9. Shroud of Despondency
The Lowdown: Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Shroud of Despondency, while unsigned, are prolific, having released 4 albums, 5 splits, one live album and 4 demos over their 13 year existence. The latest, free 2013 demo, To Believe the Future Looks Bleak is a 6 song 40 minute foray into progressive black metal that sees the band stray further from their forested, folky roots and into more thrashy, aggressive territory that they displayed on their 2012 LP, Pine. And as a simple demo, as the band prep for a proper recording session, it blows about 75% of current so called USBM out of the water.
RIYL: Agalloch, Absu, Enslaved. http://youtu.be/IehSVRYv-Ew