Silvester Anfang - Silvester Anfang II

"Belgian princes of darkness Silvester Anfang have undergone some serious changes since their last full-length, embracing new members (from bands like Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat, Ignatz and Burial Hex) and a new sound. They've even rebranded themselves as a sequel to their former selves - Silvester Anfang II, more preoccupied with classic psych rock than ever before, balancing deep drone and Germanic motorik principles with ceremonial, robe-adorned freak folk wig-outs. With tracks like 'Na Regen Komt Sondvlred', 'The Devil Always Shits In The Same Graves Pt1' and the electrified Eastern tones of 'Ossesaaddans' the group seem to have grown into a far more substantial presence, weaving a multilayered sound that manages to succeed during quieter campfire moments (such as the haunting '60s-style oddity 'Boom Van De Eerste Menstruatie') as well as on louder interjections like 'Burkelbos', which is like a krautrock-tinted take on the Acid Mothers template, full of freeform electronic thrash and groove-heavy jamming."- boomkat

Download: megaupload
Label/Date: Aurora Borealis, 2009
Genre: funeral folk, psych, drone, middle eastern, kraut, experimental
From: Belgium
Similar/Related: Harvestman, Master Musicians of Bukkake, Acid Mothers Temple, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Burial Hex, Six Organs of Admittance, Grails, Barn Owl, Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat
Website : last.fm

Master Musicians of Bukkake - Totem One

"Master Musicians Of Bukkake’s newest record and part of a Northwest trilogy, Totem One marks an evolution from their first record “Visible Sign Of the Invisible order." MMOB has now solidified into a 7 piece cosmic psyche force. Like a reverse dark side of the New Age sound, on the Totem series Master Musicians of Bukkake perform ritualistic electric excursions into the outer and inner reaches. Relying more on the electric power of psyched guitars, analog synth chants, and exotic heavy percussion, Totem one echos with the delusions of a West Coast Death cult. Outer spaced Gamelan, dusty fuzz rock from celestial deserts, meditations of a deranged Krishna gathering, and the Blurry acoustic guitar majesty of The Cascade mountains all reveal themselves here in epic form On Totem One. Every sound and note played was put to tape by a group with a singular purging purpose. Totem one also features Vocals By MMOB honorary member Alan Bishop of the Sun City Girls." - Conspiracy

Download: mediafire
Label/Date: Conspiracy Records, 2009
Genre: psychedelic, drone, middle eastern, folk, world music, experimental
From: Seattle, Washington
Similar/Related: Featuring members of Earth, Grails, Sunn O))), Burning Witch, Sun City Girls, and Secret Chiefs 3
Website : Myspace

Whisper Room - Birch White

"Whisper Room is a trio based in Toronto, Canada featuring Aidan Baker of Nadja on guitar/effects, Neil Wiernik aka Naw on bass/laptop and Jakob Thiesen on drums. Whisper Room explores the conjunction of electronic rhythms and textures and the pulsations and psychedelics of shoegaze and krautrock."
Download: megaupload
Label/Date: Elevation Records, 2009
Genre: drone/krautrock/shoegaze/psychedelic
From: Toronto
Similar/Related: Aidan Baker/Nadja, Thisquietarmy, Tim Hecker, Excepter, Growing, Fennesz, Mouthus, Cloudland Canyon, Valet, Religious Knives, Fuck Buttons, Eluvium, Labradford, Brian Eno, William Basinski, Stars of the Lid
Website : Myspace

Duelectrum - Electrolandia

Download: sinewave.com
Label/Date: Sinewave Net Label, 2008
Genre: Shoegaze, Noise-pop, Experimental
From: São Paulo, Brazil
Similar/Related: Jesu, Destroyalldreamers, Nadja, Flavor Crystals, Have a Nice Life, To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie, Spacemen 3, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Angelic Process, Tim Hecker
Website : Myspace

Wildbirds & Peacedrums - The Snake

Incredible singing, amazing drumming and inventive songs. I've never heard anything like this before. Some of the best music I've heard all year.

"Wildbirds & Peacedrums are a contemporary experimental two piece hailing from Sweden consisting of singer Mariam Wallentin and her husband, drummer Andreas Werliin. Their ‘instruments’ consist of her powerful vocals and his unorthodox percussion/drumming, resulting in a powerful, innovative sound. Their music is a hybrid of folk, blues and various other types of music."-lastfm

Video for There is No Light here and a good review here.
Download: megaupload
Label/Date: The Leaf Label, 2009
Genre: vocals and drums duo, folk, pop, blues, experimental
From: Sweden
Similar/Related: Björk, Nina Nastasia & Jim White, Lykke Li, Joanna Newsom, Evangelista, Efterklang, Pocahaunted
Website : Myspace

Speck Mountain - Some Sweet Relief

"Speck Mountain are an ambient-soul band possessed as much by the grit of southern soul as the spell of infinite drones. Co-leaders Karl Briedrick and Marie-Claire Balabanian provoke each other with intuitive, womb-curled melody, exploded texture, and spiky, strutting rhythm—and so far I’m just talking about the guitars. Marie-Claire also keeps a full-sized Aretha loaded in her throat like some kind of ungodly spring reverb, but has the sense to only let her uncoil just enough, never overdoing it. Karl and Marie-Claire fill out the songs with lyrics in thrall to the mysteries of compulsion, and the ache and rapture of giving in.

