Reports from the Underground: July + August 2022 Albums of the Month

Hello Subway readers! We’ve had quite the productive last three months as our new writers have been familiarized with the reviewing grind. In my humble opinion, the months of July and August this year have been some of the most thoroughly we’ve covered progressive metal in a long time, if not ever.

Consequently, this rich assortment of curios and baubles showcased here are some of July and August’s finest, and I’m sure there’s a little something for everyone here. We’ve got albums of the chuggy and the chromatic, the dissonant and the accessible, the dense and the delicate, the zany and the serious, the polished and the nasty. Let us know what you enjoyed and what you didn’t. We love to hear feedback in whatever form it comes. And as always, enjoy the reading! – Sebastian

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Atomic Symphony – HYBRIS (Switzerland)
Style: Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Symphony X, Epica, Unleash the Archers
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Doug

HYBRIS is the first half of a promised two-part concept album, and it’s off to a strong start. Atomic Symphony have created a refined, well-composed musical experience that highlights the band’s strengths well. HYBRIS is structured a little unusually – likely due to the double album arrangement – with two 10-minute epics making up the first half, leaving the latter three songs feeling a little anticlimactic. That said, each song stands well enough on its own, with good musicianship and well-crafted melodies for the listener to enjoy all throughout the album.

Stylistically, Atomic Symphony lean more towards a “traditional prog” style than I would usually expect from a symphonic band, producing a more unique sound that echoes other lesser-known symphonic acts such as Ostura and Darkwater more than the typical leading names of Symphony X or Nightwish. This darker and more melancholy sound highlights singer Jasmin Baggenstos’s voice and helps to immerse the listener in the atmosphere of the music. With HYBRIS, Atomic Symphony have shown strong improvement since their first album and put the best of their talent on display, and I’m excited to see how the second part comes together.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Nightfall, Oath Taker, Chimera
You may also like: Ostura, Darkwater, Divine Ascension, Caveat

Dusk Chapel – Astrophysics And Abnormal Activities (Ukraine)
Style: Death Metal, Progressive Metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Death, Cynic, Obscura
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Francesco

With technical complexity and aggressive metal grooves Dusk Chapel certainly impress with their fourth album Astrophysics And Abnormal Activities. Never straying into convolution, their songs have one foot planted in progressive metal and the other firmly in the realm of ferocious and harrowing death metal, expertly weaving interesting and moody arrangements into frenetic, brutal soundscapes. Astrophysics And Abnormal Activities is melodic, visceral, eclectic, and Dusk Chapel’s best offering yet.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Noosphere, Secret Face
You may also like: Coexistence, Quo Vadis, Anciients

Jakub Tirco – Alaska (Czechia)
Style: Prog Metal, Post Metal (instrumental)
Recommended for fans of: David Maxim Micic, Plini, Scale the Summit
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
Pick by: Nick

Every so often an album will stick out among the oversaturated post-rock scene. Jakub Tirco’s Alaska is a prime example of such. The melodies and sparkling clean production lure you into a realm of instrumental bliss that I have yet to see matched this year. Definitely check it out if you’re a fan of post metal and want something new to please your ears.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: The End of All Things, Mixed Signals
You may also like: Outrun the Sunlight, The Elephant in the Room, Hecla

Zemeth – Loneliness (Japan)
Style: Neoclassical Power Metal/Melodeath (harsh/mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Galneryus, Versailles, Imperial Circus Dead Decadence
Related links: Bandcamp | Youtube | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Andy

Part of my job description as a writer at a progressive music blog is loving some fiery fretwork, and Junya, sole member of Zemeth, handily delivers on that front, providing intense solos and neoclassical riffs. Imagine if Galneryus chugged a bunch of red bull and then played their songs with slightly unhinged harshes atop it all… that’s Zemeth. Taking everything to love about crazy fun guitar, contrapuntal bass, and classical shenanigans, Zemeth have crafted a short firework display of fun worthy of any power metal fan’s time. 

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Vermillion Farewell, Kyoai Loneliness, Flor de Nieve
You may also like: Bloody Cumshot, Jupiter

Dreadnought – The Endless (US-CO)
Style: Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal (Mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Leprous, Ihsahn, Cellar Darling
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
Pick by: Christopher

The genre-defying quartet returned with their fifth album The Endless this month and it might be their best yet. The Coloradan collective sharpened their sound on this release, swapping the doomy expansiveness of prior releases for much tighter composition. The sax, flute and mandolin of the past has been abandoned in favour of allowing the band to go all in on their main instruments. Kelly Schilling and Lauren Vieira’s vocal harmonies are the best they’ve ever been, the drumming has a greater dynamism, the bass is a driving force to be reckoned with, and the keyboard is laying down so many vital moods. 

The Endless is a post-apocalyptic themed concept album, a perfect fit for Dreadnought and their unique mood. Jazz, classical, folk and post-black influences blend together seamlessly into something like nothing you’ve ever heard before, with the banshee wail screams cutting through the melodious parts. It’s a brilliant album which will hopefully bring them the wider recognition they’ve always deserved.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Worlds Break, Gears of Violent Endurance, Liminal Veil
You may also like: Tómarúm, Naeramarth, In Cauda Venenum

Deathbringer – IT (Belarus)
Style: Death metal, Prog Metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Decrepit Birth, Death, Gojira
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Cooper

What do you get when you combine death metal, prog metal, industrial, and an irreverence for genre norms? A kickass album; that’s what. With IT, Deathbringer returns from a fifteen year hiatus and delivers a heaping helping of brutal and monstrous riffs tied together by an intriguingly apocalyptic concept. If you feel worn out by the incessant stream of bands all riding death metal’s cutting edge, IT may be for you. Here’s to hoping that Deathbringer’s next album doesn’t take fifteen years to release.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Per Aspera, Pitfall (When It Begins), Nihil Messiah
You may also like: Disloyal, Incarnator, Funeral Speech

