Stone Magnum: "From Time... to Eternity"

Let the demagogue spew his evil speech, and let the riffs fill you with hate

Doom metal is all about that thick, heavy feel that those big and bulky guitars can produce, and the tasteful aroma of riffs and melodies crafted with the utmost care, the striking of the drums like hammers on an anvil. Stone Magnum, from Michigan City, Indiana, have all those elements, and more, in ample amounts.

Messenger: "Threnodies"

Immense sophomore effort from prog's shining star, a piece that is sufficiently on the heavy side to bring forth depth

The very nature of progressive music, or progressive rock for that matter, is always up for discussion. The concept is, in essence, hard to define. The still newly established Prog chart lists groups, musicians and bands from Radiohead, electronic music pioneer Jean Michel Jarre, heavy metal-rock leaders Katatonia and heavy metal warriors Grand Magus over avant-garde musician Brian Eno, progressive metal bands Dream Theater and Periphery, to classic acts like Electric Light Orchestra and Hawkwind. In the meantime, a new heavyweight in modern prog emerges from the shadows...

Mind Affliction: "Pathetic Humanity"

Mindless ramblings that take form and wildly twist before condensing into Pathetic Humanity

The coal-filled soil of Poland is home to many well known, and of course many more lesser known, metal acts. From experience, the lesser known bands show a remarkably high level of musicianship and flair. Mind Affliction, who hail from the ancient city of Kraków, emerged from the rich Polish culture in 2009, though Mental Disorder - the band's first demo - wasn't released until 2011. Pathetic Humanity, released through Metal Scrap Records, was in turn unleashed in 2013, featuring two tracks that were in some shape or form originally featured on that first demo.

The Infernal Sea: "The Crypt Sessions"

The mix between old and new that works out just right

Black metal as a genre never quite got the same hold in the United Kingdom as it did in the neighboring countries in Scandinavia. Sure, a few well known bands sprung up here and there - primarily in the more melodic spectrums of the genre. But in recent years the British scene has begun to flourish in a way that it arguably hasn't previously, with bands like Winterfylleth, Wodensthrone and Fen garnering much attention and many positive reviews, and bands like Written in Torment and Nordland (Nordland & The True Cult of the Earth) crawling around as well.

Aurora Purpurea: "I"

Musical poem, the brilliance of which lies in contrasts

Introducing a band about which there exists little to no information is a hard thing to do, at least from a factual stand point. Aurora Purpurea hail from Italy, and in 2008 they released their sole album, titled simply I. That is all. So let us instead let the music of Aurora Purpurea speak for itself.

Distress of Ruin: "Predators Among Us"

Variation be damned, a monolith of groove in itself

Distress of Ruin is a Finnish bastard child of melodic death metal origin, fused together in a grotesque form with copious amounts of metalcore tendencies. Five man strong, the band from Joensuu presents itself with a classic lineup of two guitars, lead vocals, backing vocals, and a strong rhythm section courtesy of drummer and bassist Sami and Riku.

Forestfather: "Hereafter"

Boundless admiration that would have been an immense recording if released at the right time

Forestfather, a band of Chilean descent, has its origins in the 1998 band Eternal Winter. Since its creation at the hands of Kveldulf Bjalfason, the debut - Hereafter - has been underway, awaiting the completion of the lineup in 2012 with the addition of drummer Jared Moran and vocalist Michael Rumple (of Desiderium).

The band "met" through the Metal Archives forum, and as such the band's reach stretches from Chile in South America to both Mississippi and North Carolina in the US. Many may already be acquainted with Moran's drumming, as he has performed in somewhere around 40 bands.