Style: Progressive metal, progressive rock, progressive death metal (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Between the Buried and Me, Opeth, Coheed and Cambria, Protest the Hero, Haken
Country: United States (Oregon)
Release date: 22 May 2026

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Across species, self-preservation is one of nature’s strongest instincts, falling behind only bumping uglies. Yet our society has become astoundingly short-sighted, actively contributing to our future demise. Whether the atmosphere’s increasing entrapment of the sun’s radiation due to our continued reliance on fossil fuels or the unchecked, dizzying advancement of artificial intelligence, humanity’s concern for itself doesn’t seem to reach beyond the current generation. No need to remind Oregon’s progressive metal outfit Psyclops, who have composed the cross-media progressive metal narrative Bound to Burn: Melody of the Martyr (coupled with a graphic novel), taking place in the barren wasteland of a not-too-distant future earth scorched from the effects of climate change. With clean water a scarcity, Psyclops follows the path of a rogue explorer into forbidden wastelands, seeking to uncover truths that may save his and future generations.

Bound to Burn ebbs and flows through dynamic contrasting passages of gentle acoustic melodies and fiery double-bass death metal gallops, interconnected via harmonized arpeggio-lined guitars. Psyclops’ compositions resemble Between the Buried and Me with their constant evolution, sharp contrasts between neighboring passages, and expansive storytelling that incorporates off-the-wall sonic elements (banjo and backing saloon-like atmosphere of “Indomitable III: The Fight that Lies Before”). The “Indomitable” track trilogy would blend in seamlessly with BTBAM’s The Great Misdirect, while Black Water Park-era Opeth distorted riffs drive “Consequences I: The Instinct to Survive” and “Consequences III: Swallowed Skies, Sea of Eyes”.

Psyclops have a knack for steadily building momentum up to transcendent peaks. In “Clarity”, shimmering synths couple with a meandering bass-led rhythm behind Connor Reising’s clean vocals to create an airy atmosphere. With a pounding tom-fill, the strings come together and surge forward towards a double-bass, tremolo-picked culmination alongside Reising’s harmonious voice and dramatic violins. A coarse, hair-raising pinnacle hits with the transition from the spoken word on “Consequences II: Warning from the Wise” to Reising’s harsh cry, pulsating synths, and death metal fury in “Consequences III: Swallowed Skies, Sea of Eyes”. The high points achieved in “Clarity” and “Consequences III” result in some of the most exciting moments I have come across in heavy progressive music so far this year.

In Bound to Burn, Psyclops stumble by placing too much emphasis on story telling at the expense of instrumental intrigue. The prolonged spoken word section that is “Consequences II” may initially carry a slight charm, though becomes increasingly annoying and skippable on repeat listens. The narration would have been less jarring if better connected with the instrumentation and appeared in short captions throughout the album. Instead, an entire speech is delivered mostly alongside isolated drums, forcing the listener to hone in on the narrative of “Consequences II”. Moreover, the sarcastic, auctioneer-like vocals in “Manifest III: The Ouroboros Chorus” distract unnecessarily from the tasty backing horn-infused progginess. 

Psyclops clearly brim with creativity, song-writing prowess, and the instrumental virtuosity required to create an expansive progressive metal opus. Though in creating such an aspirational story, Bound to Burn feels incomplete, hampered by its short thirty-minute length. Within the album, Psyclops have ample opportunity to build on themes and allow their many ideas to naturally evolve rather than quickly moving on to the next. Closer “Begin Anew” sets up for an epic conclusion with an opening piano and triumphant speech by the protagonist—though quickly and prematurely wraps up after just three-minutes. While I typically applaud brevity in progressive metal, this results in untapped potential in Bound to Burn. 

Psyclops provide a fitting soundtrack to the sweltering reality of our increasingly sizzling summers. With its short run time and many blazing prog death metal moments, Bound to Burn scorches a charred path, suitable for repeated treks. Though Bound to Burn is absolutely worth spending time with, Psyclops may be on the verge of something truly remarkable if they allow their song-writing flow to mirror the expansiveness of their imagination.

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Recommended tracks: Consequences III: Swallowed Skies, Sea of Eyes, Clarity, Manifest I: Seeing is Believing
You may also like: Luna’s Call, An Abstract Illusion, Omnerod, Exist
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Independent Release

Psyclops is:
– Connor Riesling (vocals)
– Alex Flatt (drums and synths)
– Brandon Peterson (bass)
– Ian Burnett (guitar)
– Guerd Alberts (guitar)
With guests:
– Charlie Patton (cello, banjo, and orchestral arrangement)
– Danielle Neblock (voice acting in “Consequences II: Warning from the Wise'”)
– Matt Sulokowski (baritone saxophone in “Manifest III: The Ouroboros Chorus”)