Astra: "The Black Chord"

Hyperbole aside, The Black Chord still stands as one of modern times' best prog rock albums, even 5 years on

Though arguably the decade of progressive rock was the 1970's, it's impressive to find that there are still being produced absolutely timeless and phenomenal prog rock albums 40 years on. San Diego's Astra is clearly Floydian in concept and execution, but there is so much more to their sound than a mere Pink Floyd clone.

Forsaken Legion: "Seeds of Black Dawn"

Not exactly a forward-thinking piece of metal history, but not completely without flavour either

Once Switzerland was a place where legends formed, with Hellhammer - and subsequently Celtic Frost and Triptykon - being the reigning kings of metal there. Recently the country of Switzerland has begun stirring anew with the miasmic sounds of Bölzer resounding through proverbial catacombs. But enough talk of Switzerland's exports of metal - Everybody knows, or at the very least should know of, bands like Samael and Coroner. Let us instead deal with the Swiss underground, Forsaken Legion in particular.

Karonte: "Paraíso Sin Fe"

Spanish old timers with a feel for comfort

Since 1994 Karonte have unleashed a slowly churning stream of death metal upon the Spanish masses from their homebase in Cantabria. Except from one change of drummer back in their demo days, Karonte has had a highly stable lineup, rendering their sound as steady as ever. Though often labeled as melodic death metal, the sound that greets the listener is laden with fat, simplistic and grooving guitars.

Drug Honkey: "Ghost in the Fire"

Ample supplies of derangement in sonic form

Drug Honkey evolved from the 1997-project Chronic Illogic with Paul Gillis (also of Morgue Supplier) and Adam Smith at the helm, handling vocals and drums respectively. The band was designed to merge together several musical currents, most of which would be considered metal. Ever since the first album, the self-titled 2002 release, electronics in the form of excessive sampling and abrassive synths as well as an industrial, sludgy death metal sound have been the heart and soul of Drug Honkey. Through lineup changes and live performances the band from Chicago has endured to see several album releases, each one pushing the boundaries further than the last.

Fathomhell: "Non Pietatem Erit"

Somewhat accomplished black metal meanderings

Enveloping their core of black metal in a burdening cloak of cold atmosphere, Fathomhell from Spain at first seem pretty average. Starting out in 2010, it wasn't before 2012 that the release of their first demo EP - Non Pietatem Erit - would see the light of day. Where the Spanish trio awaken curiosity is with their tasteful but sparse use of synths and carefully programmed drums.

Apocryfal: "Ravens"

Abundant confindence makes for music that, if nothing else, passes the time

Every scene has its own trademark sound or fell, and Finland's death metal scene is primarily known as the filthy, strange, doom-laden kind. Apocryfal from Jyväskylä, however, aren't the types to follow suit and as such have taken their band in a different direction - A direction that involves a 3-song demo, adding up to 12 minutes of full-throttle death metal.

Avulse: "We Are All Code"

The prime example why focus is important

Patrick Hasson from Maine, USA, has numerous releases under his belt, in no small part due to his vast musical horizons which reach from doomy death metal (Black Chalice - Years of Flame, Prayers for Our Lord and Saviour, Submission) over neo-folk to black metal atmospheres (Auspicium). The next in line of Hasson's many projects is Avulse, marketed as a crusty black metal outfit with a firm punk vibe.

Ragehammer: "War Hawks"

Unrepentant songs of war from Poland's finest

Poland's Ragehammer don't waste any time, having existed only for a short period before unleashing their beastly debut demo War Hawks in 2014. If any band has the right to call themselves blackened thrash metal it's Ragehammer. That being said, they aren't your garden variety D666/Desaster clone. Among the clusters of their fast-paced riffs and blasting drums there is left just a little room for something different - Something that definitely underscores and defines the entire sound of Ragehammer.

Gates of Eternal Torment: "Imprisoned Beneath the Ice of This Cold Black Void"

Uncultivated tremolos with too little substance

Though the whole mysterious obscurity deal in black metal is now little more than a token shtick, it does at times add to the whole atmosphere surrounding a band. Little is known about Gates of Eternal Torment - Its only member, Firthornn, hails from USA's garden state New Jersey. His lyrics and music revolves around a blackened core of dark subjects, the mass of which pulls in all light like a cosmic black hole.

The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation: "EGOR"

Unsettling armageddon jazz

The two incarnations - though both are now split-up - that the group centred around Jason Köhnen and Gideon Kiers represent slight variations of their concept and sound. The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble was the earliest one, centered around tenebrous jazz ambience, sometimes set to old silent films such as Nosferatu and Metropolis. The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation was meant to be a more boundary-pushing experience focused on deep and subtle drones and a more experimental atmosphere. As such the Corporation was often more of an improvisational live concert band.

Serpenthia: "Beyond"

Finnish unknowns positively surprise with a grand declaration of war in EP format

Like Sweden and Norway, Finland is home to its own host of excellent black metal bands, even if bands like Horna, Behexen or Impaled Nazarene doesn't ring a bell quite as loudly as, say, Marduk or Darkthrone. Serpenthia from Joensuu has very little in common with the bestial cacophonies of Beherit or the raw tremolos of Satanic Warmaster though.

