95. Blut Aus Nord - "Lovecraftian Echoes"

If want to find a hotbed of experimental metal then you need to look no further than over the channel. Over the last decade, France has established itself as the spiritual home of those who want to play with and actively overturn metal’s established rules and regulations. Blut Aus Nord produce hypnotic avent-Garde Black Metal. 

This is a digital-only compilation of tracks that were hitherto only available to subscribers on their online forum. This would usually mean that it was exempt from the list, but as the material hasn’t been available anywhere else, I am letting this through. It also makes the list because it’s ruddy excellent. Dark, dank, and distinctly disturbing, this is challenging music that consumes the listener. At times discombobulating, it is a swirling maelstrom of random noise that is underpinned by repetitive rhythmic melodies. 

It’s the evil twin of an ambient meditative album, designed to induce horrific nightmares as opposed to relaxing enriching sleep. But it is also utterly addictive and you feel yourself pulled into the twirling refrains as they burrow deep into your soul. Not for the faint-hearted or the Taylor Swift fans among you, but incredibly rewarding.