1.Disillusion - Ayam

2.Aenaon - Mnemosyne

3.Wilderun - Epigone

4.Ghost - Impera

5.Panzerfaust - The Suns Of Perdition - Chapter III: The Astral Drain

      View entire list ››

Welcome everybody to a little lesson on the history of Sludge & Stoner Metal. I'm Guib and today I have the immense pleasure to serve as your humble teacher.

Please take a seat and travel with me through time as we explore the very best of those two, often blurred, genres. The goal here is simple, I want to get you familiarized with the styles. I want you to understand where they come from through albums on a timeline and while we're at it get a sweet selection of great releases that you might not know and that, hopefully, will get you hooked to explore even more!

But this is a classroom and in my classroom there are a few rules. We want to keep this clean, clear and prevent having a 500+ albums mess. So here are the rules we'll follow throughout this lesson.

- - - - - The Rules - - - - -

1. We will settle for a maximum of 4 albums per year and they will be listed from oldest to newest. Makes it simple to navigate. Those releases will represent what I consider to be hallmarks of the genres for that year. Essentials if you want, yes? Of course, I'll sprinkle a bit of my personality here and there so you will find some unorthodox choices and some less known albums from time to time. It would be boring otherwise... and also why not?

2. We will begin the journey with Melvins' "Gluey Porch Treatments" released in 1987. Why? Because it is arguably the first album to be widely considered as Sludge.

3. The list will mostly feature studio albums. So no Demos & bare minimum when it comes to EPs if any at all. Thank you.

4. I am not going to include releases by Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Hawkwind, etc... I fully understand and recognize the influence older bands had on Stoner Rock, but this is not the list for them.

5. Lastly, not really a rule but more of a note. Considering that we're talking about Sludge & Stoner, it is inevitable that Doom, Post, Progressive, Grunge & Hardcore acts will be featured in this list. Those genres simply go together naturally and are often mixed so do not be alarmed!

- - - - - - - - - -

That is it, I hope you will all discover something to enjoy through my little history lesson. Also, do not hesitate to comment below if you agree or disagree with some of my picks. After all, this is a classroom and debate is invited as it can be fun and educative. As long everything's done respectfully, of course.

Enjoy & Have Fun... Class dismissed!

NOTE: I will now add my picks for best album of the year using this format (best of xxxx) in the chosen album's description.

- Guib -

- - - - - - - - - -

Guib's best Sludge/Stoner Album Picks

Best Of 2023:
Urne - A Feast On Sorrow

Best Of 2024 So Far:
O Zorn! - Vermillion Haze

- - - - - - - - - -

Last Update: April 16th, 2024

1.Melvins - Gluey Porch Treatments

2.Soundgarden - Ultramega OK

3.Oxbow - Fuckfest

4.Melvins - Ozma

5.Soundgarden - Louder Than Love

      View entire list ››

1.White Ward - False Light

2.Gaerea - Mirage

3.Dream Unending - Song Of Salvation

4.An Abstract Illusion - Woe

5.Voivod - Synchro Anarchy

      View entire list ››

Taken around 8:30 pm GMT
There was no write-in for djent so I voted for one.
Not totally clean (trolls in last categories are kept for fun),
Thanks to the person who curated most of the write-is since yesterday, it really reduced the work to do!

PS : I cleaned the list listening to The Testament by Seventh Wonder, so I was particularly unhappy to see it in the biggest letdowns at the end

1.

2.A.A. Williams - As The Moon Rests

3.Disturbed - Divisive

4.Dog Fashion Disco - Cult Classic

5.Fleshwater - We're Not Here To Be Loved

      View entire list ››

This is an alphabetical list dedicated for the celebration of great instrumental songs that have been included by vocal groups as original contribution to an album. Therefore, this list does not include instrumental-based groups like Apocalyptica, songs that have a significant part with spoken words / human voices or instrumental versions of vocal songs or other bonus material.

Please feel free to suggest more of your favorite songs for this list !

1.Accept - Objection Overruled

2.Anathema - Judgement

3.Arch Enemy - War Eternal

4.Arch Enemy - Will To Power

5.As I Lay Dying - An Ocean Between Us

      View entire list ››

This is a list of black metal (and blackened metal) albums based on their artwork (in reverse alphabetical order). It includes iconic cover art from classic albums as well as fascinating work from more recent releases.
There is a saying that "you should not judge a book by its cover", which is of course also true in the case of music albums. However, the artwork can complement the production and give a visual introduction to the musical theme and atmosphere. More than for any other kind of music, this may be true for metal.

