After a number of specta-awesomely-cular releases ("Paso Inferior", "Llenandose De Gusanos", "Se Hace Por Los Suenos Asesinos" and "El Mundo Frio" just to name a few), Corrupted continue their winning streak with "An Island Insane" and "Vasana", a double ep release. And once again, Corrupted treads new ground.

"Vasana" opens up with a typical Corrupted moment, too. A melancholic sound, a thundering yet slow groove, Corrupted once again presents itself as a gargantuan mass battling inertia, life and a whole bunch of other things. More inviolable and incomprehensible than "An Island Insane", "Vasana" lies closer to Corrupted's four releases. There's no sign of stagnation though, as the strong melancholic vibe is a largely new part of Corrupted's ever expending spectrum. And possibly a tell-tale of what's to come?

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Marcel Hubregtse, Daniell, X-Ray Rod

After a number of specta-awesomely-cular releases ("Paso Inferior", "Llenandose De Gusanos", "Se Hace Por Los Suenos Asesinos" and "El Mundo Frio" just to name a few), Corrupted continue their winning streak with "An Island Insane" and "Vasana", a double ep release. And once again, Corrupted treads new ground.

"An Island Insane" opens up with a typical Corrupted moment. A stomp, a sloooooow riff and a thundering growl. Another stomp, stomp, stomp. With inexorable strength, Hevi and co. pound you deep into the Earth's outer core. Melodies seep through while the distortion rises, until nothing remains but a harp and a screechy gray haze.

A short but absolutely killer gem.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: BitterCOld, Daniell, Marcel Hubregtse, X-Ray Rod

aTelecine is a project involving Sasha Grey, effectively shutting down reason in all men. We're like that, we can't help it.

It's noise, it's industrial, it's hardcore porn mixed and mashed into a putrid pile of sonic dung. And it rules. Right? Yes, it does. It's made by Sasha Grey, duh!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod

Murmuüre is Black metal made by aliens, weird aliens at that. Harsh, noisy and soulless Black metal. And with plenty of empty, starless cosmic plains. Err, plains? What do they call those, ehm, empty and ehm, starless spaces high up in the air?

Either way, check it out. Murmuüre will surprise you, promise! If not, your loss. Unless you like Power metal or fancy-pansy metal, then you'll probably hate it.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: !J.O.O.E.!, X-Ray Rod

Codex Incubo is fantastic riff-fest with spaced-out solos and a kickass atmosphere. So what the hell are you waiting for? Get to it! Death metal is not dead!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod, psykometal

A Forest Of Stars returns with another fascinating release! Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring is darker, doomier and blacker than the debut album and will appeal to pretty much any Black metal fan craving for a bit of freshness in the scene. Great!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Troy Killjoy, Deadsoulman, White Winter Sun, X-Ray Rod, wormdrink414, Darkside Momo

Reverorum Ib Malacht's "What Do You Think Of The Old God, We Call Him Judas?" is a gem. A gem, I tell ya.

It's only a demo, it's only released on cassette, it has a muddy production, it is everything 'cult' Black metal is. But it is more. It is genuinely blasphemous, it's fantastically insane and intensily terrifying. On "What Do You Think", all cliches of mad monks roaming through ancient dungeons and performing other obscure activites become frighteningly real. A must-check.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Götter, X-Ray Rod

The Nihilistic Front mix everything putrid and vile into one thirty-eight minute lasting cocktail of filth. The Four Seasons In Misery is nastier than a Tequila Sunrise, for fucks sake! And what's probably their biggest selling-point: they manage to resemble the elusive and mystical disEMBOWELMENT without being pure copycats.

Cheers!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod

Pyramids' sound cannot be described with mere words, and especially not in this small textbox. Let the music do the talking. If you need an incentive though, let me give you one:

Pyramids is a massive wall of droning texture, mixing Black metal with Noise and Drone with Psychedelics. In one long entrancing stream, the mood switches from soothing to harrowing within moments, leaving you breathless, speechless and thoughtless all at the same time. Must-check.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod

Sun Of The Blind is a side-project by one of the three Darkspace members. While it shares a few traits with the Swiss three-headed Total Perspective Vortex, most importantly the endless obsession with space and the void. Sun Of The Blind, however, approaches space from a far more melodic angle, being both easier on the ears and having a lot more grandeur. Skullreader thrives on the constant intertwining of melodic leads and majestic synths, pushing each other to astral heights. Eerie, dreamy breathtaker of an album.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Deadsoulman, Marcel Hubregtse, Troy Killjoy, Ag Fox, X-Ray Rod

The Maniacal Vale is, in my humble opinion, the single most devastating release ever.

It lures the listener in with "Circle", which has possibly the most emotive opening ever written. Within moments, the mood has shifted completely and you find yourself spiraling downwards a column of fire. There is no escape, there is no return. A hundred minutes later your soul has completely perished and your now lifeless body will crave salvation. Alas, those that have visited the abyss are condemned to dwell in hellfire forever.

It is hellfire.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Darkside Momo, Deadsoulman, BitterCOld, Marcel Hubregtse, White Winter Sun, Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod, Ag Fox, Nefarious

Warning's Watching From A Distance is a Traditional Doom metal album. Correction - Watching From A Distance is one of the best albums Traditional Doom has to offer. Five songs clocking in at nearly fifty minutes of emotionally draining, heartwrenching metal. Grey and bleak and with a devastating vocal performance to boot - a must-check.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Marcel Hubregtse, Troy Killjoy, BitterCOld, wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod, Nefarious, ScreamingSteelUS

Dead As Dreams is one of the best USBM albums around. Weakling offers the listener seventy-five minutes of raging Black metal with cutting-edge song writing and epic song structures. It's diverse, heart-wrenching and driven; don't miss out if you ever bump into this hard-to-find gem!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: BitterCOld, Marcel Hubregtse, Zombie, M.D., jupitreas, White Winter Sun, Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod, Ag Fox

Hailing from the legendary underground scene of Nokia, Finland, is Convulse. World Without God is their masterpiece, a spaced-out piece of old school Death metal. Now re-released by Relapse Records with the Resuscitation Of Evilness! If you're a fan of old school Death metal or of cult spaced-out extreme music, don't miss out!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Bas, Marcel Hubregtse, ylside, Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod

Urna combines Esoteric-esque hellfire with glacial sorrow. Iter Ad Lucem ("Path towards the light") thrives on it's wonderfully sorrowful, lucid and opaque guitar tone. Soaring melodies are deeply buried, although still very audible. Iter Ad Lucem will tear your soul apart with it's translucent honesty, a jewel to remember.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Marcel Hubregtse, Götter, Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod