Hello and welcome to another album of the month post of The Progressive Subway. I often complain about a lack of inspiration for these post introductions, so I’ll just starting writing and see where I end up. Good chance that what you are reading now is not the final version of the introduction. The thing is that there just haven’t been any interesting developments in Subway-land this past month worth talking to you about (yet). There have been some ideas floating around for new content other than reviews, but nothing has been made concrete yet. Chance is you’ll hear more about it with the next post. I haven’t worked out “In the land of the flying guinea pigs” further yet either, so for those of you reading for that I have to disappoint you as well. I guess you’ll just have to do with purely the music this time. Anyway, here’s to another great month of obscure progressive music!
Papangu – Holoceno (Brazil)
Style: sludge metal/avant-garde/zeuhl (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | RYM page
Pick by: Sebastian
Papangu’s debut album has been shaping up to be a classic in the progressive sludge and avant-garde metal hemispheres. Breaking new grounds for where metal can go, Papangu fuses the aforementioned styles with strong influences from zeuhl, stoner rock, and Brazilian rhythms. It took the band 7 years to complete Holoceno, and the time investment was well worth it. This is packed chock-full of thick, sludgy riffs, spiraling technical synth, guitar, and saxophone solos, proggy staccato sections reminiscent of King Crimson, and one of the sickest drum performances of the year from the drummer of Shining/Elephant9.
It is a concept album about a man who sees a vision of his future and tries to change it by making a deal with a mysterious occult figure, but it backfires on him and sets humanity on the course of self-destruction via ecological catastrophe. The overall political commentary on this album transcends the music to a historical piece of art, especially given the album’s context. The complex progressive song structures do an incredible job at building tension to crescendos, and it hits the nail on the head when it needs to convey chaos as well as sadness. Overall, this is a must listen for any fans of Mastodon-influenced progressive sludge, avant-garde metal, or experimental extreme music in general. This one is for the books.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Bacia das Almas, Lobisomem, Holoceno
Recommended for fans of: Gonin-Ish, Mastodon, Yeti, Kayo Dot, Magma
Azure – Of Brine and Angel’s Beaks (United Kingdom)
Style: prog rock (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram
Pick by: Callum
An epic continuation of Azure’s self-constructed mythos surrounding goddesses, angels and river dragons, this truly is fresh, modern progressive rock while remaining true to the genre’s roots. Living up to the hype generated by the March release of the single, Mistress, this record is sure to tickle any prog fans’ fancies in some way. The musicianship is fantastic, especially the virtuosic guitar soloing and complex synth accompaniments. As a cross between Geddy Lee, Claudio Sanchez and Bruce Dickinson, the superb vocal delivery matches the theatrical and dramatic nature of the music, and are integral to cementing the band’s distinguishable bright, shimmery sound. For such a young band, the song writing has a mature handle on very different sounds and moods that vary between rock opera epics, pop anthems and heavy riffing without sounding incoherent or merely cobbled together. This is an extremely exciting and refreshing album that is sure to make its mark in the modern progressive rock scene.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Ameotoko I – The Curse, Lustre: Siphon of Umbra, Outrun God
Recommended for fans of: Others by No One, Ayreon, Yes
Circle of Sighs – Narci
Style: avant-garde doom metal, synthwave (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Nick
When Narci came out, there was an immediate war over who got it in our group chat. I only got it because I drafted an entire review in an hour on a whim, which is less a comment on my reviewing skill (which is next to none) and more a comment on how absolutely insane this album is. It’s probably the most out there release I’ve heard this year and it does so effortlessly. If you want a strange yet eclectic album, look no further.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Roses Blue, We Need Legends, The Man Who Stole the Wind
Recommended for fans of: Anyone whose interest is peaked by the phrase “avant-garde progressive doom metal with synthwave elements”
Polars Collide – Grotesque (Denmark)
Style: groove/death metal, djent (mixed vocals)
Related links: Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Sebastian
This is an exceptional debut from the Meshuggah/Lamb of God-inspired band Polars Collide. What you will find in Grotesque is a trippy and otherworldly depiction of volatility and viciousness. This is illustrated with ridiculously over-the-top lyrics that make the album super intense, memorable, and at times, kind of comical. These are sung with a wide assortment of guttural styles by a vocalist that has the skill of someone who’s been doing it for decades.
With killer headbanger riffs, and mechanically technical guitar solos, this band has very competent skills as musicians. Additionally, the songs are written with a good bit of creativity as there is an assortment of progressive song structures and varying lengths. Overall, Polars Collide showcase an impressive balance of pure primal aggression and sophisticated mechanical musicianship. This is why Grotesque is a top contender for best groove metal album of the year.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Rejected, Spider and Fly, Cancer
Recommended for fans of: Meshuggah, Lamb of God, Decapitated, Gojira
Terra Odium – Ne Plus Ultra
Style: prog metal/tech thrash/heavy metal (clean vocals)
Related links: Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Sam
I’m a huge fan of the band Fates Warning, and there are not nearly enough prog bands out there these days who carry their torch. Terra Odium is a band/supergroup with two members of Spiral Architect, Steve DiGiorgio, and more bringing that 90s prog metal sound into the modern era. Ne Plus Ultra is a hard-hitting, guitar-centric album much like the old days. Spiraling tech-riffs, melodic leads, flashy but tasteful solos, and high-pitched vocals; it does it all well, but now it’s also coated with shiny modern production and fancy orchestration. Why I have such nostalgia for this sound I do not know (I was 2 years old when A Sceptic’s Universe came out), but I love it, and it always makes me happy when there’s a new band doing this sound well, and Terra Odium is one of them.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Crawling, Winter, The Thorn
Recommended for fans of: early Psychotic Waltz, Fates Warning, Spiral Architect, Watchtower
Fractal Universe – The Impassable Horizon (France)
Style: tech death (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Evan
The Impassable Horizon presents a very melodic approach to technical death metal that focuses more on progressiveness and dynamics than brutality or technicality. Fractal Universe writes primarily shorter, tight songs, and is not afraid of a proper chorus. The combination of well varied riffing (clearly influenced by both modern and old-school tech), well placed jazzy interludes, and catchy choruses, makes The Impassable Horizon essential tech death for this year.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Autopoiesis, A Clockwork Expectation, Godless Machinists
Recommended for fans of: Alkaloid, Gorod, Rivers of Nihil
Scythelord – Earth Boiling Dystopia (US-FL/Sweden)
Style: thrash/death (harsh vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Callum
Those acquainted with the Vinesauce YouTube/Twitch community may recognize the name Joel Johansson, otherwise known by his tongue-in-cheek solo thrash/death metal project, Vargskelethor. Scythelord on the other hand is an entirely different beast. Still a thrash/death outfit, though far more mature, technical, and impressive in every way. Treading the line artfully between both genres, Earth Boiling Dystopia features both the cold, razor sharp precision of classic thrash bands like Dark Angel and dirty, brutal riffage integral to death metal. The guitar work is immense, and Joel’s vocal performance alone deserves much praise. A refreshing lesson that modern thrash doesn’t needn’t be a Vektor clone.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Equanimity, Comedy in Blood, Earth Boiling Dystopia
Recommended for fans of: Vektor, Voivod, Dark Angel
0 Comments