Phidion: "Flesh of the Forsaken"

Rich in history without looking forward too often

When the five man strong thrashing death metal outfit from Stockholm come into play, their moods vary from narrow interpretations of ominous aggression, menacing fury and focused anger. The group's third release, the Flesh of the Forsaken EP from 2012, explores a lyrical universe consisting of the recurring history of humanity's affinity for warfare as well as other topics, set to a barbaric soundtrack of mid-paced, thrash-laden death metal that only Swedes can deliver.

Stranglion Rot: "Rotten Heart of Evil"

Culmination of zeal and an urge to create, Stranglion Rot delivers a good piece of death metal

Throwing Finland's musical heritage of gloomy, doom-inspired death metal to the wind, one-man project Stranglion Rot unleashes 22 minutes of fast d-beat death metal on Rotten Heart of Evil. Hailing from an unknown part of Finland, the album sounds more akin to something produced in 90s Sweden, opting for barbed wire strings, jackhammer drums and hoarse growls.

Relying on sheer riffing rather than a more composed wholesomeness, Stranglion Rot does not hold back. At times the arrangements come off as the ramblings of an inexperienced songwriter, but sole member Hietala often manages to get the message across through his hellishly catchy guitar lines.

Durvasag: "EP Promo 2012"

Canadian thrashers return with renewed effort

Though blackened Canadian thrashers Durvasag ultimately failed to impress with their 2011 demo, Pure Fucking Thrash!, their 2012 EP shows greater promise and a degree of growth within the band. Where the first demo was produced by lead singer Mark Arruda, the EP is instead produced by Mario Rafael, lending the two compositions a greater deal of personality.

Haiduk: "Spellbook"

Howling cyclone of riffs and melodies

One man bands have been shaping the black metal genre for years, prime examples being artists like Burzum or Arckanum. The basic concept is, by now, a mainstay within the genre. Cue Haiduk, a one-man project conceived and carried out by Luka Milojica, who has since 2009 been combining elements of black and death metal in a powerful mix, forged in the sub-zero melting pot of Canada.

Aum: "Of Pestilence"

Hong Kong black metal with no gimmicks or lame frills

Featuring fully half of the members of Hong Kong thrash maniacs Aortic Regurgitation, Aum worships at the altar of black metal. Having started out in 2010, it wasn't until 2012 that the Of Pestilence EP found its way from the trio's minds to our ears.

Though Aum are clearly influenced by the second wave of black metal from the Nordic countries, there is a touch of melody present that sternly sets them apart. To the sound of blast beats, the riffs sound like a mix of Immortal and Celtic Frost, with the vocalist ranging somewhere between Abbath and Tom Warrior. Though focused on high speeds, Aum produce some easily discernible riffs that are highly enjoyable in their ruthless simplicity.

Eldjudnir: "Angrboda"

Danish underdogs surprise with immense value in a crowded market

Black metal in general has changed a lot over the years, this goes without saying. Where the raw, cold sounds of Mayhem ruled the 90s, the drawn out, foggy compositions of Wolves in the Throne Room rule today. In Denmark, bands like Solbrud and Sunken loom at the front, while Eldjudnir lurks in the background. Eldjudnir is the project of one Jakob Sture, who is also involved in the esoteric blackened death metal band Apparatus, the grindcore ensemble Gestapolis and blackened hardcore group LLNN.

Dying Inside: "Dystopia"

Surfin' Nicaragua on waves of melody and groove

As is the current trend, the melodic death metal outfit from Nicaragua, Dying Inside, has more emphasis on the melodic part than the death part. While they are certainly taking cues from the original Swedish scene, their sound is not as close to the traditional Gothenburg sound as one would expect.

Heavy use of powerful drumming, courtesy of Ronal Arroliga, makes for some equally powerful metal, and there are indeed times when the headbanging factor on the band's debut album Dystopia reaches critical mass. Simple processions of guitars, bass and drums drive the music forward in a headbanging-friendly style, but at the same time the quintet's compositions never fully take off and reach their full potential. The melody is there, and the groove likewise, but the climax is either premature or completely absent.

Beyond Mortal Dreams: "Dreaming Death"

Exceeding critical mass as the band explodes

Expectations mean a lot. When a band severely exceeds expectations, that makes for a whole different experience. With a name like Beyond Mortal Dreams, you sure wouldn't expect death metal as convincing and heavy as is the case with the Dreaming Death EP.

The band has been around in some form or another since the early 90s, but didn't adopt the Beyond Mortal Dreams moniker before 1995. Their long history lends them a certain credibility which is brutally underscored by the vicious skills in the art of death metal. Dreaming Death is only the fourth release as Beyond Mortal Dreams, but it speaks volumes of the band's abilities and of great things to come.

Morgue of Saints: "Sleep/Death"

Lamentations of the downtrodden legions of doom

From the vast nature of Canada comes Morgue of Saints, a band created by Elliot C as an outlet for his own droning, ambient doom tendencies. The album in question, Sleep/Death, is a three track conceptual piece that slowly sways back and forth among a myriad of influences, currents and styles.

From minimalistic drones in the style of early Earth, to heavy ambient funerals, Sleep/Death has a little bit of everything in the spectrum of gloomy, downtrodden processions. Through droning, bass-heavy guitars and atmospheric moods, Morgue of Saints invokes several moments of experimenting noise and horrifically cinematic doom.