Black
Moon Circle - Black Moon Circle
One of the
best psychedelic albums (bands) of the year. For a few months, it was never far
from my turntable. Pure space rock!
Blood
Farmers - Headless Eyes
Such a balanced
record, heavy…groovy… trippy. If Pink Floyd dug horror movies, this would be
their “Wish You Were Here”
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/12/blood-farmers-headless-eyes-album-review.html
Blues
Pills - Blues Pills
After a couple of
EPs, this album sees Blues Pills reach their full potential. Fun all the way
through, this is a great rock and roll record. Please just stop re-recording
“Devil Man”.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/08/blues-pills-st-album-review.html
BoneHawk
- Albino Rhino
Strong, steady grooves, killer
guitar harmonies, catchy vocal hooks. BoneHawk is almost what you wish QOTSA
still were. One of the best independent releases of the year.
Brank
Bjork - Black Power Flower:
The grooviest
album (possibly ever), Brant Bjork is officially the hippest cat in the room. Prior
to its release, I didn’t know what to expect and frankly, was pretty
indifferent about the whole thing. Now I can’t stop listening. This album
always puts a smile on my face and a shake to my strut. Can you dig it?
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/10/brant-bjork-low-desert-punk-band-black.html
Child
- Child
Look up the definition of “heavy
blues” and here they are. Fucking brilliant throughout. Amongst a pretty
transient rotation, it hasn’t left my iPhone all year.
Conan
- Blood Eagle
Conan's best work to date. Heavy as fuck and with plenty of riffs to keep things moving, this album is as brutal as it gets. The sound of violence.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/02/conan-blood-eagle-album-review.html
Corrosion
Of Conformity - IX
Possibly the final
chapter from the reformed “Animosity” lineup, as Pepper is said to be returning
to the fold. As happy as I am about that, I’ve loved what COC has done over the
last few years and this album is an excellent exclamation point to this
riff-tastic era in the bands long history.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/06/corrosion-of-conformity-ix-album-review.html
Electric
Wizard - Time To Die
Love it… hate it…
It’s the Wizard at their darkest and most depraved. Sometimes more noisescapes
than outright riffage, I dig the shit out of it.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/09/electric-wizard-time-to-die-album-review.html
Foghound
- Quick, Dirty & High
With killer,
simplistic riffs and catchy-as-hell-sing-along hooks, Foghound has made a party
album that is a breath of fresh air and a whole lot of fun. It amazes me that
this band hasn’t been picked up by a label. Vanrock of the highest order!
The
Golden Grass - The Golden Grass:
On the
lighter side of the heavy psych spectrum, The Golden Grass just craft great
rock tunes that sound straight off the 70’s AM dial. This album will be the
summer jams for years to come.
Hornss
- No Blood, No Sympathy
Neanderthal sludge
rock with enough weird to make a Melvins fan proud, this was a sleeper hit in
my world and a very welcome surprise. It’s raw as hell and a damn good time. Break
out the bongs and the battlejackets!
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/04/hornss-no-blood-no-sympathy-album-review.html
Mamont
- The Valleys Below
What?!? The singer
left? Killer EP of Swedish stoney grooves and bluesy licks, I hope they find a
way to forge on.
Mars
Red Sky - Stranded In Arcadia
Man, I
don’t really know what to say about this album… It’s the sound of the moon
reflecting off the glassy stillness of Lake Eerie on a cool summer night… on
mushrooms.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/03/mars-red-sky-stranded-in-arcadia-album.html
Melvins
- Hold It In
Maybe the most fun Melvins
album ever! The Butthole injection (get it?) brought new life to the old
Melvins formula. The heavy stuff is as heavy as ever and the noise is supreme,
but there’s something different going on here. This album is as good as (and
similar in it’s scope to) anything they released during the Atlantic years.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/12/melvins-hold-it-in-album-review.html
Monolord
- Empress Rising
The heaviest album
of the year. Riff worship at it’s finest. It was a classic the second the
needle hit the wax. Easily RidingEasy Records best release to date.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/02/monolord-empress-rising-album-review.html
Mothership
- II
I saw them live last year and was
blown away by how heavy they were, this album captures the essence of that
experience. The road has done wonders for this band and they’ve delivered a
jaw-breaking slab of heavy Texas riffage. Amazing job all around.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/11/mothership-ii-album-review.html
Mount
Carmel - Get Pure
These cats just
plain rule. “Real Women” is by far one of my favorite albums and although this
is a bit of a 180 from that, it is just as good, if not better. And check the
skills on these dudes! Chops for days…
Salem’s
Pot - …Lurar ut dig på prärien
Those crazy kids just keep getting weirder and weirder, and I fuckin dig it!
The heaviness subsides a bit to make room for a more psychedelic edge, but
they’re still dark as hell and twisted up in knots. Hail Satan!
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/04/salems-pot-lurar-ut-dig-pa-prarien.html
The
Scimitar - Doomsayer
Darryl Shepard and
Co. pick up right where Black Pyramid left off and deliver an excellent album
full of thick, tasty riffs, articulate arrangements and rock solid doom. Throw
in a top notch Motorhead cover for good measure, let’s party!
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-scimitar-doomsayer-album-review.html
Slomatics
- Estron
Yeah… just epic… fucking epic! If
this album came out later in the year, it would be on the top of every list.
Brilliant record in every way… also never left my iPhone.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/01/slomatics-estron-album-review.html
Slow
Season - Mountains
Huge fan of their
debut and psyched to see this album get the proper vinyl treatment from RidingEasy
Records. They are to Zeppelin what Orchid is to Sabbath, and that is a major
compliment in my book. Absolutely slamming classic rock album, it will be a
favorite for years to come.
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/09/slow-season-mountains-album-review.html
Swamp
Machine - Mondo Magic
These dudes just
broke up, total bummer! Was looking forward to this album and loved it right
off the bat. I always wondered why didn’t the band get more attention? I
thought this album was incredible from day one. It’s what traveling through a
collapsing star sounds like.
Wo
Fat - The Conjuring
Wo Fat are the
kings of heavy Texas fuzz! These dudes rule, this album rules. Heavy psych… blues…
jams… fucking riffs!!!! They’ve mastered the sound, it’s unlike anything else….
IT’S FUCKING WO FAT, MAN!
The
Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/06/wo-fat-conjuring-album-review.html
Yob
- Clearing The Path To Ascend
This list
has been arranged alphabetically because I don’t really believe in ranking
releases in a “Best Of” order. Besides, my choices would change almost daily….
Except for Yob. “Clearing The Path To Ascend” is the album of the year and
“Marrow” is the song of the year (decade?). Admittedly a novice when it comes
to Yob’s catalogue, at first listen it was hard to escape hyperbole. After a
few listens, it became clear. With “Marrow” being the emotional and musical
apex, “Clearing The Path To Ascend” is an extremely important album that
transcends classification of genre and reaches beyond the limits of my
vocabulary. It’s just too goddamn good for words.
The Sludgelord Review: http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/08/yob-clearing-path-to-ascend-album-review.html
Listen to Electric
Beard Of Doom: Episode 40 – The Best Of The Beard: 2014 on Saturday, December 27th
at:
