Jesus FUCK. So you know how I always like to say how thorough our searching method is, only to be amazed at how many great albums we miss? Well this edition takes that to the next fucking level. Holy. Shit. We have three 10/10 albums and a zillion rated an 8/10 or more. What the actual fuck. Where do all these album come from? It makes no sense to me. We click on, and scan LITERALLY EVERY progressive metal album listed on Metal-Archives during a year and still THIS happens. And we STILL had to scrap some albums because our list was too long. Even I did three albums this time. I’m starting to repeat myself, but it really makes no sense to me whatsoever. In terms of sheer quality this is easily our best non-AOTY post (which is coming up next now that I think of it). An absolutely staggering amount of great albums is condensed in here. It’s to the point that I believe that if you can’t find anything you like in here, I will question whether you like prog metal in the first place. What. the. fuck.
Well enough of that. There’s more I wanted to discuss. As you might have noticed, my Reddit account /u/genderlessperson is no more. I’m trying not to waste so much time on that site anymore. That means (for r/progmetal users) that my “small” guide into prog metal is now frozen, no more overtly long rec lists whenever someone asks for oldschool prog metal (though I noticed /u/VZed picked that up pretty well), and no more random-ass rants about sandwiches or why r/progmetal really SHOULD have a blacklist (or in any case a bigger Hall of Fame). I might still interact a bit with the blog’s account, but I’m trying to minimize that as well. And as for the guide, maybe I’ll post an improved version sometime to this blog. I’ve been meaning to get some more content on this blog than just Reports from the UndergroundTM, which is something I plan to talk at length about with you after the AOTY post. Anyway, knowing me, I probably won’t stay off Reddit for long and within a month you’ll see my rants and rec-lists again under idk, /u/sam2oq or something like that. Whatever. We’ll see how it goes.
What’s more is that we have a reviewer about page coming up. Based on a Reddit suggestion, we have (or rather, Chris did) made a page with some info on all our reviewers. Our favorite bands, a little description about ourselves, and some other info like Discord or last.fm username is what you’ll find there. It should go live in at most a day after this post. We’ll update everything so that you can click on every reviewer to go to their excerpt.
And now lastly before we get into the post, there’s something I needed to get off my mind. A lot of people call prog metal “pretentious” or “self-indulgent” for all the wanking, and it pisses me off. It’s usually said for whenever Dream Theater go on one of their solo tangents or something like that. But I disagree. Dream Theater solo their asses off because they’re good at it and IT SOUNDS GOOD. Seriously, there’s nothing pretentious about wanting your music to sound good. Shredding like John Petrucci does just sounds AMAZING most of the times, so do all the crazy pyrotechnics DT throw at you during their breaks. If you don’t like how it sounds, then that’s just taste, but don’t call it pretentious. It’s a way of making music that is not for everyone, not better or worse than playing with ’emotion’ or whatever that means (Dream Theater has plenty of emotion in their soloing). They’re good at their instruments and sound amazing with it. If anything, it’s the lyrics that are bad. Calling it pretentious or self-indulgent is way too negative a way to look at it imo. They just enjoy making music that way. No need to search for malicious intent behind it.
…ok I think that’s all I had to say for now. Let’s get into the post.
Practical information: As always we have a Spotify playlist with all the recommended tracks, and if you don’t want to read the entire post or just want a quick overview we’ve made a spreadsheet with all relevant information on the albums we reviewed. And now for the final-final part of this introduction, *BREATHES IN*:
What is this place? We use Metal-Archives’ advanced search engine to find all progressive/post/avantgarde metal (and some weird stoner as well if there’s any) releases in a month, then we select the best/most grabbing ones and write a (small) review on them. We go chronological through the months. We take releases from outside of metal-archives too, but that is generally limited to requests and recommendations from other prog fans as the other sites’ search engines aren’t as precise nor is their database as thorough as Metal-Archives. You can read more about us on our About page, which also includes some history. Do you want your band reviewed? Or do you want to send us a recommendation? Send an email to theprogressivesubway@gmail.com, send a PM to the blog’s Reddit acount (/u/theprogressivesubway) or hit me up on Discord (@sam1oq#7358). Just make sure it’s from this year for a month we haven’t covered yet. You can find us on social media at the following accounts: on Facebook we go by @theprogressivesubway, on Instagram we’re called @progsubway and on Twitter you can follow us at @progsubway. We also have a YouTube channel in which we upload our favorite songs from albums we reviewed (provided the artist gave us permission to).
The Figurant – Perfection/Corruption (US-GA)
Style: BTBAM (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | RYM page
Review by: Andrew
When a band is compared to Between the Buried and Me, I jump on it as soon as possible. BTBAM is one of my all-time favorite bands and anything even remotely similar is bound to stand out to me. So when I heard about The Figurant’s 2019 EP, Perfection / Corruption, described as basically BTBAM worship, I jumped straight into it. And hooo boy did it not disappoint.
The Figurant is an Atlanta, GA-based four-piece progressive metal group and despite being ridiculously unknown, they’re ridiculously talented. To call Perfection / Corruption merely BTBAM worship would be a disservice to the absurd talent of the quartet – the songwriting here is unique and refreshing. A wonderful blend of progressive metal, metalcore, and a number of other influences, each track on Perfection / Corruption sounds different from one another; each track establishes its own themes and motifs and runs them to completion satisfyingly.
Right off the bat, I can tell this release holds nothing back. The opening track, Transmigration, opens with a riff that could put hair on your chest, then before long you’re hit with an onslaught of singer Preston Cobb’s fantastic harsh vocals. This man can do it all – effortlessly swapping between cleans, low gutturals, and high screeches at the drop of a pin, depending on which vocal style the underlying instrumentation calls for.
Speaking of instrumentation, it’s good. Really good. Mastered by Jamie King of BTBAM fame along with many others, the album sounds really good. The production is clear, nothing is muddy, every instrument shines. Now to the songwriting itself – bizarre time signatures, disgustingly heavy breakdowns, genre-bending sections, and more are jam packed into 25 minutes of music. Yet somehow, each song still feels cohesive. There’s even a short spoken-word section to end Childe Roland II. The Dark Tower. Possibly my favorite track, Men Of Valor V. La Belle Dame Sans Merci, takes the swinging style of BTBAM’s Voice of Trespass up about three levels. Every track is unique and has its own flair.
You might have noticed that a couple of songs are numbered with a Roman numeral. I’ve had a chance to speak with The Figurant drummer Chris Deese about this, and according to him, they are all part of a grandiose, cross-album concept suite. Since The Figurant is currently in hiatus, the full suites may never come to fruition but it is a very ambitious concept regardless.
The craziness doesn’t end here, however: I went back and listened to The Figurant’s first two EPs and they continue the trend of fantastically unique instrumentation and songwriting that contributed so strongly to my enjoyment of Perfection / Corruption. Since each of these releases are relatively short (25ish minutes), it’s realistic to listen to all three releases sequentially and call it an album for listening’s sake. I think it’s worth it – they’re full of gems that will leave you laughing and crying. For a band with about 20 monthly listeners on Spotify, these guys are rock solid and were they not in a hiatus currently, I would say there’s a very bright future for them.
My only complaint is how short this release is – when it finished I just wanted more.
Recommended tracks: the EP is 25 minutes just listen to the whole thing
Recommended for fans of: Between the Buried and Me, Mr. Bungle
Final verdict: 10/10
Annihilus Mundi – Grief (US-RI)
Style: Death/Black (harsh vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Tyler
I think I’ve started reviews like this in the past, but sometimes things need repeating: hoo boy. I am so conflicted by this album. On one hand, I really have to commend the band in terms of their composition and concept. I know the subject of grief is a cliche to write an album on, but putting it into a narrative context is something I was surprised to realize I didn’t see too often in modern metal. So, on the creative end, things are actually pretty good! On the technical side of things…well, we’ll get there.
Off the bat, I have to say for the most part, the parts are actually performed pretty well. The vocals especially stood out as pretty catching and and a great glue that pulled everything together. There are a lot of interesting instrument choices like synths and strings that, despite some textural clashings, actually do keep things fresh and engaging. It’s pretty apparent that the drums are programmed, and there is not a ton there that helps their sound. In the mix of everything they sound passable, but when things quiet down or there is a drum fill, things sound pretty flubby. The guitars as well, for the most part, sound pretty good. I will say that something definitely needs to be done during guitar leads and solos. Those parts are so thin and vulnerable sounding, they need help in order to stand on their own.
The drums and bass were the first sort clues about the major flaw with the project, it is a chore to actually listen to. There are a lot of odd and really questionable choices. I mentioned before that some of the synth parts clash texturally with the rest of the song, the best example is in the song “Bargaining”. There is a synth lead that is a very important part of that song, it’s essentially the chorus. And the way it sits in the mix sounds like what eating jello and sand together would feel like in your mouth. Mostly homogenous, but there’s a grittiness that can’t be ignored. Which is a shame, because that song is surprisingly catchy and one of the better on the album.
I’ve talked about the guitar and the drums, the mix overall, some textural things, sure, it’s not stellar by any stretch, but we have to talk about the clean vocals. Dawg, what’s going on? They are only really in the last two songs, but oh jeez, they are everywhere and they sound bad. I don’t want to sugar coat it. They aren’t mixed well, they aren’t performed well, they sound like the singer is really struggling to hit the notes, they just aren’t flattering to the sound at all. The lyrics that are being sung are pretty cringy as well, and them being performed in this weird, over theatrical style isn’t helping.
Annihilus Mundi are good song writers, they might actually be GREAT songwriters. There is a lot going on in this album. Interesting instrument choices, different parts you wouldn’t find in a metal song (The beginning and end of “Bargaining” I was really digging). They are doing some cool things. But the actual production needs a lot of work in order to really get their point across, it’s proving to be their detriment.
Recommended tracks: Scene I: Denial, Isolation, Scene III: Bargaining
Recommended for fans of: Alkaloid, Coldworld
Final verdict: 4.5/10
Now in Colour – Now in Colour (Australia)
Style: Heavy Prog (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram
Review by: Josh
Prog is an inaccessible genre. For the average person, it comes across as soulless and overly technical. I’ve tried and failed to turn people onto Dream Theater more times than I’ve got fingers. However, once in a while, increasingly more with time, a prog band comes around with a sound that rejects overt complexity in pursuit of something wholly different.
There’s a lot going on with Now In Colour. They’re two part traditional prog, one part acoustic rock, and one part pop. This culminates in a sound that’s both accessible and interesting. Put on this album for almost anyone and they’ll dig it, be they anything from casual Queen listener to a die-hard Yes fan.
It’d be impossible to talk about this album without mentioning its tone. From front to back, it’s so relentlessly positive, excepting only a few brief moments when harsh vocals come in. Even then, those moments only serve to make the album feel even more positive through contrast. This overall mood is created due to two things: the voice of the singer and the willingness of the band to go light. The former needs little explanation; the man’s voice is heavenly, giving vibes of Ross Jennings floating through the air on a bed of clouds. As for the latter, the band’s instrumentation lends itself well to a lighter sound, what with the poppy synths, piano, and acoustic guitar. Now In Colour is overall incredibly pleasant to listen to.
The band also frequently flirts with elements of other genres throughout the album, be they the djent-influenced grooves of “Foregone Conclusion” or the bossa nova-esque guitar parts of “The Hourglass”. These integrate perfectly into their sound, feeling perfectly natural. It’d be great to see more of this on future releases, but what they have now works quite well.
Now In Colour have incredible potential as a band, and whoever you are, whatever music you like, I highly recommend you get into this band now rather than later, as there will most certainly be a later.
Recommended tracks: Love, Don’t Fail Me Now!, Drift, Yeti
Recommended for fans of: Haken, Artificial Silence, The Tea Club
Final verdict: 8/10
Trojka – Tre ut (Norway)
Style: Prog Pop (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | RYM page
Review by: Stephen
Tre Ut is an awesome album from a trio out of one of the biggest prog hot-beds in the world right now; Bergen, Norway. I couldn’t tell you how I first found Trojka, but sometime in 2019 I stumbled across their newest album Tre Ut and fell in love with it. Right off the bat I will tell you that Trojka is not metal. Hell they rarely use a guitar, but since joining the review team. I have been bugging Sam to let me review Tre Ut, and my nagging paid off [Sam’s note: reee]! If funky basslines, lush synths, and complex grooves interest you… Oh boy you are in for a treat.
As I mentioned before, the Trojka is not a metal band. Their songs are also not in English. If you’re still on board, you’re in for a treat. The first thing that stands out to me about Tre Ut is the way it is mixed. I really haven’t found another recent album that sounds like it. It’s almost a throwback 70s feel to it, but also feels modern at the same time. Bear with me, but this album gives almost a jazzy-space-lounge-vibe. Seriously, Trojka could be playing in a lounge in Star Wars and I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Tre Ut starts off with a nice short instrumental, titled “President”. The next track is one of my favorites off the album, “Penger”. This is where the grooves truly begin and don’t let up. Skipping ahead a bit, another one of my favorite tracks is “Fly”. If complex time signatures that groove is your thing, then check “Fly” out. The song repeats four bar measures of syncopated 6/8, 6/8, 6/8, 4/8 and it grooves so well. Some of my other favorite tracks off Tre Ut are “Nattevakt” and “Forbi mørket”. Honestly, all of the songs are really good to great.
The one issue I could see some listeners having with the album is that there is a noticeable accent on the vocals. It didn’t bother me one bit, but again I could see it being a problem for some. If you are looking for something mellow but groovy, look no further than Trojka’s Tre Ut.
Recommended tracks: Penger, Fly, Nattevakt, Forbi mørket
Recommended for fans of: The Comet is Coming
Final verdict: 9/10
Lance King – ReProgram (US-MN)
Style: Heavy/Power (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Sam
That’s it. I could just end this review right here, give this an 8/10 and be done with it. Just open the first song and listen to the first 10 seconds. This is the first (and only) thing that you’ll hear. And, I swear to God, it’ll stay with you until the end of time. It’s simply that catchy.
…wait are you telling me there’s more to this record than just REEEPR- (ok we get it)? I’VE BEEN SMECKLEDORFED!!
This album features a face (or name) that should be familiar to readers of this blog. Our very own Matt Hodsdon did guitars on a couple of tracks. And there’s something I never told him about this band. Back in March I stumbled upon ReProgram and was initially planning to review it, but I ended up trading it for Pyramid as the first listen left me REEEPR- …a bit unimpressed, and the latter seemed like a really interesting take on the genre. But I was DECEIVED! Pyramid turned out to be bog-standard, and this is… actually good!
Essentially this is chorus-driven music with some extra prog spice. Call it ‘prog lite’ if you will. A year ago or so I couldn’t really be arsed for stuff like this, but ever since I got into (Alder) Fates Warning I’ve grown to appreciate this kind of prog. Just that you’re not reinventing the wheel or that your songs are accessible doesn’t mean they aren’t great. And I have to say, Lance King does it well. The first song REEEPR- is an immediate banger, and not just for shouting the album title multiple times. It’s got some very tasty grooves and a super nifty chorus. The next track “Pointing Fingers” is not as good, but still has an epic sing-along chorus. I’m not gonna go over every track, as the quality is mostly pretty consistent. A few cuts are certified bangers though. “Technology” has a super catchy -if a bit cheesy- chorus you’ll be humming weeks from now and a beautiful melodic guitar solo (though what’s up with the random blast beats at the end). Lance’s vocal style reminds me a bit of Pagan’s Mind and Threshold. Let’s just say he has that alien vibe going with pop-y melodic sensibilities. It’s a great performance for sure.
The guitar work isn’t too spectacular for the most part, but it serves its purpose well. And this is probably bias, but ma boi Matt has a great performance on the songs he features. His solo in “Chaotica” is wild and his riff work in “Spell of Domestication” is also really cool, which also features a cool keyboard solo. Speaking of keyboards, it’s a shame they’re buried so much in the mix. When they’re actually audible they’re usually a great addition, but they tend to get lost a bit in all the guitar- and vocal fury. The real money of the album however, is on the closer “A Mind at War”. Clocking in at nearly 10 minutes it goes through many twists, interesting vocal arrangements and different types of solos. I have to say the song is a resounding success. The only complaint I have is that the soloing near the end is a little too restrained for my taste, but that’s minor.
I suppose this is not something you haven’t heard before musically, but ReProgram is a very good album nonetheless. It brings some well-constructed songs, good riffs and some VERY catchy vocal melodies (if a bit cheesy lyrics). Now all I ask of you is that you sing with me: REEEEEEPROGRAAAAMMMM!!!!
Recommended tracks: ReProgram, Technology, Spell of Domestication, A Mind at War
Recommended for fans of: Pagan’s Mind, Queensryche, Savatage, Alter Bridge
Final verdict: 7/10
The Mercury Tree – Spidermilk (US-OR)
Style: Heavy Prog (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | RYM page
Review by: Stephen
I feel like I should make two disclaimers before I dive into this review. First of all, The Mercury Tree is one of my favorite bands of all-time. So full disclosure I love this band. Secondly, Spidermilk is a completely 17 EDO microtonal album. So if you are not a fan of dissonance, this album will either be an acquired taste for you, or not your cup of tea. Now that I got the disclaimers out of the way, let’s dive in!
As I mentioned before, Spidermilk is a 17-EDO microtonal album and with that, the album oozes with creepiness and unsettling sounds. I first heard Spidermilk about nine months ago shortly after the album was released, and as soon as “I Am a Husk” began, I knew this album was going to be a completely new sonic experience. For lack of a better expression, the dissonant riffs gave me the willies… in the best way possible. As the album progressed, my ears adjusted to the dissonance and I found myself listening more and more intently to each song.
I could give a song by song breakdown of this album, but for sake of length, I’ll stick to my personal highlights. Every song that followed “I Am a Husk” I enjoyed more and more as I adjusted to the album. Then enters the song, “I’ll Pay”. To this day, “I’ll Pay” is one of my favorite songs off the album. Even with the songs that preceded, for me, this song was on another level. The moment from 3:42 to about 4:38 is probably my favorite minute on the album. My other favorite song on the album is the closing track, “Tides of the Spine”. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect closing song to this album, and taking that one step further, couldn’t imagine a more perfect outro to the song. Every single time I listen to the end “Tides of the Spine” it sends shivers up my spine. Every. Damn. Time.
Taking a step back, on a high level Spidermilk feels as if you are listening to a lucid dream. After multiple listens, I still have not been able to make sense of the lyrics. While I’m sure there is some code I have not broken, I think the confusing (for lack of a better term) lyrical content just adds to the enjoyment of the album. Again, this album might not be for everyone, but it’s an album and band I cannot recommend enough. If you are desperate to hear something completely different, I would bump Spidermilk up to a must listen. In closing, this band is one that has been near and dear to my heart for a long time now. Even if Spidermilk doesn’t work for you, I encourage you to dig deeper into The Mercury Tree.
Recommended tracks: All
Recommended for fans of: Steven Wilson, Kayo Dot, Cheer-Accident, microtonal music
Final verdict: 9.5/10
Sublevels – La Muerte del Sol (Argentina)
Style: Blackened Post Death/Doom (harsh vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Dylan
I feel like I don’t get to review the heavier side of prog on this blog very often. I like my fair share of heavy, face melting riffs, but it seems like I never take anything related to death (because I don’t wanna listen to tech death) or black (because I like blackened music, but not black metal all that much) in this blog. But after a quick sampling of Sublevels, a band from my native country, I knew I had to go ahead and review this.
La Muerte del Sol doesn’t have a sound that you can nail down to one specific genre. It’s as if the evilness of black metal mixed itself together with the riffiness of an osdm album and the face melting factor of doom metal and added little segments of fast blast beat chaos to contrast the slow pace of most songs. This turns out to be a very evil, gritty, almost uncomfortable album.
The vocals are purely harsh, with plenty of variants to it. They sound satanic as hell; whether he’s making low pitched growls, or high pitched nearly desperate shrieks, it’s a resource used superbly. The guitar work is something to write home about as well, with chunky, nasty riffs accompanied by a ridiculously heavy guitar tone. It’s also used to create more atmospheric, lighter sections that serve as intervals between all of the heaviness put into this album.
If it wasn’t obvious, this album is not progressive in it’s metric changes and wank, but rather in the unusualness to it, the variance thrown into it, the atmosphere, and the freshness of it all. La muerte del Sol may be a bit too much for those who aren’t into the harsher side of metal, but those interested in it have a treat to look forward to listening to.
Recommended tracks: La Disolucion de las Formas, El Miserable Peso de la Existencia
Recommended for fans of: ????
Final verdict: 8.5/10
Redshift – Cataclysm (UK)
Style: Traditional meets Metalcore (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Dylan
Holy motherfucking shit. That’s what I thought upon my first listen of this monster. Talk about an album that is ridiculously bold and because of it makes a masterpiece!
Redshift is, simply put, the best of traditional progressive metal such as Dream Theater and Pain of Salvation mashing itself up to the best prog metalcore bands from the modern era like Between the Buried and Me. Oh, and like those bands, they also do it all on a conceptual album. Double u, o, double u. WOW.
It just has absolutely everything that makes this genre so great. Clean vocals in the vein of Karnivool‘s lower register stuff, harsh vocals that sound like a beefier Thomas Giles, melodic bits resembling the epicness of the grandest prog metal concept albums, riffs that melt your face off, a dystopian vibe, plenty of synths, reprises, amazing production and playing, interconnected songs, and TWO 15+ minute tracks that NEVER GET BORING!!!!!
It’s just ridiculous. It takes the idea that you can’t put too many good things into one thing or it will become bad, and SHITS on it. It should be illegal to grab my top albums of 2019 and STEAMROLL through it.
The only thing I could see someone struggling with on this album are the clean vocals which are a grower or you could easily dislike, but my god after a few listened even that clicked.
I’m still holding out the short review criteria here, but I’ll try my best to do something seriously in depth about this album for my AOTY list.
Cataclysm is a revolution. Don’t sleep out on it.
Recommended tracks: May Fate Rest Upon You, The Last Stand
Recommended for fans of: Between the Buried and me, Dream Theater, Karnivool, Pain of Salvation, The World Is Quiet Here
Final verdict: 10/10
Seven Steps to the Green Door – The? Lie (Germany)
Style: Heavy Prog (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | RYM page
Review by: Tyler
Walking into this was like walking into a movie that’s half over, and they are DEEP into what they are doing. Largely, becauses The? Lie is the second in a supposed trilogy from Seven Steps to the Green Door about the not so cool things about religion (I think…from what I gathered at least). The album opens with spoken word monologue that’s already heavy into the concept, a little jarring for someone not familiar with the story being told, but that’s on me. It’s not a new idea by any stretch, and while it’s certainly displayed in a new context musically, often it comes off as too on the nose or not subtle in any way.
Structurally, the album takes a while to get to the point. After the aforementioned spoken word intro, there is essentially another intro that’s an actual song this time. But it doesn’t go anywhere exactly, it sounds largely the same as the intro song. And I know that the point of the album is for every song to flow into each other (this IS prog after all), but the 6 minutes of build up proved to be a chore. After all of the hullabaloo, the pace was a lot better to deal with. There are a lot of great vocal melodies that kept me on my toes thanks to the group’s three singers, and the inclusion of saxophone and keys adding other textures and flavors was a great touch to keep things fresh. And that’s what I think the best thing about Seven Steps is, they are really great songwriters. There is a lot going on behind the scenes on a lot of these songs. A good example of this is in “A? II”, the midi strings, the piano melody, the vocal harmonies all really flowed well together and sounded great. My only gripe with what is going on is that the sound is so tired and boring.
The entire time I was listening to this album, I was thinking about how safe and squeaky clean this thing is, and by the end, all of those things I was really liking, became sort of a nuisance after I determined that’s all the band has. I lost count of how many times I thought “yeah I get it” with what the band was doing. Every spoken word section that’s meant to give exposition over a proggy jazz rhythm, every spacey sax solo or guitar solo, every song has a noodly riff that you would find in ANY Dream Theater song. There just wasn’t any risk on this thing at all, and that would be fine, bands get comfortable in their sound. But the over abundance of their formula of spoken word->prog riff->solo->spoken word but now with a groove, was recycled so many times made this record safe and uninteresting.
