TRACK PREMIERE: Widows debut new track "P.S. Worry"

Hard Rock/Stoner/sludge quartets, Widows are a pulverizing juggernaut of deadly riffage drenched with impressions of Entombed, Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Down, and Eyehategod. Having spent several years laying waste to any venue that would have them, the band have made friends in high places; scoring stunning reviews and features in Metal Hammer, Terrorizer, Rock Sound and more importantly on this very site

Following on from the storming success of their third studio release, 2017’s “Oh Deer God”, Widows are back with their flattening new two-track EP “Ten’Yer” marking the final studio release with long time drummer Ze-Big and the first outings for new drummer Adam Sharrocks at their launch shows in February 2019.

Widows had this to say about their new release. “After a relatively quiet 2018, we’re glad to be back with these new tracks and excited to get them in your faces live! We are also stoked to be finally working with APF Records on the release too, the label has done a lot for the scene since it started up and we’re really happy we’re now a part of that.

“Ten’Yer” is a bit of a progression on what we did with “Oh Deer God” and expands on the nastiness on that record. There’s still that same vibe there but the focus was on trying to make it darker and more aggressive than “ODG” on all fronts. If you liked the last record, you’ll love what we’ve got in store for you come January 28th!”

Ahead of the release next week, THE SLUDGELORD are proud to present a brand new track which you can check out below.  The band are also set to hit the UK over the coming months, and can be found sweating it out in the following cities:

Live Rtuals:

Fri 1st Feb – Albert’s, Nottingham, w/Ritual King, Mastiff, Barbarian Hermit

Sat 2nd Feb – Bread Factory, Manchester, w/APF Records Showcase

Sat 23rd Feb - The Freebird, Stoke, w/Mastiff and Silverchild

Thu 14th March – The Maze, Nottingham, Metal 2 the Masses Heat 5

9th June -Black Heart, London All dayer, main support

Sat 5th Oct - Bannerman's, EdinburghBarbarian Hermit weekender

Sun 6th Oct - Trillian's, Newcastle, all dayer, Barbarian Hermit weekender

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

THE 16 MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF YEAR SO FAR: The Sour 16 January - June 2017

As I reflect incredulously upon 2017 so far, it continues to confound my expectations that THE SLUDGELORD exists at all, let alone being able to reflect upon six months worth of albums. 

2017 is like any other, we predict this year’s releases will not top the last, but invariably we are proven wrong, there have been highlights and disappointments, shocks and surprises, and as we approach July, we’ll continue to separate the good, from the bad and the ugly.  But today we reflect upon the 16 most popular records at THE SLUDGELORD so far in 2017.   

This list does not reflect the contributors own tastes, rather they are articles that have received the most clicks, therefore by virtue of that, you could argue they’re the most popular (it’s a pretty loose hypotheses I know, but we wanted the list to reflect your tastes not ours).  The fact that the albums cover a variety of genres is indicative of how the site has grown and is central to the philosophy we promote, which is to review albums we like, not solely on the basis of genre.

The results of this chart as ever are compiled based on page views alone.  For more information on the bands, click the artwork.   We have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication is highlighted in red).  Thanks for reading. 

16). Brutus – “Burst” (1455)

Straddling the line between hardcore punk and a post-rock/metal riff fest, Brutus pounds, hurls, and howls at volumes so loud and levels so intense that it’s impossible to look away. Harmonies, hooks, and sing-a-longs are part of the Brutus recipe, but it’s the sheer intensity that will have heads turning, bopping, and banging.

15). Toke – “Orange” (1458)

Toke seamlessly blends the precise amount of head crushing, belly thumping riffs with greasy, bluesy lead breaks and melody. This band has struck a balance between tried and true classic archetypes within this genre and has pushed the envelope in so many forms of noticeable nuance.

