Progressive Metal

Inter Arma – New Heaven Review

Inter Arma – New Heaven Review

By Cherd on April 26, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, 86 comments

“It’s been almost exactly five years since Inter Arma’s last full-length, not counting their album of cover songs, Garbers Days Revisited. Not that the vicious take on Neil Young’s “Southern Man” wasn’t a welcome addition to their catalogue, but after the gut-churning aural ruination that was 2019’s Sulfur English, you could hardly blame fans for hoping the band would follow it up in short order. A global pandemic and personnel turmoil intervened, so here we are in 2024 just getting our ears around the band’s fifth LP, New Heaven.” Large things arrive late.

OU – 蘇醒 II: Frailty Review

OU – 蘇醒 II: Frailty Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on April 26, 2024 in Reviews, Ambient, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 68 comments

“Beijing isn’t known for being a hotbed of metal, and what bands do exist (documented) don’t really present many ways to listen on a global scale. But, being comprised of human beings, music persists in that region whether we realize it or not. And of that perseverance OU blossomed. Triumphant and glistening, their 2022 debut one wasted no time infecting and warping my listening consciousness with its unique blend of progressive metal, power pop, and dream-like ambient fusion.” OU81NOU.

Balance of Power – Fresh from the Abyss Review

Balance of Power – Fresh from the Abyss Review

By Steel Druhm on April 18, 2024 in Reviews, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 18 comments

“It’s strange when a band you like goes into an extended period of inactivity. You miss them for the first few years and get impatient for new material. After 4-5 years though, you move on and eventually give up on hearing more from them. Stranger still is when a band that put you through all that abruptly returns some 20 years later with a very different sound. This is the experience I’ve had with the U.K.s Balance of Power.” Out of balance.

In Vain – Solemn Review

In Vain – Solemn Review

By El Cuervo on April 16, 2024 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 128 comments

“In Vain were clearly one of the most exciting Norwegian bands in the 2010s, boasting 2 great releases across Aenigma and Currents. The latter was even my Album o’ the Year for 2018, resulting in my unreasonable expectations for a sequel. For those unfamiliar, imagine a more varied and melodic version of Borknagar; a convenient comparator in a year that has also featured a new release from those guys too. And good though that record undoubtedly is, Solemn beats it hands down.” Vain and glorious.

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Save This Utility – 亡失 Deprivation

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Save This Utility – 亡失 Deprivation

By Dolphin Whisperer on April 6, 2024 in Angry Metal Guy's Unsigned Band Rodeo, Progressive Metal, 48 comments

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene.” Utility is strength.

Ivory Tower – Heavy Rain Review

Ivory Tower – Heavy Rain Review

By Steel Druhm on March 29, 2024 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 30 comments

“Ivory Tower have been a minor force in the Germanic prog-metal scene since 1998. I didn’t pay them much heed over the years, but that all changed when I took a flyer on their 2019 album Stronger. Expecting little, I walked into a buzzsaw and was quickly carved up by a highly catchy and memorable platter of vibrant prog metal led by the powerhouse vocals of one Dirk Meyer. It ended up on my Top Ten(ish) of 2019 and became one of my all-time favorite prog-metal releases. Naturally, I wanted a lot MOAR of the same from Ivory Tower.” Foundational instability.

Hideous Divinity – Unextinct Review

Hideous Divinity – Unextinct Review

By GardensTale on March 27, 2024 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 51 comments

“Hideous Divinity has been on a blazing trajectory in their recent career, culminating in the excellent Simulacrum. My former list buddy Ferrous, whose disappearance requires no police investigation I assure you, was rather enthused by that record, and it was one of the few overlapping entries on both our listicles that year. The Italians have earned their pedigree through battering brutality anchored to semi-progressive song structures and rendered with tight technical wizardry. No wonder that expectations are high for Unextinct” Hideous or glorious?

Iterum Nata – From The Infinite Light Review

Iterum Nata – From The Infinite Light Review

By Iceberg on March 24, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Folk Metal, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“Another week, another genre mashup for Iceberg, the frozen fringe-dweller. After a disappointing—and apparently controversial—dive into more straightforward waters, I was excited to spy the black/neofolk/prog tag on the newest release from Finnish one-man band Iterum Nata. Jesse Heikkinen spent some time with countrymen and fellow genre-blenders Hexvessel before striking out on his own, and this will mark his fifth solo release.” Moose mania.