This thing started out with great potential. Even though the first few minutes were drawn out, I was actually engaged in trying to figure out what the plot was, I love a band that can get high concept. But The? Lie is presented in such a way where it left me feeling like I was listening to a broken record. Everything sounded pretty good, but I kept hearing the same things over and over again. I think I heard an actual growl once though, so there’s that.
Recommended tracks: Heaven, A? II
Recommended for fans of: Dream Theater
Final verdict: 6/10
Firelink – The Inveterate Fire (US-GA)
Style: Atmo Black (harsh vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Jonah
One of the absolute best feelings when reviewing music is to stumble upon something legitimately special and unique. There’s this burst of joy upon listening to a truly tremendous album, the goosebumps as each new and exciting section reaches a crescendo. There’s no feeling like it. I went into Firelink expecting a mediocre bedroom project, as the band is just two guys recording at home, and the lyrical theme is…Dark Souls? Yep, this is Dark Souls black metal, and you know what? It’s absolutely divine. The themes from the videogame series translate so perfectly into this genre that it feels like it was made for it. There’s this swath of gloom and despair that descends in the first track and just never leaves and I honestly want to drown in it, this album is so divine.
I have nothing but praise for the performances on this album. The guitar-work is transcendent, layering oceans of atmosphere and suddenly pummeling you with riffs when you least expect it. The drumming is incredibly tight and effective, the bass is wonderfully audible and thick, and the vocals range between a vicious high snarl and some of the nastiest low roars I’ve heard on a black metal album. Every single song on this album feels impeccably written, with songwriting twists and turns that keep things fresh and unexpected (such as an audio sample from Dark Souls 3 in “Kindled” that is used as an absolutely sublime segue into the heaviest part of the song).
I have no complaints about this album. It’s tremendous, exciting, and incredibly satisfying to listen to. I don’t particularly enjoy black metal a decent majority of the time, but when I find a beauty of an album like this it doesn’t matter what the genre is, because it’s just absolutely fantastic. I cannot encourage you enough to give this album a listen, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Recommended tracks: Kindled, Manus, The First Sin
Recommended for fans of: Alcest, The Black Dahlia Murder, Wormwitch
Final verdict: 9/10
The Odious – Vesica Piscis (US-OR)
Style: Death/Jazz/Core (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | RYM page
Review by: Andrew
I’ve been vaguely following The Odious since I first heard their debut album Joint Ventures a couple of years ago. I like it but it never really stood out to me. When I heard they were releasing a new album last year, I was cautiously optimistic.Reminding me a little bit of Between the Buried and Me mixed with more experimental math metal like The Dillinger Escape Plan, they had a promising formula that, on paper, fit right into my music taste.
The Odious is a four-piece band from Portland, OR that primarily plays progressive death metal, but other tags include experimental metal, grindcore, progressive rock, funk metal, jazz, prog rock, and technical death metal. I am mentioning this because it is incredibly hard to pinpoint exactly what they are. There is a wide array of influence and technical ability on display throughout Vesica Piscis. From tech death to groove to the sporadic djent rhythm, no two songs are alike. Featuring a mix of clean and harsh vocals, Vesica Piscis has a massive dynamic range, shifting effortlessly between crushing riffs and soothing, clean guitar passages. Just when you’ve settled into a softer passage, The Odious slaps you with a nasty breakdown. Speaking of dynamic range, Vesica Piscis has fantastic production. Each instrument stands out on its own and nothing overpowers or hides behind another. Track 4, Glowjaw, even features a Moog solo.
On my first listen of Vesica Piscis, I was truly left in suspense on what would come next.However, I began to pick up on certain cues that indicated whether the next section would be massively heavy or pristinely clean and light. These cues stand to show off The Odious’ songwriting prowess; I could pick out transitional sections between passages. I could tell when I was about to be assaulted with a breakdown heavy enough to crush a watermelon. Mood changes seemingly come out of nowhere – but still, the transitions are there.
The Odious is a band that is not afraid to jump into uncharted territory at the flick of a switch, and it shows in Vesica Piscis. However, despite the transitions being there, I do wish they’d stay on one idea for just a bit longer to more flesh out a theme before jumping to another riff or section or influence. The incohesion is the primary aspect holding Vesica Piscis back for me – but just a little bit. As a whole, Vesica Piscis is an incredible album and a must-listen for any fan of progressive or experimental death metal.
Recommended tracks: Glowjaw, Hastor the Shepard Gaunt, 物の哀れ
Recommended for fans of: Between the Buried and Me, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Cryptodira
Final verdict: 9/10
Spirit Healer – Hollowform (US-GA)
Style: Djent (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
Review by: Chris
As a quick disclosure, I live in the same city as these guys, have played shows with them and like them as people/buds. That said, as a musician I want and expect people I know and are friends with to review/talk about music I make honestly, and I give the same way I take.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into Hollowform. Spirit Healer are a 5 piece progressive metal outfit hailing from Atlanta, GA that released Hollowform as their debut release/LP. In a pretty ballsy and ambitious move, they decided to make that first release a very fleshed out concept album, which I recommend looking through on their website which is linked above.
Musically, Hollowform opens with a real nice synth soundscape to set the stage before dropping you into Meshuggah-esque syncopated chugs. Based on the guitar timbre and drumming one expects a Jens Kidman esque vocal to come in but instead you are greeted with a mid timbre voice which floats above the djenty guitars, giving flavors of a TesseracT esque dichotomy in tones. Throughout this album you will find much of this, with the guitars and drums playing with syncopation feels and rhythms while synths and other guitars paint backing melodies to compliment the soaring vocals.
Hollowform does many things well. For one, it sounds stellar. The production is great though maybe a bit sterile or clean for some people’s taste, but it’s a decision that makes sense for this record based on the genre space it sits in. The sense of atmosphere and continuity in this album are a definite high spot, which very much contribute to the “world building” aspect I feel often gets neglected in these concept album attempts by newer bands. As a drummer, the drums on this album are fun to follow for the interesting “play in the space” the feels have on a few of the songs. There are some great riffs in this record, to the point I found myself wishing there was a little more riff and a bit less djent at times. The vocals sound great and have some real high moments and really great harmony choices that help pad out the records soundstage.
A few critiques I have are that I feel some of the real heavy and rhythmic parts especially the extreme djenty moments feel a bit forced or tacked on, but it could be my personal tastes coming through. I tend to like subtle rhythms tricks instead of obvious strange pattern type pieces, so for me the moments where the album sits on a groove with a strange tick feel much more exciting than the moments it feels like the atmosphere drops and the strange chug rhythms come through. I feel Hollowform also suffers slightly from the slightly samey feel the record has tempo-range and feel wise. It seems definitely done to elicit the atmosphere (which I admire!) but I think for some listeners it could be a bit tough to wade through on a first listen; I know even for me sometimes I get that feeling (this is similar to Language by The Contortionist, another album with great atmosphere and feel but can drag for some listeners feel and tempo wise). I would even say that while there are some moments where they throw a few curveballs, I’m not sure anything here surprised me after the first couple songs, instead having varying highs and lows of what was already coming. To me this kinda gave a feeling of playing it safe a bit where I would love to see more experimentation. Lastly, while there are some super great vocal melodies on these tracks, there are some spots where I didn’t really find myself entirely engaged with the vocals and kinda preferred what was going on beneath them.
Overall, I really, really love this album. It is with that idea in mind that I think this is where my score kinda stakes my place as a tough grader around these parts. Hollowform really is a treat but I think some listeners will have trouble clicking with it; those that it does click with will be so glad it did. If I had to give a personal one sentence review of Spirit Healer as a band, I would say they are what I wish TesseracT was. I think these guys have really put together something great here but I know there is room to grow and really finish fleshing out their sound and niche to further differentiate themselves from the djent noise in the genre right now.
Recommended tracks: Incredible Views, A Memory of the Ritual, Zero at the Bone
Recommended for fans of: TesseracT, The Contortionist
Final verdict: 8.5/10
Evan Carson – Ocipinsky (UK)
Style: Post Rock/Folk (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | RYM page
Review by: Sam
So Stephen and Jonah have been screaming at me for months to listen to this album. At first it was just a “Sam try this”, but when I wrote that one rant on the lack of prog-folk metal to r/progmetal they went with the same message, but then in capital letters. So when I saw I had this bookmarked for missed albums of course I had to be the one to review it.
