Pinkish Black released our 17th favorite metal album of 2012 with their self-titled debut: a somber and disquieting no-wave take on doom metal. That album was released on avant-garde indie label Handmade Birds, but in November of last year, it was announced that Pinkish Black had signed to genre powerhouse Century Media, home to such heavyweights as Napalm Death, Arch Enemy, Watain, etc. It was an unexpected pairing, to be sure, but an exciting one: Pinkish Black would benefit from CM’s resources; CM would benefit from the infusion of vital new talent; metal would benefit from having one of its best new bands given such a pedestal. And man do they deserve it. Advances of Pinkish Black’s forthcoming Century Media debut, Razed To The Ground, started circulating late last month, and the thing is an absolute stunner. It’s heavier, more melodic, and more captivating than the band’s excellent 2012 release, and it’s pretty clearly going to place well on lots of Best Of 2013 (Metal Edition) lists. The new album isn’t out till September, but we’ve got its title track today. It’s three-plus minutes of dense, thundering space-goth, and it rules. Listen.

Razed To The Ground is out 9/17 via Century Media.