Cloak Of Altering - NONE

Mories' (Gnaw Their Tongues, De Magia Veterum, Aderlating etc.) Cloak Of Altering project is turning into his most unusual if this little EP is anything to go by. Outside of his chilled-out, non-metal musings in SEIROM, this is probably the most accessible side to his repertoire and this great gem could only be described as avant-garde metal crossed with trippy music from video games made for aliens, played in reverse.

Staff pick by: Unknown user
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), X-Ray Rod, Auntie Sahar, Daniell, Darkside Momo, BloodTears

Keldian - Outbound

Describing themselves as "sci-fi metal", this Norwegian duo release their third album Outbound with the help of funding from fans! Cheesy, spacey power metal; great stuff!

Staff pick by: Baz Anderson
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), R'Vannith

Körgull The Exterminator - Metal Fist Destroyer

Has some hiccups, but it'll still metal fist you stupid.

click here to stream.

Staff pick by: wormdrink414
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), Unknown user, X-Ray Rod

Oceans Of Slumber - Aetherial

Progressive metal that has some extreme elements in it, but not so much of it to really justify calling them "Extreme progressive metal".

This is definitely rivaling Lascaille's Shroud for my prog AOTY right now.

Features drummer Dobber Beverly (ex-Insect Warfare, Ingurgitate), and some other current members of Ingurgitate.

Staff pick by: psykometal
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x)

In The Company Of Serpents - Of The Flock

The sophomore release from this two piece Colorado outfit. Of The Flock is chalk full of groovy, hard-hitting sludge, at some points darkly melodic and atmospheric in its delivery, helping to give the band a higher dimension of personality that certainly makes them more intriguing than many of their contemporaries.

LISTEN HERE

Staff pick by: Auntie Sahar
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), wormdrink414, Abattoir

Caligula's Horse - The Tide, The Thief & River's End

With their debut "Moments From Ephemeral City" in 2011, I wasn't sure if it was a one-off fluke or indicator of future greatness. Now that "The Tide, The Thief & River's End" is finally here, I am extremely happy to find that they have improved in every aspect and put out another solid album. For fans of Karnivool, Fair To Midland, Lunatic Soul, Haken, Opeth, Tool, and Leprous.

Listen

Staff pick by: Introspekrieg
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), R'Vannith, BloodTears, Nefarious, Ivor

Bølzer - Aura

Bölzer got some serious bällz. Managing to be nostalgically old-school and uncompromisingly modern all at the same time, and all achieved in 3 glorious songs.

Staff pick by: Unknown user
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), X-Ray Rod, Auntie Sahar, Nefarious, wormdrink414, Marcel Hubregtse, Daniell, BloodTears

Argus - Beyond The Martyrs

If you read my review of their previous album, you know I love them. If you didn't and you don't know the band, stop being uncool and go listen to it. Classic heavy/doom metal doesn't get better than this.

Staff pick by: Daniell
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), Marcel Hubregtse, Unknown user, R'Vannith, BloodTears, wormdrink414

Blut Aus Nord - What Once Was... Liber III

Oh look, here's me recommending a Blut Aus Nord record. Pretty sure that's never happened before. If you like Blut Aus Nord, or any music, at its most primitive and twisted then I imagine this will make the blood rush to your lower-middle areas.

Staff pick by: Unknown user
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), Auntie Sahar, X-Ray Rod, Daniell, Introspekrieg

Rudra - RTA

The seventh volume in a saga of quality extreme metal from Singapore. Cloaked in a layer of obvious Asian musical influences sure to interest fans of bands like Nile and Melechesh.
Check out a track here.

Staff pick by: Auntie Sahar
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), Unknown user, X-Ray Rod, Marcel Hubregtse

Omb - SwineSong

If you like your prog to be ambitious, diverse, theatrical & technically proficient, then you are gonna love what these Israelis have in store for you!

Listen here.

Staff pick by: Nefarious
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), Ivor, R'Vannith, Dane Train

Wolfheart - Winterborn

It's Tuomas Saukkonen...you know what to do...

Staff pick by: psykometal
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x)

Castevet - Obsian

Bit of a mouthful that style description. Don't let it put you off though, Castevet's sound has always been a bitch to accurately describe but one thing's for sure: this is a top quality record. If their début wasn't already brilliant enough (which it was), Obsidian pushes the envelope even further and expands on their scorched-Earthen sound with a flawlessly organic progressive edge, with influences from Virus and Enslaved, if their sound is anything to go by.

Staff pick by: Unknown user
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), X-Ray Rod, Nefarious, BloodTears, R'Vannith, Troy Killjoy

Windhand - Soma

Yeah it sometimes drags and can be a drag, but when everything comes together on this, you'll get lost in it. 77 minutes... of some okayness and some epicness.

Staff pick by: wormdrink414
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), Unknown user, Marcel Hubregtse, Abattoir, X-Ray Rod, BitterCOld

Fates Warning - Darkness In A Different Light

Sorry Dream Theater, Fates Warning make us wait for their albums much longer, but release much better music.

Staff pick by: Daniell
Endorsed by: Unknown user (x), BloodTears, Dane Train, Introspekrieg, Yaniv