ALBUM REVIEW: Lord, "Desperation Finds Hunger in All Men"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 24/08/2018

Label: Heavy Hound Records

“Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men” takes the thrash infused sludge of last years “Blacklisted” record and blows it up on a grand scale to deliver the Virginia quintet’s finest work to date.

“Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men” CD//DD track listing:

1). No Sunrise on the Third

2). Scorched

3). Nature Knows No Kings

4). At First I Didn’t Believe It

5). La Fleur du Cobalt

6). August 11, 2017

7). Whispering Snakes

8). Mutilation Rites

9). Have A Look For Yourself

10). This Lonesome Linger

The Review:

The joyous news of the arrival of a new Lord album is tempered by the fact it will be their last. “Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men” takes the thrash infused sludge of last years “Blacklisted” record and blows it up on a grand scale to deliver the Virginia quintet’s finest work to date.

It is not certain whether or not this release was created knowing it was to be Lord’s swansong. Either way, it is brimming with a fearless urgency and restless urge to experiment that feels born of a band determined to go down swinging. “No Sunrise On The Third” wastes no time in getting things moving with a rumbling Soundgarden style riff. Lord soon introduces a healthy dose of southern sludge Downwould be proud of and some surprisingly melodic vocals which contrast well with the surrounding heaviness.

From here, “Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men” charts a journey through concise, fist-pumping stoner anthems like “At First I didn’t Believe It” and “Whispering Snakes” and massive, slowly-unfolding epics. “Scorched” comes across like Crowbar branching out into progressive territory while “La Fleur Da Cobalt”finds the band at their most passionate and enraged. Most devastating of all is the monstrous “Nature Knows No Kings”. It begins with what feels like the cacophonous climax of a punishing doom track and proceeds to drive a single ominous riff further and further into the depths of despair. Over the course of eight and a half minutes, Lordcreate a broiling cauldron of crushing sludge, squalling feedback, unhinged lead guitar and desperate vocals that makes for a unique ride into the beyond.

Just when you thought there were no more twists and turns to negotiate on this LP, Lord sign off with “This Lonesome Linger”, a twelve minute acoustic piece. The style really suits the band with their complex compositions working equally as well with the volume down, embellished with string arrangements.

Lord can be proud that they have gone out on a high with “Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men”. Hopefully this album will inspire others to follow their path into uncharted waters of doom and sludge.

“Desperation Finds Hunter In All Men” is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

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: Lord - "Blacklisted"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: Heavy Hound Records

Label: 26/05/2017

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.

“Blacklisted” CD//DD track listing:

1. Mile After Mile
2. They Lied
3. The Bandage
4. Blacklisted
5. The Heart of a Hero
6. Not Your Problem?

The Review:

Lord don’t take any prisoners on new release “Blacklisted”. Over the course of 30 breathless minutes the Virginian’s unleash a barrage of High On Fire-indebted stoner thrash dredged from the deepest swamps of New Orleans.

The opening trio of “Mile After Mile”, “They Lied” and “The Bandage” find the band in unstoppable full flow. Sections of raging high-octane mayhem crash into the kind of huge sludge riffs Downwould be proud of, while a variety of throat ripping howls and barks wail overhead. The title track sees Lord add bursts of dirty death metal and furious blastbeats into the mix which bring an edge of nastiness to their already grimy sound.

The undertones of Crowbar’sslow-motion misery that bubble under the surface throughout “Blacklisted” are given free rein on “The Heart of a Hero”. Lordably demonstrate that they can slow down to a languid crunch without any loss of impact and still deliver a devastating blend of crushing riffs and epic melody. The track peaks with a huge solo that distils everything that is great about this release; a perfect mix of technical ability and ragged, untamed energy.

“Not Your Problem?” brings the record to a close in strong, anthemic fashion. It’s the closest Lord get to a regular song with elements of straight-ahead punk’n’roll aggression mixed in with their trademark deadly riffs. It provides a suitably powerful vehicle for a rant on consumerism and not turning a blind eye to the world descending into chaos.

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.

“Blacklisted” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Virginia’s LORD unleash their electrifying blend of dbeat infused southern slime with “Not Your Problem”

Hailing from Fredricksburg, Virginia LORD is a band that isn't afraid to explore the possibilities within heavy music. They have a knack for taking laid back and simple blues riffs and twisting them into serpentine doom monsters that at times rival the sludgiest of lords. That combined with the mad battery attack drives this particular moonshine ride straight to hell.

Their new album “Blacklisted” set for release via Heavy Hound Records on May 26th runs through all their costume changes, from chicken-fried southern slouch to damn-near-d-beat. This is downtrodden doom competing with the relentless breakneck energy of classic thrashing punk.  At to that Steve Kerchner's completely unhinged homicidal howling, makes “Blacklisted” a hammering, churning barbaric album that defecates its guitar-slime and impure tribal drumming all over you ear drums.  Make no mistake LORD are truly an electrifying proposition and today we’re streaming the track “Not Your Problem” ahead of the release date on the 26^th.  You can stream it below and preorder/buy a copy here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook