21. Downfall of Gaia - "Silhouettes Of Disgust"

A stunningly inventive and evocative record. It uses black metal as is launchpad, but it very soon leaves the limited confides of that genre well behind. It is a magical haunting affair that is rich with ethereal texture. It contains moments of blazing heaviness, but they are linked by fragile passages of musical beauty. It manages to be simultaneously stirring and contemplative. A unique and hypnotic record that offers something completely new on each listen.