Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma [2012]

Hail Spirit Noir are something of a rare breed nowadays - a progressive black metal band that doesn't go on pointless meanders around the realms of tedious ambience and atonal 'experimentation' just so they could hit that 70 minute mark for the album and make it 'truly progressive'. Ahem. Rant over. Hail Spirit Noir write SONGS - even the epic 'Into The Gates Of Time' is catchy and headbangable throughout its 13 minute duration. And 'Against The Curse, We Dream' and 'Haire Pneuma Skoteino' have some of the biggest hooks you're likely to hear in metal this year. That's not to say it loses touch of its black metal roots - and for this reason, it's very likely to be well up in lots of people's year-end lists. Hail the black spirit.

320 kbps

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Dodecahedron - Dodecahedron [2012]

The blogosphere has been ablaze of late with praise for this album. Black metal as a whole is a fairly straightforward proposition; you get distortion, riffs and harsh vocals, but the new breed has been trying to change that. The likes of Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord and Nightbringer have been bringing complexity and atmosphere to black metal in a way that wasn't previously used, and here, I have a strong suspicion that Dodecahedron have taken great steps towards the next level again. It's still very close to the likes of Deathspell Omega, but there is that little something extra, especially in the epic closing trilogy 'View From Hverfell' - it's complex, yet still recognizably coherent, and it's harsh, yet crisp and clean in both its playing and production. It's been bandied around the internet for a while now, but if you don't already have this album, here's another sterling recommendation.

192 kbps

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Enslaved - Vertebrae [2008]

...And so skipping forward 11 years to the Enslaved album that I have spent the most time with, this is also their album with the fewest metal elements in it. Don't get me wrong, it's still clearly a metal album, especially with tracks like 'New Dawn', but its progression is stunning.

~220 kbps VBR

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Code - Discography [2002-2011]

Since I heard their stunning second full-length, Resplendent Grotesque in 2009, Code has been one of my favourite bands. From that album's incredible mixture of decidedly progressive black metal with pop (yes, you read correctly) influence, without ever sounding cheesy, to their demo and debut and the decidedly more depressive approach there. Although part of that will always be due to ex-vocalist (since 2010) Kvohst's outstanding vocals, the musicality is such that it rivals the classics of the black metal genre and those of their other influences in terms of sheer quality. Every song is a stunner.

N.B. I've also included Seasonal Code's Aortian Dialectus here, which is a collection of demos released under the Seasonal Code moniker and a few unreleased tracks from the Resplendent Grotesque sessions.

If I haven't given you enough enticement to now go and get the lot, you are hopeless.

Neurotransmissions: Amplified Thought Chemistry demo [2002]
Nouveau Gloaming [2005]
Resplendent Grotesque [2009]
Seasonal Code - Aortian Dialectus [2011]

Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part II [2010]

When it first came out, I was quite disappointed in the second part of the 'Black Meddle' series, but after listening to it several times, I started to appreciate it more. I still don't hold it in as high a regard as Assassins, as it has a fair amount of what is filler to my ears, but where it hits, it really hits hard. Less innovative than previous efforts due to following much the same style utilised on their previous effort, this is still a strong album, in much the same way that Motorhead have continually done essentially the same thing with astounding results.

~205 kbps VBR

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Nachtmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle Part I [2008]

After they took a decidedly more experimental approach to black metal on 2006's Instinct: Decay, Nachtmystium were all of a sudden disliked by many who had previously lauded their USBM. As readers of this blog will know, I am not a kvltist. Nor am I someone who really gives a fuck if a band changes direction or releases an album I don't like (for instance, I respect Morbid Angel's decision to release Illud Divinum Insanus). This, however, I love. It's slightly better than its follow-up in my eyes (coming straight after), but has the same odd mix of BM, psychedelic and progressive influences. Highly recommended to anyone who likes BM which steps outside the lines of the corpsepaint.

256 kbps

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Altar Of Plagues - Mammal [2011]

Well, this is one of my favourite albums of this year. Why have I refrained from posting it thus far? Because I have seen a couple of blogs taken down just after posting it - admittedly a lot closer to the release date. What it is is pretty awesome post-black metal, not all atmosphere like Alcest and their kin, but with plenty of teeth to it too. At the risk of sounding pretentious, this album takes you on a real journey over the span of its four tracks.

