If you like Far or Quicksand you really need to check out this scorcher. Full of reminiscence yet loaded with contemporary messages. Push sees Jonah Matranga at his most vitriolic for a decade.

The fourth blast of ice cold atmospheric black metal from the St Petersburg trio blasts as expected whilst also dipping a toe into shoegaze and vocals.

This is a masterful debut which moves through genres with ease and mixes heavy music, which is exceedingly rich and beautiful, with anthemic and blissful shoegaze. This should be as massive as it sounds.

This is a post-metal fan’s dream – intense, explosive, contemplative and textured. Give it time and journey on its many tales, this is simply astonishing.

Whilst many post-metal masters wilted when progressing, Amenra make it look incredibly easy with an amalgamation of its lighter and darker facets creating a new depth to the trademark sound.

Migration is another slab of excellence which increments on the band’s past and continues on the trajectory towards post-metal greatness.

Some cracking post-metal from Sweden which is dynamic without dragging its heels.

If you miss the angry, politised bands of previous generations then look no further, Glitchers are the rock and roll protest band urgently required.

Vital is one of the year’s most essential listens and Big|Brave has created a sensational album full of walls of sound and a deeply personal narrative. This is why calls for diversity in alternative music are absolutely necessary.

Another superb release for fans of any form of rock music. Clouded in a foreboding darkness but brimming with moments of contemplative rage and anthemic riffing. This is another cracker from The Hyena Kill.

A superb lesson in the art of creating something heavy using contradictions. Wowod has produced its heaviest effort yet without resorting to just pulverising the listener and it is a stunning accomplishment. From Russia with love.

Hold those End-Of-The-Year lists, here is a faultless 49 minutes of the finest ritualistic, hypnotizing doomed post-metal/sludge to appear this year.

Vandampire make a late surge to the argument that EPs should be considered for year end lists. This is another cracker from Trepanation Recordings.

A blend of post-metal and post-hardcore bound in a massive wall of noise which creates a wonderfully unique and brilliant album.

One of post-rocks finest bands continues its evolution with Oscillate. Huge walls of atmosphere keep the momentum rolling from the ground breaking Versus.

Sensational screamo/post-hardcore which is possibly the finest album I have heard this year. A prefect lesson in riding the fine line between chaos and control, a flawless record.

In February I proclaimed that 202 was going to be a huge year for Sugar Horse. I thought it was about time to catch up with vocalist/guitarist Ashley Tubb and apologise for wrecking the year and see what else was in store for the band.

In the run up to the release of second album Marine Snow, Alex Stjernfeldt of Novarupta took some time out to answer questions about his musical background, the themes of the new album and the advantages of having a Covid friendly band setup.

Marine Snow is a magnificent achievement and a wonderful post-metal album which stands with the finest in the genre. It is great to know there are two further albums to come in this series and it is shaping up to be something extremely special.

Eleanora has created a stunning second album which builds on the greatness of the debut and adds further layers of sludge, post-hardcore and more.

Some excellent slowcore by three young sisters which is filled with great emotional depth, beautiful songs, and bucketful’s of potential.