A compact but stylistically divergent group of releases awaits this week, from Carrion Vael, Death Cult, Marianas Rest and Total Annihilation. We've some big names showing up in January, and here's the first real taste: Kreator –  Krushers Of The World  (thrash metal) Ov Sulfur –  Endless  (symphonic deathcore) Soen –  Reliance  (progressive metal/hard rock) Soulbound –  sYn  (industrial/alternative metal) TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Total Annihilation - Mountains of Madness Genre:

We've got a long awaited return as well as an exciting debut among these releases from Ectovoid, Push!, The Ruins of Beverast, Stranguliatorius and Uuhai. There's life up top as well, gradually ramping up the prestige of the month: Alter Bridge –  Alter Bridge  (hard rock/alternative metal) Beyond The Black –  Break The Silence  (symphonic metal) Bite Down –  Violent Playground  (metalcore/hardcore) Lionheart –  Valley Of Death II  (metallic hardcore) TOP PICK OF THE WEEK The

Don't go thinking it's over for good metal this year, as proved by these releases by Funeral Vomit, Lychgate, Taedifer and Weft. Nothing to speak of is coming out from any big names this week, so let's get straight to the highlights. TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Weft – The Splintered Oar Genre: Atmospheric/avant-garde black metal Subjective rating: 4.5/5 Objective rating: 4.5/5 Country of origin: USA If you're (for some reason) looking for only one last, freshly released album to lis

Darkness descends and teeth are gritten in the last proper batch of releases of the year, as we look at Martröð, Orbis de Ignis, Pincer+, Sun Of The Suns and Windswept. The mainstream releases are all very of-the-time, and markedly less dark: Abbie Falls –  Life is just a temporary plan Lord Of The Lost –  Opvs Noir Vol. 2 Volumes –  Mirror Touch Zero 9:36 –  They Were Always Here TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Martröð – Draumsýnir eldsins Genre: Black metal Subjective rating: 4/5 Obje

If you're already tired of the Christmas music, here are a few heavy sonic scouring pads from Bläkken, Blood Red Throne,  Enthroned, Sepulchral and Skogskult.  It's getting quiet in the big leagues, but here's a few stragglers: Persefone –  Live In Andorra  (live album) Profiler –  Masquerading Self  (EP) TesseracT –  RADAR O.S.T  (live album) Upon A Burning Body –  Blood Of The Bull Also, since I had to miss out on last week, here's the big stuff from week 49:  1349 –  Winte

This week, fun wins out, despite efforts by the majority, with releases from Bragging Rights, Depravity, Frozen Land, Morbikon and Stone Nomads. It's a less interesting week for bigger releases, but not dull. AngelMaker –  This Used To Be Heaven Annisokay –  Abyss Bloodbound –  Field Of Swords The Halo Effect –  We Are Shadows  (covers EP) The Pretty Wild –  zero.point.genesis TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Frozen Land – Icemelter Genre: Power metal Subjective rating: 4/5 Objective rat

This week's dominated by bands doing things slightly different than everyone else, with releases from Chairmaker, Lamp Of Murmuur, Stellar Circuits, Veilburner and Voidceremony. The higher-ups play it slightly more safe, but you'll find some surprises here too. 1914 –  Viribus Unitus Avralize –  liminal Bell Witch & Aerial Ruin –  Stygian Bough Vol. II The Devil Wears Prada –  Flowers Of Mice & Men –  Another Miracle Rise Of The Northstar –  Chapter 04: Red Falcon Super Battl

A bewildering and tonally divergent week is upon us, with releases from Astronoid, Ildaruni, Oromet, Pupil Slicer and Qrixkuor. If you get dizzy, poke your head overground for some more straightforward impressions.    Agnostic Front –  Echoes In Eternity Alcatrazz –  Prior Convictions Cold Steel –  Discipline & Punish Drain –  …Is Your Friend Omnium Gatherum –  May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Qrixkuor – The Womb of the World Genre: Atmospheric death

We've got a strong neoclassical presence this week, fronting mostly melodic approaches (and one quite the opposite), from Aephanemer, Burned In Effigy, Howling Giant, Outlaw and Primitive Man. There's more melodic stuff from the big names, but also crushing heaviness:  Aviana –  Void Avatar –  Don't Go In The Forest Chat Pile + Hayden Pedigo –  In the Earth Again Despised Icon –  Shadow Work King 810 –  Rustbelt Numetal 2 Smash Into Pieces – ARMAHEAVEN Spite –  New World Kill

This week sees a rush of "just want to have fun" genre pleasers, with a bit of a solemn upset, with releases from  Scorching Tomb, Bonginator, Nine Treasures, Psychonaut and Hostilia. The same sort of struggle takes place among the elite, with the gloomy side winning:  The Acacia Strain –  You Are Safe From God Here Conjurer –  Unself Doro –  Warriors Of The Sea Downswing –  And Everything Was Dark Soulfly –  Chama TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Scorching Tomb – Ossuary Genre: Death me

A big week with strong releases in all tiers, with the underground featuring releases by Evoken, Tombs, Graveripper, Kaupe and Sintage. In the upper echelons, cheesy bombast clashes with cerebral aggression: Battle Beast –  Steelbound Biohazard –  Divided We Fall Carach Angren –  The Cult Of Kariba  (EP) Carcosa –  The Axe Forgets, The Tree Remembers Coroner –  Dissonance Theory Grailknights –  Forever Sabaton –  Legends Sunn O))) –  Eternity's Pillars b/w Raise the Chalice &

Don't care if you've been naughty or nice - this week is here to punish you with releases from Blindfolded And Led To The Woods, Dead Heat, Extortionist and Katakomba. You could head overground for some respite, but there's abuse to be had here too:  Frayle –  Heretics & Lullabies Greyhaven –  Keep It Quiet John 5 –  Ghost Perturbator –  Age of Aquarius Sanguisugabogg –  Hideous Aftermath Testament –  Para Bellum Dead Heat – Process Of Elimination Genre: Thrash metal/hardcore

Faithfulness meets playful disregard among these releases from Gorotica, Enragement, Hooded Menace, Dissona and Wode.  Things are far...

It's a week for the big names this one, but the underground echoes their qualities of riff happiness, melodic affinity and technicality,...

We've got three massive downers and one happy-go-lucky rebel among the releases from Kamra, Vittra, Krigsgrav and Tithe. Doom prevails in...

It's business as usual in the underground, getting strong thrash, death, sludge and heavy metal representation, with albums from Mortal...

In a week of all sorts, the underground prefers to stay mostly harsh and light-shy, with releases from Bent Sea, Jord, Korp, Nuclear...

Yay! We've got death metal back on the menu. As well as some other stuff... from Innumerable Forms, Corridoré, Ashen, Jack The Joker and...

What's this? A weekly spotlight without death metal? Time to take a break from the morbidity with Fell Omen, King Yosef, Incite and...

Not the biggest week in the underground, still, there's some tasty darkness to ingest from Sinsaenum, Malthusian and Theurgion. These are...