Starting with Demigod, Behemoth's albums became more and more soulless. Faster, more brutal, better produced, but devoid of feelings. But no more. This one is spontaneous, wild, unhinged and unpredictable. It has more music than brutality, more feeling than calculation. A fantastic treat.

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I know you have your plate full with Awards but, come on, this is just so much genuine, pure fun you're about to miss out on. It's not exactly avantgarde but it's playful and theatrical, it's sombre and poetic, it feels like watching a play. Basically it's what happens when prog goes cabaret in the head and feels just plain good about it.

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Endorsed by: Darkside Momo, R'Vannith, BloodTears, X-Ray Rod

Recommended for fans of Lord Mantis and Indian, Hexis are pretty much the sonic equivalent of jumping into a septic tank. Proceed with caution.

Stream on Bandcamp.

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Endorsed by: wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod

While you wait for the MS Awards to start, here's something fresh to occupy your ears for a week. This album here beats most of what I heard from the past year in gothic. And beats them by a long mile. What makes it good is the variety, ranging from the very heavy to the very atmospheric, from doom to gothic, and beyond, orchestrated and not. It even has a sax thrown in for a good measure at one point and sounding so damn good.

Just try "A Triptych Journey."

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Endorsed by: R'Vannith, psykometal

Returning in full force with the band's distinct signature, A Etilla is a massive journey through a single slab of sorrowful doom landscapes. Builds up great in its pacing, and strikes an excellent balance between dark melodies and an entrancing ambient touch.

Listen on Bandcamp

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Endorsed by: Abattoir, Troy Killjoy

What do you get when you combine two of the darkest, most delicious bile spewing musical entities that are Gnaw Their Tongues and Alkerdeel? Something sinister that's for sure. Subtle blends of insidious doom, drone, black metal and dark ambient create an aural landscape dripping with death and disease. Even some melancholic melody seeps through. Start 2014 the right way; listen to this.

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Endorsed by: Auntie Sahar, X-Ray Rod, Marcel Hubregtse, wormdrink414

A really interesting and engaging blend of Progressive Black and Thrash Metal. Imagine Vektor with a little bit of Death & Enslaved mixed in. Sounds good right?

Go give them a listen.

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Endorsed by: wormdrink414, psykometal, !J.O.O.E.!, X-Ray Rod, R'Vannith

Start your year off on a good note with the debut from this interesting Finnish group. Harsh and death doom-ish at points, but also has a surprisingly groovy edge to it, with clean vocals that sound as if they could easily fit in your typical desert stoner band.

Check out a few tracks on their Bandcamp, "The Spiral Of Decay" in particular.

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Endorsed by: Nefarious, BloodTears, X-Ray Rod, BitterCOld, psykometal

^Yes, it's really that much of a mouthful. Lol!

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Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod

In this case any kind of distraction is out of question. These heavily pounding sounds will nailed you to the infertile ground. Being debut album, this is more than a proper introduction. It's a fucking beast!

LISTEN !

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Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod

Listening to Condor is like eating a whole meat-lover's pizza.

Click here

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Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod, psykometal

This album is like going to heavy metal heaven. The songs are anthems and the lyrics are compelling stories of the epic kind. With its solo bravado, truly majestic vocals, roaring melodies and beautifully crafted acoustic work, The White Goddess is too good to be ignored. There is never a dull moment in the kingdom of Atlantean Kodex.

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

In need of good hard rocking stoner? Look no further. With ups and downs, these Finns nevertheless know how to rock your boat.

Can you say no to "Troubled Son"? Right...

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Guys from or formerly in or who have played with groups including Power Trip, Trap Them and Insect Warfare are in this band.

And that's just prestige points stuff, because this thing here is a neck wrecker from start to finish.
Not to be missed stuff.

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Endorsed by: Deadsoulman, X-Ray Rod

Catchy grooves and trippy landscapes galore, the first full release from this Finnish four piece is definitely one of the better stoner efforts of 2013, as well as one of the best debuts. Has a very "lazy floating" type of feeling at many points, creating an atmosphere that's quite easy to fall back and get lost in. If that and the fantastic album art don't win you over, I don't know what will.

Turn on, tune in, drop out.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: !J.O.O.E.!, R'Vannith, Deadsoulman, BloodTears, X-Ray Rod