Progressive Death Metal

The Lylat Continuum – Ephemeral Review

By El Cuervo on February 15, 2021 in Reviews, Psychedelic Rock, Technical Death Metal, 11 comments

“This review is testament to the power of the pre-release single. I was immediately intrigued by the description “blending proggy death metal with psychedelic ambient breaks” and its atypical approach to death metal fulfilled this description. I specifically sought out the release in the promo swamp, dredging it up from between the smelly stoner doom and fetid black metal ordinarily infesting it. Denver’s The Lylat Continuum have brewed their potion for a number of years before releasing Ephemeral, their debut album, and it’s nothing if not inventive.” Hype and regret.

Luna’s Call – Void [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

By Kenstrosity on January 22, 2021 in Things You Might Have Missed 2020, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 44 comments

“2020 provided plenty of quality metal releases, but only a scant few of those which tickled my fancy fall into the “progressive metal” category. Of those, we missed two that deserve mention. The first is Cellar Vessel’s immense slab of Xanthrochroided symphonic prog-death, entitled Vein Beneath the Soil. The second—and, obviously, more preferred, since I’m writing about it—is UK quartet Luna’s Call’s sophomore epic Void.” When the void calls…

Fractal Generator – Macrocosmos Review

By Dear Hollow on January 11, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 39 comments

“Fractal Generator is an Sudbury, Ontario trio with a demo and a full-length under their belt. Boasting a range of experimental enactments incorporated into their death metal foundation, including black, grind, and warped melody, it’s a dense listen full of dynamics and movements.” Just the fracts, Jack.

Nawabs of Destruction – Rising Vengeance [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

By Kenstrosity on November 30, 2020 in Things You Might Have Missed 2020, Melodic Death Metal, 54 comments

“It’s time to ask the real questions. No more beating around the bush. What is a Nawab? According to a cursory Googlefu, a Nawab—which, translated literally, means “Viceroy”—is a Southern Asian royal title attributed to a governor under the Mogul empire, and was generally comparable to the Western world’s idea of a King. Alternatively, a Nawab could just refer to “a Muslim nobleman or person of high status.” So when you read the name Nawabs of Destruction, the honorable subject of today’s tongue bath, show the appropriate measure of respect.” Bend the knee!

Cryptic Shift – Visitations from Enceladus Review

By Eldritch Elitist on October 17, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 68 comments

“While I’ve traditionally identified as a basic black metal bitch, my listening habits of late have hovered firmly above death metal territory. The art of the Big Dumb Riff has held absolute command of my Spotify search bar, and it’s all thanks to the diversity the genre pool has spawned in over three decades of evolution. Just as I finish my most recent round of dick flattening at the hands of something as unflinchingly savage as Black Curse, I know I can hop to the opposite end of the technical axis to enjoy similarly aggressive highs in a fresh context. Cryptic Shift’s debut is about as far from something like Black Curse as you can imagine on the caveman riff spectrum, but those same thrills are all here.” Up Shift’s creek.

Voidceremony – Entropic Reflections Continuum: Dimensions Unravel Review

By Kronos on June 30, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 60 comments

“With heavyweights like Tomb Mold and Blood Incantation drowning in the love of the underground, proggy OSDM has never been so widely celebrated or practiced. If you’re a player in the death metal underground, that makes it an ideal time to switch focus from your nasty death metal band to your proggy death metal band and release your inscrutably titled debut album.” Void where prohibited.

Dawn of Ouroboros – The Art of Morphology Review

By Master of Muppets on May 1, 2020 in Reviews, 33 comments

“I found Dawn of Ouroboros out walking after midnight through the Bandcamp grounds, and while I may have ultimately been hauled back to my angry metal prison in a most silverback-ed and unceremonious fashion, you can bet your sorry ass that I managed to smuggle the Californians’ debut back with me. You’re welcome.” Muppet Mythos.

Afterbirth – Four Dimensional Flesh Review

By Kronos on March 10, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Slam, Unique Leader, Death Metal, Slam, 61 comments

“Welcome to my ass. We won’t be long. I’ve gathered us here today before my review of the brilliant new Afterbirth record because I didn’t want to drag you through here in the middle of it. Suffice it to say that my critique of Afterbirth’s The Time Traveler’s Dilemma has proven unassailably correct: Afterbirth should get right back on the horse, they should keep exploring their progressive tendencies, and they absolutely should record with Colin Marston. Probably no thanks to my scolding they have. Four Dimensional Flesh is a triumph, one of the most charismatic and original death metal albums you’ll ever hear.” Ass above, so below.

Krosis – A Memoir of Free Will Review

By Dear Hollow on February 6, 2020 in 2020, Ambient, Ambient Metal, American Metal, Deathcore, Djent, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, Unique Leader, Deathcore, Djent, Technical Death Metal, 46 comments

‘Krosis is a progressive deathcore band from North Carolina, A Memoir of Free Will being their second full-length. I’m not sure what progressive really entails, as the label has been used to describe anything from the djenty chuggaboundabounboundaluggs of Structures or Volumes, to the transcendental offerings of Slice the Cake or Kardashev.” Jawbreakers.