Trad metal revivalists suffer an attack of self-consciousness

DC’s grindcore kings flip the doom switch once more

International compilation seeks to avert the culture wars

Windy City post-metallers get blown slightly off the tracks

Crust-caked sludgers make an earth-shaking return

Avant BM supergroup bring Sonic Youth mainman on board

Norwegian black metallers can’t make an omelette

Harrowing blackened doom direct from the edge of the abyss

UK/Ukrainian alliance offers up its tributes

Teutonic BM unit fight the powers that be — and were

Arresting debut from eclectically minded super group

Drone doomsters scale depths where Sunn O))) don’t shine

Genre-hopping brilliance for cool cats and wolves to fight over

Blackened wayfarers exceed all known co-ordinates

Florida hardcore debutants craft some high-end chaos

Israeli peaceniks go beyond their metal roots

Freeform improvisation from a Pup that needs putting down

Blackened hardcore pioneer reveals new intricacies in chaos

Norwegian death metallers throw in a little spice

Adventures in the avant-garde with post-black metallers

Swamp-steamed heavy metal, without the organic touch