The dense, suffocating atmosphere of H.P. Lovecraft's stories has finally found a good sonic equivalent - death metal with quite a bit of black thrown in the mix. Add expert execution and appropriately oppressive production and you get a winner.

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Daniell !J.O.O.E.!, Mr. Doctor, psykometal, Nefarious, R'Vannith, Darkside Momo, Ag Fox

Interesting, innovative, engaging, diverse & technically proficient. This Epic/Melodic/Progressive Black metal release takes influences from many different genres & combines them together so well to form an absolute gem of a debut album. Xanthochroid are going places, and wherever they go you should follow.

Listen here

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Nefarious Susan, psykometal, Mr. Doctor, Darkside Momo, BloodTears

Skyharbor's Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos shines on with a big wall of beautiful sounds, contemplation and chaotic complexity. Please return safely to the ground when you're done with it. It might take you to places logic can't explain.

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BloodTears Susan, Ag Fox, Promonex, Introspekrieg, !J.O.O.E.!

Leaving the Earth behind and exploring uncharted worlds and all the star systems rarely sounds this decisively passionate. Like kissing the world goodbye with the explosive romanticism of a mushroom cloud, Skylight offers vocal lines and guitar solos that echo the beauty of a nebula, all while letting us travel with them in the warmth of their journey afar. Like a tear with a smile beneath it.

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dismaleuphony BloodTears, Ag Fox, R'Vannith, Mr. Doctor

If Bolt Thrower and Asphyx were getting together to play punk, it would probably sound like this.

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Promonex wormdrink414, psykometal, BloodTears, Mr. Doctor, BitterCOld

I get the feeling these guys must have been rather upset by Arcturus' disbandment back in 2007 and then decided to take it upon themselves to fill that void left in the Avantgarde world. But not only did they fill the void, they improved upon what Arcturus had already done by doing what [probably] a lot of us Arcturus fans always hoped Arcturus would have done, they mixed all the best aspects of Aspera Hiems Symfonia and La Masquerade Infernale into one solid, super cohesive album.

In case you can't tell yet, this album is obviously heavily influenced by Arcturus but they still managed to add their own touches to it here and there as well so if you are a fan of Arcturus (especially of AHS and LMI) then you SHOULD get this album ASAP.

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psykometal Susan, Daniell, !J.O.O.E.!, Nefarious, Darkside Momo, Introspekrieg, R'Vannith, BloodTears, Mr. Doctor

Nautical themed psyechedicstonerdoom-infused post-metal? This worthy first release from W&A ebbs and flows like calm waters and raging seas. How do you say "Post Ahoy!" en Italiano?

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BitterCOld BloodTears, Abattoir, Susan

It really doesn't matter what you've listened to in 2012, nothing comes within a light year of how schizophrenic, eclectic, bizarre, unique and brilliant this record is. Experimental breakcore and blasting cybergrind punctuated by modern classical piano and violin, arias, Latin guitar, chickens, fluttering bird wings, vacuum cleaners (no joke) and who knows what else.

Seriously. Unless you've heard this then you've heard nothing like this.

And it's French. Shut up and give him your money.



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!J.O.O.E.! Mr. Doctor, Darkside Momo, Introspekrieg, psykometal, Fat & Sassy!, Ag Fox, wormdrink414

I'm just gona plagiarize Susan on this one...

"Aeon's 4th full length is a brutal death metal assault with a heavy dose of groove. And you won't miss any of the complexity because of the remarkably clear production. In fact the production is so clear I feel like this band is in my living room.

Which is AWESOME."



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psykometal Susan, BudDa

(feat. ex and current members of A Forest Of Stars)
Dunno what water witches do, but based on the music, they probably love drowning people.

Bandcamp

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Ag Fox !J.O.O.E.!, Introspekrieg, Mr. Doctor

Fenriz picked these guys as band of the week a while back. I should have listened earlier. We all should have listened.

Listen here.

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wormdrink414 !J.O.O.E.!, Mr. Doctor

So you really digged Neurotech's debut album Antagonist, but don't like the way they are going now? Weep no more, Minority Sound are here for the rescue!

(what's the deal with all those Eastern Europeans being awesome at cyber metal anyway?)

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Promonex Darkside Momo, Ag Fox

- Hey man! What's up?
- Oh nothing... Mories released yet another piece of extreme art that challenges the foundations of black metal and extreme music in general. Throwing industrial, ambient, noise, dissonance, electronic touches and who knows what into the equation to get a result that can only be achieved by a mad man. Surprisingly mellow and melodic at some points though. But still, this is... You know, the usual magnificence.
- As always, meh.

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Mr. Doctor !J.O.O.E.!, Ag Fox, BloodTears, Introspekrieg, wormdrink414

Haunted seems to be an appropriate way to describe this. Utterly dense, unnerving and swirling death metal the likes of which you probably have never heard. (Kudos to Alex Lemon for this great find).

LISTEN

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!J.O.O.E.! Mr. Doctor, Marcel Hubregtse, Introspekrieg, Daniell, BudDa, R'Vannith, wormdrink414, Darkside Momo

Can't really describe this any better than Rémi Gallego himself so I'll just quote him on this...

"Imagine a mash up of electronica driven breakdowns, djent-y guitars, gut wrenching dub-step wobs and glitchy melodies all working together to fluidly pummel your head into the future."

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psykometal Ag Fox, Introspekrieg, !J.O.O.E.!, Mr. Doctor, Promonex