Semen Datura - Einsamkeit

Dissonance is a tricky thing in black metal, play your cards right and you end up sounding like Semen Datura's 2009 opus Einsamkeit (play em wrong and you end up sounding like any of a number of weak ass LLN imitators). Never content to stay in one register, SD mix it up between atonal thrash riffs, dissonant blasting sections and major chord progressions (sometimes a folk sound will creep in), similar to how Sculptured operated on their last few albums. A strange, creepy, technically proficient album that will keep you coming back for more.

Einsamkeit

Old Pagan

Old Pagan are one helluva band, and prolific to boot...here's a few of my favorites from what should become a staple in your German black metal diet.

Menschenverachtung

Tecknotschtiklan

Thrash Black Metal Holokaust

Pest - Ära

Not to be confused with the numerous other bands named Pest (from Poland, Sweden etc)...Ära is an incongruous mix of rawwar battle chaos and soulfilled acoustic strumming...sounding sort of like Sacramentary Abolishment letting Agalloch jam in their rehearsal space while they go outside and take a smoke break. An idiosyncratic and powerful listen.

Ära

Nagelfarian Descendants

It's really a shame that the great Nagelfar called it quits in 2002 after the release of their Virus West album. Fortunately the members have kept busy with various other projects.
The Ruins Of Beverast - Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite

Drummer Alexander von Meilenwald was the unstoppable meter by which Nagelfar operated...his obscure ideas have found a home in the intriguing The Ruins Of Beverast (of which he is the sole member)...von M.'s latest release from 2009 Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite (phew, what a title!)  recalls the psychedelic weirdness and plod of Sabotage era Sabbath channeled through an old Silent horror film score punctuated by the insane blasting passages that he executed so deftly on Nagelfar albums. Unstoppable.

Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite

Kermania - Ahnenwerk

Kermania is another excellent black metal project of which von M. took part playing drums and lord knows what else. Ahnenwerk is a real piece of werk utilizing von M.'s patented military style rolls and blasts as well as some inventive acoustic work. A formidable black metal album that comes close to capturing the epic feel of old Nagelfar.

Ahnenwerk

Simple Existenz - Das Leben Vor Dem Tod

Not to be outdone Nagelfar's guitarist Zorn unleashed this enigmatic piece of werk under the Simple Existenz moniker back in 2010. Largely inspired by newer Darkthrone (right down to the decrepit Old West imagery) Das Leben has enough twists and turns to surprise and features strange somewhat uglified vocals by the original Nagelfar vocalist Jander.

Das Leben Vor Dem Tod

Of course these guys are involved in tons of other projects...Truppensturm being fairly decent.
These are just some personal favs.

Nagelfar - Srontgorrth

Hands down the best German black metal album ever made...may sound like hyperbole, but just listen to this immense sucker.

Srontgorrth

Old Wainds - Scalding Coldness

I have to thank my good associate Mr. Sellers (great-godson thrice removed of Peter) for reminding me of this frigid blast of excellence. If you like black metal you will love Old Wainds...if you love black metal you will go APESHIT for Old Wainds, tis simple as that...the title track, Wolves In White, holy shit the whole fuckin album is just tight and buzzy and bursting from the seams with magnificent riffs. And COLD, I musn't forget cold because in terms of sonic approximation of temperature Old Wainds are as adept as Immortal's Battles or Blizzards, which makes sense seeing as they come from Murmansk Russia, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle where January temperatures reach an average low of 7ºF!!

Scalding Coldness

Ekpyrosis - Ein Ewiges Bild

A clean sweep...listening to this is like eating a spiritual altoid...the cinnamon kind. Coldness and warmth simultaneously...oddly refreshing.

Ein Ewiges Bild

Cleanse The Palate

I actually went back and listened to a bunch of old nu metal releases to try and complete nu metal week...not too many of em hold up (not really a big surprise)...in fact the two that I posted are the only ones that don't downright suck. So onward and upward, and here are some awesome !T.O.O.H.! live videos to cleanse that nu palate.

Spineshank - The Height of Callousness

Probably my fav nu metal release ever...just perfect pop songs, anthemic choruses, excellent, excellent drumming and tooooonnnnnnssss of energy. Guaranteed to pump you up.

The Height Of Callousness

Guano Apes - Proud Like A God

Nu year Nu metal...there was a time in the late 90's when my angsty rage(against the machine)-filled teenage self actually dug some of this stuff. Alternative metal Funk metal Rap metal all fall under that Nu umbrella, and shiat I'm glad that stuff has died out, but this week I'm gonna focus on the good ones (of which there actually are a few).
Guano Apes were German although you'd never be able to tell that from their sound...funky and eclectic with just a little of that somewhat dated Primus type of bass bounce (bassist looks like fuckin' Jamiroquai). But at times, they could also be soaring and bombastic (guess that's the German in them), this is mainly due to the amazing performance of vocalist Sandra Nasic. This gal can wail with the best of them...sometimes things can get a bit cheesy, especially the song about snowboarding or skateboarding or whatever it is...metal songs about sports should really never be done, Raven being the obvious exception of course.
Overall this is just alot of fun..strangely uplifting feelgood music, a guilty pleasure of course, but I still listen to it to this day...it's got that kind of staying power...which is more than I can say for a lot of music.