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Depressive black metal
The album responsible for keeping me sane during my month-long absence from Metal Storm due to internet connectivity issues.

Art this depressive truly helps put "real life" and one's priorities into perspective.

Still awaiting Apocalypse In Your Heart (tentatively set to be released in 2010, though it's beginning to look more like 2011 will set the stage for its unveiling).

My ISP better get back to me before then...
Staff pick by: Troy Killjoy
Endorsed by: !J.O.O.E.!, Deadsoulman, KwonVerge
Killing Joke
This new album, the first in nearly 30 years with the original line-up, completely lives up to its promises. Or not. Depends on what you were looking for.

This certainly doesn't prevent it to be full of great songs, reminiscent of many eras of the band's history. But make no mistake: it's not a trek along Nostalgia Lane. Killing joke is as always terribly relevant, actual and modern (or, dare I say it, post-modern).

Plus, these new songs kick ass live!
Staff pick by: Darkside Momo
Endorsed by: jupitreas, !J.O.O.E.!, Baz Anderson, BitterCOld, Ag Fox
Folk Metal
These crazy Norwegians I found by mistake and I am glad I did with their original crazy blend of folk metal. If you like folk metal and you want to hear something different then Trollfest are what you need. They have a nack for throwing various instruments out at you through their albums and I even heard a Kazoo somewhere along the course of this album. They're a good party band and you cannot take them seriously, they even manage to make duck sounds.

So you need something out of the ordinary? Here you go.... Trollfest.
Staff pick by: fade
Endorsed by: Daniell
Progressive Black
Over the last couple records, Enslaved seemed to be moving towards metal middle age... from Black Metal to Black Floyd. AEO sees them continuing the prog path, but at the same time drawing from the best elements of their past work. The tone of this is harsher. At times they show the familiar gallop of their old BM works, at others the weirdness of Monumension and the confidence of Below The Lights. i love this album so much i want to fuck it.
Death metal
Released earlier this year, this album is still destroying speakers in its wake. Majesty And Decay has to be Immolation's best album to date. Absolutely crushing, intense death metal.
Stoner Metal
No album has had a bigger musical influence of my own band than this one. A perfect introduction to North Carolina's "dirty" Metal Scene, COC is pure badass. There is nothing slick and shiny about this album just balls to the walls Metal.

Being the first album with rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan on lead vocal the band left behind the punk element and added a darker Doom factor to the music. This is what Metallica wished they could have made when they recorded Load.
Staff pick by: Dane Train
Endorsed by: BitterCOld, Marcel Hubregtse, Daniell
Power/Progressive/Folk
Danish power/progressive/folk act Wuthering Heights are back with their 5th full length after four years. And damn the waiting was worth it; they tuned down the folk parts and tuned up the progressive side of things all the while they deliver full on power. Maybe not as good as Far From The Madding Crowd, but certainly a very mature release showing that these guys are not afraid to evolve.
Staff pick by: GT
Endorsed by: Baz Anderson, fade, Susan, Dane Train
Melancholic Melodic Death metal
Gentle reminder: Insomnium is awesome.


FYI, there's also a new Insomnium song, "Weather Storm", online. Rare and previously unreleased. All you have to do is share this link on Facebook or Twitter to receive a free download of the song (plus a track by some band called Dark Tranquillity), or wait until some wise guy uploads the whole thing on YouTube. The song features a guest appearance by Mikael Stanne.
Mathcore / Technical Hardcore / Deathcore
Pretty good stuff. And with good I mean twisted, heavy-as-fuck and delightfully disfigured. Probably more metal than you can handle, but still, it's sure as shit worth giving a shot.

FREE download available here.
Staff pick by: Thryce
Endorsed by: GT
Brutal Death metal
This year isn't being kind to the living, as we say goodbye to founding member of Defeated Sanity, Wolfgang.

So let's bring our thoughts back to, without any doubt, the band's best work. Psalms Of The Moribund is an absolute explosion of brutal death metal, exactly the way it should be.
Staff pick by: Baz Anderson
Endorsed by: Promonex, Troy Killjoy
Experimental death-grind
Cephalic Carnage is the kind of trip you can't make sober. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll whoe. You'll whoa. You'll dance the night away in trance... only to wake up in a dumpster five hours later.

God, I ♥ progressive disco.
Sludge
Definitely a grower of an album. Jagged aggression and spine crushing grooves makes The Moulting one hell of an engrossing listen. Memorable enough to be...well, memorable, yet enough forgettable parts to make each listen a new experience with fun stuff/cool riffs you didn't notice before.
Staff pick by: Doc G.
Endorsed by: Deadsoulman
post doom
The Chilean masters of prog-post doom have returned with their third, much anticipated full-length. The approach is similar to prior albums, in incorporating prog and post metal as well as ambient influences into their doom. It's appealing on emotional and cerebral levels. Quite possibly 2010's best release to date.
Power metal
Download this album for FREE from here.

Jevo is back with a new album of cutting edge power metal with some slightly spacey undertones, all for your taking.

For those unfamiliar with Soulitude, this is the third album under the name. All three albums are available to download off Jevo's official website for no charge at all.

So what are you waiting for? It's free, it's great stuff, you have nothing to lose.
Staff pick by: Baz Anderson
Endorsed by: wrathchild, Deadsoulman
Symphonic
This is what symphonic metal is all about! Inspiring lyrics and guitar solos that lead you down the road to personal empowerment and self-discovery, and vocals that are polished, refined, and beautiful. Sometimes, reaching for the sky can mean actually grabbing hold of it.
Staff pick by: Jason W.
Endorsed by: fade, GT