…and, as it turns out, Stephen and Jonah were screaming at me for a reason, because this album is good y’all, though not for the reasons you expect. Folk this definitely is, but metal, it most certainly is not (I know, I should be more strict on this, but ugh this is so good and it features Jim Grey like cmon). In actuality it’s a solo project led by a drummer… That’s not something you see often. It definitely shines through in how rhythmically driven the songs are. Even the melodies tend to be very rhythmical in nature. It’s quite a minimalist approach in this album. Most of the drumming I believe is done on a cajón and there’s barely any guitar work on the album. The cajón and the piano are at the core of most things happening. The rest of the soundscape is filled out by a bunch of other instruments for a very folk-y ambience. With very post-rock songwriting the songs center around crescendos instead of a verse-chorus structure which gives a very flowing character to the music.
This album is like a small mountain stream dancing on the rocks. It’s gentle and beautiful, yet it can carve out the deepest valleys with its power (provided it doesn’t dry up). The production is absolutely fantastic too, giving a mix with rich, warm tones and great sense of spacing for each element. The singers do a fantastic job too. Like I mentioned Jim Grey has a guest performance on the song “Otriad” and he absolutely nails it as always. The more post rock-character of the music brings to mind his work in Arcane (RIP) a bit. But there are multiple singers (male and female) on Ocipinski and Evan surely brought the most out of them.
I have to congratulate Evan for this absolutely fantastic album. It’s a huge achievement and despite it containing no metal elements whatsoever, I think any prog fan, or any music fan for that matter, would do themselves a favor in listening to Ocipinski. And yes, that includes your parents and your crazy hermit uncle.
Recommended tracks: Shards, Otriad, The Fireflies of Falaise
Recommended for fans of: Iamthemorning, Lunatic Soul, good music
Final verdict: 9/10
Altherya – New Dawn (France)
Style: Heavy/Power (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Jonah
I decided to branch outside of my comfort zone a tiny bit on this edition, so I’m reviewing some stuff that’s not 100% my usual listening taste. With one particular album that proved to be an excellent choice, but to be entirely honest I didn’t get a great assortment to choose from this time around. Thus we come to Altherya, a perfectly acceptable band playing perfectly acceptable music.
The vocals here sound like they could have been ripped right off a Nightwish album, albeit with a touch less opera influence. The guitar-work is competent and has moments of brilliance surrounded by an ocean of generic riffs and leads. The drumming has no personality to speak of, and I honestly can’t remember a single moment of it. The bass thankfully sits pretty high in the mix and is by far the most engaging part of the whole album. Nothing here is bad by any stretch of the imagination but by god it is bland. Any of those moments that bands use to really snag the listener’s attention are completely absent here, with the exception of the closing track, “In Flanders Fields”, which is an absolutely gorgeous ballad and a fantastic way to end an album. That song alone is the reason this album is getting a 6 instead of a lower score, because I have listened to this particular track at least triple the amount of times I’ve listened to the entire album.
So would I recommend this album? No. Is it a bad album? Also no. Should you listen to it? I have absolutely no opinion whatsoever.
Recommended tracks: The Edge of Life, Disillusion, In Flanders Fields
Recommended for fans of: Nightwish, Unleash The Archers, Dialith
Final verdict: 6/10
Color Chemistry – A Light Above (US-TE)
Style: Synth Metal (mixed vocals)
Related links: Spotify | Facebook | Instagram
Review by: Chris
Color Chemistry had the potential to be many things. They could’ve leaned harder into their synthy elements and became a new wave group, they could’ve gone more into prog rock territory and made longer songs with more solos, or they could’ve dived deeper into their nu metal influences. They looked at these options, and decided to go for all three at once.
This band has some great ideas, but they tend to fall flat in terms of execution. Listen to “Vile” for a perfect example. It starts with a drum groove that sounds straight out of a Car Seat Headrest song, then comes in with a funk rock riff before sliding into an incongruous synthy verse section that swaps back and forth into a chunky, odd-rhythm math rock riff, and so on. They’re trying to make too much happen at the same time, and it results in poorly-written songs that fail to capitalize on the potential of their ideas, ditching them before they can be fully explored.
Color Chemistry’s core sound is quite unique, a strange mix of new wave and nu metal (nu wave? new metal?). The singer alternates between clean singing and Chester Bennington-esque shouting depending on the genre the band is currently taking on. He’s able to handle the style meshes and shifts well, but the rest of the band generally cannot. Many of the lighter songs feel as if the heavy guitar is just there for the sake of being there. Turning off that distortion pedal more often would be a massive help to this band.
Overall, Color Chemistry has potential, but they’ve got a long way to go in terms of refining their sound. A Light Above is interesting on paper, but poor songwriting mars it too much for it to be deemed a quality release.
Recommended tracks: Extra Life, Exosphere, Alien
Recommended for fans of: Linkin Park, Devin Townsend, Closure in Moscow
Final verdict: 4/10
Foray Between Ocean – As Serenity Drowned (Greece)
Style: Death/Deathcore (harsh/mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Chris
The most basic thing I would say about this album is it is probably exactly what you expect when told you are going to listen to a pretty good deathcore/progressive death album with a lot of orchestral work. To be honest, I get a bit worried and apprehensive when an album opens with movie trailer style female choir vocals and orchestra pit/violin stabs. As Serenity Drowned opens with something that feels like it ought to be behind some sort of summer fantasy thriller blockbuster, before a minute later the blasts and riffs start hitting. This whole album is chock full of these kinds of orchestra melody stabs and lines behind the heavy guitars and guttural vocals.
The vocal work on this album is definitely fun to listen to, with a lot of mid timbre screams throughout, some great tonal gutturals, and some well delivered ree ree ree pig squeals. In addition, while it’s nothing Slice the Cake level, there are a few spoken word diversions which devolve back into the harsh vocal vibe throughout this album. Instrumentally, the guitar work is great: there are some super great solos throughout this record that I found myself replaying immediately on my first listen. That said, there are a good few times that their tremolo melody lines fall into recognizable ruts and seem to repeat the same note progressions throughout different songs. In the same vein, the way the orchestral elements are used can get a bit grating over the length of the album as they are pretty much ever present and mostly doing melody stabs and padding, or fall into what I can only describe as “movie-score accent” tropes. The times where the orchestrals are really let loose to do riffing melody work (such as the end of Glance of the Eyeless) are where I found myself really enjoying them. The drumming is about what you should expect in any decent to great Deathcore record, though I’m not sure anything super memorable happened for me on the drum end.
One gripe I have with this album is that more than half the songs start and end the same exact way, typically ending with a high orchestral stab on a double stop from the drums and palm mute choke on the guitars, while most songs start with either a percussion hit straight into orchestral+blasting or a moody low arpeggio into a percussion hit straight into orchestral+blasting. That said, the content in the middle tends to deviate a good bit more.
Overall I’d call this a pretty solid album but not anything amazing. If you really like the symphonic elements of Winds of Plague or Slice the Cake, or you like well delivered multi-tonal harsh vocals, this should definitely be up your alley.
Recommended tracks: Glance of the Eyeless, Under a Thousand Scars
Recommended for fans of: Black Crown Initiate, Winds of Plague, Slice the Cake
Final verdict: 7/10
The Tea Club – If/When (US-PN)
Style: Heavy Prog (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | RYM page
Review by: Andrew
I know we normally stick to progressive metal on this blog but Philadelphia, PA-based prog rock group The Tea Club is really really good so we made a bit of an exception for this one. I also want to state that I’ve seen The Tea Club live and even own a piece of their merchandise so I may be a bit biased in this review. Despite that, everything I am about to say about If / When is absolutely true and not shaded by rose-colored glasses in the slightest. Let’s get into it.
Call me the pulse and I will fill your veins
Turn with me, stay with me, rich in my blood
Against any reason other than I may fill you again
The Tea Club has always stood out to me among other bands of the style. An eclectic blend of prog rock, art rock, folk, and even a bit of punk, their music is unique and interesting on a level above many of their cohorts. Their newest effort, If / When, is no exception. The first half of the album is composed of short-form compositions that mostly stand apart from one another. Varying greatly in energy and intensity, they switch between banging rock song and soft, folky ballad. Sharing vocal duties, brothers Daniel and Patrick McGowan both contribute about equally, and both have voices perfectly suited for the style of music. However, Daniel and Patrick do not merely sing. They both contribute various kinds of guitars – electric, acoustic, 12-string, and even a mandolin. There is also a strong keyboard presence throughout the album, appearing very tastefully and always exactly when needed.
One of the highlights of If / When is undoubtedly the songwriting. The Tea Club has a knack for writing progressive, experimental music that doesn’t sound like a prog album. On the surface, the first six tracks are straightforward folky art rock songs. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ll admit I know next to nothing about music theory but to my untrained ear, these songs incorporate odd times, unconventional chords and key changes, and [insert other music theory jargon]. However, none of these things make the songs sound weird. They sound unique but not off-putting in the slightest.
Thus far I’ve only been talking about the first six songs. A quick glance at the tracklist will explain why – the final song, Creature, is a 28-minute behemoth of a closer. Ranging in style, feel, and mood dramatically across its nearly-half-hour runtime, Creature is a truly monumental piece. From its folky, soft intro, to the synthy and dark transition sections, to the high-energy verses, each section contributes to the whole all the while being individually fantastic pieces. And how could I forget the fantastic instrumental passage about 11 minutes in? Dissonant, angular, and heavy, it serves as a fantastic centerpoint to the track. Creaturecontinues on its epic journey, going through more mood shifts and incredibly dynamic sections, including a reprise of track one, The Way You Call, finally closing with a dramatic reprise of track three, If I Mean When, satisfyingly closing out the album with the title words.
When I saw The Tea Club live with Bent Knee and Thank You Scientist, their set solely consisted of Creature; it was all I could have asked for. Seeing this song played live further cemented it as one of my absolute favorite tracks of 2019. Creature is absolutely a work of art and closes If / When with such power.
If / When could have consisted of only closing track Creature and I would still rate it really highly; The Tea Clubgraced us with six other tracks as well to round out the album. Each track stands on its own as well as works together with the whole album – they change moods similarly to how Creature changes moods, and serve to make the pacing of the album feel wonderful – there is never a dull moment and the album does not drag at any moment. I cannot wait to see where The Tea Club goes next – they have nowhere to go but up.
Recommended tracks: Say Yes, Riverman, Creature
Recommended for fans of: Bent Knee, Big Big Train, Not Otherwise Specified
Final verdict: 10/10
Brian Maillard – Stabilized (Italy)
Style: Melodic Shred (instrumental)
Related links: Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Sam
If you are British, I’m sure you’ve seen this sign, and are familiar with its meaning. After all, it’s one of the peaks of British culture. To those who aren’t aware, its meaning is quite eloquent: “you’re a wanker”. And with this noble concept in mind, I present to you, ladies and djentlemen, the Italian maestro guitar wanker Brian Maillard. And oh boy is it a great one.
Shred has gotten somewhat of a bad reputation over the years. And honestly I can’t say that’s unreasonable. A lot of it is highly monotonous. Guitar solos are nice, but if that’s all you do for 50 minutes it tends to become stale pretty fast. Stabilized is pretty much exactly this, but the wanking is so varied and so tasteful that it’s only at the last two songs that you’re starting to feel the fatigue. He has a very melodic playing style that’s just super pleasant to listen to. The album has this chill rock vibe going that makes you feel like you’re at a beach party or something. Every riff, every solo, every lead, every groove, it’s all just so easy to vibe to. There’s also someone doing some synths which are also very happy and uplifting. They fit the music well. It’s also well produced, so there’s that. I have nothing more to say about the album here, so I’ll just cut the review short. Stabilized is a really really pleasant album to listen to and I heartily recommend you put it on if you want something that’s easy to vibe to.
Recommended tracks: A Positive Mind, Stabilized
Recommended for fans of: Intervals, Scale the Summit, Arch Echo, John Petrucci
Final verdict: 7.5/10
Parallel Dimension – Angular Perceptions (Puerto Rico)
Style: Traditional (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Andrew
Anyone that knows me in the slightest on the Prog Discord knows how much I love progressive power metal. It is one of the subgenres that got me hooked on prog in the first place, and it will always hold a very special place in my heart.
That being said, in my experience, prog power release can be very hit or miss – more so than other prog subgenres for some reason. Bands can very easily get sucked into common tropes that not only detract from the enjoyability of the music, but make it sound generic and bland. My favorite prog power bands – Maestrick, Seventh Wonder, Symphony X, etc. – each have their own unique traits and sounds that make them stand out among the rest. They take the prog in prog power to heart, incorporating a much wider array of outside influences than your typical power metal band, or having a refreshing and unique take on songwriting that makes each track memorable.
Puerto Rico’s Parallel Dimension, although being together since 2010, released their debut LP Angular Perceptions in 2019. With eight tracks and coming in at just over an hour, there are a number of songs that break the 7-, 8-, and even 12 minute mark. However, long songs do not a prog album make. It takes more than that to win me over.
Angular Perceptions definitely wastes no time getting started. Beginning with a 3-and-a-half minute symphonic overture, Parallel Dimension shows they’re not messing around with the orchestration. Despite the music sounding very full and lush, something with the production doesn’t sit quite right with me, and I can’t put my finger on it. This is just me, and it might sound fantastic to another listener so I won’t dock them for this. Hall of Mirrors, the first true song on the album, jumps straight into a ripping keyboard solo over a groovy drumbeat. Singer Edgar Lopez has a good enough voice but it’s not something that stands out on the album. The instrumentation is absolutely the highlight here. Believe it or not, the bass is not only audible, but stands on its own to contribute to the overall sound rather than just playing in unison with guitar. The riffs are interesting and memorable enough, and there are varying dynamics throughout the album rather than it being full energy 100% of the time. These dynamics further contribute to the memorability of each individual track as well as enhancing the cohesion of the album as a whole.
After the first track, each following song maintained the same level of heterogeneity and memorability. After listening to countless prog power releases that blend together, Angular Perceptions is super refreshing. It’s symphonic, it’s unique, it’s memorable. To me, this is a true prog power release.
If you thought I would write this much without mentioning any downsides to this album, you’d be wrong. As previously stated, the vocals are definitely lacking in comparison to the quality of the instrumentation at play. The issue with the production I also previously stated affects my enjoyment enough for me to consider it a legitimate downside as well. However, the few problems I do have with Angular Perceptions definitely do not reduce my willingness to absolutely recommend this album to any fan of power prog.
Recommended tracks: Delicate Violence, Hall of Mirrors, Hollow Hourglass (A Beautiful Lie)
Recommended for fans of: Symphony X, Circus Maximus, Pagan’s Mind
Final verdict: 8.5/10
Anamorph – Lucid (US-NC)
Style: Math Metal (instrumental)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
Review by: Dylan
Instrumental music is, for me, either a masterpiece, okay background music, or absolute utter nonsense I can’t listen for 5 minutes without turning it off.
Anamorph doesn’t go any higher than okay background music. It’s a very “simply complex” math album for lack of a better phrase. Your polyrhythms are here, your catchy moments are here, your wank is here, what’s not here is something that separates Anamorph from any other math band.
It’s just that type of record you could spin 59 times and still not remember much about it, for good or bad. If you study to instrumental music, add it to your playlist and move on.
Recommended tracks: All or nothing
Recommended for fans of: uhmm
Final verdict: 5/10
Divided Multitude – Faceless Aggressor (Norway)
Style: Power/Metalcore(?) (clean vocals)
Related links: Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Matt
If there’s one theme in power-prog lately, it’s “nerds pretending to be meatheads.” Sometimes the results aren’t bad, but… What are we gonna do with all these displaced keyboardists? Divided Multitude is one of many long-running bands to go down the path of chug, though to be fair, the transition was much more natural than many other sudden reinventions. After 20 years, they’ve finally done away with the keyboards entirely, as well as switched vocalists to veteran singer Jan Thore Grefstad (Highland Glory.) Naturally, something was lost in the transition, but do a great singer and some newfound energy make up for it? My answer at this time is: “Eehhhh…”
Really, that answer depends on which song we’re talking about, because some of this is pretty good. Though it may not ever sound like it, I don’t mind chuggy guitars – the title track is about the right ratio for me, successfully integrating some well-placed caveman riffs with an Iron Savior-esque power metal chorus in a way that doesn’t sell either short. However, the self-titled song “Divided Multitude” takes the chugging about a million miles too far, and is just awkward and embarrassing. The album’s riffing could charitably be compared to Nevermore with less intricacy, but in its lower moments, it’s more like “modern In Flames with an acceptable singer.” Unfortunately, this is probably the most dominant sound overall, even though the power metal parts crop up with surprising tenacity. The album starts strong, and especially ends strong with the epic ballad/dirge “Psalm of a Soldier,” but there’s a lot of interchangeable poppy stuff in between. Certainly not the worst modernized power-prog I’ve heard, though.
