Momentum started out in 2003, in the capital Reykjavik, where more than a third of Iceland’s population resides. With black and death metal roots, they have evolved their very own sound, which could be vaguely described as psychedelic progressive doom. Their latest album, The Freak Is Alive, shows the band in its best form yet: heavy and slow riffs, intricate drumming, low vocals that sound like they’re from a Russian choir, and the use of uncommon instrumentation in some parts (sitar and bells, for example). All of this makes for an interesting listen that doesn’t wear out after repeated listens. It’s definitely an album you should check out!

Then is Misþyrming, unsurprisingly also from Reykjavik, and their album Söngvar Elds Og Óreiðu. It’s a heavy, forward-thinking black metal album with pinches of death metal, ambient, and folk throughout. This is BM done right, I can almost sense the same sense of wonder and wander that I can find in Spectral Lore’s III, but on shorter songs and with a tad more experimentation. There’s also something reminiscent of Portal, but I can’t put my finger on it, maybe you can help with that! The album is dissonant, heavy, fast, scary and enshrouding. Definitely one of the best black metal albums of the year.