Progressive Metal

The Willowtip Files: Ion Dissonance – Breathing is Irrelevant

By Saunders on May 15, 2023 in Blog Posts, The Willowtip Files, Grind, Mathcore, Progressive Metal, 16 comments

“Pennsylvanian-based independent label Willowtip Records was established by Jason Tipton in the late ’90s. From humble beginnings, the label has stood the test of time, becoming one of the most respected and highly regarded record labels in the extreme metal scene. It takes something special to create a label with a consistently unfuckwithable roster of quality, innovative artists while retaining long-term integrity and durability. Willowtip is the self-proclaimed forward-thinking label, releasing a slew of modern classics and top-shelf albums that may have a lower profile but are more than worth your while.” Math grinding.

Vintersea – Woven into Ashes Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on May 10, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 69 comments

“In the past 20 years that bands like Wolves in the Throne Room and Agalloch have been pioneering a shade of the American black metal sound, a few interesting things have happened: black metal got cool and, as such, has continued to add new notches into its total allowable expressions. Youthful bands, who likely grew up finding out about these bigger names alongside other 00s music trends, have erupted with melodic and even fairly accessible atmospheres defining their modern vision of what black metal can be. These visions can feel a little kitchen sink at times, but that doesn’t stop acts like Vintersea from continuing to try and find that special melodic thread that binds their wide-ranging influences together.” New blood, old blackness.

Vvon Dogma I – The Kvlt of Glitch Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on May 5, 2023 in Reviews, Industrial Metal, Progressive Metal, 87 comments

“The Kvlt of Glitch pushes a fusion of EDM-pulsing industrial metal colliding with wantonly djent and noodling progressive metal. The more than qualified ChaotH (Humanoid), formerly of the departed Canadian darlings Unexpect, steers Vvon Dogma I through this blasphemous foray.” Good Dogma.

Black Oak – Egolution Review

By Maddog on April 25, 2023 in Reviews, Hardcore, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“Egolution was a tough nut to crack. I picked up the debut from Sweden’s Black Oak based on the promo’s bold namedrops of Cult of Luna, ISIS, and Palms. When I started listening, I expected standard sludgy post-metal. I was wrong. Fifty-three minutes later, my head spinning with variants of “what the hell did I just listen to,” I panicked. Black Oak’s restless blend of post-rock and hardcore with electronic influences, prog, classical flourishes, and more left me confused.” Let go my Ego.

Medevil – Mirror in the Darkness Review

By Steel Druhm on April 6, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“Sometimes you stumble upon a band entirely unknown to you (and I suspect, to everyone else) and you hear a lot of good things, yet the overall listening experience falls well short of good. Canadian prog-power-trad metallers, Medevil subjected your Steelness to such an unsatisfying experience with their sophomore outing, Mirror in the Darkness.” Lost reflections.

Black Sea of Trees – The Spiritual Beast Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on April 5, 2023 in Reviews, Gothic Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 31 comments

Our promo sump feels piled these days, a good thing! And, it may be my attention to these distinctions that has grown over the year that I’ve now been with AMG, or it might just be the world we live in, but the independent release sub-pool seems to be growing drop by drop every day too. This fledgling, self-guided troupe, who funneled from afar to Australia, hasn’t even yet landed on the Encyclopedia Metallum (though they qualify), but they’ve graciously given us 2.4 gigabytes of WAV files to review for their debut outing The Spiritual Beast.” Forest packages available.

Sermon – Of Golden Verse Review

By Saunders on March 28, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 128 comments

“UK’s mysterious Sermon burst from out of nowhere on phenomenal 2019 debut album, Birth of the Marvellous. The debut was an incredibly accomplished, polished jewel of intense and emotive progressive metal, boasting excellent production and top-shelf writing and performances from the duo. Sermon bided their time crafting the follow-up to an unexpected underground hit, with combined efforts and careful craftmanship resulting in another triumphant release.” Preaching to the choir.

Ne Obliviscaris – Exul Review

By El Cuervo on March 27, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 164 comments

“Ne Obliviscaris hardly require introduction in these parts. The last decade established a pattern of bi- or tri-annual releases, opening with 2012’s inventive Portal of I and closing with 2017’s well-regarded Urn. One pandemic and an uncharacteristic wait later has revealed 2023’s Exul. Boasting a core fusion of progressive music, extreme metal and classical influences, these Aussies have always reveled in not just musical, but also thematic, excess. Accordingly, Exul appears to lever a loose Crusades theme.” Big Obliviscaris.

Lunar – The Illusionist Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on March 18, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 24 comments

“I hold concept albums dearly as a style that occupies many of my most treasured proggy excursions. Cautiously, though, many a lesser outing bloat the barrel of this contentious niche. Confidently Lunarߵs third full-length, The Illusionist, inhabits this realm—a dramatic telling of a magician’s struggle with what his work has made of his own life. We all ask this question to ourselves of a great many things in this world. Was it worth it? Was it worth it to park between the lines when the lifted F-150 went and snagged three spots? Was it worth it to pen 700 or so words when the tags read deathcore?” Deathcore and the Moon.

Redemption – I Am the Storm Review

By Steel Druhm on March 17, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 32 comments

“Call me olde and jaded, but I tend to be suspicious of bands that bear the “supergroup” imprimatur. Cautious though I may be, I’ve been a fan of Redemption since their launch way back in 2003. The brainchild of guitarist extraordinaire, Nicolas van Dyk, the project has benefitted from some exceptional frontmen over time, such as Rick Mythiasin (Steel Prophet, New Eden) and Ray Alder (Fates Warning, A-Z), and since 2018s Long Night’s Journey into Day, they’ve had Evergrey’s Tom Englund on the mic.” Forgiveness is more than saying sorry.