their first album entitled "Year Naught Doom". With Handshake Inc. on board "Year Naught Doom" was released as a free download in late 2012 and subsequently released on tape in the summer of 2013 by Dry Cough Records and on LP via Sentinel Records.  Still considered an active band, but yet to release any new material for 5 years, I feel it is time to remind you all just how disgustingly bleak this album was and perhaps reignite the spark within the band to follow up this stunning record. 

Today we are rewinding the riffs back 4 years to the day in order present “Year Naught Doom”. So if you missed it the first time, be sure to remedy your error by checking out our review in full below. 

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:3/7/2013

Label: Dry Cough Records (Tape) |

Sentinel Records (LP)



A mind melting and deeply intoxicating injection of Sludge and Doom, You'll need to watch Disney films for a week straight afterwards just to recover from the whole damned thing. Highly recommended.

“Year Naught Doom” CS//DD track listing:

1). Year Naught Doom (11:28)

2). Tell Your God to Be Ready For Blood (13:14)

3). It Came From the Bog (17:42)

The Review:

Ireland can kick out some noise when it wants to (see: Slomatics), and some of its filthiest noise in recent years has been produced by Sludge / Doom dealers On Pain of Death. Their current opus of depraved sick riffery is 'Year Naught Doom'. It saw a vinyl release at the tail end of 2012, but is being released on tape by the mighty Dry Cough. So let's get into it, shall we?

What you get for your cash here is 3 tracks of complete Doom horror to sink your fangs into, or whatever else you might be sporting. 42 minutes of harrowing sounds to wake the dead, and probably drive the living insane.

First track shares the album title and commences this ritual with suitably slow tendencies. Soaked in atmosphere and the potential for menace, it'd probably burst into flames if it walked into direct sunlight. It rolls on at an ominous pace, heavy as hell and full of feel. The low end that this band has is thick and syrupy, just the way I like it. The riffs are droning and the drumming pounds more like a curse is being banged into existence. If you listened to this enough it might give you an infection of some kind. It's sick, in a beautiful way.

'Tell Your God to Ready For Blood' is even more destructively slow and torturous. You constantly get the feeling that something very bad is about to happen, and when it kicks in even only slightly, the effect will still produce permanent damage in your ears if played too loud. The vocals are hissing and delivered with absolute venom. They'll haunt you. By the end it's so heavy that the cup on my desk nearly went all Jurassic Park.

The album rounds out with nearly 18 minutes of 'It Came From The Bog'. I can only imagine that the 'it' in question is the sound that this band commits to murderous tape. Like the death throes of an ancient being, heard across time and space and recorded in Ireland. It's really good!

Slow, winding and intense, it's an experience that your ears will beg you to cease, and your dark heart will implore you to let continue. The feedback at the end will rupture your arteries.

I seriously advise that you get this latest offering from On Pain of Death however you can. A mind melting and deeply intoxicating injection of Sludge and Doom, weighing in more heavily on the latter. You'll need to watch Disney films for a week straight afterwards just to recover from the whole damned thing. Highly recommend

Band info: Facebook

EP STREAM & INTERVIEW: "Prepare for sonic detonation" as Wolves Carry My Name usher forth their "Black Earth Tongue"

Thrown into life amongst the nothingness of Siegen/Germany in 2011, Wolves Carry My Name play a bastardised infusion of 90s Sludge-Metal and ruthless Hardcore, making for an undulating sonic onslaught of blackness.

October 14^th will see Wolves Carry My Name release their latest EP in the form of “Black Earth Tongue” and today you can stream it in full below.  This one is guaranteed hyberbolic earworm for fans of Wolves in the Throne Room, Eyehatehod, Thou, Electric Wizard and Ramesses.  So if you like how that sounds, remember the three rules of Sludgelord, “Stop, Look, Listen” and prepare for sonic detonation.   Check out the EP and pre-order/buy it here

If that wasn’t enough, check out my short interview with drummer Moritz about the roots of the band and how the new record came together. 

SL: Can you give us an insight into how you started playing music, leading up to the formation of Wolves Carry My Name

Moritz (Drums) Yeah, sure. Back then in 2011 some of us were on the lookout for people to start a new band/project. At that time we didn't even really know each other. It pretty much was a typical “a friend of a friend knows someone, who might be into it” thing that made us connect with each other and so we somehow ended up jamming out some riffs together. That worked out way better than we'd ever expected and a couple of months later we were a band with an EP.

