Staff picks

It's true that some of us tend to favor some genres over others and thus tend to notice originality in those genres more, and black metal is near the top of that list. But there are albums like Úpal that validate that bias with how original the sound feels. Black metal has been oddball, progressive, psychedelic, melodic, mystical, and fascinated with other cultures before, but Kostnatění take each of those aspects and find new ways to make the sound feel vital. Taking inspiration from oriental folk in more than just vibe, but also with all its songwriting quirks that feel alien to us, like all its microtonalities and time signatures. This is coming from a band whose take on the dissonant Deathspell Omega already felt out of the usual box, but this feels like it turned the box inside out.