I’ve been a music lover since I can remember and I appreciate good music regardless of the genre. A few years back I found myself yearning for a new sound that I could not quite put in words, but I noticed that I kind of gravitated towards artists and songs that used more bass and had a “fuller” sound. Still, most felt underwhelming until I heard stoner rock – the album that brought a grin to my face is in my top 10 of course. I fell in love instantly and by now I have merged myself in the genre and now I tend to lean to even heavier and slower music by the day. So doom metal and specially sludge metal have become my new favorites.
2017 has been very different from the previous years for me when it comes to music. I have been to more concerts in one year than in the 5 years before that. These have been small and local to Estonia or my hometown Tartu, but I have bigger plans for 2018 in that regard. Also, I have listened to more artists and albums in one year than ever before, because I have been actively looking for them. Mostly to satisfy my own hunger, but also to have something new and exciting to introduce to readers of Morefuzz. And here I would like to thank Mr.Fuzz and everyone else at Morefuzz for welcoming me to be a part of this team and for the opportunity to integrate my two passions – music and writing.
Don't forget to check out the Top Albums of the other More Fuzz team members !
10 : Humulus – Reverently Heading Into Nowhere
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This rhinoceros of an album marks the beginning of my fuzzer days. I remember headbanging in my living room with a wide grin on my face. I listened to this album over and over again and still I haven’t had enough of it. My taste might shift a bit, but I will always love this album for it is perfectly done from start to finish and because it continues to remind me that first time I knew I had found what I had been looking for so long. Full Review Here
9 : Savanah – The Healer
As 2017 is the year I basically studied the “genre of fuzz” then in this top there are several “my firsts”. Savanah is the band I fell in love with because of their bass line. That slow rumbling really resonates with me. This is one of the albums I come back to every now and again. Full Review Here
8 : Rat King – Barren
Maybe I haven’t been looking in all the places I should be, but I have not seen much talk about this band and I think that is unfair. They have beautiful soulful vocals over the heavy doom and a bass so low that you could stand between the amplitudes of the vibration. Definitely a band to keep your eye on!
7 : Mang Ont – Võhk
I am proud to present doom metal band Mang Ont from my own hometown Tartu, Estonia. This is how I started my review on this mammoth album. Another first for me – these fellow estonians introduced me to doom/drone metal and I have not looked back since. Instead I have dug deeper and deeper into the sound and found a new soundscape for myself. I am very grateful for that. Full Review Here
6 : Dopelord – Children Of The Haze
And another step into the inviting darkness – Dopelord from Poland. To me it’s impressive how these guys can play so freaking heavy yet they got lyrics and vocals that make me sing along wholeheartedly. We are the childern of haze! Full Review Here
5 : Puta Volcano – Harmony Of Spheres
Female vocals for the win, am I right or what!? Also a good example why the Youtube’s Autoplay is a great feature. I was minding my own business at home when this album began to play on the background and it pulled me in, guys and girls. By the time of the last track Infinity (maybe one of my favorite tracks of this year) I had stopped what ever I was doing, I had turned up the volume and there I was. My world was anew.
4 : Mindkult – Lucifer’s Dream
I have to confess that I had now idea what shoegaze was until I listened to this album and now if I had to say what it is I would say it’s a sound that leaves you wanting more, forever. Atleast that is the case with this album. Mindkult is one brilliant guy. The whole album is put together with a remarkable attention to detail. Every song has groove and soul and like I said in the review – this is just good rock and roll! Full Review Here
3 : IAH – Selftitled
IAH is a instrumental stoner rock band from Argentina and this is their debut and what a graceful one at that. Their stellar sound fills the room and your mind and they also get to the heavy side, but they do it so tactfully and tastefully. This is an album for everyone who values good music.
2 : Bathsheba – Servus
Bathsheba plays heavy doom mixed with sludge and black metal. For me they are the full package. Some might even laugh at their lyrics, but I think they are just perfect in the mix they create. Powerful female vocals in the midst of ocean of fuzz. Riffs that could move mountains and then – a soul bending saxophone solo while they let the gravity of their sound linger back a bit.
1 : Crackhouse – Be No One. Be Nothing
There are days I love to listen to something to chill to. Then there are days I indulge myself in so heavy sludge I couldn’t explain the music to my friends let alone my mom. But for the time being I think there is a middle gound for me. Music that is heavy and chill at the same time. Humulus, IAH, Savanah, Bathsheba – they all have that quality, but Crackhouse does it best. While the sludgy part stays a bit more on the background the songs have an ambient side to them. This album is crisp and absolutely lovely and then it kicks in another gear with a “Huh!” and takes you on a journey like no other. I am really happy I have a chance to spread the word about this band. Full Review Here
Don't forget to check out the Top Albums of the other More Fuzz team members !
Honourable Mentions
I can’t imagine my life without music. Well, I can’t even imagine a life where I listen only to mainstream radios. There have been days this year where I listened to about ten new albums I found on Bandcamp, Youtube, Spotify or Soundcloud. Most of them I didn’t finish because there are so much new music coming out every day I just had to make quick decisions based on feeling and sound. Also, I am sure I just missed a lot of bands and albums I would have loved. I don’t understand people who say “they don’t make any good music anymore”. Are they living under a rock? Maybe they just don’t have the time or will to really look. When I first thought about composing my top album list I thought that maybe I could conjure up a top 7. But when I started to look back on my year the number grew fast. There were many tough choices while putting together my list and I left out some bands that seemed like obvious candidates, but that made the list more personal. Here are my honorable mentions.
Spaceslug – Mountains & Reminiscence
The Age Of Truth – Treshold
Monolord – Rust
Ayahuasca Dark Trip – Upaya
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Dope Smoker – Legalize It
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