This year is already shaping up to be a monumental year for heavy music. It seems like there’s been more great releases in these first couple of months than the entire first half of 2019 combined. Moreover, even with all the outstanding big-name resales, it’s largely been the smaller, up and coming acts who have delivered the year’s true standouts so far. Things only seem to be getting even better as the year rolls on and, whether or not you any more proof, Stoned God have come out of nowhere (Germany actually) with their incredible second album Incorporeal, a ferocious slab of groovy tech death guaranteed to make you a believer.

Imagine if, following From Mars to Sirius (2005), rather than delving ever further down the progressive rabbit hole, Gojira decided instead to double down on the groovier, extreme elements of their sound. That should give you a rough idea of what Incorporeal has in store, and if that doesn’t have you frothing at the proverbial mouth then, well, there’s just no helping some people. The album is also sure to please fans of modern heavyweights like Dyscarnate and Rivers of Nihil (although mostly Gojira). It’s the kind of album many fans wish the veteran act(s) from whom Stoned god draw their sound wish they were still making and is nothing if not convincing. Though a relatively unknown quantity, Stoned God have dropped what will undoubtedly remain one of the best metal albums of the year.

The band have only one other album under their belt, 2016’s Discordant Divinity, which sounds a lot rougher and (unsurprisingly) has the characteristic twang of early Gojira about it. The progression from Stoned God’s debut to Incorporeal really does mirror the progression from Gojira’s early albums to From Mars to Sirius, and while the Germans are yet to quite reach the heights of that landmark record (let alone The Way of All flesh (2008) or L’Enfant Sauvage (2012)), the fact that they’ve made similar progress in half the time is incredibly exciting. Stoned God’s potential future is one worth salivating over. For now though, just sit back and enjoy the grooves. Incorporeal is a beyond-impressive effort in its own right, and one miles ahead of what most bands at similar stages of their career and beyond are even capable.

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Incorporeal is available now. You can stream and purchase it here.