Jordan Rakei and Rosie Lowe's debut albums have impressed me recently. Also Rufus released a very good album earlier in the year. On the heavier end of the spectrum I highly recommend the unsung debut from Italian doomsters Messa, titled Belfry.

He's probably jumped ship at the right time and is now playing for the excellent Algiers.

There's a fundamental error here. Steven Wilson's Hand. Cannot. Erase. was accidentally omitted.

Yeah I'm a fan of their early work but it has been diminishing returns since Ashes of the Wake. Slight correction, New American Gospel was released in 2000 and was their debut under the LOG moniker.