Sonically Speck Mountain are in thrall to vintage effects and recording techniques, although they’re always looking for the future rather than the past. Their studio mixes are subtle and painstaking, booby-trapped all over with headphone-happy detail. Their live sets project a loose, narcotic swagger, taking off from atmospheric majesty into full-on hypnotic assault." -myspace

Album removed by request
Download track: I Feel Eternal
Label/Date: Carrot Top Records, 2009
Genre: "ambient soul", blues, dream pop, psych, "drift rock"
From: Chicago, Illinois
Similar/Related: Lights, Mazzy Star, Cranes, Low, Yo La Tengo, Lau Nau, Spacemen 3, Valet, Beach House, Fire On Fire
Website : Myspace

Giant Squid - The Ichthyologist

One of the best albums of the year. It gets better with every listen. Check out three great reviews here, here and here
Download: removed by request
Label/Date: self-released, 2009
Genre: post-metal, experimental
From: San Francisco
Similar/Related: Neurosis, Grayceon, Battle of Mice, maudlin of the Well, Kayo Dot, Tusk, Mastodon, Amber Asylum, The Gathering, Intronaut, Minsk, The Pax Cecilia, System of a Down
Website : Myspace

Arriver - Vandlandingham and Zone

Sweet, ass-kicking, fun metal! Another gem unearthed by Velvety Sheath, Glistening Sword! Here's what he said about it:
"This is a concept album of the highest order, in which our hero, Halon Hong, leads the oppressed denizens of Vanlandingham into a mighty fray in the Zone against their enemies, the Long. Or, the lining of the Long, I think. Or maybe the Long are the good guys...I don't know. But there's an epic battle going on here, with majestic music to fit. This is what metal is supposed to be about: raising swords, vanquishing foes, ending tyranny. No mercy to them shall be shown, indeed. All hail Halon Hong!"
Download: megaupload
Label/Date: self-released, 2006
Genre: epic metal/prog/punk
From: Chicago
Similar/Related: Valkyrie, Clouds, Saviours, Led Zeppelin, Hammers of Misfortune, Metallica, Mastodon, Iron Maiden, Slough Feg, Baroness, Akimbo, Gospel, Genesis, Yes, Grand Magus, Thin Lizzy, Bison
Website : Myspace

Tombs - Winter Hours

Seeing them open for Isis real soon. Gossamer live is going to destroy!
Download: mediafire
Label/Date: Relapse, 2009
Genre: post-metal, sludge, black metal, grindcore
From: Brooklyn
Similar/Related: Anodyne, Zozobra, Empires, old Isis, Intronaut, Kylesa, Unearthly Trance, Buried Inside, Helms Alee, Mouth of the Architect
Website : Myspace

Disappearer - The Clearing

Download: rapidshare
Label/Date: Magic Bullet Records, 2009
Genre: post-metal, noise-rock, hardcore
From: Boston
Similar/Related: Tombs, Junius, Cable, Zozobra, Empires, Buried Inside, Helms Alee, Hammerhead, Isis, *shels, Pelican
Website : Myspace

Nachtmystium - Doomsday Derelicts

"The EP is Nachtmystium's hail to their thrash and death metal heroes Autopsy, Beherit, Sodom, Slayer, Razor, Mercyful Fate, etc. while incorporating the trademark style thats become synonymous with Nachtmystium over their last few releases."
Download: mediafire
Label/Date: Battle Kommand Records, 2009
Genre: Black Metal, Thrash, Psychedelic, Death metal
From: Chicago, Illinois
Similar/Related: Autopsy, Beherit, Sodom, Slayer, Razor, Mercyful Fate, Enslaved, Immortal, Cobalt
Website : Myspace

Eleventh He Reaches London - Hollow Be My Name

"Everything about the new album from Eleventh He Reaches London reeks of meticulous attention to detail, from the stunning cover art by Seldon Hunt (who has previously provided artwork for the likes of Neurosis and Earth) to the dense production courtesy of local sound guru Al Smith. ‘Hollow Be My Name’ was apparently recorded and mixed over a long period of time, rather than the get-in-get-out rush job typical of many local releases, and it really shows. This is an album that has been carefully crafted and reveals a band who are not only creatively rich but also clearly very ambitious.

The evolution from their debut release ‘The Good Fight for Harmony’ is massive. They traverse a wholly unique landscape that is musically modern and progressive yet thematically harkens back to another time, namely the early years of Australia’s invasion by the English. The impossibly bleak and totally fascinating lyrics detail imperial oppression and colonial hardship against an unforgiving backdrop of barren earth. The language and folk songs of the time are blended with a modern vocabulary to create a hyper-reality of old world desolation that somewhat strangely brings to mind the world of television’s Deadwood, albeit with a very Australian bent.

Thankfully, the music is every bit the match to the lyrics, having expanded exponentially from their powerful but relatively straightforward early hardcore/metal style. Enormous walls of noise give way to delicate melodic passages, distorted guitar gives way to banjo picking – this really is a strange, beautiful beast to behold. Post-hardcore? Art-metal? Folk-metal??

Forget trying to pigeonhole ‘Hollow Be My Name’ and instead celebrate its eccentric, evocative originality. Eleventh He Reaches London stand among a select few heavy bands trying to do something really different – and fewer
still who actually pull it off.

Keep fighting the good fight, lads." -Joey K
Download: megaupload
Label/Date: Good Cop Bad Cop, 2009
Genre: Post-rock, progressive metal
From: Perth, Australia.
Similar/Related: These Arms Are Snakes, Circle Takes The Square, Envy, Pax Cecilia, Modest Mouse, The Pogues, Nick Cave, Scraps of Tape, City of Caterpillar, Refused
Website : Myspace

Sólstafir - Köld

Download: megaupload
Label/Date: Spikefarm Records, 2009
Genre: post-metal, epic doom-rock, black metal
From: Reykjavik, Iceland
Similar/Related: Envy, Primordial, Isis, Eleventh He Reaches London, Wolves In The Throne Room, Year of No Light, Pelican, 5ive
Website : Myspace