---

Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting tempi. A mixture of Doom Metal, Stoner Rock, Slow tempi in a dark and pessimistic atmosphere. The LA based band 16 did their first full-length album entitled "Curves that Kick" in 1993 and now almost 20 years later, we got a new disc, which is called 'Deep Cuts From Dark Clouds' from these veterans in the genre.

All the expected groovy, heavy and outlaw biker metal intergradient's are in the art work and with the same slow tempo and intensity all through the track-list. Compare to 'Bridges To Burn' from -09 nothing has happened really, it's the same distorted, gritty vocals from Cris Jerue and the stone hard rhythm sound from Mateo Pinkerton on the drums and Tony Baumeister on the bass. Why change a sound of wall, which is so fat and thick that you almost can carve in it. If you like the guitars down-tuned and distorted this is the real deal for you. Dusty boots, big and fat tattoos, overdose of testosterone, anger and overgrown beards is the image and the gut feeling. Not generally my favorite genre, but '16' is a cult band in this metal style and is absolute worth checking out if you're curious about the heavy sludge metal sound.

Best tracks: "Theme from ‘Pillpopper’", "The Sad Clown", "Opium Hook" and "Only Photographs Remain".

---