Mostly Metal's Favorites 2023
We're four months into 2023, and overwhelmed with new music, not only in quantity, but also in quality. I want to share some of my highlights here - To be continued... :-)
Dive in, have fun \m/
SIX SIDED STORM
Dance of the Serpent
USA
January 3rd, 2023
Guitar wizard Addikus Storm delivers high-energetic yet virtuoso instrumental prog
SAMTAR
Shadow of the King's Charade
USA
January 13th, 2023
SAMTAR's music comes along beautifully melodious, groovy, and a bit crazy
MASK OF PROSPERO
Hiraeth
Greece
January 27th, 2023
Modern progmetal from Greece, intense, expressive, and highly emotional
ASHEN
Ritual of Ash
Australia
January 13th, 2023
Pure death metal, sounding as dark and relentless as the cover promises
CTHULHU DREAMT
Precursor
USA
January 20th, 2023
A conceptual project exploring themes of loss, fear, and battling elements larger than ourselves
OUTRUN THE SUNLIGHT
The Return of Inertia 2.0
USA
February 17th, 2023
Excellent, instrumental progmetal, groovy, virtuoso, yet heavy
ENOCH ROOT
Delusion
USA
February 19th, 2023
A marvelous, touching prog record, telling about a man whose fate was decided for him
THE WORLD IS QUIET HERE
Zon
Release Date: January 27th, 2023
Country: USA
Don't let the band's name fool you, this album isn't quiet at all ;-)
HYPNO5E
Sheol
Release Date: February 24th, 2023
Country: France
With this musical piece of art, the avant-garde metal act take us on a challenging ride
THE RESONANCE PROJECT
Ad Astra
Release Date: February 24th, 2023
Country: USA
A mighty sounding, yet diverse masterpiece of orchestral fusion metal
HamaSaari
Ineffable
Release Date: March 3rd, 2023
Country: France
The post prog act caught me immediately with their debut and its intense atmosphere
ABEL SEQUERA
Soundscapes
Release Date: March 3rd, 2023
Country: Spain / International
Together with 50! guests, the Spanish drummer & composer takes us on a mesmerizing journey
WITCH RIPPER
The Flight After the Fall
Release Date: March 3rd, 2023
Country: USA
A crazy, space-themed story, great musicianship, and a proggy approach hidden under a sludge tag
GOROD
The Orb
Release Date: March 10th, 2023
Country: France
Brutal, highly technical, yet virtuosic and incredibly diverse in their compositions
Bandcamp / Review (for The Progspace)
TURRIGENOUS
Vesper, The Evening Star
Release Date: March 14th, 2023
Country: USA
The progmetal four-piece skillfully melt a wide range of styles to tell an epic story
MARTIN MILLER
Maze of My Mind
Release Date: March 31st, 2023
Country: Germany
A mesmerizing piece about the challenging journey to become a better self
Bandcamp / Review (for The Progspace)
SERMON
Of Golden Verse
Release Date: March 31st, 2023
Country: UK
Marvelous 2nd chapter by this anonymous, London-based duo
SLICE THE CAKE
Odyssey to the West (Remastered 2023)
Release Date: April 1st, 2023
Country: International
Mind-blowing, highly expressive, and sounding even better than the already great original version
NEVERUS
Burdens of the Earth
Release Date: April 21st, 2023
Country: Netherlands
This debut is some serious listening fun, offering majestic death metal
Bandcamp / Interview / Review (for The Progspace)
LOAM
Featherbrained
Release Date: April 28th, 2023
Country: UK / International
Mesmerizing, light-hearted yet sophisticated instrumental prog
IGNEA
Dreams of Lands Unseen
Release Date: April 28th, 2023
Country: Ukraine
Mighty third album by the Ukrainian masters of musical story-telling
FIRES IN THE DISTANCE
Air Not Meant For Us
Release Date: April 28th, 2023
Country: USA
Marvelous blend of brutality and melody, coming along atmospheric and intense
OMNEROD
The Amensal Rise
Release Date: May 12th, 2023
Country: Belgium
Omnerod deliver the full spectrum from mind blowing craziness to melodious beauty
ROGER STAFFELBACH
The Quest
Release Date: May 12th, 2023
Country: Switzerland / International
On his first solo album, the Swiss guitar wizard offers finest instrumental, neoclassical prog