~270 kbps VBR

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A Forest Of Stars - Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring [2010]

The reason why these seem to come in roughly alphabetical order is that I batch upload them. Moving on... A Forest Of Stars' second album is good, certainly - it's not one I'd herald among the greats of odd BM, but it comes at the request of another author of this blog. My only real criticisms, however, are that there is not enough time spent with the meat of the issue (i.e. the black metal), and the album is too long.

320 kbps

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Enslaved - The Sleeping Gods EP [2011]

This EP, which is available for free download direct from the band, is something of a surprise. Sure, it has Enslaved written all over it (they even steal their own riff from 'Kvasir Blod' in the opener), but one could call it more experimental than openly progressive, especially with electronic, droney tracks like 'Synthesis'.

320 kbps

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Enslaved - Ruun [2006]

So, with the three albums of theirs I've already posted, you can probably gather that I'm something of an Enslaved fan. This is the first album of theirs where progressive elements began to outweigh black metal elements, although BM is still very much present. It's a little harder to get into than much of their other output, but it is therefore more rewarding.

~250 kbps VBR

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The Axis Of Perdition - Tenements (Of The Anointed Flesh) [2011]

When you see an album with the Middlesborough bruisers' moniker on it, you know it's going to be a headfuck. And it truly is - although TAoP have perhaps moved a little closer stylistically to their French contemporaries, it's an individual, fantastic album nonetheless.

Similar artists: Blut Aus Nord, Deathspell Omega, Abgott

~240 kbps VBR

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Negură Bunget - Vîrstele Pamîntului [2010]

Although not quite as revolutionary as 2006's Om, this is a very good piece of folky black metal nonetheless. Perhaps with more concentration on the folk elements than before, this proved that Bunget could overcome lineup strife.

Similar artists: Primordial, Falkenbach, Summoning

~210 kbps VBR

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Negură Bunget - Om [2006]

This is the album that made Negură Bunget comparatively popular compared to their earlier days; that said, there is certainly a limit on how popular a band who mix slightly progressive black metal with Romanian folk music can become! An outstanding album.

256 kbps

Similar artists: Primordial, Falkenbach, Summoning

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The Meads Of Asphodel - Damascus Steel [2006]

N.B. This is an 'abridged' version which is missing the last two tracks.

The Meads Of Asphodel have always insisted on never doing things the conventional way. This is no exception - their BM base visits a multitude of other bases on its way, and includes a great cover (although the lyrics aren't faithful to the original) of 'Wonderful World'.

192 kbps

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Deathspell Omega - Paracletus [2010]

Although this is not Deathspell's best album, it is still excellent, and came well within my top 10 albums for last year. Although there is little deviation here from the style developed on previous albums, it is perhaps a little more accessible than previous efforts, in particular 'Fas...'. Also notable among DsO releases for its shorter length.

320 kbps

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Deathspell Omega - Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeturnum: Chaining The Katechon EP [2008]

You don't really need to understand Latin to get the general gist of this EP's title (provided you have a solid grasp of a language of Latin descent); likewise, you don't need to hear a new Deathspell release to know it's going to be a cracker. One of the few 1-track releases I like this much, there should be no passing up on this gem.

320 kbps

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Deathspell Omega - Fas: Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeturnum [2007]

Latin album titles are generally seen as one of two polar opposites: either awesome, cool, whatever, or pretentious. Whatever your view, there is no denying the quality of music on offer here. Even more 'out there' than 'Si...', this perhaps focuses more on Blut Aus Nord-esque chromatic progressions, but the variation makes this a more than worthy addition to Deathspell's canon.

~270 kbps VBR

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Deathspell Omega - Kénôse EP [2005]

Back when I first heard this, it scared me shitless. That said, I was still used to listening to all manner of -core mediocrity, and this didn't really seem to be music to me. A wonderful piece of modern black metal, even if it doesn't chill you to the bone.

224 kbps

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Deathspell Omega - Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice [2004]

And this is the album where DsO truly started creating some of the most astounding music of recent times. It's also, to me, their best. Although lyrically pretentious (supposedly a Christian sermon but backwards), musically it is untouchable.

192 kbps

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Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini [2010]

Enslaved's most recent album was not, for me, the best thing of 2010, but then again, it had to compete against Darkthrone, Fukpig and Triptykon, and it came damn close. It strikes a more metal-aligned balance than predecessor 'Vertebrae', and I think that was the way that they needed to go.

~240 kbps VBR

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