Bridges That Burn

It appeared as though we had heard the last of seminal sludge rockers 16 after the release of 2002′s Zoloft Smile, and for a perfectly good reason — the group had all but mysteriously vanished. But in 2009, the earth rumbled, and the massive plains parted and belched up another slab of 16, titled Bridges to Burn. Despite the long layoff between albums, the gentlemen — Chris Jerue (vocals), Bobby Ferry (guitar), Tony Baumeister (bass), and Jason Corley (drums) — can still come up with brutal metal grooves that crawl along and sound absolutely monstrous. You’ll be hard pressed to find songs in the modern metal world that match the sheer mighty onslaught of such delightful ditties as “Throw in the Towel,” “Skin & Bones,” and “Thorn in Your Side,” among others. Without question, Bridges to Burn is a 100-percent mega metal release. – Greg Prato