Top Ten of 2016: Rich from Warcrab

Hi, Rich from Warcrab here, I’ve been asked to provide a list of ten of my favourite Metal Albums of 2016 for all you lovely readers, so in no particular order, here we go!.

1.       Meshuggah- The Violent Sleep of Reason

I want to start with this latest release from Meshuggah coz I love everything they do! In my opinion they never disappoint and always seem to evolve further with every new release. 

Granted they are not everybody’s cup of tea but I have been a fan since I saw them supporting Machine head on MH’s first Uk headlining tour in 1995. 

Destroy Erase Improve had just been released and I was hooked immediately and still am. Many try to sound like them but EVERYONE fails. And this new record is no different it swallows you whole and spits you out the other side!! 

And the fact that they recorded a lot of it live speaks for itself, complex and sometimes mesmerizing and full of groove and full of awesome drumming, go buy it now!!
 Gojira – Magma

Gojira are another band that I have been following for years, since the album The Link in fact, I was also lucky enough to see them live back in those early days (TJ’s in Newport, Wales) since then they have grown in popularity and as a band.

 I don’t think this new album is their best by any stretch but an album by a band who are comfortable and established and can maybe explore the more laid back and melodic aspect of their music but that’s not to say there isn’t some crushing riffage too. But maybe lacking in their usual rhythmic experimentation. 

A sterling effort none the less!

3.       Suicidal Tendencies -  World gone Mad

I chose this one from ST for a couple of reasons, the first reason being that it’s a good thrash album with some really catchy hooks and secondly Dave Lombardo is playing the drums!!! 

It’s great to hear his style chucked into the Suicidal mix and in turn giving ST a noticeable sharper delivery. I do think the songs are a tad too long in some places which could change this good album to a great album but there is some really catchy songs on this and it’s good for driving in the car too!

4.       Nails – You’ll Never be One of Us

Well I’ve only really just gotten into Nails over the last few months and the last I heard is that they’ve decided to end it, shame! 

This is a good slab of noisy grind or some call it power violence, either way it’s a nice bit of aggression. It’s no Napalm Death or Death toll 80K but it’s certainly competitive!

 Rotten Sound – Abuse to Suffer

I’ve been into RS since their Cycles album in 2008, a really good solid grind band with that oh so familiar Scandinavian sound. I saw them in my home town a couple of years ago and they didn’t disappoint I left feeling like you’re supposed to after a grind gig, ya know like you’ve had an audible beating, physical too sometimes ha ha .

 Abuse To Suffer is a great piece of grind and one that’s gonna stay on the play list for a while to come!!

6.       Black Cobra – Imperium Simulacra

Another great release from these guys, maybe a bit more polished sounding this time but still great, they make an awful lot of noise for just a two piece band!! 

I saw them recently supporting Yob on their recent UK tour, BC played some tracks from this album and they sounded awesome live!! If you haven’t heard this band yet then you should change that with heist!!

7.       Opeth – Sorceress

I love Opeth, and this new offering is no different, going a lot more down the prog road these days with their recent material but I like some prog rock if ya wanna call it that, but that said they can still blast out the more death growly stuff live which is cool and makes for varied sets live. 

Keep it up lads, I like it!! 

8.       Conan - Revengeance  

Probably one of the heaviest bands of recent times, and this latest release is no different offering a more up tempo feel compared to earlier releases but still offering crushing doom riffs to rumble the bowels of Hades!!

One of my favourite UK bands at the moment and absolutely devastating live!

Hail Conan! 

9.       Crowbar – The Serpent Only Lies

Yes! Crowbar rule and have a big part in the reason we formed Warcrab in the first place! 

Yet another slab of brutal sludge with some top Crowbar grooves and guitar harmony’s and good to hear that Tod Strange is back in the fold too, I think you can hear his influence in the songs again coz this release really has some of the same feel as early Crowbar material!! 

I hope to see them live again soon!! 

1
Wormrot – Voices

Fantastic release from another great grindcore band, very intense live. They blew me away and they seem to capture that intensity on record too. I like the way they have seemed to bring some more tuneful riffing in to the mix which adds to the intensity!! 

Check ‘em out!!

So that concludes my 10 great albums from 2016, I’m sure I’ve probably missed some but hey ho, bring on 2017 I look forward to hearing what you’ve got to offer!!!