Cobalt
Cobalt play quite a progressive and clean brand of black metal, but is it prog metal? I dunno. They pack into their music very forward thinking ideas and structure. It's generally pretty technical with unheard of riffs shredding through a very clean production, with a little bit of sludge metal. Long and blisteringly brilliant tracks that forge a completely unique style for this group.*
Here we are with another modern metal milestone
Guerilla Toss
Modern and quirky experimental noise rock, and it's just a blast. Even through no wave and noise elements, they create super catchy and downright danceable clanking tunes. Great and original act of today.
White Suns
Let's take a noise rock 180 now with White Suns. They'll make you forget that fun and catchiness even exist. Ultra punishing stuff, relentless noise, blasting rock suites, and relentless noise. They're centered *around improvisation and never let up the relentless noise. It never takes a break either really, just totally visceral brutality and relentless noise. I'd compare it to Sonic Youth at their least wave. Less than no wave. Negative wave. Their album Totem was one of the standouts from the year. It's soaked in relentless noise.
Battle of Mice
They live up to their status of a supergroup thanks to their super music. It's post metal and anything but typical. What it is though, is amazing. Everything here is unique, the atmosphere, the structure, the vocals. The whole gamut. Singer Julie Christmas is one of my favorites and she vocalizes in such a way that sounds like a frightened little girl then a manic yowling lunatic, always going along with the music. They've only one album but that makes it even more of a masterpiece. A must hear if you like post metal at all
Made Out of Babies
Julie Christmas went on to a burgeoning prolific career, after forming this awesome band. It retains the passion and punishing nature of Battle of Mice, but here it comes through in a riff heavy sludge metal/noise rock hybrid. Each of their albums are amazing, absurdly heavy and visceral. Quite brutal.