Oh yeah, it must be said before I go… Damn, that art is goofy.
Recommended tracks: Faceless Aggressor, Prosperity Divine, Psalm of a Soldier
Recommended for fans of: Nevermore, Symphorce, In Flames (new)
Final verdict: 7/10
Nick Lent – The Fog (US-CA)
Style: Djent/Post-rock (instrumental)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Matt
Ah, Bandcamp metal albums where one guy is credited with “everything.” I don’t generally expect much from these, but Nick Lent here knows his stuff. I believe this is his first public outing as a musician, and it’s one of those weird cases where someone just pops up and is competent at everything.
The style on offer is that trendy “djent-with-the-corners-sanded-off” prog I don’t really care for, but I hear some people out there like it. The metal aspects aren’t really complex or technical, just a grooving canvas for the atmosphere and melodies, which are well-written and memorable. Wistful post-rock melancholy figures heavily into the picture, especially on the unfortunately-titled “Shenanigans.” Really, it’s almost a shame that it had to be a metal album after that gorgeous ambient intro, but the riffs neither help nor hinder the songs to any major extent… Well, except for “City Shrouded,” which goes full Born of Osiris for the first half. To that, I say “Nah bro.”
Part of the reason the distorted guitars have little impact is the mix, which is technically pretty good, but lacking some ineffable “punch” to it. Everything is nice and smooth, but it renders the nasty 7-string chugging a little sterile. I’ve also got to say, hearing that programmed DKFH snare is like the Wilhelm Scream for me, it’s just distractingly recognizable. But overall this is a well-produced album for the “bedroom guitar dude” genre.
Whatever The Fog‘s half-imagined shortcomings might be, they’re easily overlooked in favor of the strong melodic sensibility and emotion on display. If you want to hear Explosions in the Sky mixed with a stripped-down version of TesseracT, this is pretty solid. Hopefully we can see Nick Lent in a full-band context sometime.
Recommended tracks: Roughly equal throughout… Just start at the beginning.
Recommended for fans of: Tesseract, Explosions in the Sky
Final verdict: 7.5/10
Centurion – Centurion (Serbia)
Style: Heavy/Power (clean vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Matt
Centurion sure fooled me. At first glance, they seem like any number of Hammerfall-lite opening bands we have in the States, but then the jazz bass starts and things get weird…
It’s not until track 4 that you really realize something is afoot. One jazz part is a fluke… Two in a row means something. Up till now, they’ve otherwise been playing 100% traditional/power metal with a straight face, but these wacky progressive excursions pop up so suddenly, it’s kind of hilarious. We also get some Eastern European folk parts, and they’re not hacking it either… They really commit to this stuff. The detours are all awesome, and strangely well-placed structurally. In fact, they make the rest of the music more memorable by their presence. The whole album has a joyous, playful vibe, even during the heaviest riffs, and it’s all the more fun when things can go off the rails at any moment. However, they’re faithful to the traditional metal blueprint, and that’s fundamentally what this still is. I don’t know if I’ve heard such a weird blend before, where a band is normal 90% of the time but completely insane the other 10. It works perfectly without entering the realm of gimmickry, on account of mature songwriting with well-thought-out transitions.
Like many of the greats, Centurion mix fun parts with the occasional “getting serious” epic turn, and are equally at home in both modes, partly thanks to Miloš Marjanović’s energetic – but not operatic – high vocals. The two longest tracks really stretch out and use both of these aspects to the fullest. The middle third of “Janjičar” is almost Bungle-esque in its manic energy, but the riffs themselves are also just plain kickass. So many things happen in this song, it really has to be heard to be believed. It’s definitely the highlight of the album, and sort of dwarfs the earlier songs in riff quality and ambition.
I feel like Centurion‘s songs in general get more creative as the album goes on, and it’s the rare case where I started out saying “meh” and was fully won over by the end. This album is just a ton of fun, with epic melodies, great loud bass playing, and the perfect amount of tasteful experimentation. If you like classic metal at all, you’ll have a huge smile on your face.
Recommended tracks: Janjičar, Čistilište, Centurion
Recommended for fans of: Gargoyle (JAP), Helloween, Hammerfall
Final verdict: 8/10
Aspherium – The Embers of Eternity (Norway)
Style: Melodeath/Metalcore (harsh vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Tyler
I don’t have a great way of starting this review. There’s nothing clever or witty. Nothing to grab you, the reader, in to entice you to read this. Which I feel is a bit appropriate with an album like The Embers of Eternity; it’s what I felt every time I listened to it. Nothing stood out to me, nothing was really asking me to stick around and see it through to the end. Which is disappointing, since the band is certainly capable of delivering.
Full disclosure right off the bat, like a lot of bands that we cover here, I was unfamiliar with Aspherium. And it’s about what you would expect from a band that identifies as metalcore/thrash. Lots of fastouble bass, tremolo-y guitars, growled guttural vocals, the occasional guitar solo. Nothing no one hasn’t heard. Not to say that any of that is done poorly, it’s certainly pulled off confidently, every one here does a great job for sure. But, when every song has those same things and really never lets off save for a few moments on the album, the brain eventually stops processing things and the sound just goes in one ear and out the other.
I typically don’t like to compare bands to their past work, a piece of art should be able to stand on its own, but I decided to take a listen to the band’s previous album, The Fall of Therenia, and was sort of floored that this was the same band. Everything sounds the same in terms of production and performance, but the songs are more technical, varied in tone and feel, faster. Overall, a much more interesting listen than The Embers of Eternity. On Embers, all of the songs sound essentially the same, it was hard to tell the songs apart unless the song explicitly made it a point to differentiate itself from the rest of the album, namely the cool acoustic jam that happens in “The Shadows of Creation”. This was a really nice break in the middle of the 30 minutes of AAAAHHH that we have on either side of the section. If there were more left turns like that, a lot more of this album would have stood out.
I don’t think this is a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, it is getting some well deserved head nods online. The production is great, the band plays really well, and obviously they are great song writers, they’ve proved it in the past. But The Embers of Eternity just seemed like a step back in the grand scheme of things. Being heavy and fast for an hour straight tends to make things stagnate, because when everything is heavy, nothing is.
Recommended tracks: In the Shadow of Creation
Recommended for fans of: Machine Head, Strapping Young Lad, you know, metalcore
Final verdict: 5/10
Dysrhythmia – Terminal Threshold (US-NY)
Style: SOMETHING (instrumental)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Blogspot | Facebook | RYM page
Review by: Josh
Listening to Terminal Threshold is like listening to the best orator you’ve ever heard give a stirring speech that has all the consistency of an Alex Jones rant. In the moment, everything sounds amazing, but as a whole, it feels directionless.
The members of Dysrhythmia are easily within the top tier of prog metal musicians in terms of technical skill. On top of that, the production of this album is incredibly well-balanced, putting the bass as audible as the guitar, with no instruments ever feeling drowned out. The band demonstrates the ability to move between odd-time passages and blisteringly technical licks with seemingly no effort at all. Everything goes incredibly smoothly, darting from riff to riff to solo section to riff.
As a whole, though, it’s not too cohesive. The songs on this album aren’t the most structured; many of them just kind of go. This results in the album feeling rather unfocused.
Recommended tracks: Nuclear Twilight, Rule of the Mountain
Recommended for fans of: Voivod, Gorguts, Colin Marston
Final verdict: 5/10
Shadow Limb – Burn Scar (US-CA)
Style: Sludge (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Jonah
Oh boy! Here I go sludgin’ again.