(Updated 02.10.2023)

1.Zeal & Ardor - Zeal & Ardor

2.Yoth Iria - As The Flame Withers

3.Watain - Lawless Darkness

4.Vreid - Lifehunger

5.Venom - Black Metal

      View entire list ››

These are my top 100 favorite new releases of 2022

Genre stats:
Black: 22
Death: 18
Doom: 15
Stoner: 9
Sludge: 8
Heavy: 7
Post: 5
Thrash: 5
Prog / Avant-garde: 4
Alternative: 2
Gothic: 1
Folk: 1
Drone: 1
Hardcore: 1

1.Lune - Hymns To The Lunar Realm

2.Famyne - II: The Ground Below

3.Umbra Conscientia - Nigredine Mundi

4.Angrrsth - W Czeluść

5.Devil Master - Ecstasies Of Never Ending Night

      View entire list ››

Ratings go from:

WORSHIP ❤️❤️❤️: Absolute greatness, a mindblowing album.
LOVE ❤️❤️🖤: Amazing release with very few flaws.
LIKE ❤️🖤🖤: Enjoyable but far from perfect.
DISLIKE 💔: Not very good or maybe not fitting my tastes.

I've decided to stop rating albums with a numerical value as I tend to feel uncomfortable with that. This list has a minimalistic, subjective and visceral approach, based purely on sensations and personal tastes. Mainly for personal use and doesn't pretend to be a serious ranking, but emerges from the need to remember which bands and albums I enjoyed and the ones I disliked. I constantly revisit new releases so first impressions may change over time. It usually takes 8-10 spins for me to get completely sure of a rating.

1.Æther Realm - Tarot

2.Abhoria - Abhoria

3.Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops

4.Agrypnie - Metamorphosis

5.Allegaeon - Fragments Of Form And Function

      View entire list ››

Ratings go from:

WORSHIP ❤️❤️❤️: Absolute greatness, a mindblowing album.
LOVE ❤️❤️🖤: Amazing release with very few flaws.
LIKE ❤️🖤🖤: Enjoyable but far from perfect.
DISLIKE 💔: Not very good or maybe not fitting my tastes.

I've decided to stop rating albums with a numerical value as I tend to feel uncomfortable with that system. This list has a minimalistic, subjective and visceral approach, based purely on sensations and personal tastes. I constantly revisit new releases so first impressions may change over time. It usually takes 3-4 spins for me to get completely sure of a rating.

1.Vehemence - Ordalies

2.The Mist From The Mountains - Monumental: The Temple Of Twilight

3.Allegaeon - Damnum

4.Fit For An Autopsy - Oh What The Future Holds

5.Vanaheim - Een Verloren Verhaal

      View entire list ››

All my top 2022 albums ranked in order that I have listened to completely. No EP's included only full length albums.

1.An Abstract Illusion - Woe

2.Psychonaut - Violate Consensus Reality

3.Panzerfaust - The Suns Of Perdition - Chapter III: The Astral Drain

4.Aenaon - Mnemosyne

5.Djevel - Naa Skrider Natten Sort

      View entire list ››

1.Witcher - Lélekharang

2.Jani Liimatainen - My Father's Son

3.White Ward - False Light

4.An Abstract Illusion - Woe

5.Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)

      View entire list ››

My List of the releases made during 2022. Score based on the excel sheet i've made https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Hk_3gkpCfeKtdZNus_z3sxg-U8XJ_MqklfC8tbealaE/edit?usp=sharing

1.Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses

2.An Abstract Illusion - Woe

3.Porcupine Tree - Closure / Continuation

4.Celeste - Assassine(s)

5.Gaerea - Mirage

      View entire list ››

Only including albums I've listened to the whole way through.

1.Persefone - Metanoia

2.Ode And Elegy - Ode And Elegy

3.Non Est Deus - Impious

4.Confess - Revenge At All Costs

5.Zeal & Ardor - Zeal & Ardor

      View entire list ››

Thanks to MS for providing me with a place to list these albums. I only add the music i enjoyed (7+) to my lists.

1.Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems

2.Cloud Rat - Threshold

3.Chat Pile - God's Country

4.Knoll - Metempiric

5.Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory

      View entire list ››

1.Ashenspire - Hostile Architecture

2.Conjurer - Páthos

3.Psychonaut - Violate Consensus Reality

4.A.A. Williams - As The Moon Rests

5.Lorna Shore - Pain Remains

      View entire list ››