Wake – Thought form Descent
Style: Death/Extreme Metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Rivers of Nihil
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | metal-archives
Pick by: Dylan

Thought form Descent is a continuation of Wake’s excellent all-around prog extreme metal output. Whilst it does not seriously innovate or improve in any way from their previous album Devouring Ruin, it proves to be an effective formula yet again as that album was as excellent as this one. If you’re hard to please with production, this album will not let you down as every single instrument sounds pristine without losing its sonic identity. All in all, a great collection for anyone expanding their horizons in extreme metal.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Venerate (The Undoing of All)
You may also like: Hath, Replicant, Infernal Coil, Haunter

Birth – Born (US-CA)
Style: Prog Rock (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: King Crimson, Elder
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram
Pick by: Will

An album that truly embodies the summer. Birth’s recreation of a classic ‘70s prog sound; gorgeous guitar tones, and treacle vocals are a perfect throwback to the giants of progressive music.

The band make a lot of their new-age credentials – the music is intended as chakra-balancing, aura-cleansing and third-eye opening – though their explanations on the topic is, frankly, unintelligible to me. However, if you need an album to call you back to the dog-days of summer. Something to help you imagine warm, languid sunshine (and maybe align your chakras on the way) this is definitely one to spin up.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: For Yesterday
You may also like: Diagonal, Wobbler

Parthian – Desolation of a Ceaseless Dawn (US-KS)
Style: Prog Metal, Melodeath, Tech Death, Metalcore (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Revocation, Between the Buried and Me, In Flames, At the Gates
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Sebastian

When it comes to my contribution to this round-up post, I was essentially deciding between Phase IV, Sarattma, and Parthian. I went with shining light on Parthian because of the way that they thoroughly and effectively combine these familiar varieties of prog death. They may not have reinvented the wheel with this debut, but from a compositional standpoint, this is one of the better incorporations of the above influences that I’ve listened to. I see Desolation of a Ceaseless Dawn setting up a firm groundwork for the band to experiment more with new sounds. If they can improve on their hooks, riffs, and choruses and blend their influences more ambiguously I think they have the formula for some real success down the line.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: The Accursed Tome, Call of the Void, Psychosis, Cosmic Overture
You may also like: Aenimus, Luna’s Call, A Novelist

Speaking to Stones – (In)Human Error (US-NY)
Style: Traditional progressive metal (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Haken, The Contortionist, Dream Theater
Related links: Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Nick

It’s maybe once a year that an album with a traditional progressive metal sound will actually blow me away. Last year it was The Stranger’s Kaleidoscope, this year it’s a fantastic release by the Western New York based Speaking to Stones. Mashing up sounds from legends ranging from Haken to The Contortionist to Plini to Dream Theater while also adding in heaps of originality, this group has crafted something really special with (In)Human Error. Next level virtuosity and intriguing songwriting leaves this as a strong stand out and a must listen for all fans of the bands listed above.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: The Drowning and the Saved, The Last Word
You may also like: Ebonivory, Chaosbay, Soulsplitter

Esthesis – Watching Worlds Collide (France)
Style: Progressive Rock (Clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
Pick by: Christopher

I was pleasantly surprised by French progressive rock vehicle Esthesis’ debut album Watching Worlds Collide. It’s the project of composer and main songwriter Aurélien Goude who, with his band in tow, have crafted a work of modern progressive rock that manages to stand out from the crowd. A lot of this is down to the consistent use of sax which adds a jazzy, sometimes even noirish flavour to proceedings, as well as the meticulous attention to detail; multiple listens reveal little variations and additions which prove rather satisfying. It’s an adept little work of progressive rock which I hope signals the start of a successful career.

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: Place Your Bets, Amber, Through Your Lens
You may also like: Smalltape, Hyco, Vault, Playgrounded

Flame Imperishable – Glory and Ruin (US-Texas)
Style: Power/Prog (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Unleash the Archers, Blind Guardian
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Andy

Spousal duo Flame Imperishable have crafted a wonderfully explorative power metal album on their highly promising debut, even featuring one of the best power metal tracks of the decade as an opener (“The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion)”). Whether it be the Tanagra-like proginess of that track, the speedier traditional number “Slavebranded,” or the mellower ballads like “Shrine of Resurrection,” the amazingly dynamic performances and fantasy lyrics will take the listener away to Hyrule or Roshar (Zelda and The Stormlight Archive, respectively). For all fans of traditional prog metal and especially those who love the energetic fun of power metal, Flame Imperishable triumph on their debut, the band seeming to have perfect chemistry. Go check this out!

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion), Shrine of Resurrection, The Scarlet Gale
You may also like: Tanagra, Dimhav, Articulus, Judicator

Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (United Kingdom)
Style: Progressive Avant-Garde/Black Metal (angry vocals)
Recommended for fans of: A Forest of Stars, Altar of Plagues, Zeal & Ardor, White Ward, Thy Catafalque
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify  | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Pick by: Zach

Ashenspire are, without a doubt, the angriest band I’ve come across this year. But instead of directing their anger through a fantasy story which is some metaphor for why insert societal issue is bad, they say “fuck the metaphor”. This album has the subtlety of a brick to the face and I love it all the more for it. Instead of beating around the bush, Ashenspire sets fire to the whole bush and dances on the ashes. With the anger only a Scotsman could conjure up and enough unconventional instruments to fill a music hall, Ashenspire have cemented their place as one of the best releases of the year.  

You can read the original review here.

Recommended tracks: The Law of Asbestos, Plattenbau Persefone Plexus, Tragic Heroin
You may also like: Dawn of a Dark Age, Pensées Nocturnes, Voices