Relive the story of that ill-fated Miskatonic University expedition in Antarctica with The Great Old Ones's second album.

If you haven't checked it already, find it HERE!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod, Auntie Sahar, Abattoir, Nefarious, Ag Fox, BitterCOld, Doc G., R'Vannith

In A Mirror Darkly is as intense as a good conspiracy. The occasional Nevermore tones and Martin LeMar channeling Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain Of Salvation) are coupled with Mekong Delta's thrashy clever twists and instrumental eloquence. But the constant outpouring of technical catchy riffs is well-balanced by the slower melodic passages; this means the plot thickens with every song, which only enhances the experience.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: D.T. Metal, Ag Fox, Darkside Momo, wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod

The most varied and adventurous Vader album. I didn't think they could surprise me, but they did, and I've been a fan since 1990...

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: D.T. Metal, Doc G., BloodTears, R'Vannith

If you've been getting on the blackened death craziness that's been being served up lately from bands like Bölzer and Ancient Ascendant, here's one you definitely shouldn't pass up. Cold, nasty without sounding forced, and with an occasionally horror-esque atmosphere to top it all off, the sophomore effort from these Spaniards is just as good, if not better than their debut, and that's saying something.

Give "Anteinfierno" a spin over here.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Marcel Hubregtse, wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod, BitterCOld

You've probably heard some heavy sludge/stoner doom in your time......but Herder is harder!

Listen here.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Marcel Hubregtse, Deadsoulman, Ag Fox, Abattoir, wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod, psykometal, BitterCOld

This is the kind of stoner I dig: not too slow, not too crushing, vintage sound, and good vocals. Fresh stuff, released today.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: wormdrink414, R'Vannith, Troy Killjoy

If you want to feel like a miserable, hateful catatonic for some reason, click here.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Marcel Hubregtse, Ag Fox, X-Ray Rod, Darkside Momo

This will have been the most beautiful prog album you've listened so far this year. I know I've used this kind of catch-line before but the latest album from this Norwegian band just demands it. It is well thought-through and detailed, dark and melancholic. Excellence of this album cannot be denied. It is simply magnificent from the very beginning to the very end.

Here's the album trailer or "The Wizard of Altai Mountains" for sampling.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: BloodTears, R'Vannith, Introspekrieg, Deadsoulman, Dream Taster

Well this is definitely an album for the one man fanatics like myself if I ever heard one. Admittedly not as good as the previous Sentinel, but the drop in quality is very minimal, and Nihilus Ayloss continues to deliver in spades. Raw and hard hitting, but also interspersed with plenty of dreamy and mesmerizing undercurrents, to create a feeling not too unlike floating in some sort of otherwordly, cosmic ocean. "The Veiled Garden" in particular is nothing short of mindblowing.

LISTEN.

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Mories de Jong, ever the proficient craftsman, is back with his second full length of the year (first being the second Seirom album, which you need in your life): the third installation from his Cloak Of Altering project. Here you'll find the usual bag of tricks that's come to be associated with this ride in Mories' carnival: black metal interspersed with industrial and other nightmarish electronic/ambient touches, painting a picture that's both beautiful and deranged in all its repulsive splendor.

Get on it, ye hipsters.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod, Ag Fox

Following up their excellent self-titled uh... fifth album, most fans knew that this album was going to be a disappointment. Suffering the loss of a founding guitarist and drummer, the odds were on a steaming pile of Danish doo-doo. Yet somehow, this album comes out like a delicious wienerbrød. Still one of the only bands that I can never seem to figure out when songs are going to end or begin, the structures are interesting enough to avoid boring us to death with ordinary melodic prog/power metal. If you want a band that knows how to write great catchy songs without all the plague of pompousness that most modern prog metal suffers from, you may enjoy this.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Ivor, BloodTears, R'Vannith, Dream Taster

Intoxicating surf-thrash made by intoxicated people.

Stream it here

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Darkside Momo

The death metal album of the year was released on the first day of 2014. I knew that the moment I listened to the first song off the album. Do yourself a favour and [URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OwbfyUS92A&noredirect=1]LISTEN[/url]

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: psykometal, Ag Fox, Deadsoulman

Certain albums crush you and suddenly you become so small. Thou's Heathen does that. It is punishing with both slow marching riffs and beautiful harmonies which shine through the devastation. The brief acoustic passages allow you to breathe but the doom is always looming and never fades. There is a splendorous and limpid melodic side to Heathen but more than anything, this album is suffocatingly heavy.

Available at Bandcamp

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

If you like your sludge nautically named, if you, like me, rather prefer your sludge to be on the melodic side, and take Giant Squid as a somewhat liberal reference, then Helms Alee is for you.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Auntie Sahar, BloodTears, Ag Fox