The debut of Iceland's one-man black metal outfit isn't released on record until the Spring, but it can be streamed already via his bandcamp page. An amalgam of sprawling, cavernous avant-garde black metal and gloomy, spooky dark ambient, this is the first stellar release of the genre in 2013 and any fans of Mories' work (particularly De Magia Veterum and Cloak Of Altering) will surely find themselves at home with Wormlust.

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

Music to go surfing and get eaten alive by a pack of bloodthirsty sharks to.

Listen here

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

So you think all post-metal sounds the same? Let 잠비나이 prove you wrong...

This way, gentlemen.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Darkside Momo, X-Ray Rod, psykometal, Ivor, Music4TheSpirit, Ag Fox, ScreamingSteelUS

It's normal rarity: a very promising band, coming from my homeland and releasing valuable 30-min EP. Crushy, slow, atmospheric, laid-back stuff. Case closed.

LISTEN

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod

If Godflesh made a post-black metal band, well, I imagine it would sound just like this. Highly unique and brilliantly sounding approach to what is blackened and rhythmically crushing metal with deliciously thick and atmospheric industrial and ambient texturing.

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

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.

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

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Susan, psykometal, X-Ray Rod, 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.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: 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.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: BloodTears, Ag Fox, R'Vannith, X-Ray Rod

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

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: wormdrink414, psykometal, BloodTears, X-Ray Rod, 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.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Susan, Daniell, !J.O.O.E.!, Nefarious, Darkside Momo, Introspekrieg, R'Vannith, BloodTears, X-Ray Rod

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?

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: 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.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod, 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."

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: 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

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