Every time I review one of these albums I look Sam dead in the eye and swear I’m done reviewing sludge for this blog. I swear to god, every other genre I get gems but sludge? I get nothing but the unpleasant muck from which the genre derives its name. Thus we find ourselves with Shadow Limb, a band who very clearly have listened to Mastodon and Neurosis quite a lot. So much in fact, that at multiple points during my listens to this album I decided to go and listen to Mastodon and Neurosis instead.
In theory this album should work very well. They’ve got all the right elements in place. The vocals are pretty unexciting but work fine for the genre, the guitars and drumming feel suitably proggy and suitably sludgey, and the bass is decently present and driving. What is the issue you ask? The issue is the songwriting. I’ve heard all of these elements combined, repeatedly, in much more interesting ways from other bands, most specifically the two from whom Shadow Limb clearly draw the majority of their inspiration. Thus as I listen to Burn Scar I’m left simply wishing I was listening to those other bands instead, and I never want to leave an album feeling like my time would’ve been spent better elsewhere.
Oftentimes I’ll argue that being derivative or not specifically original shouldn’t damn a band to a low score, but here I find it hard to score any higher than I have. It’s not the lack of creativity that is ruining this album for me, it’s simply how tremendously bland the songs themselves are. These guys have chops with their various instruments, but for me to really enjoy their work they need to amp up their songwriting something fierce.
Recommended tracks: Maelstroms Rebirth, You Blew It, Rudiger; his name is not important
Recommended for fans of: Mastodon, Neurosis, Baroness
Final verdict: 4/10
Apotheus – The Far Star (Portugal)
Style: Melodeath (mixed vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Chris
I’m typically a sucker for trying any album described as a sci-fi epic concept album so when I read that’s what The Far Star was I figured I’d give it a go. My report back is that this is fine. I think on a first glance or cursory listen this album seems to achieve what it sets out to though on subsequent listens I really found myself kinda checking out.
The death growls in this record are fine enough though pretty cookie-cutter and nothing stand-out. In regards to the cleans, there is a certain type of clean vocalist I’m usually not into and unfortunately Apotheus kinda lands inside that sphere, as their vocalist’s clean tone reminds me a lot of Jeff Scott Soto (Sons of Apollo) which most of the peeps over on the discord know is not exactly…a band I’m fond of. That said, the way this singer delivers lines and this band structures choruses on the melodic side around it…I’m kinda into a few of them. A few of them, such as the chorus in “Caves of Steel” sit right in that good blend of cheese and good clean metal fun that I can really dig. On the other side of the coin though there are plenty that I couldn’t help roll my eyes at a bit (such as the chorus of “Save Our Ship”). That eye rolling transfers a bit to some of the extra elements in the songs, such as ending a song called “Save Our Ship” with SOS morse code, and sound effects of Bomb shelter type alerts underneath choruses.
Diving into more instruments on this album, there are a lot of electronics and synths on this record, and unfortunately I tend to feel like they are just kind of sitting on top of the other instruments instead of integrating into the compositions, and as such really detracted in some areas. As for the drums, they are fine throughout but have a few questionable moments with random fills and kicks not really serving much purpose. The guitars are good but nothing really stands out as great.
That kind of attitude “nothing really stands out” may be the crux of my issue with this album: it has a lot of safety almost seemingly built in to where it almost feels a bit like play-by-numbers, neutered lighter melodeath in terms of song structures and part writing. Sometimes a few parts seem to try and reach their hand out from the mire of safety and predictability, but not enough to keep me coming back to this album. I think for this mood I would find myself just jamming an Amorphis album.
Recommended tracks: Caves of Steel, Staring the Abyss
Recommended for fans of: Amorphis, the choruses in Sons of Apollo songs, In Flames
Final verdict: 6/10
Consecration – Plava Laguna (Serbia)
Style: Post/Funeral Doom (harsh vocals)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Jonah
If you’re looking for a fusion of genres for really exciting, immediate songwriting, hooky melodies, and generally exciting musical content, this isn’t it, let me tell you that right now. Plava Laguna is a fusion of post-metal and funeral doom and woah boy does that show right off the bat. This bad boy is so. Fucking. SLOW. This album is nothing but builds, atmosphere, and the very very occasional heavy section that goes on just as long as everything else.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about the performances here. There’s this stigma about the slower metal genres that people play them because they don’t have the technical chops to do anything more intense. While I am a steadfast opponent to that theory, I’m definitely getting that sort of impression from this album. It’s slow, the songwriting is bland, and the only real saving grace I can find is that the vocals are halfway decent. I don’t think I had a single listen to this album where I didn’t lose my focus on the music at least twice throughout.
Usually this is the part where I tell you “oh but don’t worry there’s some potential here” but honestly I don’t hear much. This is a tremendously boring album, with tremendously boring songwriting, and some sort of decent vocals. Go listen to any other funeral doom, and any other post-metal. It’ll be better.
Recommended tracks: Not really
Recommended for fans of: Un, Ahab, Eye of Solitude
Final verdict: 3/10
Herd of Instinct – Incantation (US-TE)
Style: Heavy Prog (instrumental)
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | RYM page
Review by: Stephen
First of all, I’d like to point out that the album art for this album is absolutely badass. Does Herd of Instinct’s newest album live up to the artwork? For the most part it does, but there were also some issues I had with the album.
A small note I feel necessary to point out is that there are some vocals on this album, but 95% of the album is instrumental. So for that reason, it’s labeled as an instrumental album.
I first heard Incantation a couple months ago, and absolutely fell in love with the first track, “Sun Gun”. This track is bass guitar driven and has a very dark feel to it. I really loved it. As the album progressed, there were a lot of tracks I liked as well. The second track on the album “Incantation One”, (which also has a callback to “Sun Gun” I’d like to point out) I loved as well. Hell, most of the tracks on this album I loved. Even the tracks I took issue with, I still enjoyed. For example, the track “Prey 4 Winter” is a song that, on it’s own, I enjoyed… but in context of the album felt very out of place. Every track before had a dark or foreboding feel to it, then it felt like a complete tonal shift. The first half of “Prey 4 Winter” had a very upbeat retro-prog feel to it. While it wasn’t too common, there were a few times on the album where this happened. Normally something like this wouldn’t bother me, but it seemed like there would be a consistent tone throughout the album, and I was really hoping for that.
Aside from the small issue of tonal changes in a seemingly consistent concept or idea, I really enjoyed this album. There were moments on this album that made me feel like I was in a horror movie (looking at you “Myth and Ritual”). If bass guitar driven albums are your thing, give Incantation a listen.
Recommended tracks: Sun Gun, Incantation One, Myth, Ritual
Recommended for fans of: Rush (but darker)
Final verdict: 7.8/10
Kalacread – Mystic Society (Japan)
Style: Traditional (clean vocals)
Related links: Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Review by: Dylan
How do you like general prog metal tropes? I assume your general love/hate for them comes from whatever made you get prog metal in general. If you got here by the old school, traditional prog metal albums of the 90s like Images & Words, this is one tropey as hell album you could easily get a kick of. If you got into this scene by the newer, fresher bands, like Leprous, Periphery, or Between the Buried and Me, and never really got trad prog metal, you’ll vomit upon listening to Kalacread.
There’s two pleasing things about this album; The first one is that it is such a straight forward tropey as fuck album, that I hardly had to use my brain muscles. The second one is that even though it does absolutely nothing new, this album proves that it’s okay to be worshipping the prog metal legends if you’ve got songwriting skills to back it up.
Now I can’t say this is a particularly perfect album by any means. Being their debut album, the production quality ranges from average to poor. The guitar tone is just super weak, and it can lead to many great moments of wank/riffing, coming up underwhelming. And sadly because of this, I can’t really “forgive” them this because if you’re gonna worship the greats without trying a new thing, weak production is just gonna make me want to listen to whatever legendary prog metal band I love.
With a higher budget, this band could genuinely go places. There’s a ton of untapped potential here to look forward to on their sophomore album. For now, it’s a glimpse of promise.
Recommended tracks: Brutal Urban Overture, Endless Fall
Recommended for fans of: Dream Theater, Circus Maximus, etc.
Final verdict: 6/10
7 Comments
Catalin · March 9, 2020 at 20:21
Thank you. I’ll give a try to all bands. I want something fresh in my headphones.
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