All of us have been in several bands before. Tobi played in a band blending Alternative Metal/Rock with some Stoner vibes, Adil and Konstantin were into Thrash and Death Metal while Dennis and me were rooted in the Hardcore scene and played in a band together. I think that our different backgrounds helped us a lot with getting this band started. You know, all the basics like 'how to write a song', having connections to the scene, bookers and so on.

SL:Although you are set to release “Black Earth Tongue” which will serve as your 2nd official release, For folks unfamiliar with your band, is there any bands on the scene past and present that you would use as a reference point to describe your band, and who or what continues to inspire you and push you to try new things?

Moritz: This is a tough one. Some of our influences are pretty obvious, I guess. You know, like Eyehategod, Weedeater, Iron Monkey, The Abominable Iron Sloth... the whole Sludge Metal starter pack. This might be the common sense we have. Of course, each of us has his own favorites. Some are into the classic Nola bands or prefer a more stoneresque sound, you know, like Elderfor example, some are into Post Metal, some like Crust, Hardcore, Black & Death Metal, Punk-Rock, Indie, Rap, 80s synth wave, whatever.

Not all of this is a real influence, but a lot of it inspires us in one way or another, maybe not even the style itself but the way some bands write songs, perform live, their artworks and attitude whatever. In the end each of us contributes his part. For me personally, Hang the Bastard were a huge influence, both their old and new stuff. I love that rough and angry hardcore energy mixed up with the Nola and Sabbath-riffing.

SL: What can you tell us about your upcoming record and where do you feel it sits within the context of current metal scene?

Moritz: After our first EP and the “Bone Carver” single we had trouble writing new stuff. We jammed out a shit load of riffs and had like up to twenty songs half finished. But it didn't even sound close to what we wanted it to sound. We also had some struggle because of the typical work issues. Some of us moved to other cities and it wasn't easy to manage the whole rehearsal and song writing process. It took us about two years and a serious period of laziness and bad mood to know where we wanted to go. We developed a more consistent sound. The songs are shorter and to the point, the riffs are bigger. It's pretty straight, pissed off and heavy. We skipped most of the atmospheric Post Metal influences and added a certain hardcore appeal. At least that's what it feels and sounds like to me. So long story short.. If you're into heavy riffs and pissed off vibes you should check out "Black Earth Tongue”.

SL:Does anything spring to mind when you think about the completion of your upcoming record and how is the mood in the camp at present?

Moritz:As I said before it was a long hard road with plenty of obstacles. We did a DIY pre-production in my apartment and the shitty drum machine sounds I used for the demo recordings (because I'm not a real technique freak or know much about programming drums) still haunt me. We've all put a lot of work and time into the production but it was worth it. We are really happy with the new songs. I think it really is a step up compared to the “Amongst Ruins And Ashes”-EP. After all the struggle with getting our shit together we now rehearse frequently and can't wait to play live again. Seems like the vibes in this band are way too positive for a nihilistic Sludge Metal band. Well, we'll be working on that, for now it feels really good.

SL: What stands out as your overarching memory from the recording sessions?

Moritz:I remember the first day of recording very well. We hooked up with Manu (Parabol Audio), a really cool guy I know from a recording session in the past. He told us he wanted to try something different with the drums. So when we arrived in Viersen it turned out that I would record drums in a huge hall that was built for orchestras. The setting was really impressive and the sound was really BIG. I felt pretty important, too, more like I was recording takes for a new Pink Floyd album. I think the whole recording session was a cool experience for each of us. Working with Manu was really chilled and he did a damn good job.

SL:With a solid new album in the bag, how is your schedule shaping up over the next 12 months?

Moritz: We will play a couple of shows this year and we plan to do waaaaay more shows next year! So to each and every promoter/booker who likes the new songs: just drop us a line, we seriously want to play your favourite club, church, living room, whatever! We will continue writing new songs in the meantime. Next step is a full length album. We'll see!

SL: Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?

Moritz: We just wanna thank you for your support, Aaron! We really appreciate the time you put into supporting small bands like us. Cheers to our UKfriends in Telepathy– check them out, if you're into mind-blowing atmospheric prog/post-metal!

Band info: facebook|| bandcamp