14). Mutoid Man – “War Moans” (1529)

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

13). Spidergawd – “IV” (1568)

“IV” is eight tracks that follow the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula and does so with licks, vocals, lyrics and melodies that are sharp, fast, and poignant. As far as that’s concerned, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about

12). Bathsheba – “Servus” (1603)

The biggest strength of the album is its tactful and haunting use of atmosphere. This is achieved through the skilful use of dynamic contrast, organically unfolding transitions and changes in the timbre of the music, particularly in the playing of guitarist Dwight Goossens.  Tracks such as “Manifest” and “Demon” see Goossens change from chilling, ambient clean tones to rich, roaring fuzz tones that could satisfy even the hardest to please doom fans.

11). Sleep – “The Clarity” (1681)

“This track sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a huge robotic entity slowly trudging through space. ‘The Clarity’ is exactly what every Sleep fan wanted to hear after being dormant for such a long time. If these guys can pull an album out of the bag in the near future with anything remotely close to the calibre of power involved in this, then we are in for a serious slab of mind-altering, heavy doom.”

10). DOOL – “Here Now, There Then” (1698)

It is rare that an album is able to make one completely forget about their real world surroundings and bring them somewhere else entirely.  “Here Now, There Then” is an otherworldly brew of eeriness, effective hooks and nefarious rock and roll.  It is the soundtrack of a lost soul stumbling upon something evil and long forgotten, only to find it wide awake and waiting.

9). Unearthly Trance – “Stalking The Ghost” (1780)

8). Pallbearer – “Heartless” (1921)

“Heartless” is an incredible achievement from Pallbearer, a set of huge songs that consolidate the best elements of their previous releases while moving into fresh sonic territory. This is the album that should see the band make the transition into stadium-bothering all-time greats, and deservedly so.

7). Widows – “Oh Deer God” (2075)

The strongest part of “Oh Deer God” are the bloated, swaggering riffs that invade every one of the album’s seven tracks. The riffs loom over the music like a giant surveying a small village, resolve in just the right way, and give the album a raw, beefy strength that makes it so enjoyable. At just under half an hour total, “Oh Deer God” is a brief, but delightful venture into where vaporous desert rock meets viscous sludge metal.

6). Sepultura – “Machine Messiah” (2196)

Will this convert early-Sepultura-only fans? Unlikely. Will it convert Cavalera only Sepultura fans? I doubt it, as those people have made their decision and won't entertain that a Sepultura can exist without the Cavalera brothers. However, this is yet another high quality entry into the Sepultura discography and is one of the best records the band has made.

5). Dopelord – “Children of the Haze” (2516)

“Children of the Haze” is defined by loose grooves, ghoulish riffing and a very vintage sense of wickedness. Dopelord prove that, unlike many other stoner metal bands, they are not content to just create the same song several times over and call it an album.

4). Blaze Bayley – “Infinite Entanglement” & “Endure & Survive” (2819)

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

3). Dead Witches – “Ouija” (3528)

This is another perfectly fuzzed out slab of doom from a band that doesn’t seem to know any other way.

2). Soen – “Lykaia” (3565)

On Soen’s third full length record their own explorative hunger is satisfied in the most delicious of ways, resulting in their most dynamically versatile but free flowing release to date.  An explorative and colourful record, there is a lot to take in with this record, many dimensions in which to get lost in. Repeat listens bear gorgeous fruits.

1). Telekinetic Yeti – “Abominable” (4181)

All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to find their place at the top of the scene

TOP 16 ALBUMS: The Sour 16 for February 2017

Let it be known fellow Sludgelordians, “The Sour 16” returns.  The Sludgelord presents the very best riff based music to pour scorn on this desolate day and strike upon us the might of the riff, to inject our veins with sin and guide us on journey of subservice to doom, an act that goes against the very laws and teachings of populist culture, and for those that wish to come with us on our quest, kneel with me as we embrace the thunderous din that is, “The Sour 16”.

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 Sludgelord Headquarters.

The results are compiled based on page views alone and 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 red)

16). Morta Skuld - "Wounds Deeper Than Time" (579)

15). Crystal Fairy - "Crystal Fairy" (629)

14). Woe - “Hope Attrition” (660)

13). Weltesser - "Crestfallen" (711)

12). Grey Widow - "II" (720)

11). Dread Sovereign - "For Doom The Bell Tolls" (739)

10). Brutus- "Burst" (820)

9). Wiegedood - “De Doden Hebben Het Goed II” (924)

8). Psychedelic Witchcraft– “Magick Rites and Spells" (979)

  

7). Darkest Hour - “Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora”(1011)

6). Death Alley - "Live At Roadburn" (1023)

5). Cult of Occult / Grim Van Doom - "Split" (1096)

4). Sleep - "The Clarity" (EP) (1437)

3). DOOL - "Here Now, There Then" (1439)

2). Unearthly Trance - "Stalking the Ghost" (1526)

1). Widows - "Oh Deer God" (1705)

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful. February’s  “Sour 16” features reviews by:  Victor Van Ommen, Ben Fitts, Theron Moore, Brandon Green, Charlie Butler, Chris Bull, Jake Wallace, Conor O’Dea & Grim Trashcan

ALBUM REVIEW & SONG PREMIERE: Widows - "Oh Deer God"

By: Ben Fitts

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 14/04/2017

Label: UMC Recordings

The strongest part of “Oh Deer God” are the bloated, swaggering riffs that invade every one of the album’s seven tracks. The riffs loom over the music like a giant surveying a small village, resolve in just the right way, and give the album a raw, beefy strength that makes it so enjoyable. At just under half an hour total, “Oh Deer God” is a brief, but delightful venture into where vaporous desert rock meets viscous sludge metal.

“Oh Deer God” track listing:

1. Oh Deer God

2. Caffeine and Hatred

3. Heresy and Venom

4. Blue Tuna

5. Ride To The Realm Of Coitus

6. Baron Greenback Blues

7. Germanium Buzz

The Review:

A typical desert rock band can teleport the listener into the driver’s seat of a grimy dune buggy as it glides through scorched sands and blisters in the rays of a too near sun. On their 2012 debut album, “Death Valley Dutchess”, English quartet Widows recreated these typical desert rock aesthetics rather admirably. However the band’s sophomore effort, “Oh Deer God”, sees Widows push their desert rock sound into sludge territory, existing in a wonderful sweet spot between the two styles. While “Death Valley Dutchess” might bring the listener to the previously described dune buggy in the desert, “Oh Deer God” rips you out of your seat and hurls you into a gurgling, alien tar pit crawling with creatures that exist only on the outskirts of human imagination.

“Oh Deer God”is still brimming with all the indolent rhythmic feels, bluesy riffing and smokey guitar tones that are the calling cards of desert rock, but it also drips with all the rancor, harshness and hostility that make a great sludge album. Tracks such as “Blue Tina”, “Baron Greenback Blues” and the album’s closer, “Germanium Buzz” show that Widows still retain their aptitude for mid-tempo, blues inflected stompers. However, “Oh Deer God” also sees the band pushing higher speeds and playing with more propulsive rhythms, as evidenced by the crushing title track that opens the album and the hardcore nodding, minute and eleven second long bruiser “Caffeine and Hatred”.

The strongest part of “Oh Deer God” are the bloated, swaggering riffs that invade every one of the album’s seven tracks. The riffs loom over the music like a giant surveying a small village, resolve in just the right way, and give the album a raw, beefy strength that makes it so enjoyable. There is hardly a forgettable one on the whole album. The standout track of the album may be its fourth number, “Blue Tina”. Beginning with a grooving, blues based guitar riff and sparse percussion that could be the soundtrack to selling your soul to the space devil at the galactic crossroads, the track builds quickly as the band comes in at full, pummeling force. Built around the strongest riff on an album defined by strong riffs, “Blue Tina” is four minutes and twenty seconds (draw your own conclusions) of stoner rock paradise. At just under half an hour total, “Oh Deer God” is a brief, but delightful venture into where vaporous desert rock meets viscous sludge metal.     

Check out the amazing title track "Oh Deer God